March 16, 2024 • 47 mins
Colin believes Russell Wilson is making the right decision to sign with the Steelers and why Pittsburgh finally has someone who can elevate their sluggish offense
He tells you where he was right and where he was wrong
Colin has bad news for the Cowboys as they remained quiet to start the free agency period in the NFL and what our expectations should be for Dak Prescott next season
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon 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 (00:22):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
It is going to be a very, very busy Monday.
It already is as NFL free agency begins in earnest Wednesday.
But let's be honest. You can talk to teams now.
Feels getting done now, live in Los Angeles. It's the
Herd wherever you may be, and however you may be
listening or watching us. A lot of choices out there.
(00:49):
We appreciate it. One hour from now. Where Colin was right,
where Colin was wrong, there is plenty of both.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, we thought.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I thought the place for us Wilson to go is
where he didn't have to be a savior.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Did he just.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Slide into Pittsburgh and that anemic offense and give them
a shot? Do you think this morning, with it transpiring,
they feel like they're a bit more viable?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Is that they're viable to not finish in the basement
of the division.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Possibly sure Colin, So we start with that.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Some say they hurried the deal, Mark Rodgers and Russell
should have been patient. Listen, if there's a good fit,
grab it. Kirk Cousin's still out there. You don't know
what the Steelers are gonna do, but the Steelers were
doing offensively didn't work, and this is the one we
thought made the most sense. Russell Wilson now going to
Pittsburgh on a league minimum. If he's not a top
(01:43):
ten quarterback, he's definitely a top three bargain in the NFL.
Two super Bowls Denver didn't work. He was asked to
be the savior. They had to give out ball the
draft capital. They paid him a fortune, limiting what they
could get. But Russell Wilson isn't a savior here. He
will be an elevated piece at an important position. He
(02:05):
will increase efficiency. We've seen him with a strong defensive coach.
We've seen him with a run game before, We've seen
him with nice weapons. He got to super bowls. Mike
Tomlin is this CEO of this outfit. Russ is like
a new vice president and director of sales. He'll make
it more efficient and more productive. He'll bring in much
(02:27):
needed experience, a maturity, get things lined up, the train
back on the tracks. I mean, listen, the offensive bar
is so low in Pittsburgh that if he's slightly above average,
and I think he will be with these weapons, it'll
feel exceptional. I mean, the Steelers only had I'm not
making this up. The last two years, Pittsburgh has had
(02:50):
twenty five touchdown passes. Russell Wilson had twenty six by
himself this year in Denver, and it was a rocky start.
Kenny Pickett has a career thirteen touchdown passes. Russell's disaster
year in Denver, he had sixteen, the worst year of
his career. So the Steelers have not been viable offensively
(03:14):
for half a decade. Their best offense this is the
high mark. Their best offense in the last half decade
is twenty third. And this team keeps winning, not winning
super Bowls, but they keep winning.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
In ten games. Last year with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
If you're still defending Kenny Pickett, he was healthy at
the end of the year, and they're like, now we'll
go with a backup, and they were better with a backup.
But that's what Mason Rudolph is a very reliable, mature backup.
And that's a great job. You make a lot of
money doing that. Make seven figures, be part of the team.
Fifty some quarterbacks play now annually. Nothing wrong with that
(03:53):
gig at all.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It's a great gig.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Don't get beat up as much and you make a
lot of money. Now, is this Russell Wilson to the
Steelers It feel like Stafford to the Rams. No, because
we don't have Sean McVay here offensive jeans. Does it
feel like a Brady the Goat to the Bucks. No,
we don't have Bruce arians an offensive coach here. We
have a defensive coach and a defensive culture. But it's
(04:16):
an upgrade, and it's not an arguable upgrade. Again, they
went with their backup last year and the starter was healthy.
And if you don't think Russ is a top twelve quarterback,
that's fine. Maybe he's not. But he is a great bargain. Basically,
you get him for free. This is the opposite of Denver.
He doesn't have to be the savior. He's not expensive.
(04:38):
You didn't have to trade anything to get him. So
this remains, in my opinion, a top five or six
roster in the NFL. But the most important position is quarterback,
and they aren't very good. They're in their bottom of
the league. So you're not going to get any of this.
Let Russ cook campaign, You're not going to get any
any of this. He's saving the franchise. Nonsense. Go in,
(05:00):
get the train on the tracks. Add some mobility, some maturity,
some efficiency, some accuracy. Just make Pittsburgh a slightly above
average offense and it will feel like Stafford of the
Rams and Brady to the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We predicted it. This is the one we thought worked,
and Russ and his agent thought so too. Kirk Cousins,
you're up next, all right. You know, my history with
Baker Mayfield is a little bumpy, But in the end,
Baker Mayfield signing a three year, one hundred million dollar
(05:39):
deal to Tampa feels right now. It's a little bit
like the Daniel Jones contract that will probably be closer
to fifty sixty sixty five million. It's a lot of
money in Tampa. He has matured, he is productive, playoff
wins in both conferences and more than anything. He bet
on himself. He signed that one year deal in Tampa
said I'm going to better myself. Joe Flacco did that
(06:01):
once and got very rich. But there is something about
Baker Mayfield that I think is a great quality in life.
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to a
class of students at USC and I said, my favorite
quality in young people is resilience, and my least favorite
quality is fragile. People have their own problems. They don't
(06:24):
want to hear about yours. Resilience is a great quality.
Dust yourself off. Nobody lives a perfect life. I'm watching
this dynasty on Tom Brady and the Patriots. I watched
the MJ documentary MJ and Brady land mindes, potholes, people
in the organization working against them. That's called life, and
(06:45):
that's what sports is. And Baker Mayfield, more than anything else,
is resilient. He had to transfer in college. Carolina was
a mess. Tampa GM here, coachs there, inter and there,
Freddie Kitchens there. It was a but yet he dusted
himself off. He's seen the hole in his game self awareness,
(07:07):
and he's worked on it. This is a more focus
Baker fewer commercials. It's a more mature Baker, less starting
fires at the podium every Wednesday. I like this Baker.
I think this Baker's good. Now, if this was the
AFC West and I had Andy Reid, Mahomes, Jim Harbaugh
and Justin Herbert, maybe this deal makes me a little
(07:29):
nervous with Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield. But part of
what makes it attractive is that it's Tampa, and I
think Baker sees that the NFC South has arguably been
the weakest division in football for ten of the last
twenty years. And I don't know if that's because the
SEC in college football is so big and powerful in
(07:51):
the South, people don't care as much. The media doesn't focus.
Isn't as negative. When you get up to like New York,
Philly Giants, Washington, college football is not a big deal.
There is urgency. Guys get fired. The Philadelphia Eagles every
fifteen minutes will move off a Super Bowl winning quarterback
Nick Foles or a Super Bowl winning coach Doug Peterson.
(08:14):
The intensity of the Northeast with their baseball in their NFL,
you can feel it. It's palpable. But in the NFC South,
Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles. You don't win a lot
of games there. They've got some stability, they've got some
nice weapons. He will be the seventeenth highest paid quarterback
in the league. That's more than reasonable for Baker. I've
(08:36):
always said, even when I was critical of him, I
thought he was a top twenty quarterback on the planet.
And I think seventeenth. If he hit some bonuses, maybe
it's sixteenth. If Cousin signs a big deal, maybe it's eighteenth.
It feels reasonably Baker friendly and reasonably Buccaneer friendly. But
I will tell you this, I know I've been a
critic of Baker. I know at times I've been hard
(08:58):
on Baker himself. He's dusted himself off. He did it
in college, he did it in Carolina, he did it
in Cleveland, and I like this version of Baker. I
think he deserved it. I think he's earned it, and
I think as of this morning, I would say Tampa
would win the division. Now, if Kirk Cousins goes to Atlanta,
(09:18):
that's pretty interesting too. But right now, in this moment, Baker, Mayfield,
Todd Bowles, I think of the best team and the
best leadership in the division, and I like it. So
there you go to Monday, Jay mac Now Kirk Cousins
is the next dominode of Mall. Apparently you're going to
have more on this. There's stuff this morning that's moving.
You've thought Atlanta or Minnesota's that fit for him?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
What about if Justin Fields goes to Atlanta, who is
the best team in the division.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Then are you a believer in Fields or no?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
No, I think I think it would be if Kirk
Cousins goes to Atlanta. Kirk has a history, a ten
year history of winning a lot of games. He's like
Dak Prescott. We may not see him as a choice
the trophy guy, but 'dack and Cousins have won a
lot of games.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
That's fair.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
By the way, you see the baker on the screen,
three three years for one hundred mil. Some of these
guys really dug into the deal and it sounds like
it's closer.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
To two years forty million dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Well, okay, but actual money. All the deals, I mean,
let's let's base it. If you have a quarterback. These
things are getting Mahomes' deals getting reworked every couple of years.
So but Baker's going to make himself a lot of money, certainly,
And I think the story of Baker Mayfield is high school,
college and pros. He's overcome, he dusts himself off. He's
got great self belief, and that's a real easy story
(10:37):
for anybody to back.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
He's a good underdog.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I'll say, though, but at two years forty mili do
the Minnesota Vikings. Then look at Kirk Cousins, say, Kirk,
look what Baker got. I'm sorry, we can't pay you
forty five, but we'll give you thirty five. Do you
want to stay or does he get greedy and then
go to Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
That's the one that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Kirk Cousins never feels greedy to me. Wait really, I thought, well,
he's a lot of money. Well yeah, forcing the issue
in Washington and then in Washington there was a lack
of belief in him in the building. But in Minnesota
people like him, Teammates like him, the coaches like him.
What they'll say is, listen, the less you take, the
more weapons we can give you in a better defense.
