WEBVTT - #894 Packers Unscripted: Training camp storylines 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:11.560 Hi, everybody. Welcome back to another edition of Packers Unscripted 0:00:11.560 --> 0:00:13.880 from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spoffer, joined us 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:17.239 always by my trusted colleague Wes Hodkowitz. We are back 0:00:17.280 --> 0:00:21.200 from our summer break training camp West. The first practice 0:00:21.600 --> 0:00:23.800 is right around the corner. It is tomorrow. We are 0:00:23.840 --> 0:00:26.840 going to preview training camp here on this show. But 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:31.200 as some famous song likes to introduce things, my question 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:32.879 for you is, are you ready for this? 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:34.280 Gotta be ready for this. 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:38.680 It's crazy. I always like to tell the little bit 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:40.599 of a dad joke about how this is the fastest 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:41.560 six months of the year. 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:44.199 But here we are. 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:48.440 And for the green day Packers, I think all these 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:50.199 years that I've covered the team and you have a 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:53.280 couple more on me. I don't know if there's ever 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:55.320 been a time where I feel like there's more need 0:00:55.400 --> 0:00:56.600 for football. 0:00:56.720 --> 0:00:57.560 Than right now. 0:00:58.200 --> 0:01:00.840 I just feel like we've talked so much and there 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:03.600 have been so many narratives and honestly a lot of 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:06.760 swerves throughout the off season, a lot of questions from 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:10.280 pretty much every interval through this process, beginning with the 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:13.360 extensions back at the beginning of the year, and then 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:14.039 kind of. 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:17.319 Trickling into who came, who left, and now. 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:20.679 Certainly all these player extensions that Green Bay has done, 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:23.840 there's been a lot of movement and a lot of developments, 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:26.640 and now we finally get to see on the field 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:30.000 what the twenty twenty six Green Bay Packers have capable 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:30.320 of them. 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:34.600 Yeah. Well, for all of the good news that has 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:38.360 transpired this offseason, the contract extensions and one that was 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:42.080 the most the latest one just to announce yesterday defensive 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:44.800 tackle DeVante Why getting extension. We talked earlier in the 0:01:44.840 --> 0:01:47.920 offseason Jaden Reed and Christian Watson and all the talk 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:50.720 about guys coming back from injury and all of that. 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:53.240 There's a lot of excitement and everything building up to this. 0:01:53.360 --> 0:01:56.080 But at the same time, and I think this goes 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:58.640 to your point of you know, it's time for football, 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:01.919 because the Pack ended last season on such a downer, 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.440 the five straight losses, the blowing the lead in the 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:07.800 playoff game in Chicago and all of that, and you're 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:11.000 never really going to get past that until you get 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.720 to the new season, until you start playing games again, 0:02:13.840 --> 0:02:17.080 and it's it's a clean slate, it's a fresh start, 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:20.280 and that fresh start begins with training camp in that 0:02:20.480 --> 0:02:23.320 and that first practice tomorrow. So I'll throw this out 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:25.040 to you, and you and I can just kind of 0:02:25.080 --> 0:02:27.200 go back and forth on maybe what's top of mind 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:30.079 for us, but there'll be a lot of storylines that 0:02:30.120 --> 0:02:33.359 we'll be following throughout the course of training camp. Here, 0:02:34.639 --> 0:02:36.280 what is at the top of the list for you? 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:39.600 Well, I think when you begin training camp two things 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:41.520 are always and I hopefully don't steal both of these 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:43.240 from you, but the two things that always jump out 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:45.880 to you the first time we step out at rain 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:48.120 Ichkie Field, we look out on the grass, we have 0:02:48.120 --> 0:02:51.160 our pen in our paper and all that it's okay, 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:54.160 who's practicing and who's playing where. 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:56.400 With the first and second team offense and defense. 0:02:56.560 --> 0:02:59.200 Right, you go through the years, Michael, you know, whether 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:01.919 it was twenty twelve where Jared Bush getting the first 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:05.919 shot at the perimeter cornerback job, as Charles Woodson began 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:09.200 that transition to a playing safety in the base, and 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:12.480 you go through all the Okay, in twenty fifteen, who's 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:15.880 going to be lining up? Is this gonna be, you know, 0:03:15.919 --> 0:03:19.440 an offense that's predicated on you know, Aaron Rodgers and 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:21.480 passing the football or running the football. 