NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - NFL ATL: 'This Year's Michael Bennett (or Brent Grimes)...'

Episode Date: March 20, 2014

A room full of heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler and Chris Wesseling -- reflects upon the latest offseason headlines, including Cam Newton’s ankle surgery and the trade rumors swirling about DeSean Jackson.  Don’t miss out as the gang predicts which free agent can turn a one-year “prove it” deal into a long-term contract with a big campaign -- a player they have fondly dubbed "this year’s Michael Bennett (or Brent Grimes)."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. Didn't have a handshake deal with Emmanuel Sanders. 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, buddy? Hump day. I'm having a flashback to 30 seconds ago when we did this intro. and then your phone went off. Yeah, I got a mysterious call from Pikesville, Kentucky. We'll never know what they wanted. That has to do probably with your taxes. Potentially.

It's potentially possible. How are you, gentlemen, today? Well. Well, that's good. Wes wearing a shirt that's so bright, it's reflecting on his face in the studio. Is that right? Bright orange, under armor.

I believe it was given to you at the Combine. It's part of the swag bag at the Combine. Yeah, I would not buy a bright orange shirt. Yeah. But if I didn't feel like ironing, this seemed like the shirt to wear it. I think the issue was they couldn't sell it. Yeah. And so they started to distribute it for free to low-level NFL imports.

Unless they're going hunting with Dick Cheney. As you might have seen on Twitter on Tuesday, three of us went to the draft day screening just for members of the NFL media team draft day is a Kevin Costner vehicle about Mark's Cleveland Browns and I guess we can get into that when the movie comes out but it was an interesting experience

it was we can say this and we're going to talk about some movies later that movie wasn't too bad yeah I think we all came out giving it a positive grade and we were concerned it could be much less and it was quite solid and it had some good moments

I did like when the Hollywood PR suit approached us in the lobby after the movie. It was like, so guys, give me the hot take. Is it okay? That happened. That was also my first time in a theater in 10 years. Oh, my God. And honestly, it was the first time I've been in a movie theater since I owned a cell phone.

Wes has lived in a prison for the past decade in Southern Vienna. I didn't realize that you're not allowed to have your cell phone out during a movie. Yeah. The expectations were low for that movie, I feel. I felt, I tried to go, but I couldn't find parking at the parking lot. I got into the garage, there was no spot. And then once I decided, this is so phony. It's totally.

I can't find a parking spot move. No, but it's totally true. And there wasn't anything. They said, keep looking around. But then I realized, forget this. I'm already late. I'm just going to leave. And then a wave of relief washed over me.

And I realized I don't really want to go see this movie. Which you broadcast to us, I mean, to be honest, from about 7.30 a.m. Right, but I'm not making that up. Give me a break. And I kept the seat open next to me. And when I got the text from you, a wave of relief washed over me as well because it's like, oh, wow, now I get this extra space between people. So everybody wins. You heard the subjective reviews from Mark and Dan.

Do you want a statistical review? Okay. I didn't count a single person who went to the bathroom during the movie. Nobody got up during that movie. That counts for something. Look, yeah. keep an eye out on the Around the League website Mark and I will do some type of review in the coming weeks and like I said we will talk a little bit what's that it's a tease it's on the website at some point

in the future that's all we got right now bookmark that that's that's all I got for you right now so we're going to get into some sports movies a little later in the show we're also going to talk about potentially a free agent that's either been signed or hasn't been signed yet that could end up getting big money next year. But before that, the gold standard behind the glass. How are you, buddy? Doing great, thanks. Were you at the draft day screening?

I wasn't, no. Shocking. You would have been at the pay-layer screening. You are watching soccer as you're taping this, by the way. No, it's off now. It's off now. Dedication of the craft, Greg. Have you ever watched an actual NFL draft?

I have. I have. Right in your face, Sessa. First day of the NFL. How's that feel? Seeing where is the bar here? I don't actually know that day two, three, and beyond happen. It includes a lot of high fives between Kevin Costner and Jennifer Gardner.

I don't know. Not accurate, Greg. No, Greg, you just don't know what happened in the movie. You have to wait until the day it comes out when you're the first one in the theater. All right, why do we do some news, Gold Standard? Let's do it. All right, we start in Philadelphia, where Deshaun Jackson is. maybe on the tray block, at least NFL media insider Ian Rappaport reported that the Eagles

are listening to offers for the playmaking wide receiver. Greg, I know you wrote a post yesterday breaking down what teams might make some sense. Do we, first of all, why don't we start here? Do we buy into the fact that Deshaun Jackson is going to be on a different team next year, potentially? I believe they're listening and interested in Tradium. I think the odds are against it happening. But, you know, I did some extra research, which in this case just means texting Ian.

And he totally believes the Eagles would like to trade him. It's just a question of whether they can find someone. It seems to me everything went sour when he came out right after the season and wanted more money. For a guy whom the Eagles kind of went out on a limb when they gave him an extension, five years, 50 million up thereabouts, coming off a down. down year at the time. So he's one of the top seven highest wide receivers in the league as far as paychecks. And he came out after the season and asked for more money.

