Around the NFC in 48 Minutes: Post-Draft Edition

The Around the NFL podcast. It is going around the NFC forty eight minutes here we are should just have Jason do the whole show with Timber episode. I love that from the Chris Westley podcast studio. It's around the NFL. I am Dan Hansis got heroes here, great girls of ball, Mark Cecil wearing that black button up and joining us. A very special guest.

We love her. She's been on the show, but never in person. Jordan Rodrigue of the Athletic.

Guys are all taller in person, all to a man, all of you.

Jordan, what is happening? This is?

This is very fun. And Jordan, we're gonna get to a little bit later. Who covers the RAMS and the NFL and kills it over on the Athletic You come up a lot on the show, which is a credit to your work. You just came out with Finding Rams, which was a deep dive, two part breakdown on their entire draft process, which is awesome. Uh, and now we're going to talk about not just the RAMS, but all the NFC.

Are you prepared for this?

I'm very nervous because this is literally life or death because of the Dart situation. So I am prepared to be punctured by a dart.

Well.

Also just that Dan is a very exacting judge on guests, and unfortunately, as a fan of the show, you.

Do know that that we do have importance. And it's not a demad standards it. It really come boils down to how Dan feels like.

You do you bring value to the show. We have it the famous that no one's ever seen it. Like we talked, we're going to talk about the RAMS database. We have our hit it and quitit list, and you know, could Jordan end up on it?

We don't know.

He's already been on the show at least like four times in person.

Okay, now I can change it. Yeah, the pressure is off the charts right now.

It's an incredible pressure. I am glad you did brief me about this when I last saw you over at the Orphanage. So thank you.

It was great to see you. It was great to see you.

I had an amazing guy right in the community.

Well, the first thing Dan would have mentioned it himself, so it's it's important that you bring it up.

I did. I ran into Dabo Sweeney at the Senior Bowl and mobile like what said he said, hey, I heard you know Dan hands a stack guy.

You would know he personalized the football that Jordan saw.

So it is great.

Whenever I run into people at the orphanage that I'm building, it's always great. And Greg joined us at the orphan instead of getting mad about me getting these footballs for my work.

Yeah, join me.

Oh no, I I left some You know the thing where you lift the wooden frame of the home right, and everybody's got to work together. Yes, there's always one spot that's empty. That's the Greg spot.

I don't love like you out you leave a plate out for Jesus or a dead.

Right or the kid that's at the recital, and there's the seat save for dad. And they look and you see, like the light go out behind the ice. That's that's us with the orphanage building in.

Greg, Greg, it was in that empty spot at the Orphanage that I carried you.

Oh I don't I don't like The second thing Jordan did after taking a beat and seeing the great picture of Chris Westling the Chris Westling Podcast. After taking a beat, the second thing Jordan did here was take a picture

Feel like anytime that realization, that truth, that narrative bubbles up, it's probably scrubbed from the show.

I don't really listen to the show.

It's a great ending to this.

I've never heard this. I've listened to every episode.

It just came out then.

I don't know. It's a baseless theory, and it's not baseless.

You literally met the he's the one who met in our newsroom. But the way that we have our glass cubes, some one of their PR people probably that's probably Dan Hands because it's our names.

But it looks like I said it.

This says so much more about you, Mark than anyone and Greg less you continually.

I've never thought about this a second time.

For a second.

You haven't.

It's a delicious answer to the The best part.

Is that I wouldn't have even said a word about it if that was true, which is an absurd theory that you have. It is Bryan the.

Idea that as soon as the football showed up, Mark's brain started and I've been overlooked once more, that the gears turning.

More under your skin.

It's delicious. I would say this like I got a spill. Hang on, I'm so happy. I just simply like, yeah, students, So that could just be unannoying to hang out with most of the time.

Can I get a quick something to wipe down my laptop?

That would be excellent. All right, So we have a lot of work to do and we're going around the NFC in exactly forty eight minutes, and I think it's it's very important, Jordan, you are aware of the dart situation. We have Big Funk behind the glass that I filling in for ETP, and that is that's important to know because ETP is reckless with the Dart. But Big Funk

He's more of a like an Oswald type, so you know, high chaos potential.

All right, let's get into it. We've divvied up the teams and we're gonna go through it. And we're gonna start with the NFC East. And why don't we start with the Dallas Cowboys. Why don't I get it going with the Dallas Cowboys. Okay, I hope my laptop is a play Matt.

There we go. Hang on, We're gonna get the laptop wipe down a little bit more. All right, here we go.

All right, The way the running back situation has been has played out has been yeah, minor fiasco on some level.

I mean, they just resigned Zeke Elliott. But I think it's.

Important to also point out the sky is not falling in Dallas.

Uh.

You know you you still have uh, you still have Dak Prescott, you still have Cde Lamb. I assume se CEEDE. Lamb's going to be in the building when it matters. You have questions, sure, like is Jalen Tolbert going to be able to fill that number three wide receiver spot the offensive line? We know Zach Martin is probably going to be the right guard, but where does everyone else fall in this mix? The defense has has some issues,

Uh.

We could sit here and say the same things about Dallas eventually falling on their face in January, but I just want to say, like, I expect them to be playing in mid January once again, based on where this roster stands.

What do you think, Jordan, I'm really curious. I mean, there was really strong team last year obviously, but then sputtered out at the end. And I'm really curious about the structures of the contracts. I know, Greg, you're in the weeds on some of those things as well. It seems like one year left for a lot of different people, including some of the fifth year option stuff that they've

Which is like not the way I would run things. The sky isn't falling now, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is falling around the trade deadline time. Like, I've just been looking at this organization for a long time wondering because they used to never be able to handle success, and they have handled it under Mike McCarthy.

They just feel to me a little bit more directionless than in years past. And now all that's amped up because it's the Cowboys, But if you look at their draft, like in their top three picks, you got to tackle a guard.

I kind of like what they.

Did on that side, on that side of the ball, because that was necessary and not everything can be some sort of fantasy based home run in the draft, but for me, it starts just with like you have a quarterback that you what are you doing with the contract there.

I mean, I really agree with.

That is Whatdy's zick back. That's gonna make them happy.

But that's such a Jerry Jones thing from old I don't like it feels like like a play that hits kind of Jerry Jones move. But I'm with Jordan, like this feels like there's a one year window here to find out how much things could change.

If they don't sign an extension.

Dak will play the final year of his contract and counts close to sixty million against the cap. So a lot of stuff going on there, Mark Sessler, who's em all right?

Some say the ancient pyramids of Egypt were actually ornately constructed energy centers offering a brand of cosmic power. People are not saying this about the New York Giants. Since selecting Daniel Jones in twenty nineteen, the g Men rank thirty first in points per game, total yards per game, and passing yards per game. That is why I love the Molik neighbors pick. I think it's a total change agent. No Giants players had eight hundred plus yards receiving in

Malik Neighbors is the type of player twenty one in his first training camp, by the way, twenty one years old. He is the type of player that makes you look less wrong about whatever quarterback and look.

