May 17, 2023 • 33 mins
Matt and Dale take a widespread look at starting and backup quarterbacks in the NFL.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson show
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome back. I'm Dale Lollie. He is Matt Williamson, and
this is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. And I'm Mad.
As I mentioned in the previous segment there at the end,
I wanted to go to now that the Steelers have
re signed Mason Rudolph, I thought we'd take a look
across the league at some of the backups and situations
(00:40):
in quarterback rooms around the league. And you know, no
matter what we've talked about this before. We you know,
the rankings of the starting quarterbacks and things of that nature.
We've gone over those and where can he Pickett ranks
in that hierarchy. But I think when you start looking
at the two and three, boy, do the Steelers have
(01:01):
a big edge here.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Huge. So I do want to go around the league.
But I'm going to preface this too is I'm sure
listeners have tired of this story. But every year about
this time of year, when I was at ESPN for
ten straight years, when there's what wasn't much content, Hey,
Matt ranked the thirty two quarterback, the backup quarterbacks one
to thirty two. I hated it. I mean it was
bad because, first of all, it's hard some teams you
(01:23):
don't know exactly who the starter, who the backup is,
is the rookie starter or whatever. But I mean the
problem why I hated it was once you get past ten,
it's like.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Junk junkers versus upside. You know, the guys are all terrible.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
The Allen's not named Josh rank them like, I mean,
they're all the same. They all stink, you know. I
mean it's I can't win with any of these guys.
I mean, Colt McCoy's ten, and he's terrible, you know
what I mean. Like, so it's eye opening when you
actually see it on paper. And as we talked about
(02:01):
last segment, having three or having any quarterback that can
even get you out of a game, let alone start
and win, is an asset. And I thought the draft
sort of showed us this too. So I thought the
non young Stroud, Richardson, Levis Hooker quarterbacks would go late,
you know, sixth round. Well, there was a crazy run
(02:23):
on them in the fourth. Jake Hayner, Stetson Bennett, Aidan O'Connell, Clayton, Tune,
Dorian Thompson, Robinson, Sean Clifford who can't play at all,
darn Hall. These guys all got drafted in the fourth
and fifth rounds because the league said sixty nine starting
quarterbacks played last year, and everyone's sinking, Oh, they trying
(02:43):
to get to the next rock party. No, they're trying
to get the next Mason Rudolph who can get them
out of a game that you know that is better
than is cheap?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Is cheap, and I think cheap the cheap part is.
And I wonder how many of these teams this year
keep three quarterbacks because that's not and we've seen that
trending the other direction. Oh, we're just gonna keep two. Yeah,
to the point where about half the teams in the
league we're only keeping two quarterbacks. I don't know if
that happens now, right.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I mean, obviously the bigger practice squads make it.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Well, the fact you could call two guys up every
game and expand your game day roster to fifty five,
why wouldn't you have three quarterbacks on your roster?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, No, I do think there'll be more
quarterbacks getting paychecks this year than there were last year.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So let's just we'll start with the AFC North since
that's where the Steelers play with the Ravens. This according,
this all all according to our lads. You got Lamar Jackson,
Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, Nolan Henderson.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So do you want to do it this way? Like,
let's take the starters out of the equation?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Would you trade Steelers with tax? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, well, there's no way. I'm not sure. I don't
care if Tyler Huntley was named to the Pro Bowl
last year or not. He's not a Pro Bowl player.
In fact, he stinks.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
I think Mitch is better than him. I think the league,
the league showed.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Us that this this offseason, Tyler Huntley was a restricted
free agent and would have cost nothing for anybody to
sign exactly. I mean, nobody signed him in a quarterback
starved league, nobody signed him. He stinks.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I mean, people out there with fifty one hundred thousand
Twitter followers do this for a living, suggested just let
Lamar walk and use that money on other things and
make Huntley your starter.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
There's not much of a drop off. Yeah, okay, Yeah, right,
he stinks. So no, I would not trade the Steelers
quarterback room for that one.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
And this is not even the worst quarterback backup situations
in the league in Baltimore, it's not even the worst.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
One in the division, right right, right, right right, Okay,
So moving on to the Bengals, Trevor Simeon and Jake
Browning so.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Like me and to me is kind of like I
talked about to start the segment, like he's better than
the Allen's they had, whatever Allen they had.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's not Josh, but he's a fifteenish I'd say.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
He's fifteen ish, but he's not even thirty two. And
he's Trevor freakin Simeon. I mean, he's not.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Good that nobody's nobody was banging Trevor Simeon's door down.
I wouldn't trade the Steelers room for that. I wouldn't
trade I wouldn't trade Mason Rudolph right now for Trevor Simeon.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I was about to say the exact same thing.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I would not either like Trevor Simeon, there's nothing there
I mean to give the chances to start, and he's stunk.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Frankly, since he should have signed Rudolph.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah whatever, Yeah, I don't get it for the Browns
Josh Dobbs, Dorian Thompson Robinson, and Kellen Mond.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So not all backup quarterback situations are created equal. I
really like the Dorian Thompson Robinson pick because your starter
is a seventy million dollar guy. You know, they can't
have a TRABISI I mean, this can't so for the
way they're structured.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I like their room.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And we mentioned all those draftable dudes, Clayton Tune, all
those guys. They at least have upside. Their story isn't written,
you know, Trevor Simeons story is written.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
You know it's written, and you're in the final chapter.
You're wrapping things up.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
But no way would I trade the Browns backups for
the Steelers. But I understand how they're doing it, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, right, there's at least a plan in place. So
I mean, obviously the Steelers have the best backup situation
in the AFC North.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And spoiler, it might be the best in the league
very well.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Might well move on to the AFC East. For the Bills.
Behind Josh Allen is Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Wow, I mean, like Matt Barkley is still getting a page,
which is amazing. What's he ten years in never plays
makes him over a million dollars a year. I mean,
holy spokes.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
And Kyle Allen stinks he's.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
One of the Allens. I don't remember their first name.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah, so no, wouldn't trade that one mm hm for
the for the Dolphins. And this one's just amazing to me. Yeah,
Mike White, Skyler Thompson, James Blackman. If Mike if Mike
White had started for the Seattle Seahawks those five or
(07:27):
six games over the last two years as a spots starter,
does anybody give a flying crap about Mike White?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And but no, he he played New York and so
you know he did win. He didn't get him in
the end zone. Okay, he threw for three hundred yards,
big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I think he had a four hundred yard game when
everyone learned who he was. You know, I gotta pick
him up in fantasy. I mean, he's the Jets have
found the next Tom Brady, you know. I'm mean all
this obscene stuff up. And if you recall that was
against the Bears defense that had just traded Rokwan and
Quinn had no talent whatsoever, and he played a good game. Great,
(08:11):
But to the I'm not I mean by no means
why saying Mike White, Oh, the Dolphins are set, He's
still one of the better backups that we're going to
talk about is I mean.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Teddy Bridgewater is better, and I mean neither one of
us love Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
I'm a little shocked that they didn't do that route, but.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I'll take Teddy Bridgewater as my backup.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Especially with to his injury history.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Absolutely. I mean, you're you're a team that is in
it to win it. Mm hm, given the trades that
you've made, given the money that you're paying out, and
you're gonna go into this season behind a quarterback who
contemplated retirement in the off season because of concussion issues.
