07-01-25 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Broncos Country Tonight. Help it. Let's go on the official
home of the Broncos. All right, all night, Kowa.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Welcome into it. Broncos Country Tonight short show post Rockies edition.
Rockies of course took on the Astros today. A little
uh mercurial weather there at the beginning, but through it,
uh a lot of news going on with the dever

(00:45):
Nuggets and that's probably where our focus will be this evening.
Programming notes. We've got another short show tomorrow off on
Friday for Fourth of July weekend, but Thursday will be
a full live show myself Nick Ferguson. Uh see you guys,
you want to tne in for that. If you miss
any of these kind of the shows, you can always
go to Broncos Country Tonight dot com, slash podcast or podcasts,

(01:06):
whether that's Apple, the iTunes, the free and redesigned iHeartRadio app.
We appreciate you guys streaming and downloading there and doing
the five star thing and all that stuff. Last night
we had Steve Atwater in studio, we had Nick cosmid
come along Land Sanderson. So if you missed any part
of that, like I said, you go to Broncos Country
dot com Slash podcast or search Broncos Country Tonight on

(01:28):
any of these podcasting apps. The Nuggets have come out
of the free agency slash new year swinging Michael Porter
Junior obviously done in Denver. In a move to create
salary cap flexibility, the Nuggets struck a deal Toson Porter

(01:48):
to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, after the NBA's free
agency period began, Shams Karania from ESPN reporting that in exchange,
the Nuggets would receive Cam Johnson and the Nets would
also get an unprotected twenty thirty two first round draft pick.
Per Caranio, The Nuggets agreed to a one year contract
with Bruce Brown after the trade yesterday, reuniting the Nuggets,

(02:12):
of course, with the defensive wing who played a key
role in the twenty twenty three championship team, and the
trade sort of signals the end of an era in Denver,
as the Nuggets ship off a core player from the
championship team in an effort to create some roster flexibility.
Denver made those moves, is looking to retool its roster

(02:33):
salary distribution in order to be able to compete with
teams like the OKC Thunder who had SGA sid a
super max today the move was that move was the
first of significance by new tandem Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace,
who are collectively running the Nuggets front office in the
wake of ousted GM Calvin Booth. Porter, who's twenty seven,

(02:57):
played his entire six season NBA career. We were here
with the Nuggets since they selected him with the number
fourteen pick in the twenty eighteen NBA draft. Once projected
as a number one overall pick, Porter slipped in the
draft due to concerns about a back injury that sidelined
him his entire first NBA season. When he was healthy,
Porter was a key player for the Nuggets. He moved

(03:19):
into the starting line up his second season remained there
six foot ten to four with elite shooting ability so
you know, forty one percent from three for his career,
Porter was a key players the Nuggets made a run
to their their first championship in twenty twenty three. He
averaged eighteen point two points, seven points excise me some boards,
two point one assists last season while shooting fifty point

(03:40):
four percent from the floor and thirty nine point five
percent on six point four to three pointers. Per game,
but the roster construction had been proven flawed since the
title run, and the Nuggets have had little flexibility thanks
in part two max contract signed by Porter and Jamal
Murray he and the super max deals signed by three

(04:02):
time MVP Nikola Jokic. When looking for a spot to retool,
the Nuggets ultimately decided that Porter was the one that
was expendable. Approaching the fourth year of a five year,
one hundred and seventy nine million dollars contract, He's due
thirty eight point three million this coming season at forty
point eight the following season. By contrast, Cam Johnson has

(04:24):
two years remaining on a four year, ninety four and
a half million dollar deal. He'll earned twenty one million
this coming season twenty three million the following Johnson Cam Johnson,
who was six eight forward, The Nuggets had another sharp
shooting wing who he's thirty nine point two percent from
three point for his career, who's got some size while

(04:45):
they're shedding salary and move puts the Nuggets under the
first salary cap or apron and opened up a fourteen
point one million dollar mid level exception. And then they
also signed Bruce Brown to the veteran minimum, and the
Nuggets have sorely missed him since they allowed him to