(11:16):
That division now between Jordan Love Jared Goffs, it's I mean,
these are shootouts, so do you want to have a
reasonably good defense. Kirk Cousins has made a lot of money.
I don't think he's a greedy guy. I think he's
been paid a little high for some of his career,
like Dak who we often compare him to. But I
you know, I'm not going to tell a pro athlete
(11:37):
not to take what you can get. But I do
think in this point Achilles surgery, his age, you know,
thirty eight million for Kirk Cousins, and it's all play money,
but that feels reasonable. There you go, Mac Jones, Wow,
Justin Fields. The latest Jim Harbaugh effect now is working.
Colin Wright, Colin wrong again. Russell Wilson lands where we
(11:59):
thought he would. Steelers.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
All right, it's a Monday. Where Colin was right, Where
Colin was wrong, plenty of both. Let's fire away where
Colin was right.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Well.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Russell Wilson to the Steelers we thought was the best fit.
And it's official, kind of officially official on Wednesday. But
they have good receivers, tight ends, running backs, the offense though,
just kind of fell limited and lost with the current
quarterbacks there. And again I don't think it's Stafford the
rams or Brady to the box, but I do think
(12:35):
it makes them more viable, more interesting, and they get
some athletic ability. He's out of his prime, but he's
still at B quarterback who's been in big games. The
numbers at the end of the year with Sean Payton
were not bad B to a B plus quarterback. So
I think Pittsburgh's been kind of lost offensively for half
a decade and they feel more viable today.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And this is where we thought he would land where
Colin was.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Raw. Wilson Denver career was never as good. Russ never cooked.
Year one was a disaster. He didn't get along with
Sean Payton. Listen, mobile quarterbacks can age very very quickly,
and Russell Wilson did. He still runs around, but he's
not as blazing fast as Lamar or as elusive as
Kyler Murray or a Jalen Hurtz.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And so he's aged.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
He made a lot of money. He's been to sue
two Super Bowls, He's got a trophy, his legacy is outstanding,
and I do think he'll resurrected a bit in Pittsburgh.
But the Denver thing, I thought it would work and
it just never did. Where Colin was right justin Field's
trade market. According to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, two
(13:44):
legit reporters at ESPN, there's not much of a market.
I sort of never understood the market. Talk injuries, a
lot of turnovers, doesn't win, And the truth is he
became a really bad fourth qu order quarterback, really bad
like Zach Wilson bad. So I do think he's athletic
(14:06):
enough that if he gets an offensive culture and staff,
he can win some games. I don't think he's gonna
overcome what the Bears often present, which is chaos, but
I think he'll get a second shot to start. Could
be Seattle, Vegas, Seattle j Mack has mentioned. But his
market is not it's shrinking and dwindling and it never
(14:26):
was much. And that was kind of my.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Take where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Mac Jones for a six round pick Listen, I thought
after his rookie season, when he made a Pro Bowl
and had a passer rating at ninety three, he was
going to be a really solid, accurate, efficient quarterback. Belichick
was going to use his defensive wizardry and it be
kind of a playoff quarterback may not hoist a trophy,
but he was going to be a really solid quarterback.
(14:52):
But it imploded. Belichick turned on him. I don't think
Matt Patricia helped. The division's very good. And I was
told last year he did not take to hard coaching.
That's the only kind of coaching you get in New England.
So it did not work, and that surprised me.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Where Colin was right.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Jason Tatum is a very good basketball player and I
like him a lot. But two times last week he
did what concerns me, this seven inch heid advantage against
Cleveland and he settles for a fallaway jumper. He's been
bad in these last minute shot situations. And then against
(15:32):
Denver for the second time this year, he shrinks and
has only fifteen points. He is shooting, and again I
like him a lot. He's a very good player. He's
shooting thirty one percent in crunch time, and that's all
I've ever said.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think he's a star.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
You can put him on the first team All NBA,
but don't compare him to the greats in this game.
Yo Kich is often better in big spots. Lebron is
better in big spots. Giannis has been better in big spot.
Tatum's very good, but in big spots. Saw twice last
week he can shrink where Colin was right. I've banged
on the NCUBA for years. They have no guardrails. It's
(16:12):
the wild wild West on the transfer portal and the NIL.
Nick Saban admitting that seventy or eighty percent of his
Alabama players after the season, all they cared about was
am I getting paid? In What's my playing time? Saban
to that said, maybe the way I do business doesn't work.
We've seen Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski, Nick Saban. We're seeing
(16:35):
college coaches who have many years left say yet's not working.
I don't blame the players or the coaches. Players want
theirs and coaches coach, but the NIL, because of the
void and leadership in the NC DOUBLEA is just out
of control. And I have heard this off the record
from multiple coaches. Chip Kelly said I'd rather be a
coordinator than a head coach with UCLA football.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
NC doublea's lack of.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Leader is why Fox, ESPN networks are taking over the sport.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Some grown up has to where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
JJ McCarthy, Uh, everybody's got him in the top ten
in the draft. Jim Harbaugh told me he should go
number one. Jay Mack was all over me six months ago.
I will say there is new information at the combine
and I think this helped a lot. His measurables did
him a big favor. He came in at six two
two twenty, that's around Aaron Rodgers size. He had been
(17:32):
listed at six three to two oh three, which is
like a stretched out Bryce Young who had a really
bad year. So I do think there's new information and
those measurables are more comforting and he's less spindily. But
I will say when I watched him this year, I
kept saying, is it the defense? Is it Harbaugh? Is
it the run game? Is it the O line? Maybe
(17:52):
he just didn't have great receivers, that's it. But people
like him more than I do. Where Colin was right.
Chris Jones sign and huge deal ninety five million guaranteed
with the Chiefs. In my belief system, you got to
spend your money on offense in the NFL. With one exception,
somebody in the front four or five. That's a game wrecker.
(18:15):
Aaron Donald, A Chris Jones, A Max Crosby. I don't
think you pay your corners, your linebackers, and your safeties.
We've seen the Seahawks give up on two safeties. The
Broncos just gave up on Simmons good safety. I think
you gotta pay Chris Jones. You go look at the
Rams Super Bowl stafford Aaron Donald, Cooper Cup. To me,
the Chiefs are defined by Andy Reid, Mahomes, Kelsey and
(18:39):
Chris Jones in big games. He almost never disappoints. I
thought they had to pay him, and if they had
to move anybody, it would be a corner where Colin
was right. The Mavericks only eighth in the West. Even
Jason Kidd last week complained about the defense from Luca,
Kyrie and Luca since the All Star Game are allowing
(19:03):
one hundred and twenty four points a game.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
That's awful.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I've said this, if your best players are not committed
on the defensive end, James Harden, Carmelo, Anthony, Kyrie, Luca,
I think it can build resentment. Most great almost every
great player in my life, the Yannis Lebron Michael Kobe.
(19:29):
Almost all of them at least commit the defense, even
if Kevin Durant Steph Curry. They're not considered elite defenders.
I don't buy Dallas. I don't think you can win
in May and June, April, May and June with that
lack of defensive commitment, and right now they are only
eight in the West.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone easternn a Empacific.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Hey, what's up everybody? It's me three time Pro Bowl
of LeVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to
anounce the podcast called Up on Game?
Speaker 2 (20:02):
What is Up on Game?
Speaker 5 (20:03):
You ass along with my fellow Pro bowler TJ. Huschman
Zada and Super Bowl champion Yup, that's right, Plexico Burus.
You can only name a show with that type of
talent on it. Up on Game We're going to be
sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen
to Up on Game with me Lebar Arrington, TJ. Hutschman, Zada,
(20:26):
and Plexico Burrs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcast from.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Oh here, we go on to Tuesday live in Los Angeles.
It's the herd wherever you may be, and however you
may be listening things for making us part of your day.
Nick Wright in one hour Customary on a Tuesday, All
sorts of activity yesterday to start our show, Russell Wilson's
a Steeler to end our show. Kirk Cousins in Atlanta Falcon.
(20:58):
We can debate what he's worth his value you Jay
Mcca just saw a minute ago that Joe Mixon now
goes to C. J. Stroud in the Houston Texans so
they get another weapon for the sending young star quarterback
in the AFC. Yesterday was one of the more that
was as much fun as you could have do in
live TV. It was just pinball wizards up here, flying
(21:19):
around stuff, banging on the walls. All new players, all
new destinations. A few teams got better. I think absolutely.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I love the chaos.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I was going to open the show saying you're dead
to me, which is just a hilarious.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Exchange there between New York Giants guys.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah, Tiki Barber's great New York Giant that played his
entire career with the New York Giants, had a wonderful career.
So yesterday Sakuon Barkley, who had also spent his entire
career with the New York Giants at the same position,
both great all time players. But Tiki now is a
radio guy on Wfan, and when the word got out
(21:55):
he was now going to the rival phil Delphia Eagles
of hated in New York by the Giant fans. Here
was Tiki Barber's reaction.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
And Saque has already taken to Twitter himself to say
thank you to everyone who's shown me love and support
over the past six years. Forever grateful, excited for the
next chapter. Blue heart emoji piece.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Okay, blue heart emoji looking at He's dead to us now? Yes,
say he's dead to me. He won't say they're dead
to us. Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
They said it with a smile. But if you're Saquon Barkley,
two reasons you had to go. Number One, running backs
don't make with it in the eighties, nineties, early two thousands,
and number two, Philadelphia is a significantly better place to land.
First of all, they have a better quarterback, and that
quarterback runs a lot Jalen hurts. That helps a running
(22:44):
back more deception, better offensive line helps a running back
two legitimate star receivers, meaning safeties can't crowd the box
like they can in New York because they don't have
one great receiver and they always have tremendous tight end
play in Philadelphia. How do you not go? It's very
possible that Saquon Barkley will have significantly fewer touches and
(23:07):
more production in New York. Oh yeah, it's a better
organization than they win and get to Super Bowls. Plus,
the Giants are to blame. A couple of years ago,
we said, franchise Daniel Jones. You probably have to pay
Saquon Barkley. Daniel Jones. Nobody in that locker room thought
the heart and the soul of the team was Daniel Jones.
