Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - NFL Squad: Will Abdul Carter Be 1st Overall Pick in 2025 NFL Draft?

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses whether or not Abdul Carter will be the 1st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and whether or not if it's more important in today's NFL to have a game-changing pass rusher in comparison to other positions. Plus, will Ja'Marr Chase become the NFL's highest paid non-QB this offseason or could there be another player that gets that type of bag and is banning the Tush Push the right move by the NFL and where might players like Harold Landry, Jonathan Allen, and several others play this next season if traded?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The NFL scouting combine has arrived, and we are here talking about what everybody else is talking about. That's up next on today's Locked-on NFL squad. You are talking ball with the NFL squad. From the Chiefs to the Bills, Falcons to the 49ers, and everyone else around the NFL, it's the local experts of the Locked-on podcast network bringing you scoops, breakdowns, and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming weekend for hard-hitting football with our harder-hitting take. Buckle up, it's the NFL squad.

Then we have a seat for you. No hurt feelings allowed. Squad up, you're part of the NFL squad. Welcome inside everybody to this week's NFL squad episode. Sit back. Grab your favorite drink and join us as we go through everything going on during the week here in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the 2025-2015 NFL scouting combine. We are all part of the Locktown Podcast Network, your team, every day.

I want to bring in today's or this week's squad, Cody Rourke, Locked on Broncos, Mike DeBate of Locked on Patriots, Spencer German of Lockedon Browns, Kevin, Kevin. I'm going to be kind to you, Kevin, because you just went through it. So I'm just going to leave you alone. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that.

I am, of course, your host of this illustrious program and the only NFC host president for this week's NFL squad. So hopefully that doesn't come back to bite me. Are we going to kick up on them, guys? Yeah. Let's give a special shout out to Joe Marino here. Look, Bill's fans. We see your comments.

I know. Absolutely. If Joe's not on the show, I know you guys say no Joe, no show. But Bill's Mafia, you guys are a fantastic fan base. Join along. You help Joe out by watching the show. And we hope to get Joe on here in the future whenever he's ready. Well, I do want to tell everybody I have DMed Joe Marino on Twitter.

I have asked him to come through for this NFL squad episode. So he may be coming through this very episode a little bit late. You know what? We won't boo him because if he does, it'll be the first time. And, of course, we want Bill's Mafia to be happy. So perhaps Joe Marino coming through for today's locked on NFL squad episode. So let's see how many Bill's fans believe me and stick around for a little while. Let's talk about the top prospects here in Indianapolis.

Abdul Carter, number one pick, potentially. Tennessee Titans have to make that decision or trade out and let somebody else make that decision. But he believes that he should be the number one pick in this year's NFL draft. Of course, he's not going to be the first prospect that ever said. That certainly won't be the last prospect to ever say that. But there is some legitimacy to him claiming that status. I want to ask you, gentlemen, and we'll start. We'll just start right here next to me.

me, Cody, work, Lockdown Broncos. What do you think about Abdul Carter stating that he should be the number one pick in this year's draft? Well, I mean, when you look at him, and we had Keith on from Lockdown NFL draft last week who said that pound for pound, he believes that Abdul Carter is probably the best overall prospect in this year's draft cycle. And I think when you look at what he can do, he's got a legit case. But I think so much of this depends on where is the lean here when it comes to offense

versus defense. I mean, obviously, there's a lot of skill players in this year's NFL draft. we talked about the quarterback position this year. Are you really sold on Cam Ward or Shedars Sanders being, really being, you know, quarterback's going to move the needle for your franchise. I know there's a lot of debate about that. When I look at Abdul Carter, I mean, with the Tennessee Titans, with the Harold Landry trade request stuff coming through and then looking at offsetting him,

now I look at, you know, a guy like Abdul Carter saying, okay, yeah, he can be the first overall pick of Tennessee stands back there. He's a terrific, versatile player. And, man, I think you're always looking for these guys that can, maybe transcend your defense. And there's only been a handful of them. And there's still, I think, a handful of guys in the league that you put them on one team. Like, let's talk about Spencer's guy, for example. Miles Garrett, that defense in Cleveland is drastically different when he's on the field versus when he's off. And, you know, hopefully they don't have to experience

