Ryan from Kaukauna, WI
When the Favre drama played out towards the end of his Green Bay tenure, I was firmly in the "I'm a Packers fan, not a Favre fan" camp. I was excited for Aaron Rodgers' career and the Packers' future. If Gute thinks Jordan Love is the real deal, I might have done the same thing in his position, but I'm having a tough time figuring out how to fan right now. I hope for the best for the team, but I also don't want to see Rodgers lighting it up for someone else anytime soon.
Cheer for the Packers, cheer for Rodgers, and cheer for championships. In other words, Que Sera Sera, whatever will be will be. The future's not ours to see. Good morning!
Mike from Algoma, WI
I try not to pay much attention to "news" about the Packers and Rodgers. I did see one thing that piqued my interest. "What the 'experts' said in 2005." Fascinating stuff: D, C, C-, C-, A (Nick Collins was a reach in the second. Why did they pick two wideouts when the D-line needs help? Rodgers was a good pick for the future, but prevented getting an "immediate impact player") 15 years later? Same pointless "expert grades," just more of them.
Is that for real? If so, that's interesting. That's really interesting. Here's one insider insight for any fans prone to overreactions – if the Packers pick Position X, then the narrative the next day is why they didn't draft Position Y.
Tom from Fairfield, CT
Do you think we should be more careful in planning too much around Josiah Deguara because he could get injured and there is not a replacement with his unique skill set, along with the possibility that he may not turn out to be a successful NFL player? If half the playbook is designed for just Josiah, that sounds a bit risky to me in the event he goes down or doesn't play very well.
The Packers won't put that much on Deguara's plate right off the bat. You don't scheme for one specific player, especially a rookie. That's a recipe for disaster. When Danny Vitale went down last year, the Packers didn't try to fit a square peg into a round hole when Jace Sternberger replaced him. They played to Sternberger's strengths. I imagine they'd do the same if something happened to Deguara.
Austin from Washington, D.C.
Excited to see the UDFA list! Three were projected by ESPN to be drafted: Tipa Galeai (OLB), Patrick Taylor (RB), and Stanford Samuels III (CB). Each was one of the top undrafted players available at his position. Darrell Stewart (WR) also appears to be one of the best receivers left, which might ease some fans' angst. What stands out to you about the 15 newcomers, Insiders?
If not for the 40 time in Indy, Samuels likely would've been drafted. A junior entrant in the draft, Samuels has good size and man-coverage skills. The Packers will start him at cornerback, though some pundits floated the idea out there about a potential move to safety. Time will tell. Also, keep an eye on Marc-Antoine Dequoy out of Montreal. He's a 6-3 corner who clocked a 4.36 in the 40 and 6.65 in the three-cone at his pro day. That's the hype.
Corey from Henderson, NV
First, love the Stewart signing. Those numbers are eye-popping, and I'm hoping some of that translates to the NFL. However, can you help explain the Jalen Morton signing? They drafted Love, and then cut Wilkins...only to sign a UDFA QB? Is this more because he's a gadget kind of player (passing, rushing, receiving TDs) and the league is going in that quasi-direction? What did they not see in Wilkins that they see in this kid?
We don't know what went into the decision to release Wilkins, so I'm going to steer clear of that move until Gutekunst speaks on it. Morton had a decorated career at Prairie View and received a combine invite based on his size (6-4, 226) and pro arm (NFL.com reported he could throw a ball 64 yards flat-footed). He's raw and needs to refine how he works through his progressions, but there's real ability there.
Steve from Wichita, KS
I will admit, I drank the Kool-Aid and am upset at some of our draft picks. I wanted one of the top WR or LB coming into the draft. After reading our GM's comments, I can understand what he felt about the WR class after the top ones left. Another year in the system, flexibility with players and scheme I think will make for a better team next year.
I can tell you there was only one time I objected to the Packers not drafting a specific position – when they didn't take a safety in 2013. It was so blatantly obvious they needed one that year. Green Bay has Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Devin Funchess at the top of its depth chart. That's a much better trio than fans give it credit for, especially when you factor in what the Packers have at running back and tight end.
Jason from Austin, TX
Being a team that grounds and pounds the ball through their opponent should serve us well when the cold weather hits, right?
Fans are so fixated on the receivers they're missing the real story here – the Packers appear to be building their offense around the ground game and it is an exceedingly deep backfield, perhaps the deepest they've had in 15 years.