(23:28):
Everybody knew it was Saquon Barkley. And the Giants said,
we're gonna pay Daniel Jones. And now they're stuck next
to Carolina. It is the weakest offense in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley did not owe the New York Giants anything,
and I think loyalty has limitations here. I mean, let's
be honest. He's the fourth all time leading running back
and that's with injuries and behind mostly awful offensive lines,
(23:53):
losing culture, bad quarterbacks where you could crowd the box,
and he's still fourth all time. And think about this,
in the last six years he's spent six years in
New York. He has over seven thousand total yards, again
with bad old lines, egregiously bad old lines, no star
receivers really, and forty seven touchdowns. Second to the Giant
(24:16):
is a receiver Darius Slayton. Half the yards and about
thirty five percent of the touchdowns nineteen that's the second
most productive player for the New York Giants. What do
you want him to do? Direct your anger at ownership,
the front office, climate change, gas prices, inflation, Joe Biden,
(24:36):
wherever you can't blame Saquon Barkley. But more than anything,
this is ultimately the truth. Where do I say you
go to the truth? You go to Vegas. Don't go
to the media they have agendas, they have favorites. Don't
go to fans they're emotional. Go to Vegas. You know
what Vegas thinks. The Eagles super bull odds improved signing
(25:03):
a running back for the record. The Steelers didn't signing
Russell Wilson, so Saquon Barkley was considered more helpful getting
to a super Bowl for Philadelphia. Now they're a lot
closer than it was for the Steelers with Russell Wilson. Men.
If that doesn't tell you the value. Giants didn't appreciate him,
(25:26):
but the superior franchise did, Draftking Sportsbook did the people
who are paid to get it right did? The Giants didn't.
Whose fault is that? Blame anybody you want. Don't blame Saquon.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
He had to go. It's a way better spot.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
He'll touch it less potentially and gain more less pounding
on his body. That's what running back should do. Go
to the place where you can be productive and you
don't have to be Dereck Henry because most people aren't
Derick Henry. They're not that big and can't take that pounding.
All right, Kirk Cousins end of our show goes to Atlanta.
(26:05):
Not a big surprise. It's so funny now everybody today
talk about a ceiling. Do you know the number one
selling ice cream in America? It's not cookie Dough, it's
not bubblegum, it's not Rocky Road, It's Vanilla. For the
(26:28):
umpteenth straight year. You can have it with pie espresso
solo in a cup in a Sunday. It works, I know.
But if you order it, if you ever go out
with anybody, three or four people, you get vanilla, everybody
turns to you and goes so boring vanilla. Yesterday I
had a vanilla latte, not a cookie dough lade, not
(26:50):
a Brownie madness latte. I had a vanilla latte. It
was fantastic. You know, Kirk Cousins is like you go
to Europe and on the fourth or fifth day you
just order mcdonnolds because it's familiar. It tastes great. The
bottom line is, you know my point. You know what
you're getting with Kirk Cousins. A committed adult, low turnovers,
(27:11):
high accuracy, doesn't miss many starts. Teammates like him, soda
coaches virtually egoless, and he's much more productive than everybody thinks.
Did you know since he has signed with the Vikings,
I think you'll be surprised by this twenty eighteen, Since
(27:32):
he signed with the Vikings. J Mack third in passing
touchdowns again with a couple of shaky oh lines and
at one point Mike Zimmer defensive coach third and passing
touchdowns and tied for third in passer ratings. And you
all wanted justin fields. I'm not sure he can play
the position. Yes, he's boring, but you know what you get,
(27:55):
and it's much better than you think. And it works
well with tight ends, running backs, decent on lines, and
wide receivers. Everybody thinks they can do a whole lot
better than Kirk Cousins. And yet the Chicago Bears, with
a history over one hundred years, have never once had
a quarterback as good as Kirk Cousins. Look it up, No,
(28:17):
they haven't, Bears, not once. The NFL is the only
business in America that always, every year has a labor shortage.
There's about seven to eight teams every year that need
a highly functioning quarterback. And that's exactly why Kirk Cousins
(28:42):
keeps getting paid, because he's probably like a Dak Prescott
in that eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth best quarterback in the league.
Dak's making a lot of money, Kirk Cousins making a
lot of money. They're monetizing their position, and they're both
about statistically the exact same player. Kirk's more accurate Dak's
more mobile, and Dak's got the star on the side
(29:04):
of the helmet. You can say it's boring, you can
say's vanilla. You always get laughed at when you choose
it when you go out with friend for ice cream.
But consider this, the Washington Commanders, since Kirk Cousins left,
have the twenty seventh best win percentage in the NFL. Well,
(29:26):
it's not Kirk, it's and the Vikings have made the
playoffs several times, and Kirk Cousins against Aaron Rodgers and
what we view as the superior organization and the superior
quarterback every two times they played, Kirk beat Aaron once.
(29:50):
Call it boring. I call it productive, dependable, committed, an adult. Yeah,
he's not carrying a trophy home. Very few people not
named Patrick Mahomes are carrying a trophy home. Lamar can't
win back to back playoff games and we love him.
Josh Allen can't get to a super Bowl. Kirk Cousins
(30:13):
wins his efficient productive. If you love Dak, you can't
tell me Kirk Cousins can't play. Their statistics are identical.
I don't love either. I like both. They're grown ups,
good at the podium, win games, and Minnesota said, hey,
(30:33):
we like you too. We don't like you forty five
large a year. I mean, DA's going to make fifty
five large a year. But for Atlanta and this team
and these kids in that division, he's got tremendous, tremendous value. Again,
you can't love Dak and think Kirk can't play kind
(30:55):
of the same quarterback. The difference is Atlanta not the
Cowboys or Minnesota. They're not a consistently winning franchise meaning
to get there in this sport that has a perpetual
labor shortage at quarterback, Kirk has value. All right, man,
there's a lot of stuff. Now your guy, your guy.
(31:18):
You know, I don't even want to Colin Wright, Colin
Wrong's not till next Monday. There does not appear to
be much of a market for Justin Field. So the
Raiders went and got Gardner Minshew two year deal. So
what the Raiders are telling you is they're bringing a
veteran in for two years, pretty cheap price, and they're
gonna draft a quarterback and Minshew can be sort of
the mentor and be the starter for two years at
(31:40):
a very reasonable number. That's what the Vikings are doing
with Sam Darnold. We're gonna bring Sam in for a year,
draft a quarterback, and then for a year. I don't
think it's a bad idea by the Raiders or the Vikings.
We're not asking you to come in and start. Guys
that can win some football games, create some inertia, some momentum,
get some wins, and you can be an understudy for
a year.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
I'm not certain the Raiders are drafting a quarterback this year.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think it's gonna be Minshew at named O'Connell, and
then next year, when they're probably drafting in the top five,
they get a quarterback. Let me go back to Kirk Cousins.
You said, if you like Dak, you should like Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Now it comes down to the number for both. Dak's
gonna cost you fifty five.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
A couple numbers. Number one is Dak. It turns thirty
one this summer. Kirk turns thirty six this summer. Kirk's
never been mobile. Dak was is less mobile now. Yeah,
Kirk's coming off an Achilles.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Yeah, and he's getting forty five in the neighborhood of
forty five for.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
A losing franchise that's trying to stabilize a bunch of
kids on offense coming off a horrible quarterback season.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
And you've got to pay nobody, like you said, the
scope position guy's a ang.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Whereas Dallas has to pay Ceedee Lamb Michah Parsons. They
don't have a running back, a star running back. We
don't know if we like their coach. Their coach is
on a short runway. And so Dallas is gonna pay
Dak close to sixty fifty five at forty five million
for a couple of years. It's not the wheels don't
all end up being like they read. They end up
being significantly shorter, less money. But in the end, again,
(33:08):
I don't love Kirk Cousins, but he is number three
in passing touchdowns, tied for thurn passer rating, and unlike Dak,
has not had good offensive lines for a big part
of it. Battled with his head coach, a defensive coach
Mike Zimmer. He wins a lot of games.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
A pretty smart guy who had come on my podcast
has compared this Falcons team to last year's Texans defensive
head coach Rahie Morris and Demico Ryans offensive coordinator from
the McVeigh Shanahan Tree. Both offensive coordators Slowick and Zach
Robinson worked at Pro Football Focus very analytically geared, and
now it's like, Okay, we got our quarterback, We're gonna
(33:48):
get it.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
We got our tight end receivers. What are they gonna
do in the draft?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Probably go defense, just like the Texans, well Will Anderson.
Maybe uh Falcons look at Dallas Turner from Alabama and
they're building in the mold of the Tech who were
in a bad division last year and they win it.
Falcons in a week division in the NFC. I think
they're gonna be the favorites in that division.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Yeah they are. I think they should be Baker and
the Buck second. But the other thing to think about
here is division matters. Brady looked over the entire league
and chose the NFC South. I don't think Kirk Cousins.
I think he would have stayed in Minnesota for thirty
six million, that's what they wanted to give him. A
thirty seven, but that division's week in forty five. I'm
gonna take the money. I got about three to four
years to play. Kirk Cousins value in a very weak
(34:33):
division is substantial. Kirk Cousins in the AFC West is
not as valuable. So Baker and Kirk in that division
are both valuable.
