NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - NFL ATL: Best, worst free-agent signings

Episode Date: March 13, 2014

A room full of heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler and Chris Wesseling -- assesses the first two days of free agency.  Don’t miss out as the gang breaks down which signings have turned heads for all the right -- and wrong -- reasons.  Where do the heroes think Darrelle Revis is headed?  Who is going to wind up with Eric Decker?  Does anybody know how to pronounce Jairus Byrd yet?  Find out on the latest episode of the “Around The League Podcast,” an installment featuring perhaps the boldest “Sessler” yet.  So, tune in and join the conversation on Twitter: @NFL_ATL or #NFLATL.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. The Around the League podcast. Trusts, sources with knowledge of the situation. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the League podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I'm joined by a room filled with heroes. Chris Wessling, Mark Sessler, and Greg Rosenthal. What up, boys. Hey, Dan.

How are you? How are you, Mark? You've been here since you walked here at 4.30 and the... the morning and now it's getting towards supper time almost and you're still here how about that it's free agency week mark doesn't need normal sleep or nutrients because he's feeling the frenzy he's feeling the frenzy he's feeling the frenzy trademark restricted dinner time if you live in del boca vista um mark also the the weariness i see in your face your remote control is stolen off your desk today i might anybody that follows us on twitter you might have seen

that I had tweeted out that someone had taken Mark's remote while Mark and I were at lunch before you had gotten in West. Greg was working, didn't see the culprit. Mark very angry, actually using some foul language, which he usually doesn't do, was legitimately upset. Then a blonde colleague woman rolls over about three hours later. Hands back the controller. Yeah, for me, that took a lot of the...

It took the anger out because she was honest in the end. She brought it back. I like that $1 billion was spent in the NFL yesterday. Hall of Fame players have changed teams, but Dan wants to open with the big remote control story. Well, by the way, part of our job is shifting from station to station, feed to feed to bring the reader the quickest news. I can't turn the station without the remote control.

And you tell me that's not important being on top of what's happening around the league. Greg's urgency around the matter was low to say the least. Mark is not easily riled up. He's a very go-with-the-flow kind of guy, even Stephen. He was clearly flustered by this whole caper. Yeah. Well, all's well that ends well, as they say. And yes, Greg, you make a great point, a trenchant one even.

One billion dollars. Wait, was that a word? Trenchant. C-H. Trenchant. What do you call it? Trenchant. It's a C-H.

What did I say? I don't know. But it wasn't that. See, now look who's slowing the podcast to a halt. I'm just trying to help you out. See, your priorities are all mixed up. First, you're getting on me for the remote and then pronunciation. Do we have a lot to get to here?

Trenching stuff happening in the NFL. Gold Standard behind the glass. How are you, buddy? Good. Feeling the frenzy. Yep, went to check in with... I doubt that. Convincing.

I went to check in with Gold Standard about the podcast earlier today. He was watching soccer on his internal monitor. Not a shocker. You can't give away trade secrets like that. It's all getting out there today. All right. How about we do some news, buddy? All right.

We start with the news of the day, really the news of the week. Derelle Revis, one of the great players in the NFL, released officially on Wednesday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they were unable to find a trade suitor. He now becomes an unrestricted free agent for the first time. In his career, what do we make of this? He immediately goes to number one on our free agent tracker. The best free agent available, still in his prime, still played at a high level this year. Last year, I mean. And to be clear, he would have been the number one free agent available at any point,

not even after this initial flurry of all the top free agents, which has been incredible. All top 10 of our unrestricted free agents, the top 10 unrestricted free agents heading into Tuesday, signed by midnight. But Revis, I'd put him above the rest. I think he still got some good pro-ball, maybe even all-pro type of years left in him. And it's funny because the initial thing was, oh, there are some low-level teams out there

trying to change everything they're about by trading for Revis, Cleveland and Oakland. It was never going to happen. It wasn't. And now it's never going to happen for those two teams, specifically I would venture because once he goes to the open market, Revis, again, is a player that gets to choose his own destiny and rattle things up, and he's going to want to go, I think, to a team that's ready to win right now.

Unless he really loves Rex Ryan or Mike Petton, you would think he would end up with a contender. Well, the Browns and the Raiders reportedly were interested in a trade, but it didn't happen a lot. Maybe the major reason, because Revis refused to take a pay cut. So we get to this point now. Several teams reached out to the Bucks when he was still on the roster, a list that includes the Patriots,

Falcons, Giants, Eagles. I mean, these are all teams that at least checked in. We don't know how serious they were at the time, but now you have to wonder who is actually going to go after him and be willing to pay that much money. A lot of people are pointing at the Patriots is the favorite here. Greg, as the resident Patriots fan, I would like your thoughts on that. That sounds great.

Akeem to leave is gone. We'll talk about him later, but look, I said it. I think Dorel Rivas is still potentially the best cornerback in the league. He wasn't last year, but that was his first year coming off at TORN ACL. And this is a guy who, at his peak, was one of the best cornerbacks of all time. And could he be better this year in another system with another year removed from the ACL? I think he could. And it comes down to money.

I mean, you're talking about, well, we'll see if he'd be open or returning to the Jets and, you know, want to play for a contender. At what point has Dorel Revis and his agent shown any willy. this to take $1 less for any reason to go so. If the Raiders wanted him, Raiders is a stretch. Pay him $15 million. I'm sure he's going there. No one wants to pay him that money. Well, you, hold on.

