1 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spoffer, joined as always 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: by my partner in crime West and Hodkowitz. We're coming 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: to you here from our studios at lambeau Field and Wes. 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: The mandatory Mini camp is here, which means this is 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: the final week of the off season program. And actually, 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: shortly after we are done recording this episode, we'll be 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: heading out to the practice field for the first of 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: two mini camp days. So here's what we're going to Dossell. 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 2: No no. 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: On our next show, which will be Thursday, we will 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: review Mini Camp and share our observations and our coverage, 13 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: press conferences, locker room interviews, everything that we get. But 14 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: right now, and this will be our final week of 15 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: shows for the off season. Then we'll be back during 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: training camp. So right now what I want to do. 17 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: And I didn't give you a heads up on this, 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: This show truly is unscrewed. 19 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: I showed up like five minutes before the show and 20 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 2: you and you are. 21 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: At my mercy quite often in this setting. But we 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,919 Speaker 1: are just going to use this show as an overview 23 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: of the Packers off season and how we got here, 24 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna just throw some different questions at you. 25 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: Some of them we might dive into some discussion. Others 26 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: could be quick hitters. We will see where this goes. 27 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: First one, for you, what was the in a very 28 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: busy off season in Green Bay? What was the biggest 29 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: piece of news that came out of twelve sixty five 30 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: Lombardi Avenue? 31 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 2: First off, when was the last time you and I, 32 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 2: in eight years of working together, have been like quick 33 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 2: hitting about anything that's true. We could talk for fifteen 34 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: minutes about kicking competition, that's no issues whatsoever. 35 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: Things don't get so rapid fire on this show unless 36 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: we intentionally say this is a rapid fire sentiment. 37 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: For me, I'm gonna I don't want to It's something 38 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: we've talked at nauseum about, so I don't want to 39 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: be labor it. But it was the answers that Christian 40 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 2: Watson and Eric Stokes got regarding their hamstring injuries, because 41 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: I felt, like Mike, a lot of times we do 42 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: feel somewhat in the dark about injuries and exactly what 43 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 2: guys are going through. Tip of the Cap two to 44 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: Tucker Craft and Zach Tom They also were very forthcoming 45 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: about the shoulder injuries that they sustained, the peck injuries, 46 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 2: I should say sure throughout the off season program, and 47 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: I think that helps the clarity of the situation, understanding 48 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 2: what these guys are doing and understanding where their bodies are. 49 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 2: But let's be honest about it, Mike, probably you probably 50 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: wrote the most salient, poignant, important story of the off 51 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: season last week when you looked at this whole thing 52 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 2: about receiver A one, A, one, B, whatever you want 53 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: to call it. Right the fact the Packers don't have 54 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: that traditional number one guy. But the reality is when 55 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 2: you look at Christian Watson's makeup, if he's on the field, 56 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: he is the guy that everybody has to take into 57 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: account for. It doesn't matter if you're a cornerback, doesn't 58 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 2: matter if you're a safety, maybe even a linebacker with 59 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: the way he sometimes will be in the slot. Christian 60 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: Watson is the ultimate chess piece if you can get 61 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: him on the field. And it feels like the Packers 62 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 2: were able to do that with going down to Madison, 63 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: getting the answers at Badger Athletic Performance Understanding that is 64 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 2: a resource the NFL invested into and something they could 65 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 2: tap Into. Was there anything in there that the training 66 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: staff didn't already know? Probably not, But understanding one's body 67 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: I think has become a really important thing because for 68 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: so long it might it was just NFL players. They 69 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: hurt in a hamstring injury, you stay off it for 70 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: a little bit, and you go back out there. There's 71 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 2: so much more to this thing. Watson, Reed, Dobbs, Melton, Wicks. 72 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: The list goes on and on of receivers the Packers have, 73 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: but when Christian Watson is on the field, the defense 74 00:03:58,480 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: has to take notice. 