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Packers face decision on CB Eric Stokes’ fifth-year option

By: Paul Bretl 4/30/24

The Green Bay Packers have a looming decision to make on cornerback Eric Stokes’ fifth-year option for the 2025 NFL season. By May 2nd, they must either pick up or decline the fifth-year option for next year.

All first-round picks get a four-year rookie deal, just like every other draft pick. However, a difference between being taken in the first-round versus the second-round, for example, is that all first-round selections come with a fifth-year option in addition to the four-year deal.

Sometimes, the obvious difficulty of these decisions is that they have to be made a full year in advance of when the contract and salary cap ramifications take effect.

If the Packers were to pick up Stokes’ option, his contract for the 2024 season would remain the same, but he would essentially play out the 2025 season on a fully guaranteed one-year deal unless an extension were to be reached beforehand, which it often is. In fact, we’ve seen this exact process unfold during the last two seasons with Jaire Alexander in 2022 and Rashan Gary in 2023.

The dollar amounts for these fifth-year options are predetermined by the CBA–so there isn’t any negotiating between the Packers and Stokes. The key factors in determining the amount are the position that the player plays, the amount of playing time they’ve had, and if they’ve made any Pro Bowls.

In Stokes’ case, if the option were picked up, the Packers would pay him $12.47 million in 2025. And as I’ve already alluded to, because this is a one-year deal, and there are no additional years to push cap charges towards, that entire $12.47 million would count towards the Packers 2025 salary cap.

On the flip side, if the Packers were to decline Stokes’ option, he will play out the 2024 season and then would become a free agent next offseason.

As far as what the Packers do, in all likelihood, they are going to decline this option. There are just too many unknowns around Stokes at this time.

Although Stokes put together an impressive rookie season in 2021, prior to his season-ending injury in 2022, he was struggling through those first nine games, allowing a completion rate of 84 percent on 25 targets at 13.1 yards per catch with no pass breakups or interceptions. Then last season, Stokes played just 110 defensive snaps, largely due to hamstring injuries.

By the Packers not spending a draft pick on the cornerback position until the seventh-round, they certainly showed that they have confidence in the group that they currently have on the roster. Jaire Alexander will, of course, be starting on one side of the field, with presumably Stokes and Carrington Valentine competing for the starting spot across from him, while Keisean Nixon, and perhaps Javon Bullard, in the slot.

“I feel pretty good about it right now because we’re running around in shorts and everybody’s healthy,” said GM Brian Gutekunst after the draft. “So, you know, I understand the question. If it would have fallen right, we would have addressed that probably. But it just didn’t. it was kind of one of those years with that position. But right now, I really like our group and I like the way they look. We’ve got a long way to get to September with everybody healthy, but I like the way it looks right now.”

Contributing to what is hopefully improved play from the Packers cornerback unit in 2024 will be the addition of Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator. Hafley has been praised for his ability as a teacher and ability to put together gameplans that allow the defenders to react rather than overthink. Hafley’s more man-heavy approach also suits the skill sets of Alexander, Stokes, and Valentine much better than zone did.

While Stokes may go into the 2024 season with some uncertainty around his future – assuming the Packers decline his option – at any point they still can extend him if he’s able to put together a bounce-back season.

“First of all, we’ve got a lot of confidence in those guys anyways,” said Matt LaFleur of the cornerback position. “Through two weeks of the offseason, the guys are really getting after it, all those guys – Jaire. We’ve got Corey Ballentine back. Obviously CV. Stokes looks great. We’ve got a lot of players that we’re confident in, in terms of going out there and playing at a high level.”

Roster fits and quotes for Packers Day 3 draft picks

By: Paul Bretl 4/29/24

As Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has done previously, when there is a positional need entering the draft, he won’t just address it early, but he will utilize multiple selections in an effort to fill that hole.

The 2024 draft was no different. The three biggest needs that the Packers had to tackle were the offensive line, safety, and linebacker. Well, of the Packers 11 picks, three went towards the offensive line, three were spent on the safety position, and two more on linebackers.

“I think we try to follow the board,” said Gutekunst about adding multiple players at positions, “and I’d like to think that we’re disciplined enough that even though we’ve picked a guy at that position, if there’s, if the highest rated guy’s at that position we’re not afraid to stay there.

“I think you can make a mistake maybe because, Hey, we just picked a guy at this position. Maybe we should not take him, even though he might be the highest-rated guy. But I think we did a pretty good job of staying disciplined to the process, trusting the board. It happened a couple of times this weekend. It’s happened before where we just kind of said, ‘OK. Maybe took a guy here, but this is the best player that’s on the board and let’s stay with it.”

Along with those three positions, Gutekunst also added some needed competition at running back for the backup role behind Josh Jacobs, a quarterback, which he told us he wanted to do all the way back at the NFL Combine, and a cornerback, another position that, to varying degrees, was considered a need prior to the draft.

After taking a closer look at the roster fits for the Packers selections on Days 1 and 2 of the draft, it’s now time to do the same for Day 3, along with some insights from Gutekunst, Matt LaFleur, and the Packers’ scouting department.

Evan Williams, S

The Packers VP of Player Personnel, Jon-Eric Sullivan, mentioned that Williams, like Bullard, is someone that they see being able to play in the slot as well. Although most of Williams’ snaps in college came in the box, the Packers were impressed by him at the Senior Bowl, specifically his movement ability, which is why they believe he can handle slot duties. Williams filled many roles at Oregon in 2023, making plays in the run game and often around the ball in the passing game.

“He’s smart, he’s instinctive, he’s a good kid, he makes tackles, makes play around the ball,” said Packers long-time scout Sam Seale. “He’s always around the ball…I think he’ll fit into our locker room because he’s a good guy, we won’t have to worry about him.”

Jacob Monk, IOL

Monk can play all three of the interior offensive line positions, and he will likely be tasked right away with competing with Sean Rhyan at right guard and potentially Josh Myers at center for playing time. You won’t find a more experienced player than Monk, who started 57 games at Duke and did so at three different positions, including right tackle.

“He’s an elite wiring kind of guy,” said Sullivan. “He’s quick. He’s strong. We feel like he’s a center-guard swing guy. The thing we liked about him was his playstyle. You talk to the people at Duke, they talk about how he’s the leader of the pack. He wants to win and those guys follow him. That comes out in his playstyle. He’s a snap to whistle guy. He’s looking to bury you. He’s got a skill set to go along with it. He can get off the spot, snap, reach, and he’s got enough power and leg drive to move you if he needs to.”

Kitan Oladapo, S

While the Packers see Bullard and Williams handling more nickel responsibilities, Sullivan said that Oladapo is more of a “true safety.” His ideal role in the NFL may be as a strong safety, where he is able to play closer to the line of scrimmage and impact the run game, where he has been a reliable tackler and was PFF’s second highest-graded run defender at the safety position in 2023. Early on, Oladapo’s biggest impact will likely come on special teams or as a linebacker when the Packers want to go big when in nickel.

“He’s a little different body type than the other two,” said Sullivan. “He’s a big, 6-2, 216-pound kid. Long arms. Aggressive, when he hits you, you go down. He’s a very good athlete at that size. He can pedal, he can flip, he can turn. He’s versatile, more of a true safety but he can play that big nickel or will linebacker if you need him too. The playstyle. Very smart. Captain as well. One, good football player, and two, the kind of person we want to infuse in this locker room.”

