The Around the NFL Podcast.
We need more pistachios than Joey Bosa. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL Podcast. I'm Greg Rosenthal, sitting in the host chair for Dan Kansas Today in the Chris Westling Podcast studio in a room with one hero that's more accessive. Well, you're a hero, that would be two. We've got two heroes. We've got Eric behind the glass. We've got Christy and Cynthia back there. We've
got a gang. We've got a legion of thousands. Randy, Okay, it's I'm in a different chair and the glare is difficult. We were left to wait though, to start the show. The Mark by you know, like the number one diva at NFL Network, Move the Sticks doing his mock draft lives. Yeah, they were.
They were producing it, you know, in a different part of the building, but through our you know, behind the glass area. And so we started late because Daniel Jeremiah and you know his cast of characters refused to go quiet when we needed them to.
Right. Jeremiah, you know, it's his time of year and he just flexes his muscles because he's missed your draft, pushing his weight around Yeah, I.
Think that's well said, and it's you know, it's a surprise character reveal for an aspect of DJ that you wouldn't often claim to see. But it's it's it's ripe right now and he's doing what he's what he's typically doing to the summer.
Now that said, we are trying to book him for the show at some point, yes, so he doesn't, you know, we just keep this expertise. Dan is in Hawaii, the official, you know, high falutin location for around the NFL vacations. Apparently our kids are both on spring break for these two weeks. So I was there last week, he's there this week, and then we really start cranking up back to three days a week. Sounds like I missed a fun week here, You missed a lively a lively couple
of shows. Or are you and Dan renting the same place out in I don't know that. But it was a lovely time. We got the Watson Abbes together, her parents, my parents together for the first time and I think fifteen years something like that. So it was lovely. And now we're back and we're gonna have a couple draft centered shows here. We got Josh Norris coming on in just a little bit to go through our first mock
draft of the season. We're gonna each put our heads into the general manager's minds really and go through the top ten picks. We'll also have a couple of picks that we would like to see and we didn't do with them. We didn't do this ahead of time. We're not now like anything could happen. I don't know what's going to happen. I'm very excited for it. Josh Norris one of the great draft minds out there, just one of the great football minds over at Underdog. But before that,
we just got a little bit of news. Eric from behind the glass, as.
We all know, decided to really go ahead and start to take.
Command one of my all time favorite drops on this show, Carson Wentz.
That went well for him too, and you could tell right out of the gate that was gonna go smoothly.
I look at this week with Dan Gohn and me just you know, trying to fill his chair as a similar duty. I'm gonna be the Carson Wentz in Washington of this program. This week we'll get to Carson Wentz. He's back in the legue back in the news in a little bit, but we'll start. You know, we're just catching up. It's a quiet time of year. There was some news though, at the end of last week, after you taped your last show, Mark, we got the Son
Reddick situation handled. And it followed a trend of a lot of trades this offseason where you're like, huh, that's all they could get for that player, And in this case, it was a Son Reddick who turned out to be one of the best free agent signings I believe the last ten years or so over what the Eagles got out of him going to Dan's Jets for a twenty
twenty six conditional third round pick. So, if you remember Bryce Huff signed with the Eagles in free agency, Reddick, a similar type of player, just older, ends up getting dealt to the Jets for a minimal cost. What do you think, Mark, I love it.
I have thought that the last three or four seasons of Hasan Reddick have shown who he is. And so if there was some question of Bryce Huff in a larger, full time, expanded role, and like if what you pay him for that without knowing he's going to fulfill that role, then you know, you know, in Hassan Redick, at least for a couple of seasons, you're gonna get it. I mean, there are two players in the league with eleven plus sacks over the past four seasons. It is Hassan Reddick and Miles Garrett.
It's a very rare time in the NFL where a guy extremely productive is just shown the door essentially because they're like we just think you're you're not good enough, or where we want to cut it off right now before it starts getting bad. They were, i think disappointed by how some of their edges played last year. We heard Josh Sweat was available even though they had a pretty good pass rush, and I think Reddick had a good season. Maybe it's something to do with run defense,
but that it's the same profile as Bryce Huff. It just might be a deal where they didn't want to give him a new contract, and maybe it's a personal thing and has Son Reddick got to the Jets and said that a new contract. You know, we've heard that a new contract is possible, but he says he's going to be happy no matter what. And it might be one of those deals where it's like the Eagles weren't
going to give him a contract. The Jets might not either, but they just didn't want an unhappy player there and they essentially decided to move on. And they decided that before this all started, and they didn't really get much of a return, but it was too late. I think that's where the conditional thirds.
It's just like the Eagles had it on there in their plans to move on and they made their big free agent signing it edge. I love it for the Jets, I do. I think because they're all in for this season. Like what happened last year was like the dar total darkness, but like this is a player I think unless there's a fall off a cliff scenario, you know what you're getting right away. And I trust that defensive side of the ball at least to produce Son Reddick.
Uh, if you remember, was a drafted as a linebacker with the Cardinals, kind of just bounced around a little, then had a nice uh seasons with the Panthers and UH, it really hit it rich with the Eagles in terms of that contract, which to me is low cost and the Jets are pretty loaded. I saw it thrown out there last week. It's like, are the Jets like under the radar as like a you know, possible contender. It's like the Jets are not under the raidar. The Jets
are not under the radar with anyone. And but it's a fair point that just like it's a pretty good roster on paper.
Well and it was last year too, and it's like you're just gonna lose your quarterback and have nothing behind it. But I still think there's questions about what Aaron Rodgers will be this season. But I don't know why we would change our expectations from where we were with the Jets of year ago saying they could contend for the division.
Sure, and Will McDonald was their first round pick last year. He's still gonna have to big probably have a big role, but now he can slide into that third sort of rusher role. They're pretty deep there. They have John Franklin, Meyers, the Jermaine Johnson's probably gonna start. I mean it on paper, that was the biggest sight of a news Unfortunately, it's the time of year where the police blodder and just updates on what's going on off the field is you know,
one of the biggest parts of the calendar. You I know hit the Cam Sutton news that he was arrested and everything, but he turned himself into police over the week, and he does not have not on a team, and I don't expect him to be on a team. The former Lions cornerback and then the Vikings suspended their offensive coordinator three weeks for a driving wall intoxicated arrest. I just want to throw that out there. Back to the field,
we mentioned Carson Wentz. It's not massive news. The rest of the stories we'll cycle through quickly, but Carson Wentz is your Kansas City Chiefs backup quarterback now replacing Blaine Gabbert.
Ah right, I mean, if anything, he's got a ton of starting experience and they had like Ian Book and no one else at quarterback, and there it's a post Blake Border, post dot Blaine Gabbert world that they're in.
And so I don't hate that. Why is it a play? I guess Blaine had his had his run. It's kind of funny when it's like Carson Wentz is a rich man's Blaine Gabbard. I guess in terms of the career that he's had. But I do like Sean McVay kind of save Carson Wentz' his career, it looked like it was maybe just ending, and then he got back into the NFL with the Rams, and now he's got a
chance to go win a title. And it would be kind of fascinating to see Carson Wentz play like one game, but that would mean Patrick Mahomes is hurt, or they've too much yeah, or they've clinched early, neither of which is really that compelling. So I take it back, it wouldn't be that interesting to see Carson Wentz play. A couple items here. The Jaguars gave Foyo Lucan a new long term contract. That was a nice free agent signing
by them a couple of years ago. So Trent Buck's got some wins for him and they doubled down by keeping him. We had a restricted free agent off first sheet finally, first first time in a while, the forty nine ers have signed brock Wright to a three year, twelve million dollar deal. And my son in Hawaii, Walker, he's a little bit of a news addict these days. He wanted to be like, where did that come from? Check on roade a World just to see what's popping,
you know, in the news. I was like, not much is gonna be happening, man, And it was like, yeah, the the Rams re signed some guy you'd never heard of, Tyler Johnson, and then we had this brock Right thing. But I had to explain to him what a restricted free agent is. He didn't know, Like, well, you can sign him to an offer sheet and then their team has to have five days whether they want to match
it or not. So brock Wright, who I think is most famous for having a big time play against the Jets a couple of years ago, long touchdown, but more of a blocking tight end, you know, might be going to the forty nine ers unless the lines want to match that. You just don't. I feel like you see maybe one of these an off season. It's not fine. But he's like, well, why can't they just be normal
free agents? I was like, well, you know, they get to normal free agency in the fourth year, but restricted is the third year, and then there's the whole collective bargaining agreement that they negotiate. And it's like, is he gonna wait fast?
