June 3, 2025 • 43 mins
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo deliver the biggest football headlines of the day, June 3, 2025. First, Steve Wyche joins the program with commentary on the Chicago Bears as the franchise enters a new era of management. Then, Cam Wolfe and Brian Baldinger provide the latest on the Miami Dolphins. Later, the Insiders touch on both Cam Ward and the busy Green Bay Packers WR room. Lastly, Michael F. Florio has fantasy football insights for the AFC North.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Whatever Maggy parsons well.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Next week, the Cowboys say he will be at the
Star for mandatory minikim. We will tell you tonight what
it means as the Star pass rusher awaits a megadeal
in Dallas. Ota is rolling on across the league as well,
and it's not just Tyreek Hill drawing eyeballs in Miami.
Brian Baldinger and Cameron Wolf were at Dolphins practice today.
(00:30):
They will be here to tell you who else could
make an impact in Miami. I Meanwhile, cam Ward isn't
officially QB one yet, but he's already winning fans in Tennessee.
That includes a certain star receiver season interesting trait that
he likes in the number one overall pick. Welcome inside
(00:51):
with the Insiders alongside Mike Garafullo. I am Tom Pelissero. Mike,
you're joining us for being nick backdrop.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Where are you? What have you been up to? How's
it going?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You made it.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I'm happy you made it.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
It's only been a couple of days that I've been
away here. My camera is on the pupp list, which
means it's got to get off the pup list. I
think by the start of the season otherwise it's down
for the first four games. So we are coming to
you live from East Brotherford, New Jersey, to the Giants facility.
Giant's so gracious to let me use their camera. So
we'll be here probably for the next couple of weeks,
(01:24):
as much as you'll have me, Tommy. When I'm not
here and I come back, you'll be like where you've been.
It's only been three days.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Two weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Seems like an optimistic timeline. This isn't going to be
like six to eight months. You're not going to be
coming to us from whatever basement you're in right now
in January.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
My wife is watching tom Let's move on with the show,
all right.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
We got stuff happening all over the NFL, including one
team that kicked off mandatory mini camp today, that is
the Chicago Bears. We'll also have the traditional mini camp
photo shoot. Dj Moore brought along three other Moors to
that to pose with him. Also had some things to
say about his new head coach Ben Johnson, who is
certainly emphasizing body language with his new team.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
Be honest right now and then we ain't going to
talk about it. I did it once and then we
nipped it in a butt and it's never happened again.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Wuld you describe playing for Ben with the little time
that you've had with him through the spring.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
It's fun but intense. A lot of hard work goes
into it, and you gotta be on your pew's and q's,
and you got to know the playbook.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Let's bring in Steve Whites to the conversation as well, Mike.
When we hear players talking about it's the intense with
Ben Johnson, it is very detailed.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You got to watch your body language. These are all.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Things that we saw Ben Johnson do in Detroit. It's
about building that culture. It's also about if you want
to run all the fun stuff, you better know exactly
what we're doing at all times.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
DJ.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
If you think it's intense now on June third, here,
wait see week one game day. As we get into
the regular season, when he see Ben Johnson on a
game day, Go ask some of the Detroit offensive players
what he's like on a game day. That intensity is there. Now,
we're gonna show you some slow motion b roll of
him being nice and calm, but trust me, there are
(03:16):
plenty of cutaways that you could have that show Ben
Johnson when things don't go correctly, and Jared Goff, that
guy was the perfect personality for Ben Johnson. There's a
lot of respect between the two of them and he
was able to handle it and he's even killed Jared
Goff's Let's see how Kavia Williams handles it. But yeah,
there is gonna be some intensity here and that's the
way that they play on offense.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
They have played physically the.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Detroit Lions have, and they have also played fast and
that's the way it's gonna have to be. This is
gonna be a shock to the system, Steve, not just
for the Bears offense. I would say for the entire team.
That's probably a good thing.
Speaker 6 (03:50):
Yeah, Mike, you're talking about shock to the system.
Speaker 7 (03:52):
Another person who spoke at Bear's mini camp today was
tight end Cole Komett, who's coming off of a season
where you only had forty seven catches.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
That was a second of his career.
Speaker 7 (04:02):
But they also drafted tight end Colston Loveland in the
first round, so now they've got two tight ends and
as Comet said today, there's gonna be times they're gonna
be competing for playing time and for catches. But he
also said Ben Johnson talking about attention to detail.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Explained to him immediately after.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
The pick, the plan to run a lot of twelve personnel,
one tailback, two tight ends, and how they both can
work in the personnel, complimenting each other, featuring one another,
and of course being used in the run game. We
know in Detroit, even though they were a predominantly eleven
personnel team, one running back, one tight end, they did
a lot of multiple tight end sets. He is bringing
(04:42):
that with him to Chicago. So again Comet may have
been taken it back by the draft pick, but now
he knows because of the communication aspect of things, something
very important in being a head coach, what his role
will be and how much he does have to compete
when he is singled up or has the opportunity to
do things individually.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
We know this much.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
A lot of Bears in standalone games, primetime games on
the schedule, So the NFL schedule makers at minimum counting
on being on your p's and q's, perhaps to translate
to some more ws. So that's the first mandatory mini
camp that is underway next week. Twenty five NFL teams
we'll be having their mini camps, including in Dallas, where
(05:23):
coach Brian Schottneimer is not at Micah Parsons on hand
as usual. He's been out and about doing other things
at this time of year, but things are voluntary now.
As for next week, Shotting.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
He was here last week, had lunch with him, actually
bumped into him in the airport. He was going to
do some traveling. So I have not seen him yet
this week. But again, my big thing with all the guys,
whether they're here or not, is you can get great
work in and you can get ready and you can
be mentally prepared. But you know, whether you're mic who's
(05:55):
not here here in and out, whether you're Dak, doesn't
really matter. You know, it's just put working, get ready.
There's a lot of ways get ready and prepared.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Mike, we know this.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
This has been the off season of pass rushers getting paid.
We saw it with Max Crosby, we saw with Miles Garrett.
There's some other guys who were also waiting, Trey Hendrickson
among them, for their new deals. Jerry Jones has made
clear he's going to get this done. Jerry Jones also
made clear when it comes to matters of money, urgency
is not necessarily the focus.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And that's one way to turn up the urgency tom
is to not attend mandatory Mini camp. We have seen
teams that or players excuse me, that are more apt
to do this in recent years. I mean, when you're
talking about Micah Parsons and what he is going to
make on a deal if he misses Mini camp and
he's subject to fines, I mean, that is about as
small a drop in the bucket to make a point
(06:47):
as you could possibly have.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
I mean, you know we're asking and nobody's really going
to tell you at this point what the plan is.
So you see that bottom there. Michaeh Parsons will be
in at tent well. Brian Shottennheimers says, Michael Parton's expected
to be in attendance for mandatory because everybody's expected to
be in attendance. It's when you're not there that you
really do send the message. You also have the possibility
of a hold in. We've seen that for mini camps
(07:11):
as well, some teams willing to allow that even in
the training.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Camp as well.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
So this is one to continue watching here to see
how Michael Parsons wants to handle to see how his
camp wants to handle this and maybe make a statement
Steve and say I am worth all that money, and
I am worth all that money.
Speaker 7 (07:25):
Now, Mike Well said, all three of us, in several
of our colleagues, we are all semantics, dissectors, and we said, yeah,
he's gonna be He's gonna.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
Attend to many camp I expect to attend. It doesn't
mean he's.
Speaker 7 (07:36):
Gonna participate in it, but if he's there, he avoids
any type of fines because it is mandatory. But even
if he shows up on the field a lot of times,
what we're seeing, guys, is we go to OTA's at
things is some players whose contracts aren't signed, they may
go through some individual drills just because they want to
have the camaraderie with their team. They may go to
the meetings, but they may not go through team team
drills or things like that where they could put themselves
(07:56):
at risk of injury. But we do know this when
it comes to Michael part he's one of the best
players in the NFL. He's going to be a cogna
in terms of that defense. Right, So the sooner he
gets in there, they got a new DC to get
things worked out. That helps. Brian Schottenheimer was very casual
about things right there, but you know he wants number
eleven in there because a lot of times, when your
best player is in there leading other people, that's the
(08:18):
chemistry and the culture that binds everything.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
I remember culture or something.
Speaker 7 (08:23):
Schottenheimer has been really big on talking about this offseason.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
In terms of your best player leading the culture. That
certainly applies to CJ. Stroud in Houston, but for right
now he's having to do that on the sideline. The
Texans quarterback not participating in practice. It's been reported as
a peck or a shoulder, and Mika Ryan say in
general soreness. Took a few questions before finally saying that's it.
I'm not talking about CJ anymore. When it's time to go,
(08:48):
he will be good to go. No major alarms raised
at this point. We also had some sad news today
around the NFL. We will start in Green Bay, where
Steve Wright, the model for the Walter Payton Man of
the Year trophy, passed away Sunday at a care facility
in Augusta, Georgia, Right played tackle for the Packers from
(09:09):
nineteen sixty four to sixty seven, played in relative obscurity
during those four seasons in Green Bay, as well as
the four other stops. That trophy remains in his likeness.
We also today found that we have lost another legend
of the game. Vikings announced longtime defensive lineman Jim Marshall
passed away Tuesday at the age of eighty seven following
(09:31):
a lengthy hospitalization. Marshall started two hundred and seventy consecutive
regular season games, an NFL record, from nineteen sixty one
to nineteen seventy nine, and was a member of the
famed Purple Peter People Eater's defensive line. Steve Whitees, you
watched the Vikings growing up. Not to date you, but
(09:51):
you did live through that Purple People Eaters era. One
of the great defensive lines that has existed here and
nobody know. But he was more reliable than Jim Marshall.
Speaker 7 (10:02):
As you mentioned the two hundred and seventy consecutive starts.
He played in two hundred and eighty nine consecutive games.
That's including playoffs and not starting all of them. But look,
I grew up in North Minneapolis. I was old enough
to watch three of the four Viking Super Bowls, and
Jim Marshall was a cog in that line, opposite of
Carl Eller, the other defensive en who's in the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, and next to Alan Page, the
(10:24):
defensive tackle who's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Guys,
you know, I'm very much ingrained into what goes on
in Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And
Jim Marshall is one of three players, along with Kenny
Anderson and Jim Plunkett, who gets talked about every year
as to why they are not in the Hall of Fame.