that. I know Miles wants to be out of there. But that's been the case. And Kevin, we talked about on Locked on Ravens here on the NFL squad show that they, if they can add a pass rush or a legitimate guy there, then that defense is going to be the next level. That's going to help them get further in the playoffs. Abdul Carter is that type of guy for whoever lands him. Yeah. I mean, look, I think Abdul Carter has it as a really good case to make. And I'm with you on the thought process of they allow Harold Landry to kind of go

out there and seek out of trade partner because I can't lie. And maybe I'm kind of carrying a little bit over from the Chicago Bears last year who settled on Caleb Williams in December of 2023 as the number one overall pick. But I'm kind of like, maybe the Titans have already made their decision. Maybe Abdul Carter is going to be that guy. And that's why they're letting Harold Landry go go seek out of trade. partner, Spencer. Let's kick it over to you. Cody just mentioned it having no quarterback, but having a defensive guy like that who we potentially build around. How valuable can that be

for an NFL franchise? Yeah, I think it's super valuable. It was interesting. Part of the Abdul Carter press conference today, he was asked about like everyone talks about a franchise quarterback, but what about a franchise pass rusher? And this idea that like even that position on the defensive side of the ball sort of is as what a quarterback is to an offense, a defensive end, an elite pass rusher can beat to a defense. I do think there's some truths in that. I still think like the, and I think the Browns are an example of this, the chasm between what a having an elite quarterback gives you

and having an elite pass rusher gives you, I think is still pretty wide because you can have that elite pass rusher and he might be worth like, you know, one or two wins for you, but a quarterback is, it changes the game. Like, I mean, David, your team is the living testament of that. like you get the right quarterback and all of a sudden the commanders go from, you know, picking number two overall to NFC championship game. So yeah, like I still think that has to be the target, but I do think like the next tier down from finding that elite quarterback is finding

that elite pass rusher that can wreak havoc. And if you have that, you know what it means for your defense. It just creates so many different opportunities for your offense to get the ball back, you know, get the ball back to your quarterback. So yeah, there's definitely some truth to that. And I do think Abdul Carter feels like he fits that billing. And I love the confidence from him coming out and saying, I think I'm the one guy in this class. I asked him a question about like people are sort of saying he's undersized. And he talked about like they might say that, but I have a lot of heart. And that's something like they can't be measured that I've never had to worry about. So, you know, I think it comes with a lot of confidence in any team that's thinking about taking him is going to get a player that's highly motivated and certainly highly talented.

Yeah, listen, I just got done watching a five foot eight cornerback play the perimeter like he's a six foot two dude named Mikey Sanders still coming out of the Michigan Wolverines. You talk about competitive spirit being able to make a guy play taller, play bigger than he actually is. Kevin Ostriker, you know about competitive spirit, unfortunately, a little bit too recent. Mike DeVate, you know a few things about teams winning Super Bowls. I know in Patriots land, right, it's been forever since the past won of Super Bowl. I'm sure Patriots fans are really stressing out over the lack of championships happening right now.

But I want to give you a quote here from Carter. So he says, quote, defensive players impact the game. just as much as the quarterback. All the teams that have won Super Bowls, they've had that one standout player. I feel like I'm that, end quote. Coming from the team that you cover, can that one standout player really be on the defense

and help a team be a continuous contender for the Super Bowl? Yeah, I think it can be. And I think you've seen that with the New England Patriots Dynasty. Look, there is no one that's going to take anything away from Tom Brady on my watch as long as I'll wear a headset. I will definitely say that he is the reason why the New England Patriots were what they were alongside Bill Belichick. But they do not win six championships without Thai law taking that leadership role in Super Bowl 36, gaining that interception against Kurt Warner and helping that team forward.

They don't win without the strong play of guys like Willie McGinnis and guys like their head coach right now, Mike Brable, somebody who absolutely stepped up, made plays when plays needed to be made in the Super Bowl. the greatest comeback in the history of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl 51 does not happen unless Duntee Hightower knocks Matt Ryan back into the nether regions when it came to that field and allowed that team to be able to claw their way back in. So, yeah, I think that defenders absolutely have a right to say that they can change the complexity of a game, change the complexity of a run, and change the complexity of a franchise. You know, it kind of made me think a little bit about what Viper said to Maverick and Top Gun,

when he says, you know, that's pretty arrogant, considering the company that you're in, and he looked back at him and says, I like that in a pilot. Well, that's kind of how I feel. I like that in this guy. And I really think that he's going to move forward and make some team extremely happy.

