NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Around The AFC In 48 Minutes!

Episode Date: May 1, 2018

A room filled with heroes- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling, Marc Sessler & Colleen Wolfe- assemble in-studio to go around the AFC in 48 minutes! Marc kicks it off by pondering about the Ravens in the last year under Ozzie Newsome (6:00); Followed by question marks about the rest of the league, including the Bills (12:00), Bengals and Marc’s Browns (18:00). The rest of the AFC is reviewed after halftime, which features a check-in with an old friend (33:00), before Tom Brady pleads the fifth to Jim Gray (43:00).Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast. The history is very rich here. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hans. I am in a room that's filled with heroes.

Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, Colleen Wolfe herself, and Greg Rosenthal, what's up people? Hey, Dan. I don't appreciate this. Poor Colleen. What was the source information on that one, Lindsay? The history is very rich here. This is never going to leave me, ever.

I can't believe this. I can't believe you figured this out. That was from your job working for the Poconos Valley Gauld golf course. What was it called? Yeah, it was a show. I hosted it called Inside Golf. Yeah, just got to let the list.

Did you feel that way about the setting when you were there? Were you that swept up? There's multiple comments like that about where you were in the Poconos. I think my mental state was in question at that point. Would you define it as like a serene setting? Yeah, it was beautiful. It's just such a serene setting. I hate you.

This is the Tuesday edition of the round the end of it. podcast. Apologies for promising a show Monday, but then at the same time, it's like, well, well, what did it cost you? You know, it didn't show up. So slow down with your criticism.

It didn't show up. We decided because we did a juicy, supersized show on Saturday, let that sucker breathe, get the tiny box back from Dallas, get Sessler back from jury duty, and have a real powerhouse show because this is one of my favorite shows

of the off season, which is around, the AFC in 48 minutes. The whole reason the genesis of this segment was... NFC banged in a big spot. Well, that will be Friday or Thursday. When is it? Thursday.

We'll do the NFC. AFC goes first. It started once upon a time because when we used to be able to play music, I just wanted to have something to build around this... The deft punk banger around the world. We can't play that anymore. We can't play this, which kind of sounds like around the world by Death Punk.

Ooh. That's actually not bad. This is taking me back to Dallas. This is our rights-free library. So we can't play Def Punk. But that's the vibe we're going for. I think when you get into like the EDM Electronica world, like the knockoff to most people,

there's almost no discernible difference from the original. I mean, to West, do you feel something completely different that product we just listened to? That's definitely daft punk. If we did, like, what do they call A-B testing and play daf punk and that, Wes, would you be able to tell? I mean, no.

If you would have said who, they're not even singing, who spins this song, whoever they are, who spins this song? I would have said, certainly daft punk. Colleen a lot of EDM when you were in Dallas for the draft. Yeah, yeah, a lot of music, a lot of nights out. I actually, The night before I left, I went out with Jane Slater and company,

and Tamposie was there, and I'm a VP, and we stayed out for late. And I got back to the hotel, and I had to go to the airport. So I had, like, about 20 minutes to lay down and take a nap. And so I get to the airport, and I'm going through security, and I have my hood up, and I'm not in a very good spot. And the woman behind me is the most cheery person from Dallas I've ever heard in my life. And she goes, you know, you kind of look like. like that girl who hosted the draft.

What did you say? And I just smiled and at that point I had like my retainers in. It was like a, like, thanks. That's right. There was Thursday night especially when all the world's watching the draft. It was attack of the 50 foot, five foot woman. Yeah. Connie Fox on this giant screen in Dallas the whole time.

You were like a star of the draft. It was almost better than being on the. actual broadcast because, you know, Daniel Jeremiah was tiny in comparison to the Colleen Wolf image that was right above his head on national. Yeah, well, I made sure that that, you know, when they blocked all of the cameras, that my face would make it into every camera shot,

no matter who was talking. Only slightly Machiavellian by you. Right. It's like you guys are very family friendly here. So Connie Fox is with us back from Dallas. Not quite a debutante, but maybe you go down there again, you hang out with Jane Slater again.

You're heading there. Jane Slater's Instagram feed is basically a nonstop party. I feel like you could end up getting sucked into that culture. Just one more trip maybe. I don't know. We'll have to see. Maybe. Exciting.

Exciting times. Yes. Around the AFC in 48 minutes, this is what we like to do right after the draft. So free agency in the rear view, the draft now in the rear view. Let's get a good, up close look at each of the 32 teams in the league. We start with the American Football Conference. Three minutes. Lindsay, fall time behind the glass,

this is a very important show for you because you are in charge of the timer. Three minutes, and we have to stick to it. Three minutes max for each team. I'll give you guys some warnings as we move along. That's important. So we're going to go through every team. This year, mixing it up a little bit.

Keep everybody on the toes. I like that. Sometimes I go by division in the past. This year, alphabetical order. Isn't this Andy Reid's song? Very close. That's next level, Dan. Next level crowd confusion you're creating there.

Alphabetical order. Alphabetical order. Three minutes a team. Each of us will take our turn. We'll go through it three times with Mark. You were the lucky man. You got a fourth team. So we're excited for what you have to say.

You're excited about it sounds like, or by the looks of it. Yeah, I mean, the division of labor. A little bit annoying, but that's fine. A little bit. and each of us will be responsible for starting the conversation on the team that they are assigned. So, without further ado, you guys ready for this? So much pressure.

All right, let's go. Mark Sessler, get us going with the Baltimore Ravens. All right, when the Ravens win the Super Bowl, two years from now with Lamar Jackson tearing up the NFL, will the Baltimore franchise be polite and timely enough to hand Ozzie Newsom an honorary ring for what he did during this year's draft? Will they buy Ozzy, a fleet of luxury cars, a string of self-driving motorboats,

and 200 robot servants after it is deemed that Newsom found the best quarterback in the draft to replace a back-addled slow-as maple syrup oozing out of a tree, Joe Flacco. Let me ask it another way. Did any team do more this off-season to upset the apple cart in their own division? Wow, I feel like I didn't prepare for this.

No, no one else did. Well, this is supposed to focus on the Ravens, though. This is all about the Ravens. But you're asking us what other teams upset the Apple Card. Well, all right. Yes, they will give him a ring. From a Ravens angle, I feel like the Ravens maybe blew up the AFC North a little bit with what they accomplished this off season, where they came out of last year as one of the more milk toast operations around.

