WEBVTT - Post-Game Show: Eagles Lose 6-0 vs Jets 0:00:05.080 --> 0:00:07.560 Six to zero, your final score as the Eagles fall 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:10.600 to the Jets in game four of preseason action. Welcome 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:13.320 to the postgame Show, presented by Rico. I'm Amy Campbell, 0:00:13.400 --> 0:00:17.080 friend Duffy fran Thus concludes preseason game action for the 0:00:17.079 --> 0:00:19.840 Eagles for twenty nineteen. We've made it. We've made it. 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:22.599 It was a long summer and training camp was great, 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:25.360 the preseason was great. But time to start talking about 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:28.760 some real football that counts in the standings, which I 0:00:28.800 --> 0:00:31.480 am so ecstatic to do next week. Yeah, we look 0:00:31.520 --> 0:00:33.560 forward to that, but we're not quite there yet. Let's 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:36.680 talk about this game a little bit. Any takeaways for 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.600 you from this one? Well, I think you know, obviously, 0:00:39.640 --> 0:00:42.960 look the offense had a couple of untimely negative plays 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:44.800 that kept them from reaching the end zone. But I 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:47.479 think ultimately you look at what this defense was able 0:00:47.520 --> 0:00:49.800 to do. It a lot of young players playing at 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:52.080 all three levels of the defense here for Jim Schwartz 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:54.400 and the rest of that defensive staff, and you saw 0:00:54.440 --> 0:00:56.880 some really good things. We continue to see some good 0:00:56.920 --> 0:00:59.280 play from that defensive front. We'll talk about one of 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:01.920 those players here coming up. But ultimately, you'd like to 0:01:01.920 --> 0:01:03.640 see you like some of the things you saw on 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:05.120 the defensive side of the ball, and we saw some 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:07.559 highlights on offense as well, even though it didn't result 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:09.240 in points. I want to let our viewers know, if 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.640 you're watching on Facebook, you can send us your questions. 0:01:11.640 --> 0:01:13.760 We'll be taking those throughout the night as well, So 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:16.360 go ahead and let us know what you're thinking. We'll 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:18.399 be here to kind of respond to that as well. 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:21.319 For him, one of the big storylines really this storyline 0:01:21.319 --> 0:01:24.800 coming into this night is that you know, jobs are 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:26.319 on the line for a lot of these players. So 0:01:26.440 --> 0:01:28.400 much is on the line. This really the last big 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:31.679 opportunity before the roster goes from the ninety two. What 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:34.680 are people looking for? What makes a solid backup role 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:36.920 in the NFL? Sure, I think really when you look 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:39.760 at the backups on any NFL roster, really, you know 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:42.360 all teams right now they know for the most part 0:01:42.440 --> 0:01:44.880 who the starters are. There was no starting jobs really 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:47.320 around the NFL that were decided here on Thursday night. 0:01:47.360 --> 0:01:49.360 But when you look around, everybody's trying to pick and 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:51.880 choose who the backups are going to be, maybe not 0:01:51.920 --> 0:01:55.560 even the primary backups, but those secondary and tertiary backups. 0:01:55.560 --> 0:01:58.360 The bottom end of your roster. So where are those 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:00.880 players coming from? Well, really, in my mind, it comes 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.640 into three different buckets. You've got your veterans who are 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:06.920 really mentors and leaders and have that kind of influence 0:02:07.040 --> 0:02:09.160 on younger players and the roster, so they bring plenty 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:12.160 of value help make players around them better. Number two, 0:02:12.160 --> 0:02:14.840 you've got your developmental players, so guys do you expect 0:02:14.840 --> 0:02:17.720 to become starters down the line. And then the third 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:21.840 are those well defined role players, your third down running backs, 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:26.440 your nickel corners and dime corners, your subpackage pass rushers alone, 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:29.400 the defensive line, all of those are very defined roles. 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:32.440 So you're fitting into one of those three buckets. Veteran leader, 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:36.800 developmental young player, or a defined role player. So many 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:40.799 things that can determine what value is more than just 0:02:40.919 --> 0:02:44.080 the pure outleticism. The roles are specifically defined. That was 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:46.280 one thing that stood out to me about the halftime 0:02:46.280 --> 0:02:49.320 interview between Dave Spiderow and Howie Roseman that how he said, Look, 0:02:49.360 --> 0:02:51.360 it's not our job to just a mass a bunch 0:02:51.360 --> 0:02:53.880 of talent. It's our job to build a complete team. 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:57.280 For the Eagles, every role is specifically defined, starter, backup, 0:02:57.480 --> 0:02:59.320 he said, We're not just trying to collect a bunch 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:01.680 of talent, trying to build the best team possible for 0:03:01.720 --> 0:03:03.919 the Eagles, And so value can be defined in a 0:03:03.960 --> 0:03:05.640 lot of different ways, and that's what this team is 0:03:05.639 --> 0:03:07.640 doing from top to bottom. Yeah, I think really, And 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:11.079 you're around players, right, whether it's here or with Sports Illustrator, 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:14.000 you've been around players. You know that they all come in, 0:03:14.120 --> 0:03:17.120 you know, different boxes, right. Some guys are great students 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.480 of the game. Some guys don't really you know, put 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:22.120 in that kind of work. Some guys are just very natural. 