Charles from New Berlin, WI

So Spoff, how was Belize?

If only.

John from Livermore, CA

Now that Jordan Love is signed what other business needs to be finished going into this season?

Contract-wise, nothing urgent. The focus can be all on football now.

Ryan from Mt. Zion, IL

How do these "insiders" always have the contract details before any official announcement by the Packers?

The national reporters who break the news get the contract details from the agents.

Tim from Charlotte, NC

Just curious about the mechanics of a signing bonus. Is there a check waiting in an envelope at the table when the player signs? Does it go through payroll and is direct deposited net of taxes, etc.? Or maybe it's just directly wired to the player's investment advisor or agent? Inquiring minds want to know.

Sorry, but other than assuming taxes must be withheld, I honestly don't know those details. I did read that Love's signing bonus is being paid out in three installments between now and the end of the calendar year.

Aaron from Dallas, TX

After the Love extension I read the Packers has around $20 million in cap space this year. On pro-rating signing bonuses, is a team required to spread out the hit? If the Pack wanted to extend someone else, could they specify the signing bonus hits 2024 only and save space on future caps?

They could classify it as another type of bonus (other than signing) and count it all at once, but unused cap space carries over, so it really just comes down to how teams want to handle their cap books.

Richard from Farmington Hills, MI

Of course we'll never know if Love's representation would have agreed, but do you think the team would have been able to negotiate a better deal had they gotten it done in early May before Goff and Lawrence reset the market?

Who knows? But it certainly made sense for Love's camp to wait a bit and not rush into anything.

Jim from Cornwall, NY

Glad the extension is finally taken care of, but I think the comp of JL's contract to AR's first contract is a little off. ATMR (WCBW), AR's 2008 contract averaged ~$11M/year, only 75% of Big Ben's league-high $14.65M/year, while JL is now the highest paid QB in the league. That said, I don't think the Packers had any choice considering Lawrence and Tua's contracts and their lack of playoff wins. Just glad we've drafted well enough to be able to absorb such a hit.

If you're pointing to my reference Saturday to Rodgers' first big contract, I wasn't comparing market value or where it ranked, but the timing of it for those wondering about paying Love after half a season of top-line play. After seven games in 2008, the Packers were 4-3, and Ted Thompson had seen enough to make the commitment. He managed to get Rodgers at a below-market deal because he hadn't won anything yet (unlike Love winning a playoff game) and Rodgers was under contract through 2009 on his original rookie deal, so he was in no position to wait if he wanted to pocket some money. For the record, Lawrence does have one playoff win just like Love.

Gene from Greenville, WI

With Love's new contract, what type of other financial incentives does he receive, like with complete passes, or completed touchdowns, etc... Are there extra monies?

I heard there are modest per-game roster bonuses beginning next year and Pro Bowl escalators throughout, but nothing that significantly alters his earnings.

Scott from West Richland, WA

Ooh wee wee Mike! After seeing the contract details on overthecap.com, this is one TEAM-friendly contract for Love, while he gets paid. Those cap numbers over the next few years will help paying the youngsters earning their payday. Not much of a question, but is that how you structure a top-tier QB and still leave room at the table or what?

I've never had reason to question Russ Ball's cap management. He's incredibly good at it and the Packers are lucky to have him. The only time the Packers have had cap issues in my time here was due to the Covid, when they were dealing with a falling cap while still trying to field a team around Aaron Rodgers capable of competing for a championship. Which they did. The title never came, but they made their runs at it, and it took a couple years to climb out of that cap trouble. Now they're back where they've traditionally been.

Chuck from Waterloo, WI

Tell us again how difficult getting one franchise QB is?

Ask the, roughly by my count, 16 teams who are still searching for one or wondering if they have theirs.

Kurt from Sartell, MN

With Love getting extended, I thought about the Packer's situation with Love with some of the other teams. It feels like teams, such as the Jaguars, Dolphins and Cowboys, are paying their QB's top of market money because they don't have better options. Do you feel these teams are in a sort of QB purgatory?

I wouldn't define having Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa or Dak Prescott as QB purgatory. Not at all.

James from Geneva, IL

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on what NFL QBs are earning these days as compared to, say, doctors who save lives or attorneys who help us protect our rights or teachers who educate the children or scientists who work to cure disease. Is it simply the law of supply and demand? Is it a reflection of society's desire for entertainment? What, if anything, does it say about us?

I forget which scholar or dignitary said it, but it was something along the lines of how you learn most about a society by studying how it entertains itself, whether you're talking about the gladiators in the Roman Colosseum or 93 of the top 100 most-viewed television programs last year being NFL games.

