WEBVTT - #398 Packers Unscripted: Back in the saddle 0:00:01.120 --> 0:00:20.360 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted, or should I say 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:24.200 welcome back to Packers Unscripted. We are back Mike Spofford 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:27.360 Wes Hodkowitz from Packers dot Com coming to you here 0:00:27.400 --> 0:00:30.480 from our studios at lambeau Field West. The last time 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.760 we addressed the audience in this setting was actually before 0:00:33.840 --> 0:00:36.279 we went to the NFL Scouting Combine. We did some 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:41.640 shows from Indianapolis as well. But in a nutshell, free 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:45.960 agents have arrived, players have departed, others have retired. There 0:00:45.960 --> 0:00:48.559 has been a whole bunch of Packers related news here 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:50.440 since the last time we sat at this desk. Where 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:51.720 do you want to start? Well, I mean you could 0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:53.760 start in a million different places, right, I mean the 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.840 fact that it's so funny no matter what the offense, 0:00:56.960 --> 0:01:00.000 the off season and moved so fast, so many things happen, 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:03.080 and I think for my money, it's those first forty 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:06.039 eight hours of the negotiating period. The fact that the 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:08.400 Packers did come to agreements with four different free agents 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:10.640 sign them right at the start of free agency. The 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:14.080 outside linebacker situation is going to look a hundred different 0:01:14.080 --> 0:01:16.600 for the Green Bay Packers this year. Overall, it's just 0:01:16.640 --> 0:01:18.240 been a lot of change, But I think at the 0:01:18.280 --> 0:01:20.920 same time, with Mike Petton coming back, you bring an 0:01:20.920 --> 0:01:22.960 agent and Amos now is sort of the commander there. 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:25.400 On the defense, you have, you know, the two Smiths 0:01:25.440 --> 0:01:27.960 coming in to help anchor the pass rush, a lot 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:31.440 of optimism about the defense and potentially how they can 0:01:31.480 --> 0:01:34.679 move forward now and offensively. The big thing is Aaron Rodgers, 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:37.480 Matt Lafleur and building that foundation now for the offense. 0:01:37.520 --> 0:01:39.360 And I think because we start to get into this 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:42.320 offseason program they've already started up. We have guys coming 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:45.559 in for the strength and conditioning program. Seeing where these 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:47.960 teams go, where this team goes, where these players go 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:50.960 with thee the puzzle pieces in place is going to 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:52.600 be one of the more intriguing things now as we 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:54.440 get going into O t A s and mini camps 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:56.560 and things of that nature. Yeah, well, what to call it? 0:01:56.640 --> 0:01:59.400 A flurry of activity in the first couple of days 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:01.840 of free agent. He might be the understatement of the 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:05.800 off season here in Green Bay. Four players are signed. 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:08.720 You mentioned the two outside linebackers, the pass rushers, and 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:12.880 Darius Smith from Baltimore and Preston Smith from Washington. Then 0:02:12.919 --> 0:02:17.679 you had Adrian Amos from division rival Chicago at safety, 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:21.080 and then offensive lineman Billy Turner, a guy who I 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:23.440 at least I look at all four of these guys 0:02:23.560 --> 0:02:26.480 as starters for the Packers in twenty nineteen. The Packers 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:29.960 aren't necessarily saying exactly where Billy Turner is gonna play, 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:33.000 but all signs would indicate he's gonna be your guy 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:36.200 at right guard when you have that spot essentially wide 0:02:36.200 --> 0:02:39.240 open here and you sign a guy that early in 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:42.200 free agency. And as you said, now the players are 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:45.320 getting rolling with offseason workouts, they're in the building, they're 0:02:45.320 --> 0:02:47.840 getting to know Matt Lafleur and the new coaches that 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:50.919 are here. Nathaniel Hackety, you mentioned Mike Patton obviously has 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:54.280 returned for year two as defensive coordinator. There's a lot 0:02:54.320 --> 0:02:56.480 of energy in this building. There's a lot going on 0:02:56.560 --> 0:02:59.320 for April, there's a lot. There's a lot going on 0:02:59.400 --> 0:03:02.960 around here. And as you said, some certainly some some 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:06.680 optimism here, especially on the defensive side of the ball, 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:09.839 with the combination of pett and coming back and then 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:12.560 some young up and coming players that the Packers have 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.720 signed as free agents with the idea that their best 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:17.880 years are ahead of them, right, And I mean you 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:20.400 wrote about it about a month ago already, the fact 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:22.360 that the Packers signed a bunch of guys all in 0:03:22.400 --> 0:03:25.880 that twenty six year old Range Goodkins had such a 0:03:25.919 --> 0:03:29.000 great comment going back to the owners meetings about how, 0:03:29.360 --> 0:03:31.000 you know, he's not really looking for one or two 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.640 