He's going to get, I think, around $10 or $11 million, around what the top quarterbacks make, but not $16. If they want to give him $15 a year, guaranteed, he's there. Greg always falls on the line of players want more money over $1,000. any other factor. It's his Revis we're talking about. No, and Revis has shown that he wants more money than almost anything else, but I just look at the guy and wonder if he wouldn't wonder after all the years

where Bill Belichick was hoisted up as this villain that wanting to go to New England and play for him would be alluring and to play with a team with a quarterback. And I think it's fair to say that the template among NFL players is in your mid-20s, go get as much money as you can when you're nearing third. 30, you've already made your money, go get your ring. That's fair. And he'd fit the Patriot system well. They want someone like Talib who can not just stay on one side of the field,

who can go on both sides, who can cover man. But the price tag has to start with $9 million a year or whatever. He's not going to take a contract that's way less than the guys like Sam Shields is making. I don't know if he's going to get that much more, though. I think he'll be right around there. So I'd be surprised if he got. less than 12 but would you you would love having him back in the jets i guess that goes without saying i'm a little like um conflicted about it i know that he would make them instantly better to the

point where i think they'd be a playoff team potentially but i mean i still remember roscow diner i still remember almost every year there being some issue with rivas and i just i cannot i'd be shocked if that ever happened but dan this morning came in and he it said to me he goes you know i got admit, like, I'm kind of thinking about Revis maybe coming back to the Jets. It's like when you broke it up. Revis wants to. But it's like when you broke it up with a girlfriend that was a good girlfriend

and you have a phone call with her like a year later and you kind of both they're in a weird place and you talk about maybe getting back together and it has this allure to it, but it would be a disaster. You only choose to remember the good things and you try to block out the bad things but then as soon as

you got back in bed if you were, all the bad stuff would come out. I don't know. Put Rex and Revis in bed together. Good things. Magic can happen now. What are we talking about it anymore? Didn't owner Woody Johnson give the mandate that Revis had to be traded? Yes, but that was 10 months ago, Wes. That was a long time ago.

He wanted a lot more money then. It's funny. Now he's going to have to accept probably less than what the Jets were offering at the time. Moving on, DeMarcus Ware, who parted ways with the Cowboys over a salary situation on Tuesday, signed Wednesday with the Denver Broncos. a $30 million deal over three years with $20 million guaranteed. This is now DeMarcus Ware, maybe in total revenge mode, looking to show that he's still Demarcus Ware, after his old team on some level, counted him out.

Yeah, it hurts the Cowboys, doesn't it? And the Broncos, they're pairing him with Von Miller now, kind of reminiscent of the Dwight Freeney Robert Mathis pairing with the Colts. So I think this gives them possibly the best pass rushing. tandem in the NFL. Kind of reminds me of the Elvis Dumerville, Von Miller, pairing. And now Dumerville, who, I know Ware is a better player than Dumerville. Wesleyan's giving me a dirty look.

But Ware is up in years, and that was a couple years ago. Dumerville was solid, and he got some of those sacks because the protection is sliding over to Miller. And as great as Ware is right now, Miller might be the best pure pass rusher in football. So if Ware is healthy, putting those two together, when Dan, Dan said the story of the week to start the show, I thought he was going to this. I mean, a Hall of Fame, first ballot, no doubter, dropped by Jerry Jones. He held on to two different Roy Williams'es and Ken Hamlin and everyone else for too long,

and he gets rid of DeMarcus Ware, and then the Broncos who are fishing for that title swoop in. I mean, it's hard not to love it. I'm falling for it. You know why he ended up with the Broncos, Dan? Why? Because John Elway can pitch woo like nobody's business. Yeah, this was interesting. Wes used the term pitch woo in a post on Tuesday night,

and I actually text them and I said, hey, you might have a typo in the end of your post. You have a woo in there. Apparently a term that's used by humans. I was not there. I think it probably was used by humans more in the 40s. To pitch woo means to be able to lure in whatever you're trying to lure in. As in to woo someone. Yeah, to woo someone.

Well, I know that. Yeah, but to pitch woo. Dan, it's a word that means. to woo someone to lure them in. But to pitch woo someone? Don't act like you knew it. No, it makes sense to me, though, at this point, but I would have also probably called you with a potential spelling mistake.

It's a trenchant point by Wesson. There you go, see? See, I talk Gregor word today, and now West taught me a word and Mark word. We're moving forward. I taught you a three-letter word. We are devolving. Moving forward, Steve Smith. It is the end in Carolina, and it is getting ugly.

Smith tweeted goodbye to the Panthers fan base on Wednesday, and then a report surface that Steve Smith, this is from the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person, that Stiff has reportedly seen as a distraction now, and here's the quote from person. Sources say, Gettleman, that's the GM, view Smith as a distraction and is ready to turn the locker room over to emerging stars such as quarterback Cam Newton

and middle linebacker Luke Kigley, Smith's fiery personality has made him a fan favorite, but can great on teammates and coaches. Yowza. Dave Gettoman, out! It's my favorite GM. Wow. He could not have handled this situation more ham-fistedly than he has.

