My Take -> Preseason Week 1

Greetings, G-Force.

The preseason is upon us. Fresh with excitement. Anxious for a glimpse of the new look roster — even in its most vanilla phase. Happy it’ll take place at Lambeau.

As I write, I listen to the Dirty Heads. They have two new songs that make me feel right. If you don’t know “Listen To Me” and “Lift Me Up”, I encourage you to vibe in. The sound lifts my spirits high. I sip a Station 26 Brut Rose IPA on this warm August afternoon. It brings a tasty sparkle. It’s colored with hibiscus and raspberries. It’s 6.3% ABV. It’s refreshing and it does the trick!

This week, I don’t anticipate that we will see much of the key starters. I expect to see a lot of the depth on this squad. So, here are the top 10 players that I’m going to be zoned in on for the 1st preseason game:

10.) Randy Ramsey. Yes, I know, I wrote about him last week. I really like the way he drops in his backpedal. He has quick feet. He can play in zone coverage, which should fit into Pettine’s zone blitzing system and add to the disguise. I haven’t heard much about him during training camp this year. I’m hoping that he shows up and wins the EDGE when the game lights switch on. I’m pining for him to have a Jayrone Elliott impact against lesser competition in the 1st preseason game. I’d also like to see him be active on special teams.

9.) Natrell Jamerson. I had a Round 6-7 grade on him coming out of college. I thought his versatility and quickness was deserving of a serious look in the NFL. His skills seem like a match for the Gutekunst + Pettine marriage. He’s tough enough to come on the blitz. He’s quick enough to play man coverage. There’s no such thing as too many DBs in the modern era NFL. I hope Jamerson rises to the occasion. Plus, I’d love to have a Badger on the roster.

8.) Cole Madison. I’m really pulling for him. It’s possible that his versatility will allow him to compete at 4 OL positions. I love his attitude. He’s an easy guy to cheer for. He admitted a need for mental health help. He got that help. And, now, he’s poised to be a vital figure for the depth of the OL. Let’s do this, Cole!

7.) Dexter Williams. I am overwhelmingly stoked that he’s a Packer. He’s a perfect fit for how I envision the LaFleur offense to look. With Jones and Jamaal Williams banged up, I expect Dexter to get quality reps. I want to see him in the screen game. I want to see him plant his foot, cut and burst through the hole. I want to see him get into the secondary in full speed. It’s possible that Gutekunst found himself a late round steal for this offense.

6.) Jake Kumerow. Aaron Rodgers trusts him. And, that goes a long ways. Kumerow has been electric when he’s been on the field. I want to see him continuing to show confidence in this offense. I want to see him stay healthy. I want to see him dominate 2nd string defenders.

5.) Robert Tonyan. I’m wishing for Tonyan to prove himself as a 3-down TE. Physically, he’s a perfect fit for the offense. He moves like George Kittle. LaFleur loves to use the TE in a variety of ways. I want to see Tonyan as a dependable, motivated blocker. I want to see Tonyan split out wide. I want to see Tonyan running routes with his hand in the dirt at the snap. I want to see Tonyan lined up in the slot. I want to see Tonyan in motion. I want to see Tonyan as an H-back.

4.) Oren Burks. He has beast potential. He has modern day NFL athleticism. A former Safety, I want to see him become an absolute dynamo as a pass defender. He’s shown the potential to be a missile on special teams. I’m hoping he makes a massive Year 1 to Year 2 jump.

3.) Tony Brown. Early in my preparation for the 2018 NFL Draft, I had a top 50 grade on Tony Brown. In fact, in October of 2017, I selected him with the 30th pick of a 2018 mock draft. When I was done studying him, I put a 5th to 6th round grade on him. Needless to say, I was stoked when Gutekunst added him last year as an in-season FA pick up. Now, it’s time to realize his potential. I want to see him elevate his game to become a reliable rotational CB. Brown has the talent to play the perimeter, to play the slot, to be a gunner on punt teams and to play on the outside on special teams. It’s time to put it all together and to become a figure in this defense. With Jackson and King both nursing injuries, Brown has a chance to put his stamp on this defense.

2.) Darnell Savage. Since Savage missed most of the first week of camp, I expect Savage to play at least one more series than the rest of the starters. I want to see his quickness on the big stage. I want to see him tested on a deep ball. I want to see him wrap up. I want to see him taking an angle to the football. If the Packers defense is legitimately going to take a leap forward, Savage has to be the real deal.

1.) Rashan Gary. You can’t teach his size + speed combination. I anticipate that he will play a role in the rotation with the 1st unit as well as a starter with the 2nd unit. I want to see Gary destroying the 2nd unit OL. I want to see Gary physically winning the point in the run game. I want to see Gary running around back-up Tackles. I want Gary to be the most physically imposing player on the field when the second unit comes onto the field.

In game, look for these things to happen:

* In limited work, Jaire is playing with all kinds of swagga and jumps a route to bat away a pass.

* The Smith Bros collapse the pocket on the first defensive series of the game.

* Kizer plays better than one would expect and delivers a TD drive on a pass to ESB.

* Tim Boyle finds Kumerow on a deep ball.

* Raven Greene lowers the boom.

* Randy Ramsey grabs a sack.

* Ka’dar Hollman snatches a pick.

* Tra Carson impresses at RB.

* Allen Lazard shows himself well on a jump ball.

* Jace Sternberger grabs a ball over the middle.

* Tyler Lancaster consistently gets a push.

Packers 27
Texans 13

Fired up! Ready to go!

Go Pack Go!

Talkin’ S-Mac.
Talkins-Mac.blogspot.com