WEBVTT - Chargers Weekly: Biggest Difference-Makers On 2025 Bolts 0:00:01.040 --> 0:00:12.640 Late fifteen ten touched Upuck. Welcome to Chargers Weekly. Daniel 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:15.440 Popper or kind enough to join us so you can 0:00:15.480 --> 0:00:19.240 follow him on x or Instagram or read him at 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:21.120 the Athletic. We see it every time he joins us. 0:00:21.640 --> 0:00:24.360 Best of the best, and love the Athletic, love all 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:28.600 our content. Popper's awesome in his coverage of the Chargers, 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:31.080 and you build that out to Robert Mays and all 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:33.199 the guys that are covering football and it really is 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:36.519 a must have for any football fan. Pops, I'll let 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:38.680 you promote the other stuff. Hops with Pop. I know 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:40.519 you got a substack rolling, so why don't you just 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:43.480 kind of push that immediately and make sure the folks 0:00:43.520 --> 0:00:45.400 that are tuning in know where they can find you. 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:48.640 Always so nice money when I come on the show. 0:00:48.640 --> 0:00:52.160 But yeah, kind of substack rolling Hops with Pop dot 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:56.280 substack dot com, streaming weekly, doing our live streams. 0:00:56.520 --> 0:00:57.160 You can get my. 0:00:57.160 --> 0:01:01.120 Podcast anywhere you get your podcast spotif Apple. So we 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:03.720 do the live streams and they populate onto the podcast 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:04.560 streaming services. 0:01:04.600 --> 0:01:07.000 You can rewatch the video on substack. 0:01:07.000 --> 0:01:08.800 I got a chat going on the substack that I'm 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:12.400 pretty active in answering questions just put up a video 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:14.640 the other day breaking down film a first round pick 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:16.800 a Mario and Hampton. So got a lot of cool 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.560 stuff going on over there and would obviously appreciate everyone 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:21.959 heading over there to listen, to watch, and to hang 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:22.880 out with me in the chat. 0:01:23.600 --> 0:01:25.559 Why don't we start with kind of what's There's really 0:01:25.560 --> 0:01:27.640 not a lot going on, but there is Phase two 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:31.720 going on. Have you learned anything since the draft about 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:35.679 this team? Signings non signings depth, the fact that they 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.480 added a wide receiver on a rookie tryout, and Campbell 0:01:38.600 --> 0:01:41.120 just kind of what's happening in the Daniel Popp Rise 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:42.440 as you look at the Chargers. 0:01:42.760 --> 0:01:45.960 Yeah, so out at Phase two practice earlier this week, 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:49.880 just kind of moseying about the sideline looking at guys. 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:52.440 You know, one big thing was like this whole Zion 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.080 Johnson the center thing I've been talking about since February 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:58.760 was an idea and now we saw it in practice, 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:00.320 or at least I did for the first I'm on 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.919 Tuesday with him actually snapping balls to Justin Herbert. I'm 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:09.320 fascinated to see what happens there as far as his transition, 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:11.720 if their idea of what they think is going to 0:02:11.760 --> 0:02:17.160 happen actually materializes what happens on the interior. McKai Beckton 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:21.600 is really big. That's another thing that jumps out. And 0:02:21.760 --> 0:02:24.000 you know, obviously, you know, my mind always goes to 0:02:24.040 --> 0:02:26.480 the offensive line first, but you know, you start envisioning 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:31.720 Mkai Beckton and Joe Alt double teaming defensive linemen on 0:02:31.760 --> 0:02:34.280 the right side of that line in the run game, 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.000 and your imagination starts to run wild a little bit. 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:38.639 And then you look at these receivers. 0:02:38.720 --> 0:02:41.119 Man, you know, you see Justin Herbert throwing routes against air, 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:43.240 you know, to a couple of these rookies. 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:46.840 You look at Aronde Gadson their fifth round pick. 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.120 You know, you look at all these explosive pieces they 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.359 added to the offense, and you start thinking about, okay, like, 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:54.639 how different is this going to look this year compared 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:57.160 to last year when it was basically the Ladd mcconukee 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:01.120 show and not much else. You know, how is Justin 0:03:01.120 --> 0:03:03.240 Herbert going to be able to attack down field, which 0:03:03.280 --> 0:03:05.320 you know, when we've seen him at his best, that's it, 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:08.160 you know, it's it's really being able to tack with 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:10.760 with players who can access the deep part of the 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:14.200 field and then you know, Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbob 0:03:14.280 --> 0:03:16.480 said it. But you see the defensive lineman out there. 