First Things First - Tyreek Hill “didn’t understand” Dolphins offense first 3 years, Eagles quest to repeat, What’s going on with Browns QB room?

Episode Date: August 5, 2025

Watch clips on YouTube! Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRST THINGS FIRST YOUTUBE CHANNEL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (00:00) Browns add Tyler Huntley to QB room / How can the Eagles repeat? (24:38) Tyreek Hill says of the Dolphins “I didn’t understand the offense for the first 3 years” / Can Travis Hunter win OROY and DROY? (39:14) Geno Smith likes the Raiders being under the radar (47:05) Nick’s QB Tiers (1:07:20) Shedeur Sanders expected to start 1st preseason game (1:16:49) Sean Payton has very high expectations for Bo Nix (1:24:58) Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York, it's the show that is, quote, playing hurt because they got injured in a late summer workout regimen. It happens. What do you want to explain to the? I just, you know, it was jumping rope like the boxers do. Except yours was on your double Dutch team. No. Seven days, Brew has been jumping rope. On day seven, you have strained a calf.

So how long are you out for? Well, that's the thing. I'm going to go to the elliptical for the next week. I think it should be out. We can't have you pop your Achilles. No, I know that's. I'm concerned about that. Right.

Yeah. Don't pop your Achilles. No, I'm going to be careful. No, just stick. Be very careful. First hour, first and first. We need you. It's about to be a football season.

Well, I could do the show. I do it. Always healthy. Pardon me? Okay. All right. Poker is now. Check the doctor step.

Oh, 30 days until kickoff. What is Philly's recipe for a repeat? Meanwhile, curious. quotes coming out of Miami. Greg Jennings joins us. Talks about the quote he didn't like. And finally, a training camp edition of Mahomes Mountain. There's Jalen Hertz. And are we going to see any Caleb highlights? Not yet. Caleb still curiously high on the mountain. Well, he's been sixth before. But he was sixth in college. Can I just start? You say that like that makes it better. Like that makes it better. It does.

Really? Yeah, he has not earned it as a pro as a collegiate. Oh, he earned it as a collegian? Yeah, he did, actually. He did earn it as a collegian. But then he fairly was dropped. He's not high on the mountain. He's next to Drake May on the mountain.

Exactly. Well, there is no argument for Drake May having accomplished more than Caleb Williams. There's none. It's training camp malls mountain. Yeah, has Drake May been killing it? Has he been killing it, buddy? I don't know how you kill it, but I don't think he's got anything for the nothing's been added to his blooper real. Okay.

That's more of like a high floor. Chris Broussard, who has an injured calf, Nick Wright, who won a doctor's test. No, you won't, you won't. I can't win because you're afraid to compete. I showed you my results from it. You wanted nothing to do with it. We start with yet another quarterback in Cleveland. The Brown signing recent Raven and Dolphin, Tyler Huntley,

as their fifth quarterback, sixth on the payroll with Deshaun. Pickett and Gabriel have hamstring issues, so Cleveland added some more depth. Shador listed as the fourth string quarterback still. Your reaction to this latest move in Cleveland? This is totally fine until it's absolutely unacceptable. And here's what I mean. If there are circumstances where this is a, sure, great, you have 90-man rosters. They actually have six.

quarterbacks because Deshawn's one of them. Like, but Deshawn's obviously out. You have Gabriel and Pickett who are dealing with stuff. And you have a preseason game coming up on Friday. And if the thought process is, Pickett and Gabriel, we don't think they're going to play in it. Okay, so now you have Flacco who's 40. And you're not going to fly.

Well, so I, yeah, Flacco maybe, maybe the plan is don't play him at all. and then you have Chador and it's like, okay, is it even fair to Chador to say, hey, you're going to after having the least amount of reps in training camp, you're now going to play a full 60-minute preseason game. Is that setting best up for success? And maybe the answer is, yeah, we're fine with doing that. But if something happens to Chidor, you might say it's preseason, who cares? Like, you still need to run a functional offense.

And Huntley has been, you know, with Stafansky, no. those, the offense, that part's fine. So those, there are a lot of circumstances where this is fine. The circumstances where it will not be fine is if at the joint practice tomorrow, you see Shador got, you know, when ESP and Cleveland posts it, 12 pass ademps and Huntley got nine. Where it won't be fine is if Shador plays a quarter and a half of the preseason game and Huntley plays a quarter of the preseason game. That won't be okay.

Because there, and I'd be, by the way. Who's playing the other half? Well, I don't know, because Gabriel hasn't been ruled out. You know what I mean? And we're just assuming Flacco wouldn't be playing, but maybe their plan is, no, we're going to have Flacco play one quarter of the first game and that's it. I don't know. Mike, he cannot, and I feel the same way about Gabriel.

I would feel the same way about Huntley in relation to Gabriel, I'm saying. He cannot take legitimate practice time or preseason game time from either of your two rookies. So if it's just a break glass in case of emergency, so be it. But if he is actually out on the field when Shador could be, or Gabriel could be if Gabriel's hamstring heals up,

then something funny is going on in Cleveland. Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you said. And we see the numbers. Shadoors look good. We have absolutely, positively, no idea what those numbers mean. Is he facing lesser competition? He appears to be facing the first team.

A lot of the time. With second team receivers and weapons. So you would think that's good. But I read Albert Breer writes today or yesterday that Chatur is like way behind. He said the reason he's not getting first team reps is because he doesn't have that grasp of the offense to where he can do it yet. And he spoke more glowingly, not glowingly, but more positive about game. So I don't know where Shadour's at. I think he's a better prospect than Dylan Gabriel for several reasons, what they did in college, his size.

I can't go off what we've seen so far because we haven't seen much. But I do agree as long as, like, you don't want to throw Shadour in. If he's just out of his element and way behind, I guess I get that. I don't know why he should be. I mean, he had two years of, or a few years of college experience, two at the, you know, the big time level. So that's a bit baffling if that's the case. But I do agree, look, if I take Flacco out of the preseason game,

or let's say he plays a series. Yes. And Gabriel and Pickett are out. I want to see Shadour play like at least half that game. That means Huntley plays half. Right. But I'm just saying, like, they brought Huntley. in to play him. And I agree.

Like initially, I'm thinking, if Gabriel was not hurt, then I'm really thinking, why are you even bringing Huntley in? He's clearly not your future, but you do need bodies now. So I get that. I'm just saying, I want to see Shed do it for like half the game.

Yeah, why couldn't either of these rookies play three quarters of a preseason game? It's the preseason. Like the, and so I don't like, the... It's Tuesday. The guy, like, Tyler Hunt, playing on Friday. Right.

And so I don't... Like, I'm up to speed. Shador's been there for weeks. And they do have a new O.C. I mean, he was there last year on the staff, but they got a new offensive coordinator so the offense is a little bit different. But you're also not running your full playbook.

No, you can just run vanilla stuff. It's strange what, it is strange what's going on. And there is in Cleveland, there is weird, some by fans, some by local media. Conspiracy theory is too strong. But there's a lot of speculation. about if it is true that the coaching staff and GM did not want Shador and that the owner said, you're taking Shador, which I know coach seems to really believe is the case.

I don't believe that before the owner came out. Yeah, but I, yeah, I'm not saying I've changed. I'm just, it's up in the air. I don't think that's a conspiracy theory. I think that's a legitimate theory. It doesn't mean it's proven, but it's a legitimate theory. But there is a lot of, so some folks have then taken the leap that, that the coaching staff doesn't want Shador to succeed.

I don't think that's true because I think the coaching staff wants themselves to succeed and they want to keep their jobs. What I would say is this. If Shador plays for a half on Friday and looks just competent, there are a couple teams that if I were running them, most notably the Rams, that I'd call Cleveland and be like, hey, you spent a fifth on the kid, we'll give you next year's four. You click like he's fourth on your depth chart. You know what I mean?

The Albert Breer is getting his information from the Browns that they're saying he's way behind. And if you're a team like the Rams that has currently an injured quarterback and a backup is an injury prone quarterback and don't have a long term plan at quarterback, that to me would be worth a dice roll, especially because there was some speculation that if, because he got picked like five picks before the Rams were on the clock in the fifth round. There was some speculation that they could have taken him in the fifth round anyways. Like that, I, the personality and diva and those questions about Chador, I don't want to say, you know, you can close the book on it entirely. But he's handled himself as a pro. He's, you know what I mean? I know the speeding ticket's notwithstanding. He is, he is, every press conference he's done right by, you know, his teammates, his coaching staff.

And you're right. We're not out there at practice. and I don't know Stafansky's offense, but I know that he's not the rookie on the team that has the terrible practice numbers and the terrible practice video. And so it seems just a little odd all of this stuff together.

