1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted social 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: distancing style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: as always joined by the one and only West had Ku. 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: It's Western. You shaved. What happened to your face? You 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: looked a little different on yesterday's Packers Daily video. Yeah. Well, 6 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: first off, mahad so excited that I've shaved again. Um 7 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: here here's the thing, Mike. I wish I could grow 8 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: glorious beard. I can't, and it wasn't gifted with that 9 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: ability like so many of our colleagues here at Packers 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: dot com. But the thing was, as I was explained 11 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: to you and some of our other stuff, when you 12 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: have to wear a mask for two and a half hours, 13 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: like we did for the last twelve practices, and you 14 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,959 Speaker 1: have a nose like I have, it is really difficult 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: to keep that thing on your face. The facial are 16 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: allowed me to do that, And then the benefit was 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: I think you and I only did like two of 18 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: these during that whole duration, so people didn't have to 19 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: see the beer that often. I was kind of protected 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: from it, but I got the extra security, the extra 21 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: hold that I was looking for to be able to 22 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: get through those practices with a mask on my face. 23 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: All right. Well, since we last spoke in this setting, 24 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: the uh, the Packers actually skipped today of practice to 25 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: discuss some social justice issues that was certainly a big 26 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: topic around the league and around the sports world last week. 27 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: But then as the Packers resumed getting back to practice Friday, Saturday, 28 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: Sunday Sunday was a big day. It was uh a 29 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: close to full contact practice inside lambeau Field. The first 30 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: unit's offense and defense ran about fifty plays against one another. 31 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: It was the most eleven on eleven in a single 32 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: practice that the Packers have had. They had the ambient 33 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: crowd noise there in lambeau Field, trying to simulate a 34 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: game situation as much as possible, and in a training 35 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: camp with no preseason games. West Sunday afternoon at lambeau 36 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: Field was was the closest thing to address rehearsal that 37 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: the Packers are going to have before the upcoming Week 38 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: one matchup in Minnesota. Yeah, and it really was. It 39 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: felt like a game day. I mean, even you and 40 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: I walk into the building, the security staff was was 41 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: handling it like it was going to be a game day. 42 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: Just to give everybody those repetitions before we all get 43 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: used to something that's gonna be very different this year 44 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: with these regular season games. The coaches, as you pointed out, 45 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: with some of them more in the press box, Matt Laflora, 46 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: is headset down on the field. I believe you have 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: the play sheet out. They did everything unscripted, no pun intended, Uh, 48 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: just because they wanted to make sure that they at 49 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: least get these guys used to it. There's gonna be 50 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: rookies that are going to be involved in this offense 51 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: and defense. There's going to be young players that are 52 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: gonna be getting used to new roles. They need to 53 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: be able to have some semblance of normalcy before going 54 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: into US Bank Stadium for that opener against the Minnesota Vikings. 55 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: I think that practice accomplished that. The one thing that 56 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: really hit home with me, Mike. I don't know if 57 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: you really thought about this too often, but just how 58 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: different this training camp looked. And it's not just the 59 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: three practices inside lambeau Field. There were no half line 60 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: drills like you and I have always become, you know, 61 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: grown accustomed to over the years. Uh. They were very 62 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: deliberate in their seven on seven routes on air periods, 63 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: they dedicated more time to eleven on eleven and that 64 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: was never more evident than that practice at lambeau Field. 65 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: To move the ball periods, I believe both Tim Boyle 66 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: and also Jordan's love getting three series of piece in 67 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: addition to all the work that Aaron Rodgers did, they thudded. 68 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: They didn't go to the ground like a traditional scrimmage, 69 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: but being able to actually go through the process, understand 70 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: what it's like, have the full uniform on. I think 71 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: there was a lot of benefits to that. And then 72 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: obviously the most the biggest thing the fact that there's 73 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: no fans there, and there's going to be no fans 74 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: there for the first month of the season. You have 75 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: to be able to not only get yourself, you know, 76 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: prepared and energized, but also get used to that ambient 77 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: noise at the NFL is piping in which to my 78 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: ear taste was very extreme. Yeah, it was when I 79 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: know later in the practice they toned it down a 80 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: little bit, but when it first started it was kind 81 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: of like, holy cow, like, how can you hear anything 82 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 1: out there? I mean, it was it was