The 2019 San Diego Graybeards

comfortable with it. Uh but and it's just displaying in front of us on a big screen looking at old West's shiny dome. West not comfortable with it. But the fact of the matter is Greg and I like it. And two beats one. So that is a new tradition here at the Round the NFL Podcast. I like my head shiny, I like more West's. I mean, imagine a show with two West is just like arguing Edie arguing at each other. All right, don't know what you're talking about.

I don't know why I'm giving him that you're out of your treat. We should have that West be in favor of instant replay for O P I and d P I, and then this West be angry about it. Yeah, that way, that way that West hates Joe flaccover this it is funny to think about. And you can basically look at his brothers and and push this theory forward that I just came up with, was that Westwood get really sick of West, Like if there was another West,

they'd be at Oh yeah, that's that's borderline cutting. But also like West agrees with you, so that's good. Oh yeah, neither one would back down. You know. It basically is watching you with your brothers. No, it's like Superman and bizarre Superman. You know he would be strong rom week and vice versa. Have an update. I mentioned this off camera off Mike a couple of weeks ago, that the old Zeuser was getting some pocket squares for his his

um blazers. What do you call them? The jackets? Yeah? Uh, for our various duties on camera here and I'll tell you what was You saw it as what it was. It was a gauntlet throwing a gauntlet, Greg reacting with a little bit of like, oh where did this come from? All right, that's not my game? Well, who shows up in a Safari jacket? Oh yeah? Next week? That was

like there was a coincidence there. So I just want everyone to know that in the mail from Amazon arrived four new pocket squares and the little device that you put in the in the code pocket where you prop up the pocket square, and that is making its debut next week on the Around the NFL Twitter show. So check it out, everybody. Well there's I mean, the ball is clearly in our court now. No. My reaction was, think of how much time I would have spent any of your life if I told you every time a

new clothing article arrived at my house. Yeah, but you are not like that. You weren't trying to be the rising tide lifting all boats like Dan is here right, I'm saying, listen, the old juser is bringing the pocket squares. You look around, every male figure uh in media now is dropping the pocket score. Why why haven't we done it? Do we want to be taken seriously or not? Finished the suit? Finished the suit? Who was that who said that?

There was a guy who ran into us at the Super Bowl at like two thirty in the morning, literally ran into it, stopped us and said you all look great, you dressed well, but finished the suit? Get a pocket square? So Dan's like thinking, like, wow, I just watched one of those you know, up to the minute shows from two thousand and fifteen. I gotta step up what Andrews

Ciciliana has been doing since then? See I I hear your voice and the tone and it sounds like jealousy because you didn't think of this first, because now you're in a tough spot. I've I've worn it, actually worn pockets squares on NFL network multiple times. How about that. I've never seen it and that's only been like literally, I think it's the auto once. I think right, there was one tied into Yeah, I think the the wardrobe department once or twice, just put him in there and

it's like, all right, let's do it. But they were not your, they were not mine. They were the nf on Networks gauntlet thrown down. You're in a tough bocau is now if you wear and I know you, Greg, if you put the pocket square and you're gonna be like hands, this is gonna think I did. And now you're an impossible spot. I'm not into it. I can, I can. You don't want to finish. I want you guys to look good. I think we all should should feel good, look good, play good. One of the best

quotes ever. Uh, Dion Sanders Dan cood play a good, play good, feel good, eat good, and make money something something along those lines. All right, big show Today, the two thousand nineteen San Diego Graybeards are unveiled. Yes, that is the making a roster out of the best remaining free agents on the market. The old zeuser wrote a banger NFL dot com slash hands is check it out and we will talk about it for new listeners to

the show. Dan is the old juiceter, so he's not talking about a guest that's gonna join our show a little later. It's it's him and also maybe Ricky a little musical accompany accompaniment to uh the graveyards. Yeah, I'll work something up for you, okay, and uh, but before that, we're gonna do some news, so let's hit it. I'm here so I won't get fine. Beast mode Is that a Is that a call forward? It's called a uh, not a call back, but the opposite's like a tease

some news coming up. Beast Mode might uh might have a role in the news and beyond on today's show. Let's start uh though with a running back. That is not Marshall Lynch. It is Jordan Howard of the Chicago Bears have moved the running back shipping into the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a round pick. This went down

on Thursday night. The Eagles announced it. Uh. Conditions in the trade could flex that selection to a fifth rounder in We'll say, Howard's been uh uh, you know, been dangled in trade talks since before or even last season. Tarik Cohen is really um emerged uh in that office, especially under Matt Naggy. Uh so, now with Mike Davis also in the room, Jordan Howard doesn't have a place west. I remember I remember when my first son was born, or maybe it was my second, it would have been

two thousand sixteen. Jordan Howard was breaking out on the scene and you were never really sold on Howard as a player, but he did manage to put up some numbers and be a productive guy, uh for a while there in Chicago. What do you think about where he fits in Philly and where he is as a player at this stage. Well, I think that he was going to be demoted in Chicago, and it's never a good idea to carry demoted guy who's been used to being the star of the offense and the demoted demoted he's

hitting that t hard. I noticed that demoted, demoted, demoted. Okay, sorry, yeah, Well, you know he's used to be in the offensive focal point, which he was under John John Fox, and we knew last year when Ye came in. Immediately the rumors were there that Jordan Howard doesn't fit the offense, and we saw that his production went way down last year. And I think of Jordan Howard. I've always thought of him as sort of the late stage Adrian Peterson skill set.

