03-07-25 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight with Zach Segars

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
By. I'm your host Zach Seers.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Joining me as always is the immensely talented former Broncos
safety Nick Ferguson.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Nick, how are you doing on this Friday night?

Speaker 3 (00:09):
Hey man, it's Friday. It's cold outside. It's time to
wall it up and heat it up in the studio.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
I hear that, Yeah, we gotta make it warm in
here with the man nasty winter weather coming back.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
I was getting ready for spring.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Well. You know, that's the funny thing about living here
in Denmer, Colorado that I tell my friends who kind
of live in Atlanta that obviously you have no idea
what mother nature and the mountains are going to toss.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Out to you. And I know it's spring. It's like
spring everyone else, but here in Dimmer, Colorado, not so much.
I'm excited to.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Get to skip forward an hour though, and maybe start
getting out of here when it's a little bright outside.
I think that's gonna be a nice difference maker.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
You know, I don't get that whole thing with daylight savings,
and I know, like years ago they did that to
help out farmers and all of that. It's like, man,
you know, pick something and stick with it. Why do
we have to continue to move back and forth.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
And we're one of the only countries that still does it.
It seems very outdated.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
I think they've been talking about getting rid of it
for a few years now.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
I don't know why they don't. True.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
That says so much about our country because we just
but hold backwards. Right, Why is it everyone else is
doing it but we simply can't. And I don't know
about two man, Like if no one tells me, like like, hey,
because I listened to the station earlier, it's like, hey,
make sure you set your clocks for money.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
If no one told me, man, I would keep it
the same.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, I'm bailed out by the electronic clocks with my
computer and my iPhone and whatnot.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, that's right because the iPhones it does it automatically,
so you don't have to actually worry about it. But man,
daylight savings, Man, I wish that it's.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Daylight savings, right, So I kind of cling to.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
The savings part because I want more of the money
in my pocket.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Right, If they're gonna do that, at least give us
some more money. Hey, that make it worth it.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Get a little tax refund for having to deal with
the change in your clock an hour.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
Hey, sign me up for speaking of which I think
taxes is it's like right around the corner, is it not?

Speaker 1 (02:08):
It's tax season.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, that's giving me some impending dread right now, you.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
And so many other people as well.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Man, So we got a fun show planning, so much
stuff to really talk about and really get into fun
a couple of days of sports Man.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Some news broke not too long ago before we jumped.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
On, yeah, talking about some things seriously changing. The Las
Vegas Raiders go out and trade a third round pick
to the Seattle Seahawks to reunite Pete Carroll with his
former I guess backup quarterback protege Gino Smith. What do
you make of that move? Do you think this is
the right move for the Raiders given where they are

(02:49):
in their current built You know, I think so, Zach,
and and here's why. And it's not like it's going
to be really popular.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
So a lot of people as they're trying to understand
this particular move, what you do is you look at
the current state of the free agent market for quarterbacks,
and that market doesn't look that great. Now you look
at what's going to happen a couple months later as
far as the draft is concerned, and say, well, all
those quarterbacks, who do you want to kind of lead

(03:17):
your franchise? And when I look at this upcoming draft,
there's not.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
A lot of quarterbacks. You just may have Dart Cam
and your door.

Speaker 3 (03:28):
Right, those supposed to be the three top quarterbacks going
off the poor. And that's not to say that with
the what the Raiders are doing with Gino, that the
Raiders still can look to get a quarterback. I know
it sounds crazy because ideas, why would the Raiders make
this move for Gino give up the third.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Round pick and still draft the quarterback.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
Well, as it stands right now, Gino's just got one
year left on his deal. So you know, we've seen
the kind of Jordan Love Patrick Mahomes model gain a
lot of steam. Pete Carroll doesn't have time to waste
around on a five and twelve level Raiders team. But
maybe this is his version of your idea having his
cake and eating it too. You are able to be

(04:10):
competitive in AFCUS this year with Gino Smith at quarterback.
Go you know ten and seven or nine and eight
maybe in a best case scenario, and then turn around
next year, and maybe you have Shador Sanders or Jackson
Dart or cam Ward or whoever who's gotten a year
to learn and grow and develop behind a true pros
pro and Gino Smith who got an entorship from Philip

(04:30):
Rivers and Russell Wilson, So you think he'd be willing
to pay the buck forward.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
I could see that making a lot of sense.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
Well, I always saw with the Raiders, even though with
Tip Kelly there and you think about Pete Carrow, that
that was going to be the direction. You needed a
bridge quarterback. And when I say bridge is not to
devalue what I think that Geno Smith can bring to
the table, but you need someone that is going to

(04:58):
lead you into the future CA and Geno be that
bridge player. And I know, Zak, it seems unpopular to
em and believe that a guy like Geno Smith can
lead a team to the Super Bowl. I truly believe
based on what I've seen Geno Smith overcome.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
Because remember this is the.

