Players at a Crossroads

today is a holiday compared to what else. It's like we're home all weekend, We're home another day. Am I not? It is excited about the holidays? I should be. I saw something Simone was you guys went somewhere. I don't know what it was, but it looked fun. That was a field trip that I was not a part of, but I do believe they had fun. They went to a farm type environment. It looked like a sleepover situation. Now that like the weekend or something? Mark, what is

it this weekend? I honestly was. I literally stayed home the entire time. I didn't leave my house. Interesting, really curious as always mark what he does on Mark time. Don't well, this is what did you guys do? I'm sure you had like you you know, you did puzzles and put you know, did barbecues and went to the park in the beach. Let me guess, find find me something. I mean, you don't have to take it personally. No,

we did not. We did some hikes. We did some hikes, you know, we did some nature he We went down to the San Gabriel River, took a hike around there, did did some wetlands stuff. But yeah, it was it was pretty much just a family, not a lot of not a lot of big stories here. We had some friends over, you know. We enjoyed the pool and the barbe q and we uh played some whiffleball yesterday with the boys. Got their got their reps in. You know, I gotta keep that hand eye coordination. No no vacations,

no time off. Although I will say that as I was playfully, you know, pitching to my son's at this field, this park across the street from where I live, there was a capital M, capital D mean dad on the baseball field right next to where we were, just like going off on his kid for not throwing strikes, and he he was the coach of this team obviously, and they had gotten there a half hour early to get some work in before the rest of the team got there. And I'm just like thinking to myself, like, if I

ever become that guy, I'm out of here. I'm just shutting everything down. The kid, it's probably an eleven year old son. Take it. I'm kidding anyway, So be nice to your kids. Don't don't take sports too seriously. If you're a coach, dad, please, like, unless you turn into a total champion, and then we will, then we will, you know, put you on a pedestal, you know, like you will be Tiger Woods dad, or I'm thinking of some tennis dads, like it'll you know, you have to

make it to the end otherwise we'll hate you. Right, It just feels like the odds are kind of against you. And even if you do make it to that level, at what cost? Right, they're probably much nicer than these mean dads, to be fair. Now, we do lots of soccer, and I have to say that the biggest turn off, um almost the only turnoff, are the other parents on our team. We seem to have pretty much chilled out parents. But like some of these other clowns, it's like these

kids are nine. The results of this game does not decide your value as an adult. Mr. Vicarious, Yeah, I think that's well said. All Right, today's show, I'll see you at the crossroads where you won't be lonely. Bone Bone or perhaps Harmony once said, Um, who were the guys in Bone Thugs and Harmony? Greg? You like rap? I mean, I don't know their name is like crazy Bone? There was different different bones. Um. I wouldn't say. I

was like I knew. I knew them about as well as I bet you knew them, which is I knew their big songs and I could hum them. And that's where I left it. But you know, some of Cleveland's finest Bone Thugs and Harmony they filled up well. Some of the rap I feel like from that period hasn't held up that well. And you know what, you could put Bone Thugs out today, I think it would do

well great. First of the Month is another classic Busybone, Wishbone, Lazy Bone, Crazy Bone, Flesh and Bone, and they had that goofball um come out of the draft repping was it Cleveland? What was his name again, machine Gun Kelly gun Kelly, Get Machine Machine g Kelly out of there, get Bone Dogs up on the stage to wrap Cleveland. I hear you put Dan, How would let's say someone came out on the stage a like Radio City Music Hall and did a mic jop about Tom Drop about

the Jets winning the Super Bowl? I mean, would we be hearing critique about it like on June one? No, it was a delightful moment. I'm not saying that that guy's like music catalog is what I'm all about. But it was a nice moment that spice things up in a very you know, I think prim and proper environment.

He was just like, I'm gonna upset the apple cart, Like I did not have Sessler watching the machine cun Gun Kelly clip talking about the Browns like for forty hours straight on Memorial Day weekend, like on my Bingo card for this year. But that's like how many times does Mark watch that video? He loved that video anyway? Yes, the Crossroads, Um, that's a that's a phrase that's like or a word that's stuck in my head as a

sports fan since there was an old magazine. Um, it was like a Baseball monthly or something, and the story was Mattingly at the Crossroads, and I didn't even really know what the word meant, but it was a story about how Don Mattingly was facing a lot of issues. He was in a little bit of decline statistically, his boss George Steinbrenner was like a maniac, and there's talks of trades going on, potential trade, and his career could have went in any you know, multiple directions at that point.

I always think about that now when you talk talk about you look into each season, there always are players that are the true crossroads in their career and what happens will dictate kind of their future. So with that in mind, we're going to dig into some NFL players or coaches or whomever at a crossroads where they may be lonely if things go really poorly. That's kiss met this smash hit Um married to an NFL segment on our podcast. So and before we do that, let's hit

the news. Okay, five minutes, just five minutes, thank you. Escape. Well,

there's the generational divide. Rookie Hollywood. Uh. We told her about the segment and she went and pulled up a clip from the two thousand one Britney Spears film Crossroads and some car sing along to an in sing song, which I guess was a little nod to the relationship between Spears and Timber like back then, Ricky, were you aware of bone Thugs and Harmonies Crossroads or his Crossroads specifically a Britney Spears of course, but anyone you know

my age, you say crossroads, do you think of Britney Spears, like really trying to sing in the back of a car during the radio song. I mean, come on, I could be wrong, but I think we had a Britney Spears Crossroads conversation four years ago when we did this second because sometimes we do segments and Daniell like texted out and I googled it. I was like, have we

done this before? Because I don't quite remember, and you're you know we had, but it was like four years ago, and I think we had this some sort of Britney convo. Then too, you saw the Mark, Yeah wow, because it wasn't a box office hit. I think it's it's lived, it's it's it's proven to have some legs. People still talk about it, but I don't think it was a big hit. I don't think who did you go with? Mark? I don't want to get too off the beaten path here, but I went with a female that I knew for

very brief time. It was actually went like Sunday night, like his family was gone for the weekend. They're playing it at the New Art and Mark was there all by himself in a movie theater. Their response, Greig, all right, let's get into it. It is June one, which is an important date on the NFL calendar. It frees up a lot of financials for teams. They can move around money to the cap hits aren't um as disastrous as

they could be. Aaron Rodgers is a perfect example. Um. If the Packers were to trade him after June one today, um, they'd free up sixteen million in cap space this year while shouldering a twenty one point one five two million dead money hit. This coming from the athletic match nine Schneidman. Uh. If they were to move him before today's state, it would have been almost thirty nine million and dead money

charge on their caps. So there is some flexibility here. However, according to a source, Schneidman's reporting general manager, Brian Glutenkanst is still holding firm to the stance that he will not trade the reigning m v P Mark. This comes a week after Rogers was on ESPN speaking with Kenny Maine and he's kind of vague about things. Didn't go out and echo what's been reported that he wants a trade,

but clearly got this unhappy. He skipped Otis for the first time and he's drinking booze with the guy from the Drum movie and everybody's having a good time. Um, What's where where are you at on the story and what do you think happens? Lest you go? Um, I you know, I think we're all a little tired of the story, but in terms of the freshness of it, where we're learning that the packers have no interest in trading and were good accounts does not have any interest.

