Bunkercast V: Nick Foles to the Bears

nice out, there's no traffic. This might be actually like a good thing. But what I witnessed um walking into a crowded sort of urban outer mall area attached to a shopping um market Ralphs, I got the first sense

of what seemed to be unrest. I don't want to overplay it because it was just maybe my feelings too, But there were like thirty or forty people, you know, it's sort of frustrated and waiting in line to get into a grocery store where nothing that they want will be in there, and a lot of people just sort of milling about and hanging out, and some people just lying on the ground and I thought, this doesn't feel um as vibrant as it felt a few days ago

to me. Where I'll tell you my feeling is somewhat similar in the sense that when this thing went nuclear and it got very scary and became um, you know, the thing that changed everyone's lives here in l A. That coincided with a very rare about of poor weather where it rained over the course of several days, which kind of added to the claustrophobic nature of it all that you were inside and you didn't really have the

option to go outside. I have noticed the last couple of days now when the sun's come back out, uh that when you go outside and there's blue skies and there's no one else outside, it is kind of a Hitchcock in type move where some of those great Hitchcock movies like The Birds, where part of what makes it scary is that you are outside and you're not, you know, in some haunted house running for your life. It even

makes it more frightening. There is an unsettling vibe to the quiet nature of living in one of the most populated cities in the world, hustling and bustling Los Angeles and just nothing going on. There is nothing going on. It does feel like we're in a movie or that we've been reading like apocalyptic pandemic books and movies, and here we are. The thing that's hit me lately is

it's just the beginning. I mean, we're talking about it like this has been going on forever the week, like this weekend, like the world was much different over the weekend compared to now. It's only Wednesday, So what's it going to be like in a month? You know? Like that? That is what I'm what I'm curious of. Yeah, I have some theories. I'll probably keep them to myself there so so as not to incite any kind of panic. Yes,

that's that's part of our jobs. That we have heard from many many listeners out there that that are appreciative that we've been going every day during this free agency week of course today, and we're happy to do it because quite frankly, gives us something to do as well. So we're Although we are heroes in this specific case, we don't need to be called heroes. Not that anybody called as heroes. They just appreciated what we did. I'm gonna keep moving forward with my comments. Today was the

beginning of the new league year. And now I'm not gonna go I'm not gonna go down Mike Florio lane here and start pounding the table and say, how could the league have done this? How could have stayed on schedule and and started free agency during this global pandemic? No, I don't believe that. In fact, I still think on balances has been great. That we've had this distraction. Why

I not. This is not something that's gonna come and go in a week or two anyway, So you might as well just go on with the show while you can. One thing that has now changed, and it became very clear today was Monday and Tuesday the legal tampering period quote unquote basically the same as past years. But today right at four pm Eastern, when in the past you had all the signings becoming official, people giving interviews, UH, press conferences getting set up, more deals flying through. Uh,

that did not happen at all. In fact, I felt bad for Andrew Ceciliano and risch Eisen and I'm sharing all the other networks you're supposed to be. Uh, it's supposed to be. It's literally called free agent Frenzy on NFL Network there was no frenzy today. As my three year old Harrison puts it, when he sees or has told something he doesn't like now bowing. And that was my takeaway of today today was bowing. Yeah, I think

that's right. Then you lose the press conferences, which added some, but I also think it just kind of a continuation of how these free agency weeks have gone. By Thursday, which would be you know tomorrow, it's been totally dead. And this year, especially all the trades, the Brady News,

everything happened Monday Tuesday. I looked this morning, right when I woke up at our original top one oh one list, Chris and I, there was two players in the top twenty five that were still available, Clowney and Chris Harris, who was number twenty five. So it was like there wasn't that much less, that much more to settle. Today it's like almost every big name in Clowney still out there, and there's a couple of good players, but we we

basically know, uh of like the big big names. One note to add to that, then, if if your list only had that many of the top twenty players still hovering around, then Dan the list that Dan and I created um suspiciously and in theory before your list has the same amount of player available Dan is that correct, same exact number, and in fact the same order because the order doesn't change, I believe into the mid sixties.

So that was just another another subtle power play by Greg, whose eyes always on the prize and he didn't want to give our list the popa dessert. But what's that? What team are you on with? I? I tweeted, I tweeted bowing or I'm bored today And Mike Garifolo replied made a point that I didn't really um think of because obviously he's in the middle of it. He's like a nam here uh on the air, you know, twelve

straight hours on the phone. That there's a lot like a soft guy's name by the way, Oh yeah, that's right, not really not jungle fighting, and you know that type of situation. But he's he's much busier than we are. Put it that way right now. And he pointed out that once you got past the Brady and the quarterback stuff, there's not a lot of skill players on the market, and that's what kind of drives the excitement of this process.

