1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford. He is the 3 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: one and only West Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: from our studios at lambeau Field West the two thousand 5 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: and twenty two Packers Mini Camp Mandatory Mini Camp. Essentially 6 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: it's in the books. We had two days of practice 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: and now today actually as we are taping this show, 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: the team is on its way to a team building activity. 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Practice was canceled, sort of a tradition in some respects 10 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: over the years here. So two practices we got to 11 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: witness um, two locker room sessions, lots of interviews with 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: players and whatnot. I'll just throw it out to you 13 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: as an as an open ended question. What made the 14 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: biggest impression on you over the last couple of days. 15 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: One moment and it was where we actually Evan Siegel 16 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: perfectly captured it and we paired it with your story 17 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: on Aaron Rodgers. It was Aaron Rodgers talking to Samori 18 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: to Ray and uh, I remember watching it live as 19 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: it happened. Yeah, you and I were standing right next 20 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: to each other. We saw it and it was super 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: cool because on the other side of the field. Evan 22 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: was shooting that and it's such a great moment. What 23 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: was happening in practice as there was in early routes 24 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 1: on air period and two Ray and Rogers. Rogers had 25 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: thrown him a deep ball. I think he was kind 26 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: of running like a deep corner route. They don't they 27 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: didn't get it connected. But then two Ray comes back 28 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: and Rogers very just calmly kind of talks through with 29 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: him kind of what was going on there and what 30 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: he's looking for now Before people hear me say that 31 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: and run away with it and go, well, this is 32 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: why he should have been here for the entire offseason program. 33 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,759 Speaker 1: I want to just make it the point that it's 34 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: this is what this time is for. This is why 35 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: you have Mini camp um to get the veterans now 36 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: working with the young guys that have had a chance 37 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: to sort of grow and blossom here over the last month, 38 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: and a chance to learn some of the offense, go 39 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: through the eatings and learn some of the stuff that's 40 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: on paper in the playbook. And what stood out to 41 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: me the most. I'm not saying that there's a you know, 42 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: one lead to another, but then you see the next 43 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: day happened. We get the rain, we're in the Hudson Center, 44 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: and Samari Toure had as big of a day as 45 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: anybody in that practice. I mean, just some incredible catches, 46 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: mostly with the two's and and you know, with Jordan's love. 47 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: But it's the process of these young guys coming around 48 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: and we shot our three Things video and I don't 49 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: want to give anything away on that, but I thought 50 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 1: Larry had such a great take to where it's these 51 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: young guys that it's just every day somebody else is 52 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: stepping up and making plays. And to have Rogers here 53 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: for this week to get guys sort of accustomed to him, 54 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: I just thought it was an incredibly productive week for 55 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: them to get those two practices in. Fans at Nichky 56 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: Field were able to actually see you know them them 57 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: work a little bit. On Tuesday, I thought it checked 58 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: all the boxes and from all accounts, they got through 59 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: and injury free. Yeah, and it was interesting too to 60 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: watch you mentioning, you know, different guys on different days, 61 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: and there there were moments in just where we saw 62 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: the veteran guys Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb making plays 63 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: and doing the types of things that veterans do. They 64 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 1: don't need all the snaps and O T A s. 65 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: They don't need to be here for absolutely everything. But 66 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 1: it's just it's it's sort of like, Okay, get the 67 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: legs under him, catch some catch some passes and whatnot, 68 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: and then they're getting ready to take their break now 69 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: before before they come back in several weeks for training camp, 70 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,119 Speaker 1: which is which is the grind that they've all been through, 71 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: and they all know what they have to do to 72 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: get ready for it. And before we close that chapter this, 73 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: I just want to go back to Rogers for a 74 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: second to the other thing about it. And you did 75 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: such a great job if you haven't read it already. 