#423 Packers Unscripted: Camp rolls on

to some tightness in his back, a precautionary measure. He was held out of the game. He did not play. He also was held out of practice on Sunday when the Packers got back on the practice field. Again, they're talking precautionary. His back still just isn't quite a percent and they're not taking any chances. But give us the

rundown on where things are with Aaron Rodgers. Yeah. So the most salient thing that Matt Lafleur said is if this was a regular season week, if if everything was normal, the games mattered, Aaron Rodgers probably be out there with everybody else. Would be something he would just deal with. But this time of the year, you don't want to take any chances with it. So they found out last Thursday morning that you know, he he woke up be

what have you a little bit of back tightness. Deshaun Kaiser gets told, Okay, you're in with the ones for the first two series. They proceed from there. Sunday's practice comes around. It's again Kaiser working with the Ones, with a little bit of tim Boil mixed in there as well. And the main reason for Rogers getting an extra day

here to come back from that. Now, the question is gonna be the way I had it schemed up and how I thought it was gonna lay out, is that probably might have been the only game that Rogers played in this preseason. That's going off the last year. He played in the second game and set out the third and fourth. Now you kind of throw those things up

in the air a little bit. Do they want to run them out there in Canada given all the different circumstances the game being, you know, abroad, being a CFL stadium. Those are all things that the Packers are going to have to determine. Uh, Matt Lafore did basically wipe out any possibility of him playing in the finale though, especially since they have the opener against the Bears on a Thursday night, So the short turnaround there is gonna make

it work. So it's gonna be determined on how his back's feeling and if it feels okay, if they want to take a shot at it up North. Yeah, and just to be clear, we are taping this episode on Monday morning before Monday afternoon's practice, so we don't know at this point as we're talking whether Rogers is going to be practicing at all this week prior to the

trip to Winnipeg. But if there was a significant piece of news that came out of Sunday's practice, it was the return of running back Jamal Williams from a hamstring injury. He had not practiced at all through training camp. Um not being thrown in eleven on eleven right away by any means, but number thirty back on the practice field. Well, and like I said, I've wrote in a story on Packers Dot Come, he wasn't in eleven on eleven's But I wish you could a saucepot these these wind sprints

he was running off to the side. I mean, it looks like his hamstrings. Okay, the way he was kind of exploding off of that thing he said he did eighteen of them. Wasn't even supposed to do that many. But he wants to be great, so here, But I mean, you break it down, the Packers have been off to a slow start with their ground game so far without him and Aaron Jones. Jones actually advanced to the team portion of practice after last week coming back on a

limited basis and then not playing against the Ravens. So if the Packers could get Aaron Jones out there against Oakland this week, I think that could be really big for them, getting some more momentum built up there. In terms of just Jamal Williams, though he's excited to get back at it. He feels like he's in tremendous shape. We made a lot this offseason, myself included Mike about the condition that Aaron Jones came back in uh, you know,

following his office season. Jamal Jamal Williams also made a lot of changes as well. He came back as lean as ever. So those two guys trying to be the face of this run game now it's gonna be, you know, a work in progress. You need to get them back assimilated into this scheme. But we've been talking about it since April. There's a lot of optimism with both Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams at this scheme of Matt Laflour's

is going to compliment them very well. Yeah, Well, looking back to the Baltimore game, there were a couple of things that stood out, as I guess you call them sticking points or disappointments as far as Matt Lafleur was concerned. One was the running game, the other was the tackling on defense. But since we're talking about the running backs the running game, how much of a difference is it going to make for the Packers to get Aaron Jones

and Jamal Williams back There is running backs. Taking nothing away from Trey Carson Dexter Williams, They've gotten a lot of work. They've had some nice runs, but overall, the production in the run game in the two preseason games hasn't been where the Packers wanted to. But they haven't handed off in a preseason game to either of the top two running backs yet exactly. Yeah, they're averaging three point four yards per carry among their four running backs

in these games. That number actually dwindles to two point eight if you take away Darren Hall's yard, the one, the one explosive one from the baltimoreket Yeah, so it's been it's been tough for them trying to get things going. Dexter Williams actually was pulled out of the first child the Packers open practice on Tuesday. With the competitive period that they've been using at the end of practice, Matt Lafleur wanted to put it right away to kind of

get the competitive juices flowing on Sunday. Sorry, uh, And you know, because of that situation, Dexter Williams was out there right off the bat. Lafleur wasn't completely happy with something happened on the play, pulled him out, and then Trey Carson goes in. So the point I'm trying to illustrate with it there is you have Aaron Jones and

