August 12, 2025 • 38 mins
Colin looks at what NFL executives around the NFL said about Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels being a Tier 2 QB and why where young players land dictates their level of success. He points out “real” NFL life is about to set in for Brock Purdy as the 49ers are dealing with injuries throughout training camp as the start of the regular season approaches. Colin also talks to Nick Wright from First Things First about Caleb Williams not playing in the first preseason game and the message Bears head coach Ben Johnson is trying to send.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It is a Tuesday. Welcome in. There is a lot
going on. We are live.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
It is the.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Herd wherever you may be, however you may be watching,
or listening or downloading. Thanks for making us part of
your day. You know we're getting into injury reports now.
Jmac are very crucial for quarterbacks and perspective because people
are going crazy on stuff. I think we would both
(00:58):
agree the two best rookie quarterbacks because I remember John Elway,
but I don't remember a game by game. The two
best rookie quarterbacks I've ever seen here Andrew Luck who
won eleven games with a bad roster and didn't never
write coach, didn't never write GM, didn't never write O line,
didn't never write anything. And then Jayden Daniels last year
who you know ends up in the NFC Championship. I mean,
(01:22):
those guys looked just unbelievable. Bo Nicks was good. Jayden Daniels,
you know, there were times here like he's the third
fourth best quarterback in the league. So sometimes we lack perspective.
And yesterday Mike Sando, who will be joining us in
a couple hours, he came out with his annual survey
of fifty NFL executives. It's called Quarterback Tiers, And it
(01:47):
should be noted that Jade and Daniels, the rookie got
thirteen more Tsier one votes and the rest of his
division combined because Jalen Hurts got three and Deck got one.
But it is interesting. Here's where it's different from Andrew Luck.
Jayden Daniels got some breaks. Number one, he didn't go
to Chicago. They can't get quarterback right. Number two, he
(02:07):
didn't get a coach on the hot seat. Number three,
he didn't get the oldest and arguably strangest ownership group
in the NFL, the mccaskey's.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That stuff matters.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Instead, he goes to Washington and his looney owner got
flushed out at the end of that last season. So
he gets a new owner, new GM, new coach, new momentum,
new culture, with a very very mature number one wide receiver.
And he wasn't the number one pick. He was the
number two pick. And we always spend more time talking
(02:38):
about the number one pick. So I'm not saying he
landed in Kansas City like with Andy Reid and Mahomes,
But ask yourself this. And I love Jayden Daniels, but
this is where Andrew Luck has n't beat. Think about
the winningest quarterbacks in the last several years in the NFL, Mahomes, Lamar,
Josh Allen, Jaden Hurts, Jordan Love. What do they have
(02:58):
in common? None of them entered the league in chaos.
Here's who did, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Justin Herbert, Trevor
Lawrence not so shockingly, they've had bumpier roads and more turbulence.
I mean a great example is Bo Nicks. Half the
GM's were not high on him. He gets Sean Payton
a good old line, he looks great. Caleb Williams everybody
(03:21):
kind of thought he was special, bad everything. Coach coordinators
a line he looks completely lost. So don't undervalue even
for somebody as good as Jaden Daniels. Don't undervalue how
many breaks he got. I mean the owner sharp, the
general manager Adam Peters, super sharp. Cliff Kingsbury may not
(03:47):
be a head coach, excellent coordinator. The O line PFF
had at ranked number ten, a mature receiver at number one,
and even if he wasn't mature, he's a number one
receiver and a very worle schedule.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Remember this.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Jayden Daniels only one time last year beat a playoff team,
and that was against Philadelphia when Jalen Hurts got hurt,
and most.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Of the game he faced Kenny Pickett.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So if you look at the quarterbacks he beat, it
was Daniel Jones twice, Kyler, Marie DeShawn Watson. In the
disaster in Cleveland, Andy Dalton, Caleb Williams, Will Levis, Jake Han,
Michael Penix, Trey Lance, and Kitty Pickett. He played Lamar
Baker and Jalen Hurts.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
He lost.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
He even lost to Russell Wilson, So two things can
be true. I think he's just tremendous player, but the
landing spot is really crucial. And what you think of
Washington is what a mess. They weren't a mess. They
had all new people. Remember before J Mack and I
argued about this. J Max said, how can you be
(04:49):
good with all that change? And I said, when all
the stuff you flushed out was awful and all the
new stuff is good, I am for change, and I
I've told you I thought he was going to look
like Lamar Jackson, not quite as nimble athletically, but much
better in the pocket.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
And that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
But do I think Jaden Daniels, if you put him
in Carolina would have been that? I do not where
you land really matters, so speaking of where you land,
So here's more bad news for the Niners, specifically a
wide receiver, Brandon Ayuk, who is their best deep threat
(05:30):
and the most talented wide receiver, is now reportedly going
to be back in a week six. So for the uninitiated,
those not paying attention, not playing fantasy football, let me
give you an update on the fairly important position for
a quarterback, the wide receiver unit for the Niners. Debo
Jayden Daniels has him now. Devo's gone, Brandon Ayuk can't
(05:55):
plan till week six. Juwan Jennings contract not happy, and
he's hurt. Ricky pearsall year two hit thirty one catches.
He's fine, he's not a one, he's probably a two ish.
And DeMarcus Robinson not a big volume guy. He may
be suspended to start the season. So basically, if Christian McCaffrey,
(06:19):
let's say, twists and ankle, the Great Rock Party will
have one of the weakest skill groups in the NFL.
And remember last year he was one in six against
playoff teams. But my take on this is, well, this
is real life in the NFL. This is not This
is not brock Perty's first twenty one games. People were healthy,
(06:42):
stacked roster, excellent defense, didn't have to win shootouts. He
was very good in his first twenty one starts, but
in his last fifteen starts it looks like this current
wide receiver group. He's six to nine, twenty touchdown, twelve
picks and a passer rating in the mid nineties. Why
(07:04):
his teammates are older, they're brittle. They brought in Robert
Sola to help the defense, but green Law defunger are gone,
and outside of Bosa, they don't have any real dominant
players up front. So he's got to win more shootouts
and he doesn't have any many great players. When he
came into the league his first year as rookie, four
all pros just on offense.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
This offense.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
If Christian McCaffrey twists and ankle is not good, it's
George Kittle and cross your fingers because Ricky Pearsol's not
a one. Juwan Jennings is not happy and hurt. DeMarcus
Robinson isn't the answer regardless of the question. Brandon Aiyuk
week six at the earliest, and Debo's gone. And in
(07:47):
my take is in those last fifteen stars.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I looked up this this morning.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
In eight games last season, when they asked Brock Purty,
bro you gotta throw at thirty plus times, he was
one in seven. So but that's the real life. It brought.
Perty's career reminds me a lot of des Bryant. Remember
when Dez came into the league thirteen and three rookie season,
best O line easily in the league. Zeke was arguably
(08:14):
the best running back and des Bryant was a bit
of a headache but was a touchdown machine. And then
by year two and three you needed Dak Prescott as
the O line. Aged Zeke aged Dez was gone, the
coaching was okay. Then you're like, we started all arguing
on what Dak was worth. And that's the stage I
(08:37):
believe we're going to be at by mid to late
October arguing about Brock. Perty we overvalued Dak and Brock early.
Then they struggled when deterioration age conflict. I mean San
Francisco once again been noisy in the offseason.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Green Bay quiet.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So here here's Kyle Shanahan acknowledging they have an issue
at wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
What do you do?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
This is a challenge. I meant, there's possibilities later, No
are guaranteed, but you know, and there's lots of things
that tied to that. Who's available, how much you're available
for and the situation our teams in salary cap wise
and stuff, and what we can't do. But yeah, we're
looking into everything. We'll always try to do the best,
but try not to just panic and do something to
survive a tough situation at the expense of what would
(09:27):
really hurt you later in this year and definitely next year.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
By the way, over the next several years, Brock now
makes more money, so you just can't go shopping you
know at Walmart, you're just not getting those Walmart prices, right,
So all this stuff matters. Jaden Daniels my theme to
start the show today. Jaden Daniels had way more support
than you think because the Washington brand was so beat up.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
You're like, what a circus.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
No, wasn't easy schedule backup quarterbacks, not as much pressure
as a number two pick. Only beat one playoff team,
way beat Burrow. Yeah, it was early. A lot of
people beat Joe Burrow early, right, So when he played
Jalen and Baker and Lamar and all of a sudden
you got to win shootouts and maybe a trail, and
(10:16):
the coaching staffs are better. It's a whole different ballgame.
