WEBVTT - #530 Packers Unscripted: Looking ahead 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:15.200 Hi, everyone, Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:19.120 Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:22.560 joined as always by my trusted colleague West hot Cooits. 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:26.200 We're coming to you here from our humble abodes, as 0:00:26.239 --> 0:00:29.320 we've been doing for the last several weeks and West 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:34.519 Today's show, I want to follow the same format, similar 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:36.360 format to what we did on our last show and 0:00:36.360 --> 0:00:38.560 talking about the draft class, but I want to expand 0:00:39.120 --> 0:00:43.040 the topics to really where the Packers roster is in 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.040 general right now. And since we don't have O, T, 0:00:46.240 --> 0:00:48.080 A S and a minicamp and all of that to 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:52.120 to preview and to cover due to the pandemic, this 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:54.760 is almost going to serve as like a training camp preview. 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:57.320 And maybe we'll do this show again, you know, sometime 0:00:57.320 --> 0:00:59.120 in July or August or what. I have a feeling 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:00.600 we're gonna be doing a lot of things over and 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:04.679 over again. Yeah, perhaps perhaps, But my point is I've 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:08.720 got some questions for you, some overarching questions maybe where 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.720 things stand with the Packers roster. So I want to 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:12.760 start with this one because this one comes up a 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:17.319 lot in our insider inbox Portal Packers signed three free 0:01:17.360 --> 0:01:21.280 agents in the off season, Devin Functions, Christian Kirksey, Rick Wagner. 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:24.959 Which of those three do you see having the biggest 0:01:25.040 --> 0:01:30.039 impact on the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, without a question, 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:33.040 in my mind, it's Christian Kirksey because one, it's a 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:35.640 very young position now, with Blake Martinez and b J. 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.960 Goodson both moving on to two different pastors this offseason. 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:41.520 Kirksy is the only real established veteran. There are a 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:44.640 lot of young players behind him. He did he does 0:01:44.680 --> 0:01:47.120 have the injuries the last two years, only played in 0:01:47.200 --> 0:01:49.600 nine games the past two seasons, but before that he 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.440 was an every down player for the Cleveland Browns and 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:54.720 by all accounts, he could very well be that again 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:56.760 now for the Green Bay Packers. You know that kind 0:01:56.760 --> 0:02:00.320 of eight dred nine hundred thousand snap lineback or in 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.440 this defense. And I also just like his overall makeup. 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:05.440 I've said this since the very beginning when they when 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:09.079 they signed Christian Kirksey, he was on the precipice of 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:14.720 looking like a really elite all around linebacker prior to 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:18.919 this whole situation, and unfortunately the injuries kind of set 0:02:18.960 --> 0:02:21.400 him back. But he's still only twenty seven. He still 0:02:21.440 --> 0:02:22.840 has the prime of his you know, he's in the 0:02:22.880 --> 0:02:25.520 prime of his career, and he has a great opportunity 0:02:25.560 --> 0:02:29.320 at this point to real establish himself in Mike Patton's defense, 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:32.480 a coordinator that he's worked with before. Yeah, I think 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.040 you could make an argument in some respects for any 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:37.880 one of these three guys as far as this question goes. 0:02:38.360 --> 0:02:40.280 You know, a lot of folks are looking for Devin 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.079 Funch's to make a really big impact because the Packers 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:46.320 did not add any draft picks at wide receiver. I 0:02:46.360 --> 0:02:48.840 think there's also a strong argument to be made for 0:02:48.960 --> 0:02:51.480 Rick Rick Wagner because, as we talked about on our 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:55.040 last show, the Packers didn't draft that offensive tackle of 0:02:55.080 --> 0:02:57.799 the future. They didn't they didn't draft spend that high 0:02:57.880 --> 0:03:00.320 draft pick on a guy who could be pretend actually 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:02.400 that swing back up on the right side and the 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:05.480 left side behind the two veterans Box tr and Wagner. 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:09.160 You just wonder what would happen, you know, say, if 0:03:09.280 --> 0:03:11.840 Wagner were to get hurt or if something were to 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:14.919 go wrong there, do you end up sliding Billy Turner 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.120 out to right tackle and then you know you're you're 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:20.280 shifting things around a lot with your offensive line or 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:22.920 one of the other young guys Alex light yosh Naiman, 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.680 if they come on strong in training camp in the preseason, 0:03:25.680 --> 0:03:29.120 would they be ready to step in So Wagner, you know, 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:32.400 not just because tackles are out there on an island, 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:34.360 but in some senses, he's kind of out there on 0:03:34.400 --> 0:03:36.440 an island as this free agent pick up for the 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:39.000 Packers because they didn't build a whole lot of other 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:42.720 reinforcements behind him. Just something that I think we're gonna 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:46.600 have to watch as the season unfolds. Um. I also 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:49.240 really enjoyed to kind of break the fourth wall here 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:52.400 you and I both getting our COVID nineteen update phone 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:55.200 calls at the same exact time from the Packers organization. 