75 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and for me, the biggest news of this off season, 76 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if it necessarily qualifies as news, but 77 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: it's related to what was really the biggest news story 78 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: of the entire offseason, which was the change at defensive coordinator, 79 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: which if Hafley coming in. But in terms of the 80 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: off season program and the news to come out of it, 81 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: it's that there really is an attitude shift on the 82 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: defensive side of the ball. It's not just what the 83 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: coaches are saying. We're hearing it from the players in 84 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: the locker room in terms of the aggressive mentality, in 85 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: terms of the different things that they're being asked to 86 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: do and the enthusiasm and the excitement for it. Obviously, 87 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: it's still going to come down to results once that 88 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: ball kicks off in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. It's 89 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: all about what you do on the field, whether you 90 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: win or lose, and the results that you get. But 91 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: there is no mistaking the attitude shift that has happened, 92 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: I think on the defensive side of the ball, and 93 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 1: I think the fact that that was confirmed by the 94 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: players that we talked to in the locker room over 95 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: the last several weeks. It's not just the coaches, it's 96 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: the players are feeling it as well. My next question 97 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: for you, now, this this doesn't just include like from 98 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: when the offseason program started. I'm talking about the offseason 99 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: in general. The most important player acquisition, whether you're talking 100 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: free agency, draft, whatever, the most important player acquisition the 101 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: Packers made this offseason. 102 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: Xavier McKinney. Josh Jacobs was important, especially when it became 103 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 2: known that Aaron Jones is not going to be back. 104 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: But Mike, when the season ends, you always have a 105 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 2: feeling of where the Packers need to improve. It could 106 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 2: be a defensive coordinator, it could be in a different 107 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 2: phase of the game or an aspect of the game 108 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:54,239 Speaker 2: red zone, but player for player, it became pretty clear 109 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 2: throughout the course of last year they need a long 110 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: term solution at safety, and they put a lot of 111 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 2: resource through the draft into that position. But it all 112 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 2: started with twenty four year old Xavier McKinney coming on board. 113 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 2: And actually, it's funny yesterday one of the big topics 114 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 2: in a video I was doing with Tom Grossi during 115 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: his little telethon to not Little. It was a huge 116 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: telethon to raised over eighty thousand dollars. 117 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: Congrats to Congrats to Tom. 118 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 2: For that because it pushes him over a million lifetime 119 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 2: for a little over three years of all this charitable life. 120 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: Incredible work. 121 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 2: But one of the things I told him about was 122 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 2: it is so rare in the National Football League to 123 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 2: see a safety of McKinney's caliber who started as many 124 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: games as he did, basically a starter since he walked 125 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 2: in the door of New York and he hit unrestricted 126 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 2: for agency at twenty four years old, and Brian Gudikuin 127 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: sort of talked about that this offseason. It was the 128 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 2: perfect storm with McKinny. It's the reason why they really 129 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 2: highlighted him as a must in a top you know, 130 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 2: free agent target, and now that he's in the building, Yeah, 131 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 2: we'll see what happens in training camp. We'll see what happens. Well, 132 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 2: he looks on the pads, come on. But the leadership 133 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 2: role he's taken with a very young secondary and the 134 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 2: way he's kind of jibed so far and meshed with 135 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: Jay R Alexander, I think it's really exciting and I 136 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: don't think there's any other way you can say then 137 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 2: that was the marquee signing they needed it to be. 138 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 2: And when you talk about a captain, when you talk 139 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: about a guy that's still on the come up, I 140 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 2: think McKinney is everything you could hope for in a 141 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 2: free agent edition. 142 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's the classic. It's the classic Brian gutakunt signing, right, 143 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: because when you go back to the other year in 144 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: his tenure is GM when Gutakuntz made the big splash 145 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: in free agency. Of course, that was twenty nineteen, and 146 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: you know, on that first day he goes out and 147 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: gets Zadarius Smith and Preston Smith and Adrian Amos and 148 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: these were guys that they had they had completed their 149 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: rookie contracts. They were not guys who were you know, 150 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: pro bowlers are all pros. But they were targeted. They 151 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: were at the top of the market, and they were 152 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: targeted because the Packers felt their best football was in 153 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: front of them. And for all three of those guys 154 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: on the defensive side of the ball in nineteen proved 155 