Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you from Parts Unknown inside lambeau Field for another pre draft edition of our show. Wes and I think what we'll do on this show For those who have been following on the website, this week, we started a position by position
roster review series, something that we do annually. We take a look at just where the Packers roster stands at each position across the board, assessing the level of need in terms of depth or possibly immediate help, all of those kinds of things heading into the draft. So we'll do the same thing right here on this show. And of course, starting at quarterback. We talked on our last
show the transition to Jordan Love is underway. The only backup quarterback on the roster right now is Danny Etling, the former LSU starter, And while the Packers certainly like what Ettling brings to the table and the possibility of some more development there, you have to believe at some point there's a good chance the Packers are going to take a quarterback in this draft to fortify that position.
Yeah, I mean the Packers have ten picks in this draft coming up. Michael. We know the situation where, you know, the Packers historically have not been a team that has gone out and paid for a five six million dollar a year backup, Why would you when you have Aaron Rodgers, They've tended to go more on the young side of things and developing their number two guy. So in my in my thought process, I think that makes total sense for green Bay right now. There's a few names still
on the market. You know, you're Matt Ryan's, although who knows what he wants to do, Carson Wentz, Mason Rudolph Teddy, Bridgewater. But by and large, to my eye, it seems like this would be the right year to bring somebody in, have them compete with Ettling for that number two job, and kind of roll the ball from there. Has had
three years to work with Aaron Rodgers. Now that's not to say a thirty year old quarterback, a thirty five year old quarterback still couldn't help him and bring him along and you know, give him some pointers, much like you know Chad Henny did with with Patrick Mahomes here the past few years in Kansas City. But I just think the Packers' process has been pretty proven. You think back to two thousand and eight when there was the transition from Aaron from Brett Farv to Aaron Rodgers. Ted
Thompson dipped twice into the draft. He took Brian Brom in the second round in Matt Flynn the seventh Brom didn't work out, Flynn did, and the Packers ultimately found their backup quarterback for the next four years.
Yeah, when you talk about that, that idea of a veteran backup quarterback, I think the Packers would love to have one of those. I just don't know if their salary cap situation is going to allow them to pay what it's going to take to bring one of those guys in now. Of course, they haven't done it yet, so the longer things go on, the more the prices drop, and we'll see what happened there. But I do think this is a year the Packers are going to draft
a quarterback. My question to you is when do you think maybe they start seriously looking at quarterbacks, Because as we'll get into going forward here, with the number of needs on this roster and some of some spots where you are looking for some help right away to contribute in twenty twenty three, I don't see the Packers really looking all that seriously at quarterbacks until maybe the third day, like the fourth round is maybe the earliest I would
think the Packers would look at drafting a quarterback. What do you think, Yeah, fourth.
Or fifth, I mean, depending on if there's somebody that you like that maybe is a little bit more under the radar, maybe you can sneak one into the sixth or seventh. But I agree with you, Michael, I mean it's the same thing. And we'll talk about running backs here shortly. But you know some people talking about, hey, when will the Packers could they potentially take a running back? I just don't know if you have that luxury this year.
I think you feel good about you know, Aaron Jones and Ag Dillon and certainly Jordan Love is going to be the guys. I've said all along. If it's not Aaron Rodgers, it's going to be Jordan Love under center. So I think you got to help put as many resources around him as possible while also fortifying that defense. And as we'll talk about at the end here too, you still really don't have a kicker on this roster either,
so could that come into play. There are only ten picks that at the Packers currently have at the time in which we're taping this in a lot of different address needs to address.
Yeah, well you mentioned running backs, so we'll move right on to that position. It's pretty simple the way it lays out. You have Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon as the one two punch at that position for really the third straight year. Now that that duo will be at the top of the depth chart, Patrick Taylor and Tyler Goodson are the two still young developing prospects behind those guys, I think I think the Packers are going to look to build up the depth at the running back position.
The question everybody is asking, though, of course, is if Jean Robinson from Texas is there at number fifteen in the first round, how tempted will Brian Gutakunz be to potentially go that high with running back when Aaron Jones is only under contract for two more years. AJ Dillon is in the final year of his rookie deal. My answer to that, if your evaluators are saying Robinson is the next Barry Sanders, then yeah, go for it, right.