I mean, I don't think they've ever shown any interest in doing that ever. I mean, there's just been nothing to that. I mean, it's almost like if you come to a point where these two um parties playing chicken, uh, move into an area where Aaron Rodgers are going to sit out the year and maybe even retire and then kind of reboot the whole machine and start his career over um. Maybe at that point you said we've got

to get value. I don't think they're there yet. And they're in the Packers like it or not hold enough leverage to not have to move or panic at this point. I mean there is there has to be panic inside the organization to some degree, but it really seems to boil down to good accounts. So is there maybe someone like a Mark Murphy or someone else saying, hey, can you figure this out before we move the greatest quarterback on the planet. Well, they're they're willing to give a quote.

It's off the right. You know, it's unnamed, and who knows who gave it, But whoever gave it is giving it with the understanding that that quote, as small as it was, will not trade, will make a headline. And I bet it gets approved from whoever it was. You know, you don't want to guess, but some someone high up inside the Packers And so they're putting that out there,

and why wouldn't they feel that way? And the the line that was most interesting to me in the article was yeah, but basically they don't really believe that that Rogers won't play, and and why I wouldn't either when you have James Jones and John Ken, I keep going back to his two of his best friends, saying publicly there's probably something they could do, and that Rogers literally asked to stay in Green Bay for years earlier this offseason. He just wants the contract that keeps him there, and

that's that's where it gets complicated. But they're there's no point in even entertaining this for a while, at least until like midway through training camp. Then maybe it gets a little more Yet we will entertain it on every show. Possibly well this was the June first date. But I think the way Dan pointed out the financials is instructive because you know, even if they if they trade him, oh yeah, okay, you can save some cap space this year. He's gonna be your most expensive player on your cap

when he's not on your roster. You really want to do that, like can Like this is so stupid, you just can't. I think the only way to do this is to wait it out and and call his bluff. Otherwise, you know, GOODU Cunts is in a really tough spot because, like I've said on the show, that there is some logic and just the idea of trading him at a max value and if he doesn't want to be there.

But at the same time, it's like, you don't want to be the guy that traded Aaron Rodgers as an m v P. It's like, if you can avoid this, you will. He's not gonna make that UM, He's not gonna get that half a million dollar workout boat is bonus because he's already missed too many UM offseason workouts. Rodgers. I guess the next thing to watch is the mandatory UH camp. But even that that's peanuts for him, it's not even a under grand So really it's like we

wait until training camp starts. And I'd also know this about the financials, like, well, for all this money that you lose for these practices, which I think is one of the most phony things out there, if this thing heals and they get back together, it's gonna lead to Aaron Rodgers signing an extension that kind of you know, it's like when you buy a house, which I've not done, but it's like you had all these little payments and death just throw it all into the mortgage, like it's

all gonna get swept away by the massive signing bonus. Like, oh, you're not you know, you lose fifty dollars for not showing up to an O t A. He could care less about that. That would cripple us for two or three years. He could not give a smaller um iota about that. I agree with all that things do, even for somebody it's a multi multi multi millionaire like Rogers.

Once you get to training camp, it becomes fifty dollars per day, and like, I don't care who you are, that that starts to add up, have you But the marks point it's negotiable. All you used to do is negotiate, you know, whatever deal that he takes coming back, and they'll say, we're not gonna you know, as part of that deal, we're not going to find you anything. No. I think what they should do is like hold hold them to the fines and still dare them to retire,

just go all in. At this point seems I just kind of their move at this point, if they weren't going to give him againny guaranteed money beyond this year, that it does seem like they're kind of still flipping the finger out. I want them to hold one of these, like Packers shareholders meetings right now with the sky on fire and just like everyone up there fielding questions from

twenty super irate shareholders. It's a good point the co COVID is saving Mark Murphy and Goudicuns from some like awful offseason event where they're like retiring some old packers number and just hundreds of Packers fans are like trying to light their entire facility on fire. Uh. Speaking of lingering melo dramas Julio Jones, we had Steve Wish who's is plugged in as they come and he even works with the Falcons and earns a salary compensation that he's

yet to reveal. Tous on the show. Um, he said, don't get overly crazy worked up about Julio Jones trade happening in the near future. It could be down the road, it could be training camp before Jones gets moved however, again post June one, so some money can get moved around. And there are tons of reports out there, the Seahawks, the forty Niners, the Rams that tightens all reports reported

to have interest in Julio Jones. Greg There's also a report right from ESPN this weekend that the Falcons have a first round pick um trade offer in hand? Uh? And if that's true, how could they not pull the trigger? Just move on at this point? Um, what are your thoughts? Do you think something happens sooner rather than later here? Yeah, it could. The fact that all these reports are from different outlets to me is meaningful, like everyone's got different

sources on this, but the type you know. Florio, my old boss said the Titans are the favorites and that they may not for okay. Uh. The report that they have the first round pick in hand was from Diane and Racina, who also said the Seahawks are very much into it. The fact that the forty Niners are into it from a totally separate different I like, I I believe all of them, and the first round pick report coming out so early makes me think it's way in the future. So I I did ask, you can you

can trade first round picks now? Like the Rams, for instance, are allowed to trade that pick now that but any team could and the Rams are in the mid and that made me think maybe you know, it could be the Rams first round pick who you know in three years, and that would explain why the Titans, I mean, why the Falcons wouldn't take that. They probably rather have even a set get next year over like a first and

three years. Do you think though, that if it's a first round pick, it comes with the stipulation that you eat some of this money, versus maybe with a second rounder you would accept the entire Julio Jones contract. I don't buy. I don't know about the eating money. I guess we'll see, Like, yeah, wants a new contract too. So didn't the Panthers just do that with Teddy Bridgewater? Yeah, yeah, No, It's not frequent, but it could. It could absolutely happen.

I I don't have any feel for that because it doesn't add up to me that he's gonna want more money. According to my old boss again Florio, that there he's gonna want some sort of adjustment so that but you're gonna pay. I don't know. It's just very confusing to me. Titans makes so much sense, to make the most sense. They we've circled them as a team that you wonder what's in store for them. Lost a couple of pieces on offense, lost the architect of their game plan, Arthur Jones.

