PACKERS SQUAD SHOW: Does Cam Achord Fix The Packers Issues? | Is There a Move To Make RIGHT NOW?

0:00Welcome into the locked on Packer Squad Show. I'm your host. My name is Brandon Snyder. Rich Pasacea out. Cam accord is in. But let's be honest. Does that really, really fix anything? The Packers have a much deeper issue here than who's coaching the special teams. I'm Peter Brickowski host of Lockdown Packers and we're a week away from the start of a new NFL season, I guess technically in terms of the new league here. The Packers have to get their financial house in order. What's going on? Hey, this is Jags. The only thing certain about the off season is going to be changed. Go Pat, go. It's the Packer Squad. Everything Green Bay Packers every week covering all the big hits and game changing plays from Title Town. The way only the locked on podcast network can from the frozen tundra with all the cheeseheads. The Packers Squad Show starts now.

1:23Just don't ask Peter for iTunes Spotify wherever you find them. You can certainly find the locked on Packers podcast. The number one Packers podcast on the internet and the show for the fans who know what happened. They want to know why and how thanks to each and every single one of you continues to make locked on Packers your first listen each and every single day. Tonight's episode is brought to you by our friends over at Fandall. Use your profit boost on an NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals. Play your game with Fandall. The official sports betting partner of the NBA lots to get to this evening. Is there a move that could be made right now for the Green Bay Packers? The trade market seems to be heating up around the NFL. We'll examine that. Plus the NFL Combine has now come and gone. What do we learn? Who showed out? And to Peter, see any future Packers testing during the week in Indy will dive into that. And of course, it is Tuesday. It is another edition of our free agency focused tonight. We'll examine the edge rushers linebackers and cornerbacks.

2:24But the big news and it was a Friday news dump and it pertained to the Packers special teams coordinator. And I want to begin there. Gentlemen, the fourth special teams coordinator under head coach Matt LaFlor. Peter, when you look at cam accord, most recently in New York, he was also in New England as the coordinator. Is this a move for you now that you've had some time to dig into it a little bit? Is this a move that ticks that expectation needle up, down or about the same when it comes to the special teams unit over there in Title Town? Brandon, I don't talk to kickers. So nobody does Peter. No, so I understand, Brandon, you're you're a point about, hey, this isn't, this isn't really change anything because the Packers institutionally don't care. I fundamentally disagree with that. But I do think that there was probably some disagreements about the way that this was all going down about

3:24who the players he had access to and some of those kinds of things. Matt LaFlor, not allowing certain players to be playing Kishan Nixon, not being allowed to be the kick returner. My understanding is some of that stuff was real. But we just got reporting from Tom Silverstein that Rich Passacea wanted to lead because he wanted to be closer to his family. He's getting older. You know, his guys in his mid 60s now, he just, you know, he wanted a different speed. And I said this on Twitter, I caught some heat for it. He, let's be honest, guys. I can see him saying, like, I'm getting too old for this. You know what? You know, like, I don't, I don't need the stress. I don't need, I don't need to be working this hard. I don't need to take this much guff from a fan base. Let me just go coaching college hours or easier. Yeah. The page is not as nice, but I get to be closer to my family. Like he's, he's doing what most people in their mid to late 60s do. They were tired of the South. Coach, when you look at that, the Packer special teams, I didn't answer your question even a little. No, that's okay. I still love you. Coach, when you look at the agreement,

4:27I know where you're going to go with this brand. And that's the problem. Well, I'll get to it. And we'll dive into it. We'll argue and we'll fight and we'll still hug it, get out at the end. Coach, when you look at this, what are the expectations around the Green Bay Packers? What do you think success realistically looks like for the Green Bay Packers in year one under Camacorn? Obviously the Packers bottom half of the league in returns and punts and kickoffs. They were in the top 10, however, in punt coverage and kick coverage. But if you're going into that position, coach, and the expectations, let's be honest, if you're a Packer fan, they're relatively low. Like we're just telling you to be in the middle, and I think the Packers could probably swing one or two wins if they're in the middle. What do you think realistically, the success looks like in Green Bay this year under under new special teams coordinator, Camacorn? I think what we saw in the past with Rich, and Rich is a good football coach in your right. When you're like mid 60s, it takes a lot of energy. And I know there's a lot of money. I don't mind. Coaches get paid a lot of money. But the energy it takes to coach in the NFL, really, and major college football, man, it's it's

5:33it takes a toll on your body. And you know, he's been doing it probably over 40, 45 years, just like myself. So it takes a toll. But I would like to see consistency. I think consistency would really help the Packers because they were consistently inconsistent last year. They really were. And as a coach, when I was always looking at my teams, I wanted the best players on the field for my special teams. Because guys, that's one third of the football game. And how many games can turn on on a special teams? Packers, well, it's maybe this year if they had a better special team. Right. And again, if you were more consistent and you had your best players out there, now on the floors thinking he doesn't want to get guys hurt. I mean, I get that. But you only got 45 guys up. You know, so we always played our best players. And if you needed a rest, you didn't get a rest on defense. You are on special teams. You got a rest on defense. So you could play special teams. Peter, do you think the Packers actually care about special

6:34teams? Like, look, legitimately, like when you look at this team, this is the fourth coordinator under MATLA floor. They haven't had a top 10 unit since I was in high school back in 2007, not to make you feel old coach. I apologize if I did. That's okay. They haven't had a top 10 unit, Peter. And we're going on 20 years. Do you believe really, really, really, be real, that this, that this organization, you can blame Goody. You can blame before. But it's there's issues. Obviously, before I just, Brandon, I would like to know, I would like to see the evidence from other teams that they care significantly more about special teams. Like, what is the evidence that they can give you one? And I can give you one in the last three to four years. They've drafted or have acquired guys that actually returned footballs on putt recovery on putt returns and kick returns. When is the last time Green Bay has done that? Jane Reed. And before that, they're not using him. And that's well, but that's because he wasn't very good at it, Brandon. Well, that was part of it. Like, okay. And then they let I know the McCall Hartons. But so, there's a difference between having a bad plan and having a plan that doesn't work out. Like,

