Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
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Mark from Bettendorf, IA
Any personal Willie Davis stories?
I wish I had some. I know I interviewed him by phone once or twice a long time ago, but that's about it. My lasting personal memory will be seeing him in the Soldier Field locker room as an honorary captain and part of the Halas Trophy presentation in January 2011. That had to be incredibly neat for him.
Mark from Canton, GA
Thinking of the Lombardi Packers and all the Hall of Fame members from that team, there's such a huge difference between then and now because they were able to keep so many members of the team together for so many years. When you look at the current dynasty of the New England Patriots, how many people from that team do you see heading to the Hall of Fame? Brady and Gronk are locks, as is Belichick as a coach. I don't necessarily mean the one-year wonders, but long-term members.
Well, Ty Law got in last year, and Richard Seymour has been a finalist a couple of times, so he's on the verge. I would bet Adam Vinatieri gets in. After that, there will be a decent case for Wes Welker, but that might be all.
Mark from Monrovia, CA
Hello gentlemen. I've been watching film of Isaiah Wilson OT Georgia. What are the chances he is on our radar? At 6-7, 335 and I believe single-digit body fat and a RT. What do you think?
Wilson weighed in at 350 at the combine. The other tackle from Georgia, Andrew Thomas, is the more polished prospect, but I think a lot of teams will have their eye on Wilson in the second round.
Corey from Bethlehem, PA
I know not to put too much stock in the Packers interviewing Jalen Hurts, but would you entertain the scenario of having a dual-threat QB like him for certain packages such as the Saints have done with Taysom Hill?
I could see that intriguing Matt LaFleur, but I don't want to speak for him. Teams will be looking to get good Day 3 value with Hurts and see what he brings to the table.
Nikhil from Washington, DC
Good morning II, my impression was that Chicago had already gone big in free agency the past few years and probably wouldn't have much cash to go big again this year. But it seems they have. Did they have more cap room than I thought due to a rookie QB contract, are they mortgaging their future, or is something else going on that I'm not catching?
Quinn and Graham were their only multi-year signings, but the Bears also don't have to save much cap room for their draft class. They have only two picks in the first four rounds – both in the second round. Then they have four picks in the fifth through seventh.
Rod from Chugiak, AK
Your first and second 2000-2020 offensive lines provides a great lesson. Looking back, the endless pre-draft clickbait offerings of player critiques, mocks, must-do-this-or-thats, as well as draftnik wish lists concentrate on candidates considered maybe the top 50 or so. Pre-draft, how little did pundits and fans know about any of those on your list except Bulaga? How far down the rest were selected just shows ta go ya how superior the acumen of the GM and his staff is to that of pundits and fans.
The Packers' ability over multiple regimes to build their offensive lines primarily from within I think ranks as one of their most underrated strengths. They rarely have been forced to go outside the organization to plus a hole long term in that position group. Billy Turner is the exception and not the rule. Other imports as weekly starters (Jahri Evans, Byron Bell, Jeff Saturday, Adrian Klemm) over the last 20 years or so have filled in for one season or less.
Marc from Aachen, Germany
What are the other games being immortalized? What about non-Lambeau Field games?
The hallway from the locker room to the tunnel has murals depicting 14 games now. They're all Lambeau Field games, beginning with the first in '57 through the '18 opener Wes referenced yesterday. There's also the '61 NFL title game, the '65 playoff game vs. Baltimore, the Ice Bowl, the '83 Monday night shootout vs. Washington, Favre coming off the bench in '92 vs. Cincinnati, the '96 NFC title game, Freeman's Monday night miracle in 2000, the Al Harris '03 playoff pick-six, the Ryan Grant '07 snow-globe playoff game, the Week 16 2010 blowout of the Giants to start the title run, and the Dez Bryant playoff game in '14. I'm missing one and it escapes me at the moment. Maybe Lombardi's first game in '59?
Julian from Gastonia, NC
If the Packers have to live in a hotel to play the 2020 season and you were offered to join them as a volunteer reporter for the duration in order to cover the team, would you do it?
I wouldn't "volunteer" and do it for free, if that's what you mean. If it were the best option to take care of my family, I'm sure I would.
Steve from Niagara, WI
Please share what you perceive to be the state of Green Bay's O-line backup plan at left tackle. Specifically, is Lane Taylor the best viable backup there if he remains on the roster in 2020, someone else already on the roster, or do you see the Packers drafting a player that could serve as a swing tackle for either side?
I anticipate the Packers drafting a tackle to compete with Wagner for the starting spot on the right side. Whoever's not starting could be the swing backup. I think Turner would play tackle in a pinch before Taylor, and Alex Light and Yosh Nijman will likely compete for another backup spot on the roster, as it stands now.
Thomas from Milwaukee, WI
What would you estimate the Packers would receive to move from 30 to 40, and do you think that would be enough to move from 62 to 52?
I think the Packers could pick up a late third (in the compensatory range) or early fourth to move back 5-6 spots, and then use their original late third to move up about a dozen and make two picks in the 35-50 range. Doable if you can find the trade partners.
Mark from West Bend, WI
Mike, I realize you just did your piece on the dynamic duo at running back, but in your opinion, is Aaron Jones worth the 18th pick in this year's draft? Given the McCaffrey contract and our list of 2021 free agents an extension seems difficult. That spot looks to be where Queen, Murray, Jefferson and probably two OT are still available. Wouldn't a first this year be better than a 2022 third? There still are several FA running backs available that could help plus the draft. Hate it, but ...
I get all the angst about Jones' future in Green Bay given McCaffrey's contract and the Packers' other veterans with expiring deals. And I'll preface this by saying I hope Jones lights the world on fire this year and comes back to the Packers. But if he's going to have the type of season that makes it very difficult to be re-signed, don't you want that production for the 2020 Packers, regardless? There's planning for the future, but there's also compromising the present. I'm not interested in the latter.