NFL League Year Is Open, Rockets Look For 4 Straight and Stupid Hats

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adam talking your teams.
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A Team.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
A straight up three o'clock here on a Wednesday edition
of the show Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
It is the A Team.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
He's Adam Wexler, I'm Adam Clinton as we take you
up until six o'clock tonight. As wex mentioned in our
pre show show, the Rockets and the Kevin Durant Devin
Booker led Sons, he knows how I didn't say Bradley
Beal will be in town tonight as the Rockets. They
went from not being able to win at all to
now they're looking to win for straight and with the

(00:47):
tightly wound Western Conference like it was then still tightly wound,
it will be fascinating to do what you were mentioning
last segment, which is scoreboard watch.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yes, miraculously the Houston Rockets, who have lost to some
bad teams, somehow beat the Pelicans twice, followed by a
victory against another team or previous victory against a team
that's not very good.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
You know, it's weird though, somehow someway the Pelicans when
they had like Brandon Ingram and Zion wasn't playing would
give the Rockets way more fits.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
Well, they had some of those games this year and
they swept them one before. Yeah, no, I'll take it.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
There were times where the Rockets just would have all
sorts of issues with whoever was on that roster.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
Remember the David West days. That was fun.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
I think there were still the Hornets back then. But
whatever the case, Rockets and Sons tonight, and yeah, I
think that as you get into the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:46):
It's weird.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
I want the Rockets to make the postseason. I want
them to have a deep run and all that good stuff.
Isn't it fascinating how how far they go may very
well determine what they do or don't do this offseason.
As it pertains to say Kevin Durant or somebody else.

Speaker 4 (02:01):
Just because we're a minute into the show, I feel
it's appropriate to disagree already.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
I think it's more of the week.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
It's it may be less about the results and more
about how they literally actually play the individuals. What if
this is the best time, what's the best basketball they
ever seen from a player?

Speaker 3 (02:18):
Is that enough?

Speaker 4 (02:19):
If they see Jalen Green have a postseason two postseason series.
Let's say they beat someone in the first round and
they get you know, six and five, say eleven postseason games,
but they get beaten the second round four games to one.
If he goes out there and he shoots forty seven
percent from the floor, drops in forty one percent of
his threes, goes for twenty five, five and five in

(02:40):
a postseason series, the first he's ever played in, does
that outweigh some of what he did during the season.
What does his final month look like heading into that.
I'm not gonna give you all the numbers on ALPI,
but same thing. What if that happens there? What if
it happens with What if Jabari Smith's playing it at
a different level? What if you're getting something from any
of the guys at that level, even if it doesn't
come in some long postseason run, if it's only seven

(03:02):
games or six games, if you're only in the opening
round and you don't win, how far they go should
obviously weigh into certain things, because if these players are
playing at a level like that and because of it,
you're already out playing other teams in the West, then yeah,
that might give you a little bit of pause on
what you might do.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
I think they're pretty clear.

Speaker 4 (03:22):
In their knowledge of what this team needs, and I doubt,
very seriously, they're gonna see anything from the group they
currently have that says no, I guess we don't need that.
They might play really well, they might win series, they
might look awesome. They might legitimately look like what they've
been almost all year, one of the four best teams
in the West, a team that belongs in the second round.
But I think they're still going to look at their

(03:43):
roster and say, we can get better. We can use
something that's probably out there via trade beyond what they
may or may not get from.

Speaker 3 (03:53):
A draft lottery spin.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
If they hold on to the Phoenix Suns selection, which
goes from ten to eleven, twelve to four or three
or two or even top of the flagpole.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
This is a very interesting scenario that we.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Can By the way, the NFL league year started, Okay, yeah,
it's three minutes and fifty one seconds in. This is
a very interesting scenario. Do the Rockets wait to see
what those picks are this year or one of them
is obviously this year, until making a deal, because wait
to make that deal anyways, aren't you.

Speaker 4 (04:22):
Both teams are going to have to consider what that
means to each of them. Because Phoenix is not going
to make the final eight. Dallas could still open the
door for them to make the final ten, but then
they would have to beat the number nine seed on
the road, and then they would have to beat the
number seven or eight seed on the road just to
become the number eight seed. So you wouldn't be in

(04:46):
the lottery. If that happens, you would have the I
think you'd have the eighteenth pick or the seventeenth pick,
depending on how the other East teams finish.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
Dallas sucks now and they still have Kevin Durantan and
Devin Booker.

Speaker 4 (04:57):
That's why Dallas winning the other night was humongous. Yeah,
this I could not believe. These Spurs were a six
and a half point favorite.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Without Victor Wimbinyama clearly, and they stink.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
So Dallas obviously doesn't have any players left, but they
were able to go out there and win. And if
they continue to do that, that will mean a lot
for the Rockets, because that means the Phoenix Suns will
already be in the lottery.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
We don't have to.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
Wait for the two play in games to see if
they somehow play their way in, and they have a
roster at least at the very top that suggests anything
can happen. But you also got to realize who else
is in there right now. The Rockets are five, the
Warriors are six. That means the Clippers and the Timberwolves
and the Mavericks obviously currently are among the teams in

(05:42):
the play in tournament. The Timberwolves had a playoff run
last year. They didn't just make the playoffs, and they
have Anthony Edwards and some of what they made that
playoff run with a year ago.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
These teams are good.

Speaker 4 (05:54):
They should not lose to Phoenix or anybody else on
the other side of the playing That's what they're up again.
The Rockets obviously can clearly see they can take care
of their own business. They've got two games remaining with
the Lakers. They've got two games remaining with the Denver Nuggets,
two of the teams they would love to catch and
maybe be a four seed or a three seed or
the two seeds. Still, they can't directly get Memphis to

(06:15):
lose games, but they already did three times out of four,
and there's two games separating these four teams for two, three, four,
and five. With tonight's game seventeen games remaining, plenty of
movement will almost assuredly take place, and we don't know
what the number of games missed moving forward will be.
For Lebron James, one of the teams ahead of you.
He is currently missing games and will probably miss at

(06:36):
least a week's worth more, if not more.

Speaker 3 (06:38):
Shame with them, Men Thompson and Oh by the way,
the Celtics and the Thunder play tonight, I.

Speaker 4 (06:42):
Know, it just doesn't really, it doesn't matter to the standings.
The Thunder of the number one seed, if they haven't
clinched it yet, they actually will probably clinch their playoff
birth tonight game to catch them and no where, and
the Celtics are locked in at too. There's three seeds
that are locked in, maybe four. The number one seed
in the East is Cleveland, the number two seed is Boston,

(07:03):
and it's getting pretty close for the Knicks to be
the number three seed even with Indiana's miracle bogus win
last night. He traveled, he didn't travel, but he definitely
was not fouled.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Why didn't he travel? He took like three or four
steps before he launched it. He didn't even dribble. I'll
have to watch it again.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
I didn't. I didn't notice it when I watched it
the first team.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
He got the inbounds, passed and then went with his
feet and then launched that shot that miraculously went in.
I'm not saying he's not a good player, but come on, man.

Speaker 4 (07:29):
They also blew the whistle for a non foul in
five tenths of a second, but you know wounded with
three point nine. Yes, they took only point five off
the clock after review, knowing full well as Scott Foster
described it. Oh, he was a landing spot violation, which
means he caught the ball, jumped, fired it up, landed

(07:52):
five tenths of a second, which is literally impossible.

Speaker 3 (07:56):
That's why I think the call was bogus.

Speaker 4 (07:58):
But yeah, Indiana was down three late after they stupidly
passed out to a shooter who's gonna miss wide open
threes and back to back sessions. Then they got lucky,
had a three point deficit, threw it into Haliburton. He
was flying towards the out of bounds line, state inbounds,
fired up at three. They said Jannis fouled him and
he hit the three and then hit the free throw,
so they kind of stole one from Milwaukee. They're battling

(08:19):
in four and five these games. Recently, we've seen a
lot of great finishes. It looks like teams are really
playing for something, really want some of the advantages of
maybe being the four seed or maybe being the three seed.
And you know, the Rockets have to be probably in
that very same mode because they have to play good basketball.
It's it is about wins and losses from a standings perspective.

(08:40):
But they just spent about six weeks not playing good basketball.
They needed to get back to playing good basketball.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
Well that's over with now, that's in the rearview mirror.
By the way, Scott Foster and bad calls name me
a better combination.

Speaker 4 (08:50):
Well, and this was after review, so it's not all.
I still I don't I'm not really sure.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
Far be it from me to be upset about Janakompo
and the Bucks losing. Don't care if they lose either.
In fact, I wish both of those teams could have
lost that game last night. It would have been awesome.

Speaker 4 (09:04):
Yeah, Eastern there at the very very top of both
conference is a little little two change. But the Rockets
are in a good battle. They're doing a nice job
keeping Golden State from catching them. But Golden State doesn't
look like there's any reason to believe they're not gonna
keep winning at a pretty reasonable clip. I'm not sure
at the clip they're currently winning at, but they've been.
They've gone from fringe top ten to six spot.

Speaker 3 (09:27):
It's gonna be awesome when the Rockets recapture the second seed.
It's happening. It could.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
I mean, it's so plausible too. It's not like it's
not that would take much. I mean, it could happen.
It's Wednesday, it could happen a week from now, very easily.
With the games that are out there, and who's missing
right now now again you mentioned it. It hasn't come
into play yet, but it's going to. You're gonna miss
the crap out of him in Thompson. I'm just it

(09:53):
just kills me that at this time of year, when
you're doing the jockeying for position in the Western Conference race,
you don't have your defender. You don't have a guy
who's just does so many intangible things that don't show
up in the box score, and you know who it's
killing more than anybody. A men Thompson, he's a gym rat.
He doesn't know anything else to do other than just

(10:14):
be a cyborg that is on a basketball floor, whether
it's during an NBA game or not.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
That's all he wants to do.

Speaker 4 (10:20):
If that is what people are using as some sort
of excuse or crutch. During this first week of missed games,
he's now missed one game, which they won. They're playing
the Mavericks. No, they should win all these games playing
the Bulls. Yep, they're playing the Sixers tonight. They have
the sun.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Unless you let Kobe White. That's more than a week's time.

Speaker 4 (10:39):
Yeah, unless you let Kobe White go off for another
forty like he hits you for last year. I have
his forty. They're not going to lose fifty.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
Didn't he? No, not quite. It was almost forty. Was
thirty nine.

Speaker 4 (10:50):
Rockets likely will find out two hours from now that
Fred van Vliet's good to go tonight. He's listed as probable,
so it's not one hundred and fifty percent yet, But
the other two point guards remain out Reed Shepherd and
A men Thompson. Read's got another three weeks plus probably
in that splint before we find out, and we're about
a week away, maybe early next week, they'll reevaluate where

(11:11):
a Men Thompson is with his injury. They haven't given
you a true timetable beyond we're gonna reevaluate it in
a week and that week comes next week, but in
his suns and rockets, and we'll have that for you
a little bit later tonight. Some of those moves I
was talking about on the NFL side can become official.
You know, a guy like Javon Hargrave, who I thought
might price himself out of the Texans being interested, and

(11:31):
I'm sure he did. I doubt they even reached out
to him, his deal becomes final. From the forty nine
Ers to the Minnesota Vikings, who have gone all trench warfare,
it seems like with their additions, that becomes final. What
else becomes final is the league's loudest talking voices, especially
on the television programs, can super amp up there. Where

(11:53):
is Aaron Rodgers going to play? Because the league year
has begun and the Jets will now be able to
officially release Aaron Rodgers, it can be official today. He
can talk with teams, he stays on the books for
a certain cap figure until June first. Texans will be
doing the same thing with Shaq Mason. I don't believe
Ryan Clark and Dan Orlovski are going to have a

(12:13):
lot of on air conversations about where shak Mason is going,
probably more so about Aaron and one thing for the
Texans that very very soon will become a bigger thing
for five or six teams in the NFL. Maybe the
Texans are involved uninterested in trading for Rams wide receiver
Cooper Cup.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
Don't want his contract.

Speaker 4 (12:33):
The other thirty teams said the same, and the Rams
are going to be forced and probably in the next
minute or two, if they haven't already made it official.
He's going to be released. Spent two years with the
Rams and Texans offensive coordinator Nick Kayley. He spent a
lot of years in Sean mcvay's offense. There's a way
to make a deal with Cooper Cup now that he's

(12:54):
available to sign on your terms and he picks you
over everybody else. Just something to keeping on now that
that door officially opens, with a new league year starting
and him officially being released, A host of other announcements
will be made in short order. Buffalo Bills made a
trade with the Dallas Cowboys earlier today. And who should

(13:15):
the Texans be targeting in free agency? Not what have
they already done, not about how many different players they've
let go off of their offensive line, but what should
they Who should they be going after with the smallish
amount of money they have right now in free agency?
The Rams have officially released Cooper Cup Not to mention
what else the Buffalo Bills did today. I think that's

(13:36):
a good discussion piece, just because well it does it
make them better than the team They just can't get
over the hump against Those questions and more will definitely
be answered with authority here on a Wednesday edition of
The A Team Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (13:53):
The A Team on Sports Talk seven.

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Speaker 1 (15:19):
The eighteen continues US one Sports Talk seven.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
Ninety Shout out to our astros and Rockets Network producer
Josh c. He was just in here having a little
chat with us, good good people and always keeping us
on the air and sounding smooth like you will tonight,
pulling double duty this time of year.

Speaker 3 (15:44):
We are working him like a government mule.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
Got the Astros with a really competitive baseball game for
the majority of today, albeit spring training variety, and then
of course the uh the Rockets Suns tilt tonight getting
underway here on Sports Talk seven ninety. All right, so
we can talk about some of the Texans free agent targets.
I also find it fascinating wex that we are now

(16:09):
on the sixty fifth restructure of Patrick Mahomes deal. Since
he signed that five hundred million dollar piece of paper.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
Ten years, four hundred and fifty million, It's going to
be restructured a bunch.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
It's awesome, like this is the way for all nflgms
to do it.

Speaker 3 (16:25):
What you said, I think it was last week you
said this, There is zero excuse if you are.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
A a good front office, good to great front office,
there is zero excuse for you to say.

Speaker 3 (16:37):
Well, she can't go sign that guy in my cash situation.

Speaker 4 (16:41):
There are still limitations you still have to. This is
still the team that told Patrick we want to give
you ten years four hundred fifty million and a couple
of years from then, we're going to trade away one
of the best blockers you have, which they did this
offseason even with him restructuring. You can't you literally, as

(17:03):
much as I say, you got to figure out your GM,
there's a billion loopholes. There's also you can't pay everybody.
Did you trade away Tyreek Hill? Play Laramie Tunsel? The
Chiefs can't pay Joe Toney.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
Did you trade away Tyreek Hill since he signed that
deal or was that just before? I can't remember the
order of events now, but because that was his best wide.

Speaker 4 (17:22):
Receiver by far, it's the only wide receiver he's ever had.
But he has Travis Kelcey right, No, I know, Well
they've had one Super Bowls since now with a funky
haircut wearing Kelsey's jersey. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure if
he gets a better haircut this year, he'll bounce back.
But this is totally I mean, Dak Prescott is the
highest paid quarterback on an average anneal value.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
It's not Pat Mahomes, although he's getting more money. He
got his I'm.

