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Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Chris Hary with you on Chargers Weekly. Today,

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Speaker 1: we're gonna wrap up our Know Your Rivals series by

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Speaker 1: talking some Kansas City chiefs with ESPN NFL national reporter

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Speaker 1: Adam Tisher. But first, what the Chargers can learn from

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Speaker 1: the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with ESPN's Eric Williams.

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Speaker 1: All Right, Eric Williams joins me and Eric, We've got

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Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and of course the Chargers to talk

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Speaker 1: about today, but I want to start with this gigantic

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Speaker 1: story in the AFC. On Tuesday, Josh McDaniels officially named

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Speaker 1: head coach of the Colts, and a press release later

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Speaker 1: in the day he does a one eight heads back

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Speaker 1: to the Patriots. He leaves Indianapolis to restart their head

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Speaker 1: coaching search on February seventh, three days after the Super Bowl.

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Speaker 1: What was your reaction when you heard that news come

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Speaker 1: down on Tuesday. Oh, I think it was like everybody else.

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Speaker 1: I think I was shocked and surprised that that went

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Speaker 1: down like that. You know, usually in these situations there's

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Speaker 1: kind of a handshake agreement, and obviously they can't reach

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Speaker 1: a formal agreement because he's still coaching in the postseason

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Speaker 1: and in Super Bowl, but you know you're expecting him

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Speaker 1: to take that job. He has a relationship with Chris

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Speaker 1: Balord the GM, and then you also have some assistant

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Speaker 1: coaches that have already resagreements based on McDaniel's going to Indianapolis,

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Speaker 1: and so for him to kind of walk it back

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Speaker 1: this late in the process, I think it's unfair to

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Speaker 1: that organization that has committed to him and now has

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Speaker 1: to reboot their their coaching search. It's unfair to those

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Speaker 1: assistants and their families that committed to those jobs based

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Speaker 1: on McDaniel's making that commitment. And then again, you know,

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Speaker 1: with with Valor kind of saying at the end as

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Speaker 1: a pressor, the rivalry is now back on that kind

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Speaker 1: of lets you know that he's going to be really

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Speaker 1: going after the Patriots based on how this whole thing

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Speaker 1: was handled. So yeah, it's it's kind of well, I

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Speaker 1: don't want to say it's unprecedented, because obviously Belichick went

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Speaker 1: through a similar situation, I believe with the Jets, but

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Speaker 1: it's uncommon for this to go down like that in

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Speaker 1: the league. It is, and I thought Ballard handled the

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Speaker 1: press conference about as well as you can and Eric,

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Speaker 1: It is kind of unprecedented in that this happened five

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Speaker 1: six weeks after the regular season, and those are critical

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Speaker 1: weeks in a far office offseason that are essentially wasted.

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Speaker 1: Many of the candidates that they interviewed they took jobs elsewhere.

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Speaker 1: Now you're three weeks away from the Combine and then

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Speaker 1: free agency soon after that. You don't know who your

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Speaker 1: coach is. I think that affects the type of players

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Speaker 1: you're looking forward free agency and also the culture that

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Speaker 1: you're trying to establish. Yeah, no doubt. I think for

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Speaker 1: the casual fan to say that as a time crunch

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Speaker 1: when the season doesn't begin to until September, they really

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Speaker 1: don't have an understanding of you really have to get

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Speaker 1: going in terms of identifying the type of players that

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Speaker 1: you're going to draft and going to the Combine in

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Speaker 1: three leaks where you're gonna be having interviews with these

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Speaker 1: players and you want to know what players you want

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Speaker 1: to focus on going into it, and now you don't

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Speaker 1: even have your staff together, so you don't know what

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Speaker 1: kind of scheme you're going to run on offense and

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Speaker 1: defense to be able to identify the players that you

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Speaker 1: want to you want to go after so it is

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Speaker 1: a time crunch, and you want to get those those

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Speaker 1: coaches in quickly so you can get going as a

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Speaker 1: personnel and scouting staff. And so again, you know, in

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Speaker 1: an organization where there's so much at stake and winning

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Speaker 1: is really it's a bottom line business. Every franchise is

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Speaker 1: trying to win. It hampers this franchise, which again is

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Speaker 1: in the ASC and is one of the teams that

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Speaker 1: the Patriots would be competing against to reach a super

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Speaker 1: and the Patriots and Colts play each other in twenty eighteen,

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Speaker 1: I believe that games in New England, that'll be an

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Speaker 1: interesting weekend, to say the least. The Super Bowl eric

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Speaker 1: very entertaining. Eagles beat the Pads forty one thirty three.

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Speaker 1: And I read a piece that you wrote a couple

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Speaker 1: of days ago. I really enjoyed it about how the

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Speaker 1: Eagles kind of showed the Chargers the blueprint for beating

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Speaker 1: the Patriots, and just looking at the Chargers roster now,

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Speaker 1: even before free agency and the draft, they look to

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Speaker 1: have all those necessary pieces to make a push in

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Speaker 1: the AFC in twenty eighteen. Yeah, when I was covering

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Speaker 1: the Seahawks, you know, before I came down here. Tom

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Speaker 1: Cable used to always say, you know, you throw the score,

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Speaker 1: you run to win, And I think what he meant

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Speaker 1: by that is you have to have balanced by running

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Speaker 1: the football, and you can't just throw at fifty times

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Speaker 1: a game. But that said, when you got past the

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Speaker 1: fifty yard line and you start getting close to another

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Speaker 1: team's red zone, you have to dial up some shots

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Speaker 1: to be able to score the football because it's so

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Speaker 1: hard to run when you get inside the ten yard

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Speaker 1: line against lbfenses. And I think the Eagles did a

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Speaker 1: great job of that. They ran the ball effectively, you know,

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Speaker 1: creating some balance, and so when they did throw it,

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Speaker 1: they were able to create separation in the passing game

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Speaker 1: to dialogue some explosive plays and they connected really on

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Speaker 1: almost all of them, and then they played free and aggressive.