I like their idea that they were going to try to trade up for Drake May but otherwise take the best player on the board, which is Malik Neighbors. I thought it was alt if he was there right, I thought it was interesting. Our frenemy Daniel Jeremiah mentioned on his something. I guess he has a program Moved the Sticks.

That's a radio show.

He kind of gave the game away that he says Drew Lockey thinks has a good chance of winning the job, and that the Giants were literally comparing Drew Locke and Daniel Jones, but emphasis son Drew Lock to the quarterbacks that were gonna come out, and essentially, you know, reading between the lines saying like Drew Lock's just as good as JJ McCarthy. Uh so why take a quarterback? And

And yet I think they will. I think the I doubt I think he's gonna play. I think they're gonna give him a shot. I think they unless they've totally soured on him based on six games, seven games and an injury. I think he's going to get a chance to play this year and rectify or and make them look smart after he's made them look so dumb the last year.

I guess what this is.

Doesn't matter that the owner seems to like him, because that's of course it got a position which.

A lot and Brian Burns came on Thibodeau.

Yeah, I like that, Dexter Lawrence. I mean, that's an awesome front line. I think getting Martin Dale out of there is probably like positive. We don't really know what we're getting out of Shane Bowen, who's their coordinator. I'm predictable apparently, because Jordan says she made ten pages of notes for this nervous and one of them was Greg's going to bring up Drew Locke.

It is I have to hear in parentheses. Yeah, Greg may bring up DJ's comment about your lock be ready.

To me, that's like he had this info the whole time, and then he waits till after the draft because.

They a class successor. Rub Build was in there always trips.

Well. I think it's you can compare these.

I was dizzy for about a minute and a half after he hit me. Rub Build all right up next, Jordan on the.

Iggles first, I have no additional Howie Roseman take the range was pretty much already coming on the show. A big fan of the show, have listened to every minute of this show. I do love, specifically pairing Cooper de Jean with Vic Pongio, and in fact wonder Ifangio has an idea to make him the star, which is a larger framed hybrid safety and corner who in this defense does not have to abide by the coverage of the rest of the group. The idea is to make him

Oh what's he like?

Could not have been? Kinder?

Okay?

Really nice man?

Does it seem like you seely the head coach and the centering force of the sideline.

We didn't really interact that long, but you know, I'll dig deeper next time.

That's a great idea about the Gene. I mean, Bondo is a perfect guy to use him, and then pairing him with CJ. Gardner Johnson, whos been successful there and is so versa like, they have a lot of options. I wonder if James Bradbury even makes this team there they're suddenly deep in the secondary after that being a weakness.

I love.

I kind of love when teams do that, and I think that's one of the reasons someone like Roseman's getting the praise because they rebuilt that entire secondary. Darius slay A Bradberry too, coming off like big names but not

I love that for the league.

Yes, I wonder if they're just as good on defense, though, as like Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter get better, that's a position it takes a little while to get better. Jordan Davis maybe didn't make the step they hoped last year.

Well it'll it'll open up what you can do in the secondary, in the back half. You know this when it's functioning at its you know, at its truest form, like this, defense is all about tendencies. I think the combination of the quarters they brought in are tendency breaking or tendency forcing or dictating to the offense players. And when you have movement like that upfront or the potential of that, I think that could be really cool.

It was good to have because we're gonna have Jordan also handled the falcons later.

These are these are hot button topics.

On the show, no opinion, So as a guiding force of the group on the show, I think that that that's a smart move. In fact, it could be Jordan in the role of peacemaker, and I think that's very important.

Or you settle the ties, you know, you decide who's right who's wrong forever more.

We'll see we'll see.

The great Howie Roson debate of.

Big Funk. Come on, big Funk. That peacemaker Eagles gotta be ready.

I know I tried finding it. I thought I had it, and then I'm like, suddenly it's just gone.

So yeah, time out, time out, all right?

So listen, this Howie thing has turned into a national focking point.

Interesting. Some of the takes a little bit similar to the ones you heard Saturday. I think you had a point there, but.

That's beside the point. I wanted to say. This is not me looking to do some gotcha journalism. Jordan nailed it. This is uh, let's just take a look by the numbers. So I hit up NFL media research. I came up with this how we do that? A closer look at

I think the second contracts would be higher. But you're right, we kind of.

Need I want to see I'd want to like line up everyone else. But those numbers are surprising, uh, compared to the amount of gushing and praise he seems to get.

From I mean, in eight drafts, he hasn't nobody's been Uh. So this doesn't include when he was put out in the shed behind them after the shed. Once he won the shed, he's taken out of the Pocono's and returned to Also.

I'd also say that a lot of the how he praised is bubbled up in like the last couple of years. It wasn't the minute he came out of the shed that people also, you know, he had to rebuild things.

That's a hye bar. First team All pros like Jalen Hurts was a pick that people really were negative about. Why why would you do that? I mean, he's an All Pro. So that's one. I mean, I guess they're not counting second teams, but they've had multiple I can think of second team too, and they had a defensive Rookie of the Year. The eleven contracts, I think is big. It is a reminder though, to me, if you were picking what's how he'd done best, it's probably been the

If the media was really so high on Howie Rosman's players, wouldn't they be voting for more?

Just asking questions, Well it is.

I feel like it's this time of year where the love affair peaks right and then people get to normal business and it's become a very safe trope to praise.

How they don't allow us.

Into the Pro Football Writers Association of America and beyond, we actually had the chief of that association.

We can't vote, but yeah, we need more writing from Mark right, that would help.

I'm good for I'm good with my current status. Like a J.

Brown is an All Pro, but that's acquired through trade. Jalen hurts right, Yeah, does Scotter's never.

Made And you know, the point there is not that how he has not done a good job. He's done a very good job by all accounts. Uh, it's just you.

Know, I love this draft though, I mean, I he they really spammed a need with good players, the versatile players that match what the coach probably wants, what the scheme is, and that that consistency is kind of what I'm looking at here with him is you know, sometimes there's some some you know, high value picks, and sometimes there's some some wins. But if you look at the like the meat and potatoes of the drafts that he's doing, it's like you can understand why he made every pick.

Woch cool.

How he handled last season was a huge negative though, Like you got Jalen Carter, but the way they attacked that secondary and gave all that money to Bradbury that was a terrible contract. And they've been on the forefront of like linebackers don't matter until last year when like they were thirtieth in the league in DVOA and I think their linebacker position was the number one really.

Greg, that was all after Big Dom was sentenced to Abstenia back. He was in their draft room on draft days. So it's like, you know, you can they're back at their back in the year. Ship Roles just become the head coach, Sirian.

He is like assistant, he's not assistance.

I think, so, like that's pretty high.

Yeah, that's true.

I just want to really quick. It reminds me a lot kind of when the league catches you off guards the linebacker point that you made, Greg, that happens to teams who play that long into the postseason. I mean we saw it in twenty twenty two. They were caught by everything you could not see. You couldn't see it through all the injuries, but their offense had gotten stale. They lost an offensive coordinator, the players were injured like

But you don't hear bred Veach getting any love at this level.

