WEBVTT - #300 Packers Unscripted: Prepping the D 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:20.560 Hi, everybody, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:22.840 I am Mike Spofford and he is the one and 0:00:22.920 --> 0:00:25.760 only Wes Hodkowits were coming to you here from our 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:28.520 studios at lambeau Field and West. On our last episode, 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:30.720 we spent a fair amount of time talking about some 0:00:30.800 --> 0:00:34.239 of the comments Aaron Rodgers made at his locker following 0:00:34.640 --> 0:00:38.080 the last public o t a practice of the spring. 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:40.200 But one area that he touched on that we didn't 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:43.120 quite get to was what he said about the Packers 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:47.360 young cornerbacks, specifically your Alexander Josh Jackson, the top two 0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:51.040 draft picks, and with his tongue at least partly planted 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:54.440 in his cheek, he sort of tossed out a warning like, Hey, 0:00:54.880 --> 0:00:57.840 I'm coming after you guys in training camp. This could 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:00.320 get pretty interesting in late July. What do you think? 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:02.480 This is the thing I enjoyed the most. As we're 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:05.560 getting done with the offseason program. You always think every 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:08.320 year about who's most excited about training camp. It says 0:01:08.319 --> 0:01:10.400 probably a lot about your football team. When it's your 0:01:10.400 --> 0:01:13.520 fourteenth year quarterback, is the one that is most excited 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:17.520 about the upcoming training camp? Aaron Rodgers without a shadow 0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:19.680 of a doubt. I don't want to speak for you. 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:22.240 For me personally and all the years I've covered sports, 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:25.400 he's the most competitive person I've ever seen. I think 0:01:25.440 --> 0:01:28.040 that goes almost without saying that I would, I would 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:29.560 have to agree. So, you know, there's a lot of 0:01:29.600 --> 0:01:32.000 hoot and holler and going on over in the cornerbacks 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:34.679 and defensive backside of the locker room. Jo your Alexander 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:38.759 not short on confidence whatsoever. Josh Jackson not as vocal, 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:41.320 but you can tell a very confident individual as well. 0:01:41.959 --> 0:01:43.960 Aaron Rodgers is looking forward to this. And I'll say 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:47.000 this too. That competition, that's something I think we really 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:49.360 need to see. I mean, when you're getting into training camp, 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:52.440 you need both of those two sides, offense defense, pushing 0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:55.160 and pulling against each other. H Aaron Rodgers is going 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:57.320 to bring it. And the nice thing is, regardless of 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:00.960 how this turns out, those two young quarterbacks are going 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:03.360 to be going against the game's very best. There is 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:05.160 no better way to get ready for a season than 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:07.639 have that a kind of opportunity. Yeah, if you're Mike Petton, 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:11.160 you absolutely love the fact that your top two draft picks, 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:14.040 those two young cornerbacks on the defensive side are going 0:02:14.080 --> 0:02:16.280 to be able to get ready for their rookie season 0:02:16.440 --> 0:02:19.600 in their rookie training camp, going up against the best 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:23.200 quarterback in the league, and it's a it's an opportunity 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:26.960 for them that that they certainly don't take lightly. Alexander, 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:29.320 I believe it was the prior week he had an 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:32.880 interception against Rogers when we were there watching practice at 0:02:32.919 --> 0:02:36.080 the at the public workout. But even he said he 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.160 took it with a grain assault. Hey, it's just practice. 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.280 I know, guys are working on stuff as far as 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.519 routes and timing and stuff. And he was pretty excited 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:45.880 about that interception though, and he said, you know, he 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:49.040 just looks forward to making some more plays when they count. Yeah. 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:52.000 And Ahmad Thomas also had an interception during that practice, 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:55.760 and I think the jubilation and celebrations that happened afterwards. 