NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - NFL ATL: Training camp buzz

Episode Date: July 25, 2014

A room full of heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler and Kevin Patra -- celebrate a one-year podcast anniversary by reacting to the latest news from NFL training camps including Ray Rice's suspension, Roddy White's extension and more. Plus, part two of the NFC training camp preview focuses on the NFC North and NFC South.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 deserves a long-term contract extension by Trading Kids. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the League podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I am joined by a room filled with some heroes. Mark Sessler, Kevin Patra, and Greg Rosenthal. What up, boys? So excited to have Kevin Patrick back in the studio with us. feels right here again you'll note save the day you'll notice that i went around the table but i skipped

over gregg temporarily went to patch them back to gregg because we're back to regular sitcom rules where the guy that gets put in his rider i need to be the last one said greg it's in his contract needs to be said last like and i'm the john aldo or whatever i'm the john slattery of this show that is painstakingly high maintenance on the part of the boss well Greg, you got to answer to that. High maintenance? I'm not high maintenance. I think I'm low-mainten.

Well, can a boss even be high-manence? I don't know. Not you. You're just, again, I think this is... I think this is Sessler's, I mean, mentioned it last show. This is Dan's little... Wait a minute. Back the truck up.

The high-maintenance king right here. Greg, you just said that that edict was etched into your contract. Now, no one else pushed for that, so it was you. And by the way, I am only high-maintenance. in the commissary. I want to say. By the way, but Greg, you can pat yourself on the back for being great. As can everyone else in this room right now,

because we've been together as a group, the Around the League podcast, for one year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Ow! Go for it. I can safely say that I've spent more time with the cast of this show than my own children.

Yes. And you are a better man for it. Well, let me rephrase. You're a better employee for it, a worse man. That seems so. You are a factory of 50. You know, that will be fine from you, TD. We have a bone to pick with you.

Let's be honest, we don't really have our stuff together. We would not even have known this was our one-year anniversary, if not for a great Twitter follower, Dale. His name is Dale, and he wrote us a very nice note, you know, expressing how much he likes the show. and he's been a listener since it started. And so we want to thank, hearty thanks to all the listeners who have listened to us and, you know, kept in touch with us on Twitter and have liked us on iTunes and helped us win a Stitcher. What is a Stitcher?

I don't know. Where's that award, by the way, TD? We never got it. I need to follow up a Stitcher. Let's just do that. I'll follow up a Stitcher. Make sure we get their award because it's a second year. There's a physical award.

It's a physical award. Because DDFP won the award the year before, so there's two years running now where NFL podcast wins with Domine Stitcher Awards. Something we could put on a table or our desks. Yeah, if we have something physical to celebrate it. How about Kevin Patro? What kind of journey has your career taken a year ago at this time? You were just coming off an assignment position in L.A. And then you go off to be a writer, join around the league.

I mean, talk about a shooting star. Pinch yourself. This is real. It's been crazy. It's been crazy. A lot of work, but I think you guys are one of the funest groups I've worked with. One of the funs. One of the funest. I was going to... You're 20-year-old had a lot of fun groups.

I was going to say he had goosebumps on top of goosebumps, and now it's all gone. No. Because we're like the bronze medalist of fun groups for Kevin Patrick. You're like the four older brothers I never had. All right. We'll take that. It's a Wesleying-type viewpoint. I like that. Because he has a lot of brothers.

Right. Yeah. And West, congratulations. to Wes as well for being a you know the scientist of the group all right so and for waking up we we heard he's been on a 27 hour nap since his last appearance of the podcast but he is awake he is admired in a Cincinnati in wilderness he was on his circular waterbed with the leopard print passed after that phone call yesterday he fell asleep immediately woke up did some more high octane content we miss you west come home so because we're going to keep slandering you until you return.

All right. So great show today. Great shows. We begin year two of the Around the League podcast. We have the NFC North and the NFC South training camp previews. We wrap up that series. By the way, you can read all of our previews on NFL.com slash training camp preview. Oh, you got it.

Bang. Home run. Yeah. And we'll also hit the news again because we've got to hit the news because the news is changing as an animal on the podcast. guest right now because there's so much of it and we got a lot to get to so we got to check in with TD again

looking fly in his jacket you know put me in line over my uh Tay Diggs Tyrese mix up didn't make things weird between us so I just want to say thank you for that and uh how are you doing well like I said Tyrese is just happy to be recognized now or mistaken as an actor you know

that's been his like dream for the last 10 years yeah exactly baby boy was uh Tyrese, correct? That was Tyrese, and that was an excellent film. It was a good movie. Mark wants to have a bit of a bone to pick with you. Well, no, no.

I understand number one that you're a producer of not just this show. You do a lot of things around the office. But, you know, you sent an urgent message to the four of us saying, got to delay the show, I'm so busy. And so we're all sitting around twiddling our thumbs. And then bang, like 12 minutes into this 20-minute delay. I'm sitting there on Twitter. And I see you shoot out this Batman-related.

image a bat fleck something about Ben Affleck playing Batman you have time to do that but our show must be delayed by you know roughly half an hour let's just put it this way let's put it this way so that was that was a little bit of downs on my head in between getting some of the drops

ready for today's show and I'll be honest with you before I hit tweet I was like I don't want to send this now because these guys are going to be like oh this is what I'm doing instead of getting ready for the show but I was like come on come on we're just Our eyes are always open.

We're always plugged in on social media. It's part of our job. So just never forget that. I know. I know. But it's like, come on. It's backflick, man. You know?

I'm looking forward to basketball. I'm serious. Backpedaling there. Yeah. Let's do some news. Why not us? Why not us? Why not us?

