May 13, 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, Steve Wyche joins with commentary on the Trey Hendrickson contract extension saga with the Cincinnati Bengals. Then, Brian Baldinger talks up the seven new NFL international games in the 2025 NFL season. Later, both former NFL QB David Carr and current Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. join the Insiders for an interview. To top things off, Wyche and Baldy discuss the Lions' unique challenge in filling their vacant coaching positions.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
In twenty twenty four, Trey Hendrickson led the league in
sacks in twenty twenty five. He already leads the league
in press conferences about his contract situation. In the middle
of a Bengals practice strange times in Cincinnati. Here from Hendrickson,
make clear today he gets paid or he doesn't play.
Will Anderson Junior has a big payday of his own
(00:29):
coming down the line. For today he was up to
unless you can see more important things. Anderson joins US
tonight to talk about driving safe and making life dangerous
for prosing quarterbacks. Derek Carr knows what that life is like,
and he adds the scars to prove it literally. His
brother David joins US Tonight this year new insight on
(00:50):
why Derek walked away at age thirty four and whether
the retirement could be temporary. Welcome inside with the Insider
alongside Judy Batista and Ian Rappaport.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I am Tom Pelicero.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
One day away, twenty five hours away. We will have
the entire two hundred and seventy two game NFL regular
season schedule, and no, despite the number of announcements you've
seen over the past couple of days, we don't have
all two hundred and seventy two yet we didn't get
the International Games. Brian Baldinger is going to join us
in just a little bit to talk about those. We
(01:26):
start tonight with a guy who we'll see when or
if he's back on the field in a Bengals uniformed
again for today. Trey Hendrickson was walking across the street
like he's about to sell you with discount appliance not
dressed for practice, dressed for business to sixteen million.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Dollars in the last year of his contract.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
There have been ongoing discussions with the Bengals, and fair
to say, Trey Henderson not happy with the latest communication
between himself and coach Zach Taylor.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
A little bit transpired between me and Zach. We've tried
to keep it less at least amount personal as possible,
but at some point in this process it becomes personal.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
You know. Being sent.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Thirty days before mandatory camp or however to any days
it is that if I don't show up, I will
be fined alludes to the fact that something won't get
done in that timeframe, like the meetings that we've had
prior to right, I have a tremendous amount of respect
for the ability to be in meetings with them behind
(02:32):
closed doors, and what was conveyed of the vision of
what I would be in this organization would be if
I continue to play at the level I am, that
the door would be open to continue long term discussions
about contracts.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
We're just not seeing eye to eye on the structure.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
It seems that a shorter deal is something that they
are pushing pretty hard.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Then next year we're just kicking the can down the road.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
To say I'm going to sit out or to say
I'm not going to what I can say is I'm
very disappointed with the communication that's been had.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
This has been the off season of pass rushers getting paid.
Miles Garrett of course ending his own contract squabble with
the Browns getting a forty million dollars per year average.
Danil Hunter got paid again, Max Crosby got paid again.
Nick Bosea got paid a couple of years ago. Still
one of the tops at thirty four million dollars per year.
And while there are a lot of layers to this ian,
(03:28):
I think it's safe to say this much Trey Anderson
is not asking to reset the market. He does want
to be paid in line with top players at his position.
The Bengals don't seem like they are anywhere close to
doing that, all of which makes the next couple of
months really interesting navigation for all sides involved.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Right, and what you mentioned is true from my I understanding,
Trean Henderson is not trying to top Miles Garrett at
forty million dollars per year. I don't even know if
he's trying to beat Max Crosby at thirty five plus.
It does seem like he wants to be at at
least in that conversation with Danil Hunter and Max Crosby,
might have come down a little under those guys maybe.
And look, these third contracts with star players are always tricky,
(04:11):
which is why you see some really good teams saying,
you know what, we are not going to entertain a
third contract for a great player. We're either gonna trade him,
we're gonna let him hit free agency, we're gonna move on.
Because sometimes these are when the value isn't great. The
real problem comes when you are a guy like Trey
Hendrickson and you are great, and you are still as
great as you've always been, or maybe even somehow better
(04:32):
it seems like he is just now entering his pride
despite being thirty or so or whatever he is, which
is why the Bengals are in this situation. They have
kicked around a potential one year deal. They have focused
on a shorter deal, but I think it's pretty clear
guys that Trey Henderson is not going to deal with
a shorter deal. Want some security past this season. My understanding,
(04:54):
the least the Bengals are willing to give him some
security past this season. There just hasn't been any urgenc
to do it because there's no deadline and there's no
mandatory anything at least for another month. This is why
he's coming out and doing this right now. He wants
to be clear he wants to get paid now.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
I thought he also made it clear that he wants
to be with the Cincinnati Bengals. And if you're the
Cincinnati Bengals, you should have urgency. You should want to
get this wrapped up, and you should want to get
it wrapped up sooner rather than later. A few reasons why.
First of all, we have seen over the past few
years that the Bengals have let contract issues seep late
(05:34):
into the summer into training camp. Last year, jimor Chase
wasn't on the practice field until only a few days
before the season opener, and it affected the offensive rhythm
in those first few weeks. They lost to the New
England Patriots, an inferior team last season. This is a
team that has Super Bowl aspirations, and they have behaved
at the rest of this offseason like a team that
(05:55):
believes it is a legitimate Super Bowl contender with their moves,
especially on the offense side of the ball. Well, you're
not a Super Bowl contender if you let him go.
He is the best part of your defense. Your defense
was not good last year. It was immeasurably worse when
Trey Hendrickson was not on the field. If you have
any thought that you can win the Super Bowl, you've
(06:16):
got to get him on the field, and you've got
to get this done soon. I go all the way
back to a conversation with Zach Taylor at the combine
where he told me that they were going to spend
the off season looking at all the possible reasons why
this team has been getting off to slow starts the
last few seasons and then try.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
To address them.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Well, this is a contributing factor that they have had
contract issues distractions hanging over them the last few seasons.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
It has contributed.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
It's not the only reason, but it has contributed to
slow starts that have foiled their seasons. If you are
legitimate about making a run at a super Bowl, you
need Trey Hendrickson on the field and you need to
get it done.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Now.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
You had a chance to trade him for draft picks.
You pass that out opportunity up now it is incumbent
on the franchise to get him in the fold.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
It's a great point, Judy, because the Bengals were open
to trading Trey Hendrickson, who let's remember, has requested a
trade each of the past two offseason, had the opportunity
this time around to actually talk with the teams and
figure out what would I get paid someplace else. The Bengals,
from my understanding, took a hard line of we need
a first round pick if we are going to trade
Trey Henderson. The best offer they had was a second
(07:26):
round pick and an additional pick. They said no. It's
never say never in terms of a trade possibility here,
but teams have spent their money elsewhere. The draft is
coming gone and there's nobody out there who's going to
help you the way that Trey Hendrickson could. In twenty
twenty five, the Bengals have been active locking up some
of their other players, including Jamar Chase and t Higgins
on their extensions earlier on this offseason. Joe Burrow, of course,
(07:50):
one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL, Trey
Hendrickson making twenty one million dollars per year on paper,
though he has done sixteen million dollars in twenty twenty five.
As we now bring in Steve Weitch to the conversation, Steve,
I get the sense too in listening to Trey Hendrickson
talk to there some frustration because the Bengals have bent
some of their rules in terms of how they structured
the Joe Burrow contract. They've probably been some rules in
(08:12):
terms how they structured the Jamar Chase contract. You're the
LEAs leading sack guy. You're wondering why won't they do
the same thing for me? But as you know, well,
this is not the first Bengals contract squabble that has
extended and gotten a little bit weird.
Speaker 7 (08:26):
No, first off, it just seems so peculiar to have
a player while the team is practicing, sit there and
have this type of honest scud missile back and forth
conversation about the dirty laundry was going on with his
contract discussion. He spoke for twenty two minutes that was
absolutely stunning, and he said, this is personal. Some of
these are my feelings have been provoked. This is gonna
(08:49):
be this is gonna be very interesting.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Tom.
Speaker 7 (08:51):
I want to go back to twenty eleven, the Carson Palmer,
the quarterback situation.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
He wanted to get traded.
Speaker 8 (08:56):
He won out.
Speaker 7 (08:57):
The Browns are owner Mike Brown and executive president Mike
Brown's daughter Katie Blackburn, was like, no, we're not trading you.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
We're not giving you a new deal.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
You signed a deal.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
It's here.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
He's like, I'm going to stay home and sit on
the couch. They eventually traded him midway through the season
for that first round pick. You said, the Bengals are
now asking for Trey Hendrickson for so that's why they
have president a president right now for this type of negotiation.
This is the wrong team. They will hold out for
as long as they want. If Trey Henderson doesn't want.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
To budge, they won't Budge.
Speaker 7 (09:27):
That's why this is going to be a very intriguing
stare down Tom Again. Most other teams they say, Okay,
we're gonna get rid of him, We're gonna figure this out.
The Bengals may say, you know what, you had seventeen
and a half sacks last year, we didn't go to
the playoffs. If that's our attitude, they should trade him.
The same time, again, this is an awkward situation. Going
back to the optics that we saw today, this is
(09:48):
going to be a long, ugly situation.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Any player's greatest leverage is withholding their services. This is
the first time Trey Hendrickson has explicitly said I'm not
playing for sixteen million dollars.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
There's this season.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
The Bengals can come back, and their leverage is to say, okay, well,
then we're going to find you millions of dollars. If
you start missing training camp and then you're giving up
about a half million dollars on each game. Check long
way to go until then. They're not playing football games
in May, although we are finding out when some of
those games and where they're going to be played come
this fall. Further announcements earlier today, including a great one
(10:23):
Monday Night, November tenth, it's going to be Eagles Packers,
a toush push revenge game of sorts, perhaps depending what
happens at the league meeting in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
More on that soon. I am sure.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
We've also got an announcement regarding the Week one Brazil game,
not yet an announcement over who the Chargers are playing
that is forthcoming, but for the first time, YouTube is
going to stream the game worldwide. It will be live
and for free in its entirety on YouTube. The NFL
breaking new ground on that once again. And we got
(10:58):
the international slag including these games right here on NFL
Network and NFL plus the Vikings with an unprecedented double
dip in two different countries, from Dublin against the Steelers
to London against the Browns a week later. You got
Broncos and Jets in London at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium the
(11:18):
following week as well another week another game Rams Jaguars
in London, Falcons Colts is going to be the inaugural
game in Berlin, and then Commanders and Dolphins in Madrid.
