Biggest Surprises from Green Bay Packers Cut Down Day - Mr. Irrelevant (with Alex Strouf) 8.28.24

[Music] yeah the Wednesday Edition Mr relevant presented by dorani to stillery I'm Alex Roo with you from the grber offic is one called that's all Studio at the Avenue of beautiful downtown Milwaukee Josh dagio here with me as well producer tiny hands Hunter vaugh is back at the everlite solar studio in Downtown Madison lots to get to a lot of Packers action this week here as we lead up to the opener nine days away from the season opener for the Packers they had to sou Pao Brazil to take on the uh the Philadelphia Eagles week one of the NFL season game two overall of the NFL season as uh they get an early one there next week on peacock um so obviously not a quiet 24 hours with the NFL cut down deadline being yesterday at 3:00 uh here in the central time zone 4:00 Eastern on Tuesday was the cut down deadline and look the Packers did what they had to do um now since we've last spoken which was Monday around 1:30 Central uh the Packers went ahead and traded for a quarterback Malik Willis the third string quarterback and third-year quarterback out of Liberty from the Tennessee Titans so Malik Willis now the backup in green Bab both Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt were cut yesterday uh but Sean Clifford brought back to the practice squad Michael Pratt going to take a walk the seventh round pick this year uh his his career does not pan out in Green Bay but Malik Willis will serve as the backup we assume right away uh for Jordan love in Green Bay so we'll get to that here in a minute a couple of the things that surprised me from NFL cutdown day but just want to do a little cleanup here as we get underway as now the waiver claims are being processed and the Packers have a new kicker which we will get to here in a minute ultimately they will end up cutting Greg Joseph that news just hasn't come across uh quite yet um and other former Packers signing elsewhere including Grant deos who uh well in NFC North fashion signs with the Chicago Bears after being released by the Packers yesterday so let's just get to some initial reactions with the cuts we're not going to run through each and every one of them um but but I think you know some of the things that I think caught everybody's was what they would do with the wide receiver room I mentioned Grant dubos on the way out Samari Tay rather is is the one that's signed in Chicago uh Gran dubau is going to I believe it was Miami he's a Miami Dolphin and then it's samori turay uh who signed with the Chicago Bears those are the two receivers uh that were cut so they are officially down to their 53 now but I I I think those two I don't want to say are surprising cuz you figured the Packers are probably going to have to let go of at least one receiver they felt good about ultimately that ends up being Grant tuos and just another correction he ends up in Miami it's samor turay the draft pick from a few years back he ends up in Chicago he was one of the earlier Cuts Sim moreu R and I think that was an expected one he was a guy that spent some time in the practice squad last year but just never really quite caught on the way that Christian Watson and Romeo dobs the other two receivers drafted in his draft class caught on so Sor tur goes elsewhere and then Grant du BOS is an interesting one to me because everybody was high on him but when you've got guys like Bo Melton and Malik Heath uh making Headway the way they did this off season it's hard to make the case for a guy like Grant tubos to make the roster when you're already satisfied with your four top receivers the way the Packers are in Christian Watson Romeo dobs Jaden Reed and davien Wicks how many more do you need two or three right and when you have the Malik heaths and the bow meltons of the world it makes it really hard to make a case for a grant Dubose or a samor t to to catch on here and I imagine neither of those guys but especially Duos isn't going to wind up on your practice squad so uh the wide receiver room The Way That Shook out I don't want to say was shocking I was hoping they would find a way to keep Duos But ultimately it's it's hard when you've got as much talent in that room that the Packers do it's hard to make the justification of keeping you know eight receivers in that room so no Grant Duos no samor turay 10 offensive linemen kept by the p Packers which uh didn't allow them to keep room elsewhere uh as they you know they trimed down the safety room a bit they trim down uh the running back room quite a bit and we will get to that here as we talk surprises in just a moment which of course includes the AJ Dylan situation I've been saying for a few weeks I think there's more to that I don't think he's sitting out of preseason games because he's just made the 53 man roster ultimately that was the case so we'll dive into AJ Dylan here in in just a few minutes as we continue to just do some quick takeaways from the Packers 53 man roster but Malik Willis and Jordan love are your two quarterbacks 10 offensive linemen kept um only five linebackers only five corners only five safeties yeah nothing shocking there let's quickly touch on this Malik Willis news as the Packers go ahead and trade a seventh round pick to the Tennessee Titans on Monday in exchange for quarterback Malik Willis now something I'm a little bit confused by when it comes to this trade is he's kind of a project and he's an older project than say Michael Pratt who you spent a seventh round pick on this year he's been in the league this will be his third year his rookie year he started three games he was just kind of me and then the Titans went elsewhere they they looked at Joshua dos who was just acquired by the Titans two years ago to start over him then last year you know they they bent Ryan tanah hel they go the direction of will Levis this offseason they sign Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis not winning battles against those guys so ultimately they say hey he's available Packers go here is a seventh round pick in exchange for Malik Willis you can look at this negatively or positively whichever way you choose to I can give you the the the answers to both when it comes to answering it positively I think he brings an athletic upside that that Pratt and Clifford certainly did not right in terms of Mobility and in terms of a little bit more experience