NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Mailbag: Draft Best Fits, First to Worst Teams, Pet Heaven!

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon to react to news from around the NFL including the Eagles trading for Dontayvion Wicks, Kenny Moore's status with the Colts, Jack Jones signing with the 49ers and more! Plus, the crew opens the NFL Daily mailbag and answers your questions. What is your favorite Draft prospect and team match? How many quarterbacks will be taken in the first three rounds of the Draft? Favorite offensive and defensive scheme? Which team is most likely to go from first to worst in their division? Those answers and plenty more! NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters. From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together. Quarterback movement. Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means. And who really.

really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app, search 40s and free agents, and listen now. Welcome to NFL Daily, where finally the claymates, the Claibon's will be satiated after walking through a desert of Claibon less shows. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio. It is so good to be back here with Patrick and Jordan Rodrig. We're here. It's been a couple weeks since we've all been here in the studio together, and I I miss you, Patrick. Yes, and I missed you guys. I'm glad to be here.

I love doing this show. Love you guys. Love being a part of this operation. And every chance I get a chance to say it, I'm going to say it. Written by the Clay Bonnie Vares. Yeah, ooh, love that. Favorite one. I say in an upcoming episode of 40s and Free Agents,

coming on Tuesday with myself, Daniel Jeremiah, and Mina Kimes, that they were my two favorite ESPN employees. But it was only because I was looking at them at the time. I forgot about Patrick. Patrick's number one. Sorry to everyone else. Sorry for that man.

And full disclosure, to peel back the curtain a little bit, when Greg says that he's taping 40s, I cannot get the image of Greed taping 40 ounces to his hands. It's called, the game is called Edward 40 hands. You must finish the 40 to be untaped. And that's what every single time, Greg constantly says it.

He shakes his head. They mean 40s. I don't know why I say that. That's an exciting show coming up Tuesday. It's a long, it's a long name. 40s in free agents. It's a mouthful. We have a little bit of news today, but today's going to be a draft-centric mailbag show. So I'm really excited to get to all these questions that we took from our great listeners on Twitter and Blue Sky and Instagram.

So that's coming quick. But let's hit some news. There were a few trades, trade items. Dantavian Wix is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. How about that? The Eagles sent two picks away, a fifth rounder this year. and a sixth rounder in 2027. I think the most interesting part of the item, Jordan,

is that Wix signed a one-year extension for, I believe, up to $12 million with the Eagles into 2027. What do you make of this maneuvering before the draft? Yeah, they are setting themselves up so they don't have to, quote, unquote, draft hungry. As the GMs like to say, I personally don't care much for that phrasing, But they basically saying, hey, we need to keep replenishing this position. And so we're going to do that with a sort of maybe high upside player that we think we can get the most out of and take a flyer on. And then probably still try to hit that position in the draft as well.

But with less need. Yeah. If there's a player we've seen play at a high level that can exceed in a circumstance where he's kind of overshadowed by the other receiving options, it's Don Tavian Wicks. and the idea that you could use a 2025 or 2026 or seven draft pick in the fifth round and have a high likelihood of getting Don Tavian Wix, that's a pretty hilarious idea. You can get them now. I'll go ahead and get them.

Well, I know I'm a simpleton, but I was surprised neither of you brought up the name A.J. Brown here. I mean, it does feel like it's priming the pump for the most expected move of the offseason, which would be A.J. Brown getting traded potentially after June 1st, and that this is one of maybe a few moves that the Eagles, would make in preparation for that possibly happening. They have a better idea of whether that's happening or not, but maybe Wix plus a draft pick plus Devante Smith and what else they have.

And then, okay, that's a receiver group. Yeah, well, that's what I kind of took even a step over what I think a lot of people are expecting to happen. All the, you know, all the insiders and everyone, they've been reporting this forever that they are expected to, if a trade does happen, it would happen after June 1st to just help with the Eagles cap. but this is a step beyond that step,

which is now you don't go into the draft saying, okay, now I really need to find another guy. Instead, now you have another complimentary player to keep building this passing game around. I really liked Tontavian Wicks coming into last season. I think he's got some real juice after the catch. He makes difficult catches. Packers fans think he's like a little inconsistent as a receiver or whatever,

but to me he's a high ceiling guy. And the thing I wanted to find out about this extension was, is there any guaranteed money here? It is not up to. It is a very interesting contract that you just give a one year $12.5 million extension. That, if there's not much guaranteed money or any, which might be the indication since it hasn't been reported, I mean, that's a great piece of work for the Eagles. And they'll have a guy under control for like not that much money.

And if it doesn't work out, then he's not on the rock. Which is why I'm skeptical to see this as a, oh, this means that X is going to happen. I think this is a tremendous opportunity for Jill. this to happen and how he does it again. They also have Hollywood Brown. I kind of forgot is on this roster in addition to some of their...

