Around the AFC in 48 Minutes: Free Agency Preview

A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Gregg Rosenthal and Colleen Wolfe go around the entire AFC conference in 48 minutes to preview free agency for every AFC team, one division at a time. We start with the AFC East (6:02), followed by the AFC North (19:58), then the AFC South (35:04), and finally finish with the AFC West (51:59).

Note: timecodes approximate.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Around the NFL podcast. Can't believe it's not butter
from the Chris Westling podcast Studio. It's around the NFL.
I'm Dan Hansas, got a lot of got a lot
of heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. Oh and she's back.

(00:20):
You think it's Summer of Connie. It ain't Summer of
Connie because Connie is in the building. That's the kid.
Is a clear cue to the producer video It Fox

(00:41):
Tiny Box. They saw red Buttons, Blackney, Lonny back kind
of Bammy a Rich is the Bresley's Cottie Billy's fourth
Inches turned down Ridges. It's a way to Ring and
Jay Lynch's box in the Henhouse, not to the men's house,
make room hair Rose was Tawny tin House. Wow, whoa?

(01:05):
I don't remember this one home run. I thought I did,
and then I didn't like this was that was good?
That's fun? I liked it. I thought I took took
us to a lot of different places. I mean I
had a very baronach Ladies two weeks Vibe JOEO and Twistle.
Very nice. Thank you jo Yo. No maybe it's a
soft jay Yo. No, thank you, mister went whistle. What

(01:27):
was his last whistle Rock clearly a made up name
in the Whistle and Twistle Yo, no went whistle Welcome
to around the fl How are you, Colleen. I'm great.
I'm doing really good. I just got back from Atlanta
a little trip over the weekend. Um, my friend just

(01:47):
had some twins, so I learned how to hold a
child twins. Um, so yeah, you say twins like to
not know? No, was it like two boys who were twins,
two girls who were twins, a girl and a boy,

(02:08):
and um, yeah, they're human beings. I care what over?
I was so impressed, like this is there. They didn't
have kids before, and all of a sudden they just
have like these two newborn babies that are a month old.
And Michael, my friend's husband, has two babies like strapped,
like swaddled strapped onto him somehow. They're very tiny and

(02:29):
he's vacuuming the house at the same time. And so yeah,
you know, it's like you guys are doing great workout.
I told I told my wife, and I stuck to
the word. I said, you will never see me again
in one of those like baby strap things walking down
a sidewalk. You'll never put that on me. And why

(02:49):
baby sitting and you're walking because I'm gonna hold my child.
I didn't. I don't. I don't agree with big baby
strap in their whole. He then think it's masculine. I
would I would have gone in that direction. I thought
it looks a little bit. It is not masculin. I
agree with you, but I don't want to. That's a

(03:10):
luxury you can have in Los Angeles. My first ellis
was in Manhattan. You try walking around four like miles
and stuff, just carrying that baby. See, I think it's
like attractive. You're not putting a stroller on a New
York City sidewalk. And if you're going around all day
and you got the baby, you gotta do a lot
of carrying, You're gonna be doing a lot of that's same. Look. Yeah, sure, okay,

(03:35):
I think you have it all wrong. That's just that's
just where I come down on it. And and you
could strap on if you want. Yeah, personal needs, personal wants.
It's like a fanny pack for a baby. Great, well,
you know, let's just leave it there. Fine, we disagree,
it's fine, all right, It's okay, So friends do This
is around the AFC in forty eight minutes exactly, and

(03:57):
it's a perfect time for it. Uh, We're gonna do
the NFC later in the week with mister Patrick Claybon,
and we are doing this greggy because it feels right.
We are setting the table for what's going to be
a whirlwind of about six weeks of football transactions. So
let's see where everybody's at, especially the next two weeks.

(04:19):
I want to get this thing out there before anything happens.
But starting this weekend, I noticed you were on the
Free Agency Frenzy watch co hosting on Sunday. Starting around then,
it's just gonna be popping for about ten straight days. Cuts, trades,
all the rest. I feel I feel like it is
popping now. I kind of look at the understand the
deadline is a nice branding opportunity for various people, but

(04:42):
it's like, what's happening. Let's be real. I mean, we
were sitting home yesterday watching bullets fly left and right
on our laptops and on NFL network. Yes, that's true,
that is true. So why don't we, without further ado,
dig in to everything. Because again, the rules finite there,
there is no there's no wiggle room here. Three minutes

(05:04):
per team, sixteen teams, sixteen times, three party eight minutes.
We don't go over. If you go over. Our producer
and we've all signed waivers years ago, is allowed to
trank us. Right in the old jugular it sounds like this, whoa, whoa,
what was that? That's not our tank? You just you

(05:26):
just killed Colleen. Now we don't have a fourth first, yeah,
Christian here first, the brave Figger. You do have the trank, right,
of course, of course it's there, it is. We got
a little nervous there. Without the trunk, it's a problem
keeping people in line. So we're gonna go through all

(05:48):
four divisions in the AFC today, NFC after that, So
let us get going. Do we have any type of um,
I don't know, like a DJ's air horn something to
get us rolling here? There should be like an opening
ceremony of sorts, right, yeah, that's something we should work
on for next year. It's all right ready, ye I

(06:11):
like it. Let's start with the Buffalo bills and I
will get us going here because you know, this is
a huge year for the AFC East champions. They have
become a mainstay obviously in the AFC playoffs, but they
can't get over the hump. They can't even get to
the super Bowl, So what do they have to do?
A couple of things, and it seems like it's offense related.

(06:31):
As we look ahead to free agency in the draft.
The offensive line was a little bit of a problem
this season. I could see them going down that road.
But I think it is skill players that you're going
to see this team look different. Wide receiver is a
little weird and funky and free agency in the draft,
but making a move there. This is a tight end
heavy draft. I see something there. I love so much.

(06:54):
Boys and girls. Derek Henry to the Bills. I see
them making big moves to help Josh Allen just like
everyone else seems to think. Do you agree? I would
adore that we mentioned the Bills the Eagles just for fun.
As Derek Henry Henry landing spots a couple of shows ago,
I think if you go after Derrick Henry, you've got
to say, like, yeah, we're a team with like essentially

(07:15):
a one year, two year super Bowl window, and he's
the kind of guy that deep in the season, if
he's healthy, can literally just destroy our enemy. And Derrick
Henry added to Josh Allen and friends. That's suddenly who's
going to tackle that team? If you take that Sunday off,
you suddenly have a little issue. I think a problem
for the Titans when it comes to trading Henry is

(07:36):
just there's so many good running backs available in this market.
But I do think they'd want to add a little
juice there. Devin Singletary's a free agent. I think they
liked what James Cook gave him, but maybe he's going
to be more of a third done guy. They have
some big decisions though. Jordan Poyer kind of been a
rock for them in this Sean McDermott defense and tremade Edmonds,
you know, one of the first picks under Sean McDermott

(07:58):
when they arrived here, both free agents, Edmond's coming off
a career year. I think they got to be careful
about like overspending, to just keep this same group together
and be interesting. McDermott maybe taking over that defense after
Leslie Frazer's got that's okay, all right here, I got
some I got some thoughts real quick from the offensive
line a whole minute I think is the for me,

(08:19):
that's my biggest concern, because we saw the problems from
that in the loss to Cincinnati, And when you look
at even the way that PF ranks them, their final
run blocking grade was fifth worth. So if they're gonna
get Derrick Henry, they better have a good offensive line
in place too. And then they really do need a
legit number two wide receiver because gave Davis he was

(08:42):
expected to take that next step, but I'm not really
sure he did. And when you have I mean Isaiah McKenzie.
He's a good role player, but they need someone opposite
Steffon Diggs to really make this offense sing. All right,
hear me out. Okay, you get new Copkins, get Derrick Henry,
draft an offensive lineman. What did you win the Super Bowl?

