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OPE S3 Episode 3 Preseason Finale
50 Plays4 months ago
Aloha and welcome to another episode of OPE! We take a look at the upcoming preseason finale against the Ravens! We break down the latest news and give what battles we will be watching!
Please make sure to subscribe and give us a like! also check out our website ohanapackers.org for all our past episodes, articles and even our merch store!
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Transcript
Intro
Preseason Week Three Preview
00:00:31
iowa_joe
OK.
00:00:33
Mike __kawanomike_
Aloha and welcome to our preseason week three preview episode of Ohana Packer's edition podcast. Joe and I are we're going back to old familiars and Joe So let's hope that the Packers can get to back to familiar success this week against the Ravens in the preseason after that absolute snooze fest. And I got to tell you, the pick that you used that you photoshopped me onto was an absolute banger in terms of how spot on it was for our takeaways from the games. One freaking hit, but two sticking points.
00:01:11
iowa_joe
Yeah. i But I mean, I'm hearing all over the place, all this crap about it. And I get it. It's only the preseason. I mean, it would be different if we were sitting in week three and they only put up two frigging points. But I mean, I understand that, well, you want them to look a little bit strong.
00:01:36
iowa_joe
and look a little bit more prepared, but I still go back to the year the Lions went 0 and 16. They were undefeated in the preseason.
Overreacting to Preseason Results: Should We?
00:01:47
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah and you know like it would be one thing if it was all the starters that played and they got their asses kicked but the fact that it was backups and you know reserve guys that yes we want to see them play better but yeah it's it's it's a deal but it's not the biggest deal i think that's the most healthy way to look at this past week's game because yeah you don't want to get too high too low off of one preseason game but yeah it's like i said it was rough to watch but also the circumstances kind of bore out what you were going to get out of that game so but
Alex Hale and International IPP Designation
00:02:24
Mike __kawanomike_
We're here to talk about week three coming up.
00:02:24
iowa_joe
and
00:02:26
Mike __kawanomike_
We've given our are thoughts and spoken our piece about week two and the Packers have also made a a handful of moves. The biggest one this week is they have designated Alex Hale as their new international Internet their IPP player and I know that one of those peas is player in the in the acronym, but like they've given him the IPP designation unfortunately, that means that Kenneth Otomegu's Venture to the NFL with the Packers has come to an end, but I think this is a good move you know Hill has potential and I like the fact that they have for for all intents and purposes.
00:02:48
iowa_joe
yeah.
00:03:07
Mike __kawanomike_
They've locked in at least some backup option at Kicker that you don't have to worry about getting him through waivers and stuff like that.
00:03:17
iowa_joe
I'm still confused about what the IPP stuff is because I understand it when it came with Otomegwu because he was from, niger you know, he came from Nigeria. He was going through the programs. And I understand why they made the move with him because he is at a little bit of an older age and he's only played football since coming to the, you know, with the Packers. He hasn't been. But From what I understand it, Alex Hale played college ball.
00:03:53
Mike __kawanomike_
This is, this is the, the, this is the fine print, this is Gudukun's using the fine print definition of the IPP to stash sale as the, their internet, well, I can't even, I can't even, I can't even quote Marx air quote it because I mean, he is an Aussie, but yeah, it's, it's,
00:04:12
iowa_joe
Right. he He's from Australia, but he I'd have to look it up again, but, you know, he, he played what, four years in college and he made like second team all American or all conference or some shit like that.
00:04:22
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah
00:04:31
iowa_joe
So he's played American football in, in the United States. But he's getting the IPP designation. So like I said, I'm all confused about it. I know he has not been performing well and in practices. They haven't given him quite the shot in in the preseason as of yet.
00:04:55
iowa_joe
But I mean, I guess it's a I understand why you made the made a move and got and released Otomegwu because like I said, he's an older age. He may have potential.
Kicker Competitions and Strategies
00:05:09
iowa_joe
But how long down the line is it going to take for him to reach that potential? And and it's just he's not going to be able to do it with the Packers because they've already got enough guys there that trying to find him a spot compared to okay well we're worried about our kicker competition even though like I said they're saying Hale hasn't really been performing well in practices I think he missed three of them just today's practice so it's an interesting thing I'm still gonna be confused about this whole IPP thing but it is what it is
00:05:47
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah so just just doing some quick wikipedia the must meet yeah even wikipedia goes some of the criteria have changed over the year over time and there is some discretion applied during the selection process as not all the athletes that have come through the program in intervening years meet all of the following criteria so there's 24 younger out of high school for four years this third one is the one you're talking about did not play american football at a u.s college it doesn't get much more american than oklahoma state but yeah yeah and but i mean
00:06:17
iowa_joe
Right.
00:06:22
iowa_joe
Exactly.
00:06:25
Mike __kawanomike_
he basically i think he does fit all of those all these other ones because pretty sure he's 24 under definitely four years out of high school has the ability to speak english and he's not a citizen citizen of the us or canadia so yeah that's oh no i always say canadia that's uh that's a tv and that's that's the function of watching too much tv throughout your life so
00:06:35
iowa_joe
He's 26.
