Good football.
That's right, this is JMP. Everybody get in here, live in LA.
Fifty days until the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, but we got to get through free agency first.
It's Wednesday, March fifth. I'm Jamie heard all.
Here is Cody.
Kessler, DeMarco Farr at the table, Kyle Brandt as well. Kyle, are you prepared for the frenzy?
Do you think it? What grade of frenzy do you think we're going to get next week?
With fifty fifty a full full on frenzy. Massive players change into different teams. Now, sometimes we we advertise a frenzy, it's.
A bunch of a frenzy, Like.
Come on, we got crickets here, the insiders are ready to roll. I think this year we're going to get it. I predicted that this year's super Bowl would be a blowout.
Remember that.
I'm like, every once in a while we get a dog terrible super Bowl, and we did.
This is going to be a hell of a frenzy, though, watch Okay.
All right, yeah, if he says it, then it must come true. We had Max Crosby on the show about a month or two ago in January, and it was really fun having him on because Max would say a single word a certain direction in the studio and everyone online is like, what's the Easter egg?
Where is he going to go?
When Max Crosby speaks, people listen. And yesterday on the Rush podcast, he said this about Aaron Rodgers, a now free agent quarterback, quote, I think this year fully healthy, full off season. My prediction is he's going to have a great year.
He being Aaron Rodgers. I think he's going to have a big year, and I hope it's in our town. Our town. Crosby still under contract with.
The Raiders, although there is some restructuring efforts. I'm sure that is taking place with the star defensive player Cody big time takeaway from Max Crosby effectively giving a pitch for Aaron Rodgers to come to Vegas.
I agree.
Now, I don't know if he's going to be in Las Vegas, but I think Rogers can still play at high level if he's on the right team. Right, But you got to look back at what his demands were. He said he wanted to play somewhere or it was warm weather, right, let's check for Vegas, but said he wants to go to.
A contender, a team that can win.
I don't know if Las Vegas is quite there yet right now, but they do have a lot of money to spend their second and salary cap behind the New England Patriots, right so they.
Can go out there and get some pieces.
They're gonna have to pay quarterback if they do, so that'll take a little bit of a hit, but overall,
they have money to spend and go get guys. Another thing too, though, is do the Raiders value Aaron Rodgers more than they value Sam Dharmo or a guy that's maybe a little bit younger that still has some more to play, you know, or a Kirk Cousins, another veteran that's out there, or they value a guy in the draft right now and they're keeping the cards close to their chest with that six overall pick, and then they go out and get a veteran that's a backup and
allow a rookie to go play. So I think there's so many question marks with this, But like I said, last year, Rogers had thirty nine hundred yards, twenty eight touchdowns, only eleven interceptions on a team that started falling apart right They struggled throughout the rest of.
The year, and then they had, you know, a change at the head coach.
If they fired their head coach, fire their GM, all these different things falling apart, and he still played pretty decent. So I think if he does go to Vegas and they can build some pieces around him, he can have a chance to come back and play. I don't know if he's going to get quite back to where he's been before, but I think he can still produce at a very.
I like Max doing it.
I like Max picking up for the Raiders because I like Max on the Raiders. I don't see Rogers going to the Raiders. Let's haven't we seen this movie before. You go to an AFC team that has struggled for a long time to find a quarterback who's hungry, who has some nice weapons, and they have some money to spend.
We just saw this two years ago.
The Raiders have a lot of the same stink on them that the Jets have had. This is not some perennial winner. This is not a team that is in the playoffs every year.
It's Roger.
If you're Rogers, you're not going for one final season twenty one, so you can go six and eleven to get your head kicked in as a Raider at the end of the season. That's not what it's about. And that's why personally, I think Rodgers is really interested in the Rams, because Rams a the opt there, right, Rams are going places.
Never mind the LA thing. Just for saying the.
Rams are very good, and they're good every single year. Not to mention, you think Rogers wants to jump into the AFC West and like go against Mahomes and lose to him and all the things they have gone. I just it doesn't seem like a if you're planning like one final like Sweetheart year and at the end of Hall of Fame career, this sounds terrible.
I really do think it does.
Not to mention, and I said this before, and I'm trying to be a diplomatic here, I don't think Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady are best friends, and I don't think they hate each other. I just don't think that they're boys. That's my intuition, and that's a little bit of my insight that I know for a fact, not only not best friends. Rogers is not Darnold. He is a god. He is a legend. Brady is a god.
He's a legend. There's egos involved, there's legacies involved, and there's things involved where I don't know if Aaron Rodgers wants to be Tom Brady's little project as a new owner. There's something going on there, a big picture that I don't think would go well for number eight in the Jets right there, number twelve for the Raiders.
There's everything about it that to not like.
A couple things to like, Sure, we love Pete Carroll, who knows if that'll work. Sure we love some of the talent I can't ever see. You're in Rogers corner. You're like, you know you should do Man for your last year. Let's go to the Raiders because they're always good. Like It sounds like like one of the worst ideas in the history of bad ideas.
I don't like it at all.
I am kicking myself. I should have said Rogers Brady reality show. No, that would be fascinating. He'd watch that all day. The other thing, Leaving Las Vegas was a great movie, so this could be the same thing for Aaron Rodgers.
Leaving Las Vegas, like, the guy just drinks himself to death. It's a terribly depressing movie.