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:22.560 Is this is this Eddie. 0:03:22.400 --> 0:03:26.520 Lacy's offense that like, there's always been these question marks 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:29.200 that go into these seasons, and for me, it's it's 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:34.040 just seeing what we've watched from the outside the entire 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.560 way while Matt Lafleur and the coaching staff have built 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:40.080 their game plans, have devised their schemes, and now we 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:43.680 get to see, Okay, what was their thought process? Who 0:03:43.800 --> 0:03:46.160 are they going to be building this thing around. And 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.080 to me, that's always one of the most exciting things, 0:03:48.120 --> 0:03:51.360 in addition to the fact that, hey, where's Tucker Kraft 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:53.960 at DeVante White just signed the extension? 0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:54.839 Is he good to go? 0:03:55.840 --> 0:03:58.600 You know, Zach tom coming off of the knee injury 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:02.000 last season, is he ready to go? All those things 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:04.600 that were kind of hanging on from the offseason program. 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:06.800 Seeing who's able to go right from the get go, 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:09.680 and also who maybe are those guys that sit out 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:11.400 the first week and then you get to you know, 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:13.920 family night and they're back in the fold. 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:18.960 Yeah, the Big Four, as far as the injuries are concerned, 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:21.640 I think are the names that everybody is going to 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:23.599 be following as far as when they get back on 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:25.719 the field. Now we are not expecting the biggest of 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:28.279 those names, Micah Parsons to be on the field during 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:30.880 training camp, But you mentioned three of the other ones, 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:34.719 Tucker Craft, Zach Tom, DeVante Wyatt. Those guys were all 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:38.040 missing when last season ended on a sour note. And 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:42.400 there's a process for all of them obviously to get healthy, 0:04:42.480 --> 0:04:44.960 to get ramped up and ready to go. But you 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:48.480 just know, you sense with this fan base and with 0:04:48.520 --> 0:04:52.160 all of the chatter that's around the team this year, 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:54.320 that a lot of eyes are going to be on 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:57.640 those players and when they're back, when they're ready to go, 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:01.160 and the hope is that as many of them as 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:03.640 possible can be good to go for Week one in Minnesota. 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:06.600 Yeah, And the one thing I was reminded of throughout 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:09.080 this offseason, if there was ever any question at all 0:05:09.320 --> 0:05:12.440 that Tucker Craft might be already in a pantheon of. 0:05:12.400 --> 0:05:14.520 His own among Packer fans. 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:18.800 That was reiterated because not only is this guy a good, talented, young, 0:05:18.839 --> 0:05:23.479 ascending tight end, but he's taken on cultiro status. 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:23.599 With this team. 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:26.760 Again, how many times, Mike do you and I open 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:32.279 insider inbox right now? And among those questions is where 0:05:32.279 --> 0:05:34.760 are the Packers at in an extension with Tucker Craft. 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:38.359 Why isn't that deal done yet? And I will just 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:42.040 continue to assure fans that if unfortunately that knee injury 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:44.840 didn't occur, I assume this would have been the off 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:48.800 season of Tucker Craft in that regard, and instead it's 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:50.360 been an offseason or rehab for him. 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:51.440 But the way. 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:54.440 This guy has attacked this thing, the videos that he's 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:57.599 put out, the way he's talking, I mean, he is 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:02.000 completely invested not only in becoming the best tight end 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:04.839 in this league, but doing it with the Green Bay Packers. 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:08.520 So I've urged a little bit of patience. I think 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:11.640 both of these teams, you know, with both the Packers 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:14.200 and Craft and his team, I think they're going to 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:16.840 do right by each other. But you just got to 0:06:16.880 --> 0:06:20.280 breathe for a second here. But one, once number eighty 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:22.000 five is cleared, when he is back out on the 0:06:22.000 --> 0:06:25.160 practice field, the shot of juice that that's going to 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.680 give this team and this fan base. Just like with 0:06:28.760 --> 0:06:30.640 Micah Parsons on the defensive side of the ball, I 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:33.440 don't think there is a tangible value you can put 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:33.760 on that. 0:06:33.960 --> 0:06:35.360 It is immeasurable. 