Max from Toledo, OH
Thanks for taking care of us, Wes. Spoff said he went fishing, will this hurt his credibility? How will we know if it's credible or just a fish story? Happy Memorial Day. Thank you, vets!
I told Spoff, "Don't come back without grouper." I hope Spoff had a pleasant and reflective Memorial Day weekend and I wish the same for all of you. And Max, I gotta add, your best comments/submissions always come as Max. I'm pretty sure you and I are the only ones who'll even know what that means. OK, let's take a few questions.
Jason from Vernon Hills, IL
How are the early workouts looking for the defense with the new coordinator?
It looked fine. Tuesday's practice was mostly conducted at a walkthrough pace, so it's not like we learned any secrets about the scheme. My biggest takeaways were Preston Smith looks great, Darnell Savage is still a safety and the Packers are still very much committed to Josh Jackson. It was also good to see Kingsley Keke back after the concussion that sidelined him for the final month.
William from Newburgh, IN
Regarding our new "star" position I seem to remember college teams in the '60s, OK maybe '70s, employing what they called a "monster" defense. I wonder if these concepts are similar in any way. The NFL is in constant act/react and it would be funny if a defense that old would be useful in today's NFL.
I don't know much about "monster" defenses – maybe run that one by Cliff – but everything is cyclical in the NFL. It wouldn't surprise me.
Venny from Montgomery, AL
Wes, I think your response to Doug from Neenah was a slight miss since Savage and Rashan Gary became Packers in 2019, but your response highlights the how impressive the 2019 draft class was. If I had to pick a potential Pro Bowl player that was brought to the Packers in 2020, it would be Kamal Martin, Krys Barnes or maybe even AJ Dillon. What say you?
Oh, I got you. Yeah, I'll go with Dillon. He had as challenging of a rookie season as anyone on the roster (being the No. 3 running back and then a month on the COVID-19 list) and Dillon was at his best in December, when they needed him to be.
Frogger from Marinette, WI
Week 1 Packers starting quarterback is…
…currently on the roster.
Joshua from Houston, TX
What is your favorite Aaron Rodgers quote?
"Leadership can't be forced or contrived. It has to be your personality." You don't need to be a three-time MVP for that quote to resonate with you.
Julian from Gastonia, NC
I'm excited to see either Jordan Love or Blake Bortles run Matt LaFleur's offense in 2021 if Rodgers decides not to play for Green Bay. I see more of a ground-and-pound offense with the Packers' many options at running back and offensive line. The general consensus among the national media seems to be that our team won't be competitive without Aaron Rodgers. Sure, it would be a boon if Rodgers returns and he will undoubtedly be welcomed, but why shouldn't I be excited either way?
This team is a Super Bowl favorite, in my mind, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. And I still feel it's a competitive, deep squad, if Rodgers doesn't return. Having a backfield combination like Aaron Jones and Dillon will make life easier on any NFL QB.
Bobby from San Pedro, CA
What are the chances of Robert Tonyan having the same success of last year with Josiah Deguara coming back?
Really good. There are so many ways the Packers use tight ends in this offense that I don't see playing time being an issue, especially given the H-back role Deguara filled before his ACL injury. The Packers found something special in Robert Tonyan, though. The guy has taken a step every year he's been in Green Bay and I don't see that stopping anytime soon. Besides, he is the uncrowned Pro Bowler.
Joshua from Santa De Springs, CA
What kind of cap situation can we expect next season with Davante Adams and Jaire Alexander?
I've mentioned this before but the Packers probably can lower Adams' cap number for 2021 if they get an extension done. Alexander is under contract for two years now that the Packers have picked up his fifth-year option. Likewise, Green Bay can lower that '22 cap hit if it reaches an agreement with Alexander in the next 12-18 months.
Tom from Phoenix, AZ
Greetings II, on this day we remember our warriors lost in the heat of battle, does Aaron end his holdout now that Bobby Tonyan has signed his tender? Speaking of which, how "tender" is that tender? It's my understanding RFAs aren't draft picks, so are these tenders slotted like rookie salaries for later-round draft picks? Do they have wiggle room for negotiation? This is a subject rarely discussed if ever, unless I missed that day. Please share details and thanks for working today!
The three tenders (first round, second round and right of first refusal) come with an exact dollar amount. Tonyan received the second-round tender, which is the compensation the Packers would've received if Tonyan signed an offer sheet elsewhere that wasn't matched. To the best of my knowledge, the last day Tonyan could've signed an offer sheet with another team was April 23. So, Tonyan signing the tender was mostly a formality at this point.
