My favorite picks for my three teams

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Charlie from Waukesha, WI
Ignoring need and value for a moment, but considering the rules favor offense, would it be prudent for teams to tilt their draft boards toward defensive players earlier in the draft?
Your board tilts naturally toward what the draft has to offer. This year, the draft seemed to be tilted toward defense early. Running backs and wide receivers didn't begin populating the picks until the second round. So, if you're picking the best available player, your tendency would've been to pick for defense early in the first round and for offense in the second round.

John from Clovis, CA
I love your insight, Vic. You said you’re not a fan or don’t understand the Packers picking Gary. I thought I understood your belief was you can’t have too many big guys and pash rushers count as big guys. With injuries and rotations, I thought he was a great pick. Am I wrong?
The Packers spent big on two pass rushers and a safety in free agency. Then, in the draft, they used their first two picks on a pass rusher and a safety. Something about that struck me as overkill. That's what I was expressing. Neither Gary nor Savage was a reach. They fit where they were picked. From a value standpoint, the picks are fine. Could the Packers have found a way to pick for need as well as for value? After what they did in free agency, I don't think the need at pass rusher and safety was as intense as the Packers' picks make it appear.

Scott from Hamlin, NY
You say receivers are a dime a dozen and then you say you thought the Packers should have picked a receiver in round two. What has you so low on Allison, Davis, Kumerow, MVS, EQ and Moore?
I guess I just don't see what everyone else is seeing. I acknowledge the possibility I'm wrong.

Brian from Kingston, NY
Do you think with the new head coach the starting offense will get more reps in the preseason than we are used to seeing? Or will practice and training camp suffice for the veterans?
That's a good question. We can't know what Coach LaFleur's philosophy is on risking injury to his starters in the preseason for the sake of "peaking" for the start of the regular season. I'll say this: Whatever his philosophy is, the Packers better be ready to go when they open in Chicago. The first two games of the year will have a huge impact on the Packers' division title hopes and playoff chances in 2019.

Stephen from Jacksonville, FL
I liked the Jaguars' 2019 draft because they got the big men early and often. Do they have enough talent along the offensive line and the defensive front to consistently win the line of scrimmage next season? Will that be enough to help Nick Foles and the offense or should there still be concerns about the quality of their playmakers?
The Jaguars have a strong enough roster to go deep into the playoffs. Their fate is in the hands of Foles.

Justin from Fayetteville, AR
Vic, I’m a little surprised you don’t seem to like the Gary pick because of the free agency moves. You taught me you draft for talent and not need, you draft the player and not the position, and you get the big guys first because there are only so many of them. I feel you can never have too many guys that can rush the passer. Do you not like Gary’s pro prospects specifically, or would you just not draft any edge rusher No. 12 after the two signings last month?
If he was clearly the top guy on their board and the Packers couldn't or didn't want to move down, then they made the right pick, and I get the sense he was their guy and they weren't open to trading back. I have some reservations about Rashan Gary: 1) He was outplayed by Chase Winovich, despite Gary being put in the premier pass-rush position. 2) There are concerns about a possible shoulder injury.

Ian from Kirkwhelpington, England
I am excited by the deep threat St. Brown and Valdes-Scantling could be for the Packers this year. You commented the Packers needed to draft a WR, so are you not feeling the excitement I am?
Give me some time.

Jesse from Anaconda, MT
What kinds of stories did you most enjoy writing?
I always liked writing stories about big games, especially the high-drama big games. As much as it pained me to pen the details of the "Fail Mary" and the 2014 NFC title game, the drama of those game's events challenge a writer to seize the moment. I always felt a strong sense of urgency to be up to the task of writing about a game for the ages, so to speak. It's a game fans will Google 50 years from now and they'll see my byline, and I want what I've written to be worthy of such an historical moment. Those who've been entrusted with chronicling great moments bear a responsibility to record those events with flair and distinction.

Bret from Milani, HI
Who was your favorite draft pick from each of your three teams?
Ryquell Armstead -- Look out, Leonard. Jace Sternberger -- Rodgers will make him a star. Sutton Smith -- Small pass rusher with short arms and who was out of his element at the Senior Bowl. I love those kinds of stories.

Joe from Bloomington, IN
Are wide receivers a dime a dozen?
They were in this draft. None were selected until pick 25, and then 10 were selected from pick 32-67. This was a classic dime-a-dozen draft. They didn't go early, but when they started to go, they came off the board in bunches. I don't like drafting wide receivers high or spending big on them in free agency. This draft was a good fit for the position.

Dave from Lake Elmo, MN
Saw this quote from GM Gutekunst about Rashan Gary: "Really, since February, we’ve been locked in on him." What does that mean? Should that make me feel reassured or nervous?
It means they fell in love with Gary at the combine. It means they did exhaustive research on him and they love his talent, his character and his personality, all of which the Packers believe make Gary a fit for them. That should be reassuring.

Jeff from Miami, FL
My favorite comments during the draft broadcast are how many times the announcers say a player should have been drafted higher. Isn't there some simple math involved? Same number of teams and rounds each year.
The draft coverage was too soft and promotional this year. Oh, for the days of "Who in the hell is Mel Kiper?" All of the glitz and popularity of the draft as we know it today is built on those words.

Dan from Madison, WI
If Gute's focus on defense means he didn't believe they had enough talent there, what does his lack of attention to offense tell us?
He picked an  offensive lineman and a tight end high enough to have expressed a  sense of need in those areas, but his failure to pick a wide receiver, especially when they were going off the board rapid fire, suggests he likes what he has at the position.

Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, who will be the biggest playmaker on the Packers defense in 2019?
I have to believe it'll be one of the pass rushers, but which one? There are so many from which to choose.