I commiserate Al; I too have arthritis in my hands (and shoulders, and back, and elbows...)

The "mystery malcontents" keep being guessed at, but literally the FIRST name that came to my mind was Edgerrin Cooper. After an eye-catching rookie year, he basically was never allowed to rush the passer last year. All year, I kept thinking, "Boy, he must be annoyed at only being asked to cover."

Thanks for your painful diligence!

The whole O line was a disaster last year. Players in the wrong place, players playing where they didn't want to be (Jenkins, Morgan).

Even without any new additions the line should be better with Rhyan playing in what looks like his best position (Center) instead of Jenkins, who had a poor year. Morgan instead of Walker at LT (Walker had a bad year too, which must have cost him a great deal of money when he hit FA).

If Banks and Tom stay healthy this can be a much better O line in 2026 than it was in 2025. They just need to play together as a unit week on week.

As for players unhappy with their role, I'm guessing Morgan, Jenkins, Quay Walker, Hobbs, Doubs, Wicks, maybe Golden.

Maybe I’ve been smoking too much crack with my grandma, but I’ve never equated how good a kicker is with the ST coach. I mean, does he really COACH the kicker?
I think of ST coaches more in terms of blocking for the kick attempts and returns, covering kicks and punts, and being relatively penalty free. To a lesser extent, I’ve also thought returns are more due to the returner than the blocking. A couple years ago when 25 was returning the bejeebers outta all those kicks, I figured it was because he was good rather than the blocking suddenly improving a thousandfold.
Ok, gotta run now. Grandma’s calling.

an NFL offensive line scout said during an interview on NFL radio, if you draft a left tackle and you don't think he's ready to start there , he should start only at right tackle then assume left tackle the next season, never at guard or anywhere else.

There is so much wrong @ Lombardi that what should be kept in-house is now leaking out. MLF cannot/will not admit to his own contributions to the Packer's decline. He cannot manage an entire game, he cannot 'get' clock management, he cannot manage a second half after an opposing DC changes direction. He has had 7 off-seasons to recognize recurring deficiencies and make real changes-one of these would be retaining an authentic offensive mind

He may also have lost the locker room by indirectly calling out players-(I don't think Romeo Doubs continued to be a 'problem', BTW.) Policy should be supervising MLF's recurrent weaknesses and holding him accountable. Since he isn't, who is holding Policy accountable?

I predict a continuing decline with the current leadership-after 4 more years, most fans will get it but it could have been prevented by Policy this year.

Gutekunst is equally to blame.

If Bisaccia was MLF right-hand man and I am assuming a friend and they were close you would thing the professional thing for Bisaccia to do is to talk to MLF and tell him why he was leaving. To me it appears that they might have had a falling out and their relationship was rocky. This reminds me of when Bielema left Wisconsin but different cercumstances. Bielema acceptted the Razorbacks HC job and called Alvarez while he was driving to Arkansas.

Considering that Jeff Hafley got an A- in the NFLPA grades, while Matt LaFleur got a B- and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich got a C, I would guess that the discontent was almost entirely coming from offensive players. LaFleur got an A- the year before and a B+ the year before that, so I hope this was a one-year phenomenon rather than the beginning of a downward trend.

The team chemistry seemed a little off at times. That is mostly LaFleur's responsibility, but it is on the players as well, and maybe the GM created some unnecessary challenges by acquiring a glut of WRs and drafting an LT in the first round when the team already had an established LT with two years left on his contract.

Al
Appreciate all your hard work on the Draft Guide. Looking forward to purchasing it again this year. It's always an interesting and insightful read.

Al do you get a free copy of the Draft Guide? Asking for a friend.

The big one here is Gutey's comments about his disappointment in how Jordan Morgan's role on this team was handled. For MLF and staff to move this guy to every position except the one he was drafted to play has to be a GM's nightmare. To compound that, you have an exiting LT who's play had been in decline for weeks that should have been pulled out of the Bears playoff game and replaced by Morgan......instead they kept him in and he floundered.

