March 10, 2026 • 42 mins
Strib's Ben Goessling in studio for most the hour with the freshest look at the Vikings!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Good morning, Pa and Nordo. This is Jake calling from
beautiful campon Georgia. I think the Vikings should pick up
Sean Tucker running back. He was with the Bucks last year.
He'd be a great fit with the Vikings, and he's
still young and we could get him at a good price.
Let me know what you think.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Free iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
It is indeed a Talker Tuesday, which is brought to
you by Northern Fire Grilling and Barbecue Supply. One of
you with the talkback free talkbacks? What do you got,
what do you want? What do you think of Vikings
free Agency? Send him in, I play him. One of
you will have the tastiest talkback and win a twenty
five dollars gift card to Northern Fire Grilling and Barbecue Supply.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Sean Tucker. Yeah, do you see that.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Pia Rico Dowdell now with the Steelers and you talk
about Sean Tucker. Well, I wonder what the targets of
a Bucky Irving look like now that Kenneth Gainwell is
in Tampa. M Sean Tucker doesn't catch the ball a lot,
so an interesting name, but roofs are coming up with
him and keep them coming with the free iHeartRadio.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
App, describe Ben Gesling Access Vikings, the ever controversial newsletter
and at Ben Gesling viax for the first time in yeah,
I think for the first time. In the nine to
noon collaboration with a Ben Gesling Star Tribune Star Tribune
dot Com, my man walked into Planet Utica on his phone.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I went to get him water.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
I heard Salarycap mentioned and he continued with the phone
call into the studio.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Your steamrolling, aren't you? Good morning? Yeah, good morning.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
It's part of the gig this time of year is
to try to figure out what's going on and share
it with our esteemed Vikings group at the Star Tribune.
So yes, there was there was a bit of that
happening as I was coming in here this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
You are correct, well, thanks a ton for helping during
what for sure is busy. These times are busy and
important for the scribe, for Vikings fans, the scribeans are
busy and importance.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
I am only one of those two things. I understand
that busy, yes, important, not really.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Now you are well scrubbed and well respected and you're
the scribe. So what was the team's cap situation into
this chat?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Any idea.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
Well, they've cleared a fair amount of space in the
restructures in the last few days, and I think they're
in a decent spot in terms of being able to
have a little more money to spend. I don't have
the official official numbers at the moments, I haven't seen
all of the details yet, but when they've cleared money
with Jefferson, they could have cleared up to eighteen million dollars.
(02:45):
There could have cleared up to nine with dari Saw.
It was five with Hockinson. What did you think of
that one, Hockinson? Yeah, like the way it was framed up. Well,
I think that was likely to be the way it
would go, because I think it was It wasn't out
of the question that they would cut him. So the
(03:07):
fact that they restructured it and then they deleted the
last year of the deal in exchange for a cap savings,
it's kind of a compromise because it's a realization of
he might not be in the long term, especially the
way he's played the last couple of years. And I
get some of that's coming off the ACL, but I
think there's a realization that this is, you know, a
(03:29):
bit of a turning point for him, and the fact
that they did it the way they did it rather
than just doing a signing bonus conversion was interesting. You know,
some of that's a concession to him to let him
get back out of the market when he's a year younger,
but yeah, it's I think a reflection of where we're
at with him and where things could go for him
from here. But yeah, some of those moves I think
(03:52):
have put them in a position where they'll be able
to be in the mix on some things. I don't
think you're going to see the cash machine go crazy
like it was last year. It's going to be more selective.
I think there's going to be more, well, we like
this guy, but if we can't get him at this number,
we've got alternatives, We've got contingency plans to go to
these other places. I think it's much more of that.
(04:12):
It's going to be a little more measured. It was
quieter last night than Monday, certainly cerally than Monday was
last year.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
So I think there's a little bit of a.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
There's room to get some things done, but I think
they're not going to be you know, making it rain
in the in the VIP room, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yesterday never stopped.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I mean that slot machine rolling with the alacrity, the velocity,
the pace at which it was rolling, it just never stopped.
I mean at one point yesterday, like five thirty, when
I counted these things up, either people being re signed
or released or reportedly changing teams, it was at one
hundred and thirty two at five thirty last evening. I mean,
(04:56):
have you I can't remember anything like this, can you. Well,
it's gotten.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
More active over the last few years because you can
be so much more open about it on that first day.
I mean, that's certainly what the NFL wants. They want
this to feel like the beginning of NBA free agency.
They want it to feel like an event. And you know,
so you get more openness in the dialogue between teams,
which means you get more things that happen at once.
(05:21):
It's not the well Team A is less conflicted about
talking to people early. Team B does things the right
way or does things by the rules. I mean, you know,
all these rules are kind of procedurals, so the right way,
wrong way. We're not talking about you know, great moral
interpretation of the universe here, But uh, I think the
(05:42):
fact that it's a little more like, Yeah, we can
all have at it. People can have conversations, people can
make offers. It leads to more of this open the
floodgates command the news cycle, which the NFL wants to do.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So Yeah, I think a lot of it goes to that.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Well, as part of that, are we just creating a
situation here and we got a carpet situation in the
other room, So I just it's good to see you Ben.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Good to see it too. He took the bland side there,
I did.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I snuck in? Yeah, the are we getting into semantics here?
Where effectively the league year? Why do we have this
period now where we keep making rules within the odd
as Pa says, the oxymoronic nature of the legal tampering period. Now, well,
you can you can call up to five guys and
spend an hour with them because they're going to make
(06:28):
these massive decisions. How about the floodgates and the league
year just all start on the same day and have
at it and stop with the particulars and really creating
potential roadblocks for teams to trip up on.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
Yeah, it is interesting. I think some of that is
the league year has existed the way it has for
a long time, and that language probably has stayed in
the CBA. So, I mean, all of these things get
determined by the collective bargaining right now, So you have that,
But then I think there are smaller adjustments you make
within that. So you're kind of trying to put the
(07:02):
old and the new together. Things that can move a
little more immediately and things that take a little bit
longer time to set up. You're trying to make those
match up. I think this is me kind of can
I amul fast guess at this and see what you think. Sure,
I think they did it because they were catching wind
year after year of two of so many tampering related
(07:25):
things taking place at the combine, But they weren't ten
of ten provable, right, but eight of ten times a
million is a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Yeah, So it's like we did. I mean, we can't
look the other way on this anymore. We just got
to fix it.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You got to legalize some things rather than just all.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Now there's no tampering at the combine at all, not
at all sides Monday morning absolutely.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And then yeah starts Monday morning eleven.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Then guys have deals at eleven or two. It's It's
amazing how fast those zoom calls can lead to a
deal on Monday morning, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Given Viking's head coach Kevin O'Connell's adoration for tight end
Johnny Munt. Yeah, when I say, hey, Johnny mounts available,
it probably would be mentally followed by I always love
that one. But he does love Johnny Mutt does love
Johnny Munt. I know, we got Hockinson on the redo, Yeah,
got Oliver, got euro Sec, got Bartholomew who didn't play
(08:25):
last year. But you got Johnny Munt out there, and
he'd be inexpensive. What do you think he would? And
he does love Johnny Mutt.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
I mean, there are a few of these guys cam
Akers at the very top of that list who tend
to find their way back to Minnesota because they have
the relationship with the coach, with the offensive coordinator, usually
from the Rams. That's the case with both of the
players we're talking about here. Yeah, if he's you know,
available at the right price, which I can't imagine Johnny
(08:52):
Munt's going to command too hefty of his salary. He
ain't squeezing brizz No, He's not squeezing Brizz I think
it's a possibility. Yeah, I mean they do like Johnny
Mutt and apparently an elite barbecue.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Artiste. Really, yeah, they think they did something.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
They did Johnny Munt, Jordan Hickson, Nordo together and you
got a feast.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Now I want him back, can.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I can I get an invite to that? Because yeah,
they did like a barbecue thing a couple of years ago.
I think the tight Ends did, and he was driving the.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Bus on that. Apparently it was quite a good spread.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
This would be fiena fairness and nine to now act
James Pierre the corner from Pittsburgh. Yep. The fairness part
is I'd never heard of him, or perhaps I don't
recall him from last year in the London game. What's
even more surprising here he's twenty nine years of age,
which means purportedly he's been around for a little bit. Yes,
(09:49):
two year, eight and a half million dollar deal, three
and a half million guaranteed, two and a half million
dollars signing bonus. That's where we are right now with interlopers.
As some would say, James Pierre, I know you went
deep dobby on him.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (10:05):
Yeah, I mean he's spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh.
I mean he's been in Pittsburgh for a long time, which, yeah,
that level of a run where people kept bringing him back.
Obviously he's a guy that was well liked him and
he's he's playing a lot of special teams, playing a
depth role. Those are the types of players that are
cheap enough to replace if you're kind of just a guy.