I mean, if you really think that that's who this guy can be, then you probably don't pass up on him. But outside of that, I agree with what you said moments earlier that it's really a luxury that the Packers probably cannot afford given the state of their roster at other positions and players that are going to be available in those first and second rounds.
Yeah. And if it's me, Mike and I'm thinking that, hey, this is the next Barry Sanders, I'm calling up the Dallas Cowboys and saying, hey, this is the next Barry Sanders. You guys like to work. That's right here. I mean, Robinson is an exceptional talent, but the Packers drafted AJ Dillon three years ago in the second round. That was a huge, huge investment that they made in a running back at that spot. To do it thirty spots earlier, I think would be really dangerous. I like Patrick Taylor
a lot. I've liked him since he came out of Memphis. He's had the foot injury. He obviously has been up and down off the practice squad, but for a long time, Mike I made the comparisons between him and James Starks. He is a tall, strong running back that I think is fitting really well as a number three. Certainly you want to bring in another guy to compete for that role. You definitely need to have one on the practice squad
as well. But the way I look at it, yes there are questions about running back next year, but right now there are none. Packers have questions otherwhere in other spots. I look at Jones and Dylan and keeping that combination going, especially with how much you're going to need to rely on the veterans there in pass protection as you pass catchers out of the backfield. It's going to be a big year for them to have a big.
Yeah, when you can find Jamal Williams in the fourth round, when you can find Aaron Jones in the fifth round. I know, again, outside of that, you know the Barry Sanders or Tony Dorsett evaluation or whatever it might be. I just don't see the Packers using a really high pick on a running back in this draft, though. I do think they will address the position at some point within the ten picks, or perhaps they may have more than ten picks when this is all said and done.
Wide receivers and tight ends. Everybody wants us to talk about him. It's what everybody has been talking about. We touched on it on our last show. It's pretty clear how the depth chart sits at both of those spots. Christian Watson and Romeo Dobbs are your top two guys at wide receiver. Josiah Deguarre and Tyler Davis are your top two guys at tight end. Elsewhere, at wide receiver you have SAMARRII Ture, the seventh round pick from last year who did catch one touchdown pass and his limited
playing time as a rookie. And then you have developmental prospects Bowl Melton Jeff bo Melton is one fast dude. I'll say that I don't know too much more about him, but the guy can run, that's for sure. At tight end a couple of other developmental prospects as well, Austin Allen, Nick Gamos. If I'm saying that correctly, hopefully I am. But wide receiver and tight end west these are two positions that the Packers are almost certainly going to address
and possibly address with multiple picks in this draft. Considering the stockpile of picks that Brian Gudokunz is taking into this three day extravaganza.
Yeah, and I have four positions that I think probably are the top candidates to be taken in the first two days, and certainly I don't think it's going to come as a surprise to too many people. It's tight end, it's potentially offensive tackle, and it's edge rusher. If you can also add a receiver into that, I think it would be really a positive for this team because the fact of the matter is Michael the player that has played in the most games right now at receiver for
the Packers is Christian Watson. The receiver that's seen the most playing time so far as a receiver on this roster is Romeo Dobbs at like five hundred and twenty nine snaps or something like that. You need more bodies in that room. You feel good about Watson and Dobbs, but if an injury happens, who's the next man up. Great opportunities there for two Ray and Melton to make
this ball club. But I know it's funny. I just get done talking about how I don't know if the Packers it can be a luxury enough to take a Robinson, But then I've completely fallen in love with Jackson Smith and Jigba during this whole draft process, learning more about him, seeing the fifteen catches for three hundred and forty seven yards and three touchdowns at Ohio State. The two big knocks against him are the fact that he was lining
up next to Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. But Michael, I feel pretty good about having Christian Watson and Romeo Dobbs is a one two here in Green Bay. And then furthermore, I mean, the kid fits a huge need in the slot. I think that's where the Packers need to find a body in this draft, whether it's js N or not, I think the Packers need to find a guy that fills that Randal Cob type of role. They tried it two years ago with a Mari Rodgers.
It didn't work out, but finding someone that knows how to navigate the middle of the field is gonna be really critical. I feel for Jordan Love in his first year as a starting quarterback.