The credentials are there, things like we talked about, the consistency.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Jim Marshalla has one hundred and twenty seven sacks, a fourteen.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
Year team captain. But he played on a team with
so many Hall of famers.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Yeah, we know. His big landmark, his remembering point.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
Was the dubious sixty four yard had return of the
fumble the wrong way which he took it in that
resulted in a safety.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
But again, this is one of the best defensive linemen
of all time.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
We'll see if he eventually gets into Canton posthumously, but
he is somebody I'll remember from my childhood brought me
a lot of good memories, and I know the Vikings Nation,
a lot of greats in the NFL will never forget
how great of a player and a person Jim Marshall was.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He was dubbed Jim Wrongway Marshall after that infamous play,
which if you enjoy a little bit of Jim Marshall today,
it's worth watching that as a moment in NFL history.
But he did everything the right way through the course
of two decades in the NFL. His number seventy is
retired by the Vikings, a member of the Vikings Ring
of Honor, and Steve said, certainly would be a worthy
(11:45):
addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Jim Marshall passing away today at the age of eighty seven,
the insigners will return. How long will John new Smith
be on South Beach Well depends which side of Drew
(12:06):
Rosenhaus's conversation with himself. You believe either there's trade interest
or John who wants to stay, or maybe this is
all about getting a new contract wherever John new Smith
can get it.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Mike McDaniel, your thoughts.
Speaker 9 (12:20):
I haven't really considered anything other than you know, I
want JOHNA on the team. I think he wants to
be here, and so my experience with business as you
let that play out, and that in that time, John
is depending on me to focus on the players that
I have the ability to coach an influence. So that's that's.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
Where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilisaro, joined now by
Cameron Wolfe as well as Brian Balneer.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Camus.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Has been an interesting off season of different trade reports
and rumors surrounding Dolphins players here and while it appears
pretty apparent the jail Ramsey's on his way out of town,
what do you make of the future of John HU
Smith in Miami?
Speaker 11 (13:06):
Tom, This John news Smith situation is all about the money,
the Benjamins. Johnah Smith's coming off a franchise best season
for a tight end in Miami and he wants to
get paid. He's set to make four point one million
dollars in the Dolphins see a guy who just had
one year and right now they haven't been able to
come to a deal. Right now, both sides want to
(13:26):
be back in Miami. If it goes sideways, if deal
can't get done, maybe that's when we see a trade,
if we do.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I look at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 11 (13:35):
I've talked to their offense, according to Arthur Smith, and
he loves John Hu Smith probably more than anybody other
than John Hu Smith's mama. And they've work together in Atlanta,
they've worked together in Tennessee, and that would be a
great fit for him. But for right now, Miami wants
to keep John Hu and they would love to get
a deal done John who's been around the team. He
threw out the first pitch for the Marlins game this week.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
We'll see how that one evolves. But it's about money.
Speaker 11 (13:58):
You mentioned Jalen Ramsey new update there that one's more
about relationship than money. But what I do want to
talk about what we saw on the field. Baldy and
I were out there at practice today. It was a
rainy day, and the one guy who I've been watching
throughout all these Ota sessions is Jalen Wattle, their receiver
who sort of gets forgotten a little bit because he's
not Tyreek Hill and all the headlines. He is coming
(14:21):
off a little bit of a down season. He told
me after practice today he's working on his hand eye coordination,
a bunch.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
He said he learned how to juggle in two or
three days.
Speaker 11 (14:31):
They're wearing special glasses at practice that their wide receiver
coach Robert Prince gave them to help them with that
hand eye coordination.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Could help Waddle with some of the drops he had
last year.
Speaker 11 (14:40):
And there's an expectation for some people I talk with
in that building that Wattle could have his best season.
Yet he is focused on the small details, the route running,
and he's a guy that we certainly want to watch
going into twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (14:53):
Yeah, my initial focus was on the blue tinted hair
that Tuo was wearing. That caught my attention, and then
obviously yes, and then obviously the accuracy that to plays
the game. But then it immediately went to the offensive
line and you know, there's no tront Armstead out there
right now, But there's Patrick Paul who's the second round
(15:14):
pick a year ago and is just a ginormous individual.
And then Austin Jackson too as well. So there's Patrick Paul.
He played basically started three games last year. He played
almost the entire game against the Jets as well. If
you back and you watch him, they got a chance
of having two really good edge protectors. I believe Patrick
(15:36):
Paul can be a very very good player. And now
if they can get the interior worked out with Aaron Brewer.
They got to replace Robert Jones. They drafted Jonah Savayania,
you know, out of Arizona. They've got high hopes for
the second round if they can put this offensive line
together camp the guy you just mentioned, Jayalen Water.
Speaker 13 (15:55):
We saw Tyreek Hill out there today.
Speaker 12 (15:57):
He still has got the bad risk, but he's awful
the side work and then the speed. What they have
in the backfield with Jalen Wright along with Devon a Chan,
this offense has a chance if they get together upfront,
of scoring a lot of points against anybody.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
Baldy, I got a wide smile because there's nobody I
would love to talk offensive line ball with in June
than you, and we were both watching that offensive line.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
That's that's gonna be a key question throughout. You mentioned
Patrick Paul.
Speaker 11 (16:22):
He told me today he dropped over ten pounds to
get to three hundred and twenty pounds. He played about
three thirty five last year. He wanted to be a
little bit more leaner, to move a little better while
keeping that strength. He's replacing Toront Armstead, the legend, and
he said today that I'm built for this, I'm ready
for it. He's gonna be a guy that we have
a lot of eyeballs on. Austin Jackson, their right tackle
was coming off a significant knee injury that ended his season.
(16:45):
He's fully healthy back out there on the field. And
you're right about this offensive line. They struggled to run
the ball largely because of that offensive line last year,
and that's what the core of this offense wants to be. Remember,
Mike McDaniel was the run game court with the forty
nine ers.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
That's where he got.
Speaker 11 (17:02):
His name in coming to Miami, and they have a
couple of backs in Devon h Chan and Jalen Wright
they really want to run the ball with. They got
to block up front, and I'll tell you today watching
them at practice, it's just OTA's It's hard to get
a gauge, but Jalen.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Wright broke out a few really explosive runs. He looked
really good.
Speaker 11 (17:19):
Devon ah Chan had a really nice practice last week
catching the ball, running it. That's a really nice duo
for them of speed of explosiveness. They just got to
be able to protect up front, to take a little
bit of pressure off of Tua where they don't have
to throw the ball every single down.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And so that to me is the key of this offense.
Speaker 11 (17:36):
Can this offense line block enough in the run game
so that Tua doesn't have to do at all and
doesn't have to have all these pass.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Rushers pinning their ears back attacking him.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Cam, Thank you very much, Baldy, stick around. More from
you in just a little bit from.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Cam Woolf to cam Ward.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Nailed those names tonight. Let's talk about the number one
overall pick in Tennessee. You gotta hear but Calvin Ridley
had to say about his new QB. We'll play it
for you next on The Insiders. Some news around the
NFL today. Gabe Davis is once again on the move.
(18:14):
He is set to visit the Steelers on Thursday. Veteran
wide receivers still recovering from the tormaniscus that ended his
twenty twenty four season, but has been released by the
Jaguars and now making eight series of visits as he
contemplates his next home. Jonathan Bullard, veteran defensive tackle, also
making visits. He was with the Saints on Monday. Bullard
(18:36):
was the starting nose tackle the past couple of years
for the Minnesota Vikings, a big body with a lot
of experience that could land somewhere before camp Speaking of
big bodies with well.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Zero experience in the NFL so.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Far, Will Campbell has his slotted rookie deal in place
in his four years forty three points sixty six million
dollars fully guaranteed with a twenty eight point three million
dollars signing bonus. Only a handful of first picks at
this point still unsigned, including the number two overall pick,
Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, one of last year's top rookies, Braden Fist,
(19:08):
says he's good to go following off season surgery, told reporters,
I'm feeling great now. Everything went is planned or even
ahead of the process where I thought it was going
to be.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I am full go. Welcome back to the insiders.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Tom Pellisero joined once again by Brian Baldinger that draft
last year, Baldi with those big guys up front, Braiden
Fisk Jared vers that's a huge part of why the
Rams are in the position they are now where it
seems like they're on the ascent.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
What is the development of those guys up front.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Going to mean for their opportunity maybe to take another
step here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (19:42):
And that's not to mention the year before when they
drafted Kobe Turner and Byron Young. Kobe Turner's got seventeen
sacks in his first two years at defensive tackle. But
you know, I just remember meeting Braiden Fisk last year
at the Sack Summit in Las Vegas along with Von
Miller and Max Crosbery and Cam Jordan, and he was
there as a rookie sitting in the front row with
(20:03):
his notepad out taking notes against you know, when Warren
Sapp was there talking, he was taking notes and he's
just a student of the game. Him and Jared Verse,
obviously coming out of Florida State. That last year together
they teamed up.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
And were a force.
Speaker 12 (20:17):
And now I thought, you know, they struggled at times
against the run.
Speaker 13 (20:21):
Last year.
Speaker 12 (20:22):
They bring in Poona Ford, who's an excellent run defender.
This is the foundation to a team. They have rebuilt
their offensive line and their defensive line largely through the draft,
and they're riding with these guys and now they're coaching
them up and you're seeing great development. But the foundation
of this Rams team is the two guys that you
(20:42):
just mentioned in Braiden Fisk and Jared Verse, and how
they're playing, how hard they played, and the plays that
they made a year ago. Braidon Fisk leading that team
a year ago with eight and a half sacks.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Tom, one of the hardest things is to remain competitive
while you're in the midst of a rebuilding. That's who
we've seen, Baldy over these past couple of years. Rams
are one of the youngest teams in the league. Back
in twenty twenty three, they had all those rookies on
the roster. You're still making moves forward here at a
time that year quarterback Matthew Stafford is year t year
stick around, bald We're gonna talk Packers with you in
(21:13):
just a little bit, But first, Mike.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Tim cam Ward Cameron Ward, where do we land on
that one? I think he's back to being cam warder
after being announced as Cameron Ward whoever he is. He
is throwing the ball and throwing it well right now
at Titans. OTA's the number one overall pick, impressing Brian
Callahan and Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Ridley, with what he's been able to do so far.
