NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Pep Talks For NFL Fanbases

Episode Date: March 19, 2026

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon to give some NFL fan bases some hope as they head deeper into the offseason. The crew also updates you news from around the NFL including possible opening night matchups against the Seahawks, Andy Dalton getting traded to the Eagles and a conclusion to the Free Agency Matchmaker game! Plus, pep talks for fans of the Cardinals, Bills, Saints and more! NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL offseason. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters.

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want to feel tender about our restricted reagents. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio. I'm with Patrick Claibon and Jordan Roderick. Just one of those words in the NFL lexicon that I always like. I'd like to be offered a tender.

Yeah. The thing about the language is you could go any number of ways with so many different words. Tender is one of them. I tried to explain it. My son was asking like, well, what does that even mean? It's like, it's hard to explain. but we do have, I'm talking big news,

a restricted free agent tender on this show. We also are going to make some sad fans feel a little bit happier, Jordan. Well, maybe not even sad, but maybe just maybe nervous or maybe very vocal at this time. Just like, just we're going to just settle some people. We're going to boost some confidence. We're going to give pep talks, however range of a pep talk one might need. I love to give pep talks. I'm always the emotional support friend.

I love to give my friends pep talks and gas people up, so let's do this to a couple teams and fan pages. It's a good exercise to align myself with a group of fans who make this game so great and allow us to do what we do. Famously, you're not a fan, you just watch from above. No, I am one of them, but

sometimes they like to segment. Yes. I, you know, whatever laundry you wear, I support you. We see you and we hear you. Yes, both. We love you too. And look, we We've graded every team this week. Well, except for one. It's coming up a little later.

And, you know, some people have some hard feeling. Some people aren't feeling good. And I know the resident optimist and executive producer Jordan Roderke wants to make people feel a little better. The off season, there is a lot more to go. We will hit a couple items of news quickly. Honestly, when the Texans signed Wyatt Teller, two years, $16 million, that eliminated one of the teams I was going to give a PEPFAC.

Really? Yeah. Because everyone's just all. All they're thinking about in Houston is the offensive line. We haven't done enough. We traded away our best guy. Like, we haven't done enough on the offensive line. And I checked with resident Texans correspondent, Seth Payne.

And I was like, okay, how are you feeling? Does it, do they even make sense for a segment like this now? And he's like, no, I think the Wyatt Teller thing, now everyone feels okay. Yeah. They looked at my top 101 free agents. They were like, wow, he's the highest offensive linemen still available in the 40s. Two-year deal, $8 million per year. Everything I've heard, I've asked people around Cleveland to the hot.

like, look, I know he got benched. It was a weird situation. He's playing through injuries and stuff. But the general feeling was like he was at a solid level. He's not, maybe not a pro bowler anymore. So they added a solid offensive lineman. And at this point, at least the Texans are at the very worst back to where they were maybe to end last season on paper on the offensive line. And this season, off season, I think is going to be a little bit more about extending their good players. Yeah, they have, for me, that was my main question about them was what were they going to continue to do up front. And they just showed us what they were going to do. And setting a baseline or setting like a control group in free agency at a position of need,

it doesn't eliminate them from also investing at that position in the draft coming up either. But it just means that they're not having to reach desperately for things that are so obvious as holes on their roster. And so I like it. I like pretty much everything the Texans have done this offseason. And sometimes the total five are ultimately what matters. The individual pieces will have success or not success in different places. it's going to be a new group. And so we'll have a new opportunity

to see what things are going to look at. Well, they believe, Aronte Erisory, their left tackle, played pretty well at the end of last season. That was probably the best part of his season. They signed Braden Smith from the Colts. Now they get Teller in the mix.

They like Ed Ingram, who they just gave a lot of money to. Blake Fisher is hanging out there kind of as a swing guy. You might still need a center, but they have, you know, they signed Evan Brown, they have Jake Andrews.

They're not in a bad spot. Speaking of teams that were in a bad spot at a certain position, and I would say the lions still are. DJ Wanam went to the Lions on a low-cost deal. And since I called them out as one of the thinnest positions in the league right now, it was Aiden Hutchinson and nobody else. I just figured I'd mention, okay, DJ Wanham, there's an NFL player.

You've got two now at that position. From the vaunted 2024, 2025 Carolina Panthers defense, perhaps Brad and company have something else going on. The draft time, the lines will get done. Setting the table. Setting the table. They need more. They need more.

Ali helped talk me off the ledge when we were doing grades a little bit. Or no, no, he actually talked me onto the ledge that they need to do more. But like the thinking makes sense. They're trying to get younger and we'll see what they do. Hey, step up there. Yeah. Hey, what could go wrong? The lions.

