1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Emotion is soul got the throat, wants the throat to 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: shot down the thirty one yard line. Oh that is beautiful. 3 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Twentyman The Huddle Podcast presented by Microsoft, 4 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: and I am joined by p J. Clark and Peach. 5 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: We're on the road. We're an Indy again. We are 6 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: at the Combine again. We've been on the road quite 7 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: a bit. Well, we went from the Senior Bowl to 8 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. Now we're an Indie for the Combine. 9 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: Checking boxes. We're checking box checking boxes. And you know, 10 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: one of the things I love about the combine obviously 11 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: you get to talk to you three hundred and nineteen 12 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: of the prospects, and you get to see the workouts 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: and all that kind of stuff. You start to build 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: a better idea of what this draft is going to 15 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: look like. But the teams are down here too, yep. 16 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: And Brad Holmes, the Lions general manager, Dan Campbell, all 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: the coaches, all the scouts. We got a chance to 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: talk with the coordinators, Scotty Montgomery, who was a new hire, 19 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: the running backs coach, and the assistant head coach. Now, 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: and you know those stories are going to be coming, 21 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: but let's focus right now for the sake of this 22 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: podcast on Brad and Dan. They talked on Wednesday, and 23 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: let's break down a few of the things that they 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: talked about. We're gonna include some clips of Brad and 25 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: Dan in here too. Let's first go to the process, right, 26 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: and you know what Brad and Dan's process is, and 27 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: this is what Dan had to say about kind of 28 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: what he's looking for when he steps in that room 29 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: with some of these prospects, because that really is peach. 30 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: The biggest take for the coaches is the fifteen minutes, 31 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: the medicals and the fifteen minutes you get with those prospects. 32 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: And this is what Dan is looking for when he 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: steps into the room with one of those guys for 34 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes. Yeah, it's it's hard to put into words. 35 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: I would say this. We've I don't know how many 36 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: guys we've met with at this point over you know, 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: really over these two to three days. Let's call it 38 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: thirty guys, thirty five guys, and I've checkmark four guys. 39 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: And to me, they got the it factor. Just when 40 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,399 Speaker 1: you sit in there and you hear them talk about football, 41 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: it's there the fire. There's a fire burning in them. Man, 42 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: they cannot they can't sit in their seat. They got 43 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: to get up to talk. They got to tell you 44 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: what's going on. This is how I think. This is 45 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: what I'm um, and that you can't fake that. You know, 46 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 1: when you have that, you love ball and you'll eat 47 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: and breathe it, anything for it, do anything for your teammates. 48 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: You're uber competitive. You watch the guys that you know, 49 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: you present them this this mini install before they get 50 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: to the tape and take a note, asking questions, and 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: then man, when you go, they throw the sheet down 52 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: because to them, it's a competition. Like I'm about to 53 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: show you how good I can do this. I'm about 54 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 1: to show you what I can retain. I'm gonna show 55 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: you that I understand what you're you're wanting me to do. 56 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: And and those guys are rare. You can find those 57 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: guys and they've got some ability, which most guys here do. Um, 58 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: it's it's a hard knight to like them, all right, 59 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: What jumps out at you? First of all, that that 60 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: one well a, I mean, you're you're two days in 61 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: at the point that they were talking, and out of 62 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 1: the thirty guys, you're only starting four. So that's it's 63 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: a high bar to clear, clearly, but I love I 64 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: love that fact that they've got to have that it 65 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: factor and I think it speaks to where this team is, 66 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: where this roster is, that Dan is looking for specific 67 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: guys that fit a culture that um, you know, fit 68 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: what he's looking for in a player, what he's trying 69 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: to build. And I think they're at a point now 70 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: with this roster that they can, you know, they can 71 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: look for guys specifically like that. You know, maybe when 72 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: you're not a good of football team, when you're coming 73 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: off a season where you've won three games, you're looking 74 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: for talent. Yep, you're looking for guys that are talented 75 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: and can help us win. I think now you've got 76 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: some talented guys. Now you're looking for guys that fit culture, 77 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: what you're all about as a team. And I thought 78 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: that was an interesting quote from Danny. You're looking for 79 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: guys that can put you over the edge. And I 80 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: think you know, he was saying, they gotta want it 81 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: and they gotta, you know, love ball, and like that's 82 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: like when you have the core that is currently on 83 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: the roster and he is going to be here moving forward, 84 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: you're just looking for guys that are gonna come in 85 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: and play the right way and be involved. And I 86 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: think you have the luxury of having some talent. You're 87 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: gonna have veterans that are gonna help guys settle in, 88 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: and you're gonna have a second year of Hutchinson and 89 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: he's been through this before and he could take a 90 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 1: more leadership role, and you gotta have it. Whatever it is, 91 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: that's what you're looking for. I'd love to be a 92 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: fly on that wall with Dan Campbell. Oh yeah, in 93 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: that room. I know Danny, Danny Rodgers head Kelvin Shepherd 94 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: on the Live Show and he talked about how Dan 95 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: just kind of sits back in the room and kind 96 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: of watches and evaluates and then boom he'll jump off 97 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: surveys survey. But then he'll jump up and get it, 98 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: get after it. You know. If these guys go this way, 99 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: where you gotta go. And I can just see that, 100 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: and I can see Dan getting all excited about a 101 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: guy who knows exactly one what he's doing, but then 102 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: gets out of his chair, gets animated, loves ball. It's 103 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: all about ball. Those are the guys that Dan Campbell's 104 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: looking for. Yeah, you have to. You have to impress. 