Is he gonna have to wait fifteen years to be on a podcast because he sounds ready to just fill in us.
Well, I don't know if we can keep this thing going until then, maybe he'll he'll replace us a podcast. Bill Belichick is writing a book. Our friend Andrew Marshaan has some sources that says Belichick is penning. We don't know if I assume it's about it. What do you think it's a novel?
Well, I mean, I'd love to see like Belichick craft like a mystery novel or something. But I'm sure it's you know, it's obviously football related. But is it a you know, an autobiography or is it like on the topic of something a football related that he's obsessed with.
Good question. I kind of would guess it's closer to the latter, or like lessons he's learned and jumping around through difference. That's what I would hope for because I don't I don't think he's gonna write a biography or like talk about how the Patriot you know, just go like soup to nuts, how the Patriots were built. It just doesn't seem like what he's gonna do. But maybe he can sprinkle in like little, you know, different stories from throughout his.
Career football season all the things that go with it.
Or maybe he's amazing. I mean, his dad literally wrote the book on football scouting. It was called Football Scouting Methods.
I have that that's that is not I wouldn't call it a page turner, but it's a no.
It's like how to scout. It's how to you know, write down okay, before every play, you know, the safeties here, and write down the formation and different things.
Do we get the Belichick audiobook though, like think that Mmmm, I don't know if that's the best way to go with the.
I I he really respects the written word, He respects legacy, he respects history. I actually I was thinking maybe this later this year we could do a little a quick like football book club segment or something mini segment, because I started to reread and it'll be a quick read. It's this book called Patriot Reign by Michael Holly and and I think it's kind of it slept on as one of the great football We talked a lot about Collision Low Crossers season in the life and this is
very much in that vein. And people think of Belichick is so closed off, not allowing anything. He led a guy from the Boston Globe who took a year off. I think it ended up being two years off to just hang out with the team for two years, be in every meeting, in the coaches meetings, in everything, and
he got a ton of stuff. And it's and it's the twenty two it's two thousand and two season, which doesn't go too well, and then a little PostScript on the next year where they where they win the Super Bowl, and it's got great stuff in it. And it's I feel like no one really And it's because I think Belichick wanted, like he wanted to like have proof of what everything happened. He wanted to have a say in it. It's not that he doesn't care all.
These like there are so many reverse expectation reports on Belichick where it's like, oh, actually, behind the scenes, like he was delightful to me and treated me well and like corresponding to this and that, and it's like, I I I can't wait to see what he writes. I will buy it immediately, I hope.
I mean, it's tough to a book in one offseason. Can he do it before the next season starts. I guess if he's really trying art, I mean, he's a hard worker one. If it's me, like Bill Belichick and so and so. Yeah, you know what I mean, maybe because they had an unauthorized biography he hadn't read it, haven't read it yet by Ian O'Connor. That's kind of now become his definitive one, which is, you know, I'm sure he doesn't like that he didn't participate in it,
and it's his definitive one. Finally, in the news, some sad news. Vonte Davis, who had a strong career for the Dolphins, who's drafted by first round Colts, got a big free agent contract and then the Bills has died at his home in Florida. He I believe was only thirty five years old.
Yeah, and they, I mean, you know, we're waiting to find out more what happened there, if you have access to the athletic anyone out there. Our friend Zach Kiefer, who wrote an incredible piece on Chris Westling, you know, he could have been closer to what was happening with the Colts and had many interesting experiences with Vante Davison wrote an incredible piece on like the Person, and he obviously wrote it quickly and probably, you know, without knowing
a lot about what had happened here. But man, I don't know, like this is it makes me think of something just personally, like I didn't even come to the NFL, so I was thirty six, and so when someone leaves the earth to thirty five, like there was so much more, so many more years ahead for him, and it's like it's a tragedy.
Yeah, very sad. And he I think might be most known for how his career ended, how he retired in the middle of a game, and he even talked about that that look like he never would call himself a quitter because he he has He overcame a home with, you know, an alcoholic father and a mother had drug problems, and both him and his brother Vernon Davis turned into Pro Bowl NFL players, And he said, I'm no quitter for me to get to where I am, it just I just had a strong feeling that I was done.
And yeah, you mentioned Chris, I got a tweet today that you know someone had listened. Was listened to an old Week nine preview of a season long ago and Chris talking about how great Vonte Davis was playing. He was a first team All Pro for one season where he just was a physical exciting player. So rest in piece to Vonte Davis. We are going to do our
mock draft with Josh Norris right after the break. Our next guest is the football content lead at Underdog Fantasy, long time consigtly Air of Evan Silva at road a world as the NFL Draft expert. He's now married, he's born on July seventeenth, and I'm gonna just say it. He's a YouTube star, Josh Norris, Ladies and gentlemen.
Guys, you know what I realized. I don't think and I've been in the show about three or four times. I don't know if I've ever been on this program when Dan has also been on the program. So I don't know if this is like a Jennifer Aniston Reese Weatherspoon situation where he uses to do scenes with me. But that's what's brewing in my head right now.
Mark, that is a that is a fair fairly bubbling controversy. I didn't know that, but I could see us in Dan's absence around this time of year when we can kind of rotate our time off, that you'd be a very natural in this, you know, in April into May, a very natural person to come in and talk draft.
I don't know if it's a sorry he's threatened by you, Yeah, it's one of or he just doesn't like you. It could be any one of these things.
That could be it.
Like I am assuming at some point someone can stand on the table, pound the table and be like, no, we are not having this guest on the show while I'm on it now and maybe other times my name has popped up for I guess spot, but now it's impossible for.
You know, this is this is completely unfair, frankly to to Dan because we were we tried to book you, we were trying to get you a couple of weeks ago and then didn't true. I don't even remember how that happens.
I did promise stand and I would know controversies about him involving him would rise while he was on vacation. Okay, he doesn't want to hear about it from anyone else, so keep it under wraps.
And yeah I mentioned the YouTube. You can check Josh Norris out doing a lot of great content. Uh at the Underdog. Also, I'll see his channel and NFL Draft channel. Hayden Winks is on there and like they they have quick videos right during free agency and I'm I mean it. They are killing the game in the YouTube staces. We could learn a thing or two from you.
And this is the one, like Josh Norris, Like you'll be out watching like Monday night football somewhere and like you're the guy whose commercials pop up and I'm always I'm with friends only trying to I know that guy. He's on a commercial during Monday in Football's special to me.
Thank you, Mark. I appreciate that bank account did not change with those commercials. But you know, we'll live and learn.
Mhm. So next time, yeah, hold out for more and then they'll just use Hayden. Uh. This is gonna be a mock draft. It's gonna be fun. We're doing the top ten picks. We're also gonna throw in uh a pick each. We just would like to see from the from the first round. Uh. And we're gonna start with you, Josh, And Uh that was strategic by me. Now one hand, the first pick feels predictable, but we'll see U. On the other with ten picks, that means you have to do one more and so love it. That was sort
of the strategy on my end. Josh knows more than Mark and I about the NFL draft. I love not really going I'm yeah, I'm not speaking out of school here, but we will start with you and our friend Eric will be playing the role of Roger Goodell here.
