Christopher from Frederick, MD
"I don't deny his issues with the organization are real, but I do know utopias aren't." Take a bow for that one, Spoff.
Better yet, take two.
Robert from Glasgow, DE
Insiders, we have heard about character this week. Moms and dads, when you go to buy your children jerseys of players they can look up to, there is no better than No. 33, Aaron Jones. His character exudes humble leadership. A Packers Packer, from a fifth-round draft pick to the face of the team, Aaron Jones.
I could cover this team for another 30 years and have no doubt Jones would go down as one of the most gracious and respectful players to walk through the Packers' locker room during my time on the beat. That's credit to Alvin Sr. and Vurgess, and the family they raised together.
Neil from Kalispell, MT
So, if I understand the Hod weight metric, AJ Dillon is 1 Hod, 6 stone. He certainly looks every bit of that this year!
Dillon certainly didn't skip leg day this offseason, that's for sure. All these young guys are hungry, especially this time of the year, but Dillon's gotta be champing at the bit to jump into Year 2 after how he finished his rookie year.
Nick from Plainwell, MI
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned AJ Dillon's legs yet. I feel for the defender that gets in front of him. How do you think he will pair with No. 33 in the backfield? Will their running styles complement each other as when Jamaal Williams was back there?
I tried to tell you guys – don't be surprised if Williams winds up being Detroit's lead back and sure enough it seems to be looking that way. That being said, I think Dillon could be an even better complement to Jones' running style in Green Bay. If you haven't seen Ryan Wood's photo of Dillon and Jones from Tuesday's OTA practice, I suggest you check it out. It's thunder-and-lightning personified. Williams was a complete, all-around back but the 247-pound Dillon really is a thumper. I can't think of a one-two punch in the Packers' backfield as drastically different as Jones and Dillon.
Richard from Caledonia, WI
Good morning! Who stands out among the rookies so far in the very early training sessions?
Josh Myers. Like I said last week, it's non-contact but he just looks like he belongs. I can't wait to watch Myers in pads this summer. I'll also give a quick shoutout to Christian Uphoff, too. The Illinois State safety made a heady play during practice Tuesday, popping a ball out. He's big for his position, too.
Josh from Seattle, WA
I am pretty confident that the Week 1 O-line is set. What needs to be seen is, who the sixth and seventh man that are so crucial will be. Who do you think that will be? Also, when David Bakhtiari returns who will hold their spot among the interior? My guess for this one would be Josh Myers for two reasons, he has a great name and is therefore destined for greatness, and second is he looks like the biggest guy on the O-line in all the photos and that is a rare thing to find for someone with his skillset.
That's the beauty of this thing – the Packers have so many options even beyond the projected starting five. The Packers drafted Royce Newman and Cole Van Lanen, veterans Ben Braden and Yosh Nijman return, and Simon Stepaniak and Jake Hanson are back from injured reserve. Elgton Jenkins can do anything, and Jon Runyan and Lucas Patrick are versatile. With David Bakhtiari and Billy Turner leading the room, I see no reason the Packers have to take a step back on the O-line this season.
Matt from Beaverton, OR
Pretty clear now that the Packers value Dean Lowry a lot more than all the talking heads that had him as good as cut. The 2022 cap situation is getting more and more interesting.
Lowry is as durable as they come and has a thankless job, doing a lot of the dirty work in the defensive front. If you look at the roster, there aren't many who do what Lowry does in the Packers' defense. Everyone agrees he got off to a slow start last year, but Lowry picked things up down the stretch. He was playing his best football come January.
Perry from Ishpeming, MI
I read that Oren Burks is moving back to working with the ILBs. Do you think moving a young player around early in their career impedes their development? Or do you think it provides them with more experience down the road? Thank you all for keeping us all entertained for six days a week!
It's not unusual for teams to cross-train linebackers at both the inside and outside linebacker positions. Heck, the Packers made a cottage industry out of it during the mid-2010s under Dom Capers. So, there's some natural synergy between the two spots. Regardless, this is a huge year for Burks. He's been a solid special-teamer but just hasn't been quite able to make that leap into the defensive rotation.
Tom from Douglassville, PA
So, who looks the best so far in the OTAs?
Preston Smith. You can tell he's been in the gym a lot this offseason. Mike Smith even mentioned on Wednesday how much leaner Preston looks. Dexter Williams, too.
Jeff from Eveleth, MN
Guys, I know I joke around a lot, but a serious question here. Is it harder or easier for a guy like Bakhtiari to recover from an ACL tear versus a "skill position" player that relies on speed, acceleration, and cuts? Does the 300-plus pound frame on that surgically repaired knee stress the issue more than all the movement of a running back or wideout?
That's a good question. While offensive linemen aren't cutting as violently as a receiver or skill-position player, they're also carrying a lot more weight. It's probably a horse apiece but it does seem like the Packers feel more comfortable returning an O-lineman quicker to the field following ACL surgery than receivers. At least, that's my hunch after covering this team for 10 years.
Jeff from Champlin, MN
The Packers have nine away games this year. I assume they'll have nine home games next year.
You got it, dude.
David from Appleton, WI
Hello Insiders! It seems the players' influence has increased (re: AR12 situation) in the last several years. What do you attribute to this increase in player influence? Free agency? Size of contracts? The 24/7 media coverage? Insider Inbox writers?
I don't know if I'd agree there's any significant increase in influence in recent years. In the NFL alone, John Elway, Joe Montana, Randy Moss, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown all used influence for a change in scenery at different points over the past 40 years. The only thing I can think of that's different today is the instantaneous spread of information due to the internet and social media.
