Blue 58, powered by WTMJ Mobile, goes beyond the headlines to help you become a smarter fan of the Green Bay Packers. Hosted by former WTMJ newscaster Jon Meerdink and his friend Gary Zilavy, Blue 58 brings you a unique, upbeat perspective on your favorite NFL team, as long as that team is the Packers.

This week on Blue 58, we talk about Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn's thoughts on Ted Thompson, the Packers 2017 schedule, and the biggest draft bust in Packers history. Plus, we talk with Doug Russell of 620 WTMJ.

Here's the headlines we covered on this week's episode:

Bob McGinn Opens Fire on Ted Thompson

Jon: What do you think? Is it an unpardonable sin to have let Sitton and Lang walk?

Gary: No, it’s not. That Green Bay chose not to re-sign either Sitton or Lang is completely expected, given how the Packers handle their free agents. Plus, both have big, hairy question marks going forward - will they stay healthy? Will they play well in their 30’s?

McGinn is drawing a line in the sand and almost begging for the Packers to be fiscally irresponsible to win another Super Bowl, something we know Ted Thompson isn’t going to do. Will two guards -- albeit, very good guards -- keep the Packers from winning another title? I say no.

Analyzing the Packers 2017 Schedule

Jon: Do you understand the hype about the schedule release?

Gary: I get it. The schedule announcement is a fun part of the offseason, even if you already know who you’re going to play ahead of time. For Packers fans, it’s especially fun because of how well fans travel. I can’t begin to imagine the money spent in the past week on hotels, flights and tickets to road games.

Tony Mandarich Had So Many Red Flags

Jon: Where would Tony Mandarich be drafted if he was a prospect in the 2017 draft?

Gary: Strange as it sounds, I still think he’d go high in the draft. We’re dwelling on the red flags here, but he sure did have a ton of strengths and positives surrounding him. Teams are always looking for those plug-and-play linemen that will perform at a high level for 10 years.

In today’s climate, though, he would have a completely different approach with the media. His agent would have had him in PR training, they would have limited his public appearances and been very selective about his tweets. Johnny Manziel was a dumpster fire before the draft, and he still went in the first round.

Interview with Doug Russell

We're excited to welcome 620 WTMJ's Doug Russell (@DougRussell) to Blue 58 this week. You can hear his work on Sports Central, in the morning and afternoon drives and on Wisconsin's Sports Weekend program. He's one of the best in the business, and he spared a few minutes with us to talk about the NFL Draft and the Wisconsin Badgers prospects who will hear their name this weekend.

The running back question

The Packers will look to upgrade their stable at running back, and it's been a hot topic since the end of the season in Green Bay. Jon and Gary tackle three big questions about running backs in this draft:

1. Would you draft a running back in the first round?
2. If not the first round, would you draft a running back at all?
3. Which running back is the best fit with the Packers?

Support The Power Sweep

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We have a lot more great stuff coming from The Power Sweep and Blue 58 as we get ever closer to the draft and beyond, and we’re hoping you’ll continue to read and listen. It means a lot to us, and your support allows us to keep producing great content without worrying about whether we’ll be able to keep the site alive.