1
00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,119
Speaker 1: Everybody. Chris Harry with you on a new episode of

2
00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,120
Speaker 1: Chargers Weekly. Coming up, the voice of the Chargers, Matt

3
00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,720
Speaker 1: money Smith, shares his preseason observations as a team looks

4
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,319
Speaker 1: forward to the regular season. We'll also gets you ready

5
00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,600
Speaker 1: for your upcoming fantasy football drafts. Courtesy of NFL Networks

6
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,080
Speaker 1: Marcus Grant. But first, the Athletics Daniel Popper joins me

7
00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,959
Speaker 1: to discuss the NFL debut of rookie safety Nazir Adderlie.

8
00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,320
Speaker 1: All right, please to bring on Daniel Popper of the Athletic.

9
00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,960
Speaker 1: As the Chargers closed the preseason with a twenty seven

10
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,760
Speaker 1: twenty four win and Daniel a lot of fireworks in

11
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,960
Speaker 1: the first half offensively. But I want to start with

12
00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,360
Speaker 1: the rookie Nazir Adderley. Three passes, defense, pair of tackles,

13
00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,720
Speaker 1: and an interception. Probably should have had two, maybe three interceptions.

14
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,199
Speaker 1: But it was good to see nas finally out there

15
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,720
Speaker 1: in playing time. Yeah, I mean, that was my biggest

16
00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,680
Speaker 1: takeaway from this game. And the interesting thing to him

17
00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,319
Speaker 1: he was Kathany Lynn over the past few weeks is

18
00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:15,920
Speaker 1: as Monsieur was coming back from that hamstring, said that

19
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,640
Speaker 1: he was way behind. That's the first time he kept

20
00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,200
Speaker 1: using he didn't look way behind to me on the

21
00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,640
Speaker 1: field last night. Um, I mean he was how quickly

22
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:27,840
Speaker 1: he breaks on the ball, his ability to read the

23
00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,880
Speaker 1: quarterbacks eyes, I mean it's clear. It was clear from

24
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,360
Speaker 1: the get go that's the guy's a ball um. And

25
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,040
Speaker 1: then after the game, I got a chance to talk

26
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,360
Speaker 1: to Nod and you know what he told me when

27
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,760
Speaker 1: I brought up to the three plays he had is,

28
00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,920
Speaker 1: you know, I'm looking at the ones that I missed,

29
00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:44,680
Speaker 1: like the two picks that I missed are going to

30
00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,240
Speaker 1: keep me up at night. That's um. You know, he

31
00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,080
Speaker 1: doesn't care, he said, he doesn't care about the pick

32
00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,480
Speaker 1: he made. He wants to make every play and so

33
00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,920
Speaker 1: the two picks he missed out on are are the

34
00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,000
Speaker 1: ones that are going to motivate him moving forward. And

35
00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,520
Speaker 1: then that's the mentality he want out of a using player. Um.

36
00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,400
Speaker 1: You know, one he drive and should have had. The

37
00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,120
Speaker 1: second play, I mean he broke, you know, from ten

38
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,840
Speaker 1: to fifteen yards across the field and it had made

39
00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,440
Speaker 1: a great path deflection. I don't know anyone in the

40
00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,359
Speaker 1: building was saying, oh, he definitely should have picked it off.

41
00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,079
Speaker 1: But that's that's the way he's approaching this thing and

42
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:16,880
Speaker 1: there's a chance he can be a really special player

43
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,560
Speaker 1: there at pretty safety. I'm excited to see, you know,

44
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,359
Speaker 1: once he gets up to speed, what he's going to

45
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:23,600
Speaker 1: be able to do and how he's going to be

46
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,040
Speaker 1: able to contribute during the regular season. Now, I have

47
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,920
Speaker 1: to put this in proper context because we're talking about

48
00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,679
Speaker 1: the second half of a fourth preseason game. But to

49
00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,680
Speaker 1: your point, I mean, he put himself in position to

50
00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:40,480
Speaker 1: make those plays and to just see his ball skills,

51
00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,400
Speaker 1: in his range, how much ground he can cover, Daniel.

52
00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,720
Speaker 1: I think that's something that the Chargers are really going

53
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,000
Speaker 1: to benefit from a twenty nineteen. Yeah, there's no question

54
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,280
Speaker 1: about it. And the one thing that Anthony Win said

55
00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,359
Speaker 1: after the game is he was rusty. They said, he said,

56
00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,440
Speaker 1: Nads is rusty. And so you know, they're expecting him

57
00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,720
Speaker 1: to make all those plays once he's up to speed

58
00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,840
Speaker 1: with with the defense and once he caught up and

59
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,280
Speaker 1: and and physically, you know, at the top of his game. Um,

60
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,799
Speaker 1: they're expecting him to make those kinds of plays. Um.

61
00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,120
Speaker 1: And I mean you just go back to how fast

62
00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,800
Speaker 1: he was breaking on the ball. This is a guy

63
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,360
Speaker 1: who will make his living intercepting passes in the NFL.

64
00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,120
Speaker 1: He saw it out there and like you said, you

65
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,360
Speaker 1: know he's going up against backup, um. But to go

66
00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,399
Speaker 1: out there after missing as much time as he did

67
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,320
Speaker 1: and to be that kind of difference maker on pretty

68
00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,880
Speaker 1: much every play we watched him, We watched him to

69
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,520
Speaker 1: go out there, you know, it's it's impressive. It's very impressive.

70
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,680
Speaker 1: It's a great start. And Chargers fans you super excited

71
00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,240
Speaker 1: about what they have in this It is impressive and

72
00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,360
Speaker 1: I think Chargers fans are probably just waiting for the

73
00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:45,240
Speaker 1: moment that Durwin James and Nazi Adderley are both healthy

74
00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,880
Speaker 1: on the football field at the same time, just to

75
00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,360
Speaker 1: go with all the other pieces that they have. Daniel,

76
00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,320
Speaker 1: I mean, to have two safeties like that who went healthy.

77
00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,000
Speaker 1: M really compliment each other so nicely, right, And that's

78
00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,800
Speaker 1: the real shame of this whole thing, is is it

79
00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,360
Speaker 1: If Derwin James has been able to stay healthy, You're

80
00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,320
Speaker 1: kind of think in your head what that would have

81
00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,520
Speaker 1: looked like, you know, having and this year Adderlie playing

82
00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,240
Speaker 1: next to each other. Um. But you know, the positive

83
00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,560
Speaker 1: is that now you have a depth piece there. Um.

84
00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,000
Speaker 1: You know, they love what they have and ray Sean

85
00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,919
Speaker 1: Jankas for free safety. Uh, you have more depth added

86
00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,640
Speaker 1: there within this year, Adderlye Uh, Jalen Watkins, you've been

87
00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,600
Speaker 1: playing while coming off that ACL last year. UM. So

88
00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,280
Speaker 1: the positive you take out of it is now they

89
00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,960
Speaker 1: have some depth there. So it looks like they're going

90
00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,919
Speaker 1: to be able to fill in the whole left by

91
00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,880
Speaker 1: Derman James. UM. Obviously Adrian Insults have to be in

92
00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,320
Speaker 1: that equation to someone that's gonna be playing strong safety. UM.

93
00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,000
Speaker 1: But it just goes back to sort of how this

94
00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,280
Speaker 1: roster has been built and les a lot of credit. Uh.

95
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,839
Speaker 1: They have depth everywhere. UM. And that is key in

96
00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:45,880
Speaker 1: the NFL because you're going to be dealing with injuries

97
00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,240
Speaker 1: every single year. And the good teams and go back

98
00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:50,719
Speaker 1: to the Eagle and they won the Super Bowl. I

99
00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,200
Speaker 1: was all about having depth. And they lost the middle linebacker,

100
00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,160
Speaker 1: they lost the left tack of the lot of starting quarterback.

101
00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:56,760
Speaker 1: The reason they were able to win the Super Bowl

102
00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,280
Speaker 1: that year is because of depth. How you how you're

103
00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,239
Speaker 1: able to overcome injuries is a key to finding success

104
00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,479
Speaker 1: in the NFL. And and the Chargers at least now

105
00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,479
Speaker 1: appear to have a depth in the position. It's where

106
00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,120
Speaker 1: they where they have where they have injuries, um, including

107
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,440
Speaker 1: an offensive tackle, which is a little more of a concern,

108
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,920
Speaker 1: but definitely at safety to have they have depth third place,

109
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,719
Speaker 1: throwing depth is a great segue when we talk about

110
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,760
Speaker 1: the running back position too, because first play from Scrimmags

111
00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,719
Speaker 1: Troy made Pope goes forty two yards, and what I

112
00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,560
Speaker 1: thought was maybe most impressive in that first half was

113
00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,880
Speaker 1: just the way that Detress Knewsome played. He had fifty

114
00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,160
Speaker 1: eight total yards a touchdown. I told him after the

115
00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,240
Speaker 1: game that fifteen yard run that he had, he was

116
00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,800
Speaker 1: stopped short one yard and it was only appropriate that

117
00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,760
Speaker 1: he punched it in. But that was one of the hardest,

118
00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,440
Speaker 1: maybe best runs I've ever seen Detress have. But what

119
00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,640
Speaker 1: did you think of these running backs in the first half? Yeah,

120
00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:51,200
Speaker 1: I mean they got a lot of depth there. It

121
00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:53,320
Speaker 1: was a tough call, you know, I just tweeted out

122
00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,880
Speaker 1: my final projection and I don't have to tread on there,

123
00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,960
Speaker 1: just because for Maine, Pope has been so electric, both

124
00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,720
Speaker 1: as a special teams player and then running back. I mean,

125
00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,160
Speaker 1: you know, early on he had that point return touchdown

126
00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,000
Speaker 1: and you know he flashed and coach were talking about him,

127
00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:11,920
Speaker 1: and we're thinking, Okay, maybe he has a shot here

128
00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,320
Speaker 1: and he's really got to show more as a running back.