Maybe it is the Tennessee Titans, but whoever gets him is going to get a guy that knows the targets on his back now. I think he knew that going in. He's ready to step up and he's ready to show the world what he can do. And I think that's exactly what you want in an edge defender. David, you said it. You kind of tease it.

You mentioned, like, defenses, like people who've won Super Bowls. Like, you look at what the Philadelphia Eagles just did defensively. I mean, that, that four-man rush that they had, it was impressive. But, you know, there are a couple teams here. Like, you go to the Baltimore Ravens. They had Ray Lewis. They had Terrell Suggs. They had Ed Reed.

Like, you have transcendent players. And for the Broncos, Von Miller, almost single-handedly won them, the Super Bowl all the way back, nearly 10 years ago in Santa Clara, Super Bowl 50. And, you know, you need that type of impact player on your defense, I think. in order to really make a big run, a sustainable run. But I do agree. You have to have that quarterback in place. I think teams that have their quarterback in place.

So you can find that player defensively. It amplifies your chances big time. Yeah. And I think even for like the Ravens, that 2000s team, like Trent Dilfer was their quarterback. The reason they won that deep, that Super Bowl in 2000 was literally because of their, you all respect to Trent Dilfer. He did his job.

But like that historic Ravens defense was the reason why they were able to get that far. So I think in today's game, you talk about like the NFL would love it. You just had that like Chiefs Rams matchup from back in the day. It's like 50 points versus 50 points back and forth scoring like the excitement of the game. But defense does win championships. And I think that those blue chip players on defense in an offensive era, it's not like it's going by the wayside. But you look at some of these teams like Cody, you mentioned the Eagles in that past rush. It's like where the Eagles have been without a guy like Jalen Carter disrupting the middle.

And then that takes attention off of other guys, puts it. other players in one-on-one matchup so that you don't have to face a double and those guys help out. So, look, it's one of the reasons why I'm very excited, Miles Garrett's coming to Baltimore the soft season in the trade. It's never going to happen. Come on. If we manifest, Spencer just manifest it with me. It'll be a good thing for the entire AFC. Spencer wants to manifest it with you. That's bad for the long-time bronze business if I manifest a trade of the Ravens. So I'm good. I'm good. Speaking of the AFC North, Yeah, absolutely. Speaking of the AFC,

Norwich, we've got a good conversation to have coming up next. The Bengals want to make Jamar Chase the highest paid non-quarterback in the national football league. We have two gentlemen who can tell us whether or not he is deserving. And I'm going to see if my text to Joe Marino has gone through yet. We'll see if Locktown Bill says Joe Marino comes through on our episode of Lockdown NFL squad. Part of the Locktown Podcast Network, your team every day. The Cincinnati Bengals want to make wide receiver,

Jamar Chase, the highest paid non-quarterback in the national football. league, Kevin Ostriker locked on Raven, just going to kick it right over to you, man, while we wait on Joe Marino to get through here. Does he deserve it? I think he deserves that and probably more, especially when you talk about from a Ravens perspective, what Jamar has actually done to Baltimore. Let's go back to his two games this past season. 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns, followed by 11 catches for 264 yards in three touchdowns. But for the course of his career, in just literally only eight games,

Jamar's averaged 120 yards and a touchdown in each of his games against the Ramos, 962 in eight. He is not the only reason that offense is as good as it is. But man, if you take Jamar Chase off that team, that offense, the ceiling just plummets in the floor, I think honestly plummets as well. Because even when you talk about the T-Hagan situation, I know we talked about that a little bit last week, you take T off of that team, I think it's still easier to find a running mate for Jamar Chase, even if it's not T. Higgins.

You take Jamar Chase off that team. Jamar Chase is a generational wide receiver. You put them up in that top, upper echelon of wide outs. And that's just the name of the game in this offseason. It's not just wide receiver. Obviously quarterback, there's a whole controversy about those contrasts continuing to inflate year after year. Well, with these wide receivers, it's whoever sets the market, the next guy's going to want

to set the market. And then the next guy's going to want to set the market. So when you talk about, for example, the quarterback conversation, that's why you want to get those guys done early. So you don't have to fork up that extra cash. Well, wide receiver is kind of the same thing. And it's why for Minnesota, like, okay, they got that Justin Jefferson deal done. Now they don't have to worry about if Jamar Chase signs, well, what is Justin Jefferson's deal going to look like now? So yeah, in my opinion, Jamar absolutely deserves it.

