NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - The NFL Superstars Club: Who's In & Who's Out?

Episode Date: June 12, 2018

A room filled with some heroes- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal & Chris Wesseling - kick off the start of mandatory mini camps with news about someone who is refusing to show up to mandatory mini camp (5:00); Zach Martin’s record-breaking contract extension with the Cowboys (8:00); wacky unfounded Patriots/Gronk trade rumors - and the team’s response (11:00); a Detroit columnist’s saucy hot takes about Lions head coach Matt Patricia “losing” players because of running (15:00); and the latest TROPE ALERT (21:00). The heroes then step behind the velvet rope into the NFL Superstars Club, where they debate who’s in and who’s out (23:00).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. Stick a fork in him. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I am joined in a room that's filled with some heroes to my left. Mr. James Dima himself, it is Chris Wesley. Into my right, Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Wes wearing just a plain white tea Yeah I didn't know it was such a controversial choice I thought that a lot of people wear t-shirts and jeans And I needed something to match my Huckapoo's hat With a cap

A huckaboo's cap and a shaved mug Looking like a much younger version of himself I feel young I suggested you roll up a pack of cigarettes In the right sleeve But it's not there yet I think my dad use that maneuver in the 60s.

When everyone says you look way younger after you shave your beard, maybe it's a sign keep the beard off. Keisha basically told me she was going to break up with me if I shaved the beard. I wrist it anyway. Well, now you got her locked in.

Yeah. Now that she has the ring on, she's not going to bail at this point. This is a defiant gesture on my part. Absolutely. Yes, it is a mini camp week in the NFL. So, as promised, three podcasts this

week, you know, maybe some waffling before the show, Greg, whether this was necessary once we got to today, Monday. But, you know, we're in too deep. We had that there was, it never became a serious topic. Yeah, we are. Now that you're talking about it again. In theory, we could have still lopped off one at the end. It never, yeah, it never became a serious topic.

But there was this idea like, well, we don't have to do three shows, but we told the audience we would and that's what we'll do. Yeah. You guys want it, right? Yeah. Greg wearing his fancy boy blazer, which means he's going on television today. Well, Networks, Greg Rosenthal, today. Now, we've got to be very quiet.

Up in the clearing, we have the incredibly rare NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal. Oh, crap, you're scared it away. Yeah, Greg and I look like we're doing two different things today. I'm like right in between you, you guys, with my white guy polo. Got some news to get to, including... All right, now that we're getting to mandatory minicamp, this is when you have to be there.

That's mandatory. That's what it means. So when somebody doesn't show up to mandatory camp, then it's time to talk, and there is a big, big defensive star in the NFC that is not with teammates. Also, oh, it's back. A couple of year hiatus, I believe.

Mostly just because I forgot about it. And now I remembered it again. It is the superstar club. I didn't even know there was a hiatus. Yeah. We got a lot of updating. We definitely didn't do it last year. No, the last time it was a written piece on this website,

It was 2015. Now it's back. So just assume that it did happen those years. So we don't need to do housekeeping. Just imagine it from 2017 into 2018. What is the Superstar Club? We'll get into it. But all you need to know, most importantly, is that it's a zero-sum game.

That's where it gets tough. I think it's smart not to do it every year. It would change too much. I think revisiting every two or three years is a better way to do it. The counterpoint, there's nothing to write about right now. So it's a good, it's a good one to have in the holster every May and June, you know? There's a lot of things that are good to have in the holster come May and June. Yeah.

All right. So we're going to talk about that. And let's get to it, though. Oh, and Mark, of course, he slipped through our fingers again. Back into the wilderness, the urban jungle of Los Angeles. Oh, Wes saw him last. I saw him in live. Colleen and Tamposi and Mark.

Yeah. And Keisha, we all met up. And Mark was in good form. good for him yeah he was in good for him he looks i'm picking up what you're putting down he looks refreshed it just started he's the one guy that gets less refreshed as the vacation goes along right now he's good yeah well let's check in next it'll be very haggard by next sunday but uh hey man he lives his life that's how he does it all right let's do some news second Was that the gay pride parade?

I don't know what that was. Lindsay? There was Rob Grancowski cheering for his horse at the end of the race at the Belmont. Yeah, Grancowski, the horse came in second, I believe. He did, and he bet $69 on him. Yeah, him and all of his friends did. And family.

Such an idiot. And they made $1,200 bucks off of that because he was a long shot. And he placed. So why is Grant complaining about money then? You know, 12 rocks. You know, that's not that it's these out. 12 times.

I just really like the part where he was yelling for him to run faster. That is good. All right, that's good. I like that they call the horse Rob. They don't call him Gregkowski. I read it. They all call the horse Rob. Just easier that way.

Nobody even calls Rob Rob, Rob. Yeah, exactly. All right, to the news. Earl Thomas, the all pro Seahawks safety, will not be participating in any team activities the all pro safety addressed frustrations with this contract situation on twitter sunday i will not be attending the upcoming minicamp or any team activities until my contract situation is resolved and west 29 years old he's entering the final year of his contract uh making a base of eight and a half million no contract talks planned.

So we are, this is what you call an impasse. Yes. Or an impasse. I think you had it right the first time. Yeah, I think at age 29, this is probably his last chance for a mega contract. And it's interesting because the Seahawks were shopping him. They had a chance to do a deal and they tried over the draft break, but they couldn't agree on a deal with the Cowboys. So now you're wondering what's going to happen.

