Welcome to NFL Daily, where your hosts look like the poster to the movie Twins when standing next to each other. That's right, it's Nick at night, it's Nick Shook. I'm Greg Rosenthal, and for the next three weeks it's myself and Shooky breaking down everything that could possibly matter and probably a bunch of things that don't really matter. From the preseason week that was. It's that time of year, Nick, And I know you're happy because you got your power back. Welcome.
Yeah, we are out of the stone Ages, back into the twenty first century. After three days without power, everything in my fridge went bad. We're restocked, we're refueled. We have electricity again, and I'll never take it for granted ever again in my life.
Oh, it's good to see my friend. I was worried. I was worried that I was gonna have to pay for a hotel room for you out of my own pocket because the NFL wouldn't do it. But then you caught You texted like hours, you know, a few days later, and it was like thank god.
Yeah, it was like, you know, I learned I had power when I was down in the flats in Cleveland. It was like the kas won the twenty sixteen title all over again. It's the greatest fiaming I've had in months.
Okay, well, we're gonna get to a big sports weekend. You know this isn't the Olympics, but I do like the preseason. And if you've you know, listened to around the NFL and you read shook on on the site, we do our takeaways there and yeah, like you can only read so much into the preseason, but you can't see certain things with your eyes of like certain rookies that look like they're a little more ready than others. The quarterbacks that lies more than maybe other positions, but
running backs. There are injuries that happen, there's depth charts that are happening, and it's that time of year where, especially with the Olympics being over, it's like we're hungry, We're ready. We covered two preseason games on the show on Friday, so those are done. We got fourteen that we're gonna hit here. That's twenty eight teams, so let's not waste any more time. Let's start with Vikings and Raiders, because this actually, to me, had the biggest takeaway of
the weekend. Let's actually listen to a clip of Justin Jefferson on the sideline basically announcing a game before JJ McCarthy goes ham, I think.
He's going to have the full rights to JJ forrona on and I mean, I think I'm gonna be the Jets man.
I think I'm gonna keep Oh, then we're gonna.
Fire this.
McCarthy forty five yards to Christian Jickson and with Justin Jefferson cheering.
On the sideline, it's twenty fourteen Raiders.
Oh yeah, that was Jefferson on a beautiful go route. JJ McCarthy thrown down the sideline just how you draw it up. And yeah, if you're watching on YouTube, just seeing mc hearthy's reaction, I love these in game announcing gigs that the players and coaches get. Sean McVay was awesome with our friend Mina Kimes and Andrew Ceciliano on the RAMS broadcast on Sunday, and his energy it was almost like Shooky was like, oh I got a quarterback because he called a touchdown later in the game too,
where he saw the formation before it happened. He's like, oh, this is gonna hit. JJ McCarthy saw the same thing hit another nice long touchdown, and yeah, JJ, I'll get into why I think it was so noteworthy. It wasn't just the touchdowns, but man, he showed out in this game in a way that I thought, Okay, do this two more times. And Sam Darnold, I don't care how well you play, you might be like Matt Flynn in twenty twelve. You might be sitting on the bench with all that free agent money.
Yeah. That's the thing is that Sam actually played pretty well. It's just that McCarthy statistically speaking, too, was so solid that it's very much a possibility. And this is actually going to surprise me because I thought of any of the rookie quarterbacks, he would be the guy that maybe had the longest road, because the Vikings just seem to be so intentional about starting with Donald and making McCarthy earn it, or at least giving him a long runway to get comfortable.
And then he comes out in the.
First preseason game and he looks just like you did at Michigan in the National title game. He's throwing touchdowns, he's got his top receiver all fired up down the sideline. It's good news. It's a good start for him. We'll see, though you're right, this could be like the old Russell Wilson job that he did back when he was a rookie in Seattle. It's not the first time we've seen it happen before. We saw it happened with Mac Jones
in New England. And this is a little bit more emphatic than even Mac Jones was that preseason.
Okay, so preseason to me is more important when it confirms what the practice reports of the people who are there every day say, and the people who are there every day say, JJ's really exceeded expectations, like he maybe looks like he's already better than Donald, that he's better certainly in some aspects like the red zone, and you
actually saw that in this game. I agreed, Donald had a couple beautiful throws one drive, so you know, you're not really looking at too much, but he did hold the ball just like a little extra in the red zone and so that didn't work out for him. But it was really just JJ McCarthy playing against his future self and he just showed a lot. So those two
touchdowns were great. That the go ball was beautiful. It took a perfect throw, But the plays before that where he knew where to go in short yarded situations to keep the drive going. He had a dime as he was getting absolutely clobbered on one throw. He showed really good pocket feel, I think, moving around in the pocket. He was very aggressive, just in a way that I know Vikings fans are like, oh, Kirk Cousins, like, wasn't
consistently aggressive enough after he made mistakes. And yeah, McCarthy threw an interception in this game, and there were about two throws on crossing routes where he was just like a tick late. And I thought our guest Jack Jones getting the NFL Daily Bump with a beautiful interception, you know, got JJ McCarthy early. So yeah, there was an interception,
but these were outbreaking routes. It was just six seven eight throws in this game that were NFL throws in a way that like we'll get to Bo Nicks and some other plays like Bonicks had a solid game, but I didn't see any like big time NFL throws. He had six seven eight plays that were just like, oh, I want to see more out of this guy. It got me excited. A nice scrambler too, And again I know it's preseason blah blah blah blah blah, but it was it was all he could possibly do well.
I think it's also the product of JJ playing loose
and free. And you know, we talked about how when the intangibles are the like the headliner on a player that you're kind of worried about how they might play at the next level, but sometimes they can translate positively when in the right situation, when supported by the right coach, which is why this pairing with Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota could be the perfect storm for a guy like JJ McCarthy to come in and make waves and actually win a job and surprise people like me who just didn't
quite see it, you know, when it came to the physical skills coming out of Michigan, and in order to really have that happen, though, you have to give the quarterback agency to do that and let him play like he wants to play. And that's what we saw. Now it's one game. We'll see what happens to the next two.
But it's a heck of a start, right and it's mostly with backups against backups. Jalen Nalea looked pretty good in this game, I just think he's starting to build a case. Whether it's weak one or week three. You know, it was fun to watch and the athleticism was there. On the other side was the other real quarterback battle that we have in the entire NFL. Along with the Broncos.
It was the Raiders, Minshew and Am O'Connell. I was there a practice and they've been struggling all camp, and I think Raiders fans came out of this game saying few, you know, they had a nice performance against a very vanilla Brian Flores defense. It did not look like a Brian Flores Stephens. And then when I watched the game, I read those reports and I went back and watched it. I was like, ah, this was let's not get carried away. It was like Minshew was chaotic, but chaotic good like
chaotic fun and had a very nice touchdown throw. And in O'Connell was good, but there was this one play where he's on the run and tries to make an athletic play and it was a total duck and none of them made neither one of them like blew me away. So I think it just confirmed again what we've heard in camp. Which is maybe like minshew a little bit of an edge. He probably gets the start in the preseason game next week and can maybe cement the job.
