May 7, 2025 • 42 mins
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo dive into the Cowboys’ headline-making trade for former Steelers WR George Pickens. Jane Slater and Marc Ross join to unpack how the deal came together and what it signals for both Dallas and Pittsburgh. Plus, Marc takes a trip around the league as minicamps return for the Titans, Jaguars, Saints, and Broncos. Tom and Mike break down the Eagles’ smart move to restructure Dallas Goedert’s deal and keep him in Philly. Jeffri Chadiha spotlights the top landing spots for remaining free agents, and the crew reacts to Tom Brady setting the record straight on his role in the Raiders' decision to pass on Shedeur Sanders.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
The year is twenty twenty five, but today sure felt
like a throwback. A big Cowboys train for a dynamic
wide receiver. Jane Slater joins us from Dallas as we
break down the George Pickens deal from all angles, including
what it might say about the Steelers plan at quarterback.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Tom Brady has put.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
His stamp on every aspect of the Raiders football operation,
So do we really believe he wasn't involved at all
in evaluating the quarterback that he personally mentored. Here what
Brady had to say about Shador Sanders draft slide and
Mark Ross's thoughts on the QB battle in Cleveland. The
Browns are just one of twenty six teams opening rookie
(00:47):
mini camps this week.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
We've got storylines galore.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Jeffrey Toda will tell you what he's looking for, including
with the number one pick and a certain two way
star in Jacksonville. Welcome inside. With the inside is Longside,
Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafalo. I am Tom Peliicero. One
hundred and twenty days away from the kickoff of the
NFL season, just seven days away. One week from tonight,
(01:12):
we will get the full twenty twenty five NFL schedule,
which also means we'll find out when the first time
is we'll see George Pickens in a regular season game
with the star on his helmet. That is where we
begin on May seventh, where we get a big time
NFL trade, Cowboys agreeing to terms to acquire George Pickens
(01:33):
along with a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick from
the Steelers and exchanged for a twenty twenty six third
round pick and a twenty twenty seven fifth round pick.
Ian From the moment that the Steelers both acquired and
paid DK Metcalf, it seemed pretty apparent that George Pickens
days were number. The question was when and who would
(01:55):
end up being the suitor that emerges. And it does
sound like this came together pretty quickly. What more do
we know?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
But it did come together pretty quickly after the draft.
And you're right, you rarely see trades, blockbuster trades after
the draft, because usually teams want to get the draft
picks for this coming draft, make them have the players,
and everyone kind of moves on. That did not happen here.
Negotiations take the form and time that they take, so
that simply was the case.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Here.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
This was just the right time to do this deal.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
But the two sides didn't talk before the draft, and
I know there was some hope from the Dallas Cowboys
that this would get done before the draft, just to
make sure that they had a number two receiver to
Ceedee Lamb. Obviously did not happen, and so here we
are today. And from the Cowboys perspective, clearly what they
did was look around in free agency and say, we
(02:43):
do not see a number two receiver out there. We
do not see the kind of help now we want.
It took a while, obviously more than they wanted, but
once again, and they've done several of these this offseason,
swung a big trade to get Dak Prescott the kind
of all in help did they have been teasing for
two years for the pitch Steelers. George Pickens has played excellent.
He has been a great, great receiver. But it is
(03:05):
a lot and you get to the point after a
player finishes his third season, Mike, you say, is this
a person we want long term with the Steelers?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Are we going to pay him?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The Steelers clearly decided they were not going to Pam.
They move on from George Pickens get a third round
pick plus in the deal.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
And that was fantastically said by you, except for one
little mistake that you just said. You said it was
all in by the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
No, no, no, no, no, no. That was last year.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
This year selectively aggressive and we had our laugh with
selectively aggressive. Selectively oh sure, just picking this is selectively
aggressive right here. And it's aggressive because you know what
you're getting. You're getting a guy that you know. Mike
Tomlin during hard knocks you could hear him talking about
(03:55):
George Pickens when something happened in the first.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Quarter against the Bengals.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I think it was like at fumble six or an
interception six, office hands or something like that. He's like, hey, hey,
I need you. That's not going to determine the game.
Stay with me. I need your head in the game
because you got to manage George Pickens because there's a
lot of emotion there. But the Cowboys believe that they
have the infrastructure with a first year head coach. Mind you,
it's a lot of confidence in Brian Schottenheimer that they
(04:18):
can foster this relationship and that they're quarterback and the
skins that he has on his wall as from an
individual standpoint, can handle it as well and you and
afford you the ability then if you believe in all that.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
To be selectively aggressive.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And so they make this move without a long term
contract in place, which is fine because this is a
good spot to have George Pickens when he's got something
to prove moving forward here if he wants that big
pay day.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And this is nothing new with George Pickens, who we're
talking about the things off the field. It's part of
the reason he was a second round pick and not
a first rounder in the draft. I know the Steelers
were disappointed with how George Pickens had approached and handled
certain things here, as Ian said, they just weren't going
to pay him. So essentially, you take the compensatory draft
pick you would have gotten a year early and ensured
(05:11):
that you actually get that pick regardless of what you
do in for agency next year. So now take a
look at these Steelers in Cowboys wide receiver depth charts.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
This screen right here.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think would have been unthinkable if you take a
time machine back two months ago. Wait a second, DK
Metcalf is in Pittsburgh, George Pickens is in Dallas. Yes,
this is real there's been a lot of action in
recent months. Let's bring in our Jy and Slater and
Mark Ross to the conversation. Jane, we were just talking
with you yesterday about Brian Schottenneimber trying to establish the
culture in Dallas. George Pickens is an interesting fit in
(05:43):
any culture, but he is a hell of a wide receiver.
From the Cowboys perspective, what do they feel like they're
getting there?
Speaker 6 (05:51):
You know, it's interesting when I started catching some wind
of this, it was catching some speed last night around
about eleven PM, and I gotta imagine Jerry Jones is
enjoying his Johnny Walker blue somewhere as he celebrates this.
I don't believe we'd be talking about George Pickens if
tech T Matt McMillan had been there for them in
the first round. But we all talked about and even
(06:11):
though they tried to sell us on Jonathan Mingo that
they needed a true number two, I think he's going
to be seeing more as.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
One A, one B.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
This is a guy that's going to be big bodied
on the outside. They consider him a top level wide receiver,
extremely competitive elite ball skills. As I was told, he
adds an explosive element and can create plenty of what
was called math problems for the defense. In other words,
someone will get extra attention, which means someone else will capitalize.
That was a text from one of my sources on
(06:39):
this one. Now one of the questions, and to tie
this back in with what you said there, Tom Well,
I thought Brian Schottenheimer was all about the culture. Well
let's get into that with George Pickens. You know when
I asked someone close to him, what.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Is the deal?
Speaker 6 (06:51):
What is the real skinny on this Because a lot
of these narratives they get the ball going, and you
see how I think animated some of these receivers can be,
and maybe we get kind of a different perspective on it.
The word I always used is there needs to be
some maturation here. This is a guy who wants to
make an impact on the game and he wants the ball,
(07:12):
no different than a lot of wide receivers out there.
But it's my understanding he had a great relationship with
the guys in the locker room and his quarterbacks, and
when you look at the quarterbacks he was dealing with
in Pittsburgh, no disrespect, We are talking about a little
bit of a different quarterback here with Dak Prescott, and
when you look at the capability that both Ceedee Lamb
and George Pickens have. Now I saw you put Jaylen
(07:33):
Tolbert out there. Let's not forget Cavant de Turpin and
some of his speed and some of the ways that
they're using Cavante.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Turpin on the field.
Speaker 6 (07:40):
Then you pair him with Javonte Williams Jaden Blue. I
think they've made some real Miles Sanders, They've made some
really smart, selectively aggressive moves on offense, and then they've
got Lucky there By able to bring in a guy
like Tyler Booker. They've moved guys around in the locker room.
They've made a point of emphasis about building up this leadership.
(08:01):
They've always had the Leadership Council in Dallas. But the
issue I think for the last two years was you
could definitely feel like some of the chemistry was off.
I think the one thing that sets Shoddy apart, and
a lot of people that don't know him don't know this. Yes,
he's a really great communicator, and I think wide receivers
like George Pickens not dissimilar from guys like des Bryant
(08:22):
I think they do well when they have coaches that
are great communicators, and you're getting that with Brian Schottenheimer
here in Dallas.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Mark.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
As we look at this from the Steelers perspective, Jing
just talking about putting weapons around Dak. We still don't
know who the Steelers quarterback is going to be. We
do know their receiver core has really been overhauled. When
you look at this deal from Pittsburgh's perspective, what do
you see?
Speaker 7 (08:45):
Well, just from a football standpoint, I think for Pittsburgh
it was addition by subtraction and not George Pickens the player,
because we've seen the flashes of brilliance there but also
some ups and downs on the field. But it's more
of the off the field and production equals tolerance when
you're dealing with a player who has some issues, and
that means the more productive you are, the more you'll
(09:06):
put up with some of the off the field issues.
But once that starts waning, and it's more of the
lack of production off the field from George Pickens that
I have heard, that's when things get bad for you.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
No one has been able to put up with.
Speaker 7 (09:19):
Production equal tolerance like Mike Tomlin particularly at the wide
receiver position when you go through the Antonio Browns and
Chase clay Pools and Deontay Johnson's of the world that
they've already gone through, and now he has had George Pickens.
So that's the worry, is that if Mike Tomlin has said,
you know what, guys, enough is enough here, we have
to really start thinking about the team. And I think
(09:42):
for the Steelers' perspective, it's yes, they finally had to say,
let's think about the team. I'm sure they try to
trade George Pickens during the draft and that's why.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
We are here where we are now with Dallas making
this trade now.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
So I think for the Pittsburgh perspective, whoever is the quarterback,
they're a little bit stuck now because you think, Okay,
now we have DK, now we've got George, and now
you're back to square one again. Well, actually we just
have DK. So someone's going to have to step up
in the receiver position.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
I just wanted to touch on something that Mark was
saying there tom because a lot of people have said, well,
if Mike Tomlin can't handle George Pickens, why would the Cowboys.