00:06:42
iowa_joe
Canadian. Mike can't talk tonight.
00:06:48
iowa_joe
oh But he's 26.
00:06:57
Mike __kawanomike_
Oh, I lied. See, I don't even know how old he is.
00:06:58
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:07:00
Mike __kawanomike_
Oh, I should have known the Aussies are always old when they come through college.
00:07:03
Mike __kawanomike_
That's right.
00:07:04
iowa_joe
He's a two-time Lou Groza award semifinalist, earned second team all big 12 honors in 2023.
00:07:07
Mike __kawanomike_
Ha ha ha ha!
00:07:13
iowa_joe
He really didn't have that great of a college career. He finished his college career 43 of 54 on field goal attempts to give him the fifth highest field goal for percentage in school history.
00:07:24
iowa_joe
That's not amazing.
00:07:27
Mike __kawanomike_
no it's like i think and we'll we'll move on from this pretty quick but i i do think the one point that you brought up that might have some some legs to it is the fact that he isn't aussie and you know aussies are good at kind of that squib directional punting stuff and and kicking action so
00:07:42
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:07:45
Mike __kawanomike_
does that favor Green Bay doing some funky stuff with him as like their kickoff guy you know if he if you know he somehow beats out Anders or Anders just completely you know craps the bed this season and they're like okay we just can't keep going with Anders at this point and we've just got to try something else so yeah I think that hmm
00:08:04
iowa_joe
Well, here's one for you. And I know you want to move on to the next thing, but I got to think somebody mentioned something about doing this with honors. And I just don't see them being able to do this. But what if they let Anders onto the 53, they keep Hale as the IPP on the practice squad. And then they bring him up three times and then they continue to do that with different kickers throughout the year. So if Anders has a bad set.
00:08:32
iowa_joe
then they can just, you know, because they're pretty notorious about stashing at least one kicker onto the practice squad.
00:08:38
Mike __kawanomike_
right yeah no i'm yeah on Anders is kind of i know he hasn't pulled away pulled away because he was like slightly behind Joseph la from last week but i think they're at best dead even or Anders is like slightly ahead in terms of the overall count so
00:08:40
iowa_joe
I don't think it's going to be Joseph because Joseph had another terrible day-to-day and he's he's kicking worse than Anders is right now, but I think, what's it
00:09:01
iowa_joe
Well, was it Andy Herman that put out the kicking percentage?
00:09:07
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, I missed today's one, so i'm not so I'm not totally up to date on it.
00:09:08
iowa_joe
And I think he said that Anders is currently at like 81%. Joseph is at, here we go.
00:09:21
iowa_joe
Anders is 54 or 67 for training camp at 80.6%. Joseph is 54 or 69 for 78.3%. And Alex Hale is 14 of 21 for 66.7%. So Anders is slowly starting to pull it away. Just in today's practice, Joseph was two for five, Hale was three for five, and Carlson was four for five.
00:09:49
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:09:49
iowa_joe
So I would say Anders is really kind of pulling away from Joseph. Now that doesn't stop them from bringing in somebody later on or whatever.
00:09:56
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:09:58
iowa_joe
And like I said, maybe they stash one of them on the practice squad and they do that. You know, they just use their three or four call ups for, you know, however long and, and, you know, the minute that Anders shows any kind of regression, they just, all right, you're done.
00:10:17
iowa_joe
We'll put this guy in there.
00:10:20
Mike __kawanomike_
Yep, so still a long way to go with that, but it does look like, you know, this move shows that Goot is thinking outside the box in how to kind of bolster the kicking situation.
Return of Fullback Henry Pearson: Role Analysis
00:10:32
Mike __kawanomike_
But the big roster news, Henry Pearson is back on the 90-man roster, and Joe is absolutely ecstatic.
00:10:39
iowa_joe
Well, I really did already predict it. I said he was going to be back for the practice squad.
00:10:44
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:10:45
iowa_joe
So I mean, he's just back a little bit earlier than what I figured he was going to be, but it makes sense.
00:10:51
Mike __kawanomike_
It's one of those, they know what he is. And and I mean that in a good way. like they They know the kind of player he is that he's obviously reliable enough that he can be cut two times already in the same preseason and kept being brought back and stuff.
00:11:06
Mike __kawanomike_
And we've...
00:11:07
iowa_joe
Well, and he's at a position that a lot of teams aren't using right now.
00:11:10
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:11:11
iowa_joe
I mean, what is it? I think the 49ers and the Ravens are about the last two teams that actually use a fullback.
