March 5, 2024 • 49 mins
On today's episode of The NFL Report: Steve Wyche and James Palmer react to Jason Kelce's retirement and the Broncos releasing QB Russell Wilson. Private quarterback coach John Beck joins the show to talk about his clients and soon-to-be draftees Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy. Then, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo stops by to discuss WR Mike Evans re-signing with the Buccaneers and how the upcoming franchise tag deadline will affect Chris Jones, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry. NFL Sr. Writer Jeffri Chadiha discusses his column on which teams need to make crucial moves in the 2024 offseason.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Jason Kelsey and you're watching the NFL Report. I'm
James Bulmer. That's Steve Wiss. This is the NFL Report,
and that was the recently retired after thirteen glorious seasons
in Philadelphia, Jason Kelsey. We'll get to a conversation about
(00:21):
his career with my brother from Philadelphia, Mike Garrifolo, who
will also break down Mike Evans contract and what that
does for the free agent wide receiver market. We also
have John Beck on the show, Steve, who's working with
JJ McCarthy, Jayden Daniels, Michael Pennix. He also works with c. J. Stroud,
Dak Prescott, Zach Wilson, all of them, and will also
have Jeff Shittia telling us who needs to have a
(00:44):
big off season in his mind, but one of those
teams that's not on his list needs a big offseason.
That's a Denver Broncos because they are changing quarterbacks. Russell
Wilson officially released Steve. Your initial thoughts are.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
What, yeah, how about this?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Three minutes after it was officially released, Russ went ahead
and posted his goodbye to teammates and people like that
in Denver. So he knew this was coming. We all
knew this was coming. So now the question is where
does Russell Wilson land? And this is super intriguing to
me because you know, people are gonna connected to Pittsburgh
because we're connecting everybody to Pittsburgh. People can connect them
(01:20):
to Washington because he's from Richmond, Virginia, you know, about
ninety minutes away. But I'm kind of sitting here like,
if the Minnesota Vikings aren't able to retain Kirk Cousins,
they've got to be a potential landing spot JP for
Russell Wilson. Sure, I think maybe they're going to draft
a quarterback, but they have someone there like Russell Wilson
who could hold it down because I think that's where
(01:41):
he is right now. It's kind of a bridge type
quarterback to hold it down while they get their rookie ready.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
That might be something that they have to do.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
But this is you know, look, no surprise, we knew
Russell and Sean weren't moving forward.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
And JP, what what might the Broncos do?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Now we know they're in that eleven, twelve thirteen draft
range right there with the Vikings and the Raiders. They're
all in the quarterback market. What are they going to
do to try to rebuild their quarterback situation and their
roster knowing that Russell Wilson is still going to hit
them pretty hard on the salary cap.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
He definitely is. They're a rebuilding at the quarterback position
once again in Denver. As I sit inside the team
facility right now, this will be in twenty twenty four.
Steve the seventh different week one starting quarterback for the
Denver Broncos since Peyton Manning retired after they won the
Super Bowl in two thousand and fifteen. They are looking
(02:34):
for a quarterback that brings something different than what they
had with Russell Wilson, specifically Steve, and we've talked about
this on the program and Sean Payton has not hit
it at all. It is the ability to multitask at
the quarterback spot, processing of information, ability to go through
all of the dialogue quickly, ability to go through processing
(02:55):
the defense extremely quickly. These are things that are highly
valued by Sean Payton and Peyton just didn't believe that
Russell Wilson possessed them to the level that he would
like to now what they do moving forward. There are
quarterbacks in the draft that do that, and they might
have to move up for one of them. We'll see
where they stand as you're mentioning as a quarterback option
in the first round. But also you mentioned Minnesota if
(03:16):
they can't keep kirk Cousins, what there are some people
on that coaching staff there that I've spoken with think
it might be difficult to keep him. That is a
spot that he could potentially land. The Denver Broncos. They
are obviously interested because of what I listed, Steve. Kirk
Cousins checks a lot of those boxes you mentioned.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
They have the money though, if they have the papers.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
They do have the ability to move some things around.
They do have the ability to move some things around,
and if anybody's good at kicking money down the road,
we know Sean Payton did it forever with Drew Brees'
contract in New Orleans, so they do have some flexibility,
especially with the cap going up as well. But you
would think drafting a quarterback is definitely on their radar
right now. Sean Payton did tell us at the combine,
(03:58):
Steve that we will get this one right, and he
believes their ability to evaluate quarterbacks is superior than some
of the other teams around the league. That's the interestingst
part of this evaluation. We'll see if Sean Payton can
do that. But he said that to us at the combine,
Steve and also went on at the combine, we had
a record breaking forty roll the tape.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Elsie unofficial four two five in his first run, and
he's gonna run it again to try and get John
Roses four to two to two.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Oh, let's keep running right out of the stadium four
two one official. I watch it, come on my whole life,
sen John Ross moone. They tell me you peek at
the rights high times now, so he's all came in
the right time.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Just watched the fastest forty in the history of the
NFL Scouting Combine.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Who yeah, right right right right right on to Xavier Worthy.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
You know for running that was my that was my
thirty yards split back in the day when I have
run it at four two one. Well, look, you know
that was a big buzz. It was fun watching it.
You know, we watch in real time. We love seeing
the athleticism, We love talking moreball people who really weren't
at the front.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Of the list. But what caught my eye coming out
of the combine, and it's with wide receivers.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Was Brian Thomas out of LSU, one of the you know,
the top four or five rated wide receivers running a
four to three three and he's six three two and
ten pounds. Again, he's a likely first round wide receiver,
as are several people you know who we didn't see
Ron and performed, guys like rome A, Dunzae, Marvin Harrison,
Junior JP. And when we look at free agency coming
(05:36):
up right, we see Mike Evans and the Buccaneers has already.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Been re signed.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I look at all of these stud draft pick wide receivers.
Look at these guys Marvin Harrison, Malik Neighbors at LSU,
Roma Dunzee, Brian Thomas, Troy Franklin, and now.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Look at the guys who they're up against Freeancy.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Michael Pitt, mccalvin Ridley, Marquise Brown, Gabe Davis, Tyler Boyd,
players like that, JAP. I can't I helped to think
that that market for those free agent wide receivers may
not be overly aggressive, as some of these wide receiver
needy teams will say, We're just going to draft one
of these guys because we know how the potential star
powered is there, and they're on rookie contracts.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You don't have to dull out the big Brey.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, and I would even throw in teams that are
not wide receiver Needy Steve because of the rookie contract
you're mentioning, and because of how polished these players are
coming out. When I talked to multiple teams around the
league that sat down with those guys that are on
that list on the left hand side, they were blown
away and Steve not just by obviously how they played
the position and how NFL ready they are, but how
(06:38):
smart they were and how those interviews went so well,
you're getting wide receiver one possibility with a lot of
these guys right out of the gate. And Bucky Brooks
has said it on our show multiple times that because
of the seven on seven world, these guys have been
running these routes and really since they were about eight
years old, and they're unbelievably polished coming out. And the
(06:58):
other part of it is, if you can throw that
graphic back up, Madison, those guys on that left hand
side are coming out into the NFL being able to
play inside, being able to play outside steam Point and
they're being able to be flexible wide receivers. Four teams
right out of the gate, and I think that makes
them even more marketable. Now to the right hand side,
(07:19):
the name at the top with Michael Pittman Junior. My
understanding is that's the name the league is looking at
right now. Steve. We know that this wide receiver free
agency market's a little bit different, but what the teams
want to see is where does he go if he's
franchised tag Maybe that changes some of it. But with
the added salary cap, this is a group that was
usually squeezed. Where are the numbers for these free agent
(07:42):
wide receivers because we did have a big jump in
the salary cap. So where these two groups play off
of one another is very interesting. But on that left
hand side, we could have five of them in the
first round, three of them in the top ten. It
is fascinating what's happening with the wide receiver spot.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Well, ja, if you alluded to it, let's just take
a quick look.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And this was a great work by Clifton Dutton, our
researcher here on the NFL Report. These are rookies who
led their team in receiving last year, Poka Nakuas eight flowers,
Jayden Reed, Domrio Douglas.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
That's four led their team in receiving.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Twenty twenty two, Garrett Wilson Chris Olave both over a
thousand yards, Drake London, and then at twenty twenty one,
you've got Jamar Chase fourteen hundred yards, Jalen Wattle more
than a thousand, aman Ros Saint Brown, Elijah Moore.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
These guys are ready.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Teams aren't afraid to draft wide receivers anymore because, like
you said, they've been playing seven on seven since they've been.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Nine years old.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
You know, though, they've got to have somebody throw the
ball to them. JP and coming up tracked. This is
going to be some stellar stuff. We're going to be
talking to John Beck, a private quarterback trainer who works
only with some of the best draft prospects, but some
of the best quarterbacks playing in the NFL. Right now,
(08:53):
that's coming up next on the NFL Reports, it's time
for the lead Block, presented by Team Mobile for Business,
a sport as fast as football deserves America's fastest five
(09:15):
G network, businesses.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Go further with T Mobile for Business.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Oh yeah, we are back at the NFL Report, James Palmer,
and we are now joined by John Beck, who's a
private quarterback coach with three d QB their company. And
this might be the busiest man in America right now,
especially with these ags. He trained several quarterbacks at the Combine.
He works a lot of guys already in the league. John,
thanks so much for joining us here at the NFL Report.
(09:41):
And speaking of the Combine. Okay, you've got Michael Pennix,
You've got JJ McCarthy. Would love just to kind of
get your immediate review of how they performed this weekend.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Well, I thought they had good throwing sessions.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I think that's kind of the main thing when you're
at quarterback and you're theres you just want to let
people to coach just see you now what for some
of them, it's the first time live, you know. I know,
scouts and general managers and assistant gms have seen these
guys play throughout the season during their college games, but
this is really the first time for an NFL coach
to be field level with those guys and so to
(10:15):
be able to you know, Mike felt felt good about
his performance, so did JJ. I mean there's always going
to be those couple of pros where they're throwing the
guys they'd never thrown to. Maybe the routes a little
different than what they anticipated and it's not quite they
hooked it with have been. But I tell the guys, look,
it's not about being perfect about going out there knowing
these teams who you are and give him a chance
to see you live.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
And I think both guys did a pretty good job
of that.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
John, I'm looking, you know, talking to guys around around
the league. They really like Michael's performance in this combine
setting and the throwing session. I don't think that's a
surprise to anyone with the way that he throws the football.
I kind of want to look back too years past.
Is there anybody that threw at the combine that you've
worked with or that you know really dramatically helped themselves
after everybody got a chance to see them throw up close.
(10:57):
Because when these quarterback coaches and guys can stand right
behind you, did that change or improve anybody's perception that
you've worked with in the years past.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Well, I think I'm just going to use last year's combine. CJ.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
Stroud decided to throw last year and he probably didn't
need to throw, but he decided to do it. And
I just remember afterwards the number of text messages I
got because guys were just like wow, I mean I
saw good stuff on tape, but that was awesome. And
I remember CJ feeling great about his performance.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
He was happy that he did it.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
I mean, and that to me was coaches loved that
he went out there and threw. CJ nailed it, had
a great performance. And so it's not like it really
like improved his stock. I mean, you kind of knew
that him and Bryce were the top guys, but I
think for a lot of teams they said, wow, that
ball really just jumps off his hand and spins so clean,
and you know, so yes, it was a definite you know,
(11:53):
man teams, really I think, wait, what you can say,
you know, answered questions or got a great first look
that really said and this guy, this guy's talented. You know,
that's the first thing that popped in my head. Ye, CJ,
right there did a great job.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Well, if we talked about Michael Panics and JJ McCarthy,
but you also trained the hydro Trophy winner Jayden and
Daniels and stylistically, these are three very different types of players, Like,
how do you go about training them and prepping them
knowing that they've got different skill sets to amplify those strengths.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Well, I think I wouldn't be able to answer that
question without talking about our team of coaches here. Taylor
Kelly and Adam Dato spent a lot of time with
these guys as well, and really it's a team effort
from all of us. Taylor Kelly's won that spends a
ton of time with Jaden throughout the last couple of seasons,
and so the amount of work that they put in. Yes,
each guy's different, and we can't train every guy alike,
and the things that we can recognize that their body's
(12:45):
capable of or that they can do, we really try
to capitalize on those things.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
And speaking of Jada, and he's such a unique.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Individual, and I've really watched him progress over the last
twenty months as a thrower, and he's so flicky with
the ball right now, and his accuracy as he progresses
through throws really gone up.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
And I mean you just saw it on display all
throughout the season.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
And when you have somebody that's that capable in the
throwing game now, and then he has the athleticism to
go with it. It's why he had such a remarkable year.