There is a unique situation here in the sense that
you know they were ultimately going to have to pay
him a new deal, and so the big question is
are the Cowboys going to go ahead and extend him
before that number jumps up? And of course you've got
(10:32):
Micah Parsons to figure out and a couple of other
guys coming down the pipe. I talk to people that
are close to the situation. They are not planning on
extending him right now. I think both sides want to
see a prove it here, and I think that's good
for all parties here. Keep in mind, they could also
use the franchise tag if they want to extend this
thing out. But I think that's some of the leverage
that the Cowboys have here. That sort of I think
(10:55):
incentivizes George Pickens to buy in here as it relates
to the locker room offense and the coaching staff.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Or if George Pickens ends up walking without being tagged
next March, then potentially you're getting that pick right back
in terms of the compensatory formula. Just a year later, Jane,
thank you very much, Mark Moore from you coming up
in just a little bit here. It has been quite
the off season in Pittsburgh. We have talked to a
lot of Steelers on this show. It all goes back
to that Sunday night before free agency when they traded
(11:24):
for DK Metcalf gave him a monster contract. The next day,
Justin Fields, the quarterback that they had tried to retain,
left for a much better deal two years, forty.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Million with the New York Jets.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Two boys after that, Russell Wilson, who had figured out
he was not in the Steelers' plans, he leaves for
the Giants that today they trade away George Pickens. All
the Witch brings us to this question is Ian and
Mike rejoined the conversation. Ian, what do you make of
these Steelers' plans, especially at again a time that we
don't want one hundred percent know who their quarterback is
(11:55):
going to be?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And every year there are people who grumble about my
Tom and obviously one of the best coaches in the NFL,
one of the best coaches in NFL history, and you
sort of wonder, like, how is he okay? Just making
the playoffs and then you lose early on, and that's
that they are not okay. Mike Tomon is not okay.
Omar Con is not okay. The Steelers are not okay.
And the reason we know this look at what they
(12:18):
did this offseason. Every important piece of their offense besides
Pat Freyermuth is gone. George Pickens, their top receiver gone, Najiharris,
starting running back gone, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They're
two quarterbacks and a two headed quarterback monster both gone.
Left tackle Dan Moore gone. The Steelers clearly decided, Mike
(12:39):
this was not good enough. This was not good enough.
They wanted to get better. It changed out several key
pieces of their personnel and to go about twenty twenty
five hoping for better results. Now we don't know who
their quarterback is going to be. Presumably that would be
Aaron Rodgers. That is what they think and believe, but
as of this very minute, we don't know if he's
going to play for the Steelers or if he's going
(13:00):
to retire. Those seem to be the two options. You
know they are hoping for it. We have no answers.
So if they get that locked in being dramatically different
offense from last year.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
And one of the things we heard going into the
draft this past draft that just occurred is that the
Steelers were looking to move back potentially in the first
round and gather some more ammo in the twenty twenty
sixth draft, and not just because it's in Pittsburgh, but
because of the strength of that draft, both at the
quarterback position and elsewhere. This move today gives them two
third round picks next year. You saw all the moves
(13:33):
that they have made or the players that have left,
I should say that is going to likely give them
a third third round pick next year. So that's three
in the third round, plus compensatory picks to follow elsewhere
in the draft as well. They're going to have a
lot of draft ammunition next year. You know, you could
say that like, oh, look at all these picks, but
(13:54):
when it comes to getting up, if you want to
get up into the top top spots for a quarterback,
you need more than what they have. But it does
give them more going in to gather players in a
strong draft and potentially be able to move within that
draft as well.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Who also saw the Browns and the Rams get extra
first round picks in next year's draft. All that the
common thread is potentially teams that have quarterback needs, which
should be a better and deeper class we reference the
trades that the Steelers have made once they've run out
of use for some of those wide receivers Martamos, Brian Antonio, Brown,
Chase Claypool, Deontay Johnson. The Cowboys have to be hoping
they get a better deal than all those because the
(14:30):
previous four Steelers receivers that were traded in those other
deals combined for the teams they got traded to four touchdowns.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
We're the first pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
The Tennessee Titans select Cameron Warren, quarterback Miami.
Speaker 8 (14:49):
So the expected is now official and cam Ward comes
out of the green room. His night was as quick
as we thought it would be, and he is the
first overall pick of the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Cam Ward number one, pick number one, jersey, Warren Moon
giving him the permission to wear that jersey. Yes, Warren
Moon was with the Oilers. Came the Titans, you follow
all that, and he said, yeah, go ahead, go wear
the number one. So cam Ward number one for the Titans.
Mark Ross and Jeffrey Toda tied for number one. In
(15:28):
our hearts and in your programs, we are going to
talk about Rookie Minicamps twenty six Rookie mini Camps opening
up this weekend. Mark starting with you, you just saw
mister cam Ward the Titans. Your thoughts on what they've
got coming in from a rookie perspective.
Speaker 7 (15:42):
Well, first of all, it's always amazing for the scouts
and coaches because you talk about these guys, you don't
see him the first time they're in your building. Everybody's
like they're all going to be Pro bowlers. But for
the Titans, of course, it's all about cam Ward at
his development, not just on the field, but off the
field as well. There's so much more to being a
franchise quarterback than just before even get into a game.
You have to handle the staff, you have to handle
(16:04):
the community relations people, the PR people, the people of the.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Building, the ownership.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
So cam Ward I think will have to adjust and develop,
but I think he's built for that. And also for
cam what's been interesting is they've got some veterans who
won't be there, but three fourth round picks on offense
for cam Ward at elik aylmanor a Dka, the receiver
from Florida, and Gunner Helm that tight end from Texas.
So it's a chance for the three of them to
(16:31):
get an early bond there with cam.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Ward on and off the field.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Really, all four of those guys get together and say, hey,
we can all grow together.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Make this thing happen in Tennessee.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Cam Ward told the Titans during his pro day he
was solidifying that day. He did, and they take him
at number one, so he's got the clear runway to
become their starter this upcoming season. Jeffrey Tedia the Jaguars
going to be welcoming in their ten draft pick. I said, ten,
you go a wait. Hold on nine. Travis Hunter counts
as too.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
He does. He does, and Mark talked about cam Ward.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
But it feels like Travis Hunter is a quarterback coming
to Jacksonville with all the hype around him, with James Gladstone,
the general manager, talking about how this player is going
to revolutionize football.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
So I'm curious to see how.
Speaker 9 (17:17):
They're going to be treating him in his first rookie
Minic captain where he's going to be lining up. It
feels like he's going to be more on offense. But
head coach Liam Cohens, this is going to be a
fluid situation. They're going to try to find a way
to make it work with him as an offensive and
defensive player. Get in some snaps at cornerback, but on
the defensive side of it too. You look at Kayla Rantsaw,
a player they got at dB, they got in the
(17:38):
third round from Tulane, who is very versative. They love
what he brings to the table. Glasswin talked about his
tackling ability, talked about how he can play different spots
in the secondary. He'll probably start at safety even though
he can play corner, and he should help a defense
that was the worst in the league when it came
to defending the past.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
We're talking about these rookie classes and I'm starting with
the first round picks. But in the case of the
New Orleans Saints, no disrespect to Calvin Banks, but we're
gonna be looking at Tyler Shuck because we're still waiting
on Derek Carr. We don't know what the situation he
might wind up starting for this team. Mark your thoughts
on Tyler Shuck in the Saints draft class.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
Yeah, talked about Cam war getting ready from day one.
Do we have to do the same thing with Tyler
Shuk down there in New Orleans? Or Spencer Ratler has
something to say about it, guys.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
But yeah, you really don't. You don't take him and make.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
That draft overpassing over some other guys without saying, you
know what.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
We really believe something in you.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
New head coach Kellamore obviously probably had his finger tipped
all over this pick here and said, of all of
these players here, all of these quarterbacks, this is my guy.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
So he has to make it work. He has to
make Tyler Shup look good.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
He has to prepare him from day one to say
you're going to take over the reins, no matter if
Derek Carr is ready or not. So that'll be interesting
to see how many rets he gets as the one,
if Spencer Rattler they mix him in there as the one,
or if they balance it a little bit. And yeah,
Kevin Banks Junior can grow with him too. Mike g
you got to give the first round players some love there.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Listen, we're quarterback biased around here. I guess you could say.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Tyler Schuck, by the way, already throwing with his Saints teammates,
so he understands.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Mark what time it is.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Let's go to Jday Barn and the Denver Broncos draft class.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Jeffrey today. To wrap this up, Yeah.
Speaker 9 (19:26):
The Broncos were super excited to get him because they
did not think he would be there when they were
drafting twentieth overall.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
And they love what he brings to this defense.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
So watching him in rookie Minni Caamp, he'll be curious
to see where they line him up at because he
can do so many things in the secondary. And general
manager George Peyton talked about how this guy has great
in zone. He's great man coverage, he's got great instincts.
You can see him the nickel, you can see him outside.
They love his versatility and adding him to a defense
that already has Patrick Tutan Junior and Riley Moss at corner.
(19:55):
You can see him being super disruptive. But then it's
the running back in the second round, our j Harvey,
who really is a guy who looks like a little
bit like Darren Sproles when he runs, and you remember
what Darren Sprolls did for Sean Payton down in New Orleans.
They love his explosiveness and they really fell out and
love what he could bring to the table in terms
of being a dynamic runner.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
He's not a pouse receiver.
