The NFL was willing to roll with it

Mike Spofford

Marc from Holmen, WI

Interesting post about the origin of Prospect Primer. I have to admit I always read it as primer (short i) rather than primer (long i) with two relevant definitions from Merriam-Webster, 2. a small introductory book on a subject 3. a short informative piece of writing. Irrespective of the derivation, I appreciate the informative pieces to prime me for the draft. They are primo.

Now we're working in the long e sound, too? Mercy.

Jessi from Sterling, KS

How can time be so fast and snail's pace at the same time? I feel like I was just watching a podcast where you were six months counting down to the draft in Green Bay. But it seems an eternity since I've had the joy of listening to Packers Unscripted. Will you do a podcast after the draft?

We haven't determined when exactly we're resuming Unscripted. We will soon.

Keith from Dodgeville, WI

Guys, who pays for the players that come for pre-draft visits and does that $$ count in the cap?

The teams absorb those costs and they're unrelated to the salary cap.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

The recent discussion ofKenny Clark's toe has me thinking defensive tackle is a sneaky big need for this squad. T.J. Slaton is a Bengal andDevonte Wyattis entering a contract year while KC is getting up there. No surprise from the Adirondacks if the first name called for the Pack is a big man in the middle. What do we think about Walter Nolen or Kenneth Grant if they're still there at 23?

Nolen, Grant or Derrick Harmon could be worth considering, and there's a decent chance they won't all be gone by 23. We'll find out what the Packers think when the time comes, but I'm never against taking the big guys early. As I've said before, if the evaluation says the next Kenny Clark is there at 23, I'm not hesitating to call in that name.

Al from Green Bay, WI

I don't pretend to know who GB should draft at 23 in the upcoming draft. Still, I'm hoping it isn't an edge rusher. I've learned from the Prospect Primers that edge guys projected to be available have the label "developmental" attached to them. I believe that the Packers have ascending players in that position includingLukas Van Ness,Kingsley Enagbare,Brenton Cox Jr.andArron Mosby. Any of these can become a great complement toRashan Gary. Thoughts?

No offense to any individuals mentioned, but as a GM I wouldn't be counting on a part-time former fifth-rounder and two undrafted guys to become the "great complement" on the other side. They're solid rotational options and hopefully remain so. Van Ness is the one with the highest ceiling. That's why he was drafted where he was, and the jury is still out. While I wouldn't go chasing one, if a developmental edge rusher is the best player on the board, trust it.

Phillip from Wonder Lake, IL

HasJaire Alexanderfully recovered from his injuries from last year?

Presumably yes, but I don't know that for a fact.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

This being the baloney season, there's always discussions and focus on a plethora of topics, some more impactful to the game of football than others. What do you see as the most overblown story fans/pundits tend to key-in on this time of year? What about the under-the-radar stories which will end up having an outsized impact? My sense is "winning" free agency for the former, and re-signing one's own players the latter. Though there's an argument to be made those are the same topic.

"Winning" the offseason, whatever that means, definitely gets overblown, naturally so. Any team's "improvements" are always outlined by the free agents and draft picks brought in, which overlooks which teams have younger roster bases that lend themselves to progress and development with players already on hand. Also, projecting the immediate impact any draft picks will make is just as much a crapshoot as the draft itself.

Chris from Richfield, WI

Good day gents! I'm very curious to see the development ofTy'Ron Hopper, considering the little playing time he received last year. From what I remember, he was portrayed as a fast and athletic linebacker. Putting him on the field withQuay WalkerandEdgerrin Cooperwould give GB arguably the fastest group in the league, and they would also have the most potential. Could you see him developing into that role as the third linebacker?

Sure, but he's going to have to beat outIsaiah McDuffiefor that role. That will be no easy task.

Charlie from Cross Plains, WI

Mike, love II. I have to disagree with your response to Joshua from Milwaukee. The NFL should never get rid of illegal contact. If they did you go back to the mauling that happened back in 1977. The teams leading this year had 70 total TDs, 43 receiving TDs, and 4,918 passing yds in 17 games. The leaders in 1977 had 41 total TDs, 23 receiving TDs, and 2,803 passing yards in 14 games. Fans love scoring, they should not go back.

The game is played with different athletes, different rules protecting QBs and far different schemes compared to 50 years ago. I don't think there'd be a sudden reversion to 1970s football if illegal contact were eliminated, as long as they called defensive holding and DPI appropriately. Realistically, what I'm asking is for illegal contact to be called only if the contact is legitimately restrictive, which is how the rule is written, but we've all seen how some officials call just about anything beyond the 5-yard range.

Jeff from Mequon, WI

Do you guys have any concern at all for the future of the NFL? With the safety changes (which will be necessary), the constant rule changes, the invasion of the gambling world, and also the almighty dollar which determines most everything these days, can you envision a future where the game has gone lopsided in favor of explosive plays and little defense, or do you believe it will all kind of equal out?

I've expressed my concerns about the gambling relationship before. I don't worry about the game getting too offensively lopsided as long as plenty of top-flight athletes continue to play defense at the college level. If the league ever eliminates the quarterback sack for safety reasons, though, I reserve the right to change my answer.