in the league especially as a starter so that that's the way you can look at it positively and for a team that is starting the season against quarterbacks like Jaylen Herz and Anthony Richardson yeah like for a scout team quarterback to have Mobility when you're getting ready for two quarterbacks that are mobile it's a good skill set to have it it it it resembles your opposing quarterback a little bit better when you're playing the scout team in practice so I do like that for Willis the negative side is what I just outlined and that is if you are choosing a developmental project if you are choosing somebody you're going to have to spend a lot of time on before you really feel good about him if Jordan Love Goes Down why not just hang on to a Michael Pratt who's brand new to the league it's not like Malik Willis had an outstanding preseason right he wasn't he wasn't killing defenses albeit he wasn't playing a ton but he he wasn't and neither was Michael Pratt and obviously neither was Shawn Clifford so you move on from Michael Pratt you retain Shawn Clifford on your practice squad and you choose Millis now here's what I've said all offseason about a a backup quarterback when it comes to the backup quarterback your big hope is you don't see them right your your big hope is you don't have to see the backup quarterback so hopefully all things go well shoot let's let's spell it out this way if things go real really well and this is a 14-2 team that clinched the number one seed you might see him in week 18 otherwise let's just hope you don't see Malik Willis unless it's victory formation or until next preseason that's the way I'm choosing to look at it I think he provides some cool upside in terms of the mobility Factor as a Scrambler and a guy that can do some nasty stuff outside of the pocket but I I don't know that this totally moves the needle of my confidence level of the backup quarterback tiny hands Hunter vaugh back in the everlight Solar studio downtown Madison I Turn to You what do you make of this move I am I I don't think I'm being too negative because I'll be it it's a backup quarterback but this doesn't really move the needle of of my confidence level one way or another uh than it did when they had Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt battling it out no and this is it's the same move the Cowboys made for Trey Lance like you're making this move if it works out and he like you unlock something with him then awesome and then if he comes in and just lights it up maybe next preseason and that in a couple of games maybe you can get something for him higher than the seventh rounder that they sent or like the only caveat to what you said though is the fact that like the most starting quarterbacks we saw last year in the NFL like there is a chance he is going to have to come in not just because it's garbage time like that's a very real thing we've been seeing in the NFL these last couple of Seasons that the backup does play and it isn't just because the Cowboys are getting the crap beat out of them in a playoff game like it's going to happen at some point so maybe he's a guy because of his skills where Matt LeFleur is like you know what maybe he can go in and just cause enough Havoc to get us through a second half of a game because Jordan love you know just gets shaken up enough we like we can't bring him back out there kind of a thing and maybe do something it also says like for as many opportunities as Shawn Clifford and Michael Pratt got they're not good quarterbacks like if you have to send a seventh rounder to go and get your backup like that's that's not a good look for those two no I'm with you on that it certainly wasn't and look I I think what this tells you we'll talk about gun to Brian gun to the general manager of the Packers a bit later because I want to do a little bit of a deep dive into our feelings towards him right like he's admitted faults in draft classes and we saw that with Andre Carlson moving on from him you know I I think that's a good note right like Brian gum was typically a guy that we we criticize for being way too loyal to a fault to his to his draft choices think back to the Amari Rogers experiment from a couple years ago it probably took a year or too long to move on from him and now you see him move on from both Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt both draft choices in the last two years you see him move on from Anders Carlson I think it's a good ation that Brian gak is no longer in the mindset of which I think he was entering last year this is a team that that might be fine we're right we're going to kind of see what they are no I think his mindset now is this is a championship team the championship window is open so if we have shortcomings we need to address them now and he does that a backup quarterback he does that a kicker I think those were the two big battles on Monday we spent a ton of time on those two position battles those are the two battles that everybody left the three preseason games going I don't feel super good about those so yeah I I I I think goody admitting his fault is is a good sign and he's done more of that in the last week than maybe he does in his entire seven plus year tenure as the general manager now so yeah to go out and address it is a good note is a good note I have a couple of surprises from roster cutdown day that I want to get to coming up next but first Mr IR relevant is presented by D County Distillery locally produced handcrafted award-winning Spirits made locally in beautiful D County tailgate and season's coming up baby football season's in full swing you got your first home game in Madison coming 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Packer signed earlier today we'll also talk a little Brian gun to what do you make of him now we'll talk about all that coming up it's Mr relevant I'm Alex stuff Distillery with my buddy Rob from dorani Distillery and we have a d count Distillery exclusive in front of us right now Rob cherries bourbon two of my favorite things put them together you got the D County Distillery Cherry bourbon it's beautiful we're just doing shots yeah yeah we're justy straight up I mean it is good for mixed drinks you can put in oldfashioned Manhattan but sometimes you you just want to straight up take a little shot of it I I won't complain about that like I said two of my favorite things cherries bourbon D