With the first pick of the twenty twenty four around the NFL mock Draft, the Chicago Bears select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
This is an easy one.
Caleb Williams is really a slam dunk prospect, and I know that obviously there were some down plays in comparison to his previous season, but really you kind of see the Aaron Rodgers vacation or even some Patrick mahomes ness in his game in terms of off platform throws, releases, and kind of like those guys Greg, you kind of get a sense that his in play in rhythm stuff
is a bit undervalued at this point. On top of it, so he played in a pitiful team with a pitiful defense, was forced to put the pedal to the floor at all times and try to carry them. But in the NFL. Cannot wait to watch what Killer Williams does with this really good situation that the Chicago Bears have set him.
Up for those players are there though, like in a way that they probably weren't there as much for Mahomes coming out. And why I think Mahomes fell a little further is like you just he wasn't even put in the position to have as many what the NFL would consider traditional drop back plays where he sets his feet, goes through his receivers and hits him in rhythm, gets to a second third like Mahomes is, he didn't really have that chance. And you know, Cliff Kingsbury is the
guy that connects these two. And maybe Caleb Williams' sophomore tape with Cliff was somehow worse than his freshman tape without Cliff. That's like another topic. But those players are all there, so you see it all and I'm looking forward to seeing what he's going to be like at the NFL level. But the one thing he's not, I guess Mark, which is interesting because you think of him up there with the Andrew Locks and Trevor Lawrences as one of the best prospects we've seen in the last
you know, Joe Burrow last ten twelve years. To me, he's not doing it by just like he's Josh Allen with a monster arm. He's more of like a twenty twenty four. He has enough arm and he can do everything else just at an extremely high level. With the wow plays too.
And it's hard for me not to factor like the Cliff Kingsbury angle into that too. I have lost a fair amount of faith in Cliff Kingsbury and will get to him in a minute, but we will. I mean there are like I think the destiny of these quarterbacks has a lot to do with the fact that the best quarterback is typically going to a team that's a trash bag and they have a nice assortment of players around.
I think the Keenan Allen trade to go with Teacher, it's like he's in a good position to I have a faster start than if he had gone to some lost organization in the forest.
But before we move on, because I do think we have a tendency to kind of like overlooked the one pick after a while because it's like right for you know, especially on this show, we haven't actually talked about Kayleb Williams that much. Two things. Number one, like what watching you know, watching the tape sort of impressed their surprising those And then number two, I'm curious like what you
think his rushing value will be as a pro. You're you know, you're a fantasy guy, so that that's certainly a big but it's also a big reality part of his game.
Well, I mean, any of the top ten, top twelve quarterbacks in the league, now you have to have some love of athleticism once things break down or don't go the way that you want to, you know on the play sheet, and he has that, especially if you go back to his stuff at Oklahoma, he is like stronger than you think when running the ball and people bounce off him and there are some insane runs on top
of that. In that small sample what I was reminded of because you can check out the box scores, you can check out all that stuff, but like the game gets Washington this season for example, you know, a team that was buying for the national championship. The Huskies scored a touchdown on eight of ten of their drives in that game. Like it was similar situation like that every single time he touched the field where he basically had
to score a touchdown or bust. And so yeah, there were one hundred percent instances where he puts more pressure on his offensive line than was necessary, but I feel like you have to do that in order to also get the wow plays that also come along with that.
And he also is trying to buy time, I thought, in order to allow for those extended plays, to allow his wide receivers to get free because maybe the play call was bad, and again those out of structure moments they could kind of separate from their corners.
Yeah, it was.
It was just the balance that he played with of, Hey, I can quickly throw the football because I know exactly what the coverage is pre snap, and then I see it again post snap. But then also the elongated magician stuff, which again separates you know, you being from a top ten quarterback to a top five overall quarter back.
In the leak. Yeah, and you mentioned that Oklahoma year. He does have a nice balance of he's not an old prospect, but he does have plenty of experience. He threw a couple hundred passes for Oklahoma, and you're right, you ran for four hundred and forty two yards that year, and then last year. You know, by the time he got to what essentially was his senior year for USC,
he all but refused to run except for touchdowns. And you know, he did score twenty seven touchdowns as as a college player in twenty one over the last two years for USC, so it was interesting. But I think that was because he knew where he was in the draft. He didn't need to run, but he certainly should be able to mark. You have the second overall pick. We haven't heard a lot of buzz about any trades, and we are allowing trades, trade proposals to happen in this draft.
We'll just see what happens. But unless anyone has a trade for the number two pick, you are.
Yeah, I wanted to, you know, shake things up, but there was an element of logic to this, and we're gonna see what happens with the Washington Commanders.
With the second pick of the twenty twenty four around the NFL mock Draft, the Washington Commanders select.
Jaden Daniels quarterback LSU. Now like digging into this even you know where we were like a couple like three four weeks ago, it was like, oh, Drake's Drake May And it's like, I just feel that the tide is turning a little bit more. We're hearing more and more about the fact that this could be Jaden Daniels, I am. I feel like the Drake May reviews have been sort of all over the map, and I think it's interesting that compared to pass Commander's operations, you're not hearing much
of anything at all about what they're gonna do. So I think this is a true, interesting, mysterious number two pick. I go with Daniels. I think he's kind of he does it a little bit of everything, Like his dangerous nature on the ground is fascinating to me. He has five seasons of starting experience. I think that matters with these quarterback college quarterbacks a lot to me, football intelligence,
pre snap intelligence. I guess for me it's the He's got a rare, you know, blend of arm talent, running ability. He's got Cliff Kingsbury as his offensive cornat we just mentioned that. I think that's a that isn't a bit of a wild card. But Josh, how do you feel about me going Daniels over Drake mayhere.
Well sidebar here.
Greg as the man with the most accurate mock draft of all time, we know that obviously mock drafting is it's you, not me.
That's you and me. To be clear, that was you two years ago living. This is all about the consumes of that mock draft ever since, we didn't hear much about your last year as macdraft But yes, we sorry, what was your question?
Mock drafting is all about dot connecting, so Greg, I have seen people try to connect the dots of Oh, they signed Marcus Mariota as the backup quarterback, they trade away Sam Howell. Does that mean that they are citing more with the Jaden Daniels type than the Drake may type. I'm not buying into that as much.
What say you?
No, I don't know how Marcus Mariota could have a lot to do with it, right And when was the last time? Yeah? I know Mariota can run a little bit, but he's not Jayden Daniels. I mean he's nothing, I mean compared, He's nothing close to Jade Daniels.
I am not saying that Sam Howell, for what.
It's worth, is like as good a runner, if not better than Marcus Mariota. It makes not that makes no sense to me. I just can't imagine anything to do like this. This choice is their franchise, It changes their franchise. It's the biggest choice. Their franchise is going to make for the next you know, seven eight years in their minds, hopefully more the fact that it would like that Marcus Mariota's signing would somehow indicate what's going to happen.
I just came back one little doc, go ahead, Mark Well, I was gonna say, like Brian Kelly and maybe this is nothing, but he, you know, was glowing about Jayden Daniels in an interview and basically said Washington is going to be very happy with what they get. And it's like, okay, you're maybe you're just saying this is the second best quarterback in the draft, if not the first in your eyes, and he's going number two. But that kind of one it makes you wonder if Brian Kelly just knows something.
Wow.
Well, I actually think the Marcus Mariota connection is more about Brian Johnson, who they brought in, is like I think their past game coordinator and obviously they have time together.