00:11:16
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. And LeFlore would be the third that if he had his way, he would like to have a guy that would be a you know more of a designated fullback. I know that, in theory, there are times where he'd like Tucker and Sims to be you know kind of amoeba in terms of being able to flow between that fullback and a tight end position. But I do think LeFlore would prefer to have like a true fullback type in his offense. and I've always liked the way Pearson plays. I don't think he's necessarily special. But from you know from the limited, limited pre-season snaps we've seen of him, he seems like a steady guy, reliable. He blocks well. He blocks better than Tyler Davis and Joe Wilson do. And like I think it speaks more to those two guys just not doing anything with any opportunities they had on Sunday than anything else. so but But in all honesty, I'm glad that he's back because it
00:12:16
Mike __kawanomike_
helps potentially push some of those guys who aren't really worthy of 53 man spots off the roster. So any competition is good competition and it's good to have Pearson back in my opinion.
00:12:27
iowa_joe
Yeah, I mean, I'm all for it. I just I. I'm really hoping he does stick 53 just because that would mean a guy like Tyler Davis isn't going to make the roster.
00:12:41
iowa_joe
I really don't think Wilson will make the initial 53, but I think if he passes through waivers that he'll end up on the practice squad and maybe be an eventual call up.
00:12:43
Mike __kawanomike_
Nah.
00:12:52
iowa_joe
Or you know, next year they bring him in and give him a full. time chance because I mean I like Sims but I think he's really kind of limited in what he can do.
00:13:03
iowa_joe
He's going to be more the Marsady Lewis type that he's going to block and maybe occasionally make a catch or two and then you know your stalwarts are going to be Musgrave and Kraft
00:13:05
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. Yep.
00:13:17
iowa_joe
And I hope that, and we talked about this a lot last year when they were struggling with craft, that they don't rely on him as like a pure blocker. They need to make him into a kiddo or a Hawkinson or that type of, or maybe like a Tony Gonzalez type where he can block and he can receive or a Gronkowski.
00:13:26
Mike __kawanomike_
Yep.
00:13:38
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. And I think I think it goes hand in hand where yeah, it what was really hurting him last year is like, he wasn't blocking good to start the season. But then he also wasn't getting any like, pat on the back, like check down routes or anything.
00:13:52
Mike __kawanomike_
And so it was just like, all his film studies just like, you're getting your ass kicked, and everything sucks kind of thing. And so it's like, and for a young player that never helps.
00:13:59
iowa_joe
Well, and that was never really his game coming out. That was really never his game coming out.
00:14:02
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:14:03
iowa_joe
He was, like I said, he was the Grunkowski. He was the, where, yeah, he could throw a block, but it was more like a chip block to go out and make the play.
00:14:06
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:14:13
iowa_joe
He was a playmaker.
00:14:14
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah yep
00:14:15
iowa_joe
And then when it was, they tried to make Musgraves the focus and just use him as his blocker, it wasn't going to work.
00:14:23
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah yeah so looping that all back 44 is retaking on the roster Henry Pearson is back
00:14:23
iowa_joe
But then once they started giving him the playmaking of time, he really started shining on him.
Key Players Return to Practice: Will They Play?
00:14:39
Mike __kawanomike_
and
00:14:39
iowa_joe
At least it wasn't Bowden again.
00:14:42
Mike __kawanomike_
no i'm gonna go snap for someone else and
00:14:48
Mike __kawanomike_
But other updates, a lot of return to practice, a couple of big ones. Jordan Morgan, Edge Cooper both returned, but mostly for individual drills. I know the floor was kind of mum on where those two's progress is at. He sounded a little more optimistic about Jordan potentially getting into the game on Saturday, but even that sounded like a bit of a stretch. Preston came back from an illness, but I doubt he plays on Saturday. We'll get into that in a little bit.
00:15:16
Mike __kawanomike_
The two kind of bummer if the irony of it is it's like they're the two guys who are kind of battling for the same spot is Marshawn Lloyd and AJ Dillon both still out for practice today and Not that as as much as a lot of people are like, oh, Dylan's like really in trouble. It would have been a lot to expect a third round running back, any third round running back to come in and just take a spot from Dylan who I know, you know, he's not off to the greatest start this preseason. I know that, you know, he has a lot of his warts and stuff, but he is a guy that they do trust to know the offense in and out and stuff.
00:15:52
Mike __kawanomike_
that's a That's a big task to overcome for a rookie who's you know got to prove himself in past pro, prove that he's not a fumbler as you know kind of is a little bit of his scouting. his you know That's a little bit of his scouting card. But it's a bummer to not see Lloyd other than like five plays against Cleveland. so And I know that I think it was either Paul Bredl or or Robin who wrote an article about how Lloyd is a guy who could they change the IR rules so you can have I think two it's either two or three guys that you put on IR before final cuts and they can be designated to return still during the regular season so that is sort of an option for for Lloyd especially but
00:16:38
Mike __kawanomike_
And it's so hard to tell because it's preseason and Lafleur is especially guarded about injury news, even though he already is pretty.
00:16:46
iowa_joe
And I guess it just, right. And I guess it just depends on what the, you know, is it like old IR where he has to be out for like six weeks before he can return?
00:16:48
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:16:56
Mike __kawanomike_
I think four weeks or whatever. Yeah, something like that.