129
00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,440
Speaker 1: He goes out of the next game, averages five yards, carry,

130
00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,880
Speaker 1: catches three passes, you know more. And then he goes out.

131
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,040
Speaker 1: Last night, first play from scrimmage breaks off a forty

132
00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,479
Speaker 1: two yard black. Um. I just don't see how they

133
00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,400
Speaker 1: can keep him after roster. But wasn't I was encouraging

134
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,040
Speaker 1: about last night is here's Truman and Pope basically playing

135
00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,320
Speaker 1: himself onto the difficutly man. The translucition goes out and

136
00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,120
Speaker 1: makes us decision as difficult as possible. But some sixty

137
00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,400
Speaker 1: plus yards as as well carry scores a touchdown. Um,

138
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,279
Speaker 1: it's gonna be a difficult decision. Possible They go and

139
00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,360
Speaker 1: they keep all four of these guys who use the Pope,

140
00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,240
Speaker 1: Eckler and Jackson. Um, but you do lose the depth

141
00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,919
Speaker 1: at other positions there. So I at some time with

142
00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,240
Speaker 1: him keeping all four of those guys possible fullback, but

143
00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,880
Speaker 1: you got it. You gotta love with the translucent making

144
00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,280
Speaker 1: a decision extremely difficult. And then the same ghost for

145
00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,480
Speaker 1: tory Man, Pope, Treuman and Pope. I mean he was

146
00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,480
Speaker 1: a guy that wasn't been on the radar heading into

147
00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,599
Speaker 1: setting in the train, and he made name for himself,

148
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,080
Speaker 1: made him plays in preseason games. And now I think

149
00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:08,760
Speaker 1: you can end up making the rocks. We'll see how

150
00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,040
Speaker 1: it checks out the wide receiver position. Or Tavis Scott

151
00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,400
Speaker 1: exactly a year ago he had that ankle injury that

152
00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,840
Speaker 1: ended his season. He was having having such a great

153
00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,560
Speaker 1: twenty eighteen training camp and he just picked up where

154
00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,160
Speaker 1: he left off Daniel. He had three catches for fifty

155
00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,720
Speaker 1: five yards Thursday against the forty nine ers, he had

156
00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,000
Speaker 1: a twenty five yard reception at least twenty five yards

157
00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,000
Speaker 1: and each of the last three preseason games, and I

158
00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,800
Speaker 1: think coach Lynn talked about it earlier in the week,

159
00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,880
Speaker 1: just his consistency. He had a very steady training camp

160
00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,560
Speaker 1: and that certainly showed up during preseason games. Yeah. And

161
00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,640
Speaker 1: the one thing that impresses me about our Scott strong

162
00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,040
Speaker 1: the point of the catch. Um, he's made three or

163
00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:55,440
Speaker 1: fourtches in in these preseason games where you're like, Okay,

164
00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,960
Speaker 1: this guy's a playmaker. This guy is gonnavathing that comes

165
00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,920
Speaker 1: to it doesn't matter if they're the defender draped all

166
00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,480
Speaker 1: over him. Uh, you know, he's not a particularly imposing

167
00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,280
Speaker 1: receiver in terms of the size and stature, but to

168
00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,160
Speaker 1: be strong, very athletic, he quickly run very precise and

169
00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,600
Speaker 1: efficient routes. Um. And then above all, I was just

170
00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,480
Speaker 1: get a strong hand to being able to make those

171
00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,400
Speaker 1: catches in traffic. Um. The best receivers in the NFL,

172
00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:19,760
Speaker 1: that's what they do. They go up and they make

173
00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,760
Speaker 1: plays in traffics. And our David Scott has done that

174
00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,120
Speaker 1: time and again this season. He's been impressive. And I

175
00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,440
Speaker 1: wrote this in my pection. Not only is he gonna

176
00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,120
Speaker 1: make the rock, he's gonna be an important part of

177
00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,800
Speaker 1: this offense. He's been that good in the preseason. Um

178
00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,439
Speaker 1: and and again just just adding more depth there you

179
00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,640
Speaker 1: got you got six receivers now that all can go

180
00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,439
Speaker 1: out and play seven. Really you had Andre Patton and

181
00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,360
Speaker 1: there he's done some good things in the preseason. I

182
00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,360
Speaker 1: don't have him on my projection right now, but um,

183
00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:46,679
Speaker 1: you know they got a lot of depth there, and

184
00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,959
Speaker 1: our Davis Scott, like you said coming up in Anklander,

185
00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,720
Speaker 1: he just didn't have to get the seat. It's been impressive. Daniel.

186
00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,960
Speaker 1: You're a great person to ask this because it's it's

187
00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,160
Speaker 1: your first year on the beat, so you've been around

188
00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,040
Speaker 1: this team about as long as you've been in California.

189
00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,640
Speaker 1: I'd love to get your observations over the last month

190
00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,480
Speaker 1: and what you saw as we kind of roll into

191
00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,920
Speaker 1: Week one against the Colts. Yeah, I mean the talented roster.

192
00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,960
Speaker 1: That's the first thing that jumps opposition to me. You know,

193
00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,000
Speaker 1: coming from Jacksonville coming to Jaguars. Um, you know, comparing

194
00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,400
Speaker 1: the two, jackson have a pretty thin roster. There's not

195
00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:23,120
Speaker 1: a whole lot of depth. And that's really the one

196
00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,000
Speaker 1: thing that you looked at with these charters. They've they've

197
00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,400
Speaker 1: got depth everywhere. Um. You know, the one place, as

198
00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,200
Speaker 1: I mentioned earlier, the one place where you're a little

199
00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,920
Speaker 1: bit concerned is that offensive tackle. Um. You know, the

200
00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,160
Speaker 1: pulmonary embolism that Russell Oakum suffered. Obviously, we hope that

201
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,679
Speaker 1: he you know, first and foremost as healthy as as

202
00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,440
Speaker 1: a human being. Um, you worry a little bit about

203
00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,440
Speaker 1: it there. But I mean they have a ton of

204
00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:52,280
Speaker 1: very athletics playmakers on defense. Um, you know, between linebackers

205
00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,280
Speaker 1: like Hyper White and Davis Brown has been playing well.

206
00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:00,000
Speaker 1: They're bringing Thomas Davis up front. I mean, the just Jones,

207
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,960
Speaker 1: Joey Bosa and of An Ingram and Isaac Rischell and

208
00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,439
Speaker 1: Jerry Killer. Um. You know, they got a lot of

209
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,160
Speaker 1: depth everywhere. Um, it's a really talented roster, specifically on

210
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,720
Speaker 1: the defensive side of the ball. And I said this

211
00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:14,960
Speaker 1: on the radio a couple of weeks ago that I

212
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:16,480
Speaker 1: really think the Chargers of a shot to be the

213
00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:20,040
Speaker 1: best defense in the league. It's gonna be tougher to

214
00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,920
Speaker 1: get there with Derwin James, but I still think they're

215
00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,640
Speaker 1: going to be a very formidable, formidable defense. And I

216
00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:28,160
Speaker 1: feel like if they do end up making a run

217
00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,240
Speaker 1: to the Super Bowl, um, it's gonna be on the

218
00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,439
Speaker 1: back of the seat because they just have a ton

219
00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,800
Speaker 1: of playmakers, a ton of talent, big athletic bodies, um.

220
00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,680
Speaker 1: And it's gonna be fun to watch even without Derwin

221
00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,680
Speaker 1: James out there for one most you know, the first

222
00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:43,160
Speaker 1: half of the season, well, Daniel the pass rush, Yeah,

223
00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,280
Speaker 1: And I think it starts there with Joey Bosa and

224
00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,320
Speaker 1: Melvin Ingram to have those guys healthy on the field

225
00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,920
Speaker 1: at the same time. And then you Channa Nwosu hit

226
00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,360
Speaker 1: his second year, his ability to get to the quarterback

227
00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,720
Speaker 1: and Isaac Rochelle as well. It starts up front and

228
00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,600
Speaker 1: even without Derwin, and I don't think there's anybody that

229
00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,680
Speaker 1: can replace Durwin. It really in the NFL, frankly, But

230
00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,360
Speaker 1: to have the parts that they have when you when

231
00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,560
Speaker 1: you say Casey Hayward and you know Saint Michael Davis

232
00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:14,640
Speaker 1: and ray Sean Jenkins, who's had a good offseason, Um,

233
00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:18,280
Speaker 1: Jalen Watkins. Um as here Adelie who we just talked about.

234
00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,480
Speaker 1: You know, you want to see where he can go

235
00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,040
Speaker 1: here in the next few weeks, get up to speed. Um.

236
00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,360
Speaker 1: I think it starts up front. Um. And to have

237
00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,280
Speaker 1: Joey Bosa healthy week one as opposed to last year

238
00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,680
Speaker 1: where the Chargers didn't get him to like week nine, Um,

239
00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,560
Speaker 1: I think that speaks volumes for this defense. Yeah, I mean,

240
00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,800
Speaker 1: I'm inuring to see that front full force because obviously

241
00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,120
Speaker 1: Bosa and Ingram have been actually sitting out all preseason,

242
00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,760
Speaker 1: which is honest to the smart move and healthy. But um,

243
00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,000
Speaker 1: you know, I'm excited to see those guys play. Um.

244
00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,040
Speaker 1: You know, I obviously I've seen highlights and I've watched

245
00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,440
Speaker 1: a little bit of Chargers football, but now that I'm

246
00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,240
Speaker 1: on the beat, I'm gonna get to watch them every week.

247
00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,240
Speaker 1: And you know, obviously Bosa's dealing with injuries last year,

248
00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,240
Speaker 1: but you're expecting to teach us he's fully healthy. You're

249
00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,800
Speaker 1: expecting him to see one of the top defensive ends

250
00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,319
Speaker 1: in the league. UM, and you're looking at a potential

251
00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,839
Speaker 1: Stull digit sact season if you can stay healthy. UM.

252
00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,480
Speaker 1: So that I honestly, you're You're totally on the mark there.