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.160 You see that group working with defensive line coach Mike Elston, 0:03:19.720 --> 0:03:21.919 and they are big and they are deep, and I'm 0:03:21.960 --> 0:03:25.000 really curious to see among that group like who really 0:03:25.040 --> 0:03:28.160 like takes over and becomes the guy. You know obviously 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:29.600 that you know, we had the same kind of questions 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:31.640 heading into last year and it was ended up being 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:33.800 poon Afford, But you could you could you could tell me, 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:36.640 you know, five different guys that becomes sort of like 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:39.880 the guy in that group who you know is getting 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:41.720 the most playing time, producing the most. It could be 0:03:41.760 --> 0:03:44.880 Teer Tart, could be Jamark Caldwell, you could tell me, 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:46.680 it could be Deshaun Hant. You know, I really like 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:49.280 the way that he played on film for Miami against 0:03:49.280 --> 0:03:51.960 the Run. So just a few things there, but yeah, 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:53.760 just kind of you look around the practice field and 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:55.960 you're all right, looks a little bit different, but you know, 0:03:56.640 --> 0:03:59.280 there's a lot of potential, you know in some of 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:01.400 these groups with them that they've made and how they've 0:04:01.400 --> 0:04:02.600 sort of restructured the roster. 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:06.720 Yeah, kind of the one thing with this particular regime 0:04:06.840 --> 0:04:09.720 or iteration of Chargers football now and it's not going 0:04:09.760 --> 0:04:13.120 into its ninth year here in Los Angeles. That I 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.680 feel with this particular team is just depth. I feel 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:17.359 like there's a lot of depth out there, you know 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.560 it is it blue chips? Don't know? I mean, you know, 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:22.880 it's hard to say that, Yeah, there's blue chips out 0:04:22.880 --> 0:04:25.080 there right now, you know, but Putaford turned into a 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:27.480 blue chip player, you know, on a low money deal, 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:29.240 and I look at it and it's just like, Wow, 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:32.599 there's so much depth that we're gonna have. You're gonna 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:33.920 have a hell of a time. We always have fun 0:04:33.960 --> 0:04:36.400 doing the fifty three popper. I think the fifty threes. 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.320 Is it four running backs? Is it seven wide receivers? 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:41.479 Is it four tight ends? Is it five tight ends? 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:44.080 If you include a full back. You know, there's a 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:47.960 lot of different I guess ways that this roster could 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:51.520 be constructed based on how they want to play and 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:53.920 the amount of players that they've kind of thrown into 0:04:53.960 --> 0:04:57.080 this mix save one group, like the one group that 0:04:57.120 --> 0:04:59.760 I look at and I'm like, Wow, it's O line 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.560 And it's like you just kind of think about what's 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:05.520 behind that You know, if it's going to be the 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.360 same starting front, you know, plus Mackay, Beckeden and Tray 0:05:09.480 --> 0:05:12.360 is your swing. I kind of look at what's behind that, 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.240 and that's the one where I circle and I'm like, okay, 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:19.239 I could see them maybe keeping an eye on cuts 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:23.039 and guys that are performing somewhere else. But otherwise I 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:25.240 feel I mean, tell me if you feel like I'm 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:27.719 missing something here, I feel pretty good just based on 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:30.479 sort of the money they gave Dante Jackson and you know, 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:32.600 it's not a lot, but it's enough to suggest, Okay, 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:36.120 they think he's going to be a viable contributor to 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:38.440 this team in Saint Jus just kind of fits what 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:40.600 they like, you know, and I think he's a tracy 0:05:40.640 --> 0:05:42.400 guy that they like, and they're like, yeah, give this 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:44.159 guy to clink and you'll see him take the steps. 0:05:44.160 --> 0:05:46.400 So for me, it's if there's one position that I 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:48.280 look at, it's that one. It's like, wow, I could 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:52.680 I could see them looking for a better interior backup 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.640 offensive lineman in case back then as an injury history, 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:59.159 you know, something happens there or with Zion or with 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:01.799 with Bozeman. You know, I think everybody's kind of talking 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:03.920 a little bit now about Andre James and maybe there 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:06.760 were some you know that the falloff last year wasn't 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:08.920 necessarily because of the offense, but there could be an 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:12.120 issue you know, medically that that he was dealing with, 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:13.640 and you wonder whether or not he's passed that. So 0:06:13.720 --> 0:06:16.360 to me, that's that's the one position group that I'm 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:18.240 looking at and I'm like, Okay, who's still out there? 