Cheese Curds, 6/15: Packers fans await Sternberger’s promised breakout season

When the Green Bay Packers eventually take the field again, the tight end position will look different than it has over the past few years, at least at the top of the depth chart. Gone is Jimmy Graham — with fans largely bidding him good riddance — and in steps second-year pro Jace Sternberger.

A player with only one regular season pass target and no receptions to his name would ordinarily generate far less fanfare than the former Texas A&M product is creating this offseason. But when one reads his explanations why he’s ready for a bigger role, one can be forgiven for getting excited about him.

It’s his outlook, his approach to dealing with multiple serious injuries last year. It’s his willingness to soak up information and guidance like a sponge. And it is certainly his athletic abilities as well. All of those facets combine to form an impressive young man who should be a big part of the Packers’ offense in 2020.

Green Bay Packers tight end Jace Sternberger poised for big season | Packersnews.com (subscription required)
Sternberger went through a tough rookie year, playing only a deep reserve role in a handful of games after multiple injuries. But from day one, he had it in his mind that year two would be his time to take over. Now he has continuity through an offseason for the first time since high school -- he never had the same coaching staff in place two years in a row before -- and he feels ready to take hold of the starting job.

Teaching is Jerry Gray's passion and priority | Packers.com
Listening to Gray's videoconference on Friday, his passion for football, particularly the teaching aspect of coaching, comes through. He's also excited to work with a coordinator in Mike Pettine who will step back and let him focus on coaching his players' technique.

Packers Pro Shop reopens on Monday with new hours, protections | Green Bay Press-Gazette
While the other businesses in the Lambeau Field atrium will remain closed, the Pro Shop is opening again this morning at 10 AM.

Comfortable in retirement, Jordy Nelson thinks he could have helped Packers | madison.com
Jason Wilde continues on his tireless and pointless quest to prove that he was right and Brian Gutekunst was wrong when Gutey let Nelson go during the early part of the 2018 offseason.

Without Rodgers, Where Do Packers Rank in NFC North? | SI.com
You can certainly make an argument for the Vikings having more talent than the Packers overall (minus the quarterbacks), but given the losses they suffered on defense this year, that's hardly a rock-solid point.

Every night, Rohrerstown man plays bagpipes to keep neighborhood spirit alive | lancasteronline.com
If you're in this small Pennsylvania town around 6 PM, odds are that you'll hear the dulcet tones of bagpipes as you walk down the road. How you react to those sounds is up to you.