Pitches for 2020 Team of WessTL

And we're real Grammar Golden. That's as close as I've come, you know. West Monday's are a hit. When um Debbie Rosenthal, my mom chimed in and said how nice it was to hear Chris's voice, and how nice it is that my mom is listening to uh three times a week football podcast during the middle of the pandemic. Not bad. Good job by Debbie studio audience. It's pretty great. Is deb Rosenthal? Obviously she's a Greg Rosenthal fan. She loves you all. That's that's why mom's. The moms are the best.

But is she a pro football fan? Is she for real? She's a Patriots fan? I would say she's casual ish, but she watches every game and she gets into it. It's definitely the sport, uh that she is most into. But as Lakisha sometimes points out, Uh, she my mom likes listening more for like the personal stuff, you know what. She she says, she maybe tunes out a little bit. She takes it on her walks around, you know, around the neighborhood, and she might tune out a little bit

when we're discussing Trey waynees is in latest injury. But that's that's actually not true. She texted me about get those in the weight room. That is one of Keisha's pet theories that a lot of the women listen more for personal stuff and inside jokes. But I do it seems a little that maybe a little gender specific, and we don't need we don't need to go there. That's a theory that Lakisha can right two shows, He's already get into trouble. This is the New World West, you

gotta watch. There are plenty of men who prefer uh, the more personal areas of the podcast too. Absolutely. I mean on on Twitter, there's some high high level um women with takes that go deep. It's you know this isn't like Cam Newton, right, Ricky look at Greg's like, I'm uncomfortable at all time. Yeah, Cam Newton situation. Yeah.

I think you know, the women probably prefer more of the football talk on this show than than you know, your bs that you guys talk about, obligatory, obligatory, contrarian take, thank you, You're welcome. But that is your quarterback, Greg, So you could put your barrier face in your hands and shake your head. But your quarterback said that quote about you know the woman in that press count. You

gotta live with that. I mean, he's living with it. It It was it was not his finest moment and he knows that, and he's talked about that, and I'm ready to move on. It doesn't feel like a career ender. It doesn't feel like this podcast is ready to move on from it, but he is. Um. This is the Monday edition of the Round the NFL podcast. You'll notice there's no Mark Mark Sessler, There's no there's been no stardonic chime in yet of any kind. Mark is moving.

As you know, this has been going on for a while and there was some type of issue with WiFi that hasn't been set up yet. So he plans to be back on Wednesday. Yes, you have a take there, No, I have no take. I when when Mark this happened a few months ago, when he came on and let us know that that his landlord was basically booting him

out in the middle of a pandemic. And I think he was in kind of a rotten mood that day, and he was a little surprised that we all understood to the degree we did, like, you can be in whatever rotten mood you want to be for the next couple of months, because that sounds awful to be going through in the middle of a pandemic looking for a new Oh yeah, now that he's actually moved out, and he didn't decide to like take this guy to court

or whatever. If if you're out there, Sessler's old landlord, Yeah, you're a piece of work. Mark. Mark defended you for whatever reason because Mark's a nice guy. But you're dropping this um notice in the middle of the pandemic because you need some cash. It's straight up illegal. And uh, I would have I would have liked to see Mark take you to court, because we would have taken you to the cleaners. We've got the NFL back in US.

Greg's all very litigious. We uh, I will say, just from the transaction wire standpoint, totally agree with everything west just set. Everything Greg just said. But I did have to place Mark on the non podcast injury list, so there will be a fine. And it's it's more paperwork than anything else. We all get it. But yes, that's what it wasn't it. It wasn't a He's not missing activities because of something that happened on the podcast, and that's that's just that's the that's the nature of the

beast here. It seems like it all worked out though, even though even if he's on this list, the place looks great. The kids were really excited to get their own bedroom. See, it's actually kind of inspired me that, Okay, I gotta I gotta get my act together and move next off season. Oh wow. Alright, so something to look forward to, Greg sharing things he'll be putting on his street corner this time next year. Perhaps, all right, A

lot to get to. Yes, west is on the show, so we thought it might be fun to uh talk about potential possibilities teams that are peaking Mr Westling's interest when it comes time to consider whether there will be a team of a t L team of a t N team of West t N, what do you whatever you want to call it. We can't promise you there will be a team this year because, as we've said before, it's an organic process. The team has to just click with the UH people on the show, most specifically West.

But it's always an open dialogue and an open study, Right, Chris, I love this idea. We are free to generate discussion about an idea which we are taking no responsibility for whatsoever, And we're not guaranteeing there will be a team, but we're gonna talk about it. An it seems like that's gonna like nicely uh you know, slide about seventeen midicine to today's show. So at the very least it will

accomplish that. So I'm looking forward to it. Generating discussion that we have take no responsibility for is basically our job description. That's what we did. They can't guarantee we're gonna have a sixteen game season anyway, so why should we guarantee there's gonna be a team of a t M. Right. We've been shooting from behind bulletproof glass for seven years on this podcast us. We're not gonna stop now, touchet, Let's do some news, are there? You know, I was thinking, guys,

it feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps a missed opportunity. We worked with Dion for the entire run of this show. Dean, of course, has exited NFL Network for perhaps greener pastures. Probably not. But he's with bar stool now and we never asked him to be on our podcast. And maybe because he has such a high opinion of the podcast

industry he sees it as the future. Maybe if we just would have, you know, spotted him in the in the commissary or by the water cooler or by the copy machine and just said, hey, Dann, you wanna pop upstairs and do forty seven minutes with us on defensive backs in the NFC, maybe he would have said yes, Well, you'd have to shake him away from his Sunday afternoon nap. All the games are going onto. I mean, uh, I just wish he had said these words earlier, and then

maybe someone at the NFL they would have listened. If Dion told them podcasts for the future back in the day, maybe maybe they would have listened. Remember the old M and M podcast that was Michael Irvin and Marshall Fox. Yeah, you know remember the old R and B podcast that was that was better Michael Robinson and Nate Burlison. But um, but they the number, you know, the numbers don't lie. You can put Mike Irvin and Marshall Falk on a podcast doesn't mean people are gonna listen to him like

this one. The best part of the R and B podcast was and this is you know, uh, Mike Robinson's excellent, uh Na Burlson. This is before he kind of went next level in terms of a sports slash uh personality entertainment personality and moved to New York and did the