He's a one dimensional back. No coach wants to play him on passing downs, and he's sort of a tell for what you're gonna do, so you sort of have to tailor your offense to him. And the Bears weren't going to do that, and he caught twenty passes for them last year, so they tried to make him a little bit of a threat in the receiving game. He still had two and fifty carries, so he's been next. I give the Eagles credit, Like everyone says, you don't

have to pay for running backs. Easy to find running backs. They're not panicking at running back, and they sent the sixth round pick in these These fifth and sixth round picks are overrated, and I think smart teams like the Eagles and the Rams and the Patriots have been using them to get veterans who Jordan Howard's not going to change their team, but he's gonna fill a hole for

the two thousand nineteen season and be solid. Doesn't it feel like the last couple of years, especially the Eagles are the kings of these moods of players that are they have some history of success, but they're not superstars, but they might be more valuable than people realize. And the Eagles bring them into their building. They did a great job and they have Corey Clement there. We'll see

who else, uh Gwndell Smallwood, Wendell Smallwood. Maybe they draft someone who knows it's not a long term solution, but if you need someone to take some carries up the middle, they needed someone. Meanwhile, on the throne of Sleeves, the New England Patriots thought they had um a defensive coach on their staff uh for the twenty nineteen season, and Greg Ciano, even although I guess he was never the higher was never officially announced, and we didn't know what

they have announced. They have not announced their coaching staff at all yet, so they haven't announced any coaching changes, and which is a typical Patriots move. They don't do it until every last spot is filled. But there was an idea out there that he was going to be the defensive coordinator. Yes, I think that was the expectation. Well guess what, Greg Siano walks away from the Patriots citing a need to step back spend some time with his family. Here is a um A statement on the matter.

I have informed Mr Craft and Coach Belichick that I'm stepping down from my position. UM this is not the result of any one event, but rather a realization that I need to spend more time on my faith and family. I don't want to look back years from now and wish I had done things differently. Therefore, I'm taking time away from the game to recalibrate my priorities. Um. Bill Belichick,

in a statement, was behind Siano. But this is the same Belichick that a couple of days ago and in different media context, was talking about how excited he was to have Siano on the staff. So something happened. Uh, we don't know all the details, but what we do know is that Shianno will not be connected to the Pets. They've been friends a long time and Belichick said that in the statement that he's a close friend. So it's

not even worth speculating about why. Maybe it's just the adjustment going from college back to the pros and remembering what that's like. Who knows. The faith and family thing is interesting? Well, right, I mean, I mean, I mean, the college coaching is an easy job compared to the NFL job. That's just a fact in terms of the

hours that you spend. But it's wild, and it points out the incredible exodus from the Patriots this offseason, not just on the coaching staff, but the defensive coaching staff is what stands out the most. Here. Here's who left. Uh the defensive play caller last year, Brian Flores, cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer. They both went to Miami. But yeah, I think people know about Flores. The defensive line coach Brendan Daley went to the Chiefs coaching assistance to Marcus Covington.

Mike Pellegrino, Uh also left. Oh No, they might have to step up. If you go to the Patriots website right now and go to their staff, a bunch of offensive coaching staff, and you can look at their bio, you know, find out all about Josh McDaniels. There's one defensive coach. His name is Steve Belichick. That's it. He's the only coach that anyone knows about that's on the staff. Like what has happening? Picture looks like you just got

back from a Smashing Pumpkins concert. It's just Bill and Steve. Maybe that's Bill's dream, you know, it's crazy. I wonder if there's a little bit of like Michael Jordan going on here? What's left to prove? So Belichick's like, what if I just run the defense, me and my son by ourselves. That's a challenge. And to your point, you're looking at that Patriots dot com site, the only one that really matters is the giant photo of the guy on top. Everything else I think will be worked out.

I don't know if you're raising any red flags on this, but come on, Bill knows what he's doing. I think it's a little it's it's just another obstacle. And the bigger issue is that Rob Gronkowski, you know, retired and they lost Darrel Patterson. That to me is a bigger concern than the coaches. But I think that's something to manage. I mean, they had this plane with Shianna, who he loves, and uh, now he doesn't have a coaching less. All right,

let's move on the Raiders. Marshawn Lynch, he spent the last two years there. Well, the door might be closing for Beast mode because Isaiah Crowell, who spent last year with the Jets, signs with the Raiders a one year deal worth up to two and a half million. Rap Sheet reported Thursday. Uh Oakland confirmed the move. Um, and you join a backfield that also has Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, Chris Warren. Uh, Doug the muscle Hamster Doug Martin is not in the mix there. Uh and neither it seems

will Marshawn Lynch at this point. Right well. Rap Sheets said today on our air that it's unlikely Marshawn Lynch will be back with the Raiders. There was talk that maybe after the draft they could see where they are, but it seems like this is a move. And I thought Isaiah Crowell, who I'm sure Jets fans were dancing in the street when he was gone and replaced by Levy On Bell had some promising games last year. He did he I mean, listen, don't get caught up in

the four point eight yards per attempt he finished. I was Bradley Roby assisted game against the Broncos when he just ran through open stretch five yards on the season and over two d came in one game. He was really he was kind of a nothing burger for much of the season, especially in the second half. But yeah, maybe you catch him and if you use him the

right way, he can give you a little something. He has a replacement level uh running back, yes, I mean and and then the Raiders are kind of the team at the end of free agency that just almost have a little too much money to spend. They also signed linebacker Brandon Marshall uh from the Broncos, who I thought was maybe one of the better players available. So it's not a terrible move. But they're paying. They're you're paying just like a little extra, you know what I mean.

Like the Eagles, they get Jordan Howard, who's on a rookie contract, who's better than Isaiah Crowell, who is getting paid double what Jordan Howard's gonna pay. So it's just like a small difference of like I think, what the smart teams do and what the Raiders do. Um, did you know that Brandon Marshall pulled a Anthony barr on

the Graybeards. We had a handshake deal he was gonna be our starting linebacker and then he he walks across the street and the signs with another two to the A B or tap the GM app They gotta get on that. Yeah, they were not taking a question their GM. We're not officially well that's me. We're not officially recognized by the National Football League at this point. In fact,

there could be litigation coming at some point. Um, but I would love to be a part of the savvy move to to talk to Brandon Marshall, because you're gonna have those dumb fans who thinks it's the other Brandon Marshall and just say bye bye the ticket for that Brandon mar Yeah, that Brandon Marshall was not in negotiations with the Gray Beards, which tells you a lot about his value. The Dallas Cowboys make a trade. Robert Quinn arrives from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a sixth

round pick. Uh. He then he takes a little bit of a haircut, that's a reduction in pay, signs a new one year deal with nine point two million. Uh. He could earn up to ten million if he can record seven sacks, which feels like a very Robert Quinny number eventually. Uh Wes, what do you think about this move? Did this make the Dallas defend some line better? I think it did. Um. If you look, I'm surprised by the contract number. That really surprises me. Offensive paying some

of it. Okay, Um, you look at this team and David Irving did not really give them anything last year. He was great and flashy is the year before. Um, Randy Gregory had a really good year. Both those guys are gone, and I think you bring in Robert Quinn, you bring in Carrie Hyder who was one year removed from an eight sack season as a rotational pass rusher.

