Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Use.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Actually he's back there behind the glass five six six
nine Zeros text line. I still still dealing with the
voice being a little bit shredded, but we'll get there.
We're gonna write out to Kerry Commas World hotline and
bring on Matt Barrels from the Athletic Right and covers
the forty nine ers there. I want to get your
thoughts Matt. First of all, you doing this evening, want
to get your thoughts on obviously the broncost free agent signings,
(00:20):
but I want to start with what's going on there
in San Francisco because a lot of people are are
kind of looking at this and being like, Wow, there's
there's a lot of outflow on talent there in San Francisco,
and are they going to get this brock party thing done?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, it's shocked a lot of people. I mean, the
forty nine ers tried to prepare everybody for something like this,
but the scale has been jarring. And you can tell
that they're talented people that they're cutting by the fact
that you know, some of these guys were you know,
free agents for Premiere seconds before we learned that they
(00:56):
had signed new deals. So uh, they if they lost
three quarters of their defensive line, Drake green Law as
you as you know, Talanoghufonga, Deebo Samuel was traded to
the Washington Kyle Ychek, who is you know, the longest
tenured forty nine er, He's been here since twenty seventeen.
(01:18):
All those guys are gone, So it's a it's a
real firm reset here. There's still a lot of talent
Gewards Kittle, Christian Diccaffery, Fred Warner, Brock Purty, but you know,
it's not as talented a group as it was a
couple of years ago, even last year.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I think Roccos fans have a at least tenuous connection
with forty Nineers. Obviously, John Lynch is central manager. Kyle
Shannahan and the Shanahan family here in Denver quite quite
well respected. And then Adam Peters, you know who's here,
went out there nice over there Washington. I think as
we look at this, we asked her, is this something
that he's front office directed, just market directed, Kyle Shanahan directed, Uh,
(02:00):
is this is this a forty nine ers rebuild? And
is this is this the coach of the front office ownership?
What is this?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, it's a. It's ownership. Really, this was a cash
flow problem for ownership. You've got the big uh Rock
pretty contract coming down the pike. They're probably going to
do a new new deal with George Kittle as well.
Fred Warner Is deal is coming up, not not in
(02:27):
the near future, but it's it's looming out there. So
if they want to hold on to some of these
core guys and the quarterback contract is huge, you can't
get around that. That then they're they're freeing up this cash.
It's not a cap issue. They had something like fifty
millions still on their salary cap. But it's freeing up cash.
(02:52):
And to his credit, Jed York, the owner has paid
out a lot of cash in the past and that
may be part of what's going on now. He poured
out a lot of cash last year for a team
that went six and eleven and maybe drawing a line
in the.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Stand talking Matt Barrows from the Athletic, last last question
on that that front, I guess that I wanted to
get to is the Brock party situation. You know, obviously
I think they were When I was up there in
India at the combine, it seemed like they were pretty
far a part of that numbers that is that gap narrowed.
Is there any danger that brock Party is not coming
back in San Francisco, Well, not for.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Twenty twenty five. He's under a contract. I suppose they
could work out some sort of deal with the Tennessee
Titans or some other quarterback Neavy team, but they're they're
not there yet. You know, this is a team that
tends to drag on its contract negotiations. So last year
was brand nayuk. Trent Williams didn't report until just before
(03:52):
the season. They seem to have gotten longer every year.
It used to be that they would get them done
on the eve of camp and it was the first
week into training camp, and now it's the very end
of training camp and right up until the season. So
that's their track record. They don't like to capitulate on
(04:12):
those types of things, and you make a real great
argument that it did them a lot of harm last year.
It was a really disjointed off season turned into a
really disjointed regular season, and they weren't even close at
the end. So they should learn their lessons. The question
is have they This is a big one, and it's
(04:33):
obviously something the team is I don't say nervous about,
but you know, everything you're seeing now is related to
this big contract that's coming down the pike.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Talking about Barrows from from the athletic let's start a
little bit to the two free agents that the Broncos
did acquire. Green Law of the two, seems to be
the one that I saw the most forty nine Ers
fan chatter that was that they were up said about that.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Is that the sense that you have or I mean,
obviously both these guys.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
You look at the tape, both great players, but do
you have a sense that the team is going to
miss one more than the other?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, well, you're absolutely right about the fan base. I mean,
they got to watch what this defense did without Drake
green Law for most of last year, and then he
reminded them for that game against the Rams what they've
been missing, and it was so stark, it was unbelievable.
So he was the one that they wanted back the most.
(05:33):
Out of all these free agents that are leaving. I
don't even think it's close. Steve Ball might be up there,
he's a trade, But of the free agents, it was
Drake gleen Law for sure. And you know, there's a
ferocity that he plays with. I mean, it's just palpable.
When he's on his game. Sometimes you take it too far.
(05:56):
He's had a lot of penalties over the years. Late
hit type of thing. He saw the beef that he
got into with Big Tom on the Eagle sideline.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
I had forgotten that was him. I had forgotten that
that was him.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
That's definitely him. If you had told me that I
had been in a coma and I woke up and
you said, hey, one of the forty nine ers got
into a sideline fractice with the Eagle head of security,
the first the first guy I would have guessed was
always probably Drake Gremont, Wasn't it. That's him? But the
(06:31):
forty nine ers, the players especially love that. They love
the fight that he brings. He gives it all.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
He's uh.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
He had a rough and tumble childhood. He comes from
a very hard scrabble background, in and out of group homes,
foster homes.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
He uh, he found football and football it's something that
he took to. But my point is that he knows
what you know. Being a rough guy is like he
knows you know how to handle himself. It wasn't easy
growing up, so he's someone that doesn't take his success
(07:12):
for granted. I think he wanted to kind of strike
out on his own. He's he's very close friends with
Fred Warner, but I think he wanted the chance to
be a star in his own right, the focal point
of the linebacking group. And I think he's getting that
in Denver.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Absolutely will that yeah, and I you know, I think
you're right, you know, in terms of what he brings
to the table with that fight and it the Brooks
have had that before. I think every team needs that.
Brooks have had that before is a key to leave.
I think already remembers the chain snatch against it and
all that kind of stuff. You need a guy that
gives your team that sort of that edge, and I
that for me, I think was one of the biggest aspects,
as well as getting another guy in this locker room
(07:52):
who's been to a super Bowl even they didn't win,
who's been to a super Bowl before and understands what
it takes to get there.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Uh. And then of course you got who who My
my broadcast border was off tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Nick Ferguson, former NFL devents back was absolutely have been
raving about uh since he since he's been my radio part.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
He's been raving about it for two years. And then
the Broncos go and bring him in.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
What is it that he brings to the table, because
this is a franchise that has a story history at
the safety position.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, he's another favorite of the forty nine ers. I
tell a story about Adam Peters and how before the
third day of the twenty twenty one draft he has
he basically is running the draft for the forty nine ers,
and he has everybody before Day three begins around the
table in the draft room, stand up and given name
(08:41):
of somebody that you'd like to see the forty nine
ers draft today. And so you know, we're talking scouts,
Area scouts, the national scouts, we're talking the coaching staff,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So they each get
up one by one, and the name that comes up
the most is Onoglufunga because of character, because of the
(09:05):
way he plays. Again, another big hitter, another guy's not
afraid of contact, another guy who plays really really smart.