Remember Robbie Anderson, who's fine as a deep threat wide receiver. He was viewed as the top wide receiver around the open market. He's still out there. The running back market is very slow, which is not surprising after the events of the last couple off season. So there are there are still a lot of dominoes to fall, but maybe, uh, curb your enthusiasm because it's never gonna get as hot as it was Monday, and certainly Tuesday with the Tom

Brady news, which was all time. That's the first time I've heard Robbie Anderson's name all week, and I've only heard Melvin Gordon's name once or twice. It doesn't seem like there are many teams in need of a running back, and I don't know if anybody wants to pay him even close to what he thought he might get at

this time last year. All Right, you guys want to go through the news that we did get from the time we left you yesterday until right now, and perhaps Ricky, as you're as you do, you kind of keep an eye on anything that happens in case there's some breaking news. Okay, how are you. It looks like you're in a nice furnished room, with a framed photo of loved ones. And it just seems like a nice, nice set up for you. Yeah.

I set up my whole home office. I got my monitor, my TV going, I got my two computers set up. I've been grinding over here, are you guys? And and let it be said, I I believe that we have. But it bears repeating that Erica is doing an incredible job, um this week keeping the show going without Ricky. We're not on the air right now, So bravo to you, young lady. Thank you. Yeah, all right, but le's get into it. Greg, Greg just barely gives it. I was

given the golf clap before anyone. Come on, all right, let's get into it. There was uh some saucy quarterback news is the biggest story of the day. Nick Foles, super Bowl fifty two m v P, the man that beat Tom Brady and that great shootout, Uh Eagles Patriots. Well, Brady's on a new team and Nick Foles, for the third time in three years, is also on a new team. The Bears are acquiring Folds in a trade with the Jaguars.

Mike Garafolo reported Jacksonville will receive a fourth round pick in exchange for Foals one season in Jacksonville, ruined by the collar bone injury in week one, a Jaguar organization that was burning alive, and then he comes back, doesn't play well, and then gardener Minshew Uh takes back over for the end of the season. So just a total

loss uh. And for just one season. The Jaguars paid thirty and a half million for Foals, who leaves behind only not almost nineteen million and dead money on the cap after the trade. So Jacksonville is just in a world of hurt right now and they just do not expect them to be a contender UH in the immediate future.

But on the bear side, and we'll start with you on this west Um, Nick Foles comes to Chicago for one reason and one reason only to be the guy that could push Mitch Trobinsky, either push Trabinsky to be a better player or push him right out the door, the former first round pick who's coming off a very

disappointing season. Yeah, you give a coaching staff like this where Matt Naggy, Bill Laser, and John D. Libbe all works with the holes in the past, you give them excuse to find a guy that they know and they're familiar with most coaching staff are gonna do that. And then you throw in the coronavirus on top of it, where people don't know if you're gonna have an off season program, people don't know how much work you're gonna

be able to do before training camp. I think that ends up being a pretty big factor in a situation like this, where their familiarity with Nick Foles scored pretty high. And Bill Laser also worked with uh Andy Dalton with the Bengals too, so maybe you figured they just liked fALS better than Dalton. Well, Foals has a higher upside. It's been weird for me today to see all the flaming of the Bears for this move and all the jokes of just like, okay, well, now they have two

terrible quarterbacks that that's really gonna help. And maybe I overrated Nick Foles when when West and I had him very high in our free agency and I was, you know, on our rankings, and I was leading that um drive. But he's not a bum. I mean, these two guys are even. The next time Mitchell Robinski has one of the best Super Bowl performances of all time, hasn't an

NFC Championship game where he puts up forty points. As a full regular season where he has twenty seven touchdowns in two interceptions, nick Foles has done some things in the NFL, and to me, if it's even if it's actually a fair fight, there's no question. To me, nick Foles has a higher ceiling and gives them a better chance to win and maybe give them a little bit of juice. I'm with you on that. Like I don't hate the signing at all. My one concern with Nick

Foles is not when he's available. He is an immediate upgrade for me over Mitch Drabinsky, and uh deserves another shot to be a starter. But his availability is suspect um. It's been that way for a long time, and you know, but but if you're you know, the Bears were looking into Cam Newton, there were reports to that. But Cam Newton is getting totally banged by our society right now.

Where if you're someone that is open to moving from team A to Team B and you're count you're essentially someone who has been a figure nestled away in rehab. You can't take the physical, you can't show the team where you're at. Physically, you can't even go have that conversation.

So to West's point, these teams with embedded coaching staffs that have been there for a while, that that fine players that they know, Um, they can plood right in that coming with especially at the quarterback position, with knowledge to teach other people and to be that presence. Of course Nick Foles makes sense. I don't think you would ever have chosen to start over with a risky free agent trade candidate instead. So I you know, I killed

the Bears over and over. At least they've recognized that they need to upgrade the position and they've done something about it, So box checked. I hope that falls can stay healthy. To be clear, Mark, you said that society has banged Cam Newton. I feel like to be more clear, it's been this this pox had has fallen upon our society and change society the way the way we operate as human beings. You know, it's the it's the pandemic that's bang Kewton. That's that's a good clarification for me.