Let me preface this by saying, as you said, we're not seeing practices, all right? We don't think he's going against the ones. We're just seeing these numbers out of context. But my feeling, if, feels like they just don't really like Shadour. And that's just could be total, I could be totally wrong. Can I dig into that?

Yeah. Because I just, but I'm just saying like Knicks put up the numbers. We've had the numbers. Dillins aren't good. And three for 14 one day with two interceptions. But you're, and Shadour, Shadour is not coming from a division three school.

He's coming from the Big 12 where he had success. So you think there's someone, a decision. maker who's like I want to put an inferior quarterback on the field and it's going to cost me my job because I have some acts. I just don't

know what that holds. Right. And that's why I'm just I'm just thinking out loud. But from what we see they Shadour hasn't had first team reps yet and again maybe he's not ready like I agree. The simpler solution is he's not

actually the the ESPN graphic that you guys, you know, we kind of joke about it. I don't like it at all. I'd be honest with you. I don't like the graphic. I don't think we should have it on the show. And we've had like jokes about it.

We're like, ah, the numbers are the numbers. I'm like, we don't know what these are. But so hold on. So have that as like the foundation. Hold on, but it's not just that. That's not just it. It's the college performance and things like to me at least. Hold on.

I'm talking about just training camp. Yeah. So you're right. We're not there. But people are. And they, and they, so the, the local newspaper reporters do podcasts about it. The, my buddy, Ken Carmen, is out there all the time with Anthony Lima. They have daily radio shows.

When you listen to the people who are out there, the across the board from what the media sees it practice reports have been, Shador has been fine. Yes. And Gabriel's been awful. That is not from, the graphic to me, one of the reasons I do like it is because I have been doing my best to actually follow for the people that are watching it, and it is to me an accurate representation. It's not that Chador's been great.

It's that the two rookies, one is struggling massively. And the video supports that as well. So you're saying it doesn't make sense that they would undercut themselves. I feel very differently than you in that. I think one of the most common things in sports, just sports, but I will keep it to sports, is people wanting to bring in their guys. When a new head coach comes in, everybody knows, man, or a new GM more notably, like the last draft class, those guys, you know, fire sale on them.

If it's true that going into the draft, like this is, I think, a very plausible scenario, going into the draft, the meddling erratic owner, Jimmy Haslam, It's like, so what do we think about Chador? We like him? It seems like it be good for business. Like Jerry tried to be with Johnny Mansell. And Andrew Barry and Kevin Sifansky were united. No, we do not.

In fact, we don't love any of the quarterbacks enough to spend a first or second round pick on them. There is a kid we do like that we think we can get midway through the draft. But it's not Chador. We're a united front. They do it. They go home for the night. The next day, the owner comes in.

Hey, news flash. If that kid's available the next time or the time after we're on the clock, we're taking it. Those guys are not incentivized to then a month in be like, well, damn, he's better than the guy that we told you we thought was better. Why not? What do you mean? I'm saying why not? Because it does make their expertise look shaky to the older. Because they told you this guy is better.

And that was not what they have said has happened. No, of course that's not what they've said has happened. I know, but I'm saying we're just down a hypothetical. But what they've actually, they've said is not that. No, I know. But if it was to go down this path, isn't the easier path like, wow, uh, Shador's really good. He can help us win games.

And I can go up to the only like, you know what? You're right. He does have the edge. Here's what it is. Like, he's like, yeah, good call. Like, let's roll. I agree. with you. If I was, I like to think if I was in their position, I would say, you know what,

Shadur's better. We're moving him up the depth chart. But I think, I'm speculating, should doers look better than Dylan. I think Shadour hasn't looked like an all pro. That's exactly what. You know what I mean? He hasn't looked good enough where it's just, oh my gosh, we got, we got the next, you know, he's always looked better than Dylan. That's the weird thing. No, but that's the point that I make it. But they didn't like him better coming out of college, clearly, but now if they're seeing he is better than date. Here's another simple path. But he's not.

Yeah, he's not, neither one's going to play over Flacco to begin with. But we don't want to admit that, but go ahead. Blanket incompetence. Well, that's the other thing. The probably simplest line is like when I saw this,

like now they are paying six quarterbacks. And I know, it's like this is actually a big. And none of them are. Right. This is just a, this is what happens when you make a bad call and continue to like try to chase.

Yeah. Like Baker's like, I have 41 touchdowns, 4,500 yards, and might win MVP this year. Yeah. So, no. For real, though. Like, that's like, so I, that's why I don't think it has to be like an evil plot. I think it's a bunch of stuff stacked on each other. A meddling owner.

I think a coach and GM that are feeling the pressure, they haven't a brain trust of an organization that people within the building and ghost of buildings past have never been able to figure out the quarter. back position, you know what, all of it that kind of leads to this morass that makes you, I mean, just dating back to giving up draft capital for Kenny Pickett. Like there's, it's decision after decision that just speaks to not knowing what they're doing. Because if Gabriel actually could play Friday, then you can, you can throw it out there. Yeah, you don't need to bring it Huntley. Now, unless, as Breer said, uh, should do. is way behind, but I had not heard that until Breer reported it.

So like you said, I'm just telling you what he wrote. But, but if, if you could play Shadur and Dylan Friday against Carolina. And then if they look horrendous and we can't get anything done with these guys, then you could go out and get a Tyler Huntley just to make practice functional. But I'm probably overstating that. It probably can't be that bad. Probably when you're having a conversation about which of the five. quarterbacks on your roster are going to start in the middle of the season, you might be in a bad spot.

Yeah. You might be a poorly run organization. That might be the simplest. It's not sad, bro. I said bad. It's sad, too. I remember, I'm from Cleveland. 30 days until Cowboys Eagles kick off the season.

A.J. Brown sat down with Torrey Smith on Sirius XM. Talked about his mindset. Now the Eagles are champions, take a listen. The process of the daily grind stage. the same and so once you kind of look at it through that lens you know you you know you just got to go back to work all that stuff is over you know I like to say you know the Lombardi she's not loyal he's not loyal so we got to go we got to do it again you know try to win her over again I'll be honest with you I always

thought Lombardi was a guy yeah it is a masculine trophy but what is the recipe for a repeat it's very simple you're gonna have to be right about Jalen. Oh. He's going to have to be the quarterback that you think he is. He just hasn't needed to show the world. And I'm not trying to speak for you, but that the, because what they did last year, and I'm please hear what I'm saying, this is not an indictment.

They won the damn Super Bowl and they were the best in the league for four months. No. I'm out here like no little. No. Say it. Say it. What they did last year was. unprecedented and I don't believe sustainable, which is winning the Super Bowl with that

meager of a passing offense. Again, we would call it meager by choice, but that's the last 10 champions. Like the worst one prior had Peyton Manning and the one of the greatest defenses ever. The other one was Nick Foles by the end of the year and Carson Wins was a great running threat. And then it's great passing offenses. If we just since the merger. Can I stop there for a quick second? Oh, shoot. We can go back real quick, but just make the Super Bowl with the bottom five pass offense.

And that 82 Dolphins team, by the way, that was the strike year. So it's never, so the idea that they are going to be that dominant defensively and that dominant running the ball again, I just think is unlike unrealistic. You know what I wish we had, and this is a bad way to talk about graphics, wishing we had a different one. First half passing offenses. Like, because remember they had, what was the graphic that he only passed like nine times from behind or something? Yeah, but that's, but that KW, I, maybe they're not going to be 29th. They were not, they would still be in the 20s.

But first half passing, you know what I mean? Because they got. No, no, they run the ball. Six of those other quarterbacks were Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Obviously, you're going to be in the top. And then there's Peyton, man, I get it. He was, he wasn't very good at that point. but you know Matt Stafford like I I think it can be done differently and I agree with

what like sure is that is that by passing yards yes yours okay he's never going to throw for a ton of yards but it's just I'm not saying but he's got to be there he's efficient right brew I'm not saying he has to be fifth I'm saying that they've got to be a you know how many of those teams though had strong running games the chiefs is been adequate, you know. The Buccaneers was no good with Brady. The Patriots, okay. You know what I mean? Like, they have something special.

And look, I don't think they can just rinse and repeat it. I don't think Sequin is going for 2,000 yards again. I think he can go for 1,500 plus. I'm banking on him going for more than 1,500. Agreed. That offensive line is still the best in the league. Agreed. He's still young.