I could see how that would rub them the wrong way. And we met, you know, Dan and I talked to a couple guys today, and Michael Kendricks was among them on the Eagles. And he talked initially about the culture that Chip Kelly's brought to that team, that there is literally zero room for a me-first attitude. He also defended Jackson as not that type of a guy. but we've heard whispers of that and we've seen examples of that

and to come out and ask for more money when you've been handed a giant contract does not seem to jive with what the Eagles are about right now. Who did you speak with? Michael Kendrick's name dropper. I missed it in the first pass, so I had to bring it back around just to get that in there. It was part of my job today.

Yes. Greg, I throw it to you, I'm going to go down this list of teams real quick that you put on your post that might make sense for Deshawn Jackson. Guesswork. Obviously, you know, with Greg involved, the Patriots is number one. Well, the Patriots and the 49ers were the two teams that were mentioned as having inquired. Yes, however, Ian Rappaport downplayed both of them.

Ian said that the Patriots basically call on everything under the sun, and the Niners are just, it's not a good fit. But do you have those two teams, the New York Jets are here, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders. Greg, which one of those teams to you makes the most sense? Raiders, by far. They have the cap room. have the need. They could just swallow up that contract. I could see them.

I don't think they're desperate, but I could see them finding the value of Deshaun Jackson for a third round pick or whatever it's going to cost. Plus, he's a Northern California guy. There's that connection. And an Al Davis guy. Couldn't you see that? I was in the picture anymore. God rest his soul, but speed kills.

He makes sense. And I could picture him in a Raiders uniform. It kind of makes sense a little bit. Why are the Niners perceived as not a good fit? I feel like he would be an interesting addition to an offense that doesn't have a lot of speed of receiver. Well, they put it out there that they're not interested at Deshaun Jackson's current price. They also have cap issues. They have only $4 million against the cap right now.

They have $4 million left to spend, and they still have to extend Kaepernick, too. And the Patriots have about five, and that's before the Brandon Browner contract hits. They're going to cut Wilford, which is going to save a lot of money. And I threw this out there. This is wild fantasy football, but maybe if they could somehow convince the Eagles to take Danny and Mendoza, they need a slot receiver. How about that?

I like that fit. Hey, come on, have a little Amandola with the trade. Let's shift gears. Do you have any sense for how Andy Reid enjoyed the Deshawn Jackson experience? Not really. How interesting. Well, they had some run-ins. There was at least one run-in towards the end of Reed's tenure there.

That's how I recall it, too, that they weren't. Always on the best terms. Because I think he would be a good fit in Kansas City. They just lost that in Sanders. They need a speedy wide receiver. And think about that offense that was jelling down the stretch, averaging like 40 points a game. Then you throw Deshaun Jackson in there. That could be an elite level offense if that happened.

It really, it's perfect timing for us because Deshaun Jackson throwing him in the mix. Get excited, society. Well, the news is quieting down a little after Free Agency. Mark and I are going to Orlando on Sunday for the league meeting. This is going to be... Location droppers. It's going to be the first topic. And if you remember, three years ago, in...

I don't know if it was Orlando, but at the league meeting, Andrew Reed's... Andy Reid sideled up... They're like Andrew Reed. Yeah, Andrew Reed. You know, brought his big... Football coach. Big plate of breakfast, French toast, bacon.

I'm not even joking. He really did have his breakfast. We believe you. Starts talking to the media, and that's where he drops the bomb. Okay, we're ready to trade Donovan. a McNabb or any of our quarterbacks. So maybe they'll do it again. I'm sure we'll get some news.

One team we didn't mention, is there any reason why you didn't include the chargers? They don't have a ton of cap room, if I remember right, but that's a good one. No, there's no big reason. They need speed desperately. I like that. Wes basically just called your work incomplete, Greg. You can't let him do that. Admonish him, please.

It's my totally fictional list that I just wanted to cap at five so that I could get in my car and drive unsuccessfully to see drafting. That really is it. To see a milk-toast Kossner vehicle. Moving forward, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is having ankle surgery. This has not been a great offseason for the Panthers. This will shut down Newton for three months. That keeps them on pace to be back for the start of, I suppose, minicamp or training camp, right?

Training camp. Training camp. However, it's a little bit of a train. tricky issue because eventually Dave Gettelman's going to sign or draft wide receivers and now your quarterback can't work with these guys. It's funny how when December started

football outsiders playoff odds probably hit the Panthers at around 90-something percent. Their playoff odds right now for 2014 I would say are under 30 percent. You think it's zero percent practically. You have them in last place in the NFC South already. It's one of those

things where nothing's going right and it seems like it's taking on a momentum of its own right now. And part of free agency, I think, is being bold, and that's exactly what they haven't done. They've missed out on what was a pretty big group of wideouts. They have a bunch of linemen retiring, and it's almost as if there's, like, a gaggle of housewives that are not Panthers fans somewhere with, like, a big lineup of voodoo dolls, sticking little pins in parts, body parts, and everyone's disappearing in Carolina. I thought they were running the team. No, no, no. I mean, that got dark.

No, no, no. I mean, suddenly, Cam Newton had a nowhere ankle surgery. I mean, it could have happened a month ago. It would have been a little neater. I made a list of the players that have been hurt the most in free agency, and Newton was right on that list. He would have been at the top if I ranked it because he lost all his wide receivers and he lost his offensive linemen.

This was before he even had the monster ankle surgery he was on that list. Isn't your top priority surrounding him with more weapons than he can even use? versus stripping it down to the bare bones where Newton has his issues and he's going to have no one to throw to. Well, this seems like they didn't expect to win the play... to get in the playoffs last year to win the division.

