July 15, 2025 • 32 mins
A lot of teams missed on QBs during "the COVID year"
Sauce Gardner and the Jets agree to a new deal
Guest: Anthony Slater
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Episode Transcript
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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 noone Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sportsradio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR well. Anthony Slater
(00:21):
is a senior writer for the Athletics. He's covered the Warriors,
He's covered the Thunder for the Oklahoma and a great newspaper.
By the way, He's just followed, you know, Kevin Durant
around the world, one of the really sharp young guys
who covers the NBA. And Anthony Slater is now joining
US live and we appreciate that. So, you know, Anthony,
(00:42):
I am always reticent to fully embrace the summer League
like it's some rotational guys, but there's always one or
two player. I remember when Zion came out and I
was like, whoa that? Who wants to take the charge
from that player? Like that is a whole different ballgame.
So Yang ants and for the Blazers, his ability at
(01:03):
seven to one to get shots for other people was
sort of a wow. His basketball IQ there's some sh goon,
there's some Jokics that was like eye opening for a
twenty one year old. And then Cooper Flag scoring thirty
one of sixty nine points for the MAVs. It's like
in drawing fouls. Those were the two players in the
(01:24):
summer league that were really wow to me, like, oh,
that's gonna work? Am I hyperbolic here? Or for you
is did what did you see?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I mean I think those are two fair guys the spotlight.
There are others you always do wonder translatable to an
NBA setting right with with hanging with the Portland Center
and you're mentioning, you know, how many minutes is he
gonna play? Is he gonna be featured when he's out
there with Scoot Henderson and you know, Donovan Klingon's gonna
probably start. I would assume its shade and sharp and
(01:54):
some of the other developmental projects on that Portland team.
Or are they just gonna, you know, give him the
ball and you know, let him do some of the
stuff you're talking number one. And then on the other side,
how survivable will he become?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Defensively?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Is always a question I have for bigger centers, But
it is a very you know, intriguing skill set, especially
in the modern NBA. And then Cooper Flag, I mean,
you know, you know the talent's there, but to me,
he comes in as a really like polished, like all
around player. And I do wonder about the scoring at
the NBA level. Five to twenty one in the first
Summer League game, obviously much better with thirty one in
the second one.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But he's on He's on a win now team, which
is very rare.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
For a first overall pick, you know that, And I'm
curious how he fits into their starting lineup next season.
You know you're gonna have uh, you know, Derek Lively,
although it sounds like he had some surgery recently. But
Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford like, to me, Cooper Flag seems
like a modern day four, like switchablefore but he's probably
gonna be.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Pigeonholed at the three.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
But then you watch Summer League and you're like, this
guy's just a great basketball player. So but that didn't
surprise me, Right, he probably watched them Duke games, I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah. So the Jonathan coming a piece is interesting. So
there's something that's fairly clear and you know, more about
this than I do. But if you can't play with
Steph Curry and a lot of these young guys can't.
So in the NFL, a draft pick comes in twenty
three pretty refined. In the NBA, especially G League guys,
you know, they haven't played in big environments, they haven't
(03:16):
played at that bullet train pace with Steph. That Wiseman
didn't work. Kaminga doesn't play necessarily well with him, and
so my take is, Bogat did, andre Iguidala did, Andrew
Wiggins did, Like Steph and Draymond, they played better with
older guys and that Kaminga just doesn't fit. But I
do think he has value on the market. So what
(03:37):
do you think? What are they going to do it?
Do they sign and trade him? If I had to
put a crystal ball in front of you with Jonathan Kaminga,
he's long, he's twitchy, he's athletic, he can score. There's
value there. What do they do with him?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Crystal ball? I would I would still predict he comes back.
Just because of the market dynamics, It's really complicated. The
new CBA restricted free agency obviously gives the Warriors a
level of kind of asset control here there's a base
year compensation rule that makes you know, trading with the
salaries very tricky. The new aprons that I'm sure you
love talking about at this point kind of restrict some
(04:11):
of the other stuff. So you know, there are teams interested.
His representatives met with the Kings in Vegas this week.
There's other teams that have at least put in calls.
But you know, you not only have to get you know,
Jonathan kaminga to a contract number that he wants for
him to sign, but you also then have to convince
the Warriors, hey, here is enough trade pieces in assigning
trade so you.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Will not match that that sheet.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
And you know, the fit issues you raised are very
fair and like obviously it's been four years running of this.
Steve Kurz very transparent about it. There's dnps in the playoffs,
but guess what, Steph Curry straight in the hamstring and
he was like their second maybe best player in the
Minnesota Series, And like, that's a talent you don't want.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
To let walk out the door. Number one, Number two.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
They're gonna play a regular season next year of eighty
two games with their three best players being thirty five,
thirty five and thirty seven. They're gonna miss games. Jimmy Butler.
You know he can play what sixty something in steph
sixty something. They need bench scoring, they need scoring on nights.
Those guys either don't have it or are not out there.
So my prediction would be eventually these two sides come
to a resolution where he comes back early in the season,
(05:13):
he is, you know, a featured guy on some nights,
and then they relook at what his trade market could
be come January February, because you know, you could trade
him at his full value, and if he does play
well early in the season, maybe he doesn't have value
in the market.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So when Mark Walter and that group bought the Dodgers,
they went and got the best GM in the sport
in Tampa Friedman, and they kind of built the R
and D. They built scouting and then they started going
big game hunting. But they got they got it in
order and slowly, slowly build the right way. And so
when they buy the Lakers, my take is they don't
(05:50):
want to get they don't want to get tied the
massive contracts and Lebron the best thing you can have
in the NBA is a superstar in his Prime under contract.
That's that's a good contract, sga Yo Kich Stephans Prime.
I could argue the second best contract to have is
a very productive player and he's an expiring contract, and
(06:11):
then you have leverage. That's what Lebron is, so you
can move him at the deadline. So my take is
they're not being anti Lebron. I'm hearing all this Rich
Paul four teams. My take is they may move him,
but why would you do it now? He's a highly
productive player. Well, what is your take on what you're hearing?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Well, the other layer to that that you mentioned of
like stuff that's very valued in the league beyond just
an expiring contract, the cap space that comes after an
expiring contract. It's something that wasn't you know, Brooklyn had
it this summer. I think they to me they used
it in a strange way. But like the Lakers, you know,
can go search for you know, a younger co star
(06:53):
for Luka Doncicz in the in the market if they
want to, you know, in the next couple of years,
and that's maybe more important than even trading him at
the deadline. Certainly they could the trade mechanics in this
new CVA world are very tricky. Even if they wanted
to trade Lebron. Now, it's just like, how do you
find a suitor, how do you make a trade actually work?
But yeah, that flexibility optionality has become a popular term
(07:14):
in the league, and that's clearly what the Lakers are
prioritizing here. And it's it's understandable. Just look at the ages, right.
Lebron's gonna turn forty one next year. It's unbelievable what
he's been able to do. But as you mentioned, locking
into longer term money on him, you know, kind of
handcuffs them a little bit on building around Luca, who
just came in the door a few months ago.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I think Giannis is gonna move. Historically Europe, I always
say this, when I go to Europe, I tip better,
I'm probably more gracious. I feel I'm a visitor, and
I always felt international players, I mean, Luca was deeply
offended when he was traded. Yannis could have demanded a
trade that when players come internationally here, they're like, when
(07:58):
we go to Europe, they feel like I'm a visitor.
