Flip of a coin. What about home crowd advantage? Let's just give it to the visitors first. No Ties! No clock! Wr Mania- Your best athletes are going to the WR position. Why shouldn't we get the jump on the best. Let's get Rodgers what he needs. It's Long Over Due! Drafting in Detroit. - Motown music. - Can you say at Last. Soccer- It's a kick. Black had to play. Savage has a bad back. Of course we have to draft this position again. Hopefully Gute won't trade up this time. Alexander can play everywhere. And he'll want to be the highest paid CB, or leave.

In the past, I’ve agreed with Ask Vic’s statement “WR’s are a dime a dozen”. Great QB and OL will make most WR’s look good. It’s wise to invest a lot of assets there. In addition, there is so much WR talent coming out of college these days you don’t need to take them high. Sure, you might land a Jefferson or Chase, etc…but, those players don’t make you a consistent winner, they are the compliment, not the driving force of winning.

This year is different, we don’t have time to develop a WR. This year we have to be all-in on WR position and take one or even two in the first and second round where your chance of an immediate starter is most likely.

There are three positions I hope they take with the first 4 picks in any order. OT, WR & Edge. The draft is loaded where our needs are most. Can’t wait!

Johnblood27 nailed it. The wheels are off in Geebs. Leadership vacuum. And the #1 problem is Murphy, who learned NOTHING from his predecessor, Bob Harlan, who proved to be the best in the business.

Overtime rules? The NFL itself has a leadership problem. Now, in what they themselves turned into a passing advantage league, deem the unfair advantage forcing a change at all REMAINS in the Regular Season games??? They can’t get- anything - right. Officiating. Replay. NCAA seemed to have solved replay quite proficiently years ago. Coaching challenges??? It’s endless…

WR Mania is not mania if the shit is real. It’s real.

Safety is one dimensional after Hamilton in this draft. There are either hitters or ball hawks. Very few complete players with speed, hitting, TFL, ball skills, the whole package past Hamilton. Size? Dynamic physical traits? Good luck. Only one has arms longer than 32.5”. This will be interesting.

Jaire Alexander - Gutekunst comments unsettling because it’s out of his normal wheelhouse. Guessing it’s a prelude to his extension, and possibly a FA signing or trade for WR. whoosh.

Not sure FA (cost$$$) or trade (loss of draft capital) is smart rn. Any new WR, (vet, FA, or top draft pick) will involve a learning curve. Gutekunst getting too cute already. Unsettling. Love Jaire though 100%.

WR Mania... Include me being caught up in it. I've even allowed notifications on my phone in the event the Packers trade for or sign a WR in FA. I'm starting to wonder if Gute makes the trade on draft night. Whatever the case is, I like 2 WR's, 1 Edge, and 1 OT chosen with the first 4 picks. If you feel Yosh Nijam will be our RT of the future or Jenkins once healthy and you can wait a year for a Tackle, then Safety is a sneaky need. My hope was they'd extend Amos and for the life of me I don't understand why they haven't.

Questions for TGR... IF they were to extend Amos before the end of the season, do the "Void" years they've already put into his contract go away, or does the extension eat those up? I curious how that works.

When I heard Detroit was awarded the draft my first, second, and every thought after that was WHY? I mean this is a team that historically SCREWED up the draft almost every time. They've NEVER been in a SB, and they always seem to be drafting 1st or 2nd overall....Just why? GB would have been an amazing place to hold it. This NEEDS to happen for the Packers and city of GB sometime very soon.

I've been a big Gute supporter but that made no sense at all. I still think he's a pretty damn good GM and would be EVEN BETTER if Murphy was out of the picture. Boy do I miss Bob Harlan.

Henry Black is a dime a dozen. Utterly replaceable. Glad he'll have a chance to go find a job somewhere else rather than having to become a PS afterthought after being outplayed by a promising younger player and cut in camp.

OT---just win in regulation, baby.