00:16:58
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:16:58
Mike __kawanomike_
So yeah, so.
00:17:00
iowa_joe
So that that'll make a that'll make a difference on that decision because if he's a little bit closer, then maybe you just let him ride, you know, ride it out with him.
00:17:03
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:17:09
iowa_joe
But if you know he's going to be down for a bit, then maybe use that.
AJ Dillon's Roster Challenges
00:17:13
iowa_joe
I don't think it's serious enough for a pup visit, because that wouldn't mean he is definitely out for six weeks.
00:17:16
Mike __kawanomike_
No no no, yeah. Yeah.
00:17:21
iowa_joe
so but i And I know, I have to say, I have no i have not been an AJ Dillon supporter for a long time.
00:17:30
iowa_joe
Not because he's a bad guy or anything. He's just not been able to live up to that big body running back that we expected out of him.
00:17:34
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:17:38
iowa_joe
I don't, he's, I don't think this injury is helping him because he's not being able to get out there to win the job for, per se, because the contract that they gave him for this year alone tells me that this is his final shot to, to make something out of it and being injured, isn't going to help him.
00:17:44
Mike __kawanomike_
No.
00:17:56
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah and especially because it's a stinger too it's it you know it'd be one not that you wish it was like something like a lower body thing or anything but the fact is he's supposed to be like a physical runner and if you got a stinger you like trust me you're gonna shy away from contact if like yeah i don't know which side but let's say it's his right side it's like
00:18:00
iowa_joe
Not that he has. Yeah.
00:18:20
iowa_joe
I want to say they said it was the same one he had last year.
00:18:22
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, it was, that I can't remember which one it was, but yeah, it's like, trust me, especially if it's a recurring one, you're gonna, you make mental notes of that. And you know, you as someone who's dealt with it, you know exactly what the movement or contact or shock is that gives you, that that irritates the nerve as much as it does. And you start to, you consciously or subconsciously, you react before you think you're reacting to it. but hopefully they're managing it well and you know it's something that'll be alleviated prior to the trip to Brazil but that's you know those are the big names there's some other smaller names like I think Kishan Banks came back and stuff but no one else who's really expected to make the roster was missing time and stuff so dovetail this little dovetail this in Joe do the starters start this week
00:18:56
iowa_joe
you
00:19:17
iowa_joe
I don't think all of them will. I think there'll be a select few of them that will get some starting time, maybe a couple of the receivers just, you know, to get them a little bit, get them a little bit into the groove since there's not that.
00:19:27
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:19:33
Mike __kawanomike_
got to get just gun Gotta get Wix more snaps to justify his being on the roster, right?
00:19:38
iowa_joe
Right. But, and No, you know, now that they don't have the fourth game and they have that bye week between game three in the week
Impacts of Reduced Preseason Games
00:19:47
iowa_joe
one of the season, you know, this gives them a little bit of game action to go out, you know, get get some other rest knocked off and prepare for the following week. So I'm not going to say they're going to play the whole game.
00:20:00
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah
00:20:00
iowa_joe
Like I've talked before, you know, the old way of doing it was you had four games.
00:20:04
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:20:04
iowa_joe
The first game they maybe saw, the starters saw maybe a drive or two. The second game they got a quarter. The third game they got a half and then the fourth game they didn't play at all.
00:20:15
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:20:17
iowa_joe
Whereas now you can't really do that.
00:20:17
Mike __kawanomike_
That's all.
00:20:19
iowa_joe
So I think some of them, I think if Jordan Morgan can go, he's definitely going to see a lot of playing time. So what he's potentially the starting right guard on paper right now.
00:20:30
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. Of the O-line, of the O-line, I think the only two guys who probably won't, like I would say are most likely not to play, are Myers and Elton.
00:20:41
Mike __kawanomike_
I think with Rashid and Tom, it's a very interesting dichotomy with the two of them for different reasons. Like Rashid, I still don't think he's played 1,000 snaps.
00:20:52
Mike __kawanomike_
And so like whatever whatever experience you can get him is always good. And then on the other side, Tom has missed most of training camp because you know he's been rehabbing from the torn pec kind of thing.
00:21:03
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:21:04
Mike __kawanomike_
But at the same time, as we saw last week, they do not have tackles behind those two. so it's that kind of like damned if you do damned if you don't where it's like you want to get both of them reps you know Rashid just to get more experience Zach to get his timing and you know knock the rust off from the time that he's missed with uh the rehab but at the same time it's like you don't want him to go and bolo an ankle or something like that in a you know quote unquote meaningless preseason game because then it's like well crap now what so
00:21:36
iowa_joe
851.
00:21:37
Mike __kawanomike_
Yes, I can still get something right off the seat of my pants. But yeah, yeah but yeah so right, right, right.
