WEBVTT - #274 Packers Unscripted: Roster breakdown 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:20.919 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:24.240 I am Mike Spofford sitting next to Wes hod Koits, 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:26.840 and we're coming to you here from our studios at 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:29.400 lambeau Field and West as you and I get ready 0:00:29.480 --> 0:00:32.280 to head off to Indianapolis for the Combine, which is 0:00:32.320 --> 0:00:34.920 where we're going to be shooting a handful of shows 0:00:34.920 --> 0:00:37.120 from there. So this is our our last show here 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:39.280 in the studio for a while. We'll be doing a 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:43.080 little on location work coming up from the Scouting Combine. 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:45.760 But in preparation for that, you had a couple of 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.279 stories on packers dot com over the last week just 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.839 looking at the Packers roster and where it sits on 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:55.120 offense and defense heading into the scouting Combine, in terms 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:58.480 of who's under contract, who's not under contract, and just 0:00:58.640 --> 0:01:02.560 where things stand. Starting on the offensive side of the ball, 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:07.039 Um Jarry Evans, Jeff Janis, Richard Rogers, and if you 0:01:07.080 --> 0:01:09.720 count long snapper Brett Good on the offensive side, we'll 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:11.880 do that just for the time being. Those are the 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:16.399 four unrestricted free agents pending unrestricted free agents. I should 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:18.759 say that they will be free agents on March four. 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:22.959 If the Packers do not resign them. It's not actually 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:25.120 a whole lot to deal with because, as we talked about, 0:01:25.200 --> 0:01:27.880 Corey Lindsley and Davante Adams were already taking care of 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:30.480 at the end of December. So with regards to where 0:01:30.480 --> 0:01:33.480 the Packers sit on offense right now, what are your thoughts? Yeah, 0:01:33.560 --> 0:01:37.920 they're sitting pretty honestly. They with getting Davante Adams done. 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:40.600 And you saw this past week, Mike, we talked about it. 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:43.000 You know, Jarvis Landry getting an extent or getting his 0:01:43.120 --> 0:01:46.120 franchise tag on the first day that the Dolphins could 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:49.680 take him. Shows you the predicament that teams are in 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:52.320 and trying to lack, you know, kind of lock up 0:01:52.400 --> 0:01:56.520 there really talented young receivers. Davante Adams turned twenty five 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:59.320 years old on Christmas Eve. This is a guy heading 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:02.080 into his peak years and I think has shown a 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:06.440 continual maturation improvement throughout his time in Green Bay. This 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:09.799 was a must for the Packers personnel department, and as 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:12.400 it turned out, within days forty eight hours of that 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:15.640 regular season finale against the Detroit Lions, Ted Thompson and 0:02:15.639 --> 0:02:18.280 what ended up being, you know, his final moves really 0:02:18.919 --> 0:02:22.040 as Packers general manager, getting Corey Linsley taking care of 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:25.000 the Packers center, the first time a Packers center has 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:27.840 received a second contract since two thousand and six, and 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:32.519 Mike Wells, and then also yeah, Scott Wells. Mike Wells, 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:35.800 that's you gotta love it all right, but no, but 0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:39.160 you had Scott Wells get that extension. And Aaron Rodgers 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:41.280 has talked for so long how important it is for 0:02:41.360 --> 0:02:43.480 him to get on a run with the center. Lindsley 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:46.079 was able to stay healthy, played every offensive snap this year. 0:02:46.280 --> 0:02:48.400 And then now you also have probably one of the 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:52.240 most talented perimeter weapons in the NFL now with Davante Adams. 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:55.560 Those two extensions, getting those done in addition to the 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:57.400 benefit of being able to pro rate some of that 0:02:57.440 --> 0:03:00.280 signing bonus into the two thousand seventeen seasons so isn't 0:03:00.280 --> 0:03:03.320 as big of a cap hit going forward, is important, 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:05.320 but it also sets the table now for what the 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:07.760 Packers want to do with their draft picks, as we've 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:10.919 talked about on yesterday's show, also with the upcoming free 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:13.200 agents that they have in other positions they have that 0:03:13.280 --> 0:03:15.320 take care of now with Adams and Lindsley, and I 0:03:15.320 --> 0:03:17.160 think that's going to really be a big benefit to 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:18.920 them as they start to get into the heat of 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:21.119 the off season. Yeah, and hard to know exactly how 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:24.600 this is going to shake out with these pending unrestricted 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:28.200 free agents on the offensive side. Jarry Evans obviously, UM 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:30.800 a long time a guy. I think he's gonna end 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:33.640 up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. UM veteran 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:37.760 guy suggested that maybe he's not quite done playing yet. Um. 