NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - If I was GM …

Episode Date: April 1, 2016

A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler discuss the latest news from the NFL, including injury updates for both Tony Romo and Percy Harvin. Then, the heroes act as General Managers in the NFL and try to improve various teams with their own trade ideas.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 Sundays. 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 F. 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. Damashik here. Make sure you check out the new episode of the Dave Damashek Football Program. Heisman Trophy winner Derek Henry as he gets ready for the draft. And Mark Sessler talking all things Browns, quarterback's legacy.

and trophy poses. Check it out on iTunes or NFL.com slash podcasts. The Around the NFL podcast is more scientific than DDP. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansus, and I am joined by a room filled with some heroes,

Mark Sessler, and Chris Wessling. What up, boys? Hey, Dan. Happy Thursday. It is. Well, where, how do we feel about Greg? He's over the sea right now. He is over the sea heading to the motherland. Maybe not his motherland, but somebody's motherland. Well, his wife's motherland. Well, the mother of his children land.

The mother of his children land. Right now, Greg is about to spend a week in Japan with comedian Anthony Jezzellink. Which we're fine with. Are we? Of course we are. That's his friend. I've never had any problem with his music. I've never had any problem with Greg and Anthony's friendship.

That's actually pretty cool, actually. It doesn't like a talented comedian. Magnanimous of you. Yeah. Not having any problem with Greg's best friend. And quite frankly, I already miss Greg a little bit. Very rarely have we done shows where Greg's not here. So sitting the blank spot to my right, I miss the guy.

It's like when you set the table for someone who's passed. In this case, he's just on vacation. He could pass. I was out with him last night. I think he probably had to get one more. Wait, you were out with him again last night? It's about me. Wait, no.

Put down the chisels. You were out with Greg? I had to move it off the board because we had so much stuff. Oh. So I took a shot in the dark with it's about me. Oh, Brandon. I had to make up for it. Yeah, I think he had to get one last night out of his system.

Well, that's good. That means that he went, Greg went out, like six nights at seven days. Something close to that, not even joking around. So he made most of it. That's a stunning turn for him because I think, you know, over the course of months, he doesn't go out six times. That will do it for 2016. Oh, he's done.

He's the father of two. Once the family gets back, it's over. The Thursday edition of the Around the NFL podcast, sponsored by no one. Three of us today in the studio, as you know, and we have plenty to get to. I like today's show. Don't always like the show. Sometimes, you know, I'm about to start the show,

and I go, oh, this show is not going to be any good. And it plays out that way? Yes, quite often. Oh, that was a terrible show. I'll say to myself out the word. Today, pretty good. It's going to be pretty good. I've got a feeling pre-show grade B.

Every pre-show grade. Set the bar as high as possible. We're going to do some news. news trickling into the NFL. You know, what we're going to do also next week, just so everybody knows, Greg is out for the week, and there's a very slow period, probably the slowest period of the year for us. We're just going to do two shows next week.

So don't be alarmed if you don't hear us next Monday. You still got three shows this week. We'll still give you two more next week. And then we'll be back. You know, we might do two shows the week after that as well. It's yet to be determined. But then once the draft is coming up right upon, us back to three shows a week for most of the summer when we have other vacations could have

two show weeks but you're always going to have at least two and usually three that seems like pretty good right mark yeah i think it's sensible and you know i don't know what the strategy was behind just doing two next week but i just explained it well all right you did a good job of that i was i was i was something else mentally but i mean you come into work and there's like you have to search for news so that's where we are right now it is it's short of a very quiet Fortnite. If I was a listener, I'd want my money back. And to that point, this is a good thing. There is no, so far, knock on wood, no high-profile murder case involving a tight end. There's no gates involved, no bounty gates.

You've janked it. I know, I really have. No deflate gates. So since there's no massive scandal or perplexing news story out there, there will be. It's a little quiet right now. well this is also the time of year we're setting the table for that to happen if there's going to be a murder or something very bad it's about right now where everyone's left to their own devices where these things creep in

are you pulling for a murder no I definitely am not because that was right when we thought we had hit our quality vacation time and that thing landed like a bomb the Aaron Hernandez thing also somebody lost his life absolutely that was also a downside of that

Um, anyway, uh, and we will also, uh, new segment, uh, workshopping the title, but, uh, and Greg, and West doesn't like it because in our, um, run down, I put multiple slammers, exclamation points. You're the GM. In which there will be phone calls, uh, between, uh, two GMs or a GM and a, uh, front office personnel person or someone connected with another team. and we will play the parts of those individuals and talk about potential scenarios in the NFL that could play out, if only in our dreams. That felt like it could have used a little bit of a music element or something when you pronounce that title,

but just wait, Mark. What do those extra four exclamation points do that the first one didn't already accomplish? The first slamer is kind of like... Wait, you've changed the name of the exclamation point to a slammer? that's journal that's journal that's journal talk journal jargon bra journalists don't use exclamation point how about this on the journal jargon podcast we're going to get into it what the slammer means to the business in 2016 uh but yes you're the gm is coming up later and uh that's it so let's

get into the news right now uh the irishman uh let's do it okay buddy we just thought we've ever got a chance to be our own bosses that we do things differently have a boss right now. Greg is on the other side of the world, so we should just go home after them. We should have had him leave someone in charge. I would put money that it would, well, I would make a proposition that it would be Mark.

In charge of you two? Yeah, I think he would not leave. That is absurd. He would never work. He would not leave me or Dan in charge. You two would not listen to a single thing that I suggested. I feel like this has happened before where he's left you in charge. I like to say that what we're missing is a friend, not just our boss.

Throw that out there. Let's start with Percy Harvin, guys. He will play football in the year of Our Lord, 2016. The only question left. What? Who's our Lord? Well, that's for the theology podcast coming up later this summer. We'll be the Buffalo Bills.

