1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 1: by my partner at Crime Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: you here from our studios at lambeau Field reviewing week 5 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: three of OTA's West. We got another chance to see 6 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: a practice earlier this week Mini Campus next week that 7 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: will be the final week of the off season program. 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: But I'm just gonna throw this at you based on 9 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: what we saw on Tuesday, this kicking competition is getting 10 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: a little wild. That was not something that I think 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: I've seen as far as the volume of opportunities and 12 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: three guys going at it and just the craziness at 13 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: the end of practice with this kicking competition on Tuesday. 14 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: Well, Matt Lafleur said, this is the second time they've 15 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: done this in terms of the three guys all getting 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 2: opportunities in the same practice that in my time, I 17 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 2: think maybe they did it once after they signed Zach 18 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: Ramirez to come in with Giorgio Taveki at the end 19 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 2: of the thirteen camp. I think they might have with 20 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: Mason Crosby. I think they might have all done that 21 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: one day but then they cut Georgio the next day 22 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: or something like that. I've never witnessed anything like this. 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 2: First off, kudos goes to Rich Bisaccia and Byron Storer 24 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: in the special. They made it work like. It was 25 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 2: a pretty seamless transition in terms of all the guys 26 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:30,479 Speaker 2: that got ops. 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: And it was clearly competitive, too, very competitive. Could you 28 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: could sense it? Yeah? 29 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. And at the end of the practice, then what 30 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: happened is they did the two minute drill and if 31 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: and actually I think even if they the offense didn't 32 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: get down the field, they still set it up for 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 2: the field goals. They end with I want to say 34 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 2: it was fifty seven yarders. 35 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: Yeah they were. They were kicking. They were kicking long ones. 36 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: They were definitely fifty five plus. 37 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: And they all made it. So what they do, They 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 2: come and they rev it up a little bit more. 39 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: And as Greg Joseph said, he hasn't seen anything like 40 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: this since days back in college, where they had the 41 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 2: entire football team lined up around the offensive line, the snapper, 42 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: and obviously the kicker, and each guy had a shot 43 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 2: at from fifty one yards. Jack pez Lusni missed the opportunity. 44 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 2: Joseph also missed it. Final opportunity was Anders Carlson. He 45 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 2: puts it right through the uprights and was completely mobbed 46 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: by the entire football team. It was for as offseason 47 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: practices go. That was as much of a training camp 48 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 2: type feel as I think I've experienced. 49 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the guys were having Maybe maybe it wasn't 50 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: so fun for the kickers. 51 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: No, for sure. 52 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: The rest of the guys, we're having a lot of 53 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: fun with it, because when they were creating this big 54 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: distracting thing, you know, getting up right up close to 55 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: the to the holder and the kicker and the snapper, 56 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: and you know they're they're kind of scorting their water. 57 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: They were squirting water bottles, but not just on the kicker, 58 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: but on Daniel Wheel and the holder and on you 59 00:02:59,480 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: know whoever. 60 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: The Daniel he's just learned his. 61 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: Job, Yeah, exactly, well, and on the snappers as well. 62 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: They were trying to distract those guys too. Obviously not 63 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: a not a realistic situation, but something where you're just 64 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: you're trying to create, You're trying to create a circumstance 65 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: where concentration is at a premium, right, That's that's what 66 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: they're after there, And and It wasn't just that, but 67 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: it was as you said, it was a fifty plus 68 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: yard field goal, so it wasn't just some kind of 69 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: a chip shot. It was fun to watch. I'm curious 70 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: to see, you know, how this kicking competition plays out 71 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: through the summer and through the preseason games, training camp 72 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: and everything. This has all the makings of something that 73 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: goes right down to as I sort of joked, right 74 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,839 Speaker 1: down to checking in for the Brazil flight. That might 75 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: be right up until that point that the Packers make 76 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: their decision on who their kicker is going to be 77 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: for twenty twenty four. 78 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: Well, I do you know, we'll see yeah, loong they 79 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: keep the triad going there. But I do think there's 80 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 2: a benefit to having kickers in there the entire camp. 81 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: You know, I think back to some of these other 82 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: years in which they they kind of created competition, but 83 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: in some ways they didn't because you'd get to the 84 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: end of the off season program and then you know, 85 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: they cut a Ryan Winslow. You get a week in 86 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 2: the camp and they'd already figure out who their punter was. 87 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: Let's be honest about one thing, Mike, Not to say 88 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: that you can't have somebody come in on August eighth 89 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: and make a roster spot. 90 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: We've seen it happen before. 