May 8, 2026 • 34 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to a Broncos Country Tonight, post Rockies edition.
(00:03):
Benjamin All Brighten, Nick Ferguson here with you. Appreciate you
guys being along for the ride on a Friday, and
uh Nick, sports books are not always the world's greatest predictors,
but certainly people put a lot of stock in the odds.
And that's because people put their money where their mouth is,
and you tend to get a consensus opinion on some things.
You saw some numbers, I believe. I get up this
(00:25):
morning about the odds to win the AFC West.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah. Man, when I saw them, I was just like,
what the hell are these odds makers? And they need
to have a conversation with the Broncos Country. So I'm
gonna give it to you how they laid it out,
and I disagree with it. And it's not because I'm
being a homer. But they have Casey at plus one sixty, okay,
(00:49):
the Chargers at plus one ninety okay, the Broncos at
plus two twenty five, oh wow, okay, and the Vegas
Raiders at plus two thousand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
The Raiders are under wind tills five and a half.
They're like the their odds are insane as far as
that goes, And it doesn't make a difference if you
have Mendoza or Kirk Cousins playing. The odds are pretty
much the same for the Raiders as far as that goes,
so we can count them out. But interesting they stack
it Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos. With Broncos obviously running it back,
(01:20):
plus Jalen Waddle returning just about everything but John Franklin Myers.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
The Chiefs have.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
A giant question mark at the quarterback position. What is
Pat Mahomes going to be when he comes back? How
quickly is he going to be up to speed and
able to play? If they have to rely on justin fields,
that's probably losses. And then you've got the Chargers, who
you know, I've been scared of, but they're switching to
a new offense with Mike McDaniel. Their offensive line is
(01:46):
getting healthy again. They'll get there to get their whole
offensive lineback. Remember how injured they were last year. Yes,
you know, Jim harbaughs is is a hell of coach.
Whatever else do you think of him? He wins games.
That's been a problem for the Broncos. The Chargers of
Jim Harby has been a problem for Sean Payton his
entire career. I can sort of understand that a little bit.
(02:10):
I felt like that'd be a little closer, But the
Broncos are like a distant third there. That's a little
weird to me.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
It is, And listen, I get it. The Chargers with
Justin Herbert, like every year, coming into the season, there
are draft analysts that talk about their draft, but more
importantly the overall outcome and the schedules supposed to come
out next week, so we'll get a chance to talk
about that. But everyone's always talking about the Chargers and
(02:38):
the talent that they have. That's during the season, and
for the first four or five there I say, six
games of any season, they look spectacular, right, And I
give them credit too, because last year a lot of
injuries across the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah, they were holding nothing together with duck tap and
popsicle sticks.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yes, right, it's some crazy clue. And Justin Herberts still performed.
And even though he took a lot of negative shots,
I like the guy. I thought. I thought he did
a hell of a job under the circumstances. And you're
right when you look at Harborrow versus Sean Payton. Harbrow
definitely has an edge there, but I didn't agree as much.
Being plus one ninety now, I expect for them to
(03:21):
be a lot better, especially with Mike mcdames in the
building and running the ball well with Amarion Hampton, but
not that much better than the Denver Broncos, because here's
the thing. The Broncos didn't change that many people on
the coaching staff. They did not make a lot of
additions in free agency. You know, you got Tyson Anderson
(03:43):
and then you got to Jaylen Wade. That was about it.
Everyone else came back and I believe that this defense
is still much stronger than it was last I'm not
gonna say much stronger than it was last year, but
I don't think they're going to fall off that much,
even losing John Franklin Myers. But I just this thing
is totally disrespectful to put the Broncos at plus two twenty.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Five a little bit, and I think you're right. I mean,
you know, you look at the additions. I mean, I
call Jaylen Waddle Bobby bron because he was the biggest
thing in new edition. But as far as the year, true,
but as far as the as far as the rest
of it goes, I mean, yeah, they does feel a
little bit weird. I do think the Chargers are going
to have a good year. Are They're a good football team,
They're well coached. If they stay healthy, they'll have a
good year, and that offense will be better. Now that
(04:25):
Greg Roman is out of there might be Daniel's in there. Uh.
They had a draft where they drafted all my guys
last year when they got Amarion Hampton, Ronde Gatsten, and
Trey Harris, three guys I wanted the Broncos to bring in,
and those guys have all looked pretty good for the
Chargers so far. But I think the question is it
always is with the Chargers is you know, is are
they going to be healthy? Because for whatever reason, that
(04:46):
team is snake bit when it comes to to injury.
The Chiefs, the giant question marks is the quarterback position.
I mean it is it comes down to Pamahomes. If
he's healthy, if he's clicking, they have a chance to
beat anybody. If he's not, They're not that deep a
football team.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
These numbers kind of astonishment because it was almost like
Patch Mahomes never had the ACL injury. He is going
to miss some time and the team is gonna look
different as they try to be competitive with Justin Fields
and I know how you feel about you know, Justin
Fields and what he isn't And I'll say, I don't
(05:22):
know if he is a guy to kind of keep
them aflow until Mahomes comes back. Maybe that's why they
have Emma Johnson and they have Kenneth Walker to maybe
hand the ball up to those guys make life easier.
But I just I was just like, man, this is
so utterly disrespectful to the Denver Broncos, a team that
was the number one seed in the AFC and they
(05:45):
hosted a home playoff game and they were fourteen and three.
And when you look at the fact that jesse Mentor,
who had that defense rolling and on point, because that
was probably the best thing about the Chargers, he's no
longer with the team, the coach with the bolts of
more freaking Ravens, right, So you would have to think that, Okay, well,
(06:05):
Herbert is going to improve how much? We don't know.
I think the question becomes how much of a bump
will Mike mcdaine you add offensively? That would even present
a major challenge to the Denver Broncos advanced Droe some
defense twice a year, or I'm gonna say three times,
because if you're predicting the charge is going to be
(06:27):
what they are, they're gonna have face of Broncos in
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Yeah, I'm sort of with you on that. I can
sort of say the Chargers. I mean again, it comes
down to two questions. The charges of health chief. It's
the quarterback position, because the chief's roster is not good.
They did add Kenneth Walker and you mention him at Johnson.
They got brasharg Smith, you know, all that kind of stuff.
Added Demarcado as well at the running back position. So
they've gotten better there, and I think that's an emphasis
with air at the Enny. But their tackles or giant
(06:51):
question marks. Jalen Moore and Josh Simmons the interior. The
line's not bad with Samatra Creed, Humphrey Tree Smith. The
tackles are giant question marks. And who knows what you're
getting out of that receiving corps. She riis Xavier order
the in Taekwon Thornhall got speed, but do they have
anything else because I'm not sure they've got hands except
for Rashi Rice when he gets caught with his hand
of the cookie jar.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So, yeah, I was gonna say what you said they got.
All they have is speed, but I'm like, yeah, sometimes
that speed is some in trouble.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, off the off the field, Travis Kelsey is a
shell of himself And Noah great, isn't isn't scaring anybody?
I just I don't know. And then you look at
the defensive side and that they had they you know,
they gutted their corners, room, the the the the defensive
line is is not what it was you said, Chris
Jones and and Carl loft is but you know, and
you had a tonga but a lot on the other side.
(07:39):
You know, Tranquil and Bowlden, those are okay backers, but
you really don't want those guys in coverage.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
It's they're starting a rookie at the at you know,
at c B two, they're starting guys at corner that
that hadn't played corner started at corner before.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
The safety position is uh is Chamari Connor and a
Lowhi Gilman who they brought over in Baltimore. I don't
know mand Kansas City roster outside of my homes is
not that good.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
It is going to look different for the Kansasy Chiefs
for sure, and what they're banking on is maybe not
having prolific defense like they've had in the past with Spagnolo.
They're hoping some of these additions will pan out two
three years down the line, and you hope to catch
some of your division rivals on the down side as
(08:27):
they kind of get move away from some of their
offensive and defensive talent. But I still, for me, when
I look at this, I think it's a long shot putting,
you know, Kansas City to a point where you have
them winning the AFC West. Obviously it may sound Homer
is right, but how can you overlook the Broncos and
(08:48):
look at what they did? And I know they didn't
make a lot of moves. They didn't make a lot
of moves with splash names. But it is a solid roster.