I think they're going to be strong. I think defensively, they might not be second best in the league. Yeah. But I think they can stay in the top. top 10. If they stay in the top 10, I would like to see Jalen. Last year he only threw it 24 times a game, was the bottom of the league, threw it only 22 times a game in the playoffs. I like to see that moved up to about 28. Well, then we're on the same page. Yeah, but still, you're still a run first offense, run heavy offense, but he throws it a little bit more,

keep the defense honest, keep the receivers happy too. Yes. And then your defense doesn't take a major step back, I think that's the recipe. Is that because you expect the Eagles to face a totally different defensive? Why, I don't think Sequine will go for two grand? Well, like, I know you're like, well, he had, you wanted to, you want Jalen to throw 28,

but if it's worked, do you think they'll be facing a defense that's going to be selling out to stop Seekwine and he's going to have to do that? No, I think one is just he had, what, well over 300 carries last year. I think that's a lot to put on him back-to-back

years and it's never been done. And year to year, the like 40 plus yard runs, those are even out. Yeah, highly variable. He's a big, he's a big. It's just a tackle here. Yeah. And again, 28 times a game passing the ball is not a lot. So that, I mean, we're saying, I think, the same thing.

My point is that they have to be more prolific. I won't even say better because I'm not trying to argue with wilds. I didn't say anything. I can just see it, man. More prolific. For the tiger. More prolific passing the ball because Brew and I, I think what he said is exactly right. I think Sequin will still be really good.

But we're not going to be talking about is he going to set the single season rushing record. I think the defense will still be really good. But I don't think we're talking about how they are the best or second best in every major stat. And so where do you make up the difference, especially because even though the Eagles were, the margin between them and everyone else at the final two games of the year looked massive. Throughout the year it did not. You know what I mean?

It's not like we looked like the Eagles, they didn't have the best record in their conference. The first two playoff games were close games. So if they go backwards just a little bit from historically great to really good in those two places, they need to get better in the place where they were, you know, bottom of the league as far as raw numbers. Yeah, attempts and yardage.

I think he can do it. I mean, it's kind of like, you know, the Steelers can stop the run, so they wanted Jalen a throw. And that was this famous press conference. Like, that's what you wanted to see. I'll air the thing out. Okay. Feels like we all think in repeat.

I'm not predicting repeat, by the way. You definitely are. No. First of all, it's not predictions week. I'm not ready to make that choice. You will. Pick a repeat? Yeah, you will.

I think like the last. No, you don't get to wait until week, too. predictions you've picked the repeat. Yeah. I picked the Chiefs at Reefs. Well, it's the basketball, football, baseball, World Cup,

you're a hockey, your RICTWA tournament. NCWLY for sure. UCon. Yeah, you're a repeat. Do we have it? Captain Easy Stan? Do you up there?

Tyreek says he didn't understand Miami's offense. Great. Jennings doesn't like it next. Oh, number one podcast. in the world. Gianna, I didn't tell you this. Last night, did you see Mr. Beast posing with all his trophies,

all his plaques? I did, I, I, it's stupid. I took the picture and put in a chat, GPD, and I was like, put first things first on Mr. Beast's head and that we had 400 million subscribers. And I was like, I'm going to post this.

Save this for you. And then I said, you know what? Save this for your podcast. You save this for your podcast. Head down to Miami, where the vibes seem off all training camp. Tua had an icy response to Tyreeks' postseason suggestion that he wanted to leave the team. Surprise. Then Tyreek made suggestions about the offense that Mike McDaniel bristled at.

And then McDaniel yesterday said it was a great day because we're all closer to dying. And then Tyreeks said, by the way, I didn't know what's going on for the last three years. Take a listen. This offense. Because at first, I'm going to be completely honest. I didn't understand the offense for the first three years of me being here. But this year, I feel like Coach Slow has, you know, explained it a lot. And, you know, we're taking notes in the meeting rooms, which is great,

something I've never done in my career. I'm taking notes in meeting rooms, even if I know what I'm taking notes. So he definitely helped us all, man. He's being great. Okay. All right. Greg is that? I'm sorry.

He's being a little too transparent right now. Look, when you listen to that, like, it just sounds bad. And I'm going to try to help Tyreek out. Okay. I really am going to try to help Tyreek out because whether you're a rookie or a player that's coming into a new system or just coming in after the offseason, you refresh yourself and you are taught to learn your position. So if we all go on the same team, we're all in the same unit room, we're all playing

receiver, your X, your slot, you're Z. You definitely be a slot. Like, you're taught to learn your position. So the idea of learning the playbook is really minimized to, I'm just going to look at my routes. I'm just going to look at what I need to get done on those specific routes or those specific plays. The way that I did it, and again, this is not everyone, I learned the concept.

So I understood the offense. its totality. So does that, I just want to translate for the audience, maybe for myself as well. You were understanding, you were learning why and why the offense worked. Correct. This is to set up this, to set up this, which is what it's building.

Why I need to run my route because how it impacts your route, why you need to run your route, how it impacts mine, even the offensive line, the protection. I got to the nuances of all of that. And so if that's what he's alluding to, totally understand that. Okay. I hope that's

That's what he's alluding to. But when he starts to say, like, I'm taking notes for the first time, Tyreek, there's, like, you gotta take notes, man. Like, there's a lot of times when you get these freak athletes and he is one of them. Yes, absolutely is one of them. Because if he, if I'm just speaking on behalf of most receivers and that's this, what I'm saying is not even true to Tyreek, then for him. to be playing in this offense

and Andy Reed's offense having never taken notes and just understanding run fast go go down beat my guy. He'd run fast and go. Like, dude, to have the career that you've had impressive. Well, that's, if you just real quick, if you remember

going into Mahomes' fourth year in the league, but third year as a starter. So after two full years of starter, he was on Mav and Braun Show talking about how I just this off season learned how to read defenses. Yeah.

So the Chiefs might have had the greatest offense of all time. Yeah. With a quarterback who didn't know what he was seeing and a wide receiver didn't know the playbook just so maybe all this note take is overrated. Maybe it just go on athleticism and vibes and cook. Like that's the key to the light show. Don't overthink it. No, I mean, so you're saying, Greg, at the very minimum, which is starting to make sense

now, he's basically saying I knew my, what I knew what I was supposed to do. I knew what I was supposed to do. I had no idea with the other, you know, what Waddle was doing on this play, what the tight end was doing on this play. That makes more sense. I just knew my play. Okay. Because I'm like, it's like I didn't even know what to say. Like this is baffling.

This is not backyard football. Like how could you be this good just going out there to get open? You know, so that makes it. He had to know his route. He clearly knew what he was supposed to do every given play. Can I say something? something else, though, that's, I think, the bigger picture here. I think he's really starting to frustrate his coach. And I think like the, so the other, the whole back and forth about, you know,

stop giving the ball to A. Chan on goal line. And then Mike McDaniel comes out and he's like, oh, it's a great suggestion by Tyreek. In fact, we did that in goal line this morning in practice and we made it clear we were making that change. Now, Tyreek also in this press conference, says when he said don't give it to you Chan at the goal line. He says he's like, now we were working on goal line today. He's like, I wasn't paying attention so I don't know what we were doing. He said it. That's the exact quote. He's like, I got to go back and watch.

Now, the fact that he just said it that openly, maybe it's because he was working on something else. Like they were working on goal line and he wasn't in the package. He was working on something else. I don't know. But I just know that this is all, this is the sorry, this is cliche. but the any given Sunday Willie Beeman would throw up, right?

And they said to him like, hey, man, if you're winning, it's cool. But if you're losing, it's a problem. This is to me a similar thing. Like, if you have the numbers first on the bar, 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns, playing on vibes and with funny quotes, whatever, then Tyreeks being Tyreek.

If it's the right side of the bar where you have less than 1,000 yards and six touchdowns and you're basically tapping out of the final game of the year, then that's how you get to your third team, which will probably actually be your first team. But that's a discussion for a year. Here's his stats. The most interesting thing I think was this bottom line here.

He had 44 yards and no touchdowns in six games without Tua. And there's a few things, and I don't like a, you know, it's always questionable, Greg, on how many, like, just like anecdotes you can pull from, like, miced up NFL. But there's a handful of, like, Tyreek, Tua interactions where, like, yeah, he runs the wrong way and Tua hits him. But I feel like the narrative has been, well, Tua just has to air it out to Tariq. It's all good. Where I think maybe the opposite might be.

Well, so I, so here's what I think. I do not think Tyreek Hill needs Tua to be great. I don't think that. And I do not think Tua is bad at everything. I think Tua is outstanding at if the play goes the way it's supposed to go. I mean, he's, yes, he has done it, right. On time, on schedule, accurate. Tua definitely knows the playbook.

He knows the offense. Like, but this moment something goes bad because of his lack of size, lack of athleticism, he can't risk getting hit. It breaks down. You know what I mean? Or if it's cold. The cold doesn't help either. I personally read that stat, Greg, as a effort thing.