He's just kind of generally beloved, and lo and behold,
they they draft him in the fifth round, and Peters
used to give out something he called the gold helmet
(09:27):
status in San Francisco, and that was somebody who had
a blend of characteristics and really kind of exemplary things.
We're talking character was a team leader, team captain, all
those sorts of things, and maybe one guy per draft
class got that. Some years nobody did, but he was
(09:48):
one of the guys and they got him in the
fifth round. And I think the forty nine ers were
really really proud of that fact. And you know, for
the first two seasons he was here in San Francisco,
he lived up to that. I mean, he was really
good as a as a rookie and exceptional as a
as a second year player, and then he got injured. Uh,
(10:09):
and that's what the last two years were really about.
And uh, you know, they brought in some safeties and
some young safeties and there wasn't any room for him,
and they certainly weren't going to get into a fitting
war for him. But I do think that he's a
really good player. The forty nine ers really underscored his
(10:30):
communication skill, that the back end was just a tighter
unit when he was in the lineup, and you know,
that bore out last year when he was in and out.
When he came back in these injuries, you know, you
could see it. The defense was just better on the
back end.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Talking with Matt Barrows from the athletic pivoting away from
that for just a minute. You mentioned earlier about you
Check and being the longest tendered niner. You Check probably
my favorite player. His name I never get correct when
I'm trying to spell it. What what does the future
hold for him? Does he have any part in the
punic left in the uh you know, in the tank?
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, he did. I mean that's why he's he's not here. Uh.
The forty nine ers went to him last year at
this time and said, hey, we want you to take
a bay cut, and he reluctantly accepted. They came back
again and he said, no, I'm not going to do
it two years in a row. I mean, he just can't.
You know, he's not an every down player, so he
(11:32):
hasn't taken a lot of wear and tear. You think
a fullback and you think, oh, he must be a
battering ram, lots of concussions, lots of injuries. That's not
how he plays the position. I mean he's a Harvard grad.
He figured out, you know, angles and how to get
his job done without being a ones instrument, and so
(11:54):
he he does have tread left from the tires. You know,
his point after this most recent ethan is that he
doesn't see any decline in his play, and I think
that's what made taking a pay cut so hard for
him to do. So he's, uh, he's looking around. He
lives on Long Island in the off season. His wife
(12:16):
is from New York, so Jet Giants. He visited with
the Steelers, so he's got suitors out there. I think
the forty nine Rons would probably have him back at
a at a certain price, and that's probably still on
the table, probably slim, But you know, my point is
that I think he's gonna wind up somewhere talking a.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Matt Marlston Athletic Matt any final thoughts on the two
free agents of Broncos sign before we get out of here.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
No, only that they got two really good guys and
two guys who were good in the locker room. I
don't know if Adam Peters has ties to the front
office anymore, but if people asked him about Drake Greenlow
and in Teleno Hufanga. I'm sure he would give them
rave reviews. One guy with a fifth rounder in twenty nineteen.
(13:07):
The other guy was a fifth rounder in twenty twenty one.
The joke out here, you know, Diaminolnor starting qrnoback for
them fifth rounder George Kittle was a fifth rounder in
twenty seventeen. The joke out here is that the fifth
round is the money round. That's where the forty nine
ers make their money. So you know, those two guys
(13:29):
really kind of exemplified that.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Well, Matt, we really appreciate the time and night looking
forward to these guys. We promise we'll keep them in
good hands here in Denver, and good luck out there
in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
All right, thanks for having me on a brother.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Take care that Barrel Athletic had some good notes there
talking about the gold helmet deal with with Fanga. Adam Peters,
who used to run the drafts there in San Francisco,
awarding the gold helmet decal, I'll, you know, award whatever
to Fanga, and how I one note that he he
(14:05):
said there, that Matt said there that I thought was
critical and it's something that Nick harps on all the
time when he talked about how when Neufunga's in there
the communication was better, that the unit tightened up when
he was in there, and Nick Nick talks about that
all the time, and Nick having been in that position
obviously you know, highlights that kind of thing and it's
essential among defensive backs. But what he specifically said, as
(14:25):
soon as I heard that he said that when Ufaga
was in there, the communication approved, my eyes got wide
because I know that that is a big Nick Ferguson
thing and haven't played that that position at the at
the professional level, like I know, that's that's.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Huge, And I think the data bears out what he
was saying. If you look at I forget who it was,
it might have been.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Kyote actually put out the RAS scores of the different
players that the Broncos have signed so far, and not
good testers Dray green Law and tele Io Whufonga, but
they play so fast on the field, and I think
it's because they're both such instinctive, violent, aggressive players. They
just they play so their play speed is so much
(15:06):
faster than they tested that they're one of those players
and like a Kyle Hamilton, you know, Kyle Hamilton's an
all pros maybe not quite that level, but just football
I Q off the charts. I think with both of
them and really really talented, I think they're going to
bring more of an attitude to this defense. Like there
was some grittiness and some attitude with this defense before
(15:27):
and I think now it's dialed up to eleven.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
This is I think they.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Should be the odds on favorite for best defense in
the NFL. And defense is something with high variance rate
that normally doesn't, you know, carry over year to year.
Look at the Browns this year, even the Ravens, but
I think the Broncos are going to be right there
next year.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I mean the way I look at the Broncos this
year is.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
You surprised people and you made the playoffs last year, right,
this year, you need to make the playoffs. That becomes
the expectation. You want to kind of make some noise.
You want to win a game in the playoffs, right,
and I think in most cases you want to hit
your window in year three year. Quarterback gets the year three, right,
you want to start your win that's where we want
to because you got you got two years of cost
control quarterback and then another semi cost control with the
(16:07):
with the fifth year option. So at that point, that's
where you want to be. And so I think that
in looking at this, if you arrive sooner, so be it.
But I think the Broncos are on track for that.
I think they're kind of we're plugging a few holes here.
Maybe a big spin next year if things play out
the way we like this year. We'll talk about that
some more. We come back Broncos Country tonight. Exs do
(16:33):
Matt Burrows for joining us in the last segment from
the Athletic You find him on Twitter at Matt Borrows.
Let's be a Rrows. That's a good points there, and
I think, like I said, we were head of the break,
a really good line there about how when Hafango was
in for the forty nine ers, communication got better, defense
(16:55):
tightened up. Zach pointed out the numbers tend to back
that up.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I mean I'm really excited to see what they bring
to the defense. Again, I think you're taking the two
weakest links, and we saw opponents had those spots circled
towards the end of the season. The Browns did it,
the Chargers did everyone down the stretch of the season,
that's where they were throwing the ball Anthony Richardson. If
you look at the only places he was completing passes,
it was targeting those spots in the Broncos coverage. And
(17:24):
now you've replaced it with guys that at the least
have a very very high ceiling.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah, and so I think I'm hoping that they stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
That was my concern about that. If they do, looks
like we've got some pretty good players there. Sherfield as
a wide receiver, oh less so for his ability as
a receiver, although he's a stellar blocker and as a gunner.