They prove that they are really competitive. But I still
don't under understand the odds makers unless they know something
that I don't know. And what is it that they know? Ben,
Because you play the odds, you know these people. What
(09:11):
it made them come up with this idea put in
Kansas City, the Chargers over the Broncos.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, the Chargers roster I sort of get Kansas City,
I don't. I don't outside of Pat Mahomes that that
roster is not good. If Pat Mahomes goes down for
an extended period of time, I'm not sure the Chiefs
roster is better than the Raiders' roster. Just being real, Well,
you got some names, but they're old.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
You're saying that based on a quarterback position.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
That's what I'm saying. If you take can you take
Pat Mahomes away and put Justin Fields in it? I'm
not sure the Chiefs are better than the Raiders.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Well see, and if that's the case, I would be
willing to go more with Kirk Cousins than even Justin Fields.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well that's to say, k Yeah, you would absolutely take
over that. But I'm just saying, like the Chiefs roster
talked about it. You look at the Chargers roster. Now,
they've got some players, man, especially that offensive line is nasty.
If it stays health. You got left right, you got
Sean Slater. They brought in Jake Slaughter to be the
left guard. They brought Tyler Biondich and Cole Strange in
and free agency and Joe alt at the right tackle.
That's that is a line that rivals the Broncos offensive line,
(10:10):
which is quite good.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Well yeah, also too. They also added Keyton Mitchew from
from Baltimore, yep, who did a great job as a
young running back. But also they're gonna probably look to
put him on kickoff as well to handle those duties.
And of course one of your favorites, their favorite tight end,
Aronde Gaston, right, he's gonna end up being on your
fantasy team for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
He's he's the move tight end. They brought in Charlie Kolar,
also from Baltimore's the blocking tight end as they plan
to go a lot more twelve. They get Lad McConkie,
Trey Harris, Quintin Johnston needs some help with the hands,
but Tray Harrison lad McConkie are really good receivers. They
brought in alec Ingolds a fullback, and then on the
defensive side, they kept that thing mostly together and added
Dalvin Tomlinson at the nose. And so, I you know,
(10:52):
as I look at you know, as I look at
this Chargers roster, I'm like, okay, if there's a roster
top to bottom that's in league with the Broncos. It's there.
I still put the Broncos over it, especially at the
receiver position, of course. But at the end of the day,
I mean, I can't I get sort of I guess
the idea that all three should be in the same tier.
(11:15):
I don't get the sportsbook ranking where they're puting the
Broncos in there. I might put a little sprinkle of
cash on and thats see if I can make a
little money off it.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Listen, man, I just look at it as more hate now.
I can see if they wanted to do that two
years ago, after bow Nick's a rookie year and the
loss of Buffalo on the row, But after what they
are accomplished last season. I don't know. And do you
think this has anything to do with that early news
(11:44):
about Bow's ankle? And maybe sportsbooks are predicting, maybe they're
more to it then.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Maybe they're building that in I maybe because it does
not make sense to me otherwise. There are question marks
about those other two teams. Again, the Chargers is with
health and they've got some age on the defensive side
to Tony Jefferson's starting Khalil Max starting now. There was
good players, but they got some age on that defense
too with a new DC and that's going to be
interesting to see how that goes. So I'm with you
on that. Man. If you f you're the Broncos and
(12:13):
you're Sean Payton, you're finding a way to tape those
odds up in the locker room everywhere. You're blasting that
everywhere so everybody sees it all the time and sees
the disrespect.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, yeah, if I'm coach Payton, I'm starting this weekend right.
I know they had the rookie mini camp and Saturday tomorrow,
I guess be the last day I would have led
off my meeting with that. Here, gentlemen, you're coming into
an organization and based on what we did last year,
you may think that you are part of that. No,
(12:41):
you're not a part of it. You have to earn
the right to be a part of the organization and
that way, and we've already turned the page. Say you
look at these odds right here. They're not even having
us to win the NFC West. They have us third. Yeah,
so you guys can come here right now with a
chip on your shoulder based on the fact that you
were not drafted and help us supersede these teams.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
And that's what that's what they should do. Real quick,
Here a weird story I wanted to get to. Twelve
years to the month after Johnny Manziel became a first
round pick in the NFL draft, he will be stepping
into a boxing ring for the first time. By Andres
Hail of ESPN, Manziel will fight social media influencer Bob Menery.
Do you know Bob Menery. He's the guy who does
those videos and he has like the announcer voice except
(13:23):
the cusses in the videos. Oh he got bleeping to
de cocluded. Yeah, if you get looking about Bob menriy
does these funny voice. They're gonna fight each other May
twenty third at the ufc Apex in Las Vegas. Obviously,
this is the latest twist in Manziel's post football career
at a time when he could theoretically still be playing,
but he washed out of the NFL after early two
seasons with the Browns, and after two seasons out of football,
(13:45):
he spent time with a Paris CFL franchises before the
short lived AAF back in twenty nineteen, played with the
Fan Control Football League for the Zappers in twenty one
and twenty two, and then launched the Glory Days podcast
in twenty twenty four. Thirty three year old Manziel's gonna
face off off against he thirty eight year old Bob
Menry in a new venture I guess aimed at grabbing
a little attention in cash. Do we have any interest
(14:05):
in watching Johnny Manziel box a social media influencer who
I'm not sure has any boxing experience either.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
That would be a no for me. Dog. I don't
know what it is that guys are looking for their
second third term at Glory and are opting for boxing
no head gear at all. So you go from a
sport that was really physical that had hit gear and
guys will still get concussed. But you're gonna trade that
(14:34):
in for a sport no head gear at all and
get punched. And I don't know how much money is
in one of these fights. I guess it can't be
to the numbers of a Jake Paul No fight. But why,
We've seen guys get in the ring. We've seen Frank
Gore do it, We've seen Adrian Peterson, do it, Chad
(14:56):
Johnson did it right? Why? For what reason? What do
you have to prove?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
I don't know. I don't get it. It doesn't make
a lot of sense to me. I guess they're hoping
that the curiosity factor will get people tuned in and
and make them eat some money. I'm not sure that
Bob Menry, to my knowledge, he doesn't have any fighting
experience whatsoever, and obviously Johnny Manziel doesn't. I don't I
don't understand this obsession with that kind of stuff. I
remember we as celebrity boxing and all that kind of
(15:21):
stuff they had, Like, I never understood this obsession with
putting people that can't fight in the ring and watching
them fight.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well, I guess it's equivalent to what I did with
when I was a kid. Get a scorpion, a lizard
some ants, watch them and to be and shake them
all up.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
See what happens. Yeah, it's the same thing. When I
was in Iraq, we used to put the scorpions in
the thin the diorama and let him fight or whatever.
And you know that was entertainment out in the middle
of the desert.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
A minute, you guys, build your own little sand at
the gun.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Yeah, we had the MRI boxes out of cardboard. We
put a little sand in there and all that kind
of stuff, and then we the scorpions are everywhere, so
we just picked scorpions.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Scorpions answer only one leave.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, that was that was a popular pastime. When when
I was over there in No. Three oh four, Uh,
there was nothing to do like they had now when
I went back on subsequent tours, they had things built
up and all that kind of stuff, and there were
places for you to go work out and do all that.
There's just nothing to do, no movies or whatever with
what are you gonna watch it on?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I mean I would think that if you if you
if they're gonna have soldiers over in the space for
a period of.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Time or we were camped in the sand and the
Syrian border, it wasn't anything. We were an abandoned train station.
It wouldn't anything to watch them thing.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
And I mean with all the technology nick technology the
military has, they couldn't set something up for R and R. Well.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I mean eventually they did, but we were on a
we're a four operating basic. You know, there's nothing to
you know. I ended up having a smuggler, sell me
a satellite dish, a TV so then I could seg it.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
That's why you do it, so you don't have to
have guys smuggling things in.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Just saying we gotta hit a break, Broncos Country tonight.
