February 19, 2025 • 45 mins
Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic to preview the offseason ahead for each NFC West team. First, a look at the Seahawks (01:50), followed by previews for the Cardinals (12:04), 49ers (22:20), and Rams (34:04).
Note: time codes approximate.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to NFL Daily, where it's always West Coast, Best Coast.
We are here in the Chris Westling podcast studio, and
by we, I mean myself and Jordan Rodrigue of the Athletic.
It's like we're back in New Orleans. Its just a
two person show, the two of us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I know, I feel like I just saw you, Greg,
although you went through some things you did between the
last time I saw you and now, so glad you're doing.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Better you did. You saw us on Tuesday show with
Colleen Wolf. Remember that that was great. I started the
show saying West Coast, best Coast. Because we're talking a
little NFC West. We are continuing our off season division
previews with the NFC West, a division. You have been
intimately familiar with a lot of drama for the last
(00:50):
five years as you've covered the Los Angeles Rams, and
the West Coast really is the best coast. And it's
not just because all you suckers back east are just
dealing with all that snow and everything like that. Like
that's the number one thing, But the number two thing
is the time zones is better, Like the Pacific time
zone is just better for sports. And if you're listening
to the show sports is probably important to you. It's
(01:12):
important to me.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I would actually push back on that slightly.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Watching sports it's the best to be in Pacific time.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
However, when you come into this time.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Of year, which we like to refer to as Greg's season,
often the news happens on East Coast time, so you
need to be up at an on godly hour in
order to make sure that you're keeping up to pace
with everything. Luckily, a lot of these NFC West teams
they actually do transactions on West Coast time too, So
just everyone else that you got to worry about.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
That's a fair point. Now that I'm on old man
time and a child's time, I'm up early anyways, so
give it to me. I love it. I love it all.
We're going to go through all four teams in the
NFC West. We'll ask one big question about those teams.
We'll look at guys that could get cut, stuff like that,
and we are going to start with you. Let's start
with the Seattle Seahawks. I don't want it to be
(02:03):
predictable with you starting with the Rams. How do you
want to kick it off with the switch ten minutes
on the clock, let's go. Yes.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I think the biggest question for the Seattle Seahawks actually
interconnects to many other questions about how they're going to
a get under the cap and then be balance their
roster and the future of their roster structure. It is
how will they and will they overhaul their offensive line
this year? I think that they could stand to replace
(02:31):
four of the five spots.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I don't know, greg if they can do that all
in one off season between the draft and free agency.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
The Chiefs had that season where they're like, we're going
to fix the offensive line. We're going to do it
in one year, and they did it. But yeah, good
luck trying to draft Creed Humphrey and Tray Smith in
the same Yeah, it's just so easy. It's not that easy.
But they threw money at the problem and they did it.
That is a that's one place to start. And it
was really interesting listening to John Schneider speak on a
(02:59):
local radio show. Is the first time he had spoken
since after the season, and he said, we know exactly
what our deficiencies are and then immediately started talking about
how good the Eagles are at developing their offensive line.
So he left no mystery he knows what the problem is,
and yet he's been there the whole time and it's
been a problem the whole time, and he hasn't really
(03:20):
done a very good job. He said, we got to
develop offensive lineman better, but like he's done a bad
job picking them.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
We're all trying to find the guy who did this
right exactly. So, yeah, this is an issue. I mean,
you could see where they've tried. They've tried to fill
in a couple, especially their interior spots with backup middle
to later round to late middle draft picks who you
could see potential spurts and flashes. We'll get to that
(03:45):
in a minute, but if you're looking at again, four
of those five spots outside of left tackle and Charles
Cross is due for an extension. PFF had him rank
their tenth left or their tenth tackle of one hundred
and forty one tackles in the NFL this year, but
everybody struggled and it derailed so much about their offense.
It did not help that then coordinator Ryan Grubb just
(04:09):
seemed to have issues finding answers and having solutions.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Running the ball was a big issue. Pass protection for.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Gino Smith was a significant issue.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It just was something we.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Talked about all last year at nauseum and they're looking
at a center Connor Williams, who retired. I don't know
that we've talked about that enough. Literally had a center
retire on them. They just brought in to help alleviate
some of those issues. And then they're struggling at their
guard spots, and certainly on the right side they had
no answers all year. That was the one of the
(04:39):
worst problems anywhere along any offensive line in football was
that right side of their line. And it is interesting
that you brought up John Schneider because last year, wasn't
he the one that was just talking about how guards
paying guards is overrated and guards are overpaid and we
should draft them, and it's like we're still waiting.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, on one hand, he could be there's something right
about him, which is the I think an offensive line
coach and system can make that true. Yeah, if you
can find the right one. But they never have found
the right one, and so they hire Clint Kubiak. He
also brought in offensive line coach John Benton, who is
with him in New Orleans, who's a veteran coach. So
(05:18):
you're hoping that that can help things out. That the
offensive line was okay. In New Orleans last year they
had a center Oloatammi who helped. They had a young
late pick La Maya sent Tail Mayo like, you're trying
to develop these guys, you're gonna throw money out the problem.
All right, Let's look big picture. Seahawks thirteen million dollars
in the red as of this taping, so they are
actually over the cap. They have a lot to do.
(05:40):
They do have three comp picks coming to them this year,
so that's nice. Here's some of the decisions that they'll
have to make in terms of getting under that cap space.
Gino Smith, do you extend him? Do you do that
to lower his cap number which is forty four million
dollars right now? Just see how he looks in the
(06:01):
new system. Tyler Lockett a seventeen million dollar cap hit,
probably gonna get cut. Draymont Jones sixteen million dollars in
savings if you cut him. There's two guys right there
where I just lopped off about thirty three million dollars.
Even when teams are over, it's not that hard to
get under. But those are some of the decisions in
terms of veterans on their roster they can address to
(06:21):
get under that.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
You know, it's easy to get under the cap. But
in terms of the investments that Seattle might have to
make in free agency with this offensive line some of
the top tier guys, I don't even know if they're
going to be able to truly go after them unless
they significantly restructure the way that they're going to handle
(06:42):
this cap situation. Not just a release of Tyler Lockette
which would save them seventeen million dollars, not just the
Jones release, not just a potential what would the numbers
on a potential Geno Smith contract extension look like in
twenty twenty five versus in the year's past. That would
it help alleviate issues in twenty twenty five, But then
you know, he's what thirty five years old, and you
(07:05):
have to think about what comes after twenty twenty five,
especially pairing him with a third offensive coordinator in three seasons,
and you can't be certain that you actually have fixed
the offensive line at that What do you think?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Do you think they want to commit to Geno pass
this year or not?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I don't I couldn't tell you what they're thinking.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yeah, but what do you do?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I would I mean I would.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I would say he could probably play till he's probably
thirty eight. And I think what you can see sometimes
with a lot of these veteran players is the preference
to do some of these two or three year deals.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Now would he take that?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Now? I can't speak for what you know would or
would not, except he's been through it the last couple
of years. Had to put a lot on his shoulders
that there's been some chaos and dysfunction around him. But
they also have a lot of players coming up that
they have to start thinking about beyond this year. Boya, Mafe,
Rikuol and DK Metcalf, they're all entering their contract years.
(08:00):
We haven't even talked about yet whether they're going to
potentially re sign inside linebacker Ernest Jones. He's going to
be a free agent who clearly thinks he can get
a good price on the market, because they were in
contract discussions and then they paused them, probably because his
agent learned that he could he would have a nice
little market and be able to maybe get some more
money out of whichever team, including Seattle. So they're thinking
(08:22):
they have to think in twenty twenty five. How they
can navigate this, not just get under the cap, but
actually invest in key positions that would help Geno Smith.
But then they also have to think about Geno Smith
and what load that contract is beyond this year when
some of their star players at premium positions are are due.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, Gino, like I said, forty four million dollars cap hit,
they could lower that by extending them out another year.
They're also being risky. If he looks great in this system,
then he could suddenly, like you, be headed to free
agency and they'd be worried about having to be in
a bidding war for him. My guess is they'll want
to see how he looks here and maybe just live
with that cap number. But I think it makes sense
(09:00):
if you wanted to extend about I think he'd take whatever,
not not whatever. But he's at that mid level quarterback.
He's not going to make the Joe Burrow money. But
his money, which you know this year is going to
be plenty of salary, is not that far below like
he's in that you know, forty to fifty million dollar range.
If they wanted to extend that out another year or two,
I guess they would do it. You you have a
good point mentioning Riequill, and I think both him and
(09:21):
DK Metcalf are sneaky trade possibilities if you didn't think
you were going to pay both of them.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It is interesting though, because you can tell based on
listening to Clint Kubiak, who spent a little time with
Justsin Jefferson, Like you can tell that he really wants
to work with him. Now, whether that's I don't think
Gina with DK, oh with DK, I don't think, Yeah,
why wouldn't you.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
By the way, everyone in Seattle who's like, how come
they don't trade DK metcal It's like, why would he trade?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
He's a monster?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Like, yeah, he's not quite a J Brown, He's not.
He's certainly not Jamar Chase. But having a top fifteen
wide receiver with a very defined skill set is very valuable.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And all I'm saying is, I don't think that Clint
is coming in there, you know, his first day on
the job and throwing smoke screens out there, Like I
just don't think that they operate.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
I don't think it's going anywhere.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
To be cleary, yeah and so, but yes, obviously he
will receive interest every year that they don't have an
extension done with him, and he will be due for
one after this season. But it's interesting because I don't
know how this Kubiak Gino Smith pairing is going to go.
I don't know that I would necessarily tie my quarterback's
future with somebody who struggled last season in New Orleans.
(10:31):
And it's interesting because they have to find this synchronicity.
They have to find a collaboration, and I have no
doubt that Gino Smith will be able to work in
whatever system with whoever, but to have if you're Gino
and you're thinking, okay, if they're going to wait on
my extension, if they're going to wait for this to
possibly work, I don't know how I would personally feel
(10:52):
about that if I'm in that position, because you're handing
this guy his third offensive coordinator in three seasons and
you've asked him to put everything on his back the
two of the last three and haven't protected him.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Okay, time flu Oh my god, I know.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Yeah, it does go fast. When I thought about some
free agents they might look at, like Drew Dollman is
going to be the top center. That's gonna cost a
ton of money, but that would be a perfect fit
for the Clint Kubiak system, kind of a zone running scheme.