Matt from Shelbyville, KY
How is our rookie going to fill Corey Linsley's shoes? I don't see a rookie handling an All-Pro center's workload.
It won't be easy. It wasn't easy in 2014 when Linsley was thrust into a starting after JC Tretter's knee injury. Josh Myers has a lot of the intangibles you look for in a center – size, intelligence, and strong communication skills. Oh, and did I mention he went to Ohio State? Much like another former Packers All-Pro center.
Steven from Franklin, TN
Yosh Nijman is a giant at 6-foot-7 and has played some at OT. Don't hear any commentary on him. Does he have potential to be a solid player in your opinion?
That's mostly because we haven't seen him play. Nijman got a few preseason snaps as a rookie two years ago but was fairly raw. It mostly was fourth-quarter work. Last year, we barely saw him at all due to the cancellation of the preseason and the abbreviated training camp. I can't wait to learn more about Yosh this summer.
Scott from Albertville, MN
Which coach (including position coach) has had the longest tenure with the Packers?
Other than Curly Lambeau (31 years), I believe Hawg Hanner and one of my all-time favorites, James Campen, are tied for the longest run in an associate-coach capacity at 15 years.
Rodney from Colleyville, TX
Can the Packers regroup after players miss the OTAs?
Oh sure.
Matt from Indianapolis, IN
How soon until we know dates for training camp, and will it be open to the public and do we expect the players to ride kid bikes from Lambeau Field?
I'm hoping we'll know the training camp schedule before the end of the offseason program.
Philip from Winchester, KY
I have been anxiously awaiting the unveiling of the new "throwback" jersey, any word on when it will be revealed?
There will be a new alternate "throwback" uniform for 2021 but no update yet on when that'll be announced.
Michael from Portland, OR
Pretty interesting to see all the places that submit questions to you guys. Do you have a map of the world at the office with little pins where questions come from? Where's the most remote location been?
We get so many submissions from so many places, it's hard to identify the most remote location…didn't we get one from Utqiagvik, Alaska, once? I will say it's extremely humbling every time we receive a submission from a military base. It means the world to me that somebody, who is sacrificing time away from their families to serve our country, gives a hoot what Spoff and I have to say about the Packers.
Mike from Las Vegas, NV
Most Packers players seem to be unusually down-to-earth to this distant observer. So, what should I expect to see more of in the player's parking lot, F-150s or Bentleys?
You'll see a lot of trucks…and Aaron Jones' 2003 Ford Explorer.
Etienne from Tourelle, Gaspe Coast
"You play to win the game…hello!" Also, the other time we never hear about – when Herm pulled out a letter from the commissioner on the podium, "Congratulations, you made the playoff."
Those are some good ones, too.
Ryan from Appleton, WI
How do you think single-season records (TD passes in a season, receptions in a season, etc.) be viewed now that there is a 17-game regular season?
Records are meant to be broken, right? I'm not trying to be flippant but what else can you do? It's not like they added asterisks to the NFL record book after the league expanded to 16 regular-season games in 1978. Nothing will change. The wheel will keep turning.
Joe from Bloomington, IN
I don't mean to pile on Ronald from Ontario but it's a bit ironic he was offended by the ridicule of a question he plagiarized. Isn't the more pertinent question, were Ted Bruschi and Dan Patrick offended?
I'm sure they both lost sleep over it.
Mike from Lady Lake, FL
Wes stated that Ronald from Komoka's suggestion about trading Jordan Love for Julio Jones was a childish one. My feeling is his suggestion wasn't a realistic one and any suggestion to the Inbox should be grounded in reality. I understand why you said his idea was preposterous. Instead, I would like the Packers to trade Jordan Love to the Rams for Aaron Donald. I believe this would really, really help the Packers pass rush.
Thank you for bringing reason back to Inbox, Mike.
Curt from Niwot, CO
Good morning Wes, With Spoff gone, some big news will break (Sunday). As much as I appreciate the good news, I'm more grateful to the men and women who fought for our freedom. A heartfelt thank you too all those who served this country.
Oh, trust me I held my breath all weekend.
Mark from Pitt Meadows, Canada
I was in the grocery store yesterday and saw an elderly man in Packers hoody and hat, and as I passed, I said, "Go Pack Go!" His eyes lit up and even with a mask I knew he was smiling ear to ear. He without hesitation replied, "The Lombardi trophy is coming home this year!" So, you heard it here first we will be champions! Cheers and Go Pack Go!
What a perfect way to begin a new week. I wish you all a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.