Speaker 4 (34:42):
So why didn't Russell Wilson see that exact point? I'd say,
I don't want any part of Pittsburgh. I would rather
go to Minnesota. Maybe Minnesota didn't want him.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I don't think Minnesota wanted him, and I don't think
Atlanta wanted him.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Again, I'm not I just think Russ picked a really
tough division to succeed it well.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
But he also picked if you believe in yourself. He
picked a team in Pittsburgh that has a lot of talent,
can't get it right, but has a lot of offensive talents.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
I don't normally pay too much attention to Dez Bryant,
former Cowboy receiver, but he did say something that I
thought was interesting on X Get ready to take the blame, Dak,
because I really don't see any help coming your way
unless a miracle happens. Everybody in the nfcast made moves
(35:37):
and got better during free agency, except the Cowboys. Well,
they did resign their long snapper, so there's that. We've
said this for years. The Cowboys tend to be really,
really insular. It's a small family business worth a lot.
They believe their draft picks are the players of the
future almost always, and I think that's a problem. I'm
(35:59):
not a believer in spending big on free agency, but
you got to spend something. Because the Eagles got better,
Washington's getting significantly better, the Giants who knows. But as
of today, there's a very poor running back class. This
is a bad running back class. There is no first rounder,
arguably no second rounder. The Cowboys running back right now.
(36:22):
This is their running back is tiny sixth round pick
Douce Vaughn.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
It's why the smart people and the smart teams are
gobbling up running backs. Doesn't it feel like running backs
are having a very good offseason. Jim Harbaugh and John
Harbaugh have gone out and gotten a top running back
Dereck Henry to the Ravens, Josh Jacobs to the Packers,
a well run franchise. People like Adam Peters the new
(36:54):
GM in Washington. He goes and gets Austin Eckler from
the Chargers, a running back that can catch and run.
Texans had a great draft, Nick Cassario, They're very smart,
young gm They go out and get Joe Mixon, Saquon
Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles, Gus Edwards to the Chargers.
So the smart coaches and the smart teams are saying,
(37:14):
it's a bad running back draft. Let's gobble up the
guys we have for the right price. Cowboys nothing, And
why does it matter? Because there are some sobering numbers
in data on Dak Prescott that are almost hard to
believe until you look at him. Since Dak Prescott has
been in the league, this is pretty amazing. When he
(37:37):
gets thirty plus rush attempts behind him, he's virtually impossible
to beat. Fifty three and seven less than thirty rush attempts,
he's not a very good quarterback twenty and thirty four.
But this is more sobering. If Dak just gets one
hundred yards rushing, again, he's mahomes. He's sixty four and seventeen.
(37:57):
If he gets less than one hundred yards, Dak Prescott
has nine career wins.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
And the Cowboys are making no move at running back.
It is very clear, indisputably, inarguably clear. Dak is a
completely different quarterback with a run game. Now, Josh Allen
and Mahomes are better quarterbacks. They don't need it. I mean,
Mahomes and Josh Allen regularly in big wins, playoff wins.
They're the leading rusher. That was Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
But once again the Cowboys fall into this worse smarter
(38:30):
than everybody else. We're just going to go back with
our guys that we drafted for the record, the very
well run Philadelphia Eagles, who have been to three Super
Bowls since the last time the Cowboys were in one.
It's a revolving door of running backs. They're acknowledging all
the time. Hey this receiver AJ Brown, he's better than
(38:53):
the guys we drafted. Hey this running back Saquon Barkley,
he's better than the guys we drafted. The Eagles have
no problem acknowledging. And this is what smart companies do.
We don't have all the answers. Some of our draft
picks we guessed wrong, our scouts missed. Will go buy
somebody on the market. For a reasonable number, and the
(39:15):
way Philly's doing it as this league pivots to offense
over the last five to ten years. Look at the
Eagles offensive skilled people. A highly athletic quarterback Jalen Hurts
moving into his prime, excellent tight end Dallas Goddard, two
star receivers Devonte Smith, AJ Brown, and a top three
(39:36):
or four running back Saquon Barkley. That is an all
star cast. You would not be surprised if any of
those or all of them made a Pro Bowl next year.
The Cowboys seed Lamb and cross your fingers on Cede
Lamb's health. That's their guy, and they're making no moves
(39:56):
in free agency. So, I mean, Philadelphia and Baltimore have very,
very dynamic running quarterbacks. Dak no longer due to injuries,
runs like he used to. He's okay, He's not special.
And Philly and Baltimore, knowing that, went out and got
star running backs. Why to lessen the burden on superior quarterbacks? Right,
(40:21):
Lamar's better than Dak, We're gonna make it easier for him.
I think Jalen Hurts is more talented than that. We're
gonna make it easier on him. So look at the
Ravens in the Eagles the last two years, going out
with dynamic quarterbacks and adding running backs, drafting star receivers,
adding more players. Dallas, We're good here now. I do
(40:45):
think there's one or two running backs still on the market,
but it is just crystal clear. The numbers are indisputable.
If you give Dak not even great run support, good
run support, good, he wins to we out of four games,
and when you don't, he's got nine career wins. Jane
(41:07):
Slater does report this morning. She hears Dallas is about
to make a move again. They have re signed their
long snapper. To this point, I don't think I'm being negative.
I think I'm being honest. They don't have enough weapons.
You can't have one star receiver and crosh your fingers.
He stays healthy. Oh so I saw this yesterday. And
(41:29):
you know, from time to time, not a lot, but
people come up to me and say, why don't you
say anything nice about blank team? I always say, I
always talk well about the Chiefs and the Warriors, and
you know, teams that win. I spoke nice about Michigan
this year and a Washington this year. In college football,
(41:52):
Oregon win more games, stop blaming the messenger.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
So I saw this yesterday and it made me chuckle.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Steeler fans, you know, prime number two, number three fan
base in the NFL, and Steeler fans think I don't
like him. But what I just keep doing is pointing
out that they keep rinsing and repeating something that doesn't work.
So yesterday the Steelers traded a very talented young receiver
(42:20):
Deontay Johnson to Carolina for an okay cornerback, and they
also spent a fortune on a linebacker, linebacker Patrick Queen.
And I just laughed. If I said to you, hey,
there's this NFL team yesterday, you're busy, you didn't see
what happened in the NFL, I said, it is his team.
(42:40):
And they traded a really promising young receiver for an
average corner and then they paid a fortune for a linebacker.
Who do you think it is? Oh, I'll give you
another hint. They will once again lead the NFL in
defensive spending this year by thirty million dollars. I'll give
(43:02):
you another hint. They spend the second least amount of
money in the NFL on offense. I'll give you another hint.
They still can't get the offensive line right for like
the fifth or sixth year. At this point, if you
can't figure out it's the Steelers, you're not paying attention.
This is what they are with Mike Tomlin. And I've
(43:22):
been saying this on free agency. The Rams went and
paid in the last year a lot for two offensive guards.
No defensive coach would do that. They want to pay
safeties and linebackers. Rams are not going to pay a
fortune for a linebacker. Steelers did defensive coach making fifteen
(43:43):
million a year. Power in the building, pound the gavel,
pound the table, young GM, new GM listens. I like
Mike Tomlin, but at some point we got to be
honest here. Denver and Sean Payton offensive coach rebuilt their line,
their offensive line in one off season. They had a
top ten on line this year. Denver, look it up, PFF.
(44:05):
Andy Reid did it several years ago in one year.
Sean McVeigh did it in eight weeks this past year. Now,
the GMS, in all those cases they get credit too,
But three offensive coaches rebuilt their offensive line in weeks
or months. We're going like five six years. Steelers can't
get their own line right. So as long as Mike
(44:26):
Tomlins the head coach. Just understand, the Steelers will never
be terrible, but they are viewed as a defensive first.
Spend your money on defense, make your moves on defense,
stack your defense first. As the league pivots to an
(44:47):
offensive league, why don't you say anything nice about our team?
If you keep doing stuff over and over and you
lead the NFL in defensive spending again by a long shot,
and you don't spend money on offense, We're always looking
to go cheap Trubisky Russell Wilson on quarterback, and I
actually like the Russell to the Steelers move. This is
what you are in the AFC, which is a gauntlet
(45:10):
of ten of the top twelve to thirteen quarterbacks in
the National Football League. Is the entire culture in league
pivots to the other side of the football. I mean,
Belichick looks out classed. Pete Carroll couldn't get it right.
How come you don't say anything nice about our team.
I'm just telling you what you're doing, what's transpiring, and
what it looks like over and over again. All right,
(45:33):
j Mac, I don't know about you, but it sounds
like Aaron Rodgers could be on the presidential ballot here
in no time.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Very exciting news.
Speaker 3 (45:41):
I thought you were going with some Taylor Swift lyrics.
I don't know about two. I'm feeling twenty two.
Speaker 4 (45:47):
Listen, man, Am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (45:49):
Well?
Speaker 3 (45:50):
I think a large portion of Jets fans would be
thrilled if he were on the vice presidential ticket and
not on the sideline this fall for the Jets.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Just press the restart button and let's let's get rid
of them.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
I mean, honestly, isn't he the same guy who said
let's get all the bs out of the building like
two months ago.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
He's like, non football stuff, let's get it out.
Speaker 3 (46:08):
Of the building, And now he's running on a ticket
with a conspiracy theorist.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Well, remember, you are the company you keep. You are
your friends.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:23):
So if your friends are clickbaiters or monetized headline people
or famous podcasters or that's the company. Yeah, he hangs
out with Joe people, people that are seeking headlines for
various reasons.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
That's okay, and there's nothing wrong with it.
Speaker 4 (46:39):
I like some Rogan podcasts.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
I don't mind.
Speaker 4 (46:41):
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Wait, yeah I'm not. But when that's your company, you
are the company you keep so I want to talk
about Aaron because I really don't have a problem with
non politicians running for office or being part of a ticket.
If Mark Cuban would run, I'd be happy. I mean,
do you think I'm happy with this ballot?
