NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Five franchises on the rise

Episode Date: March 14, 2016

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler discuss the latest news in the NFL, including Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant’s year-long suspension and what will happen with the Colin Kaepernick situation. Then, the heroes go through more topics in another speed round before ending the show discussing five franchises on the rise.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. What's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks from Move the Sticks. Bucky, for those that haven't listened to our show, tell them what's about. Two former NFL scouts, about 20 years of experience looking at the game. from a different perspective, really digging into the personnel evaluations and also some of the team matchups.

Also going to be focusing on the draft as it gets closer. And you can check out our show on NFL.com slash podcast. You can find it on iTunes as well as YouTube on the NFL channel. Just pump in, move the sticks. The Around the NFL podcast will own you on the dance floor. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I'm joined by a room filled with Heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosethol. What's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Welcome back from the weekend. Hubba, Haba. What a weekend it was. What happened, Mark? Do anything fun? No. Next person, I did very little.

You know, on Sunday, your wife, Simone, a lovely woman. I really like Simone. Okay. She served as a family photographer for Emily, myself, and young Jack. Really? In a park in Los Angeles. Yeah, I got a sneak preview of some of the... For a monetary fee.

Some of the pictures. You know, we didn't want to take advantage of the Sesslers. So we took out the checkbook, so don't worry about that, Mark. Wasn't pushing that narrative, but... But Simone did a great job. Yeah, well, you mentioned that your child was problematic during it, so that's not easy. Well, Simone Sessler photography. It's a side business.

It's a business. Do you want to hand out the Earl right now? In a big spot? As he looks as he scrambles the final. No, I want to make sure that the end is what I think. Continue on. I'll drop it later. Anyway, so that was fun.

That was the highlight of my Sunday. Yeah, my boy, who's a very good child. And I've been very lucky that he has not been, you know, a crazy kid, but he had a rough day. He beat us this weekend. Like after he finally went to sleep last night, my wife and I looked at each other like, Wow, he won this war this weekend. We were dead. We were done.

The house was destroyed. We were exhausted. He just took us down. That's good. It's good job by Jack in a big spot. Sometimes you've got to let the parents know who's boss. You think it's too easy? I'm a kid.

You care of me. Other things that happened this weekend. I had, Wes, remember, I jokingly was asking you what you look for and what you don't look for in a woman on the previous show. And, you know, we came back, the little banter. A woman on Twitter went after me saying I was sexist. It was about Miko Grimes, of course. I blocked that woman with impunity.

And guess what? Guess who retweeted and favored the tweet at me that I was a sexist monster? Miko Gras. I'm dead. I thought it was really weird that this woman found Miko Grimes to be the sympathetic figure here. I don't know. Any upshot of you? Everything about it was off.

But the fact that now I'm on Miko's grid, less than 24 hours after I said the one person I never want to be like, I don't want to be in the crosshairs. Keep your name out. You know, don't talk about her. Are you going to do it? Is that your line again? That's the first rule of Miko. You and Jason Locke and Perrick? That's the first rule of Miko.

You want to stay off her radar. Don't mention, don't mention Miko's name. And Dan's defense, he did invite the young woman on to the podcast. Who, Miko? Yeah. Well, an update. I did. You're right.

But an update from last week, by the way, Armando Salgaro, the writer who is going to get both. He's still alive. Oh, not. So are you. We can add you to this update. Good, good, good. So Miko might be. after me, but I am still alive.

We have a great show today, Monday edition. This is the first week after the start of free agency. So, while maybe they're not going to be too many bombshells, well, there could be a couple with some big-name quarterbacks. Now we're going to get some real roster building. This is one you want. You want some really clear-eyed analysis, and that's what you guys bring. I consider myself blessed just to be here when you guys start just telling me about William

Hayes. and why is Casey Hayward a great fit for the charge? This is what I get excited. This is what gets me jacked up. I'm not sure I believe a word of that from Dan, but it was an excellent and professional segue. So yes, today we will get into the news. What's happened since the last time we were with you,

which was Friday. Let's bring back the speed round. If for no other reason, I'd just like to hear the music. Eight o'clock delight. Yeah, I love eight o'clock delight. And also, one other thing before we get into the news, it did come out. It broke last week that Slack had entered into a partnership with Bill Simmons, the famous podcast and former ESPN columnist now has his own website. What's it called?

The ringer. The ringer. They have entered into a business partnership with the sports guy, which was confirmed through several sources this weekend. and I spoke with someone in our upstairs, a shadowy league figure that works in the advertising realm upstairs. Say, hey, this can't fly. And this was the exact line I received. Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?

Yeah, well, you know, that's just like your opinion, man. So she's right, though. So from now on with this podcast, guys, start slacking. Don't sign up for Slack today. How about we just ignore slack? Yeah, that would seemingly be the move. Start slacking and ignore slack.

Well, that's what I just said. Yeah. Did you not hear the new slogan? No, I just mean never to put it in Greg terms. That was negative press. It might be more effective if you just say nothing. How about negative, though? How about we go after?

Negative is good press. That's like, you know. There's no press as bad press. How about to start slacken? At this point, we've essentially lifted up four or five potential sponsors with, you know, roughly 30 minutes spread over multiple episodes and add, you know, mentions. And maybe the point being we don't give anyone attention

until they come to us with money sponsors. Except for Dick Sporting. It's a shaky business plan. It's a shaky business plan continuing to mention. It's probably a shaky editorial plan too, this running Slack bit. Why? Well, I'm just saying. Why, boss?

