July 8, 2025 • 34 mins
Team insiders Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing share their outlook on the Steelers' trades and addition of Aaron Rodgers, whether the Bengals defense will improve, the Browns' quarterback situation, and much more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome into Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here
with Garrett Downing, fresh off our fourth of July break back,
feeling rejuvenated, and we are going to dive into the
Ravens AFC North opponents and kind of break down what
they've done this offseason and give our perspective. There's some
big news this past week in the division, and Garrett
(00:26):
just big picture of the Ravens have won the AFC
North two straight years. No team has ever won it
three consecutive seasons, so the Ravens have their work cut
out for them historically.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Of course, we've talked all about how.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
We think this is, you know, the most complete Ravens
team that we've seen here in a long time, maybe
the best roster in the NFL. So I think the
Ravens are up to the task. But the AFC North
remains daunting. There's a lot of very good teams in
this division. It's not going to be easy to pull
off the three pets. So we're going to dive into it,
and we'll start with the Steelers because they do have
(00:59):
the fresh news, which there's not much in July, but
they made a blockbuster trade last week they traded for
Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end John U. Smith,
and they traded away Pro Bowl safety Minka Fitzpatrick. So, first, Garrett,
what did you think of that trade as you were
(01:19):
relaxing during the fourth of July week off.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean, I think first and foremost I was
the AFC North clearly wants to get as many good
cornerbacks as possible. The Ravens just brought in jaiy Or
Alexander and now the Steelers ad Jalen Ramsey as so
you look at it and it's like there's a lot
of good receivers in this division. Of course, you got
Jamar Chase and t Higgins in Cincinnati. You got Zay
Flowers leading the way here in Baltimore along with Rashaan
(01:43):
Bateman and really good tight ends here. So like, the
teams in this division know that you need to have
quality secondary play in order to limit their opponents. And
like that to me was the first thing that jumped out.
I think, to be honest, like everyone wants to make
the snap judgment who won the trade, time will tell
on that. I found it interesting because you add Jalen
Ramsey and Ramsey is a guy that, like Ravens fans
(02:06):
have clamored for for years because even going back to
when he got drafted back in twenty sixteen, a lot
of people felt like, this is a guy that could
be a target for the Ravens and there was lots
of thought talk about that at the time. And so
whenever his names come up and trade talks, he's been
traded a few times. Like Ravens fans have talked about
the possibility of adding him. It's like he's a super
(02:28):
talented player. But it's interesting that they bring in Ramsey
but then they trade away Mike and Fitzpatrick. In some ways,
it kind of seems like a wash. You like, get
one Pro Bowl defensive back, but you lose another.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And Minco is like one of their biggest leaders, I
mean play a hard and soul guy for their team. Yeah,
he and Cam Hayward have been kind of the heart
and soul of that defense, and so it is interesting.
I think you wonder how much did Derrick Henry's stiff
arm on Mike and Fitzpatrick and the playoffs have to
do with this kind of ragged all them.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
But yeah, it's it's it is interesting.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I think that you bring up the term
fans are and pundits are wondering is this a wash?
And a very similar situation to George Pickens, who they
traded to the Cowboys and then brought in DK Metcalf,
like two kind of similar players, comparable to each other, big,
big guys, like physical, yeah, big dudes. And so yeah,
(03:29):
I've just seen there's been so many memes out there
on social media about the Steelers like making all these
moves and then are they right back at the same
spot where they were before?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Right where?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Really they've been a team that has again, the Steelers
are a tough out every time they step on the
field because of their identity and just who they are,
and and like they're just a tough team to beat, right,
and uh, but yet they've come up short in the
playoffs and just kind of been around that five hundred
marker a little bit better, right, And like the stat
(03:59):
that always get thrown out there is Mike Tomlins never
had a losing season as the head coach of the
Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, it's also been a long time since
the Steelers won a playoff game, right, And so that's
kind of been there. Their hill that they need to
get over is like go from a good team to
a great team. And the Ravens certainly last year stood
(04:21):
in their way and came from behind, hawked him down
in the standings and overtook him, and then beat him
the playoffs, and then beat him in the playoffs, knocked
him out exactly. So you know, and the quarterback situation
there has obviously been the biggest thing in my opinion,
in holding them back in recent years. And obviously they
made a big move on that front, signing the veteran
(04:42):
and so going out and getting a guy like Aaron Rodgers.
Is that enough to get them over the hump and
kind of out of this out of neutral to a degree.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, that's the big question. And honestly, like with Aaron Rodgers,
the last two years for the Jets did not go
the way certainly that he or I think a lot
of people around football expected them to go. It's been
a few years since he's been the player that we
saw for most of his career in Green Bay, injuries
being a large reason for that. I also A'm not like,
(05:12):
I'm not closing the door on the idea that Aaron
Rodgers could go be a good quarterback this year. Like,
I'm just not in that camp. I think that he's
been He's a Hall of Fame player, and he wants
to go out like he wants to go out on
his own terms. He said recently, this is this is
likely it, this is probably it, And like I think
(05:32):
he certainly has made it clear that he doesn't. It
doesn't sit right the way the last two years have
gone for him in New York. He wants to end
on better terms than that. And like he's a guy
that really doesn't have anything left to prove. He's been
MVP multiple times, he's gonna.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Be I think he does have something left to prove.
I mean, yeah, over his career. I mean, it's going
to be in the Hall of Fame. But like to
what you said earlier, it hasn't been very good the
last two years lately.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
But like, does he have anything to prove? I don't know.
I mean, the guy's gonna be a like, no doubt,
first ballot of Hall of Famer. He's been a super Bowl, Like,
there's not much the guy has to prove in that.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
He wants to prove that he's better than he was
the past couple of years.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yes, Yeah, he wants to go out on top. He
wants to go out on top and definitely go out
better than he was the last two years. Yeah, and
so will again, I'm not I'm just I'm not closing
the door. Unlike the idea that he could be a
really good player for them. I also think that with
the way the Steelers are built as a team, that's
gonna happen, like, you know, just fundamentally with Mike Tomlin
as the coach, like the identity of that team, They're
(06:30):
gonna be good. Defensively, they're gonna be there. They're gonna
be a team that wants to run the ball, They're
gonna win close games, they're gonna play sound fundamental football
like those are all things that they typically do.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Yeah, I mean I think it. To me, it's gonna
be very interesting how this team changes with Aaron Rodgers
under center. And you know, Rogers is a guy who
big person. I like he wants to He's not just
gonna take all the orders. He wants to run the show,
you know what I mean, Like he will have opinions
for sure, And so how much will this Steelers offense
(07:02):
change from a very what I think has been a
very conservative offense in terms of, like, you know, they're
barely throwing the ball over the middle of the field,
it's outside the hasher. It's they play not to make
mistakes right, and like win the turnover battle defensively, don't
turn the ball over. Offensively, play to your defense, run
the ball, you know, make big plays sacking the quarterback,
(07:24):
and like try to win games that way. They have
not been a team that's like We're gonna go out
there and try to run up the score and out
gun you a thirty five to like heck, no, no,
it's ugly. It's ugly, and they take pride in that,
and like they've won a lot of games like that.
You know, that's been how that's been their mo in
part because they haven't really had this solution on the
(07:44):
quarterback that like was a big time threat to put
up a lot of points.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Can Aaron Rodgers be that maybe? Right?
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Like Aaron Rodgers when he's hot is one of the
best I still think like Aaron Rodgers at his peak
is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Now is forty one year old Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Can he get back to his peak, Like, I don't
think that last year he was He didn't have a
bad year. You look at the numbers he threw for,
like thirty eight hundred almost four thousand yards. Yeah, twenty
eight touchdowns to eleven picks. Like not a bad season,
you know what I mean? And did he have a
good weapons in New York last year as he now
has with the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
You know, you have DK Metcalf, they had Garrett Wilson and.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
They traded they traded for DeVante Adams midway through the season.
