May 27, 2025 • 43 mins
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Judy Battista and Ian Rapoport join forces to deliver the biggest football headlines of the day. First, Marc Ross and Brian Baldinger tap in with commentary on the Pittsburgh Steelers' QB room. Then, Sara Walsh provides the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' early season narratives. Later, 3x Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount joins the Insiders for a "cool" interview. Finally, Tom, Marc Ross and Cam Wolfe report on Travis Hunter and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
It's May twenty seven, Aaron Rodgers is not on a team,
Kirk Cousins is not on the field, and the Steelers, well,
the show must go on with Ota is getting underweight
today in Pittsburgh. Who would give Mike Tomlins team the
best chance to win? We will break that down. Bill's
also kicking off OTAs today. No James Cook, no Joey Bosa,
(00:29):
Josh Allen as you can see if slow motion is there,
and Judy Batista will tell you why the reigning NFL
MVP may be under a little more pressure. The only
pressure on the Garrett Blunt tonight comes from making.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
His debut on this show.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
He still looks like you could run over some people,
and not just Ian for whatever dumb question he's gonna
ask him. In it a little bit welcome inside with
the Insiders alongside Judy Batista and Ian Rappaport. I am
Tom Pelissero. I'd have been counting down the days to
the twenty twenty five NFL season, really since the Monday
(01:04):
after the Super Bowl. But this is the moment everybody
else can start your countdown clocks because we are officially
one hundred days away from kickoff. That's how close you
are that September fourth opener between the Eagles and the Cowboys.
Is a variety of people point note to me on
social media earlier today, we're only like sixty five days
away from preseason football, but I say one hundred days.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
That's the true countdown.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
And we got OTAs getting going with twenty different NFL
team that includes in Pittsburgh where Robert Woods a new
addition to these Steelers, making his practice debut earlier today,
another high profile edition. You may have heard about Aaron
Rodgers not there yet. Here's what Mace Rudolph had to say.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
That's nothing new to me. There's been constant noise. That
is the nature of the NFL. So I have been
used to that for a long time. Now do nothing,
but you know, be the best that can be and
and help our team, help our team get better this spring.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Have you been in touch with on at all?
Speaker 6 (02:04):
I have not.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
No Michael Pennix on the field in Flowery Brands, Georgia
where the Falcons got their OTAs underweight today, not picture
they're anywhere else. Kirk Cousins, who was a no show
on the first day of OTAs, he I'll start with
you here. Kirk Cousins has been there sporadically in Atlanta
(02:27):
through the course of the spring and the off season
workoff programs. They were kind of surprised when he showed
up on the first day of the workoff program, but
he's also made abundantly clear he wants me playing elsewhere
in twenty twenty five. What does it say today.
Speaker 7 (02:41):
Well, first of all, this was always going to be awkward, right,
Whether Kirk Cousins showed up for conditioning, which you're right,
I think was a little unexpected in the building, whether
he doesn't show up for OTAs, which was in fact expected,
It's always going to be awkward and weird because you
have a quarterback who paid one hundred million dollars guaranteed
to is no longer your start quarterback, but who does
(03:01):
make the most sense as your backup quarterback.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Despite the fact that the best situation.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
For him Cousins, I mean, is to get all the money,
get released, go pick whatever team he wants, and go
try to start somewhere. It just doesn't seem like the
Falcons are inclined to do that. In fact, they have
said so. Terry Fino, the general manager, has said so
very publicly he expects Cousins to be there. Trading Cousins
makes far more sense than just cutting him and letting
(03:25):
him walk, But him being the backup might make the
most sense because if he is the backup quarterback, first
of all, you've already paid him the money, So what's
the difference too. He's got plenty of experience, He's still good.
He would be one of the best backup quarterbacks in
the NFL. And what if something happens to Michael Pennix.
All that adds up to just plain weirdness until that
(03:46):
eventually has to happen, or until it's mandatory and people
have to start showing up, So buckle up.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
It's going to probably get weirder.
Speaker 7 (03:53):
But I still believe based on what I know, that
ends up with Cousins as the backup in.
Speaker 8 (03:57):
Atlant I'm not sure Kirk Cousins has the backup is
very good for Michael Pennix, It's pretty good for the
Atlanta Falcons. It's definitely not good for Kirk Cousins, who
we know does not want to be there. But the
fact of the matter is everybody's kind of stuck. I mean,
he's on the roster in launch part, because there's just
no good landing spot for him that they could trade
(04:20):
him to that he would want to be traded to.
Speaker 9 (04:22):
The only team.
Speaker 8 (04:24):
Left out there that doesn't have at least the people
in the building that they want competing for a starting
job is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we know their situation.
They are waiting on Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers would be
a fine launch landing point for Kirk Cousins, and he
would be a very good fallback plan if something falls through.
Speaker 9 (04:44):
With Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 8 (04:45):
But short of that, I don't know where he could
go where he would want to go that would be
a good fit for Kirk Cousins and a team that
would want to give up something of value to the
Atlanta Falcons to get Kirk Cousins. So everybody he is
just sort of stuck in this jam right now. And
of course it all comes back to Aaron.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Rodgers, of course, and if it's all about the Steelers,
then all indications are at this point that that opportunity
is not going to open up for Kirk Cousins absence
some type of late switchy And because with Aaron Rodgers,
we know he's been talking with Mike Tomlin. It was
his only visit he's been throwed with BK Metcka. Everything
is pointing toward Aaron Rodgers coming, including some not so
(05:26):
cryptic remarks.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
He made over the weekend.
Speaker 7 (05:30):
Yeah, I mean when Aaron Rodgers was and he was
asked in a kind of a fan Q and a
type deal about, you know, would you ever play for
the Bears, which of course is a ridiculous question, but
he mentioned that there is a team, the Steelers, who
play in Chicago this year, so maybe he'll at least
play in Chicago. Kind of hint hinting his way through it.
(05:51):
But that's what this has been, right, I would say
say this, and I know you know this, you guys too.
It would be a surprise if Aaron Rodgers not in
the Steelers right now. I'm not saying he's made a decision.
I'm not saying retirements it, but it would be a surprise.
Maybe a better question is just when, And to me,
the one that makes the most sense is for Rogers
to announce or whoever it's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
The news will come out right before mandatory minicamp show up.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
Little media, get on the field, get the playbook, see
you later, goodbye for the summer.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Come back when training camp is starting, and.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
Then everything is a go. Just reading the tea leaves,
that makes the most sense. But because it's Aaron Rodgers,
what makes the most sense isn't always like what actually happens.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
You know, Judy, I'm sorry, I thought we were going
back to take it. I I yeah, you take it back, Tom.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
All right?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, if they look at the quarterbacks who are currently
on the Steelers roster, Mason Rudolph, Skyler Thompson and their
six round draft pick Will Howard, that is the current
Steelers depth chart again absent a certain forty one year
old four time NFL MVP that potentially could be atop
that depth chart in the not too distant future. Let's
(07:08):
welcome in our Brian Baldinger to the conversation now, along
with Mark Ross Martlett. But I'll say it to you
as simply as possible. We talk about Aaron Rodgers, we
talk about Kirk Couns, we talk about Mason Rudolph and
the guys that are there. Who gives the Sailors the
best chance to win in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 10 (07:26):
Well, me and Mark I feel like We've been on
here debating Aaron Rodgers for like a year now, going
back to you know, a disappointing season with the Jets.
But I mean, he still gives the Steelers the best chance. Now,
how long you give him, how well he plays, how
well he performs, you know, especially at Dandy games where
he did not play well at the end of games
(07:47):
a year ago, especially early in the year before coaches
just began to get fired. You know, you can always
go to Mason Rudolph, who's got an eight to four
and one record as a Steeler quarterback or rookie. And
Will Howard, who looks like more of a developmental player
but does fit the size that they like in Pittsburgh
to play that position and the athletic ability. But I
(08:09):
think Aaron at this point, Mark still gives them the
best chance. You still do have to practice and actually
get to know your teammates. So the idea that you
can just walk in and start, you know, at training camp,
it still seems a little ludicrous to me.
Speaker 11 (08:25):
Completely agree with that, Baldy, And we keep talking about
who gives them a better chance, but a better chance
of what just keeping Mike tomlins One lost streak alive
or a chance to actually compete for the playoffs or
super Bowl. And I don't think any of their options
are to say, we can go compete against Lamar Jackson
and Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. We got to play
(08:45):
the Lions as well. We got the Chargers on the schedule.
So if you're Pittsburgh, no matter who's behind center, none
of those are good options for you. And if I
just had to choose, I would say, well, I'm going
to roll with Mason Rudolph and the rookie there Will
Howard out of Ohio State because the team believes in
them and they are there and you're just bringing the
extra drama with Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins. And I've
(09:08):
been around, it's got a lot of older quarterbacks and
they all have sort of the same traits. When they
get old, they don't get better. Number one, but two,
they just don't want to get hit anymore. They don't
go through their progressions and any sort of mobility they
had which made Aaron Rodgers special, and we've seen the
last couple of years he just doesn't have it anymore.
Speaker 9 (09:25):
So now, as we saw with.
Speaker 11 (09:26):
The Jets, he's trying to get the ball out of
his hand as quickly as possible. He wasn't accurate last year.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
He's another year older.
Speaker 11 (09:32):
I just don't know why the Steelers faith will be
excited about that sort of option. Plus the drama. We
keep talking about him, Baldy said, we keep talking about him. Please,
let's just stop talking about him.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Tom Well, he keeps talking, Mark, and that's kind of
what we have to do. Respond every time Eric gives
us just that little extra bit of tea leaves that
we can read as we move forward. Mark Paldy, thank
you very much. Stick around a lot more from you
guys coming up to the course.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Of this show.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I mentioned earlier the Bills back on the practice field.
That he includes their quarterback Josh Allen. No James Cook
though he wants a new contract. No Joey Bosa, who
pulled a calf last week. Well working out with the team.
We may not see him until training camp. Sean McDermott
addressed both those issues.
Speaker 12 (10:16):
We're staying in touch like you'd expect a player and
a coach to do. So you know James h will
be here when he's ready to be here, and and
you know we move forward, give him.
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Their recent injury history that Joey has help concerning.
