The Lass Word: The Unsung Heroes
You don't know them, but you should.
By KenLass
Okay, quick trivia question for you: Can you name one member of the Green Bay Packers scouting staff? If the answer is no, don’t feel bad. Only the most ardent of fans would know those names. Yet they are, collectively, the most important element of the franchise. They ultimately determine who will wear the green and gold. If they don’t get it right, the team cannot succeed. Even the best coaches in the game can’t overcome bad personnel decisions.
Bill Belichick won six Super Bowls, but when the talent level on his New England Patriots team dwindled, mostly due to his own personnel decisions, the Pats sank to the bottom. Joe Gibbs won three Lombardi trophies with Washington, but when he returned to coach the same franchise twelve years later, he struggled to even make the playoffs because of a depleted roster.
The Packers find themselves annually in the middle of the playoff picture largely because of a scouting staff that not only hits regular home runs in the draft, but consistently uncovers the little diamonds in the rough. The players who seldom make headlines, but who always seem to come up with key contributions at the right time. Guys like linebacker Eric Wilson. Wilson was an undrafted free agent in 2017, and drifted amongst four different NFL teams before the Packers signed him in 2022 off the Saints practice squad. Finally given a chance to prove himself, Wilson has arguably outplayed starter Quay Walker, and is forcing the coaches to find more snaps for him.
Or running back Chris Brooks. He, too, failed to hear his name called in the draft, signed a free agent contract with the Dolphins in 2023, and was going nowhere. But the Green Bay scouts liked him coming out of BYU, and when Miami cut him loose, the Packers jumped on him this past September. Brooks has responded by earning significant playing time along side Emanuel Wilson in the back-up running back job, showing power and decent speed.
“It’s really a credit to our scouting staff,” general manager Brian Gutekunst told the beat writers on Tuesday. “Not only the pro scouts who are digging through that stuff each and every day, but the college scouts who do a ton of background work so that we have everything we need on a player.”
Edge rusher Arron Mosby went undrafted in 2022 and languished on the Carolina Panthers practice squad. The Packers signed him in September of 2023. After dominating the preseason and earning a roster spot last summer, Mosby combined with Rashan Gary for the only sack of Jared Goff in last Sunday’s game against the Lions. With the departure of veteran Preston Smith, Mosby stands to become a key rotational player on the defense. “You never know when the opportunities are going to come to get those kind of guys,” Gutey explained. “But that’s a really important part of our team building philosophy, and our guys (the scouts) do a fantastic job at it.”
And the hits may keep on coming. Undrafted free agent linebacker Brenton Cox is also going to get his chance in the wake of the Preston Smith trade. Receiver Malik Heath, who never got a phone call during the 2023 draft after his career at Ole Miss, has worked his way in to the pass catching rotation, and has made some key plays. Ditto for receiver Bo Melton, whom the scouts identified and pilfered off the Seattle practice squad in 2022. The list goes on. Ben Sims is contributing as the number two tight end in the absence of the injured Luke Musgrave. The undrafted Sims was scooped up from the Vikings.
No school is too small for these scouts to examine. The aforementioned Emanuel Wilson played at tiny Fort Valley State and was not drafted. The Denver Broncos gave him a look, but when that didn’t work out, the Green Bay scouts remembered his impressive play at the small Georgia college and reeled him in, and he has been solid after AJ Dillon was lost for the season, and draft pick MarShawn Lloyd went on injured reserve.
The Packers have a reputation for giving undrafted free agents a chance, and have carried at least one or two on their rosters for several years in a row. But with just 53 positions available, your scouts had better be right. Green Bay’s talent spotters hit the mark at an amazingly high clip.
So the next time Malik Heath makes a big catch for a critical first down, or Arron Mosby sacks the quarterback to end an opponent’s drive, take a second to tip your cap to those anonymous fellows who spend their lives lurking around college practice fields, and digging through endless pro football video, churning out volumes of copious notes and reports. They have names like Matt Malaspina, Sam Seale, Chad Brinker, Richmond Williams, Luke Benuska, Joe Hueber, and many more.