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:39.400 You know, the Packers are going to look at where 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:41.560 they are on the offensive line with with some of 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:43.720 their young players. Do they feel like they have somebody 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:45.760 to fill in there or do they want to bring 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:48.520 Evans back. I think a really interesting case here is 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:53.119 is with Jeff Janis, because he's a backup receiver who 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:56.320 knows the offense. Hasn't played a ton of snaps on 0:03:56.400 --> 0:03:59.760 offense over the last couple of years, but it's invaluable 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:02.720 on special teams. It's not an accident that the Packers 0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:07.360 have set franchise net punting records over the last couple 0:04:07.400 --> 0:04:10.120 of years with different punters. It's because a lot of 0:04:10.120 --> 0:04:12.480 it is because of Jeff Janis as a gunner, forcing 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:16.479 fair catches, tackling punt returners who are who declined the 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:19.000 fair catch, and then Janis is right there to bring 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:21.320 him down possibly for a loss on a punt return. 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:24.039 He's got a lot of value there. But but then 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:26.880 you know, you wonder will somebody else place more value 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:29.440 on that, potentially offer more money. Do the Packers want 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:32.280 to bring him back as as a potential backup receiver 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:34.680 if something goes down with the other front line guys. 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:36.559 There's a lot of things to consider what a player 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:39.400 like that Jeff Janis's situation. I'm sure you remember this 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:41.520 as well. Mike reminds me a lot of when Jared 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:43.920 Bush was heading into unrestricted free agency. I think that 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.720 was going into the two thousand twelve season, where he 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:50.160 had proven himself on special teams. It was a very valuable, 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:53.880 versatile player in that third phase, but always what kind 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:56.080 of was on the cusp of being a difference maker 0:04:56.120 --> 0:04:59.560 on defense, being a contributor on defense. They ultimately ended 0:04:59.640 --> 0:05:01.280 up reaching an extension with him and he had three 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:03.960 more seasons with the Packers. Janice, I think is a 0:05:04.040 --> 0:05:06.320 very similar situation because this is a guy that is 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:09.359 a top level, elite gunner. When you're thinking about it, 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:11.960 Mike six ft three hundred and twenty seven pounds and 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:14.640 runs in the four fours that is difficult for for 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:16.800 jammers to stop. And also being able to get down 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:20.560 that quickly allows him that other option if he does 0:05:20.600 --> 0:05:22.719 get jammed, it allows him to have that makeup speed 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:25.359 to potentially get down there and put pressure on the 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:27.440 punt returner. The other thing to keep in mind too, 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:30.520 the Packers have had a carousel of different players at 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:33.400 that other at that other position. You've had Dmitri Goodson, 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:37.080 You've had Quentin Rollins, you've had Josh Jones. Injuries really 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:40.800 made ron Zook alter who that other gunner was for them, 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:42.880 But they still had Jeff Janice to turn back to. 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:45.600 Very valuable there. In one other note to just to 0:05:45.640 --> 0:05:48.800 mention with Jarry Evans hundred nine hundred and twelve snaps 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:50.359 he played for the Packers this year, more than I 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:53.000 think anyone really expected out of a thirty four going 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.720 into thirty five year old offensive lineman. The big thing 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:57.240 I think for him is going to be determining whether 0:05:57.320 --> 0:05:59.080 or not he wants to play next season. When you've 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:01.520 played for that long, termining you know if it when 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.320 the right time is to ride into the sunset. But 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:06.280 I mean, you talk to any of those offensive line 0:06:06.320 --> 0:06:08.360 in the room and they will tell you how important 0:06:08.400 --> 0:06:10.760 he was, especially bridging that gap from teaching laying at 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:12.599 the right guard position. Yeah, and just to touch on 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:16.760 Richard Rogers quickly, you're talking about a reliable, still young 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:19.599 player tight end. He's done everything the Packers have asked 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:23.279 him to do. He's not a dynamic field stretcher. He's 0:06:23.279 --> 0:06:26.680 not a Jermichael Finley by any means. But also, the 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:28.800 Packers are in a situation where if you don't bring 0:06:28.880 --> 0:06:31.880 Richard Rogers back, the cupboard is getting a little bit 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:34.200 bear at tight end. And you know, I know the 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:36.839 Packers want