The Herd - Hour 1 - Running backs, Aaron Rodgers

Why teams don't like paying a lot on running backs

Thoughts on Aaron Rodgers' comments about his demand rumors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday from twelve to three eastern,
nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS one.
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 Herd. You're listening to Fox
Sports Radio. Oh it is Wednesday? We're still waiting? Or

(00:26):
are we live in Los Angeles? Wet, damp, still raining,
in cloudy and cold Los Angeles. It's the Herd wherever
you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. To start today,
all sorts of movement, all sorts of anticipation. Jason McIntyre
is joining me, the house Jets fan who's going crazy

(00:48):
on this stuff. So I've got some information today, can't wait? Wait?
Are you talking about NCAA tournament information or Karon Rodgers stuff? Yeah,
on the phone this morning, on the phone last night.
Went to dinner with somebody last night. Who's connected. So
you're ready to go fired up? Okay, So I'm told

(01:09):
the framework and the compensation for Aaron to the Jets
is done. Everybody knows what the compensation is going to
be mostly it's all kind of done. The question becomes,
what are they waiting for that? I don't know. Aaron Rodgers,
I was told last night, has told people that list

(01:30):
is nonsense. He did not give them a list that
said like a lot of things that are ambiguous with
Aaron Rodgers. The Jets signed Alan Lazard to a contract
that is clearly one of the asks by Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets would not have signed Alan Lazard if not
for Aaron Rodgers pursuit. They wouldn't have hired Nathaniel Hackett

(01:52):
without the Aaron Rodgers pursuit. So Aaron can downplay it
and say the list is suspect and I don't buy it,
and the media doesn't know anything. But Alan Lazard is
a Jet for one reason, and hack it's a jet
for another reason. I do not know what is holding
is up. My guess total guests would be there's like
a David Bakdiri piece, his best friend on the team,

(02:12):
left tackle backtr is getting old, may retire, you know,
maybe he wants them to go over there. I do
not believe Odell Beckham is a deal breaker. That's what
I've been told that Odell Beckham's not a deal breaker.
So let's just pretend. Let's pretend Aaron Rodgers is now
a Jet. Let's pretend it. I don't think we're gonna

(02:33):
find out by today. I don't and I do not
know what's holding it up. But ideally it would look
like Brady to Tampa or Stafford of the Rams first year,
get it going, win a Super Bowl. Everybody loves it.
What we don't want it to be is Russell Wilson
to Denver. But when you start lining up the errand

(02:56):
to the Jets, the similarities are overwhelming. Russell to Denver,
I'll give you five number one. Russell Wilson and Aaron
Rodgers are polarizing. They're not your classic unifier. I mean,
Russell Wilson's getting dragged by every former Seahawk. To his credit,
he never fires back, but Russell gets fired on. Aaron

(03:18):
is not your classic unifier. Wasn't that close to a
multitude of teammates. First thing they have in common Stafford
Brady much more than unifiers. Number two. If you look
at the offense for the Broncos and the Jets, it's
similar offensive line is weakness of the roster. They've got
some really good young receivers, but none really proven. Number three,

(03:41):
the defense for the Bronchos and the Jets is the strength.
Both have an amazing young corner, Patrick Sartan for the
Broncos when Russell Wilson got there, and Sas Gardner for
the Jets. Number four, you have a young, unproven coach.
Both Hackett came from stable winning Green Bay and Robert

(04:01):
Sala from stable winning San Francisco. Have we overvalued Sala
and Hackett because of the great organization they came from.
Both unproven, one's already whiffed, the other one has a
losing record. And number five, Whereas Stafford and Brady went
to the much softer NFC, Russell went to the AFC.

(04:27):
Bruh a lot harder over here, Aaron's going to the AFC,
and both with Russell and Aaron to the Jets. There's
a superstar quarterback in the division just moving into his
prime as Russell and Aaron move out of the prime.
Here's another one. Brady and Stafford inherited great offensive coaches.

(04:51):
Mcvay's brilliant got golf to a super Bowl and highly
paid Bruce Arians worked with Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, big
and two time NFL Coach of the Year. Russell went
to a newbie who we overvalued because he came from
the winning Packers. Aaron's going to Robert Salva. Has he'd

(05:11):
been overvalued because he comes from the winning Niners. Here's
something else. The Rams stand Cronky and the Bucks ownership
hands off. Not so for the Jets. Woody Johnson wanted
to beat with Aaron. It's not the way it worked
with the Rams. McVeigh did all the work with less snee.