Speaker 9 (20:15):
Yet with Sean paytonleas if you can get there, because
he's got the soft hands, it might be able to
be that joker running back that they've been trying to
find down there for the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Mark Ross and Jeffrey Chada with all the information to
have you looking smart and your Rookie Minicamp tailgate and
if you are tailgating for Rookie Minniicamp, you're crazy.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
We love you, but you're crazy.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Thank you, Mark Ross, Jeffrey Chadia. Coming up next, Dallas
Goddard on a normal day probably would have been talked
about in the first segment of this show.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
It didn't happen. We had the big news earlier.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
On George Pickens, so we're gonna break down what happened
with Goddard and the Eagles today.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Dolphin's wide receiver Tyreek Hill announced on Instagram that his
second surgery has gone well. Looking a little bit like
the guy that got flipped off in that episode of
Signfel with Danny Tartible. Bottom line, second surgery, this was
pre planned. He was getting the hardware out of that
risk that he had surgically repaired.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
All went well.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Still on track in terms of the timeline. The big
news of the day Steelers wide receiver George Pickins is
on his way out, now headed to the Dallas Cowboys
along with a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick in
exchange for a twenty twenty six third rounder and a
twenty twenty seven fifth. Dallas Cowboys now get their receiver
(21:36):
to play opposite Ceedee Lamb. These Steelers move on from
a player that frankly, his days were numbered once they
had made the trade earlier this offseason for DK Metcalf
not leaving the state of Pennsylvania, Dallas Goddard, who has
agreed to a reworked contract that keeps him in Philadelphia
for twenty twenty five. Mike Garafalo, this was a situation
(21:57):
where there were real trade conversations, Goddard's future up in
the air.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
How they find a way to move forward together.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Yeah, there were real trade conversations. So you said, well,
usually you want to trade a guy, you trade a guy,
or you cut a guy. Well, the Eagles had a
tight budget because they have to spend across the roster,
and you win Super Bowls, you draft good players, and
you spend a lot.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Of money in a lot of places.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
So Dallas Goddard was in the area of fourteen million dollars.
He takes a couple of mil off of that, but
he gets it all now, it's fully guaranteed. He's got
some incentives to get close to that as well. He
did have the option of potentially exploring some places some
places elsewhere in a trade, but sounded like he preferred
to come back to the Eagles, even on a reworked salary,
(22:40):
rather than explore those other possibilities there. So Dallas Goddard
returns to the Eagles, where the coaches certainly.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Wanted him back.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
He wanted to be back.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
He wanted the chance to run it back with his
teammates and potentially defend this one with them. So that
is going to be the case with Dallas Goddard back
in Philadelphia, who didn't really draft a tight end high
enough to say, okay, we just cut him. Meanwhile, Mark Andrews,
we had sort of paired Andrews with Dallas Goddard and said,
these are two veteran tight ends who could be available
via trade and have salaries where they're at in the
(23:15):
last year of the deal. This one's a little different
because you've got Isaiah Likely there, and it still feels
like something has to give here.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
With Mark Andrews.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
My understanding is nothing is imminent, whether it's a contract extension,
a trade, or whatnot, but something still has to give
here because which tight end are you going to extend?
If you extend Likely, it means you're not going to
have Andrews for the long haul. So does he just
play out the final year of his contract? Do you
still try to find a suitor for him? If you
extend Andrews, what do you do with Likely? So there's
still a couple of moving parts there. But just like
(23:46):
Dallas Goddard, even though the Ravens are exploring trades or
all scenarios frankly and have, they still value Mark Andrews
and still would welcome him back for the twenty twenty
five seasons. So we'll see where this one goes. Again,
nothing imminent, but still keeping an eye on this one
after what happened with Dallas Gotter today and Eagles.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
And is today proved just because it's May seven doesn't
mean you still can't have blockbuster trades happening around the NFL.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Ian no need to.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Trade for any of these guys, but you can have them.
You can sign them for any amount of money, well,
assuming they would take that amount of money. Here are
the top remaining free agents according to Greg Rosenthal's list
on NFL dot com. A Mai Cooper still a big
time receiver, obviously linked to I don't know. Let's just
say any team that might suddenly have a big time
receiver need today. Santa Samuel Aaron Rodgers still there. Who
(24:39):
better to break it all down than our good friend
Jeffrey Chidia, who has an article on NFL dot com
breaking down the potential landing spots for some of the
top free agents. Jeff will start with one of the
best defensive backs still available, Asante Samuel Junior. Where does
he go?
Speaker 9 (24:56):
Yeah, he's got some options out there because there are
teams that need quarterbacks like Miami. But I put him
with the forty nine ers and I go here because
they play a lot of his own defense, and Sante
Sande was a player who struggled with man coverage.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
He wasn't very healthy last year. He missed five games.
Speaker 9 (25:12):
But I think putting him with Robert Sala in a defense,
that's going to be easier for cornerbacks to play a
lot of his own coverage and not have to be
under a lot of pressure. This team lost three cornerbacks
from last year, so I think that's a good place
for him.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I like to call there. Okay, let's go to the
next one. Zadarius Smith, one of the star pass rushers
of the trade deadline, obviously got dealt in a big
deal to the Detroit Lines, which I broke. Congratulations to me.
What is the best fit as we look forward to
his free agency.
Speaker 9 (25:45):
Well, a return of Detroit makes a lot of sense,
and they haven't closed the door on that, even though
they brought back Marcus Davenport from last year. I know
Zadarius Smith is thirty three, but he had forty pressures
in nine games last year, a twenty one percent pressure rate.
Adding more bodies to a team that had issue staying
healthy down the stretch, especially on defense.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Is not a bad thing.
Speaker 9 (26:05):
Because you get Aiden Hutchinson back, you have Davenport, You're
bringing Smith to breathe that third body on defense as
an edge rusher.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
Not a bad idea for the Lions, all right.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I talked about some of the big name receivers still available.
Marii Cooper I mentioned tell me about Keenan Allen because
this is the name obviously that came up today. Pittsburgh
Steelers suddenly have a hole in the receiver room trading
DK Metcalf as we know, to the Dallas Cowboys. When
you break down Keenan Allen's best spot, tell me it
is the Steelers.
Speaker 9 (26:38):
It's not the Steelers now because that information was not
available when I wrote this.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Columny in so I'm out with the Cardinals.
Speaker 9 (26:44):
Give me, but they spent They got to use the
fourth overall pick last year on Marvin Harrison junior. He
showed a lot of flashes, but they need some help
to get him going. Bring in Keenan Allen, a proven
veteran who could help him grow play in the slot
for you. He quietly had seventy catches last year for
the Bears. I know it was a disaster over there offensively,
but he still showed that he can play some good
(27:06):
football for you and fortune.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
It doesn't have that many older receivers.
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Bringing in Keenan Allen to that group with Arizona Cardinals
could help them continue their rise back into playoff contention.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Now I know Keenan Allen when thrilled with the way
it ended when Chicago wasn't thrilled with the entire experience there.
This one would make sense if he's kind of entering
that time in his career where it's like he goes
from only worrying about his own performances being the star
receiver that he's been to helping the locker room, helping
the young guys would actually make a lot of sense
(27:38):
as far as transitioning to the next part of his career.
I like to fit there. You can read about this
and a lot more on NFL dot com slash Shedea
for more free agent Fitz Jeffrey, Thank you very much,
great stuff. As always, you.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Might have heard that Shora Sanders had a bit of
an unusual draft weekend, going all the way down to
the fifth round one hundred and forty fourth overall before
the Cleveland Browns drafted him, and he celebrated with the
jig and a dip into the pool. Passing on him
repeatedly was well the entire league, but specifically one of
his mentors, Tom Brady, who had this to say about
(28:17):
Sanders on a podcast.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
What happened Tom?
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Why Why did he go so late in the.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Draft, and there's I it's a good question.
Speaker 10 (28:29):
I was, I wouldn't have part of any evaluation process
or to get bailes otherwise.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
No, No, everyone's got every you know.
Speaker 10 (28:37):
That's the problem with media is everyone can just say
whatever they want. I actually texted Shador because I'm know
him very well, and I said, dude, like, whatever happens
wherever you go, Like that's your first day day two
matters more than the draft. I was one ninety nine. Yeah,
so who could speak on it better than me? Like
what that really means? Use it as motivation. You're going
(28:58):
to get your chances.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pelisero, Ian Rapport, Mike Gerrifulo,
and Mark Ross back with you.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Here's what we know, okay about Tom Brady and his
role in the Raiders' organization beyond being a minority owner.
Mark Davis I said publicly part of the reason that
he was willing to give him the deal he did
was because Tom would be part of picking the next
quarterback and maybe training him. We know that John Spytech,
after they drafted a guy named Cam Miller out of
North Dakota State, came out and said Brady like the
way he threw it's a little bit far fetched, Tom Brady,
(29:27):
friend of the show, He's come on, we all love Tom.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Seems a little far fetched.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
That they wouldn't ask him his opinion of somebody that
he's literally been working directly with four years, Sarah. But
when you hear Tom saying what he did right there
on the Impulsive podcast, what are you making?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Not too much? Just being totally honest. Now, I do
like the advice that he gave Shudor Sanders Treda, like
it your first day. That's good advice. And really where
you're drafted doesn't matter, except when you have to go
check your bank account. There's a lot less than there
would have been otherwise of you'd say, get drafted in
the first round. That's really where it matters. When you
get to a team, you get a chance to make
your mark, as Brady knows, as he's mentioned, probably better
(30:06):
than anyone. I mean, Brady and brock Perty are the
two ultimate laid round quarterback success stories. So yeah, he's right,
treat it like it as.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Your first day.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
As far as Brady not being involved in the process,
I understand why he would say that, right because He
clearly has some friendliness with Shador Sanders, with the Sanders family,
Curly has worked with him. You're literally seeing right there.
Brady didn't want to be the one to say, you
know what, I was the guy who said that is
not the quarterback we want. I'm sure he was involved
(30:34):
that wants to make sure everyone knows he's not the guy,
which you know, with his title as sort of kind
of head of things, you don't always have to be
the guy making these selections. John spytest title is the
guy making the selections of Brady when it benefits him,
can just say, you know what, I was involved, which
is fine, but Raiders fans should probably know that all
(30:55):
of the good things that happen, Brady had.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
A hand it bad things too.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Problem I would just say, if Gray wanted to be
the guy, all he has to do is walk in
and say I'm the guy.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Draft Shador Sanders as soon as possible.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
That's all I'm saying. If he wanted to be involved,
I think that they would listen. Mark what we do know,
Shduorr Sanders is on the Cleveland Browns. He was a
fifth round pick. There's not a lot of precedent for
a fifth round pick coming in and winning a starting
quarterback job coming out of camp. But this is not
your usual quarterback competition in Cleveland. What are you looking
at as we get set to begin rookie mini camp
(31:31):
on Friday in.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Burria with a couple of rookie quarterbacks.