With Mike White, that's what you're gonna that's your plan.
(08:54):
And it's almost like, if you remember that the situation
in the Batman movie where the the uh Wayne Enterprises
employee was gonna was gonna blackmail Bruce Wayne. He said,
you and Morgan Freeman's character sitting here and says, okay,
so your premise is that your multi billion dollar boss
(09:15):
is is Batman who works outside of the and your
idea is that you're going to blackmail this guy, and
you think that's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Now you're going to blackmail Logan Roy, who also is
the best MMA fighter in the world.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yeah, I mean, I just I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And who is not making Watson money yet?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Right? Right?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
He's cheap signed Bridge one year deal or somebody like that.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
You know, I don't get it. Not my team. I
wouldn't trade the Steelers room for that one.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
No, no, no, The Patriots have.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Bailey Zappi, Trace McSorley, and Mike pursued a favorite Malie Cunningham.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Mm hmm. So Zappi's a clear too, and maybe we'll
give him. He's not for me, trust me. I mean
he's might well very honest. I mean he may even
be Duck Hodges.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
He might be Duck Dodges.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yes, but in the world of backups, you could do
a lot worse.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Trace mc sorely stinks so right right? Uh So, no,
that's a no for the Jets. Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle,
Chris Streveler.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Yeah, I mean no, A's awful as Wilson's been If
if I had to do the ESPN rankings, I would
probably put him high because maybe his book isn't written
yet maybe, I mean, but boy, he's been hideous.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, and Tim Boyle Chris Treveler right right, Yeah, Yeah,
And they wouldn't make the Steelers uh in the AFC
South for the Houston Texans. You got Davis Mills in
case Keenum.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
That's really good.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
That's a really good room. I would trade the Steelers
room for it. But that's a really I mean, there's
there's some experience in that room.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah. And Mills's story might not be totally written yet,
you know, like, Okay, I may think it is. I mean,
I think it's basically written. It's not an award winning novel,
but it's no he may have a Gardner Minshew career
where Ryan Fitzpatrick career.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah, but that would be one that's as comparable to
what the Steelers have.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, they got three NFL quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I still like the Steelers better, Yes, but.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I would take Trubisky over both their backups.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yes. Yeah. For the Colts. Right now, they list Gardner
Minshew as the starter, which is probably going to be
the case to start the season, So it's Anthony Richardson
and Sam Ellinger.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I'm gonna call Minshew the backup though. I mean, if
you draft the first round quarterback, whoever, the incumbent should
be called the backup, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I just I'm based on what they're saying, and they
have no plans to start him out of the gate.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So I mean that's what makes the writing the article hard.
Is like, for the sake of the conversation, I would
call it Minshew because yeah, I'll trade Trubiski and Rudolph
for the fourth pick in the draft and see what
happens in his life. But I mean, I still think that.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
If we're basically on what they are right now, a
guy who has never played in the NFL got talent.
There's no doubt he's never played a game in the
NFL versus guys who have. Even if it's you know
the track. Put it this way, both both Mitch Trubisky
and Mason Rudolph have winning records as starters in the NFL.
(12:51):
So I would get the argument that, oh, I take
Anthony Richardson, but Sam Elliger's involved in that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
As well, right rights not good?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He stinks.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I mean clouds. This though, is would I rather win
a game with Anthony Richardson or mister Bisky? Right now? Trubisky?
But I can't trade Mitch Trubisky for a first round pick.
I can trade Anthony Richardson for he's worth.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
More, right, right?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
But if if my starter goes down and I got
to play four games, which one do I feel better
about today?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
It's the stealer. Yeah, that's why I would put Minshew
as a backup, because I know the plan is for
Richardson to be the starter, whether it is on an
opening day or not.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Okay, so let's let's have the conversation. Then would you
tap Minshew over? Basically, it's Minshew for Trubisky Rudolph because
Ellinger Ellinger doesn't. Ellinger's awful.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
He's fourth by a mile. I'm a big Minshew fan,
so Rudolph would be third. But he's way better than Ellinger.
So I give the Steelers the nod. I'm not sure
who one and two are. I think they're very comparable.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, I like I think that. I think the Colts
told us a lot, though by not maybe the even
the league told us a little bit about what it
feels about Minshew.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Oh he's a placeholder.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah yeah, and that that's what he's viewed as now,
much the same way that the Steelers viewed Mitch Trubisky.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, it's a similar situation to a year ago Steeler plan.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
The Jaguars behind Trevor Lawrence is CJ. Bethard and somebody
named Nathan Rourke.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I would just say, I don't even know, no relation
to Mickey.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I think I had never heard of that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
That's about as bad as it gets.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
C J. Bethard is not good.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
No, his grandfather was a good GM, but he's still
in the league.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, for the Titans, that's another tough one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Will Levis and Malik Willis.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
I don't know how to judge that.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I don't either. I didn't love what well, first of all,
I didn't love Levis as a prospect me either.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Round I give them.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I look at Willis much the same way I kind
of looked at Richardson, although Richard's a much better athlete. Yeah,
but the Upstate you know, you're drafting those guys on potential, right,
more so than what they did on the field.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
They told us a lot about what they think of
Willis down the stretch when they were playing Dabbs and
trading up for Leven. Yeah, Willis does not look like
a hit or is a year away still from being
a year away. But in terms of this conversation, that's
a promising quarterback backup room.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, you know, but much like the situation with Gardner Minshew.
At some point this season, will Levis replaces Ryan Tannehill, probably.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
But it's not Simeon. It's not one of the Allens
you know, you know, but you know.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Yeah, moving on to the Broncos, Jared Stidham's Arrett Jarrett
Guantarnio or how Guarantino Ortano and Ben Denucci.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
I mean, we've seen very little of Stidham, but it
wasn't bad, and the second free agency opened they went
got him and paid him a decent box. So that's
a top ten backup situation. The third guys.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Are third and fourth guys are awful.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I don't think I trade Stidham for Trubisky though.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
No. Uh for the Chiefs. Blaine Gabbert, Shane Bouchelle and
Chris Aloticon pretty bad. Yeah, real can't believe Blaine Gabbert
still getting a paycheck.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
That's what I was thinking too, Like this guy still
has is getting played. That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Speaking of which, the Raiders Brian Hoyer, Aidan O'Connell and
Chase Garber's Brian Hoyer. Yeah did you or did you not?
