NFL Network Insiders Mike Garafolo and Judy Battista join forces to deliver the most pressing football topics of the day. Off the top, Steve Wyche and Omar Ruiz provide commentary on the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Marc Ross has analysis on George Pickens and the Dallas Cowboys. Plus, Los Angeles Chargers rookie WR Tre Harris joins the Insiders. Then, Michael F. Florio has the fantasy football outlook for the NFC North.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
A farewell tour, not for Taylor, potentially for Travis Kelsey,
but Patrick Mahomes says, yeah, I'm not so sure about that.
We'll hear from Mahomes on his long time tight end
coming up here in just a couple of minutes. Trey Harris,
the Chargers rookie wide receiver, will join us shortly. He
is off to a fantastic start by all reports coming
(00:32):
out of Los Angeles, so he will join us to
talk about that start to his NFL career.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
We'll make them carry our pads, our known pads, because
we're reporting.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Never mind, Michael Florio will be with us as well
to talk about the fantasy outlook in the NFC North
where Sam Darnold no longer plays.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
But the guy on the other side of these.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Pastes does welcome inside with the insiders. Judy Batista joining me,
Mike Garafalo here on a Thursday and Ota Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We love OTA's.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
They continue to go on around the league, bringing us
all kinds of news and insight. The folks who are
gonna be joining us to talk to them by to
talk about them. By the way, Steve Weisch, Omar Ruiz
along in just a matter of seconds, Mark Ross as well,
and I mentioned Michael Florio and Trey Harris, so it's
stay tuned for their insights later. But for now we
go to Patrick Mahomes and his insights because the Chiefs
(01:24):
were at OTA's trying to get back to that Super
Bowl to win it this time after a disappointing loss.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
To the Eagles. It all starts in the spring.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Even Patrick Mahomes understands that the question is will be
this be the final football spring for Travis Kelce. Patrick
Mahomes says, not so sure.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
About that, you know, I mean you would if it's
the last ride, you would never know. I mean the
way he's talking about football, the way he's talking about
working and trying to be even better this year than
he was last year. I mean he's he's not done.
Seem like a guy that it's his last Riley, he's
tired of the job. I mean he's in there, he's working,
and I know his body feels good. I think it
(02:02):
feels better than even last year before going into last season,
just because I think he's motivated to go out there
and have it even better year than he had this last.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Yeah, heir Steve Weisch and Omar Rouiz Natalie dressed as
his duty and I'm slumming it once again, but Mark
Ros's gonna match me. Stay tuned for that. That's coming
up in just a couple of minutes. Steve, want to
start with you Travis Kelcey. You did spend time with
him recently. What is your thoughts on what mahomes is
saying and what we might see from Kelsey this year.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
When I saw Travis was right after the conversation came up,
and I believe he started as saying, you know, he
lost twenty five pounds so he can be in better shape.
I was like, twenty five pounds. He's like, yeah, you
know that's bs, that's twenty five pounds because he'd be
weighing about two twenty if he did he did that.
He plays around two forty five, two fifty. But remember
his numbers, his receptions numbers were high, he had ninety seven,
(02:52):
but his yardage totals were low, and his postseason numbers
including targets were low. So he really did seem dialed
in in my conversation with him about having a really
good season. You know, he seems really committed to come
out playing well, get this whole offense rolling well. Because
it wasn't just him whose numbers were down in some areas.
Patrick Mahomes's numbers were down in total yards. So the Chiefs,
(03:13):
their offense, they're wide receivers. Everything needs to get better
to open him up. And again he seems committed at
least going into twenty twenty five to having one of
his better seasons. We'll see if it happens, because a
lot of other things have to work, but at least
for what he can control, he does seem like he's.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
On it, but just not twenty five pounds less of it.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Yeah, Steve's saying. Andy Reid saying that Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes,
Chris Jones, all the guys that he's leaned on over
the years, and no surprise that Travis Kelce has been
working the way he has, according to Patrick Mahomes, setting
the standard that they have for the Kansas City Chiefs
this year, trying to get to their sixth Super Bowl
in seven seasons. They're starting out in Brazil, They're playing
(03:51):
on Thanksgiving, they're playing on Christmas, so many different irregular schedules.
Andy Reid saying, these guys are instilling the tempo with
which they practice, and Patrick Mahomes saying, yes, he's not
quite thirty yet, but this is his ninth season. He's
learning to get with these young players, trying to get
to know them as people before he mentors them on
(04:12):
the field, pushes them on the field, and that goes
to the same for those veterans who are new how
they practice, because when they get into the season, they're
playing on a Wednesday.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
Or a Thursday or a Friday, as.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
We've seen them over the years. Sometimes Andy Reid pushes
them physically in practice, sometimes he pulls back, but mentally
sharp is what always is the focus, and they're learning
that here in OTAs. Then we'll take that into training
camp and into the rest of the season as well.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well.
Speaker 8 (04:40):
Guys, none of this matters if that offensive line does
not get settled and there are a lot of moving parts.
There is a job competition at guard. But most importantly
what came out of the early OTAs was Andy Reid
saying that Josh Simmons, the rookie slated to be the
left tackle, might be a little bit further along than
they had expected at this point in his recovery from
(05:01):
the knee injury that he suffered in college.
Speaker 9 (05:04):
He has not done any teamwork yet.
Speaker 8 (05:06):
Andy said, you know, we just got to get him
in there against a defense. But there is some hope
that maybe at the end of phase three of the
off season that they'll be able to get him in
there at teamwork. That is the most important thing that
can come out of this offseason for this offensive line
to gel. It stimied them against the Eagles in the
Super Bowl last year, it cost them a previous Super
(05:29):
Bowl against the Bucks.
Speaker 9 (05:30):
It has hampered them.
Speaker 8 (05:32):
It has hampered the offense and what Andy and Patrick
can do in it. That has to get settled or
nothing else matters for the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Jay La Moore also received a ton of money to
come over from the San Francisco forty nine ers fifteen
million dollars per season. As Joe Tooney was the tackle
the last time we saw the Chiefs on the field,
not made to play that position now in Chicago as
a guard. So the Kansas City Chiefs looking to fortify
that offensive line as well as the tight end position,
with Travis Kelsey to be clear, only one tight end,
(06:02):
making it clear that this is likely his last season.
That's Mercedes Lewis. That's later in the program. Stay tuned
for that. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the AFC West, the Chargers
year two under Jim Harball looking to take that next
step forward. Joe Hortiz, the general manager, has been trying
to fortify that roster, including at the receiver position, and
we mentioned Trey Harris will be with us in just
a couple of minutes. Why you want to kick it
(06:24):
back to you, Let's talk defense. Let's talk Derwin James
and the secondary, the leader back there for the Chargers.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Yeah, Mike the ode Omar and I were both out
there at their oga's. We got to speak to defensive
back coach Steve Klinkscales and he was talking about Derwin James.
We know about the versatility of Derwin James. He's he
going him play strong safety, free safety, some even outside
linebacker stuff. But what was interesting with Clinkscales pointed out
is that doesn't just show Derwin James versatility, but it
(06:50):
forces all of the other defensive backs in that secondary
to learn new positions, which is allowing Jesse mentioned the
defensive cour coordinator to do things different schematically, so you know,
we could say, hey, guys have to learn positions just
cross training in case a player gets hurt. But in
the Niner scheme, what this does, Omar is it allows
(07:11):
a different player, a safety, to learn a corner spot
or a slot spot, so they can scheme up a
lot of different things in different situations. They think they're
going to be even more creative this year in year
two of the system, especially with Darren James coming off
a bounce back year last year the way he did.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
And they said, they're not relearning that defense. They are
picking it up from where they left us in that
playoff loss to the Houston Texans, and they are going
they are going against every day and practice that receiving
corp that we were talking about. We saw that clip
on social media, justin Herbert to Brendan Rice, one of
those players that was flashing when we were out there
at practice. Receeed and in general these receivers, there aren't
(07:49):
many drop balls when you watch a practice. I think
last year we would agree there were a lot of
balls on the ground that when they were going on air.
And this is a revamped receiver room. Obviously, Mike Williams
is back in tow they drafted Trey Harris in the
second round of speaking with general manager Joe Hortiz about him,
who not only they're high on his his skill set,
his impressive size on the field. He's six two to
(08:10):
two oh five but gets in and out of his brakes,
receives the ball well with his hands.
Speaker 7 (08:14):
But he has a.
Speaker 6 (08:15):
Presence, Hortez told me when he walks into a room
when they're meeting with him at the combine, just a
real confidence about his style. Then you have Vladi McConkey.
Of course, that's back Quinton Johnson was out making plays
and it seems like they're.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
All elevating each other.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
And speaking of that elevation, we've seen from one year
to the next that Chargers roster really made in the
mold that Jim Harbaugh wants to have. They are big,
they are physical, they are imposing, and it really stands
out when you see them out at practice.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
You really see what Horties and Harball have done.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
This is a massive physical team now in terms of
just stature, even the quarterback room where justin Herbert, everybody
else in the room is about the.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Same size as him.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
When you've Takento account free Agencigny dj Ungalele.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Who's about Lances out there? Big Dewy Lance. So they're
big all the way across the board.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah, the on need those offensive linemen to come first
off the bus. You can send the quarterback quarterback receivers
just't fine.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
That's the thing we're coming to. Mike Bradley Boseman. The
starting centers about six five three.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
P forty looks small next.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
To Maki Beckson.
Speaker 7 (09:20):
That's just how big those guys are all across the board. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
McKay Beckton getting ten million dollars per season to head
out there to the Chargers and hopefully if you're the Chargers,
he can continue on the success that he finally finally
got with the Eagles this past season. Omar and Weis,
don't go anywhere, yeah, Air George George Pickens the newest
addition to the Cowboys receiving.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Room with a one handed catch.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
See like you got the slow motion from every team's
social account, how about the no motion. That is a
great look right there from the Cowboys social account of
that one headed pick catch by George Pickens. Bryan shott Hier,
the new coach down there in Dallas, New head coach,
happy with what he sees so far.
Speaker 10 (10:03):
I think number one, he's doing an incredible job picking
up the system. I talked about his intentionality last week.
I believe just how hard he's working. But there was
a play and it really wasn't anything George did, but
we're in the red zone and we're in kind of
a spread formation. We hit him for a touchdown. Joe
did on a little a bender, like a little skinny
(10:25):
post down the low red zone and CD was on
the other side. And when ced broke out and he
looked back to see where the ball went, and he
saw George and the end zone kind of dragged his
toes on. CD was like, yes, So I think his
excitement for knowing that we've added some pieces which will
add to the competition. It was cool to see a
guy like CD be excited. And those two guys relationship
(10:48):
is awesome. I'm sure you guys have probably done stories
on it, but they're spending a lot of time together.
