Welcome to NFL Daily, where we love a good wardrobe change. I'm Greg Rosenthal here and the Chris Westling podcast studio to talk about the NFC North and preview their off season here in the regular season with Patrick Claybox.
Correct.
Yeah, good to be back two times in one week. That's what we want. We're back.
You know, the Super Bowl was different for me because it was a whole season being in proximity to you guys.
But now we're back.
Yeah, it is.
It is great to have you here and to talk about the show. And yeah, if you're watching on YouTube, you can see I'm wearing a hat and that makes
it Friday's Show. Great teams in the NFC North Lions, Vikings, obviously, the Bears and the Packers, and it's a division that to me, is set up for disappointment because you have records this good from three teams in one year, and you have a Bears team who has kind of underachieved year after year after year, and everything looks so good, like the expectations for all four of these teams are going to be sky high. So the next month and yes, that's what I've been calling the regular season is this
build up into into free agency is absolutely vital. So let's put ten minutes on the clock here, and why don't you why don't you get us going with the Green Bay Packers?
Oh, we'll go with the Green Bay Packers. Okay, this has been a question that I've been waiting to ask you for a while. Greg, when we initially conceptualized this exercise, and I saw you and Jordan executed flawlessly. The Packers started their season and ended their season with a loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion. They navigated what we both believe is the best division in football and had lost to the Lions as well as the Vikings in
their historic seasons. Do the Green Bay Packers need to package picks ooh, and trade for Miles Garrett in order to the gap is not very big? I know that they didn't have the success.
Yeah.
Is Miles Garrett that piece that they go get like they went and got Julius Peppers in that stage of his career, like they went and got Reggie White in that stage of his career? Is it Miles Garrett in twenty twenty five, solving the problems with.
The Green Bay Packers and getting them back to the Super Bowl.
I mean, I think they're a perfect team to do so, because I think they can make it happen without ruining their president or future prospects. Like you build up all this young capital in terms of good young players, you know, to be able to survive maybe trading a couple picks. You have plenty of cap space. Forty two million dollars in cap space. They have eight picks this year. They
basically have all their picks. So both them and the Lions to me, are right near the top of the list of teams that make the most sense for Miles care I think the Lions make even maybe a little more sense, But the Packers it would work too. And that that was what I was thinking too, Like, what does Goody get impatient? Because they're so patient in Green Bay? This is kind of year three of the post Aaron Rodgers era, and year three is kind of when you
push some of these players are maturing. I don't know if that would be impatience or just trying to take advantage of a situation.
Yeah, I don't think because you have been patient, right, You've been not just fiscally responsible, but you have The Packers have a very structured set of parameters for the players that they draft. You know, you're not going to find a whole lot of small cornerbacks, right, You're not going to find small defensive linemen. They they have their metrics that they need to hit and they've done that
and they've built a very, very solid roster. But there needs to be times where you take swings right where you get because there's all that conversation about the offense and who's the number one Matt Leffleuer doesn't want to say who the number one receiver is. You know, all these guys have their varied skill sets. You don't have to lose any of that. But you you make a pitch not just to the Cleveland Browns, but to the player.
You bring back those historical comparisons and you say you can be it for us, And I just think it makes too much sense not to. And you mentioned the Detroit Lions. Do you want to play against him? Do you want to play against him a couple more times? Do you want to see the teams that were very good that we're in the division that you couldn't compete with? You know, when when everything came to a head at the end of the season. Do you want to see those guys get Miles Garrett. I just think it makes
it makes too much sense. And we saw it with Josh Jacobs as well as with Xavier McKinney last year, that this is not this is not our the Green Bay Packers of old. They're willing to go out and get very good players. Okay, so so do it? You have the team make the move.
Yeah, and you do have as I mentioned, the cap space. It makes sense because when I look at their needs not huge. I think the roster is in better shape than twenty five teams in the league. Just to throw out a number like there's not screaming needs, but probably number one is like an edge rusher Rashan Gary, little disappointing last year. Still gonna be on the team, but a little disappointing. Don't really have a second edge guy
that you feel good about. Lucas van Ness has not really hit DeVante Wyatt's gotten better, but I wouldn't say.
It's been a hit.
