NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Free Agency Frenzy Day 3: Rodgers speaks, Cowboys moves, and much more

Episode Date: March 16, 2023

A virtual room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, and Gregg Rosenthal react to the official start of the new league year. Aaron Rodgers cleared up his intentions on the Pat McAfee Show (:40), the Cowboys (14:43), Eagles (22:35), and Patriots (27:56) made a number of moves, Jacoby Brissett has a new team (32:31), the Bucs were active including signing Baker Mayfield (35:10), a couple of running backs are changing teams in Jamaal Williams and David Montgomery (39:26), and Matt Ryan was released (42:35), in addition to much more free agency action (44:35). Finally, we hit Odds and Ends to wrap up the show (56:12). Note: timecodes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. James Bradbury, going back to the Eagles. Juju Smith-Schuster is signing in New England. Sheldon Rankin's headed to the Houston, Texas. The Vikings made a big signing bringing in Byron Murphy, Arden Key to the Tennessee Titans. Jamal Williams agrees to terms the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys acquiring Stefan Gilmore.

Aidenhurst, former first rounder, expected to sign with the Carolina Panthers. Alan Lazard seems to be on his way to the New York Jets. But I'm debatably the best player in franchise history. Happy New Year, everybody. League New Year, that is. I'm Dan Hans. This is Around the NFL podcast. I got heroes across the Southland and beyond.

Greg Rosenthal. Mark Sessler. Boys, it's debatable. but I think we have one of the best NFL podcasts ever. It's not even debatable. I mean, today was a big day for, you know, digital media. And, you know, we are like the BART star, or maybe the Brett Favre to Pat McAfee's Aaron Rogers.

How about that? You know, you could, there are reports out there from some of our listeners that our Monday episode that helped kick off this week of free agency, if you were to clock our origin story, just after our debate club days, which I think is fair. That is a prequel. Sure. That was episode 1,500, according to some reports.

I mean, we'd have to go clock that. But that's, that would suggest that you've been somewhat successful with a group of people, I'd hope. 1,500 episodes. Is that true? There are reports out there, and it's on our, you know, reports. Wow, that is very cool. I have to say, I'm very proud of us that we've hit that number. and all the people along the way,

including the great late Chris Wessling. That is very cool. For me, I think it's very cool that Aaron Rogers finally made some type of commentary about his future and it involving directly the New York Jets. That story, of course, we broke it. We defied the idea of Big Roger and said, we're going to talk about this story

as if it's going to happen, and it did, even though it hasn't. It's weird. It's stupid. But Rogers was on Pat McAfee's show, and before we get to all the news of the official start of the league year and free agency, this was kind of, I think, the quote that you pull out of it in terms of the newsworthiness of the Rogers McAfee appearance that had half a million people watching live.

I think that's what Gregie is referring to. And we launched our Friday fun show this season to great fanfare and moderate success. Giving us Brett Farve status, Greg, compared to what McAfee's. and his team pulled off today. That's a little generous. We're working toward that in that space. We're just starting. But I like that.

It's not all numbers. We were here first, the quality of the programming, the consistency. We're like Bart Starr. How about, you know, winning that first Super Bowl? I'm just saying let's try to get to 5,000 live streamers before, you know,

500,000. Anyway, here's what Aaron Rogers had to say to Pat McAfee and half the digital world. I think since Friday, I made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention was to play for the New York Jets. I haven't been holding anything up at this point. It's been compensation that the Packers are trying to get for me and kind of digging their heels in. So I would just, I think it is interesting at this point to step back and look at the whole picture. So there you go, Greg.

Rogers is saying, as of last Friday, he made it be known that he was going to return for another season. He wanted to do it with the Jets. And now he's basically just waiting like the rest of us for the two teams to hammer out a deal. And it looks like it's turning into a staring contest between Goudicunds and the Packers and Joe Douglas and the Jets in terms of just how much New York has to give up for a guy that otherwise there's no market around him right now. So it seems like Green Bay is in a tough spot. And today's conversation that Rogers had with half the civilized world listening doesn't quite help their case, I don't think. I don't think it matters the Packers, Jets, negotiation. They've known this has been the case, right, for a week.

And it's a stare down that I think hurts both teams ultimately. It doesn't hurt the Packers anymore. If anything, the Packers have kind of known this day was coming, probably since he was in the darkness retreat and they decided to move on to Jordan Lev. I don't know if they've planned their offseason around it. There's boring cap considerations that the bonus that he has on his contract actually doesn't hit until September 1st. So they might try to make the case.

to the Jets that they can stare all the way into the draft if they don't get the prospects that they want. But the contract, I mean the draft picks that they want, but the the contract is also part of this. I think Aaron Rogers leaves out a lot and is of what he says and is passive aggressive a lot of times in what he says. And I think his contract negotiation is absolutely part of this. And that's part of this that we don't know as much about how much money is he going to make for the Jets, how it's going to be structured. That's all complicated. They should figure this thing out though they can't drag it out another week can they can they i mean it's it's the kind of it's the narrative that at this point like we all we we've already

announced that it um it happened uh to us it has to everyone it has there's these details to hammer out um i don't i mean i think the packers to greg's point with that september triggering the bonus situation like they don't have to do anything in a rush if they don't want because their future set they know who their quarterback's going to be it's going to be jordan love it it's not that the jets are over a barrel or anything, but the Jets are the one that needs Aaron Rogers right now and have no backup plan. So I don't know if Green Bay has to necessarily rush to the finish line here. It just has become, I think, for the observers, for us, a bit of a tedious process at this point, because I even found myself sort of drifting off listening to Rogers talk. It's like, finally he's here

addressing us. And it's like, but we already, this isn't, this is an anticlimactic March thread. And we already know what the finish line is. So it's sort of in everyone's best interest. Like, Can we just, you know, cleanse this, move forward and get on with our lives? I mean, the sea poems you guys spoke of, the Aubrey Plaza podcast with Aaron Rogers. I miss that one. I tune into this one. And I'm like, why are you guys so fascinated by what this man has to say? He's boring to me.