noisy. It 83 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: was definitely loud. I thought it was gonna be the 84 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: longest two hours of my life, Mike, I'm not lying 85 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: that first team period, and it was funny. Matt Lafleur 86 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: even mentioned it, like, it was the same decibel level 87 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: is what they had it set to in the previous practice, 88 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: but for whatever reason, it was much louder. And unfortunately 89 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: they did tone it down a little bit and I 90 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: was able to hear myself breathe. Yeah. Well, Matt Lafleur 91 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: did say after Sunday's practice that this week the Packers 92 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 1: are transitioning. Even though roster cuts roster reduction is not 93 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: until Saturday, there's still one week here, but they're transitioning 94 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: into more of a regular season mode in terms of 95 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: what practice is going to be. Like. There's still gonna 96 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: be some competitive eleven on eleven, but there's also going 97 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: to be in the practices coming up here Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 98 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: some scout teamwork. What they all going off of cards 99 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: where you have one side of the ball that is 100 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: mimicking something that the opponent, in this case the Minnesota Vikings. 101 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: The Packers will start preparing for them, so practice will 102 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: take on a little bit different field training camp in 103 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: the traditional sense of it, in terms of a lot 104 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: of that competition for roster spots and and all of 105 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: that is for all intents and purposes over here. And 106 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: there are a couple of guys I think that are 107 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: worth talking about here West because when you look at 108 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: the training camp as a whole, look some of these 109 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: main stays for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams, 110 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: Christian Kirksey j R. Alexander Adrian am Is, all guys 111 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: in their several I left out. I thought they all 112 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: did what they needed to do in this training camp. 113 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: They look like they're ready to go. They look like 114 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: the frontline players that they are, despite not having an offseason, 115 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: despite not having any preseason games. But there are a 116 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: couple of guys, and we've talked about this throughout the 117 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: course of of the summer leading up to this, which 118 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: guys for the Packers are going to need to take 119 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: their games to another level here in to really help 120 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: out and to contribute in the way that that the 121 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: Packers are hoping they are. And I think there's one 122 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: guy on each side of the ball who had a 123 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: very very strong and impressive training camp, and I'm talking 124 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: about Marquis Velda Scantling on offense and Rashawn Gary on defense. 125 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: In terms of guys that boy, if they take what 126 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: they did in training camp onto the game field starting 127 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: week one in Minnesota, the Packers are going to be 128 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: better for it on both sides of the ball. Yeah, 129 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: And I know it was you and I have discussed 130 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: that great length of the last two weeks. You know, 131 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: we do the three things video after all these practices, 132 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: and legitimately, Mike, for half of them, you could have 133 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: done MVS and Rashaan Gary. They just stood out every 134 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: single day and they made plays. And it wasn't just 135 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: the fact that, Okay, well here's another deep ball to 136 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: MBS from Rogers. Oh, it would have been a sixty 137 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: yard touchdown. Now he did that the first day with 138 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: that pass from Temple Oil. But for the most part, 139 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: a lot of it was running and doing your routes 140 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: precisely to where the sticks are. That that practice inside 141 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: Lambeau Field, how many situations Mike I would count at 142 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: least three in either third or fourth downs, MBS had 143 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: to run a route to get the first down, and 144 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: he did that, and he was able to break off 145 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: his route the way he needed to and be where 146 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers expecting to be. He also made some really 147 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: spectacular catches too. I think about that one that he 148 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: hauled in off of his hip. You weren't there for it. 149 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: It was the one when we were in the down 150 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: Hudson Center due to weather, but the ball was slightly 151 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: behind him and he reached his handback his left hand back, 152 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: trapped the ball against his hip and was able with 153 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: his four three seven speed to stay within his stride 154 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: to turn up field. This is what this young man 155 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: offers to this offense when he's going in he's right. 