Inbox: Their job descriptions aren't the same on every snap

[Cheesehead]

Irvine from Kjellin, IA


What percentage of passes thrown in 2019 were intended for Davante Adams?


Including playoffs, Adams was targeted on 149 of Rodgers' 635 passes this season, or 23.5 percent. The percentage jumps up to 29.9 if you remove the four games Adams missed. Most telling to me was that only once after Week 3 were Adams' targets in single digits for a game.


Arthur from Altoona, WI


I'm going to throw my two cents in on Blake Martinez. If the team decides to let him go, is there anyone on the roster that would be able to step in and replace his leadership in and out of the locker room, his amount of tackles, his experience in calling plays, his work ethic, his experience in the defensive scheme? I am positive the team could find or draft someone faster, but what about his intangibles and football intelligence? Do these play a part in the discussion on whether or not to re-sign him?


Sure they do, but ultimately it comes down to how the Packers think they can get better, and it's not just about all those things you listed, but how much they'll cost. For everything Martinez brought to the team, he was a bargain on a fourth-round draft pick rookie contract. Now the equation changes, and the Packers know they have to get better on defense, not stay the same, but of course no one wants to regress. These decisions are never easy.


Aaron from Herndon, VA


I understand the sentiment about players the Packers have let "get away," such as Micah Hyde and Casey Hayward. As Wes stated, hindsight is truly 20/20. However, that doesn't really describe the full story. How those players are utilized and the other contributors on the depth chart sometimes mask a player's true potential, and that potential may not be realized until they get a fresh start with another staff. I'm not saying that is always the case, but it should be considered. Life is funny.


Indeed it is.


Benjamin from San Mateo, CA


"If you could go back and change the result of a single play this season, what play would you pick?" Easy, and it's not from a Packers game. Final Seahawks play in Week 17. It's the only play (nearly) guaranteed to meaningfully change anything. Let's roll the dice again on the playoffs with the Packers as the No. 1 seed.


My thoughts exactly when I saw that question. Same for Justin from LA. It might have created a tougher two-game playoff road, having to beat the Vikings a third time, or get through both the 49ers and Saints (who would have had the other first-round bye), to get to the Super Bowl, but the Packers would have had the opportunity at home. We'll never know what that last inch might have changed, for better or worse.


Ed from Minneapolis, MN


Hi Mike, can you talk about the apparent dichotomy between linemen? It seems like a defensive lineman is more aggressive, and an offensive lineman is more of a "defender." Is this an apt assessment? And at what point in their career do these "jars on the shelf" develop their penchant for which line?


Young players play both sides of the line a lot growing up, and it's usually a high school or college coach who recognizes where his skills fit best. As for the mentality, a lot depends on the play call. On certain types of running plays, offensive linemen are the aggressors and defensive linemen might be just trying to plug gaps. On pass plays, it can switch. Their job descriptions aren't the same on every snap.


Dean from Leavenworth, IN


Curtis Bolton? I remember the UDFA out of Oklahoma making a pretty big impression in training camp and starting and playing well against Baltimore in the preseason. He looked like a lock for the 53 and an opportunity to contribute at ILB in the regular season. I remember he was injured (not sure of the nature of the injury) and ended up on IR, and I believe he's still listed there. Any updates on his recovery or if he's still in the Packers' plans for next season?


I saw Bolton around the facility late in the season, but I've heard no update on his recovery. I would expect the Packers to give him an opportunity to make the team again in 2020, but coming off an ACL, it wouldn't be wise to let that possibility influence any of the team's planning at the position.


Derek from Norton, KS


We are in agreement on how important the MLB is to the defense. Why does there seem to be so few MLBs talked about heading into the draft (OLBs get all the love)? Is it due to the differences between the college and pro game?


Edge rusher is a more highly valued position, and there are more styles and types to choose from in the draft. They're going to make more highlight reels. But last year, two inside 'backers went in the top 10 – Devin White and Devin Bush – so it's not as though NFL teams aren't paying attention. If they believe in an interior impact player, they'll pick him.


Jackson from Peoria, IL


Mike, "I like a lot of the talent the Packers have at wide receiver." Take two weeks off then quit. Thanks.


Did you read the entire answer or just latch onto one line you didn't like that can easily be misinterpreted out of context? Take tomorrow and find a new website. Thanks.


Julian from Hamburg, Germany


Yesterday's Inbox called for a leap in performance from Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, et al. While I wholeheartedly agree, I'm wondering, how much margin is there for receivers to improve, when they already played in the league and caught balls all their life? Not saying our guys can't do it, just looking for insight here.


Route running, checks at the line, on-the-fly options and adjustments are all different and happen at much faster speeds in the NFL than in college. No one's learning curve is the same. All of the Packers' young receivers still have plenty of room to grow, and we've seen guys like Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams not really come into their own until their third seasons. But they were also second-round picks for a reason, because their abilities stood out that much more in college, and their projections were for higher ceilings. The Packers have young receivers who have proven they can play in this league, but I don't see a Nelson or Adams ceiling in the mix. I believe that's what the Packers would like to add to the group for the new receivers coach.