August 3, 2020 • 48 mins
Mike Blewitt and George Kurtz are back again for another edition of Football Full Circle! The guys discuss Deshaun Watson's future with the Texans and his contract as well. With LeSean McCoy signing with the Bucs, how does this impact the RB depth chart in Tampa Bay? Mike and George also talk about Jadeveon Clowney and where he may end up playing this year.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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and George Kurtz bringing you an hour of football full
(00:23):
circle right here on the Grid. So we're gonna get
right into a story they came out this week regarding
DeShawn Watson Georgia. In the previous hour, we talked a
little bit about Wolf Fuller, his top wide receiver, and
now Bill O'Brien said he was looking pretty good. But really,
the major story to come out of Bill O'Brien's press
conference with reporters recently was in talking about now he's
(00:47):
the GM and the coach, right, so is in him
talking about how much they love DeShawn Watson, how they're
working very aggressively towards a new deal. So uh quote,
Deshaun is a great player and even better person. We
want them here for a long time time. O'Brien said, Now,
this's got Joe Douglass in trouble when he said to
be a Jet for life, but I get the sense
(01:08):
that this might not be the same. I know that
we're working hard. We're not going to really talk about
it in the media, but obviously we feel so strongly
about him in the future of him in this offense,
in this organization, and we want him here for a
long time. He was a first round pick in twenty seventeen,
eligible contract extension for the first time this off season.
He made less than three point eight million in twenty nineteen,
which is just four point eight percent of the Texans cap.
(01:30):
He's gonna make four point four million in this season.
And the person that was drafted right in front of
him just before him in the NFL Draft a few
years ago, Pat Mahomes got the big extension, so it
was assumed that the John Watson extension was coming. It's
just a matter of time. George, Yeah, I think the
Texas don't want to put them in a situation. We
have a Dallas Cowboys are where uh right, So you
(01:53):
want to sign the guy. It's the price is only
going to get higher. I don't care what happens as
far as the cap next year. His price is not
going down. Quarterback prices are not gonna change, They're gonna
go higher. They know the cap is going to go
up in two years again. Once they knew, I'll tell
us you. You brought up a great You brought up
a point right there, which is really important. I'm sorry
to interrupt, but you have me thinking about it. It
really is an example of why drafting the QB in
(02:17):
the first round, you might spend a little bit more
money in that first contract, but it gives you more
time to evaluate it. Deck's contract was up because he's
a mid round pick. They didn't have a fifth year option,
and boom, they're paying him thirty seven million bucks and
it doesn't appear that they're absolutely positive that they want
him to be there. It's just straight that was this.
This is another segment old itself right now, we can
(02:39):
do that. Yeah, yeah, well, well we got to say
we'll get to it. Uh, because the show and watching,
he's going to get paid. I think most people, if
you're being conservative, he's a top five NFL quarterback, right,
I'm with you. I mean I can't see anyone. I mean,
mahomes Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, who else are you gonna
(03:01):
take over? Watson is I'm not saying all those guys.
I was saying, if you are gonna put those three
who else taking over to Shawn Watson to not make
him top five, you need two more guys to not
make him top five. I don't see that. I just
don't like people are gonna think I'm Some people out
there think I'm nuts. But right now, if you ask me,
I think I'd rather have Deshaun Watson than Lamar Jackson
(03:24):
in that I think the Shaun Watson's the length of
his career could play into my decision making because we're
still at a point where Lamar is running a lot,
and as explosive as he isn't he had the best,
one of the best seasons ever last year. I'm still
worried about that. That's still a percentage game, right and
(03:45):
I think Deshaun Watson I like as a player. If
I'm drafting an NFL team right now, and by drafting,
I mean a real NFL team, not fantasy, and I
can have I can have any quarterback I want. I'm
thinking to Shawn Watson as far as uh between the
OLST would take pack my home. Between those two, I'm
taking the show Watson for the reason you mentioned, I
think sooner later Lamar Jackson is going to have an injury.
(04:07):
I also think that the Shawan Watson because proved he
could throw the ball any pair as you want. The
mar Jackson hasn't proven that yet, so I need I
need to see that yet before I would take l
Jack's over Watson. I would take Watson as well. So
I don't think you're crazy, at least not for that reason. Uh,
there might be other reasons I do. But as far
as far as Watson, I said, the price doesn't go down,
(04:29):
It just doesn't, all right, So yeah, exigning him now,
that would be a good thing. He's proven everything you
need to prove. And by the way, no Hopkins this year. Now,
I'm certainly worried this year. What's going to happen? They're
not vastly right, but worried. But what if he has
a big year, Mike, does this price now go up
even further? Because hey, I can do without an elite
wide receiver. You know, I don't care you don't have
(04:49):
hop because I'm still putting up big numbers here, so
that can only I think. I think his price only
goes higher, not any lower here. So if I'm in Texas, yeah,
I'm working damn hard on getting that contract extension their
cap I'm looking at their cap right now too, see
how much room they have, uh their cap space for
the Texans this year and next year, which is really
(05:10):
sort of how you're trying to calculate it. So the
Texans this year twenty million next year, which is really
the important one because this will likely be an extension.
They're not gonna you don't rip up the year that
he's playing under. This will be an extension, just like
Pat Mahomes was an extension. It was a ten year extension.
So there's with the Chiefs for twelve more years. Um.
So here it is there, it's twenty million. It's actually
(05:35):
not that great. They have the fifth lowest amount of
cap space in the league for next year, so that's
probably why they're trying to figure out how to move
money around and everything else. You know, They'll keep in
mind there paying Laramie tounsil A, ton J. J. Watt
still at a big number. If I go two years
down the road, the Texans, I can't even see anything anymore.
(05:58):
The Texans are middle road. So nineties seven million dollars,
but you start, you know, doing the numbers and projections
of caps and everything else, so you know, they don't
have a lot of room. I think that's part of this.
I think they might have been in a situation where
if they had a little bit more flexibility like was
provided with Pat Mahomes and and the Chiefs, maybe they'd
(06:20):
be there. But at least they know it's at the
forefront of discussions. Welcoming in our radio audience to hear
your your answer to that. Yeah, yeah. So also, i'd
be a big part of the reason why they Andrew
Hopkins no longer part of the team. Right, maybe they
couldn't sign Tounsil Hopkins and Watson. They're gonna figure out
how to do it anyway. They definitely couldn't do that, right, So,
(06:41):
I mean it probably was Tons who's gonna be the
odd man out there? And we all know the our
offensive line, even what Tunsil is, Okay, it's not great,
Watson is really the guy who makes that team run there.
He goes, he buys himself time ball behind that line there,
so us and I get it. I think Watson is
gonna get paid. I think when all of a sudden done.
He's the set. He's gonna make the second most money
in football, behind my homes. He's not getting four hundred
(07:03):
ninety million, mind you, but it will be behind my homes.
But his deal may had to be more player friendly.
I agree. I agree. So George and I'll come back
talk about some more NFL news and notes after this.
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(07:49):
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(08:15):
You're watching sports Screen back on the Grid, Mike and
George talking about NFL referees and this at this segment
of Football Full Circle. If you want to follow us
on Twitter, please do so at sports Grid on Instagram,
at sports grid TV. George send him something nice this time.
He's getting all the hate mail. I don't know how much,
(08:36):
but at George Kurtz, tell him how much you like
his new microphone. Yeah, everyone, it looks great. Piece of
this This thing is very heavy, by the way. That's great.
He's got a lot of heft to it. That's good solid,
It looks good. So alright, just jealous? Yeah, not really.
I'm good with these flimsy microphone. I think I sound okay,
(08:59):
although I'm sure I'll be getting one of those in
the mail shortly from our our benefactors at sports Grid. Anyway,
there's a story about NFL referees. Tell me what's up. Yeah, apparently, listen,
this makes sense because of the pandemic what's going on.
They may be geographically assigned, you know. It's the generally
(09:19):
doesn't like to have referees really more than one home
game for a team because they worry about it or
the cruise for that matter, competitive balance and all that.
But based on the logistics and the uneven spread of
officials around the country, you're still gonna have some referees
that take flights to get to the games. Right. It's
you can't all go within driving distance here. But it
looks that they are going to do this. Uh, they
(09:41):
want refs to be able to drive the games, not
fly to games. So that's what their first thing is.
So you might have rest a crew really depending on
what they're gonna keep these crews together, that ref more
than one home game for a team, three could be
three or four. Once again, different the rules in this time.
Uh so what they say he has rules that typically
prohibitive officials from working more than two games of any
(10:02):
one team and putting at least six weeks between those
games will be relaxed. Uh same thing with the new
crew formations. So it's it's possible the same officials could
refer multiple home games. That said, the NFLOT usually doesn't
like that the sites have not yet agreed on an
opt out agreement as far as if the ref says,
you know what, there's like the players in my home situation,
(10:23):
my situation not gonna work. You know, I need to
take the season off. They haven't come to an agreement
there yet. Know how much I guess these refs may
or may not get some older referees in there as well.
You know, I don't know that, and none of them
really fall into the senior citizen category. But there's some
older refs in there, makes sense, right, I listen, I
would think the referees might be the ones who are
at the biggest the biggest disadvantage because remember, like somebody's
(10:47):
rest when there's a fumble. You've got to get in
that scrum, right, you see them diving in there, So
who's got the football? Mas, You're exposed everything else they are.
And pluss you're all around these guys, I mean really,
so yes, I think absolutely these guys are outside of
the coaches who are be goes day with the players,
you know, all week. I think referees are the next
biggest exposure problem for the NFL. So I certainly wouldn't
blame these rests for not wanting to. At the end
(11:09):
of those also thinking about that cruise that are assigned
to a Thursday night game or a Monday night game
may have to do double duties sometimes, you know, those
do a Sunday game as well. If it's obviously for
the Sunday to Monday, you gotta be close up to
get to the other game. This is This is if
you can have Ohio games in Pennsylvania games, right, if
you're a Steeler Monday night, you could have done the
Browns game on in Cleveland. That's a drive Giants Jets,
(11:31):
you know, playing in the same stadium. That certainly can
be done if it works out that day. Usually they
don't do that for obvious reasons, but now they might
consider doing it depending. Once again, I think this is all.
It goes back to how many officials might opt out.
They're gonna need guys to replace these guys. And uh,
I think those who worry about officially officiating leadership has
(11:52):
been tasked with redefining mechanics for smaller cruise of six
or even five officials. Well, once again, this all goes
I do have a number of officials say hey, we're
not doing it this year, and they can't do seven anymore.
If they do six five, Boy, you want to talk
about they are They're all terrible anyway. But if you
want to talk about games not being officiated, great, I
wonder if that would lead if you have a game
(12:13):
with five refs, five officials. I'm sorry, does that mean
more flags or they just let them play more? And
who gets left out? What? What? What? What? Officials aren't
going to be in the game? No idea, This is
I mean correctly now. Yeah, don't get me started on
the spotting of the ball. George micro chip, you did
(12:34):
that on purpose? I did. I definitely did ball chip.