So if you're somebody that sticks around at that level,
(10:26):
I mean CJ. Hammon is very much like this, where
if you stick around at that level where it's not
the most expensive thing in the world, like the guaranteed
money is not going to keep you on the roster forever,
it probably goes to say that you're somebody that coaches respect,
somebody that goes about things the right way that everybody says, yeah,
I want this guy in the building. So the fact
(10:47):
that he stayed in Pittsburgh that long play for Mike Tomlin,
I think is generally probably a good indication. Played with
for Gerald Alexander all of that time in Pittsburgh, and
obviously played for Brian Flores briefly when Flores was in
Pittsburgh in the twenty twenty two season as well, So
there's those connections with those guys. But I think the
longevity he had in Pittsburgh to stay around for I
(11:07):
think six years, probably speaks to this is a guy
that coaches appreciate the approach he takes and somebody you
bring in and say, this could be an asset to
our building. Well, last year on the oxymoron Monday, big
names here, big names there, slot machine rolling. First thing,
the Minnesota Vikings do slide in on Isaiah Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Yes, which was not an exorbitantly rich deal, but it's
not a James Pierre type low deal and we knew
the name of Isaiah Rodgers, and I think Isaiah Rodgers
for the most part worked out pretty well for the
Minnesota Vikings. Do you find it interesting that with this
move for the corner James Pierre where it's league wide,
(11:50):
it's going to be kind of the scribes version of
a non essential clause emphasis on the words non essential,
doesn't get a headline, It goes in a notebook. Is
important to them or they don't do it on Monday?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Right?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You look at it that way?
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Yeah, I do, And I think I mean the reason
they did Isaiah Rodgers as early as they did last
year with Flora's really excited about him. I think that's
probably the case here as well. This is a guy
we want in a building. Let's make sure we just
get it done. It's not going to cost so much
money that you are trying to avoid a bidding war.
I don't think that was going to be the case
with this type of a player. But yeah, I think
(12:24):
the speed with which they did it and the history
he has with Flores and Alexander probably tells you they
think pretty highly of him.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
We haven't heard from those.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Guys yet, but I think they probably look at this
in a little more of a high view than the
headlines would suggest. It's probably one of those guys that, yeah,
this guy can help us, and people will see what
that looks like as we go. But yes, I think
the fact they did it when they did is some
of that endorsement.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Don't think I'm looking the other way on your comments.
I'm into my phone, which I don't prefer to do
when people are talking to me. You steem and I
steam rolling. Yeah, we're steam rolling right now, trying to
trind to get times and dates and like when when
will O'Connell and or don't squeeze Briz speak at the podium?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Does nine you new need to be there? That day?
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Can't be a Thursday, and that's a box in the box.
What about a Friday? So I'm steam rolling right now, Okay,
And I'm crossing my fingers. When I was transferring studios
that PA didn't ask you this?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Did it surprise you at all? There?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Ryan Wright got the money he got from the Saints,
and I spent so much time just kind of thinking
about who's in, who's out, who I'm targeting, and they
brought in people to compete, and Ryan does this thing
very good season this last year. But for him to
get fourteen million, eight of it guaranteed down to buy
you not that that was the biggest focus on my mind,
but I was. I was surprised when I saw that.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Yeah, I think that's fair because he had a really
good year. And I know this class of punters is
and yes, we've gone to this level. This class of
punters is not seen as quite as talented, quite as
deep as there's maybe been in the past. So it's
not necessarily the best year to go find one in
(14:06):
the draft. And the work they put in with him,
the way he'd worked with Well Rekord, with Andrew Depaula.
I think they wanted to keep that operation together as
best they could. But the fact that he leaves for
a bigger deal does tell you that this is a
different approach. I mean, I think last year it would
have been, Hey, we've got money to spend, can we
get the punter in Formilia?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Yeah, let's get the punter. Yeah, so it's lily in guaranteed.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
I mean last year, I think it would have been
a yeah, sure, let's go do it. Maybe a little
more of that in this year. I think it's a
little more of Okay, we want him, but if it
gets to this point, we've got to be a little
more willing to say, yeah, you can't have everything you want.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
I think there's a little more of a discipline to
what they're doing, and some of that is forced because
of where they are cap wise, but I think there's
also a realization of if you do that too many times,
if you say, yeah, let's get the upgrade, and you know,
if you're going on a vacation and oh, let's upgrade
the seat, let's upgrade the room, let's take the bigger
meal and you get to the end of it, it's like, boy,
(15:09):
where did all that money come from? We didn't think
we went that big And then say, man, yeah, it's
all those those little upgrades here and there. So I
think there's some of that thought process to it.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
What do you think maybe their mindset is in attacking
the running back position so they move on from Aaron Jones.
Pa and I have bandied about and you've probably done
the same. Just looking at names the gain, well's the
Doubtles of the world. I need somebody that can replicate
a bit of what Aaron Jones's skill set was in
this offense. Matched with Jordan Mason, you see some of
those names, you know, jump off the board. You got
(15:39):
a draft coming up, Ty Chandler, he's not with a
new team yet. Yeah, maybe this drags out and in
Chandler returns, et cetera. But what do you think about
the running back spot. I would look for guys that
have wheels. I think there is an understanding that you
need a little more dynamism, a little more speed in
that room. And I think Frank Smith coming in and
(16:00):
I know a lot of what the Dolphins did in
the ground game is very interesting to the vikings. I mean,
when we saw the Dolphins have all that success early
with a Chane or he Mostert and all of those
guys that I'll throw on my psa, all of those
guys that were in track and field and were really
fast on the football field.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
As a result, most.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Dirt at Purdue was the bomb as the track guy. Yes, yeah,
all of those guys waddle Tyreek Hill of course doesn't
you know, doesn't need any introduction for me h a
lot and or he most hurt.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
All those guys could fly, So I thought, what did
it get them? Or maybe it was all too fall
it got them. I think a couple of seasons, a
couple of nice seasons, didn't get very far in the playoffs. Yes,
but I think there's the thought process of if you
can get speed in and then do some of the
things schematically that they were doing in the run game,
you can make some noise. So you know, whether that's
(16:54):
a running back or whether that's you know, if there's
a quarterback out there that has some athletic ability that
maybe on the market tomorrow afternoon, you know, maybe there's
some interest in that too, So this can take a
little bit of a different approach, and I think a
lot of mimicking or borrowing from what Mike McDaniel did
(17:14):
in Miami. It's something they're intrigued by it. I know
that for sure. Kyler Murray very very fast.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, Kyler Murray conversation talked out nine to noon in
other places. Now we wait, we lay in wait until tomorrow.
But it can't be disputed. Kyler Murray very fast, very
comfortable running, knows how to do it. It's not a
willy nilly thing. Jefferson fast, Addison fast, Notre Dame running back,
(17:43):
Jeremiah Love very fast. I'm at Johnson, you know, Nebraska
Lee Angels go crazy Day two wish type thing. Very fast. Yeah,
maybe not Jeremiah Love fast. But you see what I'm
getting at. Yeah, I mean, if Kyler Murray is the
quarterback for them, so the Vikings next year and Jordan
Mason beef eater and punishing back as he is, nobody's
(18:06):
ever going to say he's super fast.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yeah. So like you said, somebody a speed merchant like
Jeremiah Love. You you know what A.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
Yeah, I mean, I think it'd be interesting find lightning
to Jordan Mason's thunder. I think would be part of
the approach there. I mean, yeah, I think a guy
like that. I mean, you see the Lions do this
the last few years and they have commanded I mean
they didn't win it this year, obviously, but over the
last three or four years they've commanded the division in
part because of that combination of David Montgomery and Jamiir Gibbs.
(18:38):
And a guy like Jamir Gibbs. I know he was
interesting to the Vikings back in twenty three. Obviously, the
Lions take him and that wasn't really going to be
part of the conversation. But if you could find somebody
that can do some of those things, I think there
would be more interest in that and saying, yeah, we
could make this the first round pick. We could use
a player like this with a pick this I to
(19:00):
make something happen. Yeah, he won't be there at eighteen,
I don't think. But you know, if you have enough
to move around, you know, maybe you find a way up.
I don't think they want.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yourself a compensatory that's in the third round, yeah, which
they got yesterday.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
I don't think they want to go crazy with the
training around. But you know, if it's something sensible, then hey,
slides to twelve or thirteen, then you know, maybe you
can find a way to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
There was I think it was Daniel Jeremiah because I've
seen it popping on social media.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
He was talking yesterday.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
He was floating the idea of if you get up
to seven seven, if you get up to the commander's
spot in particular, that you might have an opportunity. Now
they signed o'daffeyoway yesterday, so maybe Grenard that was also
part of conversations and floating the eighteen and a Grenard
to try and move.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Up those sorts of conversations.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, I don't see I don't see love
getting out of the top ten.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Then no, you seem perplexed right now, is it? Is
it because the mind is going is spinning. Yeah, you're smiling.
That's radio. We can't see it. Somewhat, You've seemed perplexed
because there's so much that's hovering.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
It's it's not there, Yeah, it's hovering. Right, there's a
lot of that. Yeah, I mean there's just a lot
of Right, there's a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
They could go, and the Grenard thing will probably have
some resolution to that in the next few days. The
quarterback obviously can go a lot of different ways. I mean,
it could be Kyler, it could be somebody who's a
little more traditional, maybe a little longer in the tooth.
I suppose some of those other options are thirty five
or older. But yeah, it it's just I think if
(20:37):
it's Kyler especially, it's going to look different. And it's
just interesting to think what type of a shift that
could become. And what does all this mean for JJ
McCarthy is on my mind too. There's there's a lot
of a lot of threats to this whole thing that
will get out.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Three minutes into it, you're finally smile. Yeah, yeah, well
leak out, all right. That's Ben Gestling covers the Minnesota
Vikings in expert fashion for the Star Tribune, Star Tribune
dot com and at Ben Geslin via x. More on
Kyler Murray, some JJ McCarthy, maybe some Grenard Naylor to
the Raiders, Does Addison get a fifty year option?
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Bradbury to the Bears?
Speaker 4 (21:15):
There's so much don't leave, Bam.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
I'm gonna ask Ben Leeber the same question, probably forty
five minutes from now, what's so off with JJ McCarthy.
