Inbox: How could you not be intrigued?

Markus from Aurora, CO

Sorry for being quiet. On vacation. Did I miss anything?

Spoff went fishing, Aaron Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh and Jaire Alexander was released. That was pretty much the big three.

Mark from Big Bear City, CA

Good morning, II. Well, Wes once again you nailed it with the Isaiah Simmons piece. I've got to admit when he was coming out of Clemson, I was thinking how it would be great to have him on the Packers but there was no way he was going to last in the draft. Well, my mom used to tell me patience is a virtue. Lo and behold he is now a Packer. Looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the Packers on the field and in the locker room. GPG!

Bringing in Isaiah Simmons is a low-risk, high-reward proposition for Green Bay. I mean, how could you not be intrigued to see how a 6-foot-4, 238-pound linebacker who runs in the 4.3s might perform in Jeff Hafley's defense after seeing how the Packers utilized Edgerrin Cooper and Co. last season. Simmons' athleticism is real and so too is Hafley's creativity. What's more, Simmons has core-four potential on special teams.

John from Palmdale, CA

So many people are writing off Lukas Van Ness, forgetting that he's just starting his third year at a position that takes years to master, not to mention the fact he had to start over because of the switch to the 4-3 defense. Am I correct in remembering that he also only had two years each of HS and college ball? I think in one or two years he's kicking butt and taking names.

Listen, the Packers knew what they were signing up for when they drafted Van Ness as a true junior. While everyone agrees this is a pivotal season for the former first-round pick, it's also shortsighted not to recognize he's still a 23-year-old learning the position at the game's highest level. Based on what we saw this offseason, Green Bay is going to give Van Ness every opportunity to lock down that starting job opposite Rashan Gary. One last thing to consider – Van Ness has just as many sacks (seven) as Gary did through his first two NFL seasons.

Ted from Findlay, OH

What player in your time with the Packers would you say most exceeded your expectations based on your first assessment of them?

Tucker Kraft is the first name that comes to mind. I always thought he was talented but also was so fixated on Luke Musgrave at the beginning that I overlooked Kraft somewhat. What shouldn't have been a surprise when Kraft emerged as a bona fide starting tight end probably caught me off-guard more than it should have. Kraft is the real deal, though. He can do it all.

Bruce from Appleton, WI

How serious are the Packers trying out Bo Melton at corner?

Serious enough to use precious practice time to work him there during the last week of the offseason program.

Jim from Prairie du Chien, WI

Good morning, all! Regarding Bo Melton at CB, I would think every receiver would become a better receiver if they experienced being a CB for a bit in practice. Thoughts?

There's a definite benefit to it. But again, it's more about time allocation and managing resources. At the end of the day, the Packers' coaching staff has a responsibility to put each player in the best position to either make the 53-man roster or affect the game to his fullest potential. It'll be interesting to see which direction Green Bay goes with Melton once players report back at the end of July.

Tim from Olathe, KS

Wes, Spoff noted Trey Hendrickson's age for good reason. Do you recall a few years after Reggie White left, we signed All-Pro defensive end Joe Johnson in 2002? The feeling was he had a lot left in the tank like Reggie. It turned out the tank was empty. Mr. Vic was right, it's a young man's game.

That's why scouting at the pro level is critical. Combing through college prospects gets the most attention, especially during draft season, but the job doesn't end there for NFL scouts. They are constantly surveying the league to determine who's rising, who's falling and where diamonds in the rough could be found. Circling back to our recent conversation, there may not be a better example of that than Malik Willis.

Dave from Anacortes, WA

Given the average starting NFL QB misses 2-3 games per season due to injury, how would you prioritize re-signing Malik Willis? I've only heard he can't be afforded so will move on...yet he's shown ability to do well in the 2-3 games he might play. Given the small margins in tiebreakers to make the playoffs, a win or two seems like a big deal. Big enough for a somewhat large QB2 contract? Thoughts?

Last season changed my perspective on the importance of a capable QB2. However, Willis' situation likely will be as much about opportunity than it is money. I'm sure Willis wants a real shot at being a starting QB in this league. After everything that happened in Tennessee, I'd say he's earned that right.

Phillip from Wonder Lake, IL

Who will survive the shake out over the summer to make the 53-man roster to begin the regular season?

I understand this is a question fans like to ask, but I hate this culture that's been created where media outlets ask their reporters to project a 53-man roster before we've even seen any of these rookies in pads. It's lazy, uninspired, and honestly not fair to the players.

Mike from Geneva, IL

Yesterday Mike referenced the coaches in the league with longer tenure than LaFleur. While those coaches haven't had winning seasons every year, they have more often than not. It's almost like stability can lead to success. Unfortunately, in this world too many teams at all levels don't have the patience to weather the storm in difficult times. If you were an owner/GM, how would you appease the fans in similar challenging times after a couple of disappointing seasons?

