Post-Draft Outlook for Every NFC Team

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Patrick Claybon and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic to give you the post-draft outlook for ever team in the NFC. The trio starts the show with the NFC South (02:45), followed by the NFC East (14:05), the NFC North (31:32) and wraps things up with the NFC West (44:30).

Note: time codes approximate. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to NFL Daily, where fish are always one pound
I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm here in the Chris Westling podcast
studio with Patrick Clayband and Jordan Rodriege of The Athletic
and yes, the the YouTube sensation song one Pound Fish.
I just learned it just a day ago, and now
it won't leave my head and most listeners will.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Know what I'm talking about, and maybe some won't.

Speaker 3 (00:28):
I learned about it forty five seconds ago.

Speaker 4 (00:29):
I feel like I just discovered like Gangam Style in
twenty twenty five.

Speaker 5 (00:32):
I encourage you all to check out the remixes done
by DJs.

Speaker 6 (00:36):
Put some beat behind it. It's pretty. It's that thing
went to tour through the countries.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
I thought about singing it to start the show, and
it would come off racist somehow, and I just decided
not to.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
See how easy it is, folks, Yeah, do you see
how easy?

Speaker 6 (00:52):
Great call, good decision.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
I'm just fascinated, and we're going to get to every
single team in the NFC today, by the way, But
I'm fascinated by how like a YouTube video or a
meme can suddenly like catch fire among elementary school kids
in the year twenty twenty five, like ten years after
it's happened, because this is the hottest song in the

(01:15):
in the Santa Monica school system right now, all the
kids are singing it.

Speaker 5 (01:19):
And to think I woke up this morning and did
not even know that and did not even think that
it needs the information that would be coming across my radar.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Today And now hundreds of thousands of people have access
to the one pound Fish.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yes, because I hadn't heard of it before, so so
google it. Twenty one million views. This is the show
where we're going to go through every single team in
the NFC and we're going to talk about their draft.
We're going to talk about what's ahead, anything that is
left over. And I haven't gotten your guys's thoughts on
the draft, at least not since day one with Patrick,
but we had six rounds after that and none from Jordan,

(01:54):
and I'm really excited.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I'm saying we didn't have your draft thoughts, so it's
all going to be new.

Speaker 6 (01:58):
None for Gretchen wieners By.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, like, what what is left over? What's to do?

Speaker 1 (02:02):
We can take it in any direction that we want.
This is really my favorite time of the NFL calendar
because it's just it's the chill.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Time from now.

Speaker 6 (02:11):
But we had Greg season.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Mid middle of July, we had Now we're here.

Speaker 5 (02:15):
Ball with the regular season, we had the end of
Greg season. I kind of want to know, like what
this we had draft season? This is just chill. Let's
just take let's just take it down a notch. But
let's also make some great shows and let's put two
and a half minutes we're going to do on the clock. Yeah,
we're going to make it even harder because we're just
going to go over ultimately, So it's like this will

(02:37):
this will bake in two and a half minutes.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Why are you laughing? And you know what we're going
to do.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
We're going to start with the NFC South because I
feel like the NFC South it never gets the love
that it deserves except for.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
When I'm on the microphone.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
So why don't we go Let's start with the New
Orleans Saints. And that's Patrick Eric behind the glass. You're
going to put two and a half minutes on the clock.
Let's do it New Orleans Saints.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (03:06):
The New Orleans Saints twenty twenty five draft just looked
looked at in a vacuum. You could make a case
for it. But unfortunately, the New Orleans Saints don't exist
in a vacuum. They exist in the twenty twenty five
edition of the NFL with their previous mistakes and blunders.
And I look at this and my general question about
this team now at this point in the off season

(03:27):
is what is the actual plan. Kelvin Banks comes in,
presumably for Waga, stays at left tackle. Kevin Banks plays
at right tackle. They've they got Tyler Shuck. Regardless of
what you think about Tyler Shuck, he's a quarterback who
has experienced playing quarterback extensive.

Speaker 6 (03:46):
In terms of years, very extensive.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
He only he's.

Speaker 4 (03:49):
Only actually started twenty five games, but in terms of
his experience at the time on Earth right right, he
does have that. Relative to the other prospects. I did
like to pick up a Devin Neil out of Kansas.
I think he can add something to the backfield where
it's really been Alvin and then a significant fall off,
which is there is always going to be a falloff,
but generally, considering the quarterbacks comments and his circumstances, what

(04:11):
is the plan for this first.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Time their jobs? It's the same plan as always. That's it.

Speaker 1 (04:16):
There's no plan beyond this year. It's just to keep
our jobs another year. And on paper, it's very similar
to the plan that they had with Dennis Allen, which
I think in a perfect world is we got a
lot of players on defense, We have invested in our
offensive line. We think where our offensive line is going
to be good enough, Alvin Kamara is going to run
the ball, and that's the type of team that we're

(04:38):
trying to be.

Speaker 6 (04:39):
I do like that this is sort of a very
like I guess, like waspy reaction to the Derek Carr situation,
where it's like we're going to pretend that issue doesn't exist.

Speaker 5 (04:48):
We're going to go get a bridge quarterback and Tyler Schuck.
We're going to get a massive human being to help
protect him. And Calvin Banks Junior because we have watched
the tape of him under pressure and I actually really
my one of my favorite pick that the Saints had
in this draft was the Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutzman, because
he's such a Saints player to me, like he flies around,

(05:08):
he's aggressive, he's tough. So they're continuing to add some
youth to this defense as well as continuing to beef
up the offensive line and they have a bridge quarterback
and we're just going to pretend Derek carrs well, you.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
Can't pretend he was.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
He was on camera at an event at a church
where he got really mad about how the media has
portrayed it and his whether his injury is real or not.
And to that, I just think, like, where did the
injury information come from? It probably came from Derek Carr's camp.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yeah, he's the only person that knows if there's an
issue with how it's being covered.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
Enlightened everyone, not just when.

Speaker 6 (05:43):
Good place to do that at lightning, you know, a church.

Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah, the church audience or Twitter dot Com or NFL Daily.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Come on, we've had him on before. Let's do it again.
David came on of course with Derek back in around
the NFL. All right, let's go to the care of Panthers. Jordan.

Speaker 5 (06:01):
Yes, I saw the direction and the vision they wanted
to go with McMillan. Hear me out. The Panthers wanted
to finally get their own Mike Evans after years of
getting punished by Mike Evans. Their defense has and had
too many questions to expect all of it to get
fixed just in this draft. They made some moves in
free agency as well, but I do like that they

(06:22):
went offense and best player available with their top pick
when they were unable to trade back, as you heard
they did want to trade back. Here's where I think
the Panthers are fine to good quarterback, offensive line, tight end, receiver,
and actually with Derek Brown back from the injury, I
think their D line and specifically the interior of that
D line are going to be fine. But you really
have questions about their defensive backfield. I know they've made

(06:43):
some moves. I would love to see Trevon Morgan the slot.
He played very well in the box, but I have
concerns about the depth of their corners and safeties and insidelinebacker.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
Fair I think fine to good might be projecting that
Ted McMillan is the guy right away that you hope
that he is, which with their recent receiver picks hasn't
been the case. He's obviously better than Jonathan Mingo or
Terris Marshall or Xavier Lguette, but yeah, it's it's hard
to forget about those. Hunter Renfro is now on the team.

(07:13):
We found out that he had an autoimmune disease that
got him down to one hundred and fifty pounds, and
so that explains why he wasn't in the NFL. So
that's an interesting player to watch who could also help
out Bryce Young. If he's back to being Hunter Renfro,
that would be amazing. Although to be fair, he was
looking like he was declining with the Raiders, but I
don't know if that was impacted by his disease.

