A big season for rookie quarterbacks just keeps getting bigger. We know we'll see that guy Caleb Williams out there when.
Week one rolls around.
Why another rookie got the starting nod today and the possibility we could have at least one more getting that same opportunity here in the coming days. We know Aaron Rodgers will be out there come week one as well. A lot of pressure this year on the Jets as well as the Cowboys. Bucky Brooks here to tell us why it's win now or else. I Meanwhile, some big name wide receivers still waiting for their bags, Brandon Aiyuk Ceedee Lamb Jamar Chase.
When will we finally see them on the field. I can tell you this much.
Until they actually get out there, we'll keep on talking about it.
That's what we do here.
Welcome Inside with the Insiders, presented by Best Buy, alongside Ian Rapaport and Mike Garafullo, who is coming to us live from a Jimmy Buffett concert.
I am Tom Pelisero.
Tons and tons to dig into here, seventeen days out from the regular season opener, just days away from the final preseason week, Let's start out in Washington, where we got the long awaited news earlier today.
Yes, indeed, Jaden Daniels, the.
Number two overall draft pick, is QB one for the Commander's an expected move. It was tipped off when Daniels was out there as the starting quarterback in the preseason opener.
So why was now the right time? Dan Quinn?
I told you about a month ago that naming our starter at QB wasn't a secret.
And it was a process.
And when that process was time, i'd know, he'd know, and I'd let you know. And as much as we knew Jayden would get there, Adam and I were most excited about watching how he would and the how has been absolutely outstanding. He went through the whole thing. He didn't miss a beat, hit the target that you know we had put in front of him. You know, we talked about the practices against the other teams the game. So he's ready and he's earned the right to do that.
Just a blessing that d q AP trust me to go out there and lead the team, lead the franchise to hopefully win some games. So big ups to them. It's a blessing. Something I dreaded it by as a kid to be at this moment, to experience this moment. Uh, It's not that I can say too much.
Ian we thought this day was coming from basically the day that the commanders locked in the number two overall pick and took Jaydan Daniels. But this does seem to be another indication of what we've heard from Dan Quinn, Adam Peters and others, which is everything Jayden Daniels has done so far is what they expected and more. Now they feel like he is ready. It's go time. He's going to be out there week one.
You know, during the pre draft process we talk so much about the physical tools and the arm strength and what Jaden Daniels put on tape and how much better was from the previous years, and the athleticism, how fast is all of those things all are very very important.
I remember being there with Mike actually during training camp, and all the commanders talked about was the presence, how he processes, how well he has done learning the offense, picking it up, recounting it, teaching it to other people, getting in out of the huddle, the operation part of being quarterback, which if you're gonna name a starter, if you're gonna name a rookie starter. All of that is I would say as important, maybe more important, than the
physical tools. The fact that Jayden Daniels has showed them so much so early reinforces what the Washington commanders think, which is they.
Got a guy.
In a league mic where either you have a guy or you don't have a guy. The commanders believe that they got a guy. And the fact that he checked off every box as easily as he did, I think makes for a lot more optimism in Washington right now than we have seen in a pretty long time.
The end that day, we were there at training camp, which was relatively early in the case. Now he had the spring obviously, but it was early in training camp, and you could see how comfortable he was.
You could see how comfortable they were with him.
I mean, some of the things that they were bragging about you wouldn't notice just watching on the sideline.
They were talking about.
How he checked to a run the other day, and oh my, what a great call it was, and how he saw that that's exactly what he had to do in that situation. And then for good measure, later in that practice, he throws an absolute dime down the sideline to Terry McLaurin on a go ball right over Emmanuel Forbes in the perfect place. So he's showing them everything with his mind, with his arm, and with his legs
as well. You talked about his presence just in a couple minutes that he was talking to us, you could see that presence on display, the fact that it didn't really feel like it was too big for him. He's got a quiet confidence about him. So, yeah, they wanted to just go through the process, but he kept on checking all these boxes, so let's go.
Here we go.
The one thing that stood out to me watching back that game that he played this past weekend was the play where he scrambles and doesn't get down and takes a hit and you and see him immediately pop up, look at dan Quinn.
Quinn's going, you know, He's like, I know, I know, I know.
That's one of the biggest things we heard all the way through the process was he's not the biggest guy.
Protect yourself.
It's obviously's been a lot of communication on that, and he is fun to watch when he's out there. You know what else has been fun to watch bow Knicks and the Denver Broncos in.
Fact, let's watch him right now. How about a highlight right here.
Don't worry Packers fans, We're not really going to show you anything of your team there, Purt Frankly, a whole lot of highlights.
We'll show you a lot of bow Nicks.