I think as much as I am looking forward to seeing Lamar Jackson play and Joe Flacco is a huge injury risk. They've given Joe Flacco a better chance to succeed this year and hold off Lamar Jackson. so that Lamar Jackson is really about the future. Not only, you know, do they get Jackson, but they get a first round tight end, they get a third round tight end, and Mark Andrews, who a lot of people like. They add, we've talked about all the receivers,

and they have some continuity on their defense and on their offensive line. It's a good chance, at least, for Harbaugh and Flacco to save their jobs. As excited as I am about Lamar Jackson, I think Flacco and Harbaugh have a decent chance to get to the playoffs. Yeah, I love what the Bucks and Bears have done,

but I don't think anyone's hit a better offseason and the Ravens. I think totally different about this team now. The defense and special teams were among the best in the NFL for 75% of last season until Jimmy Smith got injured. It's the offense that needed work and the offense got work. A ton of work. I love what they've done on offense. Yeah, I feel like tight end has been such an issue for them for so long. And so to finally have a nice first round pick there. And also with Lamar Jackson, look at their offensive coordinator, Marty Morningweg. When he was in Philadelphia,

he was there with Michael Vick. and he put together a ton of stuff for him to really showcase him. And I think when you're looking at Lamar Jackson and the skill set, he'll do the same with him. Is John Harbaugh, who a lot of people, you heard it a lot, came very close to getting fired after the season, is he potentially, if this team turns it around, is he like the head coach version of Les Need,

who was the guy on the ropes in L.A. And then all of a sudden, things got on track very quickly, and now Les has never been in better position. Maybe John Harbaugh and the Ravens are in still going to be. in a long-term marriage. He has a better chance, but it's tricky. You have Jackson there. You're going to have to balance trying to win this year with Flacco.

And Flacco, you know, not just hurt last year. It wasn't good. So can you win with it? A defense last year was so good. They led the league in takeaways. That'll help them. Some people say Flacco ain't no fluke. Some people say that pick was really DeCosta's pick for DeCosta's future.

How about that theory? I like that. I don't like that theory at all. Wes, the Buffalo Bills. Prior to the draft, General Manager Brandon Bean, admitted to our Adidi Kinkabwala that the bills are indeed rebuilding and have not yet arrived

despite their playoff appearance. They had a pretty nice draft. They pick up Josh Allen, Tremaine Edwards, Harrison Phillips. How long until they can, you know, let's tell the Buffalo Bills fans because they probably think they're ready to compete right now.

How long in your sober-minded view as a non-bills fan? Colleen's close. Do they have to wait before they can make a legitimate run at the Patriots for the division title. I feel like that is as much to do with the Patriots as it does the bills and what happens with Tom Brady and New England over the next couple seasons. That said, when you see a team successfully turning around under a coach GM pairing, a lot of people say it needs to really show its earmarks by year two and absolutely by year

three. If they aren't a playoff team by next season, one that we can count on, I will say this, that they don't look back on last year and over credit the roster and the team. team for what they have says a lot about that organization. I think they were not, we didn't view them as a real playoff team. They kind of backed in and they have a lot of work to do as many needs as any team out there. What do you think their quarterback situation is going to be because they do have this raw, unpolished talent, a quarterback. And A.J. McCarran is the guy they signed, but who loves A.J. McCarran. Is he going to be their starter for most of the season?

I think it's a downgrade from Tyrod Taylor and a pretty significant downgrade. I never thought Tyrod Taylor was the answer. To both of them. And you're one of Allen and, yes. I do think that. But I think that McCarron, I mean, we know that the Bengals never came close to thinking about replacing Andy Dalton with A.J. McCarran. Well, Marvin Lewis is an idiot. Tells me everything I need to know about A.J. McCarran. It's a brand new offense in Buffalo, too, which has gotten a little overshadowed. They fired their coordinator.

They're bringing Brian Dable from Alabama. You got to think McCarran had a good draft because if you were going to get paired with one of these rookie quarterbacks, I think it's fair to argue that Allen is the most raw and is going to give McCarran. a chance to actually start a bunch of games. The pastcasters make me really nervous there, but I love what they've done on defense in the offseason bringing in Vante Davis, Star Latulet, Trent Murphy. I think that's going to be really good with Sean McDermott.

But, I mean, if you have Josh Allen in there, who's surrounding him to help him? I mean, yeah, you have LaShawn McCoy, but otherwise, who you throw in the ball to? A bad offensive line, too. This will be one of the worst offenses in the NFL this year. It depends what you mean by contending. I don't see why they can't be a 9-10 win team

if everything fell right for them. this year because McDermott's a good defensive coach if everything fell right. Congratulations, your upside is 500. But that, if you have a young franchise quarterback in the building and you go 8 and 8, you're going to, that's fine. I feel like that's a victory if they have a 500 season, even though they made the playoffs last year.

I think we're going to see Josh Allen for at least six games. Yeah, I think we're going to see Nate Piederman for a few games too. Ooh, not giving up a Peterman. No, it's more about what A.J. McCarran is than what Nate Pinerman is. Connie Fox, the Cincinnati Bengals. All right. So the Bengals last year they had one of the worst offensive lines. I mean, it was such a tragedy to watch. And now this year, they brought in, they traded for Cordy Glenn.

I like that they drafted Billy Penn. Billy Price. Or Billy Penn. Billy Price. But that whole right side of the line still has issues. They don't know who their right tackle is going to be. That's the second year. So I just don't know with will the offensive lines.

there in Cincinnati be the biggest problem again for this team? Did they do enough to sort of help the Bengals in that department? That's a fair question. I think they're going to be light years ahead of where they were last year, but they still have more room to grow. I mean, last year's line was just atrocious, and it's hard to believe that they agreed to enter a season knowing that their line was that atrocious.

But this year they've at least attempted to fix it. I think they'll be quite a bit better. They're similar, not every year, because obviously there's changes, but they're always counting on their players on their own team to just get better. And that's kind of their M.O. And they've been in a little bit of a down cycle. And if you're Marvin Lewis, I think maybe you convince Mike Brown that this team, Joe Mixen, for instance, and some other players,

that they're ready to take a step up, the guys that are there because they don't play their rookies that much, usually. Usually they sit their rookies for a year. What is Marvin Lewis, what is his status with the Cincinnati Bengals after what was really a crazy turn of events entirely unchanged. He will continue to exist on one and two-year contracts until like the post-revolution America. But he could certainly get fired.

But is he on the hot seat? Or is he now given two more years where he doesn't have to worry about it? If he bombs, if he has another six and ten, he's gone. Come on, I would think. You rarely see coaches on the hot seat in the NFL who have as much say in personnel moves as Marvin Lewis does. It's weird that he would be on a hot seat and yet his coaching staff is the one making the draft picks in concert.

with Duke Tobin, but his coaching staff does as much homework on the draft picks as any in the league. I mean, Mike Brown almost admitted that the way that season ended was what got Marvin Lewis hired again. Those last weeks made a big difference for him. There have been at least five off seasons where they could have decisively

moved on from Marvin Lewis and the entire experience, and I don't, I just don't see it happening unless Brown thinks I'm going to go basically get John Harbaugh. If they want to fire John Harbaugh and Baltimore, we'll take someone else. But it's like He's going to have to be so convinced of a candidate better than Marvin Lewis

because the Bengals, to me, as much as you want to, they had a nice draft, and you feel like it's going to be the Joe Mixen show. You're going to get John Ross back. That helps. But at the same time, I look at the Bengals, and it's like, have a nice eight-and-eight season. Yeah, that's sort of how I feel about them, too. I mean, they really struggled to run the ball. Joe Mixon, he was only at, like, 3.5 yards per carry last year.