Speaker 14 (21:37):
It's been great. He's had a lot of learning that
has occurred from just the act of doing and things
that he's maybe used to doing that are different at
this level. And that's always for young quarterbacks the case,
it's always going to feel different. So please where he's at,
he's picking it up pretty quickly as far as the
mental park goes, and we're learning every day he's out here.
Speaker 15 (21:56):
No, he just calm, he relaxed. So, I mean, you
need to at the quarterback position, man, you can't be
can't just be an overthinker, jittery guy. You just got
to kind of you know, be okay with you know,
you know, doing good and you know, just just got
to have that mentality kind of kind he kind of
got that.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
My audio seemed to be cutting out a little bit there,
Steve Wis as Calvin Ridley was talking. Yeah, Look, sometimes
that kind of mentality is a bad mentality because it
leads to mistakes on the field. So there's that fine
line of having that confidence. And we saw it, remember
from Cam Wore during his pro day when he turned
to the Titans breast and he said.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I'm solidifying it right now. So you know he has
that confidence about his game. How does that confidence lead
to success year one from him?
Speaker 7 (22:44):
Well, Mike, you know it's it's interesting. I like what
you said initially because Will Levis was the guy who
kind of went out there and played freely.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
But he turned the ball over right, He turned it
over too much.
Speaker 7 (22:53):
That's why they went out They drafted Cameron Ward, who
now goes by Cam. But the one thing when I'm
looking at how the Titans constructed this roster, they go
out and they get Tyler Lockett, they go out and
get Van Jefferson to go with Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
You don't go out and get.
Speaker 7 (23:07):
Veteran wide receivers who've made a lot of big plays
in their careers to add to Ridley.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
If you're asking him to come out and manage football games.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Yes, they may be a run first type of offense,
but it doesn't seem like again where we don't have
pads on, there's no defenses. But they're talking about him
just kind of managing things to start out with. They're
pushing him, they want to see what he can do.
But the way they've constructed this roster again, they've got
some good running backs and Tony.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Pollard and TYJ Spears.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
There are weapons around him for him to succeed right away.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
Everything has to come together quickly.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
But if he learns, just like Brian Callahan said, this
may be something that you know, he can come out
and show out a little bit and not just go
about trying to protect the football but also making plays
to win ball games.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Look, you're seeing a guy who was a zero star
recruit right worked his way up to being the number
one overall pick. So a lot of talk coming in
was he's maybe more pro ready than we're giving him
credit for, because it's not like he's a guy that's
just relying on arm strength or talent alone. He's got
a lot of that. You're not the number one overall
pick without that kind of stuff. But it's also with
the mentality and the ability to get up there and
(24:18):
run an offense and make decisions on the fly. So
these are the things that yes, he's doing now in
OTAs and into mini camp when it's just helmets.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
The pads are going to come in, come on in
the summer, and as.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
We get into the fall, it's gonna be interesting to
see if that bleep it mentality that he's showing in
the spring will lead to mistakes or lead to big
plays for cam Ward as a rookie.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I say, you know what, bleep it? Just let it?
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Why cam let it go? At least you'll have Calvin
Ridley on your side for that one. Coming up later
this week, ladies, gentlemen, the GMFB is spotlighting some of
the strongest female voices around the league with an all
female cast. Watch GMFB this Thursday and Friday at eight
am Eastern on NFL Network. Jamie erd Al, Cynthia Freely
(25:05):
and there's our buddy, Jane Slater are joined by local
and national women making news across the NFL. I will
be tuned in Steve which will be tuned and you
better tune in as well gmfb's all female cast later
this week.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
The wait is over in the countdown to Kickoff has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty twenty five NFL season
are on sale now visit NFL dot com, slash tickets
today through the NFL ticket network including ticket Master, Seat Geek,
and Sports Illustrated Tickets. Packers fans were buying tickets to
see their first first round receiver in twenty three years
(25:41):
from pretty much the moment Matthew Golden was drafted in
in Green Bay. And it sounds to listen to Matt
Lafleur like he's off to a pretty good start.
Speaker 16 (25:50):
I just like his approach, how he comes to work
every day. You know, he gives great effort. Its attitude
has been outstanding. And obviously he's got He's a talented
young young player, so still got a lot to learn.
But I think he's showing improvement every day. I can
only speak to what I know, and what I know
every day is how he comes in the building and
(26:13):
watching him work, And I mean he looks great out there.
I don't know if you guys can tell a difference
in his physique. He does look like a specimen out there.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Time now for count on It presented by Toro, Tom
Pilicero and Mike Garrifola with a guy we can always
count on in Brian Baldinger. But Bowdie, I asked you
this for the Packers. Count on that young receiver group
that ads Matthew Golden, had Romeo Dobbs going through some
stuff last year. Can they count on those guys? Improving
in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (26:45):
Well, they'd better because you know, the last time we
saw him, Tom was in a playoff lost in Philadelphia,
in a game where they were in the game.
Speaker 13 (26:52):
They lost to Philly. They only scored ten points.
Speaker 12 (26:54):
And you know, Jordan Love is thrown to Malee Keith,
to Bo Belton and they're not beating anybody, and they're
dropping passes and stepping out of bounds.
Speaker 13 (27:02):
They need a talented receiver.
Speaker 12 (27:04):
Now, Watson was hurt and Jayden Reid got hurt in
that game, but they needed to upgrade that position. It
didn't surprise me when they took Matthew Golden at that spot,
the twenty third pick in the first round.
Speaker 13 (27:14):
They needed that kight of talent.
Speaker 12 (27:15):
I think to play with Jordan Love because they had
so many other things going for him Tom. I mean,
they had thirty takeaways, they gave the ball back to
the offense.
Speaker 13 (27:26):
Jordan Love, you know, played well down the stretch.
Speaker 12 (27:29):
They couldn't have asked anything more, you know, from the
running game and what they got, and so they needed
the pass game to pick up. So here comes Matthew Golden,
here comes Samveon Williams, and you see if they can
upgrade that position because if they get to the postseason again,
you got to get, you know, the big plays out
of your passing game, and that's what they lacked and
(27:49):
that playoff lost to the Eagles.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
I'm not a surprise you hear Matt Lafleur talking about
the approach for Matthew Golden, because that's kind of the
way that he plays as a super prepared guy, a
really good route runner, a short handed type guy, the
kind of guy that you're going to be able to trust,
to trust immediately as he comes in as a rookie
to contribute for the team, this team, And it sounds
(28:13):
like that's translated already with regard to how he has
presented himself in Green Bay so far in the spring program.
So that's got to continue for him through training camp
and into the season, earn that trust. For Jordan Love
already earning it from his head coach. I think there's
a really good chance that Matthew Golden steps in right
away and is hearing cheers from the Green Bay fans,
(28:36):
kind of like he already heard on Draft night there
on the stage.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
You think back over the past couple of decades of
Packers football ball.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
This is how they've done it.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
They haven't drafted one in the first round, but year
after year you just keep adding to that position the
mid two thousands, who is all right, you still have
Donald Driver. Let's go take James Jones. Then okay, let's
go take Jordan Nelson. Let's continue to say, great Jennings.
You just keep adding those guys, even though we can
talk all about what Josh Jacob said. They don't have
a number one, but they got a bunch of dudes
(29:07):
who can play if they can stay healthy in the
case of a guy like Christian Watson, but also Baldy.
If they keep progressing well.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
I mean, look, if you go all the way back
to Sterling Sharp, I mean he's he's in a category
by himself. But you know, Devanta Adams, all the guys
you mentioned, I mean, none of them really came in.
It made much of an impression in the first year
or second year. It took him a while because there
was such a pecan order. But I believe right now
with the injuries to watch him last year, I mean,
(29:34):
O'tavius Wicks had his moments.
Speaker 13 (29:36):
Romeo Dobbs has had his moments.
Speaker 12 (29:38):
Jaden Reied certainly has stepped up over the first two
years of his career, but I think there's room in
this offense right now for you know, a guy like
Matthew gold his speed, the way Mike just described, you know,
his route running, that the passing had.
Speaker 13 (29:52):
To be better than what we saw a year ago.
Speaker 12 (29:54):
They were still a top ten offense, but we know
what this division is going to be like, You're going
to need points out of the pass the game. You're
gonna need plays from your playmakers, and that's what Matthew
Golden was drafted to be. And so they might have
to push the development a little bit to get him
on the field. But it sounds like, you know, the
approach that Matt Lafleura expressed is the right approach, like
(30:17):
come ready to play. It's a difficult It is an
offense that does take time to learn. There's a lot there,
but I feel like, you know, he learned that offense
quickly at Texas and replacing some of those receivers.
Speaker 13 (30:29):
I'd expect the same from him here in Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
And good luck to all those fantasy owners are gonna
be trying to figure out which of those five packers
receivers they should draft when you get those things rolling,
come August Baldi, Thank you very much. Michael let Floria
probably has answers on that. But after this, let's talk
to him about the AFC North. You know you should
take Lamar Jackson. You know you should take Jamar Chase.
Who else should you be targeted from that division? Florio's
(30:54):
got answers next on the inside.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Stay connected throughout the offseason with twenty four seven football
news and coverage on NFL Network, and with NFL Plus Premium.
Relive your favorite moments from the twenty twenty four season
with game replays and access to NFL player stats with
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Speaker 1 (31:27):
Look at that Ravens receiving corps down there.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
They have spent the resources to make it happen, including
DeAndre Hopkins adding to this corps the last couple of
years to give Lamar Jackson plenty of guys to throw to.
Here's offensive coordinator Todd Munkin on what he's seeing from
the wide receivers.
Speaker 17 (31:45):
I don't really see d hop as a third receiver.
I see him more as we have three starters at
wide receiver, but we also have a two tight ends.
So it'll be interesting as we get Cohen, especially once
we get to camp and we get the pads on
how we can integrate him and the offense. But we're excited. Well,
we just got to get him the ball more. I mean,
that's really it. The problem is we have a lot
of those guys like you know, he's he's an unbelievable
(32:10):
football player. You know, he's not only an outside receiver
that has elite route running skills, but he's unbelievable with
the ball in his hands. So you have like a
guy that fits two positions.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Todd Munkin he has got an embarrassment of rich Is.
Just like Michael f. Florio's fantasy teams. How many last year.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
It was a ridiculous number, right, double digits every year.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
Double digits. I have no idea how he manages them
all I know how he does any of it. But
he is here for our fantasy outlook for the AFC North.
Let us start there with the Ravens in Owings Mills.
What's the fantasy outlook in Baltimore?