year rental players. He wants guys that are coming into 0:03:33.639 --> 0:03:36.200 their formative years in the NFL. And I think when 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:39.400 you look, you know, Zadarius Smith, Preston Smith, both of 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:42.960 those guys have been remarkably durable throughout their career and 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:45.960 have kind of been on the incline. Specifically in Zadarius 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:47.800 case eight and a half sacks last year for the 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:51.360 best defense in the league, lead them in sacks, and 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:53.360 I think he's one of those guys that always had 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.400 that type of potential. You know, Brian Goodicuins mentioned they've 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:58.480 been looking at him back in the two thousand fifteen 0:03:58.520 --> 0:04:01.520 draft Milt Hendrickson and the Ray Evans ended up getting 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.400 them in Baltimore, and he's been on this steady rise. 0:04:04.520 --> 0:04:07.160 So the biggest thing, I think when you look back 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.280 to two thousand and eighteen, the Packers were missing something 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:12.960 with their pass rush. Now it got home quite a bit. 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.040 You know, they ended up putting up a lot of sacks, 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:17.680 but it was about the consistency side of it and 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:19.960 also trying to weather through some of those injuries. Clay 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:22.680 Matthews moves on to l A, the Packers move on 0:04:23.000 --> 0:04:25.640 from Nick Perry, and now you have Kyler Facker on. 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:28.200 These two young pass rushers that I think really are 0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:30.240 going to bring a new energy to that side of 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:32.720 the game. And then Amos, I think is a spot 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:34.520 on I think could really under the radar, be the 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:37.120 best signing for them this offseason because he brings stability 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:40.480 to you know, arguably the most unstable position for them 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:42.719 last year with all the difference safeties they had to 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:45.200 go through. So I think it's a really good first step. Again, 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:47.120 it's all on paper. You have to do it in 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:50.360 on the field, but the potential certainly there. Yeah, I'm 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:53.800 really interested to see Amos, certainly, as you mentioned in 0:04:54.000 --> 0:04:56.160 the back end here with the Packers, because you look 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:59.200 at his track records so far with the Bears coming 0:04:59.200 --> 0:05:01.120 out of Penn Stay it as a draft choice a 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:03.640 handful of years ago. Not a lot of the big, 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:08.000 flashy splash plays and whatnot. Um. The Packers signed him 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:11.720 not only because he's a reliable guy and they feel 0:05:11.760 --> 0:05:14.000 like they know exactly what they're getting, but because but 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:17.480 also because they feel like the interceptions and the splash 0:05:17.520 --> 0:05:20.800 plays maybe are gonna start to come for him as 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:22.880 he continues to get more and more comfortable in his 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:26.200 pro career. All of these free agent signings really were 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.479 projection signings for the Packers. They're they're looking at, Hey, 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:32.240 it's not about what these not just about what these 0:05:32.240 --> 0:05:34.320 guys have done, but about what we think they're going 0:05:34.360 --> 0:05:37.560 to do here in the very near future. The Packers 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:40.920 are hoping to capitalize on players who they believe their 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:43.680 arrows are pointing up as they say, yeah exactly. And 0:05:43.920 --> 0:05:45.480 I think when you look at all these guys being 0:05:46.279 --> 0:05:49.279 twenty six age range, it worked out perfectly for them. 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:52.000 And the two thousand fifteen draft class for the Packers, 0:05:52.000 --> 0:05:53.960 it it didn't work out the way they wanted it to. 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:56.640 But now you've been able to go and get some guys, 0:05:56.680 --> 0:05:59.159 some really successful players out of that draft class. I 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:01.520 think to kind of augment at those positions. I think 0:06:01.520 --> 0:06:03.440 a guy like Billy Turner too, brings a lot to 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:06.840 the offensive line in terms of his versatility. You know, 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:09.280 when you pay a player that much money, you would 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:12.479 expect he will start right guard. Appears to be the 0:06:12.520 --> 0:06:15.160 starting opening right now, but it's understandable the Packers don't 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:16.760 want to pay him in a box at this case. 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:18.960 And then not to mention you also were able to 0:06:18.960 --> 0:06:21.520 get Cole Madison back, returning for the start of the 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:23.920 offseason program after being away from the team last year. 