Travis Glover, OT

Glover was a five-year starter at Georgia State, playing almost 4,200 career snaps. He has the ability to play both left and right tackle and even has some guard experience. Given that the Packers also drafted Morgan, who will start out on the left side, my guess is that Glover will compete at right tackle for a backup role but provide the Packers with a potential swing tackle option off the bench. Glover isn’t an elite athlete like many of the Packers draft picks, but Gutekunst did mention that they were impressed with how he performed at the Senior Bowl.

“I think it definitely helped him,” said Gutekunst about Glover’s performance at the Senior Bowl. “I think it helps anybody whether you come from a Power 5 school or whether you come from a small school, but I do think sometimes when you come from a small school you may have more questions about level of competition and then you walk out to the Senior Bowl and go against those guys and prove yourself a little bit, that certainly can help, yeah. In his case it did.”

Michael Pratt, QB

This is not an addition that should come as a surprise–Gutekunst said at the NFL Combine that he wanted to get back to developing quarterbacks. Pratt is a three-time team captain at Tulane and steadily improved his completion percentage each season. He threw 90 career touchdowns to just 26 interceptions and has a big arm. Pratt was able to strike that balance between knowing when to push the ball downfield or try to squeeze it into a tight window and when to take the check down or what was available. Pratt mentioned that he and Sean Clifford are friends, and now the two will be competing for the backup role–although I would certainly consider Clifford the favorite to win it.

“I think he’s a guy that he definitely is a tough, fearless thrower and that to me is a prerequisite with the position,” said Matt LaFleur. “You gotta be able to stand in there and throw in muddy pockets, throw in the face of pressure and I think he exhibited that. I think he’s a winner, so we were excited. We were kind of shocked that he was still there in the seventh.”

Kalen King, CB

King was an All-American in 2022 after putting together a very impressive season at Penn State. In fact, this time a year ago, many thought that he could be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Instead, King took a step back this season, allowing a completion rate of 61 percent and forcing only one pass breakup. He would also run a 4.6-second 40-yard dash. When asked, Gutekunst didn’t have any specific reason as to why his play fell off. King is an experienced player and is still just 21 years old. Given those factors, along with his play at Penn State in 2022, this pick is a swing at hitting on King’s potential.

“Certainly, he was a guy that we expected to go higher,” said Gutekunst about King, “and as we went through it, we felt very fortunate to be able to pick him where we did. He’s got a really nice skill set. Has played some high-level football at Penn State. He’s got some versatility to play outside and to play nickel as well. And again, I think his best football is ahead of him as well. He’s a young player. He was a three-year player coming out. So, hopefully, that does drive him.”

Roster fits and quotes for Packers Day 1 and 2 draft picks

By: Paul Bretl 4/29/24

The Green Bay Packers made five picks within the first two days of the 2024 NFL draft, and with four of them, they tackled their biggest roster needs at safety, linebacker, and offensive tackle.

“I think there was some temptation to do that along the way, but we really were able to stay with the BPA – best player available,” said Brian Gutekunst after Day 2. “The board held up exceptionally well, which is really a credit to our personnel staff. But it held up very, very well as we went, and we had more choices during the picks that we had, which was nice.

“One of them obviously allowed us to move down and do some things, which was nice too, to pick up some picks. No, we were able to kind of stick with the best player available. There were some guys we had rated equally, and then need maybe played a little part in that as well, but we never had to dip down or anything like that.”

Now that the dust has settled, here is how each of these players fit on the Packers 2024 roster, along with some insights into each of them from Gutekunst and other members of the Packers scouting and personnel department.

Jordan Morgan, OT

Morgan is an extremely experienced left tackle, but the Packers veiw him as someone who could play guard as well. For what it’s worth, Morgan was the second ranked guard in this draft class by Dane Brugler. Compared to traditional tackles, Morgan’s arms are a bit shorter, but the Packers – and Morgan – don’t see that as an issue with his ability to move in space. Matt LaFleur said Morgan would start out at left tackle, since that is where he has the most experience, and presumably could compete with Rasheed Walker for those starting snaps.

But regardless of where Morgan ends up, this addition gives the Packers flexibility. Along with competing at left tackle, if they want to slide Zach Tom inside, they could move Morgan to right tackle, or he could compete with Sean Rhyan at right guard. Options and flexibility are always a good thing, and the Packers didn’t have a lot of that before the draft.

“Just a strong character guy,” said Gutekunst about Morgan. “Going through the adversity of the ACL and coming through the other side of it. Two-time team captain. The way the people at Arizona speak of him. Just the right kind of guy for our locker room. I think he’ll fit in great. Whenever you’re picking this high, that gives you a comfort level that whatever his ultimate potential is, he’s got the work ethic to get there and kind of put the team above himself. That was something that was obviously very appealing to us.”

Edgerrin Cooper, LB

While much of the attention has been on who will play where and have what roles in Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 defense, Gutekunst has been less concerned about filling specific roles, but rather, wants to emphasize versatility, so linebackers can wear multiple hats. Cooper has a build and play style similar to Quay Walker. Cooper is very rangy, able to patrol sideline-to-sideline, filling gaps in the run game, and he was also very effective as a Blitzer. He was most effective at Texas A&M making plays around the line of scrimmage, but he has the athleticism to make an impact in coverage as well.

“He’s long and he’s fast. Brian does such a good job of targeting these guys that can really run,” said Assistant Director of College Scouting Patt Moore. Loves football. Plays aggressively. Young kid, still growing into his frame. He’s aggressive. He covers ground. He plays the right way. Just has big upside. Can play the second level and pressure the quarterback up the middle, just a really excited athlete…you can feel his acceleration.”

Javon Bullard, S

Gutekunst gave us the answers to the test when it came to the safety position. At the NFL Combine, he said he wanted the two safeties and the nickel cornerback to be interchangeable, and Bullard absolutely provides that. During the 2022 season at Georgia, he was their primary slot corner. Last season, he spent most of his snaps playing at free safety. This versatility adds a layer of unpredictability to the Packers defense and Bullard could compete with Keisean Nixon for those slot snaps as well.

“Javon is a spirited, aggressive, smart football player,” said Moore. “Loves the game, loves life, loves his teammates. You guys are going to love him. High energy. Always in a good mood but always competing. He’s just a good football player that loves to compete, loves to play. Will definitely raise the level of aggression and competitiveness in our locker room.”

Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC

Lloyd brings some needed juice to the Packers backfield, something that they need more of in 2024 in that backup running back role. At 5-9 – 220 pounds and a good athlete, Lloyd has a similar build to Josh Jacobs, and also, like Jacobs, is someone that Matt LaFleur is excited to utilize in the passing game. Lloyd was excellent at making defenders miss at USC, ranking as one of the best in yard after contact, while averaging over 17 yards per catch in the passing game. Similarly to AJ Dillon when he was coming out of Boston College, Lloyd doesn’t have ample passing game experience, but the Packers believe that can be a big part of his impact on the team. Gutekunst also mentioned seeing what Lloyd can do as a kick returner as well.

