The Fumblerooski Podcast - Bad News, Bears -Ep 428 The Fumblerooski Podcast

Episode Date: February 24, 2026

On today’s episode, Javonte Williams gets a 3 year extension from the Cowboys, and Kyle Pitts gets hit with the Franchise Tag. Along with this, the Indiana Bears? A dive into how the Bears and the state of Illinois got into this mess. Chris Costich, CJ Medeiros, and Justin Tucker talk all this and more!

On today's episode of the Fumble Ruski podcast, Javante Williams gets a three-year, $24 million extension from the Cowboys. Cal Pitts gets tagged. And the Bears? It's going to be called the Indiana Bears. See how that plays. This is the Flamarooski podcast. It may not have always showed it in the stat sheet, but you can see him making throws when he needs to make the throws. Back-to-back games where he has three touchdowns.

Someone's got to get that six or seven spot. He's an elite wide receiver as a rookie. Truly a lose-lose scenario for both sides. Welcome to the Fulmleriski podcast by PowerD 18 Radio and Secret Weapon Consulting. We got CJ, we got tuck. We got myself, Chris. Got a good one in store for you today. Happy Tuesday.

Just about to be in March, but it doesn't really feel like we're getting any closer to spring since the entirety of the Northeast is getting. two feet of fucking snow, but that's just how it is, unfortunately. If you're in the Northeast, stay warm, stay inside, unless you absolutely have to, go outside, but hopefully everyone's staying warm and cozy and safe. I guess I'll also use this time for our final five minutes of Olympic talk

since the Olympics finally just came to an end. And the United States of fucking America is on top. Yes, we are. Yes, we are. CJ, you were saying you didn't watch the game because you're not a hockey guy. Okay, yeah, yeah.

Oh, boy, here we go. It's pile on CJ time. No, that's not what I meant. No, what I meant? Tuck, did you watch the game? I was keeping up with the highlights. I know we were tied going into half. Half?

And then half. What? Come on. Hockey's got the game. three periods. Right. Like half. Second period or whatever? Yeah, it was.

Or even I know that. And then at the end of the game, it was still tight. And then in the overtime, we had to get the second goal. Yeah. I'm not big on hockey guys. Forgive me. I've never been more happy to wake up at 8 a.m. for a.m. for a game than this game in general. And this was, I watched this from beginning to end, because.

I love hockey. I enjoy hockey, of course. And this was easily one of the greatest games I've ever watched in my life. Easily. I'm happy for you. Like, just the buildup of this game of USA and Canada. Like, I'll save my America bias for a moment. But the buildup of this game was probably one of the biggest buildups I've ever witnessed. in my life.

And I say that because I wasn't alive for the Mariclaw and ice game. Well, none of us were. And what followed suit was poetry in motion. Scoring chance after scoring chance. The goaltenders were playing at the most elite level I'd ever seen in my life. And it was just utterly unbelievable the gameplay that I watched or that was watched. on Sunday.

Connor Hellebuck had probably one of the greatest gold tentative performance as I've ever seen. 41 saves against like some of the greatest scores to grace the ice. You have like Canada's top line is all like that entire top line. Their three forwards are all in the running for the Hart Trophy. Like that's how insane they are. and just did America catch a couple breaks yeah they did but they also killed off a five on three and they also got the fucking job done against in and you could say I'm not a big three on three guy

myself I think it should have been five on five but Canada can't shouldn't be complaining about it being three on three when they had Nathan McKinnon Connor McDavid and kale McCar as their three skaters out there to start overtime that should be that should be game set match right there if you're Canada. But the American result, baby. And I think Mike Tarrico rounded it out best, right?

Like the Miracle on Ice game created a new generation of fans. The 2010 Olympics were Sydney Crosby won an O.T. Against America was a also created a new generation of

hockey players in general, too, that witnessed heartbreak and a new drive of a generation that led us to hear. Jack Hughes loses a fucking tooth and then scores the overtime winner.

Fucking America, man. And then his post-game interview afterwards, like, just got me going. I saw a great, I saw a great picture afterwards, and it was Nathan McKinnon. He,

like I said, one of the greatest one of the best scores in the league right now. Gets it on his stick, point blank, nets wide opening, off the side of the net, and just misses the net completely. And I saw a great picture and was the ghost of Johnny Goddrow pushing the butt.

