Inbox: Perspective and appreciation go hand in hand

I can't remember any “great” quarterback who didn't have some kind of obvious confidence or borderline arrogance in his nature. Everyone has talked about Jordan loves great work ethic and good nature, but do you see that unique “strength of confidence” in him? Or is this something that develops over time?

There's more of a quiet confidence with Love, but it's definitely there – and it will continue to develop over time. Love is a lifelong quarterback who understands the weight of his position in the locker room — and that steadiness and intentionality have guided him to Green Bay. He doesn't waste any time either. There are already videos circulating of Love working out with Aaron Jones in California and is starting to build a relationship with his Pro Bowl running back.

Hello Insiders. Is “dampening expectations” another way of saying it shouldn't cost me my job next year? Apologies this early are troubling.

Not at all. First, Matt LaFleur is on very solid ground. For Pete's sake, the guy is one year away from recording the most wins by a head coach in his first three NFL seasons. LaFleur is simply reminding everyone that we are now dealing with a 24-year-old quarterback who has played fewer NFL snaps than Aaron Rodgers has thrown touchdown passes. It's a head coach who has his new QB back.

I've heard some fans lament that the Packers could be in for a few lean years after having back-to-back MVPs at the helm. I admit I entertained that possibility too, but afterwards reading Cliff's new article, I feel better about the future. I knew the pack had some bad years in the 70's and 80's but didn't realize how much of that was due to the committee making terrible head coaching decisions. It seems like the structure can now insulate from that in a way, and we have good people at the top.

I agree with. Structurally, the Packers are much healthier today than they were then. The NFL was a different league back then too. There was no free agency, making it even more arduous for bottom teams to climb out of obscurity.

Wes, the one thing Love has going for him that most rookie QBs don't is that if Love is named captain, it won't seem forced like when some rookie QBs are (if they are).

It was strange to see Zach Wilson on the sidelines with a captain's patch last year, although the same thing happened to Matt Ryan in Indianapolis. Personally, I don't make as much of the “C” as some and I'm sure that's the furthest thing from Love's mind right now.

I've been reading a lot lately about the Packers' hands being tied by the salary cap. For years I assumed we had a handle on the lid. Is this the price for bringing in too many free agents over the past few years? The cost of a Hall of Fame QB? Did we kick the can one too many times? Or, with defensive contracts next season, are we at the point where it's time to reset? I hate to think that purgatory is on the horizon.

Philosophically, nothing has changed. The Packers still have a good handle on their cap. In fact, I believe skill has helped conquer this challenging offseason. Yes, the bill came overdue for Green Bay on a number of things, but that's true for half the NFL. The QB change will no doubt continue to dominate the headlines, but the core of the Packers roster remains in place with Elton Jenkins re-signing, Jones' restructuring and a promising 2022 draft class growing another year older.

Wes, one of the things I'm most excited to see from Love is his legs. As Aaron Rodgers aging, his ability to escape the pocket and play on his feet began to decline. What have you seen from “10” in games or practice that shows his ability to extend plays and use his feet to pick up yards?

Love's 40 time (4.74) is in the same neighborhood as Rodgers' 4.71 in 2005. I don't see Love being a 500-yard rusher or anything, but defenses still have to respect his mobility. As Love matures, he should be able to use his feet to his advantage like Rodgers did.

Speaking of protecting the ball, any idea of ​​Love's hand strength? Some of the sack, non-fumbles by Aaron over the years were notable.

Protecting the football is paramount for Love but his hand size is prototypical. Love had the second-largest hands (10½ inches) among quarterbacks at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. That should help. Love just needs to clean up the five fumbles he had his senior year at Utah State.

Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL

When Davante Adams was drafted, I thought, “That's a cool name. He's going to be a player.” Along comes Romeo Doubs and I thought, “that's a cool name, he's going to be a player.” When I heard Larry say he was looking forward to “getting him (Romeo) fired up” during an interview, I again heard Davante as if I recall being rude. Am I onto something, Wes?

Perhaps. I'll write a little about Doubs sometime in the next week after LaFleur offered high praise for his receiver's rookie season. LaFleur couched his comments along the same lines of tempering expectations but said Doubs has “some Davante Adams-type movement ability.” The key for Green Bay is to help Doubs develop that potential.

Good morning everyone. The NFL seems to have ruined Thursday Night Football by only making it available to a small portion of the fan base. If the ratings drop sharply, do you see the disappearance of Thursday night football or a change in broadcast stations?

I don't think the ratings will drop. It is a matter of how much it will grow. Certainly Amazon knew what they were signing up for when they bought the whole TNF package. It is betting on the growth of its streaming platform over the next four years.