00:21:42
iowa_joe
And that might not even be including like pre-season snaps either. so
00:21:47
Mike __kawanomike_
and then because But then to go a further step, it's okay now your top line doesn't play so it's your backup line again we saw what happens when your backup line tries to block a starting front and you know Emmanuel Wilson who's trying to show that he does deserve a roster spot I think especially with the Dillon injury the Lloyd injury the questions that passed the fact that you know it's pierce in fighting with
Running Back Room: Future and Uncertainties
00:22:15
Mike __kawanomike_
tyler davis and joe wilson for like that full back tight end four spot and stuff it's kind of like oh okay like wilson you think he kind of should be a relative or something whatever the thing right below a roster lock is yeah yeah but
00:22:28
iowa_joe
No, he's a Musgrave. He's a Musgrave.
00:22:34
Mike __kawanomike_
You know, it would help him, it would help his chances if he had better blocking in front of him that, he you know, he's not right after he yeah gets the handoff, he's not getting hit in the backfield. Same for Pratt and Clifford. I don't, you know, like you said, we, you and I, we're Big Ten fans. We know who Sean Clifford is. We've known who Sean Clifford is for six years at this point. And Pratt just isn't ready yet. He's just a, you know, he's a little kid out there. So, but,
00:23:03
Mike __kawanomike_
whatever top talent you can put around them would it help we'd be beneficial for their you know development but so i do think la floor is weighing that but at the same time i do think push come to shove he's gonna say i can't get my top o lineman hurt before you know the games really count kind of things so Like you said, maybe a drive, depending how long the drive is.
00:23:28
Mike __kawanomike_
But yeah, I kind of get the feeling top O-line is probably in bubble wrap. Watson and Dobbs are almost certainly in bubble wrap. And then I can't see love playing if the top O-line isn't playing.
00:23:42
Mike __kawanomike_
there's just I just don't see but any way that you chance that.
00:23:45
iowa_joe
Unless he goes in and tells the floor that I'm playing, I don't see them putting him out there for nothing.
00:23:51
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. And even if he does that, I see Lafleur saying, haha, like the fire, but we're taking your helmet away. Yeah.
00:24:00
iowa_joe
But like I said, I think if Morgan is full go, then he's going to get a good more amount of snaps.
00:24:04
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah
00:24:07
iowa_joe
maybe let Maybe at least let Tom out there a little bit to get the rest knocked off and then get him used to playing next to Morgan.
00:24:11
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:24:15
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:24:17
iowa_joe
And I think that would be about it. Yeah. I don't think Myers, although it kind of scares me because I really don't think Sean Ryan is that great of a candidate for backup center.
00:24:33
Mike __kawanomike_
This will be a good test.
00:24:34
Mike __kawanomike_
for it it As much as I'm not expecting a lot out of this backup O-line, it is another good test for them because I think you know it'll be good to see how they respond after getting their asses kicked for a whole game on Sunday.
00:24:42
iowa_joe
It is.
00:24:50
Mike __kawanomike_
And this is a better D line that they're gonna go, you know, I don't, I don't really care who suits up for the Ravens on Saturday. The Ravens have always had strong D lines so I'm, you know, I want to see who bounces who's able to, you know, bounce back, even if you know they're, it's just you know on instinct they're fighting their way through it as opposed to like really knowing what they're doing so.
00:25:10
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, that's that's one of my that's my key on offense. Because I think Wilson, QB2, the wide receivers, 4-6, that's all going to be based off of how whoever lines up as the five guys on the O-line play. So I want to see those guys kind of persevere and fight through.
00:25:28
iowa_joe
Yeah, I mean, you've got what are we looking for in this game? And we just talked about the OL. Yeah, Wilson. But really, it sounds like he's not having too much of a battle right now because half the guys that he's supposed to have dropped out.
00:25:40
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. He's kind of de facto at this point. And and I'm comfortable that. Are you comfortable with that? I am, honestly.
00:25:50
iowa_joe
I wish we could see him behind the number one offense.
00:25:55
Mike __kawanomike_
Right.
00:25:56
iowa_joe
because I think that would make me feel a little bit more comfortable. because And this is my thought process with it, and I could be completely wrong and and be worried. But when you're playing with a certain group, you learn their their tendencies, and you can go around those tendencies. So he has been mainly playing with the twos and threes So he's learned the tendencies of the twos and threes, but now if he gets thrown into a game with the ones, is he going to be able to produce the same with the ones as he would with the twos and threes?
00:26:35
iowa_joe
You would hope so, but he doesn't get to see those tendencies, you know, like, okay, well, I know Tom is going to do this on this type of run so I can cut this way.
00:26:44
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, and we had no one seen Tom that much this preseason either.
00:26:48
Mike __kawanomike_
So yeah, yeah.
00:26:48
iowa_joe
Right.
00:26:50
iowa_joe
or or Rashid. I know Rashid's going to do this and he's going to take out his guy going this way. So if I cut in this way, right so I mean, I could be completely wrong with it because I'm not a big analyst to those things.
00:26:55
Mike __kawanomike_
And then he's gonna hump him on the ground.