To blame society in an isolated fashion is not fair. Well, and and the Jaguars are still paying for the original Blake Bortles sin they had. They were so desperate last year to find somebody to replace Bordals that they overpay for fools and now, like you said, nineteen million and dead money because they kept the fools tera going on for so long. They have three million total in dead

money this year. So that's like money they could be spending on making the team around Gardner Minshew better, including the defense. I mean, you're gonna have to score a lot of points, uh, tone that defense. And that said, it's well known if you're a listening to this show that certain people on our show love Gardner means you and certain people don't, namely me. It's a good set up for him in the sense that I doubt where the Jaguars are, it feels like they are in more

now of a rebuilding period. I would doubt that they would bring it a veteran an Andy Dalton type guy when they're so far away from contention at this stage. He might get in trouble because they're not going to have a great supporting cast around him necessarily. But I would also think that Minshew is gonna get a real shot now to be their starter, at least entering the season. And see how it goes from there. Well, I mean this, this spoke louder than anything they could have done, which

was to clear up this two headed quarterback situation. A sap, but I don't like min shoes chances to win games. Um with the way this team is constructed there in cap hell, they are allowing every defensive player worth um anything at all to escape and be traded or escape and leave the team. And unless you're an offense that's gonna put up. I just this defense was terrible last

year with half those guys on the roster. I don't I don't know how he's going to survive um or to to add on to what he did last year. It feels like a regression season for the quarterback position. And I'm forever grateful for what Nick Foles did to Ricky and Greg's Patriots a couple of years back, but I would have thought Cam Newton to me, has more sex appeal as a guy to bring in, and he could be a guy that not only pushes Mitch Drabinsky, but can uh kind of get his career back on track.

And all of a sudden they have a standout quarterback out of nowhere. It might have been a good a good gamble for that organization which kind of needs to hit on something big. But Falls is the safer choice at this stage, but not by that much. Like Mark said, this guy can't stay on the field himself, but Kim Newton and you're right, he is an attractive, attractive man. Um Vert this bears spot being filled. And then hearing a man talk about good looking remember his comment, his comment,

it's funny to hear a woman talk about England. I'm gonna be so mad. Yeah, I think that's where I was going with this. Erica, I don't know. I don't know if you would go to New England. But the combination of this news today with Foals and then Ian rap report reporting very strongly that the Chargers, after losing out on Brady, are going forward with Tyrod Taylor and

presumably a rookie. They have a top six pick and they can maybe move up um And and get tongue of Violoa, or they could take Justin Herbert, and that's kind of what I'm expecting the Chargers to do. It leaves the Patriots in a situation where if they want

to go bargain bin hunting, they've got options. I mean, there's Jamis, there's Cam Newton, and there's Andy Dalton, and it feels like a very Bill Belichick move to see who sits out there the longest and is just the total deepest that they think they could build an offense around. And to me, Cam Newton would be the guy that I think would get Josh McDaniels excited. All right, let

us now move on and talk about other news. You know what, let's let's check in on the jadeveon Clowney because he is the highest remaining player on the top one oh one correct. Yes, and you know some people surprised that he is not connected to a team, and you haven't heard a lot. Well, Mike garre Folow noted Wednesday, the Clowney has not found the market he expected. The Seahawks offer uh that he has in hand could be

the best that he'll get. Gar Folo added, So the past rusher, we've talked about this forever on this show, or at least it feels like forever that his production has never matched his um his stats are. His production has never been a jibe with a guy that should be paid like a highest paid defender in the league. But then all the big D word gets thrown around, not the one you're thinking of, disruptive. Uh, He's very disruptive.

And yet it seems like teams are shying away from an injured guy, a guy that has injuries that hasn't always produced Statistically. It's all relative though. I mean Dante Fowler for instance. You know, we'll talk to him, But he got sixty million dollars a year, so I'm assuming Jandavian Clowney is gonna get significantly more than that. And maybe he was thinking, like I was thinking, that he might get an insane amount and he's clearly not getting

that offer, or else we would be hearing more. Seattle reported he made a very aggressive offer and that might end up being his best bet is to just return to the Seahawks. He won't be alone uh in Seattle if he can. If he does return, Bruce Irvin is back with the Seahawks. According to rap Sheet, the thirty two year old defensive ends agreed to terms of the Seattle Seahawks reuniting him with Pete Carroll. They took him fifteen overall in two thousand twelve. If you remember back then,

that was seen as a surprise. Um. Irvin had dealt with some off the field issues as I recall, but he's always been a very steady contributor. He went to the Panthers, had a nice season, but now he's back with Seattle. Uh So, if they can get if they do get Clowney back, he got Irvin in the building, they could really maybe make some gains getting to the quarterback, which was which was a problem last year. I like

Seattle's like ability. One thing about them because when team, when players leave a team, it's almost like you're never allowed to have that player come back into the fold, Like you would never bring some of these guys back. Seattle is like, this is like the fifth or six guy that after a stop somewhere else, They're like, this guy fits our system. He was in a system in Atlanta that's similar to ours, and we'll have him right back.