And is he going to even show up to training camp? Is he going to play in week one? I don't know. This is a mini-camp holdout story that is more interesting than most because I think there's a chance here he's not on the roster week one. Whereas most of these, you just kind of assume it's all going to get worked out. And I think you have to recognize that there's a possibility that he gets traded between now and then. Because if he sticks to those words he said, I don't think he's going to be on the team.

I think he'll either back off of that or they'll trade him. I struggle to get emotionally invested in the situation because I do feel like he's going to be there. He's trying to make something happen, but do we think that he's willing to not play? Maybe that's true. Right, it's passing up, that would be passing up a lot of money. It's a different situation, and I'll just throw this into the news, why not. Another mini camp holdout, Khalil Mack is reported today that he's not going to show up. And I think that one, he's got enough leverage.

That's the one I expect if I had to. pick one to last deep maybe into training camp, and that's going to be something we'll get sick of talking about, is the Khalil Mack. But he's got a lot more leverage, I think, than Earl Thomas does with Seattle, because as great as he is, I think they've kind of drawn their line in the sand and said, sorry, we're not going to, we're not going to pay you. So the Seahawks just don't want him on the team next year? Is that what we're saying? They don't want to be a part of their future? I don't know. It's a little surprising, and it's just kind of part of the MO right now. There was also a tweet over the weekend from camp chancellor people started reading into it's like this whole seahawks

overhaul has been such a big story this off season and it's not necessarily over we haven't found out the final word on chancellor and earl thomas is going to just be hanging out there uh in other news the dallas cowboys have locked up one of their most important players right guard zach martin signs a six year extension through 2024 this from rap sheet it makes martin the highest paid guard with the largest guarantee at his position in the history of the NFL passing Andrew Norwell. 27 years old, Martin, widely considered one of the best, if not the best interior alignment in football.

Guy is rock solid. He never misses a game. He's everything you could have asked for with a first round pick, which he was in 2014, and he's in Dallas for the long haul. Greg Rosenthal. Yeah, he's a guy watching all or nothing that you realize is such an important part of that team

and everyone around that team says that. It's amazing. Ross Tucker pointed this out on Twitter. He was a left tackle in college. And then he just decided to, they had him switch at the pro level, and now he's just the best player at his position. Basically, since the moment he entered the league.

There are no, like, Anthony Munoz, Walter Jones level tackles in the NFL right now. This guy might be the best offensive linemen, period, in the NFL. I mean, Tyron Smith, if he's healthy and right, but it's been maybe a year and a half since that's actually happened. To me is at that level. So the fact that you have two of those guys on the same team in a great center. And by the way, also, yeah, one of the best centers in the league.

Right, and a great center too is it's pretty amazing. It's amazing that like the leverage, I guess, of minicamp was enough to get this done because he had been skipping work all offseason as well and was expected to miss mandatory minicamp, but they got them in time. Moving on some bad news out of Houston, safety, Andre Hall, has been diagnosed with Hotskin lymphoma. The team announced on Friday. He is currently discussing treatment options

and a very difficult situation for, obviously, the Texans and Hall. He's been a mainstay in Houston on their defense. He's appeared in 61 games, 38 starts over the past four seasons, and this is the same Texans team that last year went through a similar situation with offensive lineman David Quisenberry, who battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma for four years, four years. So last week we learned about the cancer diagnosis of Giants' GM Dave Gettelman and now Andre Hall-West.

It just goes on and on and on. Yeah, Chief Safety Eric Berry ended up missing about a year when he had, I believe he had a Hodgkin lymphoma, but he had cancer and he was out about a year. So maybe How can come back next year. They did go out and sign Honeybadger, and they drafted Eric Reed's brother, Justin Reed, to play safety. So they have some depth there.

It makes you wonder, though, if they would think about signing Eric Reed. He's out there. Kenny Vakari's out there, too. I mean, I saw this news and you feel, you know, just terrible for Andre Howl's in the middle of a really good career, kind of worked his way up, the hard way is really respected there as a solid starter. And in my mind also turned to the Texans because that's a thin position. I know they did have a draft pick there, but there's these good safeties out.

Trey Boston, Vaccaro, Eric Reed. Maybe you have the Reed brothers. And our thoughts obviously go out to Andre. That's tough. But he had a very inspirational Twitter message, which sounded like he was ready to take this thing on. In other news, Rob Grunkowski this weekend, it popped up trade rumors surrounding the all-pro Patriots tight end.

of course, Grunkowski, you know, squabbling over money with the Patriots. And Gronk actually spoke on these rumors at a youth event this weekend, calling anything connected to Gronkowski and trade talk as, quote, fake news. Fake news. The trade, by the way, the report, where did it come from? The original report that kind of picked up. Was it Adam Kirchon? Well, it started from the same Reddit guy who basically was a day ahead of the Julian Edelman suspension.

And then he put something out there that like, ooh, there's Buzz building for another huge Patriot story. Didn't say what it was exactly. And then people just, I got texts from multiple Patriots fans. It was like, is Gron getting traded today? And this is before this freelance writer even put anything out there. Oh, look at you. I wasn't from freelance in there. I wasn't familiar with them,

but I did see that the Patriots released a strong statement saying it's totally false and that all the best reporters that cover the Patriots, and there are a million of them, didn't report anything. And a few of them said it's absolutely not true. And by the way, Gronk and Belichick were talking at Belmont on Saturday. It was like Belichick was just hanging around. Let me. Park Friday afternoon.

