#604 Packers Unscripted: Two down, one to go

the quarterback position. Number three quarterback Kurt Bankert played pretty much the entire game, all but the final series of the game, and um he uh did not disappoint. He showed that he belongs in the NFL. You remember back in the two thousand's with the Brewers and obviously the run they got on. There was a picture by the name of Victor Santos. He was Mr. Quality started. Always seemed like he'd always give you, like, you know, six innings,

three runs, something like that. Orf I evenings. That's what that start reminded me of. Like for Kirk Ben Kurt Uh, if you think about it, like this wasn't the position he was supposed to be in. This is a situation where he was barely taking any team reps. Uh. The week before that Houston Texans game, Jordan Loves sustains the

shoulder injury. And I thought you saw a young man take his opportunity and really run with it throughout the entire week practice Well, against the Jets, it wasn't you know, as many as many eyeballs are we're going to be on this game and against New York the practices, he's you know, seeing some pretty important reps there too, and he held his own. I think you saw the gamer tendencies with him. I thought you saw his fearlessness. Uh, this is a guy that definitely doesn't He's not he

doesn't have happy feet. He plays the play as it comes to him. And I made this quote, and I didn't want this to come off as a dig to Curd at all, but I made this quote on Twitter where I said, you know, when you have a third string quarterback, you're just it's not you're not always gonna have a first round pick in that spot. You need to have a guy that's gonna be able to find ways to win for you and play with a certain amount of like chaos, and and I think that's what

Ben Kurt brings. And he keeps plays alive. It was an exciting football game. It wasn't air free. But if you if you were there and he checked it out, I think you got your money's worth. Yeah, he he definitely played a solid first half. Now there were mistakes, yes, I mean he he did throw an interception in the second half of past he would certainly like to have back. There were a couple of miscus with the footing. There

was a shotgun snap that slipped through his hands. Fortunately was grabbed by by the running back there, kyl And Hills. So it wasn't, as you said, it wasn't a flawless performance by any means. But when you look at look at it from the context of a number three quarterback who just got to Green Bay in the spring and is has been trying to learn this offense. Took very few eleven on eleven snaps in the spring, very few in training camp until Jordan's Love injured the shoulder in

the first preseason game. He went out there with what I assume was a fairly limited menu of plays. They weren't going to overload his play but he but he went out there and executed. As you said, he kept plays alive. He made some things happen. There were times that he the running backs themselves also made some stuff out of you know nothing, so to speak. It's going to be an interesting decision here because you know, in some way, shape or form, you have to have three

quarterbacks in the building. The question the Packers are going to have to answer is, is Kurt Bankert on the fifty three man roster or will it? Would he clear waivers and be able to get him on the practice squads that he's still here, that's going to be That's something that they have to they have to gauge. We'll see if they take the risk or if they just

keep him on there. The Atlanta Falcons, where Kurt Bnkert was before, they just lost their backup quarterback A J. McCarron to a torn a c l. So then you wonder, just because of that particular team, if Banker it is available, would they would they snatch him up? All of those kinds of things the Packers are gonna have to take under consideration next week at the roster rood action. Yeah, and I think it was Arthur Smith that even put

kind of the warning call out there already. We're gonna probably looking at quarterbacks next week on the waiver wire. And if you remember with the Falcons they were they were the fourth overall pick this year, they have a really high waiver claim depending on who they're looking for, not saying to be banker, but anybody. So these are the things that teams need to think about this time

of year. And as I said an inbox, it's the game within the game trying to understand your roster and as Brian Gudin has talked about over the weekend, how that roster could be perceived to the rest of the NFL. Okay, if we were looking at our roster, who do we want to see get cut, who do we want to

see come open that we could potentially claim. And you know, the byproduct of this being one of the deepest August rosters we've ever covered, Mike, at least during my time on the beat, is there's gonna be a lot of

tough calls. It's gonna happen at quarterback, it's gonna happen at running back, it's gonna happen at receiver, it's gonna happen on offensive line, and trying to figure out what that fifty three is gonna look like, but also with these expanded practice squads rules, who could still come up and maybe even play for you week one. Those are all the things that Matt Lafloor, Brian Goodkins and everybody's gonna have to put into kind of tabulated to figure