Now you plug in Julio Jones, you're starting to feel a little bit that they're going to be able to to survive that and move on and conquer. They have three point two million and available cap space, and I know that that gets brushed aside. They would just have

to do a few things. I just would have to do, like don't get overly caught up in the cap stuff, because most of these teams do have a lot of backdoor methods to clear up the next Like the Bills cleared up eight million today by just giving Stefon Diggs bonus essentially and spreading his money out. I'm not sure, you know for what reason some people would think. Zach Ertz and I know we're going a crossroads later. I mean, Julio to me is a little bit of at a crossroads.

I don't want to talk anymore Julio in that segment. Who've talked about him enough, But I think he played so well last year people are sleeping on that he can still be a top five receiver. And if he goes and has a second act where he is a top five receiver for a few more years, that just puts him on a another, you know level, And he's already high up there like a lock Hall of Famer, but that could take him to another You just can't have him for ten games a year. I mean he

played well when he was on the field. Yeah, there are two parts of that. I think I was about to say what you just said, Mark, that he could play at a high level, but then missed five to six games every year, and then you know that's a little yeah, that's that's not good. Um. Last year, by the way, first time he missed more than two games since he had a lot of injuries where he placed through it. But he's in the injury No, he plays

through them because he's tough as nails. But it's like I feel like I've written Julio Jones and foot in the same or foot area in the same article roughly seventeen thousand times, and that was years ago. Another news Ben Roethlisberger. He is back for another year at the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he did it after taking a haircut. Little industry jargon for you, that's a pay cut. And guess what Ben said? It was me. I'm the one who said this is what we should do. Here's the quote.

It was my idea. I went to them and told them we needed to signed some guys. I knew we had a great defense and some great weapons. I wanted to help the team do whatever it could. That's an American Greg Rose at all. That is a man that's putting his team and his fellow man above himself. And when you look at Ben Roethlisberger and just the American flag flapping behind him as he ups out on the horizon,

that is a leader. Don't You can talk about your little Teddy Bridgewater all day, Greg, but when you want a leader of men, Ben boy, leader of men, please, I'll direct you back to like all these p f T articles I wrote in like two thousand seven that all his teammates were sick of him even back then. Um, even Brent's gotta you gotta let you know that it was my idea. You know, it wouldn't never be the you know it was my idea. It's just it's very

Ben Roethlisberger. Like you know, when you talk about like people talk about, Okay, well he's a he's a franchise. Let you know, you gotta you gotta treat Aaron Rodgers with a certain amount of respect in this in that like that is Ben Roethlisberger to the nth degree. I feel like the Steelers are always bending over backwards to make sure Ben's Ben knows how important he is, that

his ego is is nice and and inflated. I mean, in that article anti for Greg has Ben rab I mean, yeah, there's few guys who I love watching more and not a fan off the field more than Ben Rothson. None of us love some of the Ben Roethlisberger off the field stuff, probably as a teammate. That man is selfless as they come. And just read the quote, Greg, Just read the quote, Greg, I mean Mark Well, I mean,

I totally believe Ben Roethlisberger, let's start. But he also mentioned like I found this very also very ben esque quote because they were kind of pinning him about his deep passing last year and his quote, you know, I had total reconstruction on my elbow. That might have had something to do with it, but no excuses. By the way, he did not know that he had total reconstruction on his elbow. That was news as well. I was completely

total reconstruction. I mean he got elbow surgery. I don't know what total reconstruction and elbow surgery, um, but Ben Roethlisberger, he put it out there there. And then there's some reporters who you who are close to Ben who have been putting it out there too that it's like Ben sees what everyone's saying about him and he is fired up to you know, shove it in their face, which I I appreciate. I mean, I want him to have that angle. And if he did it like that would

be entertaining. I'm not anti Steelers in that way. Like if if Ben Roethlisberger becomes a heel and has a great season and like tortures Mark, I'm not saying I'm rooting for that, but it would make good podcast. Yeah. Yeah, that's the theater I hope to go to. You know, these things cyclical, and you know Ben's now Ben's elbow was never actually healthy last year. That's not what we were told last summer to his hip. We were told last week not actually healthy last year. No, ten times

better now now it's ten times better. But we were told it was healthy last year. Where are the injuries right now? They're healed that we're gonna learn next spring, healed, you know, staying because just because they were so significant.

But Burrow especially is in a tough spot. I feel like, oh, you could totally see a June first, two thousand twenty two, Burrow colon, I'm finally back to right my knee as fresh as a baby's knee, and like, um, but he but there is video of him even today moving around very well. So you know this we're in the right age to get these injuries to some degree with the medical advances, Gregg, the advances that the medical field is

miracles of modern it's nothing short of it. Um. You know, we haven't talked about this a lot on the show, if at all. We've talked about, for instance, how the thought that the Dallas defense could take a jump with a new coordinator Pittsburgh. You know they got rid of h Fichner. Is it Fightner, Randy Fankener Um. He was replaced by Matt Canada and Ralisberger also said in his availability,

you'll see nothing that you've seen in the past. So I don't know who is it gonna be a brand new offense certainly if you If I'm a Steelers fan, I'm saying good because I didn't need to see the offense that they put on the field the last month or so ever. Again, so if this is an actual reboot of the offense. That could be a good thing, but also that could come with some growing pains and it's an old man at quarterback, wasn't any people were asking the same question as like, are we suddenly going

to get Big Ben rolling out play action sets? I mean, how different can it be when your quarterback has become a stone age pony, as we say, mobile a quickly quarterbacks coach too, so he has a good relay and ship with with Roethlisberg. And there were these articles last year that's like Matt Canada is trying to integrate some new concepts into the offense, like end a rounds and it's just like okay, like he's getting creative and that

was that was like a thing behind the scenes. So I don't I don't know how much of it's going to be different yet. A voice last night, let's turn down the snark on the Steelers. I feel like it's turned out pretty high the whole podcast right now, it should be noted that at least Greg and myself believe the Steelers could have another nice year, and the mark seems to be more on the train that this is going up in flames. No, that's too well, well, I've

actually already even on the show, revised that that. Like, I feel like I had my January into February mark. But but the fact of the matter is, like, if the Steelers finished the game ahead of the Ravens or Browns or a game below, I wouldn't be surprised at all. I don't see them falling off a cliff the way that some do. I don't think any of us do, just because we've been doing this. They've never done that under Tomlin. Finally, in the news, Mac Jones he is

the future at quarterback for the New England Patriots. Uh. This came out last week, but we missed it. I feel like we should touch on it. Um. Patriots coaches they like what they see from mac Jones, but the players do too. Here's what Kendrick Bourne said, uh two reporters after Thursday's o t A practice. He has the swag to him that I didn't know that he had at first. You know, he's got there. He's out there confident and that's what you need in a quarterback and swag.

