NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 9 Players Helped and 9 Players Hurt by The Draft | Matthew Stafford, George Pickens, Lamar Jackson and more!

Episode Date: April 30, 2026

Gregg Rosenthal and Nick Shook give you nine players who were helped and nine player who were hurt by the way Draft weekend played out. First, a check in on the news from around the NFL including Calais Campbell signing a one-year deal with the Ravens, an update on Bo Nix's ankle injury, the Titans making a change in their front office, Deshaun Watson's future with the Browns and more! After the break, find out if the Draft hurt or helped Matthew Stafford, George Pickens, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Tyler Shough and other players around the NFL. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL offseason. This is where teams are built.

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Really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app. Search 40s and free agents and listen now. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we aim to be the Kaleas Campbell of podcast. I'm Greg Rosenthale, joined by Nick Shook wrapping up the week, fresh off the major news that Kaleas Campbell at 40 years old is signing with the Ravens. And when I say I want to be like the Klaeus Campbell, don't you just want to be like the guy that the ball knowers respect and just keeps on going? and some great team wants to sign you. It doesn't matter. Just keep motoring on.

Clayas Campbell, getting it done. NFL Daily guest, by the way, a year ago show. Yeah, yeah, a big fan of Calaisa. I think everybody's pretty much a big fan of Clayas Campbell. Former Walter Payton man in the year, a mountain of a man. And to answer your question, I would love to still be able to play football as I approach my 40th birthday.

That would be fantastic. I mean, I'm older than Cleas Campbell, so I'm saying more in podcast years, I would be older in this scenario. and you just keep getting these contracts on and on because you're producing at a high level. Sometimes it's better to be the Clayus Campbell maybe than the James Hardin, who you watched in person.

Oh. You know, like the Super Duper star, but like there's a lot of pressure on that guy. It's good to just be the Clayas Campbell. Team player. Different sports. Very different. And like, big game, James.

He's made a lot of money over the years. We're going to hit some news. There's been a lot since we taped our look at all the teams in the AFC and NFC. post-draft. And then for our segment today, we're going to talk about nine veterans who were helped by the draft, and then nine veterans who were hurt by the draft. Maybe a little competition. Maybe they didn't get weapons around them. So that's how we're going to wrap up the show. But yeah, Campbell was my first little item because it's the freshest as we're about to tape.

Gives the Ravens a pretty strong front line. I mean, this group looks a lot better with Madabweke, who were at this point cautiously assuming his back. And Callas Campbell, then they did without him. And then you have Broderick Washington's, a big-time player. Travis Jones just got a big contract. And suddenly you feel good about that beef up front. Maybe that makes up for Trey Hendrickson's not like the best run defender, but you also draft Zion Young.

Like that's a bulky Ravens-looking group. This is a group that I think in their best years thrived off of depth, having options, having guys that are specialized pass rushers, you know, being able to rotate in and out, stay fresh, and maintain a consistent front. And they really lacked that last year. And that was a big part. You know, we always talked about at a BK's injury,

but it was more than just that. It was a lack of general depth and getting run right through. So they've done a good job of approaching this whole group, this off season by throwing a lot of resources at it. And I think Campbell is just a classic Raven signing. We've talked about this many times, and they've done this many times over the years.

They go get the veteran that is going to try and chase the ring and hop on board, except this is the second time he's doing it, coming back to do the same thing they did. from 2020 to 2022. So Kevin Clark had a great tweet that noted, in Campbell's draft class, you have Matt Ryan, who's now running an NFL team.

You have Kevin O'Connell in that draft class, who's been the head coach of a team for a while. You also have a head coach that's already been fired from that draft class, who was also the defensive rookie of the year. Can you name him, Shucky? Come on, 2008, defensive rookie of the year. Already fired as a coach. Oh, I would have to say Gerard Mayo.

Okay, yeah. Yeah. I don't remember him being defensive regular the year, but yeah. Am I crazy? Maybe I'm the one that's wrong. I mean, man, it does show you how long Campbell's been around. Darren McFadden, fourth in that draft. Vernon Golston, number seven.

Leotis McElvin, number 11. So these are names that you just have not heard in a long time. I was right. He was defensive. He was. Back in 2008. Like I said, we're going to get to the big names later. Like Lamar Jackson is in our segment.

A lot of the big time. quarterback's Jordan Love, like what we're going to get to all those names. But for now, we're hitting the news. And I did want to talk Bo Nix, who got another ankle surgery. What did you make of this coming out right around the time when they told us initially, Nick, that Bo Nix was going to be back on the field for OTAs? Yeah, it's always concerning when guys undergo two operations in one off season on an injury because it suggests that something didn't go right the first time. It just, it increases the odds that they're not going to get back either on time or at full strength and that the recovery is going to take longer, just no matter of the injury.

I'm not a hundred, like, I'm not fully concerned as it relates to the Broncos in their projection this year, just because it's not like he needs to get on the field and learn a new offense or get acclimated with a bunch of different guys. It's just that you worry about whether he's going to be able to take the field completely healthy and at the same level that he was at last year. Because, I mean, let's face it, this is a quarterback who a lot of his game is about getting outside of the pocket and, you know, extending plays and finding open players. I mean, that's when he's at his best, he's out on the perimeter.

that's what defined his rookie season under Sean Payton. So a little bit concerning, but it is also April 30th. So I get that. But now we have the context. I remember whether it went back and forth. Bo Nix was unhappy that Sean Payton put it out there, that he might have kind of a recurring ankle issue that had needed surgery for a long while.

And then I saw in the article on ESPN.com about Bo Nix, like how he's had multiple ankle surgeries going back to high school. He had one after, and this was public, after his rookie season in the NFL, too. And then this back and forth with Sean Payton and the fact that they told us, hey, this is not going to be any big deal. He's going to be part of OTAs.