And all that stems from the offensive line, too. What about the John Ross wipeout season last year? Tyler Eifred's healthy, but is there... They got players that are... It's not a bad roster. I don't mind Tyler Croft for that matter. It's not a ton of a room for improvement. The Cleveland Browns, one year ago in this very exercise,

Mark Sessler said this about his Cleveland Browns. I get it. You do all sort of charity work. Stand up. Be braggy. Be, be, you know. It's absurd. They responded.

They responded. responded to the Quiet Storm's fighting words by pooping out in 0-16. But this is a new day. Trades, free agent spending spree, a new GM, he's a cowboy, a sexy draft class, and the number one overall pick, Baker Mayfield, with Tyrod Taylor, presumably behind center this season. That's what we're being told. Is this the year that the Browns finally get their respect back?

Or do they have a head coach in place that will make it a situation where they have to wait to get him out of the building until that can happen. How big a problem is Hugh right now? They're so talented that I don't think that Hugh or Haley or Greg Williams can blow it. Because here's why. If they win five games, everyone's going to be cool with that. I really believe that. And I feel like that should be the floor for this team.

Four in a terrible worst case scenario or five, because that should mostly be a worst case scenario. Four in a terrible worst case scenario for the Browns. For most teams, but this is a talented normal team. and I just think it's going to be hard not to win five games. And I think people will be kind of happy with five games, and there is upside to do better. I think it depends what type of five wins those would be. Dan and West not buying me.

No, I did listen to what we, I listened to last years around the AFC just to see how insanely off we were on some things. Overall is a group, not too bad. Some things were remarkably dumb. But what I said about the Browns was embarrassing because it's the same thing I say every off season in early May. and it's you're imbued with this optimism coming off of eight players

that, you know, not as a major college football watcher. They all seem great to me, and everything they've done seems great. But the one thing that I think sticks two years, three years in a row, they should have won more games two seasons ago. They could have won more games last year, I think, with a better coaching staff. And so if you start one in seven, they're going to have to overhaul everything from the coaching side. It is all, there's no, there is so much pressure on this coaching staff.

They have talent. year in the same exercise my question was without the quarterback in place why should we think they'll be any better than one in 15 but they actually have now a quarterback they haven't had any quarterbacks and they have two we don't know anything about baker mayfield but plenty of possibility with him but they have in tyrod taylor west a guy that can get in there and win some games this is not crazy to think six and ten seven and nine right yeah this is the other half in my tie rod taylor opinion he's much better than a j mccaron but he's just good enough to get benched every single year. He's going to get benched because it happens every year. He leaves a lot of things on the field

that drives coaches crazy. And one thing we've seen in the fallout of this draft is that most of the NFL had a very high opinion of Baker Mayton. I was really surprised with the Denzel Ward pick, by the way. I thought for sure they were going to go Bradley Chubb, but I guess that just shows how much they really like Emmanuel Ogba there. Greg, the Denver Broncos. You know, John Elway get songs written about him and he's very confident that he gets his man. Well, he hasn't had a good draft in about seven years since about 2011. One of the worst drafters in the NFL. But looking at this draft, getting lucky that Bradley Chub fell to him at five,

everything we hear about Cortland Sutton, the second round pick, did Johnny Boy finally get a double, let's say, in the draft and do enough to get the Broncos right back in the mix? I think he did. I really like the Broncos draft. The biggest question mark on the team is the quarterback. And a lot of that, as we've seen the past couple of years since Peyton Manning retires, do you have the running game and offensive line to support a borderline NFL starting quarterback?

The last two years, the answer has been a definitive no. And I'm not sure what's changed now. But I like what he did in the draft. It just might take a year or two before that offensive line and ground attack are good enough to support. They didn't really add anyone on the line. So they're basically, you know, they added Jared Valdeer, who was a problem for the Cardinals last year, and otherwise they're kind of hoping that the guys that were there are better.

One question about Case Keenum, because in this room, by the end of the season, we were saying Case Keenum is not a fluke. This guy all year has played like a true, you know, top 15 quarterback. Are we now downgrading? Because there are some weapons in Denver as well that he can do some damage with. I think it's because he's 30 years old. Which is not old at all. No, but outside of last year's stunning season on a Vikings' offense that really did not have a major weakness,

even when they suffered injury, that he thrived in that offense. But it's fair to look at the other body of work that he's produced and say, will he go do it again in a completely new system with a new team with the issues that Greg just mentioned? I think one of the things we've learned over the years, and we all ought to know it by now, is that outside of 10 or 12 quarterbacks in the NFL, every single quarterback must be surrounded by a strong running game offensive line, play caller, all that. So much depends on that. And when I look at the Broncos, that's their weakness.

They don't have that support system that the Vikings had. That's a problem. On defense, though, this is the team that got Bradley Chubb. And when you have him and Von Miller in there, that is like, that reminds me of how the Broncos used to be and how they really used to get after the quarter of back. It's also a defense that needed a shot in the arm because they haven't been as good since their Super Bowl year, which was a very high ball. Turnovers killed that defense last year. They were, like, suddenly defending an offense that picked the ball off, and they have 15 yards to go for a touchdown every week.

He hasn't hit on picks, so they've gotten thinner. But Derek Wolf, Von Miller, Shaq Barrett, you got Shane Ray as maybe your fourth, you know, pass rusher. If you can have one of the better pass rushes in the league, then you got a chance. That'd be other thoughts. Let's move on. Next up, back to Mark Sessler. the Houston, Texas. I deduced that was coming to me

because there's no team in the AFC whose city name begins with E. So I knew that H was coming around the mountain there. Anyways, I realized that the Texans They didn't pick... There we go. They didn't pick until the third round.

So I feel like they kind of just got forgotten this weekend. And they really did. But at the same time, I like to pack in why that didn't happen because they got to Sean Watson last year. And I still look at a team that they're biggest issue was that offensive line, and they did a lot in free agency to shore up that line with versatile guys. They can move around. They got someone in the third round as well.

Martinez ranking a Dan Hanses prospect along the line. So you're now given to Sean Watson, who had this insane five-week stretch where they averaged 35 points a game under him, and then the whole thing went away. Why can the Texans not be an AFC title game team? Because I think last year they were one of the weird teams that could have beat New England in the playoffs. They haven't changed that much except for improving the line. Why is the concentration? What on earth is happening? Two things.

