Inbox: There's a kernel of truth to that

Tom from Two Rivers, WI

If we're going to do laser goalposts, can we please make them lightsaber lasers so when the ball hits them, the ball is cut in two and where the larger portion lands determines if the kick is good or not?

It's taken only half a week of the dead zone to rekindle the "obliterate vs. slice" laser goalpost debate. Serenity now.

Luke from Holcombe, WI

When the regular season starts, does the baloney really stop? Power rankings. Week 4 playoff projections. Week 4 hot-seat lists. Shower-thought clickbait trade or free agent signing articles. I'd say the regular season is about as bad as the offseason used to be.

Point taken.

Brian from Oregon, WI

I'm catching up on the last "Unscripted" episode of the offseason. Regarding the anecdote of Mecole Hardman reaching out to the new Packers WRs after they were drafted, where do players get the contact information for each other? Does the NFL provide a directory to players? Do they reach out through their agents? Something else?

If they share an agent or agency they'll get the info that way. They can also get it from their coaches.

Timothy from Indianapolis, IN

What number that has been officially retired has been worn by the most players? What one the fewest?

No. 15 has been worn by the most, a total of 21 players including Starr. The number was actually worn by multiple players in the same season twice (1945 and '55) before Starr was drafted in '56. No. 4 has been worn by the fewest, just five players including Favre. Strangely, no one wore No. 4 between 1937 (Herm Schneidman) and '86 (Chuck Fusina).

David from Janesville, WI

Gents, I have to admit I didn't know much about Isaiah Simmons when he came to Green Bay for a visit. I had heard hybrid player, linebacker and safety, and frankly assumed he'd be a tweener and too small for a significant linebacker role. Then I checked the stats. Simmons: 6-4, 238; Quay Walker: 6-4, 241. Not so small after all. If those two and Edgerrin Cooper are on the field at the same time that is a lot of speed and athleticism chasing down plays. I'll be curious to see him in the defense during camp.

Me, too. What I found most curious about his interview, and Wes’s story, was his admission that his versatility as a player has been as much a curse as a blessing in these early stages of his career. I don't think I've ever heard a player express that perspective on a quality that's naturally assumed to be a positive and potential advantage. I don't know if Green Bay will be the right fit for Simmons, but if it is, I'm definitely intrigued.

Hank from Centennial, CO

I've heard it said that Malik Willis praised how Coach LaFleur broke the game down into easily learned chunks, which helped him quickly get up to speed after being with a team where they complained he couldn't learn the playbook. Now I hear Isaiah Simmons saying similar things about Coach Hafley. I'm expecting big things from him, and think that with him, Walker, Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper we could have the best linebacker cadre this team has had in a while.

Quite possible.

Ben from Cripple Creek, CO

In regards to the sack comparison through first two years, how does the number of snaps compare between Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness in their first two years?

Gary played 700 defensive snaps in the 2019-20 seasons. LVN played 793 in 2023-24.

Nathan from Williamstown, MA

I imagine the people who are disappointed with Van Ness's productivity so far are also disappointed with Gary's, so saying their careers are on a similar trajectory doesn't make them feel better. For both of those players, how much of their perceived struggles could be due to scheme fit and injury luck? And conversely, if they can both stay healthy in their second season under Hafley, how much more could they accomplish?

I don't necessarily like to project, because nobody really knows. These are some facts I know. First, on Gary, he was on his way to a double-digit sack season (six sacks in eight games) when he blew out his knee in Detroit in '22. He came back in '23 with hot and cold stretches, like a streaky hitter in baseball. A pair of three-sack games, but only nine sacks on the year. And then Gary made notable strides as a run defender in '24, which were reflected in the team's overall run D numbers but have been overlooked. Did that focus in the first year in a new scheme hinder his pass rush any? Time will tell. With Van Ness, he transitioned to a stand-up rusher as a rookie and came on strong toward the end of the year. But then he couldn't build on that with the scheme change last season, and the switch back to his more traditional style of play was hindered in the offseason/training camp by the broken thumb. What encourages me statistically about LVN is his seven TFLs (not including sacks) in his first two seasons as a part-time player. He's shown he knows how to get into the backfield. Health will matter with both players, obviously. Second year in Hafley's system should, too. The biggest wildcard is the impact of a new position coach. Nothing's guaranteed, but I see reasons for optimism.

