Hi, everybody, Welcome back to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always by my trusted colleague Weston Hodkowitz. We are you, your fully vaccinated host, and that is what allows us to be back here in the studio without wearing masks. Weston. It's really good to see you right across the table here, my friend, for well one, all the Skype episodes that you and
I did, all the recordings of this the socially distanced season. Uh, coming in here with Larry to do three things and wearing the masks even when we do final thoughts, wearing
the mask. What a relief this has been. And I gotta give credit to the wonderful nurses everybody here from Bellin that that took care of me, took care of my family over the past month, and just blessed and fortunate as we prepare for an NFL draft this year, my because we recap free agency today, Just what a quantum leap we've made from last year when I was trying to make sure I had enough bandwidth to be able to stream video on my home WiFi so we
could do our jobs appropriately. That's right, well, we really are turning over a new leaf here. In one we had new intro music here for Packers unscripted, first time we've we've changed that in in quite sometime. But as you mentioned, we do have a lot of off season to recap here for the Packers, so we're going to start there and later this week early next week we will also get into previewing the NFL Draft, which as of now is nine days away for the the first round.
But as far as the off season goes, a handful of guys back with the Green Bay Packers West and I'll just rattle off their names here. Aaron Jones, Kevin King, Marcedes Lewis, Tyler Lancaster, Will Redman all resigned with the Green Bay Packers. The biggest headline there, though, of those five guys, has to be running back Aaron Jones, because this is a guy he wasn't just going to be
the top running back available in free agency. He was going to be one of the top free agents across the board in the league available if the Packers had let it get to that point. They did not Aaron Jones. A huge part of this Matt Lafleur offense is back
in the fold long term now for Green Bay. So all these years in which we've had free agency, I've always kind of looked at the board, how it was laying out, and and very very infrequently is there a moment where it's like, Okay, there's a player that you think the Packers will bring back that they just can't get back. For me, it was Aaron Jones this year. Now certainly went right up until the eleventh hour, right until the verge of free agency before he agreed to terms.
But when you sit back, Mike, you look at what he has added to this Packers offense and how he has every single year been in the National Football League, increased his rushing totals, increased his flexibility as a running back. This guy is more than what his position said. He is a playmaker, and he's the second biggest playmaker in this offense, second only to four time Pro bowler now
finally an All Pro receiver in Davante Adams. So to have him back in the multitude of ways that Matt Lafleur utilized him over the past two years, it just made too much sense. Now, I think what the exciting thing is going to be now for the Packers is how do you expand on what this guy does because he's in the prime now, twenty six years young. This is that where you really expect him to be in the peak of his years. I just think there's a
massive opportunity there. He'll have a new running mate in a J. Dillon. But as far as the face of that Packers backfield, Mike, this is the most stability they've had their going back to really the Almond Green days. Yeah, it's interesting because Aaron Jones was here when Matt Lafleur arrived, obviously, right, and they're there are all kinds of ways in which coaches adjust their scheme and their systems to fit the
personnel they have. But that being said, you almost can't raw up a running back who fits Matt Lafleur's offense better than Aaron Jones. And that's what I was saying all through last season when everybody was wondering, are the Packer is going to be able to bring back Aaron Jones?
What are the free agent priorities? And we'll talk about some of the guys who are not back in a moment here, and for me, Aaron Jones was the number one priority in terms of resigning your own free agents because of how he fits La Fleur's offense and what he brings to the table in in all those different skills he he just he brings more than any other running back you could ask for, and to lose him would have been to lose not just a running back, but but such a big, such a big part of
the offense. Now, as you said, he is in his prime. He is hitting full stride here. So what are the Packers going to do to expand the ways that they use him? We could see him, We've already seen him line up in a lot of different ways, but maybe that starts to expand with a j. Dillon now coming into his own a little bit more as the second year and the number two running back um based on
the way the roster currently sits. So I'm really curious to see now exactly you know what the plan is for Aaron Jones moving forward, because I think there are some things that maybe we haven't seen yet. Absolutely, And I mean this has been a guy that's been defying the definition that everybody's put on him in his game since he entered the league back in two thousand seventeen. Is a fifth round draft pick. But here's the other
thing I love about him. And you know, there's a million moments with Aaron Jones you can say, Okay, nobody else can do that. This is a guy, this is special. But if I was ever on the fence about as he gonna be back or they canna be able to pay him, you know, do you pay a running back?
