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Speaker 1: Golf works out of the gun, gives to his right,

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Speaker 1: Jared takes back looking broly got the man touch down Detroit.

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Speaker 1: Lyons Jamir Kids Football is back in Detroit, and that

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Speaker 1: means I am back with another edition of the twenty

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Speaker 1: in the Huddle podcast. We're gonna get you guys all

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Speaker 1: set up for training camp, and I've got a very

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Speaker 1: special guest to start out. She is very much in

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Speaker 1: touch with everything going on with the NFL and especially

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Speaker 1: the NFC North Stacey Dale's from the NFL Network. Thank

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Speaker 1: you so much for joining me, Stace. I appreciate it.

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Speaker 2: Tim, you know how much I always love to join you.

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Speaker 2: And we're right on the costs. Man, It's about to

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Speaker 2: start the chaos, the frenzied chaos. Like I'm kind of

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Speaker 2: baking here in Chicago. It's been a really warm summer,

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Speaker 2: really hot, humid summer. But it's about to get more

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Speaker 2: intense because I think this division is going to be

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Speaker 2: even more fiery than it was last year.

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Speaker 1: You know, it's crazy to think that July I'm already

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Speaker 1: back in training camp thirty one. The Detroit Lions are

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Speaker 1: playing a football game in July. You know, they're the

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Speaker 1: Hall of Fame Game, like there was no off season,

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Speaker 1: there was no summer, like we're back at it. But

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Speaker 1: La Lion's fans are excited obviously with what's gone down,

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Speaker 1: you know, in Allen Park here the last two years,

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Speaker 1: with the success the team has had. Let's start with

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Speaker 1: the stage. Can anybody in the NFC North knockoff Detroit?

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Speaker 1: Do they head in in your opinion, as the favorite,

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Speaker 1: as the top dog, the two time reigning division champion.

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Speaker 1: Is it theirs to lose?

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Speaker 3: I think until somebody gets them it is.

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Speaker 2: I think that's the case in a division of this magnitude.

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Speaker 2: I was just doing another deal with somebody else, and

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Speaker 2: I kind of look at this division like a truly

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Speaker 2: a marathon where you have that cluster of runners up

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Speaker 2: front and they're kind of staying together. And that's how

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Speaker 2: it was and how it all shook out, Tim as

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Speaker 2: you know last season, I mean, Detroit goes fifteen wins,

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Speaker 2: Minnesota fourteen, Green Bay eleven. They all go to the playoffs,

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Speaker 2: and all of a sudden, people would argue the best

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Speaker 2: play caller currently in the NFL, I mean, there's a good.

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Speaker 3: Handful of them right now.

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Speaker 2: He's now the coach of the team that finished five

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Speaker 2: and twelve in Chicago and Ben Johnson.

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Speaker 3: So it's going to.

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Speaker 2: Be a race, I think, once again, but until somebody

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Speaker 2: knocks off the Lions. Even despite the changes, right, we're

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Speaker 2: all going to talk about every year. I feel like

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Speaker 2: there's something that people come to criticize with the Detroit

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Speaker 2: Lions and Dan Campbell, but he always finds a way

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Speaker 2: to battle through some level of attrition, and I think

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Speaker 2: it's just because of you know, I go back to

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Speaker 2: specific calls he's made in games tim and he's the

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Speaker 2: ultimate decision maker and when he says we're going for

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Speaker 2: it on fourth down, they're going for it. And guess what,

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Speaker 2: they got most of them last year. But he's going

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Speaker 2: to tell his guys we're going for it this season.

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Speaker 2: With a new offensive coordinator in Johnny Morton and Kelvin Shephard,

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Speaker 2: who's obviously you know, coming from those linebackers over to

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Speaker 2: the defensive coordinator spot, it's going to keep it super aggressive,

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Speaker 2: just like.

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Speaker 3: We saw.

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Speaker 2: With coach Aaron Glenn and so I have all the

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Speaker 2: faith in Dan Campbell because of who he is, even

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Speaker 2: though there are some personnel.

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Speaker 3: Changes both sides, players and coaches.

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Speaker 1: You know, It's a good point by you, because Detroit

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Speaker 1: was really lucky over the last three years. I mean,

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Speaker 1: I think they were the only team that had the

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Speaker 1: same coordinators for three straight seasons. I mean, it's unheard

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Speaker 1: of in this league, especially when you've had the success

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Speaker 1: that Detroit has had. So it's something a little bit different.

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Speaker 1: But I think Dan has kind of talked about it's

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Speaker 1: a little bit exciting for him too. There's the newness

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Speaker 1: of it right where I think for the first time

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Speaker 1: they were in the in the coaching room at the

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Speaker 1: combine together, you know. I mean that was the first

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Speaker 1: time that they had all gotten in the room together

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Speaker 1: and started this journey. And so you look, they're gonna

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Speaker 1: get a ton of guys back from injury. They've got some,

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Speaker 1: you know, new coordinators. I think it's fourteen different coaches

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Speaker 1: in terms of guys that shuffled around new guys with

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Speaker 1: the position coaches and everything else. But Dan's the one constant,

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Speaker 1: right And as long as you have Dan and as

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Speaker 1: long as you have that message in his way of

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Speaker 1: playing football, Detroit should be just fine.

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Speaker 3: I really do believe that.

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Speaker 2: You know, the more time I've just been around Dan

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Speaker 2: and his energy when I'm standing down on the sideline

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Speaker 2: because I had so many Detroit games last year and

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Speaker 2: those final waning minutes, last two minute drill, and just

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Speaker 2: watching how he operates in the conviction with which he coaches.

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Speaker 2: I think he's really set a standard. And I mentioned

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Speaker 2: that word attrition what I saw last year manifest with

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Speaker 2: that defense to have a rash, not just a rash,

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Speaker 2: but a complete wipeout of your best players and to

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Speaker 2: still be able to and some of those play calls

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Speaker 2: offensively were because of that defensive attrition.

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Speaker 3: We're going to go for it. So we're not going to.

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Speaker 2: Force our defense with maybe a brand new player this week,

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Speaker 2: like is there a Desidarius Smith, for instance, to have

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Speaker 2: to go win a game for us. We're going to

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Speaker 2: force our offense that averages thirty two per game, the

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Speaker 2: highest mark in the league, over four hundred yards per game.

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Speaker 2: We're going to ask them to go do it. And

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Speaker 2: that's what he did. I also just love the fact

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Speaker 2: that Jared Goff is now truly the coach on the field.

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Speaker 2: I mean, he is just so savvy.

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Speaker 3: In what he does.

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Speaker 2: And I'm really loving some of this Netflix QB stuff

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Speaker 2: that I'm seeing clips of with him because it just

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Speaker 2: shows how brilliant he is at the position, and I

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Speaker 2: think everybody's feeding off that energy. I'm also I'm also though,

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Speaker 2: very concerned about, you know, how this team goes directionally

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Speaker 2: with their center position.

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Speaker 3: It's a big storyline for me.

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Speaker 2: Because of how good Frank Ragnow has always been in

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Speaker 2: the National Football League. I mean since he became a guard,

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Speaker 2: which took place he was drafted in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen.

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Speaker 2: He's graded out PFF as one of the best centers

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Speaker 2: at his position, top five every single season. So whether

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Speaker 2: that's Graham Glasgow, whether that's Tate Ratledge, the rookie, it's

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Speaker 2: going to be interesting.

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Speaker 3: But I trust in Hank Fraley, Yeah, one hundred percent.

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Speaker 1: He's one of the best position coaches there is out there,

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Speaker 1: bar none. Was great that he's back in Detroit. You

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Speaker 1: mentioned Chicago, you mentioned Ben Johnson. I know there's a

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Speaker 1: little bit of sigh from Lions fans when you talked

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Speaker 1: about the best play caller no longer in Detroit. But

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Speaker 1: look the states you live in the Chicago area. What

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Speaker 1: is the buzz right now with the Chicago Bears team,

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Speaker 1: Because I'm assuming it's pretty high, not only getting Ben.

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Speaker 1: But look, Caleb had a really good rookie year. Now

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Speaker 1: it was over you know, I mean it was overlooked

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Speaker 1: by because Jade Daniels was just so good. But I

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Speaker 1: think twenty touchdowns, six interceptions for a rookie who was

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Speaker 1: pressured and sacked the most in the NFL last season.

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Speaker 1: They have really good skill weapons over there. You mentioned

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Speaker 1: Ben Johnson. He's trying to change the culture a little bit.

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Speaker 1: They went and fixed their offensive line with three veteran

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Speaker 1: interior guys. What's the buzz in Chicago? Is this one

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Speaker 1: of those teams that you look at like, hey, maybe

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Speaker 1: this team can can make a big turn on be

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Speaker 1: one of those teams that goes from last to first

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Speaker 1: or make some noise in the NFC playoff picture.

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Speaker 2: It's a great question, Tim, because it's it's an important

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Speaker 2: question because I've seen all the different turnover from coaching

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Speaker 2: staff changes, personnel changes over the years with the Chicago

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Speaker 2: Bears and all the coaching turmoil, and you know, every

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Speaker 2: few years it's somebody's out, somebody's in. Well, they just

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Speaker 2: extended Ryan Pohls, so you know he's going to be

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Speaker 2: kind of manning the fort and has done some really

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Speaker 2: good personnel things. One of those decisions was bringing in

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Speaker 2: Ben Johnson. And when you're able to, because we've seen

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Speaker 2: the Bears over the years, maybe not go out and try.

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Speaker 2: And this is with all due respect because this profession

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Speaker 2: is so hard, but Ben Johnson was not just this cycle,

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Speaker 2: but really the last couple cycles, arguably the leading head

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Speaker 2: coaching candidate.

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Speaker 3: Out there, and the Bears stopped at nothing to get him.

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Speaker 3: That was their guy. That's who they wanted. They were

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Speaker 3: willing to spend the money to get that guy. Why

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Speaker 3: Ben Johnson. He's a detailed freak. You know him.

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Speaker 2: Around him NonStop for the last however many years.

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Speaker 3: He's he's a he isn't He's a.

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Speaker 2: Mathematician, right, I mean, you know, a walk on quarterback

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Speaker 2: at UNC, but just really smart, very intelligent. The thing

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Speaker 2: that I think is most underrated when it comes to

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Speaker 2: Ben Johnson is we talk a lot about pure progression

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Speaker 2: offenses and how you know, how he can make a

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Speaker 2: quarterback comfortable. But to me, like he has a real

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Speaker 2: knack for really uncovering coverages and in game, his his

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Speaker 2: his adjustment to defensive coverages and what they're throwing at

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Speaker 2: at at his offense as a play caller and being

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Speaker 2: able to then translate that to the quarterback. And you

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Speaker 2: go back and watch tape, go back and watch the

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Speaker 2: Vikings games from last season, and you'll see his in

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Speaker 2: game adjustments to those coverages. A guy like Brian Flores

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Speaker 2: is gonna empty the you know, the kitchen sink on you,

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Speaker 2: and Ben was ready for it at every turn. And

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Speaker 2: I think that's how he's going to help this young quarterback,

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Speaker 2: besides getting him to play really detailed and make his

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Speaker 2: pocket movement more streamline and make that cadence I think

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Speaker 2: more understandable for him, and therefore the offense.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and that protection is going to be big for

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Speaker 1: me too early on in camp watching that. Can they

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Speaker 1: protect him better if they can do that. Ben's offense

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Speaker 1: is very much timing space, get the ball out here

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Speaker 1: on time. Now. Look, Caleb can improvise with the best

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Speaker 1: of them, and that's going to be part of his

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Speaker 1: game and Ben's going to use that. But it's a

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Speaker 1: timing offense. It's be here at this position at this time,

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Speaker 1: protect him, get it out. I'm going to create the

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Speaker 1: space and the matchups, you know, And so it'll be

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Speaker 1: interesting to see if they can protect him early. That'll

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Speaker 1: be one thing I'm looking at.