Rerup Bryan were in college.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
He wanted to be a pit panther and we took
black up that he was a very good player at
Saint Ignacius. He was also a good pitcher. Wow. I mean,
he's obviously buddies with Belichick and Brady and the Patriot guys,
and seems to have a job being the coach player
coach for as long as he wants. So they draft
(17:25):
O'Connor hoping that he can be the next Hoyer, you know, Oh.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
My god, Wow, I'm looking here at the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Oh I don't even know their backup That would be
the great Easton Stick Yeah yeah, yeah, backed up by
Max Dugan.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah late, are you kidding me? And they're not paying
Justin Herbert yet? Yeah right right, that's criminal.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
That's really criminal. Like last year and the year before,
you know, like give me at least a Chad Henny
or a Hoyer or somebody that can at least mentor
the young guy or you know, give me something that's like.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That would be a landing spot for Teddy Bridgewater had
they not tried to kill Teddy Bridgewater a few years
ago by sticking a needle into his into his lung.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
That was Tyrod Taylor. That was Tyro Taye.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I'm sorry Tyrod Taylor either way, So Teddy Bridge or
I was talking to Tyrod Sady, you don't want to
go there's the backup. They tried to kill me.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
That's a dangerous job.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
That's why their backups name is Easton Stick because they're
gonna stick something in his lung. That's that's a backup situation, situation.
How could they not have been interested in Mason Rudolph.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
That whole division is bad.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
That's terrible. Yeah, terrible. BA we'll flip over to the NFC.
Uh So for Dallas, you got Cooper Rush and Will Greer.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Cooper Rush might be in my top ten. I mean again,
some of these are such small sample size. But he
didn't stink for four.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Games, instinct, right, Will Grier does?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Where's constructs? He's still in the league.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yeah, but I'll still I'll still take for Whiskey over
Cooper Rush.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I mean Rush versus Rudolph the conversation, not versus whisky.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah. Uh. For the Giants, it's Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito.
Tommy DeVito. Tommy DeVito played about nine years in college.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Oh, I don't know anything about him.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
He started at Syracuse. Seemed like he played like nine
games at Syracuse against Pitt. I'm just then last year
I think he was at Illinois.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
That his picture him as a young Danny de Vito,
and now they're about the same size. So Tyron's the
top ten guy. Again, as far as backups go, is
not awful, right r right, good movement guy kind of
mimics Jones. Okay, I can live with that. I'd over him. Uh.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
The ego Marcus Mariota, Ian Book and Tanner McKee.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
They usually actually pay a guy. I wonder if they
still will with the Hurts contract going forward, because you know,
Minshew was a decent pickup. I mean, Mariota versus Mitch
is about the same. I'll be honest. I liked I've
given Mariota too much of the benefit of the doubt
over his career.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I mean that I think the league told us a
lot about Mariota.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Of the guys that like started the season as a
starting opening day quarterback, he was about as bad as
there was last year.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
He was pretty bad. Yeah. Yeah, Washington, this is actually
one's that I actually like. Jacoby Brissette Jake from Tim Demurrett. Yes.
The problem with that one is is their starter. Jacoby
Brissett is gonna be Washington starter at some point this year.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
I would bet. Yeah. I mean I think that's a
true quarterback battle, you know, and if it's tie, they'll
give it to the young guy.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Yeah, he might. Persette might be their starter from day one.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
I think he's the I think he's one of the
best thirty two on the planet. Yeah, so that one's
better than the Steelers to me?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Is it? Though? If Howell is the backup? No, probably not?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I mean he's played he's only played one game, right,
I mean, I'm still intrigued with the guy, and as
are they. But Brissette has a lot of value in
this conversation to me.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yeah, for Chicago PJ. Walker, Nathan Peterman and tightest Tyson Bassion.
Nathan Peterman still getting an.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
NFL check, right, And these guys aren't even on the
rookie Wheels anymore. That's horrible. Yeah, I mean, especially with
a running quarterback. I mean I mentioned the Eagles spend
money on a backup quarterback because their quarterback takes a beating.
I mean Field is gonna take up beating.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Either the most caps based in the league go get teddy.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
For the Detroit Lions, Nate Sudfeld, Hendon Hooker, Adrian Martinez.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
It's awful. But if it's awful for Hooker, probably want
to be active with you know.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That's the problem with that room is that Hooker's probably
doesn't play much this year, if at all. So if
Jared Goff goes down, Nate Sudfeld is not winning many
like all this hope that the Lions have goes out
the window, right right, Nate Sudfeld doesn't win you any games.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
This is where it screws things up, though, Like you'd
like to have Hendon Hooker in your room though, I
mean like he had, oh yeah yeah, but he doesn't
help me for a while.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
This takes us two what I believe is the worst
quarterback room in the league, the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Trying to think of their backups even are.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Jordan Love is your starter, Sean Clifford and Danny at
Eitling Etling.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I thought Clifford was the worst draft pick of the
entire draft.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Right now, he's the number two quarterback for the Green
Bay Packers behind a guy who's got two career starts
or whatever Jordan Love has see.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
I don't think Teddy's this way. But this was always
the case with like Cam Newton, Like, you don't want
to bring that guy like a Cam Newton, that's a
big figure that was once an MVP and the star
into that room. Which is why I think like Carson
Wentz is still available. Yeah, but you got to do something.
You can't just say Clifford.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Sean Clifford was not a good college quarterback.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
No, I mean he was a hard watch of Penn State.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Like, I don't get that room at all.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
I understand the draft pick at all. Right, that makes
little sense to me not to mention that that organization.
And I say that because their gms really haven't changed
all that much. And even when Rogers was there and
during the FARVI era, they would draft hasselback Brunell like,
they always kept bringing in late round guys and they
(23:57):
had good backups all the time. iMore. No.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
For the Vikings, it's Nick Mullins and Jaron Hall.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Pretty rough, pretty rough, pretty rough. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
For the Falcons, it's Taylor Heineke, Logan Woodside, and Austin Allen.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Heineke's book is written, but that's probably a top ten
group I'd rather have mentioned.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah. For the Panthers, it is Andy Dalton and Matt Carroll.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I'm gonna say that's one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yeah. I mean, you've got a guy that's won a
bunch of games in the NFL. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay,
who knows, and he's backing up the young guy he get.
You know, Andy Dalton can serve as a mentor for
Bryce Young. Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Oh, I like it. Yeah, that's one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
For the Saints, Yeah, that's that's how you do it right, right, right.