(05:34):
The GM on Matt Stafford, Stan Cronky was stayed away
from it. He let those guys work the room. So
if you're looking at the last three quarterbacks, star quarterbacks
to move Brady to the Bucks, Stafford of the Rams,
and Russell to the Broncos. This lines up across the
board feeling much more like Russell to the Broncos, unproven

(05:59):
coach d fence with an elite corner o line to weakness,
talented receivers but young and unproven. AFC conference is brutal,
and both Russell joining a division the AFC West with
a star quarterback and Aaron joining a division the AFC
East with a star quarterback. No bears over here, just

(06:25):
some food for thought. I'm hearing the framework and the
compensation they got figured out. I have no idea what's
holding it up. But Alan Lazard is absolutely a move
to appeal to Aaron Rodgers. All right, so this is interesting.
Ezekiel Elliott Zeke is done in Dallas. According to sources

(06:48):
this morning, the Cowboys are set the part ways they should.
He's toast. It'll be a one year, eleven point eight
million dead cap hit. But he signed that big contract
that he is never the same pre contract. He was
a two time rushing champ, a bunch of attempts, arguably
the best back in the league after the contract if

(07:09):
you take his the accumulation of a couple of years
after the contract, sixty seven yards per game and no burst.
Tony Pollard has been the most explosive running back for
the Cowboys for two years. Why doesn't he get more carries?
Because the Cowboys have been trying to justify the contract

(07:29):
for the record. This is why you don't give Austin
Eckler a big deal. It's why the Cowboys of franchise
Tony Pollard. It's why the Giants franchise Sequon Barkley. So
there's a lot to learn here. Do not give running
backs second big contracts. But more than that. More than
that the lesson to be learned here, and I'm not

(07:49):
sure Dallas can fix it. Don't try to justify your pick.
Don't try to justify your contract. The Kansas City Chiefs
Clyde Edwards Hilaire, first round running back, picked him, and
they liked him this year. They're like, yeah, we got
a seventh round guy we think is better, more dynamic,
will play him. Kansas City didn't care. They were not

(08:12):
trying to justify a first round running back pick. The
minute they found a seventh round guy with more of
a burst, more dependable, more pop, they played him because
Kansas City's about winning. The Cowboys aren't. They're about Jerry
Jones winning if it validates what amuse he is, what
an insider football acumen. It's what Jimmy Johnson complained about

(08:34):
for years. First couple of years when Jerry owned the Cowboys,
he was in the business ops department. Jimmy told me
multiple times he never saw him the first year. They
didn't see him for the first year and a half
Jerry was building the business, and then Jerry's like, Okay,
I built the business. I want to have some fun too.
I want to sit in the warm room and I
want to talk to reporters after games. And Jerry loves
to be thought of as a football guy. What he

(08:57):
is is a brilliant businessman, a maverick, an outsider who's
now an insider. He's earned every penny of that, the reputation,
the money. Jerry deserves credit. What he's not as a
football genius. It drove Parcels off, Jimmy Johnson off, and
for all we know, they're gonna regret the Kellen Moore move.
I think they will in the end. The Chiefs moved

(09:20):
off a first round running back to a seventh rounder.
Didn't have any ego, didn't have any ego. It's like
the seventh round kid. He's cheap, he works hard, he's dynamic,
he picks up first downs. We'll go with him. The
minute they gave Zeke the contract, they had to justify it.
Jerry had to justify the contract. Tony Pollards had more
pop and been more dynamic for two years. Why is

(09:42):
Zeke getting more carries? You watch the games, I watched
the Game's Pollard's the home run hitter. Why are they
trying to justify Zeke? He's a short yardage back, that's
all he is. He's like a pitcher's got too many innings.
He can go five innings, can't go seven. Forget a
complete game. Not gonna win that much. So as you
try to just stify your contracts and justify your picks

(10:03):
and hold on to people, there's the lesson learned. Don't
justify a coaching hire smart teams move off him quick.
Don't justify draft picks. Guy doesn't work. I'll give the
Jets credit. They're done with Zach Wilson. Now, I'll give
him credit. They're like, hey, didn't work. The GM's got
to suck it up. I think I think Joe Douglas

(10:23):
a very good general manager. He whipped in a quarterback.
It's hard. Belichick can't get the wide receiver position right,
and he may have just lucked into Brady. So, I mean,
Kansas City didn't have the ego of Dallas. Kansas City's
winning and Dallas keeps disappointing. But this is the right move.
It should have been the right move a couple of
years ago. They keep feeding him the football for the

(10:47):
last two years, and anybody that goes to a Cowboy
game or watches him knows Pollard's the guy for the
last two years. Give them the ball. To their credit,
they're gonna franchise tagging, which is what you gotta do
with Austin Eckler, who I love Pollard, Love se Quon Barkley,
love your franchise tag him. They make their money early,
they make some money late, but lessened learned pre contracts.

