Inbox: Someone could truly break out this year

Jamie from Manchester, UK

With the Packers landing media rights over on this side of the pond, do you foresee an international stop on the Tailgate Tour ever happening?

I don't think the bus floats.

Edward from Sioux Falls, SD

l saw Bobby "The Brain" wrestle live, at a Sioux Falls high school gym, on the undercard, about 40 years ago. Thanks for bringing memories of that night back. He lost, of course. "Mean" Gene Okerlund tore my ticket.

The WWF came to the UW-Platteville fieldhouse once when I was in high school. That's the only time I've ever attended a live event. All I remember is bumping into Paul Roma when he arrived by the back door of the building, and the headline match was the Hart Foundation vs. the Killer Bees.

Gina from Waukesha, WI

I have enjoyed reading the Tailgate Tour blog each day and was wondering who writes the blog? Thank you.

That would be Katie Hermsen in public affairs, who I think is passing the blog baton for the latter portion of the tour to someone else.

Keith from Lincoln, IL

The "#FireJeff" reply was brilliant in its simplicity and levity. Also, the non-denial denial of the II Tent at the draft tells me there is a chance…

Full disclosure, I don't anticipate being anywhere near the chaos of that draft theater during any of the three days, at least once the picks start.

Tom from Dollar Bay, MI

Someone posted a picture on FB of the media seating chart from a stadium tour. I see that our favorite Insiders were seated pretty much right in the middle at the last home game. Is the middle of section B row 2 where our dynamic duo usually does their thing on game day?

The middle of section B row 2 is where I've been covering games at Lambeau for 19 seasons now. If my seat has shifted, it's only by one or two chairs in one direction or another.

Steve from Madison, WI

Unless NASCAR makes an adjustment, putting the Super Bowl on President's Day weekend will line up with the Daytona 500, putting them both on that Sunday at roughly the same time. Thoughts? I assume the NFL knows this and believes the SB would win out.

Sure, but I would imagine NASCAR would just move the race to noon-ish so it would be over well before the Super Bowl.

Rhonda from Italy, TX

"If the league ever eliminates the quarterback sack for safety reasons, though, I reserve the right to change my answer." I'm old enough to remember "in the grasp … "

Oh, me too.

Matt from Middleton, WI

Hi Mike, I've had just about had enough draft hypotheticals. I have no idea who is a good or bad prospect. Considering the contract situation of our offensive tackles, I wouldn't be surprised to see another top pick on a tackle.

I wouldn't be shocked but it's not what I'm anticipating, not after last year's first-round pick and my belief the Packers aren't letting Zach Tom go anywhere.

Dwight from Brooklyn, NY

With all this talk of the draft, one question popped into my mind. Obviously, especially with their first pick, the Packers have a handful of names listed for that spot. My question is this: Do you know roughly how many names? I know it couldn't be 23.

No, but I don't know. The board is the board. You build it from the top in case somebody unexpectedly falls. They have an idea of the handful of guys they'll be choosing from, and they've gotten a preliminary gauge of other teams who might be interested in trading up into their spot, and what they'd get in return for moving down. Gutey has played out any number of scenarios in his head, but nothing is certain until the moment arrives the clock is actually ticking.

Justin from Thousand Oaks, CA

I know no boards will be exactly alike, but I've always wondered at what point consensus starts to diverge on the top players. Top 5-10 seems to be pretty closely predicted each year, even if landing spots aren't. Is it top 15 where boards really begin to separate? First round? Second? If you looked at, say three teams' top 50 player rankings, how many guys do you think they would have in common? Half? 75%?

That's a great question I wish I had a better handle on myself. I would think looking at various top 50s, overall there'd be a decent percentage of commonality. But a guy in someone's top 20 might be toward the bottom of somebody else's second 20. Or one team might consider a medical or off-the-field issue a major red flag that another team doesn't. So my best guess is beyond the top 15 or so players – the top half of the first round – opinions diverge pretty readily.

Thomas from Cedar Rapids, IA

To Craig from Sussex, Van Ness never started because coach Ferentz at Iowa likes to start seniors. LVN entered the draft as a junior. With the constant rotation, especially on the defensive line, who (not whom) is in for the first play is immaterial anyway. LVN was in for the pivotal plays.

