WEBVTT - #650 Packers Unscripted: Defensive details 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:10.680 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:14.240 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:16.919 by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz. We're coming to you 0:00:16.960 --> 0:00:20.160 here from our studios at lambeau Field, and as promised 0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:24.640 on our last show, today's show will focus on the 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:29.240 off season news with regard to the Packers defense and 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:31.960 West I need to establish a little bit of a 0:00:32.000 --> 0:00:35.040 timeline here as too, as to how things went, because 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:38.160 as the start of the new league year, the start 0:00:38.159 --> 0:00:42.839 of free agency mid March um last month, the Packers 0:00:42.880 --> 0:00:45.879 had some salary cap issues. They needed to be that 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:49.040 three o'clock on March sixteen, they think it was. They 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:52.040 had to be in compliance with the salary caps. So 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:55.160 there were some moves made that that certainly had an 0:00:55.200 --> 0:00:58.880 impact on the defense. Once Darius Smith was released, Preston 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:01.840 Smith was signed to a contract extension which created some 0:01:01.840 --> 0:01:07.920 salary cap relief for the current year, and then Dave 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:13.119 Andre Campbell was signed to a new five year contract, 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:18.080 and at at the time that the new league year began, 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:21.680 the Packers had Preston Smith under contract, of Andre Campbell 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:26.520 under contract, Davante Adams franchise tag number was under the cap, 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:30.520 and that for the moment was looking like the direction 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:32.280 the Packers were going to go. But then when it 0:01:32.360 --> 0:01:35.839 became apparent that Davante Adams was not going to sign 0:01:35.880 --> 0:01:37.800 a long term deal with Green Bay, the trade was 0:01:37.840 --> 0:01:40.880 worked out with the Raiders. Then suddenly more cap space 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:45.080 became available and Russeul Douglas was resigned and Jaren Reid 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:47.280 was added as a free agent on the defensive line. 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:52.200 So some dominoes started to fall after the Davante Adams 0:01:52.200 --> 0:01:57.640 trade that had have given the Packers defense in a 0:01:57.760 --> 0:02:02.000 look that maybe we weren't a specting because going into it, 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:05.480 I didn't think both Devandre Campbell and Russell Douglas would 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:08.120 be back. But it turns out that's where the Packers are. 0:02:08.360 --> 0:02:11.960 And you really think about it, Mike, I think the 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:16.160 green Bay Packers Devandre Campbell, that's the best situation for 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:19.400 both players, the green Bay Packers and Russeul Douglass. I 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:22.320 don't think that's debatable. I think that's the best situation 0:02:22.760 --> 0:02:26.360 for both players in this I'm really excited for what 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:29.639 this Packers defense has coming back next season. I understand 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:32.239 they took a big hit at outside Russia. You're losing, 0:02:32.280 --> 0:02:34.240 you know. Zadarius Smith, a guy that in his two 0:02:34.240 --> 0:02:36.880 healthy seasons was went to the Pro Bowl both years, 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:39.840 was a second team All Pro. The statistics that he 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:42.200 put together, the sack numbers he put together in those 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:45.320 first two seasons, they're legitimate, and he was a big 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:47.880 part of this resurgence that the Packers defense has had. 0:02:48.200 --> 0:02:51.200 Unfortunately for him, he suffers that that back injury last year, 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:53.760 and I think there was, you know, some structural stuff 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:56.880 going on there. There was the cap situation, and we'll 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.160 see exactly what happens now that he's in Minnesota. Thought 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:01.160 he was going to Baltimore for a minute, but he 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.320 ends up in Minnesota. But what happened at that same 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:07.680 time was the Packers very quietly resigned or should say, 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:11.040 extended Preston Smith, created some more cap space there and 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:13.320 took care of Preston for the long term. They were 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:16.480 able to keep deve Andre Campbell, which, as I've said 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:20.440 