It is the JR Sport Brief Show here on the Infinity Sports Network. Man, the NFL season gets started in two days. We got a game on Thursday, we got a game on Friday, and of course we get the full slate. On Sunday, one of the games that a lot of people are going to pay attention to happens to be the Green Bay Packers taking on the Detroit Lions. Oh, yeah, we get a divisional matchup right away.
We also, hopefully, no back issues, we should see the debut of Micah Parsons joining us right now to talk about these Packers, what we can expect, the big trade, the big splash, some of the new wide receivers, the healthy ones. Joining us right now is Bill Huber, who covers all things Packers for SI. Bill, how are you? I'm great. How about you?
I'm excellent. Thank you for the time. You know, getting right to brass tacks. When you heard that Michael Parsons was on his way, uh to the Green Bay Packers. What were your initial thoughts out the gate?
My initial thoughts were: I should have started writing this story a half hour earlier. I'm sorry, it was Thursday, and they had practice on Thursday and whatnot. And I got down with my practice stories, and I thought, I need to write this Micah Parsons story now. I just thought it was going to happen. I was pretty sure of it.
So, I'd talk to enough people, and it seemed like there was enough smoke or there could be fires. Like, I should probably start writing this.
So, I grabbed my laptop, sat down. Boom there it was. It's like crap. I should have started a half hour earlier Um It is. It's totally out of character for these guys, to your point.
Um But it's The acknowledgement that they're a really good team. And they're not a good enough team. They finished 30 NFC North last year. The top three teams in the NFC last year, they went 0-6.
Okay, one in five on the NFC North. Um There They're almost like they're going to be stuck in limbo of. They had a good roster. They're going to have a good record. They were going to win a championship.
So therefore you're picking 20th where you're not getting impact players and it's kind of like you're a So Enter Micah Parsons, who single-handedly fixes the biggest problem on the team, which is the lack of a pass rush. Um and that was Single Henley helped fix the second biggest weakness on the team was the questionable pass defense. I'm going to say the best friend for any cornerback. is a good pass rush. I mean, this is acknowledgement that this team was really good and I got a chance to do something big.
And I just needed one Marquis player to maybe give him that push over the finish line.
Well, Bill, sticking to the defense and how Mike is obviously going to help one of the best players in the NFL, what's the expectation on who steps up now that Kenny is out the building? I mean, in Dallas, I should say. Yeah, that I mean. That was actually the second story we were on Thursday. Is Micah Parsons fixes one problem, now you got another one?
And that is that's a real thing, right? Green Bay last year finished third in the NFL and yards allowed per rushing attempt. They were really good. You know, even Darkley.
Well, he busted one late in that playoff game. And they even kept Berkeley semi semi contained. This is a really good run defense.
So, in freeing, you see, they lost DJ Slayton. And I'll use Kenny Clark.
So you're five defensive tackles. I'm writing this for a story that's going to go tomorrow. Their five defensive tackles, they've started a combined six games in the NFL. Yeah. You got a first-round pick, Devontae White, who was drafted to the Russians to pass him, and he's pretty dang good at it.
But he's not directed to be Um Kenny Clark 2.0 and Otherwise, it's late-round picks and an undrafted guy.
So that is a. Enormous problem, I think, or enormous question, I should say. Because it's gonna be really hard to rush to the passer if it's third and two all game on. Bill Huber is here with us, covers Packers, all things Green Bay Packers for Sports Illustrated. When you look ahead to some of the moves this offseason, I just found it hilarious.
Josh Jacobs pretty much said at the end of the season, we need. a number one wide out. Having a bunch of number twos is is not good enough. And then they go ahead and they draft Matthew Golden. We know about the issues or injuries, I should say, to Christian Watson.
He's on PUP. How has things been looking for Matthew Golden? And what's the expectation for Christian Watson's return? You hear positive things. What's the reality with the wideouts?
Yeah, so I'll start with the Watson part first. You know, VOPs means for four weeks you can't practice. I would think after that four weeks, he's going to be. Pretty close, if not completely, ready to go. Um Really impressive progress.
I mean, he's been running up and down the sideline during training camp, like no one's business.
So Um So I think he thinks he will be ready. And I think the Packers might think he'll be right. Then you have the question of he's going to be a free agent next year.
So, therefore, will his agent think he's ready? I mean, and that's a real thing, right? He's playing for his next contract and you don't want to screw up something.
So, I get that. As far as Golden, you hate to put too much on a rookie. But he was just Really good. I mean, David Lee Packers listed him as a starter on their unofficial depth chart, which is a nod to what he did. through training camp.
You know, everybody knows that he's like super fast. I think everybody in Green Bay knows the 4.29 and the 40 by heart by now. But it's not just that, man. He is just. He was open all summer, and part of it is because he's fast, probably, and the DDs had to back off a little bit.
Not a beat deep. But he's a he's fast, so people back off. He runs really good routes. Picked up the offense quickly and he's got great hands. I mean I've said this a few times.
He dropped one pass if you count the five off-season practices that we saw. And all of training camp and all of preseason, he dropped one pass.
So, you hate to say that he's going to be the number one guy in this and that, but. It'll be an instant impact player. I would and I would be surprised if by the end of the season He's not their number one target. Maybe not number one receiver by the definition, but their number one guy they throw the ball to.
Well, Josh Jacobs was was certainly vocal in saying we need that type of guy here. With the Green Bay Packers, somebody I know who's going to love being able to get the ball to him is Jordan Love. How do fans in Green Bay feel about Jordan? Of course, he got injured. To start last season, that first game that we saw down in Brazil, he's now making one of these gigantic contracts at 55.