105 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: And when you're playing, when you're you're coached by all 106 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: of these former players, and you're in the room and 107 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: it's Dan Campbell, it's Kelvin Shephard, it's Drey Bly, it's 108 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: Aaron Glenn. You gotta show up these guys as Yeah, 109 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: like they all did this too, you gotta you know, 110 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: it's a high boarder to impress that room. And like 111 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: he said, it's only four for thirty as of last night. 112 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: And that's not to say, you know, how did last 113 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: night go and how are that? But it's I think 114 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 1: it's starting to come together for him a little bit. 115 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: It's hard to impress Dan Campbell. That's what we got 116 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: from this. Yeah, that's what as it should be, As 117 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: it should be, as it should be. All right, let's 118 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: go to this. We got a brad for for a 119 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: little while too. One of the things I thought was 120 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: interesting to come out of that was some of self 121 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,679 Speaker 1: evaluation on his part, and he was looking to last 122 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 1: offseason basically talking about one of the things I don't 123 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: think I did a great job of is handling the 124 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 1: backup quarterback situation. Obviously, Jared Golf was terrific a pro bowler. 125 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: He's the guy moving forward, but there's not a backup 126 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: quarterback on this roster this year, and last year they 127 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: waited until after training camp to get Nate Sudfeld. Now, look, 128 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: Nate did a great job and the fact that Jared 129 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: played the way he does you have to compliment Nate 130 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: on that too, and being in that realm, getting him 131 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: prepared and everything like that. But that being said, I 132 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: think they want to go into this off season, into 133 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 1: training camp with a much better idea of where they're 134 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: going to be at the backup quarterback job. Whether that's 135 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: free agency, whether that's a draft. We'll find that out 136 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: over the course of the next couple months. But it's 137 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: something that that Brad really talked about. And this is 138 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: what Brad had to say about that backup quarterback job. Yeah, no, 139 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: it's a good point. You know. I feel like last 140 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: year we kind of left training camp kind of sliding 141 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: into home plate trying to, you know, fill that backup 142 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: quarterback role, and that's on me. I got to do 143 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: a better job of making sure that we're not in 144 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: that position again. So that is something that we're going 145 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: to need to address. Whether it's here in free agency 146 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: or upcoming in the draft. But that's something that we've 147 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: had a lot of conversations about. But I got to 148 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: do a better job of making sure we get that rectified. Yeah, 149 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: and piece that. That'll be an interesting one for me. 150 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: You know, I would not be surprised at all if 151 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: we're talking about a three quarterback room with a veteran 152 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: who they sign in free agency and then a guy 153 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:38,679 Speaker 1: that they take in the draft. And I'm not talking 154 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: about eight and six and eighteen. I don't think that's 155 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: in play for lines. Maybe it is just me personally. 156 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: I think there's bigger fish to fry at some other 157 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: spots than a developmental quarterback. Now, look, I get it 158 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: that's the most important position in football, but Jared Golf 159 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: is more than more than service of, more than serviceable, 160 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: I mean, Pro Bowl player, and he's twenty eight years old. 161 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: I mean he's got a long future. He's going to 162 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: be the quarterback I think for a long time, and 163 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: I think he can take this team where they want 164 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: to go. But if something happens to Jared, you've got 165 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: to have a guy in there that can step in 166 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: for a half, for a game, for a couple of 167 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: games and put you in a position to win games. 168 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: Twenty twenty two is the first time Jared played a 169 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: full season in three years. I mean, it's it's it's 170 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: it is a real concern. Like I mean, we saw 171 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: how he had the rib issue in twenty twenty one, 172 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: and that stood out and you had to throw Tim 173 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: Boyle in there for a while. And you know, there 174 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: are plenty of backup veterans available, guys with starting experience, 175 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: and I think that's you know, when you're looking at 176 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: this and yeah, you have a finite amount of money, right, 177 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: and do you want to invest four to five million 178 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: dollars a year in a real backup who can come 179 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: in and play in a pinch? I think if you're 180 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: a team with playoff expectations that you know, Jared Goff 181 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: gets hurt in week eight, the season's not over if 182 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: you have a guy that's ready to come in and play. 183 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: And I thought it was great that Brad you know, 184 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: self admitted like hand up, listen, that one was on me. 185 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: I I missed the boat on that. And that's going 186 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: to be clearly I think a prioritis here and and 187 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: I can see two you know, the want to have 188 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: a developmental guy that that you can mold and build 189 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: in your scheme with your offensive hen just here, I mean, 190 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: I would love to have a toolsy quarterback get you know, 191 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: a year or more, whatever happens with I think there's 192 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: guys that that certainly fit in day two even into 193 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: day three. And like, I trust Brad with the first 194 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: two drafts that he's had and how he's evaluated these 195 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: guys and how he's found some of these guys in 196 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: day two. In day three, I completely trust Brad Holmes 197 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 1: to lock onto a guy that he thinks can be 198 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: a developmental guy behind a Jared Golf, behind a veteran 199 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: you learn and then who knows that becomes an asset 200 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: for you later, or maybe a guy who plays. Yeah, 201 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: it's it's That's the thing is that if it becomes 202 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: an asset, all right, so you have a starting quarterback, 203 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: a good starting quarterback in Jerry Goff, but if you 204 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: have a backup who plays a little bit and impresses 205 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: Jimmy Garoppolo got a second round pick just from being 206 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: Tom Brady's back up and starting four games. Like, if 207 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: that becomes a real asset at some percent, if it 208 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: works out, the way you think it can, and I 209 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: think the Lions have the offensive staff and infrastructure that 210 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: could could cultivate something like that one. All right, let's 211 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: move on to free agency because that's obviously going to 212 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: be the big news here in a couple of weeks. 