0:02:55.960 --> 0:02:58.200 They love it when they get Rogers they have, They 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:00.399 absolutely love it. There's a lot of entergy you there. 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:02.800 But he he's right, you do take it with a 0:03:02.800 --> 0:03:06.280 grain assault, and one interception in one offseason program practice 0:03:06.320 --> 0:03:09.360 does not make a career. However, and I wrote about 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:12.400 this an Insider inbox this week, Mike. That is the 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:14.519 thing that stands out to me though about Alexander. The 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:16.840 small things that you can actually take out of this 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:21.000 is his closing speed. It's remarkable, and he has incredible 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:24.919 quick twitch and that interception that he had, uh seemed 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:27.880 like there's a little miscommunication there between Rogers and Geronto 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:32.520 Allison on a back shoulder, but Alexander's ability to react 0:03:32.560 --> 0:03:35.480 to that and pick it off in a red zone period. 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:38.080 If this would have been a game simulation, that's a 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:41.880 potential pick six. That really impresses me because it shows 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:44.680 headiness there with a young player, and it also shows 0:03:44.720 --> 0:03:46.840 the one thing you can't quite coach, which is even 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:49.000 if you see it, can you get to it? And 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:51.160 I think Alexander is shown he definitely has that kind 0:03:51.160 --> 0:03:53.280 of ability. Yeah. I mean we heard when the Packers 0:03:53.320 --> 0:03:56.520 drafted him all about his ball skills, and that was 0:03:56.880 --> 0:03:58.760 that was a perfect example of it. When you mentioned 0:03:58.800 --> 0:04:02.040 the quick trip twitch, the reaction to when he's got 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:03.560 a chance to make a play on the ball and 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:06.160 in that particular instance he made it. You mentioned his 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:09.320 confidence before the swagger, whatever term that you want to use. 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:12.720 One thing that I think is interesting about these two guys, 0:04:12.720 --> 0:04:14.760 and I don't mean to continue talking about them like 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:16.640 two p's in a pod, but in a sense that 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:19.400 they're probably going to be connected like that throughout theirs 0:04:19.600 --> 0:04:22.719 in a lot of ways. But both of these guys 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:27.360 strike me as very, very confident young players who believe 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:30.599 that they belong in the NFL. They just carry themselves 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:34.000 very differently in that respect. Alexander much more outgoing. He 0:04:34.200 --> 0:04:36.000 you know, he talks a lot. He does have a 0:04:36.000 --> 0:04:38.760 little bit of that swagger on the practice field. Josh 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:43.400 Jackson much quieter, much more reserved, but in my opinion, 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:45.880 no less confident in what he can do out there 0:04:45.920 --> 0:04:47.880 on the field. Yeah, exactly. That is the thing that 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:50.320 stood out to me, even going back to the scouting combine, 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:53.719 when we're listening to him talk there in Annapolis. He 0:04:53.960 --> 0:04:57.240 is very sure about himself and what his abilities are. 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:00.120 He talked about himself in February as if he is 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:03.000 the best cornerback in this draft class, even though we 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.040 only had that one year of really true production as 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.880 a starting cornerback at Iowa. Now coming to Green Bay, 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:11.880 he said it. Since the beginning, I think there is 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:13.839 a little bit of chip on the shoulder there for him, 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:16.520 wanting to prove that he was the best cornerback, a 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:19.680 first round draft pick type caliber player, and yet he 0:05:19.760 --> 0:05:21.880 lasted till the middle of the second round, which the 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:24.000 Packers felt was a great value pick to get him 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:25.960 there for sure, And if they didn't, they wouldn't have 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:28.560 taken him in that spot, you know, with already having Alexander, 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:30.880 so with both of those young guys coming in, with 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:34.200 Tremon Williams, Devon House coming back, Quentin Rollins made it 0:05:34.240 --> 0:05:36.400 back in the off season program from the Achilles injury. 