They Around the NFL podcast, but in one of those Papa shot basketball games and has seen their productivity drop exponentially. Welcome to another edition of Around the NFL. I'm Dan hanss. I got a virtual room filled with heroes. Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler, Colleen Wolf. Yes, Santa did import a Papa Shot into my home in December, and I've gotten quite good at it.
A and B.
I do use it way more than my own children.
Mmm, I don't know you have.
A Paapa Shot. I'm gonna come over. That's great.
Oh yeah, it's the official one too. Okay, it's not a knockoff.
Do you ever like gradually pete against them and talk trash when they can't stand up to you because they're just little kids?
No, because they I am so much better than them that there's no way to actually compete in any meaningful way. So it's a lot of more solo private time for old Zeuser and the Papa Shot. And then if whenever the kids have any interest in playing, I'll throw them a bone and watch them and tell them they're doing great, but they're really not. Like I'm so much better than the matter.
This was my approach with the sport of tennis with my children, which I've dialogued with you guys about before, where it was like an absolute seek and destroy mission, right, and like let's not leave any wiggle room about who's the most dominant performer.
Thank you. That's exactly how I feel. I sometimes you have to, like, all, my eldest son, Jack has really gotten into playing basketball, and so we'll go across the street. My neighbor has a hoop and we'll play, and you know, I let them hang around in games. And then, as an eight year old, boys want to do. Yeah, as
an eight year old boys want to do. You know, if you start giving him some open looks and all of a sudden it looks like he's gonna win, then I have to just actually drop the hammer and bring him down to earth. And I think, if you if you're gonna beat your dad, you're gonna have to do it for real. I'm not handing out these fake dad victories. Come and get me for real. So I let him get close and then take him down. That's my dad philosophy. That's the only build up knockdown.
Can't let their heads get too big.
Yeah, when he starts playing dirty starts elbowing you. That's when you know he's a real man.
Exactly, Connie, how are you? You are under the weather today? So we really do thank you, and today is an important episode. We're going around the AFC in forty eight
minutes coming off draft week. You were there, of course, and I was thinking, because it's always been kind of weird to me, and I don't know how you guys feel about it, but like, we know one Colleen and then she shows up at these league events and she's dressed like up like she's going to the oscars, and it's just like it's kind of just jarring for me in terms of cognitively, like when you are the dressed up like a award show tent pole event, con is
that Colleen Wolf? Is that Connie Fox? Like who are you right now? And who is that? You know?
I was actually thinking that is a totally separate representative that I'm not even really that familiar with. She is new to the scene and she only shows up like maybe once a year, but she brings it and now me, Colleen Wolf and Connie Fox, we have to suffer the consequences. So my representative in Kansas City really did some great work, but also my travels there. I got stuck in Denver.
I had to sleep on a bench in the airport for an hour and then fly to Dallas to get to Kansas City to do DJ's mock draft on like an hour of sleep, and they lost my bags and so I started off.
Really on a bad note.
And now I think everything has caught up with me.
So here we are. I'm actually not hungover. I'm sick.
Colleen. When you were on our show last time, when it was you and Clayban, you you mentioned that, you know, honestly, it was a nice thing to share with the fans that sometimes you deal with imposter syndrome, which which a lot of people do. But do you find that that the event Colleen maybe doesn't suffer from that, because maybe that's your true self that comes out, you know, say, like you said, two or three days a year, is that the more authentic Colleen?
No, it's all an act. It's all truly an act.
Okay, it's still the genuine Colleen is inside.
That's like, what am I doing here? Why are they sending me out on stage? Why am iy a hype man? But here we go? So you it's it helps you.
Do tremendous work. You didn't answer the question, though, is that is that Connie Fox?
It has shades of Connie Fox for sure.
That's and and who's talking about I don't know.
I think it's a new you know, because I'm sick.
I think I'm just going in between all of the different representatives right now. No one has the wheel for sure, so the car is going to crash at some point.
And I don't know really who's right, So you.
Have multiple personality. It's a disorder. All right, we're gonna We're gonna hang in there. Hopefully Aunt Doreen makes an appearance. We're excited. So yes, let's get caught up on one bit of news before we get dive into the AFC. It came out of Green Bay. Of course, it's a whole new era for the Packers with Aaron Rodgers now with the Jets and Jordan Love the quarterback. They had a decision to make. It's a little clunky and awkward the way it all came out where they took Jordan
Love as the first round pick three years ago. He hasn't played yet, and now when he's about to take over as the starter, the team has to make the decision, as every team on first round picks do, on whether they pick up their options. So instead of of the fifty year options, so instead of doing that, the team signed Love to an extension in which they greggie pay him a different amount an actual a lesser amount, and I suppose keep their options. What did you take out
of this? Why did the Packers go this route rather than just pick up the fifth year option.
I was very surprised by this, Like a couple of things can be true. It's absolutely a good move for Green Bay. I think you know, they got him on a very team friendly contract, and if you're Jordan Love, I understand the idea of let's take some guaranteed money right now. He got like a signing bonus that he wouldn't have had otherwise. But I was just surprised that they started at the point of like, actually, no, we're not giving you a fifth year option. That's not something
we're interested in. That's like even twenty million dollars is too much to guarantee without seeing you on the field. And the fact that they are so committed to this plan by getting rid of Aaron Rodgers, but they're not committed enough that they even are confident enough to keep Jordan Love into twenty twenty four. It's it's an eyebrow razor and they're they're keeping their options and it means he might not be on the team next season.
The one like for the lam Armie people that are trumpeting the fact that you know, he did all what he did without an agent and doesn't have to pay those agent fees, which you know, I guess in the rear view mirror that does look good. But I'm not mistaken.
It's David Mullagetta, who is Love's agent at least he was a year ago, so he's able to both get the highest guaranteed money for a quarterback ever in NFL history and then go do this deal which looks sort of like Love got slightly snowballed here, So quite a versatile move from the agency.
I thought it was interesting on Saturday that Brian Gudakun said it's when he was asked about Jordan Love whether or not they would pick up his option, he said, it's a lot of money for a guy who hasn't played. But at the same time, obviously we're moving forward with him, so we're going to figure it out by Tuesday, So he kind of knew obviously that that was that sum.
It would have guaranteed him I think twenty point two million dollars the fifth year option, So they save a lot of money going thirteen point five now, and then I guess, for love, if he does come out this year and he does play well, he, in theory, has more than one year to prove that he could be the packer's future. So if he gets hurt or anything like that, I guess it gives him a little bit of insurance too. He's just not making the money he could have.
It was sort of the opposite of betting on yourself. That was the thing. He didn't want to bet on himself. He wanted to take the money. And I totally get that, like it's some security, but it just starting at the point. And I'm sure they told Mullageda this, like, you're not getting that fifth year option, so will you take something else? And if not, we'll we'll just roll with you and you'll be on a one year contract.
A little weird, yeah, And the thing with the Green Bay cap situation, it's a little complicated because they have over forty million in dead money from Aaron Rodgers' contract on the cap this season, so this gives them some relief on that end of things. And then I think that it's thirteen million guaranteed either way for love next year, which is I think it's a financial it's a cap move. I think as well, there's a lot of maybe different
moving parts to it. One more thing about the Lamar thing, I wish any of us would have thought, like literally anyone else like in football, and it covers or would have thought of it like this was always the way he should have played it. Don't hire the agent, don't communicate with the team, and then wait for one of those other three guys and then just say give me that. That would have been so eat And that's kind of what happened. But with Jalen hurts his contract like that,
That's how I'm gonna do it going forward. If I ever was in a similar situation, I'm just gonna wait. I'm gonna see who else is kind of on a similar career trajectory or level in terms of our business, and I'm gonna say, no, agency, give me that. And even if I get a little bit less, I'm still covering a making bank because I'm not paying the fee. It's kind of amazing.
