1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: This is straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What's up, party people, 2 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: that's your boy, Jason McIntyre Straight Fire for Wednesday May five. 3 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: Hope everybody had a joyous May fourth. You've got the 4 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: Star Wars jokes out of your system. Then last night 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: you watched a little NBA action, which we'll get too shortly, 6 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: but I gotta tease our guest today, um NFL reporter 7 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: Jeremy Fowler from ESPN. He he's kind of risen in 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: the ranks. I guess he's like one of their top 9 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: NFL reporters now. I mean I've known him for a while. 10 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: He's pretty meteoric rise from you know, like a team 11 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: reporter to a national reporter. He covers everything, and this 12 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: is the guy who covered Bret Farvin Minnesota, Johnny Football 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: in Cleveland, Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. I mean, he's got 14 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: stories about all of them. It's good stuff. I think 15 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: you're gonna like what he has to say about the Packers. 16 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say this, Andrew Luck retired early from 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: the Colts, and the Colts didn't make him payback twenty 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: four million dollars. That is a topic that we talked about, 19 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: because remember Aaron Rodgers, if he goes through with this 20 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: retirement thing, everybody thinks it's a bluff. He would have 21 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: to potentially owe the team in the neighborhood of forty 22 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: mill That's a lot more than Andrew Luck. Now consider 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: Andrew Lux, you know, twenty four million dollar parachute payment, 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: thank you for your service and leading us to the 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: playoffs a bunch of times. Aaron Rodgers has done much 26 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: more than that in Green Bay. But a contentious ending 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: could color that. It's a good topic. I think you're 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: gonna like this with Jeremy Fowler really quickly. Off the top, 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: I want to just touch on a couple of NBA items. 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: First of all, this news that Lebron is gonna miss 31 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: both big games this week, the Thursday night game against 32 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: the paper Clips and then the Friday night game against 33 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: the Blazers not ideal. Not ideal for the Lakers chances 34 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: of avoiding that playing game. That being said, I think 35 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: some bigger things happen in the league. Now. Again, there's 36 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: about five or six games, maybe seven for some teams 37 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: left in the season, and I don't want to put 38 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 1: too much emphasis on games that happened late. If you 39 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: listen to yesterday's pod, you know this. We've been through this. 40 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: Lebron and his team sometimes fade late. They don't really care. 41 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: They're disinterested. The playoffs matter. Okay, Bucks Nets was an 42 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: interesting game and result, folks, Just so you know, the 43 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets tried really really hard to win that game. 44 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: They want the number one seed. If you are, the 45 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: top three teams in the East by far are the Sixers, 46 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: the Nets, and the Bucks. Two of those will have 47 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: to meet in the second round. Whoever gets the number 48 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: one seed likely faces like Miami slash New York in 49 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: the second round. That is a significantly easier matchup. Then 50 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: go in tote tote with uh, the Nets are Bucks. Okay, 51 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: So if the Sixers get that number one seed and 52 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: they're now up one and a half games thanks to 53 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: the Nets loss in Milwaukee, UM, and the Nets tried hard. Listen. 54 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: Katie played forty minutes, scored thirty two points. Kyrie Irving 55 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: played thirty nine minutes, scored thirty eight points. It was 56 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: pretty clear that that bench. Remember how Bruce Brown had 57 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: delivered and Nick Claxton had delivered, and um, they've had guys, 58 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: show out. Landry Shambo, by the way, was awful one 59 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: for eight. Uh, just a bad game from him. But 60 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: just remember add James Harden to that trio. They're not 61 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: gonna be going to deep into the bench here when 62 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: you get to the big playoff games. This what this 63 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: felt like a playoff game. The Bucks come out on top. 64 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: I mean, they just had too much offense. Janics got 65 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: whatever he wanted. I mean he scored thirty six on 66 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: thirty shots. He was pretty good from the line ten 67 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: at twelve, which is uncharacteristic for him. But when Drew 68 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: Holiday is gonna go ten and eight, Dante de Vincenzo 69 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: ten points, fifteen rebounds, and then Chris Middleton twenty three points. 70 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: Bucks look, folks, Bucks look really good. With Brent Forbes 71 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: is coming off the bench with fourteen points. Uh, this 72 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: is a Bucks team. I'm not going overboard. P J. 73 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: Tucker is still getting worked into the mix. Bucks look 74 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: good and for the first time, and really in two years, 75 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: the Bucks kind of come into this as a bit 76 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: of an underdog. If you remember the last two years 77 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: they were favored to beat the Raptors. They lad that 78 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: series to nothing, then gagged it away to Kauai. Then 79 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,119 Speaker 1: last year they kind of sputtered going into the bubble 80 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: and then they got stomped out by the Heat in 81 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: the second round when there were a big expectations, the 82 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: Bucks collapsed. Not a lot of expectations this year because 83 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: everybody's talking about the Nets and then there's you know, 84 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: the Joel Embiid fanboys out there. So big result, bad 85 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: one for the Nets, and again they don't have James Harden. 86 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: James Harden changes things significantly, but just watching a little 87 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: of that game, I do wonder how much does he 88 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: change things? Are we saying Kyrie Irving is taking not 89 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: shots but eighteen? Um, what's the bent rotation look like? 90 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: I'm just curious, like, can you play k D Harden 91 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: and Kyrie forty in a pivotal Game five and a 92 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: pivotal game six, pivotal game seven? I don't know. There's 93 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: still there's just a lot of unanswered questions about the 94 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,679 Speaker 1: Bucks heading into the postseason. So not a good result 95 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: for them for the Nets. The Bucks again, impressive win 96 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: for Milwaukee. I quickly want to go over to Scott 97 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: Brooks and the Wizards. We haven't done a ton on 98 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook. There is a lot of people out there 99 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: who constantly are telling me, j you gotta give Russell 100 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: Westbrook his his his flowers. Come on, give it to him, 101 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: give it to him. Come on. He's been incredible. True story, 102 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook has been fantastic. I mean, he's putting up 103 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: monster numbers. They have a big one tonight against the Bucks. 104 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: The Wizards are in the playoffs. I'm spinning it forward. 105 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: I'm not saying do the do the Wizards have a 106 00:05:58,440 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: chance to pull it up set. I don't really care 107 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: if they could go from the ten to the seven, 108 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 1: and I don't care about that sty irrelevant. The big story, 109 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: you guys, think about it this way. The two biggest 110 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: names you've been hearing disgruntled star to head to form 111 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: a trio with somebody or Bradley Beale and Carl Anthony Towns. 