Around the NFC in 48 Minutes

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler and Patrick Claybon give you a team-by-team break down of what the NFC looks like since the start of free agency. The guys start with the NFC East (11:12), followed by the NFC North (26:49), the NFC South (40:42), and wrap things up with the NFC West (01:00:01).

Note: time codes approximate. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Around the NFL podcast is going Around the NFC
in forty eight minutes.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Or one hundred and fourteen from the Chris Westling podcast studio,
It's Around the NFL. Dan Hands is here, got heroes?
Greg Rosenthal, what did you tap the table for?

Speaker 1 (00:21):
I just was excited. It's like the show starting.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Oh, when you make eye contact and you tap the table,
of course, I'm gonna think you're trying to tell me something.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
I was just I was just like, tough start going,
You're the You're the tough start.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
You're the tough start.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Mark Sessler and uh Patrick Clayband the pat.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
You're the tough start is an incredible response.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
You know what else is incredible that no one else
is an incredible response.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
I don't know, Patrick, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
We have no music submissions to share before we get
into the National Football Conference, which we'll do at three
minute bursts with.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Eric Roberts manning the dart gun.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
The trank gun by the way, Andrew Ceciliano in stable condition.
That Cedar Sinai took one too many dart shots. It
seemed like it didn't affect him. You guys kind of
set up Andrew a little bit and you could say
that it was a little unfair.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
If you didn't understand the rules. That just showed. Yeah,
but you know, an ignorance of the process.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
It almost felt like and Patrick, as as someone that's
just watching from the outside, on that episode, it almost
was like he was targeted at points, like he was
being led into a trap.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:38):
I don't feel like he was targeted, more so as
you guys placed him in front in the line of
fire to take Dart after Dart, and Eric is relentless,
and you know that's that's just how it goes.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
That is true.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
You know you could see Eric even though he doesn't
have any military background. Couldn't just see Eric doing some damage,
like in the middle of the two and six murdering people? No,
I mean, I mean, yeah, he's he's he's taking out
the enemy if if he had to, Like, I could
see Art doing that.

Speaker 6 (02:09):
I will say that I am very rules driven, but
I am also very bad at first person shooter games.
I might just be like firing a lot, I'm learning
a clip might not hit anybody.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, getting Patrick murdering people? How about serving your country?

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Patrick?

Speaker 5 (02:30):
You can put whatever scare quotes. Where's your pin put
on your pin. I support troops.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
He's done it, he's covered, he's safe. Let's listen to
a Patrick Laibn introduction song.

Speaker 7 (02:43):
Wow jazzy, very nice, Yeah, I mean, lyrically, how can

(03:15):
you What did he say after time?

Speaker 4 (03:16):
Momentum is not real? Is that what he said?

Speaker 2 (03:18):
I think that was the opening lyric, as I recall
that was from Colby Night like that, as I think
on the ore, I am client now because you know
the bots are coming for us. There's some they got
to translate some of the lyrics, but there was, as
you would imagine, a lot of the content here is

(03:39):
connected to momentum. That was no exception. Let's listen to
another one, this one from Matthew Quick.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
Okay, he's from Alabama. Just Harry as Alma.

Speaker 8 (03:58):
Is Patrick.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Okay, okay, okay, nice a shorter one, very nice voice.

Speaker 4 (04:07):
Anything.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Patrick is so damn handsome that anything that even approximates ugliness,
like he's as Harry as a Lama. It doesn't to
me that line didn't ring true because his beard is
immaculately groomed.

Speaker 5 (04:20):
Anybody takes the time to pin lyrics about me, I'm
gonna appreciate it, no matter.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
What I understand. I've never felt like a lama. But hey,
you know that's wonderful, Matthew.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Let's check out this one kind of blew me away,
Alex Badura.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
It's like a Radiohead type song.

Speaker 9 (04:39):
For you, Patrick Lebon, you are the main momentum. What

(05:18):
a god, what a stuff.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
That's tough to top.

Speaker 5 (05:27):
I mean, I love just as having my own positive affirmations.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Yeah yeah, I mean this is an ego stroke having
your own songs, no doubt about it.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
And I thought Alex nailed everything.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Obviously, the momentum things a little off, but everything else
I could not quibble with any of it, including Patrick
being a stud.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
That would be my pick.

Speaker 10 (05:47):
I also just did an incredible self experiment to see
how far I could go into the episode without saying
a single word, and I think I crossed five and
a half minutes, which would be a record.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
You were missed, You were missed.

Speaker 10 (05:58):
Now that you're in there, I've been told the episode
it is forty eight minutes long, so I think the
window begins at some point here. But I think that
third song is it captures the essence.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
I love when I hear that more were they were
all great?

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, let's listen to one more. This is from Sam Gaffigan. Okay,
probably not man who's coming pah trick Clay, Bob.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
Who's that man who's rarely wrong?

Speaker 9 (06:22):
Pa trick Clay?

Speaker 7 (06:24):
He announces with class and fossity.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
That heat announces mass time's velocity.

Speaker 9 (06:31):
Who's that man.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
Who's coming on?

Speaker 4 (06:34):
Pah trick lay bomb?

Speaker 1 (06:38):
For Dan, that was a formula for momentum. That's definitely
my favorite lyric. That was good.

Speaker 3 (06:44):
I feel like sometimes we mix it up with colleens too,
like we have the main one, but then we throw
in some others.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
I would like to hear that again. But I still
think number three.

Speaker 11 (06:52):
Yeah, Like I think I would go to you should
crack thank They're all really good but mixed CD and
give that to your significant other if she's ever wondering
how great you know you are, Like it's sort of
a hype tape hype CD for you.

Speaker 1 (07:04):
I can see the look on her face.

Speaker 4 (07:05):
You do have to play these, Lauren.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
You have to play them, just as Mark says, just
a reminder, Yeah, you realize, like, I know, we're busy,
we got kids, like we've known each other for so
long now, and sometimes just a reminder and reminder. And
your wife's a wonderful woman, but like she's married to
Patrick Claybo. And here are some songs as a reminder.
Let's make a like you did it, you got clay Bo.

Speaker 1 (07:30):
I'll fix you forgets.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
I think we all do in our marriages sometimes what
we have you know, and these songs will be serve
as a reminder. And you didn't have to like this
is how you frame it? Okay, you're like, god, this
was so stupid. I did a podcast that it's ridiculous,
but like they played these like songs about me and
it was dumb.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
It was dumb.

Speaker 2 (07:52):
And then see if she takes the cheek, Okay, she
probably will like what do you mean songs about you?

Speaker 1 (07:56):
What does that mean? Also make sure that and then
you just like lay it out and then watch her
fall in love with.

Speaker 4 (08:04):
You all over.

Speaker 10 (08:05):
Yeah, come in hard, hard, self deprecating. Oh yes, you
know you find it absurd. Yeah, you almost want to
share a joke with her, but then she starts to
feel something different.

Speaker 5 (08:13):
Just mega imposter syndrome, because which I do have, like
the fact that people sat on their computers and got
their instruments out and made songs for me, But.

Speaker 3 (08:22):
Like I would, I would turn off all the lights
in the house right before dinner and then maybe get
a strobe thing going and then blast it and then
the lights come on and you walk into the dinner tables.

Speaker 1 (08:34):
He's sorry they're playing. That's that's a huge.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
It's like the arena rock way to do it if
anyone and those are all excellent, and thank you again everybody.
If anyone wants to make one, that's just for Patrick
to use at home. You know what I'm saying. I
like that that when you not don't throw up the
arena lights. Yes, light a couple of candles, get a
babysitter and then play something.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
Patrick would take that as well. A babysitter at home
while they're at home.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
Get him out of the house. Yeah, okay, to the
bounce house or one of those ridiculous places. So here, Sun,
let's bounce here until my acl explodes. It's like, okay,
great party, my Achilles is gone.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
Some of those places are falling into disrepair. Ground.

Speaker 5 (09:14):
You start bouncing a couple of ways and it's like, then,
like this could.

Speaker 1 (09:18):
Go horribly wrong.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
Not to mention, have you ever gone to one of
those bounce houses and not have the entire house ill
within forty eight hours of going.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (09:28):
Plus it's a ripe fertile ground for like concussions. We're
like two children out of control bang heads. And then
it's like, you know, you're dealing with that a travel
concussions no fun.

Speaker 2 (09:37):
That's I feel like we might be risking losing sponsors.
But this is an important message to get out. Enough
of the bounce houses. Wow, what spots you get back
to the bowling out? All right, let's get into it
without further ado, Patrick that you got.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
To be feeling good now, Yeah, I'm rifle of confidence.

Speaker 2 (09:56):
All right? With that said, time to go out in
the NFL. Was that the Dean screen? Damn listen, we
had Ross pro come up. We fast forward twelve years,
get a little Dean screen. What's next?

Speaker 1 (10:12):
You know we're top Aaron Rodgers doing contrial myths. I
don't know. All right, let's get into it. It's start
with in the NFC in the east, will go east
to west, just like we did with.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
Andrew Ceciliano over the and again Andrew is in critical
but stable condition.

Speaker 10 (10:32):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
You could send flowers or whatever you wish. They don't
send darts, no doing, no more darts. The doctors were
amazed that something like that could happen in a controlled
environment within the NFL's building. And I believe there will
be hell to pay, like the Otani situation. And we're like,
oh yeah, you know, we'll blame it on the interpreter.
We need to figure out a plan post haste on

(10:54):
where does.

Speaker 4 (10:54):
It is it?

Speaker 1 (10:55):
Eric?

Speaker 2 (10:56):
Does Eric take the Eric is pressing pressing the trigger right,
But you could argue that we put him in that,
we put the gun in his hand. He did say
he follows orders. Who clipped that off before he deletes it?
All right, let's get to it. NFC East Patrick Claiban
the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 5 (11:15):
The Dallas Cowboys having turnover yet again. Now Tyron Smith
is going to be protecting Aaron Rodgers. We see Tony
Pollard going elsewhere playing with Tajy Spears in Nashville. And
my question about the Dallas Cowboys last year was Mike
McCarthy taking over the play calling duties and is it
a Mike McCarthy or a Kellen Moore issue or what

(11:36):
was going on with the Dallas Cowboys offense? No more
concerns about the offense, and I'm looking at the defense.
With Dan Quinn out for the second year in a row,
Dallas has bargain shopped in free agency. They made those
late trades for Brandon Cooks as well as step On
Gilmour last year. Can the Dallas Cowboys bargain hunt their

(11:56):
way to a Super Bowl?