They may need somebody new to start the year.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Well, I think a lot of it is, you know,
you saw a lot of the same mistakes happen repeatedly
last year. I think a lot of the things that
they worked on, you feel like, Okay, we've come through practice,
there's been progress, and then sometimes in the games it
doesn't translate. So I think it's a realization of there's
(22:10):
a lot of work to do, and there's not necessarily
the amount of time they would want to grant him
to do that. And you know, maybe some of that
can happen away from the spotlight a little bit. But
I think there's also the realization of you have a
veteran roster. You have a wide receiver who will be
twenty seven in a couple of months and is not aging,
(22:31):
but has not won a playoff game yet, and it's
very much in his prime. And I think, I mean
the conversation I had people over and over and over
at the combine, there was a lot of gratitude for
the way Justin Jefferson led and the way he approached
the whole thing last year. And there's also a realization
of we need to do right by this guy and
the aspirations he has for his career.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
We have to help him meet those things.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
So I think there's also an understanding of if you
are asking a player like him or a player like
you know, you can go down the line Ara van
Ginkol or Blake Cashman and the guys that are are
approaching probably the back nine of their careers to wait
and say, yeah, we have a chance to win, but
(23:13):
we need to let this quarterback develop. I think some
of those factors play in, as does the fact that
Kevin O'Connell is headed into year five and doesn't have
a playoff one yet. So I think all of that
stuff as he you know, he talked about at the combine,
sad the timeline has changed. I mean that quote was
kind of the thesis of their approach to the combine
(23:36):
or their approach to free agency, I think, or approach
the quarterback, however you want to put it. But yeah,
that timeline is playing with this a little bit. You
don't have unlimited runway with the quarterback or with everything
that is affected by the quarterback. So I think it's
a little bit of a yes, this could happen still
and if how does he respond to having somebody else
(23:56):
in the room. Does he take that as a challenge.
He seemed to indicate it the end of the year
that he would. But if it doesn't go the way
you want, I think they know we have to have
a solid option that we can pivot to, rather than saying,
let's just run it back and hope everything clicks for
the kid.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Kyler Murray in the betting markets is the prohibitive favorite. Yeah,
I mean heavy favorite to play for the Minnesota Vikings
in twenty twenty six. Can't take place until tomorrow with
the earliest. Do you believe it's going to happen. I
think there's a good chance it does. Yeah, I think
there's interest there. I think he realizes the situation with
(24:34):
you're throwing to Jefferson, you're throwing to Addison, you have
O'Connell calling plays, you have Josh McCown to work with,
Arizona Cardinals legend Josh McCown to work with. Right, Oh,
you don't have the sounder. I was hoping for them. No, anyway,
that was that was the chief shot. He still got
the button bar. Now I got somebody under my feet
installing carpet in the studio. So I'm trying to not
(24:55):
kick my man. Yeah, no, we we're good fights. Fans
don't want to hear it anyway.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
I haven't for Jalen Naylor. The autumn Wind is a pirate.
That's the best I can do. Ok, wind does a
COOVI at well?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
Anyway, all of these guys, yes, that they would have
to work with Kyler Murray. I think is attractive to him.
So yeah, I think there's a good chance that that
is the maneuver. So you're talking about you want a
talented quarterback room, Yeah, former number one pick.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Was also a baseball draft pick. Is has got some talent.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
We can joke about arm punts, we can joke about
mistakes that he's made throughout his career, inadequacies, can he
see over the old line, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
All those jokes aside.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Dude's thrown for a ton of yards, he's run for
a ton of yards, He's scored a bunch of touchdowns.
I am very much in the camp where save for
some sort of you know, health related issue. Yeah, how
does JJ then become the starter in twenty twenty seven? Well,
I mean other than just so catastrophic year. All other
(26:02):
signs point to you're gonna have to pay Kyler Murray.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Kyler Murray is going to be Kyler Murray. But but
he can be.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
But but that kind of decision is what they're going
to have to make a year from now.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You get a good year, a year you're saying, yeah,
and he leaves.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
You him, you'll pay him peanuts this year, which is
which is the low impact, low risk major.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's right in front of us, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
But save for a catastrophic season, Kyler's your starter moving forward.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Well, I do think the what they went through last year,
where you rehabilitate a guy and then he gets into
free agency and then you watch him win the Super Bowl.
I mean I think that plays thinks that would be
in the back of their minds. Yes, because I know
last year even there was this feeling of you can't
have it all with quarterbacks because they cost a lot
(26:51):
of money. But there was this like, yeah, we we
made this run.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
With this guy.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
And this was before those last couple of games that
I remember having these conversations. But when they've gotten him
to this point, it's like yeah, and then so he's
gonna go play for somebody else and we get a
compic like that kind of sucks. So yeah, I do
think that would be in the backs of their minds
as they would think through. I don't think you're just
going to let him go out and hit free agency
(27:16):
if he's coming off of a good year again and
say let's go back to JJ at that point, I mean,
that's just a clunky fit. So they can sign him
for whatever they want right this year, yes, but we're
talking next year if he in the hypothetical that he
has a great year.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
I get it. He was back on the market. It's
in the Sam Darnold situation.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
And then he goes to the New York Jets, they
win the Super Bowl and Lavernius Calls becomes the MVP.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I always love that one.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
Yeah, I don't think they I don't think the people
want to watch that happen again.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
I'm getting at Arizona's paying X amount of dollars, correct,
the Vikings can offset it with whatever they want, correct
to that number.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Correct minimum?
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Yeah, So is it guaranteed it's a one in a
veteran minimum? I mean, could it be something with multiple
years and more money?
Speaker 5 (28:01):
You could I suppose that's an interesting thought. I mean,
would you do veteran minimum this year and then tack
another year onto it to bypass this whole conversation after
the season of well we got to we're about to
sendhim out in.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
The open market.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
That's I had not thought of that, but yeah, I
mean this year makes sense for the vet minimum because
the Cardinals is basically paying him to play for you.
But the idea that you would tack something on the
back side of that, where else can you play? Very
interesting teams? Yeah, i'd ask his agent where else you
gonna play? Well, you want to go to the Jets Jet?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yeah? And then you're saying, is that a better option
than here?
Speaker 5 (28:36):
No?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
So I want to go to the Steelers? All right?
Maybe maybe Rogers plays here? Yeah? Yeah, Do you want
to see what I'm saying? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Where is where is your best opportunity? Looking at what
you have around you? It's probably here.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
But I do feel I mean, if I had to
bet it one year as close to the minimum as
you can get, yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
That probably makes the most sense. I think the idea
that you just proposed is that's really interesting. That's why
I'm kind of entertaining the thought exercise. I think that'd
be a little in the sensible thing, straightforward, just get
it done, do the one year. But yeah, if you could,
if you could lock in another year, the question would
be would he want to do that?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Right? He want to say yeah, if you're.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
Going to be a year at eight million or whatever,
you know, I'm capping myself early.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
He may say no, I don't want to do See.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
I think the Vikings hold the majority of the cards
in this deal. Yeah, in that they can be like,
all right, well where are you.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Going to play? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Secondly, everybody thinks we don't like this guy, but we
can use this guy. And there are others out there
who will do the I mean like if it's Geno
Smith or Aaron Rodgers or whomever, the one year veteran minimum, right,
and you probably don't have to sweat that skill set
next year going to the Jets winning the Super Bowl
(29:52):
and Lavernia's calls or Anthony Beck becomes the Super Bowl MVP.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Yeah see what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (29:57):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean, yes, there is a situation where
if Kyler is saying, where can I kind of set
myself up for the second half of my career? This
is probably the place to be, I mean the possible
options in the market, because the Falcon Scientia looks like
the dolphin is a getting on leak Willis. So that's
done Cleveland. Yeah, do you like that better? I mean
(30:19):
I would ask him, Yeah, do you like to play outside?
I mean no, I would think I mean that's the
other piece of this too, is like you're asking a
guy that has not played in cold weather, that is
not the biggest dude in the world, to go play
outdoor games in December. I wouldn't think that'd be something
he'd be terribly excited about either. So yeah, I think
(30:40):
Indor stadium thrower to Justin Jefferson playing for Kevin O'Connell.
I mean, there's a lot of attracting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
To make you more complicated now, I mentioned earlier Jordan
Addison in the fifth year option.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Yeah, I think is the deadline for that May first? Yeah,
it's usually like May first or May Second's right, so
early May. Do you think they go that way with Jordan?
Speaker 5 (31:02):
That's an interesting one because it's an expensive number of eighteen.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
So I mean my inclination would be yes, But it's
also like, are you going to work off of that
to try to do an extension when you're paying justin
Jefferson and you've had the off the field questions, but
Jordan Edison they've had. I mean, you know, that does
come into the thinking of do we want to make
(31:27):
a long term, lucrative commitment to a guy. So I
would think they'd pick it up. But I say that
with an acknowledgement of the complicated nature. Shout out the
word complicated of this whole thing with him. You're very complicated.
It's a very complicated time of it. You're smiling again.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Yes, is Jordan Addison as Do they see him the
way that he's talked about? I just and maybe this
is an impossible I just wonder if they see him
as being as mercurial or as complicated as we do.
The thing that happened in la is totally unacceptable. Not
really sure just how the whole hubbub happened down at
(32:05):
that casino in Florida, but not charged now that no
criminal prosecution is part of that. There was the London thing,
there was the London thing, and so on the outset
We're like, man, I don't know if I can rely
on this guy. Yeah, nineteen touchdowns through his first two
and everything was wonky last year.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
On the field, he's every bit worth that fifth year option. Yeah,
I'm just saying I'm curious if inside the building they
connect the same dots that I would as outside.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
Yeah, this is all the question of risk tolerance, right.