It was that first play, I believe it was the first play coming out a halftime against the Rams where he bust the sixty yard in the playoff game, And you and I were sitting there watching that, and I just said to myself, I'm like, there are so few human beings that can just change the complexion of a
football game the way that he just did that. It wasn't I don't think Wayne was shouting that's your dagger or anything like that up in the radio booth, but it really felt like, Yeah, this is the Packers day, They're gonna take this one. And that's that's what he brings, that game breaking aspect. And then just a quick shout out to A J. Dillon. I mean, these are huge
shoes for him to fill. With Jamal Williams moving on to Detroit, This is a guy that never fumbled during his four years in Green Bay, was a consummate pro in the locker room, was a fantastic pass protector and ball catcher out of the backfield. But A J. Dillon, when you saw he did against the Titans last year, it just really opened my eyes to the possible thunder
enlightening combination that him and Aaron Jones can be. I know that's an overplayed cliche, but if you look at that six ft five ft nine two oh eight or whatever Aaron Jones comes in at, those are two drastically different running backs that the Packers could use in tandem. They can alternate if you add in a number three back through this draft or undraft free agency. There are so many options here that Green Bay could explore. Yeah. Absolutely well. Maybe an unexpected move in free agency was
the resigning of Kevin King. I think when the Packers did sign Aaron Jones, there was a lot of thought that Kevin King was not a guy the Packers were going to be able to afford. Turns out they did bring him back on a one year deal, So the Packers will have essentially their top three corners from last year are back. Intact that, you know, the nickel package that they used last year, j R. Alexander, Kevin King,
Channon Sullivan, will I'll be back. And then the other real headline as far as the guys coming back, is the big Dog Marcedes Lewis sixteen. This will be his sixteenth season now in the NFL. And this is really quite a story West because his first year here two thousand and eighteen, the last year of the Mike McCarthy era, and after it looked like Marcedes Lewis was heading off into the sunset, It's like, all right, it's time for the next chapter in life. And not only did he
decide to come back play for Matt Lafleur. You know, they've found this role for him both in the offense. He has a tremendous role in the locker room. And now here we are three years later and he just got another contract and he's still going. And you know, this coaching staff, all these guys on this roster are thrilled that the Big Dog is back for another goal. You know what he reminds me of who he reminds me of. You remember Juwan Howard during his final years
of the NBA. He went to Miami Heat and he was a big part of what they did there. He wasn't a guy that was playing thirty minutes at night anymore, but he was a great locker room presence, a great leader. Obviously he's turned into a phenomenal college coach, but he also gave them important minutes when he needed them. It wasn't like, Okay, I'm not gonna have you give you thirty anymore, but I'm gonna give you eleven good minutes here and there when when I'm needed. And that's what
Lewis reminds me of. If you want to talk about any profession, doesn't have to be the National Football League, could be your even your normal job. How do you last? How do you find ways to be able to get up in the morning and still enjoy what you're doing. You have to evolve, you have to reinvent yourself. You have to set new goals. That's what I love about Mercedes Lewis. What is the one thread? Since he was drafted in the first round in two thousand and six.
He is a huge human being that is a willing blocker. If he ate a couple too many Big Max on a certain week, this guy could be a tackle in this league. I mean, he's that big of a guy. But he was also an incredibly athletic and gifted individual in his prime. It's why he was able to go to a Pro Bowl in two thousand and ten and caught seven receiving yards passes. But now he's older, thirty six range. You have to adapt your game, and he
has done that. In the best part about it, he isn't he's playing a position other than quarterback or kicker where they're just trump constantly trying to replace tight ends in this league. Guys, come, guys, go, there's no replacing Mercedes Lewis. Whenever he decides to move on, You're not just gonna be able to say, Okay, well this six ft six, two seventy pound guy, he's going to be the next guy. You have to have a certain skill
set that matches up with his physical attributes. Lewis brings that. And by the way, much like some of these guys that you've seen over there, is he's still chasing that Super Bowl ring. He's still chasing that Super Bowl appearance, and he feels like this is the place to get
that done. Yeah, no question about it. Well, as far as the Packers players who are not back who have signed elsewhere, Corey Lindsley, Jamal Williams, Tim Boyle, Lane Taylor, and Montravius Adams, And we talked a little bit already. I think I want to start here with regard to the offensive line. Corey Lindsley and Lane Taylor both gone. We know David Bakti is working on the rehab from the a c L injury. Everybody's trying to figure out what what's the Packers offensive line gonna look like in
Week one? You know, does Elton Jenkins play center and take over for Lindsley? Does Jenkins play left tackle? Does Billy Turner play left tackle? And Jenkins, you know, stay where he is and you put somebody else at right tackle.