76 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: Mike summation of Roger's thoughts on Tuesday, Rogers explaining, you know, 77 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: kind of his thought process with this off season. Yeah, 78 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk about that some more. When everybody discusses, 79 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: you know, him being here and he needs to be 80 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: with the young guys. You also have to remember about 81 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers too, at thirty eight years old this December 82 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: will be thirty nine. You know, this is a guy 83 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: that's been doing this for a long time, most of 84 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: his life, and there's the body work process, in the 85 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: mental process that he wants to go through during the 86 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: off season. He's been big on that for years. It's 87 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: something he's been doing since he basically turned thirty, making 88 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: that investment into his body, making that investment into his 89 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: mental health and awareness, and he feels like there's a 90 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: value in that as well. Where he goes, the people 91 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: that know him, how he works, the one on one 92 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: attention that he gets, and also just being able to 93 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: refresh and reset going into another season with high expectations. 94 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: It's not just a guy picking up his lunch pay 95 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: on going to work. It's Aaron Rodgers being the two 96 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: time reigning m v P deciding hey do I can 97 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: I perform at this level and meet those expectations that 98 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: I have for myself. And everything he's done over the 99 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: last four months plays into that, right And I thought 100 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: it was interesting how Rogers described, you know, how he 101 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: does need to go through that mental reset. It's not 102 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: something he needed to do at two years old, necessarily, 103 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: but it is something he has to do now. When 104 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: you think about this past off season, think about how 105 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: much he had to process. I mean, there was the 106 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: incredibly disappointing play off loss in which he knows he 107 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,239 Speaker 1: didn't play up to his own standards. The offense didn't 108 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: hold up its end of the bargain in a game 109 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: in which the defense obviously played very very well. So 110 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: there there's that that bitter disappointment. He's trying to process 111 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: through the off season. How much longer do I want 112 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: to keep playing? Do I want to retire? Do I 113 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: want to give this another go? Then he goes through. 114 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: He said he was involved in all the conversations regarding 115 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: Davante Adams and his you know, his favorite target, good friend, 116 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: decides it's best for him in his career personally and 117 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: professionally to get back to the West Coast, and uhum 118 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: and Rogers has to process losing, losing the guy who's 119 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: been his top target here for the past handful of 120 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: seasons and and you know, arguably the best receiver in 121 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: the league. Then there's all the coaching changes. You know, 122 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: Luke getsye Nathaniel Hackett, uh justin out and the coach, 123 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: the coaches on the offensive staff that he's gotten to 124 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 1: know for the last three years, those guys and yets, 125 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: he longer than that, those guys moving on to two 126 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: bigger and better career opportunities for themselves. I mean, he 127 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: had a lot, he had a lot to go through here. 128 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: But then all that said, and he had made the 129 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: comment after the golf match last week about yeah, like, 130 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: of course I still think about retirement, but he made 131 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: a point to emphasize when I decided in March, you know, 132 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: amidst everything with Adams and you know, than him signing 133 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: the contract extension and all that, he said, I'm all in. Yes, 134 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: I'm still going to think about retirement and maybe what 135 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 1: the future holds, but right now, for this season, for two, 136 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: I'm all in. I'm here, I'm committed. Everybody knows that. Um, 137 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: he's got his old quarterbacks coach, Tom Clement's back in 138 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: the building. He said, for all the change that's gone on, 139 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 1: that makes makes things sort of feel a little bit better, 140 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: feel a little bit more. Okay. You know, as as 141 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: this uh, this offense goes through this transition and uh 142 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: and Rodgers's Rogers ready for it. He's uh, he planned 143 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: it is to be all set to go for the 144 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: start of training camp, and then at the end of 145 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: the season he'll go through his He'll go through the 146 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: process again and see where he is he is mentally 147 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: with regards to his future. Yeah, and I don't think 148 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: this was intentional, but I am personally enjoying kind of 149 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: the Benjamin Button sort of aspect of his career here 150 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: where you know, Clements is back, who was his original 151 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: quarterbacks coach. He's grown the long hair back out again, 152 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: which is kind of the way he entered the league 153 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: back in two thousand and whatever that year he did that, 154 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: oh seven. But at the end of the day, it's 155 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: just the appreciation for greatness and that was what my 156 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: takeaway was when I was covering the match that night 157 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: and afterwards, I as I'm writing, I left on you know, 158 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: the quarterback