WEBVTT - #303 Packers Unscripted: It has arrived 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:20.800 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:24.640 I am, like Spofford, sitting alongside my trusted colleague Wes 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:28.560 hodkowits West new season, new presentation here for the show. 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:31.400 We are no longer on local cable, which means we 0:00:31.440 --> 0:00:34.879 are on the world wide Web. So a drawback. You 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.680 don't get to say on your resume that your reality 0:00:37.720 --> 0:00:40.960 TV star anymore. I lost that ability, Michael. But you 0:00:41.000 --> 0:00:42.440 know what's really cool about this. You and I have 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:45.239 done over three episodes now we're counting down at the 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:48.000 end of last season. This is maybe for the first 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:50.760 time a lot of people seeing us for the first 0:00:50.800 --> 0:00:53.640 time now that we're on Packers dot Com and giving 0:00:53.640 --> 0:00:56.560 a chance to provide this content a little bit faster 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.680 for some people, and also being able to uh see 0:00:59.680 --> 0:01:02.240 our faith says. So for that we apologize in advance 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.360 and uh so here we are. Podcast listeners. You can 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:10.520 still obviously continue to consume the show that way, but 0:01:10.600 --> 0:01:12.480 also check us out on video if you want to 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:14.800 see what the studio looks like. Maybe you've never seen 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:19.480 it before, but West Training Camp for the Green Bay 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:23.720 Packers is upon us. First practice on Thursday at Ray 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:28.080 Nichky Field just across the street here from Lambeau. Let's 0:01:28.080 --> 0:01:30.759 just get right into it. Offensive side of the ball. 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:33.480 The key storylines in this training camp. What are you 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:36.120 watching for? Well, first and foremost, Mike, I can't believe 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:38.959 we're already at this point again, how quickly that offseason 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:42.319 goes by. Are are six months removed from last season. 0:01:42.760 --> 0:01:45.479 But I think the stuff on offense that I'm looking 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:48.080 most forward to seeing is really how these young guys 0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:50.960 that are going to be given some opportunities react. Jordy 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:53.880 Nelson is no longer here. We know the situation that's 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:56.600 unfolding at the quarterback position with Deshaun Kaiser coming in 0:01:56.640 --> 0:02:00.000 through a trade, the three headed monster in the backfield 0:02:00.520 --> 0:02:04.240 with Aaron Jones, Jamal Williams in Time Montgomery. But more 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:06.760 than anything, I guess what I'm looking for is that 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:09.919 offensive line. And last year, at this time, you look 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:13.720 at guys like Justin McCrae, Lucas Patrick Uh To a 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:15.960 lot of people the casual fan, they were just writing 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:18.320 those guys off right from the beginning that they camp, 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:22.720 body type players, and both of them end up having 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:24.480 a pretty big impact over the course of the season. 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:26.640 Stepping up. Justin McCraw having one of the best seasons 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:28.280 I think of anyone on the offensive side of the ball. 0:02:28.360 --> 0:02:30.359 Now he's gonna have a chance to compete for a 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:33.200 starting job at right guards. So for me going in, 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:35.560 I think I look for the next Justin mccraig, not 0:02:35.600 --> 0:02:37.880 just on the offensive line, a guy that maybe is 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:40.040 that towards the bottom of that depth chart, but through 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:43.200 either whether it's injuries, opportunities, what have you, having an 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:45.760 opportunity to really show their skill set and end up 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:48.320 making this fifty three man roster. Yeah, the competition on 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:50.799 the offensive side of the ball a number of positions here, 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:53.920 not just the offensive line obviously, will find out whatever 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:56.800 the latest update is on Brian Blogg at right tackle, 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:59.840 will he be possibly be ready for Week one if not, 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:04.400 Jason Spriggs, Kyle Murphy, guys like that competing to start 0:03:04.400 --> 0:03:06.840 in week one at right tackle. You mentioned Justin McCrae 0:03:06.840 --> 0:03:09.720 at right guard, Lucas Patrick, the draft pick, Cole Madison 0:03:09.760 --> 0:03:12.040 from Washington State will be in that mix. Then you 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:14.639 look at wide receiver when you're talking about draft picks too. 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:18.080 We know at the top of it, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb. 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:21.600 You've got Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis as your top 0:03:21.639 --> 0:03:24.600 two tight ends free agent acquisitions in the off season, 0:03:24.840 --> 0:03:27.639 but after that, as far as catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:29.959 it's pretty wide open, isn't it. It really is. And 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:31.920 one of the stories, you know, once the season or 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:34.040 once the off season programs over, you and I end 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:36.880 up doing a number of stories, kind of saving some content, 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:39.400 writing them throughout the end of June and into July. 