It happens. The world's foremost Hollywood Brown hater. This is unfair. I mean... I'm being attacked. You were not enjoying his time with the Ravens and I feel like

you've held it onto you closely since. He doesn't do that. Kenny Moore. Kenny Moore is probably going to get traded. the Colts are reportedly looking to trade the longtime slot cornerback. I think it's helped to define the position, got a good contract a couple years ago, but costs a lot of money. And judging by the quote that he gave Stephen Holder of ESPN,

where it was like, it's all good. The fact that it's positioned as a mutually agreed to seek trade, just the tone of that quote made it sound like it was more maybe the Colts idea than Kenny Moore's. I mentioned to you guys earlier before we. started taping that when I was out there in Indianapolis this past season, it was very much a vibe that there was going to be some tough decisions coming up. This was before they started just imploding to the level they did. The defense was already shaky. Soss Gardner was not really playing for them

with the injury at that time. And you just got the sense that there was a couple of veterans that they were probably going to move on from this off season. There was a lot of conversation, a lot of chatter about upcoming tough decisions and removing the personal, you know, friendships because it is a very close-knit organization. So removing the friendships with longtime players, IA. Franklin, obviously being one of them as well, and moving into a new direction and what that was going to look like and what that was going to take. So I do think that it's interesting. It's Chris Ballard kind of hanging on for dear life and trying to shed the previous iteration and kind of make room, I think for just for a little bit younger guys.

31 year old coming off a little bit of an injury, but one of the best at what he does in the league, he's due about $10 million. So that's an okay contract, but not a position that people like to pay for. So just an interesting name to watch. The fact that they put it out there like this makes me think, like if for whatever reason they couldn't find anyone to trade for him,

like he would be a cut candidate. Yeah, last year was the first season since 2017, where he didn't play up to 90% of the team. snaps on defense. And to me it kind of highlights the, because we had a lot of discussion about disgruntled players and

other things and how that impacts things. You can also be a player that's given a lot for an organization for a very long time and then they dump you at an inopportune time. And so we see, you know, one side of the coin there. Yeah. And he, I mean, he was there Walter Payton guy. I mean,

he puts a lot into that community. This is a tough one for sure. Yeah. There's no sentiment from the team. either. I mean, he got a nice contract again, but he was a great success story for them. But he's going to be on someone else's team. It looks like in 2026. Just a couple other items. Cowboys defensive back Marquis Bell, who's played some safety for them, was arrested on drug possession charges during a traffic stop in the Dallas area. A search uncovered less than two ounces of marijuana. And so that could impact his playing status. Jack Jones,

former NFL Daily guest and fun instigator is on the 49ers. I'm looking forward to 49ers, Jack Jones, being part of my life. I just have a feeling Jack Jones will be front and center, good or bad on some primetime game, making things happen. And then a report from our very own Ali Connolly related to the draft about Ruben Bain, the projected top 10-ish pass rusher for the, Miami Hurricanes was involved in a 2024 car accident in which a passenger was incapacitated, was immediately in a coma, and then which later died. Bain was behind the wheel. It was at 4 a.m.

There was a police crash report that stated Bain, quote, operated the vehicle in a careless or negligent manner, but then they later found no criminal liability. The second incident was reported separately to Ali over a year later, also for careless driving. And the police report would indicate that that also included an accident. When this was reported, we heard from a lot of draft Nix, insiders, different people. Albert Breer was one. Todd McShay was another. Teams have known this for a while.

This is not news to anyone. In fact, the Lions GM Brad Holmes spoke publicly on my. Monday and said, yeah, we knew about this already, so this will not impact our evaluation of Ruben Bain Jr. I think the question, and he had some quotes from different people in the league, of just how up front has he been about these incidents when he was communicating with the teams, because that could impact him if anything is going to. I suspect it's not going to have a big impact on his status, which obviously is secondary. But the report of, again, getting cited for careless driving in the middle of the

hurricanes run last year in October is something I'm sure teams are going to be looking into. Let's get to our mailback. We haven't hit the draft. In this sort of just like freewheeling, let's hit a lot of topics at once way. And so I thought mailbag would be a fun way to get there. Let's go.

Our first one is from Brofish. He says, love the pod. Compliments will get you everywhere. We'll get you up first. Who are the players and who are the players that teams would trade up for in this class? What teams will you have to get in front of? And I think it raises like a larger question of, yeah, is this that kind of class that there are guys that you would trade up for? Traditionally, those are quarterbacks. Yeah. And traditionally to me, they are players who are some of the best in their particular situations. Now, a lot of times teams will draft based on need,

which can get a little dicey. I think that you've got to get past Cincinnati to get a chance at Caleb Downs. I think if we're talking about the best football players in this draft, you know, Jeremiah Love and Caleb Downs are up there for me. And so those are the guys that I think you need to trade past teams that want, or not necessarily need, but want a safety in the running back. And I think with both of them, it's a good answer. because I also wrote down the Bengals

seem like this stopping point of like, well, the Ohio State guys won't get past them, you know? And maybe this class when you take out the tackles where I don't think a lot of people really believe that their premier talents but still could go in the top 10. Once you get

passed about the top seven or eight players, there's a drop-off. Now that said, because of positional value, if Jeremiah Love or Caleb Downs, for instance, fallaways, that's where you could see someone trading up from like 12 to 9. or from 15 or from 21 to 15 if if Downs is going that far beyond that, I don't, I don't think it's a draft where you're really trading up for players.