There's some expectations that he's like a top five QB in the league for what he's getting paid, no? Yeah, darn straight through. Uh I think it is I think the fans Got this one right on the head.
Sometimes fans think. Bands think good players stink and mediocre players are great. And the guy on the bench is going to be the best player ever. But there's a lot of wait and see. on him and and I and I totally get it.
And I look, I I get that he was injured. Um it took away his mobility. Heck it took away his ability to practice. for a while.
So those are real things, and Packer fans will tell you they dropped a lot of passes, and that's also true. He also threw a lot of interceptions again. Maybe just because I watched Aaron Rodgers for so many years and he never threw interceptions, but to me, You get the ball 11 times in a game. Maybe you get it 12. I just, you just can't give the ball away once or twice.
I just think that's losing football. He's got to get over that. There were too many plays last year where. It's under pressure, and you just kind of. Chucks went up there.
And again, maybe that's because he was hurt and he was confined in a pocket. He'll get over that, but. I would say the jury's out. The Packers say he's going to be The guy they paid for. Uh I'm a I want to say I'm dubious about it, but I just want to see him complete more passes.
And Complete fewer passes the other team. But I really he was having a good camp before he got hurt with the thumb. Oh well, Jordan, are you well, Jordan. Bill, are you saying that Jordan may not be the guy for the Green Bay Packers? And they paid the guy, he's their guy.
What are they gonna do? They've already paid him. Look, he's good enough to win with, for sure. I mean, there's no question about that. They're going to win a bunch of games with him.
I just come at it from the vantage point of you're trying to win a Super Bowl, and that's where I don't know. I don't know that he's a guy who's going to win a Super Bowl. I'm not saying he's not going to be. I just don't know. Um He threw a lot of interceptions in 2023.
And he threw the same number in 2024 while like 150 fewer passes.
So. Um there was some definite regression there. Again, is it is it just because he couldn't move? I don't know. I just wonder if he is the guy to win a Super Bowl.
Um I think we'll find out the answer to that. Only by midseason I think we should have a really good feel for things. Bill Huber is joining us here on the JR Sport Reef show. He covers the Packers for SI. When you talk about this division, obviously, JJ McCarthy is a younger guy moving into his second year, his first full year of playing.
You got Chicago with Ben Johnson. We see that this team, the Packers, they open up against Detroit. on Sunday How do they fit in with the division? Obviously, there's a full expectation that they go to the playoffs. Is it as the division winners?
Is it as a wildcard? What do you envision for this team this year? Yeah, I think the Parson trade just absolutely changes everything. Look, like I mentioned before, they went one and five in the division last year. And their one win was a blocked field goal at Chicago in the in the last play of the game.
So they were perilously close. to take in the golden sombrero there. And Chicago's made better. Minnesota was really good and McCarthy We'll see. I kind of thought before the trade that Green Bay is probably closer to last place than first.
Wow.
Well, just because Chicago's on the rise and Detroit's really good, I just think. You know, if Detroit wins 15 games and Chicago gets up to eight, Green Band might be at. Tan, which mathematically tells you that you're closer to the last place. I I just think the parses trade Just changes everything. Um he's the guy on On any given play, it can win your game.
It doesn't have to be the fourth quarter, but maybe it's a sack strip in the second quarter and you. Turn a seven-point lead into 14, I just go into attack mode. He's Okay, we've we've all seen the guy. He is a We all overuse the word great so much, but he is a great player, and they're going to win at least a couple more games because of him, and they got a real chance to win the division. It makes some noise come January.
Yeah, they well, they they got themselves a a game record. Along the way, you talked about the the the youth and the inexperience on the defensive front. Are there any other areas of concern when you look at the team overall moving forward? Yeah, the secondary again Parsons is gonna help you out, but you know like on Sunday in Detroit. You know, St.
Brown gets open so quick and Can they take him away enough for the pass rush to get home? Um You know, their corners right now are Keyshawn Nixon and Nate Hobbes, who a couple guys who the Raiders didn't want. Mm-hmm. Nixon's Nixon's turnover a pretty dang good player. We'll find out about Hobbes.
Dravon Buller is going to be in a slot. I mean, there's not. I don't think anybody can look at him right now and say that They have a stopper to go up against. St. Brown in week one and Terry McLaurin and and Dash.
Who's Cleveland's guy? Cleveland's got a guy. Um you got T. Higgins and Jamar Chase. You've got.
CD Lamb, I mean, these are just early season games. It is just a gauntlet of quarterbacks and receivers. And on paper, you look at it inside. I don't know how it can stop those guys. If it's third and six in the fourth quarter, can they stop?
And they stopped Jamar Chase. And they stopped St. Brown. You know, again, this is where the Parsons trade's a big deal. Um but just on paper and name recognition and you know Skins on the wall, as the special teams coordinate, Rich Baside likes to say.
It doesn't look like they have. The answer is we'll find out. It's how they play the games, as they say. That's why they go out there and play the games.
Well, we're going to find out soon enough. These Green Bay Packers, they open up their season on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Certainly, I think we're going to see quite a few shootouts, you know, knowing what we got now with these Packers. Hey, Bill, I appreciate the time. Tell everybody where they can find your work with SI.
Just type out. Just Google Packers on SI and I'll show up. Lots of stuff up there today. Man, well listen, you you got a lot of se they got you busy right before the season with this whole Michael Parsons trade.
So let's see what happens. I know it's going to be real interesting in week four when they take on the the Cowboys.
So I know you'll have a lot to write, Bill. Yeah, Michael Parsons will single-handedly write that story for me. Yeah, without a doubt, let's see what he does in that game. Hey, Bill, thank you. We'll catch you down the line, okay?
All right, take care. Appreciate it.