And it could end the same way. That's what I'm saying if you go there. But I'll just look at it this way. Aaron Rodgers is not what he was fair.
Yeah, sure, yes, it's four time MVP.
But he's no bum. I think he's good enough to win with and with Pete Carroll there, I get you that kind of I wouldn't say it's good deodorant for the stink that was coming out of Vegas for what was that franchise. I think he will change. That's the smartest move they've made in years. So they're headed in the right direction. Yeah, you could do a lot worse than him. The only question I have, and I've never lived in Vegas. I don't know a lot of people
that live there. I don't know how the Rogers drama plays out with their fan base, and most of their fan base travels in anyway. So I think if you give Greater fans some hope that they can compete with Kansas City in the West, I think they could ignore the distraction Aaron Rodgers versus Sam Donald. This is what I would love to be a GM, But this is why I would not. I think I would go with the old guy over the young guy because I think I trust him more. But either way, I think he's
still playing. And I like that Max Crosby as just like Miles Garrett is calling a shot. I want him, I want out. I love it. The guys aren't staying silent totally.
DeMarco Kyle, There's not many things that I listen to you talk and I say here and I respect what you have to say, and like, I really really disagree with you on this one, and it's like a natural disagreement that is coming.
To the surface.
I think, haven't you ever worked with anybody that you're just straight up not friends with? But it works like it actually just comes out on the product.
And it like it tracks like I think this could be a thing.
I think no matter if Rogers and Tom Brady don't like each other, I actually think that what those two like better is building something that's successful in winning and leaving their legacy to your point, on a great note. And do I think Rogers is going to end his career on a Super Bowl win?
I don't. Did Brady? He did not either.
I think if they sign Aaron Rodgers, you are doing something better than you could with Sam Donald, which is you are acknowledging that you're not in it.
Sam Donald's going.
To come and want like a five or six year career with you, a ten year career with you. Rogers knows that this is towards the end of it. If you sign Aaron Rodgers in Las Vegas, you can take every single draft pick that you have and focus on the rest of your team, which is what.
The Raiders need to do.
If you are distracted by the shiny object in the room, which is trying to draft a quarterback and a non quarterback draft year, I think the Raiders are setting themselves back. I think Rogers is a great fit. I think personality wise, he has Raider Nation all over him.
Kind of you call him.
Petty competitive yesterday, and I think the Rogers breathing.
I don't think it matters that they don't like each other.
It's like the Bermuda triangle of success that could work out with the Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll, Tom Prady and Aaron Rodgers. And I think those who enter the Bermuda triangle of the Raiders, I think you could get tangled up in something nasty.
It's good take. I do think it matters to them, especially to Rives, because it's like he's looking for quality of life. He has nothing to prove it's done.
I've done everything, I have, all the money, i have, all the legacy, Like I want a great fit and a perfect spot. And it's like they it could work and the fans could want them, but like Rogers has to want to be there.
So it's not only the Brady thing. I just think that's a piece of it.
I think it's mostly like the Raiders probably won't be very good, and what am I doing? And then there's this whole DeVante Adams thing where like we all just kind of assume that he wants to play with Davante, and there's this bizarre thing about could they bring DeVante back to the Raiders after it was a bizarre deal. Listen, of course, it's fun to see Carol and Brady and Rogers, and I just don't think it'll happen. And I just don't think Rogers is into it. And I listen, I
don't report this. I just go with my gut in my history. It maybe will be sitting here him like Rogers to the Raiders. I just don't think so well.
And again I always don't know, rereel like that your gut. You have said that you think he's you think he should be done playing, like you hope that he his last nap.
And that's what we said yesterday was that, you know, watching Aaron Rodgers when I was growing up, you want to see him leave on a high, right, And I agree with kind a little bit.
I don't know if that's Vegas.
But the reason that makes me think this can happen is because Pete Carroll's going to be seventy four years old this year, right, and he said he's a young seventy before. I just don't see him going and getting it. And I don't know, Sam Donold had a great year. Is he going to continue to develop that way? Or are they going to go get a rookie quarterback in the draft and not waste Pete Carroll's years but have time to you know, hopefully this quarterback develops.
And then I don't know if people.
What's Pete's goal is like, let's get our let's get our bleep together, and like, wouldn't it be cool if we made the wildcard round? That like they make the playoffs, that's great, Okay, So let's say they bring in Rogers and do it, and they make the playoffs, and then Rogers is forty two.
And he's like, I think I'm done.
I got hurt again or I'm old, and then he's gone and then we are just starting over again and we have to get another quarterback. So like the Jets thing with Rogers was let's win the super Bowl.
Now we go, we got to win.
Now, it's there's no like, let's get things started with Rogers and then we'll have to change again.
It's just it's another thing doesn't fit for me.
We're Gon's got a lot of money. Though, if they wanted to go all in to win right now, to kind of blank them picks, I mean, you could with him at quarterback and say in two years, we'll start over anyway, but we're starting over as champion.
You don't think Kyle that Like they could build something around him round of Rogers, build up a team, build up your offensive line, like, make your trenches great, and then it is easier to interchange a quarterback in in two years.
But then are you drafting like, because then it's it's some neo fight.
We have no idea. If he's good, it's.
