Top 101 Free Agents of 2023

The men deserved a vacation, and he took that vacation and now he has returned. Well. I pulled a the old trick that Greggy used to do, which I think I've learned is quite valuable. Which would you often would do the right after Super Bowl? Yeah, do the thing. I'd wait till May or June and roll in like a car that rolled off the road. So it's like this was actually a next level move by myself for my smart Yeah, got you. I am with myself. Now got you two weeks off, so you are fully refreshed.

I feel great. I understand that you were on a cruise during what is some of the most unfortunate wintry weather in this region's recent history. How did that guy? This is an accurate um audible sound. Bye. It was. It was one of these cruises that you can get on for very little amount of money, right, And I thought, well, listen, I have low expectations. But by the way, just not for nothing. You're a successful Well no, I just see a personally, I found a park, but found a great deal.

To you, I just found a great deal like it just you know, so it's like it had everything you need. But like, um, when we got on, we were initially supposed to go to catalin Island, right, which is yeah, it's a nice, glorious and went down to like Ensnata, Mexico. And the first announcement because if you go on these ships, like they just pound you with these announcements left rimes like right, it's like we are wiping Catalina Island off

the schedule right away. So there were no stops essentially, and they I think they spent one you could do in a get back to work is mark shovel's coal into the end. They just spent most of the time on board, I think trying to steer around inclement weather rout at sea. It went from a vacation paradise scenario to get everyone back to shore without water in their lungs. I mean you could always see um dangerous clouds in

the distance, but I mean I would say otherwise. It just was, you know, it's the only thing worse perhaps than going out of cruise during the worst California winter storm in twenty five years. Moving so and that was Greg's weekend. That was that was unfortunate. It was. I didn't at first. I was like, do I use an? I mean, it was. It was a lot of rain. It was a lot of rain, a lot of moving ten years in that place. You know how much junk piles up over ten years, a lot. You know how much.

I shouldn't have left a lot of the work to the last minute and did so, so you do. It's a lot most of his wet um. Well, it's good to have everybody back together. And this is a big app Let me feel like a real man as you're doing a lot of lis for you. You were, you were doing well. There was just like a lot of extra stuff on top of the move. We had movers, of course, but you know there's a lot of extra stuff in the sea. You find your tool setting all of that left over work. Emmaca is more of the

handy woman around the house. You're going, you're doing so well there. Yes, this is a very important episode in the offseason for US. It's Greg Rosenthal's top one on one Free Agents is out. Hit me with a little celebratory horn gesture, justin, I'll give me the other one. I want more, I want bigger, give me it now. It is the top one oh one. And he put a lot of effort into it. Well maybe not as much us here because he was moving. So we'll go through Gregs one to one, both the good and the bad.

And I did study it um at great length this morning, and I do have some issues, okay, great, and I'm looking forward to those issues. I mean it was published about twenty five minutes ago. It was you know, I got some intel inside info had the list. Well, I mean I had the list, but I like to read the one thing I like, and I'm starting out bathing in it now. The little the nuggets, the little write us that that Greg us, I chew those and I

just stick to the hard data player number. I've got some I don't know if it's breaking news or even developing news. You got mad at me last time, but I just have an update for you for the first time ever. My byline ONNFL dot Com says Around the NFL Podcast co host. Yeah, I didn't like that. I just saw that too. I didn't make that, but I think at this point, I think they were tired of it, said editor for a long time. And uh, I mean I got to see what mine is now at this point,

I mean, I guarantee this was a bang job. You guys know this doesn't sit well with me. No, we all worth its hugely important roles on this podcast. It doesn't exist unless we're all pulling our weight. U. I am the host of the podcast. I don't like the co host thing. Oh wow, I didn't know what this was about you. It is. It's about me. Um, we've talked about this before. I don't remember it. You're not

gonna like this. It's about me. They actually went completest and gave me the same title as as yourself and Greg care So I hope so actually, well, that would have been upset but a long time because I will do radioheads and they'll be like Around the NFL editor, and I know it's not worth correcting. It's not worth correcting. What if it was just an all caps view talent? WHOA, this is weird. They updated Dan's too, and it actually says around the NFL assistant's APT. No, I wouldn't be

here if that was the case. That would be instant strike material. Um. All right, So anyway, Greggy top one on one. We're gonna get to it, um, but first let's do some news and get caught up. I have seen the future of horror pell Raiser beyond any terror

you have imagined first pell Raiser. I mean, we don't have a real relationship with Tom yet, but at some point when we as we continue to build out his nickname, which I think is going to have grassroots positive ramifications for the man down the line, because it's about branding. It's all about branding. It's coming from the new old Blue Eyes. This could really help Tom. But maybe we need to connect with him and see if he's cool with pell Raiser. I think we've rolled out the red

carpet for a potential, you know, association connection. Should we perhaps set up something where we have Tom on the show to talk about pell Raiser. I don't know, or is this something an offline situation. Either it starts to feel weird if we have this home own nickname and we have yet to even you know, speak with the man. These just things to think about. Yeah, I mean, i'd say this is why you're one of the around the NFL podcast cost. Exactly of the time we just connect

with the coworker directly. This time we've taken a different route. But maybe we just explore it further though, you know, we got maybe we gotta yeah, we gotta meet on the road of communication. Tom Pellicero the pell Raiser reports first news item transition. The Rams have had trade talks about six time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey. League sources now believe it's very likely Ramsey is dealt in the coming weeks. Ramseys do seventeen million this upcoming season on

a frontloaded deal. According to pell Raiser, that averages twenty million in LA is in clearing cap space mode. So Mark Sessler, would you pay? Would you give up a first round pick for Jalen Ramsey in two twenty three? I think if I were the type of team where you're lower down in the in the draft order and you feel like you're a Jalen Ramsey away from having a defense that goes from good to great. I think

he can still be that player. I certainly get why the Rams are in the mode of moving on from a number of veterans, considering their cap space, which is a mess right now, their lack of draft picks, and just where they kind of sit in the universe, right I threw out the Patriots number fourteen overall. I threw Kendrick Bourne in that deal just for fun, I know,

but I know Bill doesn't like Kendrick Boorne. And this was before this report was out, and now there's actually rumors that the Patriots could be in the mix for it, and I would give up the fourteenth overall pick. I don't think draft picks are overrated because you have that contract and it's the best chance you have. Basically, those rookie contracts are what makes pain for all these veterans possible. But that's a bird in the hand. I think Ramsey

still great. And I was confused, like, why is this so certain? And then there's been further reporting that Jalen Ramsey is looking for more money, and that's the key to all this. You have to give him a new contract, and that the Rams want to and are willing to get out in front of this because they're like, we're not going to give you that new contract. Let's just like nip this in the bud. This is how we

got you in the first place. You did great for us, but we don't want to give that contract right now, so let's just trade you while your values high. And on the subject of the Patriots, remember it used to be actually a trope during the Brady era that anytime a big time player was out there as a trade possibility, it was always immediately connected to the Patriots. And they do have a history of collecting high profile guys, so it makes sense. Jonathan Jones, they moved to the outside

last year. He's a free agent and I think he's on your list, Greggy, Yeah, in a prominent spot. So they do have somebody that that slot could be vacated and filled with Jalen Ramsey. But there I'm sure there are many other teams that would be interested at the right price. But that is true. It's two things. You're gonna probably give up a first round pick, right and then you got to pay him top of the market, and then you have to think about it, and we're gonna get into it the top one on one with

these veterans. Do you are you paying for their prime years? Yeah? And I don't know if you're paying for Jalen Ramsey's prime years. When you give him a top of the market salary and then it turns into a two year deal, they're allowing some of their top performance of the position to move on and free and see a year ago this year potentially then you're gonna give up a first and then pay him that contract. It's a little atypical to all contract thing. That's if he can get it,

and he probably can. That's probably where the Patriots bow out. They like to get the guys when they're at a lower value. And uh like, Look, if he was a free agent, he would be number two on my list, certainly better than your current number two. I mean he would be the best defensive player available, maybe two or three. In other RAMS news, Los Angeles has parted ways with Bobby Wagner. This happened after he recorded on Thursday, always Annoying.

Wagner's release will free up at least five million dollars in capsie savings, and it could be more depending on if it's a post June one situation. Anyway, Greggy, this is a very interesting free agent because Wagner was everything the Rams could have asked for in his one year in Los Angeles. He was still Bobby Wagner graded out very high on PFF and other metrics. And he will get a job obviously. Then it becomes what kind of contract he gets. He will be thirty three in June.