The Insiders already lobbying to host our show from there,
although after doing some googling earlier today, I realized that
means the show will be live at one am local
(11:39):
time time now for count On It presented by Toro'brian
Baldinger is with us. Baldy, you got a chance look
at that international slate. Give me your top three matchups
that you're looking forward to.
Speaker 9 (11:50):
I'll do that, Tom, But I mean the first thing is,
you know, this is truly a global sport, something that
Roger Goodell has truly pushed for him since his tenure began.
And so if I go to one in order here
my top three games. I'm gonna start with that game
in Madrid, the first game ever played in Spain, all
right in Madrid, and the latest I can ever remember
an international game being played between Washington and Miami. I
(12:14):
think it's going to be a fantastic scene. That stadium
is awesome, in.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
State of the art.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
This is not real in Madrid, this is.
Speaker 9 (12:22):
Not football, this is American football in Spain.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
I think it's going to get it be very very
well received.
Speaker 9 (12:28):
My second game is the Rams going to play the
Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. I'm proud to
say that I was part of the first international game
ever played outside of the United States borders at Wembley
in nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 8 (12:44):
Cowboys and Bears. And here we are, we get Travis
Hunter already making some noise in mini camp there with
the Jags.
Speaker 9 (12:51):
He's going to be on an international stage, and I
get the feeling that people watching this game at Wembley,
who are very, very knowledgeable about the NFL can't wait
to see him play both ways. I think it's going
to be fascinating for those people London who are very
educating about this game. And then my favorite game of
the seven games late this year takes place in Dublin,
(13:13):
the first game ever played in Ireland, and Steelers will
be playing the Vikings, and presumably, presumably Tom Aaron Rodgers
will be the quarterback of that Steelers team trying to
beat the Vikings in foreign soil. Last year he had
an opportunity to beat the Vikings as a member of
the Jets. He couldn't do it, couldn't make a throw
(13:33):
at the end of the game to Garrett Wilton that
could have gotten the win. And so now he gets
another chance to go over to Dublin here as the
Steelers quarterback.
Speaker 8 (13:44):
We believe, we believe Tom you might have.
Speaker 9 (13:46):
More insight today than I do, but we believe that
Aaron Rodgers will be the quarterback of that Steelers team
trying to beat the Vikings in that very talented and
difficult Brian Flores defense of the Vikings.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
In order to So that's my.
Speaker 9 (14:00):
My favorite contest right now of the slate of games
out there.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You knew the Roonies we're gonna get that first game
in Dublin, but you didn't know what they were gonna
go up against, the team with a quarterback named McCarthy
and a coach named O'Connell, not to mention the fighting
Irish legend and Harrison Smith as well. Baldy stick around
a lot more from you. Get ready for the twenty
twenty five NFL season like never before with the highly
anticipated NFL schedule release. Every game revealed, every rivalry, every
(14:28):
rematch in every Rocky debut. It'll be on right after
this show tomorrow, eight Eastern, right after the Insiders. Mark
your calendar tomorrow eight eastern. Get all the details at
nfl dot com slash Schedule release.
Speaker 10 (14:44):
Hi thinks will have to when you give her a
card time thirty twenty two.
Speaker 11 (14:48):
Derek back flicking left, knock up smiddle, We're gonna throw
a bob.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Why open up?
Speaker 11 (14:53):
Ry Cooper's got it, He's gone twenty ten fine touchdown.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Harr down the middle of the field.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Open roller, welcome fuck Dared.
Speaker 8 (15:07):
Harr steps up and he's looking for the jurney.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
He's looking fr podcasts and then.
Speaker 11 (15:11):
That has a touchdown long lift the Saints.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
A lot of great football played by Derek Carr. A
lot of highlights to show. That was just a glimpse
of the highlights that are now over with Derek Carr's retirement,
and look back at a star started his career four
times Pobo selection raiders all time, a leader in passyards
ninety two in overtime is actually really cool, more than
(15:38):
forty one thousand passyards since twenty fourteen. And now let's
talk to one of the best sources of information you
could possibly have, a Derek Carr, his brother David, who,
by the way, makes his Insider's debut, which is awesome.
It took your brother retiring to make that happen. David,
thank you for joining me and Judy Bautista here on
the insiders that is decision has coming gone. It was
(16:01):
obviously tumultuous several weeks and months for Derek and for
the family. You spent some time with them recently on
the golf course. How is he handling all of this?
Speaker 12 (16:12):
Yeah, you know, that decision was not easy. It was
something that he had to think long and hard about.
There were a lot of different a lot of different
things that factored into it. His children are getting older,
They're getting to the age now where they want to
play catch with dad, they want to be around, they're
starting to play sports, are starting to be active. That
happens with a lot of retired players or players that
are getting close to retirement. And then you kind of
compound the questions and the decision with the fact that
(16:33):
his shoulder wasn't what it was before, and when he
tried to ramp up throwing again this year, it just
didn't feel right. It never felt comfortable, and he knows,
you know how hard it is to go through an
NFL season, you know, fully healthy as opposed to kind
of trying to struggle your way into getting ready to
play Week one.
Speaker 13 (16:48):
So you know, with that being the case and all
those factors weighed in it was time.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
And he is.
Speaker 12 (16:53):
He's very content with where he is. You know, this
is like just just me personally. I mean, he walked
away from a lot of money. I mean, this is
I look at it from a player's perspective. You could
have easily said, I'll have the surgery, let me just
get through the season, just cut me a check. I mean,
let's just be honest, like that's that's a very real scenario,
and that was never it for him.
Speaker 13 (17:11):
That was what was so shocking for me.
Speaker 12 (17:12):
Is like just and not really shocking because I know
the kid, but just watching him kind of go through
you know, everyday life and and as a quarterback, you know,
for him to make those decisions about you know, number one,
it was I want to make I want to just
right for the Saints. I want to make sure that
they're set up in a way where they can kind
of recover from this. I know it's late, I know
this is an ideal, but I want them to be
able to recover and have something going forward. And him
(17:33):
and Mickey worked very well together, and Derek finally came
to the decision where he didn't want to have surgery.
He wan't have to do with that rehab, he didn't
know if he'd be ready to come back then to
be able to help the team, and he made the
decision to walk away.
Speaker 13 (17:43):
And he's very happy, and he's been happy. On the
golf course, he's I'm.
Speaker 12 (17:47):
I'm a little bit torn because now I used to
beat up with my son and I'd be able to
kind of take most people. But now he's showed up
and it's depressing because he's really good at golf, and
I'm gonna have to step my game upright.
Speaker 6 (18:00):
His health wasn't where it needs to be. The Saints
had drafted a quarterback, so it was time to close
that chapter. But he's only thirty four years old, so
it doesn't necessarily have to be the end. Are you
convinced that he is going to remain retired or can
you envision a scenario where he might wake up one
morning and say, you know what, let me have the surgery,
(18:22):
let me get rehabbing, let me go back to football.
Speaker 12 (18:26):
Yeah, it's a great question, and it's a couple people
have asked us that, and I asked me personally, I
believe that I believe that he has done I know
that Derek loves the game.
Speaker 13 (18:34):
But here's here's what I'll tell you. I think more than.
Speaker 12 (18:37):
Anything, he loved the teammates. He loved the being around,
the personalities. That was the one thing like Judy over
the last couple of days of playing golf with him,
is you know for me, you know, when you retire,
you kind of go away and the NFL kind of
forgets about you. You know, that's just that's what happens
with most guys. I cannot tell you how many phone
calls that he got on the golf course. I mean
it was every other shot his phone was ringing from
(18:58):
either an ex head coach, someone he played against. I mean,
just NonStop outpouring. He just put him on speaker and
you'd have chats with him, and it was incredible to
see the impact that he's had on his teammates.
Speaker 13 (19:08):
And it wasn't just a football thing, because you.
Speaker 12 (19:10):
Know, you win games, you lose games, But in reality,
it's the impact that you make on the guys around you.
And I I was I was kind of shocked by, honestly,
the amount of people they called, just loving the fact
that they got a.
Speaker 13 (19:21):
Chance to play with him and got to know him,
and that meant for me more than anything.
Speaker 12 (19:24):
And I can tell just in the last couple of
days that he's he's definitely done playing and he's moved
on because, like I said, his family, his boys and
his little girl are getting older and they're getting to
the point where they want to have Dad around more.
And that that means more to him than anything else.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
God, that is so amazing to hear. Uh, not as
surprise how loved Derek is, but obviously on the golf
course that's actually pretty anny because you don't want that
many phone calls.
Speaker 13 (19:49):
You want to be able you're not supposed to do
on the golf course. And that's why I tried to tell.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Him, yes, this is why.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yes, No, I mean, look now that he's retireding and
start actually learning the rules of golf instead of just
treating it as a hobby.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I want hl month thing.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Though, you have had a front row seat to a really,
really really stowar career. As you look back on it
as someone who cares as much about Derek as you do,
what was your favorite part of it for your brother?
Speaker 12 (20:16):
I think going through the adversity, because I think that
that was the hardest parts for me as a quarterback.
Speaker 13 (20:21):
It wasn't just playing, because you know, I.
Speaker 12 (20:23):
Landed with the Giants, and I would tell people all
the time jokingly, I was obviously the first tim of
the Texans. It didn't go as well when I got
with the Giants. I would jokingly tell people football is
easy when you have a great team around you.
Speaker 13 (20:33):
Football's easy.
Speaker 12 (20:34):
But you know what's not easy is the adversity of
losing a coach or going through a transition of moving cities.
And just the way that he was able to handle that.
You know, a lot of times when he was with
the Raiders, he was the guy that was thrust out
to the podium to answer questions for the organization in
times of some turmoil, and I think that that for
me was the thing that resonated most. Those were my
(20:54):
favorite moments, is of brother being able to watch him
handle those situations, handle difficult situations inside the locker room
that many people will never even know about. But the
way that he was able to navigate that with grace,
it was really impressive for me. And so I think
that's that's probably a lot of the reasons a lot
of the phone calls happened in the last couple of days,
but I've really been impressed by that.
Speaker 8 (21:12):
The spiral.
Speaker 13 (21:13):
I always knew he could do it. You know, it
was nine.
Speaker 12 (21:14):
He was out there out throwing all this on the
field anyway, so I knew he could do that part
of it, But it's the way you navigated the other
stuff was really impressive.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Obviously you've been retired for a few years now. What
kind of advice have you given him? What have you
told him to do in retirement?
Speaker 13 (21:30):
Well, just stay busy so he don't drive your wife crazy.
I think that's the biggest thing.