out what they're gonna do going into New Orleans. Yeah. Well, speaking of the offensive line, I thought the Packers put together a solid bounce back performance from some disappointments with regard to the running game. In the first preseason game against Houston, the Packers got the running game going right away. First offensive series. A. J. Dillon was in the backfield. You could see the holes were there, his decisions were

on point, his cuts were there. That running game really helping Kurt Banker get the you know, get the offense down the field and finish that off excuse me, finish off that uh um that drive with a score. Um. It was a good sign. It was a good sign

for the Packers running game. And then on top of that with with Dylan leaving after the first series, on top of that, you had I don't know, I don't like to jump the gun West, but seventh round rookie kyl And Hill sure looks to me like he's going to be the number three running back in this offense. He every day he helps his case. And the thing about Hill that is so intriguing is the Packers are not asking him to be a twenty carry guy right now.

They're asking him to make some big plays and big moments. And I think you've seen that from him. The first thing, and I said it to you during the offseason program that stood out to me was the jump cutting. Was his ability to cut on a dime and be able to get up field. And he's been able to carry

that through in pads. And as cool as it was to see him score that first touchdown against Houston, he only had five carries and they went for negative two yards with some of the blocking issues this game, you got to see him how he diagnoses the line of scrimmage a little bit better still. I mean, seven carries twenty nine yards. It's not like he broke like an eight yard run or anything. But he said it after

the game. He tweeted it to fifty six. This is a young man that was an All SEC running back. It's not like he was playing at some random school in Albuquerque. This is a guy that was a high level, highly touted recruit whose college career didn't end the way he wanted it to. So for him to be able to pick himself up and show, Okay, there's still a lot more here that everybody didn't see coming out, I

thought was really impressive. As you also touched on with A. J. Dillon, I thought that was a really important series for that young man. He's not going to play a lot. He may not play in this game against Buffalo, but it was good to see what he can do and as sort of a featured back role, especially when he's given the holes to operate with. In my last point here, also a tip of the cap to Luke Getsy. We found out this past week that was actually Getsy that

called the plays earlier in that game. I thought that was an expertly executed drive. He was able to roll out Banker early on, get him into a nice rhythm with that past I believe to Dylan, and they just sort of rolled from there. So again, you look at the final score, I understand everything didn't go right, but for where you want to see the Packers really execute, like that first team, first snap unit, I thought did so.

I thought with Uh. What what I really liked seeing with Dylan is in the very beginning of the game, all the players are fresh, The offensive guys are fresh, the defensive guys are fresh, and A J. Dillon was not easy to bring down. That the Jets were having a hard time getting him on the ground. And yes

there were some creases there. I liked the cuts he made, as I said before, the decisions he made, but he also was just was getting extra yards by put by either pushing the pile or you know, knocking somebody backwards before the next guy maybe would bring him down. You saw that on a pretty regular basis there on his handful of carriers. I thought that was a good sign. Offensive line still not setting stone here with regard to what the Packers are going to do at the guard position.

On Saturday night, Royce Newman started at right guard, John Runyon started at left guard. But then when the team returned to practice on Monday the opening snaps with regard to the guards on the number one offensive line, Royce knew was at left guard and Lucas Patrick was at right guard. Then later in practice those two guys switched, but then they also rotated in John Runyon and Ben Braden.

So this uh, all of this rotating and carousel and trying to figure out what the best position slash combination, everything is still ongoing here and looks like it's going to take the Buffalo game to finally sort it out. Well, you can see the game slowing down for Newman now, and you can see him getting comfortable in a set spot now that he has been dedicating more time to guard. Because really, for the first three weeks camp, it was a three horse race. It was running. It was Lucas Patrick,

and it was Ben Braden. And here comes Roy Snuman, a guy that played a lot of tackle but also had experience in college at Old Miss playing on the

offensive line in that guard position. This is gonna be very interesting to see which direction Green Bay goes from here, because while you do want to keep the competition open and you've got to make sure you give those backups, they're the guys who will end up being backups enough work, because you and I have seen very quickly you can be thrown in their and be a sixteen game starter.

