Superstar Club

pocket Fourth of July weekend as we're us. So when Mark wasn't here this week, there was some nerves about the idea that he's followed through on that. You know how he's talking about when I leave, I'm gone and I could pack up and be gone forever. Yeah. I haven't seen him in weeks, That's all I'm saying. And nobody's seen him in weeks. He let us know that he would be locked in through May. Once he's back exactly.

Maybe maybe he's back. We're here in Conference Room one fifty at NFL Media Headquarters as we continue our nomad journey with the studio podcast studio under construction. This is the I believe this is the conference room boys, where we came close to getting fired for under a previous management for something on the show, which we can't really

get into. But this was the room, right, I believe so. Yeah, I've had a lot of great memories in this room, a lot of meetings, I think at eight o'clock meetings. But I believe you're right. I think it was the sternest talking to I've had in my adult life. Yes, we can't get into details, but I will tell you this that, Um, this particular management figure had a transcript of a podcast episode typed out and dropped in front of us to go line my line. He had someone

on the desk type it up. Right. Sure, this is the room that um, Greg and Dan interviewed. Man, that's right. This is kind of a historic place. Yeah. And then we didn't hire you. It's like on the Register of Historic Monuments. I was already hired at that point. Everything ended up a late show after a colossal mistake. Yes, welcome to the Thursday edition to be around the NFL podcast. Uh, fun show coming up today? Yes, Well I'm assuming Mark, we'll be back maybe as soon as Monday, and then

we'll all be back together. Well, I'm actually gone next week. I had emailed everyone is done again. Is this the season where we were the commitment, we just kind of fall off and we never do a show. No. I think it's finally the season where we're getting smart, we're getting older, we see what other people are doing, and the season starts with training camp, which is this year. It's kind of the Monday, the twenty one is the unofficial So I'm I'm taking off. I'm going to Massachusetts

as much as possible. That's nice. Springfield, Uh No, Vineyard, well, Boston for half of it. The vineyard. When you go to the vineyard. What goes down? Uh, well, I'll be in Boston with my friend Dave for three or four days, Boston, going, going to a Red Zax game, see some friends. And then yeah, my parents and my brother live year round on the vineyard. Now they move. My parents moved there when I when I was twenty five or so. The question is when do you go full time? Never I

never living in Massachusetts again. Wow, I get that. I get that. Not for Dave Um coming up in today's show. It is the return of an annual summertime tradition. You know, there's a finite number of superstars in the NFL. Uh, and every year I try to update who are the true superstars in the league. Who will become a superstar, who will fall out of the superstar ranks. It's a zero sum game. The two thousand nineteen Superstar Club and uh. This is also going to be a piece on NFL

dot com. I'm working on it as we speak. Before the show. We'll finish it up, polish it off after the show, send it on the Ali bon Puri are features content editor. So I'm gonna use you, gentlemen, you geniuses and football to help me if I if I go to a drift, can I ask a question about your process here? Take Yeah, let's go. Let's go. Is there a factor of, say like Marquis Rain name recognition in addition to how well you've played on the field.

I think so. I think charisma and your ability put meat in the seats and uh and live at the top of the headline stack. Those type of things matter, I think when you're talking about superstars. But that's not all that matters, you know, It's not all about the name. The game is huge as well, at least with my superstar list. That answer your question, that was a great answer. That's about what I expected. Before we get to though, let's hit a little bit of news. Oh my father,

that man belongs in an institution. One of my favorite viral videos in a long time, Greg, I know you were in a flight back from Japan. You might have missed all of this, now I I caught it when I got back. Okay, Bagel Bros. In Long Island, just to see of people and mess shorts and then a tiny man having a conniption. Um over, don't call him tiny, Yeah, I don't, um five foot man. Uh, that just went nuts because he's I guess, upset that women have left at him his whole life, and that led to him

getting tackled in a bagel shop in Long Island. There are there are more videos have been released since, like in other situations like at a convenience store. Same guy. He called the police because the clerk in the convenience store asked him how tall he was. Wait, the same guy has a different videos bagel guy and that right, I mean he's got to look in the mirror. It's not your high, it's your creepy personality. I mean, I've been living pretty short my whole life. You've got to

make it up for it, I think. But it doesn't matter. No one, No one would like this guy if he was six ft one, Greg shade Tree, Imagine, imagine if he was six ft one, he would be one of the great dangers of society. Um. So he's a little man with a big chip on his shoulder. Check it out if you haven't already. Um, all right, let's get to the news. On what usually is a sleepy time in the NFL calendar. We had a bit of a

seismic earthquake. Anybody here for the earthquake? By the way, none of we all missed two earthquakes in l A last week, and um, we all missed it. But okay, I'm still gonna keep moving into the news. Melvin Gordon. Um, he wants to get paid by the Los Angeles Chargers and he's willing to get serious if the Chargers won't get serious him. Gordon informed the Bolts that unless he receives a new contract, he will demand a trade and

will not report to training camp. Uh. NFL Networks Tom Pellicero reported the Chargers veterans are due to report to camp on July. Uh. Demarrius Bilbo, that's a name one of the agents that reps. Gordon told NFL network insider Ian Rapp report that the running back is serious about holding out. Here's what Biblo said, Bilbo, He's very serious. He's worked his butt off in the fifth year option is a result of where he was drafted. It's what it is. But if we'd gotten a respectable offer, we

wouldn't be here. But he felt disrespected. He's very serious. Gordon is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract. He wants that security. Twenty six years old, Greg, I know you're groggy. Good. I slept well. Deep gums cleaning, deep, cleaning my The left side of my face is a little numb right now. But I'm gonna tell you drunk twy on the first news story and twenty six years old,

some injury history. We just saw what happened in the with the other l a football team with Todd gurley Son and a big deal with are the Charger is gonna seriously entertain giving out a multi year contract extension to a running back in today's climate. Well, they they sound like they gave an offer and I'm it wasn't enough for Melvin Gordon. And I if I were them, I wouldn't break the bank for him. I mean, I like having Melvin Gordon on that, and I love Melvin Gordon.

