Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: What If Joe Flacco Has to Be QB1 for Anthony Richardson?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Colts' biggest nightmare is actually a recurring reality, but if it happens yet again, how might it turn out? Let's get to it. You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. All right. Thanks for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

Starting point is 00:00:36 your team every day. And today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. Make every moment more. As playoffs wind down, the sports stops sporting like we want them to but this summer fanduel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long just visit fanduel.com to get started what's up everybody this is jake arthur from horseshoehuddle.com i'm your resident member media from the website and today we're answering some

Starting point is 00:01:06 of your questions yet again. You guys sent us so much last week when we sent out the call for them in our initial episode that we're bundling it up and making this, I guess, a two-parter. So looking forward to get started on today's edition. Before we get started though, I did want to just send out our condolences to Vikings corner Kyrie Jackson, a rookie who is just kind of getting his career started. That's a guy who we obviously, we spent a little bit of time talking about. If you hung with us, if you're a returning guest from before the draft and everything, I was looking back today at Zach's build a ballard thing for cornerbacks and Kyrie was the number three build-a-ballard corner in the draft, and just

Starting point is 00:01:51 a guy who really fit the Colts really well, so we did spend some time on him. Obviously, if you've heard any news around the NFL, Jackson was tragically killed in a car accident over 4th of July weekend at just 24 years old. So that's obviously terrible news to hear about anytime it comes up. But certainly a guy who had a bright young future ahead of him. So I wanted to address that a little bit before we really got into the nitty gritty of this. But we're going to go ahead and move along to the questions now. Again, some of these came in from Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Starting point is 00:02:26 We'll go ahead to someone who put in some questions here on Twitter. This was at Zachalackin. And this is a big one. If Joe Flacco ended up starting every game this season, what do you guys think the Colts' final record would be? We'll just go ahead and play the hypothetical game here because it's only hypothetical.

Starting point is 00:02:46 Nothing is going to happen to Anthony Richardson. He's going to live in a bubble. Everything will be perfect. It's going to start all 17 regular season games, take the Colts in the playoffs, start all those. But no, so I'll take this journey with him.

Starting point is 00:02:59 Joe Flacco ended up starting every game. I do think the Colts have a pretty solid roster overall with good infrastructure. They're pretty strong in the right areas. So with a veteran quarterback like Joe Flacco, I would still put the Colts around 500, probably about nine and eight, repeating that nine and eight. With Anthony Richardson, I'm more likely to point towards the 10 and 7, get closer to the double digit wins. I think there's less margin this year, you know, less difference in how the offense would look. With, you know, Richardson going out last year and it was Gardner Minshew, the offense changed pretty drastically. Now, Joe Flacco and Anthony Richardson are not stylistically the same,

Starting point is 00:03:46 of course, but I do think the offense remains a little more open if you go from Richardson to Flacco than if you did with Minshew last year. Now, I'm a Flacco proponent for sure. I think this is a good backup option for Richardson. Hopefully you don't have to see him other than in a blowout for the Colts. But I'm not going to act like Flacco hasn't been a backup for the last several years. The Browns brought him in as a lifeline and he responded, even winning the comeback player of the year. So the last football we've seen Flacco play was awesome. But it's been a while since he was

Starting point is 00:04:26 considered a starter in the NFL. And that's not just by one team. That wasn't just by the Ravens. You know, there's other teams that had him in as backup lifeline options, essentially. So I'm not going to come out here and say that Flacco is like the biggest savior, but I don't hate the drop off if the Colts had to go to Flacco from Richardson. So I'd give it about nine and eight. You know, in this scenario, we're going to assume health for most of the Colts playmakers. Otherwise got a strong run game with Jonathan Taylor. You got a top five offensive line with the Colts who that's not just us saying that, you know, if you look around nationally, this is everyone's listicle time of year, the best of this and that, um, the Colts rank among the top five in the offensive line, pretty much everywhere you look right now, a really solid