It’s okay. You don’t have to remember their names. Just be very glad they are there.
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Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder.
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Comments (41)
splitpea1
November 07, 2024 at 03:41 pm
Fact check: Joe Gibbs did indeed make the playoffs upon his return--twice. He won a game against the Bucs, and lost twice to Holmgren's Seahawks.
Eric Wilson has not arguably outplayed Quay Walker, he has definitely outplayed him; and by the way, he has also been in for 70% of the ST snaps. So this is obviously a great credit to the scouting department, but it also kind of reflects poorly on the regression of the first-round selection here.
I also think the scouting department deserves credit for keeping their eyes on the backup QBs around the league--like Malik Willis.
Oppy
November 07, 2024 at 08:37 pm
For what it's worth, every team in the league has a department of pro personnel, who's sole responsibility is keeping tabs and scouting on all the other NFL players in the league- active roster, training camp, IR'd, etc and so forth. It's all they do. Monitor the players health, grade their tape, keep track of their contracts, off the field issues, etc.
Oppy
November 08, 2024 at 07:47 pm
Hey, look, it's the 2 people who can't stand it when I post basic, factual information devoid of opinion.
Bitternotsour
November 09, 2024 at 08:31 am
quite possibly the same person with two accounts.
MitchAnthony
November 07, 2024 at 05:04 pm
Good mention there of Ben Sims. He's been pretty solid and assignment sure in his blocking tasks. His blocking is much better than anything seen from Musgrave so far.
Coldworld
November 07, 2024 at 05:27 pm
It’s not often that, by mid season, I can say that there are back ups I wouldn’t worry about if they had to step in and play. If Jacobs was out, E Wilson is the first guy I’d want carrying. Brooks is no slouch, but i prefer what Wilson brings as a runner and after the catch. If Kraft went down, we’d lose some deeper threat, but I wouldn’t worry about hands or blocking with Sims.
Melton needs more snaps that aren’t deep shots, which may come with Wicks likely seeing the field less for a while.
stockholder
November 07, 2024 at 09:28 pm
Unsung heroes - Lets just write Gute in.
Forget the rest -
How his Scouts the most important element of the franchise.
The names Are from a Dart board
Eric Wilson,LB Saints
FA Brooks RB Try SF ,
Wilson RB another SF cast off
Mosby Panthers,
Cox LB FA
M. Heath WR,
Bo Melton,P Seattle
Sims Vikings
Most would say bottom feeders-
But let's just go with Best Free Agent Available.
Oh- Let's just be honest-
Nobody worked themselves to death
trying to find these guys.
Savage57
November 08, 2024 at 06:11 am
Reading your comments about everything Packers front office and staff, why do you even follow the team? Masochistic tendencies?
Or do you just drink a tall glass of Prick every morning and then hop on your keyboard?
stockholder
November 08, 2024 at 10:13 am
Your confused. I'm not a tool.
Packers0808
November 08, 2024 at 10:51 am
Yes you are, just the wrong kind.
Leatherhead
November 08, 2024 at 08:35 am
We don't have unsung heroes. We only have guys that are above average, because the Bell Curve does not apply. We also have guys that aren't good enough.....Stokes, Walker, Myers, etc.
Yeah, I'm being facetious. We've gotten contributions from quite a few guys that aren't PFF heroes.
LeotisHarris
November 08, 2024 at 08:41 am
Alas, the opportunity to pair a "plethora" with that perfectly placed "aforementioned" was not seized this time around. ::sigh::
I wonder how much time scouts spend "lurking around college practice fields?" It would be interesting to know more about how much of their work is virtual, how much is building relationships and contacts, where they're based, what the communication process entails, and more. It has to be a fascinating role.
Nice article, Ken. It's always a pleasure to read your work.