conversation that Ernie Johnson did just expertly, and 159 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: listening to Rogers and Brady talk sitting side by side, um, 160 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: it was incredibly refreshing because I feel like so many 161 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: times we just talked about, well, when so and so 162 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: going to retire, and they've been doing that now with 163 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: Brady for seven years, and both of those guys recognizing that, 164 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: you know, trying to figure that out is very difficult 165 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: for human being in any walk of life, trying to 166 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: figure that out when you're a first ballot Hall of Famer, 167 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: When you're gonna go down as one of the greats, 168 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: When when my son has children, when when you have grandchildren, 169 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: they're they're gonna hear stories about Aaron Rodgers that, just 170 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: like how I heard stories of bart start and and 171 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: understanding that jumping off point and leaving that aspect of 172 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: your life behind it's not easy. And even Mercedes Lewis 173 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: touched on it this week too. You know, he's going 174 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: into year seventeen now he has his eyes on tying 175 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: Tony Gonzalez and and obviously Jason went for that record 176 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: then maybe potentially surpassing it, depending on how this is 177 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: where your goes. But as he said, you know, when 178 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: your body feels good, it's just about mentally figuring out 179 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: when is the next step for you. And I feel 180 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: like with Rogers he said it perfectly. Once March came, 181 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: he was all in. This was it. We are going. 182 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: It's two thousand twenty two now, the season and the 183 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: goal of the Super Bowl. That's all in touch and 184 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 1: and building with this group that they have. I think 185 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: it's incredibly exciting because for the first time in a 186 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: long time, Mike, I think there's a lot of people 187 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: in the NFL, A lot of people like myself, we 188 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: don't know what form this offense is going to take 189 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:11,719 Speaker 1: and what the identity is going to be at this 190 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: football team, and there's a certain amount of you know, 191 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: adrenaline I think, sort of hits when you're when you're 192 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: when you're going through those emotions. Yeah, I think it 193 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: was also interesting, I thought, and I wrote about this 194 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: in the story that I posted on the website the 195 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: other day, just his perspective on where things are with 196 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: this receiving corps right now, and the line, you know, 197 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: if you want the SoundBite, the one line that jumps 198 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: out about it with regard to this Packers receiving corps, 199 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,439 Speaker 1: he's as well, I'm in favor of production over potential. 200 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: Now that's not a knock against the rookies, but that's 201 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: basically the reminder that you know, whether you're talking about 202 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: Christian Watson being drafted at the top of the second round, 203 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: Romeo Dobbs in the fourth round, tour a in the 204 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 1: seventh round, he made a made a very clear point 205 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: of saying the expectations for the rookie receivers need to 206 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: be reasonable and um and yeah, that that goes for 207 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: that goes for him, but it also goes for for 208 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,839 Speaker 1: the fans and everybody as well, because as far as 209 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: Rogers perspective on the Green Bay Packers Receiving Corps, he 210 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: sees three veterans that are at the top of the 211 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 1: depth chart right now, put him in whatever or do 212 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: you want Al Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins the 213 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: new edition. We'll talk a little bit more about him 214 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: in a minute. And then from Roger's perspective, the rest 215 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: of it is all guys competing to see where they fit, 216 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: and Rogers like, hey, those top three, I feel pretty 217 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: good about those top three. And then we're gonna see, 218 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: We're gonna see what happens with the rest of these guys. 219 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,319 Speaker 1: And yes, there is a ton of potential there. This 220 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: was a this was a retooling, a reboot of the 221 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 1: Packers Receiving Corps with with trading Adams, with losing mvs 222 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: and free agency, all of that um. But Rogers knows 223 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: what he has and then he's going to see exactly, 224 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: you know, how that potential potentially comes to fruition um 225 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 1: with these other young guys. And and it's a it's 226 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: a complete it's a complete reset at that position. But 227 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: he's excited about it. He knows that and made a 228 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: point of saying that having Randall Cobb in that receiver 229 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 1: group as a leader, he's a guy that even when 230 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: Rogers is not around, Randall Cobb can you know, look 231 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: at the film and explain to the young guys, Okay, 232 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: this is this is how the quarterback sees this. This 233 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: is what he's gonna want you to do. You know, 234 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: Randall Cobb can be his his voice in the receiver's room. 235 