It's around the AFC. One, is the offensive line actually improved? Because the guys they brought in are rejects from other teams. They're guys nobody else wanted and they're not that impressive to me. So the offensive line is the first question I have in a second one. Can JJ Watt stay healthy? That's a real question now.

Well, they were flaming teams without J.J. Watt last year. That's all I'd say on offense. Like if you're scoring, they scored 57 points against the Titans. Easy to forget that kind of a game. That was eye-opening what Watson did, and it's very exciting to think what he could do in 16 games. But the Watt thing, and you don't want it to turn into one of these what-ifs because there's nothing worse than when there's a real, like, all-time type star

that you get to see it for five years and then it just disappears due to injuries. And now it's fair to ask. Last year you could still stay positive and be like, all right, he's finally over it. but now is Watt ever going to be Watt again? And I thought Jadaveni and Clowney took another step next year. But he still isn't maybe the superstar that they thought he was going to be. There is room for growth on that defense. I love what they've done with the secondary, though.

When you bring in Tyron Matthew and Aaron Colvin and then you draft Justin Reed. I mean, they're secondary. When they had A.J. Bouillet there, it was great. And then when he was gone, that was a major weakness for them last year. So I think that that's really improved over the off season. I can't tell if I think they're going to, they're a candidate to be. 4 and 12 or 12 and 4. Like, they could be either way.

Because their problems are pronounced. They kind of look like a top-heavy roster with some stars, but then some big issues and maybe not great depth. But O'Brien's always been able to figure it out. And if Deshaun Watson is half as good as he looked. Would that include teams, like, with the sample size that you got from Deshawn Watson, the teams have used time to have an antidote to what he... I think it's fair to not expect Deshawn Watson, you know,

to not light up the league quite as much as he can. Because it would be insane if he did. Four and 12 would be maybe a Vince Young-esque downturn. Chris Wessling, the Indianapolis Colts. After their draft and free agency. Like how calm Wes comes in. Very under control. Go ahead, Wes.

Start playing that music under him, see what happens. Put that Mr. Rogers sweater on and he's in complete control. Give him the three minutes. Give him three more minutes. Go ahead, Wes. Well, with Andrew Luck. It's all yours. Talk for three straight minutes.

With Andrew Luck returning to health, starting guards in each of the first two rounds, some interesting running backs and wide receivers late in the draft. It's easy for me to believe the Colts will have one of the most improved offenses in the league. But the other side of the ball, is there any defense in the NFL worse than Indianapolis Colts? Yikes. Problematic.

You cannot expect rookies to come in and all of them to be hits. In fact, most rookies are competitive liabilities in their first year, and they're going to be playing a lot of rookies. the secondary i can't even make a depth chart out of their secondary and they need guys that they took last part of it is last year's you know draft class malick hooker quincy wilson that those guys need to be they're ballard's guys that they need to step up and matter what's your favorite type of frog

yeah i mean you look at their almost every position group and it's who are your blue chip like five star players that you're anchoring and the last four or five teams you talk about j jay watt von miller rookies that are coming in that are game changers. And with the cults, they had so much to do, so much to accomplish. They've got Jabal Sheard. You know what they need? They need like a Saints-like draft because they took this Darius Leonard, the outside

linebacker round two. They took Kimoko Toure at Rutgers and then another defensive end 12 picks later. So they are, obviously, they see what you see, and they just need to hope that they're scouting. They had four second round picks. That's unheard of. Four second round picks. Literally unheard of.

Back to back. I've never heard of it. I love point in Nelson, though, for them. Like, that's a, that's perfect. It's, that's the best guy that they could have gotten in the first round for that offensive line. Dan, are you jealous that Chris Ballard this week invited reporters down into their lab to watch film with him so that they could understand why they drafted who they drafted? I like that little pullback of the current.

Chris Ballard outreach. A departure from most of the story. I'm scared. NFL personnel around the league who think that everyone's trying to get their secrets. Wait, but why would I have an issue with that? I don't know. Just because you're a big Ballard fan?

You just want that quality time. I don't know. Other people are getting Ballard quality time? I didn't quite make sense. Yeah, but it's good that I didn't know that Nug that's a good Nug. A little BQT.

BQT, big time in a big spot. I just hope Andrew Luxe playing for the cults. Come on, buddy. That's a major question. Stretch it out, baby. That's their blue chip talent. And they drafted, like, guards high, and so in theory that helps out their running game

but their running game is either Marlon Mac or two third day guys that they drafted this year or it works or the awakening Kristen Michael who re-signed with the car. Don't pull us back into this dark corner. Don't pull us back here. I love it. All right. Next, Tiny box.

Tiny box is on the clock here. All right. So I like what they did in the draft. When I looked at these wider. receivers before the draft, I mean, letting go of Alan Robinson and Alan Hearns, it was a mess. And it still is a little questionable. They drafted DJ Chark, who's a really explosive wide receiver. But beyond that, they have Dante Moncrief, Marquisley, Rashad Green. It's not a great group of pass catchers. I do really like what they did at defensive tackle, Tave and Brian,

so they kind of are doing what the Eagles did last year. They have a ton of depth there and they can rotate guys in. But really, how much do you guys trust the Jags can continue to climb in the AFC with Blake Bortles and this group of pass catchers? Outside of the most important position in professional sports, their roster is better than anyone else in the NFL. Right. That's why the Lamar Jackson thing was so scary.

Here's a thing, though, is their offense that is, is it great at all? Fournette, I still think the book is out on how much of a difference maker he's going to be. and then the rest of the offense... He already was a difference maker. I guess... Like, literally was a difference maker. I want to see... First of all, they had their best games of the year without him.

I think that was a coincidence, but it's just a fact. I think he has to prove to me that he's in that sort of upper echelon of running backs, like the Todd Gurley that type. I don't know if he's there. Like, I watching him game after him, I don't know if he's there. And the rest of the offense, not just Bordles,

eh, Colleen mentioned it. Well, I like that they went out and got Andrew Norwell at level. guard. We saw the Titans last year. Who would have thought, oh, the Titans are going to completely lose this identity that under John Robinson, we thought, was such a nice change in Tennessee for once. There's something to latch on to. It vanished entirely. I don't think the Jaguars do because their defense is up and down, a completely badass team that is I don't see a regression on defense. Now, I'll listen to this a year from now. I'm probably

laughing myself. But I still think that they can run the ball. They still have a good offensive line. And I don't doubt, Fournette, the way that you do in terms of like being a true difference. I don't doubt him. I just think he hasn't shown that next level of like this is a guy you build an offense run. He's shown he's a solid starting running back and he does some things. Here's what their moves, including the way they played in the playoffs, show me that Blake

Bortle's psyche is so fragile he can't possibly face competition or even a high-quality backup on that roster. And that's how you end up with Cody Kessler. Now, if times get tough. If times get tough in that organization and they are, you know, four in six or four and five and the quarterback is what's killing him, Cody Kessler, that's the guy? That's the problem. To answer your question, I'm not confident that they can take the next step because I think it's one of the hardest things in the NFL to do to be a top five team more than one year in a row. And it's easier if you're good on offense.