Here he is in the first quarter throwing the touchdown pass off the scramble to Javonte Williams. That's a fourteen yarder, but called back because he was just I don't know, that's so close. They're saying he was across the line of scrimmage. Doesn't end up counting. It's going to be a field goal. Still, a pretty nice play. Start of the second quarter. Now, bo Nicks Courtland Sutton, who had
pancaked the guy on the previous snap. That's why they adjusted the contract, made sure they got Courtland Sutton back. Follows that up two plays later, second and goal from the two. Patrick, how about that story consecutive season inning injuries. Look at the players pour off the sideline to celebrate with Hitt. Patrick Guess a twenty seven to two win
for the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton Mike still not saying yet that he's ready to name the starting quarterback, although I'd put this pretty close to the category of Jadeen Daniels, where it seems like it's when, not if, Dix gets the nod at.
This point, I mean, we all felt like that earlier in the process. How could you not feel like that at this point, And you've got Nix who started out as third on the depth chart, and even at that point we were like, all right, this is Sean Payton saying, Hey,
the rookie's got to earn his way up. Which is not to say that Zach Wilson Jarrett Stead have really had all those skins on the wall as veteran quarterbacks, but Bo Nix was the guy where you just felt like, Okay, Peyton is making him earn his spot, which is an indication that he must have liked what he had seen from him in the spring leading into training camp. Well, everything he's put on display and his command and his bill, we'll do the process thing and things and get the
ball where it needs to be. Even that play, I mean, I've seen the likes of Eli Manning and Patrick Mahomes come right up against that line of scrimmage, so I don't even mark him and say, oh, that was a terrible amount of awareness.
No, he was trying to make a play. He made a pretty good play.
It was by his toenail the fact that he was barely over I like the headiness there to try to make a play. Sean Payton clearly likes what he sees from boon Nicks, just not quite ready to say he's the guy.
That heady this This is a lot of the reason why the Denver Broncos, and really specifically Sean Payton targeted bon Nicks. Wanted Bonnicks, but a lot of people, including me, not that it matters, thought that he would be a back.
End of the first round pick.
The Broncos were like, yeah, we don't care, We're just going to take him, because it does seem that had they not taken him at twelve, there were at least two other teams behind them who said, you know what,
maybe we'll just take this guy anyway. Wasn't worth the risk of the Broncos an indication that they think that he is a guy as well, just like we're talking about with Jaden Daniels and you know, the read on Bonnicks during the draft process and really throughout the entire summer was that he was one of the most pro ready rookie quarterbacks.
Well, he for sure.
Has shown that how high is the ceiling his play is going to show right. I mean, he's hard to be hard to be coached better than Sean payn is going to be coaching him, especially early on, even though it's a lot of the offense to handle. But the fact that he can come in look like similar to Mike what you're saying about Jayden Daniels, Like it's not too big fat that he can use his athleticism and do different parts of his game and look normal doing it.
This is a very very good situation right now for the Broncos, and I would agree with you guys. Feels to me like when and not if.
Bo Nicks being QB one in Denver will give us three rookie starting quarterbacks, and it might still be too early to one hundred percent rule out the possibility we get a fourth. Drod Mayo, the Patriots new head coach, speaking earlier to reporters today and reiterating the same thing that he had previously said after the game last Thursday, which is that it's too soon right now. He's not yet made a decision on who's going to be the starter now. Jacoby Brissett also spoke and said he still
is treating this as if he's the starter. But there was a lot to get excited about Ian from Drake May's second performance. Everybody saw the first one. He didn't play a whole lot. There was a bunch of nonsense going around about they don't want to put him on the field. Well, this guy behind a pretty patchwork offensive line certainly showed the ability why they took him number three overall, even though he does ultimately need some more seasoning here.
The Patriots are very high on Drake Man. I want to make that pretty clear. Not that it's not clear, but just judging from the reports of training camp, people maybe started to wonder.
The Patriots are very high on Drake May.
And it was interesting, I would say the last week or so, the Patriots wanted to make sure he got time in front of the starting offensive line. They want to make sure he get real game and practice naps in front of the starting offensive line, at least showing us they haven't completely ruled out the possibility that he
would begin this season as the starter. You know, we also heard Jacoby Brissett say he believes he is a starter, and we talked to him at training give he you know, was pretty it was pretty evident that that's where he thought it was going to go. When you have a rookie quarterback who's as talented as Drake may that it really does, you know, sort of take a different It's possible it could take a different a different lane.
I would say, we'll see which way this one goes.
With the fact that the early returns are so positive, I would say is pretty good.
In New England, you know the Patriots' schedule as it lines up, and you know you can do it based on last year's records. I don't like to do that. Our buddy, Cynthia Freeland has her expected wins for each team. The New England Patriots schedule, if you plug in all the expected wins, is the toughest schedule in the NFL, and really it starts brutally. Five of the first six games are against teams that she expects to be double digit win teams.