For the Saints, it is Jameis Winston and Jake Hayner.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
I still maybe I can't quit Winston.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
You can't get quit chas.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
I know, but that's a pretty good room. I don't
know any clue what Winston is anymore. They traded up
for Hayner, though, who was my favorites of those third tier.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
That just tells me they're not gonna They're not re
signing Winston after this year.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
I was shocked he came back.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah. Uh, remember when I said Washington was the or
Green Bay where the worst quarterback rooms.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
It's always worse.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Tampa Bay might be worse.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Their starters, think too.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Behind Baker Mayfield is Kyle Trask and John Woolford brutal.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
I mean, I think Trask is almost the point now
where I know where he is. I mean, I know
he hasn't played a lot of NFL starts, But I
don't think it's a house situation where they're hoping they
caught lightning in a bottle.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
No, this isn't even Jordan Love sitting around waiting for
you know, waiting for a retirement. This this was Kyle Trask.
And they said, you know what, Kyle, we don't think
you're the guy. We're gonna go sign Baker Mayfield right right,
only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Yeah, draft could last in the league forever, especially if
he does not have to play.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah. Uh. For the Arizona Cardinals, they're carrying five quarterbacks
because their starter is hurt. So how do we want
to look at that right now? Is Kyler Murray, Colt McCoy,
Clayton Tune, Jeff driscoll and David Blow I think you
call Kyler the one, Okay, Colt McCoy is going to
(26:32):
start the season a quarterback for them likely likely, yes, yuck.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
And I bet Clayton tune plays at some point.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
At some point because you're not going to where with
Colt McCoy right as we'll figure out what Clayton tune is.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Right when they're one and seven and Kyler's still not
back throw tune in. Yeah, I mean Coy is a
perfect example off that guy's a multi millionaire.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Played like twenty career games. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for the
this RAM situation is yuck. Yeah. Behind Matthew Stafford is Stetson, Bennett,
Brett Rippian and Dresser Win.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
I mean how we opened the segment those mid round
Clayton tunes, Stetson Bennett's I bet sets and Bennett plays.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
This year more than likely. And he you know, he's
he does have plenty of like eight years of college experience,
so right, but he's Yeah, San Francisco, I'm number one
behind Brock Purty, is Trey Lance, Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen.
(27:39):
I'm sorry, I'm not with you on that. I don't
know what Trey Lance is and neither does the league.
That's why nobody made an offer for him, and he's
He's been available the entire offseason, and nobody has has
banged on San Francisco's door and said, yeah, we'll give
you a third round pick for that guy or a
second round pick. Nobody wants to because he hasn't played
(28:00):
football in his life. I know he's an athlete who's
thrown three hundred passes in the last six years.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I don't know if he's good either, and it's kind
of like talking about Jordan Love a year ago. But
I trade Mitch and Rudolph for Lance.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I would not. I knew, I didn't. I didn't like
him coming out. I don't like him anymore now based
on what I've seen of him.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
In the end.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
He's a fifty percent completion percentage guy. That's what he is.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I wouldn't do it for Elik Willis or Corral. I mean,
some of these young guys that I don't know about,
But I'll do it for the second overall pick. I
wouldn't do it for Wilson.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Would any other team have taken him second? Overall, we're
just assuming that the forty nine ers knew something that
everybody else didn't.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
But he wouldn't have fallen past ten where Fields went.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I mean I liked Fields a lot more.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I like Fields more too. I mean I thought Field's
falling to ten was criminal. I did too, and I
would have taken him at two. Frankly, I think we
both would have. We were doing the drive, then.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
We both that's who we you know, would pick there?
Free Lance again, two hundred and fifty career college passes.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Oh, I know the reason, I mean part of the
reason I would put them one in the backup world? Though,
is Donald's one of those ten? I mean, Donald's good,
they suppose, Yeah, I'd rather have her sat But Donald
to me is I mean Donald versus Mitch is at
least a conversation.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Like if Baker may if Baker Mayfield was the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers backup, right, would you rather have Sam Donald
or Baker Mayfield.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Mayfield?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Okay, but I mean Donald's Donald's not great.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
No, no, no, But in compared to the Simey and
Allied and you know the names we've mentioned for the
last twenty minutes. He's pretty great. Yes, I mean, that's
that's a good way to end it. That's how bad
things are, and that's why it's great to have Mitch
and and rudolp.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, we are quite done yet. We got one more
of the Seattle Seahawks who have Drew Locke in Holton Ahlers.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I actually think that's a top ten one. But again,
I mean some of these dudes, Lance is the best example.
I have no idea how to rate them, and I
have no idea.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I have no I have no idea what Trey Lance is.
I have an idea what I think he is. And
he hasn't played at all in the NFL too. The
little that I've seen in the NFL, like, was Trey
Lance's game tape remarkably better than that of Malik Willis?
(30:38):
It was better? Was it? Was? It remarkably better?
Speaker 1 (30:46):
I mean they neither one played against Greg We're talking
about college.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
I'm talking about last year at the time. The games
that they have played in the NFL, the time they've
been on the field.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Yeah, I'm trying to I mean, we can fight about
Lance all day, but I do remember he played one
game in a swamp last year that they lost to
the Bears. It was like seven to six or something crazy, right,
and then he got hurt the next game, which I
mean doesn't help his cause. But I mean we were
(31:18):
ending on Seattle. That's where I was going with this though,
Like I know who Drew Locke is more than I
do Willis or Lambe. Oh yeah yeah, but I it's
not great backup because maybe his story isn't written.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Yeah, he's still young enough that you know. It's the
same reason why we looked at we looked at the
Steelers signing for Bisky last year, well, I mean three
years ago. He was the second overall pick in the draft.
The difference, the difference between Trubisky and Lance Tribisky played a.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Lot right, right, right, I mean there was plenty of
game tape at least, you know, it wasn't all good,
of course, and Locke is closer to that. Like I
could see whenever you're negotiating with the Broncos for Russell Wilson,
we locking the deal.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
You know, we'll take a chance on the upside.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
We'll bring him to camp. He's cheap. And this time
last year it was lock and Gino are going to
go head to head and we don't know who's even
going to be the starter, right, I mean, that's not
a huge feather and locks cap. But I'll take him
over Simeon.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
We'll take him over Nick Mullins, Sean Clifford, twenty of
the names.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
I won't take him over Andy Dalton or Jamis Winston,
right right, right right, you know, but.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Okay, at least he might be good. I know many
of those guys will never be good.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
But if we're simply looking at number three's across the league.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Here's are easily number one. Well maybe the Niners or
some weird team like that.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
But yeah, yeah, I mean Mason Rudolph's right there, you know,
and a lot of teams he would be the number two.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
He's better than half the two's.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
Yeah, so I no idea, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
It's not like he's super expensive.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yeah again, maybe he just there's all kinds of stuff
that goes on behind the scenes there that you know,
maybe he didn't want that situation right all right, right,
or maybe he was holding out for a multi year deal,
whatever it may be.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I mean, it's always or has an injury either.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Right, You can subscribe now to the Drive. Every episode
we do is available for you to download. Subscribe today
through the Steelers mobile app, the iHeartRadio app, and wherever
you find your podcast. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly.