I don't like the world where the lions aren't like a favorite or the favorite. But we'll see if they are when we get to the season. The Vikings, I would think, and I checked for the first time some odds of like, who's favorite to win the division? that's coming up a little later, something I'm going to mention. The Vikings were pretty solidly picked to come in last place. I don't know if I agree with that, especially after they break the ice on restricted free agency, first team of the year to sign a tender.

Ryan Van Denmark. It's a real person. He was on the bills. I mean, signed to an offer sheet. I just wanted to save. What a Vikings name, Ryan Van Denmark? Can't say I'm like overly familiar with his work, but he's played. He started some games.

and they've got an eye on him. I don't even know who their GM is. They don't have one. Yeah. Kind of cool. They didn't like the other one. And so now they see a tender that's available. They go ahead and...

Right. I guess it's Kevin O'Connell. It's all the staff. They pretty much just fired Quest. The more you guys say the word tender. It is amazing. It's starting to get into that territory where like the word moist is for me

where it's just like, I just don't really need to hear this a lot more. It's a tender relationship situation with the GM position, right? So everybody, you know, these guys are all going to the same parties now. They fit in with each other. So nobody is going to be, you know, fired at the senior bowl. And so that's how you get Van Denmark off the 10th. And to be clear. Long they don't take paternity leave.

Yes. That's the biggest problem. A tender offer, you know, they were, they offered him this offer sheet. They signed it. They swiped it. He signed it. It's a different word.

The bills have five days to match it. And they don't get anything back if they don't match it. because he was on the no-cost, like undrafted free agent type of tender where you get nothing. So there was a report from the Wall Street Journal that the NFL season will start in Seattle on a Wednesday. We work for the NFL, so this isn't like officially confirmed.

I'm sure they want to announce it. There's a whole schedule release. Right. But the whole idea of starting the season on Wednesday is new, but it's because they can't play on Friday this year. there's the whole rule with not going opposite high school football. The reason they were able to the last couple of years was just because the first Friday fell at a different time because it went Labor Day's, blah, blah, blah. The season's going to start on Wednesday.

The Melbourne game, see what I'm starting to use the local. Oh, you're in there. That's going to be on Thursday. But the Seahawks will get the honor of having the NBC kickoff game. That'll just be on a Wednesday opponent to be determined. Here's my question. I understand that that's time. I'm terrible with time zones.

I'm just going to put that out there right now for the listeners to please. I'm genuinely asking, like, please correct me wherever I'm wrong on this. I'm terrible at time zones. It's messed me up on travel cross-country frequently in my time traveling as a reporter. Like, it is, it messes with me constantly. And for some reason, it's like a blank space. Okay. My brain.

Will it actually be a Thursday in Melbourne? Well, that's a great question. It probably will be a Friday. I set it up like I knew it was a dumb question. No, it'll be a Friday. You guys are crushing the pronunciation, by the way. I don't think so. I just copied him.

It'll be a Friday. They're a day ahead. Melbourne. I mean, it depends what time of day it is here for them to be a day ahead. But for us, yeah, it'll be Friday in Melbourne. But for us, it'll be Thursday. It'll be Thursday. They don't have the high school rules to worry about.

Our Australian listeners, I'm so sorry. Thursday here. Yes. It'll be Sunday night football on a Wednesday. So we just need one more day or two, if I can count. I can't count much less say Melbourne. Okay, Seahawks' home games, by the way. Let's have a prediction, because you guys are doing great on that, more on that.

Yikes. Yikes. Their home opponents include the Rams and 49ers, who will be ineligible since they're going to be in Melbourne. The Cardinals and Giants, who I'm going to say are ineligible because they were bad last year. I mean, Giants, I guess, wouldn't be that great, but they're not going to put a kickoff game. That leaves five really good candidates for the Seahawks to play opening. night. The Patriots, which would feel a little weird, the Chiefs, Mahomes injury. And then I think the three strongest candidates, the Chargers, Bears, and Cowboys.

Who do you think is the week one team? I would lean bears. I think that would be a spectacular open. That was my choice, too. It just feels like something they would do. I'm going to swerve then. I'll go Giants. I know you rolled them out, but it's a John Harbaugh, Jackson, Dart, New Era Giants. Wouldn't you think the league would love to put them on TV and see how they fair? a lot and on Sunday night football plenty. Week one is a little much for

one of the worst franchises in the league. Recording, you know, based on wins and losses. We have a league where you evaluate how the franchise is doing, right? Why are you laughing? I loved it. I appreciated it. I thought

it was funny. Okay. In the last... I'm just swerving. I've just swerving. No, I hear you. You know how my track record is famously very good at predicting things. In the last three years combined, they've won 13 games. That's an average of, you know, four. So that just feels like a step too far. Finally, just a couple little notes.

