WEBVTT - #517 Packers Unscripted: That's it, that's all (for now) 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:14.720 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:17.599 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only 0:00:17.640 --> 0:00:21.040 Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to here from our studios at 0:00:21.120 --> 0:00:25.160 lambeau Field West, our last show of the twenty nineteen season. 0:00:25.200 --> 0:00:28.560 As we mentioned yesterday, we'll be taking a break after 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:32.879 this one and probably rejoining the Packers Unscripted world at 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:37.240 the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. So with that, we heard 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:42.240 from general manager Brian Gudakunst earlier today. Gave the g 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:47.839 MS version of the season ending press conference. A lot 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:50.040 of similar thoughts in some ways to what we heard 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:52.559 a couple of days ago from Matt Lafleur in a 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:55.000 lot of pride in what was accomplished, a lot of 0:00:55.000 --> 0:00:59.040 disappointment and how things ended, and a lot of focus 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:04.280 starting away on how to improve. Yeah. Well, first off, 0:01:04.319 --> 0:01:08.080 congratulations on another season of Packers on scripted. It's kind 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.600 of like the last day before school. Let's out here, 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:12.759 except we got to come back to work on Monday. Yeah, 0:01:12.800 --> 0:01:14.440 we have to come back to work on Monday. And 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:16.440 then and then you and I will maybe try to 0:01:16.480 --> 0:01:19.360 start finding h some days that only you'll be here 0:01:19.400 --> 0:01:22.240 and only I'll be here to try to uh man 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:24.880 the store while we get some breaks and and get 0:01:24.959 --> 0:01:26.760 some of the rest of our lives taken care of. 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:29.880 But I thought, you know, Brian Goodacunts with him going 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:33.080 up there and given a thirty minute summation of this season, 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:37.080 was the perfect ending to this season, because one it 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.679 really began in a lot of ways. Well, Matt Lafleur's 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:42.240 hiring was the big issue. I mean that was the 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:45.280 big topic at the beginning of two thousand nineteen. It 0:01:45.400 --> 0:01:47.720 was really those four free agents that they ended up 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:50.480 signing that kind of kick started this whole thing. And 0:01:50.600 --> 0:01:54.000 I go back to that press conference right after Matt Lafleur, 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.480 I should say, Brian Goodacunts and everyone got the deals 0:01:56.520 --> 0:01:58.840 done with SA Darius Smith and Preston Smith and Adrian 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:01.560 name is Billy Earner, and he said, you know, we 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:04.640 we want to this. These moves were made to basically 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:08.560 expedite this process to make us better, and ultimately it did. 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:11.320 Are there areas where the Packers still need to improve 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:15.399 going into Absolutely, Are they a lot closer I think 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:18.239 to being a championship caliber team than they thought nine 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:22.919 months ago. Absolutely, And listening to goods, just break down 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:26.200 different facets of the organization, from you know, the free 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:29.320 agents they signed, the draft class, the contributions they got there, 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:32.000 and just the overall performance of the team. I thought 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:34.600 it served as a very good summation and wrap up 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:40.160 of what was a you know, really unquantifiable, undescribable two 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:42.480 thousand nineteen season for the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, I 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:45.440 mean it was. It was certainly a successful season by 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:49.919 any measure. I don't think anyone in in Packers nations, 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:53.040 so to speak, would have expected with a first year 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:55.960 head coach and a second year general manager that you 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:58.320 end up one game away from the super Bowl, and 0:02:58.760 --> 0:03:00.919 as as good a counts at as La Fleur said, 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:02.560 there's a lot of pride to be taken that, But 0:03:02.680 --> 0:03:07.720 by no means is anybody resting on that success, even 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:10.560 if it came earlier than expected or or was somewhat 0:03:10.639 --> 0:03:14.600 unexpected from outside the building. Nobody's resting on that. I mean, 0:03:14.600 --> 0:03:18.840 Brian gouda Quinci actually had just gotten back from Mobile, Alabama, 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:21.399 from being at the Senior Bowl practices. He's out scouting, 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:23.560 He's looking at, you know, what's going to be out 0:03:23.560 --> 0:03:26.680 there in the draft come April. He actually went right 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:29.919 from San Francisco after the NFC title game to Mobile 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:32.920 the week of practices down there at the Senior Bowl, 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:34.880 and then he now he's back in Green Bay and 0:03:34.880 --> 0:03:37.800 he had the had the press conference today. So the 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:41.000 work never stops for for these guys. And just as 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:44.040 Matt Lafleur was talking about, you know, kind of grinding 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:46.520 the tape and reviewing things and looking at you know, 0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:49.840 how do you want to tweak the offense or you 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:52.680 know this or that. You know heading into you know, 0:03:52.960 --> 0:03:55.440 these guys will get their breaks at some point as well. 