2022 Free Agency Frenzy Day 4: Orson Welles in Decline

March Madness, and uh, that's fun. And usually, uh, this is a situation where I go out to a local tavern and I have a couple of drinks. I'll have a couple of beers, maybe Daddy has a Tito's. I watch college hoops in the sunshine day drinking can't beat it. And yet Deshaun Watson, as his his way, ruined everything. As if we need another reason, um to be annoyed Uh by this man. Yes, um, And he stopped Dan from going to third person and calling himself Daddy in

the sun all day. He didn't stop me. He didn't stop good. Okay, that's no. But we waited out the big announcement. It never came, uh, and the latest reporting is that it might not come until the weekend or perhaps after that. But I have a theory about that, by the way, the old you know, the famous Friday bad news dump, that there's a team out there that understands they're gonna get savaged for this, so they're gonna, like, let's say, about five o'clock Eastern tomorrow is when it drops.

That's a theory that I'm working under right now. I know they're saying through the weekend, but how about the most epic Friday bad news drop of all time. Don't think that will save them from being savaged. But but I think that your theory, um is it is on point um if anything, they like, a team is going to have to try to minimize this to some degree. But I don't think there's there is so much annoyance or maybe I'm just projecting that he had this whole

situation hijacked my day too. By the way, I also, um don't mind going out on St. Patrick's Day and watching basketball and having to beer. It's it's it extends beyond just famously loves the n s to one groaned more from everyone else in the news room enjoying the basketball games than mark that part of it, that that part of it does not exist. But I mean the idea that this entire day was hijacked by this situation, um is appalling to me. Yeah, here's the good news.

I'm gonna try to spin it forward. Here, maybe a little luck of the Irish that by waiting it out, we ended up getting another massive trade that we get to talk about. So we told you four shows were coming if we had a reason to do a fourth show, so you might be if you're in a different part of the world, you wake up to this show and that's nice. Or if you're a night owl like Cessler who doesn't sleep. Uh, he's a borderline vampire. Hot vampire, I'll say, but a vampire. You get to enjoy this

in the middle of the night. But we're gonna talk about big news, a massive trade of a superstar wide receiver, the latest with the Cleveland Browns mark, a future Hall of Famer going from Los Angeles to Western New York. Let's get into it. Let's start with the Davante Adams trade. How about that hot vampire mark A little nicet compliment to throw you. Really, that's one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me. So I need it. You need it today, buddy, So I'm gonna I'm gonna

be nice. You know, I want a photoshop either from you know, our excellent or or a listener. You know. It is late. I don't know if Randy's gonna be able to knock this photo shop out in time. But uh yeah, like maybe Mark is the next Twilight guy. Yeah, Pattinson's had his run. Mark, Well, I would say the only if you are very skilled at photoshop. I don't want like a C minus version of this if you

are well your following for mid forties guys. Yeah, like Shabez has been knocking out of the park with his photoshop skills. But no, like Pattinson of course is the new Batman and that movie is apparently very good. I'm gonna check that one out. So he's moved out of that phase of stardom. So we do need a new mattinee Idol for the team set. So maybe it is you Mark. Yeah, definitely get a tired forty eight year old who couldn't be more you know, worn out by

the by terror firmative. So we're gonna do We're gonna give you the fangs and then we're gonna do the you know, the irishman speaking st. Patrick's day, the Scorsese movie where they d aged Peshi and De Niro. We're gonna d age the out of you and we're gonna get you down to about seventeen years old. Even need to look at this smooth No, he looks great as he's a hot vampire right now. But I'm saying, if we want him to, you know, accurately, take the mattinee idol.

We got it. We got a d agent about thirty to thirty years A little bit of work, yes, something you know to the Packers have a little bit of work to do to rebuild their wide receiver room. After the stunning I'll go stunning, and I think you guys will agree. Announcement um or news that Davante Adams is being sent to the Raiders in exchange for a first

round pick and a second round pick in the NFL draft. Okay, so right after that deal goes through, Adams, who was on the franchise tag, made it clear to Green Bay he was not interested in playing other franchise tag. He signed a new five year, one forty one point to five million dollar contract with the Raiders. That makes him the highest paid wide out in the league. By the way, that's not even the craziest contract I've heard in the last forty eight hours. We'll get to that in a

little bit anyway. A massive deal for Adams, who statistically you could say who you love with more from a skill set. Uh standpoint, but Adams has been better than anybody in football for close to a decade now, and now, at age nine, he leaves Aaron Rodgers and Greg he leaves my choice, it was the Packers were willing to pony up the money, but reportedly he wanted to play with Derek Carr instead. Bombshells galore here. It's it's crazy.

I'm like always looking for the story behind the story, and wow, he's wanting to leave Aaron Rodgers and wants to leave like a very successful situation. But he did play with Derek Carr. He's boys with Derek Carr, and he how has a house in Las Vegas, Mark pointed out to me before the show, So that does make sense. He's a young man um and which place sounds a little more fun to to live in. I would go with Last Vegas probably, and he would probably agree with it.