91 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: But generally speaking, your team is mostly set. I don't 92 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: know what kind of benefit there is to to shuffling 93 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: out a specialist to bring it in somebody else at 94 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: that juncture, assuming there's not an issue, a persistent issue 95 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: in practice with the guys that you have. So I 96 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: feel like, you know, pressure makes diamonds. And the one 97 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 2: thing I hope people can take a step back on 98 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 2: in relation to Charlson, just specifically, please understand that, yes, 99 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 2: there were too many missed extra points last year. Last 100 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 2: year the postseason, we saw what happened. It is not 101 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 2: easy to be a rookie kicker in the National Football League. 102 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 2: And the one difficult thing with drafting a kicker is 103 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 2: you are immediately put into the predicament of having to 104 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: decide how much latitude you give that individual, because, as 105 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: I've said umpteen times already, you don't want to find 106 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 2: yourself in a situation like the Vikings did where they 107 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 2: give up too early on Daniel Carlson. The guy goes 108 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 2: on to become an All Pro, it looks like he's 109 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: probably just gonna end up being the Raiders kicker for 110 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: the next ten years. When you have a guy that 111 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 2: you felt strongly about developmentally, you want to give him 112 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: the opportunity to compete for that job and give him 113 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 2: an honest, honest opportunity at that. They brought in Greg Joseph. 114 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: That's legitimate competition for him. Two guys that both kicked 115 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: in the NFC North last year. Made the best man win. 116 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think I totally agree with what you 117 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: said about Carlson. And obviously there's the lesson the vikings 118 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: learned with regard to his older brother and all that. 119 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: The interesting spot that the Packers are in here is 120 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: because of the run they made at the end of 121 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: the season. You were playing as well as anybody. You're 122 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: you know, an eyelash away from making it to the 123 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: NFC Championship Game, and a missed field goal late in 124 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter was a big part of that. The 125 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: Packers are going to have an interesting decision to make 126 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: because I think they want to develop Anders Carlson and 127 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: they want to see him be the kicker here for 128 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: the next ten or twelve years and be the next 129 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: Mason Crosby for this organization. I think that's the that's 130 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: the goal, and that's the desire. But you can only 131 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: have so much patience when you're a contender, and when 132 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: you're playing, you believe you're a contender for a super 133 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: Bowl and you're playing for it. That's why Greg Joseph 134 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: was brought in. This is a guy he doesn't have 135 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: a huge pedigree in the NFL, but he's kicked in 136 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: a conference championship game with the Tennessee Titans earlier in 137 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: his career. He's been the guy for the Minnesota Vikings 138 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: for the last three years. Some interesting statistical quirks when 139 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: you look when you look at his career, I was 140 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: putting together a story that's actually going to appear on 141 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: our website on Friday. In Greg Joseph's career, he's only 142 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: missed one field goal inside of forty yards in his career, 143 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: but he's missed like sixteen extra points, which of course 144 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: there are thirty three yards. Now, maybe a couple of 145 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: those might have been after penalties and might have I 146 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: didn't do all the research, but it's just kind of strange, 147 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: you know, because he's been he's been really really solid 148 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: on anything inside forty yards, and he's been pretty darn 149 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: good from forty plus as well. But then you look 150 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: at the number of extra points he's missed and you 151 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: kind of scratch your head a little bit. So I 152 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: agree with you. It's absolutely you know, may the best 153 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: man win. From what we have seen, and again it's 154 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: only been one day a week in Ota, is from 155 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: what we have seen. I haven't seen anything from Anders 156 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: Carlson that tells me the Packers are just ready to 157 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: move on, you know. I haven't seen anything that tells 158 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 1: tells me that. But we have an entire training camp, 159 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: multiple preseason games and everything to go through to to 160 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: sort this thing out. And nobody's making any decisions right 161 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: now because nobody has to. 162 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and this is when you want to make those decisions, honestly, 163 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: Like you know, I know there was some talk at 164 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 2: the end of last season like, Okay, well you're going 165 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: into the playoffs. If you're looking for a kicker in December, 166 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: you're in a bad spot because it's going to be 167 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: very rare. You're going to find somebody that's out on 168 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 2: the market, especially in the day and age where there's 169 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: practice squads available, where you're just going to be able 170 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 2: to put that guy in and count. 171 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: On Brian gudokunsett After the season, they they were looking. 