He's ahead of schedule, literally at the owner's meeting. I hate when they said ahead of schedule, and then he needs another surgery. And then, you know, I love Ian Rappaport, but he says, hey, this was not unexpected sometimes when you're getting an ankle surgery. This was unexpected. What's the nature of the surgery?

Because, like, you're not. a cleanup, there's drainage, and you can do that, or there's like a legit, you know, repair that needs to be done. We need to know more about that. So if they think he's going to be ready for training camp, although Ian even said, if not the beginning of training camp, then soon thereafter. So I think it's a little concerning. Shout out to Ian Rappaport, who reports suggest is reaching his own new deal, but that's not been reported anywhere. Reporter has reports on his contract. I think front office sports had it, so we're going to get at them.

Not me. Since we last taped, the Titans have changed their organizational structure again. This is a yearly occurrence. Titans fans get really annoyed when you bring this up. But Titans football operations, the head of football operations, Chad Brinker left the organization this week. And he had already been essentially demoted behind the GM, Mike Borgonzi, back in January. So that was the bigger change, but then he left. And it really is something.

I'm going to go through the list. Are you ready for this? Since December of 22, these are the changes at the very top of the Titans organization. That was the firing of John Robinson, right? Number one, John Robinson fired after a power struggle with Mike Vrabel. Number two, 13 months later, they fire Mike Vrable after a power struggle with the general manager, Ran Carthon, who they had brought in soon after. John Robinson got left go.

At that point, they hired Brian Callahan as head coach, and they elevated our guy Chad Brinker to running the football operations. That's only two years and about three months ago. Then, what is it? One year after that, they fire Rancarthon, the GM after his own power struggle. Apparently with the head coach and or Brinker, Callahan then is involved with helping to select the new general manager.

A lot of say for Brian Callahan there. Brinker also involved. They bring in Mike Burgundy. Only eight months after he had say in bringing in the general manager, they fire Brian Callahan. And then, as I mentioned in January, three months after that, Borganzi then gets put over Brinker. Four months after that, he's gone.

And multiple things can be true. This can be a smart move and let Borganzzi. Bromzi run the show and that that speaks to a dysfunctional organization that can't decide what to do. Yes, thank you. That's exactly what I want to say without sounding too harsh. I mean, to kind of bring some logic to it, Brinker coming in as an AGM to Carathon. So it's a guy of a past regime, right? Yes.

But still there to make the decisions. Then you get the guy in place that you want. The reorganization, which puts Borganzi above him, makes sense because that's the guy that you hired to really run the ship. It also makes sense that they part with Brinker who was from a past. group. But like you said, dysfunction. This is a team that since the end of the Vrabel and Robinson era, which was really the end of the Vrable area, given that Robinson was fired before Vrable, they have known nothing but change. I mean, it's come down to even their uniforms. They made a massive uniform change. And then five years later, they're like, we don't like these. We're going to

go back to the Oilers colors now. Like, there's no consistency in this franchise. And you hoped that last year's draft with Cam Ward, it really like kind of set the tone and put them on a new track, but then they fired their coach in the season. They're rolling with interim coach the rest of the way. So they're still trying to figure out how to get on one track. And maybe, just maybe, this is the final step in that direction. And to be clear, I get why this particular move happened. But the reality is this guy only was elevated two years ago. He was involved in helping to hire Borgonzi only a year plus ago. And now he loses his job to Borgonzi, and I had Titans fans coming at me being like, this wasn't a power struggle.

He just wanted to get back to the football side of it all and all that. It was like, well, you think he wanted to give up full football control to the guy that he hired Burgundy? You think that's what he was looking for, was to get demoted and then have to leave? This is not what he wanted. They decided Borgonzi was the guy, and I think that makes sense based on everything we know compared to Chad Brinker, but it still is a franchise that since 2021 with of Rable, when they lost in the divisional round,

they won 12 games that year, then they won seven, then they won six, then they won three, then they won three. So you don't get the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. But I do think this current group, Borganzi and Robert Salah and the people that they've added, the pieces,

good things could be happening. Who knows, we might even get a Super Bowl in Nashville. Some people are wondering with that new stadium. Let's go to Cleveland, where they're a little earlier, like, in the rebuilding, I guess. in Tennessee because they don't really have the franchise quarterback. Or do

they? Mary Kay Cabot reports that Deshawn Watson is the favorite to start because he looked better at voluntary veterans minicamp before the guys even showed up. This was a wild report to come out on April 29th.

What did you think? Oh, I'm sorry. I just love the or do they. That was so good. Look, anybody who is surprised by this hasn't been paying attention to or reading between the lines of what's been happening with the Browns, which if you haven't been, totally understand. They're not atop the list of franchises that you need to track in 2026 in the NFL. But it really started, I think.

I noticed a shift toward the Browns opening the door for Watson to make his way back in the lineup when Jimmy Haslam changed his tone. You know, this is the same person, the owner of the Browns, who said that the Watson deal was a huge swing and a miss a year prior. And he kind of like pivoted in that way to, well, like it was a swing and to miss, but it doesn't have to be a swing and a miss. I can't remember exactly what the quote was, but it was like, I'm going to try and, you know, do a little maybe damage control and say, hey, maybe we can still find

something here. And they have to at least explore it because they paid him all this money. They've gotten nothing from him. They've tacked on void years with every restructure. And they have one year left in the existing deal. And they have no better option. And if he's healthy, then you at least give him a go. So it felt like from the moment that they started to change their tone publicly, I think this was at the owner's meetings or even before that, that they were going to give this an opportunity. For it to come out now is hilarious, because this is just seed planting. That's all this is. And at all due respect and love to Mary Kay.