I don't either, but I also think sort of combining what both of you guys said, I really could see a scenario where an early run gets going on these offensive linemen and teams start to get a little fidgety or panicky either for one of these offensive linemen or because players, premier players, such as count downs or even Jeremiah Love, who I don't expect to fall. But teams aren't often going to, I mean, they're going to game theory out significantly what it would mean to trade for a quote unquote non-premium position, which we'll talk about later.

I saw the question. And I feel like if, but if a run starts, it's either potentially to get back up at one of these offensive linemen or because teams way at the bottom are seeing players of that caliber drop because of a run on, I would say. offensive line. Yeah, probably the tackles. And it's not the sexiest storyline, but I do kind of think where the tackles go is going to inform so much of this

first round. Well, I don't think this is, I think normally it'd be cool to talk about tackles and everything. But I think this is like a tackle class that people aren't really in love with and are just pushing it up because it's not a good draft class in general overall. That's just the reality of it. But you never know if a guy like David Bailey or if Arvoreau Reese just slips down a

couple spots. Maybe someone would trade up one or two spots. Let's go to the next question. It's a two-parter from our friend Eric, Eric 18, Utah. If Seattle or Denver drafted Jonah Coleman, I see a top 15 running back. That's interesting. Jonah Coleman, kind of a workman-like, maybe a Kyron Williams-like running back, but if you get the right spot, you could be fantasy gold. What is a team player match that you love? That was actually from Bit 3 Buffalo. on Instagram. Eric asked the favorite wide receiver player and team match.

And so I kind of combine these questions. It's just like player match questions, if any, standout. As an aside, I really want one of these usernames to be like a really dirty pun that you accidentally read out loud and just not realizing. I feel like that would be the most you thing ever to have

happen. Okay, well, I put Judarian Price, the running back out of Notre Dame. I matched him to Jacksonville. They love Bachel Tutin a lot. We know this, but they also are a staff in an organization that's going to want two really solid running backs. And I don't

think they are afraid of doubling up on that position early on. Not in the first, you know, they don't have a first round pick. So I could imagine them getting aggressive for a player who could really contribute early on. And then the receiver and team player match from Eric 18, Utah, Omar Cooper of Indiana with Clint Kubiak's Raiders because the yards after the catch and he kind of feels

49ersy to me in that scheme fit. So I like him to the Raiders. That would be fun. They'd probably have to, what, trade back up for him? Maybe. We don't know. I guess you don't know. Maybe. Depends on how teams feel about him.

I think there's probably a couple different camps with regards to some Indiana players in that like, wow, these guys were coached very great or wow, this is just a coalition of dudes. and we'll see how teams feel about him. I think Spencer Fano to the Kansas City Chiefs. I know a lot of people have Mauga, Mila there, but I think Fano to the Chiefs

will be a great matchup, especially, with the way they want to play with Kenneth Walker and wait for Patrick to be back. Yeah. Now I'm thinking, too, of the trade-up guys, like Venga Ione, could also be a guy just because he's so far ahead of maybe every other guard in the class and maybe a lot of people's top offensive linemen in general.

Some player matches. This is one where I bet you had fun with it, Greg. Casey Concepcion on the Rams. I mean, I love Concepcion. I don't think 13 is too high to take them. I think that unless they take tackle, I feel like that is a wide open spot there. And so I'm immediately thinking, yeah, like offense.

Him going to the Cowboys or Rams early to me would be fun. I think people look at the Cowboys and they think, well, Cedley Lamb, George Pickens, like they're set. George Pickens is very possibly not a long-term cowboy, and I think more receivers better. You know, like, it's a great thing. If you have three different guys who could be versatile in that way. And then I love CJ Allen.

I'm going to talk about him on the 40s and free agents coming up, a linebacker from Georgia. And if he fell all the way to the Texans as kind of like maybe the next as he's outside here, that would be great. But also if he made it to Todd Bowles as Bucks or Brian Flores' his Vikings, Vikings and is at 1819. I think he is worth a pick that high. I think he's a really explosive, like, fun player

and they would know how to use him. So I think like that combination would be fun. I think he's a little underrated in this class. All right, next one. Who is your favorite draft prospect you've ever evaluated? This is from Hortz and all on IG. Well, mine, of course, played college football in the state of Kentucky. And you may think I'm going to say Lamar.

No, it's Josh Heinz Island. There was so much discussion about BOSA in that draft. And, you know, this was, you know, I still watch a lot of SEC football, but I was still, like, habitually watching so much SEC football. And that first Kentucky win over Florida in 25 years just watching him play, I'm like, this is it. This is it. And all of the Bosa comp and everything is like, there was this vast gap.

I thought that you were going to be able to get that same quality player there and vindicated. I was right. The key is being. right about the process. I picked mine that way too. Although I guess I didn't. That's incredible. Because one I was wrong about, but it still was my favorite.

