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Jen, Gabe & ChewyAuthor: Wisconsin On Demand
ESPN reporter Jen Lada teams up with Packers Hall of Famer Mark Chmura and longtime ESPN Milwaukee host Gabe Neitzel as they provide unique and raw perspectives on local and national sports headlines. Language: en Genres: Basketball, Football, Sports Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Packers Draft Grades Debate + Jason Wilde Talks Roster Moves and Kicker Plan
Friday, 13 March, 2026
Jen, Gabe, and Chewy open the hour reacting to a StickToTheModel.com analytics report that ranks the Packers as one of the NFL’s best drafting teams over the last three years (No. 3 overall). The crew immediately digs into the fine print and the skepticism: the sample size is small, the “star” rate is low, and good draft “hit rates” haven’t exactly shown up where fans care most, in playoff wins. They debate how long it really takes to evaluate a class, whether younger players are NFL-ready faster than they used to be, and why guys like Jordan Morgan or Matthew Golden can look like “busts” on paper even if the team still believes they’re future answers. The big takeaway: drafting matters, but it’s only one part of the roster-building puzzle alongside trades, free agency, development, and staying healthy. Jason Wilde then joins and hits a handful of Packers pressure points, starting with surprise that Green Bay didn’t retain Emmanuel Wilson at what he calls a manageable price, especially with uncertainty behind Josh Jacobs. He also weighs in on league politics like the tush-push chatter, and how coaching connections can influence acquisitions like Zaire Franklin and Jonathan Hargrave. Wilde wraps by discussing what Kyler Murray landing in Minnesota could mean for the NFC North, and the Packers’ plan at kicker, with the expectation McManus returns but still has to earn it in a real competition. The hour closes with the show continuing that kicker debate, arguing a million dollars is a small price for stability, and then sliding into some lighter banter on the Big 12’s LED court and the ongoing “initiation” of Will Sommers.