I'm just saying Slack's had enough time. That's why I'm saying. Start Slack and don't sign up for Slack today. Unless you pay us, then it's Quetzla. Greg, get Dan in a room and explain this later. All right. My reviews coming up this week. Yeah.

Maybe then. All right. Let's get to it. Also, we're going to, West Road to Peace on the website, five franchises on the rise. We'll kind of pick into that a little bit and also share. You haven't read it. I really enjoyed it. No way.

Some of your best work. And we'll get into that. But before that, we will do the news and to do that, we've got to say hello to the Irishman. Hello, Dan. How are you, buddy? I'm actually feeling pretty good today. Oh, good, as opposed to... Just all right.

Why, actually? Like, normally we... Well, I mean, come on. I don't have a case of the Mondays today. You're feeling pretty good versus just all right. Yes. I mean, I have a huge difference. I have my new polo on, and I got about two comments on it.

I will take a close look at it. You have the white t-shirt underneath it. That's a big Emeka Rosenthal, no-no. Well, yeah, that's really for, like, a button-down. That would even be the bigger room. Yeah, you don't want to be a little. showing your undershirt. A lot of wife talk.

I agree with Emiko. I'm kind of more casual today, though. If I'm going to go dressed up, then I won't show anything. Okay. Simone, very talented, by the way. It is, by the way, the website. My concern was, I don't know if she'd wanted out there, but I guess why not?

Cessler Photography.com. Very good. Let's do some news. If it isn't legal in all 50 states, Martavis, Bryant, stay away. I do love sports yakas giving life advice on live airwaves. to a person that's almost certainly not watching or listening.

Yes, the big news of the weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers thought they were all set to have an amazing Martavis Bryant season. It's not going to happen in 2016. The NFL announced Monday that Brian has been suspended without pay for a minimum of one year for violating the league's policy on substances of abuse. Rapsheet, Ian Rappport reported over the weekend that this suspension was coming in the wake. of this development, one of Bryant's agents said that the wide receiver plans to check into a rehab, into rehab and undergo an evaluation for depression.

So here's the, and here's the statement from that agent, Brian Fettner. We're all stunned to me included. We clearly miscalculated the issue. His isn't a party issue. It's a coping issue and a depressing depression issue, and he's

got to take care of it. And it is depressing. Depressing news, Chris Wessling, about Martavis Bryant. Well, I don't want to get into the whole weed discussion. I mean, everybody's got their own opinions on that. But from a on-field perspective, I crunched some numbers yesterday because I was writing an article on how Ben Rathlisberger was set up for the first MVP run of his career, I think.

I've been saying that for years on this spot. We say every year. This is the most loaded offense in the league when Martavis Bryant's on the team. Since he got to Pittsburgh, they have scored 30 points or more in roughly 50% of the games he's played. and 25% of the games he has not played. He's that much of a difference to them. They averaged 29 points with him on the field

and 22 points with him on the sideline. Just in terms of pure talent, that's the most talented starting wide receiver duo in the league and so you lose half of that. In terms of pure talent, I think you could put Bryant now among the top 10 talented... I don't think there's any question.

Top 10 talented wide receivers in the league. And it's just a shame because we love watching that Steelers team play. They seem like they have. had it all going on going into the season. I still think they're so good that they're going to be fine even without them. They added Ladarius Green. And yet, you'll just have this feeling the whole time that you're not seeing the full

Pittsburgh experience. And that happened last year, too, with the injuries to Levyon Bell and Ben Rothlisberger. And you start to think, like, maybe this is just like a little snake bit. They have this potentially historic offense, and we may never see them all on the field together really thriving. I'm sure that breaks your heart, Mark, as a Browns fan. But it does set back the Steelers a little bit. I'm sure they're still going to score a lot of points,

but you can't take out a guy of this amount of talent. And he showed it last season. They're going to be worse off, you would think. Well, I mean, I guess the hope is that Sammy Coats can step into a larger role. I mean, I think with Green, that addition in tight end is huge. And it still feels like an offense that if Antonio Brown's healthy the whole season, they're going to fry people still. But he had, what, 17 touchdowns, Brian, over two seasons?

I mean, you can't just replace that. I mean, this is actually kind of serious, Greg. We do our Making the Leap series every year. We already did Ladarius Green a couple years ago in San Diego. But he's got a whole new setup and not to put too much pressure on Green, but now that you take Brian out of it, perhaps he has an even bigger role in the offense a second time on the making the leap list.

What do you think? We've done it before. Oh, yeah. We did someone back-to-back years once. Really? Wow. Someone was injured. That's grim.

The only reason he hasn't made the leap has nothing to. to do with himself and everything to do with the presence of Antonio Gates. I think the way he played last year, he made the leap for me personally. I think he played much better last year, Green, than he had previously in his career. It didn't all show up in the stat sheets. But what a costly moment it is, too, for Bryant. I mean, he has to give back by rule over $100,000 of his signing bonus. He doesn't get paid for the season.

I mean, granted, I'm not saying he's poor, but he's a guy that's getting paid about $500,000 a year after. He now has to figure out how to live for the next year. He's dealing with depression and substance abuse problems. Like, it's not the most simple thing for a 20, what is he, 24-year-old to handle right now. Hold on a bummer. In other news, back into the free agency market, Eric Weddle for nine years was really the heart and soul of the Chargers defense. They had a bit of a messy falling out, as we know. And now he has found a new home.