to do some things at the tight end position, 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:39.360 but then you end up having to potentially do even 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:41.880 more if you can't reach an agreement with Rogers to 0:06:41.920 --> 0:06:43.640 bring him back. Yeah, And in my mind I wrote 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:45.480 this an insider in box. I think there're two options 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:47.400 for the Packers. I think you probably need a draft 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:49.800 a tight end this year. But regardless and independent of that, 0:06:49.839 --> 0:06:51.680 I think either need to resign Richard Rogers or you 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:53.600 need to find another veteran to help out along with 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:56.359 with with Lance Kendricks. Yeah, alright, with that, we'll toss 0:06:56.400 --> 0:06:58.760 to a break back with more on Packers Unscripted right 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:22.040 after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford. Right here, West, Hodko, 0:07:22.160 --> 0:07:25.280 It's all the way over there, West. Okay. Let's take 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.200 a look at the defensive side of the ball now, 0:07:27.240 --> 0:07:30.480 in terms of the players under contract and those not 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:34.640 under contract, you're pending free agents on the defensive side 0:07:34.640 --> 0:07:38.280 of the ball, safety Morgan Burnett, outside linebacker a mod Brooks, 0:07:38.280 --> 0:07:43.360 cornerbacks Dmitri Goodson and Devon House, and also defensive lineman 0:07:43.400 --> 0:07:47.400 Quentin dial Um. Interesting thing with House, obviously he was 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:49.600 a free agent last year, just signed a one year 0:07:49.640 --> 0:07:52.960 deal similar to the jar R Evans situation. I guess there, 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:56.760 so he's he's immediately appending free agent again. Dmitri Goodson 0:07:56.840 --> 0:07:59.480 an interesting case, a guy who you know has been 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:03.040 working his way back from that that horrible knee injury 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:06.800 from and then the one who's you know, on the 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.920 tip of everyone's tongue in terms of certainly the fans 0:08:09.960 --> 0:08:12.360 we hear from an insider in box, everybody wondering what's 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:14.920 going to happen with Morgan Burnett, A guy who's been 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:17.720 here since being drafted in the third round in two 0:08:17.760 --> 0:08:22.840 thousand and ten and now looking at getting a third contract. 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:25.119 I don't know how this one's gonna work out, West, 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:29.040 but but Morgan Burnett has certainly proven his value and 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:32.120 we'll see what happens. Yeah, and equivocally the Packer's biggest 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.240 pending free agent that they're gonna have to make a 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:36.760 decision on. And and certainly when you look at the 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:38.839 value that the NFL has continued to put on the 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:42.480 safety position. Uh, to use an old phrase, the price 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:45.040 of pokers going up. I mean, it's just it's the 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:47.360 way things are now because you can use safeties, as 0:08:47.360 --> 0:08:49.840 Morgan Burnett has proven the last two seasons, and I'm 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.000 sure as his agent will be selling when they head 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:55.240 into free agency. He can play anywhere. He played boundary cornerback, 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:57.839 he actually played slot star quarterback for pretty much the 0:08:57.920 --> 0:09:00.880 last month and a half of the two thousand seventeen season. 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:04.040 His strong suit at strong safety and then also that 0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:07.280 hybrid linebacker role. The Packers gave themselves some options a 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:10.200 year ago when they did draft Josh Jones in the 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:13.920 second round. But you have I both know so much 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:17.360 of what it takes to be efficient and accountable and 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:20.800 effective on defense is knowledge of the scheme, in knowledge 0:09:20.840 --> 0:09:23.520 of you know what you're being asked to do. Morgan 0:09:23.559 --> 0:09:25.800 Burnett was the epitome of that at two time playoff 0:09:25.840 --> 0:09:28.160 captain during this time and Don Caper's defense. Now that 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:31.480 Mike Petton comes in, the question and everybody wants to know, 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:33.520 is whether or not he would have a place in 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:35.760 this defense. I think the hybrid linebacker role is there 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:38.040 to stay. It's just a question of whether or not 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:39.960 that it's still gonna be Morgan Burnett feeling it going 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:42.600 into two thousand eighteen. Yeah, I really think this depends 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:46.280 on how Mike Petton feels he would potentially be able 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:49.760 to use Morgan Burnett, how he feels about his his 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:51.920 skill set and where he where he's at in his 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:54.440 career and and uh and what he can do with 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:56.440 him scheme wise, And we just don't know the answer 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:59.480 to that question. I think as we head to the 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:02.640 combine Indianapolis, we're going to hear from general manager Brian 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:05.760 Goodkunstan head coach Mike McCarthy. They'll both speak to the media. 