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:39.719 They have fourteen guys I think I counted in the 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.520 entire secondary, including the defensive backs, with NFL experience. Now 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:46.120 in addition to the young guys they brought in. They 0:05:46.240 --> 0:05:48.839 wanted depth at that position. They wanted to give themselves 0:05:49.080 --> 0:05:52.400 more cushion at that position. They accomplished that this summer. 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:54.760 Now the task for Alexander and Jackson is going to 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:56.800 be rising up that depth chart in training camp and 0:05:56.800 --> 0:05:59.039 showing that they can contribute right away, No question, I 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:00.720 bought it. With that, we'll go to a break back 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:21.160 with more on Packers unscripted right up to this Welcome 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:23.920 back to Packers unscripted Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:27.520 Hodkowits and that one west last week another topic that 0:06:27.560 --> 0:06:30.680 we didn't quite get to, maybe in the most timely 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:33.400 fashioned but we heard for the first time really since 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:37.599 he was hired from new defensive coordinator Mike Petton, and 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:41.160 we got a little bit of insight into his philosophy, 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:45.360 which also told us a little bit about how things 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:47.760 have gone this offseason, both in free agency and the 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:51.120 draft in terms of the Packers priorities. Because a very 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:54.839 interesting thing that he said in talking about the pass rushes, 0:06:55.000 --> 0:07:01.240 he values inside pass rush equally, if not more so, 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:04.360 than the edge rush, which is where all the attention 0:07:04.440 --> 0:07:06.840 obviously is the Clay Matthews and the Nick Perry's of 0:07:06.880 --> 0:07:10.800 the world. But that inside pass rush, he's really building 0:07:10.800 --> 0:07:15.400 this defense, building this past defense around collapsing the pocket, 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:18.120 isn't he He is? And when he said that, I 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:20.760 honestly was fist bumping a little bit, because I've been 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:24.240 trying to tell people this that since January, you know, 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:27.560 an insider in box, and when people ask, because everybody 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:30.400 thinks of pass rush, they think abo outside linebackers, and rightly, 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:33.040 so I get that That's a big part of the equation. 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:36.120 But you gotta look, the only thing we have to 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:39.520 go off of until pet and talked last week, was 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:43.960 the fact that you had these transactions, you had these 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:47.840 roster moves. You have to be able to read the 0:07:47.880 --> 0:07:52.080 tea leaves a little bit there. Mohammed Wilkerson getting added 0:07:52.160 --> 0:07:55.360 at what could conceivably be the Packer's biggest position of strength. 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:58.600 What does that tell you? The fact that they drafted 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:01.440 two cornerbacks with our first two picks when there were 0:08:01.480 --> 0:08:04.360 outside linebackers on the board, what does that tell you? 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:08.480 This is a part of the plan. They aren't just 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:12.600 neglecting or or just you know, diverting their attention away 0:08:12.640 --> 0:08:15.000 from certain areas. The Packers feel like if they have 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:17.920 Clay Matthews and Nick Perry healthy, along with the returning 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:21.640 players they have there, that is the necessary compliment to 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:24.640 the inside rush. The Packers went out, they got Wilkerson, 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:26.920 they have Mike Daniels coming back office first Pro Bowl, 0:08:26.960 --> 0:08:30.680 Kenny Clark coming off of a breakthrough season, the quickest 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:32.199 way to the quarterbacks through the middle of the field. 