Good Morning Football thing. He was out here in l A And sometimes the R and B Podcast Michael Robinson Nate Burlson podcast would be wrapping up when we him upstairs to Studio sixty six to record, and the episodes would often end with Nate Burlson and a full on rap He would he would be they would have some type of b playing and he'd just be like dropping those bars and and I couldn't tell if a real rob was into it or not, but like Nate was doing his thing and then that's how many episodes would

end and I would just I guess I wish Mark was here for this. It feels like we have that opportunity now that Mark is a rapper. Well, I don't know if real Rob was into it, but TD was into it. Yeah, our old friend. But yeah, he really set He was a trailblazer for the really set the path for Mark to follow. I'm excited to hear what Mark rap is about next. All right, let's get into the news. And yes, teams are practicing now in some

capacity and with that, well that's excellent. But with that comes injuries, which always happened this time of year, and they started to pile up a little bit this weekend. We'll start in Dallas where Cowboys defensive tackle Gerald McCoy ruptured his quad. Oh my own, what an injury to suffer. Uh, that's gonna cost him the season. Season ending surgery coming up for McCoy. The former Bucks star went to the Panthers. Now with the Cowboys, they are counting on him to

really uh provide some stability along their defensive line. He signed a three or eighteen million dollar contract this offseason and now he's a thirty two year old former All Pro uh that will be rehabbing a ruptured quad. Who knows what comes next? Big blow for Dallas right west. That's why they signed so many guys and draft so many guys to give to Rob Marinellio on that defensive line, because it seems like every year half of them end

up suspended or injured. And the bigger the name, the more likely they seem to be to end up suspended or injured. And in this case, you bring in Gerald McCoy early in free agency. This is a priority signing. Get him in there, rebuilding your defensive line around him, and now you lose him. They've got a lot of bodies to throw at you, and they've got guys. They've drafted Tristan Hill in two thousand nineteen of Gallamore. This year, they're gonna need some young guys to step up. Well,

Hill didn't do anything for them last year. He was like a second round pick who I remember going to their training camp from day one. Was kind of buried and uh never caught up. Didn't didn't do much, didn't didn't do much for them, and um McCoy and don Terry Power signed to be the starters. And you know, with Marinelli now gone, you know you mentioned it, it's a totally different defense. Not only um, have we replaced Jason Garrett, you got Mike McCarthy. You got Mike Nolan,

our old co worker, another colleague. We actually we did speak with Mike Nolan. He was a nice guy when he was at a NFL network, but he really right. He was last I think with with the Saints in terms of actually, uh coaching the defense, and so we don't know what his defense is gonna look like exactly. But I still think even with at the Everson Griffin signing, they're a little thin there. I mean, they need one of those young guys to step up. Tyrone Crawford has

been hurt a lot. Maybe he moves inside a little bit. But they're a bit of a mystery, and their defense gotta looked at. They're they're putting your boy west Layton Vanderesh at middle linebacker and now Jalen Smith is now a week side linebacker and hopefully that takes advantage of Vanderesh's speed, but that that's a bit of a change too, and and uh, everything is a little different in that secondary. They lost Byron Jones, like the they have a lot

of turnover in that in that defense. Yeah, those two linebackers took a major step back last year from where they were in two thousand eighteen, and this is not going to be a top ten defense unless they return to that level. And other bummer injury news, Jalen heard the forty Niners uh slash player, a guy that they really were hoping could do things for them after missing all of last year with a issue with his back. He tore his a c L and his season is done.

And Greg, you've been kind of pecking at the Niners a little bit in the last week about some from some chinks in the armor. Jalen hard heard. What does his loss mean for their offense? That's just one less option. It helps explain why they signed Tavon Austin and j J. Nelson. They're just looking for bodies. They're they're thin. I mean, he you feel for him. He was a such an exciting college player and now he's gonna miss the entire

first two seasons of his career. They are talking to Brandon ayuk as having a nice fast start to camp. He's gonna be a starter. Their first round picks gonna be a starter. And I think Trent Taylor, who's there and had a moment with Jimmy g three years ago now is healthy and I think he's gonna be in their top rotation. But you know that's it's those two guys and Kendrick Born are probably their top three receivers.

I mean, if it was a non Kyle Shanahan team, you would look at that and be like that, that's a problem. They drafted Dante Pettis in the second round, and I think so far they've had the luxury playing hardball with him, sending him messages, drawing lines into sand, and he's a guy they're gonna need this year. With all the injuries, it really makes me think too with not with just rookies, but just we haven't had like the same amount of injuries in the off season because

we haven't they haven't been playing football. And so you talked about this, dan Um last week, that you're just worried about all these soft tissue injuries are gonna start popping up. And I think we're starting to see that. Pads just came on Monday, that's the day we're recording, and so I think the next three weeks and teams have aggressive practice squeddules, a lot of practicing and pads, a lot of scrimmages. I just think you're gonna see a lot of injuries. Like you're our boy, Denzel Mims.