But I look at those statistics that you guys threw
up right there, forty touchdowns to four interceptions with a
seventy two percentage in the sec. You can't do that
unless you are a premier thrower. And really that's where
Jaden advanced in his game as a thrower, and it
(13:25):
was awesome to see it on display during the twenty
three season.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
John, When you look at Jaden and we're looking at
his size right there too. That's one of the very
few questions about his game I hear when I ask
around the league. Is this one of those things you've
been around so many quarterbacks, work with them, seeing them
grow from their college maybe body to what their NFL
body can become. Is he one of those guys that
can put on I don't know, ten fifteen pounds in
(13:49):
the first maybe two years, And how do you kind
of gauge that or maybe make sure teams can understand
that about his body type.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
Yeah, that is a question that you know, people do ask.
I think when you see his frame's a frame is
going to be easy to add weight to it.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
You know, I think that sometimes.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Those guys that are the leaner guys just kind of
genetically but they have that elite you know, speed and
that kind of like shiftiness, Like you don't want that
guy being the two twenty guy. You're not going to say, hey,
well we really need you to sit back in the
pocket and be able to take those hits. Like he's
probably always going to be a little bit on that
leaner side because of his game, but his frame is
(14:25):
definitely capable of putting some weight on. And I think
that that kind of happens naturally. I've seen with guys
they have kind of that like fresh out.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
Of college body.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
It's really only a few years removed from that freshman
high you know, hey, I graduated from high school. I
got that one hundred you know, eighty eight, two hundred
and ninety five pound freshman body.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Well that all of a sudden just continues to progress.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
And now all of a sudden, they get in their
mid twenties, they start getting twenty six, twenty seven years old,
and now that five ten extra pounds.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
It's just there because the body is maturing.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
But you know, when you stand side by side with
Jayden or you put him next to people that are
too ten two fifteen. You see from a frame standpoint,
that's going to be easy for him to add on
as the years go. And as long as he can
maintain his athleticism and speed while adding those pounds, then great.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
That grown man strength is whether you know, of course
they like to call it, is that natural maturity. I
got a question for you about j J McCarthy because
we talked about it on the show. Like an incredibly
talented player, a super high recruit, but he wasn't asked
necessary to always win ball games with his arm, right.
It's the leadership most tangible, those intangible types of things.
(15:31):
What about a player like him who maybe when he
goes to the NFL he can show off a skill
set or a talent that wasn't actually asked to be
you know, enunciated the way it is with some of these.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Other quarterback Yeah.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Well, you know, this is a conversation we've had as
we prepare him for what teams are going to ask
and what evaluators.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Are going to be saying.
Speaker 6 (15:51):
You know, and to him when when you talk to him,
he says, in practice, we were always preparing ourselves to
win games that way if we needed to. Always spending
time on two minute preparation, we were always spending time
on red zone reps, knowing the football like all of
those things were things that they practiced a lot. So,
you know, it just was given the situation that his
(16:11):
team was usually winning in games, he wasn't asked to
have to go out there and win the game in
the fourth quarter except for one, and he did it
right against Alabama and.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
The rolls ball and he did it.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
But when you talk to him about preparation for those situations,
he feels very prepared because of the work that they
put in. Knowing we are going to be a national
championship football team somewhere along that road, We're going to
have to win the game that way, and so he
has a lot of reps in practice.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
It's just his team didn't have to do it a
lot in games.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
That's great information, man, I get that. And kind of
grouping these three guys together, you look at the number
of starts that they had John at the collegiate level,
you had a lot of starts at Pleeves left. What
are you learning about these quarterbacks that come to you
in this process and they're getting ready for the league.
But they've played a lot of college football. Now, the
name that everybody in the NFL heeps talk talking about
(17:00):
is maybe that was an advantage for Brock Purty, right,
the number of games that he played at the collegiate level.
What maybe about their games with all of these snacks
that these three guys you're working with right now have played,
that gives you maybe is it a different starting point,
is it a different conversation you have with them during
this process?
Speaker 5 (17:18):
Well, I think you nailed it as you were posing
that question.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
The first game that popped in my head was brought
Purty because I do think experience matters. I think the
amount of games you've played in college, and not only
the number of games, but the experiences that you've had
in those games. What have you been asked to do?
Speaker 5 (17:33):
What does your team needed from you?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
I mean when I was young in the league, Bill
Parcells had the you know, these are my things that
a quarterback has to have done in college or I
will not consider taking them. And some of those were
tied back to experience. So as I look at these guys,
you know, yes, I do think the timetable can be different.
You know, right now in the NFL, when you select
the guy high, it's very difficult to hold off from
(17:55):
playing in especially if the team's not winning ball games early.
So hey, you may have a plan to take a
guy and say, hey, we're going to let this guy
sit a little bit, We're gonna let this guy develop,
But you don't always get that opportunity because of the
situation that your team is in, and so guys can
be forced to play earlier than they probably should. And
I think when you look at all of these quarterbacks,
that's something you got to take into consideration. Okay, we
(18:18):
love this guy, we're intrigued by him, we think he's talented.
We want to take this guy. When might we have
to play him. Do we have the luxury of giving
him some time to develop? Or he can be one
of those guys where, if you know, we don't start
off great at the beginning of the season with another quarterback,
there's going to be that pressure for us to put
our first round quarterback out on the field. And now,
depending on the experiences that he's had to spending on
(18:39):
the situations he's played in in games, you know, even offenses.
Two of those guys have had to switch offenses when
they switched universities, right, you know. And it's no knock
on JJ, but he got to play in one offense
the entire time and it benefited him. And that's one
of the reasons why those guys got to be so successful.
And so it's just tough because you don't know the
situation they're going to land in. You don't know the
timetable when they got to be a starter. Experience always
(19:01):
always helps when you are thrust into the scene.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
I'm so glad you said that, because I do think
the evaluation because of Rock Perry, the NFL evaluation on
these quarterbacks might feel a little different to Hey, Michael
Pennix played five years, right, so we.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Can put him in because he played in big games.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
He's seen circumstances. Someone's only played, you know, eighteen or
nineteen games, hasn't. I want to get to your other
point playing the guy early and that's you.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
You worked with CJ.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Stroud and we saw how he came in and had
arguably the greatest rookie quarterback season of anybody. Knowing him
and working with him, how does he take it to
the next level.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Oh man, Well, first off, anytime you have that type
of success early, now there comes an expectation, right, and
I think you know, like one of the cool things
about CJ stories last year was who expected the Houston
Texans with you know, a rookie quarterback to do what
they did? And so there wasn't really an expectation. These
guys probably at times got to feel like they're playing
a little bit house money. Now, that doesn't take away
(19:58):
from the pressure. Every NFL team feels pressure on Sundays,
especially a team that had an opportunity to make a
playoff run, right, to get into the playoffs, win the
division and.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
All of that.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
So they understand pressure.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Now the pressure is going to be a little bit different,
right because now there's a bit of an expectation, you know.
And so to see jam My guess is and there's
probably a reason why he's already started his offseason work
is because he's saying, I like that expectation. I like
that as a competitive guy, the way that he's built,
he's saying, fine, this is what I always wanted it
to be. So now I'm going to just try to
advance and every way it possibly can and it's actually
(20:30):
going to go back to that word of experience. Now
here's a young man that has an entire rookie year
under his belt that is just going to do nothing.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
But help him.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
He gets to keep the same offense, same coordinator, same
crew of guys around him. It's going to be great
to see his progression over this offseason into the next season.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I'm going to stay in the state of Texas because
you also work with Dak Prescott. You've done it several,
you know, several off seasons, and I love an added
aspect of his game that maybe we saw in years
past John but was kind of gone for was him
creating and playing outside the pocket. When I talked to
people in Dallas, they were so excited to have that back.
They said, maybe it was the fear of the injury.
(21:08):
They're not entirely sure, but that added back into his game.
What did you like about Dak's year that he had
and maybe were there any conversations you guys had heading
into last year that you maybe wanted to add that
aspect or saw that other aspect. I'm kind of curious
for your tape.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
Well, I think that's a natural part of Dak's game.
I do think that the injury, you know, a few
years back, definitely impacted that. And I watched that guy
just work relentless for years to come back from that, right,
and it takes time. I mean, that was a significant injury.
That is not just something that you quickly overcome. So,
I mean, Dak is one of the most competitive dudes
(21:46):
I've ever been around. He worked so hard and I think,
you know, Kings, things kind of came together this year
that allowed him to be that version of himself to
create and he created a lot of plays. I thought
he had an outstanding near I know it ended in
a tough way, you know, is really bitter taste in
those guys mouth have the season that showed a lot
of signs of promise and that way, But I love
I mean, I'm seeing these clips right here. I mean
(22:08):
that that to me is all of the things that
Dak possessed his and to come back from that injury.
It's a testament of Dak's work that he put in,
and also the team of people around and you know,
the medical staff and the et people that put time
into helping him get back to that place. That's what
he's capable of, right there, all those things that we
saw this year. I mean there there was a stretch
of games where it looked like he was one of
(22:29):
the faperits to be the MVP, right And so you know,
it's great to see Dak back in that place. And
as he gets working this offseason, I'm sure he's going
to continue to just want to keep growing in all
those areas that he can. And with what happened last year,
there's probably that that mindset to really just grinding get.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
After it this year and it should be a great
offseason for him.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I only go about forty five seconds here, but you
also worked with Zach Wilson, whose career with the Jets
looks like it's coming to an end. It seems like,
you know the Jets, you know when you hear what
they're saying that you know he's going to be.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Gone from there.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
How was a young man who's been through everything he's
been through get his confidence back even to play as
a backup? Like, how do you you know him? How
does he get it back really feel like playing football
is funny?
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Again?
Speaker 6 (23:09):
Well, Zach's a gritty kid, and this experience that he
had at the New York Jets. I know that he
probably wishes it would have gone a little bit different,
But just like anybody has to do in life, you
just have to stay gritty, You got to push through,
you got to stay persistent, and that's exactly what he's doing.
And I think an opportunity, you know, to be able
to continue to grow somewhere, it would be exactly what
he needs. And I think he's excited for the offseason,
(23:32):
you know, I think. I mean, look, life, life sometimes
just throws these major curve balls, man, and it would
have been really cool to see things go great for Zach,
for the coaches that were there. I mean, I had
a chance to be in that building. There's a lot
of good dudes in that building. It just didn't work.
And sometimes that happens in the NFL. And it doesn't
mean that the players not talented or the coaches. It
mean it's just sometimes it doesn't work.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
And so I think an.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Opportunity to kind of reset and use all that experience
that he has. I mean, the kids played in thirty
something football games, and like I mentioned before, like he's
a tough kid, and this this situation that he's had
to go through is just gonna make him tougher, and
you know, then you just move on from there and
you stay positive and you hope that he can land
a place that's going to allow him to continue to grow.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Awesome, awesome, stub job. We're going to talk to you
for probably the duration of our entire show because I
love what you guys do at three D QWOB. It's
not like you just but it's not like you just
prepare guys for the draft. I mean they keep coming
back for a reason because you're doing such a good
job keeping them playing at a high level and adding
to why they're playing. This isn't just prepping them for
the draft. This is keeping quarterbacks playing at a high level,
(24:34):
and you guys do a brilliant job of it. So
thank you so much. Thank you having time John to
spend some time with us.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Steve and I, oh yeah, you guys are welcome. Thank
you for the kind words.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Man. I love this job.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I love working with these guys. And it's like you said,
like when I get a chance to work with these
young guys, these.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
Guys JJ McCarthy, Mike Pennix, Jayden Daniels, these are guys
we've been training for three three plus years. So I
love just trying to help these guys with not only
this process but man their career. And so thank you,
thank you for noticing that I appreciate the words.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
That's a rap for the lead block presented by T
Mobile for Business Sports as fast as Football deserve America's
fastest five G network. Businesses go further with T Mobile
for Business. Coming up on the NFL Report, it's going
to be Mike Evans going back to Tampa Bay, the
man who broke the story. My good buddy, Mike Carrifolo,
the insider for this show, joined Steve and I next
(25:23):
on the NFL Report. Welcome back to the NFL Report,
James Palmer, Steve wife. A few things just feel more
comfortable now, don't they, Steve. We have our NFL Report insider,
(25:45):
Mike Garrifolo back with us, and everything just is alright
with the world. We had a wonderful time in Indianapolis, Mike.