156 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: I thought Jason Braby Rabel last week when he spoke 157 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: to us, made a really interesting salient point about MBS 158 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: and his development. He doesn't question that MBS wasn't that 159 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: he blacked any confidence. He felt like he was still 160 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: confident in the receiver that he was, but it was 161 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: having the confidence in the scheme and being able to 162 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: match up his natural abilities with what was being asked 163 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: of him. Now with Matt Lafleur in this offense, they 164 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: feel like he's made a major stride there. As far 165 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: as Rashaan Gary is concerned, Mike, I don't want to 166 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: get hyperbolic about it. I don't like doing offseason m 167 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: vps because, honestly, two thousand fifteen, when Mike McCarthy said 168 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: that Davante Adams was an offseason MVP, he really was. 169 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: It just didn't translate. He didn't he got hurt, it 170 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: didn't work out, and then everybody held that against him. 171 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: So I don't like putting those labels out there on guys. 172 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: But for a twenty two year old player that was 173 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: the twelfth overall pick a year ago, I thought, if 174 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: you're the Green Bay Packers, you saw every single advancement 175 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: in Rashaan Gary's game that you wanted to see in 176 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: this camp. Now we need to see it in games. 177 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: We need him to be a difference maker. He needs 178 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: to be a guy that can step up and take 179 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: some of those reps off of Preston Smith and'sa Arias Smith. 180 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: But in terms of just was what was being asked 181 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: of him in these practices, the one on one periods 182 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: against the offensive lineman, the way he was able to 183 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: rush and disrupt plays and team periods when he got 184 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: reps with you know what would be the starting offense, 185 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 1: he did it all Mike in this camp, and as 186 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: I wrote an insider inbox, I want to see it 187 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: translate now to games. Not for any personal reasons, but 188 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: so this whole process makes sense to me because we 189 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: saw guys make significant strides and practice. Now can we 190 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: see in two weeks time and then beyond that that 191 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: actually translates. Yeah. I think it's been really interesting to 192 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: watch the evolution of these two players, in particular this summer. 193 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: You said it with MVS that he showed in this 194 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: training camp that he's not just the one dimensional deep 195 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: threat speed guy to take the top off of the defense. 196 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: He was used in on possession routes, in those move 197 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: the chains type of situations, and he came through for 198 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers. That's rounding out a young players game. And 199 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 1: I think in the same respect with for Shawn Gary, 200 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: his background as a defensive lineman, essentially a down lineman 201 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: at Michigan. You where Shawn Gary could stop the run, 202 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: and he whether wherever he lines up defensively, he seems 203 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: to be a pretty good run defender. The question is 204 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: can he consistently get after the quarterback when the whistle 205 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: blows in In that aspect of the game, and I 206 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: think we saw we saw a lot more activity in 207 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: terms of him getting into the backfield and getting after 208 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: quarterbacks in this training camp. Again an evolution of a 209 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: young player. And as you said, West, the games are 210 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 1: where it's gonna matter. I mean, these guys have to 211 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: prove it in the games when it counts, because once 212 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: you know, the ball is kicked off in Minnesota in 213 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: week one, whatever happened in training camp almost doesn't even 214 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: matter anymore. I mean, it's it's it's about what happens 215 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: when it really matters. And um, both of these guys 216 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: have set themselves up for for promising and productive seasons. 217 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,439 Speaker 1: Now they have to come through well. And that was 218 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: the thing too regarding Gary, why I was so impressed 219 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: with him last year, even though there were a lot 220 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: of people on the outside questioning, you know what, why 221 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 1: did they pick him? Is this guy gonna be bust whatever? Well, one, 222 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: he's twenty one years old too. He's really strong. If 223 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: you've noticed that in these games and in these practices 224 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: over the last year and a half, there's just a 225 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: lot of natural, God given ability in that young man's body. 226 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: And I think you saw this offseason him really take 227 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: it to another level. He's not afraid to work to 228 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: get it, and he definitely did that. But the last 229 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: thing is what you touched on there, and it was 230 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: his run defense. The guy can set an edge and 231 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: that probably has something to do with the fact that 232 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: he goes at about two seventy seven to seventy that's 233 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: a little bit bigger than the traditional outside linebacker that 234 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 1: you remember hearing about in Dom Keeper's defense when this 235 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: whole thing got implemented. But Gary fits that and I 236 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: really think that when you talk about the pass rush prussures, 237 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: those things will come if you have the ability, you 238 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: have the technique, and a coach like Mike Smith that's 239 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: gonna be able to get it out of you. But 240 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: it's are you willing to actually go the extra mile 241 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: against the run some of those small things, the thing 242 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: that the things that aren't gonna get you a massive 243 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: contract but ultimately decide whether or not your defense is 244 