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Speaker 1: You can't play scared against the Patriots because they're gonna

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Speaker 1: score points. We saw that, you know, Brady through for

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Speaker 1: over five hundred yards, so they're gonna do what they

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Speaker 1: do offensively. But when your offense is out there, you

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Speaker 1: can't settle for field goals, which is what I mentioned

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Speaker 1: that article. When the Chargers played against the Patriots, you know,

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Speaker 1: Layela scored twenty one points or excuse me, all scored

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Speaker 1: thirteen points against the Patriots. You got to get in

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Speaker 1: the end zone to put pressure on their offense. And

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Speaker 1: I thought that, you know, Doug Peterson did a great

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Speaker 1: job of calling the game, went forward a couple of

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Speaker 1: times on fourth down was successful. It seemed to always

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Speaker 1: be a step ahead of the Patriots, which is unusual.

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Speaker 1: And they were great on third down. And think you

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Speaker 1: have to be good on third down in order to

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Speaker 1: keep the sticks moving and again keep those opportunities limited

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Speaker 1: when you're going to be given Brady the football. So

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Speaker 1: just really they did everything they needed to do correctly.

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Speaker 1: They executed, they didn't make a whole lot of mistakes,

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Speaker 1: and I think finally when they needed to make a

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Speaker 1: critical play on defense, they were able to do that.

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Speaker 1: That Brandon Graham strips back at the end of the

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Speaker 1: game to help close it out was huge. So they

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Speaker 1: really played a flawless game against you know, one of

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Speaker 1: the best franchises in league history. Yeah, and I look

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Speaker 1: at the Chargers. There's a lot of things that the

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Speaker 1: Eagles did that kind of mirror the Chargers, and that

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Speaker 1: you know, you have a you have a stud tight end,

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Speaker 1: you know in Philly and Zeker or Hunter Henry on

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Speaker 1: this side, all the wide receivers, a quarterback that can

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Speaker 1: make all the throws, and then you have a running

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Speaker 1: game with Melvin Gordon really the bell coal of this team,

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Speaker 1: Austin Eckler coming out of the backfield to go with

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Speaker 1: that defense, and you mentioned that Brandon Graham strip sac.

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Speaker 1: All I can think about was Joey Bosa or Melvin

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Speaker 1: Ingram coming off the edge. And I think the back

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Speaker 1: half of that year, that's when the Chargers offense really

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Speaker 1: started to get going, score some points, and then we

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Speaker 1: saw the defense really humm into the back eight games. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I think the back half of the season for the Chargers,

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Speaker 1: you saw them kind of create an identity of how

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Speaker 1: they were going to move the football and offense. You know,

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Speaker 1: they kind of put it back in Philip River's hands,

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Speaker 1: you know, went for more of a pass first mindset

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Speaker 1: and how they're going to move it. Keenan Allen became

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Speaker 1: more of a focal point of the offense, but they

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Speaker 1: still were able to run the football late and create

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Speaker 1: some balance, and you saw them using Melvin Gordon more

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Speaker 1: out of the backfield as a path catcher. I think

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Speaker 1: that was effective. I think they did a great job

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Speaker 1: of attacking the second level of opposing defenses and really

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Speaker 1: putting pressure on linebackers to cover Gordon or Hunter Henry

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Speaker 1: for slot defenders to cover Keenan Allen in the middle

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Speaker 1: of the field. So by creating an identity, I think

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Speaker 1: they were able to play from ahead a lot more

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Speaker 1: than they did in the first half of the season,

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Speaker 1: and there was less pressure I think on kind of

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Speaker 1: keeping the sticks moving because they were in more a

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Speaker 1: third and short third medium situations where the first half

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Speaker 1: of the season, because they ran the ball a lot

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Speaker 1: more first down, they kind of got behind the sticks

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Speaker 1: a little bit. Look at the differences in the conference too,

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Speaker 1: with AFC in the NFCER, NFC is extremely crowded. In

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Speaker 1: addition to the six teams that made the playoffs, you

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Speaker 1: got the Packers with the healthy Aaron Rodgers in twenty eighteen,

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Speaker 1: the Cowboys and Zeke Elliott, you know, potentially played sixteen

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Speaker 1: games upstart team in the forty nine ers, Jimmy Garoppolo,

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Speaker 1: the Seahawks and Russell Wilson. You don't know what you're

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Speaker 1: gonna get with them, and the Giants and Odell Beckham

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Speaker 1: in the AFC, I don't see that depth. In fact,

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Speaker 1: I'd put the Chargers right in that same tier as

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Speaker 1: the Chiefs and Jags, under the Pats and Steelers. And honestly,