Well, the problem is you don't have Tom Pelasero like reporting the negotiations of like Will Brinson's contract at CBS or anything.
That's right. That's the issue, all right. So either way, Jordan Love is the quarterback this year, and then they have to see if he could play the guitar. That's what it comes down to. And Mark, if he could play that guitar, he will play the guitar for a long set in Green Bay. If not, they'll be on those.
It's also I mean, it's like from one angle and I know this is so one you know, no one on Twitter could handle this side of it. But it's like Love isn't a weird situation. The Packers are in a weird situation. They kind of compromise, Like, I know, you didn't get as much money as you could have, but you've also done nothing for the Packers. It's kind of like you met in the middle here and we'll see what happens. But I understand, like you've got to go.
It's all about the green Backs, and you got to go get everything you can otherwise you're gonna get absolutely destroyed verbally by everyone who covers the sport.
This is unprecedented, right, a player getting an extension without ever doing anything.
Now, that was that was what was interesting, not the not the not the the compromise, which does make some sense, but more like, this has literally never happened with this fifty option type. So they're they're setting a new uh foundation for other teams to copy. If they're if they're like feeling mixed, if like we kind of like you sort of, maybe we'll see again.
If it's just about doing some cap tidy work, they have to sign their rookie class, it's a different situation. But if it's not really about that, I just would have went with the Daniel Jones route. The Giants went decline it, play out the fourth year and then see where we're at. But they didn't do it. Let's see what happens, all right, shall we shall? We dig into the AFC post draft.
Let's go, yeah, like to get your own boys, Let's.
Go exactly and if you want to take a overall look, Colleen, I meant to tell you right after this, you and I are going to do the Power Rankings podcast.
Oh perfect.
Check out NFL dot com slash Power Rankings or nfl dot com slash handss to check out the latest power rankings. So I've kind of I was underground working through all this over the last couple of days, so I feel pretty prepared for this. I hope you guys are as well. I'm going to spin through thirty two teams in two shows, starting with the AFC thirty two, ninety sixteen and sixteen teams to talk about let's do it justin. Starting out for US is Mark Sessler on the Bills.
So I had a chance to watch a little bit more of Dalton Kincaid and my takeaway and Greg, I know you were talking him up a couple of shows ago too, is I think he might wind up being one of the best draft fits of any player in the first round. I really it just fits exactly what they need because he's, yeah, he's a tight end, but he's really just basically their slot receiver. And I think it shores up a wide out group that looked a little thin after Stefan Diggs and Gave Davis, so you
know they were quiet in free agency. I think Damien Harris was a good pickup and they did resign a bunch of their own guys, but we're also watching like
the Dolphins and the Jets totally level up before our eyes. Well, this is largely still the same Bills team as last year, and I think it's easy just to pencil them in for like the AFC title game year after year, but I think it ignores like how often last year they looked kind of asleep on offense and the Josh Allen had an up and down year, and I just wonder how the Bills enough, like are they ripe to be overrated all off season or should I just clim it with that concept?
They did the right thing in Kansas City. I mean that was the move. I think getting a playmaker in there. A lot of people connected wide receiver to him. They went tight end, but yes, like you said, he could play in the slot. Do I still really imagine if they You know, they also add to the offensive line with Osiris Torrens, and that was important because they took a step back on the line last year and Josh Allen was sacked thirty three times. I like that move,
do I really what? I love them to put the cherry on top of the Andre Hopkins. Yes, I still think It makes so much sense, even if you're hearing continued reports about Hopkins going back to Arizona. Imagine this would be seen as a smashing success in Buffalo if they topped it off with that, and they would go just steaming into the season. But yeah, I do agree with you, Kincaid. Makes made so much sense for them there.
I thought it was telling Caiden box right. The first two picks on offense to me, like they came into this draft, We're gonna help out Josh Allen. Four of the top or four of their six picks were on offense. The first two.
Picks T minus one minute.
Oh, forget about that.
Fix it.
I am wondering though, with Stefan Diggs, like gonna be an issue that's sort of like an off season storyline. It's like, let's keep an eye on Steffundis Connie.
I can't believe that they didn't get a corner back until what like the last round in the draft.
That was kind of shocking to me.
So I forget how this works with the T minus Like that's why I stopped talking.
Are we is this one where you get started?
Or no? Okay, that was one minute?
Oh that's great.
Okay, yeah, your ass gets started if you.
Go over though, Okay, yeah, I just like I was really shocked that I knew that they would end up getting a pass catcher. Obviously they went tight end instead of a wide receiver because the tight end class was so deep this year and so talented. But the fact that they didn't get a corner kind of bothered me about this whole draft class five.
The Stephan Digson is on my radar two, but Brandon Bean said he wasn't concerned. I don't believe anything though.
The Miami Dolphins Greg Roseval.
All right, they had a quiet draft, you know, just because they didn't have their picks because the old hanky panky with old Tom Brady and what not a year ago trying to get that done with Sean Payton. But I think their draft kind of continued a theme for them in that they're like really deep. Their two first picks Devin A. Chain was the running back in the third round, and then Camp Smith at cornerback. Like, those guys don't need to go in and play right away.
But I like those picks and they'll probably have a role during the season. And I started looking up and down this roster, and I gotta say it's a trend. Like they have backups I like throughout their defense, like too deep, they got them at running back. I like the backups and wide receiver, I like the backups. Offensive line is maybe an issue, but overall I look at this as one of the best rosters in the league.
Like to and the offensive line are a little bit of an issue, but otherwise I think it's one of the best rosters in the entire NFL.
Quick story Friday morning last week after the first round, I went golfing with my father in law, Bob baits Dds and it was like a top golf place, so there was a bar and I went to get a couple of drafts before we hit the course and as I'm paying up the tab, the guy notices my name and he goes man, So they didn't send you to the draft, huh? And first of all, that coming hurt a little.
Bit, a little bit of a dig there a.
Little bit of a day got defensive, and I was like, oh, well, we don't really want to go. But anyway, he.
Turns out you like a runaway, like they didn't send Brinson either.
Shut up, no, But it turns out he was a Dolphins fan, and we started chatting up a little bit, and I agreed, even as a Jets fan where he's coming from, where it's like Miami, Like remember before two got hurt, they were humming almost on a historic level. On offense, they have a lot of pieces on both sides of the ball. Nobody's talking about the Dolphins, and maybe that's a good place to be the AFC East sleeper sell here with all these other teams getting the hype. Yeah,
I'm concerned. As a team. They could be a team that wins eleven games this year. Easy.
Well, it is funny because it was a year ago that everyone's like, oh, are we going to get four teams from the AFC West and the playoffs? And two of the AFC West teams didn't win more than six games. So I'll wait and see what happens with the actual division. But I am with you on the Dolphins. No one's talking about them. I think. I really think in general it's the two experience that there's just this general lack of faith that Tua is one of those four or
five guys despite what happened last year. I'm not sure it's fair, but I mean, you have to show that you can get through a season with that quarterback or like we have Mike White starting games, which I don't hate.
Yeah, and when I look at what the Dolphins did this offseason, even before the draft, the fact that they only had four picks going into the draft, but they made the trade for Jalen Ramsey, which is huge because it immediately filled a need for them. And then I liked the first guy that they got, another cornerback. They got Cam Smith who was really really good in the SEC. And you know, I'm a big college football girl.
So that's that's that. There we go right out the clock.
I'm gonna call time out. I'm going to use their first time out because I just want to cycle back to interaction with the guy at the top golf bar. It was a little bit and more more annoying too because he kind of looked behind him at the TV that was on NFL Network before making the comment, and it was Jeremiah on the screen.
You're losing all over the place in that interaction.
Now for you. So like when he goes, you know, so they didn't send you the draft, huh? I was like, my real response should have been well, you're not at the draft either. Didn't think of it fair. That would have really put him in his place.
