Eric from Wrightstown, WI

Regarding most amusing headline, the one that stands out for me is "Amphibious Pitcher Makes Debut" with photos of A's pitcher Pat Venditte throwing with each arm in 2015. The article itself rightly referred to him as being ambidextrous, but the headline is a killer.

If only he'd been playing for the Marlins or Rays.

Jennifer from Middleton, WI

I got to check off a bucket list item, seeing Jerry Seinfeld live last weekend. He credits the secret to his long marriage as not asking his wife any questions. The answers reveal themselves and at the end of the day the answers don't matter. What happens, happens, so why ask? Given this group's Seinfeld affinity, I found this funny. What would we all do with ourselves if we applied this method to football?

Sleep better?

George from Edinburg, VA

Mike, I have two words for your "head sewn to the carpet comment" – Josh Sitton.

Fair enough, but I was a few beers into tailgating before the Wisconsin-LSU game at Lambeau that day when I found out, so …

Mike from New Orleans, LA

Dave from Gwinn, MI, is mistaken. Everyone knows the league will never expand to 32 games. They only need 31 since teams don't need to play themselves.

You're missing the opportunity for a made-for-TV lottery show that determines every team's final opponent after Week 35 (31 games plus four byes).

Paula from Apple Valley, MN

Your response about players having offseason jobs brought back what I think is a memory from my youth. I swear I had Larry McCarren as a substitute teacher at Ashwaubenon High School circa 1977. It was either chemistry or physics class. Could that be accurate?

I asked Larry about this, and he said early in his career, he would spend the offseason in Chicago, and he did substitute teach there on occasion. He never did while living in Green Bay year-round, but his wife was a substitute teacher during that time.

Terry from Elroy, WI

Wait. Fritz Shurmur isn't in the Packers Hall of Fame?

Nope. I don't know if the fact he only coached here for five years matters in the selection process, but in any case I believe there are only two assistant coaches in the Packers HOF – Phil Bengtson (who was also head coach for three years post-Lombardi) and Red Cochran (who was also a longtime scout).

Kathryn from Greenville, WI

Who enjoys OTAs more, players, fans or coaches?

Definitely coaches.

Bill from Clive, IA

Loved Mike's comment on Unscripted about "hunger" as his key takeaway from Week 1 of OTAs. If (and that's a really big "if") the injury bug doesn't bite, this could be the year it all comes together for Jordan Love & Co. The motivation and desire seems to be there. May Weston's 5 pillars hold firm!

I get the sense this team was bothered more by exiting the playoffs in the first round last year than by how close they came to the NFC title game the year prior.

Jim from Hudsonville, MI

Loved Wes's five pillars! Four of them (execution, preparation, experience, and talent) I'd consider vital to players as well as coaching staff. But the fifth, health, is strictly players. Being almost equal parts "luck," staying healthy has to be a rather unstable pillar. Just a thought.

It's the one over which there is the least control. Preparation is self-driven. Experience and talent can be collected and cultivated. Execution to me is the most fleeting, because it's the only one facing active opposition. You can feel like you're doing everything right but the other guys might just be doing it better.

Phillip from Wonder Lake, IL

Who will survive the enormous competition at WR?

The best players.

Mike from Winchester, TN

Hi II, I recently saw a video regarding the strength and athleticism of Reggie White (my all-time favorite Packer). I've read a few articles comparing both speed and game speed. I guess that's a thing, but is there a distinction between strength and game strength? I'm sure that game strength is more than bench press numbers.

It most certainly is. Leverage, explosion, stamina … all those and more factor into game strength.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

Can you help me understand how performance incentives work within the salary cap? Does the amount that counts towards the cap include the assumption that the player will hit every possible incentive? I've heard about likely vs. unlikely incentives, and if only the likely ones count towards the cap, what would happen if a team ends up over the limit with a bunch of unlikely ones?

An incentive is deemed "likely to be earned" (LTBE) if it's a mark the player reached the previous season, and those count against the cap in the current year. If it's not reached and therefore not paid out, the team gets a cap credit the following year. A "not likely to be earned" (NLTBE) incentive was not reached the previous year, and it does not count against the cap until the following year, if it ends up being paid.

Matty from Durango, CO

I'm not looking for a precise mathematical answer here but what is the likelihood that a practice squad player at the beginning of the year ends up on the roster for at least a game? It seems like, with a couple injuries per game, they are almost guaranteed a couple games.

Many of the 16 players on the practice squad never see the active roster or get a game-day callup, but a handful do every year. My best guess is it's in the 30-40% range.

Luke from Dubuque, IA

Mike and Wes, looking at the practice photos for the team, I can't help but notice the circles on the backs of their jerseys behind their shoulders. Could you share what those are? Is it a sensor of some sort?

Yes, they are sensors that track the body's physical data during practice/workouts.

