WEBVTT - #416 Packers Unscripted: Back from the break 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:20.480 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted, or should I say 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:23.599 welcome back to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. I 0:00:23.640 --> 0:00:27.520 am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only wes Hodkuits. 0:00:27.560 --> 0:00:30.639 We're coming to hear from our studios at lambeau Field West. 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:33.559 We are back. We will officially call this the kickoff 0:00:33.880 --> 0:00:37.199 of season four of Packers Unscripted. Can you believe that, 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:40.479 like all great shows, Michael back for a fourth season, 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:44.480 renewed by Craig Shieldbau or the man above and hitting 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:46.440 it back in this action and the Packers dot Com 0:00:46.440 --> 0:00:50.800 in this studio incredible? How time fast, the time flies. 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:53.400 Happy to be back, no doubt about it. And we 0:00:53.440 --> 0:00:56.160 are back because right around the corner we are just 0:00:56.200 --> 0:00:58.680 a matter of hours away. I guess we could say 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:03.560 from the opening training camp practice of for the Green 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:06.880 Bay Packers for Matt Lafleur in his first year as 0:01:06.920 --> 0:01:09.000 Green Bay's head coach, as well as a handful of 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:11.959 other coaches who are on his staff and in Green 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:15.160 Bay for the first time. We'll call this our training 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:18.200 camp preview episode. We'll try to cover all the bases 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:20.360 here For those who like to read, I just want 0:01:20.360 --> 0:01:24.160 to refer you to our Countdown to Camp series on 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:28.000 Packers dot Com because West and I put together position 0:01:28.080 --> 0:01:30.360 by position, we go through every spot on the roster, 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:35.039 laying out who all is there, the battles for starting positions, 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:38.679 for playing time for roster spots, all of that. You 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:41.800 can catch the whole series on Packers dot Com as 0:01:41.840 --> 0:01:45.520 it wraps up this week. But offensive side of the ball, West, 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:48.080 I'm just gonna throw it at you, what do you 0:01:48.240 --> 0:01:52.240 see in that phase of the game on the offensive 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:55.200 side for the Packers As the number one issue heading 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:57.480 into training camp. I think the number one issue is 0:01:57.600 --> 0:02:01.720 really finding more established playmakers. You know, you have Davante Adams, 0:02:01.760 --> 0:02:04.880 You've seen in spurts, what Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:07.360 can both do. Certainly the track records there with you, 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:10.400 Mey Graham. But when you lose a playmaker like Randall 0:02:10.400 --> 0:02:13.760 Cobb a year after using a playmaker like Jordy Nelson, 0:02:14.080 --> 0:02:16.760 Packers need new talent to emerge. The exciting thing for 0:02:16.800 --> 0:02:18.160 them is I think there's a lot of really good 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:21.240 candidates at the receiver position. We saw some hints of 0:02:21.240 --> 0:02:24.480 it last year. Mark Quez Valdes, Scantling Geronoo Allison is 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:27.240 healthy again after the core muscle injury. But it's one 0:02:27.280 --> 0:02:29.040 thing to have that potential, it's another thing to turn 0:02:29.080 --> 0:02:30.880 it into production. And I think as they go into 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:34.680 this year's training camp, this year's preseason, seeing which one 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:37.280 of those guys kind of grabs the brass ring and 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:40.680 establishes themselves in this offense. The quarterbacks there, the scheme 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:42.880 is there with Matt Laflour, They just need that young 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:45.560 talent to emerge. They feel good about it, but again, 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:47.800 it has to be accomplished on the field. Yeah, I 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:50.440 think when you look at the skill positions on offense, 0:02:50.520 --> 0:02:53.240 that's really where the attention is. And I don't mean 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:55.520 to discount what's going on in the offensive line when 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.840 you have Billy Turner stepping in as a new starter, 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:01.359 Lane Taylor coming back being healthy in an off season 0:03:01.480 --> 0:03:03.680 for the first time in a couple of years, and 0:03:03.760 --> 0:03:06.360 an All Pro at left tackle, and David bakt In 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:09.600 a future Pro bowler. I think in Corey Lindsley, Brian Bulaga, 0:03:09.720 --> 0:03:12.080 all those guys. But when I look at the skill 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:16.720 positions West you mentioned Jimmy Graham. He made no bones 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:18.919 about the fact that he his first season in Green 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:20.720 Bay did not go the way he wanted. You look 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:24.000 at running back, I think Aaron Jones is a potential 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:27.000 star in the making in this league and in this offense. 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:29.639 Jamal Williams is a proven guy after a couple of years. 