Just the Raiders made their own bed. It's I think Pete Carroll has brought into being an adult. And I love the Pete higher too.
Me too.
Yeah, but you know, okay, so we're bringing Pete Carroll back. Your coach is seventy four quarterbacks forty two?
Like what are we doing?
Yeah?
I mean like at some point, like we got to start fresh with something, right.
Yeah, And do you think that you think they go to Jordan Love route and bring Rogers in and he knows we're going to get a young player that they develop under you for the next two three years and then set us up for success.
I mean, it's happened before, and we sa and I asked Jordan Love.
This screw is something. I don't think Raiders fans are clamoring for Rogers. I know, I don't not now it's a myth. But you might like him in December. You may hate him now. You may hate him.
Now in September. Like Raider fans, I don't like him, I don't like Rodgers, but by December you may wind up loving the guy really because he can still play, he can still help you.
No, I agree, I agree?
Yeah, guy, we're also like again, This is not you don't bring Rogers in a vacuum.
This is not insert quarterback here.
This is a cultive personality, a massive media deal, a whole thing, you know that, Like the Jets just went through that. It's not that's just part of the thing of bringing in Rogers. It's going to change your whole identity as a company. And I think that's also something again.
I think the Raiders need a new identity in certain spots of their organization, and I think it would fit in Vegas because it is a circus in and of itself.
I mean, we've said with the same conversations about New York City. Yeah, not perfect New York City.
We saw him on Broadway, and we saw him going to the next games and making it to Rios like it worked in moments like that.
I'll tell you what, if Max Crosby was a GM, he'd already be a Raider, Max working, you got, you got a sight tactic raider.
He's a runagade. This is what they used to be.
Yeah, all right, Ian Rapaford, our NFL Network insider, Ian, good morning to you. One of the top defensive free agents is not going to test the market. Let's go to Dallas and talk to us about what unfolded yesterday.
Yesterday was the deadline for teams to franchise tag players, and the word going in this according to his agent, Sam Leaf, was at the Cowboys, we're going to franchise tag ohso o diggi Zoo. A fast forward a couple hours, they up their offer and they struck a deal. It gets a four year, eighty million dollar extension, one of the fifty million dollars guaranteed, which you know, on its face looks like a great deal for Ohso Diggi Zoo, one of the better young.
Tackles in the NFL.
But consider this, the franchise tag would have been twenty five million dollars fully guaranteed on one deal.
He only gets.
Twenty two million dollars in year one. This deal averages twenty million dollars per year. If he did two franchise tags, it would average more than twenty five million dollars, probably twenty six and a half million dollars per year. It is a great deal for the Dallas Cowboys, one of the more team friendly deals that we've seen in some time. Allows them added space in case they want to be creative and add more guys in free agency. To get
a little cap room. To do this deal, cde Lamb restructured his deal deal Obviously the big stends from last year. This is not a pay cut. This really isn't anything except for accounting. He still gets all the money. He didn't do any favors for the team. They just basically move the money around and create more space this year. Meanwhile, the Jets created.
Some big time cap space by.
Releasing Devonte Adams, their former big name receiver, one of their big trades from last year. Remember run in Aaron Rodgers, he added Devanta Adams did not work out as they wanted to. Aaron Rodgers now going to be a free agent. DeVante Adams officially a free agent and who everyone talks guys about him joining Rogers and maybe maybe but from what I understand, he wants to be on the West Coast for his next team next year.
Okay, good to know, Thank you very much. We will be relying on you heavily when it comes to the free agency frenzy that we hope it will become.
Talking a little bit reptip. We're going to turn our attention to that next week.
It's guys like Chris Godwin, Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers. Where are they going to land? Are they staying with their current teams? They're finding new homes for twenty thirty five. We're all over this. It's called Free Agency Frenzy, and we hope it lives up to the name. Eight hours of live coverage starting Monday, March tenth, ten am.
Eastern on NFL Network.
I feel like you're percolating about something, and I'm curious that it's going to be in the second segment.
What I'm just thinking of trying to hype the frenzy even more. That's all I put on this planet to do, Jamie, is promote the frenzy.
Gas pedaled down on the front Sea. How about more prospects coming in? Nick Eamon Worri from South Carolina took the baton.
From Xavier Worthy and stole the show at the.
Twenty twenty five NFL Combine That means speed on set. Standout Safety joined US Live to talk about his memorable performance.
Kyle, Here's a forty three inch vertical and we just watched him jump down.
That's incredible. He's going to hang from the rafters.
All right first to Marco Farr.
We're going down memory lane with you, my friend, sir, reminiscing about old number seventy five.
Sorry Chris Chandler, we keep showing that play, don'pe be sorry for Chandler.
Goead so he.
Got to a super Bowl.
He's talking about a Rams legend that came before him, and what the story is behind that number?
DeMarco?
Next, good football?
You think we will go hunt?
Think we will go.
The nah?
You think we will go well hunting?
Buffalo R?
What do you call me?
You have cast me respress? Got you here.
To Marko far everybody, it's our friend j F. Those are great highlights. You sound great humming that tune.
You look great.
Talk at the Lombardi and you look even better wearing that number seventy five.
I missed that tunnel. I love that tunnel. Coming out into the dome in Saint Louis was just when you turned your brain and off. You stopped being human and you became a hunter. So you saw that transformation as soon as we hit the field. We were different guys, at least I was, and I tried to bring as many people along as possible. But fun, you know, playing in the NFL.