Why am I little? Yeah, I think it's I think it's like insert young player you know, probably a white quarterback. It's like, oh, this guy's got a little more swag

than we expected. Did it with Baker, do it with Joe Burrow and now Mac Jones Here, I'm just thinking of that Mac Jones photo when his shirtless holding the cigar, and like, you know what, maybe maybe there was some swag there if you look closer at the photo, that's a guy that could have swag uh buried within him when he's walking, when he's walking to the to the stage, was that swag was? Some people like that he walked with a purpose. Um, it was kind of an interesting Yeah,

I guess there was a little swag there. I mean sometimes it's sort of an effervescence that you can't feel until you're kind of up close to the person. A lot of people said that about Bill Clinton. Not I'm not saying everyone said of it, but like that you could feel him his presence when he walked in the room. I know, Greg, Greg's like Bill Clinton gone up to some bad things. I'm just saying in general, and well, you gave a look like you know, you remember water

white water is what I'm pointing to. But I mean, maybe you know, maybe Matt Jones in person brings it. I didn't feel that at his pro day, for instance,

watching that on a television in my living room. But well, I I wanted to put this news thing into the show too, because I read multiple articles, uh from Patriots beat writers that were like, I know we shouldn't overreact to one day in May, but my god, it's a quarterback competition right in that like mac Jones looked amazing, and like in Belichick put it out there, put him out there next to Camp for us to see because they're excited. I was, And to me, that's very surprising

from some veteran reporters. And maybe we're just board here and I don't put anything into these practices usually, but there was there was that vibe from the Patriots reporters. So it might be a preview of what's to come in August, whether it's worthy or not, of Patriots reporters hyping up Mac Jones should be playing sooner than of course, I'm not surprised that he throws as well as Cam Newton, like in terms of accuracy and stuff. With that's what

they're talking about Camp. There's a lot of those lawn darts. I guess I would be curious, like those same reporters, and they have a lot of the same guys there for several years. Were they saying it about Jared's did him? A couple of years ago Mike Reefs, who I totally trust, said that. He said that of mac Jones, he's probably for he's probably further along than any Patriots rookie quarterback

at this point than anyone who came before him. And he basically said that three the three people blew him away in their first Patriots practice and equaled mac Jones to them were Dion Branch, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss. And he put mac Jones is sort of initial debut in front of the reporters up there with that. So I Mike right, Mike res I was talking about. I didn't see that. And Mike Greece is the godfather. He's right, He's not He's not a blow viator. I mean, he's

very measured in his reporting. So that caught my eye. Um, is anybody gonna be mentioning Cam in the next segment. I think you certainly could, but any but avoid him certainly at the crossroads in his career. UM, Cam, maybe the quarterback with the most swag of the last ten years, you know, and now he's got this this guy rolling in saying his teammates telling him that the other guy's

got the swag. Little drama there. I don't know what happens to Cam if he gets if he doesn't get his job, if he loses the job in camp, and just where what's his where's his career after that? Um, so we'll see if he gets an opportunity to hold on to that job. That's what's happening in the news. Yes, that's what That's where like an ad break would come in, but we have not. I think it's the veteran savvy you've got that we've all got, you know, the pregnant pause.

We're comfortable in it. We can live in that little silence. We're not gonna just freak out. And people ask like, why don't you Every other successful podcast that I listened to their their ad breaks, And um, what Greg Mark and myself say is no, no ads in our show. We don't want the money. We'd rather just be a clean product for the listar no money, don't want it. Yeah, we don't get we don't get the ad money either.

So I appreciate everything's keeping us. Um, well, Greg, I'm trying to paint us in an affectional Yeah, well there's a parallel, I mean, And this is why I totally believe Big Ben he went to the big company, the big organ said I want less money, and I feel in many ways we've said at least we don't want more. We just keep us where we're at, Um, don't grow the show necessarily with your own sales, big company, keep us,

you know, just afloat and we'll be fine. We don't need anything more materialistically for the tow over eight or nine years. No nothing providing to me. Of like three or four years ago, I feel like we had a we need more money season. West was West was leading the bandwagon on that one, but it was a bit of a bit of a theme. Now, I actually want to say thanks to our listeners. Someone told us we're in the top two hundred of all podcasts, not the sports podcast in the UK, and I was like, oh,

that's that's pretty impressive. So I checked the US sports rankings just curious, and we were in the top twenty here in the off season of the sports podcast and there's no other football only uh non fantasy. There's like that the Fantasy Footballers, which is a fantasy one is in there. But other than that, like there's no other American football just football show in there. So I want to say thanks and that people should rate and review. We never asked for that every podcast I listen to

ask every podcast. We don't do that every podcast. And since we only do it once every twenty podcast, go do it in a huge number right now, Good call Greg, And yes we decline ad revenue. We say, don't put it in our checking account because we want a clean show. What you could do for us listeners is five stars, leave a review. That's what I have other ideas of what they could do also, but that we'll start there. All right, crossroads, I'll see you at the crossroads. I'll

see you at the cross roads. You won't be lone. The video was wild too. You had Uncle Charles, was Uncle Charles, and then he he death comes and taps him on the forehead and his eyeballs turned black and he just dies on his porch and I missed my uncle Charles. And then there's a big mountain at the end of the video and uh, just dead people walking up the mountain. It was. It wasn't dark. It was kind of a They were kind of a dark band

in general. Their topics. Um, we're pretty dark, right, And then at the very end is oh, who's going up there? It's a guy in the raider's hat. It's easy. He's going up on mountain. He had not troubling. He was heading Mark, he's heading to paradise. Bro Okay, well, I'm happy. That's good for him. I'll see what the crosses where you won't be lonely. He was going up, not down. Well, I'm starting to connect the dots. I mean, i've certainly i've seen the video. You know, maybe it wasn't playing.

You're taking trenchant notes on the whole thing, like I well, I'm gonna save them for the theology podcast because that that video really veers into that realm. Anyway, Crossroads, let's get it going. I'll start, and I don't want you to get sensitive to this Mark, but I'm because there's more nuanced to it. Baker Mayfield, let's go. I mean, I had a feeling this was coming. Baker Mayfield. Is that across Roads, but it's not because it's like Baker