And brock Purty was overvalued early. He's probably a little
undervalued now by the critics, myself being one of them.
But this what he's dealing with, the wide receiver. That's
the real NFL. And for years I've said this about quarterbacks.
One of the advantages brock perty had at Iowa State.
(10:37):
It got him ready and prepared him for the NFL,
which is bad. Old lines running for your life often
have the second best coach or second best roster That's
why a lot of these bam MC quarterbacks they don't
do great in the NFL. They never trail, they get
great protection. The receivers are always wide open. That's not
preparing you for the NFL. North Carolina State, Miami of
(10:58):
Ohio quarterback at those schools, cal that's Iowa State.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
That's preparing you for the NFL.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
So Nick Wright stops by in about fifty minutes, you
see Tom Brady's talking about Bill Belichick. I am so
fired up for Bill Belichick. I feel it's so much
Jmack like Deon at Colorado. So Deon brings in a
new energy and a bunch of transfers, like it's a
bad program that didn't have success recruiting, and So Carolina
(11:30):
brings in a bunch of transfers, totally new energy. Thought
Jordan Hudson's story, it's got some youth that's got Belichick.
But Dion made his hay in the NFL as a player.
Belichick made his hay in the NFL as a coach
on Sundays, and they both opened with TCU. Dion blew
them out. Belichick's an underdog. So is that TCU Carolina
(11:54):
is that labor day, weekend by day it is Oh,
it's Monday. I know what I'm leading with a Tuesday show.
Can't wait for it?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
All right?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Coming up next?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Uh? The Cleveland Browns released a depth chart kind of
wonky if you ask me.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern not a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app. Hi, this is Jay.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
I'm the producer of the Paula and Tony Fusco Show.
Usually in these promos they asked you to listen to
the show. I'm here to ask you please don't listen
to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who
have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to
the show so it can get camp.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
What the hell are you.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Doing our studio get him?
Speaker 7 (12:45):
Ignore that fool. Listen to the Pauline Tony Fusco Show
on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
He's still moving.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Nick right top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I just said, I think in Belichick, you'd think
they're totally different. Going to college, very similar, they bring
a new energy. Both made their hay in NFL Football
and they both open with TCU. Belichick's an underdog. Dion
beat TCU in the opener. I just went back and
looked at it very close. He was a shootout. But
(13:17):
my question is there I think I've always believed there are.
I always had Rex Ryan would have been a really
good college coach. He's kind of a good looking guy
with a huge personality. He would have been a great recruiter.
I think Rex Ryan would have been a big now now,
I thought he was a little sloppy and light on
the details as an NFL coach, but he did have
a pretty good run. Let's be honest with the Jets.
(13:38):
He had a pretty good run. And I know Rex
a little bit. He's a big person. I always thought
John Gruden would be an excellent college coach. He's got
just enough bs in the recruiting trail. John could recruit
Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carroll and Jim Harball were great college
coaches and pro coaches, right. But the reason is they
can recruit their personalities and their culture setters, their tone setters.
(14:03):
They're not as much they're walk around guys more than
just scheme guys. Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid, Sean Payton scheme guys.
I don't think they'd like recruiting. I think they're like
sitting in a room and figuring out plays. And I
don't think they'd be as successful in college. And I
love Sean Payton, Andy Reid and Shanahan. Shanahan would have
no interest with boosters, no interest with an athletic director.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And I don't think Kyle would want to recruit much.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
So that's my question with Belichick is that will his
brilliance be muted? And I like Elon Musk needs as
a genius, the freedom to be a genius. If you
put Elon Musk in a rigid corporate setting, he would
be the smartest guy at IBM and would go crazy.
(14:49):
Jeff Bezos at Amazon, he didn't even make He didn't
make a profit for the first twenty twenty one years.
He needed the freedom to explore the late architect Frank
Lloyd Wright. You don't want him b building DMV buildings,
right like sometimes the greater the intellect, they're mavericks. They're
risk takers because they have so much confidence in their ability.
And I think with Belichick, my question is if he's
(15:11):
smart enough, he's a brilliant guy, but like, how much
in a seventeen hour NCAA mandated work.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Week, how much can you teach?
Speaker 1 (15:22):
And Tom Brady was on Joel Clap's podcast and talked
about that very thing.
Speaker 7 (15:28):
What they're going to get is obviously the most prepared,
the most hard working coach that I'd ever been around.
If you go to that school, you will be prepared
to play at the next level. He's going to teach
you the right fundamentals, the right techniques, He's going to
have a high expectation for you, and you're going to
develop a lot.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That's what I know.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
He is so smart with how he approaches defensive schemes
and offensive schemes and how much can these young kids retain?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah, and also just tactically.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I mean, there have been NFL coaches that go to college,
and there's always been this perception that a college guy
can't go to the NFL. But Jim Harbaugh did and
had great success, and Jimmy Johnson didn't have success, and
Pete Carroll didn't had success, And it's usually because they
could really recruit, they have a I mean, Pete Carroll's
Jimmy john I've been around Jimmy a lot. They've got
(16:24):
an energy, hardball when he comes on my show for
an interview. The last couple of them as a charger guy,
huge energy. And I think the guys that are more
intellects the wrong word, but more like football academics like
Andy Reid will not do joint practices. He won't let
you even look at any of his stuff. He doesn't
want any team at his practice. And Belichick is a brilliant,
(16:49):
brilliant football coach. But man, I got six kids in
my life at nineteen years old, they make weird choices.
They can frustrate you, especially as you age.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
at noon Eastern non a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Here we go, it's hour two. It is a Tuesday.
It's great to be here today. I've said this before.
I've been very, very lucky. I've had really good management
around me for my entire life. For about a year
and a half two years in Tampa, I did not
It was a circus and that was the worst two
(17:32):
years of my career. So I've always and I probably
took it for granted in Vegas or Portland, but but
you know, at the ESPN, I had good radio bosses.
At Fox has been great, I heeart. So I've been very,
very fortunate. But when you get bad management, which I
had for about two years in Tampa where and I've
told the stories a couple of times, there's a couple
of them that are just absurd, you really notice and
(17:54):
really appreciate good bosses. And so I had very good
I had very good teachers in high school, up of
great college professors.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I've I've been lucky.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
I've had a lot of good mentors, uh surrogate like
almost dads in my life, my coaches, So that that's
a big part of it.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
And it's funny.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
So Netflix has this new show called America's Team and
Emmett Smith is saying, yeah, we've had a real drought
in Dallas, and he kind of lets Jerry Jones off
the hook.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Here's the bite.
Speaker 7 (18:28):
Jerry never called a patents Okay, he never ran the
ball and he d throw one right.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
So at some point players got to take a little
ownership of what they've been trained and what they've been
taught to do.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
We had to do it, I said, We went.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
Back to back some clothes and then we lost that
leader and we was in disarrayed.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
For for a year.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Okay, so I totally disagree if I said to you, here,
here's seven or eight teams that just losing franchises, the Jets,
the Raiders, Cleveland, Carolina, Chicago, and Washington with Dan Snyder.
What do they all have in common? Do they all
always have bad coaches? No? No, it's shaky ownership. I
(19:17):
mean the Bengals, it's almost impossible in the NFL to
have a top five quarterback and not make the playoffs.
The Bengals did that last year. It wasn't on Zach Taylor.