Like pretty good weapons there. Yeah, yeah, they had bri
saw it run running back. Like a lot of things
about wrong in New York last year.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I mean, I think the offensive line was the question
he's They still have some of those same question marks
in Pittsburgh. You know, they have a new left tackling
Roderick Jones. So you know, I think for Aaron Rodgers,
a lot of it is going to come down to
his health. A part of that is how well he's
not mobile. He virtually has no no mobility at this
(08:59):
stage of his career.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So like the AFC North football, you know that could
be tough.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, Like it's honestly Yeah, I think.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I think it's gonna be tough for him with these
pass rushers in this division and the Ravens you know,
certainly trying to beef up their pass rush more and
whether he can stay healthy I think will be a
primary question.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Yeah, I think I go back to it'll be interesting
to see what their offensive identity is like, like you asked,
because I don't think at this stage Rogers is necessarily
a guy that, like I don't think because he's there,
the Steelers are gonna be like, well, now we got
to throw the ball forty times a game. I just
think that at this stage of his career, there's he
still fits an offense that's gonna want to run the
ball and establish that side of things. But you also
(09:44):
have DK Metcalf, and he's a guy that is he
can hit the big play, but he also wants to
hit the ball in his hands a lot. And so like,
I feel like the Steelers are gonna they're gonna find
ways to get DK Metcalf the ball. They give him
a lot to get him, like, they want him to
be heavily involved in this offense every single week. So
he's gonna get his and that's going to be a
focal point for them offensively. And so you have the
(10:07):
quarterback that has been a multi time MVP, a big
play wide receiver. So like you think of what's your
offensive identity, you kind of start there rather than starting
with a more conservative run the ball style offense. Like
your quarterback and your number one receiver, those are the
that's where your mind goes when talking about their offense,
which is a shift from what we've seen in the past.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And Najie Harris is no longer there. He's out in
Los Angeles. Yep, the Chargers and you know so now
Jalen Warren becomes the lead back. They also added Kenneth Gainwell.
By the way, they added another veteran quarterback to Darius
Slay was another offseason edition for them. And Malie Harrison
like very older team, a much older Pittsburgh Steelers team,
(10:53):
and I think and Mike Tomlin has been pretty candid
about this, like they have got they have put the
ems is this all season on bigger physical like it's
going to be about adding physical players. They he was
not happy about the Ravens running all over them in
the playoffs last year, like that, the sour taste of
(11:13):
that lingered for Mike Tomlin this offseason and that was
reflected in a lot of their even in their draft class.
You look at that in their additions. Malie Harrison is
a great example of big, physical, run stopping linebacker. That's
who they want to become. And DK Metcalf big dude,
John Ramsey.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Big dude.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know. So like they they want to get back
in their minds to being the bullies in the AFC North.
Now does that leave him a step slow? They're older
and bigger.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah. Right. The other factor that we haven't even mentioned
with the Stealers, and I think this is just going
to get worked out, but there is a contract dispute
that's ongoing with them and t J. Walla. He wants
to do contracting.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think he's going to get paid there.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I'm sure he is. I mean, he's been there his
whole career. He's a he's like a ring of honor
type guy. And so it would be very surprising if
that were not able to be worked out. But it
hasn't worked out yet, and so often.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
That would be a huge loss obviously.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, I mean that would be that would be really
kind of a game changer in the division.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
But here we go.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
This, this would be tip standard, This would be part
for the courts for the Steelers offseason.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Huh they trade TJ. Watt for Trey Hendrickson. There you go. Well,
it's not honestly interesting because you look at the three
opponents in the division, all three of them have had
marquee pass rushers in the midst of contract disputes this offseason,
t J. Watt, Miles Garrett, and Trey Hendrickson. Miles Garrett
worked out. We're gonna get to the other teams here
in a minute. But TJ. Watt Trey Hendrickson, those things
are still ongoing. And so both of those guys want
(12:39):
new deals. And I do wonder if one of them
gets done, does the other then get done soon after? Like?
Are they are? Those?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Are those Bengals are playing by anybody's playbook?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
But they're Maybe not, but they But there was some
movement on the Hendrickson one, and so I wonder if basically,
if that one gets done, if that ends up being
kind of a launching pad to get the other done.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Maybe possibly? All right, Well, speaking about the Bengals, let's
move on to them. So as you mentioned they re
signed Jamar Chase and t Higgins, their two premiere wide
receivers or deals that were lingering for a long time.
When with those get done, the Bengals finally made them happen.
It's really been an off season of kind of retention
for the Bengals almost you know, no big changes for them,
(13:22):
and that leaves the question of isn't enough right now?
The Bengals were a team that got off to a
slow start last year and then were hard charging down
the stretch and really were one of those teams that
was hot, and you said, do you want the Bengals
in the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
The way they're playing right now? The offense was one
of the best.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Joe Burrow was an MVP candidate who didn't probably get
as much shine as he maybe even deserved the numbers
that he put up last year. This all the offenses
is really really good. Yeah, the question is have they
done enough this offseason to improve defensively. Trey Hendrickson certainly
if he were not to work out, he said he's
(14:03):
not gonna play under its current deal. If that deal
doesn't get done and they lose somehow lose, Trey Hendrickson Obviously,
the defense gets significantly worse in one of the NFL's
leading sackers for the past two years and beyond. Also,
they drafted Shamar Stewart in the first round, the talented
Texas A and M pass rusher, but he held out
(14:26):
all offseason, didn't participate in Mantory Mini campus. He's in
a contract dispute with the front office. So I imagine
that's gonna get done and he's gonna be on the
field week one, but it's not yet.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Yeah, my gut says both those guys get done, but
for every day they're not done. That just leads to
more of a question as to when it's gonna happen,
if it's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Right, but even let's just say, even if both those
deals get done, is the Bengals defense better than it
was last year when it was one of the worst
in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Right? Well, the question a big question there is Shamar Stewart.
How good is He's a rookie? What can you expect
from him? Super athletic guy? This was Remember if if
we were to go back a few months to all
the conversation we had around the draft, Shamar Stewart was
somebody that we we spent a lot of time talking about,
and he was somebody that really jumped on the scene
at the combine, had a great combine, super athletic guy,
(15:19):
not really productive to the same level in college, but
has these athletic traits that are off the charts. And
so you know, the Bengals take take the they take
the risk, I guess on the athletic traits that Shamar
Stewart brings, but now they have to get him on
a contractor which is obviously big. I think it's that
that is the question. Basically, so much of their of
(15:41):
their salary cap is eating up on the offensive side
of the ball. You have your quarterback and you have
your top two wide receivers.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
And I honestly, I was always under the assumption that
there's no way you could pay both of those guys
like that you could keep them both. It just seemed
like if you wanted to have a balance, well like
constructed team, it.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Just seemed like they were, like they did Burrow two
years ago, They're gonna do Jamar Chase because Jamar Chase
was a top five pick and he played with Joe
Burrow on college and he's been the more productive player
throughout his career, and he's might be the best. You
almost had the Triple Crown in receiving. He might be
the best receiver in football. So it's like, all right,
they're gonna have They're gonna have Jamar Chase. I think
Seggins Higgins is probably gonna go elsewhere, And that's not
(16:20):
what happened. They just end up finding a way to
keep both of them. Like, I know that's the everyone
has a question like is is the defense gonna be
able to do enough? Or are they just gonna be
a team that puts up a bunch of points but
can't stop anybody, Like, like that's the prevailing conversation around
this team. And I get that, but I also think, like,
if you have a team that can put up forty
(16:40):
points a game, which I think that they have that offense,
they have that calibero offense, like you're just gonna win
a lot of games. I think you're just gonna win
a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think the question is the the Bengals defense, which
by the way, they hired a new defensive coordinator. They
replaced long time coordinator Lou and Remo with Al Golden.
