WEBVTT - #666 Packers Unscripted: Taking shape 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:10.960 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:14.080 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford. He is my 0:00:14.160 --> 0:00:16.360 partner in crime, Wes hod Kuwitz. We're coming to you 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:19.599 here from our studios at lambeau Field and West. The 0:00:19.680 --> 0:00:24.479 Packers have established their initial fifty three man roster for 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:30.240 the season, as well as the bulk of the practice squad. 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:33.240 At this point, all of that was happening on Tuesday 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:35.800 and Wednesday. I'm just gonna throw you an open ended 0:00:35.880 --> 0:00:41.240 question to begin here. What was your top observation or 0:00:41.440 --> 0:00:44.440 thing that sort of caught your fancy with regard to 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:47.839 how this fifty three shook out? We are finally seeing 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:52.920 how the practice squad rules changing is starting to alter 0:00:53.760 --> 0:00:56.760 the complexion of a fifty three man roster. I totally 0:00:56.760 --> 0:01:00.400 agree with you. The first and foremost agreement Packers making 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:04.039 the decision to keep two running backs to traditional running 0:01:04.040 --> 0:01:06.880 backs on their fifty three man roster, and Aaron Jones 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:09.319 and a J. Dillon. You might have heard of them. 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:12.360 If you go back, and I always start in two 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:15.760 thousand nine because that you can go back farther if 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:18.559 you want. But that's when the Packers made the switch 0:01:18.600 --> 0:01:20.400 to the three four. I consider that to be kind 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:24.440 of the modern era underneath my own unofficial metric. Well, 0:01:24.440 --> 0:01:26.399 going back to two thousand nine, there's only been two 0:01:26.400 --> 0:01:28.680 instances where the Packers got through. The initial cut to 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:31.440 fifty three with only two running backs on the roster 0:01:31.520 --> 0:01:34.240 was two thousand eighteen, and that's when Aaron Jones had 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:37.080 to be suspended for a week miss week one. They 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:41.280 signed Darius Jackson the following day. And then there's two 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:44.920 thousand and ten where James Starks started on PUP, So 0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:48.440 you had Ryan Grant in Brandon Jackson, but they also 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:52.480 had three fullback three fullbacks that year. This particular year, 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:55.840 yes you have Kylan Hill on PUP, but there are 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:59.640 no more fullbacks and the Packers are just going with 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:03.240 Joe and Dylan. Brian Goodquin's mentioned yes, if worst case 0:02:03.280 --> 0:02:05.720 scenario and you don't have somebody else elevated, you do 0:02:05.760 --> 0:02:08.160 have a Mari Rodgers potentially being able to play that spot. 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:12.560 But the Packers have this little wild card now where 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:16.720 they can bring up up to three times elevate a player, 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:20.120 one specific player from the practice squad up to three times. 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:23.919 So Tyler Goodson squeaks through to the practice squad. Patrick Taylor, 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:25.600 who's been here for two years now, he's on the 0:02:25.639 --> 0:02:29.080 practice squad. So you're gonna see this a lot, you know, 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:32.000 and I think even you know Joan Winfrey, the reports 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:34.960 out that he's going to be coming back, there's going 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.880 to be these guys that aren't on the fifty three 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:39.920 that are still going to collect a traditional game check 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:43.240 because of the ability now to call people up, and 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:45.120 that is altering the way we're seeing some of these 0:02:45.120 --> 0:02:48.000 initial active rosters. Yeah, I I totally agree with you. 0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:50.200 I think it's a I think it's a very it's 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:54.360 it's it's an obvious shift in the thinking, the process 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:58.040 how some of these final decisions are being made. Because 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:00.600 the Packers are not going to go into a regular 0:03:00.639 --> 0:03:03.560 season game with just Aaron Jones and a J. Dillon 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:06.200 is the only active running backs for a game like, 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:09.840 because anything happens to either one of those guys, suddenly 