The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL - Top 10 NFL moves we want to see before Week 1

Episode Date: June 24, 2022

Robert Mays and Nate Tice share the top 10 moves they want to see before the start of the NFL season. Should the Eagles trade for a running back? Could the Chargers bolster the line with Riley Reiff? Will the Chiefs sign an edge rusher? They discuss all of that plus other veteran signings, trades and much more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the athletic football show. Welcome to the athletic football show. Today's Friday, June 24th. I'm Robert Mays. Joining me today, it's my good friend, Nate Tyson. How you doing, buddy? I'm doing well, ready to shoot from the hip a little bit. But the, no, but doing well, got a nice dinner plan tonight.

Ooh, where are you going? Going back to Almofi. Oh, my gosh. I just, I can't. My parents, like I said, I've moved here and they're like, well, we got to go. And so have they not been yet? Oh, they've been, but they haven't been since they moved here. Okay, okay.

So it's been some time. But yeah, I think there's only a third time there maybe. But we go a lot. It's such a good time. So for the people who don't know, it's the Bobby Flay restaurant in the, in Caesars in Vegas. And it's very good. The last time we went there was during Super Bowl or during draft week and ate way too much food. Like way, way too much food.

And you're, you're smart. You sit center and so you can reach everything. I know what the fuck I'm doing. I know you deal. I always forget the former fat kid, you know, like that. You've seen me order food at a restaurant. It's the most, I mean, this is a compliment. It's the most at ease I've ever seen you.

Most, like, confident I've ever seen you. It is the thing I'm best at. Yeah. Ordering food at a restaurant and eating it is the thing that I'm best at. I, it's very important to me. Eating is a full contact sport. It is a deeply important thing to me. We went to Virtue yesterday in Hyde Park in Chicago.

It's a very, very good restaurant, which is really, really, really. good southern food. The chef just won the James Beard-Word for Great Lakes. And the chef-de-c cuisine was just on top chef. And we just went ham. I just ordered so many things. And then they brought out just a massive bowl of banana pudding at the end. I ate most of it.

Especially southern food, too. I love banana pudding. It's like one of my favorite desserts of all time because I love whipped cream and I love cookies. So the Nilo Wafers plus the whipped cream plus banana pudding. textually it's just everything I want and it's just it's very I like sweet desserts so many it hits check so many boxes

and their mac and cheese is like literally the best mac and cheese I've ever eaten cornbread and black and catfish and it just I'm still full telling me that you slept until noon today probably I was feeling it this morning I was definitely feeling it this morning typically we save those sorts of meals for the weekend but I have a friend in town from L.A so we went with him and his girlfriend with me and my fiance and it was just a fantastic meal but

That's awesome. We're doing something a little bit different today. We were going to do the offensive lessons, but Deante is sick, and we really want him to do it with us. So we're going to do it next week instead. So we're pivoting to just deep off-season content here. This is the June 24th show, if there ever was one. We're going to do some moves we want to see before, let's say, week one. Before the season starts, just the last few moves we want to.

want to see some teams make, whether they're veteran free agent signings, a couple trades we want to throw out. If there's something I love as much as food and restaurants, it's fake traits. So this show is right in my sweet spot, especially at this time in the calendar. I said there's catnip in the pre-show. This is your favorite. This is awesome. I know.

I knew you're geeked up. You started talking because we're like, okay, we can talk about this. And I could hear you get more and more excited once you realize this could be an idea. you're like, oh, and then we can talk about that. We can talk about that. I was like, okay, let's do it. Let's go for it. I love digging around the contract pages.

And you look at just the free agent tracker of like 23 and 24. It's like, who could be on the move? For example, a move that I love, just value the dice roll, understanding why somebody like that might be available. The Falcons trade for Brian Edwards. To me, it's like a perfect example of this where you're looking at a guy who's got a couple cheap years left on his deal. He's been a useful NFL player, new front office. They go make the splashy Devante Adams move. Why not? We're going to give him a fifth round pick for this guy who can

actually play and just see if we can get something out of him. So I like when teams just see that stuff on the horizon and try to make moves associated with that. So I've got a couple of those, a couple that a little bit more obvious. None of this is necessarily rooted in reality. I have not had enough time to make phone calls or have conversations about any of these. So some of them could just be totally out of left field and never within the realm of possibility. But these are moves we want to see, not necessarily moves we expect to see, which gives us some nice covering fire with how realistic they are.

And my caveat is that some are broadstroke and some are very like almost too narrow. Like it's very, very, very, very specific. So I could just go, oh, yeah, it's a shot in the dark. So yeah, I could talk out both, any side of my mouth. Not even both sides, any side of my mouth of this. What's your first one? Oh, God. We'll go with, I'm going to start with the trade.

