LeRoy Butler, Tom Silverstein discuss the state of Packers as they prepare to face the Chicago Bears

In their weekly 5 Questions with LeRoy Butler show, Tom Silverstein and Butler discuss the state of the Green Bay Packers.

Here are some excerpts from this week’s show, which takes place after their bye week as the 6-3 Packers prepare for an NFC North game against the 4-5 Chicago Bears on Sunday.

On the lack of quarterback-sack production out of the new 4-3 defense

Tom Silverstein: I think before we look ahead, we’ve got to look back and the Packers dealt Preston Smith the Steelers for a seventh-round pick and that's a loss in the locker room but you know the part that I take away from it the most is that Preston Smith felt uncomfortable playing in the 4-3 defense. He was drafted as a 3-4 outside linebacker. That's all he’s played. And it makes me wonder, Rashan Gary was drafted as a 3-4 outside linebacker, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Arron Mosby, Brenton Cox. Preston Smith was kind of uncomfortable with what he was doing, wanted to be traded. He said he requested the trade. It makes me wonder what is going on with the rest of the guys because the production hasn't been there from their ends. So what do we make of it?

Leroy Butler: I think it’s fair question, but I'm going to first say this: I want to thank him. Preston Smith has been magnificent. A great young man. I think he'll be 32 and shout out to (Brian) Gutekunst to get him to a winner, not send him somewhere, some losing team. That would have been devastating. But that's when two grown men can come to an agreement. And plus, I want to see the younger guys. I want to see if 57, Cox can play, 53 (Mosby), I want to see 90 (Van Ness) more. I want to see these guys, 55 (Enagbare), maybe he's a starter now because 55, I think, is the best end putting his hand in the ground. When his hand in the ground, he's better than all of them. That's why he's one of my favorite players. We got to get him on the field. And the bye week is when this stuff is supposed to happen. So getting a seventh-round pick I thought was amazing because, you know, I didn't know what teams would give in the halfway of the season.

Tom Silverstein: I mean, they got rid of his contract but that that's not too big a deal. I think they gained about $2 million in cap space, but then they didn’t trade for anybody. … But you avoided my question. What's the difference between why are these guys struggling to play a 4-3 versus a 3-4? I don't get it.

Leroy Butler: Well, the sacks aren't there. It is an adjustment, just like when we moved from a 3-4 to a 4-3 when Fritz (Shurmer) got here. It took us awhile to get it going and then, all of a sudden, Fritz never really wanted to pressure. He was a four-man rush guy and it took us awhile, but we had grown-ups. This is young guys. So it's going to take awhile because it's a whole different playbook. And most of these guys were under the playbook of the last coordinator. But the raw talent, you thought you would see more of that and, seeing that the Bears gave up nine sacks, maybe this is the week to do it. But if you don't do it against the Bears, there's going to be some concerns there because you're going have to do pressure all the time. So I think to really answer the question is it’s up to the guy individually, Tom. You can have your hand in the ground or you can stand up, just get the job done. I'm sure that's what they’re telling them. Let's assume (Jeff) Hafley said I want everybody's hand in the dirt. Just assume he said that. Let's assume he said, OK, I want my two ends standing up. It doesn't matter at this point. We’re 6-3. If you got a one on one, you got to beat it.

Tom Silverstein: And he's tried to create one on ones by having those linebackers mug up, you know, Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker. Part of that is to get rush from them, but also it's to create one on one on the outside and when those guys get those, if they win ... I also wonder if we'll see and I'm interested in talking to him about this, if we'll see him widen the guys out a little bit. You know, in the 4-3, they got to be a little wider so they could use a little bit more of the field. And the 3-4, they’re a little more compact. I don't know. You think that's a factor at all.

Leroy Butler: I think it's a great point. I like when you come up with new things to challenge me. Because it gives you a better angle because that's what Big Reggie White, he went to Fritz and Larry Brooks. (I’d) like to be a little bit wider and get a better angle. Then teams start running the ball in out C gap and so it put stress on our linebackers. But when they threw the ball, Reggie was just tearing them up. Because they hadn't seen it.

Tom Silverstein: Well it gave him that outside, you have to protect the outside, and then he came back inside on you and threw you like a rag doll. But of course not everybody can do that.

Leroy Butler: But it creates a two-way goal. So to your point, maybe they should try that.

Tom Silverstein: You know, maybe it's harder to double them if they’re wider. I don't know.

Leroy Butler: I know one thing you just brought up. Man, you're smart. It'll take away the chip. Because they're like, wait a minute, normally he's inside of me, now he’s outside the tight end. So that tight end turns to chip and whoever has the tight end, man on man, you can go to the quarterback. We did a lot of that stuff.

On the state of the Chicago Bears, their rookie quarterback and a new play-caller

Tom Silverstein: We can start to look ahead and we're looking at the Bears, you mentioned the Bears. Poor Caleb Williams has been sacked 15 times the last two games. I think he's on pace to be sacked like 62 times.

Leroy Butler: Yeah, I think he’s at 38 right now.

Tom Silverstein: And it's just, you know, embarrassing. Now they give up nine sacks against the Patriots. That's bad. Doesn't matter who you're starting. But they were missing their two tackles and they lost their left guard, Tevin Jenkins. Here's what I want to know from you is, OK they fired their offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, Tuesday morning. And now they bring in another guy who was a little bit of a Sean McVay disciple, he was under Sean McVay. What does Hafley do, you know, can they change their offense that dramatically in one week?