253
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,440
Speaker 1: That's That's probably what I'm most excited for by looking

254
00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,560
Speaker 1: forwards regular sea and just seeing that front work, seeing

255
00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,040
Speaker 1: how Jerry Hillary fits into the mold. I think that

256
00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,000
Speaker 1: you're going to see a lot on pass rushing downs.

257
00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,920
Speaker 1: And I saw this a little bit inside during the preseason,

258
00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,880
Speaker 1: but you'll see Ingram and Boasts on the edge and

259
00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,640
Speaker 1: then Justin Jones and Hillary on the inside being talked

260
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,960
Speaker 1: about a formidable pass rushing attack. Good. I mean, that's

261
00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,439
Speaker 1: that's pretty good. Yeah, So that's probably what I'm most excitable.

262
00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,240
Speaker 1: I can see that somewhere in the regular seeing games. Yeah,

263
00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,679
Speaker 1: the Chargers defensive line and defensive tackle specifically with Justin

264
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,360
Speaker 1: Jones Jerry Tillery a pretty good future here in Los Angeles.

265
00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,640
Speaker 1: Daniel Popper, the Athletic, Daniel, what do you got on

266
00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,719
Speaker 1: the site in the app and explain to folks how

267
00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,080
Speaker 1: they can get the Athletic on their phone and throughout

268
00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,440
Speaker 1: the season. Really yeah, so download Everyone's good. Download the

269
00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,240
Speaker 1: app off the app store. Uh, it's honestly awesome. I know,

270
00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:13,320
Speaker 1: I'm I'm wild to bias, but it's interface really easy

271
00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,120
Speaker 1: to use. But we can check out all my content

272
00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:20,000
Speaker 1: at dot com slash Team slash Chargers UM. And you

273
00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,360
Speaker 1: have to subscribe. I will say that to everybody, but

274
00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,400
Speaker 1: I promise you it's worth it. I said to see

275
00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,080
Speaker 1: you before Chris. I bust my butt trying to make

276
00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,760
Speaker 1: sure that I'm giving you analysis, features, everything, making sure

277
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,600
Speaker 1: you're fully in tune with what's going on with the Chargers. UM.

278
00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,599
Speaker 1: I've fifty three man roster in my final one, the

279
00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,120
Speaker 1: fourth one i've done this preseason up on the site

280
00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,360
Speaker 1: right now Saturday, after all the crusts, I'll have analysis

281
00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:43,880
Speaker 1: and all that early next week. I got a feature

282
00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,559
Speaker 1: coming out on Derek watt Um and have sort of

283
00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,240
Speaker 1: he fits into this illustrious NFL family. Um. I've got

284
00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,720
Speaker 1: a feature in the works on Kasey Hayward UM and

285
00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,600
Speaker 1: I've got a feature in the once on Jack and Jackson. UM,

286
00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:58,920
Speaker 1: So I got a lot of really great stuff coming. Um.

287
00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,800
Speaker 1: I'll hopefully join me up dot com Slash Team slash Charters. Awesome, man.

288
00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,079
Speaker 1: We're excited to have you on board this year and

289
00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,600
Speaker 1: you won't be a stranger to this program, so we'll

290
00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,760
Speaker 1: have you on throughout the year. Daniel Popper, appreciate you time, man, anytime.

291
00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,600
Speaker 1: Chris All just we roll on here on Chargers Weekly.

292
00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:18,720
Speaker 1: Here with the voice of the Chargers Matt Money Smith

293
00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,480
Speaker 1: and Money preseason finally over. We're about eight days from

294
00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,840
Speaker 1: the open. Are you gotta be pumped about season three?

295
00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,440
Speaker 1: My man? I am excited about the season and also

296
00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,920
Speaker 1: excited about preseason being over. That's for certain as selfishly,

297
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:35,720
Speaker 1: and I know I have an awesome job. And by

298
00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,800
Speaker 1: no means am I complaining, Just saying knowing what you

299
00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,320
Speaker 1: have ahead of you to stare at a board is

300
00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,080
Speaker 1: what we call it. That we that we announced the

301
00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,320
Speaker 1: game from with ninety names on each side, of which

302
00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,000
Speaker 1: you know thirty seven of them aren't going to be

303
00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,080
Speaker 1: part of the team moving forward. It's a little bit

304
00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:55,560
Speaker 1: of a challenge and trying to remain enthusiastic excited throughout

305
00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,920
Speaker 1: the course of a preseason game and conveying to the

306
00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,320
Speaker 1: people listening who year you know, to some degree just

307
00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:06,360
Speaker 1: a giant words soup of names they don't recognize, but conveying, hey,

308
00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,120
Speaker 1: that a handful of these are very important because they're

309
00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:09,760
Speaker 1: fighting for the back end of this roster and we

310
00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,520
Speaker 1: certainly know from years past how important that fifty second,

311
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:15,840
Speaker 1: fifty third man can be to the success of this team.

312
00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,560
Speaker 1: It's necessary even though there's so many guys. I go

313
00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,720
Speaker 1: back to last year, Justin Jackson had a touchdown in

314
00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,200
Speaker 1: this game. Austin Ekeler, we know we here years ago, Yeah,

315
00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,360
Speaker 1: a couple of years ago. So these are guys who, Hey,

316
00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,520
Speaker 1: they may not make an immediate impact. It may not

317
00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:31,640
Speaker 1: be weeks one to four, but as we saw with

318
00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,120
Speaker 1: Justin Jackson in Pittsburgh and Kansas City, he was relied

319
00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,280
Speaker 1: upon in the rookies on this team. This is a

320
00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,280
Speaker 1: big deal. Yeah, And you think about even the guys

321
00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,720
Speaker 1: that didn't make it but made it to the practice squad.

322
00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,520
Speaker 1: Like you just mentioned, Justin Jackson was cut and he

323
00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,320
Speaker 1: ended up on the practice squad, and now he very

324
00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,160
Speaker 1: well could be the starter taking the first carry in

325
00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,960
Speaker 1: week one against the Colts, Michael Davis got beat out

326
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,520
Speaker 1: by Austin Eckler for that fifty third spot. You know,

327
00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,240
Speaker 1: two seasons ago, got on the practice squad, worked his

328
00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,520
Speaker 1: tail off, and I he's going to be your starting corner.

329
00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,800
Speaker 1: So yeah, there's names that we're looking at that I mean,

330
00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,800
Speaker 1: you know, beyond us. I mean we're not important, but

331
00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,560
Speaker 1: that you know, obviously Tom and Tom tolesco his staff

332
00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,600
Speaker 1: and Anthony Lean and the coaching staff are looking at

333
00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,200
Speaker 1: that are likely going to play a part in the

334
00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,560
Speaker 1: success of this Charger season. Money, you were at camp,

335
00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,840
Speaker 1: you saw this team, a lot of the same coaches,

336
00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,760
Speaker 1: a lot of the same players. What did you observe

337
00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,080
Speaker 1: over the last month that you're gonna take into Week

338
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,240
Speaker 1: one against Indy? Well, for me, the obvious thing is

339
00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,600
Speaker 1: offensive line. You know, you know, you you think about

340
00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,400
Speaker 1: Russell and obviously you hope, you know, and you're so

341
00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,520
Speaker 1: thankful that that he's okay and they were able to

342
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,280
Speaker 1: catch that pulmonary embolism and that he's healthy and his

343
00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:43,040
Speaker 1: family's good and he's fine moving forward. But once you

344
00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,040
Speaker 1: know that occurred and you don't know what that timetable is,

345
00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,040
Speaker 1: you know you can tell I mean left tackle is

346
00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:51,760
Speaker 1: so just look at the team that we share a

347
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,200
Speaker 1: city with right and the difference between Andrew Whitworth at

348
00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,120
Speaker 1: left tackle and not Andrew Whitworth at left tackle, and

349
00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,280
Speaker 1: what that meant for Jared Goff. There are so few

350
00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,159
Speaker 1: dominant tackles in this league. And considering you know, the

351
00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,359
Speaker 1: type of quarterback that Philip is that I think is

352
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,439
Speaker 1: going to be the catalyst, you know, and I have

353
00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,720
Speaker 1: no doubt. I mean, obviously with coach Meyer and with

354
00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,760
Speaker 1: Coach Lynn and what they're going to do to make

355
00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:16,400
Speaker 1: sure that Philip's good. I think that's kind of been

356
00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,040
Speaker 1: the one thing that I've focused on, and I know,

357
00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,440
Speaker 1: certainly sitting next to Daniel when DJ's doing his analysis,

358
00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,800
Speaker 1: he's been focused on the whole time. What is that

359
00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:28,200
Speaker 1: combination of five guys tight ends? Are you keeping those

360
00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,880
Speaker 1: guys in backs that can ship to try to get

361
00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,680
Speaker 1: this thing right until Russell gets back, if he gets back,

362
00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,720
Speaker 1: or what you have to go with the entire season?

363
00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,359
Speaker 1: You talk about one of the most important position groups,

364
00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,920
Speaker 1: especially early on, is tight end. Right, we see Hunter

365
00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,800
Speaker 1: as a top five tight end from a pass cash perspective,

366
00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,800
Speaker 1: but his ability to block with Virgil and Culkin. Those

367
00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:50,520
Speaker 1: three guys are going to be relied upon, I think,

368
00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,640
Speaker 1: to really help in both the passing the run game,

369
00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,240
Speaker 1: no question. And you know, we saw a team last

370
00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,720
Speaker 1: week and I think that might end up being their model.

