The Fumblerooski Podcast - Flooding The Zone -Ep 363 The Fumblerooski Podcast

Episode Date: May 20, 2025

Brock Purdy got his payday, but was it the right move on San Francisco’s part? We break down Purdy’s contract, talk about Nick Sirianni getting his extension after winning the Super Bowl, and evaluate both pros and cons. Moving along with offseason coverage, we now preview the AFC North and we break down the top 5 off-ball Linebackers in the NFL. Can the Bengals overcome their bad defense? Does amassing tackles automatically make you a great linebacker? Chris Costich and CJ Medeiros ponder these questions and more!

the be talking about the AFC North and our top five safeties. This is the Fulmeruski Podcast. It may not have always showed it in the 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. Welcome to the Fulmeruski Podcast. He's CJ Medeiros. I'm Chris Kostich by Power 88 Dean Radio in Secret Weapon Consulting. And of course, big news over the weekend and we're recording this Monday, May 19th. Obviously, you'll be

seeing this Tuesday, May 20th when this episode comes out. But we'll start with the news from over the weekend Brock Purdy getting signed to a big time contract extension five years $265 million deal with 181 million guaranteed. And I think the main consensus is that it's an overpay, but there's not really much else you can really do about it because that's just where the market is at. And Niners have basically made it clear that this is going to be their guy. And I've made it even more abundantly clear that this is going to be their franchise quarterback for at the very least the next six seasons, because he still has one more year left on his contract. When we look at the team from last year, not a very good team.

Last two seasons been getting picked apart in free agency agency this year included. But with that, now they also come in with the second most cap space in the NFL, according to Niners Nation, as of two hours ago. And with a potential Fred Warner extension looming as well. So Niners are locking up their franchise guys, obviously George Kittle from a couple weeks ago as well. So they're trying to, CJ before the show, I think you said it best there. What they should do is scrap everything clean and just start over from scratch because what they have now, like signing Purdy now.

Yeah, you're locking up your franchise guy, but we still don't really have an idea of how he can play without guys like Devo Samuel or Brandon Iuk and just a healthy team in general. Or just a talent, obviously last year, they weren't very healthy. I'm just saying more just a talented team in general. Or just a talent. Obviously, last year, they weren't very healthy. I'm just saying more just a talented team in general. Yeah, no, no, no. You hit it.

You basically summed up my point. So yeah, off camera, people, this is what I was saying. Look, as far as the Purdy contract itself goes, I'll tell you this. Is it an overpay? Yeah. But I feel like the Niners are in the same boat the that can give you like about 3900 to 4000 yards, maybe

around 20 to 25 touchdowns. They're at bare minimum like at the barest minimum going to set you back 150 mil total contract. Like that's literally just the market like you're going to have to pay top five money to a guy who's fringe top 10. That's just unfortunately how the market is.

You know, we can't really change that. But, and honestly, my hat's off to Purdy. I mean, hey, seeing how expensive San Francisco is to live in maybe just maybe you could finally afford a studio apartment on that. I'm joking. I'm just taking a shot. But, but here's the thing people

Wow, it's a nice story to see mr. Relevant get all his money We do have to realize The Niners aren't really going anywhere Chris like you mentioned the past two free agencies. They've just been picked clean, especially last time they lost like all their defense, like their entire defense, Talendot, Hufanga, I believe is gone. Dre Greenlaw, oh, you better believe he's gone. One of their corners whose name escapes me, gone. Leonard Floyd is gone.

I think they lost one of their running backs. You know, Devo Samuel is also gone. One of their, I think like their starting center's gone as well, like they just, everybody was either traded or, you know, or just allowed to let walk. And at the time, sure they have 44 mil in cap space now but going into the season they were in cap hell or the offseason they were in cap hell and

now I mean you know now that the bill has come due and you've already paid you still have some time like especially like you mentioned with the Fred Warren extension on the horizon between that and Purdy's extension kicking in next season they're gonna be right back where they started and honestly I have some the Just hear me out, okay gang? Niner Nation as it were. You probably just should have traded Purdy and you should just tear the whole thing down and start over. Because when his extension kicks in and you give an extension to Fred Warner

who's about to turn 29, literally a year away from being 30 in like September or November or somewhere in that region Then you're literally gonna be right back where you started in cap hell and Then what like I you? There's a very real chance you end up regretting that cuz he and I know we're gonna hear all but he got hurt Well, he was playing horribly

beforehand. Christian McCaffrey can't stay healthy and he's still George Kittle but I think he's either pushing 30 or now is 30. Trent Williams. I mean, it's a what I was going to say Trent Williams Trent Williams, he's really getting up there in age. He's been an elite forever. So, honestly, it sucks, but you need to tear it down.