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 12:37 pm
Parcells liked to have well rounded scouts so he would have younger guys switch between pro and college scouting but he tried to put the more personable guys in college scouting. He thought relationships with coaches was really important for getting a feel for player off the field and how they would fit in the locker room. Coaches won't normally rag on their players heading to the NFL but what's unspoken is important as what is said if you know the person.
TT liked to hit the road a couple times a year to see a few players in person. Haven't heard that about Gutey but he doesn't seem the most personable person.
Leatherhead
November 08, 2024 at 09:39 am
Does anybody remember Pat Summerall? Do you know what his daughter is doing these days?
stockholder
November 08, 2024 at 10:26 am
He and Madden were awesome.
I know what she's going to do.
Lphill
November 08, 2024 at 10:37 am
yes she has a GREAT job!
HawkPacker
November 08, 2024 at 11:31 am
And a better one coming on January 20th!
Packers0808
November 08, 2024 at 06:28 pm
What taking Stormys place?
HawkPacker
November 08, 2024 at 07:29 pm
Hey Lefty. The election is over. Time for you to move on.
Packers0808
November 08, 2024 at 09:24 pm
Hey not lefty or rightie. Independant.
Packers0808
November 08, 2024 at 09:26 pm
You tell others to move on and bring it up first.
Packers0808
November 08, 2024 at 10:53 am
Yes working for a jerk.
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 06:17 pm
His win proves we're an unserious nation filled with dumbasses that would rather be entertained than governed. I bet half the people that voted don't know how a tariff actually works. How many could point to Ukraine on a map? Hopefully the Euros are smart enough to realize defending Ukraine means defending themselves and fight Trump's love of Putin at every turn. The best thing they can do is tell the US to F off, we got this for the next four years.
HawkPacker
November 08, 2024 at 07:30 pm
Hey Chesty. You lost the election by a wide margin. Time to move on.
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 11:52 pm
I didn't lose shit, I hate both parties, just not equally. I hated Trump when he was a Dem and hate him more now.
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 11:59 am
Hopefully she didn't inherit his alcoholic genes, she's going to need a few drinks to deal with the Orange F.
Lphill
November 08, 2024 at 12:10 pm
Thank you Wisconsin for voting red!
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Conservatives usually shy away from tanking the economy with tariffs. We'll see if your Red heroes can curb his worst instincts.
Leatherhead
November 08, 2024 at 06:44 pm
I remember in 2017 when the tariffs on China did to our economy. And the threat of tariffs was used to get Mexico to cooperate on the border.
LLCHESTY
November 08, 2024 at 07:23 pm
Do you remember tariffs on Japanese cars in the 70's and early 80's and what happened? Shockingly the Japanese got really efficient at making cars and American cars were mostly shit. I remember all the shitty K cars and crappy pickup trucks that got 8 miles to the gallon in the military because the government had to prop up Chrysler.
The countries that get tariffs imposed on them don't suddenly stop selling goods, they are forced to get more efficient at making them. Meanwhile the protected industries stagnate because they have an unnatural safety net. Tariffs solve nothing, you negotiate fair free trade deals and if that's not possible look for other countries to trade with.
Bitternotsour
November 09, 2024 at 08:34 am
arguing basic economics on this site is a ticket to frustration. Best to bed this conversation and move back to arguing over the 47th member of our 53 man roster...
HawkPacker
November 09, 2024 at 08:42 am
Agree.
pantz_bURp
November 08, 2024 at 04:02 pm
The Unsung Heroes: fans like me.
I do so much behind the scenes for my beloved Green Bay Packers.
Yours till I ain't,
Pantz "Wizard of Oz" Burp
canadapacker
November 08, 2024 at 07:19 pm
I think that there are 2 questions that I have - firstly who is watching the other teams practices and preseason games? There of course is college scouting and then there is post draft scouting. Interesting enough the Pack has done a pretty good job with the post draft free agents making the 53 or at least the practice squad - but there is 31 other teams and therefore a lot of players available at the cut down days. And secondly if some of these hidden gem guys are so good - do we have some if not many scouts having missed them before the draft. Or is it just because some players really develop in certain environments once the college thing is over?