County D County cherries bourbon I can't complain cheers to you buddy thanks a lot ooh that's tasty oh that's good yep that's really smooth get that cherry flavor yep not a whole lot of burn beautiful that's terrific D County Distillery exclusive the Cherry bourbon check out their website with a huge list of unique cocktail recipes at dount distillery.com that's dount distillery.com dounty distiller.com for the website all I've got four surprises from Packers cutdown day that took me by surprise and I I I know a lot of people are with me on a few of these I want to start with one we just talked about and that is Andre Carlson the kicker uh going ahead and making him an early release it was one of the first that was announced on Tuesday I was surprised admitted defeat Brian gacun that is on the anders Carlson experiment Anders Carlson probably barely won the kicker battle against Greg Joseph this off season and and that's subjective too I mean it was really close and we kind of operate under the rule of the tie goes to the incumbent which was Carlson who was the kicker all of last season for the Packers I figured he would be the kicker week one shoot I I figured he might be the kicker All Season again I just figured year two he's got a little bit more confidence under him he's got a littleit more more experience under his belt then he goes out in preseason game number three against the Ravens and he misses the kick but I still anticipated him being the kicker come week one against the Eagles so for that to be the early move and then to say whoa does that mean Greg Joseph is the kicker who by the way didn't have a very good preseason either and now Greg Joseph who still hasn't been as of recording by the time you're listening to this on the podcast feeds he will be cut Braden Arison who who was with the Titans uh is now the kicker he was just signed we'll get into that here in a minute but surprise number one to me was was a admitting defeat with Andre Carlson I didn't see that one coming I did not see that one coming let's go to the defensive backfield and that would be the safety position we talked a little bit on on Monday when we did stock up stock down following the preseason finale against the Ravens stock was up for Anthony Johnson Jr the seventh round pick out of Iowa state from a year ago he had a lot of playing time last year because the safety position was in shreds for a majority of last season for the Packers and to go ahead and score a touchdown in the preseason finale um I I thought was worth something you know like I I thought that was probably going to solidify his spot for a guy that had both defensive on on field experience and special teams on field experience for a special teams group that was by no means very good last year they had the best returner in the league for the second year straight in kesan Nixon I thought ajj had a roster spot solidified but the Packers go with the mystery man the man that was constantly out last year and Zane Anderson over Anthony Johnson Jr they like Zayn Anderson's special teams ability a little bit better and they drafted three safeties in Javon Bullard EV Williams and Katan o ladapo and of course they make the offseason signing of of Xavier McKenna those are the four safeties they expect to see on the field especially those those three in mcken Bullard and Williams and then Anderson and oladapo likely more special teams pieces I thought Anthony Johnson Jr made a much stronger case than he actually did so to choose J Zayn Anderson over Anthony Johnson junor is surprise number two for me and Anthony Johnson Jr not back with the Packers as he gets claimed by the New York Giants so Anthony Johnson Jr out Zan Anderson remains in that's surprise number two surprise number three is the everything that went back down with quarterback to I just thought if you're going to put in a project and you're going to stick with a project stick with the rookie Michael Pratt outperformed Sean Clifford in the preseason three game sample size two joint practice sample size Michael Pratt was better than sea Clifford and for a team that takes a lot of pride in developing quarterbacks sitting behind their starter I thought Michael Pratt had at least a year Brian gun says we'll go elsewhere and they make the trade for Malik Willis Sean Clifford cut Michael Pratt cut Sean Clifford brought back on the practice squad Malik Willis in as the backup everything that went down with quarterback number two uh was surprise number three for me and surprise number four yeah this was a weird one it's AJ Dylan I I have said this preseason I don't think AJ Dylan's GNA make the team and then when he misses preseason game two in Denver and he misses preseason game three in Baltimore now this is prior to our knowledge of the Stinger injury that he sustained his second and nine months everybody's takeaway from him sitting in the second game was yeah he he's made the 53 good he's he's the backup running back he made the roster but I heard Wayne lar and Larry McCarron say on the Packers radio broadcast right before the game started in Denver preseason game two he was having some altitude issues in the joint practice against Denver and that's why he's not playing he had left practice early and I just I just thought there was more to this situation I didn't think he was a Bonafide lock to make the 53 and rather than parting ways with him on a very small deal remember AJ Dylan was brought back on that about $1 million deal very inexpensive almost a veterans minimum kind of a low-risk high reward move at least when the contract was signed as they thought it was just it just all all felt odd to me and then when the news comes out yesterday from Adam schfer of all people that AJ Dylan has been placed on the injured reserve list without a designation to return meaning his season is over which also means AJ Dylan's Packer career likely over Tyler Davis the tight end by the way also placed on IR without the designation uh to return so his season is also over but the AJ Dylan one I I don't know how to view this right because they don't really do injury settlements like they used to where they could you know pay off AJ Dylan's deal he could be an unrestricted free agent he could go elsewhere and continue his career Assuming he's healthy for it I view this more as a hey man we love having you around you're great in the community you're a great asset the