Jaire is going to get paid, and if he wants the big $$ he's got to cover the $$ receivers. Maybe Stokes shows he's just as capable against prime time guys and it becomes less of an issue, but we knew the Barry defense in its LARams edition likes to follow the top WR with Jalen Ramsey, so this should come as no surprise in GB--especially with Douglas back (who I think will be asked to play more S looks--segue to initial Henry Black point--this year to get the better DBs on the field).

I will always wonder if MVS' catch rate would have been better if AR had put in more work in the off-season with him to better get in rhythm with his speed. Maybe we will see in KC. If not, then MVS was not worth the money KC paid him. Pick two out of three: (1) Rodgers; (2) Adams; (3) the D. Yeah we have some hopes on the team at WR, and nothing sure.

I'm sure Coach B took a good look at his special teams assets and didn't want Mr. Black back. If Coach B had wanted an ERFA back I'm sure he would have been.

Bayern Munchen, in Green Bay? Yeah, I'm not a soccer fan at all, but if this is the match-up I think it is then that is a marquee game - albeit an exhibition game. Soccer has grown everywhere. Kids are growing up playing soccer. My next door neighbor's house was TP'd yesterday because his daughter made some soccer team. I don't know squat, but it is coming in like the tide. Even in Wisconsin.

No to attending soccer at Lambeau Field for me, Al. I have season tickets and did attend the (fantastic!) McCartney concert in the shrine...but soccer is not one of my preferences. Boring, IMO.

Lots of grade school kids do play the game and it is popular that way. But it fizzles out as football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, wrestling etc take over.

I was not surprised about Black leaving. I liked his play in the preseason...but more he was on the field, the more he floundered being out of position and missing tackles. He did not cover receivers well at all.

Fortunately the DB class this year is fairly deep and are really productive college safeties in the the first 2 days.

I live in MN (but close to the WI border) and all kinds of people here are soccer nuts. My sister lives in Madtown and there are a ton of soccer fans. I don’t know about NE WI and the Foxy Valley but all my friends’ grandkids in Oshburg and Fondy play in soccer leagues.
My soccer knowledge consists of watching Ted Lasso.

Isn't a soccer pitch significantly larger than an American football field? Curious how the Lambeau crew will accommodate the changes. If anyone can do it our grounds crew will make it happen.

Please stop with the Metcalf trade talk. If this franchise is going to have life after Rodgers or life after 2023, we need to add young, inexpensive talent to the salary cap mix. This is a great draft, loaded with picks. Gutekunst and company need to hit it out of the park and, yes, add a good WR or two in the mix.

If I understand the new overtime rule each team gets the ball, and if tied after those two possessions, then it is sudden death. So all we did was add two possessions before sudden death. I’m glad it’s only during the playoffs. It gets old being forced to watch a meaningless OT game while missing the kickoff of a Packers game, and this rule change would have just lengthened those meaningless regular season games.
WR mania? Nope. Concerned, yes, but we still have about six months before we take the field. A little tactical patience for now.
The draft to Detroit: The big city bias of the New York City NFL corporate types rears it’s ugly head yet again. Lodging 30 minutes away in NYC is in NYC. They see distance as time and measure it in how long it takes you to move by walking, or in mind numbing traffic. For them the next nearest town means an hour, two hour or even more commute. Lodging 30 minutes away from Lambeau is Appleton. It can be hard for these “metropolitans” to internalize being 35 miles away is just a 30 minute drive in the Midwest.

Soccer has been shoved down kids throats since I was growing up in the '70's. Utterly boring and strange (extra time that no one knows??). Obstensibly it was "safer" than baseball and football, and very globalist chic. Ya, get off my lawn.

I think the overarching question is how we came to a position where we are paying Rodgers huge money and charging the future to do so, but are left with minimal cap and one recognized receiver plus one limited snap elder statesman plus some young UDFA holdovers and a TE we are hoping will be back from an ACL.

This team looks, on paper, like a team geared to a young QB, weak WR room, strong running group, strong D. It’s no secret I don’t like the amount that they are kicking forward, but without Adams and the wherewithal to replace him or MVS except by bargain type resurrection vets (maybe, hopefully) and draft picks seems totally nuts.