IMO, for Gutey to openly talk to the media(!) about his personal disappointment regarding the mishandling of the Morgan situation is a major call out on MLF and staff.....in other words, shot fired. Although the "silo" management approach is still in place, Gutey has made it clear that he's providing this team with quality players but the coaches are failing to properly deploy these assets. Maybe it's me, but his statement just feels/sounds different than before. This isn't the unified Gutey/MLF front that we've seen before....rather it's Gutey not being afraid to say what he feels about some of the HC decisions....and I happen to agree with him on that.....

All of them have contributed to the Packer's decline--Murphy, Policy, Gutekunst, MLF and Ball.

Thanks for playing hurt, Al, much appreciated. It really is all in the wrist. I too am fighting the battle with arthritis and it's not my favorite.

I'm going with the theory that Gannon is locked in a closet. MLF already implementing innovative motivational techniques.

Speaking of words, I just finished reading The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester. Sounds silly, but it's a very interesting read.

GPG

Gute and MLF have been together in their roles for 7 seasons since 2019. Except for reaching the NFCCG in 2019 and 2020 they really don't have much to show in terms of results for the Packers. In fact if not for the expanded playoff format the Packers would have been out of the playoffs for the last 3 seasons.

Now either because of their recent extensions or because of the heat they are feeling from their disappointing results, or both, they are beginning to point fingers at each other. I have often posted here that maybe Gute is building a different team than what MLF would prefer to coach, especially when you consider the players that have been in the trenches for the Packers for the last 2-3 seasons.

It just seems to me that there is a disconnect between Gute and MLF. I keep wondering if Gute would have hired MLF if he had the opportunity to hire his own HC instead of Murphy deciding to hire MLF after one 2 hour interview. That is a terrible hiring practice particularly when hiring the 2nd most important role in the football organization or any organization. Maybe the 7 year itch has hit Gute and MLF, maybe not but we'll see. It would be interesting to see the results of a 360 peer review from Gute and MLF if the Packers even conduct them.

In any case 2026 should be a prove it season for Gute and MLF and for the current organization structure. Maybe Policy will go back to the GM in charge of all football operations and have the HC report to the GM as it should be, especially if the Packers have another disappointing season. Time will tell. Until then we can hope.
AL I appreciate all of your excellent, hard work on the draft guide and your on going efforts with your weekly column. Take care of your wrist, get some rest and be well. Thanks, Since '61

If I were in MLF's shoes I would be concerned about the late year swan and failures during the playoffs verses the grades the players give you. In fact, Gutsey coming out and discussing his disappointment in Morgan is huge. Matches his statement last year about no more excuses because they had a young team. Think that was after the Micah trade. Anyway, there certainly is a disconnect between HC and GM and it's Murphy's fault and now Policy's fault. I'm not saying the club needs a mass firing, what I would like to see is focus, more focus during games. I still think that a major problem is how they practice. Hearing how Mason talked about practices being very inconsistent in their focus seems to have some legs in their performances.
Hope it all gets sorted out!
JMHO

Now I'm a senile old man. My confidence in the current leadership is pretty low. But it went even lower with the comments from Policy, Gute and MLF. So I have a roster with holes in it and lacking depth. A head coach riding a 5 game losing streak. Sounds like 25% or so of the starters are disgruntled. A president who (screw the fans) thinks everything is just fine. So what's the solution to the Packers problems. Fire the players.(Let them walk in FA, cut them, trade them) Oh boy what could go wrong. Now I'm going to cheer just as loud as everyone else. But if this thing goes south will the executive board have the gonads to make the change.

I am encouaged by the free agency and trade moves GB has made so far. I think with 3/4 more tweaks/acquisitions, coupled with a solid draft that fills the actual holes we have, can make GB a more complete and dangerous team in 2026. The Packers have woefully underperformed for years now when so many "NFL Gurus" were saying we were the best thing since sliced bread.

It's time to put up or shut up for the Packers, the window isn't opening wider, it's slowly closing. Dobber made a very interesting comment yesterday that has also crossed my mind. That was if the Packers continue to languish and underperform, we both could see GB moving Parsons for a kings ransom draft haul in 2028 like no one has ever seen before. Possibly Love as well, especially if we have backups that GB has confidence in to take over. Both of their contracts will be particularly obese at that time.