Speaker 2 (07:34):
So shout out to Hunter Renfro.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Good to be back. Yeah, glad to have him back.

Speaker 4 (07:36):
One of the better route runners in the entire league,
with respect from all over the league. My thing was
because the initial reaction to the Ted McMillan pick that
I had was just the defense was so bad. Yes,
so they come back and they get Nick Gorton out
of Texas A and M, where I know his counterpart
of Texas A and M was the more athletic prospect,
but probably the safer floor was Nick Gorton. And that's

(07:57):
really like the player that they need because it's kind
of the whole plane is built out of, like what's
remaining of Jadavian Clowney right now in terms of getting
some pass rush and so like it's tough to go
into a season like that. But you see the vision
is just ted really has like TMAC excuse me as
the young man would like to be called, really has
to go off for this to look like it was

(08:19):
the right I.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Think they took the highest ceiling player like available at
every pick. So shout out to Eric Eager, former PFF employee,
now the analytics guy.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
Over at the Panthers.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
I don't know if he made those picks, but if
he contributed, I like what you did.

Speaker 5 (08:31):
I do know one thing I know Dan Morgan is
listening to him, and I think that's that's a smart
thing to do.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Er Iki I kwanmu. Why, by the way, got a
fifth year option picked up? I will go with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Put it on the clock, and yes,
we're going to try to get in every little bit
of information into these two and a half minutes, even
if it's not draft related. Draft related, we can be
talking about anything we want.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
Bucks. I would have loved if they had gotten another edge.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
But when you look at taking Emica Muka in the
first round, it's like, oh, no, we have too many weapons.
It's like, oh, we have too many good receivers short
and long term that all play different but complimentary roles
like Oh, No, I have to say, it's a great
day for the Baker believers out there, like yourself, Patrick,

(09:21):
because I've been feeling it all off season. This team
is like first tier super Bowl contender right now. Baker,
to me is the biggest question that they have because
even Edge, even Edge son Reddick Yah Yadyabi, Chris Brazl
was a second round pick. Well, it's true, though, you
gotta you gotta make the you gotta be so good

(09:42):
unless you have a top five quarterback to win the
super Bowl.

Speaker 6 (09:45):
Right he's playing to type. I mean that's fine.

Speaker 3 (09:47):
No, I love it. Yeah, the bit lives forever.

Speaker 6 (09:49):
The bit lives forever. I loved I like most of
their drafts.

Speaker 5 (09:53):
To be honest with you, I don't think they have
many bad drafts, and I really liked we suggested this.
We were wrong on a lot of things about our
mock draft, but we did talk about the potential and
the real possibility that the Bucks do add a player
with such upside and long term potential as a Chris
Godwin and Amika Buca will go and play for them
right away. Even though they do have a full room.

(10:14):
I do believe that the ceiling of this team is
true contention, not just springes of contention.

Speaker 4 (10:20):
And the message that I'm getting from this particular draft
is that Light and Bowls feel confident with the development
of the front seven picks that they've taken in previous years,
where it's not as much of this we have to
do this. We can take an opportunity with Abuka there
early on where I yeah, I feel like we also
see Baker as the same like I think the positions

(10:42):
that we have in that maybe in our quarterback rankings
that maybe like a difference of three.

Speaker 6 (10:46):
I was trying to fight for him on quarterback Island
all freaking year. I mean, it's siller clear.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
What continuity they have.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
The entire offensive line is back, all the skill position
players are back. You're just adding Aguga to this mix.
It's pretty awesome. And the second and third round quarterbacks
Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parish, they are two guys who
I think Todd Bowles has a vision for it. They've
had their hits and misses in the secondary, but I'm
looking forward to what they add to the team.

Speaker 6 (11:12):
Well, what I especially like is doubling up at these
defensive positions where they did need help last year zero.

Speaker 2 (11:18):
I like the double epl strategy in general. Let's go
to the Atlanta Falcons.

Speaker 4 (11:24):
Speaking of doubling up the twenty twenty five Atlanta Falcons,
and I will make an impassioned defense of Terry font
No trading up. I understand the future first feels like
a lot. If it's if they're playing for somebody else,
then it doesn't necessarily matter to Terry Fonto or to
this edition of the Falcons. They trade up to get
James Pierce Jr. So whether it's Jalen Walker or James

(11:47):
Pierce Junior, if one of those guys pans out, ultimately
we'll look back and say that this draft was a success.
They didn't have a lot of picks, they only took
five picks, but they also get Exavier Watts, the safety
out of Notre Dame, who was one of the top
recruits in the country when he initially committed to Notre
Dame has a lot of production there and they've been
waiting for that edge for so long. I think it's

(12:08):
perfectly reasonable and worthwhile if they expect that pick to
be in the twenty five through thirty two range to
go ahead and trade it and take a shot and
get an athletic guy who can cause a lot of
problems for quarterback.

Speaker 5 (12:21):
Now, I do have a little insight on this as
someone who is in the room on the other side
of that trade when they were making the move with
the Rams. First of all, the Rams were completely surprised
by the fact that someone came in they were trying
to trade back, and we're going to trade back. They
were completely surprised by the fact that someone was willing
to offer a first round pick. But in watching what
the Rams actually did a year prior in doubling up

(12:43):
along the defensive front in Jared Verson, Grade and Fist.
Now this is a different scenario because it's not two
teammates who have that chemistry together, but they ran some
of the same tests, in the same analyzes and trying.

Speaker 6 (12:55):
To figure out what two players would we like.

Speaker 5 (12:57):
To pair together in order to fix And I think
with James Pierce, there was questions pre draft about like
how much he loves football, all of this stuff. Well,
when you're around Rahee Morris, you're gonna love football. And
so I think that that's where they also factored in
the character of the head coach.

Speaker 1 (13:11):
I think the issue is just how many draft knicks
thought James Pierce isn't a natural football player, that he
has the speed but doesn't needs a lot of work,
a lot of refinement, boom er bus player and all
those people might be wrong, and the Atlanta Falcons might
be right. I think that was more what people were
mad at. I do worry though they added no draft picks,

(13:32):
no significant free agents on offense at all this offseason.
It was all defense all the time. So the offense
to me is just as much a Terry Fonteau does
he keep his job test as anything, because that's the
group that he's been building up for five years and
they were like, you're good over there. It's not like
they were the best offense in the league last year,
so they better be great on offense.

Speaker 4 (13:51):
That guy just making his first five starts in the
middle of a playoff run.

Speaker 1 (13:54):
Also, Kirk Cousins might be stuck. He might actually be
stuck in Atlanta.

Speaker 6 (14:00):
And save kirkus, pretend the problem doesn't exist.

Speaker 1 (14:03):
Right, Let's go to the NFC East next up. Why
don't you get us going Jordan with the Cowboys.

Speaker 5 (14:13):
Oh man, am I excited about this. I've thrown a
lot of shade at the Cowboys over about the past year,
particularly on this show, because of how they handle their
contracts or how they pretend that they're not handling their
contracts and then all of a sudden fly through and
overpay at the last minute.

Speaker 6 (14:30):
But my god, can these guys draft?

Speaker 5 (14:32):
Like, kudos to Will McLay take a bowt this is
his time?

Speaker 6 (14:36):
What the regular season is to you? Greg? This is
Will McClay season for the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 5 (14:41):
I still don't know who can truly be a difference
maker at running back on this team, and that clearly
the team is saying it wants to run the ball
in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 6 (14:49):
Hello Tyler. Booker, by the way.