I know when those numbers, those Howie based numbers were generated for you, I know you had a little grin on your face.

No, the numbers don't look bad for him. It just kind of bears out that we already knew that he doesn't. They're all not home runs in reality, but they look awesome in April. All right, Let's move to the final team in the NFC East, the Washington Commanders, with Gray.

Going into his Week one start. I assume Jayden and Daniels is the starter. His left tackle will be either Cornelius Lucas or Brandon Coleman, a third round pick who is probably a guard, and then his right tackle is Andrew Wiley. Overall, this looks like a bottom five offensive line.

Well, well, there's not a lot of proof that the offensive line is a big positive and Cliff Kingsbury, for me, is the biggest question mark of new coordinator position in the entire league. Pat matched with a when he had Kyler it was like, there's a very specific scheme here.

The quarterback matches it.

And it's not that Daniels doesn't, but like, is Kingsbury rolling that back out as he changed, as he gone through any sort of personal growth, and now he's going to attack teams because what he does he.

Have the players? I mean, I don't know if he has.

It's not a great situation, but that's why bad teams get these quarterbacks how often.

Yeah, it's it's going to be interesting. I mean, it's a great point on the on the offensive line. Bang, I guess is why I say here, Yeah, and so I'm so nervous. I'm sorry, but I do think you

Ghosts a little bit like that every every year, and you saw it with the first pick last year. There's guys that and basically every Jets quarterback that's coming too the league in my lifetime, it seems they get stuck with that type of team.

It happens every year.

You hope it's not going to be Jayden Daniels this year, but maybe this is a dawn of a new Aaron Washington.

While it's not going to be built overnight.

They'll protect him enough, like the Austin Eckler move for instance, Like I think the general consensus around Eckler now is he lost two three steps near the end with the Chargers.

But he also is like.

A potential really good weapon for a young quarterback, a guy that can has a nose for the end zone that could catch the ball out of the backfield. You have Brian Robinson with them, so maybe their running game can help stabilize things while Daniels gets his feet wet.

But you gotta protect them.

Or that's what the Sam Howell thing like through me as a not great move because you're you're like a snap away from Marcus Mariota being your starter.

It's just a lot to ask him. He's explosive. Are any players other than mcluurin around him explosive?

Take a break and when we return the NFC North All right, welcome back around the NFC in forty eight minutes. You are a fan of the show, Jordan, You're doing great.

I just I just mouthed to Greg, do I do this?

I would like you to so.

I think I can actually.

I understand the anxiety around this.

I practiced this in my car.

You already don't build more anxiety. Mark let let her.

Nobody look at me right, look back.

That's great, done, that was excellent.

That might be the best one. There you go, big Funk. We just went through the entire first quarter of this exercise. The dart didn't come out once. I don't know, uh, if you're feeling any sense of tensions.

We were good, good men and women here guys.

You guys are pros. There was a moment, wait, can I please have the big Funk theme? Please? Before we go any further said the big Funk? Are you ready for the big Funk theme? When it's big Funk time? You spilled water on your laptop?

That never happened, big phonem.

Ajp ass than.

Bunk.

So yeah, don't be afraid to dart, including the guests.

But I think we were.

Putting the host.

I thought we were well behaved though. Yeah, I thought we were. Yeah, you guys did a great job.

There was a moment during the time out where I thought about hitting you guys with it. Yeah, I don't know the the attique time out wise.

Yeah, he's a bit of a one man band. He's trying to he's happening, having to do a lot back there, so he's doing great.

He's got the the symbols are on the knees, he's got the accordion, he's got.

The horn juggling, juggling.

All right, let's get back into it, uh with the NFC North Market.

It's going with the bears, all right, quick little story to get into this one. The first magazine article I ever published on the subject of astral projection for a publication called Fate Magazine. And I'm keeping this quid, but I wrote about an experience I had during a long water fast when I was living at that camp Happiness place in the winter. Okay, I began having these intense elusive dreams.

Where I would load out of my body.

I can see, I can see myself a seat in my actual bedroom, and I was kept floating like down the hallway. I went into different rooms, and I went into this one room in my dream, floating above near the ceiling, where I saw like a bookshelf tipped over. And then when I went into this room, my friend's room,

I'm sorry, I know we're supposed to now get to the Bears. But when you set it up that way, you were a camp happiness in the summer, I mean in the winter.

Oh yeah, was this like a delinquent boys home? No, like there was thought. It was just like a place you went for six weeks.

You would do a small amount of work with school groups that would come in on like Monday and Tuesday. But other than that, you you know, free food, your own room.

Respond what unbelievable? It was wonderful.

Yeah, it's a great question about the Bears, because.

Sorry, Bears fans, you got one twenty two.

Maybe maybe you get a time out here, because to me, the answer is just Caleb Williams is great, and I don't care anything else that happens, like that they provide enough support offensively and that maybe he wins Offensive Rookie of the Year and that he's the guy. And you come out of the season just feeling like we we got a quarterback because I think beyond that it's a really good division. I don't put them ahead of the Packers or the Lions. Do I complete? You said everything's new?

He's do?

I fully think that, like their defense is gonna stay at that high of a level. They don't really have much of a pass rush. Ownership has been an issue over the years. Like as long as Caleb Williams is Caleb Williams, then it's a success, even if they win seven or eight games. That's how I feel the ola loose spruce ooh yeah, I love that.

I don't the.

Project we're gonna talk about later. You know, you got to be in a lot of rooms and listen to a lot of things and hear about just like league wide chatter, not team specific. I did not hear people gush as much as they did about Roma Dunze that, I mean it blew me away. I mean I love him as a prospect. I knew he was gonna be

Dock me right in the face.

The Bears on paper are a great looking offense all of a sudden, so much as contingent. Is Caleb as good as people think he could be. But if he is, this division is fun.

I got the AFC North where any team can make the playoffs, and I could sing any one of these teams in the NFC North can make the playoffs.

Absolutely. I think you get dart Mark there too. Why why in that situation right in the eye? Gotcha in the eye? Patch for life?

All right?

Up next Jordan defending Division champion Lions.

There's really no other way to put it at this point. The Lions know what they are about under Brad Holmes. This is a team that is gonna flat out pick players they like or are best available on their board, regardless of perceived positional value or consensus charting I also saw some commentary about the trades up. I get that, but I want to reiterate that Holmes came up through Less Snead and the Rams. When Sneid felt the roster was ready to break through up to the next tier,

I believe around Philadelphia spamming an area need. Their cornerbacks are an issue for them last year, and they go and they draft two quarterbacks cornerbacks at the top of this draft. So if that defense takes a step and the offense kind of remains where it is. Yeah, they were final four team last year.

They had a seventeen point lead in the NFC Championship game.

Yeah, I think this is like, unlike some of these other teams that spam a position, this was kind of like their last overt position of need and they and it happened perfectly for them, And like Terry and Arnold, to go to them is a total coup. I would just one question about Brad Holmes, like, because it's hard to get to know these gms from a distance, Like what kind of words would you use to characterize them? Because I think he's been one of the quickest team builders around.

