Welcome to NFL Daily. I'm Greg Rosenthal and I'm beyond lucky today to be joined in the studio by Steve Weisch and on remote in Ohio by Nick Shook. We've missed a lot of news in this feed here since since you're in the NFL last tape to podcasts, and we are going to catch up today with Steve and Nick. Thank you for joining me.
Steve, I wait for John Facenda's voice to come in with that music right there. I mean, just like the whole symphonic element of that's strong for the Daily.
You Yeah, you just heard it for the first time. Yeah, we're we were adding elements as we go here. Shooky, We've got a tour group right outside the window waving at me, so yeah, you can check us out on YouTube as well. And it's good to see you Shook. And yeah for the YouTube. Body, it's just take off your hat and show your sunburn right now, because it is like the best bald sunburn I've ever Dude, you got roasted.
This is this is what happens when you were at backwards Hat because you're trying to protect your bald head from a sunburn when you're playing sand volleyball. But you forget about that little setting or rising sun depending on your preference right there, and how it's just imprinted in your forehead.
So as I mentioned, and how are you shooky? Yeah, I had a good off season.
Yeah, you know we're cooking. We're ready for the season. I can't wait to get the fresh tape going. There's so you know you guys talked about on the show yesterday. There's so much unknown we don't know yet, but we're going to find out that curiosity. I'm just ready to go. I want to find out, I want to learn. I want to be a sponge and soak it all up.
I know this is a week that is it's like the last truly quiet week and you never know, things could change, but this is like really the last total week of the off season. Next week, the Houston Texans will be reporting in full by the end of the week, and rookies for some teams start reporting earlier in the week. So, yeah, football is back, and we're going to talk about what's
happened really in the last six weeks. Because I'm just a nut about this and this show and I wanted YouTube guys on for this, especially because Steve's gonna be joining us during the season, Yes, quite a bit, and I really am excited about that, and Nick, you are as well. You're gonna be big parts of the show, and the show at its core once things start going,
is gonna have a really important news element. We're doing this daily and that's partly to catch everything, Like if we miss something, we're gonna catch it the next day. But we didn't catch any you know, anything for six weeks or so, and I just, I guess, I guess. My takes have been building up and I want to go through all the biggest stuff that that's been going
on this offseason. And I made a list and you guys added some stuff, and we're gonna draft off that list what we think mattered because obviously all of it didn't really matter that much, or what we think is interesting from this off season, really looking at kind of late May through now. And Nick, I'm gonna let you start off. So it's a draft with absolutely no repercussions. You can't really win this draft, I guess, but I'm going to give you the first pick of a news story you want to talk about.
This is going to be the longest run up of a draft card in the history of a draft. We're coming, you know, roughly twenty five hundred miles across the country, but we're handing it in now, and it is the massive quarterback contract that most everybody expected would happen before long. Trevor Lawrence is locked up through twenty thirty. Massive deal for him, two hundred and seventy five million dollars and a deal that I think some people probably don't feel
one hundred percent confident in. But if the Jaguars see Trevor Lawrence as their guy, they had to make this. They had to get this done. It's just as simple as that. It's a product of the market and the rising quarterback contracts. And now the question becomes, does Trevor Lawrence live up to that? Because we've seen flashes of
greatness from him, we've seen inconsistency. Last year, he suffered some injury issues for the first time, and the Jaguar season as a whole last year, in my opinion, was just a season of near misses. And it started with Lawrence just to tick off this way, just missing a guy by ar this way. Mistakes here, could never really get into a rhythm, and they fell apart down the stretch. So him getting this contract now it's a vote of confidence.
You have your quarterback established, but the pressure instantly is on to live up to that contract. He's no longer a rookie, just trying to find his way.
Yeah, the pressure is on because when I saw this, Nick, this is the one we're front office guys.
Craig m hm.
That's what they say. What do we do if we let him go? Like if we don't pay him, what's the next plan? And that's where a lot of teams get caught like, you know, what are we doing? You know who's Are we going to be bad enough to draft a guy? We want to go through that because the coaching staff is going to get fired or do we really believe that Trevor Lawrence is that guy? And as Nick said, we've seen flashes where there's been no doubt. I've talked to coaches who've been like, man, this guy
has seen the field differently. He's picking us apart. But we've seen some inconsistencies and we saw last year when Christian Kirk went down, they could not generate much of an offense. Is that on Trevor Lawrence? Was that other guy's not stepping up? Was that on a play calling? What happened? And you know, with the way they were supposed to function, we saw him trying to gut through that ankle injury and things like that.
So I think that's where it works.
But this the season is gonna be interesting because last year, this time, all the Jags are gonna win the aoc sut Now if they're in the I mean, Tech Houston is a team to beat the Colts with Anthony richardson, they were on the cusp of a playoff.
I mean, Trevor Lawrence is the like third most exciting quarterback in this division. Now sorry, I mean that's just because I like Anthony richards and I'm not saying he's better than Trevor Lawrence, but I want to see him.
I thought you were putting Will Levis ahead of him.
Will Levis is exciting. We're gonna have Nate Tyson on Monday, and he is the biggest Will Levis fan out there. He's shown flashes, he's compelling. These contracts are tough to analyze because they're also similar, and that doesn't seem right, Like why is why is Trevor Lawrence getting close to the same contract as these players that are just clearly better than him. But it's just how the NFL works,
like you just can't change it. It's really because of the salary cap and the guys like Mahomes and Allen and Joe Burrow and Herbert and those contracts are a little better, right if you really look under the hood, This Trevor Lawrence one was like a small discount actually in terms of the first three or four years you were okay, but kind of at a lower level, and long term definitely at a just like a slightly lower level.
But that's just how the NFL works, that everyone gets about the same contract, and you hope if the top twelve quarterbacks are all pretty close in contracts, that your guy is just higher on that list, and Lawrence hasn't been yet. But it's also a no brainer because you just don't want to be the cowboys and wait until the last year because you'll end up paying more. And Dak doesn't have that contract, And to me, Trevor Lawrence
is at a similar place in the pecking order. It kind of reminds me a little bit of Kyler Murray, who's also a number one overall pick where he was at a similar place. The difference is Lawrence just had the hype like Kyler Murray. I think has had moments and he's shown where he is, but like not exactly where you want to be. And that, to me, that's where Trevor Lawrence says. It's just people expected more out of Trevor Lawrence, so they great him on a different curve.