This was wild. He was a second team All Pro, Like he was the best move they made last offseason. And this really signified to me more than anything that winning in twenty twenty three is not like the only or number one objective by the Rams. They're definitely doing a reset here because there's no way they're better and

they're only saving five plus million. By the way, he's not on the free agents list now because they're doing this thing where they're they're going to cut him on March fIF teen, but I think they're trying to help him out, and his agents are wanting it out there like like hey, save your money, Bobby will be available and every where would he be on you, he'd be in my top twenty. Levante David is right around twenty and he'd be ahead of him. It's a good position

in free agency, the off ball linebacker. And to some degree, and like I think that Wagner, I mean it was framed by Schefter is sort of being a mutual parting. I kind of get it. Do you want if you if you were Bobby Wagner? And it's clear the Rams are, you know, shifting down from the worst title defense ever to what is kind of a change in philosophy for them. It's not just hey, we're one or two major swings away from adding this veteran or that to win the division,

to go into the playoffs. It's like they feel like, I'm surprised that Sean McVay actually signed up for this after all the hemming and hawing about coming back at all. Everyone should read Our friend Jordan Rodrige wrote a really interesting piece about Sean mcvayh and the athletic and how he the soul searching and kind of the collapse mentally he had last year, and they tied it together that he's like got his mojo back essentially and he's excited

about the challenge. But I don't know, well, maybe that was like this, I mean, I get the change in direction from the front office, but it's weird to me, Well, look at it from a different perspective. Maybe him coming back and we're seeing some of the results of that. Maybe he was like, I don't want to play that game anymore, Like you were going to give up more first round picks for a pass rusher last season when we weren't even in contention, Like we need to start

building this a different way. And if I'm a RAMS and I know we're probably not winning the Super Bowl this year, but you know, if they kept on going on that path that they've been on, they were going to be a three and fourteen team a year or two for you can't keep doing it open over and

like McVeigh. One thing that article I thought that was kind of self aware was he talked about like the good version of Sean McVeigh can tug everyone along with him, right, but he's got this other and he knows that he's got this other McVeigh kind of energy and it comes from times when he says nothing to people around the building that can take them a totally different player. I guess my thought is, like, why isn't that McVeigh gonna come out again. If they're three and seven and looking

at you know, they have a lot of challenges. They're losing free agents like Ashan Robinson, Greg Gaines, Nick Scott, Taylor Rapp, Troy Hill, not all like huge players, but those are all starters. I think it will come out. That's a problem. In other news, the increasingly muddled Lamar

Jackson Baltimore Ravens situation. Lamar Jackson has not come out publicly and talked, but Stephen A. Smith, a very prominent personality for ESPN, set on first take that Jackson's camp reached out to him with the following information and it's important information if true. Jackson's camp claims that Lamar Jackson has never demanded a fully guaranteed deal from the Ravens. That's been widely assumed for during this whole process. That that's the hold up, that Lamar wants all his contract

guaranteed and the Ravens aren't willing to go there. There It's been reported that the Ravens initial offer or a current standing offer, is only one hundred and thirty three mill and guaranteed, which seems like a lot, but considering what the top of the market guys get it's not where are we standing on this, Greggy. It does feel more and more like a possibility of divorce is happening here. I just thought, this is the first time they've come

out publicly his team and by his team. It's it's his mom, he as a lawyer of the nfl PA is helping him. But I think with endorsements and stuff like that, it's has been his mom and him running negotiations for them to come out publicly and say we didn't ask for a fully guaranteed contract. To me who just was noteworthy, And I'm with you. It feels like a public back and forth now to the point where it's almost like the Ravens are laying the groundwork with like, see,

it's not totally our fault. We gotta trade him. I mean there is the NFLPA has advised Lamar Jackson to some degree and reporting out there. I mean Demorris Smith also said at one point that he was trying to get a fully guaranteed deal. So it's some back and forth, and I know Daniel a little tired of the mechanics around the whole thing. Ready, I think everyone's kind of everyone's ready for it too. Resolved one where it's a

Jets fan. I mean, I'm with you that I feel like what felt to me like this will get settled, the Ravens will franchise him, and they'll find a way to get a deal done. I don't know, it just learned more. Like I said, it all feels a little bit muddled. And you know, much has been made about Lamar Jackson doesn't have an agent, and but then hear his mother's prominently involved, and I just I want to say, an alarm butt bell went off a week or two

ago when I read it. But I was just like, this is kind of strange, Like, so it's his mother and then he's the NFLPA. The union is directly involved in some capacity as well advisory as an advisory role, and I'm just like, at some point, I'm just thinking to myself, like, you have all these different cooks, you know, why don't you have an agent, like a high power agency that knows how to handle these situations. But I can't say how whether he's doing it right or wrong

until we see how this ends. It's just interesting to me that the union is involved in the union also, for what it's worth, filed a grievance last season, accusing teams of colluding to not give quote certain quarterbacks fully guaranteed contracts, so they have a stake in it. So it's gotten kind of bigger than your typical negotiation, no doubt. And I here's the thing. I think them holding a hard line and wanting a fully guaranteed contract or something

close to it makes total sense. We talked about this a year ago that like the only way for the quarterbacks to actually get close to what they're worth were to be to play at out like Kirk Cousins, because we've seen it. The only time an actual decent, like above average starting quarterback got to free agency, Kirk Cousins got at then a record setting contract, got guaranteed money

last year. The only time we can think of lately were a young player who's in the ballpark of Lamar Jackson's talent was available and that was via trade, got not only a fully guaranteed contract, he did it while he was about to be suspended by the league for like terrible off field behavior and he got it so because you had four teams bidding. I think if Lamar Jackson was a free agent, he would get a preposterously

big contracts, so why not push for that. I do too, and I do think it's a situation a little bit where if the Ravens there's not a question about Lamar Jackson and the talent and what he's brought to Baltimore, but like that relationship, maybe they would be willing to part with them, where another team's like, I don't really care if we have to pay him that kind of

money or what we have to give up. If you're the Jets, for instance, where the owners come out and said, we are going to get this guy, and maybe you're shooting a little higher than Derek Carr if you really want to become a Super Bowl contender, then it's like the picks the money make a lot more sense to another team that has had no in house experience with

Lamar Jackson or this drama. And the one thing I've learned from this process personally is, you know, don't let the wool get pulled over your eyes when the team sends their coaching GM out there and tells you everything's fine, because that's not the case with this situation, even though

that's exactly what happened with Harbaugh and DaCosta. Last month, and I thought, I think it's interesting that, for instance, the hiring of Todd Montkin, remember how much was made of like, you know, we want to keep Lamar happy, we want him involved with the process. And then it's also Stephen A. Smith also came out and saying, this is a quote from Smith, Lamar Jackson was never consulted or talked to or asked what his opinions would be

about the play caller. He was informed, this is your new boss at the offensive coordinator spot, who will be calling plays for you. Okay, I mean there's a lot of writing on the wall that the Ravens are like, that's a gripe from his camp, from the campers, the campers, let's send Let's send the campers home soon enough. It's your camp, Sonny side Acres, camp happiness. That's what we call things were before the world would say, I would

actually counter that things were impure at times. That's that was that's part of what made it so pure for you. Yeah, just it's a life experience. In other news, a competition committee they're you know, they're at that stage of the league year where they're talking about potential rule changes for twenty twenty three. How about the push play also known as the the quarterback um h, and then the extra

gross one, the tush push, which I hate. Tush is something like you're your aunt says at Thanksgiving like, oh, let me, let me pinch that tush. We didn't need to bring it back and don't need it, don't want it, Darlina, Why is your aunt such a freak she does, aunt, LOGI pinches the tush. She's just like riding around pinching everyone's hello boundaries. Uh um. Anyway, so the committee is talking about whether to outlaw that play, which um has

become mark a a really effective play. We saw it with the Eagles all season long, including the Super Bowl, and now they're thinking, do we need some legislation? So this isn't like rugby? Are you kidding me? Yeah? Dean plan Dino mentioned that it has too much of the aura of a rugby scrumming at the NFL's the NFL love seeing Blandino, Yeah, because nobody dresses Nobody dresses more

different than you would expect than Dean Blandino. Okay, whenever we see the Dean at the super Bowl, it's cool jeans, it's big leather boots high it's a shirt that costs a good amount of money. And then maybe like a bitch in leather jacket. And it's always like dno, I had that experience to the own. Yeah, like he had an entourage, but you've seen him around Santa Monica. That's true. Yeah, with kind of like a hard not dressed to impressed though when he's with the kids. I would think keep

picking up the kids. Um, but yeah, it's like it's still he presents. Can I is he allowed to have a personal style? Say something? I think he? Um, I like it? What's the what's the word? I believe he surpasses the idea of cool dad too. He's actually existing in a plane where like I just I just cool, that's me. Yeah, And I think that's just a prizing And it was actually the same party that we talked about me trying to get the attention of the RAMS CEO.