I think he's brilliant a lot of the stuff that the Rams would get sort of external praise for when they were identifying middle and late round players, Like Brad was one of the people who helped set and identify that framework and who really pushed for that type of thinking along with Less and some of the other people in that building. So this doesn't surprise me at all to see him killing it.

But it like the Rams, he's not afraid to do things differently. I mean they're feeling themselves. They traded a future third for a kid from Canada, and then they drafted a safety who had twenty eight snaps at running back to play running back. So it's like they're feeling themselves. I would push back slightly that they don't have any needs. I don't think. First of all, they could use another receiver for sure, and then they absolutely need another pass

They just don't have like, oh my god, this is right, costs nothing, crazy, pretty solid all over the place.

I agree.

The Detroit fanbez love Love Love affair for Jared Goff is so sweet, just chanting his name throughout the draft, just independent of anything.

It's just like, I.

Mean, they had a few beers in them, I'm sure, but that's it was. I knew it was coming, so I stopped talking. Also, many of them were completely sober. I would imagine there were there was just love that this underdog quarter as much as an underdog could be. A former first round, first overall pick, Jared Goff is really a guy that they've gotten behind, is an overlooked entity that rows up. I'm not suggesting you need drunk to like Jared Goff. I think he's earned the many ways.

That's important to clarify. Raggy on the rise in Green Bay Packers.

Yeah, I think Jordan Love's going to get a new contract this offseason. I think Jared Goff, as we just mentioned, will as well, and those come later in the offseason. We talked about how the first three picks the Packers took in this draft I think are going to be able to play right away. They're still a little short at cornerback. I think they could be a Stefan Gilmour team. They would make some sense to me. But I'm looking at their receiver group and I'm just curious, how do

To that point, I almost wonder if we see Matt Lafleur do more with the tight ends this year. It seemed like that was something when they drafted last year, seemed like something that they might trend to. And then mid season you saw them doing a lot of this similar stuff as Sean McVay with some of that you know, escort motion, the sifts and the run game, those types of things as well as you know, getting those tight ends going. So I think that maybe we could see

So right, That's why it's like the Bears optimism is great. It's like you look at the Packers and the lines, those teams seem further along.

They all grew up so quickly, and it's I guess, you know, when it comes to the wide receivers, and like in today's league, if you're a team without that clear dominant number one alpha guy, like you can kind of use him in a lot of different ways, and I think some there was some unexpected growth and regression by some of them last year too, So it's like get him on the field and see what happens and let like the hot horse run it.

The hot horse.

The Christian Watson side of this is kind of interesting because they did. Everybody developed very quickly, as did the quarterback, and Watson, who was the apparent breakout star in the final Rogers season, was not really the guy that we were talking about by the end.

That's who I was, like, we're sort of pointing to the right, so.

Like wide receiver four at this point, I would say.

And that's interesting, Like where does he fit in because he's had issues staying healthy. Did you know that he has worked with a quote spec show lab who addresses hamstring issues.

What kind of lab?

A special hamstring lab?

Yeah, hamstring lab.

Okay, So keep an eye on on Watson and where he fits in on this because he was super dynamic at the end of twenty two and now maybe he's healthy in twenty four.

Those labs are often like in Sweden, by the way, isn't it weird? That's always the way to get on the plane.

Fun fact at tip to our friend Justice over at ACME Packing Company, the Packers have added thirty five players in the last three drafts, most of any team since twenty twenty two, thirteen first to third rounders and twenty two in the other rounds. Basically, that's called dart throwing, no pun intended for the Nature program.

The dart fires.

It's volume. It's volume drafting those a couple of those guys are bound to work out out when you have the ability to draft with that kind of a volume. You can only draft with that kind of a volume if you already have your QB and they have their QB.

Unbelievably done first time in studio, doing around the NFC, sticking the landing there.

Like I'm gonna burst into tears at any minute.

All right, let's move. Let's move to the Minnesota Vikings.

Okay, I mean, if you're nervous, I'd like to see what you're like when you're cool. Colmon, collected, you're killing it, Jordan, give me a new clock. Give me that new clock anyway. The Vikings deserve it.

Okay.

Two fun plots to track around the two time around team of around the NFL. Okay, will Sam Darnold be able to hold off JJ McCarthy in a summer camp competition? Will McCarthy ever even get a true opportunity to be the Week one starter? We know he's gonna play, but

And yes, if Samwich.

I think Sam has a little chance.

I was surprised reading up on them ahead of this today that I kind of assume once they took McCarthy there, and he's a veteran guy. I mean, he you know, played a lot in college and was a quote unquote winner. Felt like a Week one guy. But they not necessarily is that their path here.

To pivot a little. I do get trading up for Dallas Turner, great player, even though they you know, they have defensive players. Even though the moves they made in free agency. I do remember Van Ginkle had hurt foot into the spring, so maybe you're kind of just making sure you're shoring up that position just in case. And you know, I think my colleague Alex Lewis at the Athletic pointed out a little bit worried about their interior

I mean, I think the thing that could get McCarthy in there, if not just by week one, I just assume week one at this point. But that's fine, but you've got Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison Hawkinson, Aaron Jones, and you're you're right. Like their interior line, you know, per PFF is a bit of a trouble, but this is a good starting place for any rookie compared to some places you could go.

I'm it is outstanding, especially with the coaching, and I'm really encouraged they invested so much in the defense because I'd be worried that Floris's defense will come back to the like you see that big one year bumped. When you change schemes sometimes and you're doing something creative, can you keep that going into year two? It usually doesn't happen the way. That's why I'm a little worried about Schwartz and the Browns too. It's just like when you

You had that much talent, they should be better. They have a lot for Dallas Turner, but they've got to love them, I believe to that point.

I think they only have three picks right now in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.

But they didn't have to trade up a bundle to get McCarthy at all.

Net Holmes, he wasn't at a bounce mark. You just shot him a glare, but he has.

To I'm not glaring at him, but I feel like I've been better behaved on this like quasi fugeese dart situation than most during these.

Quasi dart situation.

Hey, I just has been a problem for me, and I acknowledge that, so I'm gonna try to work on it. The second half of the show, I think where when you wear the black button up, you're kind of like that bad boy Sessler comes out the Bad Angels, and that doesn't take long. That doesn't take too much effort for that my favorite. All right, let's take a break and come back with the NFC South. All right, we're back, Let's keep moving. We got Jordan Rodrigue here. She's killing it.

She keeps saying she's nervous, but she's not performing as if she's nervous.

You wouldn't know. And she keeps reminding us that it's happening.

Right, I would say, I would say unsolicited advice. You don't have to keep saying your nerves.

Just feel like you guys can.

No, You're good, You're good, You're doing great. We're having a great time with you. I feel like the show has been very informative, and dare I say entertaining.

That's what we're going for.

Entertainment, informative, then diagram and then it's just a big Jordan's head right in the middle. You're killing it. So let's move forward now with utter and complete confidence.