Speaker 3 (05:15):
Same guy who was in the draft room, the green room,
who's sat there and then.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
He had to come back the.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Next day before the Jets drafted him.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
And being in.

Speaker 3 (05:25):
New York, I can tell you it's a tough place
to play, but Geno persevere. He pushed through all of
that adversity, all the things that people said about him
negatively to put himself in this particular position. Because I
can tell you this, it's a great thing when you
know that someone wants you.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
You to be wanted, but to.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
Know that someone wants you, it takes your level of
confidence to a whole different level. But more or Let's
think about the situation that Geno was in when everyone
was hating on him, right, and he was there with
Russell or whatever.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
Pete Carroll is one of those coaches.

Speaker 3 (06:02):
And when you get a guy like Pete Carroll who
someone said, well, you know, he's in his seventies.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
There's no way he's going to be a good coach
or whatever, and he's.

Speaker 3 (06:10):
Been out of the game for a year, and you
match that with the guy like Geno Smith, who was
told the same thing.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
So now you come together and you already have a
built in chemistry. And I think that we're going to
see that confidence in the Raiders this year.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
I agree, and I don't think you've seen Geno Smith
to your idea about being embraced like that and having
that build confidence. I don't think we've seen Geno Smith
ever embrace to this extent. You know, second round quarterback
draft pick to your point, bounced around the league for
a while, and then even when the Seahawks gave him
this most recent contract extension, it was like, oh, this
guy's actually pretty good. We don't trust him fully, so

(06:46):
we'll give him kind of a mid range deal. And
it was like more expensive than any backups, but also
way cheaper than any other starter. So for the Raiders
to you know, trade a third round pick to pay
the guy thirty million, and the Athletics Diana Rassini is
now reported they are negotiating extension that would pay him
between forty and forty five million dollars a year, not

(07:06):
that far behind the starting quarterbacks of the world.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, he's never had that type of embrace before.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
But does that commitment that the Raiders are making potentially
with a longer term deal, does that change how you
feel about his projection with the team as a bridge
or a short term answer at all?

Speaker 3 (07:22):
No, it doesn't, because once again we know that Geno
can play. He's actually showed that he can play and
make plays in this league, and he could do it
at a high level. And when you look at what
the Raiders had with an O'Donnell and they had Garner Minshew, right,
both of those quarterbacks, you can say they were serviceable.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
Well, when you think about Geno and his skill set, I.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
Mean the idea is though he still has the ability
to go through his progressions find an open wide receiver,
but more importantly, he.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
Was still mobile.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
Now we're not looking for Gino to give you somewhat
of a Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts type of rushing
you know, on the ground, but he's his mobility allows
him to stay and extend plays. And knowing as though
you already have Jacobe Myers that that's already there, you
have arguably you know, one of the best young tight
ends in the game right now, and Brock Bauers. So

(08:18):
you say, okay, well at pick number six, what are
you doing at that pick right what they could do
being as though they have their quarterback now, they could
decide either to take a runner back, take a quarterback
if they want to decide to move back. Because we
know that position at six where the Raiders sit right now,
even with Gino, Smith has become really valuable because some

(08:41):
team is gonna become really desperate.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
They're gonna want their player.

Speaker 3 (08:45):
And now guess what the Raiders are now players in
the game. Now they have an opportunity to move pieces
around like a chess puzzle and make this team more competitive.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
Now, as a Bronco supporter, what move are you hoping
they don't make?

Speaker 1 (08:59):
What's that?

Speaker 2 (08:59):
Is it adding Ashton Genty to this thing? That would
terrify you the most. I don't want used to trump,
scare or terrify, But what is the move the Raiders
could make at this point the cherry on top of
this geno move maybe trading for a DK Metcalf that
you think would take it over the top and maybe
make them a real threat to the Broncos in the
AFC West.