You also wonder at what point you want to solidify that group and give them a chance to jail, because you do have a rookie center there and Josh Myers. That's gonna be getting used to two different linemates. And then when David Bactieri comes back, he has Elton Jenkins working next to him as well. So, uh, Newman though, I thought, has made a really good account of himself. I mean you can see the power, you can see what it brings to you can see what made him

a fourth round pick. Yeah, and if you can get the footwork thing figured out where he had that little incident with Ben Kurd in the game. Uh, you know, I think this is a guy that really is going

to excel in that spot between Myers and Turner. Yeah. Well, before we move on to the other side of the ball West, Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fonetics need seven three and at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone like our Wisconsin Cheese Kurds, mac and Cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs,

we believe in better all right. On the defensive side of the ball West, two guys that I think are worth talking about here a pair of rookie defensive linemen who are making an impression. And I'm talking about fifth round pick t J. Slayton out of Florida and the undrafted Jack Heflin out of Iowa. Now, these are two young men who have both gotten a pretty good share of reps through these first two preseason games. And yes there have been some ups and downs. We hear from

the coaches, consistency is always that word. They want to see the same effort, the same level of execution, you know, play after play. That doesn't happen with rookies, certainly with um with late round picks and and undrafted guys. But you can see these guys are coming along and the coaches are liking what they're seeing. They're liking the progress. And and these are these are two young men who

have had a pretty good month. Well, you know, starting over to Darryl Slayton, I mean this guy, as as Jack even talked about when he was meeting with the media, I mean he's a grown man. I mean six ft four three and thirty pounds. Jerry Montgomery mentioned body fat. Mike, I don't even know what I want to know what my percent of body fat is. I mean, he is an incredible athlete, and you know one thing is he's probably gotten to where he's gotten to a lot of

times leaning on the athleticism, you know. But I think as you teach him technique man, and you know the position that he plays and the the guys that he's in that room with that you talk about an excellent opportunity to grow. I think the table is set for him to have a really nice NFL career if he can stay healthy and that sack Mike, how often do you see that somebody rushing from a three technique. I

understand it was a preseason game. I understand they're going up he's you know, he's not going up against Josh Sitton. But to be able to pull off that swim move in traffic and still have the the acceleration you saw, the ten area, the ten yard quickness, and you know in his protein numbers and that there's just so much in that young man that I think is exciting for the Packers to unwrap. Jack Heflin is just a grinder and it was really interesting listen to him speak to

the media on Monday and just hearing his story. That's a guy that used to show cattle, uh, you know, and in his small community, you know, you know, kind of just a earned everything he's ever gotten, self made sort of dude. And for him to come in and make a name for himself, and you can tell just what he's been bringing and eating some important snaps in

the preseason here for the defensive line. He doesn't have all the athletic intangibles of a slatener Kenny Clark, but this is one of those guys that just he you see him time and time again. He won't be denied. And when you're looking for an undrafted free agent find these are the type of players Packers have had a

lot of success with you. His journey is an interesting one and you know, as he described it to us, when you know, answering questions that he comes out of high school, small town Prophetstown, Illinois, to roughly two thousand people. I think he said nine d The census gave him two thousand. The census has met two thousand now. But he didn't get a single Division one scholarship offer. He had only three walk on offers to UH to play Division one college football, which is what he wanted to do.

He want he wanted to play Division one. He wanted to play for the Iowa Hawk Eyes. He told his mother and when he was in eighth grade, even though at the time he said he was a hundred fifty pounds that he wanted up that he was going to play football for the Iowa Hawk Eyes. Well, they didn't offer him anything, not to walk on or whatever. So he goes to Northern Illinois. Well, then after he earns a scholarship as a walk on at Northern Illinois, plays

there for a few years. Then you get to the pandemic season and it's there's all these questions about whether games are going to be played or they only going to play conference games. And when you're at a mid major school like a Northern Illinois, the best film that you have for the pro scouts is when is when Northern Illinois plays somebody nonconference from a Power five school. Well, that wasn't going to be happening in so he decided

to put himself into the transfer portal. See if he could land somewhere where you know, the the he'd get the right kind of film to get noticed by by scouts. Well, lo and behold, he does get an offer from Iowa, the you know, his dream school where he wanted to go, and then so he plays there for one season, still doesn't get drafted. But then he has a zoom call with Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery, who who turns out to be a former teammate of Kelvin Bell, his