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:21.240 Who can they get for that bargain or that that 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:24.280 you know late day three pick that they could you know, 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:26.279 the Elijah Molden deals that they were making, that they 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:27.680 could go out and scoop up to just kind of 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:29.400 help that particular room out a little bit. 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:31.520 Yeah, I think it sort of speaks to the depth 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:33.520 that that's the position group you bring up, and I 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:36.760 agree with you, but like your things. You know, sixth 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:39.640 offensive lineman and Trey Pipkins has started you know what, 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:42.080 forty something games in the league. Yeah, you know, your 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:44.800 your seventh offensive lineman, Jamari Salier has started at two 0:06:44.839 --> 0:06:47.599 different positions and over the over a full season. 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:49.799 So like it, like it could be a lot worse. 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:51.760 Like, trust me, you and I have both covered this 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:54.080 team long enough to know that you could be in 0:06:54.120 --> 0:06:57.160 a much much worse position on your offensive line than 0:06:57.200 --> 0:06:59.920 they are in. But you know, I do agree with you, 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:03.960 and that's probably my biggest question, you know, heading into 0:07:04.080 --> 0:07:07.320 OTAs and heading into you know, training camp, how does 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:07.880 this work out? 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:08.080 Right? 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:09.520 And you can even throw Andre James in there. I 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.520 mean Andre James has started sixty games, right, yeah, So 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.200 but it's like, okay, how does this work out? You know, 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:17.840 you know when the pads come on? You know, what 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:20.239 does Zion Johnson look like at center? Is that actually 0:07:20.320 --> 0:07:22.400 going to work out? How does left guard shake out? 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:22.520 Like? 0:07:22.600 --> 0:07:25.560 Is Brandon Taylor a guy that we are overlooking here 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:27.400 as somebody who could potentially play left guard? 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:29.600 I don't know. They're trying and there right now. 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:31.960 It's it's it's all an idea right now, you know, 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:35.000 with that group specifically, it's like you don't really know 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:37.240 what you have until those pads come on and you 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:40.360 start seeing these guys actually work and play through contact 0:07:40.360 --> 0:07:42.080 and all of that kind of stuff. But you know, 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:44.600 I've been saying it for for months. At this point, 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:46.880 like I felt like they probably needed two new starters 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:49.000 on the interior to really get this thing to a 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:50.760 place where they could play the way that Jim Harbaugh 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:54.200 wants to play right now, it's it's looking like one 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:56.280 new starter and and there are guys still out there 0:07:56.400 --> 0:07:58.160 right like on the on the free Asian market that 0:07:58.200 --> 0:07:59.080 potentially could come in. 0:07:59.200 --> 0:08:01.640 Will Hernandez is you know, yeah for sure? 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:04.320 Right And if you're saying competitors welcome like you want 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:06.680 right now, it could be you know, three guys battling 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:08.760 at center and four guys battling at left guard like 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:09.960 why not more right? 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:12.720 Like yeah, I think one thing it also tells you 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:15.760 pop and you know this is like there's not a 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:18.920 lot offensive linemen out there, man that you can find 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:21.800 yourself d lineman. You can find edge rushers, you can 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:25.240 find dprs and you know, is it easy? No, but 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:27.880 you can. You know, those those guys, I feel like 0:08:27.920 --> 0:08:31.440 you can. You have a better opportunity to find them 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:34.360 than you do, oh lineman. When people and I'm talking 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.199 about high level when when teams find high level O 0:08:37.320 --> 0:08:40.120 lineman in less of the Houston Texans, they keep them, 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:43.760 you know, and those guys just rarely bake the market. 