Jamal Williams. Yes, this is their first offseason the scheme, but is their third NFL season and they've been working with the majority of that offensive line for those past two seasons. There's going to be certain things that they just understand that the younger guys are the guys that have coming off the street over the last few weeks aren't going to pick up on right away. So when you ask me what the difference is going to be, I think it's going to be significant. I think they

are the identity of this run game. That's not to understate the fact that you need to establish a number three, number three threat, whether that's Trey Carson, who appears to probably the most well rounded of the group when you look at his pass protection and also his blocking and in some of the things he can do as a pass catcher, or a guy like Dexter Williams, who is incredibly shifting and dynamic when he's running between the tackles.

So that's gonna be the two things I think Matt la Floor, Nathaniel Hackett, Ben Sermons are gonna have to look at here the last two weeks. Is getting their run game where it needs to be for Week one against the Bears, but also being confident in whoever that option is going to be behind Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams, because there's the last few seasons have shown you need

to have a player there just in case. Yeah, and we've been talking all offseason about really the way this offense sets up for a guy like Aaron Jones, and as much as he's worked on his pass catching and the route running and all that out of the backfield and the dimension that he as a singular weapon in this offense can bring to it. And the bottom line is as far as the eleven on eleven against another opponent,

we haven't seen it yet this preseason. And we also haven't seen Aaron Rodgers take a snap in the preseason, so there there's still a lot of unknown here with the Packers offense. That being said, some of the disappointments from the Baltimore game also carried over to the defensive side of the ball, because the tackling from the Houston game in the preseason opener wasn't really any better. The numbers, if you want to go by Matt Lafleur's film review,

twenty four miss tackles against Houston, nineteen in Baltimore. However you want to count it up, it's not good enough. That was certainly his phrase, and this is just something that Packers have two preseason games to shore this up a little bit. Now, there are a number of those miss tackles by players who are not going to make the fifty three man roster, so let's just be real about that. But there were players, and Lamar Jackson is a singular talent in the NFL, and he's a tough

guy to bring down. But the Packers knew that going in, and unfortunately they just weren't as sharp and as clean as the head coach really really would have liked to have seen. The general sentiment I picked up in the locker room after that game was not necessarily disappointment. I don't want to label it as that, but I think the off the defense have been flying pretty high, and to some extent, they got right back on that in

practice on Sunday. I think there was a little bit I'm going to use the word disappointment though, in that they just weren't able to carry that over against Lamar Jackson in against the Ravens offense, because let's be real, Mike, more so than any other team in the league, they're very multiple and how they run the ball, but they are as singular as you're going to face in terms

of the what construct of an offense? You know, it's you're not really worried about the big play down the field passing threat, You're worried about the misdirection, You're worried about what happens when Lamar Jack's and gets out of the pocket. The Packers just didn't do that well enough. I'll be honest with you, though, I felt like there were some positive signs in Sunday's practice, especially with those starters. I thought Preston Smith had his best practice, best training

camp practice to date. He was physical, he was tough, and although David boc Terry wasn't at practice because of a personal matter, he was getting some pressure on the quarterback off of that what would be you know, his right side. So all those things are out there. I just think going into this game against Canada, you want to see progression. But you know, Mike Petton said, they're not going to change anything. They're not gonna start tackling

to the ground. It's just re emphasizing what they've been emphasizing and making sure that they drive that point home. Yeah. Well, I want to talk about a couple of guys that did certainly did catch our eye from an individual standpoint in Baltimore, but quickly here West select Cousin subs locations are now offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, they're delivering right to you when you order online at Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs, we believe

in better. Okay, Sticking with the defensive side of the ball for a moment, the Packers did the highlight defensive play was was made by Curtis Bolton, A couple of young players. Really. Tony Brown, a good cornerback that we've talked about, made the deflection. Curtis Bolton, who has been getting the reps with the number one defense next to Blake Martinez, an inside linebacker with Orren Burke's currently being sidelined.

