What questions will training camp answer for the Green Bay Packers (With Lily Zhao)
training camp opens in a week so what should we have our eye on what questions do we want to get answered Fox 6’s Lily Zhao is back with us we are almost in the season which means Z you doing is back for a training camp preview you are locked on Packers your daily Green Bay Packers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your Team every day you were locked on Packers part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day I’m Peter Bowski and I cover the Packers for the leap a newsletter I would love for you to subscribe to follow me on Twitter Peter bowy follow the podcast on Twitter locked on Packers like us on Facebook subscribe to the podcast iTunes Spotify Google podcasts wherever you find podcasts you will find locked on Packers the number one Packers podcast on the internet and the show for fans who know what happened they want to know why and how thanks to everyone who makes lock on Packers their first listen every day we hope you like starting your day with us as much as we like starting our day with you today’s episode brought to you by our friends at FanDuel make every moment more with the playoffs in basketball and hockey behind us the sports just aren’t sportsing like we want them to but this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that’s right there’s something for everyone every day all summer long visit fel.com to get started started Lily Z on the program with us today to get us set for training camp things she wants to see players she’s excited um to to see actually play football this is the closest approximation we will get to football for the first time for most of these guys and so uh to get us ready for all of that uh Lily is with us this week remember we have just I think three we might do four shows depending on what we can schedule this week um I am technically on vacation this week but we’re still doing shows because that’s what we do we get you ready we get you excited for training camp we we will be back in full force once training camp starts so I wanted wanted to get you some fun stuff before we get into all that speaking of let’s get into it with Lily joining me now and back for another glorious season of everyone’s favorite Z you doing Lily Z from Fox 6 in Milwaukee to get us ready for training camp and answer the question that has been on everyone mind for months Lily how you doing oh Peter I am doing well it’s the off seon we’re kind of taking a breath here you know just enjoying other things going on the summer it’s warm it’s a little too warm sometimes but I can’t complain um because as we all know in Wisconsin it’ll get cold in like a month yeah um so we’re going to relish the time but it’s been nice to kind of just be off and you know enjoying the fruits of our labors and taking some time taking some vacation but I’m excited because because we’re doing z z you doing I means football is kind of right around the corner so I’m doing well how you doing I’m good I I can’t wait for football to be back um the next few weeks are always the longest on the calendar for me we talk about like the game the day after the All-Star break and like you get July 4th and July 4th is awesome but then it’s like oh crap like we have like two more weeks before training camp and then it’s another month before like we even think about the regular season and then even then it’s another two weeks after it’s just like Okay so let’s just be excited about training camp now um I am also team summer is not the best season by the way I think it’s the fall not just for football I think summer I think summer is overrated um I hate being hot you can put on a sweater you can put on a coat there is like no salv if it’s hot you are just out of luck um especially if you’re outside so let’s talk about training camp because we last year we had a lot of questions Jordan love and this new receiver room and all this all this stuff that was really exciting to see on the field I don’t feel like we have that many more answers this year um even though we we answered some of those like Jordan love questions and the receiver questions but now the defense is going to be this whole other thing there’s all these new guys so when you think about okay Camp opens and we’re GNA get to see these guys for the first time what’s the number one thing we like I can’t wait to see this I am excited when we’re talking about the defensive side of the football it’s once they get the pads on what’s everything going to look like what’s the energy level what’s the intensity level what’s jeffley going to be like with these guys um you know I want to see them hitting the sleds I want to see them hitting each other um and then the joint practices I think that’ll be really energetic you know Li wants the Carnage she wants those pads crackling right I’m like once we get to join practices though that’ll be really intriguing to see kind of the defensive side and what they do but I’m I’m very optimistic from what I’ve heard from these guys remember Sean Gary Kean Nixon Etc about how they talked about Jeff Halley in this new scheme and and what he wants to do with them they he wants to unleash his guys they you know he wants them to get out the quarterback attack the football um that’s what I’m really intrigued to see like I just want to see how this scheme will kind of start forming and how guys will get more comfortable and then you know I also have my eye on kin King that seventh round Corner yeah because he’s gonna come in with a chip on his shoulder he was emotional during