I have two trades, but rest are more free agent, kind of like veteran signings, I think is a good way to put it. I would like to see the Eagles trade for one of the Browns running backs that's not Nick Chopp. So either Kareem Hunt or Deerneros Johnson. Interesting. I also was looking at this because I was looking at running back depth charts. And behind Miles Sanders, they have Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. And so I don't know how much they like them, but that was one of the ones that jumped out to me as well. because I was trying to send Kareem Hunt somewhere.

Me too. And that's, it was probably the like the 14th team. I kind of was like looking like, um, man, but it makes sense. Andrew Barry coming from he was an Eagles guy. Yeah, yeah, they know each other's information, I would assume. Yep. So I'm going to, I'm going to act like it's Kareem Hunt. That's the trade object.

Although Deionerj Johnson, who was your guy when we did the free agency, like under the radar kind of guy for running backs, like, you look at his efficiency numbers. This guy was off the charts. He was really good running the ball last year. Yeah, he was. And yeah, kind of a little more. I'm going to watch a Brown's round game next week. I'm pretty excited.

But the, let's say Kareem Hunt here. They drafted Jerome Ford, so they have a little more depth. I like Miles Sanders. I think him and Kareem Hunt would be actually a really nice kind of one, two punch, just kind of skill set. Miles likes to bounce things. He's got better, but Kareem's got a little more in between the tackles. Kareem can kind of do everything, which is kind of fun for him.

But you know which the best running back since 2020, the highest success rate in shotgun runs is Kareem Hunt. That's a nice little nugget. Look at you go. No. And Jalen Hertz was the QB. He was the fourth highest in shotgun percentage. The Eagles were fourth highest in shotgun percentage in 2021. I like that a lot. That's really interesting. A little synergy there. So yeah, that's my first one. That's why I wanted to start off because it's all downhill from here. I like that one. Because Kremont was somebody I was trying to send somewhere. Somewhere. It's hard to find rosters where a running back who's going to make multiple millions of dollars is justifiable. And so there just aren't that many spots where it's such a glaring need. Or you have a team that, they're not in the mood to spend money. The Falcons aren't going to go trade for Karim Hunt right now, even though they probably need some help at running back. So there just weren't that many teams on the list.

The other team I was thinking about was, and I know they just drafted Rashad White, but he's a rookie, who knows, do the bucks maybe think about another running back somewhere? But that's very possible that they look at Fernette and White and say, we're ready to roll. We don't need anything else. And then whatever they get from Gio Bernard.

I'm assuming they're not expecting a lot. That's why I like Rashad White is because he's such a good receiver. So I'm like that's kind of yeah and that's why it just doesn't make total sense because a lot of teams have at least one guy, two guys. The bills have James Cook now. Like there's just so many teams where they've checked that box and they don't really need more help at that position. Yeah. There's one other team, but I have another way I'm filling it. So we'll get to that a little bit.

All right. I'm swinging for the fence here. Yeah. I want the Ravens to trade for Terry McLaurin. Wow. That would be actually awesome. So I, it is not in, I have McLaren or Metcalf. So I don't think this happens for multiple different reasons.

I don't think Washington or the Seahawks is that incentivized to trade either one of those guys. Because they're both very good players. I would want them on my team. I think the Ravens have shown us that they aren't in the market of valuing receivers that highly are wanting to pay a receiver because they just traded Hollywood Brown for a first round pick. I think Terry McClearn and D.K. McCaff are much better players. in Hollywood Brown. Yes.

But I would just, because you look at some of these other moves, like, could they go sign Wolf Fuller, sure? Could they go get one of those kind of cheaper free agents? Absolutely, they could. But the Ravens are in a spot where a team like the Packers isn't. They have $50 million in cap space next year potentially. And you have to earmark a good chunk of that for whatever Lamar is going to make. But they could make a splashy move like this and fit somebody under their cap and into

their plans more easily than some of these other borderline contenders. Again, I don't think this happens. I don't think either side is that interested in making it happen, but it's something I would want to see. Because just dropping a real player on there rather than some patchwork solution would be much more interesting to me as it relates to their 2020 outlook, what this offense could look like, what Lamar needs, all of that stuff. And I understand that Washington wants to get a deal done. I assume the Seahawks want to get a deal done. If they're going to try to trade for Baker, that's another indication that they're not trying to lose a bunch of games and they aren't selling. off pieces.