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:26.200 So you know a lot of people in insider inbox 0:06:26.240 --> 0:06:28.279 have talked about that being almost like an extra draft 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:30.520 pick this year as well. So I think as you 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:32.599 go into the draft now in a couple of weeks, Michael, 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:35.240 the Packers have been able to address enough of their 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:38.520 quote unquote needs that It just when you look at twelve, 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:40.360 when you look at thirty, when you look at forty four, 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:42.400 it doesn't appear to me that it's like, Okay, you 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:44.479 have to get player X, you have to get position X. 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:46.440 Here Brian Goodacunts is going to have all of his 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:48.679 options on the table. Yeah. I think that's the biggest 0:06:48.720 --> 0:06:51.960 thing that this splurge and free agency did for the Packers, 0:06:52.000 --> 0:06:55.720 and Goodacut's mentioned it immediately when he addressed the media. 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:58.480 You make these kinds of moves in free agency, and 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:01.520 it gives you all kinds of flexibility heading into the draft. 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:04.680 He was going to have some measure of flexibility anyway, 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.560 because he's going in with ten picks. He has the 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:09.520 extra first round pick um at the end of the 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.760 first round from the trade last year. Ten picks total. 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:15.680 But now, as you said, from a position standpoint, we 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:18.480 all know you you want to take the best player available. 0:07:18.560 --> 0:07:21.600 You don't want to leave better players for your competition 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:23.559 to draft. You got to take the best guy who's 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:26.480 there at that time. But we also know that roster 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:30.400 needs can sometimes start to you know, push the equations 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:32.760 or or throw things a little bit out of balance. 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:35.840 Goodakos doesn't have to look at it that way. With 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.200 the moves that he made in free agency, all the 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:40.760 flexibility for what he wants to do, take a best 0:07:40.760 --> 0:07:44.240 player here, trade up, or trade back. He's got everything 0:07:44.280 --> 0:07:47.160 as at his disposal now heading into the draft. And 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:50.160 I think that's one of the biggest things that these 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:53.000 early days of free agency accomplished for the Packers. YEA, 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:54.480 and and you want to be able to if you're 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:56.240 going to spend money, you want to spend it early. 0:07:56.320 --> 0:07:58.280 You want to get the top end, guys, I think 0:07:58.360 --> 0:08:00.000 you can make a case the Packers got the two 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.520 most coveted pass rushers there. I think Adrian Amos was 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:04.840 right up there as far as safety's and Billy Turner, 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:06.760 I think is a lot of potential in front of him, 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:08.920 even though he only has about one one and a 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.480 half two years of starting experience, a lot of versatility, 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:15.040 a lot of options, and as as you mentioned with 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:17.920 Brian Goodikins going into now his second draft is GM 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.640 ten picks to work with. The draft is his oyster 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:23.760 so to speak at this point in time. Yeah. Well, 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:26.760 in our upcoming couple of episodes, we're gonna take a 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.160 little bit closer look at the draft and where the 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:32.080 Packers stand at some different positions. But before I get 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.760 too far out of practice, here west the Green Bay 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:37.400 Packers get ready for game day with the powerful noise 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.839 canceling technology of Bo's Quiet Comfort thirty five headphones. To 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:45.199 learn more at www dot bows dot com, slash Packers 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:48.480 Bows the official headphones of the Green Bay Packers, and 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:50.880 at Homer Here in the stands, we all know that 0:08:50.920 --> 0:08:52.880 Green Bay fans give it, they're all and that takes 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:55.160 a lot of energy, So grab a warm bowl of 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:57.880 Campbell's Chunky Soup. It's meaty goodness fuels the greatness of 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:01.240 Packers fans everywhere. Try the delicious classic chicken noodle soup. 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:05.199 Just visit your local supermarket and asked for Campbell's Chunky 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:08.600 sup Official sup partner of the Green Bay Packers. Okay, 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:12.600 we mentioned players came back a week ago Monday on 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:15.520 April eight, if I'm getting my date correct. For the 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:19.640 start of offseason workouts, Packers get one extra week of 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:22.920 offseason workouts this year because of having a new head coach, 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.400 so they started a little bit earlier than a lot 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.560 of the other teams. But in sticking with things on 0:09:28.600 --> 0:09:30.520 the defensive side of the ball, I think if there 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:34.840 was one thing that I heard from the two defensive 