I mean this party had some heavy hitters. We're talking about the tush push. I think the Eagles are getting punished for being so good at it a little bit entirely. Every Like Sean Patin's like, well if every everyone could go do it, like we're gonna install that, and every every team around the league is doing it. Well, why didn't they do it? They couldn't do it. They don't

have Jalen Hurts in that offensive line. Like I do think everyone is crying poor a little bit because you have maybe the strongest running quarterback alongside Cam Newton, and in the history of the NFL. His quads are bigger than most of your quarterbacks put together. Like, you don't have that offensive line, You're not as like Daring Dew in terms of how you call it. You're not as well coached. I don't think everyone would do it or will do it, because they would be doing it. No,

you're right, and it's a little annoying to me. They only they only made it for being so good. They only allowed it to become. They had a rule around until sixteen years ago you couldn't, and then for the past sixteen years you could, and until the until this season, when was it an issue? How about like, why isn't the response we're defenses, We'll catch up and figure way to stop it. We had to go rule change it. I mean, well, that's a great point. Mark, I got

all right, justin I got our June eighteenth show. We open with Tom Pelsero, Okay, we have a frank conversation about his nickname. Then we bring in Dean Blandino and we just talk sartorial choices, fashion, Dean on fashion, and then maybe if we can get him sharing some maybe gossip nuggets beachside town rumors with about Greg Rosenthal that maybe he's heard, don't think he's aware of fashion existence. And then we close with Cavon roll him in Hannibal

Lecter style. I believe that is the week of the nfl um media Thing media summit. All right, let's make it twenty fifth I think I think that's a good June episode. I literally would be at a loss on how to follow up with cavan I think two out of three of those are very realistic gets for us. Which one which two? Which one do you think is not realistic? The one who's been on the pod many times, three times? I feel like he would be the one

that was the most realistic. I don't We'll see. I don't know what our booking department would say if we requested him again. I don't think he'll well, he'll remember, but not when they asked him. He'll remember once the conversation. The minute he sees us on screen, he might remember our antics, the athletic moving on, great publication, do nice work. Purchased by the New York Times. You're so go, nice investment.

Goodbye by the Gray Lady. Yeah. They reported that Russell Wilson last February asked the Seahawks the ownership, specifically to fire head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider. If this is to be believed, Seahawks and said, okay, bro, thanks for the input, and then they turned around and traded him to the Broncos. And here's how Russell Wilson responded to this report. I love Pete and he was a father figure to me, and John believed in me

and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win. I'll always have respect for them and love for Seattle. Focused on moving forward best as a head. Who do you believe? Who you got? I mean, are you kidding? Come on? Klem Kaylor, Mike Sando, and Jason Jenks, who wrote this article are all like incredible reporters. They don't put something that big without knowing for a fact that That's what happened.

There's no question he wanted them gone. Good. Retort, good, Russell Wilson and I throw a sexy deep ball also good. How does it How would any of that just bubble up out of literally thin air? I mean, there was reporting around how unhappy he was for years. Pete Carroll

was at the center of it. I just think it shows because the one thing that was the best part of the Russell Wilson Pete Carroll stuff out of the gate was that Pete Carroll and John Schneider went atypical in the draft to find a quarterback that once Russell Wilson succeeded, change the way we draft quarterbacks and think

about quarterback stature. All of that was great. In the end, I think it unmasked Russell Wilson as where he is now, and it went all through last season in Denver as someone overtaken entirely by Hubris, who literally forgot what Pete Carroll did for me. I'm not saying it was a perfect relationship. It ran its course, it got ugly and needed to end. But the idea that Russell Wilson is putting a statement out and had nothing to do with this and never said any of this or try to

wield his power to me as utter nonsense. Lawyers contact the Athletic oh with a statement that they were kind of like a firearm or anything. Most of the article is more about how much he dominated Nathaniel Hackett though in their relationship in I didn't love to hear considering he's now employed by the Getropolitans. Wow, he's back in the Peter Principal good spot. Though I hope down where

he should. We can only hope that. We can only hope right the idea of what Russell Wilson was doing, they were having these Tuesday meetings at he had all the players attending. Okay, that part makes sense, but then he started just like showing plays of like when he was playing well, and they were like, what's going on here? You're just like showing us like, hey, I used to be good and well. There was also for what it's within, there was also there was a lot of people on

record saying he worked hard. Clearly he was plugged in, and it wasn't necessarily that he was like aloof and detached. It was just it wasn't working. They did also have the he had his office, which was on the second level.

Like we talk about shadowy league figures on the show a lot and a lot of the disconnect is just about office layout sometimes where you know, we would be down in the news room with everybody else down there, and then you had these people making decisions that we never even really saw the fact that the quarterback's office was where all the other the way was putting the

article and was put well. Like usually when the players are up on the floor where Russell wilson office was, uh, you're usually like being cut where like your career is taking a terrible turn. He was up there with those people, and then his entire wall was filled with play designs and also motivational scrawl, which totally checks out. We also had a staff up there. He had three people that he brought along that he essentially made them and Sean Payton said all that they got the whole thing that

keep exciting. He wanted Sean Payton as the replacement in Seattle. And so you kind there's the you know, the that's almost the good spin on all this, right, or the joke out there that he subconsciously tanked last year to get Sean Payton into Denver. But the first thing Peyton said when they had kind of the meet and greet with him was like, wait, so Russell Wilson has got his own coach, He's got all this extra stuff adorning him on the day to day. Will he will any

of that be allowed? And Sean Payne was like, absolutely not, we don't do that, Like he'll be coached by my staff. He hired a new publicist, and none of it would matter if he could, you know, play the guitar as Dan would. That's the thing is, he couldn't play the guitar. And it was like this unmasked situation where yes, Hackett got run over a little bit and that's not what you needed. But I don't know if he had been a great coach whether it would matter that I was

gonna say. And this isn't really a defending hackeck because he played it wrong ultimately. But the whole idea was Wilson was getting this fresh start, and he was always he always struggled with the power dynamic and being used. He always thought he could be used maybe more aggressively as a passer and as a leader of the offense. And now he was getting this chance and Hackett went

all in on the quarterback. You could hear his voice and that press conference like, I'm okay with this kind of being a co CEO situation where it's me and Russ because I know he's a stud. And then when he couldn't play in Denver, that was catastrophic for everyone involved and nobody. I know, Greg, you you were on

record that you saw him as maybe in decline. Nobody saw him doing what he did in year one the league because I think now we've just accepted how this all happened, and you just adjust and get used to it. But it is one of the crazier stories we've ever seen. Eight o'clock to light widely presumed. First QB off the board, Bryce Young he will not throw at the combine, which starts later this week. Ohio states C J. Stroud and

Florida's Anthony Richardson. Will the Lions cut ties with the veteran Michael Brockers Adam to the top one oh one? Or do you n he didn't make it? He gone? Jack's Jags resigned Roy Robertson, Harris and Sam Hurd. Remember Sam Hurd. Sam Hurd is out of prison after a ten year bit. Sam Hurd was a major trafficker of cocayana, but also was a special teams player for the Cowboys. One of the crazy sports stories in recent memories in

that order. I remember covering this for PFT and it just was wild because it was like you used to hearing little off field stories and then you found out that, oh, being a special teamer was just a little side hustle as he was moving at least like when he got caught by federal agents five to ten kilos at about twenty five per week though, per week. So that's that's a multimillion dollar operation. Booger Sugar, that's a ton of blow bro. I just looked at Dan's face after uttering

that phrase. I just wanted to say, booger sugar. But I hope he I hope he's learned from his transgressions. And yeah, he served ten to fifteen years. It just was like a sort of fascinating NFL story back in the day that I feel like it was forgotten. Yeah, they should. They could have made it. They would have made like a Netflix movie about that, if that was

a thing at the time. Never generated more than three hundred fourteen yards in a season, but he did generate um other transactions from what we understand, perhaps some addictions. We got moved a lot of product. All right, that's what's happening in the news. We'll take a break and we will hit the top one oh one. Welcome back every year. At this time, Greg Rosental sits down and looks at all of the available free agents, both the guys that are out there right now and the guys

that will be out there effectively. I don't know what he's in March fifteenth or thereabouts started the new league. Here they are his top one on one free agents. Why is it one on one? Remind the audience, guys just settled on that as just a little little something extra, little little land yap for you, symmetrical your basic SI it's one hundred. We're gonna give you lil something next job. Right. It shows that you're just grinding a little bit harder.