Speaker 5 (14:51):
Is really going to help them, And a lot of
the local chatter is also about needing a number two receiver.
But I absolutely love the three pick punch that they
started with with Booker, who's a guard out of Alabama
who I think is going to be a monster. Donovan
is Easeraku out of Boston College, and Chavon Revel out
of East Carolina. I love that they went addressed trenches
and then they also addressed another position that they need

(15:14):
to keep replenishing at cornerback.

Speaker 6 (15:15):
So I liked this draft a lot.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
Amari Cooper is being rumored to possibly be on his
way back, which would be a very Cowboys move, and
yet I think the best move and a really necessary
move because they wasted a pick. I think it's going
to be a waste on trading for Jonathan Mingo. Like
they don't have a second receiver, they don't have an
exciting running back. All the all these quarterbacks that got
helped out. We talked about it with Daniel Jeremiah on

(15:39):
our Last forties and Free Agens. Dax Prescott was not
necessarily one of those guys. I know Tyler Booker could help.
But the pass rush is pretty exciting.

Speaker 3 (15:47):
Yeah, the opportunity there.

Speaker 4 (15:48):
And to double up on what Jordan said about Shavonn
Revel because the circumstance and the player makes me think
of Antonio Coramarti coming out of Florida State where he
had the ACL tear kind of pushes him down the
board a little bit. And here's ravel like dealing with
this injury who's like six one two five. Uh, they
can flat out fly makes a lot of plays on
the ball. Kind of takes them back to that DQ

(16:11):
era of the Cowboys defense. With guys that can make
plays on the ball. Jayden Blue might get some push
in the in the backfield, like maybe that's your answer
running back. I think generally they need to decide that
they want to run the ball, and after the coaching change,
we're gonna get a little more of a commitment to that.
I feel like it's not going to be like a

(16:31):
late season Cooper Rush has got to play it. Let's
just pound pound the rock.

Speaker 1 (16:35):
It's a big chance for Eberflus to come back in
a big way because this is going to need to
be a defensive team for all the pop and we
can pause and take a little extra time for a
few teams. Maybe we'll here, We'll take a time out here.
Let's just take a time out on the old Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
We get them.

Speaker 1 (16:50):
Sure, the Giants are gonna get a lot of pop
for their pass rush. We're about to talk about them.
Micah Parsons to Marian Overshown, got to get healthy as
Araku and Dante Fowler.

Speaker 2 (17:02):
I mean that's pretty good.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
I might take that actually over the Giants group not
bad because it has Michael Parsons. I mean, any any
group that starts with Michael Parsons that matters. And then
I did want to mention Jerry Jones went out of
his way to throw some shade at Trevon Diggs and
how hard he attacked his rehab. There was a setback
in his rehab from his knee injury, had another surgery,

(17:23):
and there's worries about.

Speaker 2 (17:25):
Him long term, and he he.

Speaker 1 (17:27):
Said something like basically that he hopes he approaches this
rehab better than he did the last one, which was like, whoa,
But Jerry's just saying stuff out there.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
I mean, what was usual? What was the presumed problem
with the with the rehab?

Speaker 1 (17:39):
Well, according to some reporting, just that he didn't work
hard enough, essentially.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
So he re injured his knee not working hard enough.
That that's the reporting from the people who do not
have Trayvon Diggs's knee.

Speaker 5 (17:51):
It's a logic out of the Star, you know, right.

Speaker 2 (17:54):
I feel like you had more to say on the
Cowboys to oh.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
I just love that they kind of gave eberplut eber
Flew some very eber Flue players, some of the Detackle
talent that they have, including you know, the guy that
they drafted out of UCLA. I do think that he
in terms of this like one gapping type of really
like stout front with edge rusher's flu Kaytoya flying off

(18:19):
the outside. Yeah, I mean, I'm just saying I think
I like that they keep there. They're playing to type
with the coaches. They're not just saying Okay, you know,
I like this about Will McClay. He's kind of always
done this where he's like, we're gonna go get good
players that also fit what our coaches want, versus we're
gonna go get good players that I want or that
Jerry Jones specifically once.

Speaker 6 (18:40):
They do a little of that too.

Speaker 5 (18:42):
But I do like it seems like the communication, like
he especially knows how to communicate with that coaching staff
on specific needs and wants.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
I'm fascinated to watch them.

Speaker 1 (18:50):
And speaking of playing to type, NFL media taking an
extra minute or two on.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
The Cowboys a little a little too cliche. I apologize.

Speaker 6 (18:58):
I mean I've spent a lot of time this year
ripping them.

Speaker 2 (19:03):
That's fair. Let's go New York Giants.

Speaker 1 (19:07):
Yeah, the pass rush is so deep there, and I
think everyone thinks of the big names initially, you know
Abdell Carter and Brian Burns and Caveon Thibodeau's now got
the fifth year option, but you kind of forget that
they also signed Chauncey Golston. You also have Dexter Lawrence
of course, and then as a Pro Bowl player, and

(19:27):
then they also drafted Darius Alexander as a defensive tackle.
So they're not just going like deep on the edge,
they're deep in the middle. They're with guys that have
different types of skill sets like Johncey Golston maybe a
little bit more of a run stopper there. It is
on Shane Bowen, their defensive coordinator, who did not play well,

(19:47):
I mean, who did not coach his group up well
last year. And at the end of the year, the
owner John Mara said, well, to be frank, like, our
defense was really disappointing, and that guy is still the
coordinator there, so he better deliver because he's got some
players on his side.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
It's just as great as the idea of this Giant's
pass rush is. Like the quarterback situation is a mess,
Like you have an extra quarterback that could contribute, Like
what role does Jamis actually serve in New York at
this point?

Speaker 6 (20:17):
Anything you want, anything you can imagine if it was an.

Speaker 1 (20:21):
Actual competition, I would take my chances with him over
Russell Wilson in twenty twenty.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah, and Jackson Dart for that matter, same exactly.

Speaker 1 (20:29):
But he might end up as the New Orleans Saints
starting quarterback. That's my oh my god.

Speaker 4 (20:33):
But like Brian Dable is going to have like a
weird quarterback situation to determine whether or not he is
just Mike Schula to Cam Newton's Josh Allen.

Speaker 3 (20:44):
Yeah, like at a certain point, what a good.

Speaker 1 (20:50):
Throw one he's wearing the NFL Network polo he's winning.

Speaker 6 (20:57):
What a freaking poll is your name? Tyler Booker?

Speaker 2 (20:59):
Right?

Speaker 4 (21:00):
I just well, it's because the quarterback situation has been
so bad. Four out of the last five years they
have been thirtieth or worse in total offense, like absolute
bottom of the league. And I understand there was that
year they go to Minnesota, they win the playoff game
and it's like projections are up nothing and injuries aside,

(21:22):
like it at least have something and there's been nothing.

Speaker 6 (21:25):
My prediction is that Dable and that coaching staff.

Speaker 5 (21:28):
They're gonna want to show very quickly that Jackson Dart
there's a reason that they became, you know, reportedly enamored
with him through the late stages of the process.

Speaker 6 (21:38):
There's a reason why they trade it up to go
get him.

Speaker 5 (21:41):
I think they're gonna use him in that versatile run
and throw kind.

Speaker 6 (21:45):
Of situation while he settles into being a pass.

Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah. Over under week, I'm gonna say four.

Speaker 4 (21:51):
Well, that's tough because it's New York, so he's gonna
have to try extra hardbreak.