DJ Reid, who's a former Seahawk, would they I know
they're they're good at cornerback, but that would be something
where maybe they would swap him out for Reek. One
(11:29):
positive though, is that they don't really have many key
free agents. You mentioned Ernest Jones. Really him and Jaron Reid,
their defensive tackle are really their only key free agency.
Only two in my top one to one. Ernest Jones
is pretty high. But that's good. So they don't have
a lot of issues. They have a lot of great
players coming back, especially on offense. Really on both sides
of the ball.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I should say I would keep an eye to on
left guard Aaron Banks, who Clint Kubiak is familiar with
from time together at the forty nine Ers. Those all
those interior spots have to be figured out, and right
tackle and he might.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Be a little uh cheaper zero perfect. Let's talk Cardinals.
The question I'm gonna ask is how does Monty season
play out? And this is Monty Asin for a guy
who's barely been mentioned on this show because the Cardinals
have been lying in the Weeds just collecting war chests
(12:22):
of cap space and not really spending and adding all
these small little players. And but this is his third offseason.
This is the season that Monty asen for is gonna push.
So it's not just the regular season, the regular season.
I love that so much.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Shout out to Jackson Bevans, our friend who owns the
Garth Thoughts. He sent me that idea.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I was like, Oh, I'm going with I know Jackson,
hopefully we did the Seahawks justice. I know he's like
way more in the Weeds on it than I own.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
It's the regular season, okay, Manti asin For. They have
sixty nine million dollars in cap space right now, that's
the fourth most and they can actually open up quite
a bit more, or if they would like to Jonah Williams,
for instance, that could they could save ten million dollars
seas coming off a huge injury. And so how does
Monty season look? Because the Cardinals would be high on
my list of teams that are gonna be in the
(13:12):
mix this offseason, and to me, there's kind of two
different routes that they could go. Is it spreading that
money out with about five, six, seven starters, and I
do think that's the type of aggression we're going to
see out of the Cardinals. Or are they gonna be
one of the teams that goes really big splash, you know,
(13:32):
a couple other starters and then you know lower level players.
How does Monty season play out? Because this team, to me,
third year, the way they've built it up, it's like
go time for the entire organization.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I think the smart thing and what I would do
if I were Monty I am not, as that is
hopefully very clear to people watching and listening.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Is a bald man.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yes, but I would do the latter because I don't
think this is a particularly deep or very very strong
free agency class. I think that they could be ready
to win if they make a couple of win a
lot of games, if they if they make a couple
of key additions and like little prune and tweak and
a couple of key spots which we'll get to. So
(14:17):
I think that this is one of those teams that
you can make a big splash. I think that they
could potentially be in the marketer, in the running for
like a Milton Williams for example. Okay, somebody who will
come in and be a day one investment, a difference maker,
someone that Jonathan Gannon will have been watching Vic Fangio
(14:37):
go through the second half of this past season and
watching his old his old coworker go into the postseason
with this really strong defensive line that became a defining
characteristic of this team. And I also think that you
know that's a player. He is a player that you
would potentially make a significant investment in, and then with
such a ripple effect, you then prune and pick elsewhere.
(15:00):
They have six draft picks, so they're going to have
to make the most of every single one of those.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
So this is why it's great to have you aboard
have two people thinking about this. I somehow didn't even
think about the fact that it's Jonathan Gannon running this
team in a year where all these Eagles defenders are available.
I know, because it's not just Milton Williams, it's John
to have money, it's Josh Sweat, Like they could certainly
be a Josh Sweat team. Zach Bond I think would
(15:26):
fit in terms of versatility what they do, So that
might be someone that they're negotiating against. They can have
their cake and eat it too. Though, like I was saying,
it's a decision like do they go big and then
it's a couple like lesser ones seventy million. They have
too much cap space everyone that is that high up there.
There's just not enough good players that you're going to
be able to keep in so you can have your
cake and eat it too. I think they're one of
(15:47):
the more likely teams to go after a Micah Parsons
if he's available. A Max Cross you're.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Really pushing that one. I've noticed that that's a.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
That's it's intriguing a T. Higgins if he's like there
actually isn't a position and I went through other than
quarterback that I'm like, no, that wouldn't make sense. So
any of the top level, but Jeffrey Simmons would make sense.
Like they can do multiple things. It's a really I
wouldn't say a great cornerback class in terms of freegency,
(16:16):
but that's where there is a little bit of depth
and they could certainly use a cornerback. So whether it's
a DJ Reid or a Paulson A Debo or a
Carlton Davis, Like there are five six, seven pretty high
quality cornerbacks to go after. And this is a team that, look,
if they just decide they want T Higgins, they could
decide to be that team to go get T Higgins
(16:38):
and just go over the top, whether it's with a
draft pick and money in his case probably or just
with money.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah, And I would like to see them build out
that offensive corps past Trey McBride and like sometimes Marvin
Harrison on a good day when he and Kyler have
actually spoken that week, let's.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Recap it quickly, Connor is there? Yeah, in the backfield,
the trade Benson McBride, the great young tight end, Marvin Harrison,
you're going to want to see him improve, Michael Wilson
a piece there. And Greg Dortch, who they they can't
keep but yet not a much.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
You also Greg Dortch, the rare fan favorite in Arizona.
Everyone loves Greg dorts You always like, Yeah, keep keep
him as the five. You could use another, yes, they could.
You can see what I do like about this Cardinals roster,
even though they underwhelmed in my opinion last season. And
part of that too, I know we'll get into when
we talk about the coordinators and all of that coming
(17:30):
back for another year, but it it was you could
see where their holes were. It's almost like they were
showing their work. They've done this, They've been this team
that's done this the last two seasons. Is the first
year they had, you know, nobody, especially on defense, and
you're basically just trying stuff and seeing what sticks.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
You're doing the walk around defense thing.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
You're just doing trying whatever you can and see, okay,
what actually fits and who actually we have that we
can build around. And then the second year you could
start to see them a couple more pieces together. You
could see these players who they are going to keep,
some of the cornerstone pieces at James Connor, for example,
a Trey McBride really emerging as like heartbeats of this roster.
(18:12):
And this year you still see when you go over,
like you said, position by position, you could see where
they need to fill these holes.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Pretty much the whole defense except the secondary, I mean
the front seven and the defense. They need a lot
of work.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, and going back you probably can to only be
able to pick one really one of those. You could
probably plug the back end with some of these cheaper
veteran corners that'll be on the market. If I'm Jonathan Gannon,
and I invest in the front and I think a
lot of teams are going to be looking, especially at
what the Eagles have done. And Jonathan Gannon knows that
building intimately, like we mentioned, and I think that they're
going to look at that front seven and I think
(18:43):
that's where the money is going to go.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
The interesting thing is, I think some of this, too
is premeditated.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
When you're looking at all of the different books around
the league and you're looking at all the contracts and everything.
If you're an executive, you know what a lot of
people don't. I don't know what year the Cardinals as
an organization are in this spending window, but every three
years you have.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
To take time. It's time to spend. They need to do.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Every three years you have to hit a minimum spending threshold.
And they certainly have not been spending over the last
couple of years. So this is something where they could
be ready to max out and they could have been
waiting for this moment for when these Eagles players fail.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
I actually like this exercise. I just said that they're
going to be one of the most agressive even I
must want to rank like who I think is going
to be in the centerpieces of a lot of these
discussions this offseason, like the top ten teams, because I
think the Cardinals would be one of them. Now. They
have a lot of good continuity, as you mentioned with
the coaching staff. That's why it's a push year. They
have good continuity on offense. They're really bringing back almost
(19:41):
all their starters. Defense needs a lot of work. They
have a left tackle they love in Paris Johnson, a
center they love infro hole. You could certainly improve along
the edges with the offensive line, especially at right tackle.
Some decisions to make Kaisier White. I mean, you named
your kid after him. If you're the coordinator, you kind
of should bring him. I would think that's good leverage.
(20:03):
But who knows, they might look to upgrade. There actually
are a lot of good off ball linebackers available, so
that that's a possibility. There will Hernandez is a guy
that's been good for them and was hurt last year.
Maybe you bring him back and you're not losing many
good players. I mean, Baron Browning I think was the
only Cardinal on my top one oh one, and he
(20:25):
was a mid season trade acquisition that really didn't do well.
And I'm only putting m on the one oh one
just because he poss ye, he's never really produced.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I keep waiting for him to take that next step
because you see, you see the tools, and I keep
waiting for him to put it together.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
So they are in a really great position where the
kind of the world is their oyster and the Austin
Fork connection. I knew there was a reason I wrote
Simmons down. He was with Jeffrey Simmons in Tennessee as
the director of player personnel, and that's a player that
might be available. But I think you're absolutely right. They
could really use some linemen, and they could use edge guys,
and they could especially use like three down, you know,
(21:02):
just bigger like run stoppers. They are gonna be adding.
Maybe they're not all gonna be big splashes, but I
think there's gonna be some big splashes. I'm excited about
the Cardinals.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, I'm always excited about the Cardinals bait when this
new regime came in because I really like the way
that they think.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I like the way that they game plan.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I like the way that they are super fluid and multidirectional,
multifunctional on offense and defense, even though they've been super
limited and personnel on defense. And I think that Drew
Petsing and Nick Rollis and them coming back as these
young offensive and defensive coordinators, Jonathan Gannon now having some
more head coaching experience under his belt. I think it's
all good things for Arizona. They just can't flail in
(21:42):
the middle of the season. They can't just lose steam because.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
They had they had the NFC West. They had it.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
They did and if you look at the whole picture,
they had the progress that they should have had. Like
this roster, like I was saying, especially on defense, was
not great. They've played about it was lacking. I think, yeah,
like they've played over their skis really so overall, I
like that it's been steady progress. You didn't think we
would be able to do this in under ten minutes.
(22:09):
You thought we'd honk too much. But we're having great
pace here. Let's take a quick break, just count it down.
You be back in a second. Back on NFL Daily
previewing the off season for the NFC West. Still in
(22:30):
the mix, I think as the best division in football.