Speaker 1 (11:58):
If they're allegedly quote unquote all in, they're gonna have
to in.

Speaker 3 (12:04):
For all these teams, it's an incomplete grade, but some
teams more than others. I counted up nine players that
have had significant roles on the team that either have
signed else where, most of them are a couple others
are just unsigned. And to this point, they haven't brought
in anyone new that's gonna have a significant role except
Eric Kendricks, who's kind of at the end of his

(12:25):
runs as a as a difference making player a role
player at this point. So they need like three offensive linemen.
They certainly need a running back, They need some defensive tackles.
Cornerback looks a little thin. I don't know if they'd
bring back Stefan Gilmore. So they have a lot to do.
But you know what, I actually think their personnel department
deserves a little bit of credit here to give them
some faith that over the last few years, like they
always have a good roster. So like the Ravens, I

(12:47):
kind of him in a weight and see mode with
the Cowboys.

Speaker 10 (12:49):
I mean, I think losing Dan Quinn matters a lot.
He clicked running that defense as well short till then.
But now, Mike's if you're Mike Zimmer, you've seen a
number of leave your defense and it's gonna be a
bit of a different scheme. I mean, Michael Gallup is
visiting with the Ravens. It's like, I guess for me,
it's it's kind of a tired conversation. The Cowboys just
bring me exhaustion at this point. But like you did

(13:12):
have your owner slash GM kind of announce we're going
to do everything we can to maximize our roster. And
it's been the quietest of every team out there. It's
been the quietest, weirdest free agency pier not like a
single real notable addition so far.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
I think in some ways, and there are different levels
to this, you know phrase, but the window closed, DAK
is crazy expensive, CD is about to be insanely expensive.
Parsons forget about it, gonna be the highest paid player
in the league. They might end up being a situation
where they highest pays two played, highest two paid players
in the league on each side of the ball. And

(13:46):
that is very hard now to build a championship roster
around it. So since they couldn't get it going and
get it done when these guys were younger, now it's
going to be so tough.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
And yeah, you're right, they have to absolutely nail the draft.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
They have won twelve games three straight years, so I
don't think the window is closing.

Speaker 1 (14:02):
I get it, but that's like that doesn't at this point,
it doesn't matter.

Speaker 3 (14:06):
The problem is they've always had a really good offensive
line for the most part, and right now that looks
like a weakness, which is weird.

Speaker 1 (14:16):
Up next, the New York Giants. The g Men, the
g Men.

Speaker 4 (14:29):
Time out, time out?

Speaker 1 (14:30):
Oh boy, wow early time out.

Speaker 4 (14:35):
The g Man, the g Men, the g g Men.

Speaker 8 (14:52):
LOGI yeah, the g Men, the g Men, the G Man,
the g Men, the G Man.

Speaker 2 (15:15):
All right, timon, Umm, I'm gonna spin positive. I'm sick
of it. Rosenthal is throwing dirt all over the Giants,
his own personal issues coming through.

Speaker 4 (15:30):
I'm gonna combat that.

Speaker 2 (15:33):
While everyone's burying the Giants and doing their annual springtime
slurpage of Howie Roseman and the Eagles. I thought the
Giants made easily the most impactful move in the division
with this Brian Burns trade and then subsequent signing their
defensive line has Burns a rising a star who has

(15:54):
a next level potential. Even you have Dexter Lawrence, I
mean another superstar. And Keveon Thibodeau, who's you know, personal
interactions aside, had a big second year and looks like
a guy that is hitting as a first round draft pick.
Now they're all together and if they stay healthy. I

(16:15):
know there's issues other places, and I know everybody wants
to focus on the Saquon Left thing, but that is
a game wrecking defensive line and it could lift the
entire defense and win games.

Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (16:27):
I think that is a team strength that matters a
lot inside of this division. Brian Burns was a coupeta
I look at. I also think Jermaine Illuminor along the
offensive line is a versatile guy who adds. They need
to add bodies there. So my one thing with them
is you're into year three of this regime, and we
know that Daniel Jones is not part of this team

(16:49):
after this season. And in fact, it's like, I don't
he feels to me like on strange soil already. I
don't care about the Drew lock signing. You are sitting
there high up in the draft. Do you pass on
someone like JJ McCarthy who would a.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
Pieces around them.

Speaker 10 (17:04):
I don't mind that they moved on from Saqua, but
it's like I would look at quarterback.

Speaker 1 (17:07):
I just would to match up with this solid defensive front.

Speaker 5 (17:10):
I just think, considering the decisions that they have made
at the quarterback position and how that set them up
that if they're not sold on a quarterback and you
get to have your mark on the pick and the
way that the franchise goes, and next year they have
an opportunity to either make that defensive line that Dan
was talking about even more of a strength. They could
come in and add a wide receiver in these top

(17:32):
because considering where they're picking, the quarterbacks are going to
go early, a very very good football player is going
to be available.

Speaker 1 (17:37):
They can make the rest of the team better.

Speaker 5 (17:39):
And I think if you add like a Romo Dunze
to this group with Darius Slayton and Jadie Hyatt. You
get a good group for some quarterback, whether it's Daniel
Jones or somebody they get later this year. But I
just think if you're reaching for a quarterback, if you're
trying to solve this problem, then you're you're exacerbating.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
Right.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
I'm surprised that there's been so much quarterback talk because like,
taking the fourth quarterback when you have the six pick
seems like a disaster. In a draft that has three
number one wide receivers, Malikue Neighbors might still be there
at number three, and they need to find their guys.
I look at this, and I look at some other
gms like Ryan Poles in Chicago that are entering year three,
and I can see his guys. Who are Joe Shane's guys. There,

(18:16):
guys are Gettleman's guys. They're best players. I saw, I
heard that eat it and Jones. People can say all
this thing about the quarterback.

Speaker 2 (18:26):
He's gonna get the second year on this contract and
we'll see what happens after that.

Speaker 4 (18:32):
Okay, up next, Greggye the Eagles.

Speaker 3 (18:37):
Fun offseason so far for the Eagles, They've signed you know,
three or four of the top thirty or forty free
agents available. With Bryce Huff, I like Chauncey Gardner, Johnson
coming back, Saquon is gonna be a great fit. They
just keep adding little pieces, and yet I still look
at it and it's like, does Vic Fangio have what
he needs? Does Vic fan Gio still have the magic touch?

Speaker 4 (18:55):
Too? Sure?

Speaker 1 (18:56):
A couple of like mixed years. Uh, do they still.

Speaker 4 (19:00):
Have everyone hated him?

Speaker 1 (19:01):
Lest right?

Speaker 3 (19:02):
I mixed this maybe being kind like, do they still
have the best roster in the NFL? Because I look
at the two lines and there's maybe some questions, but
they've planned ahead with Tyler Steen, Cam Jurgens on the
offensive line.

Speaker 1 (19:15):
Hassan Redick is still there.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
They're probably gonna trade him, but I look at a
lot of depth on both of the lines. I look
at a fantasy football spectacular on offense. The secondary has
some question marks, but maybe that's what the draft is for.
Is this still the best roster in the league? Because
I believe I don't know if it's the best roster.

Speaker 10 (19:33):
I cannot think of too many examples of a quality
team like this with a lot of high profile parts
where you're going on to the third straight year on
both sides.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
Of the ball with a different coordinator.

Speaker 10 (19:45):
I mean that affects things, especially on offense, it does
on defense.

Speaker 1 (19:50):
I want to see what happens with Reddick.

Speaker 10 (19:51):
I think Reddick, I think when you're Howie Roseman, I
just expect him to create three or four notable moves
before we get into the summer.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
It's like they're not done.

Speaker 5 (20:00):
And one of those moves seemed like an admission right
with that, the way that they handled Gj's departure, like
they were lost in the secondary. And maybe you can
make the case that that reason for that coordinator change
was because they were bad. We saw the Eagles lose
a coordinator because they were good. And you know, how
much confidence do you have when you saw things fall

(20:21):
off at the end of the season. I think I
still have it because Jalen was hurt. AJ was hurt.
Not only were the decisions and the play calling kind
of questionable down the stretch, but the players were hurt.
I just don't know that Kellen Moore really excites me,
and I wonder how many very talented quarterbacks are going
to be saddled with Kellen Moore and have disappointing results.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
And it supposedly his offense. It's no longer Nick Siriani's offense.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
And that's that's deserve it after what happened down the stretch,
and you know, you don't have Kelsey in that building,
you don't have Cox in the building. And we were
talking about that, you and we were talking about the
Improvement Index, Greggie. They were twenty seventh in that in
terms of you know, the roster losses and their drafts standing.
So there is a way to look at this roster

(21:08):
and say it depreciated in some ways as well.

Speaker 3 (21:11):
I think it's it is important to remember losing Jason
Kelcey is a massive loss.

Speaker 1 (21:17):
Now I look at the rest of their losses.

Speaker 3 (21:19):
Fletcher Cox certainly was valuable to them, but I think
they've replaced him and prepared everyone else leaving the team.

Speaker 1 (21:26):
I can live with that. Well, they lost.

Speaker 10 (21:28):
I know this is like hard to assess, but they
lost like locker room leadership on a team that was
in total chaos by the end of last season.

Speaker 4 (21:41):
Kids smart.

Speaker 2 (21:44):
Excited to stop talking there. That wasn't about the team,
wasn't about the team. Who was the dark fired?

Speaker 1 (21:50):
I was just it missed Dan. I think the game
Dan's jus fielder.

Speaker 4 (21:56):
I mean, that's are we allowed to talk?

Speaker 1 (21:58):
I thought we weren't allowed to talk about thought that
was a conceit. It's also a complete law. It's a
completely lawless.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
All right, let me let me uh now, you're making
new rules all the challenge flags.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
We can talk, but it can't be about the teams. Well,
what's the point challenge flag?

Speaker 1 (22:14):
The circus.

Speaker 2 (22:14):
It's almost like, you know what makes the podcast better?
We can talk, it just can't be about that topic,
you know what I mean? Like and in that case,
I was giving Mark kudos.