Speaker 18 (32:50):
It was appropriate that we started giving Todd Monkins some
hype there because since he has taken over this Ravens offense,
Lamar Jackson has reached another level. Less season, he scored
more Fantasy points than any player in Fantasy football history,
and in the two years under Todd Monkin, he has
averaged over a thousand more passing yards per season than
(33:10):
he did before Monkin arrived, and he's still averaged a
close to nine hundred rushing yards per season. So just
like last year's MVP battle, the Fantasy QB one battle
this summer comes down between him and Josh Allen, but
with them passing more, it's not like they're running less.
The Ravens have still finished first in rushing yards each
year Monkin has been there. Henry put up the second
(33:32):
most yards of his career and he tied his touchdown
high even at thirty one years old. This guy is
a rock solid second round pick. But as good as
Lamar Jackson is, he has had one wide receiver in
his career finished top thirty in Fantasy points per game.
Zay Flowers is the best of the bunch here, but
even last season he was very inconsistent week to week.
(33:53):
Now you add in DeAndre Hopkins, like Todd Monkin was
talking about, who could take some volume away and will
likely be utilized a lot in the red zone. And
in the end zone you have Rashan Bateman, who is
even more inconsistent week to week than Jay Flowers.
Speaker 19 (34:07):
And then Mark Andrews.
Speaker 18 (34:08):
Is a big tight end piece here and he.
Speaker 19 (34:10):
Goes in the middle rounds.
Speaker 18 (34:12):
But it is worth pointing out that Lamar has thrown
through tight ends much less with Todd Monkin there, and
Andrews last year scored thirty five percent of his fantasy
points from touchdowns. If de hop gets utilized there more
that hurts him. And then there's Isaiah likely a lot
of upside in the later rounds.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
All right, So you got a team there where like
you know, quarterback here, running back here, wide receiver like
you got all the pieces.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
It's a crystal clear picture.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Now let's see you answer the Pittsburgh Steelers because we're
still waiting to see who QB won. You heard you
say QB one fantasy. How about QB one for the
actual football team this upcoming season?
Speaker 18 (34:49):
I should be asking you because you would know better
than me who's gonna be starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers,
which makes it very difficult to figure this offense out
because you should always start play caller and QB when
breaking down an offense. But regardless of who is throwing
the ball, the Steelers are going to run the ball
a whole bunch this year because Arthur Smith his offenses
(35:10):
four times in the last five years have finished top
four in the NFL in rushing attempts, and last season
we saw Naji Harris.
Speaker 19 (35:19):
Dominate volume on early downs.
Speaker 18 (35:22):
I think that could be Caleb Johnson's role this year,
and he is just a more explosive version of Nase.
He goes in like the seventh round of fantasy drafts.
Speaker 19 (35:30):
I like him in that range. Jalen Warren is still there.
Speaker 18 (35:33):
Perhaps he sees a larger role, but his upside is capped.
Speaker 19 (35:36):
He's more of an RB three.
Speaker 18 (35:37):
DK Metcalf is the big name here right should see
more volume than George Pickens did last year, but Arthur
Smith's system has never been fantasy friendly for a wide
receiver one. He is likely big play and touchdown reliant.
He's always been inconsistent week to week. But if Aaron
Rodgers is his quarterback, Rodgers through downfield less than ever
last season, So DK is just a wide receiver three
(35:59):
For me. One, I tend to fade Pat Faarmouth's solid
tight end two, unless, of course, they go out and
trade for.
Speaker 19 (36:05):
Another tight end.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Look, I'll go back to your original question there.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
As I asked you the question, you answered, yeah, I look,
there's a lot of indicators that Aaron Rodgers are gonna
wind up being the guy with the Steelers. Until it's done,
you said you could ask me like, only Rogers.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Knows, and I don't know that he knows at this point.
So until it's done, it's not done.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
And I would hope that you'd have some clarity before
you're having your fantasy drafts, although if you're Michael f Florio.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
You're having them in the split draft in some cases.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
Yeah, and in which case you're looking for guys who
are going to play against the Cincinnati Bengals, especially if
Trey Hendrickson's not in place there because there's gonna be
some points put up. But also you're gonna be looking
for guys who play on offense for the Cincinnati Bengals
as well, because you're putting all that money out for
those wide receivers, you better get that production in return.
Speaker 18 (36:51):
And just to your point, the Bengals games this year
could be first to forty wins because they're bringing back
all of their starters outside of a couple of linemen
on each side, and that's great for fantasy, right Like
Burrow in this offense put up.
Speaker 19 (37:03):
Career highs across the board.
Speaker 18 (37:05):
Top five fantasy quarterback Chase won the Triple Crown and
scored the fourth most fantasy points. Ever, he's the first
pickoff the board for a reason. Higgins was the wide
receiver five in points per game.
Speaker 19 (37:15):
I really like him, but.
Speaker 18 (37:16):
The biggest winner of this offseason for the Bengals was
Chase Brown because they did not bring in a back
to really steal touches away from him, and Brown was
a top ten fantasy running back in six of his
last seven games, routinely scoring nineteen twenty plus fantasy points.
You want Chase Brown in fantasy this year, and he's going.
Speaker 19 (37:34):
At a little bit cheaper than you think you'd have
to pay.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now, let's go, I like how we're doing this right,
like sure thing.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
Then you go to a little bit of a murky situation,
back to a sure thing back to a murky situation
because the Cleveland Browns, it's not like we're waiting on
somebody to sign, but that quarterback position, we don't know
how it's gonna play out. It's three to four wide
the competition at this point. It's a tough schedule for
a team coming off a rough year. So how do
you play it from the brown standpoint?
Speaker 18 (38:00):
Look, the one thing, just like the Steelers, I don't
know who's going to be throwing the ball all year,
but I know the Browns want to run the ball
this year because last season was the first year that
a Kevin Stefanski offense was not top ten in rushing attempts.
They're routinely top five, which is why I like Quinn
Shaw Junkins in this offense. He was the second round
pick for the Browns, big physical runner. I think he
(38:21):
is a solid RB two in the middle rounds of
your fantasy drafts. But my concern is how much points
are the Browns going to score? Because, like you said,
they have four different quarterbacks. It is possible we could
see three or four of them play this season.
Speaker 19 (38:35):
Means you can't draft any of them and.
Speaker 18 (38:37):
The one real pass catcher people are interested in here
is Jerry Judy had a breakout season last year, but
it came with Jamis Winston and Ken Dorsey calling. The
players both love to pepper their wide receiver ones with targets,
so I'm a little skeptical if he could duplicate that success.
And then David and Joku's a great talent. But the
QB question, the offense questions. I'd rather take a shot
(38:58):
on the rookie tight ends in that range. But those
are the two Browns pass catchers you could draft if
you feel like tructing a Browns pass catcher.
Speaker 4 (39:06):
Does sound like we're gonna hear ci an emphasis on
the running game from the Cleveland Browns, who have certainly
leaned on that in the past, maybe not as much
last year with Jamis Winston as the trigger man. Michael
f Florio, if you want some clarity, we're going to
try to get it from Kevin Stefanski here talking about
his quarterbacks.
Speaker 10 (39:25):
They are both wired to get in early, get stay late,
put in whatever work is required. There's sponges in the
meeting room, which I think is really fun for me
and my vantage point. I got to sit there and
watch the two young guys. Look over and there's Joe
forty years old, one Super Bowl. There's Kenny Pickett just
going into year four, but first round draft pick that's
(39:48):
been on a couple teams, won a Super Bowl last year.
There's DeShawn had a ton of success in his career.
They can kind of feed off of all those guys.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Another day, another viral moment for us Hunter in practice.
You know the guy who most days is at receiver
for the Jaguars, Let's just throw him out there on defense.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
Oh, I gotten that's That is a purely ridiculous play
by one of the most unique athletes that we've ever seen.
I better get that contract done. There's still time before
training camp here. George Pickens big addition for the Cowboys
in the off season. It already has Swiss numbers. So
if you bought the number thirteen George Pickens jersey, I
(40:29):
don't know if they take exchanges, probably in the team store.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Hopefully he didn't remove the tags.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
He's now number three, which, in all like dude, means
that Dante Fowler can afford to buy a bunch of
George Pickens jerseys.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
Because that was his number before. We had Sakuon Barkley
on the show.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Yesterday, he recreated his iconic backward leap for the Madden cover.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
Admitted to us that the video.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Everyone seen of him, he was in one of those
harnesses and being pulled up like you see in Broadway shows.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
He cannot, in fact levitate.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
However, he can do more or less everything else, including
having an iconic South Philly restaurant named after him, at
least temporarily.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Mike Herrifolo, tell me.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
About the origins and where we really are here at
what we're calling Steak Ones.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
Yeah, you wonder Pats is right across the street. You
know how does Pats like hello?
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Yeah, we're still serving this week.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
But you know it's quite the scene there for for Gino's,
it'll be good.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
You know. Ginos needs needs, the sales needs, the needs.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
The pub here, as they're one of the more famous
cheese steak places in Philadelphia, I'd probably recommend some other
places in Philadelphia. Johns Rose Pork's always a go to
one for me. But if you wanted to go and
see sta Quon Barkley, you go see him there. Why
she like, you know, think of another player is there
some kind of crossover that we're missing here as is
(41:54):
right in front of our face.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
I could take two teams.
Speaker 7 (41:56):
I could take the Ravens and the Commanders. When go
to the Commanders, there's a place right outside of DC
in Prince George's County called Jerry Seafood, and they have
this thing called a crab bomb. Right there's nothing but
crab meat that literally is about as big as a softball.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Jade and Daniels get a deal like Saquon.
Speaker 7 (42:13):
You're somebody who wet the appetite of the community, and
once you have one of these crab bombs, it'll be
over for you.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
That'll be the go to.
Speaker 7 (42:21):
That's the spot throws a bomb, he throws, eats the
crab bomb.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
There it is right there for you.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Mike, What do you gotta Getst. Geno's.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
You got a nice little promotion for Geno's and you're going, Ah,
there's other places I'd send people too, and something go wrong.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
There for you? What's your problem?
Speaker 4 (42:39):
I'm not, you know, it's it's you're asking a Philly expert.
I mean, I gotta give you everything, got to give
you his real yes tea steak recommendation. I really haven't
been down there much lately in years to eat the
Maybe I gotta go again.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
I'll go to Dino's this week. They could use another
sal bomb there to help them.