And it's funny because we're talking about this because the money's insane, right, But we said the same thing with Patrick Mahomes and il he signed that ten year, four hund and fifty million dollars deal.
That is a bargain, Oh my gosh.
And it's only like four years after he did it.
I kind of knew that though when they made that ten years. Any ten year contract in the NFL the bargain.
Yeah, but yeah, I mean I think that's where we are.
All Right, let's go draft pick number two, Steve Weiss.
Let's go Okay, well, I'm going to stay in the division because this has been the summer of c. J.
Stroup.
Okay, you talk.
About the six weeks Greg, if you had your eyes closed, you would have missed it. Because he's been everywhere, right, you know, he did the thing over in Agy, which was great with Micah Parsons.
He's been on all these podcasts.
We see him at the Fanatics White Party, but then we also see him in the street in Houston like after a natural disaster, like just helping out, you know, playing catch with guys. And the fact that this was a player who last year was being debated is he the number one of the number two quarterback coming out of the draft. A lot of people didn't like him because he was inconsistent at Ohio State. Comes in and has this huge first year, completely franchised changing, and legitimately
you can say that a franchise changing player. The Houston Texans were the poster children of dysfunction, and in one season with him and Damico Ryans coming in, he elevated guys around him, took them to the playoffs, and is now on track, I mean, a top five betting favorite
to be the MVP next season. So the fact that he has shown some of himself nick like as a human being, on top of what we saw on the field and heard about what he did in locker rooms and inviting guys over to his house every Thursday Night.
Whatever. This to me that the summer of CJ.
Stroud has been absolutely fantastic in the fact that Micah Parsons is sitting there talking about I could hang, I could hit five three pointers in an NBA game, and Droud's like, no, you can't. I'm not even getting one off against these guys, Like, don't be stupid.
He has no filter when talking about other players. Great and he's you know, we talked about him on on our first show too, just from a football perspective, but you're right, I just love him as a as a person, Like he wasn't wasn't afraid to throw a little shade there at Aaron Rodgers, Like not the biggest Aaron Rodgers fan, and he was just talking about his game and he's
a ball knower, and yeah, he was doing something. Who knows, maybe other Cowboys teammates would like to do, just shade you know, my goad just a little bit, just like if he's getting out of order, just say say something back. Are you a big CJ guy?
Nick?
I would like to go on the record as stating that I was one of the bigger CJ guys out there, just from his combine workout. His presence at the Combine. I was taken aback at his press conference when people were asking him, Hey, why don't you run that much? And you know, what are your greatest strengths? He goes, I don't run that much because I don't feel I need to run that much. Because my greatest strength is my accuracy, and I'm going to show that off in
the field. And then he went out there and put together one of the best workouts obviously against air, but that I've ever seen from a quarterback at the Combine. I was instantly, you know, taken by him. I was ready to roll with him as my franchise quarterback. And that doesn't even you know, tie into the fact that I watched him religiously at Ohio State because I felt
like he didn't quite meet expectation at Ohio State. So at that point, as soon as they took him and proceeded, it was like, all right, well, he's in a situation now where the Texans have done something in the off season, maybe they could.
Are you a Buck Eyes fan.
That's a pretty buck Eyes fan.
I mean, that's everybody from Ohio is I know, But that's pretty harsh to say. He didn't meet expectations.
Like I watched you understand Justin Fields was really special at Ohio State in a different way. So it was a slight step down. But it's funny because their career is are the exact opposite. I mean, how about that.
Semi final game. I don't know if anyone can top what was.
His best performance? Didn't know, yeah, until then, he didn't really know that. And I look back and thought, man, I wish you would have been that guy. He's against Michigan the last couple of years.
The it is I know, yeah, gotta get out, but it is four straight. It's like a comb tition between the Ohio State and Michigan. Who can be the most annoying fan base in the entire country on any planet. And I don't know, I don't know who it is. Michigan probably has the honor right now just because they have now the title. All Right, I'm going to pick third. I'm going to talk about Brandon Ayuk. Forty nine ers are very active and maybe we'll get to a few
other players on them. But you didn't show up for many Camp Surprise had a meeting with the forty nine ers that we heard about Let's actually listen to Brandon Ayuk. This is courtesy of the Pivot Podcast.
If I were to take a gaze, probably probably a Niner uniform. Probably a Niner uniform, I mean, if not a Niner uniform, probably a Washington commander uniform. If not a Washington commander uniform, probably a Steelers uniform.
From your lips to God's ears.
So brand that was wild because he was answering a question about where he sees what uniform he sees himself in twenty twenty four, and he started with the forty nine Ers to be clear, and I believe that is by far the most likely option. But you don't hear players normally. Just just mentioned the other team, but you know, he kind of knows something there. Commanders of course is run by Adam Peters, who is you know, in the forty nine Ers building, so he knows how good they are.
And this is just one of those to watch. We're gonna have Ian Rappaport on later. We're going to talk about some potential holdouts, kind of which guys he thinks are more likely less likely to hold out. But Ayuk's making a lot of noise in the offseason. It's gone up and down like whatever week you check in, and it depends, it changes whether you think he's going to show up, how happy he is. I think they know
how good he is. But is interesting that Look CMC got his two year extensions that was worth about nineteen million dollars per Juan Jennings, another wide receiver, got what I think for the forty nine ers was a steal because that dude is a good player.
He moves the change man.
He might have sold himself a little short, but I get it. I would be like that too, if somehow I was an NFL player. It'say, just like I don't want a chance another year where I could tear my tele attendant. So they gave him a nice contract, and Brandon Nyuk still unsigned, Well.
He's still unsigned, but I think they get it done.
I mean, the Niners are a team a lot like you know, the Rams, a couple other teams where they get deals done right before training camp or right as you enter training camp. But if you look ever since brock perty has taken the field when he came on as a rookie against Miami, the connection he has with Brandon Ayuk is completely different than what he has with any other receiver, any other player on the team. Right, the forty nine Ers basically throw the ball fewer than
any team in the NFL. Right, they're right through at the bottom sorts of pass attempts. But when he throws it, it's to Ayuk. Right, Deebo Samuel get some, kittle, get some, but it's predominantly to Ayuk. And in that combination you can't mistake because the Niners are all in on brock Perty, right, So I think you're gonna end up seeing something with
Ayuk getting done. And maybe after the season when they've got a heybrock Perty, maybe that's when we see Deebo Samuel finally come off the books and get moved to another team that way. But I just think Brandon Ayuk does get done. But it is hilarious that they said, well this team, that team, you know, it is completely different. But he's such a good player. He's such a great
route running. You talk to dbs who face him inside outside like they're like, that is there a legit number one wide receiver.