And that's literally that's that's it. That's only it's like that who's available and I just worked with this guy who's available as a backup quarterback.
With Jayden Daniels.
He is a fascinating player and obviously it's interesting it's very Philadelphia Eagles to me, honestly. You have two alpha wide receivers on the outside that both might be top twenty picks.
Uh.
This season, you had a fantastic offensive line. You rarely attack the middle of the field because when you have rushing success, obviously that and especially with the hash marks, can turn you know, these one on ones on the outside into enviable matchups. And so you just have deep shot after deep shot over and over and over again. And it was no under center work, which is not
a surprise. But I just wonder if, like if you compare levels, and I actually don't think the Commanders in terms of pass catchers as a bad situation to walk into. You have, you know, Johan Dotson, obviously Terry McLaurin on top of that. But man, it was just an ideal situation for jayde Daniels to work in. But at the same time he totally maximized it. That is like underselling it.
It was obviously a Heisman Trophy season, but they are just some weird wonky numbers underlying in terms of his profile, Like everybody, Nate Tyce pointed this out. Only at his dropbacks resulted in a pass attempt That was one hundred and ninety third out of one hundred and ninety six, you know, and he just rarely attacked the midle of the field. But I really like him as a prospect. I just prefer Drake May as a.
Player, right, he like I think it. You know, this is the first of his three senior seasons. He set his career high with three hundred and eighty eight pass attempts. So other than that, he was like three hundred and three twenty seven. And that's you know, playing every game. And the age thing doesn't matter to me. A not that, not that it's going to prevent you from being a
great quarterback right off the bat. He clearly needed that time in college to develop, and I think it's going to work out for him and make him a better player at the pro level. But that if you're comparing him to a guy like Drake May who's so much younger, how can that not make a big difference. Now, Now that said, he might enter the league, as you know,
he might be the newest best running quarterback ever. Also like right, I mean, he's like, if he starts seventeen games, isn't he going to have a chance to break the all time rushing record. I mean, as long as he stays healthy. I know he's he's got a a frame that you worry about a little bit, but.
He takes like car crashes every time.
Right, But his running is just outrageously crazy.
Yeah, it's really.
That's pretty exciting.
Let's table what age conversation when we get to Drake may because I actually think it's like more of an optimistic lens of him than it might be like a downside of.
The Okay, that's absolutely fair and yet to put some context on it. Yeah, jayde and Daniels ran for almost three thousand yards over the last three seasons, including eleven hundred and thirty four yards in twelve games. And I know it's just counting staff and stuff, but you watch it.
We just like the only player INPs history with twelve thousand passing yards in three thousand.
It's just outrageous. But I always am a little anxious about the guys who you know, you mentioned Nate Tights. He has more as like a late first round type of grade. And that's you know as early as yeah, as late as like mid August, early November. The draft knicks, maybe they were just off all along. But they they did not necessarily see him as QB three or even in the first round conversation at all. And we've seen guys like that shoot up fast Mariotos. Was he kind
of one like that? Maybe not. RG three absolutely was where no one had any idea RG three was going to be the top two pick until the end of the season, and then he was all right, let's move to the third pick. And for the first time, we do have a trade proposal on the board. WHOA, So the Patriots are on the clock, Drake May is available, and I as take I'm the also taking the sixth pick in the nine pick, so I hold the Giants pick. So I am actually proposing a trade from the Giants
to myself as as the Patriots. Yeah, why hold up? Why? Why? Well?
One, the Minnesota Vikings have far more Draft Capitol Hill here, and my old co host Josh McCown was the high school quarterbacks coach of Drake May. Their entire offseason has been built towards trading for a quarterback in the NFL Draft, already making a move to have two first round selections. So you're gonna go here to the Giants.
That have just six.
If you on a second rounder and a third rounder.
Well, once you see the offer, you know they they are trying their best to make it as enticing as possible. But if you want to throw into Vikings trade proposal, I don't know what the rules are here. You know they're outside the top.
Okay, here pick eleven, pick twenty three and a twenty twenty five first rounder.
There is no way the Giants.
Hello, that is first, okay, and that is a great position. You know. I think this is the Patriots dream because I don't know, but I just would guess that they'd rather draft Drake Made than Jaden Daniels and then to be in this score, right, what do you say?
Like, what what's your read here?
Is it?
Because either they take one of the top three quarterbacks or they try to build and go with chakuber set for a year?
Well, we'll see, you know. I think this is the best scenario because I think this is where they would get the most trade offers. I don't I don't necessarily believe all the smoke on May Daniels. I think more teams would still be interested in May and certainly the falloff is large. The Giants are going to offer. Obviously, you know the number six pick. You only have to move back three spots. You're still extremely high. You're going to get one of those wide receivers if you're the
Patriots at that six spot. If you want him, you got your second round pick this year that they picked up for Lenny Williams. You got your first round pick next year. And then they're also going to throw into the trade in agreement that they will release a statement as a team that acknowledges luck was a significant contributing factor into the helmet catch and winning that Super Bowl, just admitting that, hey, sports, luck matters. Luck was a
significant contributing factor. They also, as part of that statement, will say that while they believe Eli Manning is a Hall of Famer, they recognize that Philip Rivers has had more seasons where he was universally recognized as a top five type of quarterback, maybe six to seven of those seasons versus one or two for Eli. And so they recognize that Philip Rivers should go in first. But they still do support Eli. So that is part of the
trade out. A lot of greg based desire. I don't know what you're talking about, but I do think.
That all those admissions might be more valuable than that third.
First round pick from the Vikings.
Josh, where is Dan when you need him? Guys? Where is Dan where you need him?
This is why? Uh, it's it's fun. Sometimes you got to throw in what you like. And you know what, they got all those offers and let's let's go to Eric here.
With the third pick of the twenty twenty four around the NFL mock Draft.
I think it's the Giants now, is that what we're just said? No, the New England Patriots are saying no to everything, but they're going to humiliate the Giants by leaking that they offered this in the first place, so they get the win there. They've been recording the conversations. Actually, they're bringing it back to Spygate. They're saying no to the Vikings. They don't care, they need to. They want Drake May. They were hoping Drake May would fall and
they're just taking Drake May. That's who. That is a lot of a dramatic build up to that decision. Well done. I mean you got to you got to get the offers, you got to see what's happening. But as a Patriots fan, and I think if you're a Patriots team, this is the most perfect thing that could happen to them. They were in what a lot of people thought was a two elite quarterback draft. They fell to three with that
late weird win against the Broncos. But May falls to them, and he, to me, is everything they could want in a quarterback. And all those picks are great, but it they could go ten years without having a chance to find a quarterback like this.
Did you think that you were gonna have to make this decision around Jade and Daniels?
If yes, And if the offers had come in for Jade and Daniels, I think the Patriots would have been much more open to making that trade. And I as a fan, am torn because I've always wanted like a fun running quarterback as a Patriots fan. And so if they take me, if they right, Drake Me is that guy too. But I'm saying Daniels also is that guy, and so he's a guy that if they end up taking him at three, I'm not gonna disappointed. I'll be excited, but I would understand to trade down more if it's
May on the board. I think, don't get too cute. Just take me. That's my own personal opinion of what they should do.
It's only April second. I would not be shocked if, like JJ McCarthy's name gets mentioned in this they are three instead of TI.
I think so now it doesn't not feel like a Patriots bucky. Our colleague here had him, I believe, in the top three and had May falling like out of the top ten recently or something crazy.