Speaker 7 (42:58):
Make the trip down to Prince George County Maror I'll
get the crab.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
I'll go experiment with all of them, but just remember
I get my cheese steak without cheese.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
We're back tomorrow, seven pm Eastern Time. Guests the Lower
see you then.
Whatever Maggy parsons well.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Next week, the Cowboys say he will be at the
Star for mandatory minikim. We will tell you tonight what
it means as the Star pass rusher awaits a megadeal
in Dallas. Ota is rolling on across the league as well,
and it's not just Tyreek Hill drawing eyeballs in Miami.
Brian Baldinger and Cameron Wolf were at Dolphins practice today.
(00:30):
They will be here to tell you who else could
make an impact in Miami. I Meanwhile, cam Ward isn't
officially QB one yet, but he's already winning fans in Tennessee.
That includes a certain star receiver season interesting trait that
he likes in the number one overall pick. Welcome inside
(00:51):
with the Insiders alongside Mike Garafullo. I am Tom Pelissero. Mike,
you're joining us for being nick backdrop.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Where are you? What have you been up to? How's
it going?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You made it.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I'm happy you made it.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
It's only been a couple of days that I've been
away here. My camera is on the pupp list, which
means it's got to get off the pup list. I
think by the start of the season otherwise it's down
for the first four games. So we are coming to
you live from East Brotherford, New Jersey, to the Giants facility.
Giant's so gracious to let me use their camera. So
we'll be here probably for the next couple of weeks,
(01:24):
as much as you'll have me, Tommy. When I'm not
here and I come back, you'll be like where you've been.
It's only been three days.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Two weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Seems like an optimistic timeline. This isn't going to be
like six to eight months. You're not going to be
coming to us from whatever basement you're in right now
in January.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
My wife is watching tom Let's move on with the show,
all right.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
We got stuff happening all over the NFL, including one
team that kicked off mandatory mini camp today, that is
the Chicago Bears. We'll also have the traditional mini camp
photo shoot. Dj Moore brought along three other Moors to
that to pose with him. Also had some things to
say about his new head coach Ben Johnson, who is
certainly emphasizing body language with his new team.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
Be honest right now and then we ain't going to
talk about it. I did it once and then we
nipped it in a butt and it's never happened again.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Wuld you describe playing for Ben with the little time
that you've had with him through the spring.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
It's fun but intense. A lot of hard work goes
into it, and you gotta be on your pew's and q's,
and you got to know the playbook.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Let's bring in Steve Whites to the conversation as well, Mike.
When we hear players talking about it's the intense with
Ben Johnson, it is very detailed.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
You got to watch your body language. These are all.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Things that we saw Ben Johnson do in Detroit. It's
about building that culture. It's also about if you want
to run all the fun stuff, you better know exactly
what we're doing at all times.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
DJ.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
If you think it's intense now on June third, here,
wait see week one game day. As we get into
the regular season, when he see Ben Johnson on a
game day, Go ask some of the Detroit offensive players
what he's like on a game day. That intensity is there. Now,
we're gonna show you some slow motion b roll of
him being nice and calm, but trust me, there are
(03:16):
plenty of cutaways that you could have that show Ben
Johnson when things don't go correctly, and Jared Goff, that
guy was the perfect personality for Ben Johnson. There's a
lot of respect between the two of them and he
was able to handle it and he's even killed Jared
Goff's Let's see how Kavia Williams handles it. But yeah,
there is gonna be some intensity here and that's the
way that they play on offense.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
They have played physically the.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Detroit Lions have, and they have also played fast and
that's the way it's gonna have to be. This is
gonna be a shock to the system, Steve, not just
for the Bears offense. I would say for the entire team.
That's probably a good thing.
Speaker 6 (03:50):
Yeah, Mike, you're talking about shock to the system.
Speaker 7 (03:52):
Another person who spoke at Bear's mini camp today was
tight end Cole Komett, who's coming off of a season
where you only had forty seven catches.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
That was a second of his career.
Speaker 7 (04:02):
But they also drafted tight end Colston Loveland in the
first round, so now they've got two tight ends and
as Comet said today, there's gonna be times they're gonna
be competing for playing time and for catches. But he
also said Ben Johnson talking about attention to detail.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Explained to him immediately after.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
The pick, the plan to run a lot of twelve personnel,
one tailback, two tight ends, and how they both can
work in the personnel, complimenting each other, featuring one another,
and of course being used in the run game. We
know in Detroit, even though they were a predominantly eleven
personnel team, one running back, one tight end, they did
a lot of multiple tight end sets. He is bringing
(04:42):
that with him to Chicago. So again Comet may have
been taken it back by the draft pick, but now
he knows because of the communication aspect of things, something
very important in being a head coach, what his role
will be and how much he does have to compete
when he is singled up or has the opportunity to
do things individually.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
We know this much.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
A lot of Bears in standalone games, primetime games on
the schedule, So the NFL schedule makers at minimum counting
on being on your p's and q's, perhaps to translate
to some more ws. So that's the first mandatory mini
camp that is underway next week. Twenty five NFL teams
we'll be having their mini camps, including in Dallas, where
(05:23):
coach Brian Schottneimer is not at Micah Parsons on hand
as usual. He's been out and about doing other things
at this time of year, but things are voluntary now.
As for next week, Shotting.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
He was here last week, had lunch with him, actually
bumped into him in the airport. He was going to
do some traveling. So I have not seen him yet
this week. But again, my big thing with all the guys,
whether they're here or not, is you can get great
work in and you can get ready and you can
be mentally prepared. But you know, whether you're mic who's
(05:55):
not here here in and out, whether you're Dak, doesn't
really matter. You know, it's just put working, get ready.
There's a lot of ways get ready and prepared.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Mike, we know this.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
This has been the off season of pass rushers getting paid.
We saw it with Max Crosby, we saw with Miles Garrett.
There's some other guys who were also waiting, Trey Hendrickson
among them, for their new deals. Jerry Jones has made
clear he's going to get this done. Jerry Jones also
made clear when it comes to matters of money, urgency
is not necessarily the focus.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And that's one way to turn up the urgency tom
is to not attend mandatory Mini camp. We have seen
teams that or players excuse me, that are more apt
to do this in recent years. I mean, when you're
talking about Micah Parsons and what he is going to
make on a deal if he misses Mini camp and
he's subject to fines, I mean, that is about as
small a drop in the bucket to make a point
(06:47):
as you could possibly have.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
I mean, you know we're asking and nobody's really going
to tell you at this point what the plan is.
So you see that bottom there. Michaeh Parsons will be
in at tent well. Brian Shottennheimers says, Michael Parton's expected
to be in attendance for mandatory because everybody's expected to
be in attendance. It's when you're not there that you
really do send the message. You also have the possibility
of a hold in. We've seen that for mini camps
(07:11):
as well, some teams willing to allow that even in
the training.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Camp as well.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
So this is one to continue watching here to see
how Michael Parsons wants to handle to see how his
camp wants to handle this and maybe make a statement
Steve and say I am worth all that money, and
I am worth all that money.
Speaker 7 (07:25):
Now, Mike Well said, all three of us, in several
of our colleagues, we are all semantics, dissectors, and we said, yeah,
he's gonna be He's gonna.
Speaker 6 (07:33):
Attend to many camp I expect to attend. It doesn't
mean he's.
Speaker 7 (07:36):
Gonna participate in it, but if he's there, he avoids
any type of fines because it is mandatory. But even
if he shows up on the field a lot of times,
what we're seeing, guys, is we go to OTA's at
things is some players whose contracts aren't signed, they may
go through some individual drills just because they want to
have the camaraderie with their team. They may go to
the meetings, but they may not go through team team
drills or things like that where they could put themselves
(07:56):
at risk of injury. But we do know this when
it comes to Michael part he's one of the best
players in the NFL. He's going to be a cogna
in terms of that defense. Right, So the sooner he
gets in there, they got a new DC to get
things worked out. That helps. Brian Schottenheimer was very casual
about things right there, but you know he wants number
eleven in there because a lot of times, when your
best player is in there leading other people, that's the
(08:18):
chemistry and the culture that binds everything.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
I remember culture or something.
Speaker 7 (08:23):
Schottenheimer has been really big on talking about this offseason.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
In terms of your best player leading the culture. That
certainly applies to CJ. Stroud in Houston, but for right
now he's having to do that on the sideline. The
Texans quarterback not participating in practice. It's been reported as
a peck or a shoulder, and Mika Ryan say in
general soreness. Took a few questions before finally saying that's it.
I'm not talking about CJ anymore. When it's time to go,
(08:48):
he will be good to go. No major alarms raised
at this point. We also had some sad news today
around the NFL. We will start in Green Bay, where
Steve Wright, the model for the Walter Payton Man of
the Year trophy, passed away Sunday at a care facility
in Augusta, Georgia, Right played tackle for the Packers from
(09:09):
nineteen sixty four to sixty seven, played in relative obscurity
during those four seasons in Green Bay, as well as
the four other stops. That trophy remains in his likeness.
We also today found that we have lost another legend
of the game. Vikings announced longtime defensive lineman Jim Marshall
passed away Tuesday at the age of eighty seven following
(09:31):
a lengthy hospitalization. Marshall started two hundred and seventy consecutive
regular season games, an NFL record, from nineteen sixty one
to nineteen seventy nine, and was a member of the
famed Purple Peter People Eater's defensive line. Steve Whitees, you
watched the Vikings growing up. Not to date you, but
(09:51):
you did live through that Purple People Eaters era. One
of the great defensive lines that has existed here and
nobody know. But he was more reliable than Jim Marshall.
Speaker 7 (10:02):
As you mentioned the two hundred and seventy consecutive starts.
He played in two hundred and eighty nine consecutive games.
That's including playoffs and not starting all of them. But look,
I grew up in North Minneapolis. I was old enough
to watch three of the four Viking Super Bowls, and
Jim Marshall was a cog in that line, opposite of
Carl Eller, the other defensive en who's in the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, and next to Alan Page, the
(10:24):
defensive tackle who's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Guys,
you know, I'm very much ingrained into what goes on
in Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And
Jim Marshall is one of three players, along with Kenny
Anderson and Jim Plunkett, who gets talked about every year
as to why they are not in the Hall of Fame.
