Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always by my trusted colleague Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you hear from our studios at lambeau Field, wess A couple more practices in the books since our last show, and the Packers now getting ready to head to Cleveland for the preseason opener on Saturday afternoon afternoon preseason football. That's much preferable to catch the fever from a work standpoint, Yeah, no doubt.
And the fact that wonderful time to spend in Cleveland and these three preseason games. It's kind of weird how it worked out where there's the three to twenty five in Cleveland or four to twenty five local right, then the night game in Denver. Yeah, and then at the end of this thing, the Packers are back at noon at Lambofield, so they get a taste of each.
One of these things. I like that.
I like that a lot.
And it's on the weekend. Yes, no Friday night games.
Yeah, no Fridays. No Friday preseason games this year. As far as the last couple days of practice, A few newsworthy items to point out, and then I'll turn it over to you to see if you have anything to elaborate or to add. Rookie first round pick Jordan Morgan currently out of practice with a shoulder injury. Matt LeFleur said, probably be about a week or so on that injury. Doesn't believe it's anything long term, doesn't believe it's going
to put Week one in jeopardy. If indeed Jordan Morgan is going to be starting on this offensive line, certainly opens up an opportunity for Sean Ryan, the third year pro, former third round pick out of UCLA, who seem to have fallen behind in terms of that competition at right guard with Morgan, but now he is the guy who is taking all the number one snaps at right guard
and a chance for him to reassert himself. Rookie third round pick Tyron Hopper, the last couple of days we have seen him taking some snaps with the number one defense combination of things there. He's taken some snaps in the four to three base in place of Eric Wilson. There's been a little bit of a rotation going on there. Certainly a spot that Wilson has held on too and done a really impressive job so far in camp to
prevent anybody from taking that spot from him. But he's also taken some of Kuay Walker's snaps with the number one defense as Walker has gotten some rest and Edgar and Cooper, the second round draft pick the rookie has been injured sidelined with a hip injury and he is not back in the lineup yet. And then last, but not least a yet another third kicker has entered the fray here in Green Bay. It's Alex Hale. He's been signed.
An undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma State, originally from Australia, had his first day kicking in Packers practice on Wednesday, went five of six on his field goal opportunities, was five for five until he missed his very last one. Those seemed to be the biggest news items from the last couple of days of practice, unless you have anything to add, No.
I think the just really quickly looking at the offensive line scenario because we've talked so often about this and I think it's gonna be really important for people to remember. Yeah, Jordan Morgan, it stinks right now that he's not out there but the amount of work he's gotten and then Sewn Ryan, when you look between what he did at guard and the snaps he was taking at center. The Packers have really cross trained all these guys at this point.
And yes it was in the name of competition, but if a shoulder injury happens in the regular season, then it might be Sean Ryan in at that spot. It might be some dominoes falling. And I think Sean proved last year when he did the rotation with John running in the second half of the season.
He is ready to take that jump.
I thought in a lot of ways, when you talked about, you know, Jordan Morgan kind of settling into that right guard spot, that was a testament to the film that Morgan was putting together. That was a testament to how he would settling into that position. I know the goal at the end of the day. A lot of these guys, and he stated himself, they want to be left tackles
in the National Football League. They want to be that guy that's like the quarterback of you know, in a lot of ways, like, yeah, premier position of the offensive line. But the Packers want to find their best starting five and in this scenario. It was Morgan at right guard, and the unfortunate thing about the timing of that shoulder injury is I was watching him in one on ones. He had a really tough assignment against Kenny Clark on one of those past rush drills. He stood right up
to him, three time pro bowler, held his ground. The next one Kenny beat him. But those are the learning moments that you can have, and just being able to get that type of work I think shows you how far he's come in a very short period of time.
But with him not in the cards for Cleveland, with him likely out for this next week, that means more reps for Ryan, That means more reps for Royce Newman, that whole guard group, especially once we get into this game against the Browns, you know they're going to have to be called upon.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And that brings up what I wanted to get to next to sort of the what to watch for, what we'll be keeping an eye on in Cleveland from the press box, things will be paying attention to with regard to this first preseason game, And one of the things that jumps out at me is just is the backup situation at offensive tackle. The Packers have had you know, Andre Dillard, Caleb Jones, Kadeem Telford, Luke Tanuda, although Tanuda has also been playing some guard. You have Travis Glover,
the rookie six round pick out of Georgia State. A lot of guys here to sort out. There won't be room for all of them on the roster, but nobody has really emerged as sort of the front runner of that that reserve tackle group, and I think the Packers would like somebody to step forward and take that.
