Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules - Free Agent Frenzy

Episode Date: March 20, 2025

We've got ourselves a free agent frenzy today! From all the recent signings in New England to what's going on around the league, we're breaking down all the biggest moves. We also talk brackets, what the guys have been up to, and even introduce a brand new segment. We wrap up by naming our Chillest Dude of the Week presented by Coors Light. Support the show: https://hoo.be/dudesondudesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, here we go again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends like Bill Nye, Lily Singh, and Pete Buttigieg, to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The murder of an 18-year-old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story. America, y'all better work the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small town. Listen to Graves County on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And to binge the entire season ad free, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leve, Rufus Wainwright,

Mavis Staples, really too many to name. And there's still so much more to come in this new season. Listen to Nora Jones is playing along on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Whenever I got through the window, I tried to pick him up and his body was stiff. I'm Ben Westoff, and this is The Peacemaker, a true crime podcast about a string of mysterious suicides at a Missouri university, and the fraternity brother tied to them all. Brandon Grossheim. The lawsuit says Grossheim was one of the last people to see each victim before their deaths. Was he profoundly unlucky or was something much darker at play?

Listen to The Peacemaker podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Anyone try to get your number, Rob? No one's ever tried to get my number. No, no, 87's my number. Yeah, same. Jules, what if Drew Bledso came out of retirement? would you give up number 11 then what year my career 2000 and 16 nope right in your prime no the squirrel that I'm not just running all over the field scoring touchdowns

it's true also though I know it's tough we always had a thing because he'd come in a locker room after games it always he always like be rooting for me even when I was wasn't playing the stuff. He was cool. I'd probably give it to him. It's true. Welcome to dudes on dudes. I'm Julian Edelman. And I'm Rob Grancowski, aka the Gronk. And this is the show where your favorite dudes get to talk about their favorite dudes. And Jules, what are we talking about today? It's free agent frenzy. So I think we got to break down some of the moves that are going around. You know, the Patriots giving away the richest contract in franchise history. more money than Tom Brady ever got per year.

The current state of the 49ers. Could it be a transition year? We'll talk about it. And maybe a little Aaron Rogers talk. Where's he going to go? There's a couple of suitors out there still available for him. And then we wrap up the show with the chillest dude of the week presented by Coors Light. And you got to stick around till the end.

Let's go. Let's get into it, Jules. Dudes on Dudes is a production of I-Heart Radio. But first, let's have a little chit. chat at what's going on with our lives right now. Obviously, we'll get into the free agency in a little bit. I just, I just got off my phone and I see you're over at the players championship.

Yes, the players championship, which is basically a fifth major. Right now I'm at my home. It's the highest paid one, right? It's the highest pain. Yes, it is one of the highest paid, but it's technically not a major, but they call it the fifth major. It's the players championship. I actually really didn't know too much about it because I'm just a little into golf.

I'm not like a crazy fan like that. You know, I appreciate what they do. But I learned a lot while I was there. I learned a lot about the majors, how the players championship wasn't a major, but it is like a major because, you know, it's the, you know, that's the highest paid and all the players, all the big time players still play there.

And they treat it like that. But technically it's not a major. So I learned that. But what was really cool about it is I got the caddy for Will, Zolotaurus, for two holes. And then also I did a 30-minute, you know, coaching session where I got coached at the driving range by Jordan Speath. You know, he, you know, taught me some tips, taught me, you know, what to do so I can keep the

ball going straight, you know. You hit any bombs? I hit some bombs, you know, I was hitting a couple shanks. What club were you swinging? So we started with the driver. Then we did the nine iron as well. And then we also did a pitching wedge. So that was really cool.

And shout out real quick to Willie Z. he looks like happy Gilmore's caddy you know in happy Gilmore but unfortunately he's a game with names fan and he's a games with names fan great dude loved him had a great time with him it was just so fun being his caddy you know really cool times man i appreciate all those guys welcome with me man rory he got to meet rory and all the boys huh i got to meet rory shane how tough was that 17th hole. Shane Lorry, I got to meet who I said looked exactly like Travis Kelsey. He could have been Kelsey's third brother, no doubt about that. And he's kind of Jack too. So he fits right in with them. But the 17th hole was really cool, man. First off, TPC, the one of the most beautiful golf courses I've

ever seen in my life. Actually, it's the most beautiful golf course I've ever seen in my life. I love that grass. It's just crystal clear green. It just sticks out and like just, makes your eyes happy, makes you happy just looking at it, just hanging out on that grass. I want all my backyards one day to look like, you know, the TPC golf course. You got to get grunk to Augusta. Mm-hmm. We got to get grunk to Augusta. If he's calling, I mean, player's champion, that's a beautiful course.

But you got to see the other, the other courses, Rob. We got to, we got to get you to Pebble Beach. Like, there's a bunch of places that are so beautiful. and then we throw you across the pond and put you over in fucking like Ireland or Scotland and see some of those beautiful courses you'd appreciate it I would I mean I appreciated TPC so I'm sure I would appreciate all those other courses and what my favorite part was when I was a caddy for will is obviously I talk about it all the time happy Gilmore is my favorite movie so I put the caddy uniform on and I handed will his club you know to use it was a driver because it was a

R5 in the first hole that we did. And then the crowd wasn't loud enough because I got a little bit of round of applause for being the caddy when I handed the driver over to Will and I turned around. I was like, that wasn't loud enough. Louder, louder folks. And then I started doing raise the roof and I turned up the whole entire place right on the 16th hole right before the 17th hole. And that was one of the coolest moments because I felt like I was in the movie Happy Gilmore.

I felt like Happy Gilmore at that time. And it's going to be coming out, you know. It's already out actually. check it out. It's just awesome. I love it there. Thank you for PJ Tor for having me as well. Did you try to hand him a 69 degree wedge?

No, Jules. I didn't think about that, but now when we play, we better use that 69 degree wedge. That could be used real well on the sand. It could be. Yeah, right next to the water where it's all wet, you know, you definitely need that 69 degree

wedge then, you know, to be able to handle that shot. Got to be able to be able to get under that thing, you know what I mean? You got to get under it. So did you have any caddy strategy? Or did you just, it was just like, he's just like happy to have you there. He'd do everything. You say, hey, man, the hole.

If you look it over here, you see the ocean comes from this way. So I know it looks like it's a downhill pup, but it's uphill because the grain and the ocean pull it this way. I can see Rob giving some insight like that. I actually was giving insight like that. I pretended I knew the wind speed. I was doing that, testing out the wind.

I told him exactly where to hit it to the right more. I handed him the driver. Then I handed him a, I'm an iron. I gave him the wrong iron. I gave him, I think, like a nine iron when he really only needed like a six iron. But it didn't matter because he had to listen to me

the whole entire time and he was going a long word. You gave him a nine. So it was a 200 yard and you gave him a nine. It was like two-h-h-h-h-h-h-iron. I thought a nine-iron. I was trying to even coach him through. I go, here you go. Here's a nine-iron. Because this nine-iron is for you, Will. This nine iron is between 190 and 220 yards.

And he was just laughing to himself. You know, he didn't even correct me. And I gave him the nine iron. And he's such a pro that he could obviously adjust his shot, you know, depending on what club he has and how far it is. I mean, he can use a nine-iron, even though it's only 180 yards away still. I mean, he knows what he's doing. and he had a great, he had a great shot.

How unbelievable is watching those guys just swing and stick those shots? They just make it look so effortless. And you got to appreciate that. And that's what makes it so intriguing as well. They're just so consistent. And it just looks so easy to them. It's kind of like watching you run a route, you know, back in your heyday, Jules, when I always just looked over.

I'm like, that's just too easy for Jules. It's like he's not even trying. Well, it's the same thing with that, man. And it's all about consistency, too. They're just doing it at a repetition that you have to do it at and order to stay at top of your game. I mean, it was the practice rounds. It was just Tuesday I was there. And it was just a practice rounds there.

And they're taking, I don't know, 200, 300 hacks. They're at the driving range before they, you know, go around the course and take their practice rounds. So 200, 300, hacks on just a practice day, a day or two before the actual tournament. So it just shows no matter what sport you are in, basketball, football. football, golf, you know, it's all about repetition and doing it on a daily basis so you keep your skills to the highest level. Practice execution becomes game reality. And the reality of it right now is that it's March. And what does March mean? March means March madness, baby. Are you watching this? Are we getting a bracket? We're getting a nut,

bracket. I think we do need a nut house bracket. You know, we got enough people to be able to make it exciting. We got about eight people in our crew. We did the nut house fantasy football. And let me tell you that went terrible. But this is like my redemption. I got in last place on the fantasy football side.