I think the question is if the Bengal the Bengals
defense doesn't have to be a top ten unit, but
if it can be a top fifteen to you know,
be better, doesn't great best, If it can be okay,
(17:11):
then like they're gonna win more games and potentially made
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Where like look at look at the two games against
the Ravens last year. Both those games down to the wire,
and they could have gone either way. Exactly, they were
shootout games that and and give the Ravens and that
was at its point a point when the Ravens defense. Honestly,
those two games, really that was the turning point the
second one exactly like that was kind of spearheaded to
change for the Ravens defense. But those games could have
gone either way. And so like I'm not, I'm not
(17:36):
really of the belief that like their defense is just
not gonna be good enough and they could score a
million points, it doesn't matter because they can't stop anybody.
Like I'm not, I'm not on that side of things
because I look back to last year and I know
that either of those games against the Ravens could have
gone differently, very very closely. They're very close games, and
so if if those games go differently, then we're probably
(17:58):
having a different conversation right now. And and so I
think that I think the I think the Bengals are
gonna be really good. I think the it's gonna be
a tough out. I think they're gonna be I think
they're a team that, like Joe Burrow is one of
the best five quarterbacks in football, and they have they've
been to a Super Bowl. But I think that they
feel similar to probably some of the conversation that fans
(18:21):
and Baltimore have around like this team and Lamar Jackson,
like there's a window of opportunity here with the pieces
that are in place, and every year that you don't win,
you feel like that closes maybe a little bit, and
like the pressure ramps up a little bit. And I
just think that, like the Bengals are going to be
a team that's like highly, highly motivated, with a great
(18:44):
core on offense, and they're gonna be a tough out.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Speaking about the importance of a faster start for the Bengals,
they start the year against the Browns and the Jaguars
and then they get so all right, you have a
chance to go to there. You look at on paper,
then you go Vikings, Broncos, Lions, Packers, Steelers, so it
gets harder from there.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
That's kind of been therem though. They've often started slow
and then they get hot well in the second half
of the season, like they've started slow many of these years,
and then they'll rattle off like eight straight wins in
the second half of the season and you're like, you know,
don't want to see him in the playoffs, Like that's
just it's kind of been like their story.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
In your opinion, who's the bigger threat to the Ravens,
the Bengals, or the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
I would put the Bengals at the top for me.
I just think that again, if you have a if
you have a top five quarterback and maybe the best
receiver in football, and then I don't know where you
rank T Higgins top twenty receiver like that, right there
is a starting point that's good enough to win you
a ton of games, and it's just going to be
really challenging to beat him. Like Joe Burrow to me
(19:52):
is like, I know people think that he's great, and
I did, but I didn't even think I probably put
him even ahead of where like the prevailing to me
is I just think he's like that good of a player.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
I think that you're a highest state route.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
It's my higher guy, it's my higher Yeah, that might
be part of it. But man, he's he's he's excellent,
and so I think that like he's.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I mean, the question for him has been health, and
then he was healthy all last year, improved it.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Yeah, so I think I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
I think the Bengals ceiling is certainly higher than the
Steelers is in my opinion, and and even maybe potentially
the floor, you know what I mean, because that offense,
you just you know, it's gonna be good assuming he
stays healthy. Like the Steelers to me, are more of
like a just a major.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Question mark, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Uh how yeah, it was so much hinges on Rogers
and and how good he is. But they they've added
some good players this all season, so they're gonna be
tough again. All right, Let's finish the AFC North talk
with the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Talking about quarterback. This is the big question in Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Who is going to be the starter between Kenny Pickett,
Joe Flacco, Shador Sanders, Dylan Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson. It's
not gonna be the Sean Watson because he's injured. Yeah,
but that is what they're trying to figure out in Cleveland,
and and all lives will be there on training case.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
It seemed like, Okay, it's gonna be Flacco. Go back
two years. He took him to a playoff game, and
there's like a lot of a lot of love for
Joe in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
We were on the pod when the schedule was released.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
We were like week one, Joe Flacco returned to Baltimore,
I'm so sure that's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, Like it seemed like kind of a no brainer
at that point, And then if you pay attention to
everything that was happening there during their offseason practices, like
Kenny Pickett was actually taken a lot of the first
team reps. Yeah, now there's a share there because they're
trying to figure out who's going to be the starter.
But I think Kenny Pickett was somebody who was not
often mentioned in this conversation, but they traded.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
They traded for him.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
By the way, he was the backup last year with
the Eagles. It seems like he might there's there's a
chance that he ends up winning that starting job.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
The reports are that he's the favorite. Yeah, that's Mary
Kake have it. He was a long time Brown's reporter.
Even Deontay Johnson, you know, now he's fresh to Cleveland,
but he said that Kenny Pickett seems like the favorite
there too. So that seems to be the way the
wind is blowing.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Which which is a little surprising. Just again, you go
back two years and and Joe had like it was
like the Joe Flacco Fest in Cleveland, Like there was
so much excitement around him that year when he came
in ends up taking that team to the playoffs that.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Year, when of course social media wants Sanders to be
the starting quarterback. That's like the most exciting of the
Browns quarterbacks, you know, obviously with his draft story in
falling the way that he did. So I think a
lot of people, maybe naively and outside of Cleveland, think
it's only a matter of time before shad Door Sanders
(22:45):
is the starting quarterback, and maybe maybe he will be.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I think my my feeling right now is like shud
Dore Sanders will start at some point this.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Year during his racy season.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
I think he'll start games this year. Okay, when and
that is what the circumstances are around that. I just
think that he this is a guy that really had
It was shocking that he went as late as he did,
and so going in the fifth round. When I remember
you and I coming in here on draft night talking
about could the Brown somehow get should or Sanders at
(23:16):
the end of the first round because they had two
picks and it was like, could they get someone else?
And as Sanders in that first round, they end up
getting him in the fifth round, and so kind of crazy.
It is crazy, And so I think that there's I
think that he'll start games at some point this year.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Well, I doubt that it's going to be weak with
I don't think it's going to be a stadium. The
question for the Ravens will be will it be week
eleven November sixteenth when the Ravens go to Cleveland?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Potentially? I no, I yes? Or no?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I say no, I say no at that point.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
That's too soon week eleven?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, yeah, I think no at that point.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Also the other part of it too is like you
have two veterans, so like even that's just say, can
you Pickett were to be the guy out of the
gates and if the Browns were a struggling and they
said let's make a change, I would think at that
point they would go to Flacco, not to should or Sanders.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
The question there is like what do you have to
gain with going to Flaco. I think it depends on
the season is lost. Let's say you're zero to five
or whatever and you're making a quarterback change. Maybe that's
too soon to just say, yeah, we're packing it in basically, like, yeah,
what point do you get to the Let's just give
the rookies some reps. And then the funny thing is
(24:27):
like here's Dylan Gabriel who they drafted in what the
third round.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Then they drafted him ahead of should or Sanders exactly,
like no one's talking about him potentially went that job.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
But he the starter. Well exactly. So yeah, I don't know,
it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, I think that like we when I look at
the Browns big picture, like obviously they have the massive
quarterback question. You know, this is a team that, like
is they they struggled last year? They they did the
Deshaun Watson trey that did not pan out the way
that they hoped. He's still on the team. At this point,
(25:03):
but he had just as a refresher like he towards
Achilles last year and then during his rehab process retowards Achille.
So it's unlikely he's going to be even an option
this year. And even if he was, would they just
go with the other options that they've already mentioned four
other quarterbacks currently on the team also, it'll be it'll
be interesting to see do all four quarterbacks the think
(25:24):
just carry four quarterbacks on the fifty three manter roster.
That'd be crazy. But I mean unless you're picking between Pickett, right,
that's the question. Do they pick between those guys?
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I can't imagine cutting Strador Sanders or Dylan Gabrie.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Yeah, that would be shocking. That would be shocking.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, they're carrying four unless they cut Joe or Kenny Pickett. Yeah,
Pigot's right now the favorite to be the starter.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Right. So, like they're a team that seems to have
an uphill battle in this division when you look at it.
