09-05-24 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome into it Broncos country. Tonight Benjamin Albright here with

(00:02):
you short chow again obviously tonight Rocky's edition. Many of
you whooping over here, mid chiefs Ravens five six six
nine zero is the text line. A little bit of
interesting Broncos news to get to, and we did not
get to yesterday. Obviously, the Broncos restructured wide receiver Courtland

(00:26):
Sutton's contract, creating an extra nine and a half million
in cap space basically never converted to eleven point eight
seventy five million of Sutton's thirteen million dollars salary into
a signing bonus. Obviously recently signed patzer Tan to the
massive extension game, a extra wiggle room financially. Sutton was
the subject to some trade talks this offseason, but the

(00:46):
Broncos chose to stan Pat, trading wide receiver Jerry Judy
to the Browns and letting Tim Patrick walk. Broncos added
an additional one point five million in new incentives to
Sutton's contract last month. Sutton, who's twenty eight was taken
with the fortieth overall pick at SMU by the Broncos

(01:07):
back in twenty eighteen, was in the final year of
a four year, seven million dollar contract that included three
point two million dollars signing bonus. When he agreed to
the four year, sixty point eight million dollar extension, he
was due base salary of thirteen and thirteen and a

(01:27):
half over the next two seasons. And so this, you know,
obviously changes that a little bit, accelerating some of that
stuff to do bonuses, which is how you circumvent the
cap if you have wealthy owners, and the Broncos have
the wealthiest owners in the NFL by far. In fact,
owners two, three and four combined do not equal the
wealth of the Walton family. You're able to do that.

(01:48):
You can use cash to turn base salaries into bonuses
and get them off your books. So twenty three, obviously,
Sutton appeared in sixteen of the seventeen games, the Broncos
fifty nine passes on ninety targets, seven hundred and seventywo yards,
ten touchdowns, and they're certainly hoping he could equal our
best to that.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
This coming season. Somebody asked me.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
The other day, if the Broncos are going to make
a playoff run, who's got to be the team MVP.
Who's got to be the guy that steps up, uh
and becomes the guy. Right. The Broncos getting a lot
of love nationally lately, so I guys like Peter Scheger
pick him to go to the playoffs, all of a sudden,
they're not a team that everybody's dogging anymore. And this

(02:32):
is left Broncos fans somewhat flummoxed. This over the last
ten years, there's, uh, there's not been a lot of
that national love for the Denver Broncos. A little bit
of it when they signed Russell Wilson, but we saw
that how that fell flat. But somebody asked me, who
are the players that have to be a part of
this if the Broncos are going to make, you know,

(02:53):
make the super Bowl? And I think there's a couple
of couple of names. I mean, obviously Javonte's got to
have probably a bigger season than people are thinking. Then
this is putting Boat Nicks aside. Rookie quarterbacks got to
play better than rookie quarterback, right, that's the obvious answer.
But if we're going to if we're going to pick
three players that we think has to have an impeccable

(03:15):
season in order for the Denver Broncos to get to
the playoffs, then I think Javonte Williams has got to
be one of them. I get that there's a platoon
backfield here which Allill McLoughlin and order Guest to May
and to a degree, Blake Watson as well, But if
the Denver Broncos are going to make the playoffs, Javonte
Williams has to return to form in the second year

(03:36):
coming off that devastating injury. And by the way, that
was a miraculous recovery last year. Maybe he didn't perform
to the level that everybody hoped, but my goodness, coming
back the fastest recovery from that injury in any sport
ever to go back to playing it, let alone a
sport like football, was nothing short of miraculous. But Javante
has got to get back to being the guy. And

(03:57):
that doesn't mean he's got to take eighty percent of
the workload or anything like that. I mean, that's that's
just not going to happen. But seeing him take sixty
percent of the workload is certainly not outside the realm
of possibility or plausibility.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
And he's got to be that guy.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
And if you can if you can get that out
of him, if you can have him filling in doing
what Someama J. P. Ryan did on third downs as
well as being an early downback at times, and then
you know you'll you'll sell him off at time his
short yard situations for estimate or when you know when
you want to change a pace for Jaliel. But if
Javonte can be that guy, you're you're well on your
way because that's going to open things up for the quarterback.