But I, and he has absolutely a level of self-satisfaction that is, rubs people the wrong way. We're going to hear from Keith Hansis later in the week. I don't think Keith Hanses is necessarily a big fan of this player, but he will be if he leads the Jets to a lot of wins. I think the one of my takeaways just from like the industry side of the story is we were thrown some flowers at the feet of Tray Wingo as having that he broke the story. He didn't like and that's kind of a part of this too just like and you could say he wasn't telling the truth about pushing back hard against the report from receiving. of ESPN, that he gave the Jets a list of demands in terms of players, which you push back hard and even said that, you know, he told Adam Schaefter in a text to lose his number and get lost. And then he posted that. There it is. And you can see it if you're watching

it on YouTube. Although that was a good example of how Rogers is misleading. She never used the word demand. She said that he had a wish list and he basically confirmed exactly what she said. My point being is this that it didn't confirm anything, first of all, Greg. What happened was with the Trey Wingo situation, his wording was hearing Rogers to the Jets is done. So we all just move forward with it and then become more frustrated when it's still hanging out there days after he sends out that tweet. And with the Rossini report, and this is coming from a fan of a franchise that is very beaten down. And I've said it before that how I wish I wasn't a Jets fan because it seems like a lot of fun to like poke fun at the Jets and their eternal failures. As soon as every Jets fan, as soon as that report came out, they knew what was coming. And that

was so frustrating about it, that it was going to be twisted as this thing. Look at the Jets. Look how pathetic they are. And I just think it's important to point out, we never heard any other reporting from the big reporter like a rap sheet or Schaefter directly confirming that that was true. And then Rogers comes out and you hear the other side of the story. And I found it to be, to me, and you could say I'm biased, but I believed him. I don't think. think he's making demands of the Jets. But it doesn't matter because yesterday was a field day if people having fun that way.

He's Aaron Rogers. When you say there's certain players that you want, you understand the power that you have in suggestion. Like, I guess I'm not that interested. You're just taking that, Greg, and you're running with it. That's a very important distinction to say that these are the players, I want. All he said was there are players, they had conversations with me

about players and I gave them my input. That's all he said. But can't it be somewhere in the middle? Like, I don't think he's holding the Jets ransom over getting Odell Beckham for 20 million a year. I think he probably said these are, we already know for a fact that the Randall Cobb part of it would make a tremendous amount of sense because that was a sticking point with Green Bay. But from like a more bird's eye angle, this is all tiresome to us now. But I'm not really buying the idea that like the Jets are a laughing stock and all of this. Like if if you knew like a month, two months ago, no matter how the process played out.

And it's Aaron Rogers, so there's going to be an element of exhaustion no matter what, because he's talking so much. He doesn't go away and allow us to, other than this week in the darkness, which he advertised with a subtlety of wrinkling Barnum and Bailey Circus. I mean, you know, he doesn't give us a chance to not be tired of him. So that part of it is a little exhausting. But if you knew that one team was going to go get Aaron Rogers and was the New York Jets, they're winning this process.

I don't, that's a different situation than another team that doesn't want to build around a 40-year-old quarterback. This is something that I think we got to just get away from for a bit, but it is a major turning point for the New York Jets. And I think their fans, if they're a little annoyed at this point, will come around and the negativity around the Jets will subside when they're given like six primetime games and let's go see what you can do with it.

Yeah, I think it's also such a big moment in the Packers, like organizational history. and we've sort of overlooked that they've been quiet in free agency. They've actually spent the least amount of money so far in free agency. So maybe the Rogers move is holding up. Yes, they want to get the draft picks to be as good as they can be. I don't think anyone even expects a first round pick at this point. I think, look, if they got two twos or they got a two and a three at this point,

people, I believe, would say, okay, that's a pretty good return for the Packers at this point. It doesn't feel like they have a ton of leverage. but it takes Hutzpah to do what they're doing right now. They're going to commit a second guaranteed year to Jordan Love, I believe they'll pick up his fifth year option. They're going to want to build an offense around him. They're going to want to get more weapons for him. And sure, Goudicunst is looking at this,

and everything is the exact same as Brett Fav, like the egos, the way you're massaging the media. Like, it's really crazy. The third year, all that. But Ted Thompson went and won a Super Bowl. with Aaron Rogers and made it happen. They had a big time losing season with Aaron Rogers first, so it took a little bit of time.

But there are legacies at stake here. And in one way I sort of don't totally, you know, believe everything Aaron Rogers says. Like, I don't think he wants the Packers to succeed necessarily. And I don't know if the Packers want him to succeed. Like they are both going to be out for blood trying to win in 2023. And that makes it fun. Yeah, I don't mind that at all.

I did think it was funny and we're going to move off this. But he talks about how when he went into the darkness retreat, he thought he was 90% retired. Then he came out and he said his wording was, you know, when I was in my darkness retreat, when I came out, something had changed with the Packers. And I just wonder if the man in terms of his self-awareness, if he thought, and maybe this is true, maybe it's not, just speculation. But I wonder if like it ever crosses his mind that something maybe changed. with the Packers while you're on your darkness retreat because like you're talking to the media on a deep level about your darkness retreat and you're talking about this and you're talking about that. And maybe that contributed to the Packers just being like exhausted and ready to move on. I'm

not saying that Darkness Retreat tip the scales for Green Bay. He seems to think something changed over those four or five days. But it's just a lot. And I tweeted out an image from the graduate of Dustin Hoffman sitting in the back of the bus after he broke up the wedding and he's riding off with the love of his life and they're sitting on the bus after this hyper dramatic moment where he stops the wedding and she leaves the church with them and they, you know, block the exit doors of the church with the long cross and then get on the bus and they're in the back of the bus and then the movie ends with them smiling but then starting to like the smile disappears and it becomes a look of more like, what did we just do? That's kind of how I feel

like he's the bride and I'm the Jets fan. You don't know how it's going to turn out, but I'm ready to see. It's not going to be boring. That I know. No. And then like the thing I don't get though is and I know we should move on like it's pointless to point out his inconsistencies. But I appreciated AJ Hawk jumping in and asking him and it probably takes a friend actually asking him calling him on his BS suddenly in saying like but you weren't going to be fired up to play for the Packers actually were you and he was like oh no I actually never thought that they were wanted me I thought the whole time that they were against me he's like wait but I thought everything changed a week ago and then Pat McAfee actually jumped in it's like oh wait wait let's not

make Aaron upset here let's just move on but AJ Hawk was kind of like come on bro I know you're full of shit yeah Jay Hawk doesn't care you're just smoking that Stogie sitting up high, making judgments and asking questions. You need a guy like that. All right. Let's get into the rest of the news from the new league year. Let's start with the Cowboys. Very busy day for the Dallas Cowboys.