And we'll here, we did ninety nine and no one like that didn't grind is hard. That showed the work wasn't being done, but now it is. And we'll get to who number one on one is, because that's part of the fun. You always want to have a bit of a name brand there and you do again this year. Um. So we're gonna get into this and Mark and I will share things that we agree with, we will share

disagreements with you, Greggy. UM, but I guess a good way to start here is and first of all, and this isn't Greg's set up blurb, just so everyone knows each when we talk about their listed age, it's where they'll be week one, and you see that on the website where you can find at NFL dot com slash one one. And the ranking will be updated as players are released and become unrestricted free agents, so this will change,

but this is where it is right now. What did you kind of big make sure thoughts, Greggy before we dive into this. This list compared to recent years, is in a stronger class, weaker class, anything else that kind of stood out to you as you did the section. I feel like it was a bad it's a bad class that the drop off around twenty five was even greater than normal that year. There's always plenty of players.

It's like a one year contract league, so it's not hard getting to one hundred, but I thought there were fewer above average starters available than ever, and especially pass rusher wide receiver, you just couldn't. You can't find anyone, there's no one available. The NFL is showing you what they value in who they won't even let get to free agency. Pass rushers, wide receivers, offensive linemen are not

getting to free agency, especially tackles. Do you think teams have gotten better about with the contract structuring in the cap of not letting these guys get to this point to get to this list? And it's easier. I think it challenges like the better team, the better if you're if you're one of these, Remember the Dolphins teams have old they would throw a ton of money at a bunch of players that we're just like shaking our heads, like this is sort of for savvier teams to dig

through this list and find the guys that are the gems. Yeah, now you find like the one year, nine million dollar contracts like James Bradberry was for the Eagles last year, and like, those are the nice deals that they slipped through the cracks. But it's not a lot of great value overall. It's the whole thing I would slap on the entire exercise is buyer beware and just like you're saying, there's a reason a lot of these guys got to

free agency, why they were allowed out the door. And in many cases, these are guys that are closer to thirty in many cases than their prime seasons. And the wide receiver group, I think is a good a very good example. And there aren't a lot of good wide

receivers out there. But like, if you're a team builder, now are you gonna go pay for a twenty eight year old, twenty nine year old wide receiver and give him good money when A there's a chance that he's not the guy that you think he's going to be And B we're seeing increasingly that you can go get a wide receiver in the draft that could impact your offense immediately and be cost effective at that That was a And there's one wide receiver that really got on

my nerves that you had him so high. But well, we're gonna get to it. I think I have an idea. I think it was, why why do we have to want to let's sorry, why is O'Dell fifteen on your list? How is that happening? So position scarcity matters. Quarterbacks are higher, wide receivers are higher. Pass rushers are higher than they probably would be because I think they're worth more and unlike the rest of the receiver's available Jacoby Myers, Jiujuicimith Schuster,

DJ Chark, eventually Michael Thomas OBJ. I think has a potential to be a bigger difference maker than those guys. So you get him on a one or two year deal, I will see how much he costs. I don't think that's that crazy high you do fifteen I mean struggled with him versus Jacoby Myers. So I think it's a really good player. You could put drop him into any offense and he's gonna help you. He's a good route runner. But would you rather have him or Obj? I mean

I wouldn't take either of him. I mean, thank Myers is fine. Very. I mean it has to be a very. We don't need this music justin very ominous. Yes, No, like I would. I'd be okay with Jakobe Meyers on a short term deal. But everything you're hearing about Odell, for instance, is that he's looking for a multi year deal and he wants security and he wants a true home. And it's like, am I going to roll the dice? And a guy I don't even know the last time

he had a one thousand yard season. I know, you look good in the playoffs, but then he'd even play last year, and I thought his whole, like a free agency tour that he went on late last season was a bit of a la Ravil mcnifico on its own, right. I just I don't need that guy around when I

can just get a younger player in the draft. Yank, It's like he's the kind of guy where it's not like any team should come after him, and you should have these self awareness to know that he doesn't really fit who we are right now, but you are months more removed from the injury. If he's healthy, someone liked the Bills that was sort of in the airs courting

someone like Odell Beckham. I could see that differently than if like the Titans went and tried I mean not amy that at you, Graver, but just like a team that's like in rebuild, no, losing a ton of guys, do you build that team around Odell? No, He's like he's a little cherry on top. Maybe I'm very easily swayed. You know, I could just move him down, But fifteen just seems so. I know there's a position scarcity, but that doesn't mean like I think it's in twenty twenty five,

and like where would O'Dell fit in there? Like, I think it's more of a name. He would not drop below thirty in any in any scenario for me, whether you would put him below Myers, Smith Schuster, who are contributors, I could go either way. This is why I need West pushing back West. And I did this list, of course for for years and years. I'm curious where where he would have had Odell he was always a huge fan.

But I do think some of these guys, like big time veterans who've had a really high level of production and they're coming off injuries, those are actually the guys that end up becoming good values. Why was James Bradberry on the market and no one wanted him? I understand the Giants trade him, cut him late in the offseason, but he still was like a very high level player had shown it at certain points, and so those guys

get a little extra For me, I think OBJ could matter. Yeah, Odell had I mean a thousand yards nearly on the nose and eighteen and nineteen, but that's averaging like sixty yards a game. His last big time year where he was a guy that mattered was twenty sixteen during the regular season, and it is fair. He was very good for the rams down, the stretching in the plast before he blews acl interesting guy, he will get a job. I just thought he was a little high where what's what?

How about you? Mark? While we are on receivers, like last year, everyone mocked the Jags for going huge on Christian Kirk and Za Jones, Like, oh my god, he paid Kirk's seventeen million dollars a year. I think that's like what Jacoby Myers is gonna get. Oh my god, he paid Zaid Jones seven to eight million dollars a years. Like year, receivers teams need like four receivers each and those guys ended up being good and the Jacks weren't getting the benefit of the doubt. Coming off what was

a clown car season now feels a lot different. Mark something that's to me, Well, first one, I think Jakobe Myers, if I'm the Patriot, it's just keep him, like, find a way to resine him, because I don't know who else that they who whe else they're going on that position. I always struggle with like the placement of Derek car But I want to tell you one guy because I think it's a good it's a good safety class, better

than cornerback. But like Chauncey Gardner, Johnson at number seven is probably where he's not landing on a lot of other people's lists. I know you like him, but I like him a lot too, And I think he's the kind of guy. When I talk about this free agent class in general, it's like, do you swing for the fences for someone who might not give you the money you give? But this guy I think changes literally like

see changes the attitude of a defense. And I thought he did that for Philadelphia, was awesome with the Eagles when he was healthy, And if the right team adds him, he's the kind of guy that you look back in January be like that was an absolutely key ingredient to our defensive building. Safety is getting no love, but just feels like every team could use a guy like that that can play slack corner, that can play safety, that can hit. He got fine for that hit he made

in the Super Bowl. They didn't even penalize him. Remember that that monster hit on the last drive of the game. So many safeties are availed about Jordan Poyer. I think sounds like he kind of wants out of Buffalo. He's talking about the state tax and that it's too cold, and Jesse want to play in Miami, right, I mean he's been there on Jesse Bates is out there, Von Bell, Donovan Wilson, Jimmy Warts. So you can find safeties and

that might depress some of their values. But I appreciate that Dan asked you to come after me with something you didn't like, and you didn't even do that. Well, I know I said that Derek Derek cart number six, I didn't. I have an issue with Derek Carr with teams label. Loom is like he's going to take us to the next level. He's gonna keep you adequate. See, this is what happens when when we're handing out you know, co host titles like Lollipops. You could just disregard my setup.