It was learned on Monday per rap sheet that Eric Weddell signing with the Baltimore Ravens, a four-year deal worth $26 million, $13 million in guarantees, $9 million in the first year. This was a three-time Pro Bowl player in San Diego, two-time first team all pro selections. So that really tells you how good this guy was Greg Rosenthal. And now he is in Baltimore. This feels like the type of situation where Weddell's going to have a bunch of good years and stick it to the charges. What do you think? Maybe not a bunch of good years because he's getting up there.

It's the perfect fit for the next two years, let's say. In a perfect team, they obviously have the history of having Ed Reed there, but you put him next to Will Hill. That's a nice little safety combination. You'd probably get rid of Kendrick Lewis. That was a bad secondary a year ago. You're hoping maybe Jimmy Smith returns to form. Ladarius Webb gets healthier.

suddenly you can just see the Ravens are certainly not thinking like they're in a rebuilding process. I mean, you signed Ben Watson and Eric Weddell. Those are not rebuilding types of moves. They're expecting to win the division again, as they should. They're definitely not in rebuild mode because any seat. What happened last year, you lose Flacco for basically the whole year, and you got Matt Schaubbin games. I mean, you've got to just wipe it away. They were done by then anyway.

They were done. Yeah, but I mean, they just, if you're the Ravens, there's no reason not to think what happened the season before can't be duplicated. I like the signing for them and it feels like a very Ravens type addition. Ozzie Newsom doesn't really, he's really choosing when it comes to free agency. He doesn't really dive all in and he usually comes away with something good. This seems to me like the defensive version of Steve Smith where you get a couple of years where he stiff arms father time and hasn't really hit his decline phase just yet. And this is a guy I think that's been waiting to be on a better organization, maybe be in the spotlight a little more. And,

I think he's going to enjoy playing for a team like the Ravens, who will be in prime time a lot. The Ravens are a team that I think will go into this season, not that team struggle for motivation, but just seems like they're going to have the eye of the tiger to prove that last year was a flu. Really, the last two years. People forget two years ago.

Wait, am I crazy? What? They've had two bad years in a row. No, they went to the play. I'm confusing the season before. The Patriots needed a pair of trick plays to beat him. Does he have to keep the overly long beard simply because it's his Twitter handle?

Can you not, you just can't shave it? He pulls it up. I believe he shaved it. I was thinking of the 8 in 8 years, so that's two out of the last three years they've been mediocre or worse. But I think he shaved it. I think it's gone, didn't he?

You said I of the Tiger earlier. Is that your turn of the phrase? Is that an original? Was that a Rosenthalish? Feels rosy. Feels rosy. Well, I believe it was a popular song back in the 70s or 80s.

80s. Really coined it. Name the artist, Wes. Hold on. It would be weird for me to take credit for it. I was just checking. Survivor. I was going to say.

I was asked you for a second. We got a podcast to APR. Dan, let me ask you a question real quick. Does Eric Weddell see what Rodney Harrison did when he left after eight years in San Diego and said, that could be me? I like that. I think Weddell probably did go down the path of Rodney Harrison. The Irishman gun in for Mount Rushmore.

So you're telling me, we aren't going to get a Steelers Super Bowl, but we're getting another Ravens. Well, while we're wildly off topic, how about Peyton Manning in his press conference goodbye where he was just listing the all-time great defensive players he played against? Only listed about seven or eight players. One of those players was Rodney Harrison.

I thought that was telling people. Rodney has been underrated historically. Give me a break. I bet we knock down that pass in Super Bowl 42 while we're there. Yeah. You also mentioned Rex Ryan, Peyton Manning. I'm sure I made Rex a very happy man. Rank number eight, Eric Weddle was on the top 99.

And Mark, they are not rebuilding. More like reloading. They are reloading. It makes me happy. We're going to do the best remaining free agents. Eric Weddell Woodrow. Oh, I love that idea. But now he's off the list.

So we don't need this top 99 drop anymore? If you having free agency. Problems out for bad for you, son. I've got 99 problems. Free agency. We just put that one in the garage until next. It's March. It's okay.

It's no longer accurate because there's only about eight out of our top 40 left, only about 40 overall out of the top. Can't say we didn't get good use out of it. Pre-agency's over. I was on Saturday and Sunday for news coverage, and they were as slow as any Saturday and Sunday in June and July. It was wild. Even by Friday.

It was done within 36 hours. Wes, what was the difference between this Saturday and Sunday in your life and last Saturday and Sunday when you were in Tybee? Multiple substances. You know, you keep on making these allusions to multiple substances. What could they be? Well, sun tan lotion. Beer, wine, and liquor.

Knowing Wes, it could be varied. Sun tan lotion. B.J. Raji is, let's just move on, you know, for your sake, Wes. B.J. Raji is set to take a hiatus from the NFL. Didn't see this one coming. The big man in the middle of the Packers of the defensive line for several years. I think he's been with them, what, seven seasons now? announced Monday that he's taking a hiatus.

Here's the, here's his statement. I am taking a hiatus from the NFL and will not play during the 2016 NFL. This decision was made after hours of conversation with close family members and mentors and considerable self-introspection. Oh, nice. And is one in which I am absolutely certain. I cannot rule out or return to the NFL in the future,

but I will definitely not be playing during the 2016 season. There you go. 29 years old. Wes, what do you think? Isn't the self-extrainius in that sentence? Introspection is already. Wow. Jots fired. Wow.