No hard feelings, like it's it kind of tells you that, you know, unlike some of these teams we talked about, like the Texans and others, that they don't burn the bridge. They keep the relationship alive and you might need a guy later. And Irvin is the perfect fit right now at this point Urvan. You know, it's fun to get him back together. He's with kJ Wright. It's like good, good memories. He's kind of a bit player. But their biggest moves so far as been bringing Drawn redback UH.

And that was late last night. That was to a two year, twenty three million dollar contract, which is pretty good money. He's been an up and down player. Seahawks fans were thinking they were gonna go wild. I think they're a little disappointed that that's like the highlight of their first couple of days, but it's like, come come down. They've signed a couple of offensive linemen to Brandon shell And and b J Finney, and it looks like they

expect both of them to start. Those aren't big names and they were not on our top one list, but there they are starting for the Seahawks. UH. In other news, a trade We Love Trades that Denver Broncos are acquiring Titans defensive lineman Jarrell Casey in exchange for a seventh round pick. Rap Sheet reports nine News. Denver my clie had that first. UH. Denver had a hole in their defensive line with several guys hitting free agency, so they

add a five time pro Bowl or West. Did this surprise you that Casey came free for a bottom of the shelf uh? Draft pick? It did surprise me, but those things always surprise me unless I read a Greg article saying this guy's making too much money and needs to be cut and found jobless. Um, those are usually how Greg's articles go. When he does this, I cannot sound that was either a really nice compliment or a

withering put down. Like I never really know when guys are gonna lose their job until Greg covers and I Darrell Casey was not on my radar. I've you like, Um, Jonathan Simmons played so well last year that I guess they feel like he can slide into that rule and they can maybe get more pass rush and sacrifice a little run defense. Uh, and then you some of that

money for guys like Derrick Henry. I find it unjust that, uh, Darrell Casey, who has been consistently awesome and consistently outside of like you know, PFF football heads and certain types mostly ignored by the casual fan, and it's no one even knows who he is for the most part. The minute that the Titans get you know, kind of sexy and are going to have a bunch of prime time games. Bang, he's sent he sent off the team. It's it's God forbid.

Darrell Casey ever get the attention he deserves for having been consistently awesome. I was stunned by this trade. Uh. I guess he had a soldier problem last year. He has been around a while, but he's been durable. He's been really productive. I know he's been one of your favorite players. West. It seems like a steal and they're trying to cut some salary cap. Maybe it's a Derrick Henry move. But it was on the same day that they signed Vic Beasley to a ten million dollar contract.

Vick Beasley, who going into this free agency period was like the guy I would have wanted my team to sign the least because he just knew someone was gonna pay Vick Beasley hoping he could have the one good season that the Falcons basically we're hoping they would get out of him, and they never did. And they so they know. They played different positions. But I'm a little mystified. The Titans defense always seems like this formless. Uh. You know, I know that they're a little more fun on offense.

But the defense still has that old nickname that that Tan used to give him. So let's talk Broncos. Then we haven't talked about their side of the trade. They had Darrell Casey. Uh. They are picking up a J. Boyer, they kept Justin Simmons uh, and they get Bradley Chupp back next year. This defense was playing really well at the end of last year. I like what the Broncos

are doing on the next side of the ball. If I was Tony really, you know, around the horn, I'd be giving you some points right now, West, I like that one. That's a I feel like I feel like we're on around the horn with these. I'll be holding up a sign thank you. How many points do I have? Greg? I feel like he would be negatively, You've got a lot of points. If he had started the points before the show, when you were breaking out a conspiracy theory about an NFL network mishap that I won't get into,

I would that would have been negative points. But you're doing great once the Yeah, I saved the negative point conversations for off the air and before we get overly excited about the Broncos. West, you know Joe Flacco is about to be cut or it has been done. Uh they have Drew Lock and then two Jags, uh sub Jags behind him that it feels like quite a gamble

at the quarterback position right now. I specifically mentioned the defensive side of the ball because although I like the Graham Glasgow signing, the once you mentioned are legit, we don't know about their quarterback. They only really have one proven wide receiver. I don't know that they got a lot of question marks on that side of the ball. Well, here's the thing, Cam and Jamis and Dalton have to go somewhere like they're not going to not be in

the NFL next year. And so you know now that I've been like, I don't know, maybe Denver is a team even though they're in they say they're in on Drew Lock. It's like at a certain point, if these three guys are making you know, six seven million dollars like a backups type money, it's like they'd be crazy not to try try one of those guys. L A already swung and missed it, one washed up veteran, and Joe Flacco maybe Cam as a guy that he would wait on and then bring in again. He seems like

a guy that would take a big swing there. He is the guy that got Peyton Manning once upon a time when he had injury issues. I mean, John Elway watched Cam Newton basically take the Super Bowl off. I don't know if that's the greatest selling point for a prospective employer, but I mean, he took one lot happening outside of that one place. But I'll take your word for it. I just I did. It's so funny. I