That's fair. You don't know that he's the source for that at all. It doesn't matter. You're taking the face of the franchise, your icon, and as hard-boiled as we are, you know, we've been through the process. We know all these things happen. Fans are sensitive about this kind of thing. Just go down and ask David Ely about it

He's all broke up about it He's a Panthers fan in our office And he knows Gettelman's handled it poorly I agree with that That they should treat Smith Like a guy who's the greatest player In franchise history You could argue Julius Peppers

Maybe But it's probably Smith That he should be given the consideration Not to find this out in the media Not to be strung along Now you're reading ugly sources I mean, it's getting It's getting ugly at the end

I don't know Honestly, as Greg learned Throughout his youth His romantic ventures As a youth That these things This is going Well, no

You know, these things Never end well They don't end well You know What is that have to do With my romantic As any venture I guess they all ended

Before you met your wife Right I see where he's going You know Whatever the proud history Each of these It is rocky path But they never end well

And usually at best you get the player tweeting a statement that someone else wrote about his time with the team or vice versa. It can end well. Jordan Gross was in there showing slides a couple of weeks ago. It ended perfectly. Yeah, but he wants to leave the game. That was ridiculous, by the way.

Steve Smith does not want to leave the game. That's the difference. I think Mike Silver put it well earlier today on NFL Network, I believe he said it, that no one handles success more poorly or worse than the Carolina Panthers Every time the franchise has risen up Very quickly they've torn themselves asunder With poor decision-making

And this to me screams is the same thing I mean I've got a prediction here By October 1st of last year I told you guys I hope that the Saints get in on wildcourt Because the Panthers are winning this division The Panthers are going to finish

In the last place this year Woo! Hell have no fury like a West score Well I mean look at them They're just shedding good players Well, I don't even think it's that bad of a decision. I think it was handled poorly. I think the whole bit about him being a distraction and his personality's grading, give me a break. It's a football decision.

No one cares about his personality if he has 1,100 yards last year. This isn't Ritchie Incognito, and we're talking about a player who was universally adored, according to all the media reports before this, that he was a respected team leader and always set the tone for them. But it wasn't a financial decision either because they're not. the blowtorch. That's the Bunsen burner blowtorch. Wes, furious. They deserve it. They're not really saving cap money. They're saying Steve Smith is not going to help us win games anymore.

And maybe this other bit about his leadership that they see it, if he's not a big factor and his skills are diminishing, maybe he'll become a problem in the future. Maybe that's a little small part of it. But it really has nothing to do with that. I mean, it has to do with his play. The receivers on that team are ridiculous right now, by the way. Well, somebody in that front office took publicity 101 and has decided it's fun to trash a franchise icon

so maybe the fans can come around to see it from their point of view. And nobody's falling for that. Before we move on, I just want to mention the top three wide receivers on the depth chart if they get rid of Steve Smith. Marvin McNutt, I'm going to give him the number one spot. It was on the field a little bit in the left. Tvaris King. and Kialoa Polaris.

I would put Tavares King atop that. Yeah, you got Polaris rated low there. People sleeping on Palares. Drafted out of Hawaii, I believe, by the Panthers in the fourth round three years ago. Yeah, he was a proud member of the Warriors. Fifth round. Is that correct? The Rainbow Warriors.

The Rainbow Warriors. They were the Rainbow Warriors at one time. Oh, they changed? You want to see Steve Smith in Denver. We're still doing a podcast here, by the way. I would like to see Steve Smith in Denver reunited, although someone tweeted at me that Steve Smith has been on record as saying he doesn't like playing for John Fox.

I don't remember ever seen that record. And people have tweeted me incorrect information many times in the past. I feel like he's a little duplicative of West Welker at this stage of their careers. He even talked about he wants to play in the slot at this point. How about, how about we've heard some speculation about the Ravens. You got Jacoby Jones, especially. resigned. You got Tori Smith. He got a healthy

Dennis Pitta. You slide Steve Smith into the role, formerly held by Enquan Bolden, and away we go! I like it with a chip on his shoulder. Giant chip on his shoulder. The Ravens like those fiery guys. He can kind of... See, Mark, that's intensity in the podcast studio. Impressive, Dan.

Mark, almost asleep at this point. Not your fault either. Just keep going. All right, we will keep going. Someone steal something from him. We'll see his energy level All right, so there's so much more to hit. There's so many signings over the last two days. So we figured, why don't we go around the room and we'll throw it around a couple different, you know, best.

We'll start with best signing. How about this? And we'll get Mark in the mix right now. Mark, the best signing by any team through two days of free agency. Well, A, hard to judge at this point. I mean, honestly, we don't know how long it's going to turn out. But the player I was probably most interested in to see where he landed was Lamar Houston. I think that he is, when we talk about, you know, and Greg went off on a hot streak yesterday

about the kind of players you don't want to sign in free agency. Logical. You don't want to sign aging guys who are past their prime and overpay them. Houston, number one, it got under my skin that Oakland, in this so-called off-season of off-seasons, let's this guy of all people walk. but the bears who need a ton of help got what is a player that you can move all around

and do all sorts of stuff with with your defensive front. I think he is one of the more interesting young pass rushers in the league right now. My only concern is not about Houston, but Chicago, if you look at the roster, they have so many needs that it's going to take a while

to rebuild that defense. And like he was in Oakland, he could be a little bit lost. He's not the final piece there. He's going to have to anchor that team. Wes, your best signing. I have Jared Veltier from the Arizona Cardinals. I don't remember the last time the Cardinals have had an acceptable left tackle.