Raji taken down statement-wise. Whoever his PR rap is, let's go better. Wes now thinks he's an expert on PR. I like it. It's the guy I thought would have a much better career than he's had. He had a good career. I mean, nothing to be ashamed of that he started 14, 15 games, I think, six different times, five or six times.

But after the 2010 season, what are you laughing at over there? I'm looking ahead to the next news. Oh, okay. I'm like a point guard. The next play is when I'm looking at. The 2010 season, he was great. And you kind of thought he was going to be one of those guys that are the best players at his position for a little while. And he just was not that after that.

You got a big contract. I think he's dealing well. So he's had a lot of injuries. I wonder if we might see more players do this move. Now it's two big names in two years where he had, what, a groin injury for? a lot of last year that he played through at a torn peck that he missed all of 2014, 2014 because of get healthy,

see if you can come back. He's not that old. The tradeoff, of course, is that you're giving away perhaps the final year of your prime potentially. But that's what he's been signing one year contracts, one after the next. You're giving away the final year of your prime, but is it your prime if you're not yourself because your body's beat up? Will you be yourself

after a year away from the game? I mean, it depends with the injury. It's a game that ravages your body and if you can take a year off and come back Fresh, that makes some sense to me. Anthony Davis did it. Right. Yeah, it's, especially at that position and his size.

I remember when we were at the Super Bowl, there was kind of the discussion, like who's the most valuable, I guess we weren't there together, but who's the most valuable Packers' defensive player on that team? Is it Charles Woodson? Is it Clay Matthews or BJ Raji? That was a legitimate discussion.

That's coming off Raji's best season to think. He kind of fell off pretty hard from there. If Wes came to you, Greg, and said, I need, you know, a year off. He just had a busy weekend last weekend. I need a year off just to get my body right. What would your response be? If the NFL would support, I think it would hurt this podcast a lot, which wouldn't be good.

But if the NFL was supported, I kind of like, it's not a crazy idea. It's a call to a sabbatical. How about I would not be able to support myself. Well, that's a problem. Well, that's a problem. Well, you'd get paid to be off. How about you, Mark? Well, that's like one year, Simone, who I really like, and everyone, everyone

else close to you. Signs off on it. Greg signs off the shadow league figures and you get one half of your pay. So basically get, you know, X amount of dollars. Where would you go? This is a total. Oh, I would go multiple places. But I have a family, so I would bring them.

We'd have to probably all caravan across the country in Simone's, you know, photo adventures, but you decide you make a decision, conscious decision to have a six-week solo sojourn before I'd go to like Scandinavia why because I've never been anywhere like that like I would just get out of the United States I've been all over the states just goes somewhere

if you're going to go off the grid Norway I don't want to be like watching ESPN at a bar even I want to go you go way off the grid I never are watching ESPN at a bar I agree with you that's the last thing I want to do America's all the same feels like you just got to get

go way out all right Who knows where? Maybe Africa. Sure. Are you prepared to go to Africa? No, I mentioned where I would go, but I mean, who knows? It could be multiple places.

Just, you know, travel around. Why limit it to this planet? No, it has to be realistic. Oh, come on ways. In other news, Colin Kaepernick, let's check in on his situation. We keep on hearing that this trade is going to happen, either whether Kaepernick goes to Denver or Cleveland or somewhere else, but it's going to happen but here we go and

Kevin Patcher if you're asking why I chuckled Greg the final sentence of Patrick's lead on the most recent post on Monday we sit in an amorphous cloud of uncertainty that's where we are folks amorphous cloud of uncertainty that's where Mark wants to take his year off

NFL media columnists I feel like Sessler's writing is now infecting the rest of the group making cues from Sessler that's good Michael Silver reports that all's quiet on the Kaepernick front with the Broncos holding firm in their belief that Kaepernick is worth a fourth-round pick. There's no movement with the Browns per silver.

The Niners are, quote, chilling. Well, they can chill because it's the, it comes down to. Like chilling on their interest in a trade or like chilling? They're in the driver's seat. He's trying to say it's like Jed York and, you know, Chip Kemp, They're just hanging out on the couch watching, you know, watching some old movies. Bachelor. Half-baked.

I mean, Kaepernick's holding up this whole flow of quarterback movement. So the Niners don't need something to happen this minute. Now, he does have, doesn't some money kick in for Kaepernick soon? April 1st. So they've got to come up with their plan. The team has until April 1st before 12 million of Kaepernick's salaries guaranteed for 2016. That's ages for now. You would pick that up anyway, wouldn't?

Something about this is strange to me that the Broncos, would be willing to make him their starting quarterback and pay him all the money, but they can't move off of a fourth round pick to a third round? And they don't have a fourth round pick. Yeah, they don't even have one. But they would have to find one or use a 2017 pick or something. But if you're willing to go that far, you're willing to pay him $13 million next year. Why wouldn't you be willing to just bump it up?

That's a pretty important spot you got. That's an excellent point, Greg. We do give, like on Friday show, we gave the Jets credit for knowing the market and holding tight and waiting for it to come to them. Maybe John Elway is that confident that there's nobody else that's going to step in. Well, the Browns don't make sense to me either, that they're willing to give up a third round pick, essentially, and that's the top of the third round.

And yet they want him to take a pay cut. So they see him as a guy that would be battling to start. I think so because I know that it's March, and so everyone is ultra fascinated with Colin Kaepernick, but they already have two veterans on the roster that if you just want to, to get through a bad season with placeholders, they've got two guys under contract and you've got the number two pick. Why do we need to turn everything around for Colin Kaepernick? That's absolutely true. It's more just that they are willing to give up the draft pick in the first place.