And it's interesting too that he's a pretty wise player, or at least he's kind of playing the situation fairly well, and that he's thought about teams that need receivers or were in the receiver market. The Steelers were one of those teams in the offseason, and he obviously sees the opportunity there. Whether it's with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields or whatever it is, he sees the opportunity. But it's funny because you talk about Deebo Samuel probably being the
guy who comes off the books. He's probably the first jangle piece out of the tower. But you think in reverse and pecking order, I you could be last in this offseason, you know, set of deals in any circumstance, not just because he's Brandon Ayuk, but because you're obviously
gonna pay McCaffrey and you get Juwan Jennings cheaper. It's funny, though, because I think about them last year, and you know, you have Deebo Samuel, and you have Christian McCaffrey, and you have George Kittle, and then Brandon Ayuk starts making all these plays with Brock Purdy and for a while I just believe that, well, maybe that's just a product of scheme and you can only cover so many guys. And now you could just happens to be the guy who ends up open because of scheme and how they're
dedicating their coverages. And then we got through the season and I look back and realized, no, he's just a damn good football player and man, continue to be one, and he's going to get paid like one.
He's a great example of the guy you are drafting is not the guy necessarily that he's going to be in year four. Because if someone had said that that dude was that when he was coming out of college was going to be one of the best route runners in the league, he was just not that dude.
Steve Smith said it.
Steve Smith's okay, well I didn't see it. I didn't see it, and not a lot of people saw it, but Shanahan saw it. What you did see was he was going to be one of the yak monsters right off the bat, like he was going to make people miss and he'd be a different version of like a Debo. But now he's complete. He's clearly to me more valuable
than Debo. And I do now as we're talking this story, that's why I wanted to do it with you guys, just like process all this stuff, like oh, Yeah, the Jennings deal sets them up for when they trade Devo because that's paid. You know, they just spent their first round pick on a wide receiver. Kso So I was kind of surprised by the Jennings deal. But they're locking in a really good number three, one of the best in the league, great blocker at a low rate, and
that's going to free them up to trade Deevo. So we salved the forty nine ers, So he did. Nick, Why don't you go up take another story off the board here, actually were going to solve world hunger. I'm gonna go back to the Texans for a second because part of the summer of CJ. Stroud connection was his teammates who got paid and the people that they brought in. Nico Collins gets a new deal in the offseason, and you might see that and think, Nico Collins, how was
he getting that type of money? Well, if you watched the Texans last year when it wasn't tang Dell making plays, Nico Collins was CJ.
Stroud's favorite receiver.
It was obvious in the preseason that Nico Collins was going to be his favorite receiver. He was the most reliable and he's exceeded all expectations. So of course now is the time with the guy on the rookie contract in CJ. Stroud to pay him. And people probably still aren't going to pay attention to him because they're not going to think about money. When they think about brand name, they're going to go Stefan Diggs, They're going to go to Tank Dell because his nickname's Tank. But Nigo Collins
continues to be an integral part of this offense. So I'm happy for him that he got paid. And again that doesn't happen without CJ. Stroud and it just kind of, you know, points again to how you've put a franchise quarterback in there and a young one who has success and it just spider webs out and everybody around him they all get affected positively by it.
Yeah, look, man, you know what the Nico Collins contract, the amount of ross ain't bron wide receiver contract. Since we're talking about iues, I mean, that's why we're having the stair step. We talk about how the quarterback contracts are coming like that. Now you're seeing that thirty million dollars a year ap Y, which now Tyreek Hill wants to get back on top of that. He was the highest.
That's something that we're seeing with these contracts. But speaking of the Texans, I mean, look what they did defensively. They add Daniel Hunter after the Grenard, they add an ego autry. I mean he that guy's been a heck of a player. Like this team getting Joe Mixon and Nick You know that you being up there in AFC North Country.
That dude is a seventh round.
It's almost too much. There's almost like everything's a little too perfect that it worries me. Yeah, but sometimes the hype team that had the big lift the year before, sometimes they continue it and take that lift. The julyiant Lyons did it a year ago. I tend to and I did it. I like was fading essentially the Jaguars last year, because when you jump up that much usually
it's hard to maintain it. And my instinct would be to do that with the Texans this year too, but I just can't do it because of everything you just said. In because it's CJ and yeah, Nico Collins, people were like, I can't believe Nico Collins is making that much money. Watch Nico Collins, Like people get too carried away with, oh is he a number one or is he number two? He's one of the twenty five or so best receiver
in the league. He is a tall, physical guy who can and that's the ball, play on the outside and make really good plays after the catch. Like he really is a complete receiver. He's not that different actually from inn Auke, not quite as physical. But that was just twenty four When you do these contracts, they're tacking on. It was an extension, so it looks like it was twenty four million per year, but really, if it's the whole contract, it was eighteen per year, which for a
wide receiver is affordable these days. We'll probably talk about more receiver contracts as we haven't talked about the biggest one. But first we're going to take a quick break back on NFL Daily. Oh, let's us get to it. We
might as well talk to Justin Jefferson. That's been the biggest contract since we last talk to y'all out there, And yeah, Justin Jefferson signing the biggest contract in the history of football for a wide receiver and bigger than some top shelf quarterbacks were making not that long ago.
Steve.
Yeah, look, a four year, one hundred and forty million dollar deal. The Vikings tried to come to a deal with them last year and they couldn't get there. And you know, good for Jefferson because you saw how the market is is absolutely gone insane. I talked about it on the show earlier that thirty million ap y for receivers is not kind of the floor for the elite guys. And justin Jefferson, I think what you want. He's probably the best wide receiver in the NFL, and the Vikings
know that he's a cornerstone. They've got a quarterback in Sam Darnold to who they're not paying big money to, and then they drafted a quarterback who they're playing a rookie. Numbers too, so you can afford to do this, especially when they made some of the changes that they made, getting somebody who costs less. And Johnson Gernard is an edge rusher than Danial Hunter. He got rid of Marcus Davenport on one side because he developed some young pass rushers.