I mean you are sitting there looking at these things
and saying how many of these are of a nature
that we're like, no, we can't go any further with this,
And you know, how does ownership feel about that? I mean,
all of these things are questions that we don't have
completely well defined answers to. But I know in terms
(32:51):
of on the field, they feel great about him, and
they love what he brings to the offense. They love
the ability he has opposite justin Jefferson. I think they
feel like he has given them everything on the field
that they wanted from that receiving spot.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's just that question of do you want to I.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
Mean, I think the other piece of this whole thing
long term is do you want to pay two guys
at that spot? I mean, because you're not going to
be paying peanuts for a quarterback forever and they got
to figure out who that is before you decide whether
you're going to pay that person. But if you have
thirty four thirty five million dollars a year average locked
up in Justin Jefferson for the next few years, do
(33:33):
you want to go do that with Addison as well?
When there tend to be decent replacement options available in
the draft most of the time. So, I mean that
plays into the thinking here too.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
When the Minnesota Vikings selected lastly, Michael Jurgens, Yeah, all right,
that there were those within the personnel department who felt
in a couple of years he absolutely will be a
full time starter in the NFL. Yep, Well, we we've
seen Jurgen's play, We've seen him start. You got Brandall,
(34:05):
who has position flexibility, the center situation, Linderbaum over there,
something called cade May's over there, got Ethan Posik, the
LSU guys still available, like the center spot with what
will be probably a new quarterback. Yeah, this is important.
I mean, that's why, that's why the low hanging fruit
(34:26):
with Garrett Bradberry is he gets pushed back by big
defensive tackles. Cool Ben Johnson traded for him in about
five seconds after Drew Dolman left. Why just remember the
conversations we had background wise when Bradbury was hurt and
Schloatman was the center. It's Schloatman finally got up to
(34:47):
speed with Cousins on what goes into the one and
one a of the quarter. The center quarterback situation is
one of the least talked about, yet most important facets
of winning games. That's why Ben Johnson was like, all right, yeah, yeah,
I know he's on the smaller shide. Yeah, I know
he gets pushed around. I'll take him.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
Because of his acumen and because of his organization responsibility
in film study, he's a scholar of the game totally.
It was a sweet move by the Bears. In my opinion,
for Caleb Williams, what are we gonna do.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Well, I think there's an understanding that you need to
address that spot because of what you said. You need
a guy that can kind of be a partner with
a quarterback, especially if it's a younger quarterback. I think
that's why Ryan Kelly was here last year, and that's
why they wanted a guy of that level at the position.
Ethan Posk is on the market. Still a couple of
(35:37):
these guys. The bigger names have gone Lloyd Cushion Berry,
who played for Keith Carter and Tennessee. I believe there
are two former Titans interior alignment on the free agent market,
the familiar everybody have to had played for somebody who's
within the governant. No, but it helps in the sense
that you know this guy will respond to how I'm
(35:58):
going to coach him, the techniques I want, the scheme
we're going to play. I mean, if there's people that
have Dolphins connections too, I'd keep an eye on those.
But the center market has a few names left on it,
and there's probably some I haven't considered, but yeah, they're
just Titans connections are where I go a little bit
because a number of those guys have already signed, so
it's not the most robust market left in free agency.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
And the guys that have signed and made a grip.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
But the cushion Berry achilles twenty twenty four, Yeah, po sick.
It was either a knee or an achilles last year.
Like I just I got fatigue with and you know
I can. I'll get past it. I'll survive and grow
and be better again. But what we watched when Allen
missed half the season. Javon Hargrave only played in three games.
(36:43):
Ryan Kelly, I mean, thankfully, Will Fries pretty consistent after
the fibula or whatever. Yeah, so it's not that it's impossible,
but I just got a little fatigue in terms of
picking guys off the injury shelf like that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
I think they did too.
Speaker 5 (36:55):
I mean in terms of having all the different offensive
line combinations, we heard that a lot had this many
different combinations at the line. So that's a fair point.
I mean, you want a group that is consistent as
much as you can. I remember my first year on
the Beat, twenty twelve, they go to the playoffs with
a group that you know, really nobody expected was going
to do much. They'd won three games the year before,
and Adrian Peterson MVP is a huge part of that. Yes,
(37:17):
but they had a line that year that I think
got one hundred and eighty out of one hundred and
eighty starts.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
Wow, those five. Fusco was the right guard. Fusco was
the right guard. Fosco got paid, Adrian got a lot
of people paid. Fusco got paid, Phil Loho call paid,
I think John Sullivan got paid. But then Charlie Johnson
was left guard and mcalleil left tackle. I think all
five of those guys played all sixteen games. That level
of continuity that year was first.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
It was really good. But you remember all those guys.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Oh yeah, yeah, that was the Elephantine memory is sometimes
comes in handy. It's not Kevin O'Connell level Murray recall,
but it's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Elton Jenkins inclosing, Yeah, now you're just likeast year and
I'd forgotten how grusom it was. So I'm like Elton Jenkins, okay,
I mean Packer fans with whom we work here, right,
they got negative on him before he got hurt, Like
all right, well, I mean Elton Jenkins is a baller.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
They changed his position. He was one of the better
guards in the NFL. They had to change his position
to center. Seemed to be doing okay for me. You
read into that leg injury.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Ho lyake out, fracture, ankle, ligaments tied into it.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
I got, I mean, I got all lines for Aldon Jenkins.
Sadly that's the problem because otherwise, yeah, you'd say, I mean,
because he was really good in Green Bay and showed
he could play a number of different spots, which is
always valuable as well. But yeah, a guy that I mean,
you wouldn't be talking about him as a swing lineman.
You'd be talking him about him as a starter. If
you felt okay about the health and that injury. That's
(38:47):
one where you'd say, mmm, we got to be pretty
clear on this before we go down that road.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Oh you're the best, and I know you're busy. Thank
you very Thank you very much for sharing the complication
and the precarious nature of free agency. Was nine to
new at been guests be xx best place to follow
him to learn about the podcasting, the newsletter, the stories
and much more. Have a good day you too, man.
Thanks describe nine to noon back after this man?
Speaker 1 (39:18):
What up?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Welcome back nine to noon.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
It is News de Noord and it's brought to you,
as always by the casino at Canterbury Park. Canterburypark dot
com poker, blackjacking, table games all year round, live racing
in the spring music events. It's always a party. Check
it out Canterbury Park dot com. Super truncated news this
morning as we have Ben Liebert right around the corner.
(39:40):
Top of the hour, jumping to more vikings and free
agency bits, But I will note the only news thus
far today for your Minnesota Vikings is they did agree
to terms and back in the mix, Andrew Depaula gets
a one year, fully guaranteed, one point seven and a
quarter million dollar deal. That's the Paula now snapping for
(40:01):
his twelfth NFL season, one point seven to twenty five million.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Let's try to say that more correctly. At any rate.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Outside of that, we're still waiting for news. Will they
address the center spot who's left? D line talker Tuesday style?
We got your talkbacks for a nice long segment later
in the final hour. It's a double feature tonight. You're
gonna get to catch it right here on the fan.
Minnesota Wild, we're unable to find two points at the
Avs over the weekend. They're back at it tonight at
(40:30):
Grand Casino Arena six forty five Fallness Fast seven pm.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Ish puck drop.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
The Utah Mammoth are in town, and all the Minnesota Wild,
save for a shootout victory a couple of years ago,
have still not beaten the Mammoth and have definitely not
beaten them in regulation. So hoping they get two points
tonight at home and then After that, the double feature
continues out west. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at the LA
Lakers Big Time Primetime NBC Peacock Affair. That's going to
(40:57):
be a ten pm ish pip off out West, tenth Central.
It's a lay one. Yeah, it's a lay one.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
And Finchy at nine thirty tomorrow, seven thirty in the
morning Pacific.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
Diam he's committed to the show, PA, he's a committed
a weekly guest, and that's one of the reasons we
love Finchy.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I don't think Lebron's playing tonight. He's out.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
Yeah, he's been out. He missed last game. Wolves are
favored by three. Oh, that would explain him something. Yeah,
there's I don't know, maybe the Wolves should be favored
by three over Luca Lebron, DeAndre eight and Austin Reeves.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
And the Cats. It's the double feature affair too.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
For the Wolves themselves is they will play the Lakers
tonight and then the clip Joint tomorrow before they jump
up to the Bay on.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Friday at Oka.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
See, this is an interesting little four game road trip
for a team that's gripping that third spot in the West.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
So let's get that.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Let's get that dub against maybe a Lebron Lists Lake
Show squad tonight.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Oklahoma City played in a thrilling spine tingler with the
Denver Nuggets last night and both teams I believe well.
Denver had its full compliment, so had Joker Jamal Murray.
Aaron Gordon is back now for a couple of games.
Cameron Johnson is back for them, Christian Brown is playing.
(42:13):
And for Oklahoma City, they were down ched Holmgrim so
but they were at home and they had SGA. That
was a heck of a basketball game last night. Okay,
SOE got the money and that's news.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Denord brought truncated edition brought to you by the Casino
at Canterbury Park, and with Ben Lieber around the corner,
I promise you a lot more Vikings conversation to kick
off the final stretch.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
And your talkbacks will continue to be played nine to
noon on a Talker Tuesday, with a Northern Fire prize
package to be given away less than an hour from now.