Speaker 4 (17:47):
Sure it's just it's totally normal business as usual. Isn't
business as usual? Is the contract the player actually agreed to? Like,
there's not another quarterback that signed a ten year deal.
There's not another quarter that accepted forty five million a
year at that time.

Speaker 3 (18:03):
That's now way way below market value. You know who
would have never signed Patrick Mahomes to a ten year deal.
Jim Crane.

Speaker 4 (18:12):
Jim Crane would be a totally different owner if he
were receiving payouts that NFL owners received from their TV deals.

Speaker 2 (18:20):
I wish I could do a Jim Crane impression because
I have so many responses to that.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
Oh so different money.

Speaker 4 (18:25):
Hey man, you're really really, really bad as an NFL owner.
I mean pretty much everything you do is wrong, everything,
every person you hire wrong, and the fans hate you.
Why are you talking about Jerry Jones? What do you
have to say about that? I couldn't hear you. I've
got all these stacks of moneys around, sack of money
in my ear, I got stack of Hey, I mean
they can't. You can't be bad enough to not swim

(18:46):
in money. Not you ever think some money, make tons
of money hand over fist, and then if you feel
like it, sell it for even more, which rarely happens,
because why would you sell it?

Speaker 3 (18:56):
Agree yes or no.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
Jerry Jones wouldn't be Jerry Jones if he hadn't bought
that franchise. Was just as a as a baseline, Agree, yeah.

Speaker 4 (19:05):
But you're almost making it sound like it was an
accident that he targeted that a franchise.

Speaker 3 (19:10):
It wasn't.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
But let's just say for the sake of argument, you
can even take a I mean, the Patriots weren't the
Patriots before.

Speaker 4 (19:17):
Hate Pull the other thirty one owners. Who's the best
owner in the NFL, They'll say Jerry because he makes
them money. He's that's the name, having the name of
the NFL game as a league. That's why the league
is so successful. We need to make money. And nobody's
been more at the forefront of making the league better
at making money than Jerry.

Speaker 2 (19:37):
Jones because he's a marketing genius. But as an executive
he sucks.

Speaker 4 (19:42):
And this is what I am as personnel guy, he's
He's made some poor decisions. He also made a poor
decision with with Jimmy Johnson. That was a bad decision.
His hands on the football team has produced a lot
of regular season wins in twenty plus years and very
little postseason success.

Speaker 3 (20:00):
Did Jimmy make the herschel Walker trade? Yes?

Speaker 4 (20:02):
So?

Speaker 3 (20:02):
Was he like the acting GM he.

Speaker 4 (20:05):
Basically he was yes. I mean, you can call it
on that jail. He set that up, he made it happen.
But I'm asking he orgonstrated that deal.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
That was nineteen eighty nine when he when he bought
the team, and then the herschel Walker deal was shortly thereafter.
What did they have a placeholder guy that was there
as Jerry bought the team? The two faces of the
franchise and tech shremp tech S. This was Jerry moving
in a different direction on both fronts.

Speaker 1 (20:32):
Well.

Speaker 2 (20:33):
I only asked that because what if he had Let's
just let's go, let's go to the other end of
the spectrum. What if Jerry Jones had bought the Cleveland
Browns in nineteen eighty nine.

Speaker 4 (20:44):
That would be unfortunate because it would be a team
in the AFC that's been absolutely awful. That wouldn't be
Probably they might not have won a Super Bowl just
like the Cowboys have it, but he'd be one more
team for the Texans to consider. I mean, I'm glad
that they don't have to consider the Browns. Browns made
a deal. I don't think it shifts much. But Malik Collins,
late of the Texans and Niners, is heading to the

(21:05):
Cleveland Browns as of a few minutes ago.

Speaker 2 (21:08):
That just means that we'll never hear from him again
until he's out of there. Well, it's how the individuals
can still play. Well, yeah, it's the Texans are like great.

Speaker 4 (21:16):
If he had bought the Browns, they would be a
much more competitive team.

Speaker 3 (21:18):
They'd be a much more valuable team.

Speaker 4 (21:20):
They would probably have been in many division fights with
the Steelers, Bengals and the Ravens. But why if Jimmy
Johnson's not with the Cowboys, who's to stay? Jerry doesn't
start doing this grab assory he's doing earlier in his tenures.
But the way I phrased it, we can't pretend that
they haven't been pretty darn successful in the regular season.

(21:42):
It's we can't ignore it. It doesn't amount to anything
in the playoffs. I guess your you know, they would
have kept the Steelers maybe from having all these winning seasons,
or kept them out of the playoffs one year, kept
another team, they'd have won a ton of games. Heck,
they won thirty six games over a three year period
just prior to last year, without any postseason success of
real prosequence, but a lot of periods of time like that.

(22:04):
They mean to Hormo fumbles a snap in a playoff game,
That's not Jerry's fault.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
But he did hire Dave Campo, he did have Quincy Carter,
he did replace Jimmy with Barry Switzer.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
Also been thirty years, you got a lot of history.

Speaker 2 (22:17):
I didn't those Some of those things I just mentioned
were not there was more like twenty years ago, but
they're I mean, I'm trying to go down the timeline.
Bill Parcells was a good hire. I don't know that
having Drew Bledsoe as your quarterback.

Speaker 4 (22:31):
Was the I don't imagine there's any reason to think
Jerry Jones wouldn't have had NFL success somewhere else.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
I felt like everybody in Dallas and Arlington and Fort
Worth and Tyler and Odessa would disagree with that. That's
how much they are just in Dallas is going through
it right now. Ownership or executives are killing them.

Speaker 4 (22:49):
Look at all the success they did have while he
was making these decisions.

Speaker 3 (22:53):
They still won, so some of them had to be good.

Speaker 4 (22:56):
Jason Garrett terrible head coach, awful, How could he last
that long? They won three divisions with Jason Garrett. They
won two more with Mike McCarthy. I mean, they've won
with almost everybody to certain degrees, but I know they
haven't won big. So he deservedly Jerry gets appropriate criticism.

Speaker 3 (23:14):
That's the name of the game. You know, it's funny.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
He bought the team in eighty nine, nineteen ninety three
or ninety four was when they implemented the salary cap.

Speaker 3 (23:24):
I can't remember which. I think it was ninety four.

Speaker 2 (23:26):
If they never do that, he probably keeps winning because
he probably just keeps paying all those awesome players that
Jimmy left him.

Speaker 3 (23:33):
They've had plenty of good players, they just haven't won big.
And he did go out and get Dion.

Speaker 4 (23:39):
I mean, DeMarcus wears a Hall of Famer. I mean,
they've had good players. They have not won in the
playoffs since Barry was there.

Speaker 3 (23:46):
And I love it. I absolutely love it.

Speaker 4 (23:48):
It is good news. And this is a different era
of man. You're so close, You're so close, three straight
twelve win years. You hired Mike McCarthy and quite honestly,
we have to say it worked, but then the off
seasons were so disappointing, dealing with their own players and
then going out and trying to make the team better.
And this one, by the way, they're into another year
of Now you don't have anything to build on anyway.

(24:11):
You went seven and ten. Clearly you can't be fooled
by well, we won twelve games when we made the playoffs,
it just didn't work out. There's nothing to fool you.
You were back, you played back, your quarterback round hurt
and the mistakes that you've been making. Now we're no
longer being covered up by other parts of your team
working well. And this offseason has looked very similar. I
do mean they've made a few smaller signings that help.

(24:34):
We don't know where Michael Parsons situation is going, and
that's probably a bigger deal than anything else that they
could possibly be involved with. Michah Parsons decides I'm playing
out this contract, then we're in for a franchise tag
nightmare scenario following this season for the Cowboys, not not
necessarily for the rest.

Speaker 3 (24:51):
Of the LEAs.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Yeah, it couldnt happen to a better franchise. All right,
what should the Texans do? Because they do have a
seemingly capable general manager in place, and he's got a
lot of pressure on his shoulders right now, as does
I think everybody involved in specifically putting the offense together.
And when we just got done saying yesterday that they've
reassembled this modern version of the Steel Curtain on defense,

(25:14):
so they're fine, we don't have to worry about the defense.

Speaker 3 (25:15):
We've already established that. But what this offensive line?

Speaker 2 (25:19):
And then you know, as it pertains to that this
offense accomplishes in twenty twenty five, that's how far the
Texans will go. We'll talk about some of the decisions
they need to make when we come back.

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Speaker 5 (26:38):
Listen to the Astros on your radio and on the
free iHeartRadio app. Sports Talk seven ninety's your home Phil
Astros Baseball.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
Back yet it here on Wednesday edition of the program
Sports Talk seven ninety still can't believe that the NFL
has evolved the way it has to where free agency
and the funds that are available to do the big
decisions that some teams have to make. They do, they
have to make them right now, and your your season

(27:22):
doesn't hinge on free agency.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
Like remember, I'm old enough to remember when.

Speaker 4 (27:27):
You know it actually does? What hinge on free agency? Well,
that's what I was about to say. Back in the day.

Speaker 2 (27:32):
The old adage was if you win in free agency,
you lose in the regular season.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
Yeah, get rid of the generic statement the Texans season
hinges on free agency.

Speaker 3 (27:42):
Oh, it absolutely does. Because that's scary too.

Speaker 4 (27:44):
The path they chose to take with you know, we
can't complain all year about how bad the offensive line
is and then sit here and continue to complain about
them trying to fix it. This is what they chose
to do. We'll find out if it works. They chose
to not go piece by piece over a period of
time to you know, we're going to take a hit.
Let's just take the whole hit. Let's just do it
all right now. And we may suffer for it, and

(28:05):
CJ's stroud might suffer for it, hopefully not physically, hopefully
only in his play, and the team might suffer for it,
But we believe in our process. We believe in this
path as the best one to get better sooner. And
then there's still the other side of it.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
What if it works.

Speaker 4 (28:20):
What if they have the eighteenth best offensive line. What
if he faces pressure on thirty four percent of his dropbacks?

Speaker 3 (28:25):
Is that out of thirty eight?

Speaker 4 (28:26):
What if there's five games this year where he gets
hit twice and it's never sacked. Can you row years
imagine such a thing where he drops back thirty five
times and isn't sacked in a game. It happened more
than you think during his rookie season. It happened as
little as you think during his second season. And there
are free agents available that would make sense for the Texans.
I think we've mentioned their names before, and it's a

(28:48):
little bit of a guess on everybody's end. There's a
lot of people that are really good at projecting contracts,
and then they even have to admit, man, I got
this one, but these five I can't believe what this
player got. A lot of the wide receivers that were fringe,
that's a good time for them to hit free agency.
It looked like there might be some good money for them.
There really hasn't been, and I think teams recognize that.

(29:10):
I think the Texans recognize that. That's why they traded
for Christian Kirk because if that is a player that's
out there, knowing what else is out there, I think
that's someone they probably aren't going to get here to Houston.
I should mention at least one deal becoming official that
impacts the Texans and the AFC Jaguars had indicated James

(29:30):
Gladstone had indicated they were moving on from a lot
of players, not all on the offensive line, but a
lot of their offense is going to be different. Evan
Ingram allowed to find a new home, and he's done that.
A two year deal with the Broncos sixteen and a
half million guaranteed, could be worth.

Speaker 3 (29:43):
As much as twenty three million.

Speaker 4 (29:45):
And now instead of helping young Trevor Lawrence, he's helping
young Bonix. This is to me, this is from a
pass game perspective, for sure, it's a great move. I
like this a lot. I thought there could have been interests.
Certainly would have been interest from the Texans if they
had a hole, I guess a roster spot rather than
a hole at tight end. They don't really have a

(30:07):
roster spot at tight end until they do something different
with the three players they already have under contract. But
it makes a lot of sense for the Broncos. Don't
like seeing other AFC teams that were already in the
playoffs like the Broncos make good deals, but this certainly
would be one of them. Not sure if you rate
the amount of money as good or bad, but I
look at how did you make your football team perform?

Speaker 3 (30:27):
And I think that helps them quite a bit.

Speaker 4 (30:29):
Darius Slay, who's let go in the process leading up
to this, one of the ways the Eagles, the Super
Bowl champions, we're saving money.

Speaker 3 (30:36):
He's coming over to the AFC.

Speaker 4 (30:38):
He's signing a deal, a one year deal with the
Pittsburgh Steelers. It is still all about the quarterback for
the Steelers. For the Texans, Kevin Zeiler and Mackai Beckden
are probably the names you still will hear the most
until they either sign here or have a home elsewhere.
Zeigler's been a long time, tremendous performer, a very different
career path than Beckten. He is the I think I

(31:01):
would want more. I'm not sure because of the extreme
difference in their ages, who's going to actually make out
better as they are awaiting their next contract. Zeitler's so
deep into the league and is just probably he's not
I don't know. I honestly couldn't tell you what he's
looking for. I just know how much football is behind
him already. He's still playing good football, but there's no

(31:24):
five year, ninety million dollar deal in his future. I
don't know if that's the case for Bechten or not.
Probably not nearly to that extent, but a longer term
deal would make more sense for a player like Beckton
and his group to be looking for than Zeitler and
his A year with the Lions. This last year for
Zeitler obviously went well. They had arguably the best line
in football when healthy. They certainly had one of them.

(31:46):
He's been on a lot of lines that you would
categorize as that. He did it in Cleveland, he did
it with Baltimore, he did it with Detroit. He will
be playing next year, the first year of any contract
he signs as a thirty five year old player. He
just turned thirty five within the week. But I'd absolutely
have him very, very high on the board. I don't

(32:06):
know that. I say, well, they signed liking Tomlinson, so
that gives me an idea of what they're looking for.
Maybe they want a little bit more physical players up
front would make sense. I don't know why you wouldn't
to begin with people who can push the other guys around,
no matter how big they are, Guys who aren't pushed
into your quarterback. Gotta have some drive, gotta have some
leg strength, gott to have some overall strength and free agency.

Speaker 3 (32:30):
You're looking for what you see on film. You have it.

Speaker 4 (32:32):
You're not guessing. If they can push people around, you
know it, You've seen it. Tomlinson's been in the league
almost as long as Zeitler. He's on the other side
of thirty. Like Zeidler. Doesn't bother me one bit. You
can play a lot of good years at offensive line,
which is why I will probably continue to push back
on the Well, they didn't know if Laramie Tunsel's best
football was already behind him, and we aren't sure how

(32:53):
many more good plenty of good. He has plenty of
good years in front of him at left tackle. Don't
worry if you're the Commanders Texans being worried, I think
that's silliness, Well do you, I mean they were worried
about we're not signing him, so at some point the
next two years, we would like to move him so
he doesn't just walk away for nothing, and they did

(33:14):
it two years out.