213 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: Free agency starts in March fifteen. Here's what Brad Holmes 214 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: had to say about one specific Lions free agent that 215 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: I know a lot of you guys want to see 216 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty three. Yeah. I mean, obviously we 217 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: have Jamal you know, as an undrafted I mean as 218 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 1: an unrestricted free agent, and you know we're having discussions 219 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: now currently we had we had discussions with all of 220 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: our upcoming UF phase that we're on expiring deals, but 221 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: there's a mutual interest to hopefully get him back. And 222 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: then you know, we still got Swift under contract and 223 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: pg's he's a fan favorite, right, Mutual interests is good, 224 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 1: Mutual interest is here. We had him on the podcast 225 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: here at the super Bowl and he basically said, look, 226 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 1: I know this is a business. The team's got to 227 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: do what's right by them. I've got to do sorright 228 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: by me. But I love this situation and I think 229 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: they can find He said, I think we can find 230 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 1: a mutual ground where you know it's fair for everybody. 231 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: It's fair for everybody, and I can come back and 232 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: I can play behind this line. I can play with 233 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: this locker room that he loved and have the success 234 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: a thousand yards and seventeen touchdowns. Why would you want 235 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: to run I'd want to run that back too. It 236 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: makes no sense why you'd ever want to leave. And again, 237 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: like you know, even with him back, there's still room 238 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: justin Jackson's a free agent. Craig Reynolds was banged up 239 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: this year. Like there's there's edition, was going into the 240 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: last year of his contract. There's edition. There's talk of 241 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: running back and I think the most important thing to me, 242 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: and Ben said it whinning. He talked to you a 243 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago. There's room in this scheme for 244 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: He made it very clear that they want to run 245 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 1: the ball, and they want to run the ball of 246 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: fishing late. There's a room in this scheme where you 247 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: have four and five yard runs that he thinks should 248 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: be nine or ten. And if you can go find 249 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: somebody that can there's someone happen specifically you're thinking about, 250 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,959 Speaker 1: or is this, I don't. I trust Ben Johnson. Ben 251 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: Johnson thinks can can double those runs. There's a pretty 252 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,199 Speaker 1: good running back from Texas. I hear in this draft 253 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 1: that running backs from Texas Yeah this year. Yeah, there are, 254 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: but the one it's it's a deep class. And if 255 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: they're looking to add to that room, and what a 256 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: great situation for a young guy to come into in 257 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: that room too, with a guy like Jamal if he resigns, 258 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: you know, at the very least with Swift. Yeah. Yeah. 259 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: And Scotty Montgomery, who's gonna handle that room. I had 260 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: a chance to talk to him down in in at 261 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: the Combine here in Indy, and I'll tell you guys this, 262 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: people are gonna be really impressed with Scotty Montgomery. You know, 263 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: really really smart guy. He's got a really good plan 264 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: for that room that plans also going to include DeAndre 265 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: Swift for at least another year. This is what Dan 266 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: had to say about DeAndre Swift when asked, Now, we 267 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 1: can did some you know, we tried to do that 268 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: last year. We tried to take care of him in camp. 269 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: I know this. He is a very talented player and uh, 270 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: you know, he's a very talented player, and he's one 271 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: of those guys that can take it to the house 272 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: anywhere on the field and h and he works, Uh, 273 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: he wants to get it. He works hard in the classroom. 274 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: And you know, we thought we had a recipe going 275 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: into the year and didn't work out. He got a 276 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: little bit banged up. And then by the end of 277 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: the year we've he started to feel better and started 278 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: his production went up. So listen, we'll we'll start all 279 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: over from scratch again. Man, let's find another way to 280 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: see if we can help him, uh stay on the field, 281 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, and I already know he's doing that for himself, 282 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: So we've got to do that on our end. What 283 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: can we do better by him? Is can we um 284 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 1: because he's he's just he's too talented, you know, he's 285 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: too talented. And I have out there he's an exploded 286 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: the athlete piece. That's really the gist of it, right, 287 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: is keeping DeAndre Swift healthy and that's been There's no 288 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: denying his explosiveness. There's no denying he's one of the 289 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: few guys that can take it to the house every 290 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: time he touches the ball from that position that he 291 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: can be a three down player. He's a terrific wide receiver, 292 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: but the best ability is availability, right and that the saying, 293 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: and that just hasn't been always been the case for 294 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: Deand I think it's a testament to how good DeAndre 295 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: Swift is that at the combine where you have the 296 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: people who are around and covering the team on a 297 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: daily basis, but also the national people, and somebody got 298 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: up there and was like, what is the deal with 299 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: DeAndre Swift? Because he is that good that he is recognized. 