Speaker 4 (46:59):
I know you're not way what you know? What about you?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
Are? You not for the presidential even I wouldn't I
wouldn't even be a mayor of a small rural town.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
Too many skeletons in the closet.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon 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 (00:22):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
It is going to be a very, very busy Monday.
It already is as NFL free agency begins in earnest Wednesday.
But let's be honest. You can talk to teams now.
Feels getting done now, live in Los Angeles. It's the
Herd wherever you may be, and however you may be
listening or watching us. A lot of choices out there.
(00:49):
We appreciate it. One hour from now. Where Colin was right,
where Colin was wrong, there is plenty of both.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, we thought.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I thought the place for us Wilson to go is
where he didn't have to be a savior.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Did he just.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Slide into Pittsburgh and that anemic offense and give them
a shot? Do you think this morning, with it transpiring,
they feel like they're a bit more viable?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Is that they're viable to not finish in the basement
of the division.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Possibly sure Colin, So we start with that.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Some say they hurried the deal, Mark Rodgers and Russell
should have been patient. Listen, if there's a good fit,
grab it. Kirk Cousin's still out there. You don't know
what the Steelers are gonna do, but the Steelers were
doing offensively didn't work, and this is the one we
thought made the most sense. Russell Wilson now going to
Pittsburgh on a league minimum. If he's not a top
(01:43):
ten quarterback, he's definitely a top three bargain in the NFL.
Two super Bowls Denver didn't work. He was asked to
be the savior. They had to give out ball the
draft capital. They paid him a fortune, limiting what they
could get. But Russell Wilson isn't a savior here. He
will be an elevated piece at an important position. He
(02:05):
will increase efficiency. We've seen him with a strong defensive coach.
We've seen him with a run game before, We've seen
him with nice weapons. He got to super bowls. Mike
Tomlin is this CEO of this outfit. Russ is like
a new vice president and director of sales. He'll make
it more efficient and more productive. He'll bring in much
(02:27):
needed experience, a maturity, get things lined up, the train
back on the tracks. I mean, listen, the offensive bar
is so low in Pittsburgh that if he's slightly above average,
and I think he will be with these weapons, it'll
feel exceptional. I mean, the Steelers only had I'm not
making this up. The last two years, Pittsburgh has had
(02:50):
twenty five touchdown passes. Russell Wilson had twenty six by
himself this year in Denver, and it was a rocky start.
Kenny Pickett has a career thirteen touchdown passes. Russell's disaster
year in Denver, he had sixteen, the worst year of
his career. So the Steelers have not been viable offensively
(03:14):
for half a decade. Their best offense this is the
high mark. Their best offense in the last half decade
is twenty third. And this team keeps winning, not winning
super Bowls, but they keep winning.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
In ten games. Last year with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
If you're still defending Kenny Pickett, he was healthy at
the end of the year, and they're like, now we'll
go with a backup, and they were better with a backup.
But that's what Mason Rudolph is a very reliable, mature backup.
And that's a great job. You make a lot of
money doing that. Make seven figures, be part of the team.
Fifty some quarterbacks play now annually. Nothing wrong with that
(03:53):
gig at all.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It's a great gig.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Don't get beat up as much and you make a
lot of money. Now, is this Russell Wilson to the
Steelers It feel like Stafford to the Rams. No, because
we don't have Sean McVay here offensive jeans. Does it
feel like a Brady the Goat to the Bucks. No,
we don't have Bruce arians an offensive coach here. We
have a defensive coach and a defensive culture. But it's
(04:16):
an upgrade, and it's not an arguable upgrade. Again, they
went with their backup last year and the starter was healthy.
And if you don't think Russ is a top twelve quarterback,
that's fine. Maybe he's not. But he is a great bargain. Basically,
you get him for free. This is the opposite of Denver.
He doesn't have to be the savior. He's not expensive.
(04:38):
You didn't have to trade anything to get him. So
this remains, in my opinion, a top five or six
roster in the NFL. But the most important position is quarterback,
and they aren't very good. They're in their bottom of
the league. So you're not going to get any of this.
Let Russ cook campaign, You're not going to get any
any of this. He's saving the franchise. Nonsense. Go in,
(05:00):
get the train on the tracks. Add some mobility, some maturity,
some efficiency, some accuracy. Just make Pittsburgh a slightly above
average offense and it will feel like Stafford of the
Rams and Brady to the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We predicted it. This is the one we thought worked,
and Russ and his agent thought so too. Kirk Cousins,
you're up next, all right. You know, my history with
Baker Mayfield is a little bumpy, But in the end,
Baker Mayfield signing a three year, one hundred million dollar
(05:39):
deal to Tampa feels right now. It's a little bit
like the Daniel Jones contract that will probably be closer
to fifty sixty sixty five million. It's a lot of
money in Tampa. He has matured, he is productive, playoff
wins in both conferences and more than anything. He bet
on himself. He signed that one year deal in Tampa
said I'm going to better myself. Joe Flacco did that
(06:01):
once and got very rich. But there is something about
Baker Mayfield that I think is a great quality in life.
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to a
class of students at USC and I said, my favorite
quality in young people is resilience, and my least favorite
quality is fragile. People have their own problems. They don't
(06:24):
want to hear about yours. Resilience is a great quality.
Dust yourself off. Nobody lives a perfect life. I'm watching
this dynasty on Tom Brady and the Patriots. I watched
the MJ documentary MJ and Brady land mindes, potholes, people
in the organization working against them. That's called life, and
(06:45):
that's what sports is. And Baker Mayfield, more than anything else,
is resilient. He had to transfer in college. Carolina was
a mess. Tampa GM here, coachs there, inter and there,
Freddie Kitchens there. It was a but yet he dusted
himself off. He's seen the hole in his game self awareness,
(07:07):
and he's worked on it. This is a more focus
Baker fewer commercials. It's a more mature Baker, less starting
fires at the podium every Wednesday. I like this Baker.
I think this Baker's good. Now, if this was the
AFC West and I had Andy Reid, Mahomes, Jim Harbaugh
and Justin Herbert, maybe this deal makes me a little
(07:29):
nervous with Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield. But part of
what makes it attractive is that it's Tampa, and I
think Baker sees that the NFC South has arguably been
the weakest division in football for ten of the last
twenty years. And I don't know if that's because the
SEC in college football is so big and powerful in
(07:51):
the South, people don't care as much. The media doesn't focus.
Isn't as negative. When you get up to like New York,
Philly Giants, Washington, college football is not a big deal.
There is urgency. Guys get fired. The Philadelphia Eagles every
fifteen minutes will move off a Super Bowl winning quarterback
Nick Foles or a Super Bowl winning coach Doug Peterson.
(08:14):
The intensity of the Northeast with their baseball in their NFL,
you can feel it. It's palpable. But in the NFC South,
Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles. You don't win a lot
of games there. They've got some stability, they've got some
nice weapons. He will be the seventeenth highest paid quarterback
in the league. That's more than reasonable for Baker. I've
(08:36):
always said, even when I was critical of him, I
thought he was a top twenty quarterback on the planet.
And I think seventeenth. If he hit some bonuses, maybe
it's sixteenth. If Cousin signs a big deal, maybe it's eighteenth.
It feels reasonably Baker friendly and reasonably Buccaneer friendly. But
I will tell you this, I know I've been a
critic of Baker. I know at times I've been hard
(08:58):
on Baker himself. He's dusted himself off. He did it
in college, he did it in Carolina, he did it
in Cleveland, and I like this version of Baker. I
think he deserved it. I think he's earned it, and
I think as of this morning, I would say Tampa
would win the division. Now, if Kirk Cousins goes to Atlanta,
(09:18):
that's pretty interesting too. But right now, in this moment, Baker, Mayfield,
Todd Bowles, I think of the best team and the
best leadership in the division, and I like it. So
there you go to Monday, Jay mac Now Kirk Cousins
is the next dominode of Mall. Apparently you're going to
have more on this. There's stuff this morning that's moving.
You've thought Atlanta or Minnesota's that fit for him?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
What about if Justin Fields goes to Atlanta, who is
the best team in the division.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Then are you a believer in Fields or no?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
No, I think I think it would be if Kirk
Cousins goes to Atlanta. Kirk has a history, a ten
year history of winning a lot of games. He's like
Dak Prescott. We may not see him as a choice
the trophy guy, but 'dack and Cousins have won a
lot of games.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
That's fair.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
By the way, you see the baker on the screen,
three three years for one hundred mil. Some of these
guys really dug into the deal and it sounds like
it's closer.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
To two years forty million dollars.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Well, okay, but actual money. All the deals, I mean,
let's let's base it. If you have a quarterback. These
things are getting Mahomes' deals getting reworked every couple of years.
So but Baker's going to make himself a lot of money, certainly,
And I think the story of Baker Mayfield is high school,
college and pros. He's overcome, he dusts himself off. He's
got great self belief, and that's a real easy story
(10:37):
for anybody to back.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
He's a good underdog.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I'll say, though, but at two years forty mili do
the Minnesota Vikings. Then look at Kirk Cousins, say, Kirk,
look what Baker got. I'm sorry, we can't pay you
forty five, but we'll give you thirty five. Do you
want to stay or does he get greedy and then
go to Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
That's the one that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Kirk Cousins never feels greedy to me. Wait really, I thought, well,
he's a lot of money. Well yeah, forcing the issue
in Washington and then in Washington there was a lack
of belief in him in the building. But in Minnesota
people like him, Teammates like him, the coaches like him.
What they'll say is, listen, the less you take, the
more weapons we can give you in a better defense.
(11:16):
That division now between Jordan Love Jared Goffs, it's I mean,
these are shootouts, so do you want to have a
reasonably good defense. Kirk Cousins has made a lot of money.