He's an interior rusher, and in general, their pass rush was absolutely lacking last year. So I think that's an area that even if they don't go after Miles Garrett, you know, first of all, there's other guys available for trades, Max Crosby or Trey Hendrickson that would be intriguing just as intriguing, just about as well. Or are they a team that invests a little bit upfront in free agency? Connected to that, I was looking at ways of like if they want to open up a little more space,
is Kenny Clark safe on this team? Been a really good veteran for them for a while close the season okay, I believe he made it to week ten without a quarterback hit or a sac That's rough. That's tough for like one of your highest paid players. So that's one that could be a post June first they would save ten million dollars. Maybe they don't feel like they need to do that though, because they have so much cap space.
See how he.
Looks in training camp, and it's more a player that they really appreciate. And then also likely not on this team next year is JayR Alexander, who is under contract, but it would be surprising if they brought him back. I think he's going to be more of a cut than a trade. So those are two guys really associated with the Packers for.
A long time.
JayR Alexander and Kenny Clark with the futures that are a little up in the air for a defense that needs some work. Frankly, like they were okay, but they need some work.
And that would be my question is specifically with JayR, why give yourself more work?
There? They have they have this there, It's.
Just it seemed bad personally. There's something going on there.
Okay, I always reference it, but we got we got statues outside of Staples right of.
Guys who didn't have things going on personally.
I think there were notable personal issues allegedly between Jalen Hurts and A J. Brown over the course of the season. Winning solves all those things, it makes it makes everything work.
And so if Shaquille O'Neal is one of the people you are, you were talking to, Yeah, Shaq and Kobe an important guy.
Yeah, didn't necessarily have the best relationship during all times of their run, but but when it worked out, it worked out to it to a very good extent. And I just think if you're if you're letting JayR Alexander go elsewhere, then now you've given yourself an actual problem on a roster that that doesn't have that many like problem.
Okay, my counterpoint is he never plays, that's my counterpoint.
I mean, that's a big deal.
He's getting older and he's been hurt, and there's been some back and forth, and you hate when this happens between a team and a player, of like, could he be pushing to play more?
Could he not?
It's just been sort of a little bit of a drama between them for a while, and I think they've actually kept him longer than most teams would have. But I'd be shocked if he is on the team. So that those are a couple holes, very few free agents, so that's good for them. They do have one guy, Josh Myers, who, depending on who you ask, was either the weak link there at center for a while or
a really improving player. I look at a guy who has played a ton of football and will get a good contract because anyone that can start as many games as him and is young and the Packers say improved quite a bit all last season is going to do well somewhere. So I don't know if it'll be there or not, but they I really trust them to figure
out their offensive line. The thing that strikes me looking at their roster Patrick, tell me where you would want to improve It is their offense, Like everyone else is returning and like there aren't there aren't holes.
You could add.
Another receiver, you could bring back to Vante Adams. Maybe I don't think that's that crazy. You could add one more receiver, but you kind of don't have to, and you could add at almost any level. Yeah, you could add a guy that in theory is a one, but you could just add another rotation piece. Christian Watson will be coming off of a serious injury. Dantavian Wicks didn't really work out last year. Maybe he'll improve in his
third year. So you kind of have Dobbs In, Jane Reid and Tucker Craft as the three receivers that you are kind of building this offense around, and Craft was really good as a second year.
It's tight end, and they also had some of the most cohesive in terms of games started among the offensive line in the entire league. They were able to keep those guys healthy and together as a group of five for the majority of the season. You know, we'll see what the market is for AJ Dillon. You could find his way back. I don't know that that necessarily matters
that much. I wouldn't change a thing about the off You get some guys healthy, I think, another year together playing in the system, another year knowing what Josh brings to this team. Really, this is just the improvements needed.
If they have an offseason like they did a year ago, they are going to be a super Bowl contender. Because just look at who was brought in a year ago. Great pick, Edrin Cooper got some defensive Rookie of the Year votes. Evan Williams was a really good rookie player for them. Javon Bullard played a lot for them and didn't embarrass himself. He was a rookie nickelback. So they added some young talent on that side of the ball. And oh, by the way, added Josh Jacobs and one
of the best backup quarterbacks in football. I think it's safe to say now, Malik Willis so I mean, I'm serious, No, that's true. It's obviously true. So they had a great offseason. Goody's done great overall, and if they can just keep adding more pieces, a little more juice on the defensive side I think was missing. All right, let's go to the Lions. Since we talked about them as a potential
Miles Garrett team. They are missing their third round pick, but they do have a compensatory pick late in the third coming back, so they basically are good on picks. They have forty four million dollars in cap space, right about the same as the Packers, That is tenth in the league. They do have a number of good free agents. Levi on Wizourique, who improved quite a bit as a fourth year player, well timed, stayed healthy.