The receiver group in the draft is strong and deep this year, but I don’t see many truly elite, standout, healthy propositions. I see players that need time in the weight room or a couple of years honing route trees and technique. Those that don’t have the kind of average athleticism that shouts low ceiling in the pros. It’s fair to say I’m a lot less excited than some about the prospects of rookie breakout this year.

Without that I don’t see us being a better team overall. I think our D improved if we can add a good edge prospect, a better ILB 2, a 4th corner and we need a S that can tackle and cover, possibly 2, a box and a deep type. Black’s release was odd only in that he was decent in STs: he couldn’t cover. Hopefully that’s RB saying cut bait because decent isn’t enough.

STs should be better—how much worse could we be?— but we need to pick up gunner and returner material, the late draft rounds should help and this should be a focus.

I don’t worry much about the Alexander comments, it would become obvious fast. I think it just signals confidence in Stokes and Douglas. It may actually cause more uncertainty.

Overall, I do not see us being a better team this year. Which makes bringing back Rodgers nonsensical. The reason is offense. If we move to a run first approach, that both wastes him and begs the question why we paid him. When it mattered, by luck or judgement, the D performed to a level it will be hard to beat. We still lost thanks to an all too predictable ST meltdown in part, but also failure to score was critical.

Our HC is unchanged, as is our QB. Will we really see either change their ways and let the run be a major part of this O? I have my doubts. Will we really see LaFleur avoid the howlers of prior years (such as his O Line shuffle) or improve in in game adjustment? Will Rodgers be arranging sessions and getting on the preseason field with his new receivers?

A second last dance only makes sense if we are at least as good and in a way that helps Rodgers better exploit his talent. Right now things are shaping up as our best chance lying with running more and taking the ball out of his hands and giving him less experienced targets in addition to removing his best WR.

The draft will be fun without doubt, but this looks like a hugely illogical set of moves that appear to have the roster moving on from him while we mortgage out cap to keep him. That doesn’t make sense to me. It’s like we had a clear choice between 2 plausible directions and refused to make it. We are instead trying to bridge an ever widening gap between them.

I don’t much care about the OT change save to say that I’d rather give each a go than rely on the luck of a coin toss weighting the chances. In the big scheme of things, I’m far more concerned about our leadership plotting a nonsensically self-contradictory course and putting us in a position of future disadvantage while rolling out Rodgers with less of what is required to give an elite QB the ability to be the difference. That is despite his inability to be enough of one in recent prior years and also acknowledging that a notable part of that has been due to LaFleur.

I hope I’m wrong, but JB’s comment above does seem far too explanatory for me and I don’t think this year will end well. The hope is that Gute can build a cheap and talented core beyond that. This draft has to be a savior as we have spent out cap increases for a while to get where we are.

I find your lack of faith….disturbing. I don’t see the wheels coming off at all. I see a team that has won 13 games with extra, high draft choices. How often have we been in that position? Never, by my recollection.

We return the MVP AT QB. Our backfield of Jones and Dillon is one of the league’s better groups. We return a defense that didn’t give up a single TD in the playoffs.

I think we’re in good shape for this point in the season..

I'm eccentric enough to have just recently taken my first vacation in many a year largely in Wisconsin, and during the winter at that (including an introduction to spear fishing for sturgeon on ice-covered Lake Winnebago).
I was born in the Milwaukee, and do have deep roots in the state with both my dad and mom; but have hardly ever lived there, and don't really understand why my affection for this place is so strong.
My trip in February included two amazing shrines:
The first is Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the setting for the most storied franchise in the history of the NFL, the remote and relatively small blue-collar city that held on tightly to its football team until it became not only Titletown, but a shining symbol of American character and teamwork and excellence.
Oh, how I hope we don't lose this essence of the Packers to commercialism and crassness and cynicism.
The second shrine is less well known but even more striking, located less than 20 miles to the north, and is the site of an appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1859 to a young Belgian woman.
About a dozen years later, in 1871, the Peshtigo Fire devastated the region with thousands dead in the savage blaze, yet this small sanctuary sheltered area inhabitants as an amazing refuge of green and gold amidst the blackened countryside all around.
This shrine of Our Lady of Good Help (the only approved apparition of the mother of Jesus in all of North America) happens to be located in a place called Champion -- possible evidence that God just may be a Packers fan.