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.000 And one of the stories that I thought was most 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:44.120 interesting was Jeronimo Allison. Yeah, at the receiver position. This 0:03:44.160 --> 0:03:47.280 is a young man now with two years under his belt. Uh, 0:03:47.360 --> 0:03:49.600 you know, in the meeting rooms every time sat in 0:03:49.640 --> 0:03:53.600 front of Jordy Nelson really had that osmosis learning process, 0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:57.320 just constantly listening to what he had to say, Uh, 0:03:57.400 --> 0:03:59.920 take pointers from him. And now he's in the driver's seat. 0:03:59.920 --> 0:04:04.000 The Packers drafted three young, promising, big and quick receivers 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:06.720 this past year, but Jeronomoy Allison is a guy that 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:08.760 I think, when you go into this camp, is right 0:04:08.760 --> 0:04:11.440 now slated at that number three position. And and while 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:14.080 they have had this whole influx of receivers the last 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:17.760 few seasons young that they've gotten through the draft. Allison's 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:19.680 out there to prove that, you know what I can be, 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:21.640 that guy can be counted on. He feels like he's 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:23.880 developed a trust and a report with Aaron Rodgers. So 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:26.440 when again, when you line up those names on the 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.360 offensive side of the ball, I think he's one of 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:30.320 the ones that I'm most excited to watch and seeing 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:31.960 if he can make that number, you know, the third 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:34.160 year jump. Now. Yeah. One of the things that really 0:04:34.160 --> 0:04:36.560 struck me about that story you wrote on Allison, I 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:38.320 believe it were it was a couple of comments you 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:42.120 had from Davante as showed that really showed that for 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.159 a young guy whose production has been somewhat limited, he 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:47.640 stepped up in certain situations, but he's been a rather 0:04:47.760 --> 0:04:50.400 quiet guy his first couple of years. He's earned a 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:53.720 certain level of respect in that receiver's room already, even 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:56.720 though he doesn't have the hundred and fifty yard game 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:59.440 or the or the two three touchdown game on his resume. 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:02.159 Early in his career, he's earned a certain level of 0:05:02.200 --> 0:05:05.680 respect from guys like Adams and Cobb in that receiver room, 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:07.880 and something like that can go a long way because 0:05:07.880 --> 0:05:10.920 this competition is going to be rather fierce. When you're 0:05:10.920 --> 0:05:14.600 talking Jamon Moore, e q st Brown, Marquez Valdes, Scantling, 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:18.280 the three rookie draft picks, all of these guys, they 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:20.839 bring a lot of different skills to the table. These 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:23.039 three guys are not three p's in a pot in 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:26.760 my opinion, They're very different receivers. So the way the 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:29.320 Packers coaching staff is gonna mix and match and try 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:31.800 to figure out matchups and who does who does what 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:34.000 best and where they line up, it's really going to 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:37.440 be interesting to watch, absolutely, and especially from Allison's point 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:40.000 of view, him really trying to take that next step. 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:43.160 We've seen receivers come in undrafted and make an impact. 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:46.080 Jared Boykin had a good year, obviously, Brett sway the 0:05:46.160 --> 0:05:48.440 number of years that he was here, Ruvel Martin. But 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:50.680 the thing that I like about what Allison has done 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:53.080 is he's kind of each year taking that step not 0:05:53.120 --> 0:05:55.120 only to special teams, but trying to make an impact 0:05:55.200 --> 0:05:57.840 on offense. The table set for him. And and this 0:05:57.920 --> 0:05:59.800 is a team that's definitely looking for that number three. 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:02.360 And even though I would imagine, you know, Jimmy Graham 0:06:02.400 --> 0:06:04.200 of those two tight end sets will be pretty prevalent 0:06:04.160 --> 0:06:06.240 in this offense as well, and on the offensive side 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:08.120 of the ball. I don't want to dismiss the backup 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.240 quarterback battle between Deshaun Kayser Brett Hunley. I think we're 0:06:11.279 --> 0:06:13.640 gonna be talking about that a lot as we get 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:17.000 into the preseason games and seeing how they perform against 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:19.039 other opponents. But I do want to shift gears to 0:06:19.080 --> 0:06:22.400 the defensive side in terms of the storylines that are 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.600 developing here. If there's one maybe defensive storyline that you 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:28.600 have your eye on the most, what is it? It's 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:32.400 a secondary obviously, and just because of all of the 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:35.800 adjustments the Packers made this offset offseason. This is the 0:06:35.839 --> 0:06:39.919 biggest overhaul they've had in nine years with the secondary 0:06:40.080 --> 0:06:42.360 and it you know, they bring in Mike Petton as 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:44.480 the defensive coordinea, but you could tell early on how 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.000 important it was to both Mike McCarthy and Petton to 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:49.920 retain Joe Witt and have him still leading that group. 