The Colt signed Cam Taylor Britt, who had some nice moments with your boy, Lou and Romo in Cincinnati. I think that could be a fun signing. And the Raiders signed Spencer Buford, a former 49ers guard who's played plenty. And I mentioned that just because he can play football and they need offensive linemen. and I saw that it caused a couple Chargers fans that I follow on Twitter to spin out. Now it's a bit that they're just not signing any of the guards. They're letting all the guards go.

And they're not in my pep talks because I already basically gave the Chargers fans a similar pep talk a week ago and didn't want to repeat myself. But like, don't worry about Spencer Buford signing elsewhere. You guys can find people. I think we'll count that as a pep talk. Okay, let's start the pep talks. it's executive producer Jordan Rodriguez.

By the way, we need some executive producer, Playbond shows coming up. Oh, yeah. We'll see what we can do. Okay. Yeah. I really haven't asked. I need it. Now is the,

I mean, just offer him. Yeah, definitely ask on air. That's a good way to get a yes. I mean, you could probably come up with something by the end of the show. This guy already hosted NFL Fantasy Live for two hours today. He can do it off. I know. The capacity at which you were able to go from stage, also feed yourself and then

come here all in one motion was pretty insane. Yeah, gluttony is a skill. Let's hear your pep doc. This was your vision to Jordan. I'm going to give you the floor to start with the first pep doc for any panicking fans out there. Well, and panicking

or just maybe fretting a little bit. Maybe they are in a certain headspace that I'm going to try to talk them out of. Maybe I'm going to try to give them a big picture look at a little short-term chaos. And in that category falls, at least a portion of very vocal Miami Dolphin fans.

So Miami Dolphins fans, like, it's going to be okay, right? The caveat here is assuming the people now in charge of the franchise are competent, which we don't know yet, but we also don't know that they're not competent. So they, there's the silver lining. So far, I actually see the vision here. It's a similar, it's quite similar blueprint to what teams like the 49ers and the Rams just executed over the last couple of years, the Broncos, the Bucks, it's a sprint rebuild. And I know it's a sprint rebuild because of a couple of core and key qualities that I will outline for you

momentarily. But I do want to say, because it is that you as a fan base are about to have so much fun along the way as this thing comes together, even if the outsider's fret and fuss over what the roster looks like on paper or screenshot how many vacancies you might have on the roster heading into training camp. This is a sprint rebuild because it wasn't just about taking on the dead money in one rip or two rips in this case and stockpiling draft picks. It's also the 15 free agent contracts that combined to rank in the bottom third in the league in free agent spending this off season. It's an important part of the strategy that tells me it's a sprint rebuild or an attempt at one and not tanking. I agreed with Ollie's take on you guys' show earlier this

week. I won't repeat him. He said it very well. It's not just taking on the dead money and amassing the draft picks. It's key elements of a sprint rebald. You also have to have two other things, very cheap free agents, acquired in volume, to set a roster floor and to give better clarity, importantly on needs as time goes on, and a quarterback that gives level clarity. By level clarity, I mean, you know exactly what you're going to get out of that position, good or medium. In this case I think and hope it will be good, but good or medium, which means you have a control group around which to build the rest of your roster. It's a cheap contract in case it doesn't work out. And what I have seen a lot of is fretting about what this means for Malik Willis, how tough

the road becomes for him. I wouldn't panic about that either. He doesn't have a lot around him right now. I've seen that worry quite a bit, as I've said, but he also doesn't have to play an NFL game right now. It's safe to assume that the roster gets more juice on offense and defense in the draft and they can really allocate a lot to both of those phases because they have 11 draft picks this year so far, including two first rounders and seven total picks in the first three rounds, including four third rounders, which is just great draft capital, including to help them move up or back at will. And so Dolphins fans, if you're down to just ride the roller coaster and enjoy the journey with me, I think you're going to have so much fun during this phase of the

process because I do believe that what we're looking at here is not a rebuild. It's not a tear down. It is a sprint rebuild, which means that they will be ahead of schedule. If all goes well, again, caveat on competence. If all goes well, I do believe this is about to be a lot of fun. I think they're feeling great. I think they hear that and they wanted something new, I think for the most part. And I know there's a segment of the fan base that's going to be angry with that doesn't make sense. I think the smart ones that I know, Henry Hodgson, and some of the good journalists out there covering the dolphin, Simon Clancy, Chase Kaufman, I believe it's pronounced.