his presser I’m excited to see what that kid can do as well yeah that is not someone that we have talked a lot about on this show and and I think I’m gonna have to change that because he is someone who I think is going to pop when we get uh into one-on ones and into preseason especially you know he’s going to get some of those like third third quarter kind of reps against Fringe NFL roster players and I don’t think that’s the kind of talent he is where which means he’s Gonna Shine I think potentially um you are a resident Vibes expert Lily so I have a couple Vibes questions that I want to ask you you mentioned Jeff Halley uh I have been kind of Blown Away by the Jeff Halley Vibes uh and I know that it’s a very small sample size but what is your temperature check the vibe check with Jeff Halley what have you thought of him just in the limited glimpses we’ve gotten just to to hear from him right uh knowledgeable big football guy excited to go to work and I think excited to really not revamp but just make this defense you know better and and have it hit the potential it really can with the players that it has right we’ve talked about for years now just how many D1 picks uh or I’m sorry yeah U well D1 picks but first round picks defense has had and just you know they they’ve kind of been up and down and up and down but now it’s can you get them at a at a level where they’re consistently good and pressuring the quarterback and getting those turnovers um but again just from the the small sample sizes that we’ve heard of Jeff Halley that we’ve seen of him I think he’s very knowledgeable I think he’s a great fit who works well with Matt laflor obviously why laflor brought him into the coaching staff um and I think he’s just kind of has a way of just getting that extra like out of his guys right and that’s what you want out of out of a defensive coordinator this these guys should look kind of they look refreshed they look ready to go but I think they look excited and I think they’re excited about the opportunities we see Jer Alexander you know being more of a participant and you know he’s a a begger leader on this team so he’s showing up he’s doing the work and even hearing him talk about it gets you even more excited yeah I had a um a superintendent back when I covered um news I I said her phrase was kids vote with their feet if they don’t show up to school it’s because you’re not engaging them now I understand Jer is a professional athlete getting paid to do a job but if if you engage them they’re gonna want to be there and and I think that like Eric Stokes saying this is the first time since I’ve been here he was drafted in 2021 that Jer has taken part in OTAs that made me like stand up in my chair a little bit because I was like okay that’s a Jeff Halley thing that’s a no more Joe Barry thing that could be a Xavier McKinny thing like there’s a lot of reasons why that might be different but when you engage with these players it just has a a way of uh changing their attitude on these things and that leads me to the next Vibe question that I want to ask you about um we have heard already from the players and then from from media people covering the team that there is a different sort of air about this team a confidence a chemistry and when you have like Mike Clemens God bless Mike Clemens one of my favorite people he is not someone who speaks in hyperbole or is prone to just like throw out takes and he said he cannot remember a Vibe a confidence a Swagger on the Packers like this uh is that something that that you have noticed in hearing from these guys as well yes because I think last year going you know last offseason going into that first year under Jordan love again we talked about it you’re not sure what you’re going to get it’s his first year as a starter you know you have all these young players especially at wide receiver and tight end how is that offense going to mesh and as we as we saw it took a little bit of time that they got there I think the fact that they got there I think the fact that they made it as far as they did in the playoffs and knowing that the potential for a Super Bowl was still out there with Jordan love as a first year starting quarterback that just kind of brings a lot of like we should have made it further right we we could have made the Super Bowl and that was going to be their threshold right I think for me it was can they even make the playoffs they well exceeded that so now that you have this Foundation set right this base set your offense knows what they’re doing they’re coming back in a second year together they’re clicking they’re confident you bring in a defensive coordinator who’s getting the best out of his players it’s a new scheme where this is a Packers team that believes they could have a championship defense for the first time probably since they won the Super Bowl yeah they’re they’re they have a right to feel this way and they have a right to feel this way because now they’re in a conference that really truly will challenge them because they’re going to get the best out of every team in the NFC North this season I believe um but they’re a very confident team for a reason and I like seen that from them because I think game one against the Eagles in Brazil I think will be kind of um like let’s let let these guys tea off kind of thing right game one I’m excited to see that too back with Lily Zhao in just a second here on lockon Packers today’s episode brought to you by our friends at FanDuel I love sports I love them so much I really do I love them so much I never want them to stop but with the playoffs in our