Richard from Greenwich, NY

Hi Wes, on top of having two questions posted in one day in II, I may now have the distinction of having the longest answer (Mike's July 17 response to my submission regarding hanging on for a W). To be clear, I wasn't saying that was the cause of the infamous loss to the Bears and am reassured it wasn't.

Fair enough, but you still owe Spoff a new keyboard after he melted his last one with that reply.

Hank from Centennial, CO

Do you count the quick success of Malik Willis with the Packers as one of the feathers in the hats of the staff lead by Coach Matt LaFleur? Mike Vrabel, who's widely considered a topflight coach, and his minions almost ended Willis' career. Yet just a few days in Green Bay and he played like a man reborn. A lot went into that, such as LaFleur's willingness to fit a scheme to his player rather than the reverse. Yet it still seems to me to be an underappreciated achievement.

I'm not sure if there's a better developer of quarterbacks in the NFL right now than Matt LaFleur. The man is brilliant when it comes to scheming and strategizing but what makes LaFleur one of the game's very best offensive minds is how he can tailor his offense to a QB's strengths in short order. Everyone involved deserves credit for how well Willis performed in Green Bay, but I gained a new level of respect for LaFleur in 2024 when he devised a winnable gameplan for a QB who wasn't on the roster three weeks earlier. He doesn't want credit, but he's deserving of it.

Larry from Woodridge, IL

Good morning II. Is the NFL not having a playoff game for third place, its way of saying, "If you ain't first, you're last?" Thanks for a great column.

It's the league's way of saying, "If you don't win, we were serious about the whole going home thing."

John from Saint Paul, MN

How did the 3-4 defense look during OTAs?

Fun and frisky.

Jeffery from Monticello, WI

Hi guys, Congrats to Devonte Wyatt on his contract extension, well deserved. I sure hope they're getting Tucker Kraft locked in next. Do you think they will wait and see how he looks after his return from his injury?

I'm not losing any sleep on a Kraft extension, folks. It'll get done in due time. I feel confident saying that. In the here and now, that's a major move for the Packers to lock down Wyatt. His maturation is big reason Green Bay felt OK about sending Kenny Clark to Dallas to complete the Micah Parsons trade. Wyatt was a handful for interior O-linemen to deal with before that injury on Thanksgiving.

Caleb from Knoxville, TN

Every year, there's an upset team who flips the scripts and steals their division. Who is your 2026 surprise division winner? My pick last season was the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South - this year, it's the New York Giants in the NFC East!

For someone who prefers production over prediction, you guys are asking for plenty of the latter today. I'll say New Orleans in the NFC and Cincinnati in the AFC.

Kerry from Lakewood Ranch, FL

If the Packers have a top 10 defense this year, they will …?

Be a force this season and have a chance every time they step on the field.

Rob from Circle Pines, MN

How impactful do you think a receiver tandem of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden can be?

I haven't been this excited for a Packers receiving corps since Jordy Nelson's comeback season one decade ago.

Marshall from Mesa, AZ

In response to Ross from Hudson, I would say that special teams has been neither sneaky nor low key for the last few years. They've been flat out bad for quite a while. If they weren't, there wouldn't be a new coordinator. You get what you emphasize – clearly the Packers have not put enough time/effort into improving this phase of the game. It wouldn't matter if you reanimated Lombardi - if you don't work at it, it won't improve.

The emphasis is there and the Packers have worked at it. They just haven't gotten the formula quite right yet. I don't wish to belabor this any further, but again Green Bay's special teams started from scratch after Mo Drayton was let go in 2022. Aside from Isaiah McDuffie and Keisean Nixon (who barely played teams last year), there isn't a specialist, coverage player or coach who remains from the start of Rich Bisaccia's tenure as coordinator. For the 50th and final time, I reiterate the soil is richer today than it was when Bisaccia was hired. We'll see what the Packers can do with it.

Mike from Somerset, WI

Wes, everybody loves the story where a guy comes out of nowhere and achieve greatness even for a short period of time. I call it the 'Rocky' phenomenon. James Starks is my favorite Packers player whose gritty runs surprised us during the last Super Bowl run. Who is your favorite Rocky that emerged during your tenure covering the Packers.

There's been quite a few. I immediately thought of John Kuhn, a blue-collar guy who was invaluable at a blue-collar position. Robert Tonyan also comes to mind; a dude who did the Tuesday tryout circuit for almost an entire season before landing a spot on Green Bay's practice squad late in 2017. My favorite Rocky story would be Jarrett Bush, though. He not only earned every snap he took as a former undrafted free agent but also did the Rocky-type workouts. I cannot tell you how many times after a grueling practice that Bush darted to the Lambeau bowl to climbs stairs with a weighted vest. Built different.

John from Stevens Point, WI

Regarding anyone on the 90 can make the 53 got me to thinking, who do you consider the best Packers' late-round draft picks in Packer history. Who heads the list of UFAs? Which late-round picks and UFAs have the best chance of making the 53 this season? Which players might be candidates for the practice squad? I absolutely LOVE this time of year (the part where camp starts, not the dead zone)! GPG!

It's Bart Starr and then the field. The franchise wouldn't be where it is today without him. I don't have any predictions on the 53. We only saw these guys in a handful of spring practices. While he wasn't a "late-round pick" per se, Jager Burton took as many first-team reps as any rookie on the roster. Isaiah Neyor had a nice offseason. He improved his stock. Nyjalik Kelly reportedly received the largest guarantee out of the undrafted rookies, so the UCF pass rusher is probably an early leader in that clubhouse.

Johnny from Fort Myers, FL

Wes, every year it seems like there's one guy who you especially pull for to make the final roster. Who is he this season and why?

