Bunkercast IX: Panthers Release Cam Newton

the edge to some degree. I have, for reasons not necessary to dig into much of taken on all parent bearing child rearing responsibilities here in the home as of about seven pm last night. And um, it's interesting, I have a I have a monitor set up right now to keep my eye on my children while my wife sleeps. She has come down with an illness, not the illness, but a different one. So things are pretty terrible here at the old Zeus or manor as as it's known

by nobody. This is where the real challenge is coming in. Now Here we are global pandemic, nowhere to run, nowhere

to hide. And if Dad gets put in a spot where he's got to do it all and then Dad doesn't even have things like you know, run to the grocery store to get a like a quick dinner or even really feel comfortable with a delivery situation for the kids, uh and foods running out in the house, and the grocery store has a line out the out the door going down the sidewalk, and the children just never never anybody with young children, especially young boys, they never stop

eating their sharks. They just keep moving and they keep eating, and they always want to be entertained. So when you throw in um hosting a popular NFL podcast in the middle of that day, it's been it's been quite a run for the old Zuser here at Zuser Manor. Well, we can take this offline later. But I got a freezer full of like pasta's and chilies. I can make it like a Santa Claus drop down your chimney. I mean, that is a very nice uh thought and offer West.

And if if it comes to the situation where the uh, the cupboard is bare and the children are in danger, I might hit you up on that. We are not that far off. Things are unstable at Zuser Manor. I mean, I'm ready to break into West's house to steal any sort of paper, toiletry items that he has without him knowing. That's where I'm at at this point. I mean, I hear you. There is there Like yesterday felt like an upbeat day, Um, I felt I think that our show

kind of portrayed some of that. I woke up this morning just feeling like I don't know why, but things feel weird and pressing today. Then you get out of it, but that our houses hit various elements of breaking point tension, and then you've gotta somehow grasp on a reality and get out of that. But it has been a weird,

um couple of weeks. It's a great call. There is a sense I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster with this as well, where you kind of look at the bright side of it one day and then the next day it just seems like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Uh, this is

one of those days for me. But then tomorrow, you know, you know, maybe Emily's feeling better, maybe the kids are a little calmed down, and I have a little extra time, and all of a sudden, like well, I like being at home and I like spending time with my children and all that stuff. It it is kind of like this this push and pull to be in the middle of this scenario. Yeah, this feels like a universal thing where some days you feel bright and sunny and other

days it's like anything can set you off. You know, when I hear somebody's not taking this seriously, it really depresses me. When I hear things coming from our leaders that they're not taking it seriously, it really depresses me. And then you wake up another day and the neighbors are great. You walk out and get around the neighborhood. Everybody's treating each other exceptionally friendly, and everybody's getting along well. So I think we're all just on that same ride

where every day is a little bit different. My strategy with with my son has been to just do anything possible to tire him out because that will just leave him, um easier to handle. But then that just tires you out. It's not it's not necessarily a full proof strategy. But we have, um we have been those people that I think other uh Angelino's have been annoyed at. I have been to the beach. I think five out of the last Here's the thing, though, here's the thing we're not.

We're never anywhere near anyone. I mean, we go to a go to a remote part. We're walking by ourselves. So it's it's like we walk around our neighborhood a lot, like quite a bit in our neighborhood is more crowded with people walking around than than the beach area ever is. We're very what about what about Greg? Germs in the you know, the sea breeze air? What am I? What am I touching? Were don't we don't know what you're touching, we're taking we don't know. We're talking a hermit crab.

We brought a hermit crab home for a couple of days, then brought it back to the ocean today and Walker sadly cried when he I said, you gotta let him, you gotta let him be home. Well, if you heard that the the COVID nineteen can be transmitted through canines as well, how do you know that hermit crabs are not also um prone to it? And then you dump that into the sea. Feel like Greg didn't research that. I'm just our turtle. It is pretty lethargic these days,

and we're a little worried. I think that This is a good lesson for you men to just be appreciative of how much your wives do. Dan, I mean, I think right now, you help out a lot, of course, but when you know, the maternal role is normally in most families the main role, and I think it's good that you acknowledge that. And I hope you treat Emily with a bunch of hugs and kisses when she's feeling better. It is a very nice thought, and I agree with you.

I sometimes cringe when eight year old single people tell me how I should be dealing with my family situation, which is a fairly complex, uh scenario, But I do, at the same time absolutely agree with you. Emily runs the home very well, and it doesn't really it doesn't hum too efficiently without her, So it's just kind of like a stay alive scenario for the children and myself, right you. Meanwhile, Eric was like virtual Rave kicks off

at three pm. It's kind of my specific time. Well, no, that doesn't mean that I don't know what it's like now. You don't mean Thor only has his heartwarm medication. He's down to seven pills. He might run out by the end of August. My favorite thing is when Dago Earths talk about what it's like having a kid, it's nothing like having a kid. Well, you have good perspective. There are people out there, uh, Colleen Wolf who do think it's like having a kid. Oh yeah, for sure, for sure.