Speaker 13 (10:31):
Is is it that we're already you know.
Speaker 6 (10:32):
Dealing with something at this juncture.
Speaker 12 (10:36):
Yeah, I mean he's listen. It's it is concerning you know, durability,
availability or key ties to our roster. And so you know,
we we we basically look ahead in terms of what
he's doing now, which is getting himself the treatment that
he needs and he's working hard at it, and that's
all that he can control right now, and you know,
(10:58):
we get him back when we get him back, probably
at this point training camp.
Speaker 6 (11:03):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
We've known that the James Cook situation has been evolving.
The Bills did a lot of extensions during the course
of this offseason. They spent a lot of money, They
had negotiations with James Cook. But at this point now
there's not really a clear ending sight. Though I would
think mandatory mini camp would perhaps give us some indication
of E's after what direction this goes.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
Yeah, mandatory miniicamp really is the first actual quote unquote
deadline for James Cook to say, like how serious am
I about wanting a new contract? Would I withhold services
and obviously get fined in order to prove my point.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
But even still, he's going to be playing for the
Bills this year. Tom like that. I think that is
very clear.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
So I mean, the Bills have come out and said
we have not heard a trade request, and even if
they would, one wouldn't make sense to take one of
the best players off the field for one of the
NFL's best team. Really, what this is is does James
Cook get a contract extension that he can be happy
with before the season, or does he play out and
face either of the franchise tag the next year or
become one of the top free agents for the entire
(12:03):
NFL to then bid on his services. He has come
out and said he wants the sixteen million dollars per year.
I don't know if he's going to get it, but
if he's serious about that, there are ways to show
it right with holding services as one.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Holding in for training GIMP is another.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Making it really uncomfortable is what a lot of players
have done.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
It's just not for everyone.
Speaker 7 (12:24):
What we don't know is that for James Cook and
is that what maybe potentially ends up getting a deal
done in training GIMP or does he just play it out?
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And that's that.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Oh you know who did get sixteen million dollars from
the Bills this offseason, Judy Joey Bosa, who became a
free agent after the Chargers moved on from him. Injuries
have been a part of the story recently. So even
though we're talking about of being back for training camp here,
I would think this is one to monitor.
Speaker 8 (12:51):
Yeah, you heard Sean McDermott talk about durability. I mean,
the unfortunate reality is durability has been an issue for
Joey Bosa. He's about to turn thirty, but frankly, his
body feels like it's a.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
Lot older than that.
Speaker 8 (13:03):
In recent years, he's only played two seasons in which
he played every game of the season. He played sixteen
games in twenty twenty one. That was a seventeen game season,
So the last time he played every game of a
regular season was twenty nineteen. He's had all manner of
injuries mild, so I'm not so mild. This is certainly
(13:25):
concerning though, the fact that he has already got a
calf injury. We know calf injuries tend to linger, they
flare up throughout the season. This is certainly a concern.
Von Miller by the way, is still out there unsigned.
He's much older. He's thirty six years old. So that
is why you would normally favor Joey Bosa. But certainly,
(13:45):
as we keep an eye on Bosa and his availability,
as we get deeper and deeper into the summer and
we see what he looks like going into training camp,
keep an eye on von Miller's availability too.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
Good.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Von Miller, of course, the star of Super Bowl fifty
with the Denver Broncos, and that team is honoring another
member of that Super Bowl fifty team this fall. Dumarius Thomas,
the longtime wide receiver, has been selected into the Broncos
Ring of Fame. Thomas, of course, tragically passed away in
December twenty twenty one at the age of thirty three.
(14:18):
At the top of his game, he was one of
the best to do it. The Broncos going to keep
his memory alive in Denver. The Bucks one of twenty
teams to open UPTA practices today. Baker Mayfield already has
random coaches and training assistants run off the edge to
get them guess what. Baker can thrive in that environment,
(14:41):
as he has shown over the past couple of seasons
in Tampa. Welcome back to the insiders. Tom Pelviso, joined
now by Sarah Walsh and once again by Mark Ross.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Sarah, the Bucks.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Are there at the end every year in terms of
that FC South Division, how to look day one out
there for OTAs.
Speaker 14 (14:56):
Well, alluding to what you just said, they really feel
like they can take the next step this year.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
As for Baker Mayfield and company.
Speaker 14 (15:01):
Out on the practice field today, give him credit because
we hit ninety seven here today with one million percent humidity,
so it is boiling down here.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
We are already in training camp conditions.
Speaker 14 (15:12):
Baker does not have Mike Evans there, he does not
have Chris Godwin who is still working back from that
dislocated ankle. But here's the positive twist to that is
it gives a lot more reps to Jalen McMillan, who
was a breakout rookie last year at wide receiver for
this Buccaneers team and a Mecca Abuga, their first round
receiver pick this season. We've already been getting so much
(15:34):
feedback on Abuka.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Their center.
Speaker 14 (15:35):
Graham Barton, the Bucks first rounder from a year ago,
said he is all ball. Jalen McMillan said, he is
so serious out there. He said he already knows half
the playbook, so rave.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Reviews on the receivers already.
Speaker 14 (15:48):
As for Godwin Bowls, says that they are still hoping
he will be back by week one. He said, if
anybody can do it, Godwin can do it. And then
ask for the running backs. I mean, this is a
group now that had a top five rushing offense as
he's to go something the Bucket had struggled to find
for years before last season. Bucky Irving obviously a huge
reason that they were successful. He was a rookie last
(16:09):
season and put up more than eleven hundred yards. Well,
he is now the starter here in Tampa. And this
is what Rashad White had to say on his Insta
story just a couple of days ago. On Thursday, it
was this picture of Baker Mayfield with one last ride.
Todd Bowles was asked about what that could mean today.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
Here's what he said.
Speaker 15 (16:34):
I don't know what that means. I don't have Twitter,
first of all, but the last ride for me is
kind of like the Magnificent Seven, and you know, going
into those type of deals. But I don't know what
different things mean. I think Rashad's been here, He's been great,
he plays hard, he practices hard. We don't need all
three of them, and not really in the tweets.
Speaker 14 (16:54):
So okay, so read between the lines. But something to
keep an eye on here, Tampa Rashad White is just
twenty six years old. He would be an unrestricted free
agent in March.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Mark Ross.
Speaker 11 (17:08):
Those socials trip up a lot of people there. That
Todd Bowles, I'm sure is not checking that X and
Twitter account there. So, but look, this team you mentioned
a mecca of Buka and I just am so excited
to see him with the rest of that offense. Look,
Tampa Bay's offense last year was top five in total yards,
in total in passing yards and rushing yards and in scorings.
(17:28):
You're like, well, how can they get more explosive while
you bring in a guy who may have been the
most polished wide receiver. They mentioned the maturity. He played
like a pro at Ohio State. And when I'm looking
at the talent of the Bucks offense, they have so
many different options who do things so differently. Mike Evans
is the big power guy, Chris Godwin smooth, the nest.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
You mentioned the.
Speaker 11 (17:47):
Backfield a duo of Bucky, Irvin and White there. They're
so different in what they do, and now you bring
a Mecca in there to work the slot, which he
does similar to Jackson Smith and Jigbo who came out
of Ohio State very similar to him. They just have
so many different pieces with so many versatility. With Baker
throwing for four thousand yards the last two years and
their standard. We talked about the Steelers standard for Tampa.
(18:09):
Right now, it's hey, do we have the offense. Do
we have the team to go win a Super Bowl?
To take down Philly, Detroit and Washington who beat them
last year. It's going to be exciting whether they win
or lose games. When that offense is going to score
points and score a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
There's a lot of cash cap and draft capital in
the wide receiver room. What's other position groups, Sarah, that
we should really be looking out for in terms of
battles over these next few months.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Well, it's definitely a cornerback Tom.
Speaker 14 (18:35):
And it's interesting because Mark just talked about the standard
of Tampa and the standard has always been defense here,
especially under Todd Bowles, and last year was the defense
that struggle a little bit and it's definitely been a
point of emphasis this offseason.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Todd Bowles was asked about the fact.
Speaker 14 (18:50):
That do the guys now in that corner room feel
a little pressure, and he said, yeah, you're going to
feel that.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
You're going to start to feel it.
Speaker 14 (18:55):
On draft day, he said, when we took two corners
and that was Benjamin Morrison and Robert Parrish in and
third rounds, he said, those guys, you know, understand that
you better be on your.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Job at this point.
Speaker 14 (19:05):
Todd also said that they've got a lot of guys
that can play nickel, they need safeties, they need corners now.
One of their starting corners, Zion McCollum, he spoke today.
He said that he wasn't entirely surprised because he said
at exit meetings they told him they're going to bring
in corners. They need more depth obviously in that room.
And Zion said, we know that we have a top
tier offense. We understand that, but if we can take
(19:28):
one touchdown potentially two touchdowns off the board of game,
he said, we have a super Bowl winning team.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
That is the attitude that we have.
Speaker 14 (19:36):
He said that they understand the competition is going to
make everyone's level rise, but it is also part of
their job to take those new guys under their wing
and if they can make the improvements. Todd definitely wants
more interceptions. This should be a really good Tampa Bay team.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Guys, Sarah, good stuff, Thank you, Mark, stick around. More
from you coming up after something else. We got a
special guest here tonight, Garrett Blunt, always one of the
intersting guys to talk to in a locker room. What
does he make of the current state of some of
his former teams. We'll get Legarrett's thoughts coming up right
after this on The Insiders.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
That is chock full of memories right there for me
for this old Patriots speed writer. Chock full great games
and features by our next guest, Le Garrett Blunt, who
is taking over the network today, all before us, all
during the day, all after us on The Insiders.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It is Le Garrett Blunt's day.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
Very pleased to be joined by him right now along
with Judy Bautista on The Insiders. La Garrett, first of all,
very important, we'll start here. You are wearing sunglasses as
you do this interview. Is it because you are one
a celebrity too much cooer than me in Judy or
the day is so bright you just have to wear shades.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
I'm havy to go with there.
Speaker 16 (21:01):
I'm gonna have to go with d Playing tackle football
with a seven year old ends up getting poked in
the eye and you know, not one eyes red and
one eye is white and one won't stop watering.