(05:05):
walk in free agency in a move that was basically
dictated by the salary cap. The Nuggets get depth in
a defensive presence off the bench that was certainly missing
from last season's roster. Now, Denver had to give up
one of its few tradable assets in that twenty thirty
two unprotected first round pick in order to open up
that flexibility, and the need for change here was obviously

(05:28):
exacerbated by the second round playoff series against the Thunder.
You know, Denver repeatedly challenged the Thunder in that seven
game series. It was probably okay SE's toughest test and
route to the NBA Finals, but the lack of depth
was exposed, particularly in the last the latter part of
that series, as the Thunder bench made a significant difference

(05:53):
in a game that was one of the margins. Porter
played injured in that series. He had the shoulder ailment
that limited through up the postse, but new head coach
David Adaman also noted Porter's defensive lapses more than once
after taking over for Michael Malone. When when Malone was
fired and now that porter and a salary are gone.
It made the moves that the Nuggets made today significantly

(06:17):
easier to make. Obviously, they were looking to give big
manically Jokics more help next season. Took a step in
that direction this morning, agreeing to acquire Jonas Valenciunas from
the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Sarich. Valanciunas, who
is thirty three, gives Denver much needed big man depth.

(06:41):
He's a big body. You could spell Jokic or pair
with him if you want to go with a double
big lineup. In eighty one games last season, valance Unas
averaged ten point four points seven point seven boards, seeing
time with both the Kings and the Washington Wizards. Mostly
used off the bench, only started twenty one games. Well,
let's use also under contract for another two seasons. He'll

(07:04):
make ten million in each of those seasons. Signed a
three year, thirty million dollars deal with the Pelicans as
part of a sign and trade last year. The Nuggets
have continued to be one of the most active teams
in free agency so far. In addition to acquiring valency units,
the team also traded for Cam Johnson which we've already
gone through. They signed Bruce Brown back on a one

(07:27):
year deal, and they signed Tim Hardaway Junior today as well.
The middle level exception that they've used trying to I
haven't used yet, but they've freed up is trying to
trying to get them retooled with a deeper bench to
be able to hang with teams like like okay See Sarich,

(07:52):
who was thirty one, was a part time player with
the Nuggets last season. He averaged three and a half points,
three point one boards, and played thirteen minutes a game.
He will be entering the final year of a two year,
ten million dollar deal he signed with the Nuggets last
year and make five point four million with the King's
next season. And then of course that ver Nuggets got

(08:13):
the deal with Tim Hardaway Junior today, prying him away
from the Detroit Pistons. They're a pretty successful bounce back campaign.
The Nuggets were trying to prioritize a shooter today in
free agency, and Hardaway is now the latest acquisition in

(08:33):
this group that includes Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Jodas
Valencia units Old. In the last day, Hardaway's in Michigan,
a lump, son of Hall of Fame guard Tim Hardaway,
started seventy seven games last season, anchored the spacing on
the first unit with Detroit Yea averaged eleven points a game,
shot thirty seven percent from three. Only Malik Beasley had

(08:55):
more three pointers for the Pistons than Hardaway. Beasley had
three hundred nineteen, Hardway one hundred and sixty eight. Hardaway,
who arrived to the Pistons via trade last summer along
with three second round picks in exchange for Quentin Grimes,
made sixteen point two million in the final year of
his deal. Last season. Trajan Langdon had made it clear
he wanted the Pistons free agents to return, but so

(09:16):
Farleove Paul Reid has re signed, as Denis Schroeder and
now to Martway Junior have signed elsewhere. The Nuggets have
been hyperactive, and you know, I think that this is
I like the moves that they've made. You could sort
of see the visions starting to play out. Now after
two days of free agency, you've had a pair of

(09:40):
trades that had brought back let's not know this, it's
more of a more of a little bit more of
a traditional big man than than what Jokich is. But
you know, he's a guy that can give you quality minutes.
You know, in the in the third quarter when you
need to pull yoks to get ready for that fourth
quarter stretch. You can you can put Valenciennis on the

