07-02-25 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to it, Broncos Country Tonight post Rocky short Show edition,
but allbright here with you. Programming note or a reminder,
I should say tomorrow full show, full live show six
p two uh to of them be tomorrow night right
here on KOA and then off Friday for the fourth

(00:20):
of July. Everybody'll be off for that, So enjoy your
your holiday weekend. Be safe out there if you if
you drink, don't drive, you drive, don't drink. But we
will have a full show tomorrow before we go to
the fourth of July break. And guys, we're in the
we're in the uh. We're in the dead of summer,
but we're within UH. There will be an NFL football

(00:43):
game this month, Hall of Fame game, preseason football this month.
We're already back around on football season, getting close, and.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
So that time is come.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
In fact, we got our broadcast schedule and everything emailed
around uh yesterday in terms of what we're gonna be
on KOA over all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
So we're excited about all that.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Look forward to to delving back into its second season
of bow Nicks. See what the Broncos can do as
they try to return to the playoffs, win a playoff game,
move forward.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
That kind of stuff. So looking forward to that.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
One of one of the things about this time of
year that's I don't know if it's interesting to you guys,
but but we get a little we get a little
bit of stuff. Former NFL Players Association Executive director de
Moroy Smith has a book that's going to be coming
out in early August called Turf Wars, and I got

(01:34):
an advanced PDF H copy of it. And there's some
some interesting stuff, you know, in this one Smith, Uh,
And I don't think he held back in this one,
particularly with some some comments about Uh. Aaron Rodgers has

(02:00):
some observations about the forward Packers and Jets now Steelers quarterback,
but Packers at the time, and he was a vocal
opponent of the twenty twenty Collective Barketing Agreement. Smith and
a quoting here writes the god of cheesehead Nation was
isolated and dismissive. This was regarding Aaron rodgers demeanor during

(02:23):
a player meeting about the twenty twenty CPA.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Quote.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
He sat in the back row of the meeting, issuing
loud sighs before standing for a dramatic exit. An incredible quarterback,
to be sure, but an even more impressive antagonist. End quote.
Smith also said about Rogers, quote, in August of twenty
twenty one, my phone chirped with a text from Aaron Rodgers.
Can you call me? It read could I not run

(02:49):
into traffic instead? End quote. Rogers has not responded to
any of that yet, but certainly an interesting look into

(03:10):
the relationship between the executive director of the NFL Players
Association and in his relationship there with with Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Uh, There's there's a lot more in there. And and.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
You know Smith who was ahead of the NFLPA for
fourteen years. You know it was kind of the frontline
advocate for for players through several you know, sort of
tumultuous years in NFL history. He had to Kaepernick's protest
to flate Gate, a lockout, two cb as Uh in
his time, you know, he he Smith is Demoy. Smith

(03:50):
is billing this book as his sort of narrative and
his his sort of witnessing of the league's response to
this crimination, racial unrest, and his chance to pull back
the curtain and speak truth to power. All those kind
of things that were in the packet that was sent
to me along with this PDF and the descriptor here

(04:15):
is Drawing from his years of unprecedented access and unparalleled
knowledge America's favorite sport, Smith documents his years leading the
NFLPA and explains how the NFL distorts the truth, telling
partial stories to insulate itself and grow it's twenty billion
dollars a year brand. The player's battles to protect themselves
from contract negotiations to battles over suspensions, Smith shows how
the union fought to protect players from greed, racism, and

(04:37):
dishonesty the league is built on. He also takes readers
inside closed door meetings and unreported conversations and confrontations with
the leagues most powerful figures. There's stuff in there about
Robert Kraft, Jerry Jones, Tom Brady, Roger Goodello, we saw
the air, Roger stuff. The book Turf Wars is the
title of the book puts every NFL crisis both familiar
and lets her known within a broader culture run historical context,

(05:01):
framing the league's rise as a mirror to America's own history.
And so it is or will be available in hardcover
August fifth. The hardcover price on that is thirty two dollars.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
And you'll Biley.

Speaker 1 (05:16):
I think you can get that on Amazon, So if
you want to get into that, it's called Turf Wars,
The Fight for the Soul of America's Game, and it's
by Demury Smith, the former executive director of the NFL
Players Association. I do believe if you're an audiobook person,
it's not available until release date, but if you're a

(05:37):
kindled or audiobook person, you can get it for like
fifteen to seventeen dollars if you'd rather go that direction.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
As well.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, the Pittsburgh Steelers are favored in
only six of the seventeen games they have scheduled this season.