over and over and over again, Mike deve Andre Campbell's 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:24.120 presence in this defense has altered my belief in the 0:03:24.160 --> 0:03:28.880 inside linebacker position in today's NFL. And and he's talked, 0:03:29.120 --> 0:03:31.120 you know, at quite quite a great length over the 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:34.040 past year about what his thought process was when he 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:37.000 came to Green Bay last June, why he picked this place, 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:39.360 why he felt like this was the right fit for him, 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.560 why he probably left some money on the table to 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.400 come and play in this defense. But the one thing 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:47.360 he mentioned when addressing the media for the availability at 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:50.040 the beginning of the off season program here was he 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:52.520 told the Packers flat out, I want to be a 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:54.160 MIC linebacker. I want to be the one where in 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:56.080 the communication had said I want to be the middle 0:03:56.120 --> 0:03:58.360 linebacker in the in the in the heart of the defense. 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:00.400 He wanted to be the guy running the dfense. He 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:03.040 felt he felt he could be a star in that position. 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:05.640 He could he could do everything that was asked of 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:09.160 him in that leadership role on the field, and he delivered. 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:11.240 And if you think about it, you go back to Atlanta. 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:13.480 I've said it a couple of times. I wrote it. 0:04:13.520 --> 0:04:15.680 I mean the two thousand sixteen draft, they hit it 0:04:15.720 --> 0:04:18.280 out of the park with their linebackers that they drafted, right, 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:22.240 you know, with you know, Keyan O'Neil and uh you 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:25.479 know um Dion Jones and and just the bodies and 0:04:25.880 --> 0:04:29.520 athletes they had and here's Devondre Campbell in the fourth round. 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:33.320 That he was a solid player, started basically right on 0:04:33.400 --> 0:04:36.159 from his rookie year. But as Preston Smith said, he 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:37.440 was the kind of guy that you looked at him 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:39.720 on film was like, that guy's really impressive. He's all over, 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:42.000 you know, all over the places around the football, but 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:45.080 he didn't know who he was. The Packers allowed him 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:47.479 to be the centerpiece of this defense and it let 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:51.320 not only him really flourished, but it showed a different 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:54.119 dimension to this Packers defense that I haven't seen really 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.000 in my time on the beat. Not only was the 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:00.000 inside linebacker position filled, it was one of the best 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.160 positions Green Bay had on the field. Yeah, I mean 0:05:02.200 --> 0:05:04.680 to go from you know, a guy off the street 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:07.679 as the saying goes to be, to becoming a first 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:10.320 team All Pro in his first season in a new 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:13.120 location and a new defense. All of that, it was 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:16.719 an incredibly impressive year that Devandre Campbell put together. And 0:05:16.760 --> 0:05:19.400 when he spoke with the media this week on Wednesday, 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:21.280 as we said, there are a few players are made 0:05:21.320 --> 0:05:24.320 available for the start of the off season program. The 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:29.800 thing that struck me is is I didn't realize when 0:05:29.839 --> 0:05:32.000 when he signed last year, I was like, okay, yeah 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:34.440 he was. He was in Atlanta. He was drafted in 0:05:34.480 --> 0:05:38.479 Atlanta in ten. Matt Lafleur was there as the quarterbacks coaches. Like, okay, 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:41.760 so there's a connection there. Well. He sort of explained 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:44.160 yesterday to the media that it was more than just 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:47.039 like they knew each other. They they had developed a 0:05:47.040 --> 0:05:49.680 bit of a relationship. They had a lot of conversations, 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:51.600 they got to know each other a little bit. And 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:55.200 Campbell made it sound as though that that relationship with 0:05:55.279 --> 0:06:00.440 Matt Lafleur, established way back in had a big impact 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.600 on him choosing to come to Green Bay because he 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:06.039 wanted to be that guy in the middle. He wanted 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:08.200 to be the guy running the show. He felt that 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:10.320 that was what he could do for an NFL team 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:13.320 and he could become a star in this league. And 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:16.839 he couldn't get that commitment from anybody else, but Matt 0:06:16.920 --> 0:06:19.400 la Fleur said, we'll give you a chance to do that. 