But I like Kevin Stefanski. He's been a Coach of
the Year two times, and like we know what like
their identity is going to be. They're gonna be a
team that wants to establish the running game. It's no
longer Nick Chobb.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Who's defensive defensive identity to a degree, I mean, I
think the their defense has been pretty good and they
can be tough, right, I mean, Miles Garrett is maybe
the best defensive player in all football.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
You start there.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
But like they have an aggressive duh, it's well coached.
It's a tough scheme that comes downhill and tries to
attack you, and that can give teams problems. I think
the Ravens have done a good job for the most
part of kind of counterattacking that, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
But like, yeah, it's not like the.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Ravens have been sweeping the Browns every year and so
now last year we dropped what like three or four interceptions.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah, that was a bit of a fluky game.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
But yeah, it was a weird, weird game.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
But like that defense is tough and uh, and I
think it's got the potential to be even better. I mean,
they drafted defense tackle Mason Graham, the tough guy, out
of Michigan to number five overall. They drafted the linebacker
Carson Sweashian Swessinger out of UCLA at number thirty three,
basically almost the first round pick. So like that that
(27:12):
defense can be good. Denzel Ward is back and he
just sent an extension and so they can have they
can be tough.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I mentioned Miles Garrett earlier, like they at a certain
point of this offseason, he was requesting a trade and
it seemed like his time in Cleveland was coming to
an end. And then out that was all just posturing
and and and they end up working out a long
term extension. And but like, yeah, he might be the
best defensive player in football. So like their their identity
starts starts with him and that defense, and like they're
(27:41):
gonna they're just gonna be a good defense. But then
offensively they want to do similar to what we were
talking about with the Steelers, Like they're gonna be a
team that wants to establish a run with that stretched
zone running scheme. They drafted their second round of running
back quin Shawn Judkins out of Ohio State, really good player.
Nick Chubb is no longer that replaces Nick Chubb is
basically a replacement. Nick Chubb was a former second pick
and Judkins comes in and he'll have, you know, a
(28:03):
big opportunity in front of him. And so like they've
got some They've got some skill players that are pretty talented.
David Joku is a tight end and Jerry Judy at
wide receiver. Like they've you know, so they have some
They have Deontay Johnson, they added him in free agency,
so they've got like some talented skill players. But I
just think that like they want to be a team
(28:23):
that's that runs that like Denver Broncos Gary Kubiak style offense,
and and and then they're able to you know, minimize
the turnovers, run the ball, and lean on their defense.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yes, that's gonna be their formula to try to to
win games. Obviously, I think they have an uphill climb
in this division as they kind of retool here and
try to figure out the quarterback thing. But they have
C North is never it is never easy. I think
it's it's gonna be one of the best divisions in
football yet again, and it's gonna be a very interesting
(29:04):
season in the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
We're gonna take a break, I mean, last one. How
many wins do you think it's gonna take to win
the AFC North. Okay, so the Ravens are gonna make
it three straight. How many do they have to get
to to make that happen.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I think that you probably have to get to twelve.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Twelve is the number that I had in my head,
and that's probably the number that you're gonna throw out
in most of these years. But I think twelve gets
it done. But I think they like, you could have
a scenario where you have honestly, you could have a
scenario where you which is often the case in this division,
where you have three teams that all have winning records
like I and and I'm not, like, I know the
(29:46):
Browns last year struggled, but like if if they can,
if they can get quality enough quarterback play, and then
they can do what we just talked about, where like
they have a good running game, they have really good defense,
like they can they can win some games well. So
like you can have a situation where you have, like
you know, three teams that have more than ten wins
and another team that's right there on eight. Like that's
(30:08):
that's tough.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
That would be a good year for the Browns.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
But yes, uh yeah, yeah, I think I think that
it's still very much Ah. I think it's a three
horse race in the AFC North and it's the Ravens,
the Bengals and the uh and the Steelers are gonna
be slugged out. And the Browns are that team that's
just like a thorn on everybody's side and you never
you know, they can as the Rams have seen in
recent years, they can beat you.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
And uh so that's the way I size it up.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Yeah, so if he gets twelve, then it's a three
peat lows likely for the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Yep, love that, love the sounds of that. All right,
We're gonna take greag when we come back. Talk about
the Ravens news from the past week, which is not much,
but we have some things to hit.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast. We are coming with
you from the Sea Geek Studio. We also want to
mention our partners with Draft King sports Book. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King Sports Book. The crown is yours. So the big
news over the break this is this is often like
the vacation time for a lot of guys around the league.
You get like one last vacation before you come back
for a training camp and then it's you know, pedal
(31:09):
to the medal for the rest of the year. So
Kyle Hamilton clearly is on vacation and it wasn't just
a vacation for him. He also packed a ring and
popped the question and got engaged. So congratulations to Kyle France, right, yeah,
look it was France. It was cool.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yeah, he got romantic places.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Yeah, So congratulations to Kyle on the engagement. That's exciting news.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yep, yep, yep.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Now becomes even better player. Right he's married.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
He's a married man now, right, Like this just levels
up your game.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Yeah, but yeah, yeah, very very cool stuff there. And
then the other news from the past week is not
really news but interesting tidbit on social media, which is
where we get the news during this slow time. Is
Lamar Jackson, Ze Flowers and to two at well running
hills back in Florida and getting their work in during
the time off. Looks like something straight out of Friday
(32:01):
Night Lights. Yeah, getting those hill workouts and so good
to see that.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Well, we saw Derek Henry also, he's kind of famous
for running hills. When he was in here when he
signed his contract, he talked about running those hills and
guys always talking to him about that, and and maybe
it seems like it's rubbing off a little bit. But
also Zay and Lamar were throwing as well. They weren't
just getting the hill workouts in, but they were also
throwing down in Florida. But that's something that Lamar has
talked about that he likes getting together with, especially the
(32:28):
guys in Florida to tail to too at well as
a Florida guy, So that's the connection that exists there.
But him and Zay both South Florida guys and so
like they use this time to just build the foundation
for training Camp. So it's good to see them working
and like it just even just seeing that gets you
(32:49):
just a little bit more excited for training Camp, like
Lamar and Zay working together, Like I'm just I can't
wait for these guys to get back here in a
couple of weeks and really hit the ground running.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
To me, it's when I watched that video, It's just like,
even though these guys are NFL superstars, like something's just
never changed. It's just like, what do we do during
the summer to stay in shape. We go back to
the backfield, you know, out behind some community center or
whatever and run this giant hill Like I could like
see them doing the same exact thing during high school. Yeah,
(33:18):
you know, and so it's just it's just kind of
cool to see him like go back to, you know,
the roots of like where it all started, is like
working out on that hill and getting better. And I
don't know, it's just it's just like, so Lamar Jackson
say Florida thing. Yeah, you know, I mean Derek Henry
is a Florida guy too, Right, Maybe it's like run
(33:39):
the hills Giant Ones is just a Florida thing.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
I don't know, but Derek works out in Dallas during
the I.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Know, but like he's originally a Florida guy. There's hills everywhere.
The hills are solely in Florida.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
There's not too many. I used to run hills when
I was playing soccer.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
They weren't as big as O's and I didn't run
them nearly as fast, but I ran them.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
It was a barf that I'm plotting up the hills, yes, exactly.
But yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
I just think that's it's cool to see like even
one of the world's biggest sports star is still doing that.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Yeah. Well, look, there's always Lamar has always been somebody
who's kind of true to his roots and that has
remained in him even as he's reached this level of stardom. So,
like I said, it just gets me excited for the
season seeing these guys kind of build that foundation for
the upcoming year. And as we talked about throughout this like,
there's big expectations on the same and I think these
(34:31):
guys understand that and they're putting in the work to
you ready for it.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Well, thank you for listening, as always, leave us a
rating and review and make sure you're subscribed. Thank you
to all of our listeners, and we'll be back with
you later.