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:59.400 But um, but you know, the constant churn, the constant grind, 0:03:59.480 --> 0:04:02.640 the a work ethic and everything, that's what it's all about. 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:06.440 Because the Packers know they gave themselves a shot this 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:09.400 year and they want to give themselves another shot again 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:11.760 next year. Yeah, and you like we've been talking about 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:13.920 all week long, it's about building and taking that next 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:16.479 step after what I think a lot of people saw 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:19.320 as an unexpected success this year with this roster, this 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:22.640 team being able to win a division title, winning thirteen games, 0:04:22.640 --> 0:04:24.919 getting a first round by winning a game in the playoffs, 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:27.280 all those things are great. Okay, So now how can 0:04:27.320 --> 0:04:30.760 you build upon that? And as Brian Goodkin's mentioned, you know, 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:32.680 this next couple of weeks here one, he's going to 0:04:32.760 --> 0:04:35.520 break down what happened in San Francisco, try to understand that, 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:37.600 get to the bottom of that. Where do they need 0:04:37.640 --> 0:04:40.280 to get better going into this free agent process? In 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:43.159 this draft, they're gonna have to make decisions on these 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:45.760 bevy of unrestricted free agents that they have. You know, 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.000 the question was asked of him, could you is it 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:50.480 is it feasible to go out and have a spending 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:52.880 spree like they did last year when they brought in 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.320 those four unrestricted free agents and and he said, no, 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:58.320 not really, especially if they go and you know, bring 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:01.159 back a Brian Blagger, a Mason Crosby, these these guys 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:03.760 that it could be potentially coming back after what I 0:05:03.760 --> 0:05:06.240 think last year was mostly I mean it was Mercedes 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:09.440 Lewis was the only player that really resigned. Ibrahim Campbell 0:05:09.480 --> 0:05:11.800 ended up joining him in in August, but even then 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:15.479 it wasn't these big blockbuster contracts, So all that stuff 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:17.720 weighs into it. So the more that you sign your 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:19.920 own players, the less you're going to seek outside help. 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:22.880 But he did say fiscally, they're in a good place 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:25.120 right now. They have room to move. If there's a 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:26.640 player they feel that can help them, they can go 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:29.520 out and try to get that player. But the other 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:31.840 thing he pointed out too, is the backbone of this 0:05:31.839 --> 0:05:35.040 thing is draft and developed. Unrestricted free agency is one avenue, 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:38.320 and there's multiple avenues to improving this team. Yeah, I 0:05:38.320 --> 0:05:42.080 think there's uh. I think there's no doubt that there 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:45.240 can't be any expectation that the Packers are going to 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:47.720 make the free agency splash in March that they made 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:49.839 last year. You just don't do that two years in 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:53.320 a row. And as we had talked about, what the 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:57.040 Packers did last year was in large part because nobody 0:05:57.120 --> 0:06:00.640 from the draft class got a second contract. The Packers 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:04.720 draft picks getting second contracts, where all these guys they 0:06:04.760 --> 0:06:08.680 brought in from elsewhere who were drafted in. So he 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:13.880 did mention as far as speaking specifically about a certain 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:15.560 player because he didn't want to get into a lot 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:18.679 of specifics on decisions on you know, guys like Brown, Bolaga, 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:22.240 Mason Crosby, Trumant Williams and whatnot. But one guy he 0:06:22.360 --> 0:06:26.280 did address specifically was Kenny Clark and he did lay 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:30.080 out how important it is for the Packers to reach 0:06:30.120 --> 0:06:33.360 a long term agreement with Kenny Clark. He's entering the 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:37.040 fifth year option of his rookie contract after being a 0:06:37.160 --> 0:06:41.960 first round draft pick. In Goudakun has made you know, 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:45.760 no bones about the fact that about how important Kenny 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:49.120 Clark is to this defense any expressed optimism that they're 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:52.039 going to reach an agreement at some point, but he 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:54.600 also said, Hey, these things usually don't happen quickly. It's 0:06:54.680 --> 0:06:57.520 not like next week suddenly you know this is all 0:06:57.560 --> 0:06:59.800 going to be settled with Kenny Clark. So it's it's 0:07:00.240 --> 0:07:02.800 sit back and wait, let the process take its course. 