WEBVTT - #714 Packers Unscripted: That’s a wrap 0:00:07.160 --> 0:00:10.799 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.840 --> 0:00:14.120 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by my 0:00:14.200 --> 0:00:17.320 trusted colleague West and Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:21.639 once again from different locations at lambeau Field and Wes. 0:00:21.800 --> 0:00:26.520 The Packers twenty twenty three mini camp has concluded. The 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:30.120 off season program for twenty twenty three is also done. 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:32.800 As you and I are recording this episode, the players 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:38.920 are out at a paintball activity, firing away and having 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:42.000 some fun. I wanted to get your thoughts though, as 0:00:42.000 --> 0:00:45.360 far as wrapping up this offseason program. This entire twenty 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:48.080 twenty three season is going to be all about the 0:00:48.159 --> 0:00:50.720 transition to Jordan Love. So I will just throw it 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:53.479 out there to you as an open ended question. What 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:57.120 were your impressions of Jordan Love based on what we 0:00:57.160 --> 0:00:59.959 got to see in this offseason world? 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:02.720 Good work, strong work, and I felt, like, you know, 0:01:02.880 --> 0:01:04.400 one of the things he touched on when he had 0:01:04.400 --> 0:01:08.319 his last media availability with us was two biggest points 0:01:08.319 --> 0:01:11.120 of emphasis. The first one on the field was the 0:01:11.360 --> 0:01:14.160 throwing on the run. That was something that him and 0:01:14.200 --> 0:01:17.600 Tom Clements Connor Lewis that entire room talked about going 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:20.399 into this offseason program, they wanted to be able to 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:22.000 test him a little bit more there. They did a 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:25.040 ton of drills in that area of the field early 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:27.800 in the camp and then obviously that kind of naturally 0:01:28.319 --> 0:01:31.679 translates to what you know, the team period and seven 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:34.960 on seven as well. That was one area of Jordan 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:36.959 Love's game he felt like he really needed to grow 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:38.039 in this offseason. 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.200 They put the work into it. The other one is 0:01:40.319 --> 0:01:41.280 more mental. 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:44.600 It's more from a leadership perspective, and that is the 0:01:44.680 --> 0:01:48.120 responsibility that comes with being QB one and Jordan Love 0:01:48.160 --> 0:01:51.080 now is officially the face of the franchise. It's just 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:54.800 it goes hand in hand. And I thought he hit 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:58.360 that out of the park this offseason. I mean since 0:01:58.400 --> 0:02:00.480 the beginning of the off season program. Might many times 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:02.600 since the time that that trade happened with Aaron Rodgers. 0:02:02.680 --> 0:02:05.160 How many times did Jordan Love speak three? Four times? 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:05.680 Yeah? 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:09.680 Uh. He is a guy that has that He's quieter, 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:13.880 but it's a quiet confidence about him. And I feel 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:16.280 like that's really going to translate and kind of hit 0:02:16.400 --> 0:02:18.280 down to all those different levels of the offense. In 0:02:18.320 --> 0:02:21.680 the entire locker room, there are going to be you know, 0:02:22.000 --> 0:02:24.240 good days and bad days. There were a few more 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:27.040 interceptions I think this offseason program than maybe we'd seen 0:02:27.080 --> 0:02:27.600 when during the. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:28.560 Aaron Rodgers era. 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:32.280 But I think it's also understanding, you know, getting those 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:34.679 reps in and trying to learn from him. And that's 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:36.280 going to be the biggest key for Jordan Love in 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:38.640 twenty twenty three is what he learns from his first 0:02:38.680 --> 0:02:40.880 year as a starting quarterback in the National Football League. 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:43.760 Yeah, And what stood out to me the most this spring, 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.760 in addition to what you just mentioned, and as actually 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:51.080 something that you also wrote about in the Insider Inbox column, 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:53.560 I saw a young quarterback who was willing to cut 0:02:53.560 --> 0:02:55.760 it loose. Yeah, you know, I mean I did. It 0:02:55.800 --> 0:02:59.080 didn't feel to me watching the practices we got to 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:01.560 watch when they were and when the offense was in 0:03:01.720 --> 0:03:04.280 eleven on eleven, when they were doing seven on seven, 0:03:04.680 --> 0:03:07.799 the truly competitive stuff, even though it was without any 0:03:07.919 --> 0:03:11.720 pads on. He wasn't holding back. You know, this wasn't 0:03:11.720 --> 0:03:14.600 This wasn't Jordan Love. You know now that now that 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:17.320 it's his offense to run and he's QB one, that 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.240 he's suddenly just going to become check down Charlie and 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:24.640 and uh, you know, and and be hesitant to uh, 0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:27.120 you know, to take his shots down the field to 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:29.840 let it rip. Now, we'll see what happens in training 0:03:29.840 --> 0:03:32.640 camp when when it's eleven on eleven, when all the 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:35.280 