(10:04):
floor in the last five minutes of the third quarter,
first five minutes the fourth quarter, get you know, get
get that eight minute you know, breather for Jokic so
that he's got the the the energy to be able
to go down the stretch against other teams. You look
at some of these other things. I mean, Bruce Brown,
that's you know, that's a defensive wing. I don't think
Bruce is the same player that he was during the
championship run. But that's not to take anything away from

(10:27):
Bruce Brown. I still think he's a scrappy defensive guy
who you know, has the the ability to give your
team some of that that grit that it lacked last season.
Cam Johnson is a movement shooter. Uh he's porter. Was
more of a guy who had to find his spot
and then you had to find him and then you

(10:48):
you know, you pass to him and you catch and shoot.
Johnson can create his own shot a little bit more.
He can you know, he can create, he can shoot
on the move. He doesn't have to be spotted up
at his spot, and I think that's you know, I
think that will help with the spacing that the Nuggets
want to get. You know, it's all about spacing with Jokic,

(11:09):
so you can create these these these passes and get
guys open for shots. And that's theoretically what Hardaway provides
as well, you know, as another space option. Most mostly score.
He can bring the ball up a little bit, but
mostly he's you know, mostly you'll play the two guarden,
you know, and be be a shooter in that regard.

(11:30):
The thing that the only I want to say downside
at this point with all this is the Nuggets have
traded away most of the tradeable assets. They've traded away
every draft pick that they that they can trade away.
They you've kind of boxed yourself into this two year
window with Nikola Jokic here and in your flexibility, I mean,

(11:53):
getting rid of Porter allowed you flexibility to be able
to do what it is that you're doing now. But
you're about to tighten all that up there there. The
Nuggets are pushing all in on this, and I applaud that.
I applaud that, but I always look to look like
to look at you know, both sides of the coin,
and man, I the downside here is you've pushed all

(12:15):
your chips in. You've given yourself nothing to reload with,
and whenever Nicola Jokic does decide to hang it up
or the body breaks down, the outlook is bleak after that.
So I would suggest to Nuggets fans that you want
to be hardcore and supporting this team right now because
the other side of when this thing comes out on
the other side, after these next two or three years,

(12:37):
this thing could start to get ugly, ugly, ugly in
terms of the talent level and what they're able to
do unless they just hit on some incredible draft picks.
You know this this, you know this team could be
bereft in a talent in ways that will remind you
of where the Rockies stand right now. You're just not

(12:58):
able to compete. I mean, you've everything tied up in
this stuff. You've got your draft picks straight away. You
just you just don't have the assets right now. And
so it's it's gonna be fascinating. I wonder from my end,
I wonder what this means for guys like Strather and
uh uh and and and Peyton Watson you're talking about.

(13:22):
You know, it's interesting is they have pivoted away from
the Calvin Booth youth movement. I know somewhere, Michael Malone
is sitting there just bitter, you know, wanted needed veteran depth,
wanted veteran depth bad. And you know, you look at uh,
you look at what they've done with these four moves

(13:43):
so far in this offseason, and you're saying, Okay, if
Malone had had this, you know, this team might have
been although I don't think that's the only reason they
moved on from alone. But you know, Calvin Booth was
pushing the youth movement, was pushing the Jalen Pickett and
Strawther and Peyton Watson and all that stuff. And I
just I guess, I wonder what that means for this

(14:06):
team going forward. You know, I wonder what it means
for those guys you know, on on this team going forward, Strawther,
Jalen Pickett, you know, they're going into what this will
be the third year playing Peyton Watson be going into

(14:27):
or it'll be there, It'll be their third year, I
believe they and then Peyton Watson be his fourth year.
I think something like that to go back and look,
but you know, you've got Christian Brown who still figures
prominently in this rotation. But you wonder what happens to
these other guys, And you know, Watson, Strather, Picket, Deron
Holmes figures to have a role that that seems fairly evident.