Back in the saddle TV after his blunder and Wednesday show. This NFL Network's theme, this training camp. Yeah, why not us? Which is, I think, is Russell Wilson's saying. So I hope Russell Wilson is getting some royalties off that. company men, why not us? Yeah, let's get Russell Wilson on the show, T.D. Can we buck that?

Let's do it. Cool. All right, let's start with some news, and we'll start with the Baltimore Ravens. We finally have word on Ray Rice's situation. The running back who was involved in that ugly domestic abuse incident earlier in the offseason has been suspended for the first two games of the regular season under the NFL's personal conduct policy, this according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rappaport. Rice will also be fined a third game.

game check, he will not be appealing the suspension so you could count him out for those two games. And now Rice and the Ravens try to put this ugly situation behind them. Yeah, I mean, you know, I think when the news hit, there were rumors earlier on that it was coming today that I guess you could paint that the reaction was entirely negative on Twitter or very, very negative. Yeah, that's just on Twitter. A lot of places. He's lucky to get two games.

It could have been worse and nobody really would have thought anything of it. So I think the two games, the Ravens kind of come off lucky, it seems, as does Ray Rice, but he is going to be missing time. Well, it's something that the Ravens want to put behind them and the NFL wants to put behind them. The NFL doesn't want to be in the headlines as training camp is starting for news like this. Not only the news that one of their stars is getting suspended for domestic assault, but that getting a lot of criticism for it. I mean, it's the last thing you want to start training camp. And I think when you read Goodell's statement and he says,

I believe you are to see your desire to learn from this matter. And I think the personal sit-down with him and his wife must have had overwhelming balanced out what we thought was going to come because this seemed like a little bit light. So, I mean, I was surprised with it. I think that was the main reaction was more surprised that it was only two games as opposed to what it could have been for what it was. that he committed. The Falcons moved Thursday to ensure that Roddy White will finish his career.

As a member of the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced a three-year extension that will keep the wide receiver under contract for the next four seasons. The deal is worth $30 million with escalators, and White now earns just under $11 million this season, a source involved with the process, told Ian Rappaport. White, of course, 32 years old, was set to enter the final year of a six-year deal. Big-time player coming off a disappointing year to this signing. makes sense. You got to read the fine print.

He's not going to get all this money. He's not going to make that $11 million average. It's a short-term bump for a guy that's totally earned it in Atlanta. And I wouldn't be surprised when we do get to look at the fine print whether that it's basically a two-year deal. He gets $18 million over the next two years. That's $9 million per year. And then after that, it's year-to-year.

And he's probably facing an uphill battle to be on this team in two or three years because that's just how it goes. I think some of these deals, it's a, hey, hang with us to the end of your career, potentially, if you want. But you look at what happened with the Jamal Charles Child. There's very little guaranteed cash in that beyond this season. There's none after this season. And same with this. These contracts make a big splash when they're initially tweeted out.

And then you dig down and it's, oh, wait, they really aren't on the hook to do much for this guy. The Atlanta Falcons are way under the radar this year as an NFC contender, but a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White, who should have at least a year or two of being a top-level wide receiver. This team, I think, is going to surprise people in how they do. I think they're going to be in contention. Yeah, I think that the money that he will get will put him right under the top tier, which is where he belongs because of his production. When he was healthy at the end of the last year, he was averaging over 100 yards a game. And that was without Julio Jones. You get Julio back in there, and the tandem together can produce with Matt Ryan and quarterback,

and that's what they're paying for the next two years to eke out. The little bit of football left he's got in him. And real quick, I mean, you have no Tony again. Dallas. We've known for months that what they're going to do, they don't even have a pass catching tight end of any semblance. So it's going to be three, four wide receiver sets heavy. Roddy White is still a huge part of this offense. I love Roddy White as a player. It's one of my favorites of the last decade. When he came into the league, the first couple years, people thought of him as a drop-prone guy who couldn't pick up the offense. Now I think of him as sort of that ultimate veteran receiver. He's got great hands.

and he makes catches in the craziest of situations. He's so good at making those catches on the sidelines, and he's kind of turned from that long-distance burner to more of the veteran and letting Julio Jones take those deep plays. More trouble for Jacksonville Jaguars' wide receiver, Justin Blackman, who was arrested on Wednesday night in charge with marijuana possession during a traffic stop in Oklahoma. Of course, Blackman had been suspended indefinitely tied to a substance abuse violation

last year and he's now been arrested twice for a DUI and he's in a bad spot now because any thought of him getting that, getting back in 2014 seems to be lost or close to it, right? I think he didn't have any chance to begin with. I mean, he was gone for this year. This adds questions whether he's coming back next year. I mean, he's suspended indefinitely. The Jaguars were basically thinking, hey, we'll see you next year and we'll see how that goes.

It's interesting that Shod Khan, the team's owner, did make a statement that they're not going to cut Blackmun that they want to support him, but they can't talk to him. That's how the suspension goes. So it's a kid who clearly has a substance abuse problem. He was pulled over. He admitted that he was smoking and blunt while he was driving. He drove into oncoming traffic. It's all bad. Well, it reminds me of before the lockout when we were at the Combine.

And Steve Weish, someone said to him, what's the biggest issue for teams? with the potential lockout. And it wasn't lack of practice or coaches or preparation. It was the fact that all your entire roster, and it's not 53 guys, it's 100 almost at that point, are just set free with no ability to contact or be counseled. There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes with teams where they're dealing with players,

whether they're troubled or they have issues of any sort, where they're getting heavy counseling and support and encouragement. That's the issue. When you ban a blackman or a Josh Gordon, and you send them off into the wilderness, no one's around them, and you're a young guy with issues set to your own devices. That's where the trouble occurs.