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: So conjacent Rabel, who has now worked with Rogers for 236 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: multiple years. So um, all of that is part of 237 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: the process here as the Packers are putting together their 238 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: offense for two. And another receiver that we definitely should 239 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: mention as well, happens to have the same last name, 240 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: that being Rogers. You talked with Amari Rodgers and wrote 241 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: about him a little bit, and there's been you know, 242 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of speculation as to okay, 243 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: just what's happening. You know, the rookie season didn't go 244 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: the way he too. Here he's headed into year two. 245 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: But but share what you learned as far as Amari 246 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: Rodgers and where he's headed in his so called sophomore season. 247 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: It was interesting on Packers dot Com. I had the 248 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 1: Rogers story, Marie Rogers story, and then the next day 249 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: you wrote about Sammy Watkins. And while they're different players 250 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: at different junctures of their careers, it was interesting listening 251 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: to both of them and reading about both of them, 252 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: you know, feeling like they have something to prove this season. 253 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: In Watkins case, it was that, yeah, he has won 254 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl, He's done a lot in the lead. 255 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 1: You know, he came out just you know, gangbusters his 256 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: first two years in the NFL, but has had a 257 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 1: lot of injuries, has had some stuff to work through 258 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: on that side of things. Well, on the other side 259 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: of it, Amari comes out and as he equated it, it 260 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: it was kind of like a freshman years. How he 261 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: looked at it like going back to high school, going 262 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: back to Clemson and trying to find your way. And 263 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: that's a difficult, humbling experience. This is a young man 264 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: that won a national championship, was a thousand yard featured 265 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: receiver for for the Tigers, and now here here he 266 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: is in the NFL trying to find his way. Unfortunately 267 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: for him, you talk about cobbying a you know, uh, 268 00:12:58,400 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: you know, kind of a guiding light for all these 269 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 1: guy as well. Cobb has known him since the kid 270 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: was nine, based on the connections with Cobb playing for 271 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: his father T. Martin way back and win over at 272 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: uh Kentucky and now this aspect I thought was really 273 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: interesting him saying that, you know, last year, everything that happened, 274 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: maybe he let it get to him a little bit. 275 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: Maybe he did have kind of a confidence, you know, 276 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: loss there after what happened with the kickoff or the 277 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: punt returns, uh, you know, and also just his his body, 278 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: you know, wanting to get back to being himself again. 279 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: You know, I think he was trying to fill out 280 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: a little bit more and trying to be this NFL 281 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: receiver when you know, I think a Marie starting to 282 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: realize the Packers drafted me to be a Mari Rodgers, 283 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: not to be this guy. I thought a Marie Rogers 284 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: should be in the NFL, and and all those things together, 285 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: I think is really going to be what carries him forward. 286 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: And to be honest with you, Mike, we said it, 287 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: Larry McCarron said it. He's looked a lot more confident 288 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: in this camp and just seeing some of the place 289 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: he made in the two minute period on Wednesday, you know, 290 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: coming across on across or fifteen yards a third and 291 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: ten got have its situation to keep the chains moving. 292 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 1: He comes up in that in that area you're seeing 293 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: the pre stap motion and how he could potentially fit 294 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: factor into that equation. That was something we thought he 295 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 1: was kind of you know, earmarked four from the day 296 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: he was drafted. So he said that when that media 297 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: conversation we had with him on Tuesday, was that he 298 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: wasn't quite a Marie Rogers last year. He was a 299 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: Marie Roger. Marie Roger, but he wasn't a Marie Rogers. 300 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: He's like he's feeling, you know, like himself again. Yeah. 301 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: And it was interesting too because Matt Lafleur was was 302 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 1: asked about him, and one of the things la Fleur 303 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: said is is he's definitely in better shape here in 304 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: his second year than he was as a rookie. And 305 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: those are the kinds of things that that you kind 306 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: of just never know exactly what's going on with a guy, 307 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: right and and um, you look at you look at 308 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: this Packers receiving corps. I mentioned the three, the three veterans. 309 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: But now over the last two years, you've added a 310 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: second round, a third round, and a fourth round draft 311 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: pick to this mix. Plus you have some returning guys 312 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: and Malie Taylor, Juwan Winfrey, the seventh rounders, some more 313 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: a toure an undrafted rookie, and Danny Davis otto Wisconsin. 