It happened. Seems like now Gettelman's going to use that to make this a get-right year against the salary cap. Yeah. This is weird. Well, they're paying for, in fairness, the Gettelman, the mistakes that Marty hurting made.

Oh, yeah. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are killing them. And they chose to keep Greg Hardy at that price over, I guess, signing these kind of wide receivers. You could question that, but that's the choice. Someone remind me what Cam Newton's contract situation is. He needs an extension. He has one year left on his rookie contract.

He's up for the first time, and he could get a new one. The Panthers cannot botch this Cam Newton opportunity that they have in this era. I mean, if they don't do a good job, at least, all right, maybe they have to pull back a little bit to get things right. But if they don't build a winner around him, why would he be inclined to stay with that organization in Charlotte where he could take his talents to a bigger market, maybe the medal ends, put on some green, play there 10 years, go to the Hall Fame. That's a good point. It puts some pressure. Maybe get him locked up this off season. Don't wait around.

Speaking of the Jets. Yes. Professional. Wow. Well, let me get my paperwork in order. I like that, though. Michael Vick, speaking of Jets and quarterbacks, hubba, hubba. Michael Vick plans to visit the New York Jets, according to NFL Media Insider Ian R. Rappaport.

This will be the first official free agent visit for the former Eagles quarterback. Nothing is imminent at this time, but it makes a lot of sense that they will get a deal done. The Jets make the most sense for Vic. Vic, I would assume, wants to sign with a team sooner rather than later. Is he going to be a jet this time next week? Mark Sessler. I think they are going to make a heavy play for Vic. And I guess in theory, I think that would improve their offense.

But it's, again, you want to talk about the next GM in the list who's not had a good offseason. It's John Idzik. Oh, come on. Well, listen, a year ago, you go out and convince your organization that you're going to draft. Gino Smith is your quarterback of the future. When you go and bring in Vic, and I see why they're doing it, but you are muddying the waters for a young passer

who was going to have confidence issues. Whatever. I feel that way. You go with them or you don't, but you're losing Smith. You're going to lose Smith from the neckup. Wait, so to prove that you are a big, bad GM, you won't bring in a capable backup,

just to prove that you were right in the draft the year before? He's not a backup. No, well, bringing another quarterback, a guy that could start. Vic does not want to be a backup. If Smith's better than Vicka win the job. That's good. That'd be a good thing for the Jets. I just think it's the Jets have not had clear thinking at the quarterback position in a really long time.

And Idzik is not providing that. That's just my opinion. Unless he's realizing quickly that Gino might not be the answer and he's getting the best free agent quarterback on the market. In that case, I wouldn't. But be clear about that because what does Smith think the deal is right now? And I hear you, it's like bring everyone in and like let them compete. but you have to manage your career of your young quarterback, and I don't think they're doing a good job of that if they bring in Vic.

But they don't think he's necessarily their future right now. They're not sold on it. That's under Gino's control. Show up to camp, be awesome, he'll win the job, and he'll keep it forever. It's totally up to him. So I don't see why bringing in Vic is a bad thing. It could help them win games. It's a great thing.

Well, by the way, Vic will, you know, crack a rib in week two and be out for seven weeks. No, that's the other side with Vic is he doesn't give you 16 games. Well, now they have Gino Smith to back him up. I mean, Izzik is starting to get some criticism about the handling of his process in terms of getting players. I would think he'll get killed

if Vic gets out of the building without a deal, which might not be his fault. But the Dominic Rogers Carmardi, letting him get out the door. The only way I would start to truly worry about the Izik era as a jet fan, would be if they never got a cornerback, they don't bring in, they don't bring Antonio Cromarty back,

they have that huge hole there, and then they use the top of their draft to address cornerback again. That, to me, would be a huge mistake where they didn't take advantage of money and free agency, and then they wasted a chance to build their offense. Then I would say this guy messed up. Until something calamitous like that happens,

I'm not going to get too caught up in the fact that there are reports that he's moving at a glacier speed and all this stuff. It's like I'd much rather that happen than have some guy that's just like, I'll sign him and I'll cut him and I'll sign him. I like it. You know, he's taking his time. Is he's Johnny Isick.

Is it a good idea to save $25 to $27 million for the time in free agents when there's nobody worth paying for? I, listen, I think you can certainly, you can criticize him and there's logic to it, but maybe he wasn't that high on DRC. And let's be honest, that guy's been on three teams in six years. He's not the evolutionary Dion Sanders. Well, let's also be honest about what John Isick is. Yes.

He was a salary. cap guy, not a talent evaluator. Fair? And he and there's clearly going to be a Fisher if there wasn't already between the GM and the head coach, because I think Rex Ryan has got to be disappointed with the guys that have visited and left the building.

There were some parallels in draft day between the Dennis Leary coach character and Kevin Costner, the GM, how they were budding heads. I can almost imagine that type of dynamic, not playing out in such a ham-fisted way in Florin Park, but where these guys are maybe not on

great terms and... Yeah, the difference being that Dennis Leary had won a Super Bowl. And speaking of the Bunsen Burner Blow Torch, also Dennis Leary at one point lit something on fire and threw it on Kevin Costner's desk. Wow. Which, you know, it seems to be a pretty reckless thing to do in an office setting. Let's be fair. The dynamics are similar, though.