Speaker 12 (21:34):
And for him it's not going to be hard because
he is not a guy that likes to sit around
and so Judy like he's he's been NonStop, like I
literally like this video we're showing that was like our
second or third day on the golf course, iner Row.
Speaker 13 (21:45):
But he's not going to stop.
Speaker 12 (21:47):
I mean, if there's an opportunity for him to play
in a golf tournament, play at the high highest level,
he's going to go try and do that.
Speaker 13 (21:52):
So I know he's he's focused on a lot of
different things.
Speaker 12 (21:54):
Family is definitely one of them, and right there, I
appreciate my son showing one of the best drives I
had all day. But Derek, you can see he can
stripe it on the course. He's he's gonna be fine
no matter what he decides to do. But he's got
a lot of things, a lot of things going, a
lot of a lot of good friends that he's made,
a lot of networking opportunities. He's uh, he's just been
incredible in that regard.
Speaker 13 (22:12):
So it's gonna be fun. I'm excited to see what
he does next as well.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
God, those swings are great, so much better than my swing,
which was just abysmal today. David, thank you very much
for joining us. Congratulations on finally making the insiders, and
just keep playing golf and keep hanging with your brother.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
He's gonna need you.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
He's gonna be very bored.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Great stuff.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
I'm here, goings, you go, there, you go.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
All right.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
So from one quarterback to someone who gets after quarterbacks
as well as anyone in the NFL, that is Will
Anderson Junior of the Houston Texans. Let's chat with him.
Maybe we'll ask about how much he likes hitting quarterbacks.
Speaker 14 (22:50):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (22:58):
Third of ten from New England, forty years the snap.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
Here's Will Anderson Jr.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Bring it down.
Speaker 11 (23:03):
My quarterback came around the end and sacked Drake May.
Texan's up fourteen to nothing. Getting late in the second,
May to throw after faking a hand up down he
goes pig sack. Will Anderson Jr. Hit second of the game.
May shotgun. Few receivers each side, one back Gibson. Here's
the snap to may E's in trouble. Kyse sack back
(23:25):
at the thirty yard line. Will Anderson Junior, Patrick Betor
hat Drick. Yes, it is three out the day for Will.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And we are joined now on the Insiders by Will
Anderson Junior, along with me, Tom Pilisero, and Judy Batista.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Will.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Great to see you, man, appreciate you being you. We've
got a lot of Texan stuff to get into.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
But let's start out with where you are right now.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
You're partnering with USAA to go to the Houston Fire
Department help with a Jaws of Life event to be
able to emphasize the importance of safe driving. Tell me
about this partnership and what you were doing today.
Speaker 14 (24:02):
Yeah, I've been blessed enough, you know, to be a
part of you know USA and you know, the Houston
Fire Department to bring awareness to safe driving, especially this summer.
You know, Labor Day and Memorial Day is coming up,
and the one hundred deadly as days you know of summer,
you know it's coming up as well. So we just
want to spread awareness to you know, everybody to make
sure that you know their job is safe jobing for
(24:22):
other people and making sure that everybody is getting home safely.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
All right, Now, let's talk about the team and you.
You are about to go into your third season. You
were the rookie of the year. You had an even
better season last season. What's on tap for you? What
do you hope to accomplish this season?
Speaker 14 (24:39):
Yeah, for me, man, it's just continued to be a
good leader, man, and you know, rally the gods together
and keep setting the tone and you know, making sure
that cultures together and keep building a great culture with
the guys in the locker room and just bringing that
swarm technique to life and just having fun doing it.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
You're currently on a great trajectory here, will but you know,
as you get a little bit further in your career,
you learn year over year, right, every rep, every game,
are there specific things you're honing in on right now?
Like even if you're ninety percent of the way there,
you think you can get that extra ten percent most definitely.
Speaker 14 (25:10):
You know I talk about it all the time, and
you know, just talking to the rookies and talking to
other you know, my coad, he's helped me. It's really
just about enjoying your process and how much better can
you be at your process? And for me is how
much greater can I be at my process? How much
can I be consistent with doing my process day in
and day out? And that just comes from how my
stands looks, how my get off b loooks, how my
arms or how am I using my hands? How am
(25:33):
I shedding up blocked? So like, just consistently doing my
process the right way to keep building and getting better
game being and game out.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
Are you one of those guys who has a number
in your head, a sack total you want to get to?
What's that number?
Speaker 4 (25:47):
If you've got one, it's double digits. It's double digits.
Speaker 14 (25:51):
It doesn't matter what double digit number is, Just double digits, man.
And you know I've been able just to take it
one game out of time and taking one pay out
of time.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
And I have to get you shout out to danil Man.
Speaker 14 (26:01):
He's been abed guy, sat guy since he's been in
the league, and to see his process and to see
you know, he doesn't worry about those things. He's just like, bro,
I'm just going out there and playing. I think that's
been able to help me and calm me down. And
you know, I always tell people who are like firing
ice when I look at when I look at the Neil,
I just my fire. Just who saw because he just
brings that present like it's gonna be okay, well you're going.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
To get it. So just lucky to have him the
blessed to have him on the team.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Danil is a pretty low key guy. I've known him
for a long time since stays in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
He's also one of.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
The most physically jacked individuals walking planet Earth.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
When you watch him, I know you're.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Busy studying the opposing offenses, but have there been things
you picked up that you can apply to your game.
Speaker 14 (26:43):
The only thing I've picked up from Danil is more
mentality in my hands.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Anything else, I'm like, Danil, you're a freaking nature. I'm
not going to try to do that. I'm not going
to attempt to do that. We gotta leave that to you,
but it's awesome seeing you do it.
Speaker 14 (26:58):
But his mentality in the way he us his hands
or something that we always continues to work on and
practice and when we're on the side, when we're not.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
In Texas have been really busied this offseason. In particular,
they basically rebuilt the entire offensive line. How anxious are
you to get on the field to see them, maybe
to go against them a little bit?
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Yeah, I'm very excited. Man. Those guys are a great
group of guys. Man. They love ball.
Speaker 14 (27:25):
They love attacking today, you know, and I'm just happy to,
you know, see the caaraderie on that side.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Man.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
I know they're gonna do everything the right way. Man.
They love ball, And I can't wait that if we
get in.
Speaker 14 (27:35):
The huddle before the game and either Tightest or me
or tell one of us Donna give the pregame speech,
and we just get everybody hype, man, and it just
starts up front with the trenches that you know, it
starts in practice, competing and having fun going against each other.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
You talk about you and Titus leading those huddles, but
there's another guy, you guys added to the team this offseason.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Who talks a lot.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
CJ.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Gardner Johnson.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
I'm sure you're aware of his reputation just from Afar
in recent years. What is that guy going to bring
from an attitude perspective to this defense?
Speaker 14 (28:05):
You know, I tell people all the time, you have
to have a guy like that in the in the
locker room. You know what I'm saying. He keeps everybody
on their toes. He brings the Jews, he brings the energy,
and you can tell he really loves ball and people
feed off that type of energy.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 14 (28:16):
If somebody's having a load day, he comes in, let's
go to it. Is like, that's what makes a team
gets hyped. Now, I guess what makes us go out
there and keep wanting to play and keep building that
team garaderie and he just has that factor to him, man,
and just knowing him so far and get into you know,
train with them and work out with him and be
in the spaces that we be in. He's been a
phenomenal pickup for us. So I'm excited to go play
with him.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Last thing for you will real quick.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
You know you talked about Danil and you know what
he's been able to do in this league. He got
paid again second straight off season. Nick Cassario cut him
a big check on a new extension. I know Nick
watches this show a lot. You're going to be extension
eligible after the season. Is there any message you'd like
to deliver to your GM about what type of check
he's gonna be cutting you come next March.
Speaker 14 (28:58):
I want to be hoton for the rest of my career,
trust me, like I want to be here till I
retire to whatever I'm done. But for me, I just
want to enjoy my process, man, like day in and
day out. Hockinsistent. Can I be with my process? How
much better? Can I continue to get in my process?
And you know, whatever happens happens. But h Town, I
don't want to leave, man. I want to be here
(29:19):
and I want to keep spinning with those guys. I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
All right, We'll let.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Your agents say the other part forty million a year.
We'll let her get to work here.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Will thanks a ton, dude. Always awesome talking to you, man.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
We appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
I got ya, ill appreciate you. Thank you man.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
If you're a.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Texans fan, having that dude say he wants to be
there for the entirety of his career.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Very very good news.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
And the Texans have added to that excellent team this offseason.
Christian Hirk, Jayon Higgins and Jalen Leel drafted two receivers
same team. Instant impact on offense. Plenty of additions for
the Houston Texans. And welcome back in our good friend
Steve eve weis with a killer jacket right back on
the insiders, Steve, Let's take a look at this Texans offense.
(30:06):
Obviously they have a new offensive coordinator, a lot of focus,
especially the end of last year, on the offensive line.
What should we expect from the Shuston offense in the
twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 7 (30:16):
We're on the Mellon palette the way we're wardrobed out today,
both you and I, I know, yeah, but I'd love
that interview with Will Anderson. That defensive set they got
players at young secondary is excellent. The defensive front very good.
But offense, it all starts with the offensive line. We
know that they've got some repairing to do at wide
receiver with some of the injuries that they suffered there.
Speaker 13 (30:37):
But last year we saw quarterback CJ.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
He got sacked.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
Fourteen more times than he did in his rookie season
twenty twenty three. But it wasn't just a pass protection that.
Speaker 14 (30:46):
Was the issue.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
They did not run the balls well consistently, and there
seemed to be some disjointed kind of coaching going home.
OC an offensive line, so they go out and they
get them on like Cam Robinson left tackle that we're
seeing here was Minnesota previously with Jacksonville before that, they
drafted the player in the second round. They added a
lot of talent. But the fact that Nick Kayley the
new OC and Cole Popovich new offensive line coach, they
(31:08):
weren't together for five years in New England. They know
how each others thinks Papovitch got promoted. Kaylee comes over
from the Rams or he was a tight end coach,
so they know how each other worked. I think that's
very important. I think Damiko Ryans kind of recognized that
they had to have some type of cohesion between the coaches,
the OC and the O line coach to make things work.