We'll be back right after this. Welcome back to it,
Broncos Country Tonight. Benjamin Olbright, Nick Ferguson here with you
and appreciate you get guys sticking around on a Friday.
(17:03):
You know, people got lot of stuff to do. We
always love you guys. Tuning in though, Rockco started to
make some moves as far as uh uh shuffling things
for Rookie Mini Camp. They get guys in, they cut
a couple of veterans who I imagine they'll actually those
guys will be back once they whittle down some of
these rookie tryouts and all that kind of stuff. But
they did a little bit of that today. Obviously they
get the George Payton five year deal extension done as
(17:24):
general manager. But we're excited about seeing some of these
guys that they're bringing in for this this Rookie Mini camp.
One of the guys I got my eye on this
A and M inside linebacker Tory and York. That's the
guy who's gonna be competing with Red Murdoch a little
bit to that inside backer position. You got a couple
other people on the offensive side. Dane Key, the wide receiver.
That's the brother of de Dvon Key, our safety. Yeah,
(17:46):
so we got brothers, you know, on the team. There's
they brought in like four or five six receivers, Dan Key, Joe,
a guy named Joseph man Jack if that's not a
name for you. That Sean Brown, yeah, Sean Brown. And
then two guys that are intended to be the return
guys in Kolby Katsis out of Northern Arizona and cam Ross.
We'll see if they're able to able to do anything.
(18:08):
Tyler Miller also at the right tackle position, might be
something to keep your eye on. None of these guys
are cracking the too deep anytime soon. They did bring
in Luke Basso as a long snapper, maybe to push
for Bony, but otherwise, is there any of these any
of these guys that you're looking at and you're saying,
all right, I want to see what this guy's got
so we can see if he's got something for training.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Camp you know, not really with a lot of these guys.
And the reason I say that ben because it's gonna
be hard for these guys to make an impression over
three days based on the amount of work. But more importantly,
there are no pads you could put on to kind
of make yourself stand out. I'm just looking forward to
(18:49):
some of the guys that the Broncos did draft, not
having any bias because I was an undrafted player, but
Joe Lee, I want to see, you know, what he has.
I feel as though he could play an intricate role
and what the Broncos want to do in the passing game,
especially trying to figure out what direction they want to
(19:09):
go with the tight ends and one eetum. Just want
to see what his burs is like. Obviously I like
watching him on tape, but it's always best to see
something up close and personal. And for the most part,
a lot of these guys are going to have an
opportunity to somewhat make a slight impression. That's not going
to be given out to every single player, but some players,
(19:32):
and mostly the ones that the Broncos drafted, they're definitely
going to have an opportunity. But when you're an undrafted
player and you're invited to camp, you have to understand, yes,
you are a can't body, but at the same time,
you have to maximize every opportunity that you have, and
you may only have two reps. You have to go
all out and you have to make sure that you
(19:53):
show that there's a certain level of athleticism and dedication
to what you're being asked to do with more emplotant.
Even if you have two reps one hundred miles an
hour and you make no mistakes, every rep matters.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah, that's you know, it's just like we every year.
I say the same thing, and people grown when I
say it, And that's everything matters in the preseason except
the final score in those games. Absolutely nothing matters in
the regular season except the final score of those games. Yes,
and so that's this is your chance to build yourself
into this team. Make it so they can't cut you.
Find a way to make it so they can't cut you.
(20:26):
Make be indispensable on special teams when you get those
two reps. Break a pass up, cause a fumble, get
a be interset, whatever the case may be. And so
for these guys, yeah, it really is. It's gonna be
interesting to watch. You mention the two rookie tight ends,
I mean Troutman, Ingram and and Adkins are gonna make
the roster. Those guys are ahead of them. You got
four guys fighting for one spot really on this roster,
(20:47):
Dallan Bennett, Justin Jolie who you talked about, the Hall
of Famer, Lucas Kroll, and then Caleb B. Lohner who
was the project that they drafted last year out of Utah.
So I guess him and Dallon Bentley can high five
each other as they try to figure out what's going
on with that. But that's four guys fighting for one spot.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Man's that's tough, and that's why it's always difficult, man
this time of year, because not even guy's gonna make it,
and a lot of these guys, it's going to be
their last opportunity to live out their football dreams, and
to see that it comes to a point where it's
cut short, it's going to be disappointing. But I'm hoping
(21:25):
that some of these guys perform well enough that if
another team calls them, Because the Broncos could be heavy
at wide receiver. You mentioned they've added four wide receivers
you know, in this mini camp to take a look
at if you don't perform well or let me take
that back, you perform well enough where you want them
(21:48):
to make a call for you. If they tell you sorry,
but we don't have enough space on the team for you,
that's what you want. You want them to hop right
on the phone and call someone else. Say, look, man,
I got a guy, right, that's what you want them
to do.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Why don't you slide me that seventh round draft pick
over there? And I got this fresh and sexy tight
end to suit your way as man.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I'm telling you, man. And here's what we know, right,
George Payton has done that before. He has put players
in position to succeed. I go back to what he
did for von Miller when they traded von Miller. So
he's all about trying to set players up as much
as he can. But his I guess obligation or loyalty
(22:33):
is still with the team. But he does know how
this works, and he wanted to see a player, you know,
succeed in whatever capacity that is, whether it's with the
team or not. So I'm rooting for a lot of
these guys. I already know going in they're not gonna
be able to make it, but just go out there
and be competitive.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah, and we'll obviously be out there tomorrow, yes, for
community camps. So there's something When it comes to the
Steelers and situation quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the new normal is abnormal.
No sign that Rogers will be signing with the Steelers
in the immediate future. Ninety three to seven The Fan
They Are reported yesterday morning that Rodgers would be visiting
(23:13):
Pittsburgh with an expectation he would sign a contract and
if i'll network confirm the visit, but tap the brakes
on a deal being done. Then. This morning, Steelers general
manager Omark Cohn said he doesn't know where Aaron Rodgers
is now. Mark Bolei, who's the Steelers correspondent for the
Pat McAfee show, shared this observation on Twitter. He said,
quote from everything I can gather, there is no meeting
(23:34):
scheduled or expected between Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. I've
reached out to a couple inside the building. Nobody's seen
him yet. Today's the first day of rookie Mini caamp.
Media will be their Saturday. Stay tuned. Maybe Rogers will
show later, maybe tomorrow, maybe he won't. And I guess
that pretty much sums the situation with Rogers up. Maybe
he will, maybe won't. Either way, he won't be saying anything,
(23:55):
and they'll complain when the media tries to make sense
of his nonsense. Rogers, I guess. I mean, he's got
the right to make decisions on his own timeline. But
this dude plays games every year. Did you just even
work to squeeze anymore?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Well, if you are desperate for a quarterback, hell yeah,
it is right. Think about whether what he's done with
the Packers when during his tenure with them, then guess
what that same ideology of the Aaron Rodgers lore ended
up in the Broncos hiring that then you hack it
because they thought that they were gonna land Aaron Rodgers.
(24:31):
The situation with the Jets now, the Pittsburgh stillers. This
is kind of an ongoing issue with Aaron Rodgers, and
there's a book out on this situation. But when you
are desperate, you have no choice. And the Pittsburgh stillings
even though they have three quarterbacks on the roster as is,
they are still desperate because they know Mason Rudolph isn't
(24:54):
going to lead them anywhere. And Mike McCarthy spent what
a year a year and a half out of football.
He doesn't want to have or early exit. So if
that means it's just even if it's just for one year,
you bring Aaron Rodgers in with the receivers that you have, right,
Makecalf Pittman Jr. Right, there's a possibility they could make
(25:16):
some noise. But I don't see the Steelers as a
Super Bowl contender even with Aaron Rodgers. I'm not sure
you do.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
I'm not sure you care if Rodgers does or not.
I mean, over the last four years, he's twenty four
and twenty seven as a starter's yards, sir, excuse me.