“He’s a 220-pound man,” said Gutekunst. “He’s packed in a tighter frame but like his ability to make people miss, he’s got a little juice to him and, again, he’s 220 pounds, he breaks tackles. We think his best football is ahead of him…He’s got serious speed. He’s very elusive, he’s got great balance, so he’s a little bit different than some of the backs that we have in our depth chart right now

Ty’Ron Hopper, LB

In Hafley’s 4-3 defense, Hopper could fit in as the strong side linebacker, where there are heavy run defense responsibilities that come with that role. Hopper has the athleticism to hold his own in space but his biggest impact will come staying closer to the line of scrimmage. I imagine that this was a pick that Rich Bisaccia was also a big fan of because of the immediate impact Hopper can bring to that phase of the game.

“He’s really physical, he can run, but his stopping power, when he takes on blockers, is pretty impressive,” said Gutekunst. “Very serious-minded guy, I think he really helped change that defense. The Missouri defense this year was excellent. They had a number of good players, but I think they’re very well-coached there, another one of those programs where we felt really good about taking somebody out of that program, because of how they do things there. But his stopping power as a tackler was really impressive.”

25 Packers prospects to watch on Day 2 of NFL Draft

By: Paul Bretl 4/26/24

Major opportunity awaits the Green Bay Packers on Day 2 of the NFL Draft with four picks between the second and third rounds, where immediate impact help cannot only be found, but that’s often the expectation.

“I think we’re all eager to get back and see how this thing falls and see how we can help our football team,” said Brian Gutekunst after the first round. “The board has held up pretty well, so we feel good about going into tomorrow. Tomorrow’s a big day for our organization.

“I’ve talked about how important the draft is. To have four picks tomorrow in the second and third round, we have a nice opportunity to help our football team, so yeah, I think we’re all really eager to get after it tomorrow.”

Just last year, Day 2 of the draft played a major role in the success of the Packers in 2023. In addition to selecting Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft, Gutekunst would also trade down twice before selecting Reed, accumulating two picks in the process that turned into Karl Brooks and Dontayvion Wicks.

Equipped with four picks and Gutekunst’s belief that the draft board has held up well, the Packers have what every team wants in the draft–options and flexibility.

During Monday’s pre-draft press conference, Gutekunst discussed several of the lessons that he had learned from former GM Ted Thompson, one of which included the importance of being patient, not forcing anything, and letting the board do the dictating.

Right now, the Packers are in a position where all options are really on the table. They could be aggressive and try to move up for the right player. They could also stay put or even trade down and gain more draft capital, something that Gutekunst has said he’s not opposed to at all.

“I think we’ll explore some opportunities,” said Gutekunst on Thursday night. “Again, having that many picks in these next two rounds allows us to be a little bit flexible. We talked a little bit about it tonight. We’ll re-assess in the morning, just try to get a little bit of an idea of how we think it might fall.

“Again, it’s pretty unpredictable, but I think there’s opportunities. One of the intriguing things about some of the offers tonight was moving back and gaining some picks, as you guys know, I like to do. So that could be an option, too, so we’ll see.”

After addressing the offensive line in the first round, positions of need on Day 2 include linebacker, cornerback, safety, and running back, as well as continuing to add to the offensive line, where depth is still needed.

With those four picks, Gutekunst also has the ability to address lesser perceived needs, such as edge rusher and the interior defensive line, knowing that he has several at-bats on Friday.

Taking into account the Packers’ positions of need along with what players they may target more than others, here is a rundown of the top available prospects heading into Day 2.

Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa: As versatile as a defender as you will see. DeJean can play on the boundary, in the slot, and at safety. He was a reliable tackler at Iowa and had very good ball production.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama: McKinstry is at his best in zone coverage and is strictly an outside cornerback. The Packers already have a few options on the roster for that role, but McKinstry would elevate the competition and provide some added longer-term stability at a position that does have some unknowns.

Max Melton, CB, Rutgers: An excellent athlete with very good length. Melton can play both from the slot, where he could challenge Kiesean Nixon for playing time or on the boundary.

Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky: Phillips will primarily be a nickel corner in the NFL but could be called upon to play outside if needed. Phillips meets the typical thresholds that the Packers look for in a cornerback.

Renardo Green, CB, Florida State: I think Green is an excellent fit for the Packers–although he is slightly undersized. Green has experience playing on the boundary and in the slot, and is well versed in press man coverage.

Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M: The combination of Cooper and Quay Walker would form a dynamic duo. Cooper is at his best near the line of scrimmage as a run defender, where he can shoot gaps or patrol sideline-to-sideline. He’s also been effective as a blitzer.

Junior Colson, LB, Michigan: Colson is the best pure Mike linebacker in this class. Having him in the middle of the defense would free the Packers up to move Walker around elsewhere. With that said, Gutekunst has stressed the importance of versatility, and Colson likely just fills that one role.

Payton Wilson, LB, NC State: Wilson has had some injuries but is a terrific athlete and is at his best when in coverage.

Cedric Gray, LB, UNC: Gray is a former wide receiver and another linebacker who is best suited to play in coverage. That ability would give him an immediate role on this team as a third-down defender.

Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky: More of a developmental prospect, taking Wallace, who is a very good athlete and reliable tackler, would be taking a swing on his upside, knowing that he might not have a major impact right away.

Javon Bullard, S, Georgia: Bullard would provide that interchangeability at the position that Gutekunst has referenced a few times, with his ability to play deep and his experience in the slot. Coming from Georgia, Bullard brings plenty of big-game experience.

Cole Bishop, S, Utah: A tremendous athlete who is at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage, but has the range to handle middle of the field duties as well.

Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State: Hicks played all over the Washington State defensive backfield. He is a very willing tackler and run defender but can handle his own as free safety as well. From a skill-set standpoint, he would be a great running mate for Xavier McKinney.

Jonathan Brooks, RB, Texas: If Brooks hadn’t sustained an ACL injury last season, there would be little doubt that he would be the top running back off the board.

Trey Benson, RB, Florida State: Benson has good size at 216 pounds but brings plenty of burst with a RAS of 9.77, along with averaging 6.1 yards per rush last season. In 2023, he took on a larger role in the passing game as well.

Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee: Wright averaged a whopping 7.4 yards per carry in 2023, which included him ranking eighth among all backs in average yards after contact. However, Wright did have only 34 career targets in the passing game, with 25 of them coming this past year.

Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky: The Packers had Davis in for an official pre-draft visit. He’s not the elite athlete that some of these other backs are, but he’s a very well-rounded player, able to impact the game as a ball carrier, pass-catcher, and in pass protection.

Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas: As we saw when the Packers took Jordan Morgan, versatility is key, and Puni brings that, playing 849 career snaps at left guard and another 728 at left tackle.

Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU: Like Puni, Coleman is a terrific athlete and has experience playing both inside and out.

Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State: Sticking with the versatility theme, Beebe played right tackle for Kansas State in 2020, left tackle in 2021, and left guard the last two years.

Christian Haynes, IOL, UCONN: Haynes doesn’t have the same versatility as the players mentioned–he’s a guard. But he is a mauler in the run game, a presence that the Packers could benefit from.

Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan: If somewhere there is a dictionary definition of what the Packers look for in an edge rusher, there’s a picture of Marshawn Kneeland. Excellent size and athleticism and played both the run and the pass well in college.

Johnny Newton, IDL, Illinois: Probably not a position we see the Packers add to, but passing on Newton would be tough. He’s an All-American who made an impact as both a pass rusher and run defender.

Maason Smith, IDL, LSU: Another prospect that the Packers had in for a pre-draft visit, Smith has experience moving around the LSU defensive front, making his biggest impact as a pass rusher.

Michael Hall, IDL, Ohio State: The Packers would also host Hall on a pre-draft visit. The production didn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but he was disruptive, ranking second among all interior linemen in pass rush win rate in 2023.

Packers will prioritize versatility as they address key needs in NFL Draft

By: Paul Bretl 4/22/24

The Green Bay Packers will approach this week’s NFL draft with versatility in mind as they look to address their remaining positional needs, hopefully, finding some immediate contributors while also building out their long-term depth.

This, of course, isn’t anything new in regards to how the Packers operate under GM Brian Gutekunst. On a few different occasions this offseason, Gutekunst has reiterated the importance of having players who can fill multiple roles, and as the Packers address their remaining positional needs, versatility is a key trait that will be prioritized.

“I know this time of the year everybody’s talking about schemes and different kinds of things like that,” said Gutekunst when speaking to reporters on Monday. “To me, we’re looking for well-rounded guys that can fit any scheme, that can play multiple positions. An NFL season is a brutal one, and it’s a long on and I think that the more you can do as injuries hit, the more you can cover up for those things the better.”

While many are focused on who will fill the Will, Mike, and Sam roles at linebacker in Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 defensive scheme, Gutekunst is looking to find a player who has the ability to wear multiple hats.

What Gutekunst doesn’t want to do is pigeonhole a player into one specific role. Injuries can happen, which can lead to a change in responsibilities, while Quay Walker’s skill set allows the Packers to move him around. But in order to move Walker around, Hafley will need linebackers next to him who can do the same.

At safety, Gutekunst again used the word “interchangeable” when describing the type of player he wants next to Xavier McKinney. Similarly to Walker, if we are going to see McKinney lined up in different spots depending on the gameplan, then his counterpart has to be able to do the same. Not to mention that having two safeties and a nickel cornerback who can be moved around will allow Hafley to disguise coverages and keep offenses guessing.

“For me,” said Gutekunst, “those guys I’d love to be interchangeable. I’d like them to be able to do everything. I think that’s really tough on an offense when those guys can move down inside, they can play the post, they can go in the nickel and cover. I think when you have two guys that can do everything, it’ll allow Jeff to be much more, you know, efficient so to speak.”

Along the offfensive line, another big need for the Packers, Gutekunst will continue to stress versatility, which not only includes tackles being able to play both the left and right sides of the line, but ideally, prospects who can play both inside and out as well.

As we’ve heard Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur say countless times, when it comes to the construction of the offensive line, it’s about putting the best five on the field. And in order to do that, positional flexibility is required.

“Bigger, faster, stronger is always something that’s enticing to us,” said Gutekunst of the offensive line. “The ability to play the game – we do some things different in our run game I think may be a little different than some teams. There’s some schematics in there that maybe certain guys fit maybe more than others.

“But at the same time, we do everything. I think one of the things we’ve done pretty good with, with our offensive line in the past, is versatile enough that guys can play inside, play outside. They’re not just one-position players. I think we’ll try to continue that as we go forward.”

While Gutekunst has gone into more detail about the importance of versatility at some of the bigger positions of need that the Packers have, this is an organizational philosophy that applies to really all position groups and will dictate, to a degree, how the Packers build out their big board.

At edge rusher, can they play standing up and with their hands in the dirt? Do they have experience lining up as a 3-tech? How do they hold up against the run?

At running back, can the prospect impact both the running and passing games? How do they hold up in pass protection? Do they have experience playing out of the slot?

At cornerback, can that player handle both zone and press-man responsibilities? Could that prospect take snaps at the nickel if needed?

You get the idea. Versatility is often king. The more a player can do, the greater impact they can have, and the more options that provides the offensive and defensive coaches, not only in what they ask that one player to do, but in the gameplan they construct each week.

“I think really through this past weekend we kind of got to a point where we feel really good about where it’s at,” said Gutekunst of the Packers’ draft board. “We’ll probably have one more meeting this evening and lock it up really ’til Thursday. There’s work to be done between now and then, and things to do as far as guys changing on the board I wouldn’t expect that.”

Recent history suggests 1 of these 7 NFL draft prospects will be Packers

By: Paul Bretl 4/19/2024

Two draft trends that have emerged under Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst, especially in recent years, are that a number of his selections have either played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, been on an official pre-draft visit, or both.

The Senior Bowl is an invitation-only, All-Star college football event held each year in Mobile, Alabama. At the Senior Bowl, top draft prospects are able to showcase their talents against high-level competition during a week of practices followed by an All-Star game.

The event attracts GMs and scouts from across the NFL and has traditionally been for seniors or fourth-year juniors who have graduated, but in 2024 for the first time, underclassmen were eligible to participate if they received an invite.

When it comes to Gutekunst and the Packers, he has made 24 total selections in the last two draft classes, and a whopping 10 of them have been Senior Bowl participants. A few of these players include Devonte Wyatt, Christian Watson, Luke Musgrave, Karl Brooks, and Romeo Doubs.

“Certainly, for some of us, it’s the first time we get the chance to set our eyes on some of these players,” Gutekunst said of the Senior Bowl. “Seeing them physically move around and compete, it’s such a big deal to see the competition live. And to meet them, in the beginning phase of getting to know these guys as people, I think is just a huge part of our process. Then, having it in Mobile and the professional way that they roll that thing out for us, and make it so easy, it’s a very, very important part of our process.”

The official pre-draft visit is a staple of the pre-draft process and commonly referred to as ‘top-30 visits.’ Every team is able to have 30 official visits leading up to the draft, where the prospects travel to the team facility. For many teams, there isn’t a lot that can be gleaned from these visits. But for the Packers, they’ve proven to be quite telling.

In the last two draft cycles, totaling 60 official pre-draft visits, 16 of those prospects have become Packers in some capacity, whether that meant being drafted or signed as an undrafted rookie.

So far, during this draft cycle, 24 of the Packers’ 30 official pre-draft visits have been reported. If we take that list of 24 players and cross-reference it with whether or not they also played in the Senior Bowl, that list of prospects is whittled down to just seven.

If I were to guess, for the reasons already laid out, I would say that there is a good chance one of these prospects ends up as a Green Bay Packer.

Michael Hall, IDL, Ohio State: Hall would provide the Packers with a strong pass-rush presence along the interior. Hall ranked second in 2023 among all interior defenders in pass-rush win rate, behind only Texas’ Byron Murphy. The Packers’ pass rush was extremely hot and cold last season.

Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State: An experienced, high-effort defender who is at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage. Oladapo had the second-best PFF run defense grade among safeties last season and has been a sound tackler. His biggest impact early on will likely come on special teams.