Speaker 1 (22:25):
They like nine years in, let's just make some new rules. Well,
I appreciate the compliment.

Speaker 10 (22:29):
I think if you're Eric, it's like the rules of
this game seems to change every five or six minutes.

Speaker 4 (22:33):
I think more darts makes the podcast.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
If if now, if I would have said a point,
if I would have followed up on the point Mark
made darting to hell out of bounds, put me in
hades with a dart?

Speaker 4 (22:45):
Gotcha?

Speaker 1 (22:46):
All right?

Speaker 2 (22:46):
With that said, more darts? Mark the Washington Commanders, they
gonna keep that name. I would love to see them
change that name. None of us have ever ever bought
into that.

Speaker 10 (22:57):
I don't hate what they did in free agency at
all because I started their early look at I've done
that two days in a row.

Speaker 4 (23:03):
Too bad.

Speaker 10 (23:04):
I think Dorance Armstrong following Dan Quinn, Frankie Louvo, We've
all talked about him, Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chan It's like
there's some veteran like identity on this team, and I
think that was needed. And I like, I know, of course,
like you know, you move on from your quarterback. They
absolutely are taking one at number two. Daniel Jeremiah has
them taking Drake May. I mean I see the Drake

(23:25):
May like assessments are all over the map, Like I
like Chris Sims hasn't in a tier below bow Nix
and Michael Pennix Junior. It's like, I don't know who's
going to number two. I don't know what the commanders think,
but I have one questions. I think this like addition
to the team kind of flew under the radar a
little bit, Like you've got a new quarterback and a
lot of new pieces on offense. Like do we trust

(23:46):
like as Cliff Kingsbury someone we trust at this point
to helm a rookies like opening salve into the NFL.
It's like I that to me is is is a
big question mark.

Speaker 5 (23:56):
And I don't know why we would have reason to
say that we do have. I just haven't necessarily seen it.

Speaker 3 (24:03):
Especially a man that found a way to out of
losing record with Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 5 (24:07):
And then he comes over to USC and Caleb gets worse. Right,
there was a serious regression in the quarterback that's going
to go number one overall. And so now the Cliff
move signaled to people that always is Washington going to
try to get the number one overall picked, and there
hasn't been any sort of move towards that yet. And
I'm just wondering what position we're putting a rookie quarterback,

(24:30):
and if it's a rookie, if they go another direction.
I'm just very confused about the team. And this is
a franchise we thought we were gonna get more clarity
from and it feels like we've actually gotten lot.

Speaker 10 (24:41):
And if ever it was not a quarterback they have
Marcus Mariota, I don't think they're letting the media know
at all what they're interested in, and so they're sort
of a vacuum in people just speculating, which actually is
a good sign.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
That's different than what was happening in Washington in the past. No,
I don't think anyone's gonna know whether it's Jane Daniels
or Drake me until drafting just fun and I think
is a sign of a they're getting better.

Speaker 1 (25:02):
I like the approach. They've brought in so many players.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
Fourteen new players have come in from other organizations, eight
have gone. I think that's the way to do it
with a team like this, Just hope you hit on
seven or eight role players. And some of the moves
like like Luvu, like Armstrong. I think I've been among
the best in free agency. Yeah, a lot of their.

Speaker 2 (25:21):
Moves haven't blown me away, but it's like, Okay, he
seems useful.

Speaker 4 (25:25):
He seems useful.

Speaker 2 (25:27):
That could work. The Mariota thing blows my mind that
he keeps getting a job. But otherwise I thought like
they've been effective and using free agency to overhaul the
roster and you have a new head coach, and it
did any team need more of a kind of like
a reset this year than Washington now will work. We'll
see are they a lot better? We'll see but at
least they're trying. And then if you hit on the quarterback,

(25:48):
who knows?

Speaker 4 (25:49):
Who knows? So I give him a solid B for
their offseason.

Speaker 1 (25:52):
So far, I'd agree. I hope they take Jayden Daniels.
That's where I only know.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
All right, we're just getting go and see under the
old rules, i'd take a dart right now.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
I don't know.

Speaker 10 (26:04):
There are no rules like at this we've established that.
Am I allowed to talk or just you? I don't
even know.

Speaker 5 (26:08):
I feel like some people think the dart is a
part of that music sound effect because it's so common.

Speaker 1 (26:15):
It's true, how's your AMMO doing?

Speaker 4 (26:16):
You? You fire off so many darts that I start
to wonder, like where who's your unlimited never ends? One
of the scariest.

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Things was Eric saying I'm good at taking orders like
we he could be a killing machine. H as like
an assassin. What was the Bill Hayter Show, Barry Roberts
Sleep or Cell spin Off? All right, let's take a
break and we'll get to the NFC North.

Speaker 4 (26:45):
All right, we are back. Let's get to the NFC North.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
Let's get right into it with the Chicago Bears. I'll
start this one off Uh, they have improved their roster.
There is no doubt about that. Love the Keenan Allen move,
DeAndre Swift, cool, Kevin Bayyard, Okay, Gerald Everett nice addition
to the tight end room and now everything all attention

(27:09):
obviously turns to the number one overall pick. Everyone knows
where this guy where they're going to go with this,
and the barring some type of absurdity, Caleb Williams becomes
that guy. So I speaking of off seasons where I
give a solid B so far, I like what the
Bears have done.

Speaker 4 (27:23):
I'd even bump them claybonto a B.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Plus because the first job you have to do when
you bring in a pick of this ilk, a number
one overall pick, is don't surround him with trash. They
they're trying to set up infrastructure to let the kid
hit the ground running a las CJ.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
Stroud. Let's see if it works.

Speaker 5 (27:39):
Yeah, And they have a very good example from Chicago
of what not to do with a quarterback that goes
in the first round and how to surround him and
how to provide him with the opportunity to be successful.
So you think they take the lessons that they learned
from the justin fields experience, and I'm looking at Keenan
Allen as still a one like Keenan And of course

(28:00):
there's there's injuries. Everybody in the league is going to
deal with injuries at some point. But the way that
his game is structured, he can contribute three four, I
still think maybe six years down the road. And then
you change DJ Moore and the way that defenses can
focus on him. It's all set up there. What's the
schedule like for Caleb and how are they going to

(28:21):
facilitate him to be successful.

Speaker 1 (28:23):
I'm gonna have to see it. I love.

Speaker 10 (28:25):
I love also that they got Keenan Allen for a
four and because their cap situation was what it was,
they could absorb that salary versus him going being cut
at some point, and they you know, they were able
to make that trade Keenan Allen, DJ Moore. It's part
a part of two parts because the second part is
the draft. Obviously we know it's Caleb Williams number one
barring a stunner, but then they've got the number nine,
pick two, and it's like, do you just go like

(28:46):
maybe Robot, like, do you get the best wide receiver
a possible and suddenly you've got a stacked offense.

Speaker 1 (28:52):
So I think Gerald Everett matters too.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
Right, they could be at a spot where those top
three receivers are off the board, and then the value
doesn't seem like it's there, so they take a tackle
there that's where this draft is, or they really back,
or they take the top defensive player on the board.
I think Ryan Pols has done the thing, which in
the thing is by year three of being there, I
want to have some stamp on my team. I want
to have evidence that my you know, time here has

(29:17):
been worthy, and I think he has. He's built up
a defense that has an identity. Ibra Flus made it
happen a year ago. But they're still very thin on
the like they could use another tackle. Certainly, they could
use another receiver. Keen Allen's on a one year deal
and they have no third receiver, no fourth receiver, no nothing,
so that they could look for another one.

Speaker 2 (29:34):
I mean, feels like a great time to have two
top ten picks, so they it just there's reason for hope.
And yes, the the fields thing turned into kind of
the fiasco with the way the trade ended up playing out,
but it's all in the past now and you move
forward as an organization and maybe brighter days are ahare
for once.

Speaker 3 (29:52):
The Bears are worth some hype, deserve it.

Speaker 1 (29:56):
So I'm watching. We're on a freaking monitor. Stopped talking
before hit zero, and.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
As someone who's the tee up of the segment, I
had put a bow on it. Then you came in.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
Well that's because I said, I saw the four three
two one. I thought I'd get one last shot. I'm
not worried about my field goal percentage, like those guys
in the NBA who holded that extra half second where they.

Speaker 6 (30:17):
Keep shooting him, give it to me. I think it
was still in the hands. Mark on the fingertips.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
Stronger dart for Greg Sharpshooters prerogative. Detroit Lions, Mark Sessler.

Speaker 10 (30:31):
I like some of the very lionsy type things that
they did, like DJ Reader, really good football player to
add to the defensive line, Kevin Zeitler can still play
and like he is sort of a nasty, beefy human
to add to their offensive line. The thing with the Lions,
like last couple of years, it's like their defense kind
of let them down. And I know they were better
last year than the year before I do wonder if

(30:53):
they could pull I know they went and got Carlton Davis.

Speaker 1 (30:55):
They re signed Emmanuel Moseley.

Speaker 10 (30:57):
Amik Robertson's there as well, but they have twenty six
million in cap space and there is this behind door
number two option. They were listed as one of six
teams that had a potential interest in Lugerious Snead. He
can play all over the place as a cornerback. Is
it's so crazy for a team that's on the precipice
of Super Bowl.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
You know their window is right open.

Speaker 10 (31:18):
Go get a difference making cornerback who could also I
think if you use them correctly, he is a total
quarterback nuisance. As a blitzer, it would add a whole
element to a Lions secondary that looked completely different, like
do you.

Speaker 4 (31:29):
Just go for it?

Speaker 3 (31:29):
They are also aware and made a statement about Cameron Sutton,
their cornerback who they brought in for a lot of
money last year, who's being investigated police in Florida. I've
been searching for him about two weeks after in the
West Warrens for a domestic violence case. So that and
they release the statement. They're aware of it, and that's
another thing at that position that I think is a concern.

(31:52):
I was thinking too, they could be a spot for
Justin Simmons, who's a free agent at safety. They could
certainly need another safety. Uh, they've these signings. Marcus Davenport
was another one, like Zeitler was a one year deal.
These are all very much like, let's add a little
sprinkled to get over the top on.

Speaker 1 (32:09):
Some high risk, hy reward one year deals.

Speaker 5 (32:11):
I think the departure of Jonah Jackson was something that
really meant something. But think Kevin Zeitler comes over and
you feel solid about that. I just in terms of
the Jared Goff discussion, feels so much better about Jared
Golf then sure maybe maybe?