I think it's great for CD to have someone like George,
not that George is a young player, but someone that
GP really looks up to. They obviously have trained some together,
but that relationship is really cool and I'm enjoying kind
of just sitting back and watching it develop.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
You know, it's badly needed when a number one wide
receiver is happy that another receiver got the ball.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That is the case with Ceedee Lamb, Mark.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Ross joining us now for our front office perspective on
matters here we're talking wide receivers. I think you and
I thought maybe we were going to be talking about
Jalen Waddle if you pick up when I'm putting down
with the shirts, but Judy going to you on the
Cowboys wide receiver room with George Pickens added to it,
like we talked about a much needed number two and
call you number two.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
George, I'm just saying number two to ce D Lambs
number one.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
Well, you can understand why ce D Lamb is saying,
you know, hallelujah finally, because we've been talking about this
for a few years that they needed a strong wide receiver.
As you said, it's not really number two, it's more
sort of like one A on one B right now
to take some of the defensive focus off CD Lamb
and another target for Dak Prescott. And don't forget for
(12:02):
George Pickett's look, he wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh
quite obviously, but he has the potential to be a
dynamic playmaker. We did see that in Spurts last year.
This is by far the best quarterbacking situation that George
Pickens is going to be. And when he was in
Pittsburgh he had the the Mitch Trubisky years last year.
(12:24):
Obviously they had a quarterback shuffle there. He's had some
tough Kenny Pickett was his quarterback there, so.
Speaker 9 (12:31):
He has not had elite, elite.
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Level quarterbacking like he is going to have with Dak
And he also hasn't had a number one receiver next
to him the caliber of Ceeddee lamp So the Cowboys
not only have the potential to finally give ce d
Lamb some help, but they finally have a chance to
unlock everything that George Pickens can be. He's obviously tremendously
talented physically. It didn't work out in Pittsburgh for a
(12:57):
variety of reasons, but he certainly now has players around
him that should give George Pickens the best chance to
finally be the full George Pickens.
Speaker 11 (13:07):
And I think Judy the biggest thing about the relationship
with Ceedee Lamb, is that mentor effect that he will
have on the field and off the field. You talk
about the flashes of brilliance, and I think when George
Pickens sees how Ceedee Lamb prepares and how he goes
about the game day of how he's always consistent.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
You know Ceedee Lamb, you know you can count on him.
So George Pickens.
Speaker 11 (13:27):
Needs to look at how Ceedee Lamb handles his business
in practice and on game day to say, oh, I
need to have that consistency like CD does.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
But also you talked about him wearing out as welcome. Well,
Ceede Lamb.
Speaker 11 (13:38):
Can have an effect on George Pickens also off the
field in the locker room to say, Okay, this is
how we show up to meet he's got time, this
is how we prepare in the film room, this is
how we do things the right way if you want
to be an elite receiver and unlock all of your potentials.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
So it's an effect that Ceedee Lamb.
Speaker 11 (13:57):
Can the Cowboys hope be positive on and off the field.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
And and you look at what the Cowboys have done
this offseason selectively aggressive, that was this offseason right? Selectively
they were selectively aggressive when it came to George Pickens mark.
Have they been selectively aggressive enough to compete with the
Eagles and the Commanders in the nfcast.
Speaker 11 (14:18):
Yeah, I still don't see that. Look, the Eagle is
probably the best team in the league with the most.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
Talent in the league.
Speaker 11 (14:23):
The Commanders I think got tremendously better with getting Laramie
Tumpsel and Deebo Sanduel and Air not even naming all
the solid freeze and signings. And for Dallas, you're really
just talking about the George Pickens trade that they got
better Tyler Booker drafting him in the first round. But
I still think there's a ton of question marks with
this Cowboys team.
Speaker 7 (14:42):
Number one, with Dak Prescott.
Speaker 11 (14:43):
And his help to his ability to win big games,
to win playoff game, breathe, the running back situation. We're
talking about the receivers, but look at that running back room.
Speaker 7 (14:52):
There are a lot of question marks there.
Speaker 11 (14:53):
And then I think when you go to the defensive
side of the ball, I think there's a ton of
question marks there as well. So definitely best team in
the league. Commander's knocking on the door. There's too many
question marks in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Yep, we'll see, Mark, We'll see how it plays out.
I know a lot of folks are underestimating Brian Schottenheimer.
Underestimate him at your peril. I know he wasn't a
hot head coaching candidate, at least not in the last
fifteen years. He was years ago. But I think he's
more prepared to be a head coach now. And we'll
see how it goes down there in Dallas. By the way, Mark,
Happy anniversary to you.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
How many years now with you and your lovely bride
now twenty.
Speaker 11 (15:27):
Oh whoa, whoa look, thank you, thank me, you appreciate
Oh Man, that's a good looking people right now.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
It's twenty some points twenty years. Man, I can't believe him. Man,
you got it all here. This is perfect, You got it.
Thank you. You don't miss the tick. Man.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Is your account set to private? Because we blow right
through those firewalls here on the inside.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
Should have to wait.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
We have a way of getting to the information. Hey, listen,
Happy anniversary to you twenty years.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
At least twenty we're going for like sixty more.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Mark.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I think you guys are going to make it.
Speaker 7 (16:03):
You too, love it.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Congratulations, it was just about Oh.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I don't know a year ago where we were saying, boy,
the Chargers really have no real depth at wide receiver.
And it's changed in a hurry, thanks in part to
this guy, Mississippi wide receiver Trey Harris, the fifty fifth
overall pick joining the Los Angeles Chargers and now joining
the Insiders. Trey Harris with us right now. I gotta
(16:31):
tell you, as far as first impressions go, and we're
seeing this from Afar, Judy Batista and I are a
lot of glowing reports. Early seems like you've hit the
ground running there. Do you feel like that's the case.
I know you got a long way to go, I
get it. But what's led to this early success with
you in OTAs?
Speaker 12 (16:48):
I definitely say just taking each day with what comes
with it.
Speaker 13 (16:51):
To be honest with you, one thing that coach coach
Harbo has harped on and one of the first things
he told the htiography class was knockingham call when and
that's what's important now and the way I took it is,
you know, just go out there, take each day with
what comes with it, Learn your place for the next day,
learn what you got to do with assignments come with it,
and that's all I've been doing, and I feel like
that's what contributes to my success so far.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
Specifically, the early reports out of Okas are that you
and Justin Herbert already had some good early chemistry going.
What are your early impressions of him?
Speaker 13 (17:25):
Man, he's he lives up to the height that everybody's
talking about, and you.
Speaker 12 (17:29):
Know he's he's a true professional. And you know every
three he makes just right on around the point.
Speaker 13 (17:35):
And you know, you can't really complain about anything he
does because he does everything the right way.
Speaker 12 (17:39):
And I'm super excited about play with a quarterback like that.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
You know, you in college played for Lane Kiffin, who
seems like an interesting fun fella from.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Time to time.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
And Jim Harball now in the NFL, he's got some
interesting personalities from the head.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
How do these two stack up?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And what's your initial impressions of Jim Harball as head
coach to the Chargers.
Speaker 13 (18:01):
Well, my initial impressions are, there's nothing but good, to
be honest with you. You know, everything that coach Harball preaches,
you know, he lives by everything he teaches us.
Speaker 12 (18:10):
He's very involved in everything that we do.
Speaker 13 (18:12):
And that's something that I'm really enjoying, to be honest
with you. You know, Kiffen and Coach Harbald are definitely two
different personalities.
Speaker 12 (18:19):
For sure. Kevin, you can be.
Speaker 13 (18:20):
A little bit more laid back, but no Coach Harball,
He's not afraid to, you know, get up in your
face and tell you how he feels.
Speaker 12 (18:25):
And you're also not afraid, you know, let you know
how he feels about any situation.
Speaker 13 (18:29):
So that's one thing I really do appreciate coming from him.
Speaker 8 (18:35):
You know, Trey Mike mentioned it a few moments ago
that wide receiver has been an area of concern for
this team and it was perceived as the biggest need
going into this offseason. Give us the scouting report on you.
What is the team getting. What are fans going to
see you bring to that offense.
Speaker 13 (18:52):
Well, you're gonna get a guy who who's able to
win verse. Man, that's one of the best things. I
feel like, that's one of my best attributes. You get
a guy's able to know go there contested catches and
you know, make those big, those over the top catches
as well.
Speaker 12 (19:03):
Just an e supposed receiver always making catches and plays
down the field.
Speaker 13 (19:06):
So I feel like that's something you would get from
me in every game I'm able to play in Gray.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Take me back, because you're talking about your size speed combination.
We saw that in all the scouting reports leading up
to the draft. A lot of times around the draft,
you know, the likes of us will say, well, this
guy's going to be a second round pick, and then
he's not taking the like the third or the fourth
round because we project like sixty guys to go in
the second round. You actually beat a lot of the
projections that I saw. I mean, take me through a
(19:32):
draft day and the fact that you get that call
from at fifty five from the Chargers and what they
told you about what you could do for them right away.
Speaker 13 (19:40):
It was, you know going through that draft day, man,
it was it was ecstatic to me. I was so ecstatic,
you know, just being able to hear mister Orts call
my name and you know, give me that phone call
and here from missus Spanos, you know that I'm coming
to Charter.
Speaker 12 (19:53):
It was something that I'm always remembering, something that was amazing.
Beyones with y'all.
Speaker 13 (19:57):
Couldn't even keep a smile from off my face. But
I can't wait till, you know, really make my market
in the league.
Speaker 8 (20:05):
All right, Trey, you are converted quarterback back in your
high school days.
Speaker 9 (20:10):
You played with Melik Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
In high school.
Speaker 8 (20:12):
You played with Jackson Dart in college. Mike and I
both live in the New York area. This is a
big topic of conversation here. How is Melik Neighbors going
to like playing with Jackson Dart.
Speaker 13 (20:25):
One thing I can tell about those two is that
they're actually very similar in their competitiveness, you know, both
of them.
Speaker 12 (20:31):
They're both going at whoever it is in front of them.
Speaker 13 (20:33):
That's something I've picked up from both of them that,
you know, that's one thing. They're fierce, fierce competitors and
they don't want anybody to be better than them. I
feel like that's going to just compliment each other really
really well. And they're also extremely hard workers, you know,
each both of these guys, both of them, they go
out there and they put in the work doesn't need it,
and they put an extra And that's something I'm super
excited to see. You know, we do get to play them,
(20:54):
so I can't wait. I can't wait for the opportunity
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
You know, backing up because Judy said, you're averted a
wide receiver, excuse me, quarterback to wide receiver. A lot
of times we'll see those guys throw some passes. In
five college seasons, only one attempted pass. Were there more
that we're dialed up or not dialed up? I guess
we're in the game plan not called. And could we
see that in the NFL?
Speaker 13 (21:19):
I don't know if we go see the NFL, I
don't believe that because we're roaming and but in college
we had some dialed up.