That's why I always support Zach Taylor. He's not Andy Reid,
he's not Jim Harball. I'm gonna support him. They have
the smallest scouting department they may still in the NFL,
So to me, it's I mean, think about this. The
(19:39):
Angels had Mike Trout and Shoheyo Tawani and could not
make the playoffs. That's because the baseball franchise up by
five called the Dodgers is much much better run. It's
not all about money, research and development, scouting. It's just
a better organization. So when Jerry Jones empowered two coaches,
Bill Parcell's early Jimmy Johnson early. They won super bowls.
(20:02):
I mean, think about this. In a passing league. The
Bengals had a quarterback that led the league in passing,
a receiver that led the league in receiving, an ed
rusher that led the league in sacks, and they missed
the playoffs. It's impossible when fourteen of thirty two teams
make the playoffs. So you know, again, you could say,
Zach Zach Taylor, Okay, go ahead, he got to a
(20:25):
super Bowl. He did something right, all right with that.
Nick Wright first things, first Weekdays at three. So I'm
in a weird space with Shader Sanders, so you know,
so it'd be very easy to be a troll and
marginalized me. But I liked him coming out of college.
(20:48):
Then I thought he was way too immature with legendary
and the speeding tickets unserious really bothered me. And then
I watched them Friday and I'm like, stop saying he's
not athletic enough. He is more athletic than all but
about ten guys. Neally he is fine, And so now
I'm stuck. I did not like, I'm really I like
(21:08):
the traits, but I said yesterday, if your traits aren't
mahomes Alan Lamar, then you better be good at the
other stuff, the other thirty thirty five percent. Years ago,
you said something very smart. You said the NBA, you
don't have to be a great defensive player because offense
is seventy percent of the league. You shouldn't be hardened
and be atrocious. Same thing here, traits are seventy percent
of the league, but you have to do some film study,
(21:31):
like it can't be like. So I am back and
forth on Shador, but I loved how he played Friday,
and then he told me crazy because he goes after
a local radio guy, and I'm like.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
We see, so I didn't.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
So here's the deal.
Speaker 8 (21:46):
I actually think you and I were in a similar
spot on Shador and the Browns have given us an out,
and then I'll get to the radio guy. Okay, So
I think you and I both before the draft said
there's a very real chance he's like. People were talking
about should or versus cam Ward at one and then
(22:07):
it moved to will the Giants take him in the
top five, and then it moved to should Pittsburgh trade
up to ten or eleven if he's there, And I
think you and I were two of the few people
that said he might be there for Pittsburgh if they
don't move at all, if they just stay where they
are in the twenties in round one that we thought
(22:30):
as a prospect. He was a late round one, round
two player, and so we weren't as high on him
as some.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
But I don't think any.
Speaker 8 (22:40):
Of us thought he was going to fall the way
he did, So there's that part of it. Then, I
don't think you or I loved him as a starting
quarterback his rookie year in the NFL, But when he
ends up on a team with the oldest quarterback in
the league in Joe Flacco, with Kenny Pickett, who is
(23:01):
not an NFL quarterback, and in fact, when you have
Mike Sando on in an hour, ask him about Kenny
Pickett maybe being the first player in the history of
his tiers to be in his own tier. Tier five,
this year for Sando was just Kenny Pickett. It's the
saddest thing I've ever seen. He has no friends, he
has no roommates, he has nothing. He's out there all
(23:22):
by himself. And then Dylan Gabriel, who you know, looks
eye to eye with Kyler Murray literally. Then all of
a sudden, it's like, well, Shador might be a good
option in this specific quarterback room because Blasto is not
playing all seventeen.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Picket's not a starter.
Speaker 8 (23:43):
And you watch as much college football as anybody.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Nobody watched Oregon last.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Year and was like, that kid, that's a franchise NFL quarterback.
So you then add to it that, I think Shador
played quite well under somewhat adverse circumstances in Week one
of the pre and you have the recipe for a
fifth round pick starting the season as the backup quarterback
for the quarterback most likely to be benched of anyone
(24:10):
in the league. So that part of it, I don't
think that's in conflict with your previous opinions. There's twenty
eight teams in the league where Shador would not be
in a quarterback battle.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
He's on one of the three or four where.
Speaker 8 (24:25):
He is and where he might end up moving up
enough to.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
Where he's the eventual starter.
Speaker 8 (24:31):
There's that now, the Tony Grosie thing. Colin, listen, I
know it has been years since you.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Had to go in locker rooms.
Speaker 8 (24:42):
And it's been sometime since I went in locker rooms,
but we know.
Speaker 5 (24:47):
That is not uncommon.
Speaker 8 (24:49):
The athlete going up to the loudmouth radio guy and
being like, Hey, what I.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Do to you?
Speaker 8 (24:57):
I remember twelve years ago, I don't know, I guess
fifteen years ago being in the Chiefs locker room and
Matt Castle saying to anyone who would listen in my vicinity, Hey,
does anybody like this guy? He sure seems to talk
a lot of s to everyone, doesn't he like? That's
(25:18):
pretty common? And so and I all, let me add
one other thing about the end of that. And this
is just a reality of life. Never underestimate the power
of charisma or a great smile like that Tony Grossy
Schadoor interaction reads not great, but when you watch it
(25:40):
and Shador hits you with the five thousand watts smile
and the laugh at the end, it seems like it's okay.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
So I had no problem with that.
Speaker 8 (25:49):
The walk in with the boombox and the staff I
maybe could have done without. But I also did just
turn forty, so I'm becoming a curmudgeonly old man like you.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
But I thought he played well.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah, he was fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
So I said, almost everybody played this weekend, Mahomes, Burrow, Tua,
everybody but Tom Brady played this weekend, and Caleb Williams didn't.
And my take was standalone Bear's Dolphins. Ben Johnson's like,
you know, He's It's like when tech companies come out
(26:26):
with a new product and they say, you know what,
we're gonna delay it. It's going to be revolutionary, but
you just want to tighten it up. It means the
engineering staff's a little behind. My take is Caleb is
creating a little bit of drama where it's like, listen,
do we want another nine days or seven days getting crushed?
Speaker 3 (26:44):
He's not quite there.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
We're asking him to do stuff under center, and it
was strategic in not playing him, not that he got
a bunch of good snaps against the Dolphins.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
What's your take on that?
Speaker 8 (26:57):
I think you have gone swung the pingumile a little
too far on the Caleb stuff. If I'm being honest,
I think you have the are a little too pessimistic
at this point. After admittedly, you and I were both
probably a little too optimistic last year. But I listen,
I would if I were running an NFL team, I
(27:17):
would simply say, hey, what does Andy Reid do in
preseason and training camp?
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Y'all?
Speaker 8 (27:23):
I'll do that because the Chiefs start every year off
sharp and ready, and he plays his guys and Mahomes
is out their first preseason game and they have tough practices,
but the second best in my opinion, coach in football,
Sean McVay, does the opposite. So there clearly isn't just
one way to go about it. I would be more
(27:44):
critical of this if it weren't for the fact it
also should be noted the entirety of the Bears starting
offensive line SAT. They're starting running back, tight end, and
their top three wide receivers SAT. So of course Caleb
is going to sit now. He does need to play
probably more snaps now in Week two than they otherwise
(28:05):
would have. And is this Ben Johnson protecting Caleb? Is
this Ben Johnson protecting himself? Is this Ben Johnson simply saying, Yeah,
we're not exactly where I want us to be yet,
but I think there's no harm in waiting an extra week.
I'll tell you this, much like everybody loves Drake May.
Even though you can't find the stat the number the
(28:28):
game where Drake May was better than Caleb. Last year,
Drake May got five through five passes in Week one.
One of them was backwards over his head to the
other team. Nobody cares, and so like, is it good
or bad that Caleb didn't have that moment. I'm not sure,
but I think I am. I do think it will
be a little rocky early as this transition takes place.
(28:52):
But I think by the by Thanksgiving, Colin Caleb, I believe,
is going to look like the player that you and
I both believe.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Et would be.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Well, I hope so. So the quarterback Mike Sando's on
in an hour and it's I love it. It's an
annual survey. I said yesterday, I woke up and I
saw it and it was like, oh, it was like
Christmas present in August.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
It's great. I love it.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Did you have anything anything in the tiers? Could you
do your own tiers? Anything that jumped out to you
as a revelation or I thought bo Nix was a
little low. I thought Aaron was a little high at
this point. I think if you asked GMS, who would
you take today, Aaron or bow Nicks, they would take
Bo Nicks for a lot of reasons. One he's just
in his athletic prime. But it didn't bother me. But
(29:35):
it was there anything here that jumped out to you?