371
00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,200
Speaker 1: I think, you know, you saw what Seattle did with

372
00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:03,879
Speaker 1: Russell Wilson, you know, two seasons ago, when they just

373
00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,360
Speaker 1: could not protect him, and then they started bringing in

374
00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,920
Speaker 1: a sixth offensive lineman and fan and they started keeping

375
00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,280
Speaker 1: two tight ends in and essentially you kind of had

376
00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,400
Speaker 1: seven guys on that line it's right, if not eight

377
00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,000
Speaker 1: at times that we're blocking and they were pounding the ball,

378
00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,680
Speaker 1: and I think if you know, they try to get

379
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,920
Speaker 1: this line to mature and coalace, I wouldn't be surprised

380
00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,360
Speaker 1: if that's something that they're they're thinking about, especially with

381
00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:27,480
Speaker 1: with coach Len's you know, background and what he likes

382
00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,240
Speaker 1: to do offensively, if that's the way they have to

383
00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,119
Speaker 1: kind of go about it until they can get everybody

384
00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:33,679
Speaker 1: kind of settled in and feel a little bit better

385
00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,920
Speaker 1: about pass pro A lot of starters just didn't see

386
00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,919
Speaker 1: the field, and we're seeing this around the league now.

387
00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,320
Speaker 1: I think I think the Rams really kind of institute

388
00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,800
Speaker 1: they ruined the preseason. He ruined the man, which is fine,

389
00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:45,879
Speaker 1: and then got him to the super Bowl exactly. And

390
00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,520
Speaker 1: we've been having these conversations. You know, DJ talked about

391
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,120
Speaker 1: his Hunter Henry Jeremiah plan, where it's with two preseason games,

392
00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,600
Speaker 1: two joint practices make it kind of a carnival atmosphere.

393
00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,240
Speaker 1: That may be the future of the preseason. Just talking

394
00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:00,840
Speaker 1: to Philip, he doesn't seem too concerned. When you have

395
00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,640
Speaker 1: reps against the Saints and Rams, enjoy practices, controlled environments

396
00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,000
Speaker 1: where you can work on specific things. I think that's

397
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,840
Speaker 1: all you need for a sixteen year vet. What is

398
00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,120
Speaker 1: your take on what kind of transpired to the last

399
00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,359
Speaker 1: four weeks. Yeah, you know, I think it is the future.

400
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,440
Speaker 1: You're right, especially when you talk to the players and

401
00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,320
Speaker 1: they all say the same thing and the coaches that

402
00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,560
Speaker 1: they get so much more out of those joint practices

403
00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,800
Speaker 1: in situational football and an opportunity for them to actually

404
00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,719
Speaker 1: run legitimate schemes because they're not going to play the

405
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:31,760
Speaker 1: Rams this season unless it's in the super Bowl, the

406
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,000
Speaker 1: Saints unless it's in the super Bowl, and they can

407
00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,840
Speaker 1: show their hand and they can actually get good reps

408
00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,280
Speaker 1: with starters you know, eighty ninety of them over the

409
00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,480
Speaker 1: course of those two days. So that makes sense that

410
00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,600
Speaker 1: that's more valuable to them than a preseason game where

411
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,359
Speaker 1: they're going to play a series and not show anything

412
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,919
Speaker 1: and then have a vanilla offense run against a vanilla defense.

413
00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,040
Speaker 1: I totally understand that, and I do think DJ is

414
00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:55,639
Speaker 1: onto something with you know, and I think it's because

415
00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,920
Speaker 1: and he said it. I believe he said it before

416
00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,320
Speaker 1: we did it that night. So we mentioned that to Hunter,

417
00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,720
Speaker 1: and that night he and I ended up grabbing microphones,

418
00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,000
Speaker 1: sitting in the stands and announcing and him doing analysis

419
00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,720
Speaker 1: of what the fans were watching in that scrimmage. You guys,

420
00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,239
Speaker 1: you know, I thought it was gonna be terrible. I'm

421
00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,560
Speaker 1: not gonna lie, but I credit I credit Mark, who

422
00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,320
Speaker 1: you know, who does game day operations, and what he did,

423
00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,840
Speaker 1: and that was he pumped music ont of the field

424
00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,639
Speaker 1: so the players couldn't hear us, And that was our

425
00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,240
Speaker 1: big concerns. It's like, hey, you know how these things

426
00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,639
Speaker 1: are designed and what happens. You know, the offense always

427
00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,000
Speaker 1: has the upper hand, And I said, you know, chances

428
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,520
Speaker 1: are Casey's gonna come up here and beat me over

429
00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:35,399
Speaker 1: the head with his cleat if I mentioned that, you know,

430
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,479
Speaker 1: Mike Williams got the better of him another time. But

431
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,600
Speaker 1: because they can't here and we have a chance to

432
00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,760
Speaker 1: explain that. You know, as I was walking out of

433
00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,280
Speaker 1: jack Hammett, I had you know, not a ton, but

434
00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,919
Speaker 1: you know, probably double digit people stopped me and say, hey,

435
00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,119
Speaker 1: that was awesome, Like I learned stuff and that was

436
00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,640
Speaker 1: really cool. And um so I do think that could

437
00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,840
Speaker 1: be packaged into a television production. I mean, imagine if

438
00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,520
Speaker 1: if it's a primetime joint practice against the Saints and

439
00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:02,200
Speaker 1: you have DJ kind of walking you through, Okay, this

440
00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,480
Speaker 1: is this situation on goal line, what you're likely going

441
00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,840
Speaker 1: to see as a guard pull in here and back,

442
00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,479
Speaker 1: you know, and that's what occurs. People want to be

443
00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,560
Speaker 1: educated about football, comply exactly. And then after it all,

444
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,800
Speaker 1: what do you get? You get the quarterback competition, you

445
00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,120
Speaker 1: get Philip and Drew out there. That's made for prime time.

446
00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,359
Speaker 1: So I think I think there is a way to

447
00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,480
Speaker 1: sell it to the owners that hey, yeah, you're you're

448
00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:26,280
Speaker 1: losing out on one preseason game of revenue, but how

449
00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:29,520
Speaker 1: about two joint practices of revenue From a TV standpoint,

450
00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:32,240
Speaker 1: maybe a gate standpoint where you might be able to

451
00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:34,919
Speaker 1: at least replace or feel pretty good about getting some

452
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,520
Speaker 1: of that money back. We're joking about, all right, you

453
00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,840
Speaker 1: don't want to call like Keenan making a playover case,

454
00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:42,479
Speaker 1: you know, Kate, We're at the team hotel and now

455
00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,320
Speaker 1: you want Matt Smith's hotel room. Jacy knocking on the door. Okay,

456
00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:47,960
Speaker 1: I heard what you said. I don't appreciate that. What

457
00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,080
Speaker 1: do you want me to say? I can't explain, you know,

458
00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,199
Speaker 1: I can only explain it so many times that the

459
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,840
Speaker 1: defense is always at a disadvantage in these scrimmages. But

460
00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,159
Speaker 1: but it was fun, and I do think I do

461
00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,040
Speaker 1: think there is something to that just because it's not

462
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,080
Speaker 1: look it's a unique view. I mean, everybody is talking

463
00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,160
Speaker 1: about it, and look not to get to inside baseball

464
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,320
Speaker 1: as they call it, But you know, I do think

465
00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,560
Speaker 1: there's probably something to the idea that the owners want

466
00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,080
Speaker 1: to use it as a little piece of Hey, you

467
00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,440
Speaker 1: know what here, you guys don't like the four preseason games.

468
00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,560
Speaker 1: Here we are in our CBA conversations. Uh, you know, well,

469
00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:18,639
Speaker 1: let's give you back those two. We don't need to

470
00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,320
Speaker 1: do four games. How about we'll give you to you know,

471
00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,960
Speaker 1: so I think there is something to that as well.

472
00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,800
Speaker 1: Saturday was really bizarre when we were about to kick

473
00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,199
Speaker 1: off against the Seahawks and you get the news and

474
00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,040
Speaker 1: Andrew Lux retiring and I think everybody did a double take.

475
00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:36,520
Speaker 1: I look at fake Adam Schefter account who hacked as

476
00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,399
Speaker 1: a cow and it you know, it had more meaning

477
00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:40,880
Speaker 1: I think for the charges in that it was it's

478
00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:42,919
Speaker 1: the Week one opponent. It was cool to be at

479
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:44,800
Speaker 1: the stadium when it happened, and actually to be down

480
00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:46,199
Speaker 1: on the field when it happened. It was like for

481
00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:47,880
Speaker 1: you on the field, and then just during the broadcasting

482
00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,560
Speaker 1: that that's it was a wave. It was cool to see.

483
00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,959
Speaker 1: It was a wave of conversation that you could see

484
00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,040
Speaker 1: because players are on the field, they don't have their phones,

485
00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,800
Speaker 1: but you could see the news travel from the stands

486
00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,880
Speaker 1: onto the field, to the coaches and the players were

487
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,240
Speaker 1: back in the tunnel already and then make its way

488
00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,520
Speaker 1: into the locker room. Um, as you said, because that's

489
00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,360
Speaker 1: their Week one opponent, they've been wondering what was Andrew

490
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,240
Speaker 1: looking to be back? We playing Andrew Luck or we're

491
00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 1: playing Jacoby Brisset, who were planning well, now you know Um,

492
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,840
Speaker 1: and I I think that there's it's funny. I think

493
00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,200
Speaker 1: there's a difference. Um, everybody kind of has their own thing.

494
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,240
Speaker 1: You know, they're scouts at every game. So some of

495
00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,440
Speaker 1: the scouts that were there, you know, they weigh in about, hey,

496
00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,680
Speaker 1: that he's a different cat. You know when I when

497
00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:31,240
Speaker 1: I did my interview with him and when I did

498
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,040
Speaker 1: my rite up, I remember, right, and hey, this is

499
00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:37,560
Speaker 1: a bright, unique, multi interested individual and you tend to

500
00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,919
Speaker 1: get those with Stanford guys. And that's always been a

501
00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:43,600
Speaker 1: conversation with scouts about Stanford guys. M So it is

502
00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:47,680
Speaker 1: it's interesting that that that happened upstairs in the boot

503
00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,000
Speaker 1: in the press box where a lot of the scouts are.