We broke bread a couple of times. One was touching
go for a second there, but we made it out
all right, and you break the news now that we're
out of Indianapolis with Mike Evans re signing with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How does this go down? And then
also how does this impact the rest of the wide
(26:07):
receiver free agent market with the guy at the top
of the class now resigning.
Speaker 7 (26:12):
As I left Indianapolis, James, I thought that this was
going to go the other way. I thought Mike Evans
was going to get a fresh start somewhere else. Didn't
seem like the Buccaneers' efforts in Indianapolis with Derek Gilmore,
who is Mike Evans agent, we're going to.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
Result in a deal.
Speaker 7 (26:26):
But things changed within the last couple of days, and
the Bucks really stepped up within the last couple of
days because the buzz in Indianapolis was a bunch of
teams were getting ready to pounce on Mike Evans here,
who was going to be thirty one but yet still
commanding and not top of the receiver market because this
is going to be into the thirties. But we're talking
about twenty six million dollars per season over two years.
(26:49):
But he tied for the league leading touchdowns last year
and has been at a thousand yard clip for his
entire career. So this is a big retain by the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were also still looking to to
retain Baker Mayfield. I think in the end that winds
up happening, and could happen this week, well before the
start of free agency. It sounds like they had fruitful
talks in Indianapolis between Baker Mayfield representatives and the Buccaneers.
(27:12):
But there is still work doing. There's still gonna be
other teams that could potentially be interested. But getting Evans
back that is going to be a big incentive for
Mayfield to return. You talked about that receiver market. If
you want to call Evans the top guy there, Michael
Pittman with the Colts, one way or another, he's going
to stay in Indianapolis, whether it's the franchise tag or
what not. T Higgins already been franchise tag. So you know,
(27:34):
Calvin Ridley now looking like he's going to be at
the top of the market. Hollywood Brown Odell. I mean,
it's not the deepest class gave Davis. That's a big
body guy. If you want to compare to Mike Evans,
Mike Williams who could come free from the Chargers, another
big body guy. So if i'm those guys, I say, Okay,
this guy just came off the market as that prototypical
big body X type guy.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
That should help me, I think if you're looking at
those guys.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Michael James and I talked earlier in the show though
about how all of these outstanding rookies coming out could
really impact negatively impact guys like the Gabe Davises and
the Marquis Browns of the world. Like, let's get to
the fact that the franchise tag deadline expires Tuesday, right,
and we could have guys like Stone Cold Jones and
Christian Wilkins hitting free agency, Like what what does that mean?
(28:22):
Especially when you look at you know, some of the
draft analyst rankings, defensive tackle is probably one of the
thinner positions among the prospects this year.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
That's what Chris Jones, who yeah, Chris jon Yes, exactly,
Chris Jones, who this year took a hit to come
back to the Kansas City Chiefs. Here sitting at that
first game and then hitting the second incentive in week eighteen.
I'm laughing because I can't forget the scene of his
teammates celebrating with him in week eighteen when he got that.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
What a scene that was.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
Look still at the top of his game, still at
the top of his interview game. Because if you watch
James Palmer get Chris Jones after a big game, you
know there's gonna be something special in that one on
one interview and listen. He may stay in the West games,
he may stay in the exactly so you may still
continue to get your chances with these games that you're covering.
To get Chris Jones, you just gotta beat the Chiefs
(29:13):
when he faces him if he wants to be with
James Palmer, because you've got to win the thing to
get with Palmer.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
But yeah, he listened. Between him and Christian Wilkins. Wilkins
a horrific player.
Speaker 7 (29:24):
The Dolphins have made several attempts to kind of lock
him up and get him under contract.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Hasn't quite happened to this point. So yeah, those two
guys big bags of money coming their way.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well, hold hold up, Mike, hold up, hold up. You
said he may stay in the AFC West. You cannot leave.
You cannot leave him hanging here. Brother, there's only three
other teams.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
You gotta help us, thinking, Yeah, well, multiple teams in
the AFC West need help. The defensive line I'm just
saying that the place where he played his last game
as a Chief maybe his first game as somebody.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (29:56):
I'm just saying I don't know who knows, and that
could be that the team is maybe for Week one.
Maybe that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
I haven't seen an advanced schedule. I have no idea.
I'm just trying to find a way to not allude
to the fact that it's the Raiders. I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Well done, Hey, well done, brother, good job, Mike.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I love that because I think about this, Mike, like
you look at what's going on in Kansas City, and
it looks like they're gonna, you know, tag l Jerious
need and then they're gonna let him maybe possibly seek
a trade or they could end up dealing him in
a sense that could also come into play. That that's
some of their thinking. If they can get Chris Jones
under thirty.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
I don't know if that's possible.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
When we're talking about how desperate some of these teams
may be at the defensive tackle spot, is that realistic?
But maybe that's part of the Chiefs thinking of trying
to bring him back. Also, two of their names. I
look at in a position that's just fascinating. It's not
deep in the draft. It's the running back spot. And
then you have two names like Saquon Barkley and Derrick
Henry out there. I bring them up because they're not
(30:52):
normal human beings playing the running back position. Their skill set,
their ability almost outliers in a lot of people's mind.
Where do things stand at the running back spot with
those two guys, because it's similar to the d tackle
spot with not a lot of guys coming out in
the draft there.
Speaker 7 (31:08):
Yeah, it does feel like Derek Henry is going to
have a fresh start somewhere else. I mean, I know
we've connected them so often to the Baltimore Ravens, who
have a bunch of free agents at the running back position.
On their own right, they'll perhaps they'll just say, all right,
we'll let those guys go and bring in Derek Henry
finally connect on what we've been speculating about at trade
deadlines in otherwise, Look, it's gonna be it's gonna be
(31:28):
the haves and the have nots again at the running
back position. There's gonna be that same cliff that you
always have because you can go out there and try
and make a run at Sae Kwon Barkley and Derreck
Henry and Josh Jacobs, and even if you have Tony power,
I don't think he is going to be in that echelon.
But then you fall off and you've got either veteran
guys like Ezekiel Elliott you can go after, or the
DeAndre Swifts or Zach Vosses.
Speaker 8 (31:50):
I mean, Zach Boss is gonna.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Wind up getting a nice payday for himself. But these
guys are looking to be up in the double digits,
which is where that franchise tag was last year. Now,
I'm told Saquon Barkley and the Giants had good discussions
in Indianapolis, which is fine. I just think in the end,
for Barkley, it's going to depend on and not that
this is a cop out, but this is my way
of answering it.
Speaker 8 (32:12):
It's going to depend on what everybody else is going
to be willing to do. I truly believe, because the
Giants are going to make a run at this.
Speaker 7 (32:17):
But the Giants started at a certain number, which was
why swallowed a half million dollars per year. I want
to say, back in October of twenty two, and then
that number wound up coming down each time they made
a run at it, and I don't know where it's
gonna wind up being on this go round, But again
I do know that they had good conversations so much
as last year when the when the deadline to do
a deal with Barkley in July came and went, and
(32:39):
I said, well, that's it.
Speaker 8 (32:40):
This is gonna be his last year with the Giants.
Speaker 7 (32:41):
He's And then shortly thereafter I had some conversations with
folks in the building and said, no, we're going to
make a run at this in the d We still
want this guy around. It's just it couldn't agree quite
on the compensation. So I'm not ruling his chances out
of resigning with the Giants. We'll be tracking it as
we get closer here.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I cannot say the Cowboys don't try to make a
move for him. He just fits with doing their run
game so well, the dual threat he possesses, and I'm
gonna get back at the Giant. It would be a
nice little, you know, taste of honey on the top
of that. As you've button up here, you know, we
know you're on the Eagles a lot. We saw Jason
Kelcey announce his retirement on Monday. Just your your thoughts,
(33:17):
maybe just on you know, his career, the retirement, his
future place, potentially in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
just anything, because you again, you've been around him an
awful lot.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
The biggest thing is the way that he and the
community and the city of Philadelphia jibed over the years.
And you know he made it sound simple. It's not simple, right, Like, yes,
you've got to play hard, right, but there's other elements
to it. You gotta be really good. You gotta be
really good. Let's not forget about that.
Speaker 8 (33:43):
At what you do.
Speaker 7 (33:44):
You've got to play hard, yes, but you also, you know,
you don't make any excuses. You certainly can't snap back.
If you ever take a shot back at the fans,
that'll be the death. Knew, most likely for your relationship
with the organization or with the city. Excuse me, but
I thought he understood the market be better than anybody
I have ever seen in my time growing up in
Philadelphia rooting for these teams and covering these teams. You know,
(34:08):
I stopped being an Eagles fan when I was covering
the Eagles because you got to be objective. It's just
so hard to be a fan anymore so his time
playing with the Eagles, I wasn't a fan of the team.
But the way that I cover him in the way
that I saw that he handled the media and the
relationship with the organization and the fan base is unlike
anything I've ever seen.
Speaker 8 (34:27):
You've got to appreciate that.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
I would imagine he's still going to have a role
within the organization. It sounds like it could be as
big of a role as he pretty much wants. But
there are other things that have already come across his
plate right now to do things way outside of the
realm of traditional NFL football players. Opportunities not supposed to say.
(34:50):
The one that I heard, which is the most interesting,
we'll see if winds up happening, but it is.
Speaker 8 (34:54):
It is incredible.
Speaker 7 (34:56):
The way that he is misted with that fan base
with that city. I'm sorry, Jens, I can't do it
with that fan base with that city.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (35:03):
And the way that that now over the last couple
of years has translated nationally as well, real.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Real quick and Madison.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I'm sorry for this, but I got to take it
to I got two Philly guys here, what does he
kind of rank, you know, kind of dovetailing off what
Mike said, what does he rank with both you guys
on some of the greatest athletes in terms of that
community relation whatever among Philly folks, and.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
He might be one. I don't think anybody else at
a head. I don't think I was a beer waiting
for them outside of their press conference like Jason had
today from fans. I mean, doctor Jay's legacy is still ridiculous.
Chase Suttley had an unbelievable relationship, but none of them
were as active in the community, probably as Jason has been.
Speaker 7 (35:45):
Yeah, Chase probably. I mean, you know, Mike Schmidt and
the city did not get along well at times. Now
that that's over the years, has has changed, you know,
with with with distance from from those moments, obviously people
have come to appreciate. You know, when I was growing up,
Eric Lindross was huge, and he didn't have a great
relationship with the city of Philadelphia and then down there
(36:07):
as well. So for Jason Kelcey, I think it was
you know, a yeah, but Iverson had off field stuff
that alienated some people, right like on the court in basketballwise, fine,
but there were extra curriculars that didn't sit well. Jason
Kelsey doesn't have that stuff. But I said this earlier,
I said the Eagles lost a leader, but the city
(36:28):
of Philadelpha that would say lost he. I mean, he's
still gonna be around, but as a player, the city
lost a leader here as far as an active voice
of an active player. Because he stepped up to talk
about Ben Simmons. He didn't mention him by name, but
he was talking about Ben Simmons, and that's when he
gave the talk about you know, people say it's hard
to play in this town.
Speaker 8 (36:47):
I think it's easy to play in this town.