(09:05):
Have a huge off season. I say, get Hopkins and
get like a sheep running back. There's a lot of it.
Title game at least. That's not gonna be good enough,
I know, but that feel like we both just got
taken out. Who got it? By the way, that was
both Mark and Dan for talking after the timer ended.

(09:28):
All right, up next, Colleen Wolf and Miami Dolphins. Okay,
Mike McDaniel. His first season was pretty promising, you guys. Uh,
he made some fashion statement here. He made the playoffs, um,
and I think that like he made an excellent first impression,

(09:49):
especially the first half of the season, they were also
a little uneven at times. And I think this first
season for McDaniel was not unlike Nick Sirianni's first season
with the Eagles and the fact that they were able
to get to the playoffs and it was unexpected. They
lost in terrible fashion to the Bucks, but it kind
of reminds me of that. And I think to Ah,

(10:10):
he showed some growth and development before the concussions. But
I mean when you look at their scoring, they scored
the eleventh most points per game. Blah blah blah blah bop.
I mean the receivers they produced. You have two receivers
there with over a thousand yards. Their defense was the weakness,
and Vic Fangio is going to try and change that
make it into a strength. The secondary really dropped off.

(10:33):
It's the biggest area of weakness for them. Byron Jones
was hurt all season. He'll get cut if he hasn't
gotten cut already, he got cut, I don't know he will.
And then Xavien Howard he struggled in coverage too. So
that is that's a major situation that they need to
figure out. But they have no first round pick. They're
in a tough spot, not a lot of cap space,

(10:54):
no first round pick, like heightened expectations after that year,
very difficult division, and you mentioned like major holes like
offensive line, secondary. Fangio will help that, I think with coaching.
But they profile as a team that would want to
be very aggressive this offseason, and yet they don't seem
to have as many like resources to do it in

(11:15):
terms of cap spaces as you would hope. I mean,
I love the idea of a team being in the
second year of a Mike McDaniel offense, except so much
went well through the year last year. I mean, it
all came down to like complete chaos at the quarterback
position in terms of durability. And I think that you know,
I know Mike mtalan keeps coming on supporting two over
and over. I just wonder if they're a sneaky little

(11:36):
team we talked about it last step that might be
tempted to chase someone like Lamar Jackson because their owner
keeps wanting to chase these guys left and right. Yeah,
or bring back Tom Brady. But he says he's not
coming back. Yeah, had said that he had heard there
was like a rumor Brady with the Dolphins, so Miami,

(11:59):
you can't imagine that happens. That would be crazy. But
you know he's already come out of retirement once. Yeah,
I think that the two A thing is it does
feel like there might be something missing here. As much
as they do love him, do they really want to
go into a deeper relationship with him? And then Lamar
is really there. I know Darlington reported that they weren't
in on Lamar, but you gotta put that out there

(12:20):
and play well though. And I think that they played
the Bills really close all season long too. Yeah, we
comped them to Sirianni and the Eagles, though, would twa
make a hurts like leap you already made a leap
last right, you know, not not like that. I was
right and you know, came in right under this because

(12:41):
of the tank situation, we're not going to trank or
unless it's egregious, were already killed me at the top
of the show's situation where it's like, well, if it's
we look at the clock first, right, there's like the
tenth of a second after zero zero, you know, point nine, right,
it was like half a secondever, But it's fine. Mark Sessler,
the New England Patriots, all right, you know, like I

(13:04):
have a past with Bill Belichick. It's part of my youth.
I really like, have always thought highly of him. But
I so I keep the letters. Yeah, I keep wondering.
Dot Com still check if you can still find it
on our site. We'll see. Um. I just keep wondering
if like last year, Belichick was sort of doing like
a high level punking of society and will completely get

(13:25):
like Mac Jones back on track under his guy pal
Bill O'Brien. Comes September, you know, load up on free agency.
They have like a major amount of cap space this year,
seventh most in the league right now, six draft picks
in the first four rounds. Maybe they go back to playoffs.
Everything's fine all over again. But then I also, like
I do ponder how last season Art that was one

(13:45):
of the rare shining examples of the Pats totally mismanaging
last offseason and sabotaging their quarterbacks under a defensive coach.
And somehow it's like Bill Belichick didn't see any of
that coming, and it leads me to ask a sacrilegious question.
As the league is growing, so is there any concern here?

(14:07):
In March twenty twenty three, Frank into your neck, Belichick
in a hyper revolutionary NFL. Is he showing signs of
being left behind just a little bit? Oh, who a lot.
I don't know if he's being left behind, but I
definitely know I wrote this down after you said it.
I know that last season wasn't a high level punking

(14:28):
of society, right I think, Bill, But we didn't talk
about it that way, like oh, it's gonna be fun,
like everyone's all getting all worked up, and then it
was a disaster. I've said it often on the show.
It's like, Bill, what has Bill ever made kind of
a fool of himself and not been ready to develop
a young quarterback and run the team the right way? Well,
then we saw it like the idea of the Joe
Judge Patricia thing. We don't need to talk about that again,

(14:50):
but we know it went poorly and it is kind
of crazy to think, Greggy, I know you are Belichick
supported at number one that he did kind of these
are valuable rookie contract years, and you had a very
promising first year player in Jones. You kind of just
booted his second year development and now you're in a
kind of a weird in between stage. Yeah, because they

(15:11):
need so much help. So Nelson Aguilar is a free agent,
that's fine, that's good. Jacoby Myers is a free agent.
That's bad. I hope they bring back, bring him back.
But yes, they have cap space. They also have so
many needs, like pick a tackle. I don't know if
they're gonna keep Trent Brown or not. I wouldn't wouldn't
shock me if they cut them, then you would need
two tackles. They need help in their secondary. Jonathan Jones

(15:35):
is a free agent. We don't know if Devin mccordy
is coming back. There's just like not a spot on
this team that I feel totally comfortable with. Some good
young pieces on defense in general, but Johnny Swiss still
on this team. Hunter Henry's kind of overpaid, Like so weird.
They need to make a lot of moves like weird team.
It just it feels like a team that is like

(15:56):
old and try to be young. Like just from the roster,
the coaching staff, it's like hello, fellow kids, that is
the team. They still win eight or nine games every year.
But but what Greg, did you watch the game on Monday?

(16:21):
New York Jets, New York Jets. Okay, we spent a
lot of time talking Rogers. We will talk Rogers, uh so,
more so, let's talk about the non Rogers aspects to
this team. What do they do if they get Rogers?
Are you gonna have to clear a lot of cap space?
That could be Carl Lawson, what's the big time pickup?
Could be Jordan Whitehead. Uh I guess my issue with

(16:44):
all the talk about Rogers is like, well, you put
him with the best defense in the league and these
young pieces and like away you go. But they won't
be the best defense in the league next year. That's
just like not how it works. I think you have
to expect the defense to take a step back because
that's usually what happens, and you have a decent amount
of free agents there and you need a guy like

(17:04):
Rogers to juice up the offense a lot to make
up for what's going to happen to the defense. It's
twenty twenty two. Defenses only matters so much. I think
even the Jets saw that in some big spots that
like the defense is only gonna take them so far.
You gotta juice up that offense with Rogers. Yeah, and
Nathaniel Hackett, that's gonna be the key. Well, he's he's
getting the think can do the closest part of it.