7:38they drafted a Mari Rogers for special teams. They drafted Anders Carlson to play special teams. They drafted to re Carpenter to play special teams. It turns out those guys just stunk. Like, it wasn't that they didn't put in the effort to try and do something that their efforts were unsuccessful. I think they drafted Savion Williams with the idea that he would return kicks. He just wasn't any good at it. But he's a big physical guy with a ton of speed. And he was that Wildcat quarterback. Like, he's kind of the perfect guy given the current rules in the NFL with kick returns. He's kind of the perfect guy to return kicks. Now, they don't have a body type to play punt returner because they don't draft slot corners and they don't draft true slot body type receivers. But like, even when they when they won the Super Bowl, you know, who was returning puns for that 2010 season? Do you remember who it was? Tramon Williams, they're starting corner. Like, is that so different than Romeo Dobbs doing it? I don't think so. So, but Tramon Williams is a better returner at that. He was a better returner. But he just happened to be a

8:39better returner. I mean, Romeo Dobbs, if he wasn't, he'd still probably have been doing it. There were still times that season. And in 2011, when like Charles Woodson was returning puns, because they felt like, okay, we need to have something like he was a defensive player of the year back there occasionally returning puns. They didn't draft somebody to do that. So I just I just reject the notion that other teams are working so much harder on special teams coach. And I've talked about this on the show before. Your backup linebackers, your backup tight ends. When you draft those guys, third, fourth, fifth rounds, your playing special teams. Period. On every football team in the NFL, on every college team in the NFL, in the nation, on every high school team in the nation. If you're a backup tight end, a backup linebacker, a backup safety, a backup running back, you play special teams. Period. It is worth noting. It is worth noting. Not to cut you off, I apologize. It is worth noting. This the Seahawks, the team that just won a Super Bowl, made a trade mid season for a core special team guy. And it really helped that push back on that. He was, but they gave up enough compensation that they expected him to play receiver.

9:45And he just didn't. He was not an impactful receiver for them. And they gave up, they drafted, they drafted him. They traded for him. Rashid Shaheed is the person you're talking about. Correct. To be an impact receiver in their offense. And he wasn't. They got lucky basically that he turned into an impact player on their special teams. It's a little bit like Keesha Nixon, like you sign Keesha Nixon to be a special team's gunner and to return kicks and to cover kicks. And it turns out he's actually a really good kick return and you didn't actually know that. Like this was, they didn't trade for Rashid Shaheed to be an all-star kick returner. They lucked into that. But you know, I'm going to go back and say play your best players. I mean, just play your best. That's why you're paying them. You can't worry about them getting hurt. That's just part of the game is is a special team. And it's a big part of the game. So I mean, you just mentioned like Charles Woodson and those other guys. I mean, they were starters. And you know what, they didn't care. They because they put the best guys in the position to succeed. Now, I think like on a kickoff return and the way things are set up now with the kickoff,

10:46I think one was a preventative deal for injuries. And it would be interesting. I don't know what the statistics are on guys getting hurt. But I think like shortening the impact area, I think that's been good for the game. But as far as like the kickoffs and the kickoff return, how many are not returned? And when they are returned, there's a lot of hidden, there are a ton of hidden yardage when it comes to the Green Bay Packer special teams. Huge, but I'm saying what is usually the return average returns up to the 30 maybe? Is that what it is? Yeah, and that's where you get the ball if you don't return it. So it's kind of moved. Right. Exactly. Exactly. So, but I just think again, you just play your best players. I don't care if their starters are not. And we saw the Packers to your point coach that happened this year, right? And Cleveland, there was a big issue with the kick coverage or the kick blocking unit in Cleveland that resulted in McManus's kick being blocked. It would have been the game winning field goal. And the Packers would have won that game. And then that very next week, Brandon, I'm so glad you brought this up. That happened because Jordan Morgan got absolutely run the TF over like the Jordan Morgan is supposed to be

11:51one of your core guys. He's supposed to be one of your. I wouldn't know if I'm a core guy. We don't know about it. He's going to be starting left tackle for this team, Brandon. Right. But we don't know enough about him to say he's one of those core guys where you had you. They took Elton Jenkins off the field in that game. Okay. But she walker off the field in that game to be a starter this year. He was on special teams because they thought he was a good player. They thought they could get away with playing him on special teams and it turns out he just wasn't. That's the thing. That's the phrase right there. You just said it. They thought they could get away. That's the issue I have that they thought that because you're right. You are right, Peter. You are absolutely right. That's exactly the mindset they have. They thought we thought we could get away by subbing out our guys that we put on the starting line. We thought we could get away by kicking potentially a game winning field go. And on the road, we thought we could get away and we and it bit us in the backside. That's the issue I have with the organization. Good enough. Like this is what this is the coaches. This is coaches point all the time. You can only lead the horse to water. You can't make them drink. Jordan Morgan should be good enough to make that block in that situation.

12:54And it happened in Dallas too. Wasn't it wasn't it Tucker Crabbs who stepped the wrong way? I think it was. It was either the second or third best player on your freaking team. Guys, I want to give you a little perspective on the field goal unit. The amount of time that they have to because it's a hell deal. It's just not a good deal because they have to absorb it. But I tell you, it's 1.2 seconds of hell. That's it. That's all you got because that's the operation time that it's got to get off. And you know what? It's not a hard technique, but you know, I mean, you just just have to do it. And as far as on the wing to step the wrong way, that's absolutely crazy. I mean, you teach field goal protection in junior high school. It's the same protection. It never changes. I mean, realistically, the Packer should have went into the end of the week five by four now this season. But it was especially. There were other issues throughout the course of those games. Can I answer your original question? Yes, you, yes, you may. Since we love each other. The thing about, we're spending more time together.