I love that edition.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Emman Ingram I okay, I mean you got the room
got better.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
I'm okay with it, just because it was so low
wattage before and now I don't think you're forced to
try and find a guy in the draft.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Even though it's happening more where we're seeing these rookie
tight ends come in and have success, I think it's
still a position with.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
That.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Like linebacker, those were two positions where I was really
really hoping they'd have some sort of trusty veteran. So
you're not going to have to force whoever that draft
pick is to be the guy from day one. Now,
I think you can circle back in the middle rounds
and maybe it's a guy like Elijah Royo's really exciting
in the second round er.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
You know, maybe he's in that no man's land between
fifty and twenty.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
But there's some exciting tight end prospects later on that
they could just take their time to develop. Evan Ingram
holds down that room and it's way better than what
they've had before. I mean, Adam Troutman has less receiving
yards than guys like A. J.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Derby did with the Broncos. Right, keep your on Mason Taylor,
Just trust me on that. Keep your on Mason Taylor.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
That's another great name I think in that Arroyo tier.
I've heard really great things about Mason Taylor. I think
it was on PFF's draft podcast they were talking about
how coming out of the combine or at the combine,
they did hear a single negative thing about Mason Taylor.
It was not that everyone had him as the best
tight end or everyone was extremely high on him, but
no one had a negative thing to say. And it
(19:08):
was like, this kid has built the right way and
thinks the right way and all that good stuff.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
He's somebody I've mentioned in the show before and I'll
mention it again. There is a Broncos connection. I will
let you all know as well. We Broncos just hired
a new quality control coach and his high school coach
was the quality control coach that we hired.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
That's very interesting.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So just there is a Broncos connection there to kind
of keep your eye on a little bit. It was
kind of funny because the coach that we just hired,
his strength and conditioning coach, is a friend of mine
I've known for years, and so like they you know,
knowing he was coming and keep your mouth shutt and
all that kind of stuff, but he keep you know,
he did tip me off today we were you know,
coach Mason Taylor too, So keep an eye on that
(19:51):
as well. So something something to keep your eyes from
them for a Broncos connection. Speaking the Broncos connection, Bo
Nicks is out.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
At the Nuggets game right now.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
He's out there with U. Was a Cortland sudden, Nick
car Julio and Frank Crumb I believe, Yeah, not surprising
rush four of Broncos.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
There, Yeah, not surprised to see Nixon sudden together, of course.
But yeah, the combination of Nick Garjulo and Frank Crumb
and there's is interesting. I wonder if they're helping out
the back end of the roster guys, trying to do
a solid for them or I don't know. It's interesting
though to see those two courtside with Bonix and Courtland.
Sid you know, you'd expect McGlinchey, you're even Stidham considering
(20:29):
the relationship with Nicks over one of those guys.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Well, I mean, they just happen to be the guys
in town.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Who knows. But anyway, those four out at the Nuggets
Lakers game. Nuggets Lakers tipping off here in just a
little bit. Does this game even matter? Considering how depleted
the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Are right now? Anyway, say is Browny starting this game?
He might be.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
It's hilarious how depleted they are even there. I was
looking for KA Sports. How many players they lost? They
lost even from last night squad that was really depleted.
Didn't have Jackson, didn't have Lebron, didn't have Ruy. On
top of that, now they're down Luca don Chitz, and
they're down Dory and Finney Smith, who was filling in
for Ruiy. The lineup tonight is going to be very,
(21:12):
very funky, to say the least.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
It goes well for the Nuggets right now, who are
trying to shore up things for seeding, and I think
plays certainly in their favor. The Nuggets were already favored
in this one, but heavily favored due to the lineup
attrition for the Lakers, who are basically at this point
in that game, obviously tipped off, who are basically playing depleted.
(21:38):
Bronnie did not start tonight. Dalton connect did, along with
Jared Vanderbilt, Alex lenn Jordan Goodwin, and Austin Reeves. And
if you're asking who, so are the rest of us
on some of those names, But Bronni figures to be
the you know, the sixth man. He figures to get
big minutes along with Shake Milton the night, which is
generally a recipe for disaster. Although the Lakers came out hot,
(22:00):
they're up a eighty two to start this thing off.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
That's a little unfortunate that that's discouraging, and I hope
the Nuggets can get it back. I'm pretty sure they will,
But yeah, I think Austin Reeves. I guess connect too.
Are those the only two guys in their regular rotation
that are even able to play it. I mean, if
the Nuggets will win this, that's as a look in
the mirror moment, you've got it. It's hard to maybe
get up for this game, but you got to get
(22:23):
up for it and put yourself in good position to.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Have better seating.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
I don't think they should over, you know, extend themselves
to try and get that seating like we saw them
do last year, but this should be a layup game.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
You got to take care of business. Well, yeah, that's
the thing, especially because you're rolling out the starters. I mean,
the Nuggets started the starters. It's Yokic porter, Baron Gordon
is playing tonight, Christian Brown at the at the guard,
Jamal Murray, They've got they've got everybody, everybody going tonight.
I think the only player that gets regular mins is
not going to be going tonight's Julians Strawther, who's got
you know who's out. But everybody else figures to get
(22:58):
minutes tonight. And the Lakers gave Bright roll out the
gate a little bit hot. But we'll see the Nuggets,
so we'll be able to come back on that and
and be able to be able to make that thing go.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
As we look at the Nuggets as it stands, what
do we think of.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Their chances here in the West, Because you know, a
lot of people talking about this.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Oklahoma team and what they're able to do.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
You know, obviously we've had people talking about the Memphis
and what they're able to do. The Lakers, it mad
made a push and they were up there with the
Nuggets for a minute. They've kind of see moved there,
moved themselves back, and you've got another team flirting around
this that have been pretty decent this year. I mean,
Houston has not been a bad basketball team. Golden State certainly,
we're red hot lately, nine and one in their last ten. Uh.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
And then you know Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Minnesota's a tough team, and I think Minnesota might be
one of the toughest matchups for the Nuggets.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Yeah, I think you're praying you don't run into Minnesota.
I think they are a flawed team that you know,
they've been a disappointment this year. I don't think they're
one of the favorites for the NBA Finals, and I
think that was going to be the hope going into
this season for them, considering the trajectory they've been on
with Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
But nonetheless, it seems like they have the Nuggets number.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
You know, the Nuggets have those three wins against them
in the playoff series.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
But I think going back to the start of that series, they're.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Three and seven against the Timberwolves over their last several Yeah,
they they wanted to go in Denver.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
They just don't match up well with the Wolves.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Wolves of course, one six straight, thirty eight and twenty
nine in the season, sixteen and a half games back. Okay,
so he was running away with it. I mean, okay,
so he's running away with their portion of it. Fifty
four and twelve on the season, they're twenty eight and
five at home, eleven and four on the road. They
are just a good basketball team. They're scoring one hundred
and twenty a game, giving up one hundred and eighty game.
Like it, They're not just winning, they're winning big. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
I think how it translates to the playoffs is going
to come down to what type of whistle Shay Geach's
Alexander gets, Because he gets a very friendly whistle in
the regular season and does that translate to the playoffs.
I think, you know, the last time we saw a
player at the top of the league kind of thriving
with this time, I think it was James Harden at
his peak when he was winning MVPs.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And famously those numbers really trailed off in the postseason.
I wonder if we see something similar for Shay.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
I also think Jokic wants you know, it's postseason basketball
and he's allowed to get even more physical.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Is going to be able to bully a guy like
chet Holmgren. I think Harden seen.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Maybe presents some problems, but I could see the Nuggets
holding their own in that series. I probably picked the Thunder.