Hashtag ball chip. We need a microchip in the ball
to more anchorately spotted. So yeah, the modified sky Judge scrapped.
I was bummed about that. Uh. Some people think there's
too much officiating, and while I agree with that sentiment,
(12:54):
I think I don't think less is more in this instance.
I think we're going to I think it goes back
to your point that you've made in previous hours, and
is that it's starting to look like we're not really
having a season. We're just gonna play a bunch of
games to get as many on TV as possible. Whatever
happens happens. You can't expect it to be as good
(13:16):
as it the product that's been in the past. I
know there's about a hundred million NFL fans that bitch
about the product every year anyway, as good as and
entertaining as it is. Complain about it. I'm probably one
of them at times. UM I try not to bang
on the officiating as much as others because um it
(13:37):
would drive me crazy and I'm trying to be positive
and and still like the sport. You and I have
to add this discussion in the past about how in
some ways it's not as fun to watch football now
as it was when we were younger. But you could
say that really about every sport, right, the changing dynamics
of the way baseball has played, the changing dynamics of
the way football is played. These safety measures are we're
(14:00):
the betterment of the game, but we it took us
some time to get used to it. Right. You don't
want to be the old guy banging on the table.
Back in my day, Ronnie Lott would take your head off, like, yeah,
that turns out that's not super healthy for anybody. So
we're gonna change the rules a little bit. By day.
Joe Cosmond broke his leg and half right, that's terrible.
Let's not hit the quarterbacks as much because those are
(14:22):
the most important guys throwing down the ball down the
field twice as much as they used to. So you
have to get used to it. Um. The only the
major problem with the NFL, as far as I'm concerned
is pace of play. Um. Not in that baseball takes
forever in between pitches, but in that there's too much
stopping and starting. There are obviously there are more penalties
(14:43):
than there used to be. That is something that's just
hard for anybody to get used to. Is officials have
a hard job. It's really hard, it is, but you know,
you mentioned all the advancements that the NFL has made,
right as far as rule changes and stuff like that
to help the game. Theoretically, it's to the safety part
of it. Whether you agree with them or not, that's
what they've done here. But yet they've done very little
(15:05):
to health the officials, right, I mean they having the
referee review his own plays is my mind, is idiotic,
and not having somebody in the booth and goes, you know,
press a little button, beep, Hey, well you got a
mistake here. They do that in college, right, Well why not?
Why not doing the pros? I mean, it just makes
no sense to me. Uh, the microchip thing, yes, I
was too. I wanted you to go on your little
(15:26):
rantier but you didn't take debait. But come on, can't
that's a whole segment. But come on, all right, that
should be done. I mean, that's not in my mind,
that's not It's just silly that the night they have
microchips in football's now. Ben Roethlisberger said it two months
ago that he's using a football so that they can
(15:46):
gauge velocity and spin rate coming off of Tommy John surgery.
So the technology exists currently I understand that it isn't perfect.
It isn't a perfect idea, but having people eyeball it
at the end of pressure filled games, when the players
are twice as fast as they are, it's insane. And
(16:08):
we don't have all the angles at times that the
cameras can provide. Throw a grid on the field, laser technology,
put a chip in the ball, well, know where the
ball is specifically. Yes, you have to do it in
conjunction with the player's knee or hand or elbow or
butt cheek that went down. But let's do it. Let's
(16:28):
just get on with it. I don't understand it. That's
my rent. Listen, I agree with you. That's I would
hundred percent agree with you here. I think it's silly
that we don't have this. That's what I mean. We
don't help the officials. You know, people think officials what
want that? Yes, they will, okay, they will, trust me.
No official wants to get a clone wrong. I know
it's not the same thing, but I referee men's hockey leagues,
(16:49):
and I we thrilled if we had replay here where
I could see if I missed a goal that went
in and I didn't see it because I don't want
to get the clock, and that's in a men's league,
But the only person getting paid is me. You think
these officials want to have a call go wrong on
a Monday night game between Dallas and Pittsburgh. That means
everything where millions upon millions of people now, so that
you blew this coal and now you're getting calls, The
(17:10):
media is calling you out, calling you incompetent and completeing.
You know, a complete moron. You know the teams hate
you to help you, want to strangle you and burn
your house down. How about lobby that these guys pick
up most of them? You know, there's a longstanding rule
that you have to be independently wealthy so that you
couldn't be bought off. Um, it's really a hell of
a I can't believe. I think Mike all right, if
(17:32):
I was independently wealthy, I'm not reffing. I don't know
why these guys do this, I really don't. I mean,
not only one that was sitting there recently who and
he's now doing a great job. I think a good
job on TV is Jean's territory. He was a basketball
ref and an NFL ref, so he's a full time ref.
A lot of the other guys are judges and lawyers
and everything else. So uh so that's it. JET refs
(17:53):
are gonna be assigned geographically. They haven't figured out an
opt out program. I'd imagine some refs will opt out,
but they're also her home during the week. They're not
exposed to players each and every day, so maybe not
as big of an impact anyway. Georgiana will come back.
I'll talk about more NFL news and notes right here
on the Grid. Will be right back on FFC Sports
(18:18):
grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips
as our team covers the most important topics in sports wagering,
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Want the edge than get on the grid Sports grid
dot Com. Back on the Grid, Mike and George welcoming
(18:39):
in our radio audience right here on the Grid. So
we're talking about some player news that happened this week, George,
and one of which pretty interesting Via Adam Schefter. Veteran
running back Lashawn McCoy reached agreement on a one year
deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Drew Rosenhouse, he's
very excited quote, very excited to play with established bets
(19:02):
like Brady and Gronk and trying to win another championship.
End quote. Rosenhouse said he won the championship last season
with the Kansas City Chiefs. Even though it wasn't really
much of a part of it at the end, he
was on the team throughout the year. There was always
when is Seawan McCoy coming back? Didn't really happen. They
had Damian Williams and others to fill in. So the
Bucks have added to leading touchdown scores from twenty eleven
(19:24):
this offseason, Shady McCoy with twenty and Gronk with eight teen.
That's via field Yates. So, um, we had Keyshawn Vaughan there,
which I think he hit the COVID list. We're not
sure if he's By the way, in terms of the
NFL COVID list, they're not saying why the players are
(19:45):
on the COVID list. It is possible that they're having symptoms.
It is possible that they've just come in contact with
somebody that had symptoms. It's sort of a overall general
policy to have people not in camp that are being
quarantined whether they are sick or not. Is that a
fair explanation. Yeah, I guess they're giving you some hints
(20:06):
at Baseball is just telling you the players not available
and let you guess. You know, it's kind of silly
in my mind. Why would you Yeah, why would you
want anyone guessing us to your health? It is not
Baseball is allowed to say, hey, you're on COVID, big deal.
I don't know what the embarrassment is about having a
contract to COVID. We can all get at any time,
going anywhere. It's not like, oh, you can only get
this with the bad places, you know, And and I
(20:29):
guess I can understand that that was true. You can
get this going anywhere, bank, supermarket, outside anywhere, the emailbox.
I mean, so, I think it's kind of silly that
they're they're hiding this or trying to keep it quiet,
whatever it is. But you're right, the player could be
uh could have come in contact with somebody, he could
be asymptomatic, or could be showing symptoms. So I guess
that's what they're keeping secret out. What are those three
(20:50):
options there? But kase youn Vaughan and Raymond uh Clays
is also on it, got it, got it? So so
how about this backfield? Then got Rojo, we got Lashawn McCoy,
dey a gounbo al A, We've got Key Shawn Vaughan
in there. They actually have a bunch of guys here,
when all put together, could be interesting. But Lashaw McCoy
(21:14):
is effectively just an insurance policy at this point, right,
isn't this the New England Patriots all over again? So
many backs? Which one? Which one? I mean? I had
some high hopes for On that he might do something
this season. He would have been the guy. If I
was drafting a fantasy team before McCoy got there, he'd
(21:34):
be the guy, no doubt. I'd want, not that I
expect the Houstons. He'd be a running back. Three. You
just don't want to pay for Road. I don't want
because I don't know what's gonna happen with Road. Joe.
He's got a bunch of chances here. And by the way,
what was Road to his main problem before last season?
Picking up the blitz? Now you have Tom Brady. You
had damn well but to be able to pick up
(21:55):
that blitz each and every time or you're never going
to see the field right so that that's an issue
there as well. I'm looking up I'm looking up his
his ADP right now, Rojoe specifically his ADP. It's not good,
it's not great. Job further now, right now, that was shot,
And I don't expect big things that are really any
of them right now. You know they're they're all in
(22:17):
that running back three, running back four category. Uh. I
just think has the most upside, you know, So I'll
take a shot with him if he's there something he's
off COVID by them, which I expect you will be.
But I don't expect big things that have any of
these guys right in on n f f C his
a DP n FFC for those that are unfamiliar. In
National Football Fantasy Football Championship, there's a lot of different
(22:38):
drafts and h it tends to be where higher stakes
players play. There are contests of all sizes, but higher
stake players play there, and I think you get a
little bit more aggressive drafting in terms of as opposed
to your home leagues. You get aggressive drafting of guys
who have upside but maybe aren't it's safe. They rise
(23:01):
up in those rankings a little bit Is that fair
to set those rankings. Yeah, I think that is fair
to s I would describe it very similarly. Yeah, Ronald
Jones is thirty two. Right there, This is uh a
snapshot of exactly this last month of July. Ronald Jones
thirty two, Keyshawn Vaughan was thirty five. So I think
(23:22):
there's still, to your point, a little bit of a
guessing game. I'd rather want, and I would prefer Jones,
you'd prefer Vaughan. If Jones is coming off the board
thirty second, Von's coming off the bar BOARDT five, I'll
take Jones. It's a risk, but I'm not want either
of them because of the reasons that you've stated. Yeah,
he gas, it's definitely a risk, but they're both low
(23:43):
running back threes, which is about right running back forwards.
Whatever it may be, I just I don't like playing
guessing games. But then against so many teams have guessing games.
You know, well, I've who's gonna be the touchdown guy?
That's probably the guy i'd first want the safe place.
Who's gonna be the PPR guy who's gonna catch the all?
You know that you might want to go with that,
I said, I would take Goes. I'll take the upside.
(24:04):
I just think he has upside. I think Rojoe, we
know what he can do. Sorry venture. Uh. The Shuan McCoy,
I agree with you. I think he's more of a
maybe a third down guy or insurance policy. Uh. I
want nothing to do what fantasy was. So I think
it really is between those guys. One is the guy
I want right now. But then again, Mike, if he's
not gonna be in camp for two three weeks, that
(24:26):
eliminates him. Yeah, he's a rookie too, so that hurts.
The Thing that we keep coming back to and a
lot of these teams is the veteran teams are going
to be really in a good situation here. That's guys
that are in camp. It's always the case, but this
is obviously a really unique scenario that we're talking about. Um.