0:09:34.840 --> 0:09:38.040 players who addressed the media on that that first week 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:41.760 of offseason workouts, Blake Martinez and Kenny Clark answered some questions, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:45.360 I really sensed a lot of enthusiasm and a lot 0:09:45.360 --> 0:09:48.760 of excitement for the fact that Mike Patton is back 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:53.800 to continue what he started with this Packers defense. And 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:57.319 those were a couple of really key veterans, I thought, 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:01.120 expressing that very clearly and very open. Yeah. Absolutely, And 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.160 I mean you and I talked about it countless times 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:05.680 last season, and I'm not gonna sit here and go, 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:07.960 you know, on a diet tribe about you know, last 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:09.520 year was one of the top ten seasons for a 0:10:09.520 --> 0:10:12.160 Packers defense. It wasn't there was a lot to be 0:10:12.240 --> 0:10:14.760 desired there yet. But when you look at what Petton 0:10:14.880 --> 0:10:17.400 was up against, the fact that Truman Williams finished the 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:19.520 year at safety, even though that wasn't the plan at 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:21.760 all when they brought him back. The fact that they 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:24.560 had guys like Eddie Pleasant and I mean you look 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.679 at all these roster moves Abraham Campbell that come in 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:30.520 off the street and are in the starting lineup after 0:10:30.600 --> 0:10:32.480 a week or two due to injuries. The fact, well 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:35.200 your defensive line that you wanted to start the year 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:38.720 with Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark and Mohammed Wilkerson. By December, 0:10:38.760 --> 0:10:40.960 all three of those guys were an injured reserve. And 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:43.960 you're turning to Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster and guys 0:10:44.000 --> 0:10:46.199 like that who really stepped up their games and are 0:10:46.240 --> 0:10:48.880 showing a lot of promise here for nineteen. As as 0:10:48.880 --> 0:10:52.240 the Packers get those injured guys back, and nobody was 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:55.839 a better example I guess of what the Packers that 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.200 the course the Packers defense took last year than Dan Lowery. 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:00.800 I mean, this is a guy through the first month 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:03.480 of the season barely played. At the end of the season, 0:11:03.520 --> 0:11:05.800 they couldn't get him off the field. It's just the 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:09.080 way the cookie crumbled for the Packers. But I think 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:12.240 now and again, you always have to knock on wood 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:14.679 in these cases. You never know exactly what's going to happen. 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:17.640 But I just think the team is better position to 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:19.840 stay healthy to have success. When you look at the 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:23.240 signings of a Preston Smith, he started every game, played 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:25.480 in every game that he's been in the league. Couldn't 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.280 even remember the last time he was down due to injury, 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:30.920 probably went back to high school, if not even before that. 0:11:31.559 --> 0:11:34.320 You look at Zadarius Smith and being able to play 0:11:34.360 --> 0:11:37.200 as often as he did. Adrian amsmiss what three games 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:40.880 and four seasons with the Bears, So you you never know. 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:43.160 You can't protict the future, but you know the past 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:46.600 is going to lead you to you know where where 0:11:46.600 --> 0:11:48.319 you're going to be in the in the presence, So 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:51.520 by those guys not having injury history, I think is positive. 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:53.520 I think when you look at the areas of which 0:11:53.520 --> 0:11:56.120 the Packers are building their defense around with Kenny Clark, 0:11:56.920 --> 0:12:00.480 with with Blake Martinez, with the cornerbacks which you're Alexander, 0:12:01.080 --> 0:12:03.719 they have studs in place. They have guys that can 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:06.920 be playmakers and difference makers and leaders in place. But 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:09.800 they needed to find a way to expedite that process. 0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:12.840 I think these free agent additions have done that. Yeah. 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:14.720 And on the offensive side of the ball, the two 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:18.480 players we heard from when offseason workouts began, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:22.880 wide receiver Davante Adams. No real surprises there. Rogers certainly 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:25.320 addressed as he had done on the radio, all the 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:27.840 stuff about the Bleacher Report article. I don't know about you. 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:29.880 I don't really want to get into it. I think 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:33.439 it's been rehashed and redone plenty. The key message being 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:36.880 the Packers leaders on offense, whether you're talking Rogers or 0:12:36.920 --> 0:12:40.160 Adams or David Baktiari, Brian Bulaga, whoever you want to pick, 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.040 this offense is all about moving forward now. It's about 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:47.079 Matt Lafleur, it's about Nathaniel Hackett, It's about where the 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:49.880 future is and the immediate future as these guys start 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:53.360 to sink their teeth into the teeth into the playbook. Um, 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:55.000 we know they're not going to be doing any on 0:12:55.160 --> 0:12:58.360 field stuff quite yet, but that's that's certainly coming up. 