Go ahead. Okay, mine, a little personal, too, tinge to it, too, Patrick, because I appreciated being right about this one, but in not the way you would have thought. Because I think everybody knew that Christian McCaffrey was going to be a good NFL player, if not a great NFL player. However, there was so much conversation that was so irritating about Christian McCaffrey.

when he was coming out and certainly up into that Heisman campaign as well. And you remember the narratives, like he couldn't run between the tackles and all these things that I remember going through like snap by snap. And actually he was the first player. This was my first full season. I had the previous season a little bit of it. My first full season and off season covering the NFL as a reporter. And that was my first like real snap by snap charting that I did for. pre-draft stuff. And I was like so angry that this narrative and then and then even carried

through into the like story that I did at the athletic about a Heisman voter literally telling Christian McCaffrey he didn't vote for him because he didn't watch enough of his games in college because they were on too late at night, which me being the petty person that I am led me to do a snap by snap study of how what percentage of his snaps actually did come at night. 87% of his snaps came after 10.30 p.m. Eastern time. It's a statistic I will never, ever forget. He was robbed and I still, well, maybe not. Turns out they were both good. Yeah.

Wait, who and the heisman? Great. Derek Henry. That's the thing. Yeah. No, he wasn't, he wasn't robbed. Like, as I say, our king, Derek Henry, there's no way. However, it is really, it was a really like great exercise for me in all seriousness of actually going through the fact-finding process at the NFRA. level. I was very, very inexperienced at the time.

I always remember watching that draft class in terms of the running backs, like one after another. And it was just like, wait, what's good? What, like, Joe Mixin? Joe Mixin was such a good prospect. I mean, he had the off-field stuff, but as a player, like, it was crazy. And I was like, Alvin, Alvin Cameras thought is going to go where? Christian McCaffrey is going to go where? And then he actually went higher than people expect. All those guys. He went top eight. Not all of them, because Leonard Fournett goes fourth overall atop that class. But then Dalvin Cook,

in the later rounds, you had James Connor and Aaron Jones. That is a sick. People can argue all they want about the Fournet. Fournet did, when he was at his best in the NFL, you cannot criticize him too much, I don't think.

I can't. He was like an average starter at his best. Like he wasn't a bad player, but they took him over Patrick Mahomes. Miles Jack was not down, Greg. Listen, you can criticize the teams. Yeah. Do that.

But that was a badass class overall. I agree. I just mean like in a class where you had McCaffrey sitting right there. I think it's okay to criticize him a little bit that you took the inferior player at the same position. You can criticize the team, Greg. You know what I'm saying? The player is badasses. Fourne out was solid.

He was good. Super Bowl winner. Super Bowl winner. You can't take that away. I think we all are showing our like you always remember your first like when you were just starting out maybe in the business. The first one you were right about. Like the first one. And Jay Cutler definitely wasn't my first

because that's a few drafts in for when I was working at Road to World. But I just remember the wars that were being waged like the Jay Cutler hive back then who was like, no, he's actually better than Liner and Vince Young. And he ended up going very high.

He was a fascinating prospect to watch because he had nothing around him at Vanderbilt and you were like, wow, this guy is incredible. So Cutler stands out to me. But similar to that, Robert Quinn at UNC because like I think I tend to favor guys who have just such incredible first step suddenness because that doesn't take maybe the greatest scout in the world to be able to see. And you could see that with

Robert Quinn. AJ Green and Julio in college were just kind of like outrageous players. I'm throwing out a lot of people. And then one I was totally wrong about, but I will always defend because I still think he was a better pro than people realize was Ronnie Brown at Arborne. I just love Ronnie Brown at Arbor. I think that is a hell of a player. You feel like you were wrong? I mean, he got taken two overall. Would they draft him that way again? But I think he was much better as a pro than people really realized anyways.

Change the game. All right, I'm standing behind my Ronnie Brown. And Drake May, honestly. Fake me in the next. Even before he got taken by the Patriots. Oh my God. The argument was, will he go one or two? Right.

Really? Well, I'm just saying it just said favorite. I'm not saying I was on a limb. Jordan, I like to give you a statement to the haters and the doubters that said Drake May will never amount to anything. This isn't about the doubters. I'm saying like,

who is this the most, the most fun to watch? I mean, Lamar was up there, too. Yeah, I didn't want to be a homer. Yeah, there's a lot of doubters there.

You have the number one pick in the draft, but you have to only draft based on coolest name in this class. Who would it be? And this is from Brandon, Lori Wright, on Twitter. Coolest name.

Number one pick, Patrick. It's Casey. Concept. That is cool. I think because there's also a disambigation on on Wikipedia because there is a Filipino actress and singer also named Casey Concepcion.

That's how cool the name is. I love that. It's like a inception. Like you can, I like names or you can make puns out of them. The first time he gets behind a defense, we could call it Incepcion, you know? I feel like people are overthinking.

Just slip through their conscience. A lot of like, yeah, drops. Yeah, drops are important. They, they're not that sticky, you know? Torel Owens dropped a lot of passes too. Mine was, I didn't really have to do a deep dive on this. This was the most movie star-ass

type football name. I think you have my number one pick too. Sunny style. I know. I don't overthink it. What a freaking name. How much... It's so cool. It sounds like a fake name in a football movie. And the cool thing is when you hear him and when you think about his playing profile, he feels and sounds like a sunny style. Which is

he's kind of like low wattage, but very much in control, almost like Keanu Reeves in like an action, like he's not going to say much, but he's a total badass. That's sunny styles. I just, I love it. That was my pick too. Some Monterville mentions Jennings Dunker.