How about that?

Okay, that was.

The pep talk. Let's go into the NFC South with the Falcons.

I don't have much to add to the Fenix Cousins dialogue that hasn't already been covered off this show and beyond,

There's all everything's been said about the cousins part of it. The only thing that it's because I was supported it when it happened, and I think, Greg, you like just go get all the quarterbacks you need, and this is the league today. The way it happened in the order is you know, eyebrow raising. But there is like there is a suggestion out there that Cousins is a little bit more sensitive than other types of quarterbacks. And if there's a reason you can't operate in the you know,

The human part of it is the most concerned. I don't think you can spend too many resources and quarter but it is concerning, especially with the guy that we all remember, like everyone has this image of like it was MVP candidate Kirk because like, dude, I've seen that Kirk Cousins a ton of times over the last twelve years. And what usually happens is like a five game slump, Like he's not always that guy. He's also coming off

And that's and that's why part of the process that felt flawed to me and many others out there is like, then use a top ten pick on a defensive player, or trade down and take two defensive players. It would have made so much more. They just to me, would it boils down to this if you would have gotten a lower tiered quarterback like a hold the Ford guy, and then gotten Panix, everything makes sense, Like everything checks out. It's that investment cousins that will always irk.

Me and many others.

I mean, we could to o it if we want, if we want to continue to talk about it, but.

I think we have we will yeah shah we shah. All right, here we go.

Greg on the Panthers, like the concept of Jonathan Brooks behind this media offensive line that they've invested in. I like that they kept the Giro. Everro who you're familiar with, you know intimately there Jordan just in terms of he was there with the Rams, But like, I don't love that they have less talent on their defense. You know, they did trade away Brian Burns. Lagette seems like a

I think Dave Kanalis is the reason for optimism, based on his solely on his work with quarterbacks that were, you know, on the edge of non existence before he took over. I thought though the Robert Hunt signing was really important and good along the offensive line. Yeah, we don't know about Lagett, and but I think Jonathan Brooks it's like, if anything, it happened almost a year or too late in an exposed Bryce Young a year ago, and we don't really have a full read on what he is at this point.

I'm a little concerned.

But yes, it was the off season to throw resources at your quarterback and get a quarterback coach that can come in and help them.

If Legette was going into a Frank Reich offense, I wouldn't have liked the pick. I like the pick because I think that they'll do more. They're going to do more emotions, misdirection shifts, you know, stuff that makes sense. And I think that one of the quotes from the post draft press conference captured by the Great Panthers beat writer Joe Person. Yes that is his real name, legend. Yeah, just for the audience, Like Joe Person, You're like, okay, I see in the Missing Person's program.

That's like back when like like uh, when they you get your last name based on like if you were a carpenter.

This like it's just this Joe Person and Island. It's like, I don't know he.

Is indeed a person. That's what he wants you to believe. So this, this quote really stood out to me. You can give them the ball in different ways including carries. Please God, let us see more motions, misdirection sweeps, quick game, lots of different layers, three tiers in your route concepts and let's see. Uh this guy turned into the do it all Deebo Samuel and he seems like you're great dude.

Yeah.

And and I guess the optimism Greg is it can't be worse than last year. And you dedicated in free agency. You spent money to help the protection side of things. Three or first four picks are offensive players. Hopefully the scheme, as we're saying, is more imagined Toante Johnson and you just you and you figure some things out. And people that are really draft heads are saying, this kid Bryce Young, do not count him out. He got screwed in so

He reminds me so much of Alex Smith in terms of playing style. In terms of the catastrophic rookie year, Alex Smith had the worst rookie year of any top shelf quarterback I've ever seen. They brought a North Turner his second year and suddenly he was league average.

I think that's the path team around the NFL.

Our original teamer around the NFL. The Carolina Panthers.

Interesting, Okay, the Saints.

The Saints have a lot of work to do to get this roster back to true Super Bowl contention, and the draft wasn't ideal toward that goal, With only two selections out of the first one forty nine on the board. Still, they added a blue chip, prospected offensive line potential Marshall Lattimore successor and teammate at corner.

That made sense.

Keep an eye on the QB position this fall because New Orleans drafted Spencer Rattler with one hundred and fiftieth pick. He's a guy that's got, you know, some tools, and people kind of into him in terms of that type of mid round QB. Given Derek Carr and everything around Derek Carr, You're gonna imagine if this team is middle of the road or worse like last year, it's gonna get really loud, really quickly around a quarterback change.

Ted Wynn did an article on a bunch of people talking about quarterback mechanics, and people were raving. Coaches were raving about Spencer Rattler's mechanics. So might be kind of a sneaky good I'll defer to groa things because I know you're a fan, but.

I'm not a fan.

I do follow him, yeah, but I think he's maybe maybe a sneaky maybe a sneaky good pick there.

He reminds me of a little Sam Howell in terms of a guy that you thought might be a first round pick at some point and probably even more talented as a thrower and could develop. So that was a good dart throat. I do think the new Derek Carr contract really slipped under the radar this year as they continued to kick the can down the corner, down the road or whatever. In terms of trying to save salary cap space. They've had like the normal off season everyone wanted. Finally

They I mean part of it.

I kind of like their draft up top, except that you were forced to take a tackle and they'd taking an offensive or defensive lineman in the first round of nine of the last ten drafts.

So they've got a type, they've got a thing they like to do.

But you had to do that because of Ryan rams Check and you had to go get Kuoloid McKinstry. Because I'm not assuming this, but I think the Marshawn Lattimore is sort of the last piece of drama surrounding the NFC South.

I'm glad you mentioned that their top four cornerbacks are Pulse in a Day, a debo, kool Aid, mckinnistry, Marshaun Lattimore is obviously number one, and Alontae Taylor. That is a loaded cornerback room. It's kind of awesome, but you're right. It makes you wonder if someone gets dealt in training camps, and it might not be Latimore. It could be like a debo who's in a contract ere It could be Alontae Taylor who has been a little up and down, but people would be into those cornerbacks.

I like the McKinstry pick. Yeah, I think he's I mean that dude's a badass. I think that's a great pick.

Got him at forty one.

Lannis Allen knows how to they know, they've known an Mickey Loomis has known how to pick corners.

There was, by the way, talk around Rattler and why did he fall to the fifth round?

And one of them was that he appeared on.

A reality TV show in high school in which he came off extremely PA watched I must dig it up.

I must, I mean I think number one.

People grow and change, and that's what his camp was trying to stress. But it is an unpleasant watch. It's not great for his cure.

I let I kind of led him into not purposely, but I was. I needed that.

I was providing information. But you had an option. You had an option there. You could have I.

Gets caught staring at you and then I'm not watching the clocks right.

But you had the option there to to fully flesh that out what you did, which the show needed. Or you could have just sat there quietly and let it the clock tick out and then it's a worse show.

But you don't take a doctor that fight.

If it makes you feel any better. I feel like really bad every time I shoot the darted Mark.

Yeah, that's that does make me. I see it coming from like a mile away. Yeah, and I'm like, I have to go.