(31:30):
If they can get the talent to Matt's maybe some
things that they can work with the coaching, this offense
could take right back off when they get some of
those young wide receivers of Christian Kirk paired up there
with Nico Collins and John match.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Nick Kelly the new offensive coordinator, certainly not as well
known as Bobby Slovak was, but a really, really highly
regarded name of the NFL circle, someone who should jumpstart
that offense. Steve, thank you very much for hanging out
with us as always give. While the Baltimore Ravens had
some serious unfortunate news today, sources told me earlier in
(32:03):
the day that our Darius Washington, the really good up
and coming safety played a key role in the office
at the end of last year and was expected to
do so this year, has.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Torn his achilles.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
This confirmed by the MRI. He is now out for
the least start of the twenty twenty five season, potentially
the entire Seaon. They did draft Malachi Starts in the
first round. That helps, but a big time blow for
the Baltimore Ravens. As for the New York Giants and
the Chicago Bears, both of them are undergoing rookie mini
(32:35):
camp right now. Plenty of news to discuss, plenty of
big time talents to talk about, including that guy Jackson
Dart has been in focus thus far in camp for
the Giants. That is going to continue. I'm going to
tell you a little more coming up.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
The Giants traded back into the first round last month,
all the though up to number twenty five overall to
take that man, Jackson Dart out of Ole miss It.
This past weekend, the Giants got there first look at
him in a practice sitting or in rookie minnie camp,
and safe to say, Brian Dable likely see some fall.
Speaker 8 (33:13):
He did what he was supposed to do.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
He was prepared.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
He he put a lot of time and effort into it,
and I got a lot of appreciation for how he's
gone about short amount of time his business. And that's
what's most important, is how he can get him to
a routine meeting with players extra having walked throughs at
the hotel's communication he's that's that's part of playing quarterbacks,
being on top of all those little things.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
It was really cool.
Speaker 15 (33:36):
I mean I went to go tex him right after
the draft and there was text misses of him trying
to want of us texting throughout college and high school.
So I mean, I'm known for a good amount of
time through the through the football football scene. But it's
great to be you know, brig Be's teammate and gets
a home better.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pellisero, Judy Batiste Ian
rapport joined now by our friend Jeffrey Chedia.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Jeffrey, it's very very early.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Okay, well we'll qualify everything with that first time seeing
Jackson are actually out there starting to run some of
those giants' concepts.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
What do you make so far once you're hearing and
seeing out of New York.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Well, you heard Brian dave Ball say it.
Speaker 16 (34:10):
It's not so much about what he's doing on the
field throwing the ball, it's about what he's doing off
the field as far as getting into the playbook, communicating
with teammates. Other teammates were saying the same things about
how much this guy had been working to get the
offense down early, getting in his playbook, being able to
communicate to other players. Theay Ball said, this is what
quarterbacks are supposed to be doing. You know what, receivers
(34:32):
coming up to you in practice and ask me what
to do, and you don't have an answer for them.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
And so you're seeing him having.
Speaker 16 (34:37):
These walk through at the hotel doing the things that
are important for this offense to prosper it. Look, he
knows that he's got a long way to go here,
but he's doing all the right things. And shout out
to our producer Matt Bubar who told me this is
Jackson Dark's birthday, so a good day for him, a
good week for him already.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
Actually, the Giants posted a clip of him throwing darts.
Speaker 13 (34:59):
He's actually pretty good at that too.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Anyway. To me, the question that's going to hang over
the entire Giant season is when if Jackson Dart is
going to get on the field.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
He does have a long way to go.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
And they have been adam and that Russell Wilson is
going to be the starting quarterback. But we know how
things go once the season starts and the Giants believe
they are an improved team and Russell Wilson, with Russell
Wilson as the start of that, they ought to be
able to win some games. But if that doesn't come
together the way they think it's going to, when do
they want to get Jackson Dart on the field. How
(35:31):
soon will he be ready to get on the field.
To me, that is the lens that we're going to
watch this entire Giant season.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Through the Bears quarterback is going to be. Of course,
it is Caleb Williams and Chicago went out Jeffrey got
him a couple more weapons. What do you think of
the fit with Colston Loveland Luther Burden in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
Well, it's a perfect fit.
Speaker 16 (35:50):
And their general manager Ryan Poles said, they went and
got these guys because they fit perfectly in what Ben
Johnson wants to do with his offense. You saw Colston
Loveland and college and great, a guy who can run
routes and make the catch, make catches, run after the
ball after making catches. He didn't he didn't work out
this weekend because he's still nursing a shoulder injury. But
he's going to be a big factor in this offense.
(36:11):
And then Luther Burden the third obviously was a guy
they thought highly of, a guy they thought could be
a first round pick. They were surprised he was still
there on the second day, playing in the slot, doing
a lot of the things that Aman Ross Saint Brown
did for the Lions.
Speaker 13 (36:24):
In their office, you can really see.
Speaker 16 (36:26):
Him prosper and Burton said, like he's not going to
forget coming in the second round. I think he said
that will last the rest of his careers. He had
a chip on his shoulder coming into this league.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
I hope he does remember, and I hope he does
think about it, because there's actually a really strong lineage
of superstar NFL receivers who were drafted early in the
second round. I mean, from from Deebo, Samuel and A. J.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Brown.
Speaker 5 (36:48):
I mean, there's there's plenty of them. I could go
on and on if I had a memory like that,
which I certainly don't. But if you're Luther Burden and
you really want to prove everyone wrong, guess what if
you do, you can do it in three years. You
don't have an extra year for being in the first round.
You get a new contract with a lot more money
a little bit earlier. So maybe he's a little bit mad,
but he's silver lining to being drafted early in the
(37:08):
second round as well.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
A couple of big national TV games already unveiled on
the Bears twenty twenty five schedule, a good sign that
expectations might be just a little bit higher in Chicago.
But to get to the top of the North you
got to get through the Detroit Lions. So even after
a ton of attrition through the course of the off season,
still are the team to beat. Get more of the
(37:33):
NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected throughout the offseason with
twenty four to seven football news and coverage on NFL
Network and with NFL Plus Premium. Relive your favorite moments
from the twenty twenty fourth season with game replays and
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(37:56):
The Lions certainly won a lot of games, had a
lot of success as they it's toward the roar with
that man Ben Johnson calling the plays now he's with
a division rival, the Bears head coach.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
In slides, John Morton, who's been on the staff before in.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Detroit, doesn't sound like he's going to make it a
huge departure from what.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
They do best.
Speaker 17 (38:16):
Yeah, it's me just fitting in what they do because
what they've done here in the past has been fantastic, Right,
So it's just me learning and see how they look
at things. That's the biggest thing. But like I think
I said this before, as a staff offensive staff, we're
doing this together.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
I mean, the only way you go to win the.
Speaker 17 (38:37):
Super Bowl is if everybody's on the same page and
everybody's doing it together.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
It wasn't just Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
It was a lot of assistant coaches who ended up
departing and going elsewhere. Obviously, you had some coaches who
followed Ben Johnson to Chicago. Tanner Ingstrand also followed Aaron Glenn.
Now the Jets offensive cordator Treill Williams was a key
assistant to Dan Campbell.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
He is gone as well.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
A lot of the same players back, but different guys
calling the shots. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pill
with Sarah, Steve Whites and Brian Baldi or Boldie. We
know talented the Lions are. We know they've been there
at the end of the past couple of years. But
how hard is this to account for such a brain
drain when you're talking about the coaching staff.
Speaker 8 (39:22):
Oh, it's real and it's hard. And as a guy
that played in some organizations where we lost good coaches.
Speaker 9 (39:27):
I've always contend with this, Tom, that it is more
difficult to replace great coaches sometimes than great players.
Speaker 8 (39:36):
And I would put Ben Johnson in Aaron Glenn and
some of those assistants including Antoine ran Duel. I put
them in that category, and so Ben Johnson.
Speaker 9 (39:44):
In the last three years, he's basically called every single
play from the Lions for the offense.
Speaker 8 (39:48):
They were a number on offensive football last year.
Speaker 9 (39:51):
We recognized that, We recognized the creativity and not just
the creativity, but how he inserted it in the play
calling at certain times of the game and kind of
caught your eye when you study the film in Aaron
Glenn similarly last year trying to replace you know, a
lot of injuries and doing a masterful job of doing it.
(40:12):
So I think that the Lions, well, it's not a
knock on Johnny Morton or Kelvin Sheppard or anybody who
has to step into those shoes. It's just difficult to
do that at a high level when you're used to
a certain way of a game being called, a preparation
being completed, and the way the week unfolds and the
communication necessary.
Speaker 8 (40:33):
So it remains to be seen.
Speaker 9 (40:36):
But you know, my history says that these are two
great coaches. They are going to be difficult to replace.
Speaker 7 (40:41):
Baalty, I'm so glad we're on this because we hear
about culture all the time. You know and how Dan
Campbell and Brad Holmes have changed the culture and the building.
And I want to look at some clubs that lose
coaches all the time. The Philadelphia Eagles, right, the LA Rams,
the Patriots back when they were in their heyday, they
would lose coordinators and coaches year after year, but they
made maintained a leveless success because one, they had player accountability.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
I mean, you had Tom Brady.
Speaker 7 (41:05):
You know, you've got some great players who were there,
the Brandon Grahams and Lane Johnson's, the guys like that
with the Eagles, Matthew Stafford picking up from Jared Goff
with the Rams. So do the Lions have that player accountability?
Do they have that one guy or those two guys
who can make sure anything new gets covered up right
if there's any mistakes going on. Secondly, ownership, right, ownership
plays a role if you have a top down leadership style,
(41:27):
that really helps. So Sheila Ford hamp this is her
first time going through this, but again, the leadership and
the culture they said they put in that building a
true test to see if it's legitimate, because, like you said, the.
Speaker 8 (41:38):
Talent is on this roster.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Steve Baldi, thank you both very much.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
A lot more to come from you guys here as
this off season rolls on the bill, celebrating the closing
season as they're calling it, at hei Mark Stadium with
this a special jersey patch that they are going to
wear as they remember the past and embrace our future.
Speaker 14 (42:00):
I e.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
A very state of the art stadium that is going
to be opening across the street in twenty twenty six.
Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pilasero, Judy Batista, Ian Rappaport.
There is something about walking into high Mark Stadium.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It's a period piece. It is very nineteen seventies when
you see it.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
Also holds a special place in my heart because the
very first game I did for NFL Network was in
that stadium.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
It was eight years ago. We your hair twin over
the Broncos.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
This is not my best I would say hairstyle ian
that I ever had, but anything, it got to.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
Be the best.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
You know.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I think that I'm actually aging pretty well here.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (42:40):
I think you look awful. I'm definitely glad you got
that nice suit deal that you have now because that
needed some help. My favorite thing is getting to go
to barbell which is close by and since a great
wing place. Judy, what will you remember?