(17:25):
He's done this part of it before. You're right hanging
out there. Yeah. Yeah. Jermaine Johnson is their first round pick,
one of the first round picks from last year. The
idea is that he could slide in and take Carl
Looston's spot. That's sensible, but then you're banking on his development.
For the most part. Though. The defense is coming back.
They have some depth pieces the defensive line. They'll be

(17:47):
looking kind of at the lower margins of free agents.
They gotta get things right with Quinnon Williams to get
him paid. I could see them adding a safety and
there's some nice options in free agency. I think that's
a target that they'll they'll look at. But for me, yeah,
it is if you do Land Rogers, you got to
invest in the offensive line. You gotta hope Breese Hall
comes back and looks like Breese Hall, and I think

(18:09):
you're ready to roll. I think they're a very dangerous
good team as long as Rogers, if he is their quarterback,
doesn't get old and is the guy who was like
because he's scouting them too, and he's got to like
when he sees you're right. Like the idea that they
be top five, sure, but they're not going to suddenly
be twenty seven. Maybe. I mean, then there's no reason
to sign anywhere because if there is going to go

(18:31):
from twenty five hopefully top ten's like, you can't count
on that totally. And I'm a little worried about their
offensive line. It's like a boomer bust offensive line. I
sure believe they had six tackles that went on ir
and they have so many guys that are free agents
too coming up. The mcay Beckton thing is a big
piece here where where he fits in at this point,
And I do think they need to add another wide receiver. Maybe.

(18:53):
I don't wonder if Elijah Moore gets traded, um, just
because it's been a bit funky, uh that role. Love
him with Rogers, though you could lose Corey Davis. He
might get cut. We did come a year away from
Rogers that the Salt Shakes out working with both Lafloor brothers,
but they had to get him out of there, because
probably without Nathaniel Hackettes, it doesn't go down anyway. So
I just understand what you're doing there. They starting center

(19:15):
as a free agent. There's just like Rogers can't do
at all. You still have to have a good offseason.
And now your boy did last year the year badly.
But he wasn't an embarrassment until I can't say it,
oh suck, until he got promoted beyond what he was
able to do. Now he's got saddled with a quarterback

(19:38):
that decided to die on us. Um. All right, let's
take a break and then move on to the AFC North.
All right, we're back. Let's keep rolling. Give me that
airhorn again. Let's get back into it. Oh, the Baltimore

(19:59):
Race Ravens of the AFC North. So obviously the big
stories Lamar did. The Ravens say goodbye to Lamar when
they hit him with that non exclusive franchise tag. If
Lamar doesn't find a suitor that meets his contract demands,
would he be open to go him back to Baltimore
on the tag or open to hammering out a deal
that isn't in line with his original off speculated goal
of fully guaranteed deal. Is the compromise here that he

(20:22):
becomes the new Kirk Cousins where he does get his
guaranteed money, just not the amount that he was hoping for,
and it goes over the next couple of years. Then
he hits unrestricted free agency at age twenty eight, which
would be grand. He would probably do very well in
that spot. Or is all this not worth talking about
because there's so much bad blood now between the two
sides that he is going to be property of a

(20:44):
different team comes September. I think there's a chance here
at home. I think so if the right market doesn't
like happen for him, I think they. I believe the
Ravens when they say they still want to keep him,
they want to do it in their terms. I think like,
in a way, if you're Lamar and his you know

(21:04):
his mom's helping him out with all this, and you
don't have an agent like the Ravens are, if anything's
saying go ahead and find your deal and we'll see
if we want to match. You're giving him the freedom
to go do it. I think that's showing enough respect
for him. If he wasn't happy with how slowly the
process has gone with the Ravens, but they've been doing
this for so long and little because you got to
put a team together though, like, right, you would like

(21:25):
to know if Lamar is the guy or not. That's
by the way, you would need a quarterback if Lamar
is not your quarterbackly that's my more thing is like
this doesn't shake out like they are suddenly like maybe
left out in the cold in a massive way. At
the most, why you got to tread him for mac
Jones in a first wow, everything revolved around how this
Lamar Jackson situation shakes out. Like their entire future, short

(21:46):
term and long term depends on this right now, and
that feels so risky. But I guess they're just banking
on the fact that Lamar Jackson won't have the market
that Lamar Jackson thinks he's going to have. And I
guess if teams don't want to give up to first
round picks, they could eventually do some type of like
sign and trade situation. But I mean, this is a

(22:09):
team that also has a lot of other questions like
at wide receiver. Yes, they should be in the Hopkins business.
Yeah wait a second, no, well only if Lamar Jackson
or someone like suitable to them being a contender is
behind center. I guess that's why it's also nebulos right
now with them for that very reason. They're kind of

(22:31):
hung up in purgatory here. And is it possible that
if they are willing and open to moving on, do
they just take a year where they're a down team
for a year and they reload and they get a
good draft pick next year and they're back at it
in twenty four. I think that's an outcome here too,
And I don't think Ravens fans want to hear that,
but it might be long term. Not for that, it

(22:51):
doesn't work because they're lying. Like I like their roster.
They don't have a ton of huge needs, not a
ton of huge free agents. The Ravens are telling us
they're willing to do that by everything that's happened, Colleen
Wolf on the Bengals, here we go. Um, as soon
as you started talking about the Ravens, I realized that, Um,

(23:12):
I wrote about the Ravens instead of the Bengals. But guys,
you know what, I have a freestyle, So let's talk
about it here. This team. We're not doing some work here, UM, honestly,
my biggest problem with this team. Honestly, let me tell
you that the offensive line is still a problem. It

(23:33):
was a problem last year and it remained a problem
throughout the season, and because of the injuries late in
the season, that's exactly how we saw this team fall
apart Jonah Williams. He played at left tackle all season long,
and Williams did a great job. But I mean this
is this has been a problem for them, so they
absolutely need to get that figured out. Defensive backs also, um,

(23:57):
they could use some work because Jesse Bates, Um, yeah,
he looks like he's going. He's gone. Also, tight end,
I mean Hayden Hurst might leave in free agency, and
then your number two blocking tight ends Drew Sample and
Mitchell Wilcox, they're also free agents. So there's a little
hole on the roster too. Um. And when you look

(24:17):
at this team, they have a lot of talent on
the roster, so there's only a few things that they
really need to get done, and offensive line is at
the very top of the list. Is lyall Collins even back,
he seems like an I think he's gonna get cut.
I think Mixing is gonna get cut. I think they'd
like to bring Von bellback, who's also a free agent.
That would be losing two safeties. Hurst I could see

(24:39):
coming back. I could see them drafting or running back.
That's sort of their thing. They just like draft one
every five years. I do listen to the Athletics Bengals podcast,
Paul Denner Dinner or guests of our show, and they
really think that the Bengals will not be spending in
free agency this offseason. They're saving all that money for

(25:00):
Joe Burrow. Well, I think they're one of these teams
where your start, you have that, you have Jamar Chase
down the road, and so you can't hit a bunch
of positions. They did that last year and addressed the
office several years. It was done a job. It was
injuries that sideswipe them though it wasn't the planning. I
think like they're a well constructed team at this point.
But like the Bengals, to me, among their Chiefs Bills,

(25:21):
these high flying NFC teams, they are losing a lot
of faces. They need tackle help. I mean, Williams was
okay and but now he's okay coming off an injury,
and you don't have a right you want to hear
something that's little less than Okay, Williams tied for the
most sack surrendered by any tackle twelve in the regular
season and had a minus forty nine point nine run
blocking grade per PF. Wow, that's a lot. And then

(25:43):
Bell Bates and Eli Apple, who I know is their
fourth cornerback, but all those guys had major snaps. So
I think Duke Toby has done a great job in
general and has earned the benefit of the doubt. But
they have they have a big off season to try
to stay up at the top. Colleen, I feel like
you really did great job up there. Just ask like
a question. Three of the four most snaps played on defense.

