Inbox: He had a fascinating career

Cheesehead

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Mar 19, 2019
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Gary from Springfield, IL


Good morning! In "Unscripted," Wes mentioned quarterbacks who were not given ample time to develop before being thrown into the fire of NFL competition, thus not only hindering the ability to reach their professional potential but also subverting the impact on their team and on the league. In your estimation, which quarterback is the most lamentable casualty of this sort of underdevelopment?


I don't know how to rank them, to be honest. I guess I'll say the one I've always wondered about was David Carr. He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2002 by the expansion Texans and then sacked 76 times as a rookie. Two years later he was sacked 49 times, and then 68 more times the year after that. Houston had so far to go it would have been unfair for almost any quarterback, let alone a young one trying to learn the pro game while constantly under siege.


Andy from Kalamazoo, MI


Dear Insiders, about playoff bad calls that benefited the Pack, one that always sticks in my mind is the non-call on James Jones' hold during Jackson's screen-pass TD against Philly. Given where the score and momentum were right then, not scoring on that drive could have meant no SB for Rodgers. No one commented on it at the time but I've always thought we got away with a big one.


You prompted me to go back and look at it, and yeah, definitely got away with one. I will say, though, the hold occurred on second-and-goal from the 16, around the 10-yard line, so it would have been second-and-goal from the 20. Not a game-deciding call by any stretch. To cover others that were mentioned, Jason from Austin, TX, brought up the Devin Hester/Johnny Knox fake-out punt-return TD at Soldier Field in '11 called back on a hold, but that wasn't in the postseason. Scott from LA sent in the Chandler field goal in '65 vs. the Colts, whose mystique and what-ifs are captivating. That's by far the most significant and, getting back to the origin of this discussion, led to a rule change on goalpost height.


Forrest from Green Bay, WI


Responding to Wes's inquiry of the last time DPI/OPI was called during a Hail Mary. My first thought goes back to the Hail Mary that never was from Drew Brees to Jimmy Graham against the 49ers. It was tied 24-24 with :06 left on the clock. Brees bought time and bombed one to Graham and he made the ridiculous game-winning catch. Until a flag was thrown for OPI and the Saints ultimately lost in overtime. History is certainly not on the Saints side when it comes to calls.


I vaguely recall that one now that you mention it. When you think about it, since Drew Pearson pushed off on the play that led to Roger Staubach coining the term "Hail Mary," maybe the flags just aren't destined to be thrown.


Joshua from Houston, TX


I know Green Bay won't retire James Jones' 89, but what about retiring his hoodie?


I'd love to see a spot for it someday in the Packers Hall of Fame.


Matt from Fort Myers, FL


Good morning Mike and Wes. Do you think that the possibility of the salary cap going down next season due to the economic impact of Covid-19 is making general managers reticent to sign any players to new long-term deals? The big one that comes to mind is Dak Prescott, but do you think that makes Gutekunst more likely to let this season play out before negotiating any extensions with players like Kenny Clark or David Bakhtiari?


I really don't know, but it's entirely possible there's too much future economic uncertainty for either side to want to make commitments right now. I would imagine there's some impact, but to what extent I can't be sure.


Rob from Louisville, KY


When it comes to great Packers who wore No. 36, I'd also include MacArthur Lane. He was special.


I think it's neat when a number's history includes prominent players from both sides of the ball, like the No. 87, which many readers have pointed out (Willie Davis, Jordy Nelson).


Brian from Arlington, VA


Ben from Milton asked about timing of II in order to meet the 8:30 a.m. upload time. The answer didn't address that. I've always been curious about when the question cutoff time was and when you start to answer the questions? Do you have a set time frame?


Nothing's set, really. Most of the time, Wes and I write the column in the late afternoon for the next morning. Occasionally, I'll step away and finish it in the morning. I might write Monday's column late Sunday night or at sunrise, or a combination of both. So if you're looking for the best time to send in your question, there really isn't one. It's part of the charm.


Matt from Minneapolis, MN


I can't remember having so many offensive linemen that could make the team. Beyond the starting five there are three sixth-round picks that we didn't pick just to cut in their first year; Lane Taylor, who was our established starting guard, is on the bench; multiple backups that have gotten experience like Alex Light and Lucas Patrick. And it always seems like undrafted lineman emerge as solid backups. Can you remember having this much O-line depth on the 90-man roster?


I think the Packers have proven depth on the interior of the offensive line. On the outside, it's largely unproven. The development of Light, Yosh Nijman, John Leglue, and others will be a story to watch in 2020.
 
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