I should do better.

I should feel bad.

Yeah, I mean, but he like drew me into that, Dan especially it turns his head and gives you those Manson lamps.

You know, I feel bad. I feel bad, all right? That is is that the NFC South?

No it is not.

Uh, there is one more, one more defending champion.

Now I'm gonna get the Manson lamps. They are the defending division champions.

Somehow the Bucks go Mark Goree sort of like a meat and potatoes draft for the Bucks. I think Graham Barton, the more I've read about him, it's like round one tough, immediate starter at center.

They really needed that.

Both Bucks guards last year Brent Brettison and Cody Mack, who I really liked the look of in terms of his wild madness, but they were pretty, they hop but mostly cold. A year ago they were twenty seventh in rushing EPA. The Bucks they were twenty six and short

I mean, I think Liam and Baker will get along really well. And like I said, so much happened in twenty two to the Rams, some outside their control, some inside their control, and it just was an all around disaster. No one person was the reason for that disaster. It was all around to total.

But if you had to make one person, it was probably Liam Cohen.

It was Greg actually spin held it. But yet no, I mean he Baker is a player that Liam will know how to work with and use and like it'll be, I think it'll he will remind him of a lot of the college quarterbacks he had great success with. Maybe not the arm strength that he was working with with Will Levis, but you know, the timing stuff, the quick game, some of the underneath things that the Baker really can get into a rhythm very fast doing. That's that's right

Yeah, they have a ton of continuity and on both sides of the ball, especially the defense. And I just don't get why the Falcons are negative money to win this division, Like no way to me, Like I would happily take the.

For those that don't dig in on that realm.

Just like that it is more likely the odds are saying that the Falcons win from an addition than the other three teams combined. Essentially, it's it's like a greater than fifty percent chance they win the division, and the Bucks and the Saints are way behind them. It's just like I don't see that like people came sleeping on this buck S team. It's just a solid football team.

Like people are just like throwing up their hands with the NFC south right, So it's hard to really just figure it out there overlooked though, they just get overlooked right.

And to me, the three of them are in the same ballpark where it's like you're probably a below average NFL team, but one team's gonna win the division.

I like the Jaylen McMillan pick one of my under the radar favorite picks really great underneath will help with that pop gun stuff that Baker likes to do.

Also, why the Falcons should have taken a defensive player and went for the division and get a home game of the playoffs and you never know what happens. Whatever, Let's take a break and we'll finish it out with the NFC West.

That right, we're back.

We are closing out around the NFC in forty eight minutes, exactly forty eight minutes, not a second over with the NFC West and Greg get us going.

With the Cards.

The Arizona Cardinals, after they put Kyler Murray into the starting lineup with Drew Petzing as his eyes defensive coordinator, were ninth in EPA per play for the rest of the season. That is buoyed by being second in rushing. I think it's a good and Kyler is a big part of that because to me, get dirty, Yeah, I'm excited to get dirty with this UH team. Adding Marvin Harrison, I think they're a really well run offensive team. He was a good higher. I think they added the most

Whoa all right, where were they finished? Where did they finished after Kyler came back?

I mean, technically they were a top ten offense in EPA per play already, but that can you keep that up a whole season that that's obviously not the only stat out there. I think they got a chance to be pretty exciting.

Top ten feels rich, but they down the stretch.

I think petsing is like a good play call comes from the Stefanski tree, and that's good for tight ends, that's good for I think, you know, we didn't like.

Connor and Trey Benson are an awesome dude.

Yeah, I think that's like that was a lot of options around that, and like you know, Kyler looked good when he came back, but it's like a full off season together and all that. It's like there's a there's there's signs to suggest they could like pick up where they left off. They're well coached team.

Yeah, to thank you for making that point. Actually that goes into my notes, so that Mark, I knew you would have my back on this.

Mark.

Yeah.

I think they have some actually really talented up and coming coaches. Drew Tarrell, their new receivers coach Nick Rallis, their defensive coordinator. They're young guys, but I think they're super talented. I met Nick Rallis at a coaching incubator a couple of years ago, and he was sitting on the offensive side, so he was trying to learn from from a lot of those guys. So there's there's something

So I'm curious, yeah, because it could take a big jump if Arvin Harrison is that guy. Kyler Murray is Kyler Murray now, like we said, full year removed?

Is he that guy again? I'm looking at some of.

His you know, earlier years he rushed for He had ninety three rushing attempts as a rookie in sixteen games. I went up to one hundred and thirty three his second year. His third year and fourteen games, he was on pace to go over one hundred again last year in eight games forty four rushes, so a bit under

I think one other thing, like Monte Austin, for it, two years in a row, has had a very rock solid plan with the draft, with the offseason, they look different, and I think their front office we know, I mean under Steve Kaine that was plaguing them for a long time.

Was that to the establishment? Yeah? That was our producer.

No, no, no, it was not to the Randy's been the listeners about this. No, it's just Jordan, like the greater world or universe things. They are going to catch me, you're going beyond zero zero zero, And they didn't.

Except they except you guys all did well.

If there's no regard for the rules, So it's not it's not connected directly anymore to the team. Talk's that's a little understood.

Aspect of all of this.

I'm new.

Sorry, Yeah, here we go. Jordan your team, the Rams.

While few classes in recent history hit like the Rams did in twenty twenty three, there's a lot to like this year about the way they sought out the combination of Jared Verse and teammate Braden Fisk at nineteen and

Turned thirty six in February, so yeah, he's he's basically at Kirk Cousins' age. You think these guys have their body holds up two three more years and this is a window for the Rams to with this high level potential Hall of Famer.

We all like watched a lot of like Rams together in some of our Monday NFL Plus shows, and like, he looked as good as he's ever looked last season.

So I stick stayed the course there.

I think a lot of people are wondering, like when Karen Williams was not on the field, they were a different offense, and like he led the league and yards per game. I mean, he really hit the scene. But with Blake Korum, is it like, what's what happens fantasy wise? Do you think how they have both of them at the same time.

I couldn't tell you.

Yeah, I just I don't know. I know you were early on the like a big role. I might have a bigger role than cam Akers right.

Right, because they signed Boston Scott too.

I mean that's just you're looking at Kirene still being the lead rusher, the lead back. But over time, especially a long season, they expect to go to the postseason this year if they have Matthew Staffer a healthy Matthew Stafford. So over time, you're probably looking at an increase in Blake Korm's snaps. I don't know what the fantasy footballlanguage would be for that, but like stashing him or something, or maybe you know, get him and stash him handcuff?

Is that what it is? Good time out? All right?

We got to talk about this feature this monster too parter from Jordan. The second part is coming out later in the week. The first part dropped today Finding Rams colon one year behind the scenes of the NFL Draft scouting process. Comma Part one really well done, beautifully written and reported. Even we're talking about the artwork is tremendous by the athletic on it. Everybody's got to read it.

Well, thank you. I'm happy to be here to talk about it. First of all, I felt like last year when we talked about the play Caller series, you, Greg, you and Mark said some really nice things about what it reminded you of. And Dan just was.