I've defended him on this podcast. I think he's a really good running back, but I like having them in that first five years where you're getting four yards from scrimmage instead of paying him a huge contract. This is one where I would call his bluff because he's made about ten million dollars in his first four seasons. That's pretty good, but he's set to make five more this year. Is he really gonna skip those huge paychecks? I don't think so. And if if he did miss a game

or two, they'd be okay. I think with Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, I would call his bluff. The running back market is sort of like how the quarterback market has been him. There's no middle class. You've got Girleleve Bell and David Johnson making around fifteen million a year, and then you've got like Devonte Freeman, Lashawn McCoy, and Jared McKinnon more in the eight million dollar year range. So I'm guessing Gordon once closer to the girly Bell range.

And I think the difference between him and Bell is Bell is on the franchise tag Gordon, if he sits out the entire year, his contract just rolls over the next year. Right. There's no there's no way he would skip those paychecks. And there's no way if I'm the Chargers that I would give him anything close to it. Todd Gurley, do you I really like Gordon, but I think running backs the smart way to do it. I think is actually, for a while everyone thought never draft

one in the first round. I don't know, drafted one in the middle, late first round, early second round. That's where you found a lot of good players recently. And that rookie contract is so cheap compared to what you have to pay in free agency. I've been a little surprised at the outrage for this on Twitter, that everybody is saying running backs need to get paid, he should

sit out the year, Like why would anybody? For the owners, you gotta pay this player, And to me, it's like you Michael Lewis said, football is a tightly strong economy. If you take away something, if you try to double team or triple team Aaron Donald, somebody else is gonna have a much easier game. The salary caps the same way. If you're paying too much for a running back, you're

not paying other positions. Two players to connected obviously his running backs lavy On Bell, he stayed in famously last year. I'm holding out. I'm sitting out this year to help my fellow running back, which you know, you could believe that if you want. I never quite did. The other player, as we mentioned, Girle, and it stinks. But Girle who actually did get paid immediately we find out of the

arthritic knee condition. That kind of sets back running backs again because there's this very high profile case of a superstar running back who gets paid and then his body breaks down or appears to be breaking down. I just I would be stunned of of the charter go any other route than just playing out his rookie contract and then to the tag if necessary. They know him better than anyone, and Gordon has been up and down in

his career. I don't think they look at Melvin Gordon as a consistent leader of their team necessarily someone that they have to keep in the building. And they have a ton of other free agents coming up next year. I mean both is gonna be coming up, rivers is coming up. A lot of their great defense is going to be coming up. So I think they have other people on the team that they're going to be prioritizing.

Natural selection is you know, it was ten years ago that slot corners and slot receivers weren't getting any money, and now they get paid more than running backs, and running backs are left it, you know, on the small side of that, just like fullbacks, things become extinct. It happens. It's the way of the wombs and dads. Have your kids like quarterback or wide receiver. I mean, that would be smart, right West, Let's move on. Tell me your thoughts on the tradition in Spain running of the bulls

Pampalona what. I'm curious what your thoughts are about it. It's delightful. It's a delightful tradition and good for Josh Norman can with Wesse could go either way. Car Bay DM baby. And you know, one of my favorite novels is The Sun Also Rises by Henyway. And it's interesting to me that Josh Norman is both older and more famous than Hemmingway was when he wrote The Sun Also Rise.

It's interesting Josh Norman, the Redskins cornerback, fulfilled a dream, he said, by taking part in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Pampalona. Yes, uh if there's a video that went viral before Twitter shut down, which everybody's freaking out about Twitter down for an hour Thursday at some point, but before that happened being passed all over the Information super Highway a video showing Norman leaping over a bull inside a bull ring during the event. So

it's inside a bull ring. It's not like in the streets, the cobble streets where people are getting gored, which five people got gored in the first day of this event this year. It happens every year. I'm the only thing I was thinking, is these a lot of these pro contracts I've worked in you can't even play pick up basketball. And Josh Norman, by the way, this is the most impressive I think I've seen him do athletically in like

three or four years now, jumping over the bull. If I am the Redskins, I'm Doug Williams is passing out. I mean, anybody involved with that front office is just gotta be very upset or maybe they're like, oh, maybe this will get us out of the contract. I don't know. I looked at the crowd and I'm pretty confident that Josh Norman is the only one who could jump over a bull. I mean he didn't just clear the ball, he cleared it with a with a foot despair. It

was very impressive. I will give him that. I had to face the bull straight on. He said it was fun. It was worth it. It was really worth it. Last time we talked about stuff like this, I think it was Rex Ryan during his late period Jets Run did the same thing. Also not gored, so happy ending. What if Frank Gore tries it? If Gore got gored, that would be wild, sad wild. Alright. Finally, in the news,

some serious news. Former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth suffering from kidney failure and h He logged onto social media Instagram to be specific, to announce that he has quote in dire need of a donor um. He wrote a message that my kidneys failed uh this past week on July seven. It's hard to believe from being a professional athlete to only eight seasons in retirement that my body has taken another major blow. He's referring to a