way you've wrapped your arms around Wisconsin why aren you rehab here why don't you join us on the sideline and just sit the year out that's kind of how I view it I'm curious to see how it shakes out it could change in five minutes it can change in five weeks it could change in five days it could change in five months but but but the way this played out does not tell me the Packers felt very good at all about what AJ Dylan brought them the only preseason action we saw him in was the four carries for two yards in preseason game one against Cleveland including two cracks at a one yard gain that he was unable to get I um I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this but but this was surprising to me the the the way the AJ Dylan think sh out and again I I I've said I don't think he's going to make the roster but the way he didn't play and the Stinger injury that kind of came out of nowhere and wasn't reported for a while and then to be put on IR rather than just parted ways with tells me maybe there's more to this story but it is a it is not a good look obviously AJ dillan's season is over he will not play for the Packers in 2024 although he might be a member of the Packers in 2024 that was the biggest surprise to me just the way it played out not that maybe AJ Dylan won't suit up for the Packers but the fact that he is still a packer is on the IR list and uh there's there's clearly more to come from this story hunter anything that that I mentioned you want you want to touch on or anything I missed that you want to touch on from Packers cutdown day yesterday um I Heard Willi and tal mention it but Christian Welch not getting a roster spot like I just it felt like he was going to be a guy that was going to be on the roster like it's just one of those guys where he's like he's doing enough he's around the ball like he he'll find a spot on that roster even if it's a special team's role and then the fact that he didn't I was like oh okay that's interesting and you know T said it like there's a lot more that goes into it than just what we're watching in the preseason games and like I have to remind myself of that too that like these coaches are seeing these guys in practice in the med rooms like it could be something as simple as a if they feel like the game tape or in practice stuff is about equal between two guys but maybe for some reason Christian Welch is you know not quite getting things in the meeting room at the same level that somebody else is well then you're going to take the guy who can understand what it is schematically they're trying to do so that's where it's like it's so weird with this when we're not around every single piece and all we're seeing is the onfield game time stuff but there so many more levels to what it takes to make a roster in the NFL yeah you're right about that and Welch by the way spent three years in Baltimore was with the Packers last year was entering his fifth year in the league uh the Iowa product but from Iola he's a Wisconsin guy so obviously fulfilling that lifelong dream of playing with the Packers got to do it a bit on special teams last year and could it be a thing where they have more tape on them and they just went with the younger guy like that's that's kind of where my head goes Hunter is in the linebacker room it takes out to Quay Walker Isaiah McDuffy and Eric Wilson kind of who they viewed at least at the beginning of the preseason as their three starters and then their two dat two picks and Edan Cooper and Tyron Hopper out of A&M and and Missouri respectively those are the five linebackers they kept so I I I don't even think it was a special teams move I don't even think it was a depth move I think it was hey when we look at the other positions they wanted to keep 10 offensive linemen rather than nine I I would guess Christian Welch pun intended with his jersey number being 54 that he really was the 54th guy I bet that was the hardest decision they had to make maybe outside of Anthony Johnson Jr I I think those are the two toughest moves especially defensively they made yesterday but yeah the Christian Welch one I said Monday I think he made the roster he forced two he forced turnovers in games two and three in the preseason uh two interceptions in the preseason had an eye for the ball made some really nice plays outside of the turnovers defensively that's a really good call by you that was a surprising one and I I imagine I and look there's so much going on in the NFL I mean there's 16 practice squad spots uh for each NFL team and so that's over 500 guys are going to be signed today um I he is not returning to the Packers I don't know where he ended up though Christian Welch if he's ended up anywhere at least as it's been reported at this point but overall uh you're you're you're totally right Hunter Christian Welch was was certainly a surprise um when it came to yesterday's Ruster cutdowns Callen King is another name that popped up he was the seventh round pick out of Penn State the cornerback felt like he did enough in the preseason to make make the roster to crack the 53 and ultimately he didn't so those are kind of the big surprises to me the rest of them of course expected right when the other receivers we haven't named including Reggie Wayne second cousin Jaylen Wayne not making the roster I don't think anybody thought he would Demitri Stanley didn't make the roster didn't think anybody would think he did but to keep 10 offensive linemen to cut Christian Welch to cut kin King to cut Anthony Johnson Junior those are the ones where you go whoa hope they didn't make a mistake there and again these are depth pieces we're overanalyzing the preseason but of course there's going to be surprises and to see what they did at kicker and to see what they did at quarterback two these are moves that wreak of this is a championship team the championship window is open so there's your recap on uh on the Packers roster changes as we get to cut down day yesterday and now we get ready just nine days away as I mentioned from the regular season opener let's talk about this new kicker Braden narvis is his name he is a rookie kicker uh spent the preseason with the Tennessee Titans of Nick Folk so uh yeah you're going to probably stick with the veteran who's been really good all his career Braden Arison comes to the Packers uh played college ball at a bunch of different places got most of his playing