There's almost a psychology to the domestic player saying I'm
gonna do what I want to do. I'm you know,
I'm empowered, and I think Jannis wants to be a Buck.
But Anthony, I look at them three years ago, they
were old, they were dominated by Indiana. I don't think
they're a viable team even in the East, forget it,
(08:19):
in the West. I think Giannis eventually I would move him.
I don't know when, but I would move him. I
think you could get a complete haul. I've seen what
Rudy gober gets and Kevin Durant. What do you make
over the next Let's just say that the NBA season
starts in October to the deadline. Do you think it'll
(08:39):
be active or do you think he's a long term buck?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Well, the Bucks front office is clearly operating under the
assumption that he'll be there next year, because if he
does ask out, if he is traded by you know,
Camp or even you know, middle of the next season,
like what a disaster that Damian Lillard waving stretch for
Miles Turner becomes. You know, they they with them, like
you know, they put Damian Lillard as twenty two million
(09:03):
of dead cap for the next five years, clearly to
chase down you know what seems like an unrealistic dream
of still kind of competing in the East by getting
Miles Turner in the door, which you know, I would
agree with you. I think Vegas has them as like
the eighth best odds to win the East. But I
just I assume the Bucks front office is getting some
type of signals from you honest, that he's at least
(09:24):
willing to give it a go next season. Maybe maybe
I'm wrong, but if that's the case, I mean, that's
almost malpractice of roster building, because clearly that was a
desperation move done to appease Giannis. And if you don't
even get to you know, day one of the season,
the first season, then then we'll look back on that
that Lillard Waveman.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Stretches as one of the big disasters of the decade.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Finally, you covered Oklahoma City. Sam Presty's a very bright guy,
kind of the Howie Roseman. Perhaps at the NFL, where
he's considered really really shrewd made a lot of good deals.
I was surprised they gave Chet Sga and j dubb
all massive It limits flexibility. Now, I do think JDB
(10:05):
is a very interesting player. He's a complete grinder. He's
a slow growth guy. He was in high school, college
and the pros. I think he's great. Holme Grun's kind
of a unicorn physically. Not a lot of people built
like him, with his handles and his shooting, and Sga
is obviously great. So I probably shouldn't be surprised, but
it does feel like, and they're all young, but it
(10:25):
does feel like, Okay, guys, this is it for the
next five years. This is the team. Not a lot
of flexibility.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Were you surprised, well, I mean, beyond this is the team,
it's almost like the team is going to start to
lose a road around them. Yes, right, you know, like
the Hartenstein contract. I mean, but you know clearly Sam
Press you mentioned, and he's shrewd.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He built this way.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
He got a team option for Hartenstein that you know,
they can decline when it you know, becomes when some
of this money starts to kick and they still have
next season very cheap because these extensions that you hear,
they don't you know, the two rookie ones Jaylen Williams
of Cheholmroom, they don't kick in for a season after
this and Shay's big, big money super Max is still
two seasons from now until it kicks in, so they
(11:10):
have a window here the next couple of years that
still have like, you know, well priced role players, the Carusos,
the Dorts, the you know, the Hertensteins around them.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
But you know, by the time those guys are.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Entering their early prime to for Shay it would be
kind of mid prime, they're gonna have to have a
lot of just like cheap, minimum mid level type deals
under them. But you know the guess what, Sam Press,
He's got like, you know, a billion draft picks to
go try to find those guys. Cason Wallace is a
guy for example, that he's hit on and to me
over the next few years, he kind of looks like
the lou Dort replacement. This year in the draft they
(11:42):
had the fifteenth overall pick, they drafted a center from Georgetown.
He to me seems like if he hits, would be
the Hartenstein replacement. So, uh, Sam Press, he's tried to
build himself up, or build a roster up to be
sustainable in an NBA world that you know, this new
CBA tries to make it unsustained, uh, to continue to build.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
But to your original point, it those numbers.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Are eye popping, but also after winning the title with
those three as your three best players, and they're coming
up on extensions like I just don't know in this
COmON modern NBA world, how you don't give them the
money when they come asking for it.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Anthony Slater, senior writer of The Athletic, keeping us up
to date. He's going to go on a nice, well
deserved vacation here pretty quick, and I appreciate you stopping
my Anthony.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I might check out Rhode Island. I've heard good things.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
You got it from me, Baby. Providence Airport just one
best airport in North America.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Go for it.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It's me Rob Parker.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest names of newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the eye test, We've got all the
bases covered. New episodes dropped every Thursday, So do yourself
a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob
(13:09):
Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Jay Mack, J Mack.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Maybe you know j Max.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I'm just trying to get you to Chicago for a
quick visit. Forget Rhode Island.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
That one too far heard on the news.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
You know. I was in college and I dated this
girl who raved about this town in Rhode Island.
Speaker 7 (13:32):
That was just amazing. I've forgotten that you know the
name of the town. But apparently Rhode Island is like
a cool spot. Maybe you found an undiscovered gem in America.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Listen, uncle Colin as choices. I wouldn't go there if
it wasn't cool. Come on, what are you thinking?
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Well, we got some breaking news.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Call in here.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
Final hour out of Kansas City. The Chiefs have locked
up guard Trey Smith on a four year, ninety four
million dollar extension seventy mili guaranteed, making the highest they'd
guard in NFL history. He had been tagged back into February,
and I just dug into some numbers. He graded out
(14:08):
as the fourteenth best guard in the league but allowed
zero sacks. As a sixth round pick, they got a
lot of bang for their buck with him.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Oh they stole him.
Speaker 6 (14:16):
He's been very good out of Tennessee. He was protected
as like a potential first round pick at tackle and
then he just, you know, kind of measurements weren't there
and kind of didn't have a great final year.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
And no, he has been he is, you know, like
Jawan Jennings for the Niners. Trey Smith is one of
Brett Veach's great draft picks. Now, obviously, you know you
get these occasional Brock parties in Trey Smith. But the
difference is Trey Smith was considered a year before he
came out like he was a first round talent, and
(14:46):
then they went and got him. So let me tell
you something that's good drafting because he I remember his
rookie year. You're like, oh, they stole them. And you
know what, again, people mature. The NFL asked so much
of you mentally and physically. It's just some you need
the right fifth. So that and once again, an interior
lineman is getting big time money. You're seeing these teams Chicago,
(15:11):
the Rams, the Chiefs paying big time. I mean the
Green Bay this year free Agent paid a guard of fortune.
You're seeing now the money is moving interior lineman now
we're getting there.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Still some questions at tackle Colin Juwan Taylor, who is
a walking false start on one side.
Speaker 7 (15:27):
And then they brought over the kid from San fran Moore,
who has been a swing tackle.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
He's never been like a, hey, we can count on
this guy to start sixteen seventeen games. We'll see, they're
obviously said at center with Creed Humphrey, I'm still not
as bullish on.
Speaker 7 (15:41):
The Chiefs as other people at this time.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I'm not either, and you're with me.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
But we'll see. Obviously they have mahomes and reads. They'll
be competitive.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Next up.