His ties there, But it is you want to go to the gambling. It's just crazy because he's at his peak. And I mean they got fair enough value for him. A one and two. That's for a wide receiver that doesn't happen. Uh that that's that's fair, and they clear up some cap space. But it's incredible to me that Aaron Rodgers is returning to a team right now that has Alan Lazard as their number one. I think I think he's restricted, but he'll he'll be back. Valdes Scantling

is a free agent. Now you've freed up some money if you do want to bring him back. They did bring back Randall Cobb. Amari Rodgers is is sticking around, and this team that we kind of assumed was gonna be the one b to the rams favorite in the NFC just took a big hit. This is not just any other receiver. It's not Greg Jennings leaving. It's not Donald Driver at you know at some point uh leaving Like this is Davante dam is the best receiver in the league, and the the effects around it. I find

are as stunning as the move itself. That while Aaron Rodgers was negotiating his contract that he knew, according to our reporting from Ian Rapp Report, that Davante Adams would never play again for the team, and despite what he talked about and said about Davante Adams on the Pat McAfee show just a couple of weeks ago, that he knew that, and that Davante Adams was offered an equal contract by Green Bay and decided, nope, I'd rather go play with Derek Carr, who I think everyone on Earth

can agree is a good quarterback, but obviously a lesser offering than Aaron Rodgers. And the Packers. Suddenly this whole off season plan that seemed to have after so much drama, crescendo into a scenario where they are, as Greg said, the one B to the NFC Darlings. Now they look lost to me, I mean they lost because even with Davanta Adams they couldn't win playoff games. I'm not ready

to count out the Packers. And this is why, because you could there's a lot of things you could say about what Brian Goodacuns has done in recent years to build that team into a contender. But the one position group where he always kind of skated by on, it seems,

was wide receiver. And it was Davante Adams, this all world producer who had this great bond with Rogers, and they just put up enough production to count for two receivers, and then that made up for a back end of the wide receiver group that was always hit or miss. I mean, whether it was MBS or Alan Lazard, you name the guy in there, and there's been a lot

of forgettable players. Maybe the Packers and Goodakuns see this as an opportunity to pivot and change how they're setting up this offense, and maybe you bring in some guys that are There's we were talking about before the show, that Jarvis Landry is out there, You have O'Dell out there. Especially with Allen Robinson now finding a home in Los Angeles, you have now an extra first round pick. Maybe you bring in a wide receiver you're in love with, and

all of a sudden have a nice balanced unit. It's still though, even playing it positive, there a massive roll of the dice for a team that's in win now mode. It is, but I I love this draft class. You know, according to Dania Jeremiah, everyone else, and at the wide receiver position, you know, they're still Packers fans that think, look, if we had drafted te Higgins instead of Jordan's Love,

we might have won some of those playoff games. But you can, you can make up for Adams has lost somewhat with with a draft picker two and in free agency and quarterbacks make receivers. Davante Adams is special, but the numbers are crazy. He's making twenty eight million dollars a year, which doesn't just reset the wide receiver market,

it's just like it's it's on another planet. Now. None of the guaranteed money as of our taping has been reporting, which is usually very telling, and that it's gonna be heavily backloaded. It'll probably be a more like a three year deal, and we'll have to see where the guarantees are. Maybe it's like a three for sixty six and he's making twenty two per Either way, that's like a ton for a wide receiver, and they want to put it elsewhere. But it's really county on Aaron Rodgers to make the

players around him better. And for Derek Carr It's just like, it's amazing. I just yeah, now we know Derek Carr is not going anywhere, right. I guess if there was any doubt um in anyone's mind, it would seem in saying that Derek Carr could be available now. And that's just like incredibly fun offseason that the Raiders have had

under Josh McDaniel. Surprisingly that you bring in Chandler Jones, uh, and you bring in Davante Adams, very Unbill Belichick like, and this a f C West just seems insanely loaded right now. I love it. I love what the Raiders did here because you could you could have looked at what's going on with the Chargers and of course the Broncos now with Russell Wilson and of course the Chiefs, who are an absolute superpower, and and they could have said, well, maybe we sit this out for a couple of years.

This is this division is too hot, and we might be better off reloading and then you know, trying to rise up in a few years. But instead they've gone the other direction and saying we could do it too, we can rise up, we could become a superpower. And it's just yeah, I can't remember a year where you go into the season and you're like, man, this division, when you look at the whole division top to bottom, is gonna be so fun to watch all those division matchups.

Division so so not like crazy. The NFC West maybe isn't quite as loaded as it was a year ago, but those matchups are gonna be all over prime time too. Those are awesome. All right, let's move on the Raiders. We're a super Bowl contender. That's what they're saying. Whether you believe it or not. There's about twelve of them in the last Yet going into the season, the Browns

fashion themselves a super Bowl contender. It didn't work out, obviously, and now here we are in a very sticky situation at quarterback because we talked about it on yesterday's show with Baker his goodbye Instagram. Then it becomes public the Browns are after Deshaun Watson. There in the sweep steaks,