Speaker 7 (31:35):
Well, definitely it's different because we're going to keep creating
this media sensation. But much like what happened with the draft,
the teams had a different evaluation and the teams had
a different process. So in the Browns building, they're going
to have a different process and a different evaluation than
what we're going to keep talking about Shador and from henceforth,
it's Dylan Gabriel, the third round pick who's going to
(31:57):
get the first team reps and Shador Sanders the fifth
round pick wearing number twelve, not the number two, because
we don't do that for fifth round picks. Other people
get the priority all the numbers, and you go out
there and play based off of the first team reps
and the second team reps, and you go number two
behind Dylan in the drills and then you follow from there.
(32:17):
So the Browns are looking at it as all the
noise is out of here. He's not Shador Sanders, the
media sensation. He's Shador Sanders, a football player, the quarterback
that we took in the fifth round. But we also
took Della Gabriel, and he's going to get every opportunity
because it's very, very very rare, talking about rare things
to cut a third round pick, particularly a quarterback. So
from henceforth it's got to be all about football for Shador.
(32:40):
We'll keep doing the media stuff, but for him to
give himself the best chance, go ball out.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
Shador.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Well, as we talked about this, it's like, if you're
talking about a quarterback, it's up here in the first
two rounds where there's the potential you're going to take
him to be a starter. If you don't see him
as that, then it just drops off right.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
And then it kind of.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
Goes to that abyss for a couple of rounds, and
then it comes back to wait a second, we're sitting
here in the fifth round. We've got a guy that's
got the potential to be that first or second round talent,
but just wasn't you know, the flavor for.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
A lot of those teams involved.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
So the Browns take them and say, like a number
of teams right, like all right, maybe now he'll realize,
all right, we got to put some work in, maybe
change the approach that he took in his meetings that
turned some teams off when he indicated like, hey, I'm
coming in, I'm your savior. You should do everything that
I kind of want to do, and teams saying no,
(33:37):
well we do things a certain way here. You got
to sort of fall in line with what we do.
So the brown say, well, we get him the fifth end.
Dylan Gabriel's there. So this is the scenario where he's
got to earn his way up.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
He's got to hurt his way past that guy.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Then he's got to hurn his way past the veterans
if he wants to get the football.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
So this is how the Browns are kind of looking
at it. This is the start of it.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
It's not an open mini camp where everybody goes to
get to watch, but training camp is going to be open.
Season is going to be open, and that's going to
be a lot of fun for the likes of us.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Yeah, the Door Sanders situation is one of one for
a variety of different reasons.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
But if you want a recent comp.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Sam Howell three years ago was talked about as maybe
a borderline of potential surprise first round pick, second round,
probably a worse. He went down in the fifth, got
one starter as a rookie, and then year two he
got the full opportunity. Now it didn't work out obviously
in Washington because they went and drafted another guy who's
ended up being pretty good. But he got his opportunity.
That's a fifth round pick. It is possible for things
(34:34):
to fall that way. And you know, at that time too,
I would think that Sam Howell probably knew that he
was going to be facing more than Kenny Pickett and
Dylan Gabriel to beat him out. Mark, Thank you very much,
Mike ian Hugh, as well more as this episode of
The Insiders.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Rolls on, you can also get more of the NFL
with NFL Plus.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
They connected throughout the offseason with twenty four to seven
football news and coverage on NFL Network and with NFL
Plus Premium. Really your favorite moments for the two twenty
four season with game replays and access to NFL player
stats with Nflpro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot com.
Terms and conditions apply. Get ready for the twenty twenty
(35:22):
five NFL season like never before. With the highly anticipated
NFL Schedule release, every game revealed, every rivalry, every rematch
in every rookie debut. May fourteenth, that is one week
from tonight, May fourteenth. Mark your calendar. Get all the
details at nfl dot com slash Schedule release. Down in
(35:46):
Point Clear, Alabama, the Cedar Bowl inducted its twenty twenty
five Hall of Fame class.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
That is me, No, I was not inducted. Alex Macka was.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
So is John Gruden, Richard Sherman, Gino Atkins, and longtime
I'm offensive tackle Tron Armstead, who told me he had
quite the welcome to the NFL experience and mobile.
Speaker 11 (36:09):
I remember first person I saw was DJ Flucker and
I'm thinking that is a huge human as a big guy.
And Fluke was I think he just came and he
weighed in, but he wasn't doing the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
And I got off the out.
Speaker 11 (36:27):
The car coming from Pensacola because I stopped back at
Pensacola to get here, and that first day of practice,
I look over, I see Mike Tomlin in the stance.
Speaker 4 (36:36):
I'm like, damn, it's real. This is this is real?
Speaker 11 (36:39):
This is really NFL doorsteps and I just tried to
lock in, lock in, avoid the pressure. I had a
little bit of nervous just I can, I can, I
can admit that. Now twelve years later and one on
one started. My first rep wasn't wasn't good. I fell
ended up on the ground. It's a bad spot for
office alignment. And my second rep, dominated uh. Took a guy,
(37:00):
throw them on a ground, dove on him and I'll
curdy in right. There's like, I'm here, I'm here. It's official.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
The draft starts in Mobile. The twenty twenty five NFL.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Season will in a way start for the Rams in Maui.
We will explain next why the Rams are taking their
mini camp on the road for an unprecedented island adventure
that's ahead on The Insiders our top story tonight. George
(37:37):
Pickens is soon to be officially a Dallas Cowboy, the
Steelers and Cowboys agreeing to terms within the past twenty
four hours on a trade sending Pickens to Dallas for
a twenty twenty six third round pick. The teams will
also flop late round picks in twenty twenty seven. The
Cowboys get a dynamic playmaker, albeit one who is available
(38:00):
for a reason the Steelers he and I can't help.
But thinking too, beyond whatever issues there were in terms
of George Pickens and following rules and locker room dynamics
all that stuff, you also take away a wide receiver,
for as talented as he is, may not be quite
the exacting type of a wide receiver that Aaron Rodgers
would prefer to play with. Here not necessarily a sign.
(38:23):
I've been told that they didn't call Rogers before this trade.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
He's not signing off on.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Deals, but it would make sense to try to get
guys who he's going to know where they're going to
be on the field, because we've seen in the past
Aaron Rodgers not a big fan of somebody be in
someplace they're not supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
No, not the biggest fan of that. It's been interesting
to me Tom that Aaron Rodgers has been throwing with
DK Metcalf, trying to build a rapport, trying to understand
where each other are, trying to really build that relationship.
To my knowledge, George Pickens has not been involved in
any of that, so I'd be surprised if Rogers is
surprised by this, and I think all of us knew
(39:00):
that Pickens was available and probably has been available for
some time. And really it would take a legit offer,
like a real offer to make that happen, and obviously
that ended up that ended up happening today. But the
fact that Rogers has beginning together with Metcalf and not
Pickens at least is instructive as far as what he thinks.
If you're looking for receivers that Aaron Rodgers actually knows,
(39:24):
I can think of a couple of former Aaron Rodgers
targets who may or may not be available, and the
trade if Steelers wants to take some of the draft
picks send them to another team, I think they could
bring in of Aaron Rodgers' friend pretty easily.
Speaker 5 (39:39):
Yeah, and I blisten until Rogers is done. Right, It's
not done, and he could still He talked about the
fact that he's entertained thoughts about retirement, so theoretically, if
it falls through and he doesn't wind up with the Steelers, well,
now they have that extra draft capital to potentially go
out and get somebody else. Because you can talk about
your confidence in Mason Rudolph that it's fine, but at
(40:00):
some point you've got to make a move for another veteran.
Kirk Cousins would be the first one that would come
to mind, but there will be other options. It makes
sense obviously for them to bring in potentially, so I
talked earlier in the show about all that draft capital
next year to move up in the draft. Might need
this at this point, Like you said, Ian, either to
go out and get targets or go out and get
a quarterback if it doesn't wind up being Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Big news on a May seventh and what should be
the slow time in the off season. Always remember there
is no slow time in the NFL, which is why
we are here every night. Some other news around the NFL,
Bill's doing something cool and their continued commitment to CPR
and AED awareness. Bills players were trained in hands only
CPR this week. You can learn more and help them
(40:43):
work together to improve the chance of surviving a cardiac
arrest in our community. Go to the Buffalo Bill's website
for more information on that. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints
say good graduations to Cam Jordan.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
May eighth is Cam Jordan Day, officially declared by the
New Orleans City Council for Cam's devotion to the city
and serving the committee the community. I'll have to have
NFL research double check this, but I believe this is
Cam Jordan's forty seventh season now with the New Orleans Saints.
Will the Rams are going on a little vacation to
(41:15):
work though. It is going to be their Maui camp.
You get it. It's like mini camp, but it's in Maui.
They've had a I guess study partnership since they moved
back to Los Angeles with the State of why building
a fan base there. I know that their front office
goes there for a while after the in the off
season to do some of their planning meetings and whatnot,
(41:37):
all of which raises the question ian does the insiders
have the budget to go live for Maui for three
days next month?
Speaker 2 (41:47):
See what I got mean?
Speaker 3 (41:48):
I would say, I would say this. I've been looking
on the internet. They've got a couple of nice hotels
right by where the Rams are going to be. It's
only like six or seven one hundred dollars and I
think that's fine. Plus the food there is great. If
you ever have like a shrimp truck it's the best
in Hawaii. Just like on a white paper place. This
is basically shrimp and rice, but no better meal on Earth.
Come me in. Insiders from Maui coming up in a
(42:10):
month or so. Maybe maybe not.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
I have no describe change here.