So you think there's information coming from the organization, maybe even the head coach or the front office, who knows who it is? Yes. For Mary Kay to put that out. Yeah, because I, look, I love Mary Kay, but this has got to be fed from the team because there's nothing that you would gain at this point in the off season

that suggests that he is that far ahead of them. It's also the voluntary minicamp. We've seen these sort of things. I know the media might be watching. How much can you really draw from, from these practices in shorts in April that he suddenly first. It seems insane. And I was laughing about it with a friend who shall not be named.

She put this out initially and it wasn't really getting much traction. And then she quote tweeted it and said, related to my breaking news earlier, because it didn't really seem like breaking news. My breaking news earlier that Watson has taken the first step, I think the Browns should go ahead. and just declare that he's the starter going into, you know, once they're like going into the off season.

And then that started getting more news, the use of the word breaking news and more attention. And that speaks to what you're saying of like, man, it seems like a little planned. Hey, we're not getting enough traction on this prepping the pump for Deshaun Watson as the starter news. Let's push that a little harder. And it involves lightning rod in Shedor Sanders

because he's on that depth chart. And that's always going to drive internet traffic. and discourse, right? So I honestly think it's smart for the Browns to potentially declare that stance at this point in the offseason just so that they can avoid the, you know, countless questions of

who's leading in the quarterback competition today? Is it going to work out? No, probably not. But I think for them, it's probably smartest for them to organize their depth chart publicly now. So I just thought they would give up on the Deshaun Watson thing.

And I was wrong. I did not think last year that he would have a realistic chance to play again because he's been so bad. And I've seen this idea that like, well, Watson's more experience. Monkin wants to work with it. Like, okay, maybe if he's healthier and all this stuff, you could make this case he has more experience. But Ben Solac then reminded me in a tweet from ESPN that there have been 907 seasons of at least 200 passing attempts this century. Deshaun Watson, the last time we saw it,

had the 902nd of 907 seasons in yards per dropback. One of the worst five seasons in yards per dropback that we've seen. That's how bad he was. Since that's happened, he's repaired his torn Achilles twice. It's like, this is why it's not going to work. But this is where they are. Why is he better? What is, sorry.

More from this space soon. Hopefully not too soon. Aziz al-Shayir, the Texans, got a three-year contract reported as a $54 million extension, but that's on top of the year that was already there. No guaranteed money reported. I like Aziz Aziz Al-Shaier. I have a feeling this contract won't look as good when you see the actual money, but he probably got some guaranteed money over the next year or two.

But when the reporters don't mention the guaranteed money, that means it's usually not that good for them. Let's talk very quickly about the fifth year options that have been picked up around the league. Will McDonald, the edge rusher, for the Jets gets it picked up $13.7 million for Will McDonald because he was at the end of the first round. So it's not quite as much interesting because he's more of a third, fourth rusher that locks him in.

That one was, I think, up in the air. Quinton Johnston gets it for $17 million. That's in 2027. So what this does, it locks him in for two more years. Thoughts about Quinton Johnston. Little show of support there from the Chargers. Yeah, you know, after his rookie year, if you would have asked me, is he going to get his fifth year option picked up?

I would have said absolutely not because he was just, disaster as a rookie, but he's really recovered in the last couple of years. He's got two straight seasons of 700 plus yards, eight touchdown catches in each of his last two seasons. 91 targets, 84 targets. He's a focal part of this offense, 55 catches, 51 catches over his last two years. Consistency. It makes sense now. And especially as with this group, you have him, you have Ladd McConkey, you have Trey Harris. You kind of think, okay, well, maybe this is your three. This is how you're going to proceed. This seems like he's the leading, you know, member of this group. And yes, they want to be a run first team, but you obviously need to, you know, secure your receiver.

So I think he's earned this fifth year option. And perhaps we see his first thousand yard season if they can actually protect Justin Herbert this year. Yeah, I don't know if it would have been impacted by this or the draft itself. The plan was impacted by planning to pick this up. But yeah, they didn't get a weapon early in the draft. I think that makes it easier to make this decision. I think they want to run the offense more through McConkey. $17 million, though, is a lot. And he provides like a very specific role. And he has gotten a little better each year. Christian Gonzalez was a no-brainer fifth-year option picked up. Same thing with Jemir Gibbs.

Both of those gentlemen will be looking for long-term contracts before they even get to that fifth-year option. And then a couple of noes. Miles Murphy, the first round pick of the Bengals from three years ago, got a no. The edge numbers, like for Miles Murphy, who was late in the round, wasn't that huge, but he's been pretty disappointing, even though he showed some signs of life late last year. So that was an interesting call from them. And then Jack Campbell, the linebacker of the Lions,

got to know. What did you make of Jack Campbell not getting his option picked up? I wasn't entirely surprised because, like, when you watch him, he's all right. He's okay. Not a Jack Campbell fan. He's not a guy that you want to lock yourself into paying that fifth year option money at linebacker. He's a guy that you want to extend at a lower rate over a couple of years if you think you're still part of this plan. That's it because the linebacker group gets mixed in with the edges. Like there are linebacker edges. So his number,

it was kind of what happened, who am I forgetting, had a very similar circumstance where he gets to the market. It was Linderbaum, is who I'm thinking about, because the centers get mixed in with the tackles,

and the Ravens did not want to give Linderbom like a $28 million one-year contract thinking, well, the center market's not even close to that. In the end, he got that money, not from the Ravens. They just, they just, didn't think that the Raiders were going to pay the tax that in that range. It's sort of the same idea where Jack Campbell, that sets like an average floor where he's suddenly

the highest paid offball linebacker in the league are close to it. So they did quickly say, hey, we want to be in the Jack Campbell business long term, but, you know, his yearly average is going to be lower than that. They didn't say that part, but that's what they're going to want. So I think he's gotten better every year, and I think they're happy with Jack Campbell. That's a tough position where he is really a better player now than he was as a rookie. All right, it's time for the offseason ride-along, presented by Toyota. Some odds and ends around the league. Caden Proctor, the Dolphins number 12 overall pick.