Nacho Lieber joins nine to noon around the corner f
M one hundred point three KFAM
Good morning, Pa and Nordo. This is Jake calling from
beautiful campon Georgia. I think the Vikings should pick up
Sean Tucker running back. He was with the Bucks last year.
He'd be a great fit with the Vikings, and he's
still young and we could get him at a good price.
Let me know what you think.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Free iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
It is indeed a Talker Tuesday, which is brought to
you by Northern Fire Grilling and Barbecue Supply. One of
you with the talkback free talkbacks? What do you got,
what do you want? What do you think of Vikings
free Agency? Send him in, I play him. One of
you will have the tastiest talkback and win a twenty
five dollars gift card to Northern Fire Grilling and Barbecue Supply.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Sean Tucker. Yeah, do you see that.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Pia Rico Dowdell now with the Steelers and you talk
about Sean Tucker. Well, I wonder what the targets of
a Bucky Irving look like now that Kenneth Gainwell is
in Tampa. M Sean Tucker doesn't catch the ball a lot,
so an interesting name, but roofs are coming up with
him and keep them coming with the free iHeartRadio.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
App, describe Ben Gesling Access Vikings, the ever controversial newsletter
and at Ben Gesling viax for the first time in yeah,
I think for the first time. In the nine to
noon collaboration with a Ben Gesling Star Tribune Star Tribune
dot Com, my man walked into Planet Utica on his phone.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I went to get him water.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
I heard Salarycap mentioned and he continued with the phone
call into the studio.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Your steamrolling, aren't you? Good morning? Yeah, good morning.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
It's part of the gig this time of year is
to try to figure out what's going on and share
it with our esteemed Vikings group at the Star Tribune.
So yes, there was there was a bit of that
happening as I was coming in here this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
You are correct, well, thanks a ton for helping during
what for sure is busy. These times are busy and
important for the scribe, for Vikings fans, the scribeans are
busy and importance.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
I am only one of those two things. I understand
that busy, yes, important, not really.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Now you are well scrubbed and well respected and you're
the scribe. So what was the team's cap situation into
this chat?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Any idea.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
Well, they've cleared a fair amount of space in the
restructures in the last few days, and I think they're
in a decent spot in terms of being able to
have a little more money to spend. I don't have
the official official numbers at the moments, I haven't seen
all of the details yet, but when they've cleared money
with Jefferson, they could have cleared up to eighteen million dollars.
(02:45):
There could have cleared up to nine with dari Saw.
It was five with Hockinson. What did you think of
that one, Hockinson? Yeah, like the way it was framed up. Well,
I think that was likely to be the way it
would go, because I think it was It wasn't out
of the question that they would cut him. So the
(03:07):
fact that they restructured it and then they deleted the
last year of the deal in exchange for a cap savings,
it's kind of a compromise because it's a realization of
he might not be in the long term, especially the
way he's played the last couple of years. And I
get some of that's coming off the ACL, but I
think there's a realization that this is, you know, a
(03:29):
bit of a turning point for him, and the fact
that they did it the way they did it rather
than just doing a signing bonus conversion was interesting. You know,
some of that's a concession to him to let him
get back out of the market when he's a year younger,
but yeah, it's I think a reflection of where we're
at with him and where things could go for him
from here. But yeah, some of those moves I think
(03:52):
have put them in a position where they'll be able
to be in the mix on some things. I don't
think you're going to see the cash machine go crazy
like it was last year. It's going to be more selective.
I think there's going to be more, well, we like
this guy, but if we can't get him at this number,
we've got alternatives, We've got contingency plans to go to
these other places. I think it's much more of that.
(04:12):
It's going to be a little more measured. It was
quieter last night than Monday, certainly cerally than Monday was
last year.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
So I think there's a little bit of a.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
There's room to get some things done, but I think
they're not going to be you know, making it rain
in the in the VIP room, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yesterday never stopped.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I mean that slot machine rolling with the alacrity, the velocity,
the pace at which it was rolling, it just never stopped.
I mean at one point yesterday, like five thirty, when
I counted these things up, either people being re signed
or released or reportedly changing teams, it was at one
hundred and thirty two at five thirty last evening. I mean,
(04:56):
have you I can't remember anything like this, can you. Well,
it's gotten.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
More active over the last few years because you can
be so much more open about it on that first day.
I mean, that's certainly what the NFL wants. They want
this to feel like the beginning of NBA free agency.
They want it to feel like an event. And you know,
so you get more openness in the dialogue between teams,
which means you get more things that happen at once.
(05:21):
It's not the well Team A is less conflicted about
talking to people early. Team B does things the right
way or does things by the rules. I mean, you know,
all these rules are kind of procedurals, so the right way,
wrong way. We're not talking about you know, great moral
interpretation of the universe here, But uh, I think the
(05:42):
fact that it's a little more like, Yeah, we can
all have at it. People can have conversations, people can
make offers. It leads to more of this open the
floodgates command the news cycle, which the NFL wants to do.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So Yeah, I think a lot of it goes to that.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Well, as part of that, are we just creating a
situation here and we got a carpet situation in the
other room, So I just it's good to see you Ben.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Good to see it too. He took the bland side there,
I did.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I snuck in? Yeah, the are we getting into semantics here?
Where effectively the league year? Why do we have this
period now where we keep making rules within the odd
as Pa says, the oxymoronic nature of the legal tampering period. Now, well,
you can you can call up to five guys and
spend an hour with them because they're going to make
(06:28):
these massive decisions. How about the floodgates and the league
year just all start on the same day and have
at it and stop with the particulars and really creating
potential roadblocks for teams to trip up on.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
Yeah, it is interesting. I think some of that is
the league year has existed the way it has for
a long time, and that language probably has stayed in
the CBA. So, I mean, all of these things get
determined by the collective bargaining right now, So you have that,
But then I think there are smaller adjustments you make
within that. So you're kind of trying to put the
(07:02):
old and the new together. Things that can move a
little more immediately and things that take a little bit
longer time to set up. You're trying to make those
match up. I think this is me kind of can
I amul fast guess at this and see what you think. Sure,
I think they did it because they were catching wind
year after year of two of so many tampering related
(07:25):
things taking place at the combine, But they weren't ten
of ten provable, right, but eight of ten times a
million is a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Yeah, So it's like we did. I mean, we can't
look the other way on this anymore. We just got
to fix it.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
You got to legalize some things rather than just all.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Now there's no tampering at the combine at all, not
at all sides Monday morning absolutely.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And then yeah starts Monday morning eleven.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Then guys have deals at eleven or two. It's It's
amazing how fast those zoom calls can lead to a
deal on Monday morning, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Given Viking's head coach Kevin O'Connell's adoration for tight end
Johnny Munt. Yeah, when I say, hey, Johnny mounts available,
it probably would be mentally followed by I always love
that one. But he does love Johnny Mutt does love
Johnny Munt. I know, we got Hockinson on the redo, Yeah,
got Oliver, got euro Sec, got Bartholomew who didn't play
(08:25):
last year. But you got Johnny Munt out there, and
he'd be inexpensive. What do you think he would? And
he does love Johnny Mutt.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
I mean, there are a few of these guys cam
Akers at the very top of that list who tend
to find their way back to Minnesota because they have
the relationship with the coach, with the offensive coordinator, usually
from the Rams. That's the case with both of the
players we're talking about here. Yeah, if he's you know,
available at the right price, which I can't imagine Johnny
(08:52):
Munt's going to command too hefty of his salary. He
ain't squeezing brizz No, He's not squeezing Brizz I think
it's a possibility. Yeah, I mean they do like Johnny
Mutt and apparently an elite barbecue.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Artiste. Really, yeah, they think they did something.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
They did Johnny Munt, Jordan Hickson, Nordo together and you
got a feast.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Now I want him back, can.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I can I get an invite to that? Because yeah,
they did like a barbecue thing a couple of years ago.
I think the tight Ends did, and he was driving the.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Bus on that. Apparently it was quite a good spread.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
This would be fiena fairness and nine to now act
James Pierre the corner from Pittsburgh. Yep. The fairness part
is I'd never heard of him, or perhaps I don't
recall him from last year in the London game. What's
even more surprising here he's twenty nine years of age,
which means purportedly he's been around for a little bit. Yes,
(09:49):
two year, eight and a half million dollar deal, three
and a half million guaranteed, two and a half million
dollars signing bonus. That's where we are right now with interlopers.
As some would say, James Pierre, I know you went
deep dobby on him.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (10:05):
Yeah, I mean he's spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh.
I mean he's been in Pittsburgh for a long time, which, yeah,
that level of a run where people kept bringing him back.
Obviously he's a guy that was well liked him and
he's he's playing a lot of special teams, playing a
depth role. Those are the types of players that are
cheap enough to replace if you're kind of just a guy.
So if you're somebody that sticks around at that level,
(10:26):
I mean CJ. Hammon is very much like this, where
if you stick around at that level where it's not
the most expensive thing in the world, like the guaranteed
money is not going to keep you on the roster forever,
it probably goes to say that you're somebody that coaches respect,
somebody that goes about things the right way that everybody says, yeah,
I want this guy in the building. So the fact
(10:47):
that he stayed in Pittsburgh that long play for Mike Tomlin,
I think is generally probably a good indication. Played with
for Gerald Alexander all of that time in Pittsburgh, and
obviously played for Brian Flores briefly when Flores was in
Pittsburgh in the twenty twenty two season as well, So
there's those connections with those guys. But I think the
longevity he had in Pittsburgh to stay around for I
(11:07):
think six years, probably speaks to this is a guy
that coaches appreciate the approach he takes and somebody you
bring in and say, this could be an asset to
our building. Well, last year on the oxymoron Monday, big
names here, big names there, slot machine rolling. First thing,
the Minnesota Vikings do slide in on Isaiah Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Yes, which was not an exorbitantly rich deal, but it's
not a James Pierre type low deal and we knew
the name of Isaiah Rodgers, and I think Isaiah Rodgers
for the most part worked out pretty well for the
Minnesota Vikings. Do you find it interesting that with this
move for the corner James Pierre where it's league wide,
(11:50):
it's going to be kind of the scribes version of
a non essential clause emphasis on the words non essential,
doesn't get a headline, It goes in a notebook. Is
important to them or they don't do it on Monday?