Like, picture the Niners like a building, right? If you have a building that burns down, then you're not gonna just build on top of it and just say, all right, we're just gonna build on the charred remains. No, you break it, you break the rest of it down, you clear it away and you start completely from scratch. That's at least what they should do.

Will they? No, obviously not. That shows by the Purdy extension. And also I love Purdy, but we've never seen him without, well, football is equivalent of the Avengers around him, right? Last season I think was a glimpse into that. He's been a given that he's not going to play all 17 games. It's just not her 16 17 games. That's just not going to happen Kittle you better hope he stays healthy. You better hope like a lot of this is just hope

Yeah Yeah, no, Chris. I'm saying like a lot of the Niners Plans are literally just hope I'm sorry. I think they should have torn it down Yeah, I agree I I think you also mentioned some of the age on some of the guys like Trent Williams Fred Warner's About to be third or about to be 29 This is a Niners team that is currently third in the or tied for second in the league for average age at 27.1. They're tied with the Steelers the Based off of sorry who's first? Do you know it's something I wonder the Washington commanders, huh? Interesting. Yeah, you know the guest But so you mentioned that wanted to throw that out there. I

Mean last year was just an all-around dumpster fire for the Niners in general you talk about your main targets really and so much so much injury going on with those main guys like you're The only guy that played all 17 games with Cal use check But yeah as we mentioned pretty did not have the greatest season. 3,800 yards, 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions. Also didn't play in a couple games as well. But a far cry from the 2023 season where he had 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns to 11 interceptions.

So it's not good. 4,280 yards 31 touchdowns to 11 interceptions So It's not good not looking great But I guess we'll talk about that more when we get into our MC West preview down the line in the offseason, but Looking at the other contract extension that happened. I want to say like half or like an hour ago from when we're recording this right now, Nick Sirianni getting a multi-year contract extension, I should say. Details of the contract haven't been released, but that's kind of whatever because it doesn't affect anything. The main thing is that you've locked in your Super Bowl winning head coach for another however many plus seasons the original contract was on. The way that the Eagles have been playing, how they've been operating the last, let's

call it five seasons. I think that's a, I probably, we could probably put the line right when Doug Peterson gets fired, right? I think that would be a good like starting point. Ever since then, it's been gold, been absolute gold. Playoff appearances, yeah, they had one first round exit, but that was just an all-around Dumpster fire of a year where they ended up blowing it the back half of the season. I'm talking about

2023 And of course bounce back win a Super Bowl This past season now gonna be looking to potentially repeat They did loosen guys, but the biggest thing is that you've retained your coach who, I mean, has good stats in the locker room. I know that it's always week in or week out of, all right, are we going to hate Nick Sirianni or are we not going to hate Nick Sirianni? What's going to happen here. But I had this take, I think probably back around Super Bowl time when we had Mike from Squawking Eagles on.

I see Nick Sirianni in the same light as Joe Missoula for the Boston Celtics. He's the perfect coach because he embodies the dickhead behavior of the Philly but yeah TJ your thoughts on the Nick Sirianni extendo and there's not really a whole lot to go on it's one of those things where you can't justify not extending him he literally just won a Super Bowl you know I mean that's literally. I know a lot of people don't like him. And some people say it was more the roster than his game planning. Regardless,

you got to consider the optics. He's not, you know, he's not a guy you could just let walk, especially since now he's got a ring. He's been to two Super Bowls. He's now won one. So, and especially that the fact that he and the rest of the crew there in Philly put on an absolute clinic against the Chiefs, you know, making the team that we thought was untouchable just due to sheer luck alone. Just, you know, they made them look like a JV squad out there. So, yeah, I mean, you just, you have to. and honestly, I know we talk about oh some coach contracts are weird But let's be real a coach contract doesn't affect a team salary cap like at all I mean there are some teams that will spend big on coaches or in other areas like improving the front office or Getting a new assistant GM or heck even upgrading the stadium. And then just because they have cheap owners,

they won't spend it for agency. But Philly's not like that. So I don't know. I mean, it just makes sense. It's not a whole lot to go on. Yeah. I think one more thing to kind of really wrap this thing together.