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:22.920 And his relationship with Matt Lafleur, he took him at 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.520 his word and said and said, all right, I believe you, 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:27.640 So I am going to come here. I am going 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:30.080 to trust you. You need to trust me that I 0:06:30.120 --> 0:06:32.800 will deliver what I say I'm going to deliver, and 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:36.000 it all worked out. I think that that it's interesting 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:38.160 to me that there was more. What we found out 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:41.640 yesterday is there was more to that relationship with la 0:06:41.720 --> 0:06:45.720 Fleur in Atlanta six years ago than we ever really knew. Yeah, 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:47.560 And I got a kick out of him mentioning to 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:49.480 you know, because Joe Berry is always kind of the 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:52.680 secondary figure in this because they're really on the surface, 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:55.640 wasn't a connection there between DeAndre Campbell and Joe Berry? 0:06:55.680 --> 0:06:59.159 But then we found out during that media time on Wednesday, No, 0:06:59.279 --> 0:07:02.360 there was Brandon Staley, who was the defensive coordinator when 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:05.800 Barry was in l A. Yeah, he recruited dave Andre 0:07:05.880 --> 0:07:08.320 Campbell out of high school. I mean, just how small 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:11.360 that biosphere is for the NFL and in football is 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:14.160 just incredible. But the thing I enjoyed the most about 0:07:14.200 --> 0:07:16.800 that story in terms of the relation to La Fleur 0:07:16.960 --> 0:07:21.200 is it shows you not only the importance of relationships 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:24.960 that that goes without saying, but Matt la Fleur understood 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:27.880 at a very young age, in an incredibly young age, 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:30.560 when he was moving into that position as quarterbacks coach, 0:07:30.680 --> 0:07:34.000 as the Atlanta of the at NFL gets quarterbacks, Matt Ryan, 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:36.480 Matt Shop, maybe a practice squad kid here and there. 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:39.760 That's it, that's your assignment. Here he is going around 0:07:40.360 --> 0:07:43.480 creating a dialogue with devonri Campbell. Campbell said he didn't 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:45.120 talk to him over here and there always on the 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:49.040 staff now every single day he was talking to Matt Lafleur, 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:51.280 and I would imagine that's probably not the only player 0:07:51.280 --> 0:07:54.320 that la Fleur was talking to. Those are the things 0:07:54.360 --> 0:07:57.080 that position coaches. Sure, you want to build chemistry, you 0:07:57.120 --> 0:07:58.880 want to be able to those with things, but you 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:02.040 can see how that kind lay the groundwork for kind 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.120 of the program that the floor has built here in 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:07.760 Green Bay. I think back to last year Whitney Merciless, 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:09.920 the first practice he was in Green Bay. Every all 0:08:09.960 --> 0:08:12.080 the eyes are on him and Matt with Fleur sitting 0:08:12.080 --> 0:08:14.800 there talking to him during stretches, not for a photo up, 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.600 not to to look good. I mean, he's like legitimately 0:08:17.680 --> 0:08:20.920 talking to him and having a conversation, and that that 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:23.119 that aspect of this I don't think can ever be lost. 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:25.480 In addition to the fact that that's what allows a 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:28.520 guy like Deveandre Campbell to come in in June and 0:08:28.560 --> 0:08:31.680 immerse himself in the program. It allows Russell Douglas in 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:34.679 October to come in and feel comfortable in a program. 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:37.360 You have to feel comfortable before you can be confident. 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.840 And that's one thing with this defense especially has been 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.920 really solid at doing here with these new incoming players. Well, 0:08:43.960 --> 0:08:48.319 we mentioned Russell Douglas. Obviously he's he's back in the secondary. 