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Somebody actually left a beer on the back of my
rent car that day with I thought it was nice
too see you
Speaker 5 (43:00):
M
In twenty twenty four, Trey Hendrickson led the league in
sacks in twenty twenty five. He already leads the league
in press conferences about his contract situation. In the middle
of a Bengals practice strange times in Cincinnati. Here from Hendrickson,
make clear today he gets paid or he doesn't play.
Will Anderson Junior has a big payday of his own
(00:29):
coming down the line. For today he was up to
unless you can see more important things. Anderson joins US
tonight to talk about driving safe and making life dangerous
for prosing quarterbacks. Derek Carr knows what that life is like,
and he adds the scars to prove it literally. His
brother David joins US Tonight this year new insight on
(00:50):
why Derek walked away at age thirty four and whether
the retirement could be temporary. Welcome inside with the Insider
alongside Judy Batista and Ian Rappaport.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I am Tom Pelicero.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
One day away, twenty five hours away. We will have
the entire two hundred and seventy two game NFL regular
season schedule, and no, despite the number of announcements you've
seen over the past couple of days, we don't have
all two hundred and seventy two yet we didn't get
the International Games. Brian Baldinger is going to join us
in just a little bit to talk about those. We
(01:26):
start tonight with a guy who we'll see when or
if he's back on the field in a Bengals uniformed
again for today. Trey Hendrickson was walking across the street
like he's about to sell you with discount appliance not
dressed for practice, dressed for business to sixteen million.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Dollars in the last year of his contract.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
There have been ongoing discussions with the Bengals, and fair
to say, Trey Henderson not happy with the latest communication
between himself and coach Zach Taylor.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
A little bit transpired between me and Zach. We've tried
to keep it less at least amount personal as possible,
but at some point in this process it becomes personal.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
You know. Being sent.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Thirty days before mandatory camp or however to any days
it is that if I don't show up, I will
be fined alludes to the fact that something won't get
done in that timeframe, like the meetings that we've had
prior to right, I have a tremendous amount of respect
for the ability to be in meetings with them behind
(02:32):
closed doors, and what was conveyed of the vision of
what I would be in this organization would be if
I continue to play at the level I am, that
the door would be open to continue long term discussions
about contracts.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
We're just not seeing eye to eye on the structure.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
It seems that a shorter deal is something that they
are pushing pretty hard.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Then next year we're just kicking the can down the road.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
To say I'm going to sit out or to say
I'm not going to what I can say is I'm
very disappointed with the communication that's been had.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
This has been the off season of pass rushers getting paid.
Miles Garrett of course ending his own contract squabble with
the Browns getting a forty million dollars per year average.
Danil Hunter got paid again, Max Crosby got paid again.
Nick Bosea got paid a couple of years ago. Still
one of the tops at thirty four million dollars per year.
And while there are a lot of layers to this ian,
(03:28):
I think it's safe to say this much Trey Anderson
is not asking to reset the market. He does want
to be paid in line with top players at his position.
The Bengals don't seem like they are anywhere close to
doing that, all of which makes the next couple of
months really interesting navigation for all sides involved.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Right, and what you mentioned is true from my I understanding,
Trean Henderson is not trying to top Miles Garrett at
forty million dollars per year. I don't even know if
he's trying to beat Max Crosby at thirty five plus.
It does seem like he wants to be at at
least in that conversation with Danil Hunter and Max Crosby,
might have come down a little under those guys maybe.
And look, these third contracts with star players are always tricky,
(04:11):
which is why you see some really good teams saying,
you know what, we are not going to entertain a
third contract for a great player. We're either gonna trade him,
we're gonna let him hit free agency, we're gonna move on.
Because sometimes these are when the value isn't great. The
real problem comes when you are a guy like Trey
Hendrickson and you are great, and you are still as
great as you've always been, or maybe even somehow better
(04:32):
it seems like he is just now entering his pride
despite being thirty or so or whatever he is, which
is why the Bengals are in this situation. They have
kicked around a potential one year deal. They have focused
on a shorter deal, but I think it's pretty clear
guys that Trey Henderson is not going to deal with
a shorter deal. Want some security past this season. My understanding,
(04:54):
the least the Bengals are willing to give him some
security past this season. There just hasn't been any urgenc
to do it because there's no deadline and there's no
mandatory anything at least for another month. This is why
he's coming out and doing this right now. He wants
to be clear he wants to get paid now.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
I thought he also made it clear that he wants
to be with the Cincinnati Bengals. And if you're the
Cincinnati Bengals, you should have urgency. You should want to
get this wrapped up, and you should want to get
it wrapped up sooner rather than later. A few reasons why.
First of all, we have seen over the past few
years that the Bengals have let contract issues seep late
(05:34):
into the summer into training camp. Last year, jimor Chase
wasn't on the practice field until only a few days
before the season opener, and it affected the offensive rhythm
in those first few weeks. They lost to the New
England Patriots, an inferior team last season. This is a
team that has Super Bowl aspirations, and they have behaved
at the rest of this offseason like a team that
(05:55):
believes it is a legitimate Super Bowl contender with their moves,
especially on the offense side of the ball. Well, you're
not a Super Bowl contender if you let him go.
He is the best part of your defense. Your defense
was not good last year. It was immeasurably worse when
Trey Hendrickson was not on the field. If you have
any thought that you can win the Super Bowl, you've
(06:16):
got to get him on the field, and you've got
to get this done soon. I go all the way
back to a conversation with Zach Taylor at the combine
where he told me that they were going to spend
the off season looking at all the possible reasons why
this team has been getting off to slow starts the
last few seasons and then try.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
To address them.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Well, this is a contributing factor that they have had
contract issues distractions hanging over them the last few seasons.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
It has contributed.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
It's not the only reason, but it has contributed to
slow starts that have foiled their seasons. If you are
legitimate about making a run at a super Bowl, you
need Trey Hendrickson on the field and you need to
get it done.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Now.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
You had a chance to trade him for draft picks.
You pass that out opportunity up now it is incumbent
on the franchise to get him in the fold.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
It's a great point, Judy, because the Bengals were open
to trading Trey Hendrickson, who let's remember, has requested a
trade each of the past two offseason, had the opportunity
this time around to actually talk with the teams and
figure out what would I get paid someplace else. The Bengals,
from my understanding, took a hard line of we need
a first round pick if we are going to trade
Trey Henderson. The best offer they had was a second
(07:26):
round pick and an additional pick. They said no. It's
never say never in terms of a trade possibility here,
but teams have spent their money elsewhere. The draft is
coming gone and there's nobody out there who's going to
help you the way that Trey Hendrickson could. In twenty
twenty five, the Bengals have been active locking up some
of their other players, including Jamar Chase and t Higgins
on their extensions earlier on this offseason. Joe Burrow, of course,
(07:50):
one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL, Trey
Hendrickson making twenty one million dollars per year on paper,
though he has done sixteen million dollars in twenty twenty five.
As we now bring in Steve Weitch to the conversation, Steve,
I get the sense too in listening to Trey Hendrickson
talk to there some frustration because the Bengals have bent
some of their rules in terms of how they structured
the Joe Burrow contract. They've probably been some rules in
(08:12):
terms how they structured the Jamar Chase contract. You're the
LEAs leading sack guy. You're wondering why won't they do
the same thing for me? But as you know, well,
this is not the first Bengals contract squabble that has
extended and gotten a little bit weird.
Speaker 7 (08:26):
No, first off, it just seems so peculiar to have
a player while the team is practicing, sit there and
have this type of honest scud missile back and forth
conversation about the dirty laundry was going on with his
contract discussion. He spoke for twenty two minutes that was
absolutely stunning, and he said, this is personal. Some of
these are my feelings have been provoked. This is gonna
(08:49):
be this is gonna be very interesting.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Tom.
Speaker 7 (08:51):
I want to go back to twenty eleven, the Carson Palmer,
the quarterback situation.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
He wanted to get traded.
Speaker 8 (08:56):
He won out.
Speaker 7 (08:57):
The Browns are owner Mike Brown and executive president Mike
Brown's daughter Katie Blackburn, was like, no, we're not trading you.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
We're not giving you a new deal.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
You signed a deal.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
It's here.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
He's like, I'm going to stay home and sit on
the couch. They eventually traded him midway through the season
for that first round pick. You said, the Bengals are
now asking for Trey Hendrickson for so that's why they
have president a president right now for this type of negotiation.
This is the wrong team. They will hold out for
as long as they want. If Trey Henderson doesn't want.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
To budge, they won't Budge.
Speaker 7 (09:27):
That's why this is going to be a very intriguing
stare down Tom Again. Most other teams they say, Okay,
we're gonna get rid of him, We're gonna figure this out.
The Bengals may say, you know what, you had seventeen
and a half sacks last year, we didn't go to
the playoffs. If that's our attitude, they should trade him.
The same time, again, this is an awkward situation. Going
back to the optics that we saw today, this is
(09:48):
going to be a long, ugly situation.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Any player's greatest leverage is withholding their services. This is
the first time Trey Hendrickson has explicitly said I'm not
playing for sixteen million dollars.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
There's this season.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
The Bengals can come back, and their leverage is to say, okay, well,
then we're going to find you millions of dollars. If
you start missing training camp and then you're giving up
about a half million dollars on each game. Check long
way to go until then. They're not playing football games
in May, although we are finding out when some of
those games and where they're going to be played come
this fall. Further announcements earlier today, including a great one
(10:23):
Monday Night, November tenth, it's going to be Eagles Packers,
a toush push revenge game of sorts, perhaps depending what
happens at the league meeting in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
More on that soon. I am sure.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
We've also got an announcement regarding the Week one Brazil game,
not yet an announcement over who the Chargers are playing
that is forthcoming, but for the first time, YouTube is
going to stream the game worldwide. It will be live
and for free in its entirety on YouTube. The NFL
breaking new ground on that once again. And we got
(10:58):
the international slag including these games right here on NFL
Network and NFL plus the Vikings with an unprecedented double
dip in two different countries, from Dublin against the Steelers
to London against the Browns a week later. You got
Broncos and Jets in London at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium the
(11:18):
following week as well another week another game Rams Jaguars
in London, Falcons Colts is going to be the inaugural
game in Berlin, and then Commanders and Dolphins in Madrid.
The Insiders already lobbying to host our show from there,
although after doing some googling earlier today, I realized that
means the show will be live at one am local
(11:39):
time time now for count On It presented by Toro'brian
Baldinger is with us. Baldy, you got a chance look
at that international slate. Give me your top three matchups
that you're looking forward to.