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:34.320 I say that time and time again. They feel like 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:36.120 they have the horses to do it. Yeah, it'll be 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:40.160 interesting to see how this develops now, because what it 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:44.320 comes down to for any defensive coordinator is, in a 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.720 scheme sense, he's trying to scheme things to get certain 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:51.200 guys in one on one matchups and then you win 0:08:51.280 --> 0:08:53.240 that one on one to get to the quarterback and 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:55.920 disrupt the play, disrupt the timing, whatever it might be. 0:08:56.400 --> 0:09:00.360 Mike Patton likes his chances with Kenny Clark, Mike Annals, 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:03.520 Mohammed Wilkerson in some combination, maybe two of them on 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:05.960 the field, maybe all three in certain situations at the 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:08.760 same time, but one of those guys getting a one 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:12.559 on one opportunity against an interior offensive lineman and beating 0:09:12.640 --> 0:09:15.600 him and getting to the quarterback. Now, the flip side 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:20.280 of it is, if the defense becomes so reliant on 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:22.960 the inside pass rush, of course offenses are going to adjust, 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.080 they're going to start to take that away. But then 0:09:25.120 --> 0:09:27.920 that means you're outside guys absolutely have to be able 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:30.640 to win one on one. And now Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:33.840 we know their injury history. The guys who are behind 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:36.160 them when they're called upon are going to have to 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:38.120 step up and win those one on ones. Whether you're 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:41.040 talking about Chris odom or Kyler Facral or Vince Bagel 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:44.920 or Kendall Donnerson, the seventh round pick who was the 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:47.720 only edge rusher of the Packers took in this last draft. 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:49.680 At the end of the day, West and I said 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:52.040 this in our Insider Inbox column. It comes down to 0:09:52.120 --> 0:09:55.320 winning a one on one because at some point the 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:56.880 the the offense is going to take away what you 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:59.160 do best. So then when you have a one on 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:01.080 one somewhere, that guy gotta win. And this is the 0:10:01.080 --> 0:10:03.800 thing I look at to Mike outside linebacker. They have Perry, 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:06.000 they have Matthews. Two first round picks have done in 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:08.120 a long time at the league. Both have had over 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:11.640 ten SAX seasons. The one difference, because everybody talks about 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:15.800 two thousand four, the one difference is Julius Peppers. I 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:18.160 don't care which way you break it down. He was 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:21.280 the difference maker. He's not here anymore. But trying to 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:25.199 act like the rotation is just suddenly so much different 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.520 or just so much on a so much more unaccomplished. 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:30.640 And in the past, that's a lie that that that's 0:10:30.679 --> 0:10:33.319 it's not it's not true. And I've said it time 0:10:33.360 --> 0:10:36.120 and time again. I've covered this team when Desmond Moses 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:39.079 started six games at outside linebacker in two thousand twelve. 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:42.520 You've seen Frank Zambo starting on a Super Bowl team. 0:10:42.760 --> 0:10:44.839 Got a sack in the Super got a sack. They 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:49.920 got contributions from guys to complement what they had. Kyler 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:51.760 Facker is the third round pick, Vince Biegel's a fifth 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:53.840 round pick. They like what they have in Reggie Gilbert. 0:10:54.080 --> 0:10:56.080 If those guys Gilbert Gilbert was the other guy was 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.439 trying to think of, and I neglected to mention it. Yeah, 0:10:58.480 --> 0:11:00.360 I mean those guys are gonna fact during into this. 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:03.240 Kendall Donnerson coming in as well. They have a core there. 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:05.720 At the end of the day, they need Claim Matthews 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.040 and Nick Perry to stay healthy. But it's one of 0:11:08.080 --> 0:11:10.120 the things that's really bothered me about this offseason, people 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:13.600 asking repeatedly about the depth that outside linebacker. They've gone 0:11:13.679 --> 0:11:17.360 into seasons with less. Yeah, so I we'll see how 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:20.840 it goes. They needed. There isn't a Julius Peppers type 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:23.079 player there. I mean, there's only one of those guys 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:26.600 in the entire league. But to act like this outside 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:28.880 rush is just so much vastly different from when they 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:30.680 want a super Bowl or in two thousand and eleven. 