Speaker 1 (32:29):
And Ben Johnson I think he might get a contract
this offseason. Yeah, why not.

Speaker 5 (32:33):
It's there's the negatives there are vastly outweighed by thinking
about Jamior Gibbs coming back his second season, knowing how
to operate in the offense, and more Jamo as well
on the outside.

Speaker 2 (32:46):
I'm more James, more James Jamo. Yeah, the defense has
been the focus. Reader Davenport robertson Carlton Davis third. Okay,
Davis was a big time move Now let's see if
that takes the defense from back end of the thirty two,
if they finished twenty fourth in the league in yards
per play allowed last year to the middle or even
a little bit higher, and that could be the difference

(33:07):
for this team to getting over the hump in the
NFC exciting times. Indeed, I always am a little worried
though about the I mean, they've whoever whoever enters the
year where it's like, oh, we just need a little more.
And I think Dan Campbell said it in the blocker room,
like there's no guarantee we ever get back there. And
the NFC, I think is going to look better this year.
As much as I like Jared Goff, he's still not

(33:29):
one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Speaker 10 (33:31):
Like that division is back, there will be tough Thorny.

Speaker 1 (33:38):
Indeed, technically I was seconding.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
His I thought you were that. See that just shows
again mcnanimous. I didn't say nice job, Mark, I was
actually agreeing with the which is over the deadline of
the class.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
I wasn't gonna say anything because I didn't know. I'm
trying to go dart for you today.

Speaker 2 (34:02):
You do, like our last guest, We'll see we'll see
up next.

Speaker 1 (34:07):
The Packers with Greg Rosenthal.

Speaker 3 (34:09):
I struggled in this exercise thinking like, what is the
big need for the Packers? Have they have they refreshed
their roster that fast, that like they can do anything
on draft day.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
Certainly they could use a safety, but they did.

Speaker 3 (34:22):
Just add Daru McKinney to big time money was one
of my favorite moves in free agency. Left tackle I
think could be one, and they've had such a good
history of finding values. But you look at this roster
and all it's just goody picks sprinkled up and down
the draft, I mean up and down the roster. I
guess cornerback would be the spot you have. You brought

(34:43):
Keyshaw Nixon back the returner, but Jaya Alexander still around.
People didn't necessarily expect that. Eric Stokes like they could
get better there. And yet I look at this roster
and like a lot of homegrown talent. It's a there's
a lot to like, and Josh Jacobs and aj Dillon
to me, is a fun combination at running back.

Speaker 1 (35:01):
I don't like.

Speaker 10 (35:01):
Josh Jacobs versus where they were a year ago running back,
but that's my own personal bias. I think Xavier McKinney
was one of the best signings. And it's a little
bit anti Packers to go out and spend that money
the way they did, but they have sprinkled. They're able
to do that because they've sprinkled in so many good
draft picks. And it really so much of it is
like everything that happened last year poster and Rodgers is

(35:22):
everything he was asking for before. And I think one
of the bigger issues was defensive coordinator situation was becoming
a lightning rod all over the place. Jeff Hafley is,
you know, comes in with a better situation the secondary.
I'm very inched to see how he performs because he's
basically one of the rare guys that like left a
head coaching job in college flat out because he was
tired of college football operates.

Speaker 3 (35:42):
Josh Jacobs is the only player that's going to start
on offense that isn't a Packers draft pick from the
last five years.

Speaker 1 (35:49):
Yes, and crazy, and that luxury allows them to kind
of do whatever.

Speaker 5 (35:54):
And I think that tackle spot is the place to
fill and if say a JC Latham is off the
board at twenty five, I think the Packers are a
solid trade down candidate to try to get because if
you're a believer in this whole, well, you can get
a receiver anywhere. The Packers hit on almost every single
one of them in the past couple of years, so that,
like Goody can can do whatever, and Jordan Love gives

(36:14):
you the opportunity to just kind of take a shot.

Speaker 4 (36:16):
Love is huge, obviously.

Speaker 2 (36:19):
I saw a meme floating around one of my favorite
movies ever, Goodwill Hunting, when Will goes after this a
star's guard character, and he goes talking about math for him,
but it's for the Packers and picking quarterbacks. Do you
know how easy this is for me? Do you have
any idea how easy this is? This is a joke,
And I'm sorry you can't do this, I really am,
because I wouldn't have to sit here and watch you

(36:40):
fumble around and get up. That's basically the Packers to
twenty four other teams in the league that cannot find quarterbacks,
They've found three in a row. My one point is
you don't have Joe Barry to kick around anymore. They
got him out of the building.

Speaker 1 (36:53):
Mark, Yeah, you like Goodwill Hunting?

Speaker 4 (36:56):
I love it.

Speaker 10 (36:57):
I also love when he's you know, goes after the
man with ponytail early on iconic line about them apples. Yeah,
that guy is an annoying academic.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
He gets an.

Speaker 4 (37:05):
Great actor, great casting.

Speaker 10 (37:07):
Yes, he looks like a central casting intellectual oath.

Speaker 4 (37:14):
I feel like you're a baited into that one.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
Not at all, stop it.

Speaker 2 (37:18):
I was not watching the clock to Thanky Davis all right,
next Patrick the Vikings. So the Minnesota Vikings go out
and make a trade.

Speaker 5 (37:29):
They trade a future second round pick as well as
a late round pick, and they're forty number forty two
to move up. It makes me feel like they will
take a shot to try, at least try Questy sending
out some feelers and offers to get a quarterback move
up in the draft in twenty twenty four. My question
about the Vikings the huge departure of Kirk Cousins. How

(37:51):
long does Sam Darnold fendoff whoever the Vikings draft at
quarterback in twenty twenty.

Speaker 2 (37:59):
Guess it doesn't it depend on how big this swing
is for the Vikings, or does it not matter if
they take any quarterback in the first round.

Speaker 4 (38:07):
Sam's kind of.

Speaker 3 (38:07):
Basically, they somehow get you to three and take Jade
Daniels or Drake may I feel like it's less of
a leash. I actually think they still would tend to
lean towards starting Darnold to start the season, but it'd
be less of elease if it's if it's a guy
in the second round. Like, I'm not totally convinced that
they're going to take a quarterback in the first round,
just because we all think.

Speaker 2 (38:26):
I think that's the natural inclination once they got that
second pick, is that they were arming themselves to march
up the board. But maybe they have a whole different
plan that they're about to unfurl.

Speaker 3 (38:36):
Or maybe they like Michael Pennix and are going to
take him at twenty three or something like that and
see what happens at eleven.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
They they've sneakily had.

Speaker 3 (38:46):
The most transition of almost any team in the NFL
over the last two years. I counted eleven players that
are out the door that had significant roles that have
signed with other teams already this year, and they've had
fourteen players come in and I and I like it.
I've liked Questy's process. I like the players that they've
brought in. For the most part, Aaron Jones, certainly Jonathan

(39:06):
Gridard Cashman, Vin Ginkle, Like it's a fun group of
players they brought in, but it is really a different
roster than it was two years ago.

Speaker 10 (39:12):
Yeah, they questy like openly, you know, talked about churning
the like the roster of the process, and they found
a way without going to the darkness stray and all that.
I do find it interesting because Daniel Jeremiah typically does
not include trades and before his final mock draft, and
he went out of us with this way to do
because of what these They added that second pick, the
hasle moving up to number four, trading with the Cardinals

(39:34):
to get JJ McCarthy. And I think it comes down
to if you're Kevin O'Connell, do you have a guy
that you fall in love with?

Speaker 1 (39:38):
And that kind of greases the skids for a trade up.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
There's a lot of McCarthy Viking spoke and I get
all that and the focus on the offense, and they've
done a great job building up the offense. The line's good.
Addison was a good pick, and yeah, I look at
this defense. It's the opposite of the Packers, like they
have almost no homegrown Day one or two. They literally
don't have a Day one or two guy that was
drafted on their team that's starting for their defense other

(40:02):
than Harrison Smith. He's been there thirteen years. Like they
have no premier homegrown talent a defense. That's a tough
way to live.

Speaker 4 (40:07):
Kind of to me. I'm curious what their plan is.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Was the Donald move strictly a move like, here's our
backup plan if the draft doesn't go our way or
they see Donald as a depreciated asset, then they can
with a cheap QB build up the roster quickly around
him and take a swing. I guess we'll find out.
That's the NFC North. We take a break and we

(40:34):
hit the South. All right, we're back. Mark, do you
want to do you want to give a bayside? I
want to give a bayside a try?

Speaker 4 (40:45):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (40:45):
Sure, Well no, he has to say, you're not allowing
to out here. I had no chance at it?

Speaker 4 (40:50):
Know, all right, hit it, Eric, did you understand the assignment?

Speaker 3 (41:06):
I do not have any idea what you're asking comes
back from the break with the baysides thing.

Speaker 1 (41:12):
That might be what Mark just kind of checking out.
He might not be aware of what.

Speaker 10 (41:15):
But then usually naturally you have about this next do
you want me to say.

Speaker 4 (41:19):
That, I'll do it.

Speaker 1 (41:19):
I'll see what he says, you say, and then coming.

Speaker 4 (41:22):
Back out of the last break, you'll give it a shot.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
I'll just I'll just.

Speaker 2 (41:28):
Said, do you want to try basside and you just
said sure? You had no idea what I.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
Play the song?

Speaker 10 (41:32):
I mean because it's like, like you know these things,
I kind of am more like a I mean react
mode during that we would come out of these long,
lengthy enjoyment breaks.

Speaker 1 (41:39):
That we have.

Speaker 2 (41:39):
Okay, so here they come, here it comes, and then
we'll the last all right, welcome back. We now move
on to the thing.

Speaker 1 (41:51):
Yeah, but I thought you wanted me to do it. Yes,
I'm showing you this time around.

Speaker 10 (41:56):
And then for our last break, I'll do it to
my own I'll do it in my own way.

Speaker 1 (42:00):
Okay, when the time comes, that's what we really want.

Speaker 4 (42:02):
Okay, there we go mark the Falcons. That was a journey.

