#597 Packers Unscripted: Training camp off and running

and I'm trying to stay seated for a minute. Uh hey, you know all this hubbub and Rogers and Cobb and Adams, there were no like Mike Spofford tickers on ESPN or NFL Network that he has also returned to the Packers. I was disappointing to see that, but yeah, I mean I've covered this team now for ten years full time basis.

Monday or I should say Wednesday, excuse me. Was probably the biggest whirlwind of all, just with everything that happened guys coming in the moves of Packers have made and certainly the biggest story of all, Aaron Rodgers being on the practice field for the first day of training camp. Yeah, it's the first time in sixteen years in this job with the organization that I missed the first day of

training camp. So of course it would be probably the biggest first day of training camp, uh in quite some time. But Aaron Rodgers is back, and I will let you just speak briefly on his first day of practice because from what you and Larry talked about in the Three Things video, it sounds like it looks like he was

never gone. Yeah, and Larry even mentioned too. I mean, if there's ever proof that a guy that has going into an unprecedented seventeen season with the Green Bay Packers, a three time m VP, a future Hall of Famer, that maybe he doesn't need every single reptor in an offseason program, that was basically evident during practice on Wednesday. Rogers looked like he never left. I said it twice during Packers Are Three Things video that you know, he

didn't skip a beat. And you know from the very beginning, whether it's just the net drills and the footwork drills or even some of the passes, Packers are working on a lot of red zone type concepts not I mean, there wasn't these big you know, move the ball periods,

but his ball placement. There was one particular past that Economius st Brown ran a corner route towards the end zone twenty yard touchdown pass I believe was going up against hire Alexander two on the play, and Rogers was able to put the ball on the point in Economia has made a fantastic catch in the corner of the end zone, drew some some cheers out of the crowd

that had re congregated at Nichky Field. Just moments like that that I think show that Rogers, you know, whatever the off season looks like, whatever his preparation process is like, he's gonna come and dialed in. And as he said in a thirty two minute news conference afterwards with reporters, if he wasn't all in, he wouldn't be here. He certainly looked all in. Yeah, And there's been a lot of talk in the last couple of days, obviously about

the relationship between Rogers and the front office. And I don't want to get into all of that. There's certainly plenty of talk and discussion out there about that. What I do want to say is this Packers front office spent the off season with a shrinking salary cap working behind the scenes to keep as much of this team together that came so close to a Super Bowl last year, the last two years. Now Aaron Rodgers, the leader, the guy who makes it all go as as we know,

is also back. Like these two things have come together. So whatever whatever it is about the relationship, whatever there is with regard to the future beyond, it really doesn't matter right now because because everything that was going on behind the scenes with the front office and now with Rogers coming into the fold, it's all here. This is Itackers are gonna take their best shot at this thing, and that's all that anybody is really focused on, right Yeah, And I mean you have to tip your cap and

give credit to both Rogers and Brian Goodacus. Brian Goodcoin's the time we're taping this has talked back to back days both times for over fifteen minutes about this situation about them bringing in Randall Cobb in Rogers, you know, after what was a quiet offseason. He took a half

an hour answering all his questions. There was one funny moment at the beginning of the press conference because naturally with you know, basically outside of maybe an appearance on Sports Center with Kenny Maine, Rogers didn't say a whole

lot about the situation this offseason. There was a moment after the first question that Tom Palceero asked from NFL Network that that lasted over five minutes and its entirety was eight five words long, that Bill Hubert a number of the reporters tried to jump in for the second question, that in Rogers was like, it's Bill, it's good. Well, there's time, and he took time for every single question. We couldn't have sat there all afternoon, but if somebody hadn't.

Much like last year during the Zoom calls, where Rogers was very thoughtful, very reflective, he brought that same mentality to it. And there was one big line that stuck out to me actually really too. The first one being he loves his team, he loves the fans, he loves the city. He appreciates everything the Packers organization has done for him, the money that they've paid him over the

sixteen years. But the other aspect of it was to him mentioning that you know, I understand what this team can accomplish this year, the talent that is in this building and with you know, trying to get things in a better place over the past week with with the you know, the organization. Rogers came in because if he wants to play and he feels like he can play, and those are the two things he kind of came

out of this quiet offseason with. He feels that he should play and he's back to, you know, go for that next Super Bowl. Yeah. Absolutely, what you mentioned Equinimius st Brown and the great catch that he made for a touchdown in the first practice, and I want to go back to that within the context of Randall Cobb now coming in, the Packers make a trade bring back

