NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Stars who were helped, hurt by free agency

Episode Date: March 23, 2015

A room filled with some heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling -- react to the latest news around the NFL, recap the NFL Veteran's Combine and discuss which star players gained or lost in free agency.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 NFL podcast is the only chip here. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I am joined by a room filled with some heroes. Chris Wessling to my left and Greg Rosenthal on my right. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan. What is that?

What was that money drop? I don't even get the reference. I got it now. I thought he said the only champ here, but it was. was the only chip here. Oh, yeah, calling back to... The old Chip Kelly thing. That was good.

Yeah, calling back to this. We didn't bring Sam in here to be a chip. I was the only chip here. That's right. Good. I like that. I like the new money drops. Thank you for everyone sending out hashtag money tags.

Just any time you think of something good, send it to hashtag money tags because we're always looking for it. Welcome to the around the NFL podcast. I'll say it again. This is a Monday podcast. We're here in the studio. 66. Mark is missing because he is hard at work in Arizona at the NFL annual meeting. Is that what it's called? That's it.

I've written it 44 times in the last couple days. But yeah, NFL annual meeting. Connor Oren and Sizzler both covered the veteran combine, which I hear was a depressing affair for everyone involved. And we're going to get them on the phone a little bit later to catch up with them on their experience. Of course, all the big wigs are down in Arizona for these breakfasts that, Greg, you could fill us in exactly how this works. You were at this event jogging with Mark last year.

Well, it's very similar, Dan. I don't know if you've been to like an embassy suite. Yes, I have. They have a complimentary breakfast when you wake up. You know, everyone can go get some sausages. Continental breakfast. Right. Yeah, that's pretty much what it is, except in this case, you know, it's Doug Marone.

You know, it was last year. And Chip Kelly, they can chow down some bacon. and you sit down and ask them questions for an hour. That's going to be Tuesday and Wednesday they're on the scene. How about that? That's pretty good. Do you think Mark eats at these breakfasts? I was there with him.

He did eat after the fact. I mean, not much because he's a fooditarian, so that he's not really into it. But he liked it. Wes, how are you doing over there? A little silence so far. Couldn't be better, Dan. If I was any better, there'd have to be two of me. How was your weekend?

Wonderful. Good, good, good, good. A little cornhole yesterday. Got the green egg working, barbecue. We should be happy. This is the start of the off season, as far as I'm concerned. Really, it's when the owner's meeting ends. When Mark and Connor get back home, the off season begin.

We're going to kick it off in style next weekend. West Fest, I heard. West Fest. Is that the name where you're going with? It is now. Yeah, I like the sound of it. It's not Westivis, which, of course, is the Bengals' playoff loss on Wildcard weekend. I look forward to it every January.

Yeah. What do you like more? Like a West Fest or Westivis? I wouldn't have. I don't want to choose. I like this kind of party. West of us has become a nice tradition for me. Yeah.

I'm looking forward to the party. And T.D. Behind the Glass, how are you, buddy? What is going on, guys? Happy National Puppie Day. Oh, I like puppies. Isn't it every day puppy day? I guess so. Nice drop there. I like that. The, T.D., by the way, the big news, and before we got a big show,

we're going to get into some news from the last couple days since the last time we were with you, which was Thursday, and then we're going to get into players who benefited or been hurt by free agency. The three of us will discuss that. And, of course, as I said, we're going to get our two colleagues from Arizona on the horn. TD, big, big event coming up on Thursday. Win West's Toaster.

Win West's Toaster. Do we have our applicants lined up, our opponents for Chris Wesley? Not yet. We will, though. Next coming days, be on a lookout on your Twitter feed. Going to have the screening process going down. It's going to be fun.

You know, the winners, contestants have fact sheets made, so good time. All right, good. So Thursday, that's the big event. So make sure you tune in for that. Here's the fact. The whole game is the sham. Ooh. I take it.

Maya. TD, why do we do some news? Is that a little Darkman X? Yeah, I thought we got a little soft there with a dog puppy barking. You know, who's calling us? Either way, through the show. Okay, let's listen. This is, we keep it real on the show, a little phone.

Look, he's behind the glass not doing work. So why don't we get right to it? We'll start with the news, and we'll start with the New Orleans Saints, who, of course, have made some very big changes on their roster so far in the off-season, and that led to speculation that another shoe, or the biggest shoe to drop would be Drew Brees being shipped out of town.

Doesn't seem like that's going to happen, according to general manager Mickey Loomis, who emphatically shot down those rumors at the annual meeting. This was his quote to Jim Corbett of the USA Today. Jim Corbett, who once gave me a tour of the Jets training camp facility in 1999. Wow. Yeah. How old were you then? It was 19 years old.

It was great. I got to watch a Bill Parcell's press conference, which was quite amazing. Anyway, this is the quote. Anybody who thinks we're trading Drew Brees, that's just not true. Chris Wessling, do you believe it? Of course I believe it. I feel like you were speaking directly to Mark Sessler. The idea that any NFL team would trade and establish franchise quarterback is anathema.

I mean, why would any, the whole goal is to get a franchise quarterback. I guess the devil's advocate take is that this is a team that's maybe the Super Bowl window is closed. They're starting a new chapter, so why keep a 36-year-old when you can leverage that into a trade that potentially restockes the roster? but I'm with you on that way. Yeah, I mean, look what division they're in. Jay Cutler was traded. I guess if you call him a franchise quarterback. But you're right.