But we've seen how fast this stuff can happen. I mean, Mike Vrable said that AJ Brown was going to be in Tennessee as long as he was in Tennessee. And then two weeks later, AJ Brown was an eagle. So I would at least pick up the phone if I were Baltimore and ask what it would take to get one of those guys. I mean, I love that stylistic fit because Terry can burn and he can, he's a global blocker. Like he fit well with, with Bateman and Andrews. Like, yeah, I mean, I would freaking love that. I like that one.

That's fun. Yeah, that's a fun one. I do have the rate. I'll just got to get it out of the way because they'll take me 30 seconds. I do have like I said just somebody signed Will Fuller and I said Ravens Chargers, somebody somebody that needs some speed. Yeah. Like that's that was just that's another one of mine.

But yeah, that's tying in. I want it's like for the Ravens. It's like yes, I wanted to add to the receiver room, but I want it to make sense. Just don't sign some old vet like just because of fill body. You know, I want someone to make sense for what their offense. I think they need. But Terry is an awesome one. I like that one a lot.

While we're on the D.K. Meckhaf thing, I wanted to ask you just out of curiosity, where do you want to see Baker go? What do you is the most interesting or fun ending for where he lands this year? Oh, man. I think the part of me wants to go to the Panthers because I think that would just be hilarious. That's where I'm landing as well for pretty much the same reason. I think that would just be the best, most entertaining, I think. It would truly be his offense. I mean, you can't really complain anything else on that. I mean, the Seahawks won that kind of makes sense, but I don't know. I don't know.

But I think the Panthers would be where my answer would be. It makes sense for the Seahawks just from the perspective of they want to compete. And that's why I always expected them to be sniffing around something like this because they're just not built to tear it down. Like walking into the season with Gino Smith and Drew Locke was always hard for me to imagine from that perspective. So I can understand why they would want to do it. but Baker gets dropped. Baker is not a terrible quarterback. I think it's important to remember this.

He is not a good quarterback, but he is not a terrible quarterback. Sam Darnold has been the worst quarterback in the NFL, statistically, during his time as a starter. It's not all of this potential that we've ascribed to Sam Darnold because he was a top five pick and he came into the league pretty young. Eventually that runs out. Sam Darnold has been very, very bad whenever he has played football in the NFL. Baker has been up and down, but Baker's baseline is higher than Sam Darnold's.

And he's had some highs. Yes, there have been moments where it's like, okay, that guy can play a little bit. Yeah. You put him in an offense with those receivers, an offensive line that I think is much better. We'll see what happens with Ben McAdoo. But it's not a horrendous situation. The Panthers offense could be functional with Baker Mayfield if they make that move. If I'm at rule, I think it's in my best interest if I want to keep my job to have

Baker Mayfield be my quarterback and not some combination of Sam Darnold and Matt Corral. Yeah. And it's an easier sell to get more a couple more years. Like, hey, what's, hey, what's putting a whole offense for it? They do that every year now. I know. It's the best. He's figured it out.

He's game to system for now. All right. What's your next one? Oh, I got two good Robert Mays segways here. So I'm like trying to figure out the best one to go down. I'm going to go with my receiver trade. This is my other trade that I threw out here. And it's actually with the Panthers.

But it's, they're the senders here. And that's Robbie Anderson. I was like, well. Yeah, who has kind of made it known. Robbie, I think Robbie's one of those guys is like, manny Ramirez where it's like Robbie's Robbie. Like he kind of, that's kind of man. That's Mandy.

Um, but the one team that I really looked at that made sense for me. Ravens was another good one. I actually went with the Saints. Even though it's an indivision trade. So that'll probably never happen. I kind of liked it as far as who they need at receiver. I know that he's drafted Chris Olavé. We have no idea what's going on with Michael Thomas.

I've been watching a little Saints offense this week. I think this guy, I think Robbie Anderson would be great for him because he's a yak guy. His best stuff from inside kind of slants from the sloth. Which Olavay is not, you know, for as much juices Alave brings, that is not what he gives you at all. He's just a true route runner. Yeah, like Alave is, yeah, they're different.

Yeah, totally different types of guys actually. And they both go inside and out. Yeah, but that's, I felt, neither is Michael Thomas. Michael Thomas is slant point. Like he, he gets open, but then he, he goes down like that. So get a guy that can create something after the catch. I think, you know, in a pinch, he could be your number two.

But, I mean, if Thomas does come back, that's a great number three, another nice weapon. I think James, I, we're going to talk about over the next couple months. The Saints offense is actually a little more intriguing that I realized with James back there. As I've watched a little bit more, he's tightened up his footwork and stuff. But Robbie Anderson was a guy. I feel like that might be a good fit, even though it's an indivision trade. So it'll probably never happen. But maybe the Ravens as well as another yak guy.

even though I think Mulmar would benefit from another size guy in that receiver room. And that's where Terry would come in because Terry would kind of be that bigger body with the speed, blocking and everything else you can do. I'm looking at this right now.