Leary, more dynamic compared to the GM. Yes. Yep. That's all I'm saying. Nailed it. Greg, don't pretend like... you saw the movie. I'm just saying as an actor.

I don't need to see the movie. As a character study, that was maybe your third or fourth consecutive comment about the film that was a niche off, just a tad off. So close. And of course, the biggest Jets news, Willie Cologne has reached a one-year contract. Again.

The guards back. Smell that? There's no question in this franchise. Good to have that offensive lineback intact, except with a downgrade at right tackle. That Cologne smells good. I'm not going to get... Again, that's another...

There's a drop for you. That's good. Getting killed for letting Austin Howard get out the door for a $15 million guaranteed contract. They'll be okay. They were offering them 12 or 13. They were right in there. Makes perfect sense. 12 or 13 is perfect.

Moving forward, the Cowboys added Henry Melton to the middle of their defensive line, or as Mark Sessler likes to call him. Hashtag Melt On. A nice signing for the Cowboys who had targeted him from the outset of a free agency. He took a look around the landscape, came back to Dallas, and now some sense of help on the way to a team that has lost a lot of good pieces. Perfect pickup after losing Jason Hatcher.

I'd rather take a chance on Henry Milton on a one-year deal with a team option for three more than having re-sign Hatcher. I think the Cowboys won out in that trade. I'll take the other side of it. He's 32. Melton was a pro bowler in 2012. I mean, it wasn't long ago. I'd take a 32-year-old coming off one of the better defensive tackle seasons of the past five years

versus a guy coming off ACL surgery. Hatcher quieted down a lot down the stretch. And one side effect of Melt on signing with the Cowboys is that probably takes them out of the Jared Allen Derby, Alan had visited with the Cowboys, and the free agent defensive end, is unlikely to sign there now. He's looking for $10 million a year, the reports. And I've read in a bunch of places, oh, once teams call his bluff about his retirement

that he'll never follow through with, you know, he'll have to accept a lesser deal. But I don't know. I think he could just walk away. Wouldn't surprise me at all, based on everything we're hearing, he's legitimately talked about this for years and years. Once I make $100 million, once I do this, I'll walk away if I don't get the money I want. I'm just praying somebody pays him so I don't get any nasty grams. Yeah, you continue to be from its agent.

Oh, that's right. You are involved in this fiasco. Wes's agent, not yet. Jared Allen's agent deeply dislikes Chris Wesleying. It's personal. Potentially. Well, you cost them money. You know, sources close to the situation that I've,

making up completely right now, have informed the your ranking of Jared Allen so low in the top 101, just scared away the other 32 teams. For some reason, it didn't have that effect on Dante Wittner, but on Jared Allen, you kill them. Local hack blogger causes teams to underpay Jared Allen. Disturbing. And I only have so much patience for players saying, I'll walk away, I'll retire if you don't pay me.

Ah, come on. What if he follows through with it? Then, you know, then good luck in retirement. Just do it. Don't tell me you're going to threaten retirement. I just don't like that. It rubs me the wrong way personally. What can I say?

You. Yeah. I can't share an opinion in you? I asked Greg this when he first talked about retirement. Are you really playing hard to get if you're in actuality impossible to get? It's fair. And finally, the competition committee held a conference call on Wednesday. Mark and Greg were listening very closely to it.

I had it on at my desk. It sounded like the Charlie Brown teacher's talking. But you guys followed it very close. You know, the Charlie Brown teaches. Dan, this is about 45 minutes or so. Dan asked me for the call-in number at roughly minute 38. What are you hoping to be a part of at that point? Yeah, I just want to be part of your world.

That's all. What's wrong with that? I felt bad because it hurt Dan's social conversations for at least 45 minutes. It was blasting out. He couldn't talk with Damashek and everyone else. It's tough. Anyway Guys are jerks

Oh so tell us guys What did you take out of this conference call? Because I wasn't paying attention A lot of goalpost heavy conversation I mean I did a quick post on the fact That the Patriots have proposed a Potential rule change for the extra point Wanting to move it from the two yard line

To the 25 With the option intact to still go for a two point conversion of course I think it's a big long shot that that passes this year. The Patriots and the Redskins who just made the rest of the league look lazy by proposing 12 combined rules of their own. That's actually more than the Competition Committee proposed. Their proposals have less likely a chance to pass just because we don't really know the league-wide support.

The league competition committee is suggesting that they take one week of the preseason this year. and they have extra points go from the 20-yard line, so that'd be about, whatever, 37-yard field goal, or extra point, and just see how it goes, and then evaluate that again after a year. What do you think, Wes? I don't think we need a preseason game to see how that will go. 37-yard field goals probably have about a 90% conversion rate. That's how it will go.

Right. You know what they should do? You know how the Trent Richardson rule was the crown of the helmet, and what was the rule? Who got injured in the end? fantasy title game. They're calling it the Navarro Bowman rule. The Navarro Bowman rule.

This should be the Adam Carolla rule. Well, the Adam Carolla rule is a whole another can of worms. And I am so excited about this. Raising the goalposts. Now, I don't think they went far enough. The Patriots have proposed to raise the goal post five feet. And Adam Carolla, I'm a big fan of... Five yards or five feet?

Five feet. It was five feet. And he proposed... He's been saying this for years. He's been saying it on the Rich Eisen podcast. He's been saying it on this podcast, why are we asking 65-year-old men with cataracts and vertigo to have to stare straight up at a pole above them? And judge if a ball went over or to the side.