Right, and it's a sad story because the last thing we heard was in the summer, the Florida Times Union reported that he was seeking help. He was trying to get that help, and his teammates were even trying to reach out to him. He wasn't reaching back out to them, so he's clearly isolated himself, and whatever treatment or constantly he was seeking hasn't been working. So it's really a sad story that doesn't seem to have a good ending.

And he had failed drug tests in college. was something they knew about, and it is really rare for a player to get suspended for more than one season. I'm trying to think back to when that's last happened. Sometimes it's indefinite, but you always apply to get back in, and it only takes one season. This is a case where you can imagine Justin Blackman being suspended out of league for more than one season, whether it's a season and a half, two seasons, something like that. Who knows?

So I guess Kyle Orton is not retiring. The Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones. told reporters on Wednesday that the veteran backup quarterback has no intentions to call it quits in hopes to keep playing in 2014, just not in Dallas, a little timeline of events. Orton was there last year as their backup. The Cowboys decided to cut him because Orton was repeatedly saying he wanted to retire. He got to keep his $3 million signing bonus. And now Jerry Jones seemed to suggest that Orton planned to report for camp in order to force the team's hand.

Here's the quote from Jera. Once he gave an indication that he was not going to retire and come back with all the other aspects of not having participated in the spring work that we did, then it was decision time on our part. Greg, somebody makes sense of this for me. I can't. We're missing part of the picture because we thought that Kyle O'Rourn didn't want to be on the Cowboys, and the Cowboys wanted Orton to be their backup. The only thing I can think is Jerry Jones is spinning this to make it look like they didn't. didn't get dumped by Kyle Orrin. I honestly have no idea what's going on.

I think if Skip Bayliss were still in Dallas and he wanted to write a behind the scenes biography of what's going on with the Cowboys right now, there's a whole chunk to this story that we don't know about. I think that he rubbed. Bestseller, the Kyle Orton story. Well, just as one of the little threads because I think he rubbed Jerry Jones. They actually tried to do him a favor to some degree. They ate a lot of money here.

They did nothing for the Cowboys. But maybe it became to the point of whatever issues. he presents his attitude, and he's clearly irritated. I think certain players on the team, too, get rid of him, and they just swallowed it. The Cowboys have also, as we know, been the picture of mediocrity. Three straight seasons of eight and eight finishes. Jason Garrett has been lording over the team for all of those finishes. You would think that this is perhaps the year where Jera needs to see some results from his

coach and his team to move forward with the current coaching regime, but it might not be the case. Here's the quote from Jerry. In terms of the record of this team, this is not a make-or-break situation for Jason. I wish you weren't a liar. Well, listen, I would say that I would agree that he was lying. But I don't know with Jerry Jones anymore. I don't know what's going on in his head.

He obviously has a soft spot for Jason Garrett. He's had one for 15 years, and maybe this really is how he feels. To me, this is another case to him not with the, we saw it with Sean Peyton went somewhere else and had great success. And Jones doesn't want to see that happen again. He doesn't want to see the brainchild of what he would consider his own brainchild to become great somewhere else if he can't deal with the fact that this team isn't very good at all. I found a quote that supports that as much as possible. And this quote, which I missed back in December when he said it blew my mind. Here it is.

We've put a lot of effort in training as a franchise into Jason Garrett. I want to take advantage of that. All right, that makes sense. If we don't have them, we don't get payback for all the misgues and losses and criticism. of sideline management, we don't get a chance to benefit from the one way you learn, and that is the mistakes that you make. It was Albert Breyer. Last season, Albert Breer came heavy with that point, that that was the saving grace for

what is a mediocre ship entirely, that Garrett, they had put so much time. Dating back to when he was Troy Aikman's backup, he has been part of this family forever. They aren't ready to jump ship, but it's another case where Seattle does things differently. Dallas does things differently, but in a way that keeps them held back. And is this a Jerry almost admitting without admitting it that his team isn't good enough for those expectations to be that high? That the team he's put together. I mean, he's clearly not going to say that out loud, but maybe in the back of mind he knows that. And this is his justification for saying that you can't blame it on Jason Garrett for if we're terrible again.

That's a great point. And I caught a little bit of that with Jerry Jones. He's usually so positive. And when they talked about expectations, he's talking about competing. You know, I think this is a roster that can compete. Pete, like, the bombast is gone. I think he probably looks at this team and realizes he's got some problems. I think in past seasons, they've kind of stumbled their way and underperformed to eight and eight.

This season, I still, I'm going to put, my guarantee will be they go eight and eight this year. I think it happens again, but they're going to overperform to get there. They're going to end in the same spot. And that's how Rex Ryan kept his job this past season. He went eight and eight with a team that wasn't good. Maybe Jerry is seeing clearly, and he's not going to blame Garrett if they get that high. somehow all those coaching mistakes

Garrett's made over the years the clock management and that's all been like deposits money in the bank that Jerry Jones figures he's going to cash in someday so if Garrett wants to keep his job maybe just keep messing up

Greg with another long instruction on career success I wanted to go back to Kyle Orton because we talked about it on Wednesday's podcast that the bears have a terrible back of quarterback situation so Kyle Orton goes back Chicago works with Mark Trussman

and when Jay Culler ultimately gets hurt Yes He has his redeeming moment In Chicago Because if Mark Trestman Wait this might be Kevin Patcher's first Cessler

If I know anything about Mark Trestman What he is seeking Are underwhelming Undriven quarterbacks That don't really want to play football Kyle Orden wants He's collected his paycheck I don't know who picks this guy up

Patcher's got a little bit of a neck beard There's some resemblance between you and Kyle Orton, maybe. A little bit. Interesting. You're probably in better shape. All right. We'll finish with Mark's favorite football team, you might be aware, the Cleveland Browns.