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:05.720 And and he sounds very confident that Kenny Clark is 0:07:05.720 --> 0:07:07.360 going to be a Green Bay Packer for a long 0:07:07.400 --> 0:07:09.520 time to come. Absolutely, And this is a guy that's 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:11.120 in the prime of his career. He's played a lot 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:13.000 of football for the Packers, and I think you've seen 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:15.440 him steadily improved every year he's been in the league. 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:17.880 In congratulations to him, he'll be playing in the Pro 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.040 Bowl this weekend and enjoy the Florida Sun this week 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:23.080 exactly a very worthy honor. And as if I was 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:25.160 following his Instagram. I think he also spent some time 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:29.000 at Harry Potter World as well, so living it up. 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:31.400 We've taken the kids there. That's that's a fun spot. Yeah, 0:07:31.480 --> 0:07:33.440 living it up in Orlando. But but you know, all 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:36.560 kidding aside and jokes aside. Kenny Clark is a big 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:38.640 part of this defense. I think sa Darius Smith and 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:41.720 Preston Smith, those are two critical additions for Green Bay 0:07:41.720 --> 0:07:43.800 this year. But I think we're about a year or 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:46.760 two away from realizing that Kenny Clark is kind of 0:07:46.760 --> 0:07:48.680 one of the big contributors to this thing, if not 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:51.720 the centerpiece of this unit now. And how he plays 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.480 the run, the defense goes with him, how he plays 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:57.000 the past, the pass rush goes with him. He's just 0:07:57.040 --> 0:07:59.440 such a big difference maker. And he's so young yet 0:07:59.760 --> 0:08:02.600 he's only twenty four years old. Michael, it's incredible, you 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:05.320 know that this path that he's been on here the 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:09.040 last few seasons, so way that all in consider everything, 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:12.280 But they do have a lot of resources that they're there, 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:14.520 you know, grasp as well. You do have a potential 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:16.280 franchise take down the line if you need to go 0:08:16.360 --> 0:08:19.800 that route. The fifth year option gave them this two 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:23.280 thousand twenty offseason to potentially work out a long term deal, 0:08:23.360 --> 0:08:27.400 so while he still under exactly exactly, so all these 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.920 things kind of their resources for Green Bay and Kenny 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:32.800 to to come to a long term agreement because as 0:08:32.880 --> 0:08:34.800 Kenny was saying to some reporters too, I mean, he 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:37.320 wants to be in Green Bay. He doesn't anticipate being 0:08:37.320 --> 0:08:39.040 a kind of guy that's going to hold out or anything. 0:08:39.040 --> 0:08:41.200 He wants to play. He wants to you know, that's 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:43.840 just not really in his d n A. But you know, 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:45.520 Green Bay wants to take care of him too, because 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:48.320 you look statistically, I mean he's right up there with 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:51.280 basically everyone, maybe other than Aaron Donald right now in 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:55.280 terms of just total dominance at that defensive tackle position. Yeah. Well, 0:08:55.320 --> 0:08:58.840 a couple other thoughts from goodacounts that that really struck 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:02.439 me because we're gonna hear a lot from the talking 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:04.439 heads and other analysts. I'm sure you and I will 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:06.400 talk about it at times as well as you go 0:09:06.480 --> 0:09:09.760 through this offseason. Is okay, you know this gap between 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:11.720 the Packers and the forty niners, they were the last 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:14.960 two teams standing in the NFC. They played twice in 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:18.680 San Francisco and the forty Niners dominated both games. There's 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:22.640 no denying that I thought what Goodakun said though, was interesting, 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:24.680 and that maybe not in so many words, and I'm 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:30.200 paraphrasing a little bit, but this offseason is not entirely about, Okay, 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:31.959 how do we go how do we figure out a 0:09:31.960 --> 0:09:34.079 way to beat the forty Niners. You know, he's not 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:37.600 going about the roster construction, the changes that are made, 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:40.560 who comes back, who doesn't, the players they draft. It's 0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:42.800 not going to be all about the forty Niners. And 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:47.360 I think that's the smart approach because one, you were 0:09:47.559 --> 0:09:49.600 the number two team in the NFC. You were that 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:52.160 you were the last one standing there. You you didn't 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:54.240 get to play them at home. Obviously both of those 0:09:54.240 --> 0:09:58.000 games were on the road. But also west, this is 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:01.800 the NFL, you know the Gouda Kun said. Next year, 0:10:01.800 --> 0:10:04.200 it could be somebody else. Every year is different, Every 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:07.120 year has its new challenges. If everybody in the NFC 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:11.920 had geared themselves toward, uh, you know, stopping Sean mcveigh's 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:15.679 you know, l A Rams offense, um, you know, well, 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:17.400 look at what happened. The Rams were in the Super 0:10:17.440 --> 0:10:19.559 Bowl last year. They didn't even make the playoffs this year, 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:21.320 so you never know how this thing is going to go. 