WEBVTT - #539 Packers Unscripted: Early observations 0:00:00.920 --> 0:00:15.040 Hi, everyone, Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social 0:00:15.120 --> 0:00:18.680 Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spoffer, 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:22.120 joined as always by my trusted colleague west Hodkowitz, who 0:00:22.160 --> 0:00:25.880 is no longer in the bonus room above his garage. 0:00:26.040 --> 0:00:31.040 Weston from whence do you come? I upgraded, Mike. I 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:35.320 am now inside my office here at lambeau Field, and 0:00:35.360 --> 0:00:37.120 I'm happy to be here. I know who am I kidding? 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:39.240 I don't have an office, I have a cubicle. I'm 0:00:39.280 --> 0:00:43.159 in my boss's office, Duke Bobber who is still socially 0:00:43.159 --> 0:00:46.440 distancing at home. So if you have a free room, 0:00:46.520 --> 0:00:48.960 you take the free room. And here I come to 0:00:49.000 --> 0:00:51.479 you live from lambeau Field. Well, I am here in 0:00:51.560 --> 0:00:54.960 our studio and I think we got some of the 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:58.040 lighting issues figured out in here. Look good? Um yeah, 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:00.480 starting to look a little bit better. These zoom cameras 0:01:00.480 --> 0:01:03.720 are not quite the same as your professional high tech cameras, 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:06.200 so we've had to make adjustments along the way. But 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.040 more importantly, Wes you know what, the Packers have two 0:01:09.600 --> 0:01:13.240 training camp practices in the books. Here at the time 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:15.920 we are taping this, and shortly after we are done 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:18.520 taping this show. There will be practice number three, which 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:20.840 will be the first one in pads, and we will 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.160 get to more of that later in the week. But 0:01:23.840 --> 0:01:26.080 through these first two practices, a lot going on, a 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:28.640 lot to keep an eye on. Let's break things down 0:01:28.680 --> 0:01:31.360 here in terms of our key observations on the offensive 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:34.319 and then the defensive side. So starting on offense, what 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:37.280 jumped out to you from days one and two, Well, 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:39.720 both days that you and I walked back from practice 0:01:39.840 --> 0:01:43.480 again from a socially acceptable distance, Uh, I said to you. 0:01:43.520 --> 0:01:45.080 I mean, I don't know if it's just because you 0:01:45.120 --> 0:01:47.520 and I didn't have an offseason program, although you've covered 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:51.080 those years before, I haven't. But it just seems like 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.800 there's been more happening in these first two practices than 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:59.440 I can remember in the past. And and you know, offensively, 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.560 what is really stuck up stood out to me one? Uh, 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:06.440 it has to start with Tim Boyle. The conversation all 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:08.880 off season has been once again about Jordan's love being 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:12.480 the first round pick, Aaron Rodgers, YadA, YadA, YadA, YadA, 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:16.280 get your clicks, everybody, have a great day. But Tim 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:18.200 Boyle has sort of been the forgotten guy. And all 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:20.960 this in Boil, as I wrote in our what we 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:24.639 Learned from Monday's Practice story on packers dot Com, every 0:02:24.639 --> 0:02:27.600 single year he starts off really strong to camp and 0:02:27.639 --> 0:02:29.480 for the most part, he's always sustained it. And this 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:31.760 year has been no exception. I thought he's made some 0:02:32.520 --> 0:02:34.560 really terrific throws. You know, you go back to two 0:02:34.560 --> 0:02:38.360 thousand eighteen, Mike, it was all about the big throwing ability. 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:40.639 We you know, I play around with my friend Michael 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:44.280 Cohen and the Tim Boil Laser show deal. But what 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:47.760 has impressed me is how over the years, uh, he's 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:51.560 becoming a pretty good pinpoint precision pass or two in 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:54.120 these practices. And that's how he has enabled himself as 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:56.160 an undrafted rookie two years ago to now be going 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:58.400 into his third NFL season last year, is the primary 0:02:58.440 --> 0:03:01.400 backup to Aaron Rodgers. A couple throws of note that 0:03:01.440 --> 0:03:04.919 he already had Markquez Valdes scantling the very first practice 0:03:05.160 --> 0:03:07.440 puts one right where only his receiver can catch it, 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:10.200 probably forty yards down field. And then he's also made 