Welcome into Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here
with Garrett Downing, fresh off our fourth of July break back,
feeling rejuvenated, and we are going to dive into the
Ravens AFC North opponents and kind of break down what
they've done this offseason and give our perspective. There's some
big news this past week in the division, and Garrett
(00:26):
just big picture of the Ravens have won the AFC
North two straight years. No team has ever won it
three consecutive seasons, so the Ravens have their work cut
out for them historically.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Of course, we've talked all about how.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
We think this is, you know, the most complete Ravens
team that we've seen here in a long time, maybe
the best roster in the NFL. So I think the
Ravens are up to the task. But the AFC North
remains daunting. There's a lot of very good teams in
this division. It's not going to be easy to pull
off the three pets. So we're going to dive into it,
and we'll start with the Steelers because they do have
(00:59):
the fresh news, which there's not much in July, but
they made a blockbuster trade last week they traded for
Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end John U. Smith,
and they traded away Pro Bowl safety Minka Fitzpatrick. So, first, Garrett,
what did you think of that trade as you were
(01:19):
relaxing during the fourth of July week off.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean, I think first and foremost I was
the AFC North clearly wants to get as many good
cornerbacks as possible. The Ravens just brought in jaiy Or
Alexander and now the Steelers ad Jalen Ramsey as so
you look at it and it's like there's a lot
of good receivers in this division. Of course, you got
Jamar Chase and t Higgins in Cincinnati. You got Zay
Flowers leading the way here in Baltimore along with Rashaan
(01:43):
Bateman and really good tight ends here. So like, the
teams in this division know that you need to have
quality secondary play in order to limit their opponents. And
like that to me was the first thing that jumped out.
I think, to be honest, like everyone wants to make
the snap judgment who won the trade, time will tell
on that. I found it interesting because you add Jalen
Ramsey and Ramsey is a guy that, like Ravens fans
(02:06):
have clamored for for years because even going back to
when he got drafted back in twenty sixteen, a lot
of people felt like, this is a guy that could
be a target for the Ravens and there was lots
of thought talk about that at the time. And so
whenever his names come up and trade talks, he's been
traded a few times. Like Ravens fans have talked about
the possibility of adding him. It's like he's a super
(02:28):
talented player. But it's interesting that they bring in Ramsey
but then they trade away Mike and Fitzpatrick. In some ways,
it kind of seems like a wash. You like, get
one Pro Bowl defensive back, but you lose another.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
And Minco is like one of their biggest leaders, I
mean play a hard and soul guy for their team. Yeah,
he and Cam Hayward have been kind of the heart
and soul of that defense, and so it is interesting.
I think you wonder how much did Derrick Henry's stiff
arm on Mike and Fitzpatrick and the playoffs have to
do with this kind of ragged all them.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
But yeah, it's it's it is interesting.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I think that you bring up the term
fans are and pundits are wondering is this a wash?
And a very similar situation to George Pickens, who they
traded to the Cowboys and then brought in DK Metcalf,
like two kind of similar players, comparable to each other, big,
big guys, like physical, yeah, big dudes. And so yeah,
(03:29):
I've just seen there's been so many memes out there
on social media about the Steelers like making all these
moves and then are they right back at the same
spot where they were before?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Right where?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Really they've been a team that has again, the Steelers
are a tough out every time they step on the
field because of their identity and just who they are,
and and like they're just a tough team to beat, right,
and uh, but yet they've come up short in the
playoffs and just kind of been around that five hundred
marker a little bit better, right, And like the stat
(03:59):
that always get thrown out there is Mike Tomlins never
had a losing season as the head coach of the
Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, it's also been a long time since
the Steelers won a playoff game, right, And so that's
kind of been there. Their hill that they need to
get over is like go from a good team to
a great team. And the Ravens certainly last year stood
(04:21):
in their way and came from behind, hawked him down
in the standings and overtook him, and then beat him
the playoffs, and then beat him in the playoffs, knocked
him out exactly. So you know, and the quarterback situation
there has obviously been the biggest thing in my opinion,
in holding them back in recent years. And obviously they
made a big move on that front, signing the veteran
(04:42):
and so going out and getting a guy like Aaron Rodgers.
Is that enough to get them over the hump and
kind of out of this out of neutral to a degree.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, that's the big question. And honestly, like with Aaron Rodgers,
the last two years for the Jets did not go
the way certainly that he or I think a lot
of people around football expected them to go. It's been
a few years since he's been the player that we
saw for most of his career in Green Bay, injuries
being a large reason for that. I also A'm not like,
(05:12):
I'm not closing the door on the idea that Aaron
Rodgers could go be a good quarterback this year. Like,
I'm just not in that camp. I think that he's
been He's a Hall of Fame player, and he wants
to go out like he wants to go out on
his own terms. He said recently, this is this is
likely it, this is probably it, And like I think
(05:32):
he certainly has made it clear that he doesn't. It
doesn't sit right the way the last two years have
gone for him in New York. He wants to end
on better terms than that. And like he's a guy
that really doesn't have anything left to prove. He's been
MVP multiple times, he's gonna.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Be I think he does have something left to prove.
I mean, yeah, over his career. I mean, it's going
to be in the Hall of Fame. But like to
what you said earlier, it hasn't been very good the
last two years lately.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
But like, does he have anything to prove? I don't know.
I mean, the guy's gonna be a like, no doubt,
first ballot of Hall of Famer. He's been a super Bowl, Like,
there's not much the guy has to prove in that.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
He wants to prove that he's better than he was
the past couple of years.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yes, Yeah, he wants to go out on top. He
wants to go out on top and definitely go out
better than he was the last two years. Yeah, and
so will again, I'm not I'm just I'm not closing
the door. Unlike the idea that he could be a
really good player for them. I also think that with
the way the Steelers are built as a team, that's
gonna happen, like, you know, just fundamentally with Mike Tomlin
as the coach, like the identity of that team, They're
(06:30):
gonna be good. Defensively, they're gonna be there. They're gonna
be a team that wants to run the ball, They're
gonna win close games, they're gonna play sound fundamental football
like those are all things that they typically do.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Yeah, I mean I think it. To me, it's gonna
be very interesting how this team changes with Aaron Rodgers
under center. And you know, Rogers is a guy who
big person. I like he wants to He's not just
gonna take all the orders. He wants to run the show,
you know what I mean, Like he will have opinions
for sure, And so how much will this Steelers offense
(07:02):
change from a very what I think has been a
very conservative offense in terms of, like, you know, they're
barely throwing the ball over the middle of the field,
it's outside the hasher. It's they play not to make
mistakes right, and like win the turnover battle defensively, don't
turn the ball over. Offensively, play to your defense, run
the ball, you know, make big plays sacking the quarterback,
(07:24):
and like try to win games that way. They have
not been a team that's like We're gonna go out
there and try to run up the score and out
gun you a thirty five to like heck, no, no,
it's ugly. It's ugly, and they take pride in that,
and like they've won a lot of games like that.
You know, that's been how that's been their mo in
part because they haven't really had this solution on the
(07:44):
quarterback that like was a big time threat to put
up a lot of points.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Can Aaron Rodgers be that maybe? Right?
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Like Aaron Rodgers when he's hot is one of the
best I still think like Aaron Rodgers at his peak
is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Now is forty one year old Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Can he get back to his peak, Like, I don't
think that last year he was He didn't have a
bad year. You look at the numbers he threw for,
like thirty eight hundred almost four thousand yards. Yeah, twenty
eight touchdowns to eleven picks. Like not a bad season,
you know what I mean? And did he have a
good weapons in New York last year as he now
has with the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
You know, you have DK Metcalf, they had Garrett Wilson and.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
They traded they traded for DeVante Adams midway through the season.