Now down the ste it softens up a little bit.
There's really no easy stretch with this schedule, especially when you play in an AFC East where you look at those other teams, and you know, all three of those other teams are going to be pretty good football teams. So when you look at Drake may and you look at the Patriots situation, not even so much for his development, but really off the bat, wouldn't you like to have a veteran out there, a veteran who has played serviceable
to good football in the past. And I like the way that Jacoby Brissett has really expressed that confidence, not only what he said recently back when Ian you interviewed him with Scott Pioli, in the way that he talked about that room, I was really feeling like, who's going to be the starter? He's had that confidence in himself. So I think on a team that we're not expecting to make the playoffs this year, I think maybe you want.
The veteran early on. It's got to be something that's going through girod Mayo's mind right now.
Also some interesting decisions down the Patriots depth chart because Joe Milton, who they also drafted, flashed in that first preseason game. Hard to imagine with those traits you're going to try to slip him through waivers. Bailey Zappi your former starter is also still out there. Is there a possibility of a trade? Could they try to slide him through to the practice squad? Some interesting decisions for Drodmeo, Elliott Wolf and company to make. The Chargers have done
some shuffling down their quarterback dep chart. They waved Max Duggan earlier today. That's in part because they got that guy back onto the field. Justin Herbert for the first time since deal with that plantar fascia issue back on July thirtieth, Not in spikes, not doing the whole practice, but he was leased on the field, which was music to Jim Harbaugh's ears.
I deal to have Justin back out there practicing.
Oh great, great, I felt like the music should be playing. I haven't thought I felt. I thought I heard music, voices of angels maybe, Oh great? Felt great.
Matthew Stafford also back out on the practice field, only did stretching in individual drills today, but certainly a step forward. Sean McVay said they had to hold him back here. Stafford wants to be on the field. No concerns at this point about Week one, so much to talk about, and yes to the NFL front office source who texted me during that segment.
This show is live seven pm Easter Time every night.
Thank you very much for watching Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers. A lot of pressure on those teams in twenty twenty four. Bucky Brooks off Lee's break it down next on The Insiders.
Well, we haven't seen Aaron Rodgers on the field in the preseason so far.
Jets wrap it up on Saturday night against the New York Giants. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys wrap up their exhibition schedule on Saturday against the Chargers. Then the real games begin and our Bucky Brooks, you read his column NFL dot Com slash Brooks says, both these teams face a similar pressure cooker heading into a twenty twenty four seas.
It is, in Bucky's words, win now or else. Time Now for go bigger This season presented by best Buy Welcome Back to the Insiders, also presented by Best by Tom Pellicero, Ian Rappaport, Mike Garafalo, and the aforementioned Bucky Brooks. Bucky, let's start out here with the Dallas Cowboys. We've talked about this before. I can't think of another situation where you're head coach and your quarterback are both going into a contract here, much less a team that's won twelve
games in three consecutive seasons. Here, take me inside your analysis and your evaluation of this Cowboys team what.
They're facing in twenty twenty four.
Hey, guys, it's really baffling.
A team that has won twelve games in each of the past three seasons has a care coastest in the hot seat. Not only do you have a head coastess on the hot seat, you have a quarterback who can't get a deal done when most teams would be happy to secure a quarterback that has won thirty six games over the past three seasons, but the Cowboys operate differently. They don't appear to want to pay this Jerry Jones appears to like the pressure that is putting on the
team to perform at a high level. I just think it's crazy to think that the Dallas Cowboys are entering a season coming on the heels of three successful regular seasons where there's so much uncertainty about whether the head coach, the quarterback, the star wide receiver, the star pass rusher, if they're going to be there for the long call. It is crazy that this self imposed pressure is really going to impact the way the team prepares to play.
But hey, Jerry Jones, like this America's team is going to see if they can do it because it's win or go home for a bunch of different people that are part of that organization.
Buck, you explained it, well, it does seem the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones in particular, really do like the pressure that is being put on the players and coach Mike McCarthy.
Mean, this is set up as a make or break season.
Rim did not get a contracts extension, playing out the final year of his deal, and you know, I think there's a couple of things at player. First of all, the Cowboys really do not love not that any team does, but specifically they don't love dead money. They're only paying guys who aren't there. They don't like paying players aren't there. There's no thought for them, So you know, we just should extend them because that's what a lot of people do.
They are fine with not doing it, knowing that the only option for MIKEL.
McCarthy is either to win or as you say, else, they like the pressure. They want the pressure, and if you're the Dallas Cowboys. If you're the brass, if you're the players. Part of the reality with being in Dallas is this is there all the time. So the fact that the management amps it up a little bit, they think that's okay.
I got a new camera set up here I'm gonna use from time to time, and I'm never gonna do this again. But the lights can change colors behind me and our producer, Jeff Collett's cool. I gotta change colors. We're talking Cowboys. So I went blue here.