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Speaker 3: There's no question.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Braxton Jones two is coming back from an

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Speaker 2: injury on the left side of that offensive line, and

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Speaker 2: you're going to see some young players competing, maybe even

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Speaker 2: into training camp.

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Speaker 3: We'll see when Jones is ready.

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Speaker 2: But in Ausie Tripp Pillow their second round, I believe

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Speaker 2: pick at a Boston college.

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Speaker 3: He is massive in frame.

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Speaker 2: And then Karan Amagajie, who's you know, he's now had

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Speaker 2: some time here in Chicago and they've had a little

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Speaker 2: bit of a competition with Braxton Jones out, so they

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Speaker 2: think they have some depth with that offensive line. But

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Speaker 2: I would say too, Tim, I mean, you know this

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Speaker 2: one thing you have to do in this division is

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Speaker 2: you got to get the ball out and Caleb Williams

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Speaker 2: is responsible for holding it on, hold on, holding on

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Speaker 2: to it too long at times. So it's not just

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Speaker 2: on that offensive line. But I certainly think that because

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Speaker 2: of the veteran presences they've brought in Tony Dolman and

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Speaker 2: you know, Jonah Jackson, there's some brain power that I

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Speaker 2: think has now added to this unit that will make

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Speaker 2: the job of the quarterback easier. And for second year quarterbacks,

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Speaker 2: it's just so critical to have that stability and then

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Speaker 2: have a coach who's gonna give me some gimmes. And

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Speaker 2: I think Ben Johnson is going to give Caleb some gimmes.

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Speaker 2: What do I mean when I say that when it's

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Speaker 2: fourth and one, or when it's you know, third and long,

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Speaker 2: or it's third and five. He's going to have some

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Speaker 2: built in answers for Caleb Johnson because of his vast

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Speaker 2: understanding of what defenses want to do and because he

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Speaker 2: has been so successful calling plays. I think some of

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Speaker 2: those gimmeis are going to help Caleb and that offensive

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Speaker 2: line will kind of marry with that.

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Speaker 1: Stacey, I have to say, your dog looks completely content

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Speaker 1: and comfortable in that spot right behind you're there. I

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Speaker 1: don't think he or she has not moved yet. That

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Speaker 1: is one of the most content She's something.

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Speaker 2: This is my this is my like, this is my

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Speaker 2: little my dwelling of football, this room. And so she's

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Speaker 2: so soothed by football because I go into a happy

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Speaker 2: place when I talk about football.

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Speaker 3: But yeah, she's my little sidekick.

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Speaker 2: And watching me do it on because I'll be back

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Speaker 2: on the road.

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Speaker 1: Again Minnesota fourteen wins obviously came down Week eighteen last

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Speaker 1: year for the division for the number one seed Stace.

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Speaker 1: When you look at that team, you know, fifth in

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Speaker 1: points allowed last year. They've got skilled weapons to rival Detroit.

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Speaker 1: Is it JJ McCarthy or bus? Is it really all

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Speaker 1: about the quarterback position in Minnesota? Because you look at

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Speaker 1: the roster, the defense, the coaching that they have there

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Speaker 1: with McConnell, and it all seems to be in place.

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Speaker 1: But you know as well as I do, if you

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Speaker 1: don't get great quarterback play, it really doesn't matter, especially

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Speaker 1: in this division. Is it all about JJ McCarthy in Minnesota?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but they sure have built a roster to make

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Speaker 2: it easy for him to slide in there and be

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Speaker 2: a good quarterback. And you can be simply because of

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Speaker 2: Kevin O'Connell. It's the Kevin O'Connell factor.

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Speaker 3: Tim.

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Speaker 2: I will never forget just sitting with coach O'Connell last

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Speaker 2: year at a production meeting ahead of one of the

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Speaker 2: games I was covering, and I think we were overseas,

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Speaker 2: but he was talking about Sam Darnold and his his

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Speaker 2: resurgence and we all thought, Okay, this guy's cooked. Where's

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Speaker 2: he going in the NFL. He's probably going to be

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Speaker 2: a backup along the way. Well, from the moment that

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Speaker 2: Sam became a Minnesota biking on that one year deal

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Speaker 2: and I think it was one year, right, and the

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Speaker 2: moment they stepped on grass together, but even meeting rooms,

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Speaker 2: it was like, how can I get this guy can

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Speaker 2: really throw the ball, he can take hits, he has

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Speaker 2: the ability to move outside the pocket, But how can

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Speaker 2: I get him to be disciplined and really condense have

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Speaker 2: a checklist on every play he talked about, and really

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Speaker 2: condense the pocket for him and make this thing see

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Speaker 2: through the rush he talked about. But the most important

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Speaker 2: thing is how much can I fill his cup every week?

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Speaker 2: That's Kevin O'Connell is an incredible master at teaching the

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Speaker 2: quarterback position. Josh McCown is there too, and then so

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Speaker 2: there's all this knowledge, but Kevin has a really good

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Speaker 2: way of making the quarterback position easy. And so I

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Speaker 2: feel really confident about his marriage with with JJ McCarthy.

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Speaker 2: And I'll tell you this, every every Minnesota game I

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Speaker 2: had last year, talking on the.

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Speaker 3: Sidelines to coaches is a golden retriever. I mean, he

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Speaker 3: is just lapping it all up right like that that

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Speaker 3: was actually said to me. He is lapping it up.

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Speaker 3: He loves football.

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Speaker 2: He's going to operate the offense just the way Kevin

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Speaker 2: wants him to. So he's not a quarterback that's going

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Speaker 2: to just rip it outside of script. And when you

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Speaker 2: have a retooled offensive line. They've got a brand new

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Speaker 2: offensive line. I mean Christian Darris I didn't play last

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Speaker 2: year because of his injury, so he'll be back. And

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Speaker 2: then you've added Will Fries, Bryan Ryan Kelly on the

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Speaker 2: in the middle at center, and Donovan Jackson's going to

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Speaker 2: be an absolute baller their first round pick to one

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Speaker 2: of those guard spots, likely left guard.

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Speaker 3: We'll see. But I just think they got all the pieces.

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Speaker 2: They've got justin Jefferson, They've got Hawkinson, Like, they're pretty loaded.

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Speaker 1: I mean, Addison came on big last year. They've got

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Speaker 1: the running back. I mean, they are their skilled as

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Speaker 1: Detroit I think, and the skill position.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and their defense is gonna only be better.

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Speaker 2: They've added a couple of guys there, Javon Hargrave, Jonathan

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Speaker 2: Allen via Washington Like they added more beef upfront to

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Speaker 2: an already vicious pass rush.

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Speaker 3: So Minnesota is in good hands.

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Speaker 1: I feel, all right, let's go to Green Bay. You

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Speaker 1: get Matthew Golden, you get Savon Williams. You look at

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Speaker 1: that Green Bay team last year, Stace, and they were

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Speaker 1: a top five defense. They were a top five rushing offense.

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Speaker 1: But they led the league in drop percentage seven point

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Speaker 1: five percent total drops twenty five. They just didn't have

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Speaker 1: that guy that stood up. You know, when I look

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Speaker 1: at Green Bay and I'm like, what receiver are they

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Speaker 1: going to pay? Like, who would they want long term?

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Speaker 1: You've got to think about that for a minute and

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Speaker 1: decide which one it would maybe be. That's not a

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Speaker 1: good thing. So obviously they went and got the receiver help.

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Speaker 1: Is that really what they were missing? Was that the piece?

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Speaker 1: If they can get that number one guy to step up,

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Speaker 1: if they can get a couple guys to step up

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Speaker 1: on the outside from that receiver position, they can be

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Speaker 1: more consistent passing. Are they as good as anyone in

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Speaker 1: this Division two? Of that part of the of their

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Speaker 1: team is much better in twenty twenty five?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think with Green Bay they turned

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Speaker 2: the ball over at an extraordinary rate just defensively last year.

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Speaker 2: Gave it back to the offense, Tim, But if their

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Speaker 2: pass rush can be more effective, like just just that

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Speaker 2: front group, if they can be more effective, like get

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Speaker 2: something more out of Lucas fan Ask for instance, that

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Speaker 2: could be a whole different level.

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Speaker 3: Of a defense if that's the case. But offensively, Jordan

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Speaker 3: lom has to be healthy.

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Speaker 2: But here's the cool thing about Matt Lafleur, another incredible

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Speaker 2: play caller in this NFC North right, they lose them

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Speaker 2: and Malik Willa steps in and there's no drop off.

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Speaker 3: They run the ball as well as anybody.

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Speaker 2: In the league last year with Josh Jacobs, and you know,

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Speaker 2: now they get Marshawn Lloyd back healthy, who's going to

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Speaker 2: be a serviceable backup I think for Jacobs. So here's

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Speaker 2: what hope I kind of hope and you touched on this, Tim,

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Speaker 2: for the Packers, We've now watched this what has been

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Speaker 2: the youngest offense in football evolving for the last couple

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Speaker 2: of years. With this, it's almost like wide receiver by committee.

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Speaker 2: So when you say who are they going to pay?

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Speaker 2: I kind of want and hope for a declaration of

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Speaker 2: a tier in their wide receiver group.

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Speaker 3: What do I mean?

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Speaker 2: You've mentioned the drops they dropped the ball at an

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Speaker 2: extraordinary rate, which.

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Speaker 3: Wasn't all on Jordan Love last season. I just think

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Speaker 3: a little.

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Speaker 2: More certainty and clarity with who are our guys? What

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Speaker 2: plays are we going to have for those specific guys,

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Speaker 2: because they can go eleven personnel. I mean you're going

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Speaker 2: to see with the talent they have at receiver, Tucker

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Speaker 2: Craft's going to be incremental in what they do and

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Speaker 2: obviously Jacobs. So you're going to see a lot of

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Speaker 2: eleven personnel where they have three receivers. What three are

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Speaker 2: those guys going to be? Christian Watson's going to be

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Speaker 2: out for a little while.

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Speaker 3: But you mentioned in Matthew Golden, he had an awesome,

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Speaker 3: awesome mini camp series with this team. The rookie. Why

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Speaker 3: they took him in the first round, I don't think

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Speaker 3: they could.