Dan, did he by chance dig down and discuss, you know, what he thought about the other characters on the show. Thoughts and feelings about Red Mark Colleen.
What does he think about Mark?
He says he loves you, Mark, and he thinks you're a special person and a beautiful boy.
You can make.
Well.
They did send more to the draft.
All right, Mark Ross, maybe time in the New England Patriots. So mac Jones is going to be there. But as mac Jones set up for success, it couldn't be possibly worse than last year. But they used their first three picks on defensive players. Bill Belichick obviously, who's asked about that specifically, Hey what about the offense? Not a lot of playmakers there, And you know Bill, he's a ground grumble grumble. That was the board and he was the
best players there and all that stuff. But anyway, you have Juju Smith Schuster there now, and it's like, man if Juju Smith Schuster didn't take off with Patrick Mahomes last year, we pretty much know who he is right now, right and he's fine. He's pretty versatile but not really a big playmaker. Necessarily a nice red zone target, but not special. Mike Aseki, I think the Dolphins maybe misused them a little bit or under used them. I like him as a prospect, but they haven't proved that they
can get a tight end going since Gronk left. Is there enough there? I mean, are they setting up mac Jones for failure again? But in a little bit of a different way.
I think number one, Like I give them an automatic sense of probably rising up much more than last year. Just because Bill O'Brien, I mean, for all his issues as a GM, he can run an offense. He and mac Jones are super tight. I think that heals that whole situation to some degree. But I'm with you, Dan, Like when I look around at the other offenses in the AFC, a super top heavy conference. I look at the Patriots and it's just like at the end of
the rainbow, here's what I see. Zero when it comes to that side of the ball, there's no way they're gonna win with eleven twelve games. I trust their defense, but it's like I think, Bill Belichick, it's like you've had two off seasons to go correct this to course correct a rather bland attack, and last year you went completely in the direction and you're sitting in neutral this offseason.
Does he want to fix it?
Like, because it doesn't really seem that way when you pass all of these tight ends that are supposed to be so good and the wide receivers you don't You don't draft a pass catcher until round six.
I mean that is kind of a slap to Mac Jones.
And I do though, like Christian Gonzales a lot, the guy that they traded down for. He's a really good player, and I feel like that's going to be a huge, huge boon for that secondary.
I mean, you draft Kaishan Ba in the sixth round, you got to get excited about that. Boote was a guy who's kind of interesting for a six round pick, who people thought would be a top ten first round type pick. He had a little Boote to the mix. You're feeling good.
How about I'll put on my tinfoil hat. Now. Robber Craft wouldn't let Bill trade Mac, so Bill says, I'm just not going to build up the offense and get him out of the picture next year and then build up on offense after he's gone.
On a real note, I do think there's something too like Bill wants to do it again. He wants to do it with defense. He wants to dig when they rest of the league. Zact. They were third and fourth in DVOA the last two years with pretty lackluster looking rosters going into the season on defense, and they had Gonzales. They thought they got a great pick with Keon White, and they're pretty loaded on their defensive line and their
defensive backfield. I think Bill thinks, if I make my defense look number one, at least I look good and maybe we read yeah.
But Greg the third and fourth and DVOA and went nowhere.
Right, Well, they're just I feel like they're just looking for ten wins. They're the new Saints. I mean, they're hoping to get to eight. Shoot me in the neck, shoot it with defense them. I want him. This is like my personal game of Bitie. This is the only way I feel alive.
This feels like it should be behind a paywall.
Colleen, the New York Jets.
All right, Well, the highlight of the draft came days before with Aaron Rodgers finally becoming official. It wasn't so much about splash like it was last year. It was more about necessity, so it wasn't as sexy, which I thought their draft last year was the sexiest.
But I thought that they.
Would get an offensive tackle, but all of the guys were pretty much already gone at pick fifteen. I think there were four guys potentially already gone by that point, but so fifteen overall, they went will McDonald, who he's been pretty good over the past four seasons on the edge.
She has thirty three sacks. I like that.
Addition for Robert Sala, I'm hoping that he plays better than like this noise. I'm hearing about all of the doubters in him going too high, but that's that. And then on the offensive line, they did get a center, Joe Tipman in the second round. I think that that could be a long term solution for them, and then potentially someone who could help clear some lanes for Breese Hall once he's back from his ACL So then the right side of that line would be Tipman, Elijah Arah Tucker,
and then Makai Beck. The biggest question of all. I thought maybe they would remedy that in this draft, but they're gonna just have to figure it out because they got in the fourth round Carter Warren the tackle from Pitt. He's a Jersey guy, but I just don't know if he's going to be a guy that can start right away.
He missed most of the last six months with that knee injury.
A lot of people say that he could have been like a Day two pick, but I don't know if he'll be able to play right away, and they kind of need someone to play it right away. And then that backup plan that they did at running back, I like with Breeshall coming off the injury and getting I don't know how to pronounce his name. I'm not going to try and pronounce his name, but I know that they call him Izzy instead of Israel Izzy.
Yeah. So he's fast, and he's got big play threat, and he could make an immediate impact.
So they went out and you know, they try to push back on the idea that they got screwed out of a tackle in round one, But then they went out right after the draft and went and got Billy turned Or, a veteran who used to start for the Packers started games for the Broncos last year, and it is that's the biggest vulnerability of the team right now, my opinion is that they didn't add a blue chip prospect at the tackle, and if they deal with injuries again,
you have a thirty nine year old quarterback and a leaky offensive line. That's how bad things happen. That's how Rogers is either less effective or gets injured. And then as of right now, Zach Wilson comes in. If Aaron Rodgers gets injured, that's another kind of weird subpotle around this team. Zach Wilson is still there and you have an elderly quarterback and it's like there is a scenario
where he ends up seeding time to Zach Wilson. So there are some doomsday scenarios, but this has always been a big swing for the Jets and there are risks involved.
I think that there are nothing but kind of positive reports about Mackay Beckt in this offseason. There where a year ago is like does this guy want to do this? We're not sure and he gets hurt. I mean, you have to hope that had they stayed healthy along the line last year, they would have been fine. So it's like if you get better, better luck on that front and Beckton turns out eight, I think you're all right, if you lose Rogers, like the whole plan goes to hell. Anyways.
Four three he's a durable old guy. He never misses games. What do you mean? Sixteen sixteen, sixteen, sixteen, seventeen. Those are his starts the last seven years.
Sixty good point. All right, hey man, old God, listen from your lips to God's ears. He's going to be healthy. Let's take a break and we'll move to the AFC North. All right, welcome back AFC East End, the rear View AFC in forty eight minutes. Up next is the AFC North, and Connie, we're kicking it back to you to talk the Bengals.
All right, let's talk about the Bengals and what they did here in Kansas City. They kind of went Day one was best available. I really thought that Cincinnati would draft a tight end or a dB in the first round, and instead they went with an edge play Miles Murphy. So they're going to just try and build that rotation that they have with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard and then eventually Miles Murphy can be a starter.
But I don't know were.
You guys shocked about this, the fact that they didn't get a tight end and one of the deepest, most talented classes in a while.
I mean it think it's sort of like a result of like every mock draft suggesting they would and it was in need. Like there's reports now that like Irv Smith is sort of locked in as their guy, which I don't love that because, if anything, Cincinnati has been an embarrassment of riches all over the field, and like going and getting a young one of those young athletic tight ends would have been transformative I think for the offense.
So I'm with you. I was surprised that they avoided it. Essentially, they they avoided the whole draft, and they don't have a lot of answers. The one thing I do love, I think the Orlando Brown signing was a great kupdeta for them.
I see Joe Mixon now still on the roster, Lyle Collins still on the roster, Joanah Williams still on the roster. I think if the draft had falled fallen different, they would take a tight end. But Kinkaid goes early. They probably felt that that spot, like they're a premium position type of team, like we're going to take the positions that end up costing a lot of money in free agency, and we're going to take them high in the draft.