guys are there, when the pads go on, and the 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:39.000 competitiveness of practice, you know, kind of cranks up and 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:42.920 gets to another notch. But I thought that's what exactly 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.040 he did, what exactly what he had to do this 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:48.400 spring in terms of in terms of not be afraid 0:03:48.440 --> 0:03:52.119 of anything, you know, take some chances and and uh 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.520 and challenge challenged himself as well as challenged the defense 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:58.240 down the field. I mean, yeah, there were some interceptions, 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:00.280 some things didn't go that well. That's what you look 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.560 at on the film. That's how you learn, that's how 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:05.800 you grow as a quarterback. And I thought the way 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.680 I thought the way he approached it, not saying with 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:11.480 a not saying with a careless attitude, but not being 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:14.960 too careful and just and just playing the game in 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:18.039 an aggressive manner. I liked what I saw on the 0:04:18.080 --> 0:04:18.960 field in a spring. 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:20.679 Yeah, I said it from the beginning. 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:24.200 Micah, I feel like there is he there's more of 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:28.360 a gunslinger element to how he plays the game of football. Absolutely, 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:30.719 I think you're going to see that a little bit more, 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:32.680 probably with love than he did with Rogers. 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:34.279 You have to curtail that. 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:37.640 But of all the criticisms because the originally reason it 0:04:37.680 --> 0:04:39.360 came up in inboxes, people saying, well, he's not one 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:41.560 to throw down field. Well, one, you don't know that 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:44.520 you've seen him, you've barely seen him play quarterback. I 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:50.360 know that for a fact. But two, he is more 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:53.320 than willing to put the ball downfield. That is not 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:57.919 a trepidation whatsoever. That play he had Mike in Tuesday's 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.640 practice where it's a seven on seven drill. You know 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:04.080 they're inside the Donal Hudson Center, so they're being careful. 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:06.160 Nobody who was wanting to get hurt here thirty nine 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:09.400 days away from the start of training camp. But that 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:13.200 throw he had to Christian Watson, his arm strength, the 0:05:13.240 --> 0:05:17.440 trajectory of the ball, Christian Watson's speed, and his ability 0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:20.200 to catch it and stride and go downfield. That was 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:23.440 one of the best pass and catches I've seen in 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:26.360 my time covering the Green Bay Packers in a in 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:30.600 an you know, offseason practice period, regardless of who the 0:05:30.680 --> 0:05:33.680 quarterback is. The kid has all the intangibles of a 0:05:33.720 --> 0:05:37.760 first round pick. It's going to be understanding the riggers 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:40.920 and the day to day and everything that's involved with it. 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:44.119 Because this isn't a boxing fight, you know, it isn't 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:45.880 It isn't going to be one of these things where 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:48.400 you got to go play once and then lkac again 0:05:48.400 --> 0:05:50.440 in three months. Yeah, it's gonna have to do it 0:05:50.520 --> 0:05:53.520 every single week starting in July. So hopefully it gets 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:55.839 a chance to reset here these next five six weeks, 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:59.240 come back fresh for training camp because Mike, when they 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:02.479 report back and the calendar starts to count down to 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.640 that first preseason game, you know, that's when things really 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:06.160 get real. 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:08.680 Yeah, I mean, Matt Lafleur even said it in his 0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:13.000 his final address to the media before that second mini 0:06:13.000 --> 0:06:16.040 can't practice that that when training camp rolls around, it's 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:18.800 it's go time. There's there's no there's no holding back, 0:06:18.880 --> 0:06:20.760 I mean, and that's one of the things that's a 0:06:20.920 --> 0:06:23.560 it's a big transition for the rookies where you know, 0:06:23.640 --> 0:06:26.240 OTAs is kind of learning and and it's like, okay, 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:28.080 you know, you make a mistake. We'll talk about it. 0:06:28.200 --> 0:06:30.279 Let's you know, let's work our way through it. In 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.800 training camp. You know, when they're eleven on eleven, they're 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:36.240 running play after play after play. It's it's a it's 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:41.200 it's a fast paced, competitive, get ready for the season, uh, 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:44.240 you know, type of environment. And uh you know, Jordan 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.120 Love has obviously been