0:03:29.639 --> 0:03:32.079 And then where does Dexter Williams fit into the mix 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:34.400 as a sixth round pick out of Notre Dame with 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:37.080 a lot of potential. And then at wide receiver, it's 0:03:37.120 --> 0:03:40.520 Davante Adams and right now a whole bunch of other 0:03:40.560 --> 0:03:46.360 guys right mvs. Geroni, Moyallison, e q st Brown, Jamond Moore, Jakumero, 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:49.920 Trevor Davis coming back after a year sort of lost 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:52.880 to injury. You might say, there's a lot to pay 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:56.720 attention to here. You got any I guess early inclinations 0:03:56.760 --> 0:03:59.080 at wide receiver as to maybe how you see this 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:01.800 shaking out the guys that really impressed me in this 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:04.760 offseason program or obviously gern wo Allison and Marquis about 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:07.760 this scantling Allison just because of the shape he returns 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:10.680 in um he he looked like he was built for 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:12.880 a big role this year. You can tell he put 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:15.640 the time in. He got back from that core muscle injury, 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:17.760 and it looked like a guy that could potentially play 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:20.920 in the slot. He's certainly proven himself outside. I think 0:04:20.960 --> 0:04:24.320 he brings that multifaceted sort of skill set that Matt 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:27.680 Lafour once out of the receivers from MVSS perspective, this 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:30.240 is a guy that averaged what over fifteen yards per 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:32.960 catch last season. He had thirty eight catches for six 0:04:33.400 --> 0:04:35.640 yards or whatever it was. I mean, he's a big 0:04:35.680 --> 0:04:39.080 play target and I think he has a field stretching 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:41.799 scheme that's really going to help him in that regard. 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:44.680 The guy that flew under the radar though, was Trevor Davis. 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:47.400 I thought Trevor Davis had a really strong offseason program 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:50.000 during the practices that were open to the media. We 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.000 all know what he can do as a returner. He 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:54.520 established himself in two thousand seventeen is one of the 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.039 top returners in the league. But he also was making 0:04:57.080 --> 0:04:59.400 some plays on the offensive side of the ball. People 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:01.880 sometimes forget when you think of Gjeroni Wilson going in 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:04.520 his fourth year, so is Trevor Davis. I mean, this 0:05:04.600 --> 0:05:06.719 isn't a guy that just showed up out of nowhere. 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:08.240 I mean he was a fifth round pick and now 0:05:08.279 --> 0:05:11.000 in his fourth NFL season. He has experience, he has speed, 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:14.640 needs to put it together. Now. Yeah, the tight end position, 0:05:14.680 --> 0:05:17.039 I think is is one to watch as well. With 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:20.200 regard to you have Jimmy Graham, you have another veteran 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:23.400 in Marcedes Lewis, but the Packers made an investment in 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:26.400 the draft in j Sternberger at at tight end. We've 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.000 gotten a lot of questions and Insider Inbox about him. 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:32.720 You and I both have talked about the the timeline 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:35.599 the development of tight ends in this league. It's not overnight. 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:38.800 The transition from being a college tight end to an 0:05:38.880 --> 0:05:43.919 NFL one is significant. And I pointed this out in 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:49.359 our Insider Inbox column earlier this week in that you 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:51.680 look at Jamichael Finley in two thousand and eight, he 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:53.839 was a third round draft pick, a young guy without 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:56.120 a lot of college experience because he had red shirted, 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:59.280 played two years at Texas declared for the draft. Sternberger 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:01.839 was a junior college guy one year in the SEC 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:05.479 declares for the draft. I'm not saying Sternburger is going 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:08.080 to be the next jere Michael Finley, but you're Michael 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:11.679 Finley for as productive and dynamic of players. He became 0:06:12.120 --> 0:06:15.480 his first twenty two games in the NFL West, two 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:19.280 touchdowns and one game with more than fifty six yards receiving. 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:22.120 It doesn't happen overnight at the position. But a guy 0:06:22.200 --> 0:06:26.159 like Ja Sternberger, He's got Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:28.120 in front of him. He couldn't ask to be in 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:32.080 a better position room to get his NFL career start, 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:34.440 and he has Robert Twyan pushing him for playing time 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:37.600 to I like the competition that's brewing in that room. 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:41.040 From Sternberger's perspective, That's exactly what I've said since day one, 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:43.200 since the moment they draft him. I'm sure you could 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:45.919 roll back the film of our of our conversations, is 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:48.560 that it's going to be a patience thing with him 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:51.320 understanding what he did and how as impressive as it 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:53.280 was in one year of Texas and A and Texas 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:56.080 A and M it was one year, you have to 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:57.920 be able to build on that. You have to become 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:00.280 a complete and full tight end. That going to be 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:02.120 the learning process for him. The nice thing for the 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:05.480 Packers perspective, what I really liked about the approach that 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:08.799 Brian Goodkin's took here is he's given Jimmy Graham another shot. 