He comes down with the interception. Um. The young man was pretty fired up on the sideline after he got that one, and rightfully so. I mean, this was a big test for him in terms of being thrown in there with the ones in the game setting like that, and quite frankly, I would say, as far as a preseason test goes, he passed. Yeah, just don't ask him about it, Like I love talking to him after the game. I'm sitting there trying to write our our locker room report.

It was kind of tough finding quotes for Curtis Bolton talking positively about his day. He was very critic cool of himself. Fortunately, his defensive coordinator stepped up to the plate on Saturday and was effusive in his praise for how he stepped up in that spot. I'll say this right now, the Packers still are not doing any timelines with orn Burke's but Patton kind of still left it out there like, yeah, Bolton had filled in nicely and looks like he could fill in nicely until we get

Burks back. So one, it makes you think that maybe you do have Burks back in the fold at some

point this season. But two, it also speaks to what this young man did with the opportunity when he was given it, not only in that game against Baltimore, but in that those practices leading up, what he did again on Sunday when he was back out there with the ones, and what he did on special teams in a couple of a couple of tackles on the coverage units where he was the first guy down there, he laid the hit, got the guy on the ground, and you know, quite

frankly strutted off the field a little bit because he was he was a standout player, there's no question. Yeah, and you actually hit on the Bolton train a little bit faster than I did in what he offers and

what his story is. So it was interesting from my perspective talking to about it the first time after the game and in listening to him discuss about how, you know, to some extent, he's not supposed to be here, especially at this point right now, an undrafted free agent that was sort of looked over by everybody, only started one year at Oklahoma, and now he's working next to Blake Martinez and in the value that there is in those reps and being able to see the game at this

fast of a speed, and with with Baltimore having their starters out there for pretty much two pier you know to you know, strives. So it's it's gonna be interesting that that competition is by no means over. But as I wrote an Insider Inbox this week, I just think it's such a different scenario this year than it was

last year when Burke's had the shoulder injury. I just feel like the Packers in the way that they're set up right now, not to say they're more prepared for it, because it is an undrafted rookie in there, but I just feel like Bolton fits this defense maybe a little bit better than when they had to go get Antonio Morrison in a trade last year. Yeah, and switching to

the offensive side of the ball. We've been talking about the wide receiver competition a lot, obviously pretty much every show when we turn on the cameras here, But when you look at the Baltimore game, to me, the two guys that made the strongest impression in terms of building on what they've been doing throughout training camp. Alan Lazard, the young receiver from Iowa State, was undrafted a year ago.

Um joined the Packers practice squad late last season, and uh and is here making a bid for a roster spot. And then you've got Darius Shepard, the undrafted rookie from North Dakota State. He's been stepping in as the first option in the return game with Trevor Davis out with a stinger. Davis was back in practice on Sunday, though, so we'll see um how Trevor does again here moving forward, and and hopefully for him picking up where he left off because he was having a really really strong training

camp when he got hurt. But Shepard took the first kickoff against the Baltimore Ravens. Hit the seam. It was nicely blocked, but he hit it, got got it all the way out to the forty yard line, the equivalent of if the kicker had kicked it out of bounds, which you always look at as a nice moment. Him shift. He gave the offense some nice field position there at the forty yard line, and then he makes the touchdown catch,

the only touchdown the Packer's head in Baltimore. A little tiptoe job there in the back of the end zone, gets his feet down on the throw from Tim Boyle. This. Uh, this Darius Shepherd young man we talked about. It was unsigned after the draft, was a tryout player during the Packers rookie mini camp. He gets that contract after um the tryout and after that mini camp and uh, and here he is making his state in his case. Yeah,