through that before, not as not 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:50.720 as QB one, and he did it, you know, at 0:06:50.800 --> 0:06:53.560 least in this uh this mini camp setting. We did 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:55.360 see as we had talked about on our previous show, 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:59.440 Jay r Alexander Rasul Douglas who had not been it 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:02.279 participate aiding in the voluntary ot as they were here 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:05.359 as the starting cornerbacks in mini camp. It made for 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:08.200 some uh I guess you'd say some any anytime Ja 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:11.120 or Alexander, Jay or Alexander and Rasul Douglas are both 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:13.640 on the field, there's going to be energy and spirit 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:15.240 to a practice. You're going to hear a lot of 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:17.680 barking and chirping, and that's just the way they go 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:21.160 about it. And uh so it was you could definitely 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:24.200 feel their presence was back on the field. But that's 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:26.840 also that was also important stuff, particularly in the seven 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:30.520 on sevens for for Jordan Love to uh, to challenge himself, 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:33.920 to challenge the defense, to to challenge his receivers to 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:37.200 go to go make some plays against those guys before 0:07:37.400 --> 0:07:40.520 U before training camp gets here, and uh and it 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:42.960 gets a lot more serious in terms of preparing for 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:43.440 the season. 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:44.800 Yeah, for sure. 0:07:44.880 --> 0:07:47.640 I thought it was one of those, uh sort of 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:51.200 litmus tests, those barometers for where a young quarterback. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:54.120 Needs to be. And I thought, you know, there was 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:55.400 going to be some battles there. 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:58.400 I thought you saw, you know, Ji Alexander as as 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:00.960 Love talked about, he kind of baited into one in 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:02.880 the two minute drill being able to get that pickoff 0:08:02.920 --> 0:08:05.840 of him. But that big pass to Christian Watson that 0:08:05.840 --> 0:08:07.800 that was over Alexander as. 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:11.480 Well, who says zone defense never works, right, that was 0:08:12.000 --> 0:08:14.200 that was a that was a zone call and Job 0:08:14.240 --> 0:08:16.559 baited him into the into the kind of that honey 0:08:16.600 --> 0:08:20.240 hole throw down the sideline and then boom interception and 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:22.840 that that ends the two minute drill. And that's those 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.600 are the kind of plays that that guy's like number 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:26.720 twenty three can make. 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:27.640 Yeah, no doubt. 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:31.320 And I also like that going back to Tuesday's practice 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:33.319 inside the dun Hudson Center, you know that that red 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:36.520 zone period where the defense is winning that drill one 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:38.720 after another. Right, they're within the first you know what, 0:08:38.840 --> 0:08:41.200 ten to fifteen yards of the end zone. But then 0:08:41.360 --> 0:08:43.760 Love just throws an absolute dime on kind of a 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.680 corner fade to Romeo Dobbs. Dobbs makes a phenomenal catch 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.880 on the play that was over jyr Alexander's coverage too, 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:51.720 so ragged it dragged. 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:53.400 His feet kept his feet in bounds on that one too, 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:54.200 right in the corner. 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.920 Yep, Yeah, I mean in that kind of look, Mike, 0:08:57.000 --> 0:09:00.520 I mean credit to Corey Ballentine and and you know Schamar, 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:03.200 John Charles and all these young corners that have been 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:05.120 in here. Keishawn Nixon was here for a lot of 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:08.080 these practices too, But the game's different when it's a 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:09.880 two time All Pro out there. And I feel like 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:13.040 that's really strong work for Love to get now as 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:15.760 he prepares to see that type of look every single 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:17.160 day of August. 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:20.240 Yeah, no question about it. Well, a couple other topics 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:22.319 I want to get to here, But first a little 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:26.200 bit of sponsored business. Serious XM NFL Radio delivers hard 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:29.360 hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that 0:09:29.440 --> 0:09:33.560 true football fanatics need twenty four to seven three sixty five, 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:35.880 and at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone like 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:38.880 our Wisconsin Cheese Kurds, mac and Cheese, golden fries, and 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:41.520 creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or sub 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:46.640 in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years of better. All right, Well, 0:09:47.400 --> 0:09:49.760 one item that we had talked about on our last 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:52.960 show in terms of previewing Mini Camp actually did come 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:56.720 to fruition, and that we got to see rookie sixth 0:09:56.760 --> 0:10:00.560 round draft pick and kicker Anders Carlson in a couple 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.079 of field goal periods here during Mini camp. One was 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:06.240 inside the Hudson Center on Tuesday with all the rain outside. 