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Speaker 1: the way that the Chargers played the back half of

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Speaker 1: the year, you could argue that they're they're right underneath

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Speaker 1: that's dealers in pets here. Yeah, I agree with you,

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Speaker 1: but I will say that just to qualify it. The

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Speaker 1: league of cyclical and things can change pretty quickly with

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Speaker 1: the ability to change rosters during the offseason. That but yeah,

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Speaker 1: as it stands right now, when you look at rosters

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Speaker 1: on paper, I definitely think the Chargers have one of

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Speaker 1: the best six rosters in the ASC, and and they

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Speaker 1: have some continuity, which I think helps them in the

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Speaker 1: SC West. When you look at you know, the Chiefs

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Speaker 1: are going to have a new quarterback and Patrick Mahomes

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Speaker 1: with the you know, trading Alex Smith to Washington. The

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Speaker 1: Raiders are going to have a new offense, new defense

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Speaker 1: and a new head coach and John Gruden. And then

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Speaker 1: you know, the Broncos are going to have a new

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Speaker 1: offensive coordinator and probably a new quarterback running them next season.

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Speaker 1: I think all of that instability helps the Chargers because

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Speaker 1: they know who their quarterback is. You know, they have

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Speaker 1: their offensive system in place and their defensive system in place.

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Speaker 1: They have they have a lot of ability going is

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Speaker 1: a twenty eighteen and they have a lot of their

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Speaker 1: key players signed as well, so I think that helps them.

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Speaker 1: You mentioned the Broncos too. The Broncos are going to

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Speaker 1: have like five or six new coaches on Vance Joseph's

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Speaker 1: staff as well. So AFC West just one month into

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Speaker 1: the off season, a lot of big time changes, and

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Speaker 1: we talk about the continuity, and this actually goes back

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Speaker 1: to you know, we were just talking about with the Colts.

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Speaker 1: I talked to Tom Tolesco at the Senior Bowl and

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Speaker 1: he said, the biggest difference between last January and this

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Speaker 1: past January is just time. You know, you have the

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Speaker 1: time to actually go into an offseason, not having a

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Speaker 1: head coaching search, not having the turnover that some of

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Speaker 1: these teams are currently dealing with in the AFC West.

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Speaker 1: How much of an advantage do you think that is, Eric,

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Speaker 1: Being that there are so many changes in the FC West, Well,

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Speaker 1: you didn't even mention the biggest changes. You actually know

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Speaker 1: where you're going to practice that's important, that's really important.

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Speaker 1: The relocation was a big deal. Location. I mean, you

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Speaker 1: know where you're going to go to practice in the

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Speaker 1: off season, and it's set up so you can go.

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Speaker 1: Not that there was an instability in terms of being

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Speaker 1: a Chargers Park then either we're going to be there

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Speaker 1: you know, through the summer. But now you have your

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Speaker 1: new headquarters in place and you have a bigger weight

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Speaker 1: room facility, better locker room facility, better, a better place

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Speaker 1: to train and for your players to work. But yeah,

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Speaker 1: I definitely think that's big in terms of the offseason.

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Speaker 1: You have your head coach in place, you have your

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Speaker 1: system in place, so you know, again specifically what types

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Speaker 1: of players you're looking for, both in the free agency

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Speaker 1: and the draft, and I just think it gives you

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Speaker 1: a head start in terms of preparing for September, you know,

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Speaker 1: regular season and kind of that. You know, Gus Browley

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Speaker 1: always talks about the race and maturity and to get

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Speaker 1: as good as you can, as quickly as you can

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Speaker 1: so you can be competing for a postseason spot. And

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, based on what they did last year. Again,

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Speaker 1: I don't necessarily believe in momentum going from one season

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Speaker 1: to the next but certainly with the way that they

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Speaker 1: played in the second half last year, you have to

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Speaker 1: like their chances in twenty eighteen to reach a postseason.

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Speaker 1: We have all the draft talk starting now and other

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Speaker 1: Super Bowls over You're going to see a lot of

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Speaker 1: mock drafts of a lot of drafts speculation. But before

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Speaker 1: that's free agency. What position groups would you like to

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Speaker 1: see the Chargers address in free agency? Eric Well, I

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Speaker 1: think you first have to look at your players that

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Speaker 1: are going to become free agents first, and I think

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Speaker 1: you know, in terms of the Chargers, you have to

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Speaker 1: look at Trey Boss McKinny wiggins that were impact players

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Speaker 1: both on offense and defense, and what it's going to

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Speaker 1: take to get those two players signed, and if they

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Speaker 1: want to be signed or if they want to test

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Speaker 1: the market first to kind of establish their value. So

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Speaker 1: those are two players that you're going to have to

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Speaker 1: figure out. In terms of positions, you know, I think

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Speaker 1: linebacker is key. They have to get more athletic and

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Speaker 1: they have to get more sure tacklers at the second level.

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Speaker 1: Other defense, you have to continue to build more depth

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Speaker 1: on the offensive line because you can never have enough

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Speaker 1: quality offensive lineman so I think that's an area that

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Speaker 1: they'll address, and then I think they'll also kind of

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Speaker 1: look at the second area as well, depending on whether

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Speaker 1: or not they can get Trey back in the fold.