Speaker 1 (21:55):
They also did very well in terms of like the
draft grades and stuff. Actually, I don't know if that's true.
I haven't looked at any draft gads, but I just
assume because whenever a team drafts a lot of guys,
you know, then they do well in the draft grades.
And they drafted Skataboo, who I'm really excited about. They
drafted Darius Alexander, who I think got a lot of
pop throughout the process, and then even Mbo I don't
know how to pronounce his name, Mobo Marcus in the

(22:16):
fifth round. Like it's just another guy who's got a
lot of pop throughout the process. So when you draft guys,
people know you get good grades. All right, let's wrap
up the NFC East with the Washington Commanders.

Speaker 5 (22:26):
Jordan, Yeah, so I liked their draft. It was very small.
They didn't have a lot of picks. It's going to
take them a little while, I think, to rebuild like
the young core of this roster. We know that that's
why they go out and spend in free agency on veterans.
I do actually want to open here with some news
before we get to the picks. So this week DC
representatives and Commander's team representatives announced their agreement to build
a new sixty five thousand seat football stadium on the

(22:49):
current RFK Stadium site in northeast Washington, which seemed to.

Speaker 6 (22:53):
Be a majority what a majority of the fan base wanted.

Speaker 5 (22:57):
And it still needs approval from the DC City Council,
but if approved, it is scheduled to open in twenty thirty.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
We could be going to a Super Bowl there.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Now, there's been a lot of false starts with this
stadium process, so I guess I won't take it as
official until it's official, but it would be another indoor stadium, yes, outdoors,
the indoors. Now Buffalo's going indoors. Washington's going indoors.

Speaker 5 (23:19):
It'll have a roof obviously, but then also there is
going to be a designated affordable housing allocation around the
district of it. And then also thirty percent of the
property needs to be allocated toward green space and some
of it will go along the riverfront. And what I
thought was interesting because we're seeing all kinds of different
stadium promises and all of that, but the Bowser administration

(23:41):
sid the commander's contribution to the new stadium will actually
be about seventy six percent of the total cost and
twenty four percent with the city contribution. And if they
go over any of the projected costs, the team is
responsible for paying those costs. So juxapose that with the
Titans new stadium, which is sixty forty public investment sixty
or the Jaguars Stadium, which is fifty fifty.

Speaker 2 (24:03):
I hate any public investment, you know.

Speaker 5 (24:05):
I know, why don't you just go build a five
billion dollars stadium in the back.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, well, I'm not a billionaire, you know.

Speaker 6 (24:11):
No, I'm saying the billionaires should be doing this exactly.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
Shout out to Matt Gae got a job.

Speaker 1 (24:16):
Four point five, guaranteed to be the Commander's next kicker,
big news on Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
I was excited about that. I was.

Speaker 1 (24:24):
I thought they have had a weird offseason. I haven't
loved it. I thought Josh Connorley even was a little
bit of a weird pick, just because you immediately have
to move him to right tackle. Same thing with Brandon Coleman,
who was their left tackle last year.

Speaker 5 (24:35):
So I love the tree Amis pick. Yeah, it takes
that defense better instantly.

Speaker 1 (24:40):
And it's kind of a marsh On Lattimore insurance policy,
which you need with his injuries.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
It's it, but it's kind of like the early reactions
to Severance and and or season two, where the first
edition was so incredible that you look at this offseason
and it's like, oh, where's the where's the crown breaking shift?
Where it's just like this is this is life Commanders.

Speaker 1 (24:59):
Well, hopefully it'll be more like Wired season two in
the long run, which at the time people were like,
what is this? This isn't the show I signed up for,
And then over time I think people appropriately appreciate it.

Speaker 6 (25:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (25:13):
Well, even if when I covered a game at the
Commanders stadium it was raining and rain came pouring into
the press box and rooms several computers.

Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yes, really, hopefully at this new stadium, they can figure
out that the plumbing doesn't, you know, go all over
the also a fan.

Speaker 6 (25:33):
I think apossum lives up there too.

Speaker 3 (25:35):
Shout out to him.

Speaker 6 (25:36):
Hopefully he or her didn't some sewage can be safely.

Speaker 1 (25:39):
Didn't people get toilet water on them and whatnot?

Speaker 4 (25:41):
I believe so that was that was because like the
issue also included right the upper level laboratories.

Speaker 1 (25:50):
Shout out to Jaden daniels Man who just came in
there as a rookie and just gave great vibes to
a place that hadn't had it for decades. Speaking of
great vibes, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, I assume
the vibes are still good after only a portion of
the team.

Speaker 4 (26:07):
Well yeah, I mean, you know, we talked about having
to stage to sage a historically harmful venue. The Philadelphia
Eagles traveled to sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue. A portion of
them did. Some new Eagles didn't make it yet. Jahat
Campbell got drafted, which elicited a lot of the typical

(26:27):
how he does it again? Reaction because you have a
marquee player from a big program who had production in
college that had an injury concerned that caused him to
fall down the board.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
The Eagles were able to snap him up.

Speaker 4 (26:38):
Then they get Macouba out of Texas, who was the
less athletic safety in that Texas secondary.

Speaker 3 (26:45):
But he goes there. The athletic scores on him not too.

Speaker 4 (26:48):
Great, but I will point out solid player that Brian
Branch also had a low relative athletic score. A few
guys have at that position that have plenty of success
in the NFL. And this is the the draft of
a team that won the Super Bowl. But despite that,
they have ten picks, Like there's a lot of picks
for for Howie and the Eagles. They get Colin McCord,

(27:10):
another veteran life like, a longtime college starter that threw
four billion yards last year and the year before to
come in and fill up a backup role.

Speaker 3 (27:22):
Just a Super Bowl champ.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
Draft quarterback factory.

Speaker 1 (27:25):
I do want to get back to the White House thing,
but I did notice how they took three big swings
late on the offensive line, two at tackle. One was
Cameron Williams and Miles Hinton was another one, and I
noticed the ravens of that too. A couple teams did it,
taking these big swings late on like two or three
tackle prospects because it's so fine of hard to find

(27:48):
these linemen. Can you develop in them in a couple
of years, it seems.

Speaker 5 (27:50):
I wanted to talk. As you guys were talking, I
was pulling up his profile. Dane Brugler wrote a great
write up over on the On the Beast about Drew
Kendall the center where I think in a couple of
years because of how much he's already done. He was
at Boston College, so within that Bill O'Brien offense, in
that run game, especially where they're doing a variety of
different things. You know, I feel like, low key there

(28:12):
are a couple guys out of Boston College on that
offensive line this year that I think are going to
be really good pros. And Drew Kendall, to me, is
a total You're going to forget where he was for
like two years, and all of a sudden he's going
to emerge as like one of the next really really
good offensive line. Cam Jurgens, Yeah, like Cam Jurgens, I mean,
they keep they keep refilling using this same formula and
this same strategy, similar to a lot of teams actually

(28:35):
had reds, which means they took him off the board
because the injury concerns of Johah Campbell, who is one
of the best players in the draft. But the Eagles
are going to find a way to make it work.

Speaker 1 (28:43):
Let's take a time out here. We'll give it to
the Eagles too. We got three, got three to use. Yeah,
Drew Kendall, by the way, a fifth round pick. So
it is testing Stotland University to take these late round
guys and see if they can become a big time starters.
But it has been reported that they tried to trade
up as high as to the Chargers at twenty two.

(29:04):
That was I believe, trying to make a deal for
Johad Campbell, who we had in you know, the top
ten of our ARMCK draft.

Speaker 6 (29:10):
And because without the injury, he is in the top ten.

Speaker 1 (29:13):
Right and and in theory could start over. You know,
we'll see about Nakobe Dean getting healthy, but that's a
tough recovery that he's going to have, and so Jehad
Campbell might not be ready for Week one either. But
at some point he could be starting, Like, I like
that they're not dogmatic. This is a team that now
is spending on inside linebackers and running. It's kind of

(29:35):
like it's the whole moneyball thing that, like, once everyone
starts copying what you do, you need to find the
margin somewhere else.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
Now he does it again, and then Yeah, I.