It's impossible. Why can't we raise the goalposts in 2014? It seems obvious. It changes games every year. There's a couple. And he also suggested, which I love, that lasers. come out of the goalposts, there's no one getting an incorrect call then. Why not?

For how many years, decades, have we been teased about the presence of lasers in society, whether it's a weapon or something else? Lasers are used. Like half a century we've been teased. It's time for them to actually be used in practical society. Start with the uprights. Can you make the upright so tall that it will actually tumble over and can't support its weight? Well, that's the whole thing.

Not a be of lasers. That's what I'm saying. Anytime I bring this up on Twitter, people are always like, well, the engineering, it doesn't support that. You can't make it. Like, you know that. Give me a break. Think of the things we can accomplish in 2014. We can't figure out how to raise the goalposts.

Of course you could. Are these the same people ranking centers and guards on a daily basis? Well, they should just go all in, too, because lasers are usually dangerous. That's also, make them powerful. The ball hits the laser. The ball explodes. obviously it went over the We're prepared for that

I think as a viewing audience We've seen things similar to that And that would be embraced The ball hits the laser Doesn't that mean it's no good Well that's the problem with the lasers Back to square one Damn it

Why they would not consider it Is because you don't know Like where it would deflect in Off the laser You know what I'm saying Well that's your fault for kicking it so high I guess you'd have to say that's out Or that's in

You would have to decide one way or another Gold standard Through the laser Gold standard Dude, you seem to be interested in this topic. Do you have it? You're a smart guy. What is your theory on this?

No, well, it's interesting because when the ball currently goes above the upright, it's technically a field goal, correct? Am I wrong about that? Well, right. If it's right above, I think they say it's in. That always confused me because I always thought if it were to be extended, that would, you know, probably not go through. Correct.

Well, plus it's total and complete guesswork. Right. How could anyone evaluate that? No, I'm on Team Laser. You're on Team Laser, yeah. I like Laser. We got to get behind this. to start the movement in earnest.

And that's it for news. Good job, fellas. Thanks, Dan. Before we get into our next topic, have you guys put any thought into West Incest Moving Company? I was a little hurt not to be involved. I threw it out there on Twitter.

Dan Hansis Presents West Incest Moving Company. Yeah, I like that. A little gravitas. As we mentioned, the word and is just Dan flipped around. Don't like that, though. But you're fully included. we've done a little paperwork we have some people looking at some metrics

you know what you need to do is some weightlifting I don't know if you're the crew I'm looking for to move things around very capable shifted like massive amounts of boxes from House A to House B without anything broken right swiftly done and just so you know Greg

if I were involved with the company I would just be the figurehead and I'd be involved with some back-end financial gain I would not be involved with any of the moving process you'd be the face of the cheesy local commercials. I don't think I'm taking weightlifting advice from a man who has admittedly never lifted a weight in his life.

Hey. You got to know your strengths. It's true. Know your strengths. Hey, speaking of strengths, oh, that didn't work as a transition. But this is not a game, but this is a topic. And the name of this topic, this year is Michael Bennett. Dot, dot, dot, dot.

Elypses. Or this year's Brent Grimes. Parentheticals or Brent Grimes. I feel like this will take off marketing wise. Do you want to explain to the people what that means? I will. I shall. Michael Bennett last year was coming off a nice season under the radar season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Did not get a big free agency contract signed a one year, I believe, $7.5 million deal with the Seahawks. No, it was five. One in five. One year, $5 million deal. Grimes had the same deal, I believe. Okay, fellas, okay. One year, $5 million deal with the Seahawks and then turned it around and was a standout player for the Super Bowl champions

and leveraged that into a big new contract. Brent Grimes did the same thing. Also stuck with the team that he signed with the year before. I ask you, gentlemen, and I'm going to go around the room, and I'll start with the mailman, Chris Wessling. when the smoke clears and I guess we even have to pull it back further and a signing is made this month or next or whenever

and then we look back after the 2014 season who will be the guy that has positioned himself as the next Michael Bennett parentheticals or Brent Grimes I just talked myself into this one earlier in the podcast All right

Deshawn Jackson gets traded Riley Cooper stays where he is Jeremy Macklin goes to the Deshawn Jackson roll, bounces back, pro bowl year, big money next year. Fancy. Wow, that. That was nice. I liked everything about that. A lot of moving parts there. I even had my hands going Greg style. Can I just play devil's advocate? Sure. You earlier in this podcast downplayed the possibility of someone having a big season coming off an ACL knee surgery, and now you're playing up a guy coming back from an ACL knee surgery.

That's a fair point. Macklin tore his ACL in July. So he is almost a full year by now recovered from that. So time element. And one of the reasons the Eagles would be comfortable trading Deshaun because it's about that system. Deshaun Jackson has career highs when Chip Kelly shows up. Jeremy Macklin in that system will just rack up yards.

Mark Sessler, your turn. That was really good, Chris. Thanks, Mark. I'm going to double down on a guy that I mentioned on our last football radio program episode. Okay. Walter Thurmond, one-year deal with the Giants. And I understand that the one-year deal is the result of a past with injuries, a past with some off-the-field stuff, suspension.