That was my understanding as well. I think folks have to remember that he's still just turning 24 this summer.

Sherry from Washington, IL

Mike, a question about something other than the draft. We hear about players who request a trade quite publicly and many times it's beneficial to both teams. But I've wondered recently about those trades that we never hear about until after the fact. Do you know if those players are asked for their input on a trade? Or is it a surprise, like getting a pink slip in their pay envelope?

If a player hasn't requested a trade, the club isn't generally going to let him know he's being shopped, in case no trade materializes and the player is staying anyway.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Mike. Your cautionary opinion about the perils and pitfalls of legalized gambling and its influence on the league resurfaced during the latest owners' meeting. It was mentioned that the gambling community would not be in favor of an unseen/unknown "eye in the sky" with the power to throw flags because it could result in taking points off the board or maybe even decide a game's outcome. Making a correct call doesn't matter. Do you ever get tired of being right all the time?

That's immaterial and not true. Regardless, I have no way of verifying what you say is accurate, but the sense I've gotten over the years with all the incremental, baby steps being taken regarding the replay system, is this: The NFL gets far more concerned at times with the process than the actual results, and I think that's sorely misguided, given how much is at stake for everyone involved – teams, fans and gamblers included.

Jeff from Cedar Falls, IA

The Packers currently have five unsigned exclusive-rights free agents. One of those players is Emanuel Wilson, who could potentially be the No. 2 running back next year and has shown he belongs. So why aren't the Packers looking to sign him to a longer contract? It seems like a good chance to lock up a quality player for a reasonable contract before they are no longer an exclusive-rights free agent without any leverage.

Well, the Packers invested in a big-time free agent last year, and then drafted a running back in the third round. I don't see a long-term commitment to Wilson making sense at the moment, for either the team or the player, frankly.

Bob from Rome, NY

My 3.5 cents (tariffs) on the tush push issue. I distinctly remember the Chiefs' Chris Jones holding his neck in pain on the sideline after an Eagles' tush-push touchdown. Do you think eliminating assisting the runner would have more traction if he was seriously injured?

Indubitably.

Paul from De Pere, WI

Can the Packers take a step closer to the Super Bowl this year without having added a proven No. 1 WR, and if any of our current WR are to fit that mold who you picking?

Yes, and Jayden Reed.

Hannes from Glendale, WI

Spoff, Kenny Clark is still on the right side of 30, yet going into Year 10. Age-wise not a concern, but does mileage (or is it engine hours on the interior line?) become one at some point? Wishing Kenny a long, successful career ahead, but after losing Slaton, do we need more numbers at DT this spring?

Not just numbers, necessarily. I believe several things – Clark's still got plenty of good football left in him, the Packers are either going to exercise Devonte Wyatt's fifth-year option or extend him prior to free agency, and someone, like Brooks, could truly break out this year. But would I hedge my bets by continuing to bring in young talent on the defensive interior? Absolutely.

John from Lexington, SC

If you could choose to witness one Packer event you will never actually gain access to, what would it be? (e.g., in the room when the final draft board is debated, sitting next to Gutey during the draft, witness the final game plan discussion before the Packers' next Super Bowl, sitting at the table during the Jordon Love contract extension discussion, etc.)

The final team meeting at the hotel the night before the Super Bowl. If I ever write a book, I'd like to start with that.

Mike from Ottawa, Canada

Thank you II. Mike's point about Green Bay hosting a draft – but not a Super Bowl due to hotel limits – reminds me of Lake Placid. It got the 1980 Winter Olympics only because the IOC thought the Games were finished. Then came the Miracle on Ice, Heiden's gold sweep, and the Mahre twins in cowboy hats. Despite its charm and the rare view of all events from one spot, it would take another miracle for Lake Placid to host another Olympics – or Green Bay a Super Bowl. But as they say, miracles happen!

Not in this case. I never want to say never, but Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl.

Charles from New Berlin, WI

Hi II, when is the official end of baloney season?

For the Packers, it'll presumably be on Sunday, Sept. 7, at either noon, 3:25 p.m. or 7:20 p.m. CT, or Monday, Sept. 8, at 7:15 p.m. CT. As of tomorrow, the Packers' last game was three full months ago. Their next one is now just under five months away. Baloney season hasn't even reached halftime yet. Happy Friday.