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.360 Truman Williams comes back, Devon House has resigned. They draft 0:06:53.400 --> 0:06:58.120 two new cornerbacks and Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson, and 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:00.880 seeing how those young players and some of these returning 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.840 players all match up secondary was that was that was 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:05.680 a hard position for the Packers last year. I think 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:07.920 everybody's agreement there. They took a lot of hits, Scott 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:10.440 banged up, and they need to improve going into two 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:14.080 thousand eighteen. But there's so many guys with returning experience now, 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:17.160 Kevin King coming back off the shoulder injury, Quinton Rollins 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:20.040 coming back off the Achilles injury, meshing with these young 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:24.600 players coming in that cornerback position specifically, nothing is settled 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:26.720 there right now. You don't know who's lining up where. 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:28.960 Into me, that's one of the more exciting things about 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:30.840 this They have options, and there's also gonna be a 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:33.120 lot of competition that's going to come out of those options. Yeah, 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:36.360 I agree with you in terms of watching how sort 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:38.840 of the new players, so to speak, mesh with some 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:40.840 of the veterans, and and what I mean by that 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:44.360 when you look at how the seventeen season ended and 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.640 then you look at what this defense now appears to 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:50.320 be going into You mentioned Kevin King's back from the 0:07:50.360 --> 0:07:53.320 shoulder injury, Quentin Rollins from the Achilles injury. You drafted 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:56.480 or In Burke's an inside linebacker, You drafted those two 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:59.920 cornerbacks and Alexander and Jackson. You signed Mohammed Wilkerson as 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:03.880 free agent. On the defensive line, you're getting Montravius Adams 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:06.680 back from essentially a red shirt year with his as 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:09.040 a third round draft pick out of Auburn, not much 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:11.920 of a rookie season because of injuries. Same with Vince 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:15.880 Bagel at outside linebacker coming out of Wisconsin. A lot 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:19.320 of new players, young and old in a sense when 0:08:19.360 --> 0:08:22.920 you talk about Wilkerson and guys like Traumont Williams coming 0:08:22.920 --> 0:08:26.520 into the mix, new and old mixing in with the 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:29.360 guys who were here and the guys who finished. A 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:32.360 new coordinator, some new scheme ideas, all that kind of stuff. 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:35.640 This is this is going to be the ongoing story 0:08:35.800 --> 0:08:39.199 really through not only the beginning of the season, but 0:08:39.280 --> 0:08:42.400 perhaps the entire the entire four months of the regular season. 0:08:42.400 --> 0:08:43.800 And one of the reasons why I think there is 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:45.800 a lot of hope and I've seen the insider inbox 0:08:45.800 --> 0:08:48.120 when you and I have answering questions with this defense 0:08:48.160 --> 0:08:50.640 as a whole. As zest, They've brought in some veterans, 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:53.680 but there's familiarity there with Wilkerson and his ties to 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:57.840 Petton in their first two seasons together, having those two 0:08:57.840 --> 0:08:59.960 seasons when Petton was the head coach of the Brown 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:02.760 So there isn't gonna be this quantum leap that these 0:09:02.760 --> 0:09:05.120 guys are gonna have to make into his scheme. And 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:07.040 then you also to mention that back end. I mean 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:08.800 you have ha ha, Clinton Dix. You know, obviously he's 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:10.920 talked about it all offseason, looking to return to form, 0:09:10.960 --> 0:09:13.319 believes that this scheme will bring out the best in him. 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:15.880 Josh Jones being able to focus strictly on the safety 0:09:15.920 --> 0:09:18.840 position the Packers believing that will behoove him. And then 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:21.840 also Kentroll, Bryce comes back off of the ankling. That 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:23.800 was the guy. When I was rattling off all those 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:26.200 guys coming back, I forgot about Bryce. That was another 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:28.559 one who his name was on the tip of my tongue. 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:30.960 But yeah, you talk about a guy who was looking 0:09:31.000 --> 0:09:33.720 like he could make an impact on this defense last year. 