(04:32):
That that is going to make things easier on your
rookie quarterback. It'll make things easier on your offensive line.
If you've got a running back who commands and demands attention,
then you're going to make things easier on everybody else.
Just ask anybody that ever played with Derrick Henry right,
I wasn't like the Tennessee Titans offense where juggernauts. It

(04:55):
was that Derek Henry was a juggernat commanded so much
attention and it gave everybody else advantages and UH in
one on one situations and and that really, you know,
helped them out. So if Davante can get back to
that level, if he can get back to being that guy, uh,
then the Broncos offense is going to have a distinct edge.
BONICKX will will have the time to learn and thrive

(05:17):
and the ability to overcome mistakes that he's definitely going
to make as a rookie. It's gonna happen. So if
you want the Denver Broncos to break out this year,
I think Javonte Williams is one that you're that you're
definitely rooting.

Speaker 2 (05:32):
For number two. Uh.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
For me, Riley Moss. Moss is going to be thrust
out there early. He's going to be playing He's the
you know, the other corner. McMillan is going to be
playing a slot. Everybody knows Sartan over there, the big
money guy, uh, but Riley Moss is the other corner.
And when you've got tape on the Denver Broncos and
you know what Certan is and you know what McMillan is,
you're going to test Riley Moss early, right because you've

(05:58):
you've seen the other two. You know they can play
so well in a lot of ways. He's going to
get tested early and often, and he's got to be
up to the challenge. Riley Moss has got to be
everything that they hope that he is, because if he's not,
that's going to present a liability that people are going
to pick on until they find something to replace it.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
And we've seen that. You could go back a few
years ago.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
I remember what I saying, Bassie was getting nuked against
the New York Jets at Donald out there. It was
the Donald shook Justin Simmons on his way at the
end zone game as saying, Bassie was getting worked, and
that was they ended up having to pull him because
you know, he was getting worked. They put the Monte
Bossby out there, who was better. Wasn't great, but it
was better, and you know that sort of that sort

(06:39):
of helped stem the tide a little bit. But if
you were anybody playing the Denver Broncos, the first thing
you're doing is looking who Riley Moss has lined up against,
and you're looking your chops because he hasn't proven anything yet.
You don't know what he is. He hasn't proven anything yet,
and so that's who teams are going to pick on
until Riley Moss shows them that, hey, you can't, I've

(07:00):
got this guy shut down, You're gonna have to go
somewhere else. And so you know, I think that's that's
a big thing to keep.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
Our eye on early.

Speaker 1 (07:08):
Right, everybody's gonna be focused on the rookie quarterback, but
the rookie corner and I say rookie even though he
you know, was around last year, because he hasn't done much.
You know, having a guy like Moss out there is
going to be something that is you have to view
as a liability until he proves that it isn't. And
you know, I know nobody wants to hear that, nobody

(07:29):
wants to conceptualize things that way. But until Riley Moss
proves that he has the ability to be that guy,
you know, he's probably gonna get safety help quite a bit,
which means that other guys are going to be in
one on ones and it's it's a it's a it's
a defensive stressor you know, in a lot of ways.
And so I think the the biggest name on defense

(07:53):
isn't you know, new edition Brandon Jones and you know
how he's gonna be a box guy and PJ is
gonna be high and how you know Justin's not here
anymore all that kind of stuff. Yeah, Okay, I hear
all that, But But to me, the bigger liability is
over there at the other corner position, where you had
Moreau last year who played serviceably. You've had guys who
have played over there serviceably or well. I mean Ron
Darby played really well over there. Personally, I thought it

(08:14):
was a mistake letting him go. But you know, you've
got Riley Moss over there now. He is the guy,
and he's got to prove on the big stage that
he is the guy more than just the preseason, more
than just practice, because we've seen guys do that before.
You know, Michael Ojimudia was a guy that you know,
Eric quotes approved it in practice and then you got
out there and.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
He was getting cooked.

Speaker 1 (08:37):
And that's not to invoke another Iowa guy for any
reason other than just he you know, former Bronco that
they did all that we saw Demari Mathis, you know,
there was a lot of high hopes for him, but
he's just unable to put it all together despite all
that athleticism.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
And so with Moss you have.