I'm trying to think of other examples. Jay Cutler was traded because he pitched a fit as a petulant brat. Right, and that's not happening in New Orleans. It never made a whole lot of sense. I think people sometimes apply other sports thinking to the NFL. Like, okay, the Saints are blowing things up. In other sports, it's like you start rebuilding and they just trade away stars, but that doesn't happen. Well, I think we saw, look what happened.

with the Raiders and Jaguars the last couple of years. The idea that you would blow up your team is ridiculous. That's not how you win in the NFL. And you don't win by gaining cap room. Right. This isn't the NBA where you tried to coax Kevin Garnett to your team one year or something. It's not like they're a young

particularly young team. They're signing free agents. Yeah, they're not rebuilding. Right. They're trading away Kenny Spills. They're not really rebuilding. They're just looking for a better for you. The Jimmy Graham, Chade was shocking, and it does help their run game in terms of their blocking ability with getting Max Unger.

But it's not like this team is a complete rebuild situation. They can win that division. Easily. Like we talk about, or I talked about when I was defending the Revis deal with the Jets. It's like, just getting the playoffs. Who knows what happens? Drew Breeze has won a Super Bowl. So it looks like Breeze will still be in town in New Orleans.

And Tom Benson talked about it, too, that they're not rebuilding. And I think the ownership situation, which is up in the air right now, also is hanging over that franchise. and the last thing they want to do is win four or five games again. I think they want to be in as good standing as possible with all that going on. All right, we move on to Minnesota where the Vikings have been very

up front about wanting to keep Adrian Peterson in Minnesota after a lost 2014 season. But now we're hearing more, more bubbling up about Peterson maybe not wanting to stay with the Vikings. General manager, Rick Spielman recently requested a dinner session

with Peterson's agent Bendogra at the the annual meeting in Phoenix, and Dagger declined. This according to NFL media is Albert Breer. So this was first reported by Yahoo. Greg, I know you wrote the piece where you laid out why it made sense that he would be staying in Minnesota. Does this change how you feel at all? No, it doesn't change it.

It does tell me that Peterson could have a higher level of seriousness of pushing himself off the team than I thought. So it's an extra bit of information. But ultimately, I still think the Vikings hold all the cards here. What is this? Some sort of dating show, The Bachelor? Like, you can't, like, it's all about who chooses to go with whose dinner. I don't know. I don't know what I'm talking about here, but I'm just saying.

I still disagree with you all along on this. I think he has been peeved, really peeved about the way things were handled last year. He doesn't want to play for the Vikings. But it's, I get that, but it's also he's playing it this way that he's trying to keep both options open. Because he's not sure right now. if he can get the contract that he wants or if he can really get out of Minnesota. So if he wanted to at any point in this process, he could have just said, I'm never playing in Minnesota again, or I want to be traded, or I want to be released.

And he didn't do any of that because he's trying to get his money. And a little more context of the situation, and to your point, Wes, you said that, you know, obviously this is something that's sticking to Peterson's ribs about how last year played out. Multiple sources close to Peterson have informed Albert Breer that the major sticking point is a gentleman by the name of Kevin Warren, who was recently promoted from General Counsel of the team to C-O-C-O-Petersson's campus under the impression that Warren worked with the NFL to put Peterson on that exempt list.

So as long as this Warren guy is in town, Peterson doesn't want to be there. I don't know. It's still a messy situation here. But Rapshee also Ian Rappport, our NFL Media Insider, also as reported, you know, guaranteed money in 2016 would make everything go away. It's just about money.

It's just about contract. It's partly about money. I don't think, I talked to Bert on Friday. And he, I thought it was interesting. He said Peterson once out of Minnesota. And why isn't he asked for a trade? The Vikings know that Peterson wants out of Minnesota. Okay.

Then why hasn't he asked for a trade publicly? Why isn't he made his point clear? Maybe he wants to control the situation in a different way. You know, force a release, and then he gets to choose where he goes. Well, they're not going to release. him. I think they, he could box them in a corner where they feel like it's just worth it to trade him. But that would be a bad spot to be. All right. Let's talk about another running back this time.

LaShawn McCoy, who of course was traded to the bills, a blockbuster move on the eve of free agency in exchange for Kiko Alonzo. It's very clear that McCoy was not really happy with the Eagles about how this all played out. I think he definitely took it as a son of disrespect. It seems that he got moved. and on the Rich Eisen Show, he said on Friday that he viewed the moves that were made after he was traded when the Eagles signed both to Marco Murray and Ryan Matthews, he called it a panic move. He said that he didn't understand it, and he basically laid out his feeling that Chip Kelly, he's a great coach, but I think he's learning on the job here as a personnel man

in terms of how he's spending and the decisions he's making, shots fired. Shady's just saying what a lot of people around the NFL are saying that Chip Kelly is in over his head. I don't buy it, but I think a lot of people thought the same thing as McCoy that why would you let go of McCoy and then you sign Murray and Matthews, it seems like they're just like making it up as they go along.

But they sign Murray and Matthews to the same money that McCoy is getting. Right, and you get Kiko Alonzo back. I mean, there is a logic to it. There might be something to the fact that they weren't planning. planning all along to sign Matthews and Murray, and they just made that up after the facts? Now, I'm often critical of Chip Kelly, but you make a good point. Like, if someone were to ask me, would I rather have LaShawn McCoy or DeMarco Murray, Ryan, Matthews, and Kiko Alonzo, if the money is similar? I don't think it's a bad move at all by the Eagles.

Maybe he is a genius. I mean, when you look at it in that sense, and of course, you can look at it, it's not the only way to look at it, obviously. but the roster, I guess, is a little more full, and Murray is an excellent back coming off his best year ever. We don't know if he'll be able to repeat it, but not bad. Chip Kelly's playing checkers. No, he's playing chess while everyone's playing checkers. How about that?

And he is. Rex is playing Lincoln Loggs still. And, you know, I was watching, he did a interview with Steve Weish from the NFL annual meeting. I was watching, and I just can't get over. Chip Kelly is very pleased with himself. The way he discusses football. I mean, he's the genius.