Speaker 7 (15:49):
Terry McLaurin less good news.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
He spoke out today about the situation in Washington.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
He wants a new contract. He's holding out.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
It's coming off in amazing years, thirteen touchdowns, but uh,
this does not sound good.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Colinary.
Speaker 8 (16:02):
Is everything that has transpired of to this point is
it hasn't been disappointing and frustrating. You know, I've wanted
to continue my career here, can created my life here.
You know, my wife and I have for our first
home year. So this has been somewhere where I've always
wanted to be. Understand, everything's a business. Where at the
(16:23):
same time, like you know, I want to put myself
in a position where you know, on value me and
I still appreciating and things like that.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Listen, Terry McLaurin is mature, productive and healthy. Deebo struggles
with health and at times has been noisy. You can't
sign debo and let McLaurin go, Like, I don't mind
the debo signing, but not at the cost of McLaurin.
Like you have to pay him. He has been in
a position that has some highly emotional, sometimes almost erratic personalities.
(16:58):
He is a He is like on Saint Brown and
McLaurin might as well be guards or inside linebackers like
they are. You can rally around them, you can build
around him. Uh. This is very interesting because I think
he is one of my favorite players in the league.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
I mean, you know, he's produced around this top ten
wide receiver salary area. He certainly should be in there.
The problem is he's getting up there in age. You're
not paying for past performance. But with Jane Daniels on
the rookie deal, I'm surprised this hasn't been done.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Colin.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
I maybe my kids watch the movie. Jerry maguire have
you remember that movie to Give with your boy Tom Bruise.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Show me the money.
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Basically, if McLaurin just said there and said show me
the money, I would have no problem with that.
Speaker 7 (17:43):
He deserves it. I think you have to give a dble,
even if it's a shorter frontloaded deal.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Because of the rookie deal for Daniels, I think you
gotta just get You don't need any drama heading into
what could be could be a super Bowl season for Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Would you say yeah, no, I'm and there are just
quarterbacks need comfort right like he is, like Jared Goff
and amer On Saint Brown, or Brady and Edelman, Peyton Manning.
You go back to great quarterbacks Jamar Chase and Burrell.
Remember Joe Burrell pounded the table they needed a tackle,
(18:19):
he said, get me Jamar Chase from LSU, Brady and Gronk.
Almost every great quarterback has had a go to guy.
McLaurin has to be signed and I'm very rarely am I. Hey,
you gotta sign this wide receiver. I think college football,
you know, provides twenty guys a year. You can go
find Pooker or Tank Dell in middle rounds McLaurin is
(18:42):
a must sign to make.
Speaker 6 (18:43):
And he said Brady and Gronk. I instantly thought Cowherd
and MacIntyre. You know.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
And I'm not the churchey wide receiver in progress.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I'm not the diva.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
But I have a said big final story, Colin, let's
go to the NBA.
Speaker 9 (18:53):
Listen.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
I know people don't want to hear it, but I'm
just telling you right now, Bronnie James has improved dramatically. Yes,
he looks good in the summer League. Looks like a
legit rotational player. Last night he had seventeen to five
and five in a loss to the Clippers. Again, people
are so out of him because the first impressions and
he was drafted blah blah blah. If you watch him
in summer, he's got game now. He looks like a
(19:15):
better player. I know he's still six to one. Here
is Bronnie afterward on his improvement.
Speaker 9 (19:20):
I think I got a word on everything. That's what
I'm doing summer. I'm working on, you know, on my defense,
especially lateral movement, being more quick, being you know, faster
than what I was last year. So and also I
just his basketball, just I feel comfortable, you know, with
ball in my hands at all time. So if I
(19:41):
need to take the last shot and was uh.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Listen, I I think the best thing he's got going
for him two things. He is athletic. That's undeniable. He's athletic.
And the second thing is he's a really bright kid.
Always says the right thing, smart, have self awareness. He's
working on the right stuff. Listen. There's not a lot
of six to one to two guards in the league,
(20:06):
but it's becoming. There are fewer labels in the NBA
like two, three, and four, like if you can play,
if you can defend. He's going to have to defend
at an elite level, yes, and he's also going to
have to shoot at an elite level to be a
valuable NBA player. He's not a great ball handler. He's
not going to do anything like he has to work
his butt off defending and he has to hit threes
(20:26):
and then you can become a rotational player. But I
will say this, every time he talks, he always says
the right stuff, Like he gets his role. He absolutely
I read a story this last week on him, like
he understands what he is and he has no misgivings
about it, and that comes, i'm sure from his dad
in Savannah, Like he knows what he is. He's a
hard worker. But he was impressive. I watched him all
(20:49):
the highlights on YouTube in that game. He was impressive. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
Let's remember he's twenty years old, okay, and I'm rooting
for him.
Speaker 7 (20:56):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
I'm watching Brian and I am rooting for this guy.
He nearly died a couple of years ago in USC
right with the hard issue, Like, come on, man, this guy.
The kid has improved dramatically. I hope he cracked the
rotation with the Lakers. He's probably their tenth best player
right now. We'll see what happens with the roster, but
I think he's gonna be playing this year a little
bit for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, I agree. Jmck with the news, Well, that's the news,
and thanks for stopping by The Herd Line News A
little breaking news in the NFL. Will have that when
we return The Herd.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noonon Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
So breaking news. The Jets have also beyond Garrett Wilson's
contract have now inked top cornerback, the all Pro cornerback,
Sauce Gardner, to a thirty million dollars per year deal
four years, one hundred and twenty million. So this this
is a great example of that COVID year where all
the quarterbacks missed. Think about the Jets the prime example.
(21:57):
You got to get the quarterback right. So Garrett Wilson,
they've hit on a weapon, They've hit on a Pro
Bowl corner, They've hit on an interior defensive lineman. They
have a star back in Breese Hall, Jermaine Johnson, the
edge rusher coming off injury, terrific young player Olafashan, who
the tackle from Penn State looks like he's going to
(22:18):
be really really good. They got six or seven really
good players, I like their defensive personnel, and they missed
on Zach Wilson. And so so then they had they reached,
probably reached to solve it in a big, loud, noisy
media market on Aaron Rodgers. And now they're going to
roll the dice and see if they can get justin
(22:40):
fields to work. And it all starts with missing on
Zach Wilson. And it just goes to show you can
do so much wrong in this league, but if you
get quarterback right, you're good. It is and you can
do so much right. I wouldn't have fired their GM.
I wouldn't have fired Sola. They fired both. But they
(23:01):
got players. The Jets have players, and Justin Field's not
my favorite. I think he needs the right offensive coach
to work, maybe like Caleb Williams does, who knows, But
they got dudes. The Jets have players, and I've always
said you need about six elite seven elite players to
be a viable super Bowl team. But you got to
be good at coach and you got to be good
at quarterback. They have to be two of the things
(23:23):
you're really exceptional at. And we don't know if the
Jets are. But again, they missed on Zach Wilson. It
was the COVID year. All the quarterbacks missed. Trey Lance missed,
Zach Wilson missed. I think Mac Jones was one of
the quarterbacks that year. He was hot for about an hour.
He missed. And so that's where the Jets are at.
So they've you know, they're signing their guys and they're good.
(23:47):
I mean, I would sign Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and
Quinnon williams Olufashan, who's a couple of years down the road.