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:07.560 I think this is a question both of them are 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:09.640 going to get. What's going on with Morgan Burnett. What 0:10:09.640 --> 0:10:11.880 are the thoughts there, You're gonna try to bring him back? 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:14.280 Is he going to test the waters in free agency 0:10:14.559 --> 0:10:16.400 and see what else is out there? We've seen some 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:19.400 media reports that you know, Burnett has kind of, you know, 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:21.319 seems to have come to peace with a little bit 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:24.400 in terms of, hey, you know, whatever's gonna happen, is 0:10:24.400 --> 0:10:27.000 is going to happen. He'll he'll let it play out. 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:28.560 And I think he's just gonna let his agent do 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:30.480 the work for him and do what's best for him 0:10:30.520 --> 0:10:32.080 and his family. Yeah. I had a chance to talk 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:33.680 with Morgan at the end of the season during the 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:36.200 final locker room, and I remember asking him about just 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.560 what this process has been like, because you have to recall, 0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:41.280 this is the first time he's hinting entering into free agency. 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:43.839 The last time the Packer signed an extension with him 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:46.640 in July of thirteen, going into his final season, so 0:10:46.679 --> 0:10:49.360 they were able to lock him up, and you know, 0:10:49.520 --> 0:10:52.319 he never really even got close to testing the waters. Well, 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:53.760 this is the first time he's going to do that. 0:10:54.120 --> 0:10:55.960 The Packers. You go back and look at it. The 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:59.760 third contracts, depending on you know, the player, it's you know, 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:02.040 it's probably about fifty fifty whether or not a guy 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:05.240 you know is here or not. So, um, it is 0:11:05.280 --> 0:11:07.559 going to be really interesting, interesting to find because I'm 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:09.439 sure the Packers would love I'm sure Joe widd I'm 0:11:09.440 --> 0:11:11.679 sure that defense would love to have Morgan Burnett back. 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:14.679 It just becomes a question of what the cap number 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:16.360 is going to be, what the contract is going to 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:19.120 be in whether or not it's palatable to to keep 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:22.199 him under there. To me, I think probably the biggest 0:11:22.200 --> 0:11:24.160 no brainer I don't even know if that's the right word, 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.400 but the one that seems academic to me is potentially 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:29.320 being able to bring back Quentin Dial because of those reasons. 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:31.000 He was effective, He did what he was asked to 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:34.160 do as a run defender, and the price isn't extravagant. 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:37.240 So but whether or not who's going to be back, 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:39.440 who won't be those are all decisions way above my 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:41.520 pay grade, and that would be what Brian Goodkins will 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:43.840 have to figure out in his first off season as GM. Yeah, 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:46.080 and one other guy on defense worth mentioning as well, 0:11:46.120 --> 0:11:49.400 inside linebacker Joe Thomas, is a restricted free agent, so 0:11:49.440 --> 0:11:52.240 the Packers have to decide here coming up on the 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.360 start of free agency, whether or not to tender him 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:57.920 a certain contract offer. You can explain this better than 0:11:57.960 --> 0:11:59.679 I can. As far as the decision that needs to 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:02.040 be made. It's actually a tough decision. Uh. And it's 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:04.520 been tough because the way that these contracts are work 0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:08.000 now in the post CBA environment is basically the only 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:11.160 players that reached restricted free agency now are undrafted free agents, 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:13.720 guys that had three year contracts, because every other contract 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:16.840 now is four years for players that were drafted if 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:19.720 they're on their original contracts. So Joe Thomas, a former 0:12:19.840 --> 0:12:22.480 UFA in two thousand fourteen, UM, I don't know the 0:12:22.480 --> 0:12:25.560 exact number on the first right of refusal tender. You 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:27.600 have three tenders. You can use a first round tender 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:29.199 so that if it signs elsewhere, you get a first 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:31.720 round pick. A second round tender signed somewhere else you 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:33.920 get a second round pick, or the original round which 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.880 is now turned into the first right of refusal. Because 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.280 these guys weren't drafted, you don't get anything. I remember 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:43.160 my favorite story, this is Jamari Lattimore. UM, and this 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:45.240 is a two thousand fourteen I believe I was talking 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:47.680 to his agent leading up to this. They were fully 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:49.800 convinced he wasn't gonna get tag. They're getting ready for 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:52.040 him to go into free