OverDrive - Schlereth on the NFL free agency moves, Rodgers' forward direction and Garrett remaining with Cleveland

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

NFL on FOX Analyst and Host of Stinkin' Truth Podcast Mark Schlereth joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NFL, the major moves in the NFL Free Agency, Aaron Rodgers' progression points and the fit with the Steelers, Myles Garrett signing in Cleveland, the Rams' receiving group and more.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. We're joined now by former NFL player, Super Bowl winner, NFL on Fox Analyst, and host of the Stinking Truth podcast, Mark Schlereth. Mark, we've been talking about this this afternoon. I'm curious your thoughts on that. If Rodgers went to Pittsburgh and played with the Steelers, do you think it would be successful? Yeah, you know, it's interesting is, um,

you look at the last nine games of the season, Aaron, Aaron played exceptionally well. And yeah, I did a game late in the season, a Jets game late this season, it sat down one-on-one for about 45 minutes with Aaron and you know, not making excuses, but he had an ankle and a calf and a hamstring early in the season, and that really limited his ability to move around in the pocket and obviously the jets couldn't run. They were a bit of a mess, um, offensively and, you know, then they fire their head coach, so there were a lot of, um, extenuating circumstances within Aaron Rogers,

kind of what went on early in the season. But last, like I said, nine games of the season, the guy was exceptional. Um, I think he had 14, 15 touchdowns, like two interceptions or three, like he had really good stats and I called him in this game. I called this game and I watched him warm up with a bunch of 25 year olds and he threw the ball way better than anybody else on that football field. So the guy can still play, so do I think he would go to Pittsburgh? He told me point-blank for me to play again this year is going to have to be a perfect situation. I mean he has a lot of reverence for Mike Tomlin, he has a

reverence for the Pittsburgh Steelers as an organization. I would say that Minnesota would be the best landing spot based on the weapons they have and based on the offense that they play because Aaron played for Matt LaFleur, which comes off that, um, you know, that Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, uh, Kevin O'Connell like system. So like he's familiar with that offense, but I would think that Pittsburgh would intrigue him with the weapons that just signed DK McCaff. So I would think that that would be a good landing spot

for Aaron. If he ended up going to Minnie, who do you think would want to see him less in the division, the Packers or the Bears? Well, I mean, you know know obviously you look at Minnesota I don't think either of those teams would be really excited about playing them when they have you know Justin Jefferson and Addison and TJ Hoggison they just resigned Aaron Jones so that that offense is pretty complete and oh by the way I think that Aaron's an upgrade over Sam

Darnold like I know he is from an understanding standpoint and operating that offense Sam Darnold was in it in San Francisco you know as a backup and played last year with 14-3 during the regular season. So, but I still think Arrow would be a upgrade over that. So it would be, it would be interesting. Certainly, you know, certainly nobody would be excited about playing the Minnesota Vikings for sure. Yeah. Well, he's on the Bears though, right? And the Packers, like his history, the idea of them

having to face him twice, it'd be compelling. Go ahead, Jonas. I was going to ask you, Mark, like I'm curious what you think the dynamic would be between him and jj mccarthy is that the right quarterback to pair with mccarthy do you how do you think that would work yeah i think that i mean you look at j j mccarthy we don't know what he is i mean he was a guy

in the college game that didn't have a lot of snaps you know coming out of michigan and then he you know tears up his knee his knee and there was a report that he had another procedure in November on top of the one he had early, you know, in training camp. So, you know, I mean, ultimately, Aaron Rodgers, when I sit down and talk with quarterbacks, when I'm calling games for Fox, Aaron Rodgers is probably, he and Tom Brady, the two smartest guys I've ever sat down

and discussed football with. And Aaron, I had a conversation with Aaron, I was talking about the Jets and the pathetic running game that they had, and Aaron spent probably 25 minutes talking to me about the run game and the lack of understanding of what they're doing based on a coaching staff understanding with the Jets.

And it was a fascinating conversation. And then on Sunday I saw him on the field. He goes, that's the best run game conversation I've had in years. Like he loves that stuff. He loves the intricacy of football so I would think if you were smart if you were you know if I was JJ McCarthy I know I want to play but also to be able to pick the brain of a guy that has done it the level that Aaron Rodgers has done it for the number of years he's done it I would think that would be invaluable to me as I'm trying to groom myself into being a

legit NFL quarterback. We have Mark Schlereth, Super Bowl winner, NFL on Fox, analyst, host of the Stinkin' Truth podcast. A couple weeks ago, it sounded like Miles Garrett was done with Cleveland, wanted out, wanted to go somewhere where he could win. And then Cleveland, I guess, offered him more money than anyone's ever received. The history of the NFL playing his position. He said, all right, I can do that.