300 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: I think it's a testament to his talent that everybody's wondering, 301 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: how can you figure this out? And how can he 302 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: be on the field for the most amount of snaps 303 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: because he's that dynamic when he's there. Yeah, and Scotty 304 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: Montgomery can't wait to kind of get his hands on 305 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: Swift and come up with a plan. But you know, 306 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: they look they thought they had a great plan last year. 307 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: They really limited him in training camp, tried to get 308 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: him healthy throughout training camp to the first game of 309 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: the season. Then what does he do The first game 310 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: of the season blows out what is one hundred forty 311 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: four yards? Was great, but in that game and then 312 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: now he's dealing with that week three bangs up the shoulder, 313 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: and now it was really until the last month of 314 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: the season that he was dealing with those ankle and 315 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: shoulder injuries. And look, he had the goal when we 316 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: talked to him at the joint practice in the preseason. 317 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: Have a thousand rushing yards in a thousand receiving yards. 318 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: He got to play seventeen games. Yeah, you got it. 319 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: You just I think that's gonna be the big thing. 320 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: And look, there's a lot on the line for DeAndre 321 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: this year. I mean, he's going into the final year 322 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: of his rookie deal, and I think there's gonna be 323 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: a lot of pressure on him to provide some of 324 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: the explosive plays, the production, but the availability of being 325 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: there for seventeen weeks. And if he does that, then 326 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: you know, I think it'll be a great offseason for 327 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: him next next year when he's free agent. I most 328 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: certainly will be especially of the receiving ability. But again, 329 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: like I said before, they this offense is predicated on 330 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: the run game at this point, and whatever the decisions 331 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: that are made at running back is going to be 332 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: the engine that makes this whole thing go next year. 333 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: So I think you know, everybody can much malign and 334 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: I'll be there in line with you about the value 335 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: of the running back position, But to this team, it's 336 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: it's an important piece. It's it's more important than other places. Yeah, 337 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: and it has to be because that's just the way 338 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: they want to win games in the fourth quarter. And 339 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: there's there's absolutely something to that. All right, Let's flip 340 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: over to the defensive side of the ball a little bit. 341 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: It was really a tale of two halves for Lions. 342 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: You know, obviously they were along though it was over 343 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: thirty two points per game the first eight weeks of 344 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: the season when they were one and six, and then 345 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: something's flipped a little bit. You know. They changed some 346 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: things schematically, kind of that gap and a half scheme, 347 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: which Aaron Glen is it kind of grew up in. 348 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: They allowed Aidan Hutchinson to kind of stand up, move around, 349 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: do some things. They moved some guys around and low 350 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: and behold. That went from thirty two point one too, 351 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: I think twenty point two. The last ten games of 352 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: the season, they were much much better. Now you look 353 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: at the numbers overall and you say, okay, well, look 354 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 1: they need to add some pieces on defense, but the 355 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: cover isn't necessarily bear according according to this. Yeah, I 356 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: mean obviously, I think I made the statement last time. 357 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: You know, Um, obviously we looked at where we were 358 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: ranked defensively. You know, we'd like to add we'd like 359 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: to add more on defense. But I'll tell you what 360 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: I mean. We said at the start of our free 361 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: agency meetings. You know, I think last year we were 362 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: a little bit more pointed. But I think every single 363 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: position is on the table. You know, there's not one 364 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: position that we could think of, you know, offense and 365 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: defense that we don't we don't need to address, whether 366 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: that's starting level players or looking at some good quality depth. 367 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: But you know, and I say that with the defensive thing. 368 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, we had drafted six defensive players 369 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: last year, and five of those six guys they end 370 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: up playing some key roles for us, and but they 371 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: were rookies. So you know, you can look at the 372 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: number of Yeah, we don't want to be in the 373 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: bottom five of the rushing and passing yards categories. But 374 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: I will say the way we finish winning eight of 375 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 1: our last ten and seeing those guys grow together and 376 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: learn how to play winning football, I think it shows. 377 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: So I don't think the cover's bear on defense, just 378 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 1: like you look at the overall ranking. But I think 379 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: we got some good young players that show that they 380 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: can really help us going forward, all right, Peach, I mean, 381 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: and I agree with that a little bit too, because 382 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: you look at the numbers, you say, yes, look, they've 383 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: got to add talent to this events. They've got to 384 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: get better. But we always say, and we talk about 385 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 1: when new players develop the most, when do they take 386 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: their biggest jump. You're one of your two, You're one 387 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 1: of your two. So guys like five guys, five guys, 388 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: So you've got Aden Hutcheson, Josh Pasco, Malcolm Rodriguez, Curb Joseph, 389 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: you know, and Houston and then James Houston. Yeah, and 390 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,239 Speaker 1: I mean all guys who you expect to take that 391 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: big leap, who are now going to be core players. 392 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 1: I think just that experience alone and those guys taking 393 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: big lease, it's going to help this defense collectively as 394 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: a whole just become better, just just with their development 395 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: and experience. Just got to grow up, and they're they're 396 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: going to a do that and then on the flip side, 397 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: going to throw resources at fixing the problem and the 398 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: easiest way to fix the defense is to buy the defense. 399 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: And there's now money to go do that, and it 400 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: doesn't have to all be spent in one place. You 401 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: can spread it out and get multiple starters, and I 402 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: think that would be a great way to do it. 403 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: But there are assets now, and there are places that 404 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: don't need to be tweaked as much as the last 405 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: two years, and now the focus can shift to what 406 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: really the problem spots are. Yeah, all right, let's flip 407 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: one more here from Brad and Dan. Free agency. Um, 408 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: the important everybody wants to talk about the draft while 409 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: we're here, don't fast. You've got to remember that free 410 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: agency comes first. So what you think is a need 411 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: right now with the combine, you know, when we talk 412 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: into all these like two more, yeah, it can change. 