Deshaun says thanks, I'm cool. And then today's events, uh, we learned that Baker Mayfield has requested a trade after NFL Networks Mike Garafolo reported the Browns still view Baker is their starter, and Baker refused and offered to meet with Brown's Bet Brass after the Deshaun Watson situation. So now the Browns are saying we don't want to trade you. We're refusing the request. Baker saying, get me out of here. Josina Anderson reports the Seahawks have discussed exploring a trade

for Baker Mayfield. That makes a lot of sense and Mark at the end of the day, this feels very sloppy and unhinge, just like we kind of predicted yesterday. Right, if you're the Cleveland Browns, you're right back in the mess. You're right back where you were for so long. And I and I and I am hearing from so many different Browns fans that you know, we all get that Andrew Berry is a skilled general manager. I that I

don't doubt, but that no, don't worry. He's got a plan a plan B, a plan C, and a plan D. But there aren't a B, C and D options here. I mean, I guess at some point, um, you know you've done this with Baker Mayfield. You've handled this in a sloppy fashion. And here's the thing. Everyone's like, oh, well, that you know that, why isn't he acting like Matt Ryan, and you know, calmly and placidly just accepting that they were recording a different quarterback and maybe he'll start or not. Well,

we all know who Baker Mayfield is like. He operates off of grudges, off of slights. I mean, I operate that way, don't Some of us operate that way at times, like you're fueled by certain things. We know that about him. He wasn't gonna towards right now over the I am spiteful towards roughly fifty six or fifty seven people, slash operations, slash movements. I'm very annoyed at the moment. This whole thing to me is huge mess and there's no great way out of this. There's no great way out. I don't.

I don't think if you're a Browns fan you're that excited about the fact that you're going to maybe have to slide in Jimmy g who can't throw until July UM or Matt Ryan, who's got another year or two left. It's a mess, and in this team that did have it in theory. In theory, by the way, a Super Bowl window um not in reality, it is shutting. It is shutting by the minute. They have positional needs all

over the place. They've botched a quest for the most important position in sports, They've disenfranchised half their fan base, and they're coming out of it acting like they're smarter than everyone. No, you're not. Well. I think going after Watson is is the cardinal sin here and failing to failing quickly. You know, they ultimately were the first team knocked out of it. Well, we'll talk Watson, but it's down to two there. It sounds like the Panthers are

out of it too. But I was so surprised by the report that they were willing and wanted to send the team down. Weirdly, in all this, that was the most surprising thing that I couldn't quite like fit my

narrative into. Because my narrative is that they do that meeting with DeShawn Watson, eyes wide open, understanding what Baker Mayfield could feel and how he could react, understanding the landscaped of quarterbacks that are out there, and you might not get Deshaun Watson and walking into that notion thinking

we're fine if we don't have Baker Mayfield. In fact, we don't really expect to keep Baker Mayfield and then even when Mike Garafolo immediately reported that they said, no, that's cool, we don't want to We're not gonna trade you. We're not gonna honor your request. Even that I could kind of explain like, well, that makes sense because you want to be the one that's in control here. Um. Scott Pioli was on NFL Network talking about it, saying

like they want to hold the leverage. They you know, they want to calm the situation down as much as possible, And even in a scenari areo where they're fully anticipating that he gets traded, that's sort of the move in the moment because they're just trying to calm this down. It doesn't it doesn't help anything to be like, Okay, now he's he's up for grabs, let's do that for

let's do that behind closed doors. But the idea that they were going to send the plane with Jimmy haslm on it over to like kiss the ring of Baker. That that confuses me, and that makes me think they have played this poorly and that they do kind of want to have keep Baker instead of what's behind door

number two. I'm confused, But that aspect of it really makes you wonder, like how they are handling the personal side of it, because if they just kind of had the door closed Baker and their treatium a little poorly, like that makes more sense to me than what's going on right now. I agree, because I think it's, like, Mark, what you said, part of this knowing who your people are and knowing what you're the personality type of your quarterback.

One of the reasons why he's found its success is that chip on his shoulder and how he takes lights personally. And to think that you could kind of get the toothpaste back in the tube here, I just think it's naive. And you know, at this point it's too far gone. And I think we wondered yesterday what happens if Watson says no. And I don't think anybody can be surprised

that Watson isn't choosing the Cleveland Browns. There's been so much um connecting him to wanting to be in the South or closer to where he grew up, like Cleveland, Ohio never felt like a Deshaun Watson destination, And now they're left scrambling back to Baker potentially and that's that's just probably not gonna take. So they have put themselves in a very awkward position and now we have to see how they can try to to fix this, because

it's not gonna be easy to fix. Mart I don't think it's it's fixed this year, no matter what I mean. It's look, you're going, you're whatever happens the scenario that unfolds and what we're witnessing come, you know, Week one will be the the far drastically lesser option of what theyreampt up. Whoever is, whoever they is, because I think number one, this is my theory that the adult in the room comment came from the highest possible source in

the Browns building. I think it came from ownership, and it probably put the front office and the rest of this crew into a scenario they didn't love, because that's not been their m O. There hasn't been a lot of whispers and chatter and negative talk coming out of the Andrew Barry front office. It's been the opposite, and I think we all understood that this relationship was fractured, but there weren't a lot of whisper campaigns and negative

reports until that happened, and that pivoted everything. And I think if no matter what they came to an agreement with with Baker Mayfield saying we're gonna look for maybe one guy or two guys out there and Aaron Rodgers, figure Russell Wilson and if Baker, I still don't think that would have sat well with him. But then to hear these reports come out about he's not an adult, he's not this, or that the relationship was too far gone. So whatever their plan B was does not exist now.

And I don't think we're looking around the league. The cults know this, other team to know this. There is no great plan B. So now you're the team in the a f C North going into the season with the plan you didn't plan to have, and you're probably gonna get fractured for it even further than we see today. You know. I like their roster though, I like their offensive line, that like the running backs. I like their defense. For the most part, I don't think they're too far gone.