(26:06):
I got you. Wow, we did it, guys, So we
did it. Can she celebrate at an Oh? No, you
can celebrate. You're not talking about the team anymore. I'm
just checking again for the rules. Mark the Cleveland Browns.
All right, you're the Browns. You're roughly thirteen million in
the red. Okay, you don't have a first round pick

(26:27):
until twenty twenty five. Ye, you're gonna You're gonna have
to restructure de Sean and a bunch of others because
there are a lot of real needs here. I look
around this division and the Browns I don't think thought
they'd be here this season, this offseason in this situation.
Definitely need defensive line, no edge rusher across from Miles Garrett.
They need linebackers, multiple linebackers. You probably need a wide receiver,

(26:49):
if not two, Kareem Hunts out the door. There's just
a lot for Andrew Barry, who is a great general manager,
to handle here. But I think it's all of that,
like doesn't really center around the nucleus as much as
just that, Okay, we get it. Deshaun Watson was rusty, etc.
In quotes, but he also just didn't seem to fit
Kevin Stefanski's offense really well. Like it went off a

(27:12):
cliff in multiple ways. And I guess the biggest question
is because nothing else they've done since last offseason matters,
and you're not in this situation. It doesn't matter if
you don't trust that Kevin Stefanski. The same way you
say Sean Payton is going to fix Russell Wilson, Well
that's probably nonsense, but you can make an argument for it.
But do you trust Kevin Stefanski to suddenly tailor an
offense around a better version of Deshaun Watson immediately, because

(27:35):
all of this was set them saying among every team
in this division, we're the mustn't win now team. And
I look at the round that, I look around the
other three teams in this division. I'm not sure they're
not in fourth in that. I'm not trying to be
a Browns hater all these Browns fans thinking that. I'm
not saying that at all. It's just that team building wise,
they have a lot of needs and they don't have
a lot of answers right now. One thing they can
do is restructure. You mentioned with Watson and a lot

(27:57):
of their other players, and that's something where think it
gets lost where that's where an owner like Jimmy has them,
who has all the money, You could do a restructure forever.
The Saints do it every year and everyone gets so
mad like, oh, it's eventually gonna cost him. It really hasn't.
You just keep doing it. You're they're spending more cash,
so they're trying to win, So I think they'll still
be aggressive. I'm with you. They have a lot of
needs defensive line, they certainly need another weapon in terms

(28:22):
of a receiver for Watson. I mean, before Watson played,
the offense looked pretty good fifth DA right, and you
have Amari Cooper having this career renaissance almost there. I mean,
he definitely stepped up. And then you have Nick Chubb,
who is so talented, and then all of a sudden

(28:42):
everything came to a screeching halt when Deshaun Watson's got
in there. I don't think they're that far away. Like,
if Watson played well, it's a big if, then I
think they're right there with the rest of the division.
This isn't breaking any news. If Watson is a longer
an impact player, if he's if he stinks or is
even closer to average, they're shot they I mean, they

(29:05):
have so much tied up in him, and I know
you could restructure, but it's they've really they tied the
organization to him. He's got a play at a high
level or else. Benga good line, He's got some things
going for him. Good the Pittsburgh Steelers, Greg Roosevelt, I

(29:26):
didn't know what to say about the Steelers. They're just
like coming back every year. Yeah, honestly say that you
plan to talk about the Browns When was the last
time we talked about the Steelers. They used to be
one of our Tiffany franchises. Is Dan like kind of
like the Patriots, But they're just sitting there. They're lying

(29:48):
in the weeds. They have a young offense. They will
not have much turnover on their roster, not many key
free agents, which which is good news. I think they
need to juice up that defense. Again, it's not lot
of difference making defense. Cameron Sutton and Turrell Edmunds, who
are both starters, are free agents. I think Sutton might
get a nice deal in free agency. But it's the
it's the line that bothers me. They've never figured out.

(30:11):
It's the same stuff every year with the Steelers. It's
the secondary and it's the offensive line. And they seem
to like this offensive line. But I just don't get it.
I just don't expect them to be aggressive in free agency.
You know what, though, I would say that I think
last year, if you were a Steelers fan for the
first time in a while, you were thinking this might
be a rough one, and then we get out of it,
like instead, you found out the power of Mike Tollin

(30:32):
and like they found a quarterback. Over the course of
an up and down season, George Pickens looks fantastic at
wide receiver, Naji Harris played some of his best ball,
and like the line started as a disaster, but it
got a little bit better as the year went along
and the whole all offense in general kind of grew together.
All these guys are on rookie deals, so it's like,
I kind of get you don't know what to say,
because it's like, we just have to see another year

(30:53):
of it and see where they are after. They aren't
a billion burning like voids here in Pittsburgh. Look at
the defense before within without t J. Watts, So you
hopefully have him for a full season. I would love it.
This is not what they do. This is not a
Pittsburgh move. But as much as they might like pick it,
or the idea of him long term, imagine Lamar Jackson

(31:15):
talking about it to a rival and and putting together
it's not a poison pill contract, but something really unpalatable
for Baltimore, and then all of a sudden you have
him playing with Mike Tomlin and that defense. Love that
that's a wild fantasy. But Kenny Pickett, like he knows
the building. He knew where all like the laboratory just

(31:37):
so so which which laboratory take the extra the smaller,
the shorter urinals, which had the higher ones. Do you
know who Stalls helped change the rules into like indirectly
because of the poison pill contract. I miss poison There

(31:57):
was a few throughout the years, but I think the
last one, Yeah, Hutchinson was Another one was our colleague
Nate Burleson, one of my close friends, one of our
podcast co host, Nate Burleson, some of those things, his
contract going too, I think from Minnesota, the Seattle that
was so is a podcast co host. Well, I mean
he's I think colleague interviewed Rihanna. We just had to

(32:22):
burnout the time on Greg's bit here, not on purpose,
but you want to call time out, you got to
finish your bit. I'm calling time out. I didn't know
timeouts are available. Yeah, you guys. Every year is you guys,

(32:43):
You're likely band Cole's timeouts. Anybody could call time out
and I'm calling one time back to Greg. You're giving it,
You're giving it to me. Yes, I believe it was
the Vikings and the Seahawks and the poison Pill thing
was so I forget what the rules where it was
like if if you're in the Northwest, then you get