Speaker 7 (36:49):
He was talking about Simmons, and shortly thereafter I think
he was shipped out of town. So Jason Kelcey has
a voice that has resonated across the city down there,
and again he's not going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Well, great stuff, Mike, Hey, appreciate your brother always. You
know it's gonna be busy time next couple weeks. We're
gonna have you back on the show. And coming up next,
Jeff Chadea is gonna let us know what teams have
to have a spectacular off season. We know the Bears
have draft picks and a tradable quarterback, but do they
lead his list?
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Oh, Jeff Youdea has got some good stuff coming up next.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
On the NFL Report. Oh boy, we are back at
the NFL Reports. Steve White here, James Palmer. We're joined
by our guard, Jeff Jadea, who's got his new first
(37:45):
read column dropping on Tuesday. Jeff, welcome back to the show.
It is been a minute and we are here to
stir it up.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Jeff as I've seen Jeff in person at India Bunch.
Yeah you remember seeing me?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Oh oh hey, now.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
The Times in early mornings.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I wasn't there. I don't need to hear any of this.
You guys can inform me off for the air, please,
all right?
Speaker 3 (38:11):
So, yeah, your your column is dealing with teams that
need to knock it out of the park this offseason.
We understand every team meets to hit on their draft
picks or freezing acquisitions or coaching highers, things like that.
But you're starting this off saying that Houston Texas over
the past two years.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Have had great drafts, they lead, they lead the field
and having to hit a home run here, what do
you mean by.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
This, well, I'm taking a big Bowl prediction here, making
a big Bull prediction here that you know, you can
talk about the Bengals and the Bills and the Ravens,
but the team that's best positioned to really give the
Chiefs or run for their money in the AFC, it's
going to be the Houston Texans right real quick.
Speaker 8 (38:53):
I'll go with the Houston.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Texans right now because TJ. Stroud looks that good.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
They've been that good in terms of player actually drafting,
and they have so much money to work with seven
to eight million dollars in salary cap space.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
They can go out and fill a lot of needs
right now.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
If they want to, you know, get help on the
defensive lining and go after a Chris Jones. They want
to go get a corner back, they can go make
a tray for of Jerius sneed or go after Jalen
Johnson Chicago Bears. You talked about Christian Wilkins being out
there in agency. He could be the guy they look
at a running back, say Kwon Barkley could be guy
they think they go after.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
So a lot of big players out there.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
I'm really popping up Nick Assario and Demiko Rians right now.
But I think that they are primed make a run
at the AFC the next couple of years.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
They do things right.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
I like that, Jeff. I love that. I love that, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Honestly, Jeff mentioned the seventy million dollars in space they have.
They also have more free agents than anybody else in football,
so they do got to fill a lot of different spots.
What I look at is the one name that Steve said,
Steve that he said was Chris Jones. I'm not saying
they're getting Chris Jones, but I am saying that's a
focal point for Jamiico Ryans. That defensive line is a
huge aspect of what he wants to do in terms
of building this team. You saw what he did in
(40:00):
one year in terms of where they were at able
to take a jump as a defensive line. I think
this is now a destination. I think Jef's kind of right.
I mean, you come to Texas, you come to Houston,
you want to play for Demiico Ryans, and you want
to play with CJ. Shroud. Their perception in the league
has dramatically changed in one year. How about jumping over
to the NFCS and the Detroit Lions. They're right there, Jeff.
(40:21):
Why do they have to have a massive offseason. They're
right there because they need to get them over the hump.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
You're not getting over the hump just by staying pat
And so when you look at what they have to
do again, I'm looking at even more than the Texans defense.
You finding a way to get a pass rusher in
there to help a and Hutchinson. Again, you will hear
Chris Jones' name a lot in this list because he
is that big of a name and he can have
that big of an impact. But adding a second pass
rusher there, like a Chris Jones, like somebody like Minnesota's
(40:49):
Daniel Hunter, Danelle Hunter, who's going to be out there,
who's going to be free, that could help them out
a lot.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
You go the back end again.
Speaker 4 (40:54):
I mentioned Jalen Johnson, who they've seen in that division
with Chicago. I really believe they're able to make some
moves in freegency. And I know Brad Holmes, the Darrell manager,
is not a big free agency guy, but they are
so close. One or two players here, big splash guys
puts them over the top of the NFC.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
I want to jump in real quick on that, Jeff.
What Brad Holmes is is a great evaluator of cornerbacks.
It was a big role in hit that he had
with the Rams, and that is a big need that
they have, whether they fill it in the draft or
free agency. Him evaluating personally in the cornerback spot, which
is in need for them, I think is a big
part of their offseason. Yes, yes, yes, for sure.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Okay, so Chicago first pick, ninth pick, probably get some
capital when they trade justin fields.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
We don't know what that will be.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Now you say this is a team that needs to
knock out of the park, obviously so because Matt Eberflus
is on a one year life preserver to add to
all of that, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
Yeah, well I didn't even think it's about ebra Flus.
Speaker 4 (41:50):
It's about them being in the position everybody would love
to be in where they got a ton of money.
They've got the first pick in the draft, they got
the ninth pick in the draft, and they have to
make a splash pick. They can't not make a splash.
All those things going in their favorite you can't screw
this up. You have to do something that gets people
going excited about your franchise, and so look what you're gonna.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Say, Maybe you can screw it up. Don't put it
out for Jeff history. There there's a history.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Caleb Williams a good draft pick. Look as soon as
they trade justin Fields, everything falls in place for these guys.
And I'm excited for Ryan Poles who's been with the
Fantasy Chiefs. He's winning for his opportunity to draft his
own quarterback. And again they can a lot of money.
Chris Shownes once again makes sense. Then'll Hunter makes sense.
I think Angeline Winfield junior. They got rid of Eddie Jackson.
(42:39):
That safety could be a guy who they look at. Certainly,
you can find some second tier with receivers out there
to help your offense if you're gonna draft receivers. So
gave Davis, Marquis Brown, Josh Reynolds.
Speaker 9 (42:50):
I could see a lot of guys Number nine, big brother,
they're gonna get somebody right there in the draft and
wide receiver too.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
No, they're they're sitting pretty. That's a good call. And
I think there are thirty one teams that wont Antoine Winfield.
Thirty two include Tampa as well. Everybody would like to
get their hands on him. I love what you're saying.
The biggest thing to me jet that stands out is
in their evaluation process of Kayleb Williams because I'm joking
about maybe you can screw this up. A big part,
I'm told is making sure his makeup can handle playing
(43:19):
quarterback for the Chicago Bears. It is almost, as some
people around the league say, a difficult, maybe cursed position.
It is just a hard spot to succeed in. We
just haven't seen it in that sense. How does he
handle stepping into that. It's been a big part of
their evaluation and sticking with quarterback the Atlanta Falcons, you
need a big off season when you are as they
(43:40):
put it a quarterback away as a roster yep.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
Yeah, And that really is the only move they have
to make here. It's not about a bunch of moves,
big off season splash move. It's about one move. It's
about quarterback. And I feel like Kirk Cousins is.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
Going to end up being that quarterback people want to combine.
It just seems like the mikey would love to have
him back.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
We all know when teams start talking about how much
they love you, how much they want to keep you.
That's always the kind of the scarlet letter, so to speak,
when it comes to create and see. And I just
don't feel as if the Vikings are going to go
the extra mile, spend the money is going to take
to keep her Cousins happy.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
His wife's from Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Zach Robinson, who's an ex RAMS coach, who he knows
that system, the same system as Kevin O'Connell runs. He
was with those guys, he knows Raheem Morris. There's a
lot of things tying him to Atlanta right now that
makes sense. The biggest thing being we know Kirk Cousins
loves his money.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
They got money to spend on it.
Speaker 9 (44:32):
Thank you, thank you everyone, everyone just like, hey, you know,
we know Kirk's this guy, that guy, he loves his
paper quarterbacks are paid what they are today because those
cash and Washington.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Franchising him three times real quick.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
You've got the colt here at number five and James
and I found is very interesting because is it really
that pressing because Anthony Richardson is basically going to be
a rookie playing again, don't they have more of a
grace period so to speak?
Speaker 4 (44:59):
Well, that would be the case they were in a
different division, but they're in the AFC South, and we've
seen Jacksonville Jaguars go from being the worst team in
football to being a division champion.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
We've seen the Texans do it last year.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And if for the Colts, you cannot stay in patt
and just think it's all going to work out in
your favor. You got two young quarterbacks in your division.
You got a couple of smart general managers who've made
some moves here. And I know Chris Ballard just as
you know Brad Holme is not a big, just go
after and be big and free agency type guy.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
But they got to make some smart moves.
Speaker 4 (45:27):
They got to be more explosive on offense around their
quarterback Anthony Richardson. They gotta get better on defense and
the back end. They got fun on their edge rusher,
and so I look at corner, I look at safety,
I look at edge rusher, defensive tackle, and certainly receiver
and tied end. They got to fill those positions be
ready to go because that division is not They don't
be third place that division next season.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Man, We're talking about the AFC South completely differently than
we used to talk about Sea South, and they got
Shane Stike and they did hit on the coach a
year ago. I think that's almost solidified already real quick, Jeff.
The other team you were talking about, maybe curious about
putting on this list, the Philadelphia Eagles. I wants your
take on Philly right now, because that is one of
the more interesting spots in terms of an offseason, especially
(46:09):
with Howie Roseman running the show.
Speaker 4 (46:11):
It is, and we know Howie Roseman always loves to
make big moves and is certainly a genius when it
comes to player acquisition. But I was thinking about them
more so because of the culture. You know, they obviously
have to find help a linebacker, they got to get
faster at corner. But to me, like it's really more
about how they handle all the things that went on
last year at the end of the season. They've got
(46:31):
two new coordinators coming in and Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio,
so that'll help. But really it's more of a locker
room thing. So I felt like those other teams we
just mentioned, they can make some moves and be better.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
Just because of that.
Speaker 4 (46:43):
The ego's got to get through some things that are
a lot more complicated.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Okay, I think it. It is complicated, and you know
what they do. They know how to fix things quickly.
In Philadelphia, Hi Rose is one of the best at
flipping a roster or flipping a culture. However he does it.
They find their way to get back pretty quick into
the mix, and we'll see if that can happen. Jeff
appreciate it. Thanks for throwing beginning of the segment. I
didn't Joins. I'll talk to you soon, buddy.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
Yeah, okay, that's good man.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
Yeah, thanks, all right. Coming up the NFL Report on Thursday,
we will have a brand spanking new show. Lancer Line
was at the combine covering every single aspect of this draft.
We'll have him doing the show. Mark Ross was on
the field watching all of it. He will join the
show and Jane Slater as well. What happens with the
Dallas Cowboys. We hated at a running back, a big
(47:32):
name running back. We'll see what Jane says on Thursday,
seven o'clock Eastern on the NFL Report. Welcome back to
the NFL Report. James Palmer, Steve Weich with you. We'd
(47:53):
like to remember I believe Steve everyone's friend. Chris Mortensen
from ESPN past away at the age of seventy two,
and really Steve from myself and a lot of younger
journalists maybe yourself included a north star essentially in terms
of reporting, being accurate, sourcing, but more importantly integrity, kindness, generosity,
(48:20):
things that oftentimes fall by the wayside in our business
because of the competitive nature of it. I have in
front of me just messages that mord has sent me
that are they just feel different Steve, than getting a
compliment or any type of you know, just connection with
another reporter when it comes from more, Hey, we're a
(48:41):
dying breed. Keep doing what you're doing. You know that
he respects the way you're doing it with integrity, that
ability to reach out to those colleagues, and whether they're
friends of his or not, he still found a way
to reach out to them, Steve, and always kind of
just have such a respect for our business. That's the
part that I'll remember the most about More.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Yeah, even handed, like you said, develop great trust. He's
somebody no matter who you were, you always found a
way to build you up. One of the great human
beings ever in our business. He was one of the
first insiders him and Lenny Pascarelli, both Atlanta guys, you
know our ties to Atlanta, who broke big news, broke
important news. They broke it with the integrity that had
(49:22):
everybody trusting them more rest in power. James and I
felt the need just to you know, say condolences to
your family and all those who loved him. We want
to thank all of our guests for today's show on
the NFL Report and also listen to the podcast wherever
you get your podcast
I'm Jason Kelsey and you're watching the NFL Report. I'm
James Bulmer. That's Steve Wiss. This is the NFL Report,
and that was the recently retired after thirteen glorious seasons
in Philadelphia, Jason Kelsey. We'll get to a conversation about
(00:21):
his career with my brother from Philadelphia, Mike Garrifolo, who
will also break down Mike Evans contract and what that
does for the free agent wide receiver market. We also
have John Beck on the show, Steve, who's working with
JJ McCarthy, Jayden Daniels, Michael Pennix. He also works with c. J. Stroud,
Dak Prescott, Zach Wilson, all of them, and will also
have Jeff Shittia telling us who needs to have a
(00:44):
big off season in his mind, but one of those
teams that's not on his list needs a big offseason.