They did a good job adding depth. They brought in Christian Covington from the Texans to play um tackle for them, and I think they count on their defensive line having a lot of bodies to throw at people and I think they did a good job of coming up with depth. Here. Let me throw one thing out here, Greg, you tell me if this is completely crazy. But we just came off a season where Levy on Bell got tagged the second year and said, no, smell you later, I'll be

back next year with a big contract. Somewhere else is this was there a little bit of thought that we want to protect ourselves in cases to Marcus Lawrence situation turns ugly Apparently on track talks are going nowhere between Lawrence and the Cowboys right now. No, because man, they can't imagine a world where they wouldn't have DeMarcus Lawrence, and he's getting paid so much on the franchise tag and be hard to imagine him sitting out. But it raises the point that I think they should just be

spending that money on resigning their old guys. Like I get it. Quinn. I've I've always rooted for Robert Quinn. But the fact that the Rams and the Dolphins gave up on him in back to back years and both seasons were so similar, and that he came out of the gates in September looking very strong and then his back issues has kind of made him a career. What if?

Because for for younger fans who just kind of, you know, haven't been following, Like his two thousand thirteen season to me, ranks with the best defensive seasons of the decade, and it was it was one season, but he had that sort of get off and that sort of potential. But he hasn't been able and he's known as Yeah, maybe I think that could be better that that he's a part time guy and he's getting paid a lot. I

can't I can't kill even the contract. It's more kind of the overarching thought that this is necessary because they can't develop their own guys. Yeah, Randy Gregory, Taco Charleton, David Irving's gone, and so it was kind of a necessary move when they should be really investing in Lawrence

and Amari Cooper and everyone. UM and other news. John Lynch, a general manager of the forty Niners, has spoken out about UM the wide receiver room at the forty Niners, which he likes, but absolutely people are going to connect the forty Niners to Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown, the two big wide receivers that ended up going to other teams. Here's what Lynch had to say on why Odell Beckham and the forty niners could never really be Well, you know, I would tell you, you know, um Otel, we were

really muchtioned that we had been in it. And um I think ironically the fact that we had the number tick to pick made it more difficult because they wanted that badly. They wanted to number ones and we weren't. One of the part with that. That's two valuable old the pick, and that was an interview with the Athletics Matt Barrow. Um. So the fact that they were at number two, they were so high up they couldn't justified

doing it. It was that a mistake. Well, I think it tells you that they wanted him every bit as badly as the Browns did, but not having having that number two pick in the first round, it's it's another reminder that when we talk about first round picks in general, I think analytics have taught us to separate late first round picks, mid first round picks, in early first round picks.

There are generally fifteen to twenty players in every draft that separate themselves from the crowd, and you want one of those top fifteen to twenty picks, but they pick might be a lot closer in value to a mid second round pick than say the tenth pick. And it's confusing because you know, they didn't get two first round picks. You know, the Giants, well, they considered Jabriel Peppers a first round I don't. I mean, he's already played two

years and and it's different thing. I guess, I guess, I mean, I guess it makes sense though, because the Browns have that mid first round picking, it would have been a little tricky for the forty Niners to work that out and or they might be just offer their first round pick. But that's not as good. I expected the forty Niners to be even a little louder than they have been in this offseason, even though they've they've

been plenty loud ums. Speaking of Antonio Brown and the comments on k n B r uh Lynch, clearly you know he's one of the guys that didn't like what was going on with Antonio Brown. It seemed we took a quick look and then we just said, hey, we're not interested in that for our team. Well, this is that's how I read into that. The second time he said almost the same quote. I mean he's repeated this twice.

It's it is interesting the little drips and drabs that have come out that the recording of Trew Rosenhaus and Antonio Brown talking about how how desperately they didn't want to play for the Buffalo Bills was interesting. The fact that the Patriots have now been confirmed as they were kind of lightly in on on Antonio Brown, but they weren't willing to give up the same sort of compensation

that that the Raiders were. Here's a poured out there about Josh rosen from Joel Clapp appearing on Wednesday's Undisputed? What is Undisputed? Who shows that? That's the Skip Bayliss Show. Why isn't it just called the Skipping It is confusing because they got the two shows, they got the Whitlock Show. They've had that. I don't know what that's called, but it's a confusing name. And then they and then the Bailiss one. They just just name it after the people. Right,

I'm with you. He's with a sharp brother right, skipping Shannon. Right, that's right. I called the Skipping Shotton Show. How much money are you paying these guys? But the names Skipping skipping one of the Sharp brothers. It's just like depends on the day the show anyway. And now we're going to use their content on our show anyway, uh, Clad

said Josh Rosen, is quote going to get moved. Clad added that the Chargers, Giants, Patriots emerged as the top suitors, and one of those teams, Charges, Giants and Patriots has already offered up a second round pick, which seems like pretty good value all things considered. Uh. I guess it's gonna happen, Greg, just a matter of when I think so. I I left just hearing Cliff Kingsbury talk about it and believe that, and just reporters talking amongst themselves and

buzz and all that. I think they know that they'll be able to trade them, and they think the best offer is going to come closer to the draft. I'm curious though about the Patriots there. There was sort of a strong undercurrent from multiple people whether the Patriots are putting out there out there to get people off the Center not. I don't know that the Patriots were not necessarily very high on Josh Rosen that that I heard from multiple people. It doesn't matter to you either way, though,

because you're out. No. I if you get Josh Rosen, I'm back in. Yeah. Is it because of the chosen Rosen things? I want to root for Josh Rosen and that just would be fun. And it's not like I'm out, like, oh screw them, They're still gonna be my favorite a team. This is just a boring It's like if a team signed a quarterback named Joss Wessel, I would have to start following it because it would be the same, you know, because that would be just like an interesting plot twist

that you didn't see it coming. But I think the Chargers are the most interesting team here, and there are some pretty strong rumors connecting them with Drew Locke as well in this draft. So I think they absolutely in the quarterback market right now, really, because I think Omar Ruiz reported Monday that they are not really looking to draft at quarterback. It's silly season. It is tough to know what to believe. Uh. We talked about it on