But you also, I mean, I went to school to be a teacher for the longest time. So I was in a preschool all day, five days a week, taking care of three and four year old like fifteen of them. And I had my own third grade class my senior year of high school that I was a student teacher. So I don't live with them. I get to drop them off, but I do feel like I'm very versed in the world of children. Yeah, I can see that you're gonna be a great mother one day, Erica, I hope. So, yeah,

I could see that. All right. Today's show, UH is a good one because we're gonna hit a lot of news. There is a solid amount of news that has come in over the last twenty four hours, so we're gonna hit all of that, including the official end of the cam Newton era in Charlotte UH and some movements on the before Tuesday's staggnedant wide receiver market, So let's get into all that also a little bit later. UM, I

have a new power rankings up. I was asked by our editor Phil Specter to put together a post first wave of free agency power rankings, which I have a bit of a fundamental issue with, but listen, it's my job, so I do it. And UM, I don't want to go through the numbers because I don't think, um the numbers mean anything at all on March, but some things and doing research on thirty two teams that jumped out to me that I just wanted to share with you. So we'll hit that at the end of the show.

But first, let's do some news. It's funny to hear female talk about routes like alright, Like I said, Cam Newton is officially unattached, the number one overall pick of the two thousand NFL Draft, the most uh successful quarterback in the history of the Carolina Panthers, is no longer part of the team. They make it official, releasing the former MVP. After trying to get a trade done with multiple teams, it just was not happening, so the Panthers felt their hands were tied. They had to move on.

They didn't want it to get UH any messier than it already was. And UH as we know, has has been made very clear by what we've seen in the actions of the new management and head coach. They're looking for a fresh start that does not include Cam Newton. So he is now um a free agent. According to ESPN, Newton took and passed a physical on Monday, which is good news, Greg Rosenthal, um as he now hits the open market, and now the question begins, how long does

he stay on the open market? Yeah, the fact there was no trade market for him makes me think he could be out there in free agency for a while until players and life at in general starts going back to normal and they can, like a team can visit with him. Because the fact that Kyle Allen had more trade value than Cam Newton among Panthers quarterbacks is one of the most surprising things, Like I think that's happened

since we've started doing this show. And maybe I'm an optimist, but I do believe there's a real chance for Cam Newton to have a good second act of his career. I think a lot of the things that are happening in the NFL in terms of scheme and the way offense is played fits Cam Newton's strength. He's only thirty years old. The shoulder injury is is the bigger concern.

It's two years ago now though, and like I can imagine him having a totally resurgent act on a different team in I found the semantics of this whole exercise a little baffling. He was given permission to seek a trade he did not want. He didn't want a trade, but you know, and then he had no interest there. He was unable to drive interest because of the uncertainty.

Nobody wanted to pay nineteen twenty million for him at a time when he hasn't played well since his armage, since his shoulder injury, shoulder surgery, then he had the foot surgery. So there's so much uncertainty there um And to me, the Chargers make so much sense. But they seem to be fine with Tyrod Taylor. So I think unless the Chargers go get him, he's gonna be a

guy who's fighting for a job in training camp. Yes to your to your point, and you said the mechanics of the trade were a little or the mechanics of the situation we're a little odd. I agree when Cam Newton gets permission to seek a trade. Is that how this works? I thought the teams work with other teams for a trade. Cam Newton was what gonna be his management was gonna be reaching out to other teams saying, hey, trade for me. I don't I don't understand that that's

an all a brinch. They would allow Cam Newton to go somewhere that he wanted to go. I mean that does happen pretty frequently, versus them shipping Cam Newton to uh, you know, another world like situation that he'd hate. I guess my point. Maybe it's just a matter of just parsing of words. But why didn't you work with your current team and then that team would reach out to a team you were interested in. I just the whole thing like a start, And Cam was obviously angry about

it because he had no interest in doing any of that. Sometimes, you know, an agent does drive the entire trade process, and then they they bring it to the team that they have and here's you know, and they work together. Sometimes it's the other way. I heard before the scouting combine that the that the Panthers were trying to trade Cam Newton way before they ever put this statement out there and that they had no bites. And when they put this statement out there, to me, it was an

admission that we're probably gonna cut him. We know no one really wants him. This is our last hail Mary as free agency starts to see if we can scare up any interest when the market might be changing a little bit, and that we can get something for it. They didn't play it well, but ultimately no other teams want I believe them that no other teams wanted him, or else we would have seen seen a trade, like every team out there just wanted him to be a

free agent and deal with him. Then, I mean again, I feel like the Bears have selected a lesser uh starter with way more injury uh mystery like scenarios in Nick Foles than Cam Newton. And you at this point of Cam Newton, because there's too many quarterbacks, has to look as a for a backup job. I think he's just a tough guy to have as a backup because your average NFL fan is gonna want to see the