504
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,679
Speaker 1: The players. Oh yeah, I totally get it. You know,

505
00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:54,760
Speaker 1: dude got beat the heck you know for a couple

506
00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,520
Speaker 1: of seasons there behind that that offensive line, and it's

507
00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,400
Speaker 1: it sucks dealing with injuries and rehab and not being

508
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,840
Speaker 1: around and feeling on that island like you're all alone

509
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,520
Speaker 1: when your teammates are playing and you're in the rehab room.

510
00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,760
Speaker 1: It was interesting to see how empathetic the players were

511
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,720
Speaker 1: and just how pragmatic not to try to use these

512
00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:15,440
Speaker 1: big words, But I just I think that's the best

513
00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,320
Speaker 1: way I can describe it, just how pragmatic the scouts were, like,

514
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,960
Speaker 1: oh yeah, that's you know, Stanford guy made a ton

515
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:22,800
Speaker 1: of money, already made a hundred million bucks. And and

516
00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,439
Speaker 1: he's someone who I never thought would take a beating

517
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,560
Speaker 1: too long. He's just not wired that way twenty nine

518
00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:30,800
Speaker 1: years old. I mean, he did make a ton of money.

519
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 1: He's also leaving a ton of money on the table.

520
00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,320
Speaker 1: When when you look at guys like like Phillip and

521
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,840
Speaker 1: Breeze and Brady, the guys who've played to their late

522
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,959
Speaker 1: thirties forties with the money just going up and up

523
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,440
Speaker 1: and up, you know, something to be said about what

524
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,960
Speaker 1: he was going through. And yeah, you know it's we're

525
00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,640
Speaker 1: gonna see Jakobe Percaid now, NC State ency State right.

526
00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,639
Speaker 1: One thing that I've heard regularly from players, and I'm

527
00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,240
Speaker 1: sure you've heard it too, is this is not a

528
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,160
Speaker 1: game you can play if you don't want to. That's

529
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,080
Speaker 1: all there is to it. It's it's not a game

530
00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,040
Speaker 1: unless you have a financial necessity. Obviously, that's what that means.

531
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:03,879
Speaker 1: You want to play it because I need the money

532
00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:06,119
Speaker 1: and I'm one hundred percent committed to earning this paycheck.

533
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,280
Speaker 1: So I'm gonna play or I love this game. You

534
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,040
Speaker 1: don't have to love it. You just have to have

535
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,320
Speaker 1: a reason to play it. And the second that reason leaves,

536
00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,359
Speaker 1: you're done. That's just it's it's too hard. It it

537
00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,360
Speaker 1: really is. It is just too hard. It is too

538
00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,080
Speaker 1: much of a grind, what you have to put your

539
00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:24,200
Speaker 1: body through, what you go through emotionally as you're recovering

540
00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:28,280
Speaker 1: from a game or practice, unless you're in and again,

541
00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,240
Speaker 1: I don't care what the motivation is. I'm not saying

542
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,640
Speaker 1: that you have to love the game. You can totally

543
00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,560
Speaker 1: be in it for the money. But if that's your motivation,

544
00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:36,240
Speaker 1: you've got to have that. And I think once you

545
00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,160
Speaker 1: lose it, that's when you'll see and I think we're

546
00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,800
Speaker 1: starting to see more and more of it because players

547
00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,000
Speaker 1: are making more and more and they can walk away earlier.

548
00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:45,480
Speaker 1: You know you can if you're drafted in the first

549
00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,359
Speaker 1: round and they pick up that fifty year option. You

550
00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:52,120
Speaker 1: know you're talking about probably walking away with eight figures.

551
00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,680
Speaker 1: You know you're north of ten million bucks in career earnings.

552
00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:56,720
Speaker 1: That's what I mean. You got a big brain in

553
00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:58,320
Speaker 1: your head and you invested right and you know what

554
00:25:58,359 --> 00:25:59,800
Speaker 1: you want to do. You can walk away at twenty

555
00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,119
Speaker 1: five even start your second career with a heck of

556
00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:06,119
Speaker 1: a financial foundation to build upon and work with. And

557
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,040
Speaker 1: I do think there is something to that and that

558
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,359
Speaker 1: we may start seeing more and more of it. I

559
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,360
Speaker 1: know we're eight nine days away here, but let's just

560
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,240
Speaker 1: have a mini preview of what to expect against the Colts.

561
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,680
Speaker 1: This is a team that was in the playoffs last year.

562
00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:23,479
Speaker 1: Ballots put together a heck of a roster, and I

563
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,320
Speaker 1: know it kind of throws a wrench in things when

564
00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,880
Speaker 1: you don't have an Andrew Luck, but Jacoby percent more

565
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:31,879
Speaker 1: than capable backup with some weapons on the outside. And

566
00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 1: then that defense, well, you know, to me, it's it's

567
00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,120
Speaker 1: one battle I think determines this game, and it's their

568
00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:41,440
Speaker 1: offensive line versus the Chargers defensive line. To me, that

569
00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,080
Speaker 1: is where it will be waged and where it will

570
00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,960
Speaker 1: be one. I think you can make a very compelling

571
00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,320
Speaker 1: case it's the best offensive line in the league went healthy.

572
00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,399
Speaker 1: If the Chargers are one hundred percent healthy, and we

573
00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,800
Speaker 1: believe Bosa is one hundred percent Ingram's one hundred percent,

574
00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:58,800
Speaker 1: the way that they are going to rotate guys and

575
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:03,520
Speaker 1: waves the options that Gus has just even beyond you know,

576
00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,040
Speaker 1: me Bane and Jones and Hillary. That's what I mean.

577
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,960
Speaker 1: If it you know, when you can now talk about

578
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,240
Speaker 1: rushing Chenna as a rush you know, as a rush end,

579
00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,480
Speaker 1: and then behind him you don't have to worry about

580
00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:16,879
Speaker 1: playing him at linebacker. He can be a rush specialist

581
00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,840
Speaker 1: because behind him you've got Kai's ear, and you've got Denzel,

582
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,479
Speaker 1: and you've got Thomas Davis and you've got all these weapons. Now,

583
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:24,520
Speaker 1: Drew Tranquil, who we're going to see in that rotation,

584
00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:27,520
Speaker 1: that's what it's all about, you know. And if if

585
00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,000
Speaker 1: we see Bosa and Ingram, you know, set the tone

586
00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,200
Speaker 1: with Tillery now in the middle getting singled, if they

587
00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,520
Speaker 1: can wreck that offensive line, it's going to be very

588
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 1: exciting thinking about what it can do for the rest

589
00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,960
Speaker 1: of the year. Jerry Tillery. Quinton Nelson right, match, Joe,

590
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,280
Speaker 1: That's what I mean. Quinn Nelson's not a human no, no,

591
00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:47,200
Speaker 1: I mean, he's he's the best. He's in his second

592
00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:49,639
Speaker 1: year and he's he's Drwin James, you know, on the

593
00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,560
Speaker 1: offensive side. He's he's in his second year and he's

594
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,840
Speaker 1: the best guard in the league. You know, Darwin's in

595
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,439
Speaker 1: his second year and he's the best safety in the league.

596
00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,359
Speaker 1: And that's what Quentin is. I mean, just the image

597
00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,200
Speaker 1: he can do um if you know. But but then

598
00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,000
Speaker 1: now you're talking about Okay, well, if if Quentin's dealing

599
00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,600
Speaker 1: with you know, if Quentin's dealing with Tillery's gonna be

600
00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,320
Speaker 1: dealing with the one on one because it's likely that

601
00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,119
Speaker 1: outside tackle is going to be getting help from a

602
00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:13,879
Speaker 1: tight end to try to slow it on boaster Ringam. Okay, well,

603
00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:15,360
Speaker 1: that's gonna be a hell of a battle, like you said.

604
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:16,959
Speaker 1: And that's and now if those two are one on one,

605
00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,080
Speaker 1: guess what so is Justin Jones And and that's that's

606
00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,359
Speaker 1: what's exciting about that game. I know it's it's not

607
00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,959
Speaker 1: wide receiver quarterback and you know all that and points,

608
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,920
Speaker 1: but to me, that's that's what this game is because look,

609
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:30,880
Speaker 1: that's one of the trenches. Money it is. And it's

610
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:32,920
Speaker 1: also just because of Jacoby Brissett and kind of what

611
00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,200
Speaker 1: look is he athletic. Yeah, but he's someone that's also

612
00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,159
Speaker 1: held on the ball a little too long. And you

613
00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 1: know that's the thing about Andrew luck is, Yeah, he

614
00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,480
Speaker 1: held the ball, but he was able to deliver strikes

615
00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,200
Speaker 1: even in the face of adversity, which is why I

616
00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,560
Speaker 1: took so many of those hits. Um And I don't

617
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,240
Speaker 1: think Joe Jacobe is not ready to do that. I

618
00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,040
Speaker 1: don't think. So that's that's what will make it interesting.

619
00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 1: You know it'll it's gonna be a heck of a

620
00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:54,000
Speaker 1: game though, no question if I don't think. For you,

621
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,320
Speaker 1: your NFL Network colleague, Marcus Grant, coming up next little

622
00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,400
Speaker 1: Fantasy Football previews. This is a big weekend for rafts.

623
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,560
Speaker 1: Do you have any advice thirty thousand foot view advice

624
00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,400
Speaker 1: for people that are drafting this weekend and going into Thursday. Yeah,

625
00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,480
Speaker 1: I you know I have. I have managed to do

626
00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:12,960
Speaker 1: pretty darn well. And that Fantasy Experts League, which I

627
00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:14,800
Speaker 1: got booted out of this year because I'm no longer

628
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:16,840
Speaker 1: part as Fantasy Live. I moved over to the new

629
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,680
Speaker 1: side of things. So yeah, that's what it is. Well,

630
00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:22,360
Speaker 1: you know, two titles pretty darn good through through that

631
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,280
Speaker 1: Expert's League. I will pat myself on the back for

632
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,320
Speaker 1: just being someone who was hired as a sweater. Why'd

633
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,560
Speaker 1: you get kicked out? They they moved the time slot,

634
00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,920
Speaker 1: so it coincides with my radio show now, so I

635
00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:34,880
Speaker 1: couldn't do it before it was at two. Now they're

636
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:37,720
Speaker 1: starting at three, so I can't do the show anymore.