Speaker 12 (21:26):
But for the most part, I was just trying to
go out there and ball.
Speaker 13 (21:28):
You know, I wasn't too worried about getting other people
touched out trying to get my own behest with You're
just trying to find a way to, you know, expose
the defense.
Speaker 12 (21:35):
So wasn't too much to go into that conversation.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
All right, Now that you are about to embark on
your rookie season, what's one thing you really want to
do as a rookie?
Speaker 9 (21:47):
One thing you want to buy, one thing you want to.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
See O.
Speaker 12 (21:52):
Great. One thing I want to see for share.
Speaker 13 (21:56):
I want to go to the Lakers game that you
know here, I haven't never at an NBA game, So
that's something I'm definitely want to do that or go
to a UFC event.
Speaker 12 (22:04):
Those two of my top two things right now. I'm
not go lot.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Never been to an NBA game.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Well, we got to get you to one soon, to
get a chance to see Lakers or Clippers out there
in the in the markets, one or the other.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
All right.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
So Chargers Giants Week four, September twenty eighth, so you
get to reunite with both of those teammates Jackson Dart
and Malik Neighbors that we talked about.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But you know, a rookie, don't get ahead of yourself.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Okay, Friday September fifth, Chargers Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
That game in Brazil.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
So looking forward to seeing that one and looking forward
to seeing what you do in your first NFL season.
Trey Harris, good luck, man, appreciate you joining the Insiders.
Speaker 12 (22:43):
Thank job. I having really appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
It's going to be seeing plenty of him catching passes
from Justin Herbert. Got to see plenty of Matthew Stafford
throwing the football for the Rams, the other LA team
after he returned this offseason after flirting with some other team.
Shot McVay happy, to have Stafford back, and we are
happy to have our guys oh Ma, Ruiz and Steve
Weish talking Rams.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
After this.
Speaker 8 (23:12):
Welcome back to the Insiders. The Los Angeles Rams made
one of the most interesting moves of the off season,
signing DeVante Adams to pair with Pukakua, giving Matthew Stafford
a very nice set of weapons. Stafford talked about Adams
during OTA's Yesterday.
Speaker 14 (23:29):
I was texting with him, you know, late last week
a little bit and just saying, hey, man, you're a
great player because of your skill set, and I'm going
to continue to you know, work and watch and whether
that's watching live after I throw and then go back
and rewatch and make sure what I was seeing and
feeling at that moment was real. Then we just talked
about it too. Right after every single set. It feels
like we're over there talking about, hey, this is kind
(23:49):
of how I'm thinking I'm going to come out of
this or feel that, and it's just constant dialogue. And honestly,
you know, those are the best relationships I've had with
receivers and the most success that I've had is the
guys that you know want to talk to you on
you know what they felt what they were doing, and
I can also say, hey, this would have looked like
from my angel and go from there. But he's definitely
a he has that feeling as that understanding, and that's
(24:11):
it's a huge positive.
Speaker 8 (24:15):
All if that sounds good, Omar and Steve, thanks for
joining me. Omar, I want to start with you because
you were at that practice. We are all going to
be paying an awful lot of attention to the Stafford
Adams relationship and dynamic.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
How was it looking to you?
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Early? Well, looked great.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
Avante Adams even in his you know, double digit season
now in the NFL just still looks as impressive as ever,
that seventeen getting up in the air making those impressive catches.
But when you think about Matthew Stafford's first year with
Cooper Cup, it was historically great, the Triple Crown, the
Super Bowl MVP, and then his first year with Puka
Nakua historically great, all time receiving record as a rookie,
(24:54):
all time receiving yards record as a rookie, and then
has the playoff performance, the rookie record against the Lions.
So I'm thinking, Okay, what does he.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
Have in store?
Speaker 6 (25:03):
How will he in his first season with Devonte Adams
make a mark? And I asked Sean McVay what's been
the most impressive thing to him and how he gets
this chemistry with his receivers. About Matthew Stafford, he said,
it's his ability to connect, his ability to communicate like
most quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Have, but it's also his ability to.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
Listen with intention and that really endears him to his
teammates that he is there to be a collaborator with
those receivers. That not only does Matthew Stafford have the
confidence and obviously the experience the skins on the wall
to say, hey, this is how I like to see it,
but also the humility to listen to his receivers and
be able to implement that into the game plan.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
So that's one.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
And then Matthew Stafford also told me that it is
motivating for him to want to work with a guy
like Davonte Adams and have him have great success this
season because that'll mean it'll be team success. And then lastly,
I asked offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur about it and he said,
when they get into the game, teams, Matthew Stafford still
has that old school mentality where it's not so much
(26:04):
about the play, it's not so much about the defense.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
He'll still go to his guy where the matchup is.
And obviously, with.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Poka Nakua across the way from Devonte Adams, you know
Matthew Stafford is gonna like Devonte Adams matchup over those
dvs a lot this season.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Well, you know what's Pooka a coup in the seventeen highlights,
Davante Adams is gonna be wearing seventeen, Puka's gonna be
wearing twelve, and Davante's gonna be receiver one beat. We
could talk all the Devonte Adams as we want. He's
one of my favorite players. The guy's had five consecutive
one thousand yard seasons. But Pooka Nakupa is still the
guy for the Los Angeles Rams. I am so interested
to see how they work off of one another from
(26:40):
game to game.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
You know, Pooka is the.
Speaker 5 (26:42):
Great run after the Cats guy, incredibly powerful. Davonte Adams
is a shaking and get open guy and score touchdowns guy.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So from game to game how they feed off of
each other.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
This is going to be a tough out for teams.
Let's not forget their first round draft pick was a
tight end. Tight End has not been a huge component
of the Rams offense. It could be this year because
the attention to the two guys going out wide.
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Yeah, Terrence Ferguson in there and Tyler Higbee coming back
as well, right, and it's could play a much larger role.
Speaker 8 (27:11):
All right up the road in San Francisco. They were
also on the field for ots after what was obviously
a very disappointing twenty twenty four season. Kyle Shanahan, the coach,
talked to reporters about why there is heightened energy at
OTA's and he said it basically went back to the
final team meeting at the end of the twenty twenty
four season, and he said last year, the guys were
(27:32):
not ready to come back to OTAs and he understood that.
Not so understanding this year he wanted them back at OTA's. Steve,
I guess the big question that's going to hang over
this team is how do they bounce back from what
was such an atypical season for them?
Speaker 5 (27:47):
Yeah, And I think what Kyle was saying is they
were burnt out right from going to the Super Bowl
for the past couple of years and having just a
short turnaround time. Now they've had a significant turnaround time.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Everybody should be re energized.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Look organizationally, they got the big contracts done Kittle, Fred Warner,
brock Purty.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
So they got those guys in camp.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
So now the bounce back because they've had some roster
turnover to me is going to be intriguing because he
announced that Ricky Piersoll, who could be their lead wide receiver,
that is the second year player. He's going to be
out until training camp now with a hamstring. And you know,
we know that they got rid of Deebo Samuel Brandon
Ayuka's out with an ACL So it's up to Jwan
Jennings to really come out and it show some stuff
(28:24):
for brock Purty and that wide receiver group. They've still
got some injuries to come off of in the secondary.
Mustafa he's coming off of a knee injury. Jai ear
forgetting get Brown ankle surgery. He's gonna be out though
training camp. So they've got some injuries to young players
they've got to get through. But again getting some of
those young are those veteran players back and having more
(28:45):
lead time coming in they are a little bit reduced.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
It was interesting that Kyle said that though today. For
as much as they denied the Super Bowl hangover last year,
it was an admission essentially that they did have that.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
And obviously that.
Speaker 6 (28:56):
Super Bowl run was the culmination of three straight conference
championship game. So they're playing deep into the season. But
I don't think we can underscore enough what a big loss.
Christian McCaffrey was the ultimate chess piece in that Kyle
Shanahan offense. Obviously out most of the season. Trent Williams
wasn't there. He's been around here during the off season program.
(29:17):
But today Kyle Shanahan saying that Kyle Christian McCaffrey is
as healthy as he has ever been. They might have
to dial him back a little bit to take take
care of him, protect him from himself. But getting Christian
McCaffrey back, more than anything else, could be the impact
that for their twenty twenty five season going forward, for
the forty nine ers.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
A site for sore eyes, not just for San Francisco fans,
for the entire league.
Speaker 9 (29:42):
Guys, thank you very much, what.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
More of the NFL?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected
throughout the off season with twenty four to seven football
news and coverage on NFL Network and with NFL Plus Premium.
Relive your favorite moments from the twenty twenty four season
with gay replays and access to NFL player stats with
NFL Pro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot com.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Terms and conditions.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Applies described NFL Plus, and you'll probably get even more
of Michael at Florio, who used to have some awesome
graphics that we use for like a day and then
they disappeared.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I haven't seen them since we're gonna have to bring
those back.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Today, we are giving the fantasy outlook for the NFC North.
We're starting with the Chicago Bears Ben Johnson. That should
help the fantasy outlook for the Bears, right Yeah.
Speaker 15 (30:31):
I think the Bears getting Ben Johnson was the biggest
move of the offseason, especially for fantasy. He runs a
run heavy system. Every year in Detroit they were top
three in rushing touchdowns.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
He throws a lot of passes to the.
Speaker 15 (30:44):
Running backs, which is why I think Deandres with is
very underrated. He goes as an RB three but brings
top fifteen, maybe even higher.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Upside.
Speaker 15 (30:52):
Caleb Williams is also the biggest winner of this offseason
because he gets Johnson, he gets a revamped O lined,
and he is surrounded by first round picks, something Trubisky
and Fields never had with the Bears. Him finishing somewhere
in the QB six to ten range for fantasy is
very possible.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
And then I won all.
Speaker 15 (31:10):
The pass catchers here as well, Love within more doomsday
all of them. And then from the Bears to their
biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, Matt Lafour's offense have
never ranked higher than fifteenth in pass attempts during his
tenure with the Packers. It's why I don't love Jordan
Love for fantasy. I think he's more of a TB
two with Cats upside. Josh Jacobs, though, is going to
(31:31):
eat here because he last year scored a career high
sixteen touchdowns, second most touches and yards in his career.
Speaker 7 (31:38):
Very safe second round pick.
Speaker 15 (31:40):
And even though this offense scores points, they don't throw
a ton, and they don't they have an abundance of
wide receivers, so we don't know on a week to
week basis who is going to be the guy there.
So I don't like any of their wide receivers as
anything more than a wide receiver for or a flex
option for fantasy, and Tucker Craft more of a low
and tight end one and a Barry Cravin system.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Okay, all right, noted? Now the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Look, you got a great offensive system, you got a
team in a dome, You've got a tremendous skill position
players there. You gotta change a quarterback, so it's a
bit of a leap of faith. How do we handle
this whole.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Thing with the Vikings?
