1
00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:14,880
Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social

2
00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,160
Speaker 1: Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike spoffor

3
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,920
Speaker 1: joint as always by my trusted colleague Wes Hodkuits, coming

4
00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,520
Speaker 1: to you from across the hall from one another actually

5
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,240
Speaker 1: here at lambeau Field West, the Packers. I would say,

6
00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,480
Speaker 1: I'm not sure what number to put on. It feels

7
00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,680
Speaker 1: like we're roughly halfway through training camp at this point,

8
00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,239
Speaker 1: as far as the padded practices go. And I know,

9
00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,839
Speaker 1: usually we spend training camp shows talking about younger players

10
00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,080
Speaker 1: and you know who's climbing the depth chart, etcetera, etcetera.

11
00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,880
Speaker 1: But I wanted to start this show talking about three

12
00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,239
Speaker 1: veterans in particular, because they can get overlooked sometimes in

13
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,720
Speaker 1: training camp. But I tell you what, Aaron Rodgers looks

14
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,920
Speaker 1: as sharp as ever, Mason Crosby looks as locked in

15
00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:04,000
Speaker 1: as ever. Mercedes Lewis, he's still going west, and he's

16
00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,839
Speaker 1: a He's an important leader on this team, not only

17
00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:08,640
Speaker 1: for the tight end group, but in this locker room

18
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,119
Speaker 1: as a whole. And Mike, you know me, I want

19
00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,399
Speaker 1: to talk about Mercedes Lewis until next Tuesday. But I

20
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,280
Speaker 1: got a touch on something first, Mason Crosby in practice

21
00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:22,319
Speaker 1: so far, he's been exceptional. He did have some kicks

22
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,360
Speaker 1: during practice. I believe it would have been on Sunday

23
00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,800
Speaker 1: where Pete Doherty and I over in the fans section

24
00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,920
Speaker 1: there the stands. We weren't sure whether or not they

25
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,800
Speaker 1: went in or not. Okay, Pete and I asked you.

26
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,920
Speaker 1: I was like, spot, did they go in? He's like, oh, yeah,

27
00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,080
Speaker 1: they went in. He went nine for nine and Pete.

28
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,400
Speaker 1: Pete still went and asked Mason during his media availability

29
00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,600
Speaker 1: on Monday, what did we learn, Mike? What are the

30
00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:52,800
Speaker 1: lesson we learned? Never doubt Mike Spofford, don't do it, um,

31
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,120
Speaker 1: So I have to tell that little story. No, Mason

32
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,800
Speaker 1: has been great. He's been off to a really strong start.

33
00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,760
Speaker 1: As you said, it's really interesting that you point this out, Mike.

34
00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,480
Speaker 1: It's the three guys in the thirty five plus club

35
00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,240
Speaker 1: for the Packers that you that you mentioned there, Aaron Rodgers,

36
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,280
Speaker 1: Mercedes Lewis and obviously Crosby. And this is a very

37
00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,000
Speaker 1: young football team. I know someone in insider inbox asked

38
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,200
Speaker 1: me a couple of days ago. Okay, so like, what

39
00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,120
Speaker 1: are how do they rank against other teams, and it's

40
00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,880
Speaker 1: so difficult to tell that until we get to fifty

41
00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,160
Speaker 1: three players. But when they finally do, I think it's

42
00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:24,560
Speaker 1: going to be one of the younger teams that I

43
00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,680
Speaker 1: think I've covered here in Green Bay. Now that being said,

44
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,239
Speaker 1: it comes down to your leadership, and the Packers have

45
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,160
Speaker 1: a lot of it. When you look at Rogers, Lewis

46
00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,919
Speaker 1: and Crosby. You asked me about Mercedes Lewis, I'll give

47
00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,720
Speaker 1: you an answer to that. You have three really talented

48
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,320
Speaker 1: young tight ends in that room. And then no disrespect

49
00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,839
Speaker 1: Evan Bayliss also coming off the practice squad last year,

50
00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,560
Speaker 1: guys they want to develop, guys they see as the

51
00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,520
Speaker 1: future of this offense. Mercedes Lewis is a big part

52
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,799
Speaker 1: in helping bring those guys along, along with Justin out

53
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,600
Speaker 1: In the tight ends coach. And you can just tell

54
00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,240
Speaker 1: Mike from his twenty minute conference call with us this weekend,

55
00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,240
Speaker 1: how excited Mercedes Lewis is about this opportunity, how much