And so you take Miles Murphy, who's very similar to Hubbard and Hendrickson and replaces him, and then you take dej Turner. I kind of love it's weird that they went defense, defense, defense, but I do kind of love that they're very Eagles like to me, and that they're almost always planning a year out. They're always back drafting for backups for guys that don't need to play right
away and then step into it. And they have a really good history of like when they do step in, that they're really good players and that they play a lot. So it's a team that I think isn't as need focused and is thinking long term, and they've kind of deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah, we don't know what would have happened, but I do wish we would have found out if Jamior Gibbs was still on the on the clock when the Bengals picked.
Supposedly the Jets were maybe going to take him at fifteen, which I don't know if I buy either, and the pay would not have been happy with who knows, but.
But yeah, like Gibbs when he goes off the board and surprises everyone at twelve, that takes both of the top quote unquote running backs in the class out of the mix. They do go take Chase Brown in the fifth round on Saturday. And you know the Joe Mixon situation. You've heard so many comments about him from the team, and you know he's facing criminal charges right now. But Zach Taylor got behind him a little bit after the draft.
His future is here with the team. I like Joe Mixon, so I'm going to now operate under the assumption that they're going to move forward with him. Does he have a suspension coming? Is he still a good running back? He took a step back last year. I think they're gonna be fine. I'm cool with them focusing on defense.
Sy Dj Turner, Oh, she's already feeling ill and she's just been shot by two darts that hit their target.
That is not Yeah, that's the immune system takes another hit, all right. The Baltimore Ravens hey Man good times in the Ravens. Nest Lamar is paid, he's healthy right now. He's surrounded by the best skill position talent he's ever had, you have Beckham. You know, an opinions vary on what Beckham's going to give you at this point in his career with off his second ACL, but it's exciting. It's an exciting signing. Rashad Bateman, Zay Flowers coming off the
board immediately, that's legitimately frisky Trio wide receivers. Mark Andrews remains one of the best playmakers at tight end in football. I'm just curious, like and don't underestimate Lamar Jackson with a new contract that's all kind of out like from the all the dark clouds that that brought with it. Do we get like MVP level Lamar Jackson back this year because he's been hurt of the last couple of years.
At times his play has not been as high a level, certainly as it was in nineteen one of the the MVP. Is he going to get back to that or will twenty nineteen ultimately be a bit of an outlier When looking about at what he can.
Produce, I think, like, obviously it comes down to being there, being present, because his lack of presence, his lack of durability, took him out of that conversation and took the Ravens out of the conversation in January as a serious contender. I mean, for me, there were moments last season trying to think it was the I think it was the Monday night game against the Saints where he made a couple throws where it's like, this guy can do everything, and like the way you have to plan form is insane,
and you've added Zay Flowers to add it. If you get the good version of Odell Beckham, they're giving him a chance, I think, to thrive through the air and to do what he does on the ground, and you got all the contract nonsense out of the way, So you'd hope the head is clear, because I think it's fair to question, like did he push as hard as he could to play at the end of last year. I don't know the answer to that, but sort of what everyone's talking about that doesn't happen this time around.
Yeah, he's had really weird seasons of the last two seas. I mean twenty twenty one, he looked like an MVP for five weeks then kind of goes off a cliff, gets hurt. Last year similar where it was like a really fast start and then again kind of the injuries in the play. I mean, it's a huge sea change to have Todd Monk and the excuses are out. There's
no Greg Roman, there's receivers this team. There's too many teams in the AFC that are going to be disappointed because they feel like almost a super Bowler bus team because everything's loaded. Their front seven on defense isn't amazing. But other than that, man, they are like kind of loaded for bear as much. And I'm excited that Greg Roman is not there and they have a different coordinator.
Lamar is in good shape for this year, like adding Odell Beckham but then adding Zay Flowers, who can do a lot of different things on the field. You can play him out of the slot, you can line them up outside too, and like I mean, he's he's so good. That's a great addition to that passing game. I was really surprised that DaCosta. We didn't see him like moving around at all either, Like usually we see him making trades and being involved in some of these like more
splashy things. And I guess the splashy thing was getting Lamar signed.
They didn't give a Patrick Queen a fifth your option by the way.
Yeah, they declined that when was the Lamart has to take a poop game.
End of two years ago, that that was.
The last time whatever put down the trank. That was the last time that that he felt like a superstar when he had a taken poop and he came out and shredded the Browns in that great back and forth game. That's the guy I want back. And in twenty twenty, it looks like.
About that Dolphins game that was like fifty one, wasn't that crazy? Last year? In Week two that was you know, it was like, oh, that's right, same game, back and forth. But you're right, it's been hit and miss hit miss.
All right up next, you.
Know, we should have used the time out. Also, it wasn't surprising Patrick Queen didn't get a fifth year option. I misspoke, like he's kind of been on the outs.
Uh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Greg Rosenthal, all Right.
My question is just as Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett up to the challenge, Like that's my big question because it's another team that I really like their draft, I like their offseason. I think they've added enough on their offensive line with BROGERC. Jones, and they also had a quiet move in free agency Isaac Saamalo, who's a good pickup at guard. So like they have receivers, they have the running backs. I think the offensive line is better. But they kept Matt Canada and like Kenny Pickett was
a good rookie quarterback. I think he beat lowish expectations. But the harder part is like, okay, you're you were a decent rookie quarterback. Can you take that year or two leap? Like if Matt Canada and Pickett are up to the challenge, this is a fun little team.
We were pretty tough on Canada last year early on, and you know, if you look back, he struggled with a late career Ben Roethlisberger who was breaking down, and then you had a rookie quarterback and you had Mitch Trubisky and it was just like, not a great situation. The offense took a while to grow, but by the end of the year, I thought the whole thing looked a lot better and I kind of stopped thinking about
Matt Canada the same way. But you know, handling the a young career, like the young career of a quarter is so important that if he looks if he stands out is not creative enough or not really capable enough. I think he's got one year. Matt Canada topproved that he can make this offense basically sing.
I think that we could see Kenny Pickett make that jump this year. We saw from him flashes of what he can potentially do, especially with George Pickens making incredible catches.
I don't know what Alan Robinson has left and how he'll look on this offense, but I mean, I just remember being in Pittsburgh for that Christmas Eve game and watching at the very end when I mean, obviously Derek Carr helped them out with some of those interceptions, but watching Kenny Pickett make that play Pickett to Pickens, I believe it was and the whole place just erupted, and it was the frank O Harris game, and it just felt like they finally started to kind of get some
of that momentum late in the season.
And then their draft I like too.
I like Broderick Jones adding tackle there, and then of course Joey Porter Junior, who was like the most exciting guy to be mocked to them all off season long.
They really are moving forward. Of course, it's been a couple of years now, but it really does start. They've now rebooted post Big Ben. They've used their last three first round picks on offensive players. It was Naj Harris, then the quarterback picket now Broderick Jones and I agree. This is you know, Pickett entering his second season. You're gonna want to see growth there, and I think there he's set up better than he was last year.
So you know, it's like stands out to me.
I'm down.
Like the good teams now they rebuild in one season. There is no three yearly four year rebuild like the good teams turn it around to go through transformation one year and that's what the Steelers.
Yeah, that's why, like Daniel Jones was an outlier in that sense. Usually it's your quarterback after two years track me does feel good? Up next? You might have to up the power of the trank because you've tranked this so many times. Justin that is.
Can I get one? Can I get in on that? Can I get a hit of that track?
Thanks? Yeah, I think I've been like exceedingly obedient and I've been tranked. I think not once You've been a good boy, Mark.
I think that caught you in the eye, right in the eye. Put the patch on them up next, Mark Sessler. The Cleveland Browns.
