Inbox: You tip your cap to both sides

Joe from Swansea, IL

The question from Devin from Kansas City struck a chord. During the 2023 season, I was fighting a winning battle with cancer, with all the accompanying angst and challenges you can imagine. One of the many things that got me through each day was the entertaining diversion that is II. Don't ever doubt what this column means to us fans, for reasons you might never imagine. Thank you.

Just when I needed a little push during a hectic week in Westfield, Ind., leave it to Devin from K.C. and Joe from Swansea to bring the bulldozer. Powerful stuff, gentlemen. Echoing Spoff's comments, I hope you're both well given the challenging circumstances.

Dustin from Kansas City, MO

With joint practices becoming more common in the NFL, what is the biggest benefit you see from them? Sharper competition, better evaluation opportunities, or just breaking up the monotony of camp?

All the above. Checkpoints are important to keep things fresh and make five weeks of training camp less daunting. Joint practices provide quality work when everyone is on their best behavior. You tip your cap to both sides for that. It was a clean but competitive practice and that applies to all three phases. Nobody wrote about special teams outside of Brandon McManus' field goals, but Green Bay's core-four getting live reps against another team instead of just scout-team reps is extremely beneficial.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Wes, it sounds like the defense dominated the joint practice versus the Colts. It also sounds as though Jeff Hafley threw more curveballs at the Colts than we would expect to see in a preseason game. If true, and given the starters' playing time will be very limited, is the game actually less important than the practice this week?

The game is significant for a few reasons, beginning with finishing strong here in Indy. The Packers set the tone in the joint practice and now want to build on that momentum into the game itself. Also, they have the unique opportunity to dress most of the players who practiced with the first-team offense against the Colts. Maybe the passing game took a few lumps on Thursday, but the playing field should be a more level this afternoon for Malik Willis and Co. against Indianapolis' reserve units. The practice served a purpose, but they play the games for a reason.

Steve from Ankeny, IA

As a Gold package ticket holder, I just read that Sterling Sharpe will be honored at halftime of the Commanders game. One of my favorite Packers of all time, I am so excited to be there for a well-deserved celebration.

Seeing Sharpe get his name on the Lambeau Field façade will make for a special evening. It's one of several cool events planned for this year's home slate at Lambeau Field. Click the link if you didn’t see the full rollout from Friday.

Chase from Diamond Springs, CA

Re: Chris, last year proved no division game is a must win. Obviously, that's not how we want to advance, but in my opinion, no game is a must win unless it literally eliminates the team or drastically changes a team's playoff odds (e.g. a win putting them in playoff position, a loss causing them to lose a game and the tiebreakers with two weeks remaining). That's not possible until later in the season. The most Week 1 can ever be is one game of many that cultivate a must-win scenario.

The Packers cannot afford to go 1-5 in the NFC North again this year, but you can't put every egg from here to Door County on the opener. It's Week 1, not the NFC title game. A fast start would be preferable, but consistency over the course of a challenging September is what's required. The outcome of the Lions game is just a quarter of the equation.

Duane from Oak Creek, WI

How nervous are you about Jordan Love not being full go until the season starts?

Minimally. Love had a full offseason in Green Bay and went through all the installs during the first two weeks of practice. So, I'm good with him healing up while many of his top receivers do the same.

Scott from Noblesville, IN

Kudos to both of you for hanging in the Westfield heat here in Hamilton Co., yesterday. Besides the 70-yarder, IMHO MarShawn Lloyd was the most impressive player on the entire practice field, and I can hardly wait to see what his performance will be like Saturday. GPG

That heat was no joke, but thankfully we weren't on a rubber surface like Green Bay. I don't want to set the bar too high for Lloyd, but I just want Packers fans to see what we've seen at training camp. Lloyd is a fun football player to watch.

