Inbox: All he's asking for is an opportunity to learn

[Cheesehead]

Brendon from Payette, ID


Still trying to figure out how we're better off with Josiah Deguara than we were with Danny Vitale. Is the money the Patriots gave Vitale that much more than what a late third-round draft pick receives?


The Packers didn't draft Deguara in the third round for him to be a fullback. He's a tight end who can play fullback and a bevy of other positions. Danny's a great dude and I wish him well in New England but this wasn't drafting one player to replace another.


Dan from Tempe, AZ


I was disappointed to see that Blake Martinez wasn't re-signed. He was an NFL defensive leader statistically for Green Bay which would lead one to think that they would want to keep him. He was also seldom hurt, always had his motor running and appeared to be a good leader. Importantly, he seemed to be of good character. In short he is a proven good NFL inside linebacker. Why was he let go to be replaced by an unproven free agent, Christian Kirksey?


Kirksey isn't unproven. He's played a lot of football and has experience in Pettine's system. The Packers had a lot of tough calls to make this offseason and have even more coming around the corner in 2021. You can't keep everybody.


Chris from Milwaukee, WI


I noticed again, while looking at the video of the top 10 QB performances of the previous decade, something about Jordy Nelson. He worked hard at his craft (you have to, to make it look so effortless) and had a lot of success. But he scored TDs with minimal celebration. Sometimes he was so quick to toss the ball to an official after scoring I was afraid the official would say it wasn't a catch because it wasn't in his hands long enough. Is that a coaching thing, or Jordy being Jordy?


I've never covered anyone quite like Jordy Nelson. He was a legitimate superstar who had the temperament of a long snapper. Nelson could talk, laugh and be engaging, but he never purposely sought the limelight. He was perfectly fine doing his job, taking a shower and going home. Looking back on it, you see a lot of those traits today in Davante Adams, too.


Subhadeep from Middletown, CT


Viggo Mortensen came to my mind to play Vince Lombardi.


Also, since he already played as the king in "The Return of the King" in the LOTR trilogy, I thought it will be nice to have him playing Lombardi. Bobby DeNiro too would be a good choice.


Mortensen would be a terrific pick, actually. He's a good actor whom I could see morphing well into Lombardi. It's wild Mortensen is actually four years older now (61) than Lombardi was when he passed away.


Russ from Henrico, VA


The Rodgers-Favre link has certainly been on a lot of minds with the Love pick, but he is also linked to Alex Smith. Living in the heart of Redskin-land, they were not ready for that one horrible play. The two teams have been on vastly different tangents for years. In your opinion, how many other teams would make a pick like the Packers did this year, given the opportunity?


Well, I certainly hope nothing like that happens to Rodgers, but the Peyton Manning fiasco from 10 years ago changed my viewpoint on the importance of backup quarterbacks. For a long time, I thought just stick with one guy, ride him out as long as you can and then reset. The Colts got caught and even the heir apparent (Andrew Luck) had his career shortened by injuries. You gotta have a Plan B in this business.


Brad from Oshkosh, WI


MJ and Rodgers are both highly successful, record-setting, ultra-competitive athletes that both expect the best of the players around them, and both express their displeasure when they don't get it. Why is one treated as a good teammate by the media and the other constantly bashed by the media?


I know the media came down heavy on Jordan, too, during his playing career but the microscope these guys live under today is unconscionable with social media and all these TV blowhards whose primary goal is to fill a two-hour timeslot. But you gotta stay above it and Rodgers has.


Randy from Grapevine, TX


Just wrapped up the Aaron Rodgers presser. I heard an upbeat, excited guy concerned about the effects COVID-19 is having on the world and someone who is really focused on the season and his team versus a guy who is upset with the way the offseason, and mainly the draft, was handled. Very different than how he has been portrayed in the media. Your thoughts on the press conference?


Exactly, I heard a guy who was in touch with the big picture. He wants to play football in 2020 but we have a lot to figure out between now and September. He's staying healthy, trained and ready for whenever the NFL allows players to report.


Kelly from Kaneohe, HI


I know he only calls preseason games for the Packers but Kevin Harlan is my absolute favorite for any sport. He deserves one of the major primetime spots.


No lies detected. Packers fans are fortunate. Between Kevin and James Lofton calling preseason games and Wayne and Larry handling the radio, I'd put that quartet up against anyone in the NFL.


Matthias from San Antonio, TX


Friday fun-day question for you, if the Vikings, Saints and Lions could all pump in crowd noise via speakers, could the Packers pump in snow for gameday?


That, or a giant air conditioner blasting in cold air from the south end zone.


Al from Pueblo West, CO


Love reading II. Thanks for all you do for Packers fans. What is it that makes the Packers' scouting staff able to seem to always find the "lineman in the rough" in the later rounds? Watching the profiles on the draftees this year, it looks as though there may be at least one this year, too. I know it's too early to tell. What do you think?


They cast a wide net and never stop searching. The Packers drafted Corey Linsley (Ohio State) and Bryan Bulaga (Iowa) out of successful and established programs but they paid just as much attention to David Bakhtiari (Colorado was 1-11 his junior year), T.J. Lang (Eastern Michigan), Josh Sitton (UCF) and Evan Smith (Idaho State).


Mark from Sturgeon Bay, WI


You said today's QBs are bigger, faster and more athletic than 60 years ago. There have been hundreds of QBs in between. Has it been a gradual change from then to now or can you remember a point where the league and/or college went to bigger, faster, more athletic?


It's really startling when you look at how players, especially offensive linemen, were built during the first 60 years of the NFL. But now every position trains year-round. They aren't showing up for training camp to get in shape, they are in shape. And that improved athleticism is evident on the field.