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:51.200 You look at you look at this defensive backfield that 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:54.560 the Packers are putting together here. For two, you're hoping 0:08:54.559 --> 0:08:57.480 and planning on having Jr. Alexander back for the entire 0:08:57.520 --> 0:09:00.960 season after he injured that show lder in Week four 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:02.800 and then was not able to make it back until 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:06.240 the playoff games, so he essentially missed three quarters of 0:09:06.280 --> 0:09:09.840 the season. Last year. You have Eric Stokes, a potential 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:12.960 rising star at cornerback, first round draft pick, twenty ninth 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:16.440 overall pick last year, got thrown into the fire to 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:19.439 a much greater degree as a rookie than than expected 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:22.679 because of Alexander's injury. But um, but this young man 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:25.960 answered the bell every time, his arrow clearly pointing up. 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:30.720 You have Douglas back now with the new contract, a 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:33.680 guy that the Packers plucked off of Arizona's practice squad 0:09:33.720 --> 0:09:37.240 and and essentially in three quarters less than three quarters 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:40.160 of a season, becomes a Pro Bowl alternate with the 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:42.320 with the type of year he put together, you know, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:44.600 pick sixes in back to back games. We all know 0:09:44.640 --> 0:09:48.079 about the interception to h to beat his former team 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.800 in in Arizona one of those first games he was 0:09:50.840 --> 0:09:53.960 playing for the Packers. Channon Sullivan has left as a 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:58.200 free agent. Obviously, the Packers prioritized resigning Douglas over Sullivan 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:00.520 as far as the cornerback position in the dollars to 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:04.319 allocate their Sullivan has gone to Minnesota UM, just like 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:08.360 Darius Smith. And at safety obviously you have ad your 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:12.120 name is Darnell Savage. Now together as you're starting safety 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:14.560 pair for a fourth consecutive season, it will be the 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:18.320 second year in Joe Barry system. There is a lot 0:10:18.400 --> 0:10:21.280 to like about what the Packers are putting together and 0:10:21.520 --> 0:10:25.720 building here for for this secondary. The the experience level, 0:10:25.760 --> 0:10:29.760 the accomplishments, the leadership of those guys. This group is 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:32.719 really going to be one to watch in pound. I'm 0:10:32.720 --> 0:10:35.400 trying to think of a better, uh starting five in 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:37.840 terms of my time on the beat here in green 0:10:37.880 --> 0:10:40.640 Bay with that secondary, I mean Adrian Amos. I think 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:42.600 time and time again we've talked about it, Mike, he's 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:45.120 one of the most underrated safeties in this league. And 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.040 you look at the Pro Football Focus numbers a lot 0:10:47.080 --> 0:10:50.400 of these you know, aggregators that they talk about these 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:52.520 things that the things that he does that sometimes can 0:10:52.520 --> 0:10:55.199 go under the radar. And he's a fluid tackler, He's 0:10:55.200 --> 0:10:57.280 good in coverage. He has good ball tracking skills for 0:10:57.320 --> 0:10:59.319 a guy playing the safety position and having to be 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:01.240 center field, and he can also go up into the box. 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:03.000 Amos is the guy that I think a lot of 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:05.800 times goes with with people not mentioning how talented this 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.720 young man is. Darnell Savage, you heard Ryan Downard say 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.080 it feels like he still has the potential that there 0:11:11.120 --> 0:11:13.160 to be an elite player, certainly has the speed and 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.880 the makeup the first defensive back that was taken in 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:19.800 the NFL draft. But the three corners that Green Bay 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:23.319 has assembled here, that's going to be the biggest part 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:25.280 that I think if green Bay can make that next 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:28.160 jump here in your two hunder Joe Barry's defense, it's 0:11:28.160 --> 0:11:31.040 going to start there, because one in a nickel and 0:11:31.120 --> 0:11:34.040 dime package. You have a multitude of options for how 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:35.800 you want to approach that. We've talked about some of 0:11:35.840 --> 0:11:38.720 them