The end of an arrow. Let's start here. Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys have parted ways the running back, two-time rushing champion in the NFL, but has obviously slowed down significantly. talk that he might take a huge pay cut and stick around with Tony Pollard taking on finally the lead dog role, but instead they go in a direction of a divorce. Mark, your thoughts on what's next for Zeke? I think we all agree this was the right move for the Cowboys. What do you

think Zeke's career has a head if he has one at all? I mean, if general managers are more intrigued at the actual players performance over the last 12 to 24 months than the name, then I'd say a one-year contract somewhere would be next for Zeke if he doesn't choose to retire. I mean, for me, this was one of the moves of the day because it's unusual to see Jerry Jones, who's done a, they've done a much better job with the whole front office thing over the last five, six, seven years than a lot of the stuff they got tangled in before. But Zeke Elliott felt like the one guy, Jerry Jones, just couldn't really get away from that they might bring them back.

It's like there's all this love for Zeke Elliott. I mean, and I thought the press release that Jerry Jones put out expressed all that. They really do think he was this important part of the team, but it was really tiresome to think that he'd stick around and pair up with Tony Pollard is so clearly better. I mean, Zeke Elliott, it was only four years ago that I'll never forget, like, when we were sitting in there on a Sunday, and it was all four of us with Wes, and West was just going off about a catch-and-run touchdown that Elliott had that very few other running backs in the league in that period could have done. And it's like he's falling off a cliff in three years. And it's the jealous Cowboys responsibility number one to assess that and see that. And they did it. Yeah, they didn't have an option to cut him before this year just because of the insanity of the guarantees in that contract.

He got $50 million plus in guarantees that like went through like four years. It was even among bad running back contracts, it was a little unprecedented. And it was coming off a season when he was like the best running back in the league. But they should have seen maybe how his career was going to go in terms of. of the arc of his career, but I think it's a good sign for them. And I just think it's interesting, though, that they're investing so much in defense, Dan, like that they're really seeming to pivot all into this Dan Quinnisance, that Dan Quinn is going to leave them into glory.

Yeah. Before we get to that, I just want to add one more point on it, that it is, you know, Austin Echler is looking for a new contract. And, you know, you could say it's unfair the way running backs are treated in the NFL, but, like, who's a better example than Zeke? he was excellent. He was awesome in the start of his career. He gets that second huge contract and it was basically a big issue for the Cowboys, almost the entire time. So good luck to Austin Eccler and every other running back really. But these are the type of examples that lead

other teams to be afraid to give veteran running backs another deal. Yeah, the defensive side of things for the Cowboys, they acquire veteran corner Stefan Gilmore, former defensive player of the year from the Colts for a fifth round pick. 176 overall again sometimes you get surprised i know he's older but you say oh that's a that's a starting veteran quarterback a all pro all this like a fifth round pick well that's it seems to have the trade market you could find some deals potentially and the cowboys also re-signed inside lawnbacker late in vanderersh to a two-year eight million dollar contract with five million and guarantees jane slater had been reporting on our air that's something they wanted to make happen but it seemed very up in the

for a while there, but they get the deal done. Another West's favorite, Leighton Vanderesh. Yeah, I think Gilmore is like the kind of player that's going to work out really well. I think you're at the point where you trust what Dan Quinn's going to do with the defense. You get him across from Trevon Diggs. I think it raises bigger questions for me about the cults

because you gave him a $14 million guaranteed deal to your deal last off season. He played really well. I mean, we already know that he's like cognizantly one of the smarter defensive backs out there. He's done it for all sorts of great coaches all over the league. And now he's a cowboy. And it's like, are the cults, because it's the same day, we'll get to it.

They dump Matt Ryan, which is no surprise. Like, are they sneakily, like, going after Lamar Jackson here or trying to get clear the books for Lamar Jackson? There's some tweets out there. The conspiracy theories are out there. Some by good reporters who are just, like, wondering. And then I saw one by some, a man I wasn't familiar. with, you know, trying to put some reporting on it too that he's heard about that the Colts might

be sniffing around Lamar. We'll see. But it would make a lot of sense. They, you know, they have signed some people, Samsung Evacom. It's not like they've done absolutely nothing, but they make more sense to me than literally any NFL team. You know, speaking of like reporters and, you know, whether you could trust them or not, tough beat for Dov Kleinman. Clyman. Did you hear see this, a reporter for the Post finally tracked down Dov, and he lives in Israel. And in a DM conversation, he's very upset. Of course, he became a headline figure because he aggregated Trey Wingo's Rogers report. And then Garrett Wilson kind of came down on Dov, not intentionally, but it kind of put the spotlight on who is Dov. And then people realize Daub has never been,

there's never been a photograph of Dov. He has like 150,000 Twitter followers. He has 80,000 tweets a day about the NFL's reporter, but he doesn't break any news. He gets tracked down in Israel. And he post finally agrees to share his identity. And he's a total bro like throwing up peace signs at nightclubs. I thought that was interesting. Check out of the job climbing photos. They made me laugh. I might have to unblock him just for that. Yeah, I had nothing bothers me more than bad aggregators. And, you know, we had we had a standard over at Road of World. And Dob Dov was fast and loose early on in his career and I was like, I've got to block this dude.

You don't come back from that. It would have been a worst nightmare for you, Greg, because in the post article, because at a certain point, it's like, they gave him that assignment to write a whole article on this dude. And he's just filling out a copy by the bottom of the story.

And one of the graphs is just, here are some notable people that follow Dob Climent. I was like, imagine if Greg was on here. Oh, no. You weren't. We had someone in our office, like a reporter slash analyst genuinely like asking, wait, who, what is Dov? Is, is Dobb?

What is Daub? Like, it was pretty convinced that Dov was a bot because that's how the tweets come across in such a waterfall of information that he's never really at the source reporting. Not never, never is. And like, it's like he's not a bot. He's simply a bro in Israel. So we've solved that mystery. And good aggregators are great.

But you can tell you, he takes one report and he makes it sound. even a little more certain than it actually was reported. And then he doesn't like always credit it. And this is all problematic. Yeah. And yeah, let's point out too that around the NFL, the heart of it started as an aggregating blog for NFL. That's fair. Look at you.

By the way, I love that Gilmore move. I love it. He played great. He is only due a little under $10 million in 2023. So basically a salary dump, the Cowboys. He fits. They are trying to be the number one defense in the league. And on paper, I think they have a pretty good case for it.

I know the 49ers, the Jets, there's going to be other teams. But man, the Cowboys are loaded on defense. All right. In other news, the Eagles, the team that the Cowboys are chasing, they're doing some biz, NAS. Fletcher Cox sticks around one year, $10 million contract for Fletcher Cox, who received, according to Schefter, more lucrative offers. on the open market. The Jets for one team were in on him,

but he decided to stay with the Eagles. So that's a good thing for them in their front. He's a big-time player for them. They also hold on to James Bradbury, their cornerbacks. So these are important players. And they cut ties with Darius Slay, who had a big role with this team, was a steal of a trade from the Lions once upon a time.