Yep. I was like that Tyreek, when it's six games. Yeah, then he's just checked out. We've seen him. No, that's not acceptable. I'm not a KW. He checked out for six games at the end of the season. Like, I got to be out.

Yeah. The Dolphins are like, well, that's a Mike McDaniel problem. That's a Mike McDaniel problem. He did. He did now. He might just be saying this, but Tyree. did say what Tua said about, you know, we got to get

through his comment, you don't just come in and say, oh, my bad, about I'm out. Tarek said that was necessary. Okay. Let's check in next week and see what he says. Yeah, I mean, he's going to be up and down. I think, I think ultimately, you

the older I get, the more kind of grumpy old man my sports takes get. That's okay. And I don't like it. I don't like how it feels. Here we go. What's this one going to be. There's just something to be said for a football coach instilling

a little bit of fear in his locker having a little bit of like I'm taking the ping pong table out. I mean I don't know but like there is what? Where's the paddles? No but I just it just feels like they all really like Mike.

I don't know how much they all like fear Coach McDaniel. Yeah and so And it's not age, it's sitting at my feet. I mean, you got a feet. A healthy fear is great. Especially in this sport. In any, in it.

With parenting. Healthy fear. I think particularly, I understand what you're saying, but I think it can be positive in a lot of places. I think it's necessary in professional football. I just think the type of how big the locker room is, what they're asked to do, all of it. I just think there has to be a very clear. chain of command and I think it breaks down with the dolphins a bit. Are we doing Travis Hunter just?

That's what he said we had till 42 buddy. I don't know. I wasn't paying touch. I'm out here. I'm like the Tyreek of this. Yeah, we know. Busy day you should see him like cut off these sleeves. Don't do it.

Don't do it too. Busy day for Travis Hunter. Today was the first time he played both sides of the ball in a regular practice. Michael Diracco, ESPN reporting he wore teal jerseys on offense. There it is. Then you flip it. where a white mesh tank top on defense. Jack's coach Liam Cohen, very optimistic. Take a listen.

I do think it's possible. I do think it's possible. You know, he's he is committed, man. Like he is committed to driving not just himself, but his teammates as well. These guys are challenging him every single day. Like he doesn't get a free pass because he was the second overall pick in these Travis Honor. They're going at it and chirping at each other. but it's truly guys iron sharpening iron. You'll hear from my lawyer.

That was Liam Cohen. Rich Eisen talking about if he could win both offensive rookie of the year and defensive rookie year. He's got fourth best offensive rookie year odds. Second best defensive rookie to year odds. Does anyone think he could sweep and win them both? Well, I don't think he will. I think first of all to do that,

he's going to have to be full time. on both sides of the ball. Let's go. I mean, and I'm skeptical. I'm skeptical. Like, I think he can definitely start at corner and be a situational receiver or vice versa, right?

Start full-time receiver, situational defensive back. But I'm skeptical, Greg, about him playing both sides, essentially full-time, which is what it would take to win both Rookie of the Year awards. part of me hopes I'm wrong. I just have a hard time, Greg, believing he is that much better of an athlete than everybody else to play in the NFL

over the last 65 years. Yeah, but the flip side is, do we think that everyone who played 75 years ago is better athlete than everyone's playing now? No, but it was a different game. It was a different game. I mean, it was nearly as demand. No, I totally agree.

Listen, I don't really care. I don't really care so much about the actual awards. I know that sounds back because is what we're asking. What I care about is the fact that he said it's possible means he is going, they are going to give him a shot. You mean Cohen? Cohen. Yes.

To be full-time buff. Yeah. And the fact that he's listed on their depth chart as a starting wide receiver and the second string corner, but he's second string behind a rookie that was drafted two rounds after. He's better than that. So, right. So he is, he is their second best receiver, and I

think he's their best corner. And I think Liam Cohen's like, we're going to try. And that's all, I don't know if it'll work, Brew. I want to let him try. And I think they should give him a shot. And if he falls flat on his face, then all you got to do is like, hey, you're going to be the best defensive back of him.

Yeah, no, it's not going to happen. Look, if it did happen, greatest start to a career in sports, in my opinion. Defensive rookie at a year, offensive rookie at a year, it's unheard of. It's never been done.

However, the part that you ended with, like, Brian Thomas Jr. is their number one guy. Like, he was third in the league in yards. Like, he's not some shabby guy where you're going to be Trevor Lawrence and say, oh, Brian Thomas,

let me go over here to Travis every single time. No, he is their number one guy. When you look at the receivers that have done it, and it's not a, huge list of offensive rookie at a year's at our receivers, but the latest ones who have done it, like the Jamar Chase, the Justin Jefferson. They were the number one guy. And arguably, top five immediately in the National Football League,

as far as where their production listed them. I don't know if he's capable of doing that in this offense, having that type of a receiver already on your roster. And I'm not even talking about the defense side of the ball. Greg, that's why we don't invite you to the 10 o'clock meeting. We wouldn't have done the story. That makes perfect sense. That was good explanation.

He kind of bummed me out, though. We just should have had a better question. Do you now think he's going to play full-time board play? You know, people wrote off Gino Smith, but he didn't write back. Now many of the same people are sleeping on him, and he won't wake him up. I don't know. Here's Gino with a new interview. We got a really, really good team, and I think we're going to, I don't know if we'll shock anyone inside of this building, but maybe shock some outsiders.

And so, you know, but it's good. Like let them sleep. I don't want them to see us coming, man. We're just working. We're just working, you know, in the shadows right now, you know, getting our game right. And when it's time to go under those bright lights, I think we'll be ready. Look, I'll admit this. Gino, I like his personality.

He's got some, some. Okay. Charism. What's there not to like. Yeah. And here's the thing. Look, I don't believe in the race. Raiders like Nick does.

But I am not sleeping. Gino, I am not sleeping on you. I'm comatose. All right? I am dead to the world when it comes to the Raiders. I'm knocked out, Wild. You can't wake me up. I'm totally oblivious to the Raiders.

Can we stop it with the Raiders this? The Raiders, that really? You're the worst team in your division. Are they? Yeah. I mean, obviously you got the Chiefs, you got the Chargers, you got the Bronco. Oh, wow. And Gino is a nice quarterback.

I'm glad he has resurrected his career. Yeah. But this is the quarterback. You love Nick with the quarterback. I'll just say you're not very high on last year. How many times we're going to see the same graphic? But you talk about Gino like he's awesome and Brock had a better year last year. You talk about Brock.

Okay, I disagree with you that Brock had a better year. What? What, which category is Brock not better in? He had a, he had better stats than Gino last year. His team lost for him. So you're not, no, no, no, no, but I am, but I am how you are playing in big moments, guy. I am that. I am, were you?

He hasn't had good moments? I didn't, I feel like the Seattle Seahawks last year had a better record than their talent otherwise would have because of the play from their quarterback. That's not great play for quarterback. Again, Brew, I think, and I know you agree with this. I think sometimes you can play better than your stats say and somebody can play worse than your stats say. But if we're going to do a stat off, we can do it. But hold on, I got more.

Here's the thing with Gino, not stats. Gino, I don't think he has great weapons to throw through. Now, Genti looks good. Brockbauer is pretty good. Right. Right. The Titan, I'm talking about outside. Okay, well, he's a weapon.

Because he's had, he is a weapon. But I'm talking about why receivers. He's had better receivers. Since Gino's resurgence, he's had D.K. Mackath, T.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jigba. Yes. Smith and Jigba. So, like, he's got nothing like that outside of the tight end position. But he now has the best running back he's ever had and the best tight end he's ever had.

And I don't think Lockett at this last few years, it was a special player. He was better earlier. Yeah, earlier. But that was more pre. Maybe his first year. He and D.K. had over 1,000 yards. And D-K's great. But so here's the, I just want people to at some point move past their priors on Gino Smith.

Since he took over the Seattle Seahawks, he was this full-time starter for three years, are we cool with yards and touchdowns mattering? Yeah, I don't know. There's the quarterbacks who averaged 4,000 yards a season and mid-20s touchdowns a season. It's those four guys. And they all had a 95-plus passer rating. That's the full list of the entire league. Now, how about Gino again?

Since he became a full-time starter in Seattle, his numbers. Brew, I think we can agree that these numbers are as close to identical as you can get. The yards per game are identical. The record is a game different. Right, exactly. Buckle up for this one. Yeah, just get ready. This is the power of PR.

Oh, I mean. It's right. But, Brew, you said he's close. Clearly the worst quarterback or not. No, I said they have the worst team in the division. I didn't say anything about the quarterback. No, no, no. But when, am I wrong?