I know they like him.
Kevin Zeitler, who played well for them as a free agent pickup at guard, and then Carlton Davis, who when he played was very valuable for them. So that's three top fifty free agents for them.
Yeah.
My question, my question for them is like, with these new two coordinators, where are they really prioritizing to improve this team? Because it's hard. It's hard to like see huge areas that they need to improve, but like what types of players are do they go after?
They're different?
Now with these two coordinators, do you see an area that is the biggest problem for them?
Yeah, it's it's depth on the defensive line and then the secondary, specifically at corner. I think they had two of the best safeties in the league in Kirby and Brian Branch. Spectacular on the middle of the field as the season went on, But just when the Carlton Davis injury, the Terry on Arnold injury late, you get Alexanzeloni back. But injuries were more of the story for the Lions.
And again this is this is the NFL, Like, You're going to have players injured every single year, regardless of age, how they came in, what kind of shape they're in.
It's going to be a consistent thing regardless.
But in terms of the injuries affecting the outcomes, it's tough for me to say that anybody had their outcomes affected by the injuries more than Detroit Lions, especially on the defensive side of the.
Ball, right.
I mean, it would have been great to see a full strength Lions team, hypothetically or closer to it, play that Eagles team. I'm not gonna say they're just gonna beat him, but they certainly were right there at the top for me in terms of favorites to win the Super Bowl, along with the Chiefs and the Bills and the Eagles, and so just getting healthier is going to be massive for them. Marcus Davenport, by the way, was supposed to be on this team. He is a free agent.
Other than that, and the guys I mentioned, Derek Barnes was a guy who basically didn't play at all for them last year. That could be an easy win if you can get him back for cheap. They do have Zadarias Smith under contract again for next year, so that's good.
But I'm with you.
I think it's pass rush that it just they just didn't have enough. And I know Alie McNeil got hurt. A lot of it was injuries, and you get Aiden Hutchinson back. But this is a team that I think been similar to Philadelphia and that they want to be really good on the lines. I think they need to keep refreshing their pass rush and start refreshing their offensive line. Their offensive line actually is getting a little older, a little creaky, weren't as good and the interior a year ago,
as I think their reputation would indicate. Then you look at some of those numbers of the guys that you know, when did they get drafted about Graham Glasgow drafted in sixteen, rag Noow in eighteen, Decker in sixteen, Kevin Zeitler's thirty five years old and a free agent, so that might just be more of a draft focus, but they kind
of are due to start refreshing there. But these are the types of things that great organizations are talking about in the offseason, like let's improve our depth, let's get younger at a position we're already good. They don't have major screaming needs, especially on offense. They're kind of bringing everyone back, which is awesome for the Lions and for John Morton, their new offensive coordinator.
Especially when you consider that these guys have years remaining, like you got years before you have to think of about an a'm On Ross Saint Brown or a Jared Golf Right, it's just in terms of the talent there where Pinae sewel Is you mentioned the age of everybody else. Pene's got five more years before you.
Got to keep paying them a long way. But they've done a great job paying them early. And that also means if they want to restructure some contracts, like they're going to be able to open up money. They sort of have all the money and all the picks that they really need to be as aggressive as they want.
And that's why to me, they actually make the most sense because I just feel like they're at this point not it's definitely not desperation, but just opportunity and where they are, I think they're going to feel like they need to add something big and new to the mix to make this season feel fresh. And it's not going to hurt them because they are a young enough team overall that I think it can make it happen.
And it also because the mindset of this team, you know, was playing their starters in a meaningless game against the forty nine ers right where I wonder if if you have let's say, if it's Max, if it's Miles, like whatever, big name that they would be able to trade for. Looking at the video of Aiden Hutchinson running this week, it's like, well, maybe you give him more time to not feel like he has to be out there.
Week one, week two, week three.
You could slowly work him back to the way that you could have this team be at its peak at the end of the season, which is you know what we wanted last year is if we can have this this core healthy and not so beat up where they can play to the level that we see them through the middle of the season.
Because they're so good.