Speaker 9 (11:50):
I'll do that, Tom, But I mean the first thing is,
you know, this is truly a global sport, something that
Roger Goodell has truly pushed for him since his tenure began.
And so if I go to one in order here
my top three games. I'm gonna start with that game
in Madrid, the first game ever played in Spain, all
right in Madrid, and the latest I can ever remember
an international game being played between Washington and Miami. I
(12:14):
think it's going to be a fantastic scene. That stadium
is awesome, in.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
State of the art.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
This is not real in Madrid, this is.
Speaker 9 (12:22):
Not football, this is American football in Spain.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
I think it's going to get it be very very
well received.
Speaker 9 (12:28):
My second game is the Rams going to play the
Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. I'm proud to
say that I was part of the first international game
ever played outside of the United States borders at Wembley
in nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 8 (12:44):
Cowboys and Bears. And here we are, we get Travis
Hunter already making some noise in mini camp there with
the Jags.
Speaker 9 (12:51):
He's going to be on an international stage, and I
get the feeling that people watching this game at Wembley,
who are very, very knowledgeable about the NFL can't wait
to see him play both ways. I think it's going
to be fascinating for those people London who are very
educating about this game. And then my favorite game of
the seven games late this year takes place in Dublin,
(13:13):
the first game ever played in Ireland, and Steelers will
be playing the Vikings, and presumably, presumably Tom Aaron Rodgers
will be the quarterback of that Steelers team trying to
beat the Vikings in foreign soil. Last year he had
an opportunity to beat the Vikings as a member of
the Jets. He couldn't do it, couldn't make a throw
(13:33):
at the end of the game to Garrett Wilton that
could have gotten the win. And so now he gets
another chance to go over to Dublin here as the
Steelers quarterback.
Speaker 8 (13:44):
We believe, we believe Tom you might have.
Speaker 9 (13:46):
More insight today than I do, but we believe that
Aaron Rodgers will be the quarterback of that Steelers team
trying to beat the Vikings in that very talented and
difficult Brian Flores defense of the Vikings.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
In order to So that's my.
Speaker 9 (14:00):
My favorite contest right now of the slate of games
out there.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You knew the Roonies we're gonna get that first game
in Dublin, but you didn't know what they were gonna
go up against, the team with a quarterback named McCarthy
and a coach named O'Connell, not to mention the fighting
Irish legend and Harrison Smith as well. Baldy stick around
a lot more from you. Get ready for the twenty
twenty five NFL season like never before with the highly
anticipated NFL schedule release. Every game revealed, every rivalry, every
(14:28):
rematch in every Rocky debut. It'll be on right after
this show tomorrow, eight Eastern, right after the Insiders. Mark
your calendar tomorrow eight eastern. Get all the details at
nfl dot com slash Schedule release.
Speaker 10 (14:44):
Hi thinks will have to when you give her a
card time thirty twenty two.
Speaker 11 (14:48):
Derek back flicking left, knock up smiddle, We're gonna throw
a bob.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Why open up?
Speaker 11 (14:53):
Ry Cooper's got it, He's gone twenty ten fine touchdown.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Harr down the middle of the field.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Open roller, welcome fuck Dared.
Speaker 8 (15:07):
Harr steps up and he's looking for the jurney.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
He's looking fr podcasts and then.
Speaker 11 (15:11):
That has a touchdown long lift the Saints.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
A lot of great football played by Derek Carr. A
lot of highlights to show. That was just a glimpse
of the highlights that are now over with Derek Carr's retirement,
and look back at a star started his career four
times Pobo selection raiders all time, a leader in passyards
ninety two in overtime is actually really cool, more than
(15:38):
forty one thousand passyards since twenty fourteen. And now let's
talk to one of the best sources of information you
could possibly have, a Derek Carr, his brother David, who,
by the way, makes his Insider's debut, which is awesome.
It took your brother retiring to make that happen. David,
thank you for joining me and Judy Bautista here on
the insiders that is decision has coming gone. It was
(16:01):
obviously tumultuous several weeks and months for Derek and for
the family. You spent some time with them recently on
the golf course. How is he handling all of this?
Speaker 12 (16:12):
Yeah, you know, that decision was not easy. It was
something that he had to think long and hard about.
There were a lot of different a lot of different
things that factored into it. His children are getting older,
They're getting to the age now where they want to
play catch with dad, they want to be around, they're
starting to play sports, are starting to be active. That
happens with a lot of retired players or players that
are getting close to retirement. And then you kind of
compound the questions and the decision with the fact that
(16:33):
his shoulder wasn't what it was before, and when he
tried to ramp up throwing again this year, it just
didn't feel right. It never felt comfortable, and he knows,
you know how hard it is to go through an
NFL season, you know, fully healthy as opposed to kind
of trying to struggle your way into getting ready to
play Week one.
Speaker 13 (16:48):
So you know, with that being the case and all
those factors weighed in it was time.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
And he is.
Speaker 12 (16:53):
He's very content with where he is. You know, this
is like just just me personally. I mean, he walked
away from a lot of money. I mean, this is
I look at it from a player's perspective. You could
have easily said, I'll have the surgery, let me just
get through the season, just cut me a check. I mean,
let's just be honest, like that's that's a very real scenario,
and that was never it for him.
Speaker 13 (17:11):
That was what was so shocking for me.
Speaker 12 (17:12):
Is like just and not really shocking because I know
the kid, but just watching him kind of go through
you know, everyday life and and as a quarterback, you know,
for him to make those decisions about you know, number one,
it was I want to make I want to just
right for the Saints. I want to make sure that
they're set up in a way where they can kind
of recover from this. I know it's late, I know
this is an ideal, but I want them to be
able to recover and have something going forward. And him
(17:33):
and Mickey worked very well together, and Derek finally came
to the decision where he didn't want to have surgery.
He wan't have to do with that rehab, he didn't
know if he'd be ready to come back then to
be able to help the team, and he made the
decision to walk away.
Speaker 13 (17:43):
And he's very happy, and he's been happy. On the
golf course, he's I'm.
Speaker 12 (17:47):
I'm a little bit torn because now I used to
beat up with my son and I'd be able to
kind of take most people. But now he's showed up
and it's depressing because he's really good at golf, and
I'm gonna have to step my game upright.
Speaker 6 (18:00):
His health wasn't where it needs to be. The Saints
had drafted a quarterback, so it was time to close
that chapter. But he's only thirty four years old, so
it doesn't necessarily have to be the end. Are you
convinced that he is going to remain retired or can
you envision a scenario where he might wake up one
morning and say, you know what, let me have the surgery,
(18:22):
let me get rehabbing, let me go back to football.
Speaker 12 (18:26):
Yeah, it's a great question, and it's a couple people
have asked us that, and I asked me personally, I
believe that I believe that he has done I know
that Derek loves the game.
Speaker 13 (18:34):
But here's here's what I'll tell you. I think more than.
Speaker 12 (18:37):
Anything, he loved the teammates. He loved the being around,
the personalities. That was the one thing like Judy over
the last couple of days of playing golf with him,
is you know for me, you know, when you retire,
you kind of go away and the NFL kind of
forgets about you. You know, that's just that's what happens
with most guys. I cannot tell you how many phone
calls that he got on the golf course. I mean
it was every other shot his phone was ringing from
(18:58):
either an ex head coach, someone he played against. I mean,
just NonStop outpouring. He just put him on speaker and
you'd have chats with him, and it was incredible to
see the impact that he's had on his teammates.
Speaker 13 (19:08):
And it wasn't just a football thing, because you.
Speaker 12 (19:10):
Know, you win games, you lose games, But in reality,
it's the impact that you make on the guys around you.
And I I was I was kind of shocked by, honestly,
the amount of people they called, just loving the fact
that they got a.
Speaker 13 (19:21):
Chance to play with him and got to know him,
and that meant for me more than anything.
Speaker 12 (19:24):
And I can tell just in the last couple of
days that he's he's definitely done playing and he's moved
on because, like I said, his family, his boys and
his little girl are getting older and they're getting to
the point where they want to have Dad around more.
And that that means more to him than anything else.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
God, that is so amazing to hear. Uh, not as
surprise how loved Derek is, but obviously on the golf
course that's actually pretty anny because you don't want that
many phone calls.
Speaker 13 (19:49):
You want to be able you're not supposed to do
on the golf course. And that's why I tried to tell.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Him, yes, this is why.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yes, No, I mean, look now that he's retireding and
start actually learning the rules of golf instead of just
treating it as a hobby.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I want hl month thing.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Though, you have had a front row seat to a really,
really really stowar career. As you look back on it
as someone who cares as much about Derek as you do,
what was your favorite part of it for your brother?
Speaker 12 (20:16):
I think going through the adversity, because I think that
that was the hardest parts for me as a quarterback.
Speaker 13 (20:21):
It wasn't just playing, because you know, I.
Speaker 12 (20:23):
Landed with the Giants, and I would tell people all
the time jokingly, I was obviously the first tim of
the Texans. It didn't go as well when I got
with the Giants. I would jokingly tell people football is
easy when you have a great team around you.
Speaker 13 (20:33):
Football's easy.
Speaker 12 (20:34):
But you know what's not easy is the adversity of
losing a coach or going through a transition of moving cities.
And just the way that he was able to handle that.
You know, a lot of times when he was with
the Raiders, he was the guy that was thrust out
to the podium to answer questions for the organization in
times of some turmoil, and I think that that for
me was the thing that resonated most. Those were my
(20:54):
favorite moments, is of brother being able to watch him
handle those situations, handle difficult situations inside the locker room
that many people will never even know about. But the
way that he was able to navigate that with grace,
it was really impressive for me. And so I think
that's that's probably a lot of the reasons a lot
of the phone calls happened in the last couple of days,
but I've really been impressed by that.
Speaker 8 (21:12):
The spiral.
Speaker 13 (21:13):
I always knew he could do it. You know, it
was nine.
Speaker 12 (21:14):
He was out there out throwing all this on the
field anyway, so I knew he could do that part
of it, But it's the way you navigated the other
stuff was really impressive.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Obviously you've been retired for a few years now. What
kind of advice have you given him? What have you
told him to do in retirement?
Speaker 13 (21:30):
Well, just stay busy so he don't drive your wife crazy.
I think that's the biggest thing.
Speaker 12 (21:34):
And for him it's not going to be hard because
he is not a guy that likes to sit around
and so Judy like he's he's been NonStop, like I
literally like this video we're showing that was like our
second or third day on the golf course, iner Row.
Speaker 13 (21:45):
But he's not going to stop.