I don't think the overtime debate will ever be fully resolved. The league just needs to settle on what the overtime format will be and the teams (and fans) will need to adapt and accept.

As you said, every year we freak out over one position group or another and by the time the dust settles and the season starts we're in pretty good shape again. I'm just going to sit back and let Gute and company do their thing. I have faith we'll be alright.

Yeah, I can't see Wisconsin being a big soccer draw. Maybe if they drop the beer prices and throw in a cornhole tournament and gun show in the parking lot or something?

Henry Black was serviceable in his role with the defense last year. I can only guess the Packers see an avenue to getting better at the position. Which is what you're supposed to do.

Agree with what you said about Gute's comment on Jaire. Maybe he's just BS-ing the BS-er?

Just thought of something funny:

Laid up with double hernias awaiting surgery April 29th. You know what I could use? A CHAMPIONSHIP BELT!

Relative to Henry Black, my hope is that Innis Gaines or Vernon Scott or Shawn Davis is the reason he was unsigned. I REALLY liked Gaines' college tape, so I'm hoping he's the guy.

About Time for Overtime -
I think for the playoffs its a good rule change. It will change the strategy now though I think. Do you want to be the first team to touch the ball and put pressure on the 2nd team. OR do you want to be the 2nd team. who then gets 4 downs to move the ball and score. It will be interesting to see how teams strategize it.

WR Mania -
No Adams, No MVS. 2 of our top 3 WR's are now gone. We have Lazard, Cobb with experience. Hopefully Rodgers takes a big step next year. A year in the system should definitely give him that opportunity. LaFleur made the comment about needing more speed at the position. I would not be surprised if they drafted a couple of faster WR's. Guys that can stretch the defense. I wouldn't be surprised if they would draft 2-3 WR in this draft.

Drafting in Detroit -
Kind of feels like GB is getting the shaft of late from the NFL. They go to the 17 game format with alternating years of having 9 home games. Packers didn't have one last year, and won't have one this year. They will again have 8 homes games this year as the 9th is overseas. And now they don't get the draft in 24. Yes that is a couple of years away. But it just seems like the NFL doesn't care/doesn't understand the economical impact 1 game in GB does for the city.

But Yet, Soccer? -
Good thing GB is working on their own deals to provide income outside of football to the area.
I honestly am not a soccer fan at all. I don't care if there is a soccer game there or not. But i do like that they are finding ways to bring $ into the city/state.

Paint it Black -
I am also surprised they didn't bring him back. I was surprised they played him more then Scott. I thouht Scott showed a lot of promise as a rookie. I do think they will be drafting a Safety or 2 in this draft. I don't know if they like Scott or don't. they don't have Black. So they will need to add to the position.

Here a Ja, there a Ja, everywhere a Ja -
I think this was a pretty obvious thing when they resigned Douglas. They will have Douglas and Stokes on the outsides and Alexander will either be in the slot or will be following the number 1 around. I just think its more a of known thing they anything. I don't think they are giving any big secret away.

1) Overtime sucks. It produces a fake result. If the game is tied after four quarters then the game is tied. There's also a player safety issue there.
2)The draft is so deep in receivers that you could shut your eyes and find a good one. Velus Jones, Jr. from Tennessee is a good receiver and a really good return specialist, as one example.
3)If 250,000 people show up for the draft(like in Philadelphia) where are they going to stay? The Packers and the local chamber can dream about housing them all, but even with Appleton, Oshkosh and Door county involved there aren't enough rooms.
4)While we're all football fans here, there's a large and growing number of people who prefer soccer. As one national sports writer noted this match will bring people from all over the U.S., Canada, England and Germany to Green Bay. Hopefully there will be enough hotel rooms for them but THIS could be the economic bonanza the Packers will miss from not having a 9th home game.
5)They could still bring Black back on a cheap deal before training camp if they have the money.
6) False flag.

I like the new OT rule but as I posted yesterday I believe that it should only be used in playoff games. During the regular season either leave the tie at the end of regulation or just use the traditional sudden death in OT. But as usual the league went with the money grab approach.