Speaker 8 (29:39):
Well, first of all, just because you opened the door there.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I heard you tease.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
In the previous segment that there's going to be an
adjustment tomorrow, is it?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
Yes to your preseason prediction.
Speaker 8 (29:50):
Yes, And then you revealed that a charger injury were
Sewn Slater. And so when I was like, and at
first I was like, Okay, good Colin, who had every
single defending division champion repeating except for the Chiefs, is
now going to use the Rashawn Slater injury as a
(30:10):
reason to elevate the Chiefs. Why do I have a
terrible sinking feeling that somehow the Rashawn Slater injury is
going to lead to bow Nicks and your beloved Sean
Baton going from third to first in the AFC West.
Somehow Rashawn Slater gets hurt and the Broncos go to
(30:31):
first place.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
I saw that trade storming down the tracks.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
I was like, that's what's happening here, all right? So sorry,
no spoiler alert. I haven't seen the list, but I
know that's what's happening. I just know it all right.
Now to the list, I thought the list was really good.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
Now I am higher on.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
Stafford than most, but not in NFLGMS, in front office people,
because I think he's the fifth best quarterback in football. Well,
obviously the three or four people that had Josh Allen
or Lamar as tier two are just out of their
mind Like that, to me is not a viable opinion.
(31:12):
Unless people are arguing Maholmes is in a tier by himself,
which they should, but they're not. Then Alan and Lamar
have to be there with Burrow in tier one. I
know there was a lot of consternation about Jalen Hurts's ranking.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
I didn't listen. I would have.
Speaker 8 (31:29):
Jalen Hurts ahead of Justin Herbert. I would rather have
Jalen Hurts than Jared Goff. But aside from that, like
I don't have a problem with Jalen Hurts being high
tier two, I also think it should be noted people
are awful quiet these days. You know, we don't hear
from so much anymore these days. Colin, the brock Purdy truthers,
(31:52):
they were chirping at you and me for quite a while,
and now he's hanging on for dear life in Tier two,
about to drop to Tier three when this thing comes out.
Speaker 5 (32:01):
Next year, and you have from as much anymore.
Speaker 8 (32:03):
I thought this quarterback tiers was I thought they were
really well done.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
As they typically are.
Speaker 8 (32:10):
I think Josh Allen's the second best quarterback in football.
But you know, forty seven people voted him tier one,
fifty voted Joe Burrow. It's such a small margin.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
I don't really have a problem with it.
Speaker 8 (32:22):
I think this is a pretty fair reading of the league.
I agreed with you. I think Aaron was a touch high.
I also thought Kyler I thought fit the top of
Tier three are two quarterbacks that I just don't really
believe it in Kyler and Aaron, so I wouldn't have
them quite as high. I think Gino's a little disrespected.
And listen, I understand nobody's ready for Mac Jones two
(32:45):
point zero bo Nicks to take the league by storm.
I'm very excited to see it.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, you know, by the way, the Brock pretty thing,
and this is gonna really bother Jmac. But I said
when dak As a fourth rounder came in and the
Cowboys had Zeke, who was the best back in the league,
the best offensive line, in offensive coach. The division was
kind of wonky, and they could spend money because they're
paying Dak. Yeah, there were three and then the more
(33:12):
they relied on him. Well, if you go to brock
Perty's first year as a full time starter, he had
four Pro Bowlers on offense. Now, their receiving corps in
this camp is a mess. And in his last fifteen games,
as the team got old, Brittle is losing defensive players,
meaning they're in more shootouts. Do you know what brock
Purty is in his last fifteen games, He's six and
(33:32):
nine and they just paid him. So my take is
what brock Purty is going through, not only the last
fifteen games, but in this camp where all his receivers
are gone or Hurd is that's the real NFL, not
of Das rookie year or brock first two years.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Of course, And by the way, listen, some of these
the brock Purty folks are not going to be reasoned with.
And I've said this before, but I will say it again.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
This is a essentially a.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Six year long how do you view football war that
started with Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy Garoppolo won, but objectively was
not that good. And some people were like, Nope, he's
a winner, he's got it. And there were those of
us who were like, I actually think with that coaching
(34:24):
and that talent and that scheme, you could throw almost
anyone in there and they would be successful. And those
folks were like, no, you can't. And by the way,
how would you ever prove that? And then they put
in literally the last player picked in the draft and
added Christian McCaffery, and instead of those folks being like, oh, yeah,
(34:45):
the talent and the scheme of the coaching, they're like, nope,
that guy's a superstar. And then those of us were like, no,
he has this amazing team around him, and they said, well,
how do you know he wouldn't do it if he
didn't have that team around him.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
And then last year he didn't have it around.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
Him, they won six games, and they're like, no, proc
party's still great. Like he's fine, he's over a Chiefs
draft status.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
I'm happy for him and his family. He got paid.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
But anybody that watches the NFL and thinks he is
a force multiplier or he is a substantially. You know
that he is unfairly ranked and the fourteen fifteen, sixteen range.
There's just they're not going to they are not open
to the evidence that keeps pouring in year after year
(35:30):
or game after game.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I will give you credit though, the fact that you
are able to sniff out bonnets go on.
Speaker 5 (35:38):
I know it.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Of course, I was shocked when I saw you didn't
have the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
I'm like, that's listen. I know. I know Uncle Colin
really well.
Speaker 8 (35:49):
And one of the things I know is around this
time of year, he loves he loves he loves him some.
Sean Payton loves him some.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Ah.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
You know, how impressive is it really to go to
seven straight conference title games and win three and go
to three straight Super Bowls?
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Like when we see that all the time?
Speaker 8 (36:10):
And now do I wish you had this type of
energy for JP Losman and the Bills circa two thousand
and nine? Sure I do, But listen, everybody, everybody can't
be the twenty twenty four Denver Broncos who went zero
to seven against AFC playoff teams. But now they're a
(36:31):
real threat because have you seen Courtland Sutton. I mean,
it's the silliest thing I've ever heard, but I'm glad
you're now going to join the chorus on it. And
I still please explain tomorrow how Rashaun Slater's injury moves
the Broncos up two spots and the Chiefs state where
they're at. I don't see it, but I'm sure you
(36:53):
will explain it.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I will.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
First things first, my buddy Nick Ryde his own good
seeing you see you going ye two major moves tomorrow.
I do you know it's it's a couple of years
ago nobody was playing. I can remember the year that
Kenny Pickett came out. That was the only real August
topic because Sean McVay decided, when he broke into this league,
(37:16):
I'm not playing starters.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
In the preseason. Everybody criticized him.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
He went eight to no to start the season, and
so a lot of people scaled back, and the NFL
realizes joint practice is probably better for health than games. AnyWho,
this year, everything's cyclical in sports. Everybody's shooting nothing but threes.
Everybody wants this. And then Oklahoma City, you know, has
a great two shooter and cheded Holmgren's doing twos and
(37:42):
SGA is doing twos, and all of a sudden you
look up and you're like, oh, they're the NBA champs
by playing defense. So in the NFL now like everybody's
playing in the preseason. So everything in sports, I mean,
the political media overreacts to everything. In in sports, we
overreact to some. But the truth is in sports everything
(38:02):
comes around everything, like three point shot. You got to
take seventy three point shots. And then you start watching
the Celtics and you're like, the downside of shooting all
those three point shots is you have bad nights shooting
three point shots. You really don't with mid range. Those
Michael Jordan's teams mid range, you kind of got the
same team every night. And and you say, well, what
(38:24):
about the Warriors where they had Kadi Clan Steph the
three best three point shooters in the league arguably on
the same team.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
That was different.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
But I just look at the preseason this year and
it's been fun. I'm watching starting quarterbacks. I'm watching starting players,
and I don't want my quarterbacks to get hurt. I
don't believe in preseason I would eliminate it. I don't
think you need it. College football doesn't have it, but
it's been a good watch.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to
noone Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It is a Tuesday. Welcome in. There is a lot
going on. We are live.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
It is the.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Herd wherever you may be, however you may be watching,
or listening or downloading. Thanks for making us part of
your day. You know we're getting into injury reports now.