13:58We are. We are creating problems. It is the Patriots teams. What Bill Balochek was so great at for so long is they were always the most prepared team in any game. And their whole mantra was, we are going to let them make the mistakes. We don't have to have the better players if we make fewer mistakes. It doesn't matter if they've got more talent. They got more dudes. If we make fewer mistakes, we will win. And they did over and over and over. And they were in 2020, the number one special teams in the NFL. Now they progressively got worse. Cam, I will point out, is only 39 years old right now, which means he took over that job when he was 33 years old. So maybe he was not ready for that in the moment. But he learned at the feet of Joe Judge, who was one of the best special teams coaches, like one of the rare special teams coaches to get ahead coach. He was such a good special teams coach. And so I think that

14:59this is an opportunity for him. He's one of the things that I love is he coached Matthew Slater, probably the best non-returner special teams player of his generation. And as he has been the coach, been the coordinator, when basically every type of player on your special teams has been a pro baller or an all pro. He's had returners. He's multiple returners, kickers, and your special teams, your gunners, your core special teams players. And that's the kind of thing that I really like. This team needs to be on its details. They need to play with more discipline and they need to have a plan coach so much of when I watch the special teams, I go, do they know what they're supposed to do in a given situation? If they kick the ball to the five, what do you do? If they kick the ball on the ground, what do you do? If you're standing with your heels on the 10 and the ball is going over your head, what have you been taught to do since you were 10 years old? If it go Peter. Thank you. But how many puns did the Packers catch inside the 10 this year? Half a dozen. They feel the ball at the five yard line. It just didn't seem like there

16:03was a plan or the details and the discipline. And you hope that a young coach can come in and go, I've got a plan for this. I assume that's what he sold Matt LaFloron. And you hope that that's where this this was not the the cheap out move. I know there's been some accusations about, you know, they don't want to pay their assistant coaches, things like that. I wanted a young coach. That's what I wanted a young coach who was a forward thinking coach. And you hope that that's what you got. If special teams were one of the issues last year that resulted in the Packer season ending early, the defense may have been the other one. And that ladies and gentlemen is where free agency could get really interesting in Green Bay, our latest installment of our free agency focus here on locked on Packer Squad show coming up right after this. Today's episode is brought to you by TurboTax. It is tax time. But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes, it's quite a bit trying to book an appointment. That's not the most convenient sitting in a waiting room with stack papers, emailing back and forth. And wondering if they really get your

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18:12free agent we could add and maybe make a trade or two as we look in the room and see what the Packers do need as we head into the 2026 season in this week. It is no different and this one I feel like is going to be one of the more interesting installments that we do. We got edge rushers, we got linebackers and we got cornerbacks. I know one of those positions is being highly discussed as the Packers most important but gentlemen I want to start with coach and coach I want you to walk me through the edge room from a year ago. In the thoughts you had Rashan Gary, Lucas Van Ness, Micah Parsons obviously goes down Kingsley, Engay, Barre all part of that edge rushing room. What did you take away last year? What did you see from your eyes for the Green Bay Packers when it came to rushing the quarterback? Well I thought obviously Parsons the guys in the League of his own is a shame they got a knee and everything but they guys were so super, super productive. I mean as productive as Reggie White I mean that's putting him in a Hall of Fame category.

19:13So I mean I think just his impact as a player with the whole defense, everybody steps up. The great players always let that let that happen. The Van Ness you know he got hurt and so you know they gave him a high draft pick so I know they're expecting a lot of him. Gary was where's Waldo? I thought a lot of times like where where is this guy? I know we paid him a lot of money and but he didn't produce like that kind of money in my opinion and then Ugibari he I tell you what he made some some plays that were impactful and I think the more time he gets I think the more impactful he can be. The play that for Kingsley, Engay, Barre that sticks out Peter is at Lambo field against the Bears and he makes that tackle I think was a third and one or or third or third and two or whatever it was forces that fourth down and then Caleb Williams would throw the the interception over there to Keeshawnix and who will examine later for the cornerback room of Peter. Let's look at the Green Bay Packers who's pending free agents. Kingsley, Engay, Barre who we both

20:15have mentioned all three of us have mentioned 26 years old he's been in league for four years he's your only unrestricted free agent in that room. The only one that's unrestricted if you have two however restricted free agents. Brenton Cox Jr also 26 Aaron Mosby also 26 years old. Peter those three guys is there any interest in potentially trying to retain one two maybe all three of them. I'd put a tender on on Brenton Cox because I think he's a nice player and I like the upside there but I also understand if they feel like look what you're getting from Barron Sorral and Colin Oliver is going to be equal or potentially greater than you were unlocked on Packers the other day Brandon saying that you think that the player on the Packers whose jump can be the most impactful on this team was Barron Sorral and then presumably that is because you think his ceiling is that kind of high. If that's if that's real like with Micah with LVN with Sorral that's a pretty loaded room if you are in fact getting that kind of productivity but I think I think someone like Cox

21:20who has shown it I know he was hurt last year but the year before he was the most productive pass rusher on the team on a personal basis so I still think that there's something there with him but you know what is it worth to you right and so with these restricted free agencies you get to tender them you get to say okay you know there's different levels of the tender I would assume they're going to put a relatively low level tender on him and just say okay if you walk you know we'll live we'll figure it out. The question I think and the reason you framed it the way that you did presumably is because there is this Roshan Gary question about what's going to happen. Is he going to be out the door? The problem for the Packers is it just does not save them that much money. It frees up $10 million in cap space this year about $17 million in dead cap that's if you pre-June 1 and cut him and the Packers really don't like to post June 1 cut anyone. I think the most likely situation for him is you restructure that deal you push some of this base salary into future years and you move on next season after you've probably taken another pass rusher in this draft maybe on day