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Speaker 1: You know, the safety position is going to be an

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Speaker 1: area where they're gonna want a little bit more depth

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Speaker 1: as well. So I think those three places, along with

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Speaker 1: defensive tackle, just because you have some guys that are

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Speaker 1: that are getting a little older and Brandon eBay and

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Speaker 1: Corey Legit. Although I like the talent behind those guys.

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, Isaac Rochel is somebody that was

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Speaker 1: coming in the second half. I think Damian Square and

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Speaker 1: Tenny Palepoyer are two good rotational players. Darius filon how

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Speaker 1: to breakout season in terms of what he was able

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Speaker 1: to do. So there's some young talented players behind those.

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Speaker 1: But again, you need to have a good defensive line

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Speaker 1: to kind of protect your edge rushers and to protect

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Speaker 1: Denzil Perraman at middle back. Or I mentioned those mock drafts,

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Speaker 1: You're gonna see a million of them until Draft Day.

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Speaker 1: ESPN Topic Shake just dropped his latest. He's got Darwin

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Speaker 1: James clickbait fans can't help it. Those things I know

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Speaker 1: but we're all guilty of it. Eric, I mean, you

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Speaker 1: always want to click and see who people have going

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Speaker 1: to which team, and at least it's fun, you know,

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Speaker 1: but it is it's it's such a clickbait because we

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Speaker 1: haven't even started free agency yet, so this is going

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Speaker 1: to change a million times. But I think McShay head,

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Speaker 1: Darwin James, right, the safety from Florida State going to

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Speaker 1: the Chargers, and this is a guy a lot of

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Speaker 1: comps to Camp Chancellor, a guy that Gus Bradley is

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Speaker 1: really familiar with. Yeah, that's high praise. You start mentioning

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Speaker 1: Cam Chancellor as a guy that you're comparing a player too.

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Speaker 1: And again, you know, I saw Cam up close from

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Speaker 1: when he came in as a rookie from Virginia Tech

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Speaker 1: and he actually played corner in college and had to

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Speaker 1: make the transition to safety. The one thing that people

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Speaker 1: don't give Cam enough credit for is his ability to

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Speaker 1: cover in space. As a guy that six three, two

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Speaker 1: hundred and thirty pounds, he can get out there and

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Speaker 1: still you know, keep up with tight ends and at

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Speaker 1: times receiver and because of that versatility, you can move

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Speaker 1: him around the football field. You don't you don't just

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Speaker 1: have to play him in the box. He can actually

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Speaker 1: step back and play as a guy that can play

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Speaker 1: deep thirds or deep house. And along with that is

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Speaker 1: the leadership piece. You know a lot of people talk

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Speaker 1: about Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas as leaders on that defense,

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Speaker 1: but really Cam was a guy in that locker room.

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Speaker 1: He was kind of the voice that that led that defense,

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Speaker 1: even though he's kind of a quiet guy. And I

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Speaker 1: think that's one of the things that Gus looks for

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Speaker 1: when he is looking for players in the draft. He's

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Speaker 1: looking for alpha males that could come in and lead defensively,

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Speaker 1: and they have guys on the roster already that do that,

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Speaker 1: but adding another young player that that has that kind

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Speaker 1: of attitude and that kind of swag certainly would help

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Speaker 1: the defense. Eric last thing for you, I want to

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Speaker 1: get your take on this, because the Charges were nine

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Speaker 1: and seven last year without really any production from their

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Speaker 1: first two picks. Forrest Lamp didn't see the field, and

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Speaker 1: then you saw very little production from Mike Williams. Assuming

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Speaker 1: they both come back healthy and performer twenty eighteen or

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Speaker 1: impact players, you can look at this draft a couple

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Speaker 1: of different ways. With that number seventeen overall pick. Do

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Speaker 1: you build this roster with a player that can make

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Speaker 1: an on field impact in twenty eighteen, or do you

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Speaker 1: look before the quarterback of the future to sit behind

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Speaker 1: Rivers for a couple of seasons. It's an interesting way

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Speaker 1: to look at that first round and I don't know

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Speaker 1: if there's a wrong answer. I don't think there is

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Speaker 1: a wrong answer. I think if you can get a

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Speaker 1: quarterback at seventeen that you believe can be the eventual

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Speaker 1: replacement for Rivers, I think you do it because quarterback

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Speaker 1: is such an important piece for any franchise and what

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Speaker 1: they're going to do. If you don't have a quarterback,

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Speaker 1: you can't compete really in the NFL, and so that

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Speaker 1: position is important to not only have a guy that

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Speaker 1: you can get it done now, but look at the

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Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers when they took Aaron Rodgers. They drafted

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Speaker 1: a guy that could get it done for them later on,

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Speaker 1: and they were willing to have him wait a couple

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Speaker 1: of years. So if you can get a guy at

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Speaker 1: seventeen that you believe, you know can do that for you,

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Speaker 1: whether it's you know, somebody like Baker Mayfield, although they

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Speaker 1: have them going much higher now, but somebody like that

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Speaker 1: you think fit your offense, fit your scheme, and fit

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Speaker 1: your style, and you can wait a couple of years

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Speaker 1: on then I think you do that. That's said with

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Speaker 1: where the Charges are right at right now at nine

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Speaker 1: and seven, and I believe that they can not only

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Speaker 1: compete to get in the playoffs, but actually make a

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Speaker 1: deep playoff run because they have a lot of the

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Speaker 1: pieces in place. If you can add another guy that

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Speaker 1: can help you do that, that can be an impact

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Speaker 1: player at seventeen, I think you also look to do that,

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Speaker 1: whether it's somebody like you know, Durwin Games, or I

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Speaker 1: really like the linebacker out of Virginia Tech, Tremaine Edmonds,

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Speaker 1: because of his length and his athleticism and his versatility.