Speaker 5 (42:14):
I've got a collar stay, I've got some NFL Crucial
Catch and inspire change pins.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
College. We gotta we gotta figure out. Maybe we'll just
make up.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
We need make up.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
We got a lot of pins. We don't have a
lot of budget. But that's that's kind of how it
goes on this show. Hey, we appreciate your old man.
Tomorrow see it
The year is twenty twenty five, but today sure felt
like a throwback. A big Cowboys train for a dynamic
wide receiver. Jane Slater joins us from Dallas as we
break down the George Pickens deal from all angles, including
what it might say about the Steelers plan at quarterback.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Tom Brady has put.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
His stamp on every aspect of the Raiders football operation,
So do we really believe he wasn't involved at all
in evaluating the quarterback that he personally mentored. Here what
Brady had to say about Shador Sanders draft slide and
Mark Ross's thoughts on the QB battle in Cleveland. The
Browns are just one of twenty six teams opening rookie
(00:47):
mini camps this week.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
We've got storylines galore.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Jeffrey Toda will tell you what he's looking for, including
with the number one pick and a certain two way
star in Jacksonville. Welcome inside. With the inside is Longside,
Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafalo. I am Tom Peliicero. One
hundred and twenty days away from the kickoff of the
NFL season, just seven days away. One week from tonight,
(01:12):
we will get the full twenty twenty five NFL schedule,
which also means we'll find out when the first time
is we'll see George Pickens in a regular season game
with the star on his helmet. That is where we
begin on May seventh, where we get a big time
NFL trade, Cowboys agreeing to terms to acquire George Pickens
(01:33):
along with a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick from
the Steelers and exchanged for a twenty twenty six third
round pick and a twenty twenty seven fifth round pick.
Ian From the moment that the Steelers both acquired and
paid DK Metcalf, it seemed pretty apparent that George Pickens
days were number. The question was when and who would
(01:55):
end up being the suitor that emerges. And it does
sound like this came together pretty quickly. What more do
we know?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
But it did come together pretty quickly after the draft.
And you're right, you rarely see trades, blockbuster trades after
the draft, because usually teams want to get the draft
picks for this coming draft, make them have the players,
and everyone kind of moves on. That did not happen here.
Negotiations take the form and time that they take, so
that simply was the case.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Here.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
This was just the right time to do this deal.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
But the two sides didn't talk before the draft, and
I know there was some hope from the Dallas Cowboys
that this would get done before the draft, just to
make sure that they had a number two receiver to
Ceedee Lamb. Obviously did not happen, and so here we
are today. And from the Cowboys perspective, clearly what they
did was look around in free agency and say, we
(02:43):
do not see a number two receiver out there. We
do not see the kind of help now we want.
It took a while, obviously more than they wanted, but
once again, and they've done several of these this offseason,
swung a big trade to get Dak Prescott the kind
of all in help did they have been teasing for
two years for the pitch Steelers. George Pickens has played excellent.
He has been a great, great receiver. But it is
(03:05):
a lot and you get to the point after a
player finishes his third season, Mike, you say, is this
a person we want long term with the Steelers?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Are we going to pay him?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The Steelers clearly decided they were not going to Pam.
They move on from George Pickens get a third round
pick plus in the deal.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
And that was fantastically said by you, except for one
little mistake that you just said. You said it was
all in by the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
No, no, no, no, no, no. That was last year.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
This year selectively aggressive and we had our laugh with
selectively aggressive. Selectively oh sure, just picking this is selectively
aggressive right here. And it's aggressive because you know what
you're getting. You're getting a guy that you know. Mike
Tomlin during hard knocks you could hear him talking about
(03:55):
George Pickens when something happened in the first.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Quarter against the Bengals.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I think it was like at fumble six or an
interception six, office hands or something like that. He's like, hey, hey,
I need you. That's not going to determine the game.
Stay with me. I need your head in the game
because you got to manage George Pickens because there's a
lot of emotion there. But the Cowboys believe that they
have the infrastructure with a first year head coach. Mind you,
it's a lot of confidence in Brian Schottenheimer that they
(04:18):
can foster this relationship and that they're quarterback and the
skins that he has on his wall as from an
individual standpoint, can handle it as well and you and
afford you the ability then if you believe in all that.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
To be selectively aggressive.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And so they make this move without a long term
contract in place, which is fine because this is a
good spot to have George Pickens when he's got something
to prove moving forward here if he wants that big
pay day.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
And this is nothing new with George Pickens, who we're
talking about the things off the field. It's part of
the reason he was a second round pick and not
a first rounder in the draft. I know the Steelers
were disappointed with how George Pickens had approached and handled
certain things here, as Ian said, they just weren't going
to pay him. So essentially, you take the compensatory draft
pick you would have gotten a year early and ensured
(05:11):
that you actually get that pick regardless of what you
do in for agency next year. So now take a
look at these Steelers in Cowboys wide receiver depth charts.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
This screen right here.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think would have been unthinkable if you take a
time machine back two months ago. Wait a second, DK
Metcalf is in Pittsburgh, George Pickens is in Dallas. Yes,
this is real there's been a lot of action in
recent months. Let's bring in our Jy and Slater and
Mark Ross to the conversation. Jane, we were just talking
with you yesterday about Brian Schottenneimber trying to establish the
culture in Dallas. George Pickens is an interesting fit in
(05:43):
any culture, but he is a hell of a wide receiver.
From the Cowboys perspective, what do they feel like they're
getting there?
Speaker 6 (05:51):
You know, it's interesting when I started catching some wind
of this, it was catching some speed last night around
about eleven PM, and I gotta imagine Jerry Jones is
enjoying his Johnny Walker blue somewhere as he celebrates this.
I don't believe we'd be talking about George Pickens if
tech T Matt McMillan had been there for them in
the first round. But we all talked about and even
(06:11):
though they tried to sell us on Jonathan Mingo that
they needed a true number two, I think he's going
to be seeing more as.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
One A, one B.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
This is a guy that's going to be big bodied
on the outside. They consider him a top level wide receiver,
extremely competitive elite ball skills. As I was told, he
adds an explosive element and can create plenty of what
was called math problems for the defense. In other words,
someone will get extra attention, which means someone else will capitalize.
That was a text from one of my sources on
(06:39):
this one. Now one of the questions, and to tie
this back in with what you said there, Tom Well,
I thought Brian Schottenheimer was all about the culture. Well
let's get into that with George Pickens. You know when
I asked someone close to him, what.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Is the deal?
Speaker 6 (06:51):
What is the real skinny on this Because a lot
of these narratives they get the ball going, and you
see how I think animated some of these receivers can be,
and maybe we get kind of a different perspective on it.
The word I always used is there needs to be
some maturation here. This is a guy who wants to
make an impact on the game and he wants the ball,
(07:12):
no different than a lot of wide receivers out there.
But it's my understanding he had a great relationship with
the guys in the locker room and his quarterbacks, and
when you look at the quarterbacks he was dealing with
in Pittsburgh, no disrespect, We are talking about a little
bit of a different quarterback here with Dak Prescott, and
when you look at the capability that both Ceedee Lamb
and George Pickens have. Now I saw you put Jaylen
(07:33):
Tolbert out there. Let's not forget Cavant de Turpin and
some of his speed and some of the ways that
they're using Cavante.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Turpin on the field.
Speaker 6 (07:40):
Then you pair him with Javonte Williams Jaden Blue. I
think they've made some real Miles Sanders, They've made some
really smart, selectively aggressive moves on offense, and then they've
got Lucky there By able to bring in a guy
like Tyler Booker. They've moved guys around in the locker room.
They've made a point of emphasis about building up this leadership.
(08:01):
They've always had the Leadership Council in Dallas. But the
issue I think for the last two years was you
could definitely feel like some of the chemistry was off.
I think the one thing that sets Shoddy apart, and
a lot of people that don't know him don't know this. Yes,
he's a really great communicator, and I think wide receivers
like George Pickens not dissimilar from guys like des Bryant
(08:22):
I think they do well when they have coaches that
are great communicators, and you're getting that with Brian Schottenheimer
here in Dallas.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Mark.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
As we look at this from the Steelers perspective, Jing
just talking about putting weapons around Dak. We still don't
know who the Steelers quarterback is going to be. We
do know their receiver core has really been overhauled. When
you look at this deal from Pittsburgh's perspective, what do
you see?
Speaker 7 (08:45):
Well, just from a football standpoint, I think for Pittsburgh
it was addition by subtraction and not George Pickens the player,
because we've seen the flashes of brilliance there but also
some ups and downs on the field. But it's more
of the off the field and production equals tolerance when
you're dealing with a player who has some issues, and
that means the more productive you are, the more you'll
(09:06):
put up with some of the off the field issues.
But once that starts waning, and it's more of the
lack of production off the field from George Pickens that
I have heard, that's when things get bad for you.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
No one has been able to put up with.
Speaker 7 (09:19):
Production equal tolerance like Mike Tomlin particularly at the wide
receiver position when you go through the Antonio Browns and
Chase clay Pools and Deontay Johnson's of the world that
they've already gone through, and now he has had George Pickens.
So that's the worry, is that if Mike Tomlin has said,
you know what, guys, enough is enough here, we have
to really start thinking about the team. And I think
(09:42):
for the Steelers' perspective, it's yes, they finally had to say,
let's think about the team. I'm sure they try to
trade George Pickens during the draft and that's why.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
We are here where we are now with Dallas making
this trade now.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
So I think for the Pittsburgh perspective, whoever is the quarterback,
they're a little bit stuck now because you think, Okay,
now we have DK, now we've got George, and now
you're back to square one again. Well, actually we just
have DK. So someone's going to have to step up
in the receiver position.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
I just wanted to touch on something that Mark was
saying there tom because a lot of people have said, well,
if Mike Tomlin can't handle George Pickens, why would the Cowboys.