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:24.840 Other guys have to really really work hard to reach 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:27.040 that ceiling. And so I had an opportunity, we talked 0:03:27.080 --> 0:03:29.200 about it on the Eagle Line the Sky podcast fueled 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:31.440 by Gatorade earlier this summer. I had an opportunity to 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:33.840 go down and join Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks at 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:36.200 the Old Line Mastermind Summit. And you know, an event 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:39.320 like that amy really opened my eyes to really what 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.920 guys are like behind the scenes from a preparation standpoint. 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:43.600 Because you talk to them here in the locker room, 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:45.800 you talk to them in the cafeteria or in the hallway, 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:47.840 you get a sense of what they're like, but you know, 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:49.520 you go down and you see what they're like from 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:52.080 a preparation standpoint, the work that they put in, and 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:54.480 you get a sense of demand. Like, that's how this 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:57.480 guy lasted the NFL for twelve years. Maybe not the 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:01.200 best player purely off film that number one guy, you'd say, oh, 0:04:01.200 --> 0:04:03.480 this guy's a first round pick, but this guy lasted 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:06.120 in the NFL because he really really works at it. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.280 Those guys end up sticking on rosters and those are 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:11.480 the guys that really are the glue of your football team. 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:14.320 Even talking to I Greece about this last week, he said, look, 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:16.679 I was able to have such a long career because 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:19.320 of my commitment to special teams. And for some reason, 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:22.240 it's not something that every guy values the way they should. 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:25.400 When it can be something that can extend your employment 0:04:25.440 --> 0:04:27.680 in the NFL, it can keep those paychecks coming, and 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:30.480 so you talk about value and how important that can be. 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:32.960 Special teams a huge part of it. We talk about 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:34.919 it all the time. It's almost a bit of a cliche. 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:37.599 But it's a cliche for a reason. Let's go back 0:04:37.600 --> 0:04:40.039 to that game, our player that stood out friend, you 0:04:40.120 --> 0:04:42.480 and I came to a unanimous agreement on this. It 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:45.240 was not very difficult. DeShawn Hall, who has really made 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.559 a lot of noise this preseason. He had another sack 0:04:47.600 --> 0:04:50.360 in this game for total for the preseason. That leads 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.400 the team, and I believe it leads the league. It 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:56.200 might have changed tonight, right, certainly one of the productive 0:04:56.240 --> 0:04:59.279 defensive lineman in the NFL this summer. And look, the 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:02.120 guy is really earn you know where he's gotten to 0:05:02.240 --> 0:05:05.240 at this point where he's now fighting for a job 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:07.880 on the fifty three man roster. He's been so productive. 0:05:07.920 --> 0:05:11.159 A former third round pick out in Carolina, talented player, 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:13.240 and he's played very very well this summer and that's 0:05:13.240 --> 0:05:15.400 showed up again tonight. All Right, a couple of important 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:18.240 dates coming up this weekend. Howie Roseman going to be 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:21.920 very busy. I believe Dave Spinnero. Spinnero jokingly said how 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:24.480 he doesn't need to sleep. He probably won't be doing 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:26.919 a lot of sleeping over the next few days. Again, Saturday, 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:29.359 four pm, that is the deadline for the roster to 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:32.479 go from the ninety to the fifty three. Sunday at noon, 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:35.159 that is the deadline to put in waiver claims on 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:37.960 the players. And then an hour later Sunday at one pm, 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:40.520 you can make your ten man practice squads. So a 0:05:40.640 --> 0:05:43.880 lot going on over this weekend, especially that one hour 0:05:43.960 --> 0:05:46.599 between the waiver claims and the practice squad. There's ten 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.960 guys that they can get and to add value to that. 0:05:49.200 --> 0:05:52.080 And there's just so many different ways this thing can go. Yeah, 0:05:52.120 --> 0:05:54.760 because if the practice squad is not just built by 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:56.800 players that are on your own roster we mentioned it 0:05:56.800 --> 0:05:58.839 on the Kickoff show, you know, it could also be 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:01.520 players that are on other roster. So the pro scouting 0:06:01.520 --> 0:06:05.440 department right now, those guys are invaluable to the coaching staff, 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:08.560 to Howie Roseman, to help acquire more talent. They're scouring 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:10.960 all of their assigned teams. Everybody at that in that 0:06:10.960 --> 0:06:13.960 scouting department as assigned a handful of teams and they 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:16.599 know everybody on the ninety man roster for each of 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:19.320 those squads, and so when somebody has waived or somebody 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:21.240 has cut, they say, hey, you know what, this guy 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:23.760 would fill this role. We talked about those three different roles. 