It's something to consider especially if we continue to limp into the playoffs and exit early the next 2 years. Or maybe not even make it in to post season. Lets finish free agency strong with a couple solid vet leaders that upgrade the team, and knock the draft out of the park this year. GPG!!!!!!

Not a Peep from Gannon -
If you don’t understand his silence
(It’s don't spill anything before the draft)

I’ll settle for any player new role.
Just keep their agents and Gute out of it.
A contract is a contract! They signed it.

Count Rich Bisaccia with the unhappy players.

Why do you believe Gute on ILB?
Jake Ryan or oren Burks were the future.
Then Antonio Morrison was the plug.
Remember DeV. Campbell being the 5 year plan.
So now it’s Zaire Franklin. Whats the point?
The argument is we still need a ILB.

I’m sure Gute is tired of his special Team accomplishments.
To bad he didn’t focus on them whenRodgers was QB.

Next- Admiiting Jordan Morgan shouldn’t have been drafted.

No respect for MLF? This world of pretend; is destroying trust
and damaging relationships. The Inconsistent long term drafting
Strategy has been disappointing.
If we continue to draft projects, and Over-rely on other means.
The decline will be obvious, as we will continue to lose impact players.

Al, you stated exactly what I was thinking when LaFleur's "right hand man" up and left and his boss didn't ask why...or conduct an exit interview. I simply do not understand it unless is what I believe: LaFleur avoids difficult discussions with difficult personnel decisions and did not want to hear Bisaccia's reasons.

I would also think Ed called Matt to ask about Rich's sudden departure, didn't he? It would be really weird if he did not or if he accepted Matt's speculation "I think he just wants to spend more time with family." Both are uneasy situations.

Then two weeks later, Bisaccia is back in a full time job, not spending more time with family. That is another follow up question from Ed to Matt. "Why did he just take another ST coordinator job? Was he unhappy here?"

I recall "cracks in communication" were what caused Murphy to establish the Football Committee in late 2017. Is it an effective NFL football team management structure?

How could Gutekunst play Morgan out of his natural position? Since LaFleur doesn't report to him, why would he be involved with how players are used? Gutekunst is on the record as saying Morgan had beaten out Walker to be the starting LT. It was then said, Walker couldn't play RG and Morgan was needed there. When Morgan failed to keep the RG position, why wasn't he put at LT? Either Gutekunst is lying about making decisions on what roles the players will have or he's incompetent. Probably both. Lafleur would, in all likelihood, be the one controlling where the players are positioned. LaFleur would be proving his incompetence by putting players in position to not succeed. To take this to its logical conclusion.....by extending Gutekunst and LaFleur, with a probable pay raise, Policy is proving his incompetence.
It is the time of year when hope springs eternal. The Pack is back and Super Bowl bound until such time as it's proven they're not. Maybe, in spite of the unholy triumvirate.

No "load management" for Al. Good job.

It is all speculation, but I guess those who were most upset with Matt probably were people with money on the line this year. Most of us want the player to be all about the team, but players on contract years want to be able to put out good film which is flashy to ensure a big payday.

I could also see the OL being upset as they appeared to be an absolute mess last season with more shuffle than the 1984 Chicago Bears.

I'm still pretty Pissy ML rushed back our Kicker from Injury aka...Mcmissalot when we had a Kicker doing a great job. Sorry folks...I don't like NON....SENSE. I really do not get ML for a Huge amount of reasons....Our 1st round WR drops only 1 pass all season and we cannot seem to get more out of him after....YEARS...of WR drops....then Golden EXPLODES in the final Bears playoff game and all of the moves were him willing himself into the end-zone.....GRRR. Starting Musgrave and preferring him over Kraft at first ....You name it.....I'm sure we have a better Edge rusher than Gary on the team....if he's allowed to participate. I will also say moving Jenkins from LG to Center was a huge fail by Gute when all we needed was a top Center in the draft....Just like last time Gute....Yea, it just doesn't stop in GB...These things are why the Pack is so dysfunctional on the field....It's in the DNA of the operation...Packers need a leader to kick some butts around and right the ship....Or just make solid decisions that any normal person would agree with.

MLF and Jon Scheyer should attend counseling sessions together; neither one can close in a big spot.
Policy should have fired the Flower and moved on from the stench of failed seasons past.