So rest in peace, Johnny Goddrow and his brother. But, yeah, all around. Can't get much better than that. Like I said, especially with the buildup of the last really the last few years in the

America and Canada rivalry Canada's fans booing the national anthem and then in the four nations face off and everyone knew this was what was going to happen was America versus Canada

in the gold medal game and it did not disappoint anything you guys would add no our men's team and our women's team beat Canada yeah so that's the other thing too

is that both the men's and women's teams in like in terms of high intense international play if you account for the world juniors team as well America has won the last four now in terms of men's and women's or combined since they won the world junior championship last year both men and woman and men and woman won

in the Olympics this year which probably two of the most dominant at least on the woman's side, probably the most dominant stretch of hockey that has ever been seen. Only two goals allowed. And same thing on the men's side, too. They didn't allow a power,

neither side led up a power play goal, the entire run. In fact, the woman's team led up more short-handed goals than they did power play goals. Which you could say what you want about that. Maybe bad, maybe not. But just goes to show like, the heart and drive America, babe.

Come on. You can't complain about that. Nope. Nope. I know for the other view, this is a football podcast why are we talking about hockey. Hey,

we had two reels go up on our Instagram about this. Both, I mean, you combine it, and net well over two million views. So yeah, we're well within our rights

to talk about it. Well, never mind that. It was just, it was the biggest, It was the biggest story of the weekend. Biggest story of the weekend. You've got to talk, especially including America.

Come on now. All right, let's get into some football. Cowboys and Giovante Williams over the weekend agree to a three-year, $24 million extension. I think this more has to say about where we're getting at with the running back market. You know, Sequin being one of the highest paid guys from two or getting one of the highest paid contracts, if not the highest, two years ago. And now Giovante Williams, after a very, very good season with Dallas last season,

gets a massive extension out of it. I guess the move here, or the question here is good move or bad move for Dallas. So I'll let you guys respond to that. I think it's a solid move. They've solidified the running back spot. I still think they need to. do more work specifically because I'm not sure how the backup the RB2 is going to look. But getting Javante Williams back as the starting running back was a good call. Just came off of

a thousand yards season and I think he does what the Cowboys need to do in order to succeed. I don't think he'll be a top five running back, but he is a very good running back. And I think he'll do more than enough for what Deck Prescott needs don't any game to do. Hopefully they can fix that offensive line. They have the past. if they can keep picking. So all in all, I think this helps solidifies the offense back to where it was. I think it was solid by the Cowboys to get them back, relatively cheap considering. But all no, nice move by Dallas, but they still have more things to do.

C.J. This was absolutely needed for the Dallas Cowboys. He was their entire running game unless you count Dax scrambling ability. I am not really certain who their RB2 is going to be, like, Tuck said that's something that they're going to have to address either through free agency or the draft. But, yeah, you know, Williams, we all know he's very capable. He was a thousand-yard rush.

Three years, 24 million is, I would say, pretty solid. You know, you're not even shelling out 10 mil a year, which is pretty huge. I've shilling out of 8-mill. Of course, it's not all guaranteed. So, yeah, Dallas still exactly doesn't have the most cap space, and they still have to make the George Pickens decision, which, Stephen Jones said they're leaning towards the tag. So maybe something comes to that.

Maybe it doesn't. We'll see. But right now they just, I think, have to create cap space because the issue was never with Williams or pick-ins or anything on the offense. It was with the defense. I believe they were the only team last season who had a 1,000-yard quarterback, a 1,000-yard-rusher, 2,000-yard receivers, and missed the playoffs. So maybe that's something they should look into.

Yeah, yeah. No, they got to beef up the defense some ways somehow, but still going to be tough to do that when, you know, you're 25 in the red, you know, or 26 in the red, really. But I guess, like, how do they accomplish that, though, at this rate? Like, they're going to have to make some difficult cuts. Start by a Justin Dex contract, no? if Dak wants to.

Yeah, I mean, that's probably the only wet, like, you just saw my homes do it. So I feel like Jerry Jones could use that as a little bit of leverage on Dak if he wanted to. I mean, once again, it all depends if Dak wants to because they can't do it without his consent. Yeah. Really is going to come down to that. Just turn into a signing bonus and help kick you down the road. I don't know. It just feels like there's some, I think they're going to get rid of Kenny Clark or,

He's already a free agent, so he's done. Where's the money? Because Mike is not even on the team, so it has to be seen. Also, Trayvon Diggs was on a stupidly huge deal. Doron Bland is being massively overpaid as well, I believe. Quinn and Williams also. Because didn't the Jets extend Williams and then trade him? Yeah, I think he had the extension before you got traded.

Yeah, so there's that. So it's literally just going because, up. A lot of it too is that horrible Trayvon Diggs contract. You know, they cut him and they're still going to have to pay that down. So there's not a lot they can do there. So literally it's going, I think, to DAC, Lamb, and Bland and technically did and now Williams. Yeah. Like, I think talk makes a great point that Kenny Clark's probably going to have to be the odd man out here because there's a potential out after this season or this coming season.