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: to be right. Obviously, Preston Smith is still here and 156 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: still playing pretty good football, but all of those guys 157 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: played better football in Green Bay then they played anywhere 158 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: else in their careers, quite frankly, And that's what the 159 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: Packers are counting on with Xavier McKinney as well. But 160 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: he's that he's a player, a player whose arrow is 161 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: pointing up and the best is yet to come. 162 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 2: Because so many times Mike teams will lock down a 163 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: guy after that first rookie contract, you know, and you 164 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 2: don't see them hit the market after four years. And 165 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 2: McKinney was a former second round pick, so there wasn't 166 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 2: a fifty year option type of deal right with the Giants, 167 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: And obviously they'd already messed around with the franchise tag 168 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 2: a little bit before that. But these are the type 169 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: of signings that when you look at the free agents 170 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 2: that come to market. You could do it for two 171 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: or three years. You're not going to see a player 172 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: like that. 173 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. Next question, most surprising news of the 174 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: off season, it's. 175 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 2: Kings Lanning baris practicing. I mean that one most surprising news. 176 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: It's a good one. I I was sitting I've told 177 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 2: you this story. I probably have said it down on 178 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: scripted too, but you know, sometimes people don't listen to 179 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 2: every one of them. We got done in Dallas and 180 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 2: it was a joyous moment that locker room. The vibe 181 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 2: in there, it was. It was right up there with 182 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen at the end to run the table the 183 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: regular season. In Detroit, guys were just over the moon. 184 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: And then you see Kingsley kind of behind a pillar, 185 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 2: numbered Packers, defensive coaches condoling, consoling him. He has a 186 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 2: towel over his head. They're fearing for the worst here 187 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 2: that he tore his acl And probably the reason why 188 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: maybe it shouldn't be as big of a surprise as 189 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 2: I'm making it out to be is the fact that 190 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 2: a week later, when the season does end, after Santa Clara, 191 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 2: he's standing in his locker doing interviews no crutches, no wheelchair. 192 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: But confirming that he apparently tore his ACL. So that 193 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: left us all. We all headed into the off season 194 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: like what exactly is going He's walking around like everything 195 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: is totally normal, but yet he confirmed the injury that 196 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: we all had feared. So but a few months later, 197 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: here we are. 198 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: But it gets even weirder because the first week of 199 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 2: the off season program, we're not in there yet, but 200 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 2: you know, Evan Siegel's down there taking photos and eddig 201 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 2: Bari's running around hoops and he's doing all these athletic 202 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 2: exercises and I'm like, man, that doesn't look like a 203 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 2: guy that had reconstructive knee surgery, right. People are asking 204 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: about that inbox. I'm like, well, you know, sometimes guys 205 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 2: bounce back from these things quicker than others because I'm 206 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 2: just predisposed to thinking that he had the surgery right exactly, 207 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 2: And no, he did not have the surgery. He had 208 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 2: an ACL related injury. And I've said this last week 209 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 2: in three things. I mean, he's been playing and looking 210 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: really good in practice. He blew up the two minute 211 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: drill for the number one offense last week, had forced 212 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 2: them to start kicking after kind of. I guess you'd 213 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: call it a sack or a disruption at the end 214 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 2: of the third downplay in the two minute that set 215 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 2: up the field goal kicking competition. Yeah, Packers are super 216 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 2: deep there, Mike. I mean, that's the thing that's really 217 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 2: exciting about this thing. And Kenny Clark made that joke 218 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 2: earlier this offseason about our entire group. It's like this 219 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 2: big position now between the interior guys you know, now 220 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 2: married up with the the edge guys, but with as 221 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 2: you mentioned, Preston Smith, Orshan, Gary King, Xiannigbari, Lucas van S. 222 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,359 Speaker 2: I thought Brenton Cox had some really nice work this offseason. 223 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: Got to keep them all in the field. But that 224 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: is shaping up to be one heck of a rotation. 225 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm gonna turn back the clock a little further. 