0:06:23.800 --> 0:06:25.720 This guy would fill this role for us on this 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:28.400 football team. They can help us win a championship. And 0:06:28.440 --> 0:06:30.800 those guys get acquired. We've see that year after year 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.320 after year. The Eagles go out and there they're aggressive. 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:36.240 At this point in the summer, I wouldn't expect that 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:39.120 to change. I expect them to always be looking. They're 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:41.480 always looking to acquire more talent every phase of the year. 0:06:41.680 --> 0:06:44.719 That's totally them for Howie Roseman and that front office staff. 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:47.160 I wish I remember who I saw that tweeted this, 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.400 but it really put things in perspective for me a 0:06:49.440 --> 0:06:51.159 little bit too. Of you know, a lot of guys 0:06:51.200 --> 0:06:53.800 who are going to not make this team and it's 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:55.560 going to be a really disappointing thing for them. They 0:06:55.560 --> 0:06:57.920 have the opportunity to be picked up by other teams, 0:06:57.960 --> 0:06:59.800 but there are guys who are going to make teams 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:02.159 that are then going to be cut when someone else 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:05.000 becomes available, and all of that maneuvering as well. So 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.400 even when that first roster comes out, there's still going 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:09.160 to be moves that are made and a lot of 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:12.080 changes that happen from there to the practice squad as 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.720 things settled down. It's a roller coaster of emotions for 0:07:14.720 --> 0:07:16.520 those guys that are on the bubble right now because 0:07:16.560 --> 0:07:18.960 you don't know if that call that you get is 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:21.400 going to be your last call with the organization, and 0:07:21.440 --> 0:07:24.720 so you may think you're safe on Saturday at four 0:07:24.760 --> 0:07:27.680 pm and then find out Sunday at eleven thirty that 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:29.880 you're not. And it's again, it's it's like we talked 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:31.760 about in the Kickoff Show, it's just the nature of 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:34.080 the business. This time of year is just really really 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:37.960 tough for everybody involved on both sides, players, personnel, the teams, 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:41.280 veteran players. They still kind of feel that hurt. Guys 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:42.840 that you know, are out of the league and have 0:07:42.920 --> 0:07:44.960 been out of the league for a decade this time 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:47.760 of year, they definitely feel it. I think it's something 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:50.200 that most guys in the league can relate to as well. 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:51.880 We mentioned a lot of choices that are going to 0:07:51.920 --> 0:07:54.239 be upcoming. We're going to break down the roster position 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:57.960 by a position. We'll start with the quarterbacks. We got 0:07:58.080 --> 0:08:01.720 five guys on this roster as of now. Here's the list, Fran. 0:08:02.000 --> 0:08:04.120 What stands out to you, Yeah, I think ultimately when 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.120 you look at the list, you know, and it's obviously 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.240 a guy a number of guys from you know, different 0:08:09.280 --> 0:08:12.600 areas of acquisition for the Eagles, right, You've got veteran signings. 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:14.320 You've got guys who are bought in late in the offseason. 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:16.680 You've got draft picks. You know, the guys like Nate 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:19.440 Sutfield were acquired you know, after cutdown day. Right, So 0:08:19.520 --> 0:08:21.560 I think ultimately the Eagles have done a really good 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:24.160 job of acquiring Town a number of different ways at 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:26.320 that position. Now it comes down to what we talked 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:29.840 about earlier, right, the three different buckets for a backup quarterback. 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:32.120 And when you're looking for a backup quarterback, you're looking 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.600 for number One, someone who can be reliable. Number Two 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:37.000 a coach on the sideline, someone that can be you know, 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:39.440 a sounding board for the starting quarterback, not just in 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:42.200 the meeting room and during practice, but in the game. 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:43.840 I mean, if you go when you watch you know 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:46.920 the mikings of Carson went instead of Nick Foles during 0:08:46.920 --> 0:08:49.440 the Super Bowl run, and you see the interactions both 0:08:49.480 --> 0:08:52.160 those guys had with each other on the sideline in 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:54.199 between series where they come to the you know, come 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.520 to the sideline, you know, and Carson won't say Nick, hey, 0:08:56.559 --> 0:08:58.679 what did you see there? And Nick asked Carson, Hey, 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:00.280 what did the defense do there? And they're able to 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:02.840 kind of bounce things off each other. Coach isn't even involved. 