rearview mirror the NBA NHL in the case of the NBA some underwhelming playoffs we get fewer games and the sports just aren’t sportsing like I like them to but you want to get excited about the Brewers hey plenty to be excited about with the Brewers but fandu lets me keep Sports going whenever I want all I have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime I’m in the mood and let me tell you I am very often in the mood and this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that’s right there’s something for everyone every day all summer long you can get football Futures if you’re already getting frisky that way you’ve got baseball Futures you can bet game to game there’s still plenty of golf to get excited about so head over to fanduel.com and start making the most of your summer FanDuel official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball back with Lily in just a second are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day to turn down the volume with all that shouting make the switch to lock on sports today a free 247 sports streaming program for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming lock on sports today brings you can’t miss analysis opinions and news streaming 24/7 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day I listen the Jeff Halley the bit just he’s he’s the kind of coach that every fan wants their defensive coordinator to be um just from a just from a an approach standpoint because he will he will bring the heat he will play Man coverage he will press he will do all the things that you want as a fan you go why are these guys eight yards off the line of scrimmage and that the the players want to do too and I think there’s value there as well uh are are there some players whether it’s new guys coming back um that that you’re locked in on hey what is Davian Wicks going to do in year two hey what does Edan Cooper look like when the pads come on what are some of the guys where you’re like hey I can’t wait to see them in a live setting what this all looks like oh it’s I have I have so many that I’m like do there’s a lot right like there’s a lot um okay I’ll start on defense because we’ve been talking about defense a lot um you know we we see what Preston Smith and ran Gary can do I’m excited to see what Lucas vaness can do good because he’s coming into his second year I think it was four sacks last year for him new system more aggressive approach what can we get out of Lucas vanes because there’s been a lot of hype around him this offseason I think he delivers with new system in Jeff Halley so I’m excited to see what he can do kind of in a sophomore jump and then obviously kayin King like I mentioned earlier I’m excited to see what he can do chip on a shoulder he knows what he can do when he’s GNA prove it um so can you get the best out of this kid despite being a seventh round pick um offensively davien Wicks I think has been a big name that’s been circulated around um during the offseason rightfully so right I mean you said it you said it like this is such a stacked receivers court and I know you put that tweet out about Romeo and you’re it was no slide at all because this team literally is so stacked that it’s like where do you put everybody um so Dante you can put him in almost any order and I would not be surprised right right like they’re all pseudo number ones kind of in my mind um but Davian Wix it’s it’s the body size the route running what he can do after the catch I mean that just excites you as a quarterback and it gives Jordan love so many options so I’d say him and then um I think Marshon Lloyd I think I’m gonna be excited to see what he can do um again you lose Aaron Jones what can Marsh dude he said he’s the best player out of the draft so can he prove it in his rookie season um and of course Josh Jacobs what what does that tandem look like right with AJ Dylan so there’s a lot of guys and you won’t know with running backs until those those pads do start firing because in in shells like there it’s just it’s just not the same is it is it too Normy especially for like my brand to just be like the answer Jordan love like I just want to see Jordan love in year two like I want to see what this looks like is there is there more out there for him because I think there is and like I I want him to just go out and light up training camp not that if he doesn’t I’m going to go uh oh but I don’t know like it’s just really exciting to think of how the season ended like if he can carry that over this team to your point like they’re a Super Bowl Contender yeah and and that’s not a Normy answer at all because you know we we have probably 60 million 55 million reasons to be excited per year for Jordan coming up right yes um it’s what does that contract extension look like because team believes in him that’s why they’re going to get it to him just a matter when at this point but um you’re right I think the the big thing outside of you know your skill position players your defenses what’s your quarterback look like in year two because he had such a good quote unquote rookie season as a first year starting quarterback that you know you want to see him exceed that and you want him to say hey I deserve the 55 whatever million dollars a year that I’m hopefully G to get soon um so what can he do what leaps can he make um you know how many touchdowns is he going to throw how many run for that is what I’m excited to see is just to see him really Master this offense even more in your two all right so let me let me flip it a little bit the thing that you’re looking forward to get an answer to the