For me.
I think there are eight fars that played in the NFL, and I might be the eighth. So it's been a lifelong dream. So started playing ball. Two older brothers. They used to beat the crap out of me in the backyard. You know, I was the tackling dummy. So I couldn't wait to play. So I grew up in the East Bay. The Raiders were still there. Howie Long was my idol. He was my guy, so I wanted to be like him. So I took that number seventy five and I tried to be like him, emulate him, do everything he did,
be that guy. Yeah, I mean, come on, dude, look at that aura. Everything he did I did. So when I got to college, I had all of these Raider posters, all these Howie posters, and I had this big, long Howie poster that had to be six six feet long. Yeah, he's got jeans and a leather jacket, right, tight jeans and a leather So my friends would come in and go, what's with the Howie poster? You know, what's with that? I'm like, that's Howie Long. Do you know who that is? Like, dude,
I don't think that's for you. Okay, yeah, you know, I don't think that posters poster, but anything, howie, I had to have. So seventy five has always been my number. So we go through U DUB We won a national championship. We're very, very good. I was Steve Epman's backup forever. Some of them number one overall pick, number one overall pick. So two years later, same numbers, I go undrafted. So I'm smoking, like, why him number one? Why me undrafted? Well he's bigger, stronger, faster.
I get it.
So I had to fight my way up into the NFL. So I got invited on a free agent deal to the La Rams. Tampa offered me, Cleveland offered me, The Rams offered me more. So it's West Coast. I'm a Pac ten guy. I'm coming here. So I had to fight my way onto this football team the first day. Now, this is after five years of being at U dub Where we are it in town. You could have painted a rock purple and gold and sold it for fifty
bucks back then, So that's what I'm used to. I go into my first NFL locker room and I'm sharing a locker, Like, do you not know me who I am. I don't share lockers. That's not me. Not to be arrogant. I just don't do that. And then who's number ninety four, Well, that's your number, that's not my number. Give okay whatever, I get it. This is what we have to do.
So you go through practices. I'm fighting Jackie Slater's out there, okay, and the age difference is he could have been my father, literally, like he's going on year eighteen. I'm in year one. My first pass rush rep ever was against Jackie Slater. He punched me right in the throat, and I'm looking at Chuck Knock's the coach, like are you gonna tell him something? He's like, no, this is the pros. Take care of it yourself. So I learned. So we get
to final cuts. This is funny. We got to go down to San Diego and play the Chargers, and the D line coach George Dyer, a great guy, sits me in a room with Mark Buttet, who was last year's starter at detail and he goes, I love you both. I can't make this choice. It's close between the two of you. One of you is staying, one of you is going home. So We're gonna make it like this. Whoever plays the best tomorrow gets the job. It's never been more cutting dry than that. I look at Mark
and I respect him. You're going home. I only brought a toothbrush to camp. I have no backup plan. I burned the boats. I'm here. So during that game in San Diego, I think in the first quarter, had a sack, tackle for loss, even made plays on special teams. I am not going home. It's clear. I'm the guy so made the team. I see the turk walk by, he passes me up, he grabs a bunch of rookies, cuts them. I'm on the football team. So the first thing I'm
gonna do is take away this ninety four. Right, So I'm going right to the equipment room, me storming in there. The equipment man had been there. His name, oh my god, his name is Cap See right now, they're gonna hate me for this, but he's been there forever. He's an older guy, like he must have been in his seventies. So I go up and lay my jersey on the table and say I want seventy five. And he looks at me like, do you know what you just asked for?
And I'm like, I want seventy five. I'm thinking, Howie right behind him is the Fearsome Forsome with Deacon Jones. We're in seventy five. I'm like, oh my god, I just asked for Deacon's number. He goes, I'll tell you what you do. Go outside, take a left, take a right. Look for this old guy in this barka lounger with his feet up. Go ask him if you can have seventy five. Follow it to a t. There's the guy, ugly, crusty feet. So I said, tap the feet. Excuse me, sir.
He sits up like the undertaker. It's Deacon Jones. Really, the Deacon Jones there, he's at every camp right leans up, What do you need? Sorry, mister Jones. I went and asked mister hewittt Toddy Hewitt, can I get seventy five? And he told me to come out here and ask you. And he looks up and goes, what's your name? I said, DeMarco far are you any good? I said, I'd like to think I am, sir, I'm here. I made the team.
He goes, I'll tell you what, when you get to the quarterback, you make sure you put them in the graveyard, not the hospital, the graveyard. And I said, okay, sir, I'll do my best. No, no, don't do your best the grave yard. Now go back in there and tell them you can wear seventy five. Oh that's right. So I went back in there and I gave him. I told him, I said, Deacon said it was okay, got
the jersey, so happy called my people. Deacon catches me after practice and goes, if I see anything different out of you, I'm going to take that number back. I hope I made the guy proud. I hope I made the guy proud. So that's how we started to get
to here. So crazy stuff, but going through those meat grinders of old school training camps when they care about you and don't care about you, and there's no real enforcement as a defensive tackle, and they ask you to play out a position constantly, like I'm a dtackle man. I used to make my living with the quarterbacks standing right there. Now I got to go play defensive end. Well,
why are you playing at defensive end? We want to see how you react, not that we want to see you make plays, We just want to see how you react.