His touchdown percentage is four point eight percent. That's half
of what he normally does in terms of touchdowns. His
interception percentage is up to two percent, where he used
to be point three point seven. He's just not the
same player that he that he used to be. His
(25:45):
quarterback rating, which routinely was in the one hundred and teens,
has been in the low nineties, ninety one point one,
ninety point five last year jumped up a little bit
ninety four and a half. But I mean, he's just
not the same player that he was. And I don't know, man,
if you're the Steelers, I mean, I'm not saying Howard
and Drew Aller already good. But you've got a loaded
quarterback class coming up next draft. This might be the
(26:06):
year roll the dice.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Okay, so most people think of things in that way
while this upcoming quarterback class, and just think in order
to get in the running in the top five for
any of those quarterbacks, you know what you got to do,
Ben lose, That's right. You have to lose freaking games.
And we know that tanking has become somewhat of a
(26:29):
major issue in professional sports a lah NBA basketball. But
for the Steelers fans, you have to root for your
team to be competitive, and at the same time you
have to root against your team to be competitive to
get one of those guys. So I would rather come
in with a new coach. We win a couple of games,
(26:50):
just so happens. You know, Drew Aller he starts to develop,
right and selling Will Howard started to develop, and maybe
you can go with those guys and not have have
to try to say, okay, well are we all in
on arch Manning. That would be the ideal mentality if
you ask me, because you want to win. Fans want
to win games. They want to win games, So give
(27:13):
them an opportunity to win. And just so what happens
things don't go well, you just take the draft position
that you get. But I'd rather be a fan of
the Steller saying, man, we were competitive, opposed to man
we suck.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah, I mean it just if it's me, I think
you've got you know, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Aller.
It might be time to see what you got with
some of those other guys.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
But if you can get Rogers, you take it. I don't.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I don't know that I would. Man, he's such an
absolute distraction all the time. It's all about him. It's
all me, me, me, I know.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
But once again, it is that some of the Steelers
fans are salivating at the idea of if you get
a veteran quarterback with Pittman and dk mancap two big receivers.
Just imagine what what could possibly happen? Something can break
your way.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yeah. Maybe I don't know. I'm just not a fans.
The team that is winning is the Seattle Seahawks. They
just won the Super Bowl and they're selling, and today
nobody's buying. No one's buying, at least not to the
expent that was expected. Second Wickersham of ESPN reported, quoting
an unnamed team owner, that the market for the team
is soft. Powers that be have doubts regarding whether the
(28:23):
team price will land on the high side of the
expected range of nine to eleven billion. The current thinking,
per Wickersham, is that the final number will land slightly
above nine billion. That would shatter the record of six
point oh five billion set in twenty twenty three by
the sale of the Commanders to Josh Harris. For now,
the potential pulll of buyers, though, is small, and as
Wickersham explains it, few individuals have the liquid assets to
(28:44):
pay thirty percent of nine billion or more, which they
have to have in order to do that, so the
process is expected to linger on into this season. Current
management had to be sort of forced with a thread
of a five million dollars fine into moving forward because
they've been dragging feet and this situation just continues to
look weird by the day. You've got a Super Bowl
winning franchise and nobody willing to buy it.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
That's kind of odd, but I can easily see why
maybe some individuals may be a little hesitant. One Clint
Kubiak isn't there. You don't have Kenneth Walker, you had
the departure of some of your defensive players. You brought
some of those guys back. But maybe there's not a
true belief in Sam Donald, right, because you got to
(29:30):
have a belief in your quarterback. Or better yet, maybe
they're not just buying in the Seattle Seahawks organization as
a whole, because maybe the price is too rich. Do
you know what the Washington commanders.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Went for six point five billion?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Because I'm sure you're thinking, okay, well if they went
for six four billion dollars and they had all the
issues they had internally with John Snyder, how did they
sell of that much money? And you're thinking, well, we
should leap frog him. We're coming off of a super Bowl,
we're a better run organization, right, We're in Seattle, right, Well,
(30:08):
we don't get them what some but we're in Seattle
and you still can't move the needle.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Yeah, that one is that that would just baffles me
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Maybe the price is too damn high.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
The rent. The rent might be too damn That's the thing.
I mean, there's just not you know, there's only so
many billionaires out there. There's only so many people. I mean,
there's an absolutely obscene amount of money that it takes
to buy these friends.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
If you, Benjamin Albright, had organization who type money, would
you be interested in buying the Seattle?
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Yeah, I would buy. I would absolutely buy an NFL
football team.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
No, no, I just say NFL team.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I say specifically, it would not matter to me. I
would buy the Sea Hide, buy whatever was available.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Be careful when you say it don't matter what you matter,
because I have value buying it. Cleveland Browns with that add.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
It's an I'll tournament and winter really Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
You run the ball the whole.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Time, right, Well, yeah, we'll bring back the single wing.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Now, I'm just kidding your mad game.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
I would do. Paul Johnson still around, I'm gonna go
I'm gonna bring him out of retirement.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
No, no, go back to the pro game.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
No, I'll find a use for justin fields after all.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
But that's still real interesting that they can't really get
a muster up someone who wants to spend that type
of money. There's got to be some tycoon overseas, right.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Well, that's the thing. Yeah, But I think the I
think the NFL is trying to avoid that kind of stuff.
I think they want, you know, American ownership.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
What wait, man, listen, I thought all money was good money.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
I think it is. But I'm just saying I don't
think they like there's a there's an undercurrent, especially with
the way the live Golf thing went and all that.
I don't know that they want Saudi ownership. You know,
as far as that goes, We'll have to see.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
You, boy.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Carson Beck is working out with the Cardinals for the
first time. It's a community camp for them this weekend.
That was a topic of conversation for Micha Lafleur's press
conference today. Jacoby Brissett has not been taking part of
the off season. He's looked for an adjustment his contract.
Lafleur was asked for things stand and he said, everything's
good from a dialogue standpoint. This is voluntary, so we'll
leave it at that. La Flour also asked if he
(32:06):
felt behind the eight ball because Brissette's missing time. Laflour
said He's played a lot of football where in communication
heals what the expectation is. But Carson Beck and Gardner
Minshew getting the more work as Brissett is away from
the team. Do you expect either one of them to
be able to take the job from Jacoby Brissett.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yes, more importantly Gardner Minshew because Minshew is not a
top tier quarterback in this league, but he is very serviceable.
He is very manageable. He can operate your offense to
a point where he can get guys lined up, he
can call up blitz protection, he can throw the ball.
(32:44):
He's still mobile. So there's a little something to his
game that would definitely help out the Arizona car News
And I would say maybe even more so than Kyler
Murray did as their quarterback, because I look at Gardner
Minshew as a guy that every one and the Arizona
organization could get behind based on how he came into
(33:05):
the NFL. And if you had Jacob we Weresset you're
pushing for more money, you might want to be really
careful because they can say, nah, we don't really need
to do that, because we believe in Gardner, and more importantly,
we believe in Carson Beck someone you don't believe it.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
No, I don't believe in him for a minute. So
we'll see how that goes. One thing I do believe
is the NFL Referees Association resoundingly past their new seven
year collective bargaining agreement by a vote of one sixteen
to four. That is a ninety six percent yes on
the new deal.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
And the good great news for the NFLRA and the
NFL things that look shaky for a little while, but
looks like it's a win win for everybody. And they
got this thing ratified and ready to go.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
It's a seven year deal yep. So if you're reading
the tea leaves, because we know the NFL Collective volume
Agreement will be up soon, so the league is going
to is for a seven to teen year due with
labor peace with the union. Hopefully these guys get something
out of it this time other than the ability to
(34:09):
smoke weed and less practice time.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Well, this is yeah, and that's the players. I mean,
they've got a bargain for better stuff when their stuff
comes up, and especially getting the cut to some of
these digital right deals and all that kind of stuff.
We'll see inane see how that stuff shakes out. But good,
good with no no replay, no repeat of the fail
merry thing. I actually had a source tell me back
on Sunday that this was going to happen, and I
texted to a couple of different people that it was,
(34:31):
that it was coming, and sure enough it did. So
good for the good for the league, good for the
referees getting this done. Last thing that one. It was another,
you know, fail marry thing. Appreciate you guys being along
for the ride. Broncos Country tonight got to hit a
break
Welcome back to a Broncos Country Tonight, post Rockies edition.