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:11.120 Another was on Wednesday when the players are back out 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:15.600 on Nichkie Field. And the first thing I'll say about 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:19.960 Andres Carlson is leg strength is not a problem. Exactly 0:10:19.960 --> 0:10:22.920 why he is a kicker who was drafted, not one, 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:26.719 not one who ended up going the undrafted route. The 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:28.520 young man has a big leg. 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:31.440 You know. It was funny, Mike, because we talked all 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:33.559 off season program, when are we going to see Andrews Carlson? 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:35.360 When are we going to see Andres Carlson kick because 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:38.079 they've just been something. It's one thing I like actually 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:42.080 that Bisacci does is it's very procedural. Right. I've seen 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:46.280 them take take more reps at field goal kicks without 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:48.719 actually kicking the ball than any other time in my 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:52.600 ten years covering this team. I mean, he does it religiously, 0:10:52.679 --> 0:10:55.040 making sure guys know they're blocking assignment, making sure you 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:57.200 see what the snap looks like, the hole looks like that, 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.000 everything else is there other than the kick, because ultimately, 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:02.199 you do want to keep these guys healthy and you 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:04.440 want to keep the you know, kicking and punting legs strong. 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:08.840 That being said, we got to see Anders Carlson kick 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:11.679 a lot of field goals on Tuesday and Wednesday. 0:11:12.000 --> 0:11:14.439 On Tuesday, he's booming these things, but. 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:16.840 They're inside the Don Judson Center, so you're kind of like, okay, 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:20.480 you know what is it? This is perfect conditions, no issues. Well, 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:23.080 then he goes out to the practice field on Wednesday. 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:26.199 In Mike, there was one period where they're doing some 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:29.800 seven on seven work, but Carlson is practicing the operation 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:33.080 right in front of us, and he is kicking probably 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:36.200 seven eight feet in front of us. And I use 0:11:36.240 --> 0:11:40.000 this as my insider inbox headline, I mean, the ball 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:44.120 just torpedoes off his foot. Yeah, you know again, I'm 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:45.760 not going to put this guy in the Packers Hall 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:47.199 of Fame. We got a long way to go. We 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.200 got to see what the field goal accuracy looks like. 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:53.200 But from a pure fundamental standpoint, after hearing Rich Basacci 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:55.560 and Brian Gudikuntzen all these guys talk about this young 0:11:55.600 --> 0:12:00.959 man's leg strength, Holy moly, Anders Carlson has a foot 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:03.240 on him, and it would Lastly, I'll just quickly say 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:06.079 I was talking to Colby Wooden, his teammate at Auburn, who, 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:08.080 by the way, I didn't know this until he mentioned it. 0:12:08.440 --> 0:12:10.800 They also were locker mats within one of each other 0:12:10.800 --> 0:12:13.360 at Auburn, too, so very familiar feeling for both of 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:15.240 those guys being next to each other in Green Bay. 0:12:15.760 --> 0:12:17.040 But he said, yeah, I mean, the thing you got 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:20.040 to understand about Durors he kept calling him Durres, is 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.920 that you know the amount of athletic ability that this 0:12:24.000 --> 0:12:27.040 young man has mixed with his work ethic and how 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:31.240 much him and his brother really live, breathe and eat kicking. 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:34.680 It gives him a really solid chance now to be 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:37.120 able to follow in Daniel's footsteps in the NFL. And 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.440 B I think the type of you know, kicking prodigy 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:42.280 that a lot of people predicted him to be when 0:12:42.320 --> 0:12:43.600 he succeeded him at Auburn. 