56
00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,240
Speaker 1: he's still driven to compete going into year fifteen. And

57
00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:05,920
Speaker 1: I'll be honest with you, Mike, You're going into your

58
00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,120
Speaker 1: fifteen of your occupation here at the Green Bay Packers

59
00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,680
Speaker 1: in ten more years. I hope to be as excited

60
00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,480
Speaker 1: about it as Mercedes Lewis. I mean, this is a

61
00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,639
Speaker 1: guy that, despite all of his interests out of off

62
00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,280
Speaker 1: the field, uh, still has a lot to give on it. Yeah,

63
00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,200
Speaker 1: certainly the guy a veteran player who's you know, searching

64
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,720
Speaker 1: for that elusive championship as they say. But that's not

65
00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,040
Speaker 1: the only thing driving him. The other thing driving him

66
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,519
Speaker 1: is he really does still love the game. He loves

67
00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:33,920
Speaker 1: to play. I think he embraces whatever leadership role is

68
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,440
Speaker 1: thrust upon him. And Aaron Rodgers talked about that, how

69
00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,040
Speaker 1: Marcedes Lewis as as a leader, even though this is

70
00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,560
Speaker 1: only his third year in this locker room, as a

71
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,240
Speaker 1: leader for this team, he has the timing of when

72
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,640
Speaker 1: to say something, how to say it um And you know,

73
00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,080
Speaker 1: Roger sort of drew the parallel to some of the

74
00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,320
Speaker 1: other leaders in the locker room in the past, like

75
00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,080
Speaker 1: a Charles Woodson or like a Julius Peppers, who they

76
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,080
Speaker 1: just they just understand the right timing and the right

77
00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,720
Speaker 1: tone in order to lead the squad as a whole.

78
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,320
Speaker 1: And that being said, Aaron Rodgers is certainly is certainly

79
00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,200
Speaker 1: showing his leadership on the field as as much as

80
00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,800
Speaker 1: off the field, because I know Monday's practice was kind of,

81
00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,080
Speaker 1: you know, a half speed jog through type of thing.

82
00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,599
Speaker 1: Nothing really to uh document as far as reporting on

83
00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,160
Speaker 1: the practice goes. But those practices on Saturday and Sunday, boy,

84
00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,840
Speaker 1: I tell you, the accuracy of his throws where he

85
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,599
Speaker 1: was putting the football, it was really impressive to watch.

86
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,240
Speaker 1: And then he capt off that practice on Sunday with

87
00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:38,360
Speaker 1: an absolutely picture perfect execution of the two minute drill.

88
00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,160
Speaker 1: I wrote about that on packers dot Com. I think

89
00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,920
Speaker 1: the most impressive thing about him pulling off that two

90
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,000
Speaker 1: minute drill is there wasn't a single big explosive play

91
00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,160
Speaker 1: that made it really easy, like suddenly, oh, they're all

92
00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:51,479
Speaker 1: the way down at the other end of the field,

93
00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,599
Speaker 1: they're going to finish this off. It was it was

94
00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,960
Speaker 1: a matter of just being very methodical, very precise, managing

95
00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,440
Speaker 1: the clock. He spiked the ball three different times along

96
00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,600
Speaker 1: the way, he used the time out at the proper time,

97
00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,200
Speaker 1: just completely in command out there. And I thought the

98
00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,440
Speaker 1: way that ended Sunday's practice, after the way he had

99
00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,640
Speaker 1: thrown the ball all through Saturday and Sunday to full

100
00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,480
Speaker 1: speed full pads practices, I thought Rogers really showedy he's

101
00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,760
Speaker 1: on top of his game right now. Yeah, And unfortunately,

102
00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,080
Speaker 1: obviously fans can't see it right now because of you know,

103
00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,240
Speaker 1: the restrictions in place with COVID and not being able

104
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,480
Speaker 1: to attend training camp practice and that is a non

105
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,240
Speaker 1: shooting period. But I wish people could actually be able

106
00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,239
Speaker 1: to put their eyes on it, because it really, I thought,

107
00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,440
Speaker 1: encapsulated everything Aaron Rodgers is, especially at this juncture of

108
00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,120
Speaker 1: his career. He made a critical third down pass on

109
00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:37,840
Speaker 1: that play right down the middle, down the seam to

110
00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:39,800
Speaker 1: Robert Toany, and Tany did a good job bringing the