(11:11):
He was a monster post contract, sixty seven yards a game.
Yet he is the highest I believe cap hit for
a running back in the National Football League. All right,
a lot of stuff going on, the Aaron Rodgers stuff. Again,
have no idea what's holding it up. My guests would
be Aaron's trying to kind of He's kind of given

(11:32):
them parameters. One of them was Alan Lazard. One of
them may have been David Baktiar. That's a total guest,
but Lazard's already in house, Baktr's near retirement. My guess
is there one more deal they want to make. Aaron
has told friends though the list that came out's nonsense.
It's make believe Eron's in a space now where he

(11:54):
wants you to believe that. Adam Schefter, Ian Rappaport, Diana Russini,
the media, nobody knows anything. Our government doesn't know anything.
Only I know anything and my sources and my guys,
which is a very small camp. But I don't think
all these lists just happen out of thin air. I
do think Aaron said gimme Allen Lazard, and the Jets

(12:15):
just signed him. And the Jets would not have signed
all Enazard. If Aaron Rodgers wasn't going to go to
the Jets, or at least be a target, they wouldn't
have signed it. They have Corey Davis why, and they
got two good young receivers they could draft another. So
that's where we're at. That's where we're at today. Said before,
I'd stay in green Bay. I think green Bay does
mostly everything better than the Jets, and I think the

(12:36):
conference is easier and the division's easier. I'd stay with
the Jets. I like the Elway ending, I like the
Jeter ending. I think it's cool if Aaron plays one
or two more years, like the Vegas Dealer goes, that's it.
I'm out. That's to me how it ended if I
was Aaron. But you know I'm not. He's different. He
goes on retreat Taiahuaska. That's not me, and we'll see.

(12:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd week
days and Nune Stare nine Empacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app. All right, welcome back
to readdress our open today. I was always at Aaron
staying with a Packers fifty one percent to forty nine percent.
It sounds like I'm wrong and a lot of the

(13:18):
framework is done to the New York Jets. Alan Lezard's
now over. I was told last night that Aaron Roger
said the list was a bunch of bologny. It's nonsense.
He said that about a lot of media. He's pushed
back in all media not named Joe Rogan or Pat McAfee.
That's fine, it's it's I don't have a problem with it.
We've never been tight. I don't have great sources with Aaron.

(13:40):
But but he's pushed back the list is nonsense that
he has. He will contend that anything that comes out
it's him. He's also told friends, relax, chill, I have
two people that were with him at a charity event.
Aaron has said, relax, chill, It's all gonna get done. Now,
all gonna get done. Does that mean Green Bay or
Jet side? A lot of people I trust are leaning

(14:01):
to the Jet side that there's a lot of compensation done,
the framework is all done with it. What is holding
it up? I have no idea, and I'll just throw
something out. David Baktiari, who's his best friend, just restructured
his contract with the Packers. Is Aaron saying, I don't
care get it? Could I'm just guessing, is Aaron does
he have a seminar he's going to around the time

(14:23):
the Jets have a camp and the Jets owner says, hey,
can can I move my camp a day or two?
Call the league? Can we move the camp a day
or two so that you can do your seminar on
mental health and come to our camp. I'm just throwing
that out. I'm guessing is it a off season commitment issue?
So Woody Johnson, the GM, Joe Douglas, Aaron his reps.

(14:46):
He'll say, okay, I'll give you at least twenty days here,
six days there, four days there. Is it? That sort
of stuff? I'm told a Frameworks kind of done for it.
They're stuff holding it up. But I don't know what
the stuff holding it up is. And could that blow
it up again, I don't know what it is. It
could blow it up. If they're asking Aaron to cancel
his mental health seminar, he may say I'm not doing it.

(15:08):
But Aaron is very chill, very relaxed about it. He's
telling friends it'll get done. Chill out. I'm gonna go golf.
So we'll just wait and see. I will say this, though,
something very interesting has happened in the NBA. In the East,
we know who's really good. Philly's good, Milwaukee's great, Boston's good,
Cleveland's excellent, Miami's a tough matchup. In the West, though

(15:28):
it's wide open. It's a bunch of Sacramentos, it's a
bunch of Denvers. It's the enigmatic Clippers, Phoenix without KD.
Here come the Lakers. So the Lakers now are in tenth.
They're moving up fast. They've won eight of eleven since
around the trade deadline. What happened, well, the Lakers moved
off Westbrook the Superstar. This is not what they usually do.
The Lakers really romanticize the past. They love their superstars,

(15:51):
they move off young guys, give up on young guys,
don't worry about developing young guys. They love superstars. But
they moved off Westbrook a superstar and brought in role players.
Ruy Hashimura, Malique Beasley shot great last night. Vanderbilt. D'Angelo
Russell's a role player. He thinks he's that's what he is.
So since the move off Westbrook and the move to

(16:13):
role players, with a rookie coach Darvin ham a d
and a bunch of b guys, they're on fire. But
all of you thought Westbrook was just about offensive inefficiency.
Now he was bad on the other end. Since Westbrook
has left, this is the number one defensive efficiency team
in the league. Number one. Not Boston, not Milwaukee, not

(16:35):
the Clippers, not Denver. The Lakers are number one. You
thought Westbrook's issues were offense. I am told through a
sour side trust that Westbrook was a very moody player
and wouldn't buy in on the defensive end. He's never
been a great defensive player. He's gotten increasingly awful over
the last four or five years, so he couldn't get
buy in and Darvin Ham's not a great offensive coach.