But I'm going to get some redemption here, man. I love college basketball. You know, there's not as much focus as fantasy football. because fantasy football is 18 weeks long. This is like, you know, two weeks long. You just fill out a bracket and then you just see it just do its own thing. So I can put all my attention to it for an hour, Jules, and fill out a great bracket and make up for my fantasy football loss.

What's your first thought going in? Like, what are your teams? Are you watching Arizona every time the tournament happens? Have you been watching college basketball at all right now? I really haven't watched any college basketball, but I'm a big. It is hard, man. We got so much going on. And I'm a big college basketball fan.

But it's like the NHL playoffs. It's like the NBA playoffs. I don't miss it, you know, when the March Madness comes around. It's basically college basketball playoffs. It's must see TV. It's must see sports. So I tune in every time during March Madness. And it's so easy to catch up on who's the best team, you know, the number one seeds.

I mean, you just study that, you know, study the teams for about an hour. You study the brackets for about an hour. And boom. you're right into it and you understand everything that's going on. So I'm going to fill myself in in about the next week, fill out a bracket and, you know, give it my best shot against all the Nut House crew. Who's your team? And who do you got winning, Jules?

I don't know. I haven't, I haven't studied it yet. And we got to study it here because we're launching this thing here soon. Did, uh, I'm always, I hope I need Kent to win the Mac tournament. They won't get in unless if they, yep, they, well, they only can. state. Yeah, probably. And then the crazy thing is that Cooper flag injury. Do you see that? The ankle no. No, no, what happened? What's going on with Cooper? He's leading. He's leading. He's like the,

he's a freshman doing all these crazy. He's a monster. He's from Maine. Or is he from Maine? He's from, yeah, Maine. We talked about it with Scalabrini. This kid's like supposed to be the legit dude of all time on Duke. Ankle heard it now. So, that'll that'll suck if he doesn't get to play um we have a shot at kent though we do have a shot 21 and 10 does kent state have to win the mac tournament in order to get a bid into the tournament not that educated on it not that educated on it but winning the mac tournament you're probably in they always seem to get in and they always win they'll make they make some noise here and there m kent state basketball always making noise still talking about

about it like it was yesterday, the elite eight run with Antonio Gates. He went to school like five years before me. And I used like last year whenever I would tell it like, yeah, we went to the elite eight last year. I used that for like 10 years. Well, Jules, if the Kent State Golden flashes don't make the tournament, you got to root for Arizona with me to make a run. I always do.

I'm a big Arizona basketball fan. Love their head coach. great guy, great dude, hung out with him a few times, man, great down to earth, man. And he just gets after his players. He coaches them hard. And that's why they always have a winning organization there and a winning team. So I'm a big fan of Arizona basketball just overall. And I'll be rooting for them deep down.

And hopefully they go all the way this year. They had a couple chances over the last two years. and Tommy Lloyd, he's got this team rocking and rolling once again, and hopefully they play their best ball on March Madness when it comes around. So let's go. Arizona Wildcats, we'll be watching y'all. Yeah, you know, anytime I've always filled out a bracket, I'm always very biased towards Pack 10 schools because I grew up in the, you know,

on the West Coast and I grew up around Berkeley and Stanford and watching Oregon. all the pack 10 schools. So I'm very pack 10 biased on my brackets. So does that mean I got to go big 10 bias now? Like I'll go the pack 10 guys teams in the big 10. That's usually how I'll formulate how I'm going to pick my bracket. So I have like minutes to do it by now. But yeah, March Madness is always fun.

Wake up in the morning. There's games all day. You're taking a dump. You're looking at your phone. someone just fucking upset someone. You're like, how is there a game on right now? Like, March Madness is literally madness. And you pray for a Cinderella team every single year.

It's so cool. Upsets. 14th seed, you know, team beat a number three seed team. Like those upsets is what makes March madness. You just love every moment of that. And then also a player that's never been heard before turns into, like a superstar just overnight because of March Madness. That's what it's all about.

It's not about, you know, watching the number one seeds dominate a number 16 seed and winning it at all. It's about the whole process of March Madness, you know, underdog winning. I remember watching Steph Curry at Davidson fucking balling during March Madness. I think what year was that? I don't know if I was in the league or in college, but yeah, speaking of Steph Curry, he's actually the new assistant GM at Davidson basketball. I don't know how he's going to do that while he's playing for the Golden State, you know, warriors, you know, in the NBA, but he's the new GM, assistant GM at Davidson.

I mean, you got to have a GM now because of the NIL. It's pretty wild. It's basically treated like, you know, a pro team. So you got to have a GM, you got to have a head coach, you got to be able to have someone that has the financials as well. That's crazy. And they got Curry as assistant GM, which is pretty cool. I think he's making history as like the first active player to do that in any pro

sport. So, you know, that's really cool. Shout out to Davidson to doing that. Shout out to Jack as well. Jack, my man. So, yeah, that's what's going on. That's what's going on with him. That's gnarly.

But yeah, March Madness. It all started. in March Madness. Now he's the first active player GM for a college, which is if you told us that 10 years ago, you'd be, what the fuck you're talking about? I'm like, I don't know. Don't worry.

But let's get back to football. It's the new year of football. It's officially in the books. What's that March 1 or something, March 5? Free agency craziness has been going around. Have you been watching some of these deals? Do you have a New Year's, NFL New Year's kiss yet, Rob? I haven't watched any of the deals on, what was it, Monday.

I was busy a little bit, but then I caught up with everyone and everything about free agency that's going on. And boom, let me tell you, it's like, who, a new shocker right to your face. Like, your eyes just open wide because of just so many deals that happen, you know, especially if you're not checking your phone every minute because there was a new deal every five minutes. So then if you didn't see what was going on all day, like you're sitting there for an hour like I was Monday night, just checking out all the deals that were going to

going down. It's just so fun to catch up. And what's so crazy about the NFL is that they made it a 24-7, 365 days, year-round process now. They made it so you're intrigued at all times. I mean, no one really talks about the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl anymore. It's all about your team now going forward into the 2025 season and having so much hope for them and talking about the trades and why they're going to be good and talking about the guy that you've got in free agency. And that's why you're going to win the Super Bowl this year. So the NFL is doing such a superior job at keeping the fans engaged all year around. And you got to give a shout out to the NFL for doing that, man. I mean, look, it free agency happened. And now they're already talking about

the draft. I mean, the draft. I mean, hold on. Everyone's not even signed yet. And we're talking about the draft still. Like, that's how crazy it is and how intriguing it is as well. then after the draft we'll talk about OTAs and mini camps and after mini camps we'll talk about oh training camp there'll be a couple of rest in the between you talk about all the guys getting in trouble between OTAs and training camp so that's like the dead period

that's when you don't want to be in the news Jules is that period right there that's the dead period and it's slow for everyone if you're in the news that's no good So shout out to all you young football players. There's a high risk part of like when you're going to get arrested. It's usually when you're away from the facility that break after mini camp to training camp, dial it back, have an Uber. Don't hit your girl. No guns.

Let's get started to free agency. That's some good advice right there. Listen to it, young bucks. Listen to Jules. Get an Uber. Don't hit your girl. No guns. KS.A.

Especially right after fucking minicamp, especially the training camp. That's like, that's the window where the numbers are out. I mean, they're probably hearing it right now from a rookie advisor. Like,

yeah, you hear about this stuff all the time and you could say, oh, I'm not going to be that idiot. why was that idiot we've all been that idiot so one more guy to reiterate to you younger guys just call a uber or call a lift or have your buddy that stays sober drive you and pick you up yeah or and you know arguments walk out the room okay pistol and a

certain state not going to happen. Okay, we don't, don't try to bring it onto a fucking plane. Little, little common sense shit. Goes a long way. It goes a long way. It goes a long, long way.

If you have to think about it, don't do it. If you, like, if you're sitting there like, man, if this, I don't know if the, don't do it. And I'm, I'm preaching to myself. We'll be right back after this quick break. Here we go. Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, Here We Go Again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask,

why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies, but I'm also an author, a White House staffer, and as of like 15 seconds ago, a podcast host. Along the way, I've made some friends who are experts in science, politics, and pop culture. And each week, one of them will be joining me to answer, my burning questions. Like, are we heading towards another financial crash like in 08? Is non-monogamy back in style? And how come there's never a gate ready for your flight when it lands like two minutes early? We've got guests like Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, Lily Singh, and Bill Nye.