For better or worse. The Cowboys believe in their.
Ability and Will McLay, their personnel guy who a lot of folks have tried to interview and pry him away, and.
He's been in Dallas this whole time.
They believe in their ability as a front office, with Will running pretty much personnel to draft guys and to develop guys. So Ian, you talked about all that money that they didn't spend this offseason, and I can't tell you how many countless times I heard from Cowboys fans, what.
Are we doing?
We're doing nothing.
Well, they're doing nothing because they're relying upon their depth and maybe some guys we haven't talked about.
So that's putting the pressure on themselves.
If it doesn't work out, because there was the ability to go out and spend money, and even your fan base was like, let's go do it.
So the pressure is there. Let's see if their approach works out.
Though I do know the Cowboys are really excited about this rookie class.
There's probably four of them.
They're gonna have to step in start definitely play big roles for this team. Also, maybe obviously a couple moves to bring in veteran players on the defensive side.
Canna be interesting to follow.
Right, Let's turn the attention to the Jets, Mike, if you got the clicker, we're gonna need green back there. Bucky O'Brian Rodgers lasted four snaps last season. Of course, that's been very well documented at this point. It's been a fairly by Jets standards quiet off season, other than the Hassan Reddick holdout that continues to be on going here. Rodgers said it himself back in OTAs, Hey, we're either going to need to win or a bunch of us are going to be out of here after the season.
It certainly seems like from the quarterback on down everybody understands what's at stake in New York.
Yeah, look, there's a lot of pressure in New York because you have a quarterback who's in the twilight of his career, but everyone is counting on him to play at the MVP level.
And I understand he's a four time.
MVP, but so many things are hanging on his play, and his play is hanging on a bunch of older players or guys who've been hurt to come back and play. I would say at career levels, you think about Mike Williams on the outside. He's supposed to Peri Garrett Wilson to give them a nice dynamic tandem on the outside, and he think about the old edge blockers that they have, Morgan Moses on one side, you have Tarvin Smith on
another side. Can they stay healthy and be available? And then defensively, you make a trade to get Hassa Reddick to help you kind of upgrade up pass rus that's already pretty good. He doesn't want to come to camp, And so you have all of these little things circling around this team.
And oh, by the way, Aaron Rodders is.
Returning from an achilles injury that could change the way that he plays. It's a lot going on, particularly for in battle Head coach and Robert Sala, who needs to win to save his job.
Just seems like a lot in the Big Apple.
Yeah, I get what you're saying. Buck is said.
The green is weird, Like that doesn't even look like green, right, I got green round being here.
That's no, the green is maybe a rare white sometimes oh here you go. Yeah.
So yeah, So when you're over there and you're talking to the Jetss I've done a couple of times this spring and summer, it's almost like the pressure was on us last year, right, and Rogers goes down with the Achilles, and now it's not the hard knocks thing. It's year two. They added pieces to that offensive line as you were talking about Buck, So they almost feel like there's more of a quiet confidence this year. It's not as much of a hullaballoo over there in Flora Park.
So it's almost like the.
Not house money, right, because you didn't do anything last year. I'm struggling to come up with the exact phrasing for it, but they feel really good about where they are. And Aaron Rodgers the way that he's been kind of over there. He's has his hands and everything. You know, he's not just dealing with the quarterbacks and the target. He's talking to everybody offense, defense, offensive line. You could tell it's not pressure in his mind so much as urgency.
We shall see.
Let's talk about lights more, talk about phrasing anyway.
I will offer the counterpoint here.
First of all, I don't view this just me myself Bucky as a win or else for the Jets, because they have a really good young corps, really good young corps on defense specifically, but plenty of weapons on offense as well, and you know they're not great. Aaron Rodgers is probably going to be real mad about it and want to come back next year as well.
It's a great opportunity. They have everything there to win. But I don't view it as something where if they don't, it's rip it all apart.
We'll see.
NFL dot com slash Scouts notebook where you can read a lot more from Bucky Brooks.
I'll said, NFL dot Com slash Brooks.
Turns out that link takes you all the BUCkies work, So go ahead read all the Bucky.
Don't move.
You're back with us in just a little bit to talk about the number one overall pick. Caleb Williams certainly is flashed all the reasons that they took him where they did. So what does it mean for the regular season. Let's get into it next. On The Insiders presented by best Buy. It's the final tune up before the NFL regular season and NFL Network has eight count them eight live games Week three of the NFL preseason only on NFL Network. Blackout restrictions apply also streaming on NFL Plus.
You just need a subscription that's required for NFL Plus. A lot of news around the nfls we count down these final seventeen days to the regular season, or some big news from late last week. Matthew Judon now officially and Atlanta Falcon traded for a third round pick by the New England Patriots. Still has not gotten a new contract, but that hasn't stopped him from feeling pretty good about being in Atlanta.