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Speaker 2: He was probably right there on their board and they

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Speaker 2: were like, we got to get Matthew Golden. He's really

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Speaker 2: he's really technical in his routes, he's a sure player.

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Speaker 2: I think that they probably saw a lot of good

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Speaker 2: stuff with him.

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Speaker 1: But now I'm looking four two didn't hurt either.

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Speaker 2: I don't think yeah, yeah, right, But I'm looking at

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Speaker 2: their receivers. Tim I'm looking at Romeo Dobbs and Jaden

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Speaker 2: Reid who's a slot machine. And you mentioned Savion Williams,

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Speaker 2: the rookie who is massive in size and might be

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Speaker 2: a little bit of a developmental guy. But Dontavian Wicks,

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Speaker 2: like when when Christian Watson comes back.

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Speaker 3: Who are your guys gonna be to? Where Dobbs knows

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Speaker 3: co Ball's.

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Speaker 2: Coming to me like and there's no, there's It eliminates

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Speaker 2: a little bit of the of the thinking and now

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Speaker 2: it's okay, this is the play Jordan love loves.

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Speaker 3: Let's let's get to it.

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Speaker 2: I hope for them just some more because I think

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Speaker 2: they're heck a talented team and they've got a really

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Speaker 2: good offensive line, and I think Jordan loves a really

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Speaker 2: good quarterback.

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Speaker 1: Good points by you, Stace. Let's finish with this. When

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Speaker 1: when you look at Detroit and what you talked about

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Speaker 1: the offensive line and that being a storyline replacing Frank

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Speaker 1: and is it gonna be Tate or Graham or you know,

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Speaker 1: who are they gonna be? Is there anything else that

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Speaker 1: you look at this team going in like, what's the

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Speaker 1: biggest question mark to me? What's one thing I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: you know, focus on maybe outside of that into your

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Speaker 1: offensive line spot that that you know Stacey's gonna come

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Speaker 1: into training camp and you're gonna have an eye on something.

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Speaker 1: What's maybe like a question mark for you with this

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Speaker 1: Detroit Lion team heading into twenty.

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Speaker 2: Twenty five, I think for me is to me, they

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Speaker 2: have one of the best secondaries in football.

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Speaker 3: Oh.

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Speaker 1: I love that you said that, because I've been trying

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Speaker 1: to tell people that too. You are so spot on.

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Speaker 2: I'm kind of actually obsessed with their secondary a little bit.

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Speaker 2: I'm not gonna lie. I love Kirby Joseph, I love

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Speaker 2: Brian Branch. I think they could be the best safety

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Speaker 2: tandem in the National Football League. A healthy defense is

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Speaker 2: a dynamic defense in Detroit, and you can't predict health, right,

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Speaker 2: you can't predict how.

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Speaker 3: That's all going to unveil.

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Speaker 2: But I'm really anxious to see how this defensive front

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Speaker 2: changes with just these guys healthy, Aiden coming back and

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Speaker 2: Tyler Williams integrated. He's a really good, big, big body

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Speaker 2: that I think is going to be really good on

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Speaker 2: the interior. I like the linebacker core. And by the way, Ahmed.

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Speaker 1: Hassening, Yes, good job.

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Speaker 3: I try to.

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Speaker 2: Say Ahmed Hassening, he's going to be a fireball, a

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Speaker 2: spitfire for this team. And you know how like Brad

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Speaker 2: Holmes drafts these rookies, so they get him in the

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Speaker 2: what sixth round or whatever it was, I don't and

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Speaker 2: then like you think of a Malcolm Rodriguez and how

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Speaker 2: he was incorporated as a rookie and who's this guy?

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Speaker 2: You're gonna have that from Hassening in training camp. So

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Speaker 2: I think there's been some depth pieces added. But I'm

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Speaker 2: really really curious to see how this defensive front comes together.

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Speaker 2: For me, that that is the X factor, because I

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Speaker 2: think the secondary is really good. I think Kelvin Shephard

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Speaker 2: is fantastic. I mean, he's phenomenal. Just have a conversation

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Speaker 2: with him about football. Players love him. And then I'm

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Speaker 2: circling Aiden Hutchinson. Tim I think he can be He

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Speaker 2: had seven and a half sacks through five his five

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Speaker 2: games last season. Okay, he was on pace for fifteen

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Speaker 2: sixteen seventeen sacks?

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Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? I mean the way he comes off.

437
00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,399
Speaker 2: The edge Alah, like TJ Watt, I think he can

438
00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,479
Speaker 2: be the best defensive edge in the NFL. I truly

439
00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,480
Speaker 2: believe that I think he's he hasn't even touched his potential,

440
00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,439
Speaker 2: meaning what eleven and a half the year prior.

441
00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,360
Speaker 3: He is. He is a game changer.

442
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,119
Speaker 2: He changes everything you can do, and he affects the

443
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,840
Speaker 2: We always talk about how the interior offense defensive rush

444
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:07,600
Speaker 2: affects the exterior defensive rush. I think he's going to

445
00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:13,399
Speaker 2: affect every gap that can be attacked for that defensive front.

446
00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,520
Speaker 2: That's where I want to see things shift the most

447
00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,240
Speaker 2: for the Detroit Lions because I think they have They're

448
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,800
Speaker 2: kind of layered across the board, both sides, really good

449
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:21,720
Speaker 2: and really talented.

450
00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:23,520
Speaker 1: You know, it's so huge to get him back too,

451
00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,480
Speaker 1: because what that does on the opposite side too, Like

452
00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,840
Speaker 1: if Marcus Davenport can come back and be the player

453
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,320
Speaker 1: he was a few years ago when Dan was in

454
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,240
Speaker 1: New Orleans and they saw him there. Obviously he's dealt

455
00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:36,640
Speaker 1: with health. You mentioned hasan En. You know they get

456
00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,879
Speaker 1: Derek Barnes back, wholl they only had for three games

457
00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,200
Speaker 1: last year. Just who's that guy on the opposite side,

458
00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,120
Speaker 1: because you know Aiden's going to bring it and he's

459
00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,080
Speaker 1: going to have all the attention. There's going to be

460
00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:47,320
Speaker 1: so much of that single one on one coverage on

461
00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,240
Speaker 1: the other side that if they can just stay healthy

462
00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,520
Speaker 1: there and get some production in that, then you get

463
00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,919
Speaker 1: a lean back you mix him with ty Leak on

464
00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:58,600
Speaker 1: the inside. In November, you mentioned a very veteran linebacker

465
00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,560
Speaker 1: group and then Terry and arm It's going to take

466
00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,760
Speaker 1: the next step in year two. They got DJ Reid,

467
00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,400
Speaker 1: who fits perfect in Shep's man coverage scheme of Meek

468
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,520
Speaker 1: Robinson proved he can be one of the top nickels

469
00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:10,520
Speaker 1: last year, so I'm on board with you. I think

470
00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,200
Speaker 1: this secondary is gonna be great. I think the linebacker

471
00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,720
Speaker 1: cord is a veteran group that obviously knows Shep and

472
00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,600
Speaker 1: the expectation. He was in that room for three years.

473
00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,919
Speaker 1: And then if they stay healthy up front, get all

474
00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,080
Speaker 1: their guys back and hutches Hutch. I agree with you

475
00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,200
Speaker 1: one hundred percent. This is a Lions team that has

476
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,199
Speaker 1: been so offense oriented, at least the outside perception is

477
00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,280
Speaker 1: offense oriented, and they earn that because they have been

478
00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,800
Speaker 1: so good. But I think there can be a switch

479
00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:37,760
Speaker 1: this year where this Detroit defense surprises a lot of

480
00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,960
Speaker 1: people and they are better than people expected, and that

481
00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,439
Speaker 1: will be huge for this football team. I think Stace

482
00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,480
Speaker 1: as always. Thank you so much for doing it. You

483
00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,880
Speaker 1: are so in tune with the NFC North. I think

484
00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:50,920
Speaker 1: you're one of the best in business and I always

485
00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,439
Speaker 1: enjoy having you on. We're gonna have a conversation with

486
00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,399
Speaker 1: Sam Laporte and next, but thank you so much, Stace.

487
00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,640
Speaker 1: Enjoy a little bit of vacation before you get rolling,

488
00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:00,480
Speaker 1: and hopefully you'll make a stop in right. We'll see

489
00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:01,240
Speaker 1: at training camp.

490
00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:03,560
Speaker 2: We'll definitely see there. I'll be there right out of

491
00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:05,159
Speaker 2: the gates. Always great to be with you.

492
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,520
Speaker 3: Tim.

493
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,680
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the twenty l Huddle podcast. The guy

494
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,439
Speaker 1: next to me he needs a little introduction. He is

495
00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,800
Speaker 1: a Pro Bowl tight end Sam Laporta entering your third season.

496
00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,280
Speaker 1: It's a little crazy that we're back in camp in July,

497
00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,960
Speaker 1: on July twenty right, I mean, you're playing a football game.

498
00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:25,480
Speaker 1: You're not going to play a football game, but the

499
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,320
Speaker 1: team is playing a football game July thirty first. A

500
00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:29,320
Speaker 1: little crazy, isn't it.

501
00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,359
Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't believe it's the start a camp already.

502
00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,399
Speaker 4: It's only the twentieth of July today, and the Hall

503
00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:37,000
Speaker 4: of Fame game it's coming up quick.

504
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,240
Speaker 1: It is coming up quick, and it's probably a little

505
00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,520
Speaker 1: quicker just given the off season that you had. Sam,

506
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,520
Speaker 1: congratulations on the marriage.

507
00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:45,280
Speaker 5: First, thank you.

508
00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:47,200
Speaker 1: Where did you and CALLI meet?

509
00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,720
Speaker 4: We met like our first week in Iowa. She was

510
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,480
Speaker 4: a rower obviously I played football there. Yeah, and just

511
00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:54,680
Speaker 4: mutual friends through the athletes, so we may.

512
00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,119
Speaker 1: And now I celebrated my twentieth this year too, So congratulations.

513
00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:04,080
Speaker 1: Have fun. It's a beautiful thing. And not everybody gets

514
00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,800
Speaker 1: to get married and then on their honeymoon in Italy.

515
00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,120
Speaker 1: Oh you know, let's go ahead and just meet Pope

516
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,360
Speaker 1: Leo and get get our marriage blessed. Tell everybody how

517
00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,600
Speaker 1: that came about, short version, Probably there's probably more to it,

518
00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,520
Speaker 1: but how crazy was that situation? How fun was that that?

519
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,040
Speaker 1: I mean, not everybody gets to do that.

520
00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,440
Speaker 4: Yeah, that was a blessing for sure. So a friend

521
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,560
Speaker 4: of a friend put us in contact with a priest

522
00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,000
Speaker 4: over in Rome and he notified us that every Wednesday,

523
00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,880
Speaker 4: Pope Leo does a papal audience, and it was about

524
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,119
Speaker 4: three weeks out at this point. He said, typically you

525
00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,040
Speaker 4: need some more time to get these tickets, but I

526
00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:37,880
Speaker 4: can try to, you know, get you to the front

527
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,639
Speaker 4: of the line and get your tickets. In long story short,

528
00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,080
Speaker 4: we were going to Rome, going to Italy on our

529
00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,000
Speaker 4: honeymoon regardless, and that came up. And what a blessing

530
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:46,359
Speaker 4: it was.