already, you know, going back to the NFL owners meetings, 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:41.880 Brian Goodkins kind of saying, yeah, we could potentially match 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:44.839 up JR. Alexander Moore. We could have him trail against 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:46.960 some of the top receivers if that's the way that 0:11:47.000 --> 0:11:49.520 we want to do things. You know that Douglas can 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:52.079 play outside, but he's also really physical to it the 0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.880 point of attack. I was saying it he played maybe 0:11:54.920 --> 0:11:57.400 fifty special team snaps. I would argue he was their 0:11:57.400 --> 0:12:00.600 best special teams player last year. Really good at its solid, 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:05.120 open field tackling, and Eric Stokes completely jumped off the 0:12:05.160 --> 0:12:07.679 page to me, kind of like JR. Alexander and his 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:09.760 rookie year. There are a couple opportunities that he wasn't 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:12.559 able to completely cash in on when it came to interceptions, 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:16.400 but his coverage ability and more importantly, Mike, the number 0:12:16.440 --> 0:12:18.720 one thing I always look for for these young guys 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:22.560 coming in is the situation too big for them? Because 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:24.320 we know what his speed is, we know what he 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:27.600 did in college, especially his last year at Georgia. But 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:29.240 when you start having to match up with some of 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:31.319 these top receivers and they're not always going to be 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:33.560 able to flank out a safety over the top of you, 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.800 can you stand up to that challenge Stokes did? I 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:38.959 thought it was robbery that he wasn't on the All 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:41.280 p f w A All Rookie team. But I don't 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:43.319 think he really cares. But I mean, I just feel 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:44.640 like this thing is set up for him to have 0:12:44.679 --> 0:12:46.880 a really solid career here. Yeah, I agree with you. 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:48.800 I thought Eric Stokes should have been on the p 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:51.320 f w A All Rookie team with the with the 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:54.040 type of season he had, and you talked about from 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:56.160 you know, from that makeup standpoint, the other thing you 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:58.720 always watched for where the young cornerback is when he 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.400 gives up a third down conver Ursian completion or gives 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.080 up a touchdown pass. How does he react, how does 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:06.640 he how does he come back? Nothing phase this kid, 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:09.079 you know, I mean, it was really it was really 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.160 impressive what he did. And getting back to your comment 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.280 about this starting five in the secondary, you look at 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:17.880 the nickel defensive backfield, I think you have to go back. 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.160 You have to go back more than a decade, quite frankly, 0:13:21.240 --> 0:13:26.400 to find one that was this talented and this potentially impactful. 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:28.480 And I'm talking about the time when the Packers their 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.920 top three cornerbacks were Charles Woodson, Al Harrison, Tremont Williams. 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:34.680 The number one safety was Nick Collins, and then that 0:13:34.800 --> 0:13:37.400 second safety kind of shifted around there. It was maybe 0:13:37.400 --> 0:13:39.599 a Tari Bigbie or Charlie Pepper was supposed to be 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:42.000 Morgan Burnett his rookie year in two thousand and ten, 0:13:42.320 --> 0:13:44.360 but then he ended up blowing out his knee and 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.280 and uh, and Burnett didn't really establish himself until a 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:50.120 little bit later. But you have to really go in 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:52.320 my in my estimation, you have to go back that 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:56.439 far to find a nickel secondary the top five guys 0:13:56.480 --> 0:13:59.920 that are potentially as as talented as as this group 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:02.480 as I think it bodes I think it really bodes well. 