When you start weaponizing outer space, things can potentially go really wrong. Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now, because it is. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The forces shaping the world's economies and financial markets can be hard to spot. Even though they are such a powerful player in finance, you wouldn't really know that you are interacting with them. And even harder to understand. Donald Trump's trade war, 2.0, is only accelerating the process of de-dollarization, which in a way is jargon for people turning away from the dollar.

That is where the big take from Bloomberg podcast comes in, to connect the dots. How unusual is a deal like this? Unprecedented. Every weekday afternoon, we dive deep into one big global business story. The biggest story of the reaction of the oil market to the conflict in the Middle East is one of what has not happened. Katie, you told me that ETFs are your favorite thing. They are. Explain that. Why is that the case?

and unpack what it means for you. Our breakfast foods are consistent consumer staples, and so they sort of become outsize indicators of inflation. Listen to the big take from Bloomberg News every weekday afternoon on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All I know is what I've been told, and that's a half-truth is a whole lie. For almost a decade, the murder of an 18-year-old girl from a small town in graves' County, Kentucky went unsolved until a local homemaker, a journalist, and a handful of girls

came forward with a story. I'm telling you, we know Quincy Kilder, we know. A story that law enforcement used to convict six people, and that got the citizen investigator on national TV. Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran. My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, producer, and I wouldn't be here if the truth were that easy to find.

I did not know her and I did not kill her, or rape or burn or any of that other stuff that y'all said. They literally made me say that I took a match and struck and threw it on her. They made me say that I poured gas on her. From Lava for Good, this is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame. America, y'all better work the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns. Listen to Graves County in the Bone Valley feed

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad-free, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Michael Lewis here. My book, The Big Short, tells the story of the buildup and burst of the U.S. housing market back in 2008. It follows a few unlikely, but lucky people who saw the real estate market for the black hole it would become,

and eventually made billions of dollars from that perception. It was like feeding the monster, said Eisman. We fed the monster until it blew up. The monster was exploding. Yet on the streets of Manhattan, there was no sign anything important had just happened. Now, 15 years after the Big Short's original release, and a decade after it became an Academy Award-winning movie, I've recorded an audiobook edition for the very first time. The Big Short Story, what it means when people start betting against the market, and who really

pays for an unchecked financial system, is as relevant today as it's ever been, offering invaluable insight into the current economy and also today's politics. Get the big short now at pushkin.fm slash audiobooks or wherever audiobooks are sold. Let's jump into this free agent frenzy. Let's start out with some of these fucking signings that the Patriots had. They signed some, they've been spending that Gouda. They had the most money in free agency this year.

And they were talking about spending it. They went out and spent it. Got Milton Williams, D-Tackle. from from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles I mean the Philadelphia Eagles well the Eagles wanted to keep them but they just didn't have the cap space and they already have just so many dominant players on their defensive line that are young bucks that they're going to eventually have to pay so they had to let Milton Williams go and uh you know the Patriots gave him the most richest contract and Patriots. history. I mean, what is it? A four year, like a $100 million deal. I think it's a good

deal. It's not like they overpaid. I think it was very fair. You know, he's a great player. He's going to make a difference on that defense line. And you have to spend it. And he always build the team through the trenches.

Okay. This is a splash. I don't know what kind of guy he is, but I'm sure they did their homework. You got a guy. like Braves there. He knows what winning's like this Williams' contract. This is awesome. The team needed that. And the money, that's not even like, you can't address the month because no one's really been paid a big

contract with the Patriots since Tom and that was like 8, 10 years ago. So those numbers aren't going to be high. So like him going and having the richest contract in Patriot history, that's just due to the numbers and what the league is now from when we gave a big contract out to another guy. Would you agree? I agree with you, man. And if you asked me as well, do I think Bill would have made that deal? Yes, I do, especially if he was in that situation with that much cap space and he needed a defense alignment.

Well, especially a defense alignment he would have paid because it's a defensive guy and he loves bringing in those defensive guys and paying them as well. So I think Bill would have 100% made a move like this as well in this situation with that much cap space. It just overall, the fans wanted to see the Patriot spent too. They didn't want to see them sit back, relax, and hopefully a guy falls into their lap for, you know, a good deal. No, they went out, they spent, and the Patriot fans appreciated it too because they want to see those type of guys out on the field. They want to see a winning formula. And I feel like they're on the right, you know, projectory and going in the right direction right now with all these moves that they made. I wish they got more alignment.

Like the center Like look DA just retired Or I got cut So you know You wish him What a great career Nine 10 seasons with us

I remember when he was a young pup Eight time captain Two Super Bowls Like he's a stud What was the linemen that went I think the Atlanta Falcons To the Chicago Bears Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Is that who we're talking about I don't know his name But I saw that guy He went from He's on the market to the Bears regardless. The Patriots need to grab them

especially if they knew that's one guy the Patriots missed out on was the center from the Falcons who the Chicago Bears picked up. They should have paid him whatever he wanted. They got Tuny as well.

Like the Bears had a they've picked up like I know Tuny's probably going to be expensive and he's on the other side of 30 but Drew Dolman like we could have they could have got like

there's been a lot of money given to players that they need like they got Morgan Moses but he's kind of an older guy you know and you know three years 24 mil 11 guaranteed he's he's just there

probably for veteran presence and to swing and probably try to help someone that they bring in I mean they're going to need them they need line more line I love I love the I like the Carlton Davis signing

I think the Patriots now have two like legit locked down corners like i think carlton davis is a number two behind gonzow like they're going to do a lot you get inside pressure with milton the signing of landry on the outside he's he's a good football player plays hard has some has some experience with rabble in rabble system so like i i love what they're doing on defense offense i just need i want to protect the kid more i don't know what they're going to do in the draft so like i don't have any i haven't been talking any one, but like love that they need to protect. They got to protect them.

More line. Let's get more line. You know what I mean? Look at these teams that have the best, the best teams in the league right now have line. We need to get, we need to still go out and get a star wide receiver. I mean, that might be the draft.

I like the Mac Hollins. I like Matt Hollins, though. He's good. He's a good pickup because he's great at special teams and special teams a key factor, especially with Mike Vrable being in charge. That's always been a Patriots should be. I like him because they have a young football room. They have a young receiver room with a bunch of younger talent in there specifically right now.

Matt Collins, he's a professional. He's got a bunch of antics where he does the barefoot stuff in public and dresses like this. But I've heard he's like, I know him. He's a hardworking dude. He's mature. He has his public persona of what he is. But he gets a bad rap for that. but he's a professional.

Like when he's at work, he's a pro. So them having a professional in that room, I think it's going to be big because he's coming from a winning program. He's coming from the big dogs. He's been around the league on a bunch of teams. So I like the Mac Hollins signing. When was the last time you were barefoot in public, Jules?

I used to do the grounding. Remember after practice in like spring I would ground? I'm a believer in that. because I think that's why he started it. He grounded. Like we were doing that like 10 years ago, 15 years ago. You ground after practice because they were doing it in the EPL member. English Premier League, we had John Sullivan, sport scientists that we used to have at the Patriots.

He was over big with the EPL English Premier League sports scientists. And they used to ground the soccer players after a long running session because it helps you balance or something. We all started doing it, remember? I do. I believe in it, man. I like it if you definitely want to reset your body as well. Your rhythmic, you know, your rhythmic circulation or what is it, rhythmic? What's the second word?

Yeah, rhythmic. Oh, my gosh. It's a difficult word to say. Rhythmatic circulation. Yeah, rhythmic circulation. It puts you back on the normal sleep schedule that you're supposed to be back on. So grounding helps out big time. And you saw Mac.