531
00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,360
Speaker 1: He's a Bears fan, I know, Chicago fan. I think

532
00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,480
Speaker 1: none of that came up, right, There's no no controversy,

533
00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:56,080
Speaker 1: you know nothing. Were you nervous? I mean I would, yeah,

534
00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,639
Speaker 1: I mean a guy like that, let's like bigger than

535
00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,959
Speaker 1: Meetia by president of a leader of the world. Which, yeah.

536
00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,639
Speaker 4: We sat out in Saint Peter's Square for like four hours.

537
00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,520
Speaker 4: It was every bit of ninety ninety five degrees by

538
00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 4: the end of the day and I was very sweaty.

539
00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,119
Speaker 4: But yes, finally getting to meet the popa it was.

540
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,119
Speaker 4: It was a blessing, getting our marriage blessed.

541
00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,000
Speaker 1: I'm curious because of the honeymoon everything did were you

542
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,800
Speaker 1: able to do tight end you? It was not.

543
00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,240
Speaker 4: I was, Oh, I was bummed out, but I'd rather

544
00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,520
Speaker 4: have been on my honeymoon. Yeah, of course, yes, And

545
00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,840
Speaker 4: you're supposed to say that to make sure you say.

546
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:27,640
Speaker 1: I told her that.

547
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:28,240
Speaker 4: Over and over.

548
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,600
Speaker 1: But tight end you is interesting to me because I

549
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,199
Speaker 1: know you've done it before, and you know Greg Olsen,

550
00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,520
Speaker 1: Travis Kelsey they do a great job kind of organism,

551
00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,120
Speaker 1: and there's some other guys too, But as a tight

552
00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:43,119
Speaker 1: end this league, how valuable is that week working with

553
00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,080
Speaker 1: those guys and just all you guys getting together. What's

554
00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,639
Speaker 1: it like and how valuable is it for especially a

555
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:50,119
Speaker 1: young guy like you early in your career.

556
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,199
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's fun just to be around the group that

557
00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,240
Speaker 4: is the tight end position in the locker room. I

558
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,679
Speaker 4: feel like we're such a great such great characters make

559
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,399
Speaker 4: up the tight end group. So the collection of guys

560
00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,879
Speaker 4: that are down there at tight end you great personalities,

561
00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,000
Speaker 4: and then of course everything you get to learn from

562
00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,280
Speaker 4: the guys that have played the position at the highest

563
00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,040
Speaker 4: level over the years. You know, you get Greg Olsen

564
00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,520
Speaker 4: down there, you get Travis Kelcey, you get Gonkowski, you

565
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,720
Speaker 4: get George Kiddo, you get Hockinson, you get Dallas. Go

566
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:23,159
Speaker 4: down the list, right, there's a zillion guys down there

567
00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,320
Speaker 4: that have played at such a high level, all pro level,

568
00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,440
Speaker 4: gold jacket guys, and to learn from them over the

569
00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,840
Speaker 4: course of the week. It's the little things you get

570
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,679
Speaker 4: to pick their brain. Hey, Trav, what do you think

571
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,960
Speaker 4: about this release? Here? George, what do you think about

572
00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,679
Speaker 4: this footwork on this blocking scheme. What do you you know,

573
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,240
Speaker 4: it's just an amazing opportunity. So guys that get that opportunity,

574
00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,000
Speaker 4: I really suggest they go down and do it.

575
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,159
Speaker 1: Kudos to Olsen and Kelsey and those guys two for

576
00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:47,199
Speaker 1: paying it forward right to the young guys and just

577
00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,439
Speaker 1: putting that together that those are trade secrets so you

578
00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,720
Speaker 1: don't have to do that right. Well, the fact that

579
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,080
Speaker 1: that's such a close knit group of tight ends, it

580
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,600
Speaker 1: was that the way Iowa to because I was becoming,

581
00:27:57,640 --> 00:27:59,960
Speaker 1: you know, the tight end you kind of play.

582
00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,920
Speaker 4: Yeah, when I first got there, Dallas Clark, my first

583
00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:06,480
Speaker 4: fall camp, took a liking to me and he became

584
00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,440
Speaker 4: somewhat of a mentor for me in the four years

585
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,880
Speaker 4: that I was there and beyond that coming into the NFL.

586
00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,000
Speaker 4: But like I said, there's a collection of guys, a

587
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,080
Speaker 4: lot of which come from Iowa, but there's a bunch

588
00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:18,760
Speaker 4: of tight ends down there that just want to help

589
00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,719
Speaker 4: give back to the younger guys and push the position forward.

590
00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:24,919
Speaker 1: Really, speaking of young guys, you know, he got a

591
00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:28,439
Speaker 1: few young guys in the mix here. Still looking for

592
00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,800
Speaker 1: that maybe number three tight end. How is this room

593
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:32,840
Speaker 1: coming together? What do you think of the young guys

594
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,040
Speaker 1: and once you start camp and kind of get into it,

595
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:37,800
Speaker 1: how long does it take for that room to kind

596
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,840
Speaker 1: of gel with the different personnelity. You got veterans in there,

597
00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,640
Speaker 1: you've got some new guys. Just how long does that take?

598
00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,160
Speaker 1: And what do you think of that competition between you know,

599
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:47,720
Speaker 1: the young guys. Maybe a couple of vets for that

600
00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:48,240
Speaker 1: number three.

601
00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:49,920
Speaker 4: Yeah, we have a great group of guys this year.

602
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,600
Speaker 4: Two rookies and Luke dil and Zach Cordon provide a

603
00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,800
Speaker 4: lot of value to the group. We get a new

604
00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,160
Speaker 4: player in Kenny Eboa coming over from the Jets, and

605
00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,160
Speaker 4: experienced guy, played a lot of football, and you know

606
00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,280
Speaker 4: Shane and Brock of course to round out the group.

607
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:07,560
Speaker 4: Just a fantastic group, great guys, better better friends of

608
00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,560
Speaker 4: mine than players. Really, at the end of the day,

609
00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,640
Speaker 4: I love lining up next to those guys and competing

610
00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 4: with them. But by the end of camp you can

611
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,680
Speaker 4: start to tell who's going to add value and in

612
00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:21,440
Speaker 4: what area. Guys start to stand out within the position group.

613
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,960
Speaker 4: There's there's varieties of you know, is this guy going

614
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,000
Speaker 4: to be more of an HF, Is he going to

615
00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,720
Speaker 4: be more of a true y inline blocking guy, What

616
00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:31,480
Speaker 4: what sort of value do you add? So by the

617
00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:32,840
Speaker 4: end of camp that.

618
00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,479
Speaker 1: Number three spot is versatility key to that spot too.

619
00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:37,440
Speaker 1: Of course you'll not be so much of a one

620
00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,520
Speaker 1: trick pony, be able to do a different and play

621
00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:41,480
Speaker 1: different spots there because you never know when you're gonna

622
00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:43,040
Speaker 1: have to hop into that number three spot. What you're

623
00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:43,800
Speaker 1: gonna have to do, of.

624
00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:45,720
Speaker 4: Course, I mean when you play the numbers game, which

625
00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,800
Speaker 4: they always tell us not to. The number three tight

626
00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,520
Speaker 4: end typically plays a lot of special teams and is

627
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,560
Speaker 4: very versatile. Like you said, what do you think of

628
00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:55,360
Speaker 4: Tyler Roll?

629
00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,040
Speaker 1: He's a guy that's gotten a lot of kind of

630
00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,320
Speaker 1: steam ahead of time when he's got in here. Popular guy.

631
00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,120
Speaker 1: I know Dan talked about really wanting him. Just how

632
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:06,920
Speaker 1: is he to the room? What does he bring? First impressions?

633
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:07,720
Speaker 1: Very fiery.

634
00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,600
Speaker 4: I love the attitude that Tyler brings every day. He'll

635
00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,320
Speaker 4: be great in the middle of camp when days are

636
00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,680
Speaker 4: getting long, you're in pads for like the tenth day

637
00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,040
Speaker 4: in a row, maybe you don't want to push yourself.

638
00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:20,160
Speaker 4: Tyler is gonna be.

639
00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:24,120
Speaker 5: He's gonna be for us, so he'll be amazing bringing.

640
00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,520
Speaker 4: Us that motivation and just pushing us to bear best.

641
00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,680
Speaker 1: And then new offensive coordinator too in John Morton's just

642
00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:33,560
Speaker 1: maybe first impressions of him as well. Uh, doesn't seem

643
00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,000
Speaker 1: as fiery as Ben. Maybe that's just my first impression

644
00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,360
Speaker 1: watching him and OTAs and in the first practice you laugh.

645
00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,600
Speaker 1: Maybe you have a different you obviously, but just first

646
00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,800
Speaker 1: impressions of him. Maybe just what you think and is,

647
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:49,760
Speaker 1: is the casual fan gonna be able to see a

648
00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:51,800
Speaker 1: big difference in this offense, Because when we talked to

649
00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,600
Speaker 1: John in the spring, he said, look, it's number one

650
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,400
Speaker 1: offensive league, but I'm not changing a whole lot. Obviously,

651
00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,120
Speaker 1: He's got some things that he likes to do, some

652
00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,240
Speaker 1: principles that he's developed over his many years in this league.

653
00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:03,640
Speaker 1: But will the common fans see the difference and maybe

654
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,640
Speaker 1: just version persons of John taking over that oc? Josh sure, Yeah,

655
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,120
Speaker 1: I feel like it's kind of a two part question

656
00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,760
Speaker 1: in terms of like what the common.

657
00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:11,760
Speaker 4: Fan we'll see. We have a lot of guys back

658
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:16,720
Speaker 4: from last year, especially like this core skill position players,

659
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,040
Speaker 4: the guys that are going to see touching the ball,

660
00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:23,040
Speaker 4: you know, start with the backs, best best duo in

661
00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,480
Speaker 4: the league, Dave Montgomery and Jamier Gibbs, you got the

662
00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,920
Speaker 4: wide outs, you got Khalif, you got Jmo, you got

663
00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,000
Speaker 4: Saint Brown, you got Tim Patrick.

664
00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:33,640
Speaker 1: Jamo fastest guy league. I mean, it's crazy.

665
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,640
Speaker 4: You got a new face in Tesla and then the

666
00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,560
Speaker 4: tight end position is basically the same as well. Yeah,

667
00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:43,320
Speaker 4: and that's that's really exciting for a coordinator like Johnny

668
00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,160
Speaker 4: to come into in my opinion, You've got a set

669
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,240
Speaker 4: group of guys that have played at a high level,

670
00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,840
Speaker 4: with Jared Goff at the helm conducting the offense, and

671
00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,600
Speaker 4: he gets the opportunity to call what he's been learning

672
00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,320
Speaker 4: his entire life as a coach, mostly a past game

673
00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,560
Speaker 4: coordinator the last couple of years, and he's done a

674
00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:04,720
Speaker 4: fantastic job and asking for help from Hank Freeley, who's

675
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,320
Speaker 4: been a fantastic run game guy the last couple of

676
00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:11,200
Speaker 4: years with the offensive line, you know, going falling back

677
00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:14,120
Speaker 4: on his position, coaches as well, and his players, like

678
00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,240
Speaker 4: what do you think of this motion? Where do you

679
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,280
Speaker 4: want to be on the field when we're calling this play?