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:04.720 I want to touch on the defensive line here as well, 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:07.640 because we'll talk next week in our draft preview show. Certainly, 0:14:07.679 --> 0:14:11.600 defensive line is an area that I think the Packers 0:14:11.640 --> 0:14:14.440 are going to start to look to build for the 0:14:14.480 --> 0:14:16.920 future here. There there may be some opportunities in this 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:19.560 draft to do that. But signing a free agent in 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:24.280 Jaren Reid, a guy who's, you know, much like Sammy 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:26.080 Watkins in a sense. And what I mean by that 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:28.640 is a veteran guy who's been there and done that. Right. 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:30.800 He's he's he's been through the wars, he's been through 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:33.400 the battles. He knows what it takes to to to 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:35.760 be a pro, to show up every day and and 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:37.800 all of that kind of stuff. And and this is 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:40.520 a guy that you know. When you have Kenny Clark, 0:14:40.640 --> 0:14:45.120 Dean Lowry, a you know, a rising, improving young player, 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:47.040 and t J. Slaton who was drafted in the fifth 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:50.240 round last year. Read reads of a veteran guy who 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:53.440 can come in and play a rotational role and and 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:57.120 help to fortify that unit when whatever you do bring 0:14:57.160 --> 0:14:59.120 in from the draft, these other young guys like a 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:00.920 Slate and from La you were going to need to 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:04.240 be brought along. You don't need necessarily to grab that 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:06.440 defensive lineman say okay, we need you to play fifty 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:09.000 snaps a game. The Packers, because of a signing of 0:15:09.040 --> 0:15:11.160 a guy like Read, they don't have to worry about that. 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.000 It's the number one hallmark that I think has been 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:15.120 carried on from the Ted Thompson era into the Brian 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.320 Gooda consera. Don't go into a draft with glaring needs. 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:20.480 You might have needs, but don't go into it where 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:22.360 it's like, Okay, you have to take a player here. 0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:24.200 You're gonna be in trouble right where if you had 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:26.000 to play a game tomorrow, like you don't have you 0:15:26.040 --> 0:15:28.720 don't really have the horses to do, you know, yeah, 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:31.360 because what's gonna inevitably happen is some guys are gonna 0:15:31.360 --> 0:15:33.920 surprise you and they'll all play that veteran right away. 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:35.640 Some guys are gonna need more time, some guys are 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:38.280 gonna get hurt. You need to create options for yourself 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:41.080 and for the Packers on the defensive line. I can't. 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.960 I can't think of another two guys in the NFL 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:47.360 right now, and especially at the same position that came 0:15:47.400 --> 0:15:50.480 in together in sixteen like Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:53.200 have and have played down going into their seventh season together. 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:55.760 That's almost unheard of. You be able to hit on 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:58.240 two guys in the same draft class and have them, 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:01.440 you know, get second contracts and and be real pivotal 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.360 players for your defense. The problem for Green Bay is 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:07.200 basically since Mike Daniels left, they've had a hard time 0:16:07.240 --> 0:16:10.320 filling that third spot of who that other guy is 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:14.000 going to be. Moe Wilkerson was in here, Montrevius Adams 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:16.240 was drafted. Um, you know, you go back. You know 0:16:16.320 --> 0:16:18.880 Kingsley Kiki kind of flirted with that spot for a while, 0:16:18.920 --> 0:16:21.720 but ultimately wasn't the answer. You tip your cap to 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:24.920 Tyler Lancaster because he is a lunch pale kid that 0:16:24.960 --> 0:16:27.520 brought it every single time, was durable, was able to 0:16:27.560 --> 0:16:29.920 work through things. But ultimately, when you look at the 0:16:29.920 --> 0:16:32.320 difference between Jarren Reid and his makeup and where he 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:34.640 comes from, his stat line in the NFL compared to 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.960 a Lancaster, it's just a different caliber of athlete that 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:39.920 you're dealing with. This is one of the guys that 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:42.560 was highly touted coming out of Alabama. He was a 0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:44.920 