22:24three maybe you see more from Baron Cyril maybe Lucas Van Ness has taken that proverbial next step and then you can you know you you have another draft another free agency period to figure this all out it's it's quietly like I think if they move on from Roshan Gary they've turned a non-need into a need and I just don't see the Packers doing that. That's hard to let those guys go I know the thing is his production as I didn't match the salary so how bad coach would would the effort and and energy have to be from a player who has been as productive as he has been and is getting paid like he has been paid for you to for you as like the head coach to go to the GM and say we just can't have the sky out here anymore like would he have to be a problem in the locker room? Yeah yeah he would he would I mean like I said you did pay the guy a lot of money and and expectation but like remember and he didn't like nothing they must have got on him or said something to him because like the next week he showed up and he went hey you know Gary yeah I was letting he played 70 like someone asked about the snap counts and Matt LaFlor was like no I doesn't play that many snaps

23:27and then the next week he played like 75% of snaps his highest snap count of this season it's like okay coach but you know what Goody Goody went right to his room and goes you know what you better get him up on the field and let him play and earn his money but he did he just disappeared and then he'd show up and but as far as like effort man it's hard to like say say guys that they don't give effort in the NFL you know that's just you know and if you was a problem in the locker room yeah you'd get rid of him I don't think he was and that this is why I don't think they're they're gonna move on I think they would move I think if this was Zadaria Smith and he was causing issues and he's talking back to coaches and he's getting in fights with guys and he's pissing people off I think that that would be a different thing but I think you know like Michael Parsons at the end of the year said you know we can't not be in shape we can't not be out there we can't not be to be in heavy snap guys when we got to be heavy snap guys and he was he was talking right to 52 but he didn't say it he didn't say Rashon Gary and you hope that he's pulling him aside and say look

24:28dude we need you here I like I need you big dog let's go and and it's a it's a arm around the shoulder and it's a kick in the ass because Rashon Gary we've seen Rashon Gary be a really good football player in Green Bay and I know the fans like to complain because he's not Brian Burns like to complain because he's not you know the superstar past rusher that you hoped he was when they drafted him but he's been a very productive football player for the Packers and I still think he can have value for them but he does need to get in better shape and he does probably need to cut a little bit away and he needs to be a high snap player because that's what you're paying him to be and when he's out there over his career he's a good player like there was a stretch of time before he got hurt where you know he was he was a probable caliber player 2021 into 2022 he tears his ACL like there was there was a stretch there where he was a really really good player and we just he he hasn't looked the same since he tore the ACL unfortunately yeah you know things do you know where he is he's off-season is he's from New Jersey originally

25:31I don't know if he if he yeah I've seen the videos I assume it's not New Jersey but I don't know yeah you know the end of each somewhere which I guess it could be New Jersey you know could be yeah the thing is about that if you're getting all that money your job as an athlete or a football player is to make sure to take care of yourself and take care of your body and if I had that problem I would I'd have the best trainer personal trainer nutritionist because that's what keeps you going you're the only asset that you have is as the players you right so you got to take care of your body and you got to make sure that you're taking care of your business because that is your business Peter I do want to move on to to the linebacker in cornerback room because I'm sure there's going to be a lot of discussion around a couple of names in there but is this in your opinion is is this is this almost a sneaky position of need not saying it's it's a of dire need but you don't know when you're going to get Micah back you also don't know how that's going to look when he comes back from that ACL tear and then you're kind of really hoping because you just haven't seen it consistently that LVN elevates to that level that you expect him to I'm high I'm

26:32Baron Serral so is the organization they spoke very highly of him at the NFL draft comment but you're kind of hoping for a lot of things to fall into place is this a position do you think that the Packers should go outside and maybe look at potential veterans I don't know I'm throwing names that Joey Boas is a free agent I know I Leonard Floyd's a free agent or is this is Ernie names out there where you you're thinking man me you know maybe you know as an older vet you know somebody not going to break the bank with that could that could help just kind of be almost an insurance piece for this so Brian Gutekinst is the Leonardo DiCaprio GM's and once you turn 25 he does not care like that's he's not gonna like I don't think by and large especially at a position like like edge sure and you're just not taking old guys like you're you just lose too much juice unless you're an all-time outlier freak athlete like Julius Peppers getting Julius Peppers at whatever he was 33 34 is a different thing because Julius Peppers 85% of Julius Peppers is better than 95% of every NFL defensive end who's ever played but so like if Khalil Mack we're going to

27:36become available we could have a conversation like that what about David O'Jabbo so I'm thinking more like Caleb on chase on from the Patriots yeah so they they've got some some needs along the offensive line they've made some draft picks and and some investment on defense he might be someone that you could get you know for one or two years like eight to ten million dollars a year something like that and he comes in and he just he gives you a little third-nate juice out there you reduce really you know Lucas Vennes inside and then you you've got Parsons and and chase on coming off the edge he was he was he had a really nice season for New England last year I think age I think he's still only 25 which seems impossible because I feel like he was drafted 10 years ago but I think that's because he was drafted right before COVID and COVID has skewed my perception of everything that's ever happened and so I think that one makes sense I think more likely though and I could see that but I think more likely you you take your shot on day three with your with whatever the 2026 version of Colin Oliver as you find you know that scout that's banging on the table coach

28:39he's got the what is it the red star next to his name because one of the scouts is just in love with them like you take that guy who's got the you know who who jumped 40 inches and had the 11 foot broad jump and the the 1 5 10 yard split but you know played for Southwestern Missouri State like that's that's what you do on day three I think that's what the Packers M always anyway you know I was always always always interesting and like some guys drafted off of like testing you who that big guy was was Al Davis he he was I mean he leaned on that heavily yeah if you're if you ran a good 40 time you were getting drafted really better I think I think I think I was just saying this to someone the other day I think it is easy to forget because we call it the Ron wolf tree that Ron wolf learned from Al Davis he did but he didn't do that I mean it was important it's not not quite the same right but if you look at the NFL because I just had there's a day to guy that's a brown span that I was just talking to about this no one has prioritized early draft picks with great