That's pretty good. That's cool. Offensive line. DeAngelo Pond. I like that. Smaller cornerback type. De Angelo Pons is a fun of a lot. The Monty Pond scene.

Except a sword from a woman in a pond. Let's take a break and we'll come back with the. more questions in a minute. Some tart in a pond. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now I've got my own show.

If you're tired or lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeart Radio app. Hey, Ontario, come on down to BetMGM Casino and check out our newest exclusive. The price is right, fortune pick. Don't miss out. Play exciting casino games based on the iconic

game show. Only at BetMGM. As to the price is right fortune pick is only available at BetMGM Casino. BetMGM and GameSense remind you to play responsibly. 19 plus to wager, Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connix Ontario at 1866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg, free agency, the combine, the NFL draft, pro days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters.

From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits to my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move? We got teams rebuilds. building. It's hope season. Yeah, absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Back on NFL Daily, big week on the show. Looking ahead to next week. We're going to be previewing the edge position, the cornerback position, the running backs, the tight ends, the quarterback. That's all this week. We're also going to do just things we're looking forward to in terms of the draft. It's draft season. It's a sprint. One story you guys talked about, and you and Nick did a great job last Monday.

Generous. Jordan. And you talked about the Dexter Lawrence trade request. James Heisman asked, do you see a scenario where they trade Lawrence and Kavon get Capo? I wasn't sure if James Heisman, Heisman. meant this as a double, like that they would be a package. Yes, those both. I sort of looked at it separately first saying like, yeah,

I can absolutely see Dexter Lawrence getting traded. It seems like because John Harbaugh was so eager to then remark that everybody is tradable, the second Kvon was brought up, that maybe he's not the player that they're getting a lot of calls on right now. But yeah, I guess reframing the context of the question, absolutely. I could see a team or them even saying, hey, we'll throw in a player we don't maybe don't really see as a fit on our roster anymore to make a trade happen.

I think that this Dexter Lawrence situation, I know that there's a lot being made about the contract and working the contract out over time and all of that. But I could see teams being incredibly, incredibly interested in particularly the closer we get to the draft and watching how the board falls in actually making that a reality. I think they might be willing to do it too. I think the chances of him getting traded are a little higher than, like, it's been talked about. I feel like a lot of it just comes down to standard negotiation and playing this thing out. I would think that Harbaal is, you know, I'm not even mentioning Joe Shane. I feel like he's just happy to be a part of the festivities. But, like, I think it's more of a win now situation, and I don't know what, you know, what the 27 and 28 picks would be doing.

Right. You're trading Lawrence and or Kavon. You're immediately hurting your strength. And yet I do think they might take a little longer view when it comes to Lawrence. And for the right picks, it does make some sense. Would the bears really draft another tight end in the first round? Like I'm seeing in some mocks that's from Best Planet on Earth on Instagram. And Jordan with an aggressive shake of the head, a nod, a yes. I think they would because Ben Johnson wants to activate multiple tight ends at once in this scheme.

And yes, they have Cole Komet, but he's turning 27. And so you always have to be, or turning 28 this season, I believe. And you always have to be replenishing high volume positions within an offense, especially with a skill guy. And in this case, the tight end position in this scheme is just as much considered a skill guy as your top receiver would be, for example. So yes, I think this is a position that they'll keep replenishing. and especially to make sure that it's cost controlled with young players

by the time Caleb Williams contract comes due, I absolutely think so. I just think it's more of a situation with regards to the players that are available. Yeah, that too. Yeah. If Kenyon Sadiq is there. Yeah, yeah, that's one thing. I don't know if this is a class that's deep enough,

like last year's tight-in class was where I think you could make it easier case for a large amount of tight-ins going in the first couple of rounds. So I think, yes, this is something that the polls and Johnson would do. I don't feel like it's likely this year. Yeah, he's a good compliment. I mean, yeah, no single player is probably likely to get traded. But it wouldn't, it wouldn't totally shock me. Next one is from Liam Lodge NFL draft on Luske.

How many quarterbacks in the first three rounds? So if we assume Ty Simpson gets taken in the first three rounds, which I don't think is 100%, but it seems likely that we get taken third round. It's basically a question, does anyone else fit in there? You say no, Patrick. No, I just don't see the value.

And, you know, not to diminish like the Carson Bex of the world or the rest of this draft class, but I'm constantly looking back at, you know, we're seeing Drew Aller highlights if you're watching us on YouTube or, you know, over on the fast channel. but there's just, I don't see that the players there.

Garrett Nussmeyer is on the consensus board in the first three rounds for what it's worth. He would probably be the most likely, but I don't think so. All these guys seem like day three guys. So the question is, where does Ty Simpson go? Dan Yul-Jeremiah thinks the Cardinals are really a team to watch for him. Would that be, you know, at the top of round two? Who knows? It's another reminder that the guy who I would have had with the best name in this class,

Trinidad Chamble's, to me, should have probably. come out. The fact that we get past those two quarterbacks and then there's nothing. He would have made it three, but I'm going to agree with you. I'm going to go to two players. With players staying longer in colleges, do teams value the experience gain or where they prefer to develop in-house?