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:12.280 you're taking a huge chunk of the game plan or 0:03:12.280 --> 0:03:14.320 the playbook and throwing it in the garbage. I mean, 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:17.320 you can't, you can't take that risk. You have to 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.360 have a third running back. But as you said, West, 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:24.440 the rules, the practice squad rules, and the multiple elevations 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:28.240 mean that you don't necessarily have to have that third 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:31.119 running back on the fifty three man roster. The Packers, 0:03:31.200 --> 0:03:33.400 in in essence, I don't know if it's going to 0:03:33.440 --> 0:03:35.520 play out this way. This is one way to look 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:40.160 at it. Dave in essence, bought themselves six more weeks, 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.080 the first six weeks of the regular season to decide 0:03:43.400 --> 0:03:46.120 who really is the number three running back, because they 0:03:46.160 --> 0:03:51.520 can elevate Patrick Taylor and or Tyler Goodson three times apiece, 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:55.119 and then at that at that point one or both 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:57.000 of them needs to be on the fifty three or 0:03:57.040 --> 0:04:00.280 then uh, you know, you would have to x bose 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:02.880 them again or they would end up having to stay 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:05.000 on the practice squad the remainder of the season and 0:04:05.040 --> 0:04:08.400 getting no more elevation. So all of this, you know, 0:04:08.520 --> 0:04:10.840 it's almost as though this battle for the number three 0:04:10.920 --> 0:04:13.880 running back spot, maybe the coaches know who it is 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:16.560 and who's going to be the one elevated for Week one, 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:20.240 But in some senses, it's the competition is continuing. Right 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:23.320 there's still whether Patrick Taylor's in the lead or Tyler 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:25.719 Goodson's in the lead. Right now, there's still a chance 0:04:25.800 --> 0:04:30.039 for that to shift because either or both could be 0:04:30.279 --> 0:04:32.680 elevated on a on a game day coming up here 0:04:32.680 --> 0:04:35.000 in September and coming up in a couple of weeks, 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:38.520 you know, they could theoretically also returned Kylan Hill to practice. 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:41.400 And now Kylin Hill is stating his claim after a 0:04:41.400 --> 0:04:44.280 pretty impressive start with Green Bay last summer, right with 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:47.920 with the pup now the regular season pup being just 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:52.320 a four week minimum instead of the six week minimum 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.080 from previous years. Another change in the rules in terms 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:57.919 of the roster manipulation, and Rogers kind of talked about 0:04:57.920 --> 0:05:01.720 that Aaron Rodgers that is at is Cokker on what 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:04.600 would be Wednesday. I'm trying to get my days down, Mike, 0:05:04.920 --> 0:05:06.760 when you work like fourteen in a row and you 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:09.520 start losing track of which one it is. But you 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:11.360 know about how there's going to be some of these 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:14.480 changes now because conversely, the Packers kept all eleven of 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:16.920 their draft picks on this fifty three man roster. They 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:20.080 went with seven receivers for the third time in five years. 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:22.640 And then one other change that the NFL implemented that 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:25.960 I think you're always gonna see loaded offensive lines is 0:05:26.360 --> 0:05:29.600 you need to have eight offensive lineman active on game day. 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:31.839 To be able to have forty eight players dressed for 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:34.599 the game. You don't do that. You only get forty seven. 0:05:35.160 --> 0:05:37.280 So yeah, a lot of these teams now you're gonna 0:05:37.320 --> 0:05:41.160 see nine ten offensive linemen making this roster. The Packers, 0:05:41.200 --> 0:05:43.000 there were a lot of difficult decisions they had to 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:45.800 make during these final cuts. Danny Etling goes on the 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:48.680 practice squad, Caleb Jones goes on the practice squad. You 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:51.200 keep a guy like Rashid Walker on the fifty three, 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:53.640 who finished camp really strong, had a nice showing at 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:55.960 right tackle in Kansas City, had to come back from 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:58.800 an injury during training camp. Once he got out there 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:01.280 in the preseason, the film look pretty good. And that's 0:06:01.360 --> 0:06:03.880 the that's the toughest part of this job for Brian 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.880 goodcuts in the scouts, they lost one guy to waivers. 