I don't think he's a greedy guy. I think he's
been paid a little high for some of his career,
like Dak who we often compare him to. But I
you know, I'm not going to tell a pro athlete
(11:37):
not to take what you can get. But I do
think in this point Achilles surgery, his age, you know,
thirty eight million for Kirk Cousins, and it's all play money,
but that feels reasonable. There you go, Mac Jones, Wow,
Justin Fields. The latest Jim Harbaugh effect now is working.
Colin Wright, Colin wrong again. Russell Wilson lands where we
(11:59):
thought he would. Steelers.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
All right, it's a Monday. Where Colin was right, Where
Colin was wrong, plenty of both. Let's fire away where
Colin was right.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Well.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Russell Wilson to the Steelers we thought was the best fit.
And it's official, kind of officially official on Wednesday. But
they have good receivers, tight ends, running backs, the offense though,
just kind of fell limited and lost with the current
quarterbacks there. And again I don't think it's Stafford the
rams or Brady to the box, but I do think
(12:35):
it makes them more viable, more interesting, and they get
some athletic ability. He's out of his prime, but he's
still at B quarterback who's been in big games. The
numbers at the end of the year with Sean Payton
were not bad B to a B plus quarterback. So
I think Pittsburgh's been kind of lost offensively for half
a decade and they feel more viable today.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And this is where we thought he would land where
Colin was.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Raw. Wilson Denver career was never as good. Russ never cooked.
Year one was a disaster. He didn't get along with
Sean Payton. Listen, mobile quarterbacks can age very very quickly,
and Russell Wilson did. He still runs around, but he's
not as blazing fast as Lamar or as elusive as
Kyler Murray or a Jalen Hurtz.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And so he's aged.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
He made a lot of money. He's been to sue
two Super Bowls, He's got a trophy, his legacy is outstanding,
and I do think he'll resurrected a bit in Pittsburgh.
But the Denver thing, I thought it would work and
it just never did. Where Colin was right justin Field's
trade market. According to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, two
(13:44):
legit reporters at ESPN, there's not much of a market.
I sort of never understood the market. Talk injuries, a
lot of turnovers, doesn't win, And the truth is he
became a really bad fourth qu order quarterback, really bad
like Zach Wilson bad. So I do think he's athletic
(14:06):
enough that if he gets an offensive culture and staff,
he can win some games. I don't think he's gonna
overcome what the Bears often present, which is chaos, but
I think he'll get a second shot to start. Could
be Seattle, Vegas, Seattle j Mack has mentioned. But his
market is not it's shrinking and dwindling and it never
(14:26):
was much. And that was kind of my.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Take where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Mac Jones for a six round pick Listen, I thought
after his rookie season, when he made a Pro Bowl
and had a passer rating at ninety three, he was
going to be a really solid, accurate, efficient quarterback. Belichick
was going to use his defensive wizardry and it be
kind of a playoff quarterback may not hoist a trophy,
but he was going to be a really solid quarterback.
(14:52):
But it imploded. Belichick turned on him. I don't think
Matt Patricia helped. The division's very good. And I was
told last year he did not take to hard coaching.
That's the only kind of coaching you get in New England.
So it did not work, and that surprised me.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Where Colin was right.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Jason Tatum is a very good basketball player and I
like him a lot. But two times last week he
did what concerns me, this seven inch heid advantage against
Cleveland and he settles for a fallaway jumper. He's been
bad in these last minute shot situations. And then against
(15:32):
Denver for the second time this year, he shrinks and
has only fifteen points. He is shooting, and again I
like him a lot. He's a very good player. He's
shooting thirty one percent in crunch time, and that's all
I've ever said.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think he's a star.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
You can put him on the first team All NBA,
but don't compare him to the greats in this game.
Yo Kich is often better in big spots. Lebron is
better in big spots. Giannis has been better in big spot.
Tatum's very good, but in big spots. Saw twice last
week he can shrink where Colin was right. I've banged
on the NCUBA for years. They have no guardrails. It's
(16:12):
the wild wild West on the transfer portal and the NIL.
Nick Saban admitting that seventy or eighty percent of his
Alabama players after the season, all they cared about was
am I getting paid? In What's my playing time? Saban
to that said, maybe the way I do business doesn't work.
We've seen Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski, Nick Saban. We're seeing
(16:35):
college coaches who have many years left say yet's not working.
I don't blame the players or the coaches. Players want
theirs and coaches coach, but the NIL, because of the
void and leadership in the NC DOUBLEA is just out
of control. And I have heard this off the record
from multiple coaches. Chip Kelly said I'd rather be a
coordinator than a head coach with UCLA football.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
NC doublea's lack of.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Leader is why Fox, ESPN networks are taking over the sport.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Some grown up has to where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
JJ McCarthy, Uh, everybody's got him in the top ten
in the draft. Jim Harbaugh told me he should go
number one. Jay Mack was all over me six months ago.
I will say there is new information at the combine
and I think this helped a lot. His measurables did
him a big favor. He came in at six two
two twenty, that's around Aaron Rodgers size. He had been
(17:32):
listed at six three to two oh three, which is
like a stretched out Bryce Young who had a really
bad year. So I do think there's new information and
those measurables are more comforting and he's less spindily. But
I will say when I watched him this year, I
kept saying, is it the defense? Is it Harbaugh? Is
it the run game? Is it the O line? Maybe
(17:52):
he just didn't have great receivers, that's it. But people
like him more than I do. Where Colin was right.
Chris Jones sign and huge deal ninety five million guaranteed
with the Chiefs. In my belief system, you got to
spend your money on offense in the NFL. With one exception,
somebody in the front four or five. That's a game wrecker.
(18:15):
Aaron Donald, A Chris Jones, A Max Crosby. I don't
think you pay your corners, your linebackers, and your safeties.
We've seen the Seahawks give up on two safeties. The
Broncos just gave up on Simmons good safety. I think
you gotta pay Chris Jones. You go look at the
Rams Super Bowl stafford Aaron Donald, Cooper Cup. To me,
the Chiefs are defined by Andy Reid, Mahomes, Kelsey and
(18:39):
Chris Jones in big games. He almost never disappoints. I
thought they had to pay him, and if they had
to move anybody, it would be a corner where Colin
was right. The Mavericks only eighth in the West. Even
Jason Kidd last week complained about the defense from Luca,
Kyrie and Luca since the All Star Game are allowing
(19:03):
one hundred and twenty four points a game.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
That's awful.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I've said this, if your best players are not committed
on the defensive end, James Harden, Carmelo, Anthony, Kyrie, Luca,
I think it can build resentment. Most great almost every
great player in my life, the Yannis Lebron Michael Kobe.
(19:29):
Almost all of them at least commit the defense, even
if Kevin Durant Steph Curry. They're not considered elite defenders.
I don't buy Dallas. I don't think you can win
in May and June, April, May and June with that
lack of defensive commitment, and right now they are only
eight in the West.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone easternn a Empacific.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Hey, what's up everybody? It's me three time Pro Bowl
of LeVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to
anounce the podcast called Up on Game?
Speaker 2 (20:02):
What is Up on Game?
Speaker 5 (20:03):
You ass along with my fellow Pro bowler TJ. Huschman
Zada and Super Bowl champion Yup, that's right, Plexico Burus.
You can only name a show with that type of
talent on it. Up on Game We're going to be
sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen
to Up on Game with me Lebar Arrington, TJ. Hutschman, Zada,
(20:26):
and Plexico Burrs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcast from.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Oh here, we go on to Tuesday live in Los Angeles.
It's the herd wherever you may be, and however you
may be listening things for making us part of your day.
Nick Wright in one hour Customary on a Tuesday, All
sorts of activity yesterday to start our show, Russell Wilson's
a Steeler to end our show. Kirk Cousins in Atlanta Falcon.
(20:58):
We can debate what he's worth his value you Jay
Mcca just saw a minute ago that Joe Mixon now
goes to C. J. Stroud in the Houston Texans so
they get another weapon for the sending young star quarterback
in the AFC. Yesterday was one of the more that
was as much fun as you could have do in
live TV. It was just pinball wizards up here, flying
(21:19):
around stuff, banging on the walls. All new players, all
new destinations. A few teams got better. I think absolutely.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I love the chaos.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I was going to open the show saying you're dead
to me, which is just a hilarious.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Exchange there between New York Giants guys.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah, Tiki Barber's great New York Giant that played his
entire career with the New York Giants, had a wonderful career.
So yesterday Sakuon Barkley, who had also spent his entire
career with the New York Giants at the same position,
both great all time players. But Tiki now is a
radio guy on Wfan, and when the word got out
(21:55):
he was now going to the rival phil Delphia Eagles
of hated in New York by the Giant fans. Here
was Tiki Barber's reaction.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
And Saque has already taken to Twitter himself to say
thank you to everyone who's shown me love and support
over the past six years. Forever grateful, excited for the
next chapter. Blue heart emoji piece.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Okay, blue heart emoji looking at He's dead to us now? Yes,
say he's dead to me. He won't say they're dead
to us. Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
They said it with a smile. But if you're Saquon Barkley,
two reasons you had to go. Number One, running backs
don't make with it in the eighties, nineties, early two thousands,
and number two, Philadelphia is a significantly better place to land.
First of all, they have a better quarterback, and that
quarterback runs a lot Jalen hurts. That helps a running
(22:44):
back more deception, better offensive line helps a running back
two legitimate star receivers, meaning safeties can't crowd the box
like they can in New York because they don't have
one great receiver and they always have tremendous tight end
play in Philadelphia. How do you not go? It's very
possible that Saquon Barkley will have significantly fewer touches and
(23:07):
more production in New York. Oh yeah, it's a better
organization than they win and get to Super Bowls. Plus,
the Giants are to blame. A couple of years ago,
we said, franchise Daniel Jones. You probably have to pay
Saquon Barkley. Daniel Jones. Nobody in that locker room thought
the heart and the soul of the team was Daniel Jones.