So they've got a good offensive line. We'll see what happens at running back right there. You know, they got Aaron Owns up there So, I mean, the Vikings are one of these teams where if they even get adequate quarterback play with a guy like Justin Jefferson, we're gonna be talking about them being a playoff team.
When no one is mentioning them.
Mmm.
Right now, When you got a guy like Justin Jefferson to occupy defensive coordinators game planning all week, he's gonna be worth the money for that alone, to open up the rest of the offense.
I mean, he's the best receiver in the league, I believe since he entered the league, so it's not surprising that he's the one to break this barrier. But wow, one hundred and ten million dollars guaranteed, Nick, Like that is more than on some big quarterback contracts not that long ago, And you think like, oh, is that crazy for a receiver, And then I think, like Derek White, my favorite player in the NBA, got one hundred and
twenty five million. So, man, Justin Jefferson's underplayed. Have your kids, the basketball players? What do you think though, Nick? Of like, wide receivers have really turned into even maybe ahead of edge rushers the number two position now, And I think it's partly in effect of the analytical thinking of front offices. It's like, that's that's sort of a drum PFF types have been saying for a while that, like wide receiver is probably the next most important position. Maybe it's defensive in.
Well, first off I knew the Celtics would make it in here eventually, so congratulations, great, But yeah, I look at it kind of as an inverse with the Vikings, especially because you have a rookie quarterback and there are a few, just a small handful of receivers who can perform regardless of who's throwing it to them, and Justin Jefferson is among that group. So instead of paying a quarterback thirty thirty five or more million dollars a year,
you pay Justin Jefferson that money. You go with a rookie, You go with a Sam Darnold as a veteran, potentially starter maybe backup, we'll see how that shakes out. Right now, he looks like he's going to be the starter, but there's a lot of camp left to go, and you take those combined financial savings and you just dump it on that receiver, a guy who elevates the rest of the offense. He can you know, He's one of those rare guys that you can double him and he's still gonna make plays.
He's gonna make plays when it's.
Fourth and a mile and climb the ladder and make a one handed catch to keep your team alive in a thrilling game.
That's just who he is.
You pay these guys because you know, no matter what draft class it is, it's once in a generation or right around that range that you're gonna find a guy like Justin Jefferson. So even if it hurts your wallet, you know it's money well spent. Yeah, and the informs why they let Kirk Cousins go. They knew they were making doing this contract all along. I mean quest he
said it. He said, we're going to make him the highest paid non QB in history at the podium, That's what I knew, Like, oh a, this is happening, and be they've already offered that, but he didn't take it like he wanted more than that, which is incredible. Let's listen to Jefferson and then Steve, you're gonna you're gonna pick after that.
This is definitely you know of just like I've been saying, this is the start of a lot. You know, this is something that I've been waiting for and now being the leader of this team and you know, carrying myself a different way. Uh, just like I told him, I'm going to be on everyone, but I'm going to be on you know, everyone hard, and I'm gonna make sure that I'm the leader of this team. And uh, you know, we're we're working to where we want to go, which is a world championship.
Jefferson has cut through just like few others because if you watch youth flag football, they're all doing not just his gritty, but you know with the upside down rising, they're all doing Jefferson celebration well.
And they love him in Minneapolis. I mean I'm a native of there. You know, they love him with the organization and community.
So you know that's it.
So my turn to redraft, right, I'm coming in next to mine. So I want to go to Micah Parsons. Okay, we've got Malie Hooker taking you know, his teammate taking shots, Adam Little him and him going back and forth with Micah has been joining c J. Stroud a little bit
about being out there in the summer of Micah. But you gave us a quote talking about his new defense recording to Mike Zimmer remembers old DC dan Quinn, Yeah, who moved him from an inside linebacker to an edge rusher, where he's become a star, says, Honestly, me and Zim have probably said a total of twenty words together. He's a very quiet person. All I keep hearing from the coach is him likes it like this. Well, I like it that way. So I can't wait to sit down
with him because that would be pretty cool. Obviously, the old school mindset, old school mentality. You know, I think he's had a lot of great players, but he never ain't ever had a Mica.
He's never had a mic He hasn't.
And this is where it's going to be very interesting, because you know, he said he's only said twenty words to Mike Zimmer. Mike Zimmer will say some things to him that are often preceded by an F and followed by an F. Mike Zimmer is is I know Zim quite well, right, and and Jim is one of the best coaches. But where I think Micah Parsons like, okay, we again, we saw dan Quinn previously move him from inside to edge and kind of use him as that little kind of unicorn type defender. Nobody may do that
better than Mike Zimmer with certain guys. And I want to go back to when Zim was a defensive coordinator on the Falcons two styles and seven team with Bobby Petrino as the head coach. Wow, that staff, by the way,
was absolutely fantastic. But Jim had a guy onside linebacker named Michael Bowley, right, and this is a guy, kind of a long, rangy dude, just kind of a dude, though, And when Zim had him Bullie two interceptions, seven passes, defense, four forced fumbles, three sacks, one hundred and ten tackles, seven quarterback hits. Sim goes to Cincinnati, does the same thing with guys like Carlos Dunlap, does the same thing with guys like Geno Atkins and Vontes Berfect. You know,
he does the same thing with Anthony Barr. Sim will find a special talent. He sees things in guys that other people may not see. We all see it in Micah, but he might be able to do something with Mikeah Parsons that we have not seen before. So again we all know this is a one year audition for that coaching staff right here. They have got to get to
the playoffs and make a deep run. But I think Mike Zimmer paired with Micaeh Parsons and this is no shot at dan Quinn because he's fabulous at making people into stars and putting people in position to succeed. That could be an interesting marriage. Either it's going to be highly successful, like I did say with Michael Bowley, or it could be a nuclear disaster because dan Quinn is a very player friendly guy and Mike Zimmer. Guys love
playing for him. But he's one of those old Bill Parcells type of dudes who will tell you about yourself in ways that you don't want to hear.
Do you think Parsons is disciplined enough in terms of doing what the coaches want him to do to play in that sort of defense. Well, to me, he has a little bit of Lawrence Taylor to him talent wise, and sometimes he's just doing his own thing. But it works quite a bit.