Starting point is 00:05:16 defensive front, um, which will help the secondary. So if you have a decent defense, you got a really good offensive line with a strong run game and you got a decent group of pass catchers which we all think the Colts do they maybe don't you know you don't have the Julio Jones out there but you have a really good complementary group of pass catchers plus Shane Steichen stirring the whole drink there I do like the Colts chances of still being a good team and you know perhaps still competing for the playoffs, maybe even getting to the playoffs. Now, do you need a Richardson to probably put you over

Starting point is 00:05:52 and get the AFC South title when you're competing with the C.J. Strouds and everybody? Probably. But I'm not going to put it past the Colts. It'd still be a good team if it had to be Flacco. Coming up next, Making It Rain entered a couple questions at MakingItRain18. Does A.D. Mitchell supplant Alec Pierce on the depth chart by season's end? So on the depth chart, technically, I mean probably,

Starting point is 00:06:19 but I don't think that has to be the optics of it. Like we could still see, let's say it's week 14 on, Alec Pierce still being the starter, still being the guy that goes out there first and has a significant role. But by then, I think it's quite possible A.D. Mitchell is the de facto starter. You know what I mean? He probably gets the lion's share of the routes run out there. And you can tell a difference in the pecking order in the passing game that Mitchell has officially passed him. Again, technically, Pierce could still be

Starting point is 00:06:57 the starter at that point of the year. But Mitchell having supplanted him where it really matters, and that's the pecking order of the passing game. So that's kind of how I see it. I don't think it's going to be an initial. I don't think that's how it's going to be right off the bat. But I think we can all see the writing on the wall that at some point Mitchell is going to be that other starting outside receiver. And then making it rain had another one. Who starts at safety with Julian Blackman?

Starting point is 00:07:22 So if you assume it's going to still be Julian Blackman at strong safety, he's going to be starting one of those two. I'm going to give it to Nick Cross still. Everything I saw during the offseason program seems to point that way. While Cross and Rodney Thomas did both get first-team reps, I think it's time for the Colts to just pour those resources and all those first-team reps into Nick cross and just see what they got. If it doesn't work,

Starting point is 00:07:48 they will know it's probably never going to work at this point. Now, if he's a huge detriment and it looks like he's going to be a big problem, you have to move on from that. Like if he's really, really struggling in camp and the priest is there, then you have to make a move. But as long as it's not a big problem,

Starting point is 00:08:04 I think you just roll with it and see what cross gives you uh there's probably more upside there you know he's a decent tackler he has good power i think instincts and communication are probably i don't want to say instincts but i guess like things you identify on film and just your comfort level and kind of bolstering that football IQ and communication are probably the things you're looking more from him. And those are things that experience is really what is going to make him better in those areas. So if it was me, I would pour more resources and reps and across. And I do think that's what the Colts are going to do. Cause so far it does

Starting point is 00:08:43 seem like from what I've seen out of practice, what they have done. Uh, and then on YouTube, we've got at JDMB a pastor five, one, seven, two. Um, it could be pastor. I'm just fat and thinking out pastor tacos. So my apologies. Uh, so he sent in several, we'll go with this first two, uh, what rookies are getting run with the ones? Now, of course, training camp is going to be much more telling here. But so far in the handful of practices we got to watch as media during OTAs and minicamp. So A.D. Mitchell, again, got plenty of reps with the ones. Part of that, Pittman and Pierce both did not participate in the mandatory minicamp.

Starting point is 00:09:26 Pittman obviously got banged up, had that collision where he, you know, banged up, bruised a knee, and then Pierce got stepped on during OTAs as well. And so they kept both of those guys out. So with Mitchell or with Pierce out, with Pittman out, that's your top two outside receivers. Ashton Doolin hadn't returned yet. Mitchell got a ton of run with the ones, and it actually looked really good. Him and Anthony Richardson had quite a bit of chemistry. Laatu, Laatu got some run as well in kind of a NASCAR package

