Inbox: This is a day for Green Bay

Paul from Pompano Beach, FL

Good morning, not a question but well wishes on your upcoming weekend – it's a once in a lifetime experience! Enjoy! Here's hoping that the end of the NFL season is also celebrated in Green Bay! Go Packers Go!

What an incredible time to traverse this Packers universe. We obviously have a job to do, but I'm just trying to be present and take it all in because you never know if we'll ever have this opportunity again. I hope anyone who attends the draft feels likewise. This day is for Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin. On a personal note, I'm gonna be thinking about my Grandpa Hank who loved this team with all his heart and shared that passion with me. He would've been over the moon with having the draft in town.

Tom from West Salem, WI

Here's to showing the NFL good ol' Wisconsin hospitality and many chants of "Go Pack Go."

I'm counting on it.

Caleb from Knoxville, TN

Who is a team you could see trading up in the first round?

Denver or Houston could be strong candidates to move up to get one of the top skill-position players for their young QB. Perhaps the Packers, too, if there's a receiver, cornerback or defensive lineman they really covet whom they don't feel will be there at No. 23.

James from Chicago, IL

Would you say it's not about how a team wants their salary cap structured, but rather about paying players you want to keep and need to keep at their market value? Some years ago, I dug into the salary caps of NFL teams. Perennial Super Bowl contenders all had the same formula: 10-12 core players who took 60-65% of the cap, and the only exception(s) to the QB getting the biggest bite, the QB was on a rookie deal. I'd imagine this still holds true today.

100%. The NFL is making record profits, which drives up the salary cap and player costs. The league's elite deserve every cent owed to them. The challenge for NFL teams is making sure it's money well-spent on their end, which is why the Packers enjoy developing and extending their own. That not only keeps homegrown talent in Green Bay but you also have a better grasp on the players you're investing in.

Jason from Ammon, ID

Years ago, I asked a local college basketball coach what he looked for from his players from year to year. I expected something about skills or knowledge...nope. He said physical development. Is the athlete quicker, faster, stronger each season? Would an NFL coach answer similarly? Good luck to the new Packers draftees. GPG!

I think Matt LaFleur's response to Larry McCarren on Luke Musgrave perfectly answers this question – the Packers are expecting a Year 3 leap from Musgrave because he's "bigger, stronger, faster." Experience matters but doesn't discount the role physical maturation has in the strides a young player makes. Many players are still growing into their bodies throughout their rookie contracts.

Craig from Appleton, WI

Do you think the absence of trades of first-round picks is due to the perceived lack of quality in this draft? I know QBs move the needle the most and there aren't many considered worthy of a first-round pick, but zero trades have to happen for a reason.

There haven't been many marquee trades with most of the premier talents who flirted with departing their current team (e.g. Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett) signing extensions with their current clubs. Players are staying put and teams are holding onto their draft capital.

Jeff from Mequon, WI

Brian Gutekunst made a comment about feeling "prepared" in regard to the unexpected that happens during a draft – a team trading up or a run on a position earlier than expected maybe. Do you think this confidence is more so in his ability to find good players no matter where the pick is or in his ability to maneuver the board as necessary to find the best bang for his buck?

Gutekunst is very comfortable swimming in that current and I think most of it has to do with knowing the subject matter inside and out. Gutekunst always does a good job of maximizing value. He set the tone right away with his first draft in 2018. Nobody gets every pick right, but staying true to your process gives a GM the best chance to produce a high batting average.

John from Jupiter, FL

Morning Wes. So, we made it! As I don't follow college football all that much and would never pretend to know what the Packers' draft thoughts are, my only request is our pick not have an injury history from this past season, at least nothing that cost multiple games and could be nagging. Thanks.

I hear you and I'm sure Gutekunst does, too. That's what the medical background checks are for.

Dean from Leavenworth, IN

Draft Day! A prediction (guess). Cleveland will be looking for a QB at 33, and when the picks reach the 20s, they start hearing two teams picking after them are looking to move back into the first round for a QB. The Packers trade 23 and their fourth (124) for 33 and a third (67). Does that make any sense to you Weston?

On paper, that would be a decent trade for Green Bay. DraftTek's trade-value chart scores that as an 835-808 "win" for the Packers. It all depends on how the board falls. We'll stick a pin in it and see how it plays out.

John from Stevens Point, WI

Ready...set...go! Time for the draft. What are you expecting to see from the Packers? Will there be trades of players or positions in the draft? Seems there are so many possibilities.

I don't see any players getting traded, but I feel like the Packers finish with 10 picks after trading back a time or two. Total guess on my part, but that's my prediction.

Keith from Lincoln, IL

Now that we've arrived at THE Day, what is different than you thought it would be?

It was relatively easy to get to work, which shouldn't come as too big of a surprise. The NFL and Packers security know what they're doing to get people in and out in the safest, most efficient way possible. Nothing about the draft setup is different than I thought, though. I saw the renderings and had full confidence in the league to see it through.