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:05.240 That's what you want from a backup quarterback. So that's 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:07.200 something we don't see. We don't see that on film, 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:09.480 we don't see that watching the broadcast. You know, that's 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:11.520 just something that the coaches are very well aware of 0:09:11.559 --> 0:09:13.160 and the guys in that room are well aware off. 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:15.360 So it's a matter of who's that number two guy, 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:17.920 And then if you want to carry a third is 0:09:17.960 --> 0:09:20.040 that a developmental player? Is that somebody else that can 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:22.560 also impact in that area. That's what the decision they 0:09:22.559 --> 0:09:24.400 have to make. Well, one of the things we've heard 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:26.800 for the last few seasons it's so unique about the 0:09:26.800 --> 0:09:29.719 Eagles quarterback room is how well these guys support each other, 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:32.480 how they compliment each other, and what a great chemistry 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.240 that room has and how unique it is across the NFL. 0:09:35.320 --> 0:09:37.640 Let's keep moving. Let's look at the running back position. 0:09:37.800 --> 0:09:40.480 One that we've heard all preseason long is going to 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:44.400 is an incredibly deep position. A lot of tough choices 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:46.240 for this coaching staff in this front office when we 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:48.880 look at that's an impressive list there, Yeah, I mean, 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:51.920 and ultimately the problem to have, but definitely a tough 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:53.960 one exactly. And there's just a lot of guys with 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:56.280 proven resumes. I mean, that's really what it comes down 0:09:56.320 --> 0:09:58.319 to when you look at this running back room is 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:00.719 that there are players with NFL experien There's guys with 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:02.880 lots of promise, guys that have done things even in 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:06.120 short times in the NFL. You know, that's what makes 0:10:06.120 --> 0:10:09.000 this a very difficult decision. But ultimately, when you're looking 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:11.199 at that running back room, you want guys that can 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:14.400 fit roles. Everybody now talks about running back by committee, 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:16.480 will in order for that to happen, you need a 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:19.400 committee and guys that can fill different roles in that committee. So, 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:20.880 you know, do you have someone that can play on 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:22.480 early down? So you have someone that could play on 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:25.400 third down, goal line, short yardage. Now, can someone plays 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:27.640 special teams? Can someone be a good pass protector? You 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:30.480 need all of that into the mix. Now that's where 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:32.000 the other buckets come into play. Right, Do you have 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:34.120 someone that's developmental that you hope can be an early 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:36.199 down back or can hope you hope can turn into 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.800 a really good third down player and special teams as well, 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:41.080 So so important, not just you know in the core 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:44.040 special teamers you know as blockers and guys that can 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:46.000 get downfield and get after the football. But also the 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:47.520 return game, if you could be a kick returner or 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:49.839 punt returner, that can add to your value as well well. 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:52.480 In that running back position, one where we are wait 0:10:52.520 --> 0:10:55.400 and see how many are going to be on this roster? 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.680 What is the coaching staff, the front office? How many 0:10:57.720 --> 0:11:00.400 are they planning on keeping a position last season that 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:02.480 we saw had a lot of injuries and a lot 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:04.960 of attrition for lack of a better word there. So 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:07.559 it's going to be interesting to see how many running 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:09.800 backs do you make this roster. Let's keep with the offense. 0:11:09.880 --> 0:11:12.920 Let's move on to the wide receiver group, another long 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:15.679 list of players, a lot of options for the coaching staff. 