172 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, with with the struggles that Carlson 173 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: was having, the Packers were making this run at a 174 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: playoff spot. They were looking and they felt personnel wise, 175 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: there wasn't a better option out there, or they would 176 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: have brought somebody else in. He said that after the season. 177 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: I have to take him at his word. 178 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: And I think the Packers did the best possible thing 179 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 2: in that. You know, it's gonna be very difficult to 180 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 2: go out and sign a guy like Matthew Gay a 181 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: year earlier. Where it's gonna be this is the top 182 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: of the line. You're gonna have to pay him free 183 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 2: agent while also still having honors there to compete for 184 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: that job. Yeah, Greg Joseph was a good middle ground 185 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: because he was allowed to walk as an unrestricted free 186 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 2: agent from Minnesota. But he's been around for a long time. 187 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 2: As he told you in the locker room on Tuesday. 188 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: You know, he's competed four jobs before. He learned a 189 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 2: lot from that experience. That's what kind of forged his mentality. 190 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: When he's won jobs and he's lost jobs, you know, 191 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,839 Speaker 1: this is a guy who's been through this kicking competition 192 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: thing before. 193 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 2: When you talked about the weird quirk with his the 194 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: field goals the other thing. I remember doing the five 195 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: things on him. I was actually in Florida at the 196 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: time when they signed him, and he's had a really 197 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: interesting career because he talked about the challenges of kicking 198 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: in Cleveland and obviously being there one year. He had 199 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: a very unique thing where he went to Tennessee at 200 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 2: the end of I believe was the nineteen season. 201 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: Yes, it was towards It was the tail end of 202 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: the twenty nineteen season because Ryan suck Up hurt. Suck 203 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: Up got hurt for the Titans, and they they needed 204 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: a kicker and they brought him in and he ended 205 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: up being the guy that that carried them through that 206 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: held the position through the AFC Championship game. 207 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 2: And he only kicked extra points. 208 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: It was just until the playoffs. 209 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 2: Until the playoffs point, but he was I think he 210 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 2: had fifteen extra points or something like that. 211 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: He didn't yeah, for all the games toward the end 212 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: of the season. He didn't actually get a field goal 213 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: attempt until the postseason because all of his regular season 214 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: stats were just pat. 215 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 2: Find me, a guy that just hasn't even attempted one 216 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 2: in five crazy let alone make them. But I feel 217 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: like this is the great a great setup for them. 218 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 2: Pod Lesnie, I'm very interested to see what the approaches 219 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 2: with Green Bay takes with him. He was a guy 220 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 2: they signed back in January. That was the first sign 221 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: of a competition there. They decided to keep him around 222 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 2: even after signing Joseph. So it's gonna be very interesting 223 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 2: how it works out. But I feel like to get 224 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 2: back to my core argument here. You know, however many 225 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 2: it is the multiples, the plural keeping those guys around, 226 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 2: having a competition two or three getting into training camp, 227 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 2: I think is gonna beneficial for both Carlson and the 228 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 2: other kickers. 229 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll just have to see how it plays out. 230 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to forget about the sponsor business today, Wes, 231 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna do it right now. NFL Radio delivers 232 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news 233 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: that true football fanatics need twenty four to seven, three 234 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 1: sixty five and that cousin subs we have something for everyone, 235 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and Cheese, golden fries 236 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or 237 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: sub in a bowl. Cousin subs fifty plus years of better. 238 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: All right, Well, we know when we're standing there watching practice, 239 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: we get, we anticipate, we're waiting for the eleven on 240 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: eleven to start. Those are the plays we like to watch. 241 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: When they're going full. 242 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 2: Speed, when they're going full speed. 243 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 1: When they're going full speed. Yes, we've seen in we've 244 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: seen a lot of eleven on eleven at half speed, 245 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: which is which is not something from a reporter standpoint 246 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: that does a whole lot for us visually. But you 247 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: never know what you're gonna You never know what you're 248 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: gonna see with this Packers offense, as we've talked about, 249 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: with all these different receivers that are available, and where 250 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: the ball is going to go and lo and behold. 251 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: Right at the beginning of eleven on eleven on Tuesday, 252 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: Jordan Love lets one rip deep and who's the guy 253 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: running underneath it? Not Jayden Reed, not Christian Watson, not 254 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: Romeo Dobbs, not Don Davian Wicks, but Bo Melton seventy 255 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: five yard touchdown to kick off the eleven on eleven 256 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: and quite Frankly, I think it caught the defense's attention 257 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 1: because we saw the defense, you know, ratchet up their 258 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: play the rest of the eleven on eleven of practice 259 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: after that. But but man, I tell you, Bo Melton, 260 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: he's he's uh, he's still going to be in a 261 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: fight for a roster spot once again. But man, having 262 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 1: a guy like that on the depth chart where he 263 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: is for the Green Bay Packers says something about what 264 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: the Packers have at that position. 