314 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: I mean, the competition and training camp will definitely be 315 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: um something to watch. I do want to talk about 316 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: Watkins as well, because I wrote a story yesterday late 317 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: in the afternoon yesterday that we posted on on the website, 318 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: and um, it was the first we had heard from 319 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: Watkins in the media. He had held court at his 320 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: locker after practice yesterday and uh, and I tell you, Wes, 321 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: it was um. Um. You know, whether whether you want 322 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: to talk about sports or politics or whatever, all the 323 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: obfuscation that goes on in the media in terms of 324 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: in terms of messages and this and that and what 325 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: people want to perceive or believe and whatever else that 326 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: you know, eight minutes with with Sammy Watkins at his 327 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: locker was one of the most refreshing things I've encountered 328 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: in a long time, because he was he was absolutely honest. 329 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: He was. He was insightful, um very blunt about his 330 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: own situation. He's as far as his career, He's like, hey, 331 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: my back is against the wall. I mean he's played 332 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: for multiple teams. Now, he admitted, I haven't had the 333 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: career that I expected to have. Right. He was the 334 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: number four overall pick back in the same year the 335 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: Packers drafted Davante Adams in the second round, and he 336 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: got off to a great start those first couple of 337 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: years in Buffalo, but then the injuries. You know, he 338 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: over the last six years, I counted it up. He 339 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: has He has missed in totality, more than two dozen 340 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: games over the course of six years. That's a that's 341 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: more than a season and a half of football. And 342 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: that doesn't include the games in which you only play 343 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: like part of a game, or you miss a big 344 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: chunk of a game because of the moment that you 345 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: do get hurt and you can't continue. So he knows 346 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: it's all it's all on him to stay healthy, to 347 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: stay on the field. But he was also very honest 348 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: in saying you you could see the look in his 349 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: eye and hear a little bit of the excitement in 350 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: his voice about how great a fit. He feels this 351 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: is with the Packers, where you have you have a 352 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,439 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. You're on a contender. 353 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: He's with a head coach who was his offensive coordinator 354 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: five years ago two thousand seventeen with the Rams, where 355 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: he caught eight touchdown passes that one year with the Rams, 356 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: by the way, which is the most touchdowns he's had 357 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 1: in a season since those early years in Buffalo. Jason 358 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: Vrabel was an offensive assistant who worked with the wide 359 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: receivers those early years in Buffalo. That's now his position 360 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: coach and the passing game coordinator for this offense. A 361 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: lot of the a lot of these other outside elements 362 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: kind of came together to to to say to Sammy Watkins, hey, 363 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: this is this is my shot at reviving my career. 364 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: This is year nine for him, but he wants to 365 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: play another three, four or five years and this is 366 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: his chance to make that happen. He has a one 367 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: year deal in Green Bay. He's playing on a really 368 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: good team that's going through major transition at his position. 369 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: This is uh, this is the the opportunity for the 370 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: reboot of his career and he and and he mints 371 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: no words about that. Yeah, you know almost in a 372 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: way and again different part of his career, but it 373 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: almost kind of reminds you, like of Devandre Campbell, where 374 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: he was just he was very deliberate about what that 375 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: next move was going to be this offseason, understanding he 376 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: needed to get in the right opportunity with the right team. 377 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: He's played with m v P quarterbacks, He's won a 378 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, right knows the standard that that is out there. 379 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: But the thing that stand out stood out to me 380 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 1: the most after going back and reading your story and 381 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: looking at what Watkins had said, is that Sammy Watkins 382 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,360 Speaker 1: has had a fine NFL career. He really has. This 383 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: is a league where guys come in, whether they're hyped 384 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: or not. I mean, they would all love to have, 385 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: you know, over five thousand yards in their career, you know, 386 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: thirty or four touchdown passes, a guy that has played 387 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 1: in all these offenses and started all these games. But 388 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 1: when you're drafted fourth overall, the expectation is that you're 389 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: the next Calvin Johnson, Right, You're You're the guy who's 390 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 1: going to play tenant. You know you're going