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.720 And so that's sort of the one thing that that 0:08:47.360 --> 0:08:49.800 I'm anxious to see how this Slater deal is is 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.240 going to be squared away because you and I have 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:55.040 talked about this for years now, and just how the 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:58.520 number keeps going up and up and up, and I 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:01.880 don't know how that reconciles with this front office where 0:09:02.040 --> 0:09:04.920 it could have been twenty eight last year and now 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.600 it's I would imagine north of thirty based on his 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:09.880 agent and what his agent wants and if you're representing 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:12.640 these guys and he's an all pro, you know, and 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:16.319 it's just and look, I've done this before, man. I 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:19.800 have done this dance with Derwin, I've done it with Bosa, 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:22.840 I've done it with Herbert, and ultimately it gets done. 0:09:22.880 --> 0:09:26.560 We talked to Joe Ortiz last week and he said 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:28.480 all the right thing. He's like, come on, man, of 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:30.800 course we're going to get Slater back. There's no doubt 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:33.520 about it. It's just you know, working through it. But 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:35.599 I just kind of look at it through that financial 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:38.839 lens of and this deal got a lot more expensive. 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:42.800 I would imagine from Rashawn's side, from his agent side, 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:44.840 that this deal with the jump in the cap, with 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:49.880 the non quarterback pay percentage of cap that non quarterbacks 0:09:49.920 --> 0:09:52.280 are getting now at edge and at you know, with 0:09:52.320 --> 0:09:55.880 Miles Garrett and at wide receiver with Chase I just 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:58.720 I think it's going to be a little bit tougher 0:09:58.760 --> 0:09:59.840 than maybe some people are. 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.720 Well, here's what I'd say about that, it takes two 0:10:03.720 --> 0:10:06.280 to make a deal. So Rashaun Slater in his camp 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:08.080 also would have had to want to make a deal 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:10.800 last year versus betting on him and knowing that there 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:12.600 were deals that were gonna get done, and knowing that 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:14.600 if he played well and entered this offseason without a 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:17.320 contract extension, that he would probably make more money. So 0:10:17.360 --> 0:10:20.640 I think that's part of it, right, But ultimately, like 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:22.360 like you said, you mentioned those guys, like all of 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:24.840 those deals went either right up to the edge of 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:27.240 training camp. Within Thurwin's case, it went to August seventeenth. 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:29.480 I looked this up, you know, the timing of all 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:32.520 this stuff, even like Keenan's extension went right up until 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:34.479 like Labor Day when he signed. 0:10:34.240 --> 0:10:35.600 His that was the third contract. 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.280 The other guys are obviously second contracts, and like, yeah, 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:40.360 it's a new front office, but Ed maguire is still 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:43.240 negotiating the contracts and it's the same ownership and so 0:10:43.360 --> 0:10:45.640 like this is sort of the process. You know, they're 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.120 gonna they're gonna negotiate, right and like at this point, 0:10:48.840 --> 0:10:50.800 you know, maybe it's like still a little bit early, 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:52.520 but as it gets towards training camp, like like the 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:55.320 number is the number at that point you're negotiating over 0:10:55.360 --> 0:10:57.680 like the minutia of the contract, and like the agents 0:10:58.000 --> 0:10:59.880 are are trying to get the absolute best deal for 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:01.400 their clients. And then when they come to the table 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:03.040 again or they're trying to get new clients, they can 0:11:03.080 --> 0:11:03.920 point to things that they. 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:05.560 Were able to negotiate. 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:08.800 So I the way this has always happened historically, Like 0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:13.040 my guess is it's like report day, day before report day. 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:16.240 Maybe it extends into training camp like it did with Derwin, 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:19.000 but that deal was, like the Durwin deal was basically done. 0:11:19.880 --> 0:11:22.400 It was two weeks of like haggling over like the 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:25.240 minutia of the minutia of the contract and then you know, 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:27.480 but Derwin was at practice and like eventually. 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:29.760 It gets done and it becomes like. 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:32.800 A total afterthought, you know, by the start of the 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:33.720 regular season. 0:11:33.800 --> 0:11:36.040 So it just it it makes sense. 0:11:36.040 --> 0:11:38.280 And at the end of the day, like the market 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:40.760 is the market, Like if you if you have a 0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:43.280 left tackle that is an elite player, like you're gonna 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:44.760 pay him a certain amount of money. It's not like 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:47.280 they're gonna get some huge discount here because they're playing, 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:50.480 you know, tough at the negotiating table now when he's not. 