Part of me wonders if it's even possible anymore. Pittsburgh gets so much credit for having just three head coaches since 1969, but Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin all produced Super Bowl championships while enduring prolonged stretches that fell well short. There has never been more pressure to win now in the NFL. If you're not winning, then teams gotta create the illusion of building towards something big (e.g. the Chicago Bears in the post-Lovie Smith era).

Joe from Athens, GA

Why start training camp with 90 players? The last 20 guys stand no chance of making the team.

Tramon Williams, Chris Banjo, and James Crawford would strenuously object to that. Also, teams need 90 players to help spread snaps out in training camp and the preseason.

Gill from Canada

Hello and good morning to you guys, love your Inbox, and I agree completely that this will be a tough roster to break, but I believe with all the talent and potential, the Packers are one player away from a great team, a Super Bowl-contender team and that would be a player like Shemar Stewart of the "bungling" Bengals who is in a contract dispute. He is still young, versatile, a perfect fit. Forget the guys T.J. Watt or Trey Hendrickson.

The Stewart situation is just straight-up odd. With how contracts are slotted in the modern era, you rarely see rookies holding out from minicamp. First-round picks are pretty much fully guaranteed nowadays, too. My guess is they eventually get something worked out. I suppose Stewart could sit out and re-enter the draft next year, but he'd be sacrificing upwards of $10 million doing so.

Craig from Green Bay, WI
Hey M & W, what's your best guess as to the NFC Central standings after Week 18?

Outdated?

Sue from Tomah, WI

Good morning, gentlemen. I agree with you that the coaches would really dislike an interview via headset during the game, and I don't blame them. I, myself, am very annoyed when games are interrupted by a reporter interviewing someone on the sidelines while play is in progress. Some of the content seems to be just "filler." Being a reporter is a very demanding job, and I am not knocking it. Pre- and post- game interviews are understandable. Wish all reporters had the same ethics you two have.

I don't think there's anything unethical about it. It is great having sideline reporters with in-game access to coaches to ask about newsworthy events, but why must it be on-camera? I don't feel like I gain much from those interviews. Gregg Popovich used to make a mockery of them. Seriously imagine someone asking you on-the-record questions during the most stressful part of your workday…

Bob from Jensen Beach, FL

Wes, we almost always have a UDFA make the team. Prior to training camp, any thoughts on who are the likely candidates?

After claiming Brayden Narveson off waivers, the Packers' streak of at least one undrafted rookie making the initial 53-man roster reached 20 consecutive years. I'm not gonna make any predictions on who might be this year's top candidate, but there could be a huge opportunity on the defensive line and secondary based on how the roster sits.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

One of my favorite things about baseball is each stadium's field being different than all the others. It adds something to the mystique of the game if you ask me. What would this look like in the NFL? Triangular end zones? Laser goalposts? 80-yard playing surfaces?

There are elements of that with climate/weather, elevation and stadium noise, but I agree baseball is unique in how every playing surface is different to varying degrees. Maybe the next NFL stadium should reintroduce goalposts in the front of the end zone again (lasers optional).

Ross from Summerville, SC

Gents, I haven't been to a game since 2021 but plan to be there in October for the Bengals game. What's new and exciting about the stadium since my last visit?

It's still Lambeau, but there are new scoreboards in each end zone and the concourse has been fully renovated. I think the new concession setup has been a huge hit with fans, too.

Arthur from Eau Claire, WI

I haven't been paying much attention to sports lately, to my stunned surprise the NHL and NBA are still going on. With those two sports playing into summer and MLB playing into late fall/early winter count me as a "NO" vote as to expanding the NFL playoffs more than they are. I have stopped following those sports because the regular seasons have no meaning. I wouldn't want football to follow suit.

As I've said before, this is where MLB gets it wrong. You have a 162-game regular season followed by a best-of-three format in the first round. That's obtuse. It'd be like NFL wild-card teams playing one 15-minute quarter after its six-month season. At least the NBA is upfront about the average regular-season game being relatively meaningless.

Dennis from Parrish, FL

I have a 3-0 record as a high school wrestler in the Platteville gymnasium! So, I got that going for me...

I assume the adversaries' names weren't "Forfeit," right?

Bob from Grand Rapids, MI

Wes, since this is the dead zone, I will share with you a book recommended to me just today. It reflects your newest linguistic obsession! "Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar" by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein. Philosophy and humor joined together in a manner you might use when in a flippant mood!

You already sold me with your submission, but the book cover really put it over the top.

Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL

That was a legendary post by Zak from Huntington Beach, CA, to finish Monday's Inbox. Well done!

I envision Mike and I going head-to-head in a "TypeRacer" game while sweat forms on the brow and suspenseful music plays.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Please complete the following: With the dead zone here, I look forward to having more time to focus on __.

What life has to offer outside this cubicle.

Kathryn from Greenville, WI

All I've thought about since the draft is "Go Pack Go." After the OTAs, it's been "Yaba Daba Doo." I need something to hold me over until training camp starts on July 23. What've you got?

A feature on Ed Policy later today and Outsider Inbox July 7-14? Have a great Tuesday.

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