First Things First - Jerry Jones tells Cowboys fans not to worry, Luka & Lakers new deal, Sean Payton's goals for Broncos

Episode Date: August 4, 2025

Watch clips on YouTube! Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRST THINGS FIRST YOUTUBE CHANNEL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (00:00) Jerry Jones tells Cowboys fans not to worry about Micah Parsons' trade request / Luka Doncic signs new deal with Lakers (26:03) Sean Payton sets high goals for Broncos / Should Bills fans be worried about James Cook? (38:59) Starting to worry about Caleb Williams? (45:53) What team would Micah Parsons make the most sense on? (1:02:47) Who has the edge: Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel? / Worried about Matthew Stafford and the Rams? (1:16:37) Did Brock Purdy not make the NFL Top 100 list? (1:23:57) Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York. It's the show that's getting right to the news. It's a power pack show and we're locked in. In about 28 minutes, we're going to talk about Caleb Williams and some of the worst highlights you've ever seen at a training camp. Where have you seen it? I did see it and what was startling, at least from our discussion, our brief discussion, is that it sounds like somebody might be souring on it.

That's what it sound like. No, it doesn't. I'm not saying who. Can I say something? Did it sound like that to do? Was it just me? Am I projecting? When we actually do it, I will explain exactly what Bruce's song knows.

But it should be stated that the conversation Brew is referencing was preface with, and I quote, brew, you cannot mention this on the air. And now that's the first. I was locked in. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I was locked in. Seriously.

I didn't hear that. person. I did not hear that. Drew never betrays me like that. And then just, I'm just, I mean. Today,

Parsons places. We kick around new landing spots for Micah and analyze Jerry's curious response to his trade demand. He was at camp today. And he was wearing its jersey. I wouldn't have it. Put no pads and just. No,

but just like you kind of has a jersey on. I would have had just like a shirt on. I would have a button. What a custom made steelers, Micah Parsons. Yeah. I like it. That's a negotiation. I'm from Pennsylvania.

It's the ovation. Concerns for Caleb. Is that Caleb? The missing of the entire net. If you miss the little square, so be it. It's this one right here that. That last one, he was just ticked off. He was like, I'm done.

I don't know. I think he's like, I'm going to hit that little squared. It's not good. And finally, Lakers land. Luca, congratulations. That's a big deal. He signs his. extension Palika celebrates.

I was so worried he wasn't going to sign. No, but it's the LeBron golfing part. Oh, really? I've got some hot takes about LeBron golfing. Oh, great. You sound like, I got, ring a more. Well, are you going to have, are you going to do them? I don't know.

I can't tell, like, sometimes when a professional athlete starts golfing, they start taking their eye off the ball. You know what I mean? It's like, there's been, I don't. Figuratively. Yeah. But other times, I'm like, you know what? Steph's golf throughout his career.

Yeah, Jordan golf throughout. Throughout his career. Ray Allen. But I understand what you're saying. Some guys, though, it's like, hey, a new thing, and they're not a... Like, if you're orthodontist is huge into golf, like, you need to pay more attention to... Like, this is coward's take. You being an orthodontist?

No, coward's take is when he was starting his company, one of the first things he would ask people is... Do they like golf? Yeah, I buy that. The answer was, yes, wouldn't I, or... I also think that he could, like, send golfing to another level. Oh, okay. Well... We'll start with Mike's trading man. No, I do.

I think you'd be like, I'm interested in following his, like, you know, golfing trajectory. Last week, Mike had said point blank, you didn't want to be a cowboy anymore. Jumped straight to the trade demand. He didn't even delete his Instagram pictures. Just right to the trade demand. Here's Jerry Jones response. He's not where he tickle's. I'm here.

I do what I do. I love these guys. Frankly, I can be any place in the world. And I want to be right here. I want to be right here with camp. I enjoy these players. I enjoy Micah. But as always, in any relationships,

there are different moods at different times of your relationship. That's what it is. Don't lose any sleepover. Okay. Micah was here today in the outfit that my old soccer coach used to wear to get the sweat out. And he has his jersey on underneath that. Nick, your reaction to the trade demand

because you weren't here Friday or playing cards. and Jerry's response. Is this true? Well, I want to talk about Jerry's response first. The entire, if you can call it a press conference, I know it wasn't really press gathering, was kind of surreal and even by Jerry's standards. Now, I don't always, you know, sometimes we play sound on the show

and I don't watch the entire 12-minute press because, to be honest, I know Brew's going to do it. Brew's going to do it. I do. No, you don't. I do. Me and Brew watch it together. Sometimes Wilde is hearing the sound for the first time as we're playing.

But Brew is full context. But this one, I wanted to see the full thing. Because there were some quotes that I had read about the, where he's like, sometimes it's like when you go to your mom and she says no, and then you go to your dad. And I was like, well, that might be really disrespectful to Micah. But then when I heard it, I was like, wait, I think in this analogy, Micah and his agent are the mom and the dad and Jerry is the child.

It was bizarre. The whole thing was bizarre. But what is very, very clear to me is two things, one of which is Jerry feels like they had an agreement and he wants to stick to it. And I think that that is an unethical way to do business.

Yes. And I heard, listen, I heard what coach was saying Friday when he said, you know, sometimes you do want to get with the player one-on-one and talk it out, whatever it is. And I think that's fine. I think that's totally fine. What I do not think is right is to if a player does not think we are going to be talking about numbers and a contract, and then it comes up and he engages to then be like, all right, shook on it. You know what I mean?

Like you and I said, you know, deals a deal because that is not Micah's expertise. and it is whether it's actually Jerry's expertise or not, it's something he has done for years and years and he loves doing it. My other big takeaway is this. Jerry wants to be the star of this negotiation. He made that very clear in this. He was like some, he goes, he said, you know, to paraphrasing,

he's like, you're not dealing with the Dallas Cowboys on this deal. You're dealing with me. He's like, on the big ones, you deal with me. And so I think ultimately it gets done. I don't think Micah gets traded. I do think Jerry ends up caving. But I also think because he once again, Brew in this press conference said,

they weren't as loud for Micah as they were for CD. He keeps poking. And he keeps to me insulting the guy while being like I love Micah. And so I think even if it gets done, I think they've damaged the relationship significantly. Well, as far as a relationship, look. I do think Micah's frustrated. I think he's upset.

I think he's bothered by the way Jerry's gone about his business. But when he gets that $200 million plus contract and signs it, I think everything will be good. I mean, he still may talk, you know, with some players. Yeah, Jerry, I ain't like the way he did that. What was he? I don't know. Tripping, whatever.

$200 million. Yeah, I mean, overall it's going to be fine. It was a lot of stuff over. Remember, we saw with Lamar when he, you know, they looked at other teams. Yeah, so and everything is smoothed over. Obviously, it's Loe-Dovey there now. But they never said real quick. They never said bad things about it.

No, it wasn't like that. It was not this bad. It was not this bad. But I just think that, remember when Dak said a year ago, you don't really pay attention to what Jerry said. I mean, that's kind of, you could take that to be a real insult. So I just think it'll be fine. I agree with you. You probably saw me say it Friday.

I think it's underhanded to negotiate with a player. Now, do I think they sat down and really talked hard tax about the contract? No. But I think if Jerry, in the course of some conversation, and Jerry's like, how's $40 million a year sound? And Mike is like, found good to me. You know, something like that. And Jerry's thinking they got a deal.

Jerry would probably tell you that nothing is a deal until it's signed. And so why is he expecting different from Michael? And I don't know what, you know, agents sometimes have problems with teams. I don't know if Jerry has an issue with his agent or what, but he's one of the most powerful agents in the NFL. So I don't get that. But at the end of the day, as I just said about the $200 million contract, this will get done.

I do not think Mike is going to be traded. There's not a fiber in my being that thinks he's going to be traded. I do think, like I said, I think he's serious. I think there's a part of him that's sick of it. And sure, is ready. It would move on if it comes to that. I don't think he's like, I don't want to play for this team at all. Otherwise, why would you be there?

Even if it was costing you $50,000 a day, if I was really serious, as like Diana Rusini reported, he's severing ties with the organization. If you're severing ties, I'm out of there. I'm not at practice. I get it. It's costing me some money, but I'm done with you. No, but hold on, but real quick, that, he would have had to make that decision before training camp again.