James from Appleton, WI

The main problem with the pass interference experiment was dealing with the calls that weren't made. With improving technology, maybe there will be a booth check on all the calls that were made and coaches' challenges will be reserved for infractions not called. What do you think?

I think the main problem with the PI experiment was the guy running the replay center in New York. It was not a shock to me he lasted only one more season in the role after that.

Paul from Cottage Grove, WI

I haven't done any research on this but do you think it is better for a team to make it to the playoffs with a tough division or an easy one?

If you're asking whether I'd want my team battle-tested or not, generally I would. But not at the expense of being healthy and playing well during the stretch run. That would always be my priority. Winning a weak division year after year never seemed to matter much one way or another with the Patriots.

Jim from Mundelein, IL

Lots of moving parts to the roster, schedule, salary cap, etc. It seems to me that the most important part of the Packer success in 2025 will be the reality of who Jordan Love becomes. Is he the elite QB in the last half of the 2023 season? Or is he an up-and-down QB of 2024? Appreciate your thoughts.

There's a kernel of truth to that, but I think it's important to remember he wasn't the only one who elevated his game in the second half of 2023. That young offensive cast around him did so as well, and it produced a collective rise to another level. The QB shoulders most of the burden. Always does. But the players around him playing better make it more symbiotic than simple.

Craig from Koh Phangan, Thailand

I've been traveling but tuning in. I read that one of Jim Irsay's daughters, three of which are co-owners after his passing, is going to wear a headset on gameday to listen in on the play-calling. Has this ever happened before, to your knowledge? Seems like a slippery slope. And just for fun, how many headsets would the Packers have to hand out if every owner got to listen in on the play-calling?

Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been wearing a headset on gameday for years. The Colts' website had a pretty cool story about it.

Scotty from Colorado Springs, CO

Thank you for all the content you provide. It must be nice for the II staff when Zach Tom drops the line about not aiming to be the "10th" best tackle. I love to hear that strong talk about his abilities. Is this bravado new from him?

New only in the sense that he's never been crazy about media interviews so, through his first three seasons, we didn't hear from him much. I thought his media appearance this spring was engaging and insightful, and I hope we hear from him more moving forward.

Everett from Le Sueur, MN

Hey Mike, appreciate the work you do with the Pack. What's your favorite memory with Mark Murphy?

I happened to be grabbing a bite to eat with him in the staff dining room at the start of the 2017 draft. I'll just say seeing his reaction to the Bears trading up from the No. 3 to No. 2 spot was priceless. Other than that, I'll remember lots of gameday conversations on the road, when I sat next to him in visiting press boxes for years. Even decades removed from his playing days, he still has an innate feel for how a game is going as he watches it, and it's not how the armchair QBs see it.

Joe from Liberty Township, OH

There was a question yesterday regarding the 90-man roster and unlikelihood of those last 20 players making the roster, but I recall teams inviting as many as 150 players to training camp back in the '70s when there was no limit. And the roster wasn't 53 back then. I recall it ranged from 40-45. Talk about longshots to make the team!

Given the brutality of two-a-days back then, those longshots earned their free meals.

John from Stevens Point, WI

So, what's on your agenda now that the "off" season is upon us? Is the "honey-do" list long?

It's all relative to how much free time I've actually got.

Jon from Temecula, CA

If you could recommend to the Inbox one book that has absolutely nothing to do with sports, what would it be? Just wondering.

I'll give you two of my favorites from college. Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," and Joseph Heller's "Catch-22." Happy Wednesday.

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