It didn't seem like any of it really made a lot of stuff. Let me share what the reporting was from Kirchen from multiple sources. here's what I have regarding the Gronk trade rumors told Belichick wanted to trade him. Offers on the table with both the Titans and 49ers. Imagine Gronk and Jimmy G. by the bay. He and Robert Kraft had a closed-door meeting to discuss. This is highly detailed, by the way, for a baseless report. Tom Brady threatened to retire if the deal went through and then Kraft nixed it.

Following up off that was a statement from Stacey James who runs Pat's PR. I would say with the utmost confidence that none of that is true. None of it. But they also denied everything that Wickersham reported a few months back. Not as hard. In fact, there was a pretty big difference. In fact, I sort of read into their handling of the Wickersham story as they were admitting certain parts of it.

It was a little different. This, they came out as strong as humanly possible to say it was. Well, that's not true. They could have physically injured the reporter. They're like as strong. The part that made me realize it was almost certainly nonsense is some other guy who runs like a Pat site said, oh, that's all the, this is the exact same information I've heard too. And so like the exact same rumor has gotten into two people who aren't necessarily as experienced as reporters.

And that's, they've heard the exact same thing. I believe that they heard the exact same thing. But like I think this Patriots off season is taking a life of its own. People are. Right. I haven't seen anything quite like this. People are so eager and so sick of the Pats to be over. And I get that, that just now things are just popping up out of just because people want it to happen.

We were trying to decide whether to write this story or not. And we checked him with Mike Garifolo, who basically said, stop bothering me with fake stories. There's nothing to this. When they come out that strong against it, I tend to do. Well, how about this? I choose to believe it. I mean, doesn't make me right. Doesn't make you right.

It's fun. I like it. I'm enjoying it. And, you know, Jimmy G and Gronk by the bay. He was having a great, you know, minicamp last week. Rob Gronkowski. Trash talking. Greg, I, bad podcast hosting by me.

But I want to talk about this columnist for the Detroit Free Press, Carlos Monterres, who had some hot saucy takes on the Lions and Matt Patricia. I know you threw it out there something to talk about. Why is it bad podcast? Because I didn't read him. didn't read it. Oh. If you could set it up and Wes and I will...

I read it, have hot takes. Wes read it, but he said he only made it through about three paragraphs. No, that was a different one. That was the lines. The Lions are going to the Super Bowl article. I think the lead of it really gets to the heart of the matter. And the lead is from Carlos Monterez. Matt Patricia is in danger of losing his players.

That was my main observation from three days of minicamp this week. The Detroit Lions... The Detroit Lions rookie coach want things his way, done his way, and his way means running as punishment. Lots and lots of running. And then you went on from there, and you were expecting, okay, where is he going with this?

And there was nothing more. All he had was that Patricia has them run laps and sprint sometimes as punishment. And that was it. That was it. And he had one quote from a young player who said that they were all grown-ups, but he later had to clarify because the player said, all we were talking about was that I'm a rookie and these guys all know everything.

We weren't talking about the running at all. And so it was a hot take extraordinaire right there. Patricia's tactics smacked of amateurism. And even though it was generally downplayed as an innocuous slap on the wrist, I can guarantee you most players don't care for it. Is it unique to have players run at the NFL level? Like I definitely thought like the Patriots must hate it

because they have this little hill that they always talk about. They run it up and down the hill. He's losing his players This guy needs to find a new line of work Because column writing is not in his future This is one of the worst columns I've ever read It's totally brain dead But it's also boring

It doesn't suck you in Like usually a columnist tries to go for a controversial take That's spicy There's nothing spicy about this It's just boring I think our boy here should reach out to Adam Kirkchin You want to report a fire bomb You better soft it up

Yeah go strong Yeah, Monterez, I think you might have to go, you know, maybe you can become an interior design writer or something because I don't think sports columnist is in your future. So you're saying keep them in the newspaper industry to move to a different department? Ostensibly, he's a writer, just not a columnist. He's worked his way up.

Yeah, it's a columnist. That's a big spot. He should work his way back down. I mean, he said he was mostly worried for the roster bubble players that this extra running that they're doing. That's taking up reps that those roster bubble players could be getting on the floor. Too much running.

Fair point. The roster bubble players are used to, he said, being berated by their position coaches, not being forced to run, as if that's better. And I don't like this grown man. Like, these are grown men. Like, you got, it's conditioning to play football. And oh, by the way, it's the same sport where coaches like make 15 speeches to them

every single day teaching them, or treating them like children, whether it's the middle of June, July, September, or anything. All right. Let me just also say that I also agree and believe. even the reporting here in the analysis. I believe that people were running. I think Patricia is in danger of losing this team.

So what's his name again? Carlos Monterres. Hashtag I stand with Monterres. Hashtag I stand with Carrex. He did take it another step. He said he did admit the running on its own won't lose the players for Patricia. But you have to assume if he's using these tactics in front of reporters, he could be using other tactics privately.

that are equally distasteful to players. It's like painting them? This article is so laughably bad. I would have cut that graph, even though I'm standing with Monteros. I would have cut that way. You're buying what a lot of people are selling to it. I'm riding the Monteraz.

All right, Ben. Finally in the news, oh, a trope alert. You know what it is. It's Troop alert time. Trooperat. Trooperat. This one's a doozy. Tropicant.