Mayfield is he actually good. Maybe he's not actually good. Blah blah. No, that's not the angle I'm taking. Although, of course, if he really struggled this year, that would create an issue for him. The next month is going to tell us a lot the next couple of months. If he gets that contract extension this summer, he's off the Crossroads list obviously. Um if he doesn't get it, and the Browns, it should be noted, have several guys, big, big time players that are up for extension, some that

are entering contract years right now. Others like Baker and I believe is a Chub as well, Mark had their had their options picked up, or they have a two more years left. But I think Chubb and Ward definitely are on the resigned list. I think Denzel Award is the next guy up right. You also have Teller, the guard that went nuts. He's coming up anyway. So there's a lot of business to be done for the Browns

and they have the option to wait it out. If they do, it could really it could go one of two ways, and that's where the Crossroads comes in for Baker. If he has a monster year or he he builds off this year and has a similar or even better year and the Browns makeup playoff run again. Um, he's gonna end up when the contract comes. They're gonna sign him next year, and he's gonna get way more, you would think than he would have gotten signing the deal

this year. He might go from being just beneath the top quarterbacks pay day to the top one. Conversely, if he does have a down year, I'm not saying the Browns would move on from him because he's under contract next season anyway, but it changes a lot of things for him and it ramps up the pressure. So if indeed he does not get this contract, it really it puts him in a city suation where his financial future and his Brown future is really magnified, and a lot

will be riding on this season. Crossroads. Yeah, I mean, it's impossible to disagree with the fact that he's out a crossroads. Um, because you're wondering. I think still it's fair for certain people to say there have been um ebbs and flows to his rather short career, and like, you can't just totally wipe away twenty nineteen, although there would be logical reasons too. But you look at last year and you look at the fit. He threw one

interception in the regular season after Week seven. UM. In the NFL, there are two players that have had eleven thousand passing yards, seventy five passing touchdowns, and an eighty nine plus passer rating over the first three years. It is Baker Mayfield and Dan Marino. And look at you can you can you can shape those statistics anyway you want. UM. But like if you get the stretch version of Baker Mayfield and you know, you know we all I think, Greg,

we just watched like that Chiefs Browns replay again. UM, that version of Baker Mayfield is a winning quarterback in this system. UM. He's in the same offense for the first time in his career in an offseason. So I think, like the environment is good. If he can't respond to that environment, that's why you have a fifth year option to take more time. They don't need a rush and do this. UM. But there's no doubt that if he flopped, like you don't have time in the NFL, you look elsewhere.

So it's all about why I was saying, like, it's not necessarily is Baker good or not? And Rose numbers what you're saying backs up that he's been with the exception of that two thousand nineteen season, very good. It's more that it does create a situation. It's a high level of risk for the Browns, which I'm short they're smart organization. Now they're weighing all this right now is they try to figure out a game plan because there could become a dec esque situation, uh, the way the

Cowboys ended up getting burned in their contract. Um if Baker continues to progress, so they're rolling the dice. If they don't do the deal, it could work out for them too, if it turns out he doesn't have a big year and they don't have to pay him as much. But obviously that's not eight news for the organization either. It's it's a lot of interesting dynamics that play. And you do wonder if the Went and Goth extensions play into the thinking of the organization as well, because those

obviously did not work out for their teams. Yeah, I think this is where player, you know, empowerment for lack of a better word or noise of how much you want to make when it comes to your contract really makes a difference. Because if I'm the Browns and I don't want to give him the contract. Now, what's the what's the big positive? If Baker Mayfield is gonna be happy enough behind the scenes and in front of a microphone,

it's like, what's the upside of paying him now? It sounds like they're leaning towards doing it, and and uh, I I understand giving it to him. It removes him getting asked a lot of questions about it if they're struggling or if they're playing well. Either way, it will become like a bit of a focus during the season

and that's not ideal. But I if I was the Browns, I was like, I would live with that because you've got him under contract for two more years, and if he plays great, I don't think he's gonna get that much more next off season than he get now. He gets he's not signing that contract for less than whatever. It's gonna be a thirty two, thirty three plus million dollars a year. He's gonna get a real contract, even

if it's now. So if I'm the Browns, if he's fine roll into next year, I would be fine too. And he hasn't made at least any public um mass about it. Who's up next? Mark um, I would go with with Matthew Stafford. I mean, there's the obvious crossroads of you have been in one place for so long in Detroit, and there's always been an excuse for anything that happened to Matthew Stafford the Detroit Lions. It's like

no one can argue that. Um. Here's the thing I find a little bit interesting about the Matthew Stafford experience going to the Rams. I love the move by the Rams. I thought it was bold. It was, um, we're upgrading the most important position. Uh, Sean McVeigh really at this point also can just say, look at I have my guy. There isn't looking elsewhere, um or playing around this quarterback that saw Matthew Stafford, according to what we know about him.

Right So, Matthew Stafford I think has a ton of pressure on him right now though as well, because what you start to hear now is the Rams are essentially a Super Bowl team. This was the final piece. My question is Matthew Stafford has never really vibe to me as the final piece of the puzzle. I don't think that they traded for um Aaron Rodgers. They did not trade for Russell Wilson. They got a quarterback who is

extremely productive and solid. But what happens to Matthew Stafford And this isn't to say like he can't handle the pressure, but you could see things going a little bit tough for him and the Rams if he doesn't essentially takes him to the super Bowl. That's where the floor has been set based on expectations, based on a lot of other business player quotes like if they go you know, nine and eight, um and go into the wild Card and lose a wild card round game, that's a calamity

for what they gave up. I think. I think it simply is. I mean the floor is the Super Bowl in their own stadium next February. Anything else I think will be um Land. Based on local l A talk radio which I listened to in the afternoons here, and you do in terms of urgency, do you think if things went sideways this year that the Rams would move on?

I don't know. I don't know what the ramifications of that would be, because when I think about his situation, it feels like he moved to a much healthier situation, a great place for the back end of his career, and I feel like he's in a good place, a confident place, and a feeling that he has a fresh start here. I don't seem as a crossroads guys, because I just don't see him as somebody that's like win

or else right now. But do you see it as like a situation where his career could be totally upside down a year from now if things don't go the way I think. I think it's it's it's like, you know, with some of these guys, like their contracts stipulations make it tough to move on and things like that, and they gave up so they might have to, as in a self fulfilling prophecy, just hang with him. But if it were a total flop and these things have happened,

they all look great now. But then you get, you know, nine ten weeks into the season, and if it is a disaster and the Rams aren't working, Um, would they draft someone or make another move. I wouldn't think that's impossible and round pick, But I would say that the crossroads into a totally toxic situation. I don't think that's gonna happen. I just think that, like the problem for Matthew Stafford a little bit is it's like super Bowl or bust. That's gonna be really rough for thirty one

other teams. I have been surprised just at the narrative around the Rams that they are now a top five NFL because I look at them last year and I think they were very I knew exactly who they were as a team. They were like the tenth best team in the NFL. And so you take away two starters from the secondary um from that team, you expect some defensive regression because they were the best defense in the league.