I think if you just pick a quarterback that's out there, Jimmy g Jamis whatever, I don't think it's that different than Baker Mayfield in terms of their outlook. Yeah, it's probably a borderline playoff team, like you're not You're probably not winning the super Bowl. But I don't think it's that different than Baker, And I actually do think Baker still has value if Carson Wentz can get two third

round picks. I just I just don't buy that Baker doesn't have value here from a team like Seattle, and that maybe maybe some of this putting the toothpaste back on the tube is just trying to set this up because it might not happen until the draft. We might be talking about this for a while. Who knows, maybe someone does act quickly. Uh. You know, the teams that make the most sense are Seattle, uh, Carolina and Indianapolis in theory. For some reason, I don't see Indianapolis as much.

But I think Seattle and Carolina could be motivated to do that, and they need quarterbacks badly. They're they're desperate, And if Wentz is worth two thirds, I guess you can't just build off of that like bicker may Fields, where the second round pick isn't he And unless the Browns are trying to like extract blood from a stone here, they're not getting to first. They're not getting one first

for Baker Mayfield. But if they're just ready to like say goodbye and see what's behind door number two, I think they can get a pick for him. And I kind of think that's what will happen eventually, maybe the Jets Darnald deal, something like that. And if I'm gonna be I'm gonna be seeing this through a more negative lens or a more frustrated lens than than the next person.

But um, even if they have a good roster, there's no question that they're gonna go into the season with a fair roster and a half baked quarterback in in in the a f C and this a f C, the NFC, you're fine. You probably grab a playoff spot with that in this a f C. Check you later. And by the way, like an uninspiring entrance into the season, there's nothing. The energy that was good around this team is gone, and for in my heart, it's gone. I don't have Mari Cooper, you got that. I don't care.

I think Baker is a little bit of a half baked quarterback. That's just my like a value of Baker nailed it, you know, just he is. I think he's limited browns or whoever it might be trying to smear Baker out the door for being petulant and a brat. It's like, no, bro, I'm telling you, this is who he was. He always was this guy. So I think it's a little unfair to say because he's not doing the Jimmy Garoppolo thing makes him a bad guy here. I think that there could be some pr assassination attempts

going on with Baker. Mark. I do always I've known you for years, well over a decade now, and I do always use your Twitter as a way to get behind those blue eyes. And um, I just want to share a tweet that you sent. I guess it was yesterday. My day won't be shaped by you know what. I'm not capable. I'm not worthy of reading this tweet, but I do know somebody who is. My day won't be shaped by Brown's news ever. Again, total x GF material. Go figure it out for yourself. Keep scorching the earth.

My life is new. I am Zumwalt. Yeah, Jason Zumwalt. Wow. Um, that was today. That was mere hours ago. This has been the longest football filled day of my entire life. I am done with the Cleveland Browns and I'm not trying to be a drama queen. I'm not like. I simply come to this comfortable conclusion and some of my tweets are just my way to indicate that that I am out on this. It's like another tweet from today. Yeah, I fell for the Browns when I was young. I

am not young anymore. Is that a real tweet? That's amazing, Yes, that's a real tweet. It's been a long it's been. I've been following this team for you know, three and a half decades, and I honestly think that I have just come to a comfortable place where I am watching them sail off into the distance and I feel totally

at peace with it. It's just not I know, it's like, oh, I keep it, Oh, you'll be back in week two when they're one and one, like I'll be here covering football, but I won't be I won't be the same person. Like it's it's changed and I can't explain it. I

just don't need to anymore. I I know you well enough, Mark, and I know obviously the history of the Browns and especially the last five years of the Browns, and at a much lesser level with Sam Donald, I connect with you that you he was identified, he's the guy like he was the one that's going to take you out of the darkness, and now that it's ending like the same old, same old, it's just like that. I understand that makes it hurt even more. But and I can't.

I'm not saying this antagonize you. UM, I don't believe you. You will be back because they are you and you are them. I think Nick Wesling tweeted at you and reply like it's too late that you can't get out, and that's I think that's right. Unfortunately, the same reason I'm wearing a jet shirt and they they're about fifty games under five hundred over the last five years. There's no way out. Once you're in, You're in. Time will tell. Let's say I do believe you? Wait, can we? Um?

There's no more tweets right, um to be because I think one tweet to me personally described it described the day more better than any So I'm just going to read that one hashtag female assassin. Look, I hit my I hit my wall. When I tweeted that, I just I hit my wall because it's like, I don't even know what I'm watching or seeing at this point anymore. Put it this way, Greg, if I had not been in contact with Jason, if I was in contact with Jason after that tweet was sent, I would have that.

But but I do have this, and then we're gonna take a break item kind of over it. We'll be right back, all right. We are back a lot to get to. Still no news on Deshaun Watson, at least where he's playing. For sure, I still predict a nice Friday four pm Eastern news dump. But for the for the here and now on seven thirty on the West coast, we know this. The Browns, as we said, are out. The Panthers officially informed that they are out of the

trade mix for Deshaun Watson. Seattle previously was ruled out, so that leaves it down to two bitter petty NFC South rivals, the Falcons and the Panthers. The Panthers obviously have been quarterback purgatory UH for years now. UM Sam Donald has not worked out, Teddy Bridgewater didn't work out. We know the coaching staff there desperately needs an upgraded quarterback to stay alive beyond UH, so they need Watson

the Saints, a team perpetually in salary cap hell. Obviously, Drew Brees gone, Taysom Hill, Jamis Winston mixed results last year, and now they have an opportunity to start over. They've been clearing cap space like mad uh and they are both waiting for the decision. It's all kind of gross, obviously, but this is where we are in a football place, both teams begging for the phone to ring and DeShawn Watson or his agent to say your mind, Yeah, it's gross.