I know they're not coming off their best season. Got
a lot of teams in this division where you would
say it wouldn't be that surprising if they were playing
in the division round. I think all four teams you
could say that. There aren't many divisions like that. We're
gonna go to the forty nine Ers, one of the
best teams in the NFL over the last decade, really
(22:53):
half decade, and coming off a brutal season. But they
have a lot going on this off season. Let's start
the clock here, Eric, forty three million dollars in cap
space already, and uh, you know, can can open up
more room? Uh inn extra three compicks. They've already redone
(23:14):
a lot of their deals that they've signed, so actually
they're a team that can't restructure too many guys. They've
they've they've gotten to the bank so many times. Fred
Warner is actually the one guy I think they can
go to the bank for and open up even more space.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
But NFL Daily Star Fred Warner, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
They don't have a fifth round pick. I learned this.
I didn't know this because they quote unquote miscalculated the
salary cap last year. But they weren't found to have
done nothing wrong. They just miss calculated. Why is it
always the forty nine ers.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
By the way, the wrong button on the calculator.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Yeah, I don't know about that. So they had their
fifth round pick taken away. My big question is how
does a team that needs to get younger get younger
in free agency, Because this is a team that's gonna
have to be a free agency.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
They will, but I don't know that that's the best
spot to be in again with this free agency class.
And you know that's that's I think the biggest question,
because they need some youth, they need some revitalization, they
need some energy. To me, when I look at the
forty nine ers and they've been such a powerhouse for
so many years, and really the aggressors to so many
(24:22):
teams across the entire league, not just the NFC West,
I see burnout. I see a team that is just
it's burnt out, that's tired, that really needs to commit
one way or another to either infusing with this draft
class and infusing with that kind of personnel and really
(24:42):
nailing that class to to kind of replace it or
eventually replace in the next two years or so some
of the aging stars that have been so productive for
them for so long, or again they're going to keep
patching this with older players, and I don't know in
this free agency class that that's necessarily the best thing
to do.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Say burnout and I just have the image of Kyle
Shanahanson's not just looking out into the This was a
burnt out team last year. Now I think they're gonna
at least talk a big game all off season of
like we're revived. We you know, we had a shorter
off season, like we're ready to come back. But how
do you infuse the team with youth when you're gonna
(25:20):
have to fill some real holes in free agency? And
that's by not going after the Leonard Floyd's and maybe
the I guess you Grossmatos wasn't like an older free agent.
They've they've had a tendency to go after older free
agents like Trent Williams. They're gonna have to find some
younger free agents that can play for them, Like if
it was a Diodengbo from Indianapolis some of the whether
(25:43):
it's Diami Brown not that they're probably going after a
wide receiver. Thos a bad example some of the younger
free agents, because they absolutely will be going after free
agents to cut to address a number of news moves.
I'm gonna lists some players I think are likely gone
from this team. Number one, Charvarius Ward. He says he
(26:07):
wants to leave. He's one of the best free agent
cornerbacks out there. Had personal tragh kind of a heartbreaking Yeah,
and he said it's really been hard for him to
be in California after the tragic loss of his kid.
You really feel for him. Talana Hufanga, they're pretty good
at safety right now. He's been injured after that All
Pro season. Probably gone. Javon Hargrave. They say they're either
(26:29):
going to cut him or he'll accept a pay cut
to stay. Most likely he'll hit free agency. And then
Aaron Banks, their guard who they mentioned earlier. Deebo Samuel
also is very likely to get traded if he doesn't
get cut. Leonard Floyd likely to get cut. So there's
a lot of players that had pretty big roles that
probably will not be on this team next year.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, and it's interesting there are some replacements that you
could see potentially taking over for some of those guys.
I know that they really love Hufanga, but he just
might have a pricier market than they're willing to pay.
Brown would probably be back starting for them in that case,
and then their receiving corps. That's where I have a
lot of questions. Actually, I mean everywhere on this roster.
(27:09):
I I have a lot of questions. But their receiving
corps is Brandon Ayuk, who significantly underwhelmed after signing that deal,
Juwan Jennings, Ricky Pier saw Jacob Cowing.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
And then I think they're good there. Honestly, I'm not.
That's one position group, but.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
They'll have to play different They're going to be playing differently.
They have to play differently.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
They gotta get better playing in.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
The past that those guys do have to get better.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
But also they're becoming with those players, they're more of
a perimeter team than necessarily some of the like the
Yak Bros. Style that we saw with Debo, with Kittle,
with McCaffrey when he came in as a receiving threat
as well. They're just gonna have to shift their place
down now. I do think that brock Purty showed he
can be that type of a thrower at the beginning
of this season. I think he was making the most
(27:51):
of a sort of a sketchy situation up there with
some of the just alternating personnel, and he was throwing
the ball downfield in a way that we hadn't necessarily.
You know, there was a lot of chatter we I think,
we like brock Purty, but there's a lot of chatter
about can he actually do this? So that's where some
of the like new blood I guess will come from,
some of those younger receivers. I could see them drafting
(28:14):
a running back as well.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
I mean, you can't.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
I'm not saying Christian McCaffrey is like done for at all,
but that's a scary injury, and we see when he's
at his best he is the best. But I could
definitely see them getting younger and infusing a little bit
more in there too. Well.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
It HiT's Kyle Shanahan, so he always loves to draft
a running back, whether it's in the you know, third round,
fourth round, fifth round. Grendo last year was a fourth
round pick, Jordan Mason. It was pretty good as a backup.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Really, Greg, What I'm curious about here with the forty
nine ers is do you think that they're maybe going
to be stronger in the trade market than necessary they
would be in free agency. My colleague at the athletic
Matt Barrows. He actually sees them being interested in a
Miles Garrett getting on the phone for a Miles Garrett.
I know that Miles Garrett is like again, another older player,
but he's Miles freaking Garrett. So but I wonder if
(29:06):
that's where they're kind of maybe looking to just infuse
other personnel into this roster, just to do something a
little different, to shake it things up a little bit,
move the furniture around a bit.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I think it makes sense for them to go big
on defense. When you look at their offense, it's all
coming back basically except for Aaron Banks and Debo, but
they've really prepared for the Debo. Defense, to me is
almost a bigger concern from a team building perspective. That
defensive line that they were known for year after year
(29:38):
really calcified. I mean, even when Hargrave was healthy, they
were thinner than before. But then Hargrave got hurt and
suddenly it was Nick Bosa in three or four replacement
level veterans. So I look at both their lines as
something they could really stand to improve. They've never really
invested like a ton of resources outside of Trent Williams
(30:02):
and you know, some early ist draft picks, but not
a ton. I really feel like they need to rejuvenate
their lines, ideally with draft picks to get younger. But
maybe maybe it'll be with a big time player. And
it's a theme with all these conversations that if it's
not Garrett like, it could be a different edge like
a like a Trey Hendrick center.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah. Well, and then but I mean in free agency
they will have they will be competitive. I think for
some of the guys, the Josh Schwetz that that kind
of a player. At the same time, like, we can't
forget that Bob sala is back there a defensive coordinators,
So they're going to go back to that sort of
og wide nine that they were playing. So they need
to add at least one more strong, if not very strong,
(30:43):
edge rusher and probably draft somebody to eventually, you know,
fill in once they enter a world without Nick Bosa.
You're not going to obviously replace him one to one,
but you got to at least start onboarding somebody to
take maybe some snaps eventually if you need to.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
And they also don't need a really.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Stout, strong, aggressive, disruptive defensive tackle like just because those
edges are what everyone looks at in the wide nine.
You mentioned this, You know, some of the personnel shifting
that they did on the interior the last couple of
years really hurt them. And they absolutely need a disruptive
like three tech or like a nose hybrid player in
(31:21):
order to really make that thing.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Saying they have a lot of needs, I mean, their
best defensive tackle right now is Malik Collins. Second best
is like Jordan Elliott. They don't they don't even have
a second EDG Dresher. I guess it's your tur Gross Moados,
but they could cut him. In addition to Leonard Floyd,
who I mentioned, I fully expect will get cut this
off season. One name I didn't mention that I should
have in terms of free agents is Drake green Law.
(31:45):
And the word is that, yeah, your boy, Bob Sala
wants him back. That's going to be a tricky contract
because if you remember, he tore his achilles during the
Super Bowl and he returned last year and for the
three quarters he would on the field. He actually looked
like the best linebacker in football for the three quarters.
They're like, wow, he's over the achilles, But he quickly
(32:05):
reinjured his calf, which is, you know, in the same area,
didn't play the rest of the season, and will be
someone I think teams that run this defense across the
league will be looking at. So he won't necessarily be
easy to keep. So they they have a lot going
on this offseason. It's it's gonna be tricky. Is John
Lynch gonna just be their GM forever? Does he? Not
(32:30):
so much would they get rid of him, but more
like does he want the job forever? He a former
announcer and stuff. Here's some whispers he might not be
there forever.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
So that's interesting, Yeah, because I honestly, when I always
look at the power structure up there, everything goes through
Kyle Shanahan and the owner.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
So that's where all the more reason to think, like
maybe John Lynch isn't there forever, even if it's his decision,
like he's not the one running the show.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah, it is an interesting question. And then should be
noted too that Josh Williams, who is kind of his
number two out there, is in the final list interviews
for that Jaguars GM job. So is there a contingency plan?
This is they have sort of one foot in their
previous era and one foot that needs to step into
their new era. And I think that's really fascinating for
(33:15):
them because any sort of pivot into a half measure
I don't think is going to.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Work right, because they actually have drafted some players to
prepare for this day, Ronardo Green, leonor Malik Mustafa in
the second half. I love some some good young players,
obviously Brock Purdy, you know, some of their wide receivers.
And yet who are their best players. It's it's Trent Williams.
It's George Kittle, it's Nick Bosa, it's Fred Warner. It's
(33:41):
still all those guys, and they're not going anywhere. I
should mention before we go to the next team. The
word from the forty nine ers is they do expect
Trent Williams to return to the team next year, and
John Lynch made it clear they are welcoming him back
under his big salary. So that that's big off season
news for them. Let's wrap up with them.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Nicely done.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
That's an experienced veteran host right there. Incredible. Yeah, So
my big question for the Rams is actually kind of
interestingly similar to the forty nine ers, which is will
they keep one foot split into their previous Super Bowl
era with a couple of their aging stars, not just
Matthew Stafford, but also Rob Havenstein and Tyler Higbee.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Or will they.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Completely move into this readier to win sooner than expected
era of young players because they've nailed the last two
draft classes. Obviously, the question starts and ends with Matthew Stafford.