(16:57):
He's a rookie coach who's excellent on defense. Defense is
about getting buy in. Offense is about talent. Lebron scores everywhere,
regardless of how good the coach is. Jordan Kobe k d.
Offense is talent. Defense is buy in. Do you buy in?
Remember the Celtics when they got the new coach last

(17:19):
year and they were awful until the All Star break,
then they got hot. A lot of the guys, the Tatum,
the Jalen Brown, Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, Hortford. He needed
to break him down and get a buy in from
the Celtics defensively. When he did, they became the number
one defense in the league, and the Celtics were rolling right.
So Darvin could not get a buy in with Westbrook,
who was I'm told was moody. If he didn't get minute,

(17:41):
if he didn't get time, if he didn't play well.
The chemistry wasn't great. He could be very moody with
a lot of these role guys. It just didn't work right,
or or with Lebron and a D. So they move
off Westbrook. They get in roll guys and the role.
Guys are buying in. They're completely buying into the defense.
Ad is buying in. Lebron's not now, but he's bought in.
And this is what Darvin Ham is like the Celtics

(18:04):
former coach. He's a defensive guy, and defensive coaches need
to buy in. So there you go. So the Lakers
roll to Pelicans last night. I know we all talk offense.
It's an offensive league. But if you look at the
best teams in this league over the last three or
four years, Milwaukee defense, Celtics defense, Warriors defense, It's why

(18:24):
I don't buy Sacramento. They don't plan any. It's why
I don't buy Dallas, they don't plan any. It's why
I still give Miami a chance to end up in
the Eastern Conference finals because they're great defensively. So Darvin
Ham's a defensive coach. Didn't get buy in. Westbrook's gone.
New guys in, They buy in. The team is now
suddenly number one, number one in defensive efficiency in the NBA.

(18:47):
Nick Wright yesterday warned us, Oh boy, he warned us,
Lakers are coming hard. The number one see Denver Nuggets,
who I like every sober basketball analyst degrees need to
see it in the playoffs. The Grizzlies. If John doesn't
come back, the Grizzlies are not a real contender. Light

(19:08):
the damn Bean, Colin I like the Kings. I got
family in Sacramento. Daron Fox is playing like a first
team all NBA guys. Bona has been great. No playoff
experience whatsoever. Phoenix Kevin Durant is going to step into
the playoffs having played thirty minutes with these guys. We
just talked about the Warriors. The Clippers looked scary. However,
they then added Russell Westbrook, evidently to up their own

(19:30):
degree of difficulty. Not sure why they did that. The
Timberwolves give me a break. The Mavericks added Kawhi Leonard.
I'm sorry, Kyrie Irving again, don't understand it. They're going
in the wrong direction. And then there's the Lakers, the
hottest team in the league or in the West, I
should say, over the last ten games. Yeah, so it
is something. But I will say defense never gets discussed.

(19:53):
This is a Slam magazine YouTube highlight league. We love
the offense. The Lakers are a defensive story. And now
here comes Lebron not the defender. He once was he's
going to pivot back into the franchise here distributor finisher
feels different today than it did Westbrook days. Jamack with
the news. No, no, this is the herd line news.

(20:18):
Let's start with Lamar Jackson. He can begin negotiating with
other teams today at four oh one pm Eastern time.
Raven star quarterback was on the non exclusive franchise tag
last week, and if he's able to reach a deal
with another team, then the Ravens can match and keep
him and they get two first round picks. Obviously, Lamar

(20:41):
does not have an agent, you know, his allegedly a
family member, his mom is his agent. I have a
theory I'm gonna float to you because there's been zero
Lamar Jackson chatter this week. Okay, so you know I
love theories on a three hour show. We got nothing
but time. I'm not gonna go Aaron Rodgers conspiracy theory,
but I've got a decent Okay. Joe Douglas, the Jets

(21:03):
GM was a Baltimore Ravens scout for fourteen years. Yes,
he was very intimate knowledge of that front office. Yep,
Aaron Rodgers and the Jets is getting strung out. This
is we were expecting a decision, I mean as soon
as Friday, right, Well, there's something holding up. We don't
know which side we don't we We know it's being