Jmac are very crucial for quarterbacks and perspective because people
are going crazy on stuff. I think we would both
(00:58):
agree the two best rookie quarterbacks because I remember John Elway,
but I don't remember a game by game. The two
best rookie quarterbacks I've ever seen here Andrew Luck who
won eleven games with a bad roster and didn't never
write coach, didn't never write GM, didn't never write O line,
didn't never write anything. And then Jayden Daniels last year
who you know ends up in the NFC Championship. I mean,
(01:22):
those guys looked just unbelievable. Bo Nicks was good. Jayden Daniels,
you know, there were times here like he's the third
fourth best quarterback in the league. So sometimes we lack perspective.
And yesterday Mike Sando, who will be joining us in
a couple hours, he came out with his annual survey
of fifty NFL executives. It's called Quarterback Tiers, And it
(01:47):
should be noted that Jade and Daniels, the rookie got
thirteen more Tsier one votes and the rest of his
division combined because Jalen Hurts got three and Deck got one.
But it is interesting. Here's where it's different from Andrew Luck.
Jayden Daniels got some breaks. Number one, he didn't go
to Chicago. They can't get quarterback right. Number two, he
(02:07):
didn't get a coach on the hot seat. Number three,
he didn't get the oldest and arguably strangest ownership group
in the NFL, the mccaskey's.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That stuff matters.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Instead, he goes to Washington and his looney owner got
flushed out at the end of that last season. So
he gets a new owner, new GM, new coach, new momentum,
new culture, with a very very mature number one wide receiver.
And he wasn't the number one pick. He was the
number two pick. And we always spend more time talking
(02:38):
about the number one pick. So I'm not saying he
landed in Kansas City like with Andy Reid and Mahomes,
But ask yourself this. And I love Jayden Daniels, but
this is where Andrew Luck has n't beat. Think about
the winningest quarterbacks in the last several years in the NFL, Mahomes, Lamar,
Josh Allen, Jaden Hurts, Jordan Love. What do they have
(02:58):
in common? None of them entered the league in chaos.
Here's who did, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Justin Herbert, Trevor
Lawrence not so shockingly, they've had bumpier roads and more turbulence.
I mean a great example is Bo Nicks. Half the
GM's were not high on him. He gets Sean Payton
a good old line, he looks great. Caleb Williams everybody
(03:21):
kind of thought he was special, bad everything. Coach coordinators
a line he looks completely lost. So don't undervalue even
for somebody as good as Jaden Daniels. Don't undervalue how
many breaks he got. I mean the owner sharp, the
general manager Adam Peters, super sharp. Cliff Kingsbury may not
(03:47):
be a head coach, excellent coordinator. The O line PFF
had at ranked number ten, a mature receiver at number one,
and even if he wasn't mature, he's a number one
receiver and a very worle schedule.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Remember this.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Jayden Daniels only one time last year beat a playoff team,
and that was against Philadelphia when Jalen Hurts got hurt,
and most.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Of the game he faced Kenny Pickett.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So if you look at the quarterbacks he beat, it
was Daniel Jones twice, Kyler, Marie DeShawn Watson. In the
disaster in Cleveland, Andy Dalton, Caleb Williams, Will Levis, Jake Han,
Michael Penix, Trey Lance, and Kitty Pickett. He played Lamar
Baker and Jalen Hurts.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
He lost.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
He even lost to Russell Wilson, So two things can
be true. I think he's just tremendous player, but the
landing spot is really crucial. And what you think of
Washington is what a mess. They weren't a mess. They
had all new people. Remember before J Mack and I
argued about this. J Max said, how can you be
(04:49):
good with all that change? And I said, when all
the stuff you flushed out was awful and all the
new stuff is good, I am for change, and I
I've told you I thought he was going to look
like Lamar Jackson, not quite as nimble athletically, but much
better in the pocket.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
And that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
But do I think Jaden Daniels, if you put him
in Carolina would have been that? I do not where
you land really matters, so speaking of where you land,
So here's more bad news for the Niners, specifically a
wide receiver, Brandon Ayuk, who is their best deep threat
(05:30):
and the most talented wide receiver, is now reportedly going
to be back in a week six. So for the uninitiated,
those not paying attention, not playing fantasy football, let me
give you an update on the fairly important position for
a quarterback, the wide receiver unit for the Niners. Debo
Jayden Daniels has him now. Devo's gone, Brandon Ayuk can't
(05:55):
plan till week six. Juwan Jennings contract not happy, and
he's hurt. Ricky pearsall year two hit thirty one catches.
He's fine, he's not a one, he's probably a two ish.
And DeMarcus Robinson not a big volume guy. He may
be suspended to start the season. So basically, if Christian McCaffrey,
(06:19):
let's say, twists and ankle, the Great Rock Party will
have one of the weakest skill groups in the NFL.
And remember last year he was one in six against
playoff teams. But my take on this is, well, this
is real life in the NFL. This is not This
is not brock Perty's first twenty one games. People were healthy,
(06:42):
stacked roster, excellent defense, didn't have to win shootouts. He
was very good in his first twenty one starts, but
in his last fifteen starts it looks like this current
wide receiver group. He's six to nine, twenty touchdown, twelve
picks and a passer rating in the mid nineties. Why
(07:04):
his teammates are older, they're brittle. They brought in Robert
Sola to help the defense, but green Law defunger are gone,
and outside of Bosa, they don't have any real dominant
players up front. So he's got to win more shootouts
and he doesn't have any many great players. When he
came into the league his first year as rookie, four
all pros just on offense.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
This offense.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
If Christian McCaffrey twists and ankle is not good, it's
George Kittle and cross your fingers because Ricky Pearsol's not
a one. Juwan Jennings is not happy and hurt. DeMarcus
Robinson isn't the answer regardless of the question. Brandon Aiyuk
week six at the earliest, and Debo's gone. And in
(07:47):
my take is in those last fifteen stars.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I looked up this this morning.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
In eight games last season, when they asked Brock Purty,
bro you gotta throw at thirty plus times, he was
one in seven. So but that's the real life. It brought.
Perty's career reminds me a lot of des Bryant. Remember
when Dez came into the league thirteen and three rookie season,
best O line easily in the league. Zeke was arguably
(08:14):
the best running back and des Bryant was a bit
of a headache but was a touchdown machine. And then
by year two and three you needed Dak Prescott as
the O line. Aged Zeke aged Dez was gone, the
coaching was okay. Then you're like, we started all arguing
on what Dak was worth. And that's the stage I
(08:37):
believe we're going to be at by mid to late
October arguing about Brock. Perty we overvalued Dak and Brock early.
Then they struggled when deterioration age conflict. I mean San
Francisco once again been noisy in the offseason.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Green Bay quiet.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So here here's Kyle Shanahan acknowledging they have an issue
at wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
What do you do?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
This is a challenge. I meant, there's possibilities later, No
are guaranteed, but you know, and there's lots of things
that tied to that. Who's available, how much you're available
for and the situation our teams in salary cap wise
and stuff, and what we can't do. But yeah, we're
looking into everything. We'll always try to do the best,
but try not to just panic and do something to
survive a tough situation at the expense of what would
(09:27):
really hurt you later in this year and definitely next year.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
By the way, over the next several years, Brock now
makes more money, so you just can't go shopping you
know at Walmart, you're just not getting those Walmart prices, right,
So all this stuff matters. Jaden Daniels my theme to
start the show today. Jaden Daniels had way more support
than you think because the Washington brand was so beat up.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
You're like, what a circus.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
No, wasn't easy schedule backup quarterbacks, not as much pressure
as a number two pick. Only beat one playoff team,
way beat Burrow. Yeah, it was early. A lot of
people beat Joe Burrow early, right, So when he played
Jalen and Baker and Lamar and all of a sudden
you got to win shootouts and maybe a trail, and
(10:16):
the coaching staffs are better. It's a whole different ballgame.