You are a factory of sadness. It is looking increasingly possible that Brian Hoyer will be the starter in week one for the Browns. Brown's coach Mike Petten told ESPNcleveland.com that Hoyer will get the primarily be the recipient of first team looks in training camp. So Mansell is going to be a guy that, according to Petten, is more Manzell versus the playbook right now than against Brian Hoyer. So right now, Brian Hoyer, Mark Sessler, looks like he's going to be your guy. Well, there was another interesting comment, and we heard this also from the Jets today or someone around the Jets, that Petten mentioned that whether or not Mansell starts, and maybe they feel safer with Hoyer as the guy that's down there for three downs, that they'll roll Manzell out and get him on the field.

plays for certain packages. So maybe that is how you ease him in. He came from a college system that didn't rely on a playbook, as a lot of young quarterbacks do. It really depends what he does over the next month. You know, the writer of the article, Tony Grossey, said to Petten, it appears that a shorter timetable favors Brian Hoyer. That's a topic that we discussed in the last podcast.

And Petten's response was, yeah, given those circumstances, I'd agree with that statement. No, Greg, he said, uh, yeah. I took out the uh. You could use some editorial judgment with the quotes. You don't have to put in the uhs. No, because every writer out there. This is how I hear it, by the way. Uh, yeah.

Well, that is not. Given those circumstances, I agree with that statement. If you want it, that's how I read it. Then you need more H's in the, uh. I don't buy that though, Greg, because, you know, Robert Griffin 3, Andrew Luck, all these guys, they don't need, you know, they had enough time to secure the number one spot. that's fair i think there's there's enough time i do think his quote about that it's him versus the playbook and i think he needs to be more dedicated than ever was another quote from petton about mansell

are telling i think he's setting a message yeah to me it's just be ready and you'll you'll get the ball if you're ready you're going to get the ball you're clearly more talented the brian hoyer he's just saying be ready but is he right now no are we bearing the lead in all this that just a minute ago on this podcast, Kevin Patra made a Master P make him say, oh, we are a reference. I did. Did everyone see that? We certainly bury the lead, is how I view it. TD is beside himself with joy.

I am, not because Patrick dropped that reference, but because Greg picked it up. I thought nobody heard that. Wait, by the way, I picked it up to. You got the no-limit soldiers going in the gym. Dan's like, I got the pop culture reference. If there's one thing, old man Cessler doesn't know what we're talking about. I know exactly where you're talking. I don't need to, you know.

Master of Pet. you mean? I could not be more impressed with Greg's knowledge of the hip-hop world. From a certain year to a certain year. Yeah.

Fair enough. Surprise. I'm beaming right now. By the way, on our last show, I threw it out there to the audience, to the listeners, the first listener who correctly identified the name of the perfume

that Grace Jones was hawking in Boomerang. The 1992 Eddie Murphy vehicle would be the recipient of Brenda Warner's biography called One Carlin, call away, answering life's challenges with unshakable faith. And the answer to that question was, Strage, it stinks so good.

Strangay, it stinks so good. And, of course, I don't even know, I'll throw it out to you guys, because I got a feeling you're going to guess. Who was the ATL listener that got this correct? Well, you threw this out in the newsroom earlier, and we guessed Tristan. Welcome to the show business, Greg. We guessed Tristan, and we got it right back then.

And so I got it right again. Yes, Tristan, the great loyal listener from Australia, got it correct. I'm pretty sure the NFL... I'm all about honesty. Transparency, Dan. You're a great guy. NFL media newsroom, I mean the NFL media mailroom. I don't know if they're going to send this book to Australia. We'll have to talk to people.

And because, like Greg, my boss, that I also am all about honesty, I am going to let the listeners know that Dan is entirely scared by the Australian mail raids. And it has nothing to do with our mailrooms. Tristan, just be aware that if the mailroom, shoots me down, I will not be sending this on my own dime. Tristan, obviously, got a job, new job lately, and now he wins the book. All I do is we, we, we, no matter what. There you go.

And a quick callback, that's the reason I had time to tweet about Batfleck, because I was downloading that drop. Nice. Well, all right. It seems like it took you a while to cook up a reason there. Like a good 15 minutes. By the way, if you're at the Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica tonight by any chance, Mark Sessler is doing a reading of Brenda Warner's biography, excuse me, memoir, from 6 to 9 p.m.

That's a long reading. Listen, let's get in depth of it. All right, let's move on to the finale of our NFC training camp preview, and we will begin with the NFC North. Greg, you are the boss. Contractually, in the back end of the language of your contract, it says you need to be announced last in the intro. I'll throw it to you. Since I wrote the piece on NFL.com slash training camp preview, why don't you team me up and I'll throw a couple things at you. I thought you were going to ask me a question.

This was a tough free of. Here, by the way. Green Bay Packers. What are you looking for in Green Bay on the offensive side? A lot of arm motioning by you there. It's intimidating to me. All right, I'll tell you what I'm looking for. Now I'll start with, I want to see or I want to hear and read about Julius Peppers how he's looking in camp, a 34, year old player that had some big seasons, as Kevin Patra knows, in Carolina and then Chicago.