It's hard to know which way they're leaning, but sounds like minshe's been better.
You know what's funny is as they've struggled in camp, the prevailing word coming out of Vegas is, Wow, this defense might be really good. It might be special, like maybe the bro I did radio on Vegas on Friday and I was asked, Hey, look, the Browns went to the playoffs last year with five different quarterbacks and Joe Flacco and it was because of their defense, and could the Raiders do something similarly? And I was like, hmmm, it's kind of a big expectation to put on a
team like that. But if you guys are seeing a strong defense in camp, is it a product of average quarterbacks or is it an actual good defense?
Right?
I don't know, We'll see, but it was interesting that, like that's the takeaway they had. It wasn't like both of our quarterbacks are just like we know their ceilings, Like we don't quite know Aidan o'connells ceiling, but I think we pretty much know know Gardner Minshew, Like you said, chaotic, but chaotic good.
That is Gardner Minshew in a nutshell.
If that's their peak, then they have to start turning toward their defense for hope in that right.
And they moved the ball, which you know, that's all, it's all you can ask for, and Connell moved the ball to he didn't get the touchdown, And like I said, yeah, I think Minshew just looked a little more comfortable. I was interested. And then we'll move on to our next game. We're gonna go heavier early because they were the more interesting rookie quarterback games, and we'll fly through the end. But uh, I did watch their usage of Michael Mayer
and Brock Bauers, their two tight ends. And you know people say the preseasons Vanilla, I gotta say they showed a lot like they had Bowers as a fullback. They had them offset, They had them both on the field
blocking in the run game on the same side. They had them both on the field and the blocking passing like they mixed up how they use those two guys, And to me, that's going to be the whole key to their offense, those two guys together and Bowers made a couple of plays after the catch, which showed his burst. I mean, he just looks like a wide receiver, just like he did in college. All right, let's go to the next game, which is Caleb Williams making his debut
in a Bear's uniform against the Bills. I'm gonna listen to a play Nick that wasn't like a super highlight play, but it got my attention.
Slot right and singles outside of numbers for Caleb Williams. Third down, a lot takes the snap against a four man rush, great protection, Williams whistles a pass, It is caught and it should be enough for a first down across the forty to the forty one yard line to DJ Moore. There you go, the first completion as a Chicago Bear. Thirteen yards and a first down. Great protection for Caleb and a.
Nice tight spiral. I love that being the first completion he ever makes as a Bear because he got to the entire opposite side of the field on his reed. That's awesome. On third and thirteen and yeah, he got great protection, but his first guy was covered and for him to go all the way from right to left and put a dart like take him out. You don't need to see too much in the preseason, but that's the kind of stuff you gotta love.
Yeah, I mean, we know he has the arm talent, but what I really loved about that play was watching him process and not freak out because the speed of the NFL game will fluster a lot of young quarterbacks. And you see there's a moment in the pocket where he hitches where he goes, there's nothing on the right, and you can see almost him processing in real time where he slides his eyes to the left, sees DJ
Moore there and then just rips one. Because you draft that guy at number one because he has that type of arm talent. And if he's able to do that and process at that speed, obviously defenses are gonna get more complex during the regular season and he's going to face more pressure and he's not gonna get protection like that all the time. But if he's able to actually get from one to two to three at that speed, then it bodes pretty well for his future.
Yes, he held onto the ball quite a bit in this game, actually, but let's also listen and watch again if you're watching on YouTube, to one other play he did not have a chance to hold the ball.
Football at just about the forty yard line, snap back pressure coming, he dumps it off cut swipe thirty five to fifty, forty to the thirty cutting at the twenty turf snake kind of got him with a man on his back to finish it off. The Bears will be on the red zone of bumpo on a tough up pass under pressure. Calebillyams stumps it off and it's a catch. It aroun a forty two yards and a Bears first down.
Any thoughts there, because like when I first saw that, I was like, that's just a fluky play, but it's.
Kind of badass. Actually, well, I just like that there were some blockers downfield for him. I almost sat back and was like, is that was that designed? Like I'd love to run that back two or three times.
It wasn't.
It was obviously a dump off under pressure, but again a guy finding a way to make a play out of nothing. Fluky a little bit, but it's also very weird to see DeAndre Swift wearing four.
I just have to say that, Okay, I agree, And there's been reports DeAndre Swift looks like one of the best players on that team. So in camp and okay, maybe he's gonna take where he was last year and stay at that level and then go up, because he leveled up DeAndre Swift as an NFL player. But that was Caleb creating. He said, I was like, how does
that play even happen? And you know, the reporters asked the same thing, and he said, well, his gloves, Deandress gloves are so bright that he just saw a flash
because he had nothing there. And that's what as Maybe it seems fluky, but I honestly don't think there's many quarterbacks in the NFL that could have possibly made that quick of a reaction and made that quick of a play in that creative to just flip it in that second they had like the it was a bum rush, like he had no hope in that play and it turned into a big play. So that's awesome. The Bills actually played their starters for an entire quarter and and yeah,
Caleb had another play. Probably his best throw of the game was this one where he's rolling out right and just has like the Mahomes type of throw, and so he showed everything you would want to see in a couple of drives and apparently they've struggled that camp against the Bears defense, but look good in the preseasons, so that was nice. The Bills, they didn't show too much in this game. They played a quarter with Josh Allen. One thing I noticed, Khalil Shakir was out there in
twelve personnel and MVS not getting a lot of attention. Davis, their backup running back, was getting a lot of like maybe the only good thing about that offense. He's their backup running back. Otherwise not a lot with the Bills there.
Not surprised at MVS didn't get much attention there. It's gonna be an interesting and potentially trying here for the receiving corps. But again, I still feel better about them with Joe Brady Doci than I did with Ken Dorsey. So we'll see, they'll work it out. Personnel might not be quite as good at the top end, but we'll see. We'll give him time.
Yeah, they've had a lot of injuries at safety right now. They sat Von Miller and Matt Mulano in this game, but pretty much played the rest of their starters. I just think Shakiir is going to catch ninety to one hundred passes in this offense. And yeah, Kean Coleman was out there every single snap with Josh Allen, so that's a great sign for him. Their top three is definitely Shakir Coleman and Curtis Samuel. So just learning a couple
of things. Austin Booker, this fifth round pick as a pass rusher for the Bears, has made noise back to back weeks. They really need some pass rushing helps, so maybe he will provide it. All right, Let's go to the other rookie quarterback that the most, at least this weekend. It was in Washington when Jade Daniels faced the Jets.
Third down and six, opening possession of the day for Washington. Shotgun formation for Daniels, spread it out on third down. Daniels pulls the trigger looking for the deep ball down the sideline and it's holed in dummy brown.
Great snack for the first down.
You go ahead. I'll let you lead off what you want to say about Jaden Daniels in the start of the Commanders.