We see some of them, I don't win the seventy five. Let's see him.
Making it plays here we go. Yeah, look at that young dude. See he's seventy five. So all this is Howie. But I'm respecting Deacon Jones.
Oh cool?
And I did you continue to have a relationship with Deacon.
Yeah, we kept in touch. He came through Saint Louis. The Rams did a great job of embracing the LA Stars and bringing them back to Saint Louis. So every time he did come back to Saint Louis, I was the guy escorting him and talking about him. I was there for the number retirement when they finally when they finally retired seventy five, and he said, okay, there was only one other guy that could wear. He's done now, so we can get this thing done. And they retired
his numbers. So just a really special moment for me. I carried that through my entire career. He taught me what being a RAM really meant and how to really.
Hate the Niners.
Yeah, and why so look at seventy five. It's I grew up loving him, but I wearing that number with the horns on my helmet was special and I took that seriously.
Do you have a friendship and a relationship now with how He Long?
Okay, so Chris Long was drafted by the Rams. Yeah, so he can't. I think it was the number two pick. I can't remember the year, but I remember the first time he came in. I said, dude, I am a member of your family. You just don't know me. Yeah, because everything you did or you learn from your father, I did too. So and I told how he the same thing, and how I kind of fan boyd around how he the first time I met him, and he kind of ran away from me. Yeah, but I loved him.
I just told him everything you did. I wanted to be even this.
Like standing there, I get it.
Everything when he gets up and he makes the play you've seen this with how when he throws his shoulders back. I did the same thing. Everything he did I tried to do. Yeah, he was just a special guy. So I have a question.
Let's say that Deacon says no, and you go back and you wear ninety four. Don't you think you could have gone on to have the same career that you did in ninety four.
I'd like to think. So it's the same guy and I'm with you, my theater on the ground. I get it. But I'm so romantic about this game. That's why being in this room, seeing all these guys. When I walk out of the building, I see all the guys that I stop and look because these are the guys I dreamed about being and then here I am. So I'd like to think so. But to me, seventy five is magic. Yeah, and everything I did it wasn't really me. It was those guys before me doing it.
So yeah, you football players, the NFL guys in your numbers, it's such a crazy relationship.
You know. I mean, guys pay absorbitant amounts of money to have a different number in their jersey.
I have it.
When I got to Cleveland, I had number five on in the preseason. I want to be number six. This one is a little ruthless. But our kicker at the time, our punter, was number six. As soon as he got cut, I felt bad, but I I spent the equipment room and asked if I could get number six before anyone else. But yeah, it says something about that wearing your number makes you play a little better.
It's a great history. We love it so much. I love this story time.
Down twenty five k from Orlando pay that's the oh my gosh, switch numbers. Bro.
Yeah, it's a big time too when you get to stay with that organization that wanted to keep you there until trades happen, which is happening right now on GMFB. Ian Rappaport, get back in here. Something's going on with Joe Tooney that we need to know about.
We do have a major, major trade for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears. Once again, the Bears load up on the offensive line. Earlier this week it was Jonah Jackson. This time a big one, sources say, all pro guard Joe Tooney, one of the best in the NFL, of course, played tackle this year at a pinch, but is a big time, big time guard, is expected to be traded to the Chicago Bears. This deal, of course, cannot be final until the start of the league year.
If you look at what Kansas City is doing, they're ready paying Creed Humphrey, They obviously are going to pay Trey Smith. They need to free up some space. Joe Tooney ends up going I let's say similar to the Tyreek Hill trade a couple of years back, a player about to get a third contract, they move on, get a little younger.
Free up some space.
The Chicago Bears.
Nothing is more important than protecting Caleb Williams. They now have one of the best in the NFL to do it.
Ian, Thank you so much. That is massive news.
Joe Toney headed to Chicago from Kansas City. Of course, Ben Johnson a new head coach in Chicago, he knows what it looks like to take care of his quarterback. Coming from Detroit. Kyle Brandt, a native of Chicago, massive news for the Bears in the future of Caleb Williams.
It takes a lot to have an interior lineman trade to a losing team and all of us be like.
Whoa yeah, And that is just that.
First of all, the Chiefs.
Fans, they just saw that homes running for his life in the Super Bowl and they couldn't protect him.
Now they lose one of their best line in them.
But this is a Bear story that Joe Toney in regard as one of the best overall offensive linemen in the entire league. This is Ben Johnson, this is Ryan Poles. And you know it's funny you mentioned Caleb And of course it is about Caleb.
Ben Johnson is going to run the ball. Look at the Lions offense.
The last two years they run and they had an awesome offensive line. I love this move it is. It feels like old fashioned Bears. They're not done with that running game.
Either.
They're going to add I think a big name running back in free agency or the draft. They will have at least two guys carrying the ball and Joe Toney will be blocking form.
It's a great day for the Bears.
So they bring in Tooney and the Rams just traded Jonah Jackson to Chicago. He's familiar with the offense.
Show it in hand, man, What.
Is going on Inago in Chicago right now? Protect Caleb Williams, see what happens. Oh my god, yeah, run it is.
It's a Bears story, it's a Joe Toney story, it's a Ben jon story. But as a quarterback, I can imagine you must feel great about this.