Yeah.
I mean again, I think he will because again, Zimmer has shown historically to make guys better. Now he's tough and it wears on guys. But I mean You'll find most superstar athletes, especially defensive players, they want to be coached hard. They may not like the guy, but they want to be coach hard if they're seeing the results. And that's going to be the big thing with the Das Cowboys the season.
Nick, let's go to you next with a pick. I want to get through as much as we can before we get Ian in on this show.
All right, we brought this up earlier, but Anthony Richardson goes down with a shoulder injury after the first month of this season and completely fades from the consciousness of football. Fast forward to where we are now. He just completed mandatory mini camp and he did pretty well. He tried to sit out because of fatigue. But this guy is
on track and he's on his way back. So are we worried about his shoulder or are we just geared up for year two in which hopefully he makes it through a full season.
I am worried. Let's actually listen to Anthony Richardson and see what his reaction was that this was in June that you're talking about, when he was not full go at the mini camp practice.
Yeah, no, no, nothing to worry about, you know. Dealt with this before. You know, normally I just ice up and just go back at it again. But you know, they saying there's no need to try to rest out there for the last day. You know, when we got the season coming up, so I got six weeks to you know, keep try to send and keep throwing and just keep him off.
I'm a little concerned. Aren't you make it through the end of Benny Camp. You just don't know at this time of year.
But see, he's reckless, and let's also not you know, the way the style he played with reckless. Let's also not forget when it comes to college players, they end their seasons and then they go straight to training. Like the hardest guys ever work is coming out of their college years into their rookie year. They have no breather. They've got no time for their body to kind of recover. Maybe that's what happened with him and Nick. I'm coming back to you because I know you live in the
Cleveland area. I'm more worried about Deshaun watson shoulder than I am and Richardson's shoulder, just because the way the surgery that he had, the way that they've limited him, because This seems like much more of a structural issue than it does with Anthony Richardson.
Yeah, it's not ofesome that you see a quarterback get, you know, suffer a glenoid fracture and then just come back perfectly fine. And the Browns kind of were a little tight lipped two degree on Watson and didn't show a lot of footage you know, on social media that type of thing.
But again it is mini camp.
I agree.
And the thing with that situation is the Browns are experiencing dajevo once again their entire season. You know, hinges on whether Deshaun Watson could play well and if he could be healthy enough to play. You know, they got they pulled a rabbit out of a hat last year with Joe Flacco. That guy in that situation is not going to replicate itself in another year, so you need him to play well. So yeah, I would actually be more worried because I think more rides on Deshaun Watson
on Anthony Richardson. But between the two quarterbacks, the higher ceiling in my opinion right now is Anthony richards Get wait to watch him play, Like I now, I thought he was one of the sloppier quarterbacks in that class, because you know, he just his mechanics were a little sloppy.
He's a little lazy with that.
He wasn't fine tuned, and he'd missed some throws. He even did the combine. But my god, man, watching Shane stike and work with him just for a month, you could already see the possibilities there. You could see what could be ahead for him, and you just it just left you wanting more because I mean, Jane Stikeen, that's one of the coaches that we really didn't spend too much time talking about at the end of the season for the job that he did because we were paying
attention to teams like the Texans. But I mean, he did a fantastic job in his first season and as a head coach, and that was with Gardner Minshew. Imagine what he could do with a fully healthy Anthony Richardson. So I cannot wait to watch him play, and I'm just keeping my figures crossed that he stays healthy.
He has such a weird come not a weird and intriguing skill set. He just and I went back this offseason and watched every every throw he had, not that there were that many. It was it was four games, It was really two and a half, two games and then two half games. And he has incredible pocket presence for a rookie, Like he moves like like in a way like like Brady and Rivers move just like making the little subtle adjustments and knowing like you can't teach that.
And he makes really good decisions I thought, for the most part in terms of where he throws it, and he seems to get through his reads pretty quick. But he's just not accurate. And he was and he was. He wasn't He wasn't preventing him from being effective, but he still wasn't accurate for the cults either. So he's like got all these really next level mature traits and oh, by the way, he's built like Cam Newtoton and can
run like that. So it's like that is such a crazy combination that all he's got to do is get the accuracy to be somewhere in the Josh Allen range and that'll be more than good enough.
That's a great comparison because remember Josh Allen didn't have you know, and Anthony Richards, you got a less of a body of work as a starting quarterback than Josh Allen had, and we saw the improvement Josh Allen had in the accuracy department.
Anthony Richardson could be right there.
Okay, I want to move on to a story that surprised me a little bit this last month, not Tua being unsigned. And I want to get your perspective on this, Steve, because you've spent a lot of time with Tua and it's a tricky one. But Tyreek Hill talking a little bit about how he wants new money and at this becoming a public thing. You mentioned that about Jefferson. We do have a quote here from Tyreek Hill.
Very you know, proud of those guys.
You're happy for obviously my teammate Wallall, you know, getting getting his new deal.
So for guys, I mean that's great.
You know, I'm thirty years old, you know, also looking for a new deal, so very excited to see where you know I fit in to that category.
Right, So he's the receiver and maybe we'll talk about it with the end two that I could see him holding out. You know, this is a tricky situation for Miami, like can you pay these both of these guys? Tyree Hills getting up there in years. I mean, he's thirty, but he's still one of the most dangerous players. I get it. But he also has multiple years left on
his contract. So do you want to be giving new money to a guy that's like under contract or you know, do you want him to maybe be a little unhappy and.
Well, the honestly, you can't afford it because they're gonna pay to him. Okay, So but let's move on from that. Remember they paid they you know, the whole Bradley Chubb.
Are they going to pay two at the level of like, it's got.
To be up there?
Okay, it's got to be up there.
I mean, for nothing else agents aren't taking you know, hometown deals and trying to convince other quarterbacks to do it. Right, his number is going to be there. But maybe there's an out after two years that both of them agree on. Maybe there's the structure of it allows it in the way as to where he gets a bunch of money up front, but then in two or three years they can get out without taking a big type of pit. But you know, maybe you don't pay Tyreek Hill this year,
but you sweeten it up next year. You have to see where things go. You've got Jalen Phillips, You've got some player if he saw him lose, a guy like Christian Wilkins, because you know they've got to pay. They're gonna have to retool their offensive line, you know a little bit more Causetron Armstead.