It's my first time being traded, you know, I was. I signed a free agency. I think when you go to a new team that just means they want you there. You know, I wasn't picked off off waiver wire or something I wasn't like to fill an empty spider or boy. I think the team looked at they roster and was like, this guy can improve that room. And so I just got to come out here and do what I do, be me, and then I think that'll help and the pieces will fall what they may.
Stefan Gilmour also officially has a new home, signing his contract with the Vikings today one year at up to ten million dollars, A reunion with Brian Flores, who he played for in New England and obviously liked enough that he wanted to get back together with the Vikings.
Welcome back.
We're back together here on The Insiders, presented by Best Buy. Tom Pelicero, Ian Rappaport, Mike Garafollo. Mike, we've talked a little bit over the past. I don't know six months about Brandon Ayuk. It is felt for the past i'd say week plus, like this thing is just stalled at the one yard line. It doesn't feel like anything has moved substantially. Where do we stand right now with Ayuk again, now three weeks away from.
The forty nine ers opening game against the Jets.
Yeah, got the red lights going behind me? Brandon Ayuk, that's not in the forty nine ers. That Tom, that doesn't feel like there's been a lot of progress. We had that move a little over a week ago where the forty nine ers came back and made an offer to him after really not making an offer for months on end, which is part of what was irritating Brandon a Yuk after they had gone out and surveyed the trade market and said, well, if we trade them away, we got to fill the hole and let's go try
to find another guy. And really it's going to cost us as much to get another guy who's not as.
Good, so we might as well keep branding on you. And it felt like they were really close. They were really close.
I mean, the sides have agreed on the hardest parts
of the deal. It sounds like you just wanted to make wanted them to make one final move in the last year of that deal, and they have not been willing to do it because I since the Niners are like, look, man, enough is enough, Like we gave you a whole lot, like we don't want to make this final move, and Ayuka is going, look it's all or nothing and I'm going to continue my hold in sort of the same for Trent Williams, who wants an adjustment to his contract,
has wanted it all along here and feels like he's still the top tackle in the game and not being paid like it now. There's no guarantees moving into the future, so he certainly wants that as well as the adjustment to the contract itself. Kyle Shanahan has felt confident it was going to get done. We're not there yet. It's time for like the pressure of here comes the start of the regular season to really resolve both of these situations.
I feel this is an important week because we are getting to that point in the calendar where not being on the field in camp does start to have some level of impact over what type of role you can play early in the season. And with regard to Brandon Ayuk, we know from Ayuk's own Instagram comment, in his mind, it's two options.
It's either I'm back.
With the forty Niners on a long term deal, or I'm traded to the Steelers. Ian reported recently that the sides between Pittsburgh and San Francisco have an idea on the framework and an agreement of what this trade would be At some point. If the player is not going to be ready to play, or at least not be full speed in September, that impacts the trade value, and
so that offer might potentially have to be adjusted as well. Meanwhile, for the Dallas Cowboys, Ian there's no trade talk surrounding Ceedee Lamb, another one that kind of seemed to be limping along. There was communication late last week, but it does not sound like anything's imminent on that front.
I get the same feel nothing emminent on the cow Boys in CD LAMB. The fact that this could turn with one phone call always sticks out, which is why you never really want to say there's nothing doing. Because you make one phone call, you cave on a little bit, the other side caves on a little bit.
You can always get a deal done.
Pretty clear where this CD LAMB deal is going to come in hard to imagine he beats Justin Jefferson. He's the highest paid receiver in the NFL. But right under it makes a lot of sense. But there's so much of the deal. There's term, how many years, there's overall average per year, there's a guarantee, which is something for sure the Cowboys have. You know, I'd say it's obvious
that's been a little bit of a fight. He remains a holdout, And you're right, we're getting to that point of the season where got to show up at some point soon to be ready for the season.
And I would say the Cincinnati.
Bengals of Jamar Chase are in a somewhat similar situation.
Not with contract.
They are nowhere near to my knowledge as far along as the Cowboys are on contract talks. But Jamar Chase continues to not practice, and at some point, if he's going to play week one, if he's going to be ready for the season, he's got to practice and be ready. Otherwise you're looking at hamstring growing, all those different soft tissue injuries. It's getting to the time where these deals got to get done.
Cev Lamb of course, entering year five to mar Chase entering year four, the math is more complicated figuring out exactly what that extension needs to look like. We know those guys are playmakers, and the Bears are.
Pretty confident right now. They got one with the number one pick, snap to catab Williams.
Dancity moving in the pocket, pressure escape spins to his left.
I'm a move again outside of the numbers.
Now he's gonna tuck it and go with Tayland Jakins in front, He's it.
For the touchdown.