Seekiel Elliott. entering his third year in the NFL. We're at a time of transition on some level with the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Witten, Des Bryant, no longer there. Someone's got to step up and be a vocal presence in that locker room. Maybe it's going to be Zeke. This according to Gary Brown running back's coach of Cowboys, Elliot's been much more vocal.

It's good for him. He's in his third year coming out of here being a more vocal leader, not just the leader by what he does on the football field. I think that's really good for him and really good for our football team. That's a big one, Greg. That's a biggie. This is one of the top trope alerts.

It's a third year. I know I've said that a few times, but I'm serious. Third year star. It's always like a third year player and a couple veterans have just left the team. And it doesn't necessarily need to be a third year, but it could be fourth, fifth, whatever.

But it's like now he hasn't been really the talking type of four, but he's going to step it up, start talking. Because it could even be like an eight, nine-year-old. Sure. on your veteran, and then they just need somebody to be like, oh, yeah, he makes sense. He's vocal now. It's like veterans left, someone's got to talk.

Can you, it's hard to find a less verifiable or less meaningful statement from a position coach than this one. It's not, how can you even verify if he's really being more vocal? Right. He'd see, like the running back coach caught him in a couple of conversations with other players. Is that what it happened? And you've, you've, you've watched all or nothing, Dan. Did Zeke strike you as a, he didn't seem like he would be the first guy that would,

and they have plenty of vocal leaders. I don't know if they need another, but it didn't seem like. Sometimes I wondered while watching all or nothing whether Zeke had sun poisoning. Put it that way. Not the most vocal guy, not the, never really seemed to be wildly engaged. That was last year. With his surroundings. Well, that's true.

Well, that's the thing. Yeah, there was a lot going on with Zeke last year. Obviously, that was on his mind. And so I gave him a little bit of, I gave him a pass for that. But it often seemed like whenever the running backs coach was speaking to him, that he wasn't particularly paying attention. Yeah, Gary Brown was the coach last year as well. And I just seemed kind of in his own planet,

which happens with 23-year-olds that are incredibly good at what they're doing. I have two more episodes to go. But in the first five or six episodes, I have not heard Zeke Elliott respond to anything Gary Brown said to him with more than a shrug or an inaudible groan or a one-word answer. Right. Gary, Gary will go like two minutes trying to make this big point and then kind of ask Zeke, All right.

What do you think? He'd be like, all right. The position he plays, I don't think there's a whole lot of learning he has to do. But I do like Gary Brown on all or nothing. He comes out. He's great. And I also believe him here, too, as well. So I'm also going to get in on this.

That Zeke is going to be a fireball. Remember how Des would go mad on the sideline? That's going to be Zeke in 2018 for the Cowboys. That's what's happening in the news. Okay. This is actually, this is where this is why we get paid the big bucks. because who else in June, on June 11th. Christ sake, doing a football podcast on June 11th.

That's where we're at right now. And you know what? We're not going to take a, you know, like a Matt Patricia penalty lap and just jog easily around the perimeter. We're going to dive in hard and go into the superstar club. And we are going to bring people into the superstar club. But more importantly, and a much more difficulty scale, like when you look at it, like how hard it is,

we're going to have to take some people out of the superstar club. Think about that, because this is a zero-sum game. So if you look at the NFL as the superstars of the NFL is like a club, a nightclub, we have to be the bouncers at the door with a clicker in the hand. One gets in, somebody's got to go. It's a zero-sum game. Look, we have capacity. It's not easy.

I mean, imagine being an NFL great and being told by the likes of me. to get out of the club. What are they going to do? Well, they got to go. I mean, what am I going to do if they really don't need? I don't have to go home. I don't have many options. You just can't stay here.

And that's the truth of it. So let's go around the room a couple times here, Wes. And this is hard work. This is difficult work. This is humbling. And also very exciting for the gentlemen that are joining the most exclusive of all clubs. For active NFL players, the superstar club. take it away well i'm going wide receiver here and i actually thought about doing amari cooper is this

year's todd girly changing coaching staff the talent is obvious like even when he's slumping you can tell that he's talented and he could do it john gruden has said he's going to be the centerpiece of the new offense and then i see a tweet from marcus grant says he saw a picture of amari cooper who is definitely not in the best shape of his life right now little chunky so i had to go away from Amari Cooper. Wow. Michael Thomas. Wow, Fantasy Live's own, Marcus Grant.

Marcus Grant, big pop. Yeah. So we're going with the receiver who I think is better than Amari Cooper anyway. Michael Thomas of the Saints. Oh, yeah. Only two wide receivers, Jarvis Landry and Larry Fitzgerald, have more receptions than Michael Thomas last year. And those two guys play on the inside and the slot where it's just really short passes,

quick passes. Michael Thomas is out running like an intricate route tree on the outside, getting open. already Drew Breeze is number one receiver. And I think this guy is ready to jump into that like top six or seven wide receivers in the NFL Superstar Club. I couldn't agree more. And he's in such a great spot for it. Even though they haven't always had that number one receiver that puts up monster numbers,

I think Michael Thomas, he's already started to change that. And it's only going to continue. And one impression I got having covered a couple of the Saints games last year is that he has the respect I think of his teammates in his locker room as like the baddest guy in there as like one of the if not the hardest workers yeah as like a young guy who works outworks just about anyone and has has the body to prove it because that dude is a specimen uh and just again make it clear before west tells us who's got to go now uh michael thomas what west is saying was entering this time last year michael thomas would not have been a superstar club guy

No. It's now that he makes that jump. And it goes the same the other way. Somebody that the football cognizanti may have viewed as a superstar last summer, now things have changed. Who is no longer a superstar? Yeah, I think the route is impressive rookie season, then breakout candidate, then Superstar Club.