Yeah, I mean, what's intriguing to me about Jackson Smith Jigbo when you talk about putting a guy in the slot, is this is not some one hundred and seventy five pounds slot receiver. This is a young man who's you know, one hundred and ninety plus, pushing you know, the the mid one nineties in terms of size. Obviously, the production that he had in college speaks for itself. Didn't have the final year at Ohio State that everybody was anticipating
because of injuries. But he's that guy that's that's right in between the size of that, you know, really small slot receiver and then a bigger receiver like a Christian Watson. And I'm not normally a guy who really likes the small receivers at all, but I have to say this about Jordan Addison from USC. This guy is he's only what five nine or five ten, and I don't even think he's one hundred and eighty pounds. I think he's
in the one seventies. But what's really intriguing about him, if the Packers are going to possibly think about going this route, is that he's not one of these high production college receivers that's just some product of a system. This guy produced at Pitt. Then he transferred to USC, learned a new system, brand new quarterback, the whole thing, and he went crazy there too, and put up all kinds of numbers. So you talk about a guy who might be able to just step in, learn a new offense,
and start to work with a new quarterback. Addison is intriguing in that way to me. And the other one who caught my eye when I was working on our prospect Primer series and for those who want to check it out, lots of videos and some little thumbnail sketches on our website of some of these prospects Quinton Johnston from TCU. As soon as I started looking into this guy, what I couldn't escape was that Quinton Johnston is Christian Watson, except he runs a four to five instead of a
four to three. He's the same body type, he looks like the exact same receiver. He's just not the speed burner that that Watson is. And there are questions about his hands and all that. Well, that's what we heard about Christian Watson too, right all leading up to the draft and in the early part of his rookie year. So those are just a couple of names that have that have caught my eye through this process. Now that being said, if the Packers are only going to have
the one first round pick at at fifteen. I don't know if wide receiver rises to the to the level of uh of where you know you take one. But but I'm with you on on Jackson Smith jig, but that would be that would be a difficult guy in some respects to pass on. As far as tight end is concerned, I think everybody's talking about the top four prospects at that position, right Michael Meyer from Notre Dame, Dalton Kincaid from Utah, Darnell Washington from Georgia, and Luke
Musgrave from Oregon State. Now, the first two are considered potential first round guys. The other two are being looked at, maybe more as second rounders, although you never know how this thing goes. What are your thoughts on tight end and just maybe what the packers might do or what they're looking at there.
Dalton Kincaid is going to be the decision, I think ultimately, because I think he's going to be there at fifteen based on everything I've seen. And when you see this many mock drafts, Michael, that have people incredible NFL pundits having Kinkaid going to the Packers at fifteen, that tells you that the word hasn't quite circled as far as him going higher than that. I feel like if he's there, that's going to be the decision that Green Bay is going to have to make for the first time in
twenty three years. Do we take a tight end right away? This a kid that is going to be able to catch the ball. He's the most pro ready prospect of the bunch, probably more of the receiver build than a traditional tight end build, but incredibly productive a lot like Smith and Jigba, incredibly incredibly productive inside the field, is going to be able to be a mismatch for defensive back and also fearless at the point of catch. So I'm very excited to see what happens with him and
what his pro career is going to look like. Me personally, the player I fell in love with from the beginning, even before he got to the combine was Darnell Washington. Because right now, as we talk right now, Michael, the Packers do not have Marcedes Lewis under contract. We don't know what's going to happen there with Sadies next season. They need a traditional inline tight end in this offense.
Unless Matt Lafleur is going to make some adjustments, we're going to see more six offensive linemen if we're going to see a different guy come in to do that blocking tight end role. Washington is the complete type of player. I mean, if you look and try to build up a Mercedes Louis Lewis type in a lab, it is Washington with his background as a receiver, the body that he grew into, and the way in which the Georgia Bulldogs used him. Watch the film, watch the prospect primer.
I mean, this kid was the Mercedes Lewis for the Georgia Bulldogs and also a guy that was incredibly difficult to get down to the ground once he did have the ball in his hands in space. So but it's tough because he's not going to be there. You're not going to take him at fifteen if this was the end of the first round, like a traditional Packers draft, if you're picking at twenty eight, do you look at him? Do you move up to potentially take him in the
second round? Questions are going to be abounding there with Darnel Washington. But I really like his pro prospects just because of the way he tested and the fact that he has a body type that has kind of gone by the wayside when it comes to the tight end position.