It's unfortunate for the Ravens if that does end up going through because it means they have to go facing twice a year for the foreseeable future. But if you're just talking about the player, he's a heck of it. play. Yeah, listen, some four-letter networks out there like to have their panel shows just intentionally contradict each other for the sake of creating drama. So Spencer German, look, I don't want to put you in the corner here, man, but is there a reason that Jamar Chase shouldn't be the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL? So what I'll give you is, like, I kind of think about this like backwards, where it's like, okay, if I'm not making Jamar Chase the highest paid non-quarterback, who is? Like, who is the player that you're giving that money to?

You know, I guess there's a case to be made. Like if you were to go on the defensive side of the ball, like, you know, Miles Garrett's due for a contract extension. The Browns might actually try to make him the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL just to convince him to stay. So we'll see what that sort of shakes out like. But there's not a lot of reason to think that Jamar Chase isn't worthy of that type of contract. The bigger question is kind of been like,

how are the bangles going to fork over the money to all these players? Jill Burroughs has been really holding their feet to the fire on that, obviously. So I'm kind of fascinated to see how it all. plays out once they do pay Jamar Chase because you know they're going to prioritize him first and foremost. And as far as like, you know, it's funny is like Kevin brings up the numbers against the Ravens. His numbers against the Browns are more like modest. I think he's got like over 400 yards. He only has like 62% of his, he's got like 62% of his passes. He only has three touchdowns. In terms of like the teams in the division, that's been like his team he's done the worst against.

So I haven't been quite as scarred by by Jamar Chase. But I understand like the rest of the season, what he's doing, what he's putting up. What he had like a 264-yard game this year. Like, he's phenomenal. I mean, I think, honestly, as I said, like as I think about it backwards and kind of deconstruct it that way, it feels like it's either him or Justin Jefferson, right? Like, those are the two that probably deserved that money. And Justin Jefferson already got paid.

So, of course, Jamar Chase is going to try to trump him. Absolutely. Cody Roarke and Mike debate, I want to ask you both, if not Jamar Chase, is there another player? And perhaps you go the way that Spencer has mentioned there. And for the sake of it. of conversation being able to be authentic. I don't want you to, I'm not gonna ask you to pick a player

who deserves it more than Jamar, but let's just take Jamar Chase off the table. Jamar chased off the table as the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Who is a guy that you think could be that person? Mike DeBate, we'll start with you. Well, first of all, wait, you guys have receivers? You guys have wide receivers.

It's been so long since I've had to really delve into this subject here in the Wingland. No, I kid you not, folks. Look, bottom line, when you look at someone like Jamar and what he brings to the table, I think Spencer, Kevin, you guys have made an amazing case for the reasons why he should be. And I'm in that camp.

I do believe that if you're going to make someone that next, you know, level next to the quarterback, then it probably should be someone like Jamarro has such an impact on Joe Burrow and that Kansas, and that Cincinnati offense as a whole. But if you look at the way the league is structured right now, I know it's an offensive league. I know a lot of people are looking at the reemergence of the running back

and you're looking at me, maybe, you know, you know, maybe tight ends becoming maybe a little bit more involved because of the Kelsey Renaissance and whatnot. I still go back to what I said in the previous segment about defenders. If you have an edge defender or a corner that is someone that changes the complexity of your team, and that's the identity of your team, that could be where you go to put out the big time contract and give that player an opportunity to be the highest paid. if you're asking me who, and I know you didn't put me on the spot, David,

but, you know, I go to what Spencer said. I mean, it's hard to argue against Miles Garrett if you're going to go with a defender, you know, being the highest-paid player in the league as a non-quarterback. What he's done in the league since inception, really, is truly remarkable. And he's that guy that can change the complexity of a team just by his presence. So, yeah, I would say that someone like that could end up being,

but, again, receivers are a high-profile position. And Jemar Chase, in my opinion, has earned it with what he's put out on the field. I mean, you make a great case for Miles Garrett, if that's in Cleveland or elsewhere. I mean, I don't know. Like if I'm looking at, you know, another wide receiver, if it's not Jamar Chase, could it be T. Higgins? You know, T. Higgins' estimated market value is like 25.4 average annual value per year. That's nowhere close to what Justin Jefferson or even what Jamar Chase is going to command. I'm just trying to think of another player right now that could get an extension that would make over 25 million.

dollars per year in a sense or even even 30 at this point you know i think there's been a lot of conversation about position valuation like we've seen like a few years ago the safety position was one of the more lucrative positions right now to pay because of the too high shell and the emergence of that thank you so much vicangio for creating that blueprint but now we started seeing the last couple of years the safety position value has dropped financially which has been a little crazy we're seeing it go now to cornerbacks then you know pass or tan reset the cornerback market and then a few days later later, Jalen Ramsey gets the extension that kind of changes that a little bit there.