Gotcha. There's a route you have to go here. I don't want to, this is hard because it's one of my favorite players. One of my favorite players in NFL history. Oh, no. When he was entering his third season, he was a lot like Michael Thomas. Okay. Worked his butt off.

The hardest working guy in the locker room, respected. Probably one of the most respected players in NFL history, Larry Fitzgerald. Wow. Wow. Which is, by the way, just for the historians of the Superstar Club, the old Zeus are booted him out in 2015. And he responded with three straight 110. He didn't take kindly to that. He had three down years basically in a row.

Well, Larry did. He politely declined and he stayed in the club. But we're going to be a little bit more strict and forceful this time for Larry. Why, Wes? The numbers are there, but it's, I'm not going to say it's not because he's not good anymore. He's got great hands. He goes all out, it seems, on every target to catch the ball. But he's going to have a new quarterback.

He's averaged 10 yards per reception over the last two years, which is a really low figure. He's not making that many big plays. And whereas he used to be a red zone monster, the last time he had double-digit touchdowns was a half decade ago. So to me, Larry Fitzgerald is not the player he used to be. And he's still a good receiver. He still deserves everyone to respect,

but he's not a superstar anymore. Not a superstar. Which, and everyone should know, that does not mean he's no longer a useful player. No, he's a great player. He's a great player who maybe because of the situation, the numbers are a little bit inflated because they need him.

And that's what Larry Fitzgerald steps up and he takes care of it. But if he was in a perfect team, maybe he's more of a role player, a really good role player. Counterpoint to that is like you could, you know, if a team needs you and you answer the bell. Yeah.

But I know what you're saying, and I agree with you. All right, Larry. There you go. So in Michael Thomas out Larry Fitzgerald. I'm going to stick with wide receivers because I think... Wow, we got a lot of wide receivers here. Yeah, because I think this must be a time of turnover at the position in the club and I'm going to I'm going to stick with the same team actually and

and I'm going to go with Devante Adams it's time I think it's time for Devante I think everything is pointing in that direction and of course with the wide receiver so much is tied to the quarterback staying healthy and how good the quarterback is well you got the best quarterback ever arguably top three top five guy and Aaron Rogers is healthy hopefully he stays healthy and he's the number one guy and why is he the number one guy why is it there no question because the guy I got to say goodbye to

Jordy Nelson he's leaving the Super Star Club not only did he leave the Packers not by his own choice I think he's going to a place in Oakland where it's going to be difficult for a 33 year old guy who showed signs of decline last season

at least when Rogers was out of the lineup and now he's going to a new offense a team in Oakland that's in flux a little bit You don't know if he'll be able to find a role. Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn't. Can he still be a very useful player? Yes, absolutely, just like Larry Fitzgerald.

I don't think anymore he, I don't think he's going to strike fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators anymore. Devante Adams, I believe, can be that guy. And if everything goes right in Green Bay, which I feel like is a qualifier that happens a little too much in the offseason with the Packers, I do think Adams can be a guy that leads the league in yards that can score 10, 12, 14 touchdowns. be a yak monster. I think he is a stud.

Two things about Devante Adams that are impressive to me. He leads the NFL and touchdown catches over the last two seasons. He's already that red zone guy. Also a great route runner, but I think we saw last year when Rogers went down

and Brett Hunley came in and was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league, Devante Adams was still producing every week. That's impressive. And with Hunley, it was about as impressive as it possibly could have been. I mean, he was really the one guy. And I couldn't agree more, Dan, to the point that,

you know, I need to come up with the backup. Oh, sorry about that. Because that I was going to put Devante Adams in as well. I bang you there. No, it's good. It's good. It shows that he deserves to enter and we're projecting a little bit. But part of it was I went back and watched some of the early season games with Aaron Rogers last year. And the timing that he has with Rogers, that Adams has with Rogers is awesome. So you have not just unbelievable route running where he can get open, you know, off of the line of scrimmage, but oftentimes when he's not open and Rogers knows exactly where he's going to be, knows exactly what he's going to do, and he just looks nice out there.

And I don't like the rest of the receiver group that much overall, but I think that's just going to play in the superstar club's favor. I think you could see a 1500, 600-yard type of season out of it. I think Randall Cobb seems to be the number two there. Which in 2018, does that light up my Christmas tree? Not in a huge way anymore, but all the more reason for more targets. Yeah, I'm spinning because I was going to, it's funny, you kicked out an old Packer. I was going to kick out a new Packer, Jimmy Graham, out of the club.

But I guess I can't even do it. Also booted in 2015, by the way. Really? Yes. I feel like the opposite. Jimmy Graham's getting double-digit TDs with Aaron Rogers throwing to him. So what Jared Cook did in that offense. Greg and I disagree.