I was sitting in the newsroom today and it was like different reporters were hearing different things. Like some people thought Atlanta is the one he grew up. Outside of Atlanta, he has this connection to work done who was probably in the meeting when he when he met the the Falcons, his agent. There's ties there with his players and the agent and and there's that. And then there's the Saints, who reportedly had a second meeting in which the owner

Gayle Benson, was involved. A second meeting would would seem to indicate that that would be a step ahead for for them, and they're doing it's just crazy that they're doing all this begging. Supposedly the trade terms have roughly been agreed to, but they might have to work out the particulars and that could take some time. But it is confusing that our our network said it was coming today.

At one point they said it's it's expected today, it's expected imminently, and then they change it to today, and now we're looking at the weekend, which UH could support your theory Dan about that it that it would would drop UH. And it's just crazy because I think there's huge segments of both fan bases we know, the same sence that don't want them. So it's almost like they're hoping to lose. Some of the fans are hoping not

to get them. The fan the team is hoping to win, and it's gonna be I think, very difficult for the team to thread the needle of like you know, celebrating in theory, bringing in this guy who still has an answer for all of his civil accusation and still will be facing that and from everyone that we know who's connected in the league is still expecting a suspension, I

mean lengthy suspension is expected. I mean contrasted to the fact that we you know, humorously and UH with a sense of enjoyment watched the Russell Wilson opening press conference, which was, um, if nothing nothing less than a massive celebration for Broncos and Broncos fans. Um. You know, I I know some Broncos fans that talked about it being one of the best days they've had in years supporting

that team. How do you even have an opening press conference with the Shawn Watson when he finally lands something well gotten surprised across every step of the process, how the NFL has handled this, how these teams are handling this. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a huge blowout

press conference either. Whoever this goes with just because just like like, honestly, I this talk that these teams want to meet Deshaun Watson face to face and the the idea that they're gonna be hard, questions asked, Hell no, it's the teams are basically genuflecting at the man and saying, please come join me. Um. Not basing this on any

inside reporting. Reported that, and he said he's felt the love and it's he said to him from his from Watson's perspective, that it felt good after this last year that all these people are showing him the love. They Athletic also reported that they didn't ask uh, they haven't spoken to the lawyer of the civil suits at all. They haven't doing any investigating on their own on in

that way. Well and Greg greg on NFL Network today, I thought you you stated it perfectly about the whole situation, where it's there's this sense that it's let's go and press Deshaun Watson and and the Falcons. You know, there was a there was a reporting that the Falcons especially have embraced Deshaun Watson, have had people come out of

the organizational woodwork to show him support. So it's exactly the opposite of how do we turn around, pivot explain this to the large portion of fans that are going to not want this result. Um, they're gonna feel, you know, not listen to disenfranchised. It is as messy a massive, giant trade as the NFL has ever had. I don't know how they're going to handle it, but I would assume they're going to handle it poorly because this has been handled poorly, like a poison over everything from stepe A.

They're giving up three first round picks. Reportedly that every everything that's gone on apparently hasn't changed the trade terms at all. So if you're you're an Atlanta Falcons team, take a look at that roster and then you give away three first round picks and you have Deshaun Watson. To me, that is a recipe for disaster, uh and disappointment, and certainly in the short term. He was a ball boy for the Falcons once upon a time, he was a high school star UM at Georgia UM. So there

is some obviously real ties there. Arthur Blank, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, is quite fond of the show Watson, so there might be that pull. But you're right, I feel like that is like if he wants to be back where he was with the Texans, trying to do it all and and running for his life and taking a beating and hanging in the pocket and putting up good numbers for a nine and eight team, go ahead to Atlanta. The Santis make a lot of more, a lot more sense. And if I had a guest, I

think that's where he ends up. But nobody knows. Nobody knows. All right, let's get to other news. Western New York mentioned it. Von Miller now plays for the Bills. All right, now, Greg, you are a this is Greg season. It's Greggy season. We all know that, so you're gonna help make sense of this to me that von Miller, formerly of the Rams, now signed a six year, one and twenty million dollar

contract with the Bills. This is a soon to be thirty three year old defender who appeared to be in declined before the trade to Los Angeles, and then he went off and was a stud in the playoffs. And I know Greg that there are dumby years and the guaranteed money is only uh so much. But at the same time, when you look at all these other deals that we're seeing around the league of the last few days, we're not seeing six for one twenty. So how did

Jon Miller get it? Well, they by wanting it to be this big number and helping the Bills spread out the money because first of all, it's max value one twenty. I don't know what the base is, but there's a lot of incentives in there. It's really two for thirty two, Like it's crazy. It took me a while to get to see the details, but it's thirty two guaranteed. If this year didn't go well for instance, it would be two for thirty two. They'd be on the hook for

thirty two over two years. It's probably three for fifty three, which is, you know, almost eighteen million dollars a year for von Miller at that age. But also it's basically what Chandler Jones made, right, and uh, it's not too different from what Harold Landry made. The difference with him and Jones, I think is he's probably getting that third

year unless this season goes really poorly. But it's basically three for fifty three, and that is a huge risk, maybe even a bigger risk than the Rams took when they get of up two picks for him. The Rams certainly don't regret that trade that, but I do think they regret losing von Miller. I think they extended pretty far to try to keep him well. I think they're the rams whole offseason plan was obviously no bring everyone back, and there oh for one at this point and it doesn't.