And it comes down to whether the bills, I guess, want him back. Harvin is definitely playing. Rapsheet reported Wednesday. At least three teams have. been in contact with the wide receivers camp he is not he didn't play much last year of course after a nice start to the season in buffalo his first and perhaps only season uh in orchard park but then the hip issues that have become chronic and really have kept his career from taking off for several years now flared up and knocked him out for the year um so here we go here we are west

you wrote the piece on around the nfl's website your thoughts on percy harvin do you think there's anything left in the tank. I know there's something left in the tank because I saw him play last September when he outplayed Sammy Watkins. Average 75 yards on seven touches in their three games before his hip injuries cropped up again. The most interesting thing I found in this was that it seemed like Doug Whaley, the Bills' GM, was pretty hopeful that Harbin would just come out of retirement and go straight

to the Bills. Now you're hearing three teams have contacted him. Maybe it's not a fade of complete that he's going to end up in Buffalo again. It was actually when Connor and I were in London covering the Bill's Jaguars game. Humble Bray. Well, a work assignment also. But, you know, Harvin mysteriously never made the trip. And it started to bubble up and become news that he was contemplating maybe deep-sixing his entire career. And so I thought for a long time maybe we know, you know, what an amazing out-of-the-gate with the Vikings.

What a special player. But I feel like there's probably no guy that we've had to write more injury up. dates about since 2009. I mean, and it started as the migraine issue into various other things. So if you sign them, you've got to wonder, what is it we're going to get out of this guy? Can you really count him for more than four or five games a year? Let's be fair, too, Wes.

Yes, he had a nice month before he got hurt last year, but you have your own personal stance that you don't think we should write about Victor Cruz. But Percy Arvin's not that different. Well, he hasn't done much at all in multiple years, and yet we write about every single move connected to him. It really speaks to the talent that he is and what we've seen in the past. But he hasn't done much. So to me, three teams interested.

He's going to sign with somebody and someone's going to have big thoughts about what he could be to their offense, just like the Vikings thought and the Seahawks thought and the Jets thought and then the Bill's thought. And then you have to go to Plan B because he can't stay in the field. I would say buyer beware. That's fair. I would offer as a rejoinder from my point of view that there's a very marked difference between Percy Harvin and Victor Cruz. I know Percy Harvin can still play when he's healthy. When he's on the field, he's a very good wide receiver.

That's a huge if. Deception on Cruz, by the way. I know with the serious injury. I said I don't know if he can still play. Right. I have no idea if he can still play. I know Percy Harvin can't. But there was another hip injury after you saw him playing at a high level since.

It's the same ongoing hip injury. Victor Cruz, I mean, come on. Name me one player who's come back from a Patel. or tendon surgery. I think he certainly fits in that category of guys that you decided you're not writing about anymore. It's fair. How many 29-year-old wide receivers have come back from a hip injury that keeps getting worse?

I think he's only 27. Victor Cruz is also part of my stance is that it's the whole New York thing. If he sneezes, you have to write about it. Just because he plays in New York. That's fair. That's fair, Wes. There is certainly an East Coast bias that really pervades every. aspect of the industry.

Vernon Davis is a tight end that was once productive during his days with the 49ers. That is a while ago. You want to talk about guys that haven't done much in a while. He started last season with the 49ers, got traded to the Denver Broncos, and was thought to be, ooh, maybe this guy's a missing piece in Denver. He ended up getting kind of outplayed by Owen Daniels of all people who ended up taking most of the snaps in crunch time down the stretch towards that Super Bowl run

by Denver. Denver let Davis walk in free agency. Now he's found a new home. Rapsheet reported Thursday that the veteran tight end is signing a one-year deal with a Washington Redskins Mark Sessler, Scott McClue and the guy I know you like a lot thinks that there's still

something there with Vernon Davis and put him with Kirk Cousins and that offense and maybe he gets his career back on track. Can you see that happening? Not real. I guess this move confused me in the sense that Scott McLuhan is one of, I think, one of the more talented GMs out there at all. And he's done a nice job built. No, I really do think so because you have to look back at what he did with the Niners and Seahawks too behind the scenes to some degree.

And maybe it's what he saw with Vernon Davis when he was with the Niners, with him on his side, then having to face him as a Seahawks executive too. But I don't look at Vernon Davis after what we saw last season as someone that's going to come in and really helped that offense, barring absolute rejuvenation. I think you could have better found a young player or someone to develop at this point. So he's just Jordan Reed insurance? I mean, he's not going to outplay Jordan Reed. I'm not sure he even gets past Niles Paul.

Niles Paul's coming back from a gruesome leg. I mean, I think he's going to have to fight for a roster spot. I don't think it's assumed anything here. It's good to have depth at that position because Jordan Reed could never stay healthy until last year and Paul is coming off that injury. So I think Davis could end up seeing more snaps than perhaps we envision right now. But it just goes back to again. And Wes, we've talked about this, I feel like many times whenever this guy comes up,

it looks like he can still move when you watch some tape of him and he'll make a play occasionally. But you got, I mean, you look at the numbers and is he motivated? Is he got, I know for a fact he's a guy that's trying to be an actor. He's going in to read with different companies in Los Angeles. He's trying to like set up the next stage of his career. is this a guy who is still focused on footballers or you just cash and paycheck? I mean, he said he wants to play for what, four or five more years, so we'll see about that. I wonder if it will help, because I think when he got traded to Denver, he was suddenly in a new scheme,

and they talked, Elway talked about having to try to make him comfortable in their offense in various situations to at least be with a new team for an entire offseason. That will be a help for him. Yeah, I think that's a fair point. You come to Denver halfway through the season. you don't know the offense, and you have a quarterback who is as particular as any quarterback who's ever played about being in the right place on the field. At the time of that trade, next-gen stats had him with the first and third fastest times of the season

by a tight end. So that would say at least in a straight line, he can still move. Let me guess it was 20 miles an hour to 21. His fastest was 21.91, which is fast as a lot of wide receiver running. Yeah, in retrospect, as I remember we wrote about it when the trade happened to Denver, that, oh, this felt like a good fit, maybe a potential steal. But that was asking a lot of both Vernon Davis to learn in the playbook, to find a way in that role in that offense,

and then deal with two quarterbacks in Osweiler and Manning that weren't really doing much last year. Let's be honest, like they weren't big-time producers, and it's hard to get trust at that stage. So we'll see. I think it's a, Mark, I think it's a nice signing by you. I mean, it hurts the hidden, the undersold tragedy in this transaction. It's nice that a human being is employed,

but, Dan, your Greybeard's team took a man. major hit here. Wasn't he the starting tight end on that roster? Popular misconception, Mark. I'm glad you brought it up, though, because I'm getting this a lot on Twitter. And by the way, it isn't a coincidence that whenever I release my annual