I think Jimmy Graham still got a lot. a lot left in a tank, and Greg thinks he basically doesn't move well anymore. All right, so you're kicking out Jimmy Graham. Do you want to start there? Well, no, because I'm scrambling with this Devante Adams thing. I'm going to go to the other side of the. I don't have it. I didn't come up with the same. Okay, go ahead. I'm going to go to the other side of the ball. And I'm going to put in a guy. You mentioned kind of West that the progression of great rookie year, breakout second year. Now he's into the club. And what this NFL needs, I believe, right now with some of the more boisterous entertaining cornerbacks who love to talk about

they're the best player in the league kind of you know a little bit on the decline here and saying goodbye we need another one to come in and jalen ramsie is that guy and i think he's his level of play has established himself almost even as a rookie you could have put him in early but you had to make sure see what was going on and i think we saw it a year ago from jalen ramsie and the thing i like that he belongs in the superstar club is like, he's not going to be some wallflower, just like, uh,

have a couple, buy a couple drinks and sit on the side of the club or whatever. It's like, no, people are going to know Jalen Ramsey is in there. Oh, yeah. He's going to carry himself like he's been there the whole time.

He's going to have a booth. Right, exactly. Velvet robes. People are sitting there. My counterpoint would be he carries himself that way because he already has been a superstar. That's what I agree.

I agree, but this is, it's partly, it's a little bit perception. Yeah. It's a little bit just, uh, national attention and everything.

And coming off of that rookie year, hey, we're tough bouncers. You know, even though maybe his play deserved it, he wasn't as, you had to see him do it again. How about this? The last thing that Jaguars need is another superstar on defense. And I think Jalen Ramsey already is that guy. But I thought about Miles Jack for this. Wow. That he was so impressive during the playoffs last year.

That's a big step, though. He was so impressive last year. And there aren't many guys. So we've got this guy like Rob Kronkowski. We've got these tight ends who are basically unguardable by one player because that's the evolution of the position. But linebacker has not grown. It has not evolved to the point where one guy can tackle or hang with Gruncowski in coverage.

I think Miles Jack has the best chance of becoming that. Wow. You remember, Miles Jack won the AFC championship game for the Jaguars before the NFL stepped in and took away that fumble. Wasn't even on the field every snap for much of last year. So I think you've got to take that. step but he he was taking it at the end of it yeah puslesi's gone i think he's going to be an every down player and i think he was tremendous in coverage last year so you know how it's it's one guy in one guy out right zero-sum game i'm doing something a little different go ahead do it

position two guys in two guys out at the cornerback position i'm just freewheeling now do it you scrambled me with devonti adams ramsamses going in and so is marshawn ladamore they're just going to go in together because we realize you know we wanted to wait a year extra with ramsi a year ago no We're not going to do that with Latimore. That's how good he was. He's a great follow on Twitter. Also has a lot of a lot of swagger. And then while you're really big on guys with swallowing with swag into the club.

It's the only show of the year, but that's important to me. I get it. So those two guys are going in because Latimore is at that level and just had a season I haven't seen. And then at the exact same time, we're kicking out two Seahawks, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. Sorry. No longer a Seahawks Sherman, but the Legion. and boom actually they're asked to leave together it's a tough assignment sherman makes a lot of sense to me uh 30 wrong side of 30 coming off an achilles injury two achilles injuries in fact right including one

where it was a full on repair and was still a good player but not quite at the level so i think he he probably expected that thomas is like wait you're talking to me i mean he is not expecting that yeah he just ordered a drink he's at the bar he's like he's mingling and he's getting a tap on the Earl Thomas has had some incredible moments in the last two seasons. I don't think Earl Thomas has been quite at the crazy level. Now, we're talking a crazy level, like first ballot Hall of Fame level. So it's tough to stay at that level. But I don't think he's been quite the same player the last couple of years.

And I think that's part of the factor of why the Seahawks are anxious about giving him that contract. And he hasn't been healthy. Are you enjoying as much as me, the idea of Earl Thomas, getting tapped on the shoulder in this club and turning around, and it's Greg telling him. Hey, look, I don't make the rules. I think Greg would get punched. Yeah.

Can I throw somebody out there? I'd be in trouble. Can I make a, not a plea, because I'm not that invested in it all times. But this is also controversial, okay? And also a little bit more even Stephen because it's a guy that's a corner, but he's kind of a hybrid.

What I'm going to tell Honey Badger? He's got to step out. I didn't know. the club i like honey badger i'm not telling him anything i think honey badger absolutely was in the club at some point i think that's true that's true the club is a better more fun place with honey i i agree i love the man but that's not what this is about well but you know what bouncer sometimes zero some game it's true i thought you were going to go josh norman there i i i i bouncer sometimes they play favorites well it's not all fair it's not all fair in the club yeah and uh he's just one of

my favorites and I who's better at this stage honey badger Earl Thomas why don't we start Earl Thomas well we had the whole you know Legion of Boom thing you really I know but even Sherman's not there either so it's a good story this is some good work on your part really holding Greg's feet to the fire on this I'm just gonna Earl Thomas is out I'm sticking with it I mean Earl's gonna just wow he's gonna destroy me I expect I feel like he's gonna hear about this and you might get a tweet this is possible well don't do it though Now you just get stitches. Do not tweeted Earl Thomas saying Greg kicked him out.

That's not what I was trying to do there. But if it happens, it happens. Wes, you got another one? Yeah. And, you know, as much as Greg might be not looking forward to facing down Earl Thomas, I'm not looking forward to telling Terrell Suggs he's out of the club. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, that's tough.