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Speaker 1: I think you can play all the three spots at linebacker. Again,

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Speaker 1: you might have to move up to get a player

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Speaker 1: like that, but if you can add a piece like

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Speaker 1: that that makes you even better, then I think you

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Speaker 1: have to look to do that as well. It's a

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Speaker 1: good dilemma to have when you select as well as

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Speaker 1: you did really in the back half of the draft,

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Speaker 1: and some of these undrafted free agents that made an

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Speaker 1: impact this year. You put yourself in a good position to,

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Speaker 1: I guess evaluate your options in the first round. Eric,

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Speaker 1: You're gonna be at the Combine in a couple of weeks, right,

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna be there with my parka on so I

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Speaker 1: don't freeze and like Indie cold, So yeah, you can

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Speaker 1: go forward to This is the first time I've been

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Speaker 1: to the Combine, I don't know, about four or five years,

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Speaker 1: and I always enjoy just being around, you know, the

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Speaker 1: different organizations, and you know, it's all looked like an

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Speaker 1: NFL convention when you go there, Uh, an Indie and yeah,

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Speaker 1: something I like. I like doing. It's like an NFL

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Speaker 1: spring break in cold weather, you know, because everyone's kind

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Speaker 1: of relaxed, you know, and you're able to talk to

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Speaker 1: a bunch of different people. It's it's really rare to

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Speaker 1: get that many people in the NFL in such a

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Speaker 1: relaxed setting. Yeah, that you're right. That's one of the

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Speaker 1: things I like about it. It's been formal, you know,

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Speaker 1: guys are kind of hanging out at you jump into

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Speaker 1: a couple of different bars and you bumpet at the

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Speaker 1: people that you haven't seen for a while and just

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Speaker 1: kind of have those those conversations where you know, they're

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Speaker 1: out record and you're able to learn a lot, you know,

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Speaker 1: by being there over those those couple of days, you

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Speaker 1: know about what's going to happen in three and seeing

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Speaker 1: the draft and just kind of organizationally, how people you know,

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Speaker 1: do things differently from one organization to the next. I

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Speaker 1: love that stuff. I love hearing about the different philosophies

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Speaker 1: and just the different cultures throughout the NFL, and everybody

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Speaker 1: kind of converges on Indianapolis for that one week, so

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Speaker 1: it'll be a lot of fun. I look forward to

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Speaker 1: seeing you there, Eric, and I hope you have some

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Speaker 1: time to take a few days of relaxation after such

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Speaker 1: a great season. Relaxation. What's that the twelve month, twenty

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Speaker 1: four hour day league. I know you know that. Even

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Speaker 1: from from last Tuesday to the Alex Smith trade to

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Speaker 1: this Tuesday with the Josh McDaniels news, who knows what

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Speaker 1: we're gonna get next Tuesday. So keep your phone on, Eric.

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Speaker 1: I will Everyboddy continuing our No Your Rival series this

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Speaker 1: offseason on charges Weekly, and today we wrap things up

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Speaker 1: talking some Kansas City chiefs with ESPN NFL Nation reporter

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Speaker 1: Adam Tisher and Adam the chief season, it started by

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Speaker 1: beating the two teams it actually played in the Super Bowl.

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Speaker 1: In consecutive weeks, they won the AFC West and back

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Speaker 1: to back seasons. And then just last week we hear

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Speaker 1: the news about that reported trade that's going to send

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Speaker 1: Alex Smith to Washington. How would you describe the last

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Speaker 1: five months for this organization. Yeah, it's been about as

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Speaker 1: crazy as a time as you can imagine. You know,

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Speaker 1: the Chiefs, you know, as you mentioned, it got off

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Speaker 1: not only beat those two teams, New England and Philadelphia,

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Speaker 1: but got off to five and oh start and then

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Speaker 1: lost six of seven, and then they rebounded to win

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Speaker 1: four straight, and then they had a big lead at

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Speaker 1: halftime in the playoffs and couldn't get it done. And

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Speaker 1: now they're changing for quarterbacks and going to Pat Mahomes

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Speaker 1: from Alex Smith. So it's been a it's been a

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Speaker 1: quite a ride for sure for the last few months.

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Speaker 1: And you mentioned at Patrick Mahomes, he's getting keys now.

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Speaker 1: We saw the flashes in preseason and obviously his performance

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Speaker 1: in Week seventeen against the Broncos, how would you assess

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Speaker 1: his readiness at him to take over as face of

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Speaker 1: the franchise. Yeah, I mean, you know, there's gonna be

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Speaker 1: some growing pains. I think, you know, he's not a

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Speaker 1: finished product by any stretch. And you know, he played

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Speaker 1: him the spread in college and and uh you know,

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Speaker 1: only played three years in college, so um, you know,

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Speaker 1: and he didn't didn't doesn't have a huge background. So

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Speaker 1: it's there's gonna be some rough spots for sure. But uh,

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Speaker 1: you know, he's talented. I mean, I think we've what

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Speaker 1: we've been able to see that, there's no doubt about that.