time last year year at NC State um previously spent some time at Iowa State and Western Kentucky but ended his collegiate career at North Carolina State comes in undrafted this year spends the off season with the Titans and he was really good six for seven on field goals made both of his extra points that sends a little bit of an upgrade from Andre Carlson uh was really good at College too much better than uh than Andre Carlson was at Auburn in his college career Braden on extra points Hunter not sure if you've seen this uh if You' SE seen the stat yet in his collegiate career five years Braden Arvis the new Packers kicker 196 for 196 he did not miss an extra point in his college career that is a good sign for a team that missed the most extra points in the NFL last year so yeah I would view this as quite upgrade quite the upgrade a kicker is Braden nvis the new Packers kicker yeah the caveat to that though is that the college extra point is still the line of scrimmage is up at the two yard line it's not back where the NFL one is so like if you really wanted to get it what is it a the NFL extra point now is what a 30 something yarder um 36 or 37 I think it is yeah so like really you'd want to find what his number is from back there and that's going to give you a more accurate picture at that but it is is still an upgrade like I'm not trying to like poo poo the the move but it's just like but real quick I let's just compare though right like Andre Carlson in college 173 for 176 he missed three extra points in his college career he was perfect as senior year uh but but missed one each his uh he played five years as well so his second third and fourth year missed one each of those years and was a perfect 22 for 22 his senior year so he missed three kicks uh extra points as as a college kicker and he kicked less than Braden arvon did so it's still worth pointing out in my opinion and then Andis Carlson by the way was only a 71% kicker elsewhere in terms of field goals in college narvon last year 18 of 23 so look he's got he's got a leg and um also I believe one uh kic the kick the go-ahead kick in the preseason finale 59 Yer good with room to spare might I add this is good Hunter Packers got a kicker you Packers got a kicker yeah you hope but like you just you're not going to know if they actually have a kicker until he's down in sou Pao and he kicks a 45 yarder at the end of the half and like drills it like then you'll know if you have a kicker until then like I'm not going to say that they actually have a kicker because the only way you're going to know until he's actually in a game and he does it the groundhog has arrived Joshy dagio is here I call him the groundhog because uh he doesn't always chime in but he's sitting in front of me here at the guber offices one called that's all Studios when something catches his ear his head moves he throws the headphones on and it's usually when Hunter talks is what I've noticed go ahead groundhog Joshy uh no this is about you uh what I do I mean the we got a kicker thing it's not like Justin Tucker showed up or Robbie Gould Robbie Gold that's a name they took some random undrafted rookie who was pretty good in the pre-season has decent numbers in college like maybe he is the kicker of the next 10 years but this is just like Malik Willis like H well there could be something here I guess we're going to find out it doesn't make me feel good about the any better about the situation into like at this point I would feel more comfortable with Greg Joseph than uh Chris nv's great long lost cousin like I what th this means nothing to me this kid could you you be honest with me though you would not feel better about Greg Joseph I know nothing about this udfa six for seven on field goals two of two about extra points made a 59 y go ahead the other night he's the same thing to me as Andre Carlson at this point no no no what what do we have to go off of much better preseason than Andre Carlson was it much better how many field goals did he did Anders missing preseason games are you tracking his kicking at Camp narvis I do not have those stats because it wasn't a real battle so the beat writers down there weren't tracking everyone because Nick Folk was going to win the job okay but narvis is viewed as the 33rd best kicker in the league well well great you got you you gotta you got maybe maybe 32nd because Anders is significantly below him Greg Joseph is now below him as he'll ultimately be cut I I view this do we have that information is Greg Joseph cut uh he hasn't been yet but he will be they're not going to carry two k kickers on their 53 yeah but can't they get through to the can't they get through till week one with like having a kicking competition but then they'd have to cut somebody else yeah you move people on IR you do this I want I want Hunter real quick because I didn't agree with this up until right now Hunter refresh our memory at the beginning of training Camp you were really irritated that the Packers I think they had three at the time they went back down to two then they signed the international project Alex hail they cut Alex hail and Anders Carlson yesterday they signed Braden naron today you have a very interesting take on kicking battles in general in the NFL just refresh our memory on what that is yeah kicker battles are a waste of time uh Specialists are kind of head cases when it comes to their confidence so I'm a fan of you find a guy you bring him in and he's your guy until you think he's not and then you bring someone else new in and you get rid of the old guy and you just do that until you actually find your guy Josh it sounds like they got their guy Braden Aron's their guy yeah but we just had a competition do you want another one is that what you're asking for in n in less than a week right because they fly to Brazil a week from to that do you want them to have a kicker competition for seven days no I want them to just sign a good kicker I think they did that his only miss was for 58 yards s we watched Anders Carlson miss a kick that was less than an extra point this weekend you saying you think they did that that's just you wishcasting that's you hoping how do you know what this kid's going to do in a regular season game it's going to be a stud it's the next coming he's the next Mason Crosby based on literally nothing that's not true it's based on very little it's not based on nothing which