0:11:30.840 --> 0:11:33.600 It's it's not true. Yeah, and maybe the one guy 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:35.720 as far as the inside passed us that we don't 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:37.760 even really know yet what he brings to the table 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:40.880 as montrevious. Absolutely a third round draft pick last year, 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:44.400 he's now in that mix with Daniels, Clark, Wilkerson and 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.000 Dean Lowry who's coming into his own now in his 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.160 third season. So a lot to look forward to here 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:50.880 in Adams. The reason they draft him in the third 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:53.400 round last year. Obviously there's a run block, you know, 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:55.560 run defending element to it, but it was his pass 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:57.560 rush inside pass rush. They liked him there. They think 0:11:57.600 --> 0:11:59.760 he's explosive. You have a chance to show it now 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.120 in acamp alrighty with that, we'll go to another break 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:22.160 back with more on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:25.960 back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford here, Wes Hodko, it's there, 0:12:26.240 --> 0:12:29.840 wes Um. We talked a lot about Justin McCrae and 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.839 where he's headed now on this Packers offensive line and 0:12:32.880 --> 0:12:35.840 the opportunity in front of him. Another guy sort of 0:12:35.920 --> 0:12:39.040 lumped into that same category with McCrae in some senses 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:41.880 with the way things went last year as Lucas Patrick. Now, 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:44.000 unfortunately he's going to be known as the guy who 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:46.600 hit the line drive off Clay Matthew's face and broke 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:49.160 his nose and sent him to the operating room for 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.400 surgery and all that. But aside from that something I'm 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.040 sure he doesn't feel too good about, and it does 0:12:55.200 --> 0:13:00.760 and wishes and wishes wouldn't have happened. But um, he's 0:13:00.760 --> 0:13:04.240 had an opportunity here this spring because Lane Taylor, starting 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:07.120 left guard, has been out with an ankle injury. Packers 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:09.080 being a little cautious with that, you know, kind of 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:12.079 saving Taylor, just letting him get healthy for training camp. 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:14.400 But that means Patrick has taken a lot of reps 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:17.120 with the number one offensive line at left guard. Now 0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:20.920 I see him from a starting job perspective, competing at 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:23.719 right guard with with Justin McCrae to try to get 0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:26.800 into the starting lineup. But whatever position, if you're taking 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:29.360 reps with the number one offensive line, that's a good 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:33.000 way to uh to to continue developing and progressing in 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:34.679 your career. Yeah, and this is a young man to 0:13:34.880 --> 0:13:38.120 Mike that finished last season starting at right guard when 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:40.120 Jerry Evans ended up having to set out a couple 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:43.240 of games. Um and you know, dealt with the hand injury, 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:45.600 was wearing a club. He was knocking on wood that 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:47.160 that won't be an issue. He's had to deal with 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:49.240 it twice now so far during his short tenure in 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:52.600 Green Bay. But here's the thing that's interesting about it. Mike, 0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:55.800 him and Justin McCrea are really good friends. They've developed 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.520 into you know, their roommates, uh that you know, they're 0:13:58.520 --> 0:14:01.480 just they've grown incredibly close. But yet their story has 0:14:01.520 --> 0:14:03.800 sort of been tied together the entire time. Last year, 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:06.000 it appeared that they both were competing for one spot. 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:08.080 They end up both making the roster due to some 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:11.560 injury situations, and both sort of came out of nowhere 0:14:11.600 --> 0:14:15.720 to contribute in some shape or former fashion. Patrick is 0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:17.719 probably one of the more unique stories you're gonna find. 0:14:17.760 --> 0:14:19.320 I wrote about it last year, we talked about it 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:20.680 on the show. The fact that he was a guy 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:23.280 that when he graduated from Duke a really productive career 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:26.480 for them, didn't even get an undrafted free agent offer. 