Mention of the John Hadl trade reminds me of the only reason I’ve ever had to appreciate the Vikings. I’ll always be grateful to them for mortgaging their future to trade for Herschel Walker after he was all washed up, because it let people forget that the Packers had done the same for John Hadl only a couple of years earlier.

Couple of years? I believe the Hadl and Herschel trades were 15 years apart.

In response to JD from Madison, in the NFL the umpire’s position is in the offensive backfield opposite the referee. That was done both for protection and for better views of the OL. I was an umpire for 25 years for HS, JC and Div. 3 so believe me I know how difficult it is. As for replacement officials, I believe that this year, if needed, the NFL is planning to start training them well in advance of the season, which they did not do in 2012. Hopefully, that will help.

More hopefully, it becomes a moot point.

Dan from Cross Plains, WI

Add me to the bucket of fans excited to see how Hafley does in Miami. It got me thinking, when was the last time one of the Packers’ coordinators left for a head coaching gig?

Nathaniel Hackett got the Denver job in 2022 but lasted only 15 games.

Paul from South Yorkshire, UK

So we lost WYMM due to lack of a sponsor, no outside broadcasts due to lack of winter clothing sponsor (although that may have been a snarky answer) and presumably we’d lose Inbox if those sponsors walked away. For those of us in less commercialized parts of the world can you explain how external funding, or the lack of it, has such an impact in a business with billions of dollars flowing through it?

The Packers didn’t give me a job 20 years ago out of the goodness of their heart. They wanted to start turning their website into an asset for the franchise’s bottom line, and the evolution remains ongoing. To be clear, the sponsorship deal is not why this column exists. But it’s why we post it five days a week in the offseason and six during the season.

To ask Keith’s question a little more bluntly, do you think LaFleur and the offense take into account whether our defense is gassed when deciding whether to take a “shot”? Or do you think it’s mostly the look the opposing defense is giving?

The latter. Teams game plan all week to dial up certain attacks when they get defensive looks they’re anticipating in a particular situation or against a specific personnel group. When that look presents itself, they’re not inclined to forgo the opportunity.

Looks like our head coach, GM, and cap guy are signed for several years. Does having security in one’s contract status change the way they approach their jobs? For instance, a coach and a GM on the hot seat may make different decisions because of lack of security.

Hence why Ed Policy made it clear upon taking the reins, and in continuing how Mark Murphy operated, that the head coach and GM would not enter lame-duck years.

How much of a young team’s improvement is natural growth versus coaching adjustments?

Player development trumps scheme adjustments by a factor of five or 10 if you ask me. It’s a players’ game.

Hi II crew. My read on “best player available” is that there’s going to be multiple players who are BPA at any time. It’s odd to think that anyone has a completely linear chart of everyone in the draft, such that DT14 is ranked two spots above CB18, etc. BPA means you won’t look past the clump of 6 or 7 guys who are BPA right now just because you need a CB and they aren’t CBs. But those 6 or 7 will be at different positions, giving you options, so “need” is still a factor even with BPA. Yeah?

Randy from Westminster, CO

I’ve seen a few questions about the cost to move into the first round of the draft. What if there is a player Gute loves about 10 spots ahead of the Packers in the second round? What would draft capital would it cost to make that move?

The chart says Green Bay’s third-rounder would be too much, but the fourth-rounder wouldn’t be enough. So it’d probably involve the Packers trading their second and third for the other team’s higher second and fourth. Something like that.

Gary from Tompkinsville, KY

What do you think is the chance that Green Bay plays Chicago in primetime opening weekend?

I fully expect the Packers and Bears to play in primetime at some point in 2026, but I’m leaning more and more toward Chicago playing in Seattle for the Week 1 kickoff opener.

Re: the Bears winning the division with a 2-4 record. WE owned the division. We were 4-2 and if Rome covers the onside kick and we didn’t start every backup player we could against the Vikings we’re 6-0. The Bears had lots of good fortune last year.

And yet came an overtime away from going to the NFC title game. Exhibit No. gazillion as to how crazy this league is.

Jeff from Foothill Ranch, CA

Hi Mike, since we’re in a bit of a lull here, I wonder if you might indulge us with five players from your time on the beat here that you’ll never forget. Not five best, or five favorite, just five memorable, unranked, and why. Could be because of shared interests, their story, the way they treated you and the media, anything. Just five players you’ll always remember and why.

Charles Woodson – a true pro in everything he does, and always the coolest guy in the room. Aaron Rodgers – uncanny recall of plays/details/moments. Eddie Lacy – incredible toughness on the field, all laughs and smiles off it. Morgan Burnett – were both trying to figure out which bottle of wine to buy for our wives in the same liquor store. Frank Walker – wore snowmobile suits to team meetings and sent everyone in the organization a Christmas card.

Wes, Spoff, so help me God, if you continue to post more insubstantial II in this dead zone, I will READ it and I will be UPSET about it. Thanks.

We aim to please. Happy Wednesday.