I love this throw so much because this is what the folks in Tempe saw when Jade Daniels is a freshman Arizona State. This is what the folks in Baton Rouge saw when he was a Heisman Trophy winn at LSU. This is the natural ability right there. I see a guy open, quick hitch, step up, flick the ball right into the bucket, right over a defender. Deany Brown makes a great catch. This is the future and the potential
of a guy like Jayden Daniels. This is why they drafted him, so hi and not only that, not only that played, but then they finish off a drive with little read option which takes advantage of his mobility and it was almost basically a walk in touchdown. Defense didn't do the best job when he came to be contained, but that's what the potential is, right there is a guy who's mobile, who is talented with the arm, who can flick the ball down the field, and who can get out and get loose as well.
So love that.
Obviously, he didn't play a ton in this game, but I was the starry for him. And eventually we'll get dan Quinn to like stop making him take the baby steps in the whole like he's gonna start, but he's not our starter yet.
Well I don't know why there is no baby I mean, he's the one that started the game. It's got to start his treatment. So they just for whatever reason, aren't announcing it publicly, but they're treating him now like a starter, which is nice. I do like the hood spot on this kid, Jayden Daniels. So after the game, Sam Cosmey, their offensive lineman, actually was during the game in one of those interviews with the broadcast, revealed that, yeah, he
checked into that play. It was third and six. I think they were only going to have one series, so that could have been his last play of the game, and he saw something the way the Jets defense was playing it. I think a screen was called and they were gonna run right, you know, throw it right into it. And he didn't like the look. They didn't like their chances, and he calls like a bomb. He calls like a
go to Dianny Brown, and he hits it. And after the game, dan Quinn's asked about it, and he's kind of he compared it to Top Gun with the whole negative ghost Rider scene, and he's like, you know, can I buzz down? Can I buzz in? You know, it's kind of like asking for forgiveness after the fact instead of asking for permission, and dan Quinn loved it because he hit the throw, you know, And that's that's what
you want out of your quarterback, man. I mean that is that is kind of badass right off the bat, that he the rookie, is just taking charge and then delivering and kind of convincing the coaches. Yeah, okay, like trust me, man, I'm gonna do what I want to do.
And that's that's the beauty of it right there, is he could have put the money to put the ball right on Danny Brown. Danny Brown could dropped it, and I'm sure they still would have been just this thrilled with his decision to do that. You get one on one coverage, You trust your arm, your trust your teammate. Hey, look, I'm gonna make a play. That's the type of leader that you need.
To throw though. I mean it's down the field he had to put that. He actually was very good coverage, I would say on the play. It's not like Brown had separation. No, it was interesting Brown was out there by the way, so that this has been a little bit of a surprise in Washington. We'll see John Dotson was playing very deep into that game and Diamy Brown's on the outside, and so I think they're just it's a new staff.
New regime, new regime, they're just.
Figuring out things. I mean, Dotson's gonna be in their top three wide receivers anyways, and I think he's gonna play more in the slot maybe than he did before. But it's just something to watch.
Yeah, I mean, it's fine to earn it. It's fine, you know it's not your guy. Go out there and prove it. And then dan Quinn's little old school in that way, the same way streeting Jaden Daniels right now, Hey, go out there and earn it, go play, and that's.
A fair second half.
Yeah, But I just I didn't expect, you know, Diamy Brown to maybe be ahead of Dots. I don't know that. I do worry that they're a little thin in terms of playmakers. But if Jaden Daniels is great, that's all that really matters. This year for the Jets, they played their backups, so there wasn't really much to take out of the gate brain Braylan Allen, Yeah, looked pretty good as a second running back.
Oh you got me some, Braileen Allen takes pop you know he had a little pop. He's a physical runner. I liked his little cutups, his highlights. It was like, oh, okay, get out in space, he runs downhill all right.
Yeah. At the risk of repeating myself, Chris Wesseling, we always would talk about on this pot on around the NFL how preseason. The one thing you can really tell is the young running backs, like the rookie running backs, because you can just see which ones have it and which ones don't. I'm not gonna go all the where that Braylen Allen's like a difference maker, but he looks like he can be a good backup. And they have some good young juice. Actually like their third guy too.
Now I'm forgetting his name, what is it, I'm blowing it, but Brayleen Allen played well in this game. He's going to be the backup. Also, Mike Williams is off the pup list, and I did hear Robert Sallas say it's going to be a slow build up, like playing against Air, and there's some hope he might be ready for Week one, but maybe not fully. So that's just something to keep an eye. I feel bad now. I was like, Okay, that was it. For the big time quarterbacks, but we
still got three left. But sorry Broncos fans. Bonix just feels like he's the guy that's going to get left out of the excitement, and yet they're excited. He goes fifteen for twenty one on Sunday, they moved the ball. It was, you know, one of the highest scoring preseason games I can remember. How did that game finish? Thirty four to thirty Broncos and Colts putting on a show,
And yeah, I wanted to be more excited. There wasn't really many like exciting throws, but he mostly made quick decisions and they moved the ball when he was out there, and he was playing with the second team for the most part. And he'll get a chance to start over Jared Stidham, who started that game. He'll start next week and then John Payton will probably decide who's the starter. It's probably Nicks at this point.
Yeah, and I'm really curious to see how he performs with their pseudo starters, you know, in the second week of the preseason, because I think that's going to tell us the most. I thought it was fitting that the touchdown pass that he threw was on an RPO. It just it was like shades of Organs offense. I was like, well, that's where he's comfortable. Like he made a quick decision. He ripped the ball to the outside, right in front of the corner pylon. Like it was a pretty throw.
It wasn't like a jaw dropping throw. But that's him doing what he already knows how to do, which will help him at this level.
Right, And so that's when I went. I tried to watch all his throws and there just wasn't There wasn't like much second reaction. There were actually a couple plays where he tried to make tougher throws and those worthy incompletions. That said, he seemed to know where everyone was in the field, and like I said, more than not made quick decision. Tim Patrick, who's been out of the league for a couple of years with devastating injuries, made the
first catch of this game from Jared's didham. He was maybe too excited and then he got a taunting penalty, but just nice to see him. Seemed like a great dude and was off to having a really great career
after being an undrafted player. So he's back healthy. That's good to see Anthony Richardson the couple drives he had just like a little bit off and which is going to be the problem where just like he was just like a little bit off on a third down throw incomplete and then a little bit off on another one where he slowed his receiver down so they couldn't run. And I think that's the issues. He's going to make good decisions, but that that was the issue today And in a very brief appearance.
Yeah, he nearly threw a pick and he had his intended target bail him out by getting a pall up there to bat it away and basically play defense.
I expect him rust. It's okay.
Just give him some time to get acclimated and he'll He's always going to be a little bit off, like that's just who he is. His accuracy is not his greatest strength, but that's not why they drafted him.
So and shake the rust off over the next couple weeks. Get ready for Week one.
Okay, we've hit the first round quarterbacks except for one Nick Shook that played over there. We already had Drake May on the last show. On Friday's show, we will hit Michael Pennix in his debut with the Falcons. After the break and all the rest of the games, Okay, we're back on NFL daily, and yeah, I just thematically, Nick, I'm gonna just We're gonna keep going through these rookie quarterbacks. There's a lot of them this year. They're taking over.