Like pretty good weapons there. Yeah, yeah, they had bri
saw it run running back. Like a lot of things
about wrong in New York last year.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I mean, I think the offensive line was the question
he's They still have some of those same question marks
in Pittsburgh. You know, they have a new left tackling
Roderick Jones. So you know, I think for Aaron Rodgers,
a lot of it is going to come down to
his health. A part of that is how well he's
not mobile. He virtually has no no mobility at this
(08:59):
stage of his career.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So like the AFC North football, you know that could
be tough.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, Like it's honestly Yeah, I think.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I think it's gonna be tough for him with these
pass rushers in this division and the Ravens you know,
certainly trying to beef up their pass rush more and
whether he can stay healthy I think will be a
primary question.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Yeah, I think I go back to it'll be interesting
to see what their offensive identity is like, like you asked,
because I don't think at this stage Rogers is necessarily
a guy that, like I don't think because he's there,
the Steelers are gonna be like, well, now we got
to throw the ball forty times a game. I just
think that at this stage of his career, there's he
still fits an offense that's gonna want to run the
ball and establish that side of things. But you also
(09:44):
have DK Metcalf, and he's a guy that is he
can hit the big play, but he also wants to
hit the ball in his hands a lot. And so like,
I feel like the Steelers are gonna they're gonna find
ways to get DK Metcalf the ball. They give him
a lot to get him, like, they want him to
be heavily involved in this offense every single week. So
he's gonna get his and that's going to be a
focal point for them offensively. And so you have the
(10:07):
quarterback that has been a multi time MVP, a big
play wide receiver. So like you think of what's your
offensive identity, you kind of start there rather than starting
with a more conservative run the ball style offense. Like
your quarterback and your number one receiver, those are the
that's where your mind goes when talking about their offense,
which is a shift from what we've seen in the past.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And Najie Harris is no longer there. He's out in
Los Angeles. Yep, the Chargers and you know so now
Jalen Warren becomes the lead back. They also added Kenneth Gainwell.
By the way, they added another veteran quarterback to Darius
Slay was another offseason edition for them. And Malie Harrison
like very older team, a much older Pittsburgh Steelers team,
(10:53):
and I think and Mike Tomlin has been pretty candid
about this, like they have got they have put the
ems is this all season on bigger physical like it's
going to be about adding physical players. They he was
not happy about the Ravens running all over them in
the playoffs last year, like that, the sour taste of
(11:13):
that lingered for Mike Tomlin this offseason and that was
reflected in a lot of their even in their draft class.
You look at that in their additions. Malie Harrison is
a great example of big, physical, run stopping linebacker. That's
who they want to become. And DK Metcalf big dude,
John Ramsey.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Big dude.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You know. So like they they want to get back
in their minds to being the bullies in the AFC North.
Now does that leave him a step slow? They're older
and bigger.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah. Right. The other factor that we haven't even mentioned
with the Stealers, and I think this is just going
to get worked out, but there is a contract dispute
that's ongoing with them and t J. Walla. He wants
to do contracting.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think he's going to get paid there.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I'm sure he is. I mean, he's been there his
whole career. He's a he's like a ring of honor
type guy. And so it would be very surprising if
that were not able to be worked out. But it
hasn't worked out yet, and so often.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
That would be a huge loss obviously.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, I mean that would be that would be really
kind of a game changer in the division.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
But here we go.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
This, this would be tip standard, This would be part
for the courts for the Steelers offseason.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Huh they trade TJ. Watt for Trey Hendrickson. There you go. Well,
it's not honestly interesting because you look at the three
opponents in the division, all three of them have had
marquee pass rushers in the midst of contract disputes this offseason,
t J. Watt, Miles Garrett, and Trey Hendrickson. Miles Garrett
worked out. We're gonna get to the other teams here
in a minute. But TJ. Watt Trey Hendrickson, those things
are still ongoing. And so both of those guys want
(12:39):
new deals. And I do wonder if one of them
gets done, does the other then get done soon after? Like?
Are they are? Those?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Are those Bengals are playing by anybody's playbook?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
But they're Maybe not, but they But there was some
movement on the Hendrickson one, and so I wonder if basically,
if that one gets done, if that ends up being
kind of a launching pad to get the other done.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Maybe possibly? All right, Well, speaking about the Bengals, let's
move on to them. So as you mentioned they re
signed Jamar Chase and t Higgins, their two premiere wide
receivers or deals that were lingering for a long time.
When with those get done, the Bengals finally made them happen.
It's really been an off season of kind of retention
for the Bengals almost you know, no big changes for them,
(13:22):
and that leaves the question of isn't enough right now?
The Bengals were a team that got off to a
slow start last year and then were hard charging down
the stretch and really were one of those teams that
was hot, and you said, do you want the Bengals
in the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
The way they're playing right now? The offense was one
of the best.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Joe Burrow was an MVP candidate who didn't probably get
as much shine as he maybe even deserved the numbers
that he put up last year. This all the offenses
is really really good. Yeah, the question is have they
done enough this offseason to improve defensively. Trey Hendrickson certainly
if he were not to work out, he said he's
(14:03):
not gonna play under its current deal. If that deal
doesn't get done and they lose somehow lose, Trey Hendrickson Obviously,
the defense gets significantly worse in one of the NFL's
leading sackers for the past two years and beyond. Also,
they drafted Shamar Stewart in the first round, the talented
Texas A and M pass rusher, but he held out
(14:26):
all offseason, didn't participate in Mantory Mini campus. He's in
a contract dispute with the front office. So I imagine
that's gonna get done and he's gonna be on the
field week one, but it's not yet.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Yeah, my gut says both those guys get done, but
for every day they're not done. That just leads to
more of a question as to when it's gonna happen,
if it's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Right, but even let's just say, even if both those
deals get done, is the Bengals defense better than it
was last year when it was one of the worst
in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Right? Well, the question a big question there is Shamar Stewart.
How good is He's a rookie? What can you expect
from him? Super athletic guy? This was Remember if if
we were to go back a few months to all
the conversation we had around the draft, Shamar Stewart was
somebody that we we spent a lot of time talking about,
and he was somebody that really jumped on the scene
at the combine, had a great combine, super athletic guy,
(15:19):
not really productive to the same level in college, but
has these athletic traits that are off the charts. And
so you know, the Bengals take take the they take
the risk, I guess on the athletic traits that Shamar
Stewart brings, but now they have to get him on
a contractor which is obviously big. I think it's that
that is the question. Basically, so much of their of
(15:41):
their salary cap is eating up on the offensive side
of the ball. You have your quarterback and you have
your top two wide receivers.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
And I honestly, I was always under the assumption that
there's no way you could pay both of those guys
like that you could keep them both. It just seemed
like if you wanted to have a balance, well like
constructed team, it.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Just seemed like they were, like they did Burrow two
years ago, They're gonna do Jamar Chase because Jamar Chase
was a top five pick and he played with Joe
Burrow on college and he's been the more productive player
throughout his career, and he's might be the best. You
almost had the Triple Crown in receiving. He might be
the best receiver in football. So it's like, all right,
they're gonna have They're gonna have Jamar Chase. I think
Seggins Higgins is probably gonna go elsewhere, And that's not
(16:20):
what happened. They just end up finding a way to
keep both of them. Like, I know that's the everyone
has a question like is is the defense gonna be
able to do enough? Or are they just gonna be
a team that puts up a bunch of points but
can't stop anybody, Like, like that's the prevailing conversation around
this team. And I get that, but I also think, like,
if you have a team that can put up forty
(16:40):
points a game, which I think that they have that offense,
they have that calibero offense, like you're just gonna win
a lot of games. I think you're just gonna win
a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think the question is the the Bengals defense, which
by the way, they hired a new defensive coordinator. They
replaced long time coordinator Lou and Remo with Al Golden.