I'm probably with Ryan who's been times with Thunder on
that one. I don't have a poster of lou Dort,
but I do think i'd picked the Thunder there. The
t Wolves and the Warriors are the first round matchups,
though that would really scare me.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Those are the three teams I would worry about. Everyone else.
I think the Nuggets can take care of. Yeah, it's fascinating,
and you're right about the whistle.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
I mean, he shoots in the attempts nine free throws,
a game, which, to put that in perspective, Nicole the
Okitsch is the only player on the Nuggets who averages
above four free throws a game.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Shay's north of five hundred on the season. No other
player in the NBA has taken four hundred. Yeah, attempts.
He gets a ton of.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Free throw attempts, and that that is something, and he's
good at it. I mean, he hits most of his
free throw shots. You know, this is not like a
guy who like Shack, you know, with the hack of
Shack thing. This is not that that kind of situation
at all. So something to keep your eye in there. Yeah,
I like I like Denver in a seven game series,
I think against Okay See a little bit better than
I like them in a seven game series against the Wolves.
And I know that sounds weird to say, because Okay,
(26:30):
he's a better basketball team, and if I had to
pick anyone in a single matchup, I would absolutely take
okay See. But on a on the seven game series note,
I'm probably going with the Nuggets on just about most
of these West West teams except.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
For the Wolves, who they just don't match up well
with at all.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
They were depleted against the full strength OKAC squad this
past Sunday. They got up for that game and they
won fairly convincingly. I think it'd be a very very
good series either way. I think that's going seven. The
Lakers and Nuggets playing now down there at Paul Arena.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Lakers well to an early lead twelve to nine in
the in the first and again very very depleted Lakers
team out there playing Dalton Connect to homecoming of sorts,
obviously played at Northern Colorado for a minute there has
he has missed on all three of his field goal
attempts to start the game. So no no home advantage
there or anything for Dalton Connect also played at Dakota Ridge.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
If I'm remembering right for my Chassa days.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Oh yes, you would be the uh the expert on that.
See that's that's the way we keep you around, Zack.
You've got little nuggets like that. Look at that.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yeah, once every three four months, there's gonna be a
little high school player Dave Logan can't provide.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And that's that's when I come in.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Yeah, you're shoving Dave aside to like throw the Chassa
credential down on the table. Five six six text line
will take take your your questions as well. Uh, several
different questions coming in and questions about Mason Taylor. Tighten
down ls you I believe that he could be in
play for the Denver Broncos. I do very much too.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Obviously there's connection there. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I don't like to put percentages on things. I've done
it before, and what happens is people when if something
doesn't happen or whatever, then they no matter what the
number is, they hold you. They hold you over a
barrel with that number. I eight percentages because they're arbitrary numbers.
Do I think Mason Taylor is in play for the Broncos? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (28:17):
I do.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Does that mean no, one hundred percent that he's coming here, No,
it doesn't. It means that there's you know, thirty one
other teams in the NFL, and any number of things
could happen, But the Broncos are looking at Mason Taylor.
That's what I'll say.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Broncos interest aside just from your going to the combine
hearing draft scuttle but and whatnot, do you feel Mason
Taylor has a decent chance of still being there at
fifty or is this a player they'd have to trade
up or trademarks.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
No, I think you're talking about a third fourth round
type selection.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
I know.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Here's the thing with the mock drafters is the skill
position players and quarterbacks get pushed up higher than they're
actually going to go because mock drafters, for whatever reason,
have a bias against offensive lineman and defensive lineman, and
those guys get drafted higher than you think. Uh, you know,
you can't coach size, and so teams tend to feel,
you know, bigger about bigger guys. So I will say
(29:08):
that the mock drafts that I've seen tend to be
overloaded or overinflated with skill position guys a little whole
higher than they would go, especially on like you know,
guys that are marginal day two, day three type guys.
You know, the the There are some guys that tend
to be there, like the Colston Lovelins and the Jant's
and all that kind of They're not gonna be there
for the Broncos at twenty.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
That's that's absurd.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
But the the as you get further beyond that, people
who haven't studied and it's impossible the study all the
tape on every one of these guys. They tend to
mock the skill position players that they know ahead of
some of these offensive linemen. I think Mason Taylor will
be there in the third if they want him. Wow.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
I mean, I think that'd be incredible value if they
can get him in the third hymn or I know
you've mentioned.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Oh Gunner Helm Nah, I don't. I don't know if
that's their guy, he'll be there on day three.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I mean, I think that's even a great value even
if it's not their guy. Whoever lands him on day three,
I think you're getting tremendous value at the position.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Ferguson, You've You've got, you know, Rondi Gaz in the second.
Those are you know a lot of day three guys
that you can you can add to that room. Obviously
they drafted Troy Franklin. Do you think the bow Knicks connection.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Obviously Tess Johnson comes up a lot in regard to this,
But even with the Terrence Ferguson or who's the linebacker
Awesome auscor James or Jeff Bosson, do you think the
Broncos put any stock in that with the bow Knicks connection,
considering they maybe view him as their franchise guy.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Now, we asked George and Shot about that out there
at the combine, and the answer was really like, you know,
we'll check with the player obviously, you know, if it's
somebody they know, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna take every
bit of data that we have and ask them. But
I don't think they look at that as is affecting
what it is that they want to build. They know
what they want to build. Uh, it doesn't really matter
what sticker they were wearing or what, you know, what
(30:51):
helmet or whatever else. They know what they're looking for
in terms of those kinds of things, and if they
happen to have and in house somebody that can give
them todditional information on it, so be it. So that's
the thing I like with the Test Johnson thing. I
would not say that that's I don't think that's in
their plan. Well maybe, but I didn't get the vibe
that's in their plans. I think if he were a UDFA,
(31:12):
they you know, they do it for bo, but I
don't you know, if he doesn't get drafted because of
his size, but I don't think they're going out of
their way to draft him.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
I don't know what the role on this scene would
be unless you try to convert him to I don't
even know running back to replace Mclaw.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
I don't know what you did, but he's way too
small for that. I don't know what his role would
be on this scene.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Yeah, I mean he's one hundred and fifty four pounds.
To put that in perspective, I outweigh Tes Johnson by
twenty pounds, and I am not the world's biggest guy like.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
The latest too too out well in the tank Delt,
these guys were ten pounds heavier, which you know, if
we're talking about a guy who's three hundred pounds or
three hundred and ten pounds, that's not the biggest deal.
When we're talking about one sixteenth of your overall body weight,
that's the big That's a differ between a three hundred
pound guy and a three hundred and thirty pound.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Guy, right, And there's you know, I mean, being fast
is fun until big and fast catches you and they will,
you know, and Tes doesn't have all world speed, you know,
like he's quick, and he's he's you know, he's a
fast guy. He plays four or five speed on a
football field and that's roughly what he's tied out. But
you know, he's not four two nine, you know speed,
This isn't all world speed. And so I don't think
(32:15):
that that's something that that's a direction that and maybe
I'm wrong on that.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
I'm not hitching my my soul to that. But the
conversations that I've had, it did not appear that that
was a direction that they were they were looking at heading.