We've talked so much about Matthew Stafford that I don't
really think we need to do a ton more other
than sort of maybe refreshing that conversation. But they if
they do decide to step into this new era, they're
(34:48):
gonna have holes to fill at both tackle spots, right.
They're gonna need a bona fide tight end because Sean
McVay is tired of rotating three tight ends who are
like subpar, and they're gonna need a new number two
receiver to be in tandem with puku Akua.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And a number three receiver.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
And a number three, number four and a number four.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Received Marcus Robinson, who was productive for them, and too
Too at Well are both free agents in addition to
Cooper Cup expecting to get traded or cut if they
can't find a trade from more than anything. When I
was looking at the Rams roster and situation, they have
thirty seven million dollars in cap space, which is which
(35:26):
is a ton, which is more than enough, and they
can open up some more. They do not have a
second rap pick. More than anything, I thought, Man, it's
hard to rebuild the team on the fly. What are
you laughing at?
Speaker 2 (35:35):
My advice to the Rams is, don't go spend that
money yet, because their second second year players that like
ten of them start for them are gonna come do
and a couple of them, including Steve Avula, Puka, Kobe Turner,
they're gonna be due Byron Young Doe for early extensions.
And they just started that, like that spending window, that
(35:56):
three year window, the minimum threshold window. They just started
it last season and they did not spend other than
on a guard that does not play for them currently,
which we'll get to in a minute.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
But my advice is, don't go spend in free agency.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Don't go by because they don't have a good track
record when they actually go out and acquire veteran free agents.
That third tier is where their money is made. There,
the picking up cheap veterans, the Achello, Witherspoons, some of
the guys they brought in in twenty twenty three to
help supplement that young.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
Marcus Rabbins rising, guys.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Like that, role players when they've gone out and actually
spent big money on free agents. And I fully expect them,
by the way, to overhaul this process, similar to when
they overhauled their draft process a couple of years ago
under James Gladstone. I feel like they have to just
avoid it right now because it's Alan Robinson, it's Bobby Wagner,
it's Jonah Jackson, who again they have to figure out
(36:49):
what to do with. That's a three year, fifty one
million dollar guard. If you cut him or trade him
before June first, it's an eleven and a half million
dollar in dead money hit and then you have dead
money in the you know, in the coming year too,
And it's basically like you're not playing him, So what
are you gonna do?
Speaker 1 (37:04):
What do you? What do you write? They would save
nine million dollars to the cap at least you know
you're spending a lot of cash. If they spread that
out as a post to June first, you mentioned Hanstein,
they would save nine million dollars if you cut him,
they're left tackle. Alerc Jackson, an undrafted player who's played
pretty well for them, is a free agent. Do you
think they might keep him or no? Because he actually
(37:26):
is the Is he my top tackle available? Because he's
young and he's been serviceable and there just aren't guys
like that. Cam Robinson I believe I have ranked ahead
of him, but Alaric Jackson, He's.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Gonna have a market. That's the thing.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
I don't think they're willing to be super competitive in
that market, but they don't have a plan behind it.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
They have huge needs. That's the thing. It shows how
hard it is, and that's what I was trying to
get to, that how hard it is to rebuild on
the fly. Because their last couple drafts could not have
gone better. Practically everyone they've drafted has been an offensive
or de defensive. Rookie of the Year finalists. Pukinakua, Steve Avuola,
(38:03):
he wasn't a finalist, but he could have been, Kobe Turner,
Braden Fisk, and Jared Verse. All these like massive hits.
Although they are missing their second round pick this year
because they use that to trade up for Braiden Fists,
so it's a good, good job that you hit on
that guy. I hate doing yeh, I get it. Two
picks for one guys.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
For a defensive Rookie of the Year finalists, you got
to hit probably would have.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
Won it, depending on you gotta hit. It's very risky,
and they did it. They do have an extra third
round compensatory pick because Raheem Morris took that job with
Atlanta and as part of the Rooney rule that that's
something they get, so that that's a positive. But man,
despite all that, they have some massive issues cornerback. They
don't really have cornerstone guys to build around linebackers. They
(38:48):
literally just don't even have any linebackers. You mentioned tackle
wide receivers like and and then oh, by the way, quarterbacks.
So despite all of the good things that they've done,
and they could have won the Super Bowl in the
last couple of years potentially if things had gone right.
They weren't in the top three or fourteens, but they
were in kind of that six, seven eight range when
(39:09):
the season ended. It didn't happen for them, and they
still have a lot to work on.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
I would say for the Rams, if I were them,
I would operate. I would go into this off season
as if they have like literally zero players at left
or right tackle. And I say that because they are
simply not going to get into a high dollar, super
competitive market with Aleric Jackson. If if he wants to stay,
(39:33):
and if like they want to try to extend him
before free agency hits, if if it's a good fit,
if he liked you know, there's all these other variables
that could come into play.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
But I have to work ahead a little bit.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
I expect these moves, but I expect him to have
a robust market, and it's just not something as of
my last understanding and my last reporting on this, it's
not something that they're gonna like get into the highest
levels of salary with him. And then Rob Havenstein's entering
the last y're on his deal now. The right the
offensive line was far less functional statistically, and you could
(40:05):
see it a Olliver the tape when he was not
on the field versus when he was on the field.
But he's had trouble staying on the field for the
last couple of seasons, and he is one of those
players along with the Tyler Higbee, who are again similar
to Cooper Cup representative of that previous era of this
RAMS roster when they have showed no qualms about moving
forward into this new phase. But I would operate as
(40:25):
if they have no tackles because I don't think their
backups are good options.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
War McClendon.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
And then it was Joe Noteboom on the left side
who was just not a good again, another free agent
signing that they paid that they should not have paid,
and then became a backup left tackle and it just
it didn't work out for them. And so they have
to operate as if they have a surplus at guard,
which they do because now bo Limmer will probably be
their their full time starter moving forward, and he's a
(40:52):
fifth round pick from last year. He started most of
the season, played well other than the last two snaps
of that Eagles game when he fell for Jalen Carter's
fake step, and are set at left and right guard.
They need those tackles and that to me is the
absolute number one priority.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
And it also think quarterback would be high up there
though if they don't have one.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
But well, I'm glad they all these other things.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Glad that you jumped in to finish my sentence before
and actually finished it, but that the number one thing
that they have to do is figure out what that
left and right tackle financial structure is going to look
like in tandem with whatever their plan is for either
a year to year situation with Matthew Stafford, a two
year that's front loaded with him, or or trading him.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
I think they could be Why not be a Kirk team.
They're kind of a sneaky then the Weeds. Why not
because if they're if they have all these other issues
and they're still sort of rebuilding, and they seem very
open to moving on from Matthew Stafford and maybe getting
younger too, with some picks that they could get back
for him. I think this feels like an in between year,
and Jimmy g seems like the most likely guy with
(41:55):
a pick potentially, but Kirk Cousins is potentially another.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I think that they watched him play football, and they
know Raheem Morris and Zach Robinson really well, and I
don't think anyone is rushing to endorse that situation, but
I do think that a bridge quarterback could be a
solution for them if they do decide to move on
from Matthew Stafford, which again, the best way that they
stay competitive is.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Getting a deal done with Alerc Jackson.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I'm not sure they're going to be able to do that,
and also getting a deal done with Matthew Stafford and
kind of just running this group back for another shot
and figuring out what you're going to do with Jona Jackson,
and then maybe bringing in a run stopping, disruptive defensive
tackle who you don't actually need to play a full
snapshare because you've got the middle of that short up
(42:44):
on pass rushed down.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
Yeah, their linebackers get picked on. They need some young
cornerstones at cornerback. It's just a lot. There are a
million kind of bridge quarterbacks available though, so that is
one thing. There's a lot of They've got that going
for to justin feel it's a jamis you know a Mariota.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Daniel Jones, I think he really great fit.
Speaker 1 (43:07):
Then draft a second round quarterback or something with your
Stafford pick, you know, you know, some sort of combination.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, And they have Darius Williams in the second year
of a three year deal. So and he played really
well down this backstretch when after he came back from
the hamstring injury. But they usually only pay one corner
at a time, so I would expect them to go
deep into the draft in that position. They tried that
three years ago. None of those picks really panned out.
Kobe Durant is solid, but he was in a rotational
(43:38):
role by the end of last season.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
They're good. I think they're good.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
They're set at safety because of some of the again,
some of the drafting that they did and some of
the undrafted free agents that I brought. They brought in
Jayalen McCullough and then Cam Kitchens was their third round pick.
It's interesting because they do have so many questions that
inside linebacker yet again, and they they were the team
that infamously chipped out Ernest Jones, probably too early, you know, weird,
(44:05):
but they did it because they believed in Omar Spates
and Omar Spates really emerged.
Speaker 3 (44:10):
But they need a second line back.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
We ended the NFC West recap the only way we
could with an in depth Omar Spates discussion. I love it.
That was the NFC West. I keep like going through
these divisions and thinking, man, this team's got a lot
of to do. Man, this team's going to be in
the mix. Like it's a big off season. Every every
team thinks they're having a big off season, that's what
(44:33):
it's just, it's just not easy. Like these four teams especially,
I think the Seahawks are in a kind of a
medium position, that the Cardinals are in a kind of
a great position where where you want to be, where
it's all push, all additive, Whereas the forty nine ers
in the Rams are having to do a lot of
different things, holding on while pushing forward at the same time.
(44:55):
And let's need John Lynch, monte Asin fort and yes,
John Schneider, They're all be earning their salaries this offseason.
Speaker 3 (45:03):
It is interesting.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
We presented a lot of problems right for them to solve.
But it kind of feels like all of these teams,
any one of them, are maybe one or two correct
decisions away from being ultra competitive again if they already,
if they weren't already. And so that I think is
the sign of a really strong NFC West. It's a
sign of really strong team building for the most part
all around.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
I I'm always fascinated by this division. That's it for
our NFC West off season.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
We did it in time, We're alive, plenty of time.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
We're going to keep these off season previews going. We're
going to have some NFC South talk coming up, but
this is it for today's show. Look, when we're criticizing
Mantyasen for it's regular season, that didn't make any sense.