Darren from Wakefield, MI
How long does it take a rookie safety such as Vernon Scott to be a contributor? He can run but he can't be Micah Hyde, right?
I like his versatility. Scott was only a one-year starter so I don't expect him to come in and compete for a defensive role right away, but he's a core-four player on special teams. That should hasten his transition to the pros.
Mike from Whitefish, MT
Packers.com's April 27 video "Every Green Bay Packers pick shown from the 2020 NFL Draft" omitted our eighth pick, Vernon Scott. Will you correct that and apologize to Mr. Scott? Or, if there's no NFL Network tape on his selection, will you at least insert some Instant Reax and/or Remix footage or, failing that, insert the word "Almost" at the beginning of this video's title?
They didn't show it on NFL Network. I did an Instant Reax on Scott, though. That'll be quite the story if Scott becomes a Pro Bowler someday.
Tony from Lincoln, CA
Hi there! I and my wife love II. Could the articles trying to create an issue between AR and ML do just the opposite? I imagine all the hagga-gazza inspiring Love, Rodgers, the Packers' receiving corps, and the defensive front seven to ball-out, every game like never before. Kind of like the '90s Bulls when they all bought into Jackson's system. That's my hope, anyway.
All this speculation and innuendo is cute. Whenever sanctions are lifted and football resumes, however, I expect to see a laser-focused Rodgers who's more motivated than ever to win a championship. Water is wet, fire burns and Aaron Rodgers remains one of the best QBs alive.
Eddie from La Crosse, WI
When Wes is asked for his opinion on what Favre said about Rodgers, I hope and pray that he will respond with: I...D...C...
There is one man whose opinion I care about regarding this topic and it's not Brett Favre's. Moving on.
Larry from Cumming, GA
Elgton Jenkins had a fabulous rookie season at LG. Given his athletic comparison to Bryan Bulaga and Green Bay drafting potentially three guards, do you think we'll see Jenkins at RT in camp?
If it's me, I leave Elgton Jenkins at left guard for the next 10 years and focus my attention elsewhere. Mission accomplished with that second-round pick last year.
Chris from Victor, ID
Let's put it this way. The Packers weren't just one (rookie) slot receiver or faster (rookie) coverage linebacker away from beating San Francisco last season.
If you build a team specifically to beat the 2019 49ers, then you get ready to lose to the 2020 version. Because San Francisco isn't staying the same, either. The game is constantly evolving, so you better be changing with it.
Thomas from Scottsdale, AZ
Hey guys, what's your take on the stat about Rodgers only throwing one TD to first-round picks over the years. Cherry-picked stat or is this actually indicative of anything?
What a can of bologna that stat was. Now can we get a list of touchdown passes thrown to second-round picks, please? It's not like Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst asked Rodgers to win with Spoff and me playing receiver.
Nick from Richmond, VA
Morning II! One thing I've been thinking about the Love pick that I haven't seen mentioned much, if at all, is that who knows what next year's draft will look like? Will we have one? Will there be college football at all this season? With Love, you get a guy you have at least been able to evaluate, and you know needs time. If he develops and AR wants to play 'til 42, move him like the Pats did Garoppolo! I'm a Love-er, not a Hater. Thoughts?
If Rodgers wins two more MVPs over the next three years and Love doesn't take the field once, that 2020 first-round pick holds its value. Love is an investment, not a statement.
Eric from Marinette, WI
How different do you think the reaction to every other pick would be had the Packers chosen a WR in Round 1?
It would've made fans happy, but it's not Brian Gutekunst's job to win a draft-night popularity contest. It's his job to make the Packers better – and he did what he felt was right.
Frank from Fort Worth, TX
I understand the feeling of wanting to draft a receiver with that infamous first-round pick. Look back at all the Super Bowl winners from the last decade that had a first-round receiver on their team. By no means is that a prerequisite to win. I am confident that ML will have this 13-3 team ready to improve on last year's performance.
This was a strong class of receivers but that doesn't mean it was a prerequisite for Gutekunst to draft one. The Packers had high grades on several receivers but it has to align with where they're picking. Once Day 2 passed, I had no issue whatsoever with Gutekunst passing on what was left. Every pick is a roll of the dice at that point.