let's be real, Mike. When a guy signs as a tryout player like that, in some regard, and I'm not trying to dismiss the process, you sometimes wonder if they're even gonna be here once training camp gets around. So often some of those guys signed and then they literally are in the roster. Something happens. They have to make a move when you're gone. Yeah, they don't even survive the first couple of weeks of O T a S. And off they go. But but what what do you

have to do to survive? You have to show out right away. He did from beginning with O. T A S. I remember talking to Tim Boyle and some of these other guys. They knew that this guy could play immediately, and he has a track record. He was incredibly successful at North Dakota State. He just doesn't have the size. He's a hair taller than I am. Probably a little

bit faster though. And the other thing that I like about his game though, is that it's one thing to be a slot receiver and do quick, shifty slants and hitches and things of that nature. You know, an end around here and there. But there was actually one play in that game against the Ravens where he got open over the top of the defense. Now the past was not there, but if it would have been in that spot,

if that's Aaron Rodgers, that's six points. That's the dimension that he needs to show to make this team, and it is very interesting, and I'm glad you brought it up. Trevor Davis is back now. Trevor Davis and Darius Shepherd have emerged as one A one B in this kickoff return punt return equation. Those two guys, and I never boiled down to two guys fighting for one roster spot.

They both can make it for all I know, But those two guys over the next two weeks are gonna want to put their best forward foot forward in that competition because in terms of what the Packers put out there against the Ravens, other than I believe it was Malik Turner getting some some reps late in that game, Darris Shepherd handled all the returns for most of the you know, sizeable, meaningful portion of the contest. Yeah, Watching him and Davis and how they that competition boils down

now over the next two weeks is gonna be really captivating. Yeah. It's interesting you mentioned that deep ball in Baltimore where Shepherd was heading down the sideline to the end zone and Boil's throw was was to the other side of him,

so to speak. As I watched that and I looked at the replay, I almost wondered if Shepherd didn't quite see the ball soon enough, in that if he had been able to pick up that ball sooner, he might have been able to, you know, do the whole center fielder thing where it's like you take your eye off the ball and turn around and suddenly it's on your other shoulder. Now, it still would have been a difficult catch based on the ball and the sideline and getting

the feeted and whatnot. But it's one of those things when I look back at it that I wish maybe he had, you know, and maybe it was the lights or just the timing or whatever, but if he had been able to see that ball just a fraction of a second sooner, I wonder if he would have been able to make the adjustment and make a better attempt at catching it. And uh, And you know, it's one of those things that you just wonder about because we've certainly seen that he has the ability and the wherewithal

to potentially make a play like that. Absolutely. And then this is the part of the training camp that I love as well, because everybody, every media outlet indubitably does they're they're picking the fifty three at the beginning of training camp, and then here we are ye who would have I mean, in this wide receiver competition, you line up all the wide receivers by number at the start of training camp, who would have said Darius Shephard through

halfway through the preseason would be getting this much attention and be making a legitimate bid to make this team with all these receivers on the roster. Nobody. A lot of times those are the guys that are filling out the end of the fourth quarter and now here he is getting reps with Aaron Rodgers in practice. Even a guy like Alamos Are who even though he was on the fifty three at the end of last season, he only was here for a couple of weeks with Green Bay.

The Packers could have easily just washed him out of the competition and moved forward. And he's put himself in in the conversation as well too. And it's again, it's gonna be fun. The last few years with these receiving competitions have been really exciting to watch, and I'm sure

it'll play out that way here these last two games. Yeah, well, unfortunately, West we need to end this show on a sad note, and that on Sunday morning, the Sports World found out that former NFL Texas Longhorn Chicago Bear Green Bay Packer running back Cedric Benson UM was killed in a motorcycle accident age thirty six, A very sobering piece of news, very very sad news. Benson played one season with the Packers.