112 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: Bradley Beale earlier in the season was so bitter with 113 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: the Whiz. There was a there was a game he 114 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: had buried his hands, his head in his hands on 115 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: the sideline, was just devastated, not speaking. There were defensive 116 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 1: assignments where he would just stand there and um he 117 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: was he was disinterested, he was unhappy and it was like, 118 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: all right, where's Bradley Bell gonna go? He's the big 119 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: story next offseason. And now Russell Westbrook and saved the day. 120 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: And Russell Westbrook all of a sudden playing out of 121 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: his mind. Rui Hachimura one of my favorite names in 122 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: the NBA. Like, they're playing well. I think it's safe 123 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: to say they're gonna be a playoff team, and Bradley 124 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: Beale is going to be removed from the offseason equation 125 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: of who's the star, who's gonna one out? Now? The 126 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: x have played well to the point where you expect 127 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: someone to say, I want to go play with Thibodeau 128 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: and Randall in New York. New York's happening again. There's 129 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: a number four seed, Like there's a vibe there. It's 130 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: a vibe, as they say on Instagram. But I wonder 131 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: about Carl Anthony Towns. The Wolves have climbed out of 132 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: the basement, and D'Angelo Russell's finally healthy, Anthony Edwards showing out. 133 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: He made the Rookie of the Year. Thing interesting, LaMelo 134 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: Ball was a runaway winner, got hurt, Anthony Edwards just 135 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: kept getting buckets, and you're like, oh uh, this is 136 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: kind of an interesting deal. Now they're not making the playoffs. 137 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: That's definitely not happening. They are twenty and forty five, 138 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: but showing signs of improvement. Kind of nice. And can 139 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: they leap frog Okay, see Cleveland Orlando in that race too. 140 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: If they lose the pick, they give it to Golden State. 141 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: Instead of it being five, four or five, it's like 142 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: eight or nine, which would not really help Golden State. Um. 143 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: And you know Minnesota is the pick in the top three, 144 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: they keep it. Um. You know, I think there's a 145 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: case where Carling Anthony town says, you know what, I 146 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: think I'm gonna stay. And now you're looking at an 147 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: NBA off season, the first in a long ass time, folks, 148 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: we're there's gonna be no player movement. I will give 149 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: you a sleeper name. I'm just gonna put it out there. 150 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: I'm not saying he wants out, because he's all along said, 151 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: I don't want out. Damian Lillard, my guy, you know, 152 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: I'm a Damian Lillard fan. He spoke to Chris Haynes recently, 153 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: and Damian Lillard and Chris Haynes had like a sit down, 154 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: and Lillard was not thrilled at like the direction and 155 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: you don't want to read too much into it, but 156 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: it was curious timing because it came at a point 157 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: where Portland's still fighting for a playoff spot. And I 158 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: mean Lillard wasn't briefly an m VP candidate. Um, I 159 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: don't know. It almost felt like Damian Little was not happy. 160 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: They went to the UM Conference finals two years ago. 161 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: They got swept by Golden State, but come on, it 162 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: was the Juggernaut Warriors. Um. I don't think Dame's gonna 163 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: ask out. But at the same time, I don't know 164 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: that trading c. J. McCollum is gonna affects what they need. 165 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: What would they need? Well, I thought they had a 166 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: wing in Robert Cumington. Clearly not the case. So I 167 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: don't know. I mean on the NBA front, like you 168 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: need a star to one out to drive the NBA 169 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: off season cycle. Otherwise, free agency is kind of irrelevant 170 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: now the only other name, And again Dame is a 171 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: massive reach because he has always said he don't want 172 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: to go anywhere. Should be all say I'm cool in Washington, 173 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: let's do this, and Karl Anthony town says we're building 174 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: something in many the other guy has to be Kawhi 175 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: Leonard and I have floated Kawhi Leonard and the Phoenix 176 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: Suns a couple of times in the off season. I 177 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: got laughed at, that's fine. I don't know why. Don't 178 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: mind going out of a limb. It's worked for me 179 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: throughout my career in sports media. It's got me to 180 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: where I am. I'm fine going out a limb saying 181 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 1: Kawai could be that guy. Let's watch the Clippers in 182 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: the playoffs. They have Rondo? Is he the solution? Just 183 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: before we get to Jeremy Fowler real quick? I can't 184 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: wait to see how Reggie Jackson, who's played well in 185 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: the last two months since Patrick Beverley has been hurt. 186 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: I can't wait to see what happens in a playoff 187 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: series when Reggie Jackson, who's again played very well for 188 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: this team look good, is banished to the bench and 189 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: getting like ten minutes because they have pet Bevan Rondo. 190 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: Reggie Jackson famously and okay, see was chirping because he 191 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: couldn't get minutes behind Westbrook and he's like, I'm as 192 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: good as Russ I need to be out there. They 193 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: just shift his ass out of town Clippers. Long way 194 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: to go for those guys in the West. All right, 195 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: Without further adode, let's get to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. 196 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: Jason likes to think he knows everything when it comes 197 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: to sports. I know what sports stands once, But for 198 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: everything he doesn't, he knows a guy who does. Let's 199 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: just say I know a guy who knows a guy 200 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: who knows another guy. All right, let's welcome into straight fire. 201 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: A guy I've known she's probably fifteen years because he's 202 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: covered the NFL, covered college football at its best, Urban 203 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: Meyer in Florida. Jeremy Fowler from ESPN, Jeremy, how are you, man? 204 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: I'm good, Jameson, Thanks for having me. I think the 205 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: last time I saw you was at the combine once 206 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: up a time, Yes, indeed combined back when I was 207 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: going there to try to figure out any fun interesting nuggets, 208 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: and that's when I really started to dig into the 209 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: mock drafts. Personally. I love the draft, Jeremy. I don't 210 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: know from from your perspective, it's probably a little tougher, right, 211 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,959 Speaker 1: you gotta actually cover it and do a lot of stuff. Yeah, 212 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: I thought the draft was great this year. Though, like, yeah, 213 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 1: I'm still interested in the draft and it's three days 214 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: you know, gone. Um, I think the no combine almost 215 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: added an extra layer to it. And then because nobody 216 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: really knew how it was going to shake out and 217 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: what San Frame was doing for about a month and 218 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: you know, you're trying to piece it all the other 219 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: it was crazy, I mean. And and even these teams 220 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: like up until the last day were waiting on medical 221 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: information on a guy they might draft in the first round. Um, 222 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: it was a complete chaos with no combine, like they 223 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: were getting all these results really late in the process, 224 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: even some top guys. So it was It was interesting, 225 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: for sure, and I'm just curious how did you handle it? 226 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: From a coverage? Was everything from your house where you 227 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: are in Connecticut or where you've bouncing around the pro 228 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,719 Speaker 1: days and stuff like that. So yeah, pro days are great. 