Eric from Kenosha, WI

Good morning. It is hard to even articulate how silly the tush push kerfuffle has become. NFL Combine, please save us all with some real(-ish?) football news.

It all falls in the same bucket of baloney to me.

Mike from St. Paul, MN

So, the Packers are reportedly proposing a ban of the "tush push." Mike, how much of this was your doing?

I wish I could take credit. Honestly. I'd take all the backlash and argue it's not a football play. Because it's not.

Kerry from Canyon Lake, TX

Good morning, fellas. I submit the "tush push" will never be banned, even though assisting the runner is against the rules. To your previous point the NFL is about casual fans, and the "tush push" has become famous. The NFL doesn't eliminate things that are famous among casual fans. Rules are a minor inconvenience.

You're almost certainly right. I don't see it getting banned either, with assisting the runner no longer against the rules. I despised it from the moment I saw it, and said so in this column. You're supposed to assist the runner in football by blocking. That's the game. The Packers have gotten good at it with the sneaky Tucker Kraft ploy, but I'd still rather see it gone. As far as I'm concerned, the NFL dropped the ball on this one the first year it appeared, and now it's probably too late.

Greg from St. Charles, IL

Does the proposal to ban the tush push include a ban on all assisting of a runner? Seeing a runner nearly stopped, but then having offensive players push him forward an extra 10 yards is inconsistent with the fact that the defense can't push a runner backward 10 yards and the ball be moved back that 10 yards. If that is the proposal, perhaps it is better sold as simply a ban on assisting a runner (like the rules used to be, I believe). If not, perhaps it should be proposed that way.

I'm not privy to the specifics, but I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically concur.

Drew from Tucson, AZ

With the salary cap rising another 20M+, at what point does the salary cap stop mattering as much?

Never. It's a constraint on all teams no matter the number, which keeps the playing field level.

Vinny from Arlington, VA

With free agency approaching, do you think we'll see the Packers make a big splash on the first day like we did last year?

I'm not holding my breath. There may not be any players the caliber of Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs available this year. That could simply be the reality, which means the guys at the top of this market will get inflated contracts. I wouldn't be surprised if Gutey waits for some dust to settle before diving in.

William from Wake Forest, NC

The response about NFC North teams over-drafting defense trying to stop Aaron Rogers to their detriment intrigued me. When Randy Moss joined the Vikings and destroyed us twice a year, we drafted taller CBs. AR and RM were about impossible to stop, so nothing really worked. Only Father Time could slow them down. Having a good, balanced team seems to be the best strategy and keep/get the great players when you can.

I think it's the only way to go, and Wes's point about the NFC North was a salient one. Just think how close we were last season to seeing Jordan Love down for the count in Week 1, and everything would've shifted to Malik Willis. A team built to stop Love might not easily adjust. In Wolf's defense when he drafted the three straight corners in '99 to counter Moss, Tyrone Williams was a returning starter, but Craig Newsome's time in Green Bay was up (he was headed to SF) and all the Packers had for corner depth were a 31-year-old Pat Terrell (who wound up not playing in '99), 35-year-old Mike Prior, and special-teamer Scott McGarrahan. The position needed major reinforcements, Moss or no Moss.

Shane from Philadelphia, PA

As far as "fixing" the onside kick rules, do you think the NFL would ever go back to the old rules (running start) for that? I think it would be the most fair option and the injury risk seems lower even with the running start since players are only traveling 10 yards downfield.

I don't see that happening but I don't know what the solution to the onside kick conundrum is, either.

Glen from Bellevue, WI

Since waiver claims are awarded to the team with the worst record if multiple teams claim the same player, wouldn't teams who were 8-9 this season and really need a player at the position of said player be more likely to trade a lower draft choice to the team that needs to release the player? Or, does years of service in the league dictate that some released players are total free agents and are not subject to waiver claims?

Vested veterans (players with four-plus accrued seasons) aren't subject to waivers until after the trading deadline each season.

Erich from Sheboygan, WI

What's the story on how the Majik man got to wear No. 5 for a year or so?

When Forrest Gregg was head coach, he put No. 5 back in circulation, for reasons unclear, according to a piece Cliff wrote a few years back. It hadn't been worn since Hornung in '66 when QB Vince Ferragamo wore it in '86. Then Gregg gave it to the rookie Majkowski and strike-replacement QB Willie Gillus in '87, with Majkowski asking his second season for No. 7. Finally, Lindy Infante gave it to kicker Curtis Burrow in '88. Burrow appeared in one game, missing his lone field goal try as well as two of four extra points. Nobody's worn it in a regular-season game since.

Gary from Minneapolis, MN

After making it to the final round, the Packers' Jon-Eric Sullivan did not reach his goal of becoming Jacksonville's GM. I feel sorry for him, but as a Packer fan, I'm glad he's still a part of our team. To be honest, I was selfishly rooting against him because I didn't want him to leave.

I had the same mixed emotions. Sully is a great dude and I'm sure he'll get his shot soon enough.