There is a unique situation here in the sense that
you know they were ultimately going to have to pay
him a new deal, and so the big question is
are the Cowboys going to go ahead and extend him
before that number jumps up? And of course you've got
(10:32):
Micah Parsons to figure out and a couple of other
guys coming down the pipe. I talk to people that
are close to the situation. They are not planning on
extending him right now. I think both sides want to
see a prove it here, and I think that's good
for all parties here. Keep in mind, they could also
use the franchise tag if they want to extend this
thing out. But I think that's some of the leverage
that the Cowboys have here. That sort of I think
(10:55):
incentivizes George Pickens to buy in here as it relates
to the locker room offense and the coaching staff.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Or if George Pickens ends up walking without being tagged
next March, then potentially you're getting that pick right back
in terms of the compensatory formula. Just a year later, Jane,
thank you very much, Mark Moore from you coming up
in just a little bit here. It has been quite
the off season in Pittsburgh. We have talked to a
lot of Steelers on this show. It all goes back
to that Sunday night before free agency when they traded
(11:24):
for DK Metcalf gave him a monster contract. The next day,
Justin Fields, the quarterback that they had tried to retain,
left for a much better deal two years, forty.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Million with the New York Jets.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Two boys after that, Russell Wilson, who had figured out
he was not in the Steelers' plans, he leaves for
the Giants that today they trade away George Pickens. All
the Witch brings us to this question is Ian and
Mike rejoined the conversation. Ian, what do you make of
these Steelers' plans, especially at again a time that we
don't want one hundred percent know who their quarterback is
(11:55):
going to be?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And every year there are people who grumble about my
Tom and obviously one of the best coaches in the NFL,
one of the best coaches in NFL history, and you
sort of wonder, like, how is he okay? Just making
the playoffs and then you lose early on, and that's
that they are not okay. Mike Tomon is not okay.
Omar Con is not okay. The Steelers are not okay.
And the reason we know this look at what they
(12:18):
did this offseason. Every important piece of their offense besides
Pat Freyermuth is gone. George Pickens, their top receiver gone, Najiharris,
starting running back gone, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They're
two quarterbacks and a two headed quarterback monster both gone.
Left tackle Dan Moore gone. The Steelers clearly decided, Mike
(12:39):
this was not good enough. This was not good enough.
They wanted to get better. It changed out several key
pieces of their personnel and to go about twenty twenty
five hoping for better results. Now we don't know who
their quarterback is going to be. Presumably that would be
Aaron Rodgers. That is what they think and believe, but
as of this very minute, we don't know if he's
going to play for the Steelers or if he's going
(13:00):
to retire. Those seem to be the two options. You
know they are hoping for it. We have no answers.
So if they get that locked in being dramatically different
offense from last year.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
And one of the things we heard going into the
draft this past draft that just occurred is that the
Steelers were looking to move back potentially in the first
round and gather some more ammo in the twenty twenty
sixth draft, and not just because it's in Pittsburgh, but
because of the strength of that draft, both at the
quarterback position and elsewhere. This move today gives them two
third round picks next year. You saw all the moves
(13:33):
that they have made or the players that have left,
I should say that is going to likely give them
a third third round pick next year. So that's three
in the third round, plus compensatory picks to follow elsewhere
in the draft as well. They're going to have a
lot of draft ammunition next year. You know, you could
say that like, oh, look at all these picks, but
(13:54):
when it comes to getting up, if you want to
get up into the top top spots for a quarterback,
you need more than what they have. But it does
give them more going in to gather players in a
strong draft and potentially be able to move within that
draft as well.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Who also saw the Browns and the Rams get extra
first round picks in next year's draft. All that the
common thread is potentially teams that have quarterback needs, which
should be a better and deeper class we reference the
trades that the Steelers have made once they've run out
of use for some of those wide receivers Martamos, Brian Antonio, Brown,
Chase Claypool, Deontay Johnson. The Cowboys have to be hoping
they get a better deal than all those because the
(14:30):
previous four Steelers receivers that were traded in those other
deals combined for the teams they got traded to four touchdowns.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
We're the first pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
The Tennessee Titans select Cameron Warren, quarterback Miami.
Speaker 8 (14:49):
So the expected is now official and cam Ward comes
out of the green room. His night was as quick
as we thought it would be, and he is the
first overall pick of the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Cam Ward number one, pick number one, jersey, Warren Moon
giving him the permission to wear that jersey. Yes, Warren
Moon was with the Oilers. Came the Titans, you follow
all that, and he said, yeah, go ahead, go wear
the number one. So cam Ward number one for the Titans.
Mark Ross and Jeffrey Toda tied for number one. In
(15:28):
our hearts and in your programs, we are going to
talk about Rookie Minicamps twenty six Rookie mini Camps opening
up this weekend. Mark starting with you, you just saw
mister cam Ward the Titans. Your thoughts on what they've
got coming in from a rookie perspective.
Speaker 7 (15:42):
Well, first of all, it's always amazing for the scouts
and coaches because you talk about these guys, you don't
see him the first time they're in your building. Everybody's
like they're all going to be Pro bowlers. But for
the Titans, of course, it's all about cam Ward at
his development, not just on the field, but off the
field as well. There's so much more to being a
franchise quarterback than just before even get into a game.
You have to handle the staff, you have to handle
(16:04):
the community relations people, the PR people, the people of the.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Building, the ownership.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
So cam Ward I think will have to adjust and develop,
but I think he's built for that. And also for
cam what's been interesting is they've got some veterans who
won't be there, but three fourth round picks on offense
for cam Ward at elik aylmanor a Dka, the receiver
from Florida, and Gunner Helm that tight end from Texas.
So it's a chance for the three of them to
(16:31):
get an early bond there with cam.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Ward on and off the field.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Really, all four of those guys get together and say, hey,
we can all grow together.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Make this thing happen in Tennessee.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Cam Ward told the Titans during his pro day he
was solidifying that day. He did, and they take him
at number one, so he's got the clear runway to
become their starter this upcoming season. Jeffrey Tedia the Jaguars
going to be welcoming in their ten draft pick. I said, ten,
you go a wait. Hold on nine. Travis Hunter counts
as too.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
He does. He does, and Mark talked about cam Ward.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
But it feels like Travis Hunter is a quarterback coming
to Jacksonville with all the hype around him, with James Gladstone,
the general manager, talking about how this player is going
to revolutionize football.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
So I'm curious to see how.
Speaker 9 (17:17):
They're going to be treating him in his first rookie
Minic captain where he's going to be lining up. It
feels like he's going to be more on offense. But
head coach Liam Cohens, this is going to be a
fluid situation. They're going to try to find a way
to make it work with him as an offensive and
defensive player. Get in some snaps at cornerback, but on
the defensive side of it too. You look at Kayla Rantsaw,
a player they got at dB, they got in the
(17:38):
third round from Tulane, who is very versative. They love
what he brings to the table. Glasswin talked about his
tackling ability, talked about how he can play different spots
in the secondary. He'll probably start at safety even though
he can play corner, and he should help a defense
that was the worst in the league when it came
to defending the past.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
We're talking about these rookie classes and I'm starting with
the first round picks. But in the case of the
New Orleans Saints, no disrespect to Calvin Banks, but we're
gonna be looking at Tyler Shuck because we're still waiting
on Derek Carr. We don't know what the situation he
might wind up starting for this team. Mark your thoughts
on Tyler Shuck in the Saints draft class.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
Yeah, talked about Cam war getting ready from day one.
Do we have to do the same thing with Tyler
Shuk down there in New Orleans? Or Spencer Ratler has
something to say about it, guys.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
But yeah, you really don't. You don't take him and make.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
That draft overpassing over some other guys without saying, you
know what.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
We really believe something in you.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
New head coach Kellamore obviously probably had his finger tipped
all over this pick here and said, of all of
these players here, all of these quarterbacks, this is my guy.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
So he has to make it work. He has to
make Tyler Shup look good.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
He has to prepare him from day one to say
you're going to take over the reins, no matter if
Derek Carr is ready or not. So that'll be interesting
to see how many rets he gets as the one,
if Spencer Rattler they mix him in there as the one,
or if they balance it a little bit. And yeah,
Kevin Banks Junior can grow with him too. Mike g
you got to give the first round players some love there.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Listen, we're quarterback biased around here. I guess you could say.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Tyler Schuck, by the way, already throwing with his Saints teammates,
so he understands.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Mark what time it is.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Let's go to Jday Barn and the Denver Broncos draft class.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Jeffrey today. To wrap this up, Yeah.
Speaker 9 (19:26):
The Broncos were super excited to get him because they
did not think he would be there when they were
drafting twentieth overall.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
And they love what he brings to this defense.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
So watching him in rookie Minni Caamp, he'll be curious
to see where they line him up at because he
can do so many things in the secondary. And general
manager George Peyton talked about how this guy has great
in zone. He's great man coverage, he's got great instincts.
You can see him the nickel, you can see him outside.
They love his versatility and adding him to a defense
that already has Patrick Tutan Junior and Riley Moss at corner.
(19:55):
You can see him being super disruptive. But then it's
the running back in the second round, our j Harvey,
who really is a guy who looks like a little
bit like Darren Sproles when he runs, and you remember
what Darren Sprolls did for Sean Payton down in New Orleans.
They love his explosiveness and they really fell out and
love what he could bring to the table in terms
of being a dynamic runner.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
He's not a pouse receiver.
