The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL - Jalen Ramsey traded to Dolphins, Daron Payne extended, Bucs targeting Baker Mayfield, NFL free agent bargains & more

Episode Date: March 13, 2023

Before NFL free agency officially kicks off, Robert Mays and Nate Tice break down a busy weekend of news. They talk about the Dolphins trade for Jalen Ramsey and what’s next for the Rams. They also discuss Daron Payne’s extension, Baker Mayfield’s future, free agent bargains and more. Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmaysFollow Nate on Twitter: @Nate_TiceSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTube1:58 Jalen Ramsey traded to Dolphins 18:22 Daron Payne signs 4-year extension24:32 DT market28:09 Bucs making run for Baker Mayfield33:40 Notable contract restructures40:13 Free agent bargains  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the athletic football show. Welcome to the athletic football show. I'm Robert Mays, joining me today. It's my good friend Nate Tice. Nate, how you doing, buddy? You've seen basketball, right? The movie, of course. Yeah, yes, yes. One of my, it's actually one of the favorite movies.

I think it's one of the funniest movies ever. But they have the scene where it's like an overtime game or an extra innings game. And it's, I think it's Dan Patrick and Kenny Mayne. And they're like falling asleep at the thing. And they're just like, oh, beers win. Beers win. That's how the free agency period feels to me is beers win. It hasn't started yet. I know, I know, but that's where we're at Sunday into Monday.

That's how this exactly feels to me. I'm like, I'm waking up just going, oh, beers win, beers win right now. That's exactly how I feel. So just so everyone understands, we're recording this, it's 512 central time on Sunday evening. If something crazy happens between now and tomorrow morning, we will hopefully be able to respond to it midday tomorrow. Let's hypothetical say the Rogers trade happens. Hopefully we'll have something for you.

At the very least, we're going to be coming your way at 3.30 p.m. Eastern to kick off our live free agency recaps. We're going to have those on YouTube every day, 3.30 p.m. Eastern. Monday through Thursday, me and you. I will be off on Friday. But the tempering period starts Monday while you're listening to this. So we're going to kick off those shows at 3.30 p.m. Monday. So be on the lookout for that.

There's just a lot of stuff happening. A lot of stuff happened today. We're going to talk about some of those, we're calling them Kirkland brand free agent signings that we like. So guys that at the top of the market, who's the Kirkland brand of that you can maybe get it at discount? We are going to still do a couple of those at the end of the show, but a lot of stuff already happened on Sunday that we just need to respond to.

Some pretty big news. And that started this morning with the news that Jalen Ramsey had been traded to the Miami Dolphins for a third round pick and tight end, Hunter Long, the lynch pin in this deal. The Dolphins give Jalen Ramsey a new deal, reportedly from Indian Rapid Port with $25 million in guarantees and a $20 million Aav. We'll see how they get to that $20 million when we actually see the terms. My first reaction seems kind of low, huh? You're right?

A third. Third seems low. I get the contract and everything, but third still seems low, especially. I don't care if it's the, oh yeah, you're selling the contract. He's nearing 30. it's still pretty damn good player. And a third seems really low. I understand not a first,

but I thought maybe a second would be a part of this package. So a couple things that have trickled out today. Jordan Rodriguez said the five teams were apparently in the building involved in the bidding. Reportedly, the Rams did not want to trade him to the NFC. Because they're going to be competing soon, you know. I think that's misguided. If that's actually one of the things that was driving the price and where they were looking, who cares.

I would just try to get the most you possibly can for him. If he's on the Cowboys and he's playing great and you got to watch him with the Cowboys, I guess that's sort of a bummer, but I don't think that should really impact how you're trying to look at this. Albert Breer reported that the new deal, which you alluded to, might have scared off some teams. They didn't want to give a 30-year-old or soon-to-be-30-year-old corner a new contract upwards of $20 million a year. I can understand that to an extent. But this is one of those deals where it feels like the team making the trade. he's more valuable to them than he is to a team like the Rams

or maybe a lot of other teams that aren't necessarily as close to contention or at least don't have the mindset that the dolphins do. Whether or not there are Jalen Ramsey away from getting where they want to go, they clearly think that they're pretty close based on some of the moves that they've made over the last week or so. So what do you think about this from Miami's side of it? I mean, I like it. They are making no mistake or no, like, you can't miss.

construe what their mindset is right now. It's kind of finally jail and Ramsey's going from the old team that was kind of like doing this with pushing into the window to a new team that's trying to like just jam everything to wedge that window open. And I think that's what it is. They're in a kind of a two year set right here, really a one year, but maybe we'll see them in 2024. And that's what they're committed to with Ramsey.

It seems like with the guaranteed deals and reworking the contract. So I think that's what it is. They're just trying to wedge open that window as far open as possible to jammed her through it. The AFC East is going through some kind of personality changes. The bills have a lot of questions to answer. The Patriots have their whole identity that they have to make shift and figure out and they have to figure out what they're going to spend their cap space on. So I understand that. That's not a bad time to compete, even though the AFC is still, you know, there's a lot of good quarterbacks and pretty good teams in the AFC. But why not? You're, hey, in for a penny,

in for a pound. That's what it feels like for the Dolphins. So I understand it. I still think Ramsey is a very good player. I know it's kind of become the cool thing to say that he's dropped off. But I think Ramsey just stopped trying for two months. And then in December, he tried again. And he was, oh, yeah, you're really, really good. And again, I think he'll age gracefully. I don't think they're looking at it this way. But I do think he can make that shift to safety if the corner stuff doesn't work out. He's just still a fantastic, useful player. And now he's going with a defense coordinator that's going to use them in a very, very good way. Because General Ramsey, you can use it a lot of good ways. Looking at the Jared of golf contract, it's interesting that you say that, that

the dolphins are kind of now in the mindset that the Rams were in before. So in 2019, when the Rams made the initial J-O. and Ramsey trade, it was about a month and a half after they signed golf to that extension. But he was still on a cheap deal in 2019. He was 10.6 million against the cap even after the contract extension that he signed. So the dolphins are kind of in that mode now. It's like we got a quarterback on a rookie deal and we're doing everything we can to maximize this. So even the Ramsey stuff happened in the Stafford thing that followed a few months later,

I mean, that's what you trade a first rounder for Bradley Chubb. You're not doing that if you're like, yeah, we're going to really remake this team of rebuild it. That was one move. You know, you use that term again, but you cross the Rubicon as soon as you do that. And now, boom, this is just, hey, we're in. We're in. This is what we're doing. And I don't hate it.

A third rounder is not, this is not like something I'm really squinting at. I think that's totally fair, even with the contract. I mean, more than fair. I have more doubts than you do about how well he'll age, just because if he is going to play corner for them and he's not that. lockdown guy anymore at age 31 or 32 where you're really flipping the math with him out there. Devoting $20 million a year to your cap, there is a little bit of danger in it. But like you just said, they're in, man.

Like this is the, I could see them sitting there looking at the way that the landscape looked at that position, knowing that they had a hold there and saying, this is our best option. This is our best option to maximize the team we have right now and that is our priority. believe they freed up like $40 million in cap space here over the last week or so restructuring Tyreeks contract which got them to about 18 million. Ramsey is at a $17 million cap it. So there it is. You paid for the J-Wan Ramsey. That's before the rework deal.

We'll see what it has cap-it actually is this year. But they also got $25 million by restructuring Chubb in Armstead. Like they're going for it. They got five guys on the books for at least $20 million in 2024. That doesn't include J-1-Ramsey. That's really funny. Yeah, because I think it's 17-mill, 2023, and 18 and a half in 2024.

That's before the We-Work deal. So we'll see what happens when the new money actually kicks in and what those cap hits look like. So they're pushing it in, man. And them as currently constructed with bringing Fangio in, I think Corner was arguably the biggest hole they had on the roster. So now you look at it top to bottom, Offensive line probably still a little bit of a question.

But other than that, if Tua is healthy, I understand them thinking, if this all clicks for us, why can't it break our way? And that's clearly the bet that they're making. But I understand that mindset. I do too, especially what that offense did last year and what the before Tua got hurt at the very end and the changes they were making us. That offense, that offense is a contending offense. That is a, you can make a run in the playoffs with the offense, what they showed last year, truly.

And the defense was kind of up and down and kind of, you know, that's why they make the Chubb trade. Chub is kind of a unique player where it's not like he's a true, true, you know, bendy, pass rushing wizard, but he's a very useful player because he can drop. He can kind of do a lot of things well. And, okay, all right, that's a good move, you know, but not really one that like truly changes the math. So I think this is where, hey, let's get another good player to add on to our defense and get really

the best, I would say, the top. free agent of players or coaches this whole offseason and Vic Fangio. So let's make our defense a true weapon and give him players. And Fangio has shown even how he can kind of rework and tweak his scheme where, remember when he was with Sartan during his rookie year, also they're running all this man coverage and they're using all that. And I'm not saying, you know, sort of Ramsey and Sartan, they're kind of like a similar tier, but a little Ramsey's a little half tier, I think below Sartan now.

But still, he's able to shift and now he's got true players. They're not just going one star and okay, everybody else figured out. A lot of useful good players, especially up front, Christian Wilkins and Jayland Phillips. Jaylon Phillips really came on last year. And Christian Wilkins, we've talked about them on the show as a truly, truly a force on the interior. A lot of good pieces. So like you said, it's really offensive line. This is a system that has Antua's time to throw, has negated some of that offensive

aligned woes. But, you know, add to that, maybe get a useful running back, they're, you know, baby they got a stew going. And I understand, I understand why they're cooking that stew. I really do. why why would you do all that make the chub trade and then also go you know what never mind which is pun on this year like it doesn't make sense so i get why they're doing it for this regime i mean you're cranking it up into the red but that can also go wrong you have a oh yeah you have a 31 year old zayvin howard next year who's making 26 million against the cap and you have a 33 year old toronto armstead yeah and her pretty often making 21 million dollars against you're going to get 10 games out of them it's they they're playing a dangerous game oh yeah i get why they're playing it, but they are absolutely playing a dangerous game where the cliff could be coming a lot faster than it might seem. And I think of Howard too.

Hold on, but Xavier, everyone's saying like Xavier Howard's a number one. Zavian Howard's living off his reputation a little bit, uh, this past year. So, but knocking him down to a number two, he was banged up. But again,

when you get into your 30s, corners fall off a cliff. Yes, it can. But no, I totally get it. It's like, it's dangerous,

but they're going for it, which what the goal is to win the Super Bowl. So go for it. Why not? It's not my money. It's not my team. Speaking of driving your team off the cliff in the hopes of winning a Super Bowl, let's talk about the Los Angeles Rams.

Oh, my God. Barnwell tweeted a picture of the depth chart from the Super Bowl. It's shocking. I mean, this team right now, after trading J-1 Ramsey and releasing Leonard Floyd, is essentially Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Cup, and that's it. Yeah, that's really it. I mean, Joe Booms out an extension. Yeah, but it, that's, depends on how you feel about that.

Van Jefferson is still on the roster. It is, but it's like, yeah, it's, it's, it's rough. I like looking at the multi-year sourcat breakdown, and it's just, it's remarkable when you look at the ramps and just like what, who they have under contract in 2024 and everything. Like, and just you look at certain positions like offense aligned. Like, it's, it's, it's bad. So what, what are they over the next? couple years.

I think they are still in fire sale mode. I think that's what it is. But, you know, but McVeigh's coming back. It's kind of, I don't know. I think that's what they're in. They're reconfiguring. They reworked Stafford's contract. So he's going to be there.

They just have so many holes. Ramsey was the only guy who's contract they didn't touch. So I think they have plans or have already reconfigured the deals for the other big guys according to what Jordan has reported. So it doesn't seem like they're going to sell off. the rest of those pieces. So I think you're kind of trying to negotiate this season with those guys that we just talked about in place and Matthew Stafford and then just a bunch of young guys.

Jordan wrote this. I think most people have said it. They like their young corners. Dery and Kendrick and Robert Rochelle, guys like that. It's like, okay. I mean, it's just you're squaring that group of young players like that with this nucleus that you have paid a ton of money to retain after the Super Bowl. they're just doing multiple things at the same time.

And that balancing act just feels really hard to pull off to me. It really does. It's that like you just ask like what are they? Like, and that's truly I have no idea. Like I just don't know what they're thinking. Are they thinking over? But that's the thing.

It's like McVeigh's not coming back to rebuild a team. You know? Like, and that just doesn't. It kind of seems like he might be. But it kind of is. Right. But if you told me that a year ago, like he's going to be part of the rebuild when the Rams kind of

nuke all this is that I would have been like. really i thought he'd be on monday night football before i'd see him kind of talk going through another rookie contract quarterbacker i know i don't know what they're going to do with stafford but i'm just saying and going on to the next steps of this ranch franchise but he might be it's it doesn't it seems like they're like going like well fuck it get everybody get rid everybody what's what's to start over they're kind of they're trying to straddle both sides of this kind of re it's more of a reshuffling and a retooling than actual full-blown rebuild which is interesting $5 million in dead money.

They're just like a zombie team. That's what it feels like. They're just the zombie Rams. Have you seen zombie rams? Well, how about Aaron Donald, even with his contract going out to 2025, he has a $29 million cap hit on a voided year in 2025. It's 34 next year. Oh, on a voided year. On avoided year, it's $29 million in 2025.

So, yeah. Whatever Aaron Donald does, no matter what, he's on your books for $29 million. in 2025. Like that's, it's, it's, we talk about threading needles. This is a, this is a, this is a, this is a tough one. This is a tough one to rework. The Brian Burns non-trade now becomes a fascinating sliding doors moment. What if the Panthers had said yes?

So now you have the zombie team with that has Brian Burns on it, but doesn't have first round picks in the next two years after this. So at that point, are they too committed? to that version of the roster where it's kind of win now and we have these pieces. Do you keep Jalen Ramsey in that case? Do they still try to trade Jalen Ramsey? Do they still feel like they can rebuild even if Brian Burns is on the roster and they don't have those first round picks?

And where does it leave the Panthers? Think if they had made this deal. Arguably, I think you could say they'd be in a better spot because they could have made the trade up for their quarterback without losing anything else. You'd have the 2024 first, the 2025 first that you could have sent to Chicago, and you would have gotten to keep DJ more, but still gone up for the quarterback. Yeah, and build around the quarterback.

But what we say now, it's like, yeah, they have questions to answer with their past catchers. And so that's, that's super interesting because even like, okay, they move up for this quarterback. And I'm talking about the panthers. And we now they're talking about, oh, we might sell the number one pick, which is so funny to me. but it's you move up for him. Offensive line looks great and putting that drop in whatever young guy you want into that system. But still you got figure out the past catching situation. You're always plugging a hole somewhere.

So like they're giving that first rounder like, okay, yeah, well, that's, that's extra. And also how valuable a Rams first round pick might be in 2024 and 2025. Yeah. Just like the lions are benefiting from this year. You just don't know what the, oh, I know. I know. That is super fascinating. And it makes me, I don't know. It's, I'm, you're right. That is a sliding doors moment for like, not only just what the Rams are going to end up doing because now they got first round picks.

I don't think they know what to do with them. They're kind of like, I guess we take them. I guess we use these guys. Anybody want to want to trade something for it? We're not nuking the team. We still want to compete apparently. We talked about this in the moment. You said it earlier.

The goal is to win the Super Bowl. They did. And all those jokes about them just riding this thing into the ground and, you know, this is a problem for future me and, you know, this is a problem for future me and. and fuck those picks and all of that, the bills do. Yep, this was the ghost of Christmas future. The bills do. And there's a real conversation to be had about how much does it matter to win.

You know, if you win one, how much does it gloss over? Because they got breaks. You know, you have to get breaks to do it. And I don't think that they were some genius team and some of these moves that they made when they went out and traded for Von Miller as a rental. And they really did leverage their future to win. a Super Bowl. Yep.

And they got the breaks that they needed to win that Super Bowl. So that bargain that you make with yourself when you're operating that way, we are seeing what it really looks like in plain view now. Right. They had a window, like just what we were talking about with the dolphins. They had a window. They wedged open as much as possible. And it's a bet.

All these moves are bets. Some are 99% bets that you think the return on investment's going to be. Some are, man, this is a one intense shot of working, but it helps us out a little bit. It's just another bet to make. They made a huge bet, several huge bets, and they hit. But that's the thing is that it's hard to do. It's hard to sustain success year after year,

unless you have some great cap magic or a great quarterback or some, you know, playing and hit draft picks and all that. It's really hard to sustain this. So they went all into one year, crushed it. And then now this is what goes to Christmas future is calling and knocking on their door and going like, yep, yeah, Bill's due now. Hey, this is what's going to happen, especially with your team right now. It's going to be a little rough after, you know, after that victory parade you had last year.

All right. Let's get the other bit of big news that happened today. Duran Payne signs a four-year $90 million extension. Switch to the Washington football team. I mean, it's hard to figure out what they want to do. Okay. And we can get into that here in a second. 22 million, 22 and a half million a year.

Payne resets the non-Aren Donald defensive tackle market, which I think is an important distinction. It does. $60 million. is guaranteed the same amount that Chris Jones got on his four-year $80 million deal that he signed two years ago. First things first, good for Duran Payne. It's a huge amount of money for a guy that I don't think was considered worth that a year ago before the season that he just had. So congrats on the contract year, Duran. Yes.

Can't spell paid off a contract year without Duran Payne. I worked it out. It actually works. That's a true statement. How this fits into Washington's plans, I don't really know how to articulate. Okay. Next season, 2024, Washington has $40 million a year in AAV on their books for two defensive tackles. Two good defensive tackles.

Yes, too very good. They have committed to that as like the core of their financial investments. The players that Washington has under contract next season, the two defensive tackles, Terry McLaren, Charles Leno and Chase Roos. both of whom have very little dead money on their deals. Other than their recent draft classes, that's it. Yeah. And they could move on for both of those offensive linemen if they want to.

Chase Young, fifth year option is going to be a question. They don't pick that up and he's a free agent after this season. Montes-Swet, free agent after this year. Yes. Who also had a huge year last year, too. It's kind of a blank slate other than the McLaren deal and the two deals that they've handed out for those defensive tackles. Yes.

So I just, I don't know. Like if you were, if, let's say this regime gets fired, for example, this year. Let's say that they ride with Sam Howe or whatever the quarterback plans of being and they get fired or they don't get fired because the ownership thing is in question. And that's in flux. It's just so hard to understand what this team is going to look like over the next 18 months, let's say. But all they really have is McCorren and these two guys. And the fact that they were willing to commit to this with all of those things in question and so many different competing. motivation seemingly in place. They're just so hard for me to get a handle on. And I can admit

that. And that's why in some ways, it's like hard to judge what the Washington ramifications of this deal are. Agreed. It's the, the player is worth the money. And I think John Allen's worth the money and Scary Terry. Terry, they're all worth the money. So that's like, that's nice to have. But like you said, Sam Hal was their only quarterback right now. And that kind of sums up really nicely what their situation is. It's like, what is this? Is that true? really what you guys think. Are you guys trying to do something and make a move? Are you going to try to sign a stop gap?

Like that's, I totally agree with you that it's really hard to figure out what exactly they are because usually you can tell what a team's plan is based on building blocks and based on quarterback. They're building blocks right now or two defense alignment and a receiver. And after that, like you said, after that, who knows? So I, I'm agreeing with you. I think it's more, the takeaway from this is more interesting about the defense of tackle market and all the guys are going to come up in the next.

That's the most interesting part. I think that's of all this. Sorry, Washington fans, but it's really hard. I have one more question for you. If after they paid Jonathan Allen, after they paid Toronto Payne, young if they don't pick up his fifth year and sweat, but again, both free agents after this year. It doesn't seem like they can afford all those guys.

I don't think so. So if you're another team, would you call about either of those guys right now? It feels like I would. I would. Sweat is 100% of free agent after the season. His fifth year options are already come and gone. So he's going to be on the market if he's,

if they do not resign him, which when you get to the last year of your deal, some of these guys, that just feels like a signal that they might be available for the right price. So if I'm a team looking at this free agent group of edge rushers and not loving it, I'd make a phone call probably because it doesn't feel like they can afford them all. I would definitely. Chase Young, of course, was a top top pick and it was like, was talented. Now he's battled injuries. And we got to see what this.

That's why it's interesting about what extent. him for the fifth year or picking up the option, I should say. But Montez Sweat has been fine, you know, the first couple of years as a starter in the league. And then this past year was a true, true plus player. And that's the guy I would be calling about. He's shown that he's been healthy now. He has now proven that it's not just, you know, he gets the auxiliary help from everybody else. He's beating up on tight ends on the outside.

He's a good, like kind of speed to power kind of bull rusher, really productive. I think he had a lot of pressures this year, a good amount of QB hits. Like he was in the top, top in a lot of numbers. If you look at all the metrics, that's a guy I would for sure be gone on. Fourth in the league and quarterback hits among edge defenders. Both said Max Crosby, Josh Allen, only one ahead of him. He had 62 pressures, which was tied for 13th in the league with my guy, Charles and Menahue.

On a per snap basis, he was 23rd in PFF's past rush productivity. Right above Brian Burns, two spots down from Josh Sweat. And if you look at guys who got over 50% of their team snaps, he was 13th in that. metric tied with Josh Allen right ahead of Brian Burns just a couple spots down from Jalen Phillips. His play style is a lot like Bud Dupree, but he's already a better player than Bud Dupree has ever shown. And Bud Dupro has got paid. Just build a border China shop action. Just push, push, push, but he does it really well.

And he's a useful player. I don't think he'll ever be a number one guy. But man, if I were a contender and this, we think this is a year. He's not a $10.5 million cap at this year. Yes. And he's worth. You probably want to sign him to an extension. Yeah.

If you were the one trading for him and you're the only team negotiating with him, can you get him for a decent number if you're looking for help at that position? I'd at least call him. I'd always call too. I think he's definitely worth a day two pick. I think that would be a very, very usual player that usually doesn't hit the market. All right. What you just mentioned, what does this now do to the defensive tackle market?

Because Jeffrey Simmons, Quinn and Williams, Dexter Lawrence, they are all up for extensions right now. And they are all better players and more proven players, I think, than Duran Payne. Yeah. So what are those guys going to get if Duran Payne is worth this deal? If I'm, if I'm Dexter Lawrence's agent, I'm doing fucking backflips right now. Oh, my God. Him and Simmons, all these guys, like, oh, these guys, that's the thing.

We did our all pro team. And I mentioned, Durant Payne was like, oh, yeah, an honorable mention, you all throw them in. All these all pros are like rookie contract guys, the guys that we nominate, they're about to get. So they're younger. And also, like, have been better. Like, especially Dexter Lawrence. I mean, the year they had this past year, really the past 18 months, two-ish years. I mean, God, 25?

Are these guys going to get 24? It seems like that shouldn't be out of the question for some of these guys. Okay. So that would kind of split the difference between the old market setting number, which was done by, I believe, DeForest Buckner had that, but also Leonard Williams did, but he was kind of hard to define because he played a little bit on the edge. So, but the dexter, the, the, the forest buck number was really the last number. That was like 21 million a year.

And obviously, Aaron Donald is up near 30. So if these guys split the difference at like 25, that doesn't seem crazy to me. Max Crosby's deal was four for 94, just 23.5 million dollars a year. I think all these guys justifiably could ask for that. But if one of them asked for like four for a hundred with like $65 million guaranteed, setting the new guaranteed number outside of Donald and then. AAB, I wouldn't be surprised by it at all. If I were Dexter Lawrence's people, that's what I would want.

Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Especially what, especially as like, hey, I'm a building block, right? Do you guys want to lock me down? Yeah, no, absolutely. I think that's that four for a hundred is like what you just said, or four for 96, you know, something of that sort. Like that is exactly the range.

Caps going up, yes, I understand. Like, there's always going to be a natural inflation, but there's a lot of talented players coming up. And that's usually tied in together where we're going, wow, defense to tackle markets It's exploding. Yeah, there's a lot of good players at the position. That's why it's exploding. And they're going to get paid now.

So I think that's exactly what it's going on right now. But like you said, I think those agents and players are going to be very, very happy with the deals that they can potentially get. You can have one of those three guys at 25 of you. Who do you want? God, Quinn and Williams. That's tough, though. I'll go Quinn and Dexter, Simmons, and then Wilkins. Because Wilkins is coming up too.

Yeah, Wilkins is coming up too. that was another thing to consider for Miami. God. Because they have to pay him. I think he's on his fifth year option right now as well. Yeah. And he was fantastic. That's tough, though.

That's like picking between my children. I know. I know you love all of those guys. I do. It's really tough. I, but that's the thing for me is like, Dexter, I'll go Quinnin. I would probably say Quinn.

Just slightly, though. Don't get mad at me. You know my answer. Yeah. I'm a Dexter Lawrence guy all day. Absolutely. He's become like one of my three or four favorite players in the entire league. Actually, like all those guys that we just mentioned are some of my favorite players, period.

That's why it's really tough to pick between them. I love them all. So, glad they're getting paid and recognized. Christian Wilkins is a free agent after this season. So I have to assume Miami will extend him. If they do, they could probably keep his count number fairly low to kind of combat those, again, five guys making at least $20 million next year, including their quarterback. But that's on the fifth year option.

So not surprising for a top five pick. All right. Speaking of quarterbacks, in Rap report reporting earlier today, that when free agency opens, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to make a run at Baker Mayfield and have him compete with Kyle Trask. How does this make you feel? Sure. Sure.

It always thought like they were going to be in this place. Yeah. They were going to have limited options. They don't have a ton of money to throw around. It's a tough space for them to negotiate just as a franchise with how much they pushed it all in and then Brady eventually leaving. They had to restructure Veja, Godwin, and Carlton Davis to free up $44 million in cap space just to get under the cap. I assume something might be coming with Brady and that monster cap hit that he has something similar to what Drew Breeze did where he renegotiated his deal and got his cap number down that year and they kind of pushed it out a little bit. I don't know exactly how that would work.

But if you look at their books right now, just like I got on over the cap, it's still on there. So hopefully they can do something with that to lower that a little bit. But the Godwin thing lets me know they're probably not trading Chris Godwin. I will say among those names, one I did not mention is Mike Evans, which makes me just turn into Brian Windhorst. So what does that mean? If they renegotiated and restructured all of these deals to free up cap space, but they didn't do it with Mike Evans, what could that potentially mean? I don't know anything, by the way. No, no.

But in fact that he's not involved in this group. They renegotiated Russell Gage, too. Maybe that's how. And Russell Gage. So I don't know. I don't see what happens with that. There's a little bit of smoke, a little bit of smoke. But no, that's the, I actually was interested in Baker to kind of land somewhere.

Like, because just what, you know, after what happened in December and he still has that kind of pedigree with him. So I was curious and the buck stuff makes sense for what the situation they were in. I watched Kyle Trask. I wasn't like a huge on him coming out of the draft. I didn't think he was kind of had the athletic ability to what quarterbacks are nowadays in 2023. but I watched him in this preseason and he was much improved and actually making some like ballsy throws that I didn't know he had in his game. I actually became a little bit more of a fan of him.

He was a preseason breakout. I think I did some article to fill the time in August. And he was one of them. So I was curious. And then this whole year, he was inactive. He was the number three the entire year. Week 18, they played the Falcons. I had a tweet about this.

I'm like, why aren't you playing them? Like, why aren't you just giving them a game a run where you just see what you got? But that told me, even though, this Bucks franchise, even though Arians wasn't the coach. Those coaches, they don't like playing young guys as I've had a pound-a-table for Roshadwa. They've played their guys in meaningless games over the last couple of years, if I remember correctly. Even when they had nothing to gain, even two years ago, I think that they played those

guys in a week eight team. I think it was against Atlanta. Yeah. And just to give them run heading into the playoffs. So I think they kind of believe we need to keep guys fresh, keep rhythm, whatever. Well, and I believe that, like, but Brady was out, obviously. But that was the thing. I was like, why, like, okay, I get it.

But you know what Blank Everett is. Like, we know what Blank. That's, it was just a weird team exercise or team like future to look, like, look through a lens of maybe what they're thinking about their guys. But that kind of like spoke to me. I was like, are you guys committed to this? Now they got, you know, new offensive guys in there. So, or not committed to Trask whatsoever.

So I was, I was, I figured they would make some shape, some move of some way to have a guy to be kind of like that bridge guy for whatever their next step is. I don't know what their next step is. I don't either. So now you cut your left tackle. Maybe you move Worf's over there, but now you only have one tackle. Yeah. You have Baker Mayfield, a quarterback, and you still have a decent amount of those pieces.

I don't know what to expect from that team this year. Let's say if Baker Mayfield wins that job. I mean, you still, the NFC South quarterback situations are getting very interesting, very fast. Yeah. We have Baker in Tampa, Derrick R.car now in New Orleans. But let's, all right, so Baker Mayfield gets dropped down to the bucks. The Panthers pick C.J. Stroud with the first. overall pick who in your mind is the best team in the NFC South.

I'm going with the Panthers, even with the rookie quarterback. Interesting. Yeah. Just the defense. I think the defense is going to be a true plus plus unit. And I think that's what's going to help them so much. I think I'd pick the Saints. I'm worried about the defense in New Orleans.

I've said this a bunch over the last couple of weeks since the car signing happened. I get how you arrive at Derek Carr for 25,000, 30 million a year being your best option over the next three seasons. But one of the pillars of that argument is we have it at great defense. So if we get average quarterback play with an interesting, intriguing group of receivers at the very least, a solid offensive line and we stay a top five to seven defense. We're the best team in the division. Defense pretty old, man.

They got old guys over there. Losing some guys. But the first part of that argument for them being that sort of team hinges on the defense staying good. And I am a little bit concerned about that, but I just think I have more faith in the current construction of their roster than any of the other teams. Just because the Carolina's offense is going to be such a wild card. That's the thing.

If DJ Moore was still on that Panthers team, I'd almost like not even blank and say that. But it's like now it's like, oh, they still have to answer pass catcher. Honestly, I wish Derek Carr was on the 2022 Saints. Like that would have been a lot more kind of interesting and fun for you. That's what happens, right? I know. In their minds, he is on the 2020s saints.

But that's never how it works. No, it's not. All right. Some other restructure housekeeping that is worth mentioning that I don't think we've talked about. Just to keep in mind as we set the table for free agency here. The Cowboys restructure Dak and Zach Martin to free up $30 million in cap space. So they potentially have some room to make a move right now. Oh, no.

Even with a $1.7 million cap it. Dax still is a $27 million, or $1.7 million base salary. Dac is a $27 million cap it this year. Anyway, they have a $50 million in space right now. There are some other moves that they can make. We'll see what happens with Zeech. So they have some flexibility to add to this team. These are all teams that we're going to talk about here that I think want to do some winning this season.

Yes. The Jets restructured multiple guys to get about $15 million more of cap space. Wonder why they need that. Secondary to whoever is going to be playing quarterback for the Jets. Quincy Williams signed a three-year, $18 million extension. Good for your guy, man. Yeah. Good for him.

I thought he was a name worth keeping an eye on on that off ball linebacker market. Yes. With some of these guys who could be getting paid a shitload, he probably wouldn't. Would he have been a smart investment for some team and the open market this year? Not going to get a chance. He's going back to the Jets. He was on our second part of this show. He was one of my Kirkland brands.

And apparently he's not, it might be more like Target brand, I guess, or whatever their own brand is. I think that's what he is now. Sorry, Costco. I love you, Costco as well. But yeah, it might be a little upper, upper tier of that. But I know,

happy for him. Just alienating potential sponsors of this show. I'm sorry. I know. Costco on Target. I'm sorry. They're not big companies. I love,

no. And I, Quincy Williams had a great year. He deserved to get paid this. Like, he really, really did. I, I have said this before on the show.

Like, I had him, as my honorable mentions, you know, if we had a third team, all pro, he would have made that. Like,

that's how good he was this year. He was the best Jets linebacker last year. Also, just he's an attitude. He's a tone setter. He's an attitude guy. 26. Yeah. I like him.

Just stay in there and keep him with their going. I have my notes from the Kirkland section still right here in front of me. And I said, slow down for him mentally, but he is anticipating. He has speed. I go 26 years, 26 years old. I would love him on a three year deal. And you got a three year a deal. There is.

Pretty fired up for him. Chargers. Restructure. Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Kaleo Mack. When we were having our Chargers conversation the other day, I felt like, well, they might not want to do this because a lot of these guys are getting older.

Do they want to push this money into future years? The answer apparently is yes. I guess so. Our Daniel Popper at the Athletic mentions on Twitter that next season with these restructures, here are the cap hits for those four players. Cleo Mac is at 38.5 million. Joey Bosa is at 36.6 million.

Mike Williams. at 32.5 million. Keenan Allen, 34.7 million. Well, real quick, you made a big deal about the Dolphins having X amount of players over 20 million. Yes. How about having four over 30 million?

And none of them are your quarterback because I know he's on a rookie deal. But none of those names were the quarterback that you listed for over 30 million. He was about to make a shitload of money. So much money. So much money. You think there's some urgency in Los Angeles to make the most of the 20, 23 season? Yeah. I think so.

I think, uh, wow. that's so much money for a lot of 30-something-year-old players that and with injury histories. Oh, absolutely. This is one of those moves where this is a problem for future whoever. Yes. Oh, yeah. You're coaching and team building potentially for your jobs this season. I, this is a, you know what?

Fuck it. Yeah. We're doing everything we can. We'll figure the rest out later. Somebody else's deal with it or we deal with it later. And hopefully it's on a good way. If we're still around, that means something good happens. If some of these guys were released, you know, they, the numbers are not astronomical

in dead money, but they're not small. Ten figures for all of them. 15 million for Keenan, for Cleo Mac, 22 million for Joey Bosa, 12 million in dead money for Mike Williams, 11.6 in dead money for Keenan Allen. God. God. Tom, Telesco, you've done it again. Here we go.

I mean, this is it. It is put up a shut up time, and I think that they deeply understand that. So a lot of fun stuff going on. Here are some guys hitting free agency for them next year. Justin Herbert. Austin Eckler. I mean, it's the number one offensive weapon last year. And there's that 19.3, 19.4 million dollar cap hit for J.C. Jackson on the 2024 books as well.

So they have no dead money, like no dead money on this year's cap. but that's because they decided to keep all these guys. Push the dead cap down the road. Oh, goodness gracious. Man, just even to look at like, you know, because Kaleel Mack and Joey Buster was the outside linebacker, like just their defense aligned. Like they're spending on that. It's just hilarious. Because they're all for agents.

Yeah, but it's just, yeah, it's like Sebastian Joseph, okay, a couple of years. But then it's just a whole bunch of guys make it under a million dollars because this is the stars and scrubs. Like they're just, ah, whatever. Guys, just whatever. We need to piecemeal this somehow, some way shape or form. So it's just funny when you start looking at how teams are where their spending goes. It really can be really funny to look at. With all of those moves, God, the base salary is hilarious.

1.2 for Mac, 1.2 for Bosa, 1.1 for Mike Williams, 1.2 for Keenan Allen. They have 19 or so million dollars in cap spaces that currently stands. They have some holes to fill. Yes, they do. They're starting right tackle from last season's hitting free agency. I think they'd like to have him back at the right price to potentially, fill that gap and they have some options to kind of fill out the rest of their interior of their offense and wine if they move on for matt they're already caught matt filer

believe they did they if they move on for matt filer yeah i think that they have some in-house options they can still there uh zion johnson jemarri solier can play guard for them so they they have some in-house options on the interior but right tackle is still going to be a question for this team and probably the biggest question again for the second straight off season when you look at that offense so and then after the season they have to figure out center like that i mean probably with cori lindsley getting up there in the age as well it's yeah it's a unique it's it's it's a one-year team that's all i'm looking at the chargers it's and then after this it's gonna be rashan slater jesson herbert and insert a whole bunch of different names there after

that all right let's get to some of these bargain these free agents that you want to chat about here so the idea here is we have some guys at the top of the market who are going to get paid like guys at the top of the market we wanted to talk about some alternatives who maybe could be a little bit more affordable than what those brand name guys might go for as free agency gets going in a couple hours here. So where do you want to start? Oh, man. Let's just, let's just continue the linebacker discussion. So cross off Quincy Williams. There's a lot of linebackers available. Some names available as well. You got admins. You got Bobby Wagner. You got, you know, some notable linebackers at the top of the market. Having said that, I think

there's a nice little group of kind of middle class players that can maybe really outplay whatever contract you give him. Quincy Williams is one of them. I actually think that's a very fair deal for him from what he brought to the table last year. But he's off there. But the number one name for me would be the third linebacker from the 40-N-Ires, and that's a Zs I'll share. And that's my Kirkland brand linebacker.

I think this guy is a legit, legit starting caliber plus starting caliber linebacker. He just has missed a little bit of time with injuries that foreigners like the little undersized guys. But on top of it, he had two all pro caliber guys ahead of them, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. And on top of it, when they went nickel, they had a guy Jimmy Ward playing in the slot. So they didn't really have to play out of base with three linebackers. But he is a heat seeking missile. He's disruptive. He's athletic. He's a tone setting type of player. He always has kind of the JJ watt elbow guards on. Yeah. He always, he always, he always, which I love. When guys, when guys have similar to play styles and sizes at positions on teams, give me the

elbow guard every time. So I can figure out who is who I'm watching them on tape. Having to watch like a plethora of college receivers in the last couple of weeks. And this is a thing. Just give me, talk to college receivers. Receiver coaches should talk to their players and go, wear one piece of garment, something on your, your uniform that makes you stand out, have a high sock, a long sleeve, just something that makes it easier.

I've had to look at the freaking Tennessee volunteers wearing these gray with shiny orange jersey numbers. I can't tell who anyone is from the, from a distance. It got annoying. But anyways, but Alshir, a really, really good player, a disruptive player. I think he, whatever contract he is, he can outplay it. I'd be really looking at him as a nice little, do you just need a hole there and you want like a real good starter or a good starter that can play for you?

Like, not just like, oh, this guy's an idea. He's already proven he's disruptive and the good player. He's the number one guy that I'd be looking at this kind of this aisle of the free agency market. I mean, I love him with the Texans. Just go have a guy who's been in your system who understands the heck. coach understands how to communicate the defense. I think that one makes a lot of sense, potentially for a team like them. I also have a linebacker one.

Tremaine Edmins reportedly is going to get real, real money, which had a really good season last year. He did. Has the pedigree of a first round pick, you know, is very young, obviously, and that draft status follows you around into moments like this. It does. I don't know if I would want to pay Tremaine Edmins $18, $19 million a year when, and I could get a guy like Jermaine Pratt for half of that.

Jermaine Pratt played for the Bengals last season. Similar to Edmonds, had the best season of his career by a pretty wide margin last year. I thought he was fantastic in stretches last season, especially in coverage. So if you need a starting caliber linebacker and you don't want to pay past rush or money for a guy like Tremade Edmonds, can you go get a guy like Jermaine Pratt for half of that?

And I think, again, these are the conversations you have to be having with yourself as free agency gets going. And he's 27. He's barely missed any time. Like in his career, he's only missed a handful of games this entire career. Usually one a year. That's valuable because you're paying these guys to play SNAP for you.

But I think that's a great call, especially the replacement player you're saying with admins. It's like the same type of player. And actually has probably outplayed him a little bit. But it just doesn't have that name recognition because he's on the kind of no name Bengals defense. I mean, that's a positive. But no,

I think that's a great, great call with perhaps. on the band among fairly anonymous bengals linebackers he's less well known than logan wilson yes yes no that's no i that's what you got to look at too like even with the alshare signing or or nomination i say for this you're looking at teams that have a lot of options at these positions that maybe these guys think at the playing time or recognition that their other like high renowned guys got like matt milano finally his recognition caught up to him this year and now he was not all pro on everybody's teams he outplayed Edmonds the entire tenure together. But Edmonds actually had his best year, but even Molano outplayed that.

But it's just funny how just the name recognition really just carries over to that. Like you mentioned, the first round pick and all that stuff. When it goes on, it's a free agency market as well. Who's your next one? Let's go to safety. I was to stay on defense here. If you're looking at signing Jesse Bates for a big money deal, how about Kirkland brand Julian Love?

Another kind of do it all type of safety, smart player. I would bet on love. incredibly versatile he's a green dot player for them check for me you call the plays yeah let's go for it 25 years old uh the guy using the blitzing system a little bit but i think he can just do everything well uh as a blitzer as a coverage guy as a run defender can play in the box can play back you know jesse bates is more of a deep player but it's very smart gets guys lined up i think love can be that for you uh i would look at it like a jordan whitehead type deal a two three or you know middle range kind of deal but that's exactly where i'd pay him

I think his best football is ahead of them. I'm a fan of this player. And I just think that your safety market, you can find these useful players for a discounted price, especially what I think Bates is going to get in this offseason. I did also have Jesse Bates. I said Juan Thornton. Love it.

If you're going to, again, if Jesse Bates is going to make $16 million a year in free agency and be at the top of the safety market, do you need that? Like, do you need a $16 million a year safety at that position, specifically when it really is about making sure that you have adequate play more. I was talking to an offensive coach about this at the combat. And it was the first time I'd really heard offensive play caller say this.

She's like, I've never played against a post safety, like a coverage safety where I had to really change what I had to do going into the week. And if that's the case where there are players that are not going to alter offensive. of game plans in a meaningful way. Do you want to pay $16 million a year for that guy? For a glorified safety net? Right. Right. Jesse Bates has worked that money based on what safeties have been paid.

And I think that he will probably get something close to that based on his consistency, first and foremost, right? That is what you're paying for with him. The last three years, he's played at least a thousand snaps. And a pro's pro. He's going to change a room and make a veteran presence. That has value, right? It does.

It does. That absolutely has value. But I think positionally, thinking about that spot, guess who else has played over a thousand snaps the last two seasons? One thornhill. Right. So if you can do it for $8 million a year instead of $16 million a year, again, I just think that's where the mindset probably should be with some of these teams that are trying to

fill starter snaps with free agency. Yes. Yeah. Is a tier drop off worth $8 million? At safety, I think it is. You know what I mean? Like that, it's not, or a tier up is not worth $8 million to me. Maybe two.

You know, that's, I totally get what you mean. I'm totally agreeing with that. That difference in $8 million is another starter. Correct. At a lot of positions. There could be two. If you're, if you're,

that's a running back and somebody else, you know, you can really find something there. I have another, I have another, I have another safety one too. And that's, uh,

looking at CJ Gardner Johnson, why not pay for a rental for a 31 year old Jimmy Ward? Uh, I think same type of place safety. I sure know, this is coming. Oh, yeah,

my second team all pro. Uh, has proof of playing safety. He has, battle injury set out of his year. That's what I'm saying now. He's 31. You're not paying him huge, huge money. But him, the fact that he played as a plus plus player from the slot last year. Yes, the 49ers defense was loaded, but he's already shown that he's a good player. That's awesome. That snaps played no matter what you have in your DB room. And again, another pros pro,

a positive impact in your locker room sets a tone. He's smart. He has a good attitude when he plays. Awesome. I get to run too. There's a physicality to the way he plays. Yeah. And I think, if you're a team that has a hole there and you're okay we got to find some way a one or two year deal for jimmy ward i would love it i think he's he's somebody that should go on a good team because he deserves it because i i think that just it could be a good fit for whatever team needs them yeah that's a like how close are we sort of thing is this like a finishing touch on an otherwise very good roster because he's going to be he's already 31 he's going to be 32 when the season starts a couple of these guys though julian loves 25 thornton's 27 he's a little bit older than you might

think, but still entering the prime of his career. 27, 28, 29. You can get them before 30. I mean, there's some guys here that are still right in that range. Seratarily. Pretty interesting. He's in there, too. I'll take a flyer on him if they're letting him go as well.

Seems like they are. All right. One more for me here that I had. Dalton Schultz is likely going to make a decent amount of money in free agency, $14, $15 million a year. Why not Foster Moreau for less than half that? especially at tight end. Yes.

Okay. We've talked about this where the breakouts for these guys can come a little bit later. It's hard to know exactly who's going to settle into that sort of player in the second contract, second phase of their career. Moreau had a good chance to kind of show that off last year with Darren Waller. Hurt didn't necessarily tap into that. But he, in flashes, I have been impressed by him. So is he one of those guys that, again, in that second stretch of your career from 26 to 28, at a tight end can kind of become a different version of himself.

And it's going to cost a lot less to go get a guy like that than it probably will to pay out for Dalton Schultz. And he's last year in their offense too, he was asked to do things like lead block and show kind of a different skill set than he's shown maybe before. And he excelled. Foster Morrow is one of mine as well. So I'm kind of like fired. I have my notes ready.

But you're paying, he's an auxiliary pass catcher with upside. And if you pay him and like coming to be your number four. pass catcher like that's pretty what's upside to get to number three maybe even better he's only 26 and he's done a lot of roles he's been at the backfield he's been in line he's split out good athlete too good athlete hey bet on the big big athletes that's what you bet on the tight end hope you can they can figure it out and he started to figure it out no I agreed this was another one I had another one I had was RFA which was Johnson he ended up signing a deal yeah yeah i signed the saints yeah uh 82nd percentile broad jump for foster Murrow 80

percentile vertical ran a 466 at 253 pounds 95th percentile short shuttle. I mean, the guys got some traits. Yes. And if you bring to bet on some traits for guys that could potentially break out on those second deals, break out in a modest way, break out to make it worth paying him $7 million a year in the agency. But I'd much rather have that than I like Dalton Schultz, but Dalton Schultz is just Mr. Security blanket.

You know, he's not like a true one-on-one winner. He's a zone beating underneath the guy. Exactly. He's a shield blocker. Fossamero actually is upside as like a Y, an inline Y. Donald Schultz just kind of gets by. I'd much rather have the guy with upside that would pay him $5 million less. We talked about the tight end market and the recent history of the tight end market on the mistake show that we did.

And those big money tight end deals. It's scary. They're a little bit daunting to me. So if I can shop in a different aisle at that position specifically, I'd be tempted to do it. I agree. Any more that you have. Oh, do I? I can always count on you.

Okay, Edge, second year in a row. I'm nominating this guy. This is the Millsap Doctrine. This is Obo Crockrow from Texans. He was on a one-year deal last year. He had more snaps. And guess what? His stats stayed sticky.

His pressure rates, everything stayed sticky with more snaps. He's 28. And again, if I were a contender looking for a guy to be my third rusher on passing downs or, you know, rotational guy that plays my 30 good snaps a game, this guy no matter what has been productive. He had like top, I think he was top 20 and pressure rates this past year. Like this guy is a legit pass rusher that's got better each year.

If he could stay healthy for you, if I were a contender, no brainer, give this guy one or two year deal just to drop in. Also, any of the 49ers pass rushers that are free agents, your guy, Charles Menehu.

I was going to mention him. Same pressure rate as Brian Burns to Marcus Lawrence and slightly better than Marcus Davenport and Daniel Hunter. why would I not give this guy he's 25 yeah why when I bet on this guy and I get it they're loaded up front but this guy has been productive that's why you tabbed him as a breakout candidate or Samson Ebukad same pressure raised Khalil Mack and he's more of contributor in the run game those either of those guys and then I got other ones but those are those are the

big three but way way deep this is even below Kirkland brand this is uh I'm not going to name another sponsor potential sponsor but from the Giants. And this is like a true home run swing. Not even a home run. Just give this guy one year deal or two year deal. Just see if he can do anything. I just like this guy as far as a prospect.

He's shown a little bit. And that's O'Shaun Somanis from the Giants. It hasn't really done a ton. He's at a couple moments where he looked okay. Had a testing thresholds that I look at as far as broad jump and short shuttle that I look at for past rushers. And he met those marks as a prospect. Has had stretches where he was productive.

I'd take a flyer on this guy. I just want to throw his name in it as well because it also has just a cool name, how it's spelled. Like X-I-M-I-N-E-S. I've never seen someone spell with that last name. It is a very cool name. Yeah, so that's another one I would throw out there as far as edge players. That's maybe just taking a one or two-year flyer. The class overall is not top-heavy at all.

I mean, the best guy available in free agency in this class is probably Marcus Davenport based on, like, talent. Marcus Davenport obviously has had a lot of trouble staying healthy. I mean, the guys other than that, you're looking at Menahoo, Arden, Key, clowny, Ebukam, I mean, some older players like Melvin Ingram, Frank Clark, you know. A lot of mercenaries. And there's some guys that I think I'd be, I'd want to take a potential flyer on if I was trying to rebuild my room. Like, DeMarcus Walker was good for the Titans in stretches last year. Dante Fowler had one of his best years.

Like, that's another gun for hire. Unfortunate one that I, in a different world, if he hadn't gotten hurt, I would be talking about him in a much different way just because he really impressed me last year as Dwayne. smooth, but he's coming off that torn Achilles. Yeah. So it's just hard to know. But let's say you can get him on a one year prove it deal. And you're a contender, again, just trying to like add a little bit of juice to that group. He's another one that I think is pretty interesting.

So not a lot of star power or big names in that group. But if you just want to find some contributors, I think you can there. But it also brings me back to that Washington conversation. If you really do need edge help, phone calls. Knock, knock, knock. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Hey, what did you guys thinking? I agree with that. Can I kick inside the interior defense line? Yep. We go, okay, I got one interior guy, Rakeem Nunez Roches from the Bucks, has been a very good rotational backup role the last few years. But even when Veo has been down or different guys been hurt, been a really good plugger. At times where I thought he was Vea for a split second.

And I was like, oh, no, that's Neososos, that would also a great name. He has the same TFL and Run Stuff rate as Cleasas Campbell and Leonard Williams. same total amount as Leonard Williams. He's 29. So this is more of like a contender that you're trying to plug some up. But like we talk about just finding these guys like the Browns could use this guy so badly. Yeah. And he could be such a good interior guy for them.

The chargers like could look at a guy like this. Like just guys that need interior help to stop the run. This guy's a contributor and he's done well, especially with more snaps. If you're looking at RFA candidate, Tierra Tart. But I don't know if you want to give up a second round pick, but he'd be something, someone really interesting because that's another plus plus player. And he hired Drew Rosenhouse. So I do think that he's expecting to get paid somewhat soon as well. There just aren't that many positions even where there is a brand name player available in free agency.

No. I mean. That's why I'm not naming the guy that's the brand name. I'm just like, hey, these are some guys that are lower that I like. I mean, as we get going here, I mean, really the spots to watch are right, the right tackle market. There's some corners who are going to get paid. And then what's going to happen with Orlando Brown and eventually Donovan Smith. I mean, and other than that, we talk about the offball linebackers a little bit.

Yeah. See if Yash Neeming has a market, let's see it. Happens every year where we sit there and like, all right, you know, who's going to be the big name guys in free agency? And then you look at the list and it's like, oh, ooh. Yeah. I know. There are going to be a lot of starters. There are going to be a lot of starting players or guys.

If I were contender with money, I'd be very happy right now. Because there's a lot of useful players. Yes. But if I'm rebuilding. Not a lot of headline grabbing guys. Correct. I guess is what I would say. That's a good way to put it.

Are guys Zacchaeus, if I, uh, Zekees. Um, oh my God. Uh, I mean, that's another like receiver market. That's my only like Kirkland brand. I try to find somebody else out like, I couldn't find my Kendrick born this year. If I had one, that would be him as far as the Kirkland brand guy, like a two year, eight million to your 10 million dollar deal. It could be useful.

All right. Well, we're going to find out a lot more about all of this here in the coming hours. So for those of you listening on Monday morning, just a reminder, 3.30 p.m. Eastern. We will be live on YouTube, breaking down all the things that have happened over the first three hours of the tampering period. May not be a lot. We'll figure out. We'll figure it out. I want it to do it the same time every day.

Yeah. And so that was the thought. So even though if there's only three hours of time between now and that, I'm sure we'll have plenty or three hours between start the tamper period of when we're going to record, I'm sure there will still be plenty to talk about. Again, we'll be doing those every day this week. Be me and you Monday through Thursday. I believe Randy and Mike are going to take. Friday because I will not be around, but we would highly encourage you guys to come hang out. Those will be available as podcasts when we are done, as they always are.

So no worries there. For now, that is all we have. We'll be back later today. Appreciate your guys' time. We'll talk to you soon. This was the Athletic Football Show.