The credentials are there, things like we talked about, the consistency.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Jim Marshalla has one hundred and twenty seven sacks, a fourteen.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
Year team captain. But he played on a team with
so many Hall of famers.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Yeah, we know. His big landmark, his remembering point.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
Was the dubious sixty four yard had return of the
fumble the wrong way which he took it in that
resulted in a safety.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
But again, this is one of the best defensive linemen
of all time.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
We'll see if he eventually gets into Canton posthumously, but
he is somebody I'll remember from my childhood brought me
a lot of good memories, and I know the Vikings Nation,
a lot of greats in the NFL will never forget
how great of a player and a person Jim Marshall was.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He was dubbed Jim Wrongway Marshall after that infamous play,
which if you enjoy a little bit of Jim Marshall today,
it's worth watching that as a moment in NFL history.
But he did everything the right way through the course
of two decades in the NFL. His number seventy is
retired by the Vikings, a member of the Vikings Ring
of Honor, and Steve said, certainly would be a worthy
(11:45):
addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Jim Marshall passing away today at the age of eighty seven,
the insigners will return. How long will John new Smith
be on South Beach Well depends which side of Drew
(12:06):
Rosenhaus's conversation with himself. You believe either there's trade interest
or John who wants to stay, or maybe this is
all about getting a new contract wherever John new Smith
can get it.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Mike McDaniel, your thoughts.
Speaker 9 (12:20):
I haven't really considered anything other than you know, I
want JOHNA on the team. I think he wants to
be here, and so my experience with business as you
let that play out, and that in that time, John
is depending on me to focus on the players that
I have the ability to coach an influence. So that's that's.
Speaker 10 (12:43):
Where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilisaro, joined now by
Cameron Wolfe as well as Brian Balneer.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Camus.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Has been an interesting off season of different trade reports
and rumors surrounding Dolphins players here and while it appears
pretty apparent the jail Ramsey's on his way out of town,
what do you make of the future of John HU
Smith in Miami?
Speaker 11 (13:06):
Tom, This John news Smith situation is all about the money,
the Benjamins. Johnah Smith's coming off a franchise best season
for a tight end in Miami and he wants to
get paid. He's set to make four point one million
dollars in the Dolphins see a guy who just had
one year and right now they haven't been able to
come to a deal. Right now, both sides want to
(13:26):
be back in Miami. If it goes sideways, if deal
can't get done, maybe that's when we see a trade,
if we do.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
I look at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 11 (13:35):
I've talked to their offense, according to Arthur Smith, and
he loves John Hu Smith probably more than anybody other
than John Hu Smith's mama. And they've work together in Atlanta,
they've worked together in Tennessee, and that would be a
great fit for him. But for right now, Miami wants
to keep John Hu and they would love to get
a deal done John who's been around the team. He
threw out the first pitch for the Marlins game this week.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
We'll see how that one evolves. But it's about money.
Speaker 11 (13:58):
You mentioned Jalen Ramsey new update there that one's more
about relationship than money. But what I do want to
talk about what we saw on the field. Baldy and
I were out there at practice today. It was a
rainy day, and the one guy who I've been watching
throughout all these Ota sessions is Jalen Wattle, their receiver
who sort of gets forgotten a little bit because he's
not Tyreek Hill and all the headlines. He is coming
(14:21):
off a little bit of a down season. He told
me after practice today he's working on his hand eye coordination,
a bunch.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
He said he learned how to juggle in two or
three days.
Speaker 11 (14:31):
They're wearing special glasses at practice that their wide receiver
coach Robert Prince gave them to help them with that
hand eye coordination.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Could help Waddle with some of the drops he had
last year.
Speaker 11 (14:40):
And there's an expectation for some people I talk with
in that building that Wattle could have his best season.
Yet he is focused on the small details, the route running,
and he's a guy that we certainly want to watch
going into twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (14:53):
Yeah, my initial focus was on the blue tinted hair
that Tuo was wearing. That caught my attention, and then
obviously yes, and then obviously the accuracy that to plays
the game. But then it immediately went to the offensive
line and you know, there's no tront Armstead out there
right now, But there's Patrick Paul who's the second round
(15:14):
pick a year ago and is just a ginormous individual.
And then Austin Jackson too as well. So there's Patrick Paul.
He played basically started three games last year. He played
almost the entire game against the Jets as well. If
you back and you watch him, they got a chance
of having two really good edge protectors. I believe Patrick
(15:36):
Paul can be a very very good player. And now
if they can get the interior worked out with Aaron Brewer.
They got to replace Robert Jones. They drafted Jonah Savayania,
you know, out of Arizona. They've got high hopes for
the second round if they can put this offensive line
together camp the guy you just mentioned, Jayalen Water.
Speaker 13 (15:55):
We saw Tyreek Hill out there today.
Speaker 12 (15:57):
He still has got the bad risk, but he's awful
the side work and then the speed. What they have
in the backfield with Jalen Wright along with Devon a Chan,
this offense has a chance if they get together upfront,
of scoring a lot of points against anybody.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
Baldy, I got a wide smile because there's nobody I
would love to talk offensive line ball with in June
than you, and we were both watching that offensive line.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
That's that's gonna be a key question throughout. You mentioned
Patrick Paul.
Speaker 11 (16:22):
He told me today he dropped over ten pounds to
get to three hundred and twenty pounds. He played about
three thirty five last year. He wanted to be a
little bit more leaner, to move a little better while
keeping that strength. He's replacing Toront Armstead, the legend, and
he said today that I'm built for this, I'm ready
for it. He's gonna be a guy that we have
a lot of eyeballs on. Austin Jackson, their right tackle
was coming off a significant knee injury that ended his season.
(16:45):
He's fully healthy back out there on the field. And
you're right about this offensive line. They struggled to run
the ball largely because of that offensive line last year,
and that's what the core of this offense wants to be. Remember,
Mike McDaniel was the run game court with the forty
nine ers.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
That's where he got.
Speaker 11 (17:02):
His name in coming to Miami, and they have a
couple of backs in Devon h Chan and Jalen Wright
they really want to run the ball with. They got
to block up front, and I'll tell you today watching
them at practice, it's just OTA's It's hard to get
a gauge, but Jalen.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Wright broke out a few really explosive runs. He looked
really good.
Speaker 11 (17:19):
Devon ah Chan had a really nice practice last week
catching the ball, running it. That's a really nice duo
for them of speed of explosiveness. They just got to
be able to protect up front, to take a little
bit of pressure off of Tua where they don't have
to throw the ball every single down.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And so that to me is the key of this offense.
Speaker 11 (17:36):
Can this offense line block enough in the run game
so that Tua doesn't have to do at all and
doesn't have to have all these pass.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Rushers pinning their ears back attacking him.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Cam, Thank you very much, Baldy, stick around. More from
you in just a little bit from.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Cam Woolf to cam Ward.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Nailed those names tonight. Let's talk about the number one
overall pick in Tennessee. You gotta hear but Calvin Ridley
had to say about his new QB. We'll play it
for you next on The Insiders. Some news around the
NFL today. Gabe Davis is once again on the move.
(18:14):
He is set to visit the Steelers on Thursday. Veteran
wide receivers still recovering from the tormaniscus that ended his
twenty twenty four season, but has been released by the
Jaguars and now making eight series of visits as he
contemplates his next home. Jonathan Bullard, veteran defensive tackle, also
making visits. He was with the Saints on Monday. Bullard
(18:36):
was the starting nose tackle the past couple of years
for the Minnesota Vikings, a big body with a lot
of experience that could land somewhere before camp Speaking of
big bodies with well.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Zero experience in the NFL so.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Far, Will Campbell has his slotted rookie deal in place
in his four years forty three points sixty six million
dollars fully guaranteed with a twenty eight point three million
dollars signing bonus. Only a handful of first picks at
this point still unsigned, including the number two overall pick,
Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, one of last year's top rookies, Braden Fist,
(19:08):
says he's good to go following off season surgery, told reporters,
I'm feeling great now. Everything went is planned or even
ahead of the process where I thought it was going
to be.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I am full go. Welcome back to the insiders.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Tom Pellisero joined once again by Brian Baldinger that draft
last year, Baldi with those big guys up front, Braiden
Fisk Jared vers that's a huge part of why the
Rams are in the position they are now where it
seems like they're on the ascent.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
What is the development of those guys up front.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Going to mean for their opportunity maybe to take another
step here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (19:42):
And that's not to mention the year before when they
drafted Kobe Turner and Byron Young. Kobe Turner's got seventeen
sacks in his first two years at defensive tackle. But
you know, I just remember meeting Braiden Fisk last year
at the Sack Summit in Las Vegas along with Von
Miller and Max Crosbery and Cam Jordan, and he was
there as a rookie sitting in the front row with
(20:03):
his notepad out taking notes against you know, when Warren
Sapp was there talking, he was taking notes and he's
just a student of the game. Him and Jared Verse,
obviously coming out of Florida State. That last year together
they teamed up.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
And were a force.
Speaker 12 (20:17):
And now I thought, you know, they struggled at times
against the run.
Speaker 13 (20:21):
Last year.
Speaker 12 (20:22):
They bring in Poona Ford, who's an excellent run defender.
This is the foundation to a team. They have rebuilt
their offensive line and their defensive line largely through the draft,
and they're riding with these guys and now they're coaching
them up and you're seeing great development. But the foundation
of this Rams team is the two guys that you
(20:42):
just mentioned in Braiden Fisk and Jared Verse, and how
they're playing, how hard they played, and the plays that
they made a year ago. Braidon Fisk leading that team
a year ago with eight and a half sacks.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Tom, one of the hardest things is to remain competitive
while you're in the midst of a rebuilding. That's who
we've seen, Baldy over these past couple of years. Rams
are one of the youngest teams in the league. Back
in twenty twenty three, they had all those rookies on
the roster. You're still making moves forward here at a
time that year quarterback Matthew Stafford is year t year
stick around, bald We're gonna talk Packers with you in
(21:13):
just a little bit, But first, Mike.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Tim cam Ward Cameron Ward, where do we land on
that one? I think he's back to being cam warder
after being announced as Cameron Ward whoever he is. He
is throwing the ball and throwing it well right now
at Titans. OTA's the number one overall pick, impressing Brian
Callahan and Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Ridley, with what he's been able to do so far.
Speaker 14 (21:37):
It's been great. He's had a lot of learning that
has occurred from just the act of doing and things
that he's maybe used to doing that are different at
this level. And that's always for young quarterbacks the case,
it's always going to feel different. So please where he's at,
he's picking it up pretty quickly as far as the
mental park goes, and we're learning every day he's out here.