HarryHodag
November 09, 2024 at 07:25 am
Getting back to the point of the article...unsung heroes....how about the Packers punter Daniel Whelan? His booming punts this year changed field position many times.
Old guys like me remember Donny Anderson who was in the backfield for some of Lombardi's last teams. Anderson also did the punting and had a unique style. His punts usually only went 40 yards but he kicked them so high that few of the kicks were ever returned.
Update: I just found this on Anderson in Wikipedia:
"While with the Packers under head coach Vince Lombardi, Anderson originated the concept of hang time in punting. Until Anderson, punters typically strove for maximum distance, with the NFL's leaders usually averaging 45 or more yards a punt. Punt returns varied, with an average of perhaps five yards per return. In 1967, the left-footed Anderson worked instead at punting the ball higher, shortening the distance traveled, but increasing the ball's time in the air, allowing better coverage by his team on the punt return. Green Bay punted 66 times that year, 63 of them by Anderson; opponents were able to return only 13 of them for a total of 22 yards, or about one-third yard (one foot) per punt.
Anderson had a total of 387 punts for 15,326 yards.
Lombardi explained the concept to sportswriters who questioned why he did not try to find a better punter than Anderson, who averaged only 36.6 yards per punt that year. Lombardi pointed out the lack of return yardage. Other punters soon followed Anderson, working for greater hang time. Eventually, the NFL changed its rules governing punt coverage, to increase the ability to return punts. "
pantz_bURp
November 09, 2024 at 09:04 am
Great points HarryHo,
I love Whelan and his talent. Keep that blue-chipper around. Also, thanks for the fascinating info on Donny Anderson. We have Leroy, the father of the Lambeau Leap and Donny, the father of hang time. 👍
Go Pack Go!,
Burp
LambeauPlain
November 09, 2024 at 09:21 am
Excellent observation about Whelan, Harry. Totally agree. He has been one of the most consistent performers along with teammates like Williams, X, Josh, Tom. He's a field flipper who punts 'em high AND long. Very good holder too. Packers are likely 5-4 without his excellent recovery of a poor LS to help McManus to win the game.
Great stuff on Donny Anderson too. I had forgotten about his atmospheric punts!
LLCHESTY
November 09, 2024 at 09:05 pm
I think Sammy Baugh still has one of the top 5 averages for a season from the late 30's or early '40s. I remember reading the rest of the top 20 are from the 2000s. Interesting that it took 40 years for leg strength to catch up to a new style.
HarryHodag
November 10, 2024 at 09:14 am
"Slingin Sammy" Baugh. Baugh was also a prolific passer. Imagine Jordan Love or Mahomes punting along with being a QB.
Most of today's fans don't care much for the early days of the NFL which is sad. Don Hutson had receiving records that weren't broken until Jerry Rice came along and the seasons were extended.
I always enjoy the 1920's-1960's NFL stories. Same league as today.
lou
November 10, 2024 at 01:47 pm
Donny was talented, could have also been a star WR, Jones reminded me of him catching out of the backfield with natural ability. Few remember that both Dowler and McGee prior to Anderson held the punting job and were threats to run from punt formation. Dowler had a huge leg but he took an extra step and that led to McGee taking over the job because of fears of the punt being blocked. The best situation was when Don Chandler did both the punting and place kicking at the highest level, that gave the team one more player slot on the roster.
Leatherhead
November 10, 2024 at 03:10 pm
Donny Anderson is a guy who the teenage me remembers as a fumbling fumbler. Yes, the ground could, and did, cause fumbles in those days, but he averaged a fumble about once every 25 touches. By comparison, Paul Hornung played under the same rules and only coughed it up about half as often. Jim Taylor fumbled it once every 70 touches or so, same rules.
Chandler was The Man. As reliable as an old dog.