229 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: I did go to Florida's Pro day because I was 230 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: doing UM, I was doing some Kyle Pitts. I did 231 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: a story and Kyle Pits and Gadarius Tony, So I 232 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: went down there. Uh, and that was cool, and uh, 233 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: that was pretty much like it was as loose as 234 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: I had seen UM from a like back to normal perspective, 235 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Like there were hundreds of scouts and people like all 236 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: in the field hanging out and stuff. So it really 237 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 1: didn't feel like uh, one big precaution, you know, it's 238 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: kind of just um, it felt like normal a little bit. 239 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: And so, yeah, the I didn't hit. That was the 240 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: only pro day I went to. So I did everything 241 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: from home. You know, I got the basement set up, 242 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: and uh, you just you make your calls and you 243 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: go on air and try to talk about the draft. 244 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: So yeah, hey, let's start. You mentioned cal Darius Tony. 245 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: So this is one thing that I kind of have considered, 246 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: um when doing these mock drafts. And how like my 247 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: jets playing in New York cold weather town, the winds 248 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: pick up in the winter. You need to like tough guys. 249 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: And I'm not gonna knock Sam Donald, but warm weather 250 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: California kid. Okay, you just mentioned cal Darius Tony. Now 251 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: I believe the Giants traded back and scooped him up, right, Yes, 252 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 1: they traded back the Nine Spouts of Chicago. You yourself 253 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: are a guy from Florida and you are now living 254 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: up north in Connecticut. I'm just curious you obviously you're 255 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: not playing football, you're doing media stuff. But is there 256 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: something to that, you know like that, And I'm not 257 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: trying to generalize soft California kids, but I've been out 258 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: here now about five years and I'm gonna say it's 259 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: very easy and it's soft. I mean it is. It's 260 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: like a web. They're like, there's so many options and 261 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: you know, I play a bunch of pickup basketball and 262 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 1: not that that's a correlation to the NFL, but it's 263 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: a little softer out Like there is just this idea 264 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 1: like Kadarius Tony is a fast guy from the Floordigators. 265 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: How is he gonna mix with New York I'm just 266 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: any thoughts on that. Yeah, it's gonna test your toughness 267 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: for sure, But there's an intrigue with that too, Like 268 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: when you first go into the cold, you're like, oh, 269 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: I can do this and this is gonna be different 270 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: and fun and then where you know, it wears on 271 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: you after a while. But I think early on a 272 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: kid like that, though he's from Mobile, Alabama, he's you 273 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: know that that could be a tough area. Um, he's 274 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: pretty hard and so to speak, and uh, you know, 275 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: he's one of those really tough football guys that loves contacts. 276 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: I think he's actually gonna like it. Um, you know. 277 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: Zach Wilson is another one, right, coming from California, used 278 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: to throwing the ball around a b y U and 279 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: you know you've got a clean pocket, and um, you know, 280 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: it's a different mentality right now there's turf turf fields, 281 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: So maybe that helps a guy like Tony too. You 282 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: maintain your speed in the cold, and I think some 283 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: guys do like it. It's more about the may it 284 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 1: up than it is where you're from. Yeah, you know, 285 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: the perfect example is Aaron Rodgers. Of course, California kid 286 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: goes to Green Bay where it's freezing and he's utterly dominant. 287 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: But you've done a lot of reporting on this. The 288 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: situation now is, um, I guess like the biggest story 289 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: in the NFL probably for the next three months, like 290 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson for a minute was and now Rogers with 291 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: his alleged edict saying it's me or the g M. 292 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: I don't know where are you reporting wise on this? 293 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: And then just your thoughts on on Rogers. Yeah, this 294 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: is the story is going to dominate until there was clarity, 295 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: and there might not be clarity for a while, you know. Um. 296 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: I talked to some people around the league, some executs 297 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: who think that the Packers will dig in here and 298 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: just wait him out and then hey, if you don't 299 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: show up, we'll find you and play Jordan's Love. Um. 300 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: There are others that think that that the Packers already 301 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: making some plans behind the scenes. Maybe they get a 302 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: backup quarterback here fairly soon. Because they only have Jordan's 303 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: Love and Aaron Rodgers on the roster, they could maybe 304 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: try to get you know, an older veteran mentor for 305 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: love started out there. Maybe maybe start to apply some 306 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: pressure there. Um. The only way this saves, I think, 307 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 1: just after asking around, is that Rogers just gets a 308 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: completely new contract, that they start a cave and give 309 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: him a massive deal which ends the Jordan Love experiment. 310 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: But I don't think they want to do that. They 311 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: like the flexibility right now of of the They can 312 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: have a double take, right they can. They can double 313 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: Rogers contract didn't get out of in twenty two, and 314 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: then they still have Jordan Love waiting, and Rogers knows 315 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: they have that flexibility and doesn't like it, so he's 316 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:33,239 Speaker 1: applying major pressure. So Okay, so you keep saying they, 317 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: is they go to Kunst who I probably keep butchering 318 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: his name, or is they Mark Murphy? Is Murphy who 319 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: is the big boss that I guess the guy who 320 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: hired the GM. Do we know what side he's on here? 321 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: Because you know they already had the Brett Farve situation 322 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: blow up in their face. That was extremely ugly. You 323 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: actually covered far of in Minnesota. Um, but do they 324 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: want to like test Aaron? Uh stop, let me stop. 325 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: Is there an example of a superstar quarterback, a top 326 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: ten quarterback all time ever getting fined by his team 327 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: for holding out? It's a good question. I can't imagine 328 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: that it's going to get that ugly, Like you don't 329 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,880 Speaker 1: want to be that Like how much money has Aaron 330 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: Rodgers made everybody in the Green Bay Packers organization. Well, 331 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: we're in a different era now right where you don't 332 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: just wait out players until August in September, you trade 333 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: them now right like that because fans are too smart. 