Speaker 15 (32:15):
Well, you mentioned Koc I think he is such an
underrated play caller. His offenses have finished top six in
passing yards and touchdowns every year he's.
Speaker 7 (32:23):
Been with the Vikings.
Speaker 15 (32:24):
It doesn't matter Kirk cousin, Sam Donald, the passionate Nick Mullens.
This offense continues to produce. Which is why I think
JJ McCarthy is a sleeper in fantasy, because no one
expected Sam Donald to finish as the ninth best fantasy
QB last year. And JJ McCarty he might even just
be a waiver wire name when drafts start. And look,
(32:46):
it doesn't matter who is throwing.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
The ball to.
Speaker 7 (32:48):
Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 15 (32:49):
He is top fourteen hundred yards every healthy.
Speaker 7 (32:52):
Season he has had.
Speaker 15 (32:53):
It's why he is the consensus number two wide receiver
off the board. Addison is a quality wide receiver, but
my favorite pass catcher there outside of Jefferson is Hawkinson.
Speaker 7 (33:03):
And then to the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 15 (33:04):
This might sound crazy, but they bring the most questions
of any offense in this division because they lost Ben
Johnson to the Bears, their past game.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Coordinator went to the Jets.
Speaker 15 (33:14):
Now they have Brian Morton, who spent the last two
years with the Broncos but has only been in OC once.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
And you still have to pay full price.
Speaker 15 (33:22):
For all of your Lions, right, Jamir gives a first
round pick.
Speaker 7 (33:25):
I don't mind that.
Speaker 15 (33:25):
Aman Rose Brown same, I don't mind it, but I'd
rather have Kopa and Nakua or Malik neighbors over in
the intend to go later. Jamison Williams as a wide
receiver to Laporta is a high end tight end. So
you are paying full price for your Lions despite the
change in play caller, which gives me a little bit of.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Pause, changes in coaches, changes at the quarterback position in
the NFC, NORF is a fascinating division to watch when
it comes for when it comes to fantasy purposes.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
That's why Michael F. Florio has got you.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
On lock right now and throughout the entire offseason leading
up to start of the regular season. Fired up to
hear more from Florio here on The Insiders. Fired up
to finally hear from Mark Andrews after this disappointing drop.
You know how much this gutted him. He didn't talk
to the media. Andrews finally spoke on Thursday. We'll have
that for you on The Insiders.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Next.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Ota is continuing with Derrick Henry and the Ravens down
there at Owings.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
Mills at the Castle.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
A disappointing and to the season for the Ravens in Buffalo.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
This past year.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Mark Andrews had that key dropped. We know how integral
he's been to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
He continues to be. There's a question whether or not
he'd be back. He is back, and he spoke for
the first time since that drop in the play.
Speaker 16 (34:45):
It's tough, you know, it's you know, as somebody, this
is this is my this is my life. I put
a lot of work into this, and you know, everything
I do is kind of focused on everything I think
about is focused on that, and so you know, it
wasn't the way that you know I'd planned it, and
U you know, but that's all part of the story.
I've been using it and I've had an incredible off
season and I'm excited to just to show what i
(35:07):
can continue to do and continue to prove myself and
step up in big moments. And yeah, so that's the
thing about sports is doesn't always fall your way, doesn't
always go your way, but it's how you bounce back.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Mark Andrews and actually Isaiah likely what the Ravens are
gonna do, They've got to extend one of them. That's
one of the off season priorities in the AFC. Here
are a bunch of other ones. Our guy Kevin Patra
has a story on this on NFL dot com. But yeah,
you look to see what the Bills are gonna do
with James Cook right there. Colt's gotta finals as a quarterback,
(35:40):
Chip Kelly, Yeah, I gotta establish it. Gonna be fascinating
to see his return to the NFL. And yeah, we
talked about the Chiefs in their need to fix things
on the offensive line. Judy Batista back with me, and
Steve Weisch as well.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
For the priorities in the AFC North.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Let's start with those Ravens that we just talked about
with Mark Andrews.
Speaker 7 (35:58):
Steve.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
Yeah, look, I'm gonna to defensive side of the ball,
and to me is getting rookie safety Malachi Starks, who
signed his deal today, getting him up to speed right away.
Because remember our Darius Washington right after the draft, who
is their starting strong safety.
Speaker 4 (36:11):
Last year, he hurt his achilles tendon.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
So they're gonna have to get Malachai Starks in and
ready to rock and roll. And the Ravens ask their
defensive backs to do an awful lot, especially with the
way they move Kyle Hamilton around. But let's also go
to getting pressure on the quarterback. We know they've got
some good pass rushers a Dafe Oway, Kyle van Oway,
they just drafted Mike Green out of Marshall. But I've
(36:35):
got a player they could add if we're talking about priorities,
and he said today he wants to keep playing. Thirty
six year old Von Miller would be an excellent closer
for the Ravens. And they're outside linebacker coach and pass
rush specialist Chuck Smith. He has been the lead coach
at Miller's pass rushing summit the offseason, something he does
(36:55):
for all the pass rushers around the NFL for about
the past six or seven years. I think Smith and
von Miller finishing up their careers together, at least Miller's
career together Baltimo would be a nice ad.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Ravens haven't been shy about bringing in veterans at key
positions late in their career. That would make sense, that
would fit with that profile. Malachi Starks, by the way,
his deal done. Sixteen point five million dollars plus on
that deal, So congrats to him for inching his rookie deal.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
Judy.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Let's go to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, I'm sure there's
a long list of things that the Steelers still need
to do. Take anything on that whole list, Judy, for
the Steelers in their priority.
Speaker 8 (37:32):
Yeah, I'm going to take the low hanging fruit. It's
the most obvious thing. They've got to straighten out the
quarterback situation. It is May twenty ninth, and the presumed
starter for the Pittsburgh.
Speaker 9 (37:42):
Steelers is not on the roster yet.
Speaker 8 (37:45):
It's that guy Aaron Rodgers now still also signs point
to him becoming e Pittsburgh Steeler. I'm told he continues
to ask all the right questions about practice schedules, all
those kinds of things. The only thing that hasn't happened
is him saying I am on my way to Pittsburgh
to join the team.
Speaker 9 (38:00):
So they are waiting for that.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
Obviously, if that falls through, they have to pivot and
decide do they try to make a trade for Kirk
Cousins or do they go forward with Mason Rudolph and
rookie Will Howard and bigger picture. Even if Aaron Rodgers
is the quarterback of this season, which is certainly what
they hope for, they have to try to get a
read on Will Howard whether he could be the quarterback
of the future, because otherwise they don't have a quarterback
(38:24):
of the future either, and they're going forward with a.
Speaker 9 (38:26):
Forty one year old quarterback.
Speaker 8 (38:28):
They are in a world of hurt with the quarterback
situation until they get this figured out in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Well, Judy, speaking to quarterbacks, let's go to Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
And we know that they're trying to figure out if
it's going to be Joe Flacco is going to be
Kenny Pickett, Dylan Gabriel, Shadu or Sanders.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
But I'm not going with the low hanging fruit.
Speaker 5 (38:44):
I'm going to the position group that they've got to
throw the ball to. We know Jerry Judy really he
just had a breakout year last year catching balls from
Jameis Winston. He looked like one of the best young
wide receivers in the NFL last year with some uncertainty
of that position. But after we get to Judy, what
is there Cedric Tillman. He had twenty nine catches last
year from the wide receiver spot. Now he missed some
(39:06):
games with a concussion, But they don't really have a
ton of other depth right there.
Speaker 4 (39:10):
They've got Jamari Thrash right now. They're hoping he can emerge.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
But other than Judy and David Nijoku a a tight
end those quarterbacks. Whoever starts, they're going to be searching
for guys to get the.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
Ball to Judy.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
The Bengals two big check marks on their list when
they got t Higgins and Jamar Chase's deals done, But
still more work to do for them.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
What's the priority?
Speaker 8 (39:31):
They got to figure out a way to not have
such slow starts.
Speaker 9 (39:34):
In the Zach Taylor head coaching era.
Speaker 8 (39:37):
They are four thirteen and one in the first three
weeks of the season. They keep digging themselves holes that
even as great as that offense is, as great as
Joe Burrow is, they can't keep digging themselves out of
these holes. One of the things to do is not
have any distractions off the field. They got Jamar Chase done,
(39:57):
They got t Higgins done. They need to get Trey
hen duck Sen done. They need to get Timore Stewart
into camp. His rookie deal is not done. They need
to clear the decks so that they can focus on
winning games right out of the gate. By the way,
Jamar Chase said this week he wants to play in
the preseason, and Zach Taylor appears to be open to
finally playing his starters in preseason games.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Yeah, if you pay that guy that much money and
he's a star player for you, and he says that, yeah,
you probably should listen to him.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Judy Wish, thank you.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
You're back with us for the final block of the show.
Here just a couple of seconds. The wait is over,
by the way, and the countdown to kick offf has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty five NFL season are
on sale now. Visit NFL dot com slash tickets to
purchase tickets today. Tickets are available through the NFL ticket network,
including Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, and Sports Illustrated Tickets.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I said tickets again.
Speaker 17 (40:51):
My name is Darius Moreso, linebacker for the New York Giants.
I am samor And and Philipino desandle I go on Moans
represented more than just myself. I carry that last name
with pride. So my mom was always in the pitching.
There's me and then I have five brothers, so a
total of six boys. And I don't know if you
(41:13):
ever saw a small somewhere, and we're all big. We
all got appetites, and so we was eating enough for
two normal people. And so my mom would always cook up,
you know, just the right amount as far as food.
We eat rice with everything with all our croating and
all the bridge. But another big protein back home and
(41:34):
boy is spam. And so I have my girlfriend cook
up a bunch of spam movesubs for me.
Speaker 12 (41:39):
That's staateboard fishing boy.
Speaker 17 (41:41):
That we have spam on a bed of rice wrapped
in mody or seeding and that's like I handheld a
snack everywherever we go where I come from, it's.
Speaker 12 (41:51):
Very hard for us to make it out.
Speaker 17 (41:52):
Into the mainland, especially in professional sports there.
Speaker 12 (41:55):
I am no thing all.
Speaker 17 (41:56):
The way in New York would have known, you know,
little Darius, would we all we all here? I'm just
great for one best to be in this opportunity to
be all here, flaming the sport that.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Alge great stuff, Darius listen.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
In two thousand and six, the Jaguars drafted Marcedes Lewis
in the first round.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Maurice Jones drew in the second round.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Lewis forty one, told our friend, hey, Adams and up
and Adams, he wants to play one more season.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Maurice Jones drew.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Our guy had a great career. He's been retired for
eleven years. Where culture deduced Jones drews his son's NFL career.
That we are to Maurice's judy, but that means we.
Speaker 8 (42:33):
Get Maurice Jones drew, and that's what I am happy about.