We'll be back to finish up the show right after
this
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson show
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome back. I'm Dale Lollie. He is Matt Williamson, and
this is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. And I'm Mad.
As I mentioned in the previous segment there at the end,
I wanted to go to now that the Steelers have
re signed Mason Rudolph, I thought we'd take a look
across the league at some of the backups and situations
(00:40):
in quarterback rooms around the league. And you know, no
matter what we've talked about this before. We you know,
the rankings of the starting quarterbacks and things of that nature.
We've gone over those and where can he Pickett ranks
in that hierarchy. But I think when you start looking
at the two and three, boy, do the Steelers have
(01:01):
a big edge here.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Huge. So I do want to go around the league.
But I'm going to preface this too is I'm sure
listeners have tired of this story. But every year about
this time of year, when I was at ESPN for
ten straight years, when there's what wasn't much content, Hey,
Matt ranked the thirty two quarterback, the backup quarterbacks one
to thirty two. I hated it. I mean it was
bad because, first of all, it's hard some teams you
(01:23):
don't know exactly who the starter, who the backup is,
is the rookie starter or whatever. But I mean the
problem why I hated it was once you get past ten,
it's like.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Junk junkers versus upside. You know, the guys are all terrible.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
The Allen's not named Josh rank them like, I mean,
they're all the same. They all stink, you know. I
mean it's I can't win with any of these guys.
I mean, Colt McCoy's ten, and he's terrible, you know
what I mean. Like, so it's eye opening when you
actually see it on paper. And as we talked about
(02:01):
last segment, having three or having any quarterback that can
even get you out of a game, let alone start
and win, is an asset. And I thought the draft
sort of showed us this too. So I thought the
non young Stroud, Richardson, Levis Hooker quarterbacks would go late,
you know, sixth round. Well, there was a crazy run
(02:23):
on them in the fourth. Jake Hayner, Stetson Bennett, Aidan O'Connell, Clayton, Tune,
Dorian Thompson, Robinson, Sean Clifford who can't play at all,
darn Hall. These guys all got drafted in the fourth
and fifth rounds because the league said sixty nine starting
quarterbacks played last year, and everyone's sinking, Oh, they trying
(02:43):
to get to the next rock party. No, they're trying
to get the next Mason Rudolph who can get them
out of a game that you know that is better
than is cheap?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Is cheap, and I think cheap the cheap part is.
And I wonder how many of these teams this year
keep three quarterbacks because that's not and we've seen that
trending the other direction. Oh, we're just gonna keep two. Yeah,
to the point where about half the teams in the
league we're only keeping two quarterbacks. I don't know if
that happens now, right.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I mean, obviously the bigger practice squads make it.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Well, the fact you could call two guys up every
game and expand your game day roster to fifty five,
why wouldn't you have three quarterbacks on your roster?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, No, I do think there'll be more
quarterbacks getting paychecks this year than there were last year.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So let's just we'll start with the AFC North since
that's where the Steelers play with the Ravens. This according,
this all all according to our lads. You got Lamar Jackson,
Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, Nolan Henderson.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So do you want to do it this way? Like,
let's take the starters out of the equation?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Would you trade Steelers with tax? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, well, there's no way. I'm not sure. I don't
care if Tyler Huntley was named to the Pro Bowl
last year or not. He's not a Pro Bowl player.
In fact, he stinks.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
I think Mitch is better than him. I think the league,
the league showed.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Us that this this offseason, Tyler Huntley was a restricted
free agent and would have cost nothing for anybody to
sign exactly. I mean, nobody signed him in a quarterback
starved league, nobody signed him. He stinks.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I mean, people out there with fifty one hundred thousand
Twitter followers do this for a living, suggested just let
Lamar walk and use that money on other things and
make Huntley your starter.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
There's not much of a drop off. Yeah, okay, Yeah, right,
he stinks. So no, I would not trade the Steelers
quarterback room for that one.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
And this is not even the worst quarterback backup situations
in the league in Baltimore, it's not even the worst.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
One in the division, right right, right, right right, Okay,
So moving on to the Bengals, Trevor Simeon and Jake
Browning so.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Like me and to me is kind of like I
talked about to start the segment, like he's better than
the Allen's they had, whatever Allen they had.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's not Josh, but he's a fifteenish I'd say.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
He's fifteen ish, but he's not even thirty two. And
he's Trevor freakin Simeon. I mean, he's not.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Good that nobody's nobody was banging Trevor Simeon's door down.
I wouldn't trade the Steelers room for that. I wouldn't
trade I wouldn't trade Mason Rudolph right now for Trevor Simeon.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I was about to say the exact same thing.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I would not either like Trevor Simeon, there's nothing there
I mean to give the chances to start, and he's stunk.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Frankly, since he should have signed Rudolph.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah whatever, Yeah, I don't get it for the Browns
Josh Dobbs, Dorian Thompson Robinson, and Kellen Mond.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So not all backup quarterback situations are created equal. I
really like the Dorian Thompson Robinson pick because your starter
is a seventy million dollar guy. You know, they can't
have a TRABISI I mean, this can't so for the
way they're structured.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I like their room.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And we mentioned all those draftable dudes, Clayton Tune, all
those guys. They at least have upside. Their story isn't written,
you know, Trevor Simeons story is written.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
You know it's written, and you're in the final chapter.
You're wrapping things up.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
But no way would I trade the Browns backups for
the Steelers. But I understand how they're doing it, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, right, there's at least a plan in place. So
I mean, obviously the Steelers have the best backup situation
in the AFC North.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And spoiler, it might be the best in the league
very well.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Might well move on to the AFC East. For the Bills.
Behind Josh Allen is Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Wow, I mean, like Matt Barkley is still getting a page,
which is amazing. What's he ten years in never plays
makes him over a million dollars a year. I mean,
holy spokes.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
And Kyle Allen stinks he's.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
One of the Allens. I don't remember their first name.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah, so no, wouldn't trade that one mm hm for
the for the Dolphins. And this one's just amazing to me. Yeah,
Mike White, Skyler Thompson, James Blackman. If Mike if Mike
White had started for the Seattle Seahawks those five or
(07:27):
six games over the last two years as a spots starter,
does anybody give a flying crap about Mike White?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And but no, he he played New York and so
you know he did win. He didn't get him in
the end zone. Okay, he threw for three hundred yards,
big deal.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I think he had a four hundred yard game when
everyone learned who he was. You know, I gotta pick
him up in fantasy. I mean, he's the Jets have
found the next Tom Brady, you know. I'm mean all
this obscene stuff up. And if you recall that was
against the Bears defense that had just traded Rokwan and
Quinn had no talent whatsoever, and he played a good game. Great,
(08:11):
But to the I'm not I mean by no means
why saying Mike White, Oh, the Dolphins are set, He's
still one of the better backups that we're going to
talk about is I mean.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Teddy Bridgewater is better, and I mean neither one of
us love Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
I'm a little shocked that they didn't do that route, but.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I'll take Teddy Bridgewater as my backup.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Especially with to his injury history.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Absolutely. I mean, you're you're a team that is in
it to win it. Mm hm, given the trades that
you've made, given the money that you're paying out, and
you're gonna go into this season behind a quarterback who
contemplated retirement in the off season because of concussion issues.