Speaker 6 (21:14):
So I'm, you know, me playing football with him. It's
worth it. So I'll do that every day of the week.
I'm trying to create so.
Speaker 9 (21:24):
Much than in the end.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (21:31):
Let's talk about some of your programming choices. First of all,
you went with the Philly Special super Bowl, your Super
Bowl with the Eagles. People think of that as the
Philly Special game, but you had a really good game.
Why why do you want everybody to see that game again?
Speaker 6 (21:46):
That's my favorite super Bowl.
Speaker 16 (21:48):
I had a blast in that game, my most productive
super Bowl in my career.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
I think I almost had one hundred yards.
Speaker 16 (21:55):
Men, Dudes keep on getting into it about a lot
not letting me get those extra ten because I don't
know a lot of guys that ran for a hundred
yards in the Super Bowl. So definitely definitely wanted that
hundred yard game. But by far my favorite super Bowl
because it was an opportunity for us to do something
that hadn't been done in Philly history.
Speaker 7 (22:17):
I think either way, regardless of whether you got the
extra ten yards, I mean that game is in Super
Bowl War forever for a variety of reasons. You had
a couple more with the New England Patriots. Obviously your
time with the Patriots highlighted today. What is your best
Patriots memory, whether Super Bowl or otherwise.
Speaker 16 (22:38):
My best Patriots memory, I would have to say the
first Super Bowl. It was my first time ever experiencing
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
It was crazy.
Speaker 16 (22:49):
It was fun, jam packed with a lot of different
activities and a lot of different things to do. And
in that game, I didn't have a lot a lot
of yards, but it was really really fun to just
lay in that atmosphere, be there with obviously the best
quarterbacks ever played the game, and to see what it
feels like and looks like to win.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
The Super Bowl. So that was great.
Speaker 8 (23:13):
You played for five teams, right, the Bucks gave you
your start. You won two super Bowls with the Patriots,
one with the Eagles. You're in Detroit and Pittsburgh, Like,
what team do you still feel most attached to.
Speaker 9 (23:26):
Like, what's the team that you still follow the most.
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Oh, that's a good question.
Speaker 16 (23:31):
So the team that I follow the absolute most, The
team that I follow the absolute most is I would
say the Philadelphia Eagles for the simple fact that they
always make different transactions with trades, with free agency. They're
always picking up some guys to get better and have
(23:56):
a better football team. So I'll follow Philly more closely
than anything.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
I talked to them quite a bit.
Speaker 16 (24:01):
They haven't They have switched out the coaching since I
was there. But Nick is awesome, very welcoming, dom as Doe,
mister Larry is awesome. So those guys are who I
gravitate to the most, even though it was only there
for one year.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
All right, So let's let's stay right there and let's
talk about Philly because they got a running back named
Sakuon Barkley who is pretty good, pretty good, kind of
a little bit of a throwback just in how physically
is I mean, you got to be psyched with how
well teams are running the ball and focusing on that.
But Saquon recently said that in his mind, last year's
Eagles are a top five NFL team, you obviously have
(24:43):
been have won three Super Bowls. You know as much
about the NFL as and what do you think when
you hear that statement from this Eagles running back.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
I agree with that. I one hundred percent agree with it.
Speaker 16 (24:54):
I think that they are one of the better teams
in NFL history. It's not a lot of teams. I
had a guy like say Kwan on their team. It's
really really hard team to beat. And you know you're
going into the game, no matter what other thirty one
teams you are, You're going into the game knowing that
it's going to be a tough one all four quarters,
all four quarters, no matter if they have a couple
(25:16):
of guys down, no matter if you got a couple
of guys out, they have enough firepower to make it
a long day or night for you.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
All all game.
Speaker 16 (25:25):
On both sides of the on both sides of the
field is a is a I'm going to go out
on a limb and say he's going to end up
being one of the best backs to ever grace the NFL.
He's definitely on that, on that trajectory and pace, and
that's even with the first part of his career being
in New York.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
Well, let's stay on the running backs. You obviously like
Saquon a lot. What are the running backs? Current running
backs do you like to watch?
Speaker 16 (25:52):
Oh, Jamier Gibbs, Jamiir Gibbs, d John Robinson. Those young guys,
those are those are they? They are very very impressive,
They're very entertaining to watch. Jamiir Gibbs is one of
those guys. Well, I don't know, I'm just trying to think,
and I don't think that we've seen a guy like
(26:13):
that in the league in a long time.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
And he puts in the mind of someone that is.
Speaker 16 (26:21):
A version of sweetness, but not the same style of sweetness.
But he does have a really really really sweet running style.
He's very smooth, he's extremely fast and agile, has a
lot of balance. B John Robinson kind of the same thing.
I mean, the list goes on with these young guys
that that can, that can just outright play ball. So
(26:45):
those those are two of the younger guys that I
really really, really really like.
Speaker 6 (26:49):
And I make sure I tune in to watch every
game that they play.
Speaker 7 (26:52):
Really appreciate you hanging out with us and the insiders.
Enjoy your day on NFL Network. I know we will
as well.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Congrants to Travis Hunter, who married his high school sweetheart
Leanna d la Fuente over the weekend. Big couple of
months for Travis Hunter and Liam Cohen.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
He's also doing that football.
Speaker 9 (27:13):
Thing that was good, you know.
Speaker 13 (27:16):
I mean, he's still learning. He's been learning a ton
defensively and offensively, as we know, you know, but that
was more so fundamentals techniques. It wasn't a ton of
eleven on eleven seven one. It was more fundamentals techniques communication.
That was what that kind of last Wednesday was. And
he's been learning with those guys and meet with him
(27:38):
extra as he's needed to.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilla, Serah Mark Ross
back with.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Us, joined now by Cam Wolf.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
I feel like Cam, we can talk about this every
day until we actually see Travis Hunter in the game.
What do we make so far of what we're seeing
and hearing about.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
The number two pick out of Jacksonville.
Speaker 17 (27:56):
Well, Tom, first of all, this is just a fun
energy to bring on this franchise Duval Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
You mentioned he got married this past weekend.
Speaker 17 (28:05):
He brought some of those dance moves that he had
from the wedding onto the practice field to day. His
energy is just infectious and I can't wait to get
down to duvall in camp to be able.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
To see him up close.
Speaker 17 (28:14):
You heard Liam Cohen discuss it a little bit. They
have a clear plan for the two way star. He
has been primarily an offensive player, including today where he
played solely wide receiver, but he did get one day
of defense last Wednesday playing cornerback. But their plan is
for him to play wide receiver on the field most
of the days and OTA's and end of the training camp,
(28:36):
and they'll sprinkle in a day or two of defensive back. Now,
Cohen mentioned, we're not going to put him on the
field on both sides of the ball on one day
because we just think that's too much for him to
take on at this stage. But when we get in
the season, we expect him to be that two way
player who practices on both sides of the ball. But
I just can't wait to see this offense when it's
up to speed. They talked about Travis Hunter and what
(28:58):
he can do his route running, his ability to play
making ability. Don't forget about Brian Thomas Junior, who is
one of the most effective players, not rookies, but players
at the wide receiver position. Last year, you get him,
you get Travis Hunter along with Trevor Lawrence, and there's
a lot of belief that they can have a more
explosive offense down the field. A lot of eyeballs on
what they can do in your one for Liam Cohen,
(29:19):
but the hope is that they can have this explosion
that they have missed on offense with Travis Hunter.
Speaker 11 (29:27):
Yeah, can the perfect compliment with Travis Hunter in his
skill set, going with Brian Thomas Junior, because Brian Thomas
Junior and you get run by anybody. He could do
the other things, but he can just really fly, whereas
Travis Hunter is more of the slick underneath route runner.
So they're a perfect compliment to one another. And the
plan that they have for them, I think is perfect.
When I first scouted Travis Hunter, just watching him on
(29:47):
both sides of the balls, like, this guy has to
be a receiver because you can get him the ball.
You want your best players to get the ball as
much as possible, and you can force feed him the
ball as a receiver whereas a corner he could go
through a whole stretch of game.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
He don't even notice him.
Speaker 11 (30:01):
So this is a perfect plan and for Jacksonville learning
the playbook on offense, as a corner, you can just
go say go cover somebody, but this is more of
also with Travis Hunter being on offense, this is it
for Trevor Lawrence. Like, there's no more excuses for Trevor Lawrence.
You got maybe top five explosive wide receiver duo there
in the league and Trevor just has to finally get
it done. There's no more he needs this, this needs
(30:24):
he needs more. It's time for him, being the number
one pick and the franchise quarterback there to say I
can raise my level, I can raise everybody else's level
on this team and not just throw for eleven touchdowns
and barely over two thousand yards last season no matter
who's around him. So this is really a make or
break gear for Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville franchise. And
(30:45):
if he doesn't do it with this group, whether they
go again, they reset once again.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
So Jayguar's got Trevor Lawren's a big time weapon. The
Panthers hope that they got a big time weapon for
Bryce Young as well. He's out there this week at
OTAs to throw for the first time to his new
favorite target, Tete Rolla McMillan, the number eight overall pickerson
After the draft, Bryce Young was stumping for Carolina to
(31:10):
draft him. Now, certainly Bryce's happy team at as a Panther.
Speaker 18 (31:15):
I've played against him in high school. I've seen him
and followed his career ever since since high school, so
I've always from whether it's playing against him or from afar.
I was always someone that had a ton of respect
for I loved his game. I've been around him before
that too, her great things, loved his work ethic, have
had seen him live, so just again, I had a
(31:37):
ton of exposures, so I was always kind of following,
always kind of looking, and you know, obviously just us
having that opportunity was I'm super grateful. Obviously I trusted
coach kanal Is and Dan with the decision. They were
going to do what was best for the team, and
you know, they they obviously felt that was what was best.
And you know, obviously for me, it's it's it was
(31:57):
music for my ears, Caam.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
It was interesting because leading up to the draft, the
Panthers were taking a lot of calls, making calls, but
potentially moving down in round one.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
But if they were at number eight, t Mac was
their guy.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
They ultimately decided to Stan Patton obviously got the type
of weapon they really haven't had around the former number
one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah Tom.