265 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 2: This the Melton family is one that fascinates me. And 266 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: I think, you know, assuming everything works out, Bo's on 267 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 2: the roster again this year, I think it'll be a 268 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 2: really interesting story to do going into his game against Max, 269 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: his younger brother, who was the second round pick of 270 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: Arizona when those two teams play in Week six. But 271 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 2: the high character of that group, both Max and Bow 272 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 2: they had other offers. They both decided to go to Rutgers. Now, 273 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: in Bo's case, that was definitely a big decision because 274 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 2: Rutgers has kind of turned a corner now that Schiano's 275 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 2: coming back there. They're a little bit more competitive they 276 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 2: were when Chris ash was there, and there were some 277 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: lean years where Bo was the guy and there wasn't 278 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 2: a whole lot of winning always happening. Now. I don't 279 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 2: know how much that affected his draft stock or not, 280 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 2: but he goes in the seventh round. John Schneider drafts 281 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 2: him into Seattle. He doesn't make the He's there the 282 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 2: entire season. The Green Bay Packers come calling at the 283 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 2: end of really the end of Aaron Rodgers era at 284 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: twenty two. Then the Packers, for the second straight year, 285 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 2: draft three straight three receivers in the draft. Yeah, competition 286 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 2: of plenty bodies, of plenty investments a plenty for the Packers. 287 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 2: Bo doesn't make the roster. I went back and looked 288 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 2: Mike preseason last year, Bo had one catch for three yards. 289 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: It's gonna be hard to make the roster with that 290 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 2: type of production in the preseason, yep. But what happens. 291 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 2: He sticks it out, He stays in Green Bay, and 292 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: he was an absolute electric piece for this defense or 293 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 2: for this offense in that final stretch of the season. 294 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 2: As Matt Leffuor said, the first receiver to have a 295 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 2: hundred yard game for the Packers, and after that, Dantavian 296 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: Wicks I think came right after it. I think maybe 297 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 2: Romeo Dobbs. 298 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: Dobbs had the one in the playoffs in Dallas. 299 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 2: The domino effects started. Yeah, So bringing this all back 300 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 2: to practice on Tuesday, in so many cases, it would 301 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 2: have been almost a surprise to see someone like Melton 302 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 2: who is running with the ones. This is Jordan Love 303 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: throwing the ball right, But as he was taught talking 304 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: about afterwards, that's a play they've been trying to hit 305 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 2: for a couple of these practices now. They wanted to 306 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: get a big moment there, and as it just turns out, 307 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 2: Xavier McKinney subbed out right before that. So the Packers 308 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 2: have the young secondary, they have the two young safeties 309 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 2: back there, and he runs a post route and nobody 310 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 2: covers him. Yeah, And it was funny listening to him 311 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 2: describe it because he's like, you know, I look back 312 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 2: and the ball isn't in the area yet, and at 313 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: that moment he knows exactly what's happening because he's one 314 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 2: run in the deep route. Jordan Love probably threw his 315 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 2: best pass of the day. He puts it right on 316 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: his receiver. Would have been a seventy five yard touchdown. Mike, 317 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: this is a guy. Last year twenty plus receptions. I 318 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: think he was right up there with some of the 319 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 2: best receivers in the league during the final month of 320 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: the season in terms of the explosive plays. And it's 321 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 2: moments like that that show you both the character of 322 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: the individual, the athleticism of the individual, and just his 323 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 2: ability to execute. Bo Melton is not going away. 324 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, he's not. He's going to be. He's going 325 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: to be in this fight for a roster spot, for 326 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: playing time, for opportunities, just as he was last year. 327 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: It's really interesting the the dynamic that the Packers have 328 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: at wide receiver. I wrote us, you wrote a story 329 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: on bow Melton that is on our website. The night 330 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: before that story went up, I wrote about the whole 331 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: question that's that's been discussed a lot. We've discussed it 332 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: on this show, you know about do the Packers have 333 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: a number a true number one wide receiver? Do they 334 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: need to have somebody emerge as a true number one 335 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: wide receiver? And when you look at what Green Bay 336 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: has going on right now, while with an entire receiving 337 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: corps that is that is six seven, eight deep, quite frankly, 338 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: there are gonna be guys that maybe they get a 339 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: look from somebody on the waiver wire, or they're going 340 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: to come back on the practice squad and maybe be 341 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: the next Bow Melton, who you know, hangs around on 342 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: the practice squad and then gets a chance later on. 343 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 1: All of that will see how it plays out. The 344 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: Packers have a whole bunch of these guys on their 345 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: rookie contracts, while justin Jefferson's you know, getting a new 346 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: deal for thirty five million a year, and Jaden Watta 347 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:04,880 Speaker 1: from Miami's getting a new deal, and guys like Brandon 348 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: Aiyuk and others Ceedee Lamb are apparently holding out of 349 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: mandatory mini camp in with their clubs because they're looking 350 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: for new contracts and new extensions and get and getting 351 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: the big money wallets out there for the wide receivers. 