413 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: So people have to remember that. But Brad said the 414 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: biggest thing, his biggest goal in free agency is that 415 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: you have to take continue to take a step forward. 416 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: And look, they've done a great job in the draft. 417 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: I think they've done an all right job in free agency. 418 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, the additions of Chark and Williams 419 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: and some of those guys have been good additions. Pieces 420 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 1: John Kaminski would be another one. There have been a 421 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: few misses in there as well. But I think to 422 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: his point of you've got it, we've got to continue 423 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 1: to take that step forward. And this is what what 424 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 1: Brad was talking about. Biggest goal, um, you know, really 425 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: just not to um take a step back to making 426 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: sure that we're taking a step forward, you know. Um, 427 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: that's really the biggest one. I think that we ended 428 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 1: the season with a lot of momentum um, and again, 429 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: like I said early at the beginning of this, you know, 430 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: I think we're heading the right direction. So um, again, 431 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a big it's gonna be a big 432 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: off season. Um. You know. Never like to put too 433 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: much pressure all myself, but I think we just remained 434 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: confident in our process, which we've done and which has 435 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: worked so far. And yeah, just make sure that we're 436 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: still keeping that momentum going, which I think I feel 437 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: very confident that we will be doing. I couldn't agree more. 438 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: You have to continue, you can't take a step, and 439 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't have to go. It doesn't like straight line. 440 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 1: It's never a straight line ever, It's just that last year. 441 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 1: Just don't take that step backwards. But one other thing 442 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: I take from those comment speeches, and maybe I was 443 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: just hearing it a different way. I'm curious if you 444 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: agree with me. Boy, it doesn't sound like a big 445 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: ticket item is in line for free agency. I don't. 446 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: I would be pleasantly surprised if there was one. Yeah, 447 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: I think this is a swell still slow and slotty 448 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: into steady because that's what has worked to this point, 449 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: and there is a time to cash in all of 450 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: these assets and really go after something. It's quite yet, though, 451 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: I think maybe maybe that's a next year problem. You're 452 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: kicking the can down the road. Because they've always said 453 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 1: they want to build this thing through the draft through 454 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: young players. We've seen that Brad really be able to 455 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: do that. Then they've added pieces throughout that have really worked. 456 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: We've talked about some of those. Just get better at 457 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: some spots. It doesn't need to be big money guys 458 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: cornerback for example. You know, get some guys that are steady, 459 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: guys that can play seventeen games that improve that cornerback 460 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: group overall, and doesn't have to be a Jalen Ramsey. 461 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: Don't have to be it would it be nice, sure, 462 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: But I think to Brad's point is keep kicking that 463 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: step forward. Get guys that are solid starters, Guys that 464 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: can contribute, Guys that are great for the room, guys 465 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: that fit the culture. And it doesn't have to be 466 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: a big money guy as long as we're taking that 467 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: step forward and continue on that trajectory and to not 468 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: go backwards. What's easy to not go backwards. It's like, Okay, Kaminski, 469 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 1: like bring him back, bugs, go resign your own guys. 470 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: And if you don't want to go backwards, have the 471 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: group that you just started with and they're going to 472 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 1: get better and better and better another year in the system. 473 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: And I think and if you some young talent in 474 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 1: the draft, they're along with it. I mean, there's obviously 475 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: a precedent now for Brad Holmes resigning his own guys, 476 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: and I think you know in the next ten days 477 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: before free agency that that's going to be a priority 478 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: before they hit the open market. Well, it was good 479 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: stuff from Brad and Dan, and we are going to 480 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: have a lot more on free agency next week. We're 481 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: going to get into the nuts and bolts of free 482 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,479 Speaker 1: agency kind of a week before that starts, we get 483 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: to talk about the combine, nobody's even nobody's run yet. 484 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: Talk about the fun stuff. Now we're gonna talk about 485 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: the fun stuff. We're gonna get into free agency. I've 486 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: got Ben Solak coming up next. We're gonna get into 487 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: kind of some exsit and oh so stick around for 488 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: that and then be certain to check us out next 489 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: week when we get into the combine and really start 490 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: to dig into free age. It's the only two weeks away. 491 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: Only two weeks away. Let the fun begin. Welcome to 492 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: the twenty in the Huddle podcast presented by Microsoft. I 493 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: have taken the show on the road to Indianapolis for 494 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 1: the NFL Scouting Combine and I am joined now by 495 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: Ben Selek from The Ringer. And I've wanted to have 496 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: Ben on because Ben, you're you're an exit and os 497 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: kind of guy about it. You look into the game 498 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: a lot of video stuff and I love that aspect 499 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 1: of the game as well. And so let's start with this, 500 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: you know, big news. Obviously, a couple of weeks ago, 501 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: Ben Johnson, who was interviewing for a head coaching job, decided, 502 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 1: you know, I think I want to roll it back 503 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 1: with Detroit. This is a good fit for me right now, 504 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 1: it's just a good situation. How big of a gid 505 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 1: is that for Detroit? And when you watched Ben and 506 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: how creative this offense was what stood out to you 507 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: on film just about his play calling in the scheme itself. 