You know he can't there O line is problematic.
Yeah, I mean, so there are things are going to have to do.
But you can see the way some of their contracts are set up with other players where they're they can probably get Tyreek killed done because okay, can we talked about his age. Nobody wants to face Tyreek Hill except for well and now he's in uh you know he was with the Chiefs, now he's with the Titans. The dB who was jerious like, he's the only one who's like, okay, I have no fear of Tyre kill.
And you mentioned it earlier, Jalen wadd I'll signed a new contract. It was one of those that was the third high new money. But if you really look at the full contract, because it was attacking years on, it's really five for one o eight. You know, so I do look at it that way. It gets spun a little bit, but still a great, A great deal for Jalen Wattle. Are you as confident in weish? I guess as about the too A thing because I don't know, man, Okay, okay, he's the too A whisperer here.
I don't.
I don't like any of this with the dolphins, just because Greg, think about it. Where did your kids when they were growing up keep their toys, you know, in one spare room or in an extra space in your house? Right?
No, they got floor everywhere, yes, okay.
And eventually they got new toys and you had to get rid of the old toys. You can't have too many toys with these dolphins, like and I agree Steve, nobody wants to face Tyreek and that's the move right now for the next year or two. But if he's got multiple years left in this deal and he still wants a new deal, he's thirty years old.
I know.
Receivers always want new deals, even right after they get paid. They want new deals because the market keeps going up. But eventually you got to accept it. Look, we got to get rid of the old toys. These are these are gonna become hand me downs, donate these. We gotta let them wall You know it's gonna it's gonna be unfortunate for them, But I think that's the issue, especially if you paid too and I you know, I agree with you, Steve, He's gonna get paid. I think it's
kind of a lot like the Trevor Lawrence situation. Yeah, he led the league in passing yards last year, but if you asked the average Dolphins fan right now, I don't think that they'd feel one hundred percent confident into it as the future quarterback unless we see it done again this year.
And I think that's why part of why we haven't seen it done yet.
M all right, two and on, the two and on, it's gonna be all over it.
I haven't been told that we have Ian Rappaport on the line. This guy is a big deal. He's the NFL network insider. I have I have a request for you, Nick, Can you hang out with us and return for the final segment of the show. Ian actually has something in his contract that he won't be on air with any one of your you know, physical statures. I don't mind, man, I'm the smallest guy at the company. But but that's you know what's happening.
Hey, man, it's Okay, I can go sit down. Then it'll make everybody else feel better.
All right, we'll take a quick break and we'll have come on and then we'll wrap the show with Nick in a little bit. Welcome back to NFL Daily. I'm excited to welcome in Ian Rapport. This is going to be part of our show. If we ever wish is granted every week, it's not always going to be you, Ian, It'll be an insider every week to give us the low down. You are NFL Media's foremost insider. Don't tell that to Garret Folo and Tom Pellisero. It's good to have you, San.
I appreciate you taking time away from tennis watching to join me all in on Taylor, Fritz on Navarro loss.
That kind of sucks.
It's been very fun.
Oh so you're breaking that news to me. Yeah, it really shows how much I love football and was excited to launch this show this week. That I am basically missing the second week of Wimbledon other than like the early morning and stuff. It hurts, but Zverev is out and that is like almost like winning the championship every tournament. When he loses, I celebrate and I'm hoping alcohim.
Yeah, that's it.
We're going to talk like a little holdout. Steve had to go running. Look, there's a lot going on at the building today. He is hosting NFL Insiders all week, so you guys should check that out and Ian will be on that as well. You're always on it. I
want to talk hold outs down. We've talked a little bit already on this show about Tua and Tyreek, but I'm going to throw a bunch of names at you and you can either rank them or just tell me who you think is most likely to actually hold out once we get to training camp, and tell me if I'm forgetting anyone. I'll throw Tua, Tyreek Hill, Ceedee Lamb who we have not hit, and I'd like to Alvin Kamara,
Brandon Ayuk. Let's throw in Hassan Reddick still has not really showed up for the Jets, Amari Cooper, and Jamar Chase. That's where I kind of leave the list there.
Okay, We'll go to some of the players who did not show up at Minichamp, and these do not always correlate. It's not like a player missus Mini Caamp and then you know that he is going to hold out because we have seen very few actual real holdouts. So a couple last year, you know, obviously it was the Zach Martin, you know, that was one. It was the Bosha that
was another. We don't see a lot of them. But I think one thing players are sort of realizing is if you really want to get paid, if you really want to use the leverage you have, staying away with holding services certainly a way to do it. I would say Cde Lamb and Brandon Ayuk are two that are at least possibilities. And you know, look we know this because they were not at miniicamp. I mean, Ceedee Lamb is obviously very serious and it seemed like there's been
too much headway there. I think that's another one to watch. Jamar Chase, I know it's very serious. I know wants to make let's just say, one penny more than justin Jefferson. He did decide to show up at Midikip, which seems to mean potentially that he would maybe show up at training camp. Now is he going to do anything?
I don't know.
So a lot of time.
The difference here is just are you physically present or not? Because you can hold in which at the same effect as holding out, you just don't get fined as much, which is why it's something that has been obviously pretty attractive to players.
So I do want to pat myself on the back here because no one else is going to do it for me. Ian, I think I created You're sitting there in a room. Well that's true. Yeah, Steve had to go. I think I coined Holden. I really did. Really, I'm I wanted like it's because it was a new CBA thing, and I started writing it on our website, and I started saying it on the podcast, and we put in some headlines, and I swear I hadn't seen it anywhere else,
and now it's just a thing. So I've contributed very very little to the football community over the years, but I think I contributed Holden. I feel like you did.
I mean, I don't remember seeing anyone else besides you do it, nor did I really pay even attention until you know saying it. I feel like I don't know if I don't think I created it, but I feel like I helped popularize officially official, like when you report a deal and then it becomes announced. So I would give myself kudos for that one. Now there's other nonsense that I'm sure I've contributed to the NFL lexicon. Scoop Town I feel like was one of my original words,
which some people use to describe our little world. But yeah, your contribution is noted as well.
Thank you.