I'm very curious to see what it could be. I mean, I know Soss Gardner is in line to potentially getting paid in New York. It's hard to imagine, but I don't see Soss making more than $25 million per year at the cornerback position. That's crazy. So if any other player non-quarterback, T. Higgins, if it's not Jamar Chase, T. Higgins, has to be the next man up on the totem pole. So I have kind of a fun question here. Like, because a lot of the names that we're talking about are past rushers, Miles Garrett's names come up a couple times. the wide receiver position. I sort of pulled this up, Cody, while you were giving your answer,

like, as you pull up like the average annual value of contracts in the NFL, obviously you've got quarterbacks like one through, I don't know, I think like one through 16. But then the first non, the first high-paid non-quarterback, of course, is Justin Jefferson. Next in line is Nick Bosa. And then it's like Cidi Lambs sprinkled in there, AJ Brown is in there, Chris Jones is in there. But there's a bunch of wide receivers after that, like Amonra St. Brown, Brandon Ayuk, Tyree Killed, Jalen Waddle, Brian Burns, this sort of comes into the picture here. So I guess my question is like, as we talk about what player maybe deserves to be the highest paid non-quarterback, what, like, what do those does deserve the money?

Should it be wide receiver or should it be pass-fisher? Because we just spent, like the whole first segment we spent talking about how those pass-rishers can change the game. And like how long is it going to take for maybe one to surpass the other? Because right now it seems like wide receivers get the money, but should it actually be the elite pass-wishers? get the money. I think that's a really good question because I look at it, right? Wide receiver actually had this conversation with Terry McCorn not that long ago. Wide receiver is one of the most dependent positions on the football field.

Like for a wide receiver to be successful, it needs an offensive line that can give the quarterback time to find him. And it needs a quarterback that has the time and the ability to then find him. And a scheme that's going to accentuate his talents and allow him to be effective as a weapon in that offense. So a wide receiver can't just go out there. And I'm great. So we're going to win football games. But like you said, Spencer, like a pass rusher, you know, of course, if they are playing with other good defense alignment and all that stuff, of course it helps.

But your most elite pass rushers like a Miles Garrett to bring him back up can go out there even with a maybe not so stellar cast around him still impact the game even without not as dependent as other. So I think it's a really good question to bring up. Well, and real quick off of that, David, because I'll just say like, you know, Miles, even even in games he's getting like double team. there's people at this point teams are thrown every possible thing they can at miles garrett and so yeah there's games where he's quiet and browns fans you know they'll jump in my mentions and be like where the hell is miles garra why isn't you doing anything but like the answer to that question is like even though he's he's not maybe getting the sacks or the pressures or whatever he still is impacting the game in a major way just on his own because he's out there at the field and he commands

so much attention that opens up opportunities for the people so yeah to your point like and receivers do that a little bit because if a receiver you have a good receiver you have a or defenses are going to scheme for that guy. But I just think, like, as I think about a team going through a game plan, if you have an elite pass rusher, that is like the thing they are scheming against the entire week. Same way you would do that with a quarterback on the, on the offensive side. So I don't know, I agree.

I think it's kind of an interesting question. Yeah, I think it's certainly something to look at moving forward into the future. Something I would certainly love to know what locked on bills host, Joe Marino thinks about. So he'll see him to get them in here and share his thoughts on that. But first, coming up next, we're going to talk about some, topics that are hot here in Indianapolis, the tush push, the obsession about the Philadelphia Eagles

Tush is hot and roaring like a blazing fire. I didn't know where I was going there. And we also got some player updates for Matthew Stafford, Harold Landry and Jonathan Allen, all coming up next on this week's NFL squad, part of the Locktime Podcast Network, your team every day. Wrapping up this week's NFL squad episode.

We've got some buzz building here around the National Football League during the week of the NFL Scalvin Combine here in Indianapolis, Indiana. And, yeah, man, Tush Push. There's a whole lot of rear-end talk going on here in Indianapolis. And I was actually asking this about Tony Wiggins on the Wednesday afternoon episode Locked on NFL. I got to tell you guys, I'm kind of on the fence.