I think they see the vision. They wanted them to be real with themselves instead of just being in the middle. The difference, I guess, would be who are the weight-bearing walls, you know, that the Rams and the 49-9. They had some real-deal players. They had a real-deal quarterbacks at the time when they did their kind of sprint rebuild.

I think Willis can be there, but. He hasn't actually played football too much at the NFL level. The important thing, and that's, you'll note in my pep talk, I did not mention that you have to have a star or above average quarterback. You could have a really, really strong quarterback. But, and that would help. Are you just going to keep talking as someone passes by our studio with the sign held up that says hot rabbi? Yeah.

Was that a reference to me, to me? Come on, bro. This is all I got. It's all out in the open now. Greg's got himself a little nickname. I mean, I wish. In the makeup room. Hot rabbi. I mean, if only I could be, you know, Adam Brody.

If I grew like half a foot or so. You know what? I hear a lot that Adam Brody wishes he could be more like Greg. I'm sure. Sorry to interrupt your point. No, that's why it was an incredible. I love that she just walked by holding that sign. Yeah, because you have to have the sign and hold it up.

Incredible. I have some questions. We should get a picture of it and share it to the listeners because it's not even. If I'm got to be Adam Brody, then, yeah. No, I support that. They got leveled clear. They want what really was more important, almost even than the skill level of the quarterback, because you're looking at a combination of Brock Purdy and Mack Jones also in San Francisco.

Wasn't that it was like an elite quarterback. Now, Brock Purdy's very good. Mac Jones played awesome. Stafford's elite. It wasn't just that. It was. Proven, no. It was clarity.

But it was clarity of, what you are going to have at the position, good or medium. Now, if it's bad, then you're, then you might be in some trouble. A guy they gave, you know, a $100 million kind. Just as played more.

But I don't think it'll be bad. I think it'll be, I think it'll be fine. We believe in them. What they're looking for is clarity. Because if you, if all you have is a, is a clear answer to a question at a foundational point on a roster,

you can do a lot more with that. You can do a lot with that when you're recouping around the rest of the roster. Well, I think a big part of it is being able to not just evaluate talent on your team and coming into the draft and the talent around the league. And sure, you get the picks and you get an opportunity, but I would like

to see some veteran wide receivers to be able to play with Malik Willis just because I like watching football and, you know, in defense of fans who maybe didn't necessarily like that move, I definitely understand why they're upset. Totally. Devon A. That's why I wanted to give them a pep talk.

Because I could see it. I'm a big Jalen Waddle fan, as you guys know. So I wanted to give them a pep talk, the ones who are sad about this. I wanted to lift them up a little bit. And a report from ESPN that came out on Wednesday that A-chan is they've been telling other teams not available. Weight-bearing wall. And so I think A-chan, Aaron Brewer, their center. Weight-bearing wall. That's about it. Patrick Paul looks pretty good as a future left tackle. That's a piece word. Don't sleep on the tight end over there. I'm just saying that. Calling my shot before the season. Dulcich. Don't sleep on him.

Sure, but he got paid three million dollars on a one-year deal. I mean, that's that's a, that's like a sand castle. All right, you're up, you're up. And he's going to outplay it, Greg. Yeah, I hope so. A pep talk for somebody who does not need it because Jason Light knows what he's doing, and there's evidence to that extensive evidence, included coming on this very program and sticking it to Greg Rosenzall. The season didn't necessarily work out Buck's fans,

and I would like to address you and try to make you feel better, because a guy that is Mr. Buck who is going into the pro football Hall of Fame, probably as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, is going to be catching passes in Santa Clara this season. I understand that that's unfortunate. It's not something they want. Mike Evans will be back. Long term, Mike Evans will always be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

Nobody will be overly concerned about that. But what do you get this off season? You needed help at linebacker incomes Alex Anzol only. That helps. Al-Qaedaanahadine, an underrated contributor on the defensive line, coming into Todd Bowles' defense, making that a little bit better. And you've got the Steelers team MVP and Kenneth Gainwell, Super Bowl champion, Kenneth Gainville, to have one of the best.

receiving backfields in all of the NFL, which is so much better for Baker Mayfield, as we've seen shoulder injuries kind of do in a lot of great quarterbacks with big arms. Baker Mayfield has a huge arm. He's got a lot of violence in that motion. So what better to make the receiving game, no matter who's on the field. And you keep Sean Tucker as well to add into that. There's so many reasons to feel good about Tampa. Not to mention there was a guy who was on pace to be the rookie of the year last year.