But they're they're signing the right guys, and maybe they
have the right coach and maybe Justin Field's works, but
it is I've said this about the Indianapol Colts. They
have good players. I love their coach, I love their GM.
I think Indianapolis has really good players. But the late
(24:07):
Jim Irsay said, get Carson Wentz out of here. They've
been bailing water since the quarterback. You know, they got
an old Philip Rivers who was kind of good for
a year, and then they went with Anthony Richardson. They've
been just trying to solve the quarterback. The Colts. I
think GM coach roster, I got good players, but they're
you know, listen, it's and they're and they're good enough
(24:29):
where they're not drafted in the top five to get
the quarterback. So it's it's very difficult. You've got to
get the quarterback right. Once you get Mahomes right, or
or Baltimore gets Lamar Jackson right, or or Buffalo gets
Josh Allen right, you can miss on a lot of picks.
I mean, Buffalo's missed on some picks. Kansas City moved
(24:50):
off Tyreek Hill hasn't been great on the offensive line
at tackle. You could you it's a very imperfect league
if you get the coach in the quarterback right so,
and that's you know. That's why when Sean Payton went
to Denver, I'm like, it's gonna work. It may it
may take a while because of the Russell Wilson deal,
(25:11):
but I and I said before they drafted him, I said,
I think bo Nicks, it is Drew Brees. I think
Sean Payton and bow Nix, that's gonna work. They got
that massive salary hanging over, they've got some offensive line,
they've got an upgrade. And now you look at Denver
and you're like, I think PFF has him ranked as
a top ten roster and a top three offensive line.
So you know that that's where we stand today. By
(25:34):
the way, there are rumors about uh Nick Saban coming back.
I don't buy him coming back to college football, and
his former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin buys it.
Speaker 10 (25:47):
Acknowledge that he's coming back. I don't think game, but
he does. I just he's so sharp still, I almost
feel like it's a waste that he's not in no
disrespect to the media and what you guys do, but
his a bill to coach players and change lives in that,
and he's so good at that. I just think it'll
(26:09):
be back where that's NFL or college.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, I I don't think he's coming back. I asked
Eric Mangini earlier, who I think is one of those
coaches that could work in pro or college? I said,
if you were advising Nick Saban on, you know, stay,
go back to college, or perhaps go pro. I think
college right now it's it's a little wild wild West
(26:37):
with all the NIL and transfer portal, and I like both,
but they're not a lot of guard rails right now,
not enough guardrails. And I asked Mangini, what would you
advise Nick saban to do?
Speaker 11 (26:48):
If I was advising Nick, I would advise him to
go to pro football because that's where he hasn't He
hasn't achieved at the same level as he has in
college football, and I think he can. I don't think
a lot of people realize that the Miami failed Drew
Brees on his physical you know, or Drew Brees would
have been a Miami Dolphin with Nick Saban. That would
(27:09):
have been really interesting to see how good that team
could have been.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
But I think the other thing to remember is with
the NIL and teams having to raise money to pay
players fifteen to twenty million dollars, they're not buying out
their coaching contracts like they used to. So Caitlin de Boorr,
who I think is an excellent coach, he will eventually work,
but Alabama's got some fund issues. They're just trying to
hold bake sales and car washes to get up to
(27:38):
ten million fifteen million dollars consistently, which Georgia can do
and Ohio State can do, and Notre Dame can do,
and USC can do and Oregon do can do. So
I don't know where he would go. Ryan Day just
want to Natty. Maybe if the Michigan coach doesn't work, maybe,
But I think Saban would want more power than Michigan would.
(28:00):
You know, they've already had the hardball thing, or they
may be a little skittish on giving sab an ultimate authority.
You know, I don't know where he would go. Clemson's
not getting rid of Dabbo maybe LSU, but Brian Kelly.
But again, they'd have to buy Brian Kelly out. It's
like a seventy million dollar buyout. LSU's not doing that. So,
(28:22):
I mean the last big buyout was Jim bow Fisher
at A and M, and that was a little bit
before NIL turned into what it is now, which is
a monster. So it's it's like, you know, people talk
about Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley, and I think USC
is going to win about eight games this year. They
don't have elite players top five or six program elite players,
(28:45):
and he's safe.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
You're not getting rid of him. So I don't know.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
He doesn't He wouldn't fit Notre Dame. Too many rules
at Notre Dame. Yeah, James Franklin, I think they're going
to play for the national championship. I think sark and
Texas and James Franklin and Penn State. I think that's
the national championship, Nittany Lions against the Longhorns. So I
just don't And Dan Lanning is crushing it at Oregon
and Saban's not going out West, So I where is
(29:11):
something Kiffin's crushing at Old Miss? So whe're you gonna,
We're gonna go. I mean, it's it's like Saban. It's
like I said with Jerry Seinfeld, don't do another sitcom.
You left as number one. That's great. That's what Saban did.
He left as a king. If Seinfeld went back to TV,
he's doing Netflix. He's not doing linear traditional TV. He
got you gotta go to Netflix, which I think is
(29:33):
what Larry David is doing with the Obama's like, if
you're gonna do it, take the check from Netflix.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
But I don't.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I don't see it. I and I and I always
said I did see the advantages of college football over
the NFL. As a coach, you control your roster. You
don't have an impulsive owner. You got to deal with
the toothless NC double A. But most athletic directors step
out of the way if the coach is great. But
college football has changed. It doesn't have a lot of
(30:01):
guardrails and constantly raising funds. You know it's the NFL
has got a better pension assistant coaches, you don't have
the turnover. Everybody's getting paid. The agents and the GM
control it. I think the NFL now is a better
job than college football, And I didn't always think that.
(30:23):
I didn't think that five years ago. Now, I mean,
there's no break in college football. You're just recruiting twenty
four to seven, just a conveyor belt of recruiting, recruiting
your staff to stay, your players, to stay, the NIL portal,
your high school players. It's too much college football. Coaching
college football has been like it's like coaching the NBA.
(30:43):
It's a really bad, great job. It comes with a
lot of strike Coach of the Year and the NBA
means you're a year from being fired, maybe the trade
deadline you're out. So the NFL, I still contend if
you get one of the better owners, and there's not
a lot of great owners, but if you get one
of those seven or eight really good owners in the NFL,
like the Hunt family, Jeffrey Lourie in Philadelphia, you know
(31:06):
the Rams, like if you get a great owner NFL
Stan Kronkey had a pretty good that's a pretty good league.
But it gets crazy town pretty fast in the NFL
because once the guys are billionaires, they write checks, they
get moody, they get impulsive fast. So, uh, I don't
think your thoughts on Saban it's weird.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I didn't hear you mentioned Woody Johnson among the great
owners the Jets, Jets front man.
Speaker 7 (31:29):
Yeah, there's no shot. By the way, why do we
do this?
Speaker 6 (31:31):
Why do we keep saying could Belichick return, could Saban return?
Like they had their run, they won forever. This isn't
politics where the old guys get to still run the show.