Speaker 1 (29:49):
Did appreciate that Jalen Hurts and a lot of the
players were not at the White House, and then a
lot of the players were. It really a lot of
the defense wasn't The wide receivers weren't really there, quarterbacks
weren't there.

Speaker 2 (30:02):
That was kind of how it broke down.

Speaker 5 (30:03):
I think that Jalen Hurts, who was on the cover
of Time magazine recently, has carried himself really, really well
this offseason. I mean, the spotlight has never been more
on him, especially after winning another Super Bowl, winning the
Super Bowl, and I think that in the contract and
so I think he has really carried himself well this offseason.

Speaker 3 (30:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (30:24):
And the player that carried the team really for the
majority of the season in Saquon Barkley, who was in
a labor struggle of his own along with his fellow
running backs a few years ago has made a decision
right to be on a particular side of history. But
the one thing that leaps out to me is the

(30:45):
idea that the visit was politicized. And I can't think
of a more apolitical institution than the building at sixteen
hundred Pennsylvania Avenue and the Office of the President, which
is inherently political, which everything is the way that we
determine who should be treated a certain way and how
they should be that's everything is politics, and so it's

(31:08):
an asen thing to say, and it's very disappointing from
one of the best players in the NFL.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
It is, and I'm sure the rest of the Eagles organization,
including ownership, everything is just happy that that's over and
that they can move on.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
We are going to move on.

Speaker 6 (31:20):
The Giants started weighing in, even my god, yeah, the.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Giant Giants trying to correct the record. Let's go to
the NFC West and the NFC North right after great
back on NFL Daily.

Speaker 1 (31:42):
It's the best division in football, maybe three of the
best five teams in the NFC, certainly on paper, and
the Bears with an argument to have one of the
better rosters as well.

Speaker 6 (31:54):
They won the offseason again, guys, they I know.

Speaker 1 (31:56):
But looks so believable. This time, let's start with the
division winner. I'll get us going with the Lions. It's
Lions two point zero, and I think they're at the
point and they have been at other points in their
process of like, can we just identify players better than
other teams can identify players? Because Tyler Williams, he felt

(32:20):
like a pick that was made maybe after the position
group that they were focusing on got taken a lot.
Tyler Williams, who's more of a nose tackle, exciting player.
Twenty eighth overall, Tate Rutledge goes a little earlier than
you would have expected guard out of Georgia. And then
they really were feeling themselves, trading two thirds to get

(32:42):
Isaac Tesla, the wide receiver prospect out of Arkansas without
a lot of production.

Speaker 2 (32:47):
And maybe they'll be right, maybe they'll be wrong.

Speaker 1 (32:50):
Do you think the Lions patrick have tipped it all
over into feeling themselves too much?

Speaker 4 (32:55):
Category No, because I think you could have made that
case right after the or Gibbs pick. That's like, ah,
they don't know that this team is all vibes and no,
this is this is their strategy and it has worked out.
If Brad Holmes wants to draft me like, I'll be like, well,
I'm assuming Brad Holmes has a plan for what I'm
allegedly going to do. And I get the criticism about

(33:17):
using a future third to trade up and take somebody
in the third, But if they have that number and
that value on tuslaw or tuslaw, however you say his name,
it's I don't you know, part of me doesn't want
to call them Isaac two thirds.

Speaker 2 (33:29):
To be fair, two.

Speaker 6 (33:30):
Thirds, let's call him Isaac Newton.

Speaker 1 (33:32):
Yeah, generally two thirds for one third feels bad. Yes,
And they did it last of the They did it
last year too, with a guy that I'm going to
be watching carefully, Giovanni Manu, which was a very risky
pick where they traded a third this year to take
a fourth last year. He didn't play, but he needed
a developmental season. They buy it the way might be
changing his position, which isn't the greatest sign to guard.

Speaker 5 (33:54):
It's been a long time since this has happened, but
I think we need a quick reminder that Brad Holmes
was the original person who championed a young receiver with
very interesting traits out of Eastern Washington.

Speaker 6 (34:08):
In the third round is named Cooper Cup.

Speaker 5 (34:11):
And so I'm not comparing the players one to one,
but Brad Holmes knows what he is looking for in
the receivers he wants on his football team, and that's
why he And you see this with James Gladstone, Now
you've always seen it with Les Snead that Brad Holmes,
if they like a guy, they're gonna go get that guy.

Speaker 6 (34:29):
And I thought it was like.

Speaker 5 (34:30):
A little bit of nice poetry that the trade happened
to be between Brad Holmes and James Gladstone, two people
that do abide by that principle you like the guy,
go get the guy.

Speaker 1 (34:40):
Also, guys who abide by a principle perhaps FM picks.
Sometimes it's more about the actual humans that you're going
to get. If you need to use those picks to
get those humans, use them.

Speaker 6 (34:50):
And you know what freaking feel something?

Speaker 4 (34:53):
Yes, yeah, that's because if you have a good roster,
you can't have like twenty seven. Bit like I understand
the the hypothetical value that these players have, but like
everybody can't make the team.

Speaker 1 (35:04):
Feeling things is good that reminds me of Eric Spolstra,
the Miami Heat coach, spoke after they were swept out
of the playoffs, and he said about the team, it
was a fun group to be around. I felt fully alive,
as live, as alive as I felt in a while
in the regular season, which like relatable on some level.
Not a great advertisement for the NBA regular season.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
On another level. And then maybe a sign he should
take like a year off too.

Speaker 4 (35:30):
Maybe he should call above, like have management above him,
not being maniacal and constantly un mentions as a head
basketball coach.

Speaker 2 (35:37):
I love a little Miami Heat talk.

Speaker 1 (35:40):
In the middle of the show, let's go to Jordan
and the Minnesota Viking.

Speaker 6 (35:44):
You gus the big news of the week.

Speaker 5 (35:49):
I'mready, JJ McCarthy taking reps at OTAs.

Speaker 6 (35:53):
Yes, the era is upon us.

Speaker 5 (35:56):
Unless you know they changed their minds and Aaron Rodgers, No,
they all just kidding, just kidding, just kidding, just kidding, rude. Otherwise,
they only had five draft picks. It was a thin class,
but I thought, I think they have a strong roster already.
Kind of goes to what we were just talking about.
If you have a really highly competitive roster, you're really
looking to fill in very specific qualities and a little
bit of depth. They needed help up front on their

(36:16):
interior offensive line, so they picked up Donovan Jackson to
help it guard. They might have reached a little for him,
but again goes right into what we were just saying.
If you like the player and he fits both a
need and he's the best player on your board at
that need, I say go get him. My favorite pick
of theirs Kobe King, the inside linebacker out of Penn State.
But they took in the sixth round actually with the
pick they got from the Los Angeles Rams at two

(36:38):
to one. Who I actually projected the Rams to pick
at two to one. So I'm kind of like tickled
by that personally. You're rubbing off on me, like it's
about me, after all, he's.

Speaker 1 (36:48):
Kind of this, Wait, I'm just rubbing off on you
and just being more self centered, is what you're saying.

Speaker 6 (36:53):
No that I can I can share.

Speaker 5 (36:54):
I can share my wins, you know, as somebody who
has societally just been.

Speaker 6 (36:58):
In a box, you know, like I can finally share
my wins. Oh yeah, No.

Speaker 5 (37:03):
But he's kind of this old school linebacker that plays
like his face off and I can't wait to watch
him with Brian Flores.