0:03:55.680 --> 0:03:58.520 If you're if you're a real strong viewer of unscripted, 0:03:58.560 --> 0:04:00.800 you can kind of tell our radio sacre sees. Literally, 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:03.120 Spot and I both looked down at the same exact 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:05.400 time to see why our phones were ringing. At first 0:04:05.440 --> 0:04:07.280 I thought it was Spot. It turned out to be me. 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:10.320 This this is the world we're dealing with now. Back 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:12.480 in the day when we're in the studio, my phone's 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:16.120 turned off, everything's fine. Lights are on Marvs in my 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:19.920 ear but you know what, we're on zoom now. So 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:21.760 these are the things that we have to adjust to. 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:24.719 That's right, and we'll just keep moving forward as best 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:28.400 we can. All right. So, um, here's another one for 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:33.080 you West heading into Say, if we were just a 0:04:33.120 --> 0:04:36.120 couple of weeks away from training camp, what do you 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:41.880 think is the most interesting, intriguing position competition the Packers 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:45.440 are going to have in whatever form training camp takes 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:48.120 later this summer. Without a shadow of a doubt, it's 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:50.240 gonna end up being the secondary. And I'm gonna be 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:52.680 broad and say the secondary because of the story I 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:55.039 wrote earlier this week on Packers dot com about the 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:59.479 nickel cornerback position. You can we can talk until you 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:03.719 know to tomorrow about right tackle, the changes that inside linebacker. 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:07.320 They didn't draft a receiver. They took a quarterback. There's 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:09.880 another running back. But let's be honest, like, the one 0:05:09.920 --> 0:05:12.040 thing the Packers got out in terms of where they 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:14.919 exited that draft was pretty much where they started it 0:05:15.200 --> 0:05:17.160 in terms of their defensive backs and how they're going 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:19.920 to handle that nickel cornerback position. Now, Brian Goodkin said 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:22.960 right from the get go the week before the draft 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:25.520 that Trumon Williams is still very much in play for them. 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:28.440 He could be back. Thirty seven years young. Certainly played 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.400 uh I thought exceptional last year considering his age and 0:05:31.400 --> 0:05:33.400 how much they needed him to be out there. That 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:36.640 being said, good Kunts and Matt la Floor both very 0:05:36.640 --> 0:05:40.000 complimentary of a number of young corners and safeties on 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:44.400 this roster already, among them Chandon Sullivan, the undrafted free 0:05:44.440 --> 0:05:48.520 agent that was picked up last May days after the 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:51.560 Philadelphia Eagles cut him following the draft, got cut off 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:53.960 their ninety man roster. He ends up in Green Bay, 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:56.400 Wisconsin and becomes a dime cornerback. And I thought played 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:58.480 pretty well, you know it. I'm not trying to pat 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:00.800 myself on the back here, but I thought this young 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:03.320 man came in and pressed throughout training camp. If you 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:05.039 go back and look at his numbers at the NFL 0:06:05.040 --> 0:06:08.720 scouting combine, he does have some impressive measurables and in 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:12.240 some impressive drail work, and I thought that athleticism showed 0:06:12.320 --> 0:06:15.200 up last year. Josh Jackson, you know you also have 0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:17.080 Kedar Home in the sixth round pick out of Toledo 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:21.359 last year. Let's also touch on this to Mike. Very interesting. 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:24.280 The Packers also talked about Darniell Savage being a guy 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:27.480 that could potentially play the nickel corner spot, or maybe 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:30.360 even JayR Alexander, although he's been on the perimeter here 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:33.640 the last few seasons. So they're going to be multiple 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.320 and they're going to be deep in terms of how 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:38.479 they approached that position, and they're when they have five 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:41.440 cornerbacks on the field. That was my number one takeaway 0:06:41.480 --> 0:06:43.599 from this draft, because it wasn't like they took somebody 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:45.160 that's like, Okay, this is gonna be the guy that's 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:47.839 going to compete for that spot. They're going to look 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:50.440 to find, either with Tremont Williams or someone else on 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:54.480 this roster, someone that's gonna take the reins of that job. Yeah, 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:56.599 And I my answer to this question, I think it'd 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:00.120 be really easy obviously to say wide receiver, right is 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:03.880 you're gonna have Devin Funchius, Alan Lazard, m vs eq 0:07:04.120 --> 0:07:07.120 st Brown, Jake Kumer, all these guys competing for how 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:11.760 they're gonna line up in the pecking order behind Yes, 0:07:12.000 --> 0:07:16.200 Reggie from from the CFL. That's right, He's in the mix. 