With Mike White, that's what you're gonna that's your plan.
(08:54):
And it's almost like, if you remember that the situation
in the Batman movie where the the uh Wayne Enterprises
employee was gonna was gonna blackmail Bruce Wayne. He said,
you and Morgan Freeman's character sitting here and says, okay,
so your premise is that your multi billion dollar boss
(09:15):
is is Batman who works outside of the and your
idea is that you're going to blackmail this guy, and
you think that's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Now you're going to blackmail Logan Roy, who also is
the best MMA fighter in the world.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yeah, I mean, I just I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And who is not making Watson money yet?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Right? Right?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
He's cheap signed Bridge one year deal or somebody like that.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
You know, I don't get it. Not my team. I
wouldn't trade the Steelers room for that one.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
No, no, no, The Patriots have.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Bailey Zappi, Trace McSorley, and Mike pursued a favorite Malie Cunningham.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Mm hmm. So Zappi's a clear too, and maybe we'll
give him. He's not for me, trust me. I mean
he's might well very honest. I mean he may even
be Duck Hodges.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
He might be Duck Dodges.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yes, but in the world of backups, you could do
a lot worse.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Trace mc sorely stinks so right right? Uh So, no,
that's a no for the Jets. Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle,
Chris Streveler.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Yeah, I mean no, A's awful as Wilson's been If
if I had to do the ESPN rankings, I would
probably put him high because maybe his book isn't written
yet maybe, I mean, but boy, he's been hideous.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, and Tim Boyle Chris Treveler right right, Yeah, Yeah,
And they wouldn't make the Steelers uh in the AFC
South for the Houston Texans. You got Davis Mills in
case Keenum.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
That's really good.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
That's a really good room. I would trade the Steelers
room for it. But that's a really I mean, there's
there's some experience in that room.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah. And Mills's story might not be totally written yet,
you know, like, Okay, I may think it is. I mean,
I think it's basically written. It's not an award winning novel,
but it's no he may have a Gardner Minshew career
where Ryan Fitzpatrick career.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah, but that would be one that's as comparable to
what the Steelers have.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, they got three NFL quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I still like the Steelers better, Yes, but.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I would take Trubisky over both their backups.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Yes. Yeah. For the Colts. Right now, they list Gardner
Minshew as the starter, which is probably going to be
the case to start the season, So it's Anthony Richardson
and Sam Ellinger.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I'm gonna call Minshew the backup though. I mean, if
you draft the first round quarterback, whoever, the incumbent should
be called the backup, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I just I'm based on what they're saying, and they
have no plans to start him out of the gate.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So I mean that's what makes the writing the article hard.
Is like, for the sake of the conversation, I would
call it Minshew because yeah, I'll trade Trubiski and Rudolph
for the fourth pick in the draft and see what
happens in his life. But I mean, I still think that.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
If we're basically on what they are right now, a
guy who has never played in the NFL got talent.
There's no doubt he's never played a game in the
NFL versus guys who have. Even if it's you know
the track. Put it this way, both both Mitch Trubisky
and Mason Rudolph have winning records as starters in the NFL.
(12:51):
So I would get the argument that, oh, I take
Anthony Richardson, but Sam Elliger's involved in that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
As well, right rights not good?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He stinks.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I mean clouds. This though, is would I rather win
a game with Anthony Richardson or mister Bisky? Right now? Trubisky?
But I can't trade Mitch Trubisky for a first round pick.
I can trade Anthony Richardson for he's worth.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
More, right, right?
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
But if if my starter goes down and I got
to play four games, which one do I feel better
about today?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
It's the stealer. Yeah, that's why I would put Minshew
as a backup, because I know the plan is for
Richardson to be the starter, whether it is on an
opening day or not.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Okay, so let's let's have the conversation. Then would you
tap Minshew over? Basically, it's Minshew for Trubisky Rudolph because
Ellinger Ellinger doesn't. Ellinger's awful.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
He's fourth by a mile. I'm a big Minshew fan,
so Rudolph would be third. But he's way better than Ellinger.
So I give the Steelers the nod. I'm not sure
who one and two are. I think they're very comparable.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, I like I think that. I think the Colts
told us a lot, though by not maybe the even
the league told us a little bit about what it
feels about Minshew.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Oh he's a placeholder.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah yeah, and that that's what he's viewed as now,
much the same way that the Steelers viewed Mitch Trubisky.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, it's a similar situation to a year ago Steeler plan.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
The Jaguars behind Trevor Lawrence is CJ. Bethard and somebody
named Nathan Rourke.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I would just say, I don't even know, no relation
to Mickey.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I think I had never heard of that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
That's about as bad as it gets.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
C J. Bethard is not good.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
No, his grandfather was a good GM, but he's still
in the league.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, for the Titans, that's another tough one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Will Levis and Malik Willis.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
I don't know how to judge that.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I don't either. I didn't love what well, first of all,
I didn't love Levis as a prospect me either.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Round I give them.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I look at Willis much the same way I kind
of looked at Richardson, although Richard's a much better athlete. Yeah,
but the Upstate you know, you're drafting those guys on potential, right,
more so than what they did on the field.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
They told us a lot about what they think of
Willis down the stretch when they were playing Dabbs and
trading up for Leven. Yeah, Willis does not look like
a hit or is a year away still from being
a year away. But in terms of this conversation, that's
a promising quarterback backup room.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, you know, but much like the situation with Gardner Minshew.
At some point this season, will Levis replaces Ryan Tannehill, probably.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
But it's not Simeon. It's not one of the Allens
you know, you know, but you know.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Yeah, moving on to the Broncos, Jared Stidham's Arrett Jarrett
Guantarnio or how Guarantino Ortano and Ben Denucci.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
I mean, we've seen very little of Stidham, but it
wasn't bad, and the second free agency opened they went
got him and paid him a decent box. So that's
a top ten backup situation. The third guys.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Are third and fourth guys are awful.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I don't think I trade Stidham for Trubisky though.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
No. Uh for the Chiefs. Blaine Gabbert, Shane Bouchelle and
Chris Aloticon pretty bad. Yeah, real can't believe Blaine Gabbert
still getting a paycheck.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
That's what I was thinking too, Like this guy still
has is getting played. That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Speaking of which, the Raiders Brian Hoyer, Aidan O'Connell and
Chase Garber's Brian Hoyer. Yeah did you or did you not?