Like, I'm kind of the old-school type of guy. And when it comes to this of if it's good, copy it or stop it, and then it'll just go away if you really don't like it. But then I'm also kind of like, you know, the neutral zone isn't really being respected with the Tush-push play. and it should be respected because it is a rule that's in place. So I want to go around the horn here. Cody, work.

What are your thoughts on the touch push, man? Should it be just eliminated or is there another part of this conversation that really needs to be accentuated? Green Bay is so soft for this. Like, Mark Murphy, what are you doing? Like, just say you can't figure out how to like the Eagles have done so much. And look, it helps when you have a quarterback who can squat almost 600 pounds in Jalen hurts. If it was easy to replicate a lot of people would be able to do it. But you look at the Eagles offensive line.

the biggest offensive line in football, a quarterback who's a dog, and you got a running back behind you, you can almost squat 600 pounds as well in Sequan Barkley. That is a get good. Like be better at your evaluation, Green Bay. Like figure out a way to do it. Trying to take away something because they think it's a mismatch or it's unfair. Just goes to show like,

hey, you've got to do a better job coaching against it. And I feel like if there's any team that we saw maybe do well against it, not necessarily against Philadelphia, but when Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills did the tush push in the playoffs, they didn't have success. Like, Kansas City found a way to stop them in that matchup that they had there. So for me, find a way to stop it. Now, to your point about the neutral zone, like you get guys,

and I remember even just seeing this as well. Like, you know, Washington was at one point being threatened. Like, hey, we may even allow a score if this continues. You're trying to stop it. Like, that's just the commander's defense saying, hey, we're struggling for our life here. We're just trying to get a stop. We're trying to time it. I have no issues with that, but just to ban it completely because nobody can figure out how to stop it.

Stupid. It's stupid and it's soft. Yeah. No, I hear you, man. I mean, look, it's a play that in its essence fits every rule the NFL has right now. And it's not a safety issue or there's no safety concern to least, at least right. I mean, there might be a safety concern of lining Chris Jones up sideways and letting him get dome rocked by an offensive line. I don't know how smart that that decision was.

But, you know, yeah, I agree with you. There's three player updates that we want to talk about before we get out of here this week, gentlemen. I'm going to go to you, Spencer, and listen, I say this as I cover the Washington commanders. So when I talk about you being familiar with rotating quarterback situations, believe me, I understand the pain here. Matthew Stafford is probably going to be on the move. Sean McVeigh did not necessarily do anything to try to put out those flames. He happened to run into one Tom Brady on the ski slopes of Montana because that's a crowded group and, you know, who doesn't run into each other out there. Where do you think Matthew Stafford's best location is?

where do you think maybe he ends up by the time this whole story is over? So I'm in best location. I mean, I think like the Giants probably make some sense. I'm trying to think if there was another team I had, but I can't remember off the top of my head who I was thinking of earlier that I had talked about. But I do think the Browns would make some sense in terms of more so from probably from Cleveland's perspective than Matthew Staffords. Because if the Browns are looking for like a quick fix and quarterback, and I've said this on my show on Locked on Browns, like he's the number one option.

for me if he's available. Like talk about a guy who can like come in, help you win immediately, like the bronze wants to try to do, maybe convince it, maybe can sort of like men fences with Miles Garrett like, hey, we got this guy, Super Bowl champion, you know, playing at a high level still, even though he's in his late 30s, you know, what do you think about this? It keeps them competitive, but he can also sort of serve in that bridge role. Like it still forces you to, okay, we got to find a quarterback. We have to address this because we can't bank on Matt Stafford for being our franchise

guy for like 10 years. So, I mean, like the bronze would make some sense, but I don't know that he would really want to come to Cleveland. I mean, if you think about just like his journey in general, like goes from Detroit where he's beloved and then ends up in L.A. and it seems like his family really likes it out there and a different change of scenery and wins the Super Bowl. So I don't know if he'd come to Cleveland,

but I do think they're going to show some interest. And I do think they would be a fit ultimately if that were to happen. Yeah, I mean, look, you mentioned Matt Sauerd's family. I almost kind of wonder if we put video game clauses in Kyler-Murray's contract, I wonder if you put family clauses and that staffers contract. That might be something somebody would be interested in doing. You know Kelly Stafford on podcasts or anything? Yes, please.