brain adneurism he suffered about five years ago. Now his kidneys have failed him and he is desperate for a transplant. Very sad story. Haynesworth, of course, came into the league University of Tennessee star, then was a All Pro for the Titans, one of the best defensive tackles in football. Then became something of a punch line as being a hideous long term signing by the Redskins. But he had

a lot of talent work. Ethic was an issue. But now he's dealing with something way more serious than anything ever on the football field. People don't like to be told that they have to part with their money, but if you are suffering and you are having major health problems, people will part with their money to help you out. That's what's happening in the news. All right, let's get

to it. Ricky. By the way, I want to say that the Shield moved to nine and two with another convincing win on Wednesday night, and Ricky Hollywood starting playing seven innings behind the plate, had two hits, hitting the ball hard all night. Really starting to come come into yourself a little bit hit a good double right to end the night. Modern day Rich Gedman, I see a little at noakes this former Red Sox, you know, World Series participant. I've probably made an All Star game or two. Okay,

I'll take it. It's not a great guy. You know what. You know what Babbit is batting average on balls in play Yeah, shows you kind of how lucky and unlucky you are. You were very unlucky when it came to Babbit last night because you were hitting up. Yeah. And tell you what, the coaching staffs watching that when you start to turn it on late in the regular sets. This is the coaching staff right here. When you turn

west late in the regular season, that's important. That's going to lead to the playoff p t. It's a very crowded depth chart on the plate, and I think this little missy might be uh getting some big plate appearances. It's the loan position on the roster that goes too deep and it actually goes about sixty. Yeah, but you gotta want those at bats in the playoff games after all the work you've put in. That's that's exciting time, and that's money time. It sounds like you're earning it.

I know it's easier to just put, you know, like a crappy girl behind the plate because then they don't have to catch. But I like covering home and I'm not worried if you're whipping it like I'm not worried about Yeah, I'm not worried to to step up to the plane and knock someone out. It's more of like the running for the pop flies that like hit her miss sometimes. Lakisha Westling almost came to blows with the

opposing catcher. I've never seen your wife more angry, and now that you're married to that woman, I would I would suggest you do not get on Lakisha's bad side. The catcher was out of line. The other teams catcher was way out of line, like a small town sheriff trying to control the game, was at the umpire to

his job. What was she getting on? Keisha was asking There was a little back and forth about some of the rules, and Keisha was asking me a question about ten feet away for clarification, and rabbit ears behind the plate was like and jumped down Lakisha's throat and then Lakeisha started screaming through the fence and then all of a sudden West turns around, he goes, this is a conversation between husband and what see, I always thought you

were a Southern guy. West. That's a very Southerner expression there in that situation. And that's the first of three and thirty times the West will say that in his life. Well, I got to back the next time, and she said something to me to catch your dow whoa, And I said, first of all, you are my wife, an apology and you were way out of line. She apologized after the game.

Good husband work, and I hope I'm not going out of bounds and saying that at the watering hole after the softball game, Lakisha made it clear that West would be properly reimbursed for being such a great husband. Yeah, she bought flowers. Um okay. Superstar Club twenty nineteen to tradition on the dot com and on this podcast, I I go through the league, I try to find players that have Now West can one more piece of news just to get Greg's opinion on a fantasy football situation. Yes,

I love I love you to jump in with that guy. Well, Andy Reid came out very strong in favor of Damian Williams. As his full time starter for the year at running back. He's taken the challenge, Reid said, he wants to do this. He's earned it to be the guy Greg in that offense, we're talking about a special talent, but he can play all three downs. He's good in the passing game. I think he's pretty talented. Do you do you you have to consider him in the first round, don't you know?

If I was gonna say, tell me where he's getting drafted, because I feel like everyone's just gonna dismiss for the fantasy extravagance. Smiths, Hey, when when Priest Tholmes was a late season sensation, people weren't drafting him and then first round the next year either because he was undrafted. That was a little different. That was a little different. Damian Williams. You you hear coaches talk about like guys that have kind of earned the next chance like this in June July.

Sometimes right now he's getting taken one overall. Yeah, and before that. But but I'll be a little worried that that's offense. Every running back looks good. He's talented, though he's not something for someone that's been bounced around. When you watch him. You're like, why did he bounce around? He makes people miss on his own, but he's never been that guy and have that kind of workload. Well, I remember, guys, you have a little bit of a

monte ball factor, Like he's never done it before. So if you're drafting this guy just based on the offense, you do have to worry about something like that. Is he talented enough to keep the job and keep all comers away from his spottle. I feel a little weird though, having this fantasy conversation here without Mark. This is where I throw it to the corner, of course, and he would have some takes and being great danger at the same time. Yes, the Fantasy Extravaganza, Yeah, the whole thing.

The wheel is spinning, it's a cycle. And uh, before you know what, we'll be doing our annual fantasy extravaganza. You know we should get on again this year. The big Fish, the big Fish, Evan Silva. He's moved on past Road a world. Talk about a guy who really built road a world, big big. He's moved on to the plaster on. He put in the stuff, spackled the place, painted it, he built the guesthouse. He's got his own Uh, he's got his own website now established the run dot com.

So we got like that, gotta get him on to hear what's going on. We'll check in with the big fish. All right, let's get to it. Damian Williams my first Superstar, so we'll get right into it. No, Damian Williams, not yet, but perhaps so. Anyway, what the Superstar Club is zero sum game. I'm going to bring a guy that's an established player. Very rarely will I put in someone with no background. Last year, I I got, I did pretty well.