Speaker 9 (20:15):
Yet with Sean paytonleas if you can get there, because
he's got the soft hands, it might be able to
be that joker running back that they've been trying to
find down there for the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Mark Ross and Jeffrey Chada with all the information to
have you looking smart and your Rookie Minicamp tailgate and
if you are tailgating for Rookie Minniicamp, you're crazy.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
We love you, but you're crazy.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Thank you, Mark Ross, Jeffrey Chadia. Coming up next, Dallas
Goddard on a normal day probably would have been talked
about in the first segment of this show.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
It didn't happen. We had the big news earlier.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
On George Pickens, so we're gonna break down what happened
with Goddard and the Eagles today.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Dolphin's wide receiver Tyreek Hill announced on Instagram that his
second surgery has gone well. Looking a little bit like
the guy that got flipped off in that episode of
Signfel with Danny Tartible. Bottom line, second surgery, this was
pre planned. He was getting the hardware out of that
risk that he had surgically repaired.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
All went well.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Still on track in terms of the timeline. The big
news of the day Steelers wide receiver George Pickins is
on his way out, now headed to the Dallas Cowboys
along with a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick in
exchange for a twenty twenty six third rounder and a
twenty twenty seven fifth. Dallas Cowboys now get their receiver
(21:36):
to play opposite Ceedee Lamb. These Steelers move on from
a player that frankly, his days were numbered once they
had made the trade earlier this offseason for DK Metcalf
not leaving the state of Pennsylvania, Dallas Goddard, who has
agreed to a reworked contract that keeps him in Philadelphia
for twenty twenty five. Mike Garafalo, this was a situation
(21:57):
where there were real trade conversations, Goddard's future up in
the air.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
How they find a way to move forward together.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Yeah, there were real trade conversations. So you said, well,
usually you want to trade a guy, you trade a guy,
or you cut a guy. Well, the Eagles had a
tight budget because they have to spend across the roster,
and you win Super Bowls, you draft good players, and
you spend a lot.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Of money in a lot of places.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
So Dallas Goddard was in the area of fourteen million dollars.
He takes a couple of mil off of that, but
he gets it all now, it's fully guaranteed. He's got
some incentives to get close to that as well. He
did have the option of potentially exploring some places some
places elsewhere in a trade, but sounded like he preferred
to come back to the Eagles, even on a reworked salary,
(22:40):
rather than explore those other possibilities there. So Dallas Goddard
returns to the Eagles, where the coaches certainly.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Wanted him back.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
He wanted to be back.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
He wanted the chance to run it back with his
teammates and potentially defend this one with them. So that
is going to be the case with Dallas Goddard back
in Philadelphia, who didn't really draft a tight end high
enough to say, okay, we just cut him. Meanwhile, Mark Andrews,
we had sort of paired Andrews with Dallas Goddard and said,
these are two veteran tight ends who could be available
via trade and have salaries where they're at in the
(23:15):
last year of the deal. This one's a little different
because you've got Isaiah Likely there, and it still feels
like something has to give here.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
With Mark Andrews.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
My understanding is nothing is imminent, whether it's a contract extension,
a trade, or whatnot, but something still has to give
here because which tight end are you going to extend?
If you extend Likely, it means you're not going to
have Andrews for the long haul. So does he just
play out the final year of his contract? Do you
still try to find a suitor for him? If you
extend Andrews, what do you do with Likely? So there's
still a couple of moving parts there. But just like
(23:46):
Dallas Goddard, even though the Ravens are exploring trades or
all scenarios frankly and have, they still value Mark Andrews
and still would welcome him back for the twenty twenty
five seasons. So we'll see where this one goes. Again,
nothing imminent, but still keeping an eye on this one
after what happened with Dallas Gotter today and Eagles.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
And is today proved just because it's May seven doesn't
mean you still can't have blockbuster trades happening around the NFL.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Ian no need to.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Trade for any of these guys, but you can have them.
You can sign them for any amount of money, well,
assuming they would take that amount of money. Here are
the top remaining free agents according to Greg Rosenthal's list
on NFL dot com. A Mai Cooper still a big
time receiver, obviously linked to I don't know. Let's just
say any team that might suddenly have a big time
receiver need today. Santa Samuel Aaron Rodgers still there. Who
(24:39):
better to break it all down than our good friend
Jeffrey Chidia, who has an article on NFL dot com
breaking down the potential landing spots for some of the
top free agents. Jeff will start with one of the
best defensive backs still available, Asante Samuel Junior. Where does
he go?
Speaker 9 (24:56):
Yeah, he's got some options out there because there are
teams that need quarterbacks like Miami. But I put him
with the forty nine ers and I go here because
they play a lot of his own defense, and Sante
Sande was a player who struggled with man coverage.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
He wasn't very healthy last year. He missed five games.
Speaker 9 (25:12):
But I think putting him with Robert Sala in a defense,
that's going to be easier for cornerbacks to play a
lot of his own coverage and not have to be
under a lot of pressure. This team lost three cornerbacks
from last year, so I think that's a good place
for him.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
I like to call there. Okay, let's go to the
next one. Zadarius Smith, one of the star pass rushers
of the trade deadline, obviously got dealt in a big
deal to the Detroit Lines, which I broke. Congratulations to me.
What is the best fit as we look forward to
his free agency.
Speaker 9 (25:45):
Well, a return of Detroit makes a lot of sense,
and they haven't closed the door on that, even though
they brought back Marcus Davenport from last year. I know
Zadarius Smith is thirty three, but he had forty pressures
in nine games last year, a twenty one percent pressure rate.
Adding more bodies to a team that had issue staying
healthy down the stretch, especially on defense.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Is not a bad thing.
Speaker 9 (26:05):
Because you get Aiden Hutchinson back, you have Davenport, You're
bringing Smith to breathe that third body on defense as
an edge rusher.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
Not a bad idea for the Lions, all right.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I talked about some of the big name receivers still available.
Marii Cooper I mentioned tell me about Keenan Allen because
this is the name obviously that came up today. Pittsburgh
Steelers suddenly have a hole in the receiver room trading
DK Metcalf as we know, to the Dallas Cowboys. When
you break down Keenan Allen's best spot, tell me it
is the Steelers.
Speaker 9 (26:38):
It's not the Steelers now because that information was not
available when I wrote this.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Columny in so I'm out with the Cardinals.
Speaker 9 (26:44):
Give me, but they spent They got to use the
fourth overall pick last year on Marvin Harrison junior. He
showed a lot of flashes, but they need some help
to get him going. Bring in Keenan Allen, a proven
veteran who could help him grow play in the slot
for you. He quietly had seventy catches last year for
the Bears. I know it was a disaster over there offensively,
but he still showed that he can play some good
(27:06):
football for you and fortune.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
It doesn't have that many older receivers.
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Bringing in Keenan Allen to that group with Arizona Cardinals
could help them continue their rise back into playoff contention.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Now I know Keenan Allen when thrilled with the way
it ended when Chicago wasn't thrilled with the entire experience there.
This one would make sense if he's kind of entering
that time in his career where it's like he goes
from only worrying about his own performances being the star
receiver that he's been to helping the locker room, helping
the young guys would actually make a lot of sense
(27:38):
as far as transitioning to the next part of his career.
I like to fit there. You can read about this
and a lot more on NFL dot com slash Shedea
for more free agent Fitz Jeffrey, Thank you very much,
great stuff. As always, you.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Might have heard that Shora Sanders had a bit of
an unusual draft weekend, going all the way down to
the fifth round one hundred and forty fourth overall before
the Cleveland Browns drafted him, and he celebrated with the
jig and a dip into the pool. Passing on him
repeatedly was well the entire league, but specifically one of
his mentors, Tom Brady, who had this to say about
(28:17):
Sanders on a podcast.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
What happened Tom?
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Why Why did he go so late in the.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Draft, and there's I it's a good question.
Speaker 10 (28:29):
I was, I wouldn't have part of any evaluation process
or to get bailes otherwise.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
No, No, everyone's got every you know.
Speaker 10 (28:37):
That's the problem with media is everyone can just say
whatever they want. I actually texted Shador because I'm know
him very well, and I said, dude, like, whatever happens
wherever you go, Like that's your first day day two
matters more than the draft. I was one ninety nine. Yeah,
so who could speak on it better than me? Like
what that really means? Use it as motivation. You're going
(28:58):
to get your chances.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pelisero, Ian Rapport, Mike Gerrifulo,
and Mark Ross back with you.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Here's what we know, okay about Tom Brady and his
role in the Raiders' organization beyond being a minority owner.
Mark Davis I said publicly part of the reason that
he was willing to give him the deal he did
was because Tom would be part of picking the next
quarterback and maybe training him. We know that John Spytech,
after they drafted a guy named Cam Miller out of
North Dakota State, came out and said Brady like the
way he threw it's a little bit far fetched, Tom Brady,
(29:27):
friend of the show, He's come on, we all love Tom.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Seems a little far fetched.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
That they wouldn't ask him his opinion of somebody that
he's literally been working directly with four years, Sarah. But
when you hear Tom saying what he did right there
on the Impulsive podcast, what are you making?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Not too much? Just being totally honest. Now, I do
like the advice that he gave Shudor Sanders Treda, like
it your first day. That's good advice. And really where
you're drafted doesn't matter, except when you have to go
check your bank account. There's a lot less than there
would have been otherwise of you'd say, get drafted in
the first round. That's really where it matters. When you
get to a team, you get a chance to make
your mark, as Brady knows, as he's mentioned, probably better
(30:06):
than anyone. I mean, Brady and brock Perty are the
two ultimate laid round quarterback success stories. So yeah, he's right,
treat it like it as.
Speaker 4 (30:13):
Your first day.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
As far as Brady not being involved in the process,
I understand why he would say that, right because He
clearly has some friendliness with Shador Sanders, with the Sanders family,
Curly has worked with him. You're literally seeing right there.
Brady didn't want to be the one to say, you
know what, I was the guy who said that is
not the quarterback we want. I'm sure he was involved
(30:34):
that wants to make sure everyone knows he's not the guy,
which you know, with his title as sort of kind
of head of things, you don't always have to be
the guy making these selections. John spytest title is the
guy making the selections of Brady when it benefits him,
can just say, you know what, I was involved, which
is fine, but Raiders fans should probably know that all
(30:55):
of the good things that happen, Brady had.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
A hand it bad things too.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Problem I would just say, if Gray wanted to be
the guy, all he has to do is walk in
and say I'm the guy.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Draft Shador Sanders as soon as possible.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
That's all I'm saying. If he wanted to be involved,
I think that they would listen. Mark what we do know,
Shduorr Sanders is on the Cleveland Browns. He was a
fifth round pick. There's not a lot of precedent for
a fifth round pick coming in and winning a starting
quarterback job coming out of camp. But this is not
your usual quarterback competition in Cleveland. What are you looking
at as we get set to begin rookie mini camp
(31:31):
on Friday in.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Burria with a couple of rookie quarterbacks.