That's a Denver Broncos because they are changing quarterbacks. Russell
Wilson officially released Steve. Your initial thoughts are.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
What, yeah, how about this?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Three minutes after it was officially released, Russ went ahead
and posted his goodbye to teammates and people like that
in Denver. So he knew this was coming. We all
knew this was coming. So now the question is where
does Russell Wilson land? And this is super intriguing to
me because you know, people are gonna connected to Pittsburgh
because we're connecting everybody to Pittsburgh. People can connect them
(01:20):
to Washington because he's from Richmond, Virginia, you know, about
ninety minutes away. But I'm kind of sitting here like,
if the Minnesota Vikings aren't able to retain Kirk Cousins,
they've got to be a potential landing spot JP for
Russell Wilson. Sure, I think maybe they're going to draft
a quarterback, but they have someone there like Russell Wilson
who could hold it down because I think that's where
(01:41):
he is right now. It's kind of a bridge type
quarterback to hold it down while they get their rookie ready.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
That might be something that they have to do.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
But this is you know, look, no surprise, we knew
Russell and Sean weren't moving forward.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
And JP, what what might the Broncos do?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Now we know they're in that eleven, twelve thirteen draft
range right there with the Vikings and the Raiders. They're
all in the quarterback market. What are they going to
do to try to rebuild their quarterback situation and their
roster knowing that Russell Wilson is still going to hit
them pretty hard on the salary cap.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
He definitely is. They're a rebuilding at the quarterback position
once again in Denver. As I sit inside the team
facility right now, this will be in twenty twenty four.
Steve the seventh different week one starting quarterback for the
Denver Broncos since Peyton Manning retired after they won the
Super Bowl in two thousand and fifteen. They are looking
(02:34):
for a quarterback that brings something different than what they
had with Russell Wilson, specifically Steve, and we've talked about
this on the program and Sean Payton has not hit
it at all. It is the ability to multitask at
the quarterback spot, processing of information, ability to go through
all of the dialogue quickly, ability to go through processing
(02:55):
the defense extremely quickly. These are things that are highly
valued by Sean Payton and Peyton just didn't believe that
Russell Wilson possessed them to the level that he would
like to now what they do moving forward. There are
quarterbacks in the draft that do that, and they might
have to move up for one of them. We'll see
where they stand as you're mentioning as a quarterback option
in the first round. But also you mentioned Minnesota if
(03:16):
they can't keep kirk Cousins, what there are some people
on that coaching staff there that I've spoken with think
it might be difficult to keep him. That is a
spot that he could potentially land. The Denver Broncos. They
are obviously interested because of what I listed, Steve. Kirk
Cousins checks a lot of those boxes you mentioned.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
They have the money though, if they have the papers.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
They do have the ability to move some things around.
They do have the ability to move some things around,
and if anybody's good at kicking money down the road,
we know Sean Payton did it forever with Drew Brees'
contract in New Orleans, so they do have some flexibility,
especially with the cap going up as well. But you
would think drafting a quarterback is definitely on their radar
right now. Sean Payton did tell us at the combine,
(03:58):
Steve that we will get this one right, and he
believes their ability to evaluate quarterbacks is superior than some
of the other teams around the league. That's the interestingst
part of this evaluation. We'll see if Sean Payton can
do that. But he said that to us at the combine,
Steve and also went on at the combine, we had
a record breaking forty roll the tape.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Elsie unofficial four two five in his first run, and
he's gonna run it again to try and get John
Roses four to two to two.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Oh, let's keep running right out of the stadium four
two one official. I watch it, come on my whole life,
sen John Ross moone. They tell me you peek at
the rights high times now, so he's all came in
the right time.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Just watched the fastest forty in the history of the
NFL Scouting Combine.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Who yeah, right right right right right on to Xavier Worthy.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
You know for running that was my that was my
thirty yards split back in the day when I have
run it at four two one. Well, look, you know
that was a big buzz. It was fun watching it.
You know, we watch in real time. We love seeing
the athleticism, We love talking moreball people who really weren't
at the front.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Of the list. But what caught my eye coming out
of the combine, and it's with wide receivers.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Was Brian Thomas out of LSU, one of the you know,
the top four or five rated wide receivers running a
four to three three and he's six three two and
ten pounds. Again, he's a likely first round wide receiver,
as are several people you know who we didn't see
Ron and performed, guys like rome A, Dunzae, Marvin Harrison,
Junior JP. And when we look at free agency coming
(05:36):
up right, we see Mike Evans and the Buccaneers has already.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Been re signed.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I look at all of these stud draft pick wide receivers.
Look at these guys Marvin Harrison, Malik Neighbors at LSU,
Roma Dunzee, Brian Thomas, Troy Franklin, and now.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Look at the guys who they're up against Freeancy.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Michael Pitt, mccalvin Ridley, Marquise Brown, Gabe Davis, Tyler Boyd,
players like that, JAP. I can't I helped to think
that that market for those free agent wide receivers may
not be overly aggressive, as some of these wide receiver
needy teams will say, We're just going to draft one
of these guys because we know how the potential star
powered is there, and they're on rookie contracts.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You don't have to dull out the big Brey.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, and I would even throw in teams that are
not wide receiver Needy Steve because of the rookie contract
you're mentioning, and because of how polished these players are
coming out. When I talked to multiple teams around the
league that sat down with those guys that are on
that list on the left hand side, they were blown
away and Steve not just by obviously how they played
the position and how NFL ready they are, but how
(06:38):
smart they were and how those interviews went so well,
you're getting wide receiver one possibility with a lot of
these guys right out of the gate. And Bucky Brooks
has said it on our show multiple times that because
of the seven on seven world, these guys have been
running these routes and really since they were about eight
years old, and they're unbelievably polished coming out. And the
(06:58):
other part of it is, if you can throw that
graphic back up, Madison, those guys on that left hand
side are coming out into the NFL being able to
play inside, being able to play outside steam Point and
they're being able to be flexible wide receivers. Four teams
right out of the gate, and I think that makes
them even more marketable. Now to the right hand side,
(07:19):
the name at the top with Michael Pittman Junior. My
understanding is that's the name the league is looking at
right now. Steve. We know that this wide receiver free
agency market's a little bit different, but what the teams
want to see is where does he go if he's
franchised tag Maybe that changes some of it. But with
the added salary cap, this is a group that was
usually squeezed. Where are the numbers for these free agent
(07:42):
wide receivers because we did have a big jump in
the salary cap. So where these two groups play off
of one another is very interesting. But on that left
hand side, we could have five of them in the
first round, three of them in the top ten. It
is fascinating what's happening with the wide receiver spot.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Well, ja, if you alluded to it, let's just take
a quick look.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And this was a great work by Clifton Dutton, our
researcher here on the NFL Report. These are rookies who
led their team in receiving last year, Poka Nakuas eight flowers,
Jayden Reed, Domrio Douglas.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
That's four led their team in receiving.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Twenty twenty two, Garrett Wilson Chris Olave both over a
thousand yards, Drake London, and then at twenty twenty one,
you've got Jamar Chase fourteen hundred yards, Jalen Wattle more
than a thousand, aman Ros Saint Brown, Elijah Moore.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
These guys are ready.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Teams aren't afraid to draft wide receivers anymore because, like
you said, they've been playing seven on seven since they've been.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Nine years old.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
You know, though, they've got to have somebody throw the
ball to them. JP and coming up tracked. This is
going to be some stellar stuff. We're going to be
talking to John Beck, a private quarterback trainer who works
only with some of the best draft prospects, but some
of the best quarterbacks playing in the NFL. Right now,
(08:53):
that's coming up next on the NFL Reports, it's time
for the lead Block, presented by Team Mobile for Business,
a sport as fast as football deserves America's fastest five
(09:15):
G network, businesses.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Go further with T Mobile for Business.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Oh yeah, we are back at the NFL Report, James Palmer,
and we are now joined by John Beck, who's a
private quarterback coach with three d QB their company. And
this might be the busiest man in America right now,
especially with these ags. He trained several quarterbacks at the Combine.
He works a lot of guys already in the league. John,
thanks so much for joining us here at the NFL Report.
(09:41):
And speaking of the Combine. Okay, you've got Michael Pennix,
You've got JJ McCarthy. Would love just to kind of
get your immediate review of how they performed this weekend.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Well, I thought they had good throwing sessions.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I think that's kind of the main thing when you're
at quarterback and you're theres you just want to let
people to coach just see you now what for some
of them, it's the first time live, you know. I know,
scouts and general managers and assistant gms have seen these
guys play throughout the season during their college games, but
this is really the first time for an NFL coach
to be field level with those guys and so to
(10:15):
be able to you know, Mike felt felt good about
his performance, so did JJ. I mean there's always going
to be those couple of pros where they're throwing the
guys they'd never thrown to. Maybe the routes a little
different than what they anticipated and it's not quite they
hooked it with have been. But I tell the guys, look,
it's not about being perfect about going out there knowing
these teams who you are and give him a chance
to see you live.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
And I think both guys did a pretty good job
of that.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
John, I'm looking, you know, talking to guys around around
the league. They really like Michael's performance in this combine
setting and the throwing session. I don't think that's a
surprise to anyone with the way that he throws the football.
I kind of want to look back too years past.
Is there anybody that threw at the combine that you've
worked with or that you know really dramatically helped themselves
after everybody got a chance to see them throw up close.
(10:57):
Because when these quarterback coaches and guys can stand right
behind you, did that change or improve anybody's perception that
you've worked with in the years past.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Well, I think I'm just going to use last year's combine. CJ.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
Stroud decided to throw last year and he probably didn't
need to throw, but he decided to do it. And
I just remember afterwards the number of text messages I
got because guys were just like wow, I mean I
saw good stuff on tape, but that was awesome. And
I remember CJ feeling great about his performance.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
He was happy that he did it.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
I mean, and that to me was coaches loved that
he went out there and threw. CJ nailed it, had
a great performance. And so it's not like it really
like improved his stock. I mean, you kind of knew
that him and Bryce were the top guys, but I
think for a lot of teams they said, wow, that
ball really just jumps off his hand and spins so clean,
and you know, so yes, it was a definite you know,
(11:53):
man teams, really I think, wait, what you can say,
you know, answered questions or got a great first look
that really said and this guy, this guy's talented. You know,
that's the first thing that popped in my head. Ye, CJ,
right there did a great job.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Well, if we talked about Michael Panics and JJ McCarthy,
but you also trained the hydro Trophy winner Jayden and
Daniels and stylistically, these are three very different types of players, Like,
how do you go about training them and prepping them
knowing that they've got different skill sets to amplify those strengths.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Well, I think I wouldn't be able to answer that
question without talking about our team of coaches here. Taylor
Kelly and Adam Dato spent a lot of time with
these guys as well, and really it's a team effort
from all of us. Taylor Kelly's won that spends a
ton of time with Jaden throughout the last couple of seasons,
and so the amount of work that they put in. Yes,
each guy's different, and we can't train every guy alike,
and the things that we can recognize that their body's
(12:45):
capable of or that they can do, we really try
to capitalize on those things.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
And speaking of Jada, and he's such a unique.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Individual, and I've really watched him progress over the last
twenty months as a thrower, and he's so flicky with
the ball right now, and his accuracy as he progresses
through throws really gone up.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
And I mean you just saw it on display all
throughout the season.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
And when you have somebody that's that capable in the
throwing game now, and then he has the athleticism to
go with it. It's why he had such a remarkable year.