I did. I did take Andrew Luck out of the UM Superstar Club with a caveat that I would regret it probably and I did. And I put Carson Wentz in and that did. So that didn't work out, But overall I had a good run last year. Let me just bring up my list room last year. Uh bear with me, alright. So, yes, I kind of botched that one. But I had Davante Adams in, Jordy Nelson out That was a winner, Michael Thomas in Des Bryant out. That

was a winner. Album Kamara in Lashawn McCoy out, that was a winner, Sae Kwon Barkley in Marshawn Lynch out. That was a winner. UM So, not bad last year. Not bad. I'm gonna I'm gonna take some bigger chances here, some controversial moves. Is Larry Fitzgerald still in the Superstar? He's out, he was out a couple of years ago. He was out a couple of years ago. Um And I was. I was actually when I was looking to

take out a wide receiver because that is tough to do. UM. I thought about Larry and it's like that sounds familiar. I think I dumped Larry before, so I would not do it again. A little start at the quarterback position, though, gentlemen, and you know that I'm a big Deshaun Watson fan. Um And I thought last year was a big step forward for him coming back from the A c L. I think he's gonna be even better. I hope Will Fuller gets gets all the way back from his uh A c L. Was what was in an A c

L for Fuller as well? I believe it was. Yeah, but with DeAndre Hopkins there and I'm I'm assuming the offensive line will be better. It could not be any worse. I thought that Watson was just stellar last year both running the football, throwing the football, and I think he's gonna get even better. You gotta cut down on the sacks. That's not all the offensive line's fault. He has to

be better there as well. But I think Watson in year three, still just twenty three years old, could be a guy that is someone that can carry an organization to a super Bowl. Not necessarily this team, but he ascends to that level. You guys, okay with Deshaun Watson ascending to the superstar club. I have no issues with that, and I think it's past past time to keep doubting Deshaun Watson. I think he's proven to be quite exceptional. Really,

I'm surprised that he's not a bigger star now. Maybe that's from being in Houston, maybe just the injury, the way the rookie season happened, and then the influx last year of a great rookie class which got so much attention. But I think those extra snaps that Watson's had, that he's already come back from an injury like that gives him an edge over those guys. So I like that. I I think he he has a better chance than than the class of two thousand, uh and eighteen rookies

to do it, and I'm surprised they're not. I'm looking now, they're not really in prime time that much. I guess they get that first Monday Night, but that's kind of a strange one. Against the Saints. I feel like they play like fourteen times on Thursday Night football every year. Yeah, they've got they've got a Thursday Night or against the Colts. They've got one Sunday Night, which could be moved, but that's week thirteen, so I guess that's three. That's that's

medium respect. But I think Watson, at some point in his career, because he's so electric, is going to be the type of player you put in prime time five times. I want to know who you're taking out. That's where it gets tough, because they never get old anymore. UM. I really wanted to put Baker in as well that um, but I cannot. I could not justify taking out a second quarterback. So it's hard enough to take out one. So it became am I putting in Baker or Deshaun.

I chose to Sean Baker could make me look bad. We'll see. Now I have to take somebody out all right here, here are my options. Okay, Am I gonna take out Carson Wentz? No, I'm not. I can take out Drew Brees. No. I can't do that, Big Ben, No, I can't do that. Russell Wilson can't do that. Is this about your fantasy football grudge? No? No, okay, I there's one guy I can take out, and it's not You're gonna think it's me being personal, But I'm gonna take Tom Brady out of the superstar club. No. I

mean it makes sense. He just won a Super Bowl with one of the great playoff runs in the a f C of his life, scoring what was that forty points against the Chargers and then thirty eight against the Chiefs. Basically needed a touchdown to go to the Super Bowl and gets it to play the Chargers. Did they Yeah, they dropped like forty on him. That supposedly great defense. Well that's what no Gronk anymore, and statistically that that

offense is so much worse without him. All they're a big dip touchdowns, yards, completion percentage, yards per attempt and he's gone forever at least until November December. Even with Gronk last year, statistically Brady was right in the middle of the pack amongst starting quarterbacks. So this is not one of the old users shots of Tom Brady. I need to make a cut. And if you guys can make a case or someone else, I thought you might have gone Philip Rivers. Is he in the superstar club?

I don't have him in the superstar club personally, Cam Newton I thought about, but last year I got burned by taking a superstar ocs of a bump shoulder with Luck. I'm leaving Cam where he is, so I took out Tom. I still think Brady is a guy, could be a star if you want a super Bowl again. But I just think it's a new generational quarterback. But if he wins a super Bowl, then you're wrong. I don't. I know. It's like, oh, winds don't matter and all that, and I and I get that. Don't have to be a

star quarterback to win a super Bowl. We've seen that before. Joe Flacco is not a superstar. Eli Manning is not a superstar. But if Tom Brady is not a super Tom Brady, if if Tom, But if Tom Brady won a super Bowl by dint of being Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback who has ever lived. And you know it, had two of his best seasons of his career in the last three years. You know he was good. Last year he wasn't great. I agree last year, I don't.