Speaker 15 (21:56):
No, he just calm, he relaxed. So, I mean, you
need to at the quarterback position, man, you can't be
can't just be an overthinker, jittery guy. You just got
to kind of you know, be okay with you know,
you know, doing good and you know, just just got
to have that mentality kind of kind he kind of
got that.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
My audio seemed to be cutting out a little bit there,
Steve Wis as Calvin Ridley was talking. Yeah, Look, sometimes
that kind of mentality is a bad mentality because it
leads to mistakes on the field. So there's that fine
line of having that confidence. And we saw it, remember
from Cam Wore during his pro day when he turned
to the Titans breast and he said.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I'm solidifying it right now. So you know he has
that confidence about his game. How does that confidence lead
to success year one from him?
Speaker 7 (22:44):
Well, Mike, you know it's it's interesting. I like what
you said initially because Will Levis was the guy who
kind of went out there and played freely.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
But he turned the ball over right, He turned it
over too much.
Speaker 7 (22:53):
That's why they went out They drafted Cameron Ward, who
now goes by Cam. But the one thing when I'm
looking at how the Titans constructed this roster, they go
out and they get Tyler Lockett, they go out and
get Van Jefferson to go with Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
You don't go out and get.
Speaker 7 (23:07):
Veteran wide receivers who've made a lot of big plays
in their careers to add to Ridley.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
If you're asking him to come out and manage football games.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
Yes, they may be a run first type of offense,
but it doesn't seem like again where we don't have
pads on, there's no defenses. But they're talking about him
just kind of managing things to start out with. They're
pushing him, they want to see what he can do.
But the way they've constructed this roster again, they've got
some good running backs and Tony.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Pollard and TYJ Spears.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
There are weapons around him for him to succeed right away.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
Everything has to come together quickly.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
But if he learns, just like Brian Callahan said, this
may be something that you know, he can come out
and show out a little bit and not just go
about trying to protect the football but also making plays
to win ball games.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Look, you're seeing a guy who was a zero star
recruit right worked his way up to being the number
one overall pick. So a lot of talk coming in
was he's maybe more pro ready than we're giving him
credit for, because it's not like he's a guy that's
just relying on arm strength or talent alone. He's got
a lot of that. You're not the number one overall
pick without that kind of stuff. But it's also with
the mentality and the ability to get up there and
(24:18):
run an offense and make decisions on the fly. So
these are the things that yes, he's doing now in
OTAs and into mini camp when it's just helmets.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
The pads are going to come in, come on in
the summer, and as.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
We get into the fall, it's gonna be interesting to
see if that bleep it mentality that he's showing in
the spring will lead to mistakes or lead to big
plays for cam Ward as a rookie.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I say, you know what, bleep it? Just let it?
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Why cam let it go? At least you'll have Calvin
Ridley on your side for that one. Coming up later
this week, ladies, gentlemen, the GMFB is spotlighting some of
the strongest female voices around the league with an all
female cast. Watch GMFB this Thursday and Friday at eight
am Eastern on NFL Network. Jamie erd Al, Cynthia Freely
(25:05):
and there's our buddy, Jane Slater are joined by local
and national women making news across the NFL. I will
be tuned in Steve which will be tuned and you
better tune in as well gmfb's all female cast later
this week.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
The wait is over in the countdown to Kickoff has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty twenty five NFL season
are on sale now visit NFL dot com, slash tickets
today through the NFL ticket network including ticket Master, Seat Geek,
and Sports Illustrated Tickets. Packers fans were buying tickets to
see their first first round receiver in twenty three years
(25:41):
from pretty much the moment Matthew Golden was drafted in
in Green Bay. And it sounds to listen to Matt
Lafleur like he's off to a pretty good start.
Speaker 16 (25:50):
I just like his approach, how he comes to work
every day. You know, he gives great effort. Its attitude
has been outstanding. And obviously he's got He's a talented
young young player, so still got a lot to learn.
But I think he's showing improvement every day. I can
only speak to what I know, and what I know
every day is how he comes in the building and
(26:13):
watching him work, And I mean he looks great out there.
I don't know if you guys can tell a difference
in his physique. He does look like a specimen out there.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Time now for count on It presented by Toro, Tom
Pilicero and Mike Garrifola with a guy we can always
count on in Brian Baldinger. But Bowdie, I asked you
this for the Packers. Count on that young receiver group
that ads Matthew Golden, had Romeo Dobbs going through some
stuff last year. Can they count on those guys? Improving
in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 12 (26:45):
Well, they'd better because you know, the last time we
saw him, Tom was in a playoff lost in Philadelphia,
in a game where they were in the game.
Speaker 13 (26:52):
They lost to Philly. They only scored ten points.
Speaker 12 (26:54):
And you know, Jordan Love is thrown to Malee Keith,
to Bo Belton and they're not beating anybody, and they're
dropping passes and stepping out of bounds.
Speaker 13 (27:02):
They need a talented receiver.
Speaker 12 (27:04):
Now, Watson was hurt and Jayden Reid got hurt in
that game, but they needed to upgrade that position. It
didn't surprise me when they took Matthew Golden at that spot,
the twenty third pick in the first round.
Speaker 13 (27:14):
They needed that kight of talent.
Speaker 12 (27:15):
I think to play with Jordan Love because they had
so many other things going for him Tom. I mean,
they had thirty takeaways, they gave the ball back to
the offense.
Speaker 13 (27:26):
Jordan Love, you know, played well down the stretch.
Speaker 12 (27:29):
They couldn't have asked anything more, you know, from the
running game and what they got, and so they needed
the pass game to pick up. So here comes Matthew Golden,
here comes Samveon Williams, and you see if they can
upgrade that position because if they get to the postseason again,
you got to get, you know, the big plays out
of your passing game, and that's what they lacked and
(27:49):
that playoff lost to the Eagles.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
I'm not a surprise you hear Matt Lafleur talking about
the approach for Matthew Golden, because that's kind of the
way that he plays as a super prepared guy, a
really good route runner, a short handed type guy, the
kind of guy that you're going to be able to trust,
to trust immediately as he comes in as a rookie
to contribute for the team, this team, And it sounds
(28:13):
like that's translated already with regard to how he has
presented himself in Green Bay so far in the spring program.
So that's got to continue for him through training camp
and into the season, earn that trust. For Jordan Love
already earning it from his head coach. I think there's
a really good chance that Matthew Golden steps in right
away and is hearing cheers from the Green Bay fans,
(28:36):
kind of like he already heard on Draft night there
on the stage.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
You think back over the past couple of decades of
Packers football ball.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
This is how they've done it.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
They haven't drafted one in the first round, but year
after year you just keep adding to that position the
mid two thousands, who is all right, you still have
Donald Driver. Let's go take James Jones. Then okay, let's
go take Jordan Nelson. Let's continue to say, great Jennings.
You just keep adding those guys, even though we can
talk all about what Josh Jacob said. They don't have
a number one, but they got a bunch of dudes
(29:07):
who can play if they can stay healthy in the
case of a guy like Christian Watson, but also Baldy.
If they keep progressing well.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
I mean, look, if you go all the way back
to Sterling Sharp, I mean he's he's in a category
by himself. But you know, Devanta Adams, all the guys
you mentioned, I mean, none of them really came in.
It made much of an impression in the first year
or second year. It took him a while because there
was such a pecan order. But I believe right now
with the injuries to watch him last year, I mean,
(29:34):
O'tavius Wicks had his moments.
Speaker 13 (29:36):
Romeo Dobbs has had his moments.
Speaker 12 (29:38):
Jaden Reied certainly has stepped up over the first two
years of his career, but I think there's room in
this offense right now for you know, a guy like
Matthew gold his speed, the way Mike just described, you know,
his route running, that the passing had.
Speaker 13 (29:52):
To be better than what we saw a year ago.
Speaker 12 (29:54):
They were still a top ten offense, but we know
what this division is going to be like, You're going
to need points out of the pass the game. You're
gonna need plays from your playmakers, and that's what Matthew
Golden was drafted to be. And so they might have
to push the development a little bit to get him
on the field. But it sounds like, you know, the
approach that Matt Lafleura expressed is the right approach, like
(30:17):
come ready to play. It's a difficult It is an
offense that does take time to learn. There's a lot there,
but I feel like, you know, he learned that offense
quickly at Texas and replacing some of those receivers.
Speaker 13 (30:29):
I'd expect the same from him here in Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
And good luck to all those fantasy owners are gonna
be trying to figure out which of those five packers
receivers they should draft when you get those things rolling,
come August Baldi, Thank you very much. Michael let Floria
probably has answers on that. But after this, let's talk
to him about the AFC North. You know you should
take Lamar Jackson. You know you should take Jamar Chase.
Who else should you be targeted from that division? Florio's
(30:54):
got answers next on the inside.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
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Speaker 1 (31:27):
Look at that Ravens receiving corps down there.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
They have spent the resources to make it happen, including
DeAndre Hopkins adding to this corps the last couple of
years to give Lamar Jackson plenty of guys to throw to.
Here's offensive coordinator Todd Munkin on what he's seeing from
the wide receivers.
Speaker 17 (31:45):
I don't really see d hop as a third receiver.
I see him more as we have three starters at
wide receiver, but we also have a two tight ends.
So it'll be interesting as we get Cohen, especially once
we get to camp and we get the pads on
how we can integrate him and the offense. But we're excited. Well,
we just got to get him the ball more. I mean,
that's really it. The problem is we have a lot
of those guys like you know, he's he's an unbelievable
(32:10):
football player. You know, he's not only an outside receiver
that has elite route running skills, but he's unbelievable with
the ball in his hands. So you have like a
guy that fits two positions.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Todd Munkin he has got an embarrassment of rich Is.
Just like Michael f. Florio's fantasy teams. How many last year.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
It was a ridiculous number, right, double digits every year.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
Double digits. I have no idea how he manages them
all I know how he does any of it. But
he is here for our fantasy outlook for the AFC North.
Let us start there with the Ravens in Owings Mills.
What's the fantasy outlook in Baltimore?