Speaker 1 (08:53):
To hope that he he gets it, he gets it
quick because vance Joseph's defense is going to require him
to be on an island at times, you know, and
so he's gonna have to show everybody and put good
tape down early or else teams are just going to
come after him. You know, you know, you know what
Patzertan is. You're not throw it over there, you know.
I mean you might, you might try to set some

(09:14):
things up, use the receiver to drive him deep and
then you know, hit the comeback on him or something
like that, but I mean, you're you're just not gonna
throw over there if you can, if you can avoid it,
And so that's gonna be I think the biggest thing defensive.
The other thing is is the edge. Baron Brown is
going to be one of the starters, and if he
stays healthy, that's fine. And I get that this is
sort of a unfair because I'm basically doing four players

(09:37):
here instead of one, But just the edge rush in general, right,
you know, Coop has shown an ability to set the
edge in the run game, and that's good, and he's
sort of de facto got his way to some sacks.
He certainly played better last year and people are hoping
that he can take a bigger lead this year. And

(09:57):
then you've got two pass rush specially in rookie Jonah
Ellis and Nick Benito and Benito needed to improve in
terms of setting me edge in the run game. I
thought Benito is probably the best pure pass rusher on
the team right now. Let's not say Elis can't get
there or a slight on Browning, but at the end
of the day, he is the best pure pass rusher

(10:19):
on this team. And I thought situations where him and
Zach Allen got to play off each other I thought
looked pretty well last year. So it'll be interesting to see,
you know, if they're able to develop it, if they're
able to develop that sort of synergy that that Vaughn
and Wolf synergy as it were. But I think if
you're looking for three things that have to go right

(10:40):
for the Denver Broncos this year, you've got to have
complete edge rushers that are able to do both. They're
able to set the edge and not be a liability
in the run game and also able to get after
the passer and generate pressure more than they've been able to.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
Do the last couple of years.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
And it's part of the reason they went out and
got some bodies, you know, this offseason. Blacks And is
no longer with the team, but Malcolma that's the reason
you went out and got that guy. It's the reason
that Zach Allen's here. It's the reason you move in
DJ to the nose and hope that he's that he's
able to do the things that you want to do there.
And the reason you went out and got John Franklin
Myers via trade, you know, is because you expect big

(11:15):
things out of him, and so I think if you're
the Denver Broncos, the the third thing that you're really
kind of got your eye on is this edge rushing core.
Who are the guys Who's who's going to shake out here?
Who's going to be the guys that are able to
consistently make quarterbacks uncomfortable? Because if they're not able to

(11:38):
do that, then the rest of it is that won't matter.
Quarterbacks have all day to throw, they'll carve him up.
That's just the nature of the game. Now, if you
have enough time, you're going to carve up a defense.
The game is just tilted to that.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
So you know, we'll.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
See I like, you know, a platoon of Cooper and
Benito over there on the other side opposite Browning. The
question is who's going to be the guy that steps
forward to be comes the guy, and I hope that
it's not a situational thing where you've got Cooper and
obvious rundowns and video and obvious pass downs and then
you're just kind of rotating people in other situations. I

(12:11):
hope one of these guys becomes a complete player and
is able to take that take that job, and take
that position and run with it. I get a lot
of people asking about Marvin Mims and great Dulcicch and
it dlso tests to stay healthy. If he can stay healthy,
that's that. I'm not counting on that until it happens.
As far as Marvin Mims, I mean, you know, having

(12:33):
a backside of the play speed guy, an explosive guy
back there, you know, is kind of what Sean Payton does.
But those guys, they don't get the volume targets that
the X receiver's gonna get, the sutton's gonna get, the
tight end, the running back are going to get. Those
guys they get pepper with deep shots and that's to
keep the safeties honest and if they catch them and

(12:55):
come down with them, good. But that's not really the
Sean Payton offense. It's not really firing the ball over
the field and all that kind of stuff. It's it's
you know, the slant to the X. It's it's the
back on choice routes out of the backfield, and it's
it's the tight end, you know, using their athleticism to
create space and and and sit in the soft spot
in zone. So that's the reason that you know, Drew

(13:15):
Brees had the numbers that he had and the absurd
completion percentage. He threw a high volume of short passes
that kind of kept the offense on schedule and moving
and you know, it's what made that that offense go
so at the end of the day, you know, I
I don't know that you know that Marvin Mims or
Troy Franklin, who I don't even think it's going to
be a year one contributor.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
If you've listened to the show, you know that.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
I think the team really plans on him being a
part of it, you know, more next year and could
be largely a.