They announced he's going to play left guard. I just thought that was interesting. The Giants agreed to terms with one of your favorite players, former Brown, Shelby Harris. And I want that known. I want that known. We haven't heard about Joanne Jennings signing yet with. the Vikings. I expected that to happen, but that hasn't happened. But yes, I want that known Shelby Harris with them. Darius Slayton, their receiver, who has a pretty good contract there.

It's getting a little crowded in their receiver group. He had a core muscle surgery, which is a real deal surgery, announced. So he might be questionable for the start of training camp. The Vikings have started their GM search. I thought that was interesting. And their current guy, Rob Brzezinski, is one of the candidates for it, kind of a cap guy who's been there a long time, but they're going to look outside the building too. And then just some retirement news. Happy trails to Justin Simmons. He really stands out to me,

I mean, shook as a West guy. One of Chris Wesleyan, our great friends, absolute favorites, really saw something in him as like just a hunt and chase, playmaking safety pretty early in his career. He ends up making four second team all pros. And so a great career out of the Bronco. You know, he had some time there with the Falcons, but really think about him as a Bronco.

He retired as a Bronco. And, yeah, one of Wes's absolute favorites and a great call by him very early on in his career because a fun player to watch over the year. Yeah, very fun player to watch. One of my favorite players to watch kind of makes me think of like that group of safeties. I don't know if I would call it a generation,

but the age group of safeties that also included like Jesse Bates. You know, somebody that was just a really fun guy to watch who at his peak was one of the best safety. in the NFL, a ball hawk, you know, career interceptions total, 32 over nine seasons. That's very good for a safety. And somebody that put together quite a career, happy trails on retirement. I wish I could have seen you play football last year. He did not play football last year. So unfortunately, sometimes the league retires you and I think that was one of these cases. Yeah, it's tough. When you're that physical player, I think of his physicality to a great combination of playmaking

and physicality. Like, it just goes quickly, and these guys give up their bodies for the sport, and it happens quickly. But an awesome player, and I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. I'm not going to make a case

for him to be a Hall of Famer at all. And I hate starting with the negative. What I wanted to just point out, though, is four second team all pros, which I think that's just about the best honor you can have is be part of the All Pro team. That is a better all pro resume than a handful, maybe even more than a handful,

people that have made the Hall of Fame. Justin Simmons is not that level of payer, but that just shows you, I think he's better than people realize over his career. Now, I try to remember who was the first team all pro during those teams. I mean, I'm going to look at it right now since we have the power of the internet at our disposal.

Oh, Kevin, Kevin Byard. Kevin Byard in there, yeah, Mink is in the mix at that time. I think Jordan Poyer, yeah, Durwin, yeah. Yeah, it's a strong group. It's a strong group. And that was the off-season ride-along presented by Toyota, because when people are the destination, your ride is important. Learn more at Toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people.

I want to take a little break, but I am really excited. After the break, we are going to hit nine players, and these are veterans, guys who have been in the league, but they see what's going on with the draft. Helped a lot by the draft, and then we're going to talk about nine players hurt by the draft. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retirement from the NFL, I've had a lot of the last. lot of my mind and now got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week.

Film Never Lies available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine.

The NFL draft Pro Days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits. To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move?

We got teams rebuilding its hope season. Yeah, absolutely, it's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations. stations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Back on NFL Daily, taping on a Thursday afternoon for Shook on the East Coast. And we have our first, first round rookie contract signed as we're taking. Congratulations to Mackay Lemon, $11.5 million signing bonus. That's how you know the salary cap is going way up. These rookie deals are actually finally back to what they were like before the CBA ruined the rookie deals for the rookies. They actually are. Like the number, they literally, I think this is the year that now, like, the number one overall pick makes more significantly than Matthew Stafford did back in 2011 before.

I'm thinking about like the Sam Bradford negotiations. Like, yeah. I actually, I looked that up recently because I was trying to trace when exactly that changed for a piece over the last couple of months. and I got into the details and I was like, those are astronomical numbers for guys who have never taken the few. We used to live like that.

Crazy. Because if you think about those players I just talked about back for like the 08 draft, like Vernon Goldston getting taken sixth overall. Brady Quinn was immediately in the top, you know, 15 edge rushers. It was very risky.

Now the money is higher now, but inflation, how they fit in with the rest of the structure is not the same, obviously. Let's do the segment. Let's talk. And I've made a list.

Nine players who were helped by the draft. Nine players hurt by the draft. And we're going to count down from nine to one. And you let me know what you think. Give some context. Did I have a player too high or too low? Maybe less about that. And just what you think about this player.

I've got number nine guys helped by the draft. George Pickens. He just signed his franchise tag. So this is a way of sneaking some news into the, into the second. See what I did there. I just think if the draft fell a little differently, like if they had taken McCoy Lemon,

like I thought, or Jordan Tyson, if Jordan Tyson had fallen to them instead of Caleb Downs, I just think there's like a world where they draft him. I really thought that. Instead, now, Flournoy is your number three receiver, and maybe this tag conversation is different.

Either way, the Cowboys have said, they're not giving them a long-term deal. So, you know who needs to have great stats this season? George Frickin Pickens. Like, he does not need that target share to get messed up. And without them adding anything, it's pretty much him and CD just dominating. And he's going to need a big year.

Because, like, if you think about who made himself more money based on what he would have gotten on the open market in 2025 versus 2026, George Pickens might be number one on the list. Yeah. But he can't fall back to doing like 800 yards and having up and down season. He needs to get all those targets. So I thought he was kind of indirectly helped by the draft. And I think that he probably will just because the basis of their offense.

First off, this is one of my favorite one-two punches at receiver in the NFL. And nothing about this offense has really changed. You still have Dak Prescott. You still have your head coach in Brian Schotenheimer. And you know what you're going to get, right? So it's just an idea of going out and replicating it. Now, last year, some of these big games that he had refueled by the fact that C.D. Lamb, you know, was on the field.