most like hey I don’t really know what this is going to look like whether it’s this player whether it’s this idea that you’re just sort of like I’m looking forward to see someone’s got to show this to me like whatever whatever it is like what what questions are you hoping to get answered um in Camp here oh that’s a good question I might say what does this Packer starting five what’s their offensive line look like that would be an intriguing battle right um again you draft Jordan Morgan he comes in more as a left tackle but then you have Rasheed Walker so it’s really a Jordan Morgan question right like where is Jordan Morgan gonna play if he’s gonna play correct so I I want to see who is the best five that they’re going to put out there because again if you’re investing in your future in Jordan love you want to protect him and you want the Run game to get going and you want want them to have time to set up receivers so that offensive line really I think not will make him break this offense but they really will go a long way into termining if this offense can really put up 35 Plus points a game if they want to um and so I I think the offensive line will be a really interesting Battle of course you know Zack Tom he’s right tackle and then you have Shan Ryan maybe Josh Meyers at Center and of course Elton left guard and then it’s that Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan battle at left tackle um if again that’s where they want to to play so that’s what I’m looking forward to seeing Matt laflor kind of solidify if if you think about what what your version of you think the best five is how would you line up this group because I thought it was interesting Elton Jenkins was asked like are you gonna play left guard and he was just sort of like I I guess we’ll see I don’t know if he was hinting at something or if he just like really doesn’t know but that that just sort of raised my eyebrow a little bit that was interesting because I think where he excels is that left guard position but if he’s kind of like I don’t know it’s not solidified right because David bakari he was your solidified left tackle and you’re never going to see him being like yeah I might play Right Guard or something right that’s not gonna happen so the fact that elton’s even like no I’m like so what are they doing like how are they Resh he played everywhere exactly like he started right tackle left tackle left guard and Center in his career already right and and that’s why they bring these guys in is because they can play probably all five but I just think Elton thrives at left guard but if you don’t have him there who is that incumbent left guard for Jordan love so I don’t know I I still think it’s Elton Josh Myers at Center Shan Ryan Right Guard and then Zack Tom right tackle and then it’s that Rasheed Walker Jordan Morgan piece I don’t know that’s this is why I am I’m coming from a place where I thought in the draft Jordan Morgan was a guard the Packers think differently but so I think the best five is Walker Morgan Jenkins Ryan Tom yes oh so you take out Josh Myers yes he’s gotten some reps at Center he’s played center he played center as a rookie um when when Cory Lindley was hurt I just think like that’s to me that’s him going I don’t know because he I think he might be the center I think that might be the best place for him if they think Jordan Morgan is ready like then you move out in that’s what that’s that’s just I’m at this point right now I’m speculating um and maybe wish casting a little bit too Lily because that I think that’s kind of what I want to see all right we’ll finish up here with Lily Zoo next today’s episode brought to you by our friends at eBay Motors passion drive and patience the formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you’re into speed power or style eBay Motors has as you covered with over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die you’ll always find exactly what you’re looking for and with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you’re burning rubber not cash with all the parts you need at the prices you want it’s easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins keep your rid or die live at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusions do apply eBay guaranteed fit only available to us customers lockon has launched the first ever National Sports 247 streaming Channel on YouTube and it’s also available on Amazon Fire TV and the free Fire TV channels app lockon sports today is here for you 247 covering the top sports stories of the day with the local Experts of locked on plus our national shows covering every League find locked on sports today now available on the free Fire TV channels app uh on defense though what how do you think this plays out with with the middle because we don’t know who the two linebackers are going to be we don’t know who the two safeties are going to be and so that’s a lot of questions at the spine of your defense right now and we don’t we don’t have like any clue who it’s gonna be other than zavier mckin for sure everyone else like the other three spots are straight up up for grabs that’s a great question um I’m gonna say in terms of just the DBS groups DB’s group I should say I think Eric Stokes is going to play a bigger role this year because we’ve talked about just how high Matt Flor ran comes to have been on him and right um and and he’s improving he’s getting he’s getting healthier he’s looking kind of more of like the kid that they drafted at a couple years ago so Eric Stokes will be in that DBS mix but it’s you know have Carrington Valentine you