Speaker 2 (13:43):
Healthy scratch this year.

Speaker 1 (13:46):
But you know, as far as that goes, you know, Mimes,
if you're a fantasy footballer, I mean, you know, late
round flyer on him is not gonna hurt you. Especially
when he's got the returnability and these new you know
return rules, they might might snag a few extra touchdowns
as far as it goes. But traditionally, the second or
third wide receivers in Sean Payton's offense are the tight

(14:08):
end of the running back, the second and third receiver,
the Z and the and you know, the slot guy.
They get a little bit of work, but the reality
is the offense is heavily focused on the X receiver,
the tight end and the running back and and kind
of you.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
Know, working solutions from there.

Speaker 1 (14:21):
And if they need to keep them honest or you know,
if you start cheating safeties up, then they'll use that
backside speed guy to to kind of throw the bomb
and keep them keep them honest. So we'll see obviously
the Denver Broncos taking on the Seattle Seahawks Sunday right
here on KOWE. You're home of the Broncos Rockies, and
see you buffs. Look forward to that coverage. We'll start,

(14:44):
I believe at eight a m. Myself Ryan Edwards doing
the gambling and fantasy shows. Looking forward to to doing
those again with you guys and getting you all caught
up on the fantasy football plays which Ryan tends to
have and the in the gambling picks. So but you know,
looking forward to looking forward to that, looking forward to

(15:06):
being able to get this season kicked off. You know,
I earlier this summer I had a bit of trepidation.
You know, I kind of had like a I don't know,
crisis of faith or whatever it was, and just sort
of felt kind of uninspired, I guess, and you know,
with football and covering football and all that kind of stuff,

(15:27):
and I think the grind of it sort of catches
up with you.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
For a while.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
But getting to go through preseason and see this team
with a renewed sense of optimism has sort of helped
me get back to where I need to be in
terms of, you know, my attitude and covering this kind
of stuff, covering this team and bringing you guys Broncos
content and all that kind of stuff. So I think
it's important to be honest. It's important to be transparent.

(15:53):
I know there's you know, people on the internet say
all kinds of things about me, and you know, one
percent of which is actually probably true. But you know,
for me, I think that being open, being transparent makes
me a target at times because I'm the guy who
will come out and admit my flaws and foibles. So
you know, I think I think earlier this offseason I

(16:14):
was kind of floundering a little bit, and I'm I'm excited,
though I'm cautiously excited. I don't know what they're gonna
win on Sunday necessarily, but I'm excited about the direction
of the team at least and and sort of seeing
where it goes.

Speaker 2 (16:26):
And I'm I'm less.

Speaker 1 (16:28):
In the malaise that I have been in over the
last I don't know how long, honestly, but excited for it.
I'm excited to excited to cover it. So look forward
to kicking it off on the Fantasy and Gamic stuff
with you guys. On Sunday, you're listening to Broncos Country
Tonight right here on KWA eight fifty ninety four one
FM News Talk Sports. Welcome back to it, Broncos Country Tonight.

(16:53):
Benjamin Albright here with you post Rockies edition. If you
guys miss any part of the show, you can always
go to Broncos Country Tonight, that Slash podcast or with
each air podcasts, Apple, iTunes, Spotify, the totally free and
awesome My Heart.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
Radio app failed it.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
Where you can get to take it for granted podcast
as well. Sorry getting drink of water there is for
coming back from break five six six nine zero is
the text line, guys. The KWA Online Pro Pick Them
Challenge is back this football season. It's presented by Verizon.
Sign up today to make you wait your weekly picks
at koclorader dot com. Weekly winner receives a two hundred
dollars master card gift card. Grand prize winner gets a