minute trouble strikes Cam Newton on the field. And if if that weren't the case, if there weren't a lot of that kind of potential tug drama, tug on Cam Newton to put them out there. I could look at a team like the Bills, where you have Sean McDermott, who knows Cam Newton right, They've got Matt Barkley behind a guy and Josh Allen, who is still a bit of a wild card. Cam Newton is is not Josh Allen, but they have some similar traits and do some similar

things on offense. I mean, there are landing spots, but I just think it's a lot for a coaching staff to handle if he's your number two, because he's still, to Greg's point, I think has a whole second part of his career and as an alluring athlete, how do you hold him down? If you're in trouble in week six? Do it, John Elway, do it. You're you're the team. This is it. I'm totally with you guys. In fact,

in the latest Power Ranks, I'm getting killed. Uh. In my mentions by Broncos fans, I had them a little low in the mid twenties, and it's because I just quite simply don't like their QB set up right now, and I think it could lead to run potentially for that team. They need a little more insurance at the game's most important position. In other news, Trent Williams, Oh, you know they set Camfrey in Charlotte. Now do the

same for Trent Williams. Williams and landover uh. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Williams agent Vincent Taylor told the Redskins it's, in quote the best interest to trade or relate or release him. Here's more of the quote. The relationship between the Redskins and Trent Williams has reached a point where it's been the best interest at the Redskins trade to release him. Uh, and it is time to move on. So is it gonna happen? Is this gonna do any

thing to push the Redskins and nudge them forward? So far it's been a total stalemate. I feel like this happens every Tuesday, right the weekly Trent Williams trader release request happens every Tuesday. Hasn't happened yet, We'll see. I think it's interesting that now it's with this new regime, where like there was this initial sense that Ron Rivera is gonna come in and do what the totally ridiculous Redskins front office could not do for years, which is,

you know, keep veteran players from wanting to exodus. I mean Quentin Dunbar is another guy that basically said, get me out of here, and so you know, it's Trent Williams to me. The one thing I find interesting is that some of these teams that have been just not penciled, but like permanent markred in to take a tackle in the first round, if you gave up a second rounder and got Trent Williams, you maybe can go find someone else in the draft. That's some of these teams that

are slotted. I think of Cleveland, the Jets, others that are like we're we just say you're gonna take a tackle no matter what. What if you give a second for Trent Williams who's there for two or three years probably and you go get a different type of player. But no one's biting on that. And to the to that point which you're making mark that there are teams in the first round, in the first ten, twelve, fifteen picks that are all thought to be heavily in the

market for alignment. There's there, according to Draft Knicks, out there there are three and perhaps four real blue chip tackle prospects, and there's a chance that they're all off the board before let's say the Jets pick at eleven. The Browns are picking a ten, and a lot of people have circled them in permanent marker mark mark like you're saying, and it makes me think that the Redskins might be better off. And this isn't probably great news to Trent Williams or his agent uh to kind of

wait this out. And if one of those teams that are in desperate need of line help end up getting banged by the draft process where they don't have the guy they were hoping was sitting there, maybe Trent Williams becomes the plan B that they make somewhat of a panic transaction for and you do end up getting the higher end draft pick that the Redskins obviously want out of this. This is the longest stand still I can remember, and in terms of a player team like fighting each other.

Vincent Jackson, I feel like I went fourteen fifteen years that was going on, took forever back with the San Diego Chargers, But man, this this thing needs to end, if if only for our rundown we don't need another Tuesday. Trent Williams just put him on another team. In other NFC East offensive line news, the Cowboys lose Travis Frederick, who announced his retirement from the NFL after seven seasons just twenty nine years old, turned twenty nine last week.

He missed all the season with gillian bar syndrome. Uh. He started last last season, he came back, started sixteen games, went to the Pro Bowl. But this is a type of affliction that uh lingers from what I understand west I I read an old timey Chris Westling piece when this first went down. Uh that, you know Frederick is something he perhaps was dealing with for the rest of

his life. And maybe that's what's behind this. Maybe there's something else, But Frederick is done with the NFL, and the Cowboys have a hole in the middle of their offensive line. Yeah, that had to be part of the factoring in. And he joins a list of Luke Keickley, Andrew luck Gronk, Calvin Johnson, Patrick Willis, Chris Borland, guys who all retired at thirty or or underage thirty UM

in the last half decade or so. Uh. The Cowboys did draft Connor govern And what are the odds, um that there are two Connor McGovern's in the NFL at the same time playing the same position. Uh, he's um. He sat out all of last year with a torn pectoral muscle muscle, but they drafted him in third round. He was a pretty good prospect, um, so they've got

a plan there. They played Joe Joe Looney at center in two thousand eighteen, and Zeke Elli actually had a better year with Joe Looney at center in two thousand eighteen than he did with Travis Frederick last year. So I don't think this is some dire situation for the Cowboys.