And brock Purty was overvalued early. He's probably a little
undervalued now by the critics, myself being one of them.
But this what he's dealing with, the wide receiver. That's
the real NFL. And for years I've said this about quarterbacks.
One of the advantages brock perty had at Iowa State.
(10:37):
It got him ready and prepared him for the NFL,
which is bad. Old lines running for your life often
have the second best coach or second best roster That's
why a lot of these bam MC quarterbacks they don't
do great in the NFL. They never trail, they get
great protection. The receivers are always wide open. That's not
preparing you for the NFL. North Carolina State, Miami of
(10:58):
Ohio quarterback at those schools, cal that's Iowa State.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
That's preparing you for the NFL.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
So Nick Wright stops by in about fifty minutes, you
see Tom Brady's talking about Bill Belichick. I am so
fired up for Bill Belichick. I feel it's so much
Jmack like Deon at Colorado. So Deon brings in a
new energy and a bunch of transfers, like it's a
bad program that didn't have success recruiting, and So Carolina
(11:30):
brings in a bunch of transfers, totally new energy. Thought
Jordan Hudson's story, it's got some youth that's got Belichick.
But Dion made his hay in the NFL as a player.
Belichick made his hay in the NFL as a coach
on Sundays, and they both opened with TCU. Dion blew
them out. Belichick's an underdog. So is that TCU Carolina
(11:54):
is that labor day, weekend by day it is Oh,
it's Monday. I know what I'm leading with a Tuesday show.
Can't wait for it?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
All right?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Coming up next?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Uh? The Cleveland Browns released a depth chart kind of
wonky if you ask me.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern not a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app. Hi, this is Jay.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
I'm the producer of the Paula and Tony Fusco Show.
Usually in these promos they asked you to listen to
the show. I'm here to ask you please don't listen
to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who
have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to
the show so it can get camp.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
What the hell are you.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Doing our studio get him?
Speaker 7 (12:45):
Ignore that fool. Listen to the Pauline Tony Fusco Show
on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
He's still moving.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Nick right top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I just said, I think in Belichick, you'd think
they're totally different. Going to college, very similar, they bring
a new energy. Both made their hay in NFL Football
and they both open with TCU. Belichick's an underdog. Dion
beat TCU in the opener. I just went back and
looked at it very close. He was a shootout. But
(13:17):
my question is there I think I've always believed there are.
I always had Rex Ryan would have been a really
good college coach. He's kind of a good looking guy
with a huge personality. He would have been a great recruiter.
I think Rex Ryan would have been a big now now,
I thought he was a little sloppy and light on
the details as an NFL coach, but he did have
a pretty good run. Let's be honest with the Jets.
(13:38):
He had a pretty good run. And I know Rex
a little bit. He's a big person. I always thought
John Gruden would be an excellent college coach. He's got
just enough bs in the recruiting trail. John could recruit
Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carroll and Jim Harball were great college
coaches and pro coaches, right. But the reason is they
can recruit their personalities and their culture setters, their tone setters.
(14:03):
They're not as much they're walk around guys more than
just scheme guys. Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid, Sean Payton scheme guys.
I don't think they'd like recruiting. I think they're like
sitting in a room and figuring out plays. And I
don't think they'd be as successful in college. And I
love Sean Payton, Andy Reid and Shanahan. Shanahan would have
no interest with boosters, no interest with an athletic director.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And I don't think Kyle would want to recruit much.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
So that's my question with Belichick is that will his
brilliance be muted? And I like Elon Musk needs as
a genius, the freedom to be a genius. If you
put Elon Musk in a rigid corporate setting, he would
be the smartest guy at IBM and would go crazy.
(14:49):
Jeff Bezos at Amazon, he didn't even make He didn't
make a profit for the first twenty twenty one years.
He needed the freedom to explore the late architect Frank
Lloyd Wright. You don't want him b building DMV buildings,
right like sometimes the greater the intellect, they're mavericks. They're
risk takers because they have so much confidence in their ability.
And I think with Belichick, my question is if he's
(15:11):
smart enough, he's a brilliant guy, but like, how much
in a seventeen hour NCAA mandated work.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Week, how much can you teach?
Speaker 1 (15:22):
And Tom Brady was on Joel Clap's podcast and talked
about that very thing.
Speaker 7 (15:28):
What they're going to get is obviously the most prepared,
the most hard working coach that I'd ever been around.
If you go to that school, you will be prepared
to play at the next level. He's going to teach
you the right fundamentals, the right techniques, He's going to
have a high expectation for you, and you're going to
develop a lot.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That's what I know.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
He is so smart with how he approaches defensive schemes
and offensive schemes and how much can these young kids retain?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah, and also just tactically.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I mean, there have been NFL coaches that go to college,
and there's always been this perception that a college guy
can't go to the NFL. But Jim Harbaugh did and
had great success, and Jimmy Johnson didn't have success, and
Pete Carroll didn't had success, And it's usually because they
could really recruit, they have a I mean, Pete Carroll's
Jimmy john I've been around Jimmy a lot. They've got
(16:24):
an energy, hardball when he comes on my show for
an interview. The last couple of them as a charger guy,
huge energy. And I think the guys that are more
intellects the wrong word, but more like football academics like
Andy Reid will not do joint practices. He won't let
you even look at any of his stuff. He doesn't
want any team at his practice. And Belichick is a brilliant,
(16:49):
brilliant football coach. But man, I got six kids in
my life at nineteen years old, they make weird choices.
They can frustrate you, especially as you age.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
at noon Eastern non a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Here we go, it's hour two. It is a Tuesday.
It's great to be here today. I've said this before.
I've been very, very lucky. I've had really good management
around me for my entire life. For about a year
and a half two years in Tampa, I did not
It was a circus and that was the worst two
(17:32):
years of my career. So I've always and I probably
took it for granted in Vegas or Portland, but but
you know, at the ESPN, I had good radio bosses.
At Fox has been great, I heeart. So I've been very,
very fortunate. But when you get bad management, which I
had for about two years in Tampa where and I've
told the stories a couple of times, there's a couple
of them that are just absurd, you really notice and
(17:54):
really appreciate good bosses. And so I had very good
I had very good teachers in high school, up of
great college professors.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I've I've been lucky.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
I've had a lot of good mentors, uh surrogate like
almost dads in my life, my coaches, So that that's
a big part of it.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
And it's funny.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
So Netflix has this new show called America's Team and
Emmett Smith is saying, yeah, we've had a real drought
in Dallas, and he kind of lets Jerry Jones off
the hook.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Here's the bite.
Speaker 7 (18:28):
Jerry never called a patents Okay, he never ran the
ball and he d throw one right.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
So at some point players got to take a little
ownership of what they've been trained and what they've been
taught to do.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
We had to do it, I said, We went.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
Back to back some clothes and then we lost that
leader and we was in disarrayed.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
For for a year.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Okay, so I totally disagree if I said to you, here,
here's seven or eight teams that just losing franchises, the Jets,
the Raiders, Cleveland, Carolina, Chicago, and Washington with Dan Snyder.
What do they all have in common? Do they all
always have bad coaches? No? No, it's shaky ownership. I
(19:17):
mean the Bengals, it's almost impossible in the NFL to
have a top five quarterback and not make the playoffs.
The Bengals did that last year. It wasn't on Zach Taylor.
That's why I always support Zach Taylor. He's not Andy Reid,
he's not Jim Harball. I'm gonna support him. They have
the smallest scouting department they may still in the NFL,
So to me, it's I mean, think about this. The
(19:39):
Angels had Mike Trout and Shoheyo Tawani and could not
make the playoffs. That's because the baseball franchise up by
five called the Dodgers is much much better run. It's
not all about money, research and development, scouting. It's just
a better organization. So when Jerry Jones empowered two coaches,
Bill Parcell's early Jimmy Johnson early. They won super bowls.