But I look at those statistics that you guys threw
up right there, forty touchdowns to four interceptions with a
seventy two percentage in the sec. You can't do that
unless you are a premier thrower. And really that's where
Jaden advanced in his game as a thrower, and it
(13:25):
was awesome to see it on display during the twenty
three season.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
John, When you look at Jaden and we're looking at
his size right there too. That's one of the very
few questions about his game I hear when I ask
around the league. Is this one of those things you've
been around so many quarterbacks, work with them, seeing them
grow from their college maybe body to what their NFL
body can become. Is he one of those guys that
can put on I don't know, ten fifteen pounds in
(13:49):
the first maybe two years, And how do you kind
of gauge that or maybe make sure teams can understand
that about his body type.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
Yeah, that is a question that you know, people do ask.
I think when you see his frame's a frame is
going to be easy to add weight to it.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
You know, I think that sometimes.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Those guys that are the leaner guys just kind of
genetically but they have that elite you know, speed and
that kind of like shiftiness, Like you don't want that
guy being the two twenty guy. You're not going to say, hey,
well we really need you to sit back in the
pocket and be able to take those hits. Like he's
probably always going to be a little bit on that
leaner side because of his game, but his frame is
(14:25):
definitely capable of putting some weight on. And I think
that that kind of happens naturally. I've seen with guys
they have kind of that like fresh out.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
Of college body.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
It's really only a few years removed from that freshman
high you know, hey, I graduated from high school. I
got that one hundred you know, eighty eight, two hundred
and ninety five pound freshman body.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Well that all of a sudden just continues to progress.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
And now all of a sudden, they get in their
mid twenties, they start getting twenty six, twenty seven years old,
and now that five ten extra pounds.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
It's just there because the body is maturing.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
But you know, when you stand side by side with
Jayden or you put him next to people that are
too ten two fifteen. You see from a frame standpoint,
that's going to be easy for him to add on
as the years go. And as long as he can
maintain his athleticism and speed while adding those pounds, then great.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
That grown man strength is whether you know, of course
they like to call it, is that natural maturity. I
got a question for you about j J McCarthy because
we talked about it on the show. Like an incredibly
talented player, a super high recruit, but he wasn't asked
necessary to always win ball games with his arm, right.
It's the leadership most tangible, those intangible types of things.
(15:31):
What about a player like him who maybe when he
goes to the NFL he can show off a skill
set or a talent that wasn't actually asked to be
you know, enunciated the way it is with some of these.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Other quarterback Yeah.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Well, you know, this is a conversation we've had as
we prepare him for what teams are going to ask
and what evaluators.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Are going to be saying.
Speaker 6 (15:51):
You know, and to him when when you talk to him,
he says, in practice, we were always preparing ourselves to
win games that way if we needed to. Always spending
time on two minute preparation, we were always spending time
on red zone reps, knowing the football like all of
those things were things that they practiced a lot. So,
you know, it just was given the situation that his
(16:11):
team was usually winning in games, he wasn't asked to
have to go out there and win the game in
the fourth quarter except for one, and he did it
right against Alabama and.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
The rolls ball and he did it.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
But when you talk to him about preparation for those situations,
he feels very prepared because of the work that they
put in. Knowing we are going to be a national
championship football team somewhere along that road, We're going to
have to win the game that way, and so he
has a lot of reps in practice.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
It's just his team didn't have to do it a
lot in games.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
That's great information, man, I get that. And kind of
grouping these three guys together, you look at the number
of starts that they had John at the collegiate level,
you had a lot of starts at Pleeves left. What
are you learning about these quarterbacks that come to you
in this process and they're getting ready for the league.
But they've played a lot of college football. Now, the
name that everybody in the NFL heeps talk talking about
(17:00):
is maybe that was an advantage for Brock Purty, right,
the number of games that he played at the collegiate level.
What maybe about their games with all of these snacks
that these three guys you're working with right now have played,
that gives you maybe is it a different starting point,
is it a different conversation you have with them during
this process?
Speaker 5 (17:18):
Well, I think you nailed it as you were posing
that question.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
The first game that popped in my head was brought
Purty because I do think experience matters. I think the
amount of games you've played in college, and not only
the number of games, but the experiences that you've had
in those games. What have you been asked to do?
Speaker 5 (17:33):
What does your team needed from you?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
I mean when I was young in the league, Bill
Parcells had the you know, these are my things that
a quarterback has to have done in college or I
will not consider taking them. And some of those were
tied back to experience. So as I look at these guys,
you know, yes, I do think the timetable can be different.
You know, right now in the NFL, when you select
the guy high, it's very difficult to hold off from
(17:55):
playing in especially if the team's not winning ball games early.
So hey, you may have a plan to take a
guy and say, hey, we're going to let this guy
sit a little bit, We're gonna let this guy develop,
But you don't always get that opportunity because of the
situation that your team is in, and so guys can
be forced to play earlier than they probably should. And
I think when you look at all of these quarterbacks,
that's something you got to take into consideration. Okay, we
(18:18):
love this guy, we're intrigued by him, we think he's talented.
We want to take this guy. When might we have
to play him. Do we have the luxury of giving
him some time to develop? Or he can be one
of those guys where, if you know, we don't start
off great at the beginning of the season with another quarterback,
there's going to be that pressure for us to put
our first round quarterback out on the field. And now,
depending on the experiences that he's had to spending on
(18:39):
the situations he's played in in games, you know, even offenses.
Two of those guys have had to switch offenses when
they switched universities, right, you know. And it's no knock
on JJ, but he got to play in one offense
the entire time and it benefited him. And that's one
of the reasons why those guys got to be so successful.
And so it's just tough because you don't know the
situation they're going to land in. You don't know the
timetable when they got to be a starter. Experience always
(19:01):
always helps when you are thrust into the scene.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
I'm so glad you said that, because I do think
the evaluation because of Rock Perry, the NFL evaluation on
these quarterbacks might feel a little different to Hey, Michael
Pennix played five years, right, so we.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Can put him in because he played in big games.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
He's seen circumstances. Someone's only played, you know, eighteen or
nineteen games, hasn't. I want to get to your other
point playing the guy early and that's you.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
You worked with CJ.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Stroud and we saw how he came in and had
arguably the greatest rookie quarterback season of anybody. Knowing him
and working with him, how does he take it to
the next level.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Oh man, Well, first off, anytime you have that type
of success early, now there comes an expectation, right, and
I think you know, like one of the cool things
about CJ stories last year was who expected the Houston
Texans with you know, a rookie quarterback to do what
they did? And so there wasn't really an expectation. These
guys probably at times got to feel like they're playing
a little bit house money. Now, that doesn't take away
(19:58):
from the pressure. Every NFL team feels pressure on Sundays,
especially a team that had an opportunity to make a
playoff run, right, to get into the playoffs, win the
division and.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
All of that.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
So they understand pressure.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Now the pressure is going to be a little bit different,
right because now there's a bit of an expectation, you know.
And so to see jam My guess is and there's
probably a reason why he's already started his offseason work
is because he's saying, I like that expectation. I like
that as a competitive guy, the way that he's built,
he's saying, fine, this is what I always wanted it
to be. So now I'm going to just try to
advance and every way it possibly can and it's actually
(20:30):
going to go back to that word of experience. Now
here's a young man that has an entire rookie year
under his belt that is just going to do nothing.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
But help him.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
He gets to keep the same offense, same coordinator, same
crew of guys around him. It's going to be great
to see his progression over this offseason into the next season.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I'm going to stay in the state of Texas because
you also work with Dak Prescott. You've done it several,
you know, several off seasons, and I love an added
aspect of his game that maybe we saw in years
past John but was kind of gone for was him
creating and playing outside the pocket. When I talked to
people in Dallas, they were so excited to have that back.
They said, maybe it was the fear of the injury.
(21:08):
They're not entirely sure, but that added back into his game.
What did you like about Dak's year that he had
and maybe were there any conversations you guys had heading
into last year that you maybe wanted to add that
aspect or saw that other aspect. I'm kind of curious
for your tape.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
Well, I think that's a natural part of Dak's game.
I do think that the injury, you know, a few
years back, definitely impacted that. And I watched that guy
just work relentless for years to come back from that, right,
and it takes time. I mean, that was a significant injury.
That is not just something that you quickly overcome. So,
I mean, Dak is one of the most competitive dudes
(21:46):
I've ever been around. He worked so hard and I think,
you know, Kings, things kind of came together this year
that allowed him to be that version of himself to
create and he created a lot of plays. I thought
he had an outstanding near I know it ended in
a tough way, you know, is really bitter taste in
those guys mouth have the season that showed a lot
of signs of promise and that way, But I love
I mean, I'm seeing these clips right here. I mean
(22:08):
that that to me is all of the things that
Dak possessed his and to come back from that injury.
It's a testament of Dak's work that he put in,
and also the team of people around and you know,
the medical staff and the et people that put time
into helping him get back to that place. That's what
he's capable of, right there, all those things that we
saw this year. I mean there there was a stretch
of games where it looked like he was one of
(22:29):
the faperits to be the MVP, right And so you know,
it's great to see Dak back in that place. And
as he gets working this offseason, I'm sure he's going
to continue to just want to keep growing in all
those areas that he can. And with what happened last year,
there's probably that that mindset to really just grinding get.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
After it this year and it should be a great
offseason for him.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I only go about forty five seconds here, but you
also worked with Zach Wilson, whose career with the Jets
looks like it's coming to an end. It seems like,
you know the Jets, you know when you hear what
they're saying that you know he's going to be.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Gone from there.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
How was a young man who's been through everything he's
been through get his confidence back even to play as
a backup? Like, how do you you know him? How
does he get it back really feel like playing football
is funny?
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Again?
Speaker 6 (23:09):
Well, Zach's a gritty kid, and this experience that he
had at the New York Jets. I know that he
probably wishes it would have gone a little bit different,
But just like anybody has to do in life, you
just have to stay gritty, You got to push through,
you got to stay persistent, and that's exactly what he's doing.
And I think an opportunity, you know, to be able
to continue to grow somewhere, it would be exactly what
he needs. And I think he's excited for the offseason,
(23:32):
you know, I think. I mean, look, life, life sometimes
just throws these major curve balls, man, and it would
have been really cool to see things go great for Zach,
for the coaches that were there. I mean, I had
a chance to be in that building. There's a lot
of good dudes in that building. It just didn't work.
And sometimes that happens in the NFL. And it doesn't
mean that the players not talented or the coaches. It
mean it's just sometimes it doesn't work.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
And so I think an.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Opportunity to kind of reset and use all that experience
that he has. I mean, the kids played in thirty
something football games, and like I mentioned before, like he's
a tough kid, and this this situation that he's had
to go through is just gonna make him tougher, and
you know, then you just move on from there and
you stay positive and you hope that he can land
a place that's going to allow him to continue to grow.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Awesome, awesome, stub job. We're going to talk to you
for probably the duration of our entire show because I
love what you guys do at three D QWOB. It's
not like you just but it's not like you just
prepare guys for the draft. I mean they keep coming
back for a reason because you're doing such a good
job keeping them playing at a high level and adding
to why they're playing. This isn't just prepping them for
the draft. This is keeping quarterbacks playing at a high level,
(24:34):
and you guys do a brilliant job of it. So
thank you so much. Thank you having time John to
spend some time with us.