And it doesn't be a potential out going into this season or for 2006. And there's no dead cap they caught him either. Yeah. Oh, Tyler Smith is the third highest paid player on the team. Oh, yeah, I forgot. I thought, okay, I knew they had a lineman. So it makes sense. Yeah.

I don't know why, but I don't see Trayvon Diggs on the books. Like, he should be higher up here, but I don't see him. He's probably off the books then. Oh, never mind. Okay. Well, if they got his stupidly massive contract off the books and they're still that far in the red, oh, well, they're just super screwed, aren't they? Yeah, Doreen makes $12 million.

Taryn steel makes $13. I was just about to say maybe like. Your contract is not good. Yeah, I was about to say maybe your next move is getting ready to steal, but like, because he's 29. But he's not a free agent until 2029. Oh, yeah, plus his contract, I think, was backloaded, too. Yeah. They have to make some votes in order to make this team competitive.

Yeah. No, they do. It's going to involve a lot of cuts, that's for sure. Yep. This was news on Thursday when, but it was after the fact that we had got done recording. The state of Indiana has basically agreed, essentially agreed to allowing the Chicago Bears to move in on a lease and they did in a quicker enough time than the city of Chicago did.

So it's not been announced. Nothing's really set in stone yet, but it seems that there is a good chance that the bears moved to Indiana. So no more being in Arlington Heights for them. I guess say what you will, owners, this and that. I mean, at the end of the day, if the bears end up doing this move, right, it's, I guess it sounds like it's not going to be that big of a deal, considering that it's not that far away from Chicago anyways.

And the bears technically don't even play in Chicago. Like I said, they play in Arlington Heights. But, and it also sounds like it would be a lot easier to get to said new stadium compared to going to Arlington Heights as well. but do we have to call them the Indiana Bears? Can we still go to Chicago? Yeah, it probably still won't be the Indiana Bears. It's still probably going to end up being the Chicago Bears, but.

That sounds wrong. They're called the Chicago Bears, but you have to go to Indiana, even though Chicago's in L. Well, they'd be going right over the Indiana line because it doesn't matter where the line is. It's still Indiana. Indiana. It's not Illinois. First of all, actually, hold up. Can I talk about this because it's somebody who knows a lot about like local governments and stuff. This is kind of

some that I've been keeping tabs on since like 2022. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So first of all, I would like to point out they do not play in Arlington Heights. Arlington Heights is a suburb of Chicago and Soldier Field is like right by the lake. I need to, you see, the reason your thing of Arlington Heights was that that is where the bears were threatening to move originally. So you have to go back to like 2022, 2023, and the bears were upset, you know, that they want more money poured into their stadium and they just weren't getting that. And you see, the thing is, local governments will beat each other to death if it means even getting a lottery ticket of a professional sports team. And the main person to look at here back then was the old Chicago mayor, her name was Lori Lightfoot.

And the bears are saying, we want a new stadium. Now, I know what you're thinking. Well, Soldier Field was historic. And you know, as most laws are with historical landmarks, you can't really do a whole. whole lot to it. So the bears just said, well, we want to do a stadium. And so enter Arlington Heights, which is a really affluent suburb of, I think it's like northwest of Chicago. And their local government's trying to lure them over. And it got so bad that the old mayor pitched a, this is on ESPN for back in 2022. Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot pitches dome for Soldier Field to entice the bears to remain

at the stadium. I remember that. So there was that. So that was the whole thing. And that's really where we started to hear the, you know, the original rumblings. And. But it kind of, but you know, Lori Lightfoot in case you were wondering, like this actually kind of plays into it. She didn't win re-election.

So people were like, oh, okay, because she didn't really handle the situation the best. This is not like a political show, of course. This is just fact. That wasn't like the reason. So people are like, oh, okay, new change coming in, like maybe. So the issue was kind of like subdued for a bit, right? Because, you know, every new mayor gets that grace period. And well, you can only keep that grace period for so long.

And their new mayor, man by the name of Brandon Johnson, basically inherited all of Lightfoot's old problems. And, you know, he's trying desperately to keep them out of Arlington Heights. But the thing is they'd still be in Illinois, right? They'd still at least be in suburban Chicago. Well, technically not Chicago, but you understand what I mean. Yeah, close enough. And there was a bill in the works. And this is now flash forward to this month, Illinois House Bill 2789, which would have funded a new stadium.

And honestly, they might not even vote on it. it. Some people in the Illinois State House actually, I think, want it pulled because there's another bill in the state of Indiana that was assigned, which was signed off on by some like house committee and over there. Unanimous. Unanimous. Yeah. That says, all right, we're just going to give them funding. And if you're the Bears as an organization, they're just going to follow the money. Look, we can talk about whether or not it's right, but that's just how it is. So the bears, I'm going to be real with you. Get ready to say Indiana Bears because the city of Chicago was just screwed.