Thanks. Love the show. That's from Mason Brawl. And I think this is a question with, look, we still have some COVID-year players in the draft. Keante Scott, who I like a lot as a slot player from Miami, it played six years in college. You're getting different

waivers for various reasons of why guys can play longer. And so I think it's a question that some of these guys that you're interviewing, for power players, Jordan, we'll be asking themselves, like, would we rather have more of a finished product, a smart 24-year-old, or would we rather have a 21-year-old that's a little more raw? Yeah, it depends, first of all, on the team,

depends on the coaching staff. There's so many variables, obviously, of how fast can you onboard that player into being a real, real player contributor into your system. So that aside, one thing I have noticed when I'm kind of on the ground talking to these scouts and all of that year over year here is a tonal shift, especially now that we kind of, it's still the Wild West. We have more of an understanding of what NIL is and what the post-COVID years are and what all of this is going to be when you're looking at it from an NFL perspective, looking into the college dynamics. So there's been a shift. It used to be that these players, and I saw it with my own as being in these interviews where these players would come in and they would talk to these scouts about how they feel like NIL is going to ruin football and saying everything that they think the scout wants to hear.

And even though you're sitting there like, no, dude, make money. Like, what are you saying? But saying the things that they are maybe coached or trained that they think the NFL team wants to hear. And over the last couple of years, especially, I've seen a real shift in people wanting. older players on their teams, people wanting players who have seen more football on their teams. Again, caveat. So many variables. Injury history is one of them.

I know, Greg, you hate old quarterbacks for that reason when they come out. No, Tyler sucks standing tall for all the old quarterback. You hated him when he was coming out because he was older. But that's a real tonal shift that I'm noticing. And the thing that goes hand in hand with this is now there is a significant trend over the last three years of the second contract that these players sign, it is more player friendly, it's also becoming more team friendly, it's shorter term, it's average three year deal versus maybe a four or five. And so that is going part and parcel with, we're okay

with a player who's a little bit older who's coming out. It's a really fascinating sort of cycle that we're moving through right now. Yeah. And I also think it's just a reflection of the players who are being compensated now are able to stay in and be compensated for, their labor as a college football player, which is leading to guys staying more, which is leading to more good players staying more. And where teams have always liked talent. They would prefer to take talent.

You could see one season of Jamar Chase. Like, oh, okay, yeah, we can go ahead and sit out. We want that guy. You don't need experience. The experience is just a reflection of like your relative power that you had to use with the talent that you could get there. Teams want talent. They've always wanted to do.

Right. I think age, if any, anything, once you get past, like the first 50, 60 picks or whatever, it's not going to be viewed as a bad thing because of what you're saying of guys who can come in and contribute right away. When you're talking about the higher ceiling guys early,

like, yeah, the tie is going to go to the younger players, I think, because you're hoping that they develop more than the older players do. But there's a risk in that. The more data that you're getting from these older players, the better. I'm just saying, like, from a really top of the draft type of view. Like, if you're talking, like, a 21-year-old quarterback

back in a 24. Like, yeah, you'll take the 21 if he's that good. It's time for the offseason ride-along presented by Toyota. Let's go to most and least favorite defensive schemes in the NFL. That is a wild question.

And offensive. Yeah, like offensive and defensive. Just favorite scheme. Patrick. I, because there's so much tree discussion. I like that Matt LaFleur doesn't feel like he's in the tree. And so I will take Matt LaFleur,

especially if I could add a caveat when Malik Willis is starting, Matt Lefleur is my favorite offensive scheme in the NFL. I had a Matt LaFleur caveat as well. Oh, wow. I said specifically when Tucker Kraft was healthy. That was my Matlaflore caveat. And yeah, everyone, all of you guys in the collective listening audience, you can groan right now.

It's, it's Rams 49ers for me. It's been that you guys know this. The way, it's just because it keeps evolving. It keeps evolving. And it's so interesting, like, to watch the different permutations based on personnel and based on the front offices and who, what types of players they gravitate toward it. And then the scheme shifting and then the quarterbacks as well. I just think that it's been a lot of really cool show your work football over the last 10 years or so. And, but yeah, I love that.

I have that for the Matt LaFleur when Tucker Craft is healthy. I could even go Matt LaFleur when Malik Willis. is on the field. Just like, that's what Patrick said. You know, limited snaps. That's amazing.

I thought about historically, too. The Mike Mart's scheme was so insane. I like, to me, that was like the offensive version of what Brian Flores is in the middle of right now. Yeah.

I think we're going to look back on these Brian Flores. Yours is like, whoa, that was crazy. And he's having an impact on other defenses too. So that certainly would be my defensive pick.

And then I, like, I think you go back to some of those. Jets defenses, which are pretty closely connected to his dad's buddy Ryan. Ali Connolly. Ali Connolly wrote the best article, the best piece. I don't even want to reduce it calling it an article. It's a masterpiece.