(00:03):
Benjamin All Brighten, Nick Ferguson here with you. Appreciate you
guys being along for the ride on a Friday, and
uh Nick, sports books are not always the world's greatest predictors,
but certainly people put a lot of stock in the odds.
And that's because people put their money where their mouth is,
and you tend to get a consensus opinion on some things.
You saw some numbers, I believe. I get up this
(00:25):
morning about the odds to win the AFC West.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah. Man, when I saw them, I was just like,
what the hell are these odds makers? And they need
to have a conversation with the Broncos Country. So I'm
gonna give it to you how they laid it out,
and I disagree with it. And it's not because I'm
being a homer. But they have Casey at plus one sixty, okay,
(00:49):
the Chargers at plus one ninety okay, the Broncos at
plus two twenty five, oh wow, okay, and the Vegas
Raiders at plus two thousand. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
The Raiders are under wind tills five and a half.
They're like the their odds are insane as far as
that goes, And it doesn't make a difference if you
have Mendoza or Kirk Cousins playing. The odds are pretty
much the same for the Raiders as far as that goes,
so we can count them out. But interesting they stack
it Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos. With Broncos obviously running it back,
(01:20):
plus Jalen Waddle returning just about everything but John Franklin Myers.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
The Chiefs have.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
A giant question mark at the quarterback position. What is
Pat Mahomes going to be when he comes back? How
quickly is he going to be up to speed and
able to play? If they have to rely on justin fields,
that's probably losses. And then you've got the Chargers, who
you know, I've been scared of, but they're switching to
a new offense with Mike McDaniel. Their offensive line is
(01:46):
getting healthy again. They'll get there to get their whole
offensive lineback. Remember how injured they were last year. Yes,
you know, Jim harbaughs is is a hell of coach.
Whatever else do you think of him? He wins games.
That's been a problem for the Broncos. The Chargers of
Jim Harby has been a problem for Sean Payton his
entire career. I can sort of understand that a little bit.
(02:10):
I felt like that'd be a little closer, But the
Broncos are like a distant third there. That's a little
weird to me.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
It is, And listen, I get it. The Chargers with
Justin Herbert, like every year, coming into the season, there
are draft analysts that talk about their draft, but more
importantly the overall outcome and the schedules supposed to come
out next week, so we'll get a chance to talk
about that. But everyone's always talking about the Chargers and
(02:38):
the talent that they have. That's during the season, and
for the first four or five there I say, six
games of any season, they look spectacular, right, And I
give them credit too, because last year a lot of
injuries across the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah, they were holding nothing together with duck tap and
popsicle sticks.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yes, right, it's some crazy clue. And Justin Herberts still performed.
And even though he took a lot of negative shots,
I like the guy. I thought. I thought he did
a hell of a job under the circumstances. And you're
right when you look at Harborrow versus Sean Payton. Harbrow
definitely has an edge there, but I didn't agree as much.
Being plus one ninety now, I expect for them to
(03:21):
be a lot better, especially with Mike mcdames in the
building and running the ball well with Amarion Hampton, but
not that much better than the Denver Broncos, because here's
the thing. The Broncos didn't change that many people on
the coaching staff. They did not make a lot of
additions in free agency. You know, you got Tyson Anderson
(03:43):
and then you got to Jaylen Wade. That was about it.
Everyone else came back and I believe that this defense
is still much stronger than it was last I'm not
gonna say much stronger than it was last year, but
I don't think they're going to fall off that much,
even losing John Franklin Myers. But I just this thing
is totally disrespectful to put the Broncos at plus two twenty.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Five a little bit, and I think you're right. I mean,
you know, you look at the additions. I mean, I
call Jaylen Waddle Bobby bron because he was the biggest
thing in new edition. But as far as the year, true,
but as far as the as far as the rest
of it goes, I mean, yeah, they does feel a
little bit weird. I do think the Chargers are going
to have a good year. Are They're a good football team,
They're well coached. If they stay healthy, they'll have a
good year, and that offense will be better. Now that
(04:25):
Greg Roman is out of there might be Daniel's in there. Uh.
They had a draft where they drafted all my guys
last year when they got Amarion Hampton, Ronde Gatsten, and
Trey Harris, three guys I wanted the Broncos to bring in,
and those guys have all looked pretty good for the
Chargers so far. But I think the question is it
always is with the Chargers is you know, is are
they going to be healthy? Because for whatever reason, that
(04:46):
team is snake bit when it comes to to injury.
The Chiefs, the giant question marks is the quarterback position.
I mean it is it comes down to Pamahomes. If
he's healthy, if he's clicking, they have a chance to
beat anybody. If he's not, They're not that deep a
football team.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
These numbers kind of astonishment because it was almost like
Patch Mahomes never had the ACL injury. He is going
to miss some time and the team is gonna look
different as they try to be competitive with Justin Fields
and I know how you feel about you know, Justin
Fields and what he isn't And I'll say, I don't
(05:22):
know if he is a guy to kind of keep
them aflow until Mahomes comes back. Maybe that's why they
have Emma Johnson and they have Kenneth Walker to maybe
hand the ball up to those guys make life easier.
But I just I was just like, man, this is
so utterly disrespectful to the Denver Broncos, a team that
was the number one seed in the AFC and they
(05:45):
hosted a home playoff game and they were fourteen and three.
And when you look at the fact that jesse Mentor,
who had that defense rolling and on point, because that
was probably the best thing about the Chargers, he's no
longer with the team, the coach with the bolts of
more freaking Ravens, right, So you would have to think that, Okay, well,
(06:05):
Herbert is going to improve how much? We don't know.
I think the question becomes how much of a bump
will Mike mcdaine you add offensively? That would even present
a major challenge to the Denver Broncos advanced Droe some
defense twice a year, or I'm gonna say three times,
because if you're predicting the charge is going to be
(06:27):
what they are, they're gonna have face of Broncos in
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Yeah, I'm sort of with you on that. I can
sort of say the Chargers. I mean again, it comes
down to two questions. The charges of health chief. It's
the quarterback position, because the chief's roster is not good.
They did add Kenneth Walker and you mention him at Johnson.
They got brasharg Smith, you know, all that kind of stuff.
Added Demarcado as well at the running back position. So
they've gotten better there, and I think that's an emphasis
with air at the Enny. But their tackles or giant
(06:51):
question marks. Jalen Moore and Josh Simmons the interior. The
line's not bad with Samatra Creed, Humphrey Tree Smith. The
tackles are giant question marks. And who knows what you're
getting out of that receiving corps. She riis Xavier order
the in Taekwon Thornhall got speed, but do they have
anything else because I'm not sure they've got hands except
for Rashi Rice when he gets caught with his hand
of the cookie jar.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So, yeah, I was gonna say what you said they got.
All they have is speed, but I'm like, yeah, sometimes
that speed is some in trouble.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, off the off the field, Travis Kelsey is a
shell of himself And Noah great, isn't isn't scaring anybody?
I just I don't know. And then you look at
the defensive side and that they had they you know,
they gutted their corners, room, the the the the defensive
line is is not what it was you said, Chris
Jones and and Carl loft is but you know, and
you had a tonga but a lot on the other side.
(07:39):
You know, Tranquil and Bowlden, those are okay backers, but
you really don't want those guys in coverage.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
It's they're starting a rookie at the at you know,
at c B two, they're starting guys at corner that
that hadn't played corner started at corner before.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
The safety position is uh is Chamari Connor and a
Lowhi Gilman who they brought over in Baltimore. I don't
know mand Kansas City roster outside of my homes is
not that good.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
It is going to look different for the Kansasy Chiefs
for sure, and what they're banking on is maybe not
having prolific defense like they've had in the past with Spagnolo.
They're hoping some of these additions will pan out two
three years down the line, and you hope to catch
some of your division rivals on the down side as
(08:27):
they kind of get move away from some of their
offensive and defensive talent. But I still, for me, when
I look at this, I think it's a long shot putting,
you know, Kansas City to a point where you have
them winning the AFC West. Obviously it may sound Homer
is right, but how can you overlook the Broncos and
(08:48):
look at what they did? And I know they didn't
make a lot of moves. They didn't make a lot
of moves with splash names. But it is a solid roster.