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.880 That was Tye Summers. I think everybody kind of expected 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.640 that's what was going to happen once they decided to 0:06:12.680 --> 0:06:15.960 release him ahead of time before the final cuts, and 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:18.039 you know, it worked out the way it worked out. 0:06:18.400 --> 0:06:21.400 There was some great stories like Mica Abernathy making the 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:24.000 fifty three after only being here for twenty days. But 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:25.960 then there was also the reality of what the National 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:28.200 Football League is like where Rudy Ford was signed the 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:32.880 next day and Abernathy was released. So, uh, Mason Crosby's 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:36.760 back there. There's so many different scenarios and storylines that 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:39.320 came out of this cutdown day that I think one 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:41.880 it made for a huge day on our website numbers wise, 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:44.800 but too, I just think there were so many questions 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:47.559 that people had that weren't going to be answered until 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:50.360 you know, Brian Goodacuins filled out that personnel report and 0:06:50.400 --> 0:06:53.280 sent it to the league office by three pm on Tuesday. Yeah, 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:57.560 from a news perspective, Mason Crosby was activated off pup. 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:00.400 The Packers feeling very good about his progress. This Week 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:02.880 one still the target for him. We will see what 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:06.520 we will see what happens there. But the backup kicker 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:13.200 um Ahmed Ramis Ahmed Um He was released but did 0:07:13.240 --> 0:07:15.600 clear waivers in his back on the practice squad. So 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:18.920 depending on what happens with Crosby again, because of these 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:23.920 elevation UM game day elevation rules, the Packers will have 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:27.400 another option there for Week one UM if they were 0:07:27.440 --> 0:07:31.040 to need it. That you mentioned the ten offensive lineman 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.440 I think as training camp in the preseason developed, and 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:40.040 certainly with the remaining uncertainty with regard to David baktr 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:43.240 and Ellen Jenkins, I think, I think we saw the 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.680 ten offensive lineman coming and we're wondering if maybe even 0:07:46.680 --> 0:07:49.320 they would go with eleven Um and Uh And as 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:52.800 it turned out, as you said, Caleb Jones, Um did 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:55.880 make it through waivers in his back on the practice squad. 0:07:56.840 --> 0:08:01.400 And yeah, the cruel world of of NFL roster decisions 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:05.200 with Mica Abernathy, a great story shows up, gets signed 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:07.960 because of injuries at safety, gets signed two days before 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:13.000 the first preseason game. Um absolutely balls out in all three. 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:15.560 I mean he's on the field in a preseason game 0:08:15.640 --> 0:08:18.360 two days after he arrives in Green Bay, which is 0:08:18.360 --> 0:08:21.240 pretty remarkable in in and of itself. Then a week 0:08:21.320 --> 0:08:23.640 later he gets an interception and a tackle for loss 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:27.280 in the preseason game at lambeau Field. Um makes the 0:08:27.320 --> 0:08:32.560 initial fifty three. But then when a safety and special 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:37.880 teams stalwart from Jacksonville named Rudy Ford becomes available, the 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:41.040 Packers decided to sign him and Uh and Abernathy is 0:08:41.120 --> 0:08:44.439 released one day after being this great Cinderella story that 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:47.440 had made the fifty three. But that leads me to 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:53.800 I think another very obvious observation with regard to how 0:08:53.840 --> 0:08:56.719 Bran gudacoonsten his staff Matt Lafleur, the coach, is how 0:08:56.720 --> 0:08:59.840 they went about putting together this fifty three man roster. 