508 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 1: Jared Goff made a Pro Bowl, right, best season of 509 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: his career, right, yeah, it's a big deal. I get 510 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: Ben Johnson Williams I think had a thousand yards seventeen touchdowns. 511 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: He did that before you get Ben Johnson back in 512 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: the building. But in all seriousness, right, Like the Ben 513 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: Johnson promotion, right was was Dan Campbell really putting his 514 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: weight behind a young coach who he thought was going 515 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: to be a strong offensive mind and to immediately get 516 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: paid off on that in year one with Ben stepping 517 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: in and just being as dynamic as he was, getting 518 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 1: the running game working, you know, using the multiple backs 519 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 1: and working the play action pass off of it, which 520 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: is always where Jared is the most comfortable as working 521 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: play action out of under center. Like, it was very 522 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: clear that a guy he got it, he understood it. 523 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:39,439 Speaker 1: He's not just like I'm gonna run my stuff now. 524 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 1: He knew what the team needed, right. You think about 525 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 1: how good they were getting like a Mon Russing and 526 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: brown over on third downs. Right, he's one of the 527 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: most effective third fourth ound receivers in the league we 528 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: had this season. He's an automatic first down. That's just 529 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: that's understanding. Okay, if I show this, Stevens is gonna 530 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: show that. So if I move him Mon right here, 531 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: that can get him one on one and then it's 532 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: gonna be open. Right. It's just like he gets it. 533 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: He understands the pressure points. And so Johnson's clearly a 534 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 1: really sharp mind. And it's it's always interesting to see, like, 535 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: you know, he got that coaching interest right away, and 536 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: a lot of times those those first that first year 537 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: of taking out his interviews is like he's trying to 538 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: learn how to do the interviews. You know, what they 539 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: expect to get the job. Whatever. The fact that he 540 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: didn't even really go much through the process and just 541 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 1: elected as dand of Detroit leaves mean. But if he 542 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: really likes it there and and you know, they have 543 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 1: a chance to keep him not just for this year, 544 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: but for a couple of years, and he feels like, 545 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: you know, he owes Dan Campbell adios alignes that and 546 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: that's awesome. That's a good culture. You mentioned Jared golf, 547 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,120 Speaker 1: and I thought it was really key for Ben when 548 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:28,959 Speaker 1: he was building this thing and you alluded to it. 549 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: It wasn't just like, hey, this is what we do, 550 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: this is what we run, and let's you know, fit 551 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: to what we do. It was no, it was let's 552 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: invite Jared in. They sat down together, they built it. 553 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: They built this off the play action, some of the 554 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: things that he loves to do, and you see the result. 555 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: You mentioned it, a Pro Bowl in his best season. 556 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 1: How important was that part of it too, when you're 557 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: building this thing to involve the quarterback him be part 558 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: of it and building around things that he does well 559 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,679 Speaker 1: and what other guys do well. Not just critical in 560 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: the general sense because it is, but critical in the 561 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 1: specific sense to Jared. Where Jared was the first overall pick, 562 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 1: comes in and has the extremely tough rookie season, and 563 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: then Sean McVay takes over that Rams team and runs 564 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 1: an offense that was obviously extremely prolific and went to 565 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,159 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl and had the event that they did 566 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: in the Super Bowl, but particularly an offense that was, 567 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: you know, known to be kind of plug and chug 568 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: Right said Kirk Cousins in here Jared goff Like we 569 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: just you know, saw this and figure it out. There 570 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: wasn't a lot of ownership for golf over that offense. 571 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: It was Sewn's offense. Sean was the guy. And over 572 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: that time, you know, obviously things with the Rams kind 573 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 1: of fell apart a little bit and you get the 574 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: trade and everything. But over that time, like Goff's just 575 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,479 Speaker 1: becoming more experienced, He's becoming a better quarterback. Like this 576 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: is the best most talented we've ever seen golf because 577 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 1: he's been a starter for seven seasons. You know, it's 578 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: six seasons. You get better. There's nothing a defense can't 579 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: throw at him that he hasn't and so right, and 580 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 1: so now exactly like it used to be, right, you 581 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,400 Speaker 1: blitz Jared goffin and it's it's so tough for him 582 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,239 Speaker 1: to deal with it. It's not the case anymore. Right, 583 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: And so now you see and a coach with Ben Johnson, 584 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: a guy who fully understands what golf is comortable with, 585 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: what golf likes, where he wants the routes to break, 586 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 1: how he wants it to work, like is extremely detailed, 587 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: and how they work that offense and that's why you 588 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: see that passing game be so effective on late downs. 589 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: And that's what always stands out of me up on 590 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 1: the lines is how they get to a third and 591 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 1: seven and they're totally comfortable as going four wide, Khalif, 592 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 1: Raymond Monros Saint Brown. Somebody's gonna get open. We're gonna 593 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: find our spots if they're dialed in on the little stuff. 594 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: And Jared hud a good job of finding those matchups 595 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 1: and getting and delivering the football too. Let's stay with 596 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: the offense just for a second. Ben Jamison Williams. Didn't 597 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: see a lot of him last year, obviously because he 598 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: was rehabing the injurer, But when you did, there was 599 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: some explosiveness. Good day the team was that against that Vikings, 600 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: but then you saw it on the reverse and just 601 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: some of the other things that there's a handful of guys. 602 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: And I had Ben Johnson on the podcast a couple 603 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: of weeks ago and he said the same thing. He's 604 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: amongst that group of just a rare number of guys 605 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: where you just put the ball in their hands and 606 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: any play they can take it eighty yards for a touchdown. 