It's massive, though, just because you never got in Frederick thought he played at a diminished level last year, and he said he did say, battling the illness, it was really hard to you know, get to his full strength and he didn't want to play at this level, Like you're never getting that Travis Frederick back, which, like Patrick Willis and Gronk and some of the people you mentioned list, was on a Hall of Fame trajectory. I mean, he was the best center in the league for much of

his time in the league. So that whole the whole reputation of the Cowboys is this great offensive line, and they still probably were last year at a top five or six offensive line. They're gonna have some work to do now to to keep up that reputation. I think it's interesting that, like, you know, I would imagine that percent of people covering the NFL have no concept of

what Gillian Barr syndrome does to your body. And Frederick has gone out of his way multiple times to try to explain what what that is, and I how can anyone No one's critiquing them, but like he just simply talked about facing a struggle every single day, a struggle that no one else from the outside really saw. And so it's too bad because he was an incredible, you know, part of a line that was the best in the NFL.

But this is happening to more and more players, and we're seeing more and more saying that there's any health issues. I'm not going to continue to toil like it's and in the off season I work at a meat packing plan. It's like, no, they've built their wealth and you have to consider your future. Who else is in the same name, different dude club. There's famously Adrian Peterson, the Bears defensive back, Cam Newton, Cam Newton Newton, he wasn't Adrian Peterson a

running back? Yeah? The oh wow, I thought it a dB down back. So he's on, He's on. Matt Rushmore are those guys. But there's Cam Newton the quarterback and Cam Newton I think what was like a pudgy right regard or something. Yeah. The problem with Tom Brady that our former NFL colleague. That's problematic the NFL media executive in the quarterback exactly. The problem with the same name, different dude, Mount Rushmore is you can only put two sets on and then we've got our two. So yeah,

I love Vernon Tom Brady the NFL media. Tom Brady was one of my favorite guys that worked with at this company. So I'm gonna like push hard to have him on there. Some people are gonna be confused, but you put TV twelve the goat Tom Brady, NFL network, and then what do we want to throw on the Newton Peterson or McGovern not mcgovernen Peterson McGovern is you know, well, Peterson and Newton have similar strengths, both very you know, attractive young men. I think Adrian Peterson, the fact that

they were both running backs for a while. When you were in fantasy drafts, like you did not want to be the person that drafted the wrong Adrian. That happened, I mistake, but you definitely happened. That happened. Um, alright, moving on. The wide receiver market is finally moving, so let's go through it. We mentioned the Panthers moving on from Cam Newton. Well, they welcome former Jet Robbie Anderson on a two year, twenty million contract. Um schefter had

it his twelve million in two thousand twenty. Uh. He reunites with Matt Rule, which a little bit of connected dots that nobody else really had done, at least I hadn't seen it. Uh. Anderson was undrafted at a Temple, but his coach at Temple was Matt Rule. So uh, this is a I think, a quality signing for any team, especially at that price. Uh. The word throughout December and into January and then leading up to free agency was that Robby Anderson thought he could get anywhere from thirteen

to fifteen million. He doesn't really come close to that. But the Teddy Bridgewater led Panthers now have a deep thread who can do some damage. I think Panthers fans are confused about, like what's going on here, because like a lot of fans out there there for some reason obsessed with the idea of tanking, as if that really works in the NFL, Like they want their team to be bad, and they're like, why are we even bothering to sign like Teddy Bridgewater right now, Robbie Anderson. That's

just not how the NFL works. And I'm intrigued to see what Matt Rule does with his offense in his first year. I'm not expecting them to go to the super Bowl or anything, but you should be trying to win some games and see who you're gonna have long term and for that money and the familiarity that he adds. And I think that receiving group needed one more player to really make it dynamic that I think they're gonna want to have four receivers on the field a lot

of snaps. I think it's a great pickup. I'll tell you one person who did connect the dots between uh, Matt Rule and Robby Anderson. That was Peter Schrager, who put very very effective information late in tweet the minute this move went down, And a part B to that is that when we were at the Combine, Dan, you and I had that UMA did but wait, did the nugget come out after the move went down or in

the weeks leading up to the movie. That's fair, But I'm going to give Peter Schreeger points here because he you know, maybe he was sitting on that. It was too explosive. You're trying to get back in goods. I just think that, No, I'm not. I I am an open mind, so I can see the incredible skills that that Peter Schreeger brings. The table part be to this, Dan, you and I had a very I would label an

excessive night um at the Combine. Erica was part of that early on in the evening and we actually, I don't know if you were in the room when we were around U a a square shaped bar when none other than Matt Rule, well I was by myself, walked up to me and just said, you know, I've seen your show. I just think you guys do good stuff. I'm Att Rule, I'm the coach of the Panthers. I was like, yeah, I am familiar with who you are. Why are you walking I'm thinking like this is the

coolest thing any coach has ever done. So he could go and burn down the city of Carolina. And I would say, would move Matt rules City of Carolina? Well fair enough that the region? All right? The region? He could he burnt the whole region down, see you, Charlotte by by Carolina, I'd say this coach has a plan. Well, look at through skill position town. There aren't many teams who have more interesting skill position talent than Christian McCaffrey,

