Mike's Mid-Week Chat: Are the Packers getting some injured players back?

[Cheesehead]

Hey everybody, thanks for logging on today. I see questions already coming in, so keep them coming, and I'll get started.


Is there any update on the status of Allen Lazard?


He was practicing on Monday (non-padded) and was running drills full speed from what I could see. If he's a full participant in practice tomorrow (Thursday) during the padded workout, I would think that bodes well for his return.


Any word on Kevin King?


He was practicing Monday as well. Given LaFleur said he had a setback along the way in his recovery, his practice participation will be watched closely this week.


Nice trivia question in today's Inbox, Mike! I didn't know the answer. I'm sure those kinds of questions are difficult to come up with, but it'd be a fun little feature in Inbox going forward, even if it's only once a week. Got any other trivia prepared for chat today?


Nothing off the top of my head. I do write the weekly trivia question on our website every Tuesday. It's in the Fans section, under Promotions, if you want to check it out.


How about DB our all-pro tackle?


Again, back at practice Monday, and I would think Thursday's padded practice will be the true test whether he's ready to return to the field.


Hi Mike, with the success of the depth on the O-Line since David Bakhtiari has been out, any chance they let him walk and use the money on Aaron Jones and Corey Linsley (who's combined salary would cost the same as Bak)?


I was asked this question in Inbox this morning, and to me there's a difference between a pending free agent, and a pending free agent who's one of the absolute best at a premier position, like Bakhtiari is at left tackle. Four-time All-Pro, and still going plenty strong. I have to believe he's the Packers' top priority. That guarantees nothing, of course, because you never know how these negotiations are going to go, but I just don't see the Packers letting him walk, not when he's protecting the blindside of the franchise QB.


What role do you expect Christian Kirksey to play now that Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin have shown what they can do?


That's a really good question. Kirksey is a veteran who quickly became a leader on this team, by all accounts. If he resumes a regular first- and second-down role, perhaps they find specific roles for the other two and they'll all play a fair amount. It could be an evolving situation.


Hi Mike. We hear Aaron Rodgers talk all the time about some of his favorite teammates he's played with. Not asking you to name names and get banned from Hop Sing, but were you ever aware of a set of teammates who just did not like each other?


In my experience, if certain players didn't like other ones, they just didn't interact much and kept to themselves about it. It's a big locker room. No one wants to disrupt anything. It's not too hard to co-exist with someone you don't care for on a 53-man roster.


Do you think the D-line really needed some help as the media is suggesting? Kenny Clark plays like a first rounder, Tyler Lancaster seems solid in the middle, plus Kingsley Keke and Montravius Adams are on the rise. What am I missing?


I'm of the opinion you never have enough big guys in the trenches who can do a tough job. Young players are going to be more inconsistent. Veteran players provide stability. But veteran players also cost more. It's a tough balancing act.


We've had a few COVID cases recently on the Packers team. Seems like more rookies than veterans. Is the organization or the community doing contact tracing to determine how these players came into contact?


I'm sure they've investigated it with the infected players, but they're not going to make that information public.


Obviously our offense is "new school" and very successful. But is our defense too "old school" which doesn't match up well with today's game?


I don't think so. When the defense has struggled, it's mostly struggled with stopping the run, which is not exactly new school football.


Just wanted to point out that it is currently 11:11 on 11/11. That is all.


Rogers thinks the NFL COVID protocols are for show. Have you heard any other grumblings from other players?


I think that's a mischaracterization of his comments. The other day he was just pointing out how incongruous some of the rules appear to be, like practicing on the football field for 2 hours with the whole team but then having plexiglass between you and the locker next to you. I can see how that doesn't seem to make sense. I think the argument on the other side is the desire to limit risk and exposure whenever possible, which isn't possible on the field but is possible everywhere else. None of this is simple.


My brother Dan is a Green Beret in the U.S. Army. Also a recent father of two children under 2 years old, he's a hero of mine. I know he'd appreciate a shoutout in your column. Would love to thank all our active military and veterans today!


Absolutely. A shout-out to all veterans today.