Speaker 17 (32:18):
Bryce Young said it was music to his ears to
hear the Panthers taking teddor Roe McMillan, California loved maybe
the music on.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
The track for these duos.
Speaker 17 (32:27):
They already are connecting deep down the field and OTA's
and these are two South California kids. As he mentioned,
they played against each other in high school. And from
what I was told, they had an off season throwing
session before the draft or one day throwing session together
that went excellent, and it really led to Bryce Young
telling the front office that, hey, yeah, we got a chance.
I'd love to get that guy. If you know anything
(32:48):
about Bryce Young, he's soft spoken. He doesn't speak up
a ton in these moments, so I'm sure that spoke
volumes to the front of office. And now they have
really supplied the offense that Bryce Young needs.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
He got Xavier get last year, now he's got t Mac.
Speaker 17 (33:01):
They invested in the offensive line and Robert Hunt and
Damian Lewis last year, and I talked to him as
Zach a few weeks ago and said, hey, give me
something that may surprise me this year. He said, the
Panthers being a top ten offense and making a playoff push,
which definitely would surprise a lot of people. But they
have the right talent and there's a lot of confidence
in Bryce Young out there. Coach Canal has said today,
(33:22):
if I'm very confident, if we saw the Bryce Young
I saw today on the field, then we're in good shape.
And I remember being there at the season finale game
they played in the Falcons Week eight team. He was
throwing deep balls, daggers all down the field. That gave
them the confidence to make him the unquestioned starter. And
now with Ted McMillan Xavier Lyguett, they think they have
something brewing in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Cam Mark, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
The countdown is on, not just to see if the
Panthers can have a top ten offense to go to
the playoffs, but also with one hundred days left to
the season, much of these contenders perennially could be under
just a little bit more pressure. Judabatista will be back
with her. Answers come up right after this on the Insiders.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected
throughout the off season with twenty four to seven football
news and coverage on NFL Network and at NFL Plus Premium.
Relive your favorite moans from the twenty twenty four season
with game replays and access to NFL player stats with
NFL Pro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot Com.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Terms and conditions apply, as they always do in other
parts of life as well.
Speaker 7 (34:38):
Meanwhile, it is now time for count on It, presented
by Toro let Us. Welcome in our good friends Judabautista
and Brian Baldinger.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Judy, you have an.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
Article on NFL dot com about the team's most under
the microphone of microscope not microphone, that would be us.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I will start on this.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
Which is the team in your s themation the needs
to win the Super Bowl?
Speaker 8 (35:04):
Well, there's certainly quite a few candidates for this, but
I would go with the Buffalo Bills, who have come
achingly close to toppling the Kansas City Chiefs in the
AFC in recent years. They've lost in the conference championship
to them twice. They actually beat the Chiefs in the
regular season. They've got no problem doing that. But at
some point they're going to have to get past the
(35:25):
Chiefs and get over the finish line here. Obviously, their
championship window is wide open as long as Josh Allen
is on the field and healthy.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
But to avoid looking back on.
Speaker 8 (35:36):
The Josh Allen era the way they look back on
that era from thirty years ago when they kept falling
just a little bit short in the Super Bowl, They've got.
Speaker 9 (35:44):
To finally win a Super Bowl. It's all set up
for them this year.
Speaker 8 (35:47):
They've got the raining MVP, they did a lot of
work on their defense, and they have a really manageable schedule.
Six of their first seven games this season are against
teams that did not make the playoffs, so they certainly
have the uppernity to roll up a lot of wins
and maybe get home field advantage in the playoffs.
Speaker 10 (36:05):
That's hard to argue with that picked you and he
especially playing in the AFC East where everybody's looking up
the Bills who have won five straight division titles. But
I'm gonna go almost to what Ian said, almost by mistake,
when he said what team is under the microscope the
most and that's the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
They just are.
Speaker 10 (36:23):
I mean, it's a twenty nine year drought since they
won a Super Bowl. I know plenty of prominent Cowboy
players that won Super Bowls in the seventies and the
nineties with the Cowboys, and they sincerely question whether they're
on the right path to do it. But yet the
schedule makers say, well, the Cowboys are national TV six times.
They start the season Philadelphia. It's time for the Cowboys
(36:47):
here to step up and show that they are relevant,
that even if they're not quite America's team, still that
they're still worth putting on national TV as frequently as
they are. So I'm gonna say to Cowboys they should
feel the sure and be under the microscope this season.
Speaker 7 (37:04):
First year head coaching Brian Schottenheimer, a bunch of new
acquisitions that's gonna be fun to watch as well. This
team right here, Cincinnati Bengals on the field for OTAs today.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Joe Burrow, we know he got paid.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
We know T Higgins and Jamar Chase got paid this offseason.
What does that mean for Jamar Chase's mindset go into
this season.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Let's find out.
Speaker 19 (37:28):
I'll flay with more of it with a chip on
my shoulder like my rookie year. You know, was a
lot on my mind as everyone seen from my Kansas
City clip me crashing out. So I mean, I'm glad
that I got I got that off my chest.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
How do you fabricate a chip on your shoulder if
there is none?
Speaker 6 (37:44):
You've been paid now, I mean, how do you get
that chip again?
Speaker 19 (37:48):
Stay motivated and find ways to have a chip, because
we didn't make the playoffs two years straight. So that's
my chip right there.
Speaker 7 (37:56):
Speaking of make the playoffs, and I have a feeling
based on the sound we just ran that I know
where this is going.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
But Judy, surprise me or not? Which team needs to
make the playoffs?
Speaker 9 (38:09):
No surprise?
Speaker 8 (38:10):
And Jamar Chase just said that the Cincinnati Bengals haven't
made the playoffs the last two seasons, which is kind
of a crime when Joe Burrow is your starting quarterback.
Speaker 9 (38:19):
Now two seasons ago he got hurt.
Speaker 8 (38:21):
Last season, he was coming back off the wrist injury,
and maybe that contributed to the slow start. There were
also contract situations, but they need to take advantage of
the Joe Burrow window. He said it a few seasons ago.
The championship window is his career. He's absolutely right. The
thing that the Bengals have to do is get out
to a faster start. This has been a problem for
(38:43):
them for a number of seasons. Again, contract issues have
sort of hung over them in previous off seasons. That
is not the case at least on the offense right now.
They got the receivers done. Joe Burrow is paid, Joe
Burrow is also healthy. Trey Hendrickson, though, is out there
with a contract issue.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
They need to.
Speaker 8 (39:01):
Clean that up, get him in, solve it, and then
go forward full steam ahead. Because if this team can
finally get out to a fester we saw what that
offense looked like at the end of last season, even
with the issues on defense, that team was coming on strong.
The Bengals need to make the playoffs this season.
Speaker 10 (39:21):
Well, the defense will come and question Judy because the
offense should be very good. But for me, it's the
San Francisco forty nine ers. We know that they were
banged up last year, we know they were injured. We
understand going seven to ten. But at the same time,
when you look at this team, brock Perty just got paid.
They paid him to be a franchise quarterback. Well, now
he might feel a little bit of that pressure to
(39:42):
do it. They've let Deebo Samuel go. They re signed
and extended you know Fred Warner right here along with Jews.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Along with George Kittle.
Speaker 10 (39:50):
They've got some of the highest paid players in the
league and maybe one of this offest schedules in the league.
This should be a classic bounce back year for the
forty nine.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
It starts with the quarterback. The defense should be retooled.
Speaker 10 (40:03):
They've got a new leader on there trying to get
this thing back on track where they can really start.
Speaker 6 (40:08):
Taking the ball away again.
Speaker 10 (40:09):
But offensively, there's no excuses for this offense not to
be very good and be in playoff contention.
Speaker 7 (40:17):
One hundred days to go before kickoff, so much to
find out, guys, great stuff. Thank you very much As
always NFL dot com slash Batista for more goodies from Judy.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
The weight is over and the countdown the kickoff has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty twenty five NFL season
are on sale now. Visit NFL dot com slash tickets
to purchase tickets today. Tickets are available through the NFL
Ticket Network, including Ticketmasters, Sink Geek, and Sports Illustrated Tickets.
Colts owner and CEO Jim Mersey passed away last Wednesday.
(40:53):
Beloved in that locker room as well as in the
community of Indianapolis. The team will honor the boss with
a jersey patch a trademark smiley face. Throughout the twenty
twenty five season, first round picks continue to get their
contracts done. That includes the Browns Mason Graham scene here
in slow motion. How else would you want to run
(41:15):
around those bags? Four year, forty point eighty seven million dollar,
fully year guaranteed contract that includes a fifty year option.
Travis Hunter, Will Campbell among nine first round picks not
yet signed. Eagles one of twenty teams getting things underway
today in OTAs the defending champs. Dalen Hurts is there.
Jalen Carter is there, like seven other guys named Jalen
(41:36):
are there, and also a Dallas. Sam Darnold's got new
digs in Seattle. It can be kind of break there
when you walk out of that that waitroom for the
first time. He was done squid and got some good
work in on OTA's kind of like our Brian Baldinger,
who is no stranger to the sun. He's also no
stranger to sures. Baldy. I'm gonna let you take it
(41:57):
from here. What in the world are you doing, man?
Speaker 10 (42:01):
Well, Tom, I mean, I'm diving with some bull sharks
there off the coast of Jupiter, Florida. They chum the
waters to bring the sharks from the depth up and honestly,
you just got a channel your inner Jayden Daniels. You
just can't show any kind of fear. You don't show
the shark any fear. They don't pay any attention to you.
They just kind of swim and looking for some charm
(42:22):
or remora right there, and they kind of, you know,
just go on with the home the way. It was
really quite quite peaceful day, quite fun. Really, it was
really a great experience. You can't wait to go back
out there again, you know.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
I mean people have always said you can't show any fear,
but like, no, I'd be scared to death. So like
it's cool to say, don't show any fear, But how
big do you have to be to not be scared
of sharks? Like, you know, sharks.
Speaker 8 (42:55):
Those are really bull sharks are mean, Yeah they are,
they are too.
Speaker 10 (43:01):
But I didn't like I said. I just like stared
right at them when they came at me. Uh was
in the water for an hour with them. They didn't
really bother me. I kind of pushed them down by
the nodes away just to get them away.