But they move on. Why, Greg? I'm not totally sure. Partly because the contract he signed almost necessitated a restructuring this year because he had such a big cap figure Darius Lay. And I don't think he wanted to play that game because I think he had a feel that he was going to get a big deal elsewhere. We'll see where that is.

There's some buzz about Atlanta that he could get guaranteed money. Baldy was talking in the newsroom today that he just feels very strongly Slay was a better player than Bradbury. And that Bradbury wouldn't have necessarily gotten that big money on the open market. I had Bradbury, you know, in the top 10 of my available free agents. He got 20 million guaranteed to stay with the Eagles, so they love him. But he thinks Slay's a better player. Slay is 32 years old.

But that was one of the more surprising transactions, I would say, of the last week. Who are you chopping it up with in the newsroom today? I'm just out of curiosity. Who's Greggy chopping it up with, you know, at the water cooler? Baldy was there. Scott Piole's in the mix. Trotter rolled in later. Get Trotter to smile.

Little Mark Ross. Yeah, we had some good talks. We had some good football talks. That's another Mark with the C right there, Mark Ross. Yeah. How do you feel about that, Mark? The second Mark of the C in the media group? You know, I tracked these things and there was a period where I was like one of the

said it all. Well, no, no, because I'd say this is a positive report. Like at one point it was like, there's two Browns fans in the newsroom. Then something was like NFL Network has like 82 Browns fans suddenly working there. And it's just like, well, this isn't special. But there are only two Mark with a Cs. that inhabit any sort of, you know, on-air business. He's doing more than I am for NFL now, but we've got our show.

And it's like, so there's two Mark with the C's, you know, I'm fine with that. I've also met him. He's a gentleman. By the way, before we take a break, this is just a temperature check. In this digital room we're in right now, how many Browns fans do we have? I don't like, I'm getting crushed by a limb of Browns fans. like on Twitter all the time. My name got connected to this absurd thing about Nick Chubb being traded.

Oh, let's talk about this. I didn't even get a direct answer here. I mean, Aaron Rogers says he likes direct communication. It took him 20 minutes to say that and passive aggressively bury the Packers doing that. But let's get an answer. Well, no, I am not a personal foul roughing the Sessler. This is not roughing the Sessler. No, I don't, my heartstrings are not pulled at the moment.

That's what I'd say. I do think I could return at some point. like here's here's a bad strategy trying to like clump me in there or just tell me that I am like that's not we know we know in general I don't respond to that kind of element not seen from you necessarily but just in general like the idea we're just going to shape shift me back into that role like that's a tough sell it's just a it's just a temp check I do I think what happened to you with the Nick Chubb situation and maybe you could elaborate on this program Mark I believe the tweet you sent out a couple weeks ago was

a little birdie told me or something on those lines that Nick Chubb could be a trade block candidate for the Browns and then you added some critical thoughts if the Browns were to even entertain that which I agree with so it sounded like you were kind of reporting it thought I see where people came from like I would like with essentially 99.99% of my tweets I'd rather just have never sent it to begin with. But I did like hear from somewhere spicy and like it was just a little.

It wasn't a report, but like, you know what? I understand what happened there. But it's just like, why am I? And every time I log on now, it's like we want to drop your two factor authentication. Because that's like, what am I doing here? Like this site is. Have we heard from our media group on this yet? No.

I don't know. Substantial subplot. March 19th is right around the corner now. Yeah. I haven't. I have to check my email today. I'm hoping to get some type of clarity on how to handle this situation. I think we should explain what it is real quick,

but it's like we have a thing where like if you try to break into my account, well, you've got to get through multiple layers of my, you know, personal information. Like with all of us, we're probably putting up a flare right now. But like,

um, they're like, take this away because you aren't one of the new blue check mark Elon Musk people. And it's like, or what we, you don't know, you don't have access to your account. It's like,

we'll smell you later unless someone else wants me to do this. Like, I mean, this is not sounding a whole like, There's our slogan. A whole lot of real carnival ride. That's our new slogan. We are not Elon Musk people.

Let's take a break and we'll hit the rest of the news. All right, we're back. Let's dig into Greggie's Patriots. How many Patriots fans do we have? No, I don't care. Juju Smith-Schuster is going to the Patriots. They sign him to a healthy contract, I would say. Not astronomical, but healthy.

Oh, we should mention, speaking of healthy, maybe two healthy contracts, that Alan Lazard to the Jets deal, which was significant. But Juju Smith-Schuster, formerly of the Chiefs, three years, 25 and a half million. It's up to 33 million. I'm not sure what the guarantees on that are. But this comes just a couple days, Gregi, after Jacoby Myers ends up leaving to join Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas. Do you think this makes the pets better at that position? No, I think it's a wash. I struggled between those two players when doing the 101.

I went back and forth. I was asking people around. I had Juju ahead of them at one point. I had Jujo ahead of them at another and then ended up at Myers. They got what I thought was about the same contract, but actually once the details came out from the Pell Razor, Juju did come in substantially lower, about $5 million less than guaranteed money.

The base salary is like two for 20. I think like something like that two for 16 rather for for juju which it's fine it's a different type of player he's he's hurt a little bit more but he's more dynamic after the catch they badly needed a receiver I'd rather have just stayed with the guy you know Jacoby Myers but they needed they needed one of those two they need they need another one give it get a receiver well there is like there are speaking of little reports and whispers that I mean the Dandre Hopkins could be on their radar Jerry Judy could be on their radar I mean, they need a number one.

I think Juju fits as your number two. I mean, I guess is Bill Belichick telling us I like Juju Smith-Schuster over Jacoby Myers? Like there were similar contracts for the same age. Absolutely. I asked some of our reporters, and they seem to indicate Jacobi Myers never got an offer close to that. Juju Smith-Schuster, they're similar receivers in that they play the slot, but you could

kick them outside. Juju is a little better, a little better, run after the catch, which maybe that's a sick area of the Patriots want to get better at. But yeah, I think we might later this week share some moves like predictions or what makes a lot of sense. I would be very surprised now based on the way this sets up because Juju is a classic number two and you know the Patriots want to be aggressive in rebuilding this offense, that the Patriots don't come out of this now without one of these bigger names,

whether it's O'Dell or Nuke. Nuke, Newk feels very much like a Belichick player. In fact, I kind of believe there might have been an NFL film's sideline miced-up moment where Belchick was just falling over himself, praising Nuka this season, this past season. That would be my prediction that Nukes ends up with the Pats. And then you look at their skill group and it's like, okay, Hunter Henry, Juju, Nuke, Mack Jones, with a real offensive coordinator. They got a running game.