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Speaker 1: So uh, you know, the question is whether the Chiefs

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Speaker 1: can get more out of their offense, uh, because of Mahomes.

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Speaker 1: You know, it would certainly be worth it in the

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Speaker 1: short term if they could. Uh you know, I think

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Speaker 1: the Chiefs are looking at this with the long views

431
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,240
Speaker 1: as they should and uh but you know they're they're

432
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,320
Speaker 1: not giving up on next season by any stretch. So um,

433
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,159
Speaker 1: you know, it's it's gonna be interesting to see what

434
00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:53,920
Speaker 1: he can do right off the bat. It's gonna be

435
00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,440
Speaker 1: a different look offense. When you talk about the new

436
00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,320
Speaker 1: offensive coordinator, Eric b Enemy comes in after losing Matt

437
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,760
Speaker 1: Nagge to the bay Ers, and the Enemy actually a

438
00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,960
Speaker 1: second round draft pick of the Chargers back in ninety one.

439
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,479
Speaker 1: He's been on that Casey staff since twenty thirteen. How

440
00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,400
Speaker 1: much do you think the offense changes Adam with Mahomes

441
00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,280
Speaker 1: under center and then you have the enemies the OC, Yeah,

442
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,480
Speaker 1: not a lot. I don't think. You know, you got

443
00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,720
Speaker 1: to remember that Andy Reid, um, uh is gonna be calling.

444
00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:20,800
Speaker 1: You know, He's still going to have a huge hand

445
00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,480
Speaker 1: in this. He's gonna go back to call him the

446
00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,240
Speaker 1: place is okay, so uh yeah, so Reid will have

447
00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:27,800
Speaker 1: a huge hand and it so I don't think things

448
00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,960
Speaker 1: will change. You know, they'll certainly tailor some things to

449
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,119
Speaker 1: Mahomes's talents for sure, as they did for Alex Smith

450
00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,280
Speaker 1: and hum, so you know they'll there'll there'll be some shift,

451
00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,880
Speaker 1: but uh um, you know this this will look the same.

452
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:44,440
Speaker 1: I mean, there's not gonna be a ton of stuff

453
00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,560
Speaker 1: they'll do differently. How much do you think it affects

454
00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,439
Speaker 1: the guys on the outside Adam with with Travis Kelsey

455
00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,080
Speaker 1: and Tyreek Hill specifically, are they winners here? Do you

456
00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,159
Speaker 1: think they'll get more of targets, maybe some deeper plays.

457
00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,120
Speaker 1: What do you see shaking out there on the outside? Yeah,

458
00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,480
Speaker 1: I mean that could happen. You know, I think, you know,

459
00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,600
Speaker 1: the deep balls should be a bigger part of the

460
00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,160
Speaker 1: offense or the last year it was a bigger part

461
00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,160
Speaker 1: than it had been at any time since Alex Smith

462
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,080
Speaker 1: had been the quarterback. So um, you know it was.

463
00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,000
Speaker 1: You know, it's not like, um, you know, it should

464
00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,359
Speaker 1: be a traumatic change. But hey, Pat Mahomes can fling it.

465
00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,840
Speaker 1: I mean he just can. And um, you know there

466
00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,080
Speaker 1: should be some more big plays out there for the

467
00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,120
Speaker 1: Chiefs because of his ability to get the ball deep

468
00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,600
Speaker 1: and it's willingness to get the ball deep, So there

469
00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,360
Speaker 1: should be some more plays for him out there. And uh, um,

470
00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,080
Speaker 1: you know I would think that, you know, some of

471
00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,439
Speaker 1: those numbers would go up. Another guy, Kareem Hunt, fantastic

472
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,600
Speaker 1: rookie season. He slowed a bit towards the back half.

473
00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,920
Speaker 1: How much is the return of Spencer where? I think

474
00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,800
Speaker 1: that's kind of an underrated storyline this offseason, the return

475
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,480
Speaker 1: of Spencer where? How much do you think that running

476
00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,000
Speaker 1: game changes in terms of a little bit more balance

477
00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,480
Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen. Yeah, I think Spencer ware will have

478
00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:00,760
Speaker 1: a role. Um you know, I I know the Chiefs

479
00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,440
Speaker 1: like him, and um, you know, he certainly was productive

480
00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,520
Speaker 1: when he played for the Chiefs, so you know, I

481
00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,160
Speaker 1: think that uh, you know, he'll have a role. How

482
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,960
Speaker 1: exactly that plays out, you know, we'll have to see.

483
00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,120
Speaker 1: But um, you know, Kareem Hunt can do some things

484
00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:17,960
Speaker 1: that Spencer Ware can't do. I mean, they they're complimentary

485
00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:23,480
Speaker 1: players for sure, but uh, you know Hunt better pass receiver. Um,

486
00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,640
Speaker 1: you know, it's um, it's one of those deals where

487
00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:28,240
Speaker 1: you know, he's just a more a little bit more

488
00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:31,800
Speaker 1: versatile player, so he'll you know, he'll get the big

489
00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:33,879
Speaker 1: share of it. But I would think there'll be a

490
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,200
Speaker 1: significant enough role for for where too. So as part

491
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,840
Speaker 1: of this reported Alex Smith trade, the Chiefs get a

492
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,119
Speaker 1: third round pick in a great young corner and Kendall

493
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:44,879
Speaker 1: Fuller from the Reds because he was fantastic in the

494
00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:49,600
Speaker 1: slot last season for Washington. What's the organization's excitement level

495
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,879
Speaker 1: for Fuller because obviously the blockbuster it was Alex Smith

496
00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,240
Speaker 1: going to Washington, but Kendall Fuller is a big piece

497
00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,879
Speaker 1: to this. Yeah, no doubt, And you know that I

498
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,439
Speaker 1: don't think the Chiefs do this trade, at least with

499
00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:06,880
Speaker 1: Washington if they don't throw Fuller into the into the deal.