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:39.800 There's almost this expectation for me that there's going to 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:42.239 be some kind of a harness put on Tucker Craft 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:45.479 because it's like the medical staff, the coaching staff is 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:47.960 going to have to hold him, like physically hold him 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:53.000 back from, you know, from going just full bore, all out, 0:06:53.040 --> 0:06:57.200 like right from day one, because that's just his mentality. Yeah, exactly, 0:06:57.960 --> 0:07:01.280 He's he has been. He has been full speed ahead 0:07:01.400 --> 0:07:05.240 throughout h throughout this entire process. And the anticipation of 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:08.520 seeing him back on the field throwing a block on 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.600 the edge, catching a pass down the scene from Jordan Love, 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:15.040 I mean though, the anticipation of those things is kind 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:15.720 of palpable. 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:17.120 I will not name names. 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:19.320 That is not the game I play here, but I 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:23.480 will tell you between Watson last offseason and Draft this offseason, 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:26.200 the way those two guys attacked the rehab, I have 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:30.560 seen guys practicing with less effort at times than those 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:33.640 two did in their actual physical rehab to get back 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:38.000 a very true They just wanted to be back with 0:07:38.000 --> 0:07:39.840 this football team and show what their cape Love. 0:07:39.840 --> 0:07:43.160 And I'll tell you this one. If Tucker Craft comes back. 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:45.480 At half of what he was doing last season, you're 0:07:45.480 --> 0:07:47.160 already looking at one of the top young tight ends 0:07:47.160 --> 0:07:49.120 in the league. But if he comes back the way 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:52.360 that Christian Watson did last year, yeah, I mean look out. 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:53.080 Yeah wow. 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:58.000 Well, there are going to be some positional battles, roster battles, 0:07:58.040 --> 0:08:00.400 all that kind of stuff going on over the next month. 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:03.600 There'll be family Night, there'll be three preseason games, lots 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:05.360 of stuff to sort out. And as much as they 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:09.800 are going to be many in the media sphere who 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:12.160 are going to try to pick the fifty three man 0:08:12.320 --> 0:08:16.080 roster before the pads even go on, we're here to 0:08:16.080 --> 0:08:18.440 talk about some of those competitions and what we will 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:20.080 have our eye on. For me, the one that's at 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:23.800 the top of the list is at cornerback and Jonathan 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:28.720 Gannon's new defense because the Packers have Keyshawn Nixon as 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:32.640 their number one corner But you have this collection now, 0:08:33.000 --> 0:08:37.280 Carrington Valentine, free agent, Benson Benjamin excuse me, Saint just 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.080 and then the second round draft pick, the first pick 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:43.320 the Packers had in this past draft, Brandon Sisa from 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:47.520 South Carolina. Those three guys, only one of them can 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:51.079 be the number two cornerback. I like where things are 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:55.040 from a depth perspective, regardless of who wins the job 0:08:55.080 --> 0:08:56.960 and who's gonna come off the bench and be the 0:08:57.000 --> 0:09:01.360 sub package guys, et cetera. But that competition for a 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:05.880 starting cornerback job is it feels to me out of 0:09:05.920 --> 0:09:09.160 the gate here, partially since Cisa is a rookie and 0:09:09.280 --> 0:09:10.880 was just getting his feet wet in the spring, and 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:17.520 Saint just missed a large portion of OTA's and mini 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:20.000 camp and whatnot because of an injury. It feels like 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:21.880 this is a competition that is going to take the 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:23.439 entire training camp to sort. 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:26.280 Of yeah, and just extremely high stakes, right, And they're 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:29.079 all play the position differently, they are all built differently, 0:09:29.120 --> 0:09:31.880 their strengths are different, and the Packers have cast such 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:33.840 a wide net here to try to find that guy 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:35.680 that's going to start opposite Nixon. 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:38.600 And also the fact of building depth at that position 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:40.560 that by the end of last year they really lacked. 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:42.040 I'm gonna tell you a little bit of a cheat 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:47.040 sheet that I've devised now, in probably fifteen years, if 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:50.160 I'm still employed, I'm guessing you'll be on a beach somewhere. 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:54.960 I'll be telling the other young writer at Packers dot com. 