Leroy Butler: No, it’s baked in the cake. If he tried to change something with a young quarterback, it's a disaster. But he's also probably, you'll get that new-coach bump, though. New voice. Maybe he'll let you express a little bit what you want to do. So yeah it'll be a little bump. Same thing happened with the Saints with their interim coach. So you see a lot of coaches been firing coordinators because they're trying to shake it up. And yes, sometimes … I don't like in-season firings. I really don't. I think it's a commitment. There’s a loyalty to it because you just can't blame a guy. Florida State did the same thing, they got rid of a couple of coordinators, wide receivers coach and they’re 1-9. You basically telling people it was their fault. And you only had two games left Florida State. Keep those guys and show some loyalty. So instead of I think firing him, switch up something in the system.

Tom Silverstein: To keep him and then maybe have someone else to call plays?

Leroy Butler: Exactly. Let the coordinator manage, and let this guy call the plays. But for Caleb, they started at 4-2. They’re thinking, OK, he's the guy. But coaches, as players, we have our weaknesses. They’re stuck in their ways. Run the football. If a quarterback is not … you’re playing New England. A rookie. They got a rookie Drake Maye. Run the ball, run the football and just kind of manage the game.

On what the Packers have to do to have a successful second half

Tom Silverstein: What do the Packers have to do the second half?

Leroy Butler: Got to be aggressive on defense. Moving forward, got to be aggressive.

You have to, Tom. You got to be the same way New England was doing, the same thing that Minnesota does. Whether Jaire (Alexander) is playing and not. Now, I’m praying my nephew was healthy. 33. Evan Williams. Because it's a difference without him in. With him, boy, they're strong. Without him, there's some spots you can get plays. But if you get everybody healthy, you got to start challenging these teams. And don't … because he's a rookie quarterback and … I mean you can change it up, but moving forward, you got to be aggressive. I don't think I ever say this: Aggressive on defense, conservative on offense. Can't be both. Can't be both. Jordan can't throw it 35 times … in the 20s. Higher percentage, No turnovers. Run Josh Jacobs until his tongue is on the ground and then run 31 (Emanuel Wilson) out there or 30 (Chris Brooks) out there. Mix it up. And when he gets some water, get him back in there because all the play action is wide open after that. But you can't outscore people anymore. It’s not that year. We had to because when we were, what, 2-5, I think last year and we went on that run, Jordan was 18 touchdowns, one interception. We had to force the issue. But now, all the chips should be out there to watch on Sunday.

Tom Silverstein: I usually don't agree with you on that kind of stuff. Usually, I'm all passing, take advantage of Jordan Love. But I think you're right. I think Josh Jacobs has to be the centerpiece of the offense. And, you know, they proved they can run with Malik Willis. They can run with Jordan Love, too. And they proved that as well. So, you know, they got to get that play-action game going. And stop being so centered around him all the time.

Leroy Butler: Yeah. Especially if Josh Myers is not healthy.

Tom Silverstein: That's going to be up in the air this week. I don't know. I saw him in the locker room, but, you know, you won't know until Wednesday if he's coming back. They should be getting MarShawn Lloyd back pretty soon. I don't know if that's a factor at all. You know, they could use the speed.

Leroy Butler: But then you have four running backs up. Somebody’s gonna get deactivated if he’s up.

Tom Silverstein: Right. Then you have to figure out what you’re going to do. But, you know, other than that, they're, you know, they got to get Jared Alexander back. That's huge and Evan Williams, like you said.

Leroy Butler: I think you got to have 33 (Williams) back more than 23 (Alexander) because, down the stretch, the safety's very important.

Tom Silverstein: Yeah, well, it allows you to bring Bullard down in the box. And that's where he needs to be.

Leroy Butler: Yes, he definitely needs to be there. I would keep 25 (Keisean Nixon) at corner, and bring 20 (Bullard) down in the slot, 33 (Williams) and 29 (Xavier McKinney). I feel great. Seven (Walker) and 56 (Cooper) are my nickel backs. Base (defense) 58’s (Isaiah McDuffie) in there. But they're going to rotate it in and they need to bring in some packages to get 52 (Rashan Gary) on the inside. He's one of the guys in the A gaps coming and you can maybe drop a linebacker, too. We got to free up, run some picks for 52 to get at after it. I don't know who's going to be the starter, but I think 55 (Enagbare) will be the starter since 91 (Preston Smith) is gone. But I want to see something different Sunday. I want to see something different and aggressive.

Packers mailbag:Pete Dougherty answers reader questions on the Bears' Caleb Williams, Dontayvion Wicks' drops

Tom Silverstein: You know what's interesting, and this will get going after this one, but think about what's the difference between their defense last year and their defense this year. OK, Hafley’s there. Numbers are pretty similar. What's different is Xavier McKinney is playing his butt off.

Leroy Butler: Yeah, he's like a midseason All-Pro.

Tom Silverstein: Evan Williams, you mentioned, added a lot. Javon Bullard has added a lot. Edgerrin Cooper. Those four guys they brought in are making a big difference on defense. And when you want to talk about scheme and personnel, personnel matters more than scheme. You know, when you've got guys who can play, it makes you look really good. And they have four guys there who should be, you know, the crux of their defense for a long time.