29:4040 yard dashes more than Brian Gutekins since Brian Gutekins became the GM it's not and it's guys it's not close like they want super athletes early on in these drafts they want big strong fast and that's an Al Davis thing and Al Davis again Al Davis Ron wolf learned from Al Davis now half the league is from the Ron wolf tree right like half that seemingly I mean it's really like almost a third of the league is a former Ron wolf or Ron wolf tree GM including his literal son and Ron wolf hired Brian Gutekins so it's not surprising that these are the kinds of things that they prioritize if one of these past rushers fell because like let's say they've got you know there's a group of guys with short arms um maybe you just say screw it let's you know you had a first strong grade on someone he fell at 52 and yeah you don't really need another ed rusher but like this guy's too good you got it you got to take him yeah I could see that happening and this has been this is a weird draft weird stuff is going to happen the thing is about those short arms as you guys you know what those tackles are they're all 35 36 inch reach right so that would

30:44that would be where we're like well can you get in on it fast enough right minus minus the one uh in New England but we'll we'll digress on that let's move to the next let's move to the next position coach we're gonna examine the linebackers what did you think last year of the green bay packers yeah obviously I quay Walker Isaiah McDuffie and their edger and Cooper my guys so don't badmouth him coach what did you think of the the linebacker how would you uh look at the linebacker group from a year ago for the green bay packers I really like Cooper I know that you're you have a jersey of his two at your place and but I thought it's his pillow coach okay thanks for correcting me on that one that's good but you know I like Cooper I thought Cooper is really a good football player really good football player and he was productive one of the things that that I don't think they did enough with him is pressure him you're right you're so right coach because he was pretty good at that you know as a match up and and the thing is when you're going up against like running backs and that I thought that was a pretty big mismatch you know when he could when he could get

31:48going downhill I like quay Walker too I thought quay Walker had a lot of production but I don't know I don't think we're keeping him right and they're trying to get rid of him well that's what we're gonna get into now but we're getting there because you brought up a good point for I get into the numbers for quay Walker and who else is an unrestricted free agent Peter correct me if I'm wrong was was coach brings up a great point was edge coupe used more last year as a past rusher than this year and and is it just because the packers got Micah Parsons this year because it feels like there's a missing element to the defense that that Jeff Hathley just decided not to unlock I think I think you're you're right to connect it to Micah Parsons because one of the things that they did anecdotally I can look it up here but anecdotally I would say they did not use edrian Cooper this is the this is the double a coach they they used edrian Cooper in those double a mug looks in 2024 at least to my eyes anecdotally much more than they did in 2025 and there were times when they lined him up on the edge and they'd run twists with him loop big big looping stunts with him

32:49coming around inside and they worked because he's just a freak athlete I mean just an alien athlete and they they didn't lean into that as much this last year and I can't I can't really you know tell you why that is it doesn't make sense to me now I know that I said this on Twitter the other day and Brandon I think will at least appreciate it that because coupe didn't take a big step forward the word that I hear most often with him is disappointment about what he was in 2025 he was still pro football focuses 13th highest graded linebacker last year and so it's not like he was a bad player he was still a really good player we just thought he would be like pro football focuses third graded player like we thought he could be the best linebacker in the NFL and I think we have to remind ourselves all too often progress is not always linear linear in fact it often is not and so I still think he's a really good player I still think Jonathan Gannon and Bobby Babbage can do a lot of really cool stuff with him but I'd like to see them

33:49use him more as a blitzer as someone who is attacking in that way because he just he's got the skill scout for it man he really does let's get into the pending unrestricted free agents for the Green Bay Packers as we get set for the new league year what are we nine days away from the new league year quay walker we've mentioned him a bunch coach you mentioned him he is 25 he'll be 26 at the start of the year he is going to be your unrestricted free agent we just talked about special teams boys Nick Nyman also a pending unrestricted free agent Peter do any of those two money I don't know according to Spotrack quay walkers expected in the market of the eight to nine million dollars for his upcoming deal in his second contract is there any any hope or any thinking that the Packers should retain one or both of those guys if Nyman's a core special teams player so I think that that that would make sense um I think the Spotrack care about special teams

34:53exactly I think I think Spotrack is wrong okay uh based on some of the conversations that I've had and based on some of the intel coming out of Indy I think quay walker is going to be one of the more coveted free agents in this draft in this free agent free agency class he's still only 25 years old guys and as a former first round pick went to Georgia as the production as coach mentioned is there I've never been a big quay walker fan outside of about a six week stretch in 2024 but there there were times this year when he did look really good and it was sort of like can you just stay healthy can you just stay on the field speaking of guys who look really good when you blitz them too I mean he's certainly shown that over the course of his career but you know I heard I heard someone suggest you could get 15 million dollars a year like that's that's way too much if if you're asking me and you did so um I think that if if it were me there are free agents at the linebacker position in particular I think you could get Matt Milano for three or four million dollars

35:53I think you could get Demario Davis for ten and I would you mention you mentioned age though with Demario David like I did and and Matt Milano Matt Milano though is he's I think he's 31 is that right all looking up for you he played for Bobby Babich who in Buffalo and so even though he's not the player he was I said this on radio today coach tell me what you think of this this is a really young team right yes and I think that I think that they like each other and I'm starting to test drive this take that that's a problem and that they need some they need some older guys to come in and start a little start a little trouble to create a little friction and start and start pissing people off to say hey this is not I know we're boys and stuff in here but we're here to win football games so let's stop playing grab ass and let's go yeah because I'm sick of I'm sick of not winning a Super Bowl if I'm if I'm Matt Milano and I've been in all pro in this league and I've been in Buffalo and I'm getting my teeth kicked in the playoffs every year I'm coming in and I'm coming in pissed off and I want to I want to go in a Super Bowl so that's let's let's lock in and