Yeah, I think I think the Packers could end up investing a lot in this draft at tight end in terms of potentially multiple picks, and I could see the same thing at wide receiver, even if they don't use a first round pick at either of those spots. I think the Packers could really be trying to build up their depth and competition at those positions as we go through the three days of the draft. Last spot on
the offensive side is the offensive line. There's absolutely no question about it that this is the deepest position the Packers have on the roster, bringing back thirteen offensive linemen from those who were on the active roster and practice squad from the end of last season. Eight of those thirteen if you include Jake Hansen, who started the season opener last year, eight of those thirteen guys have started games in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers. That's
an incredible amount of depth. That being said, David Baktiari is not getting any younger and jos Shneimen is just back on a one year restricted free agent tender. As far as the tackle spots are concerned, and when you're picking in the middle of the first round. There are going to be some offensive tackle prospects. The big guys, the four that most people talk about in whatever order, Peter Skronsky from Northwestern, Broderick Jones from Georgia, Paris Johnson
Junior from Ohio State, and Darnell Wright from Tennessee. There's a good chance one of those four, if not multiple out of those four, will be there at fifteen. Do you think the Packers might go that route in the middle of the first round.
Never had a year like this before, Mike on the beat where I'm literally telling you either you go first round for an offensive tackle or you just don't take any at all. I don't know if the Packers need more bodies at that position, but if you find a guy that you feel can be a future right tackle left tackle in this league as a starter, I think you make that move. As you mentioned, Broderick obviously a guy that I think you've touched on a few times.
I like Paris Johnson a lot. I feel like Scronsky as much of a good, feel good story as that is, with him potentially having that connection here with his grandfather and everything he did for the green Bit Packers. The arm length just it's not the end all be all, but it does raise some questions about whether or not he's going to be a tackle in this league. Could be really good guard. Maybe he will survive a tackle.
But for as much as people beat up Brian Vilaga for his arm length back in twenty ten, Skoronsky, I think is about an inch shorter than Brian was. Even so that is where I don't think the Packers need another guard. I think they need to tackle. So you go and get that guy. If he's there and you feel like it's the right investment, it's worth the pick. But if it's not, I just don't know if you
need another third or fourth round er. I feel like you gotta let the guys that you have play franchise tackle or pass would be my play on this.
It's interesting that you brought up Bloga, and not just because of the arm length thing and all that that's going on with Scorronsky, another Big ten offensive tackle like Bologa. But back in twenty ten, the Packers had Chad Clifton and they had Mark Tauscher, and they end up drafting Brian Bloga in the first round. And what happens he ends up starting in the Super Bowl as a rookie because of the knee injury to Mark Tauscher. So one
of those things you just never know. The guy who I can't I can't stop thinking about him in a certain respect is Darnel right from Tennessee. And I say that because and I know most of the projections are that he's just a right tackle, even though he did play left tackle for a full season back in twenty
twenty one at Tennessee. But six five, three hundred and thirty pounds and a guy who's pass blocking grade was was was off the charts in the SEC going up against some of the best edge rushers in this draft. He went up against some of these guys one on one, and they didn't have a whole lot of success against him. That's the type of prospect that if he's sitting there at fifteen and you're thinking about a guy like a Brian Bloga, that you could potentially plug in that right
tackle and be all set for ten years. That's a that would be hard to pass up. Think I think it's it's going to create a potentially interesting decision for Brian Gudakunst on Thursday night.
And that's the funniest thing about this whole deal is, you know, David Baktieri missed as much time as he did at left tackle, but I've still felt like the biggest question mark Green Bay has had since Brian Bloga left is trying to fill the right tackle spot. Who's going to be the right person for that. We've seen a number of different players play that spot. Now, maybe Yoshneimen he settles in there, he owns it this year.
But as much as we make about left tackles and franchise left tackles, packers have had some guys that have stepped in there. I thought Yosh played really well in that role when he had to for Baktiari. It's about who's going to fill that right tackle role. When you can solve a position like that, when you can create an answer for yourself for ten years, like they did
with Polaga, that is such an invaluable thing. In addition to the fact that they ended up needing them right off the bat as a twenty one year old.
Rookie, Yeah, no question about it. Well, a little bit of sponsor business here, Wes Sirius XM NFL Radio delivers hard hitting out, hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need twenty four to seven, three sixty five and at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with
your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years of Better or maybe this year I'm supposed to say fifty one years of Better because that was last year's slogan, So I'll have to check with our Cousins SUBSRIC.