DJ Moore, Curtis, Samuel Robby, Anderson, Ian Thomas. I think, look at that whole division. Who's let's play a game of would you rather Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst, Jared Cook, Emmanuel Sanders, Michael Thomas, the Panthers group, and who's the other team? Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, O J. Howard, Cameron, Brad mm Saucy division goes back to the dirty South always Uh yeah, Greg's NFC South fascination is suddenly looking

right on point it is. And and for the Teddy Bridge Riter fans out there, man, he could not have fallen into a better situation. I mean, I don't know if he it was all by like his excellent play. But this is his chance. I mean, if he's ever going to have a chance, this is it. With all these weapons around him in an offense, I think that's gonna be a little different than some others. With a guy with a limited rout tree but ability to make downfield plays, you definitely want to pair him with a

quarterback who averages six yards per ten. I think it's gonna go. I think it's gonna go. Six air yards per used to throw great, air yards, used to throw great. We all love Eddy, we all want him to do well. And I and um, I've been on record on this podcast that I wanted Anderson back with the Jets, and I think a lot of Jets fans are disappointed about it.

But I do take a little bit of solace in that Joe Douglas, the general managers, he's exercising some prudence and he's doing it a little differently than past g ms of the Jets have done, where they just bombed the draft and then try to make big splashes and free agency are overpaid to keep a guy or get a guy they used to have like a Durell reevas or in this case Robbie Anderson. They set a price tag on Robbie. It turned out that that was just

not gonna happen. And that's it. So I'm putting my face eight and Big Joe d and I think Jet Sven should do the same. It's time for it to be done differently. UH in Floren Park, the state of Floren Park. UM other wide receiver note news Philip Dorsey he leaves the Patriots for the Seattle Seahawks. UH last year UM he had nearly four yards receiving. The Patriots couldn't move the ball through the air for much of the season, especially as it UM went down the stretch.

Doorset never really emerged. Greg. Will he emerge with Russell Wilson and Brian Schottenheimer. Probably not, But he's a nice like fourth receiver role player. I'll always have a lot of UM appreciation for the catch Philip Dorset made in the a f C Championship against the Chiefs. That is one of the great UH Patriots catches of this of their run that they had. Snort. Come on, it's like I have a lot of time. I see a lot

of people like honking about that. Tom Bray he didn't have to do anything in the Super Bowl to beat the Rams. It's like they dragged him to that Super Bowl. It's like, go watch the game where he put up four touchdowns in a row to get them to the Super Bowl with Philip dor Set stepping up. Big good job by you taking the attention off of that game and putting it on another one. There you go another. But the game before that where they put up forty points,

I mean they were they were doing all right. It's all over now you ate special. No ball rose at all. It's like curtains, I'll be it does it does change the bar, Like it will be a lot more exciting when they go ten and six and the Jets roster that is like among the least talented in the league goes five and eleven, Like it'll be way more satisfying than a normal tenant three starting players on the rosters. Exactly, I can't say anything until things change. So but just no,

you knowin't special. Another middling wide receiver news Travis Benjamin, formerly of the Charges. He's now a member of the forty niners. Uh now thirty years old. Funny how it sneaks up on you. Um so he enters that wide receiver room. Uh, the day after Emmanuel Sanders exits. Well, I think it's easy to draw the connection between him and Taylor Gabriel and the old Falcon's offense. That speak guy. Just have him run those go routes and beat people deep,

especially on play action passes. That's what I would see Kyle Shanahan doing with him. I think Shanahan worked with Benjamin in Cleveland. I'd have to. I think he was still there at that point, so that I believe he knows him. And you're right, he plays that similar role. Oh, we gotta dispatch from the players Tribune. Oh that newsroom is going wild right now? Are they even allowed to be together? Play Jeter? Jeeter just swung the door open with a big cigar in his mouth, and he said,

Devin mccordy, you're on deadline. Give me something about Tom Brady and the fallout I wanted ten minutes ago. And then, Uh, mccorty wrote a post on the Player's Tribune and part of it read like this. People are going to say that because Tom's gone, the dynasty is over. They're already burying us as far as I can tell. And that's fine, this is how he talks. We've never listened to the noise, and we're not about to start now. But the task is definitely taller this coming year than it has been

in years past. There's more work to do and it's not going to be so easy this time around. That's where the new challenge comes in. I mean, I think Devin mccordy might command a room a little bit more than you port. That was actually Ricky played the SoundBite that was I want Ricky to send that just those twenty seconds out as a social video. That's it. We don't need any context, nothing else that has read the quote. I just read the quote anyway. So, and it's mid March.