226 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: The most surprising news for me still is where the 227 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers backfield is for twenty twenty four, because 228 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: I would not have thought in a million years that 229 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: when the off season began that Aaron Jones would be 230 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: a Minnesota Viking and the Packers would have Josh Jacobs, 231 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 1: aj Dillon a third round draft pick, and Emmanuel Wilson 232 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: that that would be the group that we'd be looking at. 233 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: Still hard for me to see Aaron Jones with you know, 234 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: in these promo shots for the Vikings with their uniforms 235 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: and all that kind of stuff. But to me that 236 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: that's that's one of the most surprising off season roster 237 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,319 Speaker 1: moves I can recall in my time here, which is 238 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: actually approaching. Well, this will be my nineteenth season here 239 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: coming up covering for Packers. 240 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 2: You and uh Mercedes Lewis there, Yeah, nineteen years. I 241 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: just put that together down. I arrived. 242 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: I arrived at Packers dot com in two thousand and 243 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: six right after Mercedes Lewis was drafted. 244 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: Whose NFL career is gonna last longer? 245 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: See, I think he's I think he's got a lot 246 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: more to be proud of than I do. But that 247 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: being said, I'll move on to the next question. Anybody, 248 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: and this is always a hard one, but who do 249 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: you see making potentially the biggest of the proverbial second 250 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: year jumps amongst the Packers rookie class from last year 251 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: heading into year two? 252 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 2: Carrington Valentine. Okay, now we have to see what the 253 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 2: opportunity is going to look like. You know, Eric Stokes 254 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 2: is back. Carrington is a perimeter cornerback. But again going 255 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 2: back to our three things video last week and Larry 256 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 2: beat me to it, I can't believe the strides that 257 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 2: Valentine has made in five months, a little less than 258 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 2: five months. 259 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, just in terms of just in terms of his physical. 260 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: Statues, his physical makeup is remarkable. Ye. I mean this 261 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 2: is a guy again that played in the two, the 262 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: one eighties last year, was one of the lighter guys 263 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 2: on the roster. Looked like a twenty one year old 264 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 2: rookie physically, and he came back and he looks like 265 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 2: a grown man. And Larry I think had mentioned he's 266 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 2: right around the two hundred pound mark. Now you got 267 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 2: to make that weight work for you. You know there's 268 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: a lot involved with that. But Valentine, man, this guy, 269 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 2: I'll tell you what, dude, for a seventh round pick. 270 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 2: Who again, I'll say it over and over again because 271 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: a lot of people will crap on mel Kiper, But 272 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,439 Speaker 2: mel Kiper was begging people to take this guy in 273 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: the draft. He kept falling the fifth and he was 274 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 2: an early entry, early entry, could he still had some. 275 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: College eligibility left, and he's he's hanging out there on 276 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: the board. My point is he came to Green Bay 277 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: not just as a seventh round pick, but as a 278 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: really young guy. Yes, and and and that sort of 279 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: even led to, you know, even a greater tendency to 280 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: just dismiss him, to say he's just a developmental player. 281 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: We won't see much of him for a couple of years. 282 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: Well that's not how it turned out. 283 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 2: And it's weird too, is I would put him up 284 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 2: there against anybody in terms of guys that were the 285 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: off season program, training camp MVPs. Uh. He was a 286 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: guy that made himself undeniable even when the Packers were 287 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: so deep at cornerback and there were some practices that 288 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: Jaiere wasn't participating in. There were some injuries that had 289 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 2: happened obviously with Eric Stokes, but he just kept climbing 290 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 2: the depth chart, and to the point where when it 291 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 2: became clear that you know, Jaiere was going to miss 292 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 2: some time, Eric was going to be out for a while, 293 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 2: Russell Douglas gets traded, it became a no brainer that 294 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 2: he was a starter for the team. Twelve starts in 295 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 2: the regular season, was out there in the postseason. I mean, 296 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 2: the workload that he built up in the resume that 297 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: he built in year one, and then the presence of 298 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 2: mind to the determination to then work towards already improving 299 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 2: himself physically for the next year. You never know how 300 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 2: it's gonna work out until you see it on the field. 301 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 2: But you asked me about second year jumps. Physically, the 302 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: guy's already made it. 303 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, And the other guy, I would say that 304 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: I'm very curious about because of what we've seen from 305 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: just the change in his physical body as physical statures. 