607 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: Watching what you watched last year and talking about what 608 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: we talked about with Ben, how much are you looking 609 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: forward to watching that kind of piece and how Ben 610 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: uses him in that offense and how he can be 611 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: maybe pretty creative with him along with a guy like 612 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 1: Almon Ross Saint Brown. It's critical because of an raw 613 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 1: Monro is so good, he's so good, so good. He 614 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: is a he's tough son of a gun. He's extremely 615 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: good over the middle of the field. He's great operating 616 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: from the slot. When you build your receiver room, you 617 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: have to build it like a basketball team. You have 618 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: to have guys for different roles, different body types, height, weight, 619 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: and you'd have a guy who's good for the post, 620 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 1: a guy who's good, you know, for the three ball 621 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: from distance. You need to have a diverse skill set 622 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: in a ver set of bodies. The exact opposite of 623 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: a receiver that a Monross Saint Brown is is Jamison Williams. Right, 624 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: that's just that's just good scouting, that's good work. Right. 625 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: They're still like, you know, Jameson's tough and everything like that. 626 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: But you have this this longer guy, this slender guy, 627 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: the speed guy whos all about the verticality and so 628 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: you hit on a Monroe you hit so well. If 629 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: you hit on Jamison Williams, you now have a danged 630 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: if you do dang if you don't sort of grew 631 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: appairing a wide receiver right where if you're going to 632 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: be in a position where you need to get safeties 633 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: over the top and play with with zone eyes and 634 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: try to put a blanket on Jamison Williams. Now it's 635 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: a mon Rosing Brown between two linebackers. Okay, you want 636 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: a man up, You want to you know, try to 637 00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: push him, mon Rosy Brown. You wanta trying to press him. 638 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: Try to close those windows. Now it's Jamison on the outside. 639 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: It sucks to be here, doesn't it. So place you've 640 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: got one of the best offensive lines orchestrating at all. 641 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: If they're somehow stopping the past right exactly, it's all right. 642 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: Let's put Frank ragnow, Joan and Jackson Penny School. Let's 643 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 1: run behind these suns against So you're you're in a 644 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: spot where's there's a glot of talent. What will be 645 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: the challenge for Ben Johnson, which this will be new 646 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: for him, is last year, like again, like alman Rae 647 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 1: was one of the highest targeted guys on late nouns 648 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: right like they they knew where the bread was buttered. 649 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: If Jamison hits now, you start to have a mouth 650 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 1: to feed sensation right now, it starts to become Okay, 651 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: how do we balance this? That's always a tricky thing 652 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: when when you become as the Lions are hoping to 653 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: become star studded, now becomes keeping everybody happy and finding 654 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: a balance. That's it could be a tricky thing for 655 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: young coordinators. That's that's the thing to watch where Jamison 656 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: is not just like how he develops, but also how 657 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: do they distribute targets. That's one thing I think Dan 658 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: Campbell is good to have him at that spot to 659 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: a former player, right, a guy who's all about team, 660 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: who's built this thing. Getting guys who are all about team, 661 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: And that's so huge because the number one question I 662 00:30:58,160 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: have about these Lions, who I like love to death, 663 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: they've built it the right way, like they like Holmes 664 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: and Campbell, both of them they were hired, gave those 665 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: quotes about we're gonna build through draft, build through the draft, 666 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna be young, we're gonna do it, and they've 667 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: committed to it. It's been awesome. Right, this is this 668 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: is a blueprint for a great rebuild. But you reach 669 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: a point where your rebuild is so good you now 670 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: have stars in the building. Right, Like Jamison Williams was 671 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: a top fifteen Piket wide receiver out of Albam. Like 672 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: this dude is the potential to be a star. Right, 673 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: they would spend money in free agency. You go get 674 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: you know whatever, some star running backs and then you 675 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: have the star cornerback. You have the ability to get 676 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 1: stars in the building. Yeah, stars require really good culture. 677 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: You have to be able to handle these players. It 678 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: can't just be like getting Cambell We're gritty. Whoever's the 679 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: top is gonna get reps of Craig Reynolds. Like I 680 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: love Craig Reynolds. But you you now have to transition 681 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: to a point where, like, you know, you have some 682 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: stars and that's that's a different sort of culture they're 683 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: gonna have to introduce. All right, let's flip over the 684 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: other side of the football band. Uh. Aaron glenn is back. 685 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 1: M dabbled in some interviews with head coaching and you 686 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: look at that defense and overall you look at the numbers, 687 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: You're like, wah, not very good. But you split that 688 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: up into a tale of two seasons, and I think 689 00:31:58,280 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: you can look at that defense a little bit differently. 690 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: When they were one and six, over the course of 691 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: the first eight weeks, they were allowing me thirty two 692 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 1: point one points per game, worse in the league on 693 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: pace for record high. But over the last ten games, 694 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:10,959 Speaker 1: when they were eight and two, that number dipped all 695 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: the way to twenty point one, which was eleventh best 696 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 1: in the league. When you watched them, what was the 697 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: thing that stood out the most to you between the 698 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: first half Detroit Lions defense, in the second half Detroit 699 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: Lions defense, everything, all of it. And then it's eight 700 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 1: it's very fair eight hundreds and switching positions, and it's 701 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: it's you know, gone to be the weak side backer 702 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: or the weak side end, excuse me. And then it's 703 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: John Cominski benefiting from that because now he's in a 704 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:35,959 Speaker 1: role that betterfits him. It's Jerry Jacob's coming back from 705 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: injury and giving you that option to play on the outside. 