352 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: Packers are gonna have plenty of decisions to make over 353 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: the next couple of years in terms of those second 354 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: contracts and where to invest the money. But man, is 355 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:31,239 Speaker 1: it a nice spot to be in right now, isn't it? 356 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: With with with where the Packers are a wide receiver. 357 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 2: For two more years? I mean now you can do 358 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 2: some extensions next year if you want it. 359 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, next next year, Romeo Dobs and Christian Watson become 360 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: eligible for extensions because you when on your rookie contract, 361 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: you have to play three years before you can even 362 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 1: look at that contract and do anything to change it. 363 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: So those guys will get their third years in after 364 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: this season, and then for those draft picks from twenty 365 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 1: twenty three, it'll be another year after that. 366 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 2: When you are having a nice night out at the 367 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 2: Spafford residence, you want to take out missus Spofford for 368 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 2: a dinner, like, like, what are you looking for? Like 369 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 2: what type of food are you looking for? 370 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: I'm a fish guy. 371 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 2: You're a fish guy. Telapia? 372 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, sure, A fancy preparation. 373 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, fancy preparation. Well, here's what I love about the way, 374 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: because people I keep asking this question left and right, 375 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 2: and Rob Damofski wrote a really nice piece on Jiden Reid, 376 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: and there's reasons to look at all these guys and 377 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 2: say that could be a number one receiver. But this 378 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 2: is the way I look at it. I was thinking 379 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 2: about this a couple of nights ago. Yours is fish. 380 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 2: Mine's probably a nice filet. You go and if you 381 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 2: go to a restaurant and all they have, is that 382 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 2: really nice? Fish or in my case, a file at 383 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 2: and around it they have chicken nuggets and you have 384 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: fish sticks and you know, maybe some some reeses or 385 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 2: ritz crackers with some you know sau what are you 386 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 2: eating out of that? You're gonna go get your fish. 387 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 2: I'm gonna go get my file at the beautiful. Then 388 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 2: it's very easy to determine who the guy is, what 389 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 2: the main course is. Well, in the packers case, I 390 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 2: mean you got file a, you got you know, free 391 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 2: range chicken, you got you know, chile and sea bass, 392 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 2: you got lobster, you got all these different options that 393 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 2: when you have that, it opens up so many different 394 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 2: avenues for Jordan Love, it opens up so many avenues 395 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 2: for Matt Lafleur, And I think that's the beauty of it. Now. 396 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 2: As some people have been asking in the locker room, 397 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 2: ego's a big thing in this league. People receivers especially, 398 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,440 Speaker 2: they want their touches, they want their ops. As Jason 399 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 2: Vrabel likes to talk about, it's difficult to juggle all 400 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 2: of that. But what's cool about this group is looking 401 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 2: at Jaden Reid quickly looking at Dontavian Wicks, two rookies 402 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 2: that in some ways we're kind of competing for snaps 403 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 2: last year. They get done with last season and both 404 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 2: of them say, you know what, we want to keep 405 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: this thing going. We want to keep the train on 406 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 2: the tracks. Weeks after the twenty twenty three season ends, 407 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 2: they're down in Florida together training for the upcoming season. 408 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 2: No quarterback. They're just running routes with each other. They're 409 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 2: looking out with each other, eating you know, grubhub with 410 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: each other because they felt like they have a common 411 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: nut bond there. They have a history, they have a past. 412 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 2: You look at bow Melton, you look at Christian Watson 413 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 2: going down to Madison to try to get some answers. 414 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 2: Romeo Dobbs the most consistent guy I think I've seen 415 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 2: as a young player in Green Bay at that position. 416 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: I wrote about it an inbox earlier this week. But 417 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 2: the culture of that room is what has allowed all 418 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 2: these guys to become playmakers. And Mike, if there's one 419 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 2: thing we've learned, you can look at, you know, Christian Kirk, 420 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 2: you can look at a lot of these guys. You 421 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 2: don't need to have one thousand yard season after one 422 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 2: thousand yard season to go get a big contract and 423 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 2: free agency if teams look at what you do with 424 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 2: your opportunities and they realize the type of difference maker 425 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 2: you are, you're going to get paid. In my credit, 426 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 2: my hack goes off to all those guys. Because Romeo 427 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 2: Dobbs last year, when Christian Watson was out and would 428 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 2: have been perceived to have been the number one receiver 429 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 2: in so many ways, he was still rooting for bou Melton. 