Mac Hollins dress up as a Muppet last year, too, when he was on the Buffalo Bills. You think he should dress up as one, you know, or what Muppet should he dress up as this year, Jules, now being on the Patriots? You think that would be fly, you know, being with Rable or what? I mean, if they're winning and he's producing,

I think that's going to be the key. Like all that stuff, like when you're on a winning football team, all that stuff works, you know, I don't know. it's a little different if you're not winning you're not producing you're not playing and you do that stuff so i think a lot of that is situational for and depending on each player each different team you know you that's all situational to me and then it's going back to their free agency they picked up outside lineback on harold landry three years 45 million he's a he's a he's a rabble guy from tennessee he's a pass rusher and that's what the Patriots needed last year was a was a pass rusher to get to the quarterback and put pressure on the

quarterback so their defense is looking strong they went out they took care of what you know of the positions they needed to take care of on the defensive side they're going to be very solid and you know, Rables D might be looking like you know the type of defenses Belichick had back in the day as well you know you got to earn it you know you got to beat the guys to you know get first downs and touchdown. So that was a good signing there, but we need guys on the offensive side of the ball. We don't know there is that game plan, but we need some more linemen and we need some more skilled players out there for Drake May. And then I feel like the Patriots will compete where they really need to compete. They'll be at that level. Free agency is not over yet. There's

some receivers out there as well. They can make some trades, but go out there, get some linemen, get a playmaker as well. And then I think they'll be set. And I think Drake May will take off you know, to the level that he needs to in his second year. I think everyone also has to take a second and be reminded that free agency and is kind of like foos gold, you know, fools gold where, you know, like, you're, you know, like, you're a little off today, Jules, what our pronunciations, but it's okay. Fools gold. Fools gold.

Fools gold. like because if these guys like if you're going to free agency and if you're that great of a player there's a reason why the team is not signing you i like the direction you're going right now keep going keep going i just think that like you always there's a lot of free agents that get paid a lot of money to go beat a whole filler at you know another team that does a different thing that has a different identity of a different scheme that there's like more cases that they don't work out than when they do work out. You know, there's cases where they do work out.

Look at, you know, Kansas City with, you know, revamping that offensive line five years ago with Tooney, draft in. They revamp that through the help of developing their team through guys in the draft and bringing in guys. So I think that like free agencies, like you're not going to make your team the best it's possibly. You're not going to win a Super Bowl over free agency. I think you put your team, the best teams that we were always a part of,

we'd bring free agents in, but we built our team through the draft. And you got to develop your players. So like these guys are good players that can come in at the last part of you trying to become the team you want to be. But like to be and grow a foundational team, that's why I think free agency's fools goal. you understand am I making any sense

and you're making total sense to me Jules I totally understand where you're going with that because look at our teams you look at our teams because of all the guys that we drafted that bill drafted it was all core guys you got to have that core base of you know within your team the solid

base of guys that have been there that been through the rigor that have been together for a couple years you know four five six years together and then you bring in other guys to just to just fill in the bits and pieces. Look at the Philadelphia Eagles. They have those core guys.

That's why they were champions this year. The Kansas City Chiefs, they have all those core guys. Those are the best teams. Every once in a while, you see a team progress, you know, from like last to first because of free agency, but you barely see that ever happen. So it's like fools gold, like you said. It's like trickery. They go out and they get all these players and they think they're going to be great.

And then boom, it just never happens because they don't have that solid foundation. still like you were just talking about. Look at the dream team when they had with the Philadelphia Eagles back in like 2000, what, 13 it was. They're like, oh, this team's going to the Super Bowl. They went like, I don't know. I just know they didn't have a winning record. Didn't even make the playoffs and everyone was hyping them up because of free agency.

So I 100%. This is just a reminder. Like these are exciting times and these are awesome players that are coming to your team. But this isn't that this isn't going to make your team that. yet. That has to come through foundational building through like the GM coaching all together. And then it's kind of like putting the freaking whatever like the free agencies are like lights and like the star on a Christmas tree. It's not the tree. The tree is the thing that you're decorating. You know what I mean? So like it's a good star that it makes the fucking.

thing happened but it ain't it's not like you could live without it like you've seen some sick christmas trees without a fucking star mm-hmm an expensive star that they did from now what i mean analysis right there jules you hit it right on man that's exactly what it's like and you're not and you don't even celebrate christmas and you're still hitting it right on we do both you are our house yeah you do do both but you know what i meant yeah i mean what do you think about joe card don't being the last dude from our era still on the New England Patriots, Jules. And then Walsall, what do you think it says

about the new regimen? The new regimen. Well, Joe being the last one standing doesn't surprise me. He's a Navyman. He's a Navyman. You know what I mean? Those guys,

like he was a professional. Can't take them down. You know, like when you went to work, he was, he was always like on time, worked his ass off, great leader by example. So like that's, I expect Joe Cardonia to be one of the last guys standing. You know what I mean? Because that's the kind of fucking guy he is.

I mean, this is the, this is, he was like one of the first guys. Because we had a couple of different Navy guys, Eric Katani, this, that. And they couldn't like, they wouldn't allow the, the, the free agent to stay on the team because they still had to serve. He was the first one, I think, to be able to stay on an NFL team while also being an active sailor where they let him play the season all year,

and then in the off-season, he'd have to go to Newport, Rhode Island, and serve while we all were on vacation, like our time off. So, like, all off-season, he had to serve. So, like, what do I think? I think it's amazing that Joe's the last last guy from our era and I also I expected it because he's that that's kind of guy he is

the admiral that's what we call down with the ship goes down with the fucking ship what do you think the Patriots should do with the fourth overall pick now that you see what they've done in free agency does that change anything with them having number four overall which they should have number one overall and they would be sitting pretty but they decided the beat the Buffalo Bills in that meaningless game. That just shows how big of a difference that win was, man. They would be sitting pretty pretty if they had that number one pick. Joe Milton looked like a superstar.

I can tell you that when he played. And obviously when you start your backup quarterback, he's going to ball out. He's going to give it his all. So like that was a tough situation. But I'm just saying they would be sitting pretty right now with them. Yeah, but it's not as bad. like it's not as bad as when it first happened now looking at the the draft of players

we're pulling from I guess right now because they don't like it's not a so-called quarterback heavy draft so like there wouldn't be if you had the one there wouldn't be that many players that are going to like want to trade up to that one because that's what you honestly want to do with that one is try to trade back and get collect a lot of picks. At least that's what I would try to do because you have a lot of holes. This fourth pick is kind of like in that, you know, those guys are getting, I don't know. I don't think it's as bad as I was a little disappointed when that first happened, but I don't think it's as bad because you can get the players you want at that four.

Who do I think they're going to get? I don't know who they're going to get. I'd want more line. Now, I probably wouldn't go Travis Hunter. I probably wouldn't because Carlton Davis signing, right? Yes. That's another good corner. Christian Gonzalez as well. Christian Gonzalez. They don't need a corner.

They don't need a... And is he a... Is he a finished product at receiver? I don't know. You know what I mean? He's a really good defensive back that plays on offense a lot. And he played...

I mean, it was remarkable to see how many plays he played a game throughout the whole season. But I don't know if that's... sustainable in the national football league. I don't know if you could do that. And I think he's, is he playing corner? No one knows what he's playing yet.

I think that'll be figured out once he gets, you know, to OTAs. So then, yeah, I don't know. I, I,

I, I, I, I, what, what's, is it, is it a,

is it a, is it a lineman heavy draft? No? No, is there, you can't, is there any, like,

is there, that's just a reach. That's too much of a reach. If you're going to take a lineman fourth overall, then I would, trade out of it. I would trade back. I would trade out of it and then take an offense alignment. It's either there's a lot of receivers in this in this draft, right? There's a lot of receivers. I think they need to trade out of it. I think they trade back either get an offense alignment,

the first one on the board or they take a wide receiver that's going to be available between like 10 and 15 between which I think there's going to be some guys there. And I think there's you want more of a polished route running conceptual receiver for a young. younger quarterback than like just you know i don't know well if you're talking about a more polished you know young buck like that they got to go with take mcmillan out of uh university of Arizona where i went to school baby i met the guy over here times pushing on you pushing over these he's got a great head on his shoulders and a guy athletic man he's athletic he's big he can body out defenders and he actually went against travis hunter plenty of times over his college days um and he he did some work man i mean

They had some battles, but that just shows pro on pro right there. And he got open and did his thing against Travis Hunter. So I think Tate McMillan would be a very good pickup for well if they trade back a little bit. Yeah, right. I'm at like 10 to 15. See, I heard I heard Tate McMillan actually rented Rob's old house that has all the bras in the tree with this, that he rented with his brothers from Arizona. So that's the only reason he's saying that we should pick him.

That's what you're saying. No, we need to grab him. And he can bring the bras with him. Yeah, no, I just want, I want to protect Drake. So whatever that entails, I'm not a GM. I don't think I have any of that kind of knowledge. But for me, whatever it takes to get protection, I think you want to protect him before you want to get him weapons.