Well, I think that's one of the reasons why, as Greg said, a lot of people around the NFL are questioning Chip Kelly. I think he rubs people the wrong way. Yeah, it's weird. I was trying to explain to put it in words to Greg, but it was hard. Like, when he says his opinion on something, is the difference between, like, one coach will say,

and he'll just think that's his viewpoint. But when Chip Kelly says, it's like he's telling you this is what it is. Yeah, he's basically giving you this information on stone tablets from a mountain time. Well, we were talking about it. I think it's mostly that he doesn't really respect the thinking of the people questioning him. We didn't bring Sam in here to be a chip. I'll know the chip here.

He does not respect the journalists. I don't think, for the most part, I don't think he respects, like, a fan's thought. And the reason why I don't mind Chip Kelly at all, none of the coaches respect them. I mean, the rest of them just hide it. So he's just kind of out there. And I'm not vouching for the journalism. or, you know, the industry. But, like, in your, and everyone's jobs,

there are people in your office that you don't respect, but you show respect by not openly, like, chastising them and being to them. Like, and I think with Chip Kelly, like, sometimes that's the way he is. Well, and that's why it rubs to be the wrong way. I guess what I would say, though, is there is a certain level of honesty, I don't mind in what is really being more respectful,

being nice to the person to their face, and then talking all sorts of trash about them to your friends behind their back? I know. or, you know, you just are kind of who you are and you're honest about it. I think Kelly has a hard time hiding that behavior. The same complaints everyone has about Chip Kelly are the ones people had about Bill Belichick when he started out. Are we doing that again?

I just think there's a lot of similarities. Well, I mean, look at what you're saying he does. He talks down to reporters. That's what Belichick's been doing for years. A lot of people said these same sort of things about Wessling when I tried to bring him into the sports media world. Yeah, because he hadn't really interested. reacted with the outside world outside of Tai Bay Island for a while.

I don't know about Belichick in his younger years of the Browns, but like it's so Belichick's act with the media now, like, is totally fine because he is who he is. He's this legend that's winning Super Bowls and going deep into the playoffs every year. But Chip Kelly, again, you know, get to the playoffs for us before you take on that persona of the know-it-all. Belichick always has his thing. Like he never shows up for the NFL coach's photo.

You can do it. You can do it. Never in it. But this year, I don't know. No, no, I've just seen this come across Twitter. He showed up for the photo, so maybe a kindler, gentler. To answer your question, Belichick was definitely ripped in his Cleveland years for his handling of the media.

Oh, yeah. He was killed. That was part of the reason they ran him out of town. I mean, it doesn't help when you, you know, cut Bernie Kozar unapologetically. Which, you know, to his credit, was the right move. Right. Moving on, the report out in New York and the Giants, Eli Manning, is. is up for a new contract after this year.

He has signed that mega deal a few years back that made him the highest paid player in the league. He's got two more rings now. He's coming off a nice statistical season. But the Giants are comfortable letting Eli play out his contract. This according to ESPN.com. Manning's camp is reportedly looking for a deal that would trump. With Ben Rathlisberger just got five years, $99 million.

But I imagine the Giants aren't excited about that. And Wes, I imagine you're not excited about the I, idea of giving a 33-year-old Eli Manning a $100 million deal? Well, that's what you pay for franchise quarterbacks. He's a franchise quarterback. I mean, that wouldn't bother me at all. I think that's the going rate. And he bounced back last year.

As long as Odell Beckham's healthy, Eli's going to play well. What about if this was your team that you said you wanted to become a general manager? You'd be happy if someone let you run their front office. What if Eli Manning is your team? You're saying that's the going rate for franchise quarterbacks. but would you want to be bold and go elsewhere or just sign yourself up for five more years of Eli Manning? No, it would not be bold.

I don't know. I feel like I say this every podcast. This is shocking what's happening. Franchise quarterback. I mean, if you don't have one, you're nothing. I didn't even realize that you regarded Manning in that way. I do. So he's above the, because this is really the test of the AD scale, who's going to get these contracts.

Right. The AD scale, of course, being the Andy Dalton scale, he's the prime meridian of NFL quarterbacks for new listeners. anyone above it, that's a franchise quarterback, anyone below it, not so much. That's it. It's preposterous that he would get paid more than Big Ben. That I would have a problem with it, but if you're the Giants, you have to pay him to going right. I disagree.

This is where you should start getting creative. You said franchise quarterbacks don't get traded. See if you can get Eli Manning for a top five pick in a quarterback you like, something like that. Because it's not going to ever get any better for Eli Manning. And what is? the 15th best quarterback in the league, and he's 33, 34? I do think, and Greg, you look at things of a very critical eye, very, you know, almost bloodthirsty in your ways to expand a program or make changes.

Eli Manning has been the heart and soul of this team for a long time. Bloodthirsty. Yes, you're always looking to cut guys, move on, get out, sign a new guy, get a young guy in there. Bring your bad character risks. It means a lot to the Giants franchise. So it would be very strange for them to make some type of bold move to, kick him out of ten, especially when he's still playing at a high level. That's fair, and I was recommending this special Chris Wessling took over the Giants theory.

In that case, he doesn't care about the Giants. Why would I trade Eli Manning when the best quarterbacks in this year's draft, nobody is convinced that they're going to be great? I mean, to me, no, I don't even like Eli Manning and I wouldn't trade him. Speaking of the Giants, John Mara, who is the owner of the team, expects at least one team to move to Los Angeles next year. This is the quote he told a group of reporters in Phoenix. I think there's going to be one

to two teams playing in Los Angeles next year. We haven't talked about this stuff a lot on the pod, I think mostly because it's been a lot of, you know, a lot of it's been about stadium sites and things of that nature and it's, there has been too much hard news about this, but the more we're hearing, it

sounds like this is finally going to happen. It's just a matter of which teams end up playing in our backyard here. right Robert Kraft said the same thing on Monday at the owner's meeting that he thinks two teams will be in LA next season crazy he was harder about it which is crazy this is some bold talk because there are so many obstacles to moving a team but when Stan Cronky the owner of the Rams bought this land here in Los Angeles and Inglewood and really kick started this motion it really inspired the Chargers and the Rams and the

Raiders and the NFL, everyone to start moving because it was like Cronky just kind of put his chips in the table, didn't ask anyone to do it, and just got it going. He seems ready to move. He seems ready to go. Wes, any chance that you adopt one of the teams that move to L.A. Now that you're starting to warm up to Los Angeles. You know, you're loving living by the beach. The women in West are starting to see eye to eye now. You like beer, and there's plenty of that here.