637
00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,280
Speaker 1: And U plus NFL Network just wanted to move me

638
00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:42,840
Speaker 1: to do the new show from ten NFL now from

639
00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,080
Speaker 1: ten to noon, so I'll be doing that from now

640
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,720
Speaker 1: on moving forward, which I'm excited about. But um, what

641
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,560
Speaker 1: I've always told people is just use I'm not telling

642
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,480
Speaker 1: you got to deal with math, but just kind of

643
00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,520
Speaker 1: use some elementary math, some rudimentary math to recognize what

644
00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,560
Speaker 1: the gaps are. If you're sitting in that second round

645
00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,280
Speaker 1: and you're staring at the fifth or six wide out,

646
00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,400
Speaker 1: I want you to think about what wide out five

647
00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,200
Speaker 1: or six is and the gap you think and projected

648
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,880
Speaker 1: numbers from wide out ten or eleven versus tight end

649
00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,960
Speaker 1: number one, two or three. You know the kittle the

650
00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,800
Speaker 1: obviously Travis Kelsey one, Kittle two, urge three and the

651
00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,720
Speaker 1: next time you're going to get a crack at a

652
00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,960
Speaker 1: tight end. So that's what I've always done. Who's even

653
00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,680
Speaker 1: probably Hunter, I think is it just because it's the unknown?

654
00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,240
Speaker 1: I think is where is where I would go? And look,

655
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:31,120
Speaker 1: I think you're going to get tremendous value with Hunter,

656
00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,360
Speaker 1: no question about it. But I think that's so important

657
00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,440
Speaker 1: is when you're in those pivot spots of Okay, I'm

658
00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:38,960
Speaker 1: still looking at the number one, and same thing with

659
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,680
Speaker 1: running back. You know. Okay, now I'm at running back

660
00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:43,720
Speaker 1: five and six, but I can also be at wide

661
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:46,560
Speaker 1: receiver one or two. You know, what's the difference between

662
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,080
Speaker 1: wide receiver one new Copkins, whoever it may be, and

663
00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:53,880
Speaker 1: wide receiver six versus taken running back six there and

664
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,280
Speaker 1: running back eleven, If that makes sense. That's always been

665
00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,840
Speaker 1: kind of my things. I've always wanted to take the

666
00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,840
Speaker 1: number one tight end the number one quarterback when I

667
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:03,880
Speaker 1: have a chance to do it, if I believe that

668
00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,520
Speaker 1: gap is gonna be sizeable. Very sound advice from Matt

669
00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,160
Speaker 1: money Smith boring, you know, no sleepers, none of that

670
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,440
Speaker 1: that stuff. Well we'll have MG do that. There you

671
00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,320
Speaker 1: go next, much more qualified. I'm I'm pumped to have

672
00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:16,920
Speaker 1: another season with you, man. It's be a lot of fun,

673
00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,920
Speaker 1: you and me both. Take it easy on my airplane

674
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:23,080
Speaker 1: seat pillows stuff. That's part of the season. That's what

675
00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,640
Speaker 1: we gotta do, all right, brother, All right, all right,

676
00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,960
Speaker 1: chances are you have a fantasy football draft either this

677
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,600
Speaker 1: weekend or early next week. And I got a guy

678
00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,760
Speaker 1: to help you out. Marcus Grant, NFL Network joins me. Mge,

679
00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,320
Speaker 1: how are you, sir? It was fantastic. Always good to

680
00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,560
Speaker 1: talk to you. Always good talking to you too. Man

681
00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,760
Speaker 1: Um just had money on. He told me that he

682
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,280
Speaker 1: is not allowed to be in your fantasy league anymore.

683
00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,080
Speaker 1: He was a little upset about it. I don't know

684
00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,920
Speaker 1: if you can expound upon that, Marcus. Well, basically, it's

685
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,640
Speaker 1: because he's too good, you know, like time winner too.

686
00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,640
Speaker 1: He did mention that, Yeah, he's a two time champion.

687
00:31:57,760 --> 00:31:59,400
Speaker 1: You know, he's always like hanging away out of the

688
00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,440
Speaker 1: playoffs and push it for championship weekend. And we just,

689
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:04,240
Speaker 1: you know, we felt like to level the playing field,

690
00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:06,640
Speaker 1: we had to. We had to excommunicate him from the league.

691
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,760
Speaker 1: I love it all right, Marcus, you're the expert Fantasy

692
00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,680
Speaker 1: Live podcast. You guys do a great job. Just to

693
00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,440
Speaker 1: get started to hear your overall strategy, dudes, and don't

694
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:22,040
Speaker 1: that every fantasy owners should probably know going into their draft. Yeah.

695
00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,040
Speaker 1: I think the first thing, maybe the biggest thing, is

696
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,640
Speaker 1: you don't have to reach for a quarterback early right,

697
00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:29,280
Speaker 1: And I know that it's tempting for fantasy folks to

698
00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,080
Speaker 1: look at a guy like Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson

699
00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:33,800
Speaker 1: and see the kind of numbers that they put up,

700
00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,160
Speaker 1: and look, it's nice to have that. But you can

701
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,200
Speaker 1: also wait until the later rounds and and find a

702
00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,480
Speaker 1: quarterback who, well, you may not be any lead superstar,

703
00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:44,680
Speaker 1: but it's still a quality quarterback that can give you

704
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:48,720
Speaker 1: fantasy production a consistently week after weeks. So you take

705
00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,400
Speaker 1: those early rounds, load up on the running backs and

706
00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,680
Speaker 1: the wide receivers, try to get as much depth there

707
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:55,960
Speaker 1: as possible, and then you get around the ninth or

708
00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,160
Speaker 1: tenth round and you can start thinking about a quarterback.

709
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:00,720
Speaker 1: All right, So that first round, let's start at the

710
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,120
Speaker 1: very top. Number one overall. I've seen a combination of

711
00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,920
Speaker 1: three guys. Who's your number one overall player? My number

712
00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,120
Speaker 1: one is Christian McCaffrey. But there you mentioned there are

713
00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,479
Speaker 1: three guys. Stay Kwon Barkley and Alvin Kamara are the

714
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,760
Speaker 1: other two. And what I tell people is that you

715
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:19,920
Speaker 1: really can't go wrong. There's really no wrong answer when

716
00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,640
Speaker 1: you're talking about those three. It is a matter of preference.

717
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,400
Speaker 1: And I tell people. If you are conflicted about which

718
00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:27,880
Speaker 1: one of those guys to take, just imagine which guy

719
00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,520
Speaker 1: would you enjoy watching the most each and every week

720
00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,800
Speaker 1: play football. And I think that's how you make that decision.

721
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,480
Speaker 1: I like Christian McCaffrey most of because I think he's

722
00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,320
Speaker 1: in a better offense than what you see in New York.

723
00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:40,440
Speaker 1: I think the Giants are going to struggle offensively this

724
00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,960
Speaker 1: year outside of stay Kwon Barkley, and I still think

725
00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,400
Speaker 1: with Alvin Kamara, you know he is a belltown, but

726
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:47,720
Speaker 1: I still think they're going to use Letavius Murray to

727
00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,040
Speaker 1: spell him a little bit, to try to keep him fresh.

728
00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:52,320
Speaker 1: Knowing at the Saints are really poised to try to

729
00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,920
Speaker 1: make a run at the super Bowl. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffrey

730
00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,840
Speaker 1: doesn't have anybody in that backfield that's ostensibly going to

731
00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:01,320
Speaker 1: take carries away from him. The Panthers have some other

732
00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,320
Speaker 1: guys on the outside that they can throw the football too.

733
00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:05,840
Speaker 1: Meeting the defenses have to respect the passing game a

734
00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:07,800
Speaker 1: little bit. So he has been my number one pretty

735
00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:12,040
Speaker 1: much all summer. So Marcus if Ezekiel Elliott was in camp,

736
00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,760
Speaker 1: he'd probably be in that conversation two of top four guys,

737
00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,480
Speaker 1: and it could go in really any different order. How

738
00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:21,280
Speaker 1: do you handle players like Debt that have either held

739
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:25,360
Speaker 1: out or are coming to their teams kind of close

740
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:27,200
Speaker 1: to Week one knowing that they may not get the

741
00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,120
Speaker 1: playing time early on in the twenty nineteen season. I

742
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,400
Speaker 1: put guys like Melvin Gordon in that conversation, you know,

743
00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:34,480
Speaker 1: Levion A Bell last year, and even a guy like

744
00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:36,120
Speaker 1: AJ Green, who we know is gonna be hurt for

745
00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:39,040
Speaker 1: the first few weeks, but you know that they can

746
00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,520
Speaker 1: put up wide receiver one production in AJ Green's case

747
00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,360
Speaker 1: went healthy. Yeah, I mean I think, you know, I

748
00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:46,880
Speaker 1: would say it was Zeke. It's sort of a fluid

749
00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,080
Speaker 1: situation because if we had had this conversation maybe a

750
00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,239
Speaker 1: week ago, I would have said, you know what, Zeke

751
00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,400
Speaker 1: is a silly lockdown top five pick, because you know,

752
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,839
Speaker 1: we just I just truly believed that he was going

753
00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,440
Speaker 1: to sign and maybe it does happen soon. The more

754
00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:03,040
Speaker 1: this drags out, though, the harder it gets to make

755
00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:05,920
Speaker 1: Zeke a top five pick. But that being said, I

756
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,799
Speaker 1: still can't justify letting him fall out of the first round.