(24:46):
In fact, just reading stories this week, Bill Belichick is
talking about how since there's no preseason games and you
don't have as much time, is this really going to
be at a disadvantage? And Bill Belichick and Bill, Bill
O'Brien and Doug Moron of all shared stories to say,
the colleges do it in three weeks every year, three
(25:08):
weeks and they're they're ready to go. So if they
can do it, the NFL should be able to do it.
At least that's the sentiment coming from certain coaches. So
this via Rich Jimini Uh New Jets safety Bradley McDougald
on a zoom call, says a former teammates to Davian Clowney,
I'd love to have him here, says the lobby in
his behalf, but notes that sort of thing is above
his pay grade. Simini Uh. Jimini later followed up, it's
(25:32):
admirable that he would go to back for the next teammate,
but the reality is that Jets have no interest in
Clowney mood point, so the Jets have some cap room
they could conceivably pay him. His name has been thrown
into his into the mix a little bit with the Jets.
But I trust Rich Meini here in saying that it
ain't gonna happen. He's the ESPN NFL reporter for the Jets,
(25:53):
so it ain't gonna happen. But I brought it up
because what is happening now is the Seattle think dead
because they gotta pay Jamal Adams next year. This is
really kind of a one year, two year deal for
Clowney anyway, right, I think Seattle still makes the most sense.
He played there last year, played well when healthy. Uh.
They seem to be going for it with Jamal Adams,
(26:13):
and you mentioned at this point you probably just the
one year and make a good deal. He'll go back
to be your free agent next year, you know. So
I think it would make sense for Seattle for that
reason to go for You might as well add another piece.
Right your secondary is now salve, but right now you
can't rush the pass at all, so you better I
would think Connie would make a lot of sense that,
even though I'll fully admit, Clowney, if you look at
(26:34):
his numbers, is more of a run stop for than
a pass gutter best going to the quarterback. And maybe
that's the thing for the Seahawks they would want be
if they're gonna pay that kind of money, they want
more of a guy who's the quarterback chaser and Clowney
at times. It's not that I don't know what their
reasons are, because they had the need is there. It's
not I think he's a better, more versatile football player
than he gets credit for Oh so I mean versatily. Yes,
(26:55):
we've used that word, sure, but I think a lot
of players want that guy who gets the quarterback, you know,
who's that kind of guy, and he's not that. It's
not a negative on him by that. He's a very
good football player. I'm cowboyd Fair. I'd love to have
mon Dallas. I think it would be a great fit
opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. But it doesn't look like it's going
to happen there either. For whatever reason, he's not getting
any play. I wonder if the pandemic and teams may
(27:17):
be thinking we're not playing in full season anyway, and
that as part of this as far as what's going on,
as far as uh, you know, what's going on, as
far as practices. By the way, I think we're gonna
see extremely sloppy football assuming we play in September. Do
you think the offense or the defense normally you would
(27:38):
think you would favorite defense obviously needs to be in rhythm,
you know, know where the players are going to be,
that sort of thing. So many teams have had changes,
and whether that be their offensive coordinate or head coach
players coming in. I would think the defense would be ahead,
but I don't. I think the problems dead too. I
think that we breakdowns there or you're gonna see we
see guys anyway roaming all alone in the secondary because
somebody forgot missed a I mean, I think we'll see
(28:00):
more of that too, which an easy pitching catch for
long touchdown, it goes no one covered the guy. Yeah,
but I think it's gonna be very sloppy because what
we keep hammering on over and over again. You know
the fact that no mini camps, training campers now shortened,
padded practices have been lessened. I think hitting in the
first couple of weeks gonna be interesting. And I think
we're gonna see more injuries this year than ever before. Yeah.
(28:23):
So I'm just looking at some of the other teams
that could potentially be in the mix. We'll start it
out with the Seahawks. They got seventeen million in cap space.
Here's the teams that have seventeen million dollars or more
in cap space, right, I'm just trying to pick a
number around fifteen million bucks, George that Clowney could take up.
Jaguars are at sixteen. They don't count uh, Seahawks, Dolphins,
(28:47):
I'm going up the ladder to stop me. When you
think a team could sign or want Clown, I think
Miami would be interested, but I think they've come out
and said have already said no as well. Yeah, it
just doesn't make I mean, they're building it from the
ground up. They're they're gonna acquire players. They're not gonna
sign a bunch of free agents yet on a one
year deal. He does nothing for them. Dolphins, Bears, Texans, Chargers, Frontos.
(29:13):
I'm gonna say he's not going to go to Houston. Uh, Jets, Cults, Lions, Cults,
Patriots of Bengals, Titans. We've heard Titans over to have
the most somewhat interest. Giants organization thinks they're going to
(29:34):
get every free agent, at least their fan base does.
The Eagles, Bills, Washington Browns. Browns aren't going to pay
another pass rush. Browns have already said no as well.
We had. We talked about them earlier as well, and
they came out and said no. Thanks. The reason that
the rumors make sense, it's because there's only two teams
that really makes sense, the Seahawks and the Titans. The
Titles could do it. They have the money. They can't
(29:55):
have the money. I don't know if they necessarily have
the need. That defensive line is pretty stacked as it
is to feel pretty good. Yeah, they're gonna feel a need. Depth.
Depth isn't. Depth isn't. It's not a terrible luxury. Again,
it's a one year deal. There's no bad one year deal.
So talk about this all the time. I agree. I
just think Brandon Graham, Derry Barnett. I don't think they're
looking for it. I don't think they'll do it Tennessee.
(30:15):
That's been the place of the most smoke. I think
that still makes the most sense. And then Vic Beasley
doesn't show up to camp. You gotta be thinking about
it now. So George and I will come back talk
a little bit more NFL after this on the Grid.
We'll be right back on a f seat. Sports grid
dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips as
(30:38):
our team covers the most important topics in sports wagering,
real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more.
Want the edge than get on the grid. Sports grid
dot Com. Back on the Grid, Mike and George talking
about a few different players, here. News regarding Vic Beasley
(30:59):
this week was really strange, George. According to the Tennessee
and Titans GM John Robinson calls Vick Beasley's absence from
training camp unexcused, says he will report soon. So Vic Beasley,
a former first round pick of the Falcons, frankly hasn't
lived up to expectations of being a top half of
(31:21):
the first round pick. He moves to the Titans on
a one year deal, one year prove it deal, and
then didn't show up to report for COVID testing and
just hasn't been around. We're still at an impast as
to whether or not when he's going to show up
at the time that we're recording this. But it's an oddity.
(31:43):
It does happen most years in the NFL. There's always
some story like this. But a guy that just sort
of got a pretty good deal, an eight figure deal
out of the Titans on a one year prove it
no shows it. That's odd to me, and you have
to wonder if they're thinking twice about this, especially with
Jadavian Clowney blooming out there. Yeah, that is definitely odd.
(32:06):
It's the fact that he signed a one year and
make good deal and it's it was a good deal,
not a poor deal at all, and yet then he
just doesn't show it and this these times it forces
the team to wonder about the player. Is he coming,
is he not coming? Does he have it? Is he's
sick and we don't know about it because he wasn't
in communication with the team at the time like latest reports,
so that he might be in communication. It does plan
(32:27):
on reporting eventually. We think Robinson thinks the GMBA the
of the team. We'll see what happens there. But it's
definitely an odd little thing. And I think you're absolutely right.
If Tennessee could do it all over again, they would
sign Clowney for the one year deal, and not easily. Sure.
He's a twenty eight year old outside Lampark. He was
the number eight overall pick one year nine and a
(32:47):
half million dollar deal in March thirty seven and a
half sacks through his first five NFL seasons, including a
league leading fifteen and a half and sixteen that's the problem.
He got to the point in year uh two or
year in year two where he led the league in sacks,
and then it all fell apart. He was on that
Falcons team that famously blew the hugely to the Patriots
(33:07):
in the Super Bowl. Um, and he was a big
defender on that team. But um, I don't know. Yeah,
I think you're right now. Clowney would cost nearly twice
as much on a one year deal. Right, you're probably
looking at seventeen on a one year deal. It's north
of fifteen. That's probably what there was part of their
thought process, right, George. They didn't know if Clowney was
(33:29):
necessarily available, but they're probably also doing the math. We
can have Beasley for two thirds of what it costs Clowney.
But now there there. I mean, this is an odd thing.
They communicated to him that he's unexcused, and he's still
not there. It's weird. I say, you'd like to know
why I found a team, That's what I want to know.
Why aren't you here? Are you thinking about opting out?
(33:51):
Is that? Why have you already opted out? You know,
I just haven't told anybody, So yeah, i'd be concerned.
I'd absolutely be concerned. It would be driving me kind
of crazy here because they need to know what to
do because let's say he is opting out, which I
don't think it's going with the case he let's say,
if he is well, now Tennessee has to scramble. Maybe
now they still have to go talk to Clowney and
see if you'll sign the twelve million you know, something
(34:12):
like that, you know, rather than the the one you
hired number. He might want them the tricking part about
the contracts because that would toll right. But it's a
one year deal. They were totally they but can they
avoid it? Pay him to whatever bonuses? He was all,
I think you can always avoid if both sides agree,
you can avoid it. I don't know if the NFL
(34:33):
can do it without the player's consent. Now, if he's
opting out, you just have to cut him and on
him whatever guarantees right right, right, So I don't think
they'll be able to just say to get rid of
him without the player's consent there and that it probably
won't happen. And we don't know why. I mean, he
is the upset with the organization. Do you find out
he could have gotten a better over elsewhere? I mean,
(34:55):
we don't know why. That's the weird thing here. Is
it COVID related whatever it might be, because the contract
seems to be a pretty good one for a one
year deal, a prove it deal for guy has done
nothing in a couple of years, So strange going s here.
I understand why Tennessee would be upset about this because
they need to know. We keep talking about, you know,
when the COVID opt out is because general man just
want to know, and they have it now is Monday, right?
(35:18):
I believe it should be a couple of weeks later.
But I understand why this would drive Robinson a little battie.
Rhannon Walker from the Athletic DC reports that Randy Jordan's
said that Antonio Gibson has been sitting in on the
running back meetings, but they also make sure he gets
enough wide receiver technical work too. For those that are
unfamiliar with Antonio Gibson, he is that breed of hybrid
(35:43):
wide receiver running back that the NFL is covering these days.
He's out of Memphis. Uh. He's really seen more as
a wide receiver than a running back by some, but
this tweet encapsulates that he is this versatile, impactful player. Um,
would you compare him to James White? Would you compare him?
(36:03):
I don't know exactly you compare him too, But he's
really seen as a pass catching threat more than he
is between the tackles type of player. Well, they're never
going to use them between the tackles anyway. I mean,
you got a Pa, you got Darius guys. He's not
gonna see that. That's what those guys are there for.