Any chance that you would adopt an L.A. NFL franchise? I would not roll that out. There's a game. I mean, it would have to be an organic process where I just started naturally caring more about this team than other teams. But, yeah, there's a chance. Well, what if they, like, move enough to get a team out here? Yeah, get Wes involved. I mean, what if they move like our, they could move maybe, what if we had our studios near the NFL team?

Who knows? That'd be exciting. What kind of inside information do you have? No, I don't have anything. I'm just saying, what if they built a big complex or we could get season, you know, we'd go down there, cover a bunch of games. Who knows? So the Rams, the Raiders, and the Chargers, I guess I'll just pose it to you. If you were going to be a fan, which team would you want moving here as a fan?

That's a good question. I feel like the Rams make the most sense because of their history in Los Angeles. Yeah, me too. I love the Raiders franchise from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I don't like what they've become, but I do have a fondness for what they stood for as outsiders in the 1970s. I like this, by the way. I like where we're going on this. Chargers has Phil.

Rivers, too. I know that's short-term thinking. And they also started as the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960 and 61. I mean, it's been circling for 20 years, and now it's at the point where I think the NFL would be really disappointed if some of these don't happen. But we say it's happening, but we don't really know because the St. Louis situation is tricky. There's, you know, Albert Breer wrote a piece on the site which is worth checking out, which explains some of the complications. And one of them is that St. Louis and the state of Missouri

is pushing really hard to keep the Rams. So it's not the best look for the Rams to leave at this point. Could you see the Rams going to L.A., and then the Raiders moving to St. Louis? Well, Breer brought up that possibility, right? I don't know. I think maybe Peter King brought it up. Yeah.

Now we're getting into Wild Reims. Wait, the black hole, like crowding into the Edward James Omo's Dome. That is so depressing. thought. It doesn't really make sense to me. We've heard a lot of crazy things. If you made a list of the crazy things that had to do with Los Angeles in the NFL in the last 20 years, I mean, there's been a lot. So who knows? I don't really believe any of this to what happens. Moving on to other topics, the Steelers are bringing back James Harrison. This is a nice little late career comeback for Harrison, who now gets a two-year deal. It will be his 12th season in Pittsburgh.

He's been cut multiple times over that span and spent one year in Cincinnati, as we know, 2013 he had some really nice moments last season with the stewards was a really a bright spot for them i think he gave them much more than they realized so now west they bring him back and see if he can do a little more yeah he um captured the the air quotes here fountain of youth last year and was the hey what are you getting at i cannot say any more than that but he was the best player on their defense for a good portion of the second half of the season so i don't i don't know why it took so long, but I always thought it made more sense for him to come back. We're now five years removed from Warren Sapp calling the Steelers' defense old and slow.

Remember that? And yet they still have... That was five years ago? I mean, I'm just making up years. I have the idea. I'll go find out of a while. It was at least a while. It was three years.

I wish you weren't a liar. I think it was three years ago now. My, you know, relationship with the facts, not always that strong. Either way, it's not important. That was a while ago, and we still have Palomalu and Harris. set on this defense. It's like they can't let go of these. Paul O'Malley is going to be going to be on another, right? I don't think so at this point.

I think he's going to be on the team now. I mean, he's there, they're under the cap. They're not spending any money. I think this was a Roonies, did not want to let this guy go. I think he's there. The Damashek, the self-styled

Lester Bangs downstairs in the newsroom, he's getting a little restless about the Steelers not really doing a lot this offseason, but I guess like that's always the Steelers. So when do they have an active pre-agency period that you remember? They signed a couple of guys last year, but, I mean, they tend to do things like the Packers do things. Right, except they spend, they don't spend it smartly, as smartly as the Packers have.

By the way, looked it up, Warren Sap, split the difference. Four years ago, it was a while ago, 2011 he said it. All right. And they've remade most of that defense, though. I think the Steelers just need their first-round picks to work out. Greg, Greg, straight up, almost vindicated. No, I'm just saying I just wanted to get the facts

You guys said it was so important Good fact, good fact to it Moving on The NFL community lost one of their legends This past weekend Philadelphia Eagles Hall famer Chuck Bednerick Passed away Saturday morning

Following a brief illness In Pennsylvania He was 89 years old Wes You are a certified football head And he wrote up a really nice piece Looking back at Bednerick's career He was, you know, one of the true Ironmen of all time in the NFL, right?

Yeah, I think the first three things that you think of with Chuck Bennerick. He's the last two-way player. He was an all-pro linebacker and center. And the 1960 championship game, he played both positions, 58 and a half of the 60 minutes and sat on Jim Taylor, the Packers Hall of Fame fullback as time expired to wrap up that game. And then the other things, he has one of the coolest nicknames and one of the most fitting. Nicknames Concrete Charlie He's from a different era

And it's actually not because of his playing style It's because he sold concrete As his other job That's awesome And then the other thing about him Is the hit on Frank Gifford It's known as the tackle When he basically sent

Frank Gifford out of the NFL for a year Due to concussions in 19... Yeah, he didn't play for 18 months And it's just amazing You know, you think about how much the game has changed He was a big part of his career He was celebrated for that hit It would not happen that way now

a similar player of that ilk. Frank Gifford was, you know, in New York anyway. He was like Derek Jeter in New York. The biggest star in the NFL. He had the good looks. He had the fame. He was a great player as a running back and a receiver. And I think it was a tougher time, not just in the NFL, but in America at the time.