It was in two thousand and twelve. Um. I got a chance to talk to him, only a couple of times, but what I will say is I found him very engaging, and I mentioned this in our Insider Inbox column. I thought he was a guy for a guy who had gone through his share of ups and downs in a in a rather brief NFL career, he was truly appreciative of the opportunity that was presented to him to to come to Green Bay and try to make a difference.

And I really think he would have made a difference on that two thousand and twelve team had it not been for an injury that cut his season short. Yeah. And when you and I were doing our you know, scripting for the show that is unscripted, and we were talking about what we wanted to do, I wanted to talk about Cedric Benson for two reasons. I remember one of the things we always did, especially when I was at the newspaper. Is a new guy signs of veteran signs.

You sometimes ask your buddies around the league of what to expect with him. What's this guy like in the locker room, how he has to deal with That's how I knew that Ricky Jeane Francois was going to be awesome. But the thing with Benson is he had such a I don't want to say checkered past, but he had a complicated past, and he had his ups and downs. He was kind of known as a mercurial individual in

some ways. But when he got in that locker room, and I know you were a part of some of those scrums too, I just he seemed to me like a guy I don't want to see he had figured it all out. I don't think anyone ever really figures everything out, but it just seems like a guy who at that point of his life was at peace with who he was as a human being, as an individual.

I thought Aaron Rodgers Instagram post about him talking about some of the conversations that they had in the cafeteria and how he actually would want to go home and kind of study up. So he could keep on the same level with Benson in those conversations. He just was very thoughtful and introspective I found at that point in his career. The other thing I wanted to mention too about Benson, I think I only had one or two

conversations with him, like just post media scrumbs. And I remember there was one time, I believe it was Robb Dumovsky and I were just asking him about what did you think of Green Bay? What's it been like living here? He's like, well, actually I don't live here. I think he lived out like Meryl or something like that. Like he was he was down near Manitowa, and he was like he was out of green Bay. He was, he was, he was down Highway forty three just a little ways.

I think he was living somewhere near Manitoa. Yeah, so he had a little bit of a hike. If you're not from Green Bay, Man's walks probably about forty fifty minutes, depending on what side you're coming from. And one of the things that was interesting when I was talking with him is I believe it was because of his dogs that he lived down there, because some of his rut wilders or his pit bulls weren't allowed in Green Bay, and we had a really interesting thrill conversation. I'm a

big dog lover, big pit bull lover. Um. It was a really interesting conversation about how sometimes those type of animals get a bad rap and and that's why one of the reasons why he sort of always had that place for them in his heart. And if you think about it, in some ways, I think Benson sort of was like that as well. I think if you got to know him as a person, not that I did, but if you started to pull back the layers of of that onion you saw, I think what kind of

a good soul he was. And it was when I found out about it on Sunday morning, I was really you know, I don't want to say devastated, but that'd be over the top. I was mournful just because it seemed like, you pause and you think about it, because it is way too young. Yeah. I mean, the thing that I'll remember as far as on the field is his moment in the sun as a Green Bay Packer was stolen from him. And what I'm talking about is the fail Mary game in Seattle in two thousand twelve.

Because if people remember how that game unfolded. Aaron Rodgers got sacked eight times in the first half, The Packers passing game was going absolutely nowhere. The Packers turned that game over to Cedric Benson in the second half and the running game, and he was handling that Seattle defense. He got the Packers a couple of scores. The Packers had the game. We all know they should have won

the game. And he was the hero for the Green Bay Packers in that game, and it got taken away from him by the fail mary and the controversial call and everything else. And you know, it's it's unfortunate now that we're talking about it in this context because that game, at least, even with the injury that happened later and his season was cut short, at least he would have had that game as a Packer in terms of what he did to contribute to a victory. And unfortunately that

got stolen. Yeah, five starts, I think it ended up being two six rushing yards. Unfortunately Liz Frank popped up for him there. But I know there's a lot of guys that were on that team, including Aaron Rodgers, that are going to remember Cedric Benson for probably the rest of their lives. Yeah, no question about it. Well, with that, we'll call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and of the rest of training camp on packers

dot com. Subscribe to us, like us on iTunes and other podcast services if you please. 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.