Ty’Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri: A linebacker with good range who could be a backup at the Will behind Quay Walker–if that is where the Packers decide to put him. He has good range and is physical, but did deal with missed tackles at times.

Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma: Guyton is a bit bigger than the tackles we’ve seen the Packers draft in the past, but his athleticism could negate that potential concern. Guyton allowed no sacks and 12 pressures in 2023 playing right tackle. An athletic, high-upside tackle who is still just 21 years old would be a very Packers-esque first-round pick.

Austin Booker, Edge, Kansas: Booker has played just 505 college snaps, totaling 38 pressures and nine sacks in 2023. At just 240 pounds, this would very much be an outlier pick for the Packers, given that Gutekunst prefers bigger-bodied edge rushers. With that said, we’ve seen the Jets, 49ers, and Texans use lighter edge rushers, and those three teams will run a similar style of defense as the Packers under Jeff Hafley.

Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan: If Booker would be an outlier selection for the Packers, Kneeland is exactly what they look for in an edge rusher–a tremendous athlete with size and length. Kneeland was able to impact both the run and passing games in college. Edge depth is a sneaky need, and with four Day 2 picks, I would not be surprised to hear Kneeland’s name called when the Packers are picking.

Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky: Jordan Reid of ESPN recently wrote that the Packers are doing extensive research on the linebacker class, and Wallace is a name that keeps popping up in connection to them. Wallace is a very good athlete, found success at Kentucky as a blitzer, and has been a mostly reliable tackler. His game needs refinement, particularly in coverage, but right away, he should leave his mark on special teams.

As we all do our best during this time of the year to read the tea leaves to try to get any sort of insights into who the Packers might be interested in, it’s important to remember that nothing is definitive. There are far too many variables in play when it comes to the draft, most of which we don’t know about.

However, the recent connection between the Packers’ draft selections to the Senior Bowl and pre-draft visits isn’t nothing either.

“Get good players,” said Gutekunst of the draft and having 11 picks. “Obviously, that’s what we are here for. But it also gives us a little bit of flexibility, whether it’s moving around within the draft or if there’s players out there, veteran players, that are available that could be a possibility as well. You can never have enough, and you want them as high as they can be, but with certain things we’ve done in the past we’ve set ourselves to have some flexibility and ammunition going into this draft.”

Sean Rhyan’s growth in 2023 will prove to be quite valuable for Packers in 2024

By: Paul Bretl 4/17/24

Sean Rhyan made the most of his opportunities during the second half of last season and is now the front-runner to be the Packers’ starting right guard in 2024.

To say last season was important for Rhyan, given how his rookie season went, is an understatement. Although he was a third-round pick in 2022, Rhyan was a healthy scratch on game days for most of that season, and he then ended up missing the final six games of the year, serving a PED suspension.

I believe there’s a not-so-distant world where, if last summer Rhyan doesn’t make strides, he isn’t on the 2023 roster.

With the offensive line struggling through the first half of the season, the Packers resorted to a rotation at left tackle between Rasheed Walker and Yosh Nijman, as well as at right guard with Rhyan and Jon Runyan.

What started out as Rhyan playing a series or two blossomed into him and Runyan splitting snaps nearly 50-50 in Week 15 against Tampa Bay, and that carried over into the playoffs.

“He really grew a lot from Year 1 to Year 2,” said GM Brian Gutekunst, “and really proud of not only his work ethic and the shape he got himself in, but then when his opportunities were presented, his ability to capitalize on that. I think there’s a lot of really good football in front of him. His best football should be in front of him.”

Where Rhyan was at his best was as a run-blocker. With his size and strength, he brought a different element to the Packers’ offensive line as a bit of a mauler. Rather than opening up a running lane by being in an advantageous position, Rhyan generates push and moves the defender across from him.

However, where Rhyan has to become more consistent if he’s going to be an everyday starter in the NFL is in pass protection. Rhyan had just 128 pass-blocking attempts last season but still allowed eight pressures. According to PFF, out of 84 eligible guards, he ranked 52nd in pass-blocking efficiency.

“He’s still got a ways to go,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich late last season. “I like what I’ve seen from him from a physicality standpoint. He does a good job in the run game at the point of attack. But he still has a ways to go in pass protection would be his biggest thing moving forward.

“If he wants to be a staple guard of this league, you obviously have to excel in this realm. So that’s one thing we are going to focus on with as we move forward just to elevate that part of his game.”

While Rhyan may be the favorite to start at right guard this season for the Packers, in all likelihood he is going to have to earn that job rather than it being handed to him.

Whether you ask Matt LaFleur, Stenavich, or offensive line coach Luke Butkus, competition was crucial to the elevated play of the offensive line during the second-half of the 2023 season. One would think the Packers want to recreate that this summer, especially with Rhyan still being relatively inexperienced and needing to improve in pass protection.

The issue that the Packers run into is that along the interior offensive line, there is little of that on the roster right now. In addition to Rhyan, the only other interior linemen on the roster are Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers – two other starters – and Royce Newman.

With the lack of depth at this position group, coupled with the Packers having 11 selections in this year’s draft, odds are they make at least two additions to the interior, and I wouldn’t rule out a third.

Below, you will find the top-10 pure interior linemen in the 2024 draft class, along with their overall ranking on PFF’s big board. As we all know, the Packers have also found quite a bit of success drafting Day 3 offensive tackles and moving them inside.

23. Graham Barton, Duke
27. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
33. Zach Frazier, West Virginia
60. Christian Haynes, UCONN
93. Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
95. Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
100. Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
106. Christian Mahogany, Boston College
111. Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
126. Trevor Keegan, Michigan

The importance of a young player making a developmental jump from Year 1 to Year 2 is often talked about, and we saw Rhyan do just that.

However, equally as important is that the player continues to progress and make another leap in Year 3. If Rhyan can do that, he will provide some stability to the offensive line and have the opportunity to play a key role on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

“He got that opportunity in the second half to split some reps,” added Gutekunst, “and he went in there, and he proved to the coaches that they kept doing it. They kept him out there. Obviously, we anticipated free agency and whether or not we were able to bring Jon (Runyan) back or not, so having him get that experience will serve us well as we go forward.”

Milwaukee Bucks season preview: Where Damian Lillard, Adrian Griffin, and the new-look Bucks stand going into the 2023-24 season

By: Noah Nelson 10/6/2023

‘How do we win an NBA Championship?’ is the question on every GM’s mind in the offseason.

For the Milwaukee Bucks, that question has never been more important.

Following two consecutive years with disappointing playoff losses, Giannis Antetokounmpo voiced his concerns about his future with the team, and with the sudden removal of Coach Mike Budenholzer, the stakes have never been higher. Immense pressure was placed on GM Jon Horst to solidify a championship-caliber roster.

With Damian Lillard available via trade, Horst went all in on securing Giannis’ future and beat out teams like the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets in bagging the seven time All Star.

With athletic rookies, six new coaches, higher energy on the bench and of course Damian Lillard, the Bucks are clearly attempting to transcend the Budenholzer era and usher in a new dynasty in Milwaukee.

Signings, Re-signings, and ‘The Trade’

‘Dame Time’ in the 414

Jon Horst has been Milwaukee’s magician for the past 10 years, and he may have just performed his greatest trick.