I think the question is if the Bengal the Bengals
defense doesn't have to be a top ten unit, but
if it can be a top fifteen to you know,
be better, doesn't great best, If it can be okay,
(17:11):
then like they're gonna win more games and potentially made
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Where like look at look at the two games against
the Ravens last year. Both those games down to the wire,
and they could have gone either way. Exactly, they were
shootout games that and and give the Ravens and that
was at its point a point when the Ravens defense. Honestly,
those two games, really that was the turning point the
second one exactly like that was kind of spearheaded to
change for the Ravens defense. But those games could have
gone either way. And so like I'm not, I'm not
(17:36):
really of the belief that like their defense is just
not gonna be good enough and they could score a
million points, it doesn't matter because they can't stop anybody.
Like I'm not, I'm not on that side of things
because I look back to last year and I know
that either of those games against the Ravens could have
gone differently, very very closely. They're very close games, and
so if if those games go differently, then we're probably
(17:58):
having a different conversation right now. And and so I
think that I think the I think the Bengals are
gonna be really good. I think the it's gonna be
a tough out. I think they're gonna be I think
they're a team that, like Joe Burrow is one of
the best five quarterbacks in football, and they have they've
been to a Super Bowl. But I think that they
feel similar to probably some of the conversation that fans
(18:21):
and Baltimore have around like this team and Lamar Jackson,
like there's a window of opportunity here with the pieces
that are in place, and every year that you don't win,
you feel like that closes maybe a little bit, and
like the pressure ramps up a little bit. And I
just think that, like the Bengals are going to be
a team that's like highly, highly motivated, with a great
(18:44):
core on offense, and they're gonna be a tough out.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Speaking about the importance of a faster start for the Bengals,
they start the year against the Browns and the Jaguars
and then they get so all right, you have a
chance to go to there. You look at on paper,
then you go Vikings, Broncos, Lions, Packers, Steelers, so it
gets harder from there.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
That's kind of been therem though. They've often started slow
and then they get hot well in the second half
of the season, like they've started slow many of these years,
and then they'll rattle off like eight straight wins in
the second half of the season and you're like, you know,
don't want to see him in the playoffs, Like that's
just it's kind of been like their story.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
In your opinion, who's the bigger threat to the Ravens,
the Bengals, or the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
I would put the Bengals at the top for me.
I just think that again, if you have a if
you have a top five quarterback and maybe the best
receiver in football, and then I don't know where you
rank T Higgins top twenty receiver like that, right there
is a starting point that's good enough to win you
a ton of games, and it's just going to be
really challenging to beat him. Like Joe Burrow to me
(19:52):
is like, I know people think that he's great, and
I did, but I didn't even think I probably put
him even ahead of where like the prevailing to me
is I just think he's like that good of a player.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
I think that you're a highest state route.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
It's my higher guy, it's my higher Yeah, that might
be part of it. But man, he's he's he's excellent,
and so I think that like he's.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I mean, the question for him has been health, and
then he was healthy all last year, improved it.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Yeah, so I think I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
I think the Bengals ceiling is certainly higher than the
Steelers is in my opinion, and and even maybe potentially
the floor, you know what I mean, because that offense,
you just you know, it's gonna be good assuming he
stays healthy. Like the Steelers to me, are more of
like a just a major.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Question mark, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Uh how yeah, it was so much hinges on Rogers
and and how good he is. But they they've added
some good players this all season, so they're gonna be
tough again. All right, Let's finish the AFC North talk
with the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Talking about quarterback. This is the big question in Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Who is going to be the starter between Kenny Pickett,
Joe Flacco, Shador Sanders, Dylan Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson. It's
not gonna be the Sean Watson because he's injured. Yeah,
but that is what they're trying to figure out in Cleveland,
and and all lives will be there on training case.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
It seemed like, Okay, it's gonna be Flacco. Go back
two years. He took him to a playoff game, and
there's like a lot of a lot of love for
Joe in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
We were on the pod when the schedule was released.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
We were like week one, Joe Flacco returned to Baltimore,
I'm so sure that's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, Like it seemed like kind of a no brainer
at that point, And then if you pay attention to
everything that was happening there during their offseason practices, like
Kenny Pickett was actually taken a lot of the first
team reps. Yeah, now there's a share there because they're
trying to figure out who's going to be the starter.
But I think Kenny Pickett was somebody who was not
often mentioned in this conversation, but they traded.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
They traded for him.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
By the way, he was the backup last year with
the Eagles. It seems like he might there's there's a
chance that he ends up winning that starting job.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
The reports are that he's the favorite. Yeah, that's Mary
Kake have it. He was a long time Brown's reporter.
Even Deontay Johnson, you know, now he's fresh to Cleveland,
but he said that Kenny Pickett seems like the favorite
there too. So that seems to be the way the
wind is blowing.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Which which is a little surprising. Just again, you go
back two years and and Joe had like it was
like the Joe Flacco Fest in Cleveland, Like there was
so much excitement around him that year when he came
in ends up taking that team to the playoffs that.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Year, when of course social media wants Sanders to be
the starting quarterback. That's like the most exciting of the
Browns quarterbacks, you know, obviously with his draft story in
falling the way that he did. So I think a
lot of people, maybe naively and outside of Cleveland, think
it's only a matter of time before shad Door Sanders
(22:45):
is the starting quarterback, and maybe maybe he will be.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I think my my feeling right now is like shud
Dore Sanders will start at some point this.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Year during his racy season.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
I think he'll start games this year. Okay, when and
that is what the circumstances are around that. I just
think that he this is a guy that really had
It was shocking that he went as late as he did,
and so going in the fifth round. When I remember
you and I coming in here on draft night talking
about could the Brown somehow get should or Sanders at
(23:16):
the end of the first round because they had two
picks and it was like, could they get someone else?
And as Sanders in that first round, they end up
getting him in the fifth round, and so kind of crazy.
It is crazy, And so I think that there's I
think that he'll start games at some point this year.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Well, I doubt that it's going to be weak with
I don't think it's going to be a stadium. The
question for the Ravens will be will it be week
eleven November sixteenth when the Ravens go to Cleveland?
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Potentially? I no, I yes? Or no?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I say no, I say no at that point.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
That's too soon week eleven?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, yeah, I think no at that point.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Also the other part of it too is like you
have two veterans, so like even that's just say, can
you Pickett were to be the guy out of the
gates and if the Browns were a struggling and they
said let's make a change, I would think at that
point they would go to Flacco, not to should or Sanders.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
The question there is like what do you have to
gain with going to Flaco. I think it depends on
the season is lost. Let's say you're zero to five
or whatever and you're making a quarterback change. Maybe that's
too soon to just say, yeah, we're packing it in basically, like, yeah,
what point do you get to the Let's just give
the rookies some reps. And then the funny thing is
(24:27):
like here's Dylan Gabriel who they drafted in what the
third round.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Then they drafted him ahead of should or Sanders exactly,
like no one's talking about him potentially went that job.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
But he the starter. Well exactly. So yeah, I don't know,
it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, I think that like we when I look at
the Browns big picture, like obviously they have the massive
quarterback question. You know, this is a team that, like
is they they struggled last year? They they did the
Deshaun Watson trey that did not pan out the way
that they hoped. He's still on the team. At this point,
(25:03):
but he had just as a refresher like he towards
Achilles last year and then during his rehab process retowards Achille.
So it's unlikely he's going to be even an option
this year. And even if he was, would they just
go with the other options that they've already mentioned four
other quarterbacks currently on the team also, it'll be it'll
be interesting to see do all four quarterbacks the think
(25:24):
just carry four quarterbacks on the fifty three manter roster.
That'd be crazy. But I mean unless you're picking between Pickett, right,
that's the question. Do they pick between those guys?
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I can't imagine cutting Strador Sanders or Dylan Gabrie.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Yeah, that would be shocking. That would be shocking.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, they're carrying four unless they cut Joe or Kenny Pickett. Yeah,
Pigot's right now the favorite to be the starter.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Right. So, like they're a team that seems to have
an uphill battle in this division when you look at it.