(23:28):
Everybody knew it was Saquon Barkley. And the Giants said,
we're gonna pay Daniel Jones. And now they're stuck next
to Carolina. It is the weakest offense in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley did not owe the New York Giants anything,
and I think loyalty has limitations here. I mean, let's
be honest. He's the fourth all time leading running back
and that's with injuries and behind mostly awful offensive lines,
(23:53):
losing culture, bad quarterbacks where you could crowd the box,
and he's still fourth all time. And think about this,
in the last six years he's spent six years in
New York. He has over seven thousand total yards, again
with bad old lines, egregiously bad old lines, no star
receivers really, and forty seven touchdowns. Second to the Giant
(24:16):
is a receiver Darius Slayton. Half the yards and about
thirty five percent of the touchdowns nineteen that's the second
most productive player for the New York Giants. What do
you want him to do? Direct your anger at ownership,
the front office, climate change, gas prices, inflation, Joe Biden,
(24:36):
wherever you can't blame Saquon Barkley. But more than anything,
this is ultimately the truth. Where do I say you
go to the truth? You go to Vegas. Don't go
to the media they have agendas, they have favorites. Don't
go to fans they're emotional. Go to Vegas. You know
what Vegas thinks. The Eagles super bull odds improved signing
(25:03):
a running back for the record. The Steelers didn't signing
Russell Wilson, so Saquon Barkley was considered more helpful getting
to a super Bowl for Philadelphia. Now they're a lot
closer than it was for the Steelers with Russell Wilson. Men.
If that doesn't tell you the value. Giants didn't appreciate him,
(25:26):
but the superior franchise did, Draftking Sportsbook did the people
who are paid to get it right did? The Giants didn't.
Whose fault is that? Blame anybody you want. Don't blame Saquon.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
He had to go. It's a way better spot.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
He'll touch it less potentially and gain more less pounding
on his body. That's what running back should do. Go
to the place where you can be productive and you
don't have to be Dereck Henry because most people aren't
Derick Henry. They're not that big and can't take that pounding.
All right, Kirk Cousins end of our show goes to Atlanta.
(26:05):
Not a big surprise. It's so funny now everybody today
talk about a ceiling. Do you know the number one
selling ice cream in America? It's not cookie Dough, it's
not bubblegum, it's not Rocky Road, It's Vanilla. For the
(26:28):
umpteenth straight year. You can have it with pie espresso
solo in a cup in a Sunday. It works, I know.
But if you order it, if you ever go out
with anybody, three or four people, you get vanilla, everybody
turns to you and goes so boring vanilla. Yesterday I
had a vanilla latte, not a cookie dough lade, not
(26:50):
a Brownie madness latte. I had a vanilla latte. It
was fantastic. You know, Kirk Cousins is like you go
to Europe and on the fourth or fifth day you
just order mcdonnolds because it's familiar. It tastes great. The
bottom line is, you know my point. You know what
you're getting with Kirk Cousins. A committed adult, low turnovers,
(27:11):
high accuracy, doesn't miss many starts. Teammates like him, soda
coaches virtually egoless, and he's much more productive than everybody thinks.
Did you know since he has signed with the Vikings,
I think you'll be surprised by this twenty eighteen, Since
(27:32):
he signed with the Vikings. J Mack third in passing
touchdowns again with a couple of shaky oh lines and
at one point Mike Zimmer defensive coach third and passing
touchdowns and tied for third in passer ratings. And you
all wanted justin fields. I'm not sure he can play
the position. Yes, he's boring, but you know what you get,
(27:55):
and it's much better than you think. And it works
well with tight ends, running backs, decent on lines, and
wide receivers. Everybody thinks they can do a whole lot
better than Kirk Cousins. And yet the Chicago Bears, with
a history over one hundred years, have never once had
a quarterback as good as Kirk Cousins. Look it up, No,
(28:17):
they haven't, Bears, not once. The NFL is the only
business in America that always, every year has a labor shortage.
There's about seven to eight teams every year that need
a highly functioning quarterback. And that's exactly why Kirk Cousins
(28:42):
keeps getting paid, because he's probably like a Dak Prescott
in that eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth best quarterback in the league.
Dak's making a lot of money, Kirk Cousins making a
lot of money. They're monetizing their position, and they're both
about statistically the exact same player. Kirk's more accurate Dak's
more mobile, and Dak's got the star on the side
(29:04):
of the helmet. You can say it's boring, you can
say's vanilla. You always get laughed at when you choose
it when you go out with friend for ice cream.
But consider this, the Washington Commanders, since Kirk Cousins left,
have the twenty seventh best win percentage in the NFL. Well,
(29:26):
it's not Kirk, it's and the Vikings have made the
playoffs several times, and Kirk Cousins against Aaron Rodgers and
what we view as the superior organization and the superior
quarterback every two times they played, Kirk beat Aaron once.
(29:50):
Call it boring. I call it productive, dependable, committed, an adult. Yeah,
he's not carrying a trophy home. Very few people not
named Patrick Mahomes are carrying a trophy home. Lamar can't
win back to back playoff games and we love him.
Josh Allen can't get to a super Bowl. Kirk Cousins
(30:13):
wins his efficient productive. If you love Dak, you can't
tell me Kirk Cousins can't play. Their statistics are identical.
I don't love either. I like both. They're grown ups,
good at the podium, win games, and Minnesota said, hey,
(30:33):
we like you too. We don't like you forty five
large a year. I mean, DA's going to make fifty
five large a year. But for Atlanta and this team
and these kids in that division, he's got tremendous, tremendous value. Again,
you can't love Dak and think Kirk can't play kind
(30:55):
of the same quarterback. The difference is Atlanta not the
Cowboys or Minnesota. They're not a consistently winning franchise meaning
to get there in this sport that has a perpetual
labor shortage at quarterback, Kirk has value. All right, man,
there's a lot of stuff. Now your guy, your guy.
(31:18):
You know, I don't even want to Colin Wright, Colin
Wrong's not till next Monday. There does not appear to
be much of a market for Justin Field. So the
Raiders went and got Gardner Minshew two year deal. So
what the Raiders are telling you is they're bringing a
veteran in for two years, pretty cheap price, and they're
gonna draft a quarterback and Minshew can be sort of
the mentor and be the starter for two years at
(31:40):
a very reasonable number. That's what the Vikings are doing
with Sam Darnold. We're gonna bring Sam in for a year,
draft a quarterback, and then for a year. I don't
think it's a bad idea by the Raiders or the Vikings.
We're not asking you to come in and start. Guys
that can win some football games, create some inertia, some momentum,
get some wins, and you can be an understudy for
a year.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
I'm not certain the Raiders are drafting a quarterback this year.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think it's gonna be Minshew at named O'Connell, and
then next year, when they're probably drafting in the top five,
they get a quarterback. Let me go back to Kirk Cousins.
You said, if you like Dak, you should like Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Now it comes down to the number for both. Dak's
gonna cost you fifty five.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
A couple numbers. Number one is Dak. It turns thirty
one this summer. Kirk turns thirty six this summer. Kirk's
never been mobile. Dak was is less mobile now. Yeah,
Kirk's coming off an Achilles.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Yeah, and he's getting forty five in the neighborhood of
forty five for.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
A losing franchise that's trying to stabilize a bunch of
kids on offense coming off a horrible quarterback season.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
And you've got to pay nobody, like you said, the
scope position guy's a ang.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Whereas Dallas has to pay Ceedee Lamb Michah Parsons. They
don't have a running back, a star running back. We
don't know if we like their coach. Their coach is
on a short runway. And so Dallas is gonna pay
Dak close to sixty fifty five at forty five million
for a couple of years. It's not the wheels don't
all end up being like they read. They end up
being significantly shorter, less money. But in the end, again,
(33:08):
I don't love Kirk Cousins, but he is number three
in passing touchdowns, tied for thurn passer rating, and unlike Dak,
has not had good offensive lines for a big part
of it. Battled with his head coach, a defensive coach
Mike Zimmer. He wins a lot of games.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
A pretty smart guy who had come on my podcast
has compared this Falcons team to last year's Texans defensive
head coach Rahie Morris and Demico Ryans offensive coordinator from
the McVeigh Shanahan Tree. Both offensive coordators Slowick and Zach
Robinson worked at Pro Football Focus very analytically geared, and
now it's like, Okay, we got our quarterback, We're gonna
(33:48):
get it.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
We got our tight end receivers. What are they gonna
do in the draft?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Probably go defense, just like the Texans, well Will Anderson.
Maybe uh Falcons look at Dallas Turner from Alabama and
they're building in the mold of the Tech who were
in a bad division last year and they win it.
Falcons in a week division in the NFC. I think
they're gonna be the favorites in that division.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Yeah they are. I think they should be Baker and
the Buck second. But the other thing to think about
here is division matters. Brady looked over the entire league
and chose the NFC South. I don't think Kirk Cousins.
I think he would have stayed in Minnesota for thirty
six million, that's what they wanted to give him. A
thirty seven, but that division's week in forty five. I'm
gonna take the money. I got about three to four
years to play. Kirk Cousins value in a very weak
(34:33):
division is substantial. Kirk Cousins in the AFC West is
not as valuable. So Baker and Kirk in that division
are both valuable.