The best thing I've read in like five years of reading about football, Ali Connolly wrote it about the Rex Ryan influence. And then, yeah, how about the Joe Burrow offense? To me, he's one of the best game designers and play callers, Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals. Specifically Joe Burrow. A shot. Let's be a shot.

My least favorite was last year's Falcons offense, in part because they betrayed my beloved pistol formation. And I've loved what Damiko Ryan's and Matt Burke do in Houston because it's relatively simple, but they're just better at it than you are. Like, it's so badass. That was the off-season ride-along presented by Toyota, because when people are the destination, your ride is important. Learn more at Toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people.

The next question, Conan, Irish Eagles on Blue Sky, everyone talks worse to first. I want to hear you guys on the opposite. First place team's most likely to come in last. Some early prediction stuff would try to avoid that this early, you know, in the off season. But the candidates would be the Pats, the Steelers. You know, both of those, you know, they would have to finish below for the Pats, you know, the Jets and the Dolphins.

The Steelers would have to finish below the Browns. The Jags would have to finish below the Titans and obviously the rest of the division. The Broncos. The Eagles. the bears, the Seahawks, and the Panthers. I heard from one listener on Blue Sky that was like, you make me feel bad about the Panthers.

I just want you to like the Panthers. It doesn't mean that we don't like the Panthers. It's just two games was the difference between first and last. It's probably the Panthers or the Bears, and that's because of the natures of their divisions. Because you could see a last place finish in the NFC North being decent. and the bear is just taking a step back for whatever reason.

And then the Panthers, similarly, if they take a little step back, and that's a balanced division, you could see it. Greg, you've said this before, and I really agree with you on it. The Eagles, to me, have a huge amount of variance. That's spicy. And I think that the Broncos do too.

I think they have a massive amount of variance. We saw it off a cliff at the end of last season when Bonex got hurt. But I do think, on the other hand, the Broncos are going to once again be one of the most contention worthy teams. But I just think the variance is so significant. You got a pick? Yes, it's the Panthers. That's why.

Okay. Yeah. Would you rather have three good starters from a draft class or one Hall of Famer? That's easy. It's a human, not a human nature, it's a me nature thing. Like I would, I'd rather have one hole in one than have really good, really good rounds all year. I'm not taking pictures and telling people about that one, those really good rounds for the rest of my life, I'll take the whole one.

Yeah, the Hall of Famer can just change everything. And he also wrote, this is from Lucky to be here on Blue Sky, a merely capable starter. So the word merely there, yeah, you get the Hall of Famer. That can change anything. I, I actually if you had said, if you had said good, like, good starters, that's a little tougher

of a question, but merely capable is like, okay, then you can be easily replaced. My only thing is that I don't think it's good team building to chase outliers. And so, for me, I'm like, I build... This is assuming he is a Hall of Famer. Like, you got it right.

But that's the thing. We're also assuming position. Aaron Donald's a Hall of Famer, and they lost like crazy those first several years, and they didn't have a quarterback. So once they got the quarterback, who's also going to be a Hall of Famer, that's a debate for another time. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I just really think, for me,

my method of team building would be to not chase outliers and instead to build complementary traits. I would love to stumble upon a Hall of Famer, you know, just as a treat. the same user also asked why as I age do I feel like I care less about football? That was an interesting one. I think it's time. We used to have so much of it.

And there were like entire decades where I saw like every single shot that went up in March, like all 68 of Tiger's shots on Sunday, like every single game in the NBA playoffs. And as like as we get older, like the amount of things that we have to do and need to do, just they add up. I think that it's okay to have evolving relationships with sports teams, with sports in general, with specific sports like football. And I think this does and can happen as you get older that, like, you might care less about football right now. And then in seven or eight years,

you'll find that you care more about it. Or you might kind of get sick of one team for a little while and then come back to them because you're like prioritizing. And sometimes it's nice to give a little break. So maybe you'll come back to it. I hope it means that you care more about other things that are bringing you joy and richness to your life. What else is there? As he says, as he returns from a week with his family, rank them from best to worst.

Before sunrise, before sunset, and before midnight. Okay, I have a really stupid question, by the way. These are movies? Are these movies? I thought they were done. I mean, you could have just moved. I knew. I went out of your way.

I knew. Oh, you went literal. I went literal. Yeah. I went to. Justice for Link Letter. No. Our guy.

Oh, this is the guy that did boyhood? I know that they are iconic movies. I get that. But in the question, I didn't know. I went literal. I said before midnight because that's what I write.

This is crazy. Yes. Richard Linklater wrote a series of movies. Iconic Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. They meet and they just kind of talk. It's like a first date. And then eight years later, they come back.

They never met back up and they do it and it really messes with time because, you know, like it's the same characters but every eight or nine years and then before midnight. There is a clear answer.

These are important movies to me and my wife Emeka and she went in order. She would just go in the order sunrise sunset midnight. The clear and obvious thing is that before midnight is obviously last.

I am so happy that people have a positive relationship with Richard Linklater films. I do not. Why not? I watched Boyhood and I feel as though it happened in real time

and I would just like to have had a plot. Good, good rewatch. I enjoyed it. It was messing with time. When somebody tells me a story, I am interested in the plot.