I feel like nobody's uh talking about the Browns, and it's like I even think I just like kind of write them off as a seven win team for a lot of reasons that are I think a little bit unfair because, if anything, when I look at the roster, I don't think there's enough pressure on the Browns right now because they have a win now offense. Like just look at the names you got, Nick Chubb, David Nijoku,
Amari Cooper. If Elijah Moore works out, Donovan People's Jones, I really like Cedric t. Hillman, their third round wide receiver David Bell might work out. Their offensive line is still good, and imagine if like Deshaun Watson is a little bit better. And I think on defense, which was a huge issue Jim Schwartz took over, I think it's gonna be their issue was coaching. I love that upgrade there.
They got better in the middle. And it's like, I'm not calling them a Super Bowl contender, but how is really anything less than a wild card berth anything but a complete flaming disaster for Kevin Stefanski. The roster is better than people realize.
I hear you, but there's like only so much trum. But I kind of agree that if they were in the AFC South, I would make them the favorites. They were in the NFC South, they would make them the favorites a couple other divisions, like they'd be co favorites, like the NFC North or something, But they're stuck in this division. They're stuck in the AFC where some teams
are going to get disappointed. I think it's fair, though, to look at that roster and they addressed their biggest problems this offseason and say, like, they don't really have huge problems other than Deshaun Watson stunk last year. If he gets back to being a top ten quarterback, which is a huge if, but then they could be rolling.
Yeah.
And the fact that they went so defensive heavy in the top with the draft here, I mean, what Andrew Barry had in this draft, what he had to work with, was not that much, but I thought that the picks were really solid with what he did, and then adding a guy on the edge and adding a defensive tackle and inside linebacker, they needed more guys in the middle that could actually stop the run, that could actually make a difference on that defensive line.
So I liked what they did.
I don't want to be reductive about this, but and I was thinking about the Browns during Power Rank. He's like they're laying in the weeds a little bit in my opinion, because if Watson is a limited quarterback at this point, yeah, they're done. They're not just done this year, They're done for multiple years. And that was part of
the gamble of the contract they gave Watson. But if Watson does come back and have his game back, they can absolutely hang in this division and in my opinion, any division, because he was that good before everything went sideways in his life. So I think it's I think it's one of the big if we look at maybe we'll do it later in the summer. Like the big questions of the twenty twenty three NFL season, who is
Deshaun Watson? That is to me one of the biggest because it defines it's a huge question mark in the whole conference. For me.
Yeah, I think, like I mean, his performance over six games, it's not like, I guess, super surprising, but it leaves you completely mystified about who he is. That's part of the last thing he wanted as a sample sizes. We have no idea who he is right now.
If he lights up, if he lights up the league in September six, you know, the Browns are legitimately dangerous three. But we just don't know if that guy's coming back.
We haven't seen him in a while.
That's his fault, not ours. Let's take a break and then we will hit the AFC South. All right, welcome back. We are going around the AFC in forty eight minutes, three minutes a team, and we now moved to the suddenly interesting or I could say intriguing AFC South. Mark get us going with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Yeah, from like a DVA angle. They finished last year with the ninth best offense and if you look at if you break it down to over like the final six weeks or so, they were like the third best passing attack in the league. And so obviously Trevor Lawrence made about as big of a leap of any quarterback not named Jalen Hurts. It went perfectly for them down the stretch, and they gave the Chiefs a fight in January and there's really nothing not to like, and they've
added Calvin Ridley to the mix. So I guess what I would ask you is like, are you buying the Jaguars as the NFL's next consistently awesome passing attack slash offense or do you think, like you know what, there might be a sneaky regression here that people aren't ready to deal with. And I guess, you know, I just say, if you can smell, like what the rock is cooking, what does it smell like to you?
Caught me off balance of that one.
Well, she just came to mind, like, I mean, what's happening here? Like they're back there cooking something up, and it's like everyone's assuming it's going to be next step up. I wonder if that's a lock?
Are you a big rock fan? Are you?
I didn't notice about Mark.
Super multi talented. I wasn't. I mean, I know that was his sort of tagline. I didn't track that his career as a wrestler overly heavy because I don't watch wrestling.
But I'm a little anxious.
Let's get back in the track.
Yeah, I'm a little anxious. Just if I'm smelling something like it smells. It smells. It smells good, but it's not the spiciest thing in the world. I'm a little anxious that, like all the rookies they signed this year, they're not projected to necessarily start. They kind of just stood on what their team was a year ago. They made so much improvement and they spent so much money a year ago that they sort of didn't have to and these things go in cycle. They couldn't. They need
improvement from within. I'm more concerned about the defense, So I guess to answer your question, I think it's more likely that their offense stays quite good, uh, and that there's not much regression there. I'm a little more worried about the defense. They need Devin Lloyd, Treyvon Walkers.
About it, yeah, better, Like especially when you have Cam Robinson, who he's going to face that suspension at the beginning of the year. But they drafted Anton Harrison, who is probably going to have to be play right away in that situation.
But he was really really good.
He allowed just one sack over the past two seasons. So I think that this offense is just going to grow and get better based on what they did last year.
Yeah, I don't know what the flavor of the offense is going to be. I think the flavor of their draft is like a potato salad served at a barbecue in Orlando. It Yeah, it's it's maybe a little bit a lot of mayo in it. But Trevor Lawrence is spicy as f and the rock can smell that cooking. And I think he is going to continue to go up in ability and production. I think he could be an MVP this year.
So with Calvin Ridley, Calvin Ridley on Christian Kirk together. Yeah, wow.
The Tennessee Titans.
Greg Rosenthal, Okay, I was looking at this team, They're not more interesting, Like they're the one team in the AFC South. That's just making me wonder are they just boring or are they bad and boring? And my instinct would be they're probably more just boring. They aren't necessarily that bad. You look at their defense, it's actually, you know, very similar, if not better to the defensive roster they had when they were the one seed in the AFC.
They're going to get a lot healthier this year. Like it's a good front seven and especially the defensive line in a good defensive backfield if Tannehill's there, Yeah, they have no one at wide receiver. But I think they can reasonably expect that they're going to coach this team up because they found a way to win games, and like they might just be boring, but I'm not sure
that they're necessarily going to be that bad. They just fit right in with the rest of the AFC South too, if they traded Tannehill, which I feel like there's a bigger chance. Still, people recognize than all bets are off.
They're wide receivers are trailing burks and you have Nick Westbrook, A Kine and Kyle Phillips. I mean, this is a rough wide receiver group. Like I feel like we can't just brush that aside. I don't know, I don't really have a ton of confidence in them. And then I mean, thank god they have Derrick Henry there, but it's not like they have any great tight ends either on this roster.
Yeah, I mean, I'm with you, where it's like they they we can't brush off the wide receiver situation. They seemed to be willing to do that. There was no ability to go trade for anyone, draft anyone, and it leaves like Will Levis if he ends up starting. If they do move Tannehill at some point, like in a rough spot for a rookie quarterback, I think, I mean, yeah, you'll have Derek Henry, but I'm not totally sold that
Derek Henry's on this roster. If they're not way to sell him at a point where you can sell high, I.
Think I'm just curious how they're gonna play this. They obviously didn't value Levis enough to take him in the first round, but they valued him enough to trade up
and get him in the second round. And if this team is what pretty much everybody thinks they'll be, let's say, even being somewhat kind, let's say they're four and four in October, they're five and seven heading into November, Like, at what point do you pull the ripcord if you have Ryan Tannehill as starter and go look at Will Levis, Because if you're going to keep Tannehill around and you're gonna keep Dereck Henry around, that tells me you think
you could still compete and be a playoff team. So that all makes sense to start the season with him, But at what point do you have to pivot and start spinning forward.
They're hoping. I think the coaching staff changes things. You know, he brought in Tim Kelly, who was with him in Houston. Maybe the most important guy in the roster or on the staff is Jason Hutling. That's their new offensive line coach. Their offensive line has been so bad, and they added a couple pieces like Scronsky. But if you can get good offensive line coaching, you can get a lot better. They did six picks all on offense, so it's not
like they ignored their offense. It was an all offense draft line.
