Primo from Portland, OR

Hi Wes! Good morning and welcome back! How was your break? Highlights?

I did nothing; mostly spent time with family. I rarely take true vacations. I travel enough during the season. I use PTO more as a barrier to prevent people from bothering me for a few days. The break from writing was nice, too.

Markus from Aurora, CO

It's snowing again, which reminds me it's still winter. That means NFL football is months away. Nothing to see here. R-E-L-A-X. What say you?

I say Sundays are boring without football. Fortunately, there was plenty of snow in Suamico to keep me occupied.

Jeff from Mesa, AZ

With regards to the Packers' schedule and opening on the road, I will gladly trade a September opener for an extra game in Green Bay in December.

Perhaps, but the Packers should open the 2025 season in Green Bay. Matt LaFleur is the seventh-longest tenured head coach in the NFL, and he's never seen Week 1 at Lambeau Field. I think Packers fans deserve to enjoy an NFL opener in their backyard, too.

Mikey from Orland Park, IL

Hello Insiders. Hopefully, Brian Gutekunst can hit a home run in this year's draft and get a solid contributor from Day 1. With Jordan Morgan coming back, is there any news of his health and recovery? If Gutey can get a contributor, it would almost be like having two first-round picks.

We'll get more injury-related answers when Gutekunst addresses Spoff and the other beat writers next week in Indianapolis. At year's end, however, it sounded like Morgan was making progress. I know everyone wants immediate returns, but Green Bay still made a sound investment in Morgan last April. Anyone who watched the Super Bowl saw how essential a sturdy offensive line is to winning it all. Hopefully, Morgan puts this shoulder issue behind him and competes for a starting role this summer.

Bill from Wilmington, DE

Wes, I'm watching the replay of the playoff loss to Philly. I was angry at the time of the game, but we were not far off. By the way, Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft are all beasts, not to mention others. Losing Elgton Jenkins hurt bad. I'm fired up for next year!

Jenkins' injury also reiterated the importance of depth. Listen, I know it's little consolation to say the Packers lost to the NFC's eventual representative in the Super Bowl. It's happened more than any of us would like to recount over the years. However, Green Bay proved to be a game opponent in the wild-card round. With the bulk of the roster back, the Packers are expected to push the pace in 2025.

Eric from Kenosha, WI

Happy Monday. Doesn't the fact that the Packers have the only Irish-born player in the NFL make them the obvious choice for the Dublin game? Are we overthinking this?

I have no inside intel on this oft-discussed game. I'm reading tea leaves like all of you. Undoubtedly, the Daniel Whelan-backed Packers would be a big ticket in Ireland, but Green Bay is always going to be a major draw. NFL already has dispatched the Packers overseas in two of the last three seasons. There's only so much room on the passport.

Matt from Allouez, WI

Is it a foregone conclusion Rasheed Walker is a franchise left tackle? Just curious because not much is said of him.

I believe the Packers have found their tackles in Walker and Zach Tom. How infrequently we mentioned either last season speaks to their level of consistency. Obviously, both are entering the final year of their rookie contracts and it'll be up to the Packers to determine future financials. But Walker is absolutely a left tackle a team can hitch its wagon to long term.

Monty from Velva, ND

I think the TE position is the most underrated position on a football team. An all-round TE gets to block with the big boys and catch passes like a WR. Kraft is the best all-around TE we've had in some time. In your opinion, how would you rank him right now with his contemporaries?

Right at the top. Kraft's production, versatility, durability, and age put him on a path to becoming one of the NFL's elite. He's already one of the most well-rounded tight ends Green Bay has featured in the modern era.

Harry from Rochester, NY

Which team do you believe Aaron Rodgers will play with this upcoming season? Or do you believe he'll retire?

In Philadelphia, I said during what turned out to be our final Packers Preview radio segment of the season I'd like to see Rodgers retire. Will he? I'd be surprised. Personally, I don't see what's left to prove. Rodgers played well in the Jets' regular-season finale and threw his 500th career touchdown pass. He's one of the NFL's all-time great competitors and I could understand his desire to keep going. But I felt that win over Miami would be a fitting conclusion to Rodgers' career. He still could go out on his own terms.

Bret from Hertel, WI

What is your favorite Sterling Sharpe story? I was at an early offseason camp with my son who was about two or three. We got to stand with him prior to practice because it was a cold spring day. He did not sign autographs but did pat my son on the head.