defensive line coach at Iowa. So there's all of these connections going on. He feels really good about the possibility of going to Green Bay as an you know, signing as an undrafted free agent and taking his shot, and uh and suddenly here he is with one preseason game to go, and he has put himself in position to get a spot potentially on this fifty three man roster he has And I actually made this remark d in

practice on Monday. I think that was the first time that Jerry Montgomery has had all of his defensive alignement available yes camp. So far, it's just been so difficult. So one of the reasons Hefflin has been able to do this is he's just gotten a lot of work, whether it was in the team periods and in practice recently, especially against the Jets, or in that preseason game with Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry and and all these other guys being down. You know, the one thing that'll be interesting

to track with him. You remember Tyler Lancaster two in two thousand and eighteen I believe or nineteen whenever that was. You know, he's a guy that imprest and Camp didn't make the fifty three right away, but within a month was up on the fifty. Right. We'll see how everything goes with Heflyn. Maybe the Packers feel he's invaluable enough to keep him, but he just he seems like the kind of guy you want to work with, you want to develop, and at some point he can become a

real contribute here at the next level. Yeah, he'll be an interesting guy to follow, regardless of what happens with with the cut down to fifty three. But um, but he's he's given himself a chance. And that's one of those guys that have started training camp. You and I kind of look at the roster were like we, you know, without having the usual spring access to players and trying to talk to guys, and we didn't even we didn't

know anything about this young man. And now here he is with a with a chance to be on the Week one roster. And there's a lot of those guys Mike that come in every every year, you know, from different parts of the country where you kind of don't really know who they are and what they're going to be able to bring, and they make one big play.

And I remember there was one I think in the mini camp that I kind of noticed Hefflin being able to get in the backfield a little bit and just disrupt and you know, your intenta goes up, and then you start to see him more and more and you know he's definitely fit that this was not a huge year for undrafted free agents. You know, we know how this went with this year's draft. I mean, they're just the pool wasn't as big as it had been in

the past. So Packers uf a classes maybe like ten guys um So for him to put himself in this this conversation after being in kind of a thin draft class to begin with, I think says a lot about him and the way he approached this thing. Yeah, well, one last thing before we go. Packers still working on some issues on special teams. A very up and down game unfortunately against the Jets. There was a nice punt return by Reggie Bagelton. Really nice play on punt coverage

by Christian up Off. Speaking of undrafted rookie players trying to put themselves in position, and but there was a long kickoff return that was allowed. J K. Scott had had one very poor punt out of his four, so Packers working through something still with regard to special teams. But I'll just say this, heading into this final preseason game in Buffalo, there are jobs to be one somebody.

Somebody is going to make an impression I think enough just on special teams alone, two get a shot at at the fifty three and to have a chance to play because because of all this stuff the Packers are are trying to work out on special teams, you make a big enough impression just in that phase of the game, I think you have a chance to make this roster.

Christian up Off is basically one more good rep away on as a gunner, I think from putting himself in that conversation right and he's he's only had twenty six defensive snaps combined in the first two preseason games, and I think we're going to see him potentially play a lot more on defense against Buffalo. Because of what he's done on special teams that they want to you know, they want to get a little bit longer. Look here and again, yeah, he's he's definitely got to keep an

eye on. I'm gonna give you a little bit of a secret here, Mike. I mean, we can talk all we want about j K. Scott and where he needs to punt the ball and doesn't need to be towards the sideline. You want the ultimate equalizer in the punting game. Find a gunner that can break a double team and get down the field fast enough to make a guy fair catch a ball. Up Off did that this game.

It's what Jeff Janis did so well for so many years in Green Bay, even through a lot of different fluctuations with the punting situation, Janis was a huge asset in that way. Packers have been missing that. So, whether it's up Off, whether it's in his games, whether it's any of these young guys that can make an impact in that way, that's what you need because yeah, I mean, you do want to get it to the sideline. You do want to make it difficult for the puncher to return.

But with a guy like j K. Scott, I just keep going back to that, Mike, a guy that has that much leg talent, if you can just get the ball underneath his foot and give guys four and a half seconds to get downfield, that's still, to me is the best blueprint for being able to make sure that you don't have big, you know, explosive plays allowed. Yeah. Absolutely, well with that, we're going to call it a wrap

on this edition of Packers on Scripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team as training camp continues here in Green Bay. We'll have it all for you on Packers dot com for West, I'm Mike. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, See you next time.