Speaker 18 (32:50):
It was appropriate that we started giving Todd Monkins some
hype there because since he has taken over this Ravens offense,
Lamar Jackson has reached another level. Less season, he scored
more Fantasy points than any player in Fantasy football history,
and in the two years under Todd Monkin, he has
averaged over a thousand more passing yards per season than
(33:10):
he did before Monkin arrived, and he's still averaged a
close to nine hundred rushing yards per season. So just
like last year's MVP battle, the Fantasy QB one battle
this summer comes down between him and Josh Allen, but
with them passing more, it's not like they're running less.
The Ravens have still finished first in rushing yards each
year Monkin has been there. Henry put up the second
(33:32):
most yards of his career and he tied his touchdown
high even at thirty one years old. This guy is
a rock solid second round pick. But as good as
Lamar Jackson is, he has had one wide receiver in
his career finished top thirty in Fantasy points per game.
Zay Flowers is the best of the bunch here, but
even last season he was very inconsistent week to week.
(33:53):
Now you add in DeAndre Hopkins, like Todd Monkin was
talking about, who could take some volume away and will
likely be utilized a lot in the red zone. And
in the end zone you have Rashan Bateman, who is
even more inconsistent week to week than Jay Flowers.
Speaker 19 (34:07):
And then Mark Andrews.
Speaker 18 (34:08):
Is a big tight end piece here and he.
Speaker 19 (34:10):
Goes in the middle rounds.
Speaker 18 (34:12):
But it is worth pointing out that Lamar has thrown
through tight ends much less with Todd Monkin there, and
Andrews last year scored thirty five percent of his fantasy
points from touchdowns. If de hop gets utilized there more
that hurts him. And then there's Isaiah likely a lot
of upside in the later rounds.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
All right, So you got a team there where like
you know, quarterback here, running back here, wide receiver like
you got all the pieces.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
It's a crystal clear picture.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Now let's see you answer the Pittsburgh Steelers because we're
still waiting to see who QB won. You heard you
say QB one fantasy. How about QB one for the
actual football team this upcoming season?
Speaker 18 (34:49):
I should be asking you because you would know better
than me who's gonna be starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers,
which makes it very difficult to figure this offense out
because you should always start play caller and QB when
breaking down an offense. But regardless of who is throwing
the ball, the Steelers are going to run the ball
a whole bunch this year because Arthur Smith his offenses
(35:10):
four times in the last five years have finished top
four in the NFL in rushing attempts, and last season
we saw Naji Harris.
Speaker 19 (35:19):
Dominate volume on early downs.
Speaker 18 (35:22):
I think that could be Caleb Johnson's role this year,
and he is just a more explosive version of Nase.
He goes in like the seventh round of fantasy drafts.
Speaker 19 (35:30):
I like him in that range. Jalen Warren is still there.
Speaker 18 (35:33):
Perhaps he sees a larger role, but his upside is capped.
Speaker 19 (35:36):
He's more of an RB three.
Speaker 18 (35:37):
DK Metcalf is the big name here right should see
more volume than George Pickens did last year, but Arthur
Smith's system has never been fantasy friendly for a wide
receiver one. He is likely big play and touchdown reliant.
He's always been inconsistent week to week. But if Aaron
Rodgers is his quarterback, Rodgers through downfield less than ever
last season, So DK is just a wide receiver three
(35:59):
For me. One, I tend to fade Pat Faarmouth's solid
tight end two, unless, of course, they go out and
trade for.
Speaker 19 (36:05):
Another tight end.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Look, I'll go back to your original question there.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
As I asked you the question, you answered, yeah, I look,
there's a lot of indicators that Aaron Rodgers are gonna
wind up being the guy with the Steelers. Until it's done,
you said you could ask me like, only Rogers.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Knows, and I don't know that he knows at this point.
So until it's done, it's not done.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
And I would hope that you'd have some clarity before
you're having your fantasy drafts, although if you're Michael f Florio.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
You're having them in the split draft in some cases.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
Yeah, and in which case you're looking for guys who
are going to play against the Cincinnati Bengals, especially if
Trey Hendrickson's not in place there because there's gonna be
some points put up. But also you're gonna be looking
for guys who play on offense for the Cincinnati Bengals
as well, because you're putting all that money out for
those wide receivers, you better get that production in return.
Speaker 18 (36:51):
And just to your point, the Bengals games this year
could be first to forty wins because they're bringing back
all of their starters outside of a couple of linemen
on each side, and that's great for fantasy, right Like
Burrow in this offense put up.
Speaker 19 (37:03):
Career highs across the board.
Speaker 18 (37:05):
Top five fantasy quarterback Chase won the Triple Crown and
scored the fourth most fantasy points. Ever, he's the first
pickoff the board for a reason. Higgins was the wide
receiver five in points per game.
Speaker 19 (37:15):
I really like him, but.
Speaker 18 (37:16):
The biggest winner of this offseason for the Bengals was
Chase Brown because they did not bring in a back
to really steal touches away from him, and Brown was
a top ten fantasy running back in six of his
last seven games, routinely scoring nineteen twenty plus fantasy points.
You want Chase Brown in fantasy this year, and he's going.
Speaker 19 (37:34):
At a little bit cheaper than you think you'd have
to pay.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now, let's go, I like how we're doing this right,
like sure thing.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
Then you go to a little bit of a murky situation,
back to a sure thing back to a murky situation
because the Cleveland Browns, it's not like we're waiting on
somebody to sign, but that quarterback position, we don't know
how it's gonna play out. It's three to four wide
the competition at this point. It's a tough schedule for
a team coming off a rough year. So how do
you play it from the brown standpoint?
Speaker 18 (38:00):
Look, the one thing, just like the Steelers, I don't
know who's going to be throwing the ball all year,
but I know the Browns want to run the ball
this year because last season was the first year that
a Kevin Stefanski offense was not top ten in rushing attempts.
They're routinely top five, which is why I like Quinn
Shaw Junkins in this offense. He was the second round
pick for the Browns, big physical runner. I think he
(38:21):
is a solid RB two in the middle rounds of
your fantasy drafts. But my concern is how much points
are the Browns going to score? Because, like you said,
they have four different quarterbacks. It is possible we could
see three or four of them play this season.
Speaker 19 (38:35):
Means you can't draft any of them and.
Speaker 18 (38:37):
The one real pass catcher people are interested in here
is Jerry Judy had a breakout season last year, but
it came with Jamis Winston and Ken Dorsey calling. The
players both love to pepper their wide receiver ones with targets,
so I'm a little skeptical if he could duplicate that success.
And then David and Joku's a great talent. But the
QB question, the offense questions. I'd rather take a shot
(38:58):
on the rookie tight ends in that range. But those
are the two Browns pass catchers you could draft if
you feel like tructing a Browns pass catcher.
Speaker 4 (39:06):
Does sound like we're gonna hear ci an emphasis on
the running game from the Cleveland Browns, who have certainly
leaned on that in the past, maybe not as much
last year with Jamis Winston as the trigger man. Michael
f Florio, if you want some clarity, we're going to
try to get it from Kevin Stefanski here talking about
his quarterbacks.
Speaker 10 (39:25):
They are both wired to get in early, get stay late,
put in whatever work is required. There's sponges in the
meeting room, which I think is really fun for me
and my vantage point. I got to sit there and
watch the two young guys. Look over and there's Joe
forty years old, one Super Bowl. There's Kenny Pickett just
going into year four, but first round draft pick that's
(39:48):
been on a couple teams, won a Super Bowl last year.
There's DeShawn had a ton of success in his career.
They can kind of feed off of all those guys.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Another day, another viral moment for us Hunter in practice.
You know the guy who most days is at receiver
for the Jaguars, Let's just throw him out there on defense.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
Oh, I gotten that's That is a purely ridiculous play
by one of the most unique athletes that we've ever seen.
I better get that contract done. There's still time before
training camp here. George Pickens big addition for the Cowboys
in the off season. It already has Swiss numbers. So
if you bought the number thirteen George Pickens jersey, I
(40:29):
don't know if they take exchanges, probably in the team store.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Hopefully he didn't remove the tags.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
He's now number three, which, in all like dude, means
that Dante Fowler can afford to buy a bunch of
George Pickens jerseys.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
Because that was his number before. We had Sakuon Barkley
on the show.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Yesterday, he recreated his iconic backward leap for the Madden cover.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
Admitted to us that the video.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Everyone seen of him, he was in one of those
harnesses and being pulled up like you see in Broadway shows.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
He cannot, in fact levitate.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
However, he can do more or less everything else, including
having an iconic South Philly restaurant named after him, at
least temporarily.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Mike Herrifolo, tell me.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
About the origins and where we really are here at
what we're calling Steak Ones.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
Yeah, you wonder Pats is right across the street. You
know how does Pats like hello?
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Yeah, we're still serving this week.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
But you know it's quite the scene there for for Gino's,
it'll be good.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
You know. Ginos needs needs, the sales needs, the needs.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
The pub here, as they're one of the more famous
cheese steak places in Philadelphia, I'd probably recommend some other
places in Philadelphia. Johns Rose Pork's always a go to
one for me. But if you wanted to go and
see sta Quon Barkley, you go see him there. Why
she like, you know, think of another player is there
some kind of crossover that we're missing here as is
(41:54):
right in front of our face.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
I could take two teams.
Speaker 7 (41:56):
I could take the Ravens and the Commanders. When go
to the Commanders, there's a place right outside of DC
in Prince George's County called Jerry Seafood, and they have
this thing called a crab bomb. Right there's nothing but
crab meat that literally is about as big as a softball.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Jade and Daniels get a deal like Saquon.
Speaker 7 (42:13):
You're somebody who wet the appetite of the community, and
once you have one of these crab bombs, it'll be
over for you.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
That'll be the go to.
Speaker 7 (42:21):
That's the spot throws a bomb, he throws, eats the
crab bomb.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
There it is right there for you.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Mike, What do you gotta Getst. Geno's.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
You got a nice little promotion for Geno's and you're going, Ah,
there's other places I'd send people too, and something go wrong.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
There for you? What's your problem?
Speaker 4 (42:39):
I'm not, you know, it's it's you're asking a Philly expert.
I mean, I gotta give you everything, got to give
you his real yes tea steak recommendation. I really haven't
been down there much lately in years to eat the
Maybe I gotta go again.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
I'll go to Dino's this week. They could use another
sal bomb there to help them.
Speaker 7 (42:58):
Make the trip down to Prince George County Maror I'll
get the crab.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
I'll go experiment with all of them, but just remember
I get my cheese steak without cheese.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
We're back tomorrow, seven pm Eastern Time. Guests the Lower
see you then.
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