thought of that again today. And I know you Panthers fans as at the end of the Cam Newton era, so many of you are still thinking about that play Super Bowl fifty about two or three minutes to play ball on the ground in a one score game, and Cam watched Salton. I'm just saying I think about it sometimes. If I was a Panthers fan, I'd probably think about it all the time. Uh. In other news, speaking of the NFC South, that Falcons make an addition to their

defense their pass rush gets a boost. Tom Pellicero and rap Sheet report that they are expected to sign Dante Fowler to a three year deal. This guy is getting some frequent flyer miles in his career. UM the Falcons could not get to the quarterback last year, and Fowler has been a little up and down in his career, but he had a he had a nice run with the Rams, and now dan Quinn's defense is going to need him to be a consistent guy off the edge. Mark, do you think he could be that? Well? I think

you know. We we hit on Vic Beasley and at this point you need an upgrade, and I if he plays the way he did with the Rams, that is a distinctive upgrade. Dan Quinn coached him at Florida, so it's another one of these um relationship scenarios. He's young, you're in theory getting him at a time where he could round into someone that does what he did last year, which was eleven and a half sacks, which was a

personal best for him year after year. I mean, the Falcons to me, I need to see their defense before I trust it because it just seems like it's not really clicked in a while. At this point, how old? What is going on here? I'm with you, He's one of these guys almost forty, and this guy has been he was essentially twenty three for seven straight years. He was always distinctively younger than you. But or yeah, he

entered the league young. Uh, he got this much money because the Rams reportedly really wanted to keep him and they went They went pretty high to keep him. So that's a good sign that a team that had him for a year and a half I wanted to pay him big money. And if I'm a Rams fan and and I'm I'm looking at this defense and you think

of what they have lost so far. They've lost Michael Brocker's They've lost Dante Fowler, They've lost Corey Littleton, they got rid of Nicole Robie Coleman, who was a pretty good player, and Eric Weddle retired and Wade Phillips has gone. You have a first time coordinator in Brandon Staley. That is a lot of uncertainty. Yeah, but you're leaving out one thing. Greg Leonard. Leonard Floyd's in the building. He

is being signed by the Rams. Uh, Pallisero and Garafolo reported, so they are essentially replacing Fowler with Floyd, who was released by the Bears on Tuesday, a former first round pick. Uh. So they're hoping that he will somehow find the spark. So get excited. It's not every day. You get the sarcastic retort um with that that was working on a lot of levels with a seg one of the hand, you know, one thing on oh on the Falcons defense, this is like a Congo line. Since we started the podcast,

certain guys come in, then they come back. Adrian Claiborne's in, Jack Crawford, Vic Beasley, No it's Dante Faller. The names changed. The defense still finishes like and you can run on them all day. You Mark did have that great Super Bowl experience where he was the coordinator of the Seahawks and you guys just fell in love with Dan Quinn.

There was a part two to that, which I believe I mentioned once before where it was an owner's meeting scenario where there's not a lot of Atlanta Falcons beat writers how ring around. But it was one of these breakfast table scenarios where it was Dan Quinn sitting there alone and me sitting with him, and de Orlando led better some of you have a lot of respect for um and ge Orlando showed up with a gigantic plate of like eggs, bacon and toast and I'm talk listen.

This is the celebrated Falcon's beat writer. I'm gonna allow him to unferral three or four straight questions at Quinn before I drop in. You know what I need to go with d Lead just sat there and continue to eat Like I was like, at one point, you've got all this is a working function. I'm sure he got to his questions down the road, but I got shifted into small talk with Dan Quinn and asking him like nine or ten questions about the Falcons when I had

best and maybe one maybe one. So you know part two, Mark just advanced anytime you have any time you have like a d Lead eating story and the automatic lead it love that guy. What you know, since we are adjacent to the you know, reporting world, at that level,

you start to pick up on some things. And I think d Led gobbling down the breakfast before getting to work is to me the equivalent of Larry fitz Sr. At the Super Bowls taking out the folding chair and just putting it smack dab in the center of the clubhouse and just letting the chaos on furl around him

before he gets gets his quotes. A perfect parallel and I and I'm only imagine that with his experience that de Orlando had a longer, slow play um plan at work there that I was the you know, I was the idiot that's trying to jump in and do my thing. I'm sure he got something great out of that meeting after I departed. I don't know. It's it's an ancient parable.

It's the turtle in the hair, you know. Alright. Moving on, speaking of the NFC South and UH, big name players, Gerald McCoy, he is leaving that division and heading to Big D. The Cowboys not the Big D year thinking of the Cowboys agreed to terms with McCoy on a three year deal. Rap Sheet reported ESPN first had it. UH. Gary Folo says the deal has a base value of over eighteen million, could get to twenty million, UH with some incentives. Hit. He's thirty two years old, went to

Carolina for one season, played sixteen games. Uh. West not the same guy that he was during his heyday in Tampa, but somebody that could still do some damage. And I would I would see this as a positive signing for a Cowboys defense that kind of needs some reinforcements. Yeah,