Randall Cob. Bryan Ludin said, this is this is part of the relationship with Aaron Rodgers and the discussions that have been had throughout the course of the off season bringing in Randall Cobb to this team. This this ninety man roster, the ninety man offseason roster is loaded with wide receivers and it just got a heck of a

lot harder. The competition is ratcheted up that much more for really what might only be one spot in the fifty three and then obviously there will be a couple three spots on the practice squad for these young receivers. But boy, oh boy, does the dynamic the dynamic of the wide receiver competition in training camp to make the fifty three and be on the roster for Week one in New Orleans just changed considerably with a veteran like

Randall Cobbs suddenly coming into the fold. Well, it is funny because now the Packers are arguably as deep at receivers they've been since cop left and and now Cobb comes back into this I think, first and foremost from a leadership standpoint, from having a guy that has the experience that cob has, knows what it's like to to have that tight knit relationship with Rogers and the ins and outs of this offense. I am not worried about

that aspect of it. I think everybody appreciates what Randall Cobb is about the mentality he keeps and also the way that he carries himself. And it's interesting too that kind of like there was ten years ago, there is also the sort of passing of the guard here to the passing of the torch, where you know you have Marie Rodgers now on this this roster, Maria Rogers Dad T Martin coached Randall Cobb in college at Kentucky. Through that,

Cobb and Rogers have become really close. There are different types of receivers, they're both in that five ten range, but the way they're built is different. But seeing those guys come together now on this roster is gonna be really fascinating to watch that. The fact that Cobb was one of the first people to reach out and congratulate Rogers after he got drafted interested to watch that Dynamic

book more than anything. The skill position battles on this Packers offense right now, it's as deep as I can ever recall because you have multiple tight end packages, you have multiple running back packages, and then you have a really solidified core of receivers that are returning from last season. So it's gonna be as as hot of a competition as I think you've seen in a long time in this training camp, and seeing how Cobb gets acclimated to Matt Lafleur scheme is going to be a big thing.

But also Devin Foncious is back, Alan Lazard, Econemius st Brown, Marks Valdes Scantling. As I mentioned Rogers, and then you had these guys like Jowan Winfrey, who was one of the standouts during the offseason program that's competing for a spot. It's gonna be a good theater. Yeah. Absolutely, And you mentioned the tight end group. Obviously, we know that's a deep group. There's going to be competition there in terms of where certain roles are going to be filled in.

We know what how Matt Lafleur and Nathaniel Hackett really like to utilize the tight end in different roles in this offense. I think, you know, I don't remember exactly what year it was. Your memory might be better the year that there were seven wide receivers that were kept on the fifty three? Is that what it was? Was that the year that they kept Jared Boykin. Yeah, It's only happened once in uh in my time here. And I know a lot of people are going to be

wondering are they going to do that? Are they are they going to keep seven wide receivers? Well, my point is with this group, with as deep as this tight end group is, I don't know if there's going to be room for seven wide receivers. That's why it just feels like with Cobb coming in that that competition for for wide receiver in terms of the available spots just you know, really shrunk and also on the offensive side.

I wanted to get your thoughts. We know going into this, Aaron Jones, A J. Dillon the one to count act running back and we really won't know much or be able to discuss much until the preseason games with regard to the number three running back spot, but that is going to be one to watch here as we get into mid to late August with regard to Dexter Williams, Patrick Taylor and the rookie seventh round pick Kyle and

hill Um. That's that's another one number number three running back we've we've seen, not a huge role necessarily in this offense, but a guy that needs to be ready if they're injuries, a guy who is going to play and is going to have some things drawn up for him. And the Packers have to find out who that guy is gonna be. Yeah, I hope that we get Patrick

Taylor here, you know, quickly. I see that not from weed from a Packer standpoint, for from just a media standpoint, because on it it seems like he has a great disposition about life and the way he carries himself. But also I thought he had put together a really nice offseason program. He's starting the training camp on p U P, so that meant a lot of reps during the first day of practice for Kylan Hill and also Dexter Williams.

I really liked what I saw from Kylan Hill. Now again I cushioned this, couched it when I said it on Twitter. You know, there's no pads, there's no contact. But the one thing that really stood out to me about Hill is you can see the cutback speed, the explosive This that really stood out to me, some of the stuff that he did in between the tackles and

the guards. There's just a second gear there. And you remember he was an incredibly accomplished runner for a number of years in Mississippi State before Mike Leach came in and he kind of shifted to more of a pass catching back. So seeing that competition play out, as you said, Mike in training camp, I say, the preseason, Aaron Jones is not gonna play maybe at all. A j. Dillon,

I think, is going to play really selectively. It's gonna be those three running backs probably playing a lot of football, especially in the second half of those three priesecut preseason contests, and if Patrick Taylor can get back, I mean, I just think that there's gonna be three really different types of backs the Packers can work with their depending on what direction they want to go with that spot. Yeah, for sure, a couple other competitions I want to get to.