And I just, you know, you feel bad for the fans, right? I mean, that's really what it is. Now, the current mayor, Brandon Johnson, says the city of Chicago isn't giving up. But some of the state leaders like Governor J.B. Pritzker, they've kind of seen the writing on the wall here. and you don't really want to go gently into that good night, but you kind of have to. It's all but over unless they make, unless they bend over backwards and give them wheelbarrows full of money,

then I highly doubt the bears are going to stay. And they're literally taking like actual real meaningful steps, according to the Associated Press to leave Chicago. And after, like I said, after that key committee in Indiana from their state legislation unanimously voted to fund them. Honest to God, that's pretty much it. The ball's in Chicago's court or the Chicago Bears, not the city. Oh, no, they do not get a stat.

They don't get a say. They just don't. And finally, this is the big thing here is it's all about the fans, right? Because let's be real. until this year, the bears were not good. And the last time they were in the playoffs was the 2018-19 season. For reference, I was a junior in high school, and you two guys were seniors.

That's the last time the Bears were in the playoffs. And before that, they had to suffer through the J. Cutler era. No, 17-18, you would have been a sophomore or I was a junior. 18-19 is when they made it. Not 17-18-19. Oh, 18-19. Yeah, with Trubisky, you know, they just traded for Kahliel Mack. Tribisky is a Pro Bowler because of that season.

I need you guys to remember this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, further proof of the Pro Bowl means nothing, but let's keep tracking here. So Axio, Chicago ran a poll, right, for people in the area. And 74% of their fans would hold a grudge against the team if they moved. and and only and 65% of them say they should no longer be called the Chicago Bears

72% of them want them to change their slogan which is bear down so this is going to piss off the fans and honest to God you better hope that the Indianapolis Colts don't have a stranglehold on the state because you are going to be burning more than a few bridges here so this could blow up in their

face. And I just think it's weird. The reason why I bring up they're not good is because imagine, you get your first taste of real meaningful success and your first instinct is bold. You know, I don't know if you saw Stephen A. Smith's rant on it where he just says, shame on the bears for leaving. And yeah, I agree. But he also said shame on Chicago, because I mentioned their governor kind of saw the writing on the wall. The state of Illinois has all but waived the white flag on this. The Bears, Chris, I'm going to need to do me a favor. Right there, you see how that says the Indiana Bears. Get rid of that explanation or the question mark. It's coming. Like, it's actually, this could happen. And, you know, it's weird because we live in this nothing ever happens world,

but we might actually have to see the Hammond, Indiana Bears, which I'm sorry, that's disgusting. That is, like, actually, like, disgusting. And if you know where Hammond is, is, you know, if you're familiar with the layout of Illinois, it's on the, I think, the northwest corner. So it's like just over the line, like over the state line. It's still like in a city. But still Indiana. Like imagine the Bears.

You know, they're one of the oldest teams ever. I think Soldier Field became a thing. And like, well, it wasn't always called that. But it was like in like the 1920s or something like that. And you're just going to give that. that city, which by the way, a city that outside of that one ring with the, with, you know, with Jim McMahon and William Fridge Perry and all them, outside of that one ring, this is a city that you have routinely disappointed,

a city that you have routinely let down, and you have the unmitigated audacity that you might be good again just to leave. Look, I got no beef with Caleb Williams or Ben Johns or anything, but they don't deserve Jack. Like, I'm actually hoping they fail. that they've screwed over the city of Chicago. How's this their fault? They could build the stadium themselves.

They really wanted to move out of Soldier Field. Say that again, Chris? They could just pay for it themselves, but no one ever... Yeah, they could, but they don't do that. No one ever does. I think the only stadium that's, like, privately funded is the one in New England. Yep. And Gillette.

Like, but yeah, it's just... But you guys do agree that this is like notoriously scummy, I think, for the Bears to do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It is. And I think just the fact that like, like both the city of Chicago or the state of Indiana and the bears haven't been able to figure it out in the last three, four years is just utterly insane.

It's insane. Like, I don't know. Like, even having the thought of moving the bears out of Chicago is almost like imagining if the Packers moved out of Lambo. Like, it's just, it's just... Incenceivable. Also, I can't believe you bring up the 85 bears and don't even say, like, Walter Payton or Mike Singletary.

It's Jim McMahon in the fridge that of the first two. First of all, you show some respect to the fridge, you lummix. And second of all, I had a lot more points to make, so I just had a rapid fire some people. Also, you know, there's also, you know, Richard Dent. God love him. You know, Walter Payton, of course, Mike Singletary. great player, mediocre coach.