334 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: You gotta get the draft capital and so you know, 335 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: you can't just risk losing him for nothing or having 336 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: them retires. You gotta get some for in Rodgers, you 337 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: can get multiple first round picks you can get players. 338 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: I think Deshaun Watson maybe would have been the first 339 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 1: because Houston was so dug in uh that you know 340 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: they were maybe went waiting, willing to wait that out 341 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 1: and start finding when you didn't show up, because now 342 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: with the new c b A, if you're a veteran 343 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: on a second contract, they can start taking your money. Um. 344 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: And Nickkissario was that. I think he had that rep 345 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: as a new GM to be able to try to 346 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,239 Speaker 1: set that limit. Now I think that Houston's moving on. 347 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: I mean, it's pretty obvious. They draft Davis Mills, they 348 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: got Tyrod Taylor. I think they're ready to roll with 349 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: those two guys and wait till Deshaun Watson's cases is 350 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: cleared up and then maybe make a move there. Um. So, 351 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: but I think he could have been the one to 352 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: show up and get fine or if if he stayed away. Uh. 353 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: But it's you're right, there's not much precedent for especially now. 354 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: You try to get the assets best you can, and 355 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: so Mark Murphy is trying to play both sides. I 356 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 1: think you know, I would be shocked if he goes 357 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: and says, Okay, I'm gonna fire my GM to make 358 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers happy. I just I don't see that move 359 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: for a place that traditional. Um, you know, they're not 360 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: a new age team. They they stayed pretty steady and 361 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: how you know they're they're very measured and how they act. 362 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: They're kind of like the Steelers, right, They're not gonna 363 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: make brash moves necessarily. So I just don't see that. So, 364 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: you know, unless they can bridge the gap with a contract, 365 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: I don't know. There's a lot of a lot of 366 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: compromising to be done right now. It's just a matter 367 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: of if Rogers wants to come back. But you know, 368 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: Green Bay is a small town, right, It's not like 369 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 1: New York City, where if you're the GM and you 370 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: try to run off Eli Manning, you can try to hide, right, 371 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: And that, by the way, blew up in their face 372 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: as well. Is there a scenario where the GM, you know, 373 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: maybe gets reassigned in the front office or Murphy just says, 374 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, we want to placate our quarterback who's a superstar, 375 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: who's a legend, and we want to keep him, and sorry, Gudakins, 376 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: I'm overruling. You can that happen, It's possible, but we 377 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: have to remember to the Jordan Love pick had to 378 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: be signed off by somebody, and that's somebody is Mark Murphy. 379 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,679 Speaker 1: So it goes to the top. So they were probably 380 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: all on lockstep. Um, and I think, you know, I 381 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 1: can't speak for Matt let Flora, but I think and 382 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: he wanted he came to Green Bay to coach Aaron Rodgers, 383 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: and I think he likes Jordan's Love. And and look, 384 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: we know Rogers is. I think it's pretty well documented 385 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: he's not the easiest guy to coach and too to 386 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: play for to manage. I think that's become pretty clear. So, um, 387 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: there's probably some people on the ability that like the 388 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: idea of Jordan's Love right now, make no mistake, they 389 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: want Rogers back. That made that clear. But um, you know, 390 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: this is Jordan's Love is a Murphy call. And now 391 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: it's a call at the Mark, at the Martin Murphy level, 392 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: whether they move on or they keep Rogers. I do 393 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: wonder we saw Andrew Luck shockingly retire. It seems like 394 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 1: the Colts by all accounts, were blindsided. But then they 395 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: did not make him pay back the twenty four million. 396 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: I mean, Aaron Rodgers apparently would have to pay back 397 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: forty million if he retired early. Let me ask you, 398 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: Jeremy Rogers seems to be going through I don't midlife 399 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: crisis is a bit strong, but up and started hosting Jeopardy. Okay, 400 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: and then he goes and gets engaged to you know 401 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: this actress, and I don't know. It almost feels like 402 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 1: is is he in that? I'm in a transition mode. Hey, 403 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm gonna try Jeopardy. I've got to 404 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: have a life after football. I'm gonna I'm getting engaged. 405 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: You know, I don't need this drama from the Packers. 406 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: You guys can have Darren, you can have Jordan's love. 407 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go do my thing. Can you see that happening? 408 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: Oh see, Andrew Luck was such a unique situation because 409 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: he had so many injuries and plus, like you mentioned, 410 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: you know, he's These franchise quarterbacks make a lot of 411 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: money for their team. So the Colts knew, and Jim 412 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: Mercy knew the owner that Andrew Luck had made them 413 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: some money. They have done well, they made the playoffs, 414 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: so hey, let's just let him keep the signing bonus 415 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: that the check we wrote a few years ago. So 416 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: the Packers could maybe do that to make the problem 417 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: go away, so to speak. But um, I think they'd 418 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: rather trade him if he wants to keep playing. Uh yeah, 419 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: I mean if if he went and did the Jeopardy 420 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: full time, if he got that gig. It sounds like 421 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,959 Speaker 1: he would seriously consider it. He seems really into it. 422 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: He seems really engaged. So if you get offered that job, 423 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 1: you don't take any contact, you make ten million a 424 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: year or whatever it is. Um, that would be a 425 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: a paid decrease for him. But um, you know, certainly 426 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 1: I could see it the packers. I don't know, that's 427 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: a lot of money to just let him keep for 428 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: just a couple of years. I mean, we saw Calvin 429 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: Johnson and Detroit. Now that was a little ugly. He 430 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: had a couple of years left on his deal. They 431 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: made a payback some of the signing bonus, and it's 432 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: been very tenuous even since then. So they're just starting 433 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: to now reconcile. This would be even uglier because they 434 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: already he had friction and then they asked for more money. 435 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: That would be you might be onto something. Maybe they 436 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: wouldn't ask her that money. I'm I'm curious did you 437 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: happen to know a ballpark on the Calvin Johnson number? 