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:56.600 This is the way I always approach things. When you 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:00.880 ask what's the biggest competition in training camp. It'll always 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.719 come back to me, which position did they add the 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:07.640 most bodies in? Which position did they draft multiple players 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:11.920 this offseason? It was the cornerback position. Brian good Against 0:10:12.200 --> 0:10:14.719 telegraphed it. Yeah, he told everybody he was going to 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:18.440 do it, even after signing Benjamin Saint just and he 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:20.320 invested those resources. 0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:23.040 And even with the limited draft picks, he used multiple 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:24.920 at that position, which is also a big side. 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:27.120 Yeah, and I was super impressed by what I saw 0:10:27.120 --> 0:10:30.440 from Cisa during the off season program, the way he triggers, 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:32.920 in the speed with which he plays. I don't know 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:35.680 if it's tomorrow, I don't know if it's next month, 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:37.680 but this guy is going to make an impact for 0:10:37.720 --> 0:10:38.480 this football team. 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:39.160 You can see it. 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:41.320 It's in the DNA, in the way he attacks it, 0:10:41.360 --> 0:10:42.920 and the fact that he's as young as he is 0:10:43.520 --> 0:10:44.520 playing in that position. 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:46.000 I mean, his upside when. 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:48.080 You're looking at what I referred to is like the 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:50.679 de facto number one pick for the Packers because there 0:10:50.760 --> 0:10:53.160 was no first rounder, but to make that investment in 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:55.719 the second round. We saw it with Casey Hayward right 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:58.040 out of the gate in twenty twelve. We've seen it 0:10:58.160 --> 0:10:59.880 time and time again. Where these guys can come in and 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:02.959 men impact. I think Brandon Ceesay on the field, you're 0:11:02.960 --> 0:11:05.400 gonna see him doing something sooner rather than later. 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:07.280 Yeah, I think so too. I think he's going to 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:12.160 have an impact here. How the competition itself sorts out? 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:15.920 You know, Benjamin Saint just a three year starter in 0:11:16.080 --> 0:11:20.120 Washington but probably had the best year of his career 0:11:20.320 --> 0:11:22.800 in more of a part time role with the Chargers 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:26.600 last year, which really attracted the Packers. Then to add 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:29.880 him to the mix and to see what he can bring. 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:34.560 And then you have Carrington Valentine, who, in my opinion, 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.560 has shown a lot of what needs to be shown, 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:41.760 but then it always feels like because of an injury 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:44.400 or something that slows him down or sets him back, 0:11:44.679 --> 0:11:48.280 he hasn't quite you know, fully hit his stride yet, 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:51.079 Like it's there, we see it at times, but then 0:11:51.120 --> 0:11:53.560 something always kind of gets in the way. And is 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:55.320 this the year that nothing gets in the way for 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:58.520 Carrington Valentine and he really takes off. I mean that's 0:11:58.520 --> 0:12:01.440 certainly a possibility. But the competition is going to be 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:05.160 there and whoever it is that's lining up with the 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:09.000 number one defense come Week one opposite Keishawn Nixon is 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:09.880 going to have to earn it. 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:12.240 Yeah, and the stakes I was talking about a high 0:12:12.240 --> 0:12:12.520 they are. 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:14.600 I don't know if there's any player on the roster 0:12:14.720 --> 0:12:17.200 that there's higher stakes for than Carrington Valentine. I mean, 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:19.640 this guy has started all these postseason games but never 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:22.240 really been a starter Week one for the Packers and 0:12:22.280 --> 0:12:24.800 their defense. I think last year had a golden opportunity 0:12:24.800 --> 0:12:28.040 but didn't come away with any interceptions. There were some bits, 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:30.760 you know, fits and starts and inconsistency there. 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:32.560 But the guy has it. 0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:34.360 He's had it since he walked into the building as 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:36.440 a seventh round pick. I mean there's a swagger there, 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:38.440 there's a confidence there that you cannot coach. 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:40.840 Can he put it all together? Can he show the. 