Starting point is 00:10:01 when it seemed like the Colts were working on some late game stuff and they had their speed package of pass rushers out there. A lot too was involved. And then Anthony Gould, obviously, is going to be heavily involved and probably going to win out as the kickoff and punt return guy. Josh Downs was involved, but you want him to take more in on the offensive side of the ball. You don't want to kind of dump a bunch on his plate in special teams. And then Dallas Flowers as well, but he's coming off the Achilles. He's still battling it out for a starting outside corner spot with Jalen Jones. So it makes the most sense for Gould to keep getting those reps with the first team and

Starting point is 00:10:42 hopefully winning out if he does claim that. Pass to our second one here, which running back is getting opportunities on third down as a blocker and as a receiver. So I'm going to point to that blocking part as what's going to probably win out, and you can also lean into special teams as well, that being between Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson. So if you consider both of their receiving abilities a wash, because they're both pretty good pass catchers as running backs, those attributes are a wash. It's going to be between who's the better pass protector and who offers more on special teams.

Starting point is 00:11:21 So I think Hall is probably going to have a slightly longer leash because he didn't get the benefit of developing last year because he got hurt in week one with that knee injury and they spent a fourth round draft pick on him. So while a draft pick isn't going to mean your draft placement isn't going to mean anything if you're not earning it, the Colts certainly owe it to themselves a little more to see what they've got there because they did spend draft capital on. So coming up next, we're going to look at more team-based questions that you guys sent in. I love sports.

Starting point is 00:11:55 I love them so much that I never want them to stop. But as the playoffs wind down, we get fewer games and the sports ain't sporting like I want them to. But FanDuel lets me keep the sports going whenever I want. Of course, you guys know what that's all about. If you're out there betting all the time as well, all I got to do is open up the FanDuel app and dream up my bets anytime I'm in the mood. Plus the summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily. That's right. There's something for everyone every day all summer long. So guys, let's be sickos for a second. All right. We finally get NFL preseason games in a few weeks,

Starting point is 00:12:31 but the regular season is not for another eight weeks. You can bet on the preseason. I'm sure plenty of you probably will. Hall of Fame game coming up soon. But FanDuel is already taking your bets for that regular season. Right now, Jonathan Taylor has the second best odds to lead the NFL in rushing yards and the fourth best to lead in rushing touchdowns. So go out there and throw some bones on him getting both titles. Head over to FanDuel.com and start making the most out of your summer. FanDuel, official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball. All right, so let's get into the questions you guys had, kind of more team-based. This first one from Twitter, at Andis underscore 88.

Starting point is 00:13:15 What would you guys consider a successful season? Is it playoffs or bust, or would it be considered successful if Anthony Richardson continues to take steps forward as a QB, even if the Colts make the playoffs. I think this is one where Zach and I kind of differ. So Zach has always said last year, and maybe even this year, because this is hopefully going to be the first extended look we get at Richardson, that it is all about Anthony and his development and this and that, and that the product of the overall team and wins and losses is kind of on the back burner when it comes to seeing what you have with Anthony, which is true. But when I look at last year, the team was applauded and deservedly so for getting as

Starting point is 00:14:01 far as they did. I mean, they were a win away in week 18 from getting to the playoffs. I didn't consider last season a failure by any means. There's a lot of good stuff you saw. It showed a bright future. But I think you are a product of what you've shown most recently. So a dip in their record, I don't think would be satisfactory. I'm not going to say it has to be playoffs but I think you can't you can't see big setbacks in certain areas like there's only so much you can control missing the playoffs like if they have the same or slightly

Starting point is 00:14:41 better record I definitely think you could probably consider that a success. I don't want to say the same record. It just totally depends how you look. There's so much gray area to it. And I know that's a frustrating answer. I'm a very gray area person. It just depends on what the Colts have laid out throughout the season. Like throughout the season, if they haven't looked like they would be a deserving playoff team, that would not be a success. Even if Anthony has played throughout the year and looked like he is going to be the long-term answer. If the team hasn't looked like it should be a playoff team, I don't consider that a success. I'm not going to throw it all on the evaluation of Richardson. I think that's a huge part of it. If you get through the season and they're 9-8, 10-7, or 8-9, whatever,