So they better hope he can, uh you know he
can catch the ball because they can't. It's just a
(36:24):
useless pick. But I think they want to use him
as a weapon. What's that? That's the term you like
to use a football when the guy doesn't have really
one position. Do they want to use him as a weapon,
whether it be in the slot, out of the backfield,
you know, outside outside of McLaurin. I mean, there's really
not a lot of guys there. You know, they are
pushing him for targets. You can play tied in at
this rate. You know, they don't get much there either.
(36:45):
So I think he'll I was gonna say an impact,
but I think that's the wrong choice of worlds. I
think they'll make an impact. As far as he'll get.
There'll be plays designed for him to use his skill
set there. It's not like that Washington has a whole bunch.
They know how much else going on here, they have
to use him. They have to get him involved in
the offense. And Calvin Harmon was one of their players
towards as one of their wide receivers towards a c
(37:06):
L it's Terry McLaurin, Antonio Candy, Golden Cams, Cam Sims,
Steven Sims, Trey Quinn. That's a receiving corps. I think
McLaren is going to be a star in the league,
I really do. But they're tight ends are Richard Rodgers
and Jeremy Sprinkle. This is rough Man is good, but
he's gonna see all of the focus. Yeah he should,
(37:29):
I mean, and you don't have Tom Brady Throney of Haskins.
I don't know how this is gonna work out for him.
What worries me is that they becomes a conservative offense.
Ron Rovere can get this defense playing well, it's a
good talented defense, and then they just go really conservative.
So then we don't know what we really have in
Haskins because they're running the ball so much there from
a percentage standpoint, but without there, without an inability to
(37:53):
score latent games, he's just gonna have to start throwing
it in risk your situations. I'm laugh he goes, I'm
just thinking of how long you're along. Did I agree
with you that the Rivere is gonna want to keep
these kind of games close. He's gonna want a game
manager at quarterback, and boy does he sort of have
when who just got healthy now and has been cleared
to play and uh Smith and he's not he's not
gonna play, mind, you know, not full time and not started.
(38:15):
But I think that's the kind of quote back. They'd
be looking for a guy who won't make mistakes and
put that defense in bed situations, especially with this offense
that lacks playmakers all over the place. Yeah. For those
of you that haven't watched the Project eleven that ESPN
did on Alex Smith, I highly recommend watching it. It
is a very graphic behind the scenes look at his
(38:41):
road back to where he's gotten now. It was filmed
a while ago, so you haven't even seen recent progress
from it. But to see what he went through and
the severity of the injury of shocking, I think, and
people that are not football fans would think that people
are crazy forever playing football. To see what he went
through it was. He had to receive a lot of
console station from military doctors in order to help repair
(39:03):
his legs. So um, kudos to him for making it
all the way back. I can't believe he's even going
to attempt to play football again, but I understand, you know,
it's driven him his whole life, So I'm not suggesting
he should quit. I'm just surprised that he's made it
to this point. I wonder this, Uh, I want. I
know it's not the same thing, but just as they
went through my mind, I used to play a lot
(39:23):
of hockey. I tore my a c L. And when
after I recover, did my rehab, I came back to play,
and I I because I want to prove to myself
that I could. I could do it, I could play
again and be that same player. You really really can't,
You're not quite the same. And I went to the
same thought process as to Alex. Smith said not so
much that he has to play, but that he wants
to prove to both himself and everybod else that I
(39:44):
can play, that I could. I have a problem with
that either. Uh. In his case, which is a much
more severe injury than the A c L, I think
I and let's face it, I well, I did mind
on a non contact injury. He's gonna get hit again
if he plays, I would probably you know, he's got
the y I got. I think he's got a family.
I think I might want to cool to day and
take my money and take a chance of getting hurt again.
(40:06):
Uh yeah, there's a lot of money on the table though,
so that's potentially a motivating factor as well. So uh
so those stories in place. Next story h j Ron
Curse from the Detroit Lions. He'll be serving a three
game suspension. This is via Aaron Wilson. Uh he covers
(40:27):
the Texans, but he also is reporting on other NFL news.
Suspended three games for violating NFL Substance Abuse policy. Was
related to a d w I and a weapons charge
all sort of rolled into one for this three game suspension.
I don't know. He played a lot for the Vikings
(40:47):
over the last sixty two games for the Vikings over
the last several seasons, George. The Lions are one of
those teams that we have talked about a lot. And
my head is swimming because there were several instances this
week where people were notable NFL personalities just making predictions
(41:08):
that are on board with the Lions winning this division.
I think the thought process is probably similar that we
think that the Vikings aren't necessarily that special, talented but
not all that special. The Packers are going to take
a step back, The Bears have a quarterback issue, and
the Lions might have Matt Stafford, who was playing really
well back healthy with all of these new additions. The
(41:31):
problem is, with all of these new additions, we're talking
about all these other issues related to teams and not
being in camp. With all these new additions, can they
really get everything moving in the right direction to start
the season. Yeah, you know what I'm looking at it now?
The Alliance have it hit pretty hard by the COVID
list as well, jay Len Elliott, Justin coleman Amani's name
(41:51):
I can not pronounce. Oh como forella, Kenny Golladay's on it.
T J. Hockinson's on it. I mean, it's probably all
we don't know how here, but it's probably all minor
and they'll be fine. But still to have this right
could be that as well. It's around somebody, but to
have all those games guys who now can't practice anyway
any kind of practice. It's got to be concerning here.
(42:12):
But I think it's as you said, I truly believe
whichever team, if any can get the ten wins wins
this Division nine might do it. And you said it earlier.
Minnesota lost Diggs, didn't really replace him, you got you
got some more question marks there. The Packers didn't really
do any additions and lost some players great. They may
not have been great players, Blake Martinez, but they were
still contributes to the Packers. And you didn't help Baron Rodgers.
(42:33):
Think there's issues there. And you know, I still think
they sold their soul to win thirteen games last season.
Then maybe that price is coming due this season. So
I think Detroit has as good a chance Chicago. You
said at Drabinsky Folds. You know, there's no team here
that I feel great and saying is going to win
ten games. So why not the Lions? You know, why
not to have the Detroit if they can, If staff
I can stay healthy and his offense can move, you know,
(42:54):
Galady gets healthy, Marvin Jones, they have a good running
back Tanna, with Swift and Johnson here good tight and Hockinson,
I think it will be back by then you know
why not the Lions. This year, Lions are plus six
hundred the Vikings favor to win the division and plus
one sixty Packers plus one bears a plus fifty Lions
at plus six hundred their win total. Remember doing this
(43:17):
in the past, it still remains at six and a half.
The over minus one fifty that has moved. I would
like to think it's the impact of this show, but
I don't think it is. I think there's a lot
of like minded people that think that the Lions can
get to seven um. As far as them making the playoffs,
their Lions bet to make the playoffs would be yes
(43:39):
plus two forty your best. I mean, they gotta been
with division the only way, the only way they're making
the playoffs and win with division. They're not gonna get
a wild card. If you get them to nine wins,
they could as the seventh team. It's tough. A lot
of good teams, right San France, Seattle, Rams are are
probably a better team. Dallas of Philadelphia, maybe both that
(44:01):
was in Philadelphia, New Orleans. I think Atlantas in their
same class as well. I think what you're gonna want
to do with the Lions, as far as I can tell,
is first of all, over the six and a half.
I think you're gonna pay juice on that, so be
mindful that you're not going to get the huge payoff.
But I think you want the division at six to
(44:23):
one as opposed to the playoffs at plus two forty.
That's what you're sort of leaning towards. Right, You're getting
a lot better value, and it's unlikely that they'll battle
it out at the wild card with a ten ins
nine and seven, ten and six record than they would
in winning the division and potentially that same record. So
George and I'll come back to close out this hour
(44:44):
of FFC after this week sports grid dot Com Betting
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edge than get on the grid sports grid dot Com.
(45:14):
M you're watching sports Screen alright, closing out this hour
of Football Full Circle here on the Grid, perfectly produced
by Brian Ritkowski along and here along with my compadre
(45:35):
George Kurtz. So, George, you're talking to NFL for the
last couple of hours. I'm going to ask a very
general question for you. What are you most excited about
regarding the NFL coming back. Is there is there a
benchmark phrase it a different way? Is there a benchmark
moment that you're looking for and being like, all right,
you know what I'm in Because the baseball was like
(45:58):
baseball got started, a lot of baseball fans were just
sort of all right, I'm liking that the games are on,
but this is weird. Is there gonna be a moment
with the NFL where you're saying, all right, this is cool.
I'm in you know, Listen, I'm a realist, all right.
Do I think the season is gonna be played in full? No?
Am I going to watch the games? Yes? All right,
(46:21):
listen nights. I told you earlier. I was on the
Scott Fellow Show last night. Aaron Judge hit that three
run home run. I'm a Yankee fan. It took a
lot of self control not to be screaming about the
three run homer by Judge during the game. I still
want the Yankees to win. When the Cowboys play, I
still want the Cowboys to win. Sunday football is still
Sundays of football Sundays where it's just enjoyable. I'm just
more of a realis than what I mean by I
(46:42):
don't think there's any seasons anymore. I think these are games.
And what I mean is, I think you put it perfectly.
I don't know if you said it on air or
between the breaks when you said these are really just
the owners getting putting your entertainment on TV and getting
paid for it. I truly believe that. I don't know
if we're gonna happen just TV shows. It's like it's
like college football Bowl week. You and I both know
there's too many bowl games, and people are like, hey,
(47:03):
there's nobody even in this tense. What do you care.
You're not going to the Bahamas Bowl anyway. Just it's
a TV show. Do you want to watch it or not?
Put it on or not? Is it entertaining or not?
I find it entertaining. This network is perfect for pol games.
There's lines in every game. Get in a pool, throw
some money on it. It's throw twenty bucks on it
(47:24):
and watch it. It's fun. That's my thought process right now.
I don't want people put in harm's way, but I
have to go along with the plan. Like any other
business that is being conducted, We're just going to see
what happens here. I don't want anybody to be sick
and still playing. I don't want people to get sick.
(47:44):
I don't want people to test positive. But it's going
to happen across society. It's a risk reward scenario right now. George,
it is, and I said, it's entertainment. We want to
be entertained. I want to be entertained. We haven't had
games for almost five months. All right, they're back. Enjoy it.