Speaker 6 (37:09):
And I think the Vikings, other than the.

Speaker 5 (37:11):
Questions about the quarterback who we have to see play
real football, I think the Vikings are going to pick
up a lot of ways that they You.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
Did nail that Bucks take a wide receiver thing too.
I saw how you tried to be nice about it
and say we mentioned that the Bucks may take a ratty,
but it was you. It was you specifically. I almost
kind of disagreed with you. What an a and then
I was an idiot. I think this is a win
now team. I love this roster. I really love this roster.

Speaker 4 (37:35):
And we get too to see the growth and the
excitement from the rookie quarterback. I guess i'll call him rookie.
Didn't play, so yeah, he's a rookie to me. There
was little Ben Simmons argument in the NBA. I think
that's I think he's a rookie.

Speaker 5 (37:47):
Do you guys think he looks like the guy from
Stranger Thing, Steve the babysitter. JJ McCarthy kind of looks
like and he goes he's liked Joe. I think is
how you pronounce it? Did a really, really great cover
of a high song recently.

Speaker 3 (38:01):
Yeah, he looks.

Speaker 4 (38:02):
Like I rarely think people look like other other people.
I do think like it was it was like a
jump scare when J. J. McCarthy suddenly appeared.

Speaker 6 (38:12):
On the side silight made me think of it and
it was like.

Speaker 4 (38:14):
Whoa, he still looks he still looks young, but like
did he grow the hair?

Speaker 6 (38:18):
It's the Lettuce man. He's got the Steve Lettuce I think.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
I mean he he is literally four years younger than
Tyler Shuck, Like that's a lot of time.

Speaker 5 (38:26):
Yeah, right, you're using the Tyler Shuck scale of age
henceforth always.

Speaker 1 (38:31):
Let's go to the Chicago Bears. It's Patrick Claibhn's new
favorite team. For the next two and a half minutes.

Speaker 3 (38:36):
Yes, it's my favorite team.

Speaker 4 (38:39):
I could make a case that it's one of my
favorite teams just in general, because I see what the
plan is. You start the off season by addressing and
free agency. The offensive line gives you some luxury to
come in and make a draft pick. They go with
Colston Loveland, which my initial reaction was that Ben Johnson,
if Ben Johnson is the if it's a coordinator the

(39:00):
Detroit Lions or Detroit Lions are there and they want
to take a tight end. I think they would take
Tyler Warren. I think Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell would
have wanted Tyler Lawrence Tyler Warren. But this is an
example of Ben Johnson as his own entity, divorced from
the Detroit Lions, the way that this past game is
going to look, and so like, long term, you don't

(39:20):
know what the Dj Moore situation is going to be.
Luther Burden third comes in, a guy who we didn't
really get to see do a lot of downfield stuff,
but when he did do it from MISZOI he executed
very well, had the walkoff game winner against South Carolina,
and so like, offensively, the Bears start to make the
sense that we thought that they were making last year,

(39:41):
but from a more realistic standpoint.

Speaker 5 (39:43):
Which I love, and another quietly on my radar, going
to be I think a very good pro particularly with
the right coaching staff. Boston College offensive lineman Azzie Trapelo,
whose father may he rest in peace, also played in
the NFL. I think that I pic but I think
I honestly I know actually for a fact that he
was actually even higher on a couple of teams boards

(40:05):
than where he was picked, and he reminds some people
of some of these long tackles that are playing right
now in the NFL. And I think that it's so
interesting because they've they found guys who you can immediately
see a who they come after in the in Luther
Burden and Ozzie Trepelo or immediately where they help in
a variety of ways. Colston Lovelin is not just a

(40:27):
pick that helps them at tight end and is a
is a fun weapon for Ben Johnson to deploy. He
also helps their offensive line because he was a really
well rounded blocker as well.

Speaker 1 (40:37):
Yeah, this is a team and you mentioned Tripela, I
mean a secon round pick that that means they expect
them to start at some point, maybe not this year.
And it's I don't know, you were literally in a
draft room, so I'm just going to put one and
one together and guess. But you can't comment that that
the Rams would have been one of those teams that
thought of him highly, which is interesting. He loved taking
defensive tackles early. Shamar Turner was a second round pick.

(41:00):
That's three straight years they I think they hit on
Girvon Dexter, but maybe not so much on Zach Pickens
a couple of years ago.

Speaker 2 (41:06):
So we'll see what happens with the Chicago Bears.

Speaker 1 (41:10):
But it's another roster where you look at it like
it's very completed. Pour one out for Devin DuVernay and
alamedas Zakias, who saw Luther Burton come in. People never
think of like the fourth fifth receivers getting knocked down
the list, like Justin Watson for instance, signed with the
Texans thing and I got a chance to maybe play here,
and then they draft a couple guys and no one
ever thinks about those guys.

Speaker 4 (41:28):
Devon's is a key as well, Like those guys have
played a lot of football, That's what I mean. So
like they're gonna find a spot on somebody's roster, okay.

Speaker 1 (41:36):
And it be it might be this roster. I just
especially Duverney, it feels like he's taking his hand.

Speaker 5 (41:40):
And I'll say it once again, congratulations to the Chicago
Bears for winning the off season.

Speaker 1 (41:45):
Let's go to the Green Bay Packers, who I think
have had a good offseason, and I think taking Matthew
Golden in the first round was a nice kind of
capstone to it. I was really surprised they went back
to receiver of all positions in the third round, shows
you how much they really love Saviane Williams. I think
that's weird news for Jayden Reed, just because I feel

(42:07):
like those two guys are a little duplicative. Certainly, Dantevian
Wicks can't be happy about what happened here. Christian Watson's
in the last year of his rookie deal and is
not healthy, so they look to build up their receiver group.
But I think Golden falling to them is really going
to work out. He doesn't need to be a number
one receiver, but I think he does more things well

(42:29):
more completely. At least that's the vision of them than
maybe anyone else on their roster at wide receiver, where
it's all these guys who can do certain things but
maybe can't do everything.

Speaker 5 (42:37):
That's why I actually believe he could be the volume one.

Speaker 6 (42:40):
Now.

Speaker 5 (42:41):
He's not built like a prototypical like long lean perimeter
one that we're sort of sometimes used to seeing, but
in this scheme and with Matt Lafleur, he can do
so many things well and also will be their pre
snap motion player. He has the speed he has incredibly strong,
consistent hands. He was my wide receiver one of this class,

(43:01):
and I think volume, volume speaking, he could be the
bona fide one that this team has been searching for
y and says very adamantly that no, they're.

Speaker 6 (43:11):
Not looking for a one. Yeah, who needs it.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
And regardless of how things turn out, I think positionally right,
he allows you to do things on offense that maybe
having Dobs there right or you know, they forced all
those balls to Wix like late in the season, where
there will be a difference in the quality of talent
in that aspect, and I think Savion Williams is kind

(43:35):
of a luxury pick where, yeah.

Speaker 1 (43:36):
But they need they have things they need on this roster,
like cornerbacks. I'm beginning to think they're going to help
fill that need with jay R Alexander. Now it sounds
like they are trying to resolve it. There was that
reporting where there was like ninety nine percent he's gone,
but now it's starting to sound like maybe he's not, which.

Speaker 4 (43:53):
I feel like I'll take the I'll take the call
on that where it's like it just makes more sense
instead of giving yourself another need. Oh no, let's just
keep the player that you have.

Speaker 6 (44:04):
I think they're going to Oh no, the board didn't
fall to us to get a cornerback, and we decided
to draft smartly instead of positions. It helps the score points.