We'll figure out what the birthday exactly was. Yeah, yeah, we have a little party.
We'll work on that all right. Switching gears, Switching sides of the ball to defense. We talked about the defensive line a bit on our last show with as far as the departures and the free agency situation you have Kenny Clark, we mentioned how TJ. Slayton and Devonte White are both going to be asked to take a significant steps forward in terms of their responsibility their workload. You also brought up Chris Slayton, who was on the practice
squad last year. Jonathan Ford, a seventh round pick out of Miami who was a game day in active all season last year as a rookie, sort of took a red shirt year, so to speak. Those are your defensive linemup for the Packers. This is this is a position
of need. What I really don't know is that it doesn't It doesn't feel like there's going to be some defensive lineman available sitting there at number fifteen where you just go, oh, yep, that's the guy, that's the answer, you know, like that, like the next Kenny Clark is going to be there at fifteen in this draft. It just doesn't. It just doesn't feel like that. It feels like this is one of those drafts where you might
have to find another TJ. Slayton in the fifth round, or another Mike Daniels in the fourth round or something to put behind those guys, and then you really are counting on Slayton and Wyatt to be big time players for you in twenty twenty three.
Yeah, there is a defensive lineman sitting at fifteen. His name is Lucas Vanes and he's gonna play outside linebacker. Yeah.
I was gonna say, well, that's the next That's the next position we're going to talk about is outside linebackers. So yeah, that guy, Yeah, there you go.
But here's the thing, Michael getting back to the true defensive tackle defensive line types. Packers drafted him last year. His name's Devonte Wyatt, and they need Devonte Wyatt to play up to that first round pedigree. They knew that this was gonna happen. They knew there was a real possibility that Dean Lowry going to move on after the last season. Jaren Reid was only on a one year deal. Kenny Clark is the focal point. He's going to continue
to be the guy on that defensive line. But if there was ever a year for them to be able to unearth another Mike Daniels on day three, this is the year to do it. Because to me, that's what green Bay's missing right now is a three is a rotational Mike became a three down player. Don't get me wrong here, but he was drafted as being a rotational interior three tech defensive lineman and he was exceptional at he grew his game from there. That's what green Bay
really needs right now because TJ. Slayton needs to be with When he's that big, that strong, that agile, you want him to be a nose tackle. You want to see he want him to see snaps in the three four defense. DeVante Wyatt has to be that guy that's going to step up in a three tech role. Who's going to be the next one that comes up after that. Jonathan Ford redshirted the entire season. Chris Slayton has been in the National Football League for four years. He's still
looking to get into first NFL game. They have hungry guys on this roster, but ultimately, Michael, it's probably about being able to add one more middle round guy to this group. With where the Packers are picking the first round, it wouldn't make sense for them to take a traditional defensive lineman. But you know, once they move around a little bit, second round comes around, maybe somebody's available there.
But I just feel like when you look at some of these other real positions of need, the Packers have two first round picks on their defensive line and they need to be able to rely on those guys.
Yeah, well, you brought up Lucas Faness from Iowa, so let's dive right into the edge rusher the outside linebacker situation. We talked about it on our last show. You've got Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Justin Hollins, Kingsleyannigbari. We don't know when Rashawon Gary is going to be back. Obviously, everybody's hoping sooner rather than later, but no guarantees at this point when it's only April and the first game is
still several months away. So aside from Lucas fans, any other guys that you have your eye on in terms of potential edge rushers that could be there at fifteen that the Packers might decide to pick, Well.
It depends on how much you want to go into the football player aspect of this thing. Now. I will just say quickly about VENs. He reminds me he's a much more refined version in a little bit bigger than George Karloftis last year. I really like George quite a bit.
He ended up playing on a Super Bowl championship Kansas City team, right, But I mean six foot five, two hundred and seventy two pounds, I mean this guy he fits the bill, and I feel like when you look at where the Packers picked four years ago, with Rashaan Gary. If he's there, I think that'd be a hard one to pass up on. Now. It's interesting, though, because completely on the other side of the spectrum is Nolan Smith, and he's also a guy that I've fallen in love with.