I probably don't understand some of the intricacies of it. Rob Anderson restructured his contract. His base salary this year is only a million dollars, though. So I don't know what a team trading for him would be on the hook for if they made that deal,

but not something that's prohibitive. So if I were a team that needed receiver help, I would probably be making some phone calls, but like you've alluded to. The uncertainty with the personality aspects to this is something that any team trading for him would have to take into account. You're betting on Saints culture in Ravens culture. They've bet on it before.

They have. That's why you could do it. They've bet on it plenty of times before. All right. Because I am a caricature of myself. Here's my next one. I want the charges to sign Riley Reef. You keep dreaming about that right tackle.

Keeping you up at night. Even if you're worried about he's 33, he was hurt last year, just bring another body into the building. Even if it's a rental. Just bring another body into the building. Just give yourself one more potential answer at that spot. What could he possibly ask for? Right. Three million bucks?

Yeah, two to three. And it's not like you're, I understand the downside of signing stopgap better and free agents when you're trying to develop players. that you've drafted that you have a plan for. And there are plenty of examples of this when I was going through. Like, oh, could they use a little bit of an upgrade here? Yeah, but this guy is on a trajectory. You don't want to take snaps away from him. Like, for example, another one I was thinking about,

and I probably will bring this up, is what the Titans could do a receiver. If you think Trelin Burks isn't ready to step in from day one and be a starter, or do you go get a veteran to ease him along? Maybe, but then you cut him off from playing time. Is that a good thing? It's not like they've invested all. of this stuff in Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton.

We're like, we really need to give this guy a shot because we want to see what he can do. So that's why I just think that brings somebody in that could give you another potential solution there would make sense. Darry Williams was another guy who has played right tackle. It was on the market. He just signed with New England. So the list of guys who are starters have experience at that position could potentially give you an answer right away is not that long. And it's not like most teams don't have excess guys that tackle where you're making a cheap trade for it. So Reeve just makes sense.

And he visited the Jets recently. He did not sign there. So they have two starting tackles. So there's a chance that he'd be fine as depth piece or as somebody who was fighting for a starting job. And that's what would happen with the Chargers. So that's the guy I landed on. I just want to see them do something at that spot. Because like you said, it has been keeping me up at night a little bit.

I like it, though, because you can't have enough depth the offensive line. And having another veteran in the room, I mean, it's not the worst thing. Now, I mean, you're going to have a rookie at right guard with Zion, Johnson. I always want to say Williamson. But you have him at right guard. It's not bad to have another vet if he repast the plate next to him, you know, just helping them along. I know.

And then Zion's a long-term trajectory might move to center. Like, but that's interior depth as well as tackle depth. It's not bad to have a swing tackle you could rely on. You know, I mean, offensive line health is what kind of carries a lot of teams. And, I mean, the charges are going to be no different. Protecting yourself there is so important. Yeah. Just protecting yourself from.

the worst case scenario. And I think that spending a little bit more money to shore up that spot would go a long way. Absolutely. I have another Chargers signing a vet as my next one. Lay it on me. This is great segues. So originally I was looking at Cream Hunt, maybe trade chargers, but I was like,

AFC. That's another one I was thinking about because they don't really have anybody. They drafted Spiller, but I, that was another team I was thinking about. It's funny that we're very close on these. Yeah. So I got a two fur out of it. So I did trade with the Eagles. What I did was sign a vet.

This is like sexy at all. But the guy, the name I have is Latavius Murray. This is just a guy to eat carries, be short yardage, and do pass pro. And Latavius is 33, I think, maybe even 32. Still effective, actually, with the Ravens offense last year, just about necessity. But the thing with Austin Eckler, and I love Austin Eckler. He was my second team all pro pick last year. He's not very good in short yardage situations.

Which team likes to go for it in third and fourth town? The Chargers, when they love to not have. to throw stick every single time that they want to go for it on third or fourth down they probably want to hand it off awesome ecler has the worst since 2020 has the worst percentage of conversions on third and fourth down and one and two to go so it's true short yards he's the worst in the NFL for anyone that has 10 more attempts of those Murray has 72 percent he was top seven I believe in the whole NFL at those he's a big body and what have I joked about before that ecler gets exhausted and he's like blaming the backup runnerbacks he's like hey I got to get off the field I can't

pass pro every time we drop back. Latavius is known as one of the better guys in that. And on top of it, guess where Joe Lombardi came from? The Saints, Latavius Murray had time with the Saints. It's another like a little mesh right there. I like this. I like this a lot. Makes a lot of sense. And I'm not saying Latavis Murray deserves 10 carries every game. He gets his three to four, you know, just a little, he's an innings eater. He's just, you gets in there. He's your middle, middle relief pitcher, but he's useful in those situational types of plays that would help out the charters. You need, they have the stars.