Needing little more than draft picks and fringe stars, Horst has imported three iterations of star point guards to Milwaukee: Eric Bledsoe in 2017, Jrue Holiday in 2020, and Damian Lillard in 2023.

On July 1, 2023, Damian Lillard requested an exclusive trade to the Miami Heat.

On Sept. 27, he was traded to the dark horse Milwaukee Bucks.

After months of silence from Milwaukee’s camp and with little indication of their interest in Lillard, the Bucks somehow acquired the 33-year-old superstar for a ‘measly’ package of Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and some prospects who are still in middle school (2029 first round pick and the 2028, 2030 first round pick swaps). Portland received more in compensation, bringing in the Suns as a third team partner, acquiring Deandre Ayton before eventually offloading Holiday to the Celtics.

Of course, the loss of Jrue Holiday is painful on the defensive end and what he brought to this team’s culture will be difficult to replace. He was crucial to the Bucks 2021 run and fans should be forever grateful for what he brought to the city.

So, what exactly does Lillard bring to Milwaukee? ‘Dame D.O.L.L.A’ adds another dimension to this Milwaukee offense and his three-level scoring ability will likely open the floor for Giannis and co. to find more open looks. The pick and roll game with Giannis will be virtually unstoppable and the team is likely to be a gear or two faster in the half court.

More importantly, he’s one of the most recognizable big-moment players in the league. With the Trailblazers, he was a part of four playoff series wins. In two of them, he hit the series winning shot. Lillard embraces the last two minutes of games and when paired with Giannis and Middleton, the Bucks will have three proven clutch playoff scorers. Again, no disrespect towards Jrue Holiday, but he shot 40% and 36% in the last two playoff series losses for Milwaukee.

Essentially, the offense just leveled up twice and where the defense may struggle, the Bucks accommodate for with one of the best fitting duos in league history.

Re-signings – Starters

Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez were the two biggest concerns for Milwaukee on the player retention side of this offseason, both on expiring deals with reported interest around the league. Losing Lopez would be a gut shot for the Bucks, so the team went all in on the aging center, offering a two-year $48 million contract, beating out the Rockets similar bid. Khris Middleton’s free agency was short lived as well. He agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $102 million and underwent a successful surgery on his nagging right knee injury. With the core returning, focus transferred to the bench, which, after losing 9 part-time contributors, needed intense renovations.

Re-signings – Bench

The Bucks biggest move of the 2022-23 trade deadline was for 32-year-old Jae Crowder, presumably for his playoff presence, yet he only played 30 playoff minutes in the five-game loss to Miami. He was reportedly, “confused as to why [he] was brought here,” however, he re-signed in the offseason for 1 year $3.19 million in the weeks following Budenholzer’s removal. He seemingly believes in this team and will likely have a greater role next season under Griffin’s adapted leadership strategies.

AJ Green is the other bench re-signing, agreeing to 3 years, $6.32 million. He’s a shooter and he eclipsed 40% from three in his limited minutes last season, which in the modern NBA can keep a player on the court and pay them well for it (Duncan Robinson $90 million). The depth of this Milwaukee team does limit Green’s time, however, and he will likely see mostly blowout minutes or early second-half small ball time, though he could work his way up in the rotation.

The Energy Guys

In the 2019-20 season, the Bucks dove headfirst into creating a familial environment, becoming the only NBA team in history to have two sets of brothers on their team at the same time, signing Robin Lopez to a 1-year deal and Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a multi-year minimum contract.

Now, following three years on three different teams, Brook Lopez’s younger brother (by one minute) is back in Milwaukee. While neither of these guys is good enough to play for this Bucks team consistently, they make their teammates better and create an environment that conjures winning, which one could argue is more valuable than what another veteran minimum guy might provide.

Remember Thanasis’s play against Brooklyn? How about WrestleMania pregame? The front office knows that Thanasis and Robin won’t give you 20 points per game, but they are essential to the team environment and culture necessary to reach, and win, the NBA Finals.

Fresh Meat – Malik Beasley & Cameron Payne

What if there was a way that the Bucks could replace Joe Ingles for someone nine years younger for a fraction of the cost who just made the most bench threes a season ago? One would expect Jon Horst to jump all over that.

And he did, signing Malik Beasley to a 1 year/$2.7 million deal. By bringing in a sharpshooter like Beasley and doing it on a veteran minimum, the Bucks replace the older, slower Ingles for a volume bench scorer who’s never had completely reconstructed knees. But there’s a slight catch. Beasley went to jail in 2020 for waving a rifle at strangers in his neighborhood. His off-court offenses may make GMs wary, but the Jazz and the Lakers have both given Beasley opportunities since the incident, and there are signs of personal development that can hopefully translate to Milwaukee on a team friendly deal.

The backup guard spot has been filled as well with Jae Crowder’s former teammate Cameron Payne. Payne is coming in as a double-digit scorer and is likely to provide a spark from the bench, but if not, he at least provides another option for the Bucks at the guard. The backup guard spot was a glaring weakness for Milwaukee this summer, and Payne could be the right player to finalize this roster.

As the last contracted player in the 14-player team, he brings the Bucks payroll to $183.68 million and ups the team’s luxury tax to almost $58 million.

Young Bucks

Gone are the days of the high-IQ, unathletic, low-ceiling, second rounders that fans have become so accustomed to during the Budenholzer era.

Unfortunately, due to investments in the present, the team is essentially bone dry when it comes to future first rounders, but the team has had success in the second round in the past. While Brogdon clearly overachieved, teams find value in round two every year, and maybe it’s Milwaukee’s time again.

Andre Jackson Jr. (Pick No. 36)

Despite averaging a ‘measly’ 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists last season in college, the Bucks first pick in 2023, Andre Jackson Jr., impacted winning beyond the stat sheet, helping propel the UConn Huskies to their fifth national championship.

UConn’s coach Dan Hurley praised him as a “tone setter,” and said that Jackson, “genuinely cares more about our success than his own production.” His maturity is not the only reason why Milwaukee traded up for him: he is an NBA-ready talent with a high basketball IQ and elite size/speed. Jackson’s 39 ½-inch vertical and 3.14 second three-quarter sprint both ranked in the top five in the draft combine, and he was considered ‘A Dunker From The Gods’ during his time in high school at The Albany Academy. While he still has work to do offensively, mainly with his shooting mechanics, Jackson hangs his hat on the defensive end.

Here’s the skinny on Jackson: he’s a superb athlete with a seemingly endless motor – a true immediate impact guy for this Bucks team. Think Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s energy but in a more coordinated, pass first guard who can both find and throw down an alley-oop in transition.

Chris Livingston (Pick No. 58)

The Bucks second of two picks was another NBA-ready athlete and the final overall pick in the 2023 draft, Chris Livingston.

Note: NBA-ready athlete. Livingston is still underdeveloped skill-wise and likely a developmental piece at this stage. Widely considered the best Akron prospect since Lebron, Livingston underperformed at Kentucky as a freshman in 2022-23, and though he came in as a projected lottery pick, he seriously considered returning to college to boost his draft stock. During the buildup to the draft, Livingston cancelled his last seven pre-draft workouts, fueling belief that he had a guaranteed deal lined up later in the draft. Of course, he did have a deal with the Bucks: a four-year, $7.7 million deal which is the most guaranteed money of any final pick in the draft.