Wednesday's show The Big News. The bombshell news out of the owners meetings that offensive past interference and defensive past interference will be reviewable and at least two thousand nineteen the one dissenting vote amongst the owners, it was one to one was Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown uh And. At the annual league meeting in Phoenix, he told the ESPN, well, I've been in that position before. I just vote with

my conscience and how I see it. I'm not trying to be offensive understated if someone else doesn't want to go my way. He added. When they put it in, they were smart enough to restrict it more than it is today, and it was supposed to be used only when the play had a big impact on the game. Otherwise you weren't supposed to use it while it evolved over time, and now they use it in all kinds of situations. I don't think that's good for the game.

It is the fact that there's going to be officiating era, but it's also the fact that instant replay doesn't always correct it. It actually compounds the problem. On occasion. West, you have a tortured relationship with the Cincinnati Bengals, you probably won't classify it that way. You'd say it was a difficult or a uh, you know, an ill fated relationship. I'd say you and the Bengals not always on the

same page. But in this situation, it's like the woman who tried to engage yourself to you, similar sense, similar sit I can't remember agreeing on Mike Brown in many things, but agreement and these are the two biggest problems that I know. Young listeners might find this hard to believe, but believe me, I was around when they instituted instant replays. Is all old guys. It was expressly put in for particularly egregious, big impact calls. It has evolved over time

where you have to save coaches from themselves. Who's watching out for the game. The competition committee has to watch out for the game. Coaches are protecting their control over the game. They're winning edge. It's no coincidence that two of the greatest coaches in NFL history, Bill Walsh and Don shul they have the word edge in their memoirs because they're looking for any percentage point that can give

them a small favor. That's how you win in the NFL, and getting calls in their favor is one edge of these control freaks and a calm control freaks, not in a negative way. When you invest that much time, you want your fingerprints all over the game. You have to save replay from the coaches. But that's on the officiating in the in the league office to stop overturning calls unless they're obvious. If they them to take a challenge

away from the coaches, misused it. Since the rule winning to exist, they consistently and I think they did a better job this towards the end of last year. If they consistently just didn't overturn calls unless it's obvious, as the rule intends, I think you would have you would have a better situation. Well that is a hypothesis. Finally, in the news, UH, the Alliance of American Football the a F, which is was launched the week after the

Super Bowl to a decent level of fanfare. Uh. We had some fun with that fact, but the bottom line is that the NFL was behind it on some level. Um, maybe not enough is what's coming from people connected to the league. The games have aired on our network, but Uh. The a F chairman told the USA Sports USA Today Sports in a recent interview that the NFL p A is not cooperating with a F because they're refusing to allow the first year league to use young NFL players. Um.

Tom Dundon is his name. He actually um aided the a F earlier in the season by making a two fifty million dollar investment in the league when they were having some early payroll issues. And it's just incredible, incredible to me, guys that, first of all done in this guy's a billionaire owns the Carolina Hurricanes NHL franchise. I don't care who you are. A quarter of a billion dollar investment is a big deal. Um. But I'm surprised

this year. There are eight games into a season essentially, and there's talk that this thing could be the plug, could be pulled as soon as after this weekend's games. And the reason why is because I guess the a F thought the NFL was going to give them more support beyond just some television coverage, that they would actually be a true pipeline, which is a great idea in theory. But you understand why the NFL is like, WHOA, we can't do that. This is professional football injuries and there's

a collective bargaining agreement involved here. It's not that easy to do that. We can't help you like that at this point. Meanwhile, the a F is saying that it is drowning essentially. Uh, this could be a quick, ugly death. It sounds like a threat from Dundon that isn't to be taken too seriously, you know. He it's it's really a fight between him and the NFL Players Union. I think the NFL does want it to be a developmental league.

They've said as much, and they would like players on futures contracts to be available to the a F the The problem is the union has not agreed to that. Um. There's a battle back and forth, and he said, and Dundon seems like he's so frustrated and he's the chairman that he says, if they're not going to give us their young players, we have to look at all of

our options, one of which is discontinuing the league. He knows the NFL doesn't want that to happen, so he's trying to push, you know, the nfl PA to negotiate. It's a little in the in the weeds here. I don't have a bluff, you know, he said, one of which is potentially discontinuing, uh, the league, because I think

the NFL really wants it. And by the way, it's been doing like huge numbers, relatively huge relative relative to what's on NFL network normally and relative to other sports, I mean relative to like a pete G A a regular kind of p G a weekend, or a Grand Slam tennis quarterfinal like it's been doing pretty there's a reason why they're showing those on NFL network instead of old NFL games. People are watching it the in baseball as an example, like the Arizona Fall League or something.

It's not a natural parallel, but you can have players. If you're a fan of let's say I'm a fan of the Jets, I want to see a young prospect um if it's in that league, I would be interested in that. But there's just I understand why that probably is never gonna happen because the p A is that's just too much of a risk. The sports too dangerous in that sense to to risk bodily harm and ruining

a prospect uh in someone on someone else's team. Essentially, it feels like a purgatory because the NFL, like to me, has been doing them a solid with all the attention they've been giving them. But if you're not like in bed with them like the NBA has been with the w n b A and the G league, like, those are entities of the n B A. But the is the A, A F and somewhere in between. I mean, the NFL is clearly throwing it behind the A F in relation to the XFL, which I think it wants

to fail. I mean, I'm just like reading the tea leaves there. But you're right, and I think that's what the AFS trying to do is make it a little more for him. All right, that's what's happening in the news. All right. You know, it's crazy how time flies. This is the fifth season of the Graybeards um uh fake football franchise. It started here in Los Angeles, and then when the Chargers were ripped away from San Diego, we moved the Graybeards south, UM and down the old five.