Because if he were to do that now, it's not $50,000 a day. Remember? Once you report, if you leave, it's no longer you lose $50,000 a day. It's that they, you have five days to come back and then you're on ice for the year. Like, yeah, it's like, it's like, it's the NFL. Do you have to go out on the price? practice field? No. I mean, I would do because this looks. Do a more aggressive

holdings is what you're saying. Yeah, and I'm fine. Show up, walk outside and sit down. Yeah, something like you stay in the inside. I don't know. Just in your car. Yeah, this just doesn't look like, you know. You're going to the mattresses. Other other quote I get your reaction from. It seems like we forget that it's been less than a year and I've paid the

highest that's been paid in the NFL to DAC and I paid a big price for C.D. Lamb. He was second to Justin. Anybody that says I'm not interested in financially rewarding my players. hasn't been looking at the T-Leaf. So do you expect him to be number one over everybody? Yeah, no, I do. I don't know that it's going to be 45, but I think it's going to be number one.

But I also, there's something else Jerry kept saying that I take major issue with, which is he kept saying, Mike is already under contract. He is a player under contract. And I feel incredibly differently about players during their second contract

negotiating for a third a la Trey Hendrickson or a lot the Chris Jones deal, whatever it was, there you go, got Trey Hendricksson in the show, versus a rookie extension. Because the contract Mika

is currently under. He was not able to negotiate. He was not able to barter on and he has played out the entirety of his four years rookie contract. If he were a second round pick, not a first round pick, he'd be a free agent right now or a franchise tag.

There's a fifth year option, which again, he has no say in, which was put in place for two reasons. One is to give teams primarily a little more... An advantage. Well, no, I mean, yes, an advantage. But the real reason for it was for borderline guys. Homegrown guys who've shown flashes. that pop late or dealt with an injury.

Guys where there's a question mark that you get to keep them. It was fifth year option was not put in place so instant superstars could be held hostage by the team under market, which is why you're seeing every other star from his draft class has gotten paid already. And so like if I understand the frustration from a team, if a guy negotiates for a second contract at 20 million a year and two years in, He's like, damn, should have gotten 25. I want more. That's not this.

Micah did not negotiate the deal he's on right now. It's rookie contract. It's slotted. There's nothing he could do about it. And he deserves to be paid. I agree with it. He certainly deserves to be paid. I agree with you.

And we see teams break contracts when they're not guaranteed all the time. That said, this is where Jerry and the Cowboys and the owners in general have the all the leverage. Because he theoretically could let Micah sit on this contract and play. Maybe Michael would fake an injury and not whatever, but play out this contract and then franchiseing for a year or two.

And the franchise tag. So they do have all the leverage. We're talking about Micah making $40 million a year. He's making $24 this year. And the franchise tag next year would not be much more than that. So it would be, like you said, it would be punitive. It would be very punitive compared to where the actual top of the market is.

CD signed late August, August 26, Dax signed. September 8th, the idea that we're going to go a few weeks in missed training camp that is valuable, even if you're in the meetings. If he comes out rusty against the Eagles, it's going to be. And more importantly than comes out rusty. Oh, sorry. No, that's it. It's like, oh, why wasn't he a factor against Jalen Hertz? Well, because Jalen Hertz is awesome.

One, and two, it's because you didn't get the deal done. So he's been just hanging out on the sidelines. And rusty is not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is a soft tissue. Oh. for guys who, you know, they, yeah. A lot of hamstrings and cabs and stuff for guys. That's two Trey Henderson.

Don't worry. We got Trey Henderson covered. Trey Hendrickson's mom's like, are they going to talk about Trey in the end? Yes. No contract yet from Micah, but new contract for Luca. He signs his three year $165 million extension. Here he is after inking the deal. Yeah, honestly, I think we have a great team.

We have what we need to compete for the. championship, you know, I'll bring, we're ready, I mean, brought, I tried to win every game, no matter what. And, you know, we got some new great guys being in a team. And you know, we're going to go for it. Looking slim. Look at the neck. Looked great. Your reaction. So I was, when the season ended, I said on this show that I think Luke is 95% to sign an extension with the Lakers this summer. Once they let Dorian Finney Smith walk, I said, I don't think it was on this show,

I think I said it on my podcast. I was like, I'd still bet it, but I'm down to 75, 80%. I thought that there was a chance that Luca might say, let's just see how, you know what I mean? Let's just see how this plays out. You didn't feel that way, bro.

You never thought there was any chance he wasn't signing the extension. So this probably felt like bigger news for me than for you, because you felt it was a fade accompli, and I thought it was very likely, not definitive. What it does mean, though, for the lake, but no matter what, the Lakers were going to have Luca next year, whether he signed or not.

But it now means they are fully set for the next three seasons because he's locked in for three years and then he can sign the first ever million dollar a game contract in the NBA. And it's actually, it will be a four year with an average of 83 million a year, four years, $417 million. And so that gives them a. runway with a guy who I believe each of the next three years will be a consensus top five player and at any given year could be the favorite for league MVP as he has been many times even though he's never won one. Oh yeah yeah yeah I'm with you um I did look

they're the Lakers like when he was traded I get it he was upset and he isn't from America but he has followed basketball he does know that the Lakers they're had Kobe Bryant when he was growing up watching basketball so he knows how great the Lakers are. I get he was upset when he was traded. He had to adjust. It's a much bigger city. It's a different type city than doubt. So I get all that.

But I there was no doubt in my mind. Like you don't you don't. I know Dwight Howard did it, but the white did, you know, you don't walk away from the Lakers. Like this is a perfect situation for him. I don't know what more. you would want unless it was just something where he's not from America. He doesn't like a huge city, maybe something like that.

But I didn't feel like that was an issue. So yeah, this is not surprising. Nick, I love the fact that he said, I think we have enough to win it off. I knew you're going to like that. Right. Now, whether they do or not, I do think they're in that top tier. I think O.K.C., Houston, Denver, Minnesota, the Lakers. And I put them right in that group.

Whether you think they have enough or not, If you're Luca Donchis and you say, and I think you're being even like top five the next three, he should be, if he's in shape, then you feel like he's top three or four. I mean, if you want to put Shay. Four because Shay's there. Right. Chey Janice, Joker, should be the four best players in the league. Yes.

And with Wendie maybe crash in the party. But if Luca does more than Ann, it's better defender. But with if Luca Dodgers has LeBron James playing at an all NBA level, and of Of course, that has to happen in LeBron's age. You've got a center who for all his issues is still 16 points and 10 rebounds of game for his career. All right? You don't just sleepwalk into 16 and 10. No, but you do sometimes, sometimes despite 16 and 10 teams can't wait to get rid of it.

That's fine, but I think, look, Luca helped recruit D'Andre. He's going to be good. He's going to be on the end of a lot of those lives from Luca. Then you've got another 20-point score in Austin Reeves. Now, he recruited Marcus Mark. We'll see what Marcus Mark. We'll see what Marcus Smart can do at this stage of his career. But if he's healthy, I think he can contribute.

Rui Hachamura, who's become like a really good three-point shoot. I think he's going to shoot more threes going forward. He's been 41 percent, like last two years from three. So I think they've got a nice score. squad and if I if if if if looka didn't feel like that had enough or even say it then I would I would be like are you all I think you are I don't like right he should she should believe so that so you said the other day when we were talking about LeBron yeah that LeBron used that you feel LeBron used to feel like I can do it with anybody when he had Delante West and and and

Moe Williams and those guys and he was like man we got a squad like like He really believed they could win the championship, which I love. That's what I want. So that's the, and when we were talking about LeBron, you said he went from that mentality to, I need to have the perfect team around me. And I, the, maybe, you know, this is a forgiving way to look at it, but it's how I looked at it. My response is, if you're right, well, yeah, because what LeBron at 25 could do,

LeBron at 40 can't. And 40, he does need the better team. I bring that up in this context. if you are in your absolute prime, which Luca is, and you are in discussion for, is that the best player in the league or second best player in the league, then every single year you should feel like we can win. When you have, I mean, and again,

they don't have the best roster. Yeah, you should feel like we are at least, you know, and by the way, to me, the proof of concept, like, in order for that to be true, you don't need the best Lucas of better than ever, Lukad Anjich. You just need 2024 Lukadontich. You know what I mean? The Luca that... See, here's the thing.

And I hear that to some degree. I'm expecting... A better than ever. Yeah. I'm expecting Luka... Now, I don't know what his numbers will be. It's going to be hard to be better than he was his last full year in Dallas. But think about him. Defense. More athletic. Defense, of course. But more athletic.

He's smarter now. As good as he's been, he's smarter now. He's more experienced now. He's playing with the smart player. And LeBron, clearly, people got mad when I said some of LeBron deserves some credit for Lucas off season. If you could touch the rim now? But seriously. And you talk about, you don't like skinny Luca because you think it'll lose some strength. He's lifting weights for the first off season.