Yes, And I think Carlton Davis is a sneaky, huge free agent. I think they kind of either need him back or they need to invest at the position highly in someone else. DJ Reid is an interesting name that's out there at cornerback, a debo Polsit, a debo like could fit kind of what they do in terms of a physical style. Denzel Ward, if we're looking at Browns, might be available potentially in a trade. He's trying to get packaged. Let's just bring them both to Detroit. That
would be pretty exciting. But I think that he of all their free agents, like own Wzourique, I think they'd love to keep. They developed him, but if he goes somewhere else, they'll they'll deal with that. But Carlton Davis and then maybe Derek Barnes actually because I think they really like him, are our two guys.
I could see them absolutely keeping.
All Right, We've done two teams in the NFC North, probably the best division in football. We are going to take a quick break and we're going to be back to talk about the Vikings the Pas back on NFL Daily. Wrapping up a great week here.
I love this time of year.
It's a good reset and I'm being real, like doing an NFL daily doing a daily show at this time of year is different, but it's it's been so different. I've had so many similar off seasons that it's got me.
Kind of fired up.
To attack this part of the year with an energy unknown to mankind and this exercise.
Maybe I'm just being selfish. Let us know what you think of the.
Off season previews, because we're going to do it for the AFC coming up to anything that you would change, because selfishly, I find it to be just a great exercise. It's like, okay, where are these teams out? It just helps me feel like I know what is going on.
Yeah, especially before you know because as the top one oh one comes into it, its.
Final Monday, that's coming, It's coming in Monday.
And then you know everybody's into their mock drafts. Like this is an integral part of that of considering where the teams are where they want to be, and it's all a part of the picture where you know, it's.
Are you where you want to be?
Though?
Like what are you doing this weekend? Are you like are you are you fulfilled? Are you taking a step back and becoming the best Patrick you can be before you're back on air all the time.
I would like to this weekend, we have our first first basketball game of the season for Malcolm. Yeah, going to celebrate my ninth wedding anniversary.
Congrats.
And you know, I've got a lot of dental stuff coming up, and that always whenever it's like, oh yeah, it's time to refine and improve and get ready for quality of life, and my mouth is like, no Ah, this hurts.
Yeah, that's that's my biggest takeaway as getting older, Like the NFL off season is mostly for dental work. Yeah, hopefully these next two teams won't feel like dental work to talk about. I want to talk about the Bears.
Let's do it.
Put ten minutes on the clock.
This is the team that I have faded on the over under win lost draft three straight years. Successfully. Doesn't mean I don't like your team. I just think they've been overrated. You have the opening question here. Yes, I think they have a real opportunity to not be overrated going into this season if they play their cards right.
So Ben Johnson comes over and he's tasked with getting Caleb Williams to be the quarterback that we.
Believe that he can be.
Can Ben Johnson purely as a play caller and as administrator of offense solve Caleb Williams' sack taking issue. Oh, without making changes to the offensive line. Great, No, not entirely, because it's a two part process.
Yeah.
Yeah, he can help improve the process in him get rid of the ball faster. I think that's coaching. That's a long term process. But the line's bad too, and they don't have anyone right now on the interior, and the interior that they had last year obviously.
Didn't play well.
Matt Pryor Coleman Shelton, who is their center, Pryor was a guard. Tevin Jenkins, who is probably the was their best interior player, is also a free agent, so they don't have anyone coming back. So I would say, no, it's like impossible. They have to make moves now. It could be through the draft. I think it is probably the best way to improve your interior line and develop these types of guys. But it can't just be coaching points because two things can be true. It was on
Caleb and it was on the offensive line, right. But if I had to like grade which one, it was more on I mean, I don't know, it's probably the line was even a bigger factor than Caleb.
They were both pretty big, though.
Yeah, it took a village right to build the disaster that we saw in twenty twenty four for the Bears offense specifically, other than like late game moments where they're in desperation mode and they're making their way down the field, it was kind of chaotic. I thought it was interesting when I looked at the roster that you have to go down to like Darnell right as the biggest cap hit for the offensive line, like number twelve on the team. In these other contenders, you know, you see what you
pay for here, you see investment in linemen leading to results. Well, the Bears really haven't been able to do it, and and those are the results. And I just wonder because we think of Ben Johnson with that veteran plus talented offensive line in Detroit putting up a billion points and to now, I think people might need to reset their expectations a little bit, not just for Caleb but for Ben Johnson while they kind of navigate the talent issue that they have up front in.