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:25.280 And just as another example in this point I'm trying 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:28.720 to make here, and I take I don't want anybody 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:30.640 to take this the wrong way because I'm gonna bring 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:33.040 up Ron Wolf here and the guys in the Hall 0:10:33.080 --> 0:10:34.480 of Fame, and he's in the Hall of Fame for 0:10:34.480 --> 0:10:39.000 a reason. But in the Minnesota Vikings went fifteen and 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:43.319 one and Randy Moss took the NFL by storm. Right now, 0:10:43.360 --> 0:10:46.320 granted that's a division opponent, I get it. But Ron 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:50.160 Wolf then in draft he drafted three cornerbacks with his 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:52.160 first three picks, and we're like, we gotta find a 0:10:52.200 --> 0:10:54.480 way to stop Randy Moss. What did that get the 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:58.400 Packers two thousand two straight years not in the playoffs? Okay, 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:02.040 it doesn't work. You can't go about an entire offseason 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:04.880 focused on one opponent. So I just I thought what 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:08.280 Goodakoont said in that regard, very subtly, I thought was 0:11:08.360 --> 0:11:10.760 very important. I think it's something for Packers fans to 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:13.000 keep in mind as we go through these next several months. 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:14.960 It's a great point you raised. I'm also glad you 0:11:15.040 --> 0:11:16.800 kept your your train of thought going there, because if 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:18.400 you would have stopped, I probably would have jumped in 0:11:18.440 --> 0:11:21.120 and said, ahman Green. But you know that's that was 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:22.880 down the line a few years down the line with 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:26.400 Fred Vinson. I believe, but you're right. I mean they 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:29.920 you can't plug holes for one opponent. You have to 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:33.080 be ready for all sixteen in your conference, you know, 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:35.320 fifteen year conference and what else is gonna you're gonna 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:38.000 see in the NFL. And a good reason for this, Mike, 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:39.920 I want to bring this up is San Francisco had 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:42.520 some of the most cap space in the entire league 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:45.080 the last couple of seasons, and they made moves to 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:48.040 maximize that cap space. You know a team that could 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:51.480 do that this offseason, Seattle. So what happens? How do 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:53.320 you defend against Seattle? If they had a couple of 0:11:53.360 --> 0:11:55.440 marquee free agents on the offensive side of the ball 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.000 to help out Russell Wilson, Well, then maybe they're the 0:11:58.040 --> 0:12:00.319 front runner in the NFC West last year. And that's 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.680 a Seattle team that you look at their record and 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:05.760 how close they came to beating the forty niners second time, 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:08.040 and how close they came to beating the Packers at 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:11.000 lambeau Field in January. That's a team that feels like 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:13.680 maybe they're just a couple of pieces away from being 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.440 right where the forty Niners are right now. Yeah, and again, 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:18.920 the forty Niners won four games last year. I think 0:12:18.960 --> 0:12:21.600 nobody was under any disillusion They understood that they didn't 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:24.760 have Jimmy Garopo last year. Absolutely, but you know this 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:27.960 is a team that any given year things can change. 0:12:27.960 --> 0:12:31.480 This this statistically was the biggest turnaround in franchise history 0:12:31.520 --> 0:12:35.440 for the Packers in going from six wins to fourteen 0:12:35.559 --> 0:12:38.240 thirteen if you just count the regular season, so all 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.839 those things have to be measured. I think what is 0:12:40.920 --> 0:12:44.320 exciting for Green Bay at this standpoint is they had 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:46.360 if if you looked at how that season ended, and 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:48.560 I did. I went and looked at what their offense 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:51.160 and defense looked like in that finale that they lost 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:53.600 thirty one and nothing to Detroit last season, it was 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:55.560 for a thing that I was writing an insider inbox. 