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

Welcome 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

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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.

But 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

who 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,

I 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

it 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

teams? 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,

they 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

better 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.

And 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,

I 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

one 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.

And 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.

We 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

this 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

was 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.

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Thank you for making locked on Packers your first listen of the day. Thank you for making locked

on the number one sports podcast network. We have been going position by position here on the

locked on Packers Squad show examining each position who's a free agent who's a potential

free 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.

So 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

have 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

who 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

three 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

and 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

dude 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

I 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

Baron 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

become 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

he'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

40 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

that 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

going 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

coming 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

use 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

exactly 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

I 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

let'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

there'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

fire 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

Travon 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

Devon 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

for 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

frankly 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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started fandall play your game thank you for making locked on Packers your first listen of the

day 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

the 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

hurt 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

uh 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

potentially 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

that 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

bathroom 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

attention 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

fun 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

doing 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

Watson 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

you'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

enough 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

some 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

middle 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

each and every day and as always make sure you stay locked on packers