Okay. Talk yourself into that. I mean, receiver-wise, like, it's guys who have produced their best three years ago, which is a little concerning. Juju's at least younger. And I always like Juju as a player, but he's a role player. But that's what the Patriots like is a bunch of role players. You left out one name, Bailey Zappy.

Oh, right. Well, you, yeah, another name, Lamar Jackson. Can we offer you a slightly used McCorkle Jones, Baltimore? McCorkel Jones. Is that true? That's amazing. Oh, I love that. I like them more now after hearing that.

Yeah, this was, it should be noted that this was the first official day where Lamar Jackson could be in discussions with teams, but we haven't really heard. And it's such a weird story. It's such a weird vibe around it all. You're waiting for a team. And the cults, we mentioned earlier, makes so much sense, especially now that we see where they are in the draft and how things are going to shake out there, most likely, where they would get it, begin. getting, you know, at best, their, like, third best option, maybe even fourth, uh, make it happen, happen. I'd almost say like if it were, if it weren't for that little spat of tweets by Lamar

Jackson a couple days ago, it would be the reverse Aaron Rogers because you never hear from him and you never hear from the Ravens. Truth, truth. Uh, Jake Brisket is on the move. The commander's sign, uh, Jacoby Brissette, formerly of the Browns, one year, $10 million, $8 million guaranteed. As you know, Brisket was the bridge to Deshaun Watson played very well for the Browns. Your classic, like I view him as like a top shelf bridge guy, low-level starter,

and maybe, maybe if things lined up, he could be more than that. But that's nice for the commanders. So you add him to the room with Sam Howell. And like this one a lot, Greg, because it, Sam Hal, they believe in him and depending on who you talk to, it's a little exhausting to me, speaking of things that are exhausting.

He was a fifth round pick and a bad QB draft class, but it's like, oh, but he could have been a first runner. Well, he wasn't. And there must be reasons why some people don't think he has it in him. So you'd be very wise

to get another quarterback in there to give yourself options. And Brisket is a very good one. Right. I thought the contract was telling. Slides me off a piece of that, Jake Brisket. I mean,

we root for Jacoby Brissette. Maybe I shouldn't speak for you guys. I root for Jacoby Brissette. Good guy. I mean, I never thought he'd have a season like he did for Cleveland last year where he just was that efficient, played that well. And his money was a tier, just a little tier, but a tier above all these other backup contracts that have been out there where like the bakers and Matt and Mike White and Sam Darnel that have been getting around $4 million. Heineke was like six. That's what it usually is. And now he gets 8 to 10. So it does indicate to me maybe he's a peg above in terms of having a chance to play. And Ron Rivera did tell Matt Berry of Roder World that if a veteran beats out Sam Howell, so be it. That's what

he said that in an interview at the combat. Matt, Matt Barry with a scubage. Yeah, is Dobby on that? Interview. He's a commander's fan. He might, he's one of the only commanders fans that I can think of. That's right. It would be very on brand, though, because Brissette was one of last season's better surprises and greater enjoyments. And I, I really enjoyed watching him lead the Browns. There was something about the whole thing. And the coaches, players, they just love Jacoby Brissette. So there's nothing wrong with adding them.

But it would be very Ron Rivera-ish to go into the season with a Sam Howell who played one is spicy game against the Cowboys. Credit to that. And Jacobi Brisset and nothing else. While every other team in the league is like shooting for the sky, you've got really essentially a very low floor, low ceiling option at quarterback. It's like for the eighth year in a row under Ron Rivera. And now here's the exact same scenario.

but with a different team. Another former Browns quarterback, Baker Mayfield, also formerly of the Rams, has signed with the Buccaneers, a one-year, $8.5 million contract. Four of that is guaranteed for Baker. So he joins the team as a former starter for Cleveland and Los Angeles that has another young quarterback on their roster that they drafted and they are internally, we're told, high on, but Baker gives the Bucks another option here. And Mark, this could be a situation where perhaps he could win the job at a camp. We'll see how they kind of structure this.

This feels like one of those, I feel like every year, every summer, there's maybe one legit camp competition. This one smells like it could be one of them. Well, they were talking up Kyle Trask, but they had no one else. So that was your move. Bruce Ariens almost went to Cleveland because of Baker Mayfield, when they went with Freddie Kitchens instead, Bruce Ari, and this happens, we see this from like, Bruce Ariens has Baker Mayfield charms.

Like, he likes him. And I mean, if you, Baker Mayfield, I would rather have last year's Jacoby Brissette over anything we've seen from Baker Mayfield over the last year and a half, right? That's fine. But Baker Mayfield is one of these players,

and this is not going to be any easier this year, where you were under Hugh Jackson, Freddie Kitchens, Kevin Stefansky, Ben McAdoo, Sean McVey, and now Dave Canally, like in the course of four or five years, you've had to learn six or seven different offenses.

It never helps, but I think Baker-Mayfield is also, he is what he is at this point, and it's a low-level option for Tampa Bay, unless we get a version of that player that we have not seen since that 2020 season under Kevin Stefansky or 2018. I think the money's instructive here, too,

that that level of money means to me they might go get another quarterback. Maybe not another veteran, but they might draft another guy because they haven't really been in love with Trass. They've never even let him be active on game days. He couldn't pass Blaine Gabbard on the freaking depth chart. You're going to start him in week one? No way. It's going to be Baker and he's not going to be set up to succeed. So I think they might go get another one. And you know,

we talked about it last week when all the Lamar franchise tag stuff went down and all these teams leaked that they weren't interested. And we were like, well, let's see how it actually plays out starting next week. And then I'm just like looking at, you know, Atlanta made a move yesterday for a quarterback, the Saints, the commanders, the Bucks, the Jets. They're all like fortifying their QB rooms and moving forward with a plan. I probably even missed one or two teams there. And it does, you start to think, like, so the Colts obviously make a lot of sense. And like, what are the teams that aggressive, have not made an aggressive move or any type

of move that would make sense as a Lamar Souter? Interesting. I think it has to be like a total wildcard team, like the Pats or the. the 49ers or the Titans or the Bucks actually still like that contract I was saying they could go after another quarterback paying Baker Mayfield four million dollars does not stop you from doing it if you really wanted to manifest Lamar Jackson to the Patriots that's like the second time you brought it up in the last 15 minutes I'm not that crazy absolutely trying to if you want me back in I told you that would do it um all right the Bucks also resigned Lamante David to a one

