Tim from Greensboro, NC

Morning Mike. Perhaps the sycophants will cease feeding Wes's ego if you desist from stealing his lunch.

I don't think we've been in the office the same day since minicamp over a month ago. I'm actually starting to miss him.

Marcus from Plover, WI

How do you see us going up against division opponents this year?

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Kevin from Jenison, MI

Training camp is almost here and no Jordan Love contract. Is it time to panic yet?

No need to go all Jackie Moon.

Dan from Rothschild, WI

Not a question, but some advice. I just finished Cliff Christl's four-volume set about the history of the Packers. I give it an A++. Very in-depth. I'd advise any fan, Packers or otherwise, to check it out.

I made it a point this offseason to start reading that, and I got through the first two volumes. Next offseason's goal will be the final two.

Joe from Eau Claire, WI

Mike, RE: your answer to Rich from El Cerrito on press box etiquette, I was in the "auxiliary" press box on Christmas Eve 1995 when Yancey Thigpen dropped Neil O'Donnell's sure TD pass. There were actually reporters BEATING on the box's windows! The following week against Atlanta (wild-card playoff at Lambeau), EVERY media kit folder contained a tersely worded memo from Mr. Lee Remmel...scolding those responsible, and warning of credential cancellation if such behavior was observed again.

I want to say similar steps were taken again at some point during the '97 season, which was the year I witnessed what I described. I was embarrassed for those who were reprimanded, honestly, but unfortunately more so than they were embarrassed for themselves.

Sue from Three Lakes, WI

So, if we sign a player from another team's practice squad we must sign him to our 53. Can he stay on our 53 for a game or two and then go to our practice squad?

Only if he clears waivers first and agrees to return to the practice squad. But any PS player signed by another team to its active roster is guaranteed three weeks of active roster pay first.

Chuck from Menomonie, WI

Do you have any insights on the communication process between GM and head coach during preseason? Would a GM say, "I need to see Player X lined up at inside LB against Cleveland's starters," or something like that? It dawns on me that the needs of the GM might not always match those of the head coach.

Playing time and opportunities for evaluation in preseason games are discussed quite a bit. How specifically those opportunities are outlined and planned I can't really say. But I don't see it as any disconnect between GM and head coach. In the preseason, players are viewed as either preparing for the regular season or fighting for depth/roster spots. Personnel and coaching have similar goals in mind.

Chris from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

I really liked Mike's answer about the three-technique, five-technique question. It was quite informative. As a follow up, why is it called "technique" if it's more about the location that the guys line up in? Thanks for always teaching us!

I don't know where "technique" came from as it applies to alignment. But that's the common term.

Tim from Olathe, KS

Insiders, sometimes when the offense comes to the line of scrimmage, it appears the center is talking to his teammates. What is he talking about? Is he interfering with the QB's cadence or audibles?

No, he's usually declaring to his teammates who the "mike," or middle linebacker, is based on the defensive alignment, because the offense's protection call is based on identifying the "mike" and counting out each way from the middle.

Wesley from Woodbury, MN

Good morning II, when the offense makes a substitution, the refs will hold up the snap until the defense has time to make a substitution. Is there a time limit the defense has to make this substitution or can they "drag their feet" to run down the play clock? Thanks for all of your insights!

The substitution has to be immediate, with the player(s) running on/off the field right away. If there's any delay, the official can simply step back and let the offense run the play.

Robert from Corpus Christi, TX

Why don't NFL teams have summer practices at Wisconsin universities anymore?

It was quite the run, wasn't it? Bears in my hometown of Platteville from 1984-2000, Saints in La Crosse from 1988-99, Chiefs in River Falls from 1991-2009, and the Jaguars had their inaugural camp in Stevens Point in 1995. They all left for various reasons – staying closer to home, less overall expense, easier for their own fans to attend, local economic impact, etc. – and as teams improved their own facilities over the years, they became better equipped to deal with the heat (the main reason the Saints and Chiefs wanted to train further north all those years, though the Jaguars escaped nothing with that scorching '95 Midwest heat wave and never came back), plus the amenities of their home facilities became more difficult to replicate elsewhere. But the Cheese League will always have a special place in my heart.