757
00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,480
Speaker 1: I think with Melvin Gordon, just because you know there

758
00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:14,319
Speaker 1: hasn't been a lot of movement there. Necessarily, He's a

759
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,080
Speaker 1: guy that they're just gonna wait and maybe taking the

760
00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:19,040
Speaker 1: third round if he's still hanging around on the board,

761
00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,440
Speaker 1: because when if he comes back, we know the production,

762
00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:24,200
Speaker 1: we know the workload that he's going to get in

763
00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:26,239
Speaker 1: that Chargers offense. We know what he can do. And

764
00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,759
Speaker 1: so if you can somehow land Melvin Gordon and he

765
00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,000
Speaker 1: ends up as your second or third running back, you're

766
00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,239
Speaker 1: gonna feel pretty great about life. AJ Green's another one. Look,

767
00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:36,960
Speaker 1: I like what his potential is. We know what he

768
00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,200
Speaker 1: can do when he's on the field. You just have

769
00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:42,000
Speaker 1: to be willing to kind of absorb some zeros for

770
00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:44,840
Speaker 1: a few weeks until he gets back, simply because the

771
00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,919
Speaker 1: Bengals haven't really given us a clear indication of how

772
00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:51,040
Speaker 1: long he could be out. All right, Marcus, you mentioned quarterback.

773
00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,200
Speaker 1: Let's take that position out of the equation. Is there

774
00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:56,839
Speaker 1: another position group that you can kind of wait on?

775
00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:58,960
Speaker 1: I know, running back and wide chief. You want to

776
00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,719
Speaker 1: load up on both of those positions, But should you

777
00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,440
Speaker 1: focus on one or the other knowing that there may

778
00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:08,160
Speaker 1: be a surplus. Maybe let's say with wide receiver for instance,

779
00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,840
Speaker 1: you know I have tended to go running backs early

780
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:14,440
Speaker 1: just because I think there's there's kind of a drop off. Right,

781
00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:16,800
Speaker 1: you've got your elite guys, You've gotta have a second

782
00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:19,280
Speaker 1: wave of guys that are you know, maybe that elite,

783
00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,759
Speaker 1: but certainly very good. But after that there's just kind

784
00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:23,759
Speaker 1: of a fall off because teams tend to use so

785
00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,240
Speaker 1: many rotations and you just never know how the touches

786
00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,279
Speaker 1: are going to spread out. Meanwhile, I think there's a

787
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:31,160
Speaker 1: lot more depth at wide receiver, whereas you know, sure

788
00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:33,120
Speaker 1: you'd love to get an elite guy, You'd love to

789
00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,080
Speaker 1: get a DeAndre Hopkins or DeVante Adams up top, but

790
00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:37,719
Speaker 1: you can wait a little bit. And you know, like

791
00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,120
Speaker 1: a guy that I really loved targeting is Chris Godwin

792
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:42,479
Speaker 1: app there in Tampa Bay is coming off the board

793
00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,080
Speaker 1: in the fifth round. They're in an offense that is

794
00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:46,960
Speaker 1: likely going to throw the football a whole lot. He's

795
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:50,040
Speaker 1: a talented guy who should get plenty of targets. And again,

796
00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:52,279
Speaker 1: that's fifth round draft price, and if you're getting him

797
00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:55,120
Speaker 1: sort of that's fun. I think that's that's really good value.

798
00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,239
Speaker 1: So I have tended to kind of maybe wait all

799
00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,040
Speaker 1: wide receivers, but then load up and try to a

800
00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:03,560
Speaker 1: depth at that position, Marcus. Outside of Godwin, who are

801
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,160
Speaker 1: a few of the guys that have ended up on

802
00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,120
Speaker 1: your team just no matter how you slice it. I

803
00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:10,239
Speaker 1: know you've done a ton of draft, but guys that

804
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:14,000
Speaker 1: you just you can't quit that are always on your team. Yeah,

805
00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:17,480
Speaker 1: Chris Godwin has one. Curtis Samuel down in Carolina is

806
00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:19,680
Speaker 1: another guy that I sort of like because I think

807
00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:22,480
Speaker 1: he's he's really shown some things in training camp this year.

808
00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,479
Speaker 1: You know, to stay with the wide receivers, Christian Kirk

809
00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,719
Speaker 1: down in Arizona, just because if we really believe this

810
00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,680
Speaker 1: clip teams very offense is the next big thing. I

811
00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:34,840
Speaker 1: think Christian Kirk is potentially the number one wide receiver target,

812
00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:36,319
Speaker 1: and I guess to go back to the top of

813
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:39,319
Speaker 1: the draft and stay in Arizona. I was big on

814
00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:41,120
Speaker 1: David Johnson a few years ago when he had his

815
00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:44,560
Speaker 1: huge breakout season, and I expect a rebound from David

816
00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,799
Speaker 1: Johnson Pater and he's a guy that you know, if

817
00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,239
Speaker 1: I'm hanging around in that fourth or fifth spot in

818
00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:51,480
Speaker 1: the first round, I am trying to grab David Johnson

819
00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,359
Speaker 1: as much as possible. That's so interesting and I mean

820
00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 1: one hundred percent see where you're coming from. But let's

821
00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:59,359
Speaker 1: just say the Cardinals aren't going to be that good

822
00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:01,680
Speaker 1: this year, let's to say, and they're going to be

823
00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:04,520
Speaker 1: playing from behind, and their offensive line may not be

824
00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,800
Speaker 1: able to block for David Johnson. Is it just affected

825
00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:08,960
Speaker 1: he's so versatile that you're gonna have to get him

826
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,360
Speaker 1: the ball any way possible. That's exactly what it is.

827
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:15,000
Speaker 1: You know, the plan is, at least the talk is

828
00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,439
Speaker 1: they're gonna line him up all over the formation. He's

829
00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:19,719
Speaker 1: not just going to be strictly a running back. And

830
00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:22,360
Speaker 1: you know, it's funny because for as much as people

831
00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:25,120
Speaker 1: were frustrated with David Johnson last year and the way

832
00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,719
Speaker 1: the Cardinals sort of used him as a basic running back,

833
00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:30,600
Speaker 1: he still was a top ten fantasy running back when

834
00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:32,640
Speaker 1: it was all said and done, so even his down

835
00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:35,960
Speaker 1: year wasn't all that bad. But this year he's got,

836
00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:38,600
Speaker 1: in theory, a more creative offensive mine who will move

837
00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:41,319
Speaker 1: him all over the formation to the point that he

838
00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:43,799
Speaker 1: really is targeting trying to be a one thousand yard

839
00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,359
Speaker 1: rusher and a one thousand yard receiver. And I think

840
00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:48,560
Speaker 1: with the way that offense goes and the fact that

841
00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,399
Speaker 1: they may be forced to throw the ball a lot

842
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,480
Speaker 1: in the second half of games. I think he has

843
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:54,919
Speaker 1: a legitimate shot at it. All right, Marcus, I want

844
00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:56,920
Speaker 1: to go through a few of these Chargers. The Charges

845
00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:59,800
Speaker 1: always have a fun offense when it comes to fantasy football,

846
00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,799
Speaker 1: and at the wide receiver position, Keenan Allen in Mike Williams.

847
00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,279
Speaker 1: Mike Williams didn't really have the targets last year, but

848
00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:09,040
Speaker 1: he had eleven total touchdowns and Keenan Allen is a

849
00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,919
Speaker 1: target machine. Maybe didn't have the touchdown production, but both

850
00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,399
Speaker 1: guys figure to have a big role in this twenty

851
00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,880
Speaker 1: nineteen offense. No, absolutely, you know, Keenan Allen is a

852
00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:21,480
Speaker 1: steady kind of late second early third round pick. I

853
00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:24,600
Speaker 1: think he's I just don't think you can go wrong

854
00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:26,680
Speaker 1: with Keenan Allen in your league, just because of what

855
00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:29,240
Speaker 1: you mentioned that he is a target machine. Mike Williams

856
00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,160
Speaker 1: is another guy that a lot of us really like

857
00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:33,080
Speaker 1: this year, and some of it has to do with

858
00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:35,040
Speaker 1: what he did last year. Some of it has to

859
00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:37,880
Speaker 1: do with the fact that, look, Tyro Williams isn't there anymore,

860
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:40,600
Speaker 1: so there's fewer targets of there's less competition for targets,

861
00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:42,799
Speaker 1: I should say in that offense, and so you know,

862
00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:45,080
Speaker 1: kind of a mid round guy another the seventh or

863
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:48,120
Speaker 1: eighth round guy. I wouldn't mind having Mike Williams knowing

864
00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:50,400
Speaker 1: that the target number should increase in the fact that

865
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:52,520
Speaker 1: he could be a really nice red zone target for

866
00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:55,399
Speaker 1: Philip Rivers. Yeah, in the red zone. My next guy's

867
00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:57,719
Speaker 1: Hunter Henry, and both of those guys are great red

868
00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,480
Speaker 1: zones targets. Hunter Henry at twelve touchdowns first couple of

869
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,960
Speaker 1: years in the league, with Philip throwing him in the football,

870
00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,319
Speaker 1: Where do you see Hunter fitting into this tight end

871
00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:09,520
Speaker 1: equation that kind of starts with what Kelsey, Kennel and Urts. Yeah,

872
00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,239
Speaker 1: I mean those are your top three tight ends, but

873
00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:14,800
Speaker 1: there's another tier of guys right below them, with Hunter Henry, O. J.

874
00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:17,560
Speaker 1: Howard down in Tampa, Evan Ingram with the New York

875
00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:19,360
Speaker 1: Giants and all sort of bunched in that kind of

876
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,839
Speaker 1: second group of tight end and Hunter Henry. You want

877
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,560
Speaker 1: to talk about a guy that that fantasy analysts really love.