guy Mike I remember when we were doing our draft process, 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:47.760 I honestly knew more about Jarren Reid than I knew 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:50.240 about Kenny Clark at that stage, just just based on 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:52.840 the Alabama connection and what they were building there, and 0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:54.800 I remember that name and thinking could he be an 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:56.600 option there At the end of the first round, he 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:59.200 ends up going into the second two thousand and eighteen, 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:01.080 ends up having a and and a half sack year 0:17:01.160 --> 0:17:04.640 for the Seahawks. But even like last year where it's 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:06.320 only two and a half, he's still a guy that 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:08.439 can play on first and second down as well at 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:11.400 six ft three and he played every game, every game 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:14.159 in ten pounds and to be able to do that 0:17:14.240 --> 0:17:18.240 at that size is remarkable. Eighty nine careers games, eight 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.320 one starts, He's only missed eight over the last six seasons. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:24.440 And when we talk about staples of the Packers, when 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:26.800 they look to bring in veterans, Mike, what are they 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.800 looking for? Guys that have been available, Guys who have 0:17:29.880 --> 0:17:32.600 been durable and read checks that box. So yeah, if 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:35.160 they want to draft a defensive lineman this week, awesome 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:38.840 or next week awesome, go for it. But with those 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.600 three guys, and with the t J. Slaton there, that 0:17:41.800 --> 0:17:45.240 gives you a rotation to work with while also developing 0:17:45.680 --> 0:17:48.960 that next group. Yeah. Absolutely, a little bit of sponsored 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:52.359 business here. West Sirius x M NFL Radio delivers hard 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:55.199 hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that 0:17:55.320 --> 0:18:00.160 true football fanatics need seven three, six and at cousins. 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:02.840 We have something for everyone, like our Wisconsin cheese curds, 0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:05.480 mac and Cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:08.840 with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs. 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:12.160 We believe in better. A few other things to touch 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:15.760 on here. On today's show, we talked about the the 0:18:15.800 --> 0:18:19.199 situation that some of the changes adjustments with the coaching 0:18:19.240 --> 0:18:22.439 staff on the offensive side. On the defensive side, you 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:27.080 mentioned Ryan Downard, he has been UM Jerry Gray's assistant 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:30.399 defensive backs coach. He got an internal promotion. He is 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:36.480 now specifically the safety's coach in that UH defensive backfield. 0:18:36.880 --> 0:18:40.040 Jerry Montgomery, who has been the defensive line coach for 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:42.680 quite some time now here in Green Bay, he has 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:47.000 added has a run game coordinator added to his title 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:50.399 on the defensive side of the ball. And then Jason 0:18:50.440 --> 0:18:54.000 Rebervich ReBs as he asked us to call him, is 0:18:54.080 --> 0:18:58.520 the new off Sorry excuse me, outside linebackers because a 0:18:58.560 --> 0:19:01.840 lot of words. You just had a scored replacing replacing 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:06.639 Mike Smith who who departed and has actually joined Zadarius 0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:11.760 Smith over in uh UM Minnesota. So those are the 0:19:11.920 --> 0:19:14.439 uh those are the changes. Those are the changes on 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:19.000 the defensive side of the ball. And Rebervich. Rebrovich is 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:22.800 an interesting guy because you look he you you look 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:26.840 at his his track record. He's actually mostly not to 0:19:26.840 --> 0:19:29.600 say that he hasn't worked with outside linebackers, because he has, 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:32.560 but throughout his coaching career he's mostly worked with defensive 0:19:32.600 --> 0:19:37.080 lineman and he was the position coach for a Jacksonville 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:40.119 Jaguars defensive line about four or five years ago. I 0:19:40.119 --> 0:19:44.840 want to say it was maybe that that that Jacksonville 0:19:44.880 --> 0:19:47.280 defensive line had like three guys that went to the 0:19:47.280 --> 0:19:49.840 Pro Bowl and had fifty five some sacks, which was 0:19:49.880 --> 0:19:52.960 one of the highest totals um in the league. So 0:19:53.320 --> 0:19:55.800