(20:02):
I mean, think about this. In a passing league. The
Bengals had a quarterback that led the league in passing,
a receiver that led the league in receiving, an ed
rusher that led the league in sacks, and they missed
the playoffs. It's impossible when fourteen of thirty two teams
make the playoffs. So you know, again, you could say,
Zach Zach Taylor, Okay, go ahead, he got to a
(20:25):
super Bowl. He did something right, all right with that.
Nick Wright first things, first Weekdays at three. So I'm
in a weird space with Shader Sanders, so you know,
so it'd be very easy to be a troll and
marginalized me. But I liked him coming out of college.
(20:48):
Then I thought he was way too immature with legendary
and the speeding tickets unserious really bothered me. And then
I watched them Friday and I'm like, stop saying he's
not athletic enough. He is more athletic than all but
about ten guys. Neally he is fine, And so now
I'm stuck. I did not like, I'm really I like
(21:08):
the traits, but I said yesterday, if your traits aren't
mahomes Alan Lamar, then you better be good at the
other stuff, the other thirty thirty five percent. Years ago,
you said something very smart. You said the NBA, you
don't have to be a great defensive player because offense
is seventy percent of the league. You shouldn't be hardened
and be atrocious. Same thing here, traits are seventy percent
of the league, but you have to do some film study,
(21:31):
like it can't be like. So I am back and
forth on Shador, but I loved how he played Friday,
and then he told me crazy because he goes after
a local radio guy, and I'm like.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
We see, so I didn't.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
So here's the deal.
Speaker 8 (21:46):
I actually think you and I were in a similar
spot on Shador and the Browns have given us an out,
and then I'll get to the radio guy. Okay, So
I think you and I both before the draft said
there's a very real chance he's like. People were talking
about should or versus cam Ward at one and then
(22:07):
it moved to will the Giants take him in the
top five, and then it moved to should Pittsburgh trade
up to ten or eleven if he's there, And I
think you and I were two of the few people
that said he might be there for Pittsburgh if they
don't move at all, if they just stay where they
are in the twenties in round one that we thought
(22:30):
as a prospect. He was a late round one, round
two player, and so we weren't as high on him
as some.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
But I don't think any.
Speaker 8 (22:40):
Of us thought he was going to fall the way
he did, So there's that part of it. Then, I
don't think you or I loved him as a starting
quarterback his rookie year in the NFL, But when he
ends up on a team with the oldest quarterback in
the league in Joe Flacco, with Kenny Pickett, who is
(23:01):
not an NFL quarterback, and in fact, when you have
Mike Sando on in an hour, ask him about Kenny
Pickett maybe being the first player in the history of
his tiers to be in his own tier. Tier five,
this year for Sando was just Kenny Pickett. It's the
saddest thing I've ever seen. He has no friends, he
has no roommates, he has nothing. He's out there all
(23:22):
by himself. And then Dylan Gabriel, who you know, looks
eye to eye with Kyler Murray literally. Then all of
a sudden, it's like, well, Shador might be a good
option in this specific quarterback room because Blasto is not
playing all seventeen.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Picket's not a starter.
Speaker 8 (23:43):
And you watch as much college football as anybody.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Nobody watched Oregon last.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Year and was like, that kid, that's a franchise NFL quarterback.
So you then add to it that, I think Shador
played quite well under somewhat adverse circumstances in Week one
of the pre and you have the recipe for a
fifth round pick starting the season as the backup quarterback
for the quarterback most likely to be benched of anyone
(24:10):
in the league. So that part of it, I don't
think that's in conflict with your previous opinions. There's twenty
eight teams in the league where Shador would not be
in a quarterback battle.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
He's on one of the three or four where.
Speaker 8 (24:25):
He is and where he might end up moving up
enough to.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
Where he's the eventual starter.
Speaker 8 (24:31):
There's that now, the Tony Grosie thing. Colin, listen, I
know it has been years since you.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Had to go in locker rooms.
Speaker 8 (24:42):
And it's been sometime since I went in locker rooms,
but we know.
Speaker 5 (24:47):
That is not uncommon.
Speaker 8 (24:49):
The athlete going up to the loudmouth radio guy and
being like, Hey, what I.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Do to you?
Speaker 8 (24:57):
I remember twelve years ago, I don't know, I guess
fifteen years ago being in the Chiefs locker room and
Matt Castle saying to anyone who would listen in my vicinity, Hey,
does anybody like this guy? He sure seems to talk
a lot of s to everyone, doesn't he like? That's
(25:18):
pretty common? And so and I all, let me add
one other thing about the end of that. And this
is just a reality of life. Never underestimate the power
of charisma or a great smile like that Tony Grossy
Schadoor interaction reads not great, but when you watch it
(25:40):
and Shador hits you with the five thousand watts smile
and the laugh at the end, it seems like it's okay.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
So I had no problem with that.
Speaker 8 (25:49):
The walk in with the boombox and the staff I
maybe could have done without. But I also did just
turn forty, so I'm becoming a curmudgeonly old man like you.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
But I thought he played well.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah, he was fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
So I said, almost everybody played this weekend, Mahomes, Burrow, Tua,
everybody but Tom Brady played this weekend, and Caleb Williams didn't.
And my take was standalone Bear's Dolphins. Ben Johnson's like,
you know, He's It's like when tech companies come out
(26:26):
with a new product and they say, you know what,
we're gonna delay it. It's going to be revolutionary, but
you just want to tighten it up. It means the
engineering staff's a little behind. My take is Caleb is
creating a little bit of drama where it's like, listen,
do we want another nine days or seven days getting crushed?
Speaker 3 (26:44):
He's not quite there.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
We're asking him to do stuff under center, and it
was strategic in not playing him, not that he got
a bunch of good snaps against the Dolphins.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
What's your take on that?
Speaker 8 (26:57):
I think you have gone swung the pingumile a little
too far on the Caleb stuff. If I'm being honest,
I think you have the are a little too pessimistic
at this point. After admittedly, you and I were both
probably a little too optimistic last year. But I listen,
I would if I were running an NFL team, I
(27:17):
would simply say, hey, what does Andy Reid do in
preseason and training camp?
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Y'all?
Speaker 8 (27:23):
I'll do that because the Chiefs start every year off
sharp and ready, and he plays his guys and Mahomes
is out their first preseason game and they have tough practices,
but the second best in my opinion, coach in football,
Sean McVay, does the opposite. So there clearly isn't just
one way to go about it. I would be more
(27:44):
critical of this if it weren't for the fact it
also should be noted the entirety of the Bears starting
offensive line SAT. They're starting running back, tight end, and
their top three wide receivers SAT. So of course Caleb
is going to sit now. He does need to play
probably more snaps now in Week two than they otherwise
(28:05):
would have. And is this Ben Johnson protecting Caleb? Is
this Ben Johnson protecting himself? Is this Ben Johnson simply saying, Yeah,
we're not exactly where I want us to be yet,
but I think there's no harm in waiting an extra week.
I'll tell you this, much like everybody loves Drake May.
Even though you can't find the stat the number the
(28:28):
game where Drake May was better than Caleb. Last year,
Drake May got five through five passes in Week one.
One of them was backwards over his head to the
other team. Nobody cares, and so like, is it good
or bad that Caleb didn't have that moment. I'm not sure,
but I think I am. I do think it will
be a little rocky early as this transition takes place.
(28:52):
But I think by the by Thanksgiving, Colin Caleb, I believe,
is going to look like the player that you and
I both believe.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Et would be.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Well, I hope so. So the quarterback Mike Sando's on
in an hour and it's I love it. It's an
annual survey. I said yesterday, I woke up and I
saw it and it was like, oh, it was like
Christmas present in August.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
It's great. I love it.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Did you have anything anything in the tiers? Could you
do your own tiers? Anything that jumped out to you
as a revelation or I thought bo Nix was a
little low. I thought Aaron was a little high at
this point. I think if you asked GMS, who would
you take today, Aaron or bow Nicks, they would take
Bo Nicks for a lot of reasons. One he's just
in his athletic prime. But it didn't bother me. But
(29:35):
it was there anything here that jumped out to you?