These guys are all coming out of Chuck Becknerk ran 30 missions in World War II, you know. I think it was just that, you know, you didn't worry about concussions. You worried about dying. It was a different time, too. I mean, you have to imagine that. Imagine if a hit like that happened in today's game to knock out one of the game's preeminent stars for a year and a half. I mean, this is, this was one of the biggest hits,

the biggest plays in NFL history. It still is. When Frank Gifford first started dating Kathy Lee, wow, getting deep. I like this. He told her you're going to have to get used to hearing the word bedneric a lot. That's funny. A great little bedneric nugget in Wes's Post.

He played through a torn triceps. It was so severely torn that it left a lump by his elbow, which is just gross. And he wouldn't let a doctor go near his arm when it happened. So Chuck and Eric, rest in peace. One of the great ones. All right. Now, let's move on. And we have our two colleagues in Arizona that are covering all the league events going on right now.

And there's a lot of stuff cooking in Arizona between the veteran combine and the owner's meetings and all the breakfasts that Mark's getting. involved with. So, Greg, Wes, it makes too much sense to get both the sizzler,

quiet storm Mark Sessler, and the great space ghost on the line at the same time. But could this be facilitated? Is anyone there? How are you going on? Wow, there they are. I hear them both.

Look at this technology. Wow. We have moved forward as a podcast because last year, Mark and I just passed a phone back and forth to each other. While you were jogging. No.

Let's start. first credit let's start there by the way is there been any yagging no connor we have not done any exercise of any sort i'd say you guys did go to dinner last night though right i mean i planned uh i planned like there's like a little paradise trail to jog on but then mark was like let's go get a beer at the tilty kilton that sounded way better to me sounds like mark we ended up doing wow well that is accurate all right well let's start gentlemen um and Really, you guys are doing a great job there. We're reading your dispatches back here on the mothership from the Veteran Combine.

Why don't we start there where we heard from one scout, actually, called it. He said it was the veteran comment was like watching Old Yeller get shot 105 times. Now, can you back up that claim or that opinion? Was it that tough to watch these older players trying to get back in the league and not playing? Yeah, I think it's like you, Connor, go ahead. I think that there were certain drills, certain aspects of it like, you know, Jamal Anderson and Adam Kerker, I mean, you know, like watching them do some of the bag drills, some of the movement drills, and it's just, you know, not just them in particular,

but there's such like a stiffness from some of these guys, and it's just, you know, you can tell that they're out of the league. for a reason and outside of like two or three people I mean the fact that they weren't in the league made absolute sense especially especially after we were all at the combine in February when you see these guys that are 20 years old and are at basically their peak fitness you're watching those same drills I would assume and it's just a it's a different ballgame it's crazy to me how much these guys are changing physically over a short period of time some of them I think also I mean

those college guys are training specifically for months for track-type events. And these veterans, like, for instance, when we talked to Michael Bush, he said, you know, he never went to the combine because he heard his knee coming out of college. He had never even done,

like a shuttle run or a cone drill or a 40 in front of scouts, and it was totally an alien world to him, and he failed. Yeah, he was, your quotes from him, Mark, were the most memorable, really. What did he say to you exactly? You told him that he had an unofficial,

4-9-1 and then he was mortified. No, I did not drop that bomb on him. Another heartless writer told him that. And, you know, he had come off the field and thought he had done real well. And we were just a couple of us standing there and we were asking, you know, how do you think you did? And when he learned his time, like a thousand yards stare. I mean, he knew right then that it was over.

And he expressed in his words, he basically said, there goes my career. And it was one of the more awkward. moments I've ever spent with any athlete because he knew it and there was no coming back and people kept asking more questions like let this guy go well the cardinals did sign someone from the veteran combine nathan slaughter so there is your trivia answer they got someone a job and i suspect there'll be a handful more you know dania jeremiah talking about it thought mike kofka looked good he thought some people there did impress enough that they're going to end up with a team but it didn't seem like it's going to be a big influx or anything like that what else got

guys are what else you're seeing what have you seen today what's happening at the uh it's a pretty ritzy place you guys are staying at correct oh please what do you mean oh please the listeners don't know what's it like well i mean Connor you you try to explain like how where we're at with fine dinner the other night well like it's a uh i would say like whenever we tell anybody that we're actually staying here we get like the roll of eyes like uh you guys suck because it's it's pretty awesome I mean, there's, like, all these fountains and palm trees and fresh flowers and cucumber-infused water, you know. That sounds awful.

Everywhere, you know. I hate cucumbers. I mean, you know, it's tough out of here, you know. Mark, you tweeted out a photo of Chip Kelly walking around with the book bag, or at least you had a dispatch saying that's what was happening. Any other, like, interesting sightings? I know last year, Mark, you saw, like, Belichick and a Speedo in the lobby or something? I remember a story like that. Well, he continues to prance around with Linda Holiday, wherever he goes.

And we saw her along with him today. Well, they were. You know, he looked very relaxed in a denim shirt with the buttons down quite a bit. And, you know, other than that, like, the reason Kelly stuck out to me because there's no one out at the hotel at all at, you know, 5.30 in the morning. It was like six in the morning except this one girl, like, eating breakfast and reading a book. And, like, Chip Kelly comes walking by her. She doesn't know who he is at all. She's just a vacation goer.

I'm like, this guy is a completely different breed. No one else was out for another hour. Well, you were there. You're a different breed. Why were you up, you know, walking around? Because I belong to around the NFL, and we were getting an early start. I was about to go meet Connor outside, so. Wow.