You need role players like this. So Latavius is the guy I settled on. I love that because they're another team where I was looking at the running back Tep chart and they could use something. Even after draft and Spiller, it just feels like they could use a little bit more there. And that's a really, really good body just to bring in. It's a body. All right.

My next one here. Jason Pierpaal to the Chiefs. Okay. I have another. I went just in Houston here. So here's my question because that's originally what I wanted to do. a lot. There has to be, right?

I think there is. The fact that they have needed pass rush help, we haven't heard a single peep about that as a possible connection. There has to be some bridge burned or some bad experience where that is just not a marriage that's going to happen again. Because I wanted to put that down. Think about it. It'd be great.

They need a pass rush. He's still effective. He'd be cheap. It's him and Melvin Ingrubber on this rotating thing where they're all, every time somebody needs one, that's, that's, They're the guys that could potentially fill that spot. So I wanted to put Houston there, but it's like, ah, that doesn't make a lot of sense.

And sending him back to the Ravens, isn't that fun? So mine was JPP to the Chiefs or the Ravens, because the Ravens actually brought him in on a visit a couple weeks ago. Okay. So he just, he's older, but you need somebody in that. I go, Ravens are Chiefs. Justin Hewson, you're going Ravens and Chiefs, JPP.

So same line of thinking. Well, those are the two teams that that's a, it's a hole. They have a spot. They need another edge rusher. And even though he's obviously, I think he's 33 years old, he was dinged up a little bit last year. I still feel like if you need an effective rotational player at that spot, he is probably the best answer available on the free agent market. That's not just in Houston. Yep.

No, I love it. And different type of body than they really kind of have. You know, Frank Clark is so kind of stocky. Yep. And George Carl Lofis is kind of the same way as well. So, yeah, JPP would be a nice, you know, with his, get his mid up. the stop sign to knock some passes down so get a little length there but yeah no i like that one all right what's your next one my next one okay i have my edge rusher i guess is the best way to put

it my signing is the brown signing tray flowers and this is a road like just the same line to thinking but more as you were talking about maybe getting after the passer this is more to help out against the run yeah yep and just getting on the rotation with miles miles garry can play every freaking snap let's be house. We're getting a rotation with Clowny and just another body, maybe it on third down. Like, his flowers, even though he's about 270, he can, he's, he's stout. Like, he's rugged. That's what Trey Flowers is known for.

I just think he's a nice. He was not a $20 million a year pass rusher. No, he's not, should never been paid that much. But I love Trey Flowers, but he's more of a super role guy. And I think that's kind of within age. Isn't he another body, another vet? He's still in the market. He's 29.

Um, they have some space. I think it'd be good. Nice little plugger to help out that run game. That's not, you know, a linebacker. or something else, just another body to have that can be part of your rotation up front. It's funny that you sent someone to the Brown's defensive line because I also sent someone to the Brown's defensive line. I edge depth and another guy there makes total sense to me, but I still think if you look at

the depth chart as it exists right now, the spot where they need the most help is on the interior of the defensive line. What about trading for Duran Payne? Oh, I like that. So he's in the final year of his final year, right? Yep. He's in the final year of his deal. His base salary and the final year of his deal as it slowly loads on my computer.

It's bigger than I thought it was. So now I'm not sure if I believe in this anymore. It's $8.5 million because you forget he was a first round pick. First round pick. So it's $8.5 million. That's a lot. But still think it makes sense if you kind of ignore some of the financial specificity of it. Because they drafted Federian Mathis in the second round.

They already going into next year, our 10. 10th in defensive line spending without Durand Payne on the roster. And they're going to have to make some decisions about some of these other guys. And you start drafting all these guys in the first round. Everyone can't get paid. They already resigned Jonathan Allen. They drafted somebody in the second round. So it just feels like they might be ready to move on or if somebody called with a good offer,

would they listen? Because if he hasn't been extended at this point, then I'm sure they'd be willing to pick up the phone. So $8.5 million is tough to stomach. That's a lot of money to pay some money. in a trade. But that was somebody that I had just in mind. Somebody else on the defensive line that was like, what about him?

What about Dean Lowry? Okay. He's going into the final year of his deal. They just drafted another guy. They just drafted somebody else on the interior of the defensive line. I think that the Packers would be trying to save a little bit of money if they could. He's owed about $5 million this year in base salary. What about the Saints?