Was it not Gino versus Herbert that we were arguing about your fluid list? I think you're on. Herbert is clearly unequivocally better. What do you think? Who do you think is better? Who do you think is better? What do you think that it is based on how they've played? It's a debate.

And you said it's not a debate. You just threw up numbers, but when I threw up numbers, I think numbers don't really matters. Sometimes they're better. I think Perlard has more natural talent. I think, though, that one guy's PR is here. One guy's PR is here. And so I think that...

And that's because one guy came into the league and right away was very good. Of course. Another guy took six, seven years. Right. And got his, when he was going to be a full-time starter, got his jaw broken by a teammate, and we don't know where his career would have gone. I'm simply saying that you just said, and I quote, I'm comatose on the Raiders.

Yes. You think... I didn't even say Gino. I'm saying on the radio. I understand. But the only reason you could be is because of Gino. No. I don't think the defense is very good.

You like Pete Carroll. Yeah, but I don't love... Pete Carroll's had losing seasons. I remember them and you remember him well as well. Before he got to Seattle, he wasn't like this great... Oh, we're talking about... I can't just strike. Because he used to coach the Patriots.

I understand why I call. I'm just saying, look, I don't think the defense... Like, Gino is not my biggest concern. at all with the Raiders. I just think the defense isn't that great. I don't think they have great receivers. And we'll see what the rookie running back here. You have pieces, but let's be honest.

We're going to sleep on them. And it's not just because of them themselves. It's when you look in their division, forget the conference right now. When you just look at their division, it's just an uphill battle. Not just from a player's perspective of teams, but even with coaching. You got Pete Carroll going up against Sean Peyton. and then you got Andy Reid and obviously Jim Harbour. You got to not only outperform them as players,

but you better be ready to out coach your. Which is why the fact that now they have a fair fight in the coaching department. Now they have a fair by the quarterback department. But to his point, like, it's just what we do. Not everybody can go last to first and I don't think this is a team that's going last to first. I'm not talking about last to first. I understand that. I'm talking about we have, yes, we have anointed the chargers and the Broncos

for their 10 wins and getting teeth kicked in in the playoffs. Well, you were doing it last year with the Chargers. You really were high on the Chargers last year. Hold on, and I was right. Yes, right. So now all of a sudden you're not. No, no, no, no. I think the Chargers still good.

My point is we are acting as if that the, like, oh, my God, the Raiders are going to have to be, you know, the fifth best team in football to not finish last in that division. No, they're not. They have, the Raiders, two years ago, finished second, the division. Like, they were in the playoffs with, again, different rosters three years ago when they beat Justin Herbert in the final game. Like, the chiefs are the chiefs. The other three AFC West teams are all going to be around the same caliber this year. Denver was a totally

different team three years ago. Yeah. And same one. And Chargers too. Yeah. And the Raiders has terrible coach now are more different than any of them. They got a new head coach. They got a new quarterback. They got a great young running back. I just, again, I hate the Raiders. I'm just, He's just like being right. What, Greg? You sleep too. Oh, you sleep on him too. Oh, you know what? I got a great one.

We all. Live from New York. It's a show it's very worried about the Raiders rest disadvantage. Courtesy of Warren Sharp. You're sleeping too. Look, it's just the staff. Three of four of us are sleeping on the radio. I got to download that huge PDF.

It's like a thousand pages long. Took up a lot. physical book. I tried to do it honestly. You know what? And by the way, no. Warren's a great guy. You know what came in the mail for me yesterday?

And it's not free. I paid the money for it. Aaron Shats, formerly the football outsider's book, the DVOA book or whatever, like this thick. Does it have one of those huge spirals on it? No, it's a bound book. I like to it spiraled like massive. Shout out to Aaron Chats, by the way.

He offered the, I swear, I paid for the book. It's not an ad. But he, created the DVOA football outsiders thing, thing went a little sideways. Now it has his own business and still creating the smarter football content as there is. Good for him.

Oh, thank you. Second hour, first things first. Today, Sean Payton says Bo Nix is a superstar. Nick doesn't like it. Again. We'll be a superstar. In short order.

Yeah, you're right. Yeah. In short order. Within the next two years. Meanwhile, did Shador's chances at starting get worse with the best? Brown's latest move as they add Tyler Huntley to their quarterback run. But right now it's week one of the preseason. At least we're getting ready for week one or three season.

Are we climbing the mountain? Not quite yet. We're more at base camp getting all our stuff ready. Glasses, goggles, mittens, gloves, hats, winter jackets, parkas and the like. What? Nothing. I'm just listening to you cook, buddy. It's just a pleasure be able to sit here every day and watch you.

Freeze dried food. Trail mix. Several ropes, carabiners, a large axe, a ladder that you have to put over crevasses. Heavy socks, boots with spikes on them. Is that off the top of the dome? Backfacts. Freestyle?

Yeah. Wow. The oxygen, I was gonna, I was waiting for that. I'm impressed. Dried cranberry. I don't know. Just say it's. It's time for it to climb a home belt.

Thanks, KW. So here's the deal. We did this few weeks ago. It hasn't been a lot of reason for a lot of movement because... Was there? It looked awfully familiar. Well, you know... You can't step into the same river twice.

Exactly. And so there is new information as far as like we learned that the 1,600 or so players across the NFL don't think Brock Purdy's above ever. We did learn that. Did that affect us standing on the mountain? We'll see. Um, we, uh, we did learn it though. We just did learn it. We need to learn there's 15 quarterbacks in the top 100. He's not one of them. Um, we also got, no, maybe, right. We exactly. We, we don't know that for sure. We know. Uh, we also got some

ideas about some quarterback competitions. The sad thing is though the people involved in the quarterback competitions are not on the mountain. Here's who's not climbing today. And It's everyone involved in the quarterback competitions. Tyler Shuck, who my favorite stat of the week is, Tyler Shuck seven months older than Trey Lance. He's the draft pick this year. That's great. That's true.

The Joe Flacco, who is going to be the starting quarterback in Cleveland. Daniel Jones, by the way, he might be replaced off the mountain by Anthony Richardson. It would also be off the mountain, but at least he'd have his picture on TV again. And then Russell Wilson. Russ, I'm surprised Russ is not on the mountain. Yeah, Russ, I would think he's a mountain worthy. Okay, well, let's see who we're taking off. Bottom row of the mountain.

Kyler Murray, Aaron Rogers, Michael Pinnock's, one of Wilde's mini guys, Bryce Young. Now, you could say should Russ take Justin Fields a spot? Justin Fields had a rough last couple days of camp. But so that would be the one argument. J.J. McCarthy, Cam Ward. So again, I would, of, Of all these guys, the person I think is most likely to move up the mountain first is Kyler.

And of all these, but then that, but then move back down once the season gets a little longer. The guy of this whole row most likely to finish next year higher than this, I think is Cam Ward. Oh, yeah. I think Cam Ward finishes the year higher. I'm a Cam Ward guy. Well, I'm not, again, I'm not trying to be a Cam Ward guy. I'm just saying, I was trying to give you a. No, you're trying to impringe.

You're trying to plant a flag in preseason Mahomes Malin that you're a Cam Ward guy. I'm not. It's gonna come on, you be like, you remember preseason? I've always liked Cam Ward. Next thing you know, I'm not the Cam Ward guy anymore. Buddy, I promise you, you'll always be the Cam Ward guy on this show.

You'll always be the one that's like, let's talk Titans, six throw. Just like all always be the Caleb Williams guy, for good or for bad. There's a few guys on this row that'll always be their guy. I'll be the Caleb guy. You're the Drake May guy. We'll see, I think you're also the Bo Nix guy

because he reminds you so much of one of your favorites of all time, Mack Jones. I'm the Prince guy. You're the two guy and the darn. This is me and KW row. I think. Yeah, this is, how special. This is just our guys.

I'm not a darnal guy. What? You're a huge. I'm not a darnal guy. You love Sam. I don't love San Darnel. Oh, it's okay. I'm just saying 4,300 yards and 14 wins.

There it is. Not easily replaced. I love that. Bro, I think you should be happy, though, because I don't know if you've noticed, there's 15 quarterbacks left because rows 5 up is 15 left. We haven't yet shown Brock Purdy, which means I, amazingly, have more respect for Brock Purdy than the entire NFL roster. Row five.

Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Dak, Prescott, Gino, Smith, Brock Purdy. Five solid quarterbacks. It's a good row. You can win with these guys. You know what I mean? Are they getting you to the next level? We've never seen it. But you can win with these guys.

Row four, top ten. Matt Stafford, my guy. Baker Mayfield, my guy. Jared Gough, wild guy, C.J. Stroud, coach's guy. Brew, sorry. What? What? Cog was my guy.