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:18.760 As well, but I'm not I don't want to go 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:21.080 there with the wide receiver thing. I think that's that's 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:23.440 almost too obvious. My answer to this one is actually 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:26.680 going to be backup quarterback. And the reason I say that, 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:28.960 I think this is going to be a real legitimate 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:34.440 competition here in because in a normal circumstance, you spend 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:36.880 a first round draft pick on a quarterback you're expecting 0:07:37.000 --> 0:07:39.360 behind Aaron Rodgers. You're expecting to be the number two 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:41.920 right away, just as Aaron Rodgers was in two thousand 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:46.080 five behind Brett Farve. But here's the thing West. The 0:07:46.160 --> 0:07:49.200 first time that Jordan's Love is going to take an 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:53.640 actual snap in an eleven on eleven NFL practice, it's 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:56.120 not in rookie mini camp. It's not going to be 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:57.680 in O T A. S. It's not going to be 0:07:57.720 --> 0:07:59.880 in a full squad mini camp. It's gonna be in 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.600 training camp his and and there's talk of course that 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:06.240 maybe training camp is even gonna be shortened and truncated. 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:08.920 We may not have the four preseason games. That what 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:12.360 we'll find all that out as we get down the road. So, 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:15.600 in that respect, and with what Tim Boyle did last year, 0:08:15.720 --> 0:08:19.200 establishing himself as the number two behind Aaron Rodgers. I 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:22.120 think there's a legitimate competition here between Jordan Love and 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:24.640 Tim Boyle for this year as to who's going to 0:08:24.680 --> 0:08:26.920 be the number two, because there's just no guarantee in 0:08:26.960 --> 0:08:31.080 my opinion that Jordan's Love in this type of environment 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.839 and with the time frame that that we're potentially dealing with, 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:35.920 that he's really going to be ready to be the 0:08:36.000 --> 0:08:39.079 number two ahead of Boil with all the preseason games 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:41.800 that he has under his belt. Yeah, exactly, Mike. I 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:44.400 think you know, not only just the preseason games, but 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:46.400 now he had an entire season where he was in 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:49.680 that number two role. Um the guy that that did 0:08:49.720 --> 0:08:51.760 have the clipboard, that did add the headset, that was 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:53.559 wearing the shoulder pads, and was going to go into 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.760 the football game if something God forbid happened to Aaron Rodgers. 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:59.160 He's played that role now for an entire season. He 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:01.640 knows those pressure years and he's been able to prepare 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:04.360 his mindset now. Certainly, Jordan's Love has played a lot 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:06.400 of football, so I expect him to push for that job. 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:08.560 I expect him to be right in the middle of 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:11.319 that competition. Also to throw out there to The Packers 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:15.520 did release Manny Wilkins uh their their practice squad quarterback 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:17.720 from a year ago from a s U. They signed 0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:21.080 Jalen Merton uh And if you know anything about his story, 0:09:21.120 --> 0:09:23.600 he actually did get a combine invite six ft four 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:26.240 really two or thirty pounds, I mean a really good arm. 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:28.720 I mean he has the prototypical build for that position. 0:09:28.800 --> 0:09:31.560 So you know, don't completely you know, just look at 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.400 those three at the top and just figure the competitions 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.400 over there there over there, I think Morton could be 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:40.360 a guy that pushes too. But all that being said, 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:43.079 Jordan's love is the Frouki first round pick. It's going 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:45.880 to be a challenging offseason. He's gonna have to overcome that. 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:48.080 You'll have a chance to do that during the virtual 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:50.480 offseason program. But I really I'm with you on that. 