Jack from Black Mountain, NC

Congrats on 15 years of II. II is an excellent example of the special and unique Packers culture. Of course, we want the 14th championship. But the Packers are the most outstanding franchise in all of professional sports because of the culture you described in the various Rich Bisaccia posts. Behavior on and off the field. Tailgate tours. Foundation support to hundreds of community organizations. And more that fans don’t see. Keep up the good II work and other inspiring articles. Culture matters!

Fifteen years. Wow. I’d say that’s cause for celebration, though there is no ice cream cake in staff dining. Maybe they’re saving it for tomorrow. This column is a testament to Vic’s vision and millions of words splattered on this page. We appreciate those of you who consume them. Whether you’ve followed Ask Vic/Insider Inbox for 15 minutes or 15 years, we don’t take your readership for granted. This space wouldn’t be possible without you. To quote the great Kobe Bryant after he won his only NBA MVP award in 2008, “It’s been (15) years. We still got many more years to go. We gonna (write) until June. I love you. Now let’s get this party started.”

Venny from Montgomery, AL

I know I’m looking way ahead, but the 2027 offseason appears daunting in regards to Packers players potentially heading into free agency. Tucker Kraft, Devonte Wyatt, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Luke Musgrave will all be up for contract extensions next year, if a few extensions aren’t issued over this off season. Has there ever been a free agency year in which the Packers have had this many significant contributors eligible for extensions?

This is a big one coming up; perhaps Green Bay’s largest swath of unrestricted free agents in more than a decade. Of course, that’s still one year away and the Packers can take a bite out of that with an extension or two like they did with Zach Tom and Watson last year. First and foremost, Green Bay has major decisions to make with a talented 2026 free-agent class.

Wes, it’s almost a math question, but it’s really not! If the average hang time of a punt is about 4½ seconds, and if the average punt returner can run a 40-yard dash in about 4½ seconds, why is it that Packers punt returners too often let the punt hit the turf without fielding it this past season? An explosive return once in a while would be nice, but at the very least, can we just get a clean catch?

The Packers undoubtedly have work to do on punt returns. The stats bear that out. The coverage team was solid. Daniel Whelan punted well. Zayne Anderson and Bo Melton were perfect complements. But Green Bay just couldn’t find that same rhythm on its return team. It’s been a while since the Packers last had a player who majored in returning, but it may be worth considering while building the 2026 squad.

Wes, do you expect a serious kicker competition this offseason, or is Brandon McManus locked in?

Well, McManus has a roster bonus due next month, so that is something to monitor. Either way, I expect some type of kicking competition. Green Bay signed Lucas Havrisik to a future deal last month, which will give the front office a much longer look at the former Arizona kicker.

It has been well discussed how Rich Bisaccia impacted “his” special teams units as the special teams coordinator and how that must change given his decision to step away. How might the absence of his other title as assistant head coach affect the Packers, players and other coaches going forward? Perhaps more generally, is the assistant head coach title simply a way to promote (e.g. a coach and prevent them from accepting a promotion elsewhere), or do they truly hold teamwide responsibilities?

There were a few added responsibilities with Bisaccia’s assistant head coach position but it’s more a reflection of his influence on the team than a list of duties. For most teams, it’s a way to reward a venerable assistant with a new title and a bump in pay.

Troy from Westminster, CO

That’s a good explanation to Al from Green Bay. To continue, it also seems many fans only have a perspective on their team and not of the bigger picture of all or most teams. I often say unless there’s a Point B, we can’t really recognize what Point A truly means. Packers fans might get frustrated but try being a Browns fan, or even a Bears, Lions or Vikings fan who aren’t perennially competing in the playoffs.

In fairness to fans, I’d much rather discuss the champagne problems and challenges that the Packers face than those of the aforementioned teams.

Good morning Insiders! “Sack the lot of them.” Is Hodkiewicz a British surname? On the coaching staff changes, I truly believe it’s all offseason drivel. Ask any fan of any team what they think about their QB coach or defensive quality control assistant in Week 10 and watch their head spin. We have no idea what different coaches’ roles are beyond their title.

Polish-Lithuanian, actually. Understanding how the mechanism works inside an NFL franchise is sorta like MTV “True Life.” You think you know…but you have no idea.

I appreciate the inside information on Rich as a person, but as a fan, special teams to me has been a sore spot since not long after SB XXXI. My first thought with the opening is to go straight to college and pick off one of the best in the business there, but there are so many great assistants in the wings that the average fan doesn’t know about. Are we likely to see the later, than the first to fill the ST coach roll?

The problem with that approach is college special teams are poles apart from the NFL. That’s not to say it doesn’t translate, but it’s an entirely different game in many aspects (e.g. punt protection, field-goal formations and obviously the kickoff itself). Historically, NFL teams pursue coaches with NFL experience for coordinator roles.

How are y’all reacting as Micah Parsons and Barryn Sorrell are training together two months after Parsons’ surgery?

It makes sense. Both call Texas home in the offseason and what better way to learn if you’re Sorrell than staying on the hip pocket of a four-time All-Pro at your position. I love the approach Sorrell has taken to his career. He’s a sponge. While every player coming off an ACL injury is ahead of schedule, Parsons continues to amaze me.

Greetings Wes, I’m curious how to hear about Rich Bisaccia’s impact on Daniel Whelan. It seems like he was very raw when he arrived in GB with that big leg, and he’s really turned into a premier punter.

Whelan has incredible physical tools, but young punters still must harness that ability. They don’t just pop out of the womb dropping punts inside the 10. Even a draft pick like JK Scott struggled here before finding his footing with the Los Angeles Chargers. Whelan deserves credit for how he’s perfected his game, but Bisaccia and Byron Storer were the coaches entrusted with his development in 2023. They succeeded.