The Packers’ annual tailgate tour started this week, and Blake Martinez is one of several players going on tour with the Packers throughout Wisconsin, connecting with Packers fans wherever they happen to be.

Prior to departing for that tour, Martinez had some interesting remarks about the state of the Packers’ defense. As reported on PackersNews.com, Martinez spoke about a recent conversation he had with defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who reached out to Martinez shortly after he was hired by the Packers.

The pair spoke about accountability on defense, and Martinez said it’s going to be a big deal for the Packers this year:

“Just his need and want of having organization throughout every single part, making sure there’s no mental errors, no missed assignments, any of that,” Martinez said. “He was going to be strict on it. He wasn’t going to let anything fly, if you’re a Pro Bowler or a rookie coming in. I think that was kind of the cool stance hearing from him and talking to him about that because that was one of my things that I wanted to voice my opinion on, just making sure everyone is on the right page at the right time and nothing is confused.”

Reporter Michael Cohen uses this quote as an illustration of a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Packers players with the accountability structures on the Packers defense last year.

I don’t know if I fully buy that line of thinking, but I think it is interesting to hear Martinez talk this way, especially because it sounds like he’s going to be the guy wearing the communications helmet for the Packers’ defense next year, which he did a little bit as a rookie.

Cohen goes on to describe how Martinez’s is preparing for that responsibility:

Wearing the green dot on his helmet means Martinez will be responsible for relaying play calls from Pettine to his teammates and clarifying any pre-snap confusion. To prepare himself, Martinez said he will approach this year’s organized team activities and minicamp the same way he approached his rookie season: with four to five hours of studying every night to learn the entirety of the playbook for all 11 positions.

If you're a Packers fan of any stripe, but especially those that like to mythologize players a little bit and talk about their study habits and their grit and desire, this has to be music to your ears. This is something that you should be excited about: somebody willing to do whatever it takes to do his job for the team.

I think Martinez is as good of a player to be excited about on the Packers as anyone. He’s going to play a big role in the defense next year. He’s still a young guy finding his way in the league, so you can watch him grow. He performed at a high-level last year when he was given more opportunities.

Plus, he also has some fun off the field hobbies. He’s a big video game guy and loves to stream his play sessions and interact with people on the internet and just have a good time.

What’s not to like? It’s fun to see him grow, and it’ll be fun to see him in Mike Pettine’s defense this fall.  

This post is an adapted transcript of the most recent episode of Blue 58, a Packers podcast from The Power Sweep. Listen to the full episode below, and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, CastBox and more to stay on top of the best in Packers news and analysis.