NFL's reaction over the top

Gregg from Indianapolis, IN
Vic, who was the last non-quarterback who tilted the field?
I think Lawrence Taylor would widely be considered the answer to your question.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
Is the new rule just going to favor the offense even more?
The new catch rule? It favors sanity. The Jesse James non-catch was an embarrassment to the NFL. It was nuts.

Braden from Waukesha, WI
What's the downside to letting Rodgers' contract expire and franchising him?
The downside to franchising a quarterback is the team has to take a monstrous hit on that year's cap. The upside is you're avoiding a contract that'll push a monstrous amount of money onto future caps for a quarterback who would be pushing 40.

Jason from Menomonee Falls, WI
Do you feel like the Packers are more active, or after a notoriously tight-lipped Ted Thompson they're just making their activity more known?
I sense a distinct shift in personnel management. The Randall-for-Kizer trade is a deal I can't see Thompson making.

Katie from Vermont
How many quarterbacks do you think the Packers will keep on the 53-man roster? Is it fair to say if Brett Hundley doesn't beat out DeShone Kizer, he'll be incessantly chomping on his bubble gum for a different NFL team?
I think the Packers will keep two quarterbacks on their 53.

Conrad from Oklahoma City, OK
You often say great coaches are great leaders of men. How much of a great coach's legacy is dependent on having exceptional players to follow him? Is one the result of the other?
Don't confuse leadership with winning. A lot of losing coaches are great leaders of men. Talent is the first requirement for victory. First, you find talented players, then you lead them to victory.

Dan from Houston, TX
Do you also have to overdraft pass rushers?
Yes, especially if you play a 4-3. A 3-4 team can find pass rushers without overdrafting them. The scheme creativity the 3-4 allows produces a deeper pool of pass rush talent. Once you put that rusher's hand on the ground, the pool shrinks and the price goes up.

Adam from Chicago, IL
If you are the Packers GM and a running back is at the top of your board in, say, round three, do you take him?
You'll never regret drafting a good football player, at any position.

James from New York, NY
When did the reporter/player relationship start to change from the free and open access you once enjoyed to "I just want to contribute?" Was there an inciting incident?
As the NFL became more popular, the ink-stained media that had long promoted the game became unnecessary. That's when it changed. I began sensing the shift in the late '80's.

Eric from Lansing, MI
I thought I'd ask a tough guy question: You're sitting on your porch and some stranger shouts at you from the driveway, "Who the hell do you think you are?" What do you reply?
I guess I'd say, "Hi, I'm Vic." What am I supposed to do, shoot him?

Steven from Jacksonville, FL
Blake Bortles has been in the league since 2014. Have you seen enough to determine whether or not he can become "The Man" for the Jaguars?
Last year was supposed to be the year we came to a decision on Bortles, but we still need more information. He elevated his game in the postseason, but it was easy to see the Jaguars don't regard him with the trust afforded an established quarterback. I think that has to happen this season. If it doesn't, the Jaguars will need to find a way to move on or they will risk missing their turn.

Scott from Palos Park, IL
I have been married 35 years and have never had to hang outdoor Christmas lights. Did I marry the right girl or what?
Are the little lights still twinkling?

Tristan from Durham, NC
In today's game, is it more important for a college football head coach to be a game planner or a recruiter?
Recruiter; it's always been that way. Better players make for better plans.

Zach from Honolulu, HI
A lot of people are high on Barkley in the draft. It reminds me of the hype around Trent Richardson. Do you think Barkley is worth the hype?
Three plays from last season make me believe Barkley is the real deal: The hurdling, drive-sustaining run against Iowa, the opening kickoff return at Ohio State and the long touchdown run against Washington in the bowl game. Those are the kinds of plays star players make. What concerns me about Barkley is the ability of defenses to take him out of the game by keying on him. I thought he got soft as running room was eliminated. I'm going to give him a pass on the latter because he was in one of those read, delay-handoff offenses that invites penetration.

Vincent from Seattle, WA
Vic, what defensive position in the modern era is the QB of the defense?
It's the safety, and that's why it's important to have an every-downs safety.

Brent from Dubuque, IA
Vic, I would really like to see Green Bay be able to get a stud pass rusher. The Jags need a stud at quarterback. At what position do the Steelers most need to find a stud?
They lost their best player (Ryan Shazier) at linebacker on defense and they desperately need to replace him. Cornerback continues to be a position of intense need.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
Vic, in regards to the NFL, what concerns you the most looking to the future?
The game of football is under attack by the forces demanding it become a safer game to play. The NFL's reaction to that attack concerns me. In my opinion, that reaction is over the top. I fear the game is being strangled by a procession of rules changes driven more by the threat of litigation than by the need to improve and preserve the game.

Steve from North Hudson, WI
What will be a good measurement for a new GM in his first few years? Is it possible for a fan to measure it?
I'll judge Brian Gutekunst by the Packers' roster turnover. Will he make the roster faster, tougher, more athletic. That's always the gauge used to measure the effectiveness of a general manager.