is as good no I have small sample sizes are as good as nothing not a strategy strong a samp it's not hope I have statistics in front of me he went six of seven with his only miss of the entire preseason he going to kick in his career if he's if he's the if he's the Packers kicker for this season is it going to be five times this Jos Josh if he misses five kicks all year it's an upgrade Andre missed like 12 kicks last year he sure did he stunk he did so anything is an upgrade so if this guy misses 12 then what then I'll I'll I'll eat my Ma I'll eat my words like it it kickers kickers are kickers it's not going to it's not going to be definitively better if he misses three and three less than Anders would have like it does it it is what it is but the timing of Anders he cost them games yes and that has that has affected people greatly yes greatly which is bad decision making him missing the 32 a guy who was winning missing that layup and then getting cut that's bad PR process by the Packers I'm currently watching a montage on Twitter my buddy Andy Herman put out Braden Arison kicks from the preseason that dude's got a leg he's got a Canon yeah Anders does too yeah except Anders goes 12 yards to the right of the post L bradden's are right down the middle you know you're down bad when you're watching kicker highlights and getting excited well that's that's that should give you an indication of how trashy this battle was all off season we've spent weeks and weeks weeks and weeks discussing the kicker battle and guess what I'm excited as a Packers fan because I don't have to look at hot trash anymore at the kicker position you hope that you don't no I I know it's better I I literally know it's better are we going to have to make a bet about this like is there going to be some sort of punishment for you if he's sure we we we certainly can we'll get to that in a second though I would I want this guy to get to end up like practice squad and not even the kicker and Greg Joseph is actual the kicker that' be amazing that is what I want it would be the best because you we don't know this guy's role yet and you're like he's better than Anders we got a kicker he's better than Greg Joseph you you are reticent on Jordan love a guy who matters you still have those concerns this guy kicked a few times in the preseason you're like well we got a new Mason crossby boys let's move we do we do have a new Mason crossby I I wish you guys were as certain as me I wish you guys were watching the film I wish you guys were doing the research like I am over here I could go to Andy Herman's Twitter too great but guess what Joshy guess what Joshy you have't you have't let me tell you my mind's not going to change when I watch you kick a few kicks it will is it's that good Daniel on the ESPN milwauke YouTube chat says it's not an upgrade at kicker Alex if he misses five crucial CR kicks in critical spots bad take a boss you got boss boss that should tell you that this is a bad Tak stro I don't think it is the Packers of the kicker got they do you don't know that they do yet they got a guy that can boot The Rock that's all I care about and it's accurate I can boot a rock you can't boot the rock the way Braden Aron can boot The Rock I'll tell you that much crossby can still boot The Rock M the Mason crossby ship is sailed okay let it go oh okay you think they're going to bring him back what are we doing here no I'm saying things as equally ridiculous as you it's for effect well I'm doing a thingy oh man that's good stuff stuff well Braden arvon the new kicker in Green Bay well maybe as they still have Greg Joseph on the roster we will see as that continue to shake out uh a tweet went viral yesterday on Twitter and it was simply a screenshot of the 2020 Packers draft class and the effect of said tweet is just highlighting that Jordan love is the only drafty from the 2020 draft class still on the Packers roster when you look at picks made after love that draft AJ Dylan technically still on the roster won't be for long Josiah deara gone free agent Kamal Martin gone free agent John runan Jr in New York playing for the Giants jakay hon out of the league Simon stanc out of the league Veron Scott I believe out of the league that 2020 Drive class does not look very pretty but given the pick you see highlighted there at the top round one pick 26 quarter back Jordan love this draft class will probably still be viewed as a success because you have the quarterback of the future but that started the conversation of how good of a drafter really is the general manager Brian G Co because not only does he draft poorly or at least he did at the beginning of his tenure which started with the 2018 NFL Draft when Jer Alexander was the first round pick he's never really had a great draft class up until recently the last few years so I wanted to go over not this year's draft class but the four prior to that including the one we just looked at the 2020 draft class and say did gy make the right decisions by drafting these people did he make the right decisions by moving on from these people or did he hang on too long I referenced to Mario Rogers earlier so let's take a look at the 2021 draft class which goes like this Eric Stokes I still vote TBD this season is big for that Josh Meyers has been a starter although maybe a replaceable one he has still been a starter Amari Rogers he held on far too long Royce Newman was cut yesterday he's no longer a packer the rest of the names on that list other than Isaiah McDuffy no longer on the Packers roster so you feel okay about the 2021 draft class but you don't feel quite good about it you like the McDuffy pick that was a good value pick Myers and Stokes is still pretty TBD everybody else no longer on the roster just three years later so let's move on to 2022 does it get any better in 2022 well little bit but not a ton Quay Walker big year for him Devonte Wyatt that's been a flop so far and given this camp and preseason I don't know that it's gone a whole heck of a lot better Christian Watson when he's healthy is a win Shawn Ryan that's your new Right Guard hopefully that's a win Romeo dobs has been really good Zack Tom's been really good we like Kingsley andbar Jonathan Ford was put on IR yesterday and Rasheed Walker's your right or your left tackle rather so the 2022 draft class certainly better than the 2020 and 2021 draft classes as it stands right now but there