(17:32):
thousand dollars master card gift card Curtesy of Verizon, Presented
by Verizon, the official five G network of the Denver Broncos.
And obviously you guys missed the opportunity to get the
the Chiefs and Ravens pick in there if you haven't
already see to be down a pick. But who knows,
maybe you're the guy who's gonnaweep the oor guy who's
gonna sweep the rest of the slate and then certainly
you'll be on to you know, even footing next week

(17:54):
as well. So for those of you haven't gotten to it,
the Kapro Pick Them Challenges up on the website you
can find it. Kowei Colorado dot Com. Get registered, you
get to play against us, you get bragging rights, get
talk some smack if you know you beat us on
a weekly basis. Definitely want to, Definitely want to take
that smug look off Ryan Edwards's face. We want we
want to do this together. It's teamwork, right. Teamwork makes

(18:16):
the dreamwork. So counting on you guys to help me
out with that. This off season news and notes from
around the league. I think the big one right off
the bat, well big one for fantasy owners.

Speaker 2 (18:32):
Forty nine Ers.

Speaker 1 (18:32):
Running back Christian McCaffrey is on the field to start
the practice week, but he's not going to take one
hundred percent of his usual snaps. Head coach Kyle Shanahan
said in his press conference today that McCaffrey will be
limited in the session with the same calf issue that
sideline the running back during training camp. But Shannahan noted
on Thursday it's a calf slash achilles injury, and while

(18:53):
it's not new, this is the first known time that
Shanahan has acknowledged the achilles aspect of the issue. Caffrey
led the league with fourteen hundred and fifty nine yards
rushing twenty twenty three yards from scrimmage and twenty one
twental touchdowns last year. Additional forty nine Ers injury news,
defensive lineman Jedro Grosmados and linebacker d Winters did not

(19:16):
practice today with a knee and ankle respectively. Running Back
Isaac Guarando had a growing issue, Receiver Jean Jennings had
an ankle issue, at offensive lineman Aaron Banks has a pinky.
All three were limited for the forty nine Ers. In
tangentially connected Broncos news. Russell Wilson's training camp, which started

(19:38):
off with a calf injury, Steelers quarterback dealing with more
calf issues days before the team's first game of the
regular season against the Falcons. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin
toward reporters today that Wilson was limited in practice earlier
in the day. Tomlins said calf tightness was the reason
why he did not fully participate. It's the same calf

(19:58):
that Wilson hurt and training camp conditioning test, and Tomlin
said that Wilson will be going for further evaluation. Team
will announce injury designations for the road game against the
Falcons on Friday. If Wilson is unable to go, and
he would have to be I believe re injured between
now and then in order to not go. Justin Fields
would be in line to make the start for the Steelers.

(20:18):
Fields was acquired after the Steelers signed Wilson, but Tomlin
said Wilson was in pole position to start to kick
off the season and the pecking order never changed despite
Wilson's miss time. Remains to be seen if the current
CAF issue will have any long term impact on the situation.
Pittsburgh Steelers come here to Denver in the Broncos home
opener in Week two of the football season. The Bengals

(20:43):
list Jamar Chase is limited again. Te Higgins was added
to the report as well. It's the second consecutive day
Chase his practice after ending.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
A hold in.

Speaker 1 (20:55):
He does not have an injury, with the Bengals listing
it as another rest day. But Chase is working himself
back into playing shape. He's physically in shape and mentally ready,
said wide receiver T Higgins. And that's via killed no
of WCPO. It's all you can ask for, especially him
sitting out as long as he did feel like he's ready.