You and I kick control whether it should be played
or not. Other people are making that decision. I'm just
reporting on the games that are being played and enjoying
(48:05):
the games that they're out there. I want to watch
the Yankees tonight. For me, it's going to be that
first Sunday when all the games are kicking off at
one o'clock. That's when I'll be like, all right, this
is pretty cool. All right, everybody, thanks for watching. On
behalf of Brian Rokowski, George Kurtz on Mike Bluett. We'll
see you next time on FFC sports grid dot Com,
Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team
(48:26):
covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
predictive betting models, expert picks, and more. Want the edge
than get on the grid sports grid dot com
Sports grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your
fingertips as our team covers the most important topics in
sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more. Want the edge than Get on the Grid
sports grid dot Com. Get on the Grid Mike Blue
and George Kurtz bringing you an hour of football full
(00:23):
circle right here on the Grid. So we're gonna get
right into a story they came out this week regarding
DeShawn Watson Georgia. In the previous hour, we talked a
little bit about Wolf Fuller, his top wide receiver, and
now Bill O'Brien said he was looking pretty good. But really,
the major story to come out of Bill O'Brien's press
conference with reporters recently was in talking about now he's
(00:47):
the GM and the coach, right, so is in him
talking about how much they love DeShawn Watson, how they're
working very aggressively towards a new deal. So uh quote,
Deshaun is a great player and even better person. We
want them here for a long time time. O'Brien said, Now,
this's got Joe Douglass in trouble when he said to
be a Jet for life, but I get the sense
(01:08):
that this might not be the same. I know that
we're working hard. We're not going to really talk about
it in the media, but obviously we feel so strongly
about him in the future of him in this offense,
in this organization, and we want him here for a
long time. He was a first round pick in twenty seventeen,
eligible contract extension for the first time this off season.
He made less than three point eight million in twenty nineteen,
which is just four point eight percent of the Texans cap.
(01:30):
He's gonna make four point four million in this season.
And the person that was drafted right in front of
him just before him in the NFL Draft a few
years ago, Pat Mahomes got the big extension, so it
was assumed that the John Watson extension was coming. It's
just a matter of time. George, Yeah, I think the
Texas don't want to put them in a situation. We
have a Dallas Cowboys are where uh right, So you
(01:53):
want to sign the guy. It's the price is only
going to get higher. I don't care what happens as
far as the cap next year. His price is not
going down. Quarterback prices are not gonna change, They're gonna
go higher. They know the cap is going to go
up in two years again. Once they knew, I'll tell
us you. You brought up a great You brought up
a point right there, which is really important. I'm sorry
to interrupt, but you have me thinking about it. It
really is an example of why drafting the QB in
(02:17):
the first round, you might spend a little bit more
money in that first contract, but it gives you more
time to evaluate it. Deck's contract was up because he's
a mid round pick. They didn't have a fifth year option,
and boom, they're paying him thirty seven million bucks and
it doesn't appear that they're absolutely positive that they want
him to be there. It's just straight that was this.
This is another segment old itself right now, we can
(02:39):
do that. Yeah, yeah, well, well we got to say
we'll get to it. Uh, because the show and watching,
he's going to get paid. I think most people, if
you're being conservative, he's a top five NFL quarterback, right,
I'm with you. I mean I can't see anyone. I mean,
mahomes Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, who else are you gonna
(03:01):
take over? Watson is I'm not saying all those guys.
I was saying, if you are gonna put those three
who else taking over to Shawn Watson to not make
him top five, you need two more guys to not
make him top five. I don't see that. I just
don't like people are gonna think I'm Some people out
there think I'm nuts. But right now, if you ask me,
I think I'd rather have Deshaun Watson than Lamar Jackson
(03:24):
in that I think the Shaun Watson's the length of
his career could play into my decision making because we're
still at a point where Lamar is running a lot,
and as explosive as he isn't he had the best,
one of the best seasons ever last year. I'm still
worried about that. That's still a percentage game, right and
(03:45):
I think Deshaun Watson I like as a player. If
I'm drafting an NFL team right now, and by drafting,
I mean a real NFL team, not fantasy, and I
can have I can have any quarterback I want. I'm
thinking to Shawn Watson as far as uh between the
OLST would take pack my home. Between those two, I'm
taking the show Watson for the reason you mentioned, I
think sooner later Lamar Jackson is going to have an injury.
(04:07):
I also think that the Shawan Watson because proved he
could throw the ball any pair as you want. The
mar Jackson hasn't proven that yet, so I need I
need to see that yet before I would take l
Jack's over Watson. I would take Watson as well. So
I don't think you're crazy, at least not for that reason. Uh,
there might be other reasons I do. But as far
as far as Watson, I said, the price doesn't go down,
(04:29):
It just doesn't, all right, So yeah, exigning him now,
that would be a good thing. He's proven everything you
need to prove. And by the way, no Hopkins this year. Now,
I'm certainly worried this year. What's going to happen? They're
not vastly right, but worried. But what if he has
a big year, Mike, does this price now go up
even further? Because hey, I can do without an elite
wide receiver. You know, I don't care you don't have
(04:49):
hop because I'm still putting up big numbers here, so
that can only I think. I think his price only
goes higher, not any lower here. So if I'm in Texas, yeah,
I'm working damn hard on getting that contract extension their
cap I'm looking at their cap right now too, see
how much room they have, uh their cap space for
the Texans this year and next year, which is really
(05:10):
sort of how you're trying to calculate it. So the
Texans this year twenty million next year, which is really
the important one because this will likely be an extension.
They're not gonna you don't rip up the year that
he's playing under. This will be an extension, just like
Pat Mahomes was an extension. It was a ten year extension.
So there's with the Chiefs for twelve more years. Um.
So here it is there, it's twenty million. It's actually
(05:35):
not that great. They have the fifth lowest amount of
cap space in the league for next year, so that's
probably why they're trying to figure out how to move
money around and everything else. You know, They'll keep in
mind there paying Laramie tounsil A, ton J. J. Watt
still at a big number. If I go two years
down the road, the Texans, I can't even see anything anymore.
(05:58):
The Texans are middle road. So nineties seven million dollars,
but you start, you know, doing the numbers and projections
of caps and everything else, so you know, they don't
have a lot of room. I think that's part of this.
I think they might have been in a situation where
if they had a little bit more flexibility like was
provided with Pat Mahomes and and the Chiefs, maybe they'd
(06:20):
be there. But at least they know it's at the
forefront of discussions. Welcoming in our radio audience to hear
your your answer to that. Yeah, yeah. So also, i'd
be a big part of the reason why they Andrew
Hopkins no longer part of the team. Right, maybe they
couldn't sign Tounsil Hopkins and Watson. They're gonna figure out
how to do it anyway. They definitely couldn't do that, right, So,
(06:41):
I mean it probably was Tons who's gonna be the
odd man out there? And we all know the our
offensive line, even what Tunsil is, Okay, it's not great,
Watson is really the guy who makes that team run there.
He goes, he buys himself time ball behind that line there,
so us and I get it. I think Watson is
gonna get paid. I think when all of a sudden done.
He's the set. He's gonna make the second most money
in football, behind my homes. He's not getting four hundred
(07:03):
ninety million, mind you, but it will be behind my homes.
But his deal may had to be more player friendly.
I agree. I agree. So George and I'll come back
talk about some more NFL news and notes after this.
Get on the grid sports grid dot Com betting insights
(07:49):
and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers the
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it on the Grid sports grid dot Com. M M.
(08:15):
You're watching sports Screen back on the Grid, Mike and
George talking about NFL referees and this at this segment
of Football Full Circle. If you want to follow us
on Twitter, please do so at sports Grid on Instagram,
at sports grid TV. George send him something nice this time.
He's getting all the hate mail. I don't know how much,
(08:36):
but at George Kurtz, tell him how much you like
his new microphone. Yeah, everyone, it looks great. Piece of
this This thing is very heavy, by the way. That's great.
He's got a lot of heft to it. That's good solid,
It looks good. So alright, just jealous? Yeah, not really.
I'm good with these flimsy microphone. I think I sound okay,
(08:59):
although I'm sure I'll be getting one of those in
the mail shortly from our our benefactors at sports Grid. Anyway,
there's a story about NFL referees. Tell me what's up. Yeah, apparently, listen,
this makes sense because of the pandemic what's going on.
They may be geographically assigned, you know. It's the generally
(09:19):
doesn't like to have referees really more than one home
game for a team because they worry about it or
the cruise for that matter, competitive balance and all that.
But based on the logistics and the uneven spread of
officials around the country, you're still gonna have some referees
that take flights to get to the games. Right. It's
you can't all go within driving distance here. But it
looks that they are going to do this. Uh, they
(09:41):
want refs to be able to drive the games, not
fly to games. So that's what their first thing is.
So you might have rest a crew really depending on
what they're gonna keep these crews together, that ref more
than one home game for a team, three could be
three or four. Once again, different the rules in this time.
Uh so what they say he has rules that typically
prohibitive officials from working more than two games of any
(10:02):
one team and putting at least six weeks between those
games will be relaxed. Uh same thing with the new
crew formations. So it's it's possible the same officials could
refer multiple home games. That said, the NFLOT usually doesn't
like that the sites have not yet agreed on an
opt out agreement as far as if the ref says,
you know what, there's like the players in my home situation,
(10:23):
my situation not gonna work. You know, I need to
take the season off. They haven't come to an agreement
there yet. Know how much I guess these refs may
or may not get some older referees in there as well.
You know, I don't know that, and none of them
really fall into the senior citizen category. But there's some
older refs in there, makes sense, right, I listen, I
would think the referees might be the ones who are
at the biggest the biggest disadvantage because remember, like somebody's
(10:47):
rest when there's a fumble. You've got to get in
that scrum, right, you see them diving in there, So
who's got the football? Mas, You're exposed everything else they are.
And pluss you're all around these guys, I mean really,
so yes, I think absolutely these guys are outside of
the coaches who are be goes day with the players,
you know, all week. I think referees are the next
biggest exposure problem for the NFL. So I certainly wouldn't
blame these rests for not wanting to. At the end
(11:09):
of those also thinking about that cruise that are assigned
to a Thursday night game or a Monday night game
may have to do double duties sometimes, you know, those
do a Sunday game as well. If it's obviously for
the Sunday to Monday, you gotta be close up to
get to the other game. This is This is if
you can have Ohio games in Pennsylvania games, right, if
you're a Steeler Monday night, you could have done the
Browns game on in Cleveland. That's a drive Giants Jets,
(11:31):
you know, playing in the same stadium. That certainly can
be done if it works out that day. Usually they
don't do that for obvious reasons, but now they might
consider doing it depending. Once again, I think this is all.
It goes back to how many officials might opt out.
They're gonna need guys to replace these guys. And uh,
I think those who worry about officially officiating leadership has
(11:52):
been tasked with redefining mechanics for smaller cruise of six
or even five officials. Well, once again, this all goes
I do have a number of officials say hey, we're
not doing it this year, and they can't do seven anymore.
If they do six five, Boy, you want to talk
about they are They're all terrible anyway. But if you
want to talk about games not being officiated, great, I
wonder if that would lead if you have a game
(12:13):
with five refs, five officials. I'm sorry, does that mean
more flags or they just let them play more? And
who gets left out? What? What? What? What? Officials aren't
going to be in the game? No idea, This is
I mean correctly now. Yeah, don't get me started on
the spotting of the ball. George micro chip, you did
(12:34):
that on purpose? I did. I definitely did ball chip.