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:52.760 All pro, not when he's an all pro left tackle. 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:54.120 It's just exactly right and. 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:56.160 Also the way you want to play, like right, like 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.480 like when you're when when your run game coordinator Andy 0:11:58.480 --> 0:12:01.160 Bischoff comes out in his first press conference and he says, 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.040 we have an O line centric building and you have 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:06.480 an elite left tackle and you don't pay him top 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:08.760 of the market, Like those two things don't know that 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:11.200 you know, don't line up, you know, so ultimately, like 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.719 if you're gonna be a physical, dominant line of scrimmage team, 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.640 like you better be paying your elite offensive lineman, you know, 0:12:18.040 --> 0:12:20.080 like their elite offensive lineman based on what the market 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:20.480 is on you. 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:22.080 And I think it also sends a signal to your 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:24.320 first round, top five pick from last year, like we 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:27.040 appreciate you. This is this is an O line, you know, 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:30.320 tip of the spear. O line is a weapon, play 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:33.680 physical football, Like it's just like you said, it runs 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:36.880 in step with everything that's been messaged by this front office, 0:12:36.920 --> 0:12:40.080 this coaching staff of how they want to build a team. 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:42.920 So again I just for me, it's and there's no 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:44.880 scar tissue there, right, I've never I've done this is 0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:47.800 my ninth year. I've never once had a contract issue 0:12:47.880 --> 0:12:50.120 lead to a trade going into a season because they 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:53.320 weren't able to resolve it. So you know, on that front, 0:12:53.360 --> 0:12:55.719 it's not like I have anything that that I can 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:57.640 point to to say, yeah, I'm just worried about this 0:12:57.640 --> 0:13:00.640 thing happening again and just haven't seen that, you know. 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:02.760 I mean, I guess you could say Keenan from last 0:13:02.800 --> 0:13:04.480 year when he refused to take a pay cut, But 0:13:04.520 --> 0:13:07.280 that was totally understandable. I think based on you know 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:09.920 that that Joey and Khalil took a pay cut, that 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:12.520 they were thirty whatever million dollars over the cap, and 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:14.600 you couldn't bring that guy back not taking a pay 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:17.000 cut when the other two guys did. That was a 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:17.520 little bit. 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:18.880 Uh yeah, different. 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:21.480 I thought that that situation probably could have been handled 0:13:21.520 --> 0:13:23.760 differently from from keenanside. 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:24.880 I think the one thing I will. 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:27.120 Pay from from that side, Yes, the one thing I 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:28.959 could bring up with Rashan though, is like, you do 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:31.600 you do wonder if the injury stuff is factoring into 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:34.360 this negotiation. Right, missed all of twenty two, you know, 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:36.040 had a bit of a down year in twenty three 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:39.079 as he was battling ankle issues. You know, had the 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:41.840 peck injury last year. Obviously he was able to play 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.960 through it, but you do wonder if that does you know, 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.640 factor into sort of the thought process there. And obviously, 0:13:48.720 --> 0:13:50.760 like you know, it's a cold business when you get 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:54.200 to the negotiating table, like everything becomes a thing that 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:54.960 you're talking about. 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:57.120 So I was wondering if I were in his camp, 0:13:57.160 --> 0:13:59.079 my pushback on that would be is, yeah, you know 0:13:59.120 --> 0:14:01.160 what a lot of other guys would out, they would 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.079 they would set out. But Rashaan is is a freaking 0:14:04.160 --> 0:14:07.520 psycho and a warrior and is all about protecting Justin 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:09.840 Herbert and that's why he was out there. And but 0:14:09.960 --> 0:14:12.000 you're right, it's like what's the vast And then you 0:14:12.040 --> 0:14:15.319 just kind of look at you know, when you're trying 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:17.720 to read these tee Lea's and you look at Baltimore 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.680 and you look at their offensive line and particularly tackles. 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:26.280 They like giants, you know, they like these massive human beings. 