Now they pairing him up with Clay Matthews, hoping the visions of 25, 30 sacks together and what that could mean for their pass rush. I want to see how that looks. He also want to watch for Clay Matthews, how that thumbs looking, is he able to practice at full? Are they still worried about it? They believe that they finally rectified that issue after he broke it twice last season. But, I mean, Matthews, we forget about it now because he had such a kind of tough go of it last

year. A lot of people picked him defensive player of the year candidate. He can still be that guy. That is an intriguing pairing to me. And Dom Capers is kind of twisting around what they're doing less and more at the same time, getting rid of some formations, but doing a little bit more differently with those formations.

So it's going to be interesting to see how Peppers is used, how much he actually drops back, which given his age, you wouldn't think too much, but how much in that, quote unquote, elephant role they have him in. That's going to be interesting to watch. I think they're excited about Dayton Jones on the line. a lot of guys coming back, and it's nice to have, in theory, Peppers across from Clay Matthews

to free up some of that double-teaming. They want to get 30 sacks together. I want to see if they even can combine to play 30 games. I'm not sure on... Well, that's a lot of games. Well, no, they each play 16. That's 32. Well, I'd like to see that happen. It didn't really go out on a huge limb there. Well, because frankly, Clay Matthews hasn't done that, and that's big a huge issue for the Packers. You said people predicted he would win defensive player of the year. I think I was one of those people. You're right. He has not been talked about much, and their defense is completely different with them. And their offense is different with Jermichael Finley.

Do we think he's going to be back on this team by the start of the year? With each day that passes, it seems like that's not going to be the case, or it's increasingly possible that he's not going to get clearance. There's an interesting battle there, because if he's not there, it's pretty wide open right now. Who gets that job, the starting job anyway? The guy I guess to look for is a rookie Richard Roger. I believe he was a third round pick. Looked really good in their off-season program.

The other guy, I guess his primary competitor is Andrew Quarles. I did get some tweets from Packers fans that the undrafted free agent, Colt Laerla is a guy to keep an eye on too. And, Dan, if you actually monitored our website around the league, we have written two or three huge posts about Colt where they talk about him as a Grunkowski-type talent. I don't always buy into hype blindly, like some people are right. This is coming from NFC scouts, from other scouts.

Everyone just looks at me. He has a major off-to-field concern, but they don't need Finley. He's not the only answer there. He would have been a high-high-draft pick if he hadn't gotten booted. So if he can, his, you know, addictions are in the past. And he could be if the team. Mike McCarthy is talking about trusting him. Can we trust him if he can prove that?

Mark, do you have something to say to me? Because say it right now. I would like you to read our work on the website. This is... No, not your work. I just hope Dan could do the rest of the show after this Bunsen-Burner blow-torching. I know. Agro-Sessler out of control today.

Not at all. No, I think they have an interesting group of tight-up. That's good, buddy. Let's move back. Dan, you wrote about the Bears and what you're looking for. Could it possibly be true that one of those things is a man named Ego Ferguson? What are you looking for out of Ego Ferguson in August? All right, first off, da Bears, nailed it.

Second of all, Ego Ferguson's second round pick. Keep in mind what was going on with Chicago's rush defense last year. League worst 161.4 yards per game on the ground. Ferguson is brought in, and Ego is an awesome name, by the way. He's brought in an ego. Is that what you're trying to say? He asks, naturally he has to bring in an ego. They bring him in.

He's not going to be somebody that gets to the quarterback. He's not that type of guy, but he is somebody that is known for an ability to stop the run. They desperately need a lane-clogger type guy. and they're counting on ego to have an immediate role and bring that ego. So how are you going to be tracking him during the preseason, watching some ego? That's my plan. Personally, I was going to take a bunch of personal days during training camp to stay at home and watch a lot of practice real.

Well, you know what? You do have, you know, an addition to the Hanses family, and you like that name ego. It's not too late. Yeah, it's true about that. Ego Hansen? Wow. Could your ego handle that? I don't know.

I like it. I like the idea of all of it. I love it. What about a little backup quarterback battle we talked about? We talked about it, and Kevin Patra looked into his crystal ball and got his first Cessler of his life. And, of course, Kyle Orton,

potentially entering the mix. That makes a lot of sense because Jimmy Closson versus Jordan Palmer is basically the most unimpressive camp battle that's going right now, in my opinion. And it's funny how quickly the bears forget what happened in their past you'll go way back in the time machine

another Jay Cutler injury where they went and they got Jason Campbell thinking it gave him $3 million guaranteed to solve that problem it didn't work out but they were thinking that way we can't leave ourselves vulnerable then they went out and got Josh McCown and that worked out beautifully of course but this year they seemed to think again

oh Jay Cutler he'll pay 16 games we don't have to worry too much about this They should a candidate to pick someone up later in the summer but you know I was a summer ago when all of us looked at Josh McCown and thought Are you kidding me? This guy is a nightmare. And if McCullough goes down, they're a ship adrift.

And it came in and blew the doors off. I think part of it is the Tressman is an amazing coach. They've got to see something in the guys they have. But Orton or someone else out there is a good target for the Bears. If he makes Jordan Palmer into a decent starting quarterback, should he need to play, Mark Tresman has a head coaching job for life in the NFL, don't you think? Yeah. How valuable would that be?

That would be his greatest consequence. whisper. It's a big ask. One thing that in Chicago I want to look at is the secondary, the deep secondary, the safeties. Listen to their group. MD Jennings, Danny McCray, Adrian Wilson, Ryan Monday. I mean, Wilson was brought in. He's a flyer, and then rookie Brock Farine. That is not a group you want when you have, you're going up against Aaron Rogers, Calvin Johnson, and then Corderoe Patterson and Greg Jennings who we've talked about.