I love it. You put him next to David Anamata. Really, they only have shy tittle there is their other. interior defensive lineman feels like that could make sense just like another body again going the final year of his deal could he be available so those are the two interior defensive lineman that i kind my radar was up for potential trade ideas yeah i know the browns was the one i just kept kind of like sifting through just like okay because this guy fit here i ended up on flowers but i like those like especially like uh i pain's a good one because pain's kind of got getting lost in the shuffle

with Washington's D line, you know, because Alan, you know, you got Chase Young coming down the pipe, like, you know, like sweat. Sweat. Oh my God, sweat. That's right. But he's pains the other, you know, he's the, he's the fourth beetle. Like that's kind of what it feels like for them. But that is the fourth beetle.

Like Ringo Star isn't like a guy that's a notable name who's got on a lot. But, yeah, no, I like that one a lot. I, it's fun trying to figure out where, I know this is a trade candidate, but really where those kind of vet signings and trades could plop in. And it's not those guys at the sexy pass rushers. It's more like the, like again, those useful guys. So I know. But I like that one because that's the types of guys that like the Browns knee, especially

on defense. So I want to throw out two more guys that I didn't have landing spots for. But as I was going through, guys are going to be hitting free agency relatively soon. And these are the, I like looking at, all right, was the coaching staff there? Was the front office there when this guy was acquired as they hit near the end of their contract? So somebody that not a name the fans are going to get excited about, not a sexy name, but Cleveland Farrell is like an NFL player. He's going to make $4 million this year.

If you could trade nothing for him. Think about all the moves they've made at those edge rushing spots, all of the resources they put into it. He could be somebody in your rotation for $4 million. He was still a top five pick even if he hasn't lived up to that. And he just got totally pushed aside with all the moves that they made. but he can be a useful player in spurs. So he was one that I wanted, that I was what was thinking about.

And the other one is somebody should make a call about Denzel Mims. Right. I was going to say it, but I was like, I can't be a meme of myself. Just, what's he going to make this year? Oh, wait, he's a second round pick, so not that much. Second round pick, you don't have to pay any of the signing bonus. Yeah. So in, in 2022, Denzel Mims was going to make.

$1.1 million. Right. Like if you set a fifth round pick to the Jets and you had to pay him $1.1 million, isn't that a worthwhile dice roll? Because it's making 1.3 next year. So if it hits, you get him for another cheap year. That's somebody I would just be, I'd be curious about at the very least. Yeah.

No, especially in offense that, because those Shannon had offenses ask so much of the receivers. They have to be so in tune to formation and stuff. that's been the struggle with Mibs. I mean, they openly say it. Like, he's got to get his head in the playbook. He's got, you know, get up the tempo. Get an offense where he could just be vertical. Like, holy shit, why aren't the bears trade a six-rounder for him?

Yeah, exactly. I was pissed the bears didn't trade for Brian Edwards. Yeah. Just it's very similar to me. Yeah. They need guys like that. So he's somebody that I would be, I would be making some phone calls about just because I feel like it wouldn't take a lot to get him.

He was drafted by the previous coaching staff. Yep. It's, that's the type of guy where just kick the tires. Why not? Why not? On somebody like that. I know. I know.

And obviously like, yeah, because I mean, they're not like saying that they'd love this guy. Do you, this is somewhat tied ahead, but the Shanhan thing just made me think of it. Do you have any like ones with offensive alignment going to the 49ers? Yeah. That's one of my next ones. Can I hear that one? I only have one left. So I'm dragging my feet.

Why wouldn't the Niners sign J.C. treter? Okay. That was, okay. Yeah. That seemed pretty obvious, right? Let's get another veteran center in there. There is one above average center currently on the market. They need a veteran center.

Yes, yes, especially if they're starting Trey Lance. I mean, you need a vet. You got to help him out. I like that one. Yeah, Trenner is, there's one above average. Again, there's one above average center on the market. It's him. They need somebody in that spot.

That one just makes a lot of sense to me. Even it gets near the end of camp. And maybe there's a reason he hasn't been signed yet. and people are apprehensive about one reason or another. But if you're the Niners and you're sitting there on August 15th and you just don't feel good about that spot, he's somebody that would be reliable. He's somebody where you would know what you're getting if you made that move. Yeah. And a lot of terminology would probably be the same for him.

Yeah. Yes. I mean, I mean, every time I pull up their depth chart, I'm just stunned by the offensive line. I know it can beat this day. horrors. That one makes a lot of sense to me. And then the other interior offensive line thought that I have, I want Buffalo to just go get somebody else.