They prove that they are really competitive. But I still
don't under understand the odds makers unless they know something
that I don't know. And what is it that they know? Ben,
Because you play the odds, you know these people. What
(09:11):
it made them come up with this idea put in
Kansas City, the Chargers over the Broncos.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, the Chargers roster I sort of get Kansas City,
I don't. I don't outside of Pat Mahomes that that
roster is not good. If Pat Mahomes goes down for
an extended period of time, I'm not sure the Chiefs
roster is better than the Raiders' roster. Just being real, Well,
you got some names, but they're old.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
You're saying that based on a quarterback position.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
That's what I'm saying. If you take can you take
Pat Mahomes away and put Justin Fields in it? I'm
not sure the Chiefs are better than the Raiders.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Well see, and if that's the case, I would be
willing to go more with Kirk Cousins than even Justin Fields.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well that's to say, k Yeah, you would absolutely take
over that. But I'm just saying, like the Chiefs roster
talked about it. You look at the Chargers roster. Now,
they've got some players, man, especially that offensive line is nasty.
If it stays health. You got left right, you got
Sean Slater. They brought in Jake Slaughter to be the
left guard. They brought Tyler Biondich and Cole Strange in
and free agency and Joe alt at the right tackle.
That's that is a line that rivals the Broncos offensive line,
(10:10):
which is quite good.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Well yeah, also too. They also added Keyton Mitchew from
from Baltimore, yep, who did a great job as a
young running back. But also they're gonna probably look to
put him on kickoff as well to handle those duties.
And of course one of your favorites, their favorite tight end,
Aronde Gaston, right, he's gonna end up being on your
fantasy team for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
He's he's the move tight end. They brought in Charlie Kolar,
also from Baltimore's the blocking tight end as they plan
to go a lot more twelve. They get Lad McConkie,
Trey Harris, Quintin Johnston needs some help with the hands,
but Tray Harrison lad McConkie are really good receivers. They
brought in alec Ingolds a fullback, and then on the
defensive side, they kept that thing mostly together and added
Dalvin Tomlinson at the nose. And so, I you know,
(10:52):
as I look at you know, as I look at
this Chargers roster, I'm like, okay, if there's a roster
top to bottom that's in league with the Broncos. It's there.
I still put the Broncos over it, especially at the
receiver position, of course. But at the end of the day,
I mean, I can't I get sort of I guess
the idea that all three should be in the same tier.
(11:15):
I don't get the sportsbook ranking where they're puting the
Broncos in there. I might put a little sprinkle of
cash on and thats see if I can make a
little money off it.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Listen, man, I just look at it as more hate now.
I can see if they wanted to do that two
years ago, after bow Nick's a rookie year and the
loss of Buffalo on the row, But after what they
are accomplished last season. I don't know. And do you
think this has anything to do with that early news
(11:44):
about Bow's ankle? And maybe sportsbooks are predicting, maybe they're
more to it then.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Maybe they're building that in I maybe because it does
not make sense to me otherwise. There are question marks
about those other two teams. Again, the Chargers is with
health and they've got some age on the defensive side
to Tony Jefferson's starting Khalil Max starting now. There was
good players, but they got some age on that defense
too with a new DC and that's going to be
interesting to see how that goes. So I'm with you
on that. Man. If you f you're the Broncos and
(12:13):
you're Sean Payton, you're finding a way to tape those
odds up in the locker room everywhere. You're blasting that
everywhere so everybody sees it all the time and sees
the disrespect.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, yeah, if I'm coach Payton, I'm starting this weekend right.
I know they had the rookie mini camp and Saturday tomorrow,
I guess be the last day I would have led
off my meeting with that. Here, gentlemen, you're coming into
an organization and based on what we did last year,
you may think that you are part of that. No,
(12:41):
you're not a part of it. You have to earn
the right to be a part of the organization and
that way, and we've already turned the page. Say you
look at these odds right here. They're not even having
us to win the NFC West. They have us third. Yeah,
so you guys can come here right now with a
chip on your shoulder based on the fact that you
were not drafted and help us supersede these teams.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
And that's what that's what they should do. Real quick,
Here a weird story I wanted to get to. Twelve
years to the month after Johnny Manziel became a first
round pick in the NFL draft, he will be stepping
into a boxing ring for the first time. By Andres
Hail of ESPN, Manziel will fight social media influencer Bob Menery.
Do you know Bob Menery. He's the guy who does
those videos and he has like the announcer voice except
(13:23):
the cusses in the videos. Oh he got bleeping to
de cocluded. Yeah, if you get looking about Bob menriy
does these funny voice. They're gonna fight each other May
twenty third at the ufc Apex in Las Vegas. Obviously,
this is the latest twist in Manziel's post football career
at a time when he could theoretically still be playing,
but he washed out of the NFL after early two
seasons with the Browns, and after two seasons out of football,
(13:45):
he spent time with a Paris CFL franchises before the
short lived AAF back in twenty nineteen, played with the
Fan Control Football League for the Zappers in twenty one
and twenty two, and then launched the Glory Days podcast
in twenty twenty four. Thirty three year old Manziel's gonna
face off off against he thirty eight year old Bob
Menry in a new venture I guess aimed at grabbing
a little attention in cash. Do we have any interest
(14:05):
in watching Johnny Manziel box a social media influencer who
I'm not sure has any boxing experience either.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
That would be a no for me. Dog. I don't
know what it is that guys are looking for their
second third term at Glory and are opting for boxing
no head gear at all. So you go from a
sport that was really physical that had hit gear and
guys will still get concussed. But you're gonna trade that
(14:34):
in for a sport no head gear at all and
get punched. And I don't know how much money is
in one of these fights. I guess it can't be
to the numbers of a Jake Paul No fight. But why,
We've seen guys get in the ring. We've seen Frank
Gore do it, We've seen Adrian Peterson, do it, Chad
(14:56):
Johnson did it right? Why? For what reason? What do
you have to prove?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
I don't know. I don't get it. It doesn't make
a lot of sense to me. I guess they're hoping
that the curiosity factor will get people tuned in and
and make them eat some money. I'm not sure that
Bob Menry, to my knowledge, he doesn't have any fighting
experience whatsoever, and obviously Johnny Manziel doesn't. I don't I
don't understand this obsession with that kind of stuff. I
remember we as celebrity boxing and all that kind of
(15:21):
stuff they had, Like, I never understood this obsession with
putting people that can't fight in the ring and watching
them fight.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well, I guess it's equivalent to what I did with
when I was a kid. Get a scorpion, a lizard
some ants, watch them and to be and shake them
all up.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
See what happens. Yeah, it's the same thing. When I
was in Iraq, we used to put the scorpions in
the thin the diorama and let him fight or whatever.
And you know that was entertainment out in the middle
of the desert.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
A minute, you guys, build your own little sand at
the gun.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Yeah, we had the MRI boxes out of cardboard. We
put a little sand in there and all that kind
of stuff, and then we the scorpions are everywhere, so
we just picked scorpions.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Scorpions answer only one leave.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, that was that was a popular pastime. When when
I was over there in No. Three oh four, Uh,
there was nothing to do like they had now when
I went back on subsequent tours, they had things built
up and all that kind of stuff, and there were
places for you to go work out and do all that.
There's just nothing to do, no movies or whatever with
what are you gonna watch it on?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I mean I would think that if you if you
if they're gonna have soldiers over in the space for
a period of.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Time or we were camped in the sand and the
Syrian border, it wasn't anything. We were an abandoned train station.
It wouldn't anything to watch them thing.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
And I mean with all the technology nick technology the
military has, they couldn't set something up for R and R. Well.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I mean eventually they did, but we were on a
we're a four operating basic. You know, there's nothing to
you know. I ended up having a smuggler, sell me
a satellite dish, a TV so then I could seg it.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
That's why you do it, so you don't have to
have guys smuggling things in.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Just saying we gotta hit a break, Broncos Country tonight.