I promise you.
Right now, Kaleb Williings phone is blowing up in a good way.
He's very excited.
I was with Tony when I was in Cleveland in New England, and he is the definition of a pros pro. He was a great offensive lineman. He cared about the quarterback. He always did the right thing. That is a huge pickup for the Chicago Bears.
Absolutely wow, this is really fun when breaking news happens right here in the middle of GMFB. We loved your number seventy five story making history in a number.
Let's see if Toney can do so with the Chicago Bears and his new quarterback.
But until then, to Marco far our friend at the table, Newboddy, number seventy five looked great for the Rams when you played.
In the cemetery all right, fifty days away from the NFL Draft from guys descending upon Green Bay and hearing their name call to play in the NFL next year.
One of the best parts of draft season is getting to know the prospects.
And now we have an in studio prospect.
South Carolina standout Savdy Nick Emon.
Warr what up? You're here?
You're happy, You're smiley, you're fit, you look great. How are you feeling.
I'm in a good move man. I'm blessed to be here, mass happy.
Blessed to have someone from the real USC finally at the University.
Live game. Cock.
I told him, I said, it.
Last week on the show, we were doing it, me and Man Titaya were doing a breakdown of USC Notre Dame. Very subtle comment USC, the real USC Southern cal people came from.
You on Twitter.
And this is why I have to sit here between you two. All right, So, Nick, you were in Indianapolis last week at the combine. Everybody's walking around trying to do their best, and you really did. You ran a four three eight forty.
You hit the vertical jump at what was it? Say it for me?
Forty forty three inches three and two events.
And you an eleven foot broad jump?
Was that?
Did you hit every single number that you want to do?
I hit on my vertical and I hit on my bride. I was really expecting to run like a four three five four three six, But you know, still still happen.
Nice nightmare material, look at it? You here you go?
So why does this help you to be able to do stuff like this as a safety?
Just super athletic.
You know, I ain't letting no balls over my head any fifty fifty balls of their mine.
Yeah.
And then obviously after the combine, all these articles come out about the winners and losers. Obviously you were one of the top winners from the combine. How does that make you feel? Does that change your perspective a little bit? Is it right back to work?
It's right back to work? You know the combine is good.
But they like, you know a lot of people like say like combine warrior or something, or like yeah, shaking on the combine. Right back to work, you know, looking for a team to come pick me up, come draft me.
So great mentality.
Congratulations on your performance, man, what do be ready? Have you always been fast?
Yeah?
I always been fast? Okay? Four three eight you just don't wake out of bed doing that? Six three two twenty. You played safety? Or are you willing to move down in the box and be one of those highbrid backer types or are you more of a center field guy.
I think I'm a real true safety going coming to college. My college coach had a conversation about me playing like just safety, no linebacker. He coached Camp Chancellor in college, so he's sent a lot of similarity. So I'm a real true safety.
I see some camps, I see sim some Derwin James sitting right here.
You know what I'm saying?
Like that is that a guy that you look at like, oh tall, strong, explosive.
Yeah, you know, I watched Dari film a lot, crazy athlete, super explosive, hot motor dude, So I watched it out.
We got some of that same charisma two going on, so I still can't get over. We just watched you jump forty three inches and yeah, that was my spot. When how old are you when you could first dunkle basketball?
I think I was in like eighth grade, summer eighth grade. Yeah, I was clearing the room a little bit, So that's when I knew I had two hands. One hand, two hands.
Incredible.
So we're looking back, but as we're watching this, let's look forward.
I always love asking these questions.
So you're in the league this fall, and you're out there and you start you're playing safety and ball snapped. It's maybe a third and long and you're scanning the field and the ball comes out of the quarterback's hands. You jump it and pick it. Who is that quarterback in your dream? Like, who's the guy that you would just be an honor to get? The marvelous of all the dudes?
A lot of dudes say like Pat Mahomes and like different different other different quarterbacks but Lamar he kind of like the best quarterback at me, I ain't never seen the dude like play quarterback that athletic and just that you know, efficient, So he's just he's just I think he's the best quarterback in the NFL.
Right when you get La marvelous, then now you're going to.
Try to house this thing.
Las is going to try to tackle you with my friend, how's that going to go?
I think I'll beat him to the end zone.
You see you play on Saturdays in college.
You turn right around on Sundays and are you watching the NFL? Are you taking it in like a real football fan.
Yeah?
Usually on Sundays you come in and white watch them and do breakdowns so I can like catch up on the highlights and stuff.
So he is Lamar your favorite player right now in the NFLO.
At your not Yeah, I take up for Lamar anytime, you know, any game he goes into.
I'm heavy on Lamar.
So cool.
These things have a way of working out, Jamie, Like you could end up with Baltimore. Yeah, you know what I mean, Like it's that that'd be the dream come true, Like dream come true.
I mean, you know, I'm blessed for any team to come draft me. But playing alongside con Hymn too, you know at.
Home, great young defense, Zach Orr.
Right, so you played at South Carolina, but you also grew up what fifteen minutes from the stadium. Did you just walk beneath the shadows of the team and say, I'm going to play there one day?
What are your memories of that?
Yeah?