to end 391 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: up with that that ten or twelve year career, whatever 392 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: it is, and you're gonna be talked about for Canton, Ohio. 393 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 1: That hasn't happened for Sammy Watkins. Yes, he's had a 394 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: really really good career, but even he was willing to 395 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: admit it's not the career that he wanted. But it's 396 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: funny to me because I think a lot of people 397 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: still wouldn't even say that. A lot of people that 398 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: are in his shoes that would be a top pick. 399 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: They'd kind of rest back on that and be like, yeah, 400 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 1: it turned out, Okay, I made some money. It's been 401 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: fun a super Bowl, got a Super Bowl ring. But 402 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: it was listening to Watkins be like, no, I still 403 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: got time and I have an opportunity here, and I 404 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 1: want to show everybody that that guy that flashed early 405 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,439 Speaker 1: on I can be that guy. And some of that 406 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: ultimately is out of his control, you know that, The 407 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: injury factor of it. Sometimes there are things that you 408 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: can't quite you know, do I mean you go back 409 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: to two thousand thirteen, Randall Cobb breaks his leg randomly, 410 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: you know, and going across the middle against Baltimore. Sometimes 411 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: this game dictates your future more than you do. But 412 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: in terms of the self awareness factor of it and 413 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: Watkins understanding where he is at this point career and 414 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: what he still feels like he needs to accomplish. As 415 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: you said, it was one of the more refreshing things 416 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: I think you've really heard said in the Packers locker room, 417 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: at least during my time on the beat. Yeah, another 418 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: point I think is worth making because we've talked about 419 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: how Watkins does have a Super Bowl ring. Another thing 420 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: I think that makes him a good fit here for 421 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: for a Packers team that expects to contend, wants to 422 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: make another run at the Super Bowl and all that. 423 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 1: Take a look at Sammy Watkins postseason statistics two thousand 424 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: eighteen and two thousand nineteen, um. Those two years, the 425 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: one year where the Chiefs lost in the a f 426 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: C Championship Game to the Patriots, the following year they 427 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: won the Super Bowl, and twenty nineteen, just in the postseason, 428 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: Sammy Watkins had I believe it's twenty four receptions for 429 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: over four hundred yards UM in five playoff games for 430 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. That's another thing 431 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: when you're talking about working in rookie receivers and guys 432 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: who haven't been in the NFL. Sammy Watkins hasn't just 433 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: been in the NFL. He has been a producer in 434 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: the host season in January where it matters, outdoors in 435 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: Kansas City. All those things that those are just other 436 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,439 Speaker 1: things that point to him being a really, really good 437 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: fit here. Now it's on him to stay healthy and 438 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: stay on the field, and he and and that's his 439 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: goal and he said that, but he's excited about it. 440 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: Matt la Fleur is excited about it. Aaron Rodgers is 441 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: excited about it. And uh, and we'll just see where 442 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: this goes. And Watkins might be the greatest Week one 443 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: receiver in NFL history too. I mean, he's had some 444 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: incredible performances right out of the game, you know, for 445 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: for all these teams too. But the thing I like 446 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: that you said, they're especially at that time where you know, 447 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: Tarik Hill, all the eyes are on this guy. You 448 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 1: hear you read about it. We saw it. There were 449 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,880 Speaker 1: so many one on one opportunities created for Watkins there 450 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: and the guy absolutely just you know, devoured those. He 451 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 1: delivered me. And seeing this offense and the way it's 452 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: it's built now, certainly there aren't gonna be as many 453 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: double teams as there was, you know, as much cloud 454 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: coverage as there was when Davante Adams was roaming around there. 455 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: But Matt Lafleur, you know, Adam Stenovitch, these offensive coaches, 456 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: they're gonna try to trick the defense's mind. They're gonna 457 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: try to really get their eyes mixed up and to 458 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: have a Guyli Watkins, to have these plethora of different 459 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: types of playmakers, different body types. That that's the exciting 460 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 1: thing about it because I think you're going to see 461 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: an active backfield. I think you're gonna see an active 462 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 1: pre snap and seeing how they kind of build the 463 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 1: offense from there at the road Trees is gonna be fascinating. Yeah. Well, 464 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 1: I do want to touch on a few things with 465 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: regard to the defense before we go, and I'll take 466 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: care of some sponsor business here quickly. West Serious x 467 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 1: M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to 