Stay ConnectedA Packers podcast committed helping you become a smarter fan. Former WTMJ newscaster Jon Meerdink goes beyond the headlines in Blue 58, bringing you a unique, upbeat perspective on everything Green Bay Packers.
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Copyright: © The Power Sweep, 2021
The Packers have added a receiver and brought back a running back, but today we’re talking about how they still could use more of both. We’ve already talked about receivers in the draft, but what about running backs?
Hooray for Devin Funchess (00:42)
The Packers have finally signed a wide receiver, but Devin Funchess probably wouldn't have been anybody's first choice. What does he bring?
Return of Swervin' Ervin (5:21)
The Packers' punt return savior has been re-signed for another year. Get excited about his offensive potential!
Packers running back prospects in the 2020 Draft (7:09)
The Packers could use some depth at running back, and there are a few prospects who might be worth considering.
Blue 58 Book Club - Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0 Chapter 1 (22:04)
Pat Kirwan discusses how charting plays can make your football watching experience more informative.
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The Packers need an offensive lineman for sure, but could they also be in the market for a QB in the draft? They might be, but if they are they'd better be prepared to pick him early.
Fullback takes (1:35)
Here are the fullback thoughts you have been waiting to hear.
The past, present, and future of the Packers wide receivers (4:45)
Why are the Packers in need of wide receiver help? We’ve got to look to the past to understand the future.
Interesting quarterbacks in the 2020 draft (16:26)
Research from Acme Packing Company’s Paul Noonan reveals three quarterbacks who we should be watching in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Further reading: Scouting Through Stats: Using QBOPS to assess the 2020 NFL Draft’s QB class
Is it worth talking about offensive linemen? Who’s to say (22:47)
Scouting offensive linemen as a fan is a fool’s errand, but there may be some breadcrumbs to at least get us pointed in the right direction.
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The Packers don’t necessarily need another edge rusher, but they can’t ignore the position either. That’s why it could be time for Brian Gutekunst to duplicate his free agency strategy and go bargain hunting.
Catching up on free agency (1:52)
The Packers have continued their free agency spending by re-signing a couple of their own, so we react to those moves. Then, we weigh in on the possibility of a Clay Matthews reunion tour.
Edge prospects you should know (8:03)
The Packers don’t need to draft an edge rusher early, but they do need to backfill the position a little bit. Doing so will be a little like buying a lottery ticket. We think.
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For the second year in a row, the Packers open free agency with a spending spree. This one is a little bit different, though: Brian Gutekunst is going bargain shopping.
Buy Take Your Eye Off the Ball and join the Blue 58 Book Club!
Labor peace reigns in the NFL (1:01)
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement. Here are a few quick thoughts.
Further reading: Seven significant CBA changes for Packers as NFL players approve new deal
Packers make moves in free agency (4:30)
Brian Gutekunst is trying out a new free agent philosophy this offseason. Let’s take a broad look before breaking down individual moves.
Christian Kirksey shores up the inside linebacker group (6:11)
The 6-2, 235 Kirksey joins the Packers from Cleveland. Will he bring stability to a linebacker group that’s shown itself to be too athletically limited in the past?
Further reading: Five Thoughts on Christian Kirksey
Rick Wagner could be a Bulaga replacement (12:51)
Rick Wagner has been a good but not great lineman for the Lions and Ravens. What does he bring to the Packers?
Further reading: Three Thoughts About Rick Wagner
What do the Packers do next in free agency? (16:58)
The Packers still have work to do, mostly in the form of making calls on their own free agents. Let’s get the lay of the land, understanding that big changes are still coming.
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Our draft preview series lands on a position that has troubled the Packers for a long time now: tight end. Unfortunately, if you’re hoping for help in the draft, there’s not much to hope for.
Christian Kirksey visits (1:24)
The Packers brought former Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey in for a visit. Is he worth a look? Why?
Jimmy Graham leaves (6:56)
This was a foregone conclusion that finally manifested. What to make of the Graham era?
