Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
Tom from Lancaster, CA
It would sure be nice if we took a page from the Saints book of philosophy and tried running an offense with two powerful running backs that we could trade out regularly. I still think there is a place for Kuhn-power football alternating with a whip-like speedster out of the backfield.
We’ll just have to wait and see what the running back deployment will look like under LaFleur. He worked on offenses with Freeman and Coleman in Atlanta and Gurley in LA. Then as play-caller in Tennessee, he had Henry and Lewis combine for more than 1,500 rushing yards. The track record is there.
Steve from Middletown, KY
For our punter to improve from his rookie season, what are the coaches looking for most? I know most punters will have a few what-the-heck moments, but is the consistency and no clunkers, hang time, or ball placement more important at this point in his career?
Consistency ranks highest. The coaches and the coverage units want to know what they can count on. The previous regime focused a lot on ball placement. I don’t have a sense yet how high a priority that is for Mennenga.
Trent from Tupelo, MI
Who is one player that could have a breakout season this year?
The candidates are numerous, with some referenced in the column already today, like Aaron Jones and JK Scott. Other possibilities include Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson, Oren Burks, Geronimo Allison, MVS, EQ, … heck, even free-agent additions like the Smiths or Amos might do something they haven’t done before. The Packers have a lot of players with arrows pointing up. Not everyone will come to the forefront, because progress across the board is never linear, but if enough do to join established stars like Rodgers, Adams, Bakhtiari, Clark, etc., you’re in business.
Paul from Shoreview, MN
Any players that finished up the season on the practice squad last year looking like they may be able to make an impact this coming season?
Way too early to tell, but one guy I’ll have my eye on is linebacker Brady Sheldon. He’s been on multiple practice squads over the past two years. He has been working with the No. 2 defense alongside James Crawford in OTAs, and he looks like he’s built for special teams.
Clay from Goodyear, AZ
The swap of a preseason game for an extra bye week intrigued me. I get that the owners would never give up money, but I’m not sure that would be the outcome here. It boils down to TV revenue for one week of regular-season ball vs. total revenue for one preseason week. I’m not sure what the networks pay, but might it be enough to exceed the preseason revenue?
A theory posited by many readers. I’m not sure if the TV contracts are based on the number of weeks or total number of games the networks have access to. The extra week would become a boon to the networks with the prime-time games, but for Sunday afternoons you’re just spreading out the same volume and thereby creating more out-of-market games. Regardless, the price tag on the TV contracts has risen considerably anyway. I’m not sure how much bigger an increase the league could expect simply by reconfiguring the schedule.
Ralph from Elkhart Lake, WI
II, do you think if you polled the season-ticket holders there would be a huge majority supporting an 18-game season? We are forced to buy preseason tickets for games we rarely attend.
I imagine season-ticket holders would be in favor of more regular-season games, less preseason games. But it’s not about a poll, it’s about negotiations. For all we know, this shifting schedule talk is just being raised again to be used as a bargaining chip for something else.
Gretchen from Dousman, WI
Hello Mike and Wes, would you please clarify whether or not mandatory minicamp practices will be open to the public?
They will not be.
Dean from Leavenworth, IN
Do you anticipate Josh Jones will be at minicamp this week?
I do because young guys on rookie contracts aren’t generally interested in getting fined, but I guess we’ll see.
Tom from Reedsville, WI
Would one of you please elaborate on why Buffalo and Washington are considered to have the worst visiting team locker rooms? Are the toilets clogged, sinks spraying water everywhere, and, possibly, cold water only showers? I mean, this is the NFL, how bad could they possibly be?
From our perspective, it’s all about size, because after a game, reporters are trying to mill around and talk to players at their lockers amidst other postgame activity, and things jam up in a hurry. We just want to be able to do our jobs. The visiting locker room at the Metrodome used to be one of the most cramped. Soldier Field is never easy. Others in older stadiums aren’t the best, or are split into two halves (usually offense-defense) so it’s harder to get around to different players. New Orleans comes to mind there.