111
00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,440
Speaker 1: ball in. That's what extended the drive and from there

112
00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,320
Speaker 1: a lot of outroutes, a lot of stuff underneath, just

113
00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,720
Speaker 1: being as you said, methodical to get into range for

114
00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,200
Speaker 1: Mason Crosby to make that forty seven yard or but

115
00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,440
Speaker 1: beyond that, Mike, the way he's challenged the middle of

116
00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,640
Speaker 1: the field so far during camp, I thought has been

117
00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:59,000
Speaker 1: really good. And excuse me, his deep ball stuff right

118
00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,520
Speaker 1: now divine to Adams. I mean he opened up the

119
00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,760
Speaker 1: team period. I believe that was on Sunday, had a

120
00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,240
Speaker 1: deep ball off play action to Davante Adams would have

121
00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,359
Speaker 1: been a touchdown. He did it again later in practice

122
00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,160
Speaker 1: again to Adams. There are so many different ways that

123
00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,200
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers can beat you, and I found this very interesting. Mike.

124
00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,040
Speaker 1: He met with the media on Monday, and he talked

125
00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,560
Speaker 1: about when he was asked by Bill Hubert about just

126
00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,600
Speaker 1: the start he's off to and why he's feeling so good,

127
00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,280
Speaker 1: and Rogers, you can tell it wasn't just a talking point.

128
00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,680
Speaker 1: He legitimately feels like he's in a groove right now.

129
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,200
Speaker 1: And one thing that he pointed out was he went

130
00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,640
Speaker 1: back and they were doing the installs, and with those installs,

131
00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,320
Speaker 1: they bring in cut ups of some of his old

132
00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,760
Speaker 1: work and there was a clip from ten years ago

133
00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,039
Speaker 1: and he found something in it. He wouldn't go into

134
00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,680
Speaker 1: exactly what it was, but there was something that he

135
00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,280
Speaker 1: saw in that that he brought to practice the next day.

136
00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,520
Speaker 1: And then, as he put it, the next the you know,

137
00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,719
Speaker 1: the last few days had happened. So Aaron Rodgers is

138
00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,880
Speaker 1: in a groove. And you know, we always talked about

139
00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:53,920
Speaker 1: preseason games and all it does. He need the reps

140
00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,920
Speaker 1: and everything. What you need is practice and you need

141
00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:58,840
Speaker 1: to find yourself as a quarterback. And I think going

142
00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,080
Speaker 1: into two thousand twenties, fight all the obstacles that have

143
00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,440
Speaker 1: been put in his way, in this team's way. Aaron

144
00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,320
Speaker 1: Rodgers is doing that. Yeah, I'm really curious what that

145
00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,159
Speaker 1: thing is. I know everybody is curious just what that is.

146
00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,160
Speaker 1: From the two thousand and ten I think he was

147
00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,360
Speaker 1: talking about practice film. Sounded like that he saw and

148
00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,440
Speaker 1: you wonder, okay, is it's Was it something with his mechanics,

149
00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,360
Speaker 1: was it something with the timing, was it something with footwork?

150
00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,560
Speaker 1: Was it something that he saw with his eyes as

151
00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,800
Speaker 1: far as how he's looking at I mean, we don't

152
00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:26,800
Speaker 1: really know, and he wasn't going to tell us, which

153
00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,480
Speaker 1: is which is typical of Aaron Rodgers. But it really

154
00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,880
Speaker 1: was fascinating. I mean, something from ten years ago, and

155
00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,320
Speaker 1: he says he notices it, he took it out to

156
00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,960
Speaker 1: the practice field, and then suddenly on Saturday and Sunday

157
00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,120
Speaker 1: like boom, boom boom, like every throw is right on target,

158
00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,200
Speaker 1: right where it needs to be. And you know, Rogers,

159
00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,840
Speaker 1: Rogers seems to really be enjoying himself in this training camp.

160
00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,960
Speaker 1: As much as there are limitations and the players can't do.

161
00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,520
Speaker 1: You know, a lot of those off the field activities

162
00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,200
Speaker 1: and other things that you know that they might normally

163
00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,840
Speaker 1: do during a training camp. Some of those team bonding,

164
00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,640
Speaker 1: team chemistry type things, those are off the table at

165
00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,280
Speaker 1: least for the time being. But um, these uh, these guys, this,

166
00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,440
Speaker 1: this number one offense looks like it's having some fun

167
00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,120
Speaker 1: out there. He really does. And and the other thing too.

