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| DB Micah Hyde |
The regular writer of "Ask Vic," packers.com Editor Vic Ketchman, is out of the office on Monday. Staff Writer Mike Spofford is temporarily filling in to answer your "Ask Vic" questions.
Kris from Rhinelander, WI
Oh, no … is today another "Lost Vic"!?
No. I was thrown into substitute mode at the last minute, so the column is a little delayed today. In the interests of time, it's also a little shorter than normal. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
Neal from Hayes, VA
Are we going to address the defense problem in the secondary?
Mike McCarthy has already said Micah Hyde deserves an opportunity to be an every-down player, which I take to mean he'll be given a chance to start at safety in the base defense. He already played plenty of nickel and dime and likely will have a role there regardless. Casey Hayward is expected back from injury after a lost second season. And with nine draft picks, I would imagine at least one if not two will be defensive backs.
David from Cable, WI
A theory about motivation. Players and their agents will tell you that money motivates them. The more the better. I think a player who is cut because he makes too much will be more motivated to prove his old team wrong. I believe that DeMarcus Ware will do more for Denver than he would have for Dallas. That does not mean that cutting them was a bad move. I think that a player has to go through the process to get the edge you talk about. Which is why T.T. can look for bargains later.
I like the way you think, and I think Vic would, too. But I also like the fact that by signing two players who were cut (Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion) and not technically unrestricted free agents, Thompson will still come out ahead in the compensatory pick calculations for next year because Peppers and Guion won't count against the Packers.
Thomas from Milwaukee, WI
Have there always been compensatory picks?
They've existed since 1994, the year after free agency entered the NFL in 1993. In the early years of the system, compensatory picks could be traded like any other draft pick, but now they cannot be traded. Greg from Red Wing, MN, asked about whether the player selected with a compensatory pick can be traded, and I believe the answer is yes, but I don't know if that player would have to be signed to a contract first.
Jeff from Albuquerque, NM
Vic, this year seems to be the most boring offseason, not because of the minimal Packers movement, but the long lag and delay until the draft ... moreso than previous years. How do we overcome this long lag?
It does seem to be taking forever to get to the draft, I hear you on that one. But the Peppers signing was the biggest offseason move by this team since Woodson eight years ago. That has to tide you over at least a bit. The schedule should be coming out within the next couple of weeks. Will that help?
Eric from Saint Jacob, IL
Second-season Gold Package season-ticket holder here. Does the NFL take the Packers' split season-ticket holder base into account from season to season? Last year I got Lions and Eagles. Who will we likely see in home games two and five this year?
I can't imagine the league schedule-maker takes any considerations like that into account. I know back when the Packers first started playing all their home games in Green Bay, Bob Harlan used to ask the league to not make the second or fifth regular-season home game a night game for travel reasons for the Milwaukee fans. But that only lasted so long. The Packers have had a Gold Package night game three of the last six years.
Luke from Marietta, GA
My wife says you probably fell on your face as a kid chasing a soccer ball. That is why you hate it.
I can't imagine Vic ever chased a soccer ball in his life. If he saw one rolling by, he would just watch, but only briefly.
Greg from Wausau, WI
Vic, every year the Packers play on the weekend of deer rifle season in Wisconsin. What are your thoughts on a different jersey involving camouflage or blaze orange for the home game closest to this date?
Speaking for Vic can be dangerous in my position, but I don't think he'd mind if I said we need to give this whole uniform thing a rest. I think all the blaze orange in the bleachers on the opening weekend of deer hunting is one of the neatest sights of the season. I wouldn't want to change anything related to that tradition. As for any other alternate jerseys or uniforms, technically, the Packers can't develop another one until 2015 (and I'm not saying they even will), because league rules permit a team to develop an alternate jersey only once every five years, and the current 1929 throwbacks were unveiled in 2010.
Brian from Hamilton, NJ
I'm with Ryan from St. Charles, IL, regarding my "dislike" of the Harbaugh-Kaepernick tandem. Aside from the fact that we can't seem to beat these two guys (which prevents us from getting back to the Super Bowl), I really have no idea how you can distinguish Kaep's "taunt" of kissing his bicep from Rodgers' "celebration" of doing the belt. They're both having fun and their fans seem to enjoy it. Why all the disgust?
With regard to anyone's celebration, I don't really care. I just try to find the humor, and to me they're funny when players mock other players' stunts. Remember when Terrell Owens did the Ray Lewis dance once? That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
Connor from St. Paul, MN
I completely agree that BAP is the way to go in the draft. My question is whether position is used to help determine the value of a player. For example, teams appear to value quarterbacks (big impact, long career) more than running backs (less impact, short career). If so, to what extent?
I think quarterbacks fall into a different category altogether, for obvious reasons. I think your comment about running backs speaks to why it seems fewer and fewer are drafted high every year.
Cory from Franklin, WI
Vic, love the column! My question is are you sure you want Eric Ebron? I agree a playmaking tight end would be a luxury but doesn't Aaron really make everybody look good? The needs on defense make the lack of a tight end on offense seem tiny, especially when you realize the depth at running back to help Aaron even more.
If Eric Ebron is there at 21 and he's the best player on your board, you take him. Given the uncertainty with Finley, it could be the perfect mesh of need and value. Are there more needs on defense? Sure. But you still have eight more picks after the first round. That's what BAP drafting is all about.