680
00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:19,480
Speaker 5: How do you want as a player.

681
00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,040
Speaker 4: Of course, you want to have input because you're the

682
00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:23,920
Speaker 4: one out there trying to execute your job at a

683
00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,800
Speaker 4: high level. And when you're getting those questions asked from

684
00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,360
Speaker 4: the top down with Johnny and Dan, you just have

685
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:32,200
Speaker 4: a lot of confidence in yourself as a player.

686
00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,320
Speaker 1: You almost feel like you're taking ownership of the offensive

687
00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:35,360
Speaker 1: bit too, right.

688
00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,800
Speaker 4: I know Jared's talked about that and has.

689
00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:39,480
Speaker 1: Said that over the years that he feels they built

690
00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:42,760
Speaker 1: this around him, And he asked this, heading into your

691
00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:44,920
Speaker 1: third season, Sam, there's going to be such a comfort

692
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,720
Speaker 1: level having produced at that level and now just knowing

693
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,960
Speaker 1: the drill, just where are you at in terms of

694
00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,320
Speaker 1: your comfort level heading into year three? I want to

695
00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,040
Speaker 1: say this. I don't know if if you heard this

696
00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:56,840
Speaker 1: or not, but we talked to Aman Ross Saint Brown

697
00:32:56,840 --> 00:32:59,800
Speaker 1: in the spring and somebody asked him, so, who's catching

698
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,760
Speaker 1: your out here? Who looks great? The first name he said,

699
00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:08,200
Speaker 1: with zero hesitation was Sam Laport. Oh, thank you, he said,

700
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,320
Speaker 1: he looks great. And so when somebody like that says

701
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,920
Speaker 1: that too, and you've had the production, just your comfort

702
00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,920
Speaker 1: level heading into year three, it's.

703
00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,320
Speaker 4: Kind of it's like angel on one shoulder, Devil on

704
00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,160
Speaker 4: the other. In one position, you're very comfortable and how

705
00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,000
Speaker 4: you fit into the offense. But then again, being comfortable

706
00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:31,040
Speaker 4: and complacent, You'll never be your best, so you kind

707
00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:34,120
Speaker 4: of have to. You have to dribble both balls at

708
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:38,280
Speaker 4: the same time. And I'm very comfortable with how I

709
00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,360
Speaker 4: fit into the offense. The production that I've had, I

710
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:44,040
Speaker 4: think has been fantastic. There's only one football on the field,

711
00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:45,800
Speaker 4: and you love to have it in your hands, but

712
00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:47,520
Speaker 4: we have so many guys that deserve it. So at

713
00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,360
Speaker 4: the end of the day, I try to do my best,

714
00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,360
Speaker 4: contribute as much value to the team as possible, and

715
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,480
Speaker 4: continue to get better. Don't be complacent.

716
00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:57,080
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go ahead and just ask one of those

717
00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:59,440
Speaker 1: questions that you know what the answer is going to be,

718
00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:02,920
Speaker 1: just because I know you from being around you for

719
00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:05,280
Speaker 1: two years. But you know, because I want to ask

720
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,520
Speaker 1: you about goals, right and I know you, and the

721
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,640
Speaker 1: first thing you're going to say is I don't care.

722
00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,800
Speaker 1: I want to win games. I want the super Bowl,

723
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,680
Speaker 1: and that's what it's going to be, you know. But

724
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,000
Speaker 1: I just individually, do you do you set individual goals

725
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,320
Speaker 1: catches stuff like that or is it just team stuff

726
00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:23,279
Speaker 1: for you? And do you think it's important maybe for

727
00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,560
Speaker 1: players to do that just to have something to shoot for.

728
00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:28,000
Speaker 5: I don't.

729
00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:33,600
Speaker 4: Discourage guys when I hear them set statistic goals, I

730
00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:35,800
Speaker 4: want to have this many catches, this many yards. I

731
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:37,759
Speaker 4: don't think that's a bad thing to shoot for. It's

732
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,480
Speaker 4: just not what I shoot for. Like you said, the

733
00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,279
Speaker 4: number one goal is to always win as many games

734
00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,719
Speaker 4: as possible, win the division, win the super Bowl. It's

735
00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,759
Speaker 4: always the team goals first, and then when you when

736
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:53,000
Speaker 4: you think about your own individual goals. I think there's

737
00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,279
Speaker 4: nothing cooler than being All Pro in the league, to

738
00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,360
Speaker 4: be voted upon by your peers that you're playing the

739
00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,840
Speaker 4: position at the highest level there that year, so to

740
00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,200
Speaker 4: have gotten I was second team All Pro my rookie year,

741
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,200
Speaker 4: which I was really proud of. If I could do

742
00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,400
Speaker 4: that again, be first team All Pro, I think anybody

743
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:10,879
Speaker 4: would want to be that well.

744
00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:13,000
Speaker 1: According to Aman Ross Saint Brown, a lot of different

745
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,600
Speaker 1: guys I talked to, you are looking really really great

746
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,759
Speaker 1: out there. Obviously huge expectations for this office with all

747
00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,400
Speaker 1: the skill guys that you talked about back it's camp,

748
00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:26,520
Speaker 1: the grind begins, but I think everybody here is excited

749
00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,040
Speaker 1: about the season that you you're gonna have, the offense

750
00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:30,520
Speaker 1: is going to have, the team is going to have.

751
00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:33,399
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining me. Put your head down,

752
00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,759
Speaker 1: grind and uh we'll catch back up in a couple

753
00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,960
Speaker 1: of weeks, a couple of weeks. Thanks Mat, I appreciate you.

754
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,680
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the toy Laha Podcast, and I am

755
00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,680
Speaker 1: very happy to welcome in Tom Pallisero. You guys know

756
00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:53,800
Speaker 1: him NFL network insider. He has his pulse on everything

757
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,480
Speaker 1: the NFL and he's well pretty well connected here in

758
00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:00,200
Speaker 1: Detroit as well. Tom, thanks for joining the podcast. I

759
00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:01,200
Speaker 1: appreciate you.

760
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:01,879
Speaker 5: You got Sam.

761
00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,280
Speaker 6: This is my first media obligation post vacation.

762
00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:08,520
Speaker 5: So got back from.

763
00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:12,440
Speaker 6: The lake having really fully shaved or gotten a haircut,

764
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,880
Speaker 6: So you're getting the real This is the off season me,

765
00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:18,120
Speaker 6: but hopefully this will help my brain get into getting

766
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:18,719
Speaker 6: into training.

767
00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:19,120
Speaker 5: Camp mode here.

768
00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:21,560
Speaker 1: I love that this is the podcast to preview training

769
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,920
Speaker 1: camps that we're all getting in footback in football mode. Look,

770
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,759
Speaker 1: it's crazy that you know we've got first practice comes Sunday.

771
00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,200
Speaker 1: It comes quick, but you know, I mean, you've been

772
00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:33,279
Speaker 1: doing this a long time. The NFL is really a

773
00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:38,560
Speaker 1: twenty four hour, three sixty five deal nowadays. But Tom,

774
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,160
Speaker 1: let's get right into it. You look at the lines,

775
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:44,680
Speaker 1: they obviously have Super Bowl aspirations. When you look at

776
00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:49,520
Speaker 1: the NFC in totality and the teams that are at

777
00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,440
Speaker 1: the top there, who do you think are kind of

778
00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,239
Speaker 1: those you know, three four teams in the NFC the

779
00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:58,240
Speaker 1: head into the season, you know, really having good Super

780
00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:01,360
Speaker 1: Bowl aspirations and good shot of being that team to

781
00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:02,400
Speaker 1: represent the NFC.

782
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,040
Speaker 5: Great question, Tim.

783
00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:07,239
Speaker 6: Because I think that as you proceeded through the playoffs

784
00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,160
Speaker 6: a year ago, you know, it was pretty apparent if

785
00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:12,520
Speaker 6: you watch the Super Bowl that the Eagles were in

786
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,640
Speaker 6: a class by themselves, though there were some other teams

787
00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:18,239
Speaker 6: that pushed them, you know, through the course of the

788
00:37:18,239 --> 00:37:19,759
Speaker 6: season and the playoffs.

789
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,760
Speaker 5: The Packers were right there.

790
00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:26,080
Speaker 6: Obviously the Commanders reached the NFC Championship game. To me,

791
00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:29,359
Speaker 6: it starts with the Eagles, and then it's all right,

792
00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:31,400
Speaker 6: who are those other if you want three, who are

793
00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,279
Speaker 6: those other ones going to be? It has been the

794
00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,440
Speaker 6: Lions over the past couple of years. They played just

795
00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,600
Speaker 6: their worst game at the worst possible moment in that

796
00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:43,279
Speaker 6: playoff opener last year. But certainly you have to look

797
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,400
Speaker 6: at them being in that mix. You look at, you know,

798
00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,680
Speaker 6: the Vikings coming off a fourteen win season but with

799
00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:50,520
Speaker 6: a new quarterback. That's going to be a major question

800
00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:54,799
Speaker 6: hovering over the whole division. Certainly, a team like Green

801
00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,400
Speaker 6: Bay is really really talented, and it's a matter of

802
00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:59,640
Speaker 6: you know, Jordan Love is banged up last year he

803
00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:01,959
Speaker 6: missed some time, but now year two, going into the

804
00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,920
Speaker 6: same defensive scheme should help them. And then the Bears

805
00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,840
Speaker 6: are you know, the team that everybody wants to talk about.

806
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,480
Speaker 6: You know, I've seen some of the analytic projections where

807
00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,520
Speaker 6: all for these teams are considered likely to make the playoffs.

808
00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:15,840
Speaker 6: You know, it really to me, a big part of

809
00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:19,359
Speaker 6: it starts in the NFC North and who is going

810
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,520
Speaker 6: to emerge from that battle Royale? It may well be

811
00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:25,640
Speaker 6: the Lions again. Dan Campbell has obviously had a ton

812
00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,080
Speaker 6: of staff turnover through the course of the offseason. We'll

813
00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:33,399
Speaker 6: see exactly how much their schemes evolved from year over year.

814
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:35,839
Speaker 6: But they've got a lot of the same core players back.

815
00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,879
Speaker 6: They still have the opportunity to be really explosive from

816
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,600
Speaker 6: an offensive perspective. And then getting back a guy that

817
00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,000
Speaker 6: they sorely missed Dallas stretch last season, Aden Hutchinson, who

818
00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,239
Speaker 6: everything seems to be on track with him. That is

819
00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:50,880
Speaker 6: clearly going to be a huge boost for a Lions

820
00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:52,920
Speaker 6: team that if they're going to beat those those good

821
00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:55,120
Speaker 6: teams in the NFC, they're going to need that pass.

