Chuck from Neenah, WI

Hey Mike, has the summer of Spoff started yet or are you still decomposing?

Come again? I'm very much alive after my vacation, thank you.

Markus from Aurora, CO

Optimistic words from LaFleur, Gutekunst and Policy, but then again: It's the time of NFL football year where every team has hopes and opportunities ahead of them. Will they seize them and have an arrow pointing up?

The Magic 8 ball says, "Ask again in six months."

Tim from Jupiter, FL

How about learning from the UFL and adding a 3-pt. TD conversion from 8 yards and/or a 4-pt. FG from 60+?

No and please, no.

Sam from Germantown, WI

Good morning! Are pre-draft visits primarily used for Day 1 draft picks or is it common to see those guys selected on Days 2 and 3 or even not at all?

All of the above.

Jordan from Osterdock, IA

I thought I saw somewhere playing time also factors into the comp pick formula. Barring anything unforeseen Malik Willis should be in line for 100% of the offense snaps in Miami so is there a chance the projected fourth moves into Round 3?

That is a distinct possibility, yes.

Donn from Oshkosh, WI

Have there been any years besides this one that the Packers did not have a pick in the first round?

The last time the Packers didn't make a first-round pick was in 2017, when they traded down during the draft. Also 2008. The last two times the Packers went into the draft without a first-round pick were 1986 and 1975.

Doug from Colorado Springs, CO

Hello II, with the Raiders' recent signing of a veteran QB (Cousins), who is out there to back up Jordan Love? Do you believe he is already on the roster? Always been a fan of having an experienced QB to take over if QB1 is out with an injury.

As I've said all offseason, there's still a lot to sort out here. I expect the Packers to take a long look at Desmond Ridder (18 career starts, eight wins) this offseason and training camp. They'll also want to see what Kyle McCord (sixth-round pick by Eagles last year) has to offer, and they may add another draft pick to the mix. Then there's the league-wide landscape as the preseason unfolds. Willis didn't arrive here until after the '24 preseason was over.

Tracy from Green Bay, WI

With Micah Parsons not returning at the beginning of this season is there a need to get another linebacker during the draft?

An addition at pass rusher in this draft would not surprise me in the slightest.

TK from Grafton, WI

Best player available? I get it. But! Let's say GB really wants a CB or a DT. Would their choice at 52 be influenced by players that MIGHT be available in the next round? Might they think they should pounce on that DT at 52 knowing the CBs likely available in Round 3 should still be pretty good? Or the opposite? This kind of stuff helps make the draft so fascinating!

Exactly, and that's what is meant, in part, by "the board being strong" in this area or that. But you don't take a player at 52 just because that position is weak in the draft, if the player isn't worth a second-round choice. Maximizing value with every pick is key. Not doing so only leaves better players for the competition to draft.

Steven from UK

Which position group on the roster would you say has the biggest gap between public perception and how the team likely views it internally?

Ask me after the draft.

Curt from Pine Island, MN

What would it really mean to have "full-time" refs? Make it so they can't have any other job at all? Or just more significant salary and benefits so they don't need one? It's hard to imagine an actual, full-time, full-year work schedule.

I don't think I've seen anyone lay out specifics, but I could see full-time attention to the job from August through February being beneficial, with occasional training/seminars/etc. in the offseason. Something like that maybe.

Chris from Kennesaw, GA

Morning II, I was looking over the offseason program dates and was curious if a non-rookie wanted to, could they attend the rookie minicamp? For instance, Javon Hargrave and Benjamin St-Juste, or even some futures signees who weren't on GB's practice squad all season? Thanks.

Some non-rookies can and do attend the rookie minicamp, but that group is limited to first-year players who signed a contract the previous year and were not on the active roster enough weeks to accrue an official season of service.

Tom from Herndon, VA

Do you think the locker room vibes and apparent lack of system buy-in may have played a role in the lack of signings to second contracts from the 2022 draft class as well as other veterans? It seems like management was doing a passive roster revamp.

I don't see it that way. As far as the '22 class, Devonte Wyatt had his fifth-year option exercised, Christian Watson got a one-year extension, and both have been talked about as long-term candidates. Plus, Zach Tom and Sean Rhyan got lengthy second contracts. They're all from that class and you can't pay everybody. The Packers didn't keep Rasheed Walker because they have a first-round draft pick waiting to play left tackle, they didn't keep Doubs because they drafted two receivers in the first three rounds last year, they didn't keep Quay Walker because they weren't interested in his price tag (if they had been, they would've picked up his fifth-year option last spring, because the numbers were similar), and they weren't going to pay starter money for Enagbare, who'd be a rotational player once Parsons returns.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

I thought I saw in the Inbox last week that the NFL no longer considers a Friday game a "short week," at least from a scheduling perspective? If that is true and you are an NFL player, are you not absolutely insulted and disgusted? Doesn't seem like good PR in the safety era.

Don't listen to what the league says, watch what it does.