I used to watch South Carolina ball a lot growing up. A lot of legends came through their J. C. Horne, Daveon Clowney, Stefan Gilmore, Deebo Samuel. So it's a lot of dudes that went through South Carolina. So my house is fifteen minutes from the stadium and it was just right up the road. So just want to be the hometown hero.
Let's talk about some college flavor here. So South Carolina, South Carolina, Clemson. It's a dirty word to you, all right, as.
It should be.
Right.
So at one point, there's a photograph of you with a sock Clemson sock. Yeah, and you and your teammates were like putting out cigars on it. Yeah, look at this. Take us through this because this picture says a lot.
Yeah, So that's my teammate Dylan Stewart. Yeah, he a dude man young freshman for American. So after the game, you know, Clemson, it's the last game. Quarterback went crazy thirty sixteen. So we went in the locker room. We're just having a good time and I think someone snatched the towel on the where we got on top. Someone had a towel, lit up the cigars and we're sitting in the chairs and you just asked a towel.
So yeah, and you can tell how humble you are, also very confident.
What does it mean to you right now? I mean just and you know we've been.
There before, but getting ready to achieve your dream you obviously will the name will be called on draft day? Have you choked that all? And yet does it feel like reality? Are you just kind of going through the motions getting ready for the draft.
I kind of been going through the motions a little bit like getting ready for the draft. But I'm ready, you know, I'm ready to go to the NFL. It's a different, different type of grind. You know, when you're at the top of your game, you know, everybody's kind of looking at you, trying to take a shot at you. But when you get to the NFL, it's like I'm at the bottom of the total pulls.
Like grind, great mentality, I'm looking for it.
Let's pretend not head coach, not ownership, not GM. I'm a defensive coordinator in the National Football League and we're just in a room watching your tape and I ask you this question, why should I draft you? What would be your answer?
I'm just a different dude man like ten A lot of teams you haven't really seen a dude come through the NFL like me. It's a lot of great players that came to the NFL, but six three, two twenty play at two twenty five, four to three. Just not a lot of dudes like me. I'm a real Swiss army knife. You pick me on your defense. Draft me, your defense will improve, like guarantee.
I believe it.
I love that.
Doesn't he look like a decordinator too? With the glasses down. He's my son. Talk to me about your defense.
We have a tweet I guess from Derwin James about your workout when you're at the combine, Kyle to your point there it is, yes, sir?
Is that your friend?
Now? Yeah?
Darrel, My god, man. I met him a couple of times. We're in the same agency, so I met a couple Tom's. You know, well, he's a great dude, great energy. A lot of people prepare us like personality wise.
So nowin is just ask him. He's real nice and Madden. You got any game?
Yeah? I heard, I heard you got some game of mat. But I'm not. I'm a decently mat. I'm not the best.
Don't worry for four three road jump for the forty or whatever.
Nick, We're gonna have actually derwin on I think next week on.
So we're gonna play this.
Yeah, we're gonna play it.
Look at the camera and say what's up?
Thank you and murry everybody out of South Carolina. But you're gonna hear his name fifty days from now.
Well done.
Next draft, nice man, I.
Draft this man. He will jump out of the gym courty.
Damn. You can't play in the doors with a hold of the sil.
Good morning football, busy, busy day on g m FB.
We got prospects coming through. We got a Joe Tooney trade to Chicago.
Let's bring in our red a GM Scott Pioli for a front office point of view ahead of free agency, Scott, we know where you are at least, so that's one of the dead giveaways. I see you're at Syracuse. But let's right head right into free agency next week. Quarterback conversation that's going to happen in Minnesota. What would you do with Sam Donald if you were a GM there.
Well, it's clear what the Vikings decided to do is not to give him the franchise tag, and that franchise tag is always a very very expensive insurance policy for lack of a better term.
So I think that they're headed down the right path.
What I think what the Vikings know is last year they got a third round compensatory pick. So if they tried to sign him to our give him the franchise tag and then try to trade him, it puts the number at a number that contract it's a little bit more difficult to trade.
So now they're going to let the player go out there.
If it signs that someone else, they'll probably get a
third fourth pick something that they would get. But for Sam Donald, this is really interesting because you know a lot of people are about awaiting his performance and who he is based on the last two games last year, which we're not good, not his best football, But if you look at his body of work versus what the other options are, and you've got certain teams out there that desperately needed quarterback, this is going to work out well for Sam Darnold because he could always go.
Back worn understand what they did, why they did.
It, got the office.
Free agency getting rewarded.
That giveaways.
I see your question about the combine and rebelluate, so I know you guys very intense.
What would you do with Sam after the combine?
After the performances changed, the board change from you don't have to market always with tears, which pretty much in the stone went to the combine because our thought process was right.
There's last year January or January initory in the times that they try to him down on the information you didn't have thetack and.
Try to because the combine has the value. The numbers.
You want to see that number players prepared, Are they prepared, what kind of shape the in You want to get into idea, what they're eating, what their numbers are, what they're getting. Third, but yeah, would pick something going to high players to play football. So it's really the board a little bit a lot of people evaluating he plays it,
move arm its stuff he is. It's not the last games, but the teams draft the best particulately except their before the combintions are understanding and knowing that they're going to get that information that makes an inside work which.
Player from down and there, or that they're going.
To get back personal information that's don't work least four months.
Of Minnesota more understanding the players that they didn't want to.