What do you make of this, you know, I guess his change of mind? Do you think this was a negotiation tactic the whole time? Why is Garrett deciding to stay in Cleveland? Yeah, a couple of weeks ago it was Friday, you know? Right, exactly. I told him it was Friday. Yeah.

Yeah, Friday, the report was that he requested a Sit down with the owner Jimmy has Jimmy has said no and then this weekend You know, they they have me apparently Jimmy has them said no because he's at the bank clearing funds You know, I believe I was foolish enough to believe That he didn't want to play in Cleveland anymore, that he wanted a chance to win a championship. But you know, I guess you have to weigh out championship or a 123 million guaranteed money. I'll take the money, please,

and hope that maybe they find a quarterback somewhere before I retire. So we will see. It does look like, you know, he said he didn't want to go from Cleveland to Canton, but that's exactly what it looks like it will happen. They were a playoff team a couple years ago with Baker Mayfield, so we'll see. Even last year, or the year before last, excuse me, with Joe Flacco. Maybe they're not as far off. Obviously, the quarterback situation has been an abject disaster since they signed to Sean Watson. So they've got to clean that up, but he certainly,

he certainly is an absolute freak show. I mean, I was at an event a couple, two years ago now, the old line, the mat, the mastermind's old line clinic and he's working out at the, in Dallas where we host that O-Line deal. And I'm going to tell you right now, dude was walking around without a shirt on and if I was put together like that I would never wear a shirt ever. I mean that dude is 295 at 6 foot whatever, 6 and chiseled a pea lot of ounce of body fat on the dude He's got like a six pack abs and he is just an absolute

freaking nature Mark, I'm curious which fit you like better Darnold in Seattle or Gino in Vegas It's interesting Gino is Gino is like Geno can flat spin it and Geno is a guy that I really have a lot of respect for how he turned his career around and his ability to play and so I love him reuniting with Pete Carroll because Pete Carroll just has so much belief in him. And I like some defensive pieces of the Raiders. Obviously Max Crosby is as good as he gets. But I still think there are ways of way in that division.

I think Seattle, a lot of people are concerned on DK Metcalf and we're moving on from Lockett and all those things like I think you look at them you know Mike McDonald wants to play stellar defense wants to run the ball wants to take some pressure off the quarterback position I think they're gonna be better than people think I probably like Sam Darnold to the Seattle Seahawks better than I like Gino to the Raiders but I don't hate either of the moves. Can you tell me what the Rams are doing here where they are going to they're

gonna cut Cooper Cupp, that's coming out of they can't if they can't make a trade work they're gonna cut them. But then they bring in Devonte Adams. I believe they're the same age. I know Cupp's been more injured recently, although Adams hasn't been exactly perfectly healthy either. But what is the reasoning for Cupp going and Adams coming in, in LA?

Well, I think you look at Cupp, he has been injured. And what they ask him to do, there's a ton of blocking involved in what they do, and their three wide receiver sets, he really plays tight end in those positions, motion, really heavily involved in the run game, but so is Puka Nakuha. And so I think they looked at those two receivers

and said they're essentially the same guy, but Puka is in year two and we're going to get more wear and tear out of him running that. Devontae Smith is a guy that can play X, he can play F, he can play Z, he plays every position across the board, can run the entirety of the route for The dude is big time, he's a big time player. He has not been asked to do the things that Cooper Cup has done in this league. So I think you look at it and say,

hey, he might be a year older than Cooper, or two years older than Cooper, but from a production standpoint, he's incredibly productive, he's incredibly versatile, we can run him on anything. And he hasn't been asked his whole career To be a battering ram to be essentially, you know a tight end in their 11 personnel So they really I think they really just looked at Cooper Cup and said hate diminishing returns body is beat up

He's still a really good player, but we've got that guy that can do those things and pukka de kua So we're gonna move on always Always great catching up with you Mark, we appreciate you doing this. My pleasure guys, take care. There's Mark Schleroth of the NFL on Fox. All new, all Canadian, the best of our great nation, one song at a time. This is Justin Bieber.

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