Speaker 12 (21:47):
I mean, if there's an opportunity for him to play
in a golf tournament, play at the high highest level,
he's going to go try and do that.
Speaker 13 (21:52):
So I know he's he's focused on a lot of
different things.
Speaker 12 (21:54):
Family is definitely one of them, and right there, I
appreciate my son showing one of the best drives I
had all day. But Derek, you can see he can
stripe it on the course. He's he's gonna be fine
no matter what he decides to do. But he's got
a lot of things, a lot of things going, a
lot of a lot of good friends that he's made,
a lot of networking opportunities. He's uh, he's just been
incredible in that regard.
Speaker 13 (22:12):
So it's gonna be fun. I'm excited to see what
he does next as well.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
God, those swings are great, so much better than my swing,
which was just abysmal today. David, thank you very much
for joining us. Congratulations on finally making the insiders, and
just keep playing golf and keep hanging with your brother.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
He's gonna need you.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
He's gonna be very bored.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Great stuff.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
I'm here, goings, you go, there, you go.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
All right.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
So from one quarterback to someone who gets after quarterbacks
as well as anyone in the NFL, that is Will
Anderson Junior of the Houston Texans. Let's chat with him.
Maybe we'll ask about how much he likes hitting quarterbacks.
Speaker 14 (22:50):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (22:58):
Third of ten from New England, forty years the snap.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
Here's Will Anderson Jr.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Bring it down.
Speaker 11 (23:03):
My quarterback came around the end and sacked Drake May.
Texan's up fourteen to nothing. Getting late in the second,
May to throw after faking a hand up down he
goes pig sack. Will Anderson Jr. Hit second of the game.
May shotgun. Few receivers each side, one back Gibson. Here's
the snap to may E's in trouble. Kyse sack back
(23:25):
at the thirty yard line. Will Anderson Junior, Patrick Betor
hat Drick. Yes, it is three out the day for Will.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And we are joined now on the Insiders by Will
Anderson Junior, along with me, Tom Pilisero, and Judy Batista.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Will.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Great to see you, man, appreciate you being you. We've
got a lot of Texan stuff to get into.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
But let's start out with where you are right now.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
You're partnering with USAA to go to the Houston Fire
Department help with a Jaws of Life event to be
able to emphasize the importance of safe driving. Tell me
about this partnership and what you were doing today.
Speaker 14 (24:02):
Yeah, I've been blessed enough, you know, to be a
part of you know USA and you know, the Houston
Fire Department to bring awareness to safe driving, especially this summer.
You know, Labor Day and Memorial Day is coming up,
and the one hundred deadly as days you know of summer,
you know it's coming up as well. So we just
want to spread awareness to you know, everybody to make
sure that you know their job is safe jobing for
(24:22):
other people and making sure that everybody is getting home safely.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
All right, Now, let's talk about the team and you.
You are about to go into your third season. You
were the rookie of the year. You had an even
better season last season. What's on tap for you? What
do you hope to accomplish this season?
Speaker 14 (24:39):
Yeah, for me, man, it's just continued to be a
good leader, man, and you know, rally the gods together
and keep setting the tone and you know, making sure
that cultures together and keep building a great culture with
the guys in the locker room and just bringing that
swarm technique to life and just having fun doing it.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
You're currently on a great trajectory here, will but you know,
as you get a little bit further in your career,
you learn year over year, right, every rep, every game,
are there specific things you're honing in on right now?
Like even if you're ninety percent of the way there,
you think you can get that extra ten percent most definitely.
Speaker 14 (25:10):
You know I talk about it all the time, and
you know, just talking to the rookies and talking to
other you know, my coad, he's helped me. It's really
just about enjoying your process and how much better can
you be at your process? And for me is how
much greater can I be at my process? How much
can I be consistent with doing my process day in
and day out? And that just comes from how my
stands looks, how my get off b loooks, how my
arms or how am I using my hands? How am
(25:33):
I shedding up blocked? So like, just consistently doing my
process the right way to keep building and getting better
game being and game out.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
Are you one of those guys who has a number
in your head, a sack total you want to get to?
What's that number?
Speaker 4 (25:47):
If you've got one, it's double digits. It's double digits.
Speaker 14 (25:51):
It doesn't matter what double digit number is, Just double digits, man.
And you know I've been able just to take it
one game out of time and taking one pay out
of time.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
And I have to get you shout out to danil Man.
Speaker 14 (26:01):
He's been abed guy, sat guy since he's been in
the league, and to see his process and to see
you know, he doesn't worry about those things. He's just like, bro,
I'm just going out there and playing. I think that's
been able to help me and calm me down. And
you know, I always tell people who are like firing
ice when I look at when I look at the Neil,
I just my fire. Just who saw because he just
brings that present like it's gonna be okay, well you're going.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
To get it. So just lucky to have him the
blessed to have him on the team.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Danil is a pretty low key guy. I've known him
for a long time since stays in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
He's also one of.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
The most physically jacked individuals walking planet Earth.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
When you watch him, I know you're.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Busy studying the opposing offenses, but have there been things
you picked up that you can apply to your game.
Speaker 14 (26:43):
The only thing I've picked up from Danil is more
mentality in my hands.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Anything else, I'm like, Danil, you're a freaking nature. I'm
not going to try to do that. I'm not going
to attempt to do that. We gotta leave that to you,
but it's awesome seeing you do it.
Speaker 14 (26:58):
But his mentality in the way he us his hands
or something that we always continues to work on and
practice and when we're on the side, when we're not.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
In Texas have been really busied this offseason. In particular,
they basically rebuilt the entire offensive line. How anxious are
you to get on the field to see them, maybe
to go against them a little bit?
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Yeah, I'm very excited. Man. Those guys are a great
group of guys. Man. They love ball.
Speaker 14 (27:25):
They love attacking today, you know, and I'm just happy to,
you know, see the caaraderie on that side.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Man.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
I know they're gonna do everything the right way. Man.
They love ball, And I can't wait that if we
get in.
Speaker 14 (27:35):
The huddle before the game and either Tightest or me
or tell one of us Donna give the pregame speech,
and we just get everybody hype, man, and it just
starts up front with the trenches that you know, it
starts in practice, competing and having fun going against each other.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
You talk about you and Titus leading those huddles, but
there's another guy, you guys added to the team this offseason.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Who talks a lot.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
CJ.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Gardner Johnson.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
I'm sure you're aware of his reputation just from Afar
in recent years. What is that guy going to bring
from an attitude perspective to this defense?
Speaker 14 (28:05):
You know, I tell people all the time, you have
to have a guy like that in the in the
locker room. You know what I'm saying. He keeps everybody
on their toes. He brings the Jews, he brings the energy,
and you can tell he really loves ball and people
feed off that type of energy.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 14 (28:16):
If somebody's having a load day, he comes in, let's
go to it. Is like, that's what makes a team
gets hyped. Now, I guess what makes us go out
there and keep wanting to play and keep building that
team garaderie and he just has that factor to him, man,
and just knowing him so far and get into you know,
train with them and work out with him and be
in the spaces that we be in. He's been a
phenomenal pickup for us. So I'm excited to go play
with him.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Last thing for you will real quick.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
You know you talked about Danil and you know what
he's been able to do in this league. He got
paid again second straight off season. Nick Cassario cut him
a big check on a new extension. I know Nick
watches this show a lot. You're going to be extension
eligible after the season. Is there any message you'd like
to deliver to your GM about what type of check
he's gonna be cutting you come next March.
Speaker 14 (28:58):
I want to be hoton for the rest of my career,
trust me, like I want to be here till I
retire to whatever I'm done. But for me, I just
want to enjoy my process, man, like day in and
day out. Hockinsistent. Can I be with my process? How
much better? Can I continue to get in my process?
And you know, whatever happens happens. But h Town, I
don't want to leave, man. I want to be here
(29:19):
and I want to keep spinning with those guys. I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
All right, We'll let.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Your agents say the other part forty million a year.
We'll let her get to work here.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Will thanks a ton, dude. Always awesome talking to you, man.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
We appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
I got ya, ill appreciate you. Thank you man.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
If you're a.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Texans fan, having that dude say he wants to be
there for the entirety of his career.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Very very good news.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
And the Texans have added to that excellent team this offseason.
Christian Hirk, Jayon Higgins and Jalen Leel drafted two receivers
same team. Instant impact on offense. Plenty of additions for
the Houston Texans. And welcome back in our good friend
Steve eve weis with a killer jacket right back on
the insiders, Steve, Let's take a look at this Texans offense.
(30:06):
Obviously they have a new offensive coordinator, a lot of focus,
especially the end of last year, on the offensive line.
What should we expect from the Shuston offense in the
twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 7 (30:16):
We're on the Mellon palette the way we're wardrobed out today,
both you and I, I know, yeah, but I'd love
that interview with Will Anderson. That defensive set they got
players at young secondary is excellent. The defensive front very good.
But offense, it all starts with the offensive line. We
know that they've got some repairing to do at wide
receiver with some of the injuries that they suffered there.
Speaker 13 (30:37):
But last year we saw quarterback CJ.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
He got sacked.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
Fourteen more times than he did in his rookie season
twenty twenty three. But it wasn't just a pass protection that.
Speaker 14 (30:46):
Was the issue.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
They did not run the balls well consistently, and there
seemed to be some disjointed kind of coaching going home.
OC an offensive line, so they go out and they
get them on like Cam Robinson left tackle that we're
seeing here was Minnesota previously with Jacksonville before that, they
drafted the player in the second round. They added a
lot of talent. But the fact that Nick Kayley the
new OC and Cole Popovich new offensive line coach, they
(31:08):
weren't together for five years in New England. They know
how each others thinks Papovitch got promoted. Kaylee comes over
from the Rams or he was a tight end coach,
so they know how each other worked. I think that's
very important. I think Damiko Ryans kind of recognized that
they had to have some type of cohesion between the coaches,
the OC and the O line coach to make things work.