They start chanting, you're going too much based on the things that was they don't have good average player can really getting that?
Or you're coming to us from Syracuse right now. I heard you're going to be speaking to some students today. I'm not going to be there. I'm wondering, but knowledge.
You're going to know that guys, But you know it's it's really cool.
This this is my second a model my owner forms at the Central Connecticut States and I went to your assistant coach, well, you.
Know, on a hundred years ago under first and they bring me back every once around.
Yes, much in the day when the student went from the process was and then today I'm spending the day at the new house.
As you can see anywhary, which is where I got my master in the time of the draft.
Which and during town about instormation that you have the football and because there's a lot of people that yeah, more than the media now, but you all know there's portrayer infatial here. I just come out and and you know, worked this on what they're sure going to be spend with students. Last night I spend time also why to hire players. It's actually I learned as much more long trips than these visits. And then tomorrow I'll be spending time with Fran Brown, the head football coach, John Wild.
I think some of the people the show consistently of the athletic director and uh, getting to know some of the studentding and knowing that my journey has been and from going to yes, I gotta tell you what you trying to keep it together right now, but they're going to.
Get came on and I got a text. He is Tim Green, and I don't know if any know who Tim Green is.
The play him is possibly when the storates continued church history, he's on the greatest athletes in New York State history and continuing a ls right now.
You're coming to where he is. No idea here, I heard today I'm with you. I'm not going to be the.
End of the day, and he just reached out to say hello. Really cool. It's kind of myself an you know date.
Find out he was saved Jim Green are years ago University and the special relationships and they bring me back to everyone's Tim Green the.
Day with this really well said, you're under selling status.
You want to take with us very west all the time.
We are a residency and we rely on you. Scott feeling. Thank you very much. Thanks enlightening conversations and have a great if you all.
Thank you for trained professional here. I just come out and, uh, you know, and work this a little bit. So the time is going to be spent with students. Last night I spent time also with the Wise group and it's actually I've learned as much on these trips and these visits.
And then tomorrow I'll be spending time with Fran Brown.
Who's the head football coach, and John wild Hackett think a friend of some of the people the show, who's the athletic director, and just getting to know some of the students, share what my journey's been and what's been going on.
But I got to tell you. I'm trying to keep it together right now. But right before we came.
On, I got a text from Tim Green, and I don't know if any of you folks know who Tim Green is.
Tim is possibly one of the.
Greatest football players in Syracuse history, one of the greatest athletes in New York State history. And Tim's battling als right now and out of nowhere. He had no ideas here. Tim can only communicate with als through the machines that he has and then technology he has, and he just reached out to say hello.
And it's kind of this moment.
If any of you do know Tim, or if you don't know Tim, please go google him, find out who he is, and say a prayer for Tim Green. I love Syracuse University all the special relationships that I had, which includes me and a guy like Tim Green along the way.
Scott really well said, and I think you're kind of under selling your new house Syracuse Mafia status. You communicate with us very well all the time. You are a resident GM. We rely on you, Scottiely.
Thank you very much, Scott.
Thanks Mamanking for they enlightening conversations and have a great day.
Thank you for Scott, thank you, welcome back.
One end the show today, A little tip of the cap.
I remember many years ago there was a time in my life when I would speed home and get home as fast as I could so I could catch the ESPN afternoon block of Jim Romans burning Around the Horn and pardon the interruption.
It was just fantastic. I absolutely loved that. I know I'm not alone.
Around the Horn is ending its run on ESPN after twenty three years on the air, twenty three years and thousands of episodes and a lot of really good memories.
I love that show. I still love that show.
And I always thought back in the day that it was cast almost like a proper sitcom, where there was each character, and there was the funny one, and there was the angry one, and then there was the silly one. And it was just a great, great, a very original show. And I have great memories of Bill Plashki and Tim kyleishaw Check cracking me up, and Page and Marriotti fighting
each other in the middle of it. It was this really cool thing where Tony Reality, the host of it, was seemingly part of this PTI expanded universe where stat Boy from PTI got to host the show, and it was this really cool thing like anything as possible and just a show that really really felt alive and personal and creative. From the paper toss to the twenty three
and a half hour break. The mute buttons were very, very funny, and as a fan of the show, I used to always imagine myself if I was on it, what.
Would I use my FaceTime for?
At the end, I could talk about anything I wanted. It's truly original, truly different, and truly successful. So just to everybody involved in that show going back to its beginnings and every person who's ever appeared on that show, as in a personal note, that show inspired me to do what I do now in its own way, and thank you very much for everything, and congratulations on an incredible, incredible run.
You were really a show that mattered and made a difference.
Good job, Kyle.
I can imagine that if you're ready a PN and you get invited to go on that ultimate like you get to use one of my days at ESPN.
Tony Reality is the ultimate host. You watch him.
He commands a room, he's fun he's funny, he's informative. Anything he says as a matter of fact, and I loved watching it. Kyle, I couldn't agree more.
Yeah, I'm ready flashing back right there, getting home from school. Yeah, hop pockets in the microwave, around the horn, putting on PTI. Though there are some great memories, I still never figured out the points.
The points.
Explain the figure out.
How the points.
But we're all doing the joystick for around the Horn today, Big, big, big points.
Twenty three and a half hour break.
Really cool,