706 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 1: It's Deshaan Elliott, who you know. I think it took 707 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: Elliot a few weeks to get ramped up, but once 708 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: he got ramped up, especially after the injury to Tracy, like, 709 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: you know, figuring out what his role is going to be, 710 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: and then Kirby Josepho then settles into his role. Like 711 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 1: there's a James Houston obviously coming on strong. Yeah, but 712 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,040 Speaker 1: good run for James Houstons coming on strong. As an understatement, 713 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 1: defense is a tricky thing. Like offenses tend to get 714 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: incrementally better, you can see it week over week. Defenses 715 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: tend to be a lasting sort of a thing. It 716 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: tends to be like a light bulb comes on and 717 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: there's a big jump. And that was the thing with 718 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: with Glenn, Like if you remember twenty twenty one where 719 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: Glenn was like, we're gonna do a baby blitz and 720 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: play man coverage and the Lions personnel was just like 721 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: we yeah, we don't got this man we are. You know, 722 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 1: it's something that Glen's gotta figure out his positional coach 723 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: gotta figure out right they like they had the change 724 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: in defensive backs coach Abreaby pleasant to Brian Duker like it, 725 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: defense tends to be a process where you try a 726 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 1: bunch of little stuff and that eventually the puzzle starts 727 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: to make sense, started to see the picture and so 728 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 1: I think that was a anticipatable jump to have after 729 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: a coach as good as Glenn has paused on them 730 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: for eighteen months. Yeah, you start to see things come together. 731 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: It's part of that to your point two earlier when 732 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,160 Speaker 1: you said, you know, building the right way and and 733 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: building through the draft. Obviously when you do that, you've 734 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: got young players just part of that. Just some guys 735 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: growing up. Yeah too. You know a figure in this 736 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: league out a little bit growing up, and the oldest 737 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 1: room was in their corner was Mike Hughes, know what 738 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 1: I'm saying. So yeah, they're like busting coverages a week three. 739 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 1: Of course they are. They all kids out there, like, 740 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: that's a tough ask. It's gonna take time. You like 741 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: where it's headed though, defensively with Glenn back, just from 742 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: what you saw the second half of the season and 743 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: Brad Holmes that the general manager said this offseason, look, yeah, 744 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: we know we're gonna focus on defense. They've got picked 745 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:09,879 Speaker 1: number six, they've got picked eighteen, They've got five picks 746 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: in the top eighty one. With some cap space and 747 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 1: free agency too, do you expect a big leap defensively 748 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: with some of the young core guys that they've built 749 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 1: in what they can do. I think they have a 750 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: good shot for it. I really do. They've got a 751 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: handle corner two. I've probably got a handle corner one. Yeah. Yeah, which, 752 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 1: like I remember watching a Kuda in camp and going 753 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:30,480 Speaker 1: like he's got it, he's got it, and he looked really, 754 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 1: really good, and then something happened. I think part of 755 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,400 Speaker 1: that he played ten games is for two years. You know, 756 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 1: we talked about the rookie wall. Yeah, I think there 757 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 1: might have been. I know it's a third season, but 758 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: I think there's something to that, and there's also season. 759 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 1: I think those was like a confidence thing in the 760 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: sense of like he's been so banged up, like it's 761 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: it's it's here's a mental resilience that you develop going 762 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: through those ups and downs, and he hasn't gotten to 763 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:51,880 Speaker 1: develop as much in the NFL. So I'll believe in 764 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 1: Jeffrey Kuda. In twenty third pieces, you think a linebacker, 765 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: a defensive tackle, probably they could use another edge rusher, 766 00:34:58,080 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: corner obviously, I would expect them to do that in 767 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: agency and the draft. I think they're in a great 768 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 1: spot with that first pick to look at the top 769 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 1: of this corner class, because the corner class is to 770 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 1: be the strongest position by a mile. I think that'll 771 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 1: allow you to play more and more of that man 772 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:11,799 Speaker 1: coverage you want to play. Pass rush is a really 773 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: interesting spot, just with like Aiden having the season that 774 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: he did, where it's like a lot of it is 775 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,320 Speaker 1: hustle stuff, a lot of it's good work. You probably 776 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: want him to be more dominant snap to snap, but 777 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: is a rookie, it's okay, Houston, you have to figure out, okay, 778 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,439 Speaker 1: just how legitimate is this? And we set our watch 779 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: to this, Uh the interior, like I think what you 780 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 1: get from a Lee McNeil, you feel good about there, 781 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: but you the spine of that defense defensive tackle to 782 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: then the linebacker position, which is uh we yeah, that 783 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 1: spine is what is what worries me. Yeah, I think 784 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: like you could see them. Okay, we get better at 785 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: pass rusher, we get better at corner, but there are 786 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: games where we're just still getting blown off the ball. 787 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 1: Their games that we're just losing to size. And that's 788 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:47,919 Speaker 1: that's a hard thing. That's that's part of this Glenn 789 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 1: defense always gonna soffer from that a little bit. And 790 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 1: so that's where I think I think you see a jump. 791 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:53,919 Speaker 1: I don't think you're gonna see a finished product until 792 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: they get a couple off seasons to swing at this defense. 793 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: They still need a lot of pieces, but overall it looked. 794 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:00,840 Speaker 1: It's obviously an exciting time. You finished ninety and eight. 795 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 1: You've got some of the draft capital they do. They 796 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: got some of the cap space that they do. They're 797 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,240 Speaker 1: now one of those trendy hot teams in the NFC. 798 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: They should be a fun team to watch. Absolutely, they 799 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: did it right and you want to see them land 800 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:14,440 Speaker 1: the plane on this rebuild, you really do, because they 801 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:15,799 Speaker 1: did it right. Though he has been so like from 802 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: the bringer. Great job as always, thanks for joining me 803 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 1: and good luck with the rest of the off seas. 804 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:20,759 Speaker 1: Appreciate it to him, guys,