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.920 Packers that despite these resources that you've invested in this position, 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:46.920 despite signing Saint Juice, I can still be the guy 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:49.600 for this defense. And what I like more than anything 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:52.959 at completely is the fact that there are no questions 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:54.960 now about depth on the perimeter. That was a real 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:56.840 thing last year at the end of last season, especially 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.680 after Kamal hadn't went down right. Okay, if somebody goes 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:03.480 down outside who's going in. Fortunately, Keyshawn Nixon has been 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:06.960 a rock and for the large part, Carrington Valentin has 0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:09.120 been able to stay out there. But you need to 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:12.040 have bodies to navigate a season. I like the versatility 0:13:12.080 --> 0:13:14.559 they have in that secondary right now and the fact 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:17.960 that if somebody does go down, they have somebody with 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:19.520 credentials that can step in well. 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:22.480 I think the other competition on defense that we will 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:27.800 be watching directly tied to Micah Parson's absence at this point, 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:32.160 and that is at the edge rusher spot. We're expecting 0:13:32.520 --> 0:13:35.760 Lucas Fans to take on a major major role here. 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:39.680 Hopefully he's got his injury issues behind him, that foot 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:42.200 injury that he got off to a really solid start 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:44.959 last year first five six games of the season. Then 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.040 the foot injury crops up when he gets the sack 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.640 of Joe Flacco, and then that ended up being a 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:54.880 much more difficult and troublesome injury that anybody thought it 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:58.680 would be initially. And then he doesn't really get back 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:00.720 until the very end of the season. But then he 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:02.959 gets a sack in the playoff game of Caleb Williams 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:06.240 in Chicago, right so it's all there for Lucasfanas and 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:10.840 the opportunity is there. But what's going to be happening 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:14.079 on the other side. There's Baron Surrell and Colin Oliver, 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:17.320 two draft picks in the middle rounds from last year. 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:19.440 You have a fourth round pick from this year denied 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:22.640 Dennis Sutton. You have a veteran guy who dealt with 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:25.360 injuries last year. Kind of twenty twenty five ended up 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:28.080 being a wash for Brenton Cox Junior. But this is 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.960 a guy that at the end of twenty twenty four, Yeah, 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:35.360 after Preston Smith was traded, Brenton Cox really showed that 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:37.760 he belonged in the NFL and that he can be 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:41.240 an impact player here in Green Bay. So you have 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:43.280 all these guys in the mix. There are only so 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:46.840 many snaps to go around. But you talk about you 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:49.800 talk about a competition and a battle for who's going 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:51.520 to be out there and who's going to earn something. 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.480 Until Michaeh Parsons gets back, that edge rusher spot is 0:14:54.520 --> 0:14:55.040 one to watch. 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:56.480 It's all the play for right now. 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:58.920 I mean Aaron Moseby factors into that too, although he's 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:02.480 been more of a special team's Nige Leik Kelly out 0:15:02.520 --> 0:15:05.360 of UCF. That was their highest guarantee for an undrafted 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:08.080 rookie that they made. Dude has credentials too, played at 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:11.480 Miami before transferring to UCF. There are so many guys 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.440 that could factor in this competition. What I like about 0:15:14.480 --> 0:15:16.720 it is, Yeah, in the interim, they have to figure 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:18.960 out how they're going to replace Michael Parsons. But Mike, 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:22.480 what's really the biggest question when you get to week 0:15:22.800 --> 0:15:24.840 whatever it is. Let's say it's mid season, Let's say 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:26.400 it's the second half of season. Whenever, it could be 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:29.680 Week five against the Bears, when Parsons is back on 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:33.640 the field, who fills out that rotation. That's what the 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:35.840 Packers have to decide right now, because everybody's gonna get 0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:36.600 a shot at this thing. 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:37.680 There might be a starter. 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:40.600 Baron Surrell might be the starter in week one, but 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.640 Colin Oliver, if healthy, will get snaps. Brenton Cox junior 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:49.040 will get snaps. I really like Deny Dennis Sutton. That 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.040 was one that you and I talked about in the post, 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.520 you know, kind of wake of the draft. The way 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:55.920 that this guy is built, the production that he's had 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:58.600 with different players across from him. Whether he did have 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:02.000 a first round pick or the guy produced. He has 0:16:02.040 --> 0:16:06.440 a tremendous build for the position. He's lengthy, he's got 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:11.040 the size. So there's been these people. No disrespect to them. 