Now.
Obviously, one option when you get into a game, if something were to happen at tackle, I mean Zach tom could flip over to left tackle, or Elton Jenkins could bounce out there, maybe Jordan Morgan bounces out to tackle, and then you know somebody comes in and takes their place. That's always an option. But ideally, if something happens on the offensive line, you have somebody ready to step into that spot, so you don't have to play this musical
chairs right type of game. Now, if they have to do that, because those are their best players, that's what they're going to do. And we've seen Matt Lafleur, Adam Stenomich. They don't hesitate to play that way when it's clearcut who the best players are. But if somebody from that backup tackle group can emerge as the guy who can step in at offensive tackle if something happens and everybody else can just stay in their place, that I think would be the ideal scenario for the Packers.
One hundred percent, Mike. And it's funny too on the outside looking in. I think when you talk about the keys of victory, the key matchups in this game against Cleveland, what they do at tackle from the very beginning of the game to the end of game is going to be so interesting because Zach Tom's not going to play, so somebody's gonna have to start right tackle, Zakadeam Telford. We saw Caleb Jones getting first team reps this week.
Is it a guy like Andre Dillard who has done this in the NFL for four years now but has been more of a left side guy than a right side guy throughout the course of his career. So a lot of things they have to go through. But when I was watching practice earlier this week, I'm sitting there looking at the team periods and just the size of these guys. You know, when you had Caleb Jones on the left side and Condeemed Telford on the right side.
Luke Tanuda, as you mentioned, at right guard getting some work. This guy's six 's eight, six ' seven. I mean, these are different types of bodies. When you look at the offensive line position. There was a time when the Brendan Curtains of the world really caught your eye because it was six to nine. You don't see anybody like this, and now, at least in the last five years, we saw Jared Valdier at six seven six eight. I mean, like that's just the way this position is played in
a lot of realms. So it's going to be so critical and blocking for Sean Clifford and the number two offense I think is going to be essential. That's be one area where the Packers are going to be looking for production. I would imagine you're going to see some Marshawn Lloyd in that capacity. I would imagine you're to see that the young receiver battle continue in those second team reps, which could take you know, half the game depending on how this all works out.
So, yeah, when you're talking about guys like Malie Heath and Grant Dubo's and and Bo Melton or whoever you know, whoever's going to get opportunities. This is this is that step up from practice to to make a statement, to get recognized, to give yourself something to build on for the rest of training camp as you're fighting for that roster spot and fighting for playing time.
And it all.
Starts on the offensive line. It all starts with protecting your quarterback. And we've seen it on both sides of things. When when these young quarterbacks have time to work within the preseason, what they can do to cut up a defense and conversely, if they don't, how quickly that can sort of unravel everything. So it'll be interesting to watch.
Yeah, the other thing I'm going to be definitely keeping an eye on, and again it with three preseason games here and so many young players, I don't know if anything is necessarily going to be one or lost in Kallee Eveland on Saturday afternoon. But what we've seen at the safety position, this is the next step in the competition right now. Based on the way the reps have been divided up in practice at least of late, it
would seem that Javon Bullard is ahead. But we saw Evan Williams make another athletic, really really impressive interception of Jordan Love, the number one offense in the two minute drill. In practice on Wednesday, Williams gets another interception. Anthony Johnson Junior is getting his still continues to get his opportunities, and the coaches seem pretty comfortable with him back there as well. This I don't know how much Xavier McKinney
necessarily is going to play in this game. If the starters play, you know, maybe they're in there for a short period, but the bulk of the work at safety is going to be these young guys who are battling for that starting spot next to McKinney. And it'll be really interesting to see with all all these guys having made plays in practice, who can go out and make a play in a game.
And there's a pretty good chance that in the nickel will see all three of them.