year seven million dollar contract he's been with the Bucks since the very beginning of his career. So in his 12th season, he stays with Tampa Bay, which, you know, that's interesting. I like it. You know, I don't know if Levanti David gets a statue when his career is over, but, you know, here's to guys playing their whole career with one team, and that potentially could happen with Levanti David. That's cool. It's like one of the only ways you can get a bargain in free agency is like these old guys. He's still playing out like a Pro Bowl level. Greg has already shifted from the Bowles Asance to the Dan Quinnison. So I think that's sort of what's going on here. So we've got to give Todd Bowles a chance to not just sort of, you know,

stand at the, you know, the front of a sinking ship as it goes into the icy Atlantic. Help them out here. Um, does this mean, by the way, MacLamor Jones? Are you, so are you out on him or is it more you want Lamar so then? I, I still have reasonably high hopes for McCorkel, not Mcorkel, McCorkel. Uh, here's a move that I was, it was bittersweet. Uh, Jamal Williams, he gets paid. by the Saints. He makes his move, gets a new deer.

Of course, he's coming off an absurd 17 touchdown season with the Lions, setting the franchise record, coming on our show during Super Bowl week, being a hero on hard knocks.

Let's get some like classic Jamal Williams here, Gravedigger. We're ready to do your body like diarrhea. Drip, baby, you hear me, drip, drip.

Three years, 12 million he gets from the Saints. So the Lions now make a move as well. They bring in David Montgomery, formerly of the Bears. He had a nice season last year. So a little bit of a surprise. I kind of thought Jamal would stick around, but he didn't, Greg. I don't know if it was just a money thing. It didn't seem like it because they paid David Montgomery more than Jamal Williams.

I'd rather have Jamal Williams. David Montgomery is a guy who makes you miss, but he makes you miss. to gain like four yards instead of three, not a lot of big plays, just like a solid player, whereas Jamal Williams is bringing the vibes. He's bringing the energy. He's bringing the speeches.

He just felt like a perfect Detroit line. I thought he was a blue guy. I thought he was a glue guy for that team in addition to being remarkably efficient near the goal line. Yeah, you already know he works. I was one of the better stories of the lions and one of the better player stories of the entire, year starting in hard knocks and Dave Montgomery's skilled but like I don't get the move because

you're taking away kind of a heart and soul player from this young lion's team that needs those guys. Well it's interesting because he was one of the first moves Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell made together was bringing in Jamal Williams too at the time a somewhat surprisingly good contract for a backup running back and they were like he's a foundation builder and he really he really did that and I think he can do that for the Saints too. I know they're in a different spot but They need a backup for Alvin Camara because he's probably going to be suspended. And I've always thought that that was a position of need for them anyways. Mark Ingram, it was getting older.

And I do like that fit. Some, one of our followers sent us, like, can't you just imagine a Saints Hard Knocks with James with Jamis Winston and Jamal Williams at a crab boil? I mean, that sounds like fun. Sure. I would watch that. Let me hear some more Jamal Williams, Gravedigger. Do not give up.

Do not feel like you tired. Were you tired? think of last year and think of that fucking record everybody's great when they're not tired the champions is when they're tired that's when the real champions come out that's when that real dog come out because if you go piss like a puppy

stay on the porch and let the big dogs eat I love that he's taking on a leadership role there the players were responding to him and then when he was on our show he talked about he plays like video games and watches anime 20 hours a day

You know, we, we contain multitudes. In other news, Matt Ryan is indeed history in the Indianapolis after a disastrous one-year run with the Colts in which he was benched twice during a fiasco of a season in Indianapolis. He is showing the door. Retirement seems to beckon for Matt Ryan. I hope it does. I mean, guys can quit when they want, but this has not been a pretty end for a really good player. And the Colts also signed edge rusher, Samson, Abuakom. formerly of the 49ers to a three-year contract with worth maximum value of 27 million,

nine and a half sacks as a rotational rusher over the past two years in San Fran. And I will say this about Chris Ballard. He really loves to play chicken with this quarterback situation year after year because they are, like you said, the one team that has really done nothing at the position other than remove last year's answer before, you know, when last year they removed the previous year's answer. And you go back and back and back into the retirement of Andrew. luck. And it's like, if there isn't something big coming behind door number two, I mean,

Chris Ballard's running out of Octane to argue for his position here. And our guy Rapshii pointed out, Matt Ryan's making $12 million from the Colts this year regardless. And it's not like, oh, he's $12 million on the cap, dead money, but that's not real money. It's like, no, Jim Mersey is sending those checks to Matt Ryan. So good job, I guess, by his agent. But I got to go check the tape and see if Matt Ryan was as good on CBS as people say. Because apparently he's into it and he wants to be in our business. I missed it. I don't know.

I think he was like one of the playoff days. We probably weren't watching. He was on the pregame show or in the halftime shows. And apparently he did a good, nice job. Yeah. I mean, has anyone ever looked more destined to work 24 years in a booth? He's the next Rich Gannon. Yeah, he feels like a.

upgrade on like the number three CBS crew. So I like that. I like that idea. Here's a little three pack for you. Jordan Poyer. He's back with the bills. The Viking signed Byron Murphy to a two-year $22 million pact. And the Panthers bring in Haydenhurst, tight end, formerly of the Ravens, then the Bengals.

I thought he's pretty good a match there in Cincinnati, but now he's in the Carolina. Andy Dalton also lands with Carolina, which is, there you go. These guys, a lot of these quarterbacks, these veteran QBs, you watch the trajectory of the career mark, and Andy Dalton went from second round pick of Cincinnati to franchise pillar to bouncing around as a bridge guy slash backup, and now he's going to sign a hardcore backup deal behind the number one overall pick. Well, I think if you, you know, they talked about CJ Stroud a little bit for the Panthers, but if there was a world where it were Anthony Richardson,

it was someone that they thought, we want to let them marinate for a bit. Andy Dalton is literally the perfect quarterback in that situation. So he's literally fulfilling the Dalton line credo that like you are our starter, but we need a better starter. But in that case, they would have gone and gotten a better starter, and he could just play that role until he's no longer the option. See, I thought you were going the other way there.

If they were going to go Richardson, and I think it's pretty clear they're not. Dalton's just so different from him that it almost wouldn't make any sense. You know what I mean? Like you would want a guy that somehow was similar to Richardson in some ways. And if you were picking...

I know, but I'd say this, Greg, who's similar to Richardson that's on the market right now? Ty Huntley? I don't know. Tyler Huntley? I mean, where people, people were like setting their clothes on fire because he made a flag football pro bowl game.