This is a tough combination. I think Ian Me and you were just like going to be so obnoxious as a combination that I don't know what that's going to do. Maybe maybe the listeners will love it, maybe they will hate it. A son reddick, though, is a weird one to me?
Way to find out?
Yeah, I want to I want to actually go back to CD quickly because like what are the Cowboys doing with DAK and CD? Because like, why why are they the team that keeps waiting when it just seems like they look at the Eagles, for instance, their divisions, like oh, the smart teams get two years ahead of it, and instead they're a year behind. Like why does that keep happening?
Yeah, I mean that is true, and you know, look, the Eagles are unbelievably proactive and a lot of times it works, not all the time. Sometimes you extend your own player and it, you know, kind of blows up.
In your face.
But these are the guys you should know well, right, So when DeVante Smith gets twenty five million dollars and all the other receivers, you know, jump him by a little but still jump him, makes Egles seem like, well
they really are ahead of it. Now we'll see what kind of year he ends up having, but certainly someone who should get that kind of money, you know, I think the Cowboys have spent a lot of years dealing with dead money, dodging dead money, and I do think they wanted to take this year to kind of get their feet under him, getting better salary cap shape and not you know, essentially over leverage themselves. Now that can be good, But what I think has happened is they've
seen the market climb as high as possible. I mean, the quarterback market for sure climb when Trevor Lawrence got fifty five. The receiver market sure climbed when Justin Jefferson got was it thirty four?
Right?
That he ended up getting broke that deal, I should remember it. But anyway, so I do think the Cowboys would like to pay ceedee Lamb. That Dak Prescott one is interesting because up until recently, there's been almost no movement there, leading me to think, not reporting, but just think that he might actually play it out. And then Dak talked at his camp and said, there's been conversations.
Back and forth.
This is the first time I think we've heard that there may be have been contract conversation. So we'll keep an eye on that one. But basically, what they've done is let the market develop and then they're gonna end up paying a little higher than they probably otherwise might have.
Or the way you're talking about it to me, like, if I hear that as a Cowboys fan, I worry because that sounds like a potential reset year if things just don't go well, Like we don't know how this season's going to go. Maybe it's going to go great and they're going to want to keep everything together. But if you know, the Mike Zimmer experience doesn't go well and you're not using all the resources you can.
Gold on, start start at the top, Start at Mike McCarthy. Yeah, I mean, now, of all the decisions that helped color the Cowboys season, not extending Mike McCarthy, having a playout on a lame duck year, you know, certainly affects it as much as anything, and so you know, in any other situation, you would say, obviously you're going to extend the coach, Obviously you're going to extend the starting quarterback.
Move on from there. They haven't yet done either, and I would say both would seem a little crazy taken out of the context. But with I mean, they really are setting up like a if it doesn't work this year, at least with McCarthy, it doesn't work this year, we'll just move on. Now, moving on from Dak is much much, much harder, because you could say whatever you want about the MVP candidate and someone who's stature as good as anyone, and son who's probably as underappreciated a quarterback as there
is in the NFL. But if the Cowboys let him go to free agency, who are you going to replace him with?
That's the biggest thing, And there are no answers right They won't find an answer better than DAK. I think it's crazy, but I also think they just look like an indecisive team. And I love it when we get You know, Ian's a reporter, he's a reporter's reporter, he's our insider. But I do love when we can get a little bit of analysis, a little bit of opinion from Ian here on NFL Daily. I guess I'll rap with this on Red because this seems so weird. Did the Jets mess this up by trading for a guy
who like wasn't happy to be there? Like I can't remember ever a guy getting traded for in an off season and not showing up. And you could be quick on this. I know you got to go get back to the insider, but it's like, what is happening here?
I don't remember a similar I'm sure there have been some I don't remember similar situation.
Did they screw it up?
I don't think so, because honestly, if I got didn't show up for mini camp, I mean sure, we spent a lot of time talking about There was a reporter whose name I totally forget, who one time said to me, this world will be better if we ignore everything that we report from May till training camp starts. You remember who that was? No, never been anyone.
Oh it was you.
Oh thank you. I didn't know I was a reporter. I would have thought that that was me. Something that smart. Yeah, you're right, it would be better not much that happens before then, other than like actual transactions and injuries and stuff like that, other than actual transactions.
But if we get through training to training camp and he hasn't signed, then it's a thing. I do not yet think that it's a thing.
I love that Ian is clocking and writing down things I said from like years ago and using it as gospel to give back to me in a live setting. That makes me feel special.
Different right here.
Ian, thank you so much. We hope to have you on, you know, throughout the build up of the season and hopefully in the season. I know you're a busy man. Appreciate your time.
All right, thank you for having me.
Thanks Ian. Back on NFL Daily. We've got people coming, people going. Steve Weisch, as I said, is out the door. But Nick shook his back to wrap up the show with me, and I gotta say, Nick, we didn't get to everything on the news rundown, and so I'm gonna try to get to everything now and good luck. It's like a long list and you can feel free to jump in when you can or ask you But basically, everything that happened in the NFL for the last six
weeks or so that we did not hit. At the top of the show, Let's let's play some NFL films music. We have this huge library and it just feels like we got to start just taking full advantage of it. It's free and it's amazing. Let's go Randy, Well, yeah, this is my favorite one I mentioned Juwan Jennon's got that contract, George Kittle, Jimmy Ward of the forty nine ers coming off core muscle surgeries. That was kind of
like sneaky big news out there. Darren Waller retired and also released one of the most regrettable music videos I've ever seen, Shook.
It was bad.
It was bad.
It was really bad.
Don't watch it. Just just move on with your life.
You never saw it. Maybe do watch it, but at least a skip to the really crazy part, which is like the last minute and a half with the Kelsey Plumb lookalike Falcons. They only got to find a fifth round pick for tampering with Kirk Cousins. Remember when we thought that that was gonna be a really big deal. Was not a big deal. The Jaguars finally got a stadium deal done, but they're not going to play in
Jacksonville in twenty twenty seven. That's on my radar as like a sneaky, crazy story that's going to be coming up. The Chicago Bears are your hard knocks team this year. I'm excited for way more Eberflus in my life. We also found out the n season hard knocks team is actually four teams. It is the AFC North. What anything about the division getting a whole hard knocks treatment.
Nothing's harder than rough and tumble AFC North football, let's go.