(21:24):
reported by a lot of people. I was told last
night a lot of the compensation stuff, that stuff's done. Okay,
So what's the hold of Is it Rogers? Is it
the Jets? No idea? What if remember today four oh
one Lamar Jackson negotiations can begin. Everybody knows there was
tampering around the LA that happens all the time. What
if the Jets behind the scenes, we've been making a

(21:44):
run at Lamar Jackson, and today four oh one Eastern time,
we hear there's a new suitor for Lamar Jackson and
it's the New York Jets. Is there a chance behind
the scenes they are making a play Joe Duoe Douglas
a great connection with that organization down in Baltimore. I
don't know. I mean, what I know is that the

(22:06):
Jets need a quarterback, and in the AFC they need
a star quarterback. There's an argument to be made Lamar
has always been a much more accurate thrower than people believe,
and that you can tell me that Aaron's better than Lamar,
But if you're talking about four to five years, I'd
take Lamar over Aaron Rodgers. Of course, four to five years.

(22:29):
So think about this. If you're running a team and
you have a former superstar, I'm gonna say Rogers is
former because he had a bad year last year, a
bunch of MVPs. But he's maybe gonna be with you
for one or two years. Or would you rather take
a flyer on Lamar Jackson who's twenty six and entering
his prime and he's gonna be locked in for four
or five years. Okay, So this idea that Rogers to

(22:50):
the Jets is a slam dunk. Something's going on behind
the scenes. We don't know. Maybe the Jets end up
with I mean, it's interesting we talk about this. So
if if you believe Boomerissiason, if you believe Trey Wingo,
who have said I don't, I don't say it with
as much confidence as they do. They're just throwing darts
come well. I don't know, but I but I have
been told that Aaron's takeaway is just let it play out.

(23:11):
It's gonna get done. He's not telling you what side.
And again, I would stay in Green Bay if I
was Aaron. But here's my takeaway. Something is holding it up.
Because we know the Packers and the Jets both wanted
to get done. That's obvious they wanted to get done.
What do you guess is holding it up? Okay, if
you let's go with your line of thinking that the

(23:32):
Packers are getting a first round pick in a change,
I totally disagree that it should be a first. Would
you rather give up a first for Aaron Rodgers for
one maybe two years? Or two firsts for Lamar Jackson
for five? I don't think it's it's a slam dunk,
is it not. I know you got to pay a
lot more for Lamar, but we've talked about it. The
Jets roster the best young players, offensive line, running back,

(23:53):
wide receiver for three more years. It's I am more
entry did when this deal. Whether Aaron goes to the
Jets or stays in Green Bay, I'm more interested in
the hold up. I'm really interested just we will get it.
You know, they always write the book the TikTok afterwards
exactly what happened four o'clock on I'm fascinated to know

(24:16):
because we all know this. Both teams want it done
today and now and move on. They all want it done.
So there's something and Aaron's playing it off is the
list is nonsense? Chill out, he's telling friends. So my takeaways,
what is the hold of the list is nonsense? Sure, okay,
Let's move on to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wow, big news here.

(24:36):
In the last thirty minutes, the Bucks have inked Baker
Mayfield to a deal a maximum of eight and a
half million dollars. Is a lot of incentives in that
the base sounds like it'll be four million dollars. Brady
will compete with Kyle Trask, Baker will compatable. The Baker's
gonna win the job, but we would think he will

(24:57):
have now been on. I've lost track of how many
teams in the last last three years for Baker Mayfield.
It's bouncing around the league. Yeah, Mike Evans if they
keep him. It sounds like a lot of rumors that
Evans was going to be shipped. Well, they had to
cut costs, but it sounds like God would Evans down
may stay. I think Tampa has to strongly consider, like Atlanta,

(25:19):
moving some pieces and getting in the getting in the
lottery next year. That's what it feels like to me.
Just Baker put you where he's a he's an okay quarterback.
He's he's just oh he he is the twenty ninth
best quarterback in the league, but in the worst division
in football. Well yeah, you know, I guess if you

(25:41):
put him in any legitimate division, he'll finish fourth place. Um.
I think he can win some games for Tampa, but
I mean, listen that the number tells you there was
no market for him. He was either going to be
a backup for the Rams or Tampa. There's no market
for Baker. People to scouts, the GMS, they've moved off
him there. He has viewed as a backup quarterback or
a one year bridge starter. He's Trubisky got to a playoff,

(26:04):
but nobody. You can't build around Baker. I'm not taking
a shot at him. Trubisky's viewed if you had to
be a bridge quarterback, you could try it like Pittsburgh,
but you'd eventually like to move the young guy in.
I think this will look like Trubisky is that they'll
move Baker down there. Like Trubisky, he's viewed as the
starter and will start the year with Tampa. But they're
gonna move to Trask as soon as they can. They