I think he was like on the edge of a top ten quarterback in the regular season, had two of his two of his best. I think that's scotten almost forgotten because because the Super Bowl was so ugly and the regular season wasn't great, that he lit the Chargers up like they were little just coming off of that raven But that's what the Charges do in January that

it doesn't matter. You get credit for it. You get credit for scoring forty points in the divisional round, and you get credit for having a sensational game in the a f C Championship when they needed him to score. Believe, let me ask you this question. It's as simple as can be. Tom Brady in two thousand nineteen, do you think he'll perform at a superstar level for a quarterback? It's the superstar word is what's confusing of all top

seven or eight quarterback. Yes, I think he can. I think he's right on the line, bro, And I'm just gonna put him on the line, all right, So that's the quarterback and again, but it's like he's bringing all those other intangules of being a superstar too to a supermodel. He is. He is the superstar that the NFL has it now, but it's got to end it sometime. This is aashta gradual decline. This is the year. This is when it happens. I feel up my bone. We said

that last I started graduating declining last year. I'll buy that. Okay, let's move out of the quarterback and Baker Mayfield Mark, I know you're listening. I would love to put him in. I just couldn't take someone else out, all right. I just couldn't do it, all right, I mean I put if if it comes down to it. I I love Cam New and I'd take Cam out for Baker just because I like Bakers. Baker's definitely got the sizzle factor. He's got the sizzle that matters. That matters. We'll say, though,

you know it's only broky year. Yeah, better better team around him. All right? Here we go running back position. You know, Greg, it's still sticks in my crawl the way you slandered Christian McCaffrey. Um, you about a month ago on our podcast were called him a homeless man's Alvin Kamara. I believe was something along those lines you did. You had some critical things to say, comparing Christian McCaffrey to Alvin Camaro. Who's your boy in two lane and

the Saints. I get all that walks home from the game from the super dumb probably walks past the bars. I used to go, I get all that, Greg. If you asked I think thirty to general managers who they'd rather have, they'd all say Camara, including the Panthers. Now, let me say this, in two thousand eighteen, I put Albuqaire in the Superstar Club. So I'm not right, Yeah, you're right. I'm just saying Christian McCaffrey, it's his time now to head in that Superstar club. Did you know

that he was um? He was rested in Week seventeen. He played in ent of Caroline a Snaps last season, which just for that it doesn't happen leading into Week seventeen. Remember when we were asking if he could run between the tackles. I mean this guy he was the first of the team and targets rushing attempts up to two nineteen, he had a hundred and seven catches almost nine hundred yards. He's got. He's definitely a threat to join that Roger Craig one thousand, one thousand club. His yard for carry

went up from three seven to five last year. He's twenty three years old. He is the guy you want to talk about. Guys to invest in a long term contract at running back. No injury history the way Melvin Gordon with the knees or anything. This guy is locked and loaded. A superstar. I'm putting him in the club. Anybody got an issue? No, And even though I don't remember what, I was just comparing him to Kamara. I I like this. I mean he's got, he's already got

the numbers. And now that he once you do it twice, you know he's a good looking young man. He's now dating Danny Danny Amendolah's uh is that confirmed? Now? Ex girlfriend? I don't know. That's what Rick and Danny tweeted yesterday, like I told you so, so he's kind like told him what Remember his like outburst, he was like hearing all these rumors and then TMZ posted two days yesterday Olivia and Christian McCaffrey kissing and holding hands. It's not a good it's just not a good way to be Danny.

You're making yourself. But it makes sense too, because McCaffrey is kind of the next you know, he's the new boy band. Remember, it's like a Mendola tried to be. It's like Amundola, how about you gain more than seven hundred yards in a regular season once in your career to be that big of a superstar. McCaffrey on their head, their hand, he's got he's got numbers up as you

know what McCaffrey's nickname isn't playoffs. I don't know. I'm just saying he's got enough yards for three Danny Amandola seasons. That's fair. He's more than enough man, you know, a better man perhaps in a lot of ways. Ricky, I don't know what these with these social media outbursts and all this kind of stuff. It's it's really kind of taking a toll interesting really, it's it's just it's a bad look and um and yeah, on the bottom of our rundown there's a picture of me in my babe

tumbling down the rankings. No, that looks Yeah. Personality wise, it's sort of like it's a little needy much I'd love I don't know if it's um. You've even lost his nickname. They're calling him Phillip playoffs dore set Now that's a well. In our group chat yesterday with me Eddie Spaghetti, m A VP and Sully, we are arguing yesterday and I apparently the only one that thinks Danny is better looking than Christian McAffrey. Emma said that she would take me down that I'm so wrong that Christian

McAffrey is way hotter, which is just so wrong. I think it looks like he got his face smashed on the door. Christian McAffrey out of bounce back, cut that mic for five minutes. All right, Um, okay, so Kaffrey and this is tough as well. Now here's the thing. A lot of people are gonna be, you know, good crazy and say take Todd Gurley out. I'm not gonna do it. It's just two on the nose and two offseason um headline E just you guy. So I'm gonna keep him there out of respect because I think he's

that great a player. I just thinking David Johnson, it's you know, he's only truly had one great year, and I really do like David Johnson, and I do like the idea of him getting back on track with Cliff Kingsbury and all that stuff. So I'm gonna leave David in there. So I kind of took an easy way out, and I took out a former rushing champion who is disgraced for some issues off the field and now was with a fresh start with the Cleveland Browns. Kaream Hunt.