Starting point is 00:15:32 but you have questions about Richardson, I don't think that would be a successful season either. I think it would be quite unlikely if Anthony has started all your games and you are a winning team, but he doesn't look like the guy, you know, if he's given you Gardner Minshew, but the record is the team record is better than his performance. Yes, that's good for that. That's cool that the team maybe got in the playoffs right there, but you have this enormous question about your quarterback. So a lot of it does have to do with Richardsonardson you have to you have to have positive vibes about him going into 2025 for it

Starting point is 00:16:11 to be successful um but i think the team doing any worse than they did last year taking any step back i think that would be a problem because there are also certain areas that the team ignored in the off season because it seems like they're putting so much in the anthony richardson basket obviously they focused 90 of their free agency on retaining their own which is great i i think we can agree they should have brought back pitman blackman moore grover all those guys but you didn't when you see the rest of the AFC South doing the moves that they were making, there wasn't a lot of urgency there. And we know the Colts built through the draft, but it just wasn't a good look.

Starting point is 00:16:57 So if those chickens come home to roost and it doesn't, it looks like that was a mistake to not be a little more active in trying to find outside weapons in the offseason, I don't think that would be a good look. So next one, this is from at IndieMimi58. What are the Colts' biggest needs and how will they fill them? So they did address some things in the draft, you know, short term and long term. I don't think you have many concerns about edge depth now because you did quitty pace fifth year option.

Starting point is 00:17:31 You drafted Laatu Laatu. Samson Ebicom still has a year. And so you really only have to focus on Daiwa Dango when it comes to edge depth in the short term. But the Colts do still have some corner and safety questions, I think. Now, I'm going to kind of lay off the cornerback stuff because it's kind of a moot point. The Colts truly feel like they've got their guys at corner, and I think they feel like what they've done to the defensive front

Starting point is 00:18:01 will help the corners immensely. I don't think the Colts see corner as an issue whatsoever. I think they know they're young, but they like the guys they have. Safety, on the other hand, I don't think they're as confident. You don't really, you know, you haven't really gotten the confident answers about safety that they've given from corner. They're kind of just looking for Nick cross or Rodney Thomas to step up and grab, have a firm grip on, on that free safety role next to Julian Blackman.

Starting point is 00:18:35 But for me, I mean, Blackman has really never had a full season in his career. He's played the vast majority of seasons. It's not like he's a chronically injured player. Like he's played most of his career. He's played the vast majority of seasons. It's not like he's a chronically injured player. He's played most of his seasons, but he's had injury issues. You know that. And you don't know who the free safety is next to him. Nick Cross is not someone you've had confidence in giving the starting job to before. So safety is the biggest question mark for me still.

Starting point is 00:19:07 You could still add someone like Justin Simmons, and it would not hurt the team whatsoever. You could add Quandre Diggs. It would not hurt the team. I don't think I would add a starting-level corner at this point, again, because I don't think the Colts see it as a problem, and I just don't. It's not realistic to me anymore. And then another just minor thing is running back depth.

Starting point is 00:19:31 If Jonathan Taylor gets hurt, which over the last couple of seasons, that has been a problem. Are you rolling with Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson and Evan Hall? Cause that's not the most dangerous running back room in the world. They probably are a little more confident in being able to pick up a running back somewhere and use him. Running back is a pretty translatable. I'm not going to say it's an easy position, but it's one where you don't have to pour a lot of resources in to get productivity, especially with the offensive line the Colts

Starting point is 00:19:57 have. So when you're looking at it, running back depth and then the depth in your secondary is probably your biggest areas of need. Next up from at Matt1214B, how often and when in the yearly cycle of practice, both at the facility and away, which I'm guessing means training camp, do the offensive and defensive lines, their first teams go against each other? And how does bad play get masked like the O-line a few years back when the camp reports weren't terrible, but the in-season play was and how important are those reps? So I will say when the Colts line was really, really bad in 2022, at no point like in training camp or anything did us in the media think it was going to look good.