But yeah, like, I'm just saying, you know? Yeah. Like, I think, I think like that entire defense is your takeaway. That entire defense is not. You know what I mean. Yeah, but their Hall of Fame quality, some of them are. Yeah. But anyways.

Jeff Fisher was on that team or the year before or after. No, I thought he was, I thought he was like a D-backs coach. I got to find this, but... But we're going on topics. The point is that's just awful. Yeah. And we didn't really talk about it. But while we're on the subject of awful,

I think we should throw a bone to the Kansas City Chiefs leaving Arrowhead. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, they're moving to Kansas. Like, it's kind of like the Bears or they're just going to be just over the state line And that tiny little part, I think of, like, Kansas, things called Wyandot County or Wyandotte County, where they're just going to hop over the state lines, like that one area where it still kind of spills over into Kansas. But, yeah, they're leaving Arrowhead. And, you know, if you go on Instagram, like, when they announced it, yeah, no, their fans were pissed. So you want something else that could see.

Well, the Chiefs leave an Arrowhead, and they're going to it now. Gross. Yeah. Like, I think we could probably, should we just start listening teams? that like we would utterly throw up if they left their stadium. You know what? Let's run it. All right. I'll do it.

I'll honestly start with the Patriots. Yeah, and probably because I'm a fan, but like Gillette is like a well-known stadium, you know, throughout the Brady years and stuff. You can't picture New England anywhere else. There's a charm of it being

stuck on Route 1 and traffic just filling the entire. There's something so charming about it. Also, the Patriot plays shopping complex outside of it is just legit. Just the whole area, it's like that whole area is amazing. But, uh, tuck, what about the Ravens? That's inconceivable. We can't leave M&T Bank Stadium.

I hope we never do. Yeah. It's a quality stadium and we always try to renovate it to the best we can. Mm-hmm. And even still, the Ravens, forget M&T, like, stadium, just leaving the city of Baltimore would be heinous because the city of Baltimore has a reputation of just toughness. You know, tough. What are you looking at?

Always ready to fight. And that has manifested in a lot of their players like Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, among others, you know, guys that were just scrappers. You know, you can't imagine the Ravens League in Baltimore. And I know, Tuck, you don't want to hear this. But the AFC North, imagine if the Steelers left. Pittsburgh. I mean, bad enough, the name of their stadium changed. Look, as a Patsman, I'll tell you. Hinesfield, that was legit. That's where it was at. At for sure, look, that that took some getting used to. I still don't like it.

I don't like anything Pittsburgh. That's just, as a fan, that'd make me vomit. Yeah, I, like, growing up on Hinesfield, I mean, people probably said the same thing about Three River Stadium, too, at the same time back in, back in the 90s and early 2000s before. they went to Heinzfield. But like, I grew up on that just that one hurt. Well, we said the Bears, the Packers, we could probably get those obvious ones out of the way. What are some other ones?

What are some other ones? I would say probably Seahawks. They would move out of their stadium right now, CenturyLink, or not. Oh, easy. Dallas. Dallas. I know they're technically in Arlington, Texas, but come on.

There's a reason we call AT&T Stadium Jerry World for a reason. You know, we do that for a reason. Yeah. I'll throw a team that should move. It's the Dolphins. They should move back to the Orange Bowl. The Orange Bowl doesn't exist anymore, doesn't? No, it doesn't.

Well, they should have never moved out of the Orange Bowl. I mean. Also, as far as other popular stadium, can you imagine the Saints playing anywhere other than the Superdome? No. You can't. Or imagine the Philadelphia Eagles anywhere outside of the link.

Well, I mean, they destroyed Veterans Stadium. So. Yeah, but still. But now, yeah. Like, they had to destroy veteran stadium. There's also something else we're forgetting here. We were talking about the state, but come on. Lucas Oil Stadium, imagine if the cults left that.

Yeah. Then where would the combine be held? Ask yourself. They actually thought about moving the combine, coincidentally enough out of Indianapolis. No, no, I'm sorry. Can't do that. Can't do that.

Where else will we see Rich Eisen run the 40 and then tell us ad nauseum that he went to the University of Michigan? Detroit. Detroit, literally go to Detroit and you can talk about going to Michigan. Okay, well, that was more sarcastic because I don't want to hear that.

Yeah, hey, well, the combine. I was just making a fun little connection there. I actually, hold up, hold up. You know, the combine is coming up, like soon. I think it's like... Yeah, that's right. That's right. So I do want to say, I want to do a quick little advertisement.