I'm just a co host. You know, you'd like to be really bothered. You want to and we're pushing against you, and then no, I just I would like to hear though, Mark, what what is something that you disagreed with I kind of don't think that I like. I don't like where Derek Carr is. I just don't like him in number six. And I think the problem is that he's a quarterback, so he's gonna give you more than a safety or a cornerback. And it's not a great like market in

general for these free agents. But I the whole landing spot of Derek Carr is the thing of the offseason that I struggle with the way he's going to be marketed to us until real, real games. But we don't have to do with that. He's asking for about thirty five million, which sounds right to me. That's about the level I think Car would get it. And I struggled both him and Daniel Jones. They're five and six. I couldn't decide who do you put higher? Daniel Jones a

Car and I have to admit they were. They were both around fourteen fifteen initially, and then I started going through it and I'm like, I'm really gonna have him lower than Mike McGlinchey, who's like a good starting tackle but not like an amazing one. These aren't great names. Deron Payne, who had a big season for the Washington Commanders, but ultimately he's like their third best defensive lineman, a

good player. They're close enough to the level at their position that Derek Carr is at quarterback that you got to move them up. To me. If you put him on the Jets, they're just a better team. I think above average or even average starting quarterbacks are just worth the premium. I don't, yeah, I don't understand how you could have him out of the top ten. I mean if you look at this exercise and in years past, and you look at the raw numbers, and I know

that doesn't mean everything. And there are reasons why Derek Carr makes you scratch your head with some of the you know, mistakes he makes and the fact that the Raiders have never really had a big run. But that's not just on him. They've never had a half decent defense when he was there. And you look at his production, his raw production, if through the seasons is excellent, especially for a guy that's still thirty one years old. He's gonna be thirty two in week one, absolutely like you

have Gino at two. Let me just say the top ten. I'll go top ten here. Let's let's give a little context, even though you should check it out on NFL dot com. Lamar one obvious, Gino two, Jason Hargrave, Javon Hargrave, the defensive attack for the Eagles three, Orlando Down tackle Chiefs. Four. You have Jones five, Daniel Jones, you have Car six, you have Gardner Johnson seven, James Bradberry eight, Jesse Bates nine,

and then say Quon ten. Like Car for what he's proven and his durability and his ability to produce, He's so far ahead of all the other quarterbacks to me, including Geno Smith, that I would have him at two personally, and I would. I know Gino has coming off a great year, but I would have had Gino. Maybe I would. I would flip him probably. I'd probably have Gino behind

Daniel Jones and Car too. H. I don't agree, but I but I also think that Derek Carr has been a lightning rod for debate for his entire career because you can frame his production from certain angles. Because every time you tweet about Derek Carr, raiders fans come out, oh the comeback drives and said it's like but then from another angle, it's like He's just Derek Carr, and I just don't see how he's going to be more

than that. He's adequate, right. It's also not a great list for quarterbacks, so him being second on the list doesn't do a lot for me. I think Gino's ceiling is higher ceiling being kind of where he was last year, but I think he can get better. Maybe it's a type of quarterback I like. I think he really did learn a lot because I think he is similar to Eli and Philip Rivers to me in that he can play a style that some years is gonna have a lot of turnovers. But I think he can do everything.

He can see the field so well, he can make next level throws. Derek Cart to me is like a little more mechanical, so Daniel Jones, but they're all in the same ballpark. Jimmy g is the next one down at quarterback, and that is one of the defining traits of this free agents in class. There's way more quarterbacks. Those three top ones, Daniel Jones, Gino, and Lamar aren't.

I don't think they're gonna be free agents. They're gonna get tagged and maybe in Lamar's keys traded, but there really will be free agents, So Jimmy G's gonna be a free agent. He's down to twenty ye Garoppolo twenty nine, and I think that's good. I think that that's one of my takeaways when I looked at this with these teams that are looking for a quarterback, and there are a few where it's very obvious that they need QB

help and they want to go get a veteran. If you don't end up with Aaron Rodgers and if you don't get Derek Carr and Lamar Jackson doesn't head your way and you're settling for Jimmy G. I think that's bad news. I think Jimmy G is a guy who is always hurt, and I don't think he'll ever produce at the level he's produced with Kyle Shanahan with that team.

So I think the team that ends up getting him is going to sign up thinking we might get that great looking or very good version that we've seen flashed in the last couple of years, but we'll probably end up getting is a less productive but still injury prone dude. That's who I don't want the Jets to end up with. And I think other teams that are in the market for veteran quarterback feel the same way. So I like

where he is on the list here. It'll be telling if they don't really go after considering their institutional knowledge that they've had over the years. I know Lafleur's not there, but Jacobeer sat at forty four. It was hard to rank these guys. Teddy's down at sixty three. Still put him in. That does feel is that? I mean, you, I know who we've got when we go to one oh one. I don't have a problem with being far ahead of that guy. But Teddy up where he's done.

We're like talking. We're talking about durability. His durability hurt the Dolphins a lot this past season, and his on field performance is a bee. I'd tell you these quarterbacks highly. It's one reason I don't think it'd be crazy for the Bears to like consider, you know, drafting a quarterback to upgrade or have both and then see what happens.

Andy Dalton's at eighty three. I just I just feel like those guys are ultimately more valuable than the players around them, you know, if you have to do it in context of like Teddy Bridgewater or Kaiser White, like, do you want you're a good enough who's sixty starting off ball linebacker, or do you want like a really high level backup quarterback, which is what I remember. You

still rather have the backup quarter do you? Ustell Us craft the uh the top one hundred lists for the summertime filling stuff, and like I would put eight quarterbacks because it's like, I don't value into these guys, so I get where you're coming from. But like I guess it's like if you're looking to fill certain positions quarter an average quarterback, overtaking like a star offensive guard or tackle.

I think that's where it's a tough debate. The thing there's no stars, like where there are really stars on this list. It's not a star driven list. It's it's role players, guys who will help you out and hopefully can start for you. Javon Hargrave, though, is an example by the way of a guy who was a free agent. We say buy or be aware. That contract he signed with the Eagles last time around looks incredible. I don't

think he was in our top twenty. He signed three for forty five and he was one of the best players in the league. So it can't happen. Um, just cycling back to Teddy, I like, there's little butter knife in going out with the stats here with Teddy in your blurb, Teddy two gloves had career highs and yards for attempt eight point six and touchdown percentage five point one on just seventy nine pass attens for Miami with

both of his starts cut short by injury. That the last part of the sent This is the most important part of it. He can't stay healthy either. Well, he did give me Andy Dalton, who's twenty some odd spots lower. He did start twenty nine He started every game. Uh No, he started twenty nine games the two previous seasons, and the reasons he didn't start the other games was he was benched. Right, Well, that's not a huge selling point, but I'm just saying he's coming. He doesn't have a

long history of being injured. At least the last three years. He's been pretty hell, you know with the ten thing. And I know you're riding high after the Geno victory, but I even went and looked up like, I think he's a good quarter When we talked about like his Carolina year and how the Panthers should have just kept him. Like his last ten starts with Carolina or nine touchdowns and ten starts they went one and nine in the starts. He passer rating was blow league score scouting. I think

he watched him. He had his shortcomings, for sure, but he was a guy who was moving the football. He was the only person who ever moved to football in Matt Rule's offense. Okay, you know it's necessarily season was not was no treat lost every game he started down the stretch and he didn't score at Why are we talking Teddy that. I'm just saying, you know, you have him so high and it did get on my radar?

What else? What else for you? Mark? I would ask one question though about the whole this, Would you ever flip the draft and free agency? I would love to because we're talking about like like what if you make if you write, I think it would hurt veterans obviously, because a lot of these guys would not be needs, but you could fill in all these big spots, especially on quarterback well right, but the Union wouldn't want it, But it just seems like it would clear up a

lot of the weirdness around free agency. And the deals that don't make sense at this point, because it's like my issue with these quarterbacks is if you go get a Jimmy g like you're selling that and then maybe you don't do that in the draft, you don't go trade up for the right guy in the draft or something, and you're stuck in middle tier mezzanine level. I think it'd be a better better for the league. The NBA

has their draft first, It just makes more sense. I don't think it would actually hurt the players necessarily because I think it would create like ultra needs. It just doesn't make logical sense to me. Maybe it would hurt the players. I don't really know. But like these running backs, for instance, there's such good running backs available, but I do think like depending on the class that's out there in the draft, like that'll diminished the spending because people

feel like we can fill those holes. I have a good value at running back. Yeah, there's a lot of them, and I think maybe he's a little low, maybe I have him a little higher. But I can't really quibble because running backs, obviously they have a different value in the open market because of their position. But Miles Sanders is a fifty six for you. Yeah, and I was thinking about one team in particular, Like everybody's been connecting the Bills. They got to add some some more talent,

you know. Oh, maybe they'll get se Quon, Oh maybe they'll get Derrick Henry. How about Miles Sanders to a team like the Bills, And he's coming off a season where he was kind of back to himself. He had a lost twenty twenty one, and he had nearly fourteen hundred total yards this past season. He was a very big contributor to one of the best offenses in the league.