Speaker 2 (05:59):
In and at the sportsbooks.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Throughout the offseason, the Steelers have exhibited the sort of
desperation that comes from not winning a playoff game in
eight years, and for that streak to end, obviously, they
need to get to the playoffs. Projected win totals have
them on the borderline nine to eight, you know, wins,
but if you look at the individual game lines, it

(06:26):
paints a pretty pessimistic picture. Andrew Philipponi of ninety three
seven The Fan, They're in Pittsburgh noted on Twitter the
Steelers are favored in only six of their seventeen games
to be played this coming season. That didn't seem right,
so I checked the lines at DraftKings and did He's accurate.

(06:48):
Pittsburgh is favored in six games and an underdog in eleven.
They are the favorites Week one against the Jets minus three,
Week two against the Seahawks mightus one and a half,
Week six against the Browns six and a half, which
is their largest favorite spread, Week nine against the Colts
minus three and a half, Week fifteen against the Dolphins

(07:08):
minus two and a half, and Week seventeen, which would
be at the Browns again, and that's that's minus two
and a half. Obviously, all lines are subjects to change
as games approach, and we you know, we got to
be on the lookout for injuries over the course of
the preseason and all that kind of stuff. Another massive
change for the Steelers would come if they have an

(07:29):
inability to work out a contract with eddresher TJ Watt,
So if he's traded and the team right now is
saying they have no intention of doing that, but that
could change some of this stuff as well. It's probably
honestly too late in the game to trade Watt. You know,
the locker room would have a tough time dealing with

(07:49):
the departure, you know, the where you're gonna send them?

Speaker 2 (07:53):
What are you getting back?

Speaker 1 (07:54):
The perceived prospects for the Steelers would would probably plummet
if the team goes from expecting to have what and
not having him, which you know, in a sense gives
What more leverage in his ongoing negotiations with team. But
in order to smooth things over, they'll probably need to
dig deep in the cushions of the couch and get

(08:17):
his contract somewhere north of Miles Garrett's, which is obscenely large.
But even if they do that, right now, betters aren't believers,
at least not on a game by game basis. And
so that's that's sort of I think interesting to watch
as the Steelers. Well, the season total says one thing,
the individual total says says something else. And so as

(08:42):
we're as we're placing wagers on the season, some of
us replacing wagers, some of the aren't. But as we
as we're placing wagers on the season, I think it
it sort of gives us a glimpse into, you know,
with the betting with the public at large things versus
what what they really think and when you when you
get it on that sort of microcosmic level. Talked about TJ.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
Watt.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
Another guy that's hoping for a you know, a better contract,
Sauce Gardner, the corner of the Jets. He's coming off of,
frankly a disappointing twenty twenty four season.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
He added.

Speaker 1 (09:16):
Bulk this offseason, added weight muscle, and he says it
makes him, you know, more explosive. He's listed a one
hundred and ninety, but he says he's at two hundred.
And he says that this offseason has been his best,
you know, he's more explosive with the muscle that he's
put on. So that'll be that'd be interesting to watch.
The Jets have opened negotiations with him earlier this offseason.

(09:42):
Saus went on the mcavee Show today and said, so far,
it's been pretty productive. We've got our goals in terms
of numbers and stuff. The Jets are aware of that.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
I'm aware of that.

Speaker 1 (09:50):
The rest of my peers, and he specifically mentions J. C. Horn,
Derek Stingley and Patter Tan got paid obviously before me.
But those are all guys, well, those are regular money
they got. It's definitely something might team the Jets are
talking about. Gardner, who turns twenty five next month, expects
more than the three million, excuse me, three year, ninety

(10:10):
million dollar extension that Derek Stingley signed with the Houston Texans.
Horn's average rank second to Stingley. He signed a four year,
one hundred million dollar extension with the Panthers back in March,
so Gardiner became eligible for an extension after last season.
He's due to make one point one million in base
this season, but because of this bonus and everything else,

(10:31):
he's got a ten point sixty four to three million
dollar cap hit. And he did make All Pro and
Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons, despite
the the season last year, and so it'd be it's
going to be fascinating that the Broncos are certainly happy
with the delay got Pats or Tan signed to setting
the market rather than reacting to it and winding up

(10:53):
paying more money. The Commander's leadership held a dinner for
members of the d C Council to discuss a stadium
deal which the council is going to be voting at
dinner was Monday night and via WSA nine. Roughly six
members of the DC Council attended. The dinner was an

(11:14):
upscale spot in Georgetown called Milanos. You know, there was
a point time in our history when activities like this
would have people discussing whether any ethics rules had been violated,
But since we don't care about those anymore, give it
the current political climate. The team needs seven votes to
say yes in order to get their deal done. Currently