And then others were the fact that he wasn't on the field. And yet he still found a way to produce. I thought this was an interesting situation going into this. draft in which if they had selected somebody that they would then be positioned perfectly, well, maybe not perfectly because they have less leverage, but to trade him. It felt like this is a franchise tag that could end up being a trade. Possibly. And that would have been good for him, I guess. So that goes against my point that he was helping. I think he was going to be helped regardless, actually. I think he's in a good spot. I'm with you. And yeah, he had 1,400 yards

last year. I'm not saying he has to do that. But I just think he has to be happy, healthy, productive because of how up and down his career has been. There is a world where this doesn't go perfectly well. I think it has a chance to go better. Staying at receiver, number seven and eight. These were just two young players, Keon Coleman and Jack Bech. Keon Coleman with the Bills,

Jack Bess, with the Raiders, two second round picks, who did not do much last year. Coleman in his second year, Bish in his first. Bill say they're not interested. People called about Keon Coleman. We're not interested. They drafted Skylar Bell,

but I think he's going to be more, on the inside. The Raiders are just rolling with Jalen Naylor and Trey Tucker. There's not much there. So these are two guys who are frankly trying to make a career in the NFL. There's no one on the outside for Coleman either. And so I just thought, okay, their teams are going to give them another chance here to be the guys that they drafted them. Yeah, you know, I really wanted the bills to draft receiver in this first round.

They were in a tough spot given where their pick was. And the way that the draft unfolded, there was really nobody worth it at that spot. So it made sense why they traded back three times and ultimately out of the first. round entirely. I know that they went and got DJ more in the off season and they believe that that's going to make them a better group, but I just fear that we're going to end up in the same situation we were in with them last year, which is we get the playoffs and you're talking about Brandon Cooks being your best player and you wish that you had, you know, Tyrell Shavers or, you know, Gabe Davis and his brief, you know, return before he was off the field again. So it does help Keon

Coleman, but it's above all, it's about Keon taking advantage of the opportunity in front of him, which he hasn't done over the first two seasons. And I am very tired of the posturing from the bill's front office that we believe in Keon. Well, let's listen to it. We're not taking your draft. Eric Roberts. Of course, he's tracking the bill sound.

Let's listen. This was actually before the draft. Because I believe in who Keon Coleman is. I believe in the people that we have in the building. Look, Keon, I've never questioned Keon's work ethic. I've never questioned his athleticism, right? and I think when we surround himself with the people, when he surrounds himself with the people that he needs down here,

you know, in this building that it's all going to come together. And I have no doubt in Canaan Coleman. Okay. Okay. Yeah, I mean, Brandon Bean says basically the same stuff. He said it like twice now. I think he said it this week after the draft. Yeah.

It's... That was Joe Brady, by the way. Every once in a while, it gets to the point where you say it's so often that I have a hard time believing you because you're trying too hard to convince me. Just be a role player. So make it happen. Almost 20 yards per catch as a rookie. He had 556 yards as a rookie.

That's not nothing as a 21-year-old. He's only 23 now. So they both have a chance. I mean, I have my doubts, but it was a good weekend for them. Lamar Jackson alluded to it earlier. I believe he had a good weekend in general because you take Venga, Yuane, in the first round. You take two receivers in the third and fourth, Jacoby Lane from USC, I, Elijah Surat, in the fourth. they had eight picks in the first five rounds total, shook.

Six of those were on offense. They got some linemen, they got some tight ends. Four of the first five were on offense. And so in general, I know these aren't super-duper stars, but Yuanay's going to help out that offensive line. I just thought the Ravens are prioritizing offense. It's not super-duper firepower, but I think these guys can help them out this year.

I agree. Yane was my favorite, honestly, offensive linemen in this draft, just because I think he's going to be a people mover and a monster at guard. And so when he landed with the Ravens, was like, that's the perfect fit. But the perfect fit for me, I was hoping for in day two was Jacoby Lane to the Ravens. And then they landed on it in the third round.

I'm on record saying that, by the way, not here, but elsewhere. And so when it actually dropped from that. He's got some haters, Jacoby Lane. I don't care. I don't care. I'm going to trust my eyes. And I think I'm going to like his fit in that offense. So, yeah, I think that it was a big win for Lamar.

It was a big win, I think, through the first seven pitch. for the Ravens. Like all the way down to 173, Josh Kwavis, the tight end from Alabama. I just like the way that they approach this. I love Surat, the kid from Indiana. I think they're both going to fit in nicely in this offense. They're a lot deeper on that side of the ball now. So big, big victory of a weekend for the Ravens and for Lamar Jackson. And you do get a sense with the new head coach that Lamar, you know, he showed up when they started lifting weights right away. Professionalism. Like they're working on an extension. We actually have Eric DeCosta. This is from WB.A. L talking about Lamar.

As we've said, Lamar is his own agent. It's a personal relationship that we have with Lamar. And I think it's important that we probably keep those kind of discussions in-house for the best of the team,

for the best of the negotiations. But I am confident that Lamar will be here. I'm excited about it. I think he loves the team. He loves the city. He loves our fan base. And when I think of the Ravens,

I think of Lamar Jackson being on the field. It's tricky to negotiate directly with the player, the confidence and the positivity and saying that Lamar is going to be there in the offseason. It all speaks to me like they aren't too far away from working something out there on an extension, which will help their cap situation. Let's go to two more receivers. Receivers, it's the easiest thing to just like, there's only so many targets to go around. And I thought two receivers that are entering their contract years. So I'm already starting to look at the 27. free agents, and Rishie Rice and Josh Downs are two interesting names on that.

Josh Downs with the Colts, Rishie Rice, similar situations in that their teams didn't bring in guys to compete with them for snaps and then, or targets, and you think about Downs. I know Tyler Warren is there, but Josh Downs was their leading receiver in 24. And that was with Alex Pierce there. That was with Michael Pittman there. Pierce is coming off an injury. Pittman's gone. Westbrookine is their number three.