(26:25):
moved to pick it as soon as they felt comfortable.
So Trubisky signed a small contract, Baker signs a small
contract a team that's got good players, and so Baker
will start in September, but that this is a backup
quarterback contract, and they're gonna go with Trask and see
if he can play, and if he can't, then they're
gonna go draft another quarterback. At a lot of coaching
moves in the in Tampa, like it's just a tough

(26:46):
run for Baker Mayfield. Good. Look, I'm real quick. What
are the Rams doing at backup quarterback? Because Stafford's coming
off a big injury miss time last year. You're hearing
any chatter from your Rams guys. No, I think Matt
Stafford they want to renegotiate his d But Staffords the
quarterback doesn't mean they won't draft one. They think. Go now, now,
I can tell you this, the Rams will draft a
quarterback because they've got a second, two thirds of fourth,

(27:09):
three or four fifths, four or five six they got
they got like eleven or twelve pixs now they're mostly seventh, sixth,
and fifth, but they're going to draft a quarterback. Yeah,
probably in the fifth round. Final team here, uh your
Chicago Bears. We love talking about the Bears. Here. They
got uh t J. Edwards to a three year deal yesterday,
Bears gobbling up linebackers left and right. And he comes

(27:30):
from Philly where Edwards was able to watch Jalen Hurts
become something of a star. Yesterday, Edwards was asked if
Justin Fields has the potential to make the same leap
as Hurts. Oh, no doubt. You know, literally playing against
him recently, you can see just this kind of the
special things that he can do. I mean, you know,
I was I was a part of that long run

(27:50):
he had against this so I I understand it. Man.
I think he's he's he's a special player. And again, man,
I think just the buzzer on this team and kind
of the direction is going. It's exciting to be a
part of. Man. And I'm just I'm just it'shing to
get in that building. It's in to get things going.
I do think Chicago is a fascinating team. DJ Moore
is a vertical threat. Mooney's an underneath guy, very clever.

(28:12):
Claypool's a physical receiver. Cole Cometz excellent. They lost a
running back, but um, you know there's there's a running
back in every draft. So I think Chicago their defense
will be better. They brought in two linebacks, right, so
I think they're going to spend most of their draft capital.
They'll do something on the interior or the old line
and then go get edge rushers. Um. But it's they're

(28:33):
fascinating because Dj Moore. I just talked to Frank Wright
this morning, coach of Carolina. We talked about GJ. He's
a terrific player. He's a vertical threat. He will play.
He will be a really nice piece for them. He's
an over the top guy. So he and he, by
the way, loved Dj Moore. I'm not going to get
into specifics on the call, but he loved Dj Moore
and that was it was tough to part with him.

(28:54):
So that's justin Fields has now real pieces. So two
years ago, Jalen Hurts was primarily running the football and
handing off. That's all that Hurts was doing, and they
got stomped in the playoffs by Tampa. Then they got
him A J. Brown makes the jump to lightspeed MVP candidate.
I think Fields has a little bit of a longer
way to go, but he is a talented guy, and
I don't hate this comparison. We may have touched on

(29:14):
it before on the show, but Fields has a chance
to be something much better than he was. He's bigger,
He's bigger than Justin, He's bigger than Jalen Hurts. But
there is definitely something there right now. He's he's been
a highlight quarterback, and some of that is he just
doesn't have the consistency of weapons. But the offensive line
will be key. Jalen Hurts got a great line, got

(29:35):
time to throw. They tried to get McGlinchey, Broncos got him,
Bears made a run at it. So they missed a
little bit at right tackle. And they don't want to
overpay Orlando Brown. I'm sure you're you're reading some of
the stuff on that. Orlando Brown misread the market badly.
His stock is cratering the Chiefs. You know, he wanted
all the money. He's viewed as a right tackle, but
he thinks he's a left tackle. So you know, I

(29:56):
think maybe the Bears can get him on the cheap here.
You know there's another guy out there in the market
that's fastened. I talked to a GM last night. Mike
Gisecki for the Dalkins is out there. But this just
goes to show you how so people love Gisecki, but
he can't block. He's worthless in the run game. And
so you know, people, that's why Gronk and and George
Kittle are legends. Tony Gonzalez would block, Gronk block, Travis

(30:19):
Kelsey will block some um. He's tough, he's physical, but
it's Gisecki's a really interesting I asked somebody last night,
why is nobody out get Mike Gasecki, And the view
is he's not part of the run game. He's worthless,
like Jimmy Graham, just worthless for the run game. Dalton
Schultz from Dallas. I haven't seen his name yet. I
don't know what's going on. He could be another guy