We'll be back right after this. Welcome back to it,
Broncos Country Tonight. Benjamin Olbright, Nick Ferguson here with you
and appreciate you get guys sticking around on a Friday.
(17:03):
You know, people got lot of stuff to do. We
always love you guys. Tuning in though, Rockco started to
make some moves as far as uh uh shuffling things
for Rookie Mini Camp. They get guys in, they cut
a couple of veterans who I imagine they'll actually those
guys will be back once they whittle down some of
these rookie tryouts and all that kind of stuff. But
they did a little bit of that today. Obviously they
get the George Payton five year deal extension done as
(17:24):
general manager. But we're excited about seeing some of these
guys that they're bringing in for this this Rookie Mini camp.
One of the guys I got my eye on this
A and M inside linebacker Tory and York. That's the
guy who's gonna be competing with Red Murdoch a little
bit to that inside backer position. You got a couple
other people on the offensive side. Dane Key, the wide receiver.
That's the brother of de Dvon Key, our safety. Yeah,
(17:46):
so we got brothers, you know, on the team. There's
they brought in like four or five six receivers, Dan Key, Joe,
a guy named Joseph man Jack if that's not a
name for you. That Sean Brown, yeah, Sean Brown. And
then two guys that are intended to be the return
guys in Kolby Katsis out of Northern Arizona and cam Ross.
We'll see if they're able to able to do anything.
(18:08):
Tyler Miller also at the right tackle position, might be
something to keep your eye on. None of these guys
are cracking the too deep anytime soon. They did bring
in Luke Basso as a long snapper, maybe to push
for Bony, but otherwise, is there any of these any
of these guys that you're looking at and you're saying,
all right, I want to see what this guy's got
so we can see if he's got something for training.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Camp you know, not really with a lot of these guys.
And the reason I say that ben because it's gonna
be hard for these guys to make an impression over
three days based on the amount of work. But more importantly,
there are no pads you could put on to kind
of make yourself stand out. I'm just looking forward to
(18:49):
some of the guys that the Broncos did draft, not
having any bias because I was an undrafted player, but
Joe Lee, I want to see, you know, what he has.
I feel as though he could play an intricate role
and what the Broncos want to do in the passing game,
especially trying to figure out what direction they want to
(19:09):
go with the tight ends and one eetum. Just want
to see what his burs is like. Obviously I like
watching him on tape, but it's always best to see
something up close and personal. And for the most part,
a lot of these guys are going to have an
opportunity to somewhat make a slight impression. That's not going
to be given out to every single player, but some players,
(19:32):
and mostly the ones that the Broncos drafted, they're definitely
going to have an opportunity. But when you're an undrafted
player and you're invited to camp, you have to understand, yes,
you are a can't body, but at the same time,
you have to maximize every opportunity that you have, and
you may only have two reps. You have to go
all out and you have to make sure that you
(19:53):
show that there's a certain level of athleticism and dedication
to what you're being asked to do with more emplotant.
Even if you have two reps one hundred miles an
hour and you make no mistakes, every rep matters.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah, that's you know, it's just like we every year.
I say the same thing, and people grown when I
say it, And that's everything matters in the preseason except
the final score in those games. Absolutely nothing matters in
the regular season except the final score of those games. Yes,
and so that's this is your chance to build yourself
into this team. Make it so they can't cut you.
Find a way to make it so they can't cut you.
(20:26):
Make be indispensable on special teams when you get those
two reps. Break a pass up, cause a fumble, get
a be interset, whatever the case may be. And so
for these guys, yeah, it really is. It's gonna be
interesting to watch. You mention the two rookie tight ends,
I mean Troutman, Ingram and and Adkins are gonna make
the roster. Those guys are ahead of them. You got
four guys fighting for one spot really on this roster,
(20:47):
Dallan Bennett, Justin Jolie who you talked about, the Hall
of Famer, Lucas Kroll, and then Caleb B. Lohner who
was the project that they drafted last year out of Utah.
So I guess him and Dallon Bentley can high five
each other as they try to figure out what's going
on with that. But that's four guys fighting for one spot.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Man's that's tough, and that's why it's always difficult, man
this time of year, because not even guy's gonna make it,
and a lot of these guys, it's going to be
their last opportunity to live out their football dreams, and
to see that it comes to a point where it's
cut short, it's going to be disappointing. But I'm hoping
(21:25):
that some of these guys perform well enough that if
another team calls them, Because the Broncos could be heavy
at wide receiver. You mentioned they've added four wide receivers
you know, in this mini camp to take a look
at if you don't perform well or let me take
that back, you perform well enough where you want them
(21:48):
to make a call for you. If they tell you sorry,
but we don't have enough space on the team for you,
that's what you want. You want them to hop right
on the phone and call someone else. Say, look, man,
I got a guy, right, that's what you want them
to do.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Why don't you slide me that seventh round draft pick
over there? And I got this fresh and sexy tight
end to suit your way as man.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I'm telling you, man. And here's what we know, right,
George Payton has done that before. He has put players
in position to succeed. I go back to what he
did for von Miller when they traded von Miller. So
he's all about trying to set players up as much
as he can. But his I guess obligation or loyalty
(22:33):
is still with the team. But he does know how
this works, and he wanted to see a player, you know,
succeed in whatever capacity that is, whether it's with the
team or not. So I'm rooting for a lot of
these guys. I already know going in they're not gonna
be able to make it, but just go out there
and be competitive.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah, and we'll obviously be out there tomorrow, yes, for
community camps. So there's something When it comes to the
Steelers and situation quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the new normal is abnormal.
No sign that Rogers will be signing with the Steelers
in the immediate future. Ninety three to seven The Fan
They Are reported yesterday morning that Rodgers would be visiting
(23:13):
Pittsburgh with an expectation he would sign a contract and
if i'll network confirm the visit, but tap the brakes
on a deal being done. Then. This morning, Steelers general
manager Omark Cohn said he doesn't know where Aaron Rodgers
is now. Mark Bolei, who's the Steelers correspondent for the
Pat McAfee show, shared this observation on Twitter. He said,
quote from everything I can gather, there is no meeting
(23:34):
scheduled or expected between Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. I've
reached out to a couple inside the building. Nobody's seen
him yet. Today's the first day of rookie Mini caamp.
Media will be their Saturday. Stay tuned. Maybe Rogers will
show later, maybe tomorrow, maybe he won't. And I guess
that pretty much sums the situation with Rogers up. Maybe
he will, maybe won't. Either way, he won't be saying anything,
(23:55):
and they'll complain when the media tries to make sense
of his nonsense. Rogers, I guess. I mean, he's got
the right to make decisions on his own timeline. But
this dude plays games every year. Did you just even
work to squeeze anymore?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Well, if you are desperate for a quarterback, hell yeah,
it is right. Think about whether what he's done with
the Packers when during his tenure with them, then guess
what that same ideology of the Aaron Rodgers lore ended
up in the Broncos hiring that then you hack it
because they thought that they were gonna land Aaron Rodgers.
(24:31):
The situation with the Jets now, the Pittsburgh stillers. This
is kind of an ongoing issue with Aaron Rodgers, and
there's a book out on this situation. But when you
are desperate, you have no choice. And the Pittsburgh stillings
even though they have three quarterbacks on the roster as is,
they are still desperate because they know Mason Rudolph isn't
(24:54):
going to lead them anywhere. And Mike McCarthy spent what
a year a year and a half out of football.
He doesn't want to have or early exit. So if
that means it's just even if it's just for one year,
you bring Aaron Rodgers in with the receivers that you have, right,
Makecalf Pittman Jr. Right, there's a possibility they could make
(25:16):
some noise. But I don't see the Steelers as a
Super Bowl contender even with Aaron Rodgers. I'm not sure
you do.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
I'm not sure you care if Rodgers does or not.
I mean, over the last four years, he's twenty four
and twenty seven as a starter's yards, sir, excuse me.