Yeah. Not for nothing, Josh McCown outplayed Colin Kaepardner. I would agree with that. Well, the entire NFL outplayed Kaepernick. I think it's gotten forgotten that he looked just as bad as RG3 did the previous year. And RG3 people are thinking is just hands off. But Kaepernick, for especially the back half of his season last year. He was about as lost as you're going to be for a starting quarterback. Moving on, Kobe Fleener signed with the Saints and Free Agency crazy money. I think he's making more guaranteed money than Gronk right now, Kobe Fleeter. That's the world that we currently live in.

It's good to be a mid-tier player hitting free agency. That Gron contract, he signed up too early. 18 million guarantee. Well, he was coming off. Off of back surgery, I get it. He should make a stink. I get it, though. You know, you're coming off a couple back surgeries.

Team wants to buy low, and they were smart, but he is so underpaged. The entire, I just read this, Ben Violin, Vowlin. Bolin, yeah. Almost their entire defensive core will become free agents for the next season. They're going to have to start. So if you're a gronk, you've got to get to work here. What's so funny, kissing cousins? Mark's funny.

Why? Ben violin Why? What is it? What is it? Ben Bolin? Ben Bolin, Bolin.

Hilarious. I wish I was perfect as you guys are. So you're saying because they got to pay Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins and whatnot. Well, I would say before. It's not going to happen now before half the team is not going to happen. Don't we feel like with Brady and Gronk being massively underpaid? There must be like a Swiss bank account somewhere just collecting money for them the And they leave the game from the crap family.

The numbers on the Brady deal came out. It wasn't so bad for Mr. Brady. I saw that. He got a nice signing bonus. Which in the NFL, the signing bonus is every year. He's Tom Brady, but it wasn't this thing where he's now so much, you know, more underpaid than the rest of the league. So I brought up Granc because Kobe Fleener is the topic of this news item. He's signed with the Saints.

And in an introductory conference call with New Orleans, Norlands reporters said that he felt that some players on the Colts last season were along for the ride after Andrew Luck's injury. That did not sit well with Jarrell Freeman, who was with the Colts last year, the linebacker. He had this to say to W-T-H-R.com Sunday night. Fleener, he didn't have the balls. That shit pisses me off.

And he must have been looking in the mirror when he did the interview. I despise guys like that. That's what little girls do. Talk about you when you're not around. and I'm a grown man. If I see something I don't like, I'm going to have a face-to-face convo. Well, that kind of flies in the face

of some of this rhetoric when you drop convo in it with that player slash players and we are going to get an understanding. I feel like I had handed building what's over there. So he's blanking on me too. That's a blank move. Whoa. Isn't Freeman?

Drell's angry. Doing the same thing. He's talking about Kobe Fleener when Kobe Fleener's not there. Well, I think, well, that's true. but I think more the idea of your questioning guys' effort. Well, but Kobe Fleener does not feel like if you were to line up the guys on the cults that could really, you know, squawk about last season, Kobe Fleener would not be high on that list.

Why is he calling anyone out? Just go to work. I feel the exact same way. I was surprised that Kobe Fleener had the nerve to say anything. That's a fair point. And they've been, they were teammates for four years. This doesn't come out without Drell Freeman probably having some opinions on Kobe Fleener. Fleeter going into this.

This set him off, that this guy of all the guys to talk, give me a break. I earned it. I earned it undrafted out of Mary Harden Baylor. First NFL player ever out of Mary Harden Baylor. I didn't even know that exists. That's a school. Is that part of Baylor? No, I think it's.

There was a combine quarterback last year that we all fell in love with. I'm forgetting his name right now. I think he went to that school. It doesn't matter. Great woman, Mary Harden, Bay. Freeman getting $6 million less. Actually, no, sorry, 12 million less guaranteed than Kobe Fleener. Maybe that's where some of the agitation is sourced from.

Freeman also part of our speed round, spoiler alert. Belton, Texas. By the way, how long do you think we'll take the Slack comments that were made today on the show to get back to Slack headquarters and just start making waves? Well, I'd say 50 minutes after the show's up. Greg, you were right. Started as the female department of what is now Baylor University. Okay.

That makes some sense. I assume Slack has a regular meeting to discuss what we say on this podcast. Slack War. It's like the day after each one of our podcasts, they have a big company-wide. The free ad sales meeting. We ain't good enough for you, Slack? Well, take your act up the highway because we don't want you no more. Start Slacking.

Don't sign up for Slack today. Let's go to the speed round. Drell Freeman. Yes, as Mark, hit to that, signs three-year deal with the Chicago Bears, leaving the Colts. Mark, you have any other thoughts on that? I mean, him and Danny Trevath and talk about a duo. That bear's defense is going to be interesting.

Also signed Akeem Hicks. They look a little more professional. Sassy. Casey Hayward signs with the San Diego Chargers, the cornerback formerly of the Green Bay Packers, signed a three year, 15.3 million dollar deal, former second round pick. Rand Gettlin reports, Wes. Was the Packers best corner last year, if Brandon Flowers has a bounceback season,

the charges have a really nice cornerback trio there with Jason Barrett. Rams making moves. Mark Barron will remain with the team in L.A. He agrees to a five-year deal worth $45 million. According to Rapsheep, defensive end, William Hayes, also agreed on a three-year deal worth $21 million. Break it down, Sizzler. I mean, if you can just keep adding defensive linemen over and over to the Rams,

that's what you've got to do. Wasn't Mark Barron in our show like three shows ago? Yes, that was William Hayes. William Hayes. Good rotational end. Eugene Sims signed over the weekend, though. Yeah. It barely matters. The Indianapolis Colts have signed former Packers quarterback Scott Tolzeen.