Speaker 3 (09:17):
Well, the idea, I mean one, I just mentioned it.
Moving back, right, you can move back and say in
the first round and add maybe another first round pick.
So now you're able to go and get two quality players.
And even if you say, well, oh, asid gency, he.

Speaker 1 (09:33):
May be gone, you're forking over.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
You're giving Jens an opportunity to go to another team
by you moving back. It's okay because here's what we
know from watching the combine.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
This draft is deep with running backs.

Speaker 3 (09:46):
And when you think about Trevion Henderson, Ohio State chip,
Kelly Right and you think about Jenkins Sue another Ohio
State guy. So if Raiders don't have to push all
their chips to the table and assing gentsy once again,
they're trying to build a team. And this doesn't work
in the draft like fantasy football, it doesn't even.

Speaker 1 (10:06):
Though most fans like to look at it.

Speaker 3 (10:08):
Now you're thinking about it from a strategy standpoint.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
You got your quarterback.

Speaker 3 (10:12):
According to Diana Rassini, they're trying to lock Geno Smith
up and give him.

Speaker 1 (10:16):
Somewhat of an extension.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
So now you're saying, well, what's solidified from the quarterback position.
We're good at tight end. We got a young one,
Max Crosby just got.

Speaker 1 (10:24):
His deal early on this year.

Speaker 3 (10:26):
So you're thinking about what what other players around the league,
Trey Henderson right could be out there that you could
look to trade for. Because I know everyone has hung
up on this things that well, you try to use
your draft capital to go out and get younger players.
That's good depending on where you are overall as a team.

(10:47):
But I take it from an nil standpoint in college football,
I want guys who already have experience it.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
They cost me a little, but I mean.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
Remember the Rams put off their trips center table won
the Super Bowl because the Raiders say, you know what,
we don't have that much time, because Pete Carroll is
on what a two to three year deal?

Speaker 1 (11:07):
We got to win.

Speaker 3 (11:08):
Now, how can easily see the Raiders trying to do
what the Rams did?

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Now?

Speaker 2 (11:12):
Talking about it's a good idea if you're in the
right place as a team, but maybe not a good
idea if you're not in that right place.

Speaker 1 (11:18):
Do you think the Raiders are in that right place where.

Speaker 2 (11:20):
They should be pushing chips in regardless of whether or
not Pete Carroll's age maybe forces them into that position.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
All of that is based on.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Thinking about where they are right because for me, the
idea is that you don't want to waste the quality
years of good talent, because that's what we talk about
here in Broaco's Country when we look at both Knicks.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
Bo Nixon is not a veteran guy. He's a rookie guy.

Speaker 3 (11:45):
So the idea is that, Okay, well, how can you
maximize that guy's best years and not waste them.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
Right.

Speaker 3 (11:51):
So with this move, even though it doesn't seem like
a sexy move to people outside of Vegas, the Raiders
may look at this situation say, well, we feel though
in a win, now have a predicament. If we get
a couple of pieces here and there, we still gonna
get a running back.

Speaker 1 (12:05):
We still gonna go get a quarterback.

Speaker 3 (12:06):
It doesn't have to be shador right, they can get
somewhat of a bridge player Quinn yours right. Who's to
say they can't get him in the second round. It
still feels as though we're still in a good place.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
Yeah, And I mean this is I think the best
they've looked at quarterback and coach since I mean maybe
the Raiders team that was in the Super Bowl. To
your idea, I can't think of a coach they've had
that's as promising as Pete Carroll. You know, you had
John Gruden hired off the Monday night football set, and
that's probably the only other one in the conversation. And

(12:39):
then quarterback wise, I don't think Geno Smith is appreciably
worse than Derek Carr. I think those guys are probably
in a very similar tier. Honestly, based on what we
saw last year with Gino Smith, I think I might
take Geno Smith over Carr. You know, he's not the
young player that Caleb Williams is, but people are so
fast to make excuses for Caleb Williams because he played
behind a Badicago Bears offensive line and had a questionable

(13:02):
offensive coordinator. Gino's offensive coordinator from last year. I believe
he's back in college football now. It was banished from
the NFL, and his offensive line was even worse than Calebs.
I think he had the very worst offensive line in
the NFL last year and an offensive coordinator that refused
to run the ball on top of it.

Speaker 1 (13:17):
So he was in a rough spot last year.

Speaker 2 (13:20):
You pair him with Brock Bowers, maybe they do go
out and had DK metcalf or something and the.