0:08:59.880 --> 0:09:03.320 And of course I'm talking about special teams because as 0:09:03.360 --> 0:09:05.680 I pointed out on the three Things video that we 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:11.720 shot with Larry yesterday, this the mindset, the approach that 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:13.800 they want to take with special teams. This wasn't just 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:18.080 about changing the coaches. It's about changing the personnel, and 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:23.880 it's about having guys like Keyshaw Nixon and Dalen Levitt, who, yes, 0:09:23.920 --> 0:09:28.400 they will be reserves in the defensive backfield, but the 0:09:27.880 --> 0:09:32.360 the the top item on their job responsibility list is 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:34.920 going to be special teams because they've done it a lot, 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:37.480 they can be leaders in that area. Obviously, the Packers 0:09:37.520 --> 0:09:40.600 also brought in a new punter, a new long snapper. 0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:45.920 The undrafted rookie Jack Coco does make the team, and 0:09:45.960 --> 0:09:48.800 then Rudy Ford ends up getting signed here just as 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:52.040 as the roster reductions are made, and then you can 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:55.160 you can potentially have some of these rookies from the 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:57.920 draft class we may see Romeo Dops on special teams. 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:02.479 We may see Trek Carpenter the seventh round pick um 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:05.480 at at safety, kind of an oversized safety who might 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:10.160 be an interesting, intriguing prospect on special teams. The makeover 0:10:10.280 --> 0:10:14.080 of the special teams has been months in the making 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:17.559 here and uh, and now it's time for new coordinator 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:22.360 Rich Pisaccia. Byron store his that that that group of coaches, 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.000 they've got their guys now, this is this is who 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:27.319 they've got, so they're going to move forward and uh. 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:30.520 And the idea is obviously for the Packers to be 0:10:30.640 --> 0:10:33.200 much much improved in that phase of things. Yeah, and 0:10:33.480 --> 0:10:35.079 that was one of the big reasons why I also 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:37.800 implored people not to get too over the top about 0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:40.360 how the preseason looks. Yeah, I was. I was doing that. 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:42.199 I was doing the same thing. It was a search 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:44.839 for personnel. That's that's the way I looked at. Yeah, 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:48.840 and the way of which they're trying to augment those teams. 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:51.160 You know, there there's going to be a lot of 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:55.240 established veterans playing for Ritz Besaccia too. I think about 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:57.920 the field goal protection unit and the amount of starters 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:01.360 we saw on this um. This past summer. There were 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:03.920 times last season where I don't remember there being a 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.960 quote unquote starter on field goal protection. It was a 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:09.319 lot of backup offensive lineman. It was a lot of 0:11:09.360 --> 0:11:12.760 backup defensive linemen. But there's a huge emphasis there. I 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:15.600 never saw Corey Lindsley play on a special teams unit. 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:18.880 Josh Myers is playing as a wing right now on 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:22.839 the field goal protection quay walker Adrian Amos. I think 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:25.040 the plan is to hopefully not have to use Amos, 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:26.839 but when Daln Levitt went down with the shoulder in 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.720 San Francisco, Amos was the one feeling and his personal 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:35.680 protector on the punt team, Russell Douglas, Eric Stokes. There 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:39.400 was a line that really stood out to me during 0:11:39.440 --> 0:11:42.360 Brian and Brian Goodicuns and Matt floor Ball talked about 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:45.760 this emphasis. But when Brian Goodicun said we had to 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:47.880 get out of our comfort zone a little bit with 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:51.560 how we're building these teams, that really I thought was 0:11:51.600 --> 0:11:54.120 telling because he admitted we've not been good enough for 0:11:54.240 --> 0:11:57.120 far too long. We need to be better in that area, 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:01.440 and I feel like the resources have been committed. Certainly, 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:04.520 you and I watched these practices having Rich Pisacchi as 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:07.880 that the general there I think has made a huge difference, 0:12:08.200 --> 0:12:10.840 the tempo, how they get in and out of periods, 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:13.880 the urgency when they do have the special teams period. 