Steve from Scranton, PA

Wes, your excitement about getting to watch Lloyd in game action is palpable, and I believe most of Packer Nation agrees. Given the injuries to QB10 and the receiving corps, I get the sense it may take a few regular-season games for the passing game to start clicking. So, the early success of the Josh Jacobs/Lloyd combination (perhaps interspersed with a dose of WR jet sweeps) will likely be critical in getting the Pack off to a good start of the season.

A healthy Lloyd, in any dose, would add flare to this offense. I feel like his playstyle would complement Jacobs and the rest of the backfield well. But Lloyd just needs to stack days right now – run after run, practice after practice.

Bill from North Liberty, IA

When you say that MarShawn Lloyd is a unique back because of his size, speed and explosiveness I guess you're too young to have seen Earl Campbell and Herschel Walker!

Yeah, pretty much. Sure. I'm not putting the guy in the Hall of Fame. I'm just saying you can see why the Packers used a Day 2 pick on the young man.

Hank from Centennial, CO

I've heard a lot of chatter about Isaiah Simmons' performance in the first preseason game and saw a couple of clips that looked bad. Could you assemble video of a few busted plays and make any HOFer look like a chump? Has Simmons redeemed himself since then or is there real cause for concern that he might not find a role in this defense? I was excited when the Packers signed him and still have hope he'll right the ship.

That's life in the arena – everyone is watching and then there's all-22 to enhance your hindsight. Simmons had a great practice against the Colts. Like I said on "Unscripted," Simmons' interception of Daniel Jones in two-minute drew cheers from Packers fans in the stands, but he also had some good fits against the run in 11-on-11s earlier in practice. Today is another day and a new opportunity.

Craig from Appleton, WI

After a joint practice, do the two coaching staffs ever get together to give each other pointers on what they've seen to help each team get better?

The two coaching staffs get together and talk ball, but it's informal. It's not a structured meeting or anything.

Paul from Ledgeview, WI

Wes, based on how Brandon McManus kicked in Indy, it seems the kicking game is resolved. You still gotta go out and do it each week, but that aspect of the roster seems locked and loaded. Are there others? I'd normally say the safety position, but with Xavier McKinney currently out, not sure that is the case. Would you say the front seven on D is rounding into form as far as the who? O-line, WR, RB, from my view in the peanut gallery, not so much. Is it as uncertain as it appears?

Linebacker is one of those loaded positions in my estimation, especially now that Quay Walker is back in the lineup. I believe the Packers' top five ILBs could have all started in this defense a decade ago and the possibilities are endless this season if that position stays healthy. The offensive positions you listed are all deep when the numbers are there.

Patrick from Coppell, TX

Mike and Wes, I've asked about this before, but now I am making a prediction. While it would be ideal to be like the Eagles and pressure the QB with just the front four, I believe Hafley will use his incredible roster of strong, fast, athletic inside LBs to occasionally pressure the QB like he did Thursday in Indianapolis. He would not have to do it often – just enough to cause confusion and hesitation on the offensive line. We shall see. GPG.

Blitzing is a seasoning, not a sauce.

Max from Carmel, IN

Greetings! My sons and I were hoping to meet you guys at the Colts joint practice but unfortunately, we didn't see you. We are all three lifelong Packer fans. More than 60 years for me. My question is what did you think of the practice facility at Grand Park Sports Campus? Hope you enjoyed your time in Indiana.

I'm sorry. We're small people. The facility was extraordinary, though. I cannot say enough about the Colts and their staff, either. They were incredibly welcoming and accommodating to anything we needed on a very warm day. Among the handful of road joint practices I've covered, it was by far the best setup and easiest to cover.

Russ from Peosta, IA

A lot of talk about the season going to 18 games and will probably happen sooner rather than later. Is there any talk about expanding rosters if they move to 18 games? It seems like a good way to offset the inevitable injuries from a longer season is to allow more players on the roster. How would teams feel about additional players and how would players fell about additional players? (Someone else to take my spot?)

Never say never, but I doubt it. That roster move already was made with the relaxed rules for bringing back players from injured reserve and expansion of the practice squad, including the ability to elevate players for gameday.