It doesn't seem like they're bringing Odell Beckham back either, But we're fine. We'll get into why that, why that probably won't happen. If you're the Bills, you're hoping that, you know, Denver and uh moving on from from von Miller, who has essentially become like a hired gun and a bounty hunter. At this point, Um is going to be coming to the third team that is in a super Bowl window and do what he did for the Rams. He was They would not have won a super Bowl

without him. I mean, what was it four sacks in the postseason? I think five over his final eight games in the regular season with Los Angeles. He was a perfect fit. They needed pass rushing help in the in the biggest way. Um, I think he fits in this. I trust Sean McDermott as the head coach to get the most out of him. I just liked the idea and the whole vibe of it. We'll see if he how long this lasts for him, because I don't trust that he's got five or six years left, but does

he have one? Like all they need to do is go win a Super Bowl and they are legit in that window. They're not deceiving themselves on that front, and so that's when you go add someone like von Miller. We'll see if it works out. You could you could feel it the desperation of Buffalo and what I mean desperation is a bad thing necessarily, but just we know how close we are. It's insane that we lost that game in Kansas City. We are an unbelievably strong team.

There is no reason why we can't get over the hump. If the Rams and Bengals are playing in the Super Bowl, we gotta do this. So we're gonna give out this crazy contract because it's all about the next year or two. So I get it. Uh, and I don't, And I don't Sagrin von Miller. It seems like a fun football journey he's on. He he made a career in a Hall of Fame career in Denver, want to Ring, had a highly memorable Super Bowl MVP performance and Super Bowl fifty.

The Rams trade could not have gone better for both sides. And now he's going to be in one of the great uh and terms of fan bases and vibes for a loaded team. Again, he's doing the thing. He's on the football journey. It's cool. I mean, he could be the first. I don't think anyone's ever won three Super Bowls with three different teams. Someone could check that for him. Maybe that's maybe that's wrong, but I don't think that's happen. I also love like they they're giving up a lot

and it's it's risky. It is like kind of an all in move. But I think if you look at it in the context of the other things they've done this offseason. Okay, they signed Tim Settle, who's this kind of underrated guy from Washington day Kwon Jones, another underrated guy from uh Tennessee for low money. Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, who both have been making a lot of money, are off the books there. They're free agents, and they got a lot of production out of those guys. And

those guys are older than Von Miller. I mean they got production out of them, thirty four, thirty five years old. I like what they did. They got Roger Saffold, another Titans guy, they bright, and they brought back Isaiah mackenzie and they cut Cole Beasley today. I like that. So it's all these like cheap, smart Billsy type moves, and they make so many smart, cheap Billsy types move that I think you can let yourself splurge a little bit with a guy like like von Miller. They'll make it work.

Justin before you jump in, I want to make a rule, um, because I know you feel a little self conscious about hitting your grave digger drop, but especially in this stream yard set up, I want you to announce your presence with grave digger drop and then the listener knows and we know you're about to come in with some heat. So why don't you want to try it right now?

What's up, buddy? So one player has won a Super Bowl with three different teams, Matt Millen, a former linebacker with the Raiders, one with the Niners, and one with Washington. Certainly not as as a front office figure, that's for sure, but what what but an incredible announcer and what an incredible football life that he hadd to you. Yeah, that man's he's he's lucky to be alive, the miracle of modern science. At think he had a heart replacement surgery.

He was on the ropes there for a while, and now he's back in the game. Good for Matt mill I'm like, I'm now like kind of rooting for the Bills. It's taken me this long, but now I feel like it's almost like they deserve it. That's not how football usually works. But now after last year, for some it took me this long for them to win me over. I feel like they deserve a Super Bowl. Buff you've given up the ghost on Belichick ever scaling the heights

of his former greatness. I think it's where I'm just like accepting that the Bills are are the Patriots daddy. I mean they did literally didn't get a stop in two straight games. You didn't get a stop at two straight games. When I asked, that was bad? When I when I was connecting with Zumwalt on those Sessler drops, I told him, what what the voice we're going for here is orson Welles in decline. So but you're saying you're getting out on the Bill bell check in decline,

just getting behind I'm not. I'm not getting behind the well I wouldn't call you all in, Greg. No, I'm not all in on the Bills either. I just sort of like appreciate what they've done. It's pretty impressive. I think everything Josh Allen is impressive, and it's almost like, Okay, it's your they should be rewarded, their fans should be red.

You're already calling them that New England's daddy, though. I mean, I feel like they're the child that beat the dad in basketball, and now they got to go do it over and over. I think it's almost underrated. How completely ridiculous and embarrassing those two performances for the Patriots and impressive for the Bills. It's there, it's wild. Well, you two love to ignore the the primetime game that I was obsessed with. I guess that just that game didn't count.