I wasn't criticizing him.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
We like him.
Welcome to NFL Daily, where it's always West Coast, Best Coast.
We are here in the Chris Westling podcast studio, and
by we, I mean myself and Jordan Rodrigue of the Athletic.
It's like we're back in New Orleans. Its just a
two person show, the two of us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I know, I feel like I just saw you, Greg,
although you went through some things you did between the
last time I saw you and now, so glad you're doing.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Better you did. You saw us on Tuesday show with
Colleen Wolf. Remember that that was great. I started the
show saying West Coast, best Coast. Because we're talking a
little NFC West. We are continuing our off season division
previews with the NFC West, a division. You have been
intimately familiar with a lot of drama for the last
(00:50):
five years as you've covered the Los Angeles Rams, and
the West Coast really is the best coast. And it's
not just because all you suckers back east are just
dealing with all that snow and everything like that. Like
that's the number one thing, But the number two thing
is the time zones is better, Like the Pacific time
zone is just better for sports. And if you're listening
to the show sports is probably important to you. It's
(01:12):
important to me.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I would actually push back on that slightly.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Watching sports it's the best to be in Pacific time.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
However, when you come into this time.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Of year, which we like to refer to as Greg's season,
often the news happens on East Coast time, so you
need to be up at an on godly hour in
order to make sure that you're keeping up to pace
with everything. Luckily, a lot of these NFC West teams
they actually do transactions on West Coast time too, So
just everyone else that you got to worry about.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
That's a fair point. Now that I'm on old man
time and a child's time, I'm up early anyways, so
give it to me. I love it. I love it all.
We're going to go through all four teams in the
NFC West. We'll ask one big question about those teams.
We'll look at guys that could get cut, stuff like that,
and we are going to start with you. Let's start
with the Seattle Seahawks. I don't want it to be
(02:03):
predictable with you starting with the Rams. How do you
want to kick it off with the switch ten minutes
on the clock, let's go. Yes.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I think the biggest question for the Seattle Seahawks actually
interconnects to many other questions about how they're going to
a get under the cap and then be balance their
roster and the future of their roster structure. It is
how will they and will they overhaul their offensive line
this year? I think that they could stand to replace
(02:31):
four of the five spots.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I don't know, greg if they can do that all
in one off season between the draft and free agency.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
The Chiefs had that season where they're like, we're going
to fix the offensive line. We're going to do it
in one year, and they did it. But yeah, good
luck trying to draft Creed Humphrey and Tray Smith in
the same Yeah, it's just so easy. It's not that easy.
But they threw money at the problem and they did it.
That is a that's one place to start. And it
was really interesting listening to John Schneider speak on a
(02:59):
local radio show. Is the first time he had spoken
since after the season, and he said, we know exactly
what our deficiencies are and then immediately started talking about
how good the Eagles are at developing their offensive line.
So he left no mystery he knows what the problem is,
and yet he's been there the whole time and it's
been a problem the whole time, and he hasn't really
(03:20):
done a very good job. He said, we got to
develop offensive lineman better, but like he's done a bad
job picking them.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
We're all trying to find the guy who did this
right exactly. So, yeah, this is an issue. I mean,
you could see where they've tried. They've tried to fill
in a couple, especially their interior spots with backup middle
to later round to late middle draft picks who you
could see potential spurts and flashes. We'll get to that
(03:45):
in a minute, but if you're looking at again, four
of those five spots outside of left tackle and Charles
Cross is due for an extension. PFF had him rank
their tenth left or their tenth tackle of one hundred
and forty one tackles in the NFL this year, but
everybody struggled and it derailed so much about their offense.
It did not help that then coordinator Ryan Grubb just
(04:09):
seemed to have issues finding answers and having solutions.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Running the ball was a big issue. Pass protection for.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Gino Smith was a significant issue.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It just was something we.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Talked about all last year at nauseum and they're looking
at a center Connor Williams, who retired. I don't know
that we've talked about that enough. Literally had a center
retire on them. They just brought in to help alleviate
some of those issues. And then they're struggling at their
guard spots, and certainly on the right side they had
no answers all year. That was the one of the
(04:39):
worst problems anywhere along any offensive line in football was
that right side of their line. And it is interesting
that you brought up John Schneider because last year, wasn't
he the one that was just talking about how guards
paying guards is overrated and guards are overpaid and we
should draft them, and it's like we're still waiting.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, on one hand, he could be there's something right
about him, which is the I think an offensive line
coach and system can make that true. Yeah, if you
can find the right one. But they never have found
the right one, and so they hire Clint Kubiak. He
also brought in offensive line coach John Benton, who is
with him in New Orleans, who's a veteran coach. So
(05:18):
you're hoping that that can help things out. That the
offensive line was okay. In New Orleans last year they
had a center Oloatammi who helped. They had a young
late pick La Maya sent Tail Mayo like, you're trying
to develop these guys, you're gonna throw money out the problem.
All right, Let's look big picture. Seahawks thirteen million dollars
in the red as of this taping, so they are
actually over the cap. They have a lot to do.
(05:40):
They do have three comp picks coming to them this year,
so that's nice. Here's some of the decisions that they'll
have to make in terms of getting under that cap space.
Gino Smith, do you extend him? Do you do that
to lower his cap number which is forty four million
dollars right now? Just see how he looks in the
(06:01):
new system. Tyler Lockett a seventeen million dollar cap hit,
probably gonna get cut. Draymont Jones sixteen million dollars in
savings if you cut him. There's two guys right there
where I just lopped off about thirty three million dollars.
Even when teams are over, it's not that hard to
get under. But those are some of the decisions in
terms of veterans on their roster they can address to
(06:21):
get under that.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
You know, it's easy to get under the cap. But
in terms of the investments that Seattle might have to
make in free agency with this offensive line some of
the top tier guys, I don't even know if they're
going to be able to truly go after them unless
they significantly restructure the way that they're going to handle
(06:42):
this cap situation. Not just a release of Tyler Lockette
which would save them seventeen million dollars, not just the
Jones release, not just a potential what would the numbers
on a potential Geno Smith contract extension look like in
twenty twenty five versus in the year's past. That would
it help alleviate issues in twenty twenty five, But then
you know, he's what thirty five years old, and you
(07:05):
have to think about what comes after twenty twenty five,
especially pairing him with a third offensive coordinator in three seasons,
and you can't be certain that you actually have fixed
the offensive line at that What do you think?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Do you think they want to commit to Geno pass
this year or not?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I don't I couldn't tell you what they're thinking.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yeah, but what do you do?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I would I mean I would.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I would say he could probably play till he's probably
thirty eight. And I think what you can see sometimes
with a lot of these veteran players is the preference
to do some of these two or three year deals.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Now would he take that?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Now? I can't speak for what you know would or
would not, except he's been through it the last couple
of years. Had to put a lot on his shoulders
that there's been some chaos and dysfunction around him. But
they also have a lot of players coming up that
they have to start thinking about beyond this year. Boya, Mafe,
Rikuol and DK Metcalf, they're all entering their contract years.
(08:00):
We haven't even talked about yet whether they're going to
potentially re sign inside linebacker Ernest Jones. He's going to
be a free agent who clearly thinks he can get
a good price on the market, because they were in
contract discussions and then they paused them, probably because his
agent learned that he could he would have a nice
little market and be able to maybe get some more
money out of whichever team, including Seattle. So they're thinking
(08:22):
they have to think in twenty twenty five. How they
can navigate this, not just get under the cap, but
actually invest in key positions that would help Geno Smith.
But then they also have to think about Geno Smith
and what load that contract is beyond this year when
some of their star players at premium positions are are due.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, Gino, like I said, forty four million dollars cap hit,
they could lower that by extending them out another year.
They're also being risky. If he looks great in this system,
then he could suddenly, like you, be headed to free
agency and they'd be worried about having to be in
a bidding war for him. My guess is they'll want
to see how he looks here and maybe just live
with that cap number. But I think it makes sense
(09:00):
if you wanted to extend about I think he'd take whatever,
not not whatever. But he's at that mid level quarterback.
He's not going to make the Joe Burrow money. But
his money, which you know this year is going to
be plenty of salary, is not that far below like
he's in that you know, forty to fifty million dollar range.
If they wanted to extend that out another year or two,
I guess they would do it. You you have a
good point mentioning Riequill, and I think both him and
(09:21):
DK Metcalf are sneaky trade possibilities if you didn't think
you were going to pay both of them.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It is interesting though, because you can tell based on
listening to Clint Kubiak, who spent a little time with
Justsin Jefferson, Like you can tell that he really wants
to work with him. Now, whether that's I don't think
Gina with DK, oh with DK, I don't think, Yeah,
why wouldn't you.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
By the way, everyone in Seattle who's like, how come
they don't trade DK metcal It's like, why would he trade?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
He's a monster?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Like, yeah, he's not quite a J Brown, He's not.
He's certainly not Jamar Chase. But having a top fifteen
wide receiver with a very defined skill set is very valuable.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And all I'm saying is, I don't think that Clint
is coming in there, you know, his first day on
the job and throwing smoke screens out there, Like I
just don't think that they operate.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
I don't think it's going anywhere.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
To be cleary, yeah and so, but yes, obviously he
will receive interest every year that they don't have an
extension done with him, and he will be due for
one after this season. But it's interesting because I don't
know how this Kubiak Gino Smith pairing is going to go.
I don't know that I would necessarily tie my quarterback's
future with somebody who struggled last season in New Orleans.
(10:31):
And it's interesting because they have to find this synchronicity.
They have to find a collaboration, and I have no
doubt that Gino Smith will be able to work in
whatever system with whoever, but to have if you're Gino
and you're thinking, okay, if they're going to wait on
my extension, if they're going to wait for this to
possibly work, I don't know how I would personally feel
(10:52):
about that if I'm in that position, because you're handing
this guy his third offensive coordinator in three seasons and
you've asked him to put everything on his back the
two of the last three and haven't protected him.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Okay, time flu Oh my god, I know.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Yeah, it does go fast. When I thought about some
free agents they might look at, like Drew Dollman is
going to be the top center. That's gonna cost a
ton of money, but that would be a perfect fit
for the Clint Kubiak system, kind of a zone running scheme.