Coaching Overhaul

Head Coach Adrian Griffin

“They’ll never know how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Adrian Griffin, June 6, 2023, in his first official press conference as Bucks Head Coach

In the offseason following the loss to the eight seed Heat, the Milwaukee Bucks parted ways with Mike Budenholzer in favor of Raptors Lead Assistant Adrian Griffin. A former NBA player himself, he understands how to gain a player’s trust and connect with his team. Since the NBA-ABA merger, only five first-year coaches have won the finals, however, in the last eight years there have been three: Steve Kerr in 2015, Tyronn Lue in 2016, and most recently Nick Nurse in 2019 (Griffin was lead assistant for Nurse at the time). The Bucks, of course, hope Griffin can continue this trend, but the responsibility does not rest solely on his shoulders – more than half of the game-night coaching staff have been replaced.

The Rest of the Staff

In total, six new coaches were hired for the Bucks, but fans may recognize some of these ‘new hires’ from their past time spend with Milwaukee. Assistants Terry Stotts and Joe Prunty have both acted as head coach for the team – Stotts from 2005-’07 and Prunty as the interim coach following the firing of Jason Kidd. Coincidentally, Stotts coached Damian Lillard until 2021 which may have tipped the needle in his willingness to come to Milwaukee.

In addition, two members of the Raptors organization are following Griffin: Patrick Mutombo and Nate Mitchell. Rounding out the new hires is D.J. Bakker who last coached for Detroit’s G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, in 2023.

Returning on the coaching staff are former Bucks All-Star Vin Baker and Josh Oppenheimer, who’s on his second stint with the Bucks and has also coached Giannis on the Greek national team (2022). In a historic move, Sidney Dobner is being promoted from head video coordinator and will be the first female assistant coach in franchise history, which Griffin highlighted as his, “best hire”.

The preseason starts on October 8^th, so fans will be able to see this new Bucks team in action very soon. On paper, they’re cohesive. They’re experienced. They want to win, and they want to win now. Is Milwaukee ready for another parade? 82 games and the playoffs will prove if this ‘rebuild’ was effective, all fans can do now is wait to see.

Quick Hits – Names to Know

Lindell Wiggington – Two-way contract, your new favorite G-League microwave, Iowa State alumni

TyTy Washington – Two-way contract, 2022 first-round pick, another Kentucky guy

Omari Moore – Two-way contract,NBA ready frame, project prospect

Jazian Gortman – Training camp contract, OTE League alumni, elite talent

Tacko Fall – 7’6”, worst free throw form ever(?), signed with the Nanjing Monkey Kings

Drew Timme – Gonzaga legend, skilled but undersized, seems like he’ll stay in the G-League

Jimmy Haslam – Browns owner w/ minority stake (25%) in MKE, proven he’s willing to spend

Sidney Dobner – Dislikes glass ceilings, former college baller, more than just a diversity hire

Marjon Beauchamp – 83(!!!) points in Crawsover Pro-Am, defensive wing with energy, second year jump incoming?

Jrue Holiday – Bucks legend, less than glorious exit, Celtics revenge series potential

Giannis Antetokounmpo – Got his coach, team built around him, two years left on his deal, ready to win again

Wisconsin Transitioning Into Golf Powerhouse Led by the Stricker-Tiziani Family

By: Noah Nelson 6/28/2023

90 years ago, the state of Wisconsin held its first major golf tournament – the PGA Championship at Blue Mound Country Club in Wauwatosa.

Since then, the state has held three more PGA’s, a U.S. Open, a U.S. Senior Open, multiple U.S. Women’s Open’s, and a Ryder Cup.

The most recent event, the 2021 Ryder Cup, was captained by Wisconsin native Steve Stricker, who, as a non-playing captain, helped lead the United States to a decisive 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits – the state’s premier golf course.

Stricker has championed golf in the state for decades. Growing up in Edgerton, he won WIAA state as an individual in 1984, and as an amateur in 1987, he won the Wisconsin State Open.

Surprisingly, after high school, Stricker went to the University of Illinois. Many people, including then-Wisconsin coach Dennis Tiziani, were shocked by this decision, having expected Stricker to stay in the state. It turned out to be the right choice; he went on to be one of the most decorated golfers in Illinois’ history, winning three Big Ten Individual Conference Titles while helping his team claim the Big Ten Conference Championship in 1988.

Although he may have been surprised, Tiziani remained supportive. Stricker highlighted, “…one thing he said was, ‘No matter what happens, don’t be afraid to call’.”

So, in the summer before his junior year, he did.

Stricker contacted Tiziani, and the two began working together at Cherokee Country Club, the course that Dennis owned just outside of Madison. In that same summer, Stricker began dating Tiziani’s daughter, Nicki, who was Wisconsin’s best women’s golfer at the time. The two married in 1993, and their family has continued to dominate golf in the state.

Their daughters – Izzi and Bobbi – both play and are extremely successful. Bobbi won the Wisconsin Women’s Amateur Championship in 2021 and more recently, Izzi won WIAA State in 2022.

The Tiziani family’s roots in Wisconsin golf run even deeper than just their connection to Stricker – Dennis was a PGA professional himself, as was his brother. In 1976, Dennis won the Wisconsin State Open, and in 1978, his brother, Larry won it as well.

Dennis is also the longest tenured golf coach in Wisconsin history with 40 combined years with the university, including 26 with the men and 14 with the women. Upon Dennis’ retirement from coaching golf in 2003, former Wisconsin Athletic Director Pat Richter said of Tiziani’s tenure, “Dennis Tiziani IS Wisconsin golf,” and while he may not be a coach anymore or the competitive player he once was, he still holds influence in the state’s golf environment today.

On May 23, 2022, the PGA Tour’s Tournament Players Club (TPC) Network announced that Dennis’ Cherokee Country Club would become the 30^th TPC location, rebranding to TPC Wisconsin. The course is undergoing a significant redesign led by Stricker, who holds great sentimentality to the location, saying of the project, “I couldn’t ask for a better scenario with my first golf course design project to be the same property that I spent the better part of 30 years of my golf career and where I have raised my family.”

The course is scheduled to re-open in August 2023 and will be the next high-caliber golf course in the state of Wisconsin.

Dennis’ son Mario has also been personally involved in the course:

Mario Tiziani was a former professional golfer himself and has won a Wisconsin State Open of his own, continuing his family’s dominant legacy. He also played under his father at Wisconsin, winning the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year and captaining the team in his last few years in Madison.

He went on to play golf professionally, and after many attempts, he graduated from the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School in 2004. His professional career was short lived, however; Mario quit professional golf in 2010 and showed little interest in attempting to rejoin any competitive league. That was until 2020, when he was offered a sponsor’s exemption to play at the PGA Champions American Family Insurance Championship (AmFam Championship for short).

His brother-in-law, Stricker, is the tournament host of the AmFam Championship, which helped soften Tiziani’s nerves enough to convince him to play his first competitive golf in over a decade. In his return to competition, Tiziani shot +7 during the three days of competition and tied for 71^st. He continued to compete on the tour, placing tied for 11^thin his next event, earning over $40,000 in the process. He has continued to make a name for himself, placing in the top 10 multiple times in the past two seasons of competition.