(11:37):
they have four. Per the report, there was a small
group of protesters gathered outside urging the Commanders to pay
for their own stadium. The Commanders want to move things
along so the stadium be ready to go in twenty thirty.
The DC Council has been proceeding on its own timeline.
Council member Matthew Fruhman said of attending the dinner, frankly,

(11:59):
a big reason hearers to reiterate that we need some
time to do this. Truman, who's the award three council
members said, we're in the middle of the budget process.
There's a ton going on. There are public hearings set
for July twenty ninth, thirtieth, and then the d C
Council will be in recess until middle of September. Council
Chair Phil Mendelssohn will not commit to a prompt vote

(12:20):
when they get back to work, and the deal between
the team and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has a timeline
that is premised on approval by the DC Council by
July fifteenth, So barring some unexpected development that won't be happening.
The current pressure point for getting the deal done quickly
is to position DC to host matches during the twenty

(12:42):
thirty one FIFA World Women's World Cup. So for the team,
as soon as they get their stadium sooner they can
get out of the dilapidated building which they've been playing
And I thought that was interesting based on the latest
as the Broncos continue to look toward what they're going
to do, and I imagine the walten Petner Group will
ask the public for public financing on that and it'll

(13:03):
be interesting to see how the public reacts to potentially
chipping in for a new Broncos stadium or for updates
to the to the current stadium. We talked a little
bit about the Dolphins over the last couple days their
trade of corner Jalen Ramsey cater Coohu, who has appeared

(13:25):
in forty nine games for the team over the last
three seasons, yet hardly a household name nationally, makes him
the corner with the most experienced on the Dolphins defense
as they head toward training camp and he try and
embrace the chance to take on a bigger role after
learning from from the guys that preceded him, like Jayalen Ramsey,
you know Zavian Howard used to be down there. Jordan Poyer,

(13:47):
he was talking to the Miami Harold Barry Jackson of
the Miami Harold. He said, could I have to step
up be a leader in the room, show the younger
guys how we want our unit to be, just like
they did with me. Jalen ex Jordan Poyer showed me
the way. You don't always have to talk. You can
lead by example. It's gonna be a challenge being the
oldest guy in the room, whether you want it or not,
is a little weight on your shoulder because you have
to show the other guys. But it's not something I'm

(14:08):
not prepared for.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
End quote.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
Now, the Dolphins got to make a Fitzpatrick back from
the Steelers in the Ramsey trade and likely look to
add some more corner help. I had a camp, but
the more Coke can add to his plate, I guess
that's better for a team that's making a whole lot
of changes to the roster without much time before the
start of the season. Miami's depth at corner is frankly

(14:33):
embarrassingly bad. I know you had to trade Jalen Ramsey,
but like their their corner depth is it leaves a
lot to be desired. You got already Burns at the nickel,
but you know, Katerkhu and Storm Duck are considered the starters.
Cam Smith uh and the the recently drafted Jason Marshall

(14:55):
they got a fifth rounder are technically the backups. And
they brought in Kendall Sheffield from the Jets. I mean this,
This corner room is perilously thin, and it was part
of the reason I think the Broncos were so surprised
that Joe Barron got to them is because it was
expected that the Miami Dolphins were gonna take him.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
They didn't.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
They took Kenneth Grant up front, and so you know,
it's it's if you're Miami that defense just does not
look very talented.

Speaker 2 (15:30):
Overall.

Speaker 1 (15:31):
They got Bradley Chubb on there, you know, the former Broncos,
Jalen Phillips, the edge. Those guys aren't bad and Kenneth
Grant's not a bad player. Don't be wrong, Chop Robinson
in the rotation. I mean, I would say the edge
is probably their strength. But beyond that, they really don't
have a ton of talent. Maybe the safeties in Melafam
Wu and MIKEA.

Speaker 2 (15:49):
Fitzpatrick.

Speaker 1 (15:49):
They just don't have a ton of talent on that defense.
And you're talking about a team that has to win,
you know, you're talking about a team that that has
to absolutely has to make the playoffs and win games.
I'll start blowing that thing up, so you know, something
to keep your eye on, something to keep your eye
on there as as we, you know, look forward to

(16:10):
to this season. I think Cop Mike McDaniel, of course,
is a number native. I think I think he's in
trouble down there in Miami, and I don't I don't
look at this roster and say this is the roster
that's gonna turn things around and sell ownership on keeping
together the vision that they've had going forward, and I
think that's I think that's a tough thing. We come back,

(16:32):
we get a little bit more into the news of
the day. This is the Broncos Country Tonight right here
on KWA.