Like he's not going to lose strength. He might be slimmer. Man, I'm expecting Luca to ball. He might be. Mark Stein reporting that LeBron FaceTime Luca to congratulate him on the extension. which is nice. But we saw a few photos. Well, this video of all of his Lakers teammates here,

LeBron is not in this photo. Go ahead. Or this video. There's DeAndre 8 and 16 and 5. 16 and 10. 16 and 10. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

No wonder you didn't. And then Luca and his friends, the Lakers, went to see the back street boys at the sphere. LeBron also went to this, did not go to this. Understandably so. Can I tell you something? not by the Lakers. I was invited to this very show,

but as you mentioned, I, you were invited for the Baxter boys? No, no, that's what I'm saying, not by the, I and some of my buddies who live in Vegas say it's the greatest concert they've ever been to in their lives.

Wow. Is the back street boys at the sphere for whatever it's worth. But like you said, the same reason I couldn't be on the show Friday, I couldn't go to the concert because I was playing cards. But I had to,

I would count it as research. But, uh, Something or nothing. LeBron was golfing. I think it's no big deal. Austin Reeves wasn't there either. Right. You know what I mean?

For the record. Listen, I think there is an element of twofold as far as LeBron showing up to these things. It is very difficult for LeBron, especially when there's a little bit of not controversy surrounding him, but, you know, questions that people would want to ask Polenko or LeBron about LeBron's future with the team. It's very hard for him to show up and not. be the story. And, and, you know what I mean? And he was, and also, I think LeBron getting in all white and going to the sphere for the Backstreet Boys, probably not really his style either. But if it's a great concert. And so, I don't think, I think, if he had not reached out to Luca, I think it would

be something. Because they are clearly friendly, if, I assume they're friends. Like he didn't reach out to DeAndre. He didn't have to go on LeBron's podcast. Correct. Like everything's all, so if he, if he had been radio silence on this, I think that would be something. but I don't think it's a big deal he didn't show up to the press conference. I think it's nothing. And look, I get that Rich Paul's statement after LeBron signed the extension

could lead to some questions, which it did. But I think this whole summer has been overblown with LeBron. Like, I don't think he, I never thought he was going anywhere. I don't think he, I think he'd be open to the right trade,

but I don't think he's like, man, I got to get out of here. I think all of that has been overblown. and I think LeBron's in a terrific situation where they have a chance to win. So why did all the other Lakers go to the? Austin Reeves didn't go. And how many Lakers did we see? Six?

I mean, I mean, I would say that here's the thing. That's not even half the team. I think it's the two. I feel like you got to do everything or nobody. No. Everybody's got to come or nobody. But that's not had the team. There's a lot of Lakers there.

Hold on. Can I just tell you it's the two guys he recruited. Right. Yeah. other off-season additions. His buddy from Dallas, Maxi Kleba, and then guys who are trying, like if I'm being honest, there's an element of Brownie points is the wrong word.

But there's the best players on the team are Luca, who needed to be there, Bron and Austin Reeves. And I'm trying to see. Is Ruy there? I didn't, I don't think Rui was there. I think Rui was, is, went to the, went to the sphere. Okay, so maybe he's a big fan of Bexry Boys, It's not there.

I mean, I just, I think that there is a, there is an obligation-ish, if you're Jake La Ravia, like, oh, they, Rob called. He said I can come to the press conference. I probably should. And I think if you're Bronn, you're like, I'd rather golf with my son. But beyond that, you're absolutely right that if LeBron goes, he becomes at least half of the story. They have to answer questions about him. Okay.

It's not nothing. Okay, it's, it is totally. So what's going to come on? What does it mean? I don't know what it means. I'm just saying it. Does it mean there and I? It was nothing that I didn't go.

It's something that LeBron didn't go. Here's the one thing people could legitimately point to. A guy that has been the number one player, his entire life on his team, all of a sudden becoming number two, even if you have good intentions, that could be tough. But here's the problem. as soon as Lucas showed up last season LeBron was like he didn't necessarily verbalize it but he willingly deferred to Luca and was the number two guys

He's on Lucas team That is he is yes But that was the case last year Man no I don't know The very first game He deferred to Lucas Then he let him do it It's still though

LeBron's team Lucas is just the best player now No then that's what we just disagree with. It's Lucas team now. Broncos bowl down next FS1-5. Sean Payton not afraid to talk it up in the off season, ended the season after the bill's playoff loss by saying that if they had won, they felt, quote, real good about the Chiefs match. Did they come close to winning that game? No, they would think it was 31-7. Yeah. Now he's talking about the division and beyond. The short-term goal is winning the division. That makes sense. But this is a team capable of winning

the Super Bowl. I've coached 16. that I thought could win the Super Bowl. I imagine being on the Saints, like, hold on it. We got one championship games, some to the playoffs. This is my seventh team that I think has that. Greg Jennings, Super Bowl champion, joins us. But we're going to start with Nick, who always is upset when Sean Payton starts talking about it.

No, so here's the thing. That is like the narrative about me, but it should be noted that last year on this very show right around this time of the year, I said my favorite bet of last year's NFL season was the Broncos over because they were set at five and a half. I thought they could be a decent team. I thought they'd be better without Russ. And even though I wasn't a Bo Nix guy, I thought he could have a Matt Jones.

You have an anti-Russ pick. And that I thought Bo Nix could have a Mack Jones-esque rookie season. And I was right across the board. Better than Mac. Very similar. Pro Bowl made the NFL top 100, made the playoffs. and they're all about to probably come back down to earth. But here's the thing.

The Broncos have now gone from way undervalued last year to cartoonishly overvalued to where Sean Payton is saying that this team is better than the majority of his Drew Bree Saints teams. Because he coached more than 12 years with Drew Breeze and the Saints, and he said there's only six he thought that could make the Super Bowl. That's ridiculous. I understand that they have. an excellent defense. There is no denying

they have an excellent defense. But there are two facts that people need to work into their Broncos math before they start picking a team that has not won a playoff game since they won the Super Bowl to get to the Super Bowl or win the AFC West. And the first one is this. That great defense last year, here's the

quarterbacks they beat. And what you're going to notice about most of them is they no longer have jobs. So Baker does and Rogers does. Gardner's not a starter. Rattler's not a starter. Bryce is. Kurt Cousins not a starter, James not a starter, Anthony Richardson, maybe not a starter, Carson Wentz, not starter. That's everyone.

That's not like some of the quarterbacks they beat. That's every quarterback they beat. And here's the other thing. They played seven games last year against AFC playoff teams and Cincinnati. Pittsburgh, Chargers, Kansas City, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati was in the fight with them.

They were 0.7. The one win they got was the Chief's backups. So I know, I do. Do not think this team all of a sudden, Greg, is a Super Bowl contender? I think that's ridiculous. Look, I agree. I don't think they're a Super Bowl contender. I don't mind Sean Payton saying that to his team.

I don't think you say that in the press. If it's the first meeting of the season, he said he told his team that at their first meeting, then, you know, you're talking about, look, guys, of course, we want to win the division, but we're capable of more than that. Yeah. With the talent we have in this room, we can win the Super Bowl. fine. That's motivation. But to say it in the press after, as you said,

they made the playoffs once in the last 10 years, they got blasted by the team that wasn't even the best in the AFC in the playoffs, the stats you just brought up. And my concern, Greg, with them, the defense, I think, is going to be very good. They added Drey Greenlaw. They added Huff Funga. Like, I think they're going to be good defensively.

My question is, and last year they scored 25 points again. They have the weapon. Right. Right, but without weapons last year, but I am, I don't think they got great receivers. You got Cortland Sutton, Marvin Mims. We'll see if the rookie, they like him, R.J. Harvey, the running back, what he does. But none of their skill position players really impressed or excite me. And I think that is their biggest weakness, particularly when you're talking about going to the level of Peyton is.

So, number one, he has to say things like this. Like, I've been in, before I even continue on, I've been with the, I've, I've been with the, I've with the Green Bay Packers, obviously, it was Super Bowl of the bus almost every year. And then I went to the Minnesota Vikings, and you know what I heard initially, you got to beat the Packers. I didn't want to hear that because that allowed me to be of the mindset that, wait, is that the standard? Is that what we're trying to do, beat the Packers?

That's a given. And so what Sean Payton is doing, he's setting the table. He understands there's a big red giant that's in the division. We all know that. I don't need to say we got to beat the Chiefs. We know we got to beat the Chiefs, but in order to beat the Chiefs, we need to win the chiefs, forget being the Chiefs, just let's win the division. That has to be the primary focus, and so you set the stage, you set the bar.