That's been a problem for years. Who was the last one? He can't remember. He just said you don't remember. He does not remember. Before they drafted Levi Brown ahead of Adrian Peterson. Levi Brown had six weeks at one point people got excited about. I think that's accurate.

Those are memorable six weeks. I'll never forget that Levi Brown. Now they have Jonathan Cooper last year's first round pick coming back to Cooper and Veldier can solidify that line.

Bruce Ariens is convinced that Carson Palmer can spin the ball with anyone if you give them time. I'm not convinced that's a case but Bruce Ariens think so. The Cardinals' problem last year was not their defense,

which almost kept pace with the Seahawks and 49ers. So if you can roll an offense out there that has Carson Palmer with time to throw, I kind of like what this with his team's doing. And like Houston,

it's a good price. Houston really wasn't overpaid, I didn't think. Both players that Reggie McKenzie decided he didn't want. It was surprising. It's beguiling. I think it's one of those deals where you come in and you just don't want the previous guy's draft picks. And you see the Chiefs doing a little bit of that now too.

Sometimes that is what makes a best signing. Jared Valdier could be league average at that money and it would be great because it's something. such a big upgrade. It makes their team so much better, and it was that big of a need that it's worth it to pay them whatever. So he's the Carson Palmer of left tackles? They'll take that.

Maybe a little bit better. It's such a big upgrade on what they had before. Greg, best signing. I'm not going to go with one that was cheap. It was expensive. But I like what it's got to look like on the field. Jaris Bird. Jairis.

Jirous. Byr. Yes, Greg, it's Jairus Byer. It's taken a while. Even down in the newsroom, I've still been mispronouncing his name at times, but I'm locked in. I've got it, and I'm excited to see Bird and Kenny Vaccaro next to each other in a secondary that Rob Ryan is cooking up. Because Vakero, Bad Santa mixes up some crazy stuff. Vakero was one of the most fun guys in the league to watch next year.

I think he could be an all-pro, and then you put Bird back there. He's coached up Ed Reed. How far away is Greg from being an outright Saints fan? What are we like one year? I'm excited about this combo. Tom Brady gets old and it's over, right? The Saints are Greg's bastard stepchild. Not for long.

I think they're about to get into the move out of the guest house and into the main mansion. I went to Tulane and I had season tickets to the Saints one terrible year under Jim Hasl and Aaron Brooks. They're kind of, you know, I root for them. Wait, were you a season ticket holder when I don't remember who it was? Took the flip phone out of the goalpost? Joe Horn. Joe Horn. It was not that year, no.

That was the golden age of, no, wasn't. We need to get video up in here just so people can see Greg's hands when he does cooking up. Tell me, tell me you don't think that could be fun. I think it's awfully fun. A lot of money. Rob, I can't wait to see how glowingly Rob Ryan speaks of Jarrett's Byrd since he already said Kenny Vicaro is the best safety in the NFL. That's true. So I guess Bird might be the second.

He also called Keenan Lewis the best free agent signing of any signing last year. He likes to have bests out there a lot. And this goes back to what we were talking about when salary cap stuff is overrated sometimes. Granted, the Saints made a lot of moves and they're cutting a lot of players and they're trying to trade sproles. But, you know, we heard it was such a big problem. They signed the highest paid player in free agency. The flip side to that is the Cowboys. The salary cap spot was their salary cap situation was not overrated.

They had to cut their best defensive player. My favorite signing or I think the best signing. Those are all great ones, by the way, fellas. I just want to say. Any one of them could be seen as the best signing. I like Golden Tate to the lines. I think it's a perfect fit for both the player and the team. I think Tate will do very well in that system

when you have Megatron on the other side tilting the field. And I think maybe they gave him a little too much money, but this was something they've been trying to get right for years, that number two wide receiver spot. And he's perfect for that system. worried about also him going to a team where he would have to be the number one guy that clearly will not be the case. I think he has great potential to become a 1,000-yard receiver in that offense.

This probably would be Goldstander's biggest shock. That he didn't end up with the Titans? Pretty upset. The Hendersonville, Tennessee kid. Wanted to send him home. For those that weren't listening last time, the Gold Standard made his first ever football prediction or even football sentence when he predicted Golden Tate would be joining the Titans.

I think Dan just was trying to stick it in your eye there. A little bit, a little bit. Well, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, boys. Exactly. I agree with this. This is a great signing. You guys know that I love Golden Tate. The listeners know that.

And I think early last season we saw how hard it was for defense to defend Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson on the field at the same time. Throwing Golden Tate. Three guys that can do a lot of damage with the ball in their hands. All right. Now, I like get a little bit negative sometimes. So let's do the worst. signing. And Mark, again, we start with you. It's something that Wes touched on, and it's actually a signing or a resigning or a

re-contract structuring that did not happen. It is the Cowboys, and it is where? Because it's the culmination of years of horrible management by Jerry Jones of his roster in his cap. And as Greg mentioned, his inability to keep players around that he should or keeping players around too long. And I think the wear, we all love him. He's set up on a team that's much more talented and goes after the right players in which Dallas does not in Denver to succeed

and probably wind up deep into the playoffs or another Super Bowl, something Dallas can achieve because of the way their ill-equipped general manager handles this team. They really botched. They really botched this whole situation. This place is on fire right now.