0:12:57.160 --> 0:13:01.600 The roster looks ad percent different today. There are players 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:03.880 who started, especially on the defense side of the ball, 0:13:04.200 --> 0:13:06.360 some of whom that aren't in the NFL, and many 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:09.720 of whom aren't in Green Bay anymore. So that just 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:12.600 shows you that when you make the right moves, and 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:17.359 this was a a grade off season for Brian Goodkins 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.040 in his personnel department. They made the right additions in 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:23.199 unrestricted free agency, they found draft picks that could help 0:13:23.240 --> 0:13:25.720 them right away, and then the cherry on top was 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.320 the in season moves they made. You're not always going 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:30.960 to be able to bat four hundreds, you know, you're 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:32.920 gonna have to go with some to seventy five and 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:35.640 three hundred years. But I just think that if they 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:38.640 can keep that trajectory, if you have another solid draft class, 0:13:38.840 --> 0:13:41.680 if you find a free agent that makes sense economically 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.880 for your roster, all those things can help catapult you 0:13:44.920 --> 0:13:48.400 to the next level. That's how Seattle maximized their window. 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:50.360 That's how you know New England in a lot of 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:52.280 ways was able to stay at the top because of 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:54.960 the moves they made, the tough decisions to let go 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:58.280 of guys, the smart decisions to bring guys in. That's 0:13:58.280 --> 0:14:00.720 where Brian good Coin is standing right now. He brought 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:02.040 it up was one of the first things he said 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.760 in his news conference. There are tough decisions that have 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.280 to be made and he's prepared to make them. Yeah, 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:10.000 and I thought, uh. He made a point a couple 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:12.440 of times in the press conference to really give credit 0:14:12.480 --> 0:14:15.600 to the rest of his personnel staff to whether you're 0:14:15.640 --> 0:14:17.840 talking about all of the work that was done to 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:21.160 bring in you know, the Smith's and Amos and Turner, 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:24.600 or the work that was done to find Tyler Irvin 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.680 and Jared val Deer and to capitalize on those opportunities 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:30.960 that that bringing those guys in who who ended up 0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:34.000 playing a pivotal role in the Packers getting as far 0:14:34.040 --> 0:14:35.960 as they did. So, you know, he mentions guys like John, 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:40.200 Eric Sullivan, Matt Malicepina, Milt Hendrickson, Um, I'm sure you 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:44.760 know I'm forgeting Eric Sullivan. Well, Johowsky, that was the 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:47.080 other one I wanted to mention too, And there you know, 0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:50.960 Leguas and Danner. There there are several several guys on 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:53.760 that staff that that worked tirelessly at this and he 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:55.440 wanted to give them credit. And it was kind of 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:57.320 funny because then he was asked, you know, well, do 0:14:57.360 --> 0:14:59.120 you think you're gonna lose any of those guys because 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:01.640 the Packers of obviously seen the John Schneider's and John 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:05.160 Dorsey's and Reggie Mackenzie's get general manager jobs elsewhere. And 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:07.440 he says, well, you know, he's obviously hoping he doesn't 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:09.480 lose any of them. He says, maybe I should stand 0:15:09.520 --> 0:15:11.440 up here and say all kinds of bad things about 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:14.119 them so that, uh, so that they're not as attractive 0:15:14.160 --> 0:15:18.360 to other teams. But he loves the personnel executive group, 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:22.000 the scouting group that that he's put together and and 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:26.600 that work with him in this seven three sixty five 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:29.880 cycle of how to how to make this, uh, this roster, 0:15:30.000 --> 0:15:32.640 whether it's ninety man in the off season fifty three 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:36.080 sixty three man in the regular season, make it as 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:39.880 competitive as possible. And uh and those guys now they're 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:43.640 they're hitting there in season, so to speak, with the 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:46.000 Senior Bowl, and then the Combine is coming up in 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.160 a month and a half and and then you're into 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:51.280 all of your pre draft meetings getting ready for late April. Yeah, 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:55.280 and and it's incredible what what? And And credit to 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:58.320 Brian Goods. He still says, you know, Ted Thompson hired 0:15:58.320 --> 0:15:59.960 a lot of these guys, but if you know anything 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:03.040 about the way the scouting department works, and there's quite 0:16:03.040 --> 0:16:05.280 a few guys that Brian has hired himself. Now, Milt 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:07.600 Hendrickson probably be in the biggest name among them who 0:16:07.600 --> 0:16:09.480 has joined the front office here in the past year. 