It speaks to what you got going on here, Greg. So let's talk, yeah, before we let you guys, because you've got to get back to work. This isn't a, you're staying at a luxury resort, but that doesn't mean you're on vacation, is. And, you know, the competition committee, that's a big part of these owner meetings. And I guess the biggest thing to come out of that was the catch-no-catch. It was discussed during a press conference. But it still leaves a lot to the imagination of what actually is changing what it was. It's still a very murky thing, correct?

Yeah. And I think, you know, what's interesting is it's basically what happened to was they said it was a clarification of the language. But afterwards, there were still plenty of questions about the clarifications. of the language and like to the point where you know we kept watching the does brian catch over and over again and somebody asked team blendina well how is reaching for the pylon not considered a football move and you know he said that that was heavily in discussion so i think that this rule is just going to be as ominous and confusing as it ever was well what was the change do you can you explain it that basically i i as far as i can understand it football

move is no longer a part of it that a wide receiver now has to establish himself as a runner to complete the act of a catch and there's no more football move talk i don't know what that really does but what it comes down to is that the des brian catch is still not a catch right and as long as that's the the truth that they still got this botch it's still wrong west you had a tweet about it that you were unhappy with this for the same reasons how do they they got to rectify that i think it's the worst role in professional sports i think it takes away from the integrity of the game when the average viewer. And frankly, referees, coaches, and players don't know what a catch is.

And they still won't know what a catch is after this. All right, gentlemen. There was one writer here who, like, was right after that competition committee charged with writing, you know, a long write-up on that specific subject. As someone that I know, and he turned around and was like, I'm sorry. He's like, I have to write this thing. Can you, do you have any idea what they were saying? What is the match now?

And I was like, I have no idea. Well, was that person, Connor? No, it was not Connor. Because Connor is writing that, and I had the same conversation with him. He didn't say that to me, but I asked him, can he write about this? And I said, honestly, after watching that, I'm not exactly sure how. Like, this is one I'm just like, you take care of this, Connor, because I have no idea. There's more of a silent panic going on in trying to be.

And, you know, this is going to be bad. It sounds like, gentlemen, so far, there hasn't been a lot of, you know, late nights. I want there to be at least one night where the quiet storm collides with the space ghost, and then everything just goes off. So that is to me, and Greg's your boss, so he's giving you major assignments. The assignment that I am handing out is to party! Well, we've been priced out of the market early, but we'll have to make a go of it. I think we've been in bed before 9 p.m. both nights.

You know what? We're hardworking. We're hardworking individuals. Good, good. In bed before 9? I can't buy. No, I don't find out. Mark loves to exaggerate in bed before nine. All right, gentlemen. Thank you for all the work that you do, and please return home soon.

Yeah, I've seen how you operate, Sessler. You can't fool me. Sessler trying to pull the wool over eyes 9 p.m. Connor, a test. Tell me what, tell him what's happened. I, Mark was in bed well before, like, he... That's what he told you. In his room.

In his room. In his room. He ducked in the room, changed into it. he was a night owl suit and then left. All right, that'll be fun. Anyway, and that phone call at the beginning of the podcast was Mark calling in 40 minutes early. So that Mark is always beyond punctual. Yeah.

And it rings true with phone calls as well. Thanks, Mark. Thank you guys. Enjoy your cucumber water, boys. All right. Those are the heroes on site in Arizona. So they'll continue to keep us in the loop. Will Mark be back with us on Wednesday?

Yeah, he will be here on. Thursday for our final show of the week. Which is the most important show of the week, because, of course, it is the return of... You would think a game that's a building and its recognition around the globe would get a better sound drop. We might have to work on that one.

That is by... Let me hear it one more time. We... It's so bad. It also cuts off early. It does not up early. It's a bad one. TD, we got to talk about that.

Yeah, let's do it. a whole new thing. It doesn't need to be that sort of theme. It could be a little happier. Plus, it's not Wes's toaster anymore, technically, but Right. Oh, that's a good point. It's in my desk drawer. Let's just say the last two people

that have won your toaster, neither one is Wes. You know what I mean? Wes is third removed right now from winning the to toast. This is why we need to start the game up again so Wes can start to piece it all back together. I'm looking forward to it after a long layoff. It's not my fault that you

would not grant me a match. You were scared. You ran scared. John King, just like the Van de Holofield and Charlie Steiner. Come get your whooping, Rosenthal. Yeah, I like this. Woo! Before we get to our last topic, I just want to, by the way, I'm getting a ton of heat on Twitter.

Apparently, Thursday's show, I didn't even realize I did it. But everyone, a lot of people took umbrage with it. The UK came up with it, which is, of course, the United Kingdom. And I think I made a reference to England. So a lot of angry people, I would think, from Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland, but not Ireland. And Guernsey. And perhaps even Guernsey, according to Wes, you know, you're all part of the United Kingdom, not just England. So I apologize to the U.K.

One final note about last Thursday's episode. It is now the most downloaded episode in around the NFL history. Ah, da-da-da-da-da-da-da. Two weeks in a row. We have that. Two weeks in a row. Thursday show. Yep.

Oh, okay. Good. very good exciting great knowledge all right so let's get into it Zach Goldman behind the glass for that show it was yes that's right what do you think about that you thought he

I was behind the glass well I don't want to ruin this whole theory but TD's information is completely wrong it was Wednesday's show so you gotta be on top of things well it was a Thursday show what was the show last week Greg all of a sudden close them up

their facts are right Mr. fact guy all right let's talk about players who benefited or were hurt by free agency. Mark Sessler and I both wrote pieces where we kind of laid out some players both for and against or pro free agency in terms of getting being in a better position and being in a worse position. So why don't we now, the three of us, throw out some names and I guess I'll

start with one that I think that Ryan Tannahill is in a better position this year. I'll throw Tanahill. This is Greg's boy, but I just want to mix it up a little bit. and mentioned Tannehill because I think they did right by him by getting Mike Wallace out the door. First and foremost, that was not a good setup. They gave it two years to try to make it work. It did not work. They ship him out of town. They get Kenny Stills, which is a very nice trade, so it gives him another chance.