Speaker 5 (44:12):
And also, by the way, does that mean we have
to make a phone call and fix our relationship and
be adults.

Speaker 3 (44:16):
That relationship could be fixed.

Speaker 2 (44:18):
Let's do it. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
I also keep an eye on Anthony Belton, NC State tackle.
They are so good at developing guys. He could be
their long term left tackle Rashid Walker in the last
year of his contract. All right, we've done it. We've
done three divisions. I did a note card per division.
I mean, I've never gotten that crazy. We're just swimming
in note cards today. So we're on the fourth note card,

(44:40):
and let's start with Jordan. I've tried to assign these randomly,
but it felt weird if someone else had the Rams.

Speaker 2 (44:47):
So you were there. You start with the Rams.

Speaker 6 (44:50):
Oh, Jordan's talking about the Rams again. Every single move
the Rams have made since January tell me they believe
they are going to make a legitimate run in twenty
twenty five.

Speaker 5 (45:00):
Have Matthew Stafford back on year to year terms. They
kept their o line continuity. They added a better communicator
at center who Stafford likes working with, in Coleman Shelton.
Their biggest issue in twenty twenty four, they believe they
fixed it. It was their run defense. They signed Poona Ford,
one of the best run stoppers in the NFL. They
added Ty Hamilton and Chris Paul Junior, respectively, a defensive
tackle who will also back up Poona at the nose.

(45:22):
And Chris Paul Junior, who's one of my favorite linebacker
prospects in the draft. He likes to go by Pooh Paul,
and he is an absolute He's an absolute force as
a tackler.

Speaker 6 (45:32):
He does not miss tackles.

Speaker 5 (45:33):
They added DeVante Adams, they extended to to at Well
for just a one year deal, and they added Terrence Ferguson,
who I believe is going to be a hybrid tight
end receiver for them with what McVay wants to do
and play more twelve personnel this year. So basically, they
tweaked and they pruned and they added in little bits,
and they only had a six member draft class because
for the last two years they've completely rebuilt the core

(45:53):
of their roster through successful draft classes. Plus they stockpiled
future assets, which tells me that a either they're not
going to have that first that second first round pick
by the end of the trade deadline this year, or
they're going to combine assets and go after a quarterback
for the post Matthew Stafford era. But before they do,
they're going to go all in on making a run

(46:15):
while they do still have one of the best quarterbacks
in the NFL in Matthew Stafford.

Speaker 1 (46:18):
Poo pooh, Paul. I got stuck there. He's awesome, this
one Chris Paul. But he's going by Paul Junior.

Speaker 6 (46:23):
He goes by pooh Paul pooh.

Speaker 2 (46:25):
Fifth round pick. So we'll see.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
The Rams haven't invested a lot at inside linebacker and this.

Speaker 6 (46:31):
Was their highest.

Speaker 2 (46:31):
This was stuck in.

Speaker 5 (46:32):
This is their first inside linebacker draft pick since Ernest
Jones in the third round.

Speaker 3 (46:36):
Exactly.

Speaker 4 (46:37):
I'm wondering if it's a tacit admission the mistakes were
made in the past.

Speaker 6 (46:42):
Yeah, but you can't pick up too high otherwise you're
overtly admitting a mistake. You know, they don't do that there.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
You know, they have been mentioned as a possible Jalen
Ramsey team who knows.

Speaker 5 (46:52):
Yeah, the money's going to have to go down on
their side for that.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
Yeah, we'll see. I think that would be after June one.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
They do feel unfinished a little bit at cornerback, even
receiver depth, although Ferguson helps their swing tackle. Like I
look at just in terms of they have the top
end players I think better than some of these teams.
In terms of complete rosters, I actually don't think they're
as complete as some of the very best teams in
the NC.

Speaker 6 (47:20):
I agree.

Speaker 5 (47:20):
I always give them into August for this because remember
they traded for Kevin Dotson a couple of years ago,
and then that really shored up their own line, and
then the Jalen Ramsey thing might still happen. I would
not sleep on Knte Montfield out of pit. If you
watch tape, he reminds you of a Rams receiver.

Speaker 1 (47:34):
Okay, and bad news for potential Kyrien Williams extension. They
you know, drafting and running back right after they drafted
Blake Korman the third round last year.

Speaker 2 (47:43):
Jack was Harner in the fourth round. This year. We'll
see if Kyroen gets that long term deal. All right.

Speaker 1 (47:48):
The Seahawks, to me, looking at their team My biggest
question is just is Clint Kubiak the dude to make
this all happen, because they're asked.

Speaker 2 (48:00):
A lot of him.

Speaker 1 (48:01):
It looks great on paper, but he's got to develop
this offensive line, which the guys before like a lot
of mid round picks that weren't maybe performing to their ability.
They did pick up Charles Cross's fifth year option. He's
probably the one guy they really feel great about. And
now they add grades able their first round pick. You know,
you add Cooper cup and and Valdas scant Lane and

(48:23):
they have a late pick people like in Tory Hunter.

Speaker 2 (48:25):
Tory Hunt.

Speaker 1 (48:26):
It's just like a lot of new pieces. Oh and
by the way, a new quarterback in Sam Darnold, who's
had a very up and down career. And this is
a team where all their best players are kind of
over the middle to me and intermediate guys. When I
think Sam Darnold, I think his strengths not intermediate. And
it's just okay, we're gonna throw. And you know, my
favorite guy, Jalen Milroe, can he be like a Taysom

(48:49):
Hill type of player for them this year as a
change of It's just it's a lot on Clint Kubiak,
So like, can you make this all happen?

Speaker 2 (48:56):
Because I think it's a sneaky.

Speaker 1 (48:57):
Tough job making all of this come together all at once.

Speaker 4 (49:00):
Yeah, it's especially for a you know, a coach that
just left another spot where things kind of fell horribly
apart and there were there were injuries, and John Schneider's
like hands feel more on this than their second year
head coach, even though they do, you know, get a
safety in the second round of NICKI men worry who

(49:21):
I love, who is a instant impact player when he
came on the field at South Carolina. But they get
the guard that the Seahawks fans have been clamoring for
in Grey's abel out of North Dakota State. But the
the Milroe question, I think he does play in what capacity?
But if he plays too much, then you.

Speaker 1 (49:41):
Know, they've kind of hinted already in their in their
post draft press conference that he'll play.

Speaker 6 (49:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (49:47):
I look at that coaching staff and I actually immediately
connect him to a guy like Jake Pets, who is
one of their past game coordinators, who also has experience
coming out of Alabama, that Saban system, that entire ECO
system over there, who you know in the past, I
would think that when you have two quarterbacks in one
with incredibly special upside that Jalen Milroe does have, you

(50:10):
really want to make sure you designate an actual developmental
program for that player so that they're not just slotting
in like a red zone package for you. They're actually
honing and developing their skills as a passer as well.

Speaker 1 (50:22):
And when I think that's a luxury Drew Locke actually
gives you. Because Drew Locke, you don't get anything. You
don't get any snaps. We're going to count on you
to actually be the backup quarterback, but we're just going
to trust that your time in this league will carry
you through while we focus on our guy Sam and
our developmental project Jalen.

Speaker 2 (50:40):
Let's go to Patrick with the forty nine ers.

Speaker 4 (50:43):
The twenty twenty five in San Francisco forty nine ers
where it's Kyle wants offensive players.

Speaker 3 (50:49):
They get.

Speaker 4 (50:50):
They get four offensive players in a draft with eleven picks.
They don't get their They hit their first offensive player
pick one thirty eight.

Speaker 3 (50:57):
It's Jordan Watkins.