500
00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:08,840
Speaker 1: I think that's what the Chiefs, how much the Chiefs

501
00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,800
Speaker 1: think of for and you know, we talked a little

502
00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:13,919
Speaker 1: bit about what might be different for the Chiefs on offense.

503
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,359
Speaker 1: What has to change for them next year is defensively,

504
00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,479
Speaker 1: They've got to be better defensively. They really struggled just

505
00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,439
Speaker 1: about all season last year, and um, you know that

506
00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,520
Speaker 1: has to get better. And you know, this is kind

507
00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,960
Speaker 1: of a first step into fix in that the Chiefs

508
00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,399
Speaker 1: don't have a first round pick, so that you know,

509
00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,640
Speaker 1: they traded to the Buffalo and return for Mahomes last year,

510
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:39,600
Speaker 1: so um, you know there this trade does two things

511
00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:43,000
Speaker 1: for the Chiefs. Defensively, it gets them a cornerback in

512
00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,040
Speaker 1: Kendall Fuller, but it also um frees up seventeen million

513
00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,199
Speaker 1: dollars against their caps, So the Chiefs will have some

514
00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,480
Speaker 1: money to spend, and I always I suspect that most

515
00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,679
Speaker 1: of that will go to their defense. So I expect

516
00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,640
Speaker 1: their defense to have a different look next year. For sure,

517
00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,199
Speaker 1: you have Fuller than you got Marcus Peters. He and

518
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,919
Speaker 1: Casey Hayward the only two players with I think eleven

519
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,000
Speaker 1: interceptions the last two seasons. And we've seen the Highs

520
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,520
Speaker 1: with Peters and obviously the lows who's benched that game

521
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,520
Speaker 1: later in the season for the things he did in

522
00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,919
Speaker 1: that that Jets game. What's his standing Adam among the

523
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,800
Speaker 1: coaches and teammates in Kansas City entering his fourth season. Well,

524
00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,520
Speaker 1: I mean, he is what he is. I mean, you know,

525
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,040
Speaker 1: he does he does things his own way, and either

526
00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:26,639
Speaker 1: put up with that or you get rid of him.

527
00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,280
Speaker 1: I mean it's so you know, the Chiefs gonna have

528
00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,239
Speaker 1: to put up with us a little bit. I mean, he's, uh,

529
00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,160
Speaker 1: you know, he acts out and that's what he does.

530
00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,800
Speaker 1: I mean, um, and uh, you know, guys who kind

531
00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,159
Speaker 1: of come to understand that about him, that there's going

532
00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,160
Speaker 1: to be these flare ups from time to time and

533
00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:44,680
Speaker 1: and it's not going to be any other way. I

534
00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,160
Speaker 1: don't think you're gonna get that out of Marcus Peters.

535
00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,720
Speaker 1: You need to be either accepted or move on. One

536
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,880
Speaker 1: of the big losses obviously this year Adam losing Eric

537
00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,920
Speaker 1: Berry who towards achilles in Week one against the Patriots.

538
00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,280
Speaker 1: How is he progressing and what's his timetable for getting

539
00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,160
Speaker 1: back on the field this offseason? And you talk about Peters,

540
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,639
Speaker 1: I have to imagine not having a guy like Barry

541
00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,800
Speaker 1: next to him throughout the season that plays a pretty

542
00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,080
Speaker 1: big role. Yeah, yeah, that that's for sure, and that

543
00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,040
Speaker 1: was kind of an underrated factor last year that you know.

544
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,159
Speaker 1: Eric Barry is the one guy that everybody on that

545
00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:22,439
Speaker 1: team listens to, including Marcus Peters, so you know, not

546
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,320
Speaker 1: having him around was a factor for Peters and for

547
00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,120
Speaker 1: some other guys as well. But uh, and Barry's doing

548
00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:32,240
Speaker 1: fine for my understanding, and hum, I don't know what

549
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,639
Speaker 1: his status will be when the Chiefs start the OTAs

550
00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 1: in May, but you know, he may be only a

551
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:40,920
Speaker 1: part timer, and you know, the Chiefs are generally so

552
00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:45,160
Speaker 1: cautious with these things. He may not participate at all,

553
00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 1: But my sense is that by training camp he'll be

554
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,800
Speaker 1: ready to go, and certainly by the time the regular

555
00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,280
Speaker 1: seasons start. Free agency starts next month. You get guys

556
00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,160
Speaker 1: like Benny Logan, Albert Wilson, the punter, longtime punter Dustin Colquitt,

557
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,160
Speaker 1: all understrict and there's a few guys with some large

558
00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:05,000
Speaker 1: cap numbers as well. Adam, do you think the Chiefs

559
00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,840
Speaker 1: will be able to keep a majority of this core intact?