Greg talked about the Rams losing so many guys. The Cowboys have lost as many snaps as anybody, I think in this free agency period with Robert Quinn, Byron Jones, Jeff Heath, Takeaway Jason and Randall Cobb, and then Malick Malick Collins, who Gerald McCoy is going to replace. And I'd say McCoy, even at age thirty two or whatever he is now is a better pass rushing present. So he's a more disruptive guy on passing downs and it's

now a passing league. That was probably a Cowboys fan, I'd be I would have been pretty worried going into free agency, but I think the first few days have gone about as good as you could have hoped, considering how much you had to pay, doc that you got a Marie Cooper back. They resigned Anthony Brown, Blake Jarwin's back in the building. That's not a big deal, sound lee whatever. But the way you said it sounds like a pretty big deal thing here is uh Kai was

resigned as like a day one free agency. Yeah what, Greg, can I just with all due respect, that was not your news to break. I mean, I'm setting it up for you because you know, the one the one place that does not close during the coronavirus pandemic is the Kicker club. Mm hmm. The Dallas Cowboys have signed Kai for bath he stays in the building after being just an app salute standout down the stretch for the Cowboys

nearly kicked him in the playoffs. Let's face it, Uh, he went a perfect ten for ten on field goals down the stretch. So Kai, who absolutely was nearly drummed out of the league just because that's some bad word of mouth, that's how I see it. Start with me. But I was told some negative things famously at a area hospital here in Los Angeles before the birth of

my first son. Uh that Yeah, you know, kis Kai. Guys, you know, guy's gonna do what guy's gonna do, which is the universal indicator for you know, maybe not the best dude. Um. And now Kai is back on his feet and he never deserved to be office feet because the boy can kick. Yeah. I think that, you know, Dan, if anything, you deserve at least half the credit for the career revival that he's experienced over the last six seven months. So I would say I put him, I

put him more. This is what I'll take credit for, Mark, please, Um, I will take credit for enhancing his Twitter viability, his profile because there are more hashtags dedicated to Kai on the Internet now that that ever existed before. You know, well, let's not. Don't stop there. Like the original renaissance came out of the Boo Bop bubonic plade, it was a side effect of it. And here we are in coronavirus time.

You have given a renaissance to Kai for Vat's career and think, well, maybe I will take a lap in the Kicker Club, which again is open for business. Uh. We we are one of those sets that do not believe in, uh the ability to pass germs. So the

place is packed. It's so if you want to come on down to the Kicker Club were we have DJ Paul D spinning tonight and everyone because on a little Corona virus um promotion to get people in the building, everybody gets to go behind the velvet rope and shake hands. Uh so come on down to the Kicker Club. Somehow I'm good. I don't know. I don't feel the uh like the tractor being pulling me over to that event tonight,

but perhaps down the road. Okay, okay, fair enough. In other news, the Chargers are expected to uh Land a premium name on the secondary market. Cornerback Chris Harris is signing in l A rap sheet reported the deals where two years and twenty million UM. Harris then confirmed to ESPN that he's going to the Chargers, a nice pick up. Nine years in the league. This will be his tenth season. We talked about it a little bit when we learned

that he wouldn't be going back to Denver. Um greg that Harris maybe not the same player he used to be, but maybe stick him in the slot and he could do some good job. Good work for the Chargers. He looked awesome last year, and the combination of him, Casey Hayward, and Desmond King is about as good as it gets at cornerback. I'm gonna fall into the same trap, you know. I kind of like the signings. I've had Bulaga at

right tack. Goal. They bring in Linval Joseph not so sure about that, but either way, it's like the Chargers roster outside of a quarterback, which seems like a significant position. Look, it looks pretty good again. Let's get back on the Charger's bandwagon. What a team they're built. They're building in every room. Can we send Can we send Andy Dalton there for a fourth round pick and be done with it?

How about that? I mean they they are going to draft someone I don't know, if like Love justin Herbert, and so they feel fine that there if if he's there at six, or if they are gonna try to trade up, maybe they'll be the guy team that takes to Uh. It's funny because in Jeremiah's um pre free agency mocked draft, he had two teams, the Cults and

Bucks back to back taking Love and Herbert. And I just think the Chargers are when you're when you're looking at potential free agents and you're making it clear that you're not chasing after a veteran. They are locked and loaded to go get a rookie and restart that position from scratch, and if they get the right one. To Greg's point, like the team around him, because the offensive line has been improved, at least on paper right now too, is this is a great situation for a rookie compared

to some teams you could land with. The more I think about it, they really should be a team that should be thinking and maybe they are to give it all up to get to a you know, like that's a guy you can open your stadium with. And they have such a good rest of the team. They've been so patient, drafted pretty well. Like I could see them giving up a huge raft of draft picks to go get to h open the stadium with him. That'd be fun do it. That makes a lot of sense. That

makes a lot of sense. Points if everybody was like Tom Brady, he opened the stadium with Tom Brady. Tom Brady is gonna be forty three in week one. If there's a week one, you go get a young quarterback. Then could put some meat in the seats. And then he's a guy that could be there for fifteen years.