Speaker 6 (43:13):
I don't know.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
I can't wait to go back and give me more video. Yeah,
It's May twenty seven, Aaron Rodgers is not on a team,
Kirk Cousins is not on the field, and the Steelers, well,
the show must go on with Ota is getting underweight
today in Pittsburgh. Who would give Mike Tomlins team the
best chance to win? We will break that down. Bill's
also kicking off OTAs today. No James Cook, no Joey Bosa,
(00:29):
Josh Allen as you can see if slow motion is there,
and Judy Batista will tell you why the reigning NFL
MVP may be under a little more pressure. The only
pressure on the Garrett Blunt tonight comes from making.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
His debut on this show.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
He still looks like you could run over some people,
and not just Ian for whatever dumb question he's gonna
ask him. In it a little bit welcome inside with
the Insiders alongside Judy Batista and Ian Rappaport. I am
Tom Pelissero. I'd have been counting down the days to
the twenty twenty five NFL season, really since the Monday
(01:04):
after the Super Bowl. But this is the moment everybody
else can start your countdown clocks because we are officially
one hundred days away from kickoff. That's how close you
are that September fourth opener between the Eagles and the Cowboys.
Is a variety of people point note to me on
social media earlier today, we're only like sixty five days
away from preseason football, but I say one hundred days.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
That's the true countdown.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
And we got OTAs getting going with twenty different NFL
team that includes in Pittsburgh where Robert Woods a new
addition to these Steelers, making his practice debut earlier today,
another high profile edition. You may have heard about Aaron
Rodgers not there yet. Here's what Mace Rudolph had to say.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
That's nothing new to me. There's been constant noise. That
is the nature of the NFL. So I have been
used to that for a long time. Now do nothing,
but you know, be the best that can be and
and help our team, help our team get better this spring.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Have you been in touch with on at all?
Speaker 6 (02:04):
I have not.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
No Michael Pennix on the field in Flowery Brands, Georgia
where the Falcons got their OTAs underweight today, not picture
they're anywhere else. Kirk Cousins, who was a no show
on the first day of OTAs, he I'll start with
you here. Kirk Cousins has been there sporadically in Atlanta
(02:27):
through the course of the spring and the off season
workoff programs. They were kind of surprised when he showed
up on the first day of the workoff program, but
he's also made abundantly clear he wants me playing elsewhere
in twenty twenty five. What does it say today.
Speaker 7 (02:41):
Well, first of all, this was always going to be awkward, right,
Whether Kirk Cousins showed up for conditioning, which you're right,
I think was a little unexpected in the building, whether
he doesn't show up for OTAs, which was in fact expected,
It's always going to be awkward and weird because you
have a quarterback who paid one hundred million dollars guaranteed
to is no longer your start quarterback, but who does
(03:01):
make the most sense as your backup quarterback.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Despite the fact that the best situation.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
For him Cousins, I mean, is to get all the money,
get released, go pick whatever team he wants, and go
try to start somewhere. It just doesn't seem like the
Falcons are inclined to do that. In fact, they have
said so. Terry Fino, the general manager, has said so
very publicly he expects Cousins to be there. Trading Cousins
makes far more sense than just cutting him and letting
(03:25):
him walk, But him being the backup might make the
most sense because if he is the backup quarterback, first
of all, you've already paid him the money, So what's
the difference too. He's got plenty of experience, He's still good.
He would be one of the best backup quarterbacks in
the NFL. And what if something happens to Michael Pennix.
All that adds up to just plain weirdness until that
(03:46):
eventually has to happen, or until it's mandatory and people
have to start showing up, So buckle up.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
It's going to probably get weirder.
Speaker 7 (03:53):
But I still believe based on what I know, that
ends up with Cousins as the backup in.
Speaker 8 (03:57):
Atlant I'm not sure Kirk Cousins has the backup is
very good for Michael Pennix, It's pretty good for the
Atlanta Falcons. It's definitely not good for Kirk Cousins, who
we know does not want to be there. But the
fact of the matter is everybody's kind of stuck. I mean,
he's on the roster in launch part, because there's just
no good landing spot for him that they could trade
(04:20):
him to that he would want to be traded to.
Speaker 9 (04:22):
The only team.
Speaker 8 (04:24):
Left out there that doesn't have at least the people
in the building that they want competing for a starting
job is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we know their situation.
They are waiting on Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers would be
a fine launch landing point for Kirk Cousins, and he
would be a very good fallback plan if something falls through.
Speaker 9 (04:44):
With Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 8 (04:45):
But short of that, I don't know where he could
go where he would want to go that would be
a good fit for Kirk Cousins and a team that
would want to give up something of value to the
Atlanta Falcons to get Kirk Cousins. So everybody he is
just sort of stuck in this jam right now. And
of course it all comes back to Aaron.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Rodgers, of course, and if it's all about the Steelers,
then all indications are at this point that that opportunity
is not going to open up for Kirk Cousins absence
some type of late switchy And because with Aaron Rodgers,
we know he's been talking with Mike Tomlin. It was
his only visit he's been throwed with BK Metcka. Everything
is pointing toward Aaron Rodgers coming, including some not so
(05:26):
cryptic remarks.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
He made over the weekend.
Speaker 7 (05:30):
Yeah, I mean when Aaron Rodgers was and he was
asked in a kind of a fan Q and a
type deal about, you know, would you ever play for
the Bears, which of course is a ridiculous question, but
he mentioned that there is a team, the Steelers, who
play in Chicago this year, so maybe he'll at least
play in Chicago. Kind of hint hinting his way through it.
(05:51):
But that's what this has been, right, I would say
say this, and I know you know this, you guys too.
It would be a surprise if Aaron Rodgers not in
the Steelers right now. I'm not saying he's made a decision.
I'm not saying retirements it, but it would be a surprise.
Maybe a better question is just when, And to me,
the one that makes the most sense is for Rogers
to announce or whoever it's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
The news will come out right before mandatory minicamp show up.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
Little media, get on the field, get the playbook, see
you later, goodbye for the summer.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Come back when training camp is starting, and.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
Then everything is a go. Just reading the tea leaves,
that makes the most sense. But because it's Aaron Rodgers,
what makes the most sense isn't always like what actually happens.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
You know, Judy, I'm sorry, I thought we were going
back to take it. I I yeah, you take it back, Tom.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
All right?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, if they look at the quarterbacks who are currently
on the Steelers roster, Mason Rudolph, Skyler Thompson and their
six round draft pick Will Howard, that is the current
Steelers depth chart again absent a certain forty one year
old four time NFL MVP that potentially could be atop
that depth chart in the not too distant future. Let's
(07:08):
welcome in our Brian Baldinger to the conversation now, along
with Mark Ross Martlett. But I'll say it to you
as simply as possible. We talk about Aaron Rodgers, we
talk about Kirk Couns, we talk about Mason Rudolph and
the guys that are there. Who gives the Sailors the
best chance to win in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 10 (07:26):
Well, me and Mark I feel like We've been on
here debating Aaron Rodgers for like a year now, going
back to you know, a disappointing season with the Jets.
But I mean, he still gives the Steelers the best chance. Now,
how long you give him, how well he plays, how
well he performs, you know, especially at Dandy games where
he did not play well at the end of games
(07:47):
a year ago, especially early in the year before coaches
just began to get fired. You know, you can always
go to Mason Rudolph, who's got an eight to four
and one record as a Steeler quarterback or rookie. And
Will Howard, who looks like more of a developmental player
but does fit the size that they like in Pittsburgh
to play that position and the athletic ability. But I
(08:09):
think Aaron at this point, Mark still gives them the
best chance. You still do have to practice and actually
get to know your teammates. So the idea that you
can just walk in and start, you know, at training camp,
it still seems a little ludicrous to me.
Speaker 11 (08:25):
Completely agree with that, Baldy, And we keep talking about
who gives them a better chance, but a better chance
of what just keeping Mike tomlins One lost streak alive
or a chance to actually compete for the playoffs or
super Bowl. And I don't think any of their options
are to say, we can go compete against Lamar Jackson
and Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. We got to play
(08:45):
the Lions as well. We got the Chargers on the schedule.
So if you're Pittsburgh, no matter who's behind center, none
of those are good options for you. And if I
just had to choose, I would say, well, I'm going
to roll with Mason Rudolph and the rookie there Will
Howard out of Ohio State because the team believes in
them and they are there and you're just bringing the
extra drama with Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins. And I've
(09:08):
been around, it's got a lot of older quarterbacks and
they all have sort of the same traits. When they
get old, they don't get better. Number one, but two,
they just don't want to get hit anymore. They don't
go through their progressions and any sort of mobility they
had which made Aaron Rodgers special, and we've seen the
last couple of years he just doesn't have it anymore.
Speaker 9 (09:25):
So now, as we saw with.
Speaker 11 (09:26):
The Jets, he's trying to get the ball out of
his hand as quickly as possible. He wasn't accurate last year.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
He's another year older.
Speaker 11 (09:32):
I just don't know why the Steelers faith will be
excited about that sort of option. Plus the drama. We
keep talking about him, Baldy said, we keep talking about him. Please,
let's just stop talking about him.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Tom Well, he keeps talking, Mark, and that's kind of
what we have to do. Respond every time Eric gives
us just that little extra bit of tea leaves that
we can read as we move forward. Mark Paldy, thank
you very much. Stick around a lot more from you
guys coming up to the course.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Of this show.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I mentioned earlier the Bills back on the practice field.
That he includes their quarterback Josh Allen. No James Cook
though he wants a new contract. No Joey Bosa, who
pulled a calf last week. Well working out with the team.
We may not see him until training camp. Sean McDermott
addressed both those issues.
Speaker 12 (10:16):
We're staying in touch like you'd expect a player and
a coach to do. So you know James h will
be here when he's ready to be here, and and
you know we move forward, give him.
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Their recent injury history that Joey has help concerning.
Speaker 13 (10:31):
Is is it that we're already you know.
Speaker 6 (10:32):
Dealing with something at this juncture.