are a few names on that list we should take a look at still Tariq Carpenter seventh round pick no longer here samor turay seventh round pick no longer here those are just seventh round picks though if your first five rounds are going the way that class did now look you want some more production out of Walker and Wyatt but when it comes to Christian Watson Romeo do Zack Tom sha Ryan Kings lbar I'd say that's a pretty darn good draft class in 2022 Quay Walker the captain of your defense and Devonte Wyatt well I just said it that one's been a flop so far hopefully he can have a rebound here in 2024 now I just want to use this as the exercise given the trend the Packers have subscribed to over the course of the last year and that is the youth movement let's take a look at that 2023 draft class shall we it turned out to be a pretty good one Lucas vaness hopefully we see more out of him in year two Luke Musgrave seems like he can really become a good tight end in this league Jaden Reed stud no other way to put it Tucker craft seems like he can be another good tight end in this league here's where things get interesting Colby wooden we'll ignore for now still in the roster so year two we'll see what what comes of it Hunter you want to go ahead and read that next name on the list for me round five pick 149 Sean Clifford Sean Clifford it wasn't which is the joke Hunters making but the good news is Brian gun did mided defeat yesterday and it didn't take three years they took a shot in the fifth round they drafted Sean Clifford he served as the backup for a year where as Hunter pointed out earlier a lot of quarterbacks got hurt last year the Green Bay Packers were one of few teams in the entire league that went unfazed by that more quarterbacks started games last year than ever in the history of the NFL one quarterback back started all year for the Packers one a few teams I can say that so luckily you didn't have to see Sean Clifford last year and guess what you're not going to see him this year unless travesty hits and they have to pull him up from the practice squad but they admitted defeat from they we move on davien Wick seems like that's going to be a good pick in the fifth round Carl Brooks seems like that's going to be a really good pick in the sixth round hey Hunter what does that say round six picked 207 Anders Carlson another great pick but once again you say that and that proved untrue obviously we just spent a lot of time talking about that but what Brian gyun did yesterday with that pick specifically and the one we just talked about with Sean Clifford is he admitted defeat the pick didn't pan out and that's okay they went out and made a move with both of those guys Sean Clifford and Andre Carlson ironically both from the Tennessee Titans to hopefully upgrade hopefully you got better at that position both of those positions by bringing in Malik Willis and signing Braden nison Brian gudakunst is doing something he wasn't doing earlier in his tenure as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers and that was admitting defeat on draft picks he was really loyal to them really loyal to them some of them were around too long but this year that's not the case goody understands the championship window is open for the Green Bay Packers and although Joshy and Hunter want to fight me on whether or not signing kicker Braden narvis in as a championship move and I get it we don't know a ton about him but to admit defeat on a guy you spent draft capital on on a guy you let make mistakes all season long last year in a year where you were just two games away from the Super Bowl and to enter The Following Season say you know what he's just not good enough let's move on that shows me growth that shows me like Brian gudakunst is learning how to do his job better now than he did a few years ago and as a Packers fan that's an encouraging sign so the message in all of this is I'm encouraged by the way Brian gudakunst has learned how to manage rosters over the course the last few years some of his draft class is not very good when you look at 2020 is draft class the only person from that class still on the roster is Jordan love when you look at 21 and 22 me 23 was pretty good because in year one a lot of those guys had to contribute and they did and they will continue to but for Brian gun to learn and grow and admit defeat on draft picks he's made and has previously been very loyal to to me is an encouraging sign as a Packers fan Hunter go ahead I think it's also important that we're not talking about whether or not goody should have drafted someone over another player because I think so much of that that's such a it's an easy and kind of lazy way to evaluate a GM because it's hindsight is 20120 absolutely and like you don't know what skill set they were specifically looking for in that position and if they were seeing that out of the player in college and things like that but like what you're talking about is really important because if you hang on to a guy who clearly isn't it for too long you're wasting a roster spot on somebody else who could prove they could contribute whether that's in that same position or in a different position and what you said you're right gy has gotten better at it and that is a really good sign I think he's still got to get better at some of that drafting stuff and when he's taking guys like Shan Clifford in the fifth round like whatever you want to say about Shan Clifford like that's not a good pick given what he where he probably should have gone so you wasted that value of a fifth rounder but it isn't you know we shouldn't be going and looking at it like oh well he could have gotten T Higgins or he could have gotten this guy or another guy like that's just it's way too lazy of a way to evaluate a GM goody should have drafted Creed Humphrey instead of Josh Meers turn his mic off everyone knows they knew it at the beginning everyone knew guy just signed the biggest Center contract to the history of the sport we got Josh Meyers come on that was a draft darling to everybody loved humford yeah he right he was I remember that I liked him that was when everyone went huh in real time everyone oh I don't know about that one yeah you're right but to Hunter's Point and I know you agree with It ultimately yes I do and I also think the the people bring up T Higgins T Higgins isn't the reason the Packers would win a Super Bowl no you