I always think it's easier. That's fair, no. All right. It's halftime. Oh, yeah. Ooh, already? And now another edition of keeping up a bow ringer. You remember Mowryt's bow ranger.

You remember Moby's bo-Boh. He came into the draft in 2016 with the Vikings. Didn't make it with the team a roster limit casualty before the 2016 season kicked off. You thought Mobo was gone? you're wrong, baby, because the former sixth round pick of the Vikings signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was added to their roster via the league's international player pathway program. The team announced as part of the program for teams, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. That's the AFC North.

Interesting. We'll each carry a player from the program until the end of training camp. And that was another addition. Yet not beyond keeping up with both. we're just assuming that these people don't make the team. Well, if they're not, yeah. I'm assuming that Maritz Bonringer, who we never heard a peep out in Minnesota,

will not make the Bengals. You know how sometimes you have to kind of like explain like a, I try to tell you to explain a reference for the listener. That's the first one I needed to explain to me. It's been so long since we have. Was that you two that was playing? Kind of. Kansas City Chiefs, it's German music.

The Kansas City Chiefs, the splashy focus of this offseason for Casey is centered around the trade of Alex Smith and the rise of Patrick Mahomis. But the real question facing this team is whether their defense is worth a damn. Certainly didn't look that way in the playoff loss of the Titans where they couldn't get a stop in the second half. My God, what a disgrace. Casey invested their first five draft picks on the defensive side of the ball last week. But will this unit actually be any better?

Trading Marcus Peters away probably won't help. I don't trust her secondary at all. No, I don't think their defense is going to be better. On paper, there's not much reason to think it's much better other than they just got rid of some old aging, slower guys who are maybe being held on a little too long because of their names. It's a smart thing to do. I don't think bringing in David Amerson as a starter

is going to make your secondary better. They played Anthony. They paid Anthony Hitchens a ton of money. One of the most surprising contracts in the league I thought this off season because they think he's going to be a pretty big difference. They believe in Reggie. Raglin is a guy that can make a difference. DeFord could be healthier.

So do I. I agree with that. Kendall Fuller is a good pickup. I mean, people, you know, he's one of the better slot cornerbacks in the league. They should be better because I don't think it's going to be hard for them to be much worse than they were. But that's, I mean, they need to be better than a little better. Yeah, I don't think adding a slot corner is the solution to replacing Marcus Peters.

The team could still be a lot of fun. I think they could still. Well, they also get Eric Barry, you know. They get Eric Barry back a year older and coming off a. serious injury, but you don't doubt a guy like that. But their offense is going to be exciting. They're going to score points if Mahomes is good. There is.

I don't, you know, cheese fans out there, I'm not wishing this upon you, but there is a dark scenario where all the assumptions that Mahomes are going to step in immediately and be a full-hole level quarterback. If there's growing pains or, God forbid, he's not actually that good, then they might actually be a bad team.

They could really take a big step back this year. I like pairing a rookie quarterback with Karim Hunt better than some of the other rookie cornerbacks out there. And, you know, you went out, you got Sammy Watkins. You still have a lot of speed. You have Tyreek Hill. I feel like they prioritized putting stuff around Patrick Mahomes to help him succeed.

But unquestionably, it's a variable. We've seen one game and was a promising game. And they love him, but it's like you've got to see it. We've seen 20 years of Andy Reid, and what he's done, especially in Kansas City. That's kind of why. I don't doubt it. I'm just saying we shouldn't assume it. Yeah.

No, it's quite possible that there'll be much more exciting to watch and much less effective in the one loss column. Yeah, it could be a really explosive offense. It's really interesting to think about Sammy Watkins as that downfield threat but also like, I mean, it's not just the secondary as you mentioned

in terms of the defense. That run defense was a major problem last year. That's what got them killed in the playoffs. They could not get a stop against a Tennessee offense that was not blowing people's doors off last year. How about my guy, Brett B. Reggie McKenzie's son. Six it to Reggie McKenzie.

Now he's your guy. Greg, you boys, the Los Angeles Super Chargers. Yeah. Well, after, you know, Tom Telesco had another excellent draft, Derwin James falling to him, a lot of people who, you know, look, I don't know, but people who know better. Being Brett Vee. Love Uchena Nuwasu, their second round pick.

And it got me thinking this was a defense heavy draft. Uchena Nuwasu? That's correct, actually. Which is better, because they're both, they're pretty stacked on both sides. Which is better, the Chargers' offense or the defense? That is when you're feeling good about a team, and that's the question. This might be a defense-first type of team now.

What is more amazing their offense or their defense? That's my question. First of all, great question. Now, Wes's turn. Thank you. Great question. It's a tie. This team is absolutely loaded.

They remind me of the Jaguars where everyone said, hey, I'm not going to believe in the Jaguars, even though that December before they showed they're one of the best teams in the league. The Chargers showed us they're one of the best teams in the league down the stretch. And I think they're ready to take that jump. The personnel is, is, it's almost unmatched. I mean, I would take the defense because the strength of this team is the best pass rush in the NFL, with Bosa and Ingram as the two pass rushers.

Now you add Nuwosu. And the offensive line, to me, still has some question marks that the running game never found itself last year. Fair. The offensive line, a lot of that sack total, which is one of the best in the league, is because Philip Rivers is a genius before the snap and he gets rid of the ball quickly. I think the defense is legitimately like a top 3D. River stat you had in comparison to another quarterback. Oh, Paxton Lynch got sacked.

He's been sacked 18 times in his career on 128 attempts. Phil Rivers got sacked 18 times last year and nearly 600 attempts. Oh, my God. I mean, you've got Caleb Sturgis in there at this point. Listen, here's the thing. You're not going to start the year 0 and 4. And the one thing that kind of gets forgotten is that there was a kind of a mid-season game against the Patriots where the Chargers gave the Patriots

a run for the money, and you're going to go four and O more likely than O and four. Since 2010, 9 and 7, 8, 8, 7, 9 and 7, 9 and 7, 24, 5. Just Bradley, that again. I'm just saying. You could say the same thing about the Jaguars before last year, too. I can't believe Derwin James fell to 17. Next. That's shocking.