I mean, the club is a little bit of a better place, though. Yeah. Well, I'm doing it for Mark. Yeah. He's won at Terrell Suggs. He's out of the club for a decade now. Although I think he's earned his spot, really, and he's still a solid player,

but I think it makes sense what you're doing. He's going to turn 36 this year. So Liles Jack is in and Suggs is out. I'm going to, I was throwing Miles Jack into that conversation, but I'm going to go with a rookie, actually. Immediate smashing success, Roe Kwan Smith. You're just putting a rookie into the Superstar Club. It's never been done before.

I put Adrian Peterson into the Super Super Star Club before he ever played it down in the NFL. I invented the Superstar Club like three years ago. Well, I didn't call it the Superstar Club, but, you know, sometimes you know a rookie's going to be great. Okay. And regular Draftick over here. Let me just get the. Has been diving deep into the.

All right. So Miles Jack was just, you were kind of throwing them out there. But your actual formal application, Roquant Smith, the Bears rookie in and you're sending out Terrell Suggs T. Zizzle, T.Sizzle, Ball So Hard University. Yes. Wow. Yeah. I think that the bears are basically linebacker U of the NFL. They had a long history of middle and inside linebackers who are Hall of Famers.

Dick Buccas, Bill George, Mike Singletary, Roquan Smith, Brian Urlocker. This is meant to be. And I think, you know, you see quotes like Eric DeCosta, the Ravens assistant GM, talking about the Ravens plans. And, you know, they say if somebody like Roquan Smith slips to you, you have to take him because he's basically a can't miss guy. He's an instant success, and I think that's what's going to happen. And for one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, Vic Fanchio.

McFanjillo. Let me. It's a little risky here. I'm going to. I mean, because he could be very good right away. Wait, are you going to bounce to bounce? But he could be like CJ Mosley good. You know, he could just be like a really good player, not quite a superstar.

I'm not afraid. Let me throw something out there because I had a rookie in mind as well. Wes has stared down death, so he's not going to be afraid of Threll sucks. Now, I'm still going to be. afraid of Terrell Sox. Yeah, a defender, him coming through and immediately being a superstar, even JJ Wack couldn't even pull that off. Sometimes it takes a year or two.

Kikley did it, I would say. Okay, it happens. And you're saying he's one of those guys. One position, though, if there's one position, then you guys are scientists, so I think you're going to guess this. There's one marquee position in the NFL where you can come out of college and even have your best year ever in year one. What is it?

Running back. Running back. I'm going to get on the Seekwan Barkley train again, and I'm going to get on the Saquan Barkley train again and I'm going to say he is going to be a guy that comes into the league now it's okay to put a rookie in well I just said I was the one position okay there's one position where you could say because you could have your best year as a rookie more often than I think any other position that's true Barclay hits the ground running he's a superstar he changes the giant's fortunes uh uh and I got it I got to kick somebody out uh and this is probably unfair

because this guy I think he's a hall of fame already if not if not he's right on the doorstep maybe just needs even one more year uh but he's also heading on the wrong side of 30 and he's going to be surrounded by a deeply inept offense uh 80 quarterback in transition offensive line issues Lashon McCoy I don't even feel great about doing this because McCoy didn't get it I know the bills made the playoffs and that was a great story I don't think McCoy got enough credit for that he did you know that Lashon McCoy was for exactly 33% of their entire offense last year alone in terms of yardage. He had another outstanding season.

But I guess I'm just banking on father time a little bit, you know, gradual decline, hashtag. And just he's with a loser. It's not a good setup for him. Hang on. We're being told LaShawn McCoy was already kicked out of the club a couple years ago because he kept telling the women what to wear. Oh, yeah. like telling women to meet up at like what was it it was like these like mystery location pickup points

yeah and then they were given outfits or costumes he was going to give them their outfit to wear that was a fun story he also wouldn't be a great tipper in the club no and we know that so maybe we don't want that around so anyway McCoy I also I did think you know is it fair he did point out by the way I'm looking at the story from 2015 when he showed up to training camp and they asked him about the female only party he did want to put it out there for the record there was No big orgy or anything. Oh, good, good, good. Well, it's good that he cleared that up.

No big orgy. Marshawn Lynch also, I think maybe it's kind of a cheat to say to move him out of the club, but could you? I would say if you guys had issues with Lashon McCoy and Marshall, who'd be better in a club than Marshall Lynch? He's a superstar. I don't know if he's playing at that level, but then you know what? He's a big name.

You could take either amount, in my opinion. You know what? I'll do a double two. Sequin and Alvin Kamara, and I'm going to move out. Shady and Beast Mode. Lynch's jersey can hang on the wall of the Superstar Club, but he's no longer welcome. I'm not sure what I feel or how I feel about this Sequod's nickname.

It's terrible. That's been catching on. Very impressive leg muscles. So I guess some teammates and some fans have called it, but he showed up to a celebrity softball game this weekend, Landon Collins' celebrity softball game, and he put on the back of the shirt, say quads. So he's basically, he's now saying that's my nickname.

You know why? He's pulling a Kobe? Well, I think some people did call him that. So he didn't make it up out of thin air. But once he heard it, he likes it. He's got to stick with it. You know, I support that because the one thing you don't want to ever have happened to you, you don't want to get muscle hamstered.

And if you don't get behind a nickname and somebody hit you with the nickname that just sticks, like it happened to Doug Mark. I made up 60% G for myself and put it on the back of my softball. There you go. And it's stuck. Let me ask you a question. Do you think it's possible for a running back thighs to get too big? I don't know.