Oh, Greg's guy. Greg's guy, too. They both picked a brand. Greg's guy. Daniel John. James John. See, CJ's my guy. That's true.

Fake show, by the way, that I was thinking about this today. If he duplicates what he did last year, he's looking at like $200 million, man. He right now is the best bargain in the NFL that's on a rookie contract. He makes $33 million a year. And I think he could have bigger numbers next year because I don't think the defense is going to be that good. And they're going to have to, you know, they're going to have to be an offense. another good receiver. Exactly right. All right. Top six. Joe Cool, Jalen Hertz, Jaden Daniels. Now, this was also, the other news out of training camp, of course, is Stafford's injury,

which made this a lot easier for me because in my heart of hearts, I feel like Stafford deserves to be on this row. I don't know who I'm taking off. I don't want to argue with Kevin Wilds because I kind of know who I'm taking off. But he's injured. I'm shocked he's in the middle, though. It doesn't. Well, again, it's not left to right, but. Right. Everybody knows that. And then the top three, everybody knows who it is. This is, it's not currently a big four in the NFL.

It is a big three. It's really a big one and then two other guys. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, then top Mahomes Mountain. Big me. Thank you, KW. Now we're in a huge feud. And at the top, Patrick Mahomes. Greg, it's been a while since you were part of Mahomes Mountain.

I'm going to get straight to it. It's one of those guys that you mentioned most likely to move up the mountain. Well, he should already start. up the mountain. And that's Kyler Murray. Wow. Yes. There is no way

Kyler is at the bottom of the mountain. I am sorry when you look at some of the guys that are above him. And yes, Bo Nix had a great real season. But Caleb, Drake, Trevor, what are we doing? Like, when you look at those numbers,

Kyler versus these guys. Like, are you kidding me right now? And again, Bo Nix had a really good year. Drake May, I don't, it's not a knock on him. He played only half the year as a starter, basically. Caleb, no excuse, buddy. I'm a fan. I'm still a fan, but you're not better than Kyler. Kyler has a great tight end. I love what they're doing with that. He has a great young receiver. Kyler Murray had the second best stats of his career last year, and we don't give him any credit. In his division, he's one of the better quarterbacks.

right now currently. And when you look at their schedule this year, why is Kyler, why is Kyler not gonna have success? Who I got to the NFC South, the AFC South. Like you gotta love who you're gonna be playing if you're the Arizona Cardinals. I'm not saying that the Cardinals are gonna be a really good team.

I'm saying the Cardinals are gonna be a team that I'm not sleeping on. And Kyle Murray is gonna be a huge reason why he's gonna have a big Steve. He deserves to be. up the mountain all right. I think that's probably, I think that's all pretty smart

and that'll probably be all the case until right around, what is it usually, Thanksgiving? Yeah. And then like, there's always a moment when, like he says, you know how we always hear Kyler was the, arguably the single greatest player in the history of Texas high school football?

And people are like, how could, if that was the case, I don't think it's because the competition was easier. I don't think it was about playing in Texas stadium, whatever. I think it's the 12 games. You know what's been going around? I think that's what it is.

What? Guys are starting to understand offenses. They're starting to study. They're starting to take notes. Kyler? All right. I like that. Nick.

What? Matthew Stafford's too high. Too high. And you're not alone. You're not the only one. People are talking about Matthew Stafford like it's 2017. Or 2021 for that matter, when they won the Super Bowl. He's not even playing right now.

Well, nobody's fine. week to week. He's not day to day. He's week to week. He is an old 37, and any 37 is old in football, but particularly his 37. All right? And I hope he plays this year. I think he'll play this year, but he will be, he will be hampered just like he has been the last two years or really last three years. And look at it. This is three years. This is not three games, three weeks, three months. Three years. This is where he ranks.

18th in passer rating. 17th. I mean, you see the numbers. They're not good. How is he keep getting in people's top six in your case? He carries the team to the playoffs every year in place also. Oh, really? He's 22 and 18 over the last three years.

Okay. That's his record. Right. And correct. And did they make the playoffs last year? And did they win a playoff game? And did he play great in the playoffs? Yes.

And the year before, did they make the playoffs? Did they play the playoffs? Did they play the Lions to a point? So now you're just Cubey wins. No. They win. They got a great coach. They got some other great players.

Who are the other great players? Who are the other great players? They're in him the last couple years. Who are they? Kyron Williams a great player. He's a very good running back. Okay. He's a brutal.

Matthew Stafford has not had a passer rating over. And Puka, Puka's pretty good. Puka was hurt last year. Not all year? Okay. Matthew Stafford, the last three games that he played, because he sat out there one game, Garoppolo played the last game.

They were in the playoff race, and he had one touchdown and one interception. And how did he play in the playoffs? Oh, he had moments. No doubt. I'm not saying he can't have moments. I'm saying to have it. He just needs to be dropping. Because I'm not, I'm fighting.

Who are you switching him with? And a big part of it is health. Who are you switching? Drop him a level. Okay, with who? A level. Drop him down and you can move Herbert. Move Love up.

Drop Stafford down. level move Jordan Love up. You can't put. I'm sorry, Matthew Stafford. We don't know when we're going to see him on the field. But that's fair. I mean, he's doing light. And when he has been on the field, he hasn't been great.

Okay, I think, I, I think your newfound love of just raw passer rating is, I know, it's just a. It's just a stat that people, no, it's just a stat that put up the graphic again. Cause it wasn't just pass or rating. No, I'm talking about. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Right.

Right. It's not just passer rating. You see where he ranks in all of this stuff. TD interception ratio. Yars for a tip, like completion percentage. Come on, man. I'm approaching being post-stat. When it comes to quarterback evaluation.

I'm just letting you know. What's you say? It's just 10 minutes ago you threw up a graphic with all these stats. Who was it? It was to sway you guys. You guys are stats. Gio, yeah. No.

When it fits your name and if you go with. I was trying to, again, I do not think Jordan Love has earned a spot above Matt Stavord. Now, if the argument is, and certainly Justin Herbert hasn't, we know Brock Purdy hasn't, Dak hasn't, and the other guy on that row is Gino, my guy. Now, Gino maybe, but probably not. I just, the injury thing is concerning, but August, it's August, it's August 4th. No, when he, Brew, when he's healthy. When he was healthy without his Avengers, he struggled. No, it's not. You know why I bring up Brock Purdy

because I think you have a double standard for Brock Purdy. I think you criticize him for certain things that you praise other guys for and vice versa. I think Stafford is a great postseason quarterback. I value that a lot. And he will need to be in traction for me to think there are 10 quarterbacks in the league better than him. And if you are, that's what you're arguing.

If he has to drop a row, there needs to be 10 quarterbacks better than him, I do not think a lot of this is injury. A lot of this is injury, but that's a big part of his story. Totally fair, but he has been, he has played through it over the last couple of years. But not been great. He's having great when it's mattered. Like he is,

his numbers are depressed because he's playing through injury and then he's great in the big spots. Greg, I'm not going to say. I'm not going to say. Thank you. I'm with you on the map. I don't know.

I need to say the two words. Do I need to say it? Oh, no. No. No. We're back. Jekwaski Tart! Matthew Stafford's whole story is different if Jekwaski Tart had caught the football.

And that's just the truth. We've reached the end of that. Okay, look, behind the curtain, courtesy of Jalen Rose, if you're a quarterback who has been on the show, we give you a lot of grace. Patrick Mahomes, right? He's a friend of the show. He's a friend of the show.

Not of yours anymore. You should see the text to sit me about the things you've been saying. No, he doesn't. I'm beloved in Kansas City. You're not. Oh, come on. You know what? Go ahead.

You're not. Keep going on. Baker. We're on the show? Yeah. Bryce Young's friend of the show. Two of before I was on this friend of the show. We offered everybody a lot of.

Has the Prince been on? The Prince is not fun. That's an outrage. That was actually you and a wig. Okay. Donald was on. I don't talk to Sam Darnell. No, he was the good old days.

Caleb was on. Caleb was on. This is what he's getting to. Caleb was a friend of the show. He was on when we were in Arizona for the Super Bowl. So I give Caleb a lot of grace. I appreciate that he spent some of his time with the first thing's first family. That being said, some troubling stuff out of his first year.

The main bad stat. wasn't the lack of interceptions. It was this bad throw percentage. Okay, highest bad throw percentage. Anthony Richardson, who is known widely as a project that couldn't get better. Bryce, you're going to be. Friend of the show. Caleb.