Greybeard's roster, these guys start getting plucked off, because I believe it really does put these guys on a pedestal, like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, that guy can't be on a fake game. I think if you're a league executive, it's a galvanizing piece that you look at and you say this is kind of what, as a group, we've not seen. We've got to go out and get some of these guys. Let's take a look at the graybeard's

roster. Yes, Vernon Davis has gone now. Percy Harvin's in the news, but he's still on my roster. Let's see, who else? Who else got signed? You're going to lose your quarterback at some point. This team is going to be a disaster. Well, but my point being is that once you're a gray beard, you're a gray beard for life. So you're locked in in this hypothetical world. As long as you were available when I set the roster, I can't lose. you actually had a player reach out to you privately upset that they weren't on the team isn't that yeah that's not even a joke um quentin demps um you know defensive back uh currently without a gig sent a tweet at a tweeted at me a nice roster with like one of those emoticons like whatever bro

emoticons i felt bad i don't know it's hard i mean there's only limited space should quentin dams have been on that roster west i would take that as a compliment that he cares so much about being on the graybeards that's true Greybeards, influence rising. Moving on. Tony Romo, guys. He had that surgery on his collarbone. The surgery was performed,

not just to get the bone to heal, but to hopefully prevent another type of injury in the future, another broken clavicle. He's done it three times now. It's called Mumford surgery. No connection to the... Is that why he waited? Mid-tier.

acoustic rock act that's selling out your local amphitheater right now. Dan takes a shot at Mumford and Sons. He's like, I could have had the surgery in January, but I will wait. Oh, look at you. Well done. But I guess my only question about this, so

he says he's feeling good, and he's looking forward to off-season workouts and all that. If you're the Cowboys with the draft coming up, I mean, what's going on in their, what's their quarterback room right now? What is going on?

Yeah, what's in their room? Well, they let go of Brandon Whedon, and they don't have a whole lot going on in the quarterback room. That feels like they almost certainly are going to use first or second round pick on a quarterback to me. You got Kellyn Moore. Got to do it, right? I mean, first of all, I think if you're Jerry Jones,

you've got to be thinking we're not going to be at number four again, and there's a very good shot that Wence or Goff could fall to you at number four. So you've got to think about that. By the way, Mark, not the Browns are not going to pass on a quarterback because RG3 impressed Hugh Jackson so much, right? I don't think it would have any effect on that, but I could see them passing on one. This is what I just talked about with Sheck on his show that. The Dave Damshack football program.

That's right. He put forward the idea that what they should do is truly go best player available, get someone like Jalen Ramsey versus picking a quarterback. Who knows what they're going to do? We don't know. The Browns are building. It makes sense for them to get a quarterback. The Cowboys, their owners convinced they're a Super Bowl team with Romo healthy.

Right. Why wouldn't you get an impact player to another position at number four and get a quarterback in second or third round? Couldn't agree more, but I wonder if the – and I don't think Jerry Jones gets not enough credit for having stepped aside to some degree in allowing other people to have a voice with the draft. He certainly has. They've had good drafts.

He got talked out of Johnny Manzell. He did. I'm just wondering if you're, if you, the Jerry Jones factor is alive and well. If they also, at the senior ball, they coached Carson Wentz and they loved him. So if, if, if Wence is the guy that falls. You fall in love with a guy. You never know. Yeah, if you fall in love with him and if you are 100% convinced.

I mean, if we're tired of writing about, you know, Percy Harvin and Victor Cruz, I mean, this is like how many years in a row are we going to write about Tony Romo and his collarbone or his back or this or that. All off season is, I'm doing great. I'm on the mend. Great. My favorite is listening to Jerry Jones tell us how valuable the backup quarterback position is than entering a season with Brandon Whedon is the backup. Moving on.

J.J. Watt is the greatest defensive player in the world. He might go down as the greatest of all time when it's all said and done. Let's be honest, that's the ceiling that we're talking about with Watt, the Houston, Texans defensive lineman. He won the defensive player of the year award again in 2015, and he did it. in a very banged up manner

and I'm stunned for one that this is leaking out he had a broken hand as we know in a herniated disc that he played through according to Tanya Ganguli of ESPN according to a source Watt had also partially torn left and right

abdominals and a partially torn right abductor lungus he also had a fully torn left abductor lungus and a fully torn, I'm a doctor abducted Pesonaisishish, P-E-C-T-I-N-E-U-S, which is pronounced Pectinios, which are two of the three muscles that connect to the pelvic bone to the left thigh bone.

That makes five partially or fully torn core muscles. Gentlemen, Watt, didn't miss a game, led the league at Sacks. 17 and a half. He's on track for recovery. J-J. Watt is a warrior, isn't he? I agree with you that it is shocking that this. came out, it must have been following the

Ben Rathesberger model of making sure everyone knows how injured you are. I mean, I feel like that we don't know what half these guys are dealing with, and the idea that all these things, I've never even heard of these body parts, but that all this was a tangled mess

and he was playing the way he was. I mean, I think you probably basic human functions you would struggle with if this were happening to you. Do you think he was chased for a couple of months? What do you mean? Chastity. Oh, Chase.

Sure. I mean, it doesn't sound like that would be a lot of fun. I mean, please. You're asking if he was doing it with all these injuries to his core area. You said basic human functions. I mean, that might. If he was going down to B. You're asking. Probably or probably not.