(33:05):
like a seven million dollar bonus. I don't know. They
added some crazy thing into his contract, and the NFL
at that point was like, all right, we need to
see Hutchinson was there can't be another offensive lineman that's
being paid more than his salary, and that that competing
team had somebody already on the roster poison pill. They
wipe those things out, wipe them out. Interesting, Okay, So

(33:27):
just to be clear with the timeout thing, we got three,
we each get three, No, there's three total. You're a team,
so one person or we are a team, and there
wet as they around the NFL podcast, we're trying to
create the best show, and the timeouts help god do that.
But Dan tends to be like Kyle Shanahan and like
if the clock's running down, it's like first quarter doesn't

(33:49):
like to save him at all. To see like it's
something like maybe maybe a head coach or a host
has to take control and call time out and help that.
Ye did a fine job at that time out of
others are thought you were setting me up to get tranked.
Uh no, not at all. I assume. I assume our

(34:11):
buyelines have not changed. I have no idea who actually
did that. It must have been Ali. I you know
what I am the um the NFL dot com profiles
which um Henry went into mine Henry Hodgson about five
or six years ago and rewrote mine No. Uh And
the last line says Hansa's hosts, Oh interesting. The award

(34:33):
winning around the NFL podcast within a plum reminiscent of
a young Chris Berman that has sat on NFL dot
com for the better part of a decade. So is
our status as award winning it's been since I can't
take it away the best new podcast in twenty fourteen
or something. All right, time in let's move to the

(34:54):
AFC South. Oh what a division, my goodness. All right,
so it is the cults start here. It's an absolute certainty.
The Colts will come out of free agency draft, trades,
blah blah blah with the QB of the future in
their minds. Will it be a trade, free agency draft?
Probably draft. They have the number four pick, and you
could see management, especially at this point where the management

(35:17):
is ownership, being hyper aggressive and maybe moving up out
of that number four spot to go get somebody they
really want. But I'll say I'll do it again. I
know I don't want to keep hitting ringing the same
bell here. But do they make sense as a Lamar
suitor the Colts? Because because Ursay, quite frankly, has become
a real unpredictable character the owner of the Colts, and

(35:38):
because of the frustrations in their post luck era, which
is about you know, four or five years now, would
they make a play because if they could make something
work the ABC South is I mean, the Jaguars are
a promising team on the rise, but otherwise you can
really make noise in that division with a big time quarterback.

(35:59):
So the draft is probably the most likely place they're
going to get that QB of the future. But are
they a team to keep an eye on for Lamar?
I think, like Chris Ballard obviously cannot pick more than
one more quarterback. Ever at this point um and you can't.
No one would argue going for Lamar Jackson from a
talent level. I think it seems a little aggressive for
who they are, But they do also have a chance

(36:19):
they've really wanted to. They're flushed with draft picks over
the next couple of years, not missing ones. Ryan Poles
of the Bears has said that there is a team
out there, a couple of teams that have basically already
offered like multiple number ones to get up, and that's
not everyone you'd expect. But the Colts could do that
without too many problems and get the number one guy
they want. I'd like to think they'd want to build
around someone young, but I'd pitched the Lamar Jackson thing

(36:41):
on that in our Lamar episode because it kind of
if you're Shane Stike and you just did all this
with Jalen Hurts, so not exactly the same player, but
why saddle him with anything other than someone he can maximize.
But I think they're two wounded from taking but they
can't can't be though, well Carson went, but they seem
so married to this idea. Jim mur say kind of

(37:02):
giving it away in the press conference. Favorite there's a
couple Alma, yeah, like he's looking good. I think they
all just like like this idea. I also think that
it's like good for job security. We're gonna start that
Alabama kid pretty maybe keep him up the mic for
a few minutes. Actually, they have many quarterbacks that have

(37:24):
played a lot of football on this roster. Still, Matt
Ryan is on this roster. Still, that's a former Eagle,
great guy, you know, who's gone up a lot in
the cue radio. I feel like since the end of
the season. I guess it's obvious. But man, people love
stiking everyone. Everyone makes it out to be that stings
the genius all along a little some Frank Reichlely maybe

(37:47):
he was behind the butt putt. Let's also need a
lot of players on their defensive line, and Gokway is
a free agent Okaiki, they're linebackers a free agent. Brodley,
by the way, is the offense line bad? Now? What's
up with that? You're dead? I'm already shot. I mean
that's I mean that a bad year for him? Yes,

(38:10):
that is that a bad line? And you know Quenton
Nelson fell off a cliff. What's going on here? So
that's what I mean? Yeah, I think him right? Yeah,
that on him. It's nice to see Couter back in
the big spot coordinator. Thank you, Jim Cooter. Why are
we spending so much time talking about this team? Come on,

(38:30):
let's talk about the only team that matters in the South.
That's what I'm talking about. The Jaguars rake yourself, Jaguar,
turn that Trak on your own self. So anyway, yes,

(38:50):
the Jags want to come back for them after I
mean this time last year they were coming off an ugly,
messy public breakup with Urban Meyer and now they're just
in this beautiful relationship with Doug Peterson. Won the division,
watched a different Trevor Lawrence emerge, so they have a
legit quarterback on a rookie deal right now. Came back

(39:14):
from down twenty seven points against the Chargers to play
in the divisional round and lose by a touchdown to
Kansas City. But this is the comeback that was hoped for.
This was Dan. We talked about it on the Power
Rankings podcast at the beginning of the season. Which teams
which will be back next year. I'm sure which team
will turn it around. So listen. They have Calvin Ridley

(39:35):
now on the team. He's back, He's a Jag. The
past defense definitely needs some work. Tyson Campbell had a
good year Shack Griffin. They just released him cap casualty there,
so they have to do some work on the back end.
They tagged Evin ingram Zay Jones also produced last year.
Those were there two free agent editions, so I think
they're in really good shape. Yeah. I mean, also, everyone

(39:56):
including Trevor Lawrence hinted at the fact that his rookie
year obvious just didn't even exist. Last year was this
rookie year, and so it's year two for everyone in
a way, and it's like, I just think that there
is really no ceiling on the Jaguars. I think the
one thing that can get escaped in a little bit,
it's just expectations where it's like now they're just going
to roll into the playoffs. It's like that that doesn't
always work, and it doesn't always work with Doug Peterson

(40:18):
too necessarily, So we just we'll see. I'm a little
sometimes it does. I just don't want to take at
them for the AFC title game. I mean, the second
year of Doug Peterson for Philadelphia worked out pretty well.
It did. Yeah, I mean, you're a little teas there, Marky.
There is no there's no room. I don't know teams

(40:41):
to go. I'm a showman, they have. He moved his
arms like a marching robot showman action figure. I thought
it was interesting. Tred Balky basically said to the media
that like last year, last year was their year. Like

(41:02):
they went in last year, this year, they're very much
just gonna bring back the same team. They don't have
a lot of cap flexibility. It's kind of like the
Patriots went crazy in twenty twenty and then they totally
stopped spending your twenty twenty one and stopped twenty and
twenty two. So it's basically the whole team is coming back.
We have a couple of free agents John Taylor, arden Key.
Other than that, they're basically trying to bring back the

(41:24):
same team continuity. Usually I would be against that teams,
you know, you shouldn't rest on your laurels and all that,
but I don't mind seeing this nuclear is kind of coalesced. Yeah,
and they're young. They're young, you know, for another year.
Christian the Tennessee Titans, Graver and I are just bonding