(31:30):
If they can get the talent to Matt's maybe some
things that they can work with the coaching, this offense
could take right back off when they get some of
those young wide receivers of Christian Kirk paired up there
with Nico Collins and John match.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Nick Kelly the new offensive coordinator, certainly not as well
known as Bobby Slovak was, but a really, really highly
regarded name of the NFL circle, someone who should jumpstart
that offense. Steve, thank you very much for hanging out
with us as always give. While the Baltimore Ravens had
some serious unfortunate news today, sources told me earlier in
(32:03):
the day that our Darius Washington, the really good up
and coming safety played a key role in the office
at the end of last year and was expected to
do so this year, has.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Torn his achilles.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
This confirmed by the MRI. He is now out for
the least start of the twenty twenty five season, potentially
the entire Seaon. They did draft Malachi Starts in the
first round. That helps, but a big time blow for
the Baltimore Ravens. As for the New York Giants and
the Chicago Bears, both of them are undergoing rookie mini
(32:35):
camp right now. Plenty of news to discuss, plenty of
big time talents to talk about, including that guy Jackson
Dart has been in focus thus far in camp for
the Giants. That is going to continue. I'm going to
tell you a little more coming up.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
The Giants traded back into the first round last month,
all the though up to number twenty five overall to
take that man, Jackson Dart out of Ole miss It.
This past weekend, the Giants got there first look at
him in a practice sitting or in rookie minnie camp,
and safe to say, Brian Dable likely see some fall.
Speaker 8 (33:13):
He did what he was supposed to do.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
He was prepared.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
He he put a lot of time and effort into it,
and I got a lot of appreciation for how he's
gone about short amount of time his business. And that's
what's most important, is how he can get him to
a routine meeting with players extra having walked throughs at
the hotel's communication he's that's that's part of playing quarterbacks,
being on top of all those little things.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
It was really cool.
Speaker 15 (33:36):
I mean I went to go tex him right after
the draft and there was text misses of him trying
to want of us texting throughout college and high school.
So I mean, I'm known for a good amount of
time through the through the football football scene. But it's
great to be you know, brig Be's teammate and gets
a home better.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pellisero, Judy Batiste Ian
rapport joined now by our friend Jeffrey Chedia.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Jeffrey, it's very very early.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Okay, well we'll qualify everything with that first time seeing
Jackson are actually out there starting to run some of
those giants' concepts.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
What do you make so far once you're hearing and
seeing out of New York.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Well, you heard Brian dave Ball say it.
Speaker 16 (34:10):
It's not so much about what he's doing on the
field throwing the ball, it's about what he's doing off
the field as far as getting into the playbook, communicating
with teammates. Other teammates were saying the same things about
how much this guy had been working to get the
offense down early, getting in his playbook, being able to
communicate to other players. Theay Ball said, this is what
quarterbacks are supposed to be doing. You know what, receivers
(34:32):
coming up to you in practice and ask me what
to do, and you don't have an answer for them.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
And so you're seeing him having.
Speaker 16 (34:37):
These walk through at the hotel doing the things that
are important for this offense to prosper it. Look, he
knows that he's got a long way to go here,
but he's doing all the right things. And shout out
to our producer Matt Bubar who told me this is
Jackson Dark's birthday, so a good day for him, a
good week for him already.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
Actually, the Giants posted a clip of him throwing darts.
Speaker 13 (34:59):
He's actually pretty good at that too.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Anyway. To me, the question that's going to hang over
the entire Giant season is when if Jackson Dart is
going to get on the field.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
He does have a long way to go.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
And they have been adam and that Russell Wilson is
going to be the starting quarterback. But we know how
things go once the season starts and the Giants believe
they are an improved team and Russell Wilson, with Russell
Wilson as the start of that, they ought to be
able to win some games. But if that doesn't come
together the way they think it's going to, when do
they want to get Jackson Dart on the field. How
(35:31):
soon will he be ready to get on the field.
To me, that is the lens that we're going to
watch this entire Giant season.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Through the Bears quarterback is going to be. Of course,
it is Caleb Williams and Chicago went out Jeffrey got
him a couple more weapons. What do you think of
the fit with Colston Loveland Luther Burden in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
Well, it's a perfect fit.
Speaker 16 (35:50):
And their general manager Ryan Poles said, they went and
got these guys because they fit perfectly in what Ben
Johnson wants to do with his offense. You saw Colston
Loveland and college and great, a guy who can run
routes and make the catch, make catches, run after the
ball after making catches. He didn't he didn't work out
this weekend because he's still nursing a shoulder injury. But
he's going to be a big factor in this offense.
(36:11):
And then Luther Burden the third obviously was a guy
they thought highly of, a guy they thought could be
a first round pick. They were surprised he was still
there on the second day, playing in the slot, doing
a lot of the things that Aman Ross Saint Brown
did for the Lions.
Speaker 13 (36:24):
In their office, you can really see.
Speaker 16 (36:26):
Him prosper and Burton said, like he's not going to
forget coming in the second round. I think he said
that will last the rest of his careers. He had
a chip on his shoulder coming into this league.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
I hope he does remember, and I hope he does
think about it, because there's actually a really strong lineage
of superstar NFL receivers who were drafted early in the
second round. I mean, from from Deebo, Samuel and A. J.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Brown.
Speaker 5 (36:48):
I mean, there's there's plenty of them. I could go
on and on if I had a memory like that,
which I certainly don't. But if you're Luther Burden and
you really want to prove everyone wrong, guess what if
you do, you can do it in three years. You
don't have an extra year for being in the first round.
You get a new contract with a lot more money
a little bit earlier. So maybe he's a little bit mad,
but he's silver lining to being drafted early in the
(37:08):
second round as well.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
A couple of big national TV games already unveiled on
the Bears twenty twenty five schedule, a good sign that
expectations might be just a little bit higher in Chicago.
But to get to the top of the North you
got to get through the Detroit Lions. So even after
a ton of attrition through the course of the off season,
still are the team to beat. Get more of the
(37:33):
NFL with NFL Plus. Stay connected throughout the offseason with
twenty four to seven football news and coverage on NFL
Network and with NFL Plus Premium. Relive your favorite moments
from the twenty twenty fourth season with game replays and
access to NFL player stats with NFL Pro. Subscribe today
at plus dot NFL dot com. Terms and conditions applied.
(37:56):
The Lions certainly won a lot of games, had a
lot of success as they it's toward the roar with
that man Ben Johnson calling the plays now he's with
a division rival, the Bears head coach.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
In slides, John Morton, who's been on the staff before in.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Detroit, doesn't sound like he's going to make it a
huge departure from what.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
They do best.
Speaker 17 (38:16):
Yeah, it's me just fitting in what they do because
what they've done here in the past has been fantastic, Right,
So it's just me learning and see how they look
at things. That's the biggest thing. But like I think
I said this before, as a staff offensive staff, we're
doing this together.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
I mean, the only way you go to win the.
Speaker 17 (38:37):
Super Bowl is if everybody's on the same page and
everybody's doing it together.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
It wasn't just Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
It was a lot of assistant coaches who ended up
departing and going elsewhere. Obviously, you had some coaches who
followed Ben Johnson to Chicago. Tanner Ingstrand also followed Aaron Glenn.
Now the Jets offensive cordator Treill Williams was a key
assistant to Dan Campbell.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
He is gone as well.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
A lot of the same players back, but different guys
calling the shots. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pill
with Sarah, Steve Whites and Brian Baldi or Boldie. We
know talented the Lions are. We know they've been there
at the end of the past couple of years. But
how hard is this to account for such a brain
drain when you're talking about the coaching staff.
Speaker 8 (39:22):
Oh, it's real and it's hard. And as a guy
that played in some organizations where we lost good coaches.
Speaker 9 (39:27):
I've always contend with this, Tom, that it is more
difficult to replace great coaches sometimes than great players.
Speaker 8 (39:36):
And I would put Ben Johnson in Aaron Glenn and
some of those assistants including Antoine ran Duel. I put
them in that category, and so Ben Johnson.
Speaker 9 (39:44):
In the last three years, he's basically called every single
play from the Lions for the offense.
Speaker 8 (39:48):
They were a number on offensive football last year.
Speaker 9 (39:51):
We recognized that, We recognized the creativity and not just
the creativity, but how he inserted it in the play
calling at certain times of the game and kind of
caught your eye when you study the film in Aaron
Glenn similarly last year trying to replace you know, a
lot of injuries and doing a masterful job of doing it.
(40:12):
So I think that the Lions, well, it's not a
knock on Johnny Morton or Kelvin Sheppard or anybody who
has to step into those shoes. It's just difficult to
do that at a high level when you're used to
a certain way of a game being called, a preparation
being completed, and the way the week unfolds and the
communication necessary.
Speaker 8 (40:33):
So it remains to be seen.
Speaker 9 (40:36):
But you know, my history says that these are two
great coaches. They are going to be difficult to replace.
Speaker 7 (40:41):
Baalty, I'm so glad we're on this because we hear
about culture all the time. You know and how Dan
Campbell and Brad Holmes have changed the culture and the building.
And I want to look at some clubs that lose
coaches all the time. The Philadelphia Eagles, right, the LA Rams,
the Patriots back when they were in their heyday, they
would lose coordinators and coaches year after year, but they
made maintained a leveless success because one, they had player accountability.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
I mean, you had Tom Brady.
Speaker 7 (41:05):
You know, you've got some great players who were there,
the Brandon Grahams and Lane Johnson's, the guys like that
with the Eagles, Matthew Stafford picking up from Jared Goff
with the Rams. So do the Lions have that player accountability?
Do they have that one guy or those two guys
who can make sure anything new gets covered up right
if there's any mistakes going on. Secondly, ownership, right, ownership
plays a role if you have a top down leadership style,
(41:27):
that really helps. So Sheila Ford hamp this is her
first time going through this, but again, the leadership and
the culture they said they put in that building a
true test to see if it's legitimate, because, like you said, the.
Speaker 8 (41:38):
Talent is on this roster.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Steve Baldi, thank you both very much.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
A lot more to come from you guys here as
this off season rolls on the bill, celebrating the closing
season as they're calling it, at hei Mark Stadium with
this a special jersey patch that they are going to
wear as they remember the past and embrace our future.
Speaker 14 (42:00):
I e.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
A very state of the art stadium that is going
to be opening across the street in twenty twenty six.
Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pilasero, Judy Batista, Ian Rappaport.
There is something about walking into high Mark Stadium.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It's a period piece. It is very nineteen seventies when
you see it.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
Also holds a special place in my heart because the
very first game I did for NFL Network was in
that stadium.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
It was eight years ago. We your hair twin over
the Broncos.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
This is not my best I would say hairstyle ian
that I ever had, but anything, it got to.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
Be the best.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
You know.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I think that I'm actually aging pretty well here.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (42:40):
I think you look awful. I'm definitely glad you got
that nice suit deal that you have now because that
needed some help. My favorite thing is getting to go
to barbell which is close by and since a great
wing place. Judy, what will you remember?
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Somebody actually left a beer on the back of my
rent car that day with I thought it was nice
too see you
Speaker 5 (43:00):
M
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