Yeah, you know, with Bullard having the capabilities of moving down to the slot, it's it's unlike anything I've seen. I wrote about an insider inbox. I know you and I have discussed it a lot. I mean, for as much as you go back to twenty fourteen when the Packers drafted haw Clinton Dix and they moved Micah high to safety in how deep they made a position that was a weakness in the span of, you.
Know, one year. This is just incredible the way that you drafted three rookie safeties.
Katan Ola Dappo just because of injuries still hasn't been able to really get involved in that yet, but Packers are credibly high on him as well.
Yeah, Ola Dappo has worked his way into team reps. He is doing eleven on eleven now after all of his time off. Will see what amount of playing time he may get on Saturday in Cleveland as well.
But with these these three young safeties, they're all involved with this every single time. Like, you're right about Bullard, He's made some incredible plays. I thought he was really good on Family Night.
I thought so too.
But as soon as I'm like, okay, so Bullard'll probably be the guy, then Evan Williams goes and makes a fifty to fifty interception in the end zone against Christian Watson off of Jordan.
Love and a red zone period.
Yeah, Anthony Johnson Junior has been incredibly consistent and has made some plays this camp. It is what you want to see. I mean, all these guys are going to be on the active roster. You're going to need that versatility, much like the offensive line. But it's it's a great position for the Packers to be and it's just funny considering how much and how far they needed to come in the last six months at that position and here we are.
Yeah, anything else you'll be looking for Saturday afternoon?
What where will you?
Where? Will your eyes be trained?
Well to two things?
One if I can go back to the inside linebackers for a minute, because it's not just about who's going to be out there, it's going to be who's the mic? You know, is Tyrone Hopper going to get an opportunity at that? I'm wondering watching him in practices this week if that was one thing they're sort of prepping him for. I'm guessing we'll see a lot of Eric Wilson because he is sort of the general back there. I think he is one of those guys that has been there,
done that. He's a preseason competitor, a former undrafted free agent that I think also can help keep the troops together in the second and third team units if they need it, but that competition is another one, Michael, where Edrin Cooper unfortunately out right now with the hip injury. But this is a huge opportunity for Tyron Hopper who for a few weeks there because of just the way the rotations go in the fact that you know, Christian Welch is also in this was the other veteran the
Packers re signed it inside linebacker. This offseason, we didn't get a chance to see a lot of Hopper, whether it be in the off season program or these first two weeks of training camp. So seeing how that young man, I was super impressed by him, watching just his you know, some of the double a gap stuff that they were testing with a little bit in practice and seeing the explosiveness and how quickly he can collapse to the ball carrier.
A lot to learn yet for him, but.
You could see those blitz tendencies that he could potentially be used for and what sort of made him the you know linebacker that he was at Massoo. And then to wrap it all around Sean Clifford with this offense, seeing how he handles this whole thing. That's where really last year he separated himself and yes, he made mistakes.
But even when he had that one interception against Cincinnati, came right back let him down the field against So this is a time where whether it be quarterback, play linebackers, receivers, safeties. We've seen these guys Mike in one capacity or another in practice for the last three four months. Now, how does it translate when you're actually up against an opponent. Well, yeah, Jordan Love's going to play, some of the starters are
going to play. We'll see how long they play. But at the end of the day, it's about what the rest of those ten eleven drives look like. And then a lot of it's going to be Shonan Clifford and some Michael Pratt.
Yeah, And I think the thing that can't be discounted here when we're talking about the linebackers and you mentioned Marshawn Lloyd at running back, you know, him getting his opportunity. I think I think Packers fans are interested to see Emmanuel Wilson get back in action at running back as well after what he showed as a rookie. But then you know, dealing with uh with injuries later on in
his rookie season. But when it comes to looking at these linebackers and the running backs, there's finally gonna be some tackling, you know, you find you really get to see what do these guys bring to the table. We had the one live tackling period toward the end of the Family Night practice and I thought Tyron Hopper made a heck of a play near the goal line there. Now that was just the number three units, it was.