DJ Reid, who's a former Seahawk, would they I know
they're they're good at cornerback, but that would be something
where maybe they would swap him out for Reek. One
(11:29):
positive though, is that they don't really have many key
free agents. You mentioned Ernest Jones. Really him and Jaron Reid,
their defensive tackle are really their only key free agency.
Only two in my top one to one. Ernest Jones
is pretty high. But that's good. So they don't have
a lot of issues. They have a lot of great
players coming back, especially on offense. Really on both sides
of the ball.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I should say I would keep an eye to on
left guard Aaron Banks, who Clint Kubiak is familiar with
from time together at the forty nine Ers. Those all
those interior spots have to be figured out, and right
tackle and he might.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Be a little uh cheaper zero perfect. Let's talk Cardinals.
The question I'm gonna ask is how does Monty season
play out? And this is Monty Asin for a guy
who's barely been mentioned on this show because the Cardinals
have been lying in the Weeds just collecting war chests
(12:22):
of cap space and not really spending and adding all
these small little players. And but this is his third offseason.
This is the season that Monty asen for is gonna push.
So it's not just the regular season, the regular season.
I love that so much.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Shout out to Jackson Bevans, our friend who owns the
Garth Thoughts. He sent me that idea.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I was like, Oh, I'm going with I know Jackson,
hopefully we did the Seahawks justice. I know he's like
way more in the Weeds on it than I own.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
It's the regular season, okay, Manti asin For. They have
sixty nine million dollars in cap space right now, that's
the fourth most and they can actually open up quite
a bit more, or if they would like to Jonah Williams,
for instance, that could they could save ten million dollars
seas coming off a huge injury. And so how does
Monty season look? Because the Cardinals would be high on
my list of teams that are gonna be in the
(13:12):
mix this offseason, and to me, there's kind of two
different routes that they could go. Is it spreading that
money out with about five, six, seven starters, and I
do think that's the type of aggression we're going to
see out of the Cardinals. Or are they gonna be
one of the teams that goes really big splash, you know,
(13:32):
a couple other starters and then you know lower level players.
How does Monty season play out? Because this team, to me,
third year, the way they've built it up, it's like
go time for the entire organization.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I think the smart thing and what I would do
if I were Monty I am not, as that is
hopefully very clear to people watching and listening.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Is a bald man.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yes, but I would do the latter because I don't
think this is a particularly deep or very very strong
free agency class. I think that they could be ready
to win if they make a couple of win a
lot of games, if they if they make a couple
of key additions and like little prune and tweak and
a couple of key spots which we'll get to. So
(14:17):
I think that this is one of those teams that
you can make a big splash. I think that they
could potentially be in the marketer, in the running for
like a Milton Williams for example. Okay, somebody who will
come in and be a day one investment, a difference maker,
someone that Jonathan Gannon will have been watching Vic Fangio
(14:37):
go through the second half of this past season and
watching his old his old coworker go into the postseason
with this really strong defensive line that became a defining
characteristic of this team. And I also think that you
know that's a player. He is a player that you
would potentially make a significant investment in, and then with
such a ripple effect, you then prune and pick elsewhere.
(15:00):
They have six draft picks, so they're going to have
to make the most of every single one of those.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
So this is why it's great to have you aboard
have two people thinking about this. I somehow didn't even
think about the fact that it's Jonathan Gannon running this
team in a year where all these Eagles defenders are available.
I know, because it's not just Milton Williams, it's John
to have money, it's Josh Sweat, Like they could certainly
be a Josh Sweat team. Zach Bond I think would
(15:26):
fit in terms of versatility what they do, So that
might be someone that they're negotiating against. They can have
their cake and eat it too. Though, like I was saying,
it's a decision like do they go big and then
it's a couple like lesser ones seventy million. They have
too much cap space everyone that is that high up there.
There's just not enough good players that you're going to
be able to keep in so you can have your
cake and eat it too. I think they're one of
(15:47):
the more likely teams to go after a Micah Parsons
if he's available. A Max Cross you're.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Really pushing that one. I've noticed that that's a.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
That's it's intriguing a T. Higgins if he's like there
actually isn't a position and I went through other than
quarterback that I'm like, no, that wouldn't make sense. So
any of the top level, but Jeffrey Simmons would make sense.
Like they can do multiple things. It's a really I
wouldn't say a great cornerback class in terms of freegency,
(16:16):
but that's where there is a little bit of depth
and they could certainly use a cornerback. So whether it's
a DJ Reid or a Paulson A Debo or a
Carlton Davis, Like there are five six, seven pretty high
quality cornerbacks to go after. And this is a team that, look,
if they just decide they want T Higgins, they could
decide to be that team to go get T Higgins
(16:38):
and just go over the top, whether it's with a
draft pick and money in his case probably or just
with money.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah, And I would like to see them build out
that offensive corps past Trey McBride and like sometimes Marvin
Harrison on a good day when he and Kyler have
actually spoken that week, let's.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Recap it quickly, Connor is there? Yeah, in the backfield,
the trade Benson McBride, the great young tight end, Marvin Harrison,
you're going to want to see him improve, Michael Wilson
a piece there. And Greg Dortch, who they they can't
keep but yet not a much.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
You also Greg Dortch, the rare fan favorite in Arizona.
Everyone loves Greg dorts You always like, Yeah, keep keep
him as the five. You could use another, yes, they could.
You can see what I do like about this Cardinals roster,
even though they underwhelmed in my opinion last season. And
part of that too, I know we'll get into when
we talk about the coordinators and all of that coming
(17:30):
back for another year, but it it was you could
see where their holes were. It's almost like they were
showing their work. They've done this, They've been this team
that's done this the last two seasons. Is the first
year they had, you know, nobody, especially on defense, and
you're basically just trying stuff and seeing what sticks.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
You're doing the walk around defense thing.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
You're just doing trying whatever you can and see, okay,
what actually fits and who actually we have that we
can build around. And then the second year you could
start to see them a couple more pieces together. You
could see these players who they are going to keep,
some of the cornerstone pieces at James Connor, for example,
a Trey McBride really emerging as like heartbeats of this roster.
(18:12):
And this year you still see when you go over,
like you said, position by position, you could see where
they need to fill these holes.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Pretty much the whole defense except the secondary, I mean
the front seven and the defense. They need a lot
of work.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, and going back you probably can to only be
able to pick one really one of those. You could
probably plug the back end with some of these cheaper
veteran corners that'll be on the market. If I'm Jonathan Gannon,
and I invest in the front and I think a
lot of teams are going to be looking, especially at
what the Eagles have done. And Jonathan Gannon knows that
building intimately, like we mentioned, and I think that they're
going to look at that front seven and I think
(18:43):
that's where the money is going to go.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
The interesting thing is, I think some of this, too
is premeditated.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
When you're looking at all of the different books around
the league and you're looking at all the contracts and everything.
If you're an executive, you know what a lot of
people don't. I don't know what year the Cardinals as
an organization are in this spending window, but every three
years you have.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
To take time. It's time to spend. They need to do.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Every three years you have to hit a minimum spending threshold.
And they certainly have not been spending over the last
couple of years. So this is something where they could
be ready to max out and they could have been
waiting for this moment for when these Eagles players fail.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
I actually like this exercise. I just said that they're
going to be one of the most agressive even I
must want to rank like who I think is going
to be in the centerpieces of a lot of these
discussions this offseason, like the top ten teams, because I
think the Cardinals would be one of them. Now. They
have a lot of good continuity, as you mentioned with
the coaching staff. That's why it's a push year. They
have good continuity on offense. They're really bringing back almost
(19:41):
all their starters. Defense needs a lot of work. They
have a left tackle they love in Paris Johnson, a
center they love infro hole. You could certainly improve along
the edges with the offensive line, especially at right tackle.
Some decisions to make Kaisier White. I mean, you named
your kid after him. If you're the coordinator, you kind
of should bring him. I would think that's good leverage.
(20:03):
But who knows, they might look to upgrade. There actually
are a lot of good off ball linebackers available, so
that that's a possibility. There will Hernandez is a guy
that's been good for them and was hurt last year.
Maybe you bring him back and you're not losing many
good players. I mean, Baron Browning I think was the
only Cardinal on my top one oh one, and he
(20:25):
was a mid season trade acquisition that really didn't do well.
And I'm only putting m on the one oh one
just because he poss ye, he's never really produced.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I keep waiting for him to take that next step
because you see, you see the tools, and I keep
waiting for him to put it together.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
So they are in a really great position where the
kind of the world is their oyster and the Austin
Fork connection. I knew there was a reason I wrote
Simmons down. He was with Jeffrey Simmons in Tennessee as
the director of player personnel, and that's a player that
might be available. But I think you're absolutely right. They
could really use some linemen, and they could use edge guys,
and they could especially use like three down, you know,
(21:02):
just bigger like run stoppers. They are gonna be adding.
Maybe they're not all gonna be big splashes, but I
think there's gonna be some big splashes. I'm excited about
the Cardinals.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, I'm always excited about the Cardinals bait when this
new regime came in because I really like the way
that they think.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I like the way that they game plan.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I like the way that they are super fluid and multidirectional,
multifunctional on offense and defense, even though they've been super
limited and personnel on defense. And I think that Drew
Petsing and Nick Rollis and them coming back as these
young offensive and defensive coordinators, Jonathan Gannon now having some
more head coaching experience under his belt. I think it's
all good things for Arizona. They just can't flail in
(21:42):
the middle of the season. They can't just lose steam because.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
They had they had the NFC West. They had it.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
They did and if you look at the whole picture,
they had the progress that they should have had. Like
this roster, like I was saying, especially on defense, was
not great. They've played about it was lacking. I think, yeah,
like they've played over their skis really so overall, I
like that it's been steady progress. You didn't think we
would be able to do this in under ten minutes.
(22:09):
You thought we'd honk too much. But we're having great
pace here. Let's take a quick break, just count it down.
You be back in a second. Back on NFL Daily
previewing the off season for the NFC West. Still in
(22:30):
the mix, I think as the best division in football.