But first serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need seven three al Right, If there's one competition on the defensive side of the ball as we headed a training camp here that is sort of the headliner, I think you'd have to say it's number two cornerback. Right now, Kevin King is beginning training camp on what they call the n f I List Non Football Injury. They're a handful of players that are on that list

and not did not practice the first day. Brian Gudakun said there aren't any long term concerns with any of them. We don't really know exactly what those injuries are, but they'll be back soon. That being said, this battle that's going to develop, I think between Kevin King and Eric Stokes in terms of who really will be the number two cornerback in the base defense. Uh, you know, lining up on the other side from Jaire Alexander. That's going to be one to watch as well as the next

few weeks unfold. It really will be, because you know, Shandon Sullivan seemed pretty cemented still in that nickel role, and that's not a position that King's really played. Maybe Stokes could push inside a little bit more, maybe they'd be a little bit more flexible with how they use Jire Alexander to get all their types of you know, the top cornerbacks on the field at the same time, those are things we have to see with the direction

that Joe Barry goes. But for Stokes, I thought this was an important day and also for Rishawn Gary because the Darius Smith is starting on n f I as well, so Gary got a chance to be out there in basically a starting role with the defense, even though that isn't exactly a competition there with Sadarius for for that

outside corner spot opposite Jaire Alexander. It's just so pivotable because I think when you saw in two thousand nineteen when Kevin King was able to stay healthy, you know, the season that he had the five interceptions, those guy, the guy that's over there, it could be the second best cornerback in the league. At point. That guy is going to be looked at a lot because of what is doing on the opposite side of the Challenges are going to come that guy's way. There's no question challenges

are going to come. So what do you do with those challenges? The past defense that the interceptions, the big plays. Can you be the shutdown cornerback to Alexander like I think a lot of people um a year ago, I remember that was the big thing Kevin King was saying he wanted to be that shutdown option with him. Now, we'll be interesting to see when King gets back on

the field again. Brian Goodguins, as you mentioned, said, there really wasn't a long term concern with any of those guys right now, but as long as he's out, it looks like Eric Snows is gonna be the guy sitting in that spot. Yeah. Other observations from the first day of practice in catching up on all the news, looks like the plan as of now in waiting for David bak try to return from the a c L surgery, and there is no definitive timeline on that we all know.

Bok Trs has said he's obviously aiming for Week one. Um, nobody's making any guarantees one way or the other, but it looks like the first option is to have Elton Jenkins slide out from guard to left tackle to replace Botr, which then keeps Billy Turner at right tackle, and then as of now, the top two guards would be John Runyon, the second year pro from Michigan and Lucas Patrick, the veteran former undrafted tryout player who's carved out quite a

career for himself and and he could end up starting in Week one for the second year in a row. Yeah, and Patrick was pretty much solidifying that right guard role the left guard run It's gonna be interesting because you have Runyon there, who also has taken some center snaps with some of the scout team stuff or that the third team stuff. Ben Braden is the other guy to keep an eye on there as well. They were able to work him in a little bit with the first teamers.

He's a guy too that has kind of come the long way and undre former undrafted player, a teammate of Rashawn Garry's at Michigan. Uh, you know, someone that has been with the franchise once before, came back last season and then finished the year on the fifty three man roster. To the original point though with Dennis Kelly also getting added into this, you know equation as well. You know, a veteran that's been around for eight years in the NFL.

You know they're they're gonna have to make some interesting decisions to tackle now. Elton Jenkins was the guy on day one. He was exceptional there last season. The question that always you just would like to be a fly on the wall in these coaching rooms, is trying to figure out what's the best spot for Elton Jenkins when he can do it all. You know, if he's a really good left tackle in an all Pro caliber left guard,

where is your offense better depending on where he's playing. So, as the Packers have always done, this has sort of been a mantra here with Brian Goodkin's over the last three years is they're going to give themselves options. So Jenkins he's going to be looked at left tackle. Billy Turner did some of that stuff during the offseason program when Jenkins wasn't on the field. You have Kelly coming in who played right tackle last year. That could potentially

increase the flexibility to move around Billy Turner. It's a different age, man. I mean I remember coming in to this team nine years ago. First year I covered it, and you just knew who the first team offensive line was gonna look like. You knew what the second team offensive line was gonna look like, and that's the way it was going to go for that practice day. We aren't doing that anymore. That isn't the direction that the