Hashtag ball chip. We need a microchip in the ball
to more anchorately spotted. So yeah, the modified sky Judge scrapped.
I was bummed about that. Uh. Some people think there's
too much officiating, and while I agree with that sentiment,
(12:54):
I think I don't think less is more in this instance.
I think we're going to I think it goes back
to your point that you've made in previous hours, and
is that it's starting to look like we're not really
having a season. We're just gonna play a bunch of
games to get as many on TV as possible. Whatever
happens happens. You can't expect it to be as good
(13:16):
as it the product that's been in the past. I
know there's about a hundred million NFL fans that bitch
about the product every year anyway, as good as and
entertaining as it is. Complain about it. I'm probably one
of them at times. UM I try not to bang
on the officiating as much as others because um it
(13:37):
would drive me crazy and I'm trying to be positive
and and still like the sport. You and I have
to add this discussion in the past about how in
some ways it's not as fun to watch football now
as it was when we were younger. But you could
say that really about every sport, right, the changing dynamics
of the way baseball has played, the changing dynamics of
the way football is played. These safety measures are we're
(14:00):
the betterment of the game, but we it took us
some time to get used to it. Right. You don't
want to be the old guy banging on the table.
Back in my day, Ronnie Lott would take your head off, like, yeah,
that turns out that's not super healthy for anybody. So
we're gonna change the rules a little bit. By day.
Joe Cosmond broke his leg and half right, that's terrible.
Let's not hit the quarterbacks as much because those are
(14:22):
the most important guys throwing down the ball down the
field twice as much as they used to. So you
have to get used to it. Um. The only the
major problem with the NFL, as far as I'm concerned
is pace of play. Um. Not in that baseball takes
forever in between pitches, but in that there's too much
stopping and starting. There are obviously there are more penalties
(14:43):
than there used to be. That is something that's just
hard for anybody to get used to. Is officials have
a hard job. It's really hard, it is, but you know,
you mentioned all the advancements that the NFL has made,
right as far as rule changes and stuff like that
to help the game. Theoretically, it's to the safety part
of it. Whether you agree with them or not, that's
what they've done here. But yet they've done very little
(15:05):
to health the officials, right, I mean they having the
referee review his own plays is my mind, is idiotic,
and not having somebody in the booth and goes, you know,
press a little button, beep, Hey, well you got a
mistake here. They do that in college, right, Well why not?
Why not doing the pros? I mean, it just makes
no sense to me. Uh, the microchip thing, yes, I
was too. I wanted you to go on your little
(15:26):
rantier but you didn't take debait. But come on, can't
that's a whole segment. But come on, all right, that
should be done. I mean, that's not in my mind,
that's not It's just silly that the night they have
microchips in football's now. Ben Roethlisberger said it two months
ago that he's using a football so that they can
(15:46):
gauge velocity and spin rate coming off of Tommy John surgery.
So the technology exists currently I understand that it isn't perfect.
It isn't a perfect idea, but having people eyeball it
at the end of pressure filled games, when the players
are twice as fast as they are, it's insane. And
(16:08):
we don't have all the angles at times that the
cameras can provide. Throw a grid on the field, laser technology,
put a chip in the ball, well, know where the
ball is specifically. Yes, you have to do it in
conjunction with the player's knee or hand or elbow or
butt cheek that went down. But let's do it. Let's
(16:28):
just get on with it. I don't understand it. That's
my rent. Listen, I agree with you. That's I would
hundred percent agree with you here. I think it's silly
that we don't have this. That's what I mean. We
don't help the officials. You know, people think officials what
want that? Yes, they will, okay, they will, trust me.
No official wants to get a clone wrong. I know
it's not the same thing, but I referee men's hockey leagues,
(16:49):
and I we thrilled if we had replay here where
I could see if I missed a goal that went
in and I didn't see it because I don't want
to get the clock, and that's in a men's league,
But the only person getting paid is me. You think
these officials want to have a call go wrong on
a Monday night game between Dallas and Pittsburgh. That means
everything where millions upon millions of people now, so that
you blew this coal and now you're getting calls, The
(17:10):
media is calling you out, calling you incompetent and completeing.
You know, a complete moron. You know the teams hate
you to help you, want to strangle you and burn
your house down. How about lobby that these guys pick
up most of them? You know, there's a longstanding rule
that you have to be independently wealthy so that you
couldn't be bought off. Um, it's really a hell of
a I can't believe. I think Mike all right, if
(17:32):
I was independently wealthy, I'm not reffing. I don't know
why these guys do this, I really don't. I mean,
not only one that was sitting there recently who and
he's now doing a great job. I think a good
job on TV is Jean's territory. He was a basketball
ref and an NFL ref, so he's a full time ref.
A lot of the other guys are judges and lawyers
and everything else. So uh so that's it. JET refs
(17:53):
are gonna be assigned geographically. They haven't figured out an
opt out program. I'd imagine some refs will opt out,
but they're also her home during the week. They're not
exposed to players each and every day, so maybe not
as big of an impact anyway. Georgiana will come back.
I'll talk about more NFL news and notes right here
on the Grid. Will be right back on FFC Sports
(18:18):
grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips
as our team covers the most important topics in sports wagering,
real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more.
Want the edge than get on the grid Sports grid
dot Com. Back on the Grid, Mike and George welcoming
(18:39):
in our radio audience right here on the Grid. So
we're talking about some player news that happened this week, George,
and one of which pretty interesting Via Adam Schefter. Veteran
running back Lashawn McCoy reached agreement on a one year
deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Drew Rosenhouse, he's
very excited quote, very excited to play with established bets
(19:02):
like Brady and Gronk and trying to win another championship.
End quote. Rosenhouse said he won the championship last season
with the Kansas City Chiefs. Even though it wasn't really
much of a part of it at the end, he
was on the team throughout the year. There was always
when is Seawan McCoy coming back? Didn't really happen. They
had Damian Williams and others to fill in. So the
Bucks have added to leading touchdown scores from twenty eleven
(19:24):
this offseason, Shady McCoy with twenty and Gronk with eight teen.
That's via field Yates. So, um, we had Keyshawn Vaughan there,
which I think he hit the COVID list. We're not
sure if he's By the way, in terms of the
NFL COVID list, they're not saying why the players are
(19:45):
on the COVID list. It is possible that they're having symptoms.
It is possible that they've just come in contact with
somebody that had symptoms. It's sort of a overall general
policy to have people not in camp that are being
quarantined whether they are sick or not. Is that a
fair explanation. Yeah, I guess they're giving you some hints
(20:06):
at Baseball is just telling you the players not available
and let you guess. You know, it's kind of silly
in my mind. Why would you Yeah, why would you
want anyone guessing us to your health? It is not
Baseball is allowed to say, hey, you're on COVID, big deal.
I don't know what the embarrassment is about having a
contract to COVID. We can all get at any time,
going anywhere. It's not like, oh, you can only get
this with the bad places, you know, And and I
(20:29):
guess I can understand that that was true. You can
get this going anywhere, bank, supermarket, outside anywhere, the emailbox.
I mean, so, I think it's kind of silly that
they're they're hiding this or trying to keep it quiet,
whatever it is. But you're right, the player could be
uh could have come in contact with somebody, he could
be asymptomatic, or could be showing symptoms. So I guess
that's what they're keeping secret out. What are those three
(20:50):
options there? But kase youn Vaughan and Raymond uh Clays
is also on it, got it, got it? So so
how about this backfield? Then got Rojo, we got Lashawn McCoy,
dey a gounbo al A, We've got Key Shawn Vaughan
in there. They actually have a bunch of guys here,
when all put together, could be interesting. But Lashaw McCoy
(21:14):
is effectively just an insurance policy at this point, right,
isn't this the New England Patriots all over again? So
many backs? Which one? Which one? I mean? I had
some high hopes for On that he might do something
this season. He would have been the guy. If I
was drafting a fantasy team before McCoy got there, he'd
(21:34):
be the guy, no doubt. I'd want, not that I
expect the Houstons. He'd be a running back. Three. You
just don't want to pay for Road. I don't want
because I don't know what's gonna happen with Road. Joe.
He's got a bunch of chances here. And by the way,
what was Road to his main problem before last season?
Picking up the blitz? Now you have Tom Brady. You
had damn well but to be able to pick up
(21:55):
that blitz each and every time or you're never going
to see the field right so that that's an issue
there as well. I'm looking up I'm looking up his
his ADP right now, Rojoe specifically his ADP. It's not good,
it's not great. Job further now, right now, that was shot,
And I don't expect big things that are really any
of them right now. You know they're they're all in
(22:17):
that running back three, running back four category. Uh. I
just think has the most upside, you know, So I'll
take a shot with him if he's there something he's
off COVID by them, which I expect you will be.
But I don't expect big things that have any of
these guys right in on n f f C his
a DP n FFC for those that are unfamiliar. In
National Football Fantasy Football Championship, there's a lot of different
(22:38):
drafts and h it tends to be where higher stakes
players play. There are contests of all sizes, but higher
stake players play there, and I think you get a
little bit more aggressive drafting in terms of as opposed
to your home leagues. You get aggressive drafting of guys
who have upside but maybe aren't it's safe. They rise
(23:01):
up in those rankings a little bit Is that fair
to set those rankings. Yeah, I think that is fair
to s I would describe it very similarly. Yeah, Ronald
Jones is thirty two. Right there, This is uh a
snapshot of exactly this last month of July. Ronald Jones
thirty two, Keyshawn Vaughan was thirty five. So I think
(23:22):
there's still, to your point, a little bit of a
guessing game. I'd rather want, and I would prefer Jones,
you'd prefer Vaughan. If Jones is coming off the board
thirty second, Von's coming off the bar BOARDT five, I'll
take Jones. It's a risk, but I'm not want either
of them because of the reasons that you've stated. Yeah,
he gas, it's definitely a risk, but they're both low
(23:43):
running back threes, which is about right running back forwards.
Whatever it may be, I just I don't like playing
guessing games. But then against so many teams have guessing games.
You know, well, I've who's gonna be the touchdown guy?
That's probably the guy i'd first want the safe place.
Who's gonna be the PPR guy who's gonna catch the all?
You know that you might want to go with that,
I said, I would take Goes. I'll take the upside.
(24:04):
I just think he has upside. I think Rojoe, we
know what he can do. Sorry venture. Uh. The Shuan McCoy,
I agree with you. I think he's more of a
maybe a third down guy or insurance policy. Uh. I
want nothing to do what fantasy was. So I think
it really is between those guys. One is the guy
I want right now. But then again, Mike, if he's
not gonna be in camp for two three weeks, that
(24:26):
eliminates him. Yeah, he's a rookie too, so that hurts.
The Thing that we keep coming back to and a
lot of these teams is the veteran teams are going
to be really in a good situation here. That's guys
that are in camp. It's always the case, but this
is obviously a really unique scenario that we're talking about. Um.