Speaker 3 (33:15):
I don't blame him. It's very Kyle Tucker move.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
I mean, you know now, he's not gonna he wasn't
going to break the bank for you, and that's why
you're letting him walk. You'd rather get something for him
than nothing. But I think at the it's about the
point of return and what you're going to get for
him at this point in his career. You're never going
to get more from him for him than you did
this offseason. But I just don't I know it happens

(33:41):
in every sport, but I don't think Laromie Tunsel, even
where he plays, what position he plays, who you know,
what his job was. I still don't think the Texan's
gonna be like, man, wish we hadn't made that move.
I know that's crazy to say because he's the left
tackle and you could supposedly not worry about CJ. Stroud's

(34:03):
blind side and all that kind of stuff. But if
you're if you're gonna look at things like that anyways,
when you're making personnel moves, you're probably in the wrong business.
You can't just sit there and say, who I wish
we would just held on to them. I mean, they
had a reason for doing it. They did it, They're
moving on, and I just hope that whatever the plan is, Like,

(34:25):
if it's in three year, if it's Titus Howard at
left tackle, it's it's gonna be a rough year.

Speaker 3 (34:33):
Man. So why wouldn't they regret it? I don't know.
I I guess because I think they've opened the door
for tremendous regret. Oh they have. They chose this path.

Speaker 4 (34:44):
It's we don't know if it's gonna work out because
we don't know the quality of the player they're using
to replace them. It's it isn't like a lot of
other sports when you move on from somebody, because you
already know who's going to replace them. You might not
think they're as good as them yet, but you pretty
much know who's next in line.

Speaker 3 (34:59):
The they know who's next in the line.

Speaker 4 (35:01):
He played two different positions, neither of which were left
tackle last year. Titus Howard. They have seen him at
left tackle before, They clearly have played seasons with him.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
But the reason he didn't play on the left side
was because of Laramie Tunseel.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
I mean.

Speaker 4 (35:15):
Laramie tuns I mean that's a bit of a strets.
That's almost acting like Titus Howard is a plus left
tackle is in the same stratusy.

Speaker 2 (35:23):
You know what I'm saying is if your plan is
to put him at left tackle, but you're upset that
you never saw him over there.

Speaker 3 (35:28):
I'm not saying that.

Speaker 4 (35:28):
I'm saying he's clearly not better than him. There's no
debate needed. If he was, Laramie would have not been
re signed the first time. He's moved all over the
line because he's capable, but it's also because they're not
concerned with what they're missing when they move him. They
played a rookie in his spot because he had to
play where somebody else was so bad they had to

(35:50):
lean on Titus Howard. I applaud Titus Howard for being
like the biggest team. Like we're talking about this culture
shift potentially in the Texans locker room, because there might
have been someone unrest with the offensive line coach and
his assistant and the players and their performance and accountability
and who's a team first me first player? Nobody's a
more team first player than Titus Howard, and this is

(36:12):
six years running. We need to move you here. It's
not gonna be your best position, but it's the best
for us.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (36:19):
Now, they did pay him, I say, be a tackle,
and then they played him at guard again last year.
But he just keeps going out there, and do you
need me to play out a position?

Speaker 3 (36:28):
Okay?

Speaker 4 (36:29):
You need me to play out a position again? You
need to lie to me and say I'm never gonna
go back there, and then I'm gonna.

Speaker 6 (36:33):
Do it again.

Speaker 3 (36:34):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (36:34):
I want you epe for him over and over again,
without a complaint, without an excuse, without saying, well, I
think things would be better if I were here. That's
the ultimate player you do want in your room, and
he's been in that room with others for the better
part of the last decade, all of the years with Demiko.
I think some of the other parts of what's changing
about their offensive line group and room, most notably the

(36:57):
coach not being there, is going to correct a lot
of these issues that they had last year, in my opinion.

Speaker 3 (37:04):
I sure hope.

Speaker 2 (37:05):
So we will continue discussing all things Texans free agency
here on a Wednesday edition of the program, and more
moves are being made.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
The A teen on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 7 (37:21):
Now, I'll always remember my friend Adam and my other
friend Adam and maybe another Atom if they get another
guy on the show. That's why they call this splitting
the Atom. Adam Clinton, Adam Wexler, and I don't give
us about either the eighteen.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
It is the A team Sports Talk seven to ninety.
While we try to figure out what the Texans will do,
specifically with their offensive line, I want to get your
thoughts on what another team that we continuously and I
think we should, even though they beat them head up
last year, slot ahead of them in the AFC pecking order,

(38:05):
has done. It's not just that they've locked up Josh
Allen long term that everybody knew they would do that.
Anybody that has a good quarterback is going to do that.
You find a way, specifically the Joey Bosa deal, and
we were, you know, during the break, I was looking
at a graphic where he's missed, you know, a set
amount of games from the time he was drafted until

(38:26):
just before the last couple of seasons, and then he's
missed a ton of games almost double that amount in
the last couple of years at a position where admittedly
it's it's both needed and very physical. I just I
wonder like somebody spun it that he had spurned his

(38:48):
brother's team. Who's to say his brother's team said hmm, thanks,
but no thanks at his advanced age.

Speaker 4 (38:54):
See, I think there was interest, but this might make
more sense just for him and what he thinks they
can do together, how they play their defense. Sometimes you'll
look at who you're playing with coaching wise, scheme clearly teammates.
And as much as some people love Justin Herbert and
coach Harbaugh, it's okay to love coach McDermott and Josh

(39:15):
Allen too, considering all they ever do is advance in
the playoffs, and all they ever do is land in
the top four, and all they ever do is win
their division, and they also don't play in a division
with Kansas City. He's only signing a one year deal
to begin with, so I don't know that he has
all that in his mind, but you probably have to
like what the Bills have done. They took a team

(39:35):
that was again very very close to being the best
team in the AFC when the playoffs were done, sat
in that top spot throughout much or chased the top
spot because somehow the Chiefs weren't ever going to lose
in the regular season, chase that top spot throughout the year,
and they brought their team back. They've got a new
deal for Shakir, a new deal for DeMar Hamlin today,

(39:56):
a new deal for Josh Allen a new deal for
Greg Russeau, a new deal for Tyde Johnson, a new
deal for Teryl Bernard. These were some of their better,
more important players, even some of them as depth. Now
they've brought in Joey Bosa, They've brought in Larry Ogan,
Jobi on their defensive line. They've brought in Josh Palmer,
not an elite number one, which I'm sure they hope

(40:19):
is Johnson. I think it very well could be Coleman
not Johnson. I'm not sure why I've made that mistake
twice now, but I have I apologize.

Speaker 3 (40:30):
And Shakir along with Palmer.

Speaker 4 (40:31):
Now they have a pretty good top three without even
having a true number one, and they use everybody. It's
why Stefan Diggs isn't there anymore. I think of nothing else.
If you look at the top three teams Buffalo, Kansas City,
and Baltimore. They're the one that has shown the most
effort to make sure we're not getting worse. I don't

(40:51):
know how much better they can be, but they put
together a series of moves this offseason, with Bosa being
among the latest. And the player I was talking about earlier,
kyer elam Is, has been traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
Other involvement in that deal is just Picks. Picks along
with him and Picks coming back. The safety will now
be a part of the Dallas Cowboys, who are by

(41:13):
the way, losing DeMarcus Lawrence announcement that he just signed
with the Seattle Seahawks. That's a pretty sizable loss, But
just in terms of what the Chiefs have done, DeAndre
Hopkins not coming back he signed with the will sign
with the Baltimore Ravens, but moving on from an Thony
or Toney and doing what they do with Trey Smith.

(41:34):
Not sure where we know for sure they're better losing
Justin Reid and Baltimore's similar. They haven't done anything awful.
They haven't lost players that are going to derail them.
Lost one of their offensive linemen, re upped with Stanley.
Buffalo is a little bit different and certainly a lot
different than Houston. They've made nothing, but we're trying to
We haven't lost a thing, adding more talent.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
Yeah, Buffalo, if it comes down to Buffalo, the Kansas
city for the AFC Championship, maybe this will be the year.
Of course, they say that every single year. We will
continue in the four o'clock hour. Next the Aight on
Sports Talk seven.

Speaker 4 (42:13):
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Speaker 1 (43:16):
Two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adam Talking Your Teams series,
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A team. A.

Speaker 2 (43:31):
Hey everyone, it is the eight team Sports Talk seven
ninety on a Wednesday edition of the program, as we
take you up until six o'clock tonight, a lot of
NFL discussion and frankly a little bit of NBA discussion
sprinkled in.

Speaker 3 (43:45):
That will be the next thing that we.

Speaker 2 (43:47):
Get to from a competitive standpoint here in the city.
You've got the Rockets and the Suns later on tonight.
As wex mentioned earlier, and I agree, this is for
all intents and purpose. Let's put it this way. For
all the jokes we make about oh, this is an
audition for Kevin Durant. He isn't he the audition Kevin
freaking Durant, and by the way, neither does Devin Booker.

(44:08):
You forget he led them to the finals before. I
mean he was following Paul's lead. I mean, let's be real,
he was pretty good, but Chris Paul was all just kidding.

Speaker 3 (44:17):
Thank you. I was waiting for the reality to set it.

Speaker 4 (44:20):
It could be an audition for him to feel it.
Let's say the Rockets bust out and take a twenty
two to five lead, and obviously Budenholzer is going to
keep playing his guys, so as the Rockets continue to
lead by twenty, but Durant goes on a you know,
four straight makes from deep and they cheer him. Maybe
it's a little bit of a This is what it
would be like to cheer for Kevin Durant if he

(44:40):
were playing on his home court.

Speaker 2 (44:41):
How much was a man Thompson matched up against him
last time? I know I was there and did the game,
but I can't remember I slept since then.

Speaker 4 (44:47):
The Rockets, Honestly, there's a few players where I think
they will specifically put Dylan on a player, and Durrant's
one of them.

Speaker 3 (44:55):
Oh, I figured, oh you're talking about now, which which
Sun are you talking about?

Speaker 2 (44:58):
You said him. They're both available. That's the difference between
this time and last time. Booker didn't play the Rocks
Grand had thirty seven, but.

Speaker 4 (45:07):
There's no exclusive matchup Eathan. If he were playing and
he is tonight, he should n Thompson and Dylan Brooks
share the responsibilities with almost every wing talent.

Speaker 2 (45:19):
They throw everybody with the kitchen sink at these guys,
but they don't have him and Thompson tonight, which.

Speaker 4 (45:22):
Is scary and for the most part I would I'm
depending on what exactly you get from the Suns because
they have a couple of players that probably aren't going
to play tonight and they are not yet listed as out.

Speaker 3 (45:31):
Grayson Allen among them. Nick Richard's.

Speaker 4 (45:34):
Yep, so that might impact I mean the real the
matchup could be and should be, and it won't be.
You know, Jalen Green would match up on Devin Booker,
and he might have to if Fred van Vliet is back.
I mean, if Tyas Jones and Devin Booker are on
the court, well, Fred's probably guarding Jones and that leaves
Jalen there are not many players for him to guard.

(45:54):
If from a bigger stat point, the standpoint, that's that's.

Speaker 3 (45:57):
Who it will be. Okay, I'm just curious.

Speaker 4 (46:01):
It doesn't matter like who shuts down Kevin Durant. Which
nobe do you like?

Speaker 3 (46:05):
You just make it hard for him and then he
scores twenty five points.

Speaker 2 (46:07):
It's fine if if it goes according to the twenty
twenty five plan, he'll get his and they'll lose.

Speaker 4 (46:14):
That's what happens this season. Yeah, I'm not concerned at all.
The Rockets a men Thompson are no Amen Thompson, and
it is no Amen Thompson. There aren't any excuses so
this The Sons are a pushover. But they know more
than anybody among teams that have talent how to lose.
They've just have been tremendous at losing this season. While
Booker and Durant are filling it up. They just played

(46:36):
a team. The Rockets just played a Magic team that
has two players averaging twenty four points per game or more.
The Sons are just like them, and they know how
to lose a lot of games even when they get
that from those players Magic a little differently, They instead
of playing no defense, they slow the game down to
try to keep up and the Suns. They just don't
play any defense. Rockets get one twenty tonight, no problem.

(46:57):
If it's played to their pace whe or without you know,
the players that they could be missing, which is really
just a men, no problem.

Speaker 3 (47:03):
It'll definitely be a faster pace than Monday night.

Speaker 4 (47:06):
Yeah, that's what I mean for they play the Sun's
play to a typical NBA pace, the Magic, don't.

Speaker 2 (47:11):
They played to the nineteen nineties pace the Magic. We
were talking about Josh Allen last segment, signing that big
deal and what the bills.

Speaker 4 (47:20):
Moves have made. Did you see what his quote was? Yeah,
he met with the local media via zoom today. I
had a lot of really good things to say, awesome
to cover. I'm sure he said. He's a lucky guy,
he said, I could. I mean, you tell, I don't
know which one you're picking out before I run through
what I did here.

Speaker 2 (47:35):
It didn't seem like from my perspective, I was taking
a whole lot less. By the way, the terms of
this deal three hundred and fifty million dollar extension, two
hundred and fifty guaranteed. That's more guaranteed money than any
other player, including the guy whose leg keeps falling off
in Cleveland. The deal's average annual value of fifty five million, however,

(47:57):
is tied for the second highest, as you point it
out earlier, because it is a mirror five million less
annually than Dak Prescott's contract with the very well run
Dallas Cowboys. So having all say that, or so, having
said all that, this was his quote, it didn't seem
like from my perspective, I was taking a whole lot less.

(48:19):
But the way I make sense of it, when you
start getting these fairly big numbers throughout the entire league,
it's weird to say this, But what is five million
more going to do for my life that I can't
already do?

Speaker 3 (48:31):
Right now? It's not that crazy to me. I live
a pretty good life.

Speaker 2 (48:35):
Got a house, got a car, got Hailey Steinfeld. We're good,
all right, I added to Hailey Steinfeld part he.

Speaker 4 (48:41):
Did say, I have a pretty great life with a
great family, great future wife.

Speaker 3 (48:45):
I'm blessed beyond belief. I'm a pretty much Guys. Again,
this has no bearing on anything, but I'm gonna say.

Speaker 4 (48:50):
One other part of it, just so people hear it,
because players will do this, not just Jose Altuve. I
wasn't looking to every chance I could, And I told
my age that he got paid, as you noted, more
than any other quarterback ever has in the history of
the NFL guaranteed money.

Speaker 3 (49:06):
He got two hundred and fifty million.

Speaker 4 (49:08):
Did he also have to have the biggest possible payoff
from a bigger scale?

Speaker 3 (49:12):
That's an idiot thing. He got the biggest guarantee.

Speaker 4 (49:14):
Does he need to have the biggest annual average annual
value or the biggest overall take?

Speaker 3 (49:18):
No, as he told his agent, Tuned Guy, was likely.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
If it has any impact on the cap, let's figure
out a way to not do that. Both sides were
willing to move and change different things, and it was
a pretty calm mannered negotiation, is what I can say
from both sides. Can I say it right now? Well,
I'm gonna say a couple things right now. Number One,
Hailey Steinfeld greater than Taylor Swift. It's not the first
time I said that on the show, and I'm not

(49:41):
talking about their musical careers.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
Secondly, this just.