That's not going to be good. if they can't solidify that group. Well, let's talk about your lines, shall we? Just talk about them. I mean, Greg, you're doing a great job. We got Joe Lombardi, offensive coordinator, in. We don't really know much about him. How is this all going to work?

Hava, Hava. Matthew Stafford, underwhelmed last season. We know it to put up some numbers that you can get behind a guess. But as a player, a lot of mad reaction from people around the league. I'm also seeing a lot of quarterback rankings where he's listed, like, right at 16. It's kind of like he's become a guy that people can. can't figure out anymore. So this seems like the perfect time for a new offensive coordinator with a new viewpoint

on how he can be used. We're hearing that Joe Lombardi, the new offensive coordinator, is going to give him more autonomy at the line of scrimmage to call out plays. And I wrote my piece that maybe this is the kick in the pants he needs to take his game up a notch and develop more consistency. That's absolutely. It's been the offseason. We've said it constantly offseason of Matthew Stafford.

One piece of the lion's offense that I'm really kind of intrigued to see in pads is Theoretic because NFL media's Daniel, Daniel, Daniel Jeremiah, I just got you on the brain. I like that. Daniel Jeremiah kicked it off. You look at all. You're a great talking about it. Constantly. This is awkward.

Everyone keeps you here. Thanks. Good luck getting to point out. I know. And now everyone keeps talking about theoretic. The lines, offensive players have him going to the Pro Bowl. He had like 17 touches last year. So I really want to see, is he really going to be used, utilized a lot?

They already have Reggie Bush. They already have Joach Bell. So I really would like to see if this non-pads hype can come to fruition. And the roadmap is where he came from in New Orleans, where they were able to use, it's going to drive fantasy players utterly nuts, but they're going to use all their running backs in different ways. And, you know, Stafford, under Jim Schwartz, when they'd ask him, what can this guy to do improve? Oh, no, Stafford's fine. His mechanics are fine.

I think for a Lions fan like yourself, it's frustrating to that because Caldwell came in and he said, you know, we're going to hold this guy to the fire. They actually have some people that are looking at Stafford's play. That's hopeful. But there's a reason that Stafford's sitting down there at 16. There's a couple games last year that were a disaster. Has it been an underplayed story that Vince Lombardi's freaking grandson is running an NFL offense? I mean, we all know that's fact, but doesn't that seem amazing?

He was good at coaching from what we understand. What if Lombardi? What if Vince Lombardi never really died? And he's helping to coach this team? A pass-heavy offense? I'm just saying, I don't know. Roll over in his grave again. Maybe they'll break out, you know, the sweep, and they'll change the whole.

Theoretic on the Packer's sweep. Here's the problem. A great champion. Vince Lombardi was defeated by Father Time. Okay, okay. Easy here, buddy. Dan brings it back around. Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Castle, Vikings quarterbacks.

What do we think? Do we actually think my boy, Matt Castle, is going to be the week one starter here? It looks like it. It seems like he's going to have the first shot at the job. I think the reason why Minnesota brought in Matt Castle or re-signed him was because they knew they were going to take a quarterback and they didn't want to be boxed in where they felt like they needed to start that rookie. Because let's face it, typically does not end well unless you have a real stud behind the center.

That's a can't-miss guy. So Castle makes a lot of sense as a guy that can come in and kind of hold the fort, teach Bridgewater some of what he knows. He's been around a long time. He's played with Tom Brady. he's won some games in this league, been to the playoffs, and then eventually you're going to move Bridgewater in. It seems like something teams in the NFL have gotten away from in recent years,

but when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Well, you look back through time before the last decade, and quarterbacks were given plenty of time to grow and learn the NFL system. And the biggest positive, I think, for Bridgewater and Castle, frankly, too, is Norv Turner. You know, look at what they did last year in Cleveland in terms of Jordan Cameron, Josh Gordon and a couple other guys with the terrible group of quarterbacks.

Minnesota has a much better group than Cleveland had. I think Teddy Bridgerald is starting from day one. I mean, you had North Turner say the other day he thought he should have been a top 10 quarterback taken in the draft. He has the arm strength, according to Turner, to run his system. They can go on a run-heavy offense. I think that Teddy is your most talented quarterback. Put him in there and let him play.

It's not a terrible offensive line that he has to play behind. And by the way, Christian Ponder is still on this team. Kind of in a weird, weird place. You don't usually see this situation arise, but he was the former guy that was the future as recently as 12 months ago. Now he's lingering. He's on the roster.

He's the third string guy. You wonder if he'll be on the team at some point. Maybe he makes sense on the Chicago Bears. The Bears or the Bills, he'd be a good backup, but I'd be surprised if he's on the Vikings come week one myself. Bridgewater is the one guy every year. I let myself get sucked into one off-season hype guy.

I feel like that's Bridgewater's my guy this year for that, that I actually am buying. And now I'm going to pass it back to Dan. I was uncomfortable with all these questions being asked. And I think that, Greg, you deserve a round of applause for the way you set me up there. TD playing with his iPhone. And now he's on. He's back in. NFC South Training Camp Preview.

Greg Rosenthal wrote it on our website. So why don't we start with the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, 4 and 12 last year. a very difficult season for Mike Smith and company. Now they have a whole training camp to get things going on the right track, and what are you seeing, Greg? Yeah, the thing I'm watching is Julio Jones' foot. He's had two similar surgeries, serious, on the same foot.