Now in terms of the raz scores, where he's gonna fall short is on the size six two, two hundred and thirty nine pounds. He's smaller than kway Walker, his former teammate at Georgia. But my goodness, man, the way the guy tested in the way that I think he can be utilized in the National Football League. Only three sacks or whatever last year, but his ceiling is so
high and there's so many ways to use him. A number of years ago, Michael at number fifteen, Pittsburgh's Steelers took Ryan Shazier out of Ohio State, another guy that I completely fell in love with and unfortunately had his career cut short by injury. But it was during that time that was beginning with these transitional hybrid linebackers. Guys that are going to be able to stay on the field for you three downs, are going to be able
to move around for you a little bit. I think that's going to be Nolan Smith's upside now again, unfortunately for him, he's just about two inches too short and probably about twenty pounds ten pounds too thin. But the kid, I think is going to find a way. He's like to me, I think of him as like that Aaron Donald of outside rushers potentially. I mean, he's just there are guys that come along every once in a while that can make a disruptive play regardless of what their
statu sheet says in terms of their biography. So he's the guy I've kind of fallen in love with during the draftcross whatever happens, I'm excited to see where his career goes.
Yeah, Nolan Smith is really interesting when you when you try to fit him into the Green Bay Packers because as you mentioned, he's right around two hundred and forty pounds. That is not the kind of outside linebacker that the Packers have traditionally drafted. A Lucas van Ness who's at two hundred and seventy pounds, of Miles Murphy from Clemson who is in the high to sixties, you know, in that six four sixty five. The guys who have what
I like to call the Preston Smith build. Those are the guys that the Packers have gravitated toward at outside linebacker. You know, a guy like Miles Murphy from Clemson is really interesting because he's he's got a lot of college experience, unlike van Ness, who you know, technically wasn't even a starter at Iowa, though I don't quite understand that. But
Vaness is still Vaness is still really young. Vaness is still really young, and there's there's all this talk about what exactly is his ceiling and how much upside is there with a young man that seems to have so much in front of him. Miles Murphy is a guy who had double digit tackles for lost three consecutive years in that Clemson defense at at a really good program.
He has the size prototype that the Packers like at outside linebacker and is really that dual defender on the edge in terms of setting the edge against the run and then also being able to get after the quarterback.
I think edge rusher is if I were to handicap it right now, and we know gambling is illegal at Bushwood, but I think edge rusher is the most likely position the Packers are going to draft at fifteen if they stay at fifteen if there isn't the moving around or other possibilities, I feel like it's going to be edge rusher, and I think it's going to be guys like van Ness and Murphy that will be the choices or or
as you say that, you know Nolan Smith. When I first got into the Prospect Primers, I thought Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech was a guy that would be really, really intriguing. But then ever since I did the research for the Prospect Primers, all I've seen is Tyree Wilson just keep climbing and everybody's mock drafts to where now he's even being talked about is possibly being taken before
Will Anderson from from Alabama. Some people think Wilson from Texas Tech might be the first edge rusher off the board all of a sudden, so his stock has risen to the point that the odds of him being there at fifteen and even a possibility for Green Bay seem pretty slim.
Yeah, and this is the year, Michael, where you touched on it. I mean the Packers, I think they could use another rashaon Gary like in twenty nineteen. They could use a you know, a Brian Burns, just a guy that's going to come in and learn and be able to fill out that rotation. I actually like the way Green Bay is a lot like lined right now with
their outside linebackers. I actually think if you if you didn't have the Rashaon Gary injury, it's actually a really good blend right now with some experience in Justin Hollins and obviously kings Leyanninggbari making the impact he did late last season. I thought he played exceptionally well for a guy that I don't think people have a lot of huge expectations for as a fifth round pick that had
a slope forty times so. But at the same time, you do have to look and you've got to understand that, Okay, well, you know, Preston Smith is thirty one. Rashaun Gary technically is a free agent right now after this upcoming season. You have to figure out what you're going to do at edge rusher. And I agree with you one hundred percent.
If there was a position where you're saying, Okay, everything's on the line, what position of the pack is going to take, I would agree with you it's probably a rusher.
Yeah. Well, at inside linebacker, a position definitely not as high on the need the immediate list. There you have Devandre Campbell. You have kway Walker, who you'd used your first pick on last year. You have Isaiah McDuffie, a young developing prospect, a former sixth round pick out of Boston College. You brought back Eric Wilson, the veteran from the Minnesota Vikings. Those latter two guys, of course, are going to be, you know, key players on the special
teams for Rich Basacia's. So I don't you know, will will the Packers draft an inside linebackers?