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.720 They brought back Marcedes Lewis. And I really think Robert 0:07:11.720 --> 0:07:13.960 Tonyan's a find. I think he has a skill set, 0:07:14.360 --> 0:07:16.880 especially on special teams that lends himself to that number 0:07:16.960 --> 0:07:19.840 three tight end position that I think he can contribute. 0:07:20.240 --> 0:07:21.880 But the one thing I just want to point out, 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:24.320 and I don't disagree with Jimmy Graham. I know he 0:07:24.320 --> 0:07:26.760 feels like there was yards left out, their touchdowns left 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:29.560 out there. But we tend to romanticize Jared Cook's two 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:32.480 thousand and sixteen seasons so much. And I understand that 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:35.240 Jimmy Graham played in all sixteen regular season games, but 0:07:35.280 --> 0:07:37.520 Graham had twice as many yards as Cooked it he 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:39.880 had twice as many touchdowns even though it's only two. 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:42.600 Then Cook did I think there's this idea that Jimmy 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:44.240 Graham was going to come up and come in and 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:46.720 put up thirteen yards and twelve touchdowns like he did 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:49.720 in two thousand eleven. That isn't always how it works. 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:52.520 I mean, that is a fleeting a couple of times 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:54.760 a year type thing at the tight end position. The 0:07:54.800 --> 0:07:57.840 big thing for him is getting healthy, understanding how he 0:07:57.880 --> 0:08:01.160 fits in Matt Lafleur's offense, and b that go to 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:04.120 target that Aaron Rodgers feels he can become. There's a 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:06.840 reason why he's back, there's a reason why he's still here, 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:08.920 and there's a reason why the Packers feel that this 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:11.520 guy could be a different difference maker in this offense. Yeah. Well, 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:13.520 when it comes to the offensive line, I do want 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:16.800 to touch on this in that I think there's a 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.000 lot of competition for the backup spots. It looks like 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:22.240 the starting five based on what we saw in the 0:08:22.320 --> 0:08:26.120 offseason program during O t S and minicamp. Left right, 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:29.880 you're gonna have Box, tr Taylor, Lindsley, Turner, Bologa. That 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:32.800 seems to be the number one unit if everybody stays 0:08:32.800 --> 0:08:35.800 healthy and all of that. But the Packers have a 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.520 number of guys and I'm not even sure West if 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:40.680 there's going to be room for all of them on 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:43.480 the fifty three man roster. But the Packers have a 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:47.240 number of backup offensive linemen who have game experience, who 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:51.880 have fifty three man roster experience. I'm talking about Justin McCray, Lucas, Patrick, 0:08:51.960 --> 0:08:55.400 Alex Light, Jason Spriggs, all of these, all of these 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:58.000 guys who are going to be the reserves on the 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:01.560 offensive line. That competition and how it shakes out, and 0:09:01.600 --> 0:09:04.760 how many offensive linemen end up being kept in the 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:07.640 versatility maybe guys you know, being able to fill in 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:10.040 at some different positions. All that is going to factor 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:13.360 in to some interesting competition at that spot. It's the 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:16.520 deepest group of offensive lineman the Packers have had during 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:17.880 my time on the beat. I don't know if you 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:19.559 can speak to that as well as long as you've 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:22.559 been here. But the fact that you have a starting five, 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:24.920 as I wrote in the Countdown the Camp series, that 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:28.520 has three five starts in the NFL. Billy Turner can 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:30.280 play right tackle if you need him to. He's made 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:32.680 starts on the left side as well. And then you 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:35.320 look at those reserves, I think you got right now. 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:38.480 You have Lucas Patrick, Justin mccraie, and Cole Madison who 0:09:38.559 --> 0:09:40.760 returned to the team. They're all going to be competing 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:43.440 for those interior offensive line spots. I think you're gonna 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:46.040 see Adam Panky and and Nowlex Light trying to push 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:49.400 Jason Spriggs for the outside tackle position in that reserve 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:52.840 you know area, there is going to be a lot 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:54.960 of talent out there, and I think when you see 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:58.040 the second team third team offensive line during the preseason, 0:09:58.280 --> 0:10:00.360 it's gonna be as competitive a group as you seen 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.600 at least during you know, the last ten years. I 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:06.240 just I see so much talent. I see a lot 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.959 of young guys. And I'm not even talking about Elton Jenkins, 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.440 who was the second round pick, who by the way, 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:14.160 started two years at the center. Looks like he's gonna 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:16.440 be focusing more at the guard position right now, but 0:10:16.520 --> 0:10:19.600 he gives you that flexibility to if you're not a starter, 0:10:19.679 --> 0:10:21.320 you have to be able to do more than one thing. 