So I just think, you know, it's a nice spot for downs to maybe produce. And then with Rishi Rice, we learned the league is not going to punish him for his latest infraction. He's had the suspension. And you just think about who, it's just the same guys there catching passes. It's Xavier Worthy. It's Kelsey. If I had to pick someone to be the volume receiver, do you disagree that Rishie Rice is the most likely option? No, I don't disagree at all.

He's clearly the most likely option unless Xavier Worthy can suddenly become. become like a vacuum for targets, which I don't think he is. He's got to do it, though. Like Rice is more of an idea than like when I looked at his production in the NFL. Wow, it's really low. When he was healthy before he got hurt, he was still proving to be, or at least trending toward being that guy. It's funny, though, because I agree with both these points, but it's hilarious that you can be helped by the draft just by your team not bringing in competition for you. Like, I don't really like the Colts receiver situation with Westbrookic

Akeena is the number three. No offense to him or anything. You do have Tyler Warren, like you said, so it kind of, you know, pads it out a little bit. It's just hilarious how it's like, well, these guys, they won because they didn't get any new competition. Yeah, I'm thinking about like pickings and downs and rice specifically to like these, these are big years in their career, a contract. When Downs is healthy and right, I don't think people realize what an incredible receiver he is. I saw some guys compared to him in the draft. And you're like like a plus Josh Downs, but it's guys getting taken into the third down.

I'm like, Josh Downs, you know, hold your tongue. His ceiling is very high. I love me some Josh Downs. Number three on my list, again, it's a guy who benefited from not anyone going near him. Jordan Rodriguez, our friends said that the Jaguars were interested in potentially trading up for Judarian Price specifically. The Seahawks take him in the first round. And that leaves Bachel Tutin as the dude in Jacksonville. So this is kind of a fantasy take, but with Chris Rodriguez as the next guy, you know, Bachel Tootin.

It's Tutin time in Jacksonville. Yeah. It's suddenly very important to work, Bachel Tootin, as we covered on a previous show. Yeah, it's, I don't really like this running back room. But, you know what? If he can be your traditional bell cow, then by all means, go for it.

I just not super confident in it. I think he is really explosive and I don't know what it's going to look like, but he fits the profile possibly for me that just has like one incredible season where he gets taken in the fourth round of fantasy drafts. And maybe never repeats that again, but ends up with like 18. And gets over drafted for the next three years.

Yeah, it gets 1,800 yards from scrimmage because the situation is great and the offense is great, so I'm high on him. My last two picks are quarterbacks. It's Tyler Shuck and Gino Smith. Let's start with Shuck first. I just think you look at what they did in the draft. You give them another guy in Jordan Dyson.

You give him Oscar Delp in the third round as a tight end. You got a guard there in the fourth round. They just needed some multiplicity in terms of their offense in general. And I think they did a nice job kind of helping out that room with Tyler Shuck. I think it was very clear where they felt they needed to direct their resources with their first four picks, three being on the offensive side of the ball. So yeah, totally agree with Shuck, you know, getting helped by this. Now, we hope, big question mark.

But the Saints have had an issue with keeping their top receivers on the field. Obviously, Chris Oliva has that a hard time staying on the field. Tyson has an injury history. You hope that they're both in the field. If they're both in the field for the majority of the season, then yes, Tyler Shuck definitely got helped by this draft, but that still remains to be seen. And like a special teams guy,

Barry and Brown in the sixth round, but who knows. But then Bryce Lance was one of my favorite kind of fourth round receivers, some upside there. Maybe I was subconsciously throwing the whole off season in the mix here because you bring in David Edwards at guard, you bring in ETN. I just think they've done a good job. We'll get to some teams that maybe haven't. I think, focusing on helping out their young quarterback here.

And then Gino Smith, the ultimate young quarterback that you want to build around with the New York Jets. I know it's a tough situation. Frank Reich, does he still have it? Well, we'll see. But suddenly you're in a situation after adding Omar Cooper Jr. And Kenyon Sadiq that, like, look, A.D. Mitchell might be receiver, like, option number five behind Bryce, Bruce Hall rather and Garrett Wilson of course there too that's like a pretty good group

for you know to throw it too it's funny because when you I'm not a fan of draft grades okay good offensive line too good tackles like it could be something but when you like look at the consensus opinion or the generally almost consensus opinion on this draft the Jets land near the top for like everybody giving out

A grades and I'm like okay I'm not being a hater because you got David Bailey you like Sadiq I don't know if I necessarily agree with the overall grade, but I like the idea of Gino having more guys to throw to. Why not? What problem do you have?

Bailey, taking him over Reese was the only part I didn't really love. Yeah, but that was a given that was going to happen. I just think that because they had three first round picks, they ended up getting back into the first round to take Cooper, that that kind of inflates the grade overall. Yeah.

And D'Angol's, our little guy. I love the Ponds pick too. I'm not hating on the class itself. I'm just thinking like the grade might be a little high, but good for Gino. More people to throw two. Protect him now, please. I just remember the reason I put him number one overall is the news that Russell Wilson was meeting with the Jets to possibly be Gino's backup.

Oh, you are so spiteful, so petty. No, no, no, no. The reason I put Gino I one was the reporting immediately was the organization talked to Gino Smith early in the offseason about what backups he would like behind him. They're asking, Gino Smith has like personnel control on the Jets. That's how much they believe in him. I was like, why is this news getting out there? And he mentioned his great relationship with Russell Wilson from when they were together in Seattle. And so we got Gino Smith picking his own backups.