And Michael Penix doesn't have a chance to start Week one, but he is going to play a ton in the preseason because Kirk Cousins I don't think is going to play at all. And Pennex looked pretty good nine for sixteen, one hundred and four yards. Did hit one nice go ball. I believe that was to Blair. I don't even know who Blair is. It's that time of year in the NFL. But did the thing where he held the safety for just a half a second and then looked over and
dropped one in the bucket. Had maybe one or two other passes that were a bit inaccurate, but other than that was kind of Bonix in it and just hitting a lot of receivers underneath and moving the ball pretty well, so you know, he kind of it was like a par It was like a straightforward three hundred and seventy yard par four and he got on the green like twenty five, a lot of a lot of three and it was just fine. It was fine. You didn't get to see a lot of like exciting panics, but it was fine.
No, but the the details were what mattered to me. This is one of the games I watched live. And as I'm sitting there watching him, I'm thinking, Okay, that's that's what he did well at Washington in it Indiana, Like he's got that arm. He uses that live arm to his advantage. He'll throw a little bit like off a back foot or not quite perfectly balanced with his feet, just to whip it out there because the guy's open, the windows closing, and they'll get it there. And it
showed that time and time again. He didn't have a ton of time to play before they replaced him with Taylor Heinike. But when he was in there, you know, all of his strength, you know, carried over, which is what you want to see. I would love to see like a full half of him, if not more.
Oh, I think he'll play a lot in the preseason. I mean, look, he got sixteen throws in however many drives that was I guess it was? What was it too? And like, yeah, he's got to play plenty, because the one thing that actually made him look great was Taylor Heinike, who came in and went four for eleven for eleven yards.
It was really ugly.
I'm a little concerned about the Falcons offense overall because they lack a lot of Jews. They had gold go situations twice in that game, came in with no points in the four.
Yeah, they're really benching guys though, Like these teams in the McVeigh tree go hard in terms of their benching, so it's tough to take too much out of it. And I know Heineck's playing with the third stringers, but you just wonder where his head is at that he's stuck in this terrible position. But and then the guy behind him, Nathan Urke, went three for thirteen, So the two of them combined to go seven for twenty four. That's not even a good batting average for forty eight yards.
And poor Rourke was cut a few hours later. Essentially, I did it a couple other tape one last takeaway for the Falcons. Unfortunately, they lost Brayln Trice, who was their third round edge pick for the season with a knee injury. And that's a position that's among the worst position groups in the league. And he was practicing with the starters and maybe had as high a ceiling as anyone they have just because they don't have anyone. So you really hate to see that for that young man
and and for that team. I do want to go to the Dolphins quickly, who they didn't play many starters early any either. But can you guess what guy got me excited on the Dolphins?
What guy got you excited on the Dolphins?
Like I said, this is a game that I watched live, but now I have to access my memory.
I to Jalen right, the running back.
Yes, that was it. This is the This was the guy. This was the guy of the weekend that I was like, Oh, oh, I'm in You'm drafted Jalen write two rounds hire in fantasy.
Yeah, he's got it. He's definitely got it. He's he's got some juice.
I see why they traded up to draft him all to talk about him when he came out of Tennessee Like, it's there, It's definitely there. This is one of the deepest backfields in the NFL. Think about Devon chan you've got Raheem Mostert. Now you got this kid, you can just cycle him out and you've always got fresh legs, got all those weapons on offense, like load up, baby, let's just let it fly in this offense. This year very fun to watch him. But I will say this, Greg,
you talked about Braly Trice getting hurt. A ton of guys got hurt in this game, and I think a lot of it had to do with the field. The field was terrible. It was just sloppy, big chunks of turf coming out.
Not good.
I understand it's hard to grow a grass field outside sometimes I get it, but this was probably the worst surface of the weekend where you know, they showed close up shots and you just said, massive chunks of sod just on the ground, falling left and right, people losing their footing. Got to get it better before a week one.
That game was in at Miami, right, well, they had a million different events there. You know, they had obviously the soccer tournament there just a few weeks ago. I don't know, maybe we got to be prioritizing keeping that football field first. They got that got tennis, they got f one. I mean, they're they're rolling people through hard
rock stadium. I really thought right was really exciting and impressive, like on inside runs, good vision, crazy burst to you know, cut across field, which you probably can't get away with against starters. But I don't know.
Saw that play. You saw that play where he went right and there was nothing direction.
But also the touchdown run two where he kind of gets skinny in the hole, like the fact he can do that too. So I do have a takeaway that they they need to they'll use him, and they got
too many running backs. You do wonder was there any team would be like desperate enough to give like a good pick for him moster I doubt it, but like if the if the Cowboys would, I think the Dolphins would consider it, and they definitely would consider just hey, if you want like Jeff Wilson for a fifth yeah we could, we could do that.
I don't think he makes that team.
Jeff Wilson is better than any running back on the He's gonna make the Dolphins anyways, they have four good running backs, but ye, like he's better than anyone on the Cowboys. He would be the backup in New Orleans who could use a running back, So I don't know, maybe Moster and if they got really crazy, but why would.
The crazy thing is Moster's age and like he's too you know, where his production is and everything else is like that.
Well, so the Dolphins love him. It's a good it's a good problem to have. OBJ. By the way, still not really doing anything at some point. That's an issue. Aaron Brewer, they're starting center, is out a few weeks the Dolphins. That's a problem. Kevin King was out of the NFL the last couple of years because of injuries also, I think two years ago because he just maybe wasn't totally feeling it.
And it was like it was a mental health thing. Yeah. Yeah.
But then last year when he was trying to come back, no one knew. I didn't know this that he tore his achilles when he was trying to come back, and so he was out there. So he was a big winner with the nice he had in that game.
Yeah, yeah, big moment for him. Really a heartwarming moment everybody.
Every time somebody goes through some struggles like that, and you see, even if it's preseason, it's always nice, you know, it's just nice.
He has some talent and he could be playing pretty significant snaps for them at cornerback. The Falcons. All right, let's rap with not wrap, but wrap the rookie quarterback section. The agenda. It's being pushed on this podcast, certainly on the block Party podcast hosted by my friend Adam West, and of course that boy Wolf Ryan. Look Spencer Rattler.
People are excited about Spencer Ratler. I know he's a fifth round pick, but he gets out there, he shows an impressive arm, he shows some athleticism with some runs, and then he gets a chance to go have a game winning drive and he calmonly moves him down the field and gets that game winning drive.
So let's go.
I'm pushing the agenda only if Derek Carr's struggling in the regular season, but at least give Rattler the backup job. And like, if this Saint season is not going anywhere, maybe this is not a normal fifth round pick. This is a guy that could have been a six second round picks a nice little debut.
Yeah, I mean he could have if he had taking more ownership of his collegiate career. But that's neither here nor there's a.
Little tongue in cheek, but he's having some fun.
Yeah, it's it's cool, it's fine. I mean, sure, give him the backup job. Kid's got some moxie and some physical tools.
Why not.