The most important thing I think moving forward here for the Packers is they have options because you have versatile players, and you also have a draft coming up where there's a lot of depth that offensive tackle in this draft, based on what the analysts are saying, you would think the Packers are going to potentially make a significant draft
investment there at that position. So we're a long way from knowing what the Packers offensive line is going to look like in Week one, but it is gonna look a little bit different in yeah, because for the first time really since J. C. Trader was drafted, the Packers don't have like a center prospect of a bona fide guy that's like, okay, that's who we want snapping Aaron Rodgers. Now the coaches might know that behind the scenes, but as far as how we're approaching this season, we we
don't know which direction that's gonna go. I made my two cents felt an inbox. You know, I would think even if David bat is ready, the Packers are gonna want to be cautious with them. They're gonna want to er on the side of caution. Is I continually said, because you know the way that Bats built cut from that same cloth as Brian Bulaga. He's gonna want to be out there as soon as possible. But there is again you have to see the forest for the trees here.
Let's say they just take the cautious approach there with Box. Tr To me, after seeing what he did last year, I think Elton Jenkins is a perfect fit to be able to buy you time there at left tackle. I really truly believe this, Mike. I think if Billy Turner is just playing right tackle, I honestly believe he could be an All Pro player in this league. I saw that last year. I had some questions when he came in at right guard, didn't quite look like his natural position.
But when they left him at right tackle, once he settled into that job last year, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who did their job better. I believe. I think he has the athleticisms, letticism for it, the footwork, and he's intelligent from there. I think that lines up Lucas Patrick to be at center. I think you have, you know, John Runyon as a guard prospect and the other guy not to forget about in this equation, stimonds
Simon Stepanek. Now, he missed all last year because of that coming off the a c L injury at Indiana. You gotta remember, this kid put up thirty seven bench reps at the combine that with with a bumne. That is the most of anyone in the modern era that the Packers have drafted. That was more than Corey Linsley. That was more than although it wasn't at the combine
Tyler Lancaster. This guy is a strong dude. So that's a great starting point for where you're at, and then you factor in The Packers have had a really good track record of drafting offensive lineman early, drafting them high, and having them make an incidant impact. So I've said this over and over again. I mentioned it during our
offseason recap show. It Larry to me, I don't know if it's the first round, second Whenever you pick the best offensive lineman possible, you let him compete for a job at a specific position and let the rest of the dominoes fall from there because the versatility of that group can be a real strength. Yeah, And what I said an insider inbox the other day, what I think really ultimately is going to be the question that the
Packers coaches face. Assuming David Batr is not lining up at left tackle in Week one and he needs some more time to be ready, the question that's going to be facing the Packers coaching staff is for week one, do you focus on getting your five best offensive linemen out there or how much do you consider the whole continuity aspect of things? Because if Elton Jenkins start this starts the season at left tackle, presumably he's not going
to play left tackle all season. When bok Tr is ready, he goes there, and then Jenkins shifts, and then you're moving things around at some point after the season starts. So is is it about the five best or is it about the least disruption when Bostr comes back. I think that's the question that the Packers coaches have to answer. I'm not sure what their answer is going to be.
Necessarily based on what we saw last year, the versatility players moving guys around, it seemed the overwhelming philosophy was with what we've got to deal with, We're putting our best five guys out there in front of Aaron Rodgers. I think that's the way they're going to go. But I just throw it out there that the continuity part things over the course of now a seventeen game season.
It's something that I think you at least have to consider. Yeah, and behind the scenes, I mean, the Packers are gonna get David Botr back at some point early middle whenever he's gonna be back, and you're gonna have the best left tackle in football to playoff of the question, the first thing that the coaches are gonna have to answer again, and the meetings that you and I will not be privy to assume, meetings that we will not have a log in for, is gonna be what do you do
with Elton Jenkins Because the reason I mentioned him at left tackles because the one thing that Elton proved to me last year, it doesn't matter where you play him. It doesn't matter how many snaps he gets. He's gonna perform well in that duty. And it doesn't matter what the competition is. It's the guy that started the season at right tackle. Because of the injury questions there, he stepped in at center for three weeks. Mike Aaron Rodgers has basically had the same two centers for the past
eight years. When you look at bulk of that being Corey Lensley and a little bit of it being j. C. Treader, Elton Jenkins went in there and it was like not a step was missed. And this is, by the way, subbing in for an All Pro or who is deemed by the Associated Press to be the best center in football last year. So that's why I just feel like it's such a luxury that Green Bay has right now and then and then again to Lucas Patrick's Lucas Patrick's
credit can play all three the interior positions. Billy Turner can play everywhere as well. A lot of different potential domino combinations here for Green Bay. Yeah, and quickly before we move on to some other offseason news, Jamal Williams Tim Boyle both going to the division rival Detroit Lyons.