You made the postseason last year. You don't want to go in reverse. No one wants to go in reverse. Everyone wants to start to put building blocks on top of building blocks and improve every single year. So when you have that type of success, regardless of who you beat, all those quarterbacks, because had they lost to those quarterbacks, you know what we even? just said they didn't even beat this guy

they didn't beat that guy so they took care of that business now in terms of their roster I think he loves the idea that they don't have superstars they don't have that guy where we're looking at that team saying oh if you if you stop him

they're done they don't really have that offensively you got to play them honest name a guy on their offensive roster where you look at them and you see you feel like that's not a positive I'm not saying it's not saying it's not a positive, but it's also not a negative when that's all you've known.

But is that are those skilled position players good enough to take them to the next level as he's talking about? When a championship winning head coach says, I've been on six teams that I believe. He says some wild stuff, man. I understand that. And the media, listen, friends of mine are included in this. the media loves Sean Payton.

Everybody loves Sean Payton, and that's fine. So he gets a pretty wide berth on stuff other coaches be criticized for. The last time I heard Sean Payton talking like this before his season, it was about how terrible, what a clown show they were under Nat Hackett. And then within two weeks, they were having 70 dropped on him. That happened. He also said in this interview that he expects in the next two years for Bo Nix to be a top four or five quarterback,

in the NFL. Okay. Like, that's fine. Not it. It leaves in by next. What's wrong with it? No, I think that there is a direct correlation between what we read in a quote and how we perceive the coach to be, to be how it's covered. If you had, let's just do Ben Johnson with you right now.

If Ben Johnson said, we are Super Bowl expectations, and in the next two years, Caleb Williams is going to be a top four quarterback. You would be out here not happy. He just rose the expectations and put a bull's eye from the media on their chest. And I agree with what you're saying, Greg, about saying it internally. I think that it takes, you mentioned the big red bully in Kansas. when the quarterback that wins your division every year is 13 and 1 in his career against your team your quote right at the end of the year saying

we loved our matchup with that team is an outrageous quote. They lost 1614 on a block field goal. He has the right to say that. Okay, I think. 1614, like Holmes had one time. A lot of the teams played the chiefs. I understand, but wild.

Most teams played. I know. Hold on, can I just honest, honest question, when the page, Patriots were beating the Bills twice a year every year. If they played, if one of the J.P. Lossman-Bills teams that made the playoffs played them tight once. And then Rex Ryan says, oh, man, we just got beat by four touchdowns in the playoffs. But if we had won the game where we got our ass kicks, we liked our matchup against Brady and Belichick.

I think the Ravens put like 41 on them. And then they came back and they lose 16, 14 on like a quarter. I mean, the Chiefs were 9-0. That made the Chiefs 9-0, so I get it. That was the confusing part of the Chief's narrative. Right, but I just don't think, I think that any other coach, after losing by four scores in the playoffs, saying, we loved our matchup against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion

that is about to beat the team that beat us by four scores, we might be like, might be biting off a little more than you can chew. Head up to Buffalo, where James Cook is not cooking. He's not even warming up. Hello. When asked about his absence, Cook simply replied, business. Makes sense. Here's Bill's GM, Brennan Bean. At the end of the day, you know, I wish we weren't here. This is my ninth season here. We've never had a player miss due to a contract or anything like that.

So that's disappointing for me. It's not something we want, not something we're looking forward to. But at the end of the day, it's, like I said earlier, it's kind of the, sometimes can be the way of the world, and so we'll deal with it the best we can. All right. Here's James Cook's last two seasons, bro. 15 touches a game at almost 1,300 yards, total yards, 18 total touchdowns. This is a lot. Set to make about five and a quarter in the final year of his rookie deal.

Are you worried about this hold out? No, because this gets done because it has to get done. Like the bills, I don't think the bills are Super Bowl contenders without James Cook. Like the way they play now, they're a run first team. And Josh Allen isn't running all the time. Cook is huge for them. Over 1,000 yards the last two years, been good catching the ball out of the back.

He's their third leading receiver last year as far as reception. So they need Cook. I don't see either of those guys behind him being able to duplicate what Cook does. You think so? I mean, that's a lot. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to negate who James Cook is. But for you to say that, when you look at what Ray Davis and Ty Johnson was able to do last year with the minimal carries that they had, they were very productive, very productive.

And they can catch the ball out of the backfield as well. I want to say Ray Davis had, they both, Ty Johnson had more yards receiving than James Cook did. And no one would think that because we don't know about these guys, but they're effective. Now, I'm not saying that they are James Cook. Okay, that's all. But they can be productive. And this is, when you think about the running back market, like James Cook, as great as those numbers are, it's just, it's like, well, I heard that.

I heard that before, though. You did. Another franchise. You did. Is he? Yes. I knew. And, look, I'm not saying James Cook is Sequin Barclay.

You better not be. And I wasn't saying Tony Pollard was Ezekiel Elliott. But I am saying there's, there's levels. and Tony Pollard and James Cook were at this level and Rico Dowell and the guys you mentioned I think are down on this level. I don't think they're going to do this. They're okay, but you know,

the more touches they would get, their production probably would decrease. Two things, just real quick. I think it's tricky because James Cook was sensational the last two years, but James Cook going into two years ago, which is his first big year, he was just one of those guys.

You know what I mean? Now, I think he was second round draft pick for the... Yeah, he had some expectations. You know, so that part's true. The tricky thing for James Cook is he has to get paid because he's never been paid and he's a running back. The tricky thing for Buffalo is they have $0.

Spot Rack has it wrong, I guess, because they're not allowed to be over. But Spot Rack has them at $700,000 over the cap right now, which can't be the case, but it means they're right up against it. And if I'm Buffalo, I also don't, I know how good James Cook is right now. I don't want to give him long-term money. because of the position and it's just how it works. So it's a tricky spot. He probably gets like a one year,

$8 million bump or something. Like, not great, but. You don't think he's? No, Spot track predicted four, four for 40 or whatever. I would not give him, I don't see that. This is a bear scrimmage.

Here's Caleb holding on the ball for 10 seconds and throwing it to. I mean, to be fair, he did throw it. He did throw it to a bear. A bear. One of his team. Okay. We have worse video, believe or not, after this Ben Johnson sound.

Take a listen. We got some good work in. It was sloppy, sloppier than I'm probably hoping we would be at this point, particularly we had a couple really good practices over the last two. And then took us a little while to get going and hear the pads clicking. This was more like a real game. And if it continues like that, we're not going to win many games. So here's Caleb practicing. This is a classic drill with a net.

with three targets on it. And Caleb, I believe, throws four balls. I don't believe any of them go in the target. Several of them missed by a pretty wide margin. And that final one misses the entire net, which is the size of a basketball keep. He's about seven feet away. You like that?

You think that's good? You like the passion. Did I read Nick correctly on the call this morning? What do you say? It just sounded like he might. at the very least, realize, you know what, Caleb's not the sixth best quarterback in the NFA. Because at one point he was, according to that,

on the tears. Yes, he was in college. Right. He was. And guess what? I might have been right. In that moment, Caleb, Caleb was better then than he looks right now. Pete, Caleb, but that's neither in or there.

If we want to relitigate them. We can let's get into this. Yeah, exactly. This is obvious. So what you heard on the call was me saying, that Brew was going to hate this video. And the worst, these are, this feels to me like how I act sometimes

when I'm gambling on darts. And like the, like the, you've missed two, barely. So your third one, you just fired. Are you playing darts or are you? No, I'm playing. But Greg, Greg, do what I mean. You're playing darts. You maybe have a little money online.

The first two, you're close, but just off and then the third one you're tilted and you fire it. For the record, if I think that would be problematic if you were a professional darts player. I understand. You won the trophy for best darts player in college. No, I get it. But I think the worst part of the video is the reaction because I actually do think that. I think it's gross.

I know you. It's all bad. That Caleb's inability at times to control his emotions can pull him down. a bit. Now, to Bruce's question, does this make me doubt him? No, it does not make me doubt him, but obviously, this is not good video and it's not, and it's not good that he seemed so bothered by it. That's my take for me. Yeah, look, the accuracy last year he had the most bad throws in the league. He was the only player with more than a hundred bad throw. So obviously this, there's the accuracy issue. You're right, Nick, the fact that he let it get to him and then the last when he

through he doesn't even hit the net isn't good the tamp the temper tantrum look that combined with some of the other things we've seen and we know they've been working on the body language right ben johnson wants to work on him with that that stuff does make you say okay can he be or is he a leader of men but i got to say this after that like those three throws or four throws whatever it was you kind of got to react some way like You can't make those throws and then just get back in line. Just quietly get back in line. All right.