Speaker 2 (49:45):
Screams I want to be a leader and this is
a great way to do it. It's it's not common,
it might not even have a bearing on things. But
I can tell you this if I'm in that locker
room and Josh Allen is my guy, because i want
to go to war with him, and I've either been
there a while or I just got there as a

(50:07):
free agent, or I just got drafted or whatever. And
I see the highest paid guy on the team and
one of the guys in the highest paid in the
league saying these kinds of things, I'm like, let's at LFG,
let's go. Especially when you were that close to beating
the stupid Chiefs last year.

Speaker 4 (50:25):
I think you could actually argue it is common with
a certain group of players, Tom Brady and Pat Mahomes.
Yat Mahomes is taking less. He asked for less, he
got less, He's moving forward with less. Four hundred and
fifty million doesn't sound like less. Three hundred and thirty
million doesn't sound like less. And even though, why should
anybody in the Union or anybody at other positions say yeah,

(50:47):
they need to take less. They don't like that, but
we're talking about players that aren't comps. The quarterback position
is not comps to any other position on the whole
team from salary standpoint or from an important standpoint. So
comparing the two aren't necessary. I don't think anybody would say,
look at what Joey Bosa did, he took less money

(51:07):
to go play for the Chargers. Look at what Dexter
Lawrence just did. He took less money. No player in
another position would ever do that because they can't that
he got forty million guaranteed, or he got thirty million guaranteed.
Maybe he got all the way up to sixty million guaranteed.
Josh Allen just took less. He got two hundred and
fifty million guaranteed. It isn't the same. They are in

(51:31):
a position to be looked at as we took less.
Brady did it many times. He just did it, and
so it was brought up so much because he kept
signing short term deals. So he continued to put it
out there because there was a new deal to be signed.
Patrick Mahomes has signed one deal after his deal when
he was drafted, a ten year deal. He's not about

(51:53):
to sign another one either. It likely will come. They
just keep restructuring it and so yes, a new deal
is in his future still. But these guys who the
two that Alan could be following in their footsteps. For
by there's nobody in their class either. The two winningest
quarterbacks for the last thirty years both quote unquote took less.

(52:15):
Josh Allen's gonna take less. Joe Burrow has talked about
taking less in order to keep some of his players
with him. I don't know that it's truly going to
happen if Trey Hendrickson ends up leaving, if Jamar Chase
is not under a long term deal this offseason, since
he was not under a long term deal when they've
tried to do it last offseason. He's said to be

(52:36):
willing to do it, but he's also not in a
position to about he's not about to sign. When he
had an opportunity to sign, he became the highest paid
quarterback in the NFL, which in reality, Josh Allen did too.

Speaker 2 (52:47):
Yeah, but I just they've been so close. They've been Honestly,
I feel like they've been more. I know that just
last year. Well, now I have to say two years ago,
Baltimore was right there to to knock off the Chiefs.
They were never in that game. It was it wasn't
really competitive, not from what I recall. Maybe the final
score was, maybe it was close throughout, but I never

(53:07):
felt like I.

Speaker 4 (53:08):
Felt like seventeen to ten at the half, right, or
seventeen seven at the half, and then they shut out
the Chiefs while being unable to score themselves, finished seventeen
and never.

Speaker 2 (53:17):
It wasn't like this year, We're all season long. I
was like, the Chiefs just aren't this good? This is
just But the Ravens were also smoke and mirrors.

Speaker 3 (53:23):
I know, I know all of that.

Speaker 2 (53:25):
This is but this is part of the run where
the Chiefs were just finding ways to win, which by
the way, continued into the next regular season this past year,
and then they ran into the buzz saw that was
the Eagles defense, where they blitzed all of zero times
and just destroyed Pat Mahomes. This, to me, though, feels different.
This is like, all right, you remember, Okay, here's again.

(53:47):
I always bring it back to the NBA. You remember
when the Rockets lost to the Sonics in ninety three
in an excruciating seven game series where the home team
won every single game and it was down to the
final shot.

Speaker 3 (53:58):
Again, defense was a legal if they would call.

Speaker 2 (54:01):
It, yeah, but George Carl just said, I'm not allowing Haakim.
Elijah wanted to beat me more people should do this,
but no one else does. Yeah, I remember, Yeah, So
that would be like an excruciating way to go out
and you learn about yourself as a team, and a
Keem was like, all right, we go from here. In
the next year, they rattled off fifteen straight to win.

(54:22):
And this feels like that to me. With if you
had your season ended the way the Buffalo Bills did,
with all the horrible calls and the close third and
fourth downs and all that kind of stuff, and you
were right there and you felt like you should have
won that game, and you felt like you were the
better team, and then you got paid, made some additions

(54:45):
the course still there, Like I I would be shocked
if Buffalo doesn't go on the warpath this year.

Speaker 3 (54:52):
I really would.

Speaker 5 (54:52):
Yep.

Speaker 4 (54:53):
Shockingly enough, it was the exact same season for me.
This is what Buffalo does. And maybe next year will
be different. Maybe it won't. They don't beat Kansas City,
I'm not saying they won't ever beat them or the rest.

Speaker 3 (55:02):
They've had a worse.

Speaker 4 (55:03):
Loss to Kansas City in the playoffs. The shootout much
worse than this one, in my opinion. But this fell
during the game thirteen seconds left and you're kicking off.

Speaker 3 (55:13):
And you didn't win. They felt like a better team
this year.

Speaker 1 (55:15):
Worse the eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (55:23):
You know it's the opposite of worse. It's better.

Speaker 2 (55:24):
It's Two Creeks Crossing Resort. If you want to head
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(55:48):
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There's no judgment here. They've got something for everyone at
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(56:09):
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Speaker 1 (56:15):
Now back to Adam Clinton, had Adam Wexler two A's
Hey the eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety, your Home
for your home teams, and these two apps.

Speaker 3 (56:33):
Obviously, the NFL season in full swing.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
Now that the NFL season is literally underway, the twenty
twenty five league year began an hour and seventeen minutes ago.
Deals that had been reported over the last handful of days,
as in the agree to terms portion of it will
become official whenever the teams feel like making that official.
But essentially there's always the door left slightly ajar that

(56:55):
it turns out the deal is not done and they've
decided to go elsewhere. Pretty unlikely, but every once in
a while one of those things happens. One of the
players we mentioned earlier, the player I had at the
top of the list, unavailable to the Texans because he's
agreed to play in the AFC South for a different
team one year, nine million dollar deal with the Tennessee
Titans for former Pro Bowl guard and former now detroit

(57:19):
lyon Kevin Zeidler. He was the player I thought made
a lot of sense for the Texans and at one year,
nine million. My opinion has not changed at all. If
they couldn't figure out a way to have one year
and at nine million dollars available this offseason for a
plus level interior alignment, then you've got issues. And I
know they have some issues, but I don't imagine that

(57:41):
was the reason they didn't do it. It must mean they
felt like it didn't make enough sense for them. And
I don't know how there could be a scheme fit issue,
but I don't want to claim to be an expert.
I guess that could be a possibility, and there's somebody
else they have their eye on.

Speaker 3 (57:56):
But it's not like they only have one hole to fill.

Speaker 4 (57:58):
They've signed Lake and Tomlinson again unofficially, but Kevin Zeidler
no longer a free agent. He goes to work with
Bill Callahan again. I mentioned a couple of the teams
that Zeitler had played for. He has played under Bill
Callahan before. Bill Callahan is probably still more well known
than his son, but he works for him. Bill Callahan
works on the offensive line in Tennessee for head coach

(58:21):
and son Brian Callahan, who head zone too his second
year with the Titans. Recognizing and attacking their biggest non
quarterback issue. Their biggest issue Clearler's quarterback when Will Levis
is slotted in as the starter, but protecting will Levis
two years running, no quarterback has hated to see the

(58:41):
Texans more, even though he's played well than will Levis,
because he takes an absolute beating against them. They've made
two master sized additions in free agency. A year after
drafting a tackle they probably missed on Peter Scarronsky, but
two years two offensive linemen drafted this offseason, two more
free agent signed last offseason, free agent signed in name.

(59:06):
They have a significantly better offensive line than they've probably
had in eight or nine years, even with Derrick Henry
and Ryan Tannehill. We'll see if it plays out that way.
And unfortunately, these are players that I would think that
Texans could and should have been interested in.

Speaker 2 (59:21):
Paul Kaharski, longtime writer who has covered the Titans, love
this move. He's old, but he will bring massive leadership.
Titans have imported two veteran starters and a versatile backup.

Speaker 3 (59:37):
Yeah. The fact that.

Speaker 4 (59:38):
They're rebuilding their line the way I wished the Texans
were doing well. Not only that I can understand they're
not in the same position financially, but this is how
you rebuild an offensive line.

Speaker 2 (59:48):
Yeah, but it's a one year, nine million dollar deal.
That's a Nick Cassario special.

Speaker 4 (59:53):
That's why I'm wondering what would have prevented them from
saying how I mean, he might have wanted to play.

Speaker 3 (59:58):
There, and somebody said that he has family in Tennessee.

Speaker 4 (01:00:01):
Yeah, and I think playing in the system or with
a coach that I'm sure he thinks helped his career.
Almost everybody who's you know, Bill Callahan is probably still
remembered more for not having success as the head coach,
but he shouldn't be known for that. He should be shown,
should be known like Jeff Stoutlin in Philadelphia, everybody knows
who he is and he's never even been a head coach.

(01:00:22):
He's an awesome offensive line coach. Bill Callahan is an
awesome offensive line coach and that's what he's being asked
to do in Tennessee. So yeah, I do think there's
other factors and the Texans could have easily been on
on this. Maybe we'll learn that they were maybe even
offered him more money if they could have figured out
a way to do it, and just a procedural note
how things work here. You know, Aaron Rodgers being released,

(01:00:44):
Cooper Cup being released, Shack Mason being released, They're all
going to be designated as June first releases, but you
don't recognize those additional cap savings until June first hits
the Texans right now, because they're going to release Shaq
Mason gain two point one million dollars thereabouts in cap space.
In three months, they're going to gain another three plus

(01:01:05):
million in cap space, be a little over a five
million dollar savings are actually a little bit more than that,
but they can't operate like they have it obviously. The
league year has begun and you don't have to be
cap compliant in the way that you had to be
an hour and a half ago. But it's just something
to note about how the policies and procedures of the

(01:01:27):
newly year beginning and June first releases go. More players
again today that we were uncertain of where their final
destination would be. We'll find out. Like I said, I know,
we got another hour and a half here. I think
somebody will have a new home in Houston. Thought it
might be Kevin Zeitdler. Now I'll have to think on
who that might be moving forward before the end of

(01:01:47):
the show. Yeah, I think before the end of the show.
Kenneth Murray also looks like he is headed to the
Dallas Cowboys. Murray played here locally and went on to Oklahoma,
went to the Chargers. Most recently he was with the
team we were just talking about, the Tennessee Titans, but
reports of.

Speaker 3 (01:02:03):
A deal to send him to the Cowboys in the works.

Speaker 2 (01:02:09):
Cowboys fans are seriously in shambles these days, which again
is funny since I get it, I know why they are,
but I mean, it does take time.

Speaker 4 (01:02:17):
Well to me that the worst part isn't what they
are doing or what they're not doing, is that it
doesn't matter. They are clearly the third best team in
their division for the first time in.

Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
A while, with no end in sight.

Speaker 4 (01:02:32):
Doesn't seem like the Eagles are gonna stop being good,
regardless of the age of some of their players, and
clearly we're on just the cusp of their former defensive
coordinator Dan Quinn guiding the Commanders way past them, largely
because they've made a lot of good deals. They've added
Laramie Tunsell and a few others, and now they head
into year two with super dynamic Jaden Daniels, who had

(01:02:52):
a fantastic regular season, had a very strong postseason with
three games, making it all the way to the championship
game of the So yeah, it's that's to me what's
most troubling. They had run that division even with Philadelphia
winning or reaching the Super Bowl. Philadelphia didn't win thirty
six games over three years. Philadelphia finished behind them the

(01:03:13):
year before they won this Super Bowl, and now they're
not in their league. Even with Dak and CD and
Mike is going to be a cowboy this year at
the very least, probably at least the next three even
without a long term contract, they're not as good as
those two teams.

Speaker 2 (01:03:27):
The The Eagles have been interesting, by the way, specifically
on this on the defensive side of the ball, because
they've obviously brought guys back that were a big reason
why they were the number one defense, but they've also
parted ways and Darius Slade joins the Steelers, by the way,
on a one year deal.

Speaker 3 (01:03:45):
I don't know, it's it's hard to like. I don't
know what to make of the Steelers anymore.

Speaker 4 (01:03:51):
But they're waiting on to see if they can just
get better quarterback play. There are three years running with this.
They went and got caught Canny Pickett in the draft,
and they probably even knew it at the time. This
is dumb, but we don't have an answer, and we're
only at the twentieth pick. We'll take a chance didn't
work out. The players they had with him that year
somehow got them to the playoffs. Then they went the
Russell Wilson justin Field's route. They probably aren't going that

(01:04:14):
route with either one of them. Obviously, Fields has a
new home. Russell is looking for a new home, possibly
in the same place Kenny Pickett is in, which is Cleveland.
Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh without even saying he's met with
them or anything like that has to be considered.

Speaker 3 (01:04:30):
And I know I've been pretty.

Speaker 4 (01:04:31):
Clear that I think Aaron Rodgers is a bad quarterback
and had a bad season, you know, twenty eight touchdown
eleven interception season for a team that won five games.
I can't tell you he had a good season, but
I can believe he can give them at least as
good a chance to win on a weekly basis. With
the addition of Dk Metcalf, the addition of Darius Lay,
other moves that are still to be made. They're gonna
lose Najee Harris, They'll return Jalen Warren. He could give

(01:04:55):
him a better chance to win than they had last
year with Russell and Justin Fields.

Speaker 2 (01:04:58):
Okay, even if that doesn't go down, right, even if
it's a disaster. Aren't you looking forward to the chirping
back and forth between Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin and
the media.

Speaker 3 (01:05:08):
That part if it happened. I actually think the like
people like to.

Speaker 4 (01:05:13):
Hate on Aaron Rodgers for a number of different reasons,
like what was happening. Was it a bad time in
the media with his team because he was in New
York or because he was a problem. It was because
they were in New York, and that's what happens there.
They're not gonna have any.

Speaker 3 (01:05:29):
Issues publicly in the beginning with Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin.

Speaker 2 (01:05:32):
But he Yeah, but he kind of went back and
forth in the media in Green Bay before he left.
I don't think it was necessarily just about the fact
he was in New York. And by the way, Mike
Tomlin would be by far the strongest personality he's ever
played for.

Speaker 3 (01:05:46):
It's not even close.

Speaker 2 (01:05:49):
Think of all the pushovers he's played for before he
gets to Mike Tomlin. From a personality standpoint, Compared to
Mike Tomlin.

Speaker 4 (01:05:57):
I mean, which most people can say that that's the thing.
So Mike McCarthy's a pushover. He's also won the same
number of Super Bowls as Mike Tomlin.