Mark Sessler. Was that the three minutes? We could go on and on about the charges. Around the Chargers podcast coming up on Saturday night. The Miami Dolphins, Mark Sessler. All right, someone saw this Nancy Drew level. mystery for me. Who are the Miami Dolphins? What is

the plan here? What is the identity? When will this become evident to anyone living on earth? Too bad, Lindsay. Nice try with the music. Question over. He got you. What's their identity? Help me out. I came out of the draft even ultra frustrated with the

dolphins. I got nothing for it. I mean... I don't know what their identity is. I don't know what the plan is. He was a head coach. He told us. I feel like he couldn't have broadcast that to us more strongly, and he didn't want to. I mean, I guess what was the draft going to do to change it unless they took a quarterback? Because they took McIntych, who is kind of what they could use is a versatile guy that they can move around in their secondary. They drafted Mike Gassiki, which is about as exciting athletically at tight end, a huge position of need.

So they did add guys that you can, you know, positions in need it. They didn't address their biggest problem on defense. They didn't even, they never replaced in Dama Kinsu. That's the one thing that they were. really needed to do. You let the other two, you know, low-level, wanting teams in your division go out and at least try on quarterbacks while you did nothing. And I get the belief in Ryan Tannahill, but, I mean, we've seen Ryan Tannahill. Well, I don't, I can't kill him for that. Like, they think they like Ryan Tannahill. They have so many other issues to worry about

if they believe in Tannohill for now. If they stink like everybody seems to think they're going to stink, I don't think they're going to stink. I don't know about stinking. Somewhere between six and eight wins. Well, that's the thing. They're trying to keep their jobs from Gase to their defensive coordinator as a new guy, you know, Matt Burke to the front office. Like, all of them are just trying to make it to 2019 on some level. I'm just struggling to find a more flavorless team that did very little to give us any indication of what their flavor is. They, yeah, I mean, they lose Jarvis Landry, obviously.

They got Danny Amandola. I don't know if that's getting any. Exciting. Key minus one minute. There was a little. I like Ken and Drake. A lot. Yeah, I mean, if you want to, maybe he's the focal point of that offense and Tannahill comes back and he's efficient and accurate and the best version of Brian Tannahill.

I love how hard you're trying to balance it. I know I don't like the dolphins. No, you're doing a great job. I admire that. But even when we said when you threw out like about them possibly thinking everyone was quickly like, no, we don't think they're actually going to be that bad. I don't think they're a boring middle of the road. They replace the interior of their offensive line. They're on the hamster wheel.

They are. But it's not, yeah. It's weird because it's not like the NBA where you have to bottom out. No, you don't. There is an old Parcellism, and maybe Tannahill fits this mold, that certain guys are labeled progress stoppers. You're not building towards something. They're not guys that you actually can count on.

They're just there, and that doesn't allow your organization to grow. Maybe that's Tanahill. Dolphins have to hope that's not the case. Nobody has more Parcellism than Parcells. That's true. Did I say Bill Parcells is a Parcellism? No, I just meant, like, he does have a lot of these little bond mows that people throw around. Yes, he does.

A lot of Bonn Mose. It's one of his Sessler's favorite sandwiches. No, no one's ever eating one of those again, if I can control it. Do we have any sandwiches coming this week? I mean, you know, we used to all hang out together, like, in the office during the work week. Now no one's ever together on the same page, so it's harder to have group meals. Next time we're together, I'll get sandwiches. I got a new place that has the best sandwiches in the city.

What? Yeah. Cabs? Best sandwiches in the city. The defending AFC conference champions, the New England Patriots, Chris Wessel. The AFC sometimes looks like... Wes ramping it up again. The AFC sometimes looks like the NBA's Eastern Conference.

Has any AFC team done enough to stop our annual tradition of penciling the Patriots right into the Super Bowl? Well, you know, I'd always take the field, especially in the NFL. fell. On paper, the Steelers still look great to me. They haven't done anything to get better. Right, but teams... In fact, they've gotten worse because they lost Ryan Chazier. Teams get better all the time without, like, obvious off-season moves. Tennessee Titans, I really like...

Maybe I'm getting too excited, but I like overall what they did in the draft and in general. I think the field's done enough, yes. The Steelers, are they... Maybe they haven't done anything. We just talked about Ryan Chazier. The loss of him, did they adequately address that defense? Ryan Chazier, who... There are weeks when he played.

played like the defensive player of the year. Like, that's not a small loss. He was by far their most important defensive player. Well, maybe the number one thing that other AFC teams have going for them is organizational decay from within. This from an interview Jim Gray and Tom Brady. Do you feel appreciated by them and do they have the appropriate gratitude for what you have achieved? I plead the fifth. I mean, think of it.

we are now and where we were in December that he's actually now, Tom Brady is saying, I plead the fifth when asked if he's appreciated by his own organization. Knowing that that response is going to blow up all over the place. And he quickly added he quickly added three paragraphs of how much he loves Bill Belichick,

how much he values him, and that he knows that Belichick thinks essentially not giving it up for Brady is the best thing to get it out of Brady. Right. It's called backpedaling. Why did you say, why did you open your statement with that very bizarre? comment how could you completely brush aside Tom Brady knows exactly what he's saying he went out of his way to put that out there in the public it's just because that question feels like a plant to begin with it was a planted question yeah come on that's something no of course it's absolutely something but I think ultimately the answer that he gave he was having it both ways was in the end I know that I'm going to be there he said he's going to be there for two more seasons and he knows that in the end he had to

sort of, like, add that other part of it because he knows he's going to be playing there. When I look at the Patriots, I'm not really concerned about any of this off-field stuff. I'm more concerned that they've had an incredible amount of turnover this off-season. Their roster is as different as almost any AFC team in the league. Maybe that'll work out. Maybe it won't. But they have a ton of new starters on both sides of the ball. I just think from that Seth Wickersham article till now, between what Granc and what Brady are now saying, out in public.

It just shows you that this is a real thing under that continues to haunt this organization. Belichick can coach Brady as hard as he wants. He doesn't need to have sources going to set with the gym and throwing Brady under the bus saying that he's not playing well. This is Brady's response. Connie Fox, the New York football Jets. How about those Jets? You excited about them?

That's my question. So, yeah, they finally get Sam Darnold. Your whole thing worked out, scamming for Sam. But my whole thing is even if Sam Darnold doesn't start right away because they have Josh McCown there, they have like 75 quarterbacks on the roster, even if he doesn't start right away, do they have enough there to surround him to succeed? I mean, you talk about that offensive line was a problem last year. I know they brought in a couple guys, but is that

enough? They, the pass catchers there, the tight ends, Austin Safarian Jenkins is gone. I mean, the tight ends they have on the roster right now have barely caught any passes in a game, let alone played NFL snaps. Yep. So, you know, maybe Terrell prior hits, maybe Isaiah Crowell does, and that would be great for him, but I just don't know. That's to the answer, Wes. I didn't dare bring up the Jets when he said who's ready to challenge a Patriots. They're not ready yet, but they have some pieces in place, and now they have a potential franchise quarterback.