Jay Caner actually played pretty well in this game. Who is the guy battling Rattler for the backup job? But Ratler had one of the best throws of the game. I forget if it was. It was either dropped or there was a penalty, so he didn't he didn't get credit for it, but like a beautiful throw down the field. Puka Nakua's brother was involved in this uh game winning drive.
You know, you know, I'm putting in the work for NFL Daily listeners when I'm watching Samson Nkoua late on my Saturday night in a game winning drive for Spencer Rattler over Clayton Tune and the Cardinals.
I'm not sure if they're related, but that's yet another Nakua in the NFL. There was a Kai Na Kua in the NFL for a little bit. Something about that that name.
I don't know, I know they the other one, well, I know it's Puka's young brother. And they got another one coming up that was in the Polynesian Bowl this year, which is like high school players. So don't ask how I know.
That, but because you're you're a sicko, and we're all sickos here. That's why you come to NFL daily for football cicico talk.
Yeah, there weren't a lot of starters in this game, so otherwise there wasn't a lot. Ratler really has been playing well at training camp, according to everyone there, playing better and better. That they're gotting improved quarterback play, and so that's exciting to see. Kool Aid mckinnistry was out there for a little while in this game and giving up a lot of passes. I think there was some
thought would he start for this team. The answer is no, they have a really good trio to start, Paul Senadebo, Marshaun Lattimore assuming he gets healthy, and Alante Taylor, and so Taylor has that job over Koolid mckinnistry. So that that's a little bit of a nugget. And then supposedly according to the Cardinals, people like Clayton Tune greater than Desmond Ritter. He certainly wasn't this game, but even at practices. So if you're interested in that battle, that is the
backup quarterback battle in Arizona. You don't look that interesting? Can I interest you in a Trey Benson was in this game and didn't didn't do a lot, might be the backup running back.
I'm interested.
I'm just I think about I'm still curious about that trade to acquire Ritter. Like I understood they had Tune he played one game last year and everything else, and you got Kyler. But I'm just like, really, like you just were.
Like one Rondeale Moore, who unfortunately is now out for the season. But Rondeale Moore, I guess maybe just didn't fit what they wanted to do on offense. But he's an NFL player, I guess Ridder, Yeah, maybe it was just two guys who who are trying to revive their career. So I get why they did it, but it might not work out for Ridder there. All right, let's go through the rest of the games in no particular order.
Now that we've gotten through the rookie quarterbacks, let's go to Cincinnati Tampa because they did play Joe Burrow in this game. I always appreciate the coaches that played the starters. Now, some of the teams, I think the Bills might be like this this year. They like doing it in the first week because they got joint practices coming up and they would rather just do it further away from the season, And so that might be. This might be the only
couple the series that we see Joe Burrow. But we saw Joe Burrow and he looked good.
Yeah.
I mean, look, he had an abbreviated season last year. It's been a long time since he's played competitive, full speed football. So if you're gonna get it out of the way, you get it out of the way. Now we know who he is. All he has to do is stay healthy. It's good to see him out there, and I'm glad he's not the statue que guy he was last year in the first month of the season, because that was just sad call.
Yeah, he rolled out. The best throw he made was not caught. He threw it into double coverage about fifty yards down the field while he was rolling out, and it was like he just put it on a platter. To T Higgins, I was like, man, this guy is so talented. Yeah, just with his accuracies, just maybe the most accurate quarterback in the league. And T Higgins leaped up for it, had it in his hands and it was knocked out at the last second by the cornerback.
So it was just good football. It's good football by everyone, you know. No one made a bad play there. I did notice Higgins got like a target on almost every other snap he was in the game, made a bunch of catches. I think it was Joe Burrow saying like, hey man, like let's get back on this same page and let's get you some confidence. And so he made
some nice catches to keep that drive going. I noticed Andre Yoshavas, who we've been talking up a lot each week, made a big third down conversion early in that game to keep that drive going. And yeah, Amarius Mims their right tackle, first round starter, I think he's going to be a Week one starter, and looked pretty good out there against backups against the Bucks. But he's been a big story in Bengals camp too.
Jermaine Burton three catches eighty two yards in a touchdown. Hey, I know we're all team Yoshivas here, but maybe there's some sneaky death in the receiving core.
Okay, So he looked incredibly athletic late in the game. Just Torch these undrafted like third stringers. So that's one of those things in preseason where I've learned over the years, like is it good that he's torching the third stringers or is it a bad sign that he's out there at the very end of the game. I don't think it's a bad sign. He's obviously making the team and can have a role eventually and showed them, hey, you
got to figure out a role for this guy. But it does show me he's further down the depth chart right now, certainly than Yoshavush because Burrow had been out of the game for like two quarters by the time Burton came in. Then again, he freaking host these guys like a guy from Alabama.
Yeah, that's what I was gonna say, is like, that's the Bama product right there, is like I try to still be ready and he'll find a way to make it.
So he might be just a slow builder. Not much from the Bucks. They did play their first round pick, Graham Barton. I watched the cut up of him making a lot of nice blocks, and they were good in the running. Bucky Irving, their rookie running back, had some nice runs and kind of all their young skilled position guys which have I think this team has a chance to be a little deeper skill position wise than people realize. Trey McMillan, tre Jayalen McMillan, Trey Palmer. They all made
some plays. Let's talk about a game that happened on Sunday, Rams Cowboys, and Yeah, I'm gonna watch as many of these Rams preseason games as I can, just because I just love listening to our good friend Andrew Ceciliano along with our good friend Mina Chimes and someone I don't know personally, Andrew Whitworth in the booth. Let's listen to the most electric moment of the weekend. Take it away, Andrew.
Fourth and goal to tie the game. This is it, Stetson Bennett oh rolling out to the left, Bennett SLINKs and waiting for time with four seconds to go.
I love it. I love Mina getting into a radio call on the show. She's gonna be back on NFL Daily by the way, next week, and I'm looking forward to that. Yeah, that was a great redemption moment for Stetson Bennett, who threw four interceptions in this game, and it was down twelve to six when they got the ball late and delivered the only touchdown drive and that was actually a pretty sweet play fourth down, rolling to his left side, arming it right handed for the touchdowns.
So that that's the preseason for you. Moment moments like that.
It's fun to see a guy like Stetsan Bennett, who was basically not with the team last year, now in preseason and making a play. Yeah, he threw four picks, but it's still fun to see him backing the uniform on a field making a play.
Yeah, he threw four picks is kind of a big but I did watch a decent amount of this game, and you know, other than the four picks, I thought he looked much better than last preseason where he looked loft. Then again, he threw four picks.
Can we also talk about how Trey Lance threw forty one passes in a preseason game?
Okay, yeah, can we talk about Trey Lance?
Yeah?
Start, I'll start with a positive. I've never seen him run any better. I don't know if he's lost weight or it's just not that he was ever overweight, but he just was incredibly explosive as a runner. I was just like wow, I mean, I know he's always been a good runner, but this seamed next level. But yeah, those one hundred, those forty what was it forty one throws, it only resulted in one hundred and eighty eight yards. So that's not what you want.