everything kind of fell apart when Baker's shoulder did. I believe in Jason Light. I believe in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm sorry Mike's not going to be there, but he will be back. They started the opt-season in the right place in a good play. They are the favorites, by the way, in the NFT side. And I agree with that. But considering the world that was out there,

I'm underwhelmed by Alex Anzolone, Al-Qahed Mohammed, Aishon Robinson. It doesn't seem like great value or great, pop. And I just wanted more. From where they, where they are in their team build, that they were in a nice position. And the offseason is not over, but to make me happy. Make their fans happy. I don't think they're happy. No. No, but I do think that you made some good points in your peptych because one of the most exciting, like my, on my list of things I cannot wait to see manifest this season is like Kenny G. and Bucky Irving in that backfield and what they decide to do with them. you know, as a one-two combination, especially in the past game. I think on this show, we're really massive Mike Evans fans. And I also think that I would like to see him win a Super Bowl. I would like to another one.

I would like to see him thrive. I would like to see him etch himself not only into the lore forever of Tampa Bay, but the work that he's done for that community and the presence that he is and has been, I would also like to see him go almost take almost a career victory lap in a way. and maybe start thinking about ending his career on a positive note and being etched into the lore of these great 49ers receivers that get these teams over the hump. If you're watching on YouTube,

his highlight video that we're showing right now starts with Mike Glennon. Yes. And then we get a chance to see James. He's been through a lot. Of course, he got the greatest quarterback of all time throwing him balls as well, but just a, you know, it was a great career. I mean, he was there for Josh McCown as his starting quarterback.

That's a Josh. Lovie Smith as his head coach. I just find that reason that we want to see him win a Super Bowl, depressing. Because, yeah, because, like, if he wants to win a Super Bowl, the Buccaneers should be a better option than the 49ers, if you believe in, like, what this team has been building towards. But I hear you that there's a lot to still be happy about,

even if you can pick some nits with the last couple weeks. Let's take a break and we'll come back with, yes, a team that, was forgotten, and I feel very bad about when we did the NFC grades. We graded 31 off seasons this week, and we'll get them 30 seconds. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline.

It's good to know, just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder. Anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg, free agency, the combine, the NFL draft, Pro Days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters.

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

You might have missed it. Jordan Rodriguez's favorite new dropper on NFL Daily. What a treat. What pipes, you know? We got to lean into that more on the show. It's always when you never think anyone's actually listening. Okay, so we buttered you up just to take you back down. I did want to provide a little bit of an update on our matchmaker game since three of the four of us.

are here from free agency. The dumbest thing I did, other than a lot of bad picks, was say that it would take between four and five correct picks to win. It's not over. But the standings, as of right now, I have two hits. That is unfortunately for the group in first place by myself. Jordan, you got a hit in Devin Lloyd to the Panthers. Colleen Wolf also has a hit.

She got Malik Willis. Patrick, you're sitting on a goose egg, but here's why it's not over. Hell. You have Debo Samuel to the Steelers that could still happen. You also have one more, Nick Westbrook Aquine to the Falcons. So I can't be the greatest comeback of all time because Patrick, if you come back to tie, you win off height. Yeah, that's at this point, I will accept that as the tiebreaker since it's such a lot of that. It's not happening, so we don't have to worry about it.

I mean, it could. I had said April 1st is officially the day. I technically have one sitting out there, which was Tanner McKee to the Jets as a trade. That's probably not going to happen, although the Eagles acquired Andy Dalton in a trade. And so, who knows? Maybe they could.

Maybe Tanner's on the move. They've done it. They've convinced the world that Tanner McKee is the greatest quarterback of that somebody's going to do it. Also, Joanne Jennings I have on the board, too, for the Raiders. Jordan, unfortunately, you can be eliminated. None of your players are still out there. I know. I was so close on Jonathan Franklin Myers, too.

So we will be updating that as news develops, but I just wanted to update all the listeners. Yeah, I'm sure you did. And take an early victory lap. Let's go. You never. I'll take it. You know, it still counts.

It's like the Patriots 13 to 3 Super Bowl win. Like, it's still, you still shine in that Lombardi. Let's talk about the team I've been teasing all show. Oh, who is that? that, correct? It's the New Orleans Saints. You know, you matter, Saints fans. Yeah, we might have forgotten you. And by we, I mean me. I didn't even write any notes down about your offseason when we were doing the grade just completely forgot about you. As if the Saints need any more talk on this program, you get plenty. But look, I don't even think this pep talk is necessary.