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:13.320 some really nice intermediate throws too. I think about the 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:15.560 one that he had in the slot to Darius Shephard 0:03:15.919 --> 0:03:17.800 on Monday, and then also a nice one that he 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:21.320 had delivering the ball in stride through traffic to a J. 0:03:21.520 --> 0:03:23.400 Dillon who was coming out of the backfield on kind 0:03:23.440 --> 0:03:26.840 of a wheel route. So, Tim Boyle, you can in 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:29.200 Jordan Love. Certainly there's gonna be a lot made about that, 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:33.000 and he's an exceptional prospect. But there's a reason Tim 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:35.240 Boyle's here, And I thought through the first two practices 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:37.880 he reminded every one of that. Yeah, I've been really 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.840 impressed with Boil as well, and you everybody knows about 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:43.080 his arm strength. You mentioned the deep ball to MVS. 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:46.600 Those kinds of things don't necessarily surprise me. But I 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:48.800 think what stood out to me in addition to what 0:03:48.840 --> 0:03:52.000 you said, is that through these first two practices, just 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:56.360 the the overall command and comfort and the sharpness and 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:59.000 the smoothness of everything. You can tell. Okay, he's in 0:03:59.040 --> 0:04:01.000 his third year in the NFL. Now he's in his 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:04.080 second year in Matt Lafleurs system, and it's some of 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:06.640 the little things like just when he takes a checkdown throw, 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:10.520 the timing of taking the check down is much quicker 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:14.120 and sharper as opposed to maybe holding too long onto 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:16.320 those first couple of reads before you just check it 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:18.840 down and give the checkdown guy a chance to make 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.039 a play. It's it's hard to describe. I don't know 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:23.960 if I'm describing that quite right, but those are the things, 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:26.200 those are the things that I've recognized these first couple 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:28.960 of practices. And that's where I the word I keep 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.200 coming back to his command. He just seems to have 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:34.599 a command of the offense that is at another level. 0:04:34.640 --> 0:04:37.880 Now we're not really we're not obviously not going to 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:40.520 get to see that in the preseason games as we've 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:43.520 done in the past, but um, but certainly he's off 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:46.839 to uh to a strong start. And you know, we 0:04:46.960 --> 0:04:49.320 talked about with with as far as Jordan's Love has 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:52.400 to go, having not had any on field work in 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:55.000 the off season as a rookie and being thrown into 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.479 the new system and everything like that. I mean, the 0:04:57.520 --> 0:05:00.200 odds are very strong, and they were even before these 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:02.760 last before training camp started that Tim Boyle is going 0:05:02.839 --> 0:05:05.479 to be the number two quarterback I think behind Aaron Rodgers. 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:08.839 His experience level is just too hard to ignore, and 0:05:08.880 --> 0:05:12.760 he's certainly proving that he's out to lockdown that job. Yeah, 0:05:12.839 --> 0:05:14.800 totally and and this is the thing too. I mean 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:17.480 last year he was in that number two role that 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:19.279 that is a job in and of itself. People just 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:21.400 think it's the guy sitting there holding the clipboard waiting 0:05:21.400 --> 0:05:23.080 for the quarterback to get hurt and then he enters 0:05:23.120 --> 0:05:25.679 the game. It's not like that. As Tim Boyle even said, 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:27.880 there's so much that goes into it. During the week, 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:30.480 he is one of the primary guys responsible for helping 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:33.760 Rogers and the quarterback coach Luke GETSI, you know, game 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:37.279 plan to understand what tendencies are of the cornerbacks that 0:05:37.320 --> 0:05:39.039 they're gonna be facing too, you know, pick up on 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:42.080 little nuances that could potentially help Rogers to be an 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:45.200 extra set of eyes when he's on the sideline. That 0:05:45.200 --> 0:05:47.440 that all plays into this and it's something that you know, 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:50.239 Jordan's love is going to be learning in this process. 