560
00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,960
Speaker 1: And how many of these unrestricted free agency you think

561
00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,520
Speaker 1: will be coming back to Kansas City. Well, I know

562
00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,960
Speaker 1: they'd like to have some of the unrestricted guys come back,

563
00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,399
Speaker 1: but you know that, you know, they'll have to prioritize,

564
00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:22,520
Speaker 1: so not all of them will. I mean, they'll be

565
00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,879
Speaker 1: making some changes, and you know, you're right. I think

566
00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:30,639
Speaker 1: the biggest decisions rely more on guys who are under contract.

567
00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:32,960
Speaker 1: You know, they already made the biggest one with Alex Smith.

568
00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,480
Speaker 1: But you know, a couple of their long time linebackers,

569
00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,520
Speaker 1: Derek Johnson and Tom Bahalem. You know, do they want

570
00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:43,360
Speaker 1: to bring them back at considerable cost? You know, I

571
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,280
Speaker 1: tend to doubt it, but uh, you know, maybe they'll

572
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,240
Speaker 1: take reduced deals. We'll just have to see how that

573
00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,600
Speaker 1: all plays out. And as far as uh, you know,

574
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,320
Speaker 1: some of the free agents they have, I know the

575
00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,840
Speaker 1: Chiefs love Dustin Colquick, like to have him back, but

576
00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:58,040
Speaker 1: you know, he's been one of the higher paid putters

577
00:28:58,080 --> 00:28:59,920
Speaker 1: in the league. That may have to change if he's

578
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,480
Speaker 1: going to be coming back. You know, Albert Wilson has

579
00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,600
Speaker 1: done a nice job for the Chiefs, um you know,

580
00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,040
Speaker 1: but they've got some other receivers and I know the

581
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,360
Speaker 1: Chiefs would like to have him back, but you know,

582
00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,600
Speaker 1: somebody else going to step up with a bigger offer.

583
00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:14,240
Speaker 1: So you know, a lot of this stuff has to

584
00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,560
Speaker 1: play out, you know, I think some but you know

585
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,320
Speaker 1: the answer your question, I think some of these guys

586
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,160
Speaker 1: will be back, but there's going to be some change

587
00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,160
Speaker 1: for sure. Adam gonna get you out of here on this.

588
00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,320
Speaker 1: If you had an offseason wish lists for the Chiefs,

589
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,920
Speaker 1: whether it be in free agency or the draft, recognizing

590
00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,400
Speaker 1: that they don't have a first round pick this year,

591
00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,120
Speaker 1: what would the top two or three items on the

592
00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,160
Speaker 1: list look like? And I think you kind of alluded

593
00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:39,680
Speaker 1: to it, especially on the defensive side. Yeah, just about

594
00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,600
Speaker 1: everything would be over there. You know. The first thing

595
00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,800
Speaker 1: was to improve a corner, and maybe the Chiefs have

596
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,080
Speaker 1: done that with by trading for Kendall Fuller. Certainly they're

597
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,120
Speaker 1: on their way to that. So now I don't think

598
00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,760
Speaker 1: corners must have for them, although they have another guy

599
00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:00,080
Speaker 1: certainly wouldn't hurt. You know. The other thing that they

600
00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,280
Speaker 1: really need to beef up their pass rush. I mean,

601
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,240
Speaker 1: you know, they've been in the bottom ten in the

602
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:07,640
Speaker 1: league in the last two years in sacks, they were

603
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,120
Speaker 1: in the top they were in the top five. I

604
00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,719
Speaker 1: think five or six in the three each of the

605
00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,080
Speaker 1: three previous years. So their pass rushers really fallen off,

606
00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,480
Speaker 1: and uh, well they need to get back that that

607
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,280
Speaker 1: back to at least middle of the pack. I mean,

608
00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,960
Speaker 1: they really need to beef that up a little bit. So, um,

609
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,520
Speaker 1: you know that that's the number one thing on defense

610
00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,600
Speaker 1: I think they need to find and it may be

611
00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,640
Speaker 1: tough to do, but without a first round pick and

612
00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:40,240
Speaker 1: without a great pass rusher in the free agency, you know,

613
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:42,040
Speaker 1: they may have to scheme it up a little bit

614
00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,880
Speaker 1: or rely on improvement on improvement from some of their

615
00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,040
Speaker 1: own guys. And we were just talking off line. It

616
00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,440
Speaker 1: really never stops. We have the combine and free agency,

617
00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,560
Speaker 1: in the draft, the big Kansas City Chiefs trade with

618
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,080
Speaker 1: Alex Smith and the Redskins. You did great work this year.

619
00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,200
Speaker 1: I'm sure you're going to continue to be busy throughout

620
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,080
Speaker 1: the off season. We've apreciate you joining us for a

621
00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,680
Speaker 1: few minutes today, if that'll do it. My thanks to

622
00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,720
Speaker 1: Adam and Eric Williams, and thanks to you all for listening.

623
00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,880
Speaker 1: Be sure to subscribe to Charges Weekly on Apple podcasts

624
00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,400
Speaker 1: and leave a review this offseason. Help spread the word.

625
00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,400
Speaker 1: Have a great weekend. And until next time, I'm Chris

626
00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:16,680
Speaker 1: Harry