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: gonna play winning football, and Gary most definitely can do that. Yeah, 245 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: I think another guy that's worth talking about in terms 246 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: of you know, this transition from and this is a 247 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: completely different context, but Lane Taylor on the offensive line 248 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: for the package you're coming back from a significant bicep 249 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: injury that knocked him out of the starting lineup and 250 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: ended his season in Week two, essentially after two games 251 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: last year, because I believe the injury happened in practice, 252 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: correct me if I'm wrong, lest but yeah, But for 253 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: him to come back from that, and hey, you know, 254 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: he decides to take a pay cut to come back 255 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: to Green Bay to compete for a starting job, there's been, 256 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: you know, essentially a three way competition for two starting spots. 257 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: You have Taylor at guard, you have Rick Wagner at tackle. 258 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: You have Billy Turner who could play guard or tackle 259 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: on the right side. I don't know ultimately what the 260 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: coaches are going to decide. If you ask me for 261 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: my prediction, my prediction is I think Lane Taylor is 262 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: going to be lining up as the starting right guard 263 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: in Week one, but it's not my decision to make that. 264 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: Being said, what Taylor has done, regardless of what the 265 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: final decision is, I think is really impressive because there 266 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: are a lot of people who wrote this guy off. 267 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: A lot of fans were not even counting him in 268 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: the equation for the offensive line for the Packers in 269 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: and he he showed up every day in this training camp, 270 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: Weston and his steadiness, um, his consistency, his reliability, It 271 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: showed up on a daily basis, and I think it's 272 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: something the Packers are are potentially going to be counting 273 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: on here in Lane Taylor is such a throwback for me, 274 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: not only in just the way he plays the position, 275 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: but just his mentality. Nowadays, if a guy gets hurt 276 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: or he loses his starting job, the first thing he 277 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: usually wants to do is is look for a new 278 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: opportunity to get out of a contract, to move on. Lane. 279 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 1: Taylor wanted to be back here, and I asked him 280 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: that one of his recent conference calls, and he said, 281 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: you know, it was kind of the roots that his 282 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: family had laid down in Green Bay. The fact this 283 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: is the only place he's ever been, the fact that 284 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: this is the team that took a chance ants on 285 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: him when nobody else wanted to draft him back in 286 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: two thousand thirteen, all those things kind of came to 287 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: the surface for him and he realized that this is 288 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 1: where his best opportunity was going to be to continue 289 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: his NFL career. And I think one way or another, 290 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: what this training camp has proven is that lane. Taylor 291 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: is still a starting guard in this league. Um, you 292 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: know these next year, everything that follows will find it out. 293 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: But he wants to play football for a long time, 294 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: and I think he's going to be able to do that. 295 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: The guy he's just you talked about his one on 296 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: one drills this year. He was going against Kenny Clark 297 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: pretty much every day, uh, during those padded drills, and 298 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: he was holding his own. It didn't matter if it 299 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: was Kenny, didn't matter if his dean lowerry. He just 300 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: does his job. And he's so strong, he's so good 301 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: in terms of being able to to be a really 302 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: impenetrable and movable force down on the line that it 303 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: was good to see him be able to come back 304 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: because he said that bicep was pretty much zero when 305 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: he got done with practice that day. He had to 306 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: have surgery on it, and he spent a lot of 307 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: time thinking, a lot of time, you know, with his 308 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: family and now being able to continue his NFL career. 309 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: I keep saying it over and over again, but the 310 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: fact is he's the fourth longest tenured player on this team. Now. 311 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: It's incredible when you think about it that way. But 312 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: he's not afraid to still be doing that grunt work 313 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: and those drills that are typically reserved for the young 314 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: guys on this roster, Lane Taylor is still very much 315 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: a part of this. And when you talk about the 316 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: beauty of training camp, even if it was different this year, 317 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: even if it was modified, the story that that Taylor 318 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: told throughout the last three weeks, I think really speaks 319 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: to him both as a person and as a football player, 320 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: and that he's not afraid to to get back out 321 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: there and earn what he's already earned. Yeah, and when 322 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: you think about it too, this is really the first 323 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: time you could argue in three years that Lane Taylor 324 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: probably feels fully healthy. Because you go back, Okay, so 325 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen he had the bicep injury, you go back 326 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: to he he dealt with a significant offseason ankle injury 327 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: that that you know, slowing him down. And he's not 328 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: a guy to make excuses, you know, in the days 329 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: back when we were talking to these guys at their 330 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: lockers as opposed to over you know, through a computer screen. 