Yeah, Ty Huntley... He played well in that game, Mark. He did play well, but I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't outraged over all of them. How much digital ink was spilled about how well Ty Huntley played in the Pro Bowl? Like, what are we doing? What is this like a participation trophy? His friends, his friends, it was flag football. He did great.

Snoop is what his friends call him. And he's a restricted free agent that they didn't put a tender on. They put the original round tender, meaning someone can sign him. He's basically a free agent and not, and the Ravens could match it, but they wouldn't have to give up anything. And so how about this guys? You could actually sign Lamar Jackson and Snoop Huntley to contracts at the exact same time. You could bring the whole Ravens quarterback room over. Do you ever think? I was thinking about this, Greg, this morning. So much has been made of like Lamar Jackson not having an agent. He does. It's you. What does that have to do with anything? I

just thought it'd be fun. I mean, what if you signed two quarterbacks at once? I don't know. I'm just saying you are using your platform and good. I have no issue with it. You have used your platform to pump up Lamar Jackson's market to even connect him to teams. He's already working hand in hand with his mom and the union. Lamar, if you're out there, Gregi deserves a cut of whatever contract comes. That's all I'm saying. I'm trying to get you paid, Greg. Yeah, add him to the entourage. I want that I want that sort of influence. If I had any influence, Andy Dalton would have better than one year for a million. I thought he played quite well for the Panthers last year. Two points, but let's take a break and then I want to bring something up.

All right, welcome back. Greg, off our earlier conversation before the break. Well, when we first hit Andy Dalton, I think this might be the end of Andy Dalton being being eligible for the Dalton scale. I think this is in terms of ATN history, this is a major transition moment where he's not even someone that we could discuss anymore, right? Isn't he now a hardcore backup?

Yes, but that's what I thought for two or three years. And then he went out last year. And like, if you're just basing it on 2022 game film, he was better than Derek Carr. Yeah, last year. I don't think it'll continue, but he's a backup now. He's wavered back and forth. but I don't they signed him to be a patch early season starter at most if that yeah I think it'll be

CJ Stroud's backup I really think Stroud kind of fits what Frank Reich wants and I'm just saying like let's say CJ Stroud is the guy you know he's starting week one let's be let's be honest here then so when it gets to June or the dog days for this podcast and we're doing our annual Dalton line podcast like I don't think we include him in the convo I don't know if that's ever happened before but did did we include him like I think last year we had already moved on to like the Ryan Tanna Hills and other guys. All right, forget it then. Never mind. Well, no.

I was making a broader point, but you're right. I think you're right. I think you're right, Dan. I think you're right. And we should imagine Miles Sanders signed with Carolina. If you're looking for a guy who got a little boost. You're right with your facts, Mark. I mean, I'm just literally, I'll go back and listen to that episode, but I don't think Andy

Dalton was like a lynchpin. You're probably right. We've got to change the name of it. We've been saying that for a while. I was painting in the margins of, like, symbolism in this podcast history. I shouldn't have done that. It was very daub of me. The other point I wanted to make, Greg, was hypothetical.

You ready? I'm ready. This is Lamar stuff. And I know you're rooting for Lamar and a lot of people are to make this, this land for him. And he gets paid and he's happy with it. And he's on a team that truly appreciates him. What if Lamar was like Aaron Rogers, like super online at a level that no one even realized? And he does reach out to you.

And he says, hey, I just want you to know, like, you're the only guy in the whole cognizante. Like, he pauses and he shows that he's a listener too. That has understood like what I have been about and what I've been striving for and what I believe. has been unfair and how I've been coverage covered and you're right screw every agent in the world into the dirt they all suck and all the insiders they're terrible you get me i want you to come on and be my consultant slash assistant and i will pay you double what you make right now at nfl yes yes yes i would try to like see with you guys and be like hey so this thing came up It's probably not going to last forever.

But I got a family. And, you know, I would hope you guys would consider it in your hearts if this ever goes out to welcome me back. But I can't count on that. Oh, yeah, no. I think I'm going to have to do this. Yeah. I think, Mark, I don't want to speak for you, but we would understand.

I just, I'm just asking you seriously, like, would you move, let's say, hypothetically, to Indianapolis? And part of the job is like, you know, just being his buddy. It's like one of those things, too. This seems weird. I don't want that. I would also point to about, you know, 15 other media members who've probably been just as vocal and aggressive. Yeah, but you're the one on this podcast, including Patrick Claibod.

Yeah, I, Indianapolis, that could be a tough sell for Emeka. And that's sort of where everything starts here. She thought she was fissed about moving to L.A. All right, good talk. Sorry to, you know, Indianapolis people. She just, you know, she wasn't expecting anywhere but New York. That's all. all right let's uh oh you want a good 10 years of disappointing her then Greg that's um that's good

good track record yeah i mean it's quite a legacy i'm leaving all right uh before we hit odds and ends let's hit let's head over to titoons corner with uh justin graver i can't when we're doing when we're doing these remote shows i can't look into those beautiful puppy dog brown eyes of justin to bring him in so i just have to wait for his digital visage to appear. And now there it is. Oh, there's the rotating Titans helmet. Just move it a little bit faster than you'd think.

But a very nice gift, very thoughtful. How's my lying, Dan? I set up a ring light just for you. It looks better. I think it looks good. It looks good. It looks good. Good job, buddy. We want to check in on your thoughts on some moves that the Titans have made.

Now, I know you are of the opinion that the move for Tennessee should be to completely retreat and regroup and even dare I say tank here are some moves that the Titans made today Titans tendered restricted free agent defensive tackle

Tierra Tart at a second round level. They also placed a second round tender unrestricted free agent Aaron Brewer they also they also signed Aziz al-Shahir and Arden Key.

What are your thoughts on these signings by the Tennessee Titans? Yes, they also signed Daniel Brunskill, who will be the starting right guard off the 49ers team. They signed three guys who were in San Francisco when Ran Carthon, the new general manager, was also in San Francisco. So those feel like you get an idea of what kind of player you're getting, not just based on like film and stuff.

But I think overall, pretty good value signings, no massive guarantees handed out by the Titans. I think this is like a soft reload, you know, get a little bit of talent on the roster so that you're not just like fielding undrafted free agents because you have to field a team in 2023. But this is all setting up for 2024. Sell it, baby. I mean, you can't, you can't like go into 2023 with all, like, nobody's at every position.

And then 2024 rolls around. You've got to fill, like, starters across the board. So fill some starters this year, save a few holes to fill next year when you go get Caleb Williams or Drake May and then reset to be ready to compete in 2024. I think the Titans are back. Yeah. I think the Titans are back. I'm so waiting for that Derek Henry trade to drop. That'll that will be fun.