Speaker 1 (13:25):
Peak Carrol of it all.

Speaker 2 (13:26):
I really think the Raiders could be a fringe playoff
team next year. I think they're going to be playing
meaningful games up in through December.

Speaker 3 (13:35):
Okay, so I got a chance who meet Pete Carrow
and actually be around both Pete Carrow and Dan Quinn.

Speaker 1 (13:45):
Several years ago.

Speaker 3 (13:46):
This was out after they beat the Broncos in the
Super Bowl at Mettlife, I said, well, I want to
find out what is it about Seattle that makes players
want to go there? Why is it they love the organization?
Why is it that they love Pete Carroll. I can
tell you this after sitting in the room, being there and.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
Going through the coaching internship, I.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
Wanted to be in Seattle too as well, right because
it was the closest environment to what I experienced here
as a member of the Denver Broncos on the Pat Bolan.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
And Mike Shanahan.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
But it was taking up a whole nother level because
Pete is an older coach. But why is it that
Pete looks younger than Andy Reed? And Andy Reed is younger, right?
Because Pete knows how to connect with his players, And
I'm thinking from my experience in Seattle that that is
going to be a way that they're able to pull

(14:40):
in more players. You got Max Crosby, like I said,
you got brock Bauers, Now you got Geno Smith.

Speaker 1 (14:46):
How do you feel about him? But you think about Chip.

Speaker 3 (14:49):
Kelly and how really he was in college football, how
Pete Carroll can motivate players. But then also you got
the goat Tom Brady there, who is now their version
of the Broncos version of John Elway. Who know, sit
down and talk to players and say, look, don't you
want to be a part of something great?

Speaker 1 (15:08):
We now have it.

Speaker 3 (15:08):
So the Raiders could be the dark horse, if you will,
of the twenty twenty five season.

Speaker 2 (15:16):
Now, how do you think kind of to this idea,
how do you think they stack up in that AFC
West hierarchy now? And I think you know, the Chiefs
are changing a lot. They've traded out Joe Toney, Chargers
are moving on from some pieces as well. As we
enter this early stage of the off season, what do
you think that AFC West hierarchy looks like, Say, for the.

Speaker 3 (15:34):
Raiders, they're saying, you know what, we're hitting our shride
at the right time because this is what they're thinking, right,
whether it comes to fruition or not, they're thinking, Okay, well,
the Chiefs are.

Speaker 1 (15:46):
On the down side of things. The Chargers are not
where they need to. They still got to figure out
what's going on.

Speaker 3 (15:52):
No, Joey Bosa there there rebuilding, Yeah, they're rebuilding, and
they're looking at the Broncos. They said, well, the Broncos
have a young water back, right, and and think about
Geno Smith. They beat the Broncos early in the season,
right when.

Speaker 1 (16:07):
The Broncos had to go over with both nicks to Seattle.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
So they said, okay, well listen, if we start putting
the necessary pieces in place. We're not saying that, you know,
I'm not saying that the Raiders are going to the
super Bowl, but now they are going to be competitive
because remember with Gardner Minshew, they almost beat the Broncos.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
If PS two doesn't pick.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
Off Gardner Minshew in the end zone as Gardner Minshew
is thrown to the wrong person because bron Barbs is
wide open. If that doesn't happen, the Broncos lose that game.
So think about it full vision. They're saying to themselves,
We're not that far away, That's what they're saying. So
do you think that the Raiders have put themselves in

(16:50):
a nice position by adding Geno Smith?

Speaker 1 (16:53):
I really do? You got them for so cheap? Thirty million?

Speaker 2 (16:55):
Like that's less than Sam Darnold's going to be making
this year. You only give up a third round pick,
what you know, a third of third round picks end
up being you know high end contributors in the NFL
if even that, so there's a very good chance you're
giving up practically nothing to get the guy. And like
I said, he's the best quarterback the Raiders have had

(17:17):
since at least Derek Carr, and their offense fell off
a cliff without Derek Carr. It showed I think the
value to that franchise of even having a serviceable quarterback
if you're not going to have a superstar, and Gino.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
Smith checks that box. I honestly think Gino Smith is
a little underrated nationally.

Speaker 2 (17:34):
I think he's closer to quarterback ten than he is
quarterback twenty among the current starters in the league right now.
And yeah, Chip Kelly, I think he's going to do
a really good job with that offense.