And then guys who aren't starting. It's a bad list to be. It's not a great list. A couple number one overall picks, Anthony. I mean, I don't know. It's just young. It's like these bad throws. We have to, you know, the ceiling is high, but, you know, the floor,

was pretty low all of a sudden. Then we see this type of footage coming out of Bears scrimmages. This I would consider a bad throw. Now a lot of people are saying, you know, he did throw it to one of his teammates. No, no. Understandable.

But it was a defensive player. And people say, you know, that's, you know, there's a lot going on there. Wilde's you don't know, you don't know. You don't know how to read the tape, maybe. Maybe something broke down there. You don't know. Give me something a little more simple, Greg.

You know, just exercises, just throwing the ball at like the net. Again, this not great as either. So Ben Johnson is supposed to fix all this. Ben Johnson is a huge supporter of Caleb's. Ben Johnson's quote on recent practice, it was sloppy. Sloppier than we were hoping we would be at this point. He told the Chicago sometimes. Now, Ben Johnson is a genius.

Ben Johnson would never do the tush push because he likes explosive plays. He's never seen, have you ever seen the tush push? Greg, you haven't been around lately. Are you aware of this? I'm not. Wilds went from adoring Ben Johnson. I still like him last year at all times. You remember.

I do recall. And then Ben Johnson was asked about the tush push. And he was like, he said he goes, I'm not a big tush. push guy. I like explosive plays. That's the full quote. But he was like laughing. And that he wasn't laughing. Push push. And ever since then, Wilde has decided. Also the bears voted to ban it. Well, most of the league voted to ban it. Most of the league voted to ban it. Uh, and so now Wilde has decided Ben Johnson. It has his come up and, but go ahead. I just feel like Caleb should drop down a level. Because I need to see a little more.

So here's highlights. Okay. You were low lights. Dust. That's fair. Run the latest. time Caleb tried that drill. Maybe this one's winter. Oh, really? What's great. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Love it.

There you go. There it is. Four right in the bucket. All right. There you go. I like that. Perfect. Now I'll be honest.

Bounce back. I have not been able to lock down if that video is from the day before. It doesn't matter. Or the day after. That's what I was. That's what I was. It was either literally. the day before the viral video or the day after.

I haven't, my journalistic integrity demands, I say that. But we now know confirmed he can crush that drill. I almost feel like maybe, I don't know what it was, but if you had done that the day before and then you have the one instance, maybe that's why you're so mad. That was a different drill. Guys, you know when I do this, we're getting breaking.

Guys, and when I do this, you know what I'm getting breaking news from our news desk. What's that? From just, who's just hubs. Yeah. Shador starting Friday. Oh really? We'll discuss right after the break.

Wow. I like it. Breaking news out of the first things first news desk. Shador is going to start Friday night, Browns at Panthers. Now, Shador was fourth on the depth chart, and we had a long discussion to start the show on if he was going to get more times with the ones, especially that they brought in, because they brought in Tyler Huntley. We thought it was a big question mark, but that's been answered. He will start in the Brown's first preseason game, make your immediate reaction. and this is all currency of Mary Kay Cabotism.

All right. I mean, given the circumstances, it would be disastrous if you weren't starting. Because the other news is they don't want Flacco to play, and Gabriel and Pickett are hurt. So, like, he hasn't been elevated. He's fourth string and the top three guys above him are unavailable. But Mary Kay's article talks about that his, you know, the controversial training camp stats are indicative of how he's played, that by her. word. He's made excellent progress. His excellent accuracy has been on display, and he's worked

really hard at getting the pre-snap stuff down. What I'm curious, and that the reason they signed Huntley is because they don't want you to order to play all 60 minutes, and so Huntley's going to come in off the bench. The question I have for Greg is this. He has not played a single snap with the first string offense. He hasn't thrown, you know, a single pass in practice to Judy, Tillman, and Joku, the guys who at least they'll be out there for some of the time, you know, first drive, whatever. How difficult will that be for him or does that not matter that much? Because this is for him, everything that needed to happen for him to move up the depth chart has now happened.

Guys in front of him have gotten hurt and been ineffective and he's been steady. So like those things have fallen into place. To your point, like without having those snaps and that feeling, having that, chemistry and seeing how they run those routes and get in and out of their breaks. Does it matter? Yes. Does it need to matter for him? No. That has to be the last thing on your mind. Being efficient getting your getting the team in and out of the huddle, pre-snap under having a grasp when we're watching that game and more importantly when those coaches are calling those plays from the sideline and you get that play call,

getting your team in and out of the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, being able to ID what's going on defensively, get us in the right play, all those pre-step snap things that Mary is talking about in that article, if he's executing that, everything else, we can deal with. We understand you're accurate. We understand you can make good throws and you'll throw the ball away and different things like that.

All the other things we don't know. We're uncertain. So it's the how he carries himself and how he manages the offense, that is, really going to be the determining factor on his ability to continue to move up when these guys get back healthy and when they're available to play. So big opportunity, huge opportunity, I don't care how you slice it, why the reasons are that he's playing. He has an opportunity to put good film on tape and more importantly show that he can run and manage this offense. Yeah,

look, you hate to see injuries obviously so we don't like the circumstances, but this is his shot. This is it. I mean, I don't mean just this one game, but I'm saying this is his chance. Even though it looks like he's been practicing well, we talked earlier. Like, it just seems like they don't want to give him the shot

to really move up. Well, they have to now. And I salute them for not, I think to start Tyler Huntley in this game would have just been like, yeah, it would have either been insulting or he is just light years away from being ready to play in an NFL game. And

So I'm glad he's getting a start. I said earlier, maybe he plays a half. Huntley plays. If he's playing well, he's going to play three quarters at least. Well, it looks like he's going to have to play a half. Right. Yeah. That's like a minimum at this point.

But this is his opportunity to really distance himself from Gabriel for sure. And if you look at all six of their quarterbacks, he's the only one with all due respect to Dylan Gabriel, who even remotely could be. be like their quarterback of the future. That's the thing that I think is. No one else is their guy of the future. So that's, and I know the, the, I think there is a zero

percent chance Joe Flacko is the Brown starting quarterback in three years. Zero percent chance, Kenny Pickett. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. I know friend of the show, Dan Lennon will be mad at me saying this. I think zero percent chance Dylan Gabriel is your franchise quarterback in three years. It's obviously

not Snoop Huntley. It's obviously not DeShone Watson. Even if with Shador, it's only 5%. It's still, to me, it is, it wouldn't be absolutely stunning. With Pickett and Flacco, it's impossible to believe. And for me, and maybe I'm too harsh on Gabriel, it would be, and maybe I just have too much of a bias

against super undersized quarterbacks, I can't see it. And so I think there, you know what I mean? It's not like, oh yeah, he's got a coin flip chance to be a franchise guy, but it's not zero. You know what I mean? It's not zero that it's Shador. Greg, what's the, absolute best case scenario. I kind of want to ask you, like, can he win the job? But that seems absurd.

But what's best case scenario here? We're like, whoa. Best case scenario is he goes out and he manages the offense and he looks good. And to your point, like, can he win the job? I don't think you can't win the job when they've made up in their mind. This is the guy that's healthy. Right. When the starter is not even.

And he's still pre-seating. Black goes. He's available, but he's not going to get noisy, though. It's going to get noisy. but you never start with the guy that you can always go to. Oh, that makes sense. Especially when it's Joe Flacco.

But to get back to your point of, does it matter with the chemistry of the guys? In Chodor's mind, the things that he's been able to do with the talent of the guys that he's been on the wheel with. Yeah, this is a good problem. Like, I don't care.

Give me these guys. Now it's my opportunity to not only show the coaching set, but the guys kind of already know. I've been throwing with these guys all off season. They kind of already. know what I can do, but it's now my opportunity to play against another set of uniforms

that aren't ours that we've been in joint practices with. So I understand what they're doing. I've seen their defense a little bit. So there's this understanding. This is the best scenario that he could be presented with. You're practicing against the team that you're going to play already. So you're going to face these personnel groupings, their blitz packages, if they even throw any. And so it's going to be a small like curve to kind of study because no one in the

first preseason game is throwing the kitchen sink. No one's doing that. And so he understands that he's going to have a good game plan. They're going to pretty much shrink the offense around him. And you're going to have the best available guys that you haven't had all. Do you think he's throwing with them like after practices and stuff? Is that even, you know, a possibility? It's a possibility. I highly doubt. that all those guys are standing after and they're running more routes on top of the routes that they've been running through training camp. No, we might stop. We might stand in a catch.

I might stand in a spot and you're throwing to a spot running through the routes through your mind and I'm standing in a spot. It's a nice way of saying, no. I mean, if I'm the fifth quarterback, I'm like, hey, Greg Jennings, can you might run some house for me? But it is, it is Chador. Right. So you don't look at it. He's got some of the same. You just don't look at it.