Matt from Allouez, WI

When the 18-game schedule becomes a thing, is it assumed that the NFL will not start the season earlier than Labor Day? Brings up more possibilities for cold-weather games in Green Bay, which the Packers do not rule anymore.

I'm not sure how the calendar would lay out with the 18-game slate. Maybe Week 1 would be Labor Day weekend. Would a second bye week be added? Everything would hinge on when the league would want to the Super Bowl to take place.

Martin from Newtown, UK

If the money men want to expand markets and get more international games in, does it not make more sense to leave it as a 17-game season so every team is in the same boat with eight at home, eight on the road in the U.S. and one international every season? That way you wouldn't have teams playing different amounts of games with home-field advantage. Cheers for all your work with II. Helping this overseas Packer learn a lot.

That's entirely logical, but the 18th game would bring in more revenue overall and provide more options schedule-wise to fit in 16 international games every year. The home-away equity becomes a secondary concern.

Ross from Hudson, WI

Is it possible through shopping the WR1 free agent market, navigating the ever ballooning salary numbers, and even seeing a WR become the highest paid non-QB, the Packers have found a new opinion on the WR position being a premium spot worthy of a first-round pick?

I know what the history says, but I don't buy there's been some organizational mantra that receivers aren't "worthy of a first-round pick." As I've mentioned before, several credible reports indicated the Packers had serious interest in Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk in the 2020 draft. Both were taken within a few picks (22nd and 25th) of the trade up for Love at 26. Gutey also traded up to get Watson with the second pick of the second round in '22, an indication the Packers had a first-round grade on him and evaluated him as great value at the top of the second. Wolf lamented passing on Randy Moss, still does. Thompson took Nelson with the fifth pick of the second round in '08. I think the whole narrative has grown a little beyond its factual accuracy.

Scotty from Colorado Springs, CO

Love the Inbox. I understand this is not what the conversation is about but I can't get over the schedule for 2025. This is the most competitive home schedule I have seen in a long time, one maybe two "should wins." It seems the Pack will have to dominate beatable teams on the road to make up for losing to a better team that day at home. Can anyone remember a tougher home schedule than this?

I don't have a list in front of me, but I certainly don't recall a home schedule that featured five playoff teams from the prior year, plus another team that was above .500 and barely missed.

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Venny from Montgomery, AL

What position group can a rookie challenge for a starting position this season? Currently, most areas seem pretty tough for a rookie to crack the starting rotation. Last year it was Bullard and the year before was Reed, but those were also areas of need at the time.

Any rookie will be hard-pressed, barring injury, to start for the Packers in 2025. Maybe big maybe at cornerback in nickel if Alexander isn't here and a high draft pick potentially beats out Valentine for one of the top three spots, or in a three-receiver set with Watson out if a high draft pick beats out Wicks. But those third-year guys have plenty of experience and would be the favorites to keep those jobs until further notice.

Tom from Highland Village, TX

Hello II. I believe JerryWorld seats 100,000 and is the biggest NFL stadium.

It can hold that many via SRO and other temporary arrangements, so it has the largest capacity of any NFL stadium. But its official SEATING capacity is 80K, making it No. 3, roughly 1,400 seats behind Lambeau.

Greg from Conway, SC

If GB can pull off an NFL draft, why is it so inconceivable that they can host a Super Bowl when they also have the second-largest NFL stadium?

It's not about the stadium regarding the Super Bowl. It's about the hotel room requirement within a certain radius of the city, and Green Bay falls woefully short. It's short for hosting the draft, too, but the NFL was willing to roll with it for this event. Not for a Super Bowl, though.

Cary from Sioux Falls, SD

Marty Mornhinweg is shaking his head. This new overtime rule is coming 23 years too late for him.

Ouch.

Scott from Sauk City, WI

Oh, the dreaded MLB salary cap talk, aka, why my favorite baseball team will break my heart every year. Shoot me straight, Mike. The Brewers are never gonna win the thing, are they? I love baseball, but this issue never fails to make me irrationally angry. I've seen the Packers, Bucks and UW hockey teams win it all, so I can't complain. But a Brewers World Series would sure hit different. Even the years we came close felt like we weren't that close. I was 10 months old in '82, doesn't count.

I was in fifth grade, and the memories remain. I'll never say never, no matter how the financial obstacles seem to stack themselves higher each year. They were two wins away in '11, one win away in '18, and their division-winning teams of the last two years were victimized, in part, by the expanded playoffs (a discussion for another day), so maybe one of these years that will work in their favor rather than against them. I'll always choose fighting the good fight over surrender.

Matt from Fitchburg, WI

Why don't the Packers just draft or sign a guy that needs to be covered by three to four defenders? Seems like a no-brainer. I'm envisioning Andre the Giant, but with 4.4 speed and good hands to boot.

T-minus 15 days and counting.

Chris from Ashland, WI

I think I'd rather you guys just start posting mock drafts from random fans than answer another question about kickoff returns or OT rules.

Tough call. Happy Wednesday.

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