And I'll tell you what, what are the gray Beards. We look at what's going on. We're three and a half weeks out from the league year, and we see players without jobs, players that deserve jobs, players that can help teams um in nine and many of these guys, the majority of the players on the roster will help teams in nineteen. UM. So I want to start with a plea Greg to um Sometimes I don't want it to be lost. I don't want this isn't flipping. I

want all these players to get jobs. You do, so you look at yourself as kind of a gateway to the NFL. You're like in your own developmental league in a way. Yes, and I have the platform at NFL dot com. Uh if if if if one general manager happens to read the Graybeards article which really smart decision NFL dot Com slash Hansas and sees a player that's like, oh wait a second, maybe I should check in on this guy again, then the Graybeards have done their job.

So we are a feeder system in a way. You could look at it a different way, which is that if it took reading about a free agency, uh free agent available on the gray Birds to know that he was out there that the general managers inspired, it's a bad sign for that team. But before we go go way same way. I don't want to before we go through the roster um to just send that message a positive message. Put together a little bit of a musical number,

because music is the universal language. That's true. Um said that was sex, Now that I thought it was esperanto. Um Ricky hit it this is the bill, gray Beard. Give him a chance, give him the shot to prove them wrong. Gray Beard. The mind is sound, the body is tight, the soul he is a evil gray He Give him a chance, make him feel who bring him inside you all? Gray Gray Gray, Gray Beard Gray. I gotta tell you that was better than some of the

stuff I've seen in halftime shows. You know what. I was getting a little bit of a Jackson main vibe, you know, like the first the first kind of like rock song that they play that's just like a Jackson Vane banger. Yeah, I like that, Thanks man, all right, put that out of the way, and I feel like I've been a nickel back maybe thrown in there. Yeah, that's a little it's got a nickel back vibe, I

could say. But there's some electronic elements in there. We're not We're not just when the drums start picking up the beat. I mean, let's what's out, all right, ladies. It was like the Miami vice scene with something in the air tonight, alright. That one that was a dated ref But I'm with you on it. All of my references are dated, and I don't care if people get them or not. In fact, it's better for me if only a few do. This is a guy I like

fact checking pop culture. Ricky, do you know what Miami Vices? Yeah? It's a movie. No TV show. Well but Jamie Fox and Colin Farrell. Yeah, please tell me you know it was based on the TV show. Yeah? Oh she didn't, she didn't. All right, here we go. Quarterback I got, and again the same thing, you guys. You evaluate this roster and don't hold back. I had had the big fish,

Evan Silva helped me out last year. And because he's so professional, he took it overly seriously and and I took up a lot of his time and I felt bad about it, so I didn't bring him up this year. So I'm gonna lean harder on you guys in twenty nineteen. But thank you having for your help last year. All Right, here we go. Sam Bradford thirty one years old. He's the starting quarterback of the Graybeards. Um he's he's thirty one. He might be the oldest thirty one year old in

the world. Let's face it, he's got bad knees. But and he's been in Mothballs for basically two years. But he is also two seasons removed from leading the NFL and UM completion percentage that's boy. He had a twenty touchdown five interception year that year with Minnesota, perfectly serviceable.

Maybe above that, I bring in Brock Osweiler as a backup, knowing that Sam probably isn't gonna be able to make it through you know, September, and uh Josh McCown, who will be forty years old by week one, but a great blue guy. Everybody loves Josh. It's tough when Josh McCown is not even a starter on this team. He's still like the coach in the locker room. It's like, oh yeah, it'll be great a leader. Well for Sam Bradford, he looked cooked last year when he played, but he's done.

But you know what's he's there. He's basically a coach on the field, you know, and the practices and things of that. Name. Bradford's interesting as you know, he played granted, just two games the year before, but he averaged like nine yards per throw in those two games, and then had a good year the year before, and then he was with this unbelievably terrible cardinal situation that like has ended a lot of it felt like it was ending

a lot of careers and a lot of potential. But the fact that Josh Rosen came in and actually looked better than Sam Bradford, that was a tough spot. I do like the fact that the number one oh one guy on our top one oh one free agency list every year he's on the gray Beards, whoever it is, I mean, because that's good. He's got the good marketing pop from the list. And now you put Bradford, who has been there stuck at one oh one on your tickets.

Here's my fix for your quarterback room. Go ahead. Us Whaler doesn't need to be anywhere near this team or any team, so I would take people or take him off. And if you if Sam Bradford can't play, and a lot of people think his knees will never allow him to play again on this team with who's available, I'm going to Josh Johnson rail doing a little door dual threat quarterbacking. He played, I mean, he held his own

with the Redskins at the end of the year. He's from San Diego to and local legend San Diego like that. On this team, you're gonna need a running quarterback The problem is, though, that you with that line like, yeah, you want name value, local guy this and that, Like how about you take a chance on a guy who can lead you to a mythical championship. And there's only one guy out there that could do that, and that's Gino Smith. He was already in San Diego last year.

He knows where the locker rooms are, he knows where the local taco places are. So you don't have to help Gino with that. I mean, he was in l A last year. Whatever, that's why we're in San Diego, nex whatever. He I don't know, Gino Smith. Gino's phone didn't ring. He was expecting a gray Beard's called. I never can give him a chance, give him a chance. All right, let's move on to the running back room. Um, all right, Marshawn Lynch. The raiders close the door, Well,

we open a window. And and what's very important, extremely important, almost confusingly important in our organization is having a really good media guide cover. And that's why, not the only reason, but Marshall Inch, you put him in the room. He's thirty three years old by week one, but you know that he's not going to be able to carry the load you. You want him to be a guy, you know, a little thumper between the tackles. Maybe you can carry you for a half or something to keep him healthy.