When does will Lovis come in? Do we believe in Willlvis? What is his role going to be?
That's my biggest question.
Dan took the time out.
See I had to save Colleen from a dart to the jugular.
I know, thank you.
I feel like you guys want That's what I was to land in your body. That's what I keep that from you.
I would love a dart right here.
That is also I had, I had, I had laid that out as well previously. Colleen, like, what is the plan with tan Hill? And when does the quarterback enter the equation? They're in? They're in an in between period. By the way, justin how weird is it to be Malik Willis now you are a third round pick of a prior regime and it just seems like he is basically floating throughout her space without a helmet on. Yeah.
I don't think Milik Willis as long for the Titans, probably end of training camp type of cut, unless they decided to trace.
Cut him.
Definitely. People people sleep on how bizarre the end of the season was last year that they had this kid Willis that they brought in for Tannehill and then they were so out on him that they took Josh Dobbs off the street and what was essentially a playoff game like and then and then they draft a quarterback, but they didn't take them.
They were out on Tannehill. They took him eighty sixth in the draft after like drafting four others.
I don't you know, I don't think it's that weird. I don't think it's that weird because John Robinson ejector seat out of there probably was his guy much more than Rabel's. Vrabel's comments on Malik Willis at the end of that year, when they opted for Josh Dobbs, who had like four days of practice with him told me all I needed to hear. Now they went and drafted
someone else. Like the head coach who has buy in from the GM on this front has zero belief in Malik Willis, and Malik Willison his own play didn't give the fan much belief. And so I'm kind of with grave Digger, like there's a sneaky world where he doesn't make this roster.
Wasn't Dobbs good in that game? By the way, Dobbs was like a Thursday night game. He came in that like was he.
Did throw like a backbreaking interception, but like he was just trying to make a play. Malik Willis was one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league last year. He completed like eight passes or something.
It was horrible. Well my point, My point is he's a third round pick and then as a rookie and he has two bad games and everybody's like, all right, he sucks. I think, well, a lot of quarterbacks suck when they they're first learning the league. At this level, I feel like I'm not saying he was a third round pick. I understand, and it's a different GM now. I understand that, But the fact, if I'm Malik Willis, I'm feeling like man, I thought I didn't really get
a shot here and I'm already now done. Yeah yeah, I think from Malik's perspective, not enough people do.
They were trying to make the playoffs at the end of the year and they just didn't believe that he was ready to get it done. Maybe they think he needed off season of development. Maybe he'll be the quarterback two and Will Levis will be the QB one, and you ship Bryan Tannehill off or save him and trade him at the trade deadline. That's what I would do.
Josh Dobbs, by the way, is now Deshaun Watson's backup hopefully. You know, if I'm Watson, you don't want to miss any games or your backup might look better than you.
For the second streets, it's the beach each television time out here it is now.
We have one time out remaining, okay, and I'm not saying I have to call it, so just use it wisely though. Here we go the Houston Texans the old shuster. Do you, Connie, you think the Titans have issues a wide receiver? The Texans pull the trigger on CJ. Shroud at too, then trade a first round pick to move back up to take a defensive end, Will Anderson at three, and then the draft ends and you look at their depth chart and it's like what their number one wide
receivers Robert Woods. Robert Woods looks shot last year in Tennessee. He had five hundred yards receiving. He is their number one wide receiver. They traded Brandon Cooks. The Dallas Cooks didn't want anything to do with that being there, So what are you gonna do there? But they have here's some names. This is what I'm gonna call a segment. The segment's called some names. Nathaniel Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Nicocollins,
Noah Brown, who they picked up at free agency. Like c J. Stroud is gonna struggle throwing in tight windows because there's gonna be nobody who opened many weeks this year.
I do like Nico Collins. You're right, they're in the short supply there. But Tank Dell, I think is someone who has already said he's like got a chip on his shoulder and looked at every wide out that was taken over him, like there's someone to like there. I know, Daniel, you'll never buy into that concept. But it's just like
it's in need. They had need. They also, like a year ago, had needs everywhere, and I honestly think the one thing they did is they went and got a coach who's gonna I think Tomico Ryans is like coach of the Year material because I think they could sneaky win eight or nine games somehow and like it would be a feel good story after three years of total shipwreck and disaster.
I mean short term, this, I guess is good with CJ. Stroud because this team went through two seasons with Davis Mills. They've had four head coaches in the last three years. Like they needed stability at the head coaching spot and at the quarterback position, and they will hopefully get it with c J.
Stroud.
Yeah, I'm totally concerned that they don't have any wide receivers for him to throw to the offense. Last year was Damian Pierce and just like a bunch.
Of dead weight on his shoulders.
So they need to upgrade the passing game and they only really got that one main piece for it.
So how do you do it?
I don't know, Demiico Ryans and I guess the OC there needs to figure it out.
Demico Ryans too. I'm just saying, like, have you set up your young quarterback for success? It's not?
Well, No, I think it's like raising the question what do you build? How do you build around a quarterback? Bobby Slowick brings it that Shanahan system. They have a pretty good offensive line, they have a pretty good running game. They're hoping to have a good defense, like that's another way to do it. They're looking at it like I think the Patriots are a little like this, and the Titans are right now too. They're zigging while the rest
of the league is zagging. At wide receiver. I at least like the Texans options a lot more than the Titans. I mean, Tankdell's kind of fun. Nego Collins could be fun. John Metchi was a second round pick. He had that cancer battle, but it sounds like he's going to play this year. Noah Brown was okay, like Robert Woods, You're right, is their wide receiver one? He might also be like their wide receiver four. I mean they have some names, they.
Have some names.
Somebody needs to emerge. I guess that's the point, because Woods should not be seen as the guy because he's just a guy.
Well, we can't kill the Titans. I mean I can't kill the Titans. Then make a bunch of excuses for the Texans.
That's fair.
I refuse to do I'm just you know, I won't do it. No more excuses for the Texans. I just wanted that to happen.
The Cults, Connie, the Colts.
The top of this draft was so bonkers, with the Texans taking a quarterback at two, which everyone was thinking that they might take a defender, and then trading up then to take their defender and Will Anderson, and then having the Colts, who were picking four, take Anthony Richardson. That was one of the main questions about the draft
was where Richardson would fall. And so now he goes to Indianapolis, which I was kind of surprised about because in so many of the mocks you would have guys talking about whether it would be Will Levis or Anthony Richardson, because Will Levis is supposed to be more pro.
Ready, more of a day one guy.
And now you have Anthony Richardson, where his ceiling is outrageous, like he has incredible traits, and you have Shane Stike and there the offensive coordinator who worked with Jalen Hurtz, and we saw the development that Jalen Hurts went through, So that gives me some optimism about this pairing in the future. But were you surprised that they didn't go Will Levis here? And is Jim Ursay actually crowdsourcing picks?
Because I could not believe that Ersay tweeted out Colts fans, would you take Will Levis at two if you're on the board for the Bolts in four hours from now, go Montana and Young for franchise?
What what is he doing? Somebody needs to take Twitter away from him.
I mean he's he's like, yeah, I kind of enjoy him. I think he's like a pure wild card from me the NFL owner perspective, Ballard did say, and there was he he basically someone else came out of the record on the inside the building and said Ballard told me weeks ago that Anthony Richardson was the guy, and the reasoning was that all the quarterbacks for flawed viewed as flawed, But then why not then swing for the guy that could be like a massive home run versus Will Levis,
who will see what he is. But I certainly think he'd be the safer pick. But I mean, the Colts love these big, powerful players at every position. I think Anthony Richardson I can see why Ballard fell in love. He just got to get it right because he's He's swung and missed on like eight quarterbacks one minute.
Right.