I don't know. How's going on out here? I've never been banged up at that level. But, yeah, some guys talk, Jake Laser was on the Bill Simmons podcast, and he made a point. to bring up that he was just making the point that Tom Brady works as hard as any quarterback, including Peyton Manning, just certain guys talk about it and some guys don't. J.J. Watt will let you know. That's okay, though. He just likes people to know that he's J.J. Watt.

Maybe it's a little harder, too, when you're playing in Houston. Well, I mean, on a serious note, it is incredible that he won defensive player of the year while playing through that injury and facing double and triple teams. I mean, to his credit, he didn't let us know week to week during the season. You would never know this was happening. Uh, spoiler alert, by the way, not the first we'll hear about J.J. Watt in this podcast. Moving on, the chiefs have signed Charcandric West and Spencer Ware to contract extensions. Uh, both guys stepped up last year after Jamal Charles blew out his ACL, um, in October.

Um, and now both are under contract. Uh, rap sheet had, um, where receiving a two-year extension worth 3.6 million. the other running back West. We don't have the info on him. Oh, wow. Rappaport added that West received the same exact deal. I think that's brilliant. Unusual.

It is very unusual. I think it's brilliant, though, because you basically take what could be down the road, your two running backs, maybe even know Jamal Charles out of the picture at some point, and you give them the same deal. So there's no in-laccom room issues. And one guy's a former sixth round pick.

One guy was undrafted. And let me just say this. We don't have to spend a lot of time on this. This is a smart move by Casey, but not groundbreaking. But Joel Charles is 29 years old. He'll be 30 by the end of this year. Coming off a second torn ACL, he was still one of the best running backs in the league last year

before he got hurt. He was on pace for another amazing year. But does this maybe feel like the skids are being greased a little bit? Maybe not for this year, but maybe next year when Charles is 30 and he's still expensive, that maybe this is a move made with an eye on the future without Jamal Charles. Seems like an eye on the future as far as insurance policy

that I think their general manager, John Dorsey, probably knows the history of running backs at that age and the history of durability of running backs at that age. It's not a bad idea to have two quality backups signed to reasonable deals. I mean, and also with what we saw, Kansas City wasn't one of those kind of freaky wind streaks, but their run game and their offense in general, it did not suffer without them in there.

In fact, it seemed like a more cohesive, of attack without everything being centered around them. He wouldn't like hearing that. The disturbing part of this is that Rapport also reported the chiefs are working to trade Nile Davis. Oh. Connor Orr must be thinking about maybe bringing them back to the riverhawk. Get that Nile Miles shopping mall back.

There's too many running backs. That makes sense. By the way, actually, now they look at Jamal Charles's contract. I'm thinking otherwise he's due $3.7 million next year. in base salary, which is hardly, you know, extravagant with some bonus money, totally $3 million. But he's not that expensive. He's no Adrian Peterson contract.

So I guess they're just going to roll with a full backfield. And finally, in the news, Wes wrote an extended piece on the around the NFL site about Mike Shanahan receiving a phone call from none other than Robert Griffin III. now the Browns quarterback, RG3 and Shannon had a falling out, of course, at the end of their Washington tenure together before Shanahan got fired. Shanahan, let's face it, got fired because RG3 fell off after his amazing rookie year in 2012. But here was RG3 West thanking Mike Shanahan for a glowing review following Shanahan's decision to call who? Jeff Fisher.

It was an incredibly illuminating interview with ESPN-N-N-Rew. 980 in Washington, and I would say, let's go through a few points here. The first thing that jumped out to me, nobody called Mike Shanahan. Not even John Elway and Gary Kubiak, who worked under Mike Shanahan in Denver on back-to-back Super Bowl teams. Nobody called him. Shanahan took it upon himself to reach out to Jeff Fisher and try to find a home for Robert Griffith III because he believes, this is another thing that stood out to me, he believes

that if RG3 goes back to a zone read type of offense with play action elements to it, that that's his only chance of success. And here's another point that he made. When RG3 came back in 2013 after the

knee injury, which was Shanahan's partially his fault in the first place, it wasn't Shanahan who wanted to change the offense away from the read option to a more conventional offense. It was RG3 who wanted to do that. And I remember hearing his father was somehow involved. than that too, but Shanahan said he wanted to go in a different direction,

which I felt was a big mistake because we could have gradually brought him there. There were a lot of interesting revelations in this interview, but those were three of the ones that jumped out. One other one that I thought was great was that he, Shanahan went after people that talked about the read option and read option quarterbacks no longer having anything to do with the NFL. Well, he pointed to Russell Wilson as the prime example, and if you look even back further,

the last four Super Bowls have had read option. quarterbacks. Cam Newton uses elements of it. Colin Kaepernick did four years ago. And then Russell Wilson I think there's a difference between Russell Wilson and the other guys because he makes such great decisions and his instincts are so good. But Shanahan kind of pointed to that

and said anybody who thinks the read option is still not successful, basically are people on TV, not people having to game plan for that. Call me a cynic, but the one aspect of the story that did leave me arching my eyebrow was Shannon saying it was Griffin's idea to change the offense. I wonder

if he asked Griffin if he would say the same thing I don't know I that was kind of reported at the time that that his father was involved with that remember that his dad was like we why would Mike Shanahan and his son be affected by what RG3's dad had to say upstairs maybe yeah

I mean also was the idea that he would be less punished in a exactly but Shanahan argues the opposite right I think it was a move to protect RG3's future which in a way ended up hurting him because he's not a pocket quarterback.

Also, you know, when you talk about the RG3 saga in Washington, the whole like mission, week one, whatever it was, it was one of his slogans, that race to be ready for the start of the following season. I think everybody got caught up in the hoopla of his return, and there were so many things that went wrong in that 2013 season, and I think there was plenty of blame to go around. Bruce Allen.