430 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: He was still rooting for Dontavian Wicks. The culture of 431 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 2: that room has allowed this thing to stick together. And 432 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: when you have so many weapons and so many talented guys, 433 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 2: that's that's not always an easy thing to do. 434 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, And this whole question of number one wide receiver, 435 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: yes or no, who's it going to be? Who does 436 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: it need to be? As you said with regard to 437 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: the culture of the room, those guys don't care. That's 438 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: not what they're thinking about. And that's to their credit 439 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: because of what that means for the team. What I 440 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: will say right now is that is that I think schematically, 441 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: And when I say schematically, I mean how defenses game 442 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: plan against you and and scheme to try to stop you. Schematically, 443 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 1: the Packers number one wide receiver is Christian Watson. He's 444 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: the one who impacts what the defense does the most. 445 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: But production wise, whether the Packers end up with the 446 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: number one receiver is still kind of the open question. 447 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: I think it could end up being Jaden Reid this year. 448 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: That wouldn't surprise me at all. It also wouldn't surprise 449 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: me if the Packers have a different player lead them 450 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 1: in receptions one hundred yards and a different guy in touchdowns, 451 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 1: because we've even seen not that long ago that a 452 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: tight end in Matt Lafleur's offense had double digit touchdowns 453 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: talking about Bobby Tunyan, of course, so who knows what 454 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: that means for Luke Musgrave say, if he can stay 455 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: healthy for an entire season. So the various statistical categories, 456 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: the whole number one idea could end up being spread 457 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: all across the board, right, And that's what's going to 458 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: be really fun about this offense. And as Jordan Love said, 459 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: moving forward, now you know they're out there in OTAs 460 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: where he's making checks and adjustments at the line of 461 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: scrimmage and they're running some different stuff, which twelve months 462 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: ago OTA's last year, that kind of stuff wasn't happening 463 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: because it was just about with Love as QB one 464 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 1: for the first time, with Dobbs and Watson just in 465 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: their second season, and then the rookies that came in 466 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: through the draft. It was all about just just get 467 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,640 Speaker 1: the basics of the offense down. Let's get this figured out. 468 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: And we saw the progression obviously where the offense was, 469 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: especially the passing offense was early in the season versus 470 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: later in the season. One. Now they're just everybody individually, 471 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: whether it's Bo Melton and his strong finish or collectively 472 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: as a group, they're just trying to pick up where 473 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: they left off. And I think that's what makes that's 474 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 1: what makes this season so exciting offensively. With then the 475 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: added twist of a change at the number one running 476 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: backs with Josh Jacobs coming in for Aaron Jones and 477 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: what that's going to mean moving forward. 478 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 2: The thing we also need to acknowledge here, You hope 479 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:42,959 Speaker 2: the Packers can stay healthy at those skill positions, hopefully 480 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 2: fingers crossed from a personal perspective, hopefully Christian Watson, everything 481 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 2: he did this offseason, the answers he got. 482 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, And the interesting thing is part of the reason 483 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: we know so much about these guys and there is 484 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,439 Speaker 1: so much confidence in these guys to make plays. Is 485 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: because of the injuries that happened last year and the 486 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: way the opportunit unities got spread around, the way bow 487 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: Melton was called upon, the way Malik Heath at times 488 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,640 Speaker 1: last season was called upon to step up and make 489 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: some plays because of guys who were out. So, yes, 490 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 1: you hope for health, but the lack of health so 491 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 1: to speak, last season is partly why the Packers are 492 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: in the position they're in right now. 493 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then that that was kind of the point 494 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 2: I was gonna make the stocked into them alone here 495 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 2: that I was gonna make. 496 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: Sorry, no I stole, I stole the I stole the 497 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: pass for the slab dog, but we scored if we did. No. 498 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 2: But that's the point I'm trying to make though. Unfortunately, 499 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 2: injuries in twenty twenty three are and this goes a 500 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 2: tight end too. By the way, injuries in twenty twenty 501 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 2: three year is why we learned so much about these guys, 502 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 2: why we saw how many people stood out. Absolutely, and 503 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 2: it's not just Tuckercraft either. The way Ben Simms played 504 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: last year as an undrafted free agent, a guy that 505 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 2: by the way, he's huge. He's a big dude. He 506 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 2: wasn't just seen as like the Mercedes Lewis type. Okay, 507 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 2: this is gonna be a great blocking ten, and he 508 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,439 Speaker 2: had to learn a lot in his role. Bow Melton 509 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 