Basically, the whole ball of wax of what you don't want to happen early in your career. But this is also an incredibly versatile. and talented cornerback that I think he can do more than just play the slot. I think if he needs to go outside, he won't even have to necessarily do that with the Giants. But this is a guy that I think is part of a rebuilt secondary who's stepping into a nice opportunity to a year from now be seen as one of the premier free agent cornerbacks to pick up. I like it.

I like it too. And people forget, I mean, he's coming off a season where there's a reason teams aren't paying him big. money. It's because he had off-field concerns. Four-game suspension. Right. And, you know, they want to see if he can do it outside of Seattle. Cornerbacks haven't done too well under Perry Fuel in New York, though. That's a good point. A lot of problems there.

But I do think they have a stronger secondary than they've had on paper than they've had in years. Remember when Perry Fuel was that guy that was always going to be the next coach hired? Yes. I do remember that. What happened to that? That stopped. That time stopped. It passed him by. Time passes. That era is over. Thurman can bring him back to that. I like it.

Single-handedly. Wow. That was the upsell. That would get him a big contract. Greg Rosenthal, your turn. Well, I don't know if this counts, but I like it anyways. Henry Melton. Now, technically, the Cowboys have a team option after this one year.

But ultimately, his contract is a one-year deal. It's cheap because he's coming off an arrest, a torn ACL of his own. He's at a bargain rate. and if they want to pick up the rest of the contract, he gets big money, $8 million over three years. This is how you do free agency, I think. Let's give the Cowboys some credit. Maybe they were forced into it because they had no cap room,

but you look at guys that could be Pro Bowl caliber players at a discount. I love it, and it was at a huge position of need. Major, major upset here. Brandon Spikes was eligible for this category. Wow. I already chose them for something else, didn't I? We did a choice where I chose Spike. All right.

You don't want to go too far in. You had Brandon Spikes as you're under the radar signing. Right. I didn't want to double up. You could have doubled up, though. It would have been fair. Mark did. I doubled up.

There were a lot of good options. I don't even know who Dan picked. I don't remember anymore. I do remember. Cortland Finnegan, cornerback. No, no, I'm saying of this category. Oh, I haven't gotten yet. I know.

That's why I don't know. But I was going to throw out some names. There's a lot of good ones. There are. Well, mine is a little bit obvious, but I think someone should, should say it, Hakeem Nix with the Indianapolis Colts. Signs a one year prove a deal, 3.5 million in a perfect situation, playing with one of the best quarterbacks in football, entering, probably this could make sense

as the first year of Lux Absolute Prime. Lines up, he's got playmakers around him. I would not be surprised if he stayed healthy and went well over 1,000 yards with multiple touchdowns. Then he gets the big deal that he thought he was going to get two years ago. Not exciting, but logically it checks out. His situation is as positive as Eric Decker's is ill. Unless Michael Vick shows up.

At this point, not that can't change. Sling him those lefty throws. Accurate spot. Southpaw Flicker, they call him. No one's ever called him that point. If Nick's does that, he's going to make $5.5 million instead of $3.5 million because of the incentives in his contract. Ooh. So he can make that extra this year.

Yes. It's a good choice Anybody else Does anyone else have one They wanted to throw out there? Darren McFad? Mm. Oh, are we still thinking that's going to happen?

I've got a rebuild offensive line. I don't know. He's averaged 3.3 yards to carry two years in a row. I'm running out of steam when it comes to defending that guy. I really wanted a fresh start for him. This is a half-hearted attempt. And it's very half-hearted. I really wanted to see him in a different uniform.

I thought he would have been the perfect addition for a different type of offense that would have, ah, the Raiders and him. How about, it's a little out of left field, but guy in Carolina, people giving them a lot of grief for their lack of signings. How about Derek Anderson? Cam Newton doesn't come back from that ankle injury.

And here comes Derek Anderson, all 610 of them, Keola Polaris, Tavares, Tavares King, repeat NFC South champions, Derek Anderson. Someone put something in Greg's coffee. Derek Anderson doesn't even know that he's on the Panthers right now. How about Roman Harper, wheeled out there like weekend at Bernie?

See if he could cover any ground. I didn't like, by the way, Roman Harper, who's fully gray-haired, is saying that he was in awe when Luke Keeckley, who's like 23, called him. Hey, come on, Roman. I'm digging to me. Yeah, come on. In awe. Yeah, that's what he said.

You read that, right? I did not read that. No, maybe it never happened. I think it did. All right, before we go, it did happen. by the way. It did happen. This Anderson call is going to go down like my Chase Daniel making leap prediction last year.

Watch out. Before we go, yeah, we talked about draft day, the movie off the top. Why don't we just throw it around the room? Favorite, I would say football movies, but the weird thing about Hollywood is that they have not figured out how to consistently make decent football movies, at least in my opinion. But then again, I'm not a great movie guy because I'm just going to run down a quick list of movies

that people think are great football movies and I haven't seen them. Let me know if you've seen them and they're on your list. All the right moves. Dallas North 40, the longest yard, Brian's song. Those are...

North Dallas 40. Oh, exactly. See? What did I call it? Dallas 40 Yard line. Well, it backs up my theory that I've never seen the movie. What a boring movie.