So now the rebuild is in place, and I'm hoping, as a Jet fan, what I'm hoping for this year is Donald starts 12 games, 10, 12 games, and he shows something, and they, you know, they start to look like a team that's building. towards something and doing a rebuild the right way, which they very rarely have in their history. Are they just wasting a year? Is this Mitch Trubisky with John Fox? Is this Jared Gough with Jeff Fisher? Because I don't really get into, I don't buy any sort of rebuild if you're going to have a new general manager or certainly a new coach a year from now. Do they have the patience to go four and 12, 5, and 11? Because I kind of doubt Todd Bulls feels that way. He probably feels

like I got to win eight, nine games. This is my year. And if not, I'm looking at it like, are we just you know, wasting the U.S. In defense of the Jets, they have been, if nothing else, they've been stable. I mean, they've showed a lot of patience with this regime. And we'll find out now. I feel like now we're really going to find out if this is going to pay off. I like Big Mac. This is McCagnin's plan.

Yeah, I think that on balance, I think he's doing a nice job with this team. It hasn't been easy. They haven't had a lot of results. But I think I'm really excited to see where this team goes this year because I think they can compete in the AFC. I just, I don't think you put pressure on this. group of quarterbacks, and especially Darnold in year one, so they have to get 10 wins or you blow up the organization. Because now you can build around your quarterback, what the Jets have not been able to do

outside of a couple seasons since Dan was born, essentially. Peyton Manning went three at 13 as a rookie. Things turned around quick, but it's not, you can't ask the Jets to do it all this season. This collection of talent overachieved in the games Josh McCown played last year, I think when the Jets are good again, they're going to have a whole different new group of nucleus players. I don't see nucleus players on this offense. There's no, like, big playmaker on the offense.

The defense isn't bad, by the way. Last year's draft helped this defense a lot. The defense isn't bad, and if Donald comes in and makes some plays, and they have some wide receivers and playmakers. I'm excited. I'm glad. But it's not time. Can't wait.

Next up, the Oakland Raiders. Oh, that's me. I got so excited about talking about the Jets. John Gruden has been a busy man since returning to the Raiders. They've made seven trades, nine draft picks, a host of free agent pickups. it's a fairly radical overhaul for a team that was one of the NFL's biggest disappointments last year was such an overhaul truly necessary.

Do we think the Raiders will actually be any better than last year's disappointing finish? All I'd say is that a lot of people came out of last year it's not like players and others unhappy with that coaching staff and a lot of fingers being pointed at how the coaching staff handled that season. So I guess in theory you've just put $10 in a multi-bushabre, billion dollar bet down on the fact that John Gruden is the best possible coach you could have gotten. If that's the case, how could you be worse? You better be better, even though I don't like

what they've done this offseason particularly much at all. Well, not just offensively in terms of Gruden. That's, to me, an X factor. Like, how much better he, like, is he going to be a difference maker as a coach? That Paul Gunther, one of the more respected defensive guys in the league is taking over for what was one of the worst defensive staffs in the league. So the coaches should be better. They should have the same players and they have many different players, but they should be better.

I'm not crazy about what they did in terms of free agency on offense signing Jordy Nelson and Doug Martin. I mean, that to me really isn't great, especially for a quarterback who's coming off a down season where he was hurt. Is this even the third best team

in their own division? Or are they clearly the fourth best? Fourth best is not the way to say it. The worst. To me, it's about, like, their offensive line was so good. good two years ago, and it was pretty good pass protecting last year, Penn, Ossemalee, Hudson, Gabe Jackson. Like, that was maybe the best offensive line in the league. If they are near that level,

then they can do a lot of things. I'm going to rephrase question for you, Wes. Do the Raiders of any AFC team have the highest ceiling to lowest floor ratio? Is it the biggest difference? I think that's a fair assessment because I could see the offense going back to the heights of 2016. and Greg's point is good about Paul Gunther. I don't see the defensive personnel that's going to make them, like, go from toward the bottom of the league to middle of the pack. They might be able to cobble a front seven together. I don't trust that secondary at all.

It could be the worst group of cornerbacks in football, and they didn't take anyone until the fourth round. I mean, go look at the Colts roster. But it's in that conversation. That's a bad conversation to be in. You don't want to be in it. In the modern NFL, when you need, like, four cornerbacks. Niners are in that mix, maybe.

Like, there are some, yeah, they don't. And it's not like their safeties are great either. I mean, we're saying Houston can go four and 12 or compete for the AFC title game, depending on who you talk to. So that's another high ceiling. To me, that is my high ceiling one. I think it could blow up, but if you agree.

I think the Bengals are like that, too. Just listening. It might be a 24. Yeah. A relic of the odds. Like the Raiders season, we ran out of things to show the fans on that segment with a solid 10 seconds to go.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the defending AFC North Champines, Greg Rosenthal. I'm going to pivot based on something our editor, David Ely, sent me during this exercise. Ben Rathesberger quoted Thursday saying the Mason-Rudoff era, it's not going to be for a while. And my question is, like, is there any quarterback you would rather be drafted behind less

than Ben Rathesberger? Right now. Um, that is not the guy I want in the room with me. Oh, just by out. If you're Mason Rudolph, his generosity to help a young quarterback. He's not in a Sam Darnold situation. I mean, are we facting in everything associated with Big Ben? Yeah.

Because his injury history would make me say as a quarterback, yeah, I kind of like that. That's interesting. Yeah, I'm with Wes on this. But you're taking sort of a Brett Farr of Aaron Rogers type angle here. I don't think, yeah. We're working under the assumption that Ben Ralthusberger, which I'm not even prepared to do, actually, is a total monster to his teammates and won't be helpful and we'll try to aggressively stunt his understudies development.

I agree with you. But the positive that gets hurt a lot. Big Ben's not worried about job security. One minute he wants to retire. The next, it's like, this is never going to happen. I'm playing forever. I don't know if he thinks about anything. Wait, Ben going on both sides of the same issue.

I'm looking at every starting quarterback here. And Greg is, you're not wrong that he's got to be high on that list, Big Ben. I don't know if Aaron Rogers is cool with his understanding. studies. I mean, Brady got Garoppolo traded. How about Tom? I was going to say Tom Brady. Almost got him killed.

They had to be talked out of it. Just a little bit of pride with some of these guys. But I think Big Ben has got to be top two, top three. It could be a good spot for Rudolph if they do play because I know you mentioned has the Steelers gotten better this off season. Yeah, maybe not, but I think it's still the best roster in the NFL overall. Don't we think one of these quarterbacks is a sneaky jerk? I don't know who is better.

West is shaking his head. No, I don't think they're doing. defense is good at all without Ryan Chazier. Yeah. They just gave up 500 yards twice in five games without him. Cameron Hayward, Stefan, to it. They should be better than they are. T.J. Watt, decent secondary.