Starting point is 00:20:43 I mean, it looked poor. Guys were getting through constantly. The defensive front was constantly winning in training camp. So it is hard to evaluate in training camp in the preseason. But what you have to look at is those first team reps during live 11-on-11s because one-on-ones aren't necessarily realistic either because you're not going one-on-one you're going five on five and the scheme is always such a team thing that one-on-ones is more of an exercise and evaluation for the coaches than it is

Starting point is 00:21:18 true evaluation of how the the unit as a whole is to be. But they really get after it starting in training camp when the pads get on. Because I think the CBA says you just can't really be that active and fully engaged throughout the offseason. They do do some strategic and light stuff during the offseason. But in earnest, you know, first team versus first team offense, first defensive lines doesn't really get started until training camp. And it goes throughout the season, I suppose. We don't get to watch full practices when the season begins because there's just so much strategy involved that for privacy reasons, teams do not open full practices throughout the actual regular season. But I imagine there's some

Starting point is 00:22:12 work that goes into it, but the evaluation process changes differently. You know, it changes from, you know, you're kind of just not just evaluating your roster, but you're trying to see who's going to be on your team during training camp. You are still getting ready for the regular season. But when the regular season hits, your sole focus is on that next, that next opponent. So hopefully that answers your question a little bit. The times when they're most getting after it is during training camp. The last one for this segment, what are the reasonable expectations for last year's late round flyers and undrafted guys? Mentioning specifically Jake Witt, Scott, which I'm going to say Xavier Scott on this one, just because Daniel Scott,

Starting point is 00:22:58 unfortunately, did suffer an Achilles injury recently and is out for the year. So Jake Witt, Xavier Scott, Titus Leo, and Evan Hull. And then this year's as well. I just threw a few out there for this year. Jalen Carlisle, Jonah Laulu, Micah Abraham, and Jalen Simpson. So reasonable expectations for these guys. So for Jake Witt and Titus Leo I'll lump them together I'm expecting the practice squad for those guys uh both of them uh you know you you hope to see improvement they're both on IR all last year so this is kind of their first healthy year of development I think practice squad is the

Starting point is 00:23:43 way for them they're both members of pretty deep position groups, so it's hard to say they're going to make it. I think it would be more likely for them to be moved on to the practice squad once training camp's over. Xavier Scott, perhaps him as well. He spent time on the practice squad last year. Didn't make the roster. Was kind of the last guy in the running back group

Starting point is 00:24:05 last year, but he was transitioning from wide receiver back to running back. This is a guy who you're probably looking at as maybe a couple year development project. So he could make the practice squad as well, but unfortunately, the reps behind Jonathan Taylor seem a little more open, but I don't know how much of a contender Scott is for that yet. I mean, he could change my mind. I just haven't seen him make enough big plays for, for me to think he's super in the mix there.

Starting point is 00:24:34 And then Evan Hall, reasonable expectations for him is I think it's up to him to claim the RB three spot behind Taylor and Trey Sermon. I think everything is there for him to earn that third down passing back role. Again, like I mentioned, him and Tyler Goodson, their receiving abilities are probably awash. Just take that off the table. Who's the better guy in pass protection and who contributes more on special teams? I think for those two, that's really what it's going to come down to during camp.

Starting point is 00:25:09 And then looking at Carlisle, Aulu, Abraham, and Simpson. Carlisle, I think, realistically could carve out a defensive role this year. Linebacker three seems kind of open. Next is Ira Franklin and EJ Speed. They do need a linebacker who looks the part in pass defense. So between Carlisle and Ronnie Harrison, I think that's kind of open. Maybe he plays like 200 snaps or so defensively. I think his biggest thing is probably going to be special teams, but I definitely expect him to make the roster if he does his part. Laulu, that's a practice squad guy for me. He's a versatile guy. He needs some stability. It seems

Starting point is 00:25:51 like he came from Hawaii to Oklahoma, moved around a ton. I think if you just work on this guy for a year or so, keep him on the interior and just see what he can give you. Maybe looking in 2025 is more appropriate for him. Abraham and Simpson. So this is interesting. In my roster prediction that I did, my 53 roster, I had Abraham making it as the backup nickel, beating Chris Lamans. And then Jalen Simpson, I had him losing out to Daryl Baker. I think it's really important to have a backup nickel. I think you can find more guys to kind of play the backup outside corner spot. I think you have more guys there. I just didn't see as much from Simpson so far during the spring.