Speaker 1 (17:47):
I wouldn't trust him to be my head coach, but
just as an offensive coordinator.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
And we've seen a lot of these guys jumping from
college to the pro game, even Jim Harbaugh last year,
Jim Harbaugh the first time around, Pete Carroll the first
time around, where leaping from that college game to the
pro game really helped those teams draft familiarity with the
recruiting classes or whatever it may be. They had amazing
drafts those first years those guys entered the pro game.

(18:10):
They're not getting that bonus with Pie Carroll this time around,
but they are getting it with Ship Kelly and Ohio
State has loads and loads of NFL prospects.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
Well, here's the other thing you give with Chip Kelly.
You get a guy who once an NFL.

Speaker 3 (18:20):
Head coach, flamed out, didn't do well, went to the
collegiate ranks.

Speaker 1 (18:25):
Right was with Ohio State they won a national title.

Speaker 3 (18:27):
Now he's able to take that elite football mind and
incorporate a lot of those collegiate type of plays that
we see in the pro game. And it's going to
have teams trying to find ways to adjust, but they
need the Personnaeil. So I wouldn't rule out Devonte Adams.

Speaker 1 (18:43):
Return to the Raiders either. Oooh, that could be a
lot of fun. That could be spicy.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
Well, I think we'll be doing some more free agency
predictions when we get back from this one, and then
we'll have Parker Gabriel joining us at the top of
the hour to talk about what Broncos Country should expect
from free agency, what big splashes they might make.

Speaker 1 (19:01):
Who they might see depart.

Speaker 2 (19:03):
Make sure you stay tuned on eight point fifty or
stay tuned to Broncos Country tonight on eight fifty KOA
eight fifty AM ninety four one FM.

Speaker 1 (19:17):
It's Friday and we're.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
Back for some more Broncos Country Tonight. For Late and
for Benjamin Albright, it is Zach Seegers joining me. Is
Nick Ferguson recovering for the Rockies who got reigned out tonight. Nick.
During the break, I saw an interesting report from Albert
Breer related to the Geno Smith trade.

Speaker 1 (19:36):
It sounds like the Raiders are sorry.

Speaker 2 (19:38):
The Seahawks initially kicked off negotiations by offering DK metcalf
and Geno Smith in exchange for Max Crosby.

Speaker 1 (19:46):
What do you make of that update? Well, they do.
I mean Sea Elks have.

Speaker 3 (19:52):
A head coach who is a defensive minded god and
that says a lot about the value of Max Crosby
and having the willingness to give up to players.

Speaker 1 (20:02):
Now you can look at.

Speaker 3 (20:03):
It in this type of way you want to, and
whether you think about DK Metcalf as being one of
the top players in the league and the same could
be said for Geno Smith. But The idea is that
you're willing to give up two of your offensive players
to get one defensive player.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
That says a lot. That tells you.

Speaker 3 (20:20):
That says to me more about Max Crosby opposed to
what it says about DK or Geno Smith.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
Do you think Max Crosby is a defensive player that
at this point deserves to be held in that esteam
where he is worth a what do you want to
call it? You know, top fifteen, top twenty quarterback and
the top twenty wide receiver.

Speaker 1 (20:43):
Yeah. Have you seen this dude play.

Speaker 3 (20:47):
Off?

Speaker 1 (20:47):
Wait? Wait, okay, wait a minute, let me rephrase that.

Speaker 3 (20:51):
Have you seen Max Crosby play against the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
Yeah, it's rough. Yeah, there you go. It is rough.

Speaker 3 (21:00):
The dude is long, he's tall, he's athletic, he has
a relentless motor. He never seems to give up. Even
when he's on the back side of the play. He
has the ability to chase the play down from behind.
So yes, Max Crosby is that type of dude. But
that tells you what Seattle's thinking. They're trying to rebuild

(21:20):
what they were able to have defensively. Far as the
Legion of Bullman. They were willing to give up both
DK Madkiff and you know Smith. But it's crazy because
if that was the original conversation and then automatically it
shifts to, you know what, we're gonna hold.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
On to Max.

Speaker 3 (21:38):
We like the Geno idea, but would you take what
would you Are you willing to train and.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
Give up Geno if we give you a third round pick.
That's the thing.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
I'm surprised that got so much cheaper so quickly when
you take Max Crosby or yeah, that you could just
get Geno Smith for a third round pick. It's an
interest seeing calculation there, because what is DK Metcalf plus
a third.