I also think it was hard to do in season hard knocks and make it great with one team, so you get more good stuff with four teams. Mike Tomlins began the AFC North sign an extension through twenty twenty seven. His cornerback Cam Sutton got suspended eight games. That was just this week. They knew he would be suspended when they signed him for an offseason domestic assault violation. Aaron Rodgers skipped Mini camp I thought that was kind of
a nothing burger, but also was weird. Kalayis Campbell signed with the Dolphins. That was fun. In terms of first team reps news, All Russell Wilson in Denver, All Sam Darnold in Minnesota, Jalen Hurts had a weird comment or not a weird comment, but ninety five percent of the Eagles off news, so this is really Kellen Moore's offense. That's something to know about one guy. We didn't mention about hold ups with Miean Marshawn Lattimore because he showed up,
so that is not going to be an issue. You're Browns. Shookie signed Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry to contract extensions, and now.
They got to sign on Mario Cooper to an extension because he held out of many camps.
But that'll happened before long.
It was, yeah, I think that will happen. Corey Linsley, the Chargers center, retired. That sneaky, like huge news for them just because he was such a good player. T Higgins signed his franchise tag. Zach Martin said he could retire after the season. Thought that was interesting. The Raiders gave Max Crosby a raise just because you never see this, but he just gave him a raise for this year just because he's so good. Didn't add any years on, just like they love him.
And then he spent that money on a new field at Eastern Michigan as a mac guy. Thank you Max Crosby for reinvesting in the Mid American conofferate.
Remindre Stevenson got an extension. Naje Harris is not happy, is not talking, is not practicing because they didn't give him a fifth year option or he wants a new contract. Something's going on there. Marshawn Lynch and Gavin Newsom have a podcast, What a UFL Legend. Jake Bates to hit back to back sixty four yarders was signed by the Lions. I love this and I love that we end our news rundown that way.
Hey man, you can't buy big legs, so you got to go sign them, which is kind of like buying them.
But not really. I do love I mean, if you hit back to back sixty four yard as it feels the same, you should absolutely get signed. And yeah, Starter news. A couple of last things. Just Jade Daniels, they're not they're not crowning them quite yet. And Daniel Jones maybe isn't going to be quite ready for training camp, but something I'm going to keep an eye on. That's it for the news portion of this show. But Shook yesterday I introduced just the concept of an after dinner mint,
just something nice to end the show on. And I thought about something me and you talked about. We've known each other a long time, ten years now. I actually hired you back in the day. And for people that don't know that, you can't just tell him this show that Chuck as just a great guy, a great friend. And we've gone through some things this offseason, some ups and some downs. And you know, you told me a great story about your grandfather, I know is an important
person in your life. It really stuck with me. It meant a lot to me. I thought, you know what if you don't mind to hear it here on the podcast.
Yeah, you know, whenever life gives you, you know, some trials and tribulations. You know this. I knew a man I'm named after him, actually who you know?
He was a successful businessman, the patriarch of a family, and had a stroke three years before I was born, completely paralyzed on the right side of his body and found a way to live another twenty five years and never lost his sunny optimism. And I was fortunate to spend a year living with him my freshman year of college.
I commuted.
We shared an apartment and I will forever treasure those talks I had with him, and one of the biggest points he always made to me as I went through some difficulties of just being an eighteen nineteen year old kid trying to find your way is look, life is full of ups and downs. If I always looked at him and thought, if he can live another quarter of a century with half of his by not being able
to be used. He lost his business, he lost pretty much everything, He lost his wife to Alzheimer's, and yet he was still so optimistic. And every time I would talk about that, he would just look at me and do the hand up and down, ups and downs, ups and downs. And he passed away, actually, Greg, a few days after you hired me back in twenty fourteen, right
when I got to LA he passed away. And I still think about him to this day whenever things get tough, and I'd just like to share that message with everybody else. You know, life has its ups and downs, but when you're down, just knowing up is on the way. Yeah.
It just stuck with me because you said, you know you're there in the room with him, and he obviously means so much to you and your family. He told me all about him. It really sounds like a great man and leader of your family. But that he he just did that motion and he just said, like that's life, and it seems I think if I was younger and I heard that, I might even be a little cynical about it or like, oh, of course there's there's ups
and downs. That doesn't mean anything to me. But I think as you get older, and I think you're wise beyond your years, shook like you realize there's you're never gonna get to this point where it's just like, oh, I'm good there, And I think I think I thought that when I was younger, that it's like you're building towards something and then you get there and you're like,
I'm good, this is nice, like I'm here. And as you get older, I think, you know, your grandfather knew this better better than we do, but that nothing's ever gonna stay the same like that, like you got to first of all, appreciate when when it is going on, those ups, like be there, be present and like love the hell out of it and understand that like it's
not gonna last. Not that like just that life's not gonna last because that's obviously you know, part of it, but just that moment, that stretch of time, those couple of years, those couple of months, whatever, it's going to be like, that's not forever, and you're gonna really be hit by something. That's everyone. That's life, and life is about how you respond and can get through those really tough times, but it's also about how you enjoy it and appreciate those great times.
Yeah, the one thing I always remind myself and I had written on a posted note stuck to one of my computers back in the day, which was, you know, it might sound dark, but it's true, and you can see it both positive and negative. Nothing is forever. So when the things are good, enjoy them and embrace them and value them.
Soak it all in. And when it's bad, just know this won't last forever.
The Tao of Shook. I appreciate you, man, and appreciate everyone who reached out and appreciated and enjoyed and listened to the first episode. I know it's different, it's going to continue to be different, and we're figuring this thing out and I'm really excited about it.
But I do.
Really love all the people who listen and are going through it too and knowing that it's it's a it's a tricky time, but it's also an exciting time. And I hear you out there, and it's really cool that so many of you are going to be along for this ride, and that includes you. A Shuk gonna be
a big part of the show. And you know, you've been on Sunday nights and you will continue to be, but you've you've deserved kind of an upgrade for a while, so like, yeah, we're we're gonna be counting on you, Shuck, and I'm glad to have you here on the second show, was glad to have Steve Weish here as well, who will be a big part of the show, before he ran off to go host Insiders. Ian Rapport also helping us out with the holdout News. Excited for tomorrow, we
got mina chimes. We're gonna look ahead to the AFC and preview their camps. Till then, I'm Greg Rosenthal. See you next time.