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Right?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You look at it that way?
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Yeah, I do, And I think I mean the reason
they did Isaiah Rodgers as early as they did last
year with Flora's really excited about him. I think that's
probably the case here as well. This is a guy
we want in a building. Let's make sure we just
get it done. It's not going to cost so much
money that you are trying to avoid a bidding war.
I don't think that was going to be the case
with this type of a player. But yeah, I think
(12:24):
the speed with which they did it and the history
he has with Flores and Alexander probably tells you they
think pretty highly of him.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
We haven't heard from those.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Guys yet, but I think they probably look at this
in a little more of a high view than the
headlines would suggest. It's probably one of those guys that, yeah,
this guy can help us, and people will see what
that looks like as we go. But yes, I think
the fact they did it when they did is some
of that endorsement.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Don't think I'm looking the other way on your comments.
I'm into my phone, which I don't prefer to do
when people are talking to me. You steem and I
steam rolling. Yeah, we're steam rolling right now, trying to
trind to get times and dates and like when when
will O'Connell and or don't squeeze Briz speak at the podium?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Does nine you new need to be there? That day?
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Can't be a Thursday, and that's a box in the box.
What about a Friday? So I'm steam rolling right now, Okay,
And I'm crossing my fingers. When I was transferring studios
that PA didn't ask you this?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Did it surprise you at all? There?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Ryan Wright got the money he got from the Saints,
and I spent so much time just kind of thinking
about who's in, who's out, who I'm targeting, and they
brought in people to compete, and Ryan does this thing
very good season this last year. But for him to
get fourteen million, eight of it guaranteed down to buy
you not that that was the biggest focus on my mind,
but I was. I was surprised when I saw that.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Yeah, I think that's fair because he had a really
good year. And I know this class of punters is
and yes, we've gone to this level. This class of
punters is not seen as quite as talented, quite as
deep as there's maybe been in the past. So it's
not necessarily the best year to go find one in
(14:06):
the draft. And the work they put in with him,
the way he'd worked with Well Rekord, with Andrew Depaula.
I think they wanted to keep that operation together as
best they could. But the fact that he leaves for
a bigger deal does tell you that this is a
different approach. I mean, I think last year it would
have been, Hey, we've got money to spend, can we
get the punter in Formilia?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Yeah, let's get the punter. Yeah, so it's lily in guaranteed.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
I mean last year, I think it would have been
a yeah, sure, let's go do it. Maybe a little
more of that in this year. I think it's a
little more of Okay, we want him, but if it
gets to this point, we've got to be a little
more willing to say, yeah, you can't have everything you want.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
I think there's a little more of a discipline to
what they're doing, and some of that is forced because
of where they are cap wise, but I think there's
also a realization of if you do that too many times,
if you say, yeah, let's get the upgrade, and you know,
if you're going on a vacation and oh, let's upgrade
the seat, let's upgrade the room, let's take the bigger
meal and you get to the end of it, it's like, boy,
(15:09):
where did all that money come from? We didn't think
we went that big And then say, man, yeah, it's
all those those little upgrades here and there. So I
think there's some of that thought process to it.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
What do you think maybe their mindset is in attacking
the running back position so they move on from Aaron Jones.
Pa and I have bandied about and you've probably done
the same. Just looking at names the gain, well's the
Doubtles of the world. I need somebody that can replicate
a bit of what Aaron Jones's skill set was in
this offense. Matched with Jordan Mason, you see some of
those names, you know, jump off the board. You got
(15:39):
a draft coming up, Ty Chandler, he's not with a
new team yet. Yeah, maybe this drags out and in
Chandler returns, et cetera. But what do you think about
the running back spot. I would look for guys that
have wheels. I think there is an understanding that you
need a little more dynamism, a little more speed in
that room. And I think Frank Smith coming in and
(16:00):
I know a lot of what the Dolphins did in
the ground game is very interesting to the vikings. I mean,
when we saw the Dolphins have all that success early
with a Chane or he Mostert and all of those
guys that I'll throw on my psa, all of those
guys that were in track and field and were really
fast on the football field.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
As a result, most.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Dirt at Purdue was the bomb as the track guy. Yes, yeah,
all of those guys waddle Tyreek Hill of course doesn't
you know, doesn't need any introduction for me h a
lot and or he most hurt.
Speaker 5 (16:31):
All those guys could fly, So I thought, what did
it get them? Or maybe it was all too fall
it got them. I think a couple of seasons, a
couple of nice seasons, didn't get very far in the playoffs. Yes,
but I think there's the thought process of if you
can get speed in and then do some of the
things schematically that they were doing in the run game,
you can make some noise. So you know, whether that's
(16:54):
a running back or whether that's you know, if there's
a quarterback out there that has some athletic ability that
maybe on the market tomorrow afternoon, you know, maybe there's
some interest in that too, So this can take a
little bit of a different approach, and I think a
lot of mimicking or borrowing from what Mike McDaniel did
(17:14):
in Miami. It's something they're intrigued by it. I know
that for sure. Kyler Murray very very fast.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, Kyler Murray conversation talked out nine to noon in
other places. Now we wait, we lay in wait until tomorrow.
But it can't be disputed. Kyler Murray very fast, very
comfortable running, knows how to do it. It's not a
willy nilly thing. Jefferson fast, Addison fast, Notre Dame running back,
(17:43):
Jeremiah Love very fast. I'm at Johnson, you know, Nebraska
Lee Angels go crazy Day two wish type thing. Very fast. Yeah,
maybe not Jeremiah Love fast. But you see what I'm
getting at. Yeah, I mean, if Kyler Murray is the
quarterback for them, so the Vikings next year and Jordan
Mason beef eater and punishing back as he is, nobody's
(18:06):
ever going to say he's super fast.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yeah. So like you said, somebody a speed merchant like
Jeremiah Love. You you know what A.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
Yeah, I mean, I think it'd be interesting find lightning
to Jordan Mason's thunder. I think would be part of
the approach there. I mean, yeah, I think a guy
like that. I mean, you see the Lions do this
the last few years and they have commanded I mean
they didn't win it this year, obviously, but over the
last three or four years they've commanded the division in
part because of that combination of David Montgomery and Jamiir Gibbs.
(18:38):
And a guy like Jamir Gibbs. I know he was
interesting to the Vikings back in twenty three. Obviously, the
Lions take him and that wasn't really going to be
part of the conversation. But if you could find somebody
that can do some of those things, I think there
would be more interest in that and saying, yeah, we
could make this the first round pick. We could use
a player like this with a pick this I to
(19:00):
make something happen. Yeah, he won't be there at eighteen,
I don't think. But you know, if you have enough
to move around, you know, maybe you find a way up.
I don't think they want.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yourself a compensatory that's in the third round, yeah, which
they got yesterday.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
I don't think they want to go crazy with the
training around. But you know, if it's something sensible, then hey,
slides to twelve or thirteen, then you know, maybe you
can find a way to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
There was I think it was Daniel Jeremiah because I've
seen it popping on social media.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
He was talking yesterday.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
He was floating the idea of if you get up
to seven seven, if you get up to the commander's
spot in particular, that you might have an opportunity. Now
they signed o'daffeyoway yesterday, so maybe Grenard that was also
part of conversations and floating the eighteen and a Grenard
to try and move.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Up those sorts of conversations.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Oh yeah, yeah, I don't see I don't see love
getting out of the top ten.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Then no, you seem perplexed right now, is it? Is
it because the mind is going is spinning. Yeah, you're smiling.
That's radio. We can't see it. Somewhat, You've seemed perplexed
because there's so much that's hovering.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
It's it's not there, Yeah, it's hovering. Right, there's a
lot of that. Yeah, I mean there's just a lot
of Right, there's a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
They could go, and the Grenard thing will probably have
some resolution to that in the next few days. The
quarterback obviously can go a lot of different ways. I mean,
it could be Kyler, it could be somebody who's a
little more traditional, maybe a little longer in the tooth.
I suppose some of those other options are thirty five
or older. But yeah, it it's just I think if
(20:37):
it's Kyler especially, it's going to look different. And it's
just interesting to think what type of a shift that
could become. And what does all this mean for JJ
McCarthy is on my mind too. There's there's a lot
of a lot of threats to this whole thing that
will get out.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Three minutes into it, you're finally smile. Yeah, yeah, well
leak out, all right. That's Ben Gestling covers the Minnesota
Vikings in expert fashion for the Star Tribune, Star Tribune
dot com and at Ben Geslin via x. More on
Kyler Murray, some JJ McCarthy, maybe some Grenard Naylor to
the Raiders, Does Addison get a fifty year option?
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Bradbury to the Bears?
Speaker 4 (21:15):
There's so much don't leave, Bam.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
I'm gonna ask Ben Leeber the same question, probably forty
five minutes from now, what's so off with JJ McCarthy.