Wes almost impossibly wrote 350 words on it. Tell us more, Chris. Scott Tulzine, he developed under Jim Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy from undrafted to a solid backup behind Aaron Rogers, but they have Brett Hunley who led the NFL and passer rating last year, so they're ready to make Hunley their backup. The Colts swoop in and get a quality backup. McCarthy loves them.

The Jets signed Jarvis Jenkins. Some depth there, baby. Greg, tell me what I need to know. Former Making the Leap candidate, Jarvis Jenkins, was number 36 back in 2014 or something like that. Wow. He's respectable. We just signed Kiri Robinson.

Another former Making the Leave candidate looks like Big Mac is plugged in on NFL.com. Mark Sanchez, press conference introduced with the Broncos. His haircut is not good. I need to get in touch with him about that. But his goal is to be the Broncos starter this year. He says it is a dream come true to play for the Broncos. Mark, former Denver resident.

Sounds good in March. Let's talk again in April, May, June, July. You're not starting for this team, barring a disaster. My goal is to be a millionaire this year. How much time do we have love? About like a third. third really how's everything else I thought his hair looked all right no it looks

terrible I mean really he's sharply dressed it's very it's very tight and high at the top and the part is in a weird spot he's an attractive man well he's also he knows what he's doing he immediately puts it out there during his press conference hey ladies of Denver I'm single

here is the exact quote I've seen a lot in this league I'm not married I don't have a girlfriend I don't have kids I just want to play ball and I want to win. Wow. Really, it came out of nowhere, the illusion

to being completely untied down. That's, it's a veteran move. Speed round complete. Makes it look like he's somehow some, he's got to, like, couched it in a thing that makes him look like a hard worker, but really he's sending out the message. Greg, still discussing speed round topics post-speed round. That whole Sanchez.

his thing was not really speed around. And, you know, people like to have fun with Sanchez, that he hasn't had a great career, and he certainly hasn't had a great career, but he's made a lot of money. He's now been in the National Football League. This will be his seventh season, and he's clearly going to go on the Jeter route

where he's going to wait until he's 44, and he gets it all out of his system. Then he'll settle down. Listen, Mark Sanchez, everything's okay with Mark. Before we had too much. It's not like he's a monk, you know, hidden away. The guys, I'm sure, had plenty of good times. and more to come, is what I'm saying.

It's good to be Mark Sanders, even in 2016. All right. Now, Wes, oh, man, couldn't believe it as I read it. Each word better than the one before it. Five franchises on the rise, NFL.com. You could see this at NFL.com slash whistling. That's a real thing. All of our content, if you do NFL.com slash,

and then the last name, you can see our library of content, And this is going to be near the top of the list. Wes, you broke down five teams and none of these teams. Well, one of them made the playoffs last year. But you have five teams on the rise and right at the top. Well, you didn't really put them in order. So why don't we start with one, West, that jumps out to you, a team that was completely hopeless last year.

And I love this piece, by the way, completely hopeless last year. This year, hope has walked right into the building. Which one of these teams are you referring to? Oh, the one that, in your opinion, last year, was the most hopeless. Now, here comes hope. Hey, Hope, come on in. I'm trying to get at the Jaguars.

Go ahead. Oh, is that what it was? I didn't know which one you wanted. Yeah. Well, I think the Raiders are what my lead-in was. To me, they are the best example of this. But the Jaguars and Raiders have one thing in common that the rebuild happens by nailing a draft.

And they both nailed the 2014 draft. The Raiders got Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, their franchise quarterback, and a defensive player of the year candidate. The Jaguars got Blake Bortles and Alan Robinson, one of the best 10 receivers in the league right now and a franchise quarterback. And once you have that structure in place,

you can go out and get a Julius Thomas, and then the next year you can go out and get four of our top 40 free agents on defense. You've erected your offense, go fix defense, and that's what they did. And the Raiders, they just went and got three of the top 15 players on our list. And to me, you're playing in the worst stadium in the league and you're able to attract free agents into that thing. You're doing something right. Listen, I don't know about the ownership in Oakland.

There have been questions about the front office after Al Davis. But, you know, a lot of, I think people both in this room thought that Reggie and outside this room thought maybe Reggie McKenzie got too much rope. But maybe this is the story of letting a guy and letting a guy see it through. And now they got through all the cap hell they had to deal with and being the biggest laughing stock in football. And now they really seem to be perhaps turning the corner in earnest. He earned our derision, and now he's earned our credit.