00:27:04
iowa_joe
But I would think just common sense tells me that he's used to being behind certain people that it might throw him off and that's why he might not be great for the start, but
00:27:08
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:27:14
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. i know I know he didn't have a lot of opportunities, but we did to to this point, we did see him produce a little better as the season went along.
00:27:26
Mike __kawanomike_
like He he would kind of like was scuffling, when and you know it it was hard for him to get reps early in the season.
00:27:27
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:27:34
Mike __kawanomike_
but
00:27:35
iowa_joe
Well, then he got hurt.
00:27:36
Mike __kawanomike_
You know, partly due to, you know, there was no one else, but, you know, in those two playoff games, you did see him produced to, you know, as a decent degree. And it was enough behind Aaron Jones, who was having a very good playoff. So that's that's the hope is that you just lean on Jacobs to open the season. Love gets off to a good start. And, you know, your RB two is, you know, it's a acceptable placeholder spot more than it is like a crutch that you really need to lean on and all. But
00:28:06
iowa_joe
and And to say again, like the kicker competition, RB2 might not even be on the roster right now.
00:28:06
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:28:12
Mike __kawanomike_
That's true.
00:28:14
iowa_joe
I mean, there could be a guy that a kind of a bigger name guy that gets cut at some point during the 53 man reduction that they say, okay, well, he's going to do us better.
00:28:19
Mike __kawanomike_
Yup.
00:28:24
iowa_joe
And Mike's knocking shit over, over there. This guy over here could be better than what Dylan's going to give us. So we're going to cut loose on Dylan. put Lloyd on IR for now, bring this other guy in and we'll run with him and and Emmanuel Wilson as our backups.
00:28:42
Mike __kawanomike_
Yep. So, I mean, as, yep, as of Tuesday, Green Bay is going to cut down and other teams, you know, they might, not might, they almost always do start right after the final preseason games.
00:28:54
Mike __kawanomike_
And so, yeah, I know.
00:28:55
iowa_joe
Packers always wait last minute though. the
00:28:58
Mike __kawanomike_
And because usually, you know,
00:28:59
iowa_joe
i've already been I've already been talking with my my by buddy Wes that maybe we need to just go sit over there all day Tuesday and see what the action's gonna be.
00:29:11
Mike __kawanomike_
And I asked what time to just drop pieces of paper out the window.
00:29:18
Mike __kawanomike_
But yeah, I think that, you know, fortunately or unfortunately, a bunch of these things are gonna kind of sort themselves out. the kicking competition, we'll see if they can just get in range. And like I said, honestly, I would not be mad at Leflore. Obviously you want to see your team score touchdowns and stuff, but if he just calls stupid shit after he gets into field goal range and basically sets it up where each of Joseph and Anders get like two or three 45 to 55 yard field goal attempts,
00:29:52
Mike __kawanomike_
I think that would be one of the best uses of preseason that you could have, you know, like based on what the Green Bay Packers need to find out this preseason.
LaFleur's Bold Moves in Kicking Competition
00:30:02
Mike __kawanomike_
I would, I know some people would complain and some people like what is that but I would be completely satisfied and almost proud of LaFleur to go to that.
00:30:12
Mike __kawanomike_
Fuck it, LaFleur. Kick it on third down like just to show how important this kicking competition is.
00:30:17
iowa_joe
Go for it.
00:30:18
Mike __kawanomike_
So yeah, I know he wouldn't because you've got to give the you know the other guy you those other reserve players a fair shake shake at it. But like that's how important I do think figuring this kicking situation out is.
Linebacker Roster Dynamics
00:30:34
Mike __kawanomike_
Linebackers, that's the one position where just because I have no idea how many they plan to carry this season. Because you've been in a 3-4 for over a decade and you only really need four. And now you're going back to a 4-3, so it's like, do you go to five? Do you go to six? But you also need a lot of guys in your D-line rotation. And yeah you get into the numbers. You're still going to carry the same number of DBs in that 10 to 11 range.
00:31:02
Mike __kawanomike_
and so it's like you know are you you know stealing from peter to pay paul kind of thing and stuff but i do think i'm going to say tell you this i do think uh your your hawkeye deserves to make the final roster i i don't know if it's a lock but
00:31:17
iowa_joe
you know what was really pissing me off during the game though is when he would do something they would call him the Wisconsin native it's like you motherfucker he was a Hawkeye
00:31:27
Mike __kawanomike_
so But who recruited him? who Who recruited him and gave him a spot? yeah yeah
00:31:34
iowa_joe
But I was just going to say that I think really what the the line backing battle come down to is just between Eric Wilson and Christian Welch. I know they have a couple other guys on there.
00:31:48
Mike __kawanomike_
golf first and stuff
00:31:48
iowa_joe
But I don't.
00:31:49
iowa_joe
Yeah, and there was the other guy that they just signed that was teammates with Cooper.
00:31:50
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:31:55
iowa_joe
What I'm trying to look at the roster right now, because I know there's a few of them that I'm not even going to remember off the top of my head. But I really think that that battle will decide who's on the practice squad or those battles will decide who's on the practice squad.