Chicago, the free agency list speak so much to what teams value, Because what if I told you that the best free agent guard that might actually become available is Tevin Jenkins of the Bears.
Like, there's no great ones.
Available, So like Bears fans are gonna be like, hey, who can we get in free agency?
Actually?
Like, no, Tevin Jenkins, after a really rough start to his career, became a solid player for them, and they should look to bring him back.
They know them if they want to.
But there's there aren't great Like, there's no panacea in free agency. It needs to be some values, some good coaching ultimately improves your offensive line, and more than anything, it's usually investing in the draft. And they've tried to Darnel Wright, like we'll see if he becomes a plus player. He hasn't really been for them at right tackle, and then at left tackle you have Braxton Jones, who's been serviceable enough. Was a fifth round pick. But certainly they
could go over the top and try to improve. All right, let's just do a little step back. They have the number ten pick, They have their picks in general, they have an extra two from Carolina still getting those picks, So that's cool. That's a very valuable pick. That's a top ten in the second round pick. So they have three what in the top forty five, which is that's great, and they have sixty two million dollars in cap space.
So in terms of picks plus space, there are very few teams in the NFL that have as much flexibility and value as the Bears right now. And that I guess was a case for keeping Ryan Poles, for having some continuity when when he's had some you know, pretty bad moves and some great moves too. That's a good one because you would hope like he can have some cohesion with Ben Johnson and how he's gonna build this thing.
Yeah, and it's Ben Johnson had years to try to find a landing spot to to evaluate those spots, and I think like when we consider, right whether it's Peyton going to the Broncos or Tom going to Tampa Bay, right when you're picking your spot, like generally there's a reason that you make these decisions, and so like Ben Johnson has done the evaluation, and so I think that is a place where we can be positive and maybe Greg will be bullish on his on his Bears total this year instead of fading them.
Yeah, to be clear, three and oh, fading them, and I don't think they were. Were they close in any of those years of it? It was I think it was seven last year, yeah, no, it was like eight and a half and they didn't even get closed. I think it was nine and a half by the end. People were all in on the Bears. That was why.
That was why I led with with fading them.
Nine and a half by the start of last years. There is reason to be excited about them other than they're in this division. They return literally every single defensive starter. That's awesome, and most of them are guys that you want back. It's not superstars. I do think they could use more defensive line help. It's like you can say this with so many teams and it's a good draft
for it. They need some younger edge players. You know, you have Montes Sweat, DeMarcus Walker is your other starter there, or defensive tackle, really any defensive line you could add. And so it's similar to a lot of teams. I think you need offensive line, defensive line, you might need a running back, and it's a good draft class for that as well. Unless Ben Jonson is into the DeAndre Swift reunion.
Haven't heard a lot of that, Like, I.
Mean, would that would that be the deciding factor if they're sitting there at ten and Jenti's on the board and it's like, well do we like DeAndre Swift? Like hopefully now that probably is more we'll playing, uh to that particular decision.
They could save some money if they cut Swift, like six million dollars something like that, if they wanted and replace them with a second or third round pick, even if they didn't want gent Gerald Everett, you could you could save some money.
Uh.
And then yeah, they should start to look to extend some of their guys that they can. There's not a ton of them. Kyler Gordon though, stands out to me as a young ascending player that would make a lot of sense to extend this season. Now that the extension when I when I keep bringing these up is they're usually going to happen in the summer. They're not going
to happen before free agency. But Kyler Gordon is one that you could watch there like they're in a nice, a nice little spot without like a ton of crazy needs. They got their wide receivers, they got their quarter back, but.
Like you said, the issue is right, the market has decided where the value is on the interior offensive line, and they have those they have those needs where people aren't letting that talent go.
Yeah, and so you also could use that extra second in a trade to move up for a veteran, But no, I think I think taking an offensive lineman there. There's a lot of former player connections with this team. So Kevin Zeitler was with Ben Johnson with the Lions last year. That could be a guard you just bring in to plug a hole there, Tim Patrick, if that does anything for you, just as like a fourth receiver type, Paulson, Adebo Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport, any of the old Dennis Allen favorites.
All of all of Dennis's big fans.
Yeah, coming back to most of them, I can't say they're all big fans necessarily. Dennis Allen always does well with the secondary. I was wondering, like, how does Dennis Allen fit? They were built holding this whole defense for Matt Eberflus, how does he fit? I think if Dennis Allen does one thing well in general, he's coordinated.