168
00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,720
Speaker 1: And I wrote about this an Insider inbox. Whether or

169
00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,119
Speaker 1: not it's it's the film clip, or it's the second

170
00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,240
Speaker 1: year in Matt Lafleur's offense, or it's like some of

171
00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,400
Speaker 1: his teammates have even said how much Rogers appears to

172
00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,280
Speaker 1: be enjoying himself this summer. There's just something about him

173
00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,280
Speaker 1: that has really allowed him to find that groove here early.

174
00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,360
Speaker 1: And I think there is something to be said for

175
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,720
Speaker 1: the fact that that second year offense, the installs have

176
00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,720
Speaker 1: been in, they ran through them mentally before they finally

177
00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,800
Speaker 1: hit the practice field. Once they did, Matt laflor has

178
00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,840
Speaker 1: felt very confident about the run that they've been able

179
00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,000
Speaker 1: to get on. And here's the thing that I think

180
00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,880
Speaker 1: is most intriguing in terms of the pieces around Aaron Rodgers.

181
00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,920
Speaker 1: I've said this a couple of times, but Jordy Nelson, Davante,

182
00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,400
Speaker 1: Adams Randall, Cob James Jones. All those years, it was

183
00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,480
Speaker 1: always the same essential components of that offense and where

184
00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,920
Speaker 1: the ball was going to go. Who your primary skill

185
00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,320
Speaker 1: position players are, the way they've built the backfield, the

186
00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,839
Speaker 1: number of options they have at tight end. Uh, you know,

187
00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,400
Speaker 1: Josiah Deguara be able to play a hybrid role, and

188
00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,160
Speaker 1: then certainly a guy like Mark Quizvelde Scantlin coming back

189
00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,440
Speaker 1: with what he offers in terms of not only his

190
00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,840
Speaker 1: top end speed but also some of the underneath stuff

191
00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,320
Speaker 1: he's been showing early in camp. This isn't going to

192
00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,840
Speaker 1: be the offense whereas just the same three receivers for

193
00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,240
Speaker 1: sixty snaps. They're gonna be really multiple. But you can

194
00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,360
Speaker 1: tell that Rogers is game to rapport with a lot

195
00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,280
Speaker 1: of these guys already. In being able to establish that

196
00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,640
Speaker 1: this early, despite you know, everything they went through with

197
00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,280
Speaker 1: the offseason program, that could be something that really helps

198
00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,160
Speaker 1: put the Packers ahead when they get into these games

199
00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,280
Speaker 1: here in September. Yeah, and one other thought on Crosby too,

200
00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,840
Speaker 1: before we move on from these veterans we've been talking about.

201
00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,200
Speaker 1: He actually did miss the first few practices ever since

202
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 1: he came back. He's been absolutely locked in as far

203
00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,160
Speaker 1: as I'm concerned. But he did miss the first few

204
00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,880
Speaker 1: practices he was on the COVID reserve list. He actually

205
00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,040
Speaker 1: test did test positive for the coronavirus the second day

206
00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,280
Speaker 1: that the players were back in the and the testing

207
00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:58,440
Speaker 1: had begun. Fortunately for him, very mild symptoms, wasn't anything

208
00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,520
Speaker 1: that that required a major recovery. But then he did

209
00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,360
Speaker 1: have a lot of conversations with with his wife, Molly

210
00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,440
Speaker 1: and his family. Molly had a cancer issue a year ago.

211
00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,680
Speaker 1: She's been given a clean bill of health, which is

212
00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,360
Speaker 1: great news, but he had to think about, you know, well,

213
00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,560
Speaker 1: should I play, Should I take this risk, you know,

214
00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,480
Speaker 1: exposing myself with obviously what his wife went through last year.

215
00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,679
Speaker 1: And uh, fortunately for the Packers, Molly's Molly's doctors have

216
00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,440
Speaker 1: said everything's good to go. They gave him the thumbs

217
00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,320
Speaker 1: up and uh, and Mason Crosby looks, uh, he looks

218
00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,600
Speaker 1: as good as ever as as he is going to

219
00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,200
Speaker 1: continue to put all those scoring records he owns just

220
00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,120
Speaker 1: further out of reach. And yeah, this has been this

221
00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,439
Speaker 1: has been a wild twelve months for the Crosby family.

