After the release of LS Peter Bowden, could this be a year where no undrafted free agent makes the team?
Hard to say, and there’s still a week of work left, but so far no one in the current UDFA class stands out as “that guy.”
Bob from Jensen Beach, FL
Well, at least we got to see how they line up after a safety!
I think the league needs to adjust that. LaFleur made a smart point after the game (which the folks on the live blog said Kuhn made on the show) that there is no advantage to taking a free kick from the 20 after a safety if the setup zone is in the same spot on the field. I’m curious to see if there will be a rule change soon.
Hopefully this is the only disappointment of the season.
I doubt that will happen because it’s a long season and every team has its duds. But I certainly hope it’s the only time the offense doesn’t score.
Why do the Packers wear their green home jerseys during away games?
Because the home team gets to choose their own uniform and both the Browns and Broncos chose their white jerseys.
Mike from Sioux Falls, SD
What’s more annoying, the Nordic horn of the Vikings or the neighing horse of the Broncos?
Come on, man. Not even close.
Good morning, Mike. The Packers lost an egg or two to the Broncos. Would that be a Denver omelet?
Please see for yourself. The rest of the column consists of questions I answered before kickoff on Sunday evening.
When you evaluate players in the preseason to put them on the regular season roster, how much emphasis do you put on practice versus preseason games? Are there other things you consider when evaluating?
Well, first of all, I’m not the one who does the evaluations. But coaches and personnel look at overall performance, and if there’s a noticeable difference between how a player performs in practice and in the game, they try to figure out why. Coaches also look at how players handle meetings and film, what questions they ask, how they process information, and if they need to be told something twice. All of that plays a role in what kind of player they think a prospect will become.
Steve from Eau Claire, WI
Much of my excitement for this season is due to the depth the Packers appear to have at many positions. Despite appearances, it seems too simplistic to say a team can “draft for depth.” You only have a limited number of picks, each player is a gamble, and each team is evaluating the same players. Logic dictates that it would all be a zero-sum game and each team would have some winners and some flops. Are the Packers just that much better than everyone else at evaluating talent? Or are they just lucky?
There’s certainly some luck involved. We’re talking about young men preparing to be at their best physically and athletically. It’s not just about scouting and evaluating, it’s about player development. Not every draft class in the Gutekunst era has been as strong as the 2022 and 2023, so there are no guarantees for the future. But as for this organization in particular, it’s geared toward finding and developing young players, and the entire football operation – scouts, personnel directors, coaches, etc. – is geared toward that. That’s important.
Mark from Westminster, CO
Welcome back to the Mile High City, guys. Glad Larry is having fun sniffing the air. After listening to “Unscripted,” I started wondering if the special teams roster selections will change or be reduced with the implementation of the new kickoff rules. Any thoughts?
I don’t see any drastic impact one way or the other. The ability of players on special teams will factor into the final roster decision, but no more or less than in other years, as far as I can tell.
