Inbox: The Packers know he's the real deal

[Cheesehead]

Chris from West Allis, WI


"Our stories are written in pen, not pencil, and what we choose to put on that page defines us." Wow. What a mic drop (or pen drop). Do you guys brainstorm the perfect line like this for a good 20 minutes, or does it just come to you in a magical moment of clarity?


As Howard Beale once told Max Schumacher, it was a cleansing moment of clarity. Good morning!


Nic from London, UK


I wondered whether Aaron Jones could be a bell-cow, consistently productive back for a whole season. Then, I saw that he ranked fourth in RB success rate, which means games where he wasn't productive it was due to lack of use rather than lack of performance. He showed he can get you 4- or 5-yard gains and the big runs. Top-five stats across the board that aren't just inflated by high TD numbers, which are variable YOY. Honestly, what a beast! When do we have to pay him?


Jones is entering the last year of his rookie deal and I'm sure the Packers would love to keep him in the fold for the long run. Looking back on 2019, I don't think Jones' emergence came as a surprise to anyone. The Packers know he's the real deal and Jones proved it. I'd argue he's one of the top five backs in the game right now and only getting better.


Bob from Grand Rapids, MI


A question after reading Wes' article about combine performances, I wonder why teams are looking at the broad jump. Is that a vertical or horizontal type of jump? What does it indicate about possible upside for a player?


It's a way to measure lower-body explosiveness and power. There's some skill involved, too, since the player must come to balance and land without moving. Some experts believe it's one of the better indicators of a prospect's athletic potential, especially running backs. It just happened to be Jones' strongest event at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.


Ned from Laguna Woods, CA


Why isn't Raven Greene being mentioned among the defensive backs?


He's certainly in the conversation for a roster spot, but the starting safety posts are kind of set in stone. I'm not sure what the Packers intend to do with that hybrid position moving forward. That's a question we'll look for answers to over the next month.


Caleb from Knoxville, TN


What's your favorite NFL jersey number, Packer or otherwise, and what's the story behind it? It can be any number from any era of the league.


I've always worn No. 27. Don't ask me why. My favorite NFL number was No. 36 for LeRoy Butler and Nick Collins. I thought that was cool when the Packers gave Collins Butler's No. 36 after they drafted him in 2005. Iconic move.


Mike from Ames, IA


Based on the four more years prediction for Rodgers, if you're Gute, when do you become concerned with finding the next guy? Get someone to learn for three years like Aaron did, hit the middle with two years to go, or wait longer? What's the plan?


Y'all keep asking "Who's next?" but do any teams with established veteran QBs have a bona fide heir apparent identified? The LA Chargers? Pittsburgh? New Orleans (Taysom Hill has thrown 13 career passes)? New England? The Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo six years ago when Tom Brady was 37 and yet here we sit today. That's why I'm not callusing my feet sprinting to the future. I'd rather build toward – and discuss – the present.


Larry from Chippewa Falls, WI


Rodgers may plan on playing until he is 40 or whatever but that doesn't mean the Packers will want him to be playing for them.


So you seriously wrote this, pressed send and thought to yourself, "Good take, Lar." Really? This is a sport with a dearth of high-quality QBs. A month from now, a couple backups might ink $30 million per year deals. You don't deserve Rodgers, Larry. Moving on.


Joel from Mosinee, WI


How does a small-school college player who had a great year get his name on draft boards? I doubt many scouts travel to their pro days. Do they join a larger school's pro day or hope their tape shows their skills?


My favorite story relating to this is the one John Kuhn told me this past year about his pro day at Shippensburg. No scouts showed up, so he rescheduled his workout for another school's pro day. If you wanna make it, find a way.


Ryan from Sun Prairie, WI


When will the Packers release the order of the players they have on their big board for the draft? I did not see it in the key dates update from last week.


We'll get the final numerical listing once the compensatory picks are announced. Last year, they were announced the Friday before the NFL Scouting Combine so…