Nick from Prescott, WI

Hi Mike, my buddies and I love draft season. By my count we have four defensive linemen on the roster that are first-round picks. Yet, when we are doing our draft research, defensive line is always our No. 1 need. We about jumped through the ceiling when we took Devonte Wyatt and later Lukas Van Ness. How can defensive line be our No. 1 need with all this investment?

Wyatt and LVN aren't yet finished products, while Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark didn't have their best seasons but are young enough to bounce back. That's how I see it. In their second year in Hafley's system, I believe all four are capable of better in 2025 for different reasons. Doesn't mean all performances will rise, but if some do, combined with a key addition along the way, that group can reach a whole different level. It's not there, clearly, but I don't think it's as far off as the perception.

William from Newburgh, IN

So a lot of disappointment in LVN's progress is what I've been reading. He played mostly with his hands in the dirt in college. Rookie season he is now in a two-point stance in a different defense. Second year back to hands in the dirt with yet another defense. Seems to me stability of his second year in the same position/defense will help greatly, along with the added strength increase of another year. Your thoughts?

I tend to agree, along with seeing if a new position coach can make a difference as well, for him and the entire unit.

Josh from Seattle, WA

Tim from Lincoln has a great appetite! When talking about speed-rushing DE under 265 pounds, Gutey and the Insiders both talk about struggling against the run which limits their ability to play lots of snaps. Does this mean they would not be worthy of a first-round grade if they can't turn into an every-down player? I would think that being a speed-sack guy and special-teams stud is enough to go at any time.

I'm no GM and I'll never sit on that hot seat, but I wouldn't spend a first-round pick on a player who, in his prime, would still be playing only 15-20 snaps per game outside of special teams.

Steven from St. Albans, WV

You said nobody really knows what Gutey is going to do. At this time, I would think Gutey himself isn't completely locked into what he is going to do. Would you agree? Still so much to learn and decide. Might even be last-second change of decisions during the draft. The not knowing is the greatest part for me. Its pure excitement. Thanks and GPG!

Totally agree. The personnel staff will figure out its targets and assess where the most value lies in the draft, but making anything happen as desired always depends on how the board looks in the moment when decisions must be made.

Joe from Swansea, IL

Greetings, II! This notion didn't occur to me until I saw Gutey's comments regarding the three-loss end to last season, but do you think the kids on the roster hit the quote-unquote wall at the end of the year? Is that even a thing anymore? If so, did you see any indication of it?

No. As younger players the year before, they were playing their best football at the end the season.

Jesse from Colorado Springs, CO

Hey guys, with Mark Murphy leaving, how do you see the organization changing and how will it do things differently?

I doubt it'll change much. It didn't when Murphy took over for Harlan. The stability of the organization is one of its greatest strengths. I'm sure Ed Policy will have his own style of leadership, but the folks at the top always having a keen eye on the future and providing all the financial resources football needs has made the Packers successful both on and off the field. There's no reason to change that.

Kent from Duluth, MN

In response to LaCrescent Tom you noted that the entire NFC North is within the top 5 of SoS for 2025. Is this just happenstance, or the NFL's way to maintain parity in the league? Thanks guys, and of course…Go Pack Go!

Well, first off, the NFC North sent three teams to the playoffs last year, so all the doubled-up matchups against one another boosts the SoS number. On top of that, the schedule rotation has the NFC North playing all teams in the NFC East and AFC North next season, and those two divisions produced a combined four playoff teams in 2024. So that's how all the NFC North teams are in the top five.

Gary from Stevens Point, WI

Margeaux's comment about 40 times reminded me of a fun memory. 30-ish years ago we took the family to a Packer expo. One of the events was an automated 40 timing run. At 40-ish years old and 150 pounds lighter, I came in with a slower time than Gilbert Brown. My wife has yet to let me forget that.

I never ran a timed 40. My freshman year in college on the baseball team, minus the swing and follow-through, I was clocked (hand-held timer) at 3.9 home to first, which I thought was pretty good for 30 yards from a standstill. Then my sophomore year I cracked a bone in my lower leg and don't think I ever ran as fast again.

Charlie from Caledonia, WI

Hey Mike, did you and Larry drive down and back to the combine together? If so, did Larry share a lot of his playing days stories with you? If so, here's an offer for you. I'd be more than willing to drive you both back and forth to next year's combine. All I'd ask is that I could listen to you both bantering back and forth about football. Well, maybe a room. And gas. And a meal or two.

Ha. Larry travels to and from Indy on his own, because I think he visits family as part of the journey. I ride along with our video guys and answer II questions on my laptop.

Peter from Wauwatosa, WI

I am looking forward to the Prospect Primer videos, when can we expect to see them? With that said I know edge rusher, wide receiver, and cornerback among other positions have been highly targeted as potential needs. Could you give us a few names to watch closely in those positions over the next few months?

We'll start posting Prospect Primers in April. Once I get back from the combine, I'll start researching to find the players we'll feature in the video series. I admit I don't know much about anybody until I start working on that project.

Dave from Middletown, CT

I, too, had to look up Benjamin from Burlington, VT's vocabulary word from Tuesday's II and was chuffed to find that it has two definitions, which are direct opposites. So there's no telling from this submission how I feel about what I learned.

Happy Thursday.