(24:46):
In fact, just reading stories this week, Bill Belichick is
talking about how since there's no preseason games and you
don't have as much time, is this really going to
be at a disadvantage? And Bill Belichick and Bill, Bill
O'Brien and Doug Moron of all shared stories to say,
the colleges do it in three weeks every year, three
(25:08):
weeks and they're they're ready to go. So if they
can do it, the NFL should be able to do it.
At least that's the sentiment coming from certain coaches. So
this via Rich Jimini Uh New Jets safety Bradley McDougald
on a zoom call, says a former teammates to Davian Clowney,
I'd love to have him here, says the lobby in
his behalf, but notes that sort of thing is above
his pay grade. Simini Uh. Jimini later followed up, it's
(25:32):
admirable that he would go to back for the next teammate,
but the reality is that Jets have no interest in
Clowney mood point, so the Jets have some cap room
they could conceivably pay him. His name has been thrown
into his into the mix a little bit with the Jets.
But I trust Rich Meini here in saying that it
ain't gonna happen. He's the ESPN NFL reporter for the Jets,
(25:53):
so it ain't gonna happen. But I brought it up
because what is happening now is the Seattle think dead
because they gotta pay Jamal Adams next year. This is
really kind of a one year, two year deal for
Clowney anyway, right, I think Seattle still makes the most sense.
He played there last year, played well when healthy. Uh.
They seem to be going for it with Jamal Adams,
(26:13):
and you mentioned at this point you probably just the
one year and make a good deal. He'll go back
to be your free agent next year, you know. So
I think it would make sense for Seattle for that
reason to go for You might as well add another piece.
Right your secondary is now salve, but right now you
can't rush the pass at all, so you better I
would think Connie would make a lot of sense that,
even though I'll fully admit, Clowney, if you look at
(26:34):
his numbers, is more of a run stop for than
a pass gutter best going to the quarterback. And maybe
that's the thing for the Seahawks they would want be
if they're gonna pay that kind of money, they want
more of a guy who's the quarterback chaser and Clowney
at times. It's not that I don't know what their
reasons are, because they had the need is there. It's
not I think he's a better, more versatile football player
than he gets credit for Oh so I mean versatily. Yes,
(26:55):
we've used that word, sure, but I think a lot
of players want that guy who gets the quarterback, you know,
who's that kind of guy, and he's not that. It's
not a negative on him by that. He's a very
good football player. I'm cowboyd Fair. I'd love to have
mon Dallas. I think it would be a great fit
opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. But it doesn't look like it's going
to happen there either. For whatever reason, he's not getting
any play. I wonder if the pandemic and teams may
(27:17):
be thinking we're not playing in full season anyway, and
that as part of this as far as what's going on,
as far as uh, you know, what's going on, as
far as practices. By the way, I think we're gonna
see extremely sloppy football assuming we play in September. Do
you think the offense or the defense normally you would
(27:38):
think you would favorite defense obviously needs to be in rhythm,
you know, know where the players are going to be,
that sort of thing. So many teams have had changes,
and whether that be their offensive coordinate or head coach
players coming in. I would think the defense would be ahead,
but I don't. I think the problems dead too. I
think that we breakdowns there or you're gonna see we
see guys anyway roaming all alone in the secondary because
somebody forgot missed a I mean, I think we'll see
(28:00):
more of that too, which an easy pitching catch for
long touchdown, it goes no one covered the guy. Yeah,
but I think it's gonna be very sloppy because what
we keep hammering on over and over again. You know
the fact that no mini camps, training campers now shortened,
padded practices have been lessened. I think hitting in the
first couple of weeks gonna be interesting. And I think
we're gonna see more injuries this year than ever before. Yeah.
(28:23):
So I'm just looking at some of the other teams
that could potentially be in the mix. We'll start it
out with the Seahawks. They got seventeen million in cap space.
Here's the teams that have seventeen million dollars or more
in cap space, right, I'm just trying to pick a
number around fifteen million bucks, George that Clowney could take up.
Jaguars are at sixteen. They don't count uh, Seahawks, Dolphins,
(28:47):
I'm going up the ladder to stop me. When you
think a team could sign or want Clown, I think
Miami would be interested, but I think they've come out
and said have already said no as well. Yeah, it
just doesn't make I mean, they're building it from the
ground up. They're they're gonna acquire players. They're not gonna
sign a bunch of free agents yet on a one
year deal. He does nothing for them. Dolphins, Bears, Texans, Chargers, Frontos.
(29:13):
I'm gonna say he's not going to go to Houston. Uh, Jets, Cults, Lions, Cults,
Patriots of Bengals, Titans. We've heard Titans over to have
the most somewhat interest. Giants organization thinks they're going to
(29:34):
get every free agent, at least their fan base does.
The Eagles, Bills, Washington Browns. Browns aren't going to pay
another pass rush. Browns have already said no as well.
We had. We talked about them earlier as well, and
they came out and said no. Thanks. The reason that
the rumors make sense, it's because there's only two teams
that really makes sense, the Seahawks and the Titans. The
Titles could do it. They have the money. They can't
(29:55):
have the money. I don't know if they necessarily have
the need. That defensive line is pretty stacked as it
is to feel pretty good. Yeah, they're gonna feel a need. Depth.
Depth isn't. Depth isn't. It's not a terrible luxury. Again,
it's a one year deal. There's no bad one year deal.
So talk about this all the time. I agree. I
just think Brandon Graham, Derry Barnett. I don't think they're
looking for it. I don't think they'll do it Tennessee.
(30:15):
That's been the place of the most smoke. I think
that still makes the most sense. And then Vic Beasley
doesn't show up to camp. You gotta be thinking about
it now. So George and I will come back talk
a little bit more NFL after this on the Grid.
We'll be right back on a f seat. Sports grid
dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips as
(30:38):
our team covers the most important topics in sports wagering,
real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more.
Want the edge than get on the grid. Sports grid
dot Com. Back on the Grid, Mike and George talking
about a few different players, here. News regarding Vic Beasley
(30:59):
this week was really strange, George. According to the Tennessee
and Titans GM John Robinson calls Vick Beasley's absence from
training camp unexcused, says he will report soon. So Vic Beasley,
a former first round pick of the Falcons, frankly hasn't
lived up to expectations of being a top half of
(31:21):
the first round pick. He moves to the Titans on
a one year deal, one year prove it deal, and
then didn't show up to report for COVID testing and
just hasn't been around. We're still at an impast as
to whether or not when he's going to show up
at the time that we're recording this. But it's an oddity.
(31:43):
It does happen most years in the NFL. There's always
some story like this. But a guy that just sort
of got a pretty good deal, an eight figure deal
out of the Titans on a one year prove it
no shows it. That's odd to me, and you have
to wonder if they're thinking twice about this, especially with
Jadavian Clowney blooming out there. Yeah, that is definitely odd.
(32:06):
It's the fact that he signed a one year and
make good deal and it's it was a good deal,
not a poor deal at all, and yet then he
just doesn't show it and this these times it forces
the team to wonder about the player. Is he coming,
is he not coming? Does he have it? Is he's
sick and we don't know about it because he wasn't
in communication with the team at the time like latest reports,
so that he might be in communication. It does plan
(32:27):
on reporting eventually. We think Robinson thinks the GMBA the
of the team. We'll see what happens there. But it's
definitely an odd little thing. And I think you're absolutely right.
If Tennessee could do it all over again, they would
sign Clowney for the one year deal, and not easily. Sure.
He's a twenty eight year old outside Lampark. He was
the number eight overall pick one year nine and a
(32:47):
half million dollar deal in March thirty seven and a
half sacks through his first five NFL seasons, including a
league leading fifteen and a half and sixteen that's the problem.
He got to the point in year uh two or
year in year two where he led the league in sacks,
and then it all fell apart. He was on that
Falcons team that famously blew the hugely to the Patriots
(33:07):
in the Super Bowl. Um, and he was a big
defender on that team. But um, I don't know. Yeah,
I think you're right now. Clowney would cost nearly twice
as much on a one year deal. Right, you're probably
looking at seventeen on a one year deal. It's north
of fifteen. That's probably what there was part of their
thought process, right, George. They didn't know if Clowney was
(33:29):
necessarily available, but they're probably also doing the math. We
can have Beasley for two thirds of what it costs Clowney.
But now there there. I mean, this is an odd thing.
They communicated to him that he's unexcused, and he's still
not there. It's weird. I say, you'd like to know
why I found a team, That's what I want to know.
Why aren't you here? Are you thinking about opting out?
(33:51):
Is that? Why have you already opted out? You know,
I just haven't told anybody, So yeah, i'd be concerned.
I'd absolutely be concerned. It would be driving me kind
of crazy here because they need to know what to
do because let's say he is opting out, which I
don't think it's going with the case he let's say,
if he is well, now Tennessee has to scramble. Maybe
now they still have to go talk to Clowney and
see if you'll sign the twelve million you know, something
(34:12):
like that, you know, rather than the the one you
hired number. He might want them the tricking part about
the contracts because that would toll right. But it's a
one year deal. They were totally they but can they
avoid it? Pay him to whatever bonuses? He was all,
I think you can always avoid if both sides agree,
you can avoid it. I don't know if the NFL
(34:33):
can do it without the player's consent. Now, if he's
opting out, you just have to cut him and on
him whatever guarantees right right, right, So I don't think
they'll be able to just say to get rid of
him without the player's consent there and that it probably
won't happen. And we don't know why. I mean, he
is the upset with the organization. Do you find out
he could have gotten a better over elsewhere? I mean,
(34:55):
we don't know why. That's the weird thing here. Is
it COVID related whatever it might be, because the contract
seems to be a pretty good one for a one
year deal, a prove it deal for guy has done
nothing in a couple of years, So strange going s here.
I understand why Tennessee would be upset about this because
they need to know. We keep talking about, you know,
when the COVID opt out is because general man just
want to know, and they have it now is Monday, right?
(35:18):
I believe it should be a couple of weeks later.
But I understand why this would drive Robinson a little battie.
Rhannon Walker from the Athletic DC reports that Randy Jordan's
said that Antonio Gibson has been sitting in on the
running back meetings, but they also make sure he gets
enough wide receiver technical work too. For those that are
unfamiliar with Antonio Gibson, he is that breed of hybrid
(35:43):
wide receiver running back that the NFL is covering these days.
He's out of Memphis. Uh. He's really seen more as
a wide receiver than a running back by some, but
this tweet encapsulates that he is this versatile, impactful player. Um,
would you compare him to James White? Would you compare him?
(36:03):
I don't know exactly you compare him too, But he's
really seen as a pass catching threat more than he
is between the tackles type of player. Well, they're never
going to use them between the tackles anyway. I mean,
you got a Pa, you got Darius guys. He's not
gonna see that. That's what those guys are there for.