Sure?
Possibly, But I don't think it's a it's a spot that they're looking at at, you know, very high in this draft at all. It's more that this is more of a Day three, you know, looking at fortifying the depth and adding some competition type thing.
Yeah, it would be if finding another Isaiah McDuffie in the sixth round, some a guy that you like that maybe had some college production or some interesting traits and want to develop. I mean, very interesting situation the Packers are in because they have four inside linebackers on the roster and all four are probably shoeins right now. I
would say for the fifty three. Given the contributions of special teams with Wilson and McDuffie, McDuffie was probably the most improved special teams player last year, I felt, I agree, But for them to actually non tender Chris Barnes, Barnes who really contributed more than I think anyone would have ever expected them to as a former undrafted free agent in the middle of COVID in twenty twenty, I mean that speaks to how well and how deep they feel
they are at that position. But you need more bodies, and there's probably going to be one or two guys that either come in in that day three or as undrafted free agents that are gonna be looking to develop underneath Campbell and Walker and see what kind of opportunities might be there for them in Green Bay.
Yeah, well, the secondary is what we have left. I know our show is running a little bit long, but we're just gonna keep going because what the heck, we're on Zoom right like nobody nobody needs to be where we are right now because we're not even in the studio together.
So yeah, and justin the intern, justin the intern's running the show right now. So Marvin isn't complaining.
Yeah, Marv's not going to complain about how long the show is today. So all right, Well, in the secondary, at cornerback, it's very clear the who the Packers top four cornerbacks are. You have j R. Alexander Rasseul, Douglas Keishawn Nixon, and Eric Stokes. Again we're we don't really have an update exactly on Stokes with regard to him coming back from from that that horrible injury, the leg and ankle injury from from the Detroit game last year,
the same game, or Sean Gary got hurt. Behind the Behind them, you have again some more young developmental guys Shama Jean Charles, Corey Bown Team KeAndre Thomas. But uh again, cornerback. Cornerback has gotten to be a position heading into any draft, kind of like offensive line where you almost always are just you're you all. You gotta take one. You have to you have to continue to build and fortify that position and build your depth and develop players because you
just you just never you never have enough of them. Cornerbacks. Now you're talking six, if not seven, make the fifty three man roster coming out of training camp. Every year, you've got to have a bunch of these guys, and and again I don't I don't know if the Packers are gonna look at any of them early in the draft, but uh, but I would expect cornerback to be addressed at some point.
Two things that I will say on this, Michael, and I'm gonna put them all together. I'm gonna blend them all together for you. Okay, the Packers need a perimeter cornerback and they need a safety, and the safety could potentially also contribute as a slot cornerback, as we've seen now with Innis Gains playing in the slot last season. You've seen Ruby Ford have some snaps there, Darnell Savage, you know, even had some snaps near the line of
scrimmage the middle of that defense. Everything has melded so much now in the NFL, where there's a lot of blurring of the lines when it comes to cornerbacks and safeties playing those slot, nickel and dime cornerback spots. Perimeter cornerback is where Green Bay does have some questions because we don't know where Eric Stokes is at right now, coming back off of that ankle and knee injury he was participating in the strength and conditioning portion of the
off season program. We saw the photos from Evan Siegel and the videos from our video department, but you know that's still going to be a process for him getting back. Jyr Alexander and Rasseul Douglas are a good one too. But what happens if you lose somebody there. That's where the packers need to figure some stuff out. They have bodies, and we've definitely gotten to this era now where you're gonna the eleven to twelve defensive backs on a fifty
three man roster. They did it last year, especially with how the safeties can be utilized on special teams. The question for me is, Okay, who's the next man up until Stokes is ready on the perimeter and who's going to be the guy lining up next to Darnell Savage. And that's probably the biggest thing Green Bay is gonna have to at least try to take some steps towards during the three days of the NFL Draft.
Yeah, the safety position as it stands right now, you have Darnell Savage, you have Rudy Ford, you have Tark Carpenter, a seventh round pick from last year. In his gains. As you mentioned, there's also Dalen Levitt, who didn't really play any defense once the preseason got done last year, he didn't play any defense, He only played on special teams. And then the Packers added really, they're only significant outside
of the long snapper. The only notable outside free agent addition to various more, they signed as a safety from San Francisco, sort of like a Rudy Ford acquisition in that, you know, a guy who who can play safety, has been a backup, has some experience on defense, but also has a lot of experience on special teams. Kind of another addition along those lines, I think I think the Packers are going to be looking at safeties in this draft.