Jordan Cameron, who I'm a big fan of, and by law of God hating the Browns, you know he's going to have a big year this year in Miami. So you've got two big players there. And then, of course, when you sign Dominican Sue, it has an effect on both sides of the ball. that will change their defense. That will make things easier, potentially, for Ryan Tannahill. So I am saying Ryan Tannahill has benefited from free agency, gentlemen. Salary cap implications aside, is their wide receiver core better now than it was a year ago?

I think they're, and they have those Philadelphia roots there with the laser, they are treating wide receiver kind of like Chip Kelly's treating wide receiver. I mean, their top receivers are Stills, Matthews, and Jarvis Landry. they think the system's going to carry it over. I don't know. I'd be a little worried. There's something to be said for that. I think Tannahill probably threw most short passes of any quarterback in the NFL last year.

They don't go down the field at all. And this is, I mean, this is going to be Tana Hill's fourth year, correct? That's correct. If he does not make the leap this year, I guess we kind of know what he is at this point, which is kind of like a guy hanging out right on the, right on the Dalton. I think he's above it. I think he's significantly above it. Significantly.

If he puts together, the question is, can he do it year after year? But I think based on just last year, he was a top 12, 13 guy. He's right there with Eli Manning or above Eli Manning. And a gimmick offense. I just want to see it year after year from him. Yeah, I just did a post before. It is a gimmick offense. It's a combination of Chip Kellys and what Kyle Shanahan ran in RG3's rookie year.

But he has athleticism. I think that's true, but he's better at running it than any of the Chip Kelly offense guys. Yeah, and the Dolphins, you know, you said that we'll find out. The Dolphins said today, your boy Tannenbaum said, we're going to make him a very rich man. Did they identify him as a true franchise quarterback? Well, Tannenbaum also identified Mark Sanchez as a true franchise quarterback. And I like Mike Tanibon, but, you know. Mr. T.

Greg, what do you got there? You got one benefited by or hurt by? I can't believe this guy didn't make it on to your list. I'm not even kidding here. Matt Castle of the Buffalo Bills, they're better. He's going to win that starting job. You put him in a position he's facing off E.J. Mani on Tyrod Taylor, and he's throwing a Clay Harvin, Wachens, and Woods.

That is a good-looking group. He's throwing short passes. Wes laughs. Okay. But he's benefited. Whose stock has risen on. Your bizarre castle fetish has reached new lows. Because he's, I mean, are we sure he can beat out Tyrod Taylor?

That's what I'm betting on He was trying to beat out Teddy Bridgewater So that was never happening So he's benefited Much easier And he's benefited My point is that's a great little group around him And I think

You can coach him up And it'll be fine I like Greg Roman A lot of people that can benefit from this All right I mean you're right Because if I'm putting Gino Smith on this list It obviously isn't a list of all guys

I think are going to be really good this year And Blake Bortals for that matter But I don't know For some reason when I think of the Bill's quarterback situation it's a hopeless void and I think whoever they put in there is going to struggle until they get somebody new in town. But there's no doubting that whoever starts

is in a decent position. Well, I think he could be closer to a Josh McCown in Chicago type of thing. Okay. See, I'm believing in it. It's a good one. Wes. My number one guy who won the last few weeks

is C.J. Spiller. Ooh, I like that. I think, I know Greg thinks that I overvalue him a little bit. His 2012 game film is the closest I've seen to an early career, Chris Johnson. That explosiveness in space and short areas, I haven't seen that kind of lateral agility from any other player, and he's going to a coach who knows how to use that, whereas Doug Morone and Nathaniel Hackett did not know how to use it.

They tried to run him between the tackles, and he refuses to run between the tackles. I think we'll see him. He could be a superstar. in the NFL. Wow. I like that. The Ingram Spiller tag team, my favorite running back tag team in the NFL right now. Why do you think the Jets and Chan Galilee didn't go after him? I thought that was a nice fit for them. I don't know. It's a good question. It's not a good sign. I don't think. I do wonder with Spiller, did you see that explosiveness when he was on the field last year? Yeah, he's had

high ankle sprains and other injuries. You'll see it in flashes. He just has to get in space. He's not a guy who's going to break tackles. Here's Wes's fascination with Spiller that I do totally understand. He's one of the rare players that have come out, like Percy Harvin, another guy that Wes loves, that can make the rest of the NFL look slow, that looks like he's on another plane. And there's only a few of those guys that come along, one or two a year, and Spiller's one of those guys.

All right. My turn. You give me one. I'll give you back off a little bit off Mark's list. He threw out four quarterbacks that he thought got worse. I think I agree with this first one he has here. Tony Romo. The whole thing with Romo last year and why they were so great on offense

is because they kind of ran it through DeMarco Murray and then made Tony Romo not be under the same amount of pressure on a week-to-week basis that he had been in recent years. And that's why I just still don't get why they didn't work harder or try harder to get a deal done to get to Markle Murray back in that locker room. I think they're going to miss him now. Wes, I know we've talked about. What if Adrian Peterson ends up in Dallas?

I don't know if that's going to happen. Maybe they go and get one of these running backs in the draft, and then he turns into a stud, and then away we go. But Darren McFadden doesn't do anything for me for obvious reasons. And if you take him out of there, if you take DeMarco Murray in there, and whoever ends up going in that spot isn't as productive, then all that pressure goes back on Romo like it was in the bad old days,

and you're staring at another 8-and-8 and maybe another injury to Romo. It does make me think about whether they will remain a run first, team, regardless of their running back. I kind of think they will. I mean, they'll have to draft someone, but I don't think they're going to go away from that pound the ball. I think they're just going to hope that the offensive line is the reason why they were so good. But it's a big risk.