Let's scramble of seven for number eighteen.
Caleb Williams.
Let's welcome back in our buddy, Bucky Brooks to the show. Bucky, you've been breaking down all these rookie quarterbacks across the league.
We've seen a bunch of.
Them who are either in line to start or are going to be the starters. Caleb Williams had the starting job in Chicago. Oh, I'd say a little before the combine, probably back in February. Here, you've watched him through these first couple of preseason games.
What have you seen.
He's as advertised, He's exactly what the Bears expected he would be when he showed up from USC. And this is on the heels of coming off. I was saying up and down final campaign at USC. But since he's gotten to Chicago, he has shown all the flashes that made him a Heisman Trophy winner. He has big time arm talent. He has great improvisational playmaking ability. He can
do it on platform off platform. He can do it in a spectacular fashion while also showing the patients and the discipline that you wanted to see him do it from the pocket. The Bears have to be pleased with their young quarterback because he's checked off all the boxes that you want to see a franchise quarterback check off during preseason. The next step for him is to take the same things that he's been doing in preseason and
execute them in the regular season. He has a talented cast to playmakers around him, but if he continues to be patient and discipline within the pocket, this Bear's offense is going to light it up.
Jaden of course got the nods QB one in Washington today, will Bo Nixon Drink may potentially joined him. Stick around, Bucky. We're gonna get more from you on that in just a little bit. Right now, let's kick it back to you and Mike.
You mentioned it, Tom.
The Washington Commander's name Jayden Danos as their starting quarterbacks something I think it's fair to say we have expected ever since the moment they draft him. But the fact that he has earned it, the fact that he really has grinded his way there has been a very very good sign for the Washington Commanders.
But don't just take my word for it.
Let's talk to someone who is there, right there in person, not just at the commander's last game, although certainly he was, but also at the week of practice. Cameron Wolf, Welcome inside to the insiders. Tell me a little more about Jaden Daniels and what did you learn for your time watching him.
I'm ready.
Those are the words that Jayden Daniels told to me Thursday after practice. First two words, and he said, I'm counting down the days to Tampa. I can't wait for it to be real. And we learned today he's officially been named the starting quarterback. But this has been what
they've been prepping for for months in Washington. When I talked to Dan Quinn after that practice, he was discussing about how Daniels was getting ready for the Tampa Bay Bucks by facing the Dolphins, xotic blitzes and this Florida heat and so really, this is a rookie quarterback who Quinn called California cool.
He's earned this job.
With impressive camp command, comfort within this offense all summer, and it was really impressive watching Daniels this week. He's shining in the red zone and practice shredding the middle of the field.
Which was a pre draft question.
Mark had a lot of touchdowns there and in the game he had excellent ball placement. There was a play there that we're seeing in the highlights here where he threw a Terry McLaurin pass three yards literally threw him into yards after catch seventeen yards after there. That's something Washington really wants him to magnify. And when I talked to Daniels, he said the biggest adjustment for him has
been the speed of the defensive fronts. They get there really fast, and so the way they've adjusted to that lot really quickly. His time to throw from snap to throwing out was less than two seconds in the preseason, the fastest of any quarterback. That's intentional. They want to have no huddle and tempo. They want him to be able to protect himself given all the pressure he's going to face. And one last thing, he did run in one play a thirteen yard rush and he did not slide.
Dan Quinn said he's in double secret probation. A little animal house reference there. That's going to be a balance for them all season. Jane Daniels says he's never practiced on a slide, but they have to keep him upright and so they're comfortable and confident women's quarterback.
Just hopefully he slides a little bit more.
One of the most important things get these guys to slide. You need him healthy for as many games as they could possibly be out there. All right, great stuff on Jane Daniels. You are also our Tua tug of lo expert. You watched him as well during the joint practices in the game two preseason games.
In what have we learned about Tua and this Dolphins offense?
Ian first stood out that tuatungue Ailoa asked to play on Saturday. He was missing his top three receivers Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddell, Odell Beckham, and two of his offensive line starters, but he wanted the reps and he went out there. One drive, one touchdown, five for five and he was pretty flawless in there, a fourth down touchdown on a
fade routes River prey Craft. In the locker room, I talked to his right tackle, Austin Jackson, and he simply said, you couldn't ask for anything more from your quarterback.
Right being able to march down.
The field without an incomplete pass always in rhythm and it helps build us confidence. And Mike McDaniels said it was the least amount of nerves he seemed to have on a football field. And so they're all ready for the regular season. The one thing they have to get right is those injuries. Odell Beckham is progressing, but he's still not practicing. He's on his pup list, and they had so many injuries in the running back.
Room last year.
They had to play a wide receiver in the second half at running back, and so a lot of minor tweaks in that room. They hope to be ready Week one, but this is a team that's trying to get ready for the long haul of what they hope is a playoff season.