Yeah. Just even if it's not a starter, just go get an Odayabushi or an Eric Flowers. Give him a million and a half bucks. And similar to what Riley Reef could be for the Chargers, you're just insulating yourself from disaster. Yeah. Like that to me is important when you think you're a Super Bowl contender. Yeah.

When your outlook on the season is, if things break right for us, we can win a Super Bowl, I would try to make sure I give every chance to myself for things to break right, for those worst case scenarios to not unfold. And creating more offensive line depth for yourself, to me, is the best way possible to do that. How many games and seasons have been derailed by O line injuries? Like, just getting someone competent. Like, that's the thing. It's, if you have a window, like, signing Von Miller is like putting a brick, you know,

standing it lengthwise to keep that window open, like signing another offensive line depth this like a quarter like you're putting it like a penny like just a wine it just a little more but you're helping yourself out you're just you're just helping yourself out just to not derail the whole season and these aren't the sexiest names in the world no but it's just somebody that's like all right if we have a guy go down we could put this guy in he has been a starting caliber player in the NFL abushi signed a one year deal with the charges last year he played well in detroit the year before he got hurt you know eric flowers was the odd man out in washington as they did some restruffling but he's been a useful player at times if you get him for the right price.

I just feel like some offensive line depth in Buffalo and with the Chargers, I would want to see it for both of those teams as they strive to try to win a championship here. Yeah. And we all know how they feel about it. Just look at the moves they made. I mean, it's not no, no mistake how they angle themselves this year. All right. What's your last one?

My last one. Because I'm like, this is one of the guys I'm very curious where he end up signing this offseason. He hasn't signed anywhere. It's Anthony Barr. and I want the Cowboys to sign Anthony Barr. And this is a mostly because him and Parsons are kind of like, we talk about cut from the same cloth with like receivers and stuff like that.

Like Parsons is a supercharged like, you know, 180% version of Barr. But as far as being a linebacker, they could be a pass rusher that can all do that. They're kind of like they have some, you know, kind of similarities, but they're both versatile. I love Barr.

I've loved watching him in Zimmer's defense for years and years and years. He kind of does everything well, but nothing dominant. he's, you know, he's pretty solid in band coverage. He's pretty solid in zone coverage. He's pretty solid against the run. He diagnoses the game pretty well. Him and Kendricks were always really fun to watch.

And also he's a pretty good pass rusher. But I think a Cowboys team that could be dicey at that linebacker position and just maybe just needs another vet. I know they have, you know, Van derrash and all that. But it's just a, it's another one where it's like they're one linebacker injury from just being like, okay, now we can't use Parsons up front because we need him back. And it's not like Van derrash has had a clean. Bill health no.

No. And he's terrified. Like sometimes when he's banged up, it's really terrifying to watch him in coverage. Like, you know, you never know when that's can stop. But these, I think Barr would just be a nice kind of schematic fit because of how Quinn, what Quinn likes to do with the man stuff, but also bringing pressures from his linebackers. I don't know. I just like that versatility that him and Parsons can bring if Vander Escher wasn't on the field.

So Anthony DeBart to the Cowboys should maybe just help some regression from that defense. I like that one. I was trying to put him somewhere. I think that one, that makes as much sense as anything. Another team that I was thinking about was Denver, perhaps, because they don't really have two solid linebackers. They signed Alex Singleton this year. Josie Jewel is still there.

But they could be another team that I feel like they could use some linebacker help and he's the best one on the market. So, but I think Delft is, that totally tracks to me. All right. I have three more. I love it. Okay. What are the Packers going to do a receiver?

They say, hey, LaFleauce said Sammy Watkins is going to, he's going to eat those reps up. Why not just sign Emmanuel Sanders? Right. Or Julio. Julio. Julio, I understand that Julio can come with its own complications. Yeah, right? Like, Julio is a superstar Hall of Fame level player.

Those guys at the end of their careers, it can go a lot of different ways when you bring that into the fold. I can understand being a little bit. Do we really want that? Emmanuel Sanders has done this. Manuel Sanders has been that bounce around guy for the last few years. He knows what he is, and he knows, he seems fine with that sort of setup. He signed it with contenders every single year. I'm sure if you picked up the phone and said,

do you want to come play with Aaron Rogers for a couple million dollars? He could be open to that. Yeah. There's a reason he signed at Buffalo. Like, he's like, oh, this Josh Allen guy seems decent. that's bad these stats baby so just somebody just one more guy to potentially give yourself another option that is not sammy walkins okay i don't i good luck to sammy walkins but i just would like to protect myself a little bit more than that another receiver move and i alluded to

this a little bit earlier if you're the titans you don't feel super great about what you have right now robert woods coming back from a torn ACL trailing The early reports have not been great. Who knows how real that's going to ultimately going to be. But if he's coming along slowly, you don't feel great about your wide receiver group. Behind that, you got Westbrook, Heena, and not a ton. Not much. What about Sterling Shepherd?