Gino picking a backup who used to be a backup too. I love how time he's even like the current MVP, Matthew Stafford. He's not getting that kind of respect. Gino Smith getting all the respect. tongue in cheek. know if Gino's really has the final say there, but it's hilarious to me that they asked Gino about that. Desperation. I think that coming out was like, hey, Gino is our starter. Don't worry. Gino will be the starter, but still, it's kind of funny. All right, nine guys hurt by the draft. I mentioned

some young quarterbacks who maybe their teams could have done a little bit more. I'm going to start with Jaden Daniels at number nine. All these other ones where the entire focus is doing right by them. And we got a first time offensive coordinator and David Blau. I'm hoping for the best, but that's a question. You didn't get Jeremiah Love with the number seven overall pick. You didn't get Cardinal Tate. You added Antonio Williams from Clemson in the third round. Another slot receiver.

Didn't really work. These mid-round slotish receivers with Luke McCaffrey or Jalen Lane so far. And so we're hitting year three for Jaden Daniels. And who is our wide receiver too exactly? Shook. I mean, I guess you want to say it's definitely not Trailing Burke so I kind of like the upside there.

Diami Brown, maybe he's number two. I mean, he's not listed in the top three right now. It might be Antonio Williams, their rookie third round pick, but like that... They also didn't have a lot of picks, though. You're right. Like, they didn't help him out a lot, but they had a first rounder.

They spent a third and a fifth and two, sixth and a seventh. Like, you're not going to get a big haul out of that. I guess they kind of been the best of what they had. Maybe it's more of just a statement of the whole offseason. You get Chigo Concoe and you get Rashid We defense. Defense. Defense was their problem.

I'm just like, Here three, and we're rolling with Jalen Lane or Antonio Williams as wide receiver too. That's not great. Good week for Bill, by the way, Kroski Merritt. No one coming in to compete with him and Rashad White, because I don't think Rashad White can hold on to that job all by himself. So number eight, J.K. Dobbins, the running back for the Broncos. You drafted Jonah Coleman from Washington in the fourth round.

You know, Dobbins, I like Dobbins, but he was kind of a fallback plan and free agency. they were trying to get Kenneth Walker, E.T.N. They bring back Dobbins and then you draft maybe his immediate replacement there in the fourth round. That's a lot of expectations for a fourth round pick, but Jonah Coleman will be in the mix. I believe in a world in which J.K. Dobbins never suffers multiple injuries, and he's one of the better backs in the NFL. And I believe in that world as an alternate, like an alternate universe, just because you see it in glimpses, it's just never carried throughout an entire season. And I would love it if he's, because when they had him in the backfield last year, they were a very good, running team.

And then they lost him and it was suddenly the RJ Harvey show and it just wasn't as good as it was before. No offense to RJ Harvey. So yeah, it's a tough one with this, with this offense and with Dobbins. But you need competition. Also, Sean Payton, will you please give Jaliel McLaughlin the ball just a little bit more? Because like he just doesn't play long stretches and I think he can still help you out. Yeah, he got kind of boxed out by RJ.

You might get boxed out again. Yeah. And Jonah Coleman, I think, is a good player. between those two, they should be fine, but they're not going to be big playmakers. Number seven, I just put Hollywood Brown here. Remember when the Eagles signed Hollywood Brown? And he was like, it was just Devante Smith,

Hollywood Brown, and a bunch of, you know, tumbleweeds. Now since then, they've brought in Dantavian Wicks, and they brought in Mackay Lemon, and they brought in Eli Stowers and Dallas Goddard's back. And so justice for Hollywood Brown, who's probably like, man, I thought I could have been wide receiver too. I'm like wide receiver four or five now. Let's talk to Malik Willis.

I know they added a, you know, Caden Proctor, offensive line in the first round. But he's more of like a run-blocking guy. And they had a couple third-round receivers. I like taking a chance on Chris Bell from Louisville coming off a torn ACL. Might not be on an immediate help. Caleb Douglas was a weird, surprising third-round pick. The reality is we're getting to the end of the off-season.

And if I had to guess who their wide receiver one is, wide receiver one, I'd probably go Jalen Tolbert, former cowboy. Oh, my God. That is a, oh, two-two's on that team. Don't forget about two-two, but yeah. This is a weird draft for a first draft for John Eric Sullivan with the dolphins. I think they overdrafted a couple of past catchers in Douglas and Wilcac Merrick for the tight end from Ohio State. Oh, good blocker.

Casmaric was kind of at the end of that run. Ollie had him as his favorite blocker in the class for what. Yeah, but I mean, you must really be building around those pillars. You must really be building around giving A-chan 300 carries in a season. I know. I just, it's, it's tough. It's not, it's a little less about the draft and more about the whole off season that it's just going to be tough out there for Malik Willis. How about your guy, Jerry Judy, watching the two receivers, Denzel Boston come in, Casey Concepcion come in, my underdog for offensive rookie of the year? And then right after the draft, Andrew Barry called Jerry Judy his bell cow wide receiver.

You buy, you buying that. No, I'm not buying that at all. Jerry Judy needs a fire lid under him. He had his moment. for sure. We think about that Denver game a couple of years ago, him and James,

but the consistency is not there, both in terms of production and hands, and he needs some competition. So he gets hurt by this because now he's actually got to go earn his target share,

but I think ultimately he could help him out in the long run. Just had an idea of a good off-season show, maybe a camp show. Players most likely to get traded in the next, you know, before the deadline.

It could either be in camp or the deadline. Jerry Judy would be on that list. GMs who lied to us. Jerry Judy's on that list. All right, I have pop quiz for you. This is unfair. Give me the total number of offensive players.

This includes offensive linemen in any position, not including undrafted free agents, added by the Green Bay Packers organization in the entire off season, offensive players added. Now, we can think of someone that are gone, of course, Romeo Dobbs is gone. D'Otavian Wix is gone,

but total offensive players, every position, running back, tight end, bullback, guard, tackle, all of them, center. How many offensive players added this offseason? Four? Two! They added two players this offseason. Sky Moore, who you might not even count as a receiver.