Your turn. Your turn, Tile. You got to do something. I mean, you're going to be, oh, my God. I would like to say, ah, man, hands sweaty. I mean, I don't know. Don't do that. I would do that.

Don't do. You have to do something. You got to react like and show everybody how ticked off you are with yourself. I think. But. Okay. So not every throw is going to be pinpoint accurate. And for him to respond like,

this. I think this is to the latter end of your point, you're going to be frustrated with yourself because the expectation of others is one thing. But his expectation of himself is to make those throws into, I know it's a quick Twitch reaction. You don't really get to set your feet. It's right now. It's right. It's like throwing a little fire, a little smoke route right now. You got to get it in the receiver's hand so he can go and make a play with it. And so you don't get a real true opportunity to see. set your feet and then make the throw that you want. But in NFL games, that's how it's going to be.

And so there's going to be a level of frustration that you have with yourself because you have a standard of expectation that supersedes even ours. And so it just so happens. Yes, he's always had issues with controlling his emotions in the body language. And that's something that he has to get under wraps. I have no problem with Caleb doing what he just did after making nose throws. Are you worried about, Hubs, can we run the other? video of the scrimmage when he holds onto the ball.

Nick, are you at all worried, jokes aside, that his rhythm is kind of off, and if he's not letting it go right away, he gets in and does stuff like this. You said held onto the ball for 10 seconds. Run this again. I don't think he holds onto the ball long here at all. He's there, and then he's just throwing away.

You know what I mean? So, like, that's the, you know, my guess is, Greg, tell me if I'm wrong. My guess is the issue here is probably in something pre-snet that he doesn't he doesn't read how many people are coming something happens there with the protection to where he's immediately running for his light this part right here was like running and like no but so that but that so here is where I last year I thought he needed to take more chances not necessarily like this but remember he had like the seven straight games without a pick

and certainly the time to take chances is literal practice you know what I mean so like That part doesn't bother me as much. I think Caleb's, even by NFL standards, natural talent and gifts with what he can do with his arm, should raise him to a level that the only way he doesn't succeed is if he gets in his own way, which is why I was more bothered, I guess, than you guys, by the reaction to the throws. Like if he, you know, gets upset in his own head. He had reportedly three delay of games yesterday and one where they had to call a time out of the first and goal because he didn't get the team out of a huddle. Like that stuff is becoming a problem.

And like you said, maybe it was a lack of pre-snap reading on that highlight. Sorry, I'm arguing wild. Wow. Just Benjohn. That was the most. Wild. Because I, because I, I, I, let me just tell the audience what happened there. May I, I know this is your part.

No. Wilde is just gone because of one quote about the tush push, which is also really just about Wild Siriani defense, Greg, you weren't here, but Wilde's have Oriani and I agree. I don't like it was an absurd quote from Ben Johnson. That was a window into his whole mindset of football. Here's the problem. What's validating that window is all of the things that last year when he was on your I guess beloved lions you loved you loved all the silliness the trick plays

the arrogance the throwing it to Dan Skipper that having James throw a double reverse pass in the playoffs you used all of it you loved it and now you are using all of that as evidence that he's a smug

jerk he's a head coach now he can't be doing all that same thing it's like you're like a blue Angels pilot. Oh my God, you're doing all this stuff. Man, now you just got to fly United Airlines. I don't want to do all that stuff. And they're like, hey man, can you fly, you know, a normal two hour route? He's like, no. I'm telling you, it's going to be an issue. He's like, can I do a loop-de-loop? No. They're like, just give us to the destiny. He's like, I don't sound like, hey, can I put a defensive player in? Like, no. That's what he wants to do. Shador is just, just,

crushing it at camp. What's the deal? Is this guy going to start or what? The excuse is he's playing backups, right? That's what they're saying. Or seven guys. No, but the 11 on 11 steps is the receivers. Yeah, it's good. He's doing great. When he's playing them back up stuff, get him in there. Meanwhile, Big Show debuts at number 50 on the NFL top 100. Now, Brew, he had 41 touchdowns last year. You're on your phone research and some Brock Purdy stats. Are you worried that Brock is not making the top 100? No.

It ain't looking good. I mean, Baker, after last season, Baker should be ahead of him. Yeah. You think? Fluids. Wow. We'll see. But right now.

He got been 49 guys to go. A lot of apologies. Your old buddy, Nick Wright coming up. Micah wants out. Gave his trade demand to Stephen Jones personally last week, but Jerry Jones not worried. Said, don't lose any sleep over it. The sports media world, however, is losing sleep coming up with potential trades late into the night. Steve Ruiz and Deante Lee writing in the ringer.

Baltimore. Defense hasn't forced more than one turnover in any playoff run during the Lamar Jackson era. Could clearly use a game-changing pass, Rush, a Brew. Parsons could be the final piece. Take down Josh Patrick or Joe Burrow. Get over the top. Here's the proposed trade. 26 first round pick, 26 third round pick.

Oway and T.J. Tampa to the Cowboys. Ravens get Micah and a 27th. 20, 27, 6 round pick to the Ravens try to make this work. Sign me up. I mean, if I'm the Raven, absolutely. And look, O-Way is pretty good, so the Cowboys are getting, right? They're getting something. Ten sacks last year.

So they're getting something. If I'm dialed, though, I would not do this. I would not do it. I think you can get more for Micah. Because those, look, their first round, it's a first round pick, but it's going to be late. It's going to be late 20s, 30s. But if I'm Baltimore and I could get this, absolutely.

Yeah, look, Michael Parsons to the Baltimore Ravens, it just makes sense. It fits. Pass rush or like that. The issue that I have with this is this is not how Baltimore likes to do their business. They are one of those organizations where they draft their guys, they develop their guys. They want to breed their own guys. They will and have every so often pulled guys in free agents. see, but you say they wouldn't do that?

I didn't say they wouldn't. It's not their thing. It's just not their thing. Derek Henry wasn't their thing. Yeah, but that, but he also was not. Counterpoint. No, that is true, but that's why it was rare, because Greg's right. Yeah, but they are a draft.

I think Greg's right, but this is Michael Carson. I started off by saying, of course you. If I were Baltimore, I would not do that. What? That is, guys, there is, when you draft well, and when you will, have a quarterback who next year's cap hit right now is $74 million. Now they're probably going to give them an extension,

whatever it is. You can't be in the business of having highest paid all over the team. You just can't be. And so the team's... Well, that's what we want Dallas to do. No. And I think Dallas has made

grievous mistakes in building that team. That's why I said last year I would have made it to prove a year with that. Here's why I'm saying I wouldn't want it. I don't think the Ravens should do it. I wouldn't want the Chiefs to do this. The Chiefs have hardware. Right.

The Ravens are stuck. I understand that. I do not, and I'm not trying to pivot the conversation, so I won't. Okay. I don't think the Ravens, I understand the point.

And listen, I love Stephen Ruiz and Deonté Lee's podcast. I think they're sharp guys. I also think they are part of a huge section of the football media that gets different Ravens playoff games than I do, because one of the things they wrote is they talked about how these playoff failures, a lot of the times the defense hasn't come through. I watched them lose a playoff game to Josh Allen when they allowed 17,

or to the defense allowed 10 points and Lamar had a pick six. They lost 17 to 3. I watched them lose an AFC championship game to the Chiefs, 17 to 10. It has not been the bill's story of defensive collapses in the playoffs. The offense hasn't shown up. So I would not further, you need, when you drive. Well, cheap, young, good surplus players, not a $44 million year pass rusher. You know what that is.

He's scared. No, that's the Chiefs fan. No, he's disguising it as analysis. Please. It's your worst nightmare to bring Micah to the AFC. With Lamar, this needs to have. Look, again, if I was Dallas, I wouldn't do it. Can you imagine that?

they would be like, it would be like a super team. You know what it would be like, you know what it would be like. Imagine if the like somehow the Buffalo Bills added prime von Miller. But they would have a nightmare for the chief. Prime Bob Miller that they got. They gave him six years of $120 million. But he got hurt, he got hurt. But they gave him six years, under $20 million.

And it was a grievous mistake they made. And so I just, now this, I don't think Mike would be a, I don't think it could be a grievous mistake to get. Micah. I don't think it'd be smart. Go ahead. Next up. These are all just ideas because we don't necessarily know if Mike is being traded. Probably not.