It was all kinds of young guys out there. But it's a play like that that that gets a young guy more opportunities. And I think, I think what we've seen and where Hopper has been, you know, worked into the mix this week. I don't think it's an accident that it comes after he makes a play like he did at the goal line, the hit that he made, He stands up the running back after a short reception, pushes him back from the one two yard line, make
sure that he doesn't get in the end zone. Those are the things you get to see on a play by play basis in the preseason because it's live, because it's the because there's tackling out there, and a guy like Marshaun Lloyd or Emmanuel Wilson gets a chance to show the you know, the make a miss capability, the you know, the moves in the hole to try to
avoid getting tackled. Those kinds of things become a bigger part of the evaluation process in these preseason games for those positions in particular than some of the other ones.
It's funny too, and you're a little you got a few more IQ points than I do.
You have a master's degree. I only have a bachelor's. But listening to Matt Lafleur talk this week about that live tackling period on Family Night, I because it's just like, well, they're going to go live tackling, you'll just throw out some of the guys near the bottom of the roster's room. And he actually brought up he mentioned how it's like they wanted there was certain guys they wanted to see get work.
Yeah, so it was very intentional.
It was very intentional, and some of it is going to be. Yeah, some of the guys, these younger the guys that the Waynes of the world, some of these young guys that came in late, they're probably not going to play in a lot in the preseason, so you want to give them that period. But it also gives a guy like Iron Hoppers some snaps. It gives him a chance to be out there and show what he can do. You know, even you know, look at like
the Jonathan Fords of the world. You know, these defensive tackles and these guys that are are pretty well credentialed and I think are making bids for roster spots, but just be at the depth of their position, maybe not getting all those reps in practice. So again, I'm super excited for it. I we can go off on a different tangent about this, I'll avoid it, but I love
the preseason. I've always loved the preseason. I think there's things you learn in those preseason games that you don't see anywhere else because everybody always talks about, well it's vanilla and it's predictable. But to me, it kind of reminds me a little bit of the AAU basketball circuit, where you go out there and you see what guys can do and who's gonna make plays and who gets noticed. That's how Allen Lazar got noticed back in twenty nineteen.
That's how these guys differentiate themselves sometimes. Who shines in those moments.
Yeah, and it's a it's a whole different evaluation process and an evaluation tool for the coaches, the personnel apartment, because what a lot of people don't understand is is in training camp, in these practices, the eleven on eleven, that's what we watch, that's what we report on. It's where all the action is. But a lot of those periods, not all of them, but a lot of those periods
are essentially scripted. Yes, where both on the offensive and the defensive side, those guys know what play calls are coming in the sequence that they're coming in. If they've done their homework the night before, they know how to get ready to execute those calls. I'm not saying that
the defense knows what the offense is running. I'm saying separately, they know they individually know with their units what the call is going to be, and the coaches have matched up certain play calls against this or that, And that's how a lot of training camp practices are run. In the preseason games, it's call it everything is happening live, it's you know, nothing is like scripted ahead of time. So you find out more about these young players in in terms of how do how do they react? Can
they you know this call that might come in. They might not have practiced it for four or five days in training camp. Now they have to go out and execute it. And I mean that both on the offensive and the defensive side of the ball, so it cranks things up a notch. It's not just getting ready to play regular season games. It's also finding out with these young players who can take the step forward and show that they're ready to play in the regular season if they're needed.
And to bring it all full circle. That's why the starters are playing in this game. That's why Matt Lafleur said he wants to have Jordan Love out there. He liked what he saw last year from that group. He felt like that helped them get off to a faster start last season and his words, knock the rust off. Love played fifty seven offensive snaps during those three preseason games. He had one hundred and nine pass rating through for
three touchdowns. One of the big reasons why I think there was a big push behind him during the regular season was because of how well he performed in that setting and even if the numbers weren't there the year before that. Lafleur also said that's where they learned a lot about him and how his ability where he was at to handle the offense in that development. So yeah, I'm excited for it. I think it's gonna be a
fun night and are fun afternoon. Excuse me, and we'll see exactly what the packers have here.
Yeah, well, I'll take care a little bit of sponsor business here. West Sirius XMNFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the 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 Kurds, mac and Cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or sub and a bowl Cousin Subs fifty plus years of better before we go.