222
00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,240
Speaker 1: You know, Molly got diagnosed with her nero endocrine tumor

223
00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,160
Speaker 1: that she had on her lung right before the start

224
00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,880
Speaker 1: of training camp. She had the surgery to remove that

225
00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,800
Speaker 1: the day before. The Packers ended up playing the Kansas

226
00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,600
Speaker 1: City Chiefs in that preseason finale. So Mason's flip flopping

227
00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,000
Speaker 1: between Green Bay and the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis. He's

228
00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:59,520
Speaker 1: trying to get all this stuff going on. Oh and then,

229
00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,120
Speaker 1: by the way, he also has the kicking competition at

230
00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,559
Speaker 1: that time with Sam Ficken, and through all that he

231
00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,439
Speaker 1: ended up having a career year ninety one point seven percent,

232
00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,880
Speaker 1: tied Yon Standards record for single season accuracy, and then

233
00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,679
Speaker 1: also got rewarded with the extension, being able to come

234
00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,680
Speaker 1: back now for a fourteen season with Green Bay the

235
00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,240
Speaker 1: second longest tenured player on this roster now to Aaron Rodgers.

236
00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,239
Speaker 1: So it's just it. I'm not saying the same apropos,

237
00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,080
Speaker 1: but it's just I mean, when you talk about all

238
00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,280
Speaker 1: the adversity they faced. Of course, when he comes back

239
00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 1: to Green Bay, he ends up being surprised by a

240
00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,320
Speaker 1: COVID test, but he was able, as he said, he

241
00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:35,600
Speaker 1: was able to do a lot of his strength and

242
00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,160
Speaker 1: conditioning stuff away from the team, he had his ten

243
00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,800
Speaker 1: day quarantine. Once he came back, he felt good, he

244
00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:42,800
Speaker 1: felt strong. It was bizarre. I mean, he did have

245
00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,599
Speaker 1: a negative test that first day. The second day is

246
00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,440
Speaker 1: where he had the positive one, as you pointed out.

247
00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,320
Speaker 1: So whatever it is, they made the decision him and

248
00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,440
Speaker 1: Molly her doctors. They felt like it was safe for

249
00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,160
Speaker 1: him to proceed onto into this two thousand twenty season.

250
00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:57,200
Speaker 1: Might have been a different story if she would have

251
00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,360
Speaker 1: been in a different spot in this would have happened

252
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,000
Speaker 1: last year. But all that being said, I mean, when

253
00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,400
Speaker 1: you have a kicker like Mason Crosby, the confidence, the

254
00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,800
Speaker 1: wherewithal and just being able to be, you know, sure

255
00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,280
Speaker 1: about who that guy is going to be, that is

256
00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,760
Speaker 1: such a value right now in today's NFL. Yeah, and

257
00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,240
Speaker 1: all three of these veterans we're talking about, Aaron Rodgers,

258
00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,880
Speaker 1: Mason Crosby, Marcedes Lewis, all members of the Packers what

259
00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,680
Speaker 1: they call the leadership Council as far as a group

260
00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,080
Speaker 1: of veteran players that meets on a regular basis with

261
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,000
Speaker 1: Heath coach Matt Lafleur. They actually had an impromptu meeting

262
00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,760
Speaker 1: after Monday's practice to talk about the police shooting situation

263
00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,480
Speaker 1: in Kenosha, and I think we'll be hearing some more

264
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,040
Speaker 1: as time goes on, as far as as far as

265
00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,199
Speaker 1: some plans that the players have things that they want

266
00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,240
Speaker 1: to talk about, things they want to bring awareness to

267
00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,720
Speaker 1: as the season goes along. So we'll certainly stay tuned

268
00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:50,280
Speaker 1: for any news we hear along those lines. But Wes,

269
00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,120
Speaker 1: it would not be a training camp unscripted episode without

270
00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,320
Speaker 1: talking about some younger players who are getting noticed. And

271
00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,280
Speaker 1: I think the one guy we definitely have to talk

272
00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:02,120
Speaker 1: about here who is certain the U is getting noticed

273
00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,880
Speaker 1: by the coaches, by the reporters. Everybody who's out there

274
00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:09,240
Speaker 1: at practice is fifth round draft pick rookie linebacker Kamal Martin.