But we've said this over and over about Jones. It's for us a broken record. He doesn't change his ways. This is years old, this argument. We saw this defense without where last year. Saints set records against him. But he did change his ways, didn't he? This is an example of, like Greg was alluding to earlier, instead of holding on to the aging veteran,

they are in a different direction. They're in an absolute total crisis scenario. They are, like you said, one team where the cap thing is real. It's not suddenly they signed someone to this mega deal. can't figure out how Denver suddenly has millions and more than anyone else. With Dallas, they had no room to operate. The Eagle Stranglehold on the NFC East gets tighter. Yes, it does.

Yes. Wes, worst signing. I've got a twin worth signing by the Raiders, throwing, what, $72.5 million at left-and-right tackle, Roger Saffold and Austin Howard, a combined $37 million guaranteed, which is $7 million. million more than Jake Long, Andre Smith, and Sebastian Volmer, three tackles that are better than those two made combined last year.

It's just absurd how much money they're throwing at two average players. That sentence you said, Saffold and Austin Howard getting that much money would have been it was shocking now, it would have been shocking a week ago. It would have been

incomprehensible a year ago at this time when Saffold was considered close to a bust and Howard is a nobody. He was off the street. You would have thought they would have left football and become dual bank robbers. That's the only narrative that would suggest this amount of money. We always hear about teams who are hesitant to invest in players of the injury history.

Saffold has missed games with torn pectoral, dislocated shoulder, multiple knee injuries, and a neck injury over the last three years. And Raiders fans have been all over us in the last couple of days and weeks, but we've just named two of our favorite signings, which are two players that McKenzie let go, and two of the worst signings are the two guys he added. So you have to at some point ask the question, what in God's name is happening here?

Greg, worst signing. I hate to do this, but I have to go with my heart and what struck me the most on Tuesday, and that was I could not understand what the Browns were doing, especially with Carlos Dansby. I think you lose in free agency by signing old players

who are coming off a magical, great value year. Carlos Dansby signed a one year $2.25 million contract at this time a year ago because the Dolphins didn't want to pay him big money because he's an aging inside linebacker. And you don't pay aging inside linebackers big money. the Browns who just cut to Qual Jackson

get a guy a couple years older they're going to pay him $10 million this year the money's going to be spread out a little bit and so it'll be 14 over 2 but if he's not good you just got a year of Carlos Dansby for $10 million and I'll throw in Dante Wittner

getting overpaid more money than T.J. Ward in theory I guess because they didn't like Ward in coverage but Wittner's not that good in coverage either so that's two players getting a lot of money to get older. Let me jump in, Marks, I know you'll have thoughts on this, that while they spent a lot of money, perhaps too much money, you, Gregor, the first one that says, uh, salary cap and all that

stuff is not a big deal, getting under it, it could be done. They got better, right? Wittner is an upgrade. Danzby is certainly an upgrade over DeQuil Jackson. Well, why? We wouldn't have said that a year ago. We would have definitely said the opposite. But right now, living in the moment.

I don't think so. I don't really know. but I would not feel comfortable with Dansby outside of the system that helped make him so good. I think Arizona would have made sense they gave him some decent money. We knew that was working for him. Another team just cut Carlos Dansby in a similar system two years ago making less money than this. Let's come at this from a different angle. No.

You love Mike Petten if they're reading collision low crossers. I do. You don't trust him to know what he's doing here to think that he's called Carlos. Dansby has Kiko Alonzo, and he wanted two smart veterans to teach his defense to his other players? That's the argument for it, but I'm not trusting him as a general manager yet. Okay, that's fair. I don't disagree with Greg's take on the age and the money. I think that real quick, I think that Wes nailed it.

Petten wanted Dansby a year ago very badly in Buffalo and couldn't get him, and they might have overpaid. I don't have a problem with that, but also if you're Cleveland and you have to sell potential free age, to come to town where you don't have a quarterback. And by the way, it's 12 degrees here and the weather's awful all year long. And Miami wants you to. You've got to pay more. That's just the way it is until they become an established team. That's life for a losing squad.

Speaking of losing squads and life and life not being great, the Buffalo Bills, we're signing for me, guard Chris Williams. If you don't know a lot about him, you're not alone. He has not been a huge impact player in this league. He signs a four-year 13. $5 million contract with the bills, $5.5 million guaranteed. Pro football focus, if you're into their grades, they had him ranked number 74 among 81 qualified guards,

and yet he comes off the market on the second day on a big contract. That seems maybe not great thinking. One of the bigger busts of the last five years with the Bears. Bears fans must be stunned at this news. Huge bust, major back problems early in his career, and he's kind of bounced around like a cork the ocean the last few years just released by a few teams and what it's Greg you want to share the the photo that you came across on the internet oh right well

not only was the william signing shaky the whole free agent strategy by the bills i'm not so sure about they sent out an instagram picture of Doug morone and chris william standing in the middle of a blizzard in the middle of march like hey come sign with us guys it's a great metaphor Come to the Siberia of the NFL. Here's a no-name first-round bust. We overpaid. This is the guy we're going to sell. Oh, by the way, it's March 11th, and there's 10 inches on the ground of snow.