league is going. So uh, a lot of different ways the Packers have to kind of cut this this pie up, but but certainly a multitude of options depending on which direction they feel they need to go. Yeah, you hear a lot of times, whether you're talking the college level the NFL level, with regard to offensive line, coaches will always say, well, we want to have our best five guys on the field. Sometimes that's just lip service because

they really know who they want in certain spots. With this Packers coaching steps, it's Matt Lafleur has been here and with as much as many injuries and shuffling and everything they've had to deal with through two seasons on the offensive line, the five best guys on the field. Thing. It's not lip service here, that really is that really

is what they want to do. They want to they you know, yeah, if it means Elton Jenkins playing left tackle, if it means Billy Turner moving around two different positions, if it means a rookie is going to start at center because he is because he's one of the best five. Like, that's how they're going about it. And and uh, we'll see how it unfolds. Obviously everybody will be interested to see when David baktr does return and we all know where his spot is and then and then where the

dominoes might fall from there. But um, but they built this, they built this offensive line with to have flexibility and options, as you said, and we're going to see all those options over the next month. Yeah, it's kind of funny that the one sort of set things so far is the rookie second round pick Josh Myers is the first team center. That was like the one thing that it's like, okay, well, kind of maybe press a little harder with the pencil when you're throwing that one on the depth chart at

least right now, the way it's chicken yeah, absolutely. A couple other things I just want to touch on quickly before we go. I think we're seeing an interesting dynamic developing here. First day of practice in ide linebacker, the veteran Devondre Devandre Campbell is lined up next to the youngster Chris Barnes. We already talked about jayro Alexander kind

of being with Eric Stokes. Right now, with Kevin King on the nf I list, you have the rookie center and Josh Meers amidst you know, Billy Taylor and Lucas Patrick, I mean sorry, Billy Turner and Lucas Patrick. There's an interesting dynamic developing in terms of these young guys that the Packers are going to be counting on significantly. Whatever role they end up getting, they have they have that veteran guy sort of right from the beginning that they can they can be in their hip pocket in the

meeting room, on the practice field. It's kind of the way things have been built around here. But yet it's just it feels it. It feels like it's even more intentional in the way these guys are lining up at

the start of training camp right now. It's just the sense that I get right and your heart kind of goes out to the Devondre Campbell's And you know, like I mentioned now with with Dennis Kelly coming in, these are guys that I think in traditional years would have gotten better contracts, you know, from some team in the NFL. But with the way the cap went down and created a really terrible sort of setup for the secondary market, is that weren't going to be guys that signed the

first day of free agency. And Campbell I thought was an absolute steal for the Green Bay Packers when you look at his resume, much like how Kelly started every game last year, you know, Campbell's a guy that's played virtually every snap defensively the last few seasons, whether it was his time in Arizona or we're going back to Atlanta where he was basically a Day one starter. And the thing about it is is Adrian Name has kind of talked about it. It still sounds like Chris Barnes

is the one relaying the calls on the field. But you saw in the second half of last season how important that nickel linebacker is for Green Bay. I thought that's where Christian Kirksy really started to improve. The second half of the season, and if Campbell can give them more of a true nickel, a package that they can rely on where you're not just always going right to the dime sub package with the hybrid safety and the box.

I think that could be really important for what Barry wants to build in Green Bay because Campbell maybe he won't play every snap like he did in Arizona. Maybe he will, you never know, but I feel like when you look at his skill set, the way he's built in his coverage abilities over the years, I feel like this is a guy that not only is he a veteran in that room, but he also compliments what they

do have in Cris Barnes. And then you know Kamal Martin, who's just a you know, bull in a china shop there, just goes for it, right. He's a guy that's a little bit more finesse and obviously has a lot of experience at that position and still relatively young at only twenty eight. So, uh Ty Summers is still there or in Burke's is still there. You know, Isaiah McDuffie is going to start on n f I, but he you know,

the sixth round pick is also in that competition. I don't know, Mike, we kind of touched on with the receivers,

but it holds true. I mean, for all my years covering the team, there were a lot of years where you could just kind of check off and cross off certain guys even at the beginning of camp because it's like that's not gonna work out this year, and a lot of these positions, there's not only questions about who can make the fifty three, but out of those guys, who are gonna be the ones that are gonna be

starting out there with their eleven Yeah, Brian goodacounts. He said it during the off season, and he said it again here at the start of training camp. This is going to be a difficult football team to make as a player because the roster is so deep and there are only the fifty three spots and we are just getting started. So with that, we'll call it a wrap on this welcome back edition of Packers Unscripted Training Camp is underway. To be sure to follow all of our

coverage of it on Packers dot com. For West, I'm Mike, Thank you for tuning in everybody. We will see you next time.