#356 Packers Unscripted: Opportunity is knocking

lambeau Field. Gonna be a little chilly, sounds like mid thirties and uh a Florida team coming up here to lambeau Field. So the Packers need to use that to their advantage. But where I wanted to start today's show is talking about a young defensive player who, quite frankly, West has the opportunity of his career in some respects right now. And I'm talking about second year safety Josh Jones, a second round pick out of North Carolina State a

year ago. In the last couple of weeks, the Packers have traded ha Clinton Dix, they have released Germaine Whitehead. Josh Jones is going to be getting a lot of snaps and if he wants to prove that he can be a regular, a fixture in this Mike Petton defense for the rest of this season and perhaps going forward,

now's his chance. This is all he wanted, Mike. It was really interesting listen to him talk at his locker on Wednesday, actually spoke for aboute fifteen minutes with reporters, just kind of overlaying what this last you know, two months has been like for him. You gotta remember, Mike, this is a guy that came in as a second round pick, ran a four four, had you know, just sky high expectations, and then played a lot as a rookie, played over seven d defensive snaps, started seven games, played

in all sixteen. Then he ends up having an ankle injury at the end of training camp, miss is the first three games of this season, and when he gets back, he's on special teams. Actually it only played six defensive snaps in his first four games prior to the Patriots.

So I don't want to portrayed as like a fomo, like a feeling of missing out thing with all these young defensive backs, but to a certain extent, he was really champing at the bit to get that opportunity to get out there and show again why the Packers drafted him in the element he can add to his defense. You know, he really wasn't going to get into, you know, all the personnel stuff and what's led to get him to this point. But he said there was a lot

of anticipation. There was a lot of excitement going into that game Sunday because he knew he was gonna have some kind of role. I think the unexpected aspect of it is is how big that role ended up being. He played the fifth most snaps on defense. After the injury to Kentroll Bryce and the fact that you know, Jermaine white had also got ejected. Yeah, and Kentroll Bryce was back on the practice field on Wednesday on a limited basis, so signs pointing to potentially that that injury

not um being all too serious. But getting back to Josh Jones for a second, this is just my observations from what I've seen. He know, and I think he knows this, but he needs to be a more disciplined football player. And what I mean by that, I'm not talking about discipline in the Germaine Whitehead extracurricular after the

play since. But we've seen in the first season and a half of his career, with a lot of snaps that he's had on special teams, he's had a lot of penalties called, and some of the penalties, you know, frankly being somewhat inexcusable because it is just a lack of focus or a lack of discipline that's led to those penalties, and those kinds of things can make it

hard for a coaching staff to trust you necessarily. So with everything that's gone on this season, now he has to just it's almost as though he's starting fresh right now, doesn't it seem like, Yeah, it does seem like this is a chance to kind of turn the page a little bit. He did address that at his locker on Wednesday, the fact that he got a full start penalty on the opening kickoff off side of yeah uh, and he actually said he's like, yeah, it was my bad. It's inexcusable.

But he just chalked it up to that's how much excitement he had that he he just needed to get going. He wanted to get going. He was ready to play some football, and as it turned out, with playing as many snaps as he saw in defensive special teams. It ended up being that kind of day. But the thing I did like, and you pointed out what you might have missed. I mentioned it in the story I wrote on packers dot Com that that play he made on the goal line. I really liked it for a number

of reasons. One, it was critical in the game. It was the first downplay of the four down stand that they had second sorry uh. And the fact that you know, he had to dive inside Nick Perry, got inside James Devil and I should say with corter All Patterson to be able to get into the backfield to make that play. Everybody kind of had their man on the offensive line

for the New England Patriots. He had to be the unaccounted defender and he stepped up to that made a nice, you know, pretty much textbook leg tackle on Patterson that helps set up the four downs. We talked so much about his big playability we saw last year some of the things he did against Cincinnati and Cleveland, but it's plays like that where you're just fulfilling your assignment that are really going to help him stay on the field. Yeah, one of the things I liked about that play the

second down the second and goal play. When I went back and looked at it, was just seeing how disappointed he was when it was initially ruled a touchdown because he knew he had made a good play, he had done exactly what was supposed to do. He thought he got Patterson short of the goal line, and then they signaled touchdown. Anyway, as we know, the replay reverse that and the ball was still inside the one yard line.

But when you look at the video of it, his dejection almost as he's walking off the field after, like, oh, I thought, I just you know, it's like we had that and you know, then it didn't go the Packers way initially. So a passionate player, I think there's no question about that. I think you know, you mentioned it with the play on the opening kickoff. It's it's about containing that passion and using it in the right way and not using it in an undisciplined way that can

lead to some silly flags. Yeah. No, I mean that's what you have to be able to do to avoid that kind of stuff. And the thing that I did, we were talking to him about it's going to be interesting now, is that okay? So, as you said, Bryce actually did practice on Wednesday, Tremont Williams is playing Sums safety uh Ibraheim Campbell that the Packers actually claimed off waivers. Now, he's gonna need time to get up to speed with stuff,

But he actually does have a connection to Petton. He was drafted there during drafted to Cleveland during Petton's second year. Is the head coach there, so he has familiarity with him as well. Whatever the case may be. Josh Jones feels really confident he can find a role in this defense and really thriving it. If it needs to be a deep safety. Fine if it ends up being the in the box rope because there's no more Germaine Whitehead.