Drake May is a fascinating player because his first season as a starter, his second one at UNC because he sat behind Sam Howe's first year was incredible, and then he loses Josh Downs, he loses you know, his offensive play caller. I thought the environment was really pediphil this year, and it's really highlighted in some situational numbers. I mean, he had seventy six snaps this season just dropbacks in third and seven plus situations. By comparison, Jayden Daniels only
had thirty nine of those. Kayleb Williams. JJ McCarthy had fifty eight of those, and he actually had thirty six occasions of third and eleven plus situation, So that means his team lost yards on first and second down and needed to try to carry them out in those third down And look, it is on my radar, Greg that all these former NFL quarterbacks that know way more about football than I ever will and Chris Sims, Jgo Sullivan, Kurt Warner, whoever you want to talk about, are down
on Drake May like they are legit nervous about him missing layups, about mechanics and all this type of stuff. But I go back to what you mentioned earlier where we written like we didn't even see Jade Daniels have like twenty five thirty touchdowns until his fifty year of playing college football. You can say the same thing about Boonix. You can say the same thing basically about Michael Pennox. Right, Drake May's first and second years were just as productive
as those two. So just imagine if he had two or three more years of college football, if he was able to iron out some of those mechanics issues or understanding coverages and seeing blitz packages, so and so forth.
So like to me this on those eighteen year olds when he was twenty four, it'd be like the guy at the YMCA playing against kids.
And that's what makes this year of quarterback analysis. I think so interesting is because you literally have guys who played for five years versus comparing them to played for one or two years at a position that is obviously the most important influe.
You'd have Jacoby Brissette, which is about as good of a backup or fringe starter as you'd want in that situation. Like, do you see Drake May as like a weak one out there on the field or do you need to work with him a little bit and maybe slow cook him as a rookie.
I think he can play immediately. Look, I think no matter what you're gonna when you're gonna play him, you're gonna have to kind of live and die by these looky plays at times. But again, he might ruin a drive here or there. But at the same time he's going to make some crazy, insane plays that few other quarterbacks can't. He loses his brain a few times, but sometimes in the best way possible and sometimes in the worst way possible.
Right. I think there's a lot of similarities between him and Caleb Williams, and I think it was a good debate between the two of them for much of the season. But you see May and you just see the size and the right to me's he's not Josh Allen because
as a prospect, they're very different. But seeing him in such a difficult situation that Drake may had to overcome, you can project that forward to a situation like the Commanders will be in, like the Patriots will be in, and I think he excelled at those and you do see him doing some next level and quarterback protection changes and going through his like doing all the quarterback he stuff that gets you excited, and just crazy, crazy athleticism
as a thrower, as a runner, just like everything that I think you would want as a college prospect. And to me, if he was in last year's draft, there was like a good chance he'd go over Bryce Young and CJ. Stroud And yet now he's in this class and he might go third. But I kind of don't buy everything that's been coming out. I think it's just I think it's just chatter. I think it's just talk.
I think the majority of teams, you know, it's different flavors, but the majority of teams would would have him a strong number two.
Two quick things. I would put him after the Bryce Stroud Richardson group and then number two on Twitter. Actually, I was able to sit down with Colt McCoy and Drake May and go through one of his full games during Super Bowl Week, And that video is out there on Twitter if people want to watch it. It's him breaking down his own tape. It was against Syracuse and yeah, those protection plans, blitz packages, fading away.
From pressure, looks, all of it.
He was able to outline and diagnose it all and kind of talk us through it. So it was really enlightening experience. And so I'm obviously a bit biased because I certainly was not able to do that with Kayleb Williams or Jane Daniels or whoever else.
I named my son after Colt McCoy, So I'm quite jealous that you have had this sit down with one of my favorite n all show of them.
We get one day, Mark, maybe we can, you know, exchange numbers here and you and Colt McCoy could just have your own episode of the show, just the two of you.
Oh I would, I would this show. We're not going to try to help you out, yes, like to have Colt McCoy. All right, well, we'll move on and we will pick up the speed for the next seven picks. But look, the top three is exciting, and I still just go back to what Drake Maye did as a freshman. Technically had played, you know, but as a red shirt freshman is outrageous. Uh in the acc having the season that he had, and so if you put that sort
of tape out there, that is possible. Uh, And I would be very excited if he was a new Land Patriot. We're gonna take quick break. We'll come back with pick number four. All right, Josh H. Norris, we are back from the break. You have the fourth overall pick, and unless any trades are coming, I think you're ready to go.
I mean, it's not just that the phones are humming at Arizona Cardinals headquarters. Monte asen Fort is also on the phone. The man loves to make a trade, as we saw last year where he traded back in the draft from what pick number three, then back again forward to go and get Paris Johnson junior. The Minnesota Vikings, as I outlined, this is the team that their entire offseason has been built towards drafting a quarterback. They have
picks eleven and pick twenty three. We can throw in a first rounder as well on top of that next year. And I mean, I think the Arizona Cardinals, it's very clear they have their quarterback and they need to bulk up and build up in a whole bunch of other places, and so a deal is going to get done.
Wow Wow.
I mean, I also don't consider that surprising at all because the Vikings are a completely positioned to do it.
Let's hear what they do. We have a trade. We just heard it.
Arizona Cardinals are trading the fourth pick to the Minnesota Vikings and selecting No, we heard all that, but yeah, but doesn't he rehash it?
You know, just seven? Come on, man, I'm playing.
With selecting Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy. This is, though, contingent that I believe Mark is up next, that Montia support can then get on the phone with Mark Sessler and work on a deal with potential game.
We'll deal with that. We'll see how that goes. Yeah, that may or may not happen.
But JJ McCarthy, as we've talked about situations, there wasn't a better one in all of college football last year. And just to outline some of those numbers, he only had ninety one attempts in the fourth quarter. Last year
only thirty eight attempts in the entire second half. But this offense was really built on being super productive on first and second down running the football and then when they need and if you go and watch his like third and five plus plays when it was pure obvious throwing situations, I thought JJ McCarthy maybe had the best
look of any quarterback in this draft class. And you talk about deep play action under center, where all of these Shanahan McVeigh coaching tree and flight callers are coming from. Obviously Kevin O'Connell loves to do that. JJ McCarthy was really really good in those scenarios. So in some ways it's a plug and play approach. Or if you want to sit and learn understand Darno for a little bit, you've got that one too.
I love the landing spot, and I think the only thing that I kind of suspect is that over the next you know, three plus weeks, that JJ McCarthy might go up a spot. I really think he could be picked before some of these other guys.
I really do.
I also think there's there's the Jim harbod like has hyped him up and everything, But It's like, I really like believe that this is like what the Vikings are gonna heat seeking a quarterback. I don't know if they'd have a problem getting here at number four versus maybe even higher up with the Patriots, but this is a perfect landing spot for JJ McCarthy.
Just love that all these guys are so athletic. I mean, JJ McCarthy is like a freak athlete. And you know, I look at you, Josh, and I think Panthers Panthers fan, and I think when Cam Newton comes into the league, it's like, none of these guys are Cam Newton. To be clear, he was a unicorn, but it was like one guy like that with a great athleticism would come in, you know, every few right, it changed the league, like and it would be every five years or something at
most someone like that. And none of them are quite Cam. Yet they're all like it better than they're better than like the second or third in terms of athleticism then the like the second or third most athletic quarterback from fifteen years ago, literally all of them. And McCarthy is one of those guys too, So it'd be fun to see him in a McConnell offense. All right, now are in O'Connell offense. You have the fifth pick here, Mark,
and apparently you're going to get a trade proposal. We've heard some buzz from from the garden.
I mean, Mark, yes, if Monte Austen for it, gives that cell phone a call. This team, before this trade already had the twenty seventh pick in the first round, the third pick of the second round, the second pick of the third round, the seventh pick of the third round, the twenty sixth pick of the third round. The Cardinals are loaded, right, so why not allow them to move back up here from Marvin Harrison Junior and get and get Kyler Murray an alpha wide receiver.