It might be nothing, but he's been out three or four days with a hamstring injury. And when it when it's a rookie and there's only three weeks before the season, then these injuries are gonna start, you know, becoming uh more and more worrisome. I was speaking with our Denzel Min's media insider Bob Bates TDS down in Texas. We're texting earlier today. It's a tough break for Mims, who's it's gonna be very hard for any rookie to get up to speed and make an impact in week one.

You have an injury in camp, you're in You're in deep trouble. And I you he's healthy for the Niners right out, but geez, I mean asking any of these guys to step into prominent roles right out of the gate, and this year especially, it seems to be asking a lot.

But who knows good coaching down there? We know that the I know it's not on the news rundown, but it also this this discussion kind of remind like just makes me think of rookies and how Doug Peterson another good coaches talking like there might not be many stafs for Jalen Hurts, not Jalen Hurd. It's a little confusing. You know, the quarterback that the Eagles draft in the

second round. It might not be many snaps room in camp like there would be for a normal camp because they're gonna get Nate Sudfeld ready to be their backup. And like this is sort of the the third level effects I think of the pandemic of just like they don't have time to be developing rookie quarterback. Tim Boyle might be the backup quarterback in Green Bay, not Jordan's Love, because they don't have time to develop a rookie quarterback

in this camp. Let's talk some positive injury news. Alex Smith, who of course trying to make his way back from a grizzly leg injury that ward's seventeen different surgeries, the Washington football team officially and by the way, I was getting hit on Twitter last week. Apparently I dropped the R word and nobody correct me. Please correct me in real time if you hear it, and I'll do the same for you. You You know, we gotta it's tricky. It's tricky.

Your your mind has been saying it all these years, your mind anyway, Alex Smith has been activated, uh from the active populist by the Washington football team. The thirty six year old quarterback now potentially enters a a competition at quarterback. As you know, we talked about this a week ago. Ron Rivera said that if Smith is activated last week, he's going to be in the throes of competition for the team's starting quarterbacks spot. And I know West.

There was a video that was sent out corresponding with this move by the Washington Football team that showed Alex Smith stepping down his front step from his door to celebrate with his family. And it was a really nice moment, but a lot of people on Twitter couldn't help but notice that he kind of gingerly took that step. Uh, that step down the one step to celebrate, and uh, I feel like that's something to monitor. You just hope

this guy is going to be healthy enough. But also the people less that are on Twitter saying he shouldn't be doing this off watching that video that does that is not your call to make. So get out of here with that trash. Yeah, it's hard to argue with any of that is not their call to make. And this what what this news means. It is he's competing, that he's playing football, and whether he's ready to or not,

he's gonna be there. My my expectations are low. I just based on what he was doing before the injury, based on how he's moving now and how he may reasonably be expected to move in the future. My expectations are really low. But this is a situation where I'd be I'd be so happy for Alex Smith. The surprise

and shock everyone. Well, you saw how much it meant to him and his family, so that it does make you, uh feel better about it because I I'm not someone who would be commenting on Twitter, but I think, just like any human, you'd be And you mentioned this last week day and this issud be worried that he's gonna get hurt again, But when you see how much it means to him and his family, you can't help but be happy for him and maybe maybe he can kind of be the new Josh McCown or at least for

this Washington football team season, he can be the the veteran who's been there, who's seen at all, who's so smart, who's shown you's good with young quarterbacks. That is an asset to be with Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen too young quarter even if he can't play like you're you're paying to Alex Smith. Anyways, he got one of the best contracts the quarterbacks um received, I think in terms of it being player friendly in the last number of years.

He's getting paid a lot of money this year whether he's there or not, So he might as well keep him there and and be a value add to your team you know how to and he doesn't get hurt. Never take never take any risks ever, never take any chances. I mean, of course there's a chance he's gonna get hurt, but look to me, what he's accomplished just in getting to this point is where worth everybody's admiration. Yeah, and people the disparaging comments you you see on Twitter, like listen,

you only get one shot at this. I mean, just like life in general, but especially when you're talking about a professional athlete and you hear these guys talk about it all the time. When their career ends, it's like another type of death for them. They almost die twice in their lifetime. So he's not ready to end this part of his life. So just be cool with him, support him because he deserves it. Just because you're scared, doesn't mean everyone else has to be scared, exactly. I

think it's courageous that he's trying to do this. Um Moving on, Kenny Clark gets paid by the Packers. The nose tackle signed a four year, seventy million dollar extension takes him through includes million uh signing bonus. He's now the highest paid nose tackle in football. He was playing on a fifth year option, set to be a free agent. The Packers find a way to make him work with the books and they get Clark under contract for the foreseeable future. Yeah, I remember West and I like talking

last year. Just can you believe Kenny Clark ass He's a guy who's gotten better every single season. I mean, he he's a true nose tackle. There's not that many of them in the NFL anymore who truly play over the center, and there's no one, there's none that are as good at stopping the run and now affecting the pass. I mean, he was a great pass fresher. I think the combination of him and Zadarius Smith, you've got two of the very best players at their positions next to

each other. And that's a big time problem. And that's why he got paid like he did. I mean, heck, he got more. We talked about George Kittle's money. He got more than George Kittle did, really in terms of per year and in terms of the signing bonus. West loves him a little scientist tape on Kenny Clark. He's got a generic name and he plays a position that was, you know, way more popular in the nineteen nineties then now,

so people don't really know him that much. But I remember doing research for the playoffs last year, and statistically he was Aaron Donald in the second half of the season. His stats were like mirroring Aaron Donald stats from October through January. He was that good nose tackle is not a glory boy position. You know, you're you're doing the grunt work. You are supposed to absorb as many uh offensive players on the line as possible to free up other people to make plays. And that's what he does

on that defense for the Packers. So it makes sense, smart people in that building locking the guy that can do that. Uh. In other news, Dez Bryant, Oh, Dez will admire Dez as a player what he was able to do during his Cowboy glory years. But it's been a while now, he's thirty one years old, he's starting turning thirty two in November. He's been out of football