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:52.280 I mean, this is still a very young quarterback in 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:56.160 exceptional prospect. Like I said, but Rome wasn't built in 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:59.640 a day. And I think the NFL, the way that 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:02.480 this has trended over the last ten years, everybody wants 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:05.120 to draft a quarterback in five minutes later, they want 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:09.120 to have that guy in the system. Playing starting and 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:12.000 sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. But if you're 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:13.920 not in a position where you're trying to save a 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:16.960 head coach's job or you're not trying to change a culture, 0:06:17.120 --> 0:06:20.000 heck even sells season tickets, if you're not in one 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:21.800 of those spots, I still think there's a lot to 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.760 be said for allowing a guy to develop. Patrick Mahomes 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:28.039 certainly wasn't behind Alex Smith as long as you know, 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:30.960 Aaron Rodgers is behind Brett Farve. But still even that 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:32.839 one year I thought made all the difference for that 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:35.320 young man in what is now turned into a twenty 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:38.040 four year old m VP of this league. So one 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:40.960 of those things that consider, but beyond that, Mike uh 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:43.560 in order for Boyle to look good, that means the 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:45.960 offense has to have moments and and through these first 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:48.960 two practices, whether it's been a J. Dillon, the way 0:06:48.960 --> 0:06:52.159 that the Packers have used Tyler Irvin, the you know 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:54.280 this cat back that they claimed last year, and the 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:57.760 returner Alan Lazar Darius Shepard, there's been a lot of 0:06:57.760 --> 0:06:59.640 guys that have stepped up and made plays, and you know, 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:01.480 you've have been able to see some of the depth 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:04.840 at these positions that have some question marks. Well as 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.360 far as the starting offense, the number one unit is concerned, 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.960 there is a competition underway. It was underway right from 0:07:11.960 --> 0:07:14.600 the get go in the first practice on Saturday. And 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:16.360 what I'm talking about is the right side of the 0:07:16.400 --> 0:07:20.360 offensive line. The Packers, Matt Lafleur, the offensive coaches are 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:23.840 are shuffling things around in the different eleven on eleven 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:26.400 reps as they go through practice. There are times that 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:31.120 Billy Turner is at right tackle with Lane Taylor. The 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.160 whole Turner Taylor thing. I know I'm going to screw 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:35.200 that up at some point, but anyway, Billy Turner at 0:07:35.240 --> 0:07:38.200 right tackle, Lane Taylor at right guard. There are other 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:40.880 times when Rick Wagner is at right tackle and Billy 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:44.480 Turner is at right guard. Obviously the other combination is 0:07:44.800 --> 0:07:49.120 Taylor at guard and Wagner at tackle. So the coaches 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:52.680 are trying to find what is the best combination that 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:55.280 is going to work on the right side of that 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:58.680 offensive line for the Packers. And uh, this is not 0:07:58.800 --> 0:08:00.840 something that's going to be decide did tomorrow where the 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:03.120 next day was. I think this is a competition that 0:08:03.440 --> 0:08:05.960 the coaches are gonna let this play out pretty much 0:08:06.000 --> 0:08:08.160 through the majority of camp, at least for the first 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:11.800 couple of weeks before they they settle on what that 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:14.400 starting lineup is going to be in Week one. Yeah, 0:08:14.440 --> 0:08:17.040 and and once they made the decision to to keep 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:19.880 Lane Taylor and to figure that thing out for this season, 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:22.520 I felt pretty confident that he was going to be 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:25.000 in a competition for a starting job. I mean, he 0:08:25.040 --> 0:08:27.520 brings a lot of versatility. He can play both guard spots. 