That's fun. All right. Finally. That's the Vladivostok of the NFL. Finally. We got me. Finally, biggest surprise. And, Wes, we'll start with you.

What John Elway? pulled off. I didn't know what this defense was going to have. I thought maybe they'd bring back Rogers Cromarty, sign another guy who might not impress me. They bring in DeMarcus Ware, as Greg said, a first ballot Hall of Famer. From what

I saw on the field, this guy was putting a clown suit on Brandon Albert early last season before he got injured. Explosive first step can still play. A keep to leave, the best cover corner in free agency. There are some ricks there and they overpaid for him. But they have,

I don't mind the overpane because there are a lot of different ways to skin a cat and free agency, and Peyton Manning's a different cat. He's only got two years left maybe, so with that window closing, you have to go for the Super Bowl. You have to swing for the fences right now, and he's doing it. They also pick up T.J. Ward, who I thought was a Pro Bowl caliber safety last year. Yeah, I think this is the L.A. Give him credit for just being logical. You have this all-world, all-time quarterback in Manning. There's not a lot of time left.

They're going all in for the next year or two. And, you know, if the bill comes due in a couple of years and they stink, at least they know they gave it a shot when they had a Hall of Fame quarterback. I got news for you. The bill comes due anyway when you go from Peyton Manning to Brock Osweiler. That's when the bill comes due anyway. So you're not going to be a, you're no longer going to be a contender with Osweiler under center. I love it because it's good for the NFL to have these colossus teams that are just superpowers

and they're good year after year. and we're just going to be watching this Broncos team and they're either going to cream the AFC and that'll be interesting to watch or they'll be a big disappointment or whatever. It'll be fun. I like having that. I like the shadow of all your arm movements, Greg, against the wall.

It's almost like art. I think Lways is the most underrated general manager in football right now because people just... Underrated? I feel he gets a ton of praise. Well, I think that you have to understand how hard that job is to assimilate to to come from where he did.

He didn't rise up as a scout and see this done year after year. I mean, he's a master recruiter, and he's used what leverage he has as a Hall of Fame quarterback to bring the best players to a team. He's a master recruiter, and he's bold. I think Twitter,

we get lost in the shuffle on Twitter. People think the goal is to have a tidy salary cap situation. The goal is to hoist Lombardi trophies. To leave could go down as a terrible signing. I think it was a big risk but I'm with you. He has, first of all Elway has a great history based on last year's free agent class

which was awesome. Oh, how about the one year before where he got Peyton Manning to come to the team? I don't think he cares if it all blows up in his face. That's the one thing he doesn't care. He wants to just do it. He knows this window. He knows there's no point in second place that it's all for the title or that

and it blows up whatever. Onions. Sessler, shock. Well, I was surprised. by this, I don't know if it's the hubris or if I just totally admire it of the Niners to pull off a trade for Blaine Gabbard because the thinking there to me is we're going to do what no other team can do

because I love their ability to teach quarterbacks they already have done some things that I don't think anyone else could have done with Alex Smith at the point in his career that they did. But if they can turn Gabbard into a productive backup or someone that they can trade to another team based on what he shows in preseason or spot duty, I'm a Jim Harbaugh guy for the rest of my life because Gabbard to me looks like a player that lacks every tool that you look for at the position.

And the Jaguars for all the times that they wanted to defend Gabbard and talk about, he's still part of the team. They spoke very loudly. They shopped him for a bag of spoons. And now, you know, listen, at the same time, I look at the Niners and everyone talks about Harbaugh and Trent Balke and not talking and not communicating. And your first day of free agency, you got Blaine Gabbard and Jonathan Martin. So I don't know what they're doing, but I kind of think maybe it works.

I don't know. This isn't the first time they've shown hubris at the quarterback position. No, it is not. How many teams would have been willing to bench the NFL's leading passer on a first-place team, playoff contender for a unproven but more talented quarterback behind it? I thought you were going to say they signed Colt McCoy. That was a big... You are a factory of Santa!

Oh, that's just... Oh, boy. We're done with this. You know, that was uncalled for. It had to have been a weird day, though, for 49ers fans. We're sitting in the newsroom, Chris and I late last night, and it's like, oh, they got Martin to protect Gabbard. Lock up the NFC West.

It is over. Greg, what was your big surprise? I was surprised by how cheap T.J. Ward was how cheap Alteron-Ver was. Those are two guys we thought were going to be at the top of the market, and they really came in a lot lower than people expected. But then a bigger surprise even happened today. On a day that the Buccaneers are introducing four different free agent signings, including Werner, including Michael Johnson,

one of the highest paid players in all of free agency, the first question, the big news, was about Josh McCown, that he's the new starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Glennon is the backup, McCown, is the guy, I did not see that coming, him walking into a job where he's number one. I love how Lovie Smith, within months of getting to Tampa, uh, start shedding offensive linemen left and right because if you're Lovie Smith, you cannot have an adequate offensive line.