Starting point is 00:26:39 That's not an indictment on him. I mean, these guys are brand new. Training camp is really where we're going to start seeing what they can do. But Abraham has really special abilities in taking the ball away, which can't be taught. He's got a pretty similar athletic profile to Kenny Moore. Not saying he's Kenny Moore, but his redeeming quality is his ball skills. So if he can beat out Chris Lamont, which I think is an easier path to the roster than Simpson has at beating Daryl Baker and those other guys competing for outside spots.

Starting point is 00:27:14 That's, that's kind of my expectations of them coming up. I know it's kind of a supersized episode. I don't want to, I didn't want to cheap anyone on their, on their answers, but coming up here in a minute, we're going to kind of get to our miscellaneous random questions before we finish this thing up. All right. Next one again, from Twitter, from at S homes, eight, four, five, zero one. It's kind of gone under the radar, but I think the Texans hiring Nate Ollie is huge. He knows the Colts defense inside and out and how the Colts aim to defend Houston.

Starting point is 00:27:48 Am I overthinking this? Uh, so all it was the Colts, um, defensive line coach, obviously, uh, previously,

Starting point is 00:27:56 but also the, the Texans do have Ron Miles, his son, Ryan Miles, uh, now as well. So the Texans do have a couple assistants in their coaching staff who have pretty vast understanding of either the Colts' system

Starting point is 00:28:13 or personnel there. So Nate Ollie obviously was their defensive line coach last year. He is now assistant defensive line coach in Houston. Ryan Miles, the son of Ron Milas, the Colts DB coach. I don't want to say it's nothing, but I don't think it's enough for the Colts to worry about. I mean, this is life in the NFL. Everybody knows everybody. And I really don't mean this to poo-poo on anyone, but it is a nepotism league. It's a who you know league.

Starting point is 00:28:46 So, again, everybody knows everybody. Every team has something on every team. There's familiarity everywhere. So. I don't think it's enough for teams really to worry about. Does Ali know their personnel and everything? Absolutely. But defensive line is a really important coaching position.

Starting point is 00:29:07 And I think Charlie Partridge, how he's going to have his guys working is different from how Nate Ollie had them going. So Ollie does know the defense. He knows the players. But I'm just not really worried about it. There's enough newness there to where I don't think it's going to be a big deal. At the end of the day, players have to beat players. Strategy is kind of, you know, execution is the biggest thing.

Starting point is 00:29:31 The players have to go out there and do it regardless of what the game plan is. Next up from at Joseph Jackson, 1459 on YouTube, fully explain the rule changes with kickoffs and how that impacts the camp roster and potentially impacting the 53. So I'm not going to get into a whole big thing, just kind of cliff notes. So the kickoff comes from the kicking team's own 35 yard line. That's just the kicker though. The rest of the kickoff team is going to line up at the receiving team's 40-yard line, so across the field. Meanwhile, the return team, it's usually going to be about nine guys. It's going to line up five yards away in between their own 35 and 30-yard lines.

Starting point is 00:30:15 They have a little zone there. You're going to have a maximum of two guys who can line up in what is considered the uh it's like the receiving zone i think it is uh but that is from the receiving team's zero you know goal line to 20 yard 20 yard line so uh the landing zone is what it was called uh there's no fair catches uh and you can only do onside kicks in the fourth quarter by the losing team that has to report it to the referee. So it's going to look more like a run play, really like a glorified run play. The NFL did this to bring back kickoffs because last year I think was the lowest kickoff return rate ever in NFL history, but they also wanted to do something safe. So they feel like this is a way to bring kickoffs back while, you know,

Starting point is 00:31:09 eliminating an abundance of injuries and what they say to kind of bring kickoffs back to being more in line with a normal NFL scrimmage play in terms of injury rate. So it's going to resemble more of a run play, I think. Zach and I have discussed this a little bit in terms of, you know, there might be small things impacting the 53-man roster. Like maybe you keep an extra tight end, maybe an extra linebacker. The really athletic guys who maybe can't cut it offensively or defensively, but that you could do something with them on special teams.