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:30.040 He can play right tackle. Um, heck, I mean he 0:08:30.040 --> 0:08:31.960 played left tackle. He started a game at left tackle 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:34.959 in this league already in a bitch So uh, certainly, 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:36.280 this is a guy that you just didn't want to 0:08:36.280 --> 0:08:38.719 see him walk out the door. But at the same time, 0:08:38.720 --> 0:08:41.520 when you lose somebody like Brian Balaga, Mike that that's 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:43.480 one of the best tackles that has ever walked in 0:08:43.559 --> 0:08:47.200 the doors at lambeau Field in this franchise's history. So 0:08:47.280 --> 0:08:49.080 to go ten years with him and then to try 0:08:49.080 --> 0:08:52.120 to replace him, you can't just have one remedy. You 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:55.080 have to have multiple options. Rick Wagner was a part 0:08:55.080 --> 0:08:56.960 of that. Keeping Lane Taylor was a part of that, 0:08:57.240 --> 0:09:00.240 and keeping in mind Billy Turner's versatility is also something 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:02.880 the Packers are considering. Going back to last year, it 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:04.360 made a lot of sense for him to come in 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:07.200 and probably take that right guard spot. But one of 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:09.080 the reasons why Green Bay went out and signed him 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:11.920 was because he can play multiple positions. The green Bay 0:09:11.960 --> 0:09:13.920 Packers when they go to Minnesota and Week one, they 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.160 want to have their best five offensive lineman on the field, 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:18.160 and this is gonna be an opportunity for those three 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:20.920 guys to show that they can be that guy. Yeah, well, 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.800 shifting gears to the defensive side. There was a big 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:26.560 piece of news on the first day of practice, and 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:28.600 that is the uh I guess you'd call it the 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:32.600 long awaited contract extension for Kenny Clark because GM Brian 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.240 Goodakounts had been talking about this, you know, even dating 0:09:35.280 --> 0:09:38.680 back more than a year, that he wanted to get 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:42.120 Kenny Clark in the fold long term for this defense. 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:44.840 It took a while. Everything with the pandemic and salary 0:09:44.880 --> 0:09:48.080 cap ramifications and all that maybe delayed things a little 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:51.320 bit in terms of finally reaching an agreement. But that 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:54.280 agreement has been reached and the contract is official and 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:58.800 Kenny Clark will be a centerpiece literally and figuraively in 0:09:58.840 --> 0:10:01.440 a lot of ways for the Green Bay Packers defense 0:10:01.480 --> 0:10:04.040 for the next several years. Yeah, and a remarkable signing 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:07.240 and a remarkable job by Clark and his team to 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:09.439 get this thing done before the start of training camp. 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:12.000 Twenty four years old, Mike, he doesn't turn twenty five 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:16.200 until October. Uh. An incredible rise he's made. You know, 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:18.160 this is a guy. You know, we're gonna talk about 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:20.679 Rashan Gary here in a little bit, But Kenny Clark 0:10:20.720 --> 0:10:23.280 came in as a twenty year old rookie. He had 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:25.000 to go through his you know, kind of bumps and 0:10:25.080 --> 0:10:28.120 bruises along the way. But man, in the December of 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:31.760 two thousand, uh seventeen when he really started to come 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:34.560 on there and that last month of the season, you 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:38.400 saw exactly what Ted Thompson and this personel department liked 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:40.560 about him and where they thought his career was headed. 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:42.320 And to be honest with you, Mike, I feel like 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:45.480 this kind of completes, uh, you know, a five six, 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:49.720 seven year of evolution of this defensive front. When I 0:10:49.760 --> 0:10:51.920 started covering this team, as Kenny Clark alluded to in 0:10:51.960 --> 0:10:54.440 his press conference with the media, it was all about 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:58.880 you know, gap filling defensive tackles, and they had one job, 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:01.079 and that was really to take some blockers and allow 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.000 the people behind them to make plays. It's not like 0:11:03.080 --> 0:11:05.680 that anymore. Kenny Clark can do it all. And when 0:11:05.679 --> 0:11:09.720 the Packers drafted him six ft three pounds, he