2: doesn't get the opportunities he gets last season if it 510 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 2: wasn't for unfortunately, the injury to Toure. You look at 511 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 2: Dantavian Wicks, he doesn't get that opportunity if if Christian 512 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 2: Watson isn't dealing with the hamstring. That was a question 513 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 2: I even asked Dantavian during our availability with him two 514 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 2: weeks ago, I mean, did you expect how much of this? 515 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 2: Did you surprise you to be able to come out 516 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 2: of the gates, right out of the way and produce 517 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 2: the way he did? He said, the only thing that 518 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 2: surprised me is how soon the opportunities came. He thought 519 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 2: he was gonna have to wait for him more so, 520 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 2: the best scenario in all this is Matt Lafleur, Jason Vrabel, 521 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 2: Ryan Mahaffey, all these guys, Adam Stenovich. The best scenario 522 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 2: is that they have difficult decisions to make with how 523 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 2: they want to build their game plans. You don't want 524 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 2: injuries to happen, but the fortification of this offense has 525 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 2: been built because of that, and I think that's what 526 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: makes this twenty twenty four Packers offense extremely exciting. Yeah. 527 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely, One other thing I want to touch on before 528 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: we go, and I'm kind of working on this a 529 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: little bit with regard to the inside or inbox column 530 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 1: for tomorrow morning. But I mentioned kind of where things 531 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: are going with the white receiver market and the money 532 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 1: that is getting thrown around. Right the top cornerbacks in 533 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: the NFL right now, jyr Alexander being one of them. 534 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: You know, the top guy is you know, twenty million, 535 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 1: twenty one to twenty two million dollars a year, while 536 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,959 Speaker 1: these receivers are now pushing the upper twenties and now 537 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: justin Jefferson's up to thirty five million a year. There's 538 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: got to be a cycle coming where the cornerbacks are 539 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: going to get their money, right, Yeah, if you're gonna pay, 540 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: if you're going to be paying these receivers all this money, 541 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: the guys that you're asking that have proven that they 542 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: can limit these guys and in some cases stop these guys, 543 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: those guys are going to get their money too, there's 544 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: just a contract cycle that has to happen at some point. 545 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's called it's over in East Rutherford, New Jerseys, 546 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 2: where it is with Sauce Gardner. That's that's when this 547 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,360 Speaker 2: whole is going to change. But it was interesting look 548 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 2: at Antoine Winfield Junior right the contract that he got, 549 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 2: because now we're not even just talking about perimeter shutdown 550 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: cornerbacks on the side, We're talking about nickel guys. We're 551 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 2: talking about guys that are more in the versatile mode. Yeah, 552 00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 2: they're getting paid now, and I think that's the way 553 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:01,479 Speaker 2: the NFL is going to look at it more. It's 554 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 2: where these guys are making their impact and how that 555 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,640 Speaker 2: affects the overall construct of the defense. The Tampa Bay 556 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 2: Buccaneers need win Field in order to be the defense 557 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: that they want to be there, and same thing is 558 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 2: going to go for Sauce Gardner whenever his time finally comes. 559 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: But I think the one area that's going to be 560 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 2: very interesting to track now is because the question was 561 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 2: brought up in my inbox and maybe that's why it's 562 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 2: coming up in yours now. A little bit is like 563 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 2: where do you go light? Where do you not spend 564 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 2: a bunch of money. Yeah, And honestly, it's getting more 565 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 2: and more difficult to put tabs on that because somebody 566 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 2: had asked me the question about well, inside linebacker, that 567 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 2: could conceivably be a spot where you go light on. Well, dude, 568 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:40,400 Speaker 2: you and I we covered the Packers for ten years. 569 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 2: How many times do we hear about, Okay, well, they 570 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 2: just don't have enough inside linebackers. Where's the athleticism, where's 571 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 2: the speed the sideline of sideline? Why don't we have 572 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 2: a levante David? You know? 573 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: And in this day and age, there are because of 574 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: so much nickel, there are fewer off the ball linebackers 575 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: on the field, but those off the ball linebackers are 576 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 1: required to do a lot more things. You've got to 577 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 1: be able to have not only the sideline to sideline, 578 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: but the pass coverage and the blitzing ability and all 579 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: of this kind of stuff needs to be needs to 580 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: be in that one package. And when you talk about 581 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: where do you allocate your cap resources, just when you think, 582 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 1: just when you think you know, things are cranking back 583 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: and there's all the stories about what's going on at 584 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,479 Speaker 1: the running back position. The San Francisco forty nine ers 585 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: give Christian McCaffrey an extension at nineteen million dollars a 586 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: year for two more years. Now, that nineteen million looks 587 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: paltry compared to the thirty five million that Justin Jefferson 588 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: is getting. But again, you know, every team that's where 589 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: to me, when I look at the salary cap and 590 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,959 Speaker 1: the allocation and stuff like that, there isn't one. There 591 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 1: isn't a tried and true formula or everybody would follow. 