Like, we forgot about you. But according to Saints fans, I have a feeling like the Saints can kind of do no wrong. And that's the case with a lot of teams right now. You are out of Cap Hell. You never once admitted it when you were in Capel. You always said that wasn't a real thing. It didn't bother you at all. But now that you're out of Capel and not doing void years and everything,

you're celebrating because you're a normal team again. That feels great. Just don't look at cash spending. You might be the cheapest team in the league on average over the last three years. It's something to watch. You have Tyler Shuck. who at this point in the minds of Saints fans is somewhere between like 1984 Dan Marino and Heath Ledger in the Dark Night. Like that is basically what Tyler Shuck is right now.

It can't get any better than this moment in Tyler Shuck. Everything is possible. He's throwing beads out on Mardi Gras floats. He has impeccable restaurant taste. He's always taking new teammates out to restaurants and he's always picking the best ones. He just played for the Savannah bananas. Like he honestly is doing a better job making himself part of that community

than any saint since Alvin Camara. Like he's just, he is that dude right now. You have an offensive line that no exaggeration has two first round picks, your last two. In terms of, and you're really excited about Kelvin Banks and what he did. A real deal guard that everyone believes in David Edwards, who you sign.

Eric McCoy, who's been great when he's, on the field and a first round pick in Caesar Ruiz. Just don't watch the film or like talk about Fugas health or McCoy's health or anything like that. You brought Caden Ellis back. That's fun to replace DeMario Davis, but that's like fun for vibes unless you hear Cam Jordan talk about the fact that he doesn't trust any saint that goes to the Falcons, even ones that come back

except kind of, that's a little weird. And that came in Kim, Jordan's going out there, shading the Saints right now. Something's out up with that. He's a free agent. You're a cornerback factory. You got Paulson Adivo and Alante Taylor paid in back-to-back seasons. That's fun to do. It's good for cooler.

The denisances is absolutely happening. And then that Derek Carr on retirement, third round picks coming any day now, right? Saints fans. Look, you can be told with complete sincerity, you are the second favorite right now. now in the NFC South, and I think in the minds of Saints fans, they are the favorites. If you had told all our Saints fans that we love out there, like Adam and Ryan at the Saints Block Party podcast, a year ago at this time that you guys would be in second place and that the Bucks have had such a bad offseason that they needed a freaking PEP talk and they're the

favorites. I don't think you would have believed it. You would have been flying high. Let's go Saints fans. You didn't even need a PEPTOP. They got one. They got one anyway. There it is.

Oh, they love it. It's weird. Mine is so much bigger, the audience. I don't even think I got one. It's amazing. Thank you. Wow. I'm excited. Still going.

I'm excited for, uh, thank you. Thank you. And apologies to the Saints for not giving them. I'm going to put you guys on the spot. Give them a free agency grade since we didn't do that. Just off season, this week. Uh, considering they were able to, you know, snipe their old coach.

get a, get the running back they wanted to come, come back home. Give them a B plus. Yeah. 86. I'm going 87. Okay. B plus, firmly a B plus. I like everything that they did.

I think they reset their floor in a lot of ways. They got younger, although not that much younger in terms of, you know, 37 versus 30-year-old defensive players, but still younger in a way that will help them bridge to the next phase of their team build. And I think keeping Alante would have been the point. They didn't know that a lot. Monte was going to be the highest paid corner through free agents. I think they're shocked.

Honestly, I don't think Saints fans are sad about that. They were kind of over it and more power to him. And you're also, I should have mentioned this in the peptop, helping Travis at G.N. Like, kind of reconnect with his roots and correct the record. And I like that their middle class running back contracts are back. I think that contract's fine. $24 million guaranteed. Edwards got $40 million guaranteed the guard.

So you're spending a little bit of money. even though, yes, as I mentioned, they spent the least amount of cash last year, 28th this year, 27th the year before. So that's a little on my radar. Alvin Camara might be retiring. A couple other little minor signings. I'm trying to, like, do the free agency great stuff here.

I'm just like jamming it in. Ty Chandler. They know you care. They know a fan are on the Saints now. They know we care. And I don't think they ever doubted that you care. No. And yet somehow it slipped my mind.

You're up next, Patrick. Oh, I will go. and I will enlist Eric. He's not up next. He is. We put it right. Oh, no. I had put it.

It got swift. No, because I had two more. So I didn't want to go back to back. Yeah. Just too much me talking. We love you talking. Why don't you do the New York football giant?