Nick Sirianni, current winning percentage as head coach of the Eagles, 70.6%, 48 and 20 regular season record. In the Super Bowl era, minimum of 50 games, which obviously he's surpassed that, well surpassed that. This ranks him as the third highest by head coach in the Super Bowl era. And he currently is, winning percentage is also the highest among active NFL head coaches.

How do you like that? Where's it been around that long, but it's still like that's still really good. Very good. Yeah. No, he hasn't been around long, but yeah, he's made an impact regardless. Like you could, you can still have a shake head coach and you could have a shake head coach with this team and they're probably crawling into the playoffs for all we know. Like I think that we should start a narrative that Nick Sirianni is a

good coach, but yeah, he's going to have bad coaching decisions like everyone else does. True. I can agree with that. Cool. Nice. I think that's a good way to wrap that one up. True I can agree with that cool Nice I Think that's a good way to wrap that one up pretty much All right, we're gonna go to break when we come back. We're gonna get into the AFC North preview I was about to say MC South for some reason but AFC North preview Are the Ravens gonna be the top dog again or is Joe burrow and the Bengals making a run? Maybe they won't the Steelers getting Aaron Rodgers?

I don't know. After this or coming up after the break. It may not have always showed it in the 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 gotta get that six or seven spot. He's an elite wide receiver as a rookie. Truly a lose-lose scenario for both sides Welcome back to the Fumbaruski podcast. He's CJ. I'm Chris. Let's get into it. AFC North We'll start

The same way we did last week with the AFC East. Honestly, we're probably just gonna do it the same way Every single week at this point anyways, but we're just going to go from the bottom up in terms of how the division lasted last season. So kind of just a little refresher. Baltimore Ravens were 12-5 5 won the division Steelers 10 and 7 second Bengals 9 and 8 Third and the Browns 3 and 14 in last place. There's your refresher. Now, let's get into it So the Browns if we're starting from the bottom up, we'll start with the Browns So it's confirmed you're not gonna have Sean Watson for the whole season So you're not going to have Sean Watson for the whole season. So you're real quarterback room by the way, what a quarterback room. Obviously, Shadar Sanders, that's kind of everyone knows, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett,

Dylan Gabriel. Those are your four quarterbacks that are gonna be fighting for the starting spot in Cleveland. That is fun. That's a team. That is a team. That's all. Yeah, that's a team.

I don't know if you're gonna get the same magic with Joe Flacco as you did in 23. I Think you can Put that I think you can make a bet on that that's not gonna happen Yeah, very unlikely at least very unlikely Shoulder See what happens with him. We've been here we've also been hearing a lot of bad things about Dylan Gabriel, not a character thing, just he's not looking good in the voluntary OTAs right now.

And one point that I did want to bring up, especially from when we were talking with Tony Pauli and when he was on the show, was when we asked him about the Browns, it was them trading back, granted a couple spots and foregoing potentially going with Travis Hunter and instead going with Mason Graham was that kind of them waving the white flag a little bit. And I think he made a good point in how this was a playoff team a couple of years ago. And they just got shattered, absolutely shattered with injuries throughout the entirety of the season.

Yeah. Obviously week 18, like what's 90% of the roster was on the injury report or something like that. Something to that effect, yes. Something ridiculous. I don't really see this Cleveland team being anything special still. I think one of your biggest losses as well is Nick Chubb considering that you haven't it's been made clear now that you're not going to sign him back. I do say biggest loss

But also with caution because of the his knee exploding on him Not his fault Not anyone's fault. Let's play make up Fitzpatrick. Let's play make up Fitzpatrick But I don't see the Browns making a big splash again. Maybe if anything Six wins I Think would be a good Little area for that. Maybe seven, but either way I got them finishing last in the division Yeah, seven is really just

Everