Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It: Is Tyson Bagent really one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the NFL?

Episode Date: February 25, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment.

I got five. It's time for five on it. Rahimi Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3, the score. I got five on it. Number one. Leacher reports Instagram account posted one trade they would like to see from every team in the NFL.

The potential transactions included. The Bears acquiring Cardinals Safety Buda Baker for a 2026 third round pick and a 2027 fourth round pick. The Raiders requiring DJ Moore for a fourth round pick and the Panthers. I think the Panthers acquiring Colcomette for a fifth round pick. So Layla, Marshall, would you be okay with any of these traits? I wouldn't be okay with all of the traits. I would be okay with some of the traits. I don't think a fourth round pick is enough for DJ Moore,

even though his salary is high. No. I don't think a fifth round pick is enough for Cole Commet. So I guess it's, uh. I like Buda Baker. So I pick a third round pick. is okay. Now a third and a fourth the next year, and you know how I feel about the Bears in the third round? I hope they avoid it like the plague because it hasn't gone well for them. And I know

that that strategy is not going to work this time around because they need to use those draft picks. But the third round in the Bears has not been great, especially under the Ryan Poles era. So I just, I like Buda Baker. That's really what this comes down to. I think he's still one of the better safeties in the league. His knowledge and game is, is, is, up there to me, like top-notch. I just, he can still affect the game by himself. So, yes, the one with Buda Baker is the one I vote for. Okay, okay.

Question on the Buda-Baker trade. Yes. So he's owed $30 million over the next two years. Are you extending him at eight, going into his age-30 season? Because here's my ultimate question. Is the 14 million more than you would have to pay for Kevin Byard? It probably is, but I like Buda-Baker. So my bias is playing in here.

Okay. Yeah, I'm probably, obviously, I have to reshuffle his contract. I don't think I would do any of these deals. Reshuffle the deck. I don't think I would do any of these deals. Buda Baker, congratulations. You're getting paid into your age 39 season. But probably 36.

And I know that sounds crazy, but it's Buda Baker. I think a third round pick and a fourth round pick is too much for Buda Baker. I think a fourth round pick is not enough for DJ Moore. And I think a fifth round pick is not enough for Colquette, given where they are with what they do out of two tight-in and sometimes three tight-in personnel. I know, I'm just going to be a flat no on these trades. Maybe I'm being, maybe I'm overvaluing my players. Maybe I'm pulling an AK right now and not doing the deals and getting rid of guys when they can be gotten rid of.

But these guys, all three of them would be formidable forces, or excuse me, all two of them would be formidable forces for Ben Johnson's offense next year. You can't convince me otherwise. No, that's why fourth round and fifth round, like slide them up and then maybe we're talking. Like slide those picks up around. That's what I'm saying. Number two. During his NFL scouting combine press conference Tuesday, Bears coach Ben Johnson praised backup quarterback Tyson Bayesian. I do think there's a lot of merit to having a strong number two quarterback, which he certainly fits that bill on.

I'm of the mind that he's probably one of the best 32 in the NFL. his preseason tape over the last few years has probably confirmed that in my opinion. Later that day, Johnson joined Fox 32's Cassie Carlson and said this about Bejant. I kind of joke about it. I've dusted off the same game plans in the preseason every year that I've been a play caller. And this is probably the first year with him at the helm that we actually had a quarterback complete over 60% of his balls. And I think he was close to 70% completion, five touchdowns, win, and so,

I mean, that's just a credit to him. He really took to the offense really quickly, and he's such a quick study. I can't say enough good things about him. That's Ben Johnson with Fox 32's Cassie Carlson. Are you buying what Johnson is selling about Bejant being one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the NFL? I actually am. What? Yeah.

I love Tyson. I don't love him as much as Ben does, I don't think, because did you hear even the tone of voice, It's like he's his son. He's a proud dad. This is my large adult son, Tyson Bayesian, whose father we all know. That's the funniest part. I think here's where this got really tricky. Let's let you into the media process, shall we?

Essentially what Ben Johnson is saying when he says that he thinks Tyson Bejadjeant is one of the best 32 quarterbacks is that he should start. for an NFL team. So then we're like, oh, but that's, yes, that's the point.

So I said like, oh, that's interesting that basically Ben Johnson thinks that Tyson Bayesian should be a starting quarterback. I said a starting quarterback. I did not say

the Bears starting quarterback. And we don't do that here at Rahimi Harris and Grotie. We're not trying to clickbait you. Not like that. That's crazy. Because we know what would happen. Insanity would occur.

And it, it's not worth it. We don't even get clicks. You cannot physically click on our show. It doesn't really work that way. You can click on our videos and stuff, but we don't really get paid for those. So the way I see it, we had to come at you with the truth. But do I think that to a man, maybe because some guys are too young, you know, to have the playbook knowledge or at least the completion percentage, they're younger? Do I think that is he one of the top 32? I think that that's, fair. I think that there's probably an NFL team that thinks

he should be starting for them as some sort of insurance policy or at least like a bridge quarterback until they get to a draft that they may like better than this one. Is bridge quarterback a term? Did I just make that up? I mean, it can be. You said it and it made sense contextually. Here's what I'm going to start with.

I'm going to start naming backup quarterbacks from 2025. Malik Willis. You tell me if he's better than these guys. Tell me. Malik Willis is behind Jordan Love. He doesn't count of this. Maybe he's one of the 30s.

Okay, so that's why I'm not even talking about starting quarterbacks right now. I'm just going straight to backups, okay? Okay. Okay, so we'll start with Malik Willis since that's where you went. No, he's not better than Malik Willis. There's no evidence to say this guy is better. Malik Willis is pretty good. Kirk Cousins. No, he's not better than Kirk Cousins.

I don't know. Is he better than old Achilles, Kirk Cousins? Kirk Cousins had the Falcons making a charge to force teams out of the playoffs at the end of the season. I can't deny you that because I also thought that they were playing better. However, they had Bejohn Robinson. Okay, is he better than Russell Wilson? Russell Wilson grew for 450 yards in a game last year. Thank you.

So that's already three. But it's the age factor too for those two. But what we're saying is he just called him one of the best 32. I don't think he's one of the best 32. Marcus Marriota? It's not better than Marcus Marriota. All right, your bear's bias is coming through. What has he done?

No, the completion percentage counts in this. But to your question, Marshall, what has Tyson Bayesian done? Oh, man, I can't believe I'm actually saying this. Also has me wondering what, like, he hasn't had the chance. Okay, but his head coach, his head coach is talking about preseason state. What makes Marcus Mariotta better, you think? he has a 66.2 QBR, I think, since 2020. You go off the ESPN and not RTG quarterback rating.

I can go off rating too, but like what I'm saying is there's other guys. He's not better than Gardner Minchu. I've seen him over the course of a season do things. A little magic there with Gardner Minchin. Over the course of a season, but no. Okay, okay. Is he better than Carson Wentz? I don't think he is.

So I, you see what I'm going. The little question, like six or seven backup quarterbacks. The Vikings are the measurement. Because here's, we know them well enough. So we know how Carson Wins did with the Vikings. We know how nine did with the Vikings. We know how we obviously know how Kirk Cousins did with the Vikings. So if you're the Vikings, would you rather have Wenz or Tyson Vagent or Kirk Cousins is your backup?

I've got two more examples that I'm going to give you. Vikings? I think they'd rather have Tyson Vagent. Then Wins? As their backup? I don't know. I'm not prepared to say that. Maybe I just don't believe in Tyson-Bajun the way y'all do.

The other two examples, by the way, Andy Dalton. Yeah, that's a lot of... Pause. The age factors into this. Andy Dalton gets rid of the ball lightning quick. I say the best for last. Joe? Jamis Winston.

Oh, I wasn't... I'm not put... Joe Flacko's definitely better than Tyson. Physical traits, James is better. Okay. So, because again, throwing the ball, like James has played more games.

15 yards down the field in a tight window, do you trust Tyson Bayesian? That's my, that's the question here. No, that, I mean, that is the question. And so, my answer is no. I think you can dick and dunk your way down the field, though, with Tyson Bayesian. That's why it's a great backup quarterback.

But I don't think he's one of the best 30. If you're the Arizona Cardinals, for example. Okay, that's more of, there's probably 35 quarterbacks better than the Arizona Cardinals starter at quarterback. You see what I'm saying? One of the best 32 is very specific. Yeah, okay, 815.

Excellent, excellent point. Browns, where are you putting Bejit and Shador? I got nothing. Both of, they would have to both play eight games. And then whoever plays the ninth game? The sample. What happens? Sample size is just too minuscule.

For Tyson, Bejant, there is no sample size. I figured out the measurement, though. Did I not? Did I figure out a system? That is a measurement. It's either the Vikings have to decide out of those three who the backup is or eight games between each on the Browns and the ninth game that one individual plays is the winner. Or decider. Or maybe they each play a half of the ninth game.

I don't know. I just don't think he's one of the best 32 quarterbacks. I think the NFL should hire me to write their script. Part of the script. Yeah, that's a heavy lift, the whole script. Oh, yeah. You know what I do? I'd make like pass interference reviewable.

Don't do that. We've done that. We've already done that. Weaponized incompetence does not count. Number three. It's five on it on 104. 3, the score with Laila Rahimi and Marshall Harrison. It's time for a shout out.

Shout out to all my Maxinistas out there. Here we go. What a five on it? Tyson, Baygett and Max Crosby? Back to the same five on it? Back to back, Raiders general manager, John SpyTech, said this to reporters at the NFL scouting Combine about Star Pass Rusher Max Crosby. Max is an elite player, and I've been very upfront from the start when I got here that, you know,

we're in the business of having really good players on the team, and we need a lot more of them. And, you know, it's hard to build a great team without elite players. What has been your communication like with Crosby for the last, I don't know, a month or so? Max and I have a great relationship. He's in the building every day getting healthy right now. We talk on the phone, we text. So I have a great relationship with Max. The reports that came out during two weeks are you comfortable that you know where his head is on what he's saying that he wants to be arranged?

Max and I have had great conversations. I'm comfortable there, yeah. That's Raiders General Manager John Spitech talking about Star Pass Rusher Max Crosby on a scale of 1 to 10 on the Higone meter. Higong! Trademark. Where would you rate Crosby's chances of least? leaving Las Vegas after hearing those comments from SpyTech. Layla's looking to be like, I got answers.

I do have an answer. I don't know if it's the answer. The answer I have is a seven. I think he's gone. But he could also stay. It's just there's only a 30% chance he's staying. If you're Max Crosby, why do you want to stay there? Like, I'd probably wait until the moves are made,

but it makes more sense to get traded before the draft because then there's plenty of people giving you this year's draft picks for him. You don't want another Michael Parsons situation. Remember how that trait went down? When it went down and for how much it went down. And you could flip that question about John Spitech. Why does he want him there when you have the potential to get all that draft capital? John Spitech also kind of showed his bluff.

Did he not? Like we were talking about Ben Johnson getting shorter in cadence with each answer. Spitech got faster. He sounded like the micro-machines guy by the end of that answer. We have a talk. Like, okay? I don't, it doesn't sound like it went well. Like, I understand you're confirming that you two held a conversation.

That point, though, that you made about a new regime, when you know that you could get a lot of capital to build your team in the vision that you see it, where they also need a quarterback, by the way, wink. That's me nodding. Mm-hmm. So if that said, if you can use one of the probably largest of possibly available assets in the league at any given time, Catch it in.

Max Crosby would fetch you quite the whole. So the question is, how would you use? That is the one time I said I'm pro haul on the midday show. And this is it. This is the one time. It wasn't when you thought it was back then just because some dork said it on the internet that I said it This is the time

I think the Raiders should try to get a haul for Max Crosby And Crosby would be happy And the Raiders could get a lot of capital to rebuild their team I feel like dork is amongst the endangered species on the language I don't hear that much so it was refreshing to hear the word dork I don't know the last time I heard the word dork Oh they yes they were dork Well didn't somebody say that you said this all?

online. The nice thing about talking on a radio station is there's tape. You can go through the tape. You can see whether or not I actually said it. But if you want to believe your fellow dork, that's up to you. But I'm issuing right now, this is the only time I've ever advocated for a haul on this show. Is your number higher or lower than a seven? Seven and a half. Ah, higher. Maybe an eight. Yeah, eight. Okay. According to the tribunes, Megan Montemore, left-hander, Shota I'minaaga showed a, quote, notable uptip.

in velocity in all four of his pitch types during his 33 pitch outing in the Cubs exhibition game against the Padres on Tuesday. This included a 2.2 mile per hour increase on his four-seem fastball and 1.4 miles per hour with his splitter. Are you at all encouraged by this tiny sample of increased Velo from Imanaga? I'm suspicious. Like when I read this, when you all, be honest, when you, all read this. But weren't you like, wait, where did this come from? Yes.

How did this happen? Yes. Yes. I did. Like, right? Yes. But also, isn't, and I'm not saying that it's not true. But isn't the radar got a little hot in Arizona anyway?

And I'm not just saying that because it's hotter in Arizona. But like, it really is actually, it typically tends to be a little, it registers it a little bit of a higher speed. I've heard that. Home runs go a little farther. Like, that's the issue here. is I want that to be the case. I think that would help tremendously.

One and a half miles on the splitter. Do we really... Also, did I just slip into Texan there? I'm like, one and a half miles an hour extra on the split. That's the one that gets me. It's not even that it's two miles extra over two miles on the fastball. One and a half on the split.

That dog will hunt, but I just, I need hitters to not turn on it all and send it out of the park. I just am a little bit skeptical, now just because you came back, you've just had a very well-rested off-season. Like, how's that looking at the World Baseball Classic, for example? Listen, it's Shodanaga. He threw 33 pitches, 23 for strikes, he gave up three hits.

None of them left the yard. It's a good day for Shodan Mnaga. Let's just build off of that, okay? Because you already know my feelings overall on Shodanaga and his propensity for giving up. long balls. So yes, I am I'm very much pleased with his first performance

because it wasn't a disaster that ended up with balls flying over the fence. So your bar is low. It's the start of spring training. Yes, my bar is very low right now. Yeah, I mean, that's really the goal. Like, keep the ball in the park. That's a fair goal right now.

Number five. It's five on it on 104. The score. Here's our final question. Kobe White made his return while making his Hornets debut on Tuesday night against the Bulls at the United Center, how did it make you feel to see Kobe in a Hornets jersey?

I'm happy for Kobe. It's as close to his hometown in North Carolina as can be. So for him, I think just finding a spot where maybe he could have a little more permanence and there's a big connection there is good. I always enjoyed working with him for many years on the Bulls, and we had a wonderful interview with him back in March. after he was named Player of the Month.

So I'm sad, but I get it. Like, I'm happy for him that he's at a place where he can be at home. Do anybody notice Kobe was doing something that current Bulls can't seem to do, which is go wherever he wanted on the basketball court? That's what is missed right now is understanding where the Bulls are from where they were a year ago. A year ago, they were gearing up for the best finish that they've had in years. when they finish the regular season 15 and 5.

They were gearing up for the month of March, as we are now. Right now, we're talking about an O for February Bulls team that will likely extend its losing streak to 11. The next time they step on. Actually, they better extend their losing streak to 11 because they play the Portland Trailblazers, a team they need to make the playoffs so that they can have Portland's first round pick

because it is lottery protected. Got that? So they need to lose an 11th straight game. It would be a travesty. It would be malpractice if they don't lose Thursday night against the Portland Trailblazers. But for Kobe specifically, all I remember is this is a guy who's now on a good team, an uptrending team in March, and now a year ago this man didn't have a game in the month of March where he didn't score at least 21 points.

And now the Bulls don't have anybody who could do that. And that is sad, but at the same time it is necessary. and we'll see just how far in the depths of the tank they fall. But you know what? Overall was like, oh, Bulls did exactly what they need to keep it close for a while and then bomb. They even let. They did lead.

Also, quick note, Charlotte, North Carolina native, Patrick Williams, shaved the hair off. I did see that. I did see that. I was like, am I seeing this right? He still got some hair. It's low, but no more braids. Did you notice that?

The braids are gone for Patrick Williams? Oh, yeah. No. That was subtle. Yeah, that was a change. I was like, okay, no one's talking about this, but I know I'm seeing something that I didn't see the last time I saw them play.

That's a lot of hair, too. That takes a lot of hair to put in those braids. He had some nice braids. I want to know why he did it. I don't think we got an answer yet. I don't think so. Inquiring minds? Yeah, I'll text Joel maybe.

Yeah. Joel Lorenzi? Yeah. Joel would be on top of it. We vote Joel Lorenzi. I approve this message. Coming up next, here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104-3, the score.

We continue our group reporting efforts, and I'm glad that everybody else has jumped in. Bill Zimmerman, who's the senior executive producer for Westwood One Sports, he's the deputy editor for Windy City Grutiron. Talked about a possible way around a roster spot that I hadn't thought of before, so we'll examine that next.