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Steve and I, oh yeah, you guys are welcome. Thank
you for the kind words.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Man. I love this job.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I love working with these guys. And it's like you said,
like when I get a chance to work with these
young guys, these.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
Guys JJ McCarthy, Mike Pennix, Jayden Daniels, these are guys
we've been training for three three plus years. So I
love just trying to help these guys with not only
this process but man their career. And so thank you,
thank you for noticing that I appreciate the words.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
That's a rap for the lead block presented by T
Mobile for Business Sports as fast as Football deserve America's
fastest five G network. Businesses go further with T Mobile
for Business. Coming up on the NFL Report, it's going
to be Mike Evans going back to Tampa Bay, the
man who broke the story. My good buddy, Mike Carrifolo,
the insider for this show, joined Steve and I next
(25:23):
on the NFL Report. Welcome back to the NFL Report,
James Palmer, Steve wife. A few things just feel more
comfortable now, don't they, Steve. We have our NFL Report insider,
(25:45):
Mike Garrifolo back with us, and everything just is alright
with the world. We had a wonderful time in Indianapolis, Mike.
We broke bread a couple of times. One was touching
go for a second there, but we made it out
all right, and you break the news now that we're
out of Indianapolis with Mike Evans re signing with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How does this go down? And then
also how does this impact the rest of the wide
(26:07):
receiver free agent market with the guy at the top
of the class now resigning.
Speaker 7 (26:12):
As I left Indianapolis, James, I thought that this was
going to go the other way. I thought Mike Evans
was going to get a fresh start somewhere else. Didn't
seem like the Buccaneers' efforts in Indianapolis with Derek Gilmore,
who is Mike Evans agent, we're going to.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
Result in a deal.
Speaker 7 (26:26):
But things changed within the last couple of days, and
the Bucks really stepped up within the last couple of
days because the buzz in Indianapolis was a bunch of
teams were getting ready to pounce on Mike Evans here,
who was going to be thirty one but yet still
commanding and not top of the receiver market because this
is going to be into the thirties. But we're talking
about twenty six million dollars per season over two years.
(26:49):
But he tied for the league leading touchdowns last year
and has been at a thousand yard clip for his
entire career. So this is a big retain by the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were also still looking to to
retain Baker Mayfield. I think in the end that winds
up happening, and could happen this week, well before the
start of free agency. It sounds like they had fruitful
talks in Indianapolis between Baker Mayfield representatives and the Buccaneers.
(27:12):
But there is still work doing. There's still gonna be
other teams that could potentially be interested. But getting Evans
back that is going to be a big incentive for
Mayfield to return. You talked about that receiver market. If
you want to call Evans the top guy there, Michael
Pittman with the Colts, one way or another, he's going
to stay in Indianapolis, whether it's the franchise tag or
what not. T Higgins already been franchise tag. So you know,
(27:34):
Calvin Ridley now looking like he's going to be at
the top of the market. Hollywood Brown Odell. I mean,
it's not the deepest class gave Davis. That's a big
body guy. If you want to compare to Mike Evans,
Mike Williams who could come free from the Chargers, another
big body guy. So if i'm those guys, I say, Okay,
this guy just came off the market as that prototypical
big body X type guy.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
That should help me, I think if you're looking at
those guys.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Michael James and I talked earlier in the show though
about how all of these outstanding rookies coming out could
really impact negatively impact guys like the Gabe Davises and
the Marquis Browns of the world. Like, let's get to
the fact that the franchise tag deadline expires Tuesday, right,
and we could have guys like Stone Cold Jones and
Christian Wilkins hitting free agency, Like what what does that mean?
(28:22):
Especially when you look at you know, some of the
draft analyst rankings, defensive tackle is probably one of the
thinner positions among the prospects this year.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
That's what Chris Jones, who yeah, Chris jon Yes, exactly,
Chris Jones, who this year took a hit to come
back to the Kansas City Chiefs. Here sitting at that
first game and then hitting the second incentive in week eighteen.
I'm laughing because I can't forget the scene of his
teammates celebrating with him in week eighteen when he got that.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
What a scene that was.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
Look still at the top of his game, still at
the top of his interview game. Because if you watch
James Palmer get Chris Jones after a big game, you
know there's gonna be something special in that one on
one interview and listen. He may stay in the West games,
he may stay in the exactly so you may still
continue to get your chances with these games that you're covering.
To get Chris Jones, you just gotta beat the Chiefs
(29:13):
when he faces him if he wants to be with
James Palmer, because you've got to win the thing to
get with Palmer.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
But yeah, he listened. Between him and Christian Wilkins. Wilkins
a horrific player.
Speaker 7 (29:24):
The Dolphins have made several attempts to kind of lock
him up and get him under contract.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Hasn't quite happened to this point. So yeah, those two
guys big bags of money coming their way.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well, hold hold up, Mike, hold up, hold up. You
said he may stay in the AFC West. You cannot leave.
You cannot leave him hanging here. Brother, there's only three
other teams.
Speaker 7 (29:40):
You gotta help us, thinking, Yeah, well, multiple teams in
the AFC West need help. The defensive line I'm just
saying that the place where he played his last game
as a Chief maybe his first game as somebody.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (29:56):
I'm just saying I don't know who knows, and that
could be that the team is maybe for Week one.
Maybe that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
I haven't seen an advanced schedule. I have no idea.
I'm just trying to find a way to not allude
to the fact that it's the Raiders. I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Well done, Hey, well done, brother, good job, Mike.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I love that because I think about this, Mike, like
you look at what's going on in Kansas City, and
it looks like they're gonna, you know, tag l Jerious
need and then they're gonna let him maybe possibly seek
a trade or they could end up dealing him in
a sense that could also come into play. That that's
some of their thinking. If they can get Chris Jones
under thirty.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
I don't know if that's possible.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
When we're talking about how desperate some of these teams
may be at the defensive tackle spot, is that realistic?
But maybe that's part of the Chiefs thinking of trying
to bring him back. Also, two of their names. I
look at in a position that's just fascinating. It's not
deep in the draft. It's the running back spot. And
then you have two names like Saquon Barkley and Derrick
Henry out there. I bring them up because they're not
(30:52):
normal human beings playing the running back position. Their skill set,
their ability almost outliers in a lot of people's mind.
Where do things stand at the running back spot with
those two guys, because it's similar to the d tackle
spot with not a lot of guys coming out in
the draft there.
Speaker 7 (31:08):
Yeah, it does feel like Derek Henry is going to
have a fresh start somewhere else. I mean, I know
we've connected them so often to the Baltimore Ravens, who
have a bunch of free agents at the running back position.
On their own right, they'll perhaps they'll just say, all right,
we'll let those guys go and bring in Derek Henry
finally connect on what we've been speculating about at trade
deadlines in otherwise, Look, it's gonna be it's gonna be
(31:28):
the haves and the have nots again at the running
back position. There's gonna be that same cliff that you
always have because you can go out there and try
and make a run at Sae Kwon Barkley and Derreck
Henry and Josh Jacobs, and even if you have Tony power,
I don't think he is going to be in that echelon.
But then you fall off and you've got either veteran
guys like Ezekiel Elliott you can go after, or the
DeAndre Swifts or Zach Vosses.
Speaker 8 (31:50):
I mean, Zach Boss is gonna.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Wind up getting a nice payday for himself. But these
guys are looking to be up in the double digits,
which is where that franchise tag was last year. Now,
I'm told Saquon Barkley and the Giants had good discussions
in Indianapolis, which is fine. I just think in the end,
for Barkley, it's going to depend on and not that
this is a cop out, but this is my way
of answering it.
Speaker 8 (32:12):
It's going to depend on what everybody else is going
to be willing to do. I truly believe, because the
Giants are going to make a run at this.
Speaker 7 (32:17):
But the Giants started at a certain number, which was
why swallowed a half million dollars per year. I want
to say, back in October of twenty two, and then
that number wound up coming down each time they made
a run at it, and I don't know where it's
gonna wind up being on this go round, But again
I do know that they had good conversations so much
as last year when the when the deadline to do
a deal with Barkley in July came and went, and
(32:39):
I said, well, that's it.
Speaker 8 (32:40):
This is gonna be his last year with the Giants.
Speaker 7 (32:41):
He's And then shortly thereafter I had some conversations with
folks in the building and said, no, we're going to
make a run at this in the d We still
want this guy around. It's just it couldn't agree quite
on the compensation. So I'm not ruling his chances out
of resigning with the Giants. We'll be tracking it as
we get closer here.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I cannot say the Cowboys don't try to make a
move for him. He just fits with doing their run
game so well, the dual threat he possesses, and I'm
gonna get back at the Giant. It would be a
nice little, you know, taste of honey on the top
of that. As you've button up here, you know, we
know you're on the Eagles a lot. We saw Jason
Kelcey announce his retirement on Monday. Just your your thoughts,
(33:17):
maybe just on you know, his career, the retirement, his
future place, potentially in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
just anything, because you again, you've been around him an
awful lot.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
The biggest thing is the way that he and the
community and the city of Philadelphia jibed over the years.
And you know he made it sound simple. It's not simple, right, Like, yes,
you've got to play hard, right, but there's other elements
to it. You gotta be really good. You gotta be
really good. Let's not forget about that.
Speaker 8 (33:43):
At what you do.
Speaker 7 (33:44):
You've got to play hard, yes, but you also, you know,
you don't make any excuses. You certainly can't snap back.
If you ever take a shot back at the fans,
that'll be the death. Knew, most likely for your relationship
with the organization or with the city. Excuse me, but
I thought he understood the market be better than anybody
I have ever seen in my time growing up in
Philadelphia rooting for these teams and covering these teams. You know,
(34:08):
I stopped being an Eagles fan when I was covering
the Eagles because you got to be objective. It's just
so hard to be a fan anymore so his time
playing with the Eagles, I wasn't a fan of the team.
But the way that I cover him in the way
that I saw that he handled the media and the
relationship with the organization and the fan base is unlike
anything I've ever seen.
Speaker 8 (34:27):
You've got to appreciate that.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
I would imagine he's still going to have a role
within the organization. It sounds like it could be as
big of a role as he pretty much wants. But
there are other things that have already come across his
plate right now to do things way outside of the
realm of traditional NFL football players. Opportunities not supposed to say.
(34:50):
The one that I heard, which is the most interesting,
we'll see if winds up happening, but it is.
Speaker 8 (34:54):
It is incredible.
Speaker 7 (34:56):
The way that he is misted with that fan base
with that city. I'm sorry, Jens, I can't do it
with that fan base with that city.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (35:03):
And the way that that now over the last couple
of years has translated nationally as well, real.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Real quick and Madison.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I'm sorry for this, but I got to take it
to I got two Philly guys here, what does he
kind of rank, you know, kind of dovetailing off what
Mike said, what does he rank with both you guys
on some of the greatest athletes in terms of that
community relation whatever among Philly folks, and.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
He might be one. I don't think anybody else at
a head. I don't think I was a beer waiting
for them outside of their press conference like Jason had
today from fans. I mean, doctor Jay's legacy is still ridiculous.
Chase Suttley had an unbelievable relationship, but none of them
were as active in the community, probably as Jason has been.
Speaker 7 (35:45):
Yeah, Chase probably. I mean, you know, Mike Schmidt and
the city did not get along well at times. Now
that that's over the years, has has changed, you know,
with with with distance from from those moments, obviously people
have come to appreciate. You know, when I was growing up,
Eric Lindross was huge, and he didn't have a great
relationship with the city of Philadelphia and then down there
(36:07):
as well. So for Jason Kelcey, I think it was
you know, a yeah, but Iverson had off field stuff
that alienated some people, right like on the court in basketballwise, fine,
but there were extra curriculars that didn't sit well. Jason
Kelsey doesn't have that stuff. But I said this earlier,
I said the Eagles lost a leader, but the city
(36:28):
of Philadelpha that would say lost he. I mean, he's
still gonna be around, but as a player, the city
lost a leader here as far as an active voice
of an active player. Because he stepped up to talk
about Ben Simmons. He didn't mention him by name, but
he was talking about Ben Simmons, and that's when he
gave the talk about you know, people say it's hard
to play in this town.
Speaker 8 (36:47):
I think it's easy to play in this town.