have all these rookies coming in wanting to make a splash as well but outside of zavier mckin and Jer Alexander there’s not really like a set in stone guy in that safety cornerbacks room so that’s what’s really intriguing because you have so many different options you can play with back there but what I want to see though is Xavier mckin though right who’s going to be his running mate and who’s going who’s he going to be more comfortable with because that’s going to be a big piece of the puzzle in terms of figuring out that group as well and and of course Kean Nixon cornerback you know he’ll be in that mix as well so um that might be a big group to kind of focus on when training camp does start because I think if if if Jeff halfy can get that DB group shored up it’s going to be a lethal defense this year yeah Javon Bullard is is certainly a name to watch I mean they didn’t use a second round pick on him for nothing and then Edan Cooper I mean look I think they want him to play but Isaiah McDuffy knows this knows this coach certainly um Quay Walker was a former first- round pick like that’s a lot of stuff that we gota we gotta figure out in here I I don’t know if we’re gonna know week one who that group is like I don’t think it’s out of the question that we’re gonna have a lot of changes defensively in the first like six weeks of the season eight weeks of the Season even as they just try and put put these pieces together um what what is your like set some reasonable expectations for Eric Stokes for me because I think back to his Rie season and I go hey he was really good and I think that he was playing out of scheme with Joe Barry it seems like Jeff hle is sort of the perfect fit for him it’s sort of like if if he can’t do it now then he might just not be what we thought he could be yeah and and that’s a good point right like he wasn’t playing in in the most optimal position for him and then of course the inju is really set of back yeah brutal I think I think with the speed that he has and you know his ability to close I think with with where Jeff hafley puts him really will help him kind of become that Eric Stokes player that he knows he can be and the one that we can see and I think that’s really why hle will be so great at this position is because like you mentioned I don’t think week one we’re going to have every single position solidified as this is your Bonafide starter for the rest of the year that’s a good problem to have right because you have different pieces but I think what Jeff Jeff half will do especially with Eric Stokes is where’s the best place to put these guys let’s put them out there week one if they’re not succeeding let’s move them like in the slot Etc whatever outside see where they’re really good and let’s let’s you know find out the right group that way so I think maybe having a new defensive coordinator like half will certain certainly benefit Stokes in that regard you you like to have a a situation with a coach where you can say he will fit his players not he needs to find players to fit his scheme I hate hate hate when I hear someone talk about that because it’s not about that it’s about fitting the scheme to the players and Jeff hafley has been a little bit of a chameleon like he’s changed he played a different way at Ohio State than he played at Boston College than he coached at San Francisco then in Cleveland like he has adapted and that adaptability I just think is so essential in coaching we’ll see if he can transfer it to the Packers this season Lily we will be back with you um soon we will start our our weekly series again as we get closer to the season but I’m so glad we got a chance to check in and we will talk to you soon thank you Peter all right thanks to Lily for joining the show outstanding as always to talk with her more this week biley burmaster is going to join us later in the week for a rookie orientation series we had to get in Javon Bullard before training camp starts I still want to do an Edan Cooper one still um at planning to do that we did our offensive line with Brandon Mor Bron Thorn though I was a little surprised he did the offensive line rankings with Robert Mays recently and they were pretty down on the Packers offensive line and those are two guys who really know offensive line so I was pretty surprised by that but you know we we’ll see we will see um and and our pal tie done hopefully coming on the show this week um so plenty more to come here on locked on Packers before training camp starts in Earnest follow me on Twitter Peter Bowski follow the podcast on Twitter locked on Packers like us on Facebook all the social medias we’re on their Instagram um you guys are killing it on Instagram right now we’re on Tik Tok for sure YouTube uh so you well let’s see uh why do we do that well uh we want you constantly connected to your phones no it’s really one reason and one reason only so you can stay locked on Packers
Training camp opens in a week for the Green Bay Packers, so what should we be keeping our eyes on? What questions with camp help us answer? Speaking of help, Lily Zhao from Fox6 in Milwaukee joins us to preview Packers camp.
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Peter Bukowski, co-founder of The Leap, brings you a daily look at the Green Bay Packers year round with Locked On Packers! Go beyond the latest injury news into what you’re seeing on the field, how it works, and how it might change with new players or against a division rival. It’s the podcast for fans who know what happened, they want to know why and how!
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