From a storyline perspective, it'll be tough to top Marlon Jones. The rookie defensive back was forced to step away from football in 2024 due to a battle with Stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma. He returned last year with Vanderbilt after his cancer went into full remission, recording nine tackles in nine games with one start.

Gene from Greenville, WI

What is your favorite team to watch the Packers play against?

The Hammond Metropolitans.

Jon from Temecula, CA

Aaron Rodgers was both the face of the franchise and a headline maker off the field. There were 100 articles about whom Aaron is dating. Meanwhile, Jordan Love quietly got married to another pro athlete and started a family without much coverage. Is it easier or harder to cover Love because it is only about football and performance. Did other media force you to respond to their Rodgers headlines even when you didn't want to? Or does being a guest on Rogan's podcast make for an easy day's work for you?

I've enjoyed covering both. They're two very different people but both unapologetically themselves. As a reporter, that authenticity is all I'm asking for. While all the things you said make Rodgers a lightning rod for headlines and occasional criticism, it's also what makes him a compelling interview. What's more, I learned a lot about the game of football from Rodgers and am forever grateful for the time and insight he provided us. He was a "Stand-Up Guy" winner for a reason. At the same time, the transition to Love came at a good time for the Packers. We are in the Jordan Love era now and so far, I like what he's done with it.

Joe from Swansea, IL

So many former Packers around the league now, whom will you be watching from afar this coming season?

Just Rodgers. I take note of former Packers when they're playing in the game I'm watching, but "12/8" is the only appointment TV for me. Rodgers used to talk about entering the back nine of his football career. Well, we're sitting two on No. 18 right now and I'm enjoying this last hole for everything its worth.

Bart from Appleton, WI

Greetings all, recently watched NFL network program hall of fame newest inductees getting visited at their home by former players and crew who informed them of the news, very special moment for the player and families who were present. It leads me to wonder other than Rodgers, which former Packer gets the next call, or should I say visit with the HOF announcement?

It needs to be Mike Holmgren and soon. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and its voters must right that wrong. A case could be made for Verne Lewellen and Cecil Isbell, but Davante Adams is the best bet in the modern era. He may need another All-Pro nod or two to cement his case, though.

Scott from Sussex, WI

Maybe a dumb question, but why does the salary cap rise every year? I know the TV deals increase, but why? The NFL negotiating harder with the TV stations? Rising popularity of the sport? The NFL getting better at making money off tickets, merch, etc.? What's the biggest factor?

Rising tides, my friend. The NFL has never been more popular and that means more revenue is flowing through the league's coffers. With owners and players splitting the kitty, the salary cap grows.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Wes. Should the "insider" gambling suspension within the Arizona Cardinals' organization serve as a reminder to Inbox submitters about why there is no gambling in Bushwood?

We obviously have good fun here in Inbox about these matters, but I must say this whole ordeal is unacceptable. I cannot stress how many resources and reminders the NFL has put in place to remind its employees of the gambling policy.

Ron from Broken Arrow, OK

Wes, thanks for sharing the scoop that Doug from Green Bay gave us yesterday regarding the reason for the Packers' late-season collapse. I had no idea that the lowest equipment guy had anything to do with it! Hopefully you can do a Q&A with this person and find out the results from their self-scouting.

I get the frustration among fans, but nobody needs to be reminded the milk was spilled. We all saw it in Chicago. If you're not looking in the mirror after how last season ended, then you shouldn't be here. That goes from the top of the organization to this very byline.

Christopher from Sun Prairie, WI

What team-building activities (bowling, video games, water fights with balloons and squirt guns, etc.) does Coach Matt support and are any attempted during training camp on days when it is too hot (or too smoky) to practice outdoors?

The Packers played laser tag inside the Hutson Center during OTAs before veterans were excused and that was that. Once training camp starts, the time for fun and games is over.

Scott from Noblesville, IN

2026 PACKERS: PRODUCTION over PREDICTION. Wes, you certainly could've easily made the list of answers to the Outsiders Inbox with that bumper sticker/T-shirt slogan idea! Excellent job!

I love the year-long interest in the Packers. It's what makes it fun to come to work 12 months of the year. The only downside is there's a lotta time for talking and only 17-plus games for action.

Bill from Raleigh, NC

Hi Wes, Another word about Bryson from an announcer. Bryson was allowed to make a reasonable walk up to his ball. He did that and then retreated backwards to look at the shot. So far, so good. He then stomped the long grass down when he came back to ball thereby reducing the amount of grass his club would encounter on his backswing. It looked premeditated to the official (and me). John Rahm throwing a club is poor golfmanship but had zero to do with improving his score.

As a good friend of mine likes to say, "Bringo."

Jay from Altoona, WI

Thanks to Wes on the pronunciation of Achord, but he neglected to tell us if he pronounces his first name as "Cam" or instead as "Cam" which would be my guess.

It's not Ryan, it's Ryne.

Kevin from Grand Blanc, MI

Well Wes, it's finally over. The wincing, the whining, the faking, the flopping. Gone for four more years. For what it's worth, congratulations to Spain for the win. I tried to get onboard with it all, but the popularity eludes me. Now bring on some REAL football. I'll go put on my Nitschke jersey now...

I like the suspense of a competitive soccer game, but I'd be lying if I said I watched more than 10 minutes of the World Cup after the U.S. was eliminated.

Joe from Liberty Township, OH

Please explain to me why everyone can be enthralled with a championship game that requires extra time to score one single goal, but the NFL feels the need to skew every rule change to benefit the offense to increase scoring?

We don't exactly have the longest attention spans on this side of the Atlantic.

Josh from Vero Beach, FL

Do you think Vic has changed his mind about soccer after that 6-4 thriller between England and France?

If a tree falls in a forest…

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