There's going to be a great book about that three-year-round one day. Their GM, Bruce Allen, has come out, admitted that, that it was a horrible mistake to rush him back for week one and unfair to the game of football. Remember the RG3 released the tweet? I think it was during... Shocking. It was because I remember being at Radio City when it happened.

It was the 2013 draft, and it was like mission complete or something because he was cleared for off-season workouts or something. And it was just like he had this whole slogan. He's got to get rid of the sloganeering in Cleveland. And as Mark, you know, I've written about it. Like, I do not have a good feeling about this, but if he's going to have any chance, he's got to, RG3's got to wipe out all that stuff on the outside and just be completely

locked in with Hugh Jackson. Otherwise, this is just going to delve into another dark period. Yeah, I mean, they talk about, if they talk about who he's humbled and he's reflective and he's grown, I think part of it is not becoming a side show on a team that does not need that right now, obviously, after what they went through with Mansell. Well, Chris and I talked about before, though, at least. if there's any hope for RG3 that he's going to go play under a coach

in Hugh Jackson that is flexible with his offense versus someone trying to take RG3 and sticking him into some vanilla West Coast scheme where he's just doing stuff that according to Shanahan and not his gifts. I like the idea, but I mean the problem is who's he going to throw to, who's going to block for him, who's going to hand the ball to?

And you and I and Colleen were talking about this at the end of our NFL now hit that I'm pulling for RG3. I feel like, and I think Dan feels this way too. The NFL is a more fun league to watch when he's healthy and playing in a system geared to his strengths he can be one of the most fun players in the league to watch if he's anywhere close to the same guy physically I still have some skepticism about that maybe the year off will actually help him we'll see

one last note Jeff Cumberland nickname Cumbie hashtag Cumbie how to work out with the New England Patriots oh Dan yeah he wouldn't do that to me though wow he's doing it to you right now we'll see well if he's signed then you'll know that I was double-crossed. But we'll just track that. I don't have to declare vengeance on Jeff Cumberland. Put it that way. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

I feel like there was the first use of double-crossed since the 1980s cartoon. Yeah, double-crossed, see? It was in 1930s. Anyway, okay, that's it. That's what's happening in the news. Now let's talk about it. I know both Wes and Mark, the Kissing Cousins, their dream is to one day be general manager.

in the NFL. We're a little late to the game. It's never too late to, you know, follow your dreams. So this, if nothing else, you'll always have today's segment, which is called, you're the GM! One, two, three, four, five slammers. Sure, no gab. So this is kind of a role-playing game,

and I'm really looking forward to everyone really committing to their characters here. and Mark, why don't you get us going because this was an idea that you had pitched. So you will take on the identity of a general manager and you will be calling someone else in the NFL and either Wes or myself will play that other party involved in this phone call. What do we got?

All right, I am going to go to Wes with this one because I am, let's get the phone going. Wait, wait, wait, a little quick. Quick on the phone ring. Nobody even knows who they are yet. I have to say, though, I didn't want them to just jump into it without the phone. That was fresh. I know that's coming now.

Okay. Are we ready? What are the... I am Tennessee Titans general manager, John Robinson, in his first year on the job, and you are Cardinals, General Manager, Steve Kine. Oh, I'm taking you to the cleaner. All right, here we go. Some newbies calling me.

All right, here we go. Phone call time. Pronto. I think he answered Yeah I think he answered You totally queued me up for that too Again

This is a terrible start To the segment Kime here Kime, John Robinson here I need you to sit down for a minute I got an offer for you All right Pull me over here, Robbie

Is this a video camera Like a video conference? You know, despite the ring I think it's a cell phone Two guys on their cells Okay Kime's probably ponied up to the bar All right here's my proposal

I am offering you the top overall pick in this year's draft along with next year's number two in exchange for J.J. Nelson and Coach Bruce Ariens. Whoa. Didn't they outlaw this? I'm the operator. Not in this game.

We feel the Titans. This is the missing chip to turning this team into an East Coast juggernaut. Well, look, I appreciate the offer. Let's start. First of all, it's enough to bowl me over and make me think about it. It's a lot you're putting on a table here, but I have to tell you that we are in our Super Bowl window.

I know you guys are building over there in Nashville. You've got a cute little operation on their eyes. People kind of know who you are now. You got Marcus Mariotta. I don't blame you for coming after Bruce. He's one of the best coaches in the NFL. But we work well together. We know how one hand washes the other.

We have a great operation. going on here, and we're going to keep Bruce, and, like Matt Hasselbeck once said, we're going to go win the game. Well, one thing, what if I take J.J. Nelson off the table? You get to keep Nelson. I didn't even hear you mention his name. All right, well, listen, I got your number. Maybe I'll call you back another time. Thank you. John Robbie. Good luck in Nashville. That was civil. A nice civil conversation, even if nothing came out of it.

Nothing came. That's how you got to play the game. You've got to send feelers all over the league. That was a good feeler phone call. All right, let me do one. Mark, I'm going to give you a call. You will be playing the role of Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson. I will be Texans general manager, Rick Smith. Really looking forward to this phone call. Real excited.

Pick up, Brian. Hey, Griggie here. Greg Bone. What up? Who is this? This is Texans GM Rick Smith. How you doing, Rick? Little inner division call, how are you?

Real great to talk with another AFC South Mind. Sure. How's everything? Well, you know, there's some drama behind the scenes, as always here, but we're not allowed to let that leak this time this year. Are you aware that you'll almost certainly be fired next year? Well, you know, the vice is closing around my head and neck region,

but, you know, I'm being paid well. I'll roll. Well, luckily, I'm here to help you. Save your job. I move to offer you a trade And I know a lot of people said You know we don't trade in division But it could save both our jobs

I think it would work out for both of us Well let me Where we go It's on me All right here we go How's Nicky Blains by the way The cigar bar All right

Smith get to it All right I got a player you might be interested in J.J. Watt, ever heard of him? Yes, I have heard of him You hear what's going on with his core muscles Have you been drinking I would like to trade you, J.J. Watt.