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:53.600 I think probably going all the way back to maybe 0:09:53.640 --> 0:09:56.000 what might two thousand and eight, I mean, when was 0:09:56.040 --> 0:09:58.120 the last time they probably had a competition like this 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:01.360 In terms of a number two that looks like he's 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:03.760 going to be, you know, an NFL football player. I 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:05.679 think Tim Boyle does have a future in this league 0:10:06.000 --> 0:10:07.720 in a rookie first round pick that you know a 0:10:07.720 --> 0:10:10.600 lot of people are very high on. Yeah. Alright, Well, 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:15.079 next question here for you, Wes the twenty nineteen draft class. 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:19.000 Which of those draft picks do you see taking the 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:22.560 biggest step forward in your number two? You know, it 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.400 would be easy to say Rashan Gary. And that's exactly 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.960 why I'm gonna say Rashan Gary. Uh. The way that 0:10:29.000 --> 0:10:31.480 this lays out for this young man, I know all 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:35.360 eyes were on him last year. Uh, and expectations were 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:38.480 incredibly high for him, and they still are. But you 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:41.480 gotta remember they had Kyler Facer in a very interesting 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:44.199 role last season. He was not only the number of 0:10:44.240 --> 0:10:46.559 the number three guy at outside linebacker that was going 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:48.280 to be the first off the bench in many cases, 0:10:48.600 --> 0:10:51.040 he also played that coverage linebacker role when they wanted 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.120 to take somebody off the ball a little bit. Well, 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:55.840 that guy's gone. Now, Kyler Facer has set sail. He's 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:58.640 in New York, so there is And by all accounts, 0:10:58.679 --> 0:11:01.600 the Packers haven't really had a big signing that's gonna 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.040 come in and take those snaps. It would make the 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.360 most sense, as I wrote an Insider inbox this week, 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:10.120 to put those snaps on Rashaan Gary, so that was 0:11:10.160 --> 0:11:12.640 foreigner and fifty snaps last year for Kyler Facral. I 0:11:12.679 --> 0:11:16.240 think Gary played in the two range. People very critical, 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:18.760 you know, the only two sacks and this, that and 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:21.480 the other. Give this guy some time. He was twenty 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:24.600 one years old. The fortunate thing was that that shoulder 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:26.680 thing that he was dealing with last year, he said, 0:11:26.720 --> 0:11:28.520 I believe he told robbed him Omsky after this season, 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:31.240 he's not going to read that didn't require surgery, so 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:33.640 he was able to get into a full offseason. I 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:35.960 just think when you have Zadarius Smith and Preston Smith 0:11:36.040 --> 0:11:38.680 doing what they're doing right now in leading the way 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:41.800 that they're leading, and the experiences that they had getting 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:44.160 used to an edge rushing role in the NFL as well, 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:47.240 that's such a valuable resource for them and for him, 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:49.920 and and also with Mike Smith in that room, I 0:11:49.960 --> 0:11:53.040 expect for Shawn Gary to take a big step in. Yeah, 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:54.959 And I think there are a lot of other candidates 0:11:55.000 --> 0:11:58.160 potentially to to answer this question. When you're talking about 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:00.520 King's Ley Kiki on the defensive line in a position 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:03.079 where the Packers didn't add a draft pick. We've talked 0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:07.000 a lot about ja Sternber obviously at tight end, and 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:09.920 how much his playing time increased in the back half 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:12.640 of his rookie season into the playoffs and now with 0:12:12.720 --> 0:12:16.600 Jimmy Graham no longer there for the Packers, that Sternberger's 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:19.240 a guy who's gonna step up. But if my answer 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:21.719 to this question, I'm sticking in the first round of 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:24.360 the draft, actually, and I'm gonna say Darnell Savage, and 0:12:24.400 --> 0:12:27.440 I'm saying that obviously Savage stepped in, he was a 0:12:27.440 --> 0:12:30.280 starter from day one. But a couple of things here. 0:12:30.320 --> 0:12:32.880 One you mentioned he might be in the mix potentially 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:36.160 to play some nickel corner, some slot corner and expand 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:38.679 his skill set a little bit. So that's really intriguing. 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.160 But the other thing I'll say too is that Savage 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:46.280 is a guy his his speed, his skills. The next 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:48.920 step for him is to start to become a playmaker, 0:12:49.040 --> 0:12:51.840 not just in every down starter, not just you know, 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:54.200 the the guy who stepped in from day one, but 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:57.880 to start making those those big time game changing, you know, 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.079 type of plays. And when I look at a I 0:13:00.400 --> 0:13:03.160 another guy in the secondary, different position corner as opposed 0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:06.480 to safety with Savage, but Kevin King his third year 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:08.679 in the league last year, and you could argue it 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:11.199 wasn't even really his third year because his first two 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:14.559 years he you know, he missed time with injuries and stuff. 