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:35.880 Then he goes down with the injury. We didn't hear 0:09:35.920 --> 0:09:38.160 from him again. He's back and seems to be ready 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:39.760 to go. Yeah, and I thought that was so important 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:41.600 for him to actually be able to participate in all 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.280 the off season program and he got a lot of 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:46.000 reps to uh, you know between some of the practices 0:09:46.000 --> 0:09:48.720 that Clinton Dix wasn't here for Josh Jones at times 0:09:48.720 --> 0:09:50.880 they were kind of you know, they took caution with him. 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:53.320 He got a lot of work and you know, you 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:56.680 talked to him during the offseason program. Mike McCarthy really 0:09:57.040 --> 0:09:59.439 praised him for for the off season he put together 0:09:59.440 --> 0:10:01.600 coming off of injury. He's a hungry guy and a 0:10:01.600 --> 0:10:04.600 big hitter and those two things together when you look 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.400 historically with the Packers secondary, that's where you've seen guys 0:10:07.440 --> 0:10:10.640 have successes undrafted free agents and and I think Bryce 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:12.599 has all the intangibles to fit into that. Yeah, I 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:15.520 would agree. Another topic I want to hit on here West, 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:18.880 what do you see what's out there as a potential 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:22.280 surprise maybe in this training camp. Now, it's kind of 0:10:22.280 --> 0:10:25.240 a misnomer because if we're talking about potential surprises, then 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:27.720 is it really a surprise when it happens. But just 0:10:27.800 --> 0:10:30.280 wondering what what out there to you is kind of 0:10:30.360 --> 0:10:33.560 under the radar, maybe something people aren't necessarily paying attention to, 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:36.440 or it's not a top of mind thing, but but 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:39.360 that maybe is a developing story here through camp. What 0:10:39.440 --> 0:10:42.320 Mike Petton's grand plan is going to be for this defense. 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:45.959 We've been reading Tea Leaves all off season, the transactions 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:48.920 that they made, the emphasis on the defensive line, drafting 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:52.400 the cornerbacks, drafting a hybrid type player like Orn Burke's 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:55.720 to to settle into that inside backer situation with Blake 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:58.839 Martinez and Jake Ryan. Uh. This again, as I mentioned 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:00.680 in the intro, this is the biggest overhaul the Packers 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.320 have had on defense in almost a decade. So what 0:11:03.520 --> 0:11:05.800 is Mike Petton's plan going to be for this unit? 0:11:05.840 --> 0:11:08.000 And I think one thing that was interesting Insider in 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:11.239 Box somebody had asked this week, what are the telltale 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:14.080 signs of whether or not Petton's defense, when you look statistically, 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:16.640 is going to accomplish what it wants to accomplish. And 0:11:16.720 --> 0:11:19.040 I think the thing that's unique about his scheme is 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:21.160 he's had success in a number of ways. He's done 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.240 it with a guy like Durrell Revas playing defensive player 0:11:24.280 --> 0:11:27.240 of the year type season. There's been years where the 0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:29.200 Jets didn't have a ton of sacks but still were 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:32.440 incredibly effective. Uh with with their overall scheme, I just 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:34.920 think there's so many different ways he can win in 0:11:35.000 --> 0:11:37.160 seeing what his mental approach is going to be, to 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:39.520 the pieces that he has in place in both also 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:42.560 the incoming UH players the Packers have added this offseason. 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:46.240 Seeing how he marries those two ideas. To me, I 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:47.880 think whatever it ends up being is going to be 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:50.480 the biggest surprise. Yeah. I want to touch on one 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:53.640 thing with regards to special teams, and that's what really 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:56.600 is going to be a developing competition at long snapper 0:11:56.640 --> 0:11:59.920 because I think when the Packers drafted Hunter Bradley seventh 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:02.520 round out of Mississippi State to be the long snapper, 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:04.800 I think a lot of people just said, Okay, there's 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:06.640 your new long snapper. They used to draft pick on 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:10.960 the guy Zach Trainer. He's not just gonna go away here. 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:13.559 I mean, this is going to be a legitimate competition 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:17.520 between Zach Tchiner and Hunter Bradley. Two guys, uh. You know, 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:20.720 both got to the specialist route in very different ways. 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:23.520 You had chronicled with Hunter Bradley, the multiple A c 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:26.200 L surgeries kind of took him out of the potential 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:28.520 of being a tight end in college, so then he 0:12:28.880 --> 0:12:32.240 relegated himself to specialists. But um, but these two guys, 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:36.319 we saw them alternate snaps um during O t s 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:38.520 and whatnot. So this is something that I think is 0:12:38.520 --> 0:12:41.080 going to continue into the preseason games. But then another 0:12:41.559 --> 0:12:45.240 issue on offense that I think is worth watching is 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:50.240 this whole chemistry issue between not only Aaron Rodgers and 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:52.280 some of these young receivers if they make their way 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:54.880 up the depth chart and get those opportunities for snaps 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:59.280 with the number one quarterback, but Aaron Rodgers with Jimmy Graham, 0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:01.319 we saw a couple of years ago how quickly the 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:04.360 chemistry developed with Jared Cook when he was brought in. 