(30:41):
that he's gonna catch it, but not gonna elevate your
run game. People want both. People want to get both
out of the tight end spot. Antonio Gates would block,
Tony Gonzalez would block, Gronk, would block, George Kittle will block.
It's a big thing. Uh, Noah, Fan, I don't think
as much of a blocker. That's why Denver let him go.
I think I don't. I don't have his hand zone. Yeah,

(31:01):
j Maack with the news. Well that's the news, and
thanks for stopping the herd line. It is funny though
Aaron is telling people the list, the Jets list is nonsense.
He knows it makes him look bad. I think it's
some of it may not be all buttoned up, but
Allen Lazard is a jet and Paul Hackett is now

(31:21):
buddy of Aaron a jet, so obviously Nathaniel Hackett. Excuse me, so,
I mean there's there's there's. There have been some boxes
Aaron has wanted checked or fulfilled, and a couple of
them Hackett and Alan Lazard have been filled. I have
no idea what's happening. I My guess is we're not
going to find out today either. There is something behind
the scenes. The frameworks all in place, the compensations all

(31:45):
in place, and there's something holding it up. Absolutely no
idea what that thing holding it up is, but it's fun.
Damian Lillard says he doesn't like the NBA today increasingly.
I'll defend the NBA and talk about Dame that's coming
up as well. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Herd Weekdays and Noon Easter not a Empacific. Hey,

(32:07):
I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We
usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more
about the stories about what made these people love their
sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We
talked to coaches, we talked to players, We tell you stories.
You download it, you listen to it. I think you'll
like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on

(32:29):
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, orherever you get your podcast.
Tonight the two thousand and twenty three World Baseball Class.
It continues as the USA takes on Columbia tonight ten pm.
He's turned seven pm Pacific on FS one and the
Fox Sports App. Okay, So Tom Paula Sero is a

(32:50):
very good reporter. Packer Hackers. Jets continue to negotiate on
a Rogers trade. Not agreed yet fine on final terms.
Green Bay's not looking for multiple first round picks, so
there is something holding it up. I'll throw a theory
at you now. This is out there, but I'll throw
a theory at you. You know, I have said I

(33:12):
wouldn't leave if I'm Aaron Rodgers, I wouldn't. Green Bay's
a better, more functional. I've also predicted Aaron fifty one
forty nine is staying with Green Bay. Aaron knows the
Packers were not going to resign Mercedes Lewis or Alan Lazard,
and he knows his friend Nathaniel Hackett was unemployable after

(33:33):
the tire fire in Denver. Aaron just got Hackett a
coordinator job, Lazard a contract with the Jets, and maybe
Mercedes Lewis and Aaron will stay in Green Bay. This
was all to get his guy as contracts because Green
Bay said, Aaron, We're not going to sign Lazard. We can't.

(33:56):
And so Aaron said, all right, but I like Alan Lazard.
I'm a gam a contract. Remember Lazard complained on Instagram.
I think it was recently about the Packers not getting
a deal. So Aaron took care of Lazard, got him
a deal with the Jets. They'll move off. Corey Davis
is gonna get Mercedes Lewis a deal, and got Hackett

(34:16):
unhirable after that uttered disaster. He got him another coordinator
deal in New York and then Aaron announces today or tomorrow,
I'm staying with Green Bay? Is it nuts? So they
continue to negotiate. I don't have great aeron sources. I
have three different packer players I've talked to since the

(34:36):
Super Bowl, And you know, Aaron can be a little
bit manipulative. He has that right. Tom Brady, by the way,
had certain things he wanted. Lebron James has certain things
he wanted. Peyton Manning went to Denver. There were certain
things he wanted. So let's not pick on Aaron like
he's the only guy that wants things. I thought the
list was a little absurd. OBJ wants twenty million a year.

(34:58):
That's a big ask for receiver that's talented but broken
a lot. Green Bay is not looking for multiple first
round pick, so it does not appear to be a
pick thing. It's not a pick thing. So there is
something holding it up, is it? It could be small

(35:19):
Aaron trying to get Mercedes Lewis, Adele or Cobb or something.
I think Cobb's gonna stay in Green Bay one more year.
Within are now we're being my guess, But I'm just
throwing a theory out there is that Aaron has never
really intended to leave. Aaron knows the NFC's weak, the
division's weaker. He loves where he's at. He likes his offensive,
proven coach, he likes his quarterback coach. He's got a

(35:41):
better online in green Bay. Aaron knows all that. It's
not a dummy man. I keep saying, why would you leave?
I said this yesterday? Why would you leave? Green Bay
is like one of the five six functional organizations in
the league, Pittsburgh green Bay, like they do it right?
Why would you leave? All the challenge? I don't know.
Don't try to get happier than happy at the challenge.