Speaker 8 (29:39):
Well, first of all, just because you opened the door there.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I heard you tease.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
In the previous segment that there's going to be an
adjustment tomorrow, is it?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
Yes to your preseason prediction.
Speaker 8 (29:50):
Yes, And then you revealed that a charger injury were
Sewn Slater. And so when I was like, and at
first I was like, Okay, good Colin, who had every
single defending division champion repeating except for the Chiefs, is
now going to use the Rashawn Slater injury as a
(30:10):
reason to elevate the Chiefs. Why do I have a
terrible sinking feeling that somehow the Rashawn Slater injury is
going to lead to bow Nicks and your beloved Sean
Baton going from third to first in the AFC West.
Somehow Rashawn Slater gets hurt and the Broncos go to
(30:31):
first place.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
I saw that trade storming down the tracks.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
I was like, that's what's happening here, all right? So sorry,
no spoiler alert. I haven't seen the list, but I
know that's what's happening. I just know it all right.
Now to the list, I thought the list was really good.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
Now I am higher on.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
Stafford than most, but not in NFLGMS, in front office people,
because I think he's the fifth best quarterback in football. Well,
obviously the three or four people that had Josh Allen
or Lamar as tier two are just out of their
mind Like that, to me is not a viable opinion.
(31:12):
Unless people are arguing Maholmes is in a tier by himself,
which they should, but they're not. Then Alan and Lamar
have to be there with Burrow in tier one. I
know there was a lot of consternation about Jalen Hurts's ranking.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
I didn't listen. I would have.
Speaker 8 (31:29):
Jalen Hurts ahead of Justin Herbert. I would rather have
Jalen Hurts than Jared Goff. But aside from that, like
I don't have a problem with Jalen Hurts being high
tier two, I also think it should be noted people
are awful quiet these days. You know, we don't hear
from so much anymore these days. Colin, the brock Purdy truthers,
(31:52):
they were chirping at you and me for quite a while,
and now he's hanging on for dear life in Tier two,
about to drop to Tier three when this thing comes out.
Speaker 5 (32:01):
Next year, and you have from as much anymore.
Speaker 8 (32:03):
I thought this quarterback tiers was I thought they were
really well done.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
As they typically are.
Speaker 8 (32:10):
I think Josh Allen's the second best quarterback in football.
But you know, forty seven people voted him tier one,
fifty voted Joe Burrow. It's such a small margin.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
I don't really have a problem with it.
Speaker 8 (32:22):
I think this is a pretty fair reading of the league.
I agreed with you. I think Aaron was a touch high.
I also thought Kyler I thought fit the top of
Tier three are two quarterbacks that I just don't really
believe it in Kyler and Aaron, so I wouldn't have
them quite as high. I think Gino's a little disrespected.
And listen, I understand nobody's ready for Mac Jones two
(32:45):
point zero bo Nicks to take the league by storm.
I'm very excited to see it.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, you know, by the way, the Brock pretty thing,
and this is gonna really bother Jmac. But I said
when dak As a fourth rounder came in and the
Cowboys had Zeke, who was the best back in the league,
the best offensive line, in offensive coach. The division was
kind of wonky, and they could spend money because they're
paying Dak. Yeah, there were three and then the more
(33:12):
they relied on him. Well, if you go to brock
Perty's first year as a full time starter, he had
four Pro Bowlers on offense. Now, their receiving corps in
this camp is a mess. And in his last fifteen games,
as the team got old, Brittle is losing defensive players,
meaning they're in more shootouts. Do you know what brock
Purty is in his last fifteen games, He's six and
(33:32):
nine and they just paid him. So my take is
what brock Purty is going through, not only the last
fifteen games, but in this camp where all his receivers
are gone or Hurd is that's the real NFL, not
of Das rookie year or brock first two years.
Speaker 8 (33:49):
Of course, And by the way, listen, some of these
the brock Purty folks are not going to be reasoned with.
And I've said this before, but I will say it again.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
This is a essentially a.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Six year long how do you view football war that
started with Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy Garoppolo won, but objectively was
not that good. And some people were like, Nope, he's
a winner, he's got it. And there were those of
us who were like, I actually think with that coaching
(34:24):
and that talent and that scheme, you could throw almost
anyone in there and they would be successful. And those
folks were like, no, you can't. And by the way,
how would you ever prove that? And then they put
in literally the last player picked in the draft and
added Christian McCaffery, and instead of those folks being like, oh, yeah,
(34:45):
the talent and the scheme of the coaching, they're like, nope,
that guy's a superstar. And then those of us were like, no,
he has this amazing team around him, and they said, well,
how do you know he wouldn't do it if he
didn't have that team around him.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
And then last year he didn't have it around.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
Him, they won six games, and they're like, no, proc
party's still great. Like he's fine, he's over a Chiefs
draft status.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
I'm happy for him and his family. He got paid.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
But anybody that watches the NFL and thinks he is
a force multiplier or he is a substantially. You know
that he is unfairly ranked and the fourteen fifteen, sixteen range.
There's just they're not going to they are not open
to the evidence that keeps pouring in year after year
(35:30):
or game after game.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I will give you credit though, the fact that you
are able to sniff out bonnets go on.
Speaker 5 (35:38):
I know it.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Of course, I was shocked when I saw you didn't
have the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
I'm like, that's listen. I know. I know Uncle Colin
really well.
Speaker 8 (35:49):
And one of the things I know is around this
time of year, he loves he loves he loves him some.
Sean Payton loves him some.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Ah.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
You know, how impressive is it really to go to
seven straight conference title games and win three and go
to three straight Super Bowls?
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Like when we see that all the time?
Speaker 8 (36:10):
And now do I wish you had this type of
energy for JP Losman and the Bills circa two thousand
and nine? Sure I do, But listen, everybody, everybody can't
be the twenty twenty four Denver Broncos who went zero
to seven against AFC playoff teams. But now they're a
(36:31):
real threat because have you seen Courtland Sutton. I mean,
it's the silliest thing I've ever heard, but I'm glad
you're now going to join the chorus on it. And
I still please explain tomorrow how Rashaun Slater's injury moves
the Broncos up two spots and the Chiefs state where
they're at. I don't see it, but I'm sure you
(36:53):
will explain it.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I will.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
First things first, my buddy Nick Ryde his own good
seeing you see you going ye two major moves tomorrow.
I do you know it's it's a couple of years
ago nobody was playing. I can remember the year that
Kenny Pickett came out. That was the only real August
topic because Sean McVay decided, when he broke into this league,
(37:16):
I'm not playing starters.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
In the preseason. Everybody criticized him.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
He went eight to no to start the season, and
so a lot of people scaled back, and the NFL
realizes joint practice is probably better for health than games. AnyWho,
this year, everything's cyclical in sports. Everybody's shooting nothing but threes.
Everybody wants this. And then Oklahoma City, you know, has
a great two shooter and cheded Holmgren's doing twos and
(37:42):
SGA is doing twos, and all of a sudden you
look up and you're like, oh, they're the NBA champs
by playing defense. So in the NFL now like everybody's
playing in the preseason. So everything in sports, I mean,
the political media overreacts to everything. In in sports, we
overreact to some. But the truth is in sports everything
(38:02):
comes around everything, like three point shot. You got to
take seventy three point shots. And then you start watching
the Celtics and you're like, the downside of shooting all
those three point shots is you have bad nights shooting
three point shots. You really don't with mid range. Those
Michael Jordan's teams mid range, you kind of got the
same team every night. And and you say, well, what
(38:24):
about the Warriors where they had Kadi Clan Steph the
three best three point shooters in the league arguably on
the same team.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
That was different.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
But I just look at the preseason this year and
it's been fun. I'm watching starting quarterbacks. I'm watching starting players,
and I don't want my quarterbacks to get hurt. I
don't believe in preseason I would eliminate it. I don't
think you need it. College football doesn't have it, but
it's been a good watch.
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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