822
00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:55,760
Speaker 5: Rush down the stretch.

823
00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:59,719
Speaker 1: Washington, for real? Has Jayden made them a team in

824
00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:02,680
Speaker 1: your mind? That is? You know, they obviously showed with

825
00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,000
Speaker 1: the win and getting to the NFC Championship game, Like

826
00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:08,120
Speaker 1: you talked about, they have staying power. Is Washington one

827
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:08,680
Speaker 1: of those teams?

828
00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:08,799
Speaker 3: Now?

829
00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:11,160
Speaker 1: Maybe a lot of teams entering the season didn't think

830
00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:14,799
Speaker 1: a lot about Washington, But what Jayden did and how

831
00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:16,719
Speaker 1: far they got, are they one of those teams now

832
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,440
Speaker 1: we have to think about every year in the NFC.

833
00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,480
Speaker 6: Well, credit to Dan Quinn and that staff for the

834
00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:25,120
Speaker 6: culture and the shift that they were able to make.

835
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,640
Speaker 6: Jane Daniels was plainly a big part of it. I

836
00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:33,080
Speaker 6: always say, the most dangerous thing that a new staff

837
00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:35,200
Speaker 6: can do in year one, a new regime can do

838
00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:39,680
Speaker 6: in year one is overachieved and the commanders, I mean, listen,

839
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:44,000
Speaker 6: if they don't have a Hail Mary hit, they are

840
00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:46,440
Speaker 6: losing a game to Chicago, and I want to say

841
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:48,680
Speaker 6: that was Week seven. It's the Bears that are in

842
00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:51,680
Speaker 6: the mix in the NFC North and the Commanders all

843
00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:55,680
Speaker 6: a sudden take this, this brutal loss at home on

844
00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:59,200
Speaker 6: national TV. Do the seasons go differently? Obviously they didn't.

845
00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:03,480
Speaker 6: The Commanders were better trained for that moment. I just

846
00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:06,960
Speaker 6: wonder now will they be able to continue to press

847
00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:08,840
Speaker 6: forward here or was that one of those years where

848
00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:12,480
Speaker 6: everything went their way and that maybe covered up some

849
00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,840
Speaker 6: of the deficiencies. You think of some of the breakthrough

850
00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:17,520
Speaker 6: teams that we've seen in recent years. I mean, the

851
00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:19,960
Speaker 6: toast of the town in twenty twenty two was the

852
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,080
Speaker 6: Giants who made the playoffs and won a playoff game

853
00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:25,839
Speaker 6: in Minnesota in Brian Dables' first year. They regressed to

854
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,480
Speaker 6: the mean that following season. Same thing with the Vikings.

855
00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:31,319
Speaker 6: We've gotten into the playoffs that year, and they regressed

856
00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:35,239
Speaker 6: in twenty twenty three, albeit with some significant injuries at

857
00:40:35,239 --> 00:40:38,239
Speaker 6: the quarterback position. You know, this could be a team

858
00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:40,880
Speaker 6: that Jayden Daniels is that good and he can elevate

859
00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:42,839
Speaker 6: the level of everybody around him. They got to sort

860
00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:45,799
Speaker 6: things out with their top wide receiver Terry McLaurin. That's

861
00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,280
Speaker 6: something to keep an eye on here. After he skipped

862
00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,560
Speaker 6: midicamp and the run up to training camp kicking off

863
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:54,640
Speaker 6: next week. But certainly, you know when you have the quarterback,

864
00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,560
Speaker 6: tim that's a big piece of the equation, and it

865
00:40:57,680 --> 00:40:58,719
Speaker 6: sort of seems like they've got a.

866
00:40:58,719 --> 00:40:59,759
Speaker 5: Really good one and lounched him.

867
00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:02,879
Speaker 1: Tom. You mentioned Dan Campbell and the staff turnover here

868
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,719
Speaker 1: in Detroit. Obviously, two new coordinators with John Morton taking

869
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:08,600
Speaker 1: over the offense and Calvin Shepard the defense. I think

870
00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:12,600
Speaker 1: there's fourteen different changes, either guys in new roles or

871
00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:15,160
Speaker 1: new coaches on that staff, but the one constant is

872
00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:18,960
Speaker 1: Dan Campbell. And just you talked about the culture there

873
00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,720
Speaker 1: in Washington, obviously Dan has built the culture here in Detroit.

874
00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:25,400
Speaker 1: Just your perception on the outside looking in of the

875
00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:28,360
Speaker 1: job Dan has done, and when you've got a coach

876
00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:32,080
Speaker 1: that's as well respected as that, when you're having two

877
00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:34,480
Speaker 1: new coordinators and you've got so much turnover on the

878
00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,239
Speaker 1: staff with a guy like Dan, you just kind of

879
00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:39,400
Speaker 1: don't expect it to be a big issue because you

880
00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:41,200
Speaker 1: know he's going to find the right guys. Is that

881
00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:43,960
Speaker 1: kind of the impression from the outside looking into Well,

882
00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:44,800
Speaker 1: first of all, let's.

883
00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,280
Speaker 6: Talk about how rare it is to have the staff

884
00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:49,439
Speaker 6: continuity that had.

885
00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,240
Speaker 5: This is the place point. It took a few years

886
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:54,040
Speaker 5: for them to have to pay that price.

887
00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:56,880
Speaker 6: If I'm not mistaken, the Lions were the only team

888
00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:59,960
Speaker 6: last year that had had their offensive and defensive coordinators

889
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:03,040
Speaker 6: in place for three straight years. So when you have that,

890
00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:06,320
Speaker 6: that just allows you to build a level of continuity

891
00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,560
Speaker 6: that you just don't see in the NFL a whole lot.

892
00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:13,160
Speaker 6: Having said that, yes, Dan Campbell is not just a

893
00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:16,880
Speaker 6: culture setter, but he built that offense with Ben Johnson.

894
00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:20,960
Speaker 6: Ben is obviously brilliant, and we'll see how brilliant two

895
00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:23,440
Speaker 6: times this year when he goes up against his old team.

896
00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:25,480
Speaker 1: Lions fans are hoping not too brilliant.

897
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:28,319
Speaker 5: He's a really really smart guy.

898
00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:31,480
Speaker 6: And the creativity and the unique plays that he would

899
00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:34,320
Speaker 6: draw up, you know, that's something that we're going to

900
00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,440
Speaker 6: have to see how the Lions, you know, kind of

901
00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:37,120
Speaker 6: adjust to that.

902
00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:39,160
Speaker 5: You remember, you know, the shift began for.

903
00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:43,360
Speaker 6: Detroit midway through Dan's first year when he took the

904
00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:46,640
Speaker 6: play calling duties from Anthony Lynn. Ben became more involved,

905
00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:49,680
Speaker 6: but Dan was calling it himself. That's when you got

906
00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:52,239
Speaker 6: that run first physical mentality, and they ran for whatever

907
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:54,279
Speaker 6: was three hundred yards against Pittsburgh I think it was

908
00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,600
Speaker 6: in that opening game. Dan's going to be heavily involved,

909
00:42:57,680 --> 00:42:59,879
Speaker 6: and John Borton's been around the block. I mean, he's

910
00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:03,120
Speaker 6: coached with some really good people, Sean Payton certainly chief

911
00:43:03,160 --> 00:43:06,240
Speaker 6: among them. He was there in Detroit at one point

912
00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:08,359
Speaker 6: previously here. I don't think that there's going to be

913
00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:11,960
Speaker 6: you know, a beat skipped, per se. I do think

914
00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:14,920
Speaker 6: that any time that you have again this level of turnover,

915
00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:16,920
Speaker 6: because it's not just your coordinators, but there were a

916
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:20,880
Speaker 6: bunch of other staff members, Tanna Engstran going on to

917
00:43:20,920 --> 00:43:24,040
Speaker 6: be the the jets OC and J. T. Barrett following

918
00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:30,239
Speaker 6: Ben to Chicago. There were other dall as well. I mean,

919
00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:32,640
Speaker 6: that's that's a lot, and so we'll see.

920
00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:33,799
Speaker 5: The one thing I know.

921
00:43:33,719 --> 00:43:38,160
Speaker 6: About Dan is he is never afraid to confront whatever

922
00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:40,680
Speaker 6: his realities are. And you've seen it with some of

923
00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:43,560
Speaker 6: the we might say incremental moves, but certainly they've been

924
00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,600
Speaker 6: swift moves. When it was you know, again taking away

925
00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:48,880
Speaker 6: the play calling duties from Anthony Lynn, whether it was

926
00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:52,000
Speaker 6: making a change to his defensive staff, you know, moving

927
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,640
Speaker 6: on from Aubrey Pleasant at the time. If there's something

928
00:43:54,680 --> 00:43:56,440
Speaker 6: that he doesn't feel like is right, He's not going

929
00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:58,560
Speaker 6: to hesitate to change it here, but this will be

930
00:43:58,680 --> 00:44:01,720
Speaker 6: a big test, There's no doubt about it. And maybe

931
00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:04,520
Speaker 6: you would hope after this many years now, the player

932
00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:07,520
Speaker 6: leadership also is going to be able to rise up

933
00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:09,640
Speaker 6: at whatever void might need to be filled with some

934
00:44:09,680 --> 00:44:11,640
Speaker 6: of those guys, namely Aaron Glenn as well as Ben

935
00:44:11,719 --> 00:44:15,000
Speaker 6: Johnson moving on, maybe there's some of those players too

936
00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,480
Speaker 6: that can help bring that entire thing and keep it

937
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:18,440
Speaker 6: rolling in the right direction.

938
00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:20,840
Speaker 1: Yeah. I think that's a great point by you, because

939
00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:24,040
Speaker 1: it is a core that's now been here and established,

940
00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:26,879
Speaker 1: and you saw on the Netflix just the leadership that

941
00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:30,320
Speaker 1: Jared Golf has been in his tenth year and running

942
00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:33,080
Speaker 1: the show there. Look talking about Dan a little bit, Tom,

943
00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:35,399
Speaker 1: he doesn't get enough credit for the offensive mind that

944
00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:39,280
Speaker 1: he is. You know, everybody sees the opening press conference

945
00:44:39,320 --> 00:44:41,320
Speaker 1: and the grit and some of the speeches and stuff,

946
00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:45,120
Speaker 1: but he is a very apt offensive mind and he

947
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:47,240
Speaker 1: doesn't get enough credit for it. And to your point,

948
00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,960
Speaker 1: that offense turned when he's started taking over the play calling,

949
00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:54,680
Speaker 1: and it's him, Ben and Jared that built this offense.

950
00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:57,080
Speaker 1: Ben deserves a lot of credit for it. But Dan

951
00:44:57,160 --> 00:45:00,279
Speaker 1: had a big part of building that offense around. He

952
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:01,759
Speaker 1: doesn't need a lot credit for it, So it'll be

953
00:45:01,760 --> 00:45:04,600
Speaker 1: fun to see how this kind of goes knowing that

954
00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:05,879
Speaker 1: Dan's the constant there.