Let him learn how to run the offense. and then start throwing some nice weapons on the outside. All right. Team Mac with the number 12th pick overall after we trade back. And then we get an offense alignment in the second. And it too, because I will have two second round picks and we grab two offense alignment in the second round. I think that's the way we should go, Jules.

You can never have enough pass rushers. We'll be right back after this quick break. Here we go. Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, Here We Go Again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies, but I'm also an author, a White House staffer, and as of like 15 seconds ago, a podcast host. Along the way, I've made some friends who are experts in science, politics, and pop culture. And each week, one of them will be joining me to answer my burning questions. Like, are we heading towards another financial crash like in 08?

Is non-monogamy back in style? And how come there's never a gate ready for your flight when it lands like two minutes early? We've got guests like Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, Lili Singh, and Bill Nye. When you start weaponizing outer space, things can potentially go really wrong. Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now because it is. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The forces shaping the world's economies and financial markets can be hard to spot.

Even though they are such a powerful player in finance, you wouldn't really know that you are interacting with them. And even harder to understand. Donald Trump's trade war, 2.0, is only accelerating the process of de-dollarization, which in a way is, jargon for people turning away from the dollar. That is where the big take from Bloomberg podcast comes in, to connect the dots. How unusual is a deal like this? Unprecedented. Every weekday afternoon, we dive deep into one big global business story.

The biggest story of the reaction of the oil market to the conflict in the Middle East is one of what has not happened. Katie, you told me that ETFs are your favorite thing. They are. Explain that. Why is that the case? And unpack what it means for you. Our breakfast foods are consistent consumer staples, and so they sort of become outsize indicators of inflation. Listen to the big take from Bloomberg News every weekday afternoon on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's what I've been told, and that's a half-truth is a whole lie.

For almost a decade, the murder of an 18-year-old girl from a small town in Graves County, Kentucky, went unsolved, until a local. homemaker, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story. I'm telling you, we know Quincy Kilder, we know. A story that law enforcement used to convict six people and that got the citizen investigator on national TV. Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran. My name is Maggie Freeling.

I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, producer, and I wouldn't. be here if the truth were that easy to find. I did not know her and I did not kill her, or rape or burn or any of that other stuff that you all said it. They literally made me say that I took a match and struck and threw it on her. They made me say that I poured gas on her. From Lava for Good, this is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame.

America, y'all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small town. Listen to Graves County in the Bone Valley feed on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Jonathan Goldstein, and on the new season of heavyweight, I help a centenarian mend a broken heart. How can a 101-year-old woman fall in love again? And I help a man atone for an armed robbery he committed at 14 years old. And so I pointed the gun at him and said this isn't a joke.

And he got down, and I remember feeling kind of a surge of like, okay, this is power. Plus, my old friend Gregor and his brother tried to solve my problems through hypnotism. We could give you a whole brand new thing where you're like super charming all the time. Being more able to look people in the eye. Not always hide behind a microphone. Listen to Heavyweight on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, Jules, let's get into free agency moves around the league on offense now. We just talked about the New England Patriots, where they still have some void.

But let's get to the other teams now and let's check out these contracts. Look at this list right now, Rob. Mm-hmm. What's the first one that hits you first? Aaron Rogers not signing with the team yet. That hits me first. I don't think yet in free agency anyone was really overpaid. I think the market was kind of, you know, played where it was supposed to be played.

For example, it wasn't like Sam Darnold went out there and became the highest paid quarterback. I think where he signed with Seattle and was paid three years, $100 million, of right around $30, you know, $3 million a year. I think Baker-Mathield deal. Right. Yeah. I think that was a great signing by the Seattle CX. I think that's where he fits in, you know.

I think with the market, I think some of these other teams have overpaid their quarterbacks tremendously. You know what? I got to cut you off. All right. Let's hear. I got it. The one thing about Sam Darnold, what did, I want to know what was the bottom line number

that Minnesota had for him. You don't think they tried to sign him at all? I think they had to try to sign him, but I probably pretty sure it was like a deal where it was like, I can't take that. I'm sorry if I was the San Darno's camp. So he went. It was probably like $20 million a year.

20? 20, 25 mil a year. I'd probably say 25 million a year. So he got seven more here. Mm-hmm. A year. Mm-hmm. So this is a three-year deal.

All right. How you think Sam Darnold's going to do in Seattle when they just, they let go one of the, I love Najigba Smith, but they just let go of D.K. Medcalf. They have a defensive-minded coach who's really good on defense, but he's not an offensive guru where, you know, Minnesota has that. Like, if I'm Sam Darnold, and it's a three-year deal, which, you're basically trying to hit free agency again in a couple years. That's pretty much a two-year deal right there.

That's a two-year deal. I would have done it for like maybe $8 million less with the team that you know you're going to hit on. You have rapport with. You have the best receiver duo with Addison and Justin Jefferson and Hawkinson and Jones. Like you have a really good team around. around you. You have a good offensive line. You have a head coach that is an offensive

mind of head coach that got you playing the best football you've ever played in your life. Like, I just wanted, that's what I questioned. What was the bottom line number that Minnesota gave? Because then I, I just, I don't know if, if Sam's going to be the same Sam, he was in Minnesota in Seattle with what he has around him in Seattle. I think he's a little bit, he's He's a better Gino Smith. He's a better Gino Smith, but he's nothing like he's a, he's a more athletic in a younger Gino Smith. Do you even think that Minnesota even made an offer or they're like, hey, buddy.

I don't know. That's what I appreciate what you did for our organization, but we're going to go with our young buck because that happens many, many times in the NFL. It's always about the up and coming young buck, you know, that's coming through, man. That's the NFL for you. That's just how it is. That's how business is done. so they might have not even given them offer and just said,

hey, we're going to let you hit free agency. They may have, but that must tell you that they must really love J.J. McCarthy to have a kid that's never thrown a ball in a meaningful NFL game, to let someone leave your building, Sam Darnold, go somewhere else, who just was in MVP talks all the way up until week 16. Week 16 of the National Football League. MVP talks, week 16 of the NFL. Like that, that's like,

JJ McCarthy better be the guy. Well, JJ McCarthy's into grounding as well, so he may be the guy. But hear me out on this, Jules, Aaron Rogers to the Minnesota Vikings for a year or two. How does that sound? Does that make sense? Is that accurate?

Would that be a good fit? I don't know. I don't think so because it's probably going to be more money than what Sam Darnold was or if not probably in that same ballpark. What if he's like, hey, I'll play for $15, $20 million this year. I got enough money in the bank, which he sure does. Like, do they still like J.J. McCarthy? Are they doing this because they don't, they think J.J.

McCarthy is going to be good in the future or they don't think he's the guy? They would do that because they think J.J. McCarthy is going to be good in the future and he's also coming off an injury, so they're not sure how ready he's going to be. Can't do it. It's basically going to be like his rookie year again. Then I won't do it. Then I won't do it.

All right. If they think JJ McCarthy is going to be the future, I wouldn't do it then. I wouldn't do it because I don't think Aaron Rogers is, I don't think he's a type of guy that's like, let me mentor a young guy anymore. We just, you know what I mean?

Over it. He comes in with such an aura where he's not like, that that's just not possible for like him being in the same quarterback room with the guy that's going to be the few like i just can't see that that's tough for me to see and then you know like they got good things in that that locker room going and i i i just you know Aaron's well is he going to be there during organized team activity is he going to do this like there's a lot of stuff that comes along with Aaron and they got a good thing going right now they don't need that right now if they think this kid's a future.

All right. And I think if they, if they were going to do that, then I think they would have kept Sam Darnold. Mm-hmm. So I don't know. I don't think, I don't think,

but I could be completely wrong watch when this thing goes down. Yep. I feel you. I understand where you're coming from because if Jay J.J.J. McCarthy is the future. You just want to go on and all in with the guy that you think is the future.