Let's get some new guys in there. I don't need
to see Saban coaching college football again.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
No, damn find another Dan Landing. He's been a home
run for long. Yeah. Fine, And I didn't know if
it would work. Southern guy going west, he's been. He's
been unbelievable, passionate, smart, great recruiter at all works. All right,
we'll see tomorrow and Wednesday. Jay Mack to her
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 noone Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sportsradio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR well. Anthony Slater
(00:21):
is a senior writer for the Athletics. He's covered the Warriors,
He's covered the Thunder for the Oklahoma and a great newspaper.
By the way, He's just followed, you know, Kevin Durant
around the world, one of the really sharp young guys
who covers the NBA. And Anthony Slater is now joining
US live and we appreciate that. So, you know, Anthony,
(00:42):
I am always reticent to fully embrace the summer League
like it's some rotational guys, but there's always one or
two player. I remember when Zion came out and I
was like, whoa that? Who wants to take the charge
from that player? Like that is a whole different ballgame.
So Yang ants and for the Blazers, his ability at
(01:03):
seven to one to get shots for other people was
sort of a wow. His basketball IQ there's some sh goon,
there's some Jokics that was like eye opening for a
twenty one year old. And then Cooper Flag scoring thirty
one of sixty nine points for the MAVs. It's like
in drawing fouls. Those were the two players in the
(01:24):
summer league that were really wow to me, like, oh,
that's gonna work? Am I hyperbolic here? Or for you
is did what did you see?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I mean I think those are two fair guys the spotlight.
There are others you always do wonder translatable to an
NBA setting right with with hanging with the Portland Center
and you're mentioning, you know, how many minutes is he
gonna play? Is he gonna be featured when he's out
there with Scoot Henderson and you know, Donovan Klingon's gonna
probably start. I would assume its shade and sharp and
(01:54):
some of the other developmental projects on that Portland team.
Or are they just gonna, you know, give him the
ball and you know, let him do some of the
stuff you're talking number one. And then on the other side,
how survivable will he become?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Defensively?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Is always a question I have for bigger centers, But
it is a very you know, intriguing skill set, especially
in the modern NBA. And then Cooper Flag, I mean,
you know, you know the talent's there, but to me,
he comes in as a really like polished, like all
around player. And I do wonder about the scoring at
the NBA level. Five to twenty one in the first
Summer League game, obviously much better with thirty one in
the second one.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But he's on He's on a win now team, which
is very rare.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
For a first overall pick, you know that, And I'm
curious how he fits into their starting lineup next season.
You know you're gonna have uh, you know, Derek Lively,
although it sounds like he had some surgery recently. But
Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford like, to me, Cooper Flag seems
like a modern day four, like switchablefore but he's probably
gonna be.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Pigeonholed at the three.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
But then you watch Summer League and you're like, this
guy's just a great basketball player. So but that didn't
surprise me, Right, he probably watched them Duke games, I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah. So the Jonathan coming a piece is interesting. So
there's something that's fairly clear and you know, more about
this than I do. But if you can't play with
Steph Curry and a lot of these young guys can't.
So in the NFL, a draft pick comes in twenty
three pretty refined. In the NBA, especially G League guys,
you know, they haven't played in big environments, they haven't
(03:16):
played at that bullet train pace with Steph. That Wiseman
didn't work. Kaminga doesn't play necessarily well with him, and
so my take is, Bogat did, andre Iguidala did, Andrew
Wiggins did, Like Steph and Draymond, they played better with
older guys and that Kaminga just doesn't fit. But I
do think he has value on the market. So what
(03:37):
do you think? What are they going to do it?
Do they sign and trade him? If I had to
put a crystal ball in front of you with Jonathan Kaminga,
he's long, he's twitchy, he's athletic, he can score. There's
value there. What do they do with him?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Crystal ball? I would I would still predict he comes back.
Just because of the market dynamics, It's really complicated. The
new CBA restricted free agency obviously gives the Warriors a
level of kind of asset control here there's a base
year compensation rule that makes you know, trading with the
salaries very tricky. The new aprons that I'm sure you
love talking about at this point kind of restrict some
(04:11):
of the other stuff. So you know, there are teams interested.
His representatives met with the Kings in Vegas this week.
There's other teams that have at least put in calls.
But you know, you not only have to get you know,
Jonathan kaminga to a contract number that he wants for
him to sign, but you also then have to convince
the Warriors, hey, here is enough trade pieces in assigning
trade so you.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Will not match that that sheet.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
And you know, the fit issues you raised are very
fair and like obviously it's been four years running of this.
Steve Kurz very transparent about it. There's dnps in the playoffs,
but guess what, Steph Curry straight in the hamstring and
he was like their second maybe best player in the
Minnesota Series, And like, that's a talent you don't want.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
To let walk out the door. Number one, Number two.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
They're gonna play a regular season next year of eighty
two games with their three best players being thirty five,
thirty five and thirty seven. They're gonna miss games. Jimmy Butler.
You know he can play what sixty something in steph
sixty something. They need bench scoring, they need scoring on nights.
Those guys either don't have it or are not out there.
So my prediction would be eventually these two sides come
to a resolution where he comes back early in the season,
(05:13):
he is, you know, a featured guy on some nights,
and then they relook at what his trade market could
be come January February, because you know, you could trade
him at his full value, and if he does play
well early in the season, maybe he doesn't have value
in the market.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So when Mark Walter and that group bought the Dodgers,
they went and got the best GM in the sport
in Tampa Friedman, and they kind of built the R
and D. They built scouting and then they started going
big game hunting. But they got they got it in
order and slowly, slowly build the right way. And so
when they buy the Lakers, my take is they don't
(05:50):
want to get they don't want to get tied the
massive contracts and Lebron the best thing you can have
in the NBA is a superstar in his Prime under contract.
That's that's a good contract, sga Yo Kich Stephans Prime.
I could argue the second best contract to have is
a very productive player and he's an expiring contract, and
(06:11):
then you have leverage. That's what Lebron is, so you
can move him at the deadline. So my take is
they're not being anti Lebron. I'm hearing all this Rich
Paul four teams. My take is they may move him,
but why would you do it now? He's a highly
productive player. Well, what is your take on what you're hearing?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Well, the other layer to that that you mentioned of
like stuff that's very valued in the league beyond just
an expiring contract, the cap space that comes after an
expiring contract. It's something that wasn't you know, Brooklyn had
it this summer. I think they to me they used
it in a strange way. But like the Lakers, you know,
can go search for you know, a younger co star
(06:53):
for Luka Doncicz in the in the market if they
want to, you know, in the next couple of years,
and that's maybe more important than even trading him at
the deadline. Certainly they could the trade mechanics in this
new CVA world are very tricky. Even if they wanted
to trade Lebron. Now, it's just like, how do you
find a suitor, how do you make a trade actually work?
But yeah, that flexibility optionality has become a popular term
(07:14):
in the league, and that's clearly what the Lakers are
prioritizing here. And it's it's understandable. Just look at the ages, right.
Lebron's gonna turn forty one next year. It's unbelievable what
he's been able to do. But as you mentioned, locking
into longer term money on him, you know, kind of
handcuffs them a little bit on building around Luca, who
just came in the door a few months ago.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I think Giannis is gonna move. Historically Europe, I always
say this, when I go to Europe, I tip better,
I'm probably more gracious. I feel I'm a visitor, and
I always felt international players, I mean, Luca was deeply
offended when he was traded. Yannis could have demanded a
trade that when players come internationally here, they're like, when
(07:58):
we go to Europe, they feel like I'm a visitor.