Speaker 3 (01:06:06):
Big deal.

Speaker 4 (01:06:08):
It's one way to look at it. But what other
way is there to look at well?

Speaker 2 (01:06:11):
Because Aaron Rodgers is absolutely a strong personality and he
has like don't.

Speaker 4 (01:06:17):
You think Big Ben is a big personality not like
Aaron Rodgers because the media was different then. He wasn't
all over the place doing interviews and being on social
media and not to I'm not going to say it's
the same as Aaron. Well, how about this. The distractions
created by Aaron Rodgers pale in the comparison to distractions
created by Ben Roethlisberger. As much of his personality might

(01:06:40):
be different, Aaron Rodgers wasn't involved in anything like Roethlisberger one.

Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
Both quarterbacks won at a very high level and have
a lot of numbers. Yes to the all time race.

Speaker 4 (01:06:49):
I'll take Aaron Rodgers personality and bravado over Big Ben
any day.

Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
Yeah, the same here, same here. I'm still an Aaron
Rodgers fan. I just happen to think he's also done.
He just doesn't know yet, and neither do the Steelers
if they sign him. But everybody finds some things out
the hard way. We will get to our signature segment.
It's coming up next here on a Wednesday edition of
The A Team. We're taking up until six o'clock tonight

(01:07:14):
on a Wednesday edition of the program The eight.

Speaker 1 (01:07:19):
On Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:07:22):
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Speaker 3 (01:08:28):
JP France Strike Great JP France.

Speaker 4 (01:08:32):
Here supports Talk seven to ninety as your home freshs
Baseball stream every game on the free iheartradiof.

Speaker 1 (01:08:42):
A little help over the hump with some Wednesday BS
two Adams.

Speaker 3 (01:08:46):
And a whole lot of bit stealing.

Speaker 1 (01:08:48):
Bit stealing with the bit Stealers, better known as the eighteen.

Speaker 4 (01:08:54):
Always appreciates social media listeners and sports. You always provide
us with good fodder here for the program. Each and
every weekday afternoon two to six, it's the A Team
four thirties. On Wednesdays, we do our signature segment Wednesdays,
it's Wednesday's bs.

Speaker 3 (01:09:14):
We will lean on the literal meaning slang of the
B and the S.

Speaker 4 (01:09:19):
Plenty of stuff out there, and each and every season
there's a couple times during the baseball season where you'll
catch wind from a supplier, somebody associated with the Major
League Baseball product lines. Hey, we've got a new series
of hats coming out. Guess what, it's February. It's March.
The spring training caps are here. Hey, man, your team

(01:09:41):
just made the playoffs. Do you want your NL Central
Division champion hats?

Speaker 3 (01:09:47):
Get them here?

Speaker 4 (01:09:48):
Or other special occasions or just designs that they thought, Man,
this is gonna this is something that people might wear,
maybe like a hat that says Cubs, but it's upside
down and back.

Speaker 3 (01:10:00):
It's very popular.

Speaker 4 (01:10:01):
Right here or in this instance, we're gonna print out
the team name on a hat in big bright letters,
but we're gonna cover up the middle of the team
name with their big, huge logo. And teams have different logos.
We know that some have just the letter for their
team name, others have a logo. But usually in this

(01:10:24):
form this style of hat, we're gonna go with the
letter that represents your ball club, so saige Major League
Baseball in this particular supplier, and those thirty two to
thirty hats were released not too long ago. I believe
twenty nine of them are still being produced and are
available to be purchased. However, three are not.

Speaker 2 (01:10:46):
They are known as the overlap hats, by the way,
just in case you wanted to address them properly, courtesy
of Have.

Speaker 3 (01:10:51):
You guys heard the overlap hats exactly? Yeah? I could
have gone that route, but I chose my route.

Speaker 4 (01:10:57):
The overlap hats produced for not one, not two, but
three American League West teams.

Speaker 3 (01:11:06):
What are they, guy against the AO West? We're met with?

Speaker 4 (01:11:09):
Maybe this one slipped through the cracks. Where was our
Where were our eyeballs? Where was the focus group? Where
was the checks and balances? Hey, we designed this cool
looking at You're right, it does look cool as long
as you don't read it, as long as you don't
try to pronounce the new word that you've created by
covering up part of the team's name with another letter

(01:11:30):
from the team name, the Angels, one of the West
teams that hat's been pulled. The first letter of Angels,
the last letter of angels and then a jumbled mess
in between created some probably not a great idea to
have those out there, you know, kids and how silly
they are these days. This the youngsters were after, not
the oldies that can handle themselves, and jokes like US

(01:11:53):
Rangers hat, especially for the bilingual fans of Major League Baseball.
Everyone is now that they've seen it and know what
it looks like.

Speaker 2 (01:12:02):
It says someone allude to it as a crude Spanish word.

Speaker 4 (01:12:06):
It was also pulled, and unfortunately the Astros similarly, although
I think this one was the least how could they
miss this? This one seemed not so bad, was also pulled.

Speaker 3 (01:12:18):
Well. A couple of questions.

Speaker 2 (01:12:20):
The first one is how do you get all the
way to where it's being sold before you you being
anybody anybody that's involved, forget the public. It never should
have reached the public. Anybody in the design in the
graphics departments. I mean, if you've ever I mean we've
known someone personally who has worked at Lids, which sells

(01:12:45):
a ton of new error products, and you can make
custom hats in the shop right there in the shop.

Speaker 3 (01:12:52):
Uh huh.

Speaker 2 (01:12:53):
You have to put a graphic in to then tell
the computer what to stitch.

Speaker 3 (01:12:58):
Yes, and that's.

Speaker 4 (01:13:00):
Just ad Some things, especially when you order them and
you're not in store, are going to get flagged. And
say like a Ron Mexico Michael Vick Jersey might get flagged.
Other things might get flagged. For those of you on
the old TikTok platform have probably seen people go into
stores like that, maybe not sports related, like build a
Bear that have audio messages. There's things where that's that's inappropriate.

Speaker 2 (01:13:23):
That's amazing that the amount of people that are involved
in building that said bear.

Speaker 4 (01:13:28):
So anyway that slide, they will, they will look for
alternative I assume overlap hats. If these were your teams
of choice, well you'll now need to lean on one
of the other major league outfits.

Speaker 2 (01:13:39):
That's for this team. That's for the hats that are
going to be sold in the future. The ones that
have been sold, I can't do anything about those. These
were forty four ninety nine a pop online. But even
though the Rangers took down the page where the hats
were being sold, it seems as though some people had
already gotten their hands on some and they quickly realized

(01:14:02):
I could make some money off of this, and they're
trying to. One person was able to sell one of
these for a thousand bucks, and a couple of others
got the vaunted ninety nine and even ninety nine.

Speaker 4 (01:14:20):
If if he were still a Houston Rocket, I would
say with total certainty, the social media staff would get together,
even though it's misspelled, with boban Maryanovich, so he could
don the red sox cap that reads Bob o N

(01:14:41):
because the B cover the big B covers the S
and the T of Boston, and now it looks like bobon.
It's so avoidable though it's in the computer. You don't
even have to make the hats. I mean, do you
think why weren't they upset at the narwals hat na
w cover all the middle letters of nationals als narwals.

Speaker 3 (01:15:04):
I'm a big fan of the narwals, I.

Speaker 2 (01:15:06):
Mean, because that doesn't stand for something else in another language.

Speaker 3 (01:15:09):
That's bad.

Speaker 4 (01:15:09):
Are you familiar with the star of stage and screen,
Ariana Grande?

Speaker 3 (01:15:14):
Uh huh?

Speaker 4 (01:15:14):
Must be a Diamondbacks fan, because the big A covers
the letters in between ar I an a. It looks
like arian A Diamondbacks.

Speaker 2 (01:15:23):
And this is the other question I had, why are
we trying to reinvent the wheel here. I mean, I
get why we are at money.

Speaker 4 (01:15:30):
Have you been to say mlbshop dot com or chop
dot astros mlb dot com. There's about a thousand varieties
and they all make sales. Hats are very popular. How
many different astros hats do you currently? I've got a
ton I do as well, but none of them are
a variety where it was clear that they were trying
to force something that's not working.

Speaker 3 (01:15:51):
Even if it doesn't spell something bad.

Speaker 4 (01:15:52):
Why do you think they're trying to make fetch happen?
They just tried to get creative and they missed.

Speaker 2 (01:15:56):
Do you remember the mid nineties when the shark tooth
hat as it were, was put out there.

Speaker 3 (01:16:02):
I believe it was Logo Athletic that did. I think
that was the name of the company. Are inspired by
the Rockets uniforms?

Speaker 6 (01:16:08):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:16:08):
No, no, These were primarily football. You would see them
on the side. In fact, I think in Jerry maguire
when the Cowboys are playing Rod Tidwell and the Cardinals,
each team is wearing this hat because it came out
in ninety six, which meant the ninety five line when
it came out.

Speaker 3 (01:16:23):
With the sideline hats.

Speaker 4 (01:16:24):
It's it's you've got the logo and it's got it
looks like almost like waves.

Speaker 2 (01:16:27):
But I call it the shark tooth because it's like
jagging little the color of the team. I just you know,
at some point, you can only do so much with
a logo on something that goes on your head.

Speaker 4 (01:16:38):
Right. But the idea of why are you trying so hard?
The hats I was talking about earlier with the team
name or team logo or mascot name spelled backwards and
upside down? Who thought that was a good idea? And
it's insanely popular. It told you, insanely popular.

Speaker 3 (01:16:54):
Told you.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
I don't know until it's out there. I told you
I felt about the upside down hat. And the other
day I was brought on this little app called Instagram
and there's Blummer wearing a hat with text upside down.
I almost they want to crush out. That's what the
cool kids are doing.

Speaker 3 (01:17:11):
It's a fad.

Speaker 2 (01:17:12):
Like everything else, it'll go away, much like those baggy
jeans women are wearing right now.

Speaker 3 (01:17:17):
Those need to go.

Speaker 1 (01:17:20):
The A ten on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
You know it doesn't need to go. Kushata Casino resort.
But you need to go there. They are celebrating their
thirtieth anniversary, and so why don't you hop in the car.
And you know what, it's Wednesday, it's practically the weekend already, right,
Get in the car, head on down there to Kinder,
Louisiana where Kushata Casino Resort is awaiting you. They want
you to take part in their thirtieth anniversary celebration. But

(01:17:47):
you know what, they don't have to be celebrating the
anniversary to have everything they have there and then some
all under one. Well, it's not one roof. There's several roofs.
Is it roofs or roof roofs? How do I do this?

Speaker 3 (01:17:58):
They're not dogs, not roofs. Well, either way, you're gonna
have a good time out there, you definitely are.

Speaker 4 (01:18:04):
They do have those three beautiful hotels, each with their
own individual roof, and they also have Kassati Pines, the
number one rated golf course in the state of Louisiana.
Beautiful out there, beautiful currently out there, and you could
be out there at Kushata Casino Resort. Visit them online
at Kushatacasino Resort dot com. Take advantage of their advantage club,

(01:18:24):
one of the best players club in the United States.

Speaker 3 (01:18:27):
Check it out when you're at.

Speaker 8 (01:18:28):
Coushata Adam Clinton at Adam we Ford, the eight Team.

Speaker 3 (01:18:44):
It is the eight Team.

Speaker 2 (01:18:45):
Sports Talk seven ninety winding down the four o'clock hour
on a Wednesday edition of the program.

Speaker 3 (01:18:51):
Any signings for the offensive line in the last for
other teams?

Speaker 5 (01:18:55):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (01:18:55):
Oh man, what's the meme again? Do something? Poke the
Texans with a stick? You know what? Ram Shirts.

Speaker 2 (01:19:03):
I don't need you sending us pictures of my name
upside down on a cat. By the way, you just
look how fast he turned that around after listening to
that segment, and he could do it too. In fact,
the next time I see him, he'll probably hand.

Speaker 3 (01:19:15):
Me that hat knowing him.

Speaker 2 (01:19:17):
Love mark over at Ramshirts. They make amazing products.

Speaker 3 (01:19:21):
Everybody.

Speaker 2 (01:19:21):
Where'd you get that shirt? And why does it feel
so nice? Go to Ram Shirts at Ramshirts on social
media you will find what you are looking for.

Speaker 3 (01:19:30):
Who got signed? Oh, just a bunch of people. Nobody
in particular.

Speaker 2 (01:19:34):
Well, it made it sound like there was at least
one big fish that was gone now, not that I'm
aware of. So you think the Titans was not the
last big fish on the market, but maybe the biggest
one that made sense for what the Texans are trying
to achieve.

Speaker 4 (01:19:46):
I mean, in my opinion, he was the best interior
alignment available period. I mean, others might disagree, but I
thought that would have been the guy would have targeted
from the jump, even though it probably was going to
be a short term deal in your face with the
same problem the next Although signing him to a two
year deal doesn't seemed like the end of the world,
resigning him at some point during the season again, it's

(01:20:06):
still a two way street, and we got to consider
that every time we talk about these things. Money is
a huge driving force. If you outbid another team, especially
for a younger player, odds are pretty good you're gonna win.
They want your money, they want the money. This is
the NFL. It's not like the other sports. They need
to get what they can get when they can get it,
especially with the guarantees that aren't there. But this is

(01:20:27):
not some young player looking for a big, fat paycheck.
This is a guy wanting to continue to play and
probably do the best thing for where he is in
his career and where he is with his family. He's
not going to a very good team. He's actually going
to an awful team without a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (01:20:46):
Who probably won't still have a quarterback after the draft
and this offseason.

Speaker 4 (01:20:51):
I think we're so involved in what's happening with free
agency in the league year and the Texans offensive line,
everything else that's going on, we're losing sight of the
fact that every day that draws nearer to April twenty fourth,
we're one day closer to Roger Goodell announcing. With the
first pick in the NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select
cam Ward quarterback Miami. They might not have a great

(01:21:12):
quarterback next year, but I'm definitely big time leaning on
that's what they're doing with the number one pick. They're
drafting cam Ward, and I don't have an issue with that.

Speaker 2 (01:21:22):
I would trade that pick so fast. And I know
what you always say, it takes somebody that wants it.

Speaker 4 (01:21:26):
What you're saying is you don't believe in cam Ward
if you trade that pick. If you believe in him,
you drafted it's simple. And when you say we don't
believe in him, you're also pretending, well, there's probably other
teams that do, or some other team loves Abdul Carter
and his injury situation so much they want to trade up.
And again, how far you're bad you need players? How
far back are you willing to trade down? Like the

(01:21:48):
Chicago Bears traded from number one to number nine when
Bryce Young was the number one pick or the Panthers,
and the Bears ultimately drafted ninth. And they felt that
it was okay to do that because the rest of
the hall in that trade. The best player that Kayleb
Williams played with on offense they got in that trade,
DJ Moore, it mattered that they they added an actual

(01:22:11):
NFL player. Was it just picks for picks? And I
think that helped him a tremendous amount. It worked out
even better.

Speaker 3 (01:22:17):
And that they.

