Michael from Granite City, IL
With tarps covering fences and Packers practicing outside, how do Packers deal with drone control over the practice field?
Rodgers has a pretty good arm.
There is a proposal on the table to allow players to opt out of next season if they don’t feel safe to play. If the pandemic subsides, will players be allowed to re-engage sometime later in the season? I could see allowing veteran players to abuse that and want to keep their bodies fresh for the playoffs.
I don’t see that happening. Players who choose not to participate will be eligible for the entire season.
With the concern over COVID-19 when players return, is there a league-wide policy to handle player testing and quarantine, or does that depend on the teams? Who would carry out the tests? Will someone monitor the players to make sure they are quarantined? Could a player remotely participate in meetings for her position group (s)?
I have always said that I have to believe that the tests will be done by the league or an independent medical group. I’m not sure if the players would be monitored during the quarantine, except to make sure they aren’t close to the rest of the team. Failure to follow that protocol would only increase your chances of testing positive again. Regardless, many meetings will remain virtual, so whenever remote participation is possible, players will take advantage.
So wait, are you saying that our visual experience could become even more disjointed and frustrating?
I knew someone would say that.
I know you’re not a fan of rankings, but you also have your finger much closer to the media pulse than I am. Is Jaire Alexander starting to gain national recognition as one of the Top 10 CB? I am seeing his name appear in different places, although I do not remember that it was a prominent topic of conversation during the season. If so, good for him, there is usually a delay of one to two years between acting at that level and being recognized for it (see: Bakhtiari, David).
I think Alexander is seen as a strong candidate to jump himself into the top 10 very soon.
Mike from the White House, TN
Derrick Henry’s signature (four years, $ 50 million) appears to be friendly to both Henry and the Titans, as it doesn’t reset the market and Henry earns more than its franchise tag. Do you think it will be a stadium number that the Packers could try to re-sign with Aaron Jones?
It is certainly more palatable than the numbers in the Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliott contracts. I’m not sure Jones is going to go from 1,000 rushing yards in Year 3 to 1,500 in Year 4 as Henry did, given the Packers’ other backfield options, but we’ll just have to see.
Hello Insiders, judging by social media, the Packers’ rookies are in Green Bay. Will you have access to virtual interviews before training camp?
Mike from Franksville, WI
I’ve noticed that the defensive stats in the Packers’ media guide (tackles, defended passes …) don’t always match the totals on nfl.com. Who compiles the statistics for the media guide? Is there a reason they don’t match what the league has?
Defensive coaches compile the statistics the team publishes for tackles, defended passes, etc., when reviewing in-game movies, so the numbers often differ. If there is a discrepancy regarding a bag (as if it should be a shared bag with a teammate), the team will send the play to the Elias Sports Bureau for an official determination.
Sean from Springfield, OR
Do you think the Packers (or any team) will withdraw a non-QB number in the future? Maybe Gronk or Larry Fitzgerald? With the emphasis on passing and QB, I’m not sure other positions will earn long-term acclaim for numerical retirement.
I wouldn’t be so sure. I could see the Cardinals withdrawing Fitzgerald’s number and the Texans withdrawing JJ Watt’s, as examples. When a megastar, the Hall of Fame player’s off-court impact equals or exceeds his feats on the field, it makes the franchise’s decision easier.
I think the Packers have between 40 and 50% of the salary limit on eight players (Rodgers, Adams, Bakhtiari, Linsley, the Smith brothers, Amos and Turner). The other 46 contracts represent the balance that is less than $ 2.5 million per player on average. Is this normal for most NFL teams that 20% of the squad get half the money? Second, what challenges does this pose in the locker room?
It’s pretty standard and underscores how important it is to write well and get elite-level contributions from young players who aren’t paid as much to consistently win. In the locker room, I think it just looks like the nature of the beast, and players see the big payday of the second contract as a rite of passage, so to speak.