Defense as well. When he's not been the head coach.
But I think he's really good with secondary play, and he's got a really good secondary to work with. So I don't think there's going to be like a drop off for these guys who are really talented and they could make it very difficult to play against the Spars defense.
It's a good squad, I think, right, Because you had the injury concerns because I know Jakwan Brisker missed a significant portion of the season with a very scary concussion, right, But I say it all the time, every single player in the NFL.
Has a brain.
I don't think that we you know, of course we're concerned, right, But I don't think it's a particular Oh.
I do he missed months, Yeah, it's like three months. No, it was a devastating injury. But what I'm saying is coming back. I don't necessarily have the long term concerns there. I still think, right, because he'll be up in twenty twenty six. I'm for if a player.
Is is good, Yeah, it slot them offers all the time, make offers on like random Tuesdays, see if you can keep him around, because like it's the risk reward is always always take risk on good guys.
Yeah, and Brisker adds a physical element to that. Teven Tyreek stevenson of hail Mary face Well. Still sticking around one player I didn't mention here, Keenan Allen is a free agent. Definitely seemed like he was slowing down last year. I don't get the sense that that's something that will continue.
He says he wants to be like the Bears were one of his teams that he would want.
To come back from.
Okay, okay, so that's it's an option.
They have the money.
That feels like more of a of a pick spot or a lower tier veteran next to Rome and DJ Moore, who are really the.
One and the two.
All Right, let's wrap up our NFC teams with the Minnesota Vikings. Ten minutes on the clock. Fifty six million dollars in cap space.
That's a lot. It's a lot.
That's the good news. The bad news is they've only got one pick in the top ninety.
Uh.
And I was like, wow, why did that happen? And then I forgot Uh. They gave up a second ultimately in a in a series of moves, they ultimately gave up a second, a third, and a fourth for Dallas Turner. Uh, if you remember, was was the the pass rusher wasn't even the first pass us A lot too went in front of him. But they really believed in him. He had a He had quite a quiet rookie year. Doesn't doesn't mean he's not gonna have a good career, but that's a lot of draft capital. So they better be
right on Dallas Turner. And either way, their draft this season is a little quiet. They did get a third round compensatory pick back though for Kirk Cousins that was that was nice.
There we go, that's late late third.
Uh.
My question for them is, you know, how do you if you redo your secondary? As I was doing my top one oh one, so many of the players were from the Viking secondary Byren Murphy Top forty in my one oh one really good season Pro Bowl games MVP on the defensive side, did you.
Know that I did flag football? He got it done.
I think he picked off Burrow or something happened. Cam Binham nice versatile player. It's been really important for Flores's top forty player Stefan Gilmore. One of the best, like one year at a time cornerbacks we've ever seen. And then not on the free agent list, but says he's strongly considering retiring Harrison Smith. So that's four guys in one secondary. Secondary very important to Brian Flores. So that,
to me, is going to be a focus. How do they kind of fix that secondary without a lot of draft capital in one offseason?
I think, right, you start by bringing everybody back and stuff on. Gilmore is not killing you, sure, it's it's you have the cap space, bring him back three million dollars, got fifty sixty one million dollars in cap space. I don't see a need to necessarily be cute with trying to save and pick between these guys on a good defense. Right, there was a continuing defense throughout the year. They know the system, they know why mess with it?
Well, I don't. I think Murphy is looking for a big payday. I get the sense he's not as high on the pecking order, but buying him, yeah, he has more value to the Vikings than anyone else. Okay, you bring buying him and Gilmore back. That's two out of the four. I just talked about. Harrison Smith. You just have to wait and see if he wants to play or not. Yeah, I guess make it worth as whole. He was still playing at a high level. I thought
he had a really good year last year. I was like, man, Harrison Smith never ages it'll.
It'll, the age will eventually show up.
But but why like Hall of Fame candidate, although it's hard to get into the Hall of Fame these days apparently, But yes, sneaky Hall of Fame caredate Smith.
They go on a run, he has a key interception.