438 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: Because I've had forgotten that one. I think it was 439 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: only a few million left. But it's like, you know 440 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: that that signing bonus pro rates. So whatever deal he 441 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 1: had done, it was a six year deal and he 442 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: had some left on it, but it was it might 443 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: have only been like a million or two. I don't 444 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: think it was a massive number, but it's like, come on, really, 445 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: I produced for you. I'm a Hall of Fame guy, 446 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: and you're gonna ask me to pay back like money 447 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: that you probably don't need. Um, But in this case, 448 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 1: that's a big signing bonus. UM. Plus, they just gave 449 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: him a six point eight million dollar roster bonus. So 450 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: there are a lot of dynamics here. Employ Or if 451 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: he walked away, you know, it's convenient for him to 452 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: say I want to walk away because it applies pressure 453 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: on them now and that's part of his leverage. Uh. 454 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: You you covered a bunch of good quarterbacks in the NFL. 455 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger, Uh, Aaron Rodgers, Brett far I'm just curious. 456 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: You know, Roethlisberger's near the end, and in this offseason 457 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: I thought Pittsburgh. You know they didn't they didn't have 458 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: a plan, bat, they didn't make a move really in 459 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: free agency. I'm not counting Haskins. Um, where are you on, 460 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 1: big Big Ben? Do you think? I mean, is this 461 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 1: it for him? His wants on? Probably? So he's thirty nine, Yeah, 462 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: and he's got I mean, you know, when you take 463 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: a five million dollar salary cut, I don't care how 464 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: you slice it. Um. Even if he's helping the team, 465 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: which is good on him to do that, but like 466 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 1: you know, that's always a bad sign. That's always a 467 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: sign of declining play. If he had a monster year, 468 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: they wouldn't have asked him to do that. Um. So 469 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 1: you know, he goes from nine to fourteen million. It's 470 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:34,679 Speaker 1: a pay cut. It is what it is. So you 471 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 1: have to think that his declining play. Anytime a guy 472 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 1: takes one, it's it's near the end. Um. You know 473 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: that said, they felt like he could still do enough, 474 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: if they could get him more of a running game. 475 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: They feel like, okay, maybe we have something for one 476 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: more year. Catch lighting in a bottle, maybe get in 477 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: the playoffs. Makes a noise and then you reassess. But 478 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: you know, I think they're thinking in two thousand twenty 479 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: two they can then they can not necessarily blow it up, 480 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: but look harder at quarterback options. But this is another franchise. 481 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: They're not like They're like the Packers. They're they're very conventional. 482 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: You know. They got Dwayne Haskins, which Mike Tomlin always 483 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: liked his talent. I think they said, hey, let's let's 484 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:09,919 Speaker 1: get him in our building for a year. Maybe we 485 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: can sort of juvenate him a little bit, you knowing, 486 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 1: knowing the talents there. And they signed Mason Rudolph to 487 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: a contract extension. People with debate whether he's the answer not, 488 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: but they do still like him. They had a high 489 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 1: grade on him in the draft. They think, hey, maybe 490 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: in twenty two at least have him under contract. He 491 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: could start a few games as a one year bridge guy. 492 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,479 Speaker 1: I'm wondering, Jeremy, why I just started thinking about this. 493 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: Why are ending so ugly at quarterback? I mean, listen, 494 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: in the NBA, it happens, you know. I tell people 495 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: like Patrick Ewing didn't end up with the Knicks at 496 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: the end of his career, a Larjah One ended up 497 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: with the Raptors. Like this kind of thing happens sometimes 498 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: but in the NFL, Like, it's just weird when you 499 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: see Joe Montana in a Chiefs jersey. You know, Peyton 500 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: played a few years in Denver, Um, tom Brady and Tampa, 501 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: but between four I can't see Roethlisberger playing anywhere else. 502 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: He he looks shot. At the end of the season. 503 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: In the playoff game, he was bad. Um. I don't know, 504 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: It's just I can't imagine Aaron Rodgers putting on a 505 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: Denver Broncos jersey. That just is a tough one for me. 506 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: I know it. It's it goes down to like all 507 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: these players, or most of them, you know, they feel 508 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: like they can still do it for more time, whether 509 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 1: they can or not. Tom Brady could, some others could not, 510 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: And so when you can, it gets ugly and you 511 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 1: get forced out. Um. Yeah, I mean I'm trying to 512 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: think of Rodgers in any other jersey. Uh, and Denver's 513 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: really the only place that makes sense. Yeah, the Raiders. 514 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: Apparently the Raiders. Some reporter claimed that there was interest. 515 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: I don't. Rogers doesn't seem like a Vegas guy. Him 516 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: and Gruden seem like oil and water, like or oil 517 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: and oil. I don't never makes a ton of sense, 518 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 1: it really does. They got a new GM that that's 519 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: really well respected. They got a ton and he's collaborative, 520 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: which Rogers obviously wants a ton of weapons. Three good receivers, 521 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: good defense. Like it makes a lot of sense. And 522 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: I think I think Rogers would take pride and trying 523 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 1: to beat myhomes every year and like, you know, being 524 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 1: in that same division. Um. But yeah, it's just it's 525 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 1: these teams. It's calculated, you know. It's all about the 526 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: money and the performance. And if a player, however great 527 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: he's been, doesn't match that, it rarely ends well unless 528 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,479 Speaker 1: you just kind of ride into a Super Bowl sunset, 529 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: which Peyton Manning and John Elway did, but not very 530 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: many have. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk 531 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at 532 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 1: Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart 533 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: Radio app search f s R to listen live. Urban 534 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: Meyer is back. Is in back coach again. He's in 535 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 1: the NFL. And I don't want to say the media 536 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: gave him a pass at Ohio State, but I feel like, 537 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: and I don't want to give you too much credit 538 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: to but when he was at Florida, I feel like 539 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: you and other reporters kind of held his feet to 540 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: the fire back when the Gators had a bunch of 541 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:51,439 Speaker 1: off field stuff. Um, I'm curious how you think urban 542 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: Meyer will transition to the NFL. So it's that's interesting 543 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: because I we're to what I think Urban might actually show, 544 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 1: uh and reveal more than he has or or has 545 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: been given credit for. Honestly, is the football acumen. I 546 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: do think he's wired like a Bill Belichick or Kyle Shanahan. 547 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: I'm not saying he's at their schematic level, but he 548 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: might be pretty close. Like he knows all twenty two 549 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: positions exactly, every nuance of how they should step, where 550 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: they should be. You know, how the left guard should 551 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:25,159 Speaker 1: shade on a run blocking player. He's really pretty brilliant 552 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: with that step. So I think he might actually show 553 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: a little bit where he didn't get a lot of 554 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: credit because it's like the spread offense and oh, you 555 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: just have a bunch of five star guys at Ohio 556 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: State and you can you can maul people. But um, 557 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: he's actually pretty good at that stuff. So I think 558 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: he could scheme his way into some wins. Um. But 559 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: you know the problem is there, you know, I mean, 560 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: they're they're pretty short on talent. He saw in the draft. 