Miles Sanders at twenty six years old in Week one, give him to me, especially if the price is right right, his question will be like, is he a difference maker? He put thirteen hundred yards up in his rookie year, he did it last season, but he was in the best situation ever. And is he much different than a Damien Harris. Yeah, let's singletary who I like? These are all lower on the list. David Montgomery. Montgomery outside your top one hundred, I think that I'd have a gripe

with that. To me, he's kind of just a guy, but he does what's happening down in that eighties and nineties. I just think he fits in that world. I had so many running backs there too, most Jamal Williams is there with Shad Penny, who was hurt lest year. There's just so many guys available to But to me, there's three difference makers. I think running backs have been under

rated on some level. Uh And I think sae Quon and Josh Jacobs and Pollard to a lesser degree, will It'll be interesting to see Pollard I might have had above sa Quon, and I certainly would have had above Josh Jacobs. Raiders fans aren't like that, but he's coming off of a really serious broken leg and ankle injury. But those three guys, to me, are difference makers. You can't tell me they're worth less than like a slot receiver or Roy Robertson Harris just got three for thirty.

I just can't buy it that they're worth less than Roy Robertson Harry going back to the first name, like, I can't, I can't be on board with Josh Jacobs being behind O'Dell Beckham on this list. Jacobs, I think is had an excellent season, had a lot of touches, But I think he's somebody. He's still just twenty five years old. He's a guy that I would That's the type of deal I would do in three agency guys that are in their mid twenties at running back. That's

I'm okay with that. You have sa Quan at ten, He's obviously your highest running back. I'm kind of fascinated. But to see what kind of deal sa Quon gets um if he doesn't come back with the Giants in and I know, Pollard, who you have? What do you have twenty three? How much of the leg injury effect in his rank? King? Would he be significantly Higher'd be in the top fifteen. Okay, that makes sense to me

as long as the rehab goes right. I would be stunned that the Cowboys didn't bring them back and didn't just ask Zeke to take a massive haircut as ze could use air. I mean, also, like, let's move on from Zeke and nine. But Tony Pollard, I think you could These guys are all franchise tag clear cut tag candidates. I think for each of those running backs, that's true. Se Quon might not get the tag just because they have to use it for Daniel Jones, right, Josh Jacobs

would be interesting. I mean they didn't he was another guy. They didn't give the fifth year option like that. That came back to haunt the Giants. With Daniel Jones, the Raiders were sitting out there with no quarterback. Right now, here's what I'd be a little worried about with Jacobs. Though three ninety three touches last year by far the most of his career. He's been pretty durable as a pro. But did the Raiders get his best year? You know that is easily leading the whole thing in a lot

of ways. With these free angels. Let's take a break and then we'll do something fun. All right, we are back justin Graver the grave digger. What's up, buddy? Hey, how's it going? Just give your finger above that button the whole show. I don't care what else you're doing. UM, let's do something here. Let's let's spin the wheel of destiny. UM with the player. We're gonna talk about we got the one on one, the top one on one here, UM,

eliminate the guys we've already talked about. Spin the wheel and wherever it lands, we're gonna have a conversation about that player. Hit it all right, here we go. God, I hope it's someone somewhat interesting, but you can always like to spin off to a side conversation that's fair to the fun. We got number ninety eight Larry Ogan Jobi. That's great, go ahead, Greggy. So he's a guy though that everyone gets excited because he makes those couple of

slash plays every year. But then you see like the Browns kind of didn't really want him back and the Bengals I think we're happy. I mean, the Bengals were happy with him, but not as happy as they were with b J. Hill. And like he's one of those guys when you keep coming back to free agency. To me, that's a little bit of a red flag sign. That huge deal with the Bears that fell through because of

the physical spin it again, nice little uh compent. I thought we were going to just like have some Steelers like defense stock. I'm sorry, forty Ben Powers. I like the getting the random names because offensive guard aged twenty six. Okay, so this week one this gets to um, why you know when you peep behind the curtain, sometimes the one on one's a little dicey. Where am I really coming from grading all these guards. Of course I talked to

some people. I look at PFF and you try to like put them, But like, how do I grade and put Ben Powers, for instance, versus Jacoby Brissette or Brandon Graham and these players. I could get you suggestion you didn't ask me before tape dog Just do the work, grind it out, hours and hours and weeks and weeks of dogging. Even then it's like, what exactly am I looking for? Totally like you, like I do talk to people who know and trust people that know more ultimately,

But I struggled with these guards. For instance, Powers was fighting for a training camp spot at this time a year ago or going into the season, was not even a locked in guard. Then ended up having a season that PFF one crazy for the Raven said he was their best offensive lineman. He has positioned versatility, He kind of came out of Noor and so I actually put him, I think, first among all the guards. But it's like him, it's Nate Davis, your guy in Tennessee who I was

pumping you for information throughout the year. It's a year long process. But these guys who are like slightly above average guards, But you really want to like spend a lot of money to me, like, I'd rather spend my money at other positions. Get an offensive line coach, get with that. But I think if you're like, let's say you're the Rams and you don't have a lot of draft picks and you have to fix that line, like someone like Ben Powers becomes the guy that twelve articles

are written about a week in the summer. If he becomes a figure, those guys pay off that much. Though, I feel like if you can just have a good coaching staff and you develop your own guys, That's that's why I have him low as like the best guard available. Yeah, and some would say, you know, the wheel segment of this conversation is not going well, But that was the number one guard in the market, So you tell me,

was it not a bad place? So how would you Nate Davis, Isaac Solomalo, Dalton Reisner, Ben Powers, And let's throw on Ethan Pocheck because you know, really more of a sixteen twenty four and the order that you just saidabetically, Yeah, that a scattered them through the list. No one's gonna notice the guards. Ralph just simply off about guard change in your life. I want multiple more spins. All right, spin it again. This needs to be something someone that

everyone knows. Yeah why, I don't know. Just this is the time for Ben Powers to get his airtime. He's great. Number seventy Damian Harris, all right, he did touch on Damian though didn't way well barely. Though Damien was on your fantasy team though, Dad, he was once upon a time. He's a good I think he's better, but he kind of fell out of favor, maybe a favor with Belichick, but he certainly Remondre Stevenson kind of became the guy there. But Harris, I think is a good one two punch

type dude. I don't know if I want him leading my field. I think he's an amazing free agent pick up. Like I'd actually rather have him than Miles Sanders maybe now that I think, how about how about those guys as a tandem that perfect like just as a pure runner explosiveness making him as he's one of the best pure runners I think the Patriots have ever had. But he's been hurt in a little limited in passing game. I'm gonna just do a little, uh little wiggle here,

a little audible. I'm gonna talk about the guy ahead and below, Damien Harris, Fletcher Cox. How about that? Fletcher Cox will be thirty two, was a major part of what was until Super Bowl fifty seven a dominant defensive line for the Eagles. Brandy Graham is also in the mix here. These pass rushers, Greg, They're not gonna get big deals, but they'll they should get those one maybe

two year deals. Is a rotational type guy. Yeah. I've had Cox almost off the list because he was at first and then I looked in at the end of the year he was really playing well. Graham was is gonna be in the top forty? Is Graham on the list? We've had these debates with guys who are avoided or not because technically saying Graham is at some point he will be there. Though he will he is there at forty five, there's different variations. And then we have at

number seventy one, Alan Lazard. Interesting Aaron Rodgers. As you wrote, Greg, he was big last season offseason, before the season started out. This is the dude, he's my number one receiver. Um, what kind of market would he have with the Packers want to bring that guy back? He said he was Scaron Rodgers or Jordan l It was gonna be bougie about where he where he went. He's had a great experience, great experience in Green Bay's gonna go to some half

baked operation. Like I kind of qualified as like every team needs three or four receivers. How many that are available you can put into one of those rotations and he's gonna be a good player for you. Lazard was kind of my cutoff. Yeah, I like Darius Slayton a lot, and in the fifties, I like Dju Like they can be in that rotation. After that, then you're kind of guessing. There's Mac Collins, There's Jarvis Landry if he can stay healthy,