Speaker 9 (42:36):
Congratulations to Marcedes.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Lewis, though Mercedes high in my Marcedes back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Nat
A farewell tour, not for Taylor, potentially for Travis Kelsey,
but Patrick Mahomes says, yeah, I'm not so sure about that.
We'll hear from Mahomes on his long time tight end
coming up here in just a couple of minutes. Trey Harris,
the Chargers rookie wide receiver, will join us shortly. He
is off to a fantastic start by all reports coming
(00:32):
out of Los Angeles, so he will join us to
talk about that start to his NFL career.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
We'll make them carry our pads, our known pads, because
we're reporting.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Never mind, Michael Florio will be with us as well
to talk about the fantasy outlook in the NFC North
where Sam Darnold no longer plays.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
But the guy on the other side of these.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Pastes does welcome inside with the insiders. Judy Batista joining me,
Mike Garafalo here on a Thursday and Ota Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We love OTA's.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
They continue to go on around the league, bringing us
all kinds of news and insight. The folks who are
gonna be joining us to talk to them by to
talk about them. By the way, Steve Weisch, Omar Ruiz
along in just a matter of seconds, Mark Ross as well,
and I mentioned Michael Florio and Trey Harris, so it's
stay tuned for their insights later. But for now we
go to Patrick Mahomes and his insights because the Chiefs
(01:24):
were at OTA's trying to get back to that Super
Bowl to win it this time after a disappointing loss.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
To the Eagles. It all starts in the spring.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Even Patrick Mahomes understands that the question is will be
this be the final football spring for Travis Kelce. Patrick
Mahomes says, not so sure.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
About that, you know, I mean you would if it's
the last ride, you would never know. I mean the
way he's talking about football, the way he's talking about
working and trying to be even better this year than
he was last year. I mean he's he's not done.
Seem like a guy that it's his last Riley, he's
tired of the job. I mean he's in there, he's working,
and I know his body feels good. I think it
(02:02):
feels better than even last year before going into last season,
just because I think he's motivated to go out there
and have it even better year than he had this last.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Yeah, heir Steve Weisch and Omar Rouiz Natalie dressed as
his duty and I'm slumming it once again, but Mark
Ros's gonna match me. Stay tuned for that. That's coming
up in just a couple of minutes. Steve, want to
start with you Travis Kelcey. You did spend time with
him recently. What is your thoughts on what mahomes is
saying and what we might see from Kelsey this year.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
When I saw Travis was right after the conversation came up,
and I believe he started as saying, you know, he
lost twenty five pounds so he can be in better shape.
I was like, twenty five pounds. He's like, yeah, you
know that's bs, that's twenty five pounds because he'd be
weighing about two twenty if he did he did that.
He plays around two forty five, two fifty. But remember
his numbers, his receptions numbers were high, he had ninety seven,
(02:52):
but his yardage totals were low, and his postseason numbers
including targets were low. So he really did seem dialed
in in my conversation with him about having a really
good season. You know, he seems really committed to come
out playing well, get this whole offense rolling well. Because
it wasn't just him whose numbers were down in some areas.
Patrick Mahomes's numbers were down in total yards. So the Chiefs,
(03:13):
their offense, they're wide receivers. Everything needs to get better
to open him up. And again he seems committed at
least going into twenty twenty five to having one of
his better seasons. We'll see if it happens, because a
lot of other things have to work, but at least
for what he can control, he does seem like he's.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
On it, but just not twenty five pounds less of it.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Yeah, Steve's saying. Andy Reid saying that Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes,
Chris Jones, all the guys that he's leaned on over
the years, and no surprise that Travis Kelce has been
working the way he has, according to Patrick Mahomes, setting
the standard that they have for the Kansas City Chiefs
this year, trying to get to their sixth Super Bowl
in seven seasons. They're starting out in Brazil, They're playing
(03:51):
on Thanksgiving, they're playing on Christmas, so many different irregular schedules.
Andy Reid saying, these guys are instilling the tempo with
which they practice, and Patrick Mahomes saying, yes, he's not
quite thirty yet, but this is his ninth season. He's
learning to get with these young players, trying to get
to know them as people before he mentors them on
(04:12):
the field, pushes them on the field, and that goes
to the same for those veterans who are new how
they practice, because when they get into the season, they're
playing on a Wednesday.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
Or a Thursday or a Friday, as.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
We've seen them over the years. Sometimes Andy Reid pushes
them physically in practice, sometimes he pulls back, but mentally
sharp is what always is the focus, and they're learning
that here in OTAs. Then we'll take that into training
camp and into the rest of the season as well.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well.
Speaker 8 (04:40):
Guys, none of this matters if that offensive line does
not get settled and there are a lot of moving parts.
There is a job competition at guard. But most importantly
what came out of the early OTAs was Andy Reid
saying that Josh Simmons, the rookie slated to be the
left tackle, might be a little bit further along than
they had expected at this point in his recovery from
(05:01):
the knee injury that he suffered in college.
Speaker 9 (05:04):
He has not done any teamwork yet.
Speaker 8 (05:06):
Andy said, you know, we just got to get him
in there against a defense. But there is some hope
that maybe at the end of phase three of the
off season that they'll be able to get him in
there at teamwork. That is the most important thing that
can come out of this offseason for this offensive line
to gel. It stimied them against the Eagles in the
Super Bowl last year, it cost them a previous Super
(05:29):
Bowl against the Bucks.
Speaker 9 (05:30):
It has hampered them.
Speaker 8 (05:32):
It has hampered the offense and what Andy and Patrick
can do in it. That has to get settled or
nothing else matters for the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Jay La Moore also received a ton of money to
come over from the San Francisco forty nine ers fifteen
million dollars per season. As Joe Tooney was the tackle
the last time we saw the Chiefs on the field,
not made to play that position now in Chicago as
a guard. So the Kansas City Chiefs looking to fortify
that offensive line as well as the tight end position,
with Travis Kelsey to be clear, only one tight end,
(06:02):
making it clear that this is likely his last season.
That's Mercedes Lewis. That's later in the program. Stay tuned
for that. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the AFC West, the Chargers
year two under Jim Harball looking to take that next
step forward. Joe Hortiz, the general manager, has been trying
to fortify that roster, including at the receiver position, and
we mentioned Trey Harris will be with us in just
a couple of minutes. Why you want to kick it
(06:24):
back to you, Let's talk defense. Let's talk Derwin James
and the secondary, the leader back there for the Chargers.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Yeah, Mike the ode Omar and I were both out
there at their oga's. We got to speak to defensive
back coach Steve Klinkscales and he was talking about Derwin James.
We know about the versatility of Derwin James. He's he
going him play strong safety, free safety, some even outside
linebacker stuff. But what was interesting with Clinkscales pointed out
is that doesn't just show Derwin James versatility, but it
(06:50):
forces all of the other defensive backs in that secondary
to learn new positions, which is allowing Jesse mentioned the
defensive cour coordinator to do things different schematically, so you know,
we could say, hey, guys have to learn positions just
cross training in case a player gets hurt. But in
the Niner scheme, what this does, Omar is it allows
(07:11):
a different player, a safety, to learn a corner spot
or a slot spot, so they can scheme up a
lot of different things in different situations. They think they're
going to be even more creative this year in year
two of the system, especially with Darren James coming off
a bounce back year last year the way he did.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
And they said, they're not relearning that defense. They are
picking it up from where they left us in that
playoff loss to the Houston Texans, and they are going
they are going against every day and practice that receiving
corp that we were talking about. We saw that clip
on social media, justin Herbert to Brendan Rice, one of
those players that was flashing when we were out there
at practice. Receeed and in general these receivers, there aren't
(07:49):
many drop balls when you watch a practice. I think
last year we would agree there were a lot of
balls on the ground that when they were going on air.
And this is a revamped receiver room. Obviously, Mike Williams
is back in tow they drafted Trey Harris in the
second round of speaking with general manager Joe Hortiz about him,
who not only they're high on his his skill set,
his impressive size on the field. He's six two to
(08:10):
two oh five but gets in and out of his brakes,
receives the ball well with his hands.
Speaker 7 (08:14):
But he has a.
Speaker 6 (08:15):
Presence, Hortez told me when he walks into a room
when they're meeting with him at the combine, just a
real confidence about his style. Then you have Vladi McConkey.
Of course, that's back Quinton Johnson was out making plays
and it seems like they're.
Speaker 7 (08:28):
All elevating each other.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
And speaking of that elevation, we've seen from one year
to the next that Chargers roster really made in the
mold that Jim Harbaugh wants to have. They are big,
they are physical, they are imposing, and it really stands
out when you see them out at practice.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
You really see what Horties and Harball have done.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
This is a massive physical team now in terms of
just stature, even the quarterback room where justin Herbert, everybody
else in the room is about the.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Same size as him.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
When you've Takento account free Agencigny dj Ungalele.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Who's about Lances out there? Big Dewy Lance. So they're
big all the way across the board.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah, the on need those offensive linemen to come first
off the bus. You can send the quarterback quarterback receivers
just't fine.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
That's the thing we're coming to. Mike Bradley Boseman. The
starting centers about six five three.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
P forty looks small next.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
To Maki Beckson.
Speaker 7 (09:20):
That's just how big those guys are all across the board. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
McKay Beckton getting ten million dollars per season to head
out there to the Chargers and hopefully if you're the Chargers,
he can continue on the success that he finally finally
got with the Eagles this past season. Omar and Weis,
don't go anywhere, yeah, Air George George Pickens the newest
addition to the Cowboys receiving.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Room with a one handed catch.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
See like you got the slow motion from every team's
social account, how about the no motion. That is a
great look right there from the Cowboys social account of
that one headed pick catch by George Pickens. Bryan shott Hier,
the new coach down there in Dallas, New head coach,
happy with what he sees so far.
Speaker 10 (10:03):
I think number one, he's doing an incredible job picking
up the system. I talked about his intentionality last week.
I believe just how hard he's working. But there was
a play and it really wasn't anything George did, but
we're in the red zone and we're in kind of
a spread formation. We hit him for a touchdown. Joe
did on a little a bender, like a little skinny
(10:25):
post down the low red zone and CD was on
the other side. And when ced broke out and he
looked back to see where the ball went, and he
saw George and the end zone kind of dragged his
toes on. CD was like, yes, So I think his
excitement for knowing that we've added some pieces which will
add to the competition. It was cool to see a
guy like CD be excited. And those two guys relationship
(10:48):
is awesome. I'm sure you guys have probably done stories
on it, but they're spending a lot of time together.