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:46.360 Yeah, And what really caught my eye and watching him 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:49.120 with the field goals and we saw him I believe 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:51.480 in the two practices. In terms of charting it, he 0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:55.319 made eleven out of twelve from several distances from extra 0:12:55.360 --> 0:12:59.000 point distance all the way to fifty plus on a 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:03.160 couple of those kicks. What really caught my eye was, 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:08.680 particularly on the long distance kicks, that it looks pretty 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:11.360 effortless with him. It's not it's not like it's not 0:13:11.440 --> 0:13:14.520 like you're seeing this, uh you know this big wind 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:17.800 up and and like you know, maximum effort and you know, 0:13:17.880 --> 0:13:20.280 a grunt when he kicks the ball or anything like that. 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:23.520 I mean, it's whether he's kicking, whether he's kicking a 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:26.360 thirty three yard extra pointer or a fifty three yard 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:30.080 field goal, it looks, uh, it looks pretty easy in 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:33.080 that that you know that that leg doesn't look like 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:35.600 there's a whole lot of effort going into it. And uh, 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.960 just from from the appearances it was. It was impressive 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:42.600 to watch, as you said, everything with regard to accuracy 0:13:42.679 --> 0:13:45.920 and kicking in lambeau Field. When the winds start to 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:48.360 swirl in November and December and all that, he's gonna 0:13:48.400 --> 0:13:50.840 have a lot of stuff to work through, just like 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:54.840 just like any young player making that transition. But but boy, 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:57.960 you can certainly see why the Packers were high on 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:03.160 him as a prospect despite you know, looking strictly statistically 0:14:03.160 --> 0:14:05.840 at some of his numbers from Auburn that you know, 0:14:05.880 --> 0:14:09.640 the the the percentages and whatnot didn't necessarily jump off 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:11.960 the page. And you know, there was some injury history there. 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:15.800 This was a prospect that the Packers really really like 0:14:15.880 --> 0:14:17.640 and we got to see why they like it. 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.200 Well, that was one thing I talked with wood In 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:20.800 about too. 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:23.360 It would be more of a concern, I think if 0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.920 it was okay structurally, this kid's you know, he's kicking 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:26.520 his back out. 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.360 He's kicking his leg. It's the freak injuries that happened there. 0:14:29.400 --> 0:14:31.680 I mean, trying to recover an onside kicked, hearing your 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:35.040 ACL that's just bad luck, right, and then spending your 0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:38.040 senior year trying to kick while having a knee brace 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:41.640 on your plant leg. I mean, just things that kickers 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:45.520 are not necessarily used to or really natural to them. 0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:47.720 But as you said, Mike, and it. 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:51.640 Is it's worth bears repeating the fact that he does 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:52.600 it so effortlessly. 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:55.560 What does that matter? Why is that such a big deal? 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.920 Because the more you got a strain to kick that ball, 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:01.960 the more likely it is you're gonna mishit it. You're 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:05.120 gonna lose that accuracy piece. When you are able to 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:09.200 be free flowing, in natural with your kicking motion, that's 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:11.560 how you get it right down the pipe. That's one 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:15.160 thing I learned from Mason Crosby. When everything else lines up, 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:18.720 the distance and power takes care of itself. I mean, 0:15:18.720 --> 0:15:20.760 obviously there's a Justin Tucker's in the world. I'm sure 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:22.360 can probably just kick it from anywhere on the field 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:23.320 and make it well. 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:26.560 You see guys like Justin Tucker, they make that extra 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:29.360 effort when he's trying a sixty six yard or whatever. 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:32.400 But when it's you know, fifty five or fifty eight 0:15:32.520 --> 0:15:36.920 yards and in anywhere in there, you know Justin Justin 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.200 Tucker doesn't look like he's trying all that hard either. 0:15:39.920 --> 0:15:43.080 Yeah, And that's where this all comes together and we'll 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:44.720 have to see how this thing looks in training camp. 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:47.640 But I think it's really interesting that the rookies, you 0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:51.120 know that the Packers drafted there. How funny is it 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:54.040 that here we are going into training camp now and 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:56.880 that's the only other spe that's the only specialist position 0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:59.720 where the Packers don't have multiple guys at it's Anders 0:15:59.760 --> 0:16:01.840 Carl and the Packers are going to be looking for 0:16:01.920 --> 0:16:03.320 him to win that job this summer. 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:07.440 Yeah, Well, one last topic before we sign off for 0:16:07.760 --> 0:16:11.200 the off season. We did get to hear after Wednesday's 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:16.880 practice from Rashawn Gary, the fifth year outside linebacker, first 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:21.600 comments to the media since injuring his knee the torn 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:27.280 acl at Detroit last November, and the story on the website. 