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:16.920 He didn't really have two full seasons under his belt, 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:18.800 I guess is what I'm saying. All of a sudden, 0:13:18.920 --> 0:13:21.800 Kevin King becomes the team leader in interceptions last year 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:25.040 with five. That's something that Darnell Savage could potentially do. 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:27.040 He got a couple of picks as a rookie, but 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:29.640 if suddenly that number goes up to four or five 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:33.120 or six, then he's he's a big time playmaker in 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:36.360 the secondary that quarterbacks are gonna start to worry about more. 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:38.720 I think Darnell Savage is a guy who could really 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:41.280 take a big step forward in and and the other 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:44.360 thing about last year's draft class Darnell Savage and Elton Jenkins. 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.000 First time since two thousand fourteen the Packers put two 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.240 guys from the same draft class on a pf W 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:52.600 A all rookie teams. So, I mean, the ceiling is 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:54.680 just you know, huge for these guys and where they're 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:58.000 going to be able to potentially take this thing. Elton Jenkins, 0:13:58.080 --> 0:14:01.400 I think, for my money, Mike. I can't think of 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:03.920 a rookie that came in and knocked the doors down 0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:08.040 the way he did since probably David baktri in terms 0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:10.160 of just being able to I'm not gonna I'm gonna 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:13.160 stop short of saying master the position, but not looking 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:15.640 like a rookie second round pick that you know, not 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:17.680 I think a lot of people are gonna be patient 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:20.520 with And you look at the way that you know, also, 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:22.520 Corey Linsley gets thrown into that too, the way the 0:14:22.520 --> 0:14:24.520 Packers have been able to throw some of these rookies 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:26.560 and young offensive lineman in there and play as well 0:14:26.560 --> 0:14:29.800 as they have. Uh, you tip your cab to Jenkins, because, 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:32.880 as I've said over and over again, it's really special 0:14:32.920 --> 0:14:35.080 when you can draft a player and within that first 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:38.640 year knock on wood. You know, barring injury, this looks 0:14:38.640 --> 0:14:40.240 like a guy that you can plug into your offensive 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:42.840 line for the next decade and not think twice about it. Yeah, 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:46.360 no question about it, all right. Well, next question, speaking 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:50.600 of players taking steps forward, put aside the draft class, 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:54.040 Put aside the twenty nineteen draft class. A third or 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:56.440 fourth year guy that you're going to have your eye 0:14:56.480 --> 0:15:00.720 on the Packers that you're looking to take that next 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:03.800 step with his career. It's burs it has to be. 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:05.760 And this is a guy that was a third round 0:15:05.760 --> 0:15:08.800 pick two years ago. I love Oran has a tremendous 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:12.160 head on his shoulders, incredibly intelligent. You can already tell 0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:14.200 that this guy is gonna do so many great things 0:15:14.640 --> 0:15:17.720 once his football career is over. But he wants it 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.600 to be a long and prosperous football career. And you 0:15:20.640 --> 0:15:23.040 look at the past two offseasons, Mike. Both times it 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:25.520 was Taylor made for him to step into the starting lineup. 0:15:26.120 --> 0:15:28.080 Last year, it really looked like he was going to 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:30.160 be able to do that and maybe even push Blake 0:15:30.200 --> 0:15:34.200 Martinez for that dime linebacker role. Well, again an injury 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:36.360 pops up and again the Packers had to go out 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:39.680 and acquire a veteran inside linebacker to fill in as 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:41.880 Burke's with sidelines. So him having to get these late 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:45.080 starts into regular seasons that set him back the past 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:47.600 two years. But this guy has so much ability and 0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:50.360 his body and he has a great makeup for the 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:53.200 game of football and defensive football. In two thousand twenty, 0:15:53.200 --> 0:15:56.120 He's a guy that played safety, played defensive back. He 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:58.520 grew into his body and he became an inside linebacker. 