Dave from Gwinn, MI

I tried googling this but Google is dumber than a box of wet sweat socks. Donald Driver was a great seventh-round pick (would've also been a great first-round pick), but was he the greatest seventh-round pick in GB history? Who were some other notable seventh-round steals?

Since the draft was reduced to seven rounds in '94, the selection of Driver in '99 was the best seventh-round pick by the Packers. The next five on my list would be (in chronological order) Adam Timmerman in '95, Mark Tauscher in 2000, Scott Wells in '04, Matt Flynn in '08, and Rasheed Walker in '22.

Kyle from St. Charles, MO

It's hard to believe by this time next week they'll have their first practice of 2024 behind them. Feels like yesterday they were just in Santa Clara. Is there any news regarding current injuries and recovery heading into camp or will you find out more on Wednesday?

We will find out more information when we hear from Coach LaFleur and/or when we see the first practice. Even though rookies are reporting a few days early, there's no media access this week.

Monty from Velva, ND

With the switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3, it got me wondering about the transition for OLB to DE and vice versa. I remember Aaron Kampman struggling with the change to OLB. Do you think it is easier to change from OLB to DE or DE to OLB?

I would guess the former. Outside 'backers in a 3-4 have pass coverage responsibilities that D-ends in a 4-3 generally don't. So while one transition adds to a player's plate, the other subtracts from it.

Bob from Covington, KY

Rewatched last year's 49ers game on the NFL Network yesterday. Joe Barry's defense held the Niners to 24 points and if the Packers hadn't missed a couple hundred tackles, it might have been 14. I'm looking forward to a more aggressive defense this season but it still comes down to execution. Seems to me the scheme isn't nearly as important as the guys doing their jobs. It'll be interesting, and hopefully fun, to watch what develops.

It's always first and foremost about the players. Scheme and coaching can help get the most out of them, but the players are the ones who must get the job done. As for the Niners game, holding them to 17 points in the first 54 minutes was commendable. Allowing a 5-minute, 69-yard TD drive at crunch time – during which the only third downs were third-and-1, third-and-5, and third-and-1 – was not.

Tim from Fayetteville, NC

What is the GBPs opening-game record?

Under Matt LaFleur? 3-2. Under Mike McCarthy it was 9-4, Mike Sherman 3-3, Ray Rhodes 1-0 and Mike Holmgren 5-2. That's 21-11 dating back to 1992.

Terrance from Sun Prairie, WI

What defensive player will break out this year?

There are several candidates. Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness seem the most likely suspects to me.

Michael from Baraboo, WI

What are the biggest final roster battles that we can look forward to watching this summer?

In no particular order: RG, CB2, QB2, RB2, WR5-6, and K are the most noteworthy in my book.

Clipton from Pasadena, CA

Mike, not sure if you're still accepting dead zone questions … Crappies: worms, minnows, or jigs?

Jigs.

Dale from Prescott, WI

Mike, not sure how many Brewer games you made but your chance of seeing a win was slim. If ever a team needed a break it's the Crew. Hopefully the reports are correct about some pitchers returning soon.

That would be nice. I went to four games last week and saw only one win, but the law of averages was bound to catch up with me. I was 5-0 previously this year and therefore finished my spring/summer 6-3.

Craig from Sussex, WI

What is Spoff's favorite baseball book? Mine is "Babe" by Robert Creamer.

It's hard to narrow down the list, but "Moneyball," "Eight Men Out," "Game of Shadows," and "One Shot At Forever" all rank up there for me.

David from Vicksburg, MI

How long will it take to put in the new defense and get everyone playing on the same page?

To repurpose one of Vic's favorite Chuck Noll quotes: Nobody knows.

Bob from Emmaus, PA

I believe that the Packers have added talent that will have immediate impact to a good team and made positive changes to the coaching and training staff. When should we start getting excited about the upcoming season?

Whenever you want, but be cognizant the baloney doesn't officially stop until the ball is on the tee in Brazil. Or take a quick listen to Mark.

Mark from Westminster, CO

As we near Packers training camp, I'm always reminded of Allen Iverson's practice rant. "We sitting in here – I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen: We talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man." Still a classic to this day.

Happy Tuesday.