Dave from Waterford, WI

Will the Packers have to play a game overseas again this year?

It's looking increasingly unlikely, with the options dwindling, but not all doors are closed.

Patrick from Ashland, WI

I was watching the movie "Casino" the other night...the dealers are watching the players, the box men are watching the dealers, the pit bosses are watching the box men, etc. It reminded me of a program I had watched years ago about the NFL personnel. They said people are watching the people who watch the people who watch the people on the sidelines. Do you have any elaboration or opinion on this?

There's a lot of complexity to this business, but it's not THAT secretive or complicated. I prefer to think of it as everybody having a job to do. Players play, coaches coach, scouts scout, writers write. And if the first three do their jobs exceedingly well, the fourth's job is exceedingly easy.

Tom from Palatine, IL

Due to the possibility of replacement referees, there is talk of the replay center getting more involved in overturning clear and obvious errors by the on-field referees. Why would this only be done in the case of replacement referees? Shouldn't that always be the intent of the replay center? Looking forward to the draft. GO PACK GO!

The league has always drawn clear lines regarding what's reviewable and what's not. They're going to blur those lines if replacement officials are needed, to avoid a repeat of the 2012 disaster. Regardless, replay review keeps expanding, and for good reason. But there have to be rules and guidelines to follow, at least to provide the appearance of all games being treated equally. That would certainly be at risk with replacement officials, but in that scenario, the priority shifts to simply "no wrong outcomes." The league didn't think that would happen 14 years ago until it did.

Keith from Miamisburg, OH

One of the main things I hope Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love learned by evaluating last season is situational awareness. I get we are a team built on the explosive plays and take our shots when they are there; however, when the defense has been on the field a long time there needs to be an awareness of their condition. Too many times last year after long drives by the opponent we went three-and-out, shooting for a big play. If the D needs a break at least a couple of first downs.

I hear you, but if it were always that easy to get "at least a couple of first downs," nobody would ever go three-and-out.

Benjamin from Bear, DE

If my memory serves me right, wasn't there more than a little push back when Coach Hafley was hired as the new DC? It's been a few minutes since Coach Gannon's been hired and I think I remember a little second guessing. Am I the only one who's excited about the change? Briefly, can you please explain what philosophical differences between the two coaches are and how that will impact the defensive performance we can expect in the upcoming season?

There's always going to be pushback because certain observers have their favorites. Be that as it may, I'm looking forward to learning more about Gannon's philosophy and approach, but I've got nothing to offer right now. I expect Zaire Franklin and Hargrave can give us some insight into him as DC when we get a chance to talk to them, too.

Yotam from Israel

There's a lot of focus on finishing games, after last season's fourth-quarter collapses, but let's remember a year before that the problem was slow starts which had the team digging a hole – sometimes coming out of it, sometimes not. My point is each year is different and regression to the mean (sorry math) means last year's aberrant statistic will be this year's "meh." Just build the best team you can and let the chips fall where they may.

There's always a danger in thinking anything is THE problem, or the golden solution.

Bill from Menominee, MI

As you mentioned, there were so many individual plays that affected the final outcome this past season. It sure seems like in each of those games, there were 2-3 consecutive failed series within each game that were overshadowed by a missed kick, dropped onside, etc. Obviously, finishing games is an easy storyline for us short-term memory fans to focus on, but playing complete games is where the Packers need to improve.

Indubitably.

Nick from Prescott, WI

Hi guys, Tauscher made some interesting comments the other day. He talked about the importance of winning the division before we can make Super Bowl plans. He also talked about taking back Lambeau in big games. He made a point that Love has never won the division, and it got me thinking we would've missed the playoffs the past two seasons if the NFL hadn't added the seventh seed. Two years of missing the playoffs? I'm excited for the Packers this year, but I think he's right. What am I missing?

For the record, it's been three straight years as the No. 7 seed. But more important, I agree wholeheartedly with Tausch, and why I always say the first goal is to win the division. That gets you a minimum of one home playoff game. It's what made the first loss at Chicago last year so damaging. If the Packers win that one, with two games to go they're 10-4-1 with the Bears 10-5. Still work to do, but they'd have been in great position to win the North. As for taking back Lambeau in big games, I thought the team was on track to do that the way last season started, with the early home wins over Detroit and Washington. Then the midseason lull against Carolina and Philly in back-to-back home games killed that vibe.

Taylor from Hopkins, MN

Have you guys ever asked for the Inbox to be published less frequently each week to improve the quality over quantity ratio? It's become less relevant Packer news and more "let's chat with our five buddies about fishing and root beer." This column often mentions clickbait but understandably rarely points out the amazing articles by those who print much less frequently and therefore more substantive articles. Or is II purposely geared to the young and willingly less informed just for fun?

It's called a sponsorship obligation, Taylor.

Connor from Minnetrista, MN

Who is the most likely Week 1 opponent for GB?

No idea.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

I think another Inbox milestone is getting the last question/comment submission that Spoff doesn't respond to!

Happy Monday.

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