Speaker 10 (42:08):
Yeah, no, I feel I at this point, I'm just
completely lost. At see I would I would ask here
we go remember the old like IBM you make the
call commercials. Those were fun, like the back when you
know there was like not you know there was a
less nonsense going on, so you could focus on it
and like you and your dad would argue over like
the penalty call. I don't remember those, but it might
have proceeded your watching at it. It was like it

(42:30):
was old well, but uh, I want you to imagine
in this world that like Terry Fontineau Falcons GM has
received a case of sunstroke after a like a front
office boat party at the George DS. Sparks Reservoir which
is outside of Atlanta, and he's down for the county,
can't attend the draft, so you have to make the call,
and you are looking at a pretty loaded Falcons offense

(42:53):
pick number eight. Though you can help Raheem Morris get
a foundational defensive player, picking Dallas turn the number one
out of Alabama in the draft.

Speaker 1 (43:02):
They need that.

Speaker 10 (43:03):
Or you can look at a wide receiver room with
Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Rondell Moore, and Kyle Pitts and
you just go go get Roma Dunze and just say
Kirk Cousins. No matter, even if your Achilles is still
only at thirty percent, you cannot help but hit one
of these players on every pass attempt.

Speaker 1 (43:20):
That you have, you make the call.

Speaker 3 (43:23):
Great, I think I'm taking the defensive plate. Well, Dounday's
a unique case. Is he duplicative of Drake London. They're
kind of similar in some way, So although you would
love to have both, I don't think he'll be there.
I kind of think the first six seven picks of
the draft are guy going to be quarterback, wide receiver.
It's like an ultimate Fantasy showdown. So unless they are

(43:44):
willing to move up, I have a feeling they'll be gone.
And their defense looks like one of the worst defenses
in the league on paper. It's kind of flown under
the raidar. You know who they've signed on defense this offseason. Nobody,
literally nobody. Their edge rushers are Arnold Abauhetti and Lorenzo Carter,
and the other positions are pretty thin too. Best defensive

(44:04):
player on the board. Seems like it's working out well
for them. I feel yeah, easily.

Speaker 5 (44:08):
And I think Dallas Turner is in a spot where
the Falcons would be able to get him and.

Speaker 1 (44:12):
The value there.

Speaker 5 (44:13):
Considering that while we love all of these offensive guys,
not all of them are going to pan out. It's
very rare to think that every single one of them
is offering the value that we think Dallas Turner might provide.
He was a younger guy who's got the measurables off
the charts. It seems like a no break, especially considering
that Atlanta has tried, like you go back ten to

(44:34):
fifteen years, like Vic Beasley, all these guys off the edges.

Speaker 3 (44:37):
They've replaced the Jets as the team never having an
edge rusher.

Speaker 4 (44:40):
Do you want to hear the freaky thing?

Speaker 1 (44:42):
What's that?

Speaker 2 (44:43):
The freaky thing is now Falcons say we haven't had
an edge rusher since it's also John Abraham. The Jets
fans were saying that for twelve years about John Abraham,
and now the Falcon years, Falcons are saying.

Speaker 4 (44:57):
The same thing.

Speaker 1 (44:57):
Maybe he leaves the same guy leaves on these teams.
When that's what I'm.

Speaker 3 (45:01):
Saying, How is it possible he's like the guy who
doesn't teach the next generation how to do things, and
somehow it's lasted for fifteen years.

Speaker 4 (45:09):
Abraham, they're number one, far and away on the improvement.

Speaker 1 (45:12):
In Ducks Cousins. Yeah, it was zero.

Speaker 6 (45:18):
It's fair could have gone to either the best part
he is greg pointing at the Zeros they're zeros.

Speaker 3 (45:25):
The other time I said it. The first time it
was that one Greg the Panthers, Oh the Panthers. I
feel like we haven't given a lot of Panthers love
Panthers offseason.

Speaker 1 (45:35):
I like what they've done.

Speaker 3 (45:37):
They've they've decided offensive line and Deontay Johnson like that's
the best way to help Bryce Song.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
I think it makes sense.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
He spent a lot of money for Damian Lewis and
Robert Hunt's not my money though, and they are definitely better.
Yosh Nigeman from the Packers actually is a guy who
I had in my top hundred.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
I like a lot and so that that's all good.

Speaker 3 (45:56):
And then I look at the defense and I think
this was a pretty good defense, and I like a
giro Evro. There's a reason why other teams wanted him.
And I just think, man, a lot of talent's gonna
out the door. Frankie Luvu, Brian Burns, Dante Jackson, Grossmatos,
who is a good player. And they've brought some in
like DJ Wanham and Josie Joel, but not big time

(46:17):
players Jordan Fuller, and they're asking a lot out of
a Giro Everro. Like the focus has only been on
the offense, and now they might not be good at anything,
is my point.

Speaker 10 (46:25):
Yeah, well they Yeah, they lost key components on that
side of the ball, and they're a team largely without
an identity other than the fact that they've largely failed
at quarterback and up front of him. He was poorly
protected though all year, and I can't think of a
quarterback in the league that you don't want to get
hit as many times as he was. I think Robert
Hunt is a great signing. He was a six PFF's
number six guard last year. He looked like it's a

(46:46):
big loss for the Dolphins.

Speaker 1 (46:48):
You needed to go do that.

Speaker 10 (46:49):
I just think the number one thing is Dave Canalis.
Two years in a row. He's revived a quarterbacks career.
This seems more challenging than even Gino or Baker Baker Mayfield.

Speaker 2 (46:57):
And you can feel the panic around the because the
way the draft played out, and then Stroud instantly became
the start. So they're like, holy God, what are we
going to do? So let's redo the interior of the line.
Let's remember he's not a very tall quarterback, so it's
very important to have some maulers up front. That can
really get things under control coming down. What was the
old Tom Brady thing, you know, bring the pressure right
at him right.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Pressure doesn't make it up the middle. So there are
two who does.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
They add a wide receiver Deontay Johnson Claybon, who is
very talented. It certainly bumps back guys like Adam Feelin,
which is necessary into a different spot on the depth chart.

Speaker 1 (47:30):
So they're trying and we'll see what else they can
do here.

Speaker 5 (47:34):
Yeah, as far as influences the perception, c J. Stroud
benefited from a lot of that team that was there
right at least Laramie Tunsel was brought to benefit another
quarterback right when the Texans were making that original run,
and so the Texans had this upheaval. Dimico comes in,
but c J. Strout was in a much better position.
The team was in a much better position than the
twenty twenty three Carolina Panthers, where, yeah, Adam Thielen is

(47:57):
your number one, and you've got rookies and guys that
did necessarily work out elsewhere. I think there's reason to
be confident. But I'm also looking at Aziro Evro and
the defense, like Greg mentioned, where it seems based on
Jeremy Chin's falling off of the planet that they have
a stated belief and this is the type of player,
this is the system that we're going to operate in,
and if you don't do that particular thing, then we

(48:19):
don't want you to play on.

Speaker 1 (48:21):
Right, Who are their edge rushers?

Speaker 3 (48:24):
And you've kind of brought in these maulers in the
in the on the line, but they're like run first guys,
and you don't really have a running back by the way.

Speaker 1 (48:32):
Hog Molly's save Bryce.

Speaker 2 (48:37):
Claybot on the Saints, Oh, the New Orleans Saints should
be fun.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
Well, it's it's always fun.

Speaker 5 (48:42):
And I think every single year there's this like tisking
of the Saints and saying that, well, we see, we
told you the cap is real. I don't think anybody,
especially shot out to Ky Harley is denwing denying the
existence of the salary cap. They're just different ways to
manage the salary cap. And so this Saints do actually
keep some veterans to Mario Davis comes back, the honey

(49:04):
Badger comes back.

Speaker 1 (49:05):
They still have the talent.

Speaker 5 (49:06):
But last year was the best head coaching season in
Dennis Allen's career, The absolute.

Speaker 1 (49:14):
Best judged by wins and losses.

Speaker 2 (49:16):
By wins and lossy can we get just get one?
Dennis Allen compliment without the original.

Speaker 1 (49:20):
That wasn't a compliment. It was at the best coaching job.
It was career, it was not. It was just well,
purely a statement of fact. It's damning with Faine praise
intentionally is.

Speaker 4 (49:29):
Let it be?

Speaker 1 (49:29):
Just let it sit a little bit, purely a statement
of fact. Best season Dennis Allen.

Speaker 5 (49:33):
Has ever had as the head coach of the National
Football League. What's the best reason to believe the Saints
will finish even better in the division in twenty twenty
four than they did in twenty twenty three.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
I can't because I think last year they.

Speaker 10 (49:47):
Openly sort of said we're going to ride through this
this year identity free.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
I want.

Speaker 10 (49:52):
I look at the Saints over the last couple of seasons.
I don't know how it is you want to exist
in this world or what life you're trying to live
and what you're trying to tell your fans. It just
to me, it's like a roster kind of floating. And
this what they've done so far this time around, feels
like more of the same to me.

Speaker 3 (50:07):
What's a roster led by a defensive coach that wants
his defense to be good, and it should be good.
It was good last year, can it be great. We'll
see Chase Young they bring in. We didn't talk about
that on the show where it's a lot of roster surgery,
right right, if he can be active, So they it
was a fairly low risk because of the money and
you know, a decent reward I think for him, but
you hope he's well. Willie Gay was a nice signing,

(50:29):
like their defense should be good. I just don't buy
that they're suddenly conservative. They haven't done much this offseason,
and I feel like more is coming. They didn't they
need a second wide receiver. They certainly needed left tackle.
Despite having traded up for Trevor Penning a couple of
years ago. Marshall Lattimore maybe will be part of trying
to improve other spots on the roster.

Speaker 1 (50:49):
I don't know. I hope not, because he's one of
the best players on the roster.

Speaker 4 (50:57):
This is where I was supposed to speak you.

Speaker 1 (50:59):
You seem agitated, want to.

Speaker 4 (51:02):
No, no.

Speaker 2 (51:02):
I always in this case, I was kind of sitting
it out because I felt like the takes were strong
about the Saints, and I don't have the same level
of like heat around them.

Speaker 1 (51:09):
So he's gonna well, it's like keep passing the ball
back and forth.

Speaker 3 (51:13):
When if you say it's the best coaching, you were
doing that a little tongue in cheek because I'm giving
the judges score, I'm giving them a lower score.