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:31.920 I wrote a quick story after the interview on Wednesday 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:36.280 after that after the practice, he's not making any promises 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:38.280 in terms of a timeline. He was asked, you know, hey, 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:40.440 can you be back for week one? How about training camp? 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:44.080 You know where things at? And he just said multiple times, 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.960 I'll be ready when I'll be ready. But what I 0:16:48.080 --> 0:16:50.960 took from that it was more of it was more 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:53.480 of how he said it and the attitude that he 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:57.400 was carrying and answering those questions. He sounded very upbeat 0:16:57.440 --> 0:17:00.440 and positive. He likes the track that he he is on. 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:03.960 And if there's one thing we know about Rashon Gary, 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:06.840 it's that if there is anything he can do in 0:17:06.920 --> 0:17:09.480 terms of his rehab, if there's anything the medical staff 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:11.680 is going to let him do to try to get 0:17:11.720 --> 0:17:15.040 his work his way back any faster, he is going 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:18.639 to do it because he's an absolutely relentless worker. And 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:22.720 it sounds like, you know, things are pointing in a 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.800 positive direction in terms of his return at some point, 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:28.639 hopefully early in the twenty twenty three season. 0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:32.240 I don't know, Mike if I've ever seen someone who 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:36.040 seems to enjoy the grind more than Rashon Gary. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:36.280 Now. 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:38.080 I'm sure he doesn't want to be having to go 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:41.280 through a rehab right now, but when you talk about workouts, 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:43.520 when you talk about going the extra mile, when you 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:46.920 talk about practice, this young man gives it as all 0:17:47.040 --> 0:17:50.000 Mike and I have been. There was a moment after 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:53.320 he got done with this presser. His scrum was on 0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:55.359 one side, I was over at Jordan Love on the 0:17:55.400 --> 0:17:58.760 other and I'm looking at him as he's walking back, 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:02.560 you know, getting all other things together. And I'm like, dude, 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:04.080 if I didn't know any better, I would think that 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:06.399 Rashaun Gary is perfectly fine and in the best shape 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.040 of his life. I mean, that's how he looks right now. 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:11.440 He doesn't look like a guy that's rehabbing an ACL. 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:13.240 He looks like a guy that's ready for week one. 0:18:13.840 --> 0:18:16.080 Don't go running away with that. It's still going to 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:18.160 take time. You need to make sure that the ACL 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:21.240 is strong and everything. But the guys you can tell Mike, 0:18:21.320 --> 0:18:23.480 he has not taken a day off. If there's something 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:26.040 that he's allowed to do, something that he's cleared and 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:29.040 greenlit to do, he is going to do those activities. 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:31.520 Oh and then, by the way, spent a lot of 0:18:31.560 --> 0:18:34.560 time here this offseason was around all these young guys. 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:37.520 Kingsley and Igbari is learning from that, Lucas van Ess 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:41.120 is learning from that, every single young guy in there, Mike, 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:44.199 much like with Preston Smith, Rashawn Gary has been that 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:47.000 guiding light in that force. And if you have a teammate, 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:51.399 a star, a leader like him that is putting in 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:53.399 all that effort and we don't know when he's going 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:54.320 to be back to the field. 0:18:54.560 --> 0:18:56.480 Well, how much does that motivate. 0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:57.960 You when you're the one they're going to be counting 0:18:58.000 --> 0:19:01.560 on until Rashawn is back, until number fifty two is 0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:04.679 running through that tunnel again. I just think it raises 0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:08.200 the awareness and heightens the energy and urgency of everybody 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:10.520 on that defensive side of the ball because Mike, as 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:14.000 we've heard all these guys talk about Preston Smith, jyr Alexander, 0:19:14.080 --> 0:19:17.560 Darnell Savage, Kenny Clark, everybody talked about all last season 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:20.680 didn't fully meet their expectations and where they. 0:19:20.600 --> 0:19:21.679 Want to see this thing go. 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:25.720 Now in twenty twenty three, when Gary gets back, he 0:19:25.920 --> 0:19:28.520 is going to be hell fire in Brimstone trying to 0:19:28.560 --> 0:19:31.800 take down the opposing quarterback. And I think everybody else 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:34.199