The number two guy on my winner's list is McFadden. Oh, my gosh. Wow. You're getting crazy. You're holding on hope. You're making fun of me for Castle and you're still pumping up old Darren McFadden. I mean, talk about watch the tape. By the way, it's not just that he's on the Raiders.

Watch him. He can't break a tackle. He can't break a tackle. TD, I don't know if you were paying attention there, but Wes's body language, as he said that, utter Chip Kelly level confidence in his head nod at Greg, as he said, Darren McFadden. I know you're laughing at me, but I just like, I take your castle and I'll one up you. I think that I think McFadden, I've said this before, he's the most dependent running back in the league on his offensive line. And I think if you open up holes for him.

him he's going to produce I don't think he's better than Joseph Randall I think he's well Joseph Randall's not We don't even know if he's not a real starter Joseph Randall's a role play How come Latavius Murray found great success Behind that Oakland line but Darren McFadden couldn't That's a good question

Yeah maybe they should bring him Latavius Murray He's the one of the biggest winners Free Agency got a new center Rodney Hudson Get negative on me Greg Oh I was going to be positive We'll do whatever you want I don't care really I was just going to go Well, for the obvious one, Andrew Luck.

Okay, let's hear it. I mean, you get rid of Reggie Wayne, who was basically an albatross. Hakeem Nix was so poor in Indianapolis last year that no one has signed him to this point. No one's even that interested. He couldn't separate. And then you add Johnson and Gore, a lot of mental power, still some savviness. Don't forget, herrimands. Haremons at guard.

I'm just, you know, they were loaded last year with a very flawed group, and now they're better. That's my guy. Do you like it? Wes, give us another one. We've got to get that out of here. Another winner? Whatever you want. Sam Bradford.

Okay, yeah, that's a big one. Sam Bradford goes from Brian Schottenheimer and some detective named Frank Signetti. Frank Signetti. To Chip Kelly and what Greg has dubbed a quarterback-proof offense. Everyone who plays quarterback in that offense excels. I like that. I think it's that simple.

He did blow his knee out two years in a row. But I guess that has nothing to do. whether he's helped or hurt by free agency. Well, either way. Jordan Matthews could be another one. Yeah, helped. He could be, how many? Well, we fell for this last year, though, just assuming.

I think the Eagles will spread it around, but you're right. He is in position at the moment. What do we fall for? The Jordan Matthews hype a little bit. He had like 900 yards as a rookie. That's pretty darn impressive. People in fantasy leagues were treating him like a guy

you had taken the first five rounds. That's ridiculous. I'll throw another one out there since he already came. up and his quarterback came up too, Jordan Cameron. Like him getting out from under that dark cloud in Cleveland with all that QB mess and going to Miami with a quarterback that in his fourth year who's made gains each and every season give him a real weapon. Jordan Cameron stays healthy.

Yum. You're looking at the Pro Bowl. It's guaranteed. In fact, I'll put a sandwich on it. Jordan Cameron is going on the Pro Bowl just because of the Browns. If he stays healthy. I'll take that. I'll take that in a second.

Wait, can we say he has to? to be elected to the initial Pro Bowl. I don't want him to be the seventh alternate after five people. No, but that's the part of the fun. No, no. Then I'm not doing it. So you're not going to take it? Not if the count the alternates. Just he was on the original Pro Bowl roster. All right, whatever, I don't care. Yeah, sure. That's fine.

Let's do it. Chom, chom, chom, chom. All right, one more. Someone throw out a juicer. Man, all I was thinking was poor Terrence Knight and thought he was going to get a big contract and instead he has to go from Denver to Washington on another lousy deal. He ate himself out of a... He ate himself into the loser list. Shocking that a man

nicknamed Potros would do that. One of the all-time stones. Wes, you got one more real quick? A winner? What have you want? Blake Bortles. Bordeaux. I call him Bordeaux.

Julius, he gets Julius Thomas. They're trying to help. They have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. They at least signed a guy, Jeremy Parnell. Those are two nice pieces, and we'll see what they do in the draft. I think the biggest thing with him, though, is he has to fix his mechanical flow and his delivery, which he was,

maybe one of the most impressive quarterbacks we saw in the preseason and then fell into a bad habit where he started throwing like a baseball pitcher and that really sunk his season. Shouldn't do that. It should definitely throw like a football player. Yes.

That's my analysis. All right. So that's it. So that's it for another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. We got two more shows this week. Including, of course, Thursday's big show with the toaster

on the line on Wednesday. I'm sure we're going to have some great football chatter. Do we have anything set up for Wednesday? I thought we already have some. Oh, we're going to do some positional power rankings of the divisions. Division power rankings. Wow.

I don't even really know what it exactly entails yet, but we're going to rank the divisions. And if we weren't planning to do it, now we've locked ourselves into it. So it's happening. So get ready for that. I think the gold standard will be behind the glass on Wednesday, and then TD is taken back over for Thursday's important show. Oh, I like that. TD, that's...

Show something. Yeah, it's showing... He's like, I don't want gold standard here for Win Westa. I want to be here. You know, it showed me something. Especially after I listened to the show, I missed, and TD was taking some shots at me. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You know, at the same time, I get it. Like, he says, Dan, you know, sometimes is a pain. But at the same time, when I see you getting on that Thursday show because you know it's one that you should be on, it makes me think, man, you know what? It's the right guy for the job. He's starting to get it. Show some leadership.

Wow. It's like the opposite of that fellow. check west welker scene where he's like way to compete west all right so that's it this is dan hansis signing off for the mailman and for the boss and td behind the glass and uh from arizona both quiet storm and ghost protocol we will see you on wednesday This is an IHeart podcast.