Inbox: Here's a little-known fact about his career

[Cheesehead]

Denise from Cape Coral, FL


To correct a comment from Saturday's Inbox, Terrell Fletcher (my favorite all-time Badger) never played with Ron Dayne at Wisconsin. Fletcher's running mate when the Badgers won the 1994 Rose Bowl was Brent Moss. I don't believe Dayne ever fit with the N.Y. Giants, unlike Fletcher, who fit with the Chargers.


Derek from Des Moines, IA


What players do you think will be developed internally into a starting role?


That's a great question, but I want to see the full 90-man offseason roster first before I venture to answer. All the player movement and player acquisition on the horizon over the next couple of months will set the landscape.


Terrance from Sun Prairie, WI


How would a 17th game affect the playoff picture each year?


It would create perhaps less reliance on tiebreakers. No guarantees, of course, but the same number of teams playing more games would theoretically reduce the odds of teams finishing with identical records. I think.


Caroline from Olympia, WA


Why not re-sign Blake Martinez instead of potentially paying more for someone else at his position?


Because the Packers still want to get better on defense. Maybe they won't be able to afford a better player at his position, or find one in the draft. That's a legitimate risk. But a wise elder once told me sometimes teams have to force themselves to try to get better. The Packers have spent three years revamping the cornerback position. Last year, they rebuilt at outside linebacker and safety. Aside from fortifying the defensive line, where else can they get better? I think that's the question the Packers are asking themselves. That's not a knock on Martinez. I said in this space right after the season ended he can make another defense appreciably better, and I think he'll get paid handsomely and deservedly to do so. But the Packers want to get better, too, and Martinez's expected cost might be the impetus to force themselves to try at that spot.


Paul from De Pere, WI


The Badgers over their last eight games and the last six minutes Saturday displayed an unfailing belief they would win very similar to the Packers at the end of games this year. Often they were not the better team. Is that an intangible talent? Is that mental toughness? Grit? What is that? Is that an individual ability or collective?


It's every individual having the mental toughness in clutch moments to make the collective greater than the sum of its talent, and then success breeds confidence, which breeds chemistry and then more success. What the Badgers have pulled off in the last month is remarkable. Teams can always grow, change and get better. The Packers in 2019 did so as well. They just didn't take as many lumps along the way.


Derek from Eau Claire, WI


"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." – Maya Angelou. Seems like the perfect mantra for the Packers' offense transitioning from Year 1 to Year 2.


Sure, and don't hesitate to bring in some better players along the way if you can.


Bob from Fort Atkinson, WI


The latest seven-round mocks show us with only two sixth-round picks. I was under the impression that we were getting additional sixth-rounders from Oakland and Tennessee for a total of three sixth-rounders. Can you clear this up for me?


You're correct. The Packers have three sixth-rounders and two seventh-rounders, plus their original picks in each of the first five rounds, for a total of 10 picks.


Geoffrey from Rosemount, MN


Has anyone been banned from Murphy Takes Five? Come on, DJ.


Mark's too nice. He answers questions from folks who would have me pressing delete within the first 10 words.


Philip from Collinsville, IL


Where will Tom Brady land?


On his feet, presumably.