JJ from Cape Coral, FL
I'm a big fan of Kamal Martin. He only played eight games his final college season. That might hold him back. Do you think Kamal can get over the hump and be ready for the pros?
*If this was career mode in "Madden," you'd build an inside linebacker in Martin's image. He's 6-3, 240, with long arms and three-down potential. I don't know if he'll contribute immediately but the hope is the Packers have enough young options to not have to trade for a veteran again like the past two summers. *
Tim from Lino Lakes, MN
I, too, was surprised by selecting Love with the first-round pick. However, there's no guarantee you'll have a guy that good fall to you next year at 32.
A salient point. Fans and pundits can argue and debate until the cows come home about whether it was too soon to draft a quarterback in the first round, but what's done is done. Jordan Love is in the pipeline and Green Bay got its developmental QB.
Joan from Freedom, WI
Can we all just agree that it might be nice to have a decent backup QB for a change? How soon we forget the last time Rodgers was injured...or worse, must we all be reminded of T.J. Rubley to get our heads straight?
This is what I'm saying – the question is no longer when the Packers will draft a quarterback with heir-apparent credentials. It happened and now we can all get on with our lives.
Jesse from Bonita Springs, FL
Can we have a history class for those that think we should have waited a year to draft a quarterback? I would like to point out that if we had waited another year when we drafted AR our choices (in the first round at least) would have been Young, Leinart or Cutler. Since we're in history class, Jon Runyan has the same knock on his draft stock that Bulaga had, short arms. Do you think they'll try him out at RT?
From what LaFleur said, it sounds like Runyan is going inside but the Packers often move their first- and second-year offensive linemen around a lot in camp.
Dave from Roswell, GA
Breakout player on defense next season... Ka'dar Hollman.
You heard it here first. Hollman was kind of the forgotten man in the secondary last year after that early-season neck injury but he remains the same cornerback who posted a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 38-inch vertical and 6.81 three-cone at his Toledo pro day. He's there to compete, as well.
Tyler from Stevens Point, WI
The NFL has been criticized by many and often deemed inferior to the NBA and other pro sports in regards to activism in subjects outside the sport. But in the time we're in, I give a huge amount of credit to Roger Goodell and the NFL for their efforts. Although we could argue he may never need another paycheck, Goodell reduced his salary to $0, and has done a commendable job creating hope, doing what they can to be part of the solution, and still provide entertainment. Proud of our sport.
And it's not like the NFL put out a big news release with that information in the headline. It simply came out in the reporting. You can say whatever you want about Goodell – and many have – but I think he's done a heck of a job providing leadership. I say that not as an NFL team employee but as a human being managing his own anxiety during these uncertain times.
Mark from Bristol, UK
If you think the fans are up in arms now wait until Dallas is walking over the NFC East (my nightmare) after drafting well and putting a coach in place that gets the best out of the players he has. That will sting. Vic used to have to deal with this, now it's down to you guys and you are not paid enough to put up with this. So I will cease my rants and wait to see if I am wrong or the coaches/GM are geniuses.
Hey, we're here to be ranted at. That's what Insider Inbox is for. Where it gets dicey is when fans take these things too far, get outraged and start tossing around personal insults. That's not why we're here. Passion is a good thing. It means you're alive. But sometimes take a breath, think clearly and realize not every transaction is an assault on your fandom. It's just football. Fans and front office alike want the Packers to be better in 2020 and the years that follow.
Tony from Bronxville, NY
Hey guys, was watching "Unscripted" and noticed that your backgrounds were somewhat similar (wood color, white walls). It looked like you were both in the same room. Was that on purpose? Really liked the content, too. Also, how cool was it that Bronxville was 2020 Draft Central!
Pretty spiffy, right? Spoff and I seem to have similar taste in how we furnish our offices. I don't know about you guys but I enjoyed Goodell reading picks from his Bronxville basement. It was a cool change of pace, especially as he grew tired Friday night. We were all Roger Goodell in that moment. I felt it was entertaining and went relatively smoothly.
Mario from Kettleman City, CA
Wes, the Pentagon declassified three leaked U.S. Navy UFO videos. I think they wanted us to talk about something other than Jordan Love. What are your thoughts on the videos?
I think I owe Tom DeLonge an apology.
Steven from San Diego, CA
Who will be the strongest contender in the NFC North this year?
To be the man, you gotta beat the man. The last time I checked the Packers are still the men in the NFC North.