for a while. And he re signed, of course, with He signed with the Saints last year and then promptly tore his achilles, costing him a chance at another Super Bowl run. Well. Tom Palosero of NFL Network reports that the Ravens are expected to host the free agent for a workout. The Cowboys have also been floated as a possibility. West. Uh, I don't know what what real analysis about Dez Bryant anyone give, but this is a guy that seemed to be an obvious decline. Uh in seventeen What can you

expect from him if he ever got on the field. Now, yeah, we know that when the Cowboys got rid of him, it was because he couldn't move like he he wanted it. He couldn't run he couldn't jump um like a starting NFL wide receiver, and that's why he's not in Dallas. That's why he's not playing for anyone in two thousand nineteen. And now that's why he's got his work cut out for him to make a Ravens team where they have some really good young wide receivers for maybe the first

time in the history of the franchise. I've got some analysis, you know, I mean, you you put it out on the table. You can't come up with any I was, how about this him working out is interesting just because it's does it's not Antonio Brown working out. They have a couple of veterans going. It's not Antonio Brown, it is Dez Bryant. So it's like, this is what you

would do on like a first take type show. Okay, maybe the story itself isn't that interesting, but you add in some splashy other topic into the new you know, that's how that's how the game is done in smart Very well played there about you, Greg. I. If we had to make like our all a t N team two thousand thirteen, President des would have been there. And I'm kind of it's a bummer that his career, he

had sixteen touchdowns to two thousand and fourteen. He was one of the best red zone guys of last decade. Maybe at his peak, I wouldn't want anyone else inside the you know, fifteen yard line when you needed a score. Uh. But like we said, it's been a while since we saw that guy. But good luck to him. It seems especially cruel last year. That was an awesome Saints team.

I know they flamed out uh in the wild card round of the playoffs, but it seemed like des was really set up for a nice little fairy tale potentially there and then the football gods pulled it away from him. All right. Finally, in the news, Kim Jones, our own Kim Jones and the NFL Network had an interesting nugget here on Joe Judge, the Giants first year head coach. Uh. They noticed during practice that the Giants players don't have

names on their practice jerseys. Why. Judge says, we should know who we are by the way they carry themselves. It's important to know the person across from you, by the way they moved. Yes, folks, it's Joe Judge. In the case of the nameless jerseys, I need Frank Signetti back on the case. What we need this. We gotta fill out this entire district attorney office, the police force, the p I is the judges. But we got judge, judge and you're all set there because this guy doesn't

take any bs. He controls that courtroom. It's really as simple as his last name is judge that this story entertains me. But it is also that he has he makes these declarative statements, you should judge. We need to be judging people by the way they move. Judge. What I don't I don't is that do you want me to judge us? How by how you're moving? Why is it to every story associated with this guy? Is him treating his players like their high school kids? Well, it goes,

it goes further than that. There was another part of this story that he's making players do laps when they make a mistake. That's pretty normal. But he's making the coaches do laps when they make mistake too. Yes, I love that. I can't think of a better franchise for a coach to be acting this way. It's such a giant thing to be doing. It's like six in that building. Every day you take the lapse two Jason Garrett. There are there are consequences for making mistakes, says Joe Judge

when asked about that the coaches taking the laps. I mean, I don't know. We are all accountable, all right, that's what's happening in the news, all right. As we said, yes, we don't know if there will be a Team of a t N this year, but what we do know is that if it's gonna happen, we need to get buy in from Chris Wesley, because we know what happens when we don't have Westling buy in on the team

of a t N, the whole thing crumbles. Mark almost had a psychotic break during the Vikings five game lose in streak when the Vikings are the team of a t N a few years back that didn't have the room buy in. So I would have if you showed me the text that Mark was sending it like halftime of some Monday night football game right now, I would have PTSD. I mean, just just reading his text would

give me PTSD. As soon as the words were out of his mouth to nominate the Vikings for Team of a t L that year, he immediately regretted it and hated himself and us, and because we did that put responsibility on his shoulder as anyone nothing to do with it. No, he struggled with it, and Uh, I'm glad he's not here to relive it right now because that was tough. So they're there are hard lessons to learn when the team of a t N doesn't have buy in from

Chris Westling. So let's do this and kind of the most the most pragmatic way possible here, Greg, Why if there is to be a team of a t N, let's like have West putting in the foundation, pour the concrete, put in you know, the the iron, uh foundation of it all. I don't know. I don't build things. Um, West, why don't you share this? Yeah, bricks, bricks are good too. I was talking about the iron steel beams. Chef pe Corwell on the show to talk about steel beams. That

guy knows about steel beams. All right, let's go through a few teams. Maybe Greg and I will chime in and try to sell you on a team as a possibility. Uh, you get us going here? Well, the way I approached this exercise was to think back to two thousand thirteen, that initial organic tea. The Carolina Panthers with Thomas Davis and Luke keik Lee covering all kinds of ground on that defense. What we did was fall in love with one side of the ball, and that's usually how team

of a t L works at its best. Well, maybe it's the two thousand fifteen Cardinals offense that we know is gonna be much better than then most people think, or the two thousand third team Panthers defense. So I'm looking I kind of look at one side of the ball here, and Buccaneers defense has really really intrigued because everyone's talking about their offense. They might not be a

candidate just because they're too trendy overall. The Broncos are another trendy team, which bothers me because they check most of the boxes that I look for on a team, and I like their young offense. I think they have a lot of the trendy in your heart. You've been on the Broncos bandwagon for a while, But are they trending? Every time I walk by a TV, they keep talking, they keep saying the trendy Denver Broncos. So those are two teams I'm thinking about. I think the Buffalo Bills