Speaker 12 (10:36):
Yeah, I mean he's listen. It's it is concerning you know, durability,
availability or key ties to our roster. And so you know,
we we we basically look ahead in terms of what
he's doing now, which is getting himself the treatment that
he needs and he's working hard at it, and that's
all that he can control right now, and you know,
(10:58):
we get him back when we get him back, probably
at this point training camp.
Speaker 6 (11:03):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
We've known that the James Cook situation has been evolving.
The Bills did a lot of extensions during the course
of this offseason. They spent a lot of money, They
had negotiations with James Cook. But at this point now
there's not really a clear ending sight. Though I would
think mandatory mini camp would perhaps give us some indication
of E's after what direction this goes.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
Yeah, mandatory miniicamp really is the first actual quote unquote
deadline for James Cook to say, like how serious am
I about wanting a new contract? Would I withhold services
and obviously get fined in order to prove my point.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
But even still, he's going to be playing for the
Bills this year. Tom like that. I think that is
very clear.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
So I mean, the Bills have come out and said
we have not heard a trade request, and even if
they would, one wouldn't make sense to take one of
the best players off the field for one of the
NFL's best team. Really, what this is is does James
Cook get a contract extension that he can be happy
with before the season, or does he play out and
face either of the franchise tag the next year or
become one of the top free agents for the entire
(12:03):
NFL to then bid on his services. He has come
out and said he wants the sixteen million dollars per year.
I don't know if he's going to get it, but
if he's serious about that, there are ways to show
it right with holding services as one.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Holding in for training GIMP is another.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Making it really uncomfortable is what a lot of players
have done.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
It's just not for everyone.
Speaker 7 (12:24):
What we don't know is that for James Cook and
is that what maybe potentially ends up getting a deal
done in training GIMP or does he just play it out?
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And that's that.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Oh you know who did get sixteen million dollars from
the Bills this offseason, Judy Joey Bosa, who became a
free agent after the Chargers moved on from him. Injuries
have been a part of the story recently. So even
though we're talking about of being back for training camp here,
I would think this is one to monitor.
Speaker 8 (12:51):
Yeah, you heard Sean McDermott talk about durability. I mean,
the unfortunate reality is durability has been an issue for
Joey Bosa. He's about to turn thirty, but frankly, his
body feels like it's a.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
Lot older than that.
Speaker 8 (13:03):
In recent years, he's only played two seasons in which
he played every game of the season. He played sixteen
games in twenty twenty one. That was a seventeen game season,
So the last time he played every game of a
regular season was twenty nineteen. He's had all manner of
injuries mild, so I'm not so mild. This is certainly
(13:25):
concerning though, the fact that he has already got a
calf injury. We know calf injuries tend to linger, they
flare up throughout the season. This is certainly a concern.
Von Miller by the way, is still out there unsigned.
He's much older. He's thirty six years old. So that
is why you would normally favor Joey Bosa. But certainly,
(13:45):
as we keep an eye on Bosa and his availability,
as we get deeper and deeper into the summer and
we see what he looks like going into training camp,
keep an eye on von Miller's availability too.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
Good.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Von Miller, of course, the star of Super Bowl fifty
with the Denver Broncos, and that team is honoring another
member of that Super Bowl fifty team this fall. Dumarius Thomas,
the longtime wide receiver, has been selected into the Broncos
Ring of Fame. Thomas, of course, tragically passed away in
December twenty twenty one at the age of thirty three.
(14:18):
At the top of his game, he was one of
the best to do it. The Broncos going to keep
his memory alive in Denver. The Bucks one of twenty
teams to open UPTA practices today. Baker Mayfield already has
random coaches and training assistants run off the edge to
get them guess what. Baker can thrive in that environment,
(14:41):
as he has shown over the past couple of seasons
in Tampa. Welcome back to the insiders. Tom Pelviso, joined
now by Sarah Walsh and once again by Mark Ross.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Sarah, the Bucks.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Are there at the end every year in terms of
that FC South Division, how to look day one out
there for OTAs.
Speaker 14 (14:56):
Well, alluding to what you just said, they really feel
like they can take the next step this year.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
As for Baker Mayfield and company.
Speaker 14 (15:01):
Out on the practice field today, give him credit because
we hit ninety seven here today with one million percent humidity,
so it is boiling down here.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
We are already in training camp conditions.
Speaker 14 (15:12):
Baker does not have Mike Evans there, he does not
have Chris Godwin who is still working back from that
dislocated ankle. But here's the positive twist to that is
it gives a lot more reps to Jalen McMillan, who
was a breakout rookie last year at wide receiver for
this Buccaneers team and a Mecca Abuga, their first round
receiver pick this season. We've already been getting so much
(15:34):
feedback on Abuka.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Their center.
Speaker 14 (15:35):
Graham Barton, the Bucks first rounder from a year ago,
said he is all ball. Jalen McMillan said, he is
so serious out there. He said he already knows half
the playbook, so rave.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Reviews on the receivers already.
Speaker 14 (15:48):
As for Godwin Bowls, says that they are still hoping
he will be back by week one. He said, if
anybody can do it, Godwin can do it. And then
ask for the running backs. I mean, this is a
group now that had a top five rushing offense as
he's to go something the Bucket had struggled to find
for years before last season. Bucky Irving obviously a huge
reason that they were successful. He was a rookie last
(16:09):
season and put up more than eleven hundred yards. Well,
he is now the starter here in Tampa. And this
is what Rashad White had to say on his Insta
story just a couple of days ago. On Thursday, it
was this picture of Baker Mayfield with one last ride.
Todd Bowles was asked about what that could mean today.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
Here's what he said.
Speaker 15 (16:34):
I don't know what that means. I don't have Twitter,
first of all, but the last ride for me is
kind of like the Magnificent Seven, and you know, going
into those type of deals. But I don't know what
different things mean. I think Rashad's been here, He's been great,
he plays hard, he practices hard. We don't need all
three of them, and not really in the tweets.
Speaker 14 (16:54):
So okay, so read between the lines. But something to
keep an eye on here, Tampa Rashad White is just
twenty six years old. He would be an unrestricted free
agent in March.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Mark Ross.
Speaker 11 (17:08):
Those socials trip up a lot of people there. That
Todd Bowles, I'm sure is not checking that X and
Twitter account there. So, but look, this team you mentioned
a mecca of Buka and I just am so excited
to see him with the rest of that offense. Look,
Tampa Bay's offense last year was top five in total yards,
in total in passing yards and rushing yards and in scorings.
(17:28):
You're like, well, how can they get more explosive while
you bring in a guy who may have been the
most polished wide receiver. They mentioned the maturity. He played
like a pro at Ohio State. And when I'm looking
at the talent of the Bucks offense, they have so
many different options who do things so differently. Mike Evans
is the big power guy, Chris Godwin smooth, the nest.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
You mentioned the.
Speaker 11 (17:47):
Backfield a duo of Bucky, Irvin and White there. They're
so different in what they do, and now you bring
a Mecca in there to work the slot, which he
does similar to Jackson Smith and Jigbo who came out
of Ohio State very similar to him. They just have
so many different pieces with so many versatility. With Baker
throwing for four thousand yards the last two years and
their standard. We talked about the Steelers standard for Tampa.
(18:09):
Right now, it's hey, do we have the offense. Do
we have the team to go win a Super Bowl?
To take down Philly, Detroit and Washington who beat them
last year. It's going to be exciting whether they win
or lose games. When that offense is going to score
points and score a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
There's a lot of cash cap and draft capital in
the wide receiver room. What's other position groups, Sarah, that
we should really be looking out for in terms of
battles over these next few months.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Well, it's definitely a cornerback Tom.
Speaker 14 (18:35):
And it's interesting because Mark just talked about the standard
of Tampa and the standard has always been defense here,
especially under Todd Bowles, and last year was the defense
that struggle a little bit and it's definitely been a
point of emphasis this offseason.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Todd Bowles was asked about the fact.
Speaker 14 (18:50):
That do the guys now in that corner room feel
a little pressure, and he said, yeah, you're going to
feel that.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
You're going to start to feel it.
Speaker 14 (18:55):
On draft day, he said, when we took two corners
and that was Benjamin Morrison and Robert Parrish in and
third rounds, he said, those guys, you know, understand that
you better be on your.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Job at this point.
Speaker 14 (19:05):
Todd also said that they've got a lot of guys
that can play nickel, they need safeties, they need corners now.
One of their starting corners, Zion McCollum, he spoke today.
He said that he wasn't entirely surprised because he said
at exit meetings they told him they're going to bring
in corners. They need more depth obviously in that room.
And Zion said, we know that we have a top
tier offense. We understand that, but if we can take
(19:28):
one touchdown potentially two touchdowns off the board of game,
he said, we have a super Bowl winning team.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
That is the attitude that we have.
Speaker 14 (19:36):
He said that they understand the competition is going to
make everyone's level rise, but it is also part of
their job to take those new guys under their wing
and if they can make the improvements. Todd definitely wants
more interceptions. This should be a really good Tampa Bay team.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Guys, Sarah, good stuff, Thank you, Mark, stick around. More
from you coming up after something else. We got a
special guest here tonight, Garrett Blunt, always one of the
intersting guys to talk to in a locker room. What
does he make of the current state of some of
his former teams. We'll get Legarrett's thoughts coming up right
after this on The Insiders.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
That is chock full of memories right there for me
for this old Patriots speed writer. Chock full great games
and features by our next guest, Le Garrett Blunt, who
is taking over the network today, all before us, all
during the day, all after us on The Insiders.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It is Le Garrett Blunt's day.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
Very pleased to be joined by him right now along
with Judy Bautista on The Insiders. La Garrett, first of all,
very important, we'll start here. You are wearing sunglasses as
you do this interview. Is it because you are one
a celebrity too much cooer than me in Judy or
the day is so bright you just have to wear shades.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
I'm havy to go with there.
Speaker 16 (21:01):
I'm gonna have to go with d Playing tackle football
with a seven year old ends up getting poked in
the eye and you know, not one eyes red and
one eye is white and one won't stop watering.
Speaker 6 (21:14):
So I'm, you know, me playing football with him. It's
worth it. So I'll do that every day of the week.
I'm trying to create so.