You might not have two more either. I honestly, my one for the Giants is short but sweet because I think that the Giants fans are right now are so cautiously optimistic and waiting for the other shoe to drop and worrying about what could go wrong. My pep talk here is like, what if stuff doesn't go wrong? Like, I could really just talk myself into the Giants being pretty solid this year. I could, I could, if I tried really hard and I've been trying really, really hard to talk

myself in to this version, the John Harbaugh version of the New York football giants. And because I like that they're moving to a heavier, heavier personnel roster, bringing in the tight ends and the full back, I think it really matches. well to Jackson Darts play style, Camp Scadaboo's running style, particularly. I love the Dinnard Wilson signing, excuse me, as a coach. I love that he had the Titans playing so creditably last season. Their new defensive coordinator. I love how he coached that team even when all was lost in general.

They had him playing hard, playing pretty well relative to A, the roster, B, expectations and see the dumpster fire all around them at that point. And I really like that they have, even though they only have two picks in the top 100, they still have seven picks. They have number five without needing a quarterback. It's a really good spot to be if you want to trade back and get more picks. And 37 will be coveted by teams trying to jump over as these position runs start to happen on day two or to package, again, if a team wants to get back up into one. So I'm intrigued and interested by these New York Giants. And again, I could talk myself into asking fans, what if just nothing?

goes wrong. I think they're going to be a trendy worst-to-first pick going into the season. Tough to predict what's going to be trendy. But I think it just makes sense. I think everything you said makes a lot of sense. It's why I was horribly, like some of the reasons why I was horribly wrong about them last year, I thought they were kind of a sneaky. They could be good team last year, win eight, nine games. Because their best players are awesome. And now you're adding John Harbaugh to that mix. Hopefully Malik neighbors gets back healthy. But like, they're their top tier players. You have two

great tackles. You have a promising quarterback, as you said. Like, your elite players, obviously on the defensive line and everything. Like, there's not a ton of huge holes here to at least just be creditable. Credible is back. I'm glad. And maybe, you know, John Harbaal, where we saw things get a little bit stale, you get a combination of the structure, the experience with what it takes to accomplish those things combined with that talent. and a year one masterpiece could take place. Let's do it.

I think they like, they might have had plan A's in free agency that were a little slasier than the plan B's they ended up with. And yet, I'm fine with what they did. I like what they did. All right, let's go, Patrick. Now you're up. Now I'm, sorry. And, you know, I had to reach deep to think about connecting with the people of Arizona.

So here it is. As of right now, the experts in Las Vegas have you at plus 25. thousand to win the Super Bowl. They call them experts in the desert. But you know Cardinals fans, you know the Glendale Phoenix region has at 0.6 inches of rainfall this year. They are showing you the respect

of being the actual desert for your biome, much less your football team, a team that features the best tight end in football. In his first four seasons Trey McBride has more in receiving yards. You guys ready for this? Rob Grunkowski and Antonio Gates. That's the rookie season where he had

39 targets. Six games started by David Blow, Colt McCoy, and Trace McSorley. Yes, who? Trace McSorley. They don't respect you, but you know the truth. You know that Jacobi Brissette, much like this franchise, has had some stewards that, frankly, didn't know what they were doing. To this day, some forces are actively trying to replace him with Jimmy Garapolo, who

eight years ago got $41 million guaranteed in one calendar year after less than 100 dropbacks and almost achieved greatness with what we thought. he was the best play caller in the game before eventually leading a Hall of Fame receiver to lament his potential death due to his passes on the sideline. Wait what? This time, Jacoby Percette has been fighting his time

being better than the starter at almost every spot he's been, including once when the guy with the worst contracted NFL history for some reason got a chance to play with him instead. You are Jacobi Brissette Cardinals fans, and he like you knows that Walter Nolan leads to a thing defensive rookie of the year season if he's able to play. You know Will Johnson is on trajectory as a Pro Bowl corner, and you know that Johnson as a name reminds you of another phallic name, Peterson, who was very good at quarterback. These are what we call foundational pieces. You add to

that foundation with Isaac Seymalo Super Bowl champion. You've seen up close and personal what Kendrick Bourne can do. Devin Duvernay adds in the return game and receiving game for years across multiple regimes, the plan was to blame Kyler. Well, Kyler's gone now. And maybe other people will be gone, too. But the foundation menace, because you demand the foundation. You keep the foundation. And if Monty, Mike, Nathaniel, if anybody threatens that foundation,

you make them pay because the foundation is in the desert. And so are you, Paul, fans. Let's give it up. Let's go. I appreciate it. Season tickets until now 1,900. Good one.