Essentially what that does? We already talked about Aaron Jones a J. Dillon as the one to at running back to Packers obviously have Aaron Rodgers Jordan's Love as the one two at quarterback, but now the number three spot at both of those positions is essentially wide open for the Packers. They need a number three quarterback. Will they use a late round draft pick on one? Will they go the undrafted route as they did with when they
brought Tim Boyle in a few years ago. As far as running back, you have a handful of candidates on the roster for the number three running back, but maybe you also draft one at some point here in a week and a half to add to that competition to see who's going to be that number three behind Jones and Dylan. So some interesting things to watch here at those two positions. As as a couple of very reliable guys end up going to a division rival in free agency.
First and foremost, to tip my cap to the Lions, I thought those are two of the best signings that have been made of the NFC, not just the division, this office and kind of signings that went under the radar, frankly under the rains of the national in terms of the national media. But but yeah, I I agree with you. I think those I think those are really really good
pickups for the Detroit Lions with what they're trying to do. Yeah, and in the contract that Jamal Williams got reportedly, I mean, just what an incredible deal in savings that is for Detroit. And I've said this time and time again and I'll say it once more. I know DeAndre Swifts there, I know all these other things. My advice to Detroit Lions is make Jamal Williams. Give him a good opportunity to be your lead back next year. You won't be disappointed.
And as far as Tim Boyle, everyone knows my feelings about Tim Boyle, what an amazing story he's been. But I saw that one blogger, one one fan site for the lines of saying as Jared Goff the best quarterback now in the NFC North, and obviously they're just you know, it's all tongue in cheek. I get that, But the Lion is better make sure that he's their best quarterback on the roster because I still I've said it time and time again, I think Tim Boyle is going to
open some eyes. He has the arm, he has a size, he has everything you look for in an NFL quarterback. Yeah, no question about it. Quickly here West some sponsored business. Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need seven three six. All right, before we go, I do want to talk about the two big changes on
the coaching staff here for the Packers. Two new coordinators Joe Berry brought in as defensive coordinator to replace Mike Patton, and Moe Drayton promoted from special teams assistant to spell teams coordinator to replace Sean Meninga. Just your initial impressions here of these moves and uh and when they were introduced to the Green Bay media. Yeah, and I was funny. I was driving through like northern Wisconsin, like like north of Rhinelander. I was that the day you went up
to Superior. Yeah. I was in the middle of road trip. Yeah, so I but I made it a point. Mike was being very nice. The age of zoom, you have to take advantage of the fact that we can do all this stuff remotely. Mike handled all the coverage of the coaches that day, but I still listened. I stopped over at the Culver's in Rhine Landers so I could start
listening to Joe Barry Country. Yeah, and I was so impressed, not only by him and how he spoke and all those things, but when you take a step back and you look at his resume, don't look at just the defensive coordinator stints. Look at his entire resume, working with Monty Kiffin, his you know, his work with I know it's his father in law. But I've always had an
immense respect for Rod Marinelli. You've heard me talk about it, the way he renovated Dallas's defense there in the two thousand tents um and then obviously now the scheme and system of defense that they've been running in in l A when it was Wade Phillips, and now obviously the transition this past year, there is such a unique blend of philosophies that have been incorporated into berries in his mind. Now he's gonna be his own man, He's going to
be his own coach. But when you are immersed in that type of not only that scheme, but the amount of talent he's been around, I just I think when you sit back and you look at where this talent level is at. For Green Bay again, a top ten defense last season, first time they've done that since the Super Bowl year in two thousand and ten, there's just I think the possibilities are endless. I'm really I I we all know what the pieces are going to be for the Packers defense. How do you move them? How
do you get the most out of him? How are you able to get you know, the Smith Bros. Going back again, What is the next step for Gyr Alexander on the outside, Darniell Savage? What kind of weapon can this guy be? In Mr? Consistency Adrian Amos, There are just I think the possibilities are undless for that defense. Yeah, as I've been saying, I don't see this as something
that's like a major defensive overhaul. It wasn't. Yeah, that's not to say that that's not to say the defense is going to look exactly the same under Joe Berry. But this is not something where we're going to be spending the off season and training camp talking a lot. At least I don't think we're going to be talking a lot about this, this transition to the new playbook and everything like that. Yes, there are going to be some things that are different, but this is not going
to be some completely different scheme. One thing that I noticed about Joe Berry, and he mentioned it when he spoke with the Green Bay Media, and it's kind of what I wrote about that day, is that you look at you look at his track record. This is a guy who's been everywhere in the NFL, from the penthouse to the outhouse. He's been on a coaching staff that won a Super Bowl. He's been on a coaching staff that lost every single game during a season. And but
we're undefeated in the preseason. But to his to his credit, he you know, he's not he's not dodging the failures that he's had along the way, and he's like, hey, those failures, those rough moments are what made me a better coach. Yes, going to Super Bowls, which he's been to a couple, he's won one. Those are the things that you enjoy. Those are those are the ones that are really going to be the you know, the lasting memories.