(41:44):
at this point. Yeah, friends, the team we didn't bring
up when Graver thought it, what's gonna happen A face.
So I actually think they're one of the most fascinating
teams this offseason because we're gonna find out in the
next ten is are they gonna blow it up or not.
This is this roster is a borderline disaster. I mean,

(42:05):
their offensive line has been bad. It looks like it's
getting worse. We think Derrick Henry might be available. You
might as well just go the whole way and make
Ryan Tannehill available and then you're kind of in the
you know, number one overall pick for Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
They could be a team the Titans that that could
go for a rookie quarterback this year too, like move

(42:27):
up in the draft. They're they're at number eleven. But
I just don't see a clear path out. And I
would always say this about three or four teams in
the NFL, and it's crazy that the Titans are one
of them, and they always prove us wrong. Maybe they'll
prove us wrong, but it feels like will they they're
gonna be like six win type of team. Yeah, I
agree with Greg. Actually, and here's the sound. We're on

(42:50):
a limited clock here. I don't want to okay, sorry,
but just the fact that you did all that, I
think the best course of action is for the Titans
to go into rebuild mode and get a high pick
in twenty twenty four. I don't think that's what they
will do. There are reports that the Titans prefer CJ.
Stroud of all the quarterback options in this class. He

(43:12):
could be available down in like the seven eight nine
range if they wanted to trade up. I don't know
if Vegas is going to trade down, but could look
to trade up at three with the Cardinals at five,
with who's to five the Lions. Six is the Seahawks,
or maybe that's opposite five and Seahawks six the Lions.
All those teams kind of have quarterbacks. I mean, I
don't know if the Lions do. But you can't just
like one quarterback though, if you make that trade unless

(43:34):
you went wait till draft right because C. Straud might
go number one, totally one percent chance you put on
Tannehill being on the team seventy. I think it's most
likely they do that. But if they move Tannehill, that
is a clear indication of where they think the team is,
which is rebuilding. Right. Obviously their offensive line is not.

(43:54):
There's no worse line last year in the league. You
could argue, yeah, and it's not getting better right now.
Taylor Lawan on Nate Davis likely hitting free agency, um,
David Long Junior is in my top twenty. Now after
all the tags. In terms of daily Dennis Daly was
not very good. He allowed the most sack tight for
allowed the most sacks in the NFL last year. Do
you have Tannehill going to the Falcons? I still like

(44:16):
it and nobody and I've been through this justin but like,
maybe this is a take your medicine year. Maybe you
do strip the whole thing down to the studs. I
think it's worth it for the long term outlook, Like
is it like what are you gonna do if you
go win seven games and picking the teens again? Like
you're not gonna build for the future that you made
that run with that group and now they peaked. Do
you like Ran Carthon as the guy to do? Yeah?

(44:39):
Why not cop right now? Yeah? All right? We finish
up with the Houston Texans marks, and we engineered it
that way because the respect for the Texans within this building,
in this corporation knows no end. They have been a
consistent punching line for years. We know that it's been
a mini function um on the PR front for various reasons.

(45:02):
But I want you to take a look at the
Texans now, Damiko Ryans feels like a great hire to me.
I mean the players that have been around him, just
like I just think it's just gonna worry. You have
the third most cap space league wide. You have the
second overall pick, the twelfth overall pick. You're getting at
least your second favorite QB. You have two extra first
rounders over the next two drafts. You got a handful

(45:25):
of good players already. You've got two offensive tackles you
can work with, Damian Pierce, Nico Collins on defense, Jail
and Petre. You're in a soft division right now. Did
somebody say hyper juicy, hyper juicy? Somebody say hyper juicy
Percercer in the AFC they I am telling you, no

(45:48):
one talks about the Texans. This team, I think has
they has a chance to do a Jaguars thing again.
Hyper jerky, hyper juicy Perzerka a total disaster. U Okay,
Colleen and Dan jumped in there too and had their
little fun. But when I said something, immediately your hand
came out and almost poked me in the almost a

(46:09):
physical It's like seven times a minute, so it's just
like a human ever stopped talking, Greg Um, I was
just trying to squeeze the line out and it blew
me up. So what do you want? You get? Four Gate?
Did you see the Chris Rock stand up special? For
a year the entire world is what's Chris Rock gonna do?
How will he address you? He does a live show. Oh,

(46:31):
time out, time out again? Dan Us, you know all
the time out? All right? So one left. Chris Rock
gets slapped at the Oscars by Will Smith. Unbelievable. One
of the craziest pop culture moments of our lifetime. A
year passes. What will Chris Rock do? Okay, this is
gonna tie to what just happened here? How will he

(46:53):
speak on it? What will happen? He's gonna go on
tour and then he's gonna put out a comedy special
and everyone will want to know how he acts to
what he has to say about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett,
the whole crew. He does a Netflix special, but not
just any Netflix special, Greggy, you know people in the
world of comedy. It's a live Netflix special, unprecedented, a

(47:17):
huge deal Saturday Night. He waits until the very end
of the set to discuss the Will Smith situation, and
when he finally gets to that after otherwise flawless show.
In terms of his delivery, he botches the bit he
says the wrong movie he meant to say. He meant

(47:38):
to say concussion whatever that movie was, and said instead
said of emancipation, the newer movie. Did Smith did and
blew the whole thing? Oh that's what happened, Well it didn't.
He have like ten minutes on that though, and he
stepped on the key joke and had connected all the
different parts of the running joke, and it was a

(47:59):
devastating situation. That's how I felt when you tried to say,
did somebody say hyper juicy berserker in the AFC? That
was a well used time out in my opinion. Okay,
let's see it. Nick Cassario. Everyone's like when they were
like almost fiery Nick Assario, they were like, oh, how

(48:21):
dare they like consider fiery Nick Cassario before he could
show what he could do. He's also the guy who
hired David Culley and hired Lovey Smith and they each
lasted one year. Yeah, let's see. Well, to Mark's point,
could they be that berserker? Well, they have four games
against Tennessee and Indy, So that's a good start. The

(48:42):
thing that made Jacksonville a compelling pick in that regard
was generational quarterback getting a fresh start with a coach
in Doug Peterson, and some pieces in place that they're
smart or a very aggressive offseason of spending. Remember, not
a lot of people thought it was smart what Jacksonville
did some of their spending. It all worked out. I
don't know if they're in the same places, these two franchises,

(49:04):
but I see your overall point that if you hit
on the quarterback, Uh, they're they're in the right place
to all of a sudden jump double their wint for
long term six right if they mess all these things
up I just mentioned, Yeah, that's an absolute organizational apoca.
Get the quarterback. Like, not to oversimplify it, but like
if you hit on the quarterback, yes, you can do that.
If you don't time out timeouts and the Texans two

(49:28):
seconds left, the Texans saying they don't get any respect,
We're gonna give it to them, and I'm just gonna
do it. To point out a name we haven't mentioned
on this show. One of the most important men in
this organization is Bobby Slowick. That's their offensive coordinator. He
is taking over an offense with a number one overall
quarterback or number two overall, depending on where they end

(49:50):
up drafting. I kind of think they'll end up having
the first overall pick because it's just gonna make sure
they get their guy that they're the most logical team.
Former PF Bloyee Bobby Slowik, how about that? Well, Also,
his dad was a longtime NFL uh coach. I forget
his dad's name, but he was around in the same
It's all very incestral, in the same sort of Shanahan Tree.