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:16.960 You know, this goes back years. This isn't just about 0:12:17.120 --> 0:12:21.160 you know, Modraton or or anybody's in specific, but you 0:12:21.200 --> 0:12:22.800 know there there was a lot of years Mike where 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:25.280 I would cover these training camp practices and be like, Okay, 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:27.600 team periods are done, We're gonna do some special teams. 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:31.080 Al Right, everybody, ten minutes, we'll be back. We'll do 0:12:31.160 --> 0:12:33.960 some more team periods. Now Man special teams. This year 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:36.000 that was a period in and of itself. When they 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:39.160 were doing their lineups, whether it be for kickoff return 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:42.480 or punt return. Even the way they integrated their their 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:44.680 field goals I thought was really interesting. There wasn't a 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:47.520 set Okay, we're just gonna kick eight field goals. No, 0:12:47.600 --> 0:12:49.280 it was okay, we're gonna do a team period and 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:52.040 we're gonna do two field goals. Quick, do another tum period, 0:12:52.080 --> 0:12:53.839 go back a couple more yards and do some more 0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:57.480 field goals. They're just the the urgency is there. You 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.679 need the execution, you need to be able to turn 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:03.400 the owner in the regular season, but certainly everybody from 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:06.120 the top down understands why that phase needs to improve 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:09.160 and really what happens if you don't get it to 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.000 where it needs to be. Yeah, and we actually got 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:13.199 to look not that the Packers wanted to punt as 0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:16.000 often as they did in Kansas City in that preseason finale, 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:18.480 but we gotta look at what Pat O'Donnell might be 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:20.520 able to do here as a as a veteran punter. 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:24.800 I thought he I thought in mixing and matching, you know, 0:13:24.960 --> 0:13:28.040 the Aussee style, the swing away. I mean, he kind 0:13:28.040 --> 0:13:30.960 of showed it all in in in Kansas City. Now 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.720 they get the personnel they want to cover those punts, 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:36.679 and and you know, the the fifty five yard gross 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:39.600 doesn't necessarily just become a forty yard met because of 0:13:39.600 --> 0:13:42.680 a fifteen yard return. You cover those better and uh, 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.120 and that net average on the punt gets to where 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:47.720 Rich Pisacci wants it to be. And it isn't interesting 0:13:47.800 --> 0:13:50.720 after that game in Casey Mattlaflore talking about, Yeah, there 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:53.080 were some things going on there with the returns, and 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:56.680 then within five days here comes Rudy Ford was considered 0:13:56.720 --> 0:13:59.640 one of the fastest best gunners in the National Football League. 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:02.600 When I go back to thinking about when special teams 0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:04.560 appeared to be turning the corner of the first time, 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.960 for Green Bay, it was because I thought Jeff Janis 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:09.719 was an excellent gunner, Dmitri Goodson. They had guys that 0:14:09.840 --> 0:14:12.440 sort of stepped up in that Jared Bush roll, and 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:14.480 then they kind of fell off a little bit in 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:17.840 terms of the team that having a rudy for their 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:21.120 potentially using some starters. I think that's going to make 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:22.840 a big difference. Yeah, it's going to be interesting to 0:14:22.880 --> 0:14:25.560 see how that evolves now with the with the regular 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:27.880 season right around the corner, and who is on the 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:31.840 field for those snaps um some sponsor business. Here West 0:14:31.840 --> 0:14:35.600 Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:38.760 up to the minute NFL news that true football fanatics 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:42.760 need seven three and had Cousin Subs. We have something 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:45.640 for everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and Cheese, 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:48.880 golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:52.880 sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years 0:14:52.920 --> 0:14:57.520 of better. An interesting final day, I I say final day, 0:14:57.800 --> 0:15:01.080 last day of practice on Wednesday, but for the players 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:05.120 get kind of an extended break here through the weekend 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:08.720 and then they'll return after the weekend to begin the 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:12.320 full fledged preparation for the Minnesota Vikings in Week one. 