36:55let's get it done I think I think they need a little bit of some competitive competitive discontent maybe yeah well you know thing is you can do that if you're a good player obviously that kid Milano you're talking about the Milano guy and you know here's a deal like he has been through it and he and he's decorated you know in this league so he could come in and have instant credibility in that locker room exactly you know so I think some of that is good Peter I don't think you want too much of that because then you get too many boys but I think the packers have zero man you may be right or something close to it why would you put Micah because you kind of talked about him calling with would that be one I think Micah absolutely has set the tone but I also think Micah Parsons last year is just getting a feel for what's going on and I think that's why by the end of the year you hear him being more comfortable and I think he sees a power vacuum I think he sees a leadership vacuum and is going this is because this was not him in Dallas he was not that vocal a leader in Dallas because you've got DAC and he's a veteran you've got CD

37:58there's other guys he's I think he came to Green Bay and went this can be my team yeah and we can go in the Super Bowl because this was my team I can be I can truly be Reggie White here and and that's something that I think he needs to take ownership of you know I think we saw it from Xavier McKinney I think he set the tone early on but now you know I think he's he's he's been acculturated and so now you need I I've always believed that and this is something Bill Walsh has talked about Bill Bell check is talked about that you need to turn over 15 to 20% of your roster every year not because guys are going to be free agents or you're going to cut him or whatever but because you just need new energy you need new blood you need new you need new faces to just sort of keep things fresh and interesting and when you are drafted to develop teams sometimes that falls by the wayside and you get a little bit too comfortable with one another when you know I'm not saying you need to be the Legion of Boom and having fist fights in the locker room when you're trying to win a Super Bowl and they did but I I think there needs to be a little bit more of you know a little bit more of a competitive environment within the team I I want that

39:03fire with these guys I wanted to because it matters to them that shows me that it matters to you and I don't I don't know that it always matters to this group the way that it should let's head over to everybody's favorite position in Green Bay the cornerback room coach have some fun with this one what were your thoughts on the quarterback room a year ago for the Green Bay Packers well I know they have good safeties is that this is not count we'll do that one next week and I don't know if we'll have anybody that might be the quickest position group that we go through outside of quarterback maybe right but no go ahead carry on with yourself you know I think that that needs to be upgraded at the corner and I don't know what Peter you'd know those names and Brandon you know those names more than I would but I think I think the production at corner was average at best I you know I think we could be a lot better on on the edge there but again I don't know what they have in the pipeline either Peter as far as who they want to pay to bring in here well let's get into the Peter real quick let's get into the unrestricted free agent the lone one in the room

40:08Travon digs 28 and a half years old and then they have some exclusive rights free agents bow mountain Kamal had in both of those guys obviously relatively younger in their career 25 for Kamal had in 20 and the way exclusive rights free agency works it's it's basically like you get to pay them nothing and they have to stay with the team it is it's it's actually like yeah it's a bit of no leverage that that's the deal but that I expect bow mountain and Kamal had and I haven't suffered a brutal ankle injury at the end of the year just when they were saying he was playing his best football but you know I don't think you can count on him and you know who knows what position bow mountain is going to play I did find those Adrian Cooper numbers by the way he he passed rushed on about 6% of snaps last year it was closer to 10 in fact over 10% the year before um so that's a big difference in terms of how often he was doing that but I went into the year going you know Nate Hobbs who I thought could play on the outside um Kishan Nixon Carrington Valentine if

41:08Devon Bullard takes a step that's good enough and I still guys I still kind of think it was um if Michael Parsons had been healthy I think they'd have been fun and that was just not a thing that happened and then that's what happens when you lose a star pass rusher is your corners have to be a little bit better and they just can't like they just maxed out at that point and so I do think they need to sign someone whether it's Greg Newsom whether it's Rick Wolland whether it's Trevon Diggs I think they need to bring in someone because this this draft is very particular it's very weird and I don't know what to make of where anyone is going to go and if you want a good corner you have to take them in the first round generally you have to and they don't have a first round pick and so and you can't hope that someone falls to you at 52 so I think you're going to see Brian Goodkins be uh maybe unusually active for him in terms of the volume of players that he signs just to get some back stops at some of these key positions I just it's it's two this is something we talked about on the show today uh to you know tomorrow if you're listening to this live

42:12for Lockdown Packers is I think that they're going to have to do some work in free agency to get to a safe position in the draft because there's there's too much riding on this season for them to go into the drafts with a hope in a prayer here I still have hope for Nate Hobbs but you know I obviously we got to see it guys I I am coming around more and more to the idea that Nate Hobbs is not going to be on this football team in 2026 because I initially thought he was playing the boundary and starting on the boundary in training camp because that's where they wanted him and I was informed recently that is not the case that they thought Javon Bullard would beat out Evan Williams for that safety job that that didn't necessarily happen and so they wanted to get Javon Bullard on the field and then he got hurt Nate Hobbs did and Javon Bullard played well enough that it's like well we're not going to take him off the field he's he's playing great and so I think I think it could be a situation where Nate Hobbs is just they're either traded or just not on this team anymore I don't think that would be that surprising

43:12frankly because I think he's he's kind of so well where he is yeah you know what an interesting comment that you made Peter is about the past Russian and the production of the corners before and after parses I mean that is that is real what you just what you mentioned on that because the timing of the passing game even if you just have to hold one more second that's tough yeah that's a lot of times in the NFL that's the difference it's so close there you have it our latest installment of our free agency focus we've got a couple more positions before the new league year kicks off will we'll end those coming up in the next few weeks here on the locked on Packers one final segment to get to we talked a lot about free agency who the Packers could sign who they won't sign who they won't retain what about making a trade is there a trade right now this organization can make to upgrade their roster plus the NFL draft combine has come and gone what stood out to Peter we'll examine that's coming up next on the locked on Packer Squad show today's episode is brought to you

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46:23day and thank you for making locked on the number one sports podcast network gentlemen a lot of moves in the NFL going on recently here at the NFC North making headlines just the last two days running back David Montgomery ship to Houston for a fourth rounder and juice shrugs and offensive alignment and then today not necessarily a trade but it's still news drew dominant the center for the Chicago birds deciding at 27 years old that is a tough one that is a big one that's another center that is going to be on another position that that that's going to be in high demand at the NFC North might have three new centers going into 2026 Peter when you look at this team the current Packers team and we haven't finished our entire free agency focus throughout the course for the offseason yet but is there a move right now is there a player that you're looking on this Packers team that is probably going to get released will likely get released that you're thinking why not just make a trade thank you for being a locked on Packers listener Brandon you know Ellen Jenkins is