Hope he doesn't quit the team. But you gotta have a real potential bell cow guy. That's why J G. I is joining us twenty six years old by week one. Uh. He has the international appeal as being a guy from England. So we're gonna get that hook. And um, you know he's had his moments and he's still a young guy. C. J. Anderson's out there too, so we're gonna have a running back by committee. Obviously here showed he had some tread

on the tires in l A. Uh. And what are we missing a guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Uh, we're gonna chew a fullback instead. We're gonna bring on t J yelled in twenty five years old ability to catch the ball in the backfield. Your thoughts on my running backs? I am severely crestfallen disappointed that you do not have Darren Sprowls in your backfield. Thought about it. It makes you wonder, what is the

gray beer it's here? Couldn't Greg go grow gray hair if he wants, if he tried to, right, that's the that's like, what is the idea behind the gray beards. I always thought it was kind of a guy. You know, guys towards the end of their career. Yelden is going to be on a team, on an NFL team, I think, so, yeah, he'll be he'll be a part time I know. But he's you were so cut throat, and he's young, is only twenty six, he's coming off an injury, so he's gonna be on a team, on an NFL team, So

he's just stopping by the gray beards. I think Sprowls is a guy you combined with Marshawn Lynch. To me, that's like a picture perfect gray beards backfield. Now I get why you're saying that the graybeards. We have another San Diego guy by the way, Wow, he was Well, maybe I've made a mistake there, But um, it's not just about being old. The exercise is just covering who's

out there. But it just so happens that a lot of these guys end up being close to the wrong side of thirty, which is tells you a lot about how hard I totally made that up, by the way. He just but he had his best years when I was checking them, like, is that right? He had his best year? You know, I had some gray ears with the Chargers, and that fan base who needs uh some hope and some some love and some memory of that you know, would be rooting him on. There's no reverse

gears in this tank. We move forward with the city itself. You know, wide receiver alright, a little bit of a problem with wide receiver and and this is this pops up every year at the Gray Beards. It's it's a position scarcity for real teams. Our team has left to pick up the guys that can't really move too well anymore. UM. So they have a nice name brand, but maybe you worry about separation and you absolutely have an issue with

UM taking the top off defenses. But what we got here is des Brian as Brian is thirty years old, hasn't played in a long time now and is coming off an Achilles tear. But again, that media guy is very important, so we're gonna slap him on there team and the just the season tickets. You gotta have eight guys, you guys, and from the national you want coverage from national outlets. Every team does dez is comeback attempt? Well, you find it here in San Diego. Michael Crabs Um,

he fell into the Lamar Jackson abyss last year. Um, but before that he was a virtual lock for over a five year stretch for you know, eight or nine touchdowns a year. I know, like does he doesn't get separation anymore, but they're worse red zone targets. Pierre Garcon thirty three years old. I don't know what he has left in the tank. Maybe we'll slide him into the slot, see if you can do some damage in there. And then Kelvin Benjamin just a giant. Just good to have

a giant. And uh, he's twenty eight and everyone else has given up on him. But that's part of the Graybeards aesthetic is giving people one last chance. So Kelvin, welcome to board. Look how far to Marius Thomas has fallen the Gray Beards. We were negotiations but it just didn't work out. Well. He's also coming off in achilles tear and a UH arrest issue. I think yeah. We also, yeah,

there was a car issue. We also we we talked about it internally and having two over thirty wide receivers rehabbing achilles tendon tears seemed a little bit of a bridge too far. I think a cover of your media, you know, right, I think you wanna, you know, think about Chris Hogan just because, uh, just because maybe not a lot of production, but he brings kind of that

Patriots championship. You know, he teaches the guy what it's like to be uh the middle of a champe threat for you, Terrell Prior, I mean a little bit of a poison. Maybe. Well we haven't been able to find out exactly what it is he's bringing or taking away from locker room. You're gonna need someone to replace Crabtree when the Patriots signed him to be there, Like you know, seventh guy in in training camp just feels ava at this point. Once a gray beard, always a gray beard.

It just stays where it is if they're not on a team. On March twenty nine, we get him, all right, But but you guys kind are on the same page as me, like we're gonna have an issue stretching the field. It's an anal, But I do I think Dad is a great move because you know, most if he was signed by most teams. It's like, all right, Dez, you know, calm down with the social media a little bit. Let's just like focus on not the gray beards here, like fly off the handle, take shots at the Cowboys, do

it tight end? Uh? Alright? So Antonio Gates was on the team last year. He's on the team again, even though he's gonna be thirty nine years old by week one. Like me, he's a nineteen eighty baby, and we stick together. So Gates is back. I'm gonna put Austin Safarian Jenkins in my starting role though. Um I saw a little bit that I liked in his year with the Jets. I know last year in Tampa he kind of just disappeared. But Tampa Jacksonville, excuse me, but Jacksonville was just it

was a bad year in Jacksonville all around. So um, I'm gonna bank on that a s J has something in the in the tank and there's not trust me. There aren't a lot of other options. The pickings are slim. One guy I might take a look at is a former second round pick, Max Williams of the Ravens. The two exes, Max Williams double X. I don't throw up the double X injury like that. Yeah, injuries have really hurt him, but you know, just for an upside point

of view, maybe you could turn his career around. I think the combination of Gates and um, Michael Human Awa Nui would be like really exciting. You got the you got the pass catcher, you've got the blocker, you bring in the kind of Tonio Gates. I mean, he's a legend, he's huger than he's bigger than whom on at this

he's a Hall of Famer. And then yeah, Human, you know, maybe brings in kind of you know, you want to as much diversity as possible in terms of their background, so you know, maybe get some Islanders coming to the game. And I like him on We'll take people from all over the world. I'm trying to look at us so far. I don't think Marshall Lynch is a Hall of Famer? Is he He's board actually an interesting case borderline, he was. He was a crucial to a team that was I think, honest,

I think he's got an uphill battle. But I would listen to an argument for him. But Gates certainly will go to canton Um. So he's the only short Hall of Fame guy, we got. UM offensive line always a tough exercise because UM teams struggle to put together half a good offensive line and these cities, so we're taking what's left. Uh. Donald Penn just got cut loose by the Raiders. He has three Pro Bowl bids and most recently in two seventeen, so he was functional. John Sullivan

just played in a Super Bowl. So that's that's not nothing. Um the rest Jeremy parnell Um, Quentin Spain, Josh Sitton. I mean it's a bit of a roll of the dice. With Sam Bradford behind center. I think you have better tackles than some NFL teams. It's not the worst offensive line. You're right, that would not be. That would not be the worst offensive line in the league. Every other position group, I think it would. I wor right. I think it's the average age of about thirty two or thirty three

