To your point about the second half of the Bears game, I want to point out the three wins the Bears have over us the last two years have all been due to special teams failures: punt return TD, dropped onside kick, missed field goals…if not for those issues this renewed rivalry would look very different. Just shows how important all three phases of the game are and I hope the new coordinator can get us back on track.

I don’t think you’re saying anything folks don’t already know, and everyone wants to see Cam Achord’s units succeed. But as I said many times last winter, the special teams lapses specifically in the two losses to the Bears last season were not on coaches but on individuals who were put in good positions and simply failed to do their jobs. As for moving forward, those individuals are no longer here.

Many moons ago the Packers drafted to stop Randy Moss and of course it wasn’t successful. Whether it would have been successful or not I’d have been happy putting the same effort into most recent draft to stop Caleb. He’s going to be a big problem for the foreseeable. Is it bad to draft to stop one player or complement one player?

Yes. There are way too many considerations to narrow a draft focus in that fashion. Back in ’99, the Randy Moss angle became a convenient narrative after his monster rookie year, but the fact is Ron Wolf was looking at a cornerback room after ’98 that had Tyrone Williams and basically nobody else, either due to injuries or aging/unproven players. The overhaul had to happen regardless.

Following on to Gene from Winston Salem’s comments about RJ Maryland. As an SMU season ticket holder, I saw a large sample size of before and after his injury. He just didn’t seem to be the same explosive downfield threat he was prior, but with recoveries varying, I’m hoping that’ll come back in time and he can be SMU’s next Chris Banjo.

That’s a lot to live up to, as Banjo carved out a heck of a career as an undrafted guy. He’s one of my favorite “longshots” to come through here and make it. As for Maryland, let’s hope being another year removed from his injury helps him get back to his former self.

After reading reports from around the internet on the OTAs, it sounds like Warren Brinson was getting a decent chunk of reps. Perhaps flying under the radar for a second-year jump?

We’ll see. Brinson, Karl Brooks and Chris McClellan were all taking first-team reps on the interior D-line alongside Javon Hargrave with Devonte Wyatt not practicing yet. It’s an important time for all those guys to show something.

The general consensus appears to be that Zaire Franklin will wear the green dot if that responsibility is not taken by Xavier McKinney. Is it possible Edgerrin Cooper takes that role and is the ILB who never leaves the field?

LaFleur confirmed in his comments before Wednesday’s practice that Franklin is wearing the green dot.

Will the NFL reconnoiter the field in Brazil prior to the Ravens vs. Cowboys game this year after the Packers and Eagles debacle?

The Ravens and Cowboys are playing in Rio, not Sao Paulo, so different stadium. Last year, the Chiefs and Chargers played in Arena Corinthians where the Packers and Eagles met, and I don’t remember hearing much about the field.

Good morning II. Wes did a good job yesterday updating us on the new assistant coaches. I’ve always wondered if it’s better to have a long-term coach (James Campen) that everyone loves or to have someone new come in every couple years. Hopefully, the new guy would have some new tips or tricks that would help even the veterans. And to follow up on another issue – the subject of division games being played internationally, would the league schedule both games between those teams internationally?

When it comes to assistant coaches, there are benefits to both stability and change, and no coach can stay the same forever anyway. What matters is whether the coach can reach the players and get their buy-in, and coaches (new or old) who prove to players they can help their careers get that buy-in.