Adrian from Chula Vista, CA

In response to Scott from WA state, I think the threat of franchises moving to force cities to publicly fund stadiums is losing steam. Fiscally, it more prudent to put taxpayers funds toward more prudent local concerns. Case in point, the former San Diego Chargers. At first the city balked, but later the citizens and the city said goodbye. SDSU and local developers repurposed the stadium site into a nice stadium/entertainment venue with housing and retail in the works.

I think it very much depends on the city. Affinity for, and the value of, a pro football team in San Diego compared to, say, Buffalo doesn't really compare. It took a long, long time to get there, but the Bills eventually got $850M in public funding toward their new stadium.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Aggressive players play to the "echo of the whistle." Which current or former Packers player comes to mind for you as a personification of this principle?

T.J. Lang and Mike Daniels were the first two I've covered who came to mind.

Darrel from Pueblo, CO

II, I believe both Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave are eligible for extensions or new contracts at the end of 2025. What do you think are the chances we keep both of them in GB?

They can play their third and maybe even fourth seasons before there's any need to ponder that.

Luke from Port Alsworth, AK

Good day Mike/Wes, in regards to practice squad players and their scout team usage, who are the coaches that tell them what to do/teach them the plays and what is their weekly process? Seems like they need to know the Packers' playbook and then have to divert their attention each week on other teams' as well. Any further insight would be fun to know.

The quality control coaches do a lot of the work on the opponent plays that are incorporated into practice. I don't know how much studying the scout team players do in advance. During practice itself, a diagram of the opponent's play is held up in the huddle for everyone to look at and process their roles.

Steve from Flagstaff, AZ

I'm curious how A) the progress of Romeo Doubs and his concussion he had. That looked like a wicked hit he took to the ground. And B) if things between Doubs and the team have smoothed over since his suspension?

1. A) Doubs didn’t get into the specifics of his recovery from the multiple concussions but said it was a "long process," and he seems to be doing well. B) Yes. That point was reached last season, as far as I could tell.

Glen from Eugene, OR

I certainly don't want to give the NFL any ideas, but could you see a division "on tour" in Europe? That is, a three-week stretch where they play each other, essentially round-robin in the various cities. I'm going to grab the brain bleach now.

I don't know about a whole division like that, but the Vikings spending two straight weeks overseas this fall is definitely a trial run for future possibilities.

Josh from Seattle, WA

Has anyone asked Hafley about multiple fronts? I don't think the straight four pash rush has to be dominant like the Eagles in order to win or create consistent pressure against top teams. I think more creativity in coaching works better.

It's about finding the right balance, and being good enough at both the straight-up and creative stuff to be able to lean on either in various situations. Last year, the Packers had to lean way too heavily on the simulated blitzes and other creative looks, and eventually you've put them all on film too many times.

Ron from Geneva, IL

I see the improved pass rush optimism as we landed a new DL coach, putting some emphasis on the former coach being a liability in additional to the players. As it relates to the multiple WR drops last year, is there still a liability with the current WR coaches, or did we not see a correlation there?

I've never considered receiver drops as primarily a coaching issue.

Tim from Clear Lake, IA

Okay, let me rephrase the question from Bruce of Appleton.WHICH of the Packers' rookies has the best chance of starting this year? As I look at the list of draftees and UDFAs I don't see any "locks," which I think speaks to the depth the Packers have due to the good drafting of the past few years.

I could see Matthew Golden "starting" in a three-WR set. But any other starters this year from the draft class would surprise me.

Shawn from Kissimmee, FL

Who on the team this year has high expectations for a stellar year? Would they also be on the hot seat if they did not perform to expectation? My eyes will be on Love to take the leap into the elite QB tier, based on years learning behind a HOF QB, his QB salary being top tier, and now entering his third year as a starter. Seems to be too many offensive weapons to have excuses, other than some will be rookies.

Plenty of players on this roster know what's at stake for the present and future. That's built into having such a young team. Yes, all eyes are on Love to take the next step, but it takes the supporting cast around him to raise its game as well. He has the capacity to elevate other players, and others can help elevate him. The greater the symbiosis, the better the results.

Scott from Palos Park, IL

A need for faster starts in division matchups and an additional year of experience for a young club. Sounds like part of the solution may already be built into the formula?

That's the idea.

Mike from Baraboo, WI

What are the position battles we should be paying close attention to?

Come training camp, I'd put starting left tackle and right guard at the top of the list, followed by (in no particular order) No. 3 linebacker, top nickel DB grouping (who's in the slot vs. boundary), No. 2 running back and depth at wide receiver.

Steve from Phoenix, AZ

Monday's Inbox solved a problem. I've never liked the phrase "dead zone" for the period preceding training camp. No, it's the deep breath before the plunge. Thank you.

Whatever works, but the term used here is one small way I pay homage to this column's originator. Happy Wednesday.

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