47:27the guy if they're gonna if they're gonna cut him you can't tell me he's got less value than juice shrugs or tightest Howard and the Texans traded two offensive lineman who like together aren't as good as Elton Jenkins I wouldn't trust them with a double team to be better than Elton Jenkins and so if if you're gonna move on from him from Elton Jenkins and I think they are to save the money then I have to believe you could get real value their offensive line coach it is an epidemic in the NFL I mean the the quality of the line play I don't know that it's ever been worse frankly around the league Peter it's like that in every league though they're so hard to find they really are I think that's true but if you ask the NFL guys and if you ask the coaches because Mike McCartney actually said this the other day when they reduced when they changed the CBA in 2011 that changed everything because you can't practice in the offseason you can't you and and that is I think that that is lineman will tell you coaches will tell you that that is the the number one thing that is

48:27hurt development in the NFL is you can't really develop them in the NFL anymore it all has to be in college and maybe this was floated to me the other day I was having a conversation with someone about this I know of someone who knows the college game really well they were like maybe the NIL is actually the best thing that's gonna happen to college development for offensive lineman because they're gonna have to just keep playing or they can just keep playing and that can that can improve it's just a time under tension thing and maybe they come to the NFL a little more ready for the rigors of what they're gonna be faced with but that's me is a trade that I would make and then Brennan you didn't ask me this question but I want to answer it um is there a player out there that you think is worth the packer is going to pursue that would really move the needle for them and if you're in tear down mode and you're looking at a roster that's that's looking for a quarterback and you're a first year coach and you're a first year GM that might have connections to the Green Bay Packers and you've got a star running back that's gonna want to get paid a lot of money

49:30uh but you you're kind of going nowhere fast would you be willing to trade Devon HN to the Green Bay Packers for something for a player that they may be always liked with John Eric Sullivan and Jeff Haffley is that something that could be worked out and the speed element in this offense in the backfield is is glaringly glaringly gone and I think Josh Jacobs is not gonna be on this football team in here and so both of those things are true could could you swing something where you're you're you're giving up assets future assets maybe a player maybe maybe you're sending out in Jenkins down to a place where they need offensive line help in Miami and a pick for Devon HN is that it can I interest you Brandon and in that in that kind of trade? Uh potentially I I want to thank Josh Jacobs will be here longer but I think you're probably right based on miles on the legs and obviously age I don't know if Devon HN is the one I would

50:31potentially go after but I would I would be open to that because I think Matt LaFour would have a lot of fun with that in his offense so I would definitely be open to that let me throw another one at you too that and again this might not be realistic because of the money situation what about Aaron Banks and and trading him a little bit more control there and keeping out in Jenkins at left tackle at left heart excuse the money is the problem there yeah I have to I hate to just like cut you out at the knees on this one but the dead money it's just not workable it is for Alan Jenkins because you save all of it but it's just not I mean I think that's just that's fancy football at this point yeah the thing about Dolman it's funny you said I was talking to his dad the other day Drew's dad really yeah Chris you know those guys I was Atlanta and and Dolman wanted to stay in Atlanta badly and they said Rahim Morris goes yeah yeah we're gonna take you we're gonna take it and then they never called them that's why he ended up in Chicago so it's interesting

51:32that he's coming you know at 27 years old saying I'm gonna retire you know I mean he's still a mess kind of in your prime in it we 25 26 27 years old as an offense alignment so that was interesting you know there there seems to be a lot more trades and maybe I'm just prisoner of the moment there seems to be a lot more trades this offseason then we've seen in years past and again that might not be factual but but Peter is it were you now the Lions will likely need a center the bears obviously we'll need a center the Packers we don't know there's you know Sean Ryan we went into the the offensive line in the free agency this is all the more reason if someone wants to give you a seventh round pick to send Elton Jenkins to not Detroit or not Chicago yes I like if that's your question yes it does that does concerning and so because I think Elton Jenkins would want to do that especially given I mean he held out guys let's not forget this is a guy who held out last off season because he knew the writing was on the wall I mean the writing it looked like a truck stop

52:34bathroom on the wall like there there was plenty of writing and it it was like hey you're not going to be here in a year and that's why he wanted hey if I'm in a changed positions take care me and give me some some security and they said thanks but no thanks and it would not be surprising at all to me coach if it turned out that that was weighing on him and and it didn't like it turned out exactly the way that he didn't want it to turn out which was he ended up getting hurt and now that hurts his value even more coming off a season he didn't play his natural position he made a sacrifice for the team and now the team is going to kick him to a curb it's a tough business but it is a business that's exactly right there you know it's not personal how many times you hear that it's not personal it is business and it's all about money and production moved to be made or not to made we'll see what the Packers do the newly gear just getting started before we get out here gentlemen the NFL combined did come and go last week down there in Indy coach when you were in Green Bay or when you were in the NFL in general how much did you pay

53:34attention to the NFL draft combined did you did you watch the 40 times did you watch the three cone did you watch the gauntlet did you watch the verticals did you pay any attention to the numbers and the events at the NFL draft combined when you were coaching in the NFL oh yeah I want to everything I mean everything and the thing is they do give you a book of all the all the times in the heights weights and all the all the measurable they they give you a book at the end but you're always there filling it in as it as it goes so it was a lot of fun I always really enjoyed the combine and and seeing all the players and getting to meet them and so I always really enjoyed the combine what do you think are there are a few I'm gonna kind of sort of put you on the spot here a little bit what are some of the more important events that I mean I know it's coming gone but if fans are out there looking at let me go look at an offensive lineman let's see what his numbers were at the combine let me go look at an off a defensive lineman let me see what his numbers were at the combine maybe quarterback what are position like what are the testing events that are the most relevant to potential success in the NFL well the ones that are always