00:32:13
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:32:13
iowa_joe
But I think the main battle is going to come down to Wilson and Welch just to decide who's on the roster because I don't think they're going to keep both.
00:32:24
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:32:24
iowa_joe
I mean, they could, but I just.
00:32:27
Mike __kawanomike_
I think it would take an injury somewhere else. You know, like one of those like, oh, they've got like, let's say like, they, for whatever reason, they're like, we're only keeping eight linemen.
00:32:39
Mike __kawanomike_
They're not going to do that. they They'll keep worse linemen over other positions because there's no way they're going into the season with that.
00:32:44
iowa_joe
Yeah.
00:32:45
Mike __kawanomike_
But if they were to go short at another position, they might say like, you know, and this is where, you know, our associate head coach might bang the table and just say like, Hey, I need, I need more guys.
00:33:00
Mike __kawanomike_
I need more dudes for special teams. So, if the Satya walks in and just says like, Nope, I want both these guys. Like, and they both.
00:33:10
iowa_joe
And that could happen too.
00:33:11
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:33:12
iowa_joe
But I mean, right now I'm looking at it. There's nine, uh, uh, linebackers right now. You got Cooper and McDuffie and Walker and most likely Hopper that are definitely on the roster.
00:33:26
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah was edges teammate yeah yeah
00:33:28
iowa_joe
But then you've got go forth, uh, Chris Russell, who's the guy that I was just talking about that is, is he played with Cooper. Yeah, and then you've got Welch Wilson and Christian Young. I think Young spent a little bit of time on the pree their practice squad last season.
00:33:47
iowa_joe
So really, like I said, you've already got four guys that you're most likely are going to make the roster no matter what in Hopper, Edge, Walker and McDuffie.
00:33:59
iowa_joe
So then you're just got to battle behind that. And I think your first tier battle is Welch and Wilson. And then your second tier will come down to go forth, Russell and Young.
00:34:12
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:34:12
iowa_joe
And I think Russell's kind of got, It's hindered a little bit because he came along too late into training camp.
00:34:20
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:34:22
iowa_joe
The only thing that will help him is he was Cooper's teammate and maybe they can get like a bash brother brother situation going on and they'll play off each other.
00:34:28
Mike __kawanomike_
Yup.
Defensive Backs Stability and Trades
00:34:34
iowa_joe
And then your last one is the young DBs.
00:34:34
Mike __kawanomike_
But...
00:34:36
iowa_joe
I think it's the same situation. I think everything is already picked.
00:34:38
Mike __kawanomike_
Yup.
00:34:42
iowa_joe
Unless something comes up and they decide to trade like Eric Stokes, I don't think he's a he'll he'll be a cut candidate, but it could come up to, all right, we're going to trade Stokes for this guy over here and hope a change of scenery helps both of them, even though I think Stokes has played decently in training camp.
00:34:47
Mike __kawanomike_
Right.
00:35:01
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:35:03
iowa_joe
But it's really going to come down to, okay, we know Jair, we know Carrington, we're pretty sure Keyshawn and Stokes are there. That's going to leave King, who is a draft pick, Valentine, who stepped up last year, but is he going to be able to continue that into this year? And I think there's one or two I'm missing, but
00:35:26
Mike __kawanomike_
I was pretty surprised that Ballantine was inactive last week.
00:35:26
iowa_joe
oh
00:35:30
Mike __kawanomike_
like i was I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't suit up for the game at the end of Denver last week.
00:35:37
iowa_joe
All right, so there's a few other ones like LJ Davis, Robert Rochelle, and German Green.
00:35:45
Mike __kawanomike_
Jamon Green, yeah.
00:35:47
iowa_joe
Yeah, so I think it's all set. It's just a lot of those will be battling for, I think the big question is, do you keep Valentine or do you keep King?
00:35:58
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah.
00:36:00
iowa_joe
So I really that's about the only thing because the other guys will just be battling for practice squad and audition for other teams.
00:36:05
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah. Yep. So. It's a lot of we'll see because, yeah, I mean, you know, teams are always going to play it bum on who's going to play and who won't play in the preseason.
00:36:20
Mike __kawanomike_
But, you know, that's what kind of makes it exciting because different guys are going to get their opportunity and hopefully they make the most of it.
Guard Position: Time for a Change?
00:36:27
Mike __kawanomike_
And for the love of God, play anyone else at guard.
00:36:30
Mike __kawanomike_
But Royce Newman, we know what that is already.
00:36:31
iowa_joe
yeah
00:36:33
Mike __kawanomike_
Like just.
00:36:35
iowa_joe
Hell, I'd like to see Glover get a shot at guard.
00:36:39
Mike __kawanomike_
Like, yeah, like, do anything else.
00:36:39
iowa_joe
Have that massive man in there?
00:36:43
Mike __kawanomike_
Like, that's the thing is, let Lesides Smith play center and play like someone else at guard.
00:36:49
iowa_joe
Well, he was playing center towards the end of the game in Denver.