agency, and then lo and behold, 0:12:52.080 --> 0:12:55.079 he did get tag. He ended up getting the tender. So, um, 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.000 this is sometimes a decision that goes right up to 0:12:57.000 --> 0:12:58.800 the wire. But the way that works then is if 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:01.920 you give them the restricted under, you basically pay them 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.040 whatever that ends up being two million. However that works 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:06.200 out this year, and then that's the contract they play 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:08.719 on for one more season before it becoming an unrestricted. Yeah, 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:11.520 then they become an unrestricted free agent after playing after 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:13.800 playing that one more year. So with that, we're going 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:15.400 to toss it to a break back with more on 0:13:15.480 --> 0:13:37.760 Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. 0:13:37.800 --> 0:13:40.240 Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes Hodko wits in that 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:42.880 one and West as we look at the big picture 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:46.360 here with the Packers roster. The question we continue to 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:48.960 get on our insider inbox column and one that you 0:13:49.040 --> 0:13:51.080 and I are both waiting to see how it plays out, 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:54.520 is what is going to happen with Aaron Rodgers and 0:13:54.600 --> 0:13:57.760 a potential contract extension. Because we've talked about this before 0:13:58.360 --> 0:14:01.400 the last time the Packers extend did Aaron Rodgers contract, 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:04.360 it was when he had two years left on his deal. 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:07.960 So this is the time. So reading the tea leaves 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:11.720 and the timeline, this would be the time to you know, 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:14.560 not let him get too close to that final year 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:16.800 of a contract where then a player starts to think, well, 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:19.120 maybe I should play it out and see what's out there. 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:22.080 Your franchise quarterback. If you don't want him to go anywhere, 0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:24.480 you take care of him when when there's enough time 0:14:24.880 --> 0:14:27.200 left on his deal, so you you make it worth 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:30.000 his while to to sort of shut down that possibility 0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:33.040 of of of looking at what's out there on the market, 0:14:33.440 --> 0:14:35.720 and a boy with what's going on in the quarterback world, 0:14:35.840 --> 0:14:39.240 Jimmy Garoppolo's new contract, what could happen with Kirk Cousins 0:14:39.280 --> 0:14:41.920 and his contract as the as the top guy out 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:44.800 there in free agency? Um, this could get really interesting 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:47.000 here for Green Bay. I think it's inevitable that this 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:48.440 is the way the league is going to go because 0:14:48.440 --> 0:14:50.600 it is a quarterback driven league. Might we say it 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:52.320 time and time again, And I think you're starting to 0:14:52.320 --> 0:14:54.840 see that re reflected with how much this salary cap 0:14:54.840 --> 0:14:57.080 has jumped. I was talking to you about this before 0:14:57.120 --> 0:14:59.680 the show, the fact that I believe the projected estimated 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:01.400 salary cap for two thousand eighteen is going to be 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:03.920 a hundred and seventy eight million. My first year when 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:05.640 I came on the beat in two thousand twelve, it 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:07.880 was a hundred and twenty million, and it's basically jumped 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:10.720 anywhere from ten to fifteen million per season since then, 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:12.960 which is a good thing more money for the players, 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:16.120 but it also I think puts an even more emphasis 0:15:16.160 --> 0:15:18.160 on the quarterback position. I think we're entering a league 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:19.600 where it's not going to be uncommon to see a 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:22.800 quarterback making over thirty million dollars per season. But there 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:24.840 also is a difference there is you just alluded to 0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:26.840 in terms of guys that you have that you can 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:29.920 control and guys that are entering an unrestricted free agency 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:33.040 Blake Bortles, as we said yesterday, the reason why the 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:36.680 Jaguars were able to be a little bit more flexible 0:15:36.760 --> 0:15:38.600 with that contract is the fact that they did pick 0:15:38.680 --> 0:15:40.400 up his fift year option, and they were able to 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.120 leverage that in terms of spreading out that signing bonus. 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:46.120 Whoever signs Kirk Cousins will not have that benefit. The 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:49.000 forty Niners did not have that benefit with Jimmy Garoppolo, 0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:51.360 but they had also been one of the league's biggest 0:15:52.000 --> 0:15:55.120 in terms of cap space, one of the least spenders 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:57.000 after that fire sale, they've had the last couple of years, 0:15:57.040 --> 0:15:59.560 so they had the room to absorb it. The team 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:01.960 that does with Kirk Cousins gonna be very interesting, though. 