955
00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:08,480
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think that was one of the misconceptions. I

956
00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:10,520
Speaker 6: know that was one of the misconceptions about Dan when

957
00:45:10,520 --> 00:45:13,160
Speaker 6: he came to Detroit was. Yeah, he had the press

958
00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,600
Speaker 6: conference that people still quote to this day. But the

959
00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:18,640
Speaker 6: thing that I kept emphasizing on TV was hink Ambill

960
00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:21,760
Speaker 6: work for Sean Payton, who is a partyment, offensive mind

961
00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:24,799
Speaker 6: and as demanding as any coach in the NFL. But

962
00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:27,759
Speaker 6: Dan was presenting parts of the game plan. Dan was

963
00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:30,800
Speaker 6: speaking to the team on a weekly basis. If Sean

964
00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:33,160
Speaker 6: had something else going on, Dan was the one who

965
00:45:33,239 --> 00:45:36,080
Speaker 6: was stepping in and running the show. You know, that

966
00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:40,560
Speaker 6: level of trust. I think really spoke volumes about how

967
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:44,080
Speaker 6: smart Dan is and again we're gonna see, you know,

968
00:45:44,719 --> 00:45:46,600
Speaker 6: does his stamp come.

969
00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,359
Speaker 5: Through even more this time around.

970
00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:50,000
Speaker 6: I don't know if it's possible to run the football

971
00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:52,359
Speaker 6: more than the Lions are already, but you know, maybe

972
00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:55,120
Speaker 6: there's there's more of an emphasis into certain areas of it.

973
00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:58,279
Speaker 6: Every year is an evolution. I bumped into Dan at

974
00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:03,120
Speaker 6: the coffee shop in one of the hotels in Indianapolis

975
00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:05,640
Speaker 6: at the combine, and he was, you know, probably getting

976
00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:07,920
Speaker 6: his fifth coffee of the day, but he had been

977
00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:09,840
Speaker 6: He was like, oh man, I'm rolling with the coaches.

978
00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:11,759
Speaker 6: They were because they had never been in the same

979
00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:14,800
Speaker 6: room together because it took so long. The hiring process

980
00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:18,200
Speaker 6: takes so long, not just for for instance, Ag and Bendaland,

981
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:21,040
Speaker 6: but then Ag had to hire his staffs Now Angstrand's gone.

982
00:46:21,200 --> 00:46:24,239
Speaker 6: The combine was the first time the Lions had their

983
00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:27,520
Speaker 6: new staff together. But in talking to Dan, yeah, you know,

984
00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:29,279
Speaker 6: you us talk about we lost seven coaches or whatever

985
00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:30,960
Speaker 6: it was. But it's like, but I'm fired up, Like

986
00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:34,040
Speaker 6: this is new, this is freshest and different challenge. I

987
00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:35,640
Speaker 6: fully expected to embrace it.

988
00:46:36,280 --> 00:46:38,560
Speaker 1: You know, I could tend the Lions could be a

989
00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:41,240
Speaker 1: better football team in twenty twenty five than they were

990
00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:43,359
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four. And look, they won fifteen games,

991
00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:45,560
Speaker 1: they were in the number one seed. They could be

992
00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:48,319
Speaker 1: a better football team and lose more football games. You know,

993
00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:51,319
Speaker 1: they've got one of the toughest schedules in football. But

994
00:46:51,360 --> 00:46:53,680
Speaker 1: when you look at this team, what's one thing you're

995
00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:55,840
Speaker 1: excited about what what do you think is a strength

996
00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:57,880
Speaker 1: heading into this season? So I want to give you

997
00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:00,680
Speaker 1: one strength and then one area maybe where you have

998
00:47:00,680 --> 00:47:03,399
Speaker 1: a question mark with this football team heading into twenty

999
00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:03,959
Speaker 1: twenty five.

1000
00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:07,080
Speaker 6: Well, the question mark, if we start there, is probably

1001
00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:09,480
Speaker 6: just going to be do they have sufficient amount of

1002
00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:10,080
Speaker 6: pass rush?

1003
00:47:10,160 --> 00:47:11,800
Speaker 5: I think that you saw that last year.

1004
00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:14,400
Speaker 6: They obviously, you know, brought in Zadarius to try to

1005
00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:15,600
Speaker 6: help fill the void here.

1006
00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:17,280
Speaker 5: Aiden being back.

1007
00:47:17,160 --> 00:47:19,600
Speaker 6: And hopefully being himself is going to make a huge difference,

1008
00:47:19,600 --> 00:47:23,759
Speaker 6: but they've sometimes lacked that that complimentary piece, and so

1009
00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:25,400
Speaker 6: you know some of that going to come. You know,

1010
00:47:25,480 --> 00:47:28,520
Speaker 6: Tyler Williams, who's the biggest man anyone's ever seen on

1011
00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,360
Speaker 6: a football field. Can that internal you know, whatever you

1012
00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:33,120
Speaker 6: can do in terms of pushing the pocket, can that

1013
00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:36,799
Speaker 6: make a difference? What other stuff, you know, Mike Kevin

1014
00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:40,319
Speaker 6: Shepard want to draw that they weren't doing previously. There's

1015
00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:43,120
Speaker 6: a lot of different things they've They've tried different fronts

1016
00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:45,439
Speaker 6: in the past. I know they've had attacking styles, they've

1017
00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:47,640
Speaker 6: had more play on the block styles. You know, how

1018
00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:50,040
Speaker 6: does that thing kind of evolve through the course of

1019
00:47:50,040 --> 00:47:52,040
Speaker 6: this season. I think that just do they have enough

1020
00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:54,520
Speaker 6: pass rush. That was the question all last year, even

1021
00:47:54,520 --> 00:47:56,719
Speaker 6: before Aiden got hurt, was do they have enough you know,

1022
00:47:57,360 --> 00:47:59,160
Speaker 6: around him? And then it was after he got hurt,

1023
00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:00,759
Speaker 6: it was obviously, well or is it going to come

1024
00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:01,080
Speaker 6: from that?

1025
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,520
Speaker 5: To me? Is still the number one question mark?

1026
00:48:03,880 --> 00:48:06,399
Speaker 6: The biggest strength of the team, you know, I still

1027
00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:09,319
Speaker 6: think is just the the offensive playmakers. You know, Frank

1028
00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:12,600
Speaker 6: Wraigan now retiring, that's a big deal and you're gonna

1029
00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:15,120
Speaker 6: have to, you know, do some adjusting on your offensive line.

1030
00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:18,880
Speaker 6: Which if there was one strength left over from the

1031
00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:21,439
Speaker 6: Bob Quinn Matt Patricia days, it was that offensive line

1032
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:24,120
Speaker 6: and they have had a lot of continuity in that group.

1033
00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:26,719
Speaker 6: If the offensive line can come together, then you know,

1034
00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:30,200
Speaker 6: you just think of the levels on which they can

1035
00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:33,719
Speaker 6: beat you. You know, both in terms of running the football.

1036
00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:36,480
Speaker 6: With Montgomery was healthy enough to play down the stretch,

1037
00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:38,920
Speaker 6: should be a lot better this year. Obviously, Jamier Gibbs,

1038
00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:41,080
Speaker 6: everyone you know in the fantasy football community is talking about,

1039
00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:42,960
Speaker 6: this guy can be a top five type of performer

1040
00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:45,200
Speaker 6: this year. And then it's a'm on Ross Saint Brown,

1041
00:48:45,560 --> 00:48:48,120
Speaker 6: and it's Jamo, and it's Samuel Porter, who you'd hope

1042
00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:50,719
Speaker 6: is a little bit closer to being himself now a

1043
00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:54,640
Speaker 6: little bit further removed from the injury. They've got tons

1044
00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:56,840
Speaker 6: of playmakers and obviously Jared Goff, who's played at a

1045
00:48:56,880 --> 00:48:58,920
Speaker 6: really high level. This is the first time now too,

1046
00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:03,319
Speaker 6: Jared's not going to have been around. How does that

1047
00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:06,200
Speaker 6: dynamic work here in addition to having your passing game

1048
00:49:06,239 --> 00:49:09,160
Speaker 6: coordinator moving on as well, I think they've got the

1049
00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:12,320
Speaker 6: chance to be really, really dynamic again, which is saying

1050
00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:14,279
Speaker 6: something because you're talking about a team that, if I'm

1051
00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:16,200
Speaker 6: not mistaken, led the league in points last year.

1052
00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:19,080
Speaker 1: Well, they're really dynamic because of their general manager Brad

1053
00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:22,680
Speaker 1: Holmes has done such a terrific job of building this roster.

1054
00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:25,920
Speaker 1: I mean, what GM around in his first four draft

1055
00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:30,240
Speaker 1: cycles drafted seven Pro Bowl players are all pros, That's what.

1056
00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:33,319
Speaker 1: But Brad, did you know with guys like Hutchinson and

1057
00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:36,360
Speaker 1: Saint Brown and Penny Sewell and the list goes on

1058
00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:38,439
Speaker 1: and on. But you know, and Brad talked a little

1059
00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:40,520
Speaker 1: bit about this at the league meetings. Is when you

1060
00:49:40,600 --> 00:49:42,839
Speaker 1: do that, that's great and you have a nice young core,

1061
00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:46,680
Speaker 1: but also you have some bills that come doue and

1062
00:49:46,719 --> 00:49:49,919
Speaker 1: we're talking about hutch You know, going into his last

1063
00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:52,719
Speaker 1: season next year, Brian Branch has become one of the

1064
00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:54,839
Speaker 1: best safeties in the league. He's going to be on

1065
00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:57,960
Speaker 1: his the final year of his deal next year. You've

1066
00:49:57,960 --> 00:50:01,840
Speaker 1: got Jamison Williams, You've got Sam Laporta, You've got Jamior Gibbs.

1067
00:50:01,880 --> 00:50:04,319
Speaker 1: These are all guys that are in line Tom for

1068
00:50:04,719 --> 00:50:07,880
Speaker 1: you know, maybe set the market at their position type deals.

1069
00:50:08,320 --> 00:50:11,000
Speaker 1: Some tough decisions are coming down the line. What do

1070
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:15,319
Speaker 1: you think, Hutch, let's maybe start there contract might look like.

1071
00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:16,640
Speaker 3: And then just.

1072
00:50:18,080 --> 00:50:21,200
Speaker 1: The position that Detroit's in, having so many good young players.

1073
00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:23,879
Speaker 1: But our tough decisions headed headed this way.

1074
00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:27,080
Speaker 6: I mean, that's that's the problem that every team wants

1075
00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:29,319
Speaker 6: to have, is you've got too many great players and

1076
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:31,319
Speaker 6: you push it as far as you can for as

1077
00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:32,960
Speaker 6: long as you can, and sometimes you have to make

1078
00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:35,759
Speaker 6: hard decisions. Look at the other teams that have been,

1079
00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,520
Speaker 6: you know, in the mix for a long period of time,

1080
00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:40,960
Speaker 6: the forty nine ers that Bill can do. As you

1081
00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:43,160
Speaker 6: put it, this offseason, when it was we just we

1082
00:50:43,239 --> 00:50:46,120
Speaker 6: can't have of whatever it was, fifteen eighteen to twenty

1083
00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:49,360
Speaker 6: million dollars Deebo Samuel on this team and we can't

1084
00:50:49,440 --> 00:50:52,120
Speaker 6: continue to paye von Hargrave. We're going to have to

1085
00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:54,399
Speaker 6: make some you know, some tough moves here because now

1086
00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:57,080
Speaker 6: we're paying brock Perty at the top of the market.