Speaker 4 (34:42):
So why didn't Russell Wilson see that exact point? I'd say,
I don't want any part of Pittsburgh. I would rather
go to Minnesota. Maybe Minnesota didn't want him.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I don't think Minnesota wanted him, and I don't think
Atlanta wanted him.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Again, I'm not I just think Russ picked a really
tough division to succeed it well.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
But he also picked if you believe in yourself. He
picked a team in Pittsburgh that has a lot of talent,
can't get it right, but has a lot of offensive talents.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
I don't normally pay too much attention to Dez Bryant,
former Cowboy receiver, but he did say something that I
thought was interesting on X Get ready to take the blame, Dak,
because I really don't see any help coming your way
unless a miracle happens. Everybody in the nfcast made moves
(35:37):
and got better during free agency, except the Cowboys. Well,
they did resign their long snapper, so there's that. We've
said this for years. The Cowboys tend to be really,
really insular. It's a small family business worth a lot.
They believe their draft picks are the players of the
future almost always, and I think that's a problem. I'm
(35:59):
not a believer in spending big on free agency, but
you got to spend something. Because the Eagles got better,
Washington's getting significantly better, the Giants who knows. But as
of today, there's a very poor running back class. This
is a bad running back class. There is no first rounder,
arguably no second rounder. The Cowboys running back right now.
(36:22):
This is their running back is tiny sixth round pick
Douce Vaughn.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
It's why the smart people and the smart teams are
gobbling up running backs. Doesn't it feel like running backs
are having a very good offseason. Jim Harbaugh and John
Harbaugh have gone out and gotten a top running back
Dereck Henry to the Ravens, Josh Jacobs to the Packers,
a well run franchise. People like Adam Peters the new
(36:54):
GM in Washington. He goes and gets Austin Eckler from
the Chargers, a running back that can catch and run.
Texans had a great draft, Nick Cassario, They're very smart,
young gm They go out and get Joe Mixon, Saquon
Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles, Gus Edwards to the Chargers.
So the smart coaches and the smart teams are saying,
(37:14):
it's a bad running back draft. Let's gobble up the
guys we have for the right price. Cowboys nothing, And
why does it matter? Because there are some sobering numbers
in data on Dak Prescott that are almost hard to
believe until you look at him. Since Dak Prescott has
been in the league, this is pretty amazing. When he
(37:37):
gets thirty plus rush attempts behind him, he's virtually impossible
to beat. Fifty three and seven less than thirty rush attempts,
he's not a very good quarterback twenty and thirty four.
But this is more sobering. If Dak just gets one
hundred yards rushing, again, he's mahomes. He's sixty four and seventeen.
(37:57):
If he gets less than one hundred yards, Dak Prescott
has nine career wins.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
And the Cowboys are making no move at running back.
It is very clear, indisputably, inarguably clear. Dak is a
completely different quarterback with a run game. Now, Josh Allen
and Mahomes are better quarterbacks. They don't need it. I mean,
Mahomes and Josh Allen regularly in big wins, playoff wins.
They're the leading rusher. That was Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
But once again the Cowboys fall into this worse smarter
(38:30):
than everybody else. We're just going to go back with
our guys that we drafted for the record, the very
well run Philadelphia Eagles, who have been to three Super
Bowls since the last time the Cowboys were in one.
It's a revolving door of running backs. They're acknowledging all
the time. Hey this receiver AJ Brown, he's better than
(38:53):
the guys we drafted. Hey this running back Saquon Barkley,
he's better than the guys we drafted. The Eagles have
no problem acknowledging. And this is what smart companies do.
We don't have all the answers. Some of our draft
picks we guessed wrong, our scouts missed. Will go buy
somebody on the market. For a reasonable number, and the
(39:15):
way Philly's doing it as this league pivots to offense
over the last five to ten years. Look at the
Eagles offensive skilled people. A highly athletic quarterback Jalen Hurts
moving into his prime, excellent tight end Dallas Goddard, two
star receivers Devonte Smith, AJ Brown, and a top three
(39:36):
or four running back Saquon Barkley. That is an all
star cast. You would not be surprised if any of
those or all of them made a Pro Bowl next year.
The Cowboys seed Lamb and cross your fingers on Cede
Lamb's health. That's their guy, and they're making no moves
(39:56):
in free agency. So, I mean, Philadelphia and Baltimore have very,
very dynamic running quarterbacks. Dak no longer due to injuries,
runs like he used to. He's okay, He's not special.
And Philly and Baltimore, knowing that, went out and got
star running backs. Why to lessen the burden on superior quarterbacks? Right,
(40:21):
Lamar's better than Dak, We're gonna make it easier for him.
I think Jalen Hurts is more talented than that. We're
gonna make it easier on him. So look at the
Ravens in the Eagles the last two years, going out
with dynamic quarterbacks and adding running backs, drafting star receivers,
adding more players. Dallas, We're good here now. I do
(40:45):
think there's one or two running backs still on the market,
but it is just crystal clear. The numbers are indisputable.
If you give Dak not even great run support, good
run support, good, he wins to we out of four games,
and when you don't, he's got nine career wins. Jane
(41:07):
Slater does report this morning. She hears Dallas is about
to make a move again. They have re signed their
long snapper. To this point, I don't think I'm being negative.
I think I'm being honest. They don't have enough weapons.
You can't have one star receiver and crosh your fingers.
He stays healthy. Oh so I saw this yesterday. And
(41:29):
you know, from time to time, not a lot, but
people come up to me and say, why don't you
say anything nice about blank team? I always say, I
always talk well about the Chiefs and the Warriors, and
you know, teams that win. I spoke nice about Michigan
this year and a Washington this year. In college football,
(41:52):
Oregon win more games, stop blaming the messenger.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
So I saw this yesterday and it made me chuckle.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Steeler fans, you know, prime number two, number three fan
base in the NFL, and Steeler fans think I don't
like him. But what I just keep doing is pointing
out that they keep rinsing and repeating something that doesn't work.
So yesterday the Steelers traded a very talented young receiver
(42:20):
Deontay Johnson to Carolina for an okay cornerback, and they
also spent a fortune on a linebacker, linebacker Patrick Queen.
And I just laughed. If I said to you, hey,
there's this NFL team yesterday, you're busy, you didn't see
what happened in the NFL, I said, it is his team.
(42:40):
And they traded a really promising young receiver for an
average corner and then they paid a fortune for a linebacker.
Who do you think it is? Oh, I'll give you
another hint. They will once again lead the NFL in
defensive spending this year by thirty million dollars. I'll give
(43:02):
you another hint. They spend the second least amount of
money in the NFL on offense. I'll give you another hint.
They still can't get the offensive line right for like
the fifth or sixth year. At this point, if you
can't figure out it's the Steelers, you're not paying attention.
This is what they are with Mike Tomlin. And I've
(43:22):
been saying this on free agency. The Rams went and
paid in the last year a lot for two offensive guards.
No defensive coach would do that. They want to pay
safeties and linebackers. Rams are not going to pay a
fortune for a linebacker. Steelers did defensive coach making fifteen
(43:43):
million a year. Power in the building, pound the gavel,
pound the table, young GM, new GM listens. I like
Mike Tomlin, but at some point we got to be
honest here. Denver and Sean Payton offensive coach rebuilt their line,
their offensive line in one off season. They had a
top ten on line this year. Denver, look it up, PFF.
(44:05):
Andy Reid did it several years ago in one year.
Sean McVeigh did it in eight weeks this past year. Now,
the GMS, in all those cases they get credit too,
But three offensive coaches rebuilt their offensive line in weeks
or months. We're going like five six years. Steelers can't
get their own line right. So as long as Mike
(44:26):
Tomlins the head coach. Just understand, the Steelers will never
be terrible, but they are viewed as a defensive first.
Spend your money on defense, make your moves on defense,
stack your defense first. As the league pivots to an
(44:47):
offensive league, why don't you say anything nice about our team?
If you keep doing stuff over and over and you
lead the NFL in defensive spending again by a long shot,
and you don't spend money on offense, We're always looking
to go cheap Trubisky Russell Wilson on quarterback, and I
actually like the Russell to the Steelers move. This is
what you are in the AFC, which is a gauntlet
(45:10):
of ten of the top twelve to thirteen quarterbacks in
the National Football League. Is the entire culture in league
pivots to the other side of the football. I mean,
Belichick looks out classed. Pete Carroll couldn't get it right.
How come you don't say anything nice about our team.
I'm just telling you what you're doing, what's transpiring, and
what it looks like over and over again. All right,
(45:33):
j Mac, I don't know about you, but it sounds
like Aaron Rodgers could be on the presidential ballot here
in no time.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Very exciting news.
Speaker 3 (45:41):
I thought you were going with some Taylor Swift lyrics.
I don't know about two. I'm feeling twenty two.
Speaker 4 (45:47):
Listen, man, Am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (45:49):
Well?
Speaker 3 (45:50):
I think a large portion of Jets fans would be
thrilled if he were on the vice presidential ticket and
not on the sideline this fall for the Jets.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Just press the restart button and let's let's get rid
of them.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
I mean, honestly, isn't he the same guy who said
let's get all the bs out of the building like
two months ago.
Speaker 4 (46:06):
He's like, non football stuff, let's get it out.
Speaker 3 (46:08):
Of the building, And now he's running on a ticket
with a conspiracy theorist.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Well, remember, you are the company you keep. You are
your friends.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:23):
So if your friends are clickbaiters or monetized headline people
or famous podcasters or that's the company. Yeah, he hangs
out with Joe people, people that are seeking headlines for
various reasons.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
That's okay, and there's nothing wrong with it.
Speaker 4 (46:39):
I like some Rogan podcasts.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
I don't mind.
Speaker 4 (46:41):
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Wait, yeah I'm not. But when that's your company, you
are the company you keep so I want to talk
about Aaron because I really don't have a problem with
non politicians running for office or being part of a ticket.
If Mark Cuban would run, I'd be happy. I mean,
do you think I'm happy with this ballot?
Speaker 4 (46:59):
I know you're not way what you know? What about you?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
Are? You not for the presidential even I wouldn't I
wouldn't even be a mayor of a small rural town.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
Too many skeletons in the closet.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com