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:22.840 And I think when you look at this array of 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.520 talent the Packers have at that reserve spot, there are 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:28.040 guys that can plug in different spots. The big question 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:29.480 is going to be it's when we can't answer for 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:32.120 five weeks, but how many spots do you ultimately go 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:34.840 with depending on how that roster looks at the end 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.240 of August. Yeah. Absolutely. And one last thing before we 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.480 move on to the defensive side of the ball, the 0:10:39.520 --> 0:10:42.760 backup quarterback Battle West. I don't know what you think. 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:46.160 I think it's wide open. Uh, Deshaun Kaiser, Tim Boyle, 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:49.200 Manny Wilkins, the undrafted rookie from Arizona State, would be 0:10:49.240 --> 0:10:52.320 the dark horse in the race obviously. But I've been 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:54.800 asked this an insider in box numerous times and I've 0:10:54.880 --> 0:10:57.360 kept giving the same answer. I don't know who it's 0:10:57.400 --> 0:10:59.880 going to be, and I don't even know. I'm not 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:03.160 even comfortable enough to say which guy. If there is 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:05.840 a guy who's a favorite right now heading into training camp, 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:07.720 I think it's wide open, and these guys are gonna 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:10.160 play a lot to Mike. I think even Manny Wilkins 0:11:10.240 --> 0:11:12.080 is going to get a lot of opportunities this preseason. 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:14.560 Because you know, this is a conversation for another day. 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:16.280 I don't know how much Aaron Rodgers is going to 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:19.200 play in this preseason. The third game, where traditionally has 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:21.360 been your big game for the offense, the first team 0:11:21.360 --> 0:11:23.400 offense is going to be played in Canada. How does 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:25.920 that affect things. I think you're gonna see Tim Boyle 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:28.800 get a lot of opportunities under center. Deshaun Kaiser, as 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:31.720 the presumptive number two, is going to get those opportunities 0:11:31.760 --> 0:11:34.120 as well. But each of those practices is going to 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:36.640 be important. It's gonna be important to show, as I 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:39.360 wrote an insider in box this past week, the Packers 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:41.480 that they made the right decision not going out and 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:45.240 finding a veteran quarterback to bring in a backup, somebody 0:11:45.240 --> 0:11:47.080 that that would be off the market, that probably would 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.640 cost a couple million dollars, that has a wrecked track 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:52.440 record in that regard. Brian Goodak instant go that way. 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.480 He stood by Kaiser, who they made a trade for 0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:57.400 last year, still only twenty three years old. All the 0:11:57.400 --> 0:11:59.600 potential in the world has an NFL build, has an 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:02.040 NFL arm just trying to hone in some of those 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:06.000 small characteristics, the accuracy and whatnot. And then Boyle, who 0:12:06.200 --> 0:12:08.320 I saw one article that said he's put on even 0:12:08.320 --> 0:12:10.920 more arm strength this offseason. I made a joke about 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:13.880 how he's gonna break the sound barrier with that. I 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.520 just think that the training camper ups are gonna be important. 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:18.880 But these preseason games, man, they are going to be 0:12:18.920 --> 0:12:21.560 imperative to show that those guys can be the number two. Yeah, 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:24.080 and you're right, and that those young guys it's up 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:26.800 to them to show to reward the faith that Brian 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.120 Gouda Kunts in the front office has shown in them 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:33.800 by giving them this opportunity here in on the defensive 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:36.320 side of the ball. To me, the biggest story is 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:39.480 simply how do all the new pieces fit together for 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:43.160 Mike Petton. You've got two brand new outside linebackers in 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:46.800 Preston Smith and Zadarius Smith. You drafted an outside linebacker 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:49.280 in the first round, and Rashawn Gary at safety. You 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:52.320 got Adrian Amos the free agent acquisition, and another first 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.959 round pick in Darnell Savage. The new pieces and how 0:12:56.000 --> 0:12:58.960 this all comes together with