He's cool with that slock cornerback whatever. He just wants to play, and I think getting those fifty one defensive snaps and getting that comfort familiarity with Tremont Williams even said it he was a calming presence and helped relax him back. They're working with him just based on his knowledge in what he knew and just being able to assume that control. Yeah, he feels like there's a lot of potential despite what they've lost in that back end,

to be able to build something you're going forward. Alrighty, well, I'll remember Packers fans, stop in at your local Quick Trip, pick up your Packers cup today and get eighty nine cent refills on your Cafe Cruba coffee all season long, Cafe Cruba Coffee. That's that's a mouthful that I have to work on. That. Have to smooth that one out here as we as we move along. But another young guy, think West, and we've already talked about him a lot already.

But I did a little bit of statistical research, you might say, on rookie receiver Marquez Valdez scantling. Did you got it right? You got it right. I'm just saying that that was a big thing this week. Yeah, it was Mark Quez. Yeah, because he hears his name. He hears his name pronounced Marquez all the time, and he says, no, it's Marquez. Got to hit that heavy cue. Yes, it's

the cue, it's the queu. Okay, now, I used I started to get worried for a second that I messed it up, because that's the last thing I want to do to this young man. But um, but statistically West, he has three fifty eight yards receiving through eight games, and since eight games in a sixteen game season makes the math easy if you project that out, he's on pace for over seven hundred yards receiving. Here's an interesting

little fact for you. Only three rookie receivers and Packers history have had more than seven hundred yards receiving as rookies. If you want to try Sterling Sharp. Sterling Sharp is one. James Jones, Nope, James Jones was just under seven hundred. No, he was also just under seven hundred Nope. Arnett James Lofton. James Lofton is too. And the guy at the very top of the list has put up a huge number

that perhaps no rookie will ever touch. No Billy Houghton, we would have been here for three more episodes, and I was trying to get Holton had over twelve hundred yards in nineteen fifty two as a rookie receiver. He's the one at the top of that list. James Lofton and Sterling Sharp, both with right around eight hundred yards give or take. Those are the only three in Packer's history to have rookie seasons of more than seven hundred

yards receiving. And when you look at the fact that actually three hundred and fifty five I believe of Valdes Scantling, Street and in fifty eight yards have been in the last five games. Because he hardly played the first three games of the season. He's on pace for for really quite a rookie season. Here Geronimo Allison's on injured reserve um. Again, the the opportunity will be there. It will be interesting to see just where this rookie season for him ranks

when it's all said and done. So you wrote a story, obviously, I'm Packers dot Com. My favorite quote, probably, honestly, Mike, my favorite quote from MVS this entire year was the fifth round pick. You gotta remember out of South Florida. I could are less about where I got drafted. I couldn't, but you know what I mean, Um, I'm in the store.

That's all that matters. I love that phrase. I love that mentality because if you go back, Mike, we talked about it right from the get go, and the Packers coaches I mentioned this to Valda Scantling looked like the rookie that was always kind of there is a number four, so to speak, right from the beginning, and I think if you would have just lined up all, you know, just put all the rookies on the field, not just the receivers, and said, okay, tell us where all these guys.

Which round they got taken. I mean, obviously you'd probably still think JayR Alexander was first round just based on how he carries himself. But Valdis Scantling looks like a second or third round. He looks like a guy that just came in with expectations and has just been living up to them. You don't really understand that this is a guy taken sort of during that Siberia of Day three where it's just kind of like, oh, come on already,

let's get to the next round. No. I mean, this ended up being a really critical draft pick for the Packers, and you know, I think Davante Adams was talking about it as locker on Wednesday as well. Nobody really acted that these rookies were gonna have to come in and play as much as they had. I think everybody knows how things happen in Green Bay. At some point you're

gonna be called upon. But they felt pretty good about how things looked with having Randall Cobb, having Jimmy Graham and in Geronimo Allison and the heck the middle of training camp we were talking about Jake Kumero. Well then here comes MVS, here comes Equanimia st Brown, and both of those guys have really been rising to the occasion. Uh, and they're gonna need him, Mike. We talked about it earlier this week. Allison is not coming back anytime soon.