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.040 It didn't really come to fruition in the regular season 0:13:07.080 --> 0:13:09.160 because of the injuries to Cook where he had to 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:11.839 miss a chunk of time. We even saw it last year. 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:14.800 Frankly with Martellis Bennett. It didn't take long for Bennett 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:17.360 and Rodgers to get on the same page. I think 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.520 Bennett just dropped too many passes. He just wasn't reliable enough, 0:13:20.559 --> 0:13:22.720 and then obviously things you know, kind of went south 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:25.800 from there. But Aaron Rodgers, I've said it several times, 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:31.000 he sounds so genuinely excited to me for what Jimmy 0:13:31.040 --> 0:13:33.280 Graham can bring to this offense and the fact that 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:35.680 this guy is a part of this offense, now do 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:38.480 you get the same sense? Absolutely? And and to me personally, 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:40.320 I think it even goes one step deeper than that. 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:43.160 It isn't just Rogers. It's a guy like Randall Cobb 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:46.920 and and guys that can play multiple positions inside outside, 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:49.680 and what exactly the thought process is going to be 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:52.319 there with Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers and obviously Joe 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:54.680 Philbin coming back trying to really lay out this new 0:13:54.720 --> 0:13:57.360 offense and in how it's going to be utilized. I 0:13:57.400 --> 0:13:59.840 really think that the best friend for Cobb this season 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:02.400 and be Graham because both of those guys can be 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:04.280 effective in the middle of the field. We've seen what 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:06.240 they can do with the big plays over the years 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:08.400 and seeing how they can kind of line up and 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:10.960 how much fun the Packers could have with those matchups. 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:13.360 Here's the thing about Graham and someone again getting back 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.320 to inbox, somebody had asked this week to the Packers, 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:16.920 you know, do you see him having a season like 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:21.640 he had, you know, those thousand yard touchdown seasons with 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:24.440 the Saints all those years ago. It's possible you know, 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:26.640 if a guy ends up playing the entire year and 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.920 gets those snaps. We've seen the chemistry that Aaron Rodgers 0:14:29.920 --> 0:14:31.600 can develop with the tight end if he's there week 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:34.480 in and week out. I don't think that's the prerequisite 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.280 for this to be a successful signing, though. If Graham 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.440 creates that matchup nightmare, if he makes defenses make a 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:42.400 decision on how they're going to defend him, and also 0:14:42.640 --> 0:14:46.280 to that to that extreme, you know Marcedes Lewis coming 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:50.480 into this offense as well. All those things together, I 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:52.640 think are ultimately what are going to help this offense 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:54.280 get to where it needs to be, because we've seen 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:56.960 when the tight end position makes an impact exactly the 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:59.600 domino effect it can have for the rest of the players. Yeah, 0:14:59.640 --> 0:15:01.960 I've been in our Insider inbox column. You just have 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:04.160 to look at the stretch run in two sixteen when 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:08.040 Jared Cook came back, how different the offense looked and 0:15:08.040 --> 0:15:12.280 how suddenly explosive it was. The Packers could that stretch run, 0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:13.920 you know, the run, the table, whatever you want to 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.680 call it. At the end of the Packers were scoring 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:18.400 a bunch of points. And as rough as that game 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:21.120 against Washington was, that year. I think there was sort 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:23.440 of this feeling that, you know what, we found something 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:25.280 that was kind of the coming out party in a 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:27.640 sense of what this offense was going to be down 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.880 the stretch. And I think Aaron Rodgers senses that Jimmy 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:35.040 Graham can can be that that missing piece that uh 0:15:35.440 --> 0:15:38.200 that Jared Cook was Now granted, you still have to 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:40.360 make up for the loss of Jordy Nelson because Jordy 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:43.440 Nelson was a big player in absolutely and that's where 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.040 it's It's on everybody. I think. You know, Randall cob 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.680 reiterated again last week during one of his appearances, I mean, 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:50.920 it isn't one player that's going to replace Nelson. It's 0:15:50.960 --> 0:15:52.400 going to be the whole, and you know, Graham is 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:53.800 a big part of that, but it's gonna be those 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:56.440 young receivers as well. Yeah. Alright, well, one last topic 0:15:56.480 --> 0:15:58.480 I want to hit on West before we go here 0:15:58.520 --> 0:16:04.080 on our inaugural eighteen Packers unscripted. Okay, we're all, you know, 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:06.480 we cross our fingers. We want guys to stay healthy. 