Rerup Bryan were in college.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
He wanted to be a pit panther and we took
black up that he was a very good player at
Saint Ignacius. He was also a good pitcher. Wow. I mean,
he's obviously buddies with Belichick and Brady and the Patriot guys,
and seems to have a job being the coach player
coach for as long as he wants. So they draft
(17:25):
O'Connor hoping that he can be the next Hoyer, you know, Oh.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
My god, Wow, I'm looking here at the Chargers.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Oh I don't even know their backup That would be
the great Easton Stick Yeah yeah, yeah, backed up by
Max Dugan.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah late, are you kidding me? And they're not paying
Justin Herbert yet? Yeah right right, that's criminal.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
That's really criminal. Like last year and the year before,
you know, like give me at least a Chad Henny
or a Hoyer or somebody that can at least mentor
the young guy or you know, give me something that's like.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That would be a landing spot for Teddy Bridgewater had
they not tried to kill Teddy Bridgewater a few years
ago by sticking a needle into his into his lung.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
That was Tyrod Taylor. That was Tyro Taye.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I'm sorry Tyrod Taylor either way, So Teddy Bridge or
I was talking to Tyrod Sady, you don't want to
go there's the backup. They tried to kill me.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
That's a dangerous job.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
That's why their backups name is Easton Stick because they're
gonna stick something in his lung. That's that's a backup situation, situation.
How could they not have been interested in Mason Rudolph.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
That whole division is bad.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
That's terrible. Yeah, terrible. BA we'll flip over to the NFC.
Uh So for Dallas, you got Cooper Rush and Will Greer.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Cooper Rush might be in my top ten. I mean again,
some of these are such small sample size. But he
didn't stink for four.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Games, instinct, right, Will Grier does?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Where's constructs? He's still in the league.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yeah, but I'll still I'll still take for Whiskey over
Cooper Rush.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I mean Rush versus Rudolph the conversation, not versus whisky.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah. Uh. For the Giants, it's Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito.
Tommy DeVito. Tommy DeVito played about nine years in college.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Oh, I don't know anything about him.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
He started at Syracuse. Seemed like he played like nine
games at Syracuse against Pitt. I'm just then last year
I think he was at Illinois.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
That his picture him as a young Danny de Vito,
and now they're about the same size. So Tyron's the
top ten guy. Again, as far as backups go, is
not awful, right r right, good movement guy kind of
mimics Jones. Okay, I can live with that. I'd over him. Uh.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
The ego Marcus Mariota, Ian Book and Tanner McKee.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
They usually actually pay a guy. I wonder if they
still will with the Hurts contract going forward, because you know,
Minshew was a decent pickup. I mean, Mariota versus Mitch
is about the same. I'll be honest. I liked I've
given Mariota too much of the benefit of the doubt
over his career.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I mean that I think the league told us a
lot about Mariota.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Of the guys that like started the season as a
starting opening day quarterback, he was about as bad as
there was last year.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
He was pretty bad. Yeah. Yeah, Washington, this is actually
one's that I actually like. Jacoby Brissette Jake from Tim Demurrett. Yes.
The problem with that one is is their starter. Jacoby
Brissett is gonna be Washington starter at some point this year.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
I would bet. Yeah. I mean I think that's a
true quarterback battle, you know, and if it's tie, they'll
give it to the young guy.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Yeah, he might. Persette might be their starter from day one.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
I think he's the I think he's one of the
best thirty two on the planet. Yeah, so that one's
better than the Steelers to me?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Is it? Though? If Howell is the backup? No, probably not?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I mean he's played he's only played one game, right,
I mean, I'm still intrigued with the guy, and as
are they. But Brissette has a lot of value in
this conversation to me.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yeah, for Chicago PJ. Walker, Nathan Peterman and tightest Tyson Bassion.
Nathan Peterman still getting an.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
NFL check, right, And these guys aren't even on the
rookie Wheels anymore. That's horrible. Yeah, I mean, especially with
a running quarterback. I mean I mentioned the Eagles spend
money on a backup quarterback because their quarterback takes a beating.
I mean Field is gonna take up beating.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Either the most caps based in the league go get teddy.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
For the Detroit Lions, Nate Sudfeld, Hendon Hooker, Adrian Martinez.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
It's awful. But if it's awful for Hooker, probably want
to be active with you know.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That's the problem with that room is that Hooker's probably
doesn't play much this year, if at all. So if
Jared Goff goes down, Nate Sudfeld is not winning many
like all this hope that the Lions have goes out
the window, right right, Nate Sudfeld doesn't win you any games.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
This is where it screws things up, though, Like you'd
like to have Hendon Hooker in your room though, I
mean like he had, oh yeah yeah, but he doesn't
help me for a while.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
This takes us two what I believe is the worst
quarterback room in the league, the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Trying to think of their backups even are.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Jordan Love is your starter, Sean Clifford and Danny at
Eitling Etling.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I thought Clifford was the worst draft pick of the
entire draft.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Right now, he's the number two quarterback for the Green
Bay Packers behind a guy who's got two career starts
or whatever Jordan Love has see.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
I don't think Teddy's this way. But this was always
the case with like Cam Newton, Like, you don't want
to bring that guy like a Cam Newton, that's a
big figure that was once an MVP and the star
into that room. Which is why I think like Carson
Wentz is still available. Yeah, but you got to do something.
You can't just say Clifford.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Sean Clifford was not a good college quarterback.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
No, I mean he was a hard watch of Penn State.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Like, I don't get that room at all.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
I understand the draft pick at all. Right, that makes
little sense to me not to mention that that organization.
And I say that because their gms really haven't changed
all that much. And even when Rogers was there and
during the FARVI era, they would draft hasselback Brunell like,
they always kept bringing in late round guys and they
(23:57):
had good backups all the time. iMore. No.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
For the Vikings, it's Nick Mullins and Jaron Hall.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Pretty rough, pretty rough, pretty rough. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
For the Falcons, it's Taylor Heineke, Logan Woodside, and Austin Allen.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Heineke's book is written, but that's probably a top ten
group I'd rather have mentioned.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah. For the Panthers, it is Andy Dalton and Matt Carroll.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I'm gonna say that's one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yeah. I mean, you've got a guy that's won a
bunch of games in the NFL. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay,
who knows, and he's backing up the young guy he get.
You know, Andy Dalton can serve as a mentor for
Bryce Young. Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Oh, I like it. Yeah, that's one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
For the Saints, Yeah, that's that's how you do it right, right, right.