(36:03):
Aaron's a year or two from quitting retiring, so he's
doing all of that. Now. You could say, man, that's
Bruning or Bridge. What does he care? Not Like Robert Salin,
Woody Johnson and Aaron are tight. But Aaron floats all
this stuff out there. It gets lazarda deal, Mercedes a deal,
hack it, unemployable coordinator job, and then at the last

(36:24):
second he's like, I can't agree, and they bring him back.
Am I nuts? In general? Your nuts? But this is
actually quite good. I do like this Culin, especially because
then the Jets would not end up with Rogers. Is
there a chance that maybe the Jets are seeking a
two year commitment from him? And he's a guy done?
I don't know. I'm thirty nine, I don't know where
I'm gonna be next. Very can't commit to two. I

(36:46):
know in Green Bay one and I can be done no,
because I don't have great sources on Aaron Rodgers. I
was told last night that the basic framework of it
is in place. Now here it's saying it's not. They've
They've yet to agree to trade terms, so there's something
holding it up. I mean, they're not miles apart. There
are probably those stipulations Aaron has asked for and he wants.

(37:10):
At this point, we're all guessing, but I do think
it's fascinating. Ask yourself, would you leave a well run
company to a chaotic company in a tougher work environment.
Aaron doesn't need New York. He doesn't give her. He's
never in New York. Aaron's a golf guy, a West
Coast guy, a Midwest guy. You're not a Northeast guy.

(37:30):
He doesn't care about that. Aaron didn't need to get
more famous. I mean, I've always felt you with standing
Green Bay by an inch fifty one forty nine. But
I think I'm might what I after talking to people
last night, I'm probably wrong. Won't be the first time.
It does sound like they got a lot of this.
This thing's gotten inert shea, it's got momentum, it's almost done.
Let me ask why, if you are the Jets, would

(37:50):
you be seeking to add a thirty nine year old
quarterback for one because you're desperate. You're Cleveland, You're a
desperate poor friend is locked up to Shaun Watson. They
have no quarterback questions for the next five years. Okay,
the Jets. Essentially you get Rogers, you go all in
and as you open with this, ain't Stafford in the
NFC or Brady in the NFC, And then you're gonna
be back to the drawing board in ten months from now. Guys,

(38:12):
show the thing. I said this this morning. I'll do
more of it later, but this morning I said, if
Aaron Rodgers does go to the Jets, I don't have
any confirmation of it. If he did, it was funny.
I went down and looked at the standings. What I
would predict this morning playoff teams. I would have the
Chief Spingles, Jags, Bills winning their division, the Charger, Steelers,

(38:35):
Broncos as wildcard teams, and the Dolphins and the Jets
beating up on each other, splitting and just knocking each
other around two. I won't last the whole season. Aaron
first year will be bumpy, So I don't forget the
Super Bowl. I do not see the Jets as a
playoff team with Aaron in year one. That's probably as
I said yesterday, if you go to Aaron's first year

(38:56):
with Lafleur and Hackett, it wasn't a great year. His
first year as a star wasn't a great year. I
don't think it's going to be this wildly to defensive
coaching lean, a defensive coaching culture. This is not offense.
He's had McCarthy offense. He's had little flour offense. He's
had better offensive coaches. Now it's a defensive culture. Can

(39:17):
we pull that back on the screen. So my only
two pushbacks are Number One, we talk all the time,
there's gonna be seven new playoff teams. How many do
you have different? Okay, okay, the AFC just two stealers
and Broncos. That's it. Well so well, well, well I
have four new ones in the NFC. Okay, fair enough.
So I think the AFC, because you have transformational quarterbacks,

(39:37):
is much easier to predict the NFC. Who's the best
quarterback total crapshoot. So the other thing is in your scenarioho,
this is an absolute worst case scenario for the Jets.
You missed the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers ain't coming back after
they missed the playoffs one year, the coach is getting fired,
the GM is getting fired, and you're starting a new
without a top draft pick because if you're finishing ninth

(39:58):
in the AFC, you're probably drafting what twelfth, fifteenth. That
is absolute worst case scenario for the Jets. Yeah, I'm
not saying I'm right. I'm just saying I think Pittsburgh's
got a lot of momentum, and I like a good point.
I don't think Jets fans realize how loaded the AFC is,
Like there's a good chance the Jets missed the playoffs
with Rogers, Mac Jones gets a real offensive coordinator twas back.

(40:19):
They were dynamic last year. And I think the AFC
East Buffalo is just better, and I think the other
three teams will be good and they'll just beat up
on each other. I think the Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins
all have things. They're great at defense, a legendary coach,
dynamic offense. They'll just beat up on each other.