2020 tight end class is not that exciting (10:54)
It's disappointing to see a relatively weak class of tight ends this year, but there's still some interesting prospects. Still, the Packers should probably look elsewhere early on.
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This time next week, there’s a good chance we’ll be talking about some packers free agent signings. What’s going to happen between then and now? Then, when is the right time to draft a quarterback?
Free agency is bearing down (1:41)
Whoa! Free agency is right around the corner. Get excited! But also be prepared for your excitement to blow up in your face. Yay sports!
Further reading: Blue 58 Episode 21 - Martellus Bennett?!
The three kinds of NFL Draft picks (8:31)
Every NFL draft pick falls into one of three categories. Here’s why.
When is the right time to draft a quarterback? (16:33)
Sooner or later, the Packers are going to have to draft Aaron Rodgers’ replacement. When should they?
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The Packers don’t need a defensive lineman, per se, but another big guy is never a bad thing to have. In a year where there’s not necessarily a bumper crop of prospects, who should the Packers take?
Don't forget to vote in our poll for the Blue 58 book club! Which book do you think we should read?
Wide receiver discussion follow up (2:01)
Let's catch up on a couple of things we missed in our wide receiver discussion, including a question on how to project one specific attribute.
Defensive linemen still valuable in a shallow class (12:19)
There aren't just tons of great defensive linemen available this year, but there's still value to be had. How do you know what's valuable, though?
So what defensive lineman should the Packers take? (28:02)
That's the real question, isn't it? Here's who I'm looking at as prospects worth considering.
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Now that most of the NFL Combine testing is over, we can start diving into previewing positions in the NFL Draft. Why not head straight for the deep end? Let’s take on one of the deepest positions in the draft: wide receiver.
Vote in our book club poll! (00:27)
Are you interested in joining the Blue 58 book club? Vote on the book we should read! Check out the poll here.
Take free agent rumors with a grain of salt (1:19)
The NFL Combine always produces a bunch of rumors. Be cautious!
Evaluating this year’s wide receiver class (4:45)
The 2020 wide receiver class is very deep, but not all of the prospects are winners. How do we find the best ones?
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Aaron Rodgers isn’t holding back his feelings on the new CBA, which makes me think of Brett Favre. I’ll explain why. Then, if you want to go beyond the Combine numbers, what do you look for? We’ll get you started.
Aaron Rodgers speaks his mind on the CBA (00:25)
Aaron Rodgers is a player rep in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations, and he’s not holding back on what he thinks of the proposed deal. That’s an interesting contrast to Brett Favre.
Further reading: Favre rips Walker for holdout
What college numbers matter when it comes to evaluating NFL draft prospects? (13:16)
There are some analytics and advanced stats that can help us understand which NFL prospects are worth watching.
Further reading:
The Race to Make the NFL Draft an Exact Science
The NFL Is Drafting Quarterbacks All Wrong
The secret to drafting a wide receiver is looking at the numbers that matter
Should We Be Concerned About Rashan Gary's Lack of Production at Michigan?
SUPPORT BLUE 58
Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.
Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.
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The NFL Combine is off and running. What should we do with this spectacle of non-football athletics? Then, speaking of athletic: how about a surprise visit with one of the fastest Packers ever? Don Beebe joins the show.
Five Thoughts on the NFL Combine (00:25)
Everyone sort of understands that the NFL Combine is a weird, non-football circus with dubious value as far as predicting who’s going to be good. And yet, it still has some value. Careers rise and fall based on what happens this week in Indianapolis. So what should we make of it? Here are some thoughts.
Former Packers WR Don Beebe (10:53)
Don Beebe joined the Packers for their run to the Super Bowl in 1996 and was kind enough to join us for a few minutes to reflect on his career. He’s now the coach at Aurora University and has implemented some of the lessons he learned in the NFL with his young players.
SUPPORT BLUE 58
Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.
Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.
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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58.
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