I think it's great for CD to have someone like George,
not that George is a young player, but someone that
GP really looks up to. They obviously have trained some together,
but that relationship is really cool and I'm enjoying kind
of just sitting back and watching it develop.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
You know, it's badly needed when a number one wide
receiver is happy that another receiver got the ball.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That is the case with Ceedee Lamb, Mark.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Ross joining us now for our front office perspective on
matters here we're talking wide receivers. I think you and
I thought maybe we were going to be talking about
Jalen Waddle if you pick up when I'm putting down
with the shirts, but Judy going to you on the
Cowboys wide receiver room with George Pickens added to it,
like we talked about a much needed number two and
call you number two.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
George, I'm just saying number two to ce D Lambs
number one.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
Well, you can understand why ce D Lamb is saying,
you know, hallelujah finally, because we've been talking about this
for a few years that they needed a strong wide receiver.
As you said, it's not really number two, it's more
sort of like one A on one B right now
to take some of the defensive focus off CD Lamb
and another target for Dak Prescott. And don't forget for
(12:02):
George Pickett's look, he wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh
quite obviously, but he has the potential to be a
dynamic playmaker. We did see that in Spurts last year.
This is by far the best quarterbacking situation that George
Pickens is going to be. And when he was in
Pittsburgh he had the the Mitch Trubisky years last year.
(12:24):
Obviously they had a quarterback shuffle there. He's had some
tough Kenny Pickett was his quarterback there, so.
Speaker 9 (12:31):
He has not had elite, elite.
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Level quarterbacking like he is going to have with Dak
And he also hasn't had a number one receiver next
to him the caliber of Ceeddee lamp So the Cowboys
not only have the potential to finally give ce d
Lamb some help, but they finally have a chance to
unlock everything that George Pickens can be. He's obviously tremendously
talented physically. It didn't work out in Pittsburgh for a
(12:57):
variety of reasons, but he certainly now has players around
him that should give George Pickens the best chance to
finally be the full George Pickens.
Speaker 11 (13:07):
And I think Judy the biggest thing about the relationship
with Ceedee Lamb, is that mentor effect that he will
have on the field and off the field. You talk
about the flashes of brilliance, and I think when George
Pickens sees how Ceedee Lamb prepares and how he goes
about the game day of how he's always consistent.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
You know Ceedee Lamb, you know you can count on him.
So George Pickens.
Speaker 11 (13:27):
Needs to look at how Ceedee Lamb handles his business
in practice and on game day to say, oh, I
need to have that consistency like CD does.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
But also you talked about him wearing out as welcome. Well,
Ceede Lamb.
Speaker 11 (13:38):
Can have an effect on George Pickens also off the
field in the locker room to say, Okay, this is
how we show up to meet he's got time, this
is how we prepare in the film room, this is
how we do things the right way if you want
to be an elite receiver and unlock all of your potentials.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
So it's an effect that Ceedee Lamb.
Speaker 11 (13:57):
Can the Cowboys hope be positive on and off the field.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
And and you look at what the Cowboys have done
this offseason selectively aggressive, that was this offseason right? Selectively
they were selectively aggressive when it came to George Pickens mark.
Have they been selectively aggressive enough to compete with the
Eagles and the Commanders in the nfcast.
Speaker 11 (14:18):
Yeah, I still don't see that. Look, the Eagle is
probably the best team in the league with the most.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
Talent in the league.
Speaker 11 (14:23):
The Commanders I think got tremendously better with getting Laramie
Tumpsel and Deebo Sanduel and Air not even naming all
the solid freeze and signings. And for Dallas, you're really
just talking about the George Pickens trade that they got
better Tyler Booker drafting him in the first round. But
I still think there's a ton of question marks with
this Cowboys team.
Speaker 7 (14:42):
Number one, with Dak Prescott.
Speaker 11 (14:43):
And his help to his ability to win big games,
to win playoff game, breathe, the running back situation. We're
talking about the receivers, but look at that running back room.
Speaker 7 (14:52):
There are a lot of question marks there.
Speaker 11 (14:53):
And then I think when you go to the defensive
side of the ball, I think there's a ton of
question marks there as well. So definitely best team in
the league. Commander's knocking on the door. There's too many
question marks in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Yep, we'll see, Mark, We'll see how it plays out.
I know a lot of folks are underestimating Brian Schottenheimer.
Underestimate him at your peril. I know he wasn't a
hot head coaching candidate, at least not in the last
fifteen years. He was years ago. But I think he's
more prepared to be a head coach now. And we'll
see how it goes down there in Dallas. By the way, Mark,
Happy anniversary to you.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
How many years now with you and your lovely bride
now twenty.
Speaker 11 (15:27):
Oh whoa, whoa look, thank you, thank me, you appreciate
Oh Man, that's a good looking people right now.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
It's twenty some points twenty years. Man, I can't believe him. Man,
you got it all here. This is perfect, You got it.
Thank you. You don't miss the tick. Man.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Is your account set to private? Because we blow right
through those firewalls here on the inside.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
Should have to wait.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
We have a way of getting to the information. Hey, listen,
Happy anniversary to you twenty years.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
At least twenty we're going for like sixty more.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Mark.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I think you guys are going to make it.
Speaker 7 (16:03):
You too, love it.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Congratulations, it was just about Oh.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I don't know a year ago where we were saying, boy,
the Chargers really have no real depth at wide receiver.
And it's changed in a hurry, thanks in part to
this guy, Mississippi wide receiver Trey Harris, the fifty fifth
overall pick joining the Los Angeles Chargers and now joining
the Insiders. Trey Harris with us right now. I gotta
(16:31):
tell you, as far as first impressions go, and we're
seeing this from Afar, Judy Batista and I are a
lot of glowing reports. Early seems like you've hit the
ground running there. Do you feel like that's the case.
I know you got a long way to go, I
get it. But what's led to this early success with
you in OTAs?
Speaker 12 (16:48):
I definitely say just taking each day with what comes
with it.
Speaker 13 (16:51):
To be honest with you, one thing that coach coach
Harbo has harped on and one of the first things
he told the htiography class was knockingham call when and
that's what's important now and the way I took it is,
you know, just go out there, take each day with
what comes with it, Learn your place for the next day,
learn what you got to do with assignments come with it,
and that's all I've been doing, and I feel like
that's what contributes to my success so far.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
Specifically, the early reports out of Okas are that you
and Justin Herbert already had some good early chemistry going.
What are your early impressions of him?
Speaker 13 (17:25):
Man, he's he lives up to the height that everybody's
talking about, and you.
Speaker 12 (17:29):
Know he's he's a true professional. And you know every
three he makes just right on around the point.
Speaker 13 (17:35):
And you know, you can't really complain about anything he
does because he does everything the right way.
Speaker 12 (17:39):
And I'm super excited about play with a quarterback like that.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
You know, you in college played for Lane Kiffin, who
seems like an interesting fun fella from.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Time to time.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
And Jim Harball now in the NFL, he's got some
interesting personalities from the head.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
How do these two stack up?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And what's your initial impressions of Jim Harball as head
coach to the Chargers.
Speaker 13 (18:01):
Well, my initial impressions are, there's nothing but good, to
be honest with you. You know, everything that coach Harball preaches,
you know, he lives by everything he teaches us.
Speaker 12 (18:10):
He's very involved in everything that we do.
Speaker 13 (18:12):
And that's something that I'm really enjoying, to be honest
with you. You know, Kiffen and Coach Harbald are definitely two
different personalities.
Speaker 12 (18:19):
For sure. Kevin, you can be.
Speaker 13 (18:20):
A little bit more laid back, but no Coach Harball,
He's not afraid to, you know, get up in your
face and tell you how he feels.
Speaker 12 (18:25):
And you're also not afraid, you know, let you know
how he feels about any situation.
Speaker 13 (18:29):
So that's one thing I really do appreciate coming from him.
Speaker 8 (18:35):
You know, Trey Mike mentioned it a few moments ago
that wide receiver has been an area of concern for
this team and it was perceived as the biggest need
going into this offseason. Give us the scouting report on you.
What is the team getting. What are fans going to
see you bring to that offense.
Speaker 13 (18:52):
Well, you're gonna get a guy who who's able to
win verse. Man, that's one of the best things. I
feel like, that's one of my best attributes. You get
a guy's able to know go there contested catches and
you know, make those big, those over the top catches
as well.
Speaker 12 (19:03):
Just an e supposed receiver always making catches and plays
down the field.
Speaker 13 (19:06):
So I feel like that's something you would get from
me in every game I'm able to play in Gray.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Take me back, because you're talking about your size speed combination.
We saw that in all the scouting reports leading up
to the draft. A lot of times around the draft,
you know, the likes of us will say, well, this
guy's going to be a second round pick, and then
he's not taking the like the third or the fourth
round because we project like sixty guys to go in
the second round. You actually beat a lot of the
projections that I saw. I mean, take me through a
(19:32):
draft day and the fact that you get that call
from at fifty five from the Chargers and what they
told you about what you could do for them right away.
Speaker 13 (19:40):
It was, you know going through that draft day, man,
it was it was ecstatic to me. I was so ecstatic,
you know, just being able to hear mister Orts call
my name and you know, give me that phone call
and here from missus Spanos, you know that I'm coming
to Charter.
Speaker 12 (19:53):
It was something that I'm always remembering, something that was amazing.
Beyones with y'all.
Speaker 13 (19:57):
Couldn't even keep a smile from off my face. But
I can't wait till, you know, really make my market
in the league.
Speaker 8 (20:05):
All right, Trey, you are converted quarterback back in your
high school days.
Speaker 9 (20:10):
You played with Melik Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
In high school.
Speaker 8 (20:12):
You played with Jackson Dart in college. Mike and I
both live in the New York area. This is a
big topic of conversation here. How is Melik Neighbors going
to like playing with Jackson Dart.
Speaker 13 (20:25):
One thing I can tell about those two is that
they're actually very similar in their competitiveness, you know, both
of them.
Speaker 12 (20:31):
They're both going at whoever it is in front of them.
Speaker 13 (20:33):
That's something I've picked up from both of them that,
you know, that's one thing. They're fierce, fierce competitors and
they don't want anybody to be better than them. I
feel like that's going to just compliment each other really
really well. And they're also extremely hard workers, you know,
each both of these guys, both of them, they go
out there and they put in the work doesn't need it,
and they put an extra And that's something I'm super
excited to see. You know, we do get to play them,
(20:54):
so I can't wait. I can't wait for the opportunity
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
You know, backing up because Judy said, you're averted a
wide receiver, excuse me, quarterback to wide receiver. A lot
of times we'll see those guys throw some passes. In
five college seasons, only one attempted pass. Were there more
that we're dialed up or not dialed up? I guess
we're in the game plan not called. And could we
see that in the NFL?
Speaker 13 (21:19):
I don't know if we go see the NFL, I
don't believe that because we're roaming and but in college
we had some dialed up.
Speaker 12 (21:26):
But for the most part, I was just trying to
go out there and ball.
Speaker 13 (21:28):
You know, I wasn't too worried about getting other people
touched out trying to get my own behest with You're
just trying to find a way to, you know, expose
the defense.