are always on the periphery for me. Um, they don't get a lot of attention, and I believe their their defense is already one of the best. Their offense um is not one of the best, but they've got some room to grow. Mark. We know Mark loves uh, Mark

loves the Bills. I'll I'll just first give you, um, you know, a round of a pause or just an appreciation West that you that you're going along with this entire segment, that now you used to fight so hard against the notion that there was a team of WESTDL that that wasn't even true, but now we're doing around that premise. Well, I remember a few times I tried to save you guys from your own choices, but it didn't work out that way, so I just had to

settle into this rule. Bucks are interesting. Yes, they're trendy, and they're they're gonna be on prime time and I could definitely see that annoying um Mark, for instance, But there's something fun about uh them for me obviously, not just that Tom Brady and Gronker. They're just like it's

just like a quick, crazy experiment. Yes, we're not like picking a diamond in the rough there, But I don't think I'm alone saying I want to watch every Bucks game, And that's kind of the heart of what this is. This exercise is partly about I don't know if it's gonna go well or not. And I don't think this is necessarily about picking teams that are gonna be good, but but they better be fun to watch. I mean Godwin and O. J. Howard and I mean Gron being back.

I'm still not quite over that, and just the whole thing in Arians, like, I don't know they I am into them as kind of a secondary team. They're they're ceiling their ceiling floor. Disparity is probably is as big as anyone in the league or at least the NFC, because we know all about how well the defense played at the end of the year, and Baldi talked about it as well, if they just kept that up, you got that side locked down, and then if this offense works,

watch out. I mean, this team could be fighting out with the Saints to win the NFC South, but it does feel like that. I don't know. Whenever you you say things like, okay, the defense needs to be as good as last year, and then Tom Brady needs to be the Tom Brady of a couple of years ago, and then Gronk needs to still have some juice, and these wide receivers need to continue to be great in

the running back situation needs to figure out. Maybe too much has to to inspire for this to be the twelve and four, thirteen and three Juggernaut, But they're an interesting team to follow because they have that that ceiling. Well, I think the biggest thing working against them is that every TV producer in the country has already decided they're the number one team to monitor in two thousand twenties. So they're gonna be fish. I mean for a good

reason on some level. I mean, the great, literally the most accomplished player in the league's history is joining them along with the with Gronk and and you said it with the defense, And that is not why the producers are into it. But I do think that's why I'm especially looking forward to watching the Bucks because they'll be fine. They'll be fun to watch. I think whichever side of the balls on the field, give me a little Jpp and Shack Barrett, like, give me a little Lavante David

and Devin White. Um. I mean these Wingfield Jr. Right, these are entertaining players where I think and I don't know, and I the one thing I like about the team of West l are secondary teams in general is like, yeah, I'm invested, but not really like if it crashes and burns, like, it's not gonna it's not gonna kill me, like a killed Mark with that that Vikings team. I mean, either way,

it'll be kind of fun. Well you, especially Greg, I know you try to check your fan allegiance at the door, pretend to, but you're in a good situation because you're conflicted. Just tell me if this makes any sense at all, Just and be honest with me. Tom Brady is a bit of a conflicting figure to you in because on one hand, you're okay with what the Patriots did that you were fine with the divorce happening away it was and him getting a fresh start for the final chapter

of his career. But on the other hand, you won't admit it. It would have been nice if if the two sides made nice and Brady played his whole year in New England. Uh So there's party. It's like, I love Tom Brady, I love what he did for New England and Martha's Vineyard and the West side of Massachusetts. And so if he goes another couple of years where he thrives, I'll be happy for him. Plus it's not

in the A f C, so it doesn't really hurt me. However, if he flames out totally, it makes Bill Belichick look even smarter, and that would be kind of cool that too, because it would justify the Patriot's decision to cut bait. It'd be fine. And I now that we're having it, I'm I feel relieved. We haven't had this conversation since March since like you were last with us, Chris, so that's good. But I wouldn't be relieved, Like if he

crashes and burms, I will be more disappointed than anything. Um, I really feel like I feel like I don't know what Bill Belichick feels like or if he if he has emotions, but I'm surprised more Patriots fans and maybe they feel like me. Man. I feel a relief that he's not there. That was like a weight on the shoulders of the Patriots and it's nice. It's nice to just sort of start over, and the fact that he's somewhere else, like if you can't, if you can appreciate

the goat, you know, for what he did. Yeah, that's on that's on you. You're right, it's it's like a good situation either way. But I feel like it's so nice to just be starting fresh, uh in New England. And it's kind of nice to watch Tom Brady start fresh too. Al Right, A win win for Greg and football. It always seems to work out that way. West About another team, I've got a dark horse and one of us usually not Dan, falls for this team every year,

The Chargers. I was thinking about them. Their defense um is loaded with talent. Derwin James coming back healthy now um And just from the little bit of footage we got from from Justin Herbert on the Hard Knocks, he can spin it. This could be to use a damnage check it isn't. He can spin it, baby. I'm surprised to us, not not that making a larger point, but guys throwing it into nets for switches on a football field feels like something that wouldn't mean anything to you,

but you're saying it it did. It did mean something to you. Oh, it's not scientific. It just sometimes I think it's they want to be scouting me just feels like, I can you know, just by the way he throws the ball, you can tell he's got some arm talent there. He's got a great balls. He's got great Yeah, he's got great balls. They'd be fun. I know. I cannot imagine Mark getting on on board with the Chargers thing for whatever reason, but I I like that one West.

I think they could be a fun Excuse me, I think they could be a fun team to watch on paper, just because they have so much like premier talent Keenan Allen again, Joey Bose. I. I don't think about sides of the ball, but I think about players that are entertaining that I uh that I want to watch Bosa Derwin, James Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Hunter, Henry. It's just like you got players Casey Hayward, Desmond King. It's like a fun little secondary uh. I would dig that. I wouldn't.