Let's fly. Oh my god, he could be forty nine. Um, all right, let's hit a little eight o'clock to light Ricky Malcolm Jenkins heading back to the Bayou four year, thirty two million dollar deal was sixteen and quartered guaranteed to go back to the Saints, leaving the Eagles because he got anything left grant he was playing well last year, replaces von Val. Saints fans love him, Sean Payton loved them. Yes,

Andrew Whitworth is not going anywhere. The Rams are in a time of transition, but they decide that they want to keep Jared Goss blind side protector three year deal for Whitworth. If he plays out the contract West, He's gonna be in his forties like you. Yeah, that that means he should probably wake up with a different body part hurting every day and may only last about four games into the sep Uh, don't get too close to fort. Thomas Davis is reuniting with Ron Rivera on the Redskins.

Can't kill Thomas Davis, Mark Sessler. I also wonder if the Redskins might um look at Eric Reid, who the Panthers just released as well, because Rivera feels like the kind of coach that, despite selling you fresh ideas, is going to bring in every aging player he can simply because he has them in his cell phone and that the I like Rivera, He's fine, but it just seems like we're getting a lot of X two points for you, buddy. And also maybe Cam Newton goes to Washington. Uh, stranger

things have happened. Uh, Patriots defensive back to Ron Harmon is heading to Detroit, so Greg the Patriots exodus continues. Yeah, congratulations to the Lions for taking all of the players the Patriots didn't want, you know, Jamie Collins, Danny Shelton, Deron Harmon. This is the way you build a championship. Is there anybody left on the Patriots roster? It's not. It's all split of baby, it's just Greg. Remember when your biggest concern about the Patriots is why there weren't

more coaches on their staff. Now you have real kids. Oh yeah, so huge, Goold. It's a huge concern that the Lions are overpaying like role players from the Patrios. I mean, one thing I know is that when Jamie Collins leaves New England and goes to a different team, you're gonna get the best version of Jamie Collins hands down. The Raiders in veteran cornerback Eli Apple, agree to a deal with former tenth overall pick. He's bounced around a

little bit, most recently with the Saints. Now he's in Vegas. It's one of those guys you want as your third corner because if he's your second corner, they're picking on him all the time. And with the Raiders at this point, he might be their first corner because they tried for Chris Harris and offered three years and Harris decided to go to and finally West. It looks like the softball team is in dire straits. Uh, we're given away final years of our careers because Corona might take a take

us out. Yeah. I talked to Keisha about that that I thought I might not have to make the retirement decision after I hope because Corona is making it for me. Uh. But yeah, after we talked through weards several days where I woke up and my right shoulder was hurting so bad that I could barely move that day. So I didn't think there was any chance I was playing softball. And that is eight o'clock to light. All right, boys, girl, any any final thoughts before we sign off on when

Wednesday's edition? What do we look? What is the domino we're waiting now? Like? What do we want to learn? We want to learn where Clowney's going. We want to see where jamis and Dalton and cam end up um? What what else is out there that kind of interests you? I want to know where Robby Anderson goes. I hope the Jets bring him back. What about you, guys? I'd say back to Melvin Gordon, I brought him up earlier in the show. Um, a team like the Falcons who

released DeVante Freeman could use him somebody. One of you guys brought up the Bills the other day. I still like that to pair him with Devin Singletary. But but he might be your new Falcons running back. I have a feeling but in the Patriots quarterback situation, and I know we're joking about how they're diminished, but I'm still very intrigued to see what Bill Belichick is going to do. And there's still some pretty good players out there, and it seems like they're going to jump in to this

part of free agency. Emmanuel Sanders is a guy I'm kind of keeping an eye on UM Cowboys reporting. Yeah, I would be interested in with some of these tagged players that don't seem like UM necessary long term fits for their teams. I think of a guy like Anthony Harrison the Vikings, where there were whispers that teams the Browns are one safety needy. Teams might be able to go and trade with the Vikings for some of these guys.

I think that's sort of and I think we hit on this maybe, But this new wave of like franchise these guys and then trade them versus letting them walk is a savvy um savvy move at this point, and I could see two or three uh at winding up elsewhere than where they are today. More points for Cecilier here. I think in GOA is gonna get trade. That's a pretty big name out there. And then Matthew, Judean Mike get traded, so cessler. I think one minute, I think

he won. Who's getting out the points? I thought? I thought, I mean, it's a smart move, just to appease me. And then in a separate text chat convinced, you know, tell yourselves that I absolutely did not win. What are they doing that? What are we doing that? Show you you mute somebody when they get annoying to you? Is that what happens? Ricky? Can you move? Mute Greg for ten seconds? I think? So? Maybe it doesn't seem fair.

He's back. He's back, um. And one last one last note I have about Free Agency week is you know nine minutes segment with Dick Vitale today on NFL Network, the retired uh n C double A coach commentator Guy Heroes can't get on the any of this programming how much. I mean, you got hours of space to fill. We are the most popular NFL podcast in the goddamn world and we can't get on and Vitals on for nine minutes. I'm giving myself some points. Get us on that show.