Speaker 9 (21:24):
Much than in the end.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (21:31):
Let's talk about some of your programming choices. First of all,
you went with the Philly Special super Bowl, your Super
Bowl with the Eagles. People think of that as the
Philly Special game, but you had a really good game.
Why why do you want everybody to see that game again?
Speaker 6 (21:46):
That's my favorite super Bowl.
Speaker 16 (21:48):
I had a blast in that game, my most productive
super Bowl in my career.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
I think I almost had one hundred yards.
Speaker 16 (21:55):
Men, Dudes keep on getting into it about a lot
not letting me get those extra ten because I don't
know a lot of guys that ran for a hundred
yards in the Super Bowl. So definitely definitely wanted that
hundred yard game. But by far my favorite super Bowl
because it was an opportunity for us to do something
that hadn't been done in Philly history.
Speaker 7 (22:17):
I think either way, regardless of whether you got the
extra ten yards, I mean that game is in Super
Bowl War forever for a variety of reasons. You had
a couple more with the New England Patriots. Obviously your
time with the Patriots highlighted today. What is your best
Patriots memory, whether Super Bowl or otherwise.
Speaker 16 (22:38):
My best Patriots memory, I would have to say the
first Super Bowl. It was my first time ever experiencing
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
It was crazy.
Speaker 16 (22:49):
It was fun, jam packed with a lot of different
activities and a lot of different things to do. And
in that game, I didn't have a lot a lot
of yards, but it was really really fun to just
lay in that atmosphere, be there with obviously the best
quarterbacks ever played the game, and to see what it
feels like and looks like to win.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
The Super Bowl. So that was great.
Speaker 8 (23:13):
You played for five teams, right, the Bucks gave you
your start. You won two super Bowls with the Patriots,
one with the Eagles. You're in Detroit and Pittsburgh, Like,
what team do you still feel most attached to.
Speaker 9 (23:26):
Like, what's the team that you still follow the most.
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Oh, that's a good question.
Speaker 16 (23:31):
So the team that I follow the absolute most, The
team that I follow the absolute most is I would
say the Philadelphia Eagles for the simple fact that they
always make different transactions with trades, with free agency. They're
always picking up some guys to get better and have
(23:56):
a better football team. So I'll follow Philly more closely
than anything.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
I talked to them quite a bit.
Speaker 16 (24:01):
They haven't They have switched out the coaching since I
was there. But Nick is awesome, very welcoming, dom as Doe,
mister Larry is awesome. So those guys are who I
gravitate to the most, even though it was only there
for one year.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
All right, So let's let's stay right there and let's
talk about Philly because they got a running back named
Sakuon Barkley who is pretty good, pretty good, kind of
a little bit of a throwback just in how physically
is I mean, you got to be psyched with how
well teams are running the ball and focusing on that.
But Saquon recently said that in his mind, last year's
Eagles are a top five NFL team, you obviously have
(24:43):
been have won three Super Bowls. You know as much
about the NFL as and what do you think when
you hear that statement from this Eagles running back.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
I agree with that. I one hundred percent agree with it.
Speaker 16 (24:54):
I think that they are one of the better teams
in NFL history. It's not a lot of teams. I
had a guy like say Kwan on their team. It's
really really hard team to beat. And you know you're
going into the game, no matter what other thirty one
teams you are, You're going into the game knowing that
it's going to be a tough one all four quarters,
all four quarters, no matter if they have a couple
(25:16):
of guys down, no matter if you got a couple
of guys out, they have enough firepower to make it
a long day or night for you.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
All all game.
Speaker 16 (25:25):
On both sides of the on both sides of the
field is a is a I'm going to go out
on a limb and say he's going to end up
being one of the best backs to ever grace the NFL.
He's definitely on that, on that trajectory and pace, and
that's even with the first part of his career being
in New York.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
Well, let's stay on the running backs. You obviously like
Saquon a lot. What are the running backs? Current running
backs do you like to watch?
Speaker 16 (25:52):
Oh, Jamier Gibbs, Jamiir Gibbs, d John Robinson. Those young guys,
those are those are they? They are very very impressive,
They're very entertaining to watch. Jamiir Gibbs is one of
those guys. Well, I don't know, I'm just trying to think,
and I don't think that we've seen a guy like
(26:13):
that in the league in a long time.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
And he puts in the mind of someone that is.
Speaker 16 (26:21):
A version of sweetness, but not the same style of sweetness.
But he does have a really really really sweet running style.
He's very smooth, he's extremely fast and agile, has a
lot of balance. B John Robinson kind of the same thing.
I mean, the list goes on with these young guys
that that can, that can just outright play ball. So
(26:45):
those those are two of the younger guys that I
really really, really really like.
Speaker 6 (26:49):
And I make sure I tune in to watch every
game that they play.
Speaker 7 (26:52):
Really appreciate you hanging out with us and the insiders.
Enjoy your day on NFL Network. I know we will
as well.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Congrants to Travis Hunter, who married his high school sweetheart
Leanna d la Fuente over the weekend. Big couple of
months for Travis Hunter and Liam Cohen.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
He's also doing that football.
Speaker 9 (27:13):
Thing that was good, you know.
Speaker 13 (27:16):
I mean, he's still learning. He's been learning a ton
defensively and offensively, as we know, you know, but that
was more so fundamentals techniques. It wasn't a ton of
eleven on eleven seven one. It was more fundamentals techniques communication.
That was what that kind of last Wednesday was. And
he's been learning with those guys and meet with him
(27:38):
extra as he's needed to.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilla, Serah Mark Ross
back with.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Us, joined now by Cam Wolf.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
I feel like Cam, we can talk about this every
day until we actually see Travis Hunter in the game.
What do we make so far of what we're seeing
and hearing about.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
The number two pick out of Jacksonville.
Speaker 17 (27:56):
Well, Tom, first of all, this is just a fun
energy to bring on this franchise Duval Jacksonville.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
You mentioned he got married this past weekend.
Speaker 17 (28:05):
He brought some of those dance moves that he had
from the wedding onto the practice field to day. His
energy is just infectious and I can't wait to get
down to duvall in camp to be able.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
To see him up close.
Speaker 17 (28:14):
You heard Liam Cohen discuss it a little bit. They
have a clear plan for the two way star. He
has been primarily an offensive player, including today where he
played solely wide receiver, but he did get one day
of defense last Wednesday playing cornerback. But their plan is
for him to play wide receiver on the field most
of the days and OTA's and end of the training camp,
(28:36):
and they'll sprinkle in a day or two of defensive back. Now,
Cohen mentioned, we're not going to put him on the
field on both sides of the ball on one day
because we just think that's too much for him to
take on at this stage. But when we get in
the season, we expect him to be that two way
player who practices on both sides of the ball. But
I just can't wait to see this offense when it's
up to speed. They talked about Travis Hunter and what
(28:58):
he can do his route running, his ability to play
making ability. Don't forget about Brian Thomas Junior, who is
one of the most effective players, not rookies, but players
at the wide receiver position. Last year, you get him,
you get Travis Hunter along with Trevor Lawrence, and there's
a lot of belief that they can have a more
explosive offense down the field. A lot of eyeballs on
what they can do in your one for Liam Cohen,
(29:19):
but the hope is that they can have this explosion
that they have missed on offense with Travis Hunter.
Speaker 11 (29:27):
Yeah, can the perfect compliment with Travis Hunter in his
skill set, going with Brian Thomas Junior, because Brian Thomas
Junior and you get run by anybody. He could do
the other things, but he can just really fly, whereas
Travis Hunter is more of the slick underneath route runner.
So they're a perfect compliment to one another. And the
plan that they have for them, I think is perfect.
When I first scouted Travis Hunter, just watching him on
(29:47):
both sides of the balls, like, this guy has to
be a receiver because you can get him the ball.
You want your best players to get the ball as
much as possible, and you can force feed him the
ball as a receiver whereas a corner he could go
through a whole stretch of game.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
He don't even notice him.
Speaker 11 (30:01):
So this is a perfect plan and for Jacksonville learning
the playbook on offense, as a corner, you can just
go say go cover somebody, but this is more of
also with Travis Hunter being on offense, this is it
for Trevor Lawrence. Like, there's no more excuses for Trevor Lawrence.
You got maybe top five explosive wide receiver duo there
in the league and Trevor just has to finally get
it done. There's no more he needs this, this needs
(30:24):
he needs more. It's time for him, being the number
one pick and the franchise quarterback there to say I
can raise my level, I can raise everybody else's level
on this team and not just throw for eleven touchdowns
and barely over two thousand yards last season no matter
who's around him. So this is really a make or
break gear for Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville franchise. And
(30:45):
if he doesn't do it with this group, whether they
go again, they reset once again.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
So Jayguar's got Trevor Lawren's a big time weapon. The
Panthers hope that they got a big time weapon for
Bryce Young as well. He's out there this week at
OTAs to throw for the first time to his new
favorite target, Tete Rolla McMillan, the number eight overall pickerson
After the draft, Bryce Young was stumping for Carolina to
(31:10):
draft him. Now, certainly Bryce's happy team at as a Panther.
Speaker 18 (31:15):
I've played against him in high school. I've seen him
and followed his career ever since since high school, so
I've always from whether it's playing against him or from afar.
I was always someone that had a ton of respect
for I loved his game. I've been around him before
that too, her great things, loved his work ethic, have
had seen him live, so just again, I had a
(31:37):
ton of exposures, so I was always kind of following,
always kind of looking, and you know, obviously just us
having that opportunity was I'm super grateful. Obviously I trusted
coach kanal Is and Dan with the decision. They were
going to do what was best for the team, and
you know, they they obviously felt that was what was best.
And you know, obviously for me, it's it's it was
(31:57):
music for my ears, Caam.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
It was interesting because leading up to the draft, the
Panthers were taking a lot of calls, making calls, but
potentially moving down in round one.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
But if they were at number eight, t Mac was
their guy.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
They ultimately decided to Stan Patton obviously got the type
of weapon they really haven't had around the former number
one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah Tom.
Speaker 17 (32:18):
Bryce Young said it was music to his ears to
hear the Panthers taking teddor Roe McMillan, California loved maybe
the music on.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
The track for these duos.