I wouldn't pass on your Broncos. Not to circle back though, just because you think they're trendy, I think they they could be. They've kind of got the old the other the old krusty coach that that people like as my son Walker chimes in there a little bit. I think because they I've been associated, But then the last couple of years, the Broncos and Culture be first and second on my list. Here's the thing with Locke. I know we've talked a lot about him at all. I think

he's gonna be fun to watch. Regardless. To me, he's like a tools e. It's either kind of like the Bucks. It's either gonna go wrong or it won't. But I don't I think they'll be boring. I don't think they'll be boring because because speaking of lock we we would have said the same thing about Drew Locker once upon a time. What an athlete, at least he'll be fun to watch one way or Locker. Lock has already shown

significantly more than Jake Locker. That is not true. That is not true, who was arguably going to be the number one overall pick in the draft, was almost as highly thought of as a baseball prospect as a football prospect, an incredible athlete and had some had some flashes as a rookie and second year where you thought this guy

might be a difference maker. I mean, I just if a guy can't cut it, he's not gonna be entertaining no matter how I think the I I guess I'm I have a low baseline where I think, I think he has a good chance to uh be like a frustrating starter at worst, like a you know, a Winstead or a Cutler or something like that. I think there's a you got you find those guys a lot more entertaining. But I'm saying that's that's you know, fifty times better

than a than a Jake Locker. And to your point about the young guys there, Philip Linn, you know, Jerry Judy looks like he could be one of the most fun rookies to watch, and uh, you've got Melvin Gordon added to a back up, Philip Lindsay is a ton of fun to watch. Courtland Sutton's a ball and no fans of ball er. It's like, these guys are are guys you want to see. I've said everything I need to say about Drew lock and good luck to him. We'll see how he plays when he gets a full

sample size. I'm looking forward to seeing it a team on the Okay, all right, so I gotta try to sell you now, right, tough sell in the West sometimes. So I'm gonna do my best. I've got to be invested. This is and I all I ask store, and I know you're gonna give it to me. Is um unvarnished honesty, you know, all right, see if I can do that.

So I'm I'm trying to think because I know what you like, Wes, Like I know, for instance, you, Yeah, you're fetishes on a Sunday night after um a long day of work, and you go and you you start tape dogging, and you go, you open up that game pass. You want something, you want to go to, a game that excites you, one that keeps you from falling asleep with your glass of wine. And so I I got one here for you in an offensive centerpiece for this team that's gonna make you run to game pass every

Sunday night. I mean, this guy is generationally talented, a beautiful, beautiful athlete who is just entering his prime. I'll pair that guy with a very intriguing young quarterback, a kid with iron will in the pocket, multifaceted abilities. Uh, you love the sport, West like you have a love affair with football, and you've read every football book that matters. So you understand the importance of history. Well, here is one of the NFL's Tiffany franchises, one of the signature franchises.

You have a general manager who is an intriguing personality who has had some missteps, but you know what, he owned up to him earlier this year. He said that he made some miscalculations about how to steer the franchises. But now he's a man in search of redemption. And who amongst us should turn away from someone that admits

that they were wrong and wants to do well. And finally, a head coach that graduated Magna Come Loud from Belichick University and won't say his player's name Magna Come Loud Loud, A Joe Judge baby the New York Giants eli's Gone New Era, flawed team, but potentially a fun team to get behind is they try to enter the next wave. Got several things working against him, not least of which is an NFL head coach treating his players like children.

That that would be problem number one for me. He's a leader, he's a father figure, he's a judge, like this is a ninety boys town movie or something. Alright, what else? What else? What I said doesn't make sense. No, no, you sold it. Well, who's our who's catching our eye? On defense? There? I can't really get behind anything with that defense. It seems like a train wreck and you just lost. You're promising a second year, first round pick

safety to a robbery charge. So I don't know, man, I'm counting on you to figure out a silver lining with the defense. I'm more speaking to the offense and the fresh start in the ELI free world. I do believe their offense could be better than than most people imagine. And even a guy like Evan Engraham, who's supremely talented, what kind of year could he be our next one

thousand yard tight end? I mean, all of that health, all that made sense, and I'd love the attempt that you're going for, Like the hardest thing possible is to get the rest on Yeah, you trying to get him on board? Um with the Giants because I'm with you that Daniel Jones could be fun, but they're big, stinky. Uh. You know. Part of the equation that I don't like is Jason Yeah offense. I knew this Jason Garrett assassination

would come up. I mean, I'm willing, I'm willing to talk about someone who needs, um, you know, a new narrative, second chance and a new narrative and and to change maybe he can change it, because you know what, I wouldn't when I was writing about Garrett a little bit this offseason and Daniel Jones, who who I am and really intrigued to watch. So if you have a fun quarterback,

that can make you fun. Um. You know what, those those first years that Garrett was running the plays in Dallas, like I was looking for some stats that maybe I would like, kind of bury that they were boring something. You know what, they were pretty good. They were a past first, pretty good offense when Garrett was actually right in place problems, it was like eleven years ago. It's just so long ago. Um, the NFL is so different. So we'll have to see. But maybe maybe Garrett could

be the guy. When you were going through that, I was wrong about which team it was until the very end. I thought you were talking about the Cardinals. I thought DeAndre Hopkins was the generational talent, that Steve Kim was the GM trying to get past a big mistake, and that Kyler murder. Exciting young quarterback DeAndre Hopkins is an excellent,