But I like Kevin Stefanski. He's been a Coach of
the Year two times, and like we know what like
their identity is going to be. They're gonna be a
team that wants to establish the running game. It's no
longer Nick Chobb.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Who's defensive defensive identity to a degree, I mean, I
think the their defense has been pretty good and they
can be tough, right, I mean, Miles Garrett is maybe
the best defensive player in all football.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
You start there.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
But like they have an aggressive duh, it's well coached.
It's a tough scheme that comes downhill and tries to
attack you, and that can give teams problems. I think
the Ravens have done a good job for the most
part of kind of counterattacking that, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
But like, yeah, it's not like the.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Ravens have been sweeping the Browns every year and so
now last year we dropped what like three or four interceptions.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Yeah, that was a bit of a fluky game.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
But yeah, it was a weird, weird game.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
But like that defense is tough and uh, and I
think it's got the potential to be even better. I mean,
they drafted defense tackle Mason Graham, the tough guy, out
of Michigan to number five overall. They drafted the linebacker
Carson Sweashian Swessinger out of UCLA at number thirty three,
basically almost the first round pick. So like that that
(27:12):
defense can be good. Denzel Ward is back and he
just sent an extension and so they can have they
can be tough.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I mentioned Miles Garrett earlier, like they at a certain
point of this offseason, he was requesting a trade and
it seemed like his time in Cleveland was coming to
an end. And then out that was all just posturing
and and and they end up working out a long
term extension. And but like, yeah, he might be the
best defensive player in football. So like their their identity
starts starts with him and that defense, and like they're
(27:41):
gonna they're just gonna be a good defense. But then
offensively they want to do similar to what we were
talking about with the Steelers, Like they're gonna be a
team that wants to establish a run with that stretched
zone running scheme. They drafted their second round of running
back quin Shawn Judkins out of Ohio State, really good player.
Nick Chubb is no longer that replaces Nick Chubb is
basically a replacement. Nick Chubb was a former second pick
and Judkins comes in and he'll have, you know, a
(28:03):
big opportunity in front of him. And so like they've
got some They've got some skill players that are pretty talented.
David Joku is a tight end and Jerry Judy at
wide receiver. Like they've you know, so they have some
They have Deontay Johnson, they added him in free agency,
so they've got like some talented skill players. But I
just think that like they want to be a team
(28:23):
that's that runs that like Denver Broncos Gary Kubiak style offense,
and and and then they're able to you know, minimize
the turnovers, run the ball, and lean on their defense.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yes, that's gonna be their formula to try to to
win games. Obviously, I think they have an uphill climb
in this division as they kind of retool here and
try to figure out the quarterback thing. But they have
C North is never it is never easy. I think
it's it's gonna be one of the best divisions in
football yet again, and it's gonna be a very interesting
(29:04):
season in the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
We're gonna take a break, I mean, last one. How
many wins do you think it's gonna take to win
the AFC North. Okay, so the Ravens are gonna make
it three straight. How many do they have to get
to to make that happen.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I think that you probably have to get to twelve.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Twelve is the number that I had in my head,
and that's probably the number that you're gonna throw out
in most of these years. But I think twelve gets
it done. But I think they like, you could have
a scenario where you have honestly, you could have a
scenario where you which is often the case in this division,
where you have three teams that all have winning records
like I and and I'm not, like, I know the
(29:46):
Browns last year struggled, but like if if they can,
if they can get quality enough quarterback play, and then
they can do what we just talked about, where like
they have a good running game, they have really good defense,
like they can they can win some games well. So
like you can have a situation where you have, like
you know, three teams that have more than ten wins
and another team that's right there on eight. Like that's
(30:08):
that's tough.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
That would be a good year for the Browns.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
But yes, uh yeah, yeah, I think I think that
it's still very much Ah. I think it's a three
horse race in the AFC North and it's the Ravens,
the Bengals and the uh and the Steelers are gonna
be slugged out. And the Browns are that team that's
just like a thorn on everybody's side and you never
you know, they can as the Rams have seen in
recent years, they can beat you.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
And uh so that's the way I size it up.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Yeah, so if he gets twelve, then it's a three
peat lows likely for the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Yep, love that, love the sounds of that. All right,
We're gonna take greag when we come back. Talk about
the Ravens news from the past week, which is not much,
but we have some things to hit.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast. We are coming with
you from the Sea Geek Studio. We also want to
mention our partners with Draft King sports Book. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King Sports Book. The crown is yours. So the big
news over the break this is this is often like
the vacation time for a lot of guys around the league.
You get like one last vacation before you come back
for a training camp and then it's you know, pedal
(31:09):
to the medal for the rest of the year. So
Kyle Hamilton clearly is on vacation and it wasn't just
a vacation for him. He also packed a ring and
popped the question and got engaged. So congratulations to Kyle France, right, yeah,
look it was France. It was cool.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yeah, he got romantic places.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Yeah, So congratulations to Kyle on the engagement. That's exciting news.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yep, yep, yep.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Now becomes even better player. Right he's married.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
He's a married man now, right, Like this just levels
up your game.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Yeah, but yeah, yeah, very very cool stuff there. And
then the other news from the past week is not
really news but interesting tidbit on social media, which is
where we get the news during this slow time. Is
Lamar Jackson, Ze Flowers and to two at well running
hills back in Florida and getting their work in during
the time off. Looks like something straight out of Friday
(32:01):
Night Lights. Yeah, getting those hill workouts and so good
to see that.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Well, we saw Derek Henry also, he's kind of famous
for running hills. When he was in here when he
signed his contract, he talked about running those hills and
guys always talking to him about that, and and maybe
it seems like it's rubbing off a little bit. But
also Zay and Lamar were throwing as well. They weren't
just getting the hill workouts in, but they were also
throwing down in Florida. But that's something that Lamar has
talked about that he likes getting together with, especially the
(32:28):
guys in Florida to tail to too at well as
a Florida guy, So that's the connection that exists there.
But him and Zay both South Florida guys and so
like they use this time to just build the foundation
for training Camp. So it's good to see them working
and like it just even just seeing that gets you
(32:49):
just a little bit more excited for training Camp, like
Lamar and Zay working together, Like I'm just I can't
wait for these guys to get back here in a
couple of weeks and really hit the ground running.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
To me, it's when I watched that video, It's just like,
even though these guys are NFL superstars, like something's just
never changed. It's just like, what do we do during
the summer to stay in shape. We go back to
the backfield, you know, out behind some community center or
whatever and run this giant hill Like I could like
see them doing the same exact thing during high school. Yeah,
(33:18):
you know, and so it's just it's just kind of
cool to see him like go back to, you know,
the roots of like where it all started, is like
working out on that hill and getting better. And I
don't know, it's just it's just like, so Lamar Jackson
say Florida thing. Yeah, you know, I mean Derek Henry
is a Florida guy too, Right, Maybe it's like run
(33:39):
the hills Giant Ones is just a Florida thing.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
I don't know, but Derek works out in Dallas during
the I.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Know, but like he's originally a Florida guy. There's hills everywhere.
The hills are solely in Florida.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
There's not too many. I used to run hills when
I was playing soccer.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
They weren't as big as O's and I didn't run
them nearly as fast, but I ran them.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
It was a barf that I'm plotting up the hills, yes, exactly.
But yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
I just think that's it's cool to see like even
one of the world's biggest sports star is still doing that.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Yeah. Well, look, there's always Lamar has always been somebody
who's kind of true to his roots and that has
remained in him even as he's reached this level of stardom. So,
like I said, it just gets me excited for the
season seeing these guys kind of build that foundation for
the upcoming year. And as we talked about throughout this like,
there's big expectations on the same and I think these
(34:31):
guys understand that and they're putting in the work to
you ready for it.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Well, thank you for listening, as always, leave us a
rating and review and make sure you're subscribed. Thank you
to all of our listeners, and we'll be back with
you later.
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