So you've got to just dump those guys as quick as you can. And then it's, let's replace our young quarterback that showed some promise last season with a 34-year-old journeyman because you can't have a compelling quarterback either. Soon they're going to start inheriting Pipsqueak receivers to because that was his staple in Chicago. Wow. I kind of see this the other way. Lovie Smith knows that nobody repeats in the NFC South. He's got a defensive nucleus that's up there with the NFC contenders. Levanté David and Gerald McCoy were or should have been in the defensive player of the year discussion last year. Now he's got Werner. He's got Michael Johnson, brings in Clint

McDonald, the rumored to be after Charles Tillman, Julius Peppers could end up there. This is a team. And then what if they draft Sammy Watkins in the draft? they might get Anthony Collins to play left tackle. This is a team that's making moves to say the NFC South is wide open and we're going for it. Yeah, and I actually think the Bucks, they are very talented and defense at every level. There's no real weakness, even without Revis. But do you really think McCown wins this camp battle, so-called, with Mike Lennon? I do, too.

Oh, yeah. I think it's over. Is Mike Lennon on the Bucks come week one? Yeah, probably. I think he is. I think they win it. I think they're trying to win, and they, like, they see this defense. You mentioned, man, you mentioned all that talent.

You didn't even mention Mark Barron, Deshaun-Colson. This is a loaded defense. Well, by the way, though, part of McCown's week-to-week success was Tressman. Right. They better have someone to step in and keep that going. Jeff Temford has a pretty good reputation as a quarterback. We'll find out. My biggest surprise is, and we touched down a little bit earlier, the Oakland Raiders.

I'm not sure what's going on here. They entered this free agency with more cap space than anyone. They let Lamar Houston and Jared Valdir leave the building, which was strange, we all agreed, without a fight. Then they bring in Saffold and Austin Howard as the tackles, as you said, and those are questionable moves. And I even had an issue with the backfield where they let Rashad Jennings go. They keep Darren McFadden, and at what point does the promise outweigh or the production has to outweigh the promise with that guy? They keep him in the building. I don't think the Raiders are any better at team.

And Wes, you've got to start thinking about softball pants because I think this team could stink again. Softball pants has to be organic. That has to come from a natural place where there's an outcry. We never said you have to eat organic softball pants. That has to come from a natural outcry against something that's, you know, absolutely absurd in the NFL. So are you saying, and I'm going to follow all the signs I'm seeing,

the stars, the Panthers could be in. play as a softball pants situation that's organic let's wait a little I just like to talk about softball pants softball pants is more of a May or June type of discussion where does it say that Dan being corrected right here on the air

in fairness to the Raiders we are speaking 24 hours a little more after free agency started let's let's see I'm with you the early so far not so good no I agree it doesn't it doesn't make me happy to bash Reggie McKinsey He came from a great organization in Green Bay.

He obviously knows what he's doing. I just don't know what it is. And I don't think I'm smarter than Reggie McKenzie. So let's see how this plays out. Maybe he gets Lamar Woodley and Justin Tuck. But I don't know that you're going to be challenging the Broncos anyway. So maybe there's a better use for all that money you have. All right.

Before we go, let's get some predictions in. And by the way, before I forget, we made our go get my sandwich bets on last week, last Thursday. It's supposed to be implied, the last word. That's it. again last Friday we're going to revisit those on Friday's podcast so get ready for that I've got to increase my sit-ups that's all I'm saying and but before we go why don't we just throw out our prediction and just for fun Mark will start with you one prediction and you don't have to get too cute with this there's no sandwiches on the line just something you really think's

going to happen I'm getting cute with the mine all right I like that in whatever you want couple of months, we have seen Cleveland try to sell the house for Jim Harbaugh. Then they tried to sell their other house for Darrell Revis. And my prediction, I'm not sure they're going to need to sell for the house for this, is that come September on the heels of just cutting Brandon Whedon and Jason Campbell, they have Brian Hoyer, a former Patriots quarterback on the roster. They will have two. Ryan Mellant?

I'm not saying which one. I'm just saying it could be Tony Eason. A former Patriots quarterback, not saying which one, just saying it will be. A former Patriots quarterback now or currently on the Ross? Do you have someone either, you know, someone either currently on the New England or another player who's come from New England's past? Do you have a specific player in mind? I might be talking about the.

You think they're going to try to trade for Tom Brady? Big Coahuna? I just have a strange feeling. Mark, go home. I have a very strange feeling. That is a Sessler for the ages right there. Tom Brady traded to Cleveland Browns. I'm not suggesting that's a definite.

I just have. Scar is healing 90s. I will eat Chris's softball pants if that happened. I'll eat two of my softball pants if that happens. Okay. I like it. That was gutsy. Wes.

I'm going to get cute too. Cute is that? That was adorable cute. That was cute. That was straightjacket Looney. I am going to say my prediction is the Indianapolis Colts sign Brown Center Alex Mack to an offer sheet under the transition tag. Hubba, Hover. I can see that happen.

Restricted. According to NFL media insider, Ian Rappaport, the Colts are one team that's already contacted them. They've released Center, Samson, Italy. What are you laughing at? I'm laughing at dead going to center. Restricted. It's not restricted. That's sex appeal.

Transition. I could just hear Dan tuning out. Oh, my God. Wesleyan's talking about another offensive line. One day we're going to have to break off into different podcasts, which is all linemen-related guards and centers. But yes, this is interesting. Go ahead.