It's going to cost you, though. My ears are perked. I would like to also offer you one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league right now, as evident when you look at his salary. Brock Osweiler. All right. Continue. And I would like, in exchange, You've been to Shake Shack lately?

Yeah, I've been there. You like it? It's fine. There's another side to this deal. Grigo don't have a lot of time. Greg's a third person. JJ Watt and Brock Osweiler for Andrew Luck. Let's do it.

Let's do some business. You get a quarterback back. You get the greatest defense player of his generation. I get the quarterback that my, oh, my owner, you know, Bobby Mick, he's on me every day. He said, oh, Brock. It's a good signing. Now I want to go out and get Andrew Luck. Of course, he's coming off that injury.

You get the quarterback, the 25-year-old quarterback, and the great defensive player. Let's do it. Let's do business. Here's why I can't do business with you. It's the massive blunder you made with the insane amount of guaranteed money. If you were going to put this guy on the table. Damn, and I knew that'd get me.

That's right. Trying to get the old cults to bite. Ain't going to work. What if I throw in the first round pick? I got to go. Oh, no. Hanging up the phone. Damn it.

Bye, bye. All right. Did you ever... I thought maybe I had a chance there. It's intriguing. Yeah. You were intriguing. Wes, you're up.

I am Raiders general manager, Reggie McKenzie. Dan, you are Jets general manager, Mike McHagnan. One ring. Two things. Mike McAgnon's office. Mikey Mack, this is Sugar Bear. Please hold. My, oh, my, yeah, got to be better, got to be born, got to be wiser.

Big Mac here. The biggest of all Mac sound big Mac. Big Mac, this is Sugar Bear. Oh, Franklin? Sugar Bear over in the Oak Town. What's up? Look, you guys, Mahama Wilkerson's got you over a barrel right now. I know that.

Look, you want to get rid of them. You're dying to get rid of them. The leopard have spots? Yes. Okay. Last year, we touched base with you on Mo. We wanted him at the time after he drafted Leonard Williams. You know, you got too many defensive ends over there.

It is an embarrassment of riches. You use a draft pick, maybe a nose tackle after you lost snacks. I'm going to send you a second round pick and promising young nose tackle Justin Ellis. And I would like Mo Wilkerson. I got plenty of room under my cap. You don't. So let me take Mo off your hands. He'll be a key piece for us.

You guys get your second round pick. Still contender mode. We'll give you Justin Ellis. You stick Williams and Sheldon Richardson over there on the ends. Everybody wins. What do you say? What was the draft pick? Second round pick.

Sugar bear. Yeah. Mo is one of the great. defensive lineman in the league his ability to both play the run get after the quarterback you can move him around he's a chess piece he's 25 years old he is durable he is a good locker room guy i would have him re-signed already if i didn't have so many issues with my own salary cap right now this is a first round talent this is a potential hall of fame player and you're not going to give me a first round pick sugar bear mikey mack i'm a little bit

disappointed at your basic knowledge of how the NFL works. Of course he's a first round talent, but basically I have to sign him as a free agent and give you a first round pick. That's not how the NFL works. I would say to this, thank you for listening to my offer, but have fun with your compensation pick next to your fourth rounder and your three and 13 record without a quarterback this year. Enjoy that next 12 months and lose Mo Wilkerson for nothing. Nice talking to Reggie. Enjoy another six and ten. there should have been some negotiations there you could have gotten Big Mac that's not how Sugar Bear works I present you with a fair offer and you try to hold me over a barrel

no things all right I could have worked with you maybe I was just testing you out and then well this is a glimpse behind the curtain sometimes feelings get a little rankled well you really I mean you went after Big Mac there well Big Mac should have known that's how you know wait in all seriousness you think the Jets couldn't get a first round pick for Mo Wilkes? I doubt they could get a second. I don't think there's any way they would trade them without. I mean, you're asking.

I think they're stuck in that situation because you're, you nailed it. You have to turn around and then contract negotiate with him. Right. Yeah, but he's a stud monster. Yeah, but when the Dolphins signed in Domic and Sue, they didn't have to give up a first round pick and give him that contract. Yeah, well, I mean, I think he's, the Jets got a first rounder for Drell Revis when they were in the same type of situation a couple years ago.

It's not impossible to get a first round pick in a, trade like that even when you're an impasse. But Drell Ravis is the greatest cornerback of his generation. Fair enough. That's why I don't think he'll get traded though. I don't think the Jets will take a mid-round pick. But second round, I guess it's not insulting. If we could have talked it out, you were in a rush to get off the phone.

I felt insulting. You can have a second phone call down the road. Maybe. All right. Mark, you're up. All right. My name is Brown's executive VP of Football Operation Sashi Brown. Sashi.

This is your dream. right now. I'm sitting in a room in Cleveland. Nice quiet, early spring, late winter day in Cleveland. Got Paul DiPedesta City next to me, you know, eating some pistachios. Hugh Jackson over in the corner. We just been talking this thing up and we're going to get on the phone right now.

And I'm going to talk to old Danny Boy who's going to play the role of Falcons GM Thomas Dimitrov. Thomas Dimitrov. office. Tommy boy. Please hold. This is Tommy D. Tommy, you got Paul D. Podesta dancing with that.

Paulie D. Well, this is Sashi, but I got Paul sitting next to me, and that little hold music got him going. We're feeling good over here in Cleveland. I'm going to tell you why. We're building something original. I realize that every, you know, reporter and talking head says what the hell is going on with that team. But we are working behind the scenes.

We are getting a lot of heat, a lot of offers for that number two pick. Because you can do, you can change your franchise and a team like the Falcons. You guys, you know, you are in a different situation than us. You could take a number two pick and really, really maybe thrust yourself to the top of that. NFC South, so let's talk a little business because I got an offer for you. You ready? I would like, I mean, I got Lance Armstrong, we're going biking in a little bit, but I have a few minutes. Go ahead. All right. Okay, well, listen, I won't take too much of your time because this won't take long for you to answer.