(14:50):
But you know Watson, who u you know, averaged eight
point one points a game last year, shot thirty five
percent from from downtown, but really struggle with free throws.
Then you had you know, Julian Strawther, whoever's more points
per game average nine h points per game, didn't quite

(15:10):
shoot as well from from three point land at three
forty nine, but it was a much better free throw shooter.
He had eighty two percent of his free throws.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
And then Jalen Pickett, who you know, thirteen point six minutes,
four point one points a game, but it was you know,
it was a decent from three point land. He shot
thirty nine point six percent. But I just wonder where
this places them in the pecking order. There's only so
many minutes to go around, and now you're looking at.

(15:40):
You're getting Doron Holmes, back, Jokic, Murray, Brown and Gordon
are gonna, you know, eat up a lot of minutes,
Cam Johnson, UH to three are gonna eat up a
lot of minutes. Now you're talking about Adam, Bruce, Brown,
Luciennas and Tim Hardaway Junior behind that. I don't know,
you know, it did be interesting to see where guys

(16:02):
like Watson and Strawther uh fit in the pecking order
and how how they wind up dividing this if it's
more like a situation where they found the way to
time share it out, you know, with Indie and Okac,
or you know, if if we wind up going them
all own way with a super short bench once you
get to the playoffs and all that kind of stuff,
and there's a lot of time between now and then

(16:23):
for them to figure that out. But that's that's the
biggest question to me, because I'm not sure the Nuggets
are done. I think they've got one more move and
I'm not sure that you know, in this point, it
starts to look like one of Watson, Strather and Picket
are probably the odd man out. Just the way this
thing is shaken out so something new, something to keep
your eye on, and we'll we'll continue to look into

(16:45):
this as the Nuggets continue to retool and try to
push all in for the window with Nikola Jokic. Guys
listening to Broncos Country tonight right here on KOA. It's
eight fifty am, ninety four ONEFM News Talk Sports.

Speaker 1 (17:07):
Broncos Country to tackle, here, open, receive, let's go on
the official home of the Broncos. All Right, all night KOA.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
Welcome back to it Broncos Country tonight. I had been
with Albright here with you short show post Rockies edition again.
We'll have another short show tomorrow, full show on Thursday
myself Nick Ferguson uh and then Friday, of course will
be off for Fourth of July weekend. So I hope
you guys have a safe and happy holiday. I wanted

(17:50):
to get into some football stuff. I want to start
off with a feel good story. ESPN says it expects
Hall of Famer Randy Moss to return to Sunday NFL
Countdown and a full time capacity this season. Moss, who
stepped back from his role in December after revealing he
had undergone surgery to remove cancer as cells and his

(18:11):
bile duct at the time, He said he still had
to go through chemotherapy and radiation, but added he wanted
to return to the desk as soon as possible. Moss,
who's forty eight years old, also had a stint inserted
in his liver due to complications from his condition. Moss,
is in his tenth year with ESPN, returned to NFL

(18:31):
Countdown in February for the Super Bowl pregame show, the
ESPN noting that Rady's return on Super Bowl Sunday was
an emotional lift, not just for our team, but for
the entire football community, and knowing he will resume his
full Sunday NFL Countdown schedule beginning Week one, it's been
a highlight of the off season, end quote. Moss had

(18:52):
previously drawn attention to his health problems when he wore
sunglasses during an episode of NFL Countdown. He had shared
with viewers that he was battling something you know, internally
and would be wearing glasses about the show, but didn't really,

(19:12):
you know, get too much into that at the time.
Adam Schefter, of course, had joked at the time that
they were the blue tinted glasses he was wearing were
Michigan turnover glasses in the wake of Michigan's win over
Ohio State that week. Moss didn't provide much other information

(19:34):
at the time, but I'm certainly glad to see him back.
He made a remote appearance during the twenty twenty five
NFL Honors ceremony when he announced Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe
Burrow's Comeback Player of the Year, and during that spot,
he wore a hoodie and hat he created, saying that
that had the team moss Let's Moss Cancer slogan, and

(19:55):
sales of that merchandise went toward cancer research. So good
for Randy Moss. And you know, I think, uh, I
think all of us are. It's it's difficult for me
to believe that Randy Moss has been at ESPN for
ten years just to sign of me getting older. When
I start to think about that, I remember when Randy
was you know, was a Marshall. You know, it's it's

(20:19):
it's you know. And and of course his career, which was
you know, ran hot and cold, depending you know, when
he was with the Raiders, he was mailing it in
and you know some of the higher flying antics that
he had at other times, but yeah, it's fascinating that.
It's good that he's coming back. I think everybody's was
happy about that. One of the most interesting stories of

(20:39):
the day was this morning when UH Tom Plsero reported
on the Miami Dolphins we just recently traded Jaylen Ramsey
and John Smith to the Steelers. UH for Mike of
fitz Patrick reported that tight end Darren Waller is coming
out of retireirement and being traded to the Miami Dolphins.