306 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: Colby wood in the defensive lineman he appears to have 307 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: put on you know, I think he's told reporters is 308 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: right around twenty pounds or so. Maybe it's in that 309 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: fifteen to twenty pound range. And again we have to 310 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: see how it translates to the field. Obviously he's also 311 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: going to be making a switch as all these guys 312 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: are into the new defense with the new coaching staff. 313 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: There very curious in that respect where things go for 314 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: Colby Wooden. I always like to reframe because, as I said, 315 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: it's a tough question, the whole second year jump thing. 316 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: I always like to reframe it from the standpoint of 317 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: who's second year jump could benefit the Packers the most, right, 318 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: And there are two guys that come to mind for me. 319 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: One is Jaden Reid, not because he necessarily has this 320 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: huge jump to make, but when you talk about Christian Watson, 321 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: and as we've talked about in the receiver discussion before, 322 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: about how Watson is the guy that dictates how defenses 323 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: defend you, and they scheme differently when he's on the field. 324 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: If Jaden Reid makes a second year jump, yeah, he has. 325 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: He has the potential to be a guy that dictates 326 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: things to defenses in that same way. And so that 327 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: that's where I'm curious in that respect and what impact 328 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: a second year jump from a guy like Reid could have. 329 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: The other one I would say, in terms of who's 330 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: secondyear jump would benefit the Packers the most, I think 331 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: it's Andras Carlson. Yes, if he can smooth out the 332 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: ups and downs from his rookie season and become the 333 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: kicker that the Packers drafted him to be, which is 334 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: a guy who's going to be reliable and consistent. Obviously, 335 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: no kicker is perfect, but if he's a guy that 336 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: can settle in and establish his pro career in Green Bay, 337 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: for the long term, foreseeable future. I think that would 338 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,679 Speaker 1: be a huge benefit to this team right now, with 339 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: all of these players on the rise and with Jordan 340 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: Love trying to take this team to the next level. 341 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree with you, And that's why we talked 342 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 2: about last week with Anders. You just hope the competition 343 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 2: you can get that you know where it's pushing you 344 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 2: a little bit. You have those type of competitive periods 345 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 2: like they did at the end of last week's practice 346 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 2: to be able to really show who's the best. And 347 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 2: you know, Greg Joseph had a good comment on the 348 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 2: me vers me thing. That's what all kickers have to do. 349 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 2: I mean Tim mass Day was really big on that. 350 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: He always said, even when he would want win competitions 351 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 2: or even when he'd be the only punter on the roster, 352 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: he always said, specialists is the only position where there 353 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 2: is no playbook. A guy can come in and play 354 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 2: the following week if they have to. Yeah, and I 355 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 2: think having that healthy fear of your job can be 356 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 2: a good thing. And for Andres, the one thing I 357 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 2: always cautioned the fans about. I understand the extra points 358 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 2: were what they were. He still made his field goals 359 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: last year at an eighty two percent clip. Doesn't always happen 360 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 2: that way for rookies right out of the gate. That 361 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 2: was actually a pretty solid number. 362 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: But you have that's that's the thing is and I 363 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: think the thing that it's easy to forget because of 364 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: all the ups and downs that Carlson went through as 365 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,719 Speaker 1: the year went on, but he started his NFL career 366 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: five consecutive games without missing a kick. He made every 367 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: field goal and every extra point for the first five 368 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: games of the season before the roller coaster, you know 369 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: kind of thing started. So that's that's part of his 370 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: body of work. It's something for him to draw and 371 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: he knows that it's there. The Packers know that it's there. 372 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: But again, as I said on last week's show, the 373 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: Packers are contenders. You can't you can't wait forever for 374 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: that position to come around you. You've got to have 375 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: a guy that you can really trust and feel is 376 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: gonna be reliable and consistent, and that's what the Packers 377 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: are hoping to get at the end of this competition. 