An idea from the athletic. The Bears struggling on offense in the scrimmages. And the Kaleel Mack trade that they made is the historical precedent for a trade like this. The athletic noting, Cowboys would get a 26 first, a 27th first, a 27 third, and a 276. And the Bears would get Micah Parsons a fourth and a seven. Nick, do you like this trade for the Chicago Bears? This one's closer because you're not paying your quarterback a lot and because you are going, you've already spent so much investment

on the offensive side of the ball. However, if I'm Chicago, I don't want to give up my next two drafts. You know what I mean? Even though, because I do think Chicago can be a playoff team this year, But I think it is, you know, I have to reevaluate how close I thought they were from last year, which I was obviously wrong about. I don't look at them as being one player away from winning the Super Bowl. And so if I were Chicago, that's one I probably wouldn't do.

If I were Dallas, I think I would take that trade. Two first. I would two first went from a team that it's in play. Two first and a third. And it's in play that the Bears aren't great next year. It's not possible that the Ravens pick is not going to be the eighth pick of the draft. I think the Bears will be good. These picks could be in the top.

That's what I'm saying. Could be the eighth pick of the draft. Yeah, I'm with you. I wouldn't do it if I'm the Bears because I don't think they're close enough where if they get Micah, all of a sudden they could win the NFC. So I would not do that. I don't know if I do it if I'm Dallas because you got a $60 million quarterback. You got a $34 million receiver.

You might end up, might end up paying people. pickings like they're this trade means we're rebuilding but you're paying all that money to your quarterback and receiver so I wouldn't do it if I'm Chicago though. Yep, nope I'm not doing it if I'm Chicago it's giving up

too much. To your point when you think about what they are hoping Caleb Williams is going to become you want those future picks to continue to add some younger pieces I know you're not paying him but if you're not going to win it this year

because of that one player, like you mentioned, no, I'm not doing this in Chicago. Head to Buffalo, where we're looking at another team that needs to do something to get over on Kansas City. It's tough with their cap space, but we've got an idea from you. Yeah, so the, oh, go ahead. I put the trade together because NFL.com suggested them

but didn't have the trade. And so it's Ed Oliver, who I think is the value of a first round pick, plus a first and a second. So that's a lot. And what you get is Micah Parsons. Now, again, if you trade at Oliver, you open up $2 million in cap space. You would have to do some major reworking of deals to make this work. Unlike Baltimore, I think Buffalo has two things happening.

One is their offense does work, like achieve in the postseason consistently. Their defense falls apart. And the other one is, I think the head coach there is, on a, has a hotter seat than Baltimore's head coach. Yeah. Because I think that not Harbaugh has won a Super Bowl, but also people, even though, you know, it's very unpopular to say,

everybody kind of knows what's been Baltimore's issue in the postseason. And in Buffalo, I think people think, I think the issue in the postseason's got a lot to do with our coach. So if I'm Sean McDermott, I might say, we tried it once with Von Miller didn't work. We'll try it again. and try to get an impact defensive player. Cap-wise, very, very difficult.

But I wouldn't hate if you're Buffalo and it's like, you know what, we got to take a huge swing to shake the snow globe for the inevitable matchup in Kansas City. I do agree with you on the Baltimore point. Like, obviously, I'd still get Mike if I could. But even if they got Mike. You'd still be worried in the playoffs. They still have the question of are they going to play their best football in the biggest games in the postseason? Buffalo, I like Ed Oliver.

I think this is pretty good for both teams. I think their defense, you know, Oliver is tough. You get these two picks. I love it for Buffalo. And the Cowboys need a detackle. You know, they gave up 32 to the Chiefs last year. That was the only time the Chief scored over 30 in the whole season. And so their defense has been the problem in the playoffs.

And Michael obviously solves that. So, yeah, that's a good one. Yeah, for Buffalo, Ed Oliver will be a huge, hole in the middle of your defense. Obviously, Michael Parsons is going to pressure the quarterback, and that's what you want. And so I like this one. This is, I want to say, one of the ones that I did, like, I like this one because for both. I like this one because when you get to the postseason, you got to get somebody, you got

to have somebody that can get pressure on these quarterbacks. If you don't have that, you're going to give Patrick Mahomes or potential Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson all these great quarterbacks in the, in the AFC, bow nicks, according to Sean Payton, all this time to make plays with their guys around them. And you don't want to have that if you're Buffalo to your other point. Sean McDermott, man, your defense got to step up in the postseason. Yeah. I wonder how desperate the bills are.

If they watch the Super Bowl, jokes aside, and they're like, oh, they sack Mahomes six times. And the other Superboy I watched Patrick Mahomes is like Tampa Bay was all over him. I'm going to know it was a banged up line. But like, we're not just going to be able to go toe to toe, mono-e. mono and beat this team. We can't do it. We have to sort of... You mean toe-to-to-to offensively.

Yeah. Like you guys score, we'll score. You got to do something. You got to have... Right. I mean, that's the thing is... Mahomes needs to have a bad game. Right.

I don't think a medium game. He doesn't have medium games. Either is excellent or bad. And against the bills in the playoffs, I think it's 12 touchdowns, one turnover, like a 1-12-passer rating, and they score 30 points every year. You know what I mean?

They've never once made him uncomfortable. Exactly. You get that player that can be the swing player that now with Patrick Mahomes on the field, you got a player that you feel like, okay, he can get, he can, we need a play. Yeah. That's why I say defense wins championships. No one listens to me, except the Eagles and good defensive teams. Head to Jacksonville.

This is interesting. Got Travis on defense already. Could they add Micah, the ringer, right? The Jags desperately need true blue chip player to anchor their pass rush. They're finishing in the bottom five total QB hits and quick pressures. Do you like this move for the Cowboys? They get a 27 first, 27, 26 second. Walker Etienne Hamilton.

The Jags get Parsons in a 27 third. If I'm Dallas, send it in. I think Travis Etienne has been, not I think, I know. He has been disappointing compared to what he. he was thought of coming out of Clemson. But I still believe in the talent. It just hasn't, but he seems to have been kind of usurped by Biggsby there anyway.

Trayvon Walker has been disappointing in that he was the number one pick of a draft when everyone's like, why don't you just take Aidan Hutchinson? And Trent Balky's like, I'll tell you why, because I know I know better. And it's like, no, you don't. But he's still a 10 sacks each, you know, he's a good player.

And those are good picks. Like, if I were the Cowboys, I would do that. If I'm the Jags and I have the Prince and Travis and Micah, so you become the best big three in football, some would say so. I think that would work for both teams. You were good until you went to the Prince stuff. But look, I think this is the best offer for the Cowboys.

Because you look at the picks. I mean, that next pick, or in 27, it could be great. Probably pick 30. Trayvon Walker, like you said, it's 20 sacks in the last two years. So he's a good player. I think Etienne is better than, you know, what the Cowboys have now at running back. And I do, I agree. I think he's pretty talented.

So, yes, I would do this if I'm the Cowboys. It'd be fun if it was the Jazz. I don't necessarily want to see Micah there. Thank you. Yeah. I don't want to see around the bush. What? But they do have.

Just kind of. I'm not really doing it either if I'm the Jags either, to be honest. Like, it's not just about Micah not being there, but you already get you tied up. You talk about having a quarterback under a. big contract. He's not going to be, they're not a player away. No, because they're probably already there. I mean, they won a playoff game.

Recently. When? Not recently. Two years ago. When? You remember when this was? Two years ago. It was so long ago.

It was January of 2023. Who would they win against? Justin Herbert and the Chargers. A bad Chargers. Great team. Mike and Jacksonville, though. See, I knew you're. you're going to say that. You're like, oh, Jacksville's not a big enough market for Micah. You know what is London, Jags' second home. You have Travis Hunter, Micah Parsons, America's British team. Come on. You're coming around a little bit. You're coming around a little bit.

Ah, Shador is rolling. Next. Welcome back to first things first. Super Bowl champion Greg Jennings is here. It is not bulking season. The soup barely fits them nowadays. Shador back at practice. And we are back to showing this graphic that lacks all kinds of. context and clarity. We really have no clue. It's from our friends at ESP in Cleveland. Who are your friends, you might say? Don't know. Don't know who compiles it.

But over the weekend, Nick will send us this graphic and just write a block. Here's the thing. You're right. It's lacking context. But there's certain things you can discern, which is it looks like Dylan Gabriel struggling. Well, he's struggling, but he's. He's oddly thrown way more passes than everybody else.