(21:16):
I ain't gonna see No Chain's gonna be the same Jamar.
At the end of the day, the Bengals added Higgins
to the practice report with a hamstring injury that limited. Higgins,
though that he feels amazing and will play on Sunday.
Additional notes, Defensive tackle Chris Jenkins has a thumbsu offensive
tackle Amarus Mims has a pectoral Both remained limited. Linebacker
Akeem Davis Gaither was limited with a rest day, quarterback

(21:40):
Joe Burrow with the right wrist, and receiver Jermaine Burton
with a toe or full participants. Burton was a new
addition to the injury report. We talked about the forty
nine Ers a little bit. Forty nine Ers general manager
John Lynch said earlier the team expects wide receiver Ricky
Pearsall to play this season despite getting shot in the
chin guests last Saturday. It'll be at least four games

(22:03):
before that happens because Pearsall has been placed on the
NFI Non football injury List. Today, head coach Kyle Shanahan
provided framework for Piersoll's first steps back to the field.
Pearsall has been around the team facility in recent days,
but Shanahan said that physical work won't be starting just yet.
He's coming to meetings, he's doing all that he wants
to go a while, a week or so without trying

(22:24):
to work up a sweat, and after that he'll start
as rehabbed and progress to getting back, Shanahan said at
a press conference. While the plans to hold off on
going full speed, Shanahan also said that Pearsall initially told
him he thought he could still play against the Jets
on Monday, so Piersall doesn't sound like he'll be idle
for much longer than doctors advised him to be. Falcons

(22:47):
tight end Kyle Pitts upgraded to full participant on the
Thursday injury report. Kyle Pitts is moving in a positive
direction for his availability this weekend. While Pitts was limited
with a hamstring injury for Wednesday's practice, he was upgraded
a full participant on Atlanta's report today. Pits who's twenty three,
caught fifty three passes for six hundred sixty seven yards
and three touchdowns last season. The Falcons added corner Antonio

(23:10):
Hamilton to their practice report with a groin injury. Linebacker
Nate Landman was again limited with a quad injury. A
lot of contracts going around as teams pushed towards the
first game of the season and the opening kickoff team.
No exceptions TI did Noah Gray agreed to a three
year contract extension with the Chiefs. Hours before the season opener,

(23:31):
The Chiefs agreed to an extension. Aaron Schefter of ESPN
reports that Gray will receive a three year, eighteen million
dollar extension that includes ten point one million fully guaranteed
as signing. Chiefs made Gray a fifth round pick in
twenty twenty one, and he's played fifty games with nineteen starts.
Last season, Gray started a career high ten games with
the Chiefs and two tight end sets along with Travis

(23:52):
Kelce and Gray had a career high three hundred five
yards two touchdowns on twenty eight catches. Gray played five
hundred and ninety two offensive snaps last seas He's in
more than fifty five percent of the plays and two
hundred nineteen on special teams. For his career, he's seen
action on fourteen hundred and seventy eight offensive snaps and
seven hundred and eighty one on special teams. Gray has
totaled sixty three catches for six hundred and forty yards and

(24:14):
four touchdowns in three seasons. Gino Smith confirms his camp
reached out to the Seahawks about a contract extension. Gino
Smith's contract runs through twenty twenty five, but the Seahawks
quarterback has no guaranteed money left after this year. He
confirmed to Beat reporters Wednesday that his representation approached the

(24:36):
Seahawks about a contract extension this offseason. That's true, Smith said,
via Michael Sean Duger of The Athletic. That's just normal business,
nothing wrong with that. The Seahawks, though, had no interest
in an extension. General manager John Schneider said last week
he hasn't discussed a new deal with Smith's camp. Gino,
who turns thirty four in October, signed a three year,

(24:58):
seventy five million dollars contract in March of twenty twenty
three after he made the Pro Bowl and earned Comeback
Player of the Year honors. Seahawks have a long standing
team policy of not extending contracts with multiple years remaining.
After he was hired as head coach, Mike McDonald didn't
immediately commit to Smith as a starter. It was only
after a trade for Sam Howell that Shane Eider confirmed

(25:20):
Smith was the team's starter. By not extending Smith, the
Seahawks have the flexibility look at a different direction for
a starter in the offseason, or if they're satisfied he's
their long term starter, or they could extend him in
the offseason. Mark's a big year for Smith, who is
seventeen and fifteen over the past two seasons with seventy
nine hundred and six passing yards fifty touchdowns to twenty interceptions.