There's almost a psychology to the domestic player saying I'm
gonna do what I want to do. I'm you know,
I'm empowered, and I think Jannis wants to be a Buck.
But Anthony, I look at them three years ago, they
were old, they were dominated by Indiana. I don't think
they're a viable team even in the East, forget it,
(08:19):
in the West. I think Giannis eventually I would move him.
I don't know when, but I would move him. I
think you could get a complete haul. I've seen what
Rudy gober gets and Kevin Durant. What do you make
over the next Let's just say that the NBA season
starts in October to the deadline. Do you think it'll
(08:39):
be active or do you think he's a long term buck?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Well, the Bucks front office is clearly operating under the
assumption that he'll be there next year, because if he
does ask out, if he is traded by you know,
Camp or even you know, middle of the next season,
like what a disaster that Damian Lillard waving stretch for
Miles Turner becomes. You know, they they with them, like
you know, they put Damian Lillard as twenty two million
(09:03):
of dead cap for the next five years, clearly to
chase down you know what seems like an unrealistic dream
of still kind of competing in the East by getting
Miles Turner in the door, which you know, I would
agree with you. I think Vegas has them as like
the eighth best odds to win the East. But I
just I assume the Bucks front office is getting some
type of signals from you honest, that he's at least
(09:24):
willing to give it a go next season. Maybe maybe
I'm wrong, but if that's the case, I mean, that's
almost malpractice of roster building, because clearly that was a
desperation move done to appease Giannis. And if you don't
even get to you know, day one of the season,
the first season, then then we'll look back on that
that Lillard Waveman.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Stretches as one of the big disasters of the decade.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Finally, you covered Oklahoma City. Sam Presty's a very bright guy,
kind of the Howie Roseman. Perhaps at the NFL, where
he's considered really really shrewd made a lot of good deals.
I was surprised they gave Chet Sga and j dubb
all massive It limits flexibility. Now, I do think JDB
(10:05):
is a very interesting player. He's a complete grinder. He's
a slow growth guy. He was in high school, college
and the pros. I think he's great. Holme Grun's kind
of a unicorn physically. Not a lot of people built
like him, with his handles and his shooting, and Sga
is obviously great. So I probably shouldn't be surprised, but
it does feel like, and they're all young, but it
(10:25):
does feel like, Okay, guys, this is it for the
next five years. This is the team. Not a lot
of flexibility.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Were you surprised, well, I mean, beyond this is the team,
it's almost like the team is going to start to
lose a road around them. Yes, right, you know, like
the Hartenstein contract. I mean, but you know clearly Sam
Press you mentioned, and he's shrewd.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He built this way.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
He got a team option for Hartenstein that you know,
they can decline when it you know, becomes when some
of this money starts to kick and they still have
next season very cheap because these extensions that you hear,
they don't you know, the two rookie ones Jaylen Williams
of Cheholmroom, they don't kick in for a season after
this and Shay's big, big money super Max is still
two seasons from now until it kicks in, so they
(11:10):
have a window here the next couple of years that
still have like, you know, well priced role players, the Carusos,
the Dorts, the you know, the Hertensteins around them.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
But you know, by the time those guys are.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Entering their early prime to for Shay it would be
kind of mid prime, they're gonna have to have a
lot of just like cheap, minimum mid level type deals
under them. But you know the guess what, Sam Press,
He's got like, you know, a billion draft picks to
go try to find those guys. Cason Wallace is a
guy for example, that he's hit on and to me
over the next few years, he kind of looks like
the lou Dort replacement. This year in the draft they
(11:42):
had the fifteenth overall pick, they drafted a center from Georgetown.
He to me seems like if he hits, would be
the Hartenstein replacement. So, uh, Sam Press, he's tried to
build himself up, or build a roster up to be
sustainable in an NBA world that you know, this new
CBA tries to make it unsustained, uh, to continue to build.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
But to your original point, it those numbers.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Are eye popping, but also after winning the title with
those three as your three best players, and they're coming
up on extensions like I just don't know in this
COmON modern NBA world, how you don't give them the
money when they come asking for it.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Anthony Slater, senior writer of The Athletic, keeping us up
to date. He's going to go on a nice, well
deserved vacation here pretty quick, and I appreciate you stopping
my Anthony.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I might check out Rhode Island. I've heard good things.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
You got it from me, Baby. Providence Airport just one
best airport in North America.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Go for it.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It's me Rob Parker.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest names of newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the eye test, We've got all the
bases covered. New episodes dropped every Thursday, So do yourself
a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob
(13:09):
Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Jay Mack, J Mack.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Maybe you know j Max.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I'm just trying to get you to Chicago for a
quick visit. Forget Rhode Island.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
That one too far heard on the news.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
You know. I was in college and I dated this
girl who raved about this town in Rhode Island.
Speaker 7 (13:32):
That was just amazing. I've forgotten that you know the
name of the town. But apparently Rhode Island is like
a cool spot. Maybe you found an undiscovered gem in America.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Listen, uncle Colin as choices. I wouldn't go there if
it wasn't cool. Come on, what are you thinking?
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Well, we got some breaking news.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Call in here.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
Final hour out of Kansas City. The Chiefs have locked
up guard Trey Smith on a four year, ninety four
million dollar extension seventy mili guaranteed, making the highest they'd
guard in NFL history. He had been tagged back into February,
and I just dug into some numbers. He graded out
(14:08):
as the fourteenth best guard in the league but allowed
zero sacks. As a sixth round pick, they got a
lot of bang for their buck with him.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Oh they stole him.
Speaker 6 (14:16):
He's been very good out of Tennessee. He was protected
as like a potential first round pick at tackle and
then he just, you know, kind of measurements weren't there
and kind of didn't have a great final year.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
And no, he has been he is, you know, like
Jawan Jennings for the Niners. Trey Smith is one of
Brett Veach's great draft picks. Now, obviously, you know you
get these occasional Brock parties in Trey Smith. But the
difference is Trey Smith was considered a year before he
came out like he was a first round talent, and
(14:46):
then they went and got him. So let me tell
you something that's good drafting because he I remember his
rookie year. You're like, oh, they stole them. And you
know what, again, people mature. The NFL asked so much
of you mentally and physically. It's just some you need
the right fifth. So that and once again, an interior
lineman is getting big time money. You're seeing these teams Chicago,
(15:11):
the Rams, the Chiefs paying big time. I mean the
Green Bay this year free Agent paid a guard of fortune.
You're seeing now the money is moving interior lineman now
we're getting there.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Still some questions at tackle Colin Juwan Taylor, who is
a walking false start on one side.
Speaker 7 (15:27):
And then they brought over the kid from San fran Moore,
who has been a swing tackle.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
He's never been like a, hey, we can count on
this guy to start sixteen seventeen games. We'll see, they're
obviously said at center with Creed Humphrey, I'm still not
as bullish on.
Speaker 7 (15:41):
The Chiefs as other people at this time.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I'm not either, and you're with me.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
But we'll see. Obviously they have mahomes and reads. They'll
be competitive.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Next up.
Speaker 7 (15:49):
Terry McLaurin less good news.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
He spoke out today about the situation in Washington.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
He wants a new contract. He's holding out.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
It's coming off in amazing years, thirteen touchdowns, but uh,
this does not sound good.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Colinary.