I say it every year for the C.J. Madero's drinking game. Watch the combine take a shot every time. Rich Eisen mentioned said he went to the University of Michigan. Yeah. This game does call the Surgeon General's warning. How don't wait. Is it today? No, it starts. Oh, wow. It actually does.

How did we, how did that slip on under our nose. Usually I think it's in March for some reason. Well, on field workouts don't start until the 26th. Okay. I was like, okay. Because we didn't see any headlines for like the combine yet. So I'm like, okay, they haven't done anything yet.

But. Yeah, well, we all be working. That's like the combine, you know. This is probably just the time where motherfuckers are starting to actually get to Indianapolis and whatnot. Yeah, we need to start to the actual measurements and see how far. they run, jump, and, you know, all the other stuff. Truth be told if they can play or not, that's the only thing I really care about.

They can ball. They can ball. Absolutely. Since we're still on, we're kind of on topic of the moving stadiums, and you mentioned Baltimore and how you can't imagine Baltimore leaving. Have you ever heard the story of how the Colts, the Indianapolis Colts came to be? Yes. Yes.

I'm well aware. Okay. still not fully happy about that. And Cleveland gets mad at us because they left Cleveland to come to Baltimore. I mean, the move from Cleveland to Baltimore wasn't clean, but a lot cleaner than the Colts going to Indianapolis. Yeah. Yeah. And we became two-time Super Bowl champions with the Baltimore ratings, and Cleveland has never recovered.

Yeah, that's true. That is true. And Bill Belichick was the coach before they left. Can you imagine? I was checking in Baltimore? I can't. Nope. No, I can't either.

But in terms of the combine, we'll get into the combine on Thursday, evidently enough, being day one of the actual workout part of the combine. So we'll do that. Don't worry. All right, we're going to take a quick break. We'll get into Kyle Pitts getting hit with the tag. And a little immaculate grid to end the show. This is the Lumberusk podcast.

It may not have always showed it in the same. staff sheet, but you can see him making throws when he needs to make the throws. Back-to-back games where he has three touchdowns. Someone's got to get that six or seven spot. He's an elite wide receiver as a rookie. Truly a lose-lose scenario for both sides. So Cal Pitts got tagged. We kind of alluded to this last week.

This is probably the best option for the Falcons to go towards if they did want to keep them, considering you don't want to sign him to. extension because this was the best year he's had in the five years that he's been in the league. And you also have to figure out what you're going to do with Drake, London and Bejohn, which obviously you want to extend them and got to have the money for that. So I feel like this was really the only option that the Falcons had was attack pets. Thoughts? Yes.

But again, it's still a problem if they can't get a long-term extension out of this upcoming following. during this time period because they still have players coming up the pike relatively quickly. So it's okay for them to franchise tag him. It's not ideal. But if this helps them get a long-term contract with them, all the more to him. Because he had a better season than he did last year. And he's a second team all pro. So I don't think they want to lose him for nothing.

So hopefully they're able to get a reasonable contract for him in the Atlanta Falcons. but if this doesn't happen, this may not have been a good idea considering. Yeah. See, Jen. You already know where I stand on the franchise tag. And just like that, I don't know if this is taking the Pitts thing into consideration, but the Falcons are at $10.1 million in cap space right now. The franchise tag for tight ends, I believe, is 15-mill.

I don't know if they've actually done it yet because I don't know if SpotTrack has taken us into consideration. But yeah, so if that is where they are right now pre-tag, then they're going to have to make some moves. And we've been over this. Or I think

Pitts, I think, is too good as a tight end to the point where he kind of becomes a luxury. Because you don't need to have a corvette at every position in some cases where, you know, like, I mean, you want it to be good, but you don't need a Corvette, you don't need a Lambo when maybe just a BMW would be fine. And, you know, we went over this, you know, Bijan still is going to need a contract. London is going to need a contract.

And if you're going to tell me I'm going to take Kyle Pitts over Drake London or especially Bijan, then I question your ball knowledge. So unless the Falcons are about to do some, just Olympic level cap gymnastics, which that's only going to put you into the red later on down the line, then I don't know, unless it's a tag in trade where you don't want to lose them for nothing, which I get, but I don't know. It's still kind of a weird move, considering the fact that, like I said, you have two other important guys on your offense that you have to deal with. Kirk Cousins still probably has to be cut or traded, and the defense still needs some fine-tuning,

especially since James Pierce, Jr. might be out of the league. Yeah. Just having a little fun here with spot track and looking down the line. I mean, Falcons right now with $94 million of Capspace going into 2007. But for now. Yeah, for now. I'm just having fun. Yeah, so this is going to be an interesting road for them.

You mentioned Kirk Cousins as well. Looking at him right now. Free agent comes essentially a free agent in 2028. There is a potential out, though. There is a potential out for 2006. But you eat 35 mil. 35 million dead cap. So the whole situation is less than ideal.