The story is life. It's a story is life passes. Life passes while I was watching the movie. I think before sunset takes it here. You know, it's coming back together that you're in your 30s. You're a little smarter.

Before midnight's tough. I think you realize, you're like deep into the marriage and sometimes there's some realities there. I think I think that echoes life little. Before, you know, the first meeting's overrated. For some. For them. For your literal answer,

what did you pick, Jordan? She said before midnight. Before midnight, because that's when I write. Yeah. I was like, oh, I love that time. Before sunset. One of the best movies the last like 25 years. The NFLPA and the NFL has hired you to replace the franchise tag with something that helps team keep franchise stars longer.

assuming you want to do a good job and get them to agree, what do you say? Oh, you guys are both looking at me. I like the caveat. Assuming you want to do a good job. I did have one. I did have one if you want me to throw it out first. Yeah, I need to think it through that there would almost be no salary cap for, like you would, the franchise player would be outside of the salary cap.

Like, and that would encourage more money. Now there's particulars. Like maybe it's three years guaranteed, but it doesn't count towards your cap. and the number has to be like above the number one player in the league average or something like that. So the players get paid. It doesn't hurt your cap to keep them. It's like an exception for one player. But you would really only do it for super duper players.

Mine has not been thought through whatsoever. Just to be clear. There is mine, really. I was thinking that there is a minimum salary threshold as sort of a placeholder, but certain parameters that are set that are. are relative specifically to that player that are pre-negotiated. So it's almost like there's a two series of negotiations. One, agreeing to the parameters that the player must make at least this,

based on his value and production, based on some agreed upon parameters versus the needle moving and the goalpost moving that we often see during this time. So you don't think I'm copying. This is what I literally wrote down. The NFLPA working in tandem of capital is a limit worker power sounds like something this version of the NFLPA would be all but willing to do. but I think the abolition of the salary cap will provide teams

with everything they need in order to keep certain players in a particular location. The starting point for my negotiation will be something reminiscent of the Supermax NBA deal where you're allowed incremental violations of the cap for certain players. So complicated, but I do like it. I like it.

Assume the afterlife is real. Where do pets go after you die? I like how people know us at this point. So they say, assume, they use the word assume. Like, approach this question with this framework. Cover your basis. Is that like that? Yeah.

Yeah. Where do pets go after they die? Human heaven, hell, species, specific domains, or somewhere else? It's a tricky one. I can't imagine and everyone has great relationships with their pets. But I just feel like heaven for pets is not not having, not being subjugated to that relationship. Well, you don't have a dog. So I would say that, like, for a dog, especially if you got, I,

learned this phrase, this is, maybe Gen Z, I don't know, but like a soul dog, you know, if you have a soul dog, you know, you and that dog, you would think, even if you're applying your own feelings onto that dog's own feelings, like, that that dog also wants to see you. I think that it's probably a combination of energies that find each other again, you know, like if that is what the energy was on earth for both of those. And then if you don't meet your pet, you know, wherever, then it's assuming that the pet has decided and has the autonomy to decide. So I think the afterlife for pets is being given autonomy for the first time in their existence,

the autonomy to decide what they want to do. Right. I guess we can't rewrite all of human existence. Because at some point, you know, then we kind of made the animals. answer to us. So, you know, maybe this would be an opportunity where they're no longer answering us to all,

but then you'd have to rewind and it wouldn't be the same soul. Very complicated. Yeah, I would hate the idea that, like, because, you know, we lost Penny and Dottie within the last year,

that they're like somewhere with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson right now. I know. Like, I'm not doing that, but I would hope that, you know,

for all conscious beings, that, you know, there's a place where you kind of separated between bodily format and you're just aware and calm and free. That would be my hope. All right. This has to be the last one because we got to get out of here.

Jeff Paul asked, well, the Vikings or Lions ever win a Super Bowl or should fans of those teams like me just abandon all hope? I thought you were going to go with Jeff Paul's bonus question. Yeah, that's coming. That's, you know, that's the second part. I was just confused because Jeff Paul, uh, comedia, comedy. Who is this? I thought it was a media company. Right. Comedia. That might be it.

Like, who is a fan of? Who is a fan of both Vikings? Who is a fan of both the Vikings? That's the dirtiest. You stepped all over it in multiple ways. In a way, you did. All right, let's just get out of here. No, they're going to win.

Yeah, they're going to win a Super Bowl. I believe. I believe. Don't give up. Part of the experience of human existence is hoping for things. Don't give up. And yeah, what the, both. bonus question was what's the dirtiest part

of the human body, which is a subject we covered on the Jesselnik and Rosenthal Vandy Project. So it's a callback to that. And the answer is the butthole. Let's get out of here. Sorry we couldn't get to all your other questions, especially shout out to Shadow Chase, who's tried to get a question on three straight times. But there are long questions. I'm going to get it to it next

time. Chase, you're now part of the bit. Put it on Blue Sky. Answer his question on Blue Sky. That's a good, that's a good point. It's becoming like Matt Damon on. Save the man. 40s and free agents next in the feed. See you then.

I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL off season. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters.

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