years might struggle in the wrong pen. I like Penn though, because you need a guy who does like, hey, we've got like the digital like a seven minute video that we need a player to kind of do a breakdown. UM. Some digital videos go on the local programming to kind of like promote the thing, and I think he's got that next career in the media and he can do that as well. Good call, Good call, Um, it's Jeremy Parnell, I said, Jeremy. Well yeah, I think it's but it's

just spelled. Um. Let's move to the defense now. I like this same thing happened last year, and I remember the big Fish UH had a similar thought that the offense was shaky, but the defenses saw there's some good players here on the edge. Ziggy Anza rap sheet UM put it out there that he has a shoulder issue that teams are worried about. But this is still a dude. Twelve sacks two seasons ago fourteen and a half back in two thousand fifteen. It's twenty nine years old or

thirty years old. Week one. I'll roll the dice, and I'm a little surprised no one else has to this point. Maybe the shoulders totally jacked, but we we did that. Nick Perry, another guy that has some history, UH is double digit sack season has fallen off in recent times, but you know, we we take a flyer Adrian Clayborne, bring him on. UM. He graded that well on PFF

this season. Played in two of the last three Super Bowls, and um, why Mark Brady the shadow league figure, why would he be calling me in the middle of an Around the NFL podcast shadoway behavior? And finally Shane Ray, uh, twenty six years old, a total lway draft bus that looks like but we take a flyer on him and see if we can get anything out of him. What do you think? Was two guys I like who are not on the on this list. Aaron Lynch is one

of my favorite free agents left on the board. I thought he showed really well um as a rotational rusher for the Bears last year. And I would take a chance on Derek Morgan over maybe Shane Ray or Adrian Clayborne. He's coming off like he had a terrible year last year, but the year before that, I believe he had nine sacks and um, just now turning twenty nine, I believe,

so still got maybe something left in the tank. Yeah, I think you do a nice job kind of you know, having a variety of red flags from from these guys, whether if you know, it could be like like a ziggy answer doesn't just have one injury. He's got like seven different surgeries over the last couple of he's also secret.

It's like Shane Ray. Actually he's young and healthy, had some talent, but kind of not known as you know, the best um behind the scenes guy necessarily or you know, it hasn't really I don't know, hasn't really uh fulfilled this potential. I don't know if he's taking his career as seriously as you want. Claiborne though, like Adrian Claiborn, alright, good interior defensive line. And here is the third and final man on the cover of the media. Guy that's

Dominican Sue. I mean, the man is photogenic and everyone knows Sue getting up there in years. But he's got something. He's still got the motor a little bit. Maybe he's not the same player was in Detroit, but he will be a presence on our line. Corey Legit another guy. Listen, he's got a quad surgery's recovering from. So you have that red flag. But this guy and he was on I believe, on your top one on one boys an eight year starter, fairly high. Moe Wilkerson. This is a

tough one for me because I don't like MOHAMMEDD. Wilkerson in terms of as a man. No, the way things ended with the Jets, I think he basically stole um my favorite team's money and stopped working hard. But he's also at this stage in his career twenty nine and coming off a serious leg injury in Green Bay, a lot to prove, and probably looking for one last pay day. Brent Urban not really familiar with his work, but he was on your top one on one, so he got

the final spot. I'm a little surprise he's still available. There's some good picks here. Um you might need, like a hog Molly, like a huge run stuffer guy like Danny Shelton. Um for Demota Peco, who's you know, gonna be about thirty four years old. I'm sure has the gray beard. So just a beef, beefy guy to take off a couple of lineman a poor man snap. I like Dan immediately took some notes wrote that down beef

in the middle of their situational. All right, great, you know there is a case to me made that I talked to you guys about this before I write the piece. But I like him. You did a good job. Linebacker Zach Brown another guy. He's sitting at number twenty nine on the Westling and Rosenthal Top one had him in the top twelve. He was mad at me. I like put him at forty seven and it bounced out to that. And now he's the captain of the defense of the gray Beard, so that I felt it felt like a

major steel. Not sure if he's captain material, but we take chances opportunities other teams win. It's that a terrible defense. Him and Sue and Jamie Collins. I don't know what to do with Jamie Collins. I don't know where he would fit in. I don't know what the defensive scheme is, but I know he's a guy that has tools and flexible.

I think he can play in multiple schemes. This is gonna be one of those defenses, and asked answers the question what would happen to a defense if everybody was just doing their own thing instead of like like Collins and uh and Brown are just freelancing all over their freelance and they're just trying to get tackles. Sue is just like going for sas, not trying to stop the run. So like you have a lot of big players and highlights, like you don't get a lot of stole a lot

of turnovers. That sounds like it probably wouldn't worked, but no one's ever tried it right, it's innovative. I got Matteo in there too, sure Tackler, he's got a good background. So another big thing an organization is that he Um. We're very big on giving the beat writers some layups for their notebook leads during training policy. So we got we got Teo in there, we got we got writer for the Cools actually retweeted your column and said, this is a gift for beat writers. You have already told

you've already written the stories for us. I would be happy to follow this team. There you go George Breemer, who covers the great Well, I'm very big on that. Another Hawaii guy, another guy who played in San Diego. So I think it's all coming together. You see, you're you're picking up on our business model. UM cornerback or you know, the secondary. It's tricky. It's it's same thing

where you worry about speed and age more. But Mo Claiborne, who I think is a rock solid number two type cornerback. Um that I'm a little surprised that Jets aren't bringing back yet or haven't or won't, but he is out there. He'll be our number one cornerback. So good luck to you, um Mo Grimes. This is clearly you know. I don't want Miko to come after me if I left her. Left the boy off the Uh off the office list. So he's on the team. Even though he's thirty six

at the stage, he's the oldest. Um Graybeard had some gray in his beard played. He's still out there like playing sixties seventy snaps the game and not not doing poorly. Captain Munterlin and Tremaine Brock around out my cornerback group. It's rough out there for cornerbacks. I do like Claiborne, who was better than some teams first cornerback Troupe Um at safety Eric Berry, Come on, come onto the gray Beards, perfect gray Beard. Um a leader in the locker room. Yep.