wasn't 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:12.040 a Ryan Pickett type, but he also wasn't like a 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:14.360 Mike Daniels type. He was right in the middle, and 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:16.439 he can pretty much give you everything that you want 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:19.360 out of that one nose tackle position and allows him 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:22.680 also to have some pass rushing opportunities. The closest distance 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:26.320 between the defensive line and the quarterback is right up 0:11:26.320 --> 0:11:28.360 the middle, and I think Kenny Clark has shown the 0:11:28.440 --> 0:11:32.920 value in that, and certainly Brian goodcouins this organization wanting 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:35.040 to maintain that commitment to him and keep him in 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:37.640 the fold now with a defense, mind you, that has 0:11:37.679 --> 0:11:39.400 a lot of key pieces in place now for the 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:42.079 next three, four or five seasons. Yeah, I'm really curious 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:43.640 to see what the next step is going to be 0:11:43.679 --> 0:11:47.440 for Kenny Clark in the past rushing world, because he's 0:11:47.480 --> 0:11:49.720 had six sacks each of the last two years, which 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:52.559 is a real solid number for an interior defensive lineman 0:11:52.559 --> 0:11:54.680 in this league. But here's the thing, West, you know 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:56.840 this as well as I do. He's had a couple 0:11:56.880 --> 0:11:59.959 of different months in his career where he's had three 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:02.480 and a half or four sacks just in the span 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:04.560 of a month. So if a guy can do that 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:07.640 from an interior D line position, then you wonder can 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:10.600 he get double digit sacks a dozen sacks in a 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:13.840 regular season like the guys on the outside are used 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:16.720 to getting. And I'm I'm really curious to see if 0:12:16.960 --> 0:12:19.640 if Kenny Clark starts to h to push those sack 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:23.320 numbers up as as he really comes into his own 0:12:23.360 --> 0:12:25.440 here in the NFL. Yeah, I'm with you on that, 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:27.120 because the thing is, if you look at all those 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:29.520 Next Gen stats and Pro Football Focus, i mean, they're 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:31.600 talking about this guy's had I think it was something 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.840 around fifty pressures last year. He was around the quarterback 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:37.040 a lot. It's just so happens that well, he had 0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:40.920 two pretty decent outside linebackers chasing after that same quarterback. Yeah, 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:43.640 those other guys were finishing off the edges and you know, 0:12:43.760 --> 0:12:46.360 and but Kenny Clark was definitely involved in a lot 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:48.600 of that. But as Clark said, I mean, one of 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:50.319 the things that he's talked with Mike Petton about and 0:12:50.320 --> 0:12:52.439 Matt Laflour is they want to probably move him around 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:54.839 a little bit more this year, create more opportunities for him. 0:12:55.160 --> 0:12:57.920 The major question I have is when push comes to shove, 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:01.200 when the regular season starts, you you're gonna have Kenny Clark, 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:04.280 assuming he's healthy, for X amount of snaps. Do you 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:06.960 want those snaps dedicated to help stopping the run where 0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:09.520 he can help you a lot, or getting some pressure 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:11.640 on the quarterback where he also can help you a lot. 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:13.800 That's where the Packers have to be cognizant of this 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:16.600 because he's played over the snaps here the last couple 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:19.040 of seasons when he's been on the field. That's a 0:13:19.120 --> 0:13:23.280 really tough number for a three fifteen pound body to fit. Fortunately, 0:13:23.280 --> 0:13:25.360 he's been young and productive and been able to do it. 