Speaker 1 (22:03):
Round pick good enough to get you Max Prosby? I
sure as that wouldn't think so well?

Speaker 3 (22:08):
Okay, So understanding that the Seahawks were already in contract
negotiations to possibly extend the deal for Geno Smith and
maybe the conversation broke down as it does from a
contraction standpoint, and it just pushed him to a point where,
you know what, we're not going to be able to

(22:30):
keep Gino give him extension. The contract talks are breaking
down because he wants something that we're not willing to
give him because we don't really see him in that
way understandably, because guess what, you have a new office
of coordinator coming in in Clint Kubiak. Now, Clint probably
looked at film of Gino and just say, you know what,

(22:50):
Gino has some ability, but I want another guy. And
that other guy who's to say that guy could be
Kirk Cousins down in Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (23:00):
Why not?

Speaker 3 (23:01):
Because back in with twenty twenty one, Kirk had a
massive year statistically even last year, yes, or two years
ago twenty forty three, yes, But in twenty twenty one,
as both Clint Kobiak and Kirk Cousins were with the
Minnesota Vikings, I mean Kirk went off. I think he had,
like off my head, I think thirty three touchdowns and

(23:24):
maybe seven interceptions. And a year before that at twenty twenty,
guess who was the officer coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 1 (23:31):
Very Kolbyak.

Speaker 3 (23:33):
So I'm sure when Clint Kobyak got the job, he's like, Okay, listen,
I could bring in an offense that you won, but
I'm gonna need certain concessions, certain things to be in place.

Speaker 1 (23:45):
To that point.

Speaker 2 (23:46):
Something we were talking about during the break Kirk Cousins.
I mean, he had a really rough season last year.
I think it's fair to say he's that's putting in
mildly mildly. He's approaching forty, he's still seems like he's
working back from the Achilles based on what we saw
last year. He now also apparently has a shoulder injury.
Based on what he's saying to the press, this is

(24:06):
not an opportunity. We would see a cornerback get at,
you know, thirty one, thirty two even it's not an
opportunity we see a running back get or a wide
receiver get What do you think is I guess the
positional privilege that playing quarterback gets you.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
In the NFL, playing quarterback is different, right, Let's be
totally a hunters. Playing quarterback is different because you get
paid the most money, the top one percent of the.

Speaker 1 (24:32):
Players making the most money in the league. A quarterbacks,
your value is escalated.

Speaker 3 (24:38):
Every single year because there's a quarterback who is now
going to be a free agent and he resets the market.
You now have an opportunity. If you have that type
of guy, you can marry a sumer model, right right,
So quarterbacks live on a whole different level.

Speaker 1 (24:54):
Their pockets entirely different.

Speaker 3 (24:56):
Then you can walk into the organization and you can
a man certain things.

Speaker 1 (25:01):
Maybe you want your own quarterback coach, maybe you want
your own office.

Speaker 3 (25:06):
When you're a quarterback in the league, you can do
those types of things. And I know that here in
Denver people were mad at Russell Wilson for asking and
being given those types of things. But life as a
quarterback is entirely different. Think about this, Life for a
backup quarterback is entirely different because.

Speaker 1 (25:27):
All you to do is put on the ball.

Speaker 3 (25:29):
Cap on the clipboard and playing a couple preseason game
and you played like thirteen years and make ten million
dollars the backup, right. I mean there's evidence all over
the place, Like think about Chase Daniels, Right, what have
you done in the league other than being a backup
quarterback and make.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
A bohol amount of money? Be really good buddies with
Andy Reid and Sean Tayden. There you go, right there?

Speaker 3 (25:51):
So the more other stories parents, Right, if you want
loud Johnny to make a boatload of money, right, the
three percent this is that you want him to play
backup quarterback.

Speaker 1 (26:03):
Notice I didn't say starter.

Speaker 3 (26:04):
I said backup, right, long snapper, and kicker right there
it yeah.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
Get some money, don't get hit any protect them to
make sure your kid's healthy for the next twenty three years.

Speaker 3 (26:18):
You know it's funny because I put something like this
on social media.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
You gots go.

Speaker 3 (26:23):
Check it out at Nick ferguson Underscore twenty five that
I asked fans, like, because we're in that window of optimism, right,
everyone's hoping to go to Super Bowl. Hope springs eternal.
That's a phrase. But you're saying, okay, Well, what I
said was, if you could live out your childhood dream
as an NFL player, what position would you choose?