592 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: It's it's making the decisions based on the personnel that 593 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 1: you have. And yes, I mean, I think thirty five 594 00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: million dollars a year for a wide receiver just sound 595 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: kind of crazy. But as you know, and I follow 596 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: Kevin Seaffert, who we've known for a lot of years 597 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: at ESPN, and he and he's he covered the Vikings 598 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: before that in the Minneapolis market. Now he's he's been 599 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: covering the Vikings for a long time for ESPN. The 600 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: Vikings didn't just sign Justin Jefferson to that kind of 601 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: money because he's the best receiver in the game right now. 602 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: They signed him to that kind of money because he 603 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: has a chance to maybe be the best receiver who's 604 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: ever played. Yeah, that's why they made that investment. This 605 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: is a guy that is being viewed as somebody who 606 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: might be able to challenge the numbers that Jerry Rice 607 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: put up back in his day. That's that's you know, 608 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: they're they're they're betting on it. Obviously, there's no guarantee. 609 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: You don't know what's going to happen, but that's the 610 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: trajectory he's on. So they're not going to let that 611 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: type of Hall of Fame talent walk out the door. 612 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: So they've made that decision. But it doesn't mean that 613 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 1: everybody out there needs to pay their number one wide 614 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: receiver thirty million dollars a year. Every team is going 615 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: to make their decisions and allocate their money based on 616 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: the personnel they have and the personnel they feel they 617 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: can find, whether it be in free agency or the draft. 618 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 2: And also, the dirty little secret is with the Vikings 619 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 2: is they have major questions at quarterback. And one if 620 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 2: jj McCarthy ends up being the truth, or even if 621 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: Sam Darnold ends up playing pretty well justin Jefferson's gonna 622 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 2: look pretty good. Yeah, you also don't want to put 623 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 2: Jefferson in the position of having to break in some 624 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 2: new quarterbacks after having so much success with Kirk Cousins 625 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 2: and then creating that potential problem if the numbers aren't 626 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 2: where they want to be and he's you know, you 627 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 2: look at the quarterback more than the player. Be that 628 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 2: as it may. The point I want to bring this 629 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 2: back to because people ask about this all the time, 630 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 2: and I raise this point in inbox as well. The 631 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 2: reason the Packers were able to go so light at 632 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 2: receiver these past few years as as far as money goes, 633 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 2: is because they got really young suddenly after DeVante left. 634 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 2: If Davante's still there, that has a trickle down effect 635 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 2: on the rest of the roster. You don't know if 636 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 2: you have Aaron Jones, if DeVante Adams is getting twenty 637 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 2: five whatever it ended up being, you don't know how 638 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 2: all that's going to shuffle out. Same thing for San Francisco. 639 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 2: They have a little bit more breathing room here before 640 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 2: they got to make a decision on brock Purty to 641 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 2: take care of him. 642 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: Exactly. 643 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 2: You go and again back to what you were saying 644 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: earlier about their receivers. Brock Purty can't even do a 645 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 2: contract until after year three, So you use the cap 646 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 2: space that you have available to try to make this run. Now, 647 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 2: it's the challenge that every team is bouncing. But Mike, 648 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 2: it goes back to my biggest principle of all and 649 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 2: that is if you draft well and you take players right. 650 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 2: There's a reason why Brian Goodikuntz was talking about rookie 651 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 2: contracts because that's the one absolute nothing you can do 652 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 2: about it. This is what you play for for the 653 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 2: at least these three years, if not the four. If 654 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 2: you don't get those picks right, you got to go shopping. 655 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 2: If you don't cook well at home, you got to 656 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 2: go to KFC, you got to go over to a 657 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 2: different a Burger King. No disrespect Burger King, but I 658 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 2: mean like you have to go out and get you know, 659 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 2: the to go orders. The packers have built something special 660 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 2: in this kitchen so far, and I'm excited to see 661 00:31:58,840 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 2: where it goes. 662 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, And as we talk about contracts, at some 663 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: point here we're gonna be talking about a new contract 664 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 1: for Jordan Love. I believe it may not happen tomorrow, 665 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: it may not happen next week, but it's gonna happen. 666 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: I think we know that. And sometime this summer on 667 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: a later show, I think We're gonna get to that topic, 668 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: but for now we'll call it a rap. On this 669 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of 670 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 1: our coverage of the team. We will have coverage of 671 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: Mini camp and a couple more episodes of Unscripted next 672 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: week as the Packers wrap up their off season program 673 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: for WES. I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody, 674 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: and we will see you next time.