Here's, Drew, if you're on the podcast. If you're on the podcast, Shador's got six touchdowns, zero interceptions. So here's the thing. We showed you guys this graphic on Thursday's show, not this one, but the one I'm about to show you now, which was Thursday's practice numbers, which Shador was 7 of 10 with a touchdown. Dylan Gabriel was 3 of 14. Zero touchdowns one pick. That was Thursday. And then Friday, because you're talking about, don't play the video yet, guys, we lack context.

These Gabriel's passes. Friday, here is the first five passes from Dylan, after a three of 14 practice. Here's the first five plays from Dylan Gabriel. So that's a misthrow on the run of the left. This right here is running to his right and then throwing a bad throw. This is, and this is in order. This is and this is just a duck to no one. And then this one here, I think is a variety of camera angles is fast enough.

Just, uh, just, uh, just like it could have been picked in the end zone. So it's the first, is there one more? Oh yeah, yeah, because I said there were five. I mean, those are. And then that, guys, so again, and so that was, that was the next day in practice. So we can take this down now. Um, the, Dylan Gabriel at this moment. if you're listening to the people who are there every day,

looks like I think a lot of us thought he was going to look when we saw him in Oregon, like an undersized, maybe long-term backup. And with Chador playing, not making at least a ton of mistakes in practice, to me, Brew, it would be irrational to have Gabriel ahead of Chador when they're both going to be behind Flacco.

Flacco's going to be the week one, starter. But Shadour should at this point be the leader to be the first player to start other than Flacco in my opinion. Well, I agree with you. And what people are saying when you see these numbers in again, we don't know the context,

but people are saying Shadur is not getting first team reps. Correct. He's playing against, so if he's playing with the backup offensive players, is that fair? Like he's playing, he doesn't have the top receivers with him either. So his numbers,

I mean, that would seem to be a positive. No, he played the first team defense the other day. Exactly. He's playing first team defense with backup offense. But I don't know if it's all the time. But generally it's a fog. Typically how it works. If you're playing with the second team or third team,

whether it's typically second team, you're going against the first team defense all the time. All the time. Unless it's one on ones and that's like a game situation, game situation scenarios in practice, ones versus ones it has to be called out that way two minute typically is going to be ones on ones sometimes but then when does like second and third string defense get to practice who do they practice you fill in oh they just wrote okay so he gets he gets rotated with with that second team

okay there is no true third team 14 it's just you get rotated with the with the twos or whatever but he's going against your ones and he's putting up this this is this is why it's like yes he has the advantage over dealing Gabriel, look, as a lefty, I don't like the way his balls are coming up. They're, they're spiraling down to the ground. And again, I'm going to get a little nuance. I like that. With this, but when you are, when you are a lefty thrower of the football, there's not a lot of them coming.

So you have to throw the ball. You have to always have a catchable ball. When I'm looking at his balls that he's throwing, they don't really look catchable. Like, and you're throwing ducks. I don't really see too many lefties. I know this is odd. The people covering the Browns, Greg Rosenthal on his great podcast, NFL Daily,

pointed out that he was listening to a Browns reporter, beat reporter, I figured who it was, talk about how Dylan Gabriel at this point looks like he has lost all confidence, and that it's like he is, that he has been practicing so poorly that he walks out there knowing I'm practicing poorly, and that the people covering it for the Browns

We're not like hot take guys, but like the actual newspaper writers are saying like that the practices are grinding to a halt during the Gabriel rep. So it just I feel terribly for the kid because he's only a story. A third round pick who's not going to be a starter wouldn't be a story anywhere. Except we think the fifth round pick might be better than him and for a team that's going to have to start a rookie at some point. Now, I agree with you. And look, I know Stefan. I think Stafin is a good coach. Obviously they want to win Andrew Barry and those guys.

But I'm baffled. And again, I'm just talking about not just the numbers, but the way Gabriel has looked as to why he still seems to be ahead of Shadur. Like it almost feels like you talked about Ben Johnson wanting to break down Caleb. I mean, it seems like they just want to break Shadur down to the route. Or do you think it's that they want to just be right about their draft pick? Like they valued Gabriel more. I think if they, and you're assuming the owner, even though he said that he told him that she takes you do.

Still, it's about getting it right. What's going to saves the fans getting them, I think, is if you, if Shadour turns out to be a starting caliber quarterback. You think, I don't think that were, I think it was saved those guys. But you are going to your point that you just made, you're going to give that higher draft pick all the runway, as much runway as you possibly. can. He's going to get that's why when you put up those stats, those numbers, Dylan Gabriel was thrown oddly more than every. Yes, but that's, because he was the quarterback that we've driven first. But let me add this real quick because the other thing Shador has done is I know he didn't, he didn't practice with arm's soreness, but the report today was that Gabriel's dealing

now with a bit of a hamstring. So Gabriel didn't take full reps today. Kenny Pickett's gotten hurt already, you know, dealing with an injury. So like there is the, the things that have, the things that had to happen for Chador to have a real chance are happening, which is pick it out for a while, which opened up, you know, everybody got more reps. Gabriel's struggling and now also dealing with something. Now, maybe the hamstrings is one of the reasons he was struggling. Those things that needed to fall into place or falling into place for Chador to have a real chance. It'll be a fascinating.

That's it. That's perfect. Well, the preseason game for the Browns. About six million people watch the Hall of Fame game. This Brown's preseason game, if it's a national game. Do you know? It should be. Yeah.

If they play Shdorff. Yeah. That'd be it. He asked it. Who else are going to have huge ratings? Yeah. Because people want to play half of it. Yeah.

Black was not playing pickets hurt. I want to see it. Yeah. It's going to flex that. Flex it? Free season flex. Free season flex. Okay.

Rams cowboys are having joint practices. Staffords. Oh, oh. Playing. Getting up there in age and he's resting his back. That's normal. What are you worried about? Here's Sean McVeigh.

What's going on? He'll be doing a workout on his own during that time period. And so he is able to do a little bit more, which is good. And, you know, things are progressing well. But he won't take part in the jog through because he'll be doing some other stuff during that time. It's static throwing. It's some of the unloaded running on the treadmill. Sometimes it might even be walking.

He's able to do a little bit of, you know, lighter cardio and able to do some good core work. But it's more just functional strength, surrounding the area while making sure that you don't do anything to set yourself back based on the trajectory that he's doing. But we are looking forward to getting him and easing him back into football, you know, hopefully, you know, in the near future. That sounds like my grandmother's podiatrist. Like some functional walking world, brew, are you nervous about this?

I think on a scale of one to ten, how concerning is this? I'm going to say an eight. And I'm saying an eight because I think he'll play. You want to be the one or ten? No, it was just your delivery. Eight is a lot. You were going to go like, you're like, eight is a lot. I know, but I thought, I'm at 12.

That's how it felt like we were headed down that road. I say eight. The reason I say eight, because I think he'll play. Okay. I think he'll play, but I think he's going to be hampered. I don't think he's going to be as good because he's going to be banged up. Like the last two years, I know he missed, what, eight games three years ago. Last two years he hasn't missed a ton of games, but he's played banged up.

Remember, he had a couple back injuries in Detroit. Absolutely. He had won the year after the Super Bowl. So this is kind of reoccurring, not to mention his other injuries that he's had. He's 37. He's in his 17th year. Like, I just think in the last three years, as he's played, he has not had a passer rating over 94. I know he's had moments, particularly last year, had some nice moments.

But overall, no passer rating over. over 94, hasn't thrown more than 20 or even 25 touchdowns. And so I just think that his production's not going to be what we've come accustomed to from Matthew Stafford because of his age and the fact that he's injury. And they're saying he's weak to week. It's not even day to day. So I just think they didn't foresee any of this. So I think it's a problem.

I'm close to you. I have it at a seven. And when you think about his age, obviously some of the things that you just mentioned. But for me, when you listen to Sean McVeigh, like, he, when he talks about the things that he's doing, and you joke of made light of it talking about, like, like, like he's barely doing anything that we would deem, oh, he's getting close. Right.

Like walking, doing some core things. He said light cardio. Like, like. He has professional football. Like, nothing of what he mentioned gives me. belief of, oh, he's going to be back out there soon. No, I do believe that he'll be out there because knowing his track record and history of playing injured and dealing with, playing with pain, he does it.