Speaker 1 (26:46):
And why? Man, I can't tell you.

Speaker 3 (26:49):
It's in this order, right, kicker, backup, quarterback, and long snapper.

Speaker 1 (26:56):
That's how people responded. I think that's right.

Speaker 2 (26:59):
I gotta say I might punter over kicker, because punter,
I mean, everyone forgets about you. No one's really tearing
the punter up after a game. Kicker, you're not getting hit,
but you do have to deal with the mental anguish.
Like everyone still remembers Gary Anderson's name in Minnesota, everyone
still remembers uh. I mean now I'm forgetting it. But uh,
Scott Orwood the Buffalo Buffalo.

Speaker 3 (27:21):
You know what, I never thought about it that way
because as as a kicker, it's the.

Speaker 1 (27:26):
Game is on the line. On a punter, it just
they just dragging hang time. Right, You're chilling.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
You're doing long snaps with the long snapper on the
sideline all day.

Speaker 3 (27:34):
You're just hoping that no one up front blows the
blocking assignment and someone hits your your your your your
your drop leg.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
Right, or you screw up a hold on a fueldal.
That's really all that could go wrong. That's it.

Speaker 3 (27:45):
So yeah, So all right, listeners, you want your kids
to play in the NFL.

Speaker 1 (27:50):
Long snapper, backup, quarterback and punter. There it is right there. Well,
those are the positions you should look to play.

Speaker 2 (27:58):
Start developing those are getting those skills ready, We'll look
at what positions the Denver Broncos should look to add
in free agency after the break think before the top
of the hour. Once again, this is Zach Seers filling
in for Benjamin Albright. Joining me as always is the
great Nick Ferguson.

Speaker 1 (28:18):
Nick.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
We've got Parker Gabriel coming on at the top of
the hour to talk about what we should see if
the Denver Broncos do in free agency. I'm curious, though,
what are some moves you would like to see the
Broncos making free agency, any additions, any positions you'd like.

Speaker 1 (28:32):
Them to focus on. Well, for me, I'm not going
to go with the sexy pig right away.

Speaker 3 (28:37):
For me, it's about becoming more physical and tough, and
that's in rock running, but also in the aspect of
the game that I didn't think that the Broncos hit
where they needed to, and that was perimeter blocking.

Speaker 1 (28:51):
And for me, I.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
Put this out on social media that I think that
the Broncos should take a look at mc hollins and
I know Broncos country doesn't think that that's a sexy pig.
And that's what everyone wants around this time of the year.
They want to be able to pound their chests. Looking
at the roster updates as a fantasy roster, for me,
it's not about looking for sexy guys. You have to

(29:15):
look within your team structure on both sides of the
ball and ask your said, well, what were we devoid
of and try to fill those gas the best way
you can and then knowing is that the Broncos is
going to have more money to spend in twenty twenty six,
once again you're still streaming along piece millingness together. So

(29:36):
to bring in a guy like mc hollins once again
not a sexy name, but just think about what you're
asking him to do. You want guys who are capable
of doing the dirty work and what we saw, you
know Holland's able to do and Buffalo is to do
that guy, big guy, very physical. Just here's the first
thing I thought about playing the safety position. When I

(29:59):
come down, he who am I meeting in the hole?
What guy they're gonna motion down to come and block me?
I think massive body, and I think a guy who
was made up the right stuff from an attitude standpoint.

Speaker 1 (30:11):
And I told Dave Logan and Ryan Evers.

Speaker 3 (30:15):
Before they walked out of the studio, you can use
mac collins in the position that the Broncos were trying
to use the Jordan Humphrey for right and they didn't
really have as much success because I go back.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
And I watched film just like everyone else.

Speaker 3 (30:30):
But being a safety, I'm thinking, okay, well, which receivers
will give me the most challenge? And I'm thinking, here's
a bigger body guy. I need you on those insert
blocks to date guys out. But you got to be
made of the right stuff mentally to be able to
do it. And for me, when I played here, I
played with two of the better guys in the league
at the time who I felt.

Speaker 1 (30:52):
Did it well, and that was Am McCaffrey and Rod Smith.
So it may.

Speaker 3 (30:56):
Seem like I'm biased, but that's what I look at.