Speaker 17 (32:27):
They already are connecting deep down the field and OTA's
and these are two South California kids. As he mentioned,
they played against each other in high school. And from
what I was told, they had an off season throwing
session before the draft or one day throwing session together
that went excellent, and it really led to Bryce Young
telling the front office that, hey, yeah, we got a chance.
I'd love to get that guy. If you know anything
(32:48):
about Bryce Young, he's soft spoken. He doesn't speak up
a ton in these moments, so I'm sure that spoke
volumes to the front of office. And now they have
really supplied the offense that Bryce Young needs.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
He got Xavier get last year, now he's got t Mac.
Speaker 17 (33:01):
They invested in the offensive line and Robert Hunt and
Damian Lewis last year, and I talked to him as
Zach a few weeks ago and said, hey, give me
something that may surprise me this year. He said, the
Panthers being a top ten offense and making a playoff push,
which definitely would surprise a lot of people. But they
have the right talent and there's a lot of confidence
in Bryce Young out there. Coach Canal has said today,
(33:22):
if I'm very confident, if we saw the Bryce Young
I saw today on the field, then we're in good shape.
And I remember being there at the season finale game
they played in the Falcons Week eight team. He was
throwing deep balls, daggers all down the field. That gave
them the confidence to make him the unquestioned starter. And
now with Ted McMillan Xavier Lyguett, they think they have
something brewing in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Cam Mark, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
The countdown is on, not just to see if the
Panthers can have a top ten offense to go to
the playoffs, but also with one hundred days left to
the season, much of these contenders perennially could be under
just a little bit more pressure. Judabatista will be back
with her. Answers come up right after this on the Insiders.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected
throughout the off season with twenty four to seven football
news and coverage on NFL Network and at NFL Plus Premium.
Relive your favorite moans from the twenty twenty four season
with game replays and access to NFL player stats with
NFL Pro. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL dot Com.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Terms and conditions apply, as they always do in other
parts of life as well.
Speaker 7 (34:38):
Meanwhile, it is now time for count on It, presented
by Toro let Us. Welcome in our good friends Judabautista
and Brian Baldinger.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Judy, you have an.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
Article on NFL dot com about the team's most under
the microphone of microscope not microphone, that would be us.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I will start on this.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
Which is the team in your s themation the needs
to win the Super Bowl?
Speaker 8 (35:04):
Well, there's certainly quite a few candidates for this, but
I would go with the Buffalo Bills, who have come
achingly close to toppling the Kansas City Chiefs in the
AFC in recent years. They've lost in the conference championship
to them twice. They actually beat the Chiefs in the
regular season. They've got no problem doing that. But at
some point they're going to have to get past the
(35:25):
Chiefs and get over the finish line here. Obviously, their
championship window is wide open as long as Josh Allen
is on the field and healthy.
Speaker 9 (35:34):
But to avoid looking back on.
Speaker 8 (35:36):
The Josh Allen era the way they look back on
that era from thirty years ago when they kept falling
just a little bit short in the Super Bowl, They've got.
Speaker 9 (35:44):
To finally win a Super Bowl. It's all set up
for them this year.
Speaker 8 (35:47):
They've got the raining MVP, they did a lot of
work on their defense, and they have a really manageable schedule.
Six of their first seven games this season are against
teams that did not make the playoffs, so they certainly
have the uppernity to roll up a lot of wins
and maybe get home field advantage in the playoffs.
Speaker 10 (36:05):
That's hard to argue with that picked you and he
especially playing in the AFC East where everybody's looking up
the Bills who have won five straight division titles. But
I'm gonna go almost to what Ian said, almost by mistake,
when he said what team is under the microscope the
most and that's the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
They just are.
Speaker 10 (36:23):
I mean, it's a twenty nine year drought since they
won a Super Bowl. I know plenty of prominent Cowboy
players that won Super Bowls in the seventies and the
nineties with the Cowboys, and they sincerely question whether they're
on the right path to do it. But yet the
schedule makers say, well, the Cowboys are national TV six times.
They start the season Philadelphia. It's time for the Cowboys
(36:47):
here to step up and show that they are relevant,
that even if they're not quite America's team, still that
they're still worth putting on national TV as frequently as
they are. So I'm gonna say to Cowboys they should
feel the sure and be under the microscope this season.
Speaker 7 (37:04):
First year head coaching Brian Schottenheimer, a bunch of new
acquisitions that's gonna be fun to watch as well. This
team right here, Cincinnati Bengals on the field for OTAs today.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Joe Burrow, we know he got paid.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
We know T Higgins and Jamar Chase got paid this offseason.
What does that mean for Jamar Chase's mindset go into
this season.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Let's find out.
Speaker 19 (37:28):
I'll flay with more of it with a chip on
my shoulder like my rookie year. You know, was a
lot on my mind as everyone seen from my Kansas
City clip me crashing out. So I mean, I'm glad
that I got I got that off my chest.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
How do you fabricate a chip on your shoulder if
there is none?
Speaker 6 (37:44):
You've been paid now, I mean, how do you get
that chip again?
Speaker 19 (37:48):
Stay motivated and find ways to have a chip, because
we didn't make the playoffs two years straight. So that's
my chip right there.
Speaker 7 (37:56):
Speaking of make the playoffs, and I have a feeling
based on the sound we just ran that I know
where this is going.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
But Judy, surprise me or not? Which team needs to
make the playoffs?
Speaker 9 (38:09):
No surprise?
Speaker 8 (38:10):
And Jamar Chase just said that the Cincinnati Bengals haven't
made the playoffs the last two seasons, which is kind
of a crime when Joe Burrow is your starting quarterback.
Speaker 9 (38:19):
Now two seasons ago he got hurt.
Speaker 8 (38:21):
Last season, he was coming back off the wrist injury,
and maybe that contributed to the slow start. There were
also contract situations, but they need to take advantage of
the Joe Burrow window. He said it a few seasons ago.
The championship window is his career. He's absolutely right. The
thing that the Bengals have to do is get out
to a faster start. This has been a problem for
(38:43):
them for a number of seasons. Again, contract issues have
sort of hung over them in previous off seasons. That
is not the case at least on the offense right now.
They got the receivers done. Joe Burrow is paid, Joe
Burrow is also healthy. Trey Hendrickson, though, is out there
with a contract issue.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
They need to.
Speaker 8 (39:01):
Clean that up, get him in, solve it, and then
go forward full steam ahead. Because if this team can
finally get out to a fester we saw what that
offense looked like at the end of last season, even
with the issues on defense, that team was coming on strong.
The Bengals need to make the playoffs this season.
Speaker 10 (39:21):
Well, the defense will come and question Judy because the
offense should be very good. But for me, it's the
San Francisco forty nine ers. We know that they were
banged up last year, we know they were injured. We
understand going seven to ten. But at the same time,
when you look at this team, brock Perty just got paid.
They paid him to be a franchise quarterback. Well, now
he might feel a little bit of that pressure to
(39:42):
do it. They've let Deebo Samuel go. They re signed
and extended you know Fred Warner right here along with Jews.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Along with George Kittle.
Speaker 10 (39:50):
They've got some of the highest paid players in the
league and maybe one of this offest schedules in the league.
This should be a classic bounce back year for the
forty nine.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
It starts with the quarterback. The defense should be retooled.
Speaker 10 (40:03):
They've got a new leader on there trying to get
this thing back on track where they can really start.
Speaker 6 (40:08):
Taking the ball away again.
Speaker 10 (40:09):
But offensively, there's no excuses for this offense not to
be very good and be in playoff contention.
Speaker 7 (40:17):
One hundred days to go before kickoff, so much to
find out, guys, great stuff. Thank you very much As
always NFL dot com slash Batista for more goodies from Judy.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
The weight is over and the countdown the kickoff has begun.
Single game tickets for the twenty twenty five NFL season
are on sale now. Visit NFL dot com slash tickets
to purchase tickets today. Tickets are available through the NFL
Ticket Network, including Ticketmasters, Sink Geek, and Sports Illustrated Tickets.
Colts owner and CEO Jim Mersey passed away last Wednesday.
(40:53):
Beloved in that locker room as well as in the
community of Indianapolis. The team will honor the boss with
a jersey patch a trademark smiley face. Throughout the twenty
twenty five season, first round picks continue to get their
contracts done. That includes the Browns Mason Graham scene here
in slow motion. How else would you want to run
(41:15):
around those bags? Four year, forty point eighty seven million dollar,
fully year guaranteed contract that includes a fifty year option.
Travis Hunter, Will Campbell among nine first round picks not
yet signed. Eagles one of twenty teams getting things underway
today in OTAs the defending champs. Dalen Hurts is there.
Jalen Carter is there, like seven other guys named Jalen
(41:36):
are there, and also a Dallas. Sam Darnold's got new
digs in Seattle. It can be kind of break there
when you walk out of that that waitroom for the
first time. He was done squid and got some good
work in on OTA's kind of like our Brian Baldinger,
who is no stranger to the sun. He's also no
stranger to sures. Baldy. I'm gonna let you take it
(41:57):
from here. What in the world are you doing, man?
Speaker 10 (42:01):
Well, Tom, I mean, I'm diving with some bull sharks
there off the coast of Jupiter, Florida. They chum the
waters to bring the sharks from the depth up and honestly,
you just got a channel your inner Jayden Daniels. You
just can't show any kind of fear. You don't show
the shark any fear. They don't pay any attention to you.
They just kind of swim and looking for some charm
(42:22):
or remora right there, and they kind of, you know,
just go on with the home the way. It was
really quite quite peaceful day, quite fun. Really, it was
really a great experience. You can't wait to go back
out there again, you know.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
I mean people have always said you can't show any fear,
but like, no, I'd be scared to death. So like
it's cool to say, don't show any fear, But how
big do you have to be to not be scared
of sharks? Like, you know, sharks.
Speaker 8 (42:55):
Those are really bull sharks are mean, Yeah they are,
they are too.
Speaker 10 (43:01):
But I didn't like I said. I just like stared
right at them when they came at me. Uh was
in the water for an hour with them. They didn't
really bother me. I kind of pushed them down by
the nodes away just to get them away.
Speaker 6 (43:13):
I don't know.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
I can't wait to go back and give me more video. Yeah,
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