We love another easy notebook lead. We love guys that are on the comeback trail. Uh and Glover Quinn. He's contemplating retirement out in Detroit, but I thought maybe we could bring him back for one more ride. A veteran in the locker room and a guy that knows how to play the position. Mike Adams is another guy, thirty nine, definitely gray hair, gray beard. Um, Trey Boston might be

the best safety out there. You know what. Jennario Gennaro Police, who does a great job um editing our stuff uh here at NFL dot com, was stumping for Trey Boston and I dismissed it. Mike Mitchell who played for the Colts last year and I believe one defensive Player of the Week one week and had to dynamite games for them, but then ended up on the injured list as thirty three year old safeties. Yeah, he's kind of known for some dirty hits and whatnot. I think that might be

more attractive to the graybeards than most NFL teams. Yeah, that's true. Kicker. The Coowski brothers were gonna call him. It was SeaBASS is coming back West. And you know why he's coming back because that man, for all that he's done for the kicking game, after eighteen plus seasons in the NFL, we cannot let him go out with the shame of the divisional playoff round in Dallas. He yanking a hamstring, popping a hammy like some uncle in a family or union flag football game. And lipping off

the field into retirement, no come back rehab. That he personified what the gray beards are all about. That's right. Bad special teams. I mean I did, and I'm gonna be worried. Do you look at this team. You don't see a lot of gunners. You know you're gonna be

a little worried about the kickoff coverage. And then if you're if you're counting on Sea Bass to make a tackle on that kickoff, he's just gonna run straight to the straight to the I didn't fill out the entire roster, so they're just imagine the gunners are all great athletic spect You can get a gunner off the waiver wire any week of the season. Um So Sea Bass is actually my starter. People are gonna say, oh about Kaskowsky. He's done really nice work. He has forty five Super

Bowl rings. But that's a that that's a kicker and decline. I want Sea Bass starting. And by the way, as opposed to Sea Bass and and yes, I know what you're saying out there, where's Kai four bath? Well, guys, guy, we'll leave it at that. Finally, puncher Brian Anger, nice work, Brian got a job with the Gray Beards. His name is Anger. That's it. That's that's That'll do it for you. Now, I will ask you the question as we do every year. I'll get out of the way. I have an uber

in mind. I mean, please, Guskouski has appeared in as many Super Bowls as anyone in NFL history other than Tom Brady, and not because the Super Bowl every years along for the ride, all right, I have the number in mind. What I believe this team would go uh in a in a two thousand nineteen NFL season, Like if we swap them out, would say the Chargers that you get the Chargers schedule instead, it's the Gray Beards. What their record would be? Um, curious what you guys think.

Be honest, I'm gonna go one in fifteen. I mean you just gave him no what you're a bad guy. You gave him. You gave him the Raiders schedule. I mean the Chargers schedule, so they get to play the Raiders. I think they can pick off Oakland at home. But I think that I think the problem is scoring. I think that the combination of that quarterback room in the offensive line, it's gonna be a lot of injuries. It's gonna be bold, and it's gonna be a problem about that.

A lot of times when you see um teams that end up in a law season two and fourte three and thirteen playing out the string, it's because their quarterback room looks a lot like yours. Injuries happened to the quarterbacks. Then they end up with like Matt Castle starting eight games or something. So I think the number one issue with your team is the quarterback room, and I think that limits you're ceiling to four wins. But I'm thinking

three and thirteen is what this team represents. Okay. I look at it, and I honestly see six wins, and you're like a proud father and the goal is eight and eight. We're not trying to win a Lombardi. Meaning what that really is, you know, quietly doing, is shaming the New York Jets and teams like that who have been unable to win six games for the last three years. So you're saying that, you guys, you want to try

to like manufacture a dig on my favorite team. For notice, I'm saying, I'm saying that you're digging on Mike mccagnan, that he couldn't even put that. You could put a better team of just cast offs than he's been able to do. The last year, we were in an important rebuild and we tore it down before the Dolphins, and everyone is like throwing up hosana is about the Dolphins right now the Jets to two years ago. I didn't here anything. I think you. I thought your point was

the gray beards. Did it to you? Gray beards? They try to compete every year we had were kind of like the Dolphins model before the organic fish tank. Okay, you know, um, how about that? Though nobody nobody's throwing bouquets at the Jets feet two years ago when they did the same exact thing the Dolphins are doing now. No, In fact, I was I think they were trying to win though, weren't they They won five? I don't know. I was apoplectic that Todd Bowles was flat outlying about

the rebuilding. All right, there you go, the two thousand nineteen San Diego gray beards, and you could get there the single give them a chance gray Beards football in parentheses on iTunes. There you go. All right, that's it. It's not available on title While you're on iTunes, leave a review, leave a review on iTunes. Yeah, while you're there, five stars and uh, we would be very very happy. Um, sign up to the Around the NFL podcast, Subreddy, get involved,

have a voice, talk about us. You know, we'd be positive if you want. But you don't care. Um either way, it's fine. Also, what else we have to promote? Yes, the Twitter Show where I will be unveiling my pocket square Greg and get a we'll get a good tight shot on Greg when he first sees it dressing up for the Twitter show on Wednesday at one thirty Pacific four thirty Eastern. And yes, three more shows next week than three shows every week through the draft, and a

little bit beyond it. So all of the people who signed up for Mark Brady's Instagram account will be tuning in to see your pocket square. Yes, and that is the final reminder. Follow Mark Brady at Mark Patrick Brady on Instagram. But don't complain to him that there's not enough pictures of us in too many pictures of his family. I mean, it's a beautiful fan but it like that's it's his own account. So we've noticed you guys out there that have done it, but we do appreciate that.

Uh well, actually, you know it's funny is he's actually lost like seventy follow since I like to keep him in get back on the train. We we boosted it by about four or five. But now it's like it now it's in retrenchment. People are like, I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't want to see you hiking with Erica, Ricky, what are you doing this weekend? Um, just hanging out, just chill. Yeah, it's been a lot of travel the past months, so it has been right.

You need to put the engine a neutral and just oh well you would float if it was a neutral. I meant, just like if you're at the dock, you put it in neutral. Just chill out on the yacht. Yeah, sounds perfect, Great, awesome, that's it. Great recap stan Ans signing off for oh Man, the old boss, Ricky Hollywood behind the glass. Let's go great here at six and ten. We could do it till Monday.