00:36:49
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, yeah, yeah, after Monk played center, so yeah.
00:36:53
iowa_joe
And he wasn't, yeah, he wasn't looking too good.
00:36:57
Mike __kawanomike_
Still better than still better than Newman, but...
00:37:00
iowa_joe
Well, like I said, I would give Glover and Caleb Jones a shot inside because they're both a mountain of men. You know they're going to be more road graders at the guard position than they are at the tackle position. Go for it.
00:37:15
Mike __kawanomike_
Yep. yep we shall see but that's gonna do it where it's pretty much uh like i said we can prognosticate all we want but there's only 60 minutes in the game and there's 90 dudes on they're probably gonna have a long inactive list like we did for last week sunday's game so these bottom of the roster guys are gonna get their opportunity and you know it's a job it's a job interview for all 32 teams to hopefully find you know one of those 53 man spots or
00:37:46
Mike __kawanomike_
one of those 16 practice squad spots for all these guys, but we plan to have programming for you guys next week. We are still between the two of us figuring out when, how, how that's going to happen.
00:38:01
Mike __kawanomike_
But Joe, Joe is making, as he kind of alluded to, he's making his way up to Green Bay this weekend. hopefully he won't have to speed racer it to make it in time for the game.
00:38:12
iowa_joe
Oh, I won't be going to the game.
00:38:12
Mike __kawanomike_
Okay. Okay.
00:38:13
Mike __kawanomike_
Okay.
00:38:14
iowa_joe
Yeah, yeah, no, no, no, no.
00:38:15
iowa_joe
I won't be going to the game. i Because when I set my vacation plans up, they hadn't set the preseason schedule up yet.
00:38:25
Mike __kawanomike_
There you go.
00:38:25
iowa_joe
We knew who was playing, but i we didn't know when. Otherwise, I would have set it up for tomorrow. That way, I wouldn't be traveling to Green Bay on game day.
00:38:37
iowa_joe
But yes, I will be up in Green Bay for about a week. So if you see me around wearing my Hawkeye hat around Lambo, then that's me. just just Just don't hit me.
00:38:46
Mike __kawanomike_
The only one.
00:38:49
iowa_joe
I really don't want to be hit.
00:38:49
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah
Listener Engagement and Support
00:38:51
iowa_joe
but you go
00:38:51
Mike __kawanomike_
That's okay, Bisacchio will back you up.
00:38:55
iowa_joe
Well, hopefully I have my bodyguard when I'm up there, so you don't want to mess with him.
00:38:58
Mike __kawanomike_
yeah
00:39:01
iowa_joe
But yeah, if you see me around, just stop and talk. Say, hey, talk Packers. Uh, cause I will probably spend most of my time at Lambo doing something.
00:39:14
Mike __kawanomike_
Right on, right on. But like I said, that's going to do it for us. If you're in, if you're around Lambo or the practice facilities, really the next five days after this comes out, find Joe, say hi, take pictures.
00:39:29
Mike __kawanomike_
Joe, what else? Like, no, but Joe's good people.
00:39:30
iowa_joe
Well, I guess if you want to take pictures, I mean, I mean, if you want to if you want to boost my if you want to boost my ego, you can say you actually listen to the show.
00:39:40
Mike __kawanomike_
Yeah, if you're past the 35th person because the 36 is my wife, where Joe will know that one of you is lying, at least.
00:39:40
iowa_joe
That would completely boost it.
00:39:51
Mike __kawanomike_
But we appreciate you guys tuning in and following us all the time. Check out the website, ohanapackers.org. You can get all of our blog posts. Carlos and our writers are stepping their game up. They're increasing their output as we get into the regular season. Streams of our shows and Cheese Talk is on there.
00:40:14
Mike __kawanomike_
merch please get merch support joe's ability to go to green bay more often as uh he keeps getting bent further over the he keeps getting bent further over the barrel to fix his car at this point so please buy more merch for joe we car merch
00:40:19
iowa_joe
Yeah, more money. We need money.
00:40:28
iowa_joe
we We need merch or we need money.
00:40:34
Mike __kawanomike_
please follow Please follow the show on Twitter, at ohana underscore packers, be to be eligible for our drawings, to see all of our polls. And I am going to try and get back to doing pregame spaces. i I was doing them early in last season, but kind of fell off as the season went along. But I will try to be doing those on a more regular basis, probably starting about an hour before kickoff, but we'll we'll iron that out as we get closer to the regular season.
00:41:05
Mike __kawanomike_
shit Please follow the podcast on your favorite podcasting apps. Give us a like and a subscribe. But positive or negative, please give us your commentary feedback because we want to be producing the content you're looking for. The Packers close look to close out, not look to, they are going to close out their preseason against the Ravens this Saturday. followers Follow us at Ohana Packers as we will recap and get us ready for 53-man cut down.
00:41:31
Mike __kawanomike_
We'll go into our season preview and we're going to have all of that coming to you on Hope Network. Kolpak, go and aloha!