I know they're not coming off their best season. Got
a lot of teams in this division where you would
say it wouldn't be that surprising if they were playing
in the division round. I think all four teams you
could say that. There aren't many divisions like that. We're
gonna go to the forty nine Ers, one of the
best teams in the NFL over the last decade, really
(22:53):
half decade, and coming off a brutal season. But they
have a lot going on this off season. Let's start
the clock here, Eric, forty three million dollars in cap
space already, and uh, you know, can can open up
more room? Uh inn extra three compicks. They've already redone
(23:14):
a lot of their deals that they've signed, so actually
they're a team that can't restructure too many guys. They've
they've they've gotten to the bank so many times. Fred
Warner is actually the one guy I think they can
go to the bank for and open up even more space.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
But NFL Daily Star Fred Warner, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
They don't have a fifth round pick. I learned this.
I didn't know this because they quote unquote miscalculated the
salary cap last year. But they weren't found to have
done nothing wrong. They just miss calculated. Why is it
always the forty nine ers.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
By the way, the wrong button on the calculator.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Yeah, I don't know about that. So they had their
fifth round pick taken away. My big question is how
does a team that needs to get younger get younger
in free agency, Because this is a team that's gonna
have to be a free agency.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
They will, but I don't know that that's the best
spot to be in again with this free agency class.
And you know that's that's I think the biggest question,
because they need some youth, they need some revitalization, they
need some energy. To me, when I look at the
forty nine ers and they've been such a powerhouse for
so many years, and really the aggressors to so many
(24:22):
teams across the entire league, not just the NFC West,
I see burnout. I see a team that is just
it's burnt out, that's tired, that really needs to commit
one way or another to either infusing with this draft
class and infusing with that kind of personnel and really
(24:42):
nailing that class to to kind of replace it or
eventually replace in the next two years or so some
of the aging stars that have been so productive for
them for so long, or again they're going to keep
patching this with older players, and I don't know in
this free agency class that that's necessarily the best thing
to do.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Say burnout and I just have the image of Kyle
Shanahanson's not just looking out into the This was a
burnt out team last year. Now I think they're gonna
at least talk a big game all off season of
like we're revived. We you know, we had a shorter
off season, like we're ready to come back. But how
do you infuse the team with youth when you're gonna
(25:20):
have to fill some real holes in free agency? And
that's by not going after the Leonard Floyd's and maybe
the I guess you Grossmatos wasn't like an older free agent.
They've they've had a tendency to go after older free
agents like Trent Williams. They're gonna have to find some
younger free agents that can play for them, Like if
it was a Diodengbo from Indianapolis some of the whether
(25:43):
it's Diami Brown not that they're probably going after a
wide receiver. Thos a bad example some of the younger
free agents, because they absolutely will be going after free
agents to cut to address a number of news moves.
I'm gonna lists some players I think are likely gone
from this team. Number one, Charvarius Ward. He says he
(26:07):
wants to leave. He's one of the best free agent
cornerbacks out there. Had personal tragh kind of a heartbreaking Yeah,
and he said it's really been hard for him to
be in California after the tragic loss of his kid.
You really feel for him. Talana Hufanga, they're pretty good
at safety right now. He's been injured after that All
Pro season. Probably gone. Javon Hargrave. They say they're either
(26:29):
going to cut him or he'll accept a pay cut
to stay. Most likely he'll hit free agency. And then
Aaron Banks, their guard who they mentioned earlier. Deebo Samuel
also is very likely to get traded if he doesn't
get cut. Leonard Floyd likely to get cut. So there's
a lot of players that had pretty big roles that
probably will not be on this team next year.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, and it's interesting there are some replacements that you
could see potentially taking over for some of those guys.
I know that they really love Hufanga, but he just
might have a pricier market than they're willing to pay.
Brown would probably be back starting for them in that case,
and then their receiving corps. That's where I have a
lot of questions. Actually, I mean everywhere on this roster.
(27:09):
I I have a lot of questions. But their receiving
corps is Brandon Ayuk, who significantly underwhelmed after signing that deal,
Juwan Jennings, Ricky Pier saw Jacob Cowing.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
And then I think they're good there. Honestly, I'm not.
That's one position group, but.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
They'll have to play different They're going to be playing differently.
They have to play differently.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
They gotta get better playing in.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
The past that those guys do have to get better.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
But also they're becoming with those players, they're more of
a perimeter team than necessarily some of the like the
Yak Bros. Style that we saw with Debo, with Kittle,
with McCaffrey when he came in as a receiving threat
as well. They're just gonna have to shift their place
down now. I do think that brock Purty showed he
can be that type of a thrower at the beginning
of this season. I think he was making the most
(27:51):
of a sort of a sketchy situation up there with
some of the just alternating personnel, and he was throwing
the ball downfield in a way that we hadn't necessarily.
You know, there was a lot of chatter we I think,
we like brock Purty, but there's a lot of chatter
about can he actually do this? So that's where some
of the like new blood I guess will come from,
some of those younger receivers. I could see them drafting
(28:14):
a running back as well.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
I mean, you can't.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
I'm not saying Christian McCaffrey is like done for at all,
but that's a scary injury, and we see when he's
at his best he is the best. But I could
definitely see them getting younger and infusing a little bit
more in there too. Well.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
It HiT's Kyle Shanahan, so he always loves to draft
a running back, whether it's in the you know, third round,
fourth round, fifth round. Grendo last year was a fourth
round pick, Jordan Mason. It was pretty good as a backup.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Really, Greg, What I'm curious about here with the forty
nine ers is do you think that they're maybe going
to be stronger in the trade market than necessary they
would be in free agency. My colleague at the athletic
Matt Barrows. He actually sees them being interested in a
Miles Garrett getting on the phone for a Miles Garrett.
I know that Miles Garrett is like again, another older player,
but he's Miles freaking Garrett. So but I wonder if
(29:06):
that's where they're kind of maybe looking to just infuse
other personnel into this roster, just to do something a
little different, to shake it things up a little bit,
move the furniture around a bit.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I think it makes sense for them to go big
on defense. When you look at their offense, it's all
coming back basically except for Aaron Banks and Debo, but
they've really prepared for the Debo. Defense, to me is
almost a bigger concern from a team building perspective. That
defensive line that they were known for year after year
(29:38):
really calcified. I mean, even when Hargrave was healthy, they
were thinner than before. But then Hargrave got hurt and
suddenly it was Nick Bosa in three or four replacement
level veterans. So I look at both their lines as
something they could really stand to improve. They've never really
invested like a ton of resources outside of Trent Williams
(30:02):
and you know, some early ist draft picks, but not
a ton. I really feel like they need to rejuvenate
their lines, ideally with draft picks to get younger. But
maybe maybe it'll be with a big time player. And
it's a theme with all these conversations that if it's
not Garrett like, it could be a different edge like
a like a Trey Hendrick center.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah. Well, and then but I mean in free agency
they will have they will be competitive. I think for
some of the guys, the Josh Schwetz that that kind
of a player. At the same time, like, we can't
forget that Bob sala is back there a defensive coordinators,
So they're going to go back to that sort of
og wide nine that they were playing. So they need
to add at least one more strong, if not very strong,
(30:43):
edge rusher and probably draft somebody to eventually, you know,
fill in once they enter a world without Nick Bosa.
You're not going to obviously replace him one to one,
but you got to at least start onboarding somebody to
take maybe some snaps eventually if you need to.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
And they also don't need a really.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Stout, strong, aggressive, disruptive defensive tackle like just because those
edges are what everyone looks at in the wide nine.
You mentioned this, You know, some of the personnel shifting
that they did on the interior the last couple of
years really hurt them. And they absolutely need a disruptive
like three tech or like a nose hybrid player in
(31:21):
order to really make that thing.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Saying they have a lot of needs, I mean, their
best defensive tackle right now is Malik Collins. Second best
is like Jordan Elliott. They don't they don't even have
a second EDG Dresher. I guess it's your tur Gross Moados,
but they could cut him. In addition to Leonard Floyd,
who I mentioned, I fully expect will get cut this
off season. One name I didn't mention that I should
have in terms of free agents is Drake green Law.
(31:45):
And the word is that, yeah, your boy, Bob Sala
wants him back. That's going to be a tricky contract
because if you remember, he tore his achilles during the
Super Bowl and he returned last year and for the
three quarters he would on the field. He actually looked
like the best linebacker in football for the three quarters.
They're like, wow, he's over the achilles, But he quickly
(32:05):
reinjured his calf, which is, you know, in the same area,
didn't play the rest of the season, and will be
someone I think teams that run this defense across the
league will be looking at. So he won't necessarily be
easy to keep. So they they have a lot going
on this offseason. It's it's gonna be tricky. Is John
Lynch gonna just be their GM forever? Does he? Not
(32:30):
so much would they get rid of him, but more
like does he want the job forever? He a former
announcer and stuff. Here's some whispers he might not be
there forever.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
So that's interesting, Yeah, because I honestly, when I always
look at the power structure up there, everything goes through
Kyle Shanahan and the owner.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
So that's where all the more reason to think, like
maybe John Lynch isn't there forever, even if it's his decision,
like he's not the one running the show.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah, it is an interesting question. And then should be
noted too that Josh Williams, who is kind of his
number two out there, is in the final list interviews
for that Jaguars GM job. So is there a contingency plan?
This is they have sort of one foot in their
previous era and one foot that needs to step into
their new era. And I think that's really fascinating for
(33:15):
them because any sort of pivot into a half measure
I don't think is going to.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Work right, because they actually have drafted some players to
prepare for this day, Ronardo Green, leonor Malik Mustafa in
the second half. I love some some good young players,
obviously Brock Purdy, you know, some of their wide receivers.
And yet who are their best players. It's it's Trent Williams.
It's George Kittle, it's Nick Bosa, it's Fred Warner. It's
(33:41):
still all those guys, and they're not going anywhere. I
should mention before we go to the next team. The
word from the forty nine ers is they do expect
Trent Williams to return to the team next year, and
John Lynch made it clear they are welcoming him back
under his big salary. So that that's big off season
news for them. Let's wrap up with them.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Nicely done.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
That's an experienced veteran host right there. Incredible. Yeah, So
my big question for the Rams is actually kind of
interestingly similar to the forty nine ers, which is will
they keep one foot split into their previous Super Bowl
era with a couple of their aging stars, not just
Matthew Stafford, but also Rob Havenstein and Tyler Higbee.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Or will they.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Completely move into this readier to win sooner than expected
era of young players because they've nailed the last two
draft classes. Obviously, the question starts and ends with Matthew Stafford.