1087
00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:00,719
Speaker 6: The Chiefs have gone through multiple different it or I mean,

1088
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:03,680
Speaker 6: who thought going into the offseason a few years ago

1089
00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:06,480
Speaker 6: that they would trade maybe the most dynamic weapon in

1090
00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:09,200
Speaker 6: the entire league in Tyreek Hill. But what they were

1091
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:12,080
Speaker 6: looking at was we need to rebuild a multi offensive

1092
00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:15,680
Speaker 6: and defensive fronts. Well, if we're now paying Tyreek wants

1093
00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:18,680
Speaker 6: a new deal, and he thinks DeVante Adams got twenty

1094
00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:22,080
Speaker 6: eight million a year in Vegas, even though on realistically

1095
00:51:22,120 --> 00:51:24,400
Speaker 6: it was like twenty two. But now he's asking for thirty.

1096
00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:27,799
Speaker 6: We can save that thirty million per year and get

1097
00:51:28,040 --> 00:51:30,919
Speaker 6: a first round pick and another pick and use those

1098
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:33,400
Speaker 6: resources to rebuild everything else. Okay, we're gonna do the

1099
00:51:33,400 --> 00:51:37,000
Speaker 6: hard thing. Those are some of those types of decisions

1100
00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:39,200
Speaker 6: that you have to make in terms of a Naden

1101
00:51:39,239 --> 00:51:42,399
Speaker 6: Hutchinson contract. You know, the longer he waits, the more

1102
00:51:42,440 --> 00:51:44,400
Speaker 6: the number is going to go up, particularly if he

1103
00:51:44,440 --> 00:51:46,799
Speaker 6: comes back in camp and shows he's fully healthy. The

1104
00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:49,480
Speaker 6: bar said at forty million a year, that was miles Garrett,

1105
00:51:49,640 --> 00:51:53,320
Speaker 6: I would anticipate, I would fully expect that Naden Hutchinson

1106
00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:56,200
Speaker 6: deal comes in significantly north of that because you also

1107
00:51:56,200 --> 00:51:59,319
Speaker 6: have TJ. Watt, Trey Hendrickson. That one's probably not going

1108
00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:01,000
Speaker 6: to be at least as of now, it's not gonna

1109
00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:03,120
Speaker 6: be north of forty, but it's gonna be another top

1110
00:52:03,120 --> 00:52:05,919
Speaker 6: of market deal. Master Crosby, the Neil Hunter, a bunch

1111
00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:08,200
Speaker 6: of guys got in that thirty five million dollar range

1112
00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:10,400
Speaker 6: through the course of this offseason. So as some of

1113
00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:13,480
Speaker 6: these other deals start to get done Michael Parsons as well,

1114
00:52:13,719 --> 00:52:15,920
Speaker 6: that's going to push into the forty two to forty

1115
00:52:15,960 --> 00:52:18,560
Speaker 6: three range. Aiden Hutchinson, if they're not doing that deal

1116
00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:20,680
Speaker 6: until the end of this year, that could be forty five.

1117
00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:21,080
Speaker 5: You know.

1118
00:52:21,120 --> 00:52:23,359
Speaker 6: We'll just have to see with the cap going up,

1119
00:52:23,600 --> 00:52:25,640
Speaker 6: how much that market expands and what some of these

1120
00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:29,120
Speaker 6: other deals end up looking like. In terms of Brad

1121
00:52:29,239 --> 00:52:32,040
Speaker 6: you know, and what he's done with the roster. I

1122
00:52:32,040 --> 00:52:34,480
Speaker 6: think that the Lions have done as good of a

1123
00:52:34,560 --> 00:52:38,200
Speaker 6: job as anybody at being able to walk the line

1124
00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:41,799
Speaker 6: between getting really good players and getting guys who fit.

1125
00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:45,280
Speaker 6: There are times, and you saw this when Bill Belichick

1126
00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:48,400
Speaker 6: had full authority over personnel in New England where they

1127
00:52:48,400 --> 00:52:51,279
Speaker 6: were drafting guys who were fits. But eventually you end

1128
00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:54,760
Speaker 6: up with a bunch of like average athletes from Navy

1129
00:52:54,800 --> 00:52:56,680
Speaker 6: who might be really sharp and they're on time and

1130
00:52:56,719 --> 00:52:58,840
Speaker 6: they can learn fast, but they're just not going to

1131
00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:01,759
Speaker 6: be competitive with a team like the Bills that's just

1132
00:53:01,960 --> 00:53:06,680
Speaker 6: loaded with talent. When they draft, you know, a Jack Campbell.

1133
00:53:06,680 --> 00:53:08,640
Speaker 6: When the Lions take Jack Campbell in the middle of

1134
00:53:08,680 --> 00:53:11,040
Speaker 6: the first round, and a lot of people had him

1135
00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:13,040
Speaker 6: in the second, the question was, Okay, you know, can

1136
00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:15,040
Speaker 6: this guy can play three downs? But they had a

1137
00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:17,480
Speaker 6: vision for him. Jack Campbell's a really good and productive

1138
00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:20,920
Speaker 6: football player. Is he the off the charts athlete? No,

1139
00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:24,440
Speaker 6: But they saw within their scheme, this is what we

1140
00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:26,680
Speaker 6: can do with this guy. Ad Hutchinson's the other one.

1141
00:53:26,920 --> 00:53:30,960
Speaker 6: The Jaguars took Trayvon Walker over Aiden Hutchinson. Why because

1142
00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:35,120
Speaker 6: of traits? Because Trayvon Walker tested, as you know, better

1143
00:53:35,160 --> 00:53:38,000
Speaker 6: than anybody, better than Genevian Clowney, better than anybody who's

1144
00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:41,160
Speaker 6: ever been at the combine. He didn't play a ton,

1145
00:53:41,200 --> 00:53:42,960
Speaker 6: he wasn't a starter at Georgia, he didn't have a

1146
00:53:43,000 --> 00:53:45,520
Speaker 6: lot of sacks, but they thought the upside is there. Well,

1147
00:53:45,520 --> 00:53:48,560
Speaker 6: we're now going into year five I believe of Trayvon Walker,

1148
00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:52,160
Speaker 6: and he's were still waiting. He was better last year,

1149
00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:54,759
Speaker 6: he had like nine sacks, but we're still waiting for

1150
00:53:54,840 --> 00:53:56,600
Speaker 6: him to have anything close to what Aiden Hutchinson did,

1151
00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:59,239
Speaker 6: because Aiden Hutchinson may not be the athlete, but he

1152
00:53:59,280 --> 00:54:01,640
Speaker 6: was much closer to being a fully foreigned football player

1153
00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:03,759
Speaker 6: and also a guy the Lions knew they could count

1154
00:54:03,840 --> 00:54:07,840
Speaker 6: on from a leadership perspective, from a culture perspective. You know,

1155
00:54:07,920 --> 00:54:10,000
Speaker 6: Jimmior Gibbs, everyone in the league loved him, even though

1156
00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:12,320
Speaker 6: people were shocked that they took them where they took him.

1157
00:54:12,600 --> 00:54:15,040
Speaker 6: A lot of coaches loved Jamiir Gibbs. But again, it's

1158
00:54:15,080 --> 00:54:17,920
Speaker 6: the fortitude to say, even if they couldn't have traded

1159
00:54:18,040 --> 00:54:20,080
Speaker 6: down in that first round, they were gonna sit there.

1160
00:54:20,239 --> 00:54:22,080
Speaker 6: I think they were in six or eight, they were

1161
00:54:22,080 --> 00:54:23,960
Speaker 6: gonna take them there. Even if they hadn't been able

1162
00:54:23,960 --> 00:54:26,360
Speaker 6: to trade down, they were gonna take Jamiir Gibbs. That's

1163
00:54:26,480 --> 00:54:29,600
Speaker 6: just the you know, That's how Brad was trained with

1164
00:54:29,719 --> 00:54:33,040
Speaker 6: the Rams. It was very much about we need football players,

1165
00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:35,040
Speaker 6: we need guys who love football and they're really good

1166
00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:37,600
Speaker 6: at it and they're productive. A lot of times. That's

1167
00:54:37,600 --> 00:54:40,880
Speaker 6: gonna skew toward taking players from bigger programs. I mean

1168
00:54:40,880 --> 00:54:43,200
Speaker 6: the guys I just listed off, almost all those are

1169
00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:47,440
Speaker 6: big program types of guys, Big ten guys, SEC guys.

1170
00:54:48,239 --> 00:54:50,479
Speaker 6: They they've found their bread and butter. And I don't

1171
00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:52,520
Speaker 6: know that anybody, you know, just off the top of

1172
00:54:52,520 --> 00:54:55,200
Speaker 6: my head, I don't know that anybody has drafted better

1173
00:54:55,719 --> 00:54:58,000
Speaker 6: than the Lions have drafted since Brad and Dan got there.

1174
00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:01,400
Speaker 1: And they've been terrific duo. And that's so important to

1175
00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:03,760
Speaker 1: a franchise into the success. And that's the most important

1176
00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:06,520
Speaker 1: relationship in an organization is a relationship between your head

1177
00:55:06,560 --> 00:55:09,359
Speaker 1: coach and your general manager. It's a terrific one. Here

1178
00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:12,319
Speaker 1: in Detroit. They are very much in tune with what

1179
00:55:12,360 --> 00:55:15,160
Speaker 1: the roster needs, get talent and develop it. That's how

1180
00:55:15,160 --> 00:55:17,759
Speaker 1: you stay a winner for a long time. Tom, I

1181
00:55:17,760 --> 00:55:19,960
Speaker 1: love the conversation. You are one of the best in

1182
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:22,760
Speaker 1: the business, sir. I thank you for being your first

1183
00:55:23,239 --> 00:55:26,640
Speaker 1: media responsibility after vacation. That means a lot to me.

1184
00:55:27,600 --> 00:55:30,200
Speaker 1: You did a great job and as always, we're gonna

1185
00:55:30,200 --> 00:55:32,840
Speaker 1: have to have you on again. Great stuff. Tom Paellasero

1186
00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:36,960
Speaker 1: from the NFL Network Insider has a touch on everything

1187
00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:39,360
Speaker 1: in the league. Tom, thanks for joining the podcast. Appreciate you.

1188
00:55:39,760 --> 00:55:40,040
Speaker 5: Dim.

1189
00:55:40,080 --> 00:55:42,319
Speaker 6: I always owe you for those radio appearances you made

1190
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:44,239
Speaker 6: with me in Minneapolis like fifteen years ago.

1191
00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:45,520
Speaker 5: So anytime, anybuddy,