So anyway, we come back Patrick Chioti, malth Dud Juan
and the joint us right here on Broncos Country,
Use.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Actually he's back there behind the glass five six six
nine Zeros text line. I still still dealing with the
voice being a little bit shredded, but we'll get there.
We're gonna write out to Kerry Commas World hotline and
bring on Matt Barrels from the Athletic Right and covers
the forty nine ers there. I want to get your
thoughts Matt. First of all, you doing this evening, want
to get your thoughts on obviously the broncost free agent signings,
(00:20):
but I want to start with what's going on there
in San Francisco because a lot of people are are
kind of looking at this and being like, Wow, there's
there's a lot of outflow on talent there in San Francisco,
and are they going to get this brock party thing done?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, it's shocked a lot of people. I mean, the
forty nine ers tried to prepare everybody for something like this,
but the scale has been jarring. And you can tell
that they're talented people that they're cutting by the fact
that you know, some of these guys were you know,
free agents for Premiere seconds before we learned that they
(00:56):
had signed new deals. So uh, they if they lost
three quarters of their defensive line, Drake green Law as
you as you know, Talanoghufonga, Deebo Samuel was traded to
the Washington Kyle Ychek, who is you know, the longest
tenured forty nine er, He's been here since twenty seventeen.
(01:18):
All those guys are gone, So it's a it's a
real firm reset here. There's still a lot of talent
Gewards Kittle, Christian Diccaffery, Fred Warner, Brock Purty, but you know,
it's not as talented a group as it was a
couple of years ago, even last year.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I think Roccos fans have a at least tenuous connection
with forty Nineers. Obviously, John Lynch is central manager. Kyle
Shannahan and the Shanahan family here in Denver quite quite
well respected. And then Adam Peters, you know who's here,
went out there nice over there Washington. I think as
we look at this, we asked her, is this something
that he's front office directed, just market directed, Kyle Shanahan directed, Uh,
(02:00):
is this is this a forty nine ers rebuild? And
is this is this the coach of the front office ownership?
What is this?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, it's a. It's ownership. Really, this was a cash
flow problem for ownership. You've got the big uh Rock
pretty contract coming down the pike. They're probably going to
do a new new deal with George Kittle as well.
Fred Warner Is deal is coming up, not not in
(02:27):
the near future, but it's it's looming out there. So
if they want to hold on to some of these
core guys and the quarterback contract is huge, you can't
get around that. That then they're they're freeing up this cash.
It's not a cap issue. They had something like fifty
millions still on their salary cap. But it's freeing up cash.
(02:52):
And to his credit, Jed York, the owner has paid
out a lot of cash in the past and that
may be part of what's going on now. He poured
out a lot of cash last year for a team
that went six and eleven and maybe drawing a line
in the.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Stand talking Matt Barrows from the Athletic, last last question
on that that front, I guess that I wanted to
get to is the Brock party situation. You know, obviously
I think they were When I was up there in
India at the combine, it seemed like they were pretty
far a part of that numbers that is that gap narrowed.
Is there any danger that brock Party is not coming
back in San Francisco, Well, not for.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Twenty twenty five. He's under a contract. I suppose they
could work out some sort of deal with the Tennessee
Titans or some other quarterback Neavy team, but they're they're
not there yet. You know, this is a team that
tends to drag on its contract negotiations. So last year
was brand nayuk. Trent Williams didn't report until just before
(03:52):
the season. They seem to have gotten longer every year.
It used to be that they would get them done
on the eve of camp and it was the first
week into training camp, and now it's the very end
of training camp and right up until the season. So
that's their track record. They don't like to capitulate on
(04:12):
those types of things, and you make a real great
argument that it did them a lot of harm last year.
It was a really disjointed off season turned into a
really disjointed regular season, and they weren't even close at
the end. So they should learn their lessons. The question
is have they This is a big one, and it's
(04:33):
obviously something the team is I don't say nervous about,
but you know, everything you're seeing now is related to
this big contract that's coming down the pike.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Talking about Barrows from from the athletic let's start a
little bit to the two free agents that the Broncos
did acquire. Green Law of the two, seems to be
the one that I saw the most forty nine Ers
fan chatter that was that they were up said about that.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Is that the sense that you have or I mean,
obviously both these guys.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
You look at the tape, both great players, but do
you have a sense that the team is going to
miss one more than the other?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, well, you're absolutely right about the fan base. I mean,
they got to watch what this defense did without Drake
green Law for most of last year, and then he
reminded them for that game against the Rams what they've
been missing, and it was so stark, it was unbelievable.
So he was the one that they wanted back the most.
(05:33):
Out of all these free agents that are leaving. I
don't even think it's close. Steve Ball might be up there,
he's a trade, But of the free agents, it was
Drake gleen Law for sure. And you know, there's a
ferocity that he plays with. I mean, it's just palpable.
When he's on his game. Sometimes you take it too far.
(05:56):
He's had a lot of penalties over the years. Late
hit type of thing. He saw the beef that he
got into with Big Tom on the Eagle sideline.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
I had forgotten that was him. I had forgotten that
that was him.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
That's definitely him. If you had told me that I
had been in a coma and I woke up and
you said, hey, one of the forty nine ers got
into a sideline fractice with the Eagle head of security,
the first the first guy I would have guessed was
always probably Drake Gremont, Wasn't it. That's him? But the
(06:31):
forty nine ers, the players especially love that. They love
the fight that he brings. He gives it all.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
He's uh.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
He had a rough and tumble childhood. He comes from
a very hard scrabble background, in and out of group homes,
foster homes.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
He uh, he found football and football it's something that
he took to. But my point is that he knows
what you know. Being a rough guy is like he
knows you know how to handle himself. It wasn't easy
growing up, so he's someone that doesn't take his success
(07:12):
for granted. I think he wanted to kind of strike
out on his own. He's he's very close friends with
Fred Warner, but I think he wanted the chance to
be a star in his own right, the focal point
of the linebacking group. And I think he's getting that
in Denver.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Absolutely will that yeah, and I you know, I think
you're right, you know, in terms of what he brings
to the table with that fight and it the Brooks
have had that before. I think every team needs that.
Brooks have had that before is a key to leave.
I think already remembers the chain snatch against it and
all that kind of stuff. You need a guy that
gives your team that sort of that edge, and I
that for me, I think was one of the biggest aspects,
as well as getting another guy in this locker room
(07:52):
who's been to a super Bowl even they didn't win,
who's been to a super Bowl before and understands what
it takes to get there.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Uh. And then of course you got who who My
my broadcast border was off tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Nick Ferguson, former NFL devents back was absolutely have been
raving about uh since he since he's been my radio part.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
He's been raving about it for two years. And then
the Broncos go and bring him in.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
What is it that he brings to the table, because
this is a franchise that has a story history at
the safety position.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, he's another favorite of the forty nine ers. I
tell a story about Adam Peters and how before the
third day of the twenty twenty one draft he has
he basically is running the draft for the forty nine ers,
and he has everybody before Day three begins around the
table in the draft room, stand up and given name
(08:41):
of somebody that you'd like to see the forty nine
ers draft today. And so you know, we're talking scouts,
Area scouts, the national scouts, we're talking the coaching staff,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So they each get
up one by one, and the name that comes up
the most is Onoglufunga because of character, because of the
(09:05):
way he plays. Again, another big hitter, another guy's not
afraid of contact, another guy who plays really really smart.