So they better hope he can, uh you know he
can catch the ball because they can't. It's just a
(36:24):
useless pick. But I think they want to use him
as a weapon. What's that? That's the term you like
to use a football when the guy doesn't have really
one position. Do they want to use him as a weapon,
whether it be in the slot, out of the backfield,
you know, outside outside of McLaurin. I mean, there's really
not a lot of guys there. You know, they are
pushing him for targets. You can play tied in at
this rate. You know, they don't get much there either.
(36:45):
So I think he'll I was gonna say an impact,
but I think that's the wrong choice of worlds. I
think they'll make an impact. As far as he'll get.
There'll be plays designed for him to use his skill
set there. It's not like that Washington has a whole bunch.
They know how much else going on here, they have
to use him. They have to get him involved in
the offense. And Calvin Harmon was one of their players
towards as one of their wide receivers towards a c
(37:06):
L it's Terry McLaurin, Antonio Candy, Golden Cams, Cam Sims,
Steven Sims, Trey Quinn. That's a receiving corps. I think
McLaren is going to be a star in the league,
I really do. But they're tight ends are Richard Rodgers
and Jeremy Sprinkle. This is rough Man is good, but
he's gonna see all of the focus. Yeah he should,
(37:29):
I mean, and you don't have Tom Brady Throney of Haskins.
I don't know how this is gonna work out for him.
What worries me is that they becomes a conservative offense.
Ron Rovere can get this defense playing well, it's a
good talented defense, and then they just go really conservative.
So then we don't know what we really have in
Haskins because they're running the ball so much there from
a percentage standpoint, but without there, without an inability to
(37:53):
score latent games, he's just gonna have to start throwing
it in risk your situations. I'm laugh he goes, I'm
just thinking of how long you're along. Did I agree
with you that the Rivere is gonna want to keep
these kind of games close. He's gonna want a game
manager at quarterback, and boy does he sort of have
when who just got healthy now and has been cleared
to play and uh Smith and he's not he's not
gonna play, mind, you know, not full time and not started.
(38:15):
But I think that's the kind of quote back. They'd
be looking for a guy who won't make mistakes and
put that defense in bed situations, especially with this offense
that lacks playmakers all over the place. Yeah. For those
of you that haven't watched the Project eleven that ESPN
did on Alex Smith, I highly recommend watching it. It
is a very graphic behind the scenes look at his
(38:41):
road back to where he's gotten now. It was filmed
a while ago, so you haven't even seen recent progress
from it. But to see what he went through and
the severity of the injury of shocking, I think, and
people that are not football fans would think that people
are crazy forever playing football. To see what he went
through it was. He had to receive a lot of
console station from military doctors in order to help repair
(39:03):
his legs. So um, kudos to him for making it
all the way back. I can't believe he's even going
to attempt to play football again, but I understand, you know,
it's driven him his whole life, So I'm not suggesting
he should quit. I'm just surprised that he's made it
to this point. I wonder this, Uh, I want. I
know it's not the same thing, but just as they
went through my mind, I used to play a lot
(39:23):
of hockey. I tore my a c L. And when
after I recover, did my rehab, I came back to play,
and I I because I want to prove to myself
that I could. I could do it, I could play
again and be that same player. You really really can't,
You're not quite the same. And I went to the
same thought process as to Alex. Smith said not so
much that he has to play, but that he wants
to prove to both himself and everybod else that I
(39:44):
can play, that I could. I have a problem with
that either. Uh. In his case, which is a much
more severe injury than the A c L, I think
I and let's face it, I well, I did mind
on a non contact injury. He's gonna get hit again
if he plays, I would probably you know, he's got
the y I got. I think he's got a family.
I think I might want to cool to day and
take my money and take a chance of getting hurt again.
(40:06):
Uh yeah, there's a lot of money on the table though,
so that's potentially a motivating factor as well. So uh
so those stories in place. Next story h j Ron
Curse from the Detroit Lions. He'll be serving a three
game suspension. This is via Aaron Wilson. Uh he covers
(40:27):
the Texans, but he also is reporting on other NFL news.
Suspended three games for violating NFL Substance Abuse policy. Was
related to a d w I and a weapons charge
all sort of rolled into one for this three game suspension.
I don't know. He played a lot for the Vikings
(40:47):
over the last sixty two games for the Vikings over
the last several seasons, George. The Lions are one of
those teams that we have talked about a lot. And
my head is swimming because there were several instances this
week where people were notable NFL personalities just making predictions
(41:08):
that are on board with the Lions winning this division.
I think the thought process is probably similar that we
think that the Vikings aren't necessarily that special, talented but
not all that special. The Packers are going to take
a step back, The Bears have a quarterback issue, and
the Lions might have Matt Stafford, who was playing really
well back healthy with all of these new additions. The
(41:31):
problem is, with all of these new additions, we're talking
about all these other issues related to teams and not
being in camp. With all these new additions, can they
really get everything moving in the right direction to start
the season. Yeah, you know what I'm looking at it now?
The Alliance have it hit pretty hard by the COVID
list as well, jay Len Elliott, Justin coleman Amani's name
(41:51):
I can not pronounce. Oh como forella, Kenny Golladay's on it.
T J. Hockinson's on it. I mean, it's probably all
we don't know how here, but it's probably all minor
and they'll be fine. But still to have this right
could be that as well. It's around somebody, but to
have all those games guys who now can't practice anyway
any kind of practice. It's got to be concerning here.
(42:12):
But I think it's as you said, I truly believe
whichever team, if any can get the ten wins wins
this Division nine might do it. And you said it earlier.
Minnesota lost Diggs, didn't really replace him, you got you
got some more question marks there. The Packers didn't really
do any additions and lost some players great. They may
not have been great players, Blake Martinez, but they were
still contributes to the Packers. And you didn't help Baron Rodgers.
(42:33):
Think there's issues there. And you know, I still think
they sold their soul to win thirteen games last season.
Then maybe that price is coming due this season. So
I think Detroit has as good a chance Chicago. You
said at Drabinsky Folds. You know, there's no team here
that I feel great and saying is going to win
ten games. So why not the Lions? You know, why
not to have the Detroit if they can, If staff
I can stay healthy and his offense can move, you know,
(42:54):
Galady gets healthy, Marvin Jones, they have a good running
back Tanna, with Swift and Johnson here good tight and Hockinson,
I think it will be back by then you know
why not the Lions. This year, Lions are plus six
hundred the Vikings favor to win the division and plus
one sixty Packers plus one bears a plus fifty Lions
at plus six hundred their win total. Remember doing this
(43:17):
in the past, it still remains at six and a half.
The over minus one fifty that has moved. I would
like to think it's the impact of this show, but
I don't think it is. I think there's a lot
of like minded people that think that the Lions can
get to seven um. As far as them making the playoffs,
their Lions bet to make the playoffs would be yes
(43:39):
plus two forty your best. I mean, they gotta been
with division the only way, the only way they're making
the playoffs and win with division. They're not gonna get
a wild card. If you get them to nine wins,
they could as the seventh team. It's tough. A lot
of good teams, right San France, Seattle, Rams are are
probably a better team. Dallas of Philadelphia, maybe both that
(44:01):
was in Philadelphia, New Orleans. I think Atlantas in their
same class as well. I think what you're gonna want
to do with the Lions, as far as I can tell,
is first of all, over the six and a half.
I think you're gonna pay juice on that, so be
mindful that you're not going to get the huge payoff.
But I think you want the division at six to
(44:23):
one as opposed to the playoffs at plus two forty.
That's what you're sort of leaning towards. Right, You're getting
a lot better value, and it's unlikely that they'll battle
it out at the wild card with a ten ins
nine and seven, ten and six record than they would
in winning the division and potentially that same record. So
George and I'll come back to close out this hour
(44:44):
of FFC after this week sports grid dot Com Betting
Insights and Entertainment at your fingertips seven as our team
covers the most important topics in sports wagering, re time, odds,
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edge than get on the grid sports grid dot Com.
(45:14):
M you're watching sports Screen alright, closing out this hour
of Football Full Circle here on the Grid, perfectly produced
by Brian Ritkowski along and here along with my compadre
(45:35):
George Kurtz. So, George, you're talking to NFL for the
last couple of hours. I'm going to ask a very
general question for you. What are you most excited about
regarding the NFL coming back. Is there is there a
benchmark phrase it a different way? Is there a benchmark
moment that you're looking for and being like, all right,
you know what I'm in Because the baseball was like
(45:58):
baseball got started, a lot of baseball fans were just
sort of all right, I'm liking that the games are on,
but this is weird. Is there gonna be a moment
with the NFL where you're saying, all right, this is cool.
I'm in you know, Listen, I'm a realist, all right.
Do I think the season is gonna be played in full? No?
Am I going to watch the games? Yes? All right,
(46:21):
listen nights. I told you earlier. I was on the
Scott Fellow Show last night. Aaron Judge hit that three
run home run. I'm a Yankee fan. It took a
lot of self control not to be screaming about the
three run homer by Judge during the game. I still
want the Yankees to win. When the Cowboys play, I
still want the Cowboys to win. Sunday football is still
Sundays of football Sundays where it's just enjoyable. I'm just
more of a realis than what I mean by I
(46:42):
don't think there's any seasons anymore. I think these are games.
And what I mean is, I think you put it perfectly.
I don't know if you said it on air or
between the breaks when you said these are really just
the owners getting putting your entertainment on TV and getting
paid for it. I truly believe that. I don't know
if we're gonna happen just TV shows. It's like it's
like college football Bowl week. You and I both know
there's too many bowl games, and people are like, hey,
(47:03):
there's nobody even in this tense. What do you care.
You're not going to the Bahamas Bowl anyway. Just it's
a TV show. Do you want to watch it or not?
Put it on or not? Is it entertaining or not?
I find it entertaining. This network is perfect for pol games.
There's lines in every game. Get in a pool, throw
some money on it. It's throw twenty bucks on it
(47:24):
and watch it. It's fun. That's my thought process right now.
I don't want people put in harm's way, but I
have to go along with the plan. Like any other
business that is being conducted, We're just going to see
what happens here. I don't want anybody to be sick
and still playing. I don't want people to get sick.
(47:44):
I don't want people to test positive. But it's going
to happen across society. It's a risk reward scenario right now. George,
it is, and I said, it's entertainment. We want to
be entertained. I want to be entertained. We haven't had
games for almost five months. All right, they're back. Enjoy it.
You and I kick control whether it should be played
or not. Other people are making that decision. I'm just
reporting on the games that are being played and enjoying
(48:05):
the games that they're out there. I want to watch
the Yankees tonight. For me, it's going to be that
first Sunday when all the games are kicking off at
one o'clock. That's when I'll be like, all right, this
is pretty cool. All right, everybody, thanks for watching. On
behalf of Brian Rokowski, George Kurtz on Mike Bluett. We'll
see you next time on FFC sports grid dot Com,
Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team
(48:26):
covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
predictive betting models, expert picks, and more. Want the edge
than get on the grid sports grid dot com
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