As an odd striker, locked on Ravens. I want to go to you. We got two defenders here, Harold Landry, Jonathan Allen, both have been granted permission to seek trade partners. Again, you know a thing or two about great defensemen, not saying that either of these guys necessarily great defensemen, but at least solid defensemen, right? I'll let you pick your defender here.

Harold Landry or Jonathan Allen, what do you think happens with either of these guys, where do you think the best fit is for either of these guys? we'll leave the other one for Mike DeBate. I'll go with the Jonathan Allen, and I will go, I think a little outside the box, but it does depend on what the cap situation looks like for them. But if there's some level of a deal, that Bengals defense does need help. Now, you have to pay Trey Hendrickson first.

I think that's first and foremost. If you don't pay Trey Anderson are going to make Joe Burrow unhappy, or are going to make a lot of other people in Cincinnati unhappy. But we saw how historic that offense was in Cincinnati this season, and they had absolutely nothing to show. show for it because they couldn't stop the run, couldn't stop the past, they have other needs, but if the money is

right and there's some level of something that can be worked out and they're able to pay their guys, I wouldn't do that if it means they can't pay T. Higgins. If you have to do T. Higgins or Jonathan Allen, you take T. Higgins, that's the guy. Or same thing with T. Hendrickson, but I'm just trying to think of ways that they can help their defense

because it is so apparent that they have the firepower, especially if T does decide to play on the franchise tag, year. I don't know if that's going to actually happen, but like, let's just say it does. You can't go out there and let Joe Burrow just have this great year again and have nothing to show for it. So I think that Jonathan Allen could help Cincinnati on the interior. They lost DJ Reader last off season.

I think they felt that really badly this year. And putting in another guy and Jonathan Allen who might not be that like DJ Reader guy, but it's still, I think, a pretty decent player. You can go out there and maybe that can work for Cincinnati. Yeah. I mean, look, I want to lock on commanders. I think at the end of this whole thing with John now, I think he ends up released. I don't think anybody's probably going to trade for him at the 15 and a half million that he is not guaranteed, but due in base salary this season. And once that happens, you can go out and find a deal. I think probably $6 to $8 million is probably the ballpark.

I think he'd probably be had for, certainly something that the Bengals might be able to swing. He's a Buffalo Bill now. He's a Buffalo Bill. Mike DeBate. Let's finish this off with Harold Landry. Joe Marino. One of the newer players. Joe Marino has not responded to my DM.

In fact, actually, if he listens to this episode, he might block me on Twitter and not allow me to DM him in the future. Harold Landry, what do you think happens there? Mike, where do you think his best fit is? Well, as soon as Kevin mentioned, Alan, that Grinch-Sly-like smile came over my face, and anyone that saw that knows that I believe that if Mike Rable and Elliot Wolf and Ryan Counder are not on the phone

trying to make this happen with the Tennessee Titans right now, they're doing themselves a disservice. Look, Harold Landry, 28 years old, 31 and a half sacks in the last three seasons, started all 17 games last year. 71 tackles, nine sacks, 18 pressures, four pass deflections. By simply walking through the door in Foxborough, he makes that defense better. This is someone who played under Rable before in Tennessee. He played under Terrell Williams, the new defensive coordinator in New England.

He knows that system. He'll be able to integrate himself immediately into that system. And at the bottom line, he's also a guy that has. ties to the area being a Boston college alum. So in my opinion, if the Patriots are willing to or trying to make this defense better, especially now with the Von Gotts, requesting a trade and the Patriots going to facilitate and allow him to go out there and to facilitate potentially a trade, this is a move.

I think the Patriots should absolutely do everything they can to make. It just makes too much sense for New England right now. I think Carol Landry would look very nice in a Patriots uniform in 2020. I 100% agree. They can't. No arguments come in here. Thank you gentlemen. Cody Roark, Mike DeBate, Kevin Ostriker, Spencer German. Thank you for coming through being our NFL squad this week. Thank you to everybody out there for coming through to watch or listen this week. Bill's Mafia. Special thank you to you for coming through this entire episode waiting for Joe Marino. Sorry he couldn't make it. I promise you he will be here next week. Promise you. That's going to happen. Of course, each of us is bringing you all of our best effort and content covering your favorite NFL teams. So make sure you're following. make sure you subscribe don't miss a moment of all the covers happening right here on the locked on podcast network your team every day