Speaker 2 (16:42):
Welcome back to in Broncos Country Tonight. Benjamin Olbrian here
with you.

Speaker 1 (16:47):
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 to get into some
football stuff. I want to start off with a feeld
good story. ESPN says it expects Hall of Famer Randy

(17:11):
Moss to return to Sunday NFL Countdown in a full
time capacity this season. Moss, who stepped back from his
role in December after revealing he had undergone surgery to
remove cancer his cells and his 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

(17:32):
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 Countdown in February for the Super Bowl
pregame show, the ESPN noting that Randy's return on Super

(17:52):
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 CAA Down schedule beginning week one,
It's been a highlight of the off season, end quote.
Moss had previously drawn attention to his health problems when
he wore sunglasses during an episode of NFL Countdown.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
He had.

Speaker 1 (18:19):
Shared with viewers that he was battling something you know,
internally and would be wearing glasses about the show, but
didn't really, 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

(18:41):
win over Ohio State that week. Moss didn't provide much
other information at the time, but I'm certainly glad to
see him back. He made a remote appearance during the
twenty twenty five and OLFL Honors ceremony when he announced
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's Comeback Player of the Year,
and during that spot, he wore a he had had
he created, saying that that had the team moss Let's

(19:05):
Moss Cancer slogan, and sales of that merchandise went toward
uh cancer research. So good for Randy Moss. And you know,
I think, uh, I think all of us are happy.
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,

(19:27):
I remember when Randy was at you know, was a Marshall.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
You know, it's it's it's you know.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
And and of course his career, which was you know,
ran hot and cold, depending you know, when he was
at 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 the day was

(19:54):
this morning when Tom Pelsaro reported on and the Miami Dolphins,
who just recently traded Jalen Ramsey John Smith to the
Steelers for make of Fitzpatrick reported that tight end Darren
Waller is coming out of retirement and being traded to

(20:15):
the Miami Dolphins. 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

(20:35):
traded Waller in a seventh 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

(20:57):
after eight NFL seasons, but now as in the league
after a one year hiatus. The Dolphins course added him
after trading away John Hucksmith to the Steelers. Smith was
part of the you know blockbuster deal I guess.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
That sent.

Speaker 1 (21:11):
Along with Ramsey, where the Dolphins got micka Fitzpatrick back
and John who was productive during his his loan season
in Miami.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
He got Pro Bowl nod.

Speaker 1 (21:28):
You know, caught eighty eight passes for eight hundred and
four receiving yards, both of the most by a tight
end and Dolphins single season history. Uh and he had
eight touchdowns as well. Only Brock Bauers, Trey McBride George
Kittle ranked ahead of john Us Smith and tight end
receiving yards last season. Smith was looking for a new contract,

(21:52):
and part of the reason he was dealt to the Steelers,
he skipped Miami's offseason practices looking for a new deal.
Waller will now headline a Dolphins tight end room that
includes eight year journeyman Farrell Brown thirty year player Julian Hill,
both of whom have combined for ninety receptions in their careers,

(22:13):
as well as undrafted 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
the time, the twenty fifteen to six round pick addressed
his decision in a YouTube video mentioning his then impending

(22:36):
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.
Waller did not share that diagnosis or what his medical
condition was, but he described how he ended up spending

(22:57):
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 it was a Week eight against the
New York Jets that year. Waller in the video said,
last season in New Jersey, we played the Jets on
October twenty ninth. I got hurt in that game. The

(23:17):
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 he called nine one one paramedics responded he

(23:38):
had a hospital stay after that. Waller 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

(23:58):
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 and 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

(24:21):
substance abuse policy. Second suspension cost him the entire twenty
seventeenth 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 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, eleven

(24:47):
hundred ninety six receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Is yet
to tally more than six hundred and sixty five receiving
yards in a season. Since it's gonna be interesting, you know,
Miami just this is a make or break season and
you're taking flyers on guys that haven't been able to
be counted on. I do not know what they're doing

(25:09):
down there in Miami this year, but I suspect that
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.

Speaker 2 (25:23):
For this team. So I don't you know, I don't know.
I don't know what Waller brings to the table. I
don't you know.

Speaker 1 (25:33):
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. It'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 it's a maybe it's a
turnaround point for Darren Waller, a late season career rally

(25:55):
kind of thing.

Speaker 2 (25:56):
We'll see.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
Speaking of the Steelers and in Miami, Steelers had to
pay those newcomers, and questions have started to stir about
seven time Pro Bowler, four time first team All Pro TJ. Watt,
The standout edge rusher, has been unhappy with his contract situation,
and according to multiple sources, outside team interest is likely

(26:23):
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
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

(26:44):
still aiming to sign Watt to an extension.