(21:04):
The New York Giants, who Waller last played for in
twenty twenty three, are on the other end of the deal,
and in addition to Waller, the Giants are giving up
a twenty twenty seven to seventh round pick, but in return,
the Giants get a twenty twenty six sixth round pick
from Miami, So basically they traded Waller in a seventh

(21:24):
and get back a sixth move up around Adam Schefter
reported that Waller agreed to a one year deal with
Miami that's worth up to five million dollars. Waller will
turn thirty three in September, and the one time pro
bowler had retired last June after eight NFL seasons. But

(21:45):
now is back in the league after a one year hiatus.
The Dolphins, of course added him after trading away John
Huck Smith to the Steelers. Smith was part of the
blockbuster deal I guess that's sent along with Ramsey, where
the Dolphins got MIKEA. Fitzpatrick back and John who was

(22:06):
productive during his lone season in Miami. He got Pro
Bowl nod. You know, caught eighty eight passes for eight
hundred and eighty four receiving yards, both of the most
by a tight end and Dolphins single season history, and
he had eight touchdowns as well. Only Brock Bauers, Trey McBride,

(22:28):
George Kittle ranked ahead of John Smith and tight end
receiving yards last season. Smith was looking for a new
contracted part of the reason he was dealt to the Steelers.
He skipped Miami's offseason practices looking for a new deal.
Waller Well now headline a Dolphins tight end room that

(22:50):
includes eight year journeyman Farrell Brown, third year player Julian Hill,
both of whom have combined for ninety receptions in their careers,
as well as underrafted free agents Tanner, Connor Hayden Rookie
and Jalen Conyers. Waller, who had decided to retire from
football last June ahead of giants mandatory mini camp at

(23:14):
the time. The twenty fifteen to six round pick, addressed
his decision in a YouTube video mentioning his then impending
divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plumb, an unpacked and off
the field medical scare that he'd experienced during the twenty
twenty three season that he said forced him to reevaluate things.

(23:36):
Waller did not share that diagnosis or what his medical
condition was, but he described how he ended up spending
three and a half days in a hospital midway through
the twenty twenty three season. It occurred while he was
away from the team when he was dealing with the
hamstring injury in was a Week eight against the New
York Jets that year. Waller, in the video said, last

(24:00):
season in New Jersey, we played the Jets on October
twenty ninth. That got hurt in that game. The following week,
the Giants were playing the Raiders in Vegas. I started
to feel like this fever coming on. The fever starts
to build, start to get the chills, stuff like that.
By the time I pulled into my parking garage and
my condo. Get out of the car. I was shaking
violently and uncontrollably. Walter went on to say he couldn't
breathe in his bed the next morning, and that's what

(24:20):
he called nine one one paramedics responded. He's had a
hospital stay after that. Walder went on to say, quote
the worst possible thing for somebody like me would be
to think that I'm supposed to choose one lane of life,
one path, and stick with it like most of the
world does. End Quote here we are close to thirteen
months later, and Waller's returning to the NFL. He started

(24:45):
twelve games for the Giants in twenty twenty three and
reeling in fifty two passes for five hundred and fifty
excuse me, five hundred twenty two receiving yards at a touchdown.
He began his career with the Baltimore Ravens in twenty fifteen,
but best known for his five season run with the
Raiders from twenty eighteen to twenty twenty two. Waller was
suspended twice while with the Ravens for violating the NFL

