Inbox: It's just a hunch

[Cheesehead]

Bruce from Green Bay, WI


Teams often draft receivers with return abilities especially in the later rounds of the draft. What, if any, is the ideal size for a return specialist? If there is one?


I don't think there is one. Not when Devin Hester (5-11, 190) is one of the best ever and Cordarrelle Patterson (6-2, 220) is one of the best currently in the game.


Nathan from Philadelphia, PA


I've heard that towards the end of the draft, teams start calling players they want to sign as undrafted free agents to let them know of their interest. Do they also ask how many other teams have expressed a similar interest in that player? And would a player (or his agent) ever try to convince teams that everyone wants to sign him if he goes undrafted, so it would be better to just go ahead and draft him?


I'm sure that goes on, but teams making the overture generally know at that point they have enough draft targets still on the board the player in question won't crack that group. If they like him enough, they'll compete for him in the undrafted market by offering a higher signing bonus.


Chris from St. Louis, MO


Good morning. At what point in the first round could we realistically start expecting GB to trade up? Obviously they won't trade their entire draft stock to go into the top 10 or even the teens.


My eye is on the early 20s. That's when I think a realistic possibility of a trade up will first exist.


Jeff from Seminole, FL


From what I have seen in your Draft Digest and other media outlets it looks like Packers could get an impact player at several positions. I would rather see them move up in the second round rather than the first and get possibly two.


Or a trade back out of the first, maybe followed by a trade up in the second. Something along those lines feels more likely than a trade up in the first round, but it's just a hunch.


Avida from Vienna, VA


Hi Mike, I remember you making a passing remark in II that you got a brief glimpse of the Packers' draft board one time. I'm surprised no one followed up to find out how 007 Mike Spofford got that close to the draft board! Were any disguises involved? And for the laser-loving community, did lasers shoot out of the ceiling the closer you got to the board?


Back when my desk was on the third floor (pre-2015), I once walked by the draft room when the door happened to be wide open and I caught a passing glimpse. That was it, really. I think if I had slowed my walk any more than I did the lasers would've started firing.


Andy from Verona, WI


When the Packers are on the clock for their first pick, a center and offensive tackle are tied for the highest-rated player on their board. Which player would you take this year?


Based on how the roster is currently constructed, I take the tackle in a heartbeat.


Eric from Port Richey, FL


I loved your comment about scouts remembering their guys that didn't get drafted by their team. It reminded me of Vic raving about Aaron Donald really passing the eye test during the Senior Bowl and hoping the Packers made a move for him. If only we had all listened to Vic.


To be fair, the Packers held the 21st pick that year and Donald was drafted 13th. They likely would've had to give up their second-round pick to move up that far, and that was used to select Davante Adams.


George from North Mankato, MN


Good morning, just wondering how many Packers are wearing helmets that are no longer recommended by the league? Will they be allowed to continue using them or will they be forced to switch? Also, not trying to open Pandora's Box. If the NFL allows for changes to the numbering system for positions, are there any Packers who might switch jersey numbers?


Players now must wear helmets from the recommended list. There was a grace period a couple of years back for players without an approved helmet to switch, but to my knowledge that time has passed. Regarding jersey numbers, I will not discuss the number I no longer discuss, but I would suspect any jersey changes would involve preferences for single-digit numbers, and the Packers don't exactly have an excess of availability. Nos. 3 and 4 are retired, 1 and 5 are (practically speaking) out of circulation, 2 is spoken for by the franchise's all-time leading scorer, and 6 belongs to the current punter.