Steve from Bloomington, IL

Outside of QB, which player do you think is the most indispensable going into this season? Because of the depth and versatility at most of the other positions, I would put in a vote for Quay Walker.

The Packers' starting offensive tackles, Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom, rank up there for me, along with Xavier McKinney and Jaire Alexander.

Anthony from Madison, WI

What's the difference between the PUP and the NFI list?

In the simplest terms, it's a distinction regarding when/where the player's injury occurred. If it occurred on the team's watch as part of football activities and he's not able to participate at the start of training camp, he goes on PUP. If the injury occurred before the player joined the Packers or while doing something totally on his own, it's classified as a "non-football injury" (NFI).

Edward from Canton, SD

Haven't seen much news on Tucker Kraft. Any word on how much longer he will be rehabbing that torn pec? Sure hope that he doesn't end up being released with an injury settlement.

That's not happening. I heard that Kraft's pectoral surgery occurred around three weeks after Tom's, so he just on a different timeline.

Craig from Los Angeles, CA

Happy to see the pads go on. I think the evaluation of the guys in the trenches is pretty irrelevant without it. No disrespect to anybody, but I kinda shrugged off the "3 sacks in 4 plays" news the other day. We all know he's a dog, but let's give the guys a chance to lay it out there and throw their bodies around a bit more and see what happens. Still rooting for RG, but also hoping our O-line can showcase some better pass pro.

I think the guys up front have done that in the two padded practices. Full pads does slow down a pass rush. There's still plenty to clean up, but plays aren't just getting instantaneously blown up. It also helps to have QB1 back, because when the rush is coming, he knows the offense so well he knows exactly how to react and where to go with the ball, quickly.

Chuck from Sun City West, AZ

Is the kicking situation resolving itself or is there a chance of more invitees?

The early analysis from me is Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph are in a tight race, with James Turner a bit behind.

Mark from Westminster, CO

I might be an outlier, but I'm most excited to see Josh Jacobs become a force in Matt LaFleur's passing game. If I'm a defense, I'd be terrified at defending him run or pass. In his career, he's averaging 7.4 yards a reception. For perspective, Aaron Jones averaged 7.6 yards. I am hoping this offense is going to be as exciting on game day as it looks like it could be on paper.

Establishing Jacobs as a pass-catching threat early in the season will give defenses that much more to think about as the year progresses.

Josh from Long Beach, CA

If you could get All-Pro play from one player on both offense and defense (excluding Love) who would it be and why? Thanks!

Too many candidates on offense that could tilt things for me to pick just one. Jacobs, as mentioned, is as good a choice as any. Rasheed Walker for a truly formidable left side with Elgton Jenkins. Luke Musgrave creating more than a complement to the wide receiver depth. All of those could be game-changers. On defense, I'm inclined to say McKinney because that position group has been revamped, but I wouldn't argue with Gary or Alexander, either.

Jeff from Seminole, FL

Assuming Gary gets double-teamed most of the time, who do you think needs to step it up in the pass rush the most and who do you think will step it up the most?

Lukas Van Ness is the call there. The way he came on down the stretch last season bodes well and he needs to pick up where he left off.

Ani from Phoenix, AZ

Which safety is currently in the lead of the competition?

Impossible to say. Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and Anthony Johnson Jr. all had their standout moments through the first week, and all continue to get reps with the first unit alongside Xavier McKinney. This might not be decided for quite a while.

Rick from Trempealeau, WI

Preston Smith and Rashan Gary are both great players. But watching over the years they both have a tendency at least once/game go crash down chasing a play and then the QB or back gets outside. Do you think going back to a 4-3 will help mitigate that tendency?

Probably not. But it's worth keeping in mind that sometimes the scheme explicitly calls for an edge defender to crash, and there's supposed to be a teammate from the second level (off-ball LB or DB) filling his spot to reset the edge. I'm not saying loss of contain is never the edge guys' fault. Often it is. But not always.

Jake from Marina Del Rey, CA

Mike. I'm afraid you just opened the door to a 20-game season structured how Terry suggested, plus two NFC-AFC matches.

No way. Teams currently play five of their 17 games against teams from the other conference. Any expansion in the schedule is going to increase the cross-conference games, not reduce them.

Dennis from Seal Beach, CA

Nice to have the whole "wandering aimlessly through the wilderness" thing settled for Saturdays. Now if we could only find something with intrigue to fill our Sunday afternoons with meaning and delight. Any ideas?

In due time. Happy Monday.