I have one. It's an attractive attempt.
It's an attractive logical offer, and I think that the Chargers all along, especially if one of those quarterbacks slipped beyond number four, which I don't think will happen. They are a very prime target location and I could see them being tempted by it. But I also look at a team that right now is trying to float to their fan base and to other teams that Josh Palmer and a wait and see Quentin Johnson.
Are your lead wideouts. I don't like that at all.
I don't think they went into the offseason planning to move on from Mike Willilliams and then have the Keenan Allen thing happened the way that it did.
I mean, that's just can't be where you're going into this year.
And we know there's other wideouts and stuff, but under I like the same way with the Patriots.
Let's hear what they do.
With the fifth pick for the twenty twenty four around the NFL Mock Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers select.
Marvin Harrison Junior. Who I mean, who has better eyes on what this player is than Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, Like he absolutely understands what he is. I mean, there are he's quoted out there as glowing over Marvin Harrison. I think there's this idea that they're not gonna take a wide out, They're gonna move on, They're gonna do something else. It's like, why do you not take first of all
NFL bloodlines? It just starts and ends with me on that, and it's the perfect Justin Herbert tandem piece right there. I don't know, it just feels like it's foolish to overthink this one with this particular player.
I think, depending on the offer, if they would be ten, did to move down, you know, to a team like the Cardinals at eleven, still getting a good pick in this draft, just because it's their first year there, and it's like, can we, like the Cardinals are trying to do, can we get a bunch of our guys to reset our program? But Harrison is a seems as a safe and exciting and explosive a prospect as you know you
could possibly want at wide receiver. I just love like the ball skills, and people have just almost gotten bored looking for like little negatives and it's tough. I don't think he plays like Clarry Fitzgerald, but he reminds me of Fitzgerald just in the way that everything well, just that he's the most bulletproof prospect since Fitzgerald. And I don't think it's just hindsight that now we look back
and say, well, yeah, that Fitzgerald take was right. It was like there's only been a few of those guys. Joe Thomas was one, Fitzgerald is another that like going into everyone everyone and decided like Hall of Fame is sort of the over under for this guy. And I feel like Marvin Harrison is that guy too, And for him to be there at five that stuff to pen i'ld bee like disappointing if he isn't a Hall of Famer or like talking about that's like unfair even to say.
But yeah, pro Boiler, I mean that sort of guy where it's just it's almost campus.
Yeah, he's a prototypical X Y receiver. And remember like when Chip Kelly and I this is Hardball's, you know, second term in the NFL. Remember when Chip Kelly came into the league and he basically drafted or signed any player that crushed the Oregon Ducks. Right, Obviously, Marvin Harrison Junior putting five catches for one hundred and eighteen yards in a touchdown just on this team last year, and that was without C. J.
Stroud.
I will say, I think the big dilemma here with the Chargers, and I agree with you Mark where I think people are taking the Hey, we got rid of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, and that means we're just not going to use Justin Herbert. We're not going to throw the football they're taking that way too far. I think more so it's hey, we want to get younger and faster at the position and healthier. And the defensive players are the ones that were willing to rework their deal,
and the wide receivers were not. But I think the big delima here with the Chargers is, hey, do we find our do we trade down and find our right tackle or do we take one of these alpha wide receivers?
And it can go either direction. I like this move. I did too.
The Giants are next up number six, off for stands. What offer from the Arizona Cardinals pick eleven? Okay, and pick twenty seven for pick six?
That's intriguing. I mean the Giants obviously are open to moving up and down the board. They were just you know, embarrassed by the Patriots organization.
You look at what the Giants you know, have at wide receiver, and again, I think it matches up pretty well with what they need. And I've seen people of decide it's like, okay, they could be trading up for a quarterback, you know, would they want to go tackle? They just sign you know, Jermaine, but he could play guard, Like you're not giving him too much money or anything
like that. And I'm like, hello, their number one receiver is still Jalen Hyatt or Wandel Robinson's like, you've got a bunch of like fun pieces there that's been their receiver group for a while, Slate, and you've never had even anyone close to a guy, and you got a couple of guys on the board. And yet I actually think it'd be smart to take that trade. This is a team that needs so many things that I'm gonna do it with you, Josh, I'm gonna take those picks.
The Arizona Cardinals are trading back up to the number six spot and selecting.
Well, now you're the Cardinals. I don't even know we're taking my league neighbors. Yeah, I thought you were the Cardinals. Now in this scenario, it sort of breaks my brain that we're trading from outside the top ten. We're only going to top ten. Doesn't matter. Uh Man, talk to me you, I know you like to do the wide receiver breakdowns. Just what was watching the Neighbors tape? Like? For you?
What if I told you this is like jetpack braindon nyuk? Would that be that'd be interesting for a wide receiver prospect. I will say his length isn't as great, so like contest situation is not as good. But if we're talking about a guy who can already run routes, who already anytime he has the ball in his hands can turn it into an explosive, game changing play, who's I think twenty or almost twenty one years old, like Molik Neighbors
is something special. He forced the fourth most mistackles this season, and he was the only one of that top four who had an a dot beyond eight yards down the field. In fact, his average up the target was twelve yards down the field. Despite all those force miss tackles, he only had fourteen spring catches, so it's not like these were easy targets. They were intermediate, they were down the field. I mean, you guys have heard the whispers that some teams have him as the wide receiver one. I will
say I prefer Marvin Harrison Junior. But they basically had the same amount of explosive places fifteen plusure gains.
Over the last two years.
And it's really easy and enticing to fall in love with the guy who catches a slant like Odell Beckham and then runs it for five yards for a touchdown, you know.
And he led the what he led college football last year in the twenty plus yard catches to your point, breaking tackles, you know, at depth of field there And just like the team before them, they absolutely need a wide receiver Arizona, Like you can't go into this season with what they have. And so I think it's a sensible trade up for a star type player, right, and.
He'd be the wide receiver one in many years, even some strong years. It is. It is fine. I do wonder like how much does did Joe Burrow experience help Jaden Daniels that, Like there was this feeling it's like, man, he's throwing a Jason justin Jefferson.
Is he he?
Is he really that good? And then it turned out yeah, actually everyone can be good. That that's totally possible. And so and now you look at LSU now and and Neighbors and their receivers and you're like, Jane or because because the catches some of the catches Neighbors makes or are just outrageous, and you give Daniel's credit for getting the ball there on time, but Neighbors feels to me like a safer prospect. I guess I would put it,
and that makes sense. Receivers are generally safer at this part of the draft in quarterbacks, but he's another one that it really feels like, can't miss. Uh. Let's go to the the seventh pick the Tennessee Titans, which I think is, you know, one of the picks that now we're getting into the portion of the draft where it it's a lot more of a mystery, the Tennessee Titans. Let's go.
The Tennessee Titans select with the seventh overall pick of the twenty twenty four round the NFL Mock Draft.
Their Dame left tackle Joe alt Uh.
This is an intriguing situation because Roma Dunes is still on the board and I felt like prior to for Agency, this was basically the recreation of the Cincinnati Bengals meme that we had. This is Joe Burrow with Piney Seoul throwing to anyone down the field, or this is Joe Burrow throwing to Jamar Chase while being blocked by no one and getting sacked if you remember that meme. I feel like I'm seeing stars and so this is just a section of Twitter that I occupy.
And Mark does not.
Anyways, Brian Callahan was obviously on that Cincinnati Bengals staff, and at that time they chose the playmaker. They chose the wide receiver instead of the offensive lineman. However, the Calvin Ridthy deals certainly puts me in the scenario in the path of Hey, we added Lloyd Cushion Bari at center.