Felt this scantling is off to a really good start, had five really good contests. Packers need another five from him, now they need another eight. One of the things I realized in talking with him with some other reporters at his locker on Wednesday after practice is just how confident he is. We talked about the confidence of Jaire Alexander and how he kind of wears that externally. The thing I figured out in a sense talking with MVS is that he's just as confident a player, but he kind

of kept it inside a little bit. He knew he was walking into a situation. One of three rookie draft picks at his position, Geronimo Allison was the guy starting in the offseason program as the number three receiver, and a job that Alison did not give up. Did not really let anybody challenge him for it. Unfortunately, injuries have have derailed his third NFL season, but he absolutely never doubted what he could do in this league. And he and he he doesn't come across, as you know, crossing

that line too arrogance, so to speak. He's just really confident in what he can do. And I loved his answer when he when he was asked, well, when did you know you had earned the trust of Aaron Rodgers, And he said when he started throwing me the ball. I mean, but in a sense that that's really how simple it is. And we've seen over the years West rookies it can be difficult to make a huge impact as a rookie in this offense with Aaron Rodgers as

a quarterback. Now. Part of that is because the Packers have been pretty well stocked at wide receiver over the years, so they haven't had to ask a lot of rookies. But when you look at it from a statistical standpoint, Davante Adams with four dred and forty six yards that's the most receiving yards of any rookie in the Aaron Rodgers quarterbacking era. And Valdes Scantling is less than a

hundred yards from already jumping over that. And it's just it's very difficult in this league, not just Green Bay, for a for a rookie receiver to come in and have those type of seasons. The cornerbacks are too good, the schemes are too you know, complicated. It's tough to

be able to go and do it. What I like about Valda Scantling is he has certainly the physical makeup, but it's just some of those little things, as I've reiterated a few times now, his footwork, some of the stuff he does off the line of scrimmage, how he gains separation as he gets down the field. It isn't just all about his speed. It's not all about the four three seven. It's about the other things he does.

And to get back to a point you made a couple of minutes ago that I really like about him, and as it relates to confidence and you know, jo your Alexander to take you inside the locker room a little bit. I mean he's walking around, he has the swagger. He comes off the practice field, he has his headphones on. Uh you know, he's saying hi to everybody. He's just he's so extroverted, right, Valdis Scantling just comes in, he

sits in his locker, the old Jeff Janice locker. I probably should have said that right at the end of the receiver's row. He's on his phone, he's taken his time, he's always there and he's just been that way since the beginning. And if he comes up, he's cordial, he'll talk to you. But it's just it's not like it's it's extravagant or boisterous. It's just who he is. And I really respect that. I think that's allowed him to

have a lot of success. The other underrated part of his game is and I remember doing a story on him back in the early I think it was towards the end of O t A S actually about how he was lining up in a lot of different spots, you know, on the boundary in the slot and what I and the underrated part of his game is his intelligence and how quickly he's picked everything up in this offense.

And Davante Adams said yesterday when he was asked about him, said that was one of the things that stood out from day one is that this is a smart dude, and he's used he's used that intelligence to his advantage to to be versatile right from the get go. And then you combine six plus pounds four three speed, and then, as I said, the confidence that he attributes to kind of coming up on the rough side of St. Petersburg, Florida, but a market that produces a lot of high caliber

football talent. He felt coming out of there. You know, things didn't go the way he wanted at NC States, so then he transferred to South Florida. That might have created you know, some of the draft day weight, so to speak, for him all the way to the fifth round. But as you said, the quote that you pointed out, he doesn't care about where he got drafted. Now he's in the door and he's making an impact on this team. And everybody's players path is different once they get the NFL.

Some guys, you know, it took Jordy Nelson three years to get going. That's just the way it goes sometimes. But what I like about Veldi Scandlings, he follows a very similar path. When you look at Corey Linsley, when you look at Brian Blog at Davante Adams. You know, these young guys, Aaron Jones last year, I get thrown

in early and really can thrive. It's it's tough and it's not easy to do, but if you're able to do it, there's a really good opportunity for you to have success in this offense moving forward and in the NFL. Yeah all right, um, well, quickly West, before we run out of time, it is time to enter the Cousins Subs Best Seats in the House promotion. You and a guest could win a chance to kick back on the

fifty yard line in style. Two pairs of lucky Packers fans will be chosen prior to each home game for this v I P experience. Enter daily now through December sixteen by completing the entry form and submitting. For complete rules and eligibility, go to Packers dot com slash Best

Seats Cousin Subs. We believe in better. Okay, quickly we mentioned the injury update with regards to Kentroll, Bryce, Brian Bolaga back on the practice field on Wednesday, A good sign for the Packers offensive line, and I'm Blake Martinez back on the practice field too. I was surprised with that, considering they were talking about the swelling I saw him walking through the locker room. It's like you wouldn't know

anything that happened. And you look at the replay of that ankle Injurne, it just it kind of makes you cringe. But but yeah, Blake seems to be all right. But to your point with Bolaga two, he's played through a lot through with the course his career. I don't think he gets enough credit for his toughness and what he's been able to play through and play at a high level with. But he'd be a huge addition for them

go into this game against Miami. If you can have the two book end tackles available, yeah, absolutely, Well with that, we need to call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com on Twitter. He's at west Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, We'll see you next time.