I think we're just being fair, and we've been fair all along. It certainly helps to have top five draft picks. Mark, is there something Cleveland Browns can learn from that standpoint? Well, I mean, the thing to learn is that these are the exact right teams to be on this list, but they didn't just nail a draft. They nailed a quarterback in the draft. I mean, the whole AFC South outside of the cults is on this list. Texans did it a different way, but the Titans and Jaguars have hope because we have hope in Bortals.

hope and Marriota. And so if you keep swinging and missing on quarterbacks, if you're one of those teams that doesn't have one, you're not going to be on this list. There's no team on this list. Now, the Bears have Cutler. That's not too hot at the quarterback position. But there is, hope here comes from the most important position in the NFL. It really hurt me to put Jay Cutler's team on this list. It's for every reason but him, though. Yeah, that's true. I'm actually stunned. I mean, Raiders fans are looking for more attention from us after last week. Saw some tweet about that. But they, they're at a point now on their defense that you still look at it in the back seven and there's still whole. I mean, it's nice that they got Sean Smith. I don't think he's

going to change your entire team. I think he's a good cornerback. David Amerson was one of the best waiver pickups in a while. He was really good later. You got to hope that he, he does it again. You're safe. They need safety. A little shaky. Your linebackers. You know, let's, let's see. I still have a lot of questions on that, on that defense, how good they're going to be. And then when it comes to Bortals and Carr, you're right that they're providing all the promise in the world. We both think really highly of them, but they're unfinished products. We don't know how high their ceiling is. I think we now know that their floor is pretty good, that you can get by with those two guys,

but how good are they going to be? It's a big difference between being a top five guy, which I think both of them have the potential to be or somewhere close. I 100% agree with that. We don't know the ceiling. But when you're even in the free agent process, because the Raiders, it wasn't just draft this time around. They were big players with, they're able to get better free agents, not just junk,

which was the only option to add players a couple years ago. People looking, other NFL players looking at the Jaguars with Bortals, looking at the Raiders with Carr, that is an attractive, something attractive to latch on to. If one of these teams had taken Mansell, for instance, and they wouldn't be on this list if you don't have that quarterback. I think it's just they have money and they're paying it. Maybe it helped with the Raiders this year. But even Reggie McKenzie said, they had money last year and couldn't get it.

Reggie McKenzie said people are calling us now, that the whole dynamics flipped. And money is always at the core of it. But the Raiders actually look like a team that players would want to go play for now, not just get a paycheck. I agree. And I like the moves that Jacksonville, I like Amukamara, just adding respectable starting players when you had way below league average talent starting for your team helps a lot.

So he's only there one year, but I think they're ready to compete. They have Kelvin Beecham in the house today. Maybe they'll wind up signing him before they leave. That would be a nice little move. I think the Jaguars, I mean, we've been talking about it. It's now time. I mean, if they don't make the playoffs this year, it's a disappointment. But good for them for not blowing it up.

You're finally, we were able to see Caldwell's plan come into place. And every one of the teams on this list, the pair up of the coach and GM, you don't hear a lot of garbage and infighting and, you know, derision. They're essentially partners, each one of these teams. And that's a team that doesn't have that. No more excuses, though. Like if they have given them a nice roster now, both guys coming in from other teams, the drafts that have produced some nice players,

if you're still going to go 4 and 12 this year, at a certain point you've got to say, well, we've got to go in a different direction up top. Yeah, because it sounds like the Jaguars look like they can build a good team on paper, but if the defense continues to stink, if they blew that up, the next coach or GM that comes in has a lot to work with.

It would be a very attractive job. Right. I think if that ever, if there was any change there, I just feel like it would be the coach and not the general manager called well. And Bradley was a defensive coach. I mean, compared to last year, now he can work with Malik Jackson, Dante Fowler, Gibson, Amukamara. I mean, that's a lot of extra. But he's right.

That's a lot. He said Derek Mark's healthy for a whole year too. Baller really is an ex-factor too because he was supposed to be a can't-miss guy. and you never know how somebody comes back from a knee injury, but some people come back like they never missed a beat. So if he turns out to be a real, like, player, this team could be a lot different. Am I going to get sucked in?

Are they going to be the team around the NFL? I don't know, but. Oh, they're a strong candidate. Are they a nominee potentially? I think the Raiders are too. I think the Raiders, the Jaguars, the Rams, they're all candidates. The Rams are not a kid. They are not a candidate.

I like the idea of the Rams, but it's hard with the quarterback situation. You watch Case Keenham every week. I'm just saying we're out here. There's never going to be a time in our lives or that a team is moving to Los Angeles. Well, maybe next year. Other than that, this is the first time the team's moving back here. We work for, you know, we're here at the NFL.

They're like the new team. Who knows? Well, their quarterback plan might not be finished yet, Wes. It's also, nothing is more discouraging than how Wes has turned on Case Keenum. The team of ATL, do you want to get done all day Sunday covering football? like, yeah, I can't wait to watch Jeff Fisher's team play football when I get home and watch Game Pass. Give me a break. Hey.

Yeah. We're running into the same wall we do every year where at first it's like, oh, this is going to be like a fun, like, group dynamic figuring out who the team of ATL is, and then we slowly come to realize it's just whatever Wes wants. Hey, I didn't stick you guys with the Chargers. I have no regrets about the Chargers. I have regrets. Yeah.

I went along for the ride on that one. You certainly did not. You weren't loyal to the cause, and people remember that, Wes. Good, because I was the one who made sense. So anyway, let's talk about, you want to get into the Chicago Bears? Maybe they could be a nominee. They can come back from the dead in Wes's life. Well, I think they have a similar thing with Dante Fowler where you get Kevin White,

who was one of my favorite rookies going into the summer last year, and then he was lost for the season. You've got Alshan Jeffrey as your franchise player. That's a dynamic young duo. there. And then on the other side of the ball, I think Ryan Pace, their GM, deserves a lot of credit for overhauling that linebacker core from a 4-3 into a 3-4 that really suits Vic Fangio. And he got Pernel McPhee last year, who should have been a pro bowler. And then this year to get Danny Treveith and Jarrell Freeman, that's a really good inside linebacker duo.