Devin mccorty thinks the Patriots are still special. I disagree. Isn't that the flip side though? That like their their motivation is we can even if they they all love Tom Brady to show that they can still go twelve and four. The biggest thing about the about Devin mccordy is these are he has a twin. We all get that,

Uh they are twins where a shared Twitter account. I there's more to attack in this situation, but that to me feels Um, like, it's not a bit, but it's certainly it's I'm not I'm not a huge fan of it, but you guys can hit the like their charity foundation, it was the mccority Foundations. Well, I'm sure that's then not then I can't say anything about it because it was for a nice cause. But I just you know, it's from the Twitter angle. It kind of bugs me

if they're sharing a social media account. What's happened with the d m s by the way, Yeah, what else is being shared? Rick they do? Maybe they share a room, roommates. They both have a big families, and they're getting to now grow up next to each other in uh cold state of Massachusetts. Twins have that special connections, So I'm not gonna try to tear Other news, Quentin Dunbar traded to the Seahawks from the Redskins in exchange for a

fifth round pick. Veteran defensive back Jimmy Smith signs a new one year deal to stay with the Ravens, and running back Peyton Barber, formerly of the Buccaneers, signs of the Redskins two years, three million dollar contract. Uh, anyone else have anything to add on those players? Well, I think Seahawks fans are excited about Dunbar. P f F graded him number two among cornerbacks last year UH in coverage and he I think he allowed under a six passer rating. He's a big corner six to Pete Carroll

loves him. Um. But the Redskins are Ron River and Jack del Rio or his own coaches, so they're not gonna have as much use for Dunbar. There makes a little sense for everyone involved. Someone explained to me how the Redskins have gotten any better under Ron Rivere at this point, I did. I I see players wanting out. You know, it's a it's gonna take time. But this is once the what maybe the most low wattage team

in all of sports a year ago. Uh. Other than the fact that I love the fact that they finished games in about one hour and fifty eight minutes. That was pleasant, But I mean, what's what's the sea change so far? They've added Peyton Barber. Ah, it was that they have a Kendall Fuller. I do love me some Kendall Fuller. They added him. That was a good bargain uh in free agency, but yeah, they losing outut of

MARII Cooper. I think that's going to be the defining moment of their off season, that that Amari Cooper took less money from the Cowboys to stick it to the old red Smarts. It's smarts. Uh. And finally in the news, an interesting wrinkle to the Marcus Mariotta signing by the Raiders. Uh, it's a two year, seventeen point six million dollar contract

with the Raiders. However, Uh, there's kind of more heat to it than what um we originally thought because he'll get seven and a half million guaranteed in which is Greg, you're the source of these things. But that's pretty good backup quarterback money. Correct. Yeah, that's that's good. It's pretty good, pretty good, better and with better and with incentives. And this is what really jumps out to me anyway, Mariotta connet over million. So a good job by his agent

that gave him not some bum I got. I lost my job and I have to reset my whole career deal where I'm signing for two years and seven million or something. He has a deal that really does give him an opportunity to get some guap if he does overtake the quarterback And I would imagine if this worked out for him, other guys like him would try to get the same deal in the future. It's a deal that got some criticism though I know. Um, I think agents and reporters were surprised he did anything more than

a year. Basically that if that they they thought the Raiders really got him under control in a way that like the Titans didn't with Tannehill, because if Riota does come in and is a standout for half a season, he's still not getting many incentives, and then they have him for very cheap next year, when if it's a one year deal, you can go back in the market, you get the franchise tag um. So it got some criticism. I thought it was fine. I didn't have a big

take on it either way. I think Mariota had a pretty good market, Like that's why he got some money, haven't. We also learned though that if if he has a great year this year, players have leverage and it's he's not locked in forever to that second year or whatever it would end up being. That's not backup quarterback contract.

That's saying we expect you to play at some point contract and you'll see bridge quarterbacks get something like them, But there are no backups making seven point five million guaranteed on their bass salary in their first year. Just doesn't You might see that once in a blue moon if we last year was pretty similar. But you're right,

it's pretty rare. If we traveled through next season and Marcus Mariota is starting ten eleven games for whatever reason, and Cam Newton is sitting on the on the bench, I I don't know what's happened here. And if i'm I'm car I'm a little bit annoyed by the specifics of the contract because again it fuels that feeling that my team secretly doubts me or not so secretly doubts me. However, I still I'm very happy or with how it turned out. I have a middling in house competition in my building.