They love to run the ball. They have an offensive line where they've invested so much money poorly by the way, But Quentin Nelson's still there, Braden Smith is still there. They're still good. Ryan Kelly's making a lot of money at center. I want them to sign some more veterans. But they love to run the ball, and I know Steichen loves to run the ball, and I think they
have the players to do it. And so you look at Richardson versus Levice that way, and that's a nice baseline to start with everything.
Yeah, what's the what's the general vibe about the Colts offensive line? Is that was that a blip last year where everything went wrong Murphy's law? Or is that a group that's now should be seen as questionable.
I think they're questionable.
Yeah, I mean it is. It will be a new coaching staff that maybe an improved one. But I typically, like when an offensive line completely breaks down over like fourteen fifteen, sixteen games, I don't predict them to come roaring back seven, six, five.
I thought two three when it was Michael pivan or last week.
Passing game and the passing concepts that were being installed, and.
Dam it was like when when there was like the countdown was at four and Collie is like, you know, I was also thinking. I was like, she's doomed.
Where is the countdown? Where do you guys see the countdown?
Oh you're hearing it in your ears? That explains to explains a lot.
Man, I am really I'm playing hurt guys.
You're grinder. There's one more division to go, Connie, Yeah, here we go. And you know, also not for nothing that the Sixers beat the Celtics in Game one.
Without Oh my god, you see James Harden's alpha It was so if you want.
To use a time out just to dunk on Greg and his favorite team, I would not have an issue with it. Just out there.
I can't dunk on anyone right now.
Connie, when when I when we hear the ten seconds and if you're watching and you can check out us out on YouTube. You know, for this great action, I'll give you a signal. I'll give you. This is the signal. I hold my hands up. When we get the ten seconds, that's it. Hurt me. I don't like getting hurt.
Let's take a break and when you're at back Weird Show. All right, welcome back. We have one more division. We have to get Colleen to an urgent care, so we're gonna wrap this thing up. Connie, we were stunned to learn, despite us all having the same audio feed, that you have not been hearing a countdown clock at all. Do you want to justin play her the countdown so she just can hear it. Maybe it's just something she's been filtering out.
I think that's the case.
Oh I could, but we'd have to wait three minutes for it to get to the end of the clock.
It's okay, I can do it, guys. I'm ready. All right, this is the division, and.
Greg is going to give you a verbal warning or some type of visual. I also will give you your heads up.
You know, right here.
He's holding a sign that says, Connie, stop talking.
This is this is why I love you, guys. This is why this works.
All right, Hey, we're here, we go, we move into the AFC West and yes it is Colleen Wilf kicking it up.
Okay, okay, So Kansas City Chiefs quick story. In Kansas City, I'm talking to Heidi Gardner, who is on SNL.
She's a huge Chiefs fan, and.
They have me interviewing her in front of everyone at the draft lover too, and I figure she's got a great personality, so I'm going to like throw this out to her. And so I was like, why did Kansas City have to win the Super Bowl?
And why did they have to beat the Eagles? And it just like did not go as I had planned in my mind in my head.
So I've been really working my way back since that moment. But I did really enjoy what Kansas City did here. Felix Enadique Uzama, this was so it was such a fun pick next to the Cowboys and the coach drafting his son. This was one of the heartwarming moments of
Round one because Felix is from Kansas City. He grew up a Chiefs fan, like he went to their training camps, and now he gets to join this team that is celebrating a Super Bowl was still celebrating at the draft, and it's an obvious need for them too.
With Frank Clark being cut. He's had nineteen and.
A half sacks over the past two seasons. I think that really helps their pass rush and will that equate to another Super Bowl?
Yang?
I mix, I feel like you left us on the ledge there. What did what happened with Gardner?
She has a little dig into the awkwardness.
It was so awkward. It was very awkward.
It was not as funny as I wanted it to be. And I don't know if it was funny at all, and I like really wanted a trapdoor to just like kind of into but.
She was despite being on SNL. Does she lack a sense of humor in person or No?
No, she she is great and she is sweet and she is funny. But I just don't think I set set it up properly because.
Maybe it was the head cold at.
The time that you're an Eagles fan too, so that that could be.
Something I did say.
Yeah, I said that I'm an Eagles fan.
Yeah, but also maybe you were looking for that little sass back and forth with the crowd in the Kansas City folk. They're nice Midwesterners. It's not like a.
Philly crowd so nice. Every time I tried to ras them, it just like never landed.
I think Heidi Gardner is a great talent on SNL. My wife has met her too and said she's delightful. Yeah, and I think she's the best actor on SNL. She really watched this, watch her and any of those sketches. She's like blowing everyone away in terms of.
And in shrinking. If you guys have started that, that's a great series.
But the Chiefs, the chief Sounds is gonna be mad, Greg say something about the Chiefs.
Racy Rice is a fun uh second round pick, just because he's a receiver that's going to be catching balls from Patrick Mahomes. We heard a lot about Zay Flowers maybe going there, that they tried to trade up but it was too expensive. He has going to have a chance Rice to step in right away because I think sky Moore was a little bit of a loss.
I think you need to douse the roster with the waterfall of like barbituates to not make the super Bowl again. I think I'd see them winning two or three over the next five years.
That so should I open up a new topic.
Oh wait, I totally didn't give you your signal.
No one signaled culling.
No I know, I heard.
One hundred and three catches and twelve hundred and thirty yards and seven touchdowns went out the door with Mikole Hardman and Juju Smith Schuster. So Roshie, Rice Sky Moore, Canarius Tony they gotta, they gotta do it mvs. Wow, you just think they're just gonna roll like a dynasty is gonna keep rolling.
Mark, It's the only team that I'd point to right now where I just believe that they can have an imperfect season. Then you get the most heroic quarterback run by Mahomes that I can remember, and they a year ago, we're like, oh, can they handle the transition? So yes they can, and yes they can thrive, and yes they win a Super Bowl. They'll do it again.
But also, does anything change the enemy being gone?
Who whoa whoa whoa Hey, Steph kirk Hey, Steph kurr. We don't have a time out, we're out.
What happens now.
The universe swallows itself.
We just that's what happens. We don't respect the trink anymore. It's disappointing. They're bringing back Dereck McKinnon, by the way, that are they.
And they declined the fifty year option on Clyde Edwards Hlaire. So whatever, all right, let's move on to the Denver Broncos. Hey, So listen, in some ways they've they've done well here in terms of trying to salvage this Russell Wilson thing. Sean Payton entered the building. They spent a bunch of money on the offensive line after he got sacked I think fifty five times last year. It wasn't all the offensive lines fault, by the way, but it's worth noting.
And I'm wondering, though, what's going on with their running back situation. This is the worst running back situation in the league right now. And I don't know if anyone's close. They have Sama jp Ryan, okay, but he's never had more than ninety five carries in his life. He's fine,
just a guy. Javonte Williams. They're hoping that he plays this year at some point, but he had one of those knee injuries, like the tour multiple ligaments type knee injuries that you just don't know if he's ever going to be able to really come back, or if the
next year is a total washout. I just wonder like they're gonna want to run the ball a lot to help protect themselves from Russell Wilson, and I don't know if they can the way the roster is set up right now, unless p Ryan is way better than we're anticipating, or at least.
I am he's solid. He's a solid back in Javontay Williams is exciting.
But yeah, I don't know. They don't even know when Javonte Williams is coming back.
Okay, that's fair. This is a team full of like kind of backup choices. Sean Payton was quietly their fourth choice at quarter at head coach. They wanted Damiico Ryans, they wanted Jim Harbaugh, they wanted Dan Quinn. It's weird. It's a weird thing sitting over them. And then I look at their roster and like, other than Russell Wilson, I think they've set themselves up pretty nicely. They're oh
deep at wide receiver. I do think Courtland Sutton and or or Jerry Judy could still get moved, but they picked up the fifth year option on Judy.