You can to your your doubting it. Another question is I'm just throwing out questions. Do you think about pairing someone else with JJ and looking at the trade market for Jordan Addison. I'm stealing this idea from Purple Daily, which is a good podcast about the Vikings. They if they can do daily on just the Vikings, we can do daily on the entire NFL. And they threw out, you know, would this be a off season that they trade Jordan Addison been a couple off field things and
his value would be really high. If you're looking at him that a guy that's not going to get that long term contract, his value will never be higher. Maybe you get some of your picks back that way, or you get a veteran, just a thought, just throwing that out there. That's their thought, it's not mine, but I thought it was interesting.
No, it is an interesting thought. I do tend to feel like sunk costs is a logical fallacy. If you feel like you gave up too much for Dallas Turner.
Then right, that shouldn't be why you did it.
Yeah, so then why would you kind of hamstring And Hope is like, well, you know what's in the mystery box? It could it could, It could be Jordan Addison. Well, Jordan Madison is currently there and despite you know, those off field issues still played at a high level.
I don't. I mean, there's it's.
Whoever whoever gets going to be too regardless, right, the one is the one is always going to be the one. And and I don't think taking away from the roster solves anything.
Okay, So it's funny. I actually misread my own notes and I misinterpreted. I did have a note crazy idea trade Addison question mark at the bottom. But when I was saying who do you pair with JJ? I forgot I was talking about the quarterback. The quarterback is JJ McCarthy. What's the other quarterback that's on this roster because right now we don't know. That's a pretty big question Sam Donald.
We're just assuming he's gone. I'm not I think there's like a small chance Sam Donald is still on this team. What do you get back for Sam Donald? Do you get anything back for Sam Donald, like in a tag and trade? Are you able to work that out or does he just walk away and you get a compensate Tory pick? And then what type of quarterback do you pair with JJ McCarthy. Is it Daniel Jones who was on the roster but is a free agent. Is it
more of a Jacoby Brissette Jamis Winston type. Like it's important because JJ McCarthy is a young player coming off a serious injury. So you need to have someone that you can really believe in. If it's not seem.
Dark and I don't think the like based on the way that we saw the twenty twenty four season play out, where they would bring somebody in with concerns that all this guy is too good and it's going to create a conversation, you're gonna have issues. I think JJ McCarthy's gonna be fine regardless.
I'm the likely starter, regardless. But they also have to see it and make sure he's healthy.
And all that.
But the guys that you mentioned, Jacoby Wes said, I think could be successful in this offense. I think Jamis could be successful with Kevin McCarthy's excuse me, Kevin O'Connell's offense, where it's the things that you're asking the veteran to do in the system wouldn't necessarily be what you're asking JJ McCarthy to be, So I do think it would be kind of a difference there.
Do you think Donald, What do you think get Donald?
I think Donald walks.
I think Sam played very good last year, and the way that they feel about he gets an opportunity to go somewhere, I think I think somebody's gonna have a nice offer for Sam Donald when you're considering right that teams are looking at Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr, like the way that we talked about earlier this week, where it's like, well, like who are these guys? Who do we want? And then you see what Sam was able to accomplish last year. I think there's a market for
Sam Donald that these other quarterbacks. Strictly when people are looking at who's a veteran who could come in and start for us this year. Sam Donald is going to be number one for the majority of teo.
I think Stafford is going to be one, assuming he's available.
Well that's it.
Yeah, that's an if for some teams.
I actually think Donald might be higher for other teams because of youth and maybe you're not gonna have give up as much. It's one thing to keep an eye on. It's a very tricky game of chicken trying to trade Sam Donald under the franchise tag when you have no real intention of keeping him. That is not how this franchise tag is supposed to be used. Teams get around it. But why I say that is you have to carve out forty million dollars in cap space for Sam Donald
while he's still tagged. The deadline to do so is March fourth. If another team just you know, wants to wait it out or thinks you're gonna cut him or whatever, you got that forty million dollars sitting there, it takes a while for that those trades to process. Actually there there could be like days of free agency that you lose along the way, and so there's at least a chance they just let him walk, and that annoys the Vikings fans, but that would be some of the reasoning
for it. Now, if they're picking up word at the combine next week that they have a good trade market for Sam Donald and they feel they'll be able to get a deal done sooner than later, then then they'll do so and they'll get something for Donald.
Either way, I'd be shocked.
Well, I think if you're going the trade route, you have to be okay with having Sam on your team in twenty twenty five. Like, it's not like a scenario where you go in thinking like we're well tag him and then we're looking for a trade. You have to be okay with either outcome. And if they are, I think that puts them in a good position where it's not just smoke at the combine. It's Hey, if you guys would like a quarterback that's very viable. You could
trade for him. But you're not gonna hold us hostage and wait for us to cut him because he could be starting for it.