excellent wide receiver. I wouldn't call him a generational town Barkley is a generational talent, and even look at his numbers last year, he played on one leg without the worst injuries, a high ankle sprain, and still had like fifteen total yards. Imagine what would happen if the Giants actually succeeded in building a more competent offense around that guy and then he stayed healthy. I think he could be one of the greats. Ever, I think that DeAndre is going to the Hall of Fame, so you know,

we're talking levels of greatness. I really he is gonna end up. Nobody would say he's more like a generational talent more than Julio Jones or something like that. It's fair maybe a step below that, but I think sae Quon is exactly that. When you look at the running backs, like maybe the most talented running back to come into the league since Adrian Peterson, I would put him in that conversation at he's like twenty four years old. And this is where a team of atl is supposed to

come from. It's supposed to be a little bit of a dark horse, and surprise something nobody saw coming. So kudos to you for selling the Giants. Maybe you watch him and and you change it's not gonna happen, But

you know, I'm gonna keep an open mind. Two teams come to my mind, but I'm gonna start with with the one that just feels like the layup and maybe that's why West didn't put him on his list, and which makes you a little concerned, because this is the team that I think I've got in my heart as kind of a secondary team that I'm all about, and that's the Indianapolis Colts, And I know people are gonna be thinking that they're that they're gonna be good this

year because they make sense. I like a well constructed team. I like teams without a big time weakness. Chris Ballard put this team together. Their offensive line is as stable as any and as good as any team in the league. And when you have good offensive line play, they they haven't had a single guy changed spots in three years, which is almost unprecedented. Mrs start, So you hope you

keep that luck uh going. But when you have a good offensive line, you end up having good talent shows showing up on offense and adding Philip Rivers to this mix, to me is just a delightful narrative, but also on field, uh you know, relevant revelation for them that they're gonna be fun to watch because Rivers even last year, to me, it was fun to watch. He's gonna he's gonna attempt the throws. T Y Hilton is there always fun to watch.

Jonathan Taylor added to Marlon Mack that they should be good on offense and the kind of the story book of it, all of Rivers going for it and having a legitimate offensive line and having a legitimate team for first time in a while, with a pretty fun looking defense too with Darius Leonard, to me, is irresistible. I'm just gonna be rooting for this team. I think they check as many boxes as any team for this exercise.

There are there's one huge one that they miss on and there's nothing really they can do about at this point. They play in a dome, so I mean, good luck with that. I mean, just lets some natural light in once the dome during a pandemic, it's not as safe as the outdoor stadiums. Another downside for the dome. In this household, we like mother nature, so we're gonna root for that um and then the other thing. I mean, Greg, I've just realized over the years, our tastes and quarterbacks

are just way different. And Philip Rivers is one thing I hold against the Colts right now. If he plays anything like he played last year, that's gonna be a hard team to watch. He was hard to watch last year. I didn't think he was fun at all. I thought he was a boring quarterback and a bad quarterback. So

he's gonna have to play a lot better. Yeah, he had the worst tackle combination in the in football, and I think a quarterback like that, he's only got to be as good as his protection, and so he needs it. But it looks like he's kind of found the perfect team. I mean, you got can you just throw it twenty yards down field on a lollipop and expect your receiver to run under it every time? And that's your offense. He's gonna count on a lot of timing, which will

be interesting with a whole new set of receivers. They're hoping rookie Michael Pittman is a big part of this group, and they haven't had the time at that timing, so so it's definitely it's not gonna be. But I'm fascinated to see them because I think they could be a legit contender. Um, if he plays well, I agree, that's

a big if. Another one I do before we go, I mean I have I should, someone should say it, right, I mean the most obvious, the most obvious one on the list is the is then the city which you got the name on right behind you, Cincinnati, Chris Wesseling. It's time to come yeah and take a trip over to the Bengal situary. You were early on the train of coming home in terms of shaving your head when

it wasn't growing in. How about coming home and uh being a real Westling and embracing your brothers and embracing your family, embracing your roots. Uh, during this time of of international upheaval. What's important? And I understand this because it's not just about football, and you're not just looking at the rosters. There's more to it. There's layers to this. The man has a dossier eight inches thick for all the reasons why he divorced the Bengals as his favorite

team decades ago. But maybe, just maybe, in this time West, this uncertain time Um in your in your latest fight with the Big Sea on our quest for uh double obliteration, Maybe the time to hit the old reset button on the Bungles. Welcome to the Sanctuary, DoD The Bengals feel like they deserve that's always been three decades. They don't feel like they deserve to win the trust. They don't trust that they're good enough. They don't trust that they've

learned how not to lose. They don't trust anything in that building. And they really not sure if they can win a playoff game. I don't know if they don't try, if they don't believe in themselves, can I believe in I gotta admit the whole trade waynes Um complaining that they wouldn't give him his money until he showed up for camp and that he wouldn't be able to work out as much because of that, and then get injured right away at that his agent warned them might happen.

That feels like the same old Bungles kind of storyline. But you know what you you like. In terms of picking the team of West l is just teams that are fun to watch, and uh, maybe maybe we're not gonna have a preseason but maybe week one, Week two, you'll see Joe Mixon out there. To me, is as fun to watch as any receiver. And you'll see Green and Higgins and Autumn Tate and Tyler Boyd and Ross

and Geoe Bernard and Joey Burrow. Who might be the answer the guy that this city has been looking for, who is awfully fun to watch, and that this team maybe they're not gonna go to the playoffs or win eight games, but you can be fun to watch and win six or seven games. And I think this team could be that they're they're fun to watch. Scale seems like it goes from from top five to bottom five. And I noticed you didn't mention that offensive line, which has held him back for years. I mean, we it's

hard to take off the offensive line anyway. You're not gonna get any John Ross. If you can't block up front, you're not You know, Joe Mixon spent half of last year getting like thirty yards a game because he had nowhere to go. So these are the teams and west you have. If you have another one, police chime in. But this is the team. These are the teams that have not been nominated. It's not that official. This is just these are just talks. We're just having a conversation. Bucks, Broncos.