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:17.560 There's there's going to be some tough choices in this 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:19.880 room as well, because there's a lot of talent in 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:22.480 that wide receiver room. And ultimately, you know what your 0:11:22.520 --> 0:11:24.520 starting receivers are going to look like. You're one, two, 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:27.559 and number three. Then it goes to your four, you're five, 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:30.240 and maybe your sixth spot. What do the what traits 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:32.160 do you need from those three guys? And I think 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:34.720 ultimately you're looking for players that can help as blockers, 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:37.760 that can help and on special teams, and then also 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:39.959 can do different things for you in different packages, whether 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:42.160 that means you're a red zone thread or you're kind 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:44.040 of a do everything player that can be moved around 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.400 the formation and used in different ways to kind of 0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:48.960 throw the defense off bounce. Those kinds of players bring 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:51.640 lots of value. That versatility can offer a lot of 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.040 value to an offensive coaching staff, and the Eagles have 0:11:54.040 --> 0:11:56.040 a little bit of all that in this receiver room. 0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:58.079 So it's going to be interesting see which way they 0:11:58.080 --> 0:12:00.560 decide to go with that group overall. Yeah, long list 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.080 of guys there. I think I counted ten on the 0:12:03.160 --> 0:12:06.559 roster there for that position. So certainly a lot of choices. 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.440 Let's keep going. Let's go to the tight ends, take 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:12.040 a look at not as many as the wide receivers, 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:14.520 but I'm still going to be some difficult choices for 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:17.680 the coaching staff and and just some thoughts about how 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:20.160 they're going to how they see that position group and 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.240 what they want to what they want to make it here. Well, 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:23.640 you know that this is going to be a tight 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:26.280 end center offense, right because you've got Zach Ertz and 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:28.840 Dallas scouted on the roster. You know that the offense 0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:30.880 is going to be, you know, heavily involved with twelve 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:33.600 personnel a two tight ends, So for that you're also 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:35.640 going to need some help from your backup tight ends. 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:37.760 You need those guys to be involved. So you need 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:40.880 guys that can block, You need players that can impact 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:42.800 the passing game, and also players that can go out 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:45.280 and play special teams because with especially with the changed 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:48.520 rules amy and special teams, you need those combo players. 0:12:48.520 --> 0:12:51.560 And what I mean by combo players not necessarily a small, 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.480 undersized skill guy and not a big lumbering lineman, but 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:57.960 those linebackers and bigger safeties and tight ends. They need 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.480 to be your core special teams players. So whoever that third, 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:03.520 potentially fourth tight end is, they need to be active 0:13:03.559 --> 0:13:06.880 on all four core special teams. That's kickoff, kick return, punt, 0:13:06.880 --> 0:13:09.440 punt return. They have to be active participants there. As 0:13:09.440 --> 0:13:11.800 we pause the roster discussion for a minute, and friend, 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:13.440 you've been here a long time, You've been in the 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:16.640 building around the whole roster making process. What is it 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:19.480 like the next few days, just the energy all of 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:23.040 the decisions being made. I imagine there's just a lot 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:25.760 of different feelings going through the air here. What are 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.319 the next few days like for people who are not 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:30.400 in this building the way that you have access to, 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:32.840 What is it like? Well, there's two sides of the coin, 0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.560 because on one side, you're very excited about the start 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:37.720 of the regular season and to get things going, and 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:39.880 you know, you see all that hard work that's happened 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:42.680 over the offseason is now about to come to fruition. 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:45.360 And then the second side of that is then the 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:47.640 idea that you gotta get rid of some football players. 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:49.360 And so it's it is very tense, it is a 0:13:49.400 --> 0:13:51.240 little bit quiet. It is a little bit somber. So 0:13:51.440 --> 0:13:53.920 you know, there's not as much you know, joking around 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:56.520 in the cafeteria or in the hallways or anything like that. 0:13:56.840 --> 0:13:59.200 It is a tough couple of days. But on the 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:01.640 back end of that, there's also a level of excitement 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:03.560 and so that's what you're really, you know, trying to 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:06.360 hang your hat on as you're moving around and moving 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:08.600 to the next few days from the past, do you 0:14:08.640 --> 0:14:11.240 have any crazy stories of anything that you've seen. I know, 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:12.800 I'm putting you on the spot here a little bit, 0:14:12.800 --> 0:14:14.480 but I'm I'm just curious. You know, there's always a 0:14:14.480 --> 0:14:16.959 lot of surprises. You know, there's always a lot of 0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:20.960 unexpected things. Have you any crazy moves that you've seen 0:14:21.000 --> 0:14:24.040 this staff make before? Yeah? I can't think of anything 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:26.040 off the top of my head. I mean, look, every 0:14:26.160 --> 0:14:28.120 every one of these kind of stands on its own. 