0:14:26.360 --> 0:14:29.760 And Joe Walt and Mackai backed then and and I think, 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:31.920 and look, that's why the Chargers were able to draft 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.320 Rashaan Slater because there were people that were concerned about 0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:37.920 the size, about the length, and all he is is 0:14:38.040 --> 0:14:40.760 just the best technician in football. And once he gets 0:14:40.760 --> 0:14:42.520 his hands on you, it is absolutely over. 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:45.880 Just watch that. I don't I don't care about it. 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:47.560 Just watch the film. 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:49.880 Like if they're having questions about that because he doesn't 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.440 fit a certain profile, just go watch the film. 0:14:52.600 --> 0:14:54.440 And that's all you need to know exactly. 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:56.320 I don't want to it's a waste of my time. 0:14:57.280 --> 0:15:00.240 But I am actually segueing into something else, and that 0:15:00.360 --> 0:15:02.360 is these first three games of the season, and why 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:05.080 I'm like, Okay, this has got to get figured out 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.880 in training camp, Like this is not a okay, we 0:15:09.000 --> 0:15:12.560 gotta you know, because it's Chris Jones and the Chiefs, 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:16.000 it's Christian Wilkins and the Raiders. It's that front of 0:15:16.000 --> 0:15:18.960 of you know, that front seven of Denver that's gonna 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:22.680 be coming after that interior line. And they're all division games, 0:15:22.720 --> 0:15:24.760 and I mean that's I mean, when you look at 0:15:24.760 --> 0:15:28.640 that at what the Broncos did this offseason and DJ 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:32.160 Jones and Cooper and Greenlaw and Alan like it is 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:34.360 a I don't want to say no name, but you 0:15:34.360 --> 0:15:36.880 know what I mean, Like it's not that splash, but man, 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.800 that's a good front and that that old line is 0:15:39.840 --> 0:15:43.080 going to be tested. Like you're you're Zion Johnson and 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:45.320 you got freaking Chris Jones lining up over you and 0:15:45.360 --> 0:15:47.480 you're trying center for the first time in a game. 0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:51.920 That's That's what I'm talking about on this particular position group. 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:54.560 Yeah, yeah, no, I'm I'm I'm with you. 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:58.600 Like in I went into the offseason feeling like they 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:00.680 were going to be aggressive and trying to fix this 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:03.720 because it was bad in Houston. Like if you want 0:16:03.720 --> 0:16:06.400 to point to one thing that went wrong there, you know, 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:10.320 you know, go nine plays into the game and you'll see, 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:13.440 you know, Zion and Bradley Boseman, you know, unable to 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:16.240 pick up a stunt in the interior, leading to you. 0:16:16.160 --> 0:16:19.000 Know, pressure. So you know, I'm with you. 0:16:19.040 --> 0:16:22.000 I think like from their eyes, like if McKai Beckton 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:24.040 is playing at the level he was playing for with 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:26.440 the Eagles, and he's on the field and he's available, 0:16:27.000 --> 0:16:30.360 you know, the idea is that he's going to elevate everybody. 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:33.040 Everybody, Yeah, you know, which I think is fair. 0:16:33.120 --> 0:16:36.360 I don't really have any questions about like what McKai 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:37.840 Beckton can be. I think you can probably ask the 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:39.840 question like, Okay, you know how much of it was 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.080 Jeff stoutlind the Eagles offensive line coach. Is he going 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:44.520 to continue to play at that level? But if he's 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:45.720 on the field, I think he's going to be a 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:47.480 very clear upgrade at the position. 0:16:47.560 --> 0:16:49.920 To me, it's like how many games are you going 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:50.560 to get out of him? 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:52.320 Because you talk to some people around the league and 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:54.120 they look at what happened with the Eagles and they're like, 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:56.400 that's the aberration, Like getting eighteen games out of that 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.160 guy between the regular season and the playoffs. Like is 0:16:59.160 --> 0:17:00.480 he going to be able to you that now, we 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:02.840 did play sixteen games the year before with the Jets, 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:05.280 and maybe he's put this stuff behind him, But like 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:08.480 we've we've gone down this road before where you feel 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:10.320 like the Chargers go out and free agency and they 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:14.720 fix a problem with an injury. You know, a player 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:16.800 with an injury history like Brian Buloga is a great example, 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:22.440 like Boom signed Brian Bulaga immediately right tackle set, and 0:17:23.080 --> 0:17:25.520 we got hurt the first first game of the season, 0:17:25.880 --> 0:17:28.320 and then all of the Sun contract and then it's 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.159 all of a sudden, you're you're on Storm Norton and 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:34.159 it's like it's it's not good, you know, so you know, 0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:36.560 and but that's you know, it's a good problem to have, 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:38.680