It happen first. You were very passionate about that game, and we kind of let you off the hook a little bit. We didn't want to dwell on that. Let me off the hook that the Bills were over after that game. As I recall, I had concerns. I was there good, I've been wrong about four things. SAME's e's SAME's e's all right, So the Rams lose Von Miller, but they gain Allen Robinson. Los Angeles signed the wide receiver formerly of the Bears to wait three year, forty

six and a half million dollar contract. Robinson was one of the more productive wide receivers in the league over the past five or six years, despite playing with a bunch of stiffs at quarterback in Chicago. Uh. He kind of cratered last year with the rest of the Chicago offense, but obviously the Rams see him is a great bounceback candidate. It might spell the end of Odell Beckham's time in

Los Angeles after only half the season. But you pair Allen Robinson with Cooper Cup and healthy Robert Woods and Greggy that is a nice way to beget a title defense on office. Yeah, you're cooking with gas. I love that. I love that because he's very different or Greece. Yeah, grease and gas of the apple here. I would like I would like to cook with some grease and gas. Maybe I'll learn how to cook in my older years.

That would be. That would be he gives them something they don't have, which is a red zone vertical threat guy. And I guess so to Beckham could have been that guy. Robinson's a little more natural of a fit I think for that as like a pure vertical receiver. It sounds like he dogged it a little bit last year. That was the buzz. He kind of just wanted to get to the offseason. He didn't come back from his hamstring and I don't care about that. He's now he's gonna

be with the Rams. He got fifteen million dollars a year guaranteed the first two years. And the thing I love is they lost von Miller and then they're just like, all right, well, who's the next best premier player, because you know, let's need Famous famously is like, uh f the draft picks. He's also like, f that cap cap space. I got no use for cap space. Cap space is

the most overrated thing. Ever. Look at the Saints. They've somehow opened up a hundred and ten million dollars in cap space to possibly fit in Watson and Tehronto Armstead and you know, get their books in order, Like cap space is stupid. Let's just get the next premier player that's available at a at a position that could help us. And they go get them and they're gonna go be contenders again. It reminds me a little bit of the wide receiver version of Matthew Stafford. To Dan's point, we

all know this about Allen Robinson. A bunch of ham and eggers have been thrown and passes since he came into the league with Jacksonville and then Chicago. It's been Blake Bortles, Mitch Robinsky, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton and you had justin fields last year. But it's like last year was a lost year for Robinson. All right, let's take a quick break and then we'll finish the news. All right, welcome back. Let's wrap this thing up because, um, listen,

the wifey. You know St. Patrick's day ruined by Deshaun Watson on some level. However, the wife he made some Shepherds pie. Okay, I'm it's sitting on the stove for the old user. She's a good cook. I mean, given like a party in the bathroom right over there. I don't know if you hear him. I think he's in the bath He went to the bar to watch Indiana. It's a big University of Indiana hoops fan. Um, all right,

let's finish things out. In the NFL network scene and Rapp Report reports Za Darius Smith will not sign with the Ravens. Uh So, that's now happened twice. Randy Gregory um jumped away from Dallas to go to Denver, and now Isa Darius Smith jumps away from the Ravens to hop back into the free agency pool. That was a four year deal where thirty five million and greggy. There

seems to be some weirdness around this. Yeah, Mike Garafolo indicated like he doesn't have another team necessarily, he doesn't have another offer. The way he was talking about it, he had some skepticism whether it's a Darius Smith could replace this contract. I don't know. It's just a mystery. But Mark should enjoy it because he was just saying how well run and great things are for the Ravens, and these two moves him and Smith and Marcus Williams is gonna work out so well. This is a little

egg on the Ravens face. They're not too happy about. Yeah, but see, I don't I have no distaste for the Ravens anymore. I've unhooked from Okay, now you likes Yeah, that's that's part of this. Do your quote unquote quitting the Browns and you no longer disliked the Ravens. Why do I need Why do I need to dislike them? At this point, I like I've removed hatred from my

body in persona. I think it's a very healthy thing myself. Also, now, you did say earlier in the show you have fifty seven different different people that you're feeling spiteful for, right, but it was sixty five at the start of the day, so six, all right, I'll leave it there. Um. In other news, Miles Jack speaking of the Steelers, he heads to Pittsburgh two years sixteen million. Uh, he gets a new gig pretty quickly, twenty six years old. He had

some really nice um years with Jacksonville. Of course, remember speaking of the Patriots, when Miles Jack wasn't down on that fumble recovery that would have put jackson on the super Bowl, but instead they got robbed by the officials and by the NFL, giving Greggy yet another super Bowl title in the process. Um, but that's in the INCI past. Miles Jack now is no longer a Jaguar, He's a Steeler, and Marcus feels like another move for one of your the teams you used to have an issue with that

will end up working beautifully, right, wonderful organization. I think quality signing. It's it's Miles. Miles Jack is one of those guys where like when I find out his age these only twenty six, I'm like, what, I feel like we've been covering him for like eight years. But that's not the case. But I think Pittsburgh in a sneaky way because they still had an effective defense Um, they were junk against the run last year I d v o A wise they were like twenty seven against the run.