On a new episode of flight plan or whatever they're telling. I just, we talked about the exercise and I was like, who am I standing for? I'm standing for the people who have had to deal with this and I want better for them. If we knew that was coming, Patrick,

that would have ended the show. That was it. It should end the show. We would say, thank you. It's been a great week. We should end it there. No, no. Totally should have been there. We have planned. I love the connections.

I love the detours. I love being inside of Patrick's friends in mind whenever you wrote that. Well, people talk about the league wills. Like that was 2018 when Jimmy G got that contract. That's fair. Nuts. What were you? Did you forget that Devante Adams was lamenting his like overall well-being?

No, I just like that in the middle of the pep talk for the Cardinals, we went down that road. I just, I have said. You know, like, I am someone who loves lore. I think you guys know this about me by now. The lore that you reached into and that was incredible. It was incredible. It was beautiful.

And it's why Patrick Claibon, not only a host and an analyst, but a thespian. A showman. Back in the day. Were you ever in any school plays and stuff? I could see it. Yeah. No. I bet you were.

I didn't know that. And then seasons started to conflict. Oh, you chose the athletic course. Yeah. It was actually the plot of high school musical. All right, Jordan, wrap us up here. Oh, I can't follow that.

It's okay. It's okay. Well, you know, I actually, which camera am I looking at this one right here? Okay. I just, I want to have more of like a heart-to-heart kind of pep talk here. And I don't know if there's any like sad piano music or anything we could plan to this right now.

I probably should have made a note of that. Yeah. That would be my pep talk to you. Tell the producer ahead of time. Like two hours before like I did. Thanks, Eric. I know that a lot of Bill's fans have redirected their anger and worry

about the possibility of underachieving toward our show and particularly my criticism of their free agency to this point. By the way, one week of it has passed so far and grades were very loosely applied. I just want to leave that there. Last year, people were mad that I was worried about their defense.

I'll just leave it there. One person even told me that I was too hard on the team because they did well, considering their situation entering pre-agency, to which I say the same front office created the situation that they are now navigating. Both can be true. And I did talk about how much higher I am on the DJ Moore trade than like probably the general consensus of said trade. I love DJ Moore. I think he's fantastic. So allow this to be maybe the one and only time. I explained the root of my criticism.

Nicely down there. You only need to give him a minute. I am not sorry for wanting more for you guys. I love the bills, particularly the fan base. And you have one of the best quarterbacks we've seen and we'll see in our generation. And I want you to know what it feels like to walk into a season and feel inevitable, not worried about roster holes or depth or what happens if or we still needs. I don't want the same patterns and the same results for you.

I want you guys to know you're going for it with. everything you've got. I want you to feel the sweet, pure heat of what it means to fly so close to the surface of the sun that you must either win a Super Bowl or melt into the abyss. I want you to feel alive. My message to Bill's fan. There it is. Music came in because at first one of the pep talkers, people getting their face push. They are in a tough spot. And they do feel a lot. I think that's a great, that's a great shout out there. It was, I saw, I saw Ethan Hawk on the red carpet of the Oscars. To love is all that matters.

He was saying... And I do genuinely love the bills, and that's why I'm hard on them. The sun doesn't care if the grass is noticing it's sunshine. It's just shining. Beautiful. And yet, yeah, the bills are in kind of the toughest spot to be as a sports fan, where it's like you have these incredibly high expectations.

And yet you're very defensive about anyone poking holes at you, and yet there might be a little party. heart that has a nagging feeling that the best is. But I think it comes out of love. Yeah. And maybe misdirected and misappropriated love turning into anger, which, welcome to relationships, folks. But that just, I'm just, I'm just going to leave it there because that is, I love the

bills hard and I want more for them. And I feel like I'm talking to my friend in a troubled relationship. They've done their best, I think, in the Josh Allen era in the seasons that had lowered expectations. Maybe this will be one of them. Although, I check. And they are pretty significantly heavily favored to beat the Patriots in that division. They're still one of those.

They got rid of the problem. Speaking of feeling alive and celebrating and being in the moment, I did not intend for this to happen. But as we were taping, I have some massive news out of Indianapolis. Colts have signed Nick Westbrook Aquine. And that means it's over. We can call it. Patrick at best can get one.

Play the music. Please. Oh, thank you again. I am the matchmaker king. I should have kept him in the division. They're in the same division as whole career. What am I doing? I want the music.

Let's get out of here, please. What a week. Really fun making shows with you. I want it to be celebratory. this thing's over. What a great idea. A big win for you, Patrick, and your acting chops. A big win for you as executive producer. You're going to get all the residuals. And a big win for the listeners for getting such great shows all week. We'll see you on Monday. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents,

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