The name on the back of the jersey. side Greg what's worst case scenario what what are you watching in this game like oh I wish that didn't have all starts to let's absolutely pre-snap again Mary alluded to the pre-snap if we're seeing a mismanagement of the offense as far as getting out of the huddle late consistently any pre-snap penalties late adjustments and post snap hanging on to the ball and like that part right there I wrote that down the fact that she alluded to him he's been getting rid of the ball that That's huge. Because in Colorado that hurt him.

That was the one thing that when you watched him, it was so glaring. Throw the ball away. Be decisive. You're holding onto the ball too long. Even some of those hits where we say his offensive line failed him. Well, it's a part of the fact that you're holding on to the ball too much. So if he's doing those things and not forcing balls, like we saw the Caleb throw, like throw those balls out of the bounds, that's, that'll be great.

But worst case, he doesn't do that. Yeah, I mean. Well, it could, yeah. It could get real ugly. I mean, we could come in on Monday with like a little real story. A little quarterback controversy. Yeah, that would be fun. You want to talk about your friend Bo Nix?

We can do it here after the break, whatever you want. I don't care. I just want to talk about it. Let's go to Bo Nix. Oh, Dusty overruled me. We'll do it after. Okay. Coming up next, Nick has several nice things to say about Bo Nix.

Or we'll talk to you. And Deerrin Fox, I'm sorry, you're moving to the tomorrow's day. Sean Payton very high on his QB Bow Nicks telling Albert Breer. I honestly think he's going to be one of the top quarterbacks within the next two years. I think he's going to be a superstar. Telling everyone who will listen. He did post a very high passer rating once he got his feet wet. The highest pass rating after September, minimum of 10 starts.

Bow is right there behind Bakerboro, Hertz, Gough, and Lamar. we did put in a line there that he posted a 152 rating when the Chiefs didn't play anybody. So I said, Josh, I'm going to get hammered on that. He would still be top 10 even if you take that out. No, I'm sure. So your reaction to Sean Peyton friends. I'm glad Sean Peyton loves his role.

Friend of your friends. Yeah, he's a mutual friend. Former Fox employee, great guy. Schreger loves him, Colin loves him. Everybody that's been around him loves him, and he loves Bo Nix. doesn't change what I think of Bo Nix. And it'd be very noteworthy.

Shump Payton's like, I love this team. Quarterback? But, and so folks have asked me why I keep bringing up Mac Jones with Bo Nix. Because my evaluation coming into the league was that he reminded me of Mac Jones, that I thought he would have a high floor early and a low ceiling. I didn't say he has a weak arm. I didn't say he can't make throws. I said I thought he was as an older prospect that had a, I think a talent edge in a lot of

his collegiate games. It's more of a system quarterback. I could see him coming in and tricking people the way Mack did. So we put together a little thing and you guys see if you guys see any similarities between the two players. Who were they as collegiate players? Bo Nix and Mack Jones. Well, the two identical completion percentages, which is why they were.

were both called the most accurate quarterback in the history of college football. They both finished third in the Heisman. Well, okay. Love it. All right. This is a great. What about, what about, how did,

what did the league think of them in their draft classes? Well, Mac went three spots later, but one quarterback earlier, but those are, it's close, 15 to 12, fifth to six. Okay, yeah, but Nick. Mac Jones wasn't the player Bo Nix was as a rookie. He wasn't? He wasn't.

Yeah, it was great. Same record. Mack did have 26 more passing yards. Bo did have a 0.8 higher passer rating. And they both have a fake Pro Bowl on their football reference page because they were the seventh and the eighth alternate. Now, this is supposed to be anti-bonics? No, well, okay.

How did that playoff game go? Well, I don't know. Who'd they play? Oh, the bills. They both lost by four scores to the bills. Playing defense. Were they, you know, were they maybe feeling themselves? themselves a bit in the off season after their rookie season?

Well, Mac was trademark and stuff and Bo Nix launched Bo Nix on YouTube today. So we'll see whatever you guys want. So how did year two, well, getting ready for year two. Now this is where, you know, lack of similarities. We know how Matt got ready. We remember what the off season was like for Mac Jones. It was a lot of this, Greg, which you're a big fan. And then we also know what the iconic Mac Jones

Jones kind of moments of year two were. It was that. So I'm not saying Bo Nix is going to deal with the Chandler Jones of it all. What I am saying is the older prospect from a heritage program that gets the team to 10 wins and people are like, look out for us. We're just. That are like look out for them. It's not, it's, it's not unprecedented that they then come back down to earth.

I cannot. I cannot believe we're spending any time relitigating Mac Jones's fall from grace. It's not, it's. Bo Nix has the continuity that Mac Jones doesn't have. I refuse to not, to get off the hill that if he switched around, if all of a sudden, Bo Nix had a defensive coordinator as his offensive coordinator, might be an issue. Here is something different because I will play this game. Mac Jones throws a pillowy ball.

Nobody will debate that. Bo Nix threw one pass that was 70 yards. I know. He threw a- talking about the one biggest pass of the year. The longest pass of the year. Yeah, nobody, yes. So it went 51 yards, 67 area yards.

It's a pretty big difference if one guy's throwing pillowy balls, the other guys throwing the longest pass. Nobody said in the league that Bo Nix had a noodle arm. That wasn't the knock on him. But if you, I guess the reason I bring it up is, well, yes, I agree, your guy, Mac Jones had things stacked against him. But you don't think there is any way Mac Jones's career plays out where he and ends up superstar.

And I'm here to tell you, I see no way that Bo Nick's career plays out. And he ends up as the player that Sean Payton is telling us he's going to be. We'll see, I don't buy it. Look, I think you made an impressive presentation. That was a nice, that was nice. That was one of your best in recent memory. Thank you. But I do remember, if my memory serves me correctly, and you've called it,

Mac had the game where they wouldn't throw the football, right? That was his rookie year, right? It was a tornado. But you were right. From that point on, it went downhill, including in that season even. So whereas he got worse, Bo got better. Bo got much better. Bo was really good.

Yeah, but working the playoff game. But Bo was really good to end the season. That's true. That's what I would say was different. And a huge reason why you would say that was different because of what we didn't hear from Belichick as far as the support, the outward, the outward support of my quarterback. That's right.

It's a good cause. And what we are now hearing from Sean Payton. That's a good take. Like, Sean Payton, he's not just, he's not just saying this because he doesn't believe it. It's exactly what he said about Taysam Hill, guys. That's the other thing. And the way that he used, the way that he decided to use Taysam Hill. Did we not see an impactful Tateham Hill?

No, no, but that's not what Sean Bateson was talking about. Sean Bateson gave Taysam Hill a quarterback contract and talked about him being a starting quarterback in this league. And we were all like, oh, Sean Baden must know. And it was hot air. It was hot air, bro. That was definitely hot. I understand that from a Taysam Hill quarterbacking standpoint.

But Bo Nix, like, no one, the greatest thing you can have is someone who believes in you. He's got that. And he has that. And then you put the supporting system, the supporting cast around me to where it's not all glitz and glam. Nothing about Bo Nix jumps off the page athletically. Nothing. Like he has a good arm. He had that good catch.

He has a good arm. He's physically gifted, but not like Josh Allen or anybody like that. So he can run the ball if he needs to get outside the pocket. But nothing that we look at him tells us. oh my gosh, he is unreal. I agree. And when you and I know how you feel about this. I know how you feel about this.

But when he has a coach that constantly puts him in positions to be successful and he starts to add pieces and I'm not they haven't done that yet especially at the skill position wise. He did it without great pieces. But like that's my point. So I'm

buying it. I'm buying it because Bo Nix he's going to continue to be consistent. He's not, he's not going to be flashy, and we don't expect that. But if he continues to be what he was last year, I'm going to get a lot of views on that new YouTube page without being a little flashy. I'll tell you that much. Well, maybe he's got, he's got, maybe he's not. I think he is. He just got a whole offseason. Royals Red Sox, uh, game two. Royles lot five runs in the first yesterday, courtesy of this Duran home run. Understandable when they saw thousands of people on the stands.

I got a little bit nervous. Unfortunately for you, Nick, crochet is on the mound tonight. You don't care. 12 and 4, 2.23. Bobby Wood's going to go yard in your little Bambox Stadium. Salvy's going to bang one off the monster. Royals are going to win 7-4. And then tomorrow's going to be,

they had five last night. They had a guy thrown out at home before a big rally. And then tomorrow's going to be for the lunch for the staff. Oddly, the staff is rooting for the Red Sox, because I'll buy a good lunch. You'll buy pizza. Lunch tomorrow. No, the.

You know what? Crumbled cookies too. We'll see you to my.