Like if a team was willing to tell the VI and it's early next week's really the week or we find this out. If a team was willing to give up a second round pick for Sam Darnald, like they might have already even done. So we've seen quarterback trades happen before this time. It happened with Stafford, happened with Cousins, And if it's just a third round pick, then you just let them walk because a third round pick's not
worth it. You're getting a compensed story third back, and then you're losing a lot of.
Time, a lot of drama, a lot of.
Mess, and teams might now want to give a monster contract to Sam Darnold and like a high pick.
That's a lot for a.
Guy who is freely available the last two off seasons for pretty little, right, right, I mean Stafford's one thing. That guy's won a Super Bowl and he might be headed to the Hall of Fame. We have one minute left. I will mention Aaron Jones is a free agent pretty high among my running backs. Who would you rank first, Aaron Jones or Naj Harris as free agent running backs?
JK. Dobbins is an option, but I don't have it.
I would give the age and burst bonus, even though like the burst is variable with Naji. I would give it to Naji Harris, but you know, I'm a known Naji Harris support.
I'm torn.
Aaron Jones is such a good player, but like by the end of last year he faded just a little bit. He'd be a really good one. B So I guess in that role for a little less money than the Vikings played him this year, I would love to have.
I guess I would trik Baron Jones.
Hight.
That's it. We did it all in the time allotted. Eric's got such a big smile on his face. Look up and I see forty minutes on the clock. Guys, this is historic where we're sending you out, you know, into the Inglewood Knights, head into the valley to see your your beautiful son and your wife earlier than expected.
I love it. Yes, that is the week.
And as Patrick you mentioned the top one O one, it is coming out.
I think it's coming out on Monday. It's due. Like I got to send in that copy.
I'm leaving the studio to start working on the copy.
Give it, give it to him, give it to him ten at a time. Okay, we'll do like a slow extended release for the most anticipated article on NFL dot com every single year.
I don't know if that's true. I'll tease it for our audience right here, right at the top. I mean that the names aren't as good as they usually are, but I mean, at the very top, T Higgins. T Higgins has won, Trey Smith of the Chiefs two, Ronnie Stanley, Milton Williams, Zach Bond, Sam Darnold, Osa Diggi, Zua Joshuat, Chris Godwin. We'll see if all these guys actually become free agents. And then I'm debating Amari Cooper, Carlton Davis, Tarvarius Ward in the next group, DJ Reid.
Though those are pretty good names, take it back.
What you need to do, Greg, is how some of these like blog sites really kitchens. These lists they're listed reverse, so you put one at the bottom of the page and really force people to get through.
You know, I will try. I have been debating who every year. People want to know who is going to be my one oh one. It's a guy that just stays at one oh one, no matter who is cut and added. We have some options, and maybe if you're listening to this, you could you could tell me who you think. Daniel Jones is kind of my leader in the clubhouse because He just feels like a one on one. But he might be better than that. Maybe he's better
than that. Deontay Johnson would be a funny one. I think that would be good Deontay Johnson.
It feels high for.
Jimmy G. I know, I didn't know. Jimmy G. Feels like a potential one on one.
A lot of times it's kind of the backup quarterbacks, and then there's there's less big name like zach Ertz could be could be in that mix.
It doesn't feel fun though. I like zach Ertz, Jacoby.
The whole thing is fun. Get we got to do like, you know, like the top one hundred players. We got to sit everybody down and do like interviews at all.
I do.
I do want to hear Daniel Jones. I feel like Daniel Jones or Deontay Johnson. It just feels like a one oh one. Tomorrow Hamlin crossed my mind. He's sort of in that range where he could be one on one, because it's an honor to be one on one.
Nice.
I think I want to put Tomorrow even a little higher.
Given.
There we go, Pops, somebody gives them an honor he deserves great.
There you go, let's play the music. It's been a great week. Like I said, Top one on one coming out on Monday. We will talk about that next week on the show. We're headed to Indianapolis. Uh, We're gonna get some great interviews there. I will be at the Combine doing shows Monday through Wednesday.
So yeah, like when
We're getting on a plane leaving sunny Los Angeles to go to cold Indianapolis, you know it's the regular season