Mike Petton. It's been quite 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:02.120 an off season on outside of the ball in Green Bay, 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:04.480 and uh, it's time to get it started. So when 0:13:04.520 --> 0:13:06.080 was the last time you picked up a controller and 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:09.480 played the Madden video game? What year was in? At 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:12.400 least ten years okay, at least ten years ago. This 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.520 reminds me. I don't know if they had franchise mode 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:16.520 back there, but it almost reminds me of like you 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:18.560 get that first off season when you start playing the 0:13:18.600 --> 0:13:20.599 game and you start to fiddle with the roster a 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:23.320 little bit. You sign guys, you draft guys. That's as 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:26.440 close to I think the Packers actual roster looking like, 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:29.679 particularly on the defensive side of the ball. To that strategy. 0:13:29.720 --> 0:13:32.400 I mean, they just it was wholesale changes across the board, 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:35.760 and I think that's exciting. I've written about it so 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.559 many times. My fingernails are coming off the hinges here 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:42.960 during the off season about how this group is going 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:45.120 to come together, because there is all the talent in 0:13:45.120 --> 0:13:47.640 the world. They got two of the top pass rushers 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:49.720 on the market this offseason, they got one of the 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:52.760 top safeties on the market this offseason. And then, by 0:13:52.760 --> 0:13:54.760 the way, those two first round picks that we talked 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:56.839 this past year about, they were both used on the 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.880 defensive side of the ball. Now, Gary looked explosive, he 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:02.920 looked great, I thought during the offseason. But this has 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:06.400 to be the Smith Show in two thousand nineteen. That's 0:14:06.400 --> 0:14:08.880 why President is it Arius are here. Seeing how they 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:10.880 adapt to Mike Petton scheme is going to be exciting. 0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:14.160 And seeing how Darnell Savage matches up with Adrian Amos 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:17.199 and and how those two potential pieces fit together. The veteran, 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:20.040 the youngster that's the first round pick. There's a lot 0:14:20.040 --> 0:14:22.920 of dynamic play there. And that's not even talking about 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:25.920 the cornerback position with JayR Alexander coming back after what 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:28.000 he did a year ago. Yeah, well, let's talk about 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:31.000 that cornerback position because you and I have talked about 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:36.640 it before this defense last year. In my opinion, this 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:40.320 defense had its best stretches when Kevin King and JayR 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:42.920 Alexander were on the field together as the one and 0:14:42.920 --> 0:14:45.240 two cornerbacks whatever order you want to put them in. 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:49.000 The problem was that with injuries to King and a 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:52.040 couple of minor injuries to Alexander, they weren't on the 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:55.560 field very much together at all. So to me, that's 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:59.280 a huge element of this Mike Petton defense taking the 0:14:59.440 --> 0:15:01.480 leap for it in year two and being able to 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.800 play at its best for an extended stretch is for 0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:08.360 those two guys. And then you're developing guys like Josh 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:10.960 Jackson and maybe a Tony Brown behind them, and you 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.680 have the veteran and Tremont Williams at corner in that 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:17.560 top four or five mix as well. But it's it's 0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:21.720 that those one two guys. It hinges on that to me, 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.600 so that Mike Patton isn't trying to play this mix 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.000 and match and scramble game to figure out, Okay, how 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:28.440 am I going to do this because one of my 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:30.400 top corners is sitting out all the time. There are 0:15:30.400 --> 0:15:32.880 three keys that I established when I kept going back 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:35.600 and looking over this defense throughout the off season. Three keys, 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:37.840 specifically in the secondary, I think will be tied to 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:40.160 the Packers having the kind of season they want to 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:44.200 have on defense, particularly against the passing game. One, Kevin 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:47.440 King being healthy. If Kevin King can play in fifteen 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:50.040 or sixteen games this year, the secondary is going to 0:15:50.120 --> 0:15:53.720 be singing. Secondly, Jr. Alexander taking a year to jump 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:56.000 after everything he brought to the table in year one, 0:15:56.080 --> 0:16:00.000 when and everything, But even more so than that, if 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:03.040 Rush Jackson can learn from what he did as a 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:06.880 rookie and put that towards being a consistent contributor in 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:09.840 his second year, it's gonna be really valuable for this defense. 