Bo Jackson, I think, had the biggest thighs ever, and he was... Earl Campbell? Dynamo. My guess would be no, because the only time you ever notice him are in, like, great players. Maurice Jones Drew, I once interviewed in his second year in the league, and I've never seen legs like that.

He... Barclay reminds me of that, but, yeah, a younger Maurice Jones drew. But it wasn't too big. It was like a key to a success. Like you don't see fullbacks running the ball. They're not very flexible. Sounds like a trope next summer about Sequin.

Slimed down just a little bit and there's more agility and explosiveness than ever. I don't know. I could be making that up. It just feels like flexibility would be an issue. As someone who has like no muscles, you know, anywhere in my body, it's hard for me to really posit a guess here.

I wanted to throw one more thing out there, unless someone had won a heat seeker. They wanted to get out of chest. That was it. There is one issue I have with the Superstar Club in terms of making it work. Everything all checked out just now. But you absolutely, and we absolutely have to add Carson Wentz into the Superstar Club. Yeah, I feel like he was, I feel like he got added during last season.

Yeah, so he has to come in. And the only time I don't think the Superstar Club works is it's really hard to kick out a Superstar quarterback. For whatever reason, maybe it's just because of the glamour position that they play. but if I were to posit that to you gentlemen if you had to kick somebody out because it's not something like this is a fringe guy Carson Wentz is arguably a top three quarterback in the league right now top five at the very least

somebody's got to go this well I don't know who's in there like is Joe Flacco was he ever no no this hurt you know this this hurts because it's not his fault but I think Andrew Luck's got to go that's what I was thinking he can come back in if he if he regains that level. People don't know that. Just because you get asked to leave

doesn't mean you can't get invited again next year. End of the line, please. Yeah, I mean, they play a similar style of football, and right now you would have to say Carson Wentz is the better at playing it. I mean, Larry Fitzgerald got kicked out, and he just went around the back and stuck right back in. Right back in.

That's fair. And I don't see another, I don't even like the idea of kicking out luck because I really do like him, his prospects of the season, and I think that he will remain a quarterback that's a superstar, but I don't see anyone else that's an option

unless you want to get behind the Drew Reeves or is Derek Carr in the club? I don't think so. I don't think you ever made it. He's like, he and Stafford are vying for the right to be the next one through the door. I was thinking about that because something you had said, Greg,

that Stafford has kind of hit that level, but I cannot, in good conscience, kick somebody else out. No, I don't think Stafford's got to raise it up even another level to get to get in. Jimmy G. I might have to do it for a little bit longer. Yeah, he's got to show it, but he'll make room for somebody.

Tom Brady will go an extra because he's retiring. Zazel's just about done with this, and he's just about done. Some of these old guys got to step out of the way and let some new kids into the club. I almost tap Sean Lee on the shoulder. Look, we have capacity. Kicked him in, almost. Philip Rivers rarely shows up, but he's there. Yeah, he's a superstar?

He's a superstar. I don't know about that. Interesting. Why, do you want to kick out Phil Rivers instead of up? I didn't pick Phil Rivers was in the Super Bowl. I thought he was. I thought this room would have him in. Yeah, of course.

Not even making it twice. I've got to change the definition of Superstore and I'm putting Phil Rivers in. Oh, no, no, there you. He's got a bud heavy in the corner. He's having a good old night. Interesting. I don't think Rivers is in.

Interesting. Okay. There you go. There will be a written piece on NFL.com going up tomorrow, uh, Tuesday by the old Zeus or the, NFL Super Star Club. I might even include some of the offerings. The Rayquant Smith one, that's pretty bold, Wes.

I got to think about that one. What are the consequences if I'm wrong? None. Like everything we say in the off season. You know, the consequence? When we do this next year and we resurface the article, I'll be ridiculed. If he, like, doesn't play on third downs or something and has three sacks,

it won't look good. That's fair. But who cares? You can hold my feet to the fire at that point. Stakes aren't extreme. Or we'll completely forget about it. Also, that's what happened with this club for the last three years. We'll be back on Wednesday.

Connie Fox will be joining us, so that will be fun. And should we do it? Should we bring back the Wheel of Destiny? I love Wheel of Destiny. Yeah, let's do it. I'm going to have to listen to the show again to refresh my stuff. Lindsay, are you ready for the Wheel of Destiny? Definitely.

That feels like it's a very producer-heavy show. Like you're going to have to be at the top of your game. I always am. unlike LeBron in games 3 and 4. Well, he did have a broken hand from punching a blackboard because the refs stole the game from it. By the way, that's a bad job by Braun. I love LeBron more than anybody, but like you don't come out after game 4 and say, oh, yeah, I broke my hand because I was so angry because they stole game 1 from me.

Actually, I do know somebody. MJ wouldn't do that. I do know somebody in Cleveland that had that information after game 1 but was told not to report it by the team. Really? It's legit. Has there ever been a... Whoever this person is. Worst game one is falling out.

He's kicking himself. Well, yeah, and he's kind of a toady for the team. Dummy. He has an involvement with the team where he. Okay. It's a pretty extreme maneuver just to get a supporting cast. What, get swept? He got a supporting cast.

Oh. I liked it. Went over my head. Was that a Wes original or was that one of those? I saw it floating around the net. All right. We'll be back on Wednesday until then. This is Dan Hansis, signing off.

for the mailman, the old boss, laser, and Lindsay Fulton, behind the glass. Till Wednesday! This is an IHeart podcast.