Yeah. Atlanta, mainly because of that Kirk Cousins contract. which is their fault. It is. How are you going to get Kirk Cousins and then draft another quarterback? That is why it was fired. It depends on, sure, but the risk isn't worth the reward. Yeah.

Especially with the situation with Pennix right now. Well, especially when you ended up having Pennix be the full-time starter, like the contract looks even worse for Kirk Cousins. Yeah. Yeah, you're getting paid that money to be a bench player? Absolutely not. Go ask the Colts to see if you're, we'll take, we'll take Kirk Cousins off, y'all. Yeah.

We need quarterback play. Yeah. Anything else you want to touch on, you guys want to touch on from Pitts? Not really. Where do you guys see Pitts right now as like a player? Like, where do you guys rank them among tight ends? Definitely top 10. obviously top 10, but is he a top five-ish tight end?

Are you putting Tom Pitts top-10 tight end? Huh? Are you already going? I would at least put him like top half the league, but we're also saying he also still only had one good year so far. Well, yeah, that's why I said, like, I don't know, because as far as next year goes, I mean, obviously off the rip,

you've got McBride and Kittle who are better. Kelsey, I mean, he's still solid, but he's just more of a volume catches kind of guy, you know, he's not really that. Because Kelsey, you know, is weird. Like, he doesn't pass the eye test and he only puts up those numbers because he gets forced to have the ball, which, you know, like, that's just, you know, his stats are kind of inflated. Outside of them, like, I don't know. The lead doesn't do, like, the best job at, like, developing and promoting, like, tight ends and such. I wouldn't even say kill right now because he's injured. Yeah, but he's still good like when he's, like, going to be on.

Actually, no, no, yeah, you're right. He's going to miss all next year with that Achilles tear. So, yeah, obviously McBride's number one. You know, you got Brock Bowers. That's huge. Laporta is good. Hunter Henry, New England, quietly in a really good year. There's Mark Andrew.

Colston Loveland. On years. Colston Loveland. Tyler Warren, Friendy. Yeah. So you have pits? I don't know. I have the top 10, but I'm not sure.

Yeah, top 10, you have a five. That's, I don't know. He's a second team all pro, so I could see an argument for five, but I'm not sure if he makes it higher than like four. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Fair enough. All right, let's do this.

All right, macula grid, baby. Here we go. Oh, we're so back. We're so back. All right. listeners. We need a colt and a ram, a colt and a brown, a colt and a raider, a packer in a ram, a packer and a brown, a packer and a raider, and a full-time ram, a full-time brown, and a full-time raider. Okay, I think I might have an insane poll here for Colts and Browns.

Okay. Do you remember the pass rusher, Jabal Sheard? Yes. Yes. It treats a legend. No, no, no, two ways. Two ways. Between the B there, right there, I think. Oh,

0.6. That is 0.6. I want to pull C.J. Thank. All right. Colt and a Raider. Wow.

Okay. Now, the rest, I don't know. I don't know, fellows. Colt and a raider. Col and a ram.

Who was? All right. Linebacker for a Colts, he, like, had just left the team a little bit ago. I can't think of his name right now. Zaire Frangler? Yeah, did he go to the Rams or? I don't think that. Yeah, I don't think so.

Darius Leonard, no, not. Well, we probably just not. Let's knock out the ones that, like, played for one team. So, Rams. Okay, one team Rams. Jeremiah. For the Browns, Jeremiah will sue Coromola. Who?

For the Browns, Jeremiah Wu Su Coromola. Yeah. Basically, like, you know, got to get those out of the way, like the... Two percent. Oh, nice.

Only two percent. Okay, I'll take that. Only Raiders. Kent Stable, not maybe? No, no. No. Arch show, no. Did Donald Penn?

And never play anywhere else? I think he did, but I can't. Yeah, I think so, but I don't know who or where. Not Cooper. How far does this go? As far back as you can think, dude. Clay Matthews and the Green Bay Packers for the L.A. Rams. Wait a minute.

He did play for the Rams? Yes. But, yeah. I don't know how obvious it's going to be. Let's see. 36%. Hey, I might have won for the Raiders. Okay.

But he is considered the best center of all time. Jim Otto. I know he played like 14 years there, and I know he was the only one, but I don't know how far back it goes. I told you. I mean, it's two percent. I mean, play matches. I was worried because, you know, Otto is like considered, and especially by me to be the best center of all time. So I don't know.

I mean, Clay Matthews' freaking grandfather was on there, and he played in 1950s. So, yeah. In the Rams, did Jack Youngblood? He started playing in 1960. For the Rams. Did Jack Youngblood play for the Rams? Yes, he did. Yes, he did.