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:13.120 I appreciate every single one of their fans that checks 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:15.760 out Insider inbox and helps pay like and ized mortgage. 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.280 But the fact is is that there's so many people 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:20.400 that are like, well, what about you know, Jdeveon Clowney, 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:23.080 what about you know some of these other guys Bosa 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.600 these free agents, And it's like, folks, you do not 0:16:26.800 --> 0:16:29.600 sign a veteran like that on the precipice of a 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:32.160 season if you don't believe in the pieces you already 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.560 have in house. Injuries can happen, position depth can wear. 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:38.160 That's where you'll see those guys eventually sign, and that's 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:42.120 when they'll eventually land somewhere. But for now, I am 0:16:42.280 --> 0:16:44.920 so excited to see the runway be cleared for all 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:47.920 these young guys. There is no people really holding on 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:49.880 to like eighty percent of the snaps. There's no Zadaria 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.520 Smith or Preston Smith, Rashan Gary that you know are 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.200 going to play seventy five percent of Snaps. It's all 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:57.120 out there, and I think it's going to bring out 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:58.240 the best in that group. Yeah. 0:16:58.280 --> 0:17:00.960 Absolutely, Well, we do need to take care of some 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:03.680 sponsor business, and when we signed on I neglected to 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:06.879 say we were coming to you from our Potawatomy sportsbook studio. 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:07.840 There are other. 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:09.960 Sponsors as well, so let's hear from them right now. 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:14.919 Serious XMNFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:18.360 the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need. Twenty 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:22.920 four seven, three sixty five. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted 0:17:22.960 --> 0:17:26.960 previewing Training Camp here with my partner in all Things Packers, 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:30.399 Wes Hodkowitz, with the first practice of training camp roughly, 0:17:30.440 --> 0:17:33.000 I guess i'd say twenty four hours away from when 0:17:33.040 --> 0:17:34.119 we are currently. 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:36.560 Recording, eighteen hours away from when it gets posted, yeah, 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:39.080 hours ago when people finally listen. 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.919 To something like that. Something, Well, there are a couple 0:17:41.960 --> 0:17:44.960 of we've been talking about the competitions and drilling down 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:46.760 into some of the details and whatnot, but there are 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:49.200 some big picture type of things to look at here 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:52.760 in training camp too. Because the Packers have two new 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:56.960 coordinators on the coaching staff. It's Jonathan Gannon running the defense. 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:01.320 It is cam Acord taking over on special teams. I 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:04.040 don't know how much we are necessarily going to learn 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:09.720 from a schematic standpoint, et cetera. With regard to the 0:18:09.800 --> 0:18:14.359 look of the defense and the special teams. Usually it 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:17.359 takes a handful of games before you really get a 0:18:17.440 --> 0:18:17.959 sense of that. 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:21.399 But this is a big This is a. 0:18:21.280 --> 0:18:25.000 Big training camp when you're making that much of a 0:18:25.040 --> 0:18:28.159 transition in two of the three phases, and that is 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:30.400 something to watch here as the month of August rolls along. 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:33.560 I'll tell you what, Mike, more than anything with the 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:37.399 off season program, I watched the first team defense. I 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:39.359 really had my eyes locked into it because I was 0:18:39.400 --> 0:18:41.600 just curious about how it's gonna look. 0:18:41.640 --> 0:18:44.040 What kind of system are they installing here. 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:46.440 Again, it's not in pads, so you can't really take 0:18:46.480 --> 0:18:48.800 too much away from like the combat aspect of it, 0:18:48.840 --> 0:18:52.240 but the mental side of it is important, and I 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:56.320 was in I left that last practice of mini camp 0:18:56.359 --> 0:18:58.879 and looking at it as this is going to be 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:00.520 an exciting defense to watch. 0:19:01.160 --> 0:19:03.320 I think the Packers have a lot of intriguing pieces. 0:19:03.720 --> 0:19:06.359 I think they've added a couple spots to you know, 0:19:06.359 --> 0:19:08.280 whether it's a guy like Zaire Franklin that I think 0:19:08.359 --> 0:19:11.240 has the largest chip on his shoulder that you could 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:15.080 possibly have after how everything ended in Indianapolis, and wanted 0:19:15.080 --> 0:19:18.120 to prove that he's still an All Pro linebacker, even 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.280