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:18.480 A couple of visitors to practice. First off, Morgan Burnett, 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:21.600 former Packer safety who came back to Green Bay to 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:25.880 officially retire as a Packer, hasn't played in the NFL 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:29.080 for a couple of years, played his first he was 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:31.640 a third round draft pick in two thousand and ten, 0:15:32.400 --> 0:15:34.800 played his first eight years in the NFL with Green Bay, 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:37.680 a couple of other years with with a pair of 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:41.960 a f C North teams. Um he officially retires as 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:45.000 a Packer and then newly enshrined Pro Football Hall of 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:49.320 Famer Leroy Butler also was at practice, and we found 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:52.480 out that both of those individuals, who happened to both 0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:55.560 play the position of safety and played it quite well 0:15:55.600 --> 0:15:59.760 here in Green Bay, both had a chance to talk 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:02.800 to the team give a little bit of an inspirational 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:06.400 message and message excuse me, and it sounded like, um, 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:08.800 it was both of both of those who were received 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:12.200 quite well. Yeah. Starting with Butler, Aaron Rodgers even mentioned 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:13.760 he felt like that was one of the best kind 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:16.920 of pre practice camp speeches they've had in his time, 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:18.480 at least over the last ten years, I think, is 0:16:18.560 --> 0:16:21.320 what his quote was. Uh. And and Butler's message was 0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:22.720 one that I can see why it hit home with 0:16:22.800 --> 0:16:26.400 Rogers but definitely the entire football team, and that it 0:16:26.480 --> 0:16:29.360 goes by fast, so enjoy it. You know, Leroy played 0:16:29.600 --> 0:16:32.240 twelve years in the National Football League, took him a 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:34.480 couple of years to find his way, and then obviously 0:16:34.520 --> 0:16:37.880 the shoulder injury ended his last season. But in between there, 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:39.840 I mean, what did a remarkable run he got on 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.120 And we talked at nauseum this summer about you know, 0:16:42.160 --> 0:16:44.320 his Hall of Fame candidacy and finally getting in Trine 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:46.680 and Canton to be able to bring him back. I 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:50.040 thought was such an important thing because you know, we 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.160 talked about Leary being long winded, and he can be, 0:16:52.760 --> 0:16:54.960 but I think, as he also showed in Canton, you know, 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.200 he can be really concise with his thoughts too, and 0:16:57.280 --> 0:16:59.680 make a point, um, not just with his words, but 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:03.320 how he says things. And kind of reflecting on this 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:05.840 and and mentioning afterwards that Morgan Burnett spoke to the 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:09.280 team after practice. You know, that idea of being in 0:17:09.320 --> 0:17:12.399 the present. I think the way Randall Cobb termed it was, 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:14.480 you know, standing in your shoes, you know, not worrying 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:16.399 about what's happened in the past, not trying to think 0:17:16.440 --> 0:17:21.119 about the future, but literally just being present right now. Um, 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:23.399 not just in the practices, not just in the games, 0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:25.639 being in the cafeteria, being in the locker room, just 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:29.720 being able to to enjoy this with people around you, 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:32.920 um that are kind of living out their dreams as well. 0:17:33.520 --> 0:17:36.760 And for the packers, I mean, you look at this 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:40.240 type of year, with the expectations being as high as 0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:43.639 they are, it is important at times to actually step 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:47.439 back and reflect in and appreciate the opportunity that's in 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:49.600 front of them. And I feel like, without hearing the 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:53.919 message ourselves, it definitely sounds like that's sort of the 