54:39fun to watch is the skill guys in the 40 I mean if you ever seen a 4 2 or some 4 3 it's amazing how fast those guys are but usually on most of it was like skill skill evaluations guys moving around how they move and they put them through all sorts of drills every drill like every linebacker drill that you could do you see it every line drill you see it and in the quarterback you guys see that I mean the quarterbacks and receivers and tight ends and all that when they start throwing so but yeah I know she has much about being able to put a stamp on an evil then it is anything else right like you're going and you think hey we think this guy can move really well in space when when you see the drills you go okay I get to see it that there he looks the way that I thought he would and then you just get to go all right we believe in our evil here's a thing too and you see that that movement in person and then all of a sudden you start studying his college film you're going I saw that I saw that right exactly what I saw it at the combine that's exactly what he's

55:39doing there and I bring that up only because if you look at Brian due to consensus been the GM and we're almost a decade in now it drafts he has never drafted a player in the top 50 without a complete athletic profile we have to so because that's where the risk is right you we don't know and and the one guy he drafted in the top in the first two rounds without one was an enormous mistake and it was Josh Myers over Creed Humphrey who not only had an athletic profile he had one of the best athletic profiles for a center ever and he's turned into a multi-time all pro so Brian trust your board trust your instincts that you want an athletic profile and go get those premium athletes because usually premium athletes I know people like get mad when the Packers take these premium athletes and they go oh underwear Olympics it's like guys no no the best athletes are the best players are usually the best players because they're the best athletes like Jamar Chase is one of the most athletic receivers ever Justin Jefferson one of the most athletic receivers ever Calvin Johnson come on one of one alien athlete give me a break like the Christian Watson it's the tail Christian

56:42Watson it's the tail wagging the dog here it's not the other way around so if you guys ever like watch like kids and grade school and you go that kids the best one it's because he's the best athlete exactly and you know what that shows up at the combine it really does it goes that's the best one and they stick out like a sore thumb is there was can you remember a guy coach that you saw at the combine that made you guys in your process go back and say hey hey wait a second we you know we watched two games at his and we might have written him off a little bit maybe we got to go back and watch some more tape you know what you guys are gonna you guys are gonna go like oh okay and he is a packer Mark Tosher hmm guys I mean the story on him Barry Albert he wasn't gonna play anymore and Barry Albert talked him into playing and obviously I think it was a seventh round pick wasn't he and I say what like at the combine he did everything right and I remember watching him going that that guy is he's doing it all the right way and son of a gun plate for years as a packer but I that name totally stands out to me Peter I know you're I know

57:44you're covering the combine and and certain players through the daily show the locked on Packers daily show you can listen to that wherever you get audio podcasts also on YouTube and I know you're covering it for the leap are there any names out there the Packers don't have a pick until number 52 is there anybody from the combine that stood out to you and why are the Packers gonna draft Bryce Lance with number 52 I think 52 would be a little rich there but he was on damn boogers top 100 like I could see that in the third round I think I think you know that would not be a totally insane thing to do but I'm looking at the linebackers guys because there are a couple guys that just went in there and they speaking of stamping it I mean Anthony Hill Jr from Texas that is a name to watch if he is there at 52 I think the Packers he said at the combine he models his game after I dream Cooper and you see it on tape the guy flies around and put together a truly elite like 97th 98th percentile type of linebacker workout he's 6 3 240 so he's big

58:49enough a lot of these linebackers in college now coach they're 6 1 2 20 I mean they're they're guys that would have been safety size when when you know the you think of Steve Atwater I mean that guy was he was 6 4 240 he'd be playing middle linebacker these days yeah and that's just not that's not the world we live in anymore so Kyle Lewis is another name guy is the linebacker from pit is 6 1 220 but they could use a dime linebacker on this team someone like that can just fly around that was the Mac Wilson role in in Arizona last year and he was not a big guy either but he is instinctive had a great senior bowl Packers love love love senior bowl guys and that's just I think it's because it's just another data point you get to know them a little bit better because you get it's another chance to see them through the process to see them compete against the other best of the best of this draft class so the linebackers Jacob Ramirez Rodriguez excuse me from Texas Tech watching that Texas Tech film coach if you want to just have some fun just go watch

59:50some of that that defensive tape they had they've got defensive tackles defensive ends linebackers that front seven got after you and they flew around the field they were really fun to watch and he's someone who the question with him was is he he's a little bit undersized is he athletic enough and he went out and he ran in the four fives um jumps really well showed that explosiveness this linebacker group is good and the other the other group Peter saying Texas Tech they bought a great defense though well look they did they they when when you were coaching in college they couldn't buy anybody because they couldn't play defense they haven't played defense in Texas Tech for you 50 years before last season so um it was it was certainly a step in the right direction for us for what but they're also this is a really good center room I it's not it's not great at the top not like some like you know these these guys that are going to go in the first round like we've had in some of the recent drafts but there are probably five six seven potential starters in the

1:00:52middle rounds here third round three round four round five where you could get a quarry lensly where you could get a scot wells and maybe they're not the ideal measurables but they're athletic and they're smart and they come in and they just right away day one you've got a guy and I think that's kind of what the packers are hoping for here frankly credible insight there from coach and for Peter another edition of our locked on packers squad show coming to an end but if you missed anything friendly reminder the locked on packer squad show and the daily show with our guy over there Peter Bukowski free and available wherever you get audio podcasts and of course over on YouTube and if you're watching over on YouTube number one thank you make sure you don't you don't forget to subscribe to the channel as well for coach for Peter on Brandon's night signing off for now but we'll be right back with you on Thursday night talking about more off-season packers football with each and every single one of you thank you guys for tuning in this evening and thank you thank you thank you thank you for making locked on packers part of your day

1:01:53each and every day and as always make sure you stay locked on packers