Was he ever in this super state? I don't know. He's a rushing champion and an electric playmaker. You already took Shady McCoy. Shady was out last year. Now, if you're telling me I can't do that, if that's too easy, it's easy. I just think Hunt was what a third round pick who had, you know, kind of burst on the scene and definitely was had a great year. But I don't know if he ever was had that superstar

factor because he wasn't around long enough. All right, you think it's too easy, it feels a little convenient, all right, Then I will take David Johnson out and have him in What are my other options? You know, girlies two on the nose, but sometimes on the nose is the right choice. You would take girl out before David Johnson at the State absolutely, because I don't think he's gonna get the I think the I think he's gonna get fewer touches and superstars get touches. The Cardinals offense has

to prove it to me. Yeah, I mean it was least year was a total disaster. Right, let's move on. Uh, you guys, maybe think when I'm sitting down at Starbucks after this show and I'm cranking out copy, I got something to think about wide receiver. Alright, more controversy. Alright, first this one I feel good about. You did a great job with this. Last year. You put in who Michael Thomas, Michael Thomas, I put in um and the top three guy, Jordian Dez. I mean that is a

beautiful out of the league. Nice nice work. Alright, So I got a lot of pressure on this. It's not gonna be that easy this year. It's gonna be tougher. Juju Smith Schuster is going into the Superstar club. I don't need to give you a lot of background here. You get it over. Adam Feeling. I think if you're if you're looking for sizzle, Jujus. Juju feels like the right answer. I was trying to think of my own ones, and Juju was my number one feeling. Is a tremendous player.

He's slowed down in the second half flash year with injuries. I just think Juju's ceiling is a little bit higher something. He's just twenty two years old. Well, he's also going to get fed targets like crazy this year. I think the intangibles matter a little bit, and Juju's got those got to He's got some charisma that I really like. I like Smith Shoes. He's got some cash as a personality, and that's what it also has a lot of like

cas who's Tom Brady. Let's go um. Now we could put into wider subers by the way too, so we can theeland. We could discuss that. But I like Smith Schuster. You can't get targeted much more than he was last year. But I think you're gonna see his red zone usage go way up and become basically put up something close to Antonio brown numbers this year. That's what I expect that from Smith Schuster, and that to me is a superstar. Now I gotta take somebody out this one. Really hurts

because I love him. We just talked about him on on our last show West A J. Green, I'm gonna take out of the Superstar club and I'll tell you why. It's been a while now. Uh, injuries have really started to take their toll on Green. He's entering his age thirty one season, um, but he's been missing games. He's list missed at least three games three of the past five seasons. He had toe issues. He had surgery uh

this offseason. And he's you know, let's face it, his quarterback is the ultimate, you know, middle of the road passer. He is the Dalton scale. Uh, the Dalton New offense. Maybe under a new staff and a fresh start, that offense clicks. But I guess I gotta see a J. Green be a J. Green again for sixteen games. Uh. And I'm willing to say that Juju Smith Schuster is a better bet going forward than a J. Green in nineteen. I was shocked at first, but after looking at his

numbers in the the last three years, this is fair. He doesn't even have an eleven hundred yards season in any of the last three year. Kids he missed, he missed a lot of time. Is his last full season, and Dalton was healthy that whole season two and he didn't crack eleven hundred yards, which is which is pretty shocking. Uh. The injuries is one reason I thought he might have been available this year before the draft. But I think the Bengals were smart to keep. They have a hard

enough time last superstars. And I still think he is a superstar and should be fine. I get it. But his last true bonkers superstar year, you could say, two thousand, fifteen nine fifteen yards or touchdowns, two thousand, fourteen eleven tds, is that guy gone? I think it's possible. It's fair to point out that the two best seasons of his career we're second and third seasons, and and we're now

getting pretty far away from that. That is fair. He's entering his ninth season's come back to haunt, though with a new coach. I get that, and that's part of the game. With a superstar club, it's gotta be risky, all right. A couple more sneaky thirty one. Uh, alright, So this one I'm gonna need your help with because George Kittle's got to go into the superstar club for me as a tight end Uh, you know, I didn't realize this. His thirteen hundred and seventy seven yards last year.

That's an all time record. No tight end, not Jimmy Graham, not Grog, not Um Shannon Sharp, no one's ever he did. It was second and third hamming egg curtain jerkers. He had almost average ten yards per catch. He was targeted the hundred and third six times, eighty eight catches a beast. We met him, we interviewed him. He said it on the show in January. He's basically a professional wrestler. He's got charisma. He's got charisma for days. It's oozing out

of him. Gross twenty five years old. This is uh, this is the time for George Kittle. And if Jimmy g is Jimmy g that we think he can be, Kittle's gonna be a household name. Potentially, somebody's gotta go. Now. I wanted to throw Jimmy Graham, but guess what I went. I went through the archives. I threw out Jimmy Graham in two thousand fifteen, and I nailed that. So you gotta pick somebody else. And Ntes Gronk right, that's I guess a cop out I can, but that's cheating because

what am I gonna because? But I also think Gronks playing this year? Who? Who? Who did you come up with before this? Before? It's tough? I mean I had Graham and then I did some research and I was like, oh, I can't kick him out twice? Help you also bet against them sandwich wise before last season? Even Yeah, I on the end of the Jimmy Graham ea, uh, greg Olsen, But was Greg Olson ever a superstar? I might have to take Gronk out just because I don't have a

real option otherwise. But Grons playing this year, But I mean, you can't take Kelsey out. I don't know if Zach Hurtz is on that list, but you can't take him out. And that's it. Who else would we even be in her O? J. Howard would be a candidate, and maybe Evan Ingram next year to jump up potentially, or Hunter Henry I was thinking about um. I thought Howard played like a Pro Bowl or last year until he went down with that. But taking out it was just not enough.