Special teams. Lots of stuff gets decided on special teams in preseason games in terms of the depth chart, in terms of you know, in the whole body of work, when you get through all the preseason games, the guys who show that they can help you in that phase, they end up getting roster spots. When this is all said and done, obviously, the kicking competition will continue. Greg Joseph Anders Carlson now Alex Hale in the mix. We'll see how those reps in the games themselves get divided up.
But we're gonna get a look at this new kickoff thing, Wes. It's gonna be live, it's gonna be real. I don't know if it's honestly gonna be all that exciting. Based on the early returns from the Hall of Fame game in Canton, somewhat mixed reviews as to as to just you know what this means, But the NFL is making an effort to keep the kickoff in the game, but in a way that it does not have the injury rate that the kickoff has had for a number of years in this league. So we'll see what happens.
When you originally were gonna say it's live, it's real, I was hoping you're gonna say, we'll find out whether it's spectacular, I'm not sure. Hey listen. So my tone on kickoff return changed in twenty thirteen because at first, when I was younger, I was like, what are we doing trying to like the kickoff?
That's a great play. Why mess with it?
Well, then I watched what happened to Jonathan Franklin and a guy that looked like a promising young running back. It ends on a kickoff return for him. Fortunately, he's gone on has had a good life and been able to be very successful away from football, but that was the end of his football career. After that, I've always
been on board with whatever the league wants to do. Yes, twelve touchbacks in the Super Bowl is not the most exciting thing in the world, But considering what that play is and the people that are involved with that play, there's a reason why Michael, you and I will constantly ask the questions, and the media will ask the questions, Well, is Jaden Reid still going to handle punt returns? Is Randall Cobb gonna come off kickoff returns? Because it is an inherently more dangerous play.
So will this be exciting? I don't know.
I've watched some of the preseason action. I've seen the practices of the Packers have had. The one thing to me that looks very I don't want to say blase, but that's the only thing that's coming to mind is if the coverage player beats the blocker, it pretty much defeats the play.
From what I've seen, Yeah, it just.
Doesn't seem like the kickoff returner has enough juice to get going well.
And there's almost there's no recovery time for anybody else because the setup zone has has the coverage guys and the blockers just five yards apart, and so if one guy beats his guy there, there isn't anybody else to, you know, to sort of move over and try to make up make up the lost ground or however you want to phrase it. So I agree with you. I
think I think that's what we're going to see. And and you know, hey, if if guys continue to get to get tackled on kickoffs at the twenty or the twenty five, then we're probably going to going to continue
to see some version of this play. If returners are steadily getting the ball out to say the thirty five or the forty yard line, and the kicking team's option is to kick a touchback to put it on the thirty, then they're going to start doing that, and then the NFL is probably gonna have to tweak the rules again to try to try to generate, you know, some some level of an actual return into the game. So this
is going to be an evolving process. I thought Rich Bisaccia really said it best the one time we've spoken him during training camp, in which he said, the rules are going to continue to be tweaked as this thing goes along. We might get through these three preseason games, and then there's that two week gap before the regular
season starts. There could be a whole other set of rules or adjustments to the rules before we get to the regular season with this, because the NFL is going to study everything that goes on in these preseason games and try to come up with the best solution.
At least for now, I think we'll see what happens. To me, I'm kind of prepared for three yards and a cloud of dust.
Again. It could be a lot more exciting to that.
I will say this, If there was a team in the National Football League that I think could really do something cool with this, it's the Green Bit Packers and Keishawn Dixon.
Yeah, Nixon.
That's what I think makes it potentially exciting, yes for the Packers, because the back to back first team All Pro returner in the NFL is on this team.
He's exciting, he's fearless, and you can tell he is really relishing the opportunity to touch the football more. It was frustrating last year. You saw it, I mean the Packers. I think I did that steat at the end of last season. I think Keishaw Nixon had like six percent of the kickoff returns in the NFL last year. It was wild, just that at the times they took it out in contrast to everyone else. But the guy wants to make something happen. Hopefully this is the play he can do something with.
Yeah, all right, well, with that, we will call it a rap on this edition of Packers Unscript. To be sure to follow all of our coverage, continuing coverage of training camp and everything from Saturday's pre season opener in Cleveland. We will have it all for you on Packers dot com for Wes, I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody. We will see you next time.