He's just kind of generally beloved, and lo and behold,
they they draft him in the fifth round, and Peters
used to give out something he called the gold helmet
(09:27):
status in San Francisco, and that was somebody who had
a blend of characteristics and really kind of exemplary things.
We're talking character was a team leader, team captain, all
those sorts of things, and maybe one guy per draft
class got that. Some years nobody did, but he was
(09:48):
one of the guys and they got him in the
fifth round. And I think the forty nine ers were
really really proud of that fact. And you know, for
the first two seasons he was here in San Francisco,
he lived up to that. I mean, he was really
good as a as a rookie and exceptional as a
as a second year player, and then he got injured. Uh,
(10:09):
and that's what the last two years were really about.
And uh, you know, they brought in some safeties and
some young safeties and there wasn't any room for him,
and they certainly weren't going to get into a fitting
war for him. But I do think that he's a
really good player. The forty nine ers really underscored his
(10:30):
communication skill, that the back end was just a tighter
unit when he was in the lineup, and you know,
that bore out last year when he was in and out.
When he came back in these injuries, you know, you
could see it. The defense was just better on the
back end.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Talking with Matt Barrows from the athletic pivoting away from
that for just a minute. You mentioned earlier about you
Check and being the longest tendered niner. You Check probably
my favorite player. His name I never get correct when
I'm trying to spell it. What what does the future
hold for him? Does he have any part in the
punic left in the uh you know, in the tank?
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, he did. I mean that's why he's he's not here. Uh.
The forty nine ers went to him last year at
this time and said, hey, we want you to take
a bay cut, and he reluctantly accepted. They came back
again and he said, no, I'm not going to do
it two years in a row. I mean, he just can't.
You know, he's not an every down player, so he
(11:32):
hasn't taken a lot of wear and tear. You think
a fullback and you think, oh, he must be a
battering ram, lots of concussions, lots of injuries. That's not
how he plays the position. I mean he's a Harvard grad.
He figured out, you know, angles and how to get
his job done without being a ones instrument, and so
(11:54):
he he does have tread left from the tires. You know,
his point after this most recent ethan is that he
doesn't see any decline in his play, and I think
that's what made taking a pay cut so hard for
him to do. So he's, uh, he's looking around. He
lives on Long Island in the off season. His wife
(12:16):
is from New York, so Jet Giants. He visited with
the Steelers, so he's got suitors out there. I think
the forty nine Rons would probably have him back at
a at a certain price, and that's probably still on
the table, probably slim, But you know, my point is
that I think he's gonna wind up somewhere talking a.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Matt Marlston Athletic Matt any final thoughts on the two
free agents of Broncos sign before we get out of here.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
No, only that they got two really good guys and
two guys who were good in the locker room. I
don't know if Adam Peters has ties to the front
office anymore, but if people asked him about Drake Greenlow
and in Teleno Hufanga. I'm sure he would give them
rave reviews. One guy with a fifth rounder in twenty nineteen.
(13:07):
The other guy was a fifth rounder in twenty twenty one.
The joke out here, you know, Diaminolnor starting qrnoback for
them fifth rounder George Kittle was a fifth rounder in
twenty seventeen. The joke out here is that the fifth
round is the money round. That's where the forty nine
ers make their money. So you know, those two guys
(13:29):
really kind of exemplified that.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Well, Matt, we really appreciate the time and night looking
forward to these guys. We promise we'll keep them in
good hands here in Denver, and good luck out there
in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
All right, thanks for having me on a brother.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Take care that Barrel Athletic had some good notes there
talking about the gold helmet deal with with Fanga. Adam Peters,
who used to run the drafts there in San Francisco,
awarding the gold helmet decal, I'll, you know, award whatever
to Fanga, and how I one note that he he
(14:05):
said there, that Matt said there that I thought was
critical and it's something that Nick harps on all the
time when he talked about how when Neufunga's in there
the communication was better, that the unit tightened up when
he was in there, and Nick Nick talks about that
all the time, and Nick having been in that position
obviously you know, highlights that kind of thing and it's
essential among defensive backs. But what he specifically said, as
(14:25):
soon as I heard that he said that when Ufaga
was in there, the communication approved, my eyes got wide
because I know that that is a big Nick Ferguson
thing and haven't played that that position at the at
the professional level, like I know, that's that's.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Huge, And I think the data bears out what he
was saying. If you look at I forget who it was,
it might have been.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Kyote actually put out the RAS scores of the different
players that the Broncos have signed so far, and not
good testers Dray green Law and tele Io Whufonga, but
they play so fast on the field, and I think
it's because they're both such instinctive, violent, aggressive players. They
just they play so their play speed is so much
(15:06):
faster than they tested that they're one of those players
and like a Kyle Hamilton, you know, Kyle Hamilton's an
all pros maybe not quite that level, but just football
I Q off the charts. I think with both of
them and really really talented, I think they're going to
bring more of an attitude to this defense. Like there
was some grittiness and some attitude with this defense before
(15:27):
and I think now it's dialed up to eleven.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
This is I think they.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Should be the odds on favorite for best defense in
the NFL. And defense is something with high variance rate
that normally doesn't, you know, carry over year to year.
Look at the Browns this year, even the Ravens, but
I think the Broncos are going to be right there
next year.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I mean the way I look at the Broncos this
year is.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
You surprised people and you made the playoffs last year, right,
this year, you need to make the playoffs. That becomes
the expectation. You want to kind of make some noise.
You want to win a game in the playoffs, right,
and I think in most cases you want to hit
your window in year three year. Quarterback gets the year three, right,
you want to start your win that's where we want
to because you got you got two years of cost
control quarterback and then another semi cost control with the
(16:07):
with the fifth year option. So at that point, that's
where you want to be. And so I think that
in looking at this, if you arrive sooner, so be it.
But I think the Broncos are on track for that.
I think they're kind of we're plugging a few holes here.
Maybe a big spin next year if things play out
the way we like this year. We'll talk about that
some more. We come back Broncos Country tonight. Exs do
(16:33):
Matt Burrows for joining us in the last segment from
the Athletic You find him on Twitter at Matt Borrows.
Let's be a Rrows. That's a good points there, and
I think, like I said, we were head of the break,
a really good line there about how when Hafango was
in for the forty nine ers, communication got better, defense
(16:55):
tightened up. Zach pointed out the numbers tend to back
that up.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I mean I'm really excited to see what they bring
to the defense. Again, I think you're taking the two
weakest links, and we saw opponents had those spots circled
towards the end of the season. The Browns did it,
the Chargers did everyone down the stretch of the season,
that's where they were throwing the ball Anthony Richardson. If
you look at the only places he was completing passes,
it was targeting those spots in the Broncos coverage. And
(17:24):
now you've replaced it with guys that at the least
have a very very high ceiling.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah, and so I think I'm hoping that they stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
That was my concern about that. If they do, looks
like we've got some pretty good players there. Sherfield as
a wide receiver, oh less so for his ability as
a receiver, although he's a stellar blocker and as a gunner.