Nelson Agilar, bunch of guys, Sterling Shepard. I'm waiting healthy, just a bunch of guys. I want to spend the wheel again. I don't care what Dan says, let's go. I didn't say we shouldn't spend the wheel good. I said, let's get a let's get a name that matters all. They're human beings, see that. I'm just gonna spin the wheel one hundred and fifty times. What are we doing? Mike has to talk about that. I think Mike Gasecki, who was you know, talked about last summer, is like, oh,

he doesn't fit into the Mike McDaniel offense. Like Mike Asecki, there are a couple interesting tight ends in general in this whole free agent crop, and I think he in the right offense, is a difference maker. I'd like him, And I don't know why people say he's uh Mikasecki. I don't think that. I think who would say that? Stop? I think he said it. Well, well, some people thought that when he wasn't producing. But yeah, maybe he just needs to wait beyond Is he your second tight end

after Schultz? H Ingram right above him, So there are three good tight end. Schultz last year was very productive once he was back from injury with Dak Prescott, like, I think they kind of have to keep him, and then Evan Ingram had a nice season. I think they will franchise tag him. But Gasecki is a good example of one of my things is people just make these rankings and they just talk about the previous year and

they don't look at the whole. But when they were just using him as a slot receiver, he's a great tight end. Slot receiver, which to me is a very useful trait. You know who could use him. It's your New York Jets because they have a lot of tight ends. We have so many, but they don't have one that matters to me that like is a plus starter. They're they're fine, Tyler Conklin. They improved greatly from like one of the worst groups in the league to like now

we're okay. Uh And maybe they're a team that should draft someone with But they have a Samah. I mean, I think they don't have a quarterback. More the issue than this, to me, I think they would be they have a perfectly services would be an instant. It could run like three. How many of those guys are making big player? I think, as Conklin was, Zama is not a pass catcher. You know, he's a blocking guy. How

many yards did he had? Two hundred yards? Yeah, they were using I don't know if they I don't know if he's got a future of the team. I know he probably didn't sign up for the role he ended up having. You know, I like him in England. By the way, I think you have Ingram one spot ahead of gaseki Um and I think the Jaguars will be crazy to let him get away, because yeah, that feels like a thing where if he ever got to the open market, um, and you had an offense that could

use him the right way. AKA, don't ask him to be a you know, a blocking type tenant, Let him be a playmaker. I think he's an ascending guy that's gotten out of the giants uh mud and found his way with Jacksonville Wells. One of the types of guys that I actually you can find value in free agency. It's possible. They signed him last year for one year, nine million dollars. I mean, that was a nice deal. Now they've just got to tag him for a similar amount.

He was number fifty on my list a year ago, and I'm looking at this list and uh, you know, I underrated him, And then I'm also seeing Hassan Reddick wasn't even in the top. It happens, It happens, It happens. Who all right, who in this list? Greg, are you most worried about becoming the Hassan redd of twenty twenty three, because there will be somebody, so anybody that you really you had him lower and you're like, oh, my way off on this one. I gotta roll forward. I gotta

I got the movers come in. I got a bunch of bob. My wife's got to do the plumbing. There was a lot of issues this weekend that we who do you worry about that can greatly exceed in terms of value based on where you have them? Win is at fifty one. He's a Patriot's first round pick that at times episode a very high level of play. Those are the types of players that worry me. But he's coming off some injuries and was definitely out of favor with the Patriots. But like he's shown it, maybe in

the right system he could do it. He's won. Did I underrate some of these pass rushers? I don't know. Sampson Ebacom was pretty good last year. What if you get like a late career or a latter career like latent vandersh explosion with the right team like vanderish Port. Jamal Williams seventeen touchdowns this year and he's at seventy eight. Our friend, he was one of those where I was like doing the third pass and I was like, shoot, I don't even have Jamal Williams on this ranking at all.

I gotta I gotta after he came on our show, he's gotta come on. Let's zoom him up to seventy eight. Julian loves it. Interesting safety. You kind of came out of nowhere for the Giants last year had a nice lot of safety. Robert Woods made the top one hundred. I was shot an old guy there, Bobby Trees. How about this? Is it when you you've been on the Around the NFL podcast, you get preferential treat all right,

that's only makes sense. Um. Or if we think you're coming on the air on the NFL podcast and then a safety shows up instead, roll out the carpet for you. UM. Is it the way to judge whether or not you UM got it right? Quote unquote. Is it how the guy plays in the upcoming season? Or is it when let's say, I'll throw a name out there. If if Justin Houston ends up getting a nice deal for instantly he's too old, let me go with Tyler Rapp ends up getting a much bigger deal than you thought he would.

Does that mean it's already the your list was off. It's what teams think. I think if you, I mean, if you really wanted to do it, you'd have to like look a year from now and compare it to other lists who I was higher on versus them, and how those players did. Like Zach Allen was one as I did the list Cardinals, and no one, uh you know, benefited more from Hard Knocks than Zach Allen. I know one. No one watched Hard Knocks. He's at fourteen, Yeah, he's

at fourteen. He kept a sneaking up the list higher and higher, higher and higher, and I was like, that's who I would want and free. What was it like, Zach Allen? Million people that didn't see it? What did Zack Allen do on Hard Knocks that he just seemed like like a good guy to have around. He was like, you know, trying to be the next JJ Watt and he kept and he played really well. He was one of their few players and he had a monster see vance.

Joseph also to me was highly impressive. I think if you were an owner and he watched them, You're just like, that's a freaking dude that I would want in front of my player. He did the rare thing where he went back to the team where he failed his head coach. You don't write, you don't see that. I kind of dig that was for that. This was Mark's U take. You got to you gotta be open to go back to remember this take of yours last week when we mentioned the Evans Joseph news and he said that was

Mark's long standing take and didn't remember. You just said it again. It's multiple times where it's like you go when you at the Peter Principal thing, you fail as the head coach, but there's that opening you go back to a place, come back home. I was impressed with his leadership. But Zach Allen, let's go Zach Allen, Draymont Jones, let's go. Those are guys I'm pretty high. I like, uh, since I'm looking at it, Lavante David at nineteen thirty three years old, but I could see him having even

though it didn't work. Again, it didn't work out with the Rams and Bobby Wagner. If you're a team that's looking for some a veteran that could come in and deliver some high level play for a year or two, you do a lot worse than him. Right. That's the thing is like people are always looking for the young guys that can spend huge money on. But you Bobby Wagner was a great deal last year. Ultimately, like he performed for more than he was worth. Right, he's not

on the team anymore. Very straight greg Number twenty four Marcus Davenport. I feel like that's a tough guy to know, like to spend a lot of money on because he seems like he could be awesome, but then he's also unavailable half the time. He would have been in the top ten if it was a year ago. I've always been a huge fan of Davenport. He's a kind of player.

I like he's like a poor man's Jadevian Clowney. He's just so strong and he creates pressure and he's just like doesn't need to be subtle because he just makes other guys look. But he never stays healthy. And the Saints were very glad to see you finally took Clowney off this list because now he's there one. What is this? I can't I can't show. I can't shake my fists anymore about this one season season last year, down on the team at the end of well, that's why I

put him down at forty one. I think that's lower that only the duck that he quit on the team. Let's check some other list I have drop. Now it's time for me to check him because I don't want them get let's war it is PFF clowney. Let's just find him. What is this? What does okay? I'm just saying, like, am I crazy? He's always been like a PFF darling that guy. I think Also, it's a there's a lack of edge rushers, and maybe you're just taking a position and moving it up a little bit because it's it's

rough out there. If you're looking for an edge rusher, you're looking to the drift or trades. There's gotta be some good names being cut that I'll make this list look a little sexier. You do have Unique and Gawquay at thirty three. That's a pretty good edge rusher. Good point forgot about him. It's been the wheel again. Oh good. As we wrapped this up, we're bringing it in for a landing. Caleb McGarry. Let's get Caleb McGarry in there, number thirty. Oh well, I just brought him up. Wait,

who is it? I landed on Unique and Gaway? Who I just that's Bridget. It's a little worrisome. He's like gonna be on his fifth team into four years, but he does produce fifty three. Marcus Peters, Oh, Marcus Peters. Is that a nice career to put him higher? Or I just wanted to see how long can we stay silent and Dan just talk about thirty Okay. Well, he's back from the ACL and he's a starting quarter Okay,

I think he's a starting good spot. And actually the fact that he stepped in last year, it was like immediately back to being solid enough. He just seems like one of those guys so you can kind of like, I don't know, they age really well until they don't and then they're done. But he's just like a player, you know, I'm not saying it right, but he's kind of like a dog. He knows how to play. You can put him on any team and he can take

up snaps for you. There's actually some decent cornerbacks available above him. Jonathan Jones I mentioned Jamal Dean is a good starter who's in my top twenty for the Bucks. He's a solid player. Bradberry and now, without further ado, we discuss as as he every year. He likes to have a name brand Greggy at one oh one and this year is no different. Drum roll please, The number one oh one ranked player and Greg's NFL free agents countdown is Baker Mayfield. I mean it is it even perfect?