378 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: I have a couple of more questions for you, but 379 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: we got gonna get paid. I'm gonna take care of 380 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: sponsor business here before I forget serious. XM NFL Radio 381 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,959 Speaker 1: delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL 382 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: news that true football fanatics need, twenty four to seven, 383 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: three sixty five and had Cousin Subs. We have something 384 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: for everyone like our Wisconsin Cheese cards, mac and Cheese, 385 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite 386 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty plus 387 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: years of better. All right, A couple more questions for you, 388 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 1: Wes One. I think you got this one in Insider 389 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: inbox recently, but I'm gonna throw it at you again. 390 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: Who's return from injury from twenty twenty three would be 391 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: most important to the Packers in twenty twenty four. 392 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 2: The answer to this, I answered it in a different 393 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 2: way because I answered from more of the emotional standpoint 394 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 2: of Eric Stokes. I think if Stokes is back, I 395 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 2: think the uplifting kind of presence that's gonna bring to 396 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 2: the team is gonna be important. Listen to Gyr Alexander 397 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 2: talk to talk about him and all these guys. You 398 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 2: could tell the I mean, mattin Flure's comments speak for themselves. Yeah, 399 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 2: very popular, very just a good human and I think 400 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: everybody kind of rallies around that. I will say this, 401 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 2: and I already talked about Watson, so I'm not gonna 402 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 2: go into that anymore. So basically, I'm taking all these 403 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 2: answers by the way, okay, unless you want to talk 404 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 2: about them. Luke Musgrave and Tucker Craft. You saw me 405 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 2: at practice that one day when Kraft came out with 406 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 2: the sling, Yeah, and I was so demoralized. Dubovsky even 407 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 2: asked me, like, are you gonna be okay? Because I 408 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: was the number one person in inbox and on any 409 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 2: platform just riding the train about Okay, Musgrave and Craft, 410 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 2: it's time. They're both they're both established, they're both healthy. 411 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 2: It's all gonna work out now, it still will. I'm 412 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 2: not worried about that. But then Kraft ends up tearing 413 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 2: the pack. Right. So but I'll tell you what, Mike, 414 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: those two guys together, when you draft back to back 415 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 2: at that position, you're hoping one of those guys is 416 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 2: a year one contributor. They both contributed when they needed 417 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,919 Speaker 2: to contribute, and they contributed in different ways. That was 418 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 2: the beauty of the way that Brian Goodcun's drafted that position. 419 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: Two tight ends, but two different type of guys. One 420 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: that comes from the West Coast. One that's an FCS 421 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 2: guy that's kind of the blue collar dude that took 422 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 2: himself from being you know this, this rough and ready 423 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 2: just make plays guy at a lower level football to 424 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 2: a dude that was making plays all over the field. Yeah, 425 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 2: last season. So Craft and Musgrave together in tandem, if 426 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 2: you can get the two tight end stuff going with 427 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 2: those two, I think the possibilities mixed with those receivers, 428 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 2: it's just absolutely limitless. 429 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. My answer, my answers are the same yours on 430 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: the defense, six of them on the On the defensive side, 431 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: you think mostly about Stokes and on the offensive side, 432 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: I think mostly about the tight end situation. Particularly we 433 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: saw Musgrave come back last year and then you know 434 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: he has the big long touchdown in Dallas that was 435 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: part of the blowout win in the wild card game. 436 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: But then now Tucker Craft has an injury to come 437 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: back from. Hopefully we see him back, you know, sooner 438 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 1: than later in training camp and all that. So those 439 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: are those are definitely the ones that that the eyes 440 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,959 Speaker 1: are on the most as well as, of course Christian 441 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: Watson and what he means to this offense when you 442 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: think about the fact that he had a stretch of 443 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: what was it, eight touchdowns in four or five games 444 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 1: as a rookie, and then right before he got hurt 445 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: sort of for the final time last year, he had 446 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: just scored four touchdowns in a three game span, and 447 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: then the play on the far sideline against Kansas City 448 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: where the hamstring goes out again and you're and you're 449 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: you know, it's like he's just you know, finding his 450 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: groove again and making the impact that everybody knows he 451 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: can make. And then he goes to the sideline again. 452 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: So those are all of those, collectively the obvious answers 453 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: to this question. 