561 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: They just had to get whatever they good at every position. 562 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,919 Speaker 1: I mean, like you know, corner, safety, linebacker, Like the 563 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: whole defense is pretty pretty thin. So if it doesn't 564 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: go well early on. And plus we don't know how 565 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: he's gonna handle losing because he's never had to lose, 566 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: and when he does lose, he's shown maybe he hasn't 567 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 1: handled the best at Florida with with you know, retiring 568 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 1: and coming back and retiring again. So that's the question 569 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: is you know, how how long can he sustain it? Um? 570 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 1: What's the shelf life for an urban Meyer era? Is 571 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: it five years? Um? That seems to be you know 572 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: the kind of the case, five or six years. So yeah, 573 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 1: Jim Harball like right, kind of yeah. I mean that's 574 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: been the m O so Um. But I think schematically 575 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: held actually be pretty good. Um. I think he understands 576 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: like I gotta be hands off, like I can't be Mr. 577 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: Intensity all the time. Like I think he gets that. Um. 578 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: But you know, you're if you're taking a running back 579 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: in the first round saying Travis is gonna be a 580 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: third down back, Like I'm trying to figure out what 581 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: his plan is, or if he's naive, or if he 582 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: actually has a master plan and we don't understand yet. 583 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: Maybe he was just saying that to play Kate the 584 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: undrafted kid Robinson who had a really good year, although 585 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: I think he might suppressing. Honestly, well, I'm bullish on 586 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: the Jacks. I guess Jeremy my question, Like in Columbus, 587 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: he was, you know, the biggest deal in Ohio. If 588 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: he talked about a presidential race, like people would react. 589 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: He's kind of hidden in Jacksonville. It's kind of not 590 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: a big NFL market, you could argue as the smallest. 591 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: They have to play every year there in London. Um 592 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: is will he be kind of protected being in one 593 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: of those small markets in kind of a bad division 594 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: or will the spotlight of Trevor Lawrence, who you know 595 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: should be an incredible NFL player, or will that just 596 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: bring a lot of attention regardless of the market. I 597 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: think you're absolutely protected. I mean, Dave called well, the 598 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: GM lasted a long time. I don't remember the exact years, 599 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: but they had a lot of losing seasons and he 600 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: did some good things and made some you know, some 601 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: good trades. And got some good players. They had that 602 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: one playoff year where they they almost got to the 603 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: super Bowl. But Doug Maron Dave called ball lasted longer 604 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: in Jacksonville. They would have been New York with that 605 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: same scenario with the games they lost. So I do 606 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:45,719 Speaker 1: think the leash is longer. I do think you can 607 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: hide a little bit there because of the market. It's 608 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 1: clearly a number thirty two, uh, thirty one or thirty 609 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: two as far as interest, and so you know, that 610 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: can kind of help you a little bit. So you know, 611 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: I think I think that he probably welcomes that at 612 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: this point, knowing that if you win games, people will care, 613 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: and if you lose games, like you know, you can 614 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: at least work your way through it a little bit 615 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: until I want to quickly go to Cleveland. So you 616 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: did get to cover the Johnny Manziel experience. First of all, 617 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: did you have to move to Cleveland for that? What 618 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: was that like? And then you know, second of all, like, um, 619 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 1: you know, I guess I like the Browns a lot 620 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: like your rationally, So I think you can make an 621 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: argument they have arguably the second best roster in the 622 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: a f C. That's how stacked they are. I'm sure 623 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: Ravens fans would disagree. Um, but I just, I guess 624 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 1: talk about Cleveland where they were with you and Menzela 625 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: and then where they are now. Yeah. So I was 626 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: in Minnesota covering the Vikings and I moved to Cleveland 627 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: in two fourteen to cover the Browns. No. No, I 628 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: was in Chicago in between there doing college football. But 629 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: then I moved to Cleveland, says Johnny's first year, and 630 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: they were they were like seven and four with Brian 631 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: Hoyer and like Andrew Hawkins and like all those guys, 632 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: Jordan Cameron at tight end, like they were just somehow 633 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: winning games. Um. And then it just all fell apart 634 00:30:57,760 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: and they put Johnny in and he was just woefully 635 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: up paired, like and then the stories that were pouring 636 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: out of there, like it was just every worst case 637 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: scenario of Manzil amplified by ten, Like it was just 638 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: a complete mess of just how you know, his life 639 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: was in disarray. Um, And so it was. It was interesting. 640 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 1: I only covered that team for a year and then 641 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: ESPN movie to the Steelers and then I eventually moved 642 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: to Pittsburgh. But it was, yeah, it was a different times, 643 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: it's a very like they were still trying to figure 644 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: it out. You had a new owner who was Jimmy 645 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 1: Haslm who was kind of all over the place and 646 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: just throwing darts on the wall trying to figure it out. 647 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: Now they have figured it out, but at the time, 648 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 1: you know, you had I remember over here on one 649 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: of the funniest lines I heard, and it told me like, 650 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 1: this is probably a bad sign in Cleveland. Is they 651 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: beat the Bengals to go I think six and four, 652 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: so they were on top of the ANFC North the 653 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: first time in a long time. And then I heard 654 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 1: some executives coming out of the locker room afterward and 655 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: they were high five and hugging each other, and then 656 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: one of them goes, We're going to Vegas, baby, really loud, 657 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: all media around, and I'm like, you know, what these 658 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 1: guys are is not, Like the football culture is just 659 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: not What is that executive still in the NFL Jeremy 660 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: uh No, at least one of them is not. But 661 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: like they just you know what I mean, Like the 662 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: stereotypes of Cleveland were like, yeah, they're just not ready. 663 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 1: They're gonna fumble this, and they did. That's what happened. 