They may need somebody new to start the year.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Well, I think a lot of it is, you know,
you saw a lot of the same mistakes happen repeatedly
last year. I think a lot of the things that
they worked on, you feel like, Okay, we've come through practice,
there's been progress, and then sometimes in the games it
doesn't translate. So I think it's a realization of there's
(22:10):
a lot of work to do, and there's not necessarily
the amount of time they would want to grant him
to do that. And you know, maybe some of that
can happen away from the spotlight a little bit. But
I think there's also the realization of you have a
veteran roster. You have a wide receiver who will be
twenty seven in a couple of months and is not aging,
(22:31):
but has not won a playoff game yet, and it's
very much in his prime. And I think, I mean
the conversation I had people over and over and over
at the combine, there was a lot of gratitude for
the way Justin Jefferson led and the way he approached
the whole thing last year. And there's also a realization
of we need to do right by this guy and
the aspirations he has for his career.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
We have to help him meet those things.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
So I think there's also an understanding of if you
are asking a player like him or a player like
you know, you can go down the line Ara van
Ginkol or Blake Cashman and the guys that are are
approaching probably the back nine of their careers to wait
and say, yeah, we have a chance to win, but
(23:13):
we need to let this quarterback develop. I think some
of those factors play in, as does the fact that
Kevin O'Connell is headed into year five and doesn't have
a playoff one yet. So I think all of that
stuff as he you know, he talked about at the combine,
sad the timeline has changed. I mean that quote was
kind of the thesis of their approach to the combine
(23:36):
or their approach to free agency, I think, or approach
the quarterback, however you want to put it. But yeah,
that timeline is playing with this a little bit. You
don't have unlimited runway with the quarterback or with everything
that is affected by the quarterback. So I think it's
a little bit of a yes, this could happen still
and if how does he respond to having somebody else
(23:56):
in the room. Does he take that as a challenge.
He seemed to indicate it the end of the year
that he would. But if it doesn't go the way
you want, I think they know we have to have
a solid option that we can pivot to, rather than saying,
let's just run it back and hope everything clicks for
the kid.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Kyler Murray in the betting markets is the prohibitive favorite. Yeah,
I mean heavy favorite to play for the Minnesota Vikings
in twenty twenty six. Can't take place until tomorrow with
the earliest. Do you believe it's going to happen. I
think there's a good chance it does. Yeah, I think
there's interest there. I think he realizes the situation with
(24:34):
you're throwing to Jefferson, you're throwing to Addison, you have
O'Connell calling plays, you have Josh McCown to work with,
Arizona Cardinals legend Josh McCown to work with. Right, Oh,
you don't have the sounder. I was hoping for them. No, anyway,
that was that was the chief shot. He still got
the button bar. Now I got somebody under my feet
installing carpet in the studio. So I'm trying to not
(24:55):
kick my man. Yeah, no, we we're good fights. Fans
don't want to hear it anyway.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
I haven't for Jalen Naylor. The autumn Wind is a pirate.
That's the best I can do. Ok, wind does a
COOVI at well?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
Anyway, all of these guys, yes, that they would have
to work with Kyler Murray. I think is attractive to him.
So yeah, I think there's a good chance that that
is the maneuver. So you're talking about you want a
talented quarterback room, Yeah, former number one pick.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Was also a baseball draft pick. Is has got some talent.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
We can joke about arm punts, we can joke about
mistakes that he's made throughout his career, inadequacies, can he
see over the old line, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
All those jokes aside.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Dude's thrown for a ton of yards, he's run for
a ton of yards, He's scored a bunch of touchdowns.
I am very much in the camp where save for
some sort of you know, health related issue. Yeah, how
does JJ then become the starter in twenty twenty seven? Well,
I mean other than just so catastrophic year. All other
(26:02):
signs point to you're gonna have to pay Kyler Murray.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Kyler Murray is going to be Kyler Murray. But but
he can be.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
But but that kind of decision is what they're going
to have to make a year from now.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You get a good year, a year you're saying, yeah,
and he leaves.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
You him, you'll pay him peanuts this year, which is
which is the low impact, low risk major.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's right in front of us, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
But save for a catastrophic season, Kyler's your starter moving forward.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Well, I do think the what they went through last year,
where you rehabilitate a guy and then he gets into
free agency and then you watch him win the Super Bowl.
I mean I think that plays thinks that would be
in the back of their minds. Yes, because I know
last year even there was this feeling of you can't
have it all with quarterbacks because they cost a lot
(26:51):
of money. But there was this like, yeah, we we
made this run.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
With this guy.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
And this was before those last couple of games that
I remember having these conversations. But when they've gotten him
to this point, it's like yeah, and then so he's
gonna go play for somebody else and we get a
compic like that kind of sucks. So yeah, I do
think that would be in the backs of their minds
as they would think through. I don't think you're just
going to let him go out and hit free agency
(27:16):
if he's coming off of a good year again and
say let's go back to JJ at that point, I mean,
that's just a clunky fit. So they can sign him
for whatever they want right this year, yes, but we're
talking next year if he in the hypothetical that he
has a great year.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
I get it. He was back on the market. It's
in the Sam Darnold situation.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
And then he goes to the New York Jets, they
win the Super Bowl and Lavernius Calls becomes the MVP.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I always love that one.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
Yeah, I don't think they I don't think the people
want to watch that happen again.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
I'm getting at Arizona's paying X amount of dollars, correct,
the Vikings can offset it with whatever they want, correct
to that number.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Correct minimum?
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Yeah, So is it guaranteed it's a one in a
veteran minimum? I mean, could it be something with multiple
years and more money?
Speaker 5 (28:01):
You could I suppose that's an interesting thought. I mean,
would you do veteran minimum this year and then tack
another year onto it to bypass this whole conversation after
the season of well we got to we're about to
sendhim out in.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
The open market.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
That's I had not thought of that, but yeah, I
mean this year makes sense for the vet minimum because
the Cardinals is basically paying him to play for you.
But the idea that you would tack something on the
back side of that, where else can you play? Very
interesting teams? Yeah, i'd ask his agent where else you
gonna play? Well, you want to go to the Jets Jet?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yeah? And then you're saying, is that a better option
than here?
Speaker 5 (28:36):
No?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
So I want to go to the Steelers? All right?
Maybe maybe Rogers plays here? Yeah? Yeah, Do you want
to see what I'm saying? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Where is where is your best opportunity? Looking at what
you have around you? It's probably here.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
But I do feel I mean, if I had to
bet it one year as close to the minimum as
you can get, yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
That probably makes the most sense. I think the idea
that you just proposed is that's really interesting. That's why
I'm kind of entertaining the thought exercise. I think that'd
be a little in the sensible thing, straightforward, just get
it done, do the one year. But yeah, if you could,
if you could lock in another year, the question would
be would he want to do that?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Right? He want to say yeah, if you're.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
Going to be a year at eight million or whatever,
you know, I'm capping myself early.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
He may say no, I don't want to do See.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
I think the Vikings hold the majority of the cards
in this deal. Yeah, in that they can be like,
all right, well where are you.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Going to play? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Secondly, everybody thinks we don't like this guy, but we
can use this guy. And there are others out there
who will do the I mean like if it's Geno
Smith or Aaron Rodgers or whomever, the one year veteran minimum, right,
and you probably don't have to sweat that skill set
next year going to the Jets winning the Super Bowl
(29:52):
and Lavernia's calls or Anthony Beck becomes the Super Bowl MVP.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Yeah see what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (29:57):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean, yes, there is a situation where
if Kyler is saying, where can I kind of set
myself up for the second half of my career? This
is probably the place to be, I mean the possible
options in the market, because the Falcon Scientia looks like
the dolphin is a getting on leak Willis. So that's
done Cleveland. Yeah, do you like that better? I mean
(30:19):
I would ask him, Yeah, do you like to play outside?
I mean no, I would think I mean that's the
other piece of this too, is like you're asking a
guy that has not played in cold weather, that is
not the biggest dude in the world, to go play
outdoor games in December. I wouldn't think that'd be something
he'd be terribly excited about either. So yeah, I think
(30:40):
Indor stadium thrower to Justin Jefferson playing for Kevin O'Connell.
I mean, there's a lot of attracting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
To make you more complicated now, I mentioned earlier Jordan
Addison in the fifth year option.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Yeah, I think is the deadline for that May first? Yeah,
it's usually like May first or May Second's right, so
early May. Do you think they go that way with Jordan?
Speaker 5 (31:02):
That's an interesting one because it's an expensive number of eighteen.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
So I mean my inclination would be yes, But it's
also like, are you going to work off of that
to try to do an extension when you're paying justin
Jefferson and you've had the off the field questions, but
Jordan Edison they've had. I mean, you know, that does
come into the thinking of do we want to make
(31:27):
a long term, lucrative commitment to a guy. So I
would think they'd pick it up. But I say that
with an acknowledgement of the complicated nature. Shout out the
word complicated of this whole thing with him. You're very complicated.
It's a very complicated time of it. You're smiling again.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Yes, is Jordan Addison as Do they see him the
way that he's talked about? I just and maybe this
is an impossible I just wonder if they see him
as being as mercurial or as complicated as we do.
The thing that happened in la is totally unacceptable. Not
really sure just how the whole hubbub happened down at
(32:05):
that casino in Florida, but not charged now that no
criminal prosecution is part of that. There was the London thing,
there was the London thing, and so on the outset
We're like, man, I don't know if I can rely
on this guy. Yeah, nineteen touchdowns through his first two
and everything was wonky last year.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I get it.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
On the field, he's every bit worth that fifth year option. Yeah,
I'm just saying I'm curious if inside the building they
connect the same dots that I would as outside.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
Yeah, this is all the question of risk tolerance, right.