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.600 His only tryout opportunity was in Green Bay even then 0:14:30.680 --> 0:14:32.640 he didn't get a contract out of rookie camp. He 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:34.880 had to go back home, was planning the next step 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:37.160 of his career and you know, and then got the 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:41.000 call back to football. And he's really not taking that 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:44.000 for granted. His mindset has stayed the same the entire time. 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:46.400 He's still a tryout guy, trying to make the most 0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:49.920 of that. At the same time, he understands the opportunity 0:14:49.960 --> 0:14:52.480 before him right now and that both he and mccraine 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:54.240 not only are gonna have a chance to potentially started 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:56.080 right guard, but have a chance to be that number 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:59.440 five or number six guy on the offensive line. And 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:02.200 he said every single rep he's taken this offseason, he's 0:15:02.240 --> 0:15:04.960 gone back afterwards, he's talked with Lane Taylor. He's helping 0:15:05.040 --> 0:15:08.480 him walk through exactly all the progressions. Last year was 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:10.280 a nice building block for him to come up and 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:13.000 step up in spite of the club. But at the 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:15.600 same time, he has loftier goals and one of them 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:17.360 is to, you know, go into training camp here and 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:19.480 compete for a starting job. Yeah. I remember talking to 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.040 him last year at the end of the regular season, 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.440 after he had he had essentially played the last two 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:28.320 games because he stepped in after the very first snap 0:15:28.320 --> 0:15:31.120 of the Minnesota game in Week sixteen, played the rest 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:34.080 of that game, and then started against Detroit. So those 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.360 two games the most important um snaps that he's put 0:15:37.400 --> 0:15:40.200 on film in his NFL career so far, and he's 0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:41.960 doing it with a club on his hand. And I 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:44.640 remember asking him, you know, so, do you feel like 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.480 you know you're even able to show in that film, 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:49.400 like what kind of player you are? And and he 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:52.680 said no, I mean, he knows he can play better. 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:55.520 He knows that if he's healthy and has the full 0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:57.560 use of both of his arms, both of his hands, 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:01.400 that he's got more to give. Even though he held 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.120 up just fine in those in those two games, considering 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:07.040 all the circumstances. So this is an interesting guy to watch. 0:16:07.080 --> 0:16:11.239 As you said, teams are always looking for those reliable backups, 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:14.400 swing guys that can play multiple positions if they don't 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:17.520 crack the starting lineup, but but they can be ready 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:19.520 to step in there. Now. He's not a guy who 0:16:19.520 --> 0:16:23.280 has experience at tackle, but certainly on the on the interior, 0:16:23.640 --> 0:16:25.320 he's the guy who's going to have a very good 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:29.040 chance to uh to make his mark on the Packers, 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.240 and he gives you versatility too because he picked up 0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:33.920 that center position along the way. I go back to 0:16:33.960 --> 0:16:36.000 that Minnesota game, Mike, I still don't know how he 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:40.240 wasn't just an absolute turnstyle. Looking at those defensive tackles 0:16:40.240 --> 0:16:42.440 that they have, the stuff that Mike Zimmer throws at you, 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:43.680 the fact that he was able to hold up to 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:47.160 it really impressive. And you know, talking with about Patrick 0:16:48.120 --> 0:16:51.160 with Corey Lindsley this past week, Lindsley said, you know, 0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:52.800 even though he was a tryout guy, you could see 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:54.800 from the beginning that this guy belonged and that there 0:16:54.840 --> 0:16:57.280 was something there that people just hadn't seen. And I 0:16:57.280 --> 0:16:59.080 think his time has gone on here. Some of the 0:16:59.080 --> 0:17:02.880 stuff he's done this off season two increases hip flexibility. Uh, 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:05.800 he's really showed that he's not he wasn't a camp body. 