The AmFam Championship has done more than just revive careers of former golfers; the event has connected with hundreds of charity sponsors since the event began in 2016, raising over $14 million for charity and providing grants for 700 organizations. Wisconsin golf legend Andy North complimented the event and its mission, saying, “The way Madison has supported the event from day one, what Am Fam has done from day one, it’s a great marriage, and we’ve created a ton of money for a lot of people who can use it here in town.”

Currently, the event is held at the University of Madison’s home course, University Ridge, but in 2025, TPC Wisconsin will replace U-Ridge as the event’s venue. Before the event, Stricker and a group of high-ranking PGA officials toured TPC Wisconsin to determine its viability as a pro-level course. Stricker said, “Yeah, we walked around it yesterday [June 5, 2023] with… Brian Claar, the rules official, and then the design team of the PGA TOUR… it should be a good test of golf and hopefully one that people are going to enjoy and play,”.

Moving the event to a Stricker-designed, Tiziani-owned course will increase the family’s influence in Wisconsin golf and will allow the AmFam Championship to be sustainable for years to come.

The AmFam Championship is not the only PGA Tour Champions event in the state this year. The 2023 U.S. Senior Open is coming to Stevens Point’s SentryWorld from June 29-July 2. The event is the third major championship of five on the PGA Champions Tour’s annual schedule and is only the second senior major ever in Wisconsin. Stricker has won both majors so far this year and is looking to become one of three golfers ever to win three senior majors in the same season; the other two golfers are Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, some elite company to say the least.

Wisconsin golf has grown into a powerhouse in the last 25 years, due in large part to the increased development of championship-level courses hosting major events. However, these major events are not annual, leaving gaps in Wisconsin’s golf schedule. This year’s U.S. Senior Open is similar: a major event that will not return to the state in the immediate future. The American Family Championship is different; it provides the state with a consistent event, suitable for all ages and demographics.

While many of the high-level events in the state have been one-offs, their contribution to the growth of golf in the state cannot be understated.

Mario Tiziani agrees:

When the AmFam Championship switches to TPC Wisconsin in 2025, the Stricker-Tiziani influence in Wisconsin golf will only increase. The new venue will take Stricker’s design and incorporate it into his own event, hosted at the course where he and his family have played for over 30 years, creating an incredibly sentimental environment for the Edgerton native.

As golf continues to grow in Wisconsin, the Stricker-Tiziani families will remain at the center. Stricker’s dominance of the PGA Tour Champions has provided him a platform to grow the game of golf in the state, not just at the AmFam Champ, but at the Ryder Cup as well. Time will tell if Stricker can continue winning, but one fact remains certain: competitive golf in Wisconsin isn’t going away any time soon, thanks to the efforts of the Stricker-Tiziani families.

Winona State’s Cooper Lipski Ready to Broadcast Loggers Season

By: Noah Nelson 5/26/2023

“If you told me last year that I would be the [La Crosse] Logger’s broadcaster, at first I’d say it’s a joke,” Cooper Lipski said, somewhat sheepishly. But anybody who’s met Cooper knows that the position is perfect for him. A born entertainer, Lipski’s often-rambunctious antics have allowed the Winona State senior to work his way up in broadcasting, and he will be taking the booth for the first time as the Logger’s official broadcaster at their first home game on May 30.

Lipski has deep ties to sports, competing in high school basketball and baseball. As a basketball player, he never made a strong impact on the floor, but Lipski was the life of the bench. He would announce games for his fellow end-of-the-bench riders and breathe life into JV high school basketball. He even had a color commentator, crediting Tyler ‘Zayo’ Christianson with providing insights into the games.

Cooper’s connections to the Loggers reach far into his childhood. Lipski, a ‘local guy from Westby’, recounts his earliest memories with Loggers baseball, going with his ‘old man’ for his birthday. He continued to attend games throughout his life, “Going to games with [my friends] [Noah] Benish, Conor [Vatland], Gavin [Bergdahl] as we’ve gotten older it’s gotten more fun, being able to legally drink.” Trading the bottle for the microphone, Lipski will still be able to enjoy the games himself while providing the joy of sports to others.

The ‘voice of Winona State athletics’ began his broadcasting journey by taking the right class as a freshman. “I was in an introduction class, and I asked, ‘how do you become a sports announcer’ and he said, ‘you’re in the right introduction class Coop.’” Lipski’s professor, Doug Westerman, has a storied history as a broadcaster, travelling for years and working with numerous communications organizations.

Westerman has provided insights to Lipski, acting as his broadcasting ‘coach’ and given him connections to other high-ranking broadcasters in the area. He recounts a story before a Winona State football game where Westerman was on the phone with Badgers broadcaster Matt Lepay, “I say, ‘tell Matt I said hi’ and I hear Matt Lepay say, ‘Hey Coop, good luck on the broadcast today!’” Westerman’s connections and dedication to his students has had a strong influence on Lipski’s professional development, providing him with opportunities and advice on how to improve as a broadcaster.

Though he did have the experience at Winona State, the Loggers opportunity spawned from an off-handed comment Lipski made to a fellow Winona State sports media personality who had previously worked for the team. Cooper recounts the conversation, “So I’m like ‘ha-ha, yeah you can get me a job that would be kind of fun’ and he goes ‘no, seriously there might be an opening.’”

A few months later, the friend, Tyler Gliem, brought it up again, suggesting Cooper send a resume and application letter. “I didn’t have a resume – my [resume] would be, you know, rock picking, coaching little league baseball, stuff like that.” What he lacked in his resume, he made up for with his past broadcasting experiences.

He sent them a “big, long list” with all his relevant experience, highlighting work with Leighton Broadcasting, and KQAL [Winona State University’s radio station]. There was nothing to do now but wait for a response. A week passed; nothing. Another week passed by; still nothing. On the third week, just before Christmas, Lipski heard back from his Loggers connection expressing mutual interest, hearing, “We are definitely considering you… you’re one of two guys we’re looking at.”

Considerations continued with the help of Gliem’s good word, endorsing Cooper to Loggers General Manager Ben Kapanke. Eventually, the two met and, “Apparently the interview went well enough that I got the job.” He remains humble, yet it is obvious that he has the talent and experience to succeed as the Loggers broadcaster.

The new position has not yet fully settled in for Lipski; he stated, “It feels surreal in a way. I don’t think it will set in until I’m there on Tuesday with the headset on going ‘Welcome to Copeland Park, Home of the Loggers.’” He’ll be in the booth for webcasted home games and on the radio with team for away games. Games will be streamed on NorthwoodsLeague.com and there will be numerous games on ESPN+, renewing their contract from the previous year.

The La Crosse Loggers new voice is ready to enter the booth and make an impact. Cooper Lipski will begin his journey as a semi-professional baseball announcer at the May 30 home opener, and he could not be more excited, exclaiming, “I love the Loggers, what can I say – Roll Logs!” The Loggers start ‘rolling’ on May 29, beginning their 72-game summer season on the road against the Eau Claire Express.