Yeah, come on, get him to Buffalo. Who is the big quarterback you want next year? I want Caleb Williams right now. I mean, Caleb Williams. I mean, Caleb Williams. All right. So you have, since you seem to be ahead of the game here in terms of how the Titans should proceed or might be proceeding, this is your chance, especially with your really well-received Titans podcast that is called. The Music City Audible.

The Music City Audible. Is that new? Did you rename it? No, but you do ask me that every time it comes up. You could come up with like the rhyme. You know what I mean? Like the scam for Sam or the, you know. Collapse for Caleb, Windows for Williams.

Those are both pretty good. You got time. You have a little runway there. Yeah. Well, I think you're in trouble. You signed two of my favorite free agents, also here in Arden Key. Those were like two of the guys was like,

Ooh, sleeper, free agents. Yeah. And look at the Titans. Tan Hill's still there. Derek Henry still there. Who's the safety that was rumored a little bit? Byard's still there. I mean, maybe this is going to change in a couple days, but maybe the Titans are back.

How about jihad for Caleb? Is that rhyme? Not really. I don't think that works on a variety of levels. I find entertaining, Dan, but I just don't think you're going to get too far with that. Thank you, Mark. Let's do some odds and ends. odds and ends

odds and ends everybody tell your friends it's odds and heads it's starting to remind me of that segment of Fantasia of the Disney classic where all the brooms

start to take over and they multiply it's a little ominous like we need a wizard to come and clean up all these collines all right hit it All right, the Texans give Sheldon Rankins a $10 million contract. He leaves the Jets after two productive seasons in New York.

Caleb McGarry gets $34 million from the big spending Falcons. The Broncos sign running back Samadjai P. Ryan, Larry Oglin Joby, gets big money from the Steelers. The Chargers released Matt Filer. They bring back Trey Pimpkins. Seahawks bring back Jaron Reed. Chief signed Charles Omenahoo. And you know what?

I think we're missing, speaking of the brownies, I think that they bring in, um, uh, Thornhill, the linebacker. Juan Thornhill, Juan Thornhill, the linebacker of the Chief Super Bowl champion. A bunch of transactions just to get us caught up. Any thoughts, gentlemen? One thing that, um, was Samaji P. Ryan, first of all, last year with the Bengals, I thought that, you know, when Nixon was in and out of the lineup, he worked really well for the mini plate. He just reminds me of a Sean Payton back, where you can throw the ball to left and right.

kind of just fits, but it also, it's like, I was with you, Greg, under the assumption that Joe Mixing was probably done in Cincinnati, but now you don't have Somagie P-Rine and you either keep Joe Mixing, which would be a surprise, or you move on and you've got nothing there at that position. That with Greg, get Austin Echler. Right, we've learned over the years. You can't, like, give these off-season grades after the first day, but the Bengals have had a tough couple of days.

They lose Hearst. I think they wanted to keep them. They lose Von Bell. I think they wanted to keep them. They lose Jesse Bates, who they knew. was going to leave, but he's a really good player. And yeah, P. Ryan, I think, would have been a nice pickup if you're getting rid of mixing. Some of these bonuses come in of like the third day of the league year, which is Friday.

And so there's still going to be a lot more cuts, a lot more trades. I'm really looking to see who the Broncos trade. It really does seem like Cortland Sutton and or, probably or Jerry Judy gets dealt and we'll see who it is. I mean, yeah, you're right about Cincinnati. But imagine if they did make that. move and bring in Echler, imagine that team entering the red zone when you have Joe Burrow at the controls with Jamar Chase T. Higgins and Echler in the green zone. Make it happen. Whoa. All right. How about Derek Henry on the Bengals? That doesn't feel like something

we could, like a picture, but they certainly now have to need. I don't know why I think Derek Henry he is a titan for life he should be at least why why should he be a titan for life just feels that way i don't know if you're getting if you're given ecular to the bengals i want to see henry in buffalo that i just like we've talked about that before that would be such a pile driver from like october on i want to see it i wish i could remember who wrote this but i read it and uh speaking of running back market zeke now obviously going to be a free agent does he have a Any job, someone throughout the chiefs where it's Isaiah Bichenko is like the guy in space and the more electric guy, but he's, if you need a really good blocking running back, which that is Zeke and somebody that can find the end zone as your goal line back, maybe Chief Zeke is a match. The Bucks were reportedly interested.

I don't know why. All right. So that is the Wednesday edition of the free agency week. for around the NFL. I would like to get to a point, boys, also, where we have some type of marquee guest that people need to tune in for. Like, we need to do that.

I think maybe we had a little bit of a setback with Kvon last summer. But if Kvon has like a 20-sack season and we mend that fence, maybe, you know, he could be that guy. Maybe we get in with one of these young quarterbacks early and earn their truck. at the draft. That's another reason to try to get to the draft. We do, Dan, and this isn't exactly

what you're talking about. Yes. We do have Bill Barnwell from ESPN on Monday. So that's going to bring in the people. Well, that's a fellow Northeastern University graduate, so I know that that is something I'm excited for. All right. So, yeah, we'll have another show tomorrow, just sharing some, you know, the other big news from the week as it comes along. It does start to slow down, but there are still enough irons in the fire here. And you never know. Again, it's very strange with this Lamar Jackson situation, but he is now officially open for business.

So maybe we'll get some movement on that tomorrow. And if it happens on Friday, got to say it, Mark. There will not be an Aaron Rogers emergency podcast, but now there is a Lamar Jackson emergency podcast potentially in the offing. Just a heads up. Put it on your calendar.

I wouldn't say red block out your day, but it's got to be maybe an orange. well look i was prepared to do whatever it took to cover the aaron rogers news um holistically and so if we have to do that for lamar jackson a more enjoyable um individual this off season of course i'll do it i'll be there absolutely well said you're trying to get that assistant job for lamar no but i mean i wouldn't i would i would i would just say like if i were able to speak with them can you wait till maybe you know monday morning would feel like a really fresh time to do Why the smack dab in the middle of anyone's Friday?

Just throwing that out there too. I think he is someone that seems to want to work with us. Right. I mean, the trade of the number one overall pick Friday at like 5 p.m. Eastern was legitimately a disgrace by everyone involved. We're trying to have lives here. Can someone think about the cognizente? Is that how you become a cognizene by having a balanced work life? I don't know.

I don't think so. All right. We'll be back tomorrow. Thank you, everybody, for listening. and remember, as always, heed the call. This is an I-heart podcast.