Unfortunately, I barely remember Sharpe's playing career but have enjoyed learning about it. I mean, how many players have nine catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns in their final NFL game? After the Pro Football Hall of Fame doors opened to Terrell Davis and Tony Boselli, it's only right Sharpe's name was finally called.

Joshua from Milwaukee, WI

Speaking of Hall of Fame QBs, Kurt Warner's career is a great example of how the HOF margins can be as thin as the victory margins. I remember a debate on if he was worthy of going in. Only a last-second kick and an impressive late-game TD reception kept him from being a three-time champ and a slam-dunk first-ballot inductee. Conversely, if Kevin Dyson's arm is a half yard longer, Warner would've had no titles and a much worse HOF case. Crazy.

Well, that's an 18-inch hypothetical there, Josh. I struggled with Warner's HOF candidacy at first but haven't thought much about it since. He's worthy. My only issue now is how much fiddling the Pro Football Hall of Fame is doing with its rules of entry. Five years ago, it used the "Centennial Slate" process to shoo-in 20 individuals, including the previously voted down Paul Tagliabue. Now, we have our smallest class in 20 years and Mike Holmgren can't get the votes for enshrinement as the lone coach nominee. Pick a path and walk it.

Milan from New York, NY

Loved Mike's long answer to Pete from NC! So true! All I can add is that only way to enjoy NFL is to see it live. I've been going since 1972 or so and not just the Pack. One of my favorite memories was a game at Shea Stadium, Bills-Jets. I was sitting in first row in the end-zone bleachers where Joe Ferguson threw a pass that the receiver caught over his head running top speed for TD, his momentum carrying him almost in my lap! I heard him panting from the effort!

Spoff sure went all-in on that response before departing for parts unknown.

Mike from Geneva, IL

Spoff posted his "lecture" Friday talking about how the Eagles won the Super Bowl. I also contend that sometimes teams "have it" and for others "it's not their day". If the Eagles and Chiefs play ten times, they likely each win one or two blowouts and the remaining games are closely contended. Momentum can be real. You can't expect Patrick Mahomes to make some of the mistakes he made every game. How do you see it?

I think Kansas City forgot to pack its rabbit foot. Don't get me wrong. The Chiefs deserved to be there, but they lived on the edge all season. Philly finally made them pay for it in emphatic fashion.

Kyle from St. Charles, MO

"If the Eagles are playing the Bills or Ravens in the Super Bowl, it's a different game, with different matchups..." I was thinking this same thing earlier in the day after seeing an ESPN take on how damaging the loss the Chiefs suffered to the Eagles was to both Josh and Lamar. These one-game conclusions are so ridiculous. In the same vein, the Falcons should have been undefeated because they beat the Super Bowl champs. That's how sports work.

As they say in Mixed martial arts, "Styles make fights." Likewise, I draw the opposite conclusion from ESPN on Kansas City's loss. If anything, I think Buffalo and Baltimore should smell blood in the water.

Randy from Clarksville, TN

I'm asking this not as a criticism, but as a pondering about Josh Jacobs' concerns about having a "true No. 1" receiver. Do you think he made that comment out of some level of frustration after a playoff loss or possibly as motivation to current players in order to challenge them over the off season. Josh seemed to be able to be highly focused each game. As a leader, I think he is pushing his teammates to match his intensity, a rising tide lifts all ships attitude.

I think Jacobs answered a question and was asked to repeat it during his media carwash at the Super Bowl. Like I've said before, I'm not going to put myself in Jacobs' head or speak for any of the wideouts. I'm sure they'll all be asked about it during the spring. From my perspective, there was absolutely nothing else happening with the Packers during Super Bowl week, so the internet made this the biggest nothing burger on the green-and-gold menu.

Jeff from Waterford, WI

What is the strongest position in this year's draft?

The internet tells me cornerback, safety, tight end and defensive line.

Kevin from West, CO

In a world driven by money, how much is broadcast time affected by potential loss of advertising, or is segmented advertising defined by audience analytics?

Bro…if I knew that answer, I wouldn't be writing this column. I barely understand how the analytics work for this website, let alone a billion-dollar business.

Keith from La Pine, OR

Wes, what is the one thing that makes you happy in the daily stream of life?

My son. I could take or leave the rest.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

Be nice to Wes, he says. Ha! Chortle says I! I don't think that even makes sense, but it sounded funny in my head. Welcome to the off-season, where we're off so we might as well get going.

Oh, it's gonna be a fun week.