0:16:02.000 --> 0:16:04.760 From the Packers perspective, have been really smart with how 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:07.280 they've handled their cap. You've never really had to see 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:10.760 them cut anybody just for cap casualty purposes. And now 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.320 I'm sure once the day comes, whether that's this offseason, 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:16.800 whenever that comes, you know, ultimately they're going to get 0:16:16.840 --> 0:16:18.680 this thing done. It's just a matter of when. Yeah, 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:20.800 And you see these stories that that are out there, 0:16:20.800 --> 0:16:23.560 and again, you know, you don't know what exactly is 0:16:23.600 --> 0:16:25.640 the truth or not. But I saw a story last 0:16:25.640 --> 0:16:28.840 week I believe it was the Jets, somebody reporting that 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:31.120 somebody from the Jets saying they will pay whatever it 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:33.960 takes to sign Kirk Cousins because that's that's the guy 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:36.880 they want as their new quarterback. Now, whether that's true 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:40.320 or not, I set that aside. But with what's going 0:16:40.360 --> 0:16:43.080 on with Kirk Cousins. I mean, if you're Aaron Rodgers 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:45.800 and you know the Packers are gonna look at extending 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:48.320 you here with two years left on your deal with 0:16:48.400 --> 0:16:51.640 Kirk Cousins out there in free agency, Hey, from Roger's 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:53.880 point of view, there's there's no rush. I have to 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:56.840 believe that he's going to see what type of contract 0:16:56.920 --> 0:17:00.920 Kirk Cousins gets before he agrees to to an extension, 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:04.240 because you know the Garoppolo deal is out there. Um. 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:07.760 But then other quarterbacks you know, are probably going to 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:10.119 be a year or two down the road before before 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:12.719 their deals get redone. I mean Matthew Stafford not that 0:17:12.800 --> 0:17:15.399 long ago, had his deal redone. So those are the 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:19.280 ones that Aaron Rodgers and his agent can can base 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:22.439 things off of because they know that well, basically he 0:17:22.520 --> 0:17:25.359 ranks higher than anybody else who's gotten a deal to 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.440 this point. So for Aaron Rodgers too, I know Packer 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:31.040 fans getting a little worried or impatient or whatever the 0:17:31.040 --> 0:17:33.600 case might be, but he's not going to sign anything 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:36.240 until Kirk Cousins gets his deal. Yeah, And I remember 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:37.639 this too in two thousand and thirteen, It is a 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:40.320 very similar sentiment with that contract coming up and how 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:42.440 much he was playing below league average at that point, 0:17:42.440 --> 0:17:43.960 the Packers took care of him. He was the highest 0:17:44.000 --> 0:17:46.640 paid quarterback at that time. We'll see all the shuffles 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:48.960 out again. On top of Cousins. The other two things 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:50.560 A really factor and I think I'll be interesting to 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:53.119 watch this offseason is what happens with Drew Brees. What 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:55.240 is the contract that the New Orleans Saints give him? 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:57.560 And then also, I don't know if you saw that, Mike, 0:17:57.560 --> 0:18:00.199 but agent McCarron's an unrestricted free agent now he won 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:03.920 that appeal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Whoever, if I made 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:06.040 you McCarron, I'm waiting to see what that contract is 0:18:06.080 --> 0:18:08.959 for Kirk Cousins, which teams lose out on them and 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:10.879 you know, potentially get paid there too, because he's going 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:12.600 to be an attractive one as well. Yeah, the heat 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:15.399 that maybe how he finds his landing spot eventually. But 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:17.760 with that, we'll toss to a breakback with more on 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:40.959 Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. 0:18:40.960 --> 0:18:44.879 Mike Spofford alongside Wes Hodkowits and West just to remind 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:46.800 folks again, as I said at the top of the show, 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:49.520 we are off to Indianapolis after this show. We're going 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:52.119 to be at the NFL Scouting Combine for a handful 0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:54.480 of days. We'll have a ton of coverage from there. 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:57.680 We'll have unscripted shows, We'll have stories on packers dot com, 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:00.240 we'll have videos. Larry McCarron will be with us. We'll 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:03.640 see um what sorts of work we can do with him. 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:07.600 I will be hearing from Mike McCarthy, Brian Goudakuns, all 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:11.280 these hundreds of prospects. I don't know what what your 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:13.880 thoughts are, IM. I'm curious to just maybe hear from 0:19:13.920 --> 0:19:16.800 some of these some of these players that have been 0:19:16.800 --> 0:19:19.119 tied to the Packers and all these mock drafts that 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:21.560 have been coming out. You know, your Marcus Davenport, your 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:24.840 Josh Jackson, some of these defensive players that the mock 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:27.480 drafters are predicting will be there for the Packers, that 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:29.840