So he just can bring it all right from the beginning. and just unleash them. That makes sense. Totally makes sense. And then what about that Justin Fields? So, you know, going to the New York Jets, two years, $40 million deal, $30 million guarantee. So basically he's going to be on the roster for the two years

with the $30 million guaranteed. I mean, he reunites with former OSU teammate Garrett Wilson. And it just feels like, you know, I feel like it's the right move for Justin Fields. But at the same time, the jet starting quarterback, position. It just seems like it's just cursed. It really does, man. I mean, you got Gino Smith who was there. You had Sam Darnel who were there. And now they're booming since they've been off the roster for the Jets. Aaron Rogers goes there. He didn't play bad at all. His numbers were pretty

legit. But just overall, it just seemed like it wasn't going the right way. And now Justin Fields goes, does he break the curse? What do you think about this move, Jules? I think he's a, this is a bridge quarterback move. This is someone who, you know, the team probably likes that he didn't turn the ball over last year with the Steelers. He had a lot of growth, had a lot

of improvement in his career or in his craft, but who is very athletic and they kept on talking about wanting to move the pocket, right? They want to move the pocket with the jets and be more athletic at the position. So I think he's He's a good bridge quarterback where they'll be competitive.

But I don't expect them to do anything. You know what I mean? I think they'll be competitive. Hopefully they, they, I don't, I don't know what that move. You know, I don't know what that that is. Sounds like the Jets will be the Jets once again, Jules. Makes sense. Makes sense.

It does. Well, I'm not trying to say that it's like a bad signing. It's just like, what, what else do they have going? Are they going to, they got to, they got to. to build up that good defense and then have Justin like that's are they going to play that formula like Steelers ball well I can tell you this if you're talking about that formula like Steelers ball and you don't know who to start Justin Fields or

or the formula where you play really good defense just when he was started not not too quarterback debate okay essentially what with the formula the Steelers have been last like since Big Ben has left like having a really good defense at takes a ball away that has explosion plays, it has a quarterback that doesn't turn the ball over, that it will situationally run and take off. That's kind of what they're looking. I don't know.

This one was intriguing to me, which I think they overpaid a little bit, you know, at this position. And it's the Indianapolis coach signing Daniel Jones to a one year, $14 million deal. I mean, I feel like with the way that backup quarterbacks have been getting paid, I feel like it should have been like a $5 million deal.

with maybe incentives that can go up to 14 million, 15 million if you're to, you know, if you're to starter throughout the year and you have playing time. And you got Richardson versus Jones. That's going to be a quarterback battle in India. And they were the two lowest QBRs in 2024. And I can tell you this, when you got two quarterbacks that are battling, like they were what they were doing with Richardson and Joe Flackle last year, if they're going to be starting Richardson some games, if they're going to be, you know, starting Daniel Jones some games.

when you have two quarterbacks, you actually don't have a quarterback, in my opinion. Like, you don't really have a team that's going to be essentially focused on what you're going to do because you don't know who the guy's going to be. And it's just too much going on switching guys up and your game plans are getting switched up. So I think if Daniel Jones does beat out Richardson,

then it's a fair deal. But if they brought him in to be the backup to Richardson, I think like a $5 million, $6 million, $7 million deal. would have been more efficient, you know, for the Colts compared to all these other backup quarterbacks like Matt Jones, he got two years, seven million. Jimmy G. He got one year, four and a half. You know, the Pat's backup quarterback who they just brought in. They signed like, what, two years, like something small.

So what do you think about that situation? I want to hear your opinion. This is a last call. for Richardson. This is, hey, we're bringing this guy in to compete with you. If you can't beat him out, you're not the guy. If he beats you out, all right, he's a good bridge quarterback until we find another guy, let him build off that.

Now, you list off the name of guys that are backups, Mac Jones, two for seven, this, that, and another. Daniel Jones has a playoff win. Daniel Jones won a playoff game. Daniel Jones, I've been such a guy that's like, oh, Daniel Jones, this. But Daniel Jones, through being hated on in the New York media, this guy still came to work every day and was a fucking professional from what I've heard. You know, he looks apart in shorts.

He knows the reads. For whatever reason, they never got it done consistently in New York. And he's gone, but I do understand that 14 million, that's the going rate for a backup quarterback that's going to play. That's the rate now. And if you bring in all these, you talk about other guys, Daniel Jones was a starting quarterback for three years, got a second contract with a team.

Regardless of what you want to say, this is what the agent is telling the team. Hey, Daniel Jones got a playoff when he's going to come in and compete. This is how much he costs. So I think it's a good move. Because competition makes the best. This isn't going to be a two-quarterback system. This is going to be either Richardson plays or Jones plays.

And if Jones plays, that means Richardson's probably on his way out. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's what I think. No, I like you breaking down that situation, man. Sounds appropriate. Sounds right. And then also it's a fair deal if Daniel Jones does play.

I was actually comparing his deal to the other deals, but those other guys, they know they're not going to be playing. They're true backups. Daniel Jones might be vying for the starting role at $14 million. So that does make sense. That is what it says. It says, Daniel Jones, we might need you as our starter. So if you can beat out Richardson, hey, here's $14 million. That's not true backup money.

True backup monies are the other contracts that we're talking about. The cold term bringing him in to just be the backup. That contract tells me, hey, this is you coming in to compete for. the job. So, you know, that that's what that tells me, at least from afar. Kenny Picky going to Cleveland. Got a shout out that old little trade. Kenny, two gloves?

You think he's a future in Cleveland? Possibly. Is there a chance? Is there a slight chance that he's the future? Like, he was a first round pick, had a great career in Pittsburgh, you know, at the college in Pittsburgh. and then, you know, got first round to the Pittsburgh Steelers and got traded to Philadelphia Eagles. He knows what it takes now that win his Super Bowl.

He saw Jalen Hertz did it. He was his backup this year. He has a Super Bowl ring now. Gets traded over to Cleveland. He has a possible shot at playing this year, Jules, and starting for the Cleveland Browns. I mean, he's already got a couple starts under him. Is he the future at all? Is there a slight chance?

I don't know. But when I see this, I just say, man, Hallie Roseman. Look at him, that dirty dog. getting a fifth round pick for Kenny Pickett. Guys a genius. You know what I mean? Best in the game. Give him DTR.

All right. We're getting DTR too. He's got some wins under his belt. Mm-hmm. He sure does. Look at how he rose. You know, is he the, it's hard to be the future in Cleveland. Okay.

So, you know, I think their future is in Tampa right now that they got rid of. And that's Baker Mayfield. The future that they had, they got rid of. So they browned it somehow. And I feel terrible for the Cleveland Browns because I went to school in Northeast Ohio. And I know those people fucking, they live, die, breed the Browns. And they're fed up with it. So I feel bad for Kenny having to go into this situation because that's going to be a tough situation regardless.

And I love everyone there. You know, Chattie O'Shea is there. And we know all our boys are, it's just a tough fucking place. That quarterback thing, that quarterback contract put them in the grave. Mm-hmm. You know, shout out Miles Garrett. At least he got him paid and stayed there. But which of these moves you think is going to work out the best?

I'm going to go with, we didn't really talk much about it. Actually, I was going to say Gino Smith, but he wasn't a free agent. He got traded. So he's kind of not in this category now because he was just traded. I'm going to say Sam Darnold, you know. You kind of brought it up that you're not sure how he's going to perform for the Seattle Seahawks because he knew the system in Minnesota that he should have stayed there, no matter, you know, how much money they were giving him that he had, you know, the talent

around him to be the guy, you know, to shine. Are we just on quarterbacks right now? I think, no, we're not just on quarterbacks. we're on everyone overall. But I do truly think that Sam Darnold will be the guy that they're looking for in Seattle. Now that Sam knows what it takes,

you know, to get the job done, you know, like he did this year in Minnesota, Seattle went out and got him for a reason. They're going to put the weapons around him that they need to. And it'll be a value deal, you know, to where he will perform to the value that he's at. League-wide free agencies. I really like the Joey Bosa signing with the Buffalo Bills.

I mean, I can't believe he didn't reunite what his brother in San Francisco. Like, how do you not want to play with your brother on the other side of the ball, especially being two edge rushers? That would be one of the coolest things to see as just a fan, to see two brothers getting after the quarterback. Imagine just them both getting a half sack at the same time, one going high, one going low, and just demolishing the quarterback and then they get up.

And they're like the bashed brothers. High at the shoulders and hips, Jules. One at the shoulders, one at the hips. That's not a penalty of them. That's what I was referring to. And then they're like the Bash brothers and they have some, you know, bosa dance that they do after and the crowd goes wild. The fans go wild.

And every time they, you know, get a half sack together, it's like highlighted all over the place. That would just been cool to see. Yeah, but this isn't a Disney movie in the, 49ers aren't a winning team and Joey Bose has said, hey, let me go to try to chase one and go to the Buffalo Bills. Okay. This ain't a Disney movie, Rob.