If I play well, I should be okay. There's not even he himself is middling. So it's I I don't I you know, I don't know. I find it to see. Well, that's a I have a moderate disagreement that I think he is a step above middling, not that high up, but I think he's better than Mariota and his numbers

over his career. I just think the Gruden. It's the X factor there, because you know you're going to at some point Gruden is going to be frustrated with car and it may not be an injury, it maybe just flat out I'm done with this situation if he throws some killer pick at the end of a game, and let's see what we have with Mario. I mean, Gruden just seems like again the endless wandering I with the

quarterback hand, I don't like enjoy that. Yeah, turned to Mariota, enjoy those lawn dark It's well, I mean, none of us are huge Mariora guys, so I you know, fair, but that's what's happening in the news. Hey, Ricky for um for this seg where I'm just gonna kind of go through some things that I, uh, colonels that I came across. I could go with comeback colonels with Mark Sessler, but let's actually go with essentially, like I'm gonna leave this up to your ability to find like a walk,

a springtime walk. It's early spring now, so I'm taking a walk through, uh the thirty two teams of the NFL. While he was putting together the power rankings. Uh so here are some tidbits that I came across. Let's begin our walk, Ricky. I will start right at number one on the list. With the Kansas City Chiefs, Sammy Watkins still in the building. Um, and he's scheduled almost fourteen

million in salary this year. Brett Veach, the GM is already on on the record that they're probably gonna have to, you know, correct that for him to remain a part of the team. And you wonder when that's happening. And you would think perhaps Watkins, although typically a player and when he's asked to take a haircut industry jargo, uh is gonna say, F you cut me, I'll go get

money elsewhere. But given the market, a veteran wide receivers in that second tier, which, let's be honest, despite how he's been paid in his career, he's in a second tier place. Uh, he might be better off getting the haircut and and sticking around. Maybe that's why nothing's happened here. Yeah. It reminds me a little bit of the Cowboys with a Mari Cooper, where both sides want each other. You just have to find that middle ground. You have to find that money that works. I don't see him making

fourteen million. Greg might have a better read on that, and I think maybe the Chiefs thought that what to your point, Dan, the timing of it, keep that they didn't need to cut him. They want to keep them, and they're kind of making it to a point where at some point there's no way he's gonna want to be a free agent in August. You you wouldn't think so, and that they'll just work it out, which makes sense for a guy that it put up almost five yards in the last almost six hundred yards in the last

two playoffs like that that should count for something. I mean, that guy, if he never signs another half decent deal, did very well in this league. When you correlate his overall production, he's kind of like the Jadeveon Clowney of wide receivers, is right, But if, like, if another position stepped up as much as he's stepped up in the playoffs in two straight years, like we would give that guy a lot of credit for being clutch, whatever that means.

Like he was their best receivers in multiple big games, two a f C Championship, he played well the Super Bowl. He ripped a huge fart on Richard Sherman in a big spot in the Super Bowl? Is that more industry? Why is ESPN not talking to you about this Monday night football spot? I don't know. I don't know. Let's keep let's keep going on the stroll. Uh. Smell that fresh air. That's that COVID nineteen air quality here in

Los Angeles. I love it. Uh, let's check in with the goals who, by the way, what's going on with the offense. Everyone agrees they need to do better. I had I had written my notes earlier this morning. Robbie Anderson, question Mark went to temple. You know, sometimes you try to connect dots. Uh, that's not happening obviously. But here we are. Carson Wentz still has al Shon, Jeffrey and de Sean Jackson as guys that he needs to count on.

I guess it's most most likely, given the state of the market at this point after today, going to be something Howie Roseman addresses in the draft, hopefully addresses in the draft. Meanead was, well, no, I was gonna say, I'm being told that they've signed B M. Javon Hargraves, so they're gonna go fifteen and one. That that's the word on the streets. So not number nine feels a little high. Hardgrave has gotten on your radar that we like.

I mean, I just you know, I think, I think you know there is a he's out there as a talking point. But I don't see the Eagles as the ninth best team in the league. I know your numbers are not meant to be exact right now, but I see a few teams should be should that should be on their radar. I think a little bit. It's so low on my priority list right now. I can't even begin to tell you. I mean, it is the assignment. The assignment is ranking these teams, so it's it can't

be They're fine, They're fine. It is. It's a little surprising. Jeffreys still there. Yeah, he's hanging out. He wanted out, He's hanging around, all right, Let's keep strolling. Oh look, I'm passing Mark's Airbnb. There's a swat team outside and everyone has their guns drawn on the sidewalk. I guess they want you to come out, buddy, I mean, not there at the moment, so that I don't feel guilty of anything. Uh, let's check in with the rams. This is something we've kind of touched on, but uh kind

of hits hits home. When I was going through the additions and departures, five of their five members of their starting eleven defense gone just gone. Half the defense basically is out the door, and it's just a minder of that windows closed, and now it's on snead and McVeigh to find a way to reopen it and retool this

whole roster and Wade Phillips. Look, they'll they'll tell you that they have Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive players of all time, Jalen Ramsey, and some other players and a coach that now in Brandon Staley that is kind of one of the big X factors of the two thousand twenty season. Like if he's bringing something to the table, like could they be average defense? Sure? Why not? You think the Rams would ever um ever ever again? If they could dial back in a time machine, do

that Jalen Ramsey deal again? I just I mean, I like Jale. You think they would give two first round picks for Jalen Ramsey again? I do? I simply do not. I do because as a long term move, and I don't see why their evaluation would have changed between now and then. I think they were happy with what he gave them. I don't think it was a move to save last season. I think it was a move to

have Jalen Ramsey a ram for a long time. I just feel a little top heavy to me, where it's like they're too Dan's point, there's a lot of supporting cast not around. Uh. Let's dip into the cul de sac here of believe land Mark and UH do not think I am trolling you Mark in anyway. It's just something again that caught my eye. I don't buy into anything anybody that's trying to do talking head things about