664 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: But um, now it's way different, and you're right, they're 665 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: they're absolutely loaded. Um. I mean I think they have 666 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: like ten new starters on defense, or ten guys who 667 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: could start or had started last year on their defense 668 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: between injury and free agency and the draft, or you know, 669 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: like capable starters in the draft. So there. I mean, 670 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: the pressure is gonna be on defensive coordinator Joe Woods 671 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 1: to get it done. He wanted help. He didn't have 672 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: a lot of it last year. Now he does. Yeah. Um, 673 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: I'm just curious if memory serves Johnny football, Like I 674 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:47,920 Speaker 1: didn't show up at a Saturday practice. They couldn't find him. 675 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: It turns out he had like a raging KEG party. 676 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: Do you do you remember covering that? Covering that? Yes, 677 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 1: So I don't know exactly what the party was. I 678 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: don't recall that, Um, but I know like security had 679 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: to go to his house and find him, and and 680 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: then when they did, you know he was he didn't play. 681 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: I think you know he was he was on. He 682 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: was out for that game anyway because he had gotten 683 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: hurt like a hamstring. That's right, he's missing the final game. 684 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: But they essentially had to suspend them and then they 685 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,959 Speaker 1: you know, it wasn't good. But were there a lot 686 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: of guys on the team hanging with him at the 687 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: at the part? I mean, was it based on the 688 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: culture issue some but like he hung out with Josh 689 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: Gordon some um and then obviously Josh had his problems, 690 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: but they've and then so yeah, I think some teammates 691 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: hung out with him here there. I mean, he was 692 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: very well light. He just he just wasn't ready at 693 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: that stage, you know what I mean, like you just 694 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: showed up and didn't do the plays and stuff like that. 695 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: And I guess I should wrap up asking about another 696 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 1: guy who um is kind of you know, small ish 697 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 1: white quarterback who looked very I don't want to say immature, 698 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 1: but just looked young at the draft. Uh, And that 699 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,239 Speaker 1: Zach Wilson of my jets. Um, I will say, you 700 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 1: watch the highlight reel and Zach Wilson looks like he's 701 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 1: making the place, and you read, oh he's got the 702 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: quick twitch stuff of my home it there's a if 703 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 1: you squint, you can see a little Aaron Rodgers and 704 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: I just I don't know, I'm so excited and optimistic 705 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:09,919 Speaker 1: because we haven't had a franchise quarterback with the Jets 706 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 1: and forever. But I don't know, like, where are you 707 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:16,879 Speaker 1: on Zach Wilson? What are you hearing? So, I mean, 708 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,400 Speaker 1: you know, it's funny and this is a small majority, 709 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:21,839 Speaker 1: but I didn't talk to enough people around the league 710 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 1: that thought, like if if the hype around Trevor Lawrence 711 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: hadn't built for three years and Zach Wilson might actually 712 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 1: make a compelling case for number one, like among a 713 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: small majority, like maybe ten to fift percent um. But 714 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: I've talked to a few enough respective people are like, 715 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 1: I think you at least make it interesting, Like if 716 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: I was picking number one, I would at least think 717 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: about it, because it's the it's like the maybe it's 718 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: just the Aaron Rodgers bias. Everybody wants that the wild 719 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: throws and all the off platform throws and all that. 720 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 1: But he really is highly highly skilled at that to 721 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: the point where teams are like, man, you could really 722 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: create with this guy. It's like Steph or what like, 723 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:57,759 Speaker 1: you know when you think of like the creativity of 724 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: the game and what you can do and making plays 725 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 1: on the run and all that. So Trevor is the 726 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: total Trevor's the total package, he's a better prospect, but 727 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: Zack ceiling because of that. You know, now granted he 728 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 1: was teams are concerned that, like, Okay, the bodywork is small, 729 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: he didn't play anybody, and he's thrown and he's got 730 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 1: an ocean of a pocket. It's not even a pocket. 731 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: It's like just it's got nobody around him and he 732 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: can just make the throw cleanly. So you know, how 733 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: does he react to that? We don't know, like how 734 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: does he handle pressure? All those things? But I mean, 735 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,080 Speaker 1: I think it became really clear very early on in 736 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: the draft process that he would be number two. Like, 737 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,399 Speaker 1: it wasn't It wasn't like something that the team had 738 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 1: to debate. Everybody just knew Zach was the second best. Yeah, 739 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: it's weird. Like Aaron Rodgers, you think back to his 740 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: time at Cal, you know, two year starter, put up 741 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 1: monster numbers, was no doubt an awesome, awesome talent, But 742 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 1: like Zack, Wilson didn't go into last season as the 743 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: definite starter at b y U E to like win 744 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: the job because the previous years he had been hurt. 745 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:57,359 Speaker 1: Like what what's your confidence level in a guy who 746 00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: has shown it again for one year in a COVID year. 747 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't want to say there's a little 748 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: zach Levine to borrow an NBA name, Like Zach Levine 749 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 1: looked has looked incredible this year, but like half the 750 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: league is hurting, you know, like it's just an awkward 751 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:11,880 Speaker 1: year in the NBA. What what if this is just 752 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: a weird year in college football? Because Jeremy be honest, like, 753 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:18,759 Speaker 1: had anybody mentioned the name Zach Wilson to you before 754 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 1: last college football season? Yeah? Not until I remember like 755 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: hearing from a few agents that were like study quarterbacks, 756 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 1: like you got watch after this kid, but it was 757 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: more like underground at that point. It wasn't really Um yeah, 758 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: he definitely was not known before the game one of 759 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 1: the season, like it was sort of you kind of 760 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:35,919 Speaker 1: had to search them out. But then like the moment 761 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 1: he started throwing the ball and they had a few 762 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 1: Thursday night games or whatever, it was like they had 763 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 1: just enough nationally televised action where you get to see 764 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 1: him live. Um, and and the buzz grew really fast 765 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: after that. Um, you know, but and I think teams 766 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:51,560 Speaker 1: knew about him that You're right, it was like the 767 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: shoulder injury and you know, there's some questions and um, 768 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: you know, and I think the COVID season helped him, right, 769 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:01,440 Speaker 1: Like there it was a weird year and there weren't 770 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 1: probably enough storylines that there normally wouldn't be with some 771 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:06,240 Speaker 1: of the pageant trade schools. So it's like, okay, who's 772 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 1: this kid? And he got more played than maybe he 773 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: would have. Yeah, it's weird. I looked at the draft. 