I mean, Antonio Gates has been out, He's not even in the lead. David the Jocos says he wants twenty touchdowns this year, but I'd have to see that first. I mean, can you catch We'll find that out. Yeah, So I'll just take out Gronk just for housekeeping purposes here. With Jordan reed Ever in there, you could kick him out. He tore his hamstring listening to this podcast. Uh, Tyler Eiffort. Uh. Defense not as fun, but I do have Uh. I'm gonna put Myles Garrett in there. That could be like

one of the NFL NFL slogans. Defense not as fun. We're into offense, so edge rushers that position group. Myles Garrett looks like every bit of superstar the Browns thought they were getting. And now with more help along the defensive line of Sheldon Richardson Olivier Vernon, this could be the year that Garrett, you know, eighteen sacks something like that and total game record both sides of the ball.

He's been great and he and he gets like the PFF love and you watch him and he's definitely a great player, but I he hasn't been I think there's another level he can go to your point where he can have a Von Miller in his prime type of season. We've been waiting it's what your David Clowney never has quite done right hit that next tier. I think Garrett perhaps is the guy now that you think could do it. You gotta take somebody out. I'll take a guy that

just changed teams. He went to West's favorite team, Justin Houston. One of the great pass rushers of the last decade, getting a little up there. Maybe won't be on the field quite as much, still gets about ten sacks of season, but after a nice run in the Superstar Club Justin Houston will step into a lesser spotlight. I was wondering if you were gonna fudge in Dominican Sue's position a little bit and use him as the guys. I thought about maybe taking Clowney out if if he's if you

ever got there, wasn't last year one of his best seasons. Yeah, but I he's someone where he again he's he's gonna skip training camp. It sounds like, and is he a guy that you trust to be healthy and go that next long I think we know who he is, which is a really really good UH player, really strong against the run, not like the most dynamic pass rusher, not not the level of like the Hall of fame type players.

I mean, that's such a high level to compare him too, But I don't know if he's at that A little bit of a victim of the hype. I don't remember a defensive player that came in with as much he was the next LT and you know the highlights of the ripping the ball, destroying that running back in the backfield. He was supposed to be a man amongst boys, and he's been great, But I don't think he's hit that superstar. Leut been a really good number one overall pick, I think,

better than an average November one overall pick. But I'd kind of be surprised if he was trying to get paid right now. I kind of would be surprised if he stays with the Texans. I feel like he's gonna get paid somewhere else. Interesting that you know, is he the new Mario Williams? So what's happening here? Different? Alright? One more position. I give Clowney a little more, a little There are people who thought Clowney was an All Pro last year. Yeah, I think he's been borderline. He's

been a Pro Bowl borderline Pro Bowl type. I wouldn't go quite outpro the last two years just be he played. He's one of the few defensive ends who can play just about anywhere on the line, can drop into linebacker. He can do anything. Um. Finally, Jamal Adams, I know it was coming and I had my boy, Jamal Adams. And when he gets the Brian Baldinger Baldy Seal of approval if you watch one of Baldi's videos, that he is a special talent of potentially transcendent type safety. Best

Jets defender since Pete rivas Um. I think this in year three again, You're three is the big one. You're three is if you are a superstar type player. That's when you are a bang your smack in the middle of your prime. There's no more ramp up. You show a lot of signs as a rookie, you progress as a second year player, and then bang, this is the year where you're a game changer. I think Adams could be that guy. I gotta take somebody out. Um. I

know there are different types of safeties. I was gonna throw out a guy that got overpaid by an a f C superpower, great player, re established his value, but it's had injury issues. Is honey Badger still still superstar. It's a good question. I don't think he's played at like a superstar. He hasn't played at a superstar level since his second torn a c O. Is it cruel to take him out of the superstar club because he

just got paid like a superstar? So the chief well, and and he's another year removed from that a c L. That's when he had his best season once he was two years removed from the last one. For what it's worth, and they're they're counting on him. I don't know who your other options would be. The only concern with Jamal Adams is he didn't take a step forward. I don't think in his second year. I don't know if it was a better season p FF. For what it's worth,

Adam grade grade and lower. He was their highest graded safety. Maybe I'm thinking like mid midway through the season. The bigger concern I'd have a it's it's a new defense and and we'll see. What Greg Williams says is that the cornerbacks are so bad and sometimes like that affects you as a safety. If you're if you're making up for if you're having to change your responsibilities. Is he

going to get to make as many splash plays. If they have one of the worst cornerback groups in the league, that would be a small concern that the defense as a whole, it's a major. It's the biggest concern on the Jets is their cornerback. So that's fair for it's worth. He was ranked ranked number four behind Eddie Jackson, Earl Thomas who barely played, Tracy Walker, who barely played. So to me, the top of safety is the league lash. This one's a no brainer. He's got the leadership, He's

an alpha dog. He is, you know, in his third year in the league, like he is the face of the franchise, and he he has that Marquis value and he's he's a good player. But I think if you're talking honey Badger, he has no business being in there over Derwin James, Kevin Byard, Eddie Jackson, Zaric Weddell superstar safety, No, he's not. When you get released, yeah, I was thinking of the first half of the season, Adams was a

little quiet. But I think one of the reasons why he makes sense in the superstar club is he wants to be a superstar like he and he does it well. And he doesn't do it in a way that's off footing and anyway, it's great. We need personalities and he he wants that attention and he backs it up. What happened with the mascot, the Patriots mascot that he speared? Was there talk of a lawsuit it or something? Wasn't there at the time? Was there any follow up on that? Yeah?

He since passed away. Hey, everybody gets the number called eventually. All right, thoughts and prayers? All right, that's what I got for the Superstar Club? Anybody else? Anybody else come to mind? Um, yes, this is a position you normally wouldn't go to. But talk about a name brand offensive lineman. Okay, this would be good for my content for the copy. I might just steal this from you, go ahead. Was Quentin Nelson put him in the Superstar Club? There you go?