468 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need seven 469 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,959 Speaker 1: three six and at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone, 470 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and cheese, golden fries, 471 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or 472 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: sub in a bowl, cousin subs we believe in better 473 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 1: all right. A couple of things on the defensive side. 474 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: One not too much of a surprise in that in 475 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: seeing particularly in Tuesday's first mini camp practice, we saw JR. 476 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: Alexand er Eric Stokes, Russeul Douglas the top three cornerbacks 477 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: out there with the number one defense, and uh, you know, 478 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 1: low and behold, a couple of different guys were playing 479 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: the slot position. Right. It was, I mean it was 480 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: we saw Douglas probably more in there that but but 481 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: Alexander was in there as well. We had talked about 482 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: that on our last show. How um, the Packers aren't 483 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: going to label label one of those three guys the 484 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: slot corner. That's not not how this defense is gonna work. 485 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: The other thing that that caught my eye was that 486 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: while we see the two first round picks from Georgia 487 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: Kuaywalker Davante Wyatt, they were getting getting worked in, getting 488 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: some reps with the number one defense UM in some 489 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: different spots. We also saw plenty of Chris Barnes and T. J. 490 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: Slayton um linebacker and defensive line um those same positions 491 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: that the first round picks from Georgia play. It was 492 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 1: it was almost you know, for me, it was almost 493 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,880 Speaker 1: like a reminder that, Okay, these guys are still these 494 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: guys are still here too, and they're gonna be They're 495 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: gonna be factors. They may not play fifty snaps a game, 496 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: but those are those are two guys who are going 497 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: to be factors in the rotation in the in this defense. 498 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: And uh and perhaps we saw a little bit more 499 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: of Slaton on the defensive line than we expected because 500 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,719 Speaker 1: throughout this uh these offseason workouts. Dean Lowry, the veteran 501 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: has been has been sidelined with with an undisclosed injury. 502 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: But um, when you go when when you have a 503 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 1: guy like Barnes, you know, I expect, personally, I expect 504 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: kay Walker to play quite a bit on defense with 505 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: the way Joe Berry likes to play defense. But when 506 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: a guy like Barnes, who has played as much as 507 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: he has suddenly is uh is a really really solid, 508 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: reliable depth piece. Potentially as as this defense evolves, you 509 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: just got a heck of a lot better at that position. Well, 510 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 1: you gotta remember the way they use their personnel last 511 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: year too, I mean not just Barnes, they found ways 512 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: to get or in Burke's involved on defense, whether it 513 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 1: was Nickel or Dime whatever. I think you're gonna see 514 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: a lot of those same parallels with Walker, maybe even 515 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,439 Speaker 1: more so. I think there's gonna be ways for this 516 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: defense to be able to maximize the playmaking abilities of 517 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: him while also realizing that, hey, two years ago, Chris 518 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: Barnes was our Mike. I mean that was the way 519 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: this defense was structure we had. Yeah, So I feel 520 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: like that middle interior the defense is really strong right 521 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 1: now and and being able to be multiple with that, 522 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be Joe Berry's real strength here 523 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,360 Speaker 1: moving forward. I mean, if you think about it, Mike, 524 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 1: the Packer defenses at least during my generation, I couldn't 525 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: give you all the scheme breakdowns of we know how 526 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 1: Friz Shermer did it, but it's been strong, sturdy up 527 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: the middle has been sort of the winning recipe for them, 528 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: right the thousand pound line back in like nine and 529 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: ten with you know, Johnny Jolly and b J Raji 530 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: and and also having Ryan Pickett involved, But then you 531 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: had really good inside linebackers in the prime of their career. 532 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: There you know, whether it was you know, Nick Barnett 533 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: and a j Hawk, Desmond, a Ship Brandon Chillar. I 534 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: mean like they had deep pieces there in the middle 535 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: of the defense, and I just feel like the deeper 536 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 1: you are there, the more things you can do. And 537 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: Mike I said it from Draft night. I'm gonna say 538 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 1: it again, even just watching individuals. When Devandre Campbell is 539 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: standing next to kuay Walker. I'm a short guy. I 540 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 1: get that, but I'm not much taller than you. But 541 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: but I mean, like just the way those two guys 542 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: sort of lord over the defensive front. There's just there's 543 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: so many things you can do, and especially when you're 544 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: that explosive in and out of your hips, you can 545 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 1: cover sideline to sideline. There's there's a there's a presence 546 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: there when those two guys are next to each other, 547 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: there's no doubt. It's and off the bus, you know, 548 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 1: walking off the bus kind of you know, intimidation factor. 