No, Cam, we talked so much about Tua and his contract extension and when it was coming. Now that it's here, it's nice to talk about him as a player and where he is trying to get to great stuff.
Appreciate you, Thank you, Cameron Wolf. We will talk to you very soon.
Meanwhile, another quarterback situation that is certainly not as settled as the Miami Dolphins or the Commanders justin field, Russell Wilson, what is happening in Pittsburgh, Coming up on The Insiders presented by Best.
Bob, Welcome Back to the Insiders presented by Best Buy, and pretty good bye for the Las Vegas Raiders and free agency. When they signed Gardner Minshew, he went up against Aidan O'Connell, who started.
About ten games for the Raiders last year.
Minshew named the starting quarterback for Antonio Pierce's Raiders heading into the twenty twenty four season. I'll have one more preseason game to iron things out. We now bring in Omar Ruiz and if Tom Pelisaro is making cracks about my shirt off the top of the show, wait till he gets a load of this one. Omar, I think you look fantastic the Raiders now.
Pierce said that he.
Wished, well, you know, I always heard there's any network polos. I wanted to feel like I'm going to Jimmy Buffett concert as well.
That's it. Yeah, well.
Maybe in the past, rip Jimmy. We love you so.
Antonio Pierce wishes that both quarterbacks had ended on a higher note. Had to make a decision or felt like he had to make a decision at this point, so they decided to go with Minshew.
Who can give you.
Some stuff off script if things break down, sometimes with his legs.
He's done that in the past. It's also got the better inexperience.
Your thoughts on Antonio Pierce naming Minshew the starting quarterback.
Well, he's naming the starting quarterback Gardner Minshew for at least the first quarter of the season. Antonio Piers saying that they want to get off to a fast start, and they have the Chargers, the Ravens, the Panthers, and the Browns to start this season, and Gardner Minshew winning
that job, which was obviously a comprehensive competition. Both Antonio Piers and offensive coordinator to Luke Getzi said they were evaluating everything beginning from the OTAs through mini camp and training camp, but the one consistent message that stood out above everything else was, like you mentioned, Antonio Pierce saying he wants somebody who can extend plays, make some magic outside of the pocket, but take care of the football.
Luke Getsy also saying for his offense, he wants somebody who can take calculated risk, take educated chances, but take care of the football. And you look at the production between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell in their three most competitive situations that they've had in this training camp, the two preseason games, and the scrimmage that they had earlier in training camp. In the scrimmage, Gardner Minshew had the
two loan passing touchdowns. In the preseason games, Gardner Minshew had explosive passes to Trey Tucker forty eight forty four twenty nine yards, there had zero intercept. Aid and O'Connell took a ten yard sack against the Vikings, and of course against the Cowboys had the pick six that eventually cost them the game. Now, obviously Pierce saying that one play,
that one game didn't decide this competition. But when you're looking at all of that in totality, not to mention the energy, the leadership that is infectious that Gardner Minshew can bring to the locker room, that can bring to the organization all factored into that decision. Gardner Minshew going to start the season as a Raiders starting quarterback start the season.
So Aid and O'Connell, if you're watching, and who doesn't watch The Insiders on a Monday, just because Gardner Minshew is the guy week one, doesn't mean that He's going to be the guy all the way through week eighteen. Antonio Pierce wanted to see told us when we were there a training camp that he wanted to see a little bit more personality, a little bit more of a vocal presence from aide O'Connell. Let's see how he responds to not winning this job. It is not over yet,
aide O'Connell. Thank you very much, Omar Ruiz for joining us on this Monday. We talked about Jimmy Buffett. Come Monday, you know everything will be all right, right, That's what he said.
Whoof those shirts are still sorry? My eyes are out at this point.
The only other quarterback competition that involved two veterans and
not a rookie still undecided in Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin referring to it as an incomplete study, which might be a softer way of saying what he really thought based upon how the Steelers offense and the whole team has looked here over the first couple of preseason games, Tom pilaicero I and Rappaport back here on The Insiders presented by Best Buy and there's been a lot of stuff going on with Pittsburgh that's not just the quarterback, namely, the
offensive line just has not played very well to this point, and they have been banged up and they've been shorthanded in their first round pick hasn't been out there. What do you make a where things stand right now between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Knowing that it's fair to say, at least based upon the games we've seen, it's not as if somebody's exactly reached out and grabbed this job.
True and best case scenario for the Pittsburgh Steelers would be one of these guys, and really it doesn't matter who.
You sort of would think it'd be.
Russell Wilson considering he had pole position coming into preseason, but Justin Fields had a really really good started preseason. Either of those guys could take the job right now, gravel to it, and be the start of the fact that that doesn't happen, that has not happened is not great. But it's not like Mike tom was saying, this is disappointing. It's really just he hasn't fully been able to evaluate his quarterback position.