Tom from Sturgeon Bay, WI
II, did you guys notice Aaron playing the guitar with his left hand?
I just figured the video was backwards.
Vincent from Lindenhurst, NY
Can the Packers be competitive without Aaron Rodgers? Is Jordan Love capable of being the next quarterback for the Packers?
Loyal readers know how much I hate hypotheticals but there is one thing I want to say off this question. By design, this is a QB-friendly offense. The presence of a three-time MVP like Rodgers was the perfect marriage, but that's also not a prerequisite for the offense to succeed. The Rams and 49ers made the Super Bowl with Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo, respectively, as their quarterbacks. No disrespect to those guys but they're not Aaron Rodgers. So, that isn't where the bar should be for Love – not today, not tomorrow and not whenever the day comes that he makes his first NFL start. Is Love capable? He wouldn't be here if he wasn't. Love is a 22-year-old quarterback with a first-round pedigree and an inexhaustible amount of reps right now. That's all he needs to be right now.
Eric from West Salem, WI
Which WRs aren't at the voluntary practices this week? From the press conference it sounds like a lot of our veterans aren't there.
The top five returning veterans – Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown and Devin Funchess. So, needless to say, Malik Taylor, Amari Rodgers, Juwann Winfree and Reggie Begelton are getting a lot of work this week.
Brian from Chesapeake, VA
Was that Josiah Deguara in the OTA remix? Please pay attention to how he looks when you watch the few minutes of low-intensity practice, plus Simon Stepaniak too. Oh, and be 100% on whether Jordan Love is ready (note sarcasm). Honestly, I don't even know what that means...not until a regular-season game at least. Then, it is about wins and losses, so does any of this truly get judged until then? All the world to me is a stage.
Stepaniak is almost 1½ years out from that ACL tear, so you'd hope he's pretty much back to 100%. He was practicing with the rest of the offensive line on Tuesday. Deguara was wearing his helmet at practice but was just doing rehab stuff. Regardless, that's a good sign he was out there just eight months removed from major knee surgery.
John from Rhinelander, WI
In your opinion, in today's game, would a rookie quarterback gain more by starting in their first year and learning on the field, or sitting their first year and learning by working with and watching a HOF quarterback?
I think any young quarterback can benefit from sitting back and learning, especially from a HOF quarterback like Rodgers, but it's my personal belief a guy either has it or he doesn't. Take Alex Smith, for example. He had a rough go of it during his first few years in San Francisco but eventually found his way. On the other side of the equation, I don't think I'm going out on a limb saying Rodgers could've started well before his fourth season. Every QB learns at his own pace but I think all of them are forged in the fire of a live game.
Harry from Bessemer, MI
I understand Blake Bortles worked off to the side in OTAs, Love taking the majority of the snaps. What was Kurt Benkert like in drills?
Benkert didn't do much in live-action periods but he looked fine. I liked what I saw from him during rookie camp. It's a huge opportunity for him, too, depending on when Bortles is given the green light to practice.
Jared from Blue Bell, PA
I think I get the post-June 1 details better, so thanks for the clarity. Where I'm confused is, why did the NFL create a situation where the team sees cap benefits that are directly related to the timing of when a player is cut/traded? What's the underlying reason for this distinction? What does each party (NFL, team, player) get out of this? Thanks for the work you do!
Well, you gotta turn the page at some point to the next season. And by having June 1 designations, it allows a veteran player, who may not be in a team's future plans, to latch on with a new team instead of being cut after the offseason program is over.
Ronald from Komoka, Ontario
Good morning guys! I didn't think that you would post my comment but you must admit that my suggestion to trade Jordan Love for Julio Jones would have a huge impact on not only AR's state of mind, but just imagine the firepower that AR and those two WRs would garner! Again, you must admit that it is an intriguing idea!
We didn't post your comment because it's preposterous. It's something a 6-year-old would do on "Madden" after toggling off the salary cap and the computer's right to decline a trade in franchise mode.
The Packers were on the practice field Tuesday for the offseason program.
Michael from Palm Coast, FL
I kindly disagree with Wes's opinion that today's Packer team is too deep to add Richard Sherman. A lot of IFs have to occur. Sherman performs at 2019 level. Sherman agrees to an incentive-laden contract. The Packers struck gold with Charles Woodson. Sherman has the same all-star potential later in his career. This is the offseason. A time to dream of what could be.
See previous answer.
Mackenzie from Green Bay, WI
What are the circles sewn on the outside of player names on the back of jerseys this year?
It's the GPS system the team and league use to track injuries and over-exertion. They've had those for many years now.
Doug from Neenah, WI
Good morning. When does Jordy Nelson become eligible for the Packers Hall of Fame? Is there a chance Randall Cobb could go in at the same time or does his extended career with other teams influence that timing? Thanks.
After the 2022 season.
Alex from Duluth, MN
Who's that wearing No. 38 at OTAs?
You really couldn't have just looked at the roster, huh?
Bill from Whiting, IN
It appears that there might be some merit in going to the "six days to three" plan during the "blah" times if it allows you to see more of your kid's soccer games.
I don't write Inbox on Tuesday afternoons, Bill.
Jonathan from Leeds, UK
Hi II. My three things from the Three Things video: Mike needs a haircut, Wes needs a shave, and Larry doesn't need to change a thing.
Like a nice blue blazer and grey pants…some things just don't go outta style.