Here's what I'm going to offer you. Our first round pick, number two overall, along with a franchise left tackle in Joe Thomas, who honestly, oh, we don't want to trade them. We want to give Joe Thomas the respect of not having to sit through what will be a three or four year rebuild. but we do need I say it rebuild and Hugh Jackson doesn't like that word he's grimacing over there but here's what we need for that number two pick and Joe Thomas

we're looking at quarterback Matt Ryan I was afraid you were going to say that I mean Sasha you're a little in over your head you even follow football I certainly follow it and I followed Matt Ryan's season last year and here's what I think I think you can basically

double down and you can take a quarterback that we love we're fine taking Carson Wentz but we think that you plug in Carson Wentz with Joe Thomas and left tackle and the number two pick. You can go get Jalen Ramsey or someone like that. I mean, you can completely remake your team and start over in a good way. I'll tell you what, Sashi. And by the way, the narrative that the media is crafting about your franchise,

it's slightly earned. Let's be fair. Well, you started your career in Cleveland, so you should have some sympathy. Absolutely, I did. How would I not know that? Tough to be a vegan in Cleveland. I know it wasn't easy for you. Yes.

here's the thing it's a very compelling offer Matt Ryan just turned 30 or is turning 30 I think he has a good six years left where he is a top 10 type quarterback so Joe Thomas great offer and it fortifies our line I like that

the number two pick I love that but I'm going to need a little bit more to get the deal done and I'll tell you what I'm going to need tell me I'm going to need a number one in 2019 excuse me, 2018. Well, I got to let me.

And I'll give you back. I'll give you back 2017. I'll give you back a third rounder in 2017. You give me that. You got a deal. And Matt Ryan's your new franchise quarterback.

That's a rich. That's a steep, that's a steep, steep, price my friend um i want two firsts in the next two years i want joe thomas and i also uh will send you back matt ryan and a third round pick in 2017 let's do it you want it you came on this phone call you waited through the madonna cover now you got to go and say let's do this paul just passed out in the seat next to me i mean that's our future and you're looking at a team that you know we're going to have a high first round pick next year and the browns not if you have matt ryan We're going to take risks, but the Browns are not going to be, you know, overly stupid about things.

I want to make this deal get done. I'll call you back with something else down the road, but we got other people to call. I think you're passing up something here, a chance to really, really turn the Falcons into a winner. You know, your job's on the line, buddy. Shouldn't you be at spring training? All right. I'm out of here. I'm out.

Boy, I took a turn for the worst. Okay. Well, Wes, you will be playing Los Angeles Rams general manager, Les Sneed. All right. I will be playing. Well, you'll find out. Hello. Les.

Yes, sir. It's me, the sheriff. Cut that meat. Cut that meat. Peyton Manning. You again. Yeah, it's me again, Les. I want to play.

Let me play. Let me, that's all I'm going to say. Les, let's cut through all the BS, and I'm going to make a case. Before you say anything, I already have a case. Let me make a case. You ready?

Case Keenom's a terrible quarterback, and you know that. We gave him a first round tender for a reason. Nick Foles is a literal joke. Way to go, guys, with that contract. I have thrown 539. on touchdowns on the regular season. I threw 40 more in the playoffs.

I got two rings. And I will be your quarterback for $5 million next year. That's Sanchez money, baby. Sign me up. Sign me up. You know I'm better than Case Keenham. You know that I'll be another coach on the field. You know I'll be a great bridge in Los Angeles one year.

And I'll tell you what, I've never felt better physically. I'm rejuvenated. You've got to trust me on this. I've been flying to Sweden. Been throwing the ball with Todd Helton. I feel great. Let's make this happen. Peyton, with all due respect to the 18 years you've put into this league and the legacy that you're going to leave behind as one of the top 10 players in NFL history,

I wouldn't. I don't like the way this is starting. I wouldn't give you $5 to play football, much less $5 million. I saw you play at a cotton picking minute here. I saw you play in the Super Bowl. I think it was a good idea to retire. I thought it was a beautiful announcement. You handled it well.

I don't think you want to go back on that. I would advise you to take a look in the mirror, Peyton, Manny. Les, I'm begging you. That's beneath you, sir. Les, I need this. I cannot face myself in that mirror if I'm not a football player. I'll tell you what, I've got an offer for you. I don't want your life.

I've got an offer for you. I'm dead set on going into the season with Case Keating him and finishing seven and nine because that is my plan. It's my plan every year And once they fire me Why don't you just come replace me As general manager of Los Angeles Rams How about we work that out?

All right We'll surf this conversation down the road How about that? All right, but I can't stress enough Cannot stress enough That you should never come out of retirement Stay where you are And don't ever throw a pass again

Less one last thing I'll literally do anything and if you let me be your quarterback. I will be your valet. I will be your personal chef. I will take your kids to school. Don't make me go home. But I don't want to give you $5 billion for that.

Don't make me go home. All right. Wow. Did you have another one, Wes? Sure, I got a one. All right. Do we have? I am good.

I'm good. All right, last one. Here we go, Wes. All right. We got a three-way trade going. on here. Ooh. I am John Elley, Broncos GM.

Dan, you are Giants GM, Jerry Reese. Mark, you are Buck's GM, Jason Light. All right. New York Giants, please hold. This is Jerry Reese. Trade's not worth it. I'm hanging up. No trades worth ace of pace.

What? What is that? I don't know. What's going on? Who is this? Hey, this is John Elway. Oh, it's you. What's up, John?

Well, I just added to my mantle again. Oh, yeah. Well, I got two rings. Yeah, I got a few of them. Look, here's what you need. I look at your team. I know your job's on the line. You have to win this year.

You need a tackle. I've got a four times. Time Pro Bowl or Ryan Clayty. I'm flush with tackles. I'm going to send him your way. And I can't figure out how to use Cody Latimer. You lost Ruben Randall. You can't count on Victor Cruz.