Paul from Gorham, ME

Hi Insiders! In a response to Rob from Provo, on Friday Mike touched on the run game and "1970s-style" football. In that era, was the QB the most important player on the field? Or were RBs? When did the QB become the most important?

I wasn't alive yet, so my opinion on the matter may not carry as much weight as Mike's, but history taught me the worm turned in the mid-1980s with Don Coryell's offense, Dan Marino's heroics and Joe Montana's emergence. While quarterbacks have always been critical to the overall success of an offense – Bart Starr was calling his own plays for Pete's sake – the proliferation of passing offense reached new heights in the 1980s.

Robert from Verona, WI

I know people like to speculate about a Micah Parsons trade, and let's face it, adding a generational talent is intriguing. But there is a cost, and in this case, it would be a large one if Jerry Jones would entertain putting him on the trade market. Perhaps we should look at the Brewers and recognize that sometimes the guys you have on the roster are all you need.

And just because someone says they want to be traded doesn't mean they will be. As messy as the situation is in Dallas – and it's a 6-year-old with a Play-Doh kitchen over there right now – the Cowboys have no intention of trading away perhaps the best pass rusher of his generation.

Dave from Plymouth, WI

After reading Tom from Wauwatosa's submission about Larry McCarren, it made me think of Bill Jartz. Is he still the P.A. announcer at Lambeau? I really miss him on the WBAY 10 p.m. news broadcasts. He seemed like a great guy and a pro's pro, and a Wisconsin native to boot!

Bill is the man. As I've written before, Jartz is a legend in every sense of the word. Retirement is treating Jartz well while he moonlights as the Lambeau Field P.A. man and an active member of the Packers' board of directors.

Tom from West Salem, WI

Do either of you two collect any sports memorabilia like autographs? I know you have to be professional around the Packers players, but do you collect any memorabilia in your personal time?

Only things that hold meaning to me. I have one signed jersey (from Marcedes Lewis after he left Green Bay). I also purchased a select number of Packers cards. My favorites are Jordan Love's rookie-patch-auto from 2020 with the quote he gave me on the night the Packers drafted him. I also paid a pretty penny for a 10-of-10 dual on-card auto of Aaron Rodgers and Love from Jordan's rookie year (for obvious reasons). My honorable mentions are Aaron Jones' one-of-one printing plate from a card honoring his late father in 2021 and Tim Boyle's National Treasures autographed rookie card.

Lisa from Plymouth, MN

Brewers won 12 in a row! Looks like you and Wes will need to go to Peshtigo for your free George Webb burgers. Take Larry, too. Make it a Three Things/Three Burgers road trip.

I learned from my colleague and close friend, Nick Goddard, that Peshtigo houses the only George Webb not in Milwaukee County. I knew it was there but didn't know it was that rare to have one in the Northwoods.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Wes. Isn't the artificial playing surface there at the Colts' hippodrome infamous for contributing to injuries? Watch your step.

I'm wearing my molded Cole Haans.

Jennifer from Middleton, WI

Hi Wes, just had to tell you… your MICHAEL! made me laugh so much it was on par with "that's why we can't have nice things, DUANE." I wasn't sure if you were yelling at the submitter or calling Spoff to tattle, plus I could "hear" The Office tone on top of it. The totality of that had me giggling long after I finished the column. Thanks for bringing some joy to my day. You are the best!

It was a cleansing moment of clarity. I am imbued.

Jason from Ammon, ID

Greetings, friends! It was a beautiful morning with Venus and Jupiter shining in the east, family's healthy and happy, kids getting ready to go back to school, and a Packers game on the weekend. Whatever the result against Indy and over the course of the season, I'm grateful for the opportunity to watch it play out. May all our hopeful endeavors hit the crossbar...and bounce over.

I can think of no better way to end Inbox, as I make my way to the team buses. Enjoy the game, folks.

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