No, not great, Greg, not great.
Easte looks spring when he's running, and everybody wants, you know, to ride that story because it's what happens with DAG And they got Trey Lance. Ob basically nothing, but it's still Trey Lance. It's still you know, it is what it is.
Here's the problem is they wanted him to be their backup this year and he's not going to be. Cooper Rush is going to be their backup. And Cooper Rush made the best play of this entire game, really the most, the best NFL play I saw the whole Well, that last the last touchdound was pretty sweet, but he hit Jalen Brooks for forty three yards early on a total dime.
I will mention Chuma Adoga, who is their left tackle projected starting left tackle for the season, left with an injury that sounded like it was at least somewhat serious that he's going to be out at least a week or more. And so that's going to give their first round pick, Tyler Guyton a chance to be their starting left tackle. Jordan Wittenham is a camp guy for the Rams that looks a lot like pukin Akua body type wise, and they've said off sat all summer has just been
lighting it up. And he went six for seventy four in this game and had another long catch overturned by a penalty. So they know how to pick wide receivers and I think at least he's going to be a good depth pick for them. And then just a little note, Nayshaun Wright, who was taken in the third round a couple of years ago, was traded for Andrew Booth to the Vikings, who was taken in the second round a couple of years ago. So a trade of guys who weren't really working out for.
Their second straight year in which the Cowboys traded a corner for a cornerback in August. They did it last year for if you have to do Millifon as well, And uh no, it was Kelvin Joseph for Kevin Joseph. Yeah right right yeah, Nogy ignoghny that's not not not no fun ignitogmy long last names. Uh and then he blought he returns to the blockfield goal for a touchdown in Week one against the Giants, and that was the
highlight of his year. Ye that time it was a first rounder, they trade a second rounder for a first rounder former, and then this year was what third rounder for a second former?
Second round?
Yeah, and probably these guys, aren't you know, if they make the team, they're gonna be the last cornerback. So we don't need to spend too much too much time on that. I do want to say though, that Jerry it is watching Lance like his contract runs out the same time as Dax, and it's Jerry Jones basically told everyone he made that trade on his own without telling anyone like or less. He just wanted to do it. Like a year ago. He was like, we didn't tell anyone.
We didn't even tell Mike McCarthy, and it was just like he just wanted to do it. And my son, who's back from Japan in as jet Lag, was we were watching last night this show. He just watches anything football. He doesn't care. The show The Pick is In, which is on Roku. You've never seen before. It was actually
pretty good. And this was the twenty twenty three draft process, and they were They had pretty good inside inside the room of the Cowboys draft room, and it was just so clear that Jerry Jones is just doing whatever he wants and then like everyone else is just like making
up arguments to support him. And I just don't know if that's like a yeah, they all like he's like, hey, this, Mazzie Smith, this seems like a good idea, and then everyone's like jumping into support, like, yeah, it is a good idea.
Yeah, yeah, No, it's not the best way to operate in today's NFL, But then again, he is an owner and he's the boss he is.
We're gonna take one last quick break and then we're gonna wrap up the final few games preseason League one. We still got six games left, Nikki, we got a crank.
Well, it's a good thing.
We just went and pulled some music from the vault out in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
NFL films.
Seahawks Chargers might be the game of the week that I have the least to say about. The only thing my biggest takeaway was like, it was cool Jim Harbaugh had to fall back in on the first two plays. It was kind of like a Hey, this is what we're gonna be, and they like used them in creative ways. It was like, Hey, this is what we're gonna be. They also did not move the ball. They did not have a first down Nick until their seventh possession. That's not good.
I mean the quarterbacks that played Eastern Stick Max duggan that if you look at that on paper, that explains everything to me. It's pre season week one and we're putting the fullback out there. We're working out the kinks, all right, we're established.
Joel was out there, and Joel I think played pretty well. There was one pass rush where Nuosu kind of pushed him. I was watching, but other than that, I don't think he gave up a pressure. But otherwise it's ugly. I think Harbaugh might start panicking over the Eastern Stick is our backup quarterback things sooner than later. Eastern Stick had thirty one yards in an interception on thirteen attempts. The Seahawks played their starters for a couple drives and they
gave up a total of seven yards. So that's good. I mean, they feel good about it. Byron Murphy had a couple nice flashes and then I just noticed, you know, the Chargers practice reports lately, like Harbrough said, Bosa is likely to be back for Week one, but there's some question there. Like Junior Cole, who they thought would start at linebacker as a rookie like basically has in practice still. Gus Edwards is back in and out of practice. Ladd McConkie has been out of practice.
Yeah, that's concerning.
You want to be about as healthy as possible and they're going to count on a guy like Lad mcconkeye and the fact that he's been in right practice, I mean, unless Quentin Johnson lives up to his bill.
And Daniel Popper of the Athletic was going through the wide receiver battle and he was making clear like he wasn't sure if Quinton Johnson was even wide receiver for Yeah, he was like he might not make the team necessarily or they would trade him, I think. But there's a battle there. But all bad. Not a lot of Seahawks starters played there either. But they showed some creative looks on offense actually some blocking schemes and they were doing
some things with grubs. So they're just someone to watch. I'm excited about the Seahawks Titans. Forty nine ers played big time win for the Titans seventeen thirteen. We haven't even been giving scores because they don't matter. Here's what you need to know about the forty nine. Twenty three players of their team missed their recent practice because of injuries or because they're holding out in the case of
Brandon Nyuk and tread Williams. That's so many players that they actually cancel their joint practice with the Saints this week because they're like, we're missing too many players, we don't even want to do a joint practice. Or maybe they just didn't feel like it and change their mind. I don't really know, but that's what they said. That is a lot of players. That's a lot to deal with. You're missing twenty five three players, so they're not coming down.
And Ricky Piersall is the one that caught catches my attention most because he wasn't healthy in the offseason, then he wasn't healthy coming into camp with a different injury. Then he plays for like four days, and then he gets hurt again with the old injury from OTAs and it to me puts a different light on the whole brand the NYUK situation because Ricky Piersaw is their first round pick who plays wide receiver.
Yeah, I don't think those two things can operate exclusively. I think they're interdependent on each other. And the longer that he is not on the field, the more the Niners are like, I'll hang on to eye. You can try and work something out because if we don't have him, not like he is Ayuk, but we're talking about numbers and talent on a depth chart, and if you get rid of Brandon Ayuk, you got to have somebody else's slot in there unless you get a receiver back on
a trade. But we're also going on like week three of is gonna get traded? Is he's not gonna get traded. So we just continued to ride until it's all sorted out. By the way, Greg, I don't know if we've had a joint practice or any sort of two team activity not on a you know, game field canceled since COVID, I have to wonder how do the Saints feel when like they get the car, they.
Get stood up on their date like they're annoying, they're annoying.
They gave him like four days notice, which was is like canceling a dinner reservation or whatever, like you're a higher cut, you're not going to pay the fee because it's far enough out, I guess, but I'm sure they're a little annoyed, the Saints, and maybe they're gonna have to change their practice schedule. Maybe the forty nine ers were just like, Eh, there's not enough juice down there. There's no fans intervene Eryvine was weird. It is weird environment.