(25:41):
The Seahawks take on the Broncos in Week one in Seattle.
Right here on KOA, the Eagles ruled out Isaiah Rodgers
for Friday's opener. Corner Isaiah Rodgers not going to play
in the game against the Packers and sal Polo Brazil.
Rodgers been limited in practic by a hand injury this week,

(26:01):
and the Eagles ruled him out on their final report
of the week. Rogers signed with the Eagles last August
after being suspended for a gambling violation. He was reinstated
earlier this year, but his return to game action will
have to wait until the Eagles are back in the
United States. Imacker Devin White was ruled out with an
ankle injury on Wednesday. White did not make the trip
to Brazil with the team. Wide receiver aj Brown, Guardland,

(26:23):
and Dickerson were on the injury report after resting in
Tuesday's practice, but neither as an injury designation. The Eagles
to defense is currently coached by former Broncos head coach
Vic Fangio. The outlook for Bill's backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
being available for Sunday's game against the Cardinals look a
little better. Tribisky missed the last stretch of summer work
with a knee injury that cast doubt on his status

(26:45):
for the season opener. Trubisky was able to practice on
a limited basis on Wednesday, and he moved up to
full practice today. Former Dolphins and Jets quarterback Mike White
is on the practice squad and would be called up
if Trubisky can't play. Lamar jack came out and said,
we would have won the AFC Championship game against the
Kansas City Chiefs if my legs were good. Ravens quarterback

(27:08):
Lamar Jackson says the loss to the Chiefs and the
AFC Championship game can be blased on his legs getting
worn down from a long season. Jackson said after a
summer practice that his legs were fresh after the offseason,
and it felt the same way at the end of
the postseason. The Ravens would have beaten the Chiefs because
his running ability would have been too much for their defense.
How I'm feeling right now, he told The Washington Post,

(27:30):
I wish I was feeling like this body wise in
the AFC Championship, we would have won the game. I
would have been able to move around for my guys.
With me just hurting and can't move, I know if
my legs were good, we would have won that Bleep.
We wouldn't have ever had to throw the ball. Bleep
throwing the ball. Jackson said he's desperate to get where
the Chiefs have been the last two years, holding the

(27:52):
Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season. I want
to feel it, he said. I want the ultimate award
of what I've been busting my has.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
To do all my life.

Speaker 1 (28:03):
I don't know that Lamar Jackson's legs would have made
the difference in that game. Jackson routinely criticized for not
being able to throw in particular moments of need in
the playoffs. I think two quarterbacks with the most pressure
on them this season are Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson,
because it's on them They've got to put a team
on their back this season. Jackson has obviously got help

(28:26):
with Derrick Henry in the backfield now. Cornerback Marshawn Lattimore's
practice preparations seems to be trending in the right direction
ahead of these Saints Sunday game against the Panthers, a
Lotimore was limited in practice on Wednesday because of a
hip injury, but he was bumped up to full participation
in Thursday session, and that suggests he's on track to

(28:47):
play in the opener. Assuming it does will be his
first appearance since Week ten of last season. Latimore missed
the rest of the year with an ankle injury. He
was limited to seven games in the previous season. The
Saints will be hoping the news continues to be positive
on the health. Fraud Latimore was the subject of possible
trade rumors this offseason. The Saints made one other change

(29:08):
to their injury report. Wide receiver At Perry miss practice
with a hand injury for not appearing at all on
the report on Wednesday, linebacker Willie Gay and Nick Saldeveri
were limited for the second day in a row. Linebacker
Jalen Ford, tight end Dallan Hooker, linebacker DeMarco Jackson, and
defensive tackle Kaitlin Saunders mispractice again. Speaking of the Cardinals,

(29:31):
Marvin Harrison Junior ready to be the best version of
himself or as Harrison Junior not only has comparisons to
his father, Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison, but also
do Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald. Harrison Junior knows the expectations
a great. He was the fourth overall pick and considered
a blue chip, can't miss talent. Cardinal's coach John Gannon

(29:53):
told Harrison Junior be you when he first arrived, and
Harrison Junior is following that advice. Will ever be another Larry?
If I could have the career that Larry had, that
would be great. I try to take it one day
at a time, be the best version of myself I
can be, Harrison Junior said, via Darren Urbin of the
team website. Fitzgerald was the third overall pick in two

(30:15):
thousand and four, made fifty eight receptions for seven hundred
and eighty yards eight touchdowns as rookie season, on his
way to a career amassing seventeen four hundred and ninety
two receiving yards one hundred and twenty one receiving touchdowns.
Harrison Junior only played three preseason snaps and had no
targets in the preseason, so Cardinals fans really didn't even
get a preview of what he can do. Cardin's teams seen.