Speaker 4 (01:22:17):
Landed the number one pick after that, they played themselves
into the number one pick so they could draft Kayleb Williams,
which is crazy, and now they're trying to figure out
how to keep him upright, which there moves this offseason suggested.
But if you're number one in your Tennessee, I mean,
can you do you even listen to anybody that has
the sixth pick, the seventh pick, the eighth pick, and

(01:22:38):
which of these teams are so dead set on giving
you that much of a haul because they have to
move back that far because they're so in love with
some player in this draft. I mean, if it cam
Ward to me is in a different position, it has
to be that player. But that also means you aren't
in love with him. Well, if they are, why aren't
you Because you're about to go into another year without
a quarterback, which could send you back to the top

(01:22:59):
of the draft. Are you already looking at to the
twenty twenty six quarterback class? Do you think this is
the year Will Levis figures it out. I can't imagine
that last question.

Speaker 2 (01:23:08):
I can already ask answer for you in but I
don't need to because they've already answered themselves. They know,
But I just now wouldn't be the first time that
I sat here like an idiot and said I'm not
in love with any of the quarterbacks in this draft class,
because that's what I said about CJ. Stroud's draft class.
And you know, Bryce Young still hasn't done anything to
make me change my mind. But right after him was

(01:23:31):
the Texans pick, and he's he's done very well for himself.

Speaker 4 (01:23:35):
Yeah, CJ was the better quarterback in year one and
probably also in year two.

Speaker 2 (01:23:39):
Probably probably I'll wait, let me know when the punchline's coming.

Speaker 4 (01:23:46):
I mean, I know you weren't paying attention to what
he was doing, but his he was better. He was
not better than CJ. Over the course of the year
he got benched. He finished the year very very well,
and they should have no issue with thinking, Yeah, but
why do you think that? I wish I could tell you,
but I watched it. Why did he getting numbers change anything?
I don't know, or is just who he happened to

(01:24:07):
play after he got back out on the field a
lot of times. I mean, I doubt it had to
do anything with the fact that he played both of
the teams in the Super Bowl after he came back
and played well against both of them.

Speaker 3 (01:24:18):
I doubt that had anything to do with it. But
did he win? No?

Speaker 4 (01:24:21):
They lost almost every game this year. They won two
of three to end they won, They had four games
going to overtime. He wasn't after their one and seven start,
which he was a huge part of. Were they really
any different than the Texans? No? Why are you trying
to make this a thing between Bryce Tryce Young as

(01:24:43):
a miss is not a given. Bryce Young is a
great quarterback not a given either, I'm not I don't
think for sure they missed. I think they missed in
picking him over CJ. For sure. So don't get me
wrong on that discussion. No question, that was incorrect.

Speaker 3 (01:25:02):
CJ.

Speaker 4 (01:25:03):
Stroud as a prospect versus Bryce Young as a prospect.

Speaker 3 (01:25:06):
They made a mistake. But I don't think that Bryce.

Speaker 4 (01:25:10):
Young is a given as a I can't make it
in the NFL quarterback. But they made it harder on themselves.
They took the lesser talented, lesser prospect, in my opinion,
which makes no sense when they play the same position.

Speaker 2 (01:25:21):
Eric our guy over at Top Dog Fireworks, he just
texted and he said, did WEX just say probably I'm
throwing a firecracker at him.

Speaker 4 (01:25:28):
All right, I hope it's a black cat. Hey, maybe
he didn't light it yet, You just throw Maybe it's what.

Speaker 2 (01:25:34):
Are the ones that you throw on the ground and
they what are they called? They just pop whipper snappers?
Well I thought there was like a hobits specific name.

Speaker 4 (01:25:42):
I mean those little things that are little white yeah tails.
Those don't do any swimming. They scare the crap out
of you. If you don't know they're coming though. Yeah,
especially if you put them at the outside the doors
of a mall elevator or at the bottom of a
mall escalator.

Speaker 3 (01:25:58):
I mean, I don't know what kids can do. People.
How do people not get in more trouble with fireworks?

Speaker 2 (01:26:03):
Is it because they're basically only readily available twice a year?

Speaker 4 (01:26:05):
I kind of, I don't know if Eric would agree,
and I kind of While they can be purchased there,
I'm not really putting them in the firework category. There's
no fire not lighting them.

Speaker 3 (01:26:16):
What do you call them? Used to throw them on
the ground and they pop.

Speaker 2 (01:26:19):
Oh I thought you were talking about like the category itself,
he says, snappers.

Speaker 3 (01:26:22):
By the way, of course, p one listener that he is.

Speaker 2 (01:26:26):
But yeah, I'm very interested to see what happens whenever
it happens with this offensive line. I sixty forty, draft,
free agency seventy thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:26:37):
Yeah, they can't go into the They cannot go into
the season without another legitimate veteran signed.

Speaker 3 (01:26:41):
Lake and Tomlinson is one.

Speaker 4 (01:26:42):
There absolutely positively has to be at least one more,
probably two, whether or not they end up starting, they
have to be here.

Speaker 3 (01:26:48):
You cannot go into the draft with none of that.

Speaker 4 (01:26:50):
You cannot expect to come out of the draft with
this player has to start because that's what they're faced with,
that they don't make some of these moves. Juice Scrugs
may start, Jered Patterson may start and everything workout.

Speaker 3 (01:27:00):
Just fight.

Speaker 4 (01:27:01):
You put them with Tomlinson, Fisher and Howard and you
have an offensive line. But the offensive line that's under
contract today is probably not the one they're going.

Speaker 3 (01:27:08):
To camp with.

Speaker 2 (01:27:09):
Well camp's not until late July, so that's a very
very good thing. Football at five, who guessed it? We're
gonna talk more football next.

Speaker 1 (01:27:19):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:27:23):
Now before I talk to you about the ever popular
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Speaker 3 (01:27:27):
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Weren't expecting, or maybe you were expecting, but you didn't
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Speaker 1 (01:28:16):
Today, two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adham talking your Teams.
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A Team A Team.

Speaker 4 (01:28:40):
It's five o'clock here on the A Team brings you
football at five each and every weekd afternoon at this
point in time, even though most of our days when
it's this much activity in the NFL spent talking about football,
we do that here specifically, probably a good chance to
get you caught up on what things have been going
on over the last couple of days and even in
the last couple of hours as it relates to your

(01:29:00):
Texans and what they have done. Start with the moves
made elsewhere, and one of the most significant ones, at
least in my opinion, came when the Tennessee Titans came
to an agreement with interior lineman guard Kevin Zeitler. Last
played with the Detroit Lions, and now we'll be playing
with the Tennessee Titans one year, nine million dollar deal.

(01:29:21):
Indications are this was something he wanted to do. From
a location standpoint and from a familiarity standpoint with coaching
staff not so much. This was undoubtedly the best offer
out there, but it also is a situation where you
might have his agents and making sure that people are aware.
My client's not out there looking to break the bank
necessarily and looking to go all over the globe. He's

(01:29:41):
looking for a certain situation because quite clearly, he signed
with the team that has the number one pick in
the draft. The odds of Kevin Zeitler going back to
the playoffs this year, he was in the playoffs last year,
he was in the playoffs the year before that. Going
back to the playoffs this year, as he gets close
to the end of his career. For all I know,
this is the last season for his age, but he's
playing at such a high level.

Speaker 3 (01:30:02):
I would suggest he's not going to say no to even.

Speaker 4 (01:30:04):
More money in another year, but he's going to a
bad football team, a football team that even in a
bad division, is unlikely to make their way up the chart.
They were fourth in a bad division. They have the
number one pick in the draft. He chose to sign
there to say, I don't know that. The Texans said, well,
how about one year ten million, how about two years
twenty one million? They might have and he might have
still said no because this was just something he felt

(01:30:27):
like was better suited to his current NFL and family needs.
So that player interior lineman not available any longer to
the Houston Texans. Darius Slay, a player that I imagine the
Texans had no interest in, goes from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh,
not because he isn't a good player, but because the
Texans already employ and will be set to deploy the

(01:30:47):
best secondary in the NFL, in my opinion, said it
yesterday and won't stop until they prove otherwise, because yesterday
was the day the report and it's not yet official,
but it will be.

Speaker 3 (01:30:57):
CJ.

Speaker 4 (01:30:57):
Gardner Johnson is coming to the Texans and the Ken
in green trade, one of three offensive linemen out for
the Houston Texans. One of eight offensive players potentially that
will not be starting where they did a season ago.
I should say seven Nico Collins, C. J. Stroud, Joe Mixon,
and Dalton Schultz. They were starters on opening day last

(01:31:22):
year against the Colts for the Texans, they won twenty
nine to twenty seven. That leaves seven other spots on
their offense. They had two other starting wide receivers to
Von Diggs and Tank Dell. They had five starting offensive linemen,
three of whom aren't on the team, and two of whom,
while are a part of the future, potentially could be starting,

(01:31:42):
just not where they were talking about Juice Scruggs and
Titus Howard. You had in Blake Fisher, you add in
Jarrett Patterson, you add in Lake and Tomlinson, and that
might be what your five player offensive line looks like
in the future. As you can see with a lot
of information there on that a lot of moves made
by this team, and offensively speaking, I don't know what

(01:32:05):
the answers are to some of these holes they've created,
but they're acknowledging what we put on the field isn't
good enough. Last year, and it has nothing to do
with Diggs and Dell. Their injury situation dictate the replacements there.
If Dell was healthy, he'd obviously be a repeat starter
for the Texans. He's not going to be healthy when
the year begins. He might not be healthy at any
point during the year. Steffan Diggs remains among the better

(01:32:26):
wide receivers available in free agency. The door has never
been shut. The addition of Christian Kirk via trade from
the Jaguars does not shut the door on Stefan Diggs.
I don't think they have to sign him. But like
I just said, with the offensive line, Texans aren't going
into the season, They are even going into their offseason
workouts without additional veteran wide receivers added. And I mean

(01:32:49):
beyond the Justin Watson reported signing from the Chiefs and
beyond the Braxton Barrios reported signing from his time with
Miami and New York. Both of those players will have
a chance to make the team, and Barrios probably stands
a very good chance to make the team. He's probably
there one of their choices, along with Traymon Smith, to
be a return man. But I'm not sure where they

(01:33:10):
are anticipating his contributions as a wide out at this
point in time.

Speaker 3 (01:33:14):
As they continue to add talent.

Speaker 4 (01:33:16):
There is a draft coming up. There is a lot
of focus that the Texans have to look at the
offensive line, and I think that's true. I don't think
they have to do it in any particular method. I
think you can find elite level starting talent on the
offensive line just about anywhere. Could be at twenty five,
could be at fifty seven, could be a number of
different places for Houston. They also could use a little

(01:33:39):
bit of the hall they have draft capital and move
up in the draft. Not advocating for that just yet.
Pro days are beginning around the league also, Georgia Pro Day.
They have several players, several players the Texans could go
back to drafting. Kamari Lasser seem to work out rather well. Again, defensively,

(01:34:03):
they don't have to draft a single player on defense.
I would I would like to keep funneling through good
defensive players. It's probably worth noting a couple of the
players they've drafted recently defensively so severely outperformed their situations respectively,
that they were able to pull in a little of
extra money there's something called performance pay performance based pay,

(01:34:28):
and the NFL pulls this money together and pays players
who outperformed their contracts that are on the back end
of draft classes or undrafted free agents, kind of a hey,
we know you're not making a whole lot of money,
and this isn't going to go against the cap, but
you played so well you play yourself into earning some
money out of this pool. Two Texans are among those

(01:34:50):
players that were among the top twenty five highest paid
players from a performance standpoint, to the tune of better
than eight hundred thousand extra there bucks for their work
put in last year. Kaylyn Bullock was a rookie last year.
He got paid like a third round draft pick. It's
not a tremendous amount of money over the four years
of his deal. He just got an extra eight hundred
and fifty five thousand dollars.

Speaker 3 (01:35:11):
He was awesome.

Speaker 4 (01:35:13):
Performance based pay, not incentives that were in his contract
but essentially incentivized through the league's pool of money to
be paid more. Two years ago, they took Henry Toatoa
in the fifth round, and with Christian Harris's injury situation,
he started and was outstanding. He was a tackling machine
for much of the year and showed that even with

(01:35:34):
a healthier Christian heiras, which only happened for a brief
period of time this past year, it made sense to
have Henry on the field. He got an extra eight
hundred twenty thousand dollars. And considering, like I said, what
those two players specifically are contractually paid over their four
year deals.

Speaker 3 (01:35:53):
Everybody outside of the first.

Speaker 4 (01:35:55):
Round in the NFL draft, I'm sure you know, they
just basically get a standard four year deal. This is
where you drafted, This is the slotted money that you're
going to earn, and this is probably what you're gonna
make over the life of the deal. Occasionally a player
drafted outside the first round gets an extension before they
hit year four. But Kalin Bullock's third round draft pick
money in twenty twenty four, it's less than six million dollars.

(01:36:16):
It's not crying, he's not going poor. He is able
to make ends meet. But that's the total value of
a contract for player drafted in the you know, third
round of last year's draft. A little bit more higher
than the third round, a little bit less lower than
the third round. But this is how the scale works.
Henry Toto at an even lower level, around five million

(01:36:37):
dollars on his four year deal for being drafted in
the fifth round of the year before, so an eight
hundred plus thousand dollars bump. It's pretty significant. It's basically
doubling Bullock's salary, and it's about an eighty percent bump
or money that was earned cash that was gained for Tootaha.
It's also nice to know that the Texans are able

(01:36:59):
to find players out there side of the top sixty four,
outside of the top two rounds that were on the
field enough and played well enough to make that kind
of difference for their team and earn themselves a couple
of extra bucks. The secondary that Caln Bullock's going to
play in this year with Gardner Johnson with a healthy
Peatree hopefully to start the season. He's already indicated, he
told us in the last time we talked to him endfseason,

(01:37:20):
he's got no issues about the injuries as a matter
of time, and he'll be healthy long before the season
begins and they get to play alongside Kamari Lassner. Heading
into year two, some of the numbers with him with
passer rating against and you know pass breakups, passes, defense,
obviously literal turnovers created when he hauled in passes from
opposing quarterbacks. They were off the charts, and they're all

(01:37:42):
going to be playing alongside the best in the business.
One of the best five for sure, probably one of
the best three, maybe even one of the best two.
Have you put Pat certain and Derek Stingley Junior at
the top of the list of corners Certain's been paid.

Speaker 5 (01:37:56):
J C.

Speaker 3 (01:37:56):
Horn just got paid this offseason.