Well, as I said, they've released their center. The Colts have already contacted Alex Mack. I feel like they've been trying to upgrade that interior of the offensive line for a while. Alex Mac can play the Jeff Saturday's role to Andrew Lux Peyton Manning for the next half decade or more. And I do trust one thing Petten said, and this is why I think this could happen more easily than we might think,

they're not going to try to make Max stick around forever if he truly doesn't want to be there, and I don't think he wants to be there at all. They already got jobbed with the offer sheet with our boy, Baby Hawk, Andrew Hawkins. The Browns tried to sign, right? I like that. attempt. I mean, but that Cincinnati has the right to match, and they force Cincinnati into a contract.

A few million a year to sit him on the bench again. Dan, Alex Mack is the highest ranked player that could be signed elsewhere other than Dorel Revis. Number five on our list. Not only that, but if this prediction comes true, he'll become the highest paid center in NFL history. Well, and you had Manning and Jeff Saturday forever, and you put Mack in luck together. That is, that's an amazing match. Super Bowl. Greg. It really is crazy that our top 12 was all signed in eight hours.

32 players out of our top 99 were signed in eight hours. I was going to go linemen again with predictions. Yeah, why not? Let's keep rolling. It was going to be that the falcons sign every defensive lineman and offensive linemen left in the league. That's it. Because Thomas Dimitroff went into free agency with a plan,

and he signs Paul Soli for big money, and he re-signs Peter's. and he re-signs Babineau, and he just goes... Brings in Tyson Jackson? Tyson, Jackson, and then he brings in Osamoa. That's his crazy... Okay, I'll have another prediction, because Dan doesn't like this. Let's go with the big one.

Let's go with the obvious one. See, we talked about this. Go ahead. Derell Revis is going to the Patriots, and you want to know why? I like that. Because it's the one thing that's going to drive Jets fan the most crazy. A little bit, a little bit. It's the one thing that the Patriots can do to fire back in this battle with the Broncos of off-season moves.

And it's the move that's going to help take the super-season moves. the Super Bowl home when Revis picks off Manning and then picks off Russell Wilson next year in Phoenix. I need more sleep. You think I'm tired. This guy has gone to another level. It makes so much sense in terms of straight up an arms race between New England and Denver. Both teams, everyone says, you know, Manning that clock's running out. Same thing with Brady who's turning 37.

Greg, I'm sorry, he's turning 37 this summer. And they need to finish strong with him and give him the best chance to. win unless he's not on the new england patriots comes together let's bring this full circle cessler unless he is no longer on the patriots it would be a weird move i have to say if they acquired darrell rivas via free agency and then traded their quarter of them needed the cap room so they don't do you remember an NFL team ever trading an MVP candidate quarterback? No, but do you ever remember a team

cutting two first round picks in the first two seasons? Cleveland likes to operate in, you know, bizarre time. I knew we'd get weeded into the show. They are ethereal. Dad, do you have a prediction? I do. I think Eric Ducker's going to the Jets. I think the Jets are starting, I know.

I know, Wes, I'd love to hear your input on this. The Jets are starting to get a little desperate, I think. They're getting a little cagey. this money. They haven't really signed anyone up until this point at the time of this podcast. And I'm starting to think they still have that need at wide receiver. They still have the need at corner and a couple other places. Decker sitting on the market.

They go, we got to get somebody. They get the number one wide receiver on the market, overpay for him, and then we see what happens. I can't think of a worse fit in the NFL for Decker than the Jets. They're not going to throw the ball. They don't have a proven quarterback. They don't have anybody Oppos him to take the attention away

He's going to have to carry the passing game Did you not hear that Cumbie re-signed? Did we miss that? What about there's a lot of plays in New York? Well, if that would be cool There's Alper on Werner ended up in tickets We're talking about a guy with his own reality show Werner's not there so that there's a lot more available

How about Decker and Michael Vick? I still don't like it. I don't like Decker with the Jets. He needs to go to a place that's a passing heavy offense with the number one receiver there. I don't want this to get away. You mentioned the plays in Alteron Werner. Ian Rappaport, our insider

that was on the show Monday, said that would be potentially a reason why he might choose between the Jets and Giants. A Twitter user, 5amI underscore, interesting, tweeted out as good news for alleged culture vulture, Alteron Werner,

Avita opening at Tampa Theater next week. So, listen, he knew it was The Ringling Brothers Theater in Sarasota. You do say, West. You say it's a bad move, but who knows? Yeah, maybe Vic takes off. Maybe they finally find a quarterback.

The guy's young. They give him multi-year deal. Maybe it's not a great fit this year. Two years are not going to be great. Decker will vanish off the face of the NFL if he's signed in Florham Park. I'll revise my opinion in 2016. It's fun to hear Dan try to talk himself into a move that hasn't even happened. Well, because it is going to happen.

That's my prediction. but he's very handsome though I don't know if I've been on record about that More or less handsome than less Don't ask me to pick that Different ages Yeah All right

We got to go I think we got a lot of information out there today A lot of discussion We disseminated We disseminated as is our job We'll be back on Friday Talk more free agency Like I said

We're going to go over our sandwich bets In addition to all other Types of Murthy conversations Until then This is Dan Henson are signing up for the mailman, the sizzler, the boss, and the gold standard behind the glass. It's a little bit.

How about that?