One on one? He is not accurate, but it is perfect. It's not accurate. I think it's perfect. What what if I told you that there was another quarterback and his last seventeen starts when you measure the two QB's last seventeen, this guy too that this quarterback has more touchdown passes, fewer turnovers, a higher passer rating, more passing yards, a higher completion percentage, fewer sacks, less drama. But you know who I was talking about? Yeah, I don't know. Come on,

I'm just saying, Oh, those are all facts. That's not my opinion. All all that data favors Darnald. I'm I'm a human, absolutely right, And if he just hadn't made that last start of the season, which I happened to watch, I'm a human and sometimes the last sometimes the last thing you saw ways too heavily. I will admit to having that problem. Like Miles Sanders was a kind of a problem for the Eagles in the Super Bowl. A couple bad runs couldn't keep him in bouncing too the outside.

That hurt him. Sam Darnald had that great run where I'm like, wow, this is everything we ever wanted out of Sam Darnald. He's really better than ever. And then he showed up in week eighteen. I think it was against the Saints. I watched that game and he was a total disaster and it was just like, I get dressed this guy, Get dressed him. I think he saved

his career though as a like a number two. I don't think you can go in with the starter if you're if you're Sam Darnald, but I think Baker Mayfield too. At mid season, we had a conversation that Baker Mayfield may never play again because of the Baker Mayfield experience on top of the bad play. The Rams thing was kind of a blessing. It was like it was I think saved his career and got him another number two country.

The Saints are talking about him as a potential starter, which sounds like did you well, so did you see like Baker's last start of the season, for instance, against the Yeah, Bakers had some ugly My point is not I don't want to get to go down when I do this five for fifteen for forty three and three turn rivers, and that was after hitting like his last two or three passes. I think he had like here what the Christmas Day start where he was like twenty two.

I'm talking about yeah Mayfield. Let me just say this that I'm not saying that Sam Donald should be one oh one. I'm saying I think I saw your your raw list and you had Donald at one fourteen or so. I think that's where Baker should be as well. I think they're basically the same. Like if you want a guy who's a backup, but if you want a little more sizzle on your steak. Well thought about Minshew because he felt like a nice one. That's who I wrote. I haven't written right here, and I was like, you

know what, I'm gonna give Minshew some credit. I'm actually gonna just I would rather have beensued than Baker. I got him a little higher up. I got him for this exercise. Baker's the perfect one and one to go to Sean Kipson. There's nothing I mean, I don't have an issue with it. I just was pointing out that statistically, and it's not just staring at box scores or whatever it's.

You know, Baker would give you some moments. I take Mayfield's highs over Darnold ties, but I take neither of them as I think Baker could be like a fitzpat Patrick type guy where he can come in for three or four games and give you some juice. I mean, Saints are talking about making him the starter. P Saints have no the Saints are out of out of options. In general, there's interest in Baker Mayfield. Like I think

I had to do it. I think I had to do it just twenty five free agents of twenty twenty two, like before the season started, and you know, Baker was in the top five. So it wasn't that long ago that I had a completely different opinion, not blind. I think it's changed. There's something about Baker that people gravitate towards, and it's when he has those games people get excited

about him. I think I think he might be the best one on one ever in the sense that like well GINO one to number two, Well, I mean no, I just mean in juice and just like yeah, I like I like it. I like the idea of having someone in there that spurs debate. I think he's limited. Yeah, I think, and maybe you think I overrate Gino and I definitely have a certain type. I like the quarterbacks that are really quarterbacking out there, and I feel like

that's where Baker. I don't know if he's ever gonna get there in terms of like making full feel reads and like, but he can give you us, give us some juice. But Gino, like I, I disagreed with you that I think Derek Carr is better value. But I have right around top five as well. It's six or that. Actually know what i'd have Gino over Daniel Jones. I gotta be honest with you, so I would I would have him at maybe five on this list. But otherwise, Greg,

you've done great work. Mark. Do you have any final thoughts? I am bowled over by the work Greg is done. Been excellent. Yes, it continues to be. You know what's it doesn't bowl me over is that one x drow week that we uh work now because of the eighteenth Yes season, you feel one no one season really start. You know, it's there's no cruise for me anymore. That it's ruined my that little spot that's a tough that

is got to get in there. It's a bad beat, but you're also extremely fortunate, incredibly, we are very lucky to do what we do. Yeah, maybe I think we we're you know, we're still talking about the eighteenth week of the season. Maybe we need a table that combo. It's not changing, it's gonna get longer. So we're we're based on the only people left still talking about it. It's not guaranteed. Uh, this is continuing, all right, justin

do you have any thoughts before we say goodbye? Wow, Robert Woods on the list, Come on, it's personal for you. Taylor the one not on the list, Yeah, that was I mean, this is a t said like he doesn't know if he can like function in his everyday life and he's not sure if he ever wants to play football. That's a gots to go off the list situation. He was on it until then. So he's also got a hit podcast of his own by the way, so oh yeah,

that's where we got the quotes from. And then he was like, yeah, like, I don't know if I'm ever sorry. Did you dig into all the other players that that podcasts on this list to see anywhere their mental Patrick Peterson for example, he's a show let's get on the list, which is another year of removed from that surgery, which

is a hard one to recover from. And he had a couple of moments where it's like, I think you could he passed my like can you throw him into a good team as your third or fourth receiver and he's gonna get you six hundred yards and help your team. I think he could see the Rams bringing him back. Yeah, Cooper Couple is locker room leader, making it, making noise about it. Bobby Trees also he took a picture with my son. That's that's nice that colors. You're ranking No.

Di Teller one is thirty one. He's three time Pro bowler. Yeah, but he hasn't literally been able to stay on the field. And he he was saying, uh, that doesn't hurt you know Teddy Bridgewater. Teddy Bridgewater has played football in the last few years, and he wasn't saying that he might not be able to continue to play football. Taylor Lawan two out of the last three years played five games or less and it's coming up. It might not play. It sounded like he was going to retire. That was

part of the I agree with that. It did sound like it sounded like he doesn't want to play football anymore. He's got a thriving podcast up. This podcast, it's come up multiple times. Is it Busting with the Boys? Good? It's he's He's drive the Pat McAfee. Uh, I've yet to catch an app. Will Compton is also like a major Him and Taylor Lawan did this together. And Will always gets offended because everyone just says it's Taylor's podcast, and like Will does a lot of the legwork. But

tough sitch. Yeah, I'm sure he's thrilled or discussing that, right, right, I M it happens on all podcast as, even to all three co hosts. Right, just not good. It bothers me. But why is it so important? I'll talk to my age and about host. Is you understand Greg and I did not engineer that. We just discovered that. I don't want I feel like hosts. You are the host of

this podcast. But when you think of hosts in the traditional sense, that's sort of like an old media thing where it's like the host doesn't have their own opinions necessarily, they're not They're just like setting people up and this and that and that's not you either, So you want to be put I think sane. I think I am a new age host. I think innovator age. It's not it wouldn't. Um, that's These are all terms that people have thrown out. Um, where did we start? How long

is this podcast? What is the appropriate term for what Mark and Greg do on the show? If it's not co question, I would ask that, Um, can you give me one show, like a day to think about it? And then I'll yeah, I'll throw out some analyst. But that feels it's too important for that side. No, I think yeah, I think what's what's crucial is you need to make a line of demarcation. Justin that shows that we are lesser than and it makes Dan feel better. Yeah,

justin throwing out sidekicks that would work. I think they would like that. What if I run an analysis on all the minutes that each of you have spent talking on this show? I don't want to find out. I don't think that would help anyone. Um, all right, that's it. Good stuff. Check it out, Greggy, excellent work. Top one on one. We'll be back on Wednesday and we're gonna start digging into the coaches, GM's press conferences, the news. Maybe Lamar Jackson gets traded. That would be nice. A

lot coming up. He the call,