I think, to your question, Dan, like maybe they feel better about DeVante behind the scenes to not make a move, Like maybe they have a better track on where his recovery is. I mean, if he's healthy. I kind of like their backfield because I think p Ryan is a classic Sean Payton like pass catching guy that he's always had in his career that you can use in a
certain way. I don't like him as the lead loan back, but little I wonder if someone like mark ingram is a free agent who has a long history with Sean Payton, could wind up there for part of the season if you need to get DeVante healthy.
God, I really hope that Javante is healthy, because when he's healthy, he's so good.
His contact balance it's one minute, guys, one minutes left, I got it.
His contact balance is insane, Like he is such an exciting player to watch.
He just bounces off of people.
And then they also have Tim Patrick coming back, who didn't even get a chance to have his big breakout season, which I thought he was going to have last year, so they have him, which almost feels like an extra pick coming into this pass catching room.
I don't know.
I think that all of the additions that they are spending the big money on the offensive line. That also helps out too, protecting Russell Wilson. Like you mentioned off the top there, Dan So, I don't feel as pessimistic about the Broncos.
Second round pick on Marvin Min's too. They're loaded, They're they're very deep.
They were loaded a year ago.
How long is the leash on Wilson?
Eight games?
Up? Next is the Las Vegas Raiders with Greg Rosenthal.
Okay, here's here's a hot take. Jimmy Garoppolo's weapons are as good in Las Vegas as they were in San Francisco. Let's go through that.
What what what?
What?
All right? Number one receiver, you got Debo versus DeVante Adams. Big win for Devontae Adams. Number two receiver you got Jacoby Myers versus Ayuk. I'm giving that to Ayuk. Slot receiver whoever the forty nine Ers throw out versus Hunter Renfro. Given that to Renfro. Tight end you got George Kittle and a good backup versus Michael Mayer. I love that. Michael Mayer picking Austin Hooper. I'm giving that to San Francisco. But with mayor there At least, it's not like as
big a blow as it would have been. We're split now, we're going to running back whoever. They're thrown out in San Francisco. It's Josh Jacobs versus against the forty nine ers. I'm giving it to Jacobs. That's a nice group. Now, Shanahan is definitely greater than McDaniels. The offensive lines both have questions, but it just in terms of weapons around Jimmy g He's got some nice, nice weapons.
Well, I'm glad you mentioned the coaching situation because my biggest issue is, like, wait and see on a Josh McDaniels thriving as a play caller outside of New England historically that's not happened at all, but be getting through a season without controversy surrounding one of his own players. He doesn't seem to get along with his own players that well. And also, come on, I like this from Graver in the chat here, Christian McCaffrey not better than Josh Jacobs.
Okay, that was probably true. They'll give it a slight are competitive. These are competitive, but that's not as spicy a take.
But your your point is also well made solidly made Greg that he is not inheriting a much lesser situation. We'll say, I mean, you kind of got a need Mayer to hit the ground running a little bit. I think in he certainly could. And Jacobs listen, he didn't get his option picked up before last year. Is he gonna be able to have another season like last year that felt like a career best season? And then the health of Garoppolo hangs over everything, and they they still
don't have a lot of depth behind him. So I think they're one of those teams where everything breaks well there and they could be a wild card team. But I don't I love the Raiders right now.
I don't now they're the Raiders.
Are just hard to love though, Like I feel like it's hard to trust the Raiders every year. I even when their roster looks good, I don't end up loving them because of the way that they end up playing. And a lot of that was Derek Carr. But I was even surprised during the draft that they didn't take Christian Gonzales who was still there, and you know, they went with Tyree Wilson, who was still really good.
I mean, they're looking like they're trying to get into scorefest like that. They'll be all offense, and I apologize to Christian McCaffrey. I would definitely take them over Josh Jacobson. That was great, and the offensive line. I'm surprised they didn't do anything there all off season.
Good news, Connie. We have one more, right, the Los Angeles Chargers with Mark Sessler.
Well, the Chargers, I think they absolutely needed to add a weapon on offense, and they did it with Quinton Johnson. It's one of these guys I just cannot wait to see how he fits there. And you know the athletic essentially mentioned Daniel Popper does a great job with them. Said essentially, at this point, they really just need like a blocking tight end, a cornerback, a safety, which they you know, they did a nice job last offseason after
the drafts showing up some weaknesses. So if they do all that again, I think we're back in this world where you look at the Chargers on paper and they're one of the better rosters league wide. I can't think of another like entity in the NFL like this team because you've got essentially premium talent all over the place. Check top flight quarterback, check new offensive coordinator after we
were all complaining about the old one. They've done that, and despite all of it, I'm not does anyone here trust them to win fights with the Chiefs, the Bills, the Bengals, or even the Jaguars. Like I don't know if this is like a sneaky Super Bowl team or just another expedition into nothingness, which it feels like the Chargers due to us every year.
I don't know if this is al Michaels's fault and Tony Dungee's, but like, has any game been memory hold more than the Chargers losing a twenty seven nothing lead in a playoff game like that happened, I still can't pull it. And if there's maybe inside that building that's there's still a lot of a mental warfare and shrapnel
to deal with connected to that loss. But I think that's why everyone is Basically this is the first offseason in a couple of years where you don't feel a lot of like excitement from the outside about what the Chargers can be. But like Connie, like when you do with the way Mark set that up there, there is plenty of reasons to be juiced about them, But this is a team that blew with twenty seven nothing lead in the playoffs.
It's hard to forget that because it happened still recently too. But this could be a team that's also lying in the weeds because it's the Chargers and people doubt them so often because of their history. But I found it really interesting with their draft that they passed on a running back. They didn't take any so at this point, I guess that means that Austin Eckler will not be traded and they're gonna go forward with him.
Well, not only that, they answered very directly after the draft, did anyone call about Eckler? And they're like, nope, we didn't receive this single call. He's gonna be there. Why are you laughing, Donnie?
It was a little worried about you during that answer.
You know, I'm really worried about me right now. Just landing any type of plane is difficult to say.
See teams, though, at least Connie.
Can I say the charge and Chargers fans that might be annoyed with surfacing that playoff loss. There's only one way to blow a twenty seven nothing lead in a playoff game. It's to have a twenty seven nothing lead in a playoff game, so obviously there's a lot there to build on, but you got to get some of that scar tissue out of there and move forward.
I'd also just say, remember why Mike Williams wasn't in that game because they put meaningless starters or starters out in a meaningless game the week before.
Well, they got the head coach out of there fresh start, so oh wait, no, poor brand I was like.
Oh my god, I'm much worse than I feel right now.
He's still there, no two winning seasons. I feel like no coach who had back to back winning seasons taking over has endured more ridiculous ways to lose in criticism than Brandon Staley. I mean, mostly it's his fault.
Mike McCarthy, baby, but you're right, they think they.
Need to get to the second round of the playoffs for him to have a job. After everything, I mean, it's over. There's no tranks now. By the way, the Bills signed Poona Ford today, who was one of the highest people ranked left on my top one oh one free agency. It is now sign a free Agenciason again because you don't have to pay the compensatory picks.
Jerrick McKinnon got signed, so there's some decent players out there. As of yesterday, there were sixteen guys still left from the top one O one. Now it's fifteen.
Connie said it all. You fought through it. We're going to give you the final word.
I just want to say that I did not like I was not looking for sympathy.
I just didn't actually think I was going to be like this.
I thought that i'd be a little bit better off for this show, and then moments before the show started, I realized that this could go sideways. So appreciate you guys dealing with me.
Thank you, Thank you. It's been fun. Let's hang out again when I am healthy.
Okay, all right, tell Gandha to come back from his walk.
We'll be back on Thursday with the great Patrick Clayband and we'll hit the NFC in forty eight minutes. Thank you everybody for listening. Until then, you know what you got to do. Go to the hospital. Heed the call
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