I like that. I like that Devante Adams going to the Rams. It is. I mean, Matthew Stafford needs that guy out there out in that field. I mean, Matthew Stafford still has it. He played at a high level last year. He's going to play at a high level this year. They got that contract situated out that he's staying now with the L.A.

Rams. So Devante Adams is going to shine. I mean, he got paid again, bro. I can't believe that money that he got. I was understanding maybe like a two-year, $30 million deal. But he got paid and now Stafford can throw it to Puka at any time. He can throw to Devante Adams anytime. He's got the Kyrie out of the backfield too at the running back position.

I mean, they're going to be looking nice. Sean McVeigh knows what he's doing. Yeah. This is something that they needed all last year. They struggled in like red area targets. and like guys that could win outside the numbers. You know, like having Coupe and Puka, those guys, they were too much of the similar guys.

They're really good at intermediate routes, shorter routes. They'll get you over the top, but they're not, they're not like, they're really good paired with a guy that can open up the top and be a traditional X. Those guys are like F and Zs, you know what I mean? I do. DeVante Adams is an X. Like you can put him and say, hey, you go work over here.

X factors. So I think that's going to be huge for their offense. Now, did they play pig? Did Puka and Devante play? Or did they play pig for the number? Because I know DeVante got 17 and I heard Puka go on to McAfee and say they had to play pig for it. So I'm just taking it that Pooka lost it. Pook, you lost that pig?

Puga, you lost that pig? Puga, you lost. did he lose that pig for the number book i you can't be losing that pig for the number you can't be doing that you got at least be getting paid i mean you're a young buck you don't have a contract yet hopefully devante cuffed up some of that money and handing it over yeah you know you got you got you got you got a lot of them a lot of those or maybe he's just a good guy like that and i think puka probably i think puka is like like you know throughout his childhood I mean, how do you not look up at Devante Adams if you're a young buck wide receiver,

especially when he comes on the roster? I mean, it's easy to just hand over the jersey number because it's Devante Adams, one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game. So, I mean, I'm sure there was some negotiations. I don't know how it truly went down. So anyone try to get your number, Rob, coming out early? No one's ever tried to get my number. No.

Yeah, same. 87's my number, Jules. No one's coming for it. And when I got to Tampa, there was some no name or wide receiver with it. And I literally said, give me that number. And he was like, no problem, drunk, here it is. I was like, that's right. Mofo, hand that number over.

That's mine. And the Tampa Bay was like, the organization was like, that's right. You take control of that number. That number is yours. So I got it right away. Do you give him anything? Nah, it was a guy that I don't even think was on the team when I got there. Like he was there in the offseason.

but then he wasn't there, like after, because that was during COVID. I don't even know who it was, but there was someone at bottom of the roster with 87, and they just coughed it over to me. So there was no negotiations. It was nice. I'm just glad that no one legit had it at that time when I got there. Yeah. Jules, what if Drew Bledsoe came out of retirement?

Would you give up number 11 then? What year of my career? 2016. Nope. Right in your prime. No. The squirrel. Come on.

Just running all over the field. Scoring touchdowns. It's Drew Bletzel, though. I know. That's tough. Mr. Winery. He always, we always had a thing because he'd come in a locker room after games.

He always, like, be rooting for me even when I wasn't playing. and stuff. He was cool. I'd probably give it to him. It's true. You can still throw it. We gotta talk about these fucking Niners, just my 49ers' childhood team just being gutted.

Only 11 starters from their 22 remaining from the Super Bowl team. They're in a full rebuild or what? I think they are kind of in a full rebuild. And is Brock the guy? That's actually the main question. Is Brock party the guy in San Francisco and how much do you pay him when it comes down?

Are they going to pay them? They have to pay them, right? They got to let it ride one more year, right? Let it ride. I don't know if is Brooke's agent going to allow that? Does he sit out? No, I don't think he's that kind of guy. I think they'll get something done before, but like what's that number going to be?

Is it going to be a five in the front or is it going to be a four in the front or is it going to a high three in the front? I would say if I was a San Francisco 49ers, I'd be really happy if they could sign them with a four in the front. Anywhere from $44 to $48 million a year, the front office of the San Francisco 49ers would take that, I believe. And I think that would be a very fair deal for both parties too. But I'm Brock Purdy's agent.

And I'm going to sit here and I'm going to say, you mean to tell me, Dak Prescott, a guy that doesn't even have one season worth of playoff wins that my fucking little seventh round quarterback does, who's making $60 million is $12 million better than my guy? I can't do that. I can't do that.

As an agent, that's when the egos kick in. And it's always up to, you know, the player as well to tell their agent, hey, I'm willing to, you know, take less money, a little bit less, not too much. Yeah, Rob, can you walk us through this situation? Because I've never been through this situation. Go ahead. How does this work?

What situation are you talking about, Jules? Free agent situation? Like when a team's about to unload a truck of money to you, like, do you, the conversation you have to your agent like, hey, man, I don't need it all. I want some to go to the team. I mean, you were in this situation, Jules, when you were free agent. but I wasn't really in this situation either because it wasn't like I was in the prime of my career when I was in Tampa Bay Bucks. I had the Buffalo Bills.

They offered me, I think it was one mil or two mil more than what the Tampa Bay Bucks were offering me, you know, to go back to Tampa, my second year. But literally, it didn't matter if the Buffalo Bills offered me $5 million more at that time. I knew my mindset was to go back to the Bucks for the second year. you know, out of retirement. You know, I wanted to play with the bucks. I was familiar with the situation. I was happy, you know, with the living conditions as well. You got the nice weather.

My mom, two hours down the street, you know, easy, easy. That's kind of like what Godwin probably felt. Exactly. It's exactly how I believe Godwin has felt as well. Like, hey, I got my family here. It's nice weather around 24-7. I know the organization. I know the playbook.

And that's how I was feeling at that time. So I know the taxes. The taxes as well. Yes. So it's not always about getting the most bang for your buck and free agency. It's where you fit in as well. And that's where I fit in, you know, was with the Tampa Bay bucks at that time.

I could have fit in actually with the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen. No doubt about that. But it was truly, you know, meant for me to be down here still. yeah it's but that was my only situation it wasn't like 10 million dollar difference it was it was it was I signed

one year 10 million in Tampa and like baffle bills were offering like one year 11 million so it wasn't even that big of a of a difference jewel so I actually really never been truly truly in that situation where it's like a 5 to 10 million dollar difference

well you probably you're in a different mindset than Trudevius Ward Javin Hargra Dre, Greenlaw, Hufanga, Uzscheck, and Debo because they said they want to go somewhere else

for a couple extra million. Mm-hmm. Well, or everyone's in different situations, man. Man, the Niners in a full rebuild. I'm not going to lie when they lost that Super Bowl. And I think I have people around where I said they lost that was their window.

That was it. And I don't want to be, because I'm on a text chain with all my high school friends and they're all Niners fans. We're recording this a couple days into free agency, so a lot of things could change. But we thought it'd be fun to look into our crystal ball. Oh, the crystal ball. Let's hear the first read, Jules, from the crystal ball. Justin Fields will win more games at quarterback for, the New York football jets than Aaron Rogers did five games will he win five games just in

i think they're going to win more five games i'm on the same page i think this crystal ball is on the right path this crystal ball knows what it's talking about so far i think they win about six games to eight games this year i think they're going to show improvement from last year. So the crystal ball says yes. I agree with the crystal ball. Mm-hmm. I think the defense is going to play a lot better with Aaron Glenn head coach.

Like the defense was good at the, then they had too much fucking stuff going on and the Jets lock. So like the strength of their team didn't play as the strength of their team last year. I think the strength of their team is going to get back to being the strength of their team this year because of Aaron Glenn. So I think, yes, Justin Fields will have more than five wins or four wins, five games, four wins. Well, let's see what the crystal ball says next. All right, crystal ball number two. Mack Jones will start more than three games in San Francisco in 2025.

Ooh. Oh, crystal ball, I'm going to go against you on this one. I think that's a no. The only way that that is happening is if Brock Purdy gets hurt, but I don't think that's going to be the case. So the crystal ball on this one says no. No chance of this happening. Brock Purdy is too legit.

Oh, does the crystal ball not see in the past all the injuries that old Brock Perti has attained? Oh, Rob. It's not reading that. He's been hurt. The future. His left tackle, backup left tackle. that played a lot because

Big boy, Big Trent, you know, he's been banged up the last couple. He's not there. They're losing linemen. They don't have Debo. You know, will he be holding on to that ball? Ricky Pearsall is his only target right now.