See, I would like it, but they drafted Kyle Phillips from UCLA. All right. So it's another slot only guy. Yeah, I know. So that, I like that, though. But, yeah. Shepherd could be useful for somebody. I was trying to put him somewhere, and I just think that he's somebody who probably could be available.

If you made a call, I mean, it's a new regime. They're trying to save money. His base salary is not very high at all this year. If you threw a pick at the Giants, would they be willing to part with him? Because they have receivers on that team. Yeah. They've got enough of them. I think everyone's for sale for the Giants.

It just seems like he's somebody that I would make a call about him if I needed somebody in that role. where it's like, all right, I need a slot receiver. I just need another useful pro player. Obviously, a ton of injury concerns, but that's why you're not giving a lot to get him. If it can be a low cost, low risk sort of dice roll, I think he's somebody that would be worth making a phone call about. The other guy, receiver-wise,

that I would at least call about if I needed somebody, is Deontay Johnson. They drafted George Pickens in the second round. Kevin Colbert is no longer there. They have a reshaping. coaching staff. The office coordinator is the same, but their approach on offense will likely be a little bit different this year. I guess we'll say that, even if the guys call the players are the same.

So anybody that is this deep into the lame duck year of their deal and there's been at least some turnover and competition added at his position group, I'd at least make a phone call about it to see what he might be available for. Yeah. No, I know. And he's another very useful player. A guy that I just don't want, I wish I could have seen the last couple of years without. In real offense. Without playing with that quarterback. Because it's just one of those guys.

It's so frustrating because he, the only thing we didn't. He was in the no fly zone. Yeah, he was in the no fly zone. I didn't watch him for like eight weeks. But he's the guy like, he had the frustrating drops. But the thing is, he does so much other shit that it's like, who cares? Like that he is such a good player, but it's been all those guys are going to have their dampered stats.

Like it's just that's what the offense is. been with that quarterback for the last few years. So hopefully I like that. Like he's a guy that like if he became available like even free agency down the road, it was like it could be like an upper middle class guy that like someone should take a chance on. You know, like more than like a guy like Christian Kirk. So like but like that's the thing. It's like why wouldn't someone sniff around with like a middle round pick with him?

Especially if a guy like Brian Edwards is going, this guy's a whole tier, two tiers better. So that's my question is what would it take to get him? If it takes a first and change and a $25 million a year extension to go get A.J. Brown and Terry McCorrin and D.K. Metcalf, would Johnson be available potentially for less than that? And would that make it a little bit attractive? So he was another guy that just again, looking through when guys' contracts are up and who has been resigned, who hasn't? That jumped to mind a little bit. The last one I have, not super sexy, not super exciting, but need somebody who's played well recently and seems fine. taking a check for a year and just figuring that out.

Why wouldn't the Cardinals sign Jack Rabbit Jenkins? Yeah, that's a wonderful one because they need it. He actually played fairly well. He was fine last year. Yeah, yeah. Come in, he's a starting caliber corner. I thought it was a very savvy move by the Titans last year to move on from Jackson and to sign him for a fraction of the price and get similar play.

Just a human cornerback that would be really, really helpful. A hard position, just like right tackle, a hard position to get a body out there. So, I mean, yeah, yeah, I like that. I like that a lot. That was my last one. Especially the Cardinals who have no idea what they are. Like, why not? Like you sign all these other guys, all these other rentals, why not?

Yeah, no, that's a good one. All right. That's all I got. That was fun. This is the type of stuff that these aren't the splashy moves. These aren't the day one of free agency type signings. But it does feel like there's still enough place. players out there and enough solutions out there for teams to help themselves over the next

few weeks. Another guy that maybe next off season might be worth looking at, I was going to one more safety that I was thinking about is Chuck Clark. Yeah. Could you somebody that needs a little bit of depth and they made several additions at the position, somebody like that. Ronnie Harrison on the Browns, I think that he's more valuable to them than he is off the team and gives them flexibility on the back end.

But some of these teams with, you know, three safeties, four corners. that made, again, they went out and made actual pointed additions at those spots. Could you find somebody in that scenario? So, those are the guys that'd be sniffing around a little bit. Yeah. It's the surplus positions where it's like, I can find a role for this guy. Yes. That's what it is.

It's like this guy could be a number two, number three at this position for us. Like that is what you're looking for here. All right. That's all we got. We are going to be back with the mailbag next week. We're going to do with Lindsay. So please submit your questions if you had not done that. Athletic Football Show at gmail.com.

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