Speaker 5 (51:21):
Well, I mean, just again, we've we've done quarterback wins.
There are the group of people that believe that, you know,
the quarterback gets to I feel like if we were
applying that to quarterbacks, then we should definitely apply to coaches.

Speaker 1 (51:32):
Well was his best season?

Speaker 3 (51:35):
Well, speaking of hey, you got the you mentioned that
you had to get Nathan Peterman in the building quickly,
Peter quarter I do like Clint Kobiak.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, me thinks the Bucks are tad
high on their own supply.

Speaker 9 (51:55):
Mmm.

Speaker 2 (51:57):
Remember that Jason Light Connor or Ambush at the combine.

Speaker 1 (52:00):
Yeah, yes, this.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
Is also the same Jason Light who recently said that
the Bucks free agency was one of the greatest free
agency hauls ever.

Speaker 1 (52:11):
That was a direct quote, actually, and you know.

Speaker 2 (52:14):
That meant they re signed Mike Evans Levante, David got
Baker under contract, and while I believe wholeheartedly the positive
reinforcement of self is important. I am pounding that message
home to my eldest son Jack right now, who's gone
through some struggles on the baseball diamond the spring.

Speaker 4 (52:34):
But perspective context also important.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Not all back to back to back division winners are
created equal by the.

Speaker 1 (52:42):
Way they won three in Arona.

Speaker 2 (52:43):
And it's important to remember that Tampa Bay won these
last two division titles despite a five hundred record across
those two years. Actually, yeah, seventeen and seventeen. So the
question becomes, what are the Bucks have to do to
aspire to be more than just the champion of a
bad division?

Speaker 1 (53:01):
Hmm.

Speaker 3 (53:04):
He had some more explosiveness on offense, like they are
a great test of how much continuity matters. Bringing back
all the guys you said, even bringing in Jordan Whitehead
is continuity again, like bringing back a guy that was
there when they didn't win the division. But they did
win the Super Bowl four years ago. So it's been
a nice run. His offensive line, he's done a good job.
Jason light like all their their entire offensive line is

(53:24):
day one or two picks by Jason light Like He's
a sneaky good drafter, but I feel like we need
to get a few more of the difference makers on
the defensive side. Trading away Carlton Davis and Todd Bowles's
defense was really not holding their end of the bargain consistently.

Speaker 10 (53:38):
Last I'm with you, Dan in the sense that, like
I keep hearing the Bucks six saying we're running it back,
Like you finish with the same record as Dennis Allen
and the Saints and in a bad division, and you
want a playoff game against a team that had fallen
off a cliff, right, but you're running back something that
probably will give you again about eight or nine wins.

Speaker 5 (53:57):
Yeah, it's the questions are about the offense. To me,
I feel confident in Todd Bowles, and then that brings
me back to Baker Mayfield. Like, I know it was
a fantastic season, But am I going to see Baker
Mayfield in this vision of the same way I see
Kirk Cousins in the same way I see Dak Prescott
or Jalen Hurts. I just don't know if Baker gets

(54:20):
them over that line where you can have that continuity
when it's Tom Brady because you're gonna have an opportunity.
I don't know the variance that Baker Mayfield provides is
enough to get what's left of that team.

Speaker 10 (54:31):
And it's another year where Baker Mayfield goes through a
coordinator switch. I know he's happy with Liam Comban. It's
like it's another one of these.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
If you're willing to go that high for Baker salary wise,
why not rework a couple more deals and make a
real play for Kirk And then you don't, and then
he ends up in your own division and he goes
to the team that has the otherwise a roster otherwise
built to contend best in that division.

Speaker 4 (54:55):
Time out, time out, time out.

Speaker 2 (55:00):
Now, it's understandable that you might have just listened to
those three minutes and said, Tad critical there, Yeah, Daddy Rich,
So I have a dissenting opinion. This dissenting opinion is
actually the owner of West Bromwich Albion Football Club WO
and also a Bucks super fan, Shelln Patel.

Speaker 4 (55:21):
This break News is a world exclusive.

Speaker 12 (55:23):
Hey their heroes. Longtime listener, first time agitator. I've been
a lot more focused on football than football this offseason.
But when I heard that the Tugboat was trashing the
Bucks offseason moves. I had to step in and defend
my guys. The Buck's main job this offseason was to
retain or extend for all pro players, and those were
Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield, Junior, Levonte David, and Tristan Wurfs.

(55:46):
And they're well on track to doing that. And a
big reason why is because Baker is who Baker is
and because he did the deal that he did, and
so I think the Bucks have the right combination of
players to feast on a week division. And I'm glad
that Dan's sleeping on the Bucks, and I'm glad people
are sleeping in the Bucks because that seems to be
when they do their best work. Going into the draft,
They've got a couple holes O line, edge rush and

(56:09):
DB's and you know, Jason Light's been good at getting
O linemen and DB's in the draft. And we'll have
to figure out how to get the best Edgresher we can.
But I think we still have the opportunity to beat
up on a weak division. The Panthers are drash, the
Saints are still figuring things out, and I don't think
the Falcon's got so much better with the Kirk Cousins
coming off an achilles injury to really scare us away

(56:31):
from from aiming for our fourth straight division crown. So
go Bucks and up the Albion.

Speaker 10 (56:38):
Wow, you go boing boing, that's good comeback because I
think I think the Winfield thing, the way they handle
that matters, And you know, there would have been a
fair excuse for the post Tom Brady Bucks just to
disappear entirely, and Light has navigated. I mean, you keep
the good players that you have and you keep adding more.
But it's like, I could there are worse fan experiences
right now.

Speaker 3 (56:58):
Jason Light's sneaky been there for a decade now. A
good job by him navigating all these different errors, and
he really he really is a good drafter, Like he
really does fill in at dB very well. They need
they just need more players that are getting better. I
feel like they have a lot of players like Godwin,
like Evans, like Baker Frankly who have like they're not

(57:21):
going to get better.

Speaker 1 (57:22):
We know that they need to be that good just.

Speaker 3 (57:25):
To get out scored in aggregate by like twenty points
over the last two years.

Speaker 1 (57:28):
So it's like you need some younger players that are getting.

Speaker 5 (57:30):
Better and Rashaan White stepped up and we're still talking bucks.
Yeah out, that's what the tom outs for. And I
think you keep the guys that are going to be
in your ring of honor one day, right. And in
terms of like Mike Evans, I feel could have gotten
a better offer elsewhere. I think Baker Mayfield perhaps could
have waited things out and saw where Kirk went and

(57:52):
got some more money. But Jason Light the folks in
Tampa convincing them to I think they should be celebrated
for that. I just don't see where the ceiling, like,
where's that surprisis.

Speaker 3 (58:02):
It's kind of all about continentity because when I look
at this deptart man, they do have like these guys
have all played together for a while, not continuity. In
terms of the offensive coordinator. That's a little bit of
a concern because Liam Cohen is the one guy from
the Sean McVay tree that really didn't get a bump
that he got it. He got bumped off the Rams
roster by Sean McVay.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
That clear headed, concise take is classic Shelyn Patel and.

Speaker 3 (58:25):
That's why he's running an actual sports team that you
hear a team owner call another team trash, But I
like that. You gotta love that different sport. I mean,
and some of the press he's getting out there.

Speaker 2 (58:35):
Here's BBC Shlyn Pateel, West Brom owner aiming high m
dash but with realism and patience. How about this from
Express and Star. Shelyn Pateel is already giving West Brom
fans something they have been craving.

Speaker 1 (58:48):
Crave. That's what he was just on our show Arrow Up.
That's our budget. Craving is important, as I learned and
Love is Blind season six, do.

Speaker 10 (58:58):
You have us like a little money stake in this show?
Was like the fourteenth time you brought this.

Speaker 3 (59:03):
It was like grave when Dan, when you weren't here.
Patrick and I actually did like five minutes on Love
Is Blind season six, and then I told Eric to
take it out of the show.

Speaker 1 (59:13):
Were you are for this?

Speaker 10 (59:14):
Yeah, but I mean I've not. I watched like two
episodes of season one and.

Speaker 1 (59:18):
Then afterwards I was like, you know what, let's just
take that out.

Speaker 5 (59:22):
But incredible, Maybe maybe we could put it on plack
on the list if if folks want to hear that
five minutes.

Speaker 2 (59:27):
I was going to say you could have done it
could have been a satellite pod. But isn't that already
meanest territory.

Speaker 1 (59:32):
There you go. The season's long over. NFL plus I
think would it would would.

Speaker 4 (59:36):
They'll take it?

Speaker 1 (59:36):
Yeah, bus will take a little Love is Blind recap.

Speaker 3 (59:40):
I've moved on to blown Away and Top Chef. I
like that last blowing competition underrated blown Away.

Speaker 1 (59:48):
Thanks for the update.

Speaker 2 (59:49):
All right, let's take a break and we will finish
out the NFC with the West.

Speaker 1 (01:00:01):
All Right, we're back.

Speaker 10 (01:00:03):
The show is continuing. Let's move to the NFC West.
The Arizona Cardinals with Greg Wow. I love that you
did the whole thing. The Arizona Cardinals. All right, they exist?
Hey was them all? We're talking about your team for
the first time. I feel like all off season they
have been quiet. Little surprise year two of this regime

(01:00:24):
that they aren't stirring things up a little more.

Speaker 4 (01:00:27):
Marky S.

Speaker 3 (01:00:27):
Brown, Rondel Moore out the door. They really don't have
any wide receivers. You get rid of DJ Humphreys at tackle,
you get Joanah Williams.

Speaker 1 (01:00:35):
You have some rotational defensive lineman. But this is still
a team.

Speaker 3 (01:00:40):
If you were just guessing who has like a top
five pick next year. They might them, and the Panthers
still have the most to work out. They need a
number one wide receiver right now, it's Michael Wilson or Dorsch.
Like they need a ton on the defensive line. I
don't know if they're putting Kyler Murray in the best
position to succeed right now.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
There's not a lot of help on this roster right now.
That's my concern too.

Speaker 10 (01:01:03):
And they have been talked about, you know, Monte Austin
Fort Lakes to compile draft picks, that that's a target
in the draft where someone could move up to get
that QB four or Marvin Harrison Junior.

Speaker 1 (01:01:14):
Michael Wilson is a good player.

Speaker 10 (01:01:16):
I thought he showed a lot of promise, but he
seems like a good number two.