Pieter Skronsky played really well left gar last year. We literally do not have a left tackle on this roster, and so Joe Walt, who might have some Nate Solder like comparison, steps in here as our left tack.
I love it.
I mean, we had Grave Digger, our former producer, on and he last week and he predicted the same that this was the perfect fit for them. And you can see certain Titans fans of a certain ilk not thinking it's kind of a sexy enough pick when you could have gotten one of these wide receivers. But their quarterbacks were shattered behind that offensive line in years past since like as many issues as they had it wide out, the same was true of their line, and this seems
like an incredibly reliable player. Their best off offseason move was getting Bill Callahan, and so you get Bill Callahan the tools to succeed, and I think he can make the rest of the offensive line like sixty percent better than it's.
Been, right because All is very, very athletic and would fit well in that system. I think really improved in his last season at Notre Dame. It does, you know, part of me if I'm a Titans fan, It's like it's a tricky spot because is there that huge of a gap between All and a really great tackle class that's behind them? Maybe not as much as you you would want, But will a tackle be there in the
second round when they pick again that they want. No, probably not, because like all these guys are gonna come off the board, So they're just in like a a weird spot where I'd personally be tempted to take a doomsday But it totally would make sense if if they take Joe All before we wrap up the end of this draft, we're gonna take one final break be back right after this. All right, we are back and the Atlanta Falcons are up next. I don't think anyone's traded into this spot at this point.
Or.
Are we can we can find out.
With the eighth overall pick of the twenty twenty four, around the NFL mock Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select.
Dallas Turner edge out of Alabama.
Oh yeah, I mean they've had their offensive is set to go, and like they obviously they've over the past couple of years added so much weaponry and it's a good setup for Kirk Cousins. Their defense needs help all over the place. I almost went Terry on Arnold here, just because I think, like, if you're this new coaching staff, like you do need to build some find some foundational pieces on defense. They have had that Jonathan abramccurse, where like they've not really been able to rush the passer
for like four thousand eons. Uh, Dallas Turner is the clear front position player at the edge. There's it's like it's not the greatest class for that. I think it's an absolute need filler. It gives you something to build around. And this is the guy i'd pick.
I don't, I don't.
I think I see he's also being mocked to them in like every single mock draft, and it's like, if you can get the best edge rusher at number eight, that's that's in other years that would never even be possible.
It is do you are you actually surprised, Josh, there's not more excitement Oh not that there's not more excitement over Dallas Turner if he ends up being the first defensive player, But to me, he would seem like a guy his profile, his production, his lineage certainly is his numbers as a guy that actually would be talked about, is like could could he get taken higher in this in this draft?
You know, it reminds me just from a big picture draft perspect of when we had you know, Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, mac Jones, justin fields where there's like so much conversation about the quarterbacks and also that ears like DeVante Smith's, Jalen Wattle and a bunch of wide receivers where also in that draft it was what Patrick'surtan, it was Michael Parsons.
Parsons, you know, falling out of the top ten.
Right.
So to the point of am I surprise that there's not more buzz or more noise about it? I just think like the quarterback and wide receiver conversations are just dominating the entire conversation here. I'm just happy that Grady Jarret gets a little bit of help, because it's felt like he has carried this defense for like a decade at this point. Yeah, and it's had like a single other person to rush the passer in that time.
And they haven't had any additions on defense really in the off season either. To me, I don't know if that's tipping their hand a little bit or just surprising to me that Raheem Morris wouldn't go in there. But I don't know. I guess I would need to really break it down more. But I've watched some Dallas Turner and to me, it's exciting, Like I don't see why he's like that much of a work, like a different prospect than Will Anderson, who was a guy who ended
up getting traded up for in the top three. To me, it seems like they're they're similar, and that makes me very happy, as you know, standing in for Ryan Poles, because I had a couple offers ready as Ryan Poles, and I know Bears fans don't think they're going to do this to possibly trade up, but the way this draft fell with JJ McCarthy going fourth and and Dounza is still sitting there at seven, I didn't think it was necessary to trade.
Up with the ninth overall pick of the twenty twenty four Around the NFL Mock Draft, the Chicago Bears select.
Rome A Dunza. I love it wide receiver, and I don't think it's crazy for the Bears to think about trading up for a Donza or if it neighbors winds up being wide receiver three, which no one expects at this point, just two or three spots to complete that offense. And there's a lot of talk of well, if they get to this point of the draft, do they take
the hot, highest edge rusher or the highest tackle. And I'm thinking, like man, there are three great wide receivers in this class, and getting Keenan Allen does not mean you do not need a wide receiver. He's on a one year contract and he's thirty two. That may work out. It will work out if he stays on the field. I'm confident in stay in saying that. But he's getting older,
like he had a great year last year. But it might work out best for the Bears that he just has one great season for them and then they move on and they potentially get a compick depending on what happens. Like man, this would be huge to add a guy that you know can play outside, and you can have Keenan Allen and DJ Morrik on a flip flop playing inside. But Alan, to me would be at his best, especially now at this point, it is great he is at his best in the slot.
And you'd have to say that, like Ryan Poles on paper would have looked Gene so over the last two off seasons to do what he's done, you put your rookie quarterback, and the Bears have not really found that rookie quarterback. And for as long as we've been following the sport, they've been allergic to that. And one of the biggest stories in the league is what's happened to the NFC North over the past couple of seasons and
how different the Lions are the Packers. Suddenly there's a ton of hoope around them and the Bears can't fall behind. This would put them into the forefront of that conversation with one of the best wide receiver groups on paper league.
And I get they do have a pretty large need at edge and they're going to try to you know, they don't have a lot of picks in this draft right now. They're going to be a candidate to trade down even if a Dounza isn't there. So I think pace though, I think it's go time. It's it's year, you know four for him, and to me, that is
their biggest need. And I don't think it'd even be crazy for them to trade like a twenty twenty five pick to move up to six or seven or eight if they feel like they have to to get a Dunza. I don't think tackle makes sense. They have a good
tackle in Braxton Jones. Like you if you it's like having a quarterback on a rookie contract, Like I know, Braxton Jones isn't like an elite quarterback, but it'd be like if Mac Jones turned into the best version of Mac Jones and was just like the twelfth best quarterback in the league, that rooky contract would have been great. And that's what they have in Braxton Jones. So don't get don't get cute. You don't need to take a left tackle there, especially if it's a deep crop. Forget
about it. I'm preaching to the choir here.
And I think of a Duneesday isn't here, then it makes total sense two trade down because you only have picked seventy five and one twenty two after this after dealing, and I love this. At points I find myself thinking that teams should trade more middle or late round picks for veterans that they're interested in. And the Bears and Ryan Poles have done this. You know, they made the King Allen trade. Obviously, Montes what the deadline?
Even?
I think Ryan Bates is gonna be a starting player for them this year. So yeah, they only have two other picks I think right now in the top five rounds at the moment.
But their d line is pretty weak for a team that at.
Build the defense slowly, right is by a defensive build the defense slowly?
Yeah, and they've looked. They've invested a lot of picks in the secondary and a lot of money into linebackers. And then Montes sweat is there, so they've they certainly haven't left the cover drive for efos all right. The final pick here in our top ten mock draft goes to Josh Norris.
With the tenth pick of the twenty twenty four around the NFL mock Draft, the New York Jets select Hello, oh there's.
A little bit off.
Oh oh, look who we have here.
Oh wow, a little bit hands this action, a little bit of a production value for our YouTube listeners. He showed up Dan Hansis, who amazingly doesn't actually have in his phone, but he just showed a picture of Dan that he could find on the internet. So that's good.