He's really remade this defense to suit Fongio. Well, it was, it was amazing how well they played last year with so few guys that have ever played in the NFL before. They just had a bunch of, you know, slapies, as they would say, or guys just playing for the first time, and yet they were very competitive. Like, they were just as good as plenty of defenses like the bills who had tons of million-dollar plays. I like Trevathan. That's one of my favorite moves of the off-season.

I thought he was underrated in Denver. Akeem Hicks, by the way. Like, he was an afterthought when the Patriots trade for him. Now he gets two years, $10 million. You should be thanking old Billy B for getting them paid. Does it concern you that Gase has gone, though? I think the Gase had a lot to do with. It was a watchable offense at best.

I mean, it wasn't great, but everyone loves Gase that's played for it. I'm not sure Gase is the genius everyone says he is. I guess I'll believe it when I see it. If he turns Ryan Tannahill into a quarterback, I'll believe it. If I'm a Bears fan, though, I'm worried that I think they overachieve to win six games last year. So. Soft six, you're calling it. So I'm just saying they're going to have to be better just to win seven games.

You know what I mean? The biggest worry is still Jay Cutler, that he's their quarterback. One more point I wanted to make about this, guys. Now, when it comes time for hard knocks season, they like to pick teams that are a little downtrodden that have some juice. So on some level, I like this group of five teams is maybe a hard knocks. Which one of these five teams would make a best fit on the groundbreaking HBO. documentary series.

Easy choice. It's the Raiders. Yeah. It's overdue to have a Raiders, hard knocks. Just the Mark Davis alone. I want more Mark Davis in my life. I mean, it's not, it cannot be the Titans. The van.

The box top van. It's the Raiders. It'd be a great. Wouldn't the Raiders want to do it too? Come on, Raiders. I can be good for them. Because you have to look at what you've got in Tennessee. That's a boring mix of individuals for the most part.

The Bears, I don't want to see John Fox for five weeks. A little J. Cutler, Kristen Cavalieri at home action. on please i mean i like raiders makes sense less j cutler in my life what do you expect what do you think they're going to show i don't know what they're going to show but i'd be interested to see what happens just make it sound salacious listen it's hb oh i know all the cutler and calves action out of all the young quarterbacks on this list though i like mariotta the best really that's important boredos is my number one uh i think mariotta has a chance for like greatness the jaguars a When we talk about Hard Knocks, if you look at the NFL as a classroom,

the Jaguars of the team where the teacher, which is like the HBO executive, okay, who wants to be the team and their hands waving wildly and is like holding up the arms? Like, me, me, me. And they're like, look around and pretend not to see the Jaguars. That's what happens every year. Maybe this is the year they get a little love. We'll see. Last great piece.

I look forward to you reading it. You're a big time Hard Knox fan. Do you remember the strange season that wasn't hard? Knox that was Jaguars. That was the Jaguar. Yes, I do. That was weird. What was that? It was an NFL film's production, if I'm not mistaken. Josh Scobie was like predominantly featured.

But it was an NFL network aired NFL. Okay, it was aired on NFL. Yeah, HBO did not have its fingerprints on it. It was weird, though. Very similar show. It might have been during that period where Hard Knocks went underwater for a little bit. It was. It was. Anyway, good, good talk.

Hard Knocks history talk. Okay, so that's it for today's show. You know, we can't do like 70-minute shows every show. We've got to get back to our roots. We like to do tight 45s, tight-fifties. Whatever the material calls. Yeah, we don't have to stretch things out all the time, right, Mark? I would agree.

I mean, why not have a show that's kind of clipped and gets right to business? It's like the new, you know, the new Kendrick Lamar album, just like 35 minutes, but no one's complaining. You know what, though, give the song song titles, and I'll plug in a little bit. Show me that you're putting in some effort. Wes is like a different language. This is like my reaction whenever you're making a 70s sitcom reference. I don't watch 70s sitcoms. By the way, I saw Daniel Jeremiah downstairs.

Love that guy. And I did successfully broker an appearance for DJ at some point in the future to dig into the draft class. About Thursday? He said Thursday's work? He said Thursday's work. This Thursday. Maybe we'll have my job. on this Thursday.

If not, next Thursday, but soon we'll have DJ on. But we'll be back. Our next show will be on Wednesday, where we will, ooh, a little early there. Little early, Brandon. This is not how you end up on Mount Rushland. Now I will punish you. You want me to bail you out, don't you?

No, not at all. You said you like them tight, so I'm going to hit the pose for you. All right, we just sent home the construction workers. Yeah, put the chisle down. Put the chisels down, guys. We will, all right, take it down. Listen, it's always, listen, it's always... Go ahead.

This is Dan Hansis. Oh, that's right. That's how it starts it. Signing off for the mailman. Quiet Storm. The boss. And the Irishman behind the glass. I think I'm fired.

Till Wednesday. That is by far my favorite exchange in the office history after Dwight tries to undermine Michael by meeting with Jan at the diner. And he tells Michael he was at the dentist and then Michael calls him out. He's like, he offers him like a handful of peanut butter, peanut M&M. and Dwight puts him in his own. He's like, you said you were at the dentist. What's his name? Dwight's like, Crentist.

Huh. And then Microsoft was like, huh. Maybe that's why I became a dentist. Yeah. Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, 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.

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