He hasn't been practicing fully all offseason. He says the old Julio's back. They're going to be as careful with him as possible. For the most part, I think their offense and their defense don't have big, big questions in terms of great battles. but that's the thing. You just want to see if he's healthy. I get a little nervous about this foot injury

because he's been dealing with it for a while. And there was a report this month that he had a cutting-edge surgery, the technology, because where the break is, there's less blood flow, so it's naturally vulnerable to re-injury. So, yeah, I don't think anybody can be sure that he's back to the old Julios until we see him for 16 weeks

prove that he can stay healthy. It doesn't sound fun. I mean, Damashak talks about jenga pieces, and I'm not sure this would be the case for Julio Jones on some of the other teams around the league, but is he that for Atlanta? Because when he wasn't in the lineup last year, Matt Ryan's still throwing for yardage,

but they're not winning. They're not doing anything. I think Ryan would be more of a jenga piece because they don't have anything behind him. I don't know. The line was terrible last year, and they need the offense to win them games. This is not going to be a team that wins games 1714 or 21-17.

They need to throw for a lot of yards. They need their fourth-round pick at running back. Devante Freeman to be a factor. That'll be a good battle with Stephen Jackson, Jaquiz, Roger. If this team has any chance to bounce back, like we talked about, I think it's by being a top five, six offense, and they have a chance. Well, what

was there a whole offseason about? Getting tougher in the trenches, did they? We don't know that because nobody's been in pads yet. That's going to be a huge thing to watch. I have a bit of a cessler that Devante Freeman, it will be the only member of that backfield back next year. Stephen Jackson, Jacquise Rogers, I don't think that's a great setup

right there, and they're going to have to do some work his time progresses. That's a tough fall for Rogers after appearing with Rich Eisen in a some ad for a hotel chain. Listen, he hit his apex. Let's hope you're right about this, Mark. I believe he was. We're down to believe. We'll allow the listeners to fact check.

No, TD is giving me the nod, and that tells me that it's rock solid. Home run. Let's move on to the Carolina Panthers, and everybody wants to talk about the wide receiver situation. So, Greg, we can't ignore it. We're going to have to learn who's going to be fitting into these spots, correct? For me, I don't know. Everyone's just giggling. What's so funny?

Cessler's got the giggles. What's up? I thought that was an excellent way to get into this topic. Fine job by Dan. You know, it's good because I feel like you've been a little hard on me during the show. I think that's overblown. And now you're throwing me a bone. I was throwing you into the fire for a Packers' Tight End report.

We're back. We're friends. Let's go. I feel like Kevin and TD and I are here just watching. Mark, you're my friend no matter what happens. Some sort of session. couples therapy. I love you, Mark.

Back to the wide-out situation in Carolina. So about Taquan Underwood. That guy's not very good, right? You know what I'm saying? Their receivers are terrible. It's not even really a battle. It's kind of a battle against being a punchline because Jericho Kotri has to be getting snaps. I don't know if he's the number one receiver, but he has to.

Kelvin Benjamin has to be playing for them, even though he's a rookie. He's a first roundback. They have to put him on. the field. They have no other options. I guess Camp will be to figure out whether it's Underwood or Jason Yvonne or Kiowa Polaris or whoever. This is a team to definitely watch, make a trade

or pick up some guys off of waivers and free agency. Like Benjamin's really interesting from what we're reading, but at the same time in all these off-season practices where they're just running by guys and being untouched, no position group seems more overrated or prone to hype than the wide receivers.

Good news we have about Cam Newton. We just got it on Wednesday, or Thursday actually that he's a full go for training camp. Greg, you wrote about it earlier this week that we almost assume that he'll be fine because he's built like Superman and it seems like he'll never miss a game. But I guess it's something to keep an eye on how he's moving. That was a major ankle surgery. It's huge. We just assume these guys are going to come back. It was a four-month recovery from ankle surgery for a guy that relies on his movement skills more than any quarterback in the league.

Who is more valuable running than Cam Newton? You know, luck is in the discussion, Kaepernick's in the discussion, and they might need Newton to run more than ever, so that's a big factor if he's limited in any way. Is there any part of that offense that there isn't a question mark on? Right. Two new offense of linemen. Right. Left tackles

new. Stuart is now injured, we learned Thursday. Little hamstring, which is always the case with him being hurt. So, I mean, every level of that offense, there's big, big questions. The New Orleans Saints, of course, did some nice upgrade work on their secondary, signed up Jaris Byrd, and champ Bailey, old man Bailey from Denver. So now you have those two guys in the mix.

This could have the potential to make all the difference in Rob Ryan's defense. Your thoughts, Greg? Bailey's 36 years old and Bird at back surgery. So it's a big August. You got to stay healthy. Debbie Downer. When has Bailey? Bailey's been.

struggling with injuries. You know, the Broncos didn't want him. And Bird is another guy that, man, this surgery flew under the radar. If he had had back surgery in February, he wouldn't have gotten half the money he got from the Saints. So, look, maybe he's going to come back and it'll be fine. But if I'm a Saints fan, that's the number one thing I'm watching, whether he's going to be ready for the season. This is a Super Bowl team. And I think that Bird's going to be okay in time.

This, what they've done in two seasons. team. When we come out with our official predictions, the Saints, you've already decided. This is my team, and I'll tell you why, because in two seasons, last year, he had the Cajonis, Sean Payton to go out getting Rob Ryan. What are Cajonis? It is a part of the male body that would suggest courage in this instance. I love what they did on defense over the last two seasons, and he's quietly revamped this offense to make it tougher, but they're also faster.