549 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: And you mentioned the cornerbacks too, and the way you 550 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: can use these guys. You want to match up and 551 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: go athletic with the jyr Alexander inside. You want to 552 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 1: go with the Rasul Douglas who's a bigger body, you know, 553 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: almost more in that that Charles Woodson type build in 554 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: terms of what his body looks like when he's in 555 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: on the field. It's the most exciting I think it's 556 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: been here on defense in a number of years. But 557 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: certainly Matt Lafleur said it. It looks great on paper, 558 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: but you've gotta have it, you gotta execute, you gotta 559 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: keep guys healthy. But my goodness, Mike, the sky is 560 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 1: the limit for that defensive unit. Yeah. A couple of 561 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 1: other uh call them nuggets regarding the depth chart, just 562 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: to just to throw out there for now, to keep 563 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: in mind for when we do UM when the team 564 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: does come back for training camp at the end of July, 565 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: on the defensive side, for the most part, UM, it 566 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: looks like the fourth cornerback is Keishaan Nixon, the um, 567 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: the veteran acquisition from the Raiders who's also going to 568 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 1: play a significant role on special teams. Right now, he 569 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: would you know, he looks like he's the fourth corner 570 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: and then the third, the third safety behind your starters 571 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: um Amos and Savage at this point looks like Sean Davis. Um. Again, 572 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: these are things that can change when training camp rolls around, 573 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: or you get one week into training camp and other 574 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,400 Speaker 1: guy start to emerge and whatnot. But I just throw 575 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 1: those nuggets out there now for those who like to 576 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,880 Speaker 1: look look at the depth, look further down. That's sort 577 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: of sort of where how things look right now. And 578 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 1: as far as the offensive line goes, we didn't see 579 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: David Bak try out on the field yet, Elton Jenkins 580 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: still re having his knee. We saw, you know, some 581 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: some flip flopping back and forth with with Yosh Naiman 582 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: Cole van Landon playing both of the tackle spots. And 583 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: we also saw Jake Hansen get some snaps um as 584 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: a guard with the number one offensive line when Royce 585 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 1: Newman moved out to right tackle. So some some different 586 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: combinations there um with regard to to the top units. 587 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: But so those are just some names all throughout there 588 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: in terms of keeping your eye on the depth chart 589 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: and uh and where things will probably be at the 590 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: start of training camp and then we see where it 591 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: goes from there the offensive line and if you just 592 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: take all of it with such a big grain of salt, 593 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 1: because you go back and you think about, you know, 594 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: really it was just Josh Myers is the only rookie 595 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: I can never really remember just starting and being right 596 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: in with the starters from day wonder in the off 597 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 1: season program. The defense was really telling though, because those 598 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: are two positions with cornerback and safety where they don't 599 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: really have rookies. It's a lot of returning veterans. So 600 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: the fact that Davis is kind of sitting up there 601 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: right now when you have a Vernon Scott back, when 602 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: you have an inn, its gains and even the rookie 603 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: and Carpenter, I thought that was very interesting. And in Nixon, man, 604 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say it. I'm not trying to do comparisons, 605 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: but my goodness, the more you learn about what he 606 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: did with the Raiders and the more you see what 607 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: he can do potentially playing inside and outside in Green Bay, 608 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: you kind of get that Jared Bush kind of vibe 609 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: from him a little bit. But I will say this 610 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: maybe a maybe a tad shorter than Bush. I would say, 611 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: not quite not quite the same, not quite the same 612 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: body type, but I definitely get where you're going. And 613 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: the fact when they are in the special teams period, 614 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: there is no question who is one of the guys 615 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: that's one of the Rich Pisaccia, Leaders Disciples, It's Keishawn 616 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: Nix and that kid makes his voice heard on the field. Yeah. Absolutely, 617 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,239 Speaker 1: Well with that, we'll call it a wrap on this 618 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: edition of Packers Unscripted. We will be back next week 619 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: for one more show before kind of signing off for 620 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: the summer break and then coming back for training camp. 621 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: But for now, thank you for tuning in everybody for Wes. 622 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: I am Mike. We will see you next time.