Super a guard? I like that, all right? Plus, like if when you're talking football, if you're at all you know, insecure about like do they really trust me as a football head? You just started talking about interior offensive lineman. The road makes you sound smart? Great is always a good one, Alright, So I gotta take a fading road greater out. You got a guard to throw up offensive? Can we just say any offensive lineman? Now I need that credit, so you gotta give me somebody. Zach Mark No,

Zach Mars. What about Marshall Yonda. Yeah, Yonda like this. Marshall Yonda is a superstar. I mean even within his he's a borderline hall of fame. He's been paid like one and has the all pros of us about this um. He hasn't had a slip last year as dominant. He's been dealing with injuries. They would tell you they struggled in that Chargers game in the in the including Marcia Yonda. I was just watching that for a little of Mark Jackson spent last twelve hours cutting in the offensive line

deep dive. I was wondering where this is coming from. Yeah, so because he had never heard of Quentin Nelson until That's right. The one that really have is Zack Martin as the guy that would exit the club that one. Yeah, I'm I'm really really well versed. I can sign you the link if you need it for you, and I

could maybe embed it in the content. No, I don't do that, Okay, just like put someone that's been retired for six like Jerry Evans and see if anyone notices what about a line but Greg, can you throw out a linebacker from me? So a linebacker Layton Vanderesh and Jalen Smith. Oh, I gotta take out two linebackers somebody from this. Is there a linebacker tandem on another team

that I can move out? I mean, I wouldn't take Bobby Wagner out to that Ruins that you can take Thomas Davis out, but you can't take Luke kick le up right, I can't do it. That's a tough one, all right, and I'll get back to you off. Let's offline this conversation. Close up the kimono, wes um. All right, maybe just make it pick one of those two guys, Vanders or Smith. Who would you pack between those two? You know what, At the end of the year, I thought Jalen Smith was playing every bit as good as

as Vanderesh. And when we interviewed him at the Super Bowl, talk about a guy who's using Christ's good point, he was. He was one of the most impressive athletes I've ever seen. No j Yeah, he was. He was so cool. He seems like a leader and a fun guy. Van rest Off was a rookie and was sensational, but maybe a little bit more of a Garrett guy. And who would we knock out a Garrett guy? Cannot slander anyone any worse. Mm hmm. Just Terrell Suggs Counts. I'm always down to,

you know, get that guy. Drag him a little bit. Drag him. I think he Shounts if he was still there. TI. Okay, they're they're boarding up balls Hard University. Um, that's it for today's show. So we got here's the schedule. UM back on Monday, right, Ricky, Greg, we could do some making the leap. No, I'm gone, remember, I mean you could do that in August anytime. We'll do some making the leap when Greg gets back from Massachusetts. But Mark might be back. Well, he said he was. He texted us,

he let us, he let us on. No. I feel like I've only heard it from Mark like one time in the last month. He's here, He's in Los Angeles. We're told this is off the grid. This is the longest Mark and I have gone without really communicating since I've moved to LTT. He is off the grid. There's more to the story here, Greg, You've been I've been done well, Mark. Yeah, we don't communicate that much anyway, so it doesn't seem like that big of a change.

He's watching like three movies per nine. You're right, though, Our group text is a lot quieter. Where are the updates? Where the text, where the tweets the instagram about the movies, the double features? He's um, I think he's gone. I think he's history. Dad. Try to build some tension before our season seven, you know, premier or whatever you want to call it. Will Mark be back? Man Took, will be replaced by? Would you be stunned? Would you be stunned?

I know your answer, Greg, obviously diffuser of tension and funs. Would you be stunned if Mark's not here on Monday? I thought you were gonna say if he doesn't show up again, I would not be stunned if he's not here on Monday. I yeah, I don't think he's coming. Wow, how long do we wait before we begin the search for a fourth new fourth? You gotta give him till the season starts. We give him till a week one? Out of respect? Yeah, I think anybody else we'd be looking.

Wednesday started training. But Mark's you know, part of the fabric of the show. Out of respect, we wait until early September, I think Thursday before the season. You guys can't do your your flagship show with three That's true. So you need to have that in place, like a couple of days before. Maybe do a contest, have people bring him in for auditions, sit in the Mark chair. Yeah, all right? Is this like a good will hunting situation though that like you know Mark works as a custodian

somewhere else. No, No, but like, wouldn't if if Mark didn't come back just to entertain your thought. Not rooting for this, by the way, but just you have to have to come into this with open eyes, wouldn't it In this situation we would sort of be like Ben Affleck and he would be Matt Damon And the best part of our day is that ten seconds we get to work, uh that day, and we wonder is Mark

going to come or not? Or is he gonna go do whatever he's meant to do in the world if this isn't it, If he if he wants to pursue something else, you know what I mean, exactly what you're saying. He has often talked about um, working at a CVS and Almaha, Nebraska could be there right now, So tune in Monday. No goodbye, no see you later, or nothing just gets to the door. But that's what Affleck wanted. He didn't want any of that. Yeah, I would want

that too. I would want that too, honestly. If that's how If that's how this is going down, some birds aren't meant to be caged. All right now, we're criss crossing our iconic nineties movies. Um, what's that one from that's uh Shawshank reduption? Okay, okay, let's go. Stan had the signing off for the mail Man and the old boss Ricky Hollywood behind well right in front of me act orphans. We are sail Monday