Speaker 8 (16:02):
Is everything that has transpired of to this point is
it hasn't been disappointing and frustrating. You know, I've wanted
to continue my career here, can created my life here.
You know, my wife and I have for our first
home year. So this has been somewhere where I've always
wanted to be. Understand, everything's a business. Where at the
(16:23):
same time, like you know, I want to put myself
in a position where you know, on value me and
I still appreciating and things like that.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Listen, Terry McLaurin is mature, productive and healthy. Deebo struggles
with health and at times has been noisy. You can't
sign debo and let McLaurin go, Like, I don't mind
the debo signing, but not at the cost of McLaurin.
Like you have to pay him. He has been in
a position that has some highly emotional, sometimes almost erratic personalities.
(16:58):
He is a He is like on Saint Brown and
McLaurin might as well be guards or inside linebackers like
they are. You can rally around them, you can build
around him. Uh. This is very interesting because I think
he is one of my favorite players in the league.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
I mean, you know, he's produced around this top ten
wide receiver salary area. He certainly should be in there.
The problem is he's getting up there in age. You're
not paying for past performance. But with Jane Daniels on
the rookie deal, I'm surprised this hasn't been done.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Colin.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
I maybe my kids watch the movie. Jerry maguire have
you remember that movie to Give with your boy Tom Bruise.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Show me the money.
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Basically, if McLaurin just said there and said show me
the money, I would have no problem with that.
Speaker 7 (17:43):
He deserves it. I think you have to give a dble,
even if it's a shorter frontloaded deal.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Because of the rookie deal for Daniels, I think you
gotta just get You don't need any drama heading into
what could be could be a super Bowl season for Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Would you say yeah, no, I'm and there are just
quarterbacks need comfort right like he is, like Jared Goff
and amer On Saint Brown, or Brady and Edelman, Peyton Manning.
You go back to great quarterbacks Jamar Chase and Burrell.
Remember Joe Burrell pounded the table they needed a tackle,
(18:19):
he said, get me Jamar Chase from LSU, Brady and Gronk.
Almost every great quarterback has had a go to guy.
McLaurin has to be signed and I'm very rarely am I. Hey,
you gotta sign this wide receiver. I think college football,
you know, provides twenty guys a year. You can go
find Pooker or Tank Dell in middle rounds McLaurin is
(18:42):
a must sign to make.
Speaker 6 (18:43):
And he said Brady and Gronk. I instantly thought Cowherd
and MacIntyre. You know.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
And I'm not the churchey wide receiver in progress.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I'm not the diva.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
But I have a said big final story, Colin, let's
go to the NBA.
Speaker 9 (18:53):
Listen.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
I know people don't want to hear it, but I'm
just telling you right now, Bronnie James has improved dramatically. Yes,
he looks good in the summer League. Looks like a
legit rotational player. Last night he had seventeen to five
and five in a loss to the Clippers. Again, people
are so out of him because the first impressions and
he was drafted blah blah blah. If you watch him
in summer, he's got game now. He looks like a
(19:15):
better player. I know he's still six to one. Here
is Bronnie afterward on his improvement.
Speaker 9 (19:20):
I think I got a word on everything. That's what
I'm doing summer. I'm working on, you know, on my defense,
especially lateral movement, being more quick, being you know, faster
than what I was last year. So and also I
just his basketball, just I feel comfortable, you know, with
ball in my hands at all time. So if I
(19:41):
need to take the last shot and was uh.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Listen, I I think the best thing he's got going
for him two things. He is athletic. That's undeniable. He's athletic.
And the second thing is he's a really bright kid.
Always says the right thing, smart, have self awareness. He's
working on the right stuff. Listen. There's not a lot
of six to one to two guards in the league,
(20:06):
but it's becoming. There are fewer labels in the NBA
like two, three, and four, like if you can play,
if you can defend. He's going to have to defend
at an elite level, yes, and he's also going to
have to shoot at an elite level to be a
valuable NBA player. He's not a great ball handler. He's
not going to do anything like he has to work
his butt off defending and he has to hit threes
(20:26):
and then you can become a rotational player. But I
will say this, every time he talks, he always says
the right stuff, Like he gets his role. He absolutely
I read a story this last week on him, like
he understands what he is and he has no misgivings
about it, and that comes, i'm sure from his dad
in Savannah, Like he knows what he is. He's a
hard worker. But he was impressive. I watched him all
(20:49):
the highlights on YouTube in that game. He was impressive. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
Let's remember he's twenty years old, okay, and I'm rooting
for him.
Speaker 7 (20:56):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
I'm watching Brian and I am rooting for this guy.
He nearly died a couple of years ago in USC
right with the hard issue, Like, come on, man, this guy.
The kid has improved dramatically. I hope he cracked the
rotation with the Lakers. He's probably their tenth best player
right now. We'll see what happens with the roster, but
I think he's gonna be playing this year a little
bit for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, I agree. Jmck with the news, Well, that's the news,
and thanks for stopping by The Herd Line News A
little breaking news in the NFL. Will have that when
we return The Herd.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noonon Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
So breaking news. The Jets have also beyond Garrett Wilson's
contract have now inked top cornerback, the all Pro cornerback,
Sauce Gardner, to a thirty million dollars per year deal
four years, one hundred and twenty million. So this this
is a great example of that COVID year where all
the quarterbacks missed. Think about the Jets the prime example.
(21:57):
You got to get the quarterback right. So Garrett Wilson,
they've hit on a weapon, They've hit on a Pro
Bowl corner, They've hit on an interior defensive lineman. They
have a star back in Breese Hall, Jermaine Johnson, the
edge rusher coming off injury, terrific young player Olafashan, who
the tackle from Penn State looks like he's going to
(22:18):
be really really good. They got six or seven really
good players, I like their defensive personnel, and they missed
on Zach Wilson. And so so then they had they reached,
probably reached to solve it in a big, loud, noisy
media market on Aaron Rodgers. And now they're going to
roll the dice and see if they can get justin
(22:40):
fields to work. And it all starts with missing on
Zach Wilson. And it just goes to show you can
do so much wrong in this league, but if you
get quarterback right, you're good. It is and you can
do so much right. I wouldn't have fired their GM.
I wouldn't have fired Sola. They fired both. But they
(23:01):
got players. The Jets have players, and Justin Field's not
my favorite. I think he needs the right offensive coach
to work, maybe like Caleb Williams does, who knows, But
they got dudes. The Jets have players, and I've always
said you need about six elite seven elite players to
be a viable super Bowl team. But you got to
be good at coach and you got to be good
at quarterback. They have to be two of the things
(23:23):
you're really exceptional at. And we don't know if the
Jets are. But again, they missed on Zach Wilson. It
was the COVID year. All the quarterbacks missed. Trey Lance missed,
Zach Wilson missed. I think Mac Jones was one of
the quarterbacks that year. He was hot for about an hour.
He missed. And so that's where the Jets are at.
So they've you know, they're signing their guys and they're good.
(23:47):
I mean, I would sign Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and
Quinnon williams Olufashan, who's a couple of years down the road.