The only one that anybody's talking about, you know, near the top of the draft is Brian Branch from Alabama. And I just don't know if you use the fifteenth overall pick at a spot like that, as we've talked about, with all the other things that seem to be you know, needs that just rise to a higher level.
Yeah, and especially with Adrian Amos is still on the market too. It's not like Adrian had signed somewhere else, so you know, we don't know what's going to happen there if that door is closed or not. But the fact of the matter is, I just again getting back to kind of some of the things we said earlier. I just feel like there's other positions green Bay needs to address it. I don't know if you can necessarily dip into the safety bucket. Darnell Savage is back on
the fifth year option. He was a first round pick four years ago. You want to see him take a big stride, especially if Amos isn't back. R Ford played back there a little bit last season. This is about as good of an opportunity for the players currently on this roster as they could ask for to have cemented roles on special teams, but that carrot to potentially contribute on a big way on Joe Berry's defensive unit. Branch
is a really talented player. But again, you know, as much of a terrific track record as Alabama's had for turning out you know, high caliber safeties, I'm not sure if that's a spot that green Bay is going to be able to have the luxury of taking.
All right, well, last but certainly not least you brought it up right at the beginning of the discussion is at specialists. The first off, Pat O'Donnell. He'll be back as the punter for the Packers this year. That doesn't seem to be changing. They did sign Matt Orzich to compete with Jack Coco for the long snapper position, but Mason Crosby remains unsigned. The only kicker currently on the roster.
For all the kickers the Packers had you know on the practice squad and we're rotating moving guys through with you know at various times on the roster last year, the only one who's currently on the roster is Parker White. Be interesting to see exactly how this, uh, how this shakes out at kicker. I think the I think, uh, it would be great for the Packers to get Mason Crosby back, But I think I think it's the salary
cap situation. They're just they're up against it. They don't have a whole lot of wiggle wiggle room elsewhere they can do to to push any more money into the future. When you know this Rogers trade is going to you know, is going to suddenly you know, throw another nine million dollars onto the salary cap for for twenty twenty three. That isn't already on there, so they're preparing for that. But uh, but that being said, Mason Crosby is still
out there. He hasn't signed anywhere else. You know, you never you never closed the door. You never say never.
No, absolutely, Michael, and you know, thirty nine years old in September. Mason's got to make decisions too. I mean, this could be the last big, you know, opportunity for contract for him, So you got to be really cognizant of that and wanting to make sure that if there's a little bit left to be squeezed out of the Orange that you that you're able to get the for you and your family. So obviously totally understand where he's coming from. From Green Bay standpoint. A very interesting spot
to be in. You know. Parker White is a guy they brought in last August. He tried out for the team. He worked out for the team during training camp when Mason was still out. They saw something they like there. We haven't had a chance to talk to Brian Goudakunst about it yet, but I mean he's going to be in the thick of this thing. The draft is interesting because there isn't a Mason Crosby type prospect available there
that is like a hands down draft pick. You know, maybe Jake Moody from Michigan, huge leg, could potentially get taken. But a lot of the mocks that I've looked at and not a lot of people put a ton of time into the specialists. But it does seem like this is a year where it's probably just going to be
priority free agents. And I'll be honest with you, Mike, if it does come to that level, if you go two hundred and fifty six picks and a kicker doesn't get taken, I don't know in the National Football League, if you could ask for a better opportunity right now on Green Bay than you know, the potential of you know, come in and kicking for a job here.
Yeah, no question about it. Well, we've gone way over time today. We do have one more pre draft show coming up early next week, so keep an eye out for that. We will we will definitely get to that after the weekend. Thanks for hanging with us, everybody, appreciate you. Appreciate you watching and listening. On the website, we have the position by position series if you want to check
that out, and where the Packers roster stands. Also, the Prospect Primer series is continuing, a new Prospect being posted every day. We have the whole page now of all of the guys that have been profiled with those videos and thumbnail sketches so far, so be sure to check all of that out. So we'll call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Appreciate everybody tuning in for WES. I am Mike. Take care and we will see you next time.