Speaker 1 (01:01:19):
Greg is Derritch is interesting too.

Speaker 10 (01:01:21):
When Zach Pascal is the other guy, you can't I
don't think you can afford to move out of that
spot and pass up on like Marvin Harrison Junior. I
think you've got to give Kyler Murray in the rest
of this offense a chance.

Speaker 5 (01:01:33):
And I feel like, considering what Kyler has been through,
I have more confidence this season than I did a
couple of other seasons ago in terms of Kyler coming
back with an opportunity to be healthy, coming into the year,
and seeing these other quarterback situations and the way things
have kind of been a success or a disaster.

Speaker 1 (01:01:53):
There hasn't been a lot of in between.

Speaker 5 (01:01:54):
Kyler's probably that quarterback that's been the in between where
we haven't gotten what we wanted. But there's still hope
of some promise. I think we see that come to fruition.

Speaker 1 (01:02:03):
I thought he fit well in this system.

Speaker 5 (01:02:04):
Yeah, I think Michael Wilson is maybe not as solid
as a one as you would like. But the year
two there is cause to be positive about.

Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
It's good from a Cardinals fan perspective that you can
just kind of get things back.

Speaker 4 (01:02:19):
You got the doat, you got the boat out of
the dock.

Speaker 2 (01:02:22):
Now it's the repairs are done, and maybe we could
go out on the high season and do some things.
Because you had all the drama around Kyler with the contract,
that he blows his knee out, then you're waiting for
him to return. Now we can go into a new
season with a fresh start. There's so much work to
do on the roster obviously, and you lose Hollywood Brown,
DJ Humphries. There's work to be done, Greg, But at
least you have Kyler starting fresh and healthy, and let's

(01:02:45):
see once and for all if he is that dude.

Speaker 3 (01:02:47):
I'm confident in him. I thought he fit well in
that system. I thought they coached really well on both
sides of the ball, like Gannon was cooking up pretty
creative game plans without a lot of talent. But that
lack of talent is still there, so they really need
to start hitting, like Justin Jones. They gave twenty million
dollars guaranteed. That was their big move on defense, a

(01:03:08):
guy that the Bears, you know, weren't exactly in love.

Speaker 2 (01:03:11):
With the rams Aaron Donald, less rams of Patrick Claybon.

Speaker 5 (01:03:22):
And it's such We've talked about the Philadelphia Eagles having
to deal with the first ballot Hall of Famer not
being on the team. Still playing very well, Aaron Donald
was still playing exceedingly good football, and he was getting
the Lion's share of attention as he always would. But
the contributions from Kobe Turner last year, maybe because of

(01:03:43):
what Will Anderson did, kind of got slept on. Overall,
on his same team, Pooka kind of stealing his shine
a little bit. They've done so well in the draft,
and Sean McVay hasn't actually gone to the combine since
twenty twenty, and I'm wondering, are the ramps proving that
does anybody need to go to the combine the way

(01:04:04):
that Less is cranking out these very very good players
later on in the draft.

Speaker 1 (01:04:08):
I'm excited to see what they do this year. That's
my only question. The coaches need to go to the combine.

Speaker 10 (01:04:12):
I think it's funny because Sean McVay, like, from from
a cynical angle, he could say, oh, he wants to
you know, work Less.

Speaker 1 (01:04:18):
I don't think that at all.

Speaker 10 (01:04:19):
But it's like the first kind of coach to totally
goes to combine like he he doesn't want to do
anything in the preseason. These are two like building blocks
of the NFL offseason into regular action, and he just
dismisses them both.

Speaker 1 (01:04:31):
And last year was one of the best coaching jobs
in the NFL.

Speaker 3 (01:04:33):
I thought, well, he's not picking the players, certainly not
on defense. I do worry a little bit that they're
they're rolling back this idea of like now it's Chris
Shula as the defense court. It's like, we're just trying
to be average on defense and we're gonna invest sixty
six million dollars guaranteed at guard in Jonah Jackson and

(01:04:54):
Kevin Dotson, which I they're gonna be fun. It's like,
I'm it's a creative way that they've attacked this offseason.
I like Cam Curle. They brought Bacterius Williams, but also
Kella Witherspoon.

Speaker 4 (01:05:05):
Is it for you?

Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
Just like no Aaron Donald and you're going cheap a
little bit on defense and it's a new defensive coordinator
like Raheem did a nice job coaching this defense up
and counting on that again might be you know, expecting
too much.

Speaker 4 (01:05:18):
I liked the way JB.

Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
Long put it on the show on Monday that Donald,
you lose Donald and it's massive and it's incalculable and
we're going to see how they move on. But he
was there as a transition with your boy Kobe Turner,
Greg Ee and that defense getting its sea legs in
real time and ending up almost almost getting too the
divisional playoff Iron Young two. I still think there was

(01:05:40):
a world where they win the Super Bowl last year,
it was like one in twenty.

Speaker 1 (01:05:44):
I think there was a whorld. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:05:45):
JB was kind of hitting at that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:46):
If they can get by that first game, it's kind
of a wide open.

Speaker 4 (01:05:50):
You never know.

Speaker 2 (01:05:50):
And so I get why the way they're playing this
offseason and they're looking to kind of build in this
like Mock two or is it mock three now Sean
mcvay's tenure there, keep the quarterback up right, and you know,
the sky's the limit.

Speaker 3 (01:06:04):
I think on offense, they remind me a little bit
of the Colts back in the day. Now, the Colts
had a couple like Hall of famers or near hall
of famers on defense. But it's just like, invest in
offense every year, try to be a top three offense
every year. Hope the defense is good enough and will
win ten games at worst with our offense.

Speaker 2 (01:06:25):
The Seattle Seahawks, I got this one. So I feel
like for years now, the Seahawks have been parked in
a cul de sac neighborhood. That's that's fine, it's nice.
The houses are not luxurious, but comfortable. The people, you know,
the people maintain their yards and the neighbors get along

(01:06:46):
and it's a nice place to trick or treat, but
also not the place you go if you're hoping to
get full candy bars. You know what I'm saying. There's
nothing wrong with that. I Gus Brandon many yeah, the
many ones. No, I'm talking about the full bars, the
ones Connor organ out right, you got to go to
a different neighborhood. I imagine that's where that's where they want.

Speaker 1 (01:07:06):
To be eventually.

Speaker 2 (01:07:07):
Okay, And I think this is a pretty decent roster
with you know, good players on defense. They have talent
on offense, you know, a replacement level quarterback but not
a bad player, not a not a major issue. And
that kind of set up with good coaching. And we'll
see how Mike McDonald is. Is a recipe for nine

(01:07:28):
or ten wins, maybe a one off road trip in
the playoffs, But is there something more to aspire to?
Does this team have the ambition to try to move
out of that neighborhood? As Brandon Flowers of the Killers
once said, there's nothing wrong with working class, but what
if there's more out there? The American dream as it were.

Speaker 10 (01:07:48):
I love change, and like the Seahawks started to feel
a little stale to me under Pete Carroll.

Speaker 1 (01:07:54):
As much as I like Pete Carroll, I think Mike McDonald.

Speaker 2 (01:07:55):
Think that's part of like what the setup of Carol
moving on is because I think they get that.

Speaker 3 (01:08:00):
All time Hall of Fame type coaches indicating they want
to change the neighborhoods.

Speaker 10 (01:08:04):
I think Mike McDonald is going to be a huge
story next year. There's something about his vibe just watching
a couple of his press conferences, like, I think that
the Seahawks needed this. And I'm not down on Geno
Smith or anything, but I thought that Sam Howell trade
was intriguing because this, to me, is a starter in development.
Who if things get a little shaky at quarterback. Sam
Howell is much more spicy to me than Drew Locke

(01:08:26):
as a number two who can come in and at
times look really good.

Speaker 5 (01:08:29):
I don't know, yeah, I mean Sam Howell takes risks,
he holds onto the ball way too long, but he
can go out there and get buckets. There was a
time last year where he was leading the NFL in passing.
I don't think it's enough to dethron Gino, but what
it does is it gives you value at the backup
position where all these backups are playing, and you know,
we see a team's actual commitment and how they feel

(01:08:50):
about their starter, perhaps considering where the backup is and
how good he is, where they're not necessarily concerned about
the starter psyche or whatever's going to ruin.

Speaker 1 (01:09:00):
Gino like that. He's been through everything.

Speaker 5 (01:09:04):
But do you know, talent wise on defense, I think
there's there's some room to improve. On offense, run of
the ball. It just got to keep people healthy. But
I think they can get there. I think they're on
the precipice. It's just hard, especially in this division.

Speaker 3 (01:09:18):
Their biggest move was just bringing Lenny Williams back and
then they had resigning no offense, so they haven't gone
outside that much. They have new linebackers Tyroe Dodds and
Jerome Baker I thought were smart.

Speaker 1 (01:09:27):
Eleven core guys have left the.

Speaker 2 (01:09:29):
Team final time out. I really wasn't trying to be
a jerk about Gino. I'm just where does he fit
on the the Dalton line.

Speaker 3 (01:09:42):
He's definitely above it. Yeah, so I don't think it's
replacement based.

Speaker 2 (01:09:46):
On It's not Miles last year's play also or just
the year that everyone remembers.

Speaker 3 (01:09:49):
I think he played really well down the stretch last year,
and if you look at kind of the pop the
hood numbers, even the PFF grades stuff, the two years
were very, very similar. I think he's been a little
streaky within those years, but they didn't blockwell for him.
He threw well down the field all season. He's not
a perfect quarterback, but I think he was safely above that.

(01:10:11):
To me, he was in that like ten to twelve
range both years.

Speaker 10 (01:10:14):
Oh okay, I mean I thought when we were in
London we watched him make some that just watching him
together at the same time, like Gino can whip the
ball down field, and I honestly think he is higher
than the Dalton line. Mike McDonald did not come out
screaming and shouting about he's definitely their starter.

Speaker 3 (01:10:30):
But their actions, their actions Patrick's point kind of showed like, yeah,
they brought in a backup, backup who has a similar
skill set in some ways other than the running to Gino, and.

Speaker 1 (01:10:41):
A backup that can then learn from Geno.

Speaker 5 (01:10:42):
I think like for every twenty seconds we spend talking
about Sam Darnold, then that should mean at least twenty
minutes of Gino discussion.