I love that edition.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Emman Ingram I okay, I mean you got the room
got better.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
I'm okay with it, just because it was so low
wattage before and now I don't think you're forced to
try and find a guy in the draft.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Even though it's happening more where we're seeing these rookie
tight ends come in and have success, I think it's
still a position with.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
That.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Like linebacker, those were two positions where I was really
really hoping they'd have some sort of trusty veteran. So
you're not going to have to force whoever that draft
pick is to be the guy from day one. Now,
I think you can circle back in the middle rounds
and maybe it's a guy like Elijah Royo's really exciting
in the second round er.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
You know, maybe he's in that no man's land between
fifty and twenty.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
But there's some exciting tight end prospects later on that
they could just take their time to develop. Evan Ingram
holds down that room and it's way better than what
they've had before. I mean, Adam Troutman has less receiving
yards than guys like A. J.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Derby did with the Broncos. Right, keep your on Mason Taylor,
Just trust me on that. Keep your on Mason Taylor.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
That's another great name I think in that Arroyo tier.
I've heard really great things about Mason Taylor. I think
it was on PFF's draft podcast they were talking about
how coming out of the combine or at the combine,
they did hear a single negative thing about Mason Taylor.
It was not that everyone had him as the best
tight end or everyone was extremely high on him, but
no one had a negative thing to say. And it
(19:08):
was like, this kid has built the right way and
thinks the right way and all that good stuff.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
He's somebody I've mentioned in the show before and I'll
mention it again. There is a Broncos connection. I will
let you all know as well. We Broncos just hired
a new quality control coach and his high school coach
was the quality control coach that we hired.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
That's very interesting.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So just there is a Broncos connection there to kind
of keep your eye on a little bit. It was
kind of funny because the coach that we just hired,
his strength and conditioning coach, is a friend of mine
I've known for years, and so like they you know,
knowing he was coming and keep your mouth shutt and
all that kind of stuff, but he keep you know,
he did tip me off today we were you know,
coach Mason Taylor too, So keep an eye on that
(19:51):
as well. So something something to keep your eyes from
them for a Broncos connection. Speaking the Broncos connection, Bo
Nicks is out.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
At the Nuggets game right now.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
He's out there with U. Was a Cortland sudden, Nick
car Julio and Frank Crumb I believe, Yeah, not surprising
rush four of Broncos.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
There, Yeah, not surprised to see Nixon sudden together, of course.
But yeah, the combination of Nick Garjulo and Frank Crumb
and there's is interesting. I wonder if they're helping out
the back end of the roster guys, trying to do
a solid for them or I don't know. It's interesting
though to see those two courtside with Bonix and Courtland.
Sid you know, you'd expect McGlinchey, you're even Stidham considering
(20:29):
the relationship with Nicks over one of those guys.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Well, I mean, they just happen to be the guys
in town.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Who knows. But anyway, those four out at the Nuggets
Lakers game. Nuggets Lakers tipping off here in just a
little bit. Does this game even matter? Considering how depleted
the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Are right now? Anyway, say is Browny starting this game?
He might be.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
It's hilarious how depleted they are even there. I was
looking for KA Sports. How many players they lost? They
lost even from last night squad that was really depleted.
Didn't have Jackson, didn't have Lebron, didn't have Ruy. On
top of that, now they're down Luca don Chitz, and
they're down Dory and Finney Smith, who was filling in
for Ruiy. The lineup tonight is going to be very,
(21:12):
very funky, to say the least.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
It goes well for the Nuggets right now, who are
trying to shore up things for seeding, and I think
plays certainly in their favor. The Nuggets were already favored
in this one, but heavily favored due to the lineup
attrition for the Lakers, who are basically at this point
in that game, obviously tipped off, who are basically playing depleted.
(21:38):
Bronnie did not start tonight. Dalton connect did, along with
Jared Vanderbilt, Alex lenn Jordan Goodwin, and Austin Reeves. And
if you're asking who, so are the rest of us
on some of those names, But Bronni figures to be
the you know, the sixth man. He figures to get
big minutes along with Shake Milton the night, which is
generally a recipe for disaster. Although the Lakers came out hot,
(22:00):
they're up a eighty two to start this thing off.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
That's a little unfortunate that that's discouraging, and I hope
the Nuggets can get it back. I'm pretty sure they will,
But yeah, I think Austin Reeves. I guess connect too.
Are those the only two guys in their regular rotation
that are even able to play it. I mean, if
the Nuggets will win this, that's as a look in
the mirror moment, you've got it. It's hard to maybe
get up for this game, but you got to get
(22:23):
up for it and put yourself in good position to.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Have better seating.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
I don't think they should over, you know, extend themselves
to try and get that seating like we saw them
do last year, but this should be a layup game.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
You got to take care of business. Well, yeah, that's
the thing, especially because you're rolling out the starters. I mean,
the Nuggets started the starters. It's Yokic porter, Baron Gordon
is playing tonight, Christian Brown at the at the guard,
Jamal Murray, They've got they've got everybody, everybody going tonight.
I think the only player that gets regular mins is
not going to be going tonight's Julians Strawther, who's got
you know who's out. But everybody else figures to get
(22:58):
minutes tonight. And the Lakers gave Bright roll out the
gate a little bit hot. But we'll see the Nuggets,
so we'll be able to come back on that and
and be able to be able to make that thing go.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
As we look at the Nuggets as it stands, what
do we think of.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Their chances here in the West, Because you know, a
lot of people talking about this.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Oklahoma team and what they're able to do.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
You know, obviously we've had people talking about the Memphis
and what they're able to do. The Lakers, it mad
made a push and they were up there with the
Nuggets for a minute. They've kind of see moved there,
moved themselves back, and you've got another team flirting around
this that have been pretty decent this year. I mean,
Houston has not been a bad basketball team. Golden State certainly,
we're red hot lately, nine and one in their last ten. Uh.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
And then you know Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Minnesota's a tough team, and I think Minnesota might be
one of the toughest matchups for the Nuggets.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Yeah, I think you're praying you don't run into Minnesota.
I think they are a flawed team that you know,
they've been a disappointment this year. I don't think they're
one of the favorites for the NBA Finals, and I
think that was going to be the hope going into
this season for them, considering the trajectory they've been on
with Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
But nonetheless, it seems like they have the Nuggets number.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
You know, the Nuggets have those three wins against them
in the playoff series.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
But I think going back to the start of that series, they're.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Three and seven against the Timberwolves over their last several Yeah,
they they wanted to go in Denver.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
They just don't match up well with the Wolves.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Wolves of course, one six straight, thirty eight and twenty
nine in the season, sixteen and a half games back. Okay,
so he was running away with it. I mean, okay,
so he's running away with their portion of it. Fifty
four and twelve on the season, they're twenty eight and
five at home, eleven and four on the road. They
are just a good basketball team. They're scoring one hundred
and twenty a game, giving up one hundred and eighty game.
Like it, They're not just winning, they're winning big. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
I think how it translates to the playoffs is going
to come down to what type of whistle Shay Geach's
Alexander gets, Because he gets a very friendly whistle in
the regular season and does that translate to the playoffs.
I think, you know, the last time we saw a
player at the top of the league kind of thriving
with this time, I think it was James Harden at
his peak when he was winning MVPs.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And famously those numbers really trailed off in the postseason.
I wonder if we see something similar for Shay.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
I also think Jokic wants you know, it's postseason basketball
and he's allowed to get even more physical.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Is going to be able to bully a guy like
chet Holmgren. I think Harden seen.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Maybe presents some problems, but I could see the Nuggets
holding their own in that series. I probably picked the Thunder.