(50:12):
And he also comes from San Francisco. But a young
coach who's gonna have some pieces. They'll probably trade Brandon Cooks.
They have to figure that out. Uh So I find
that interest whatever. They're gonna do a ton sol too.
I think, oh they keep tons. I mean they got
they got a great left tackle. You got a couple pieces.
I don't think they're Damian Pierce won the scepter at
the NFL. That was a big spot. Very nice. I'm

(50:35):
kind of with you, Mark. I think they need to push,
they need to make progress this year, or that he's
gonna fire that coach. But Auntie about the vision, maybe
that the GM and all that they're not. They got
a chance, they got resources. Uh PF employee also Zach Robinson,

(50:57):
the former PF employee, now in a bit just to
filibuster for the rest timeout. I just want to point
out now that that is the end of the third
quarter of this show. We've done three of the four divisions,
and you just used our final time out with the
entire fourth quarter still to play. Yeah, we're down two scores.

(51:20):
That that was my I've just learned it from my
my cost. You know, that's what you used to do
a lot early. I don't see you. Are you talking
about Mark not me? I didn't take a time out.
I didn't. I didn't say anything. I take a time out.
You need those timeouts in the fourth I had to
get in that slow pop. That's uh, let's take a

(51:43):
break and then finish things out, all right, fourth quarter?
No timeouts the AFC West, Colleen Wolf, Are you prepared
to talk honestly? Yeah? Honestly. Well, I mean, we'll see
what happens once I start talking. But I mean it's
you know, honestly, you have started talking. Well, the timer hasn't.

(52:07):
All right, let's go le Broncos what a disaster last year.
So a couple questions here, Ken Peyton, Sean Payton vibe
with Russell Wilson like he did with Drew Brees. Will
that be enough to fix how broken Russell Wilson looked
at times last season. There's talent on this roster, and
if Russell Wilson can tap into whatever he was able

(52:32):
to have in Seattle with those deep throws and and
just his his awareness on the field during the game,
which he just didn't seem to have so many times
last season, then they'll be in pretty good shape. The
offense was an absolute disaster last year. It was a
career bad year for Russell Wilson, a ton of injuries
to skill positions. Tim Patrick didn't even make it to

(52:54):
the kickoff of the regular season because he was hurt
in training camp. Um offensive tackle they four different ones
in twenty twenty two, three of which are free agents.
The defense always solid, that's usually not a problem. An
excellent secondary. Patrick Surtan made the leap that was great
to see. But they could use outside linebacker help a

(53:15):
defensive end as well. But it'll be a quiet night
for Denver on Thursday of the draft because they have
zero picks in the top sixty five. Who I mean,
I'm not comparing Hackett to urban Meyer at all, but
like it's got that chance to be that kind of
leap for the team in general. Because the one thing
that kind of bugged me about Hackett it seemed like
he and there was you know, whispers about this that

(53:36):
he just didn't really have the makeup to stand up
to Russell Wilson or stand up to some of the chaos.
That there are even sideline shots where you could see
the defense confronting the offense and Hacket sort of fades
into the background, and it was just like, come on, bro.
But I also think that Sean Payton never would have
taken this job or I would assume this without power,
And he's gonna have more power than Russell Wilson, and

(53:57):
that's gonna be tough for Russell Wilson to get out
of Russell will after the season if it doesn't go well.
I don't think it's like a Russell Wilson or bust
situation for Sean Payton. Otherwise it's a terrible job to take. Yeah,
Like what also didn't help hack It was Russell Wilson
couldn't play, no doubt, and like with Trevor, Lawrence was
a rookie that was trapped in a bad situation. If Peyton,

(54:17):
if if Russell Wilson still is terrible in September, like
how long is the rope? Even with Russell Wilson or
Sean Payton, gonna have somebody ready to roll that he likes.
Whether it's I feel power, a veteran uh that's out
there on the market, or somebody they draft and try
to develop. I don't know, they should have it. That'll
be telling have a good backup. It doesn't need to
be a veteran backup. Maybe it is a rookie, but like,

(54:40):
is he just like break like I don't okay before
and if he gets back to being okay, it's still
a bit of a disaster. We were just saying, if
Deshaun Watson's average, and that's a disaster, and that's like
what you're hoping for out of Wilson. Keep an eye
on Courtland's Sutton maybe as a potential trade chip to
get one to get one of those picks. I got

(55:00):
enough receivers, all right, Let's ride to the defending Super
Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. So they just won that
Super Bowl. As what I thought, they were a good
team that were lifted to greatness by a magnificent quarterback.

(55:20):
So there are areas of improvement here. The offensive line
very interesting. They decided not to tag their left tackle,
Orlando Brown, so that opens up a potential massive deed
on Mahomes's blind side. There are some tackle options in
the free agent market. I'd be interested to see if
that's the route they go on this. But the defense
is also an area of need because Connie I remain

(55:45):
fairly confident that if they don't throw that flag, I
think Hurts is like the biggest sports star in America
right now, because I think he would have taken them
down the field and won that damn game. So their
defense was ripe to be picked off there they weren't.
They lucked out Frank Clark, they let go this week,
so he didn't become what they ever wanted him to be.
Chris Jones is such a monster, just give him some help.

(56:06):
So I think the idea of offensive line pass rusher
seemed like two obvious places for the defending champs to
focus on over the next month or so. They don't
have a tackle right now. I mean they're they're left
tackle is about to hit free agency or Lander Brown
in their right tackle Andrew Wiley is about the hit
free agency. True that that's a bit of an issue.

(56:27):
I found this tweet from our guy James Palmer, who
unfortunately doesn't have the uh Twitter account at James Palmer.
That is a man who's an entrepreneur, a technologist, and
an explorer. But it sounds like, wait, there are still explorers.
He hasn't tweeted since twenty fifteen, so he's busy. Wait,

(56:49):
they're still explorers. He's an ex. Yeah, but James Palmer TV,
you'll find a very interesting tweet about the Chiefs Wide
Receiver cruit group who. They say, we'll all be back.
The plan is to bring back Juju, so a little
news there so we'll see, but plans to bring them back,
and that they expect Kanarius Tony to be their wide

(57:10):
receiver one next year. Who and then McCall Harbin and is, well,
I'm not really counting McCall. Yeah, you got sky Moore,
you got MBS, got Kelsey for Tony, I mean I
think part of a Tony. It's like wide receiver one
for how many weeks out of the season, But I
love like the idea of them on the team with

(57:30):
a much larger role. Does trust the Chiefs like like
that they had issues coming out of the Super Bowl
loss to the Bucks and they patched up their line
that offseason in a great which is kind of trust
them to do it, And like brut Beach doesn't get
enough credit. Normally you worry about handling success and they've
been to five straight AFC championships, so I think they've

(57:51):
proven it. I'm seeing a little exchange here between James
Palmer and then Peter King, quote retweeting about some reporting
from Palmer regarding Kirk Cousins act in the Day with
the Broncos, King wrote, sorry, I didn't know this when
I wrote on Monday. Comma at James Palmer, you deserve
the kudos for reporting Broncos never made an offer to Cousins.
He sent it to the Explorer Sea. I love it, okay,