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:27.920 But it's going to be incumbent on those other defensive 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:29.920 linemen in that room to help take some snaps out 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:32.160 of him, because I really think that sweet spot is 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:35.000 probably around se That's where you're gonna get the most 0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:37.720 out of a really well conditioned defensive tackle, but also 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:40.240 still allow Kenny Clark to have the explosiveness that everyone 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:42.880 really likes about his game. Yeah, well, you mentioned Rashan 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:46.600 Gary earlier, and he's another guy who's uh, certainly making 0:13:46.640 --> 0:13:50.080 some noise here in the early portion of camp. You 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:51.800 and I've been doing this for a while. West. You 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:54.719 look at the first couple of practices, especially when you're 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:56.959 into August here like we are, even though the pads 0:13:57.000 --> 0:14:00.120 are only going on for the first time later today. 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:03.520 But when a guy is getting a lot of reps 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:06.679 with a first unit, that's sort of that sends a 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:09.560 signal that the coordinator, in this case, Mike Petton, the 0:14:09.559 --> 0:14:13.920 defensive coordinator, he's definitely got plans for Rashawn Gary in 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:17.120 this defense in because we have seen Gary on the 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:20.000 field a lot with the number one defense, with both 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:22.480 of the Smiths out there as well, all three of 0:14:22.520 --> 0:14:27.000 those guys officially listed as outside linebackers, but all taking 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:29.920 the field together with the number one unit, And those 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:31.760 are the kinds of things that, as I say, they 0:14:31.800 --> 0:14:35.760 send signals for what the defensive coordinator is has in 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:37.720 mind for later down the road, and we just have 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:39.680 to see what those plans are going to be as 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:41.960 they unfold. Yeah, I think this has been the truest 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:44.240 testament of the Packers trying to get their best eleving 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:46.200 guys on the field. I think they feel like Rashan 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:48.240 Gary is one of them and they need to find 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:51.360 ways to create for him. Uh. The thing I keep 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.520 telling people one the kids twenty one years old, he 0:14:54.680 --> 0:14:57.120 was twenty one years old. I know he's the twelfth 0:14:57.160 --> 0:15:00.000 overall pick. I know people are super excited about that selection, 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.000 and you need to have some patience with them. I mean, 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:05.480 much like I even made this thing in an insider inbox. Uh. 0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:08.640 You know Rashawn Garry's twenty two ZA Darius Smith didn't 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:10.960 even take his first NFL snaps he was twenty three, 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:13.040 and it was a few years after that where he 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:16.280 really became a difference maker for Baltimore. This is a 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:18.840 tough game. You need to be able to develop and 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:21.280 you know, really find yourself as a pass rusher. Now 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.800 that being said, I thought he checked all the boxes 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:25.680 you wanted him to check. This offseason. You know, he 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:27.720 looked to tone up his body a little bit more. 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:30.480 As he said, he still is around that to seventies six. 0:15:30.520 --> 0:15:33.720 Market's not like he's had like this huge uh you know, 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:37.360 you know, just he looked drastically different from last season. 0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:40.200 It's just as he was saying, you know, eating clean, 0:15:40.560 --> 0:15:42.520 a little bit more conditioning, you know, doing a little 0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:44.760 bit more of those high school drills of running bleachers 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:47.080 and gas ers because of the restriction in place because 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:50.240 of the quarantine. But also, Mike, it's a twenty one 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:52.640 year old man going to a twenty two year old man, 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:55.800 and then there's just certain maturation that goes along with that. 0:15:56.440 --> 0:15:58.400 But the one thing I think we're gonna learn this 0:15:58.520 --> 0:16:01.040 year is I think I think Rashawn Gary is gonna 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:03.520 be more than just a dime rusher, which is what 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:07.000 the role he predominantly played last season when the Smiths 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:09.880 needed a breather and often was Kyler Facrol going in there. 