There's not a part of this team that hasn't gotten done. better over the last two years. And what about the backfield, Greg? What do you think about that running back group? Yeah, the big battles Kyrie Robinson and Mark Ingram. I mean, we know Pierre Thomas has kind of do what he does, but it's a battle between a guy that looks like a first-round pick in Kyrie Robinson, who we had as a making a leap and a guy who was won in Ingram, and that's what can be decided in camp, stuff like that.

Like Brandon Cooks, that wide receiver, we've given him so much hype. He needs to have a big August because if he doesn't pick up this offense quickly in the season, Sean Payton is a guy who has shown. He will leave people behind. He won't play you that much. I noticed in your copy for this topic that you only call them New Orleans, not the Saints. Is it like a similar thing with Washington Redskins

where you're not comfortable with Saints and using that terminology? That's just the header. Not a religious man. I'm definitely not a religious guy. So that's a factor. The funny thing is to use like Saints like 25 times in other parts of it. I just wanted to put the spotlight on the greatest city

in North America, New Orleans. I think you are covering for a desk that comprehensively missed his subtitle here. You see it in Greg's eyes. He's going to go over to the newsroom and fire the hell out of somebody for missing that edit. Who posted this? Oh, I did. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

Anyway, moving on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Greg Rosenthal. Tell us about offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford as one of the biggest X-Factors in the NFL this year, you call him. Whoa! You are excited. Do we know if this guy's going to be the next Chip Kelly? Or is he going to be the guy who couldn't win a game at Cal? Mark loves assistant coaches. Mark, you decide.

I think the next Chip Kelly is Chip Kelly's former quarterback coach. You're going down to Ted Fedford. I'll take the Bill laser. Well, isn't there, it's weird that there isn't some reaction to, oh, wow, hey, Jeff Tedford's going to solve our offense. Cal didn't win a game last year. I know there are a lot of other reasons. It doesn't matter.

But that seems like a factor that you couldn't win one game. And Lovie Smith has shown us one thing over the years. He's not going to help the offense. He's going to just watch whatever that guy does and hope it works. And it never worked. And he was terrible at hiring people in Chicago. So some skepticism should be placed on. Aren't they putting a lot on a young rookie Mike Evans and Austin Safarin Jenkins?

I mean, we talked about Josh McCown with Alshon Jeffrey last year and how that duel. But he was a second-year player. This is Mike Evans, who's coming in as a first-year player, coming from an offense that wasn't, like we said earlier with Johnny Manzell, didn't have a playbook. Can he learn it? He was out of shape coming in, didn't really know what he was doing. There's a lot of pressure if there are going to be a team that's going to surprise him.

But they were a super run-heavy team under Greg Shiano, and maybe they find that out of the gate they have to be again. Let me throw something out to you three gentlemen before we wrap this topic up. Josh McCown, obviously, was great in Chicago last year. We're all kind of in on him. He made our making the leave candidate list. Chris Wesleyan, who's not here, is an especially big fan. Let me just throw something by you guys.

Let's say Josh McCown somehow reverts back to the guy that he always was beginning this preseason. It has a terrible preseason. It plays terribly. And Mike Lennon, who was a guy with Promise, has a great training camp and plays well with the second team. Josh McCown is going to start the season. But is there a chance that if McCown doesn't get it? out of the gates, and Glennon could be a guy that takes over very quickly in the season. Yes.

I don't see why not. I mean, it's Josh McCown. And the money they're paying him, it's not crazy big money. And he's got an uphill battle. You mentioned they're County on Evans. Hopefully he's great. They're number three wide receiver battle. Here you go.

I want you to listen on up. The favorite sixth round pick, Robert Heron. The challengers, Louis Murphy and Chris Owusu. I think I worked with that guy, TGI Fridays. It is grim territory. That's pretty grim. That's pretty bad. Imagine if Vincent Jackson got hurt.

Like, those guys are starting. Well, again, maybe they run the ball. I think Dan's theory is interesting, and it wouldn't be shocking. He is a natural definition of a bridge quarterback, but a bridge to where, we don't know. Ooh, very nice. Terrapian. And for you, fantasy fans, yeah, definitely get, if you draft Josh, Josh McDonough, you're all in. Make sure you get a handcuff with that guy.

By the way, Greg just dropped a bridge to terror pithia on this. podcast. Oh, really? But that was terrible. I did, and that was bad fantasy advice. I'm just going to say it. Okay. Well, listen, I respect you as a Roto World former chief. I respect the hell out of Chris Wesleying, who also worked with a company. Mark is here. He's standing to your left. I'd just say, if you're going to invest in Josh McCown, it would seem crazy to me to

burn slowly in a houseowner. Two roster spots on the Bucks quarterback situation. Like, let's double down just in case my big McCown pick doesn't work out. I don't know, whatever, man. I'm trying to get out of this. All right. We'll be back on Monday with another edition of the Round the League podcast. Kevin Patrick, it was an honor and a privilege having you in studio.

Whoa, handshake. I like that. Nice and firm. Back to Chicago. Ooh, Mark, a germ freak fist pumps him. No, I did fist pump. Okay, that's good. It's great to have Kevin here.

So back to Chicago, Kevin goes. Our ATL Chicago correspondent always does great work. Chris Wesleyan will be back in his usual. spot and TD will be out of the mix next week. I'll be here for the first episode. Okay, good. And we do have a guest coming in.

We have a guest coming in as well. A former NFL general manager. We'll just leave it at that. We'll tease it. We'll tease it. I like that. All right. So until then, this is Dan Hansis. Signing off for the Sizzler, the boss. Kevin Patrick coming at you and T.D. Until next week. This will be the signal for here's

the celebration music. White LeBron James This is an I-Heart This is an I-Heart podcast