(58:22):
but Lick, seriously, how do we get that guy on
the pod? The Explorer gonna make sure he makes it.
Could get Typhoid out there? Um the Chargers? Mark? Yeah,
I was just like I've been looking at what's going
on with these guys. I feel like if last year's
Chargers team, no I did. I did, honestly, I did. Honestly, Like,
if they frustrated you last year, I think I have

(58:42):
some bad news for you because it was like last
offseason that they went all in to win. Now with
Justin Herbert on a rookie deal, um, it didn't work out.
They're twenty one million in the red. They can restructure
a number of guys, like every one of these teams,
but they're also going to have to sign Justin Herbert
to a mass some contract at some point. Football is
completely different than basketball. They just can't really like had

(59:05):
the talent or depth. They're kind of stuck doing not
a lot in this free agency period, and I mean
they have to absolutely nail their draft. And I was
a huge brand and still a guy, But I feel
like my two biggest memories of him are the way
they lost the Raiders game two seasons ago and the
absolute implosion against the Jaguars, which his whole branding was
that all that old Charger stuff doesn't exist anymore. All

(59:28):
that's just up in the head. We're going to be
completely different. But that was like the most Chargers esque
lost ever, and I don't know if Justin Herbert. I
do like Kelen Moore in thereover Joe Lombardi, but I mean,
all things considered, I was looking around. I cannot find
a bigger hot seat coach in the AFC than Brandon Stilly.
Unless the Jets thing went totally south with Aaron Rodgers.
They didn't get them and they had to go in
with nobody at quarterback. I want them to focus on offense.

(59:52):
They've spent so much time, resources, money, draft picks on
Brandon Staley's defense. This happens when you get defensive coaches.
He wants his side of the bottle of good and
they've never been particularly good. They've had moments here or
they're like, let's get as many weapons around Justin Herbert
as possible, but I don't really trust them to do it.
They're in cap space difficulty and some teams you think

(01:00:15):
would restructure and be able to spend more, but they're
one of those teams that I don't think really spends
as much as other teams in terms of cash. And
when the NFLPA report card came out the other week,
Chargers thirtieth in the league. F minus training room, C
minus training staff, D minus locker room F food service.

(01:00:41):
I don't know. Maybe they're getting their food service from
the same people that have Sofi Stadium, the best maybe
stadium in the entire country, and the worst stadium food
in the country. Let's fix it, Croy. Are they talking
about the Well, yeah, this is different than their training.
Has nothing to do with so far. But my point

(01:01:02):
about the so Fi food stands bad food. That's my
favorite take from this entire show, by the way, that
the food needs to get better. It's so far. Well,
they're a tenant, and uh that's that's gonna limit their
abilities to do any charges have nothing to do with it. Really,
they need a wide receiver. Um. I know that Keenan
Allen who's being thrown around as like a cap casualty,
but they said that that's not gonna happen. He's not

(01:01:24):
another one have to draft. They had the slowest whiteouts
in the league last draft. One of those fancy tight
ends you did a hand thing. You said, cap space difficulty.
Is that because you the concept of heaven and hell
you wanted to stay away from caps hell? Is that?

(01:01:48):
Are you editing him? No, I'm just asking a question.
We're not talking about the team anymore. This is just
about Greg. Save it for the theology podcast. Well that's awesome.
On point, it's disturbingly um all right, that's it, right,
No Raiders. Okay, this team needs defensive backs, it needs linebackers,

(01:02:16):
it needs pass rushers, it needs run stoppers. That's the
entire defense. They need a defense. They have nothing on defense.
They don't. They're in a tough situation. I think McDaniels
took a difficult They need offensive linement terrible. He took
a difficult job. Not a lot of people on their

(01:02:37):
roster that I think long term are going to be
there and like reasonably high expectations because they were coming
off a playoff appearance. It's they're in a tough spot.
I think they're the in the toughest spot in this division.
You trust Josh McDaniels to be the guy to save
this It doesn't look good like I'm I'm just I'm
I'm looking at this team right now, and they have

(01:02:58):
a lot of cap space. That is one they are
is a plus. They're a team that you hear struggles
with Escrow. Keep that in mind. Yeah, they're they're one
of those Lamars. Yeah, that couldn't get Lamar because they
cuscrow hell difficulty. I thought Darren Waller might be a
guy that they look to trade, but there has been
reporting that that that that's not the case. I don't
I don't know if I totally Stavante Adams definitely. Yeah,

(01:03:21):
I say it's definitely. I'm sure he's thrilled about this.
What are they Who are they connected to right now?
Jimmy Garoppolo has been a name that's you know, obviously
knows Sexans are also connected. Yeah, they could draft. I
think they can move. They're a candidate to move up
from seven or or draft someone like Willis and they did.

(01:03:42):
He did very good work. It looks even better now
with Mac Jones in two thousand, uh twenty one. So
get give if we want to see if McDaniels can
play the guitar, give him some runway with a young
quarterback and see if they can build something here. Yeah,
I know what problem And like moving on from car,
I do wonder if there was another world where they

(01:04:03):
thought we'll have Tom Brady by this stage in the
off season versus nothing, but you'd have a good draft position.
You didn't know that when you had Derek car essentially
leave the building. Though. They just have so many So
Dave Ziegler and McDaniels just have It's tough to team
build in one off season that many spots on defense.
You're county on your coaches to do it a little bit.

(01:04:24):
I do think Jimmy g would be better than Derek
Carr with Josh McDaniels. I've always thought he would have
been better if he stayed in that system. I'm with you.
How about Jimmy G. Yeah, pare him with a first
round rookie. Jimmy. He's not gonna play seventeen games anyway.
So and Aaron Rodgers is completely not just they keep

(01:04:46):
there's it sounds like it's a no go I think
from a from a money too, Yeah, I could see
them going for a Javon Hargrave in free agency for
a James Bradberry. How about all the Eagles. I hate
that John Gardner and Johnson they need they literally need
everything on their defense. Other than that, things are looking
really good. I can't wait. Sorry, we love you, Dark

(01:05:08):
Sun that is around the AFC and forty eight is minutes.
Good work. Loved it. Colleen, You've said it all. It's
been so much fun being in studio today and I'm
just happy that I was able to carve a little
time out to see my friends. Very nice. When does
the when does the summer of Connie begin? We need

(01:05:30):
to know that scheduling um in March? Now pretty much
you went to Hotlanta up next where Caradabean. Perhaps maybe
you know I gotta I gotta figure it all out
trying to go on some type of retreat. We'll see
Greece darkness. It is only March, that's really not that

(01:05:53):
close to the summer. It also hasn't topped like fifty
five degrees and raining here. This is when you plan
for your saks. So I feel like you and Gonzo,
maybe an ayahuasca retreat could be not like no way there.
You could not even pay me money to no. That
sounds sounds terrible, like why just because of the company.

(01:06:17):
I think there's a little dignity loss with certain aspects
of the retreat, as I've heard of with ayauasca, Like
you are in a bathroom and it's like food poisoning.
Essentially the body rejects that. My idea of fun, right
m I understand that. I'm sorry for bringing all right,
we will be back. We gave you guys a lot
of content they last couple of days. But there's more

(01:06:39):
coming because around the NFC in forty eight minutes with
a great Clay Bond coming up later this week, so
stay tuned for that. And that's that was this the
closest it ever came to Mark hitting Greg. I was
not attempting to hit anyone. But was it a swing?
I was close, I wasn't I know, just it was

(01:07:02):
a he the call