I was counting. More of a returner. Yeah. And then a fifth round pick by the name of Micah Morris, a guard that I'm not overly familiar with. Those are the two offensive players added to the entire roster this offseason. So I say Jordan Love has been hurt.

Just out of general kind of malaise on the offensive side. Yeah, I felt like there was maybe an addition by subtraction with getting rid of Wix, at least if you read through the lines. I guess, Rashid Walker is another guy they lost. Yeah, and Elton Jenkins also left, although he's been hurt a lot.

Yeah, a lot of departures now you think about it. They need kind of a reset of sorts within this team just offensively. And I think they're trying to do that, but it doesn't help when you don't add a lot of talent in the off season. Adding is not always a sign that you're going to be better, but when you don't, it can be concerning. Yeah, I have a little bit of a tongue in cheek here.

Like, you're right. Continuity is great, and I get draft develop. It's a young team, but I think you help your margin for error with better depth if you add more veterans along with, with the processor invest a little earlier in the draft. I wouldn't be surprised if the Packers are a team that add some veterans. And so this is a bit of an incomplete grade,

but they really haven't given them anything new. Number two and three on my list, I put Tyler, Alger and Jacoby Brissette together because to me, these are familiar stories. Algiers, like, just signed two years, 12 and a half million. He's like, oh, we're doing this again? I'm with a, I thought I was going to get to be kind of the guy or have a nice resume builder for my next contract.

And here I am with like the best freaking running back to enter the league since the last running back I shared the backfield with. Yeah. I mean, he's like a magnet for, oh, you have Alger on your roster. Go get the best running back in the class. Like you said, the best since the last one. But I would just like to point out those haters who said, they signed Tyler Al Jir.

They're not going to draft Jeremiah, I love. You were wrong. And now, unfortunately, Al Jir. I mean, Al Jare's never been. a lead guy anyway. He's always been a change of pace, hard running back that you throw in there. He would have been the lead guy in a committee here. The thing where people really got confused to me was like, well, you know, they have James Connor and Trey Benson. They made James Connor take a big pay cut that they probably would have cut him. He's had serious injuries.

I mean, he's been a great player, but he might not be on the roster at the start of the year. Neither may Trey Sermin. And then Jacoby Bresset, I threw in here too, because, you know, he wants more money at quarterback and they don't even draft Ty Simpson. I mean, they draft Carson Beck. You're that desperate for a young quarterback who kind of like in a perfect world would be like a Jacoby Brissette type of player. And it was a little under the radar with the 24 Patriots that for all like the leadership they supposedly wanted out of Jacoby and okay, he's going to mentor and Drake Mayo learn from him. The reports from the people who cover that team was actually Jacoby was kind of pissed that like he lost the job to Drake May.

It wasn't like maybe the greatest, like he thought he had a real chance to be the guy before the drafted May and just all went sideways. And now he's maybe in a similar-ish situation. Yeah. And if you want to talk about, I don't know if I would say dysfunction, but a mishandling of the situation,

or at least a way to upset Jacobi is by drafting Carson Beck. And then like speaking out loud publicly like, well, we'll see how much he can handle, because that's what Monty Austin Ford said. We'll see how much he can handle. We're not eliminating him from the competition that could happen. So, yeah, this is a weird situation with them.

Justice for Jacobi. I know I'm probably the only person who cares about where Jacobi's at. Number one on the list was easy. It was Matthew Stafford. I don't know if you saw the LeBron quote after the Lakers lost game five to the Rockets. And they asked them about some comments about, you know, who's the better, you know, one of the Rockets, I forget who was Jabari Smith. I think said, we're the better team.

They asked them about that quote. What do you think about him saying we're the better team? He's like, I'm too old for this. Like, I don't care about stuff like that. I bring that all up to say, Matthew Stafford, I think when he saw, when he got that call from Sean McVeigh that they're bringing in Ty Simpson, I think he thought, I'm too old for this.

I'm the MVP. I got to deal with this. I just, I don't want to deal with it if I'm Matthew Stafford. Yeah, and I understand it from his perspective. And also any competitor is going to be upset when you bring in, you know, you're hopefully what they think is his long-term replacement. I see both sides of this where it's like, yeah, do you have the whole, you know,

Rogers, you know, draft and love thing where it's like, hey, why didn't we go get a weapon? I only have so many years left and you're using that to plan for the future without me. What the hell? I just want MVP.

But I also see it from the Rams perspective. But if we're talking strictly as guys who got hurt by the draft, Stafford's ego probably got hurt a little bit by the draft. A little bit. Just annoying. Just something's, I just would find that annoying. We got to be so laser-focused on going to win that ship

that we probably should have had last year. There's a coin flip, but man, that one stung. And instead of giving me Mackay Lemon, we're counting on Devante Adams staying healthy the whole year. We're counting on Puka, obviously, keep his head on straight. Because if not, you know, we could have used another receiver. I don't buy that argument of, like, well, you know, you really think

a rookie receiver is going to make the difference between winning the Super Bowl? Yeah, maybe. A lot of rookie receivers have contributed a lot. And I think the Rams showed you what they felt about Adams when they were kind of dangling him in a trade. Like, just saying, annoying from Matthew Stafford. Not annoying to do a show here with Nick Shook.

Look, it's been a great week. It feels like the week that started with the draft basically hasn't ended. So we are going to take a nice little three-day weekend here on NFL Daily. Let's hit that music and get out of here. And we will be back on Monday. It's been fun.

Hope everyone can catch up. Thank you to Shook. And good luck to your cavaliers this week. We're going to be back on Monday, by the way. Seth Payne back on the show by popular demand. Going over some early overs and unders. We will see you then.

I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL off season. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters. From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together.

Quarterback movement. Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means and who really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app. Search 40s and free agents and listen now. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.