I just don't think you can run that risk when you have a guy like Jimmy Garapolo who's played with. Oh, Jesus. No, no, no, no, no. My goodness gracious. Who's played and has snaps up underneath him. Devante Adams will retire. But when you have some games, I'm not at all. But when you have Sean McVeigh being the play caller and what he is known to do with quarterbacks,

you're not going to run. Oh, there we go. We're so bad. We are not back to the Jimmy G. Right. Everything they're saying Wilds is true, which is he's an older. Exactly. He's an older quarterback.

He's been injured before. They're talking about light. cardio and walking, and the backup is a, is not good. So it's a 10. A 10? It has to be a 10. It's the most, this is the single most concerning injury across the NFL and training camp thus far. This is the only like, star, forget quarterback, just superstar player on a real contender that we're worried about. Is he going to be healthy for the season?

Like the, I'm not forgetting anybody. Like, we've been actually lucky thus far in training camp. Yeah, Brandon and I, other guys we don't. Right. Or guys that, yeah, pre-existing injuries, I'm not told. I guess this kind of is. But you know what I mean? We haven't had the guy who, you know, suffers an injury, non-contact.

They were like, oh, he's done for the year. And this was Submarino. Because here's the other thing. It's not just about, is he going to be healthy in September? It's about, can, at 37 years old, can Matt Stafford, be at his best in January. You know what I mean? I don't know where they were on your list,

Drew, but they are, in my opinion, they're an S-Bob team. They've won a Super Bowl together. They're in a winnable division in the weaker of the two conferences. Like, they've got, you know, they went out this off-season and acted like they're, you know,

in it for this year. You know, like, and if he is hampered, they can't win at the highest level. This is bad. Yeah, it's concerning. Now, maybe he'll end up being fine, But if his back, if he's questionable for week one, it really sets them way behind the game ball.

He's an old 37. Yeah, because he got that's kind of old as it is. He got beat up in Detroit. Bake show. Oh, boy. And the top 100. Classic one. Congrats.

One of the most classic of all classic one. Brian Chottnheimer, the coach. You know, I don't like backward hats. What's worse is a backward visor. That's a two-win team. I'm taking away four wins. That's awful. I don't want to look like a guy that's here to move my couch.

Like, I want you to do better than that. This is Colin earlier today. Talking about Brian Schoenheimer who wore a backwards visors. It's one of my favorite Colin takes. He's had thousands of him. It might be number one. That means why he's the goat. I mean, flat.

And everyone, here's the thing. Everyone makes, it's like a big internet meme, making fun of Colin type of thing. Like, oh, Colin's doing his backwards hat thing again. Love it. He's 100% right about it. At least that it's colonel, he's correct about it. I love the take.

But I like what I've heard from Schadenheim. Yeah, but that's a bad look. That's a terrible look. Just don't win two games. Right, right. Switch it around. Bake show, top 100. Coming in at number 50.

4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns. Brew. Now, you are a fan of the bake show. Yes. His jersey. And I agree with him. Bake show, friend of the show. But the issue here is that your guy, Brock Purdy, it's tough to see him coming above

Yeah, a big show. Yeah. So how are you feeling about rock possibly? That's not the question. Brock Purdy being a fish. That's not the question. What's the question? That's the question is that's actually on the bar.

Do you want to apologize to Nick? Right. That was not a good apology. That's not one. The question is this. That's my question. I would apologize you if Trevor Lawrence comes up on. That we never argued about it.

But here, look, it does look like Brock's not going to be on the list. You think? And I don't like it. I love this. The goat. Here's why. I see it all happening. It has been nothing wilds, but bouquets and flowers for Brock Purdy since he's been in the NFL for the most part.

You come in, you take the league by storm, your teammates, your veteran teammates are raving about you. Your quarterback whisperer coach is waving about you. You get to the Super Bowl and leave the field with the lead in your second year. Then you have a down year and they reward you with a $52 million per year contract. Even a humble Mr. Irrelevant can get a little bit big-headed when that's the way your career is. started. Now this is motivation. This lets you know you're not all that

young man. You still got work to do. This is just what the doctor ordered. Perfect. Absolutely. And here's the other thing. Because Nick, I know Nick loves this list more than anybody on God's green earth. And I hope

Brock Purdy loves it too, because again, it's motivation. But for me, This list. I pay no attention to this. Nope. You know when I'll pay attention to this list? And it might happen in a month or so, a couple weeks.

I will pay attention to this list players when Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback on the list. When Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the league. When Patrick Mahomes is number one on the list, that's the year I give it some credibility. He's been number one before. No, but this year. Yeah, okay.

When he's number one on the list, that's the year I give it credibility. Outside of that, it don't mean nothing to me. If Mahomes ain't number one. That's a great point. So if you want to put something into this, if you want to, if you want to stake your reputation on this list, that doesn't even think Patrick Mahomes is the better on her back in the league. You agree with the list?

If Mahomes is not number one, all of a sudden, this list is now. It's John to me. It's John to Brown. I don't want any of that. Perfect take. That's a mic drop. We should just go to break. What you're going to say after that?

Which is why I probably should have gone first because then we could have. I just want an apology. Because when Dak Prescott, when we had two quarterbacks revealed, Tua at 91 and DAC at 79, that was the first time I said, Brew, you should be nervous. and you were out here all cocksure. Oh, no. No, no, no.

I think Brock's going to be somewhere from six. It's fluid, but low 60s high 50s. Yeah, something like that. And then when Jordan Love came out at 68, I said, you got to be nervous now. And you still, at that point, the list, I guess, hadn't lost credibility to you. I'm not quite sure. But there's another reason I would like, that's from you. Maybe an apology from you as well.

Because can we show the list as it is currently right now? So there have been that is eight quarterbacks listed. We know definitively seven more are coming. And I would say the getting nervous category at this point is really just C.J. Just C.J. But Gino's not making it. And Purdy, we're saying, is not making it. Which means this list, the best it has Purdy, if he's the first one out,

is the either 15th or 16th best quarterback in the NFL. And when, or wait, hold on, no, that would not be right. The 16th or 17th best, depending on where Strouded, if Stroud's on it or not. Which means Mahomes Mountain, which you guys kill me for where Purdy is, is actually nicer than his colleagues. Because Mahomes Mountain has Purdy right about 15th. And there's going to be 15 quarterbacks on this list.

So I want an apology from you and you. No, here's the problem, Nick. What? What's the problem? What's the problem? The list isn't going to have my homes at number one. That's right. It's got credibility.

But he's going to be on there. He's not going to be, we're not asking is Patrick nervous. On there. There's still an argument. I think so. There's still an argument that can be made that Brock Party will still make. Oh, my God. Wow.

That's my man. I'm not saying he will, but there's an argument because when, Anytime we've ever talked about Brock Purdy, it's always been about the guys that he's been able to play with and how much they carry him. And this year, even though the team didn't have success, he still had a okay year, a decent year to where he didn't have all these weapons. Right, exactly. We always say all these guys carry him, and those guys weren't around and they won six games. Yeah, but when you can. Yeah, but you're not a QB wins.

But you didn't prepare for that. So it's like it just, it just, he just had to play. Now you have a season where you know you're going into. You don't have all that. Baker Mayfield kind of dealt with it. That's the reason why it's kind of in question because Baker kind of dealt with the same thing. And you still can be in the 40s.

You see. He could be good. If he's on the list, he's a good day. Welcome back to first things first. The podcast has been on fire. We are actually the number one podcast in the world. Yes. Right articles about us.

Can you say that? It's, you know, you got to, they call it, think it do you make it? Also, our YouTube channel, also number one in the world, better than everybody else. My home is now and tomorrow. It's the number one segment into on no on Tuesdays in the sports universe that that's actually

true they're all true that one's actually true that's going to be great. Is there any surprises on the mouth? Well, have cam war and make a little wrong. I've got to tell you might have to reevaluate if we had Brock a little too high now that we see what his colleagues think of them. Royals in Fenway tonight both teams hot. Royals are seven and three in their last 10. Red Sox eight and two in their last head.

Red Sox lead. Sox lead the wild car race. Royals are two and a half back from the third spot. Nick, question for you, are you worried the Royals players will be nervous playing in front of thousands of fans? Just Benway Park. There will be, I know they're used to just playing in front of the seats, but there will be people there.

It will be noisy. So hold on. Is your take that it's inexpensive to go to Kaufman? Yes. Which is true. It's affordable for families, which is nice. Or is your take that no way. one goes because that's not true.

I'm not sure. Are the games televised? Are the home games televised? Yeah. Ryan Lefebvre and Rex Hudler on the call. I will watch these games and we'll see how we'll be going to have a friendly back. Yeah. I'll bet you.

Lunch for the rest of the rest of the week. $125. 137 bucks with pack for two.