I'm penciling them in again for 12 wins, whether or not that's good enough to get a home game against the Patriots because that will probably decide whether they get by the Patriots. My feeling on that whole rivalry has not changed, no matter the defections in New England and the loss of Ryan Chazier and whether or not we thought. they adequately replaced them. I feel like these two teams are still, it's like the old Yankee Red Sox rivalry in the aughts. You just feel like they're on a collision course again.

I wonder if anything will change with Todd Haley not there anymore, that offensive coordinator. I mean, him and Ben Rathesberger were together. Big Ben seems a lot happier, actually. Yeah, so maybe it's a good thing. Maybe it improves. Yeah, but for all of that, you know, you can make fun of Todd Haley,

they were a good offense with him calling to play. He just likes to have a good time at the bar. Don't we all? Loses his balance. I'm not casting stones on. Five, four, three, three. Sometimes he gets a little, two. Literally a little tipsy.

I've never seen you take a spill. Oh, that's about a 50% chance every time I walk out the door. Close it out. The Tennessee Titans. Actually, no, you took a real bellywop rounding second, running to third ones. I remember on the shield. Yeah, probably when the sniper got my hamstring. He got sniped.

Lee Harvey got your back of the trees. All right, the Tennessee Titans. Excuse me, the Titans. Turning over a new leaf in 2018, Marks, Susser. I am just looking at what they did with four picks in the draft, and I came out loving general manager, John Rock. I don't know what's happening. I'll just play along with it.

But what team did more with their four picks than the Titans? I feel like, Greg, you wrote a good piece where you felt like they jumped up knowing the Patriots and snag Patriots-type players ahead of New England, and they came in with very little. But I think even on top of Roshan Evans and Harold Landry, there is no chance of them re-signing Matt Castle this summer because they also took a quarterback west. Also, Matt Castle signed with the Lions.

That also helps. I mean, what's going on with this production? Your voice gets louder and you talk faster. It's such a tired bit, but you will keep at it. And I actually questioned Dan about it in the middle of the show so I know that Dan is the ringleader because look at the on his face right now. How could you put it together?

Good luck and all. All right. Just having some phone. It's a good song. I have this jet shirt that I bought for Dan. It's actually, it looks like more of a woman's shirt for maybe it's for Dan's wife going right back in the bag. bought it on the weekend with my own money oh no and you could thank lindsay for that

oh how the worm is turned with his own money with my family's money with my family's money as a gift for your family why does this why did these conversations always happen when we get to the titans is it too late to apologize work let's see i may get you at the end of the show if I'm feeling nice. The history is very rich here. The Titans deserve a little bit of bonus time, I think. I agree. Unrewarding.

All right. Let's give them two minutes. Wow. I love this. I feel like this is a Titans type of time. Titans year. Like, I'm feeling the Mike Rable. That's familiar too.

Yeah, it's a little familiar. But I'm feeling the Mike Rable of it all. I like, we've wanted their defense to have a little more difference makers, a little more fire. I think they have added that to some degree. in the draft and with Malcolm Butler and Adori Jackson, certainly last year. I like that they kept taking on. I just, I think they have a nice balance, a kind of continuity and youth and just a lot of different.

Uniform's a little better. A lot of different things that you're looking for in a young team. The secondary is going to be probably one of the best. On paper, it looks awesome. It's a big year for Marcus Marriota, isn't it? It's a huge year. And I think when I watch the Titans, the one thing they've been missing to me is playmakers, guys who command and draw double teams

or beat double teams on defense and I'm not sure if they have that or not Dionne Lewis could be one Corey Davis a guy they drafted last year and was injured most of his rookie year could be one Delaney Walker is one on defense maybe Harold Landry and Roshan Evans the guys you drafted can be those guys right now

to me when I look at their defense Drell Casey is the only guy who fits that description and maybe Malcolm Butler comes in and sets the world on fire but I do think they're much improved I just wonder if those difference makers are on the roster A little on the nose, the Patriots poach. Oh, this is like New England South. Yeah, sometimes when that happens, you just feel like it's a little bit too cute.

It doesn't work out. Yeah, it doesn't work out. Maybe this does. I mean, the moves make sense, the Patriots that they imported, but we'll see. When I went back and looked at all the drafts, I realized, like, no one's happy with their general manager's drafts, like, history. Like, there's so many more misses than hits. but John Robinson had two great drafts. He is two for two and having great drafts.

And when you start stacking those up, then you start seeing results. But it doesn't matter. General managers all draft the same, Greg. Well, he's on a hot. We don't have time to go down to the lab. All right. I'm giving you this jet shirt back because I really don't even want it. But I want you to have it.

It's very soft. I think it is a, am I wrong? It's not a shirt for me. A little snug on daddy. No, it's for Emily. It's a scoop neck top. It's for Emily. I have no evidence that she cares about the Jets at all.

And it is odd that I'm buying clothing for your wife. This is beautiful, Mark. Thank you. Where did you see it? Long Motor Avenue here in Los Angeles. There was a bin of shirts like that. And I thought, Dan's coming off a high point draft. Was this on your way back home Saturday?

No. No, this was on a Sunday. Just walking. How do you feel about the way that Dan treats your friendship? It's largely positive. Outside of some of the things. These network like arrangements, please. Mark, thank you very much.

You are very welcome. And Emily, on her behalf, she thanks you as well. I'm not convinced she's going to wear it. I've never heard her talk about the Jets. No, she's not a sports fan, but she'll wear it. A little lazy day on Sunday outfit, I like it. I really enjoyed the look on Mark's face as he was looking at the t-shirt mid-sentence and realize, wait, this is a woman's TV.

No, no, actually, no, I had. You sent me a text. Yeah, I had other people tell me. me very quickly, that's not a man's shirt. And I was like, yeah, you're probably right. We will be back on Thursday. The old Zucer is going to be out of town, but Connie Fox, you're going to be in the hosting chair. I'm going to hold it down.

And I know you're capable of it. Yep. Just don't be too good because then I'm going to get all the texts like, oh, Connie's coming for Dan's job. It's like, calm down. Take your time coming back. Yeah, take your time. Ooh, look out, Dan. Colleen's on the prowl.

It's like, all right, calm down. On the problem. Well, I am a wolf, so yeah. That's true. So, yes, this was around the AFC in 48 minutes on Thursday, around the NFC in 48 minutes. I hate to miss it. I love this, but I will listen. It won't be the same without you, Dan.

I'll do some pod grading, and I'll share them on Monday's show. Oh, I'm sure we'll be graded highly. Great. I'm going to try extra hard. Until then, this is Dan Hansa signing off for the Quiet Storm. This is distracting. The mailman, Connie Fox,

the old boss, and Lindsay Fulton behind the glass on the ones and twos. Until Thursday. Hey, everybody. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here.

And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies coaching trends and how front offices construct winning rosters we study the tape talk to decision makers and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else it's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on sundance don't miss it listen to the move the sticks podcast on

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