454 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,239 Speaker 2: Seven catches in that game too. He was doing it 455 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: not just as big plays. It was a possession receiving 456 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 2: kind of game, and the Kansas City really struggled to 457 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 2: find answers for him, and then unfortunately he ends up 458 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 2: tweaking the hams from one more time. So you just 459 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 2: hope from that regard, in addition the fact that again 460 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 2: another upfront, upstanding dude that has been very open about 461 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 2: what he's been dealing with. I mean, he won the 462 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 2: co Stand Up Guy of the Award from the media 463 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 2: last year for a reason. Doing it in year two 464 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 2: that's almost unheard of, And I think that's a big 465 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 2: reason why. I think his teammates have He's for as 466 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 2: young as he is, with him and Romeo Dobbs, they've 467 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: been able to command respect in that room because of 468 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 2: the way they go about their business. 469 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: No question about it. Last one for you here, Wes, 470 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: What do you feel right now? Is the biggest question 471 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: mark regarding the twenty twenty four Green Bay. 472 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 2: Packers probably the offensive line, because I just don't know 473 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 2: how the dominoes are gonna fall there. I mean, we're 474 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 2: watching Jordan Morgan sort of lining up everywhere. 475 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 1: Zach Tom's dealing with the packs That was you know 476 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: when you're wondering is he gonna stay at right tackle? 477 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: Are they gonna move him around? Well, all that sort 478 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: of experimenting and moving around sometimes can happen during OTAs, 479 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: like during this time of year. But then that's not 480 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: happening because he's, you know, dealing with an injury and 481 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: he won't be back till training camp. 482 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 2: And does that mean when he does get back, you 483 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 2: let him settle in it right tackle? Then what does 484 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 2: that mean for left tackle? Then what does that mean 485 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 2: for Jordan Morgan. It's just this this sort of I 486 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 2: don't want to call it a domino effect because we 487 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 2: don't know where the dominoes are falling yet, but I 488 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 2: mean there's so many different contingencies set up right now. 489 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 2: And credit to the Packers, they're rotating guys around. This 490 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 2: is the time you want to get those reps in. 491 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 2: Morgan is being able to really cut his teeth at 492 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 2: a lot of different positions. There is some stability there. 493 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 2: You know, Josh Myers is really locked down center. I 494 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 2: thought he had his best year by far last season. 495 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 2: Sean ryan Man has been the right guard the entire 496 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 2: offseason program. He has not given up on that and 497 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 2: almost in a lot of ways, kind of reminds me 498 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 2: when John Runyon finally took that next step yeah, and 499 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 2: was no longer in a rotation with Lucas Patrick or 500 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 2: Royce Newman. Sean Ryan's been the guy there at a 501 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 2: position that could have been rotated around. I love Elton. 502 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 2: I think Elton is a perennial pro bowler. I just 503 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 2: think that left guard is his home. That's the position 504 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 2: where he's done it. I think done it the best 505 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 2: He's done it the longest, So it just really comes 506 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 2: up to left tackle, and what do the Packers do there? 507 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 2: Is it Rashid Walker? Is it Morgan? Andre Dillard is 508 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: on this team now too. A lot to figure out, 509 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 2: a lot of options, but things if everyone's healthy, you 510 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 2: do want to get those answers by the time you 511 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,640 Speaker 2: really get far into training camp. 512 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, And for me, my answer to this question is 513 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 1: a little bit in the bigger picture sense. My biggest 514 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: question mark with regard to the twenty twenty four Packers 515 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: is are they going to be better at crunch time? 516 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: Because you look at how last season went ended up 517 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,240 Speaker 1: nine to eight, made the late run, got into the 518 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: playoffs and all that. But but man, when you talk 519 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: about you know, the Vegas game, the Denver game, you 520 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: know the way some of those games ended, the way 521 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: the crunch time performances were not there. Then against the Giants, 522 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,360 Speaker 1: you get a big crunch time drive by the offense, 523 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: but then the defense lets down in crunch time. Then 524 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: you start to turn things around. Whereat Carolina, the defense 525 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: folds in crunch time, but the offense responds and gets 526 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: you the big win that you need. But then when 527 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: it came right down to it. In the divisional playoff 528 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 1: in San Francisco, the defense had a crunch time let down, 529 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: the offense had a crunch time let down, and your 530 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: season ended being able to perform better on both sides 531 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,439 Speaker 1: of the ball in the final three, four, five minutes 532 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: of ball games. I think is what could could take 533 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: this Packers team from where it was last year and 