(25:07):
substance abuse policy. Second suspension cost him the entire twenty
seventeen season the Raiders, though, Waller emerges as a star
who was vocal about the steps he'd taken to overcome
a struggle with substance abuse. Stitched together back to back
thousand yard receiving seasons in twenty nineteen and twenty twenty,
and made the Pro Bowl. In the second of those
two breakout campaigns, Waller logged one hundred and seven receptions,

(25:32):
eleven hundred ninety six receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. Is
yet to tally more than six hundred and sixty five
receiving yards and a season. Since it's going to be interesting,
you know, Miami, just this is a make up break
season and you're taking flyers on guys that haven't been
able to be counted on. I do not know what

(25:54):
they're doing down there in Miami this year, but I
suspect that coaching staff and front office are going to
get blown out at the end of the year simply
because they look unlikely to make the playoffs, which is
the mandate for this team. So I don't you know,

(26:14):
I don't know. I don't know what Waller brings to
the table. I don't you know. Maybe you take a
late round fantasy football flyer on for your fantasy teams.
I don't know what he brings the table at this point.
He's thirty three years old, out of the game for
a year, and hasn't been productive in five years at
an elite level. We'll see, though, Like I said, Johnny Smith,
that did really well in that offense last year. Maybe

(26:37):
it's a maybe it's a turnaround point for Darren Waller,
a late season career rally kind of thing. We'll see.
Speaking of the Steelers in Miami, Steels had to pay
those newcomers, and questions have started to stir about seven
time Pro Bowler, four time First team All Pro TJ. Watt,

(26:58):
The standout edge rusher, has been unhappy with his contract situation,
and according to multiple sources, outside team interest is likely
to increase following this week's head turning trade. Adam Schefter
reported on Monday that even in recent weeks, multiple teams
have been discussing that possibility. Pittsburgh, for its part, has

(27:21):
made it clear it want they want TJ. Watt to
be a Steeler for life, and that goal hasn't changed.
According to Tom Pelsero, who has reported the Steelers are
still aiming to sign wat to an extension. TJ. Wattell
turned thirty one in October. He is in the final
season of a four year, one hundred and twelve million
dollar extension he signed back in September of toy Towy one.

(27:45):
That season, he ultimately won Defensive Player of the Year.
The pass rusher market has changed dramatically since them Myles
Garrett broke the bank earlier this offseason when he inc
to deal with the Browns that paid him an average
a forty million annually. That's twelve million more per year
than what's been making on his current deal. As of now,

(28:08):
Watt is two to make twenty one point oh five
million in twenty twenty five. While searching for that new deal,
Watt has skipped voluntary OTAs and mandatory mini camp. Letter
of rich for the Steelers ran June tenth through the twelfth.
At that time. Last month, Ian Rappaport reported that Wat's

(28:28):
contract talks had not progressed. Everybody knows Watt's a twenty
seventeen first round pick the Steelers Hunter and Aker Sacks.
That's five and a half more than Miles Garrett and
the sixth most among active NFL players. He's recorded double
digit sacks and, according to Pro Football Focus, fifty plus
pressures in all but two of his eight seasons in
the league. Twenty twenty four, he had eleven and a

(28:52):
half sacks, sixty one total tackles, nineteen for a loss,
six force fumbles, four passes defense, and he's been the
backbone of a defense at four years has kept Pittsbroock
afloat in the AFC North, despite the team's under achieving
offenses post Ben Roethlisberger. Each of the last four seasons,
the Steelers have ranked no higher than sixteenth in the
NFL in points per game. Steelers haven't won a playoff

(29:14):
game since the twenty sixteen season, and the franchise is
looking to get over the hump in twenty twenty five,
which is why it's added a collection of veterans that
includes Aaron Rodgers wide receiver, DK Metcalf, corner Darius Slay,
Jalen Ramsey, john O Smith. Watt is expected to join
them eventually, but that reportedly will not stop teams from

(29:35):
inquiring about his availability. And speaking of the Steelers, Steelers
receivers coach and former Broncos receiving coach Zach and Zani
has welcome the reality the quarterback Aeron Rodgers has high
standards for his pass catchers. A Zannie, who was talking
with Brook Pryor of ESPN dot com, said quote, I
love that challenge. I like that. I'd rather have someone