know who is the left tackle da bakari who was her injured and not playing you better not you better not say a kicker stro I'll drive to Milwaukee and slap you if that's the joke you were about to make also I was gonna say the guy they drafted which is ultimately their quarterback and the highest paid quarterback in the NFL Jordan love yeah okay I've been thinking about it because I've heard you mention narson that's not that's not a successful kicker name it's not doing it for me I'm not buying it I got to be honest he's not making Crosby sounded like a successful kicker oh yeah that's kicker name for sure bic crossby is okay how about um what's the Cowboys kicker's name Brandon Aubrey right oh yeah that's a kicker name that guy sounds like he plays soccer which he did he was the number one overall pick in the MLS yeah uhuh dude's an athlete Nar and maybe it's maybe it's narvis being a a brewer that's kind of off here it's just hard for me to Fathom most successful kicker being that name tough loss last night for the crew by the way our boy Joel Joel pyoms uh blew it your boy he was really good up until last night he was having a good summer but oh well anyway all right that's Packers talk time now we wrap up the show you learn something new every day I learned something new today I actually want to start today I typically go last I want to start because I learned something about the Cowboys um the Dallas Cowboys and for those of you unaware producer tiny and Hunter vaugh he's actually Cowboys fan he just lives in Wisconsin grew up in Wisconsin so I think we can also kind of call him a Packers fan although I don't think he wants us to call him that but he obviously follows the Packers very closely given his line of work um but I I gotta be honest I didn't realize Ezekiel Elliott was the starting running back for the Dallas Cowboys again I I didn't know that until I saw that the Cowboys have now signed Dalvin cook um Hunter what in the world is going on in the running back room in Jerry world Ezekiel Elliott is the starting running back I legitimately didn't know this I knew he was on the team I didn't know he was the starter yeah it's it's bad it it's just bad can I say something for all those people a lot of drafts this weekend draft Rico D I have one tonight so Rico dowle okay that's good to know don't from actually watching the Cowboys don't he's no is he bad I if you can get him at a good value late go ahead but like don't try and use that 130 yeah I don't I don't trust that room you sound sad I my all-time favorite NFL player is EMT Smith like I genuinely like love the running back position um and what the Cowboys have right now is just so disappointing and sad like this would have been a great running back room in 2018 right right oh my goodness it would be it would be the best in the league with with Zeke and dvin cook now they're almost in wheelchairs cuz they're so old like I don't know what Jerry's doing it's bad look I I feel like I know a lot about the NFL and so to to have a blind spot exposed to me this morning by by learning that Ezekiel Elliott was the starting running back of the Cowboys blew me away like I feel like I could go around the league and name every starting running back and then I was thinking about it I'm like who is the I had to go look at their depth chart and I saw Ezekiel Elliott Rico dowle do V and the only reason I know who du vau is is because I remember his his dad is literally the running backs coach of the Cowboys I remember when he was drafted last year so now D much about that room what's that Malik Davis is he still there I don't think so yeah yeah I mean unless he I don't I didn't pay attention to the cuts so he might have gotten cut but I looking at an article that says I am looking at a an article that says the cow Cowboys 53 man roster includes running backs eek Elliott Rico D Duce vaugh and and fullback hunter lepy huh so I don't think he's there yeah they cut him which is also frustrating because he showed a lot more than Rico D but you know tough break guys tough break yeah uh as somebody who's completed um approaching their 300th dra draft in bball we're getting there a long offseason yeah you really I've drafted a lot of Rico d i I don't know what to say about it but it's because he's cheap um I the the reports out of Dallas because I've been following along to that because I'm invested in one of them winning the beat reporters were like I feel bad watching Ezekiel Elliott like it seems like he's hurting it seems like his body's not doing what it wants to be and they're just like yep that's our starter yeah there was video of a drill where he had to go through that like gate of like the fake arms or whatever and he did it and he almost fell over after because he just looked like it hurt him so bad like rubber arms hurt that man it's it's going to be bad they're going to throw the ball 50 times they're going to run the air raay it's going to be awful T typically we whip Around the Horn when we do what we learned I I kind of just want to end on sad Hunter I feel like that's a really good way to end the show great thank you you're welcome thank you for coming thank you for hanging out with us today we're back with you Friday beginning at 12:30 Hunter's off actually on Friday so that's the last you'll hear from him until Monday day and there's the holiday so it won't be until Wednesday Tu it's a week Tuesday Tuesday oh we're doing a show Tuesday oh I'm glad I know Tuesday wednes Tuesday Wednesday Friday next week figured we should talk on that thanks thanks to Joshy thanks to tiny ant thanks to you for hanging out with us uh on the ESPN Madison ESPN Milwaukee YouTube chats the ESPN Madison Facebook page and available wherever you get your podcast Apple podcast Spotify just search Mr relevant it'll be the first result that pops up we do this three times a week talking all things Wisconsin Sports we're with you Friday we got a game to prepare for Badgers take on Western Michigan Friday night in Madison we'll preview that coming up on Friday as well as uh get ready we'll only be a week away from kickoff for the Packers at that point as well football season's here baby can't wait to spend it with each and every one of you we'll talk to you on Friday beginning at 12:30 same place same time we'll talk to you then it's Mr relevant presented by dor County Distillery I'm Alex drove peace [Music] [Applause]