At what positions is draft strong, weak?

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
What are realistic expectations for Jimmy Graham?
The expectations are for Graham to become a playmaker in the Packers' offense. He's expected to catch a lot of passes and become the deep middle-of-the-field target Mike McCarthy covets for his passing game. Davante Adams is the Packers' boundary receiver. Graham isn't replacing Nelson; Adams is. Randall Cobb is the slot receiver. Cobb will work underneath. He'll be a rub-route and space receiver.

Lupe from Minneapolis, MN
Is Tramon Williams going to make a difference?
A difference maker? No. He's going to give the Packers depth and dependability at cornerback. The Packers gave up too many big plays on the outsides last season. Williams knows how to play; he won't bust coverages.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
At what positions is this draft strong and weak?
Tony Pauline says this draft is strong at running back, defensive end and linebacker, and it's weak at offensive tackle and safety.

Tom from Mira Mesa, CA
Vic, what are your top three teams of all time?
I think the best teams almost have to come from the period beginning after the merger and up to the salary cap era. Why? Because the product was at full strength. It wasn't diluted by the AFL and not constrained by salary limitations. The three teams I would pick are the 1978 Steelers, the 1984 49ers and the 1992 Cowboys.

Dave from Madison, WI
How does the role of defensive linemen change in Pettine's defense compared to Capers'?
Mike Pettine is known to blend one- and two-gap techniques into an attack-style defense. Dom Capers was mainly a two-gap coordinator. He wanted his defensive linemen to eat blocks and keep the blockers off the linebackers, who were expected to be the stars of the defense. I don't want to pigeon-hole Pettine because I think he'll do whatever his personnel dictates, but he has a reputation for playing his defensive linemen in an under look and using the strong side linebacker as his defense's premier pass rusher. It gives the appearance of a 3-4 with the strong side linebacker opposite the tight end, which means the strong side linebacker will move to the right and left sides of the formation. The bottom line is Packers defensive linemen can expect to be used more often in a gap-control scheme, which means they'll be free to penetrate and disrupt, instead of anchoring and holding the point. Muhammad Wilkerson can blend those two styles.

Morgan from Kaukauna, WI
Any 401k advice?
Never sell; only buy. I know, the market is tanking right now, and that's a perfect buy time for young investors. Because of this trade war threat, stocks can be purchased at a discount right now. I encourage young investors to contribute to their 401K plans to the maximum allowed. Look at it this way: The tax being deferred will allow you to make money on Uncle Sam's money.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, you’re right. As soon as the play concluded, I blamed Julius Peppers just as much as Morgan Burnett. Peppers was one of the leaders on that team. How do you think the coaches felt about it immediately afterwards?
Mike McCarthy said it was too conservative, and I agree. There was too much time left in the game to put up the white flag. If the game was inside the two-minute warning and the Seahawks were out of times out, yeah, fall on the ball. Peppers had visions of Marlon McCree dancing in his head. Too bad.

Leif from Frederic, WI
Vic, what do you think of the Steelers signing former second-round pick Jon Bostic and ex-Packer Morgan Burnett? Does this change their draft strategy at all?
Bostic is a value signing. He's the kind of free-agent patch I like from a money standpoint. He gives the Steelers a player they can immediately pencil in to replace Ryan Shazier, but I still expect the Steelers to address linebacker in the draft. No team drafts linebackers in the volume the Steelers do. Burnett addresses a need position expected to be weak in this draft. Burnett is a perfect fit in the Steelers' draft strategy.

Ben from Alameda, CA
There are 31 new offensive/defensive coordinators this year. How do you know a position coach is ready to make the jump?
A head coach knows a position coach is ready to become a coordinator when the position coach responds favorably to involvement in game-planning. It's as simple as that. When a young coach shows the aptitude to dissect and create scheme, and he has a grasp of the big picture, he's ready to make the jump.

Greg from Cuenca, Ecuador
Clearly, Brian Gutenkunst thinks the Packers will be better with Tramon Williams in the defensive backfield, otherwise he wouldn't have signed him. Still, many years of reading "Ask Vic" has shaped my thinking that getting younger beats getting older. Thus, I now suffer cognitive dissonance as I attempt to reconcile two conflicting thoughts. Please advise.
Do you remember reading "you build through the draft, you patch in free agency?" Williams is a patch.

John from Sioux Falls, SD
Vic, such great stuff recently. You have us Packers fans totally pegged. It got me thinking as to what your one-sentence personality profile would be for each of the league's fan bases?
That's too many; how about the four in the NFC North? Packers -- Great expectations. Bears -- Waiting for better days. Lions -- Every day isn't Thanksgiving. Vikings -- Blow that horn.

Joe from Los Angeles, CA
Vic, for which team will the wolves howl louder if the team does not succeed this season, the Packers with their new GM or the Vikings with their new QB?
The Packers have more fans, so their howl is always louder.

Milt from Gary, IN
We should want to hug our politicians but not our entertainers. Praise those who believe the former; mock those who want the latter. Got it? Feel sad for you, man.
OK.

David from San Francisco, CA
Vic, your answer about Packers fans wanting to hug made me laugh out loud. Thank you for that. Hopefully, there are a few of us who want to win, will name our new dog Jordy, and move on with our lives.
Naming a dog after a player just doesn't work for me. It's just too weird.

Bill from Menominee, WI
Do you think the Packers defense is ready to be salty? I'm ready for a chippy defense that offenses don't want to line up against, and the face of that defense should be none other than Mike Daniels. McCarthy said last year to forget the talk and just perform. Daniels and other salty players perform best when they're angry and emotional. I'm expecting an attitude adjustment with Pettine.
Coach Noll said pep talks last until the first time you get knocked on your ass.

Andrew from Green Bay, WI
The NFL eliminates the salary cap tomorrow. How long does the team in Green Bay survive?
The Packers don't need a salary cap to survive. They have a fan base and revenue streams that would blow away the competition in a cap-less system.

Pat from Seneca, SC
Who would you put on your Mt. Rushmore of college football coaches?
Rockne, Warner, Bryant and Saban. Paterno would be on that list if not for the scandal that forever taints his place in college football lore.