0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:12.240 And I think Gary is going to be that guy 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:14.240 this season that's going to be able to compliment them 0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:16.280 and then potentially even have some opportunities to be on 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:19.320 the field with them together. But he's a part of 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:22.280 that trio and the Packers. They last year was the 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:24.440 emergence of the Smiths. I think this year the Packers 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:26.840 want to be able to give more of those opportunities 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:29.040 to Gary as well. Yeah, and one stad to throw 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.400 out there about Gary too. Yes, he only had two 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:33.520 sacks as a rookie, but this is the stat west. 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:37.880 He had nineteen quarterback pressures in approximately two d forty 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:42.360 defensive snaps. That's that's actually pretty good production for limited 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:44.360 playing time, and I think I think the Packers are 0:16:44.600 --> 0:16:47.120 are looking for him to build on that. Okay, one 0:16:47.200 --> 0:16:51.720 last thing before we go. A very interesting development on Monday. 0:16:51.720 --> 0:16:55.760 In Monday's practice, the first interception of training camp in 0:16:55.840 --> 0:16:59.400 the eleven on eleven work was turned in by none 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:03.160 other than the new guy on defense, Christian Kirksey at 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:06.520 inside linebacker. He took a deep zone drop and picked 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:10.280 off and Aaron Rodgers past that was intended for Davante Adams. 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:12.200 Just kind of neat that the it was the new 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:15.280 guy on defense that that you know, got the old 0:17:15.320 --> 0:17:17.600 man at quarterback so to speak. Yeah, And it was 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:20.440 off a zone drop into coverage. He was probably about 0:17:20.480 --> 0:17:22.639 fifteen yards deep and they were trying to hit Davante 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:25.239 Adams on a crosser. Just a really good job of 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.520 recognizing what was in front of him and reacting to it. 0:17:28.119 --> 0:17:30.560 We didn't get a chance to talk to Kirksy after 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:33.120 this practice. We actually talked to him after Saturday's practice. 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:35.840 But you gotta imagine that that was a feel good 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:38.000 moment for him. This is a guy that again, mind you, 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:41.120 he's only played in nine games the last two seasons. Uh. 0:17:41.160 --> 0:17:43.600 The fact that he's just in there calling this defense 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:46.160 right now. You see when the plays gets re relayed 0:17:46.200 --> 0:17:49.160 from Mike Petton from the sideline. Uh, Kirksy is already 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:51.520 the general. He's already stepping into that role and they 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:53.680 need him to step into that role. He's the only 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:56.600 proven commodity that they have at this time at inside linebacker. 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:00.280 But he even said it's been a long journey for him. 0:18:00.320 --> 0:18:02.640 It's been a long road back and then obviously having 0:18:02.680 --> 0:18:04.959 to wait through this quarantine to be able to get 0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:08.120 into Green Bay and start to meet these guys in person. Uh, 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:09.840 that that had been a big moment for him, and 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:11.359 it did you a lot of good moments for the 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:15.040 defense so far. I thought, Vernon Davis, excuse me, Vernon Davis, 0:18:15.080 --> 0:18:18.600 Vernon Scott. Vernon Davis was not at practice on Monday. 0:18:18.880 --> 0:18:22.000 Vernon Scott was the rookie seventh round pick out a TCU. 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:24.880 He had a couple of past deflections. I thought you've 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:28.000 seen some really nice play recognition so far from you know, 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:30.200 some of those defensive backs trying to make a run 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:33.600 for a roster spot. In addition to Zadarius Smith and 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.160 Preston Smith, they were saying after Saturday's practice they felt 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.439 like the defense set the tone and they wanted to 0:18:38.520 --> 0:18:41.119 keep it that way. So watching this battle between especially 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:43.000 now that we're gonna see more ones verse ones in 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:45.680 these eleven and eleven periods, Uh, these battles are gonna 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:47.199 be terrific to watch, and I think you're really going 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:48.800 to get a good sense for where both of these 0:18:48.840 --> 0:18:51.159