And you add Stafford for golf, and to me, that kind of comes out in the wash, and they're probably to me, there's still about the tenth best team in the league, but that is not the public perception. And uh, that's gonna that puts a little more on on all of them this year. But he's signed through two and I just see them selling out to make the Stafford part of it work, not just for the next two years, the next five years really or else or else You're right,

market is a disaster. You could absolutely be right on this one. I would in this type of exercise, I would say, if this year didn't go well for Stafford and then he was their guy. Next year, that would be when I would put him in the crossroads, but quickly so. I mean it's sort of my move to not totally understand the exercise too. But like, um, I have actually three or five other people. My next one will be a floor the floor falls out and the man maybe doesn't even exist after this year. I can't

wait right after this ad break. No, we don't have those. You would think it's strange that we don't, but we just all right, I'm gonna throw out a duo. I don't know if that's not understanding the exercise, but their teammates and they play the same position, so they make sense together. It's Chandler Jones and J. J. Watt. I think they both are at a crossroads and they're entering it together. JJ. Yeah, right, that's true. They're gonna have their buddies, you know, you you get a little long

in the tooth, you go out to the desert. It's a move a lot of Americans do. Uh. These guys could have different careers if they can have a strong back night J J. Watt, we kind of think, Okay, he's at the end of his road. Same age as when Reggie White went to Green Bay. Can he have a second act around the same age of when Julius Peppers is still doing good things and in Chicago and before Peppers went to Green Bay? Uh? Can he have

a second act? J. J. Watt like a Kurt Warner even you know where he ends up being an integral part to a team that goes further. Then he starts getting back to that j A J. Watt that we thought he was the first few years of his career, which is an all time great and and he's got that in his own way for that five years. But a nice little backstretch would really help change. And Chandler Jones isn't J. J. Watt, But Chandler Jones has been one of the best pass rushers in the league since

he entered it. He's coming off a major injury, but what worries me about him is he's coming off the worst month of his career before that injury, which got a little swept under the rug because it's only a month, it's a small sample size. He's turning thirty one years old. Here's these two guys, which on paper might be the best edge rush you know, duo in the league or one of them. They could go one of two directions

and I wouldn't even say Chandler Jones. You could, you know, totally eliminate him from Hall of Fame consideration when you look at the resume. Someday maybe he's not quite there, but if he has a strong stretch and they're good with J. J. Watt, people think of Chandler Jones a little differently too. Teammates in the cross Roads, they're not lonely. It's it's money because I I was thinking of their head coach, Cliff Kingsbury for the Crossroads. Um the whole

organization feels like it is a little bit. I mean, Kyler is not going anywhere obviously, um so his his risk level entering the season is lower, but it feels like a really important season for the Cardinals. And some of these moves like a J Green Crossroads guy for sure, Yeah he's maybe to devastatingly lonely. Yeah, he's past He's past that cross I think it's just I just why

is this such a fascinating player to me? And we we've kind of gone through his career on this podcast for the most part, and there's never as we get further away from those first few years. I think people forget that there was never anyone like him, not not that I've ever seen. And um, I'm not saying he could get back to that level, but if he can like really lead the way and be great for them,

that would be amazing. You also, Chandler Jones. They could move on from him without any issues money wise after the season, right. I think they might have if if it was easier this year. But they want they wanted to see, They wanted to give him another chance. I mean, he's he's a beast when he's right. Um, I will move to the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins m hm. So this Kellen Mond situation, you know, let's not get

crazy about it. He's a third round pick, early in the third round pick, but he is the um the highest draft pick for the Vikings at quarterback since your boy Greg Teddy Bridgewater back in two thousand fourteen. Um, and he's now in the building. You add to that that it was out there that the Vikings were in on Justin Fields. They didn't get him. It didn't work out.

Things played out differently. The Bears in the division end up with Fields and the Vikings did something that apparently the Packers in it ahead of the draft is according to ESPN, they called Kirk Cousins and said, Hey, we might be dipping our toe back in the quarterback market in this draft class. We don't want you to be blindsided. Just f y. I why Kirk, And I'm just wondering

how that phone call goes. By the way, It's like, Okay, you're still paying me thirty million this year, Like yeah, yeah, yeah, Do I have thirty five million guaranteed next year? Yeah? Yeah? Okay? When they click and this news is going to completely enrage Aaron Rodgers that you're giving me more love than the Packards are giving him. Okay, So I don't know

what happens um with his contracts. So he signed through two thirty five million bass salary for two by the way, um, and there's a forty five million dollar cap hit connected to it again the June one state. Maybe that becomes more movable. But if he has another one of these years that's up and down and you start to hear more of that, Jeff justin Jefferson vibe. You remember the interview we talked about a couple of weeks ago, where

who was he popping up Joe Burrow? I believe how Joe Burrow had the swag and Kirk you know, doesn't necessarily have that, and uh, Kirk likes to get rid

of the ball and all that stuff. If the if the Vikings kind of stay um earthbound, and I kind of see Minnesota's maybe a team that's kind of just trapped in NFL purgatory a little bit in the NFC right now, um with Mond in the building, entering year two next year, with Cousins on the final year of his contract with the Vikings maybe having a top twelve pick. If things didn't go right next year, it's Kirk cousins

time with the Vikings near an end. If he doesn't deliver a season that makes them say no, he's the

guy we want in here for multiple more years. I think the crossroads here I would say this, he he kind of reminds me of like a Jimmy Garoppolo figure, where what you might have end up doing is you bring in either where either it's Mond or you go somewhere else like quarterback, and you can't you can't trade um, you can't trade Kirk Cousins with who kirk Cousins is with the amount of guaranteed money he has next year, unless some insane team is um party to that, and

Kyle Shanahan has a quarterback, so I don't know who the who the who would be courting him at the Vikings. Maybe you know, pay some money to trade him. But in general, like, he's not a trade candidate. Um In fact, he's a much more weighty financial situation. Why would he be a trade candidate because he's only has one more year on the deal and if you do make the

money work on both sides, he's very tradeable. You're you're asking a lot though that the team that the Vikings are gonna eat a ton of his salary to move him. I mean, it's possible, but what are you, like, what are you gonna get in return? I just I'm saying I don't think that there's a huge um line of

people waiting for kirk Cousins. By the way, but no, right if he If he is, if they're looking to trade him, it's because he also stunk up the joint next year, so it's another year of kirk Cousins losing his luster. So I think it's I think it's the problem is it's is there cross winds. Are their changes happening here crossroads? Yes, But they're stuck with him the same way you'd be stuck paying someone a ton of money over the next two years. It's not that different

than Stafford if Stafford were an absolute disaster. I think Stafford is a good comparison in terms of productivity because I don't think what we've seen from Kirk Cousins in his career, he's very steady, like him or not, uh, And he's a productive quarterback at least on paper. So I feel like the bad season for him would still be like, you know, close to four thousand yards, around thirty touchdowns, you know, passer rating around ninety five or something.