Speaker 12 (21:35):
So wasn't too much to go into that conversation.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
All right, Now that you are about to embark on
your rookie season, what's one thing you really want to
do as a rookie?
Speaker 9 (21:47):
One thing you want to buy, one thing you want to.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
See O.
Speaker 12 (21:52):
Great. One thing I want to see for share.
Speaker 13 (21:56):
I want to go to the Lakers game that you
know here, I haven't never at an NBA game, So
that's something I'm definitely want to do that or go
to a UFC event.
Speaker 12 (22:04):
Those two of my top two things right now. I'm
not go lot.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Never been to an NBA game.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Well, we got to get you to one soon, to
get a chance to see Lakers or Clippers out there
in the in the markets, one or the other.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
All right.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
So Chargers Giants Week four, September twenty eighth, so you
get to reunite with both of those teammates Jackson Dart
and Malik Neighbors that we talked about.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But you know, a rookie, don't get ahead of yourself.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Okay, Friday September fifth, Chargers Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
That game in Brazil.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
So looking forward to seeing that one and looking forward
to seeing what you do in your first NFL season.
Trey Harris, good luck, man, appreciate you joining the Insiders.
Speaker 12 (22:43):
Thank job. I having really appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
It's going to be seeing plenty of him catching passes
from Justin Herbert. Got to see plenty of Matthew Stafford
throwing the football for the Rams, the other LA team
after he returned this offseason after flirting with some other team.
Shot McVay happy, to have Stafford back, and we are
happy to have our guys oh Ma, Ruiz and Steve
Weish talking Rams.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
After this.
Speaker 8 (23:12):
Welcome back to the Insiders. The Los Angeles Rams made
one of the most interesting moves of the off season,
signing DeVante Adams to pair with Pukakua, giving Matthew Stafford
a very nice set of weapons. Stafford talked about Adams
during OTA's Yesterday.
Speaker 14 (23:29):
I was texting with him, you know, late last week
a little bit and just saying, hey, man, you're a
great player because of your skill set, and I'm going
to continue to you know, work and watch and whether
that's watching live after I throw and then go back
and rewatch and make sure what I was seeing and
feeling at that moment was real. Then we just talked
about it too. Right after every single set. It feels
like we're over there talking about, hey, this is kind
(23:49):
of how I'm thinking I'm going to come out of
this or feel that, and it's just constant dialogue. And honestly,
you know, those are the best relationships I've had with
receivers and the most success that I've had is the
guys that you know want to talk to you on
you know what they felt what they were doing, and
I can also say, hey, this would have looked like
from my angel and go from there. But he's definitely
a he has that feeling as that understanding, and that's
(24:11):
it's a huge positive.
Speaker 8 (24:15):
All if that sounds good, Omar and Steve, thanks for
joining me. Omar, I want to start with you because
you were at that practice. We are all going to
be paying an awful lot of attention to the Stafford
Adams relationship and dynamic.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
How was it looking to you?
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Early? Well, looked great.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
Avante Adams even in his you know, double digit season
now in the NFL just still looks as impressive as ever,
that seventeen getting up in the air making those impressive catches.
But when you think about Matthew Stafford's first year with
Cooper Cup, it was historically great, the Triple Crown, the
Super Bowl MVP, and then his first year with Puka
Nakua historically great, all time receiving record as a rookie,
(24:54):
all time receiving yards record as a rookie, and then
has the playoff performance, the rookie record against the Lions.
So I'm thinking, Okay, what does he.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
Have in store?
Speaker 6 (25:03):
How will he in his first season with Devonte Adams
make a mark? And I asked Sean McVay what's been
the most impressive thing to him and how he gets
this chemistry with his receivers. About Matthew Stafford, he said,
it's his ability to connect, his ability to communicate like
most quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Have, but it's also his ability to.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
Listen with intention and that really endears him to his
teammates that he is there to be a collaborator with
those receivers. That not only does Matthew Stafford have the
confidence and obviously the experience the skins on the wall
to say, hey, this is how I like to see it,
but also the humility to listen to his receivers and
be able to implement that into the game plan.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
So that's one.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
And then Matthew Stafford also told me that it is
motivating for him to want to work with a guy
like Davonte Adams and have him have great success this
season because that'll mean it'll be team success. And then lastly,
I asked offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur about it and he said,
when they get into the game, teams, Matthew Stafford still
has that old school mentality where it's not so much
(26:04):
about the play, it's not so much about the defense.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
He'll still go to his guy where the matchup is.
And obviously, with.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Poka Nakua across the way from Devonte Adams, you know
Matthew Stafford is gonna like Devonte Adams matchup over those
dvs a lot this season.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Well, you know what's Pooka a coup in the seventeen highlights,
Davante Adams is gonna be wearing seventeen, Puka's gonna be
wearing twelve, and Davante's gonna be receiver one beat. We
could talk all the Devonte Adams as we want. He's
one of my favorite players. The guy's had five consecutive
one thousand yard seasons. But Pooka Nakupa is still the
guy for the Los Angeles Rams. I am so interested
to see how they work off of one another from
(26:40):
game to game.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
You know, Pooka is the.
Speaker 5 (26:42):
Great run after the Cats guy, incredibly powerful. Davonte Adams
is a shaking and get open guy and score touchdowns guy.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So from game to game how they feed off of
each other.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
This is going to be a tough out for teams.
Let's not forget their first round draft pick was a
tight end. Tight End has not been a huge component
of the Rams offense. It could be this year because
the attention to the two guys going out wide.
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Yeah, Terrence Ferguson in there and Tyler Higbee coming back
as well, right, and it's could play a much larger role.
Speaker 8 (27:11):
All right up the road in San Francisco. They were
also on the field for ots after what was obviously
a very disappointing twenty twenty four season. Kyle Shanahan, the coach,
talked to reporters about why there is heightened energy at
OTA's and he said it basically went back to the
final team meeting at the end of the twenty twenty
four season, and he said last year, the guys were
(27:32):
not ready to come back to OTAs and he understood that.
Not so understanding this year he wanted them back at OTA's. Steve,
I guess the big question that's going to hang over
this team is how do they bounce back from what
was such an atypical season for them?
Speaker 5 (27:47):
Yeah, And I think what Kyle was saying is they
were burnt out right from going to the Super Bowl
for the past couple of years and having just a
short turnaround time. Now they've had a significant turnaround time.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Everybody should be re energized.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Look organizationally, they got the big contracts done Kittle, Fred Warner,
brock Purty.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
So they got those guys in camp.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
So now the bounce back because they've had some roster
turnover to me is going to be intriguing because he
announced that Ricky Piersoll, who could be their lead wide receiver,
that is the second year player. He's going to be
out until training camp now with a hamstring. And you know,
we know that they got rid of Deebo Samuel Brandon
Ayuka's out with an ACL So it's up to Jwan
Jennings to really come out and it show some stuff
(28:24):
for brock Purty and that wide receiver group. They've still
got some injuries to come off of in the secondary.
Mustafa he's coming off of a knee injury. Jai ear
forgetting get Brown ankle surgery. He's gonna be out though
training camp. So they've got some injuries to young players
they've got to get through. But again getting some of
those young are those veteran players back and having more
(28:45):
lead time coming in they are a little bit reduced.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
It was interesting that Kyle said that though today. For
as much as they denied the Super Bowl hangover last year,
it was an admission essentially that they did have that.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
And obviously that.
Speaker 6 (28:56):
Super Bowl run was the culmination of three straight conference
championship game. So they're playing deep into the season. But
I don't think we can underscore enough what a big loss.
Christian McCaffrey was the ultimate chess piece in that Kyle
Shanahan offense. Obviously out most of the season. Trent Williams
wasn't there. He's been around here during the off season program.
(29:17):
But today Kyle Shanahan saying that Kyle Christian McCaffrey is
as healthy as he has ever been. They might have
to dial him back a little bit to take take
care of him, protect him from himself. But getting Christian
McCaffrey back, more than anything else, could be the impact
that for their twenty twenty five season going forward, for
the forty nine ers.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
A site for sore eyes, not just for San Francisco fans,
for the entire league.
Speaker 9 (29:42):
Guys, thank you very much, what.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
More of the NFL?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected
throughout the off season with twenty four to seven football
news and coverage on NFL Network and with NFL Plus Premium.
Relive your favorite moments from the twenty twenty four season
with gay replays and access to NFL player stats with
NFL Pro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot com.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Terms and conditions.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Applies described NFL Plus, and you'll probably get even more
of Michael at Florio, who used to have some awesome
graphics that we use for like a day and then
they disappeared.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I haven't seen them since we're gonna have to bring
those back.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Today, we are giving the fantasy outlook for the NFC North.
We're starting with the Chicago Bears Ben Johnson. That should
help the fantasy outlook for the Bears, right Yeah.
Speaker 15 (30:31):
I think the Bears getting Ben Johnson was the biggest
move of the offseason, especially for fantasy. He runs a
run heavy system. Every year in Detroit they were top
three in rushing touchdowns.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
He throws a lot of passes to the.
Speaker 15 (30:44):
Running backs, which is why I think Deandres with is
very underrated. He goes as an RB three but brings
top fifteen, maybe even higher.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Upside.
Speaker 15 (30:52):
Caleb Williams is also the biggest winner of this offseason
because he gets Johnson, he gets a revamped O lined,
and he is surrounded by first round picks, something Trubisky
and Fields never had with the Bears. Him finishing somewhere
in the QB six to ten range for fantasy is
very possible.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
And then I won all.
Speaker 15 (31:10):
The pass catchers here as well, Love within more doomsday
all of them. And then from the Bears to their
biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, Matt Lafour's offense have
never ranked higher than fifteenth in pass attempts during his
tenure with the Packers. It's why I don't love Jordan
Love for fantasy. I think he's more of a TB
two with Cats upside. Josh Jacobs, though, is going to
(31:31):
eat here because he last year scored a career high
sixteen touchdowns, second most touches and yards in his career.
Speaker 7 (31:38):
Very safe second round pick.
Speaker 15 (31:40):
And even though this offense scores points, they don't throw
a ton, and they don't they have an abundance of
wide receivers, so we don't know on a week to
week basis who is going to be the guy there.
So I don't like any of their wide receivers as
anything more than a wide receiver for or a flex
option for fantasy, and Tucker Craft more of a low
and tight end one and a Barry Cravin system.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Okay, all right, noted? Now the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Look, you got a great offensive system, you got a
team in a dome, You've got a tremendous skill position
players there. You gotta change a quarterback, so it's a
bit of a leap of faith. How do we handle
this whole.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Thing with the Vikings?
Speaker 15 (32:15):
Well, you mentioned Koc I think he is such an
underrated play caller. His offenses have finished top six in
passing yards and touchdowns every year he's.
Speaker 7 (32:23):
Been with the Vikings.