(29:59):
that's dialed in the detail in the perimeter. Those guys
ultimately have to be on the same page. I understand
he's hard on receivers. I like that because I'm hard
on receivers. A Zannie has some experience. He was the
receivers coach in New York during Rogers first season there,
and while Rogers was ultimately limited to four snaps due

(30:21):
to an achilles tendon, a Zannie was able to witness
his style during the off season program a training camp
in twenty twenty three. We all witnessed it last year
when Rogers publicly called out former Jets receiver Mike Williams
for winning his route poorly on a play that resulted
in the game sealing interception against the Bills. Williams finished

(30:43):
the season in Pittsburgh and the holdovers from twenty twenty
four Calvin Austin, Scottie Miller, Ben'scaronic Roman Wilson surely have
heard plenty from Williams about the way their new quarterback
wants things. Rodgers only made a cameo appearance with the
Steelers offseason program, has more valued every rep that they
get with him, and they're getting some slow time sessions

(31:04):
down there in Malibu, So you know, we'll see how
say that shakes out. The Steelers have also recently inquired
about veteran free agent Tyler Boyd. I don't know that
they'll sign him necessarily, but that's one that they've former
Bengals receiver how to Boyd somebody they've they've been in

(31:27):
touch with and and tried to see if if that's
going to be something that they want to do. A
couple other things here, speaking of the Bengals swing to
the Shamar Stewart thing, The lingering impass between the Bengals
and in first round pass Rusus Shamar Stewart ultimately traces

(31:52):
to the the inability of both sides to finalize a
rookie deal. However, Stewart would have taken the field for
the team's offseason program if the Bengal had offered an
acceptable participation agreement. So what is that? Well, in theory,
a participation agreement gives the player financial protection against an
injury suffered while taking part in the offseason program. The
goal is to give the player the same deal he

(32:13):
would have gotten if he hadn't been injured. So the
problem is the Bengals participation agreement has some real differences
with the language as opposed to other teams. For example,
Cincinnati's agreement applies if the player quote sustains a disabling

(32:36):
NFL Football related injury end quote. Most other teams remove
the phrase disabling, which introduces ambiguity and potentially an avenue
for the team kind of lawyering their way out of
the deal. The Bengals agreement also doesn't contain a clear
commitment to give Stuart a contract commesur commensurate with being
the seventeenth overall picking the draft. The other team's agreements

(33:02):
expressly say that the terms shall be commensurate with the
player's slot, and so you know that way, if you
get hurt, basically you're getting traditionally what somebody drafted in
that slot gats as a settlement, you know, as an
injury guarantee on that deal. Other teams usually have a
paragraph that explains that the purpose of the agreement to

(33:25):
provide financial protection for an injury resulting for participation in
the offseason program and put them in approximately the same
financial position they would have been in but for the injury. Honestly,
nobody should ever sign a participation agreement. But if the
team wants a player to behave like an employee, then

(33:45):
the team should make player an employee by sign up
a contract. Right. But in Stuart's case, a participation agreement
that would have more clearly promised to give him the
financial package he would have gotten without an injury would
have gotten him on the field, would have deferred the
authoritier issue of working out final contract language until training camp.
Stewart is asked for the same default language using the
contract sign last year by a Marius Mims, who has

(34:07):
taken eighteenth overall by the Bengals, and that seems to
so far have been a problem for Cincinnati. Stuart says
that it wouldn't be fair to use different language in
the language that was in mims participation agreement, and so
the impact continues. You know, many people know the Bengals

(34:28):
issues flow from frugality, but this one seems not just
to be frugality, but also from stubbornness on something that
feels like a minor point. Just changed the language and
be done with it. So, you know, I don't know
what why Cincinnati has taken such a hardliner stands on this,
but it's costing them and getting their first round draft

(34:50):
pick at the camp. And you know, if you're a
Broncos fan with the Bengals early in the schedule, I
think you're sitting there saying, Okay, I like this. Maybe
this gives us an edge. Guys, listen to Broncos country
tonight right here on k Away