Speaker 7 (36:49):
He was talking about Simmons, and shortly thereafter I think
he was shipped out of town. So Jason Kelcey has
a voice that has resonated across the city down there,
and again he's not going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Well, great stuff, Mike, Hey, appreciate your brother always. You
know it's gonna be busy time next couple weeks. We're
gonna have you back on the show. And coming up next,
Jeff Chadea is gonna let us know what teams have
to have a spectacular off season. We know the Bears
have draft picks and a tradable quarterback, but do they
lead his list?
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Oh, Jeff Youdea has got some good stuff coming up next.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
On the NFL Report. Oh boy, we are back at
the NFL Reports. Steve White here, James Palmer. We're joined
by our guard, Jeff Jadea, who's got his new first
(37:45):
read column dropping on Tuesday. Jeff, welcome back to the show.
It is been a minute and we are here to
stir it up.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Jeff as I've seen Jeff in person at India Bunch.
Yeah you remember seeing me?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Oh oh hey, now.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
The Times in early mornings.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I wasn't there. I don't need to hear any of this.
You guys can inform me off for the air, please,
all right?
Speaker 3 (38:11):
So, yeah, your your column is dealing with teams that
need to knock it out of the park this offseason.
We understand every team meets to hit on their draft
picks or freezing acquisitions or coaching highers, things like that.
But you're starting this off saying that Houston Texas over
the past two years.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Have had great drafts, they lead, they lead the field
and having to hit a home run here, what do
you mean by.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
This, well, I'm taking a big Bowl prediction here, making
a big Bull prediction here that you know, you can
talk about the Bengals and the Bills and the Ravens,
but the team that's best positioned to really give the
Chiefs or run for their money in the AFC, it's
going to be the Houston Texans right real quick.
Speaker 8 (38:53):
I'll go with the Houston.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Texans right now because TJ. Stroud looks that good.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
They've been that good in terms of player actually drafting,
and they have so much money to work with seven
to eight million dollars in salary cap space.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
They can go out and fill a lot of needs
right now.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
If they want to, you know, get help on the
defensive lining and go after a Chris Jones. They want
to go get a corner back, they can go make
a tray for of Jerius sneed or go after Jalen
Johnson Chicago Bears. You talked about Christian Wilkins being out
there in agency. He could be the guy they look
at a running back, say Kwon Barkley could be guy
they think they go after.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
So a lot of big players out there.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
I'm really popping up Nick Assario and Demiko Rians right now.
But I think that they are primed make a run
at the AFC the next couple of years.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
They do things right.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
I like that, Jeff. I love that. I love that, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Honestly, Jeff mentioned the seventy million dollars in space they have.
They also have more free agents than anybody else in football,
so they do got to fill a lot of different spots.
What I look at is the one name that Steve said,
Steve that he said was Chris Jones. I'm not saying
they're getting Chris Jones, but I am saying that's a
focal point for Jamiico Ryans. That defensive line is a
huge aspect of what he wants to do in terms
of building this team. You saw what he did in
(40:00):
one year in terms of where they were at able
to take a jump as a defensive line. I think
this is now a destination. I think Jef's kind of right.
I mean, you come to Texas, you come to Houston,
you want to play for Demiico Ryans, and you want
to play with CJ. Shroud. Their perception in the league
has dramatically changed in one year. How about jumping over
to the NFCS and the Detroit Lions. They're right there, Jeff.
(40:21):
Why do they have to have a massive offseason. They're
right there because they need to get them over the hump.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
You're not getting over the hump just by staying pat
And so when you look at what they have to
do again, I'm looking at even more than the Texans defense.
You finding a way to get a pass rusher in
there to help a and Hutchinson. Again, you will hear
Chris Jones' name a lot in this list because he
is that big of a name and he can have
that big of an impact. But adding a second pass
rusher there, like a Chris Jones, like somebody like Minnesota's
(40:49):
Daniel Hunter, Danelle Hunter, who's going to be out there,
who's going to be free, that could help them out
a lot.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
You go the back end again.
Speaker 4 (40:54):
I mentioned Jalen Johnson, who they've seen in that division
with Chicago. I really believe they're able to make some
moves in freegency. And I know Brad Holmes, the Darrell manager,
is not a big free agency guy, but they are
so close. One or two players here, big splash guys
puts them over the top of the NFC.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
I want to jump in real quick on that, Jeff.
What Brad Holmes is is a great evaluator of cornerbacks.
It was a big role in hit that he had
with the Rams, and that is a big need that
they have, whether they fill it in the draft or
free agency. Him evaluating personally in the cornerback spot, which
is in need for them, I think is a big
part of their offseason. Yes, yes, yes, for sure.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Okay, so Chicago first pick, ninth pick, probably get some
capital when they trade justin fields.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
We don't know what that will be.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Now you say this is a team that needs to
knock out of the park, obviously so because Matt Eberflus
is on a one year life preserver to add to
all of that, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
Yeah, well I didn't even think it's about ebra Flus.
Speaker 4 (41:50):
It's about them being in the position everybody would love
to be in where they got a ton of money.
They've got the first pick in the draft, they got
the ninth pick in the draft, and they have to
make a splash pick. They can't not make a splash.
All those things going in their favorite you can't screw
this up. You have to do something that gets people
going excited about your franchise, and so look what you're gonna.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Say, Maybe you can screw it up. Don't put it
out for Jeff history. There there's a history.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Caleb Williams a good draft pick. Look as soon as
they trade justin Fields, everything falls in place for these guys.
And I'm excited for Ryan Poles who's been with the
Fantasy Chiefs. He's winning for his opportunity to draft his
own quarterback. And again they can a lot of money.
Chris Shownes once again makes sense. Then'll Hunter makes sense.
I think Angeline Winfield junior. They got rid of Eddie Jackson.
(42:39):
That safety could be a guy who they look at. Certainly,
you can find some second tier with receivers out there
to help your offense if you're gonna draft receivers. So
gave Davis, Marquis Brown, Josh Reynolds.
Speaker 9 (42:50):
I could see a lot of guys Number nine, big brother,
they're gonna get somebody right there in the draft and
wide receiver too.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
No, they're they're sitting pretty. That's a good call. And
I think there are thirty one teams that wont Antoine Winfield.
Thirty two include Tampa as well. Everybody would like to
get their hands on him. I love what you're saying.
The biggest thing to me jet that stands out is
in their evaluation process of Kayleb Williams because I'm joking
about maybe you can screw this up. A big part,
I'm told is making sure his makeup can handle playing
(43:19):
quarterback for the Chicago Bears. It is almost, as some
people around the league say, a difficult, maybe cursed position.
It is just a hard spot to succeed in. We
just haven't seen it in that sense. How does he
handle stepping into that. It's been a big part of
their evaluation and sticking with quarterback the Atlanta Falcons, you
need a big off season when you are as they
(43:40):
put it a quarterback away as a roster yep.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
Yeah, And that really is the only move they have
to make here. It's not about a bunch of moves,
big off season splash move. It's about one move. It's
about quarterback. And I feel like Kirk Cousins is.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
Going to end up being that quarterback people want to combine.
It just seems like the mikey would love to have
him back.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
We all know when teams start talking about how much
they love you, how much they want to keep you.
That's always the kind of the scarlet letter, so to speak,
when it comes to create and see. And I just
don't feel as if the Vikings are going to go
the extra mile, spend the money is going to take
to keep her Cousins happy.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
His wife's from Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Zach Robinson, who's an ex RAMS coach, who he knows
that system, the same system as Kevin O'Connell runs. He
was with those guys, he knows Raheem Morris. There's a
lot of things tying him to Atlanta right now that
makes sense. The biggest thing being we know Kirk Cousins
loves his money.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
They got money to spend on it.
Speaker 9 (44:32):
Thank you, thank you everyone, everyone just like, hey, you know,
we know Kirk's this guy, that guy, he loves his
paper quarterbacks are paid what they are today because those
cash and Washington.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Franchising him three times real quick.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
You've got the colt here at number five and James
and I found is very interesting because is it really
that pressing because Anthony Richardson is basically going to be
a rookie playing again, don't they have more of a
grace period so to speak?
Speaker 4 (44:59):
Well, that would be the case they were in a
different division, but they're in the AFC South, and we've
seen Jacksonville Jaguars go from being the worst team in
football to being a division champion.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
We've seen the Texans do it last year.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And if for the Colts, you cannot stay in patt
and just think it's all going to work out in
your favor. You got two young quarterbacks in your division.
You got a couple of smart general managers who've made
some moves here. And I know Chris Ballard just as
you know Brad Holme is not a big, just go
after and be big and free agency type guy.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
But they got to make some smart moves.
Speaker 4 (45:27):
They got to be more explosive on offense around their
quarterback Anthony Richardson. They gotta get better on defense and
the back end. They got fun on their edge rusher,
and so I look at corner, I look at safety,
I look at edge rusher, defensive tackle, and certainly receiver
and tied end. They got to fill those positions be
ready to go because that division is not They don't
be third place that division next season.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Man, We're talking about the AFC South completely differently than
we used to talk about Sea South, and they got
Shane Stike and they did hit on the coach a
year ago. I think that's almost solidified already real quick, Jeff.
The other team you were talking about, maybe curious about
putting on this list, the Philadelphia Eagles. I wants your
take on Philly right now, because that is one of
the more interesting spots in terms of an offseason, especially
(46:09):
with Howie Roseman running the show.
Speaker 4 (46:11):
It is, and we know Howie Roseman always loves to
make big moves and is certainly a genius when it
comes to player acquisition. But I was thinking about them
more so because of the culture. You know, they obviously
have to find help a linebacker, they got to get
faster at corner. But to me, like it's really more
about how they handle all the things that went on
last year at the end of the season. They've got
(46:31):
two new coordinators coming in and Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio,
so that'll help. But really it's more of a locker
room thing. So I felt like those other teams we
just mentioned, they can make some moves and be better.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
Just because of that.
Speaker 4 (46:43):
The ego's got to get through some things that are
a lot more complicated.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Okay, I think it. It is complicated, and you know
what they do. They know how to fix things quickly.
In Philadelphia, Hi Rose is one of the best at
flipping a roster or flipping a culture. However he does it.
They find their way to get back pretty quick into
the mix, and we'll see if that can happen. Jeff
appreciate it. Thanks for throwing beginning of the segment. I
didn't Joins. I'll talk to you soon, buddy.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
Yeah, okay, that's good man.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
Yeah, thanks, all right. Coming up the NFL Report on Thursday,
we will have a brand spanking new show. Lancer Line
was at the combine covering every single aspect of this draft.
We'll have him doing the show. Mark Ross was on
the field watching all of it. He will join the
show and Jane Slater as well. What happens with the
Dallas Cowboys. We hated at a running back, a big
(47:32):
name running back. We'll see what Jane says on Thursday,
seven o'clock Eastern on the NFL Report. Welcome back to
the NFL Report. James Palmer, Steve Weich with you. We'd
(47:53):
like to remember I believe Steve everyone's friend. Chris Mortensen
from ESPN past away at the age of seventy two,
and really Steve from myself and a lot of younger
journalists maybe yourself included a north star essentially in terms
of reporting, being accurate, sourcing, but more importantly integrity, kindness, generosity,
(48:20):
things that oftentimes fall by the wayside in our business
because of the competitive nature of it. I have in
front of me just messages that mord has sent me
that are they just feel different Steve, than getting a
compliment or any type of you know, just connection with
another reporter when it comes from more, Hey, we're a
(48:41):
dying breed. Keep doing what you're doing. You know that
he respects the way you're doing it with integrity, that
ability to reach out to those colleagues, and whether they're
friends of his or not, he still found a way
to reach out to them, Steve, and always kind of
just have such a respect for our business. That's the
part that I'll remember the most about More.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Yeah, even handed, like you said, develop great trust. He's
somebody no matter who you were, you always found a
way to build you up. One of the great human
beings ever in our business. He was one of the
first insiders him and Lenny Pascarelli, both Atlanta guys, you
know our ties to Atlanta, who broke big news, broke
important news. They broke it with the integrity that had
(49:22):
everybody trusting them more rest in power. James and I
felt the need just to you know, say condolences to
your family and all those who loved him. We want
to thank all of our guests for today's show on
the NFL Report and also listen to the podcast wherever
you get your podcast
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