331 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: He's not a guy who's ever going to make any 332 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: any excuses. You know. His his whole approaches. Hey, if 333 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: I'm healthy enough to play, I'm gonna play, and I've 334 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: I've got to play to a certain standard. But he 335 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: would be the first to admit afterwards there were games 336 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: that he wasn't really playing up to his standard because 337 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: he wasn't fully healthy, but he was doing what he 338 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: had to do to help the team. We could be 339 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: seeing here in Lane Taylor finally, you know, fully healthy 340 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: and and back into that mold, in that form that 341 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: he was back in seventeen when when he first took 342 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: over the starting job and and was the kind of 343 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: guy that you didn't really talk about a whole lot 344 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: on the offensive line because he was just so steady 345 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: and reliable. Well even think about the beginning half of 346 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: last year, Mike. So he does win the left guard job. 347 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: He maintains that he starts the first two games, but 348 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: they were still rotating in Alton Jenkins for a couple 349 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: of series here every now and then. And as we 350 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: found out throughout the course of season, Alton Jenkins is 351 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: the real deal. That wasn't just okay, we're trying to 352 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: find the best fit now. I mean you had two 353 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: guys that could both play, that could both go, and 354 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: Lane was a total professional about that didn't raise a stink, 355 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: just did what was asked about. When he's in there, 356 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: he's in there. When he's not, he's not. And again 357 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: that that's just something I think is becoming increasingly increasingly rare. 358 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: When you talk about a guy that has started three 359 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: four seasons in the league now and being able to 360 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: have that humility to to not make a big fuss 361 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: about it, just to do what's asked of him, I 362 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: think that says a lot. And the fact that he's 363 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: worked his way back from this injury to put himself 364 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: in this conversation again, I think is another testament to 365 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: the player he is and the man that he really 366 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: has developed into over the last seven years. Yeah, no 367 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: question about it. Well, roster decisions are going to be 368 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: made on Saturday. The Packers will have to trim the 369 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: roster to fifty three players by three o'clock Central time 370 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: Saturday afternoon. Then on Sunday you start resigning guys to 371 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: the practice squad, players that clear waivers and whatnot. And 372 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: I know on our next show later this week we 373 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: can get into some some more of those details because 374 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: it is going to be different this year than it 375 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: has been in in other years. But um, but that 376 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: will be a topic for the next show. And if 377 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: someone want to point out too, because you addressed it earlier, 378 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: but I wanted to. I wanted to address and answer 379 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: you're very good and eloquent question about the players that 380 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: stood out. But you made a really interesting point about 381 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: how this week they shifted to an end season schedule. 382 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: That actually really is interesting because the practice squad has 383 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: expanded this year. There's now sixteen players that are gonna 384 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: be eligible to be on the practice squad once the 385 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: Packers set their fifty three. That means there's gonna be 386 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:37,360 Speaker 1: fifty nine players in practice. Uh this season. I thought 387 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: I said sixty nine. We'll play back that film. But 388 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: either way, Mike, there's eighty guys on the roster right now, 389 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: some of whom aren't playing, aren't participating because of the 390 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: pup list. Yes, they need to cut the roster on Saturday, 391 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: but Matt la Floor and his coaches, they also have 392 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: to be able to go through this process and figure out, Okay, 393 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: how are we going to make all these pieces fit 394 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: in a practice. That's why I think this is really 395 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: beneficial for them this week to be able to shift 396 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: to an in season schedule and kind of get used 397 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: to those new moving parts on the Scout team. Matt Arvin, 398 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: our wonderful producer, also correcting me, I did say fifty nine. 399 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: I apologize. That's okay. Well, we will get all the 400 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: numbers and all of that straightened out on our next 401 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: show later this week, but for now, we will call 402 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be 403 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: sure to follow all of our coverage of the team 404 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: and this final week of training camp on packers dot com. 405 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: For West, I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in. Everybody. 406 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: We will see you next time.