I'm probably with Ryan who's been times with Thunder on
that one. I don't have a poster of lou Dort,
but I do think i'd picked the Thunder there. The
t Wolves and the Warriors are the first round matchups,
though that would really scare me.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Those are the three teams I would worry about. Everyone else.
I think the Nuggets can take care of. Yeah, it's fascinating,
and you're right about the whistle.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
I mean, he shoots in the attempts nine free throws,
a game, which, to put that in perspective, Nicole the
Okitsch is the only player on the Nuggets who averages
above four free throws a game.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Shay's north of five hundred on the season. No other
player in the NBA has taken four hundred. Yeah, attempts.
He gets a ton of.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Free throw attempts, and that that is something, and he's
good at it. I mean, he hits most of his
free throw shots. You know, this is not like a
guy who like Shack, you know, with the hack of
Shack thing. This is not that that kind of situation
at all. So something to keep your eye in there. Yeah,
I like I like Denver in a seven game series,
I think against Okay See a little bit better than
I like them in a seven game series against the Wolves.
And I know that sounds weird to say, because Okay,
(26:30):
he's a better basketball team, and if I had to
pick anyone in a single matchup, I would absolutely take
okay See. But on a on the seven game series note,
I'm probably going with the Nuggets on just about most
of these West West teams except.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
For the Wolves, who they just don't match up well
with at all.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
They were depleted against the full strength OKAC squad this
past Sunday. They got up for that game and they
won fairly convincingly. I think it'd be a very very
good series either way. I think that's going seven. The
Lakers and Nuggets playing now down there at Paul Arena.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Lakers well to an early lead twelve to nine in
the in the first and again very very depleted Lakers
team out there playing Dalton Connect to homecoming of sorts,
obviously played at Northern Colorado for a minute there has
he has missed on all three of his field goal
attempts to start the game. So no no home advantage
there or anything for Dalton Connect also played at Dakota Ridge.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
If I'm remembering right for my Chassa days.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Oh yes, you would be the uh the expert on that.
See that's that's the way we keep you around, Zack.
You've got little nuggets like that. Look at that.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yeah, once every three four months, there's gonna be a
little high school player Dave Logan can't provide.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And that's that's when I come in.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Yeah, you're shoving Dave aside to like throw the Chassa
credential down on the table. Five six six text line
will take take your your questions as well. Uh, several
different questions coming in and questions about Mason Taylor. Tighten
down ls you I believe that he could be in
play for the Denver Broncos. I do very much too.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Obviously there's connection there. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I don't like to put percentages on things. I've done
it before, and what happens is people when if something
doesn't happen or whatever, then they no matter what the
number is, they hold you. They hold you over a
barrel with that number. I eight percentages because they're arbitrary numbers.
Do I think Mason Taylor is in play for the Broncos? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (28:17):
I do.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Does that mean no, one hundred percent that he's coming here, No,
it doesn't. It means that there's you know, thirty one
other teams in the NFL, and any number of things
could happen, But the Broncos are looking at Mason Taylor.
That's what I'll say.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Broncos interest aside just from your going to the combine
hearing draft scuttle but and whatnot, do you feel Mason
Taylor has a decent chance of still being there at
fifty or is this a player they'd have to trade
up or trademarks.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
No, I think you're talking about a third fourth round
type selection.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
I know.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Here's the thing with the mock drafters is the skill
position players and quarterbacks get pushed up higher than they're
actually going to go because mock drafters, for whatever reason,
have a bias against offensive lineman and defensive lineman, and
those guys get drafted higher than you think. Uh, you know,
you can't coach size, and so teams tend to feel,
you know, bigger about bigger guys. So I will say
(29:08):
that the mock drafts that I've seen tend to be
overloaded or overinflated with skill position guys a little whole
higher than they would go, especially on like you know,
guys that are marginal day two, day three type guys.
You know, the the There are some guys that tend
to be there, like the Colston Lovelins and the Jant's
and all that kind of They're not gonna be there
for the Broncos at twenty.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
That's that's absurd.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
But the the as you get further beyond that, people
who haven't studied and it's impossible the study all the
tape on every one of these guys. They tend to
mock the skill position players that they know ahead of
some of these offensive linemen. I think Mason Taylor will
be there in the third if they want him. Wow.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
I mean, I think that'd be incredible value if they
can get him in the third hymn or I know
you've mentioned.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Oh Gunner Helm Nah, I don't. I don't know if
that's their guy, he'll be there on day three.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I mean, I think that's even a great value even
if it's not their guy. Whoever lands him on day three,
I think you're getting tremendous value at the position.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Ferguson, You've You've got, you know, Rondi Gaz in the second.
Those are you know a lot of day three guys
that you can you can add to that room. Obviously
they drafted Troy Franklin. Do you think the bow Knicks connection.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Obviously Tess Johnson comes up a lot in regard to this,
But even with the Terrence Ferguson or who's the linebacker
Awesome auscor James or Jeff Bosson, do you think the
Broncos put any stock in that with the bow Knicks connection,
considering they maybe view him as their franchise guy.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Now, we asked George and Shot about that out there
at the combine, and the answer was really like, you know,
we'll check with the player obviously, you know, if it's
somebody they know, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna take every
bit of data that we have and ask them. But
I don't think they look at that as is affecting
what it is that they want to build. They know
what they want to build. Uh, it doesn't really matter
what sticker they were wearing or what, you know, what
(30:51):
helmet or whatever else. They know what they're looking for
in terms of those kinds of things, and if they
happen to have and in house somebody that can give
them todditional information on it, so be it. So that's
the thing I like with the Test Johnson thing. I
would not say that that's I don't think that's in
their plan. Well maybe, but I didn't get the vibe
that's in their plans. I think if he were a UDFA,
(31:12):
they you know, they do it for bo, but I
don't you know, if he doesn't get drafted because of
his size, but I don't think they're going out of
their way to draft him.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
I don't know what the role on this scene would
be unless you try to convert him to I don't
even know running back to replace Mclaw.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
I don't know what you did, but he's way too
small for that. I don't know what his role would
be on this scene.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Yeah, I mean he's one hundred and fifty four pounds.
To put that in perspective, I outweigh Tes Johnson by
twenty pounds, and I am not the world's biggest guy like.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
The latest too too out well in the tank Delt,
these guys were ten pounds heavier, which you know, if
we're talking about a guy who's three hundred pounds or
three hundred and ten pounds, that's not the biggest deal.
When we're talking about one sixteenth of your overall body weight,
that's the big That's a differ between a three hundred
pound guy and a three hundred and thirty pound.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Guy, right, And there's you know, I mean, being fast
is fun until big and fast catches you and they will,
you know, and Tes doesn't have all world speed, you know,
like he's quick, and he's he's you know, he's a
fast guy. He plays four or five speed on a
football field and that's roughly what he's tied out. But
you know, he's not four two nine, you know speed,
This isn't all world speed. And so I don't think
(32:15):
that that's something that that's a direction that and maybe
I'm wrong on that.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
I'm not hitching my my soul to that. But the
conversations that I've had, it did not appear that that
was a direction that they were they were looking at heading.
So anyway, we come back Patrick Chioti, malth Dud Juan
and the joint us right here on Broncos Country,
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