You need a wide receiver. I'm going to, look, here's what I'm going to do for you. Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clayty and Cody Latimer. All I'm asking for is a third round pick so I can turn around and send that on the way to Tampa Bay. All right. You do know, by the way, that I. I'm building a roster right now that will leave the franchise in ruins

in two years. I figured that was your plan. Yeah. I have a lot of salary cap issues. So I'm going to need to take, it's a very nice offer. You're going to need to take back at least half of Ryan Clayty's salary.

No. You're going to have to take half of it. Look at your offensive line, man. I know. Ryan Clayty is a nice little thing. You're going to have to take back a little of that salary and you've got a deal. No.

Can't do that. Just for the purposes of this bit, this segment, take back a little bit of money. I'll take back $750,000. Making a million, you got a deal. Okay. All right.

And what about the other guy? What about, what other guy? Isn't there someone else on the phone call? Well, I think he's got to call that person. Let me patch him in. Oh, okay. This is confused. Wait, I'm done with you.

I don't think you're around anymore. That was weird. Light bright. Lighty. John Elway here. How you doing, Johnny Boy? Hey, look, I just swung a tray with Jim. Jerry Reese just swindled him out of a third round pick.

Oh, that's how we do it with the Giants, isn't it? Yeah. Try to get me to take all his Clayty's salary back. I just dumped most of them on him. Well, listen, I mean, I... I'm still on the line. Oh, well, the Giants are respectable organization, very consistent. We hope to build something similar down here.

All right, I'm going to go. See you later. Okay. See you, Jerry. What a disaster they are. Woo-hoo. Still here. Okay, now I'm going.

Look, you got Mike Glenn and. I know you've been, the price you're asking for him has been exorbitant. You know, we know it's a bad quarterback market. I don't blame you for setting a high price. Right. You've been asking for a first round pick all over the league. And nobody's going to give you that for a cartoon draft. It's just not going to happen.

But here's what I'm willing to do. I just picked up an extra third. I've got an extra third compensatory pick to. I'm going to send one your way and I'm willing to move down from 31 to 39. You get the number 31 pick in the draft plus a 30. third rounder for Mike Glennon. That's compelling. I mean, we believe a lot in Mike Lennon, and we're looking to have two quarterbacks here.

You know, if we lose Winston, what happens to us? I mean, I don't, we were suddenly in the same situation you are trying to find someone to back up our young franchise quarterback. I'll tell you what. You know, I know you guys were looking to Kaepernick, too. You were looking at a deal for him. What was that a fourth rounder? What were you really looking for?

It was about fourth rounder? I didn't want to give up more than a fourth. Well, I think that Colin Kaepernick, we know that he can be a headache inside the locker room. Mike Lannin is an absolute choir boy. This guy is a student of the game. So I'm going to take this to my owner because he's very interested in Glennon. But let's give you a soft yes because I think that we need to make a trade here. We need to sell until anyone actually watches enough of Mike Glennon and realize he's not worth any of this.

We're going to need to sell him. I probably shouldn't have said that out loud. But I'm new at this job. So, but yes, a soft yes, got to take it to the ownership group. I'll call you back. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Offers off the table. Oh.

You submit it. Your own players thinks I got McCown on the other line. All right. Well, I'm going to go. Your guy was benched for McCown. I'm in the middle of dinner here, so let's just don't let anyone know that this call happened. Wow. All right.

Elway out. Well, there you have it. A little peek behind the curtain of the NFL, guys. It surprised me how there is like a threat of incompetence that seems. to cut through the entire league. It couldn't have been us. It must have been a real, it was a real look at how things work.

Yeah. That Buck's GM, he was like more overwhelmed than the Jaguars GM in that draft day. No, no, no. You know, I think he's, you learn the job as you go. Yeah.

He was learning it on the phone call. All right. That's Thursday's edition in the round of the NFL podcast. That was fun, guys. I enjoyed it. We will be back. on, let's say Tuesday.

We'll be back with another show. Just the three of us. Maybe we'll have a special guest sitting in. Maybe not. Who knows? A lot of time can, a lot of things can happen between now and Tuesday. That's life. Make sure you check out the Reddit page, which is, by the way, growing bigger and bigger.

Almost 700 people now signed up for it. I think it was like 60 at the beginning of the week. So keep on signing up. It's really a good place. And we had a little meeting after the show yesterday. We're going to, you know, through the Irishman, reach out to the audience for some different things for the show, and you guys can help us out. So I really like the idea of what the subreddit can do for the show in terms of communication between the heroes and the audience. So check it out www.

www.reddit.com slash r slash around the NFL and have your voice be heard. Question. Do you know, because I don't. What's the difference between a Reddit and a subreddit? I don't know. Okay. Do you know Irishman? Nope, but I'll figure it out when I go on there.

Yeah, maybe it's something to look up. Also, the iTunes challenge is going on still. We're trying to see if we can goose the podcast up the rankings, the iTunes rankings. It could have positive impact on the show. We know we have the audience. It's just a matter of, you know, letting the shadowy league figures know that. So if you can go on to iTunes, leave a comment. comment, good or bad, we don't care, but give us that five-star rating, and let's see if we

could beat Steve Jobs. Don't you have a hashtag for this? What's that? Oh, hashtag iTunes Challenge. Hashtag purity is pure. Yeah. And finally, Connor Orr getting married in less than 48 hours. Congratulations to Connor Orr, who I'm sure she'll say yes, and he will say yes as well.

That's usually how this goes. That's the report. And then they will go on their honeymoon and then a new phase for Connor War starts. And a new phase for the Portland Riverhogs, whether he realizes it or not. I think the franchise is going to start going dark for period.

Absolutely. You cannot be the all-in sort of behind-the-scenes maniac when you've got other responsibilities. But anyway, getting married is fun and as is the honeymoon, which is coming up next. So congratulations. Connor, that's it. For another edition of the round of the NFL podcast.

My name is Dan Hans. signing up for quiet storm the male man and the oirishman behind the glass till tuesday 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 Sundays.

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