275
00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,960
Speaker 1: And uh, I tell you what, a lot of the rookies,

276
00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,400
Speaker 1: I think they're all in a really, really tough spot

277
00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,960
Speaker 1: in terms of trying to do something in a in

278
00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,800
Speaker 1: a regular role on offensive side, offense or defense, aside

279
00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,360
Speaker 1: from just special teams, because of not having any o

280
00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,240
Speaker 1: t a S, no mini camp, no rookie orientation as

281
00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,240
Speaker 1: far as any on field snaps until training camp rolled around.

282
00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,080
Speaker 1: But Camal Martin doesn't really look like that kind of

283
00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,520
Speaker 1: rookie right now. He looks like he's making a bid

284
00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,600
Speaker 1: to uh, to find a role somehow, some way in

285
00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,120
Speaker 1: Mike Patton's defense, and uh, it's it's been interesting to watch. Yeah,

286
00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,000
Speaker 1: And if you don't believe Mike, well you can't watch it.

287
00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,400
Speaker 1: But I'll just tell you about it. The hit that

288
00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,920
Speaker 1: he laid on De Marier. Crockett asked Maria Crockett about

289
00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:56,960
Speaker 1: what this guy can do at the inside linebacker position.

290
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,959
Speaker 1: The Packers did their live tackling drill. At the end

291
00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,160
Speaker 1: of I believe it was Saturday's practice. Correct me if

292
00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,160
Speaker 1: I'm wrong on that. Mike was Actually it was Sundays.

293
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,720
Speaker 1: All the days go together. If you asked me, I

294
00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,280
Speaker 1: would have said today was Sunday. But at the end

295
00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:13,880
Speaker 1: of it they did a ten minute period. It was

296
00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:15,960
Speaker 1: just Jordan's love running the offense and it was the

297
00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,880
Speaker 1: young guys in the offense versus the young guys on

298
00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,600
Speaker 1: the defense. Kamal Martin sniffs out this this play he

299
00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,000
Speaker 1: blitz is to kind of does this a gap blitz deal,

300
00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,560
Speaker 1: gets past one two guards somewhere in there and just

301
00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,400
Speaker 1: ends up in the backfield and just puts a nice

302
00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,040
Speaker 1: thud on on crock A good clean hit and it

303
00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,680
Speaker 1: really he was. He was jacked about and the defense

304
00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,360
Speaker 1: was pretty excited about it too. I was talking I

305
00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,200
Speaker 1: wrote about this an Insider inbox, but I was talking

306
00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,840
Speaker 1: with Zach Helpern, who covers the Badgers. He's a friend

307
00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,680
Speaker 1: of ours, and uh, you know it works down in Madison,

308
00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,720
Speaker 1: and you know, he was saying and it was really

309
00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,320
Speaker 1: eye opening to me. I mean, I wrote, I read

310
00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:51,720
Speaker 1: your story in the offseason. I obviously did my research

311
00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,200
Speaker 1: on Martin, but when Zach kind of mentioned, He's like,

312
00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:55,760
Speaker 1: you know, that guy would have been a much higher

313
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:58,080
Speaker 1: draft pick had it not been for the injury. What

314
00:14:58,200 --> 00:14:59,680
Speaker 1: he would have been able to not what he had

315
00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,720
Speaker 1: already put on film largely got him a fifth round

316
00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,960
Speaker 1: draft choice, if he would have had a chance to

317
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,280
Speaker 1: build upon that last year in a more meaningful way.

318
00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,680
Speaker 1: He Zach really felt like this would have been a

319
00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,720
Speaker 1: guy that that could have really opened some eyes on

320
00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,040
Speaker 1: people and for the packers to find him where they did.

321
00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:16,840
Speaker 1: I mean, when he stepped on the practice field the

322
00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,520
Speaker 1: first day, I was like, this guy is a little different.

323
00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,480
Speaker 1: I mean he's tall, he's lengthy, he's got good size,

324
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,920
Speaker 1: he carries his weight well, and he he has some

325
00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,000
Speaker 1: real nice athleticism for the position. So for a fifth

326
00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,880
Speaker 1: round pick, it's very interesting. They can go either way.