Jack Youngblood. Oh, forgot about this guy. 2%. Wow. Two is on the only one team. That's huge. Never forget. Played on two broken legs in the Super Bowl.

Mm-hmm. What a beast, man. Browns and Packers. Browns and Packers. Shit. That's going to be hard. Yeah, that's going to be a tough one. Did Marquez Dada Scanling ever find his way to Cleveland?

No. No. It seems like a place he'd be, right? Because he can't catch. You get it. Hmm. Wow. Wow.

This is a tough one. And I can't even come up for someone with the... This one, damn. And we were doing so good, too. We're doing great. Colts, Rams. God, this is rough. Marshall Fault.

That's, like, the most obvious, though. Yeah, but that, but you get to a point where you kind of have to go with the most obvious, if you can't think of anything else. Well, I wish that be, like, 60 or something, but fair enough. 31. Okay. I just see like the other. Oh my God, Eric Dickerson.

How did we miss that? Oh, how did we forget about Eric Dickerson? Oh, no. Oh, my God. I think, wait, I don't know if he played there, though, but I know he might have been a backup. For Browns Packers, Deshaun Kaiser? He played.

Yeah, yeah, I think he did. He played for the Browns. What? 41. Wow. That's a lot of people know of Deshaun Kaiser. I mean, he went 0 and 16, man. I mean, yeah, but like, wow.

When you're, I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry. Wow. When you're the quarterback of a team that won 0.16, you get remembered pretty easily. Yeah. Packers, Raiders. Charles Woodson.

Yeah, but that's obvious. That's obvious. Yeah. So is. Kaiser. I don't know how I fumbled that. Yeah. I'm going Charles Woodson unless you guys can think of any others, but a Packer

and a raid. I think there was an offensive line. They were so Douglass. No, no. He didn't. I'm going, Charles Woodson. 60% 16%.

Okay, I'll take it. I'll take it. A cult and a raider, though. That's... This is our last one, and we've done great so far. Yeah, let's lock in here, fellas. Colt and Raider. Damn. Yes.

I feel like there's a really obvious one that's just staring me in the face. Yeah, I know. There's always, like, I always get this feeling, too. Yes, and it's crazy. Did Philip Dorset ever go to the Raider? Oh, my God, Philip Dorset. I think he's there now. Like as we speak, I think he is a raider.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm pretty sure he's not even in the league. Wait, no, no, no, no, no, wait, hold up. No, no, no, no, no, he's on their practice squad. I just realized because I remember he was signed to their practice squad this offseason and this doesn't count practice squad. No, don't do that. Don't do that.

Okay. Okay. We only have one guest left. Well, that's how these things work. Come on. Did DeQuil Jackson ever play for the Raiders? I think he did. I can't say, though.

Damn. No, I'm not you. What? It's got to be, like, someone from, like, the 80s or something. 80s or 90s, but, like, the Colts weren't good in the 80s and 90s. Trayvon, Mullen. uh wow that's uh oh did rakia sin play for the cults at this point we got just throw out a name here okay rakia sin is one that's somebody that would think of how do you suppose he's

wait hold up hold up hold up remember how we missed eric dickerson eric dickerson i think spent one year with the raiders like at the very end are you sure i am Yes, I am certain. Oh my goodness. What a poll. How many people got him? Because a lot of people forget that he ended his career at the Raiders. Uh, no, like the percentage.

Like, that's a cue. Four percent. I'll take it. I'll take it. I'll take it. Let's do some other ones. Carrie Collins. That would have been a good one.

Amir Abdullah. I mentioned there, Dickerson, Jeff George, okay. Darius Award Bay. Yes. Ryan Hoyer. Another one. I can't believe we didn't think of Brian Hoyer. Not a lot of big names in here, though, outside of, like, as we mentioned, Dickerson Collins.

I'm kind of curious. I got to find this. Nice. Nice. That was our immaculate grid. Way to go, us. Way to be. We did it.

We did it. First perfect one this year of the offseason. So, play. All right. That's all the scheduled content that we have for you today. Anything else on the ledger you guys want to talk about? No. No, something's good.

Combine's coming soon, so I'll have to talk about that. Yeah, we'll talk about that on Thursday. But other than that, thank you for tuning in to another two, Tuesday episode of the Fumble Ruski podcast, new episode coming out on Friday at 8 a.m. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and we also have all our episodes available anywhere that you can stream podcasts or listen to podcasts. Also be sure to follow our Instagram, Fulberuski underscore podcast, keep up with the pod and the latest coverage on the NFL.

Otherwise, we'll see you on Friday. Over and out.