Starting point is 00:31:49 Those guys maybe have a little more of a chance doing this. We discussed like Adetome, for example, being like a lead blocker or something seems like the funnest idea. But yeah, I think there are small ways it could impact the 53. We just don't know yet because it's the first year of it. So we'll keep an eye on that. Next one from at Heavy Metal Punk on YouTube. When will Reggie Wayne finally get his due and enter the Hall of Fame?

Starting point is 00:32:17 And then will Robert Mathis also get his due from the Hall? So this one's tough because there's always this log jam of receivers, especially guys having to wait their turn. It seemed like last year was really going to be the year that was Reggie's turn to shine. You know, he's been a finalist now for a few years. Robert Mathis was a semi-finalist last year as well. I think Reggie will eventually get in, hopefully soon. Robert Mathis probably has a tougher time. I'm going to, you know, it's always a matter of who they have to go up against, you know, who is going to get in ahead of them.

Starting point is 00:33:01 So right now, I was looking at Pro Football References Hall of Fame monitor, and they kind of assign a grade to guys who are most deserving of getting in. Reggie Wayne and Torrey Holt have a higher score than the average Hall of Fame wide receiver. And they're the only two not in there yet. So you hear those two mentioned all the time. So I want to say within the next couple of years, we're going to see Reggie get in there. Hopefully, you know, he gets in there before you have, like, Larry Fitzgerald and some of these bigger-name guys who you've got to get in. So hopefully Reggie soon. Mathis might have to wait a bit because, I mean, Reggie's got to go up against, you know, whole Anquan Bolden, Steve Smith, and Hines Ward.

Starting point is 00:33:39 That's a bunch of really, really good players who a lot of them are eventually deserving, but Reggie's probably the best of the group. But when you look at Mathis, I think he's eventually deserving as well, but he's got like Terrell Suggs is coming up on his first year, I think. Clay Matthews, Jared Allen, James Harrison. I think he's got a pretty tough road. So Reggie, I think we'll eventually get in. Mathis may be one of those guys that has to wait a ton of time or just winds up in the hall of very good. Last one here from, again, the at JDMBA pastor 5172.

Starting point is 00:34:20 Are there any position groups on other teams that you're watching for veteran camp cuts? You know, you had mentioned a good example here. You know, the safeties for X team because Ballard had a higher grade on this player, for example. The guys we kind of circle, it never winds up being them. You get your sneaky ones like Mike Adams or Rodney McLeod, those type of ones that come up that you never really saw coming. So I won't name anyone specifically, but I do think safety is the most likely one. You could see a backup running back in there for the reasons I mentioned earlier, but I think safety is probably the most up in the air position group on the entire roster.

Starting point is 00:35:01 You only have one guy you're confident in starting, and Blackman, but he's someone who's struggled with injuries during his career. The other guy who we think is probably going to start in Nick Cross has not been trusted to be a full-time starter before. And actually, he earned that spot as a rookie, but got benched in like week two or three for Rodney McLeod.

Starting point is 00:35:21 And then the depth scares you too, especially after Daniel Scott went down for the season. So I would keep an eye on safeties. It's a weird position around the league because there's like a lot of free agents out there right now. But if there's any team with like a handful of really good ones, or there's like, you know, a team where some safety pops up out of nowhere and really shines and kind of boots a veteran off, off the roster come camp cut time.

Starting point is 00:35:49 I could definitely see safety kind of, I don't want to say a facelift, but we could see a couple of new names to that group there. So this was a mega size episode today. Sorry about that guys. But remember locked on has launched the first ever national sports 24, seven streaming channel on YouTube and now it's also available on Amazon Fire TV

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