327
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,040
Speaker 1: You can have a guy come in like Corey Lindsley

328
00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,480
Speaker 1: who just looks like he belongs from day one, and

329
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:35,920
Speaker 1: then you get some of these guys that don't even

330
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,760
Speaker 1: look like they necessarily can play at this level. I'm

331
00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,080
Speaker 1: not saying Martin is in Lindley's category. There's a long

332
00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,000
Speaker 1: way to go yet, but you just see a maturity

333
00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,520
Speaker 1: with him in the way the confidence that he has

334
00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,560
Speaker 1: and the way he plays the position, and certainly an

335
00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,280
Speaker 1: opportunity there if he continues to make the most of

336
00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,800
Speaker 1: those opportunities here in practice. Yeah, well, certainly what what

337
00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,280
Speaker 1: what Zach Helprin said is exactly what I heard from

338
00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,280
Speaker 1: Minnesota's defensive coordinator when I talked to him about Martin's career.

339
00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,760
Speaker 1: He actually put probably his a lot of his best

340
00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,920
Speaker 1: tape on film uh in the season and in the

341
00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,400
Speaker 1: first half of twenty nineteen. But then he started to

342
00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,760
Speaker 1: try to battle through this knee injury. It was slowing

343
00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,440
Speaker 1: him down a little bit. Eventually, the Gophers just shut

344
00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,200
Speaker 1: him down and they didn't even have him, you know,

345
00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,840
Speaker 1: prep or play in the bowl game at all at

346
00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,320
Speaker 1: the end of the season because they knew he was

347
00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,040
Speaker 1: headed to the NFL Draft. They didn't want to jeopardize that.

348
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,480
Speaker 1: He you know, needed to uh to get that knee

349
00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,480
Speaker 1: taken care of, and and it's a it's worked out.

350
00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,280
Speaker 1: It certainly worked out for him. He's a really interesting

351
00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,760
Speaker 1: prospect at linebacker, as you mentioned, was because of the

352
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:35,880
Speaker 1: size and the body type. This he looks like a

353
00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,160
Speaker 1: guy who can thump a little bit against the run,

354
00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,200
Speaker 1: but he's got he's got the length, you know, the arms,

355
00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:45,000
Speaker 1: the height and everything, and apparently the athleticism in in

356
00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,560
Speaker 1: coverage against against tight ends, potentially some tough matchups there

357
00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,640
Speaker 1: are running backs trying to sneak out of the backfield,

358
00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,680
Speaker 1: that kind of thing. So it really, it really is

359
00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,680
Speaker 1: interesting to to watch him because I'll admit, you know,

360
00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,520
Speaker 1: the fifth round pick. Now, this was the first pick

361
00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,120
Speaker 1: out of six that the Packers made on the third

362
00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,600
Speaker 1: day of the draft because they did not have a

363
00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,720
Speaker 1: fourth round pick. He was the first guy they took

364
00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,000
Speaker 1: on Day three in the fifth round, So that says

365
00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,879
Speaker 1: something in and of itself. But with the way everything

366
00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,520
Speaker 1: went in the offseason, I just figured, Okay, this guy

367
00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,399
Speaker 1: is probably going to you know, be a regular on

368
00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,080
Speaker 1: special teams right away, and then you see what happens

369
00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,200
Speaker 1: on defense, and uh, he's you know, like I said,

370
00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,639
Speaker 1: he's he's making a push to have a role on

371
00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,359
Speaker 1: defense right away, right away as a rookie, which I

372
00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,360
Speaker 1: think is pretty impressive all things consider. Yeah, I mean,

373
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,399
Speaker 1: just a quick shout out too for this rookie class

374
00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,400
Speaker 1: you're talking about having just not really sure what you're

375
00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,040
Speaker 1: gonna expect with these guys, I've been impressed by a

376
00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:39,879
Speaker 1: lot of them, Mike. To be quite honest with you,

377
00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,040
Speaker 1: I mean A J. Dillon got a lot of attention

378
00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,199
Speaker 1: for his legs, but I think you and I can

379
00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,360
Speaker 1: both agree when you watch him hit the whole, especially

380
00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,280
Speaker 1: once the pads come on. The guy has a real

381
00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,200
Speaker 1: nice knack to him. I mean he isn't just all

382
00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,600
Speaker 1: size and no substance. I mean he brings it. And

383
00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,760
Speaker 1: I even tweeted it. Someone asked about, you know, is

384
00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,479
Speaker 1: he elusive and all these things? Guys. I mean, if

385
00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,800
Speaker 1: he gets to the second he is elusive. But if

386
00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,320
Speaker 1: he gets to the second level, it is problems. It's

387
00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,880
Speaker 1: problems for linebackers, is pop problems for defensive backs. He's

388
00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,320
Speaker 1: not a guy you want to tackle. Um. You talked

389
00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,000
Speaker 1: about Martin, you talked about John Runyon. I thought has

390
00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:18,640
Speaker 1: come in and looked really good in the one on

391
00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,359
Speaker 1: one stuff so far. I was really impressed by the

392
00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,800
Speaker 1: way he carries himself. I mean, you know, talking with

393
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:28,080
Speaker 1: his dad in the offseason, he his dad reminded John Jr. Hey,

394
00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,280
Speaker 1: I didn't come in as a first round draft pick either.