It's a weird environment. It's very stry.
I wish down there, and it just was. I mean, it was there, and it was that part was normal, but it was just it was like on.
A campus, it's yeah, and it's it looks very higher ed around you.
It does not feel like a football environment, right.
I mean, the Raiders only had like three hundred fans because they only could bring season ticket old and those three hundred fans were louder than half the camps out there. They were and the music was blairing. It was great. There is the We do have more on Ayuk and Titans. We'll give you a quick note or two. Since we've last taped. Tom Peli Sero at NFL Network reported that the forty nine Ers have re engaged contract talks with Brandon Nayuk and there is an increasing chance that I
signs with them. I just defer to Brandon Nyuk here, and he just keeps putting out on Instagram, like stop just putting all this stuff out in the media and like make a decision. He he literally went into the comments of one of these reports and said that, and he kind of said what I was thinking too, like, what what is this public like facing back and forth? Well,
why is it necessary? Just I get that you're negotiating, but you don't need to leak everything and just make a decision at this point, because it's pretty clear Ayuk is not interested in going to the Browns. It's pretty clear that the Steelers, according to reports, are not interested in paying enough in a trade for Ayuk. Like there was a report that you know, they just wanted seconds
and thirds and the Steelers like weren't. Now we don't know how many exactly, but they weren't even asking for a first and the Steelers weren't even meeting their price on that. So just pay the man. I guess that's that's my take.
Yeah, it's all about trying to control the narrative outside when you're leaking stuff like this, And honestly, I got tired of this a week ago. Guys figure it out. It's not that hard. I mean it's hard, but it's not that hard.
My read of this situation is they would trade him to a team that's giving up enough in compensation, and the Browns reportedly were giving up Cooper a second and a fifth. Cooper then sends an Instagram out a story that said I wouldn't mind that one bit.
Yeah.
Now he didn't say what it was about, and he didn't talk to the media after the game, so he can have some deniability. That's like, oh, I was talking about something else, but it's like, we know what you were talking about. I mean, I wouldn't mind it either. No offense to your Browns. Now, the forty nine Ers are contending for a Super Bowl every year, and they are the number one offense in the league, and the Browns are very much not the number one offense.
Yeah.
I had friends text me panicking as soon as that became public, and I said, could you blame him? I'd want to go play for the forty nine Ers if I was Amari Cooper as well.
Right, and he's not going to though. It's just it seems pretty clear to me that that doesn't want to play for Cleveland. He obviously didn't want to play for New England, and I think they're going to get the deal done in the end, maybe because pearce All can't get healthy. My biggest takeaway from the Titans in this game was just Will Levis needs to protect himself. I mean, he tried to run over like a linebacker at the
goal line again and took out a huge shot. And because he's Will Levis and he's incredibly strong, he's very like Cam Newtony to me. Yeah, they keep bounced off it and was fine, But this that's kind of how he plays. And I don't know, I don't know if you can keep playing that way.
That's not who he is. He is a bowl in a china shop. He is a guy who with a chip on his shoulder. These guys out there to prove a point and usually it's done physically. This is the same guy that went to the cobbine and bragged about how live his arm was, and he does have a strong arm, but he does. Yeah, he's not going to back down, and that's usually not good for the longevity in a career.
So you know what else I learned from that or remembered from that show the pick is in was how the consensus last year I couldn't believe this before the draft was that Levis was going to the Texans. I kind of forgot that. I memory holed that as like CJ. Stroud was predictably going there. And that was only the key once you got to like three hours or two hours before the draft. Before that, no one knew that this is great, this is crazy, how wrong that was.
And I will support my friend Justin Graver the grave Digger, in his assessment that this is the best running back duo in the league. Tony Pollard looked really good in this game, had some juice, which was nice to see because he definitely did not have as much juice as we were used to last year with Dallas. And then Tajy Spears didn't have many big plays, but great touchdown run showing just his great ability to stop and start. So I do like that running back duo Jags Chiefs.
We got Trevor Lawrence versus Patrick Mahomes. This was like a playoff game as it goes for the preseason. Now they were out by the end of the first quarter, but that's you can't ask for much more than that.
I mean, it's a good reason to watch.
You know, the people that got to the stadium on time and paid their preseason ticket prices, they got a little bit of a show, at least for a quarter. This is like a playoff game. I'm not gonna last stop laughing at that in my head for a while now, but.
I mean, it was just like it was two real quarterbacks looking like real quarterbacks. Mahomes's drive was fine. Sue Mattea continues to be their left tackle. He's going to be their guy. The big takeaway from this game was Marquise Brown got hurt and you hate to see that. He had a clavigal shoulder injury that I'm gonna stumble over, how the how you say it, But he's out four to six weeks. That's not official from the team. But Tyreek Hill had almost the exact same injury, and that
was how long he was out for. It was for four games when he had it. And you know, some of the Twitter doctors and say stuff, say that's about the timeline. So that puts Marquise Brown's availability for that opener in doubt, which is disappointing. He's going to be a big part of their offense.
Yeah.
Fun fact about that injury, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rappaport and his report on NFL Network Today, usually associated with car crash injuries, not footballing.
I mean, that's that's what the that's what I like these guys do seventeen weeks a year. It'sgress when the biggest takeaway of standing on the sidelines of NFL games other than obviously it's very fast, faster than you can imagine. And then number two, I'm amazed officials get anything right, and I have way more tolerance for them after being on the field. I was just like, how did they get anything right?
This is impossible I stay healthy enough to officiate right.
The third thing is I can't believe there aren't more injuries all the time. Yeah, every everyone just isn't always hurt. It's yeah, it seems insane. Let's go a couple of more games. Eagles, Ravens not a lot here, Tanner McKee, Kenny Pickett. I did like how Nate Wiggins looked in this game. The cornerback for the Ravens. He then left with a shoulder injury that he got diving on a tackle. John Harbad did say that his injury and Rashad Bateman's injury which kept him out of the game, are believed
to be pretty minor, so that's a good sign. Before that, he looked incredible that the rookie corner in Nate Wagins.
Yeah, this is This is the two sides of the coin with Nate Wiggins that I've held since the combine. The guy's incredibly fast, incredibly athletic, and was very productive to the Clemson right and he is a natural cover corner. There was a sequence where can you Pickkett went after him like three or four straight plays early in this game. He's a little gravy on the first one, but he bats it down. Second one he basically blocks it with his like lower back because he just shielded off the
receiver and pick it under through it. And then the third one was a legit good pass breakup, and I'm like, there it is.
There's the product. You got this guy.
At the end of the first round, Ravens fans are all fired up, but then he gets hurt and he actually had a couple more nice plays before he.
Went out of that game.