WR mania, why? We have 5 months to put the WR group together. We'll get there even if the way there does not seem clear at this point. Now if we are still in the current situation at the end of the preseason then we should be panicked.

Drafting in Detroit - I'm not sure how these selections are made but I'm sure infrastructure, hotel accommodations and the ability to move large numbers of people are among the factors considered. Also, it doesn't mean that Green Bay won't get the draft at some point in the future.

Soccer - no comment

Black - a marginal player, easily replaced.

Ja - he will be extended and the Packers will have a great CB tandom for years to come. As to Gutey discussing strategy in public, I have no idea why he would do so or what his intention could be. There are just too many unusual things happening at 1265 lately to try to make sense of it all. Hopefully none of it has an impact on the on field results. Thanks, Since '61

Overtime rules: Agreed, and long overdue.

WRs: I'm not sorry we lost any of our former ones; Adams and MVS were too pricey and we don't need that much money money tied up. With a bunch new receivers coming aboard, we'll almost have to see more of AR in the preseason--and maybe that will help us to not come out flat like we did to open last season.

Black: Even better--safety is not a sneaky need anymore. I hope Gute don't wait until the fourth round or take too much of a project.

Soccer: Yawn. More fun to play than watch, that's for sure. It's hard to believe it's as popular as it is with one-sixth of the games ending up in a 1-0 score.

A lot of hand wringing on what Gute said about Jaire. In my opinion he was essentially sayin that for Jaire’s agent. He is letting everyone know that Jaire will move around in this defense and sometime play from the slot. He is signaling that they will pay him like a boundary corner and not a slot corner.

Here is a crazy thought. What if we draft a WR and he does really well in his first season? It’s starting to happen in the league.

"Has he had conversations with them about 2022 scheme concepts (is that normal?) and if so, why would he announce it to the world"

I've long had a disdain for the concept of the disassociated front office and coaching leadership group - Perhaps this is symptomatic of poorly or under performing teams, but not of the consistently high performing ones.

It's not luck that the Steelers get mid/late round WR's and make them performers - or likewise Baltimore defenses (specifically linebackers).

I see this as a sign that unlike MM and Ted (or MM, Dom and Ted), Gute and MLF better understand the types of players that will succeed in the MLF coaching scheme. Like the aforementioned teams, I hope that this translates well to highly productive mid-round players (as well as the top picks).

........ I'm not super sure about 'divulging' how Jaire will be played. I take this with a grain of salt. Fortunately for the Packers that they have 3 solid CB's with at least 2 that are positionally versatile. How they are used will be dependent on the opponent each week (and perhaps who's healthiest).

Interesting to have European soccer played at Lambeau. If I were a major soccer star, I would think twice about playing on a grass/plastic surface that even the Packers can't figure out how not to slip-slide away.

Arains of Bucs retired!

We know JA wants to be highest paid CB. I don't know if JA is threatening to hold out, but maybe Gute wants to put it out there if you're highest paid you have to run with the Alpha Dogs all the time to be tested where his worth really lies as a call out to play like 2020, not 2021 and be ready to show everyone 2020 was no fluke.

I think Rodgers has way more talent than Brady, but Brady has the rings and does small things smarter than Rodgers..Plus Brady had an elite coach, and defenses that carried him through the post season..If you look at Brady’s post season numbers there are horrible games that he had and probably should’ve lost.. Just look at the rams/pats super bowl that was just like the packers/ 9ers game but with even less scoring( I think it was 10-3?).. If Rodgers would just take what the defense gives him( like Brady) we could’ve had more chances at Super Bowls for one..I don’t like brady( live in Florida too grr), but had a great amount of respect for him when he was taped practing with his team before otas and camp.. I believe if Rodgers did just that, it would help the whole team, and himself, and would reflect a super positive change in thought and image.. If he wants trust and for the wrs to grow fast, it baffles me why he wouldn’t do that, it makes no sense.. He should also work just with the rookies wr on the playbook and what they should be seeing from a defense, so they can think alike and be on the same page..If he’s stuck with rookies he better change something..