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:57.320 thing that both Butler and Burnett hit home on. And 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.000 I'll be honest with you, Mike, I tweeted or I 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:01.720 put on my Instagram as I was getting ready for 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:05.200 bed last night, the fact that Morgan Burnett is retired 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:07.760 from the National Football League, Um, you got to see 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:11.760 his entire career. I got most of it. That that 0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:14.679 kind of that hits even a guy like me a 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:17.000 little bit because now I'm thirty four years old. I 0:18:17.000 --> 0:18:21.360 think Morgan might be thirty three. You know, it reminds you, 0:18:21.359 --> 0:18:24.120 you know, these guys come in at two years old 0:18:24.480 --> 0:18:26.640 in the blanket, and I you're thirty and you're onund 0:18:26.680 --> 0:18:28.399 to that next phase of your life. So you definitely 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:30.200 do want to appreciate that moment when it's in front 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:32.280 of you. Yeah, no question about. Well, the other thing 0:18:32.320 --> 0:18:35.679 with regard to Wednesday's practice UM, Matt Law flew through 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:39.040 a changeup at the guys so to speak, because what 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:41.480 he ended up doing and again before giving them a 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:46.439 few days off, he set up practice UM with a 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:50.440 lot of eleven on eleven essentially like almost like four 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:54.560 quarters of eleven on eleven, you know, ones versus ones um, 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:58.600 and also some twos versus twos, And we didn't get 0:18:58.600 --> 0:19:00.920 to see that. We're at the point, just so people understand, 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:04.280 we're at the point with regard to practice, where as 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:06.600 opposed to a regular training camp practice, when we get 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:10.560 to watch the entire thing. Now in regular season practice mode, 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:14.320 the media is allowed for the opening portion of practice 0:19:14.320 --> 0:19:16.560 and some of the individual drills, but then once they 0:19:16.600 --> 0:19:19.280 go to eleven on eleven, the media is dismissed and 0:19:19.680 --> 0:19:23.520 it's a it's a closed private practice. But it sounded 0:19:23.560 --> 0:19:26.399 like the eleven on eleven this four quarters and whatever 0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:28.920 running clock that they put on, and it was there 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:32.359 were also some special teams snaps that were mixed in 0:19:32.440 --> 0:19:35.320 sort of between quarters. Everything that we found out about 0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:38.239 this practice in the locker room afterward, it sounded like 0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:40.960 it was pretty darn competitive and the guys really both 0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:44.480 sides of the ball, really really got after it. And um, 0:19:44.600 --> 0:19:46.480 the timing of it couldn't have been better because I 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:50.280 can see from a head coaches perspective, Alright, guys, we'll 0:19:50.320 --> 0:19:52.720 go other than tackling to the ground, We're not going 0:19:52.800 --> 0:19:56.320 to be you know, laying guys out and everything, but go, 0:19:56.520 --> 0:19:59.080 We're gonna go really really hard today because now you've 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:01.320 got a few days off to recover. Like, let's make 0:20:01.400 --> 0:20:05.160 this practice as game like as as we can. And 0:20:05.480 --> 0:20:08.120 it sounded like it was a hit with the players. Yeah, 0:20:08.160 --> 0:20:10.639 for Aaron Rodgers, you asked the question for Rogers to 0:20:10.680 --> 0:20:12.240 say right off the bat that it was the best 0:20:12.240 --> 0:20:17.560 practice camp. I think it really reiterated, um how successful 0:20:17.600 --> 0:20:19.680 it was and also the fact that Rogers the thing 0:20:19.680 --> 0:20:21.240 that sit out to me the most him mentioning that 0:20:21.280 --> 0:20:23.520 he kind of hopes that this is something that maybe 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:27.000 they'll integrate into the traditional train. Yeah, something something to consider, 0:20:27.160 --> 0:20:29.679 something to consider in the future, sort of to to 0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:32.320 break up maybe to break up the monotony of the 0:20:32.359 --> 0:20:35.200 installations or this or that of of you know, weeks 0:20:35.240 --> 0:20:38.160 of training camp practices. Just one day go alright, guys, 0:20:38.200 --> 0:20:40.879 we're going eleven on eleven for four quarters. Let's go, 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.880 you know. I mean, it would be that that would 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:45.320 be a lot of fun. That would be a lot 0:20:45.320 --> 0:20:47.439 of fun for us and for the fans that the 0:20:47.600 --> 0:20:50.120 stands at Nichky Field. If that would be an open practice, 0:20:50.119 --> 0:20:52.439 that would be a blast for everybody to u to 0:20:52.520 --> 0:20:54.760