Speaker 1 (01:10:49):
Well, Donald, to me, is because that's something critical way.

Speaker 10 (01:10:56):
I do think we spent in the high well, we do,
say twenty minutes talking about Geno Smith on every preview show.

Speaker 4 (01:11:03):
We've given money of Geno Smith conversation on that.

Speaker 3 (01:11:05):
I think Donald, though, would be closer to a replacement level. Yeah,
you know, based on his contract, Like I guess that's
what I think.

Speaker 1 (01:11:11):
We're at a different.

Speaker 2 (01:11:12):
We don't know about Donald, but yeah, right now he
needs to prove that he can even or bakery even.

Speaker 5 (01:11:17):
We don't know about Donald, but a few years ago
we were absolutely certain about Gino right too.

Speaker 2 (01:11:22):
He's fine too. Uh, I gotta get you know what,
I got to get Nick Schuk in here. Shuk's got
him eighteen And I think that is a nice spot.

Speaker 3 (01:11:29):
Two years, last two years, Combine charted passing this from
football inside on throws fifteen yards dunfield. You know, Gino
Smith the number one most accurate quarterback in the league.
I think, what like when he's got his issues hold
the ball sometimes he's almost too aggressive, but when he
sets up to throw, the ball goes where he wants
it to go about as well as any quarterback in

(01:11:52):
the league, which is a great starting point.

Speaker 10 (01:11:53):
I think like maybe Dan where you're coming from, because
it's kind of how I feel. It's just like, okay, cool,
so Gino Smith's your quarterback. Let's see how that right.

Speaker 2 (01:12:02):
Don't get it twisted. I just said they live in
a nice neighborhood. Yeah right, he's part of that. It
was it was a replacement level.

Speaker 5 (01:12:08):
Like even if eighteen is replacement level, then like we
should be in.

Speaker 2 (01:12:12):
Like I mean to be top five, top ten quarters.
I mean, you guys are saying, like the fact that
I could even bring up that Gino is someone that
could be replaced and they can get better at the
position is no they were thought?

Speaker 3 (01:12:22):
Is I'm sorry? Like I just I fundamentally disagree with that.
They certainly, I think thought about it. But I think
if he's in a situation with everything great around him,
like he's going to put up numbers like Jared Goff
for better. I think last year he played well. He
played well down the stretch. He probably saved his job.

Speaker 4 (01:12:41):
It's not bad.

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
I listen, agree to disagree, I agree, I agree to disagree,
and I respect your opinions.

Speaker 1 (01:12:50):
So you're saying you're saying you're disagree, so I disagree,
but I respect the hell out of you. So it
wasn't it was a shot.

Speaker 2 (01:12:56):
At a shot at Gino in that I don't see
him as highly as you doesn't mean it's a shot.

Speaker 4 (01:13:02):
It's just I don't see him in the same at
the same level.

Speaker 1 (01:13:05):
That's all. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:13:07):
Time in time in close it out. Mark With the Niners,
they have been my pet team for years.

Speaker 1 (01:13:17):
They have.

Speaker 10 (01:13:18):
I mean I think they came in there was you know,
there was reporting that their number one priority they lose
Eric Armstead and Chase Young, that they wanted to make
sure that they kept that defensive line Humming and Leonard Floyd.
Nice pickup they trade from Lee Collins. I trust that
this will just work out for the Niners.

Speaker 1 (01:13:33):
On some level.

Speaker 10 (01:13:34):
I see two mysteries, the kind of lingered number one like,
does Brandon Ayuk get moved before the draft?

Speaker 4 (01:13:41):
There are there they were linked hanging around out there.

Speaker 10 (01:13:44):
Jaguars were linked as a team interested the Steelers. Maybe not,
but he's in the last year of his contracts, so
you're already paying in one of your one of your
your other wide outs a.

Speaker 1 (01:13:53):
Ton of money.

Speaker 10 (01:13:53):
And it's like, I don't like seeing that that offense
lose even one of those pieces because they're so overwhelming.
I think the second thing for me and I just
get this feeling about the Niners and maybe it's just
like I don't know, I feel like psychologically or in
terms of like a spiritual like feeling inside the building,
like how many more breaking points can the Kyle Shanahan
experience take because it's like every season has been so

(01:14:15):
heart breaking. It kind of reminds me of like the
Saints team that had three terrible playoff losses three years
in a row, and they've really never been the same.
I mean, it's just like you get so close and
it's like, is there a point where we just don't
assume they win fourteen fifteen games.

Speaker 2 (01:14:28):
I think it's a great question from like a human standpoint,
because these losses.

Speaker 4 (01:14:32):
Aren't just any losses.

Speaker 2 (01:14:34):
I mean you look at the Super Bowl defeats, the
Title Game defeat, like these are kind of feeling like
the world is. They're winning in overtime of the Super
Bowl a couple months ago, and they can't get over
the hump. And at one point, yeah, it is that
like psychologically just damage you offensively. They will return all

(01:14:55):
of their starters and they're the to my mind, the
best offense in the NFL. Yeah, they could try to
improve their offensive line and do some things. I don't
think they'll trade at Yuk, although supposedly they were open
to it. Like they I think if Jacksonville was going
to give up that number seventeen overall pick, they would
have done it.

Speaker 1 (01:15:10):
And if I was Jacksonville, I would do that.

Speaker 5 (01:15:12):
Yeah, he's gonna be a thing because the offense has
proliferated literally across the entire NFL, and you have Brandon
Ayuk who's learned it from the person who we associate
this offense with and has gone through all those trials
and tribulations. It would be a mistake to move him.
But to Mark's point, like physically, I think we saw
the accumulation of all those extra football games on the

(01:15:35):
Kansas City Chiefs and the forty nine Ers played literally
the same number of games, but it didn't turn out
in the way that they wanted at the end. But
over and over again, to deal with that, you're eventually
going to get an extra seasons worth of football and
playing all of these games, and there's such a physical team,
I think it does add up. Not to discount them,

(01:15:55):
but like over and over again at some point and.

Speaker 2 (01:15:58):
This is the first year mark about the questions about
the defense are fair now after the way they struggled
down the stretch and they've lost players and it's going
to be.

Speaker 3 (01:16:07):
Smoos Malie Collins, Leonard Floyd, Jordan Elliott kind of another radar,
a lot of rotational guys.

Speaker 1 (01:16:11):
On their defense. The defensive corner.

Speaker 2 (01:16:18):
We go out with a dart as we must. We
just went around the NFC. We went around FC a
day earlier. So now you have all thirty two team cup.
We were thinking there was a year a few years
back where we've missed the team skipped, the team got.
I mean very I never ever agree when or hardly

(01:16:39):
ever agree when we're getting criticism on social media or whatever,
like oh you hate my team, you got they always
hate this team. But when you get your team skipped
in this in this exercise, we we will take the
l but I think we I think we're covered.

Speaker 1 (01:16:52):
But especially if you're waiting like you're the fourth division.
Oh so you've maginated through. It's not forty eight minutes.

Speaker 10 (01:16:57):
It's gone forty eight minutes, and then like your team
doesn't get it's like big slack.

Speaker 3 (01:17:01):
That's only once, and we started doing these around the
AFC NFCS pretty early on in the run of this show.

Speaker 1 (01:17:09):
I would guess we've been doing it for like, say,
our batting average is pretty good. Yeah, I'm just saying
we only missed one team.

Speaker 2 (01:17:15):
You know, eight hundred's probably nine ninety up in here.

Speaker 6 (01:17:21):
I like to say, if you forgot about a team,
I mean, probably not that big of a deal.

Speaker 2 (01:17:28):
I mean, I think it might have been the bills also,
but this was during like the forget abills.

Speaker 4 (01:17:32):
Probably warranted then.

Speaker 1 (01:17:35):
That you forgot about it.

Speaker 4 (01:17:37):
I mean, you're kind of doubling down here, you guys.

Speaker 10 (01:17:39):
The next episode we probably spent like twenty minutes talking
about the bill.

Speaker 1 (01:17:43):
We make it up to people when we do.

Speaker 3 (01:17:44):
Sure it might have been the EJ Manual Tyride era bills.

Speaker 1 (01:17:48):
I believe it was a while. It was a while ago.
Eric second EJ Manual reference this week.

Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
By the way, Eric, now it's time to put down
the gun. And I think sometimes another risk that we take.
And I just did get a report that Andrew's doing
great and he's going to be real. It's good to
hear later today. Have we created a monster now? Will
he be able to step out of the studio and
realize that time in his life is over and he

(01:18:16):
needs to become a civilian again.

Speaker 1 (01:18:18):
I think it's a fair question.

Speaker 10 (01:18:19):
I would say that if memory serves, and I'm thinking
of like you know, Eric and others that every producer
that's had like the Taser weapon has gone absolutely nuts
with it. I think it's it's a powerful it's a
powerful feeling.

Speaker 1 (01:18:31):
You have to have a.

Speaker 5 (01:18:32):
Structure in place for once he gets home, you know,
a code, yes, and you not necessarily that Eric needs leadership,
but he said, you know, he is an order follower,
and so he needs that structure in place to work,
not just at home. Like you know, we got word
from Kensington Palace yesterday that Kate is working at home right,

(01:18:53):
work from home we can trust, We can trust that,
and so I just want Eric to be able to
dart from home safely.

Speaker 4 (01:19:01):
Wow. Yeah, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (01:19:03):
Guys.

Speaker 2 (01:19:03):
Let's go out with Alex Badura's song simply titled Patrick Claybunk.
We'll be back next week now, GREGGI, you are taking
a much deserved vacation next week.

Speaker 1 (01:19:16):
I am, Yeah, So enjoy that.

Speaker 3 (01:19:22):
ARENTS meeting up for the first time since their wedding
seventeen years ago.

Speaker 1 (01:19:26):
Bicy where it's undisclosed. Okay. Oh now Hawaii.

Speaker 2 (01:19:30):
Nice so and then I'll be taking off the next
week going to the same island, so we'll.

Speaker 1 (01:19:39):
See it Tuesday, Patrick Claybom.

Speaker 4 (01:19:41):
Until then, heath the call.

Speaker 9 (01:19:43):
You are the man We men, Tom.

Speaker 1 (01:19:53):
What a guy, what a stunn

Speaker 10 (01:20:00):
Um