So Miles Jack helps there. I mean they went and released Joe schobert Um in a directly correlating move. Um. I like it for Pittsburgh. Again, I'm not just saying this, but like the Ravens, when they bring these guys in, they typically seem to work out for the most part. I know that's not always been the case, but um, they're there. It's a good It's a good landing spot from Mels Jack. There was like a two year period where he looked like one of the best young off

ball linebackers in the league. I'm not sure what happened, but he's still young. You would think that's a coaching issue. I kind of love the Steeler's offseason so far. It's been really quiet, but James Daniels like tape heads love him. The guard from the Bears. Didn't have to pay him too much. They got a starting center and Mason Cole. I think they had another backup offensive lineman that they added,

and then this and Mile Jack. Like quietly some they added players that will be starting and helping them it's a little on Steelers like, but they haven't had to go wild spending a ton of money. All right, Let's move on some notable cuts that went down, Uh in the last twenty four hours. Fletcher Cox and the Eagles have a breakup, but it sounds like they're gonna make up. It's just a salary situation, UH, and they're gonna get a deal that works better for team and player. Lyell

Collins and the Cowboys are no more. They tried to move him in a trade. They try to move with Mari Cooper found a taker in the Browns try to move Collins did not find a taker, which is interesting because I was just watching a cut up on Twitter about how he totally bawled out against Nick Bosa in the playoffs. He's, you know, less than thirty years old. I would take him on the Jets and I trade I'd trade McKay Beckton out of town. But that's just

him in my top twenty. Yeah, let's get healthy, above average starting right tackle. Those guys aren't usually well. The Bengals sound interested too, so, Greg you mentioned Cole Beasley cut after a disappointing year. Isaiah McKenzie is gonna get his shot. That all makes sense. Don't don't sign him Bill, We don't need Cole Beasley. It's just like, come on, yeah, that's fair, alright, eight o'clock the light, all right, Chris Godwin, he was on the franchise tag, but not for too long.

Gets paid three for sixty? Is that? Where is that in the Davante Adams world? It's below it. Certainly it's the exact same that Mike Williams got. And it's good for the Bucks, uh to reward a guy even though he tores a c L there. They're still bold. Dobbin's making a lot of small moves where he mosted the running back heads to the Dolphins. I feel like the Dolphins signed forty seven running backs every year. This is exactly what Kyle Shanahan did when he went to San Francisco.

He imported players that he knew from Atlanta in previous stops. And Mike McDaniels doing the same thing as we predicted. On the NFL Broadcast. Around the NFL Broadcast Show, which you could check out tomorrow Friday on NFL Network, Gronk says, there is a quote very good chance I'm back with the Buccaneers. Should we be surprised? Greg? No, one is um like a worse negotiator than Gronk. Seriously, he could have made like a hundred million dollars more than he

has in his career. I feel bad almost He's making plenty of money on the side with other various things. Uh, this one it says resigned Apple signed hearst. Greg helped me out with that one. It might have been a copy and paste error there, but that was the Bengals day. They brought back Eli Apples. I think a nice replacement for Zama. And yeah, they're going after Lyle Collins. I have a feeling and they'll close that deal. How could I forget Eli Apple? Had a nice little Super Bowl

until the end when it wasn't so nice Anyway. The Jets UH signed another tight end. We're we're in business. The Jets signed from the Minnesota Vikings Tyler Conklin, who has had a had a nice year with the Vikings last year a breakout season. Jacob Johnson leaves New England's sad face from Greggy Yeah, Yakob Johnson, one of Henry Hodgson's International Pathway Program heroes. UH gets a job with

Josh mccane's so but I'm gonna miss him. I liked seeing this guy didn't even know how to play football when he came in and turned to do a great fullback. And finally Mr Cessler Balhard Nation rejoice. The lines resigned the quarterback, so he stays in the building. I mean, I had a deal with the Lions where they were gonna essentially let him go then bring him back just so that we could have fresh content for our newsletter, and they were they were very compliant on that front.

That's nice, and that is eight o'clock Delight. You're you're tight end. Tyler Conchland followed me on Twitter last week, so that's that was exciting. That was exciting for me. It's always fun when a random uh NFL player follows you. I get a little nervous when it happens. Someone did that to me recently. And UM followed followed a bunch

of us. I think that was the name that usually tells me that they're getting close to entering the media for a although I don't know why Sean Payton follows me, although he I do think he gave me the coronavirus. UM two combines. So maybe that's where we link up. I'm not sure. Maybe he's been trying to get in touch with you to apologize. He was patient zero. He seems like someone that would go out of his way to find someone to apologize for a wrong doing in

the past. Yes he does. Maybe maybe that's Kevin James. Actually, never mind, that is not all right. We'll be back on television Friday if you catch this in time at three pm Eastern noon Pacific around the NFL broadcast, and will give you a nice rundown of the week that was. According to my theory, will we will still not have

the Deshaun Watson news for that television show. But maybe I'm wrong, and in which case you will get it on TV on Friday, and it will probably happen in the one hour between when we tape and when they air it. Do we have to do a fifth podcast this week? If Watson signs tomorrow morning, maybe a mini So if we're if we're there, we love you really. There's a lot of content pushing it big time and in in um instead of doing our typically our typical end of show close, I will tell you to heed

the call. But I do have one last Mark Sessler tweet to share, and again I am not worthy to read this Sessler tweet, but the great Jason Zumwalt noted Cardinals fan is just think late period in deep in decline, even after he's doing the commercials Era orson Welles reading Mark Sesler tweets, thank you to everybody for listening. We'll see you when we see you. Played tennis with the family this evening and totally destroyed them on the court. M