But the team's going nowhere and he's not a very popular figure inside the building and they feel like, man, we gotta shake this thing up. That's kind of how I see it going. I don't know if he has that at this stage of his career with the sporting cast and just justin Jefferson there and Dalvin Cook, I don't know if he craters, which makes it a little

bit more of a tougher decision for the Vikings. If they feel like they want to shake it, I would just say this, though his numbers were fine, Kirk Cousins uh here. I mean, like, I think there's something about the kirk Cousins of experience that we're all suspicious of. But like last year's collapse, they had a great run game two. They have one of the there the best rookie wide receiver in the league. Kirk Cousins did his

job for the most part. Their defense fell apart. I mean, you got Alvin Kamara running for five touchdowns against the moment was it Christmas Night? It's like this was not six which is not a mic Zimmer defense, and so I think, like it's just like always kind of blame the quarterback that said to go get Cullen mum Is. It's a first step in the direction of they're not

going to resign Kirk Cousins. They're gonna get out of this thing as soon as again, I mean, what would have happened if they had Fields, Greg, If they did get Fields, There's no way they were going to keep Fields on the bench for two years, so that it was already in their head. Yeah, they're looking to get out of this. It's a Lance scenario. Yeah, because but Cousins has broken some barriers. He did it with the

franchise tag. And he's fascinating to me because he does remind me of like an NBA contract where he's guaranteed thirty five million next year that I can't remember something quite like that where his full salary is guaranteed. So that's like, that's like a Kemba Walker contract and uh in the NBA where it's just like that guy is getting his money no matter who's paying them. And Cousins is such a funny character because this has been his story since year too. Everyone's always wanting him to be

something he's not. He's never that guy. He's sneaky like streaky, but he's also by the end of the year, ultimately you know what you're getting from the Kirk Cousins experience, and it like sort of drives everyone, including like his

own front office crazy. The difference between him and Stafford, though, Mark I would just say is is I think if Cousins imploded or the Vikings imploded, everything gets blown up and then he is at a crossroads and then you do you just like the new regime just finds a way to get rid of him, and and that's not gonna happen in l A. I think, no matter what, right, because the Rams regime will survive like eight nuclear blasts. Like they've given away all their draft picks since they

got there. What are they gonna they're also rather like unkillable, So there's it's a little bit different. But um this is he's so funny Cousins to try to figure out because like you were saying, Mark, like who would want him? Who would take on the money. In his last two seasons with the Vikings, he has ninety one touchdown or three seasons with the Vikings, all three seasons touchdowns, twenty nine, interceptions,

ninety one twenty nine. Last season, he completed almost sixty eight percent of his passes yards, thirty five touchdowns, picks, pass rating of one oh five, um QBR sixty three point two. You know, like these are big time numbers. I know they're not maybe super duperstar numbers, but like I would kill to have a quarterback that produced like this every year. And I think something with Cousins, I

don't know what it is. It's just something about him. Yeah, it's I think it's like in some moments he seems to short circuit. I think the BA I think Baker is Baker at worst, has got you're hoping is a is a rich Man's Cousins is a little bit better than Cousins without the short So I don't want to make it more money than Cousins. So well, you know too much intent. I think I think there's a lot of similarities there. He's also missed one game in the

last six years. That a talent trait. Who's up mark all right? I would like to dip into the coaching ranks, um, because I think there's someone who is at a genuine crossroads and his name is Greg Roman, the Ravens offensive coordinator, Because like, here's the deal. You could put it all on Lamar Jackson, um, but there's no like Lamar Jackson passes the eye tests in terms of being like an elite athlete that you would build a team around all the time. Can he become a little bit of better

of a better passer. Yes, we we see that. We know that, and they knew that when they drafted him. Greg Roman did an excellent job integrating his skills with an offense that zigged when the rest of the NFL zagged and Greg Roman's done that in various stuffs in San Francisco and Buffalo. But the Greg Roman experienced the problem little bit we all know is it gets a tad stale. And you know, last year UM a team

that is essentially streaking towards the playoffs. They had a few bumps, but the Ravens were clearly a playoff team. They've got their wide receiver, Hollywood brown Um going nuts over the issues on offense. You've got Lamar Jackson telling the rich eyes and show that defenders are calling out the plays pre snap. Greg Roman months later this offseason said we are going to expand the offense. We have to we have to change a little bit. We've got to become a little more versatile. You went and got

Sammy Watkins, You've got Rashad Bateman in the draft. You've got more help at wide receiver. Your tight ends are healthy again that it was an issue last year. There's no reason for the Ravens not to look a little bit different, not to respond a little bit differently to what's happened over the past two years under the Greg Roman offense. And if it doesn't, I think Greg Roman is in hot Water. I think that's a great choice, and they went from first in d v O A

on offense to eleventh a year ago. That's been the track record. It's on him to kind of prove what I think a lot of people in the NFL um think about him, and that I think it was a little bit echoed in Hollywood Brown, like does he have another move here? It could be he feels like a guy that like his career wouldn't be at a crossroads. I feel like he'd get another job somewhere based on his track record. But you know, as a coordinator in Baltimore,

I mean he's he's presided over some big offenses. He's a very unique what a unique history he has. I mean, you know he's worked for the two hard Bob brothers and then he had the good Tyrode season, the best Tyrode season Tyrode ever had. Um but he very much like like whatever he does starts wearing off after that first year, and like every spot at this point, you

have to consider it a significant trend. Also, everyone we're talking about is going to get another job, but it would be a significant crossroads to lose essentially your third role as a play caller. You may not be a play caller against for a while, right I I I don't know if he would get another coordinator job, at least not right away. And this is a guy who's

you know, has wanted to become a head coach. Alright, Greg, close us out, But actually before your point, you make that, you say that, Mark, and you're right, like most of these guys, all these guys, even if things didn't work out, they'll resurface somewhere else. Is there a Todd Gurley? Like Todd Gurley When we were like figuring the segment out on text yesterday, I cited him as an example of like that guy entering last season, big time crossroads years.

It didn't work out obviously in Atlanta. Now he's just trying to stay in the league. Is there like a prominent player, Maybe it's a J Green. Do you think Cam would be out of football this year, next year potentially? Well, here's why I think it's there's a reason for that. A. No one sees him as a starter. B. Cam Newton is not looking to be a career backup for five years like a Coultbacoy. We don't know that. I don't understand that if those two things were true, I don't

know what he want. His attitude in New England makes me think he might be more willing to do that than than we would have expected. But you're right, no one, no one really knows is trying out with the Lions. So it's like your girle hasn't walked away from football. It's just that you know, football is walking away from him, is what I'm saying. Like, is there someone that is

in that situation? Um, if things go really poorly on a prominent former superstar that's kind of on the ropes here of things, Big Ben certain basically off the top of my head. Anyway, UM, I'm gonna pass. You know, I had a couple more so I'll just throw Zeke. Zeke could be interesting, but I'm gonna I'm gonna go with someone else here just because he fits a different profile. And that's Derwin James, who went into his second season in the NFL as one of the favorites for Defensive