Speaker 4 (50:59):
I felt that taking Michael Williams out of Georgia that
was earlier than I expected Michael Williams to go. A
lot of folks, myself included, felt that he was the
second best pass rusher on that Kirby Smart defense. But
it was a position of need that they addressed. They
go get Alfred Collins, then Nick Martin. Such a big

(51:19):
set of departures, especially veteran departures, a couple of them
playing for the Broncos now that are going to make
things tough for Robert Sala in his return to the spot.
But it's I think we are in the Operation Blame
Brock era where it's gonna be.

Speaker 3 (51:37):
Look, look, guys, were brock.

Speaker 4 (51:40):
We can only do so much because rock Perty has
to give has and I'm worried.

Speaker 3 (51:45):
I'm worried.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
You think the forty nine ers are like setting him
up to fail or setting them up as an excuse.

Speaker 3 (51:50):
The excuse feels like it's out there.

Speaker 1 (51:52):
I mean, they're not giving Robert Sala excuses because they
gave them five straight defensive picks, So what more do
you want?

Speaker 5 (52:00):
There was one benefit of getting him back in the building.
It's like he's probably one of the few people in
the world it could be like, no, Kyle, we're taking
defensive players with our first several picks. I love the
Alfred Collins match to what Robert Sala is gonna do.
Nick Martin also really fits that sort of all gas,
no breaks.

Speaker 6 (52:17):
Robert Sala vibe.

Speaker 5 (52:18):
And then they went traits heavy on their first pick
in MIKEL Williams. So yeah, Michael Williams. So I think
that that's I think this is to be expected when
they're trying to sort of rebuild through the draft as
they continue to try to win football games. They pay
George Kittle, so you can tell that they're trying to
rebuild on the fly or do one of these like
sprint rebuilds where a lot of these guys who they

(52:39):
just drafted, Especially with these first four or five picks,
I'm looking all the way down to C. J. West,
so all their defensive picks, and he's one pint thirteen
out of Indiana, the defensive tackle. Like, these guys are
going to have to contribute, They're going to have to play,
and they're going to have to hit that learning curve,
which is I think Robert sala is a heck of
a coach, but I think you got the right guy
in there to help them do it.

Speaker 1 (53:00):
Offense has a lot of talent. It's all guys that
were there a year ago. There's no real turnover. They
just have to stay healthy and Kyle's going to have
to cook it up. And you mentioned Kittle got paid. Yeah,
on Tuesday, they gave him a long term extension. The
details aren't quite out there. It seems a little phony,
but certainly guaranteed money for the next couple of years.

Speaker 2 (53:19):
Well deserved for George Kittle. He's not going anywhere.

Speaker 1 (53:22):
We wrap up the division with Jordan and her favorite
team in NFC West. Yes, the Arizona Cardinals. I was
just joking, but you seem to take that seriously.

Speaker 6 (53:34):
Maybe this year they won't let me down. Greg. This
defense is on my radar.

Speaker 5 (53:39):
He knew heading into free agency that Jonathan Gannon was
going to be super aggressive on defense, especially with all
those former Eagles players that were gonna potentially hit free agency,
and after spending the last two years with defensive coordinator
Nick rallis experimenting with a very subpar roster, which Patrick
has a great nickname for one of my favorites that
I've ever heard in the search bar. And they've tried

(54:02):
to experiment fit and fiddle around and see what worked
and what didn't work, and so now they're ready to
show proof of concept, and I am ready to see it.
They added six defensive players in seven picks to a
group that already included Buddha Baker, Kalais Campbell, and Josh Sweat.
They did so in multiple layers, which I really like
when a team drafts this way, they address multiple layers
of whether it's the passing game on the offensive side

(54:23):
where they're building out the field in different layers, or
on the defensive side when they're going from Walter Nolan
and Jordan Birch up front to taking a flyer on
a banged up Will Johnson, who we also you and
I both together predicted he would be a fit for
the Cardinals. And then Cody Simon at inside. I know, hey,
well let it slide.

Speaker 2 (54:41):
I credit.

Speaker 6 (54:43):
I need a win. The world is hard. I need
a win.

Speaker 5 (54:45):
Cody Simon, the inside linebacker, I also think, is gonna
be a player who gets more time than people expect.
I'm excited about this defense, I really am, because we
know what they want to try to be on offense,
and they need to make sure that they're not just
like hit a wall and petering out, especially in the
passing game. But this defense has been sort of anonymously

(55:06):
and under the radar, just like operating like a massive
science experiment. And I think they're ready to show actually what.

Speaker 2 (55:13):
They can do. They need to.

Speaker 1 (55:15):
That's where all the investment went this offseason. I counted
like they have at least seven new major contributors if
you include guys coming back off injury like bj Ojulari,
who was a good passer. We're on the offense the
entire starting eleven that's projected at least in our alides
was on the on the team last year. And it's
not like you know, they were eleventh in DVOA last year.

(55:37):
They're counting on just getting better. We've had a lot
of like Kyler better prove it years, but this is
a big year I think for their offense too, because
they basically said, we've built a good enough team around
Kyler and we want continuity and go Cook and I
think they could.

Speaker 6 (55:53):
And I want to say too.

Speaker 5 (55:54):
And I don't have his contract pulled up in front
of me, but I do believe this is the last
technically the last year where he any guarantees left on
his contract, if not the last year actually on that contract.

Speaker 6 (56:04):
So this is a big year for Kyler.

Speaker 1 (56:07):
If you want to talk about the Cardinals, we have
one time out remaining.

Speaker 2 (56:10):
That was the last team here.

Speaker 4 (56:11):
I just wanted to say a lot of the Will
Johnson injury concerns were projections of like a potential future injury,
and like.

Speaker 3 (56:17):
You could do that for the entire NFL. That was
weird to me.

Speaker 4 (56:21):
He had a hamstring, which a lot of guys get
hamstring during draft prep, but it just created this cloud.
That's a huge value that they got.

Speaker 1 (56:29):
Kyler does have his salary guaranteed next year, but at
any point until this year, it would have been completely
impossible to move off him. And other than that, his
salary is guaranteed next year, which is not a prohibitive
salary at all, thirty six point eight million dollars.

Speaker 2 (56:46):
There's no more guaranteed.

Speaker 6 (56:48):
Okay, that's what it was.

Speaker 1 (56:49):
Yeah, And it basically, if for whatever reason they wanted
to see if there was a trademarket for Kyler, they
really couldn't have done it until twenty twenty six. And
they absolutely could with you know, they would say money
next year.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
I don't.

Speaker 1 (57:00):
I don't think that's going to happen because I think
he is going to play well. I have a feeling
this podcast is going to be pretty high on the Cardinals.

Speaker 2 (57:07):
But we'll see.

Speaker 1 (57:08):
Maybe Patrick won't, maybe Weisch won't, maybe Colleen won't. Shout
out to Colleen on Good Morning Football all week, just
soldier un through. Those are early days.

Speaker 3 (57:17):
That's it's a lot. It's a lot.

Speaker 6 (57:20):
I'm learning.

Speaker 1 (57:23):
You gotta get up, you gotta get up early and
go h make the donuts. All right, that was it
for today's show. We will be back with a show
that feels very similar to this one that'll be going
all around talking about the AFC H and yes, looking
forward to that and just looking forward to spending more
time with you guys.

Speaker 6 (57:43):
Yeah, it's an honor.

Speaker 2 (57:46):
Just fill it up a little, you know. I was
waiting for the thing to go.

Speaker 6 (57:48):
Yeah, you know

Speaker 1 (57:50):
Like look when JJ McCarthy is on the field and
throwing the football to Jordan Addison, that is like an
ultimate actual football is back.