Speaker 15 (32:24):
It doesn't matter Kirk cousin, Sam Donald, the passionate Nick Mullens.
This offense continues to produce. Which is why I think
JJ McCarthy is a sleeper in fantasy, because no one
expected Sam Donald to finish as the ninth best fantasy
QB last year. And JJ McCarty he might even just
be a waiver wire name when drafts start. And look,
(32:46):
it doesn't matter who is throwing.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
The ball to.
Speaker 7 (32:48):
Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 15 (32:49):
He is top fourteen hundred yards every healthy.
Speaker 7 (32:52):
Season he has had.
Speaker 15 (32:53):
It's why he is the consensus number two wide receiver
off the board. Addison is a quality wide receiver, but
my favorite pass catcher there outside of Jefferson is Hawkinson.
Speaker 7 (33:03):
And then to the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 15 (33:04):
This might sound crazy, but they bring the most questions
of any offense in this division because they lost Ben
Johnson to the Bears, their past game.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Coordinator went to the Jets.
Speaker 15 (33:14):
Now they have Brian Morton, who spent the last two
years with the Broncos but has only been in OC once.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
And you still have to pay full price.
Speaker 15 (33:22):
For all of your Lions, right, Jamir gives a first
round pick.
Speaker 7 (33:25):
I don't mind that.
Speaker 15 (33:25):
Aman Rose Brown same, I don't mind it, but I'd
rather have Kopa and Nakua or Malik neighbors over in
the intend to go later. Jamison Williams as a wide
receiver to Laporta is a high end tight end. So
you are paying full price for your Lions despite the
change in play caller, which gives me a little bit of.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Pause, changes in coaches, changes at the quarterback position in
the NFC, NORF is a fascinating division to watch when
it comes for when it comes to fantasy purposes.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
That's why Michael F. Florio has got you.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
On lock right now and throughout the entire offseason leading
up to start of the regular season. Fired up to
hear more from Florio here on The Insiders. Fired up
to finally hear from Mark Andrews after this disappointing drop.
You know how much this gutted him. He didn't talk
to the media. Andrews finally spoke on Thursday. We'll have
that for you on The Insiders.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Next.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Ota is continuing with Derrick Henry and the Ravens down
there at Owings.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
Mills at the Castle.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
A disappointing and to the season for the Ravens in Buffalo.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
This past year.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Mark Andrews had that key dropped. We know how integral
he's been to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
He continues to be. There's a question whether or not
he'd be back. He is back, and he spoke for
the first time since that drop in the play.
Speaker 16 (34:45):
It's tough, you know, it's you know, as somebody, this
is this is my this is my life. I put
a lot of work into this, and you know, everything
I do is kind of focused on everything I think
about is focused on that, and so you know, it
wasn't the way that you know I'd planned it, and
U you know, but that's all part of the story.
I've been using it and I've had an incredible off
season and I'm excited to just to show what i
(35:07):
can continue to do and continue to prove myself and
step up in big moments. And yeah, so that's the
thing about sports is doesn't always fall your way, doesn't
always go your way, but it's how you bounce back.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Mark Andrews and actually Isaiah likely what the Ravens are
gonna do, They've got to extend one of them. That's
one of the off season priorities in the AFC. Here
are a bunch of other ones. Our guy Kevin Patra
has a story on this on NFL dot com. But yeah,
you look to see what the Bills are gonna do
with James Cook right there. Colt's gotta finals as a quarterback,
(35:40):
Chip Kelly, Yeah, I gotta establish it. Gonna be fascinating
to see his return to the NFL. And yeah, we
talked about the Chiefs in their need to fix things
on the offensive line. Judy Batista back with me, and
Steve Weisch as well.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
For the priorities in the AFC North.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Let's start with those Ravens that we just talked about
with Mark Andrews.
Speaker 7 (35:58):
Steve.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
Yeah, look, I'm gonna to defensive side of the ball,
and to me is getting rookie safety Malachi Starks, who
signed his deal today, getting him up to speed right away.
Because remember our Darius Washington right after the draft, who
is their starting strong safety.
Speaker 4 (36:11):
Last year, he hurt his achilles tendon.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
So they're gonna have to get Malachai Starks in and
ready to rock and roll. And the Ravens ask their
defensive backs to do an awful lot, especially with the
way they move Kyle Hamilton around. But let's also go
to getting pressure on the quarterback. We know they've got
some good pass rushers a Dafe Oway, Kyle van Oway,
they just drafted Mike Green out of Marshall. But I've
(36:35):
got a player they could add if we're talking about priorities,
and he said today he wants to keep playing. Thirty
six year old Von Miller would be an excellent closer
for the Ravens. And they're outside linebacker coach and pass
rush specialist Chuck Smith. He has been the lead coach
at Miller's pass rushing summit the offseason, something he does
(36:55):
for all the pass rushers around the NFL for about
the past six or seven years. I think Smith and
von Miller finishing up their careers together, at least Miller's
career together Baltimo would be a nice ad.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Ravens haven't been shy about bringing in veterans at key
positions late in their career. That would make sense, that
would fit with that profile. Malachi Starks, by the way,
his deal done. Sixteen point five million dollars plus on
that deal, So congrats to him for inching his rookie deal.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
Judy.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Let's go to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, I'm sure there's
a long list of things that the Steelers still need
to do. Take anything on that whole list, Judy, for
the Steelers in their priority.
Speaker 8 (37:32):
Yeah, I'm going to take the low hanging fruit. It's
the most obvious thing. They've got to straighten out the
quarterback situation. It is May twenty ninth, and the presumed
starter for the Pittsburgh.
Speaker 9 (37:42):
Steelers is not on the roster yet.
Speaker 8 (37:45):
It's that guy Aaron Rodgers now still also signs point
to him becoming e Pittsburgh Steeler. I'm told he continues
to ask all the right questions about practice schedules, all
those kinds of things. The only thing that hasn't happened
is him saying I am on my way to Pittsburgh
to join the team.
Speaker 9 (38:00):
So they are waiting for that.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
Obviously, if that falls through, they have to pivot and
decide do they try to make a trade for Kirk
Cousins or do they go forward with Mason Rudolph and
rookie Will Howard and bigger picture. Even if Aaron Rodgers
is the quarterback of this season, which is certainly what
they hope for, they have to try to get a
read on Will Howard whether he could be the quarterback
of the future, because otherwise they don't have a quarterback
(38:24):
of the future either, and they're going forward with a.
Speaker 9 (38:26):
Forty one year old quarterback.
Speaker 8 (38:28):
They are in a world of hurt with the quarterback
situation until they get this figured out in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Well, Judy, speaking to quarterbacks, let's go to Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
And we know that they're trying to figure out if
it's going to be Joe Flacco is going to be
Kenny Pickett, Dylan Gabriel, Shadu or Sanders.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
But I'm not going with the low hanging fruit.
Speaker 5 (38:44):
I'm going to the position group that they've got to
throw the ball to. We know Jerry Judy really he
just had a breakout year last year catching balls from
Jameis Winston. He looked like one of the best young
wide receivers in the NFL last year with some uncertainty
of that position. But after we get to Judy, what
is there Cedric Tillman. He had twenty nine catches last
year from the wide receiver spot. Now he missed some
(39:06):
games with a concussion, But they don't really have a
ton of other depth right there.
Speaker 4 (39:10):
They've got Jamari Thrash right now. They're hoping he can emerge.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
But other than Judy and David Nijoku a a tight
end those quarterbacks. Whoever starts, they're going to be searching
for guys to get the.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
Ball to Judy.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
The Bengals two big check marks on their list when
they got t Higgins and Jamar Chase's deals done, But
still more work to do for them.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
What's the priority?
Speaker 8 (39:31):
They got to figure out a way to not have
such slow starts.
Speaker 9 (39:34):
In the Zach Taylor head coaching era.
Speaker 8 (39:37):
They are four thirteen and one in the first three
weeks of the season. They keep digging themselves holes that
even as great as that offense is, as great as
Joe Burrow is, they can't keep digging themselves out of
these holes. One of the things to do is not
have any distractions off the field. They got Jamar Chase done,
(39:57):
They got t Higgins done. They need to get Trey
hen duck Sen done. They need to get Timore Stewart
into camp. His rookie deal is not done. They need
to clear the decks so that they can focus on
winning games right out of the gate. By the way,
Jamar Chase said this week he wants to play in
the preseason, and Zach Taylor appears to be open to
finally playing his starters in preseason games.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Yeah, if you pay that guy that much money and
he's a star player for you, and he says that, yeah,
you probably should listen to him.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Judy Wish, thank you.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
You're back with us for the final block of the show.
Here just a couple of seconds. The wait is over,
by the way, and the countdown to kick offf has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty five NFL season are
on sale now. Visit NFL dot com slash tickets to
purchase tickets today. Tickets are available through the NFL ticket network,
including Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, and Sports Illustrated Tickets.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I said tickets again.
Speaker 17 (40:51):
My name is Darius Moreso, linebacker for the New York Giants.
I am samor And and Philipino desandle I go on Moans
represented more than just myself. I carry that last name
with pride. So my mom was always in the pitching.
There's me and then I have five brothers, so a
total of six boys. And I don't know if you
(41:13):
ever saw a small somewhere, and we're all big. We
all got appetites, and so we was eating enough for
two normal people. And so my mom would always cook up,
you know, just the right amount as far as food.
We eat rice with everything with all our croating and
all the bridge. But another big protein back home and
(41:34):
boy is spam. And so I have my girlfriend cook
up a bunch of spam movesubs for me.
Speaker 12 (41:39):
That's staateboard fishing boy.
Speaker 17 (41:41):
That we have spam on a bed of rice wrapped
in mody or seeding and that's like I handheld a
snack everywherever we go where I come from, it's.
Speaker 12 (41:51):
Very hard for us to make it out.
Speaker 17 (41:52):
Into the mainland, especially in professional sports there.
Speaker 12 (41:55):
I am no thing all.
Speaker 17 (41:56):
The way in New York would have known, you know,
little Darius, would we all we all here? I'm just
great for one best to be in this opportunity to
be all here, flaming the sport that.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Alge great stuff, Darius listen.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
In two thousand and six, the Jaguars drafted Marcedes Lewis
in the first round.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Maurice Jones drew in the second round.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Lewis forty one, told our friend, hey, Adams and up
and Adams, he wants to play one more season.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Maurice Jones drew.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Our guy had a great career. He's been retired for
eleven years. Where culture deduced Jones drews his son's NFL career.
That we are to Maurice's judy, but that means we.
Speaker 8 (42:33):
Get Maurice Jones drew, and that's what I am happy about.
Speaker 9 (42:36):
Congratulations to Marcedes.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Lewis, though Mercedes high in my Marcedes back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Nat
Hosts And Creators
Judy Battista
Tom Pelissero
Ian Rapaport
Mike Garafolo
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