For the Saints, it is Jameis Winston and Jake Hayner.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
I still maybe I can't quit Winston.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
You can't get quit chas.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
I know, but that's a pretty good room. I don't
know any clue what Winston is anymore. They traded up
for Hayner, though, who was my favorites of those third tier.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
That just tells me they're not gonna They're not re
signing Winston after this year.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
I was shocked he came back.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah. Uh, remember when I said Washington was the or
Green Bay where the worst quarterback rooms.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
It's always worse.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Tampa Bay might be worse.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Their starters, think too.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Behind Baker Mayfield is Kyle Trask and John Woolford brutal.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
I mean, I think Trask is almost the point now
where I know where he is. I mean, I know
he hasn't played a lot of NFL starts, But I
don't think it's a house situation where they're hoping they
caught lightning in a bottle.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
No, this isn't even Jordan Love sitting around waiting for
you know, waiting for a retirement. This this was Kyle Trask.
And they said, you know what, Kyle, we don't think
you're the guy. We're gonna go sign Baker Mayfield right right,
only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Yeah, draft could last in the league forever, especially if
he does not have to play.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah. Uh. For the Arizona Cardinals, they're carrying five quarterbacks
because their starter is hurt. So how do we want
to look at that right now? Is Kyler Murray, Colt McCoy,
Clayton Tune, Jeff driscoll and David Blow I think you
call Kyler the one, Okay, Colt McCoy is going to
(26:32):
start the season a quarterback for them likely likely, yes, yuck.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
And I bet Clayton tune plays at some point.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
At some point because you're not going to where with
Colt McCoy right as we'll figure out what Clayton tune is.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Right when they're one and seven and Kyler's still not
back throw tune in. Yeah, I mean Coy is a
perfect example off that guy's a multi millionaire.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Played like twenty career games. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for the
this RAM situation is yuck. Yeah. Behind Matthew Stafford is Stetson, Bennett,
Brett Rippian and Dresser Win.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
I mean how we opened the segment those mid round
Clayton tunes, Stetson Bennett's I bet sets and Bennett plays.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
This year more than likely. And he you know, he's
he does have plenty of like eight years of college experience,
so right, but he's Yeah, San Francisco, I'm number one
behind Brock Purty, is Trey Lance, Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen.
(27:39):
I'm sorry, I'm not with you on that. I don't
know what Trey Lance is and neither does the league.
That's why nobody made an offer for him, and he's
He's been available the entire offseason, and nobody has has
banged on San Francisco's door and said, yeah, we'll give
you a third round pick for that guy or a
second round pick. Nobody wants to because he hasn't played
(28:00):
football in his life. I know he's an athlete who's
thrown three hundred passes in the last six years.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I don't know if he's good either, and it's kind
of like talking about Jordan Love a year ago. But
I trade Mitch and Rudolph for Lance.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I would not. I knew, I didn't. I didn't like
him coming out. I don't like him anymore now based
on what I've seen of him.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
In the end.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
He's a fifty percent completion percentage guy. That's what he is.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I wouldn't do it for Elik Willis or Corral. I mean,
some of these young guys that I don't know about,
But I'll do it for the second overall pick. I
wouldn't do it for Wilson.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Would any other team have taken him second? Overall, we're
just assuming that the forty nine ers knew something that
everybody else didn't.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
But he wouldn't have fallen past ten where Fields went.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I mean I liked Fields a lot more.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I like Fields more too. I mean I thought Field's
falling to ten was criminal. I did too, and I
would have taken him at two. Frankly, I think we
both would have. We were doing the drive, then.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
We both that's who we you know, would pick there?
Free Lance again, two hundred and fifty career college passes.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Oh, I know the reason, I mean part of the
reason I would put them one in the backup world? Though,
is Donald's one of those ten? I mean, Donald's good,
they suppose, Yeah, I'd rather have her sat But Donald
to me is I mean Donald versus Mitch is at
least a conversation.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Like if Baker may if Baker Mayfield was the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers backup, right, would you rather have Sam Donald
or Baker Mayfield.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Mayfield?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Okay, but I mean Donald's Donald's not great.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
No, no, no, But in compared to the Simey and
Allied and you know the names we've mentioned for the
last twenty minutes. He's pretty great. Yes, I mean, that's
that's a good way to end it. That's how bad
things are, and that's why it's great to have Mitch
and and rudolp.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, we are quite done yet. We got one more
of the Seattle Seahawks who have Drew Locke in Holton Ahlers.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I actually think that's a top ten one. But again,
I mean some of these dudes, Lance is the best example.
I have no idea how to rate them, and I
have no idea.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I have no I have no idea what Trey Lance is.
I have an idea what I think he is. And
he hasn't played at all in the NFL too. The
little that I've seen in the NFL, like, was Trey
Lance's game tape remarkably better than that of Malik Willis?
(30:38):
It was better? Was it? Was? It remarkably better?
Speaker 1 (30:46):
I mean they neither one played against Greg We're talking
about college.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
I'm talking about last year at the time. The games
that they have played in the NFL, the time they've
been on the field.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Yeah, I'm trying to I mean, we can fight about
Lance all day, but I do remember he played one
game in a swamp last year that they lost to
the Bears. It was like seven to six or something crazy, right,
and then he got hurt the next game, which I
mean doesn't help his cause. But I mean we were
(31:18):
ending on Seattle. That's where I was going with this though,
Like I know who Drew Locke is more than I
do Willis or Lambe. Oh yeah yeah, but I it's
not great backup because maybe his story isn't written.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Yeah, he's still young enough that you know. It's the
same reason why we looked at we looked at the
Steelers signing for Bisky last year, well, I mean three
years ago. He was the second overall pick in the draft.
The difference, the difference between Trubisky and Lance Tribisky played a.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Lot right, right, right, I mean there was plenty of
game tape at least, you know, it wasn't all good,
of course, and Locke is closer to that. Like I
could see whenever you're negotiating with the Broncos for Russell Wilson,
we locking the deal.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
You know, we'll take a chance on the upside.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
We'll bring him to camp. He's cheap. And this time
last year it was lock and Gino are going to
go head to head and we don't know who's even
going to be the starter, right, I mean, that's not
a huge feather and locks cap. But I'll take him
over Simeon.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
We'll take him over Nick Mullins, Sean Clifford, twenty of
the names.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
I won't take him over Andy Dalton or Jamis Winston,
right right, right right, you know, but.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Okay, at least he might be good. I know many
of those guys will never be good.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
But if we're simply looking at number three's across the league.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Here's are easily number one. Well maybe the Niners or
some weird team like that.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
But yeah, yeah, I mean Mason Rudolph's right there, you know,
and a lot of teams he would be the number two.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
He's better than half the two's.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
Yeah, so I no idea, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
It's not like he's super expensive.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yeah again, maybe he just there's all kinds of stuff
that goes on behind the scenes there that you know,
maybe he didn't want that situation right all right, right,
or maybe he was holding out for a multi year deal,
whatever it may be.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I mean, it's always or has an injury either.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Right, You can subscribe now to the Drive. Every episode
we do is available for you to download. Subscribe today
through the Steelers mobile app, the iHeartRadio app, and wherever
you find your podcast. He is Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly.
We'll be back to finish up the show right after
this
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