Speaker 7 (31:35):
Well, definitely it's different because we're going to keep creating
this media sensation. But much like what happened with the draft,
the teams had a different evaluation and the teams had
a different process. So in the Browns building, they're going
to have a different process and a different evaluation than
what we're going to keep talking about Shador and from henceforth,
it's Dylan Gabriel, the third round pick who's going to
(31:57):
get the first team reps and Shador Sanders the fifth
round pick wearing number twelve, not the number two, because
we don't do that for fifth round picks. Other people
get the priority all the numbers, and you go out
there and play based off of the first team reps
and the second team reps, and you go number two
behind Dylan in the drills and then you follow from there.
(32:17):
So the Browns are looking at it as all the
noise is out of here. He's not Shador Sanders, the
media sensation. He's Shador Sanders, a football player, the quarterback
that we took in the fifth round. But we also
took Della Gabriel, and he's going to get every opportunity
because it's very, very very rare, talking about rare things
to cut a third round pick, particularly a quarterback. So
from henceforth it's got to be all about football for Shador.
(32:40):
We'll keep doing the media stuff, but for him to
give himself the best chance, go ball out.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
Shador.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Well, as we talked about this, it's like, if you're
talking about a quarterback, it's up here in the first
two rounds where there's the potential you're going to take
him to be a starter. If you don't see him
as that, then it just drops off right.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
And then it kind of.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
Goes to that abyss for a couple of rounds, and
then it comes back to wait a second, we're sitting
here in the fifth round. We've got a guy that's
got the potential to be that first or second round talent,
but just wasn't you know, the flavor for.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
A lot of those teams involved.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
So the Browns take them and say, like a number
of teams right, like all right, maybe now he'll realize,
all right, we got to put some work in, maybe
change the approach that he took in his meetings that
turned some teams off when he indicated like, hey, I'm
coming in, I'm your savior. You should do everything that
I kind of want to do, and teams saying no,
(33:37):
well we do things a certain way here. You got
to sort of fall in line with what we do.
So the brown say, well, we get him the fifth end.
Dylan Gabriel's there. So this is the scenario where he's
got to earn his way up.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
He's got to hurt his way past that guy.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Then he's got to hurn his way past the veterans
if he wants to get the football.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
So this is how the Browns are kind of looking
at it. This is the start of it.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
It's not an open mini camp where everybody goes to
get to watch, but training camp is going to be open.
Season is going to be open, and that's going to
be a lot of fun for the likes of us.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
Yeah, the Door Sanders situation is one of one for
a variety of different reasons.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
But if you want a recent comp.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Sam Howell three years ago was talked about as maybe
a borderline of potential surprise first round pick, second round,
probably a worse. He went down in the fifth, got
one starter as a rookie, and then year two he
got the full opportunity. Now it didn't work out obviously
in Washington because they went and drafted another guy who's
ended up being pretty good. But he got his opportunity.
That's a fifth round pick. It is possible for things
(34:34):
to fall that way. And you know, at that time too,
I would think that Sam Howell probably knew that he
was going to be facing more than Kenny Pickett and
Dylan Gabriel to beat him out. Mark, Thank you very much,
Mike ian Hugh, as well more as this episode of
The Insiders.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Rolls on, you can also get more of the NFL
with NFL Plus.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
They connected throughout the offseason with twenty four to seven
football news and coverage on NFL Network and with NFL
Plus Premium. Really your favorite moments for the two twenty
four season with game replays and access to NFL player
stats with Nflpro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot com.
Terms and conditions apply. Get ready for the twenty twenty
(35:22):
five NFL season like never before. With the highly anticipated
NFL Schedule release, every game revealed, every rivalry, every rematch
in every rookie debut. May fourteenth, that is one week
from tonight, May fourteenth. Mark your calendar. Get all the
details at nfl dot com slash Schedule release. Down in
(35:46):
Point Clear, Alabama, the Cedar Bowl inducted its twenty twenty
five Hall of Fame class.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
That is me, No, I was not inducted. Alex Macka was.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
So is John Gruden, Richard Sherman, Gino Atkins, and longtime
I'm offensive tackle Tron Armstead, who told me he had
quite the welcome to the NFL experience and mobile.
Speaker 11 (36:09):
I remember first person I saw was DJ Flucker and
I'm thinking that is a huge human as a big guy.
And Fluke was I think he just came and he
weighed in, but he wasn't doing the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
And I got off the out.
Speaker 11 (36:27):
The car coming from Pensacola because I stopped back at
Pensacola to get here, and that first day of practice,
I look over, I see Mike Tomlin in the stance.
Speaker 4 (36:36):
I'm like, damn, it's real. This is this is real?
Speaker 11 (36:39):
This is really NFL doorsteps and I just tried to
lock in, lock in, avoid the pressure. I had a
little bit of nervous just I can, I can, I
can admit that. Now twelve years later and one on
one started. My first rep wasn't wasn't good. I fell
ended up on the ground. It's a bad spot for
office alignment. And my second rep, dominated uh. Took a guy,
(37:00):
throw them on a ground, dove on him and I'll
curdy in right. There's like, I'm here, I'm here. It's official.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
The draft starts in Mobile. The twenty twenty five NFL.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Season will in a way start for the Rams in Maui.
We will explain next why the Rams are taking their
mini camp on the road for an unprecedented island adventure
that's ahead on The Insiders our top story tonight. George
(37:37):
Pickens is soon to be officially a Dallas Cowboy, the
Steelers and Cowboys agreeing to terms within the past twenty
four hours on a trade sending Pickens to Dallas for
a twenty twenty six third round pick. The teams will
also flop late round picks in twenty twenty seven. The
Cowboys get a dynamic playmaker, albeit one who is available
(38:00):
for a reason the Steelers he and I can't help.
But thinking too, beyond whatever issues there were in terms
of George Pickens and following rules and locker room dynamics
all that stuff, you also take away a wide receiver,
for as talented as he is, may not be quite
the exacting type of a wide receiver that Aaron Rodgers
would prefer to play with. Here not necessarily a sign.
(38:23):
I've been told that they didn't call Rogers before this trade.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
He's not signing off on.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Deals, but it would make sense to try to get
guys who he's going to know where they're going to
be on the field, because we've seen in the past
Aaron Rodgers not a big fan of somebody be in
someplace they're not supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
No, not the biggest fan of that. It's been interesting
to me Tom that Aaron Rodgers has been throwing with
DK Metcalf, trying to build a rapport, trying to understand
where each other are, trying to really build that relationship.
To my knowledge, George Pickens has not been involved in
any of that, so I'd be surprised if Rogers is
surprised by this, and I think all of us knew
(39:00):
that Pickens was available and probably has been available for
some time. And really it would take a legit offer,
like a real offer to make that happen, and obviously
that ended up that ended up happening today. But the
fact that Rogers has beginning together with Metcalf and not
Pickens at least is instructive as far as what he thinks.
If you're looking for receivers that Aaron Rodgers actually knows,
(39:24):
I can think of a couple of former Aaron Rodgers
targets who may or may not be available, and the
trade if Steelers wants to take some of the draft
picks send them to another team, I think they could
bring in of Aaron Rodgers' friend pretty easily.
Speaker 5 (39:39):
Yeah, and I blisten until Rogers is done. Right, It's
not done, and he could still He talked about the
fact that he's entertained thoughts about retirement, so theoretically, if
it falls through and he doesn't wind up with the Steelers, well,
now they have that extra draft capital to potentially go
out and get somebody else. Because you can talk about
your confidence in Mason Rudolph that it's fine, but at
(40:00):
some point you've got to make a move for another veteran.
Kirk Cousins would be the first one that would come
to mind, but there will be other options. It makes
sense obviously for them to bring in potentially, so I
talked earlier in the show about all that draft capital
next year to move up in the draft. Might need
this at this point, Like you said, Ian, either to
go out and get targets or go out and get
a quarterback if it doesn't wind up being Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Big news on a May seventh and what should be
the slow time in the off season. Always remember there
is no slow time in the NFL, which is why
we are here every night. Some other news around the NFL,
Bill's doing something cool and their continued commitment to CPR
and AED awareness. Bills players were trained in hands only
CPR this week. You can learn more and help them
(40:43):
work together to improve the chance of surviving a cardiac
arrest in our community. Go to the Buffalo Bill's website
for more information on that. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints
say good graduations to Cam Jordan.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
May eighth is Cam Jordan Day, officially declared by the
New Orleans City Council for Cam's devotion to the city
and serving the committee the community. I'll have to have
NFL research double check this, but I believe this is
Cam Jordan's forty seventh season now with the New Orleans Saints.
Will the Rams are going on a little vacation to
(41:15):
work though. It is going to be their Maui camp.
You get it. It's like mini camp, but it's in Maui.
They've had a I guess study partnership since they moved
back to Los Angeles with the State of why building
a fan base there. I know that their front office
goes there for a while after the in the off
season to do some of their planning meetings and whatnot,
(41:37):
all of which raises the question ian does the insiders
have the budget to go live for Maui for three
days next month?
Speaker 2 (41:47):
See what I got mean?
Speaker 3 (41:48):
I would say, I would say this. I've been looking
on the internet. They've got a couple of nice hotels
right by where the Rams are going to be. It's
only like six or seven one hundred dollars and I
think that's fine. Plus the food there is great. If
you ever have like a shrimp truck it's the best
in Hawaii. Just like on a white paper place. This
is basically shrimp and rice, but no better meal on Earth.
Come me in. Insiders from Maui coming up in a
(42:10):
month or so. Maybe maybe not.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
I have no describe change here.
Speaker 5 (42:14):
I've got a collar stay, I've got some NFL Crucial
Catch and inspire change pins.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
College. We gotta we gotta figure out. Maybe we'll just
make up.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
We need make up.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
We got a lot of pins. We don't have a
lot of budget. But that's that's kind of how it
goes on this show. Hey, we appreciate your old man.
Tomorrow see it
Hosts And Creators
Judy Battista
Tom Pelissero
Ian Rapaport
Mike Garafolo
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