I mean you are sitting there looking at these things
and saying how many of these are of a nature
that we're like, no, we can't go any further with this,
And you know, how does ownership feel about that? I mean,
all of these things are questions that we don't have
completely well defined answers to. But I know in terms
(32:51):
of on the field, they feel great about him, and
they love what he brings to the offense. They love
the ability he has opposite justin Jefferson. I think they
feel like he has given them everything on the field
that they wanted from that receiving spot.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's just that question of do you want to I.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
Mean, I think the other piece of this whole thing
long term is do you want to pay two guys
at that spot? I mean, because you're not going to
be paying peanuts for a quarterback forever and they got
to figure out who that is before you decide whether
you're going to pay that person. But if you have
thirty four thirty five million dollars a year average locked
up in Justin Jefferson for the next few years, do
(33:33):
you want to go do that with Addison as well?
When there tend to be decent replacement options available in
the draft most of the time. So, I mean that
plays into the thinking here too.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
When the Minnesota Vikings selected lastly, Michael Jurgens, Yeah, all right,
that there were those within the personnel department who felt
in a couple of years he absolutely will be a
full time starter in the NFL. Yep, Well, we we've
seen Jurgen's play, We've seen him start. You got Brandall,
(34:05):
who has position flexibility, the center situation, Linderbaum over there,
something called cade May's over there, got Ethan Posik, the
LSU guys still available, like the center spot with what
will be probably a new quarterback. Yeah, this is important.
I mean, that's why, that's why the low hanging fruit
(34:26):
with Garrett Bradberry is he gets pushed back by big
defensive tackles. Cool Ben Johnson traded for him in about
five seconds after Drew Dolman left. Why just remember the
conversations we had background wise when Bradbury was hurt and
Schloatman was the center. It's Schloatman finally got up to
(34:47):
speed with Cousins on what goes into the one and
one a of the quarter. The center quarterback situation is
one of the least talked about, yet most important facets
of winning games. That's why Ben Johnson was like, all right, yeah, yeah,
I know he's on the smaller shide. Yeah, I know
he gets pushed around. I'll take him.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
Because of his acumen and because of his organization responsibility
in film study, he's a scholar of the game totally.
It was a sweet move by the Bears. In my opinion,
for Caleb Williams, what are we gonna do.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Well, I think there's an understanding that you need to
address that spot because of what you said. You need
a guy that can kind of be a partner with
a quarterback, especially if it's a younger quarterback. I think
that's why Ryan Kelly was here last year, and that's
why they wanted a guy of that level at the position.
Ethan Posk is on the market. Still a couple of
(35:37):
these guys. The bigger names have gone Lloyd Cushion Berry,
who played for Keith Carter and Tennessee. I believe there
are two former Titans interior alignment on the free agent market,
the familiar everybody have to had played for somebody who's
within the governant. No, but it helps in the sense
that you know this guy will respond to how I'm
(35:58):
going to coach him, the techniques I want, the scheme
we're going to play. I mean, if there's people that
have Dolphins connections too, I'd keep an eye on those.
But the center market has a few names left on it,
and there's probably some I haven't considered, but yeah, they're
just Titans connections are where I go a little bit
because a number of those guys have already signed, so
it's not the most robust market left in free agency.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
And the guys that have signed and made a grip.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
But the cushion Berry achilles twenty twenty four, Yeah, po sick.
It was either a knee or an achilles last year.
Like I just I got fatigue with and you know
I can. I'll get past it. I'll survive and grow
and be better again. But what we watched when Allen
missed half the season. Javon Hargrave only played in three games.
(36:43):
Ryan Kelly, I mean, thankfully, Will Fries pretty consistent after
the fibula or whatever. Yeah, so it's not that it's impossible,
but I just got a little fatigue in terms of
picking guys off the injury shelf like that.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
I think they did too.
Speaker 5 (36:55):
I mean in terms of having all the different offensive
line combinations, we heard that a lot had this many
different combinations at the line. So that's a fair point.
I mean, you want a group that is consistent as
much as you can. I remember my first year on
the Beat, twenty twelve, they go to the playoffs with
a group that you know, really nobody expected was going
to do much. They'd won three games the year before,
and Adrian Peterson MVP is a huge part of that. Yes,
(37:17):
but they had a line that year that I think
got one hundred and eighty out of one hundred and
eighty starts.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
Wow, those five. Fusco was the right guard. Fusco was
the right guard. Fosco got paid, Adrian got a lot
of people paid. Fusco got paid, Phil Loho call paid,
I think John Sullivan got paid. But then Charlie Johnson
was left guard and mcalleil left tackle. I think all
five of those guys played all sixteen games. That level
of continuity that year was first.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
It was really good. But you remember all those guys.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Oh yeah, yeah, that was the Elephantine memory is sometimes
comes in handy. It's not Kevin O'Connell level Murray recall,
but it's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Elton Jenkins inclosing, Yeah, now you're just likeast year and
I'd forgotten how grusom it was. So I'm like Elton Jenkins, okay,
I mean Packer fans with whom we work here, right,
they got negative on him before he got hurt, Like
all right, well, I mean Elton Jenkins is a baller.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
They changed his position. He was one of the better
guards in the NFL. They had to change his position
to center. Seemed to be doing okay for me. You
read into that leg injury.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Ho lyake out, fracture, ankle, ligaments tied into it.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
I got, I mean, I got all lines for Aldon Jenkins.
Sadly that's the problem because otherwise, yeah, you'd say, I mean,
because he was really good in Green Bay and showed
he could play a number of different spots, which is
always valuable as well. But yeah, a guy that I mean,
you wouldn't be talking about him as a swing lineman.
You'd be talking him about him as a starter. If
you felt okay about the health and that injury. That's
(38:47):
one where you'd say, mmm, we got to be pretty
clear on this before we go down that road.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Oh you're the best, and I know you're busy. Thank
you very Thank you very much for sharing the complication
and the precarious nature of free agency. Was nine to
new at been guests be xx best place to follow
him to learn about the podcasting, the newsletter, the stories
and much more. Have a good day you too, man.
Thanks describe nine to noon back after this man?
Speaker 1 (39:18):
What up?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Welcome back nine to noon.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
It is News de Noord and it's brought to you,
as always by the casino at Canterbury Park. Canterburypark dot
com poker, blackjacking, table games all year round, live racing
in the spring music events. It's always a party. Check
it out Canterbury Park dot com. Super truncated news this
morning as we have Ben Liebert right around the corner.
(39:40):
Top of the hour, jumping to more vikings and free
agency bits, But I will note the only news thus
far today for your Minnesota Vikings is they did agree
to terms and back in the mix, Andrew Depaula gets
a one year, fully guaranteed, one point seven and a
quarter million dollar deal. That's the Paula now snapping for
(40:01):
his twelfth NFL season, one point seven to twenty five million.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Let's try to say that more correctly. At any rate.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Outside of that, we're still waiting for news. Will they
address the center spot who's left? D line talker Tuesday style?
We got your talkbacks for a nice long segment later
in the final hour. It's a double feature tonight. You're
gonna get to catch it right here on the fan.
Minnesota Wild, we're unable to find two points at the
Avs over the weekend. They're back at it tonight at
(40:30):
Grand Casino Arena six forty five Fallness Fast seven pm.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Ish puck drop.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
The Utah Mammoth are in town, and all the Minnesota Wild,
save for a shootout victory a couple of years ago,
have still not beaten the Mammoth and have definitely not
beaten them in regulation. So hoping they get two points
tonight at home and then After that, the double feature
continues out west. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at the LA
Lakers Big Time Primetime NBC Peacock Affair. That's going to
(40:57):
be a ten pm ish pip off out West, tenth Central.
It's a lay one. Yeah, it's a lay one.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
And Finchy at nine thirty tomorrow, seven thirty in the
morning Pacific.
Speaker 3 (41:07):
Diam he's committed to the show, PA, he's a committed
a weekly guest, and that's one of the reasons we
love Finchy.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I don't think Lebron's playing tonight. He's out.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
Yeah, he's been out. He missed last game. Wolves are
favored by three. Oh, that would explain him something. Yeah,
there's I don't know, maybe the Wolves should be favored
by three over Luca Lebron, DeAndre eight and Austin Reeves.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
And the Cats. It's the double feature affair too.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
For the Wolves themselves is they will play the Lakers
tonight and then the clip Joint tomorrow before they jump
up to the Bay on.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Friday at Oka.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
See, this is an interesting little four game road trip
for a team that's gripping that third spot in the West.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
So let's get that.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Let's get that dub against maybe a Lebron Lists Lake
Show squad tonight.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Oklahoma City played in a thrilling spine tingler with the
Denver Nuggets last night and both teams I believe well.
Denver had its full compliment, so had Joker Jamal Murray.
Aaron Gordon is back now for a couple of games.
Cameron Johnson is back for them, Christian Brown is playing.
(42:13):
And for Oklahoma City, they were down ched Holmgrim so
but they were at home and they had SGA. That
was a heck of a basketball game last night. Okay,
SOE got the money and that's news.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Denord brought truncated edition brought to you by the Casino
at Canterbury Park, and with Ben Lieber around the corner,
I promise you a lot more Vikings conversation to kick
off the final stretch.
Speaker 4 (42:35):
And your talkbacks will continue to be played nine to
noon on a Talker Tuesday, with a Northern Fire prize
package to be given away less than an hour from now.
Nacho Lieber joins nine to noon around the corner f
M one hundred point three KFAM
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.