But the moments that make you a better coach are when things don't go well in this league and you've you've got to you've got to figure it out. And so I was I was really interested to hear what he had to say about that, because he wasn't trying to dodge, you know, the downtimes in Detroit and Washington when he was when he was on the defensive staff, was the defensive coordinator there, and is he said, I'm proud of my scars. I love that line. That was
the line of the press conference. I know everybody pulled that out as the top quote. It was true. But again, if you want to take a step back, if you really want to perseverate about the defensive coordinator stints, look at the talent level, Look at how many Pro bowlers around those teams in Detroit, Look at what he was dealing with in Washington. This is a new agenda. He has been given a five course dinner that he's gonna be sitting in front of now and it's your opportunity
to finally go to work. Yeah, and as far as Drayton, that special teams coordinator, this isn't this, This is this is almost just as big a higher as defensive coordinator. With as much as the Packers struggled on special teams a year ago, not really any return game to speak of, too many explosive plays in the in the return game. The other way, Mo Drayton has a lot of work
to do. This is in some sense as a risky hire for Matt Lafleur because he promoted somebody from within who was part of the struggles last year in the season instead of going outside and bringing somebody into to completely start over. So there's a lot of people questioning that decision. I'll just I'll just say this, and I said this an insider inbox as well. Nobody was doing nationally speaking, fan base speaking, nobody was doing a bunch
of cartwheels. And Nathaniel Hackett was the became the offensive coordinator when Adam Stanovich became the offensive line coach. Look at what those guys have done now on Matt Lafleur's staff, Guys that he had some connections with that he that he knew. Okay, Matt Lafleur worked with Joe Berry with the Rams. He's seen Mo Drayton up close the last couple of years as he was um the assistant on
special Teams. We just we have to we have to give Matt Lafleur's I for coaching talent, you know, a chance here to see to see if he's right before we start, you know, making a whole bunch of judgments about these hires. That again, nobody, nobody was jumping up and down about Joe Berry and Moe Drayton, but you know, he's had hires like that. He's had hires in the past that didn't necessarily get everybody outside the building super excited, but look how they work. And especially when they hired
Nathaniel Hackett. Everything. For as much as he accomplished in Jacksonville, the way things ended there, there were some questions about putting him into that role. He been an All star, higher was a guy that had an opportunity to get an interview as a head coach this offseason. That's where he's at now. The thing I like the most though about the Special Teams is yes, it's a coach that
has been on staff. But you heard Matt Lafleur talk about it, and again this is no disrespect to Seawan Meninga, but you could almost hear in his words when he was addressing the media that this is a guy I wish I would have known more about that being uh Modrayton when he hired for the coordinator's spot the first time, he knew he was talented, he knew he's someone that was held in higher guard in this in the building, but wasn't sure if he was ready for that head spot.
He feels like that's the spot he's in now. And even more than that, Mike. Right now, Greeny Packers have six specialists on this offseason roster. You have to imagine there's gonna be a lot of competition not only for that, for the return jobs, for the four core jobs they brought back, Will Redmond you have you know, or in
Burke's and Tye Summers coming back. They want to build a basis there and I think this is an important time to do it because I would believe I still think we're gonna end up seeing this expanded practice squad stick around even past COVID. You're going to be able to pull players. You're gonna be able to do a little bit more maneuvering than in the past. If you can find players, I really truly believe this, find a core group that then you can move pieces around as
you need to. That is going to be key, because as as Drayton said, you look back to the Nolan Cromwell days, the Mic Stock days. He took the right approach in being reflective on what the history of special teams is in Green Bay and wanting to pay homage to that and also bring some of those values back now as they look to turn this thing around. Yeah. Absolutely, Well, with that, we're going to call it a wrap on
this edition of Packers Unscripted. In our next couple of episodes, we will look a little more closely at the draft and and get into the Draft preview as things really ramp up and get close here. But for now, thank you for tuning in everybody. We appreciate it. We really appreciate being back here in the studio. Nice studio. This is nice. We will see you next time.