Player of the Year. Um was one of the only rookie defensive players I can ever remember who got some love for Defensive Player of the Year. He did win Rookie of the year that not only was he, you know, probably the best safety in the league, but he was just one of the best defensive players at any position. And the football heads that Jeremiah's the coast cells that everyone like speaking about him. I think in tones um that they reserved for all time greats. Really what they

kind of expect Derwin James career to look like. And he's been hurt two straight years, and uh, you just hope he comes back from those two injuries like the same player, uh, that he was before, and then he

starts building up his career. I'm not saying he has to be an All Pro like this year, but we might get an indication of is he going to continue on that that trajectory or is he just um gonna be unfortunately waylaid by these injuries and not the same guy like a Bob Sanders, by the way, a safety, a little smaller who won Defensive Player of the Year

early in his career. Honey Badger is a guy that comes to mind too, that broke into the league as a monster force and then injuries kind of waylaid him, and then you wondered if he would ever be the same guy. And maybe if He's not the same honey badgery was initially in Arizona. He's still a productive, uh starter. Yeah, I think that's that's a great one because I mean, in terms of crushing summer injuries, and the Chargers were

one of the focused teams of hard knocks. I mean, you just saw the the air go out of that entire organization when he hurt his knee in practice last August, because he was, you know, the lynch pin of everything, I mean in the back end of that defense. And and the fact that you had waited all year to get him back and to lose him again. It does concern me that this idea of a professional athlete, when they go away for this long with injuries, um, to assume they can get back to that spot. It's it's

a it's a big assumption. You hope he can, though he's very young obviously. Yeah, I mean there's a lot of mystery attached to that, and I think you know what's outsiders, you don't have any read on him because he kind of goes away. Um in terms of understanding his personality and him talking to the press. He just these guys are on rehab, vanished and they all come back talking about how arduous it was, how lonely that process is UM, and these guys thrive off of being

in the locker room around their teammates. I do think that the presidence of Brandon Staley as the coach UM is a huge arrow up. Had they gone and gotten Um an offensive kind of coach, who's gonna just basically you know you're gonna get a couple of different defensive coordinators. I think Staley, what if you just look at his isolated one year with the Rams and what he did for certain players on that team, asked John Johnson, John

Johnson went from good to great, right. I think the environment UM for him is is amazing, and I kind of just trust that the star athlete inside of him, I mean, it's sort of who he is, that's what his soul is, UM will respond. And contract wise, it's where the fifth year option kind of helps out both sides here because they picked that up and so you know, most normally he'd be in a contract year, which would

make it mess. But he's under contract for next year too, and UM, you did get me thinking was Zeke, but his he has twelve point four million, that's already guaranteed for if he was bad. Um, I don't know. At some point if he was bad this year, he's not guaranteed to be there again next year, one way or another. But also you can phase him into like a deep committee and like he has gone one year later. I mean that's that would be across roads to some degrees

on a star running back. And I thought Tony Pollard was better than him last year. I even like asked the research department to give me some like next gen cool stats of of like when the because his numbers per touch were a lot better, of like when Pollard was on the field and Zeke was on the field, because it seems so much better, and uh, they came back with no. Actually the Cowboys were way better with

Zeke on the field. So sometimes you go to the next gen stats, you go to the research, it doesn't give you the result you want. And you know, and you got an egg in your face. You got a face when you mentioned teammates playing the same position. I thought you were gonna go jail and Smith and Laton Vanderesh of the Cowboys with Michael Parsons there because their money situation would allow them to completely get away from Vanderesh after this season and Jalen Smith that's a little tougher,

but you'd have to pick one or the other. To stick with Michael Parsons. Your honesty there, your ability to be vulnerable and show the the trials and tribulations of being a football analyst for you just put it all out there for the audience just now. I just have so much respect for you. Truly vulnerable. Would have been very vulnerable if I actually like mentioned that in whatever article I was writing. But no, I just ignored that fact,

just ignored it. Didn't didn't support my theory. Yeah, we've all done it. By the way Zeke is he posted career loads in rushing yards nine yards per tempt four point oh. Man, if the Jets added running back that average four point oh, I'd be jumping in the streets. Uh. And he tied a career worth. I think this is what at him most on the radar with people. He had six fumbles last year. Also, there was like a six week straight stretch where he lost the fumble every game.

It wasn't just that he's putting on the ground, they were losing possession every time. It didn't look good. We are experiencing the Zeke is staying in shape off season, which happens every three off seasons. I think, uh that I've noticed in Dallas. So it seems like he's he's motivated, all right, So there you go. There are some players, some coaches across roads. We'll be back on Thursday, you know, projected starters. Greg. Are we going to touch on it

this week? We said we would last Thursday. I feel like we should mark that would be lying to the audience essentially to say we would and will not. We haven't worked out the particulars of how that segment and go, but that is something that's percolating. Maybe we'll have a

guest involved as well. I don't know. Yeah, I mean we are allowed to We are allowed to lie to the audience whenever we feel like it and in what in whatever form, But in this case it would feel wrong because it would also be you know, affecting Greg. I mean, we could just say that it's coming up next week and then just keep putting it off to like September. Yeah, kick that can all right, that's also

in play, just to be aware of that, alright. Also in play is your roblow NFL hat I just want to say for our audio listeners, of course, uh that Dan's were in the this black NFL hat, this entire show. It's very distracting. I know, you know, I actually was looking for my product, my product, the Redkin, before we started, and somehow every one of my my the spencers is missing, so multiple you don't even you don't roll with one.

I usually have them a different suggesting foul play. I mean, it doesn't sound like I am suggesting, yes, that someone was working against me here, like because we might be using a segment from today's podcast on our Friday NFL network show, and it's like, now I'm wearing a hat and net. That's not what I like to do on television. But who's working against you? Your wife, who's like, you're you guys are both making income, But why you're You're not? You're not too far away from where I am now,

and we actually saw each other. You were in my town on Friday. How do I know that you didn't work against me? I mean in theory that says, oh, we can't use one of these for the network segment. We have more work to do for the network show. Why on earth would I go in that direction. Let's let's come on shore Macome, so let's start hides my stuff all the time for no reason other than just to mess with me. So like I'll like find my air pods like in his trash. Can you know just who?

Don't let anyone in this room. No one's coming in here. Mark. That is the most like airtight alibi anyone's ever come up with. Why would I want to do more work? It's that simple. I'm ruled out as a suspect. Yeah, I buy it. All right, good stuff. We'll be back Thursday. Yes the network show Friday, right after Good Morning Football. To make sure you check that out at and as Greg alluded to, yes, maybe we should. Maybe we need to read some of these uh comments on the podcast,

so keep that in mind. Leave a five stars. We'll read some on Thursday's show at the end of the show. Be a part of the adventure here on the Round the NFL podcast. This is Dan Hansons signing up for a quiet storm the old Boss Ricky Hollywood behind the Virtual glass until Thursday. Keep the call. M