Not on that episode.

Yeah, he went with hell thumbs down. I know he doesn't listen.

It was I was, it was six am and Tokyo. Yeah, that's so.

But you guys also said something that resonated with me. And forgive me if my voice cracks, but you said that these are the types of things that that Wes would really get into for me that kept me pushing into this new space, which was very unfamiliar territory for me. I've covered a lot about team building, but I've never been behind the scenes in a scouting department for as long a period of time, the ten months as this was, And it was the entire time I was thinking, this

Me for it, Like, if you had ten pages of notes for this episode, how much dense you know, research and personal literature came out, do you have stashed away somewhere like in your apartment or mansion wherever you live.

Certainly not the athletic.

They're paying botts their.

Bucks, moving right along. So it was one hundred and eighty six pages of notes from on site, on site reporting. A lot of stuff was off the record, so you're not You're obviously not, you know, recording notes at that time. You're sort of absorbing and listening. And also I think like thirty seven post its around on like just to help set up structure and and all of those things.

That's what I took Part one is great. I'm really looking forward to part two, and one of my takeaways would just be I didn't understand. I don't think the average fan would understand just how different the rams certainly do the evaluation process. And then it made me think, like, there's probably they're not the only ones, and that each team is attacking this entire process in such a different way.

I think there are thirty two different ways of approaching this, And like I said, that's where I think we on the outside we get into rankings and grades and things like that. But like, if their process works for them and it's different to another process and another building, they're not weighing that or leveraging that. They're looking for what fits them. And some teams do this very well and have a very functional behind the scenes process for a

One quick thing is there's also a very human element to this, because I've always thought like the life of a scout would be very appealing to a certain personality if you like, don't mind being like a road Warrior out on the grind like it's related, so you show how much it's relationships with schools. But one little thing,

Yeah, that one commatable psychotic.

I noted that in my notes as well, what are we doing we get a fresh breakfast.

I just want to see what it looks like. You got to save the dollars and cents.

But they don't have time because they're at this place and they're not going to get fed while they're there all day.

I guarantee you thirty one teams are reading what you wrote, Jordan, because sorry, Less there's a reason why there's and they weighed that, I'm sure, but like there's a reason why

I thought, that's very interesting.

The other thing I want to read here, so you were talking about this almost sentient process they have now the most and I'm going to read Jordan's reporting here and writing most NFL teams and by the way, this is why Northeastern Classico two, this is why journalism matters. Sports journal It's fun what we do, but having people that are really smart and curious to be able to go behind the scenes and then write something like this and allow us to understand the sport in a different, smarter way.

Thank you, Jordan to the Athletic. Now I'm going to read what you wrote.

Most NFL teams have a data and information processing system, usually constructed in house, in which scouts, coaches, medical staff, front office executives, and others input notes on the players. The RAMS is is ja RS the Joint after Action Review system. They go on to say, it's valueized not only in its player data, it's the keeper of an entire language. Some RAM staffer's joke that the system will eventually need a new, more human senting acronym to reflect

I'm so happy now.

So it's staring right at them.

They want it's starting to feel like a human and they want to make give it a name that's human.

And you got jaa r S.

Okay, But what if it was joint after Action review value internalization system.

Jarvis? Jarvis? Jarvis is right there, bang so close. Take it to less, Please take it to less. We've had less on the show.

That would be my lasting input. Maybe I would get a super Bowl ring.

You get a football.

It's up to our football less.

If there's a football to hand out, if it becomes Jarvis, that's all.

It'd be nice if they had like a fourth round pick that meant a lot to them, that had actually been named Jarvis.

I will tell you one last one last they probably knowing them, they would one last thing to add to. So much of us is still about Luck Part two,

Less need or is less neat because he's probably reading it right about now, annoyed that you've announced to the world that he doesn't know how to change a tire, which I think a lot of people I was a bit of a lot of ravio magnific See, I think a lot of people don't.

But you don't want it on record at people just to think that you probably.

Gets pretty it's pretty privileged. Once again, beautiful man, all right, time in great.

Job, Thank you, Thank you guys, seriously, did.

You have an answer on the less thing?

I guess you'll find out, but yeah, you'll I took it more as a retort. I'll get, you know, a text maybe like I took it more as a rhetorical.

And I should say that that little story ends with less and a very masculine mess. Yes, that's hiring the tire into the brush. Yes, so it kind of kind of saves it a little bit. It's like, yeah, him and his buddy couldn't figure it out, but that tire went.

I'm weird because that's like the thing I'll remember the most about the whole thing, and the eggs and bacon in a coffee cup.

It's a strange, but let's know, Jarvis, Jarvis servis one signed football.

I don't need anything else.

All right, let's time back in and head to the forty nine Ers. Drama will continue to swirl around that wide receiver room this spring. Did the Niners take Ricky Piersoll because they planned to trade Ayuk or Samuel or perhaps an even more dramatic thought exercise for the rest of us, what if Piersall is a stud and he just makes the offense that much more wicked?

Could this score? Could this team score five hundred points?

You know that has not happened by the Bay since the Steve Young Niners of nineteen ninety four.

I believe they won it all that year.

The pressure will be immense for San Francisco to finally get over the hump this year. But this roster is as good as any in football. Stay healthy, stay out of trouble, and I think just get ready to watch the Niners kick some more ass this year.

I feel very good about this team.

I'd love to see a similar article about the way that they draft and develop talent, too, because I thought, like, to not trade your guys. But then get Ricky Parasol, who has dropped five passes since twenty twenty and just looks like a Shanahan type. And then there's a second player, Isaac Garndo, the running back who had the fastest forty in the combine, had the best vertical jump, and like Shanahan spoke about that player after the draft, and it

When you start to think about it, because you're talking about a running back. They have the best running back on the planet right there, so you could use that guy exactly where you want to dot him into the offense.

It's it's an embarrassment of riches.

Yeah, it's interesting. Tim Kawakami, who works with me at the Athletic, he wrote some really interesting stuff about how you could really pinpoint some of their draft class this year and project them a year or two years from now as replacements for some people on their current roster, and like trade identification seemed very similar in that way. I found that to be fascinating, and it is interesting.

It wasn't just pearsall. They had a fourth round pick, what was a cowing in the fourth round, like at wide receiver too, so you're trying to do both at the same time. I do just don't buy any trade talk, including for Juwan Jennings, who's entering a free agent year. And is going to get paid somewhere next year, probably not in San Francisco. Like there, all systems go. And if it had happened that they could have replaced it in the draft. Maybe it was a possibility, but they

No chance.

Not now.

By the way, maybe been an offer, Oh there there was, and by the way, the last guy. And now I forget as any one find it that I remember Peter King was in the draft room for the forty nine ers when Kyle Shanahan like probably annoyed the entire scouting process and stood on the table for this running back that he wanted to trade up for. It was a big thing, and like the fourth round was like he was out of a league in a year.

That happens too.