Will he be holding on to that? Is Christian McCaffrey playing this year? So we'll see. If you say the crystal ball says no, I think the crystal ball says no. says no. Oh, what is your crystal ball? Your says no, too?

I think he might play two games, not three. Yeah. Well, it's more than three, so he actually has to play four games. All right, I got a crystal ball for you. All right, let's hear it. Ooh, the New England Patriots will make the playoffs in their first year under coach Mike frable oh

crystal ball this crystal ball this crystal ball I think they're going to this crystal ball is feeling it today and I'm feeling the crystal ball here as well what's funny is my brother's name is crystal ball in Spanish but it's totally spelled different

this is crystal ball like two separate words crystal ball is just one word and it's a name So it's kind of reminded me of my brother. My brother is kind of like a genius like that too. He just knows what's going to happen in the future. So crystal balls are smart. So shout out to my brother Chris for being the original crystal ball. Shout out crystal ball.

Yeah, shout out crystal ball. And the New England pitchers, I believe, too, along with the crystal ball, will make the playoffs in the first year under Mike Brable. I feel like the, you know, Buffalo Bills will hold it down. again and be the champs of the AFC East, but, I mean, you got the Jets. They're going to be all right. You know, nothing special. You got Miami.

It ain't like they're making moves right now. It's all the same guys from last year. I, you know, they're going to be competitive. They're going to be right in the middle. But I'm thinking the New England Patriots, what Mike Brable is going to take it up a notch in. They're going to be the team that's going into the playoffs this year as the number two seed. And out of not the number two seed overall, but as the number two team. making the playoffs.

So as a wild card from the AFC East. I agree. But my mind went to, when you said Miami's going to be, my mind went to, man, all those wine bars in Boka, better watch out for Zach Wilson.

He just got shipped in town. All those moms. Mama Jamas. You like moms, Jules. I know you do. I love my mom. Me too. Gino Smith, Crystal Ball.

Oh, Gino Smith will have more wins than Sam Darnold. I'm going yes. I'm going crystal balls, yes, because I think the Raiders are trending up. Mm-hmm. I just like the leadership there. I'm going yes as well,

all because of my guy, Brock Bowers, man. Love seeing him play. he's going to have a reliable target at all times you know they're going to have a system that's going to benefit gino smith as well he's reuniting with head coach pete carroll you got brady there as well he's not going to let this team you know be you know in the mid mid level of of the pack he wants to take it up a notch so i think yes he outperforms sam darnall i agree i'm going i just think it's be tough for i don't think seattle has a lot of

i mean they got walker they got smith and jigba i don't know man it's tough that i don't know if they're gonna he's gonna have the same production as what he had in minnesota they'll have a really good defense but and that that division's up for the taken and uh you know with la b and the nfc west like big dog i think the other three can can fight each other.

So, but I'm going with, I'm going, I believe in Pete Carroll and Gino Smith trying to go out and purposely have more wins than Seattle to show them that they still have it. All right. And the last crystal ball reading we got here. Ooh. Cooper Cup will have 100 catches for 1,000 yards and 6 TDs in 2020. And Roberto's crystal ball says no. Yes, Cooper Cup will have an impact, but he will not be a hundred catch guy.

I say more around, you know, 70, 75 catches, possibly a thousand yards, possibly six touchdowns, but not a hundred catch guy. You know, he's going to make an impact. He's going to do well. You know, he's going to be a reliable target. but my crystal ball here says no he's 34 years old as well 31 not 34 31 years old as well so you can still run still make an impact but being a hundred catch guy he that's going to be tough rob I had 100 catches I had 100 catches at 33 well you're Julian that'll I don't know yeah but I think if he he he messes around and goes to

like the Niners or like one of these systems that will feed them that need them. Mm-hmm. I mean, it's not easy. I'm going, I'm going, no. I'm going, no. I thought he still, he can still, he's still, it just don't, you don't know if he's going to be the feature guy anywhere. So no.

It's going to be tough. Didn't he already admit before last season that he's not the feature guy anymore and that puka is? Didn't he say something along those lines? I don't know. yeah from what i can recall i think he did so he doesn't want to be the feature guy i think he wants to be the number two and and you know have that you know load taken off his shoulder which is understandable i mean when you hit your 30s that that's kind of what happens you know it does it does

unless you know that's when the wheels start to fall off you know that was fun the crystal ball segment yeah it was we need more crystal ball you know i think we need more crystal ball well let's Get into the chillest dude of the week brought to you by our favorite beer Coors Light. Get Coors Light delivered straight to your door. Visit Coorslight.com slash dudes. Celebrate responsibly. Look how chill that looks. I can see the Blue Mountains from here.

It's going to quench your thirst as well. It's going to make you, you know, feel, you know, social. Feel a little buzz after one or two just to the perfect amount. But shout out to our chillest dude of the week presented by those Blue Mountains. Coors Light Jules and who is the cellist dude of the week this week? Who do we got? Gotta give it to Cavante Turpin. Just became the highest paid teamer.

That's a chill guy. Three years, 18 million. We're not, we're not, we're not backing the truck in. But he is a teamer. That is a great living. He's an unbelievable football player that, like, has a great story. He came from the other leagues of like, whoa. was a USFL, was the MVP of that league,

and then had to work his way into this league, became unstoppable force where he's made a huge impact in helping his team, you know, with only a certain amount of plays. That's what the cool thing about being a teamer is. You know, it's good to see a guy like him go out, work his tail off, go the long road, and get $18 million.

What a good number. $18 million. is 5.5 guaranteed. Coming off in all pro season, only playing in 2024 with a punt return and kick return for a touchdown. You know, highest return average since the merger

in 1970. I mean, this guy is legit. He's chill. He's one of Bill Belichick's underrated players. I've seen him talking about him. You know, we talked about that the last episode as well. You love him.

You love team. You appreciate teamers, Jules. Love teamers. You were a guy that. Yes. You were a guy also that punt return and kick return so you know what it takes. You know how special it is to be able to do all those, you know, jigs and jags out there on the field that make people miss. So congratulations.

Cavante Turb. You are the chillest dude of the week. He's so fast. It just looks chill. And that was the chillest dude of the week. Thanks to our favorite beer. Coors Light. get Coors Light delivered straight to your door.

Visit Coorslight.com slash dudes and celebrate responsibly. And what was super chill about Cavante Turpin that really no one knows about is that he was not even in the NFL when he could have been in the NFL because he was playing for another league.

The New Jersey Generals, I'm pretty sure it was. the 2022 USFL MVP. And he also played Euroleague. Long road. So a long road that developed him into being that the player he is. And this is why he's so chilled because he took the long road. He worked at it. And when you work at it, you just chill, Jules.

You just chill then. So congratulations. And that's the chill. And that's the chill dude of the week. Well, that's been another episode of dudes on dudes. What could we do better next episode? What could we do better next? Come on.

Rate and review us. Put it in some comments. What could Jules and I do better? I think we're getting better. We are getting better. This is only our third session over Zoom together. I really like it when we're in person. But, you know, with our schedules that conflict a little bit.

But we are getting better. We're building up the chemistry. We got better microphones. We got better, you know, headphones. So we're getting it. We're getting after it. You guys let us know what you want us to do. We want us to do.

And we'll end rate and review. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, wherever you listen to your podcast. And remember, follow dudes on dudes on YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok, and Snapchat. We'll see you guys next week. Yes, we will. We'll see you all next. week. Dudes on Dudes is a production of IHeart Radio.

For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, visit the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down. Unlock Elite Gaming Tech at Lenovo.com. Dominate every match with next level speed, seamless streaming, and performance that won't quit.

Push your gameplay beyond performance with Intel Core Ultra processors. For the next era of gaming, upgrade to smooth high, quality streaming with Intel Wi-Fi 6E and maximize game performance with enhanced overclocking. Win the tech search. Power up at Lenovo.com. Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, here we go again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends,

like Bill Nye, Lily Singh, and Pete Buttigieg to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to here we go again

with Cal Penn on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The murder of an 18-year-old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years. Until a local housewife, a journalist, and a handful of

girls came forward with a story. America, y'all better work the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small town. Listen to Graves County on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season, add free, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back.

I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leveh, Rufus Wainwright, Mavis Staples, really too many to name, and there's still so much more to come in this new season. Listen to Nora Jones is playing along on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.