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:11.960 And as much as you want to give credit to 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:13.840 those guys, I think a lot of credit goes to 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:17.720 good Counts for how he's built that personnel department, because 0:16:17.760 --> 0:16:19.600 now it kind of starts to remind you a little 0:16:19.640 --> 0:16:22.120 bit of where Ted Thompson had things in two thousand nine. 0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:25.840 That okay, when John Schneider moved on, when Reggie mackenzie 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.160 moved on, there was a John Dorsey, there were other guys, 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:30.280 there were Elliott Wolf and now I think you're kind 0:16:30.280 --> 0:16:32.960 of seeing that now. Inevitably, if the Packers end up 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:35.520 people went playing winning football, one of those guys can 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:38.080 get sought after his being a GM. Oh, There's there's 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:40.360 no question about it. There's a lot of cookies in 0:16:40.400 --> 0:16:42.920 that jar now for Green Bay. And I know talking 0:16:42.960 --> 0:16:46.440 to people last year, especially after Hendrickson got hired, there's 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:48.440 a lot of people in NFL circles I feel this 0:16:48.520 --> 0:16:51.240 is one of the if not the strongest personnel department 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:53.320 in the National Football League right now. So that's a 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:56.800 testament to good Kunst. But the challenge is, as you said, 0:16:56.800 --> 0:17:00.080 I mean this all ramps up now, there's gonna be differences. Know, 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:01.760 we've already seen some of the changes that are gonna 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:04.400 happen with the combine here. You're gonna have fifteen less interviews, 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:06.760 you're gonna get a little bit more time with those prospects. 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:08.800 But you've got to be smart and how you allocate 0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:11.679 your time, your pre draft visits, all the things that 0:17:11.720 --> 0:17:13.919 when you have ten draft picks like Green Bay is 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.080 going to have in this in this draft class, to 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:18.560 be able to be smart and economical with how you 0:17:18.600 --> 0:17:21.520 approach it. And you can just tell listening to Brian, 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:25.119 he is excited about that process though. They feel like 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:27.440 these last two years they've brought in a lot of assets, 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:29.960 a lot of tremendous football players that are going to 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:32.480 continue to get better. And you're not going to hit 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.199 on all your picks. You're not going to always hit 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:36.080 on your free agents. But the more those that you 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:38.439 hit on, the more it's going to be allow you 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:41.879 to create depth on your roster, to allow you to 0:17:41.920 --> 0:17:44.760 be able to weather an entire season, and those are 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:47.720 the things that kind of fortify a Championship group. Yeah, well, 0:17:47.760 --> 0:17:51.120 in the in the near term. Obviously, I'm not sure 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:53.480 exactly what the date is this year. I should have 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:55.560 looked it up before we turn the cameras on. But 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:57.679 somewhere in the middle of March is when free agency 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:02.480 will start. Share so some so between now and then, 0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:05.679 Gouda Kunts was saying over the over the next few weeks, 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:07.840 he and the personnel staff they're going to be reviewing 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:10.560 the season, going over a lot of tape. There are 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:14.480 thirteen pending unrestricted free agents that the Packers have that 0:18:14.520 --> 0:18:17.760 they they'll be making a potential contract decisions on. We've 0:18:17.760 --> 0:18:21.760 mentioned some of those names, Brian Bulaga, Mason Crosby, Traumont, Williams, 0:18:21.760 --> 0:18:25.880 Blake Martinez, Kyler, Facral Geronimo Allison. That's about half of them, 0:18:25.960 --> 0:18:27.800 and you know there are a bunch of others as well. 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:31.720 And as of right you know, right now, the Packers 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:35.359 sort of have those exclusive negotiating rights with those guys. 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:37.760 Um but you know how this works, Wes. I mean, 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:40.560 guys get to this stage and a lot of times, 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:42.680 not a hundred percent of the time, but a lot 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:45.080 of times they want to get to that what they 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:48.040 call the legal tampering period. Those opening days of free 0:18:48.080 --> 0:18:51.480 agency before a guy can actually sign with another team, 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:53.840 they can gauge the market. They can see what's out there. 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.119 Sometimes even a player's own team wants to see what 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:01.280 the market is for that player, um to you know, 0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:04.719 get get a get a gauge because you know, maybe 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:08.800 within their own circles they're not quite sure what the 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.520 market is going to be. So you get to those uh, 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:15.480 those forty eight hours there before free agency officially starts, 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:18.680 and then that's where a lot of times these decisions 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:22.160 are made on Okay, who's coming back and who's ultimately 0:19:22.160 --> 0:19:24.959 going to sign somewhere else because you know the market 0:19:25.040 --> 0:19:27.800 is going to go above you know, the value line 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:29.920 the packers that put on a player. All of those 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:32.240