Speaker 1 (31:00):
Look at the run games that those guys were a
part of.

Speaker 2 (31:02):
And then even you know the Kyle Shanahan, look at
his receivers and the run games they always have, and
how involved the receivers are.

Speaker 1 (31:09):
In the run game too.

Speaker 2 (31:11):
The Sean Payton offense needs receivers that are going to block.
And you know, Broncos Country.

Speaker 1 (31:15):
Was so upset.

Speaker 2 (31:16):
Why is little Jordan hum Free out there still? He
keeps making these line numbing mistakes that are incredibly frustrating.
He's creating turnovers, he's dropping the football. Why is he
still out there? Because he was the best blocker out
of the bunch. I mean, that's why Dave Logan and
Right Edwards were just talking about the reports that he
might get moved to tight end. You know, he's almost
filling that role, like we have a moved tight end.

Speaker 1 (31:37):
Then he was really a wide receiver last season.

Speaker 3 (31:40):
But in order to do that, Zach, I mean, you
have to be committed to blocking. You know, when we
look at the Broncos run game last year, we say, well,
I've never really got on track for me being around
Kyle and playing for for Mike. Your wilde receivers are
extension of your run game. If those guys don't block
on a perimeter, and Mike had this rule block, you're

(32:01):
not catching, right, that was his mindset. But you need
guys are going to made of the right stuff. They
don't care, right. You need guys on the offosite side
of the ball, just like in twenty fifteen, way Phillips
had in the No Flies on a bunch of guys
who were talented.

Speaker 1 (32:20):
They were almost like the Dirty Dozen. They really didn't care.

Speaker 3 (32:23):
And this team is going to need to get down,
deep and dirty if they want to get back to
the playoffs, but not just get back to the to
the playoffs at they went also when the first playoff game.

Speaker 1 (32:34):
That look who just rolled them over in that first
playoff game. This last time around.

Speaker 2 (32:38):
Who was the more physical team, who is able to
run on those edges consistently and bully the broadcast defensive
backs as they tried to come up and make the tack.

Speaker 1 (32:46):
What you were just pointing the.

Speaker 2 (32:47):
Buffalo Bills and Mac Collins. As you know, the NFL
got really light and focused on speed. Well, now we're
swinging back towards physicality and the run game and grinding
these things out.

Speaker 1 (32:58):
That's what Mac Collins fit.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
I wouldn't be really expensive either, that's the other thing.

Speaker 3 (33:04):
So now we're looking at free agency. We're not talking
about the first day. We're not talking about the first
two days. You're talking about a guy that can upgrade
your wide receiver room from a level of toughness standpoint,
and you don't have to pay a king's ransom to
acquire him.

Speaker 1 (33:21):
You need some guys, just why.

Speaker 3 (33:23):
Regardless of what some some fans h feel about Eminu Sanders,
this is why I love Emmanus Sanders because he had
a dog attitude.

Speaker 1 (33:31):
You need some dogs, right, not some cats. You need
some dogs.

Speaker 3 (33:35):
And that's not to say that the Dacos curve receiver
corps are cats, but I'm just saying when you think
about the league overall. Think about the game against Buffalo,
Just think about playing against the Baltimore Ravens.

Speaker 1 (33:48):
You need those types of guys, That's all I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (33:51):
And Matt Collins, he's coming off of one year two
point six million dollar d with the Bills.

Speaker 1 (33:55):
He should be in that same ballpark. Still.

Speaker 2 (33:58):
Some guys that were paid more this past season on
the veteran market, Justin Watson with the Chiefs, DJ Shark
with the Chargers, Zach Pascal with the Cardinals. I mean,
these are very cheaper signings. These are cheap signings that
the Broncos could easily get involved with.

Speaker 1 (34:13):
We think about it real quickly.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
Remember what Josh Rendals was paid by the Tame of
Broncos last year.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
A lot more than this, That's right, and we get
that much production.

Speaker 3 (34:20):
Now we're talking about value on the field, right, value
as far as production, but at a Walmart discount rate.

Speaker 1 (34:29):
How about that? I like it a lot.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
We'll find out if Parker Gabriel likes it a lot.

Speaker 1 (34:34):
At the top of the hour.

Speaker 2 (34:36):
Stay tuned the Broncos Country and I will tell you
everything you need to know about the upcoming Broncos free
agency period on eight fifty AM ninety four one FM
KOA News, talk, sports,