Baker Mayfield's job security. But case Keenum got more money than I realized three years, eighteen million, including ten million guaranteed, and in the building Kevin Stefanski, it was the same guy was in the building in Minnesota when Keendom had his best year for the Vikings. Just jumped out, I'll give you this. I think that it is um coming off of last year's altered disaster. Baker Mayfield is is not someone with a lot of excuses around him right now,

and I think it starts with Baker Mayfield. How much do you want to be Cleveland's franchise quarterback in a top ten quarterback in the NFL? If not more, that's what people thought he'd be a year ago. I think he has all the talent to do it. But it is a huge year for him. And I think that what was going on in that quarterback room a year ago, um, the coaching, the coaching on that offensive side of the

ball was not strong in case Keenum. I would imagine another team or two, Uh, we're interested in bringing someone like case Keenum into the building. So I don't have a big problem with the contract. But no way does any front office worth their salt think that case Keenum is a better option than Baker Mayfield long term. But Baker Mayfield is under as much pressure, uh as any quarterback in the league because you also wrote, and I think you're right, they've shored up some of their issues

roster wise, and you know he really does have. He has no excuses with the pieces around him not to have a major comeback season. The guy they draft at tackle, if that's indeed what ends up happening at number ten, if he can play, they did a good job. In fact, they could turn the offensive line into a position of strength quickly because they had to take three years to do that. They got who's the guy on the interwo

are Year that's a really good player. Uh, they have the platonio, they got Conklins now Trader and now if you can get a left tackle, you can play there. There's no excuses anymore because all the playmaker talent obviously on the it could be a great offense at the quarterback can play. Um, we'll see. Finally, West, your former

teams the West side of Cincinnati. Look, everyone waving so friendly with their little barbecue grills and uh playing their transistor radios five nights a week, listening to Don McLean and wondering why West keeps burying them on a very popular global podcast. Well this is interesting West, so we want to use people, by the way, on the West side of Cincinnati are actually Bengals fans. Okay, defensive tackle DJ Reader, cornerback Trey Wayne's big money deals with the Bengals.

We all know they never do big money deals. Uh million committed uh to the two veterans. Now, well they actually get nine five million, but just stick with me. According to ESPN Stats and Information Research, Cincinnati had not committed more than twenty six million to a single free agent since two thousand fifteen. So yes, the numbers back it up. They have not spent uh like this in half a decade. Uh so, Joe Burrow, Yes, pay attention, they're trying maybe just a little. Yeah, I go west.

Sorry they had to. Um. This is a team that since the creation of NFL free agency in they are the team that drives up the price for another team to sign a free agent. They don't actually sign the free agents, they signed their own. But this is a deviation, as you said. All right, I'm back in front of my home. A children are staring at me, wanting me to play with them for nine straight hours and feed them and bade them to breaking to sleep. So I'll

end my walk here. I do have one, uh someone that wants to say something about the Saints being number four here? Oh yes, Luke, this is our house. Is I am your real father? How do you feel about Dan hands this uncle Dan putting the Saints at as the fourth best team in the NFL? You like that? What do you want them to be number one? I'll see if they're number one. But that's pretty good actually to be here at number four. But you're a huge Saints fan and you love Drew Brees. Right, all right, well,

good luck to you than your dad. Who's better at the power rankings, Dan hands Us or Elliott Harrison. All right, that's my boy. You did a good job. Thank you A plus. Yeah, you're good, thank you. Bye? All right, that was nice. I feel like a tradition is coming on. I gotta get the boys in here. So yeah, where are they? I don't know. That's why we gotta in the show. They could be anywhere. Was not expecting any Luke Sessler, Elliott Harrison heat, but no, he doesn't know

what time say. Didn't always see eye to eye. I know that, and that's why I talked during the Bengals question that you threw a west because Luke was about to come charging into the scene and I was trying to slow him down there. But there we go. All right, Well good effort there. We will be back tomorrow with another show, so make sure you check that out. Everybody, Stay healthy, stay clean, stay distant for now. Anyway, listen to Galga Dot Imagine, Imagine no possessions. It's easy if

you can. Thanks for listening to the Around the NFL Podcast presented by into A Quick Books, Official sponsor of the NFL. Dan handsOn signing off for The Quiet Storm, The Mail Band, The Old Boss, Hollywood Behind the Glass Boys, boys, Oh my god, it's all Wednesday,