Did you say bills? I did, I didn't mention the bill bills vgi uh. That was a DAN nomination. Greg nominated the Colts and the Bengals by my chargers by my count, that is one, two, three, four or five six seven options. And that leaves all the divisions accounted for aside from the NFC North, the a f C South, and the NFC West. Any teams from that those three divisions west that maybe get some consideration, which one NFC West, UH, NFC West, NFC southc North. We got the South, good

good good good. So NFC North, NFC West, NFC West is out. No, no, none of those teams are doing it. They all they're all just qualified for one reason or another. Um the NFC North, the Packers are two. I mean, there's too much America's team. So you can't have out those Lions. No, no, no, this is not in on. The Lions are kind of frisky this like I I agree that their offense could be kind of fun to watch, but no, they're they defined mediocrity until they prove otherwise.

I do kind of like the Bears. But how can I support a team that said we've got a chance at Cam Newton, but instead we're gonna bring in Nick Fools. I mean, I don't want to encourage other teams to do stuff like that. One another player on that two thousand and thirteen Panthers team, you said you were all about one side of the ball. I mean I remember watching uh young Cam Newton and being pretty entertained by that too. So I'm just saying Cam Newton's out there,

he's playing on a new team again. The Patriots aren't forgiven for their Antonio Brownson. The days of carrying the water are over. They're gone. All right, anything else was before we it was a topic for now. You know what, anyone else intrigued by the Redskins defense, We're not We can't ever say that again. Well they're gone. That's not the team. But what about when you talk about like thee like, yeah, the Super Bowl champion? Could you could

avoid it if you want? But yeah, that's different, uh West, It's it's allowable if you refer to if you if that's how you want to go, well, I think eight t N we could give you that wiggle room pre to if you want. It feels like if it's an honest mistake, people should just let it ride. But you know, if we want to play hall monitor all year, that we can do that too. Strict punishments West all right, they could be kind of fun, but that is similar

to your Cincinnati organization troubles. Uh, I'm not I'm not into Let's see something more positive where I really we did. Just on on Monday we saw something positive. The first black um NFL team president was hired by the Washington Redskins. Was his name Jason Right? Yeah, former player. I remember him vaguely as a kind of a journeyman guy who was on the Cardinals as like a third down back. I mean, this wasn't that long ago. Um and he

received effusive praise from around the league on Monday. He Uh. He also is inheriting a role which normally has a lot more power than most team presidents, and team president is a very significant role, to be clear. I mean that's the guy running the business. But also in in Washington, it also tends to have some a little more say over large swatha of the organization, uh, including the football side. So we'll see if that's the case, um with Jason, Right,

But like I mean, you think about Bruce Allen. No one was more powerful as a as a team president there, and he wasn't the only one in in the Dan Snyder tenure. Alright, so the who I always said, the Washington All right, let's let's kind of let's bookmark this and maybe revisit then maybe once the season begins, maybe a couple of weeks in. I don't know. It's all

it's a fact finding mission more than anything else. All right, good, all right, Well everything is kind of day by day, week week at this point, so we can't really promise. Absolutely nothing in life should be presumed. I guess we gotta see what happens with the testing. But I do feel like right now, at this very moment, there's only fifteen players on the COVID nineteen lists, and the players and the teams are practicing in full pads, and now we've got to see what the impact of that is

in the next week or two. But and we're three weeks away for the season and them really practicing it is kind of the moment I was like, Okay, well this is happening. This is we're we're almost there. Uh we we gotta see what happens in terms of the test results, but at least right now that you know, there's not many people on that list. Something very interesting

happened in baseball over the weekend. Mike Clevinger and Dan pleazach to quality starting pitchers for the Cleveland Indians UM, a team that is in contention in the American League.

They went out with friends dinner and socializing up and broke curfew and then lied about it, and one of the players actually traveled on the team plane without owning up to it, and then that led to a bit of a locker room um showdown and those two players being optioned to the the team's minor league facility essentially or their training camp whatever they're calling it this year. So I'm interested to see in football because again this

will be something to watch. But this summer and then when the season starts, can players be disciplined and if they are not, will there be similar hell to pay internally for the team being put in jeopardy both health wise and season wise. I imagine there will be. This is a subplot that will happen in the NFL. Just

happened in baseball. First, more players involved in the NFL because the rosters are so big, and generally younger players too, and less of less of a bubble situation really, because even though the the MLB teams are not in their travel I mean, when they're in those hotels, that's that's a bubble situation. Whereas players here you know from almost every day of the season, they're gonna be at home in the NFL. So it will be interesting, but so far,

so good. To your point, Greig, it feels like we're on a good path right now, and hopefully it stays

that way as training camp rolls on. We'll be back on Wednesday with another show and a reminder our NFL Network program I'm returned on Saturday, so make sure you set your DVR for the Around the NFL Show on NFL Network, and you also could see that digitally on NFL dot com, and I believe it's on YouTube if it's not being put up on on YouTube by our people, I believe if you check out the Around the NFL subreddit, there's a way to see the show if you don't

have access to NFL Network, So just look into that if you want, and um that's it West, great to see again, buddy. All right, that was a good one this week. What's that? This is a treatment? Is this a treatment week tomorrow? I've actually got doctor's appointment today and then chemo tomorrow, so treatment every tuesday. All right. Well, good luck with that, buddy, and I hope you're feeling okay after it, and uh love you buddy, Thank you good let's uh, let's sign off. This is Dan Hass.

The old Zeus are signing up for email man. Mm hmmm, he said, good Joe, loved but not love you back mail man. Get into that next time. Still want