And I were the reason that I even bring up the injury, beyond the fact that it's probably like day to day whatever, is the fact that I when I watched his tape and I looked at his bild, I'm like, man, he's super athletic, but he's kind of wiry, Like he's a little slight slight. He's almost like you need to put some weight on to be able to play, you know, a full NFL season, and you know it's already kind of popped up. So hoping for the best, hoping it
doesn't become a consistent thing. But that's the two sides of that there.
Yeah, they've had a lot of injuries. Kyle Hamilton left Sunday's practice with a knee injury, but they initially they think they dodged the bullet, but they were sending him for more tests. So we're taping this Sunday night, and so we just don't know that obviously is something to watch that Arthur Malette, who had a role in their secondary's gonna miss the beginning of the season. So I've had some injuries, you know, really, Rack up, Eagles didn't
play many starters. Weren't any huge takeaways for me. I have one takeaway please.
I'm very concerned about the long term future of Kenny Pickett. I know the statistics say he was okay. I'm not like panicking, but he has not gotten any better. He's still the same guy. And in a game against a lot of backups and Baltimore defense led by a new defensive cordiator in Zach Orr, I was underwhelmed.
Not a lot of confidence. You can just sometimes you can see it with quarterback when they're just not playing with any confidence, not sure of himself. And yeah, I mentioned Tanner McKee that there's a battle there. I guess for the backup quarterback job. I guess is they keep both those guys. They're not going to cut Kenny Pickett anyways, but Picket's probably been bad enough that they want to have McKy there. They might like him better. We don't
know Steelers Texans. I'm a little worried about the Steelers tackles. That was my big takeaway in this game. So Fautanu, who is their first round pick, gave up a sack and a half and then left with an injury and is out at least a week. Broderick Jones, who was their first round pick a year ago, had three pressures in this game. Played a lot, played deep, switching sides back and forth. They're just it's a little unsettled when that's supposed to be the identity of their team.
And the crown jewel of their offseason, which is that, look, we invest in the offensive line, we should be good to go. But this is the risk you run anytime you depend on rookies or young guys to play keep hissitions on the offensive line, I mean, and it'll pop up in the preseason if they just don't have the experience. Roder Jones worked his way into the lineup last year. It's not like he had a full season of experience. He had two other rookies on that offensive line. This
is gonna be a problem until it's not anymore. It's just can it be solved before it actually affects them significantly?
Right?
And there were two botch snaps from their new center Herbig who was there a year ago but now he's playing center. They also drafted a rookie Fraser at center, so we'll see, like just a lot going on there, justin fields had good numbers. Tomlin kind of downplayed it because the two botch snaps, he said was partly on the quarterbacks too, But I don't know, it seemed like watching it look more like this was on the center.
Naje Harris looked like he had a little juice. There's been a lot of best shape of my life buzz on Naje Harris, and he did look pretty good in this game. So that's something to watch. And then just watching an NFL team rollout Calvin Austin and Van Jefferson as your wide receiver two and three Pittsburgh and you're not giving up a seconds and third for Ayuk.
Really, if I had hair, I'd pull it out.
Joe Mixon was back at practice for the Texans on Sunday, so that's a good sign. Christian Harris, who's a really key linebacker for them, also back up practice for the first time I believe all camp, and then immediately left. I don't know if it was the same injury, but that's a bad sign for them. Daniel Hunter had a sack in this game. Stroud and Tank Dell just had a beautiful touchdown that was it just made me not you know, I can't wait to watch them in the
regular season. And then one thing I will note about the Steelers. They came back to practice on Sunday and Justin Fields is still taking first team reps. Not all of them. I guess Russell Wilson's still getting some of them. That's something. And then Nick, on top of that, the team sent out a celebratory photo. The annual Home Run Derby was won by Justin Fields. No, no, Russell Wilson drafted in Major League Baseball and Justin Fields is out there winning the Home Run Derby.
He's a supreme athlete. But oh no, we're reading the tea leaves already. I can't wait for any jam that's an athlete right there.
Because there's some professional ballplayers and Fields goes out there and wins the Home Run Derby. I give him. I give him some credit. And supposedly in the situation all the red zone drolls and stuff, he was out playing Russell Wilson. It's like, if this wasn't a battle before, it's obviously a battle right now.
I'm curious if they actually let it get that serious.
Well, they're gonna let Russell Wilson play. They said, Russell Wilson will probably play in this game, So yeah, something.
A while, like does this level off? Like does all the excitement kind of taper off? And they they return to business as usual with Russell?
Willbe is going to be so much more?
Does it? Yeah? Does it run long enough that it actually does? Because we're almost there right.
Now, right.
I think he has a chance. I think at this point it's very fair to say Justin Fields has a realistic chance to start Week one. That was that twenty percent? Is it forty percent? I wouldn't give it over fifty to fifty yet, But if Russell Wilson doesn't look great in practice and doesn't look one hundred percent, then yeah, it's gonna happen. Last game is the game I have virtually no notes for. It's your Cleveland Browns. Good went dtrya preseason dtr is back D'antavian Wicks, I love him,
had a long touchdown. Yeah, he did think that the couple young Packers recent draft picks, Devontae Wyatt, Lucas van Ness, they had some flashes. And so that's about all I have for you from the Packers in Browns.
Game, Yeah, curious to see what type of jump van Neess is capable of making. He's a hulking edge guy. Came from Iowa and didn't see a whole lot from him last year. But that's something that I'd like to track. I'll tell you what, Greg, you and I talked about this. I think off on the side, Sean Clifford versus Michael Pratt. Sean Clifford looked really good. He looked in command of
that offense. He looked comfortable. He uses his athleticism, He rolled out, he delivered on on target passes all over the field. It almost felt like they were playing like the junior squad for the Browns or something like the JV team because that's how well he was playing.
So I got to this game. I'm trying to get my eyes on all these games. But I did check the PFF grades because I'm a sicko to see if Proud and they had Pratt out playing.
Yeah, well Pratt got less time. Clifford played into the third quarter, and I'm sitting there at the game going, can I see Michael Pratt already?
Please? Why?
I'm seem like, how was it? Little preseason Browns.
Action Browns act good if all downtown had power the whole time, luckily for them because they had a bunch of sports going on in the city this week. But yeah, no, it was the Savannah Bananas were playing at Progressive Field during this team, so it was a very busy downtown but typical preseason action. Beautiful day of whether the Browns couldn't do much offensively, not surprised.
It is the preseason.
Yeah, and look we're we're trying to get into regular season for him. We're going to do this every Monday morning. You'll have it in your feed. There's three preseason weeks. Some weeks. Next week they'll be even I think more. Take more to sink your teeth into week three. We'll keep it quick and just go around the league of what's going on because it'll probably be a little less. But it was fun having actual football with officials and uniforms and all that fun stuff. So we'll be doing
that nick at night once the season gets going. You're with me on Sunday nights, You're with me on Monday nights. I'm looking forward to a buddy. Thanks again.
Burn it into your brains, get used to it.
It's not going anywhere, all right, four Nick shook in, Yeah, for all fourteen of those games. We'll be back on Tuesday with Jordan Rodrigue, Steve Weisch. We're doing a new fun segment called QB Island. Check this one out. It's gonna be good until then,