His touchdown percentage is four point eight percent. That's half
of what he normally does in terms of touchdowns. His
interception percentage is up to two percent, where he used
to be point three point seven. He's just not the
same player that he that he used to be. His
(25:45):
quarterback rating, which routinely was in the one hundred and teens,
has been in the low nineties, ninety one point one,
ninety point five last year jumped up a little bit
ninety four and a half. But I mean, he's just
not the same player that he was. And I don't know, man,
if you're the Steelers, I mean, I'm not saying Howard
and Drew Aller already good. But you've got a loaded
quarterback class coming up next draft. This might be the
(26:06):
year roll the dice.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Okay, so most people think of things in that way
while this upcoming quarterback class, and just think in order
to get in the running in the top five for
any of those quarterbacks, you know what you got to do,
Ben lose, That's right. You have to lose freaking games.
And we know that tanking has become somewhat of a
(26:29):
major issue in professional sports a lah NBA basketball. But
for the Steelers fans, you have to root for your
team to be competitive, and at the same time you
have to root against your team to be competitive to
get one of those guys. So I would rather come
in with a new coach. We win a couple of games,
(26:50):
just so happens. You know, Drew Aller he starts to develop,
right and selling Will Howard started to develop, and maybe
you can go with those guys and not have have
to try to say, okay, well are we all in
on arch Manning. That would be the ideal mentality if
you ask me, because you want to win. Fans want
to win games. They want to win games, So give
(27:13):
them an opportunity to win. And just so what happens
things don't go well, you just take the draft position
that you get. But I'd rather be a fan of
the Steller saying, man, we were competitive, opposed to man
we suck.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah, I mean it just if it's me, I think
you've got you know, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Aller.
It might be time to see what you got with
some of those other guys.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
But if you can get Rogers, you take it. I don't.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I don't know that I would. Man, he's such an
absolute distraction all the time. It's all about him. It's
all me, me, me, I know.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
But once again, it is that some of the Steelers
fans are salivating at the idea of if you get
a veteran quarterback with Pittman and dk mancap two big receivers.
Just imagine what what could possibly happen? Something can break
your way.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yeah. Maybe I don't know. I'm just not a fans.
The team that is winning is the Seattle Seahawks. They
just won the Super Bowl and they're selling, and today
nobody's buying. No one's buying, at least not to the
expent that was expected. Second Wickersham of ESPN reported, quoting
an unnamed team owner, that the market for the team
is soft. Powers that be have doubts regarding whether the
(28:23):
team price will land on the high side of the
expected range of nine to eleven billion. The current thinking,
per Wickersham, is that the final number will land slightly
above nine billion. That would shatter the record of six
point oh five billion set in twenty twenty three by
the sale of the Commanders to Josh Harris. For now,
the potential pulll of buyers, though, is small, and as
Wickersham explains it, few individuals have the liquid assets to
(28:44):
pay thirty percent of nine billion or more, which they
have to have in order to do that, so the
process is expected to linger on into this season. Current
management had to be sort of forced with a thread
of a five million dollars fine into moving forward because
they've been dragging feet and this situation just continues to
look weird by the day. You've got a Super Bowl
winning franchise and nobody willing to buy it.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
That's kind of odd, but I can easily see why
maybe some individuals may be a little hesitant. One Clint
Kubiak isn't there. You don't have Kenneth Walker, you had
the departure of some of your defensive players. You brought
some of those guys back. But maybe there's not a
true belief in Sam Donald, right, because you got to
(29:30):
have a belief in your quarterback. Or better yet, maybe
they're not just buying in the Seattle Seahawks organization as
a whole, because maybe the price is too rich. Do
you know what the Washington commanders.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Went for six point five billion?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Because I'm sure you're thinking, okay, well if they went
for six four billion dollars and they had all the
issues they had internally with John Snyder, how did they
sell of that much money? And you're thinking, well, we
should leap frog him. We're coming off of a super Bowl,
we're a better run organization, right, We're in Seattle, right, Well,
(30:08):
we don't get them what some but we're in Seattle
and you still can't move the needle.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Yeah, that one is that that would just baffles me
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Maybe the price is too damn high.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
The rent. The rent might be too damn That's the thing.
I mean, there's just not you know, there's only so
many billionaires out there. There's only so many people. I mean,
there's an absolutely obscene amount of money that it takes
to buy these friends.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
If you, Benjamin Albright, had organization who type money, would
you be interested in buying the Seattle?
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Yeah, I would buy. I would absolutely buy an NFL
football team.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
No, no, I just say NFL team.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I say specifically, it would not matter to me. I
would buy the Sea Hide, buy whatever was available.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Be careful when you say it don't matter what you matter,
because I have value buying it. Cleveland Browns with that add.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
It's an I'll tournament and winter really Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
You run the ball the whole.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Time, right, Well, yeah, we'll bring back the single wing.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Now, I'm just kidding your mad game.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
I would do. Paul Johnson still around, I'm gonna go
I'm gonna bring him out of retirement.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
No, no, go back to the pro game.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
No, I'll find a use for justin fields after all.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
But that's still real interesting that they can't really get
a muster up someone who wants to spend that type
of money. There's got to be some tycoon overseas, right.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Well, that's the thing. Yeah, But I think the I
think the NFL is trying to avoid that kind of stuff.
I think they want, you know, American ownership.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
What wait, man, listen, I thought all money was good money.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
I think it is. But I'm just saying I don't
think they like there's a there's an undercurrent, especially with
the way the live Golf thing went and all that.
I don't know that they want Saudi ownership. You know,
as far as that goes, We'll have to see.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
You, boy.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Carson Beck is working out with the Cardinals for the
first time. It's a community camp for them this weekend.
That was a topic of conversation for Micha Lafleur's press
conference today. Jacoby Brissett has not been taking part of
the off season. He's looked for an adjustment his contract.
Lafleur was asked for things stand and he said, everything's
good from a dialogue standpoint. This is voluntary, so we'll
leave it at that. La Flour also asked if he
(32:06):
felt behind the eight ball because Brissette's missing time. Laflour
said He's played a lot of football where in communication
heals what the expectation is. But Carson Beck and Gardner
Minshew getting the more work as Brissett is away from
the team. Do you expect either one of them to
be able to take the job from Jacoby Brissett.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yes, more importantly Gardner Minshew because Minshew is not a
top tier quarterback in this league, but he is very serviceable.
He is very manageable. He can operate your offense to
a point where he can get guys lined up, he
can call up blitz protection, he can throw the ball.
(32:44):
He's still mobile. So there's a little something to his
game that would definitely help out the Arizona car News
And I would say maybe even more so than Kyler
Murray did as their quarterback, because I look at Gardner
Minshew as a guy that every one and the Arizona
organization could get behind based on how he came into
(33:05):
the NFL. And if you had Jacob we Weresset you're
pushing for more money, you might want to be really
careful because they can say, nah, we don't really need
to do that, because we believe in Gardner, and more importantly,
we believe in Carson Beck someone you don't believe it.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
No, I don't believe in him for a minute. So
we'll see how that goes. One thing I do believe
is the NFL Referees Association resoundingly past their new seven
year collective bargaining agreement by a vote of one sixteen
to four. That is a ninety six percent yes on
the new deal.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
And the good great news for the NFLRA and the
NFL things that look shaky for a little while, but
looks like it's a win win for everybody. And they
got this thing ratified and ready to go.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
It's a seven year deal yep. So if you're reading
the tea leaves, because we know the NFL Collective volume
Agreement will be up soon, so the league is going
to is for a seven to teen year due with
labor peace with the union. Hopefully these guys get something
out of it this time other than the ability to
(34:09):
smoke weed and less practice time.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Well, this is yeah, and that's the players. I mean,
they've got a bargain for better stuff when their stuff
comes up, and especially getting the cut to some of
these digital right deals and all that kind of stuff.
We'll see inane see how that stuff shakes out. But good,
good with no no replay, no repeat of the fail
merry thing. I actually had a source tell me back
on Sunday that this was going to happen, and I
texted to a couple of different people that it was,
(34:31):
that it was coming, and sure enough it did. So
good for the good for the league, good for the
referees getting this done. Last thing that one. It was another,
you know, fail marry thing. Appreciate you guys being along
for the ride. Broncos Country tonight got to hit a
break
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