Now I don't do this, Jordan, And on that side of table, sometimes there's some heat when certain individuals look at other people's laptops. We do have one remaining timeout, and I thought I saw it in bold like there was like time out here for the Niners.

Was that not for the Niners. I was stuck in traffic for a long time today. Yes, I matched all of you guys to quarterbacks, like if you.

Got time out, hold on, we've got a time Sorry.

Seahawks, we will not be getting to you today.

In fact, let's just cut everything that we've done to this point right out of the intro, right into what Jordan said.

Cut everything I just said, just now.

I can't believe you looked at my computer.

To revealing okay, apologizing.

So this, uh if you three were quarterbacks, and like I said, very this is all a compliment, Okay, Just so you're right. And also I listened to the show and and I have for a long time, and you know, we talk about things.

And Mark's entire may is on the line. Right.

But also but also I can't pretend to know you on like the deepest personal level. So if I'm wrong, I'm so sorry. But I think I'm right. Okay, Greg Rock Party short king who loves proving people wrong, Dan Dan Josh Allen, fun bit aficionado, Golden Retriever parentheses compliment.

Yeah no, there's also the like a guy like a Kato Kalin Golden Retriever type. But I'll take that and I'll see Josh Allen's better than brock Party.

So okay, right now.

We're always I was smart that you understood Dan needed to be puffed up the most of any of us, So that makes the most.

Listen, you're hitting out again.

That's saying I called you a king.

Do we can we get a little drum roll, little timpany for the Mark Sessler?

Uh, this is really important.

Mark.

Wait, let's wait for the drums. We have them, then actual band back. They're big funk all right, here we go, Jordan, Here we go, Mark.

Matthew, Stafford, Salt and Pepper bearded gunslinger with an appreciation for chaotic darkness.

Totally in Yeah, I was I had in my mind, Stafford is what I was hoping for.

Right, No, I think those are a few that's both great choices and I got a system creation that no one would want on their team with very few physical talent.

Whispers of bench in December, one.

Short king.

About the story of rock Perky.

If we're going on height, you know, then there's no one well, Kyler, I guess you could if you wanted to. You know, Uh, there's no there's no short quarterbacks.

I think this.

I also I also had it that you were most likely to correct my assessment.

Oh no, talk about the scouting fact.

This seems to have actually bothered you more than perhaps you were expecting it to.

I mean, Brock pretty the tough spot.

All right, excellent, great time out come on, Josh Allen. Now now I'm a Bills fan. All right, Time in and let's close it out. We have just enough time for the Seattle Seahawks and Matthew stat I feel.

Like if if we did some AI.

Like best case scenario for Sessler looks wise and you just change some things around. Okay, it's it's Stafford with those you know, gleaming new white teeth. He's gotten everything like that. That that would check out as well.

I don't think Matthew Stafford would play me if there was a film version.

Of me like.

Foot in eighty pounds.

But we just we film up, We film up, are tilted upward anyway.

Think I'll take that as a positive from you, Dan, I will assess that comment later.

Well, it's camera magic. It's a go ahead.

Oh by the way, you're looking at my screen again, I know what you're doing.

I know that. Start this over all right, Mark started over.

Sorry Mark, Sorry, Mattler.

Here we go. We're not going to start it over the cloud.

Let's start this clock over the.

Closs and here we go, you know, sorry.

Talking about Seattle's draft, one executive told Mike Sando, you're co worker at the Athletic.

Nice guy. Mike is a very nice guy. Mike.

The scout set of Seattle's draft. It looks like they went Baltimoreish meeting, build up both lines.

And I love the Byron Murphy.

This is me talking now, not the anonymous scout or Matt Stafford or Matt Stafford, but I like Byron Murphy is one of the guys that we were like catching up and watching him. I'm like, I love this dude, Like he is a chaos maker and like the kind of like a beating heart of the front seven.

And other people are talking, you know, not Tepper.

Maybe Tepper be talking about guard Christian Haynes as a steal at pick eighty one. And it's never too early for me to talk talk about roughly twenty two coaches as my Coach of the Year candidates, even here in early May. There we go, here's one early vote for Mike McDonald. I think I am a total believer and what he did in Baltimore, he systematically milks the very best out of his defensive roster.

Plus, it will tell a good story.

When Gino Smith is benched for Sam Howell prior to Week eleven is the five and five Seahawks rip off seven straight wins and route to a wild card Berth Welcome to tomorrowland.

Ooh okay, the last time you got behind a coach with no experience was Brandon Staley, So maybe this will be this will be different.

I you never know, Matt Ruhle.

I hope that you know that's not the route that happens. He's intriguing. They've they've kind of had a quiet offseason. They kept their players, they haven't had a lot of people coming in or out, and yet I'm intrigued by them because of the coaches like Ryan Grubb is one of the biggest X factors in the entire NFL this year. What he did at Washington was super creative and just different, and he has a lot of talent to work with.

Yeah, I'm a Gino Smith fan, so maybe I'm back in your good grace.

Oh yeah, just give me Gino at least for the question.

So, but grub Is, I think, like you said, I agree with you one hundred percent, Greg in this topic and most things in life. Probably I'm sweating. You know. It's an X factor here, especially with you know everyone

Got her by milliseconds.

I got kicked off the Wi FI.

I will say two things, Gino.

The off season worked out great for Gino, right he Sam Howe's is backup. They didn't draft anybody of note, and then as much as we could spend. That was a pretty positive assessment of Seattle to me, clearly the third best team in the division.

That's tough, tough division. But yeah, and the Niners are one of those teams. I like teams that feel different. And I've always liked Pete Carroll. It's not a Pek Carroll thing, but it kind of is time and Mike McDonald, like they had this pre draft thing with him and John Schneider. It's like, you forget he's thirty six and he looks like really young, and it's like, wait a minute, what these coaches are like just just past that's agis.

I like it. I'll say go for it, Pete Carroll.

They remind me a little bit of the Cowboys, though, just in that they're Bill.

And Pete shipped out of town, earned seventy bye bye.

Like Seahawks could be very good. I think I don't think. I don't see them in the rams, like in a different tier of each other. They're they're both a different year. But if I had to put them in a pecking yard, right, I don't struggle put it this way, if either of them were in the NFC South, then I'm putting them as negative money to win the division money, including the Seahawks,

All right, we just went around the NFC in around forty eight minutes. Uh, let's give it up for Jordan Rodrigue and again check out her incredible deep dive journalism in sport Alive because of people like Jordan Rodrigue finding let me.

Read it like that headline too. But what what what are you shaking your head for here?

I'm trying to get a plug in a big spot, the biggest of all spot.

Greg's gotta go, oh yeah, I'm good.

Finding Rams Colon One year behind the scenes of the NFL draft scouting process. COMMA Part one. Check that out. Check out all of Jordan's coverage of the Rams and her NFL projects like this, and uh, you've said it all, Jordan. What else can I say.

I'm so happy she did it, folks, that.

She was great, and I hope everybody enjoyed it. We'll be back next week. Until then, you know what you must do.

Say it, Jordan, Heat the call bang,