Speaker 4 (01:37:58):
You're further into his deal than Stingley Junior, but that's
the number that has to be bested. At twenty five
million dollars a year. They share the same agent. The
third highest paid corner or current second is Jalen Ramsey.
He shares the same agent all three of the top
highest paid corners. After Derek Singley Junior signs his deal
this offseason, they'll all be repped by athletes first, and

(01:38:20):
David Mulligett, a tremendous agent, has a tremendous roster and
he's doing right by both sides. Teams work with him
very well, and the players getting paid. Texans will have
the best secondary in the NFL this year, and they
get the benefit of playing with what could be one
of the best fronts. It does work hand in hand.
I think it's pretty clear if you heard us talk
to Will Anderson and daneil Hunter all year and fully

(01:38:42):
fought Acassi and Tim Settle what they're doing upfront, they
know what's going to pay off because the guys on
the other end are going to make the plays. They're
going to take advantage of what's happening up front and
vice versa. There wasn't a conversation we had this entire
season with Derek Stingley Junior where I can't do what
I'm doing unless they're doing what they're doing upfrontle a
better season for the second year in a row as

(01:39:03):
he heads into year three is what we're going to
see with Will Anderson Junior. I suppose daneil Hunter could
have a better season, a more disruptive season, a more
impactful season, But I don't mean to say he wasn't
good last year, and I don't mean to say that about
Will either. I just think, as a younger player, presuming
progress I think is fair, he's going to be stronger
next year, probably gonna be even better football shape. I

(01:39:24):
think you could see he changed his body from year
one to year two. That first offseason after being drafted
as a rookie, it's very very different physically for a
player preparing for an NFL season. They've never played an
NFL season before. They're working with people they've never worked
with before. They're not even a member of the team
until basically May. They're not there every day, they're not

(01:39:47):
doing all these things. The second off season is totally different,
and I think you can see that in the jumps
that players often make physically. Whether or not it shows
up in their performance is secondary to that. But they
also have the opportunity to work with the coach longer.
They know the defense a little bit better or the offense,
which ever side of the ball they're on. It's pretty
clear why that difference can be made, but it also
doesn't go out the window when you go from year

(01:40:08):
two to year three. And you also have some hunger
that plays a part of it. These players that have
been here these last two now three years, they don't
like how their seasons have ended. They're from winning programs,
they don't like how things have gone. They're ready to
make progress from where they've been the last two years
and that's what's on the table for them and the Texans.

Speaker 1 (01:40:29):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety Back to
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler. The A team on Sports
Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (01:40:44):
With it till six o'clock tonight.

Speaker 4 (01:40:46):
We'll get you into Rockets launch pad at six pm.

Speaker 3 (01:40:50):
Dan Matthews will have that for you.

Speaker 4 (01:40:52):
Six thirty, we get you into Rockets network COVERAGEJC will
have that for you, and then he'll join Matt Thomas
for the call of Sun's Rockets. Rockets looking for win
number forty one. Sons trying to play their way into
the play in tournament, and they are.

Speaker 3 (01:41:07):
Not looking like that's going to be reality. They just
don't win enough.

Speaker 4 (01:41:10):
Rockets still have an opportunity to catch any, if not all,
of the three teams ahead of them a couple of
games remaining, with two of them both Lakers and Nuggets. Obviously,
the Memphis Grizzlies are continuing to play without Jared Jackson.
Junior Rockets will continue to play without Amen Thompson, though
the opportunity potentially to see a return could be in

(01:41:32):
the very very near future. For the Houston Rockets, emi
U Dolka having his usual meet and greet with the
media about an hour and forty five minutes before tip
off for a Rockets home game, So taking part in
that right now and informing them as I can pipe
into what daniell Lerner is listening to as she, of
course covers the Rockets, their beat writer for the Houston Chronicle.

(01:41:54):
He just told the media that Fred is back. He
will start tonight for the Rockets. The rest of the
starting lineup will look a lot like it has when
it did before anything changed with Jabari Smith Junior's injury
and other things that have come up about except for

(01:42:15):
Tari Easton. Tari Easton starts pretty much every opportunity there is.
When Fred's been out and Amen's been healthy, they've slid
him into the starting spot once held by Jabari Smith Junior.
With Fred back and presumably a men Thompson coming back,
I wouldn't be surprised if he took over that spot
for Tari, But until a man comes back, that's probably

(01:42:37):
Tario Easton's spot, and it will be again tonight. Fred Jalen,
Dylan Alpi, and Tari Easan. The remaining four games of
the Rockets homestand Sons MAVs, Bulls Sixers. MAVs and Bulls
are back to back nights Friday and Saturday. None of
these teams are likely to either make or make any

(01:42:59):
way in the postseason. Their major injury issues with the
Dallas Mavericks. The Bulls are bad and hate defense, but
they are going to the play in tournament in the
Eastern Conference because if you're under five hundred and you're
not embarrassing, you're in. You got about five or six
or seven games under five hundred, Yep, you're heading to
the play in tournament over there. Sixes are one of

(01:43:20):
the worst teams in the NBA pretty much, no matter
who sees the court for them, whether Maxi's out and
Beads obviously not going to play any of the rest
of the year. It's a who's who of we don't
really want these guys out there, and their record is
indicative of that. That's Saint Patti's day back to at
a Center and Phoenix obviously tonight. So we'll bring all
that to you, as will our friends over at Space
City Home Network, where you're seeing us now in each

(01:43:41):
and every weekday afternoon you see us. But did also
want to continue with some of what has continued to
happen in the NFL with the new league year starting.
Texans haven't announced it officially, but once the other team does,
that obviously means it is official.

Speaker 3 (01:43:56):
Not that there was any worry that it wouldn't be.

Speaker 4 (01:43:58):
But the official announcement from the Eagles has come on
the Kenyon dreen and a pick for CJ. Gardner Johnson
and a pick, a fifth going away, a sixth coming
back that was announced by the Eagles, So you can
go ahead and lock in your CJ on offense and
your CJ on defense. The release of Cooper Cup has
been announced by the Rams, so he and his agent

(01:44:20):
are probably now pushing even further forward than with conversations.
Remember they've been talking to teams throughout this process. The
indications from the Rams to Cooper Cup super Bowl Week
where we don't anticipate you being with us next year,
let's all work together on finding a trade for you. Well,
nobody wanted to take on what was remaining on his contract,

(01:44:41):
and it's very understandable knowing that you're putting the team
in a situation where they're stuck if we don't want
to trade for him in his contract what are you
gonna do? Well, everybody knows what the Rams are gonna do.
They're going to release the player. It's happened with four
or five players where there was no deal to be made.
There are no teams that don't think they can just
sign him once he's available, costs you no assets, and

(01:45:02):
then presumably you're signing him to a deal you like
more than the deal he's under.

Speaker 3 (01:45:06):
That's when it's gonna happen with Cooper Cup.

Speaker 4 (01:45:08):
I would be surprised if the Texans weren't interested, but
I do think there are gonna be eight, nine ten
teams interested. Minimum injuries huge part of Cooper Cup's recent
NFL story, definitely a concern, Definitely a reason why I
think the Rams were hesitant to pay him twenty million

(01:45:29):
and less hesitant to then spend that money on DeVante Adams.
DeVante Adams is going to head on over to the Rams.
He's going to take Pukinakua's number, but now play alongside
of him, and you know, the money's not all that different.

Speaker 3 (01:45:42):
They just didn't want.

Speaker 4 (01:45:43):
To continue paying Cup that money, believing that for the
fourth consecutive year there would be significant time miss They'll
change what they do.

Speaker 3 (01:45:51):
He's not. They're not carbon copies of one another by by.

Speaker 4 (01:45:54):
No means, but there are a lot of teams that
also have familiarity with him. We think the Texans have
familiarity with Cup for the obvious reasons. One of the
coaches on the offensive staff last year was Nick Kyley
each of the last two years. He's a tight ends coach,
but obviously working hand in hand with coach Lafleur and
coach McVeigh offensively. For sure, there are some connections there,
and I can't imagine he doesn't think there's some opportunities

(01:46:16):
for him here. The Texans did add Christian Kirk. Those
two players aren't carbon copies of one another. Again, but
I'm not sure that they want both of them here
in this next upcoming year.

Speaker 3 (01:46:28):
I would.

Speaker 4 (01:46:28):
I'm not sure that they will. You gotta consider consider
another team in the Texans division. They also went the
Rams way to pluck somebody off and add them to
their hierarchy. James Gladstone, he's their new GM. He was
working hand in hand with their front office on player development,
player acquisition, and he obviously has RAMS ties to Cooper Cup.

(01:46:54):
There's probably another eight teams that have a coach that
was there with him once or someone who scouted him
and said, I can't believe we're not drafting him. Everybody's
going to know everything there is to know about him,
and connections aren't the only thing. I would imagine Cooper
wants to win, wants his money, but wants to go
to a situation that provides what he had there with
the Rams, and that's a winning opportunity. He'd have that here,
he might not have that there. The offense that they'll

(01:47:17):
be running, I think the closer we get to actually
seeing even OTAs, but certainly on the field, game activity, preseason,
joint practices, and then obviously the season, we're gonna learn
that Nick Caley's offensive principles well born with the New
England Patriots and developed under Josh McDaniels.

Speaker 3 (01:47:36):
For the most part, I think we're.

Speaker 4 (01:47:37):
Gonna see a tremendous amount of Rams McVeigh feel to
what they like to do offensively. And I do think
his tight end background and the fact that he was
coaching tight ends here with the Rams, the fact that
he's worked with their offensive line coach now Cole Popovich
and New England, I think we are going to see
the tight end, the personnel groups that they use, and

(01:47:58):
the tight end specifically gonna be used a little differently
than we've seen the last couple of years, which makes
me still believe there could be an avenue where they're
changing personnel at tight end. I'm not sure how because
of the money committed to you're not gonna get rid
of cat Stover.

Speaker 3 (01:48:12):
There'd be no reason to.

Speaker 4 (01:48:13):
I think he has a very promising future and he
doesn't make any money, and he's only headed into a
year two and Ni Causerio just drafted him. You extended
Brevin Jordan, but now he's only under a one year deal.
He's not going anywhere. You just signed him during the
year last year, so he could be back. Unfortunately missed
most of last year with the injury, and there's no
concern about his timetable or when he's gonna be back.
He should be more than ready to go when the

(01:48:35):
season begins, barring some setback in the future. The Dalton
Schultz situation is the only one that is a little
bit different.

Speaker 3 (01:48:42):
I can't lie. We have it. It was recorded. We
record all of our shows.

Speaker 4 (01:48:47):
I thought that signing Dalton Schultz last offseason was pretty
much a must. I thought the free agent group of
tight ends wasn't very good, and I thought continuity for
an offense that had such a promising year one under
Slowik and Strout, why rocket, Why not just keep moving
forward with it? Three years thirty six million gave me
a little pause. But again, I can't tell you I
thought it was crazy or it was out of line.

(01:49:09):
It was the most money any tight end got last offseason,
and other tight ends like Hunter, Henry John neu Smith,
Mike Koseki I got nothing compared to that. All had
at least as productive and if not more productive seasons
for far less money. But it's a three year, thirty
six million dollar deal, and there are some ways where
it doesn't kill you to make that move. But you

(01:49:32):
also have to have an alternative. Dalton Schultz is their
best pass catching weapon as we sit here today.

Speaker 3 (01:49:37):
Is he a good enough weapon? Is he a great
enough weapon? Is he a right fit here?

Speaker 4 (01:49:41):
Do you like how he plays the rest of the
requirements of the tight end position, because I don't know
how you could he's being It's an impossible ask when
you ask tight ends to handle edge rushers in the NFL.
But I don't think there are other tight ends that
can't do more than what we saw much of last year,
and they're probably on the roster. So I'm not telling

(01:50:01):
you they're making a move at tight end. I'm telling
you there's an opportunity potentially for them to do something
a little bit differently at that position moving forwards, specifically
because of who's running their offense. Now, what he might
like to do might not fit well with three tight
ends that are already under contract.

Speaker 3 (01:50:16):
The free agent.

Speaker 4 (01:50:17):
Class of tight ends obviously got worse and worse as
we approached the new league year, not even saying the
Texans could have or should have been interested in players
like Juwan Johnson or others that signed the amount of
money he signed for.

Speaker 3 (01:50:29):
It's basically Dalton Schultz money.

Speaker 4 (01:50:30):
There'd be no reason to flip one out for the
other that no longer is an option, and that he's
staying with the Saints for that kind of money. It's
just not It's a good place to draft, and I'm
happy that the Texans used draft capital on each of
the other three tight ends that spent time here last year.
Other than Nurse Smith Junior teaming Quittoriano draft pick, Brevin

(01:50:51):
Jordan draft pick, Kate Stover draft pick. Perfectly fine with
finding new tight ends all along the way. Every couple
of years you draft tight end in the middle rounds.
Hopefully that player pans out and you don't really have
to worry about it in free agency and probably overspend.
They didn't go find a guy that's going to impact
your offense the way brock Bowers did, but they also
didn't have a top ten pick, so it was never expected.

(01:51:13):
We'll hit you with in case you missed it. It
could be another signing or two in the next few minutes,
or others that we've not yet addressed. We'll do that
when we come back here on the A team the
at on Sports Talk seven ninety tell you about Big
City Wings.

Speaker 3 (01:51:29):
That is Houston's wing joint.

Speaker 4 (01:51:31):
Wall to wall TV's no better place to enjoy our
program as you can see us right there on all
the big screens at any one of your Big City
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Speaker 3 (01:52:40):
Dolls seven nine, Home, All Ruckus Bustball Time for case
you missed it.

Speaker 4 (01:52:47):
Halfway through the final hour of the show, this is
what we always hit here on a weekday edition. There
are all weekday editions of the A Team. What do
we need to revisit or visit for the first time?

Speaker 3 (01:52:57):
Today?

Speaker 5 (01:52:57):
Dan all right, So Albert Breer one of the NFL
insiders out there putting out a piece kind of one
of those you know, notes from legal tampering that writers
or ought to do, and one of them that he
covered was Laramy Tunsil.

Speaker 3 (01:53:10):
Why was he traded?

Speaker 5 (01:53:11):
And the bit about the Texans is interesting around here
is he writes Tunsel to be clear well liked in
the Texans building. That said, he is in a tone
center in the offensive line room, and Houston last year
went the wrong way, becoming borderline toxic. Now he doesn't
really provide context to what exactly that means, so there

(01:53:31):
is some open to interpretation there of exactly what that means, Like,
I don't know, was there a couple of times that
guy shoved each other or was somebody jealous that somebody
else was playing?

Speaker 3 (01:53:41):
That's what that leaves us open for.

Speaker 5 (01:53:42):
But he also refers to the Texans having so many
high profile players that are going to be up for
new deals coming up, so it made sense for them
to be able to ship him away.

Speaker 1 (01:53:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:53:51):
We talked about that word earlier this year when a
report was being given on the NBA program on ESPN,
and the reporter finished it up, they went to the studio,
and the reporter on set decided to say, well, he
used this word. I would use the word toxic to
explain that situation. They were talking about the Phoenix suns
in and around the trade deadline and how things were

(01:54:12):
going there. It makes it sound awful, and I'm sure
that word was not chosen lightly, but it's also usually
not truly informational. As you pointed out, what does it
mean exactly, and to phrase it in this way and
to put it in the Laramie Tunzel was traded idea.
It's almost like you're saying well because he was there.

(01:54:33):
But I do appreciate Albert at least saying what I
think we've made clear. He was not disliked. He said
he was well liked. That is true. He was well
liked to the offensive line room. He was well liked
by his offensive teammates. He was well liked by his
quarterback and locker mate. Right next to Laramie Tunzel there
set CJ.

