Green Bay is his Gotham

Wes, what is the best beverage to consume while writing II?

It’s 9:45 p.m., Lori, and we’re drinking a Starbucks flat white that I picked up on my way home from the office after realizing Friday’s Inbox wasn’t quite done yet after all.

The Davante Adams trade news was shocking to me in how fast it took place. What is your take on if the Packers made a good trade?

I don’t have a take right now, Mike. There have been a series of deals that have fallen through in recent days, so I’m going to pause and wait for some confirmation on all this stuff before commenting on what the future holds for the Packers and Davante Adams. As I stare into this laptop, I do have a lot of thoughts fluttering through my mind. But they’re mostly memories. Whether I was working at the Press-Gazette or for the team, Davante always has been cordial to me and pretty much everyone on the beat. I remember I gave him a D-minus in my 2015 grades at the Press-Gazette and then started working for the team three months later. Awkward. But Davante never held it against me. Fans see the All-Pro receiver, but Adams is also one of the friendliest guys I’ve met in the Packers’ locker room. There was one time a few years back I was in there during off-hours for an interview when Davante called my name from across the room. I darted over to his locker because I thought he needed something. He just goes, ‘Nah, I’m just saying what’s up.’ That’s Tae. Over the years, we got to know more and more about his upbringing and backstory. What you learn is Davante is a young man who overcame a lot of adversity to get where he is and I think those humble beginnings shaped him into the man he is today. The profile I did on him for the 2017 Packers Yearbook remains one of my favorite stories I’ve written since coming over to packers.com. So, if there’s a contract out there that’s going to make Adams the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, I’ll be the first to say congratulations and that he deserves it. All the other football analysis can wait. I have two more Inboxes to knock out before Spoff is back. For now, my only comment is just a simple thank you to Davante. Thanks for being cool. Thanks for treating us reporters with respect. Thanks for giving us a peek into your world the past eight years.

Joe Schobert was released by the Steelers. I was a fan of him on the Browns and would love to see him get signed and paired with De’Vondre Campbell. What kind of market do you think he would demand? But, as a counterpoint, how do you feel Krys Barnes has developed?

Schobert has played so much football relative to his young age (28), so I think he’ll continue to have a good market. At the same time, I felt having Campbell in the every-down role brought out the best in Barnes last year. Remarkably, Barnes has 161 career tackles on just 947 snaps. He’s a smart, savvy player who plays faster than whatever time he was clocked at. And I’m excited that Campbell is back, too. I feel like the Packers and Campbell were meant for each other. Last year, Campbell talked about this being the first time he’s been allowed to be “Batman” in a defense. Well, Batman is here to stay and Green Bay is his Gotham.

With so few high draft picks at O-line over the years, but almost perennial success across that front, it’s clear that our O-line coaches are effective teachers. It’s too easy to suggest other teams just missed on all these guys. Our coaches are transforming hidden potential into success! How much will Adam Stenavich still be able to work with the linemen as the O Coordinator this year? Or does he have to basically hand the reins to Luke Butkus and trust in having “taught the teacher?”

GMs, head coaches and quarterbacks have changed, but the one constant has been Green Bay having talented offensive linemen – and offensive line coaches. James Campen and Stenavich are two of the best in the business. Stenavich and Butkus have a great rapport and working relationship. While Butkus will handle the day-to-day development of the offensive linemen, Stenavich is still an O-line coach at heart. He’ll continue to work with that unit in some fashion.

I am so proud to have Randall Cobb on our team! This man is an undoubtedly loyal weapon for the Green and Gold. We’ve had to endure the developmental stages and drops for years of our other wideouts, but Randall has wowed us from the very beginning. We should all be excited and grateful to have such a talent here simply because he wants to be a Packer and not the millions of dollars that could be made elsewhere.

Cobb’s interview with Taylor Rogers on Packers POV near the end of the season was powerful and reinforced what everything it meant to the veteran receiver to come back to Green Bay. Because even though Cobb is a pro athlete, I think most of us have been in a situation at some point in our lives when you’d like a second chance. Cobb got that last season with the Packers and he proved to be an excellent addition to this roster on and off the field. You can never have enough Randall Cobbs on your roster, especially now.

Nathan from Philadelphia, PA

Good morning, Mike! After the past week-plus, I never want to hear again how the Packers are unwilling to go all-in to chase a championship. Also, looking at your free agency article got me wondering, since other teams aren’t necessarily as cautious in how they break “news,” what source do you need to see before you report that another team has signed a Packers’ free agent?

There are three sources I go off: another NFL team’s website, confirmation from a GM or head coach, or the NFL transaction wire. That’s important now more than ever with everything that’s happened over the past few days.

Tom from Douglassville, PA

Now that Za’Darius Smith backed out of his Ravens’ deal, any chance we sign him to a one-year prove it deal? He is coming off the big injury year.

I doubt Z backed out of a four-year deal with Baltimore to take a prove-it deal elsewhere. Edge rushers are making serious money this offseason. I’d imagine there’s a bag of cash awaiting Z on the open market.