Unless one of them's Debbie Those are a lot of those movies Were believed to be classics But there really hasn't been much In the last 20 years They have yet to make the definitive football movie Unless you're a huge fan of Brian's song Or Necessary Roughness with Scott Bacula

And Kirstie Well Kathy Ireland The Sports Illustrated swimsuit mom That movie's terrible stop It is terrible Varsity if you're gonna go cheesy Varsity Blues is much better That's kind of like a cult classic

If you were born between, like, 77 and 1983, you have, like, a deep love of that movie, I feel like. I think on my list, Jerry McGuire is my top football movie. It's not a bad pick. In terms of the best, it's not really a football movie, but that would, I've never seen North Dallas. Rod Tipwell's in it. He sure is. We Are Marshall is a sneak. It's actually a very good movie.

It's not going to get everyone excited, but it's a very good movie. McConaughey, your guy. McConaughey is in it. My boy. Also, Kate Mara, who another House of Cards reference, stellar on House of Cards. Quite a talent. She is also in that film. The most overrated movie of all time is a football movie, too.

Rudy. Give me a break on a great movie. Oh, God. A lot of heart. You got no heart, Rosenthal. I have Mark's favorite football movie of all time is on my most overrated football movie of all time. What's that? Any Given Sunday.

Oh, interesting. I love Any Given Sunday. And I understand that more people than not that I run into cannot. But I just think it's Pacino at the height of his utter madness. I love the, I love the way it ends where Pacino, you think this guy's on the way out of town, and then his whole thing's crumbled, and he spins the whole press conference around and announces that he's taking his young quarterback and starting a new expansion team. I love how it ends.

I want a sequel, but it'll never do it. I thought the high point of the ATL debate club was when we had Jim Brown in here, and ask them about that movie because he plays the defensive coordinator I believe in it? That was some time ago he looks like he could still play in that film Yeah and yeah

That movie came out and I believe 99 I just remember from the When we talked to him about that movie He had some interesting Oliver Stone stories Like that Oliver Stone he was an interesting cat Like apparently he was a very strange man To be on set with Yeah he

He did mention that Dan I don't remember maybe we can have Old Gold Standard our next episode, pull the sound. Jim Brown retired from football so he could go into the movies. Dirty Doesn't. He did. That's true.

He retired at the age of 32, I believe. 29, I think. Which explains why he's working for the Cleveland Browns at age 80 something. Any given Sunday had so much potential. So it feels, it's like one of those movies that it reached for the sun. And since it didn't get there, it's like, it's disappointing. I also have a thing with sports movie, which helped draft day. because they were able to use the NFL licensing.

Any movie that has, like, professional football teams called The Sharks and, you know, like the monster matchers and things of that nature. And so there was some really wacky uniforms and teams. Like the Tampa Typhoons. It's like, am I supposed to buy into this is happening in real society? Any league with those names would be folded. Yeah, it's the Miami Sharks is the main team in that, right? And I believe there's a reference to the actual NFL existing

while this football universe exists at the same time. Very tough to believe. And think about a guy like Gold Standard, who's in his early to mid-20s, I presume. I don't know any of your personal details, but that sounds about right. In your lifetime, has there been any, in your time where you're cognizant of popular culture, has there been a movie that anybody's really latched on to? A football movie? No, I mean, any given Sunday, obviously had buzz behind it.

I know the one that was sort of interesting, not on the movie track, but I know Playmakers for its one season was like with teenagers. the ESPN show. Like 13 to 14 year old kids. A shadowy league figure is approaching. It's about to hurt me. It was not a good show, though. It was controversial, but it wasn't a good. I remember I watched every episode.

I thought people of Gold Standards Generation liked, remember the Titans? Yeah. Talk about an overrated football film. The replacements, you know. What's your favorite sports movie, Wes? All right. I think all of my top five happened in a five-year period.

Uh-oh. The greatest period for sports movies is unquestionably 1976 to 1980. In 1976... This is a shaping up as a very West answer, by the way. 1976 blows away every other year for sports movies. Rocky wins the Oscar. The Bad News Bears, which I believe to be the best baseball movie ever comes out. A movie which Dan would refer to as 40 men from Dallas.

Plain football comes out. Very boring. Hi, I'm from Dallas. Another one of my favorite baseball movie. Movies. The Bingo Long, Traveling All Stars, and Motor Kings. Wow. About Negro League Base, but listen to this cast.

James Earl Jones, Billy D. Williams, and Richard Pryor play the three leads in that. Get into that. Solid. So that's 76 alone. The Slapshack comes out in 77. Rocky 2 comes out. Breaking Away in my top five. About bicycle racing in Indiana.

Great movie. Then Caddyshack comes out in 80. Raging Bull comes out in 80. That's a five-year home run right there. Not bad. Mark, your favorite sportsman. Greg's giving me some kind of goofy look. No, no, that's great.

I was thinking if chariots of fire was somehow in that mess. That comes out the next year. That is. It comes out in 81. Running on a beach. Also about much more than just sports, but yes. Favorite, listen, now, again, I think Wes had this on his most overrated list, too. And this really is because when I saw this as a much younger person, the natural,

I watched it with my dad. And I just, for some reason, it's, where I had to go watch it clean today. Maybe it's not the same film. But it pulled me into the story entirely, and I'll never forget sitting in the theater with my dad watching that thing. I like that. That's nice. Nice memory. It's a good picture you've painted.

What I like to do is because I knew, I knew Wes was coming at that with his most overrated list. Yeah. So I cased an argument where it's a father's son moment that Wes really can penetrate. That's really all that was a. He wasn't even going to say anything after you mentioned your father. They changed the book quite a bit there. So that that could be the... Well, that's your argument against it, right?