395
00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,399
Speaker 1: He was a fourth round pick. He ended up becoming

396
00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,720
Speaker 1: a pro bowler because he just had a grittiness and

397
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,159
Speaker 1: a toughness and this kind of mean thing to him

398
00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,920
Speaker 1: that allowed him to succeed. Now, John Jr. Isn't that guy,

399
00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,280
Speaker 1: but I think you've seen the grittiness in his play

400
00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,119
Speaker 1: and his willingness to work for it. Vernon Scott, I mean,

401
00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:48,879
Speaker 1: all these guys. I think there's been a lot of

402
00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,760
Speaker 1: big days for these guys early on here and to

403
00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,080
Speaker 1: their credit. As Kirk Olvidadi said when he was talking

404
00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:56,840
Speaker 1: about Martin, the fact that he was able to take

405
00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,359
Speaker 1: it from the computer screen to the field, that's a

406
00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,800
Speaker 1: challenge that not a lot of guys have had. I mean,

407
00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,520
Speaker 1: it's just did not have any of that offseason program

408
00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,199
Speaker 1: to not be able to really, you know, communicate with

409
00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,720
Speaker 1: your teammates at a position that demands communication. It's not easy. Yeah,

410
00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,439
Speaker 1: all these rookies have certainly had their good moments, and

411
00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,480
Speaker 1: they're bad moments, as any rookies do. But I will

412
00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,119
Speaker 1: say something about John Runyon's toughness, because you were talking

413
00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,919
Speaker 1: about that live tackling period at the end of the

414
00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,119
Speaker 1: weekend practice. He actually limped off the field and was

415
00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,240
Speaker 1: kind of being looked at by a trainer, took himself

416
00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:29,199
Speaker 1: out of that drill while he was right back in

417
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,800
Speaker 1: practice on Monday ready to go again. So so certainly

418
00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:36,040
Speaker 1: something to be said for that. But as our good

419
00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,399
Speaker 1: friend Larry mccaren likes to say, west anything else for

420
00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,280
Speaker 1: the good of the whole, I don't think so, Mike.

421
00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:41,960
Speaker 1: We have a big week ahead of us here. The

422
00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,040
Speaker 1: packer is gonna they're gonna hit the practice field I

423
00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,399
Speaker 1: think four or five more times some practices inside Lambeau Field.

424
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,040
Speaker 1: It's been an absolute marathon for a guy like me

425
00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,480
Speaker 1: who is not an athlete uh and is not being

426
00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,120
Speaker 1: asked to do things mentally that strenuous on a daily basis.

427
00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,280
Speaker 1: So I wrote about it going into the weekend. I

428
00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:00,800
Speaker 1: think it was unsad heard. I mean, this was the

429
00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,560
Speaker 1: biggest grind of camp right now, and it's gonna in

430
00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,760
Speaker 1: some ways separate the wolves from the sheep. I mean,

431
00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,720
Speaker 1: it's it's a very difficult time to be able to

432
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,080
Speaker 1: push through this, and we'll see who comes out on

433
00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,480
Speaker 1: the other side. And at the time, we are taping

434
00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,040
Speaker 1: this on Tuesday and then again on Sunday too with

435
00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,200
Speaker 1: the players have a day off on Wednesday, but two

436
00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,720
Speaker 1: of the packers next five practices will be inside lambeau Field.

437
00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,000
Speaker 1: I think those will have some some good atmosphere to them,

438
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,119
Speaker 1: and will certainly talk about them here on Unscripted as

439
00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,200
Speaker 1: training camp and continues. But for now we will sign

440
00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,920
Speaker 1: off and be sure to follow all of our coverage

441
00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,480
Speaker 1: of training camp on Packers dot com, stories, videos, everything else.

442
00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,040
Speaker 1: For West, I am Mike, thank you for tuning in everybody.

443
00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:43,160
Speaker 1: We will see a nice time