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:30.960 As you know, there's there's always those little decisions that 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:32.920 you can kind of look back and you say, man, 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:35.560 like remember that, and then one year later it's it's 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:38.200 forgotten because you're moving on to the very next season. So, 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:40.960 like I said, it's a very kind of up and 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:43.960 down roller coaster a few days, but the team gets 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:45.680 through it. Now you're excited for a week one. Well, 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:48.040 and speaking of that excitement, if you're a young player 0:14:48.080 --> 0:14:51.280 trying to make this roster, how exciting is this process 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:53.600 when you know you see your if you know, for me, 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:55.280 I'm a theater kid, right and you know you see 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:57.240 your name on the cast list when you go and check. 0:14:57.360 --> 0:15:00.240 What must that feel like for a young guy, especially 0:15:00.280 --> 0:15:02.880 with just how difficult the process can be to make 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:04.480 it to that point. I mean, it's kind of what 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:06.840 we just talked about, where it's all that hard work 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:08.520 that you've put in. If you're a rookie, you know, 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:11.120 you go back to your college season ends and you 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.840 are immediately going into training for the NFL Draft. You're 0:15:13.880 --> 0:15:16.120 going to the Senior Ball or the Shrine Game, then 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:18.960 you're going to the Combine. Potentially you're worried about Pro Day, 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:21.320 and you're getting shipped around plane to plane to plane 0:15:21.360 --> 0:15:23.280 to plane, going from team to team to team for 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:26.360 all those private visits and workouts and secrecy, and you're 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:28.720 working out with agents and you're finding out where you're 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:31.560 gonna go in different hotel rooms. It's crazy process. And 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:33.840 then right from there you've got draft weekend, and then boom, 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:35.760 you're in Mini camp, and then you're in there Ota, 0:15:35.840 --> 0:15:37.720 and then you've got a couple weeks off and then 0:15:37.720 --> 0:15:39.960 you're a training camp. It is a whirlwind. So for 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:42.080 those guys, not even necessarily the first, the second, third 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:44.240 round picks, guys that you expect to make the team, 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:46.920 but the late round picks, the undrafted free agents, those 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:50.120 guys that make it. It's a whirlwind. But it's like 0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:52.240 we mentioned too, you don't want to get too too 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.920 high because you know you never know how long that 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:57.920 feeling will last they change so quickly. So as an 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.640 insider who covers the draft process, you're around so many 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:02.480 of these players. This they go, like you said, this 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:05.320 Senior Bowl, the Shrine Game, their pro days. So much 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:07.440 goes into this. One thing that stood out to me 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:09.600 really when I was covering, When I was around these guys, 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:12.680 they're doing these games, they're putting everything on tape that 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.200 they possibly can, and then they're going and doing interviews, 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:18.120 then they're doing private workouts. I mean, the fatigue is 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.920 beyond physical and mental. And then you come into camp 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:24.040 and you're fighting for your life. I mean the mental 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:25.840 fatigue that goes into this for a guy. I don't 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.200 think people realize how intense the process is to make 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:31.120 a team. Talking with players over the years, the second 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:33.520 year guys, the guys that are coming into their second season, 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:37.000 they all say how much of a relief it was 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:39.520 just to even get to the offseason because you didn't 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:42.640 have that a year ago. You know, it really is 0:16:42.840 --> 0:16:45.480 a whirlwind. From the time their college season ends up 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.200 until the end of their first season their rookie campaign, 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:51.640 it's craziness and you want that feeling to go as 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:53.920 long as possible. Remember, these are guys that are used 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:58.240 to maybe playing minimum twelve games, maximum thirteen or fourteen 0:16:58.280 --> 0:17:01.000 if they play at Alabama or Oklahoma, mark Clemson. You know, 0:17:01.200 --> 0:17:04.040 then you get those fourteenth games, but you know, twelve 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:06.600 games that gets you to Week eight of the regular season. 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:10.720