Thank you. Greg, he just, yeah, he summed up my argument. And basically sent your entire childhood asunder. They were not true to Bernard Malamud. The balloon has been punctured of your innocence. Greg. I got three movies. Wes already mentioned two of them.

Slapshot is not just one of the greatest sports movies. ever. It's one of the greatest movies ever. Caddyshack, I would put right there with it. I'm not even joke. People downgrade comedies like they're not up there. Those are one and two on my list. Those are the two of the greatest movies ever. It's impossible how funny

and how joke packed and how good the plot. Slapshot's incredible. It's good. Eminently rewatchable. It's also kind of uncle humor. It's like when your uncle's like, oh, you've got to see Animal House. Classic Pluto. It's like, all right, I get it. I mean, come on. I'm I'm okay with that because that's how I feel about blazing saddles in that ill.

Like, I think that's uncle humor. But I think Animal House and Caddyshack and Slapshouters, legitimately funny humor. Well, like, Wes's uncle would be like 15 years older than Dan's uncle, so that makes sense. Slapshot Caddyshack. I'm also going to throw in The Wrestler, which is, you know, maybe it's not... That's a very Rosethal one. Not everyone's movie, but if you go to the wrestler and you're sitting in the dark theater, watching Ricky the Ram bleed and everything else for you for a couple of.

A couple hours, and you don't walk out of that movie, impacted, maybe it gets a little dusty at that scene. You know what I'm talking about? That one came out in the last 10 years? It's like 2007, I'd say? That is, that's one of my favorite movie. I actually watched that one. I thought it was really good. Also on West's list, bring it on.

I don't know what that is. Yes, you do. My list, I would, Major League was the movie when I was growing up that I fell in love with, and it was like a hard R, and it was cursing, and it was just like, kind of like exactly the type of movie that a nine-year-old boy that loves baseball was like, wow, this is what it's really like behind the scenes. I remember loving that movie. Hoosiers, I liked a lot. Rudy, I liked, despite Greg's misgivings about the picture.

And under the radar, and Wes, I'm surprised you didn't bring this one up. In 1993, there was a little movie about rollerblading in downtown Cincinnati called Airborne. that climax climactic scene took place a devil's backbone a roller blading race for glory and the girl devil's backbone yes sir that was the name of a street in Cincinnati I always thought it was the coolest name ever for a street

well it's also it was a really windy road with all kinds of hairpin turns on it watch the movie Mitchell Goosen the main character a surfer boy from California comes to Cincinnati lives with a young Seth Green also a early period, Jack Black is the bully that come... You know what I'm talking about, Gold Standard?

So good. Yes. That was the height of rollerblading film. There's not any chance that I would ever watch a rollerblading movie. They never have movies like that. There's no way you're getting me to watch a rollerblading movie. And quick story about this before we go. I worked at a PR firm in the mid-2000s that I hated a job and it was just

about killing nine hours a day. And in the middle of the ship, me and my buddy were on I-M and we grew up together watching Airborne. And we looked up the guy that played Mitchell Goose who was now selling real estate in Texas. We found him. So I said, hey, man, I'm going to call him up.

And when he answers, talk to him about airborne. This was in the middle of a workday, by the way. Call up the real estate firm. Mitchell Goosen answers the phone. I hear his voice. It's unmistakable. I panic and hang up. Wait, so you were mildly.

Great start. Poor ending to that story. I think we know our next segment. Call Mitchell Goosen. I can't wait until your nephew watches Major League and then Const descends to you and calls it on. Yeah. That's true.

It's fair. All right. We got to get out of here, gentlemen. Good talking. No gleaming the cube reference? Oh. Don't know it. Stop.

Crickets. They used to make rollerblading movie. That was a skateboarding movie. I thought you were going to talk about a movie about Rubik's Cube. Dan confirms he's almost never been productive in any assignment he's ever done. If you worked where I worked, you would have been the same way. I know some of your stories about your past work experiences, too. Glowing.

You sleep in an attic for entire shifts? No, that was my co-worker while I to unpacked furniture in a mall in Boulder, Colorado. Unpacked furniture. You have a history as a mover. There you go. We will never have this topic again. Or maybe we will. Maybe in the summer, if you guys like this conversation, maybe we'll expand it out.

When we're really hurting for coming and really break it down. That time will come. We can do football books or sports books as well. That would be good. Goon is another good sports. You've told me that Goon is good, starring Stifler. It's great. It's very underrated.

A new hockey. All right. We will be back on Friday. One thing, I think Win West's Toasters do to come back. Do we want to do it next week? Yeah. Well, Mark and I will be in Orlando for the first couple days shows of the week. That would mean you wouldn't have to be on hand for Win West's Toaster.

We'll be back on Friday. No, he's in now. Greg is sneaky in on Win West's Toaster. Maybe Friday. Yeah. Next Friday we will bring back. Win West's Toaster, not this Friday, next Friday. So the Gold Standard, this is your big shot at redemption.

Can't wait. All right. I like that, little Bart Scott. Ooh, and he knew it was Bart Scott. Everybody's on fire. So until Friday, signing up, this is Dan Hansis, for the mailman, the sizzler, the boss, and the gold standard behind the glass. Until then. This is an I-Heart podcast.