Chuck from Richfield, WI

Mike's Wednesday II was an exquisite masterpiece. Where did you find time amid all the hubbub to find the statistical nugget that Pro Football HOF inductees consist of 137 first-rounders and 146 all others? I guess that is why Round 1 gets its own full night of coverage. GPG and hope that decent weather forecast holds up to include a nice Saturday.

Not every first-round pick will be a Hall of Famer, but most Hall of Famers are drafted in the first round. It makes sense, especially with all the data we have on players. With first-round talent, we're talking about the 1% of the 1% athletically. Tonight, the Packers hope to acquire a playmaker who'll add to this franchise's rich history.

Steve from Belle Isle, FL

Thank you for all you do! Please share the estimated time the Packers 23rd pick would be.

No problem.

Dar from Mansfield, TX

Gents, I've been scouring the socials to note whether you two (or Larry) might be appearing at the Packers Everywhere Draft Haus, similar to previous out-of-town pep rallies. Any updates for us?

It's unlikely I'll be at the Packers Everywhere Draft Haus but had the chance to check it out on Wednesday. It's a terrific setup that I think fans will enjoy. Shout out to Haylee Becker and all our friends in the brand and marketing department for bringing that "dive bar" vibe to the Lambeau Field campus.

Dave from Yeovil, UK

Good afternoon, gents. I found that this offseason I required a break and was pretty footballed out. That has allowed me to step away from all the draft hype and all the hopes and wishes of the fans for whom they want the Pack to select. Now that I am switched back on I can do my own research and root for who I want the Packers to pick up. That being said, in my 30 years following the Packers I have never correctly predicted a Packers first round pick. Have either of you ever predicted correctly?

My first prediction was Datone Jones in 2013 and I've been wrong ever since.

Jeremiah from Middleton, WI

Wes, what happens when a guest is slated to announce, say, the sixth-round pick and we hypothetically trade every pick to move to the No. 1 pick overall (not going to happen but bear with me). Does the guest get another chance the following year?

I don't even want to think about it, Jeremiah. Hopefully, the Packers stick at 198 in the sixth round and that guest – whose name may or may not be Tom Grossi – gets to finish the story. Assuming Gutekunst doesn't trade all his picks, I would hope there's enough wiggle room for Tom to announce a pick even if Green Bay trades out of the sixth.

Brock from West Lafayette, IN

Good morning! Beyond all the stories and coverage you will be providing us eager fans, will either of you be taking notes or keeping a journal to document all the little things from the week? Or are there any plans to someday write about how a community comes together to host a draft? If I see a book by Spoff or Wes about the 2025 draft I'm picking it up!

I don't know if there will be time for all that, but I'll try to jot a few notes down throughout the three days. It's gonna be a marathon, for sure.

Zack from Green Bay, WI

Do you think the restaurant staff in Green Bay should get a nod?

Absolutely. Wishing them all the best in the days ahead.

Brandon from Imperial, MO

Good morning, just a reminder that the situation the player finds himself with his new team is as important as the spot he was picked. I'm sure superstars can bloom no matter the circumstances, but plenty of players might have had an all-pro career had they been picked by someone else. Maybe Brett Favre doesn't make the HOF or maybe Eli Manning doesn't win a Super Bowl. The list goes on. Does any player immediately pop into your head when thinking about the situation he found himself and what could have been?

David Carr is always the first name that comes to mind. Maybe nothing would have changed, but he entered into probably the worst situation for a rookie quarterback in the modern era and it's led to him becoming the poster boy for "What might have been" players.

Kathryn from Greenville, WI

How many hours a day do you work during the three days of the draft?

I couldn't tell you, Kathryn, but fortunately it doesn't matter. I'm salaried.

Thomas from Oviedo, FL

I just discovered that the GM for the Jags is a rookie and the youngest GM in the NFL. Maybe Gute can give him a call and talk him into giving us their No. 1 pick for our No. 2 pick this year and next year.

Final offer – take our No. 2 this year, next year and the next year after that. It's a good deal.

Ted from Findlay, OH

Just want to wish you guys well for all the work you do during the draft. We are counting on you. I was hoping to attend the draft myself, but my surgeon suggested I should stay home and recover for a few more weeks. Recovery is going well and hope to be in Green Bay this fall.

We look forward to seeing you then!

JD from Madison, WI

It's gameday baby! Strike that. IT'S DRAFT DAY BABY! Can we consider this the end of the first half of baloney season and the draft is the halftime show?

Baloney is no longer on the menu. I think it's BBQ tonight, actually.

Jason from Aurora, WI

Best of luck you two, the entire organization, and the city. May everyone have a safe and unforgettable experience. And remember the key to understanding the enigma that is the NFL Draft: post hoc ergo propter hoc!

There's only one thing left to do…strap in and see where Gutekunst takes us. To those attending the draft, I hope it's an experience you'll remember for the rest of your lives.