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:07.760 He's not a roster you know, at the edge of 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:09.880 the roster guy. He's a guy that's here to compete 0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:11.720 and you know, hopefully, you know, turn this thing into 0:17:11.720 --> 0:17:13.679 a long career. Alright. With that, we will go to 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:16.520 another break back with more and Packers Unscripted right after this. 0:17:34.280 --> 0:17:38.040 Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford alongside West Hodko. 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:41.600 It's West final segment today. Definitely need to mention because 0:17:41.800 --> 0:17:43.880 we talked the other day about the fact that we 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:47.720 were recording our three hundredth episode of Packers unscripted. For 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:51.440 those who are the podcast listeners, not the television watchers, 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:55.399 this is podcast number three, and I know that's created 0:17:55.480 --> 0:17:59.400 some consternation about from the the loyal podcast listeners will 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:02.959 where are these long lost episodes that supposedly aired and 0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:05.600 we weren't able to listen to them on the website. Well, 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:07.879 it's just a matter of timing. There were a couple 0:18:07.920 --> 0:18:10.880 of I believe it was Monday episodes if I'm not mistaken, 0:18:10.960 --> 0:18:14.800 before Monday night football in a preseason games. Yeah where 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:18.040 because the podcast wouldn't be available until the next day 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:20.520 because the game was played in between. It would be 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:23.720 useless for podcast listeners to listen to a game preview 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:27.240 after the game has been played. So they weren't podcasts, 0:18:27.280 --> 0:18:29.720 and that's why we have the discrepancy in the number 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:35.360 of episodes versus the number of podcast But anyway, now 0:18:35.400 --> 0:18:38.199 we've hit three hundred in both, so so here we go. 0:18:38.800 --> 0:18:41.720 But to wrap up today, the Packers this past week 0:18:42.119 --> 0:18:45.800 did their annual team building exercise where they surprised the 0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:48.919 players and say, hey, guys, no practice today, Let's all 0:18:49.000 --> 0:18:51.240 hop on the bus and go have some fun somewhere. 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:54.119 And they went back to an activity that they've done 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:56.520 at other times in past years, which is to go 0:18:57.080 --> 0:19:01.040 clay shooting with um On out at the out at 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:04.199 a local range just outside of Green Bay here in 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:06.640 Little swam Coo. You went out to kind of take 0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:09.680 in some of the action and stay safe. But but 0:19:09.800 --> 0:19:12.800 what were your impressions of the whole excursion Little Creek 0:19:12.840 --> 0:19:15.440 Lodge and never all my years of living in Green 0:19:15.480 --> 0:19:18.399 Bay in northeast Wisconsin, obviously I'm not a big outdoorsman, 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:20.760 so I didn't know what existed. But it is out 0:19:20.760 --> 0:19:23.280 there and it it was a cool experience and it 0:19:23.320 --> 0:19:25.800 was fun getting to see the guys that do this 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:29.280 like recreationally, like Jake Ryan. Um. Yeah, I've been I've 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:31.360 been out there in the past in past years when 0:19:31.359 --> 0:19:33.240 they've done this, and there are some guys who are 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:36.520 awfully good marksman. There are three different types of players. 0:19:36.520 --> 0:19:38.239 I figured out by the being out there for two 0:19:38.320 --> 0:19:40.600 hours with them. They're the guys that do it recreationally. 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:43.159 I think Jake Ryan among them. It sounds like Joe Carriage, 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:44.840 although I didn't see him, it sound like Joe Carriage 0:19:44.920 --> 0:19:47.760 is very good. The fullback. Um, there's the second guys 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:51.040 which are probably naturals to it, like Lance Kendricks. Kendrick 0:19:51.080 --> 0:19:52.680 said he doesn't really get out to, you know, these 0:19:52.720 --> 0:19:56.120 kind of ranges very often, but he credited his marksmanship 0:19:56.160 --> 0:19:59.040 to call of duty. So the video game, I'm sure 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:01.360 you're familiar with that a game place. And then three 0:20:01.480 --> 0:20:03.800 there's the guys that have never done this before. Uh 0:20:04.000 --> 0:20:06.919 you know, Fortunately there's there's officers at every station that 0:20:07.000 --> 0:20:09.080 helped them with loading and telling them what to do 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.040 and with safety locks and all that. But they are 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.000 not going to hit the broadside of a bar. So uh, 0:20:15.200 --> 0:20:18.160 seeing all those different types of personalities, it's interesting to watch. 0:20:18.240 --> 0:20:21.080