534 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: where it ended up to where it wants to go. 535 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: These games, the games in this league. I say it 536 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: all the time, Wes. I know I'm a broken record 537 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: with regard to this, but it comes down to how 538 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: you perform when it really really matters at the end 539 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: of games. There are very few games, percentage wise, there 540 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: are not that many games in this league that are 541 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 1: undecided with six, seven, eight minutes to go, and you 542 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: have to be able to perform in crunch time. And 543 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: I think if this Packers team on both sides of 544 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: the ball takes a step forward in that regard nine 545 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: to eight improves, your playoff positioning improves, and then who 546 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: knows where things improve from there. So that's my biggest 547 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: question mark. 548 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: I did take that question extremely literal, and I apologize 549 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 2: for that. 550 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: No, no, you don't have to apologize. 551 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 2: No, because if that was if it was more about 552 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 2: the big picture side of things, that's a great point. 553 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 2: You make my point, I'll make it very quick, is 554 00:27:58,160 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 2: is Jordan Love what we saw the second half of 555 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 2: season is sure, guy, And because you remember that first half, 556 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 2: it was a lot of learning. It was a lot 557 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 2: of stuff that he and both Mattleflur together were working 558 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:13,160 Speaker 2: through to figure out this offense and everything. But my goodness, Mike, 559 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 2: the last ten weeks of the season, he was one 560 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,400 Speaker 2: of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League. If 561 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 2: you come out of the gates like that, He's not 562 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 2: gonna be perfect. There's gonna be rough stretches, he's gonna 563 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 2: throw interceptions. It's the way things go for a twenty 564 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 2: five year old quarterback. But his ability to basically do 565 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 2: no wrong in the month of December is the reason 566 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 2: why the Packers got to the playoffs. 567 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 1: Yeah and yeah, I mean quite frankly, he had in 568 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: my opinion, basically from Thanksgiving on, Jordan Love only had 569 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: one really down game and that was the Monday night 570 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: game against the Giants, which he almost redeemed with the 571 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: drive to get the late touchdown where the Packers were 572 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: after a rough day, rough night on both sides of 573 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 1: the ball. Looked like they were maybe gonna pull this 574 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: game out anyway. It didn't happen. But that was really 575 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 1: the I mean, from Thanksgiving to the end of the season, 576 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: that was really the only game where you felt where 577 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: you felt like there was maybe a step back with 578 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: Jordan Love and h And that's that's where my confidence 579 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: lies in him moving forward. Is that when he when 580 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: he did reach a certain level, I think starting with well, 581 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: really starting with the Pittsburgh game and a lot of respects, 582 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: even though the Packers lost that game and he made 583 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: a couple of mistakes at the end, but from but 584 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,479 Speaker 1: from there on, it wasn't this like roller coaster thing 585 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: where he looked great and then he looked you know, 586 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: he just he just had the one down game against 587 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: the Giants during during that stretch run, and I think 588 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: that bodes well moving forward. 589 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 2: He made some throws, man, he made some throws that 590 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 2: people do not make in this football league. Yeah, in Dallas, 591 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 2: he there was I mean, there was some moments there, dude, 592 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 2: that are special. 593 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 594 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 2: Now we know Mike McCarthy's old thing about great players, 595 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 2: good players and the ones you know, that good players, 596 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 2: good players at the moments of greatness and great player. Yeah, 597 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 2: you know, that's where you got to take it. But 598 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 2: I ended last season, man, I was thinking to myself 599 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 2: over and over again, these guys very well might have 600 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 2: done it again. 601 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, and I hope, and I hope for 602 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: years to come. That's what we're talking about here on 603 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: this show and everywhere else. But we got to get 604 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: out to the practice field because it's mini camp week. 605 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: So with that, we'll call it a rap on this 606 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: edition of Packers Unscripted. We shure to follow all of 607 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: our coverage all week long with regard to Packer's minichamp, 608 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,719 Speaker 1: and we will have another show later this week recapping that. 609 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: So for Wes, I am Mike, thank you for tuning in. Everybody. 610 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: We will see you next time.