Speaker 3 (01:54:51):
Stroud.

Speaker 4 (01:54:52):
Stefan Diggs was also right there and not far down
to them from them was Joe Mixon. By design. We
talked about this in Year one with Demiko Ryans on board.
It's not an offense sits over here. Quarterbacks sit over here,
tight ends sit over here. Defense you're way at the
other end of things. You're over there. These players are
much more intermingled with one another by design than usual.

(01:55:13):
One that's just happened to be where CJ and Laramie
and Stefan and Joe happened to be. And yes, all
offensive players would like to add to this conversation. Our
good friend from Underdog Fantasy and Bleacher Report, James Palmer,
talked about this very subject yesterday when the deal went down,
and he talked about some of those similar things with
Albert saying it this way.

Speaker 6 (01:55:33):
I'm also told the Texans offensive line room had its
issues this past season, and appears Tomiko Ryans wants to
build this group with new leadership, new attitude, and new
culture on the offensive line that matches what they've built
on the defensive line.

Speaker 4 (01:55:48):
This conversation that he's having via his podcast is also
noting this is one of the moves to create new leadership,
create new culture. This simplest way to do is just
have new players. That's what they're doing. It's not Tunsil's leaving,
so hey, let's go create new culture. It's not all
Kenyan Green was not playing well, Shaq Mason was not

(01:56:09):
playing well. Let's get rid of them, and there's new culture.
It's all together. They're gonna have an extremely different dynamic.
And Dan and I were having this conversation before we
got started today. I think we're still under selling the
biggest change the lack of Chris Strasser being anywhere near
this offensive line. I don't think he should have been
the higher originally in twenty twenty three.

Speaker 3 (01:56:29):
He certainly should have not have been back last year.

Speaker 4 (01:56:32):
And I think this is where a lot of the
potential commentary and the word toxic might come from. Because
the Texans have promoted his assistant. He's now running the
offensive line. If he was part of the toxic situation
and a bad part of it, I hope to Migo
Ryans and say, ah, let's just promote him anyway. I
have to take a little bit of a common sense

(01:56:52):
to it, and hope he did as well. I do
think the dynamic between their poor play, which is the
biggest culture setter, hover Your culture is going to stink
if you play poorly. See the Astros before they started winning.
See that Rockets before they started winning. You cannot win
and cannot have good culture because you're losing. Obviously that

(01:57:16):
is the same this you cannot win. But I think
you understand what I'm saying. We will see how it
goes moving forward. Borderline toxic is it's an interesting way
to say things.

Speaker 3 (01:57:25):
Bert, What else do we have?

Speaker 5 (01:57:27):
Yeah, if your offensive line group's not close, well then
that usually says the team.

Speaker 3 (01:57:31):
All right, but say that's the thing they were.

Speaker 4 (01:57:33):
I don't want to portray that they were not Titus
Howard friendliness, happy to be playing with Tunsil, happy that
he's been with him for years. Yes, one hundred percent
across the board. There's no animosity there. There's no bad
relationship there. Shack Mason's the same way, just for a
shorter period of time. I think the newcomers, Fisher and Patterson,
there's no I really don't truly believe from a personal standpoint,

(01:57:55):
personality wise or on or off the I don't think
there were issues like that.

Speaker 3 (01:57:59):
I really don't not fair enough.

Speaker 5 (01:58:01):
All right, So let's move on to one of your
favorite topics, Kirk Cousins. A report from Charles Robinson, the
Falcons are expected to keep kirk Cousins through Sunday's deadline
and pay him the ten million dollars that he's due
while you have Michael Pennix on the roster.

Speaker 4 (01:58:17):
I think this is somewhat rhetorical, especially if you afford
for kirk cousins injury impacting the way he tailed off
last year and ultimately was replaced by Pennix Junior. A
healthy kirk Cousins is easily the best remaining quarterback option,
and quite honestly better than most of the quarterbacks that
were options via trader free agency this offseason.

Speaker 3 (01:58:40):
That's rhetorical, right, I think so.

Speaker 1 (01:58:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:58:44):
So holding on to him, they're basically paying for the
assets they get when they trade him at the deadline
in season or before the deadline in season. When a
team that is absolutely going to win until they're quarterback
just got hurt, they're going to look at the trade

(01:59:04):
market and say, we have a guy, this is what
it's gonna cost you, and we'll pull the trigger on
a deal. They could let him go for nothing, they
could trade him now for next to nothing, or they
can hope that they can move him that somebody gets
hurt in the first seven games of the year. Prior
to the deadline or eight games of the year and
they come calling. That's what I think is happening here.

(01:59:24):
They'll sign another backup so he's there when they have
to move him to the immediate backup to Michael Pennick Junior.

Speaker 5 (01:59:32):
All right, So the camp Smith train maybe had a
little less coal in it today because he proved he's
actually human. Oh for three against the Washington Nationals, a
couple of punchees. The train still rolls on. That's good
to know. But the excitement starts tomorrow because we get
camp Smith either against the Cardinals in West Palm Beach
or against the Marlins out in Jupiter.

Speaker 4 (01:59:54):
The astro outfield tomorrow, in the game you're talking about,
we'll have Jose al in left field and cam Smith
in right field. I don't think Dana, Joe or anybody
walking on the earth last year when they walked off
the field at then Minute Made Park following their second

(02:00:15):
consecutive feet to the Detroit Tigers, thought oh yeah, absolutely,
that's what our outfield's gonna look like at any point
in the future. Clearly, Kyle Tucker was an astro and
camp Smith was not. Jose Altuve was the second baseman. Remember, though,
if you've been paying attention this off season, because Joe
Spotta has said this multiple times, this off season was

(02:00:38):
not the first off season discussions with Jose or internally
had been held by the organization about a potential position change.
When that would happen. They weren't set in stone on
that he'd be receptive to it. They weren't set in
stone on it's now pushed in motion with what happened.

Speaker 3 (02:00:57):
This particular offseason.

Speaker 4 (02:00:59):
But as you know, nobody is pushing for the obvious
and the much anticipated arrival of Camsmith to the Houston Astros.
The originators of the Camsmith hype train. Woooo right here
on the A Team cannot wait to hear all about
it tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (02:01:19):
The A Team on Sports Talk seven ninety Let's.

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Speaker 1 (02:02:30):
Eighteen continues.

Speaker 4 (02:02:38):
What we call it an afternoon here and get you
into Rockets coverage. I definitely want to leave you with
one name over the next twenty hours to consider before
tomorrow two o'clock when we would normally be on We'll
have long orange basketball for you tomorrow. They beat Vanderbilt,
so they advance to play the Aggies in the SEC

(02:03:00):
tournament tomorrow. Cougar start their tournament conference tournament run tomorrow. Also,
it's over on our sister station tomorrow afternoon. They I
don't believe are playing for anything other than it'd be
nice to get to the second season healthy. Under no
circumstances should the Committee pull the Cougars from the top line.

Speaker 3 (02:03:25):
They are a number one seed today.

Speaker 4 (02:03:27):
Nothing should take place over the weekend that changes it
losses or injury. I don't even want to say the second,
but that's the kind of thing the Committee might do.
They're one of the best four teams in the country
at this point time. Anything that might happen on the court,
results wise, in the next four days should not impact
that at all, especially with how other teams fighting for
number one spots have reached this point in time. The Longhorns,

(02:03:49):
by the way, yeah, they gotta win. Probably if they
win tomorrow, I'll say they're absolutely in. They will be
in the group of teams did last four in last
four out first four in all that stuff. Our first
four out over the next handful of hours before he
gets to Sunday. Today's win certainly helps, but quite honestly,

(02:04:11):
did not have a very good season. And however, many
more games there are for the Longhorns, I think is
the same number of more games there are for their
head coach, Rodney Terry. I expect the Longhorns to make
the decision to move on and find a different head coach.
I actually wanted to leave you with one name to
think about on the football side for the Texans in
the very early stages of free agency, that they should

(02:04:32):
be strongly considering that. We haven't mentioned a whole lot
leading up to today. We mentioned Kevin Zeidler quite a bit.
He's no longer a free agent. It's not official, but
it's been reported he's agreed to terms. I had agreed
on a deal with the Tennessee Titans one year, nine
million to continue playing excellent football.

Speaker 3 (02:04:47):
He's been on a bunch of teams. He's played great
for all of them.

Speaker 4 (02:04:49):
His most recent team nearly was a Super Bowl team
with the Detroit Lines. He's very very good. Thought there'd
be a lot of interest, understand. I think he's going
there for other reasons other than winning clearly, and I
don't know where the Texans.

Speaker 3 (02:05:02):
Were in terms of negotiations.

Speaker 4 (02:05:03):
We've mentioned Mkai Beckton quite a bit, and he might
be the other best available interior alignment, which where I'm
sure he would be here, but I don't think that's
probably where they're going to go. A name we haven't
mentioned is Will Hernandez. Not this week, mentioned him a
couple of times last week before we got to the
tampering period on Monday, just to keep an eye on

(02:05:24):
a few names late of the Arizona Cardinals. Probably regarded
as a little bit better pass blocker than run blocker,
but as an overall player, it's nice to know that
he's regarded as strong in both suits. That's the type
of player I would want to retain, honestly, if I'm
the Arizona Cardinals. This is a young player, this is
a player that's probably outperformed expectations, and I just again, what.

Speaker 3 (02:05:47):
Would you want to move on from them?

Speaker 4 (02:05:50):
When you can't really do anything offensively unless your offensive
line is in place. They are the team remember that
made the trade with the Texans a couple of drafts
ago that allowed the Texans to jump up to three
to draft Will Anderson junior, and then they took one
of CJ. Stroud's Ohio State teammates, and it was smart
Paris Johnson offensive lineman. This is what you should be

(02:06:12):
doing to help build your team when you're not necessarily
in need of a quarterback, and to add Will, to
add him to Will Hernandez I just thought of that
makes a good line. He's not gone for sure, but
it seems like allowing him to reach this point probably
indicates that he can be had.

Speaker 3 (02:06:28):
I'm not sure what kind of deal.

Speaker 4 (02:06:29):
It'll be a much more costly one and much lengthier
than a Kevin Zeitdler deal. And that's why I thought
Zeitler made a lot of sense. Yeah, you'd have the
same problem in a year if he's only here for
a year, But it also allows you to have a
good offensive lineman for the upcoming year, which should be
their only real concern. It'd be great to have long
term security, but you're also adding players that haven't played

(02:06:50):
here before. I haven't played for Nick Cayley before, I
haven't played for any this team in any way before.
I'm not saying don't lock into them long term. That
would be great, but having good play is really the
only concern in the length of the contract. For whatever
this player offers, you should not be My point is,
don't look away from a player who you're probably only
going to sign to a one or two year deal

(02:07:12):
because he's later in his career. If that's in fact
what they were doing with Zeitler. Again, I don't think
this is a lack of Texans interest. I think it
just was circumstances weren't going to play out for them,
not sure where else they're looking. I was aware of
Tomlinson's availability before the Texans yesterday reportedly agreed to a
deal with him about a five million dollar deal. He's
been a long time starter. It's a type of player

(02:07:32):
that makes sense. But I also wasn't quite near the
top of the list for pretty much anybody when you
were looking at into your play. He has been on
several teams. It will be his fifth team in the
last four years. Spent a long time in San Francisco,
the place he's played the longest. And if you're on
offense Demiko Ryans might not have full knowledge of what
you're doing, but he was there together for four years

(02:07:53):
and he was literally coaching against him as the DC
for one of those years. I guarantee you he knows
what Lake and Tom Wan and Sin is all about.
I guarantee you he knows what kind of person player
attitude he has, and clearly he's obviously a fit for
what Kaylee wants to do.

Speaker 3 (02:08:09):
What his role will be is undetermined. My best guess
is his role is very clear. He is starting.

Speaker 4 (02:08:15):
He will be on the field when the Texans hit
the field for their very first snap. And as I mentioned,
he's been on the field for the every game. He
started every game for seven years, even the year before
that missed only one opportunity to play. If that's true,
that's gonna be super helpful for a team this year.
Just in addition to playing subpar, nice way to put it,

(02:08:38):
they did also have injuries that forced them to make
some changes. Kenyan Green was benched for a series and
then Jared Patterson suffered a concussion, so Kenyan Green had
to go back out there. They made changes because of
poor performance. Moving on from there, Drew Scruggs had injury issues,
although he was out there most of the year. End
of the year, Shack Mason missed multiple weeks probably should
have missed one more in the final game of the year.

Speaker 3 (02:08:59):
It's gonna have.

Speaker 4 (02:09:00):
If you get full seventeen games played plus postseason from
all five year offensive lineman, it's pretty much a given
that you had an awesome offensive year.

Speaker 3 (02:09:08):
Because of that is true.

Speaker 4 (02:09:10):
That says everything in motion to be good, and with
this team, that would absolutely be the case.

Speaker 3 (02:09:15):
That's just one name.

Speaker 4 (02:09:16):
There's a probably four or five other guards that are
looking for teams that play at a level that's worthwhile
for the Texans to be interested. They're not going to
find I don't think an elite level guard. Maybe that's Jenkins,
maybe that's Makai Beckton. I don't think the Texans are
the team that's going to be offering the most money.

(02:09:36):
I'll give you one other wild card player that much
like Zeitler, has been in the league a long time,
but he's played pretty good football, not quite to his
level recently early in his career. One of the best
on the interior. Brandon Shurff should know him well. Been
in the division the last couple of years with Jacksonville,
a long career with Washington before that. Not sure again

(02:09:57):
how high on their list he might be, but I
do think that's somebody they absolutely because of moving on
from both of the players who played the majority of
their season at guards for Houston have been sent. Moving
on from both of them, the holes are there. Expecting
them to be filled later in free agency well or
only in the draft well is foolish and I don't

(02:10:20):
believe the Texans will do that. So even though I've
already built you a graphic that you've seen this afternoon
that shows you what they're projected starting lineup might be offensively,
it does also note as of March twelfth, I can't
tell you who's going to be playing on the Texans
offensive line this season when they're not even currently on
the team. I can tell you who's here that might
be out there, but I can't do more than that.

(02:10:41):
Quick note that I'm sure Dan will expand on as
you get into Rockets coverage. The Phoenix Suns had a
couple of players added to their injury list over the
course of the afternoon, and they're all going to miss
the game. None of them are named Devin Booker, none
of them are named Kevin Durant. But I'll have an
update for you on that as we get you into Rockets, Countdown, Rockets,
launch Pad, Rockets, basketball all coming your way tonight Again

(02:11:04):
Tomorrow afternoon, beginning at two, we will have Longhorns basketball
for you, Longhorns at Aggie's. We will fill in the
gap after that and get you into your evening astroline tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (02:11:14):
Night live at six o'clock.

Speaker 4 (02:11:16):
Great being with you as always right here on Sports
Talk seven ninety at Space City Home Network.

Speaker 1 (02:11:22):
The Age on Sports Talk seven ninety

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