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:01.200 They're having meetings going for you know, some of the 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:03.240 some of the x's and os on the big screen, 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:07.480 all that kind of stuff, and um, again I sense it. 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.200 It's an excitement thing. There's there there's a newness. There's 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:13.480 a freshness to everything that's going on here. And when 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:16.000 your veteran players are are voicing that, I think that 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:19.280 speaks volumes to how things have gotten started. The There 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.920 was a line I made an inbox about two or 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:23.960 three weeks ago. And I'm not usually onet just to 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:26.400 toute my writing, but there was there was a point 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:28.600 I was trying to make with it, and that's if 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:31.920 you fix the fox fauce at the leaks stop right, 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:37.600 if you win football games, the outside noise quiet people. 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:39.719 I'd ask, you know, are these things that Rogers needs 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:42.600 to address that Matt Lafourns are addressed. In my thought 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.760 the entire time has been you need to concentrate on 0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:48.200 what's in the locker room. Now, if that's something that 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:50.160 La Fleur and Rogers want to talk about in a 0:13:50.200 --> 0:13:52.960 private setting, that's up to them. But in terms of 0:13:53.000 --> 0:13:56.120 that locker room, what's happened in the past, what happened 0:13:56.120 --> 0:13:58.720 in two thousand eighteen doesn't dictate what happens in two 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:02.040 thousand nineteen. And I thought the amount of people that 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:05.320 stepped up, uh, not not just about the bleacher report thing. 0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:08.520 I'm talking about, you know, just Rodgers leadership, about this 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:11.120 team being six nine and one last year, about you know, 0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:15.480 Mike McCarthy era ending, La Fleur era starting It's been 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:17.880 pretty important. I think if you talk to Matt la 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.840 Flour to start a new you know, you look at 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:22.880 the things he's done around the building, the new murals 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:25.280 that he's put up, the lighting has changed near the 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:28.320 locker room. They are trying to put their own imprint 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:31.960 on this thing. And for Matt Lafleur, it's about building 0:14:32.000 --> 0:14:34.960 that relationship with Aaron Rodgers and getting them back on track. 0:14:35.000 --> 0:14:37.600 There was a great question that was asked her in 0:14:37.640 --> 0:14:41.160 the news conference with dot Davante Adams basically saying, Hey, 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:43.240 do you think Aaron Rodgers just wants to go out 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:45.480 there and you know, shove it up. Everybody's you know what, 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:49.400 you don't play well, and Adams said his first response was, well, 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:53.080 I know, I do. So there are guys on this 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:57.160 football team that are dedicated to Rogers that they want 0:14:57.200 --> 0:15:01.440 to be successful again. That two thousand sixteen draft class 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:03.160 we were just talking about. Those guys went to an 0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:05.920 NFC championship game and haven't been to the playoffs the 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.520 past two years. Aaron Jones has not been to a 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:11.960 playoff game played at Utah where they didn't have a 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:13.680 whole heck of a lot of success. There is a 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.400 hunger to be able to turn this thing around. And 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:19.960 as Aaron Rodgers said his most poignant statement in his 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:23.320 time addressing the media for eighteen minutes, he looks at 0:15:23.360 --> 0:15:25.320 it from the fact that there is no grace period. 0:15:25.680 --> 0:15:27.480 You are the Green Bay Packers. He's a two time 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:29.720 m v P quarterback, they have a veteran line, they 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:32.200 have a veteran corps. You gotta go out win some ballgames. Yeah, 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:33.880 And I think, as as I had mentioned when we 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:36.760 did a three Things video with Larry McCarron and in 0:15:36.760 --> 0:15:40.120 in box other discussions that we've had that line about 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:42.840 no grace period, I I really took that one to heart, 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:45.600 because I don't think that was that was Rogers just 0:15:45.720 --> 0:15:48.880 saying that. UM put it this way. I think he 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:52.360 was saying it for multiple reasons. Number One, whatever pressure 0:15:52.400 --> 0:15:54.400 is going to be on him to perform and to 0:15:54.520 --> 0:15:57.680 return to his m v P level, he's saying, bring 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.320 it on. I'm he's not. He's not gonna and there 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:02.960 at his locker every week and give excuses about, you know, 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:04.800 trying to learn the new offense and this, and that. 