878
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,640
Speaker 1: You mentioned the twelve touchdowns, right, but we still haven't

879
00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:32,080
Speaker 1: truly seen a full breakout season his first couple of years,

880
00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:35,400
Speaker 1: he was still kind of splitting time he was on

881
00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,719
Speaker 1: the field with Antonio Gates a little bit. Then last year,

882
00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,680
Speaker 1: I think when everybody expected really big things, he unfortunately

883
00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,200
Speaker 1: got hurt and we didn't see him all season. So

884
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,600
Speaker 1: this is hopefully the year, right he comes back, he

885
00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:48,680
Speaker 1: can stay healthy. Antonio Gates is no longer there in

886
00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:51,160
Speaker 1: the offense there, so I expect big things out of

887
00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,239
Speaker 1: Hunter Henry and if I can get him somewhere in

888
00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:55,279
Speaker 1: the sixth round, I'm feeling pretty good, all right. The

889
00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:57,680
Speaker 1: running back position, we talked about Melvin a little bit,

890
00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:02,440
Speaker 1: Austin Eckler independent of whoever else is in the backfield, Marcus,

891
00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:05,719
Speaker 1: I feel like Austin's gonna have value catching the football

892
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:09,040
Speaker 1: and also running. Where do you look at Austin as

893
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,080
Speaker 1: either a Gordon owner or just kind of outright having

894
00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,560
Speaker 1: a guy for your bench or a flex position. Yeah,

895
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:16,759
Speaker 1: I mean he's a guy with standalone value because we

896
00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,200
Speaker 1: saw it last year for the games when when Melvine

897
00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:22,080
Speaker 1: was hurt and they forced austed into a bigger role

898
00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:23,880
Speaker 1: and he was able to perform there. But even when

899
00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:25,920
Speaker 1: when Melvin was on the field, we saw that Austin

900
00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:29,040
Speaker 1: Eckler had a role, So his value has sort of

901
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:31,680
Speaker 1: climbed as we've gotten closer to the season and we

902
00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:34,520
Speaker 1: haven't heard much from Melvin Gordon. So I mean, whereas

903
00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:37,920
Speaker 1: say back in you know, May or June, when people

904
00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:41,680
Speaker 1: started doing drafts, Austin Eckler was somewhere in the ninth

905
00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:43,879
Speaker 1: round or so. Now he's moved up and you got

906
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:46,040
Speaker 1: to spend maybe a fourth round tick or a fifth

907
00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:48,759
Speaker 1: round tick to get Austin Eckler on your roster. But

908
00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:51,200
Speaker 1: I think even you know, if Melvin Gordon when he

909
00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:54,080
Speaker 1: comes back, I still think that there's a role for

910
00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:55,880
Speaker 1: Austin Eckler. And so he's the guy that in some

911
00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:57,879
Speaker 1: of my drafts I have certainly taken a shot at,

912
00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:00,000
Speaker 1: just because I do believe that, regardless of the situation,

913
00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:02,800
Speaker 1: the Chargers will find a way to get him the football.

914
00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:06,160
Speaker 1: All right, Marcus Philip Rivers, you mentioned quarterback waiting on

915
00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:08,160
Speaker 1: a quarterback if you don't get a Patrick Mahomes or

916
00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:11,640
Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson. I look at Philip in the weapons on

917
00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:13,600
Speaker 1: the outside. We talked about all of them, and the

918
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:16,960
Speaker 1: thing with the running back position in Los Angeles is

919
00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,080
Speaker 1: that all of these guys can catch the ball out

920
00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:23,240
Speaker 1: of the backfield Justin Jackson included from Northwestern. So Philip

921
00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,759
Speaker 1: Rivers I feel like he gets disrespected a little bit

922
00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:28,200
Speaker 1: when it comes to fantasy football. Where are you drafting

923
00:42:28,239 --> 00:42:30,880
Speaker 1: Philip and are you comfortable with him being part of

924
00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,920
Speaker 1: your kind of QB one rotation? Yeah, I mean I've

925
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:35,400
Speaker 1: got I think I got a couple of three teams

926
00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:37,799
Speaker 1: with Philip Rivers that might QB one And I feel

927
00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:40,480
Speaker 1: like every year I have a couple of rosters that

928
00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:43,480
Speaker 1: have Philip Rivers on them because you know, all I

929
00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:46,239
Speaker 1: mentioned at the beginning, waiting on a quarterback is kind

930
00:42:46,239 --> 00:42:49,680
Speaker 1: of the thing to do, and right now, Philip Rivers

931
00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:51,480
Speaker 1: is I'd like to say he's the patron saint of

932
00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:53,640
Speaker 1: the Church of wait on a quarterback, Right. He's that

933
00:42:53,719 --> 00:42:56,080
Speaker 1: guy that's that's on the board in you know, the

934
00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:58,759
Speaker 1: tenth or eleventh round, and you know, he's just one

935
00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:01,160
Speaker 1: of those guys that, yeah, it's not always pretty, and

936
00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:03,480
Speaker 1: it's not you know, it's not Patrick Mahomes with the

937
00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,840
Speaker 1: no look throws, but he's gonna give you quality, consistent

938
00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:09,919
Speaker 1: production week after week. You don't have to really worry

939
00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:12,240
Speaker 1: about Rivers when you put him in your lineup and again,

940
00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:14,239
Speaker 1: he's not He's not going to cost you a whole

941
00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:18,120
Speaker 1: lot in draft capital. So I'm completely comfortable with having

942
00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:21,200
Speaker 1: Philip Rivers is my quarterback. All right, Marcus, final thing

943
00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:24,120
Speaker 1: for you, if you could give me some names. When

944
00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:26,480
Speaker 1: you do a fantasy draft and you got your buddies,

945
00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:29,480
Speaker 1: you always want to kind of zig when everybody else's

946
00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:32,480
Speaker 1: zag and you have some sleepers, whether they're rookies or

947
00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:36,200
Speaker 1: guys that maybe haven't done anything from a fantasy perspective,

948
00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,520
Speaker 1: that you're expecting to make some noise in twenty nineteen. Yeah,

949
00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:41,200
Speaker 1: I mean you mentioned rookies, and the first one that

950
00:43:41,239 --> 00:43:44,360
Speaker 1: pops into my head is Miles Sanders in Philadelphia. You know,

951
00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:46,640
Speaker 1: I think I would have said David Montgomery in Chicago,

952
00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:48,600
Speaker 1: but I think that the word is out on him

953
00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:51,279
Speaker 1: right now and everybody is it's flocking that way. But

954
00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:54,520
Speaker 1: I think Miles Sanders has some potential. And people stayed

955
00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:57,400
Speaker 1: away early on just because the Eagles backfield tends to

956
00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:00,719
Speaker 1: be crowded and a little bit confusing, But everything in

957
00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:03,840
Speaker 1: training camp in the preseason says that Sanders really is

958
00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:06,359
Speaker 1: fighting for what could be a very big role in

959
00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:09,040
Speaker 1: that offense, that he could eventually take over as the

960
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:12,680
Speaker 1: starter from for Jordan Howard there. So that's what I

961
00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:14,759
Speaker 1: want to keep an eye on there. If you are

962
00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:16,920
Speaker 1: looking really deep, you want to talk about end of

963
00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:21,200
Speaker 1: end of draft dart throws. Potentially the name that has

964
00:44:21,239 --> 00:44:26,240
Speaker 1: become hot recently zadari Ogan Bowale in Tampa Bay. Their situation,

965
00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:29,600
Speaker 1: the running back situation is very unsettled. We know Peyton

966
00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:31,480
Speaker 1: Barber is there, but we sort of know what he is.

967
00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:34,320
Speaker 1: I think people are sort of hoping that Ronald Jones,

968
00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:37,239
Speaker 1: the guy from USC, kind of emerges into something, but

969
00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:40,640
Speaker 1: that hasn't quite happened. And lately Ogan Bowalle has started

970
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:43,240
Speaker 1: to get some more looks, and now with Bruce arians

971
00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:45,359
Speaker 1: saying they're gonna go with the hot hand, that could

972
00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,360
Speaker 1: open some things up. So I'm saying just this is

973
00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:50,560
Speaker 1: an end of the draft kind of sort of dart throw.

974
00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:52,960
Speaker 1: If it works out, you end up looking like a genius,

975
00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:55,399
Speaker 1: and if it doesn't, you haven't really spent the whole

976
00:44:55,400 --> 00:44:57,080
Speaker 1: lot and you're not out a whole lot at the end.

977
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:01,000
Speaker 1: Marcus Grant, NFL Network. I always love having y'all man

978
00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:04,120
Speaker 1: awesome information. I know it's a really busy season for

979
00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:06,719
Speaker 1: you over at NFL Network. Tell everybody what you got

980
00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:10,080
Speaker 1: going on. Promote all your stuff for twenty nineteen. Yeah, man,

981
00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:12,840
Speaker 1: you find me on Twitter first of all at Marcus

982
00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:15,319
Speaker 1: G M A R C A SG. But we do

983
00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:18,239
Speaker 1: the podcast, The Fantasy Live Podcast twice a week, comes

984
00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:22,400
Speaker 1: out on Mondays and Wednesdays, and starting Monday, September second,

985
00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,279
Speaker 1: we are back on NFL Network six pm. I say

986
00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:26,960
Speaker 1: six pm Eastern, but we're on the West coast, so

987
00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:31,080
Speaker 1: three o'clock out here on your TVs on NFL Network.

988
00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:33,880
Speaker 1: We are going to be Monday through Friday there, so

989
00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:36,799
Speaker 1: check us out. My man, always appreciate you, Marcus. We'll

990
00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:39,600
Speaker 1: have you on throughout the season. Hopefully ally appreciate it.

991
00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:41,799
Speaker 1: Let's do it, Chris, all right, that's gonna do it.

992
00:45:41,840 --> 00:45:44,839
Speaker 1: A big thanks to Marcus, Money and Daniel for joining me,

993
00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,279
Speaker 1: and of course thanks to you all for listening. If

994
00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:50,200
Speaker 1: you like the podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

995
00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:52,879
Speaker 1: While you're there, give us a rating and review helps

996
00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,600
Speaker 1: spread the word. We'll be back to our regular time

997
00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:59,200
Speaker 1: starting next Thursday. A new sound for a new season,

998
00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:01,719
Speaker 1: so stay tuned for that. Have a great weekend, and

999
00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:07,759
Speaker 1: until next time, I'm Chris hayrey h