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:12.720 Josh Jackson played a lot mike if you look back 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:15.560 on it as a rookie, saw action in all sixteen games, 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:17.960 believe he started ten of them. There were the highs, 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:20.760 there were the lows, but working through that and becoming 0:16:20.800 --> 0:16:23.240 that eight interception guy that he was at Iowa. If 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.880 you get those three pieces going together and can keep 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:28.520 them on the field together, along with your Truman Williams 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.160 and your Tony Brown's and you know Kadar Holman having 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:34.520 a really strong offseason. You get that group filled out, 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:39.400 you get that versatility together. Jai Alexander said it. They 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:41.680 have the pass rush now to get home, to be 0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:44.640 able to force quarterbacks into bad situations, and a lot 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:47.000 of young ballhawks that can go and really capitalize on 0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:49.840 those opportunities. Yeah, when you look up front on the 0:16:49.880 --> 0:16:52.080 defensive side, I think if I were to pick one 0:16:52.080 --> 0:16:56.440 position across the board for the Packers, where all else 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:59.800 being equal as far as injuries not necessarily making decisions 0:16:59.800 --> 0:17:02.840 for people, if there's one position, I think the Packers 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:06.600 might have a really tough cut coming. As far as 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:08.879 a guy they really don't want to let go, but 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:11.240 they're going to be forced to just based on the numbers. 0:17:11.520 --> 0:17:14.280 I think it might be the defensive lines because you've 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:17.080 got Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels. They had some injuries 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:19.760 last year. They are back. You don't have Mohammed Wilkerson 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:21.800 as far as that big three we were all talking 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:25.280 about last year, but with those injuries up front, Dean 0:17:25.359 --> 0:17:27.680 Lowry got a lot more playing time, and he really 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:29.520 came on strong at the end of the year. Tyler 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:31.640 Lancaster came on strong at the end of the year, 0:17:31.640 --> 0:17:34.600 so did Montravius Adams. Then you add a draft pick 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:37.000 in Kingsley Kiki to the mix, another young guy like 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:41.639 Fidel Brown who flashed here and there. I don't know 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:43.880 if the Packers are going to have room for everybody 0:17:43.920 --> 0:17:47.879 that they really believe belongs on an NFL roster on 0:17:47.920 --> 0:17:52.000 the defensive line, because they've put together a really nice 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:55.800 up and coming young group behind a veteran like Mike 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.679 Daniels who's going to be ending a contract here himself. 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.200 It's really interesting to Mike. There were years, especially to 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:02.760 going back to my days at the Press, because that 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:04.720 they had asked us to cut the roster. You know, 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:06.920 during the offseason. He has to cut the roster before 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:09.480 the start of the regular season. And there would be years, 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:10.920 I'm not kidding you where I would look at the 0:18:10.960 --> 0:18:14.159 defensive front and I'd kind of be like, Okay, I 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:16.679 gotta find five guys here. And that's not a disrespect 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:19.520 to some of those defenses, but there just wasn't that depth. 0:18:19.560 --> 0:18:22.399 There was a reason why they went and drafted, you know, 0:18:23.000 --> 0:18:24.880 Kenny Clark. There's a reason why they tried to get 0:18:24.960 --> 0:18:28.200 Dayton Jones in two thousand thirteen. They needed to really 0:18:28.320 --> 0:18:32.920 deepen that preserve. In talking with Mike Daniels earlyer this offseason, 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:35.760 they've kind of done that. Now you have Daniels coming 0:18:35.800 --> 0:18:38.040 back off the foot. I think it's his expectation to 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:40.119 be back here early on. We'll see exactly how that 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:43.280 situation plays out. But Kenny Clark's a guy that played 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:45.640 the snaps last year when he was healthy and wasn't 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.719 complaining about He actually looked even better. Things you can 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:51.399 get away with when you're twenty three years old. But 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:54.320 Dean Lowrie quietly had the best year of his career. 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:57.160 I thought you saw Tyler Lancaster come out of relative 0:18:57.240 --> 0:18:59.959 nowhere if you look at it from an undrafted perspect 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.000 maybe even though the Packers felt pretty good about him. 0:19:02.200 --> 0:19:04.520 He came up from the practice squad when Kenny Clark 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:07.040 was down. He was there starting nose tackle for three weeks, 0:19:07.040 --> 0:19:09.639 and by the way, they actually defended the run pretty 0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:13.600 well during those three weeks. You have montrevious Adams needs 0:19:13.640 --> 0:19:15.199 to really show that he can be the player of 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:18.080