But they're they're signing the right guys, and maybe they
have the right coach and maybe Justin Field's works, but
it is I've said this about the Indianapol Colts. They
have good players. I love their coach, I love their GM.
I think Indianapolis has really good players. But the late
(24:07):
Jim Irsay said, get Carson Wentz out of here. They've
been bailing water since the quarterback. You know, they got
an old Philip Rivers who was kind of good for
a year, and then they went with Anthony Richardson. They've
been just trying to solve the quarterback. The Colts. I
think GM coach roster, I got good players, but they're
you know, listen, it's and they're and they're good enough
(24:29):
where they're not drafted in the top five to get
the quarterback. So it's it's very difficult. You've got to
get the quarterback right. Once you get Mahomes right, or
or Baltimore gets Lamar Jackson right, or or Buffalo gets
Josh Allen right, you can miss on a lot of picks.
I mean, Buffalo's missed on some picks. Kansas City moved
(24:50):
off Tyreek Hill hasn't been great on the offensive line
at tackle. You could you it's a very imperfect league
if you get the coach in the quarterback right so,
and that's you know. That's why when Sean Payton went
to Denver, I'm like, it's gonna work. It may it
may take a while because of the Russell Wilson deal,
(25:11):
but I and I said before they drafted him, I said,
I think bo Nicks, it is Drew Brees. I think
Sean Payton and bow Nix, that's gonna work. They got
that massive salary hanging over, they've got some offensive line,
they've got an upgrade. And now you look at Denver
and you're like, I think PFF has him ranked as
a top ten roster and a top three offensive line.
So you know that that's where we stand today. By
(25:34):
the way, there are rumors about uh Nick Saban coming back.
I don't buy him coming back to college football, and
his former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin buys it.
Speaker 10 (25:47):
Acknowledge that he's coming back. I don't think game, but
he does. I just he's so sharp still, I almost
feel like it's a waste that he's not in no
disrespect to the media and what you guys do, but
his a bill to coach players and change lives in that,
and he's so good at that. I just think it'll
(26:09):
be back where that's NFL or college.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, I I don't think he's coming back. I asked
Eric Mangini earlier, who I think is one of those
coaches that could work in pro or college? I said,
if you were advising Nick Saban on, you know, stay,
go back to college, or perhaps go pro. I think
college right now it's it's a little wild wild West
(26:37):
with all the NIL and transfer portal, and I like both,
but they're not a lot of guard rails right now,
not enough guardrails. And I asked Mangini, what would you
advise Nick saban to do?
Speaker 11 (26:48):
If I was advising Nick, I would advise him to
go to pro football because that's where he hasn't He
hasn't achieved at the same level as he has in
college football, and I think he can. I don't think
a lot of people realize that the Miami failed Drew
Brees on his physical you know, or Drew Brees would
have been a Miami Dolphin with Nick Saban. That would
(27:09):
have been really interesting to see how good that team
could have been.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
But I think the other thing to remember is with
the NIL and teams having to raise money to pay
players fifteen to twenty million dollars, they're not buying out
their coaching contracts like they used to. So Caitlin de Boorr,
who I think is an excellent coach, he will eventually work,
but Alabama's got some fund issues. They're just trying to
hold bake sales and car washes to get up to
(27:38):
ten million fifteen million dollars consistently, which Georgia can do
and Ohio State can do, and Notre Dame can do,
and USC can do and Oregon do can do. So
I don't know where he would go. Ryan Day just
want to Natty. Maybe if the Michigan coach doesn't work, maybe,
But I think Saban would want more power than Michigan would.
(28:00):
You know, they've already had the hardball thing, or they
may be a little skittish on giving sab an ultimate authority.
You know, I don't know where he would go. Clemson's
not getting rid of Dabbo maybe LSU, but Brian Kelly.
But again, they'd have to buy Brian Kelly out. It's
like a seventy million dollar buyout. LSU's not doing that. So,
(28:22):
I mean the last big buyout was Jim bow Fisher
at A and M, and that was a little bit
before NIL turned into what it is now, which is
a monster. So it's it's like, you know, people talk
about Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley, and I think USC
is going to win about eight games this year. They
don't have elite players top five or six program elite players,
(28:45):
and he's safe.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
You're not getting rid of him. So I don't know.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
He doesn't He wouldn't fit Notre Dame. Too many rules
at Notre Dame. Yeah, James Franklin, I think they're going
to play for the national championship. I think sark and
Texas and James Franklin and Penn State. I think that's
the national championship, Nittany Lions against the Longhorns. So I
just don't And Dan Lanning is crushing it at Oregon
and Saban's not going out West, So I where is
(29:11):
something Kiffin's crushing at Old Miss? So whe're you gonna,
We're gonna go. I mean, it's it's like Saban. It's
like I said with Jerry Seinfeld, don't do another sitcom.
You left as number one. That's great. That's what Saban did.
He left as a king. If Seinfeld went back to TV,
he's doing Netflix. He's not doing linear traditional TV. He
got you gotta go to Netflix, which I think is
(29:33):
what Larry David is doing with the Obama's like, if
you're gonna do it, take the check from Netflix.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
But I don't.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I don't see it. I and I and I always
said I did see the advantages of college football over
the NFL. As a coach, you control your roster. You
don't have an impulsive owner. You got to deal with
the toothless NC double A. But most athletic directors step
out of the way if the coach is great. But
college football has changed. It doesn't have a lot of
(30:01):
guardrails and constantly raising funds. You know it's the NFL
has got a better pension assistant coaches, you don't have
the turnover. Everybody's getting paid. The agents and the GM
control it. I think the NFL now is a better
job than college football, And I didn't always think that.
(30:23):
I didn't think that five years ago. Now, I mean,
there's no break in college football. You're just recruiting twenty
four to seven, just a conveyor belt of recruiting, recruiting
your staff to stay, your players, to stay, the NIL portal,
your high school players. It's too much college football. Coaching
college football has been like it's like coaching the NBA.
(30:43):
It's a really bad, great job. It comes with a
lot of strike Coach of the Year and the NBA
means you're a year from being fired, maybe the trade
deadline you're out. So the NFL, I still contend if
you get one of the better owners, and there's not
a lot of great owners, but if you get one
of those seven or eight really good owners in the NFL,
like the Hunt family, Jeffrey Lourie in Philadelphia, you know
(31:06):
the Rams, like if you get a great owner NFL
Stan Kronkey had a pretty good that's a pretty good league.
But it gets crazy town pretty fast in the NFL
because once the guys are billionaires, they write checks, they
get moody, they get impulsive fast. So, uh, I don't
think your thoughts on Saban it's weird.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I didn't hear you mentioned Woody Johnson among the great
owners the Jets, Jets front man.
Speaker 7 (31:29):
Yeah, there's no shot. By the way, why do we
do this?
Speaker 6 (31:31):
Why do we keep saying could Belichick return, could Saban return?
Like they had their run, they won forever. This isn't
politics where the old guys get to still run the show.
Let's get some new guys in there. I don't need
to see Saban coaching college football again.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
No, damn find another Dan Landing. He's been a home
run for long. Yeah. Fine, And I didn't know if
it would work. Southern guy going west, he's been. He's
been unbelievable, passionate, smart, great recruiter at all works. All right,
we'll see tomorrow and Wednesday. Jay Mack to her
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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