We've talked so much about Matthew Stafford that I don't
really think we need to do a ton more other
than sort of maybe refreshing that conversation. But they if
they do decide to step into this new era, they're
(34:48):
gonna have holes to fill at both tackle spots, right.
They're gonna need a bona fide tight end because Sean
McVay is tired of rotating three tight ends who are
like subpar, and they're gonna need a new number two
receiver to be in tandem with puku Akua.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And a number three receiver.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
And a number three, number four and a number four.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Received Marcus Robinson, who was productive for them, and too
Too at Well are both free agents in addition to
Cooper Cup expecting to get traded or cut if they
can't find a trade from more than anything. When I
was looking at the Rams roster and situation, they have
thirty seven million dollars in cap space, which is which
(35:26):
is a ton, which is more than enough, and they
can open up some more. They do not have a
second rap pick. More than anything, I thought, Man, it's
hard to rebuild the team on the fly. What are
you laughing at?
Speaker 2 (35:35):
My advice to the Rams is, don't go spend that
money yet, because their second second year players that like
ten of them start for them are gonna come do
and a couple of them, including Steve Avula, Puka, Kobe Turner,
they're gonna be due Byron Young Doe for early extensions.
And they just started that, like that spending window, that
(35:56):
three year window, the minimum threshold window. They just started
it last season and they did not spend other than
on a guard that does not play for them currently,
which we'll get to in a minute.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
But my advice is, don't go spend in free agency.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Don't go by because they don't have a good track
record when they actually go out and acquire veteran free agents.
That third tier is where their money is made. There,
the picking up cheap veterans, the Achello, Witherspoons, some of
the guys they brought in in twenty twenty three to
help supplement that young.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
Marcus Rabbins rising, guys.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Like that, role players when they've gone out and actually
spent big money on free agents. And I fully expect them,
by the way, to overhaul this process, similar to when
they overhauled their draft process a couple of years ago
under James Gladstone. I feel like they have to just
avoid it right now because it's Alan Robinson, it's Bobby Wagner,
it's Jonah Jackson, who again they have to figure out
(36:49):
what to do with. That's a three year, fifty one
million dollar guard. If you cut him or trade him
before June first, it's an eleven and a half million
dollar in dead money hit and then you have dead
money in the you know, in the coming year too,
And it's basically like you're not playing him, So what
are you gonna do?
Speaker 1 (37:04):
What do you? What do you write? They would save
nine million dollars to the cap at least you know
you're spending a lot of cash. If they spread that
out as a post to June first, you mentioned Hanstein,
they would save nine million dollars if you cut him,
they're left tackle. Alerc Jackson, an undrafted player who's played
pretty well for them, is a free agent. Do you
think they might keep him or no? Because he actually
(37:26):
is the Is he my top tackle available? Because he's
young and he's been serviceable and there just aren't guys
like that. Cam Robinson I believe I have ranked ahead
of him, but Alaric Jackson, He's.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Gonna have a market. That's the thing.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
I don't think they're willing to be super competitive in
that market, but they don't have a plan behind it.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
They have huge needs. That's the thing. It shows how
hard it is, and that's what I was trying to
get to, that how hard it is to rebuild on
the fly. Because their last couple drafts could not have
gone better. Practically everyone they've drafted has been an offensive
or de defensive. Rookie of the Year finalists. Pukinakua, Steve Avuola,
(38:03):
he wasn't a finalist, but he could have been, Kobe Turner,
Braden Fisk, and Jared Verse. All these like massive hits.
Although they are missing their second round pick this year
because they use that to trade up for Braiden Fists,
so it's a good, good job that you hit on
that guy. I hate doing yeh, I get it. Two
picks for one guys.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
For a defensive Rookie of the Year finalists, you got
to hit probably would have.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
Won it, depending on you gotta hit. It's very risky,
and they did it. They do have an extra third
round compensatory pick because Raheem Morris took that job with
Atlanta and as part of the Rooney rule that that's
something they get, so that that's a positive. But man,
despite all that, they have some massive issues cornerback. They
don't really have cornerstone guys to build around linebackers. They
(38:48):
literally just don't even have any linebackers. You mentioned tackle
wide receivers like and and then oh, by the way, quarterbacks.
So despite all of the good things that they've done,
and they could have won the Super Bowl in the
last couple of years potentially if things had gone right.
They weren't in the top three or fourteens, but they
were in kind of that six, seven eight range when
(39:09):
the season ended. It didn't happen for them, and they
still have a lot to work on.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
I would say for the Rams, if I were them,
I would operate. I would go into this off season
as if they have like literally zero players at left
or right tackle. And I say that because they are
simply not going to get into a high dollar, super
competitive market with Aleric Jackson. If if he wants to stay,
(39:33):
and if like they want to try to extend him
before free agency hits, if if it's a good fit,
if he liked you know, there's all these other variables
that could come into play.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
But I have to work ahead a little bit.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
I expect these moves, but I expect him to have
a robust market, and it's just not something as of
my last understanding and my last reporting on this, it's
not something that they're gonna like get into the highest
levels of salary with him. And then Rob Havenstein's entering
the last y're on his deal now. The right the
offensive line was far less functional statistically, and you could
(40:05):
see it a Olliver the tape when he was not
on the field versus when he was on the field.
But he's had trouble staying on the field for the
last couple of seasons, and he is one of those
players along with the Tyler Higbee, who are again similar
to Cooper Cup representative of that previous era of this
RAMS roster when they have showed no qualms about moving
forward into this new phase. But I would operate as
(40:25):
if they have no tackles because I don't think their
backups are good options.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
War McClendon.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
And then it was Joe Noteboom on the left side
who was just not a good again, another free agent
signing that they paid that they should not have paid,
and then became a backup left tackle and it just
it didn't work out for them. And so they have
to operate as if they have a surplus at guard,
which they do because now bo Limmer will probably be
their their full time starter moving forward, and he's a
(40:52):
fifth round pick from last year. He started most of
the season, played well other than the last two snaps
of that Eagles game when he fell for Jalen Carter's
fake step, and are set at left and right guard.
They need those tackles and that to me is the
absolute number one priority.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
And it also think quarterback would be high up there
though if they don't have one.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
But well, I'm glad they all these other things.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Glad that you jumped in to finish my sentence before
and actually finished it, but that the number one thing
that they have to do is figure out what that
left and right tackle financial structure is going to look
like in tandem with whatever their plan is for either
a year to year situation with Matthew Stafford, a two
year that's front loaded with him, or or trading him.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
I think they could be Why not be a Kirk team.
They're kind of a sneaky then the Weeds. Why not
because if they're if they have all these other issues
and they're still sort of rebuilding, and they seem very
open to moving on from Matthew Stafford and maybe getting
younger too, with some picks that they could get back
for him. I think this feels like an in between year,
and Jimmy g seems like the most likely guy with
(41:55):
a pick potentially, but Kirk Cousins is potentially another.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I think that they watched him play football, and they
know Raheem Morris and Zach Robinson really well, and I
don't think anyone is rushing to endorse that situation, but
I do think that a bridge quarterback could be a
solution for them if they do decide to move on
from Matthew Stafford, which again, the best way that they
stay competitive is.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Getting a deal done with Alerc Jackson.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I'm not sure they're going to be able to do that,
and also getting a deal done with Matthew Stafford and
kind of just running this group back for another shot
and figuring out what you're going to do with Jona Jackson,
and then maybe bringing in a run stopping, disruptive defensive
tackle who you don't actually need to play a full
snapshare because you've got the middle of that short up
(42:44):
on pass rushed down.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
Yeah, their linebackers get picked on. They need some young
cornerstones at cornerback. It's just a lot. There are a
million kind of bridge quarterbacks available though, so that is
one thing. There's a lot of They've got that going
for to justin feel it's a jamis you know a Mariota.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Daniel Jones, I think he really great fit.
Speaker 1 (43:07):
Then draft a second round quarterback or something with your
Stafford pick, you know, you know, some sort of combination.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, And they have Darius Williams in the second year
of a three year deal. So and he played really
well down this backstretch when after he came back from
the hamstring injury. But they usually only pay one corner
at a time, so I would expect them to go
deep into the draft in that position. They tried that
three years ago. None of those picks really panned out.
Kobe Durant is solid, but he was in a rotational
(43:38):
role by the end of last season.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
They're good. I think they're good.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
They're set at safety because of some of the again,
some of the drafting that they did and some of
the undrafted free agents that I brought. They brought in
Jayalen McCullough and then Cam Kitchens was their third round pick.
It's interesting because they do have so many questions that
inside linebacker yet again, and they they were the team
that infamously chipped out Ernest Jones, probably too early, you know, weird,
(44:05):
but they did it because they believed in Omar Spates
and Omar Spates really emerged.
Speaker 3 (44:10):
But they need a second line back.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
We ended the NFC West recap the only way we
could with an in depth Omar Spates discussion. I love it.
That was the NFC West. I keep like going through
these divisions and thinking, man, this team's got a lot
of to do. Man, this team's going to be in
the mix. Like it's a big off season. Every every
team thinks they're having a big off season, that's what
(44:33):
it's just, it's just not easy. Like these four teams especially,
I think the Seahawks are in a kind of a
medium position, that the Cardinals are in a kind of
a great position where where you want to be, where
it's all push, all additive, Whereas the forty nine ers
in the Rams are having to do a lot of
different things, holding on while pushing forward at the same time.
(44:55):
And let's need John Lynch, monte Asin fort and yes,
John Schneider, They're all be earning their salaries this offseason.
Speaker 3 (45:03):
It is interesting.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
We presented a lot of problems right for them to solve.
But it kind of feels like all of these teams,
any one of them, are maybe one or two correct
decisions away from being ultra competitive again if they already,
if they weren't already. And so that I think is
the sign of a really strong NFC West. It's a
sign of really strong team building for the most part
all around.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
I I'm always fascinated by this division. That's it for
our NFC West off season.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
We did it in time, We're alive, plenty of time.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
We're going to keep these off season previews going. We're
going to have some NFC South talk coming up, but
this is it for today's show. Look, when we're criticizing
Mantyasen for it's regular season, that didn't make any sense.
I wasn't criticizing him.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
We like him.
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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