No doubt some of that is because of the offensive line.
Maybe some of that is the fact that they don't exactly have the second marquee receiver like Brandon Au could be.
You have to wonder if that maybe is part of the product. They don't have an answer yet, not that they won't, they just don't.
And look, this also is shaping up to be a situation where the Steelers could end up at some point during the season playing both of these quarterbacks if one doesn't stand out incomplete study. Yes, those are the words of Mike Tomlins. Certainly no mistake using that description.
Tom'll see how things play out here in the final preseason week. Mike Tomlin never in a rush to do something before he's ready to do it, he said, along Russell Wilson in the pole position, you would think if neither guy separates himself this week, it may well be Russell Wilson out there in week one? Will it be bow Nicks out there for the Broncos in week one? He has certainly staked his claim to the job. Does
Bucky Brooks think he's earned it? Our expert rejoins to discuss that right after this on The Insiders presented by Best Buy.
Well.
If Sunday Night against the Packers was the test of how ready Bonnicks is. He's certainly scored well on it eight to nine, passing eighty yards in a touchdown, had another touchdown wiped out because of penalty. John Payton said after the game, not yet ready to make any proclamations on who's going to start, but all signs continue to point to the rookie number twelve overall pick. Welcome back to the Insiders, presented by Best Buy Tom Pelliicero, joined once again by Bucky Brooks.
Bucky, he broke this one down. You'll watch bo Knicks. What'd you see? Look?
It appears to me that Sean Payton has a sweet tooth for athletic quarterbacks. Were playmaking ability with high football I cubes, because that's what bo Nicks is. And given Sean Payton's history with Drew Brees, you can see why he likes the young quarterback that came out of Oregon. When you look at bow Knicks and you break him down, you can see the maturity. You can see a guy who has tremendous command of this offense as someone who's
playing with a lot of confidence. Now that makes sense when you look at bo Nix's history sixty four stars as a collegiate played at all, but then Oregon really came into his own at Oregon and you see a lot of those traits from what he did with the Ducks translate to success with the Broncos. Smooth timing, rhythm, anticipation, passer who really understands how to execute the plan according to the way that Sean Payton likes it.
I will say Bucky watching him, just seeing Bonick's physically and watching the way that he moves. I also got some Taysom Hill vibes in terms of that aspect of his game. Obviously, Sean would love to find a combination of those guys that he can work with there in Denver. What about Drake May Bucky, We're still hearing from Drod Mayo. No decision on the quarterback. The plan was never It seemed to push the number three out pick out there in year one. But the door at this point remains a jar.
Oh yeah, Jacoby said, left the door jar because the offense isn't really moving when he's at the helm, and so Drake may comes in. He excites everybody because he has big time arm talent, he has playmaking ability, the athleticism, he's inexperienced, but sometimes that inexperience can be overshadowed by
his athleticism. If you're the New England Patriots, you want to go slow and easy with the quarterback, but he might be too good to keep on the bitch, especially when you're making the competition between him and Jacoby Verssett.
This offense has responded with Drake May's been in the game.
Gerard Mayo may have to give the ball to the young quarterback and kind of lived through some of the growing pains that he ultimately experienced.
NFL dot Com, slash Scouts, Notebookie and read a lot more from Bucky Brooks.
Bucky, thank you as always for being here.
You might have seen this about a thousand times to your social media feeds. Patrick Mahomes did something even Patrick Mahomes we haven't seen do in a game before. Let's revisit some of the best most unique throws in NFL history.
Next on the insights, Mahomes keeps it goes behind them, Kelsey's got it for the first day.
How do you like that?
Well, they talked about it in practice this.
Week, and Mahomes even talked about the fact that he said Andy wants him to do it in a game.
Well, guess what here?
It is great call by our guy Ari Wolf right there. Mike got us thinking before the show. Here, what's another one of your favorite throws that you've ever seen in NFL history?
Oh, I would say in its spot. Eli Manning to Mario Manningham super Bowl forty six.
The movement with the feet. They really worked at his feet that year.
So for him to create that laying the throw away from the pressure, given it just another hair, and then put it exactly where it needed to be.
Perfect spot, so perfect. Here's another one that's perfect. Aaron Rodgers to Jared.
Cook twenty seventy Divisional Round Game, three seconds left, third and twenty. You can't do it better than that. I literally yelled at the screen because it was such an absurd throw. All time favorite for me.
In terms of things I've never seen before or since. How about this one? I was in the Metrodome for this play, Randy Moss. This is the final seconds of the first time it's expiring over the shoulder to Moe Williams for a touchdown. Dante Culpepper after the game called it saucy an adjutate. I have not heard before or since. I'm bringing it back another saucy edition of the Inside Tomorrow night.
See it ye