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:08.840 We want the Packers obviously to be ready healthy for 0:16:08.920 --> 0:16:12.160 Week one Chicago Bears. But aside from that, what is 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:15.000 something that you want to be able to say about 0:16:15.040 --> 0:16:18.720 this Packers team at the end of training camp. It's 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:21.000 kind of cliche, but they're ready. Uh. You know, I 0:16:21.400 --> 0:16:23.200 think one of the things that last year, for as 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:25.520 many things obviously has went wrong through the stretch run, 0:16:26.080 --> 0:16:27.640 by the end of the training camp, you had a 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:29.520 pretty good idea that, hey, Justin mccraig could be a 0:16:29.560 --> 0:16:31.000 guy that you could kind of lean on here if 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.200 you need him. He played really well during the preseason. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:36.040 I think you saw the young running backs really step 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:38.520 up and get a hint of what they can offer. Uh. 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:41.560 If this team, and I don't Randall Cobbs is gonna 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:43.920 be ready. You look at Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers, those 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:46.320 guys there, they are what they are and you know, 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:48.600 and they have, you know, the season in front of them. 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:51.160 They know what it's like. But you want to see, 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:53.080 you know, a guy like Warren Burke's, you know, maybe 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:54.880 make his presence felt a little bit. You want to 0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:57.720 see some of these second year players coming back um 0:16:57.760 --> 0:16:59.400 and showing what they have to offer. I look at 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:01.760 a guy like Vin Spiegel too, who didn't have a 0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:04.560 training camp last year, who played sparling during the season 0:17:04.840 --> 0:17:07.560 after he had to play catch up for three months. Uh, 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:09.760 what can he do now that you give him some snaps? 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:11.800 Can can a guy like Reggie Gilbert build on what 0:17:11.800 --> 0:17:14.119 he did last year? So I I look at that 0:17:14.240 --> 0:17:16.560 starting lineup as the starting lineup and and you know 0:17:16.680 --> 0:17:18.760 your catalysts, and we're gonna get you where you're gonna 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:21.000 go over the season. But do you start to see 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:24.040 some of those young players pushing some of those starting spots. 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:26.040 I think that's the number one thing all my eye on. Yeah, 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:27.760 that's what I want to be able to say. Two 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:30.720 is at that edge rusher position. I know Mike Petton 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:33.360 has talked about the importance of the inside rush. It's 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:35.600 why the Packers have kind of loaded up, so to speak, 0:17:35.640 --> 0:17:39.280 on the defensive line. He's looking to generate the inside pressure. 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:41.639 There was there weren't a whole lot of additions to 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:44.679 the outside linebacker position. But when you talk about that 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:48.840 group behind Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, you're talking Chris Odom, 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:52.720 Vince Biegel, Kyler, Facral Kendall, Donnerson, the seventh round draft pick, 0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:55.840 Reggie Gilbert. Those guys I want to be able to 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.119 say at the end of training camp, that a couple 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:01.200 of those guys have really up to the forefront and 0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:03.520 when they need to step in for Clay Matthews and 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:05.880 Nick Perry, it's not going to be suddenly this big 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:08.080 drop off on the defense, or that there are worries 0:18:08.119 --> 0:18:11.040 about what's going to happen at those edge positions. This 0:18:11.080 --> 0:18:13.919 is a huge opportunity at edge rusher for all of 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:17.960 these young guys. Somebody, and hopefully it's more than one guy, 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.359 takes the bull by the horns and says I'm gonna 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:23.280 be that next guy up behind Matthews and Perry, and 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:26.160 then somebody else is like, I'm the next guy behind him. 0:18:26.200 --> 0:18:28.399 I want to see some separation here. I'm not saying 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:30.640 I want, you know, certain guys to not make the team, 0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:33.639 but I want to see some separation that a couple 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:35.920 of these young guys, you know, sort of state their 0:18:35.920 --> 0:18:38.120 case and say and say we're the ones you can 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:39.800 count out. And I know it's fun for a lot 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:41.359