Speaker 2 (26:48):
TJ.

Speaker 1 (26:48):
Watt will turn 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 Toy one. That's the and he ultimately won Defensive
Player of the Year. The pass rusher market has changed
dramatically since them. Miles Garrett broke the bank earlier this

(27:10):
offseason when he inked a deal with the Browns that
pays him an average of forty million annually. That's twelve
million more per year than what's been making on his
current deal. As of now, Watt is due to make
twenty one point zero five million in twenty twenty five.
While searching for that new deal, Watt has skipped voluntary

(27:32):
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 Watt's contract talks had
not progressed.

Speaker 2 (27:46):
Everybody knows.

Speaker 1 (27:47):
Wat's a twenty seventeen first round pick the Steelers hunter
and eight kerr 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 half sacks sixty one total tackles, nineteen for

(28:09):
a loss, six force fumbles, four passes defense, and he's
been the backbone of a defense that for years has
kept Pittsbrick afloat in the AFC North. Despite the team's
underachieving 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
game since the twenty sixteen season, and the franchise is

(28:32):
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
inquiring about his availability. And speaking of the Steelers, Steelers

(28:56):
receivers coach and former Broncos receiving coach A Zanni has welcome.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
The reality the quarterback era.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
Rodgers has high standards for his past catchers. A Zannie,
who was talking with Brooke Prior of ESPN dot Com,
said quote, I love that challenge. I like that I'd
rather have someone that's dialed into the detail in the perimeter.
Those guys ultimately have to be on the same page.
I understand he's hard un receivers. I like that because
I'm hard arm receivers. A Zannie has some experience. He

(29:26):
was the receivers coach in New York during Rogers first
season there, and while Rogers was ultimately limited to four
snaps due to an achilles tendon, a Zanni was able
to witness his style during the off season program and
training camp in twenty twenty three. We all witnessed it

(29:47):
last year when Rogers publicly called out former Jets receiver
Mike Williams for running his route poorly on a play
that resulted in the game sealing interception against the Bills.
Williams finished 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. Rogers only made a cameo

(30:11):
appearance with the Steelers offseason program, so it adds more
value to every rep that they get with him, and
they're getting some slow time sessions 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,

(30:34):
but that's one that they've former Bengals receiver taught to
Boyd somebody they've they've been in touch with and tried
to see if if that's going to be something that
they want to do. A couple of other things here,

(30:54):
speaking of the Bengals swing to the Shamar Stewart thing,
The lingering impass between the Bengals and first round pass
rosser Schamar Stewart ultimately traces to the inability of both
sides to finalize a rookie deal. However, Stuart would have
taken the field for the team's offseason program if the
Bengals had offered an acceptable participation agreement.

Speaker 2 (31:17):
So what is that.

Speaker 1 (31:18):
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 would have gotten if he had been injured.
So the problem is The Bengals participation agreement has some

(31:39):
real differences with the language as opposed to other teams.
For example, Cincinnati's agreement applies if the player quote sustains
a disabling NFL football related injury quote. Most other teams
remove the phrase disabling, which introduces ambiguity and potentially an

(32:00):
avenue for the team kind of lawyering the way out
of the deal. The Bengals agreement also doesn't contain a
clear commitment to give Stuart a contract commesurate commensurate with
being the seventeenth overall picking the draft. The other team's
agreements expressly say that the terms shall be commensurate with

(32:21):
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 provide financial protection for an injury resulting for participation

(32:43):
in the offseason program and put them in approximately the
same financial position they would have been in but.

Speaker 2 (32:49):
For the injury.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
Honestly, nobody should ever sign a participation agreement. But if
the team wants a player to behave like an amployee,
then the team should make the player and employee by
signing a contract.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
Right.

Speaker 1 (33:03):
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 signed
last year by a Marius Mims, who has taken eighteenth
overall by the Bengals, and that seems to so far

(33:26):
have been a problem for Cincinnati. Stuart says that it
would be fair to use different language in the language
that was in nims participation agreement, and so the impact continues.
You know, many people know the Bengals issues flow from frugality,
but this one seems not just to be frugality, but

(33:47):
also from stubbornness on something that feels like a minor point.
Just change the language and be done with it. So,
you know, I don't know what why cincinnat He has
taken such a hardliner stance on this, but it's costing
them and getting their first round draft pick into camp.
And you know, if you're a Broncos fan with the

(34:08):
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 today right here on k Away