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:08.080 He's already drawn the line in the sand in that respect. 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:10.280 But I think he was also sending a message to 0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:12.360 his teammates, to the rest of those guys in that 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:15.360 locker room that hey, there's no grace period for me. 0:16:15.400 --> 0:16:17.560 There's none for you either whether you're in the second 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:19.680 year of Mike Patton's defense or the first year of 0:16:19.680 --> 0:16:21.960 Matt Lafleur's offense. However you want to look at it, 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.600 this team is the goal is to win. The goal 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:27.760 is to get back to the playoffs and get back 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:30.600 to where this team has been. And and this isn't 0:16:30.600 --> 0:16:33.560 about you know, being able to take a red shirt year, 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:35.480 so to speak, and just say, well, nobody's going to 0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:38.120 expect anything of the Packers with the first year head coach, 0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:41.880 and you know we'll worry about that's uh, your leader 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:44.720 number twelve there, the quarterback is saying, that's not the approach. 0:16:44.880 --> 0:16:47.840 And everybody in there is a professional athlete at this point. 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:51.000 They're making good money to do what they do. Uh, 0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:53.560 they are the cream of the crop. They are guys 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:55.960 who have gone through the scouting process with the Packers. 0:16:55.960 --> 0:16:59.600 They felt that these are players that can become contributors 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:02.280 and become Pro Bowlers and All pros and be able 0:17:02.320 --> 0:17:05.280 to win championships. And as Rogers said, that's what we 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:08.080 have to get back to, competing for championships. He even 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:10.080 made a little bit of a joke about the success 0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:12.120 that the Brewers and the Bucks are having, Well, maybe 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:13.800 it's time for the Green Bay Packers to pick it 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:17.160 up too. That's what it ultimately comes down to, because 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:19.159 there is a culture that's been established and when you 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.440 go back to back seasons without making the playoffs, whatever 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:25.479 reasons played into that, the fact that you didn't do 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:27.600 that was the first time in what twenty eight years 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:29.960 that that's happened. You have to find a way to 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:33.399 get some answers. I just think people want change, they 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:36.200 want adjustments, they want something new. The Packers certainly did 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:39.240 that from the top down this offseason. Something you gotta 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:40.840 roll the dice and see how it comes out. But 0:17:40.920 --> 0:17:43.040 I mean the fact that they're at this point in 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:44.960 time now and at least there is that new energy 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:47.719 that you're talking about. I think in terms of just 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:51.080 the off season, it's mission accomplished. Yeah. One other thing 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:53.160 I want to touch on here before we sign off 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:58.080 on our first show back West. Four Packers players in 0:17:58.320 --> 0:18:01.800 recent weeks have announced their hirenment John Kuhn, Jordy Nelson, 0:18:02.320 --> 0:18:05.120 Josh Sitting, and t J. Lang. It's quite a list. 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:07.520 I didn't think about it. I'm just gonna throw to 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:10.080 you all four of those guys Packers Hall of Famers. Yeah, 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:12.920 and equivocally, I think it's gonna be tough to get 0:18:12.960 --> 0:18:15.480 them all in the same year. Yeah. That might. We 0:18:15.560 --> 0:18:17.960 We'll have to see how they how it gets spaced 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:21.000 and parsed out here once they become eligible for the 0:18:21.000 --> 0:18:22.680 Packers Hall of Fame. But I'm with you. I think 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:24.800 they all belong. I just think, and you know, and 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:27.680 I know everybody had a varying contribution to the Super 0:18:27.680 --> 0:18:31.000 Bowl forty five team, Sitting was young and his career 0:18:31.040 --> 0:18:33.240 as a starter. T J was still a backup. Jordy 0:18:33.359 --> 0:18:36.120 came on late that season. John Kuhn was John kun 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:40.520 But the culture that they built, the cornerstones that they were, 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:43.359 and I think to you, man, the toughness that each 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:46.840 of them showed throughout their career. Yeah, you can't say 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:49.320 enough about it. It is weird, though, I will admit this, 0:18:49.400 --> 0:18:51.320 and you've gone through this a little bit now having 0:18:51.359 --> 0:18:53.560 covered the team since two thousand and six. It is 0:18:53.600 --> 0:18:55.560 strange for me a little bit to see this start 0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:59.080 happening because I remember, like it yesterday of writing a 0:18:59.119 --> 0:19:01.159 story in the Packers locker room about how t J. 0:19:01.359 --> 0:19:05.399