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:01.560 This isn't some bloated hybrid that's just trying to, you know, 0:16:01.600 --> 0:16:04.360 make away in the league. Or In Burkes is an 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.120 inside linebacker that can run with guys. So if he 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.160 can stay healthy, Mike, if he can really grab onto 0:16:10.200 --> 0:16:12.520 that number two role. As much as I talked about 0:16:12.640 --> 0:16:14.800 Christian Kirksey, and he's a great pickup for the Packers, 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:16.920 I think if he stays on the field, it's really 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:19.200 gonna benefit this defense. But or In Burks. They used 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:20.920 the third round pick out of him on him out 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:23.320 of Vanderbilt two years ago for a very specific reason, 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:25.240 and it's time for him to be able to grab 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:28.480 that job. Yeah. And actually Brian Goodkins traded up for 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.360 that third round pick to use or In Burkes as well. Um, 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.520 this is where I am going to dip into the 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:37.440 receiver conversation because the guy that I'm really intrigued to 0:16:37.480 --> 0:16:40.400 watch here is e q st Brown. And the reason 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:42.840 I say that obviously, his second season in the NFL 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:44.880 was lost to injury, but if you go back to 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:48.440 his rookie year when the Packers had spent three Day 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:52.440 three draft picks at wide receiver Jamon Moore, Marquis Valdis Scandling, 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:56.840 and Equanimius st. Brown. By the end of that rookie season, 0:16:57.000 --> 0:17:00.280 St Brown was the guy who was the furthest ahead 0:17:00.320 --> 0:17:02.560 on the depth chart as far as those three guys 0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:06.439 were concerned. And then the twenty nineteen season, he just 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:09.840 never was really able to get it started due to 0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:13.000 the injury and it cost him the entire year. Now, 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:16.000 this is a guy you talk about, and we could list, 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:18.720 you know, any number of guys that have a huge 0:17:18.760 --> 0:17:22.960 opportunity knocking in. But if you're e Q st Brown 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.359 and you just missed your entire second season due to injury, 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:29.280 and then you watched as the Packers signed one wide 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:32.719 receiver and free agency and then didn't draft any wide receivers, 0:17:33.040 --> 0:17:36.119 the opportunity you have in front of you to put 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:39.040 that you know, lost season to injury behind you and 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:41.480 to get back to really pick up where you left 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:43.439 off at the end of your rookie year. That's the 0:17:43.480 --> 0:17:46.159 opportunity that st Brown has. I want to bring it 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:48.359 down memory lane a little bit here, and and I 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:50.359 love to talk about equ some more. You made some 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:52.520 great points on him. If this guy would have been 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:55.000 a red shirt going into Notre Dame. He'd be coming 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:56.920 out now first if you would write in his entire 0:17:57.000 --> 0:17:59.080 time there. So he's a young man, a lot of 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:01.359 ability there. But let's let's take a little bit of 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:04.520 a trip down memory lane, Mike. There is one year, 0:18:05.200 --> 0:18:08.640 one year out of the now eleven NFL drafts I've 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:12.280 covered where I thought the Packers made a legitimate mistake 0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:16.560 not drafting a player at a position that was two 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:21.080 thousand thirteen. They decided against taking a safety. They decided, Okay, 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:23.080 m D. Jennings drawn mcmill and that's where how we're 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:27.080 going to proceed. That was ill advised and and you know, 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:31.480 my compliments to both guys, they're both fantastic guys. I 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:34.359 really loved empty Jennings, good dude to deal with. But 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:38.160 they left a hole there. The next year they responded, 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:41.760 They took Haha, Clinton Dicks, They moved Mike a hide 0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:45.200 from cornerback to safety or began that transition, and they 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:49.480 overhauled the position. That spoke volumes about what the Packers 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:52.280 felt they needed to do to improve what had probably 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:55.840 been in two thousand thirteen and Achilles heel for them. 0:18:55.920 --> 0:18:58.239 I mentioned that story because I think this was a 0:18:58.280 --> 0:19:01.080 big thing for Brian Goodkins to put the faith that 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:05.560 he has in that receiver's room on those guys and 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:08.360 not use a first round pick on it, not trade up, 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:11.280 not trade back, just decide that, you know what, we 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:14.639 signed Devin Funchous. We have several young guys at that 0:19:14.680 --> 0:19:16.960 position that we think we can help us. We're gonna 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:19.320 trust that talent and trust and ability. There's a risk there, 0:19:19.359 --> 0:19:23.119 there's a gamble, and we'll see when two rolls around 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.280 exactly where they ended up falling on that. But if 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:30.840 I'm e Q, if I'm mvs. Jake Kumero, Reggie Begelton, 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:33.760 I mean even Allen Lazard, who I think right now 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:35.960 everyone would agree is probably Pencilan is the number two 0:19:35.960 --> 0:19:39.000 at this point. All those guys, this is a tremendous 0:19:39.040 --> 0:19:41.240