774 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna try to bore you with who's good. Um, 775 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: it's all a projection. But everybody wants to find the 776 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 1: Zach Wilson, the Kyler Murray, uh, the Joe Burrow, the 777 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 1: guy who comes out of nowhere has a monster year 778 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 1: and becomes like an early pick. But let's be kind 779 00:37:29,719 --> 00:37:31,360 Speaker 1: of honest. And I mean, but it's not like Burrow 780 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: one much. In his first year he looked pretty good. 781 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:35,800 Speaker 1: But like it's it's good one thing to do it 782 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:37,600 Speaker 1: in college, but then to do in the NFL. Like 783 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: we see the turnover, like Whence gone, golf gone, Like 784 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: I don't know, is this maybe this is the new cycle? 785 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,279 Speaker 1: You know, teams make a run with the quarterback, but 786 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: when it comes time to pay him, we're gonna start 787 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 1: to cycle over, let's build around the rookie quarterback. Yeah, 788 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 1: that's been talked about by a number of teams, Like 789 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: do we start the draft a guy every three years 790 00:37:57,160 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 1: even if we have a star? Right, Like let's say 791 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: h Allen's probably bad example because I think he's like 792 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: becoming a top guy. But let's say the Bill said, Okay, well, 793 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: you know we can't pay that guy and still feel 794 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,239 Speaker 1: a competitive team under the salary cap constraints, So let's 795 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,000 Speaker 1: just draft another guy, no matter how will Alan played. Now, 796 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: I think Buffalo is going to pay him and he's 797 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: the guy, But teams are at leased talking about that 798 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 1: model now, UM, Like Russell Wilson in Seattle, you know 799 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:25,600 Speaker 1: they've had their problems. Uh, you know, Russell wants more 800 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: help and he's getting it this offseason. They've tried, you know, 801 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: and I think they're in a better place. But I 802 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,640 Speaker 1: think Seattle was like, how much can we do with 803 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 1: this contract? You know it's it's a big number. Um, 804 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:38,160 Speaker 1: I think all you know, Kirk Cousins is a forty 805 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:44,200 Speaker 1: five million dollar cap hit in UM. Now the dead 806 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 1: salary cap money is the same amount. So maybe it's 807 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,040 Speaker 1: a wash if you move on. But like Yeah, these 808 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,839 Speaker 1: are the numbers are so outrageous and at the at 809 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: the c b A last year and they're negotiating that, 810 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 1: um the I know the NFL wanted a sort of 811 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:01,960 Speaker 1: like max slot, kind of like in the NBA. They 812 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 1: talked about him, like, you know, you can set aside 813 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 1: cap for one player, which would basically be a quarterback rule, 814 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 1: right because every all the quarterbacks were the highest paid. Yes, 815 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,720 Speaker 1: and the players wouldn't go for it for obvious reasons. 816 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 1: You know, they don't want to a competitive and balance. 817 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:19,440 Speaker 1: But that was the league was trying to get in 818 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: front of that. And now that they have ten more 819 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: years of ballooning quarterback money, but the cap is sort 820 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:26,359 Speaker 1: of what it is, and you're trying to manage and 821 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:29,440 Speaker 1: sign ten other stars like they're wondering did we just 822 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,960 Speaker 1: keep drafting rookies? Like That's definitely a conversation point. I'll 823 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: get you out of here on this. I did have 824 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:36,399 Speaker 1: someone in the league when I kept saying I would 825 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:38,399 Speaker 1: never pay Dak forty mail, I would never pay him 826 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: forty someone texted me like, Jay, the cap is gonna 827 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,399 Speaker 1: be going up, Like this is gonna be the new 828 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:48,160 Speaker 1: normal in three years. Dax deal is not gonna look bad. 829 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: The cap is gonna keep going up and I and 830 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,359 Speaker 1: I was a little surprised that people think it's gonna 831 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:55,480 Speaker 1: keep going up in perpetuity, that oh, CAP's gonna go 832 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:57,880 Speaker 1: up twenty mil and then thirty Like can this be? 833 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:00,120 Speaker 1: Can this continue to happen in the league? May be, 834 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,040 Speaker 1: it's not an issue. I don't know. Yeah, I mean 835 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,880 Speaker 1: the forecasts are big, for sure, So it's difficult right now. 836 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 1: It's supposed to be easier three years from now. And 837 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:09,320 Speaker 1: that's why Dad wanted a four year deal and he 838 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:11,359 Speaker 1: wouldn't do five years. Even the year before when they 839 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,080 Speaker 1: were negotiating, he wouldn't do that because he saw this 840 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,239 Speaker 1: you know, kind of windfall coming. He wants to do 841 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 1: the four years and then get back on it and 842 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 1: get a new deal at fifty million or whatever it's 843 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:23,399 Speaker 1: gonna be. It's gonna be crazy, but um, those numbers 844 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:24,919 Speaker 1: are gonna keep going up to so it's still gonna 845 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: be a challenge for some of these teams. Now, Like 846 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,080 Speaker 1: I know, teams like to hide behind the salary cap 847 00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:31,360 Speaker 1: has this big problem and they can usually get around 848 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: it anyways, But there's still a question like how many stars. 849 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:38,760 Speaker 1: Can you pay right now? Right? Like and seven? Maybe 850 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:44,080 Speaker 1: like seven veterans on what are the Rams have? Like four? 851 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: Like yeah, I mean Stafford Ramsey, Uh, Aaron Donald. Maybe 852 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:53,359 Speaker 1: it's just three Leonard Floyd. Um, oh that's right, Leonard Floyd. Yeah, 853 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: I guess if you're right, you can you can try 854 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,320 Speaker 1: that strategy. I like how the Rams are getting creative 855 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,120 Speaker 1: right though. They're trying something that nobody else is trying. 856 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 1: Like I give them points for that. Yeah, no first 857 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,160 Speaker 1: round picks in like twenty eight years or whatever it is. 858 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:07,160 Speaker 1: That's what it feels like. Yeah, I mean I actually 859 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:08,840 Speaker 1: joked a less neat about that because I was like, man, 860 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:10,879 Speaker 1: you guys are getting a mansion for your draft party. 861 00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,600 Speaker 1: You don't even have a first round pick, like, you know, 862 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:16,680 Speaker 1: it's kind of it shows that they're independent, you know 863 00:41:16,719 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 1: what I mean? Like I kind of like that. And 864 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:21,400 Speaker 1: he said, yeah, we're not trying to uh we respect 865 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:23,320 Speaker 1: to everybody does their job. We don't have all the answers. 866 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:25,480 Speaker 1: We're just trying some new stuff that we think's gonna work. 867 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna try to hit on our day two picks 868 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:30,719 Speaker 1: and hit on her home grown talent and pay the 869 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:32,440 Speaker 1: stars and then you know, if we don't have first 870 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: round picks as a result, that's okay. Yeah, they got 871 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,640 Speaker 1: the kid to to at well, um real tiny guy, 872 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,120 Speaker 1: but McVeigh will probably scheme him up like Tyreek Hill 873 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:42,319 Speaker 1: or something. Right, they got him and de Sewan now 874 00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 1: I mean they got too I forgot about him. Yeah, 875 00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:47,440 Speaker 1: they got speed. Yeah that's what they needed to They 876 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,360 Speaker 1: needed burners, and they had Matt Stafford with the cannon 877 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: right just unloading if he can get protection. So all right, 878 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:57,400 Speaker 1: Jeremy Fowler ESPN, great stuff as always, Jeremy, thanks a 879 00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: lot for the time and keep up the good work. Yeah, 880 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:00,759 Speaker 1: Jason YouTube man, appreciate having me