I'm not even saying we, you know, maybe we don't have the internet capability to do it, but Vital for nine minutes. How was he? It was on in the background. Did he play the character he played? I think he's a friend or a golf buddy of Brady, So it was basically getting his reaction to the Tom Brady news. He's like, Mr he's Mr Tampa. Oh, that's right, he's a buck season ticket holder. That was the hook. That wass the key guy? I think it is, so we will be Oh and one last thing, what's going on

with the Beards. I know Ricky try to take the air out of it, but has everybody grown him? Yeah? Greg, I'm gonna look like I supposed to do NFL now tomorrow. I don't know. I gotta trim this thing at some point, but I'm not there yet. What do you mean you're growing that thing in hardcore during the season. That's true, but there's like a you know, there's gonna be a pretty ugly in between real soon. It's in that middle period where you look like you've done something wrong to

a child potentially. So yeah, we need to we need to. I have some concerns about how the neck beard is growing at a far more aggressive rate than the face beard, and it just kind of makes me look like a homeless person. You got andrew luck situation going. It's a bit of a luck situation, and it's not lucky for the old juser. That's what I mean. Like you gotta I'm I'm trimming that neck sooner. But here's the thing. If you're going on TV, I get it or whatever.

But if you're in a situation where we're just gonna be doing internet content, I said, we just ride this out for as long as we can before we have to go on television. No blade shall touch my face for until we get the green light. And Ricky, that goes for you to put down the razor. Let's fly. Sure like the unshaven armpit is coming back with the younger generation. I've noticed a country that is some outrageous stuff. It's just an actual statement that I'm making you're right.

You're right, and we have to tread carefully because certain things we're not supposed to have opinions on anymore. But uh, that you know, that's something I can't get behind that that's something that's happening in society with the kids. I'm with you. I don't. I don't see um. But again, it's not an impact me at all, impact me in any way. So good mark your good luck to your body hair and it's not your body and it's not your choice. No, but that's this is actually what you

were saying a minute ago. So don't I don't need thee I am not instructing anyone to do anything, but I also make it clear that like I do shave anything before that gets global. Okay, yeah, bade them. And speaking of global, Ricky, we have a global audience. You want to get a plug in for your UM live streaming movie watching, live tweeting VMN Virtual Movie Night. I don't know if we're gonna do one tonight, but potentially tomorrow. Um. Colleen is in, John, I hope you guys will be in.

We'll pick we'll pick a movie and we can all watch it together. From from afar my suggestions have been largely ignored. The two suggestions that I made even ours anymore? Do they mean anything? I know? My my suggestive roadhouse stands. Yeah. No. I think I feel like we need to do like a Legally Blonde because everybody can get behind some like Happy Reese Witherspoon right now. Yeah, but does Patrick Swayzy rip out a guy's throat and legally Blonde? Because I

don't think that was part of the space. Does Patrick Swayzy say pain don't hurt while he's getting stitches without anesty anesthetic? Does that happen in ethel I don't know. I haven't seen it in a while. So I like that you are bringing up Legally Blond as the movie that brings all genders together, And is that I think? Yeah? I just think that, you know, people that don't like women growing out their armpit hairs might not get behind the film like Legally Blonde. So if you don't fall

in that category, Greg, I can't blame you. I'll get together with Lifetime. Have a little red wine. Yes, yes, drinking. I've been drinking a lot. I think that my drinking has gone up. You know, I've been trying to get on the bike daily. I've been on the pelt on trying to drop some weight and uh, but I can't stop drinking. So there's kind of like a bit of a trade off going on, and I don't know how the scales are gonna work out. Yeah, but the bike

purchase looking good. I mean, I'm the idiot that joined Jim three days before COVID nineteen ruct the nation. So a hundred push ups, a hundred sit ups last night, and then made a root beer float with all the drunk I have in the house. It's a tough situation for It's a It's a classic tough tough sitch because we're all boards stuck in the house. It's gonna there's gonna be some unhealthy habits that are gonna just float up to the surface no matter how you cut it. Yeah, alright,

no way around it. Good. I haven't touched the drop of alcohol since since it happened. Wow, us a little little solidarity with with your pregnant wife. No, she wants me to drink already pointed out like I didn't get the drink when I had cancer. I had to sit and watch her. So now you know it's my time it's getting even time, a personal campaign, then of sorts, sometimes it's good to take a step back, and finally

a reminder washing hands twenty seconds. Twenty seconds can change the world, warm water, soap and get both sides including west. Why would it? This is an audio show his hands and then pointed to his cuticles. Ummuticles are clean. Also, if you're one of the web people that live in the sewers, make sure you get the webbing. These pipes are clean. Thanks for listening to the Around the NFL podcast presented by into a Quick Books, official sponsor of

the NFL. This is Dan Hanson signing off for Quiet Storm, the Mailman, the Old Boss, Hollywood behind the Glass. Stay healthy, stay well, stay isolated till Thursday.