Speaker 2 (30:37):
It in practice, though.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
I know fans are excited, but at the end of
the day, I have to go out and do what
offensive coordinator Drew pets and calls. Quarterback Kyler Murray said,
I know what type of talent Harrison Junior is. I
know he's Kate blub but we have to go out
there and do it. No one has bigger expectations for
himself than Harrison Junior. This is what I've been waiting
for to live out the dream. Jodah Jackson moving to center.

(31:04):
Jonah Jackson's return to Detroit wille him in a different
position than he played for the Lions. Rams signed Jackson
this offseason with the plan to keep it left guard
while Steve Avila moved inside the center, but Jackson missed
most a training camp with the shoulder injury, and the
decision was made upon his return to put a v
lettle back at the position he played last year. Jackson
had some experience at center, including with Matt Stafford at

(31:26):
quarterback when both with the Lions in twenty twenty. In
said he thinks he would have moved there if Detroit
didn't have Frank Ragnow that's something that's not new to me,
something I'm ready to play, Jackson said. It's via Jordan
Rodriguez of the Athletic dot Com. The Rams have other
issues on the offensive line, and left tackle Alaric Jackson
suspended for two games. Right tackle Rob Havevenstein questionable to

(31:46):
play with an ankle injury, So I'll be hoping that
Jackson's moved to the center position is a relatively smooth one.
Amari Cooper talked about previous trade rumors. Before Brandon Ayuk
signed his extend with the Niners, he was involved in
several trade rumors, one of which included the Browns and
receiver of Mary Cooper. Around the time the reporting came out,

(32:07):
Cooper posted, lol I wouldn't mind at all to his
Instagram story.

Speaker 2 (32:12):
As the season arrives.

Speaker 1 (32:13):
Cooper is still with the Browns and said in a
Thursday press conference he didn't need to speak with anyone
from the team about the potential deal. The end of
the day is neither here nor there. I'm just focused
on playing my best football. That's why Jeff Shuttle of
The News Harold As for the cryptic social media post,
Cooper said, hey, I mean the media is all about sensationalism,
so I'll let y'all have fun with whatever you thought

(32:33):
that might have meant. Cooper and the Browns agreed to do
a negotiated contract to start a training camp, giving him
a raise for the coming season, but Cooper is still
set to become a free agent for the first time
in March. They said this offseason hasn't been trying for him.
I'm not an emotional person, so no one noting he
doesn't take the business aspects of the game personally. At

(32:53):
the end of the day, you might be traded from
one team. It's all about how you perceive things that
a receiver also isn't thinking much about it. Possibility of
hitting the open market. There's going to be said there
because I'm just trying to be where my feet are,
Cooper said, I've been thinking about the future when there's
so much at stake now. Cooper became the first receiver
in Brown's history to record back to back seasons with

(33:15):
at least one thousand yards in twenty twenty three. He
finished last season with seventy two receptions for two hundred
and fifty yards and five touchdowns, despite the Browns rolling
out five or six different quarterbacks over the course of
the season, Aaron Rodgers, when I take the field, I
expect greatness. A long wait to get him back in

(33:38):
the lineups is just about over. Rodgers will be a
quarterback for the Jets when they faced the Niners in
Santa Clara on Monday night. No Mark has returned to
the game action after tearing his achilles four snaps into
the twenty twenty three season. Rogers isn't afraid to build
things up as motivation, but this one's going to be interesting.

(34:01):
Quarterback stress, the need to prepare yourself to really get
off the wave of emotions come over the course of
a football season. Maybe his approach to the big picture,
but getting to snap number five against the Niners might
be the impetus for a little bit of a jolt
for Rogers. Broncos of course take on the Jets week

(34:23):
four this year, probably eyeballing that game. For a little
advanced scouting, you listen to Broncos Country tonight right here
on Kowa say A ninety four one FM News Talk
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