All right, It is over, Okay. I know so many people want to project Rock Bowers to this selection, but I am bring in an offensive lineman and Troy Faltano here because I firmly believe that keeping Aaron Rodgers off the Achilles injury after just five minutes of action this past season is priority number one. And they've done everything they could in some ways in off season with maybe limited resources, and signing Tyron Smith to what a one
year contract, and making that deal for Morgan Moses. You know, Tyron Smith has missed a whole bunch of time despite being a future Hall of Famer. Morgan Moses, you know, mid thirties at this point, and we know that Troy Fatano can play either left guard or even left tackle on a pinch, or even be the sixth offensive lineman to start with. And I just think, like heavily investing in those resources after you've already added Mike Williams at
wide receiver. Is I think party number one in order for this team to be competitive and maybe most importantly for these guys, for Joe Douglas and Robert Sola to keep their jobs after the season.
Yeah, they can't get too cute here.
And it's just because you know, Makai Beckton and others that the resources they attempted to added line didn't work.
You can't just stop.
You got to keep trying because like that, what no, no matter what happened to Rogers last year, and win it happened, it would have happened at some point because there was a shattered offensive line and everything broke down around it. And so yes, I love the pick. I would absolutely go tackle here in a good tackle class.
I know I would. I would wonder if they would get they just love taking guys. The Reddick trade actually made me feel better that like they wouldn't take a lot too lot too like to me that it wouldn't be a crazy pick here. I'm a big fan of his, But now it makes a little less sense with who they have in the building and where they've used their picks. They took Jermae Johnson. They took Will McDonald. That makes sense.
Before we let you go, Josh, we're just gonna do a little quick speed round of just like one pick you'd like to see it in a happen in the first round of the twenty twenty four draft. So we're not doing the special chimes, the amazing production value that happens even without Dan here, But just give us a pick you'd like to see in the first round before we go.
Well, I'm going to break the rules and go with pick thirty three, Okay, Carolyn, a Panther that works selecting Save your Worthy why receiver out of Texas, And I understand he's five eleven, one hundred and sixty five pounds, and that's a bit of an exception when it comes to wide receivers. But when you actually go and watch this guy, he is more than speed. He actually tries to play through contact. He actually does try to make,
you know, catches outside of his frame. And sure, because he is a bit frail, it's easier for corners to you know, disrupt the catch point or attack his hands. But man super productive for three seasons. This speed is something that the Panthers desperately need. In order for defenses to not sit about fifteen yards down the field and
be able to drive on everything else. And while I thought just from his combines, ZA if You're Worthy was just like purely one of these forty yard dash wide receivers we've seen in the past, I think his game kind of transcends that a little bit. And he's really exciting. He has tank delish, to be honest.
I love that. And yeah, they will see if Mingo works out. I liked Mingo come coming out and the pick has not worked, but it was only a rookie. And you know Josh is a Panther fan, that's true. Yeah, one of the only ones left him and David Ealy in our newsroom, and he was fighting the good fight. And I was trying to do it too, looking for the positives and trying.
To remove the impossible situation.
Bryce Young from the situation that he was in and see some things. And then Bryce started making it real hard on us the last five weeks of the season or so.
But before that was fantastic.
Before that, it wasn't quite as bad as as people thought. And it's like, okay, now we're resetting. You got Deontay Johnson. You definitely need a speed threat like Deontay Johnson. Was one of the best moves of the offseason, and yet it does not make an entire wide receiver group. What's what's one for you? Mark?
I am looking for like a team where I think this player just kind of could fall to and kind of fits. I know that he's twenty three years old, and there's a lot of questions about Michael Pennix junior in terms of some of zaccuracy and stuff. But Michael Pennick Junior to the Las Vegas Raiders, I mean I I think that Lay along with the Broncos, are like not the Broncos overtly. I'm surprised we didn't have any sort of trade scenario with them to get a quarterback.
The Raiders don't seem as keen on trading up for someone, but someone like this that falls to them and a little bit less pressure on the whole situation. I think he's an interesting player, and I think like him in a Raiders' uniform would be a fascinating watch.
I had a theory with the Vikings trade into the first round that it was partly about their belief in all the quarter not maybe at all, but the depth that yes, it could be about JJ McCarthy, but maybe it's also that they're more comfortable than we think taking a guy like Pennix or Nicks, even with that second first round pick something like that, that they just thought the depth was enough that we're going to get someone
we liked there. But if Pennix goes off the board of the Raiders, then they would not be able to take him.
Greg. I think that's a great point when you consider.
Other quarterback classes, like fifth or six quarterbacks you're talking about, like Jacob Eason or Kyle Trask, or like Matt Carral, like the Michael Pennix bo Nixes of the world, are so many tiers and levels above those guys that it really does put in perspective how good this quarterback class can be.
Okay, I'm I'm gonna throw one pick out. I'm torn. Maybe I'll just do two because I'll cheat. This is what you can do. You've gotta go last. When you've got the uh, when you've got the uh power of this chair, it's just intoxic. I'm gonna give Cooper dejene to the to the Packers because I don't want to give him to the Chiefs because I feel like the Chiefs will take him and then suddenly he'll be a second team All Pro in like two years. It's like, wait, how did this guy fall? I know, he's not like
he's a cornerback. He's clearly you know, has some versatility, but he's a cornerback. He's extremely athletic. And I'm getting Kyle Hamilton vibes when I watch him and everything that happened, which is like, wait, are we overthinking it here? I know Hamilton only felt to pick fourteen, but you look at some of the players that went in front of him. They you know, Jordan Dave one in front of him, those two tackles that everyone thought were just can't miss,
but they both ended up stinking. So far went in front of them. And Cooper Degene gives me those vibes maybe at a little bit of a lower level, that like he is going to be a different maybe at the best cornerback in this class. And I just look at teams that could use him later in the first round. Packers and Chiefs both come to mind. So I'm going to give them to the Packers, and I'm also gonna just you know, for the hell of it, give Lad
McConkey to Lamar Jackson. Let's just get more guys that can get open.
Can I throw in one more really quick?
Sure? What does it matter if we make rules there? You know it's a podcast.
A Rock Bowers to the Cincinnati Bengals would be fascinating.
That'd be fine. The need that he was.
Basically Georgia's slot wide receiver. He saw all their screens, he saw all their slot work that wasn't Laden mcconkee. He was more of the outside wide receiver. And obviously that team unless you want to put like Charlie Jones or Alec Erickson or whoever in there for the Bengals, they haven't really filled in for Tyler Boyd yet, and so going all in with that selection of Brock Bowers this year would be really.
Really if he's available, He's such a Bengals pick. They're they're very much take the name brand guy that's still on the board.
They had like seventy height end catches last year and it was missing from their offense.
So I love that. That would be fun. This would this was fun. Josh Everyone check out Josh at Underdog like I said, killing the game, killing the YouTube game. Any final words for.
You, Josh, gentlemen, phone will be next to my ear anytime you need me.
Okay.
I always love joining you guys. You guys are the best.
I don't think Dan takes another vacation for a while, but you know he does. You know, well, yeah, because your cold war is not ending apparently anything.
We'll compare schedules, guys, We'll compare schedules.
All right. Thank you to John yours. Thank you to Roger Goodell slash Eric Roberts, buying the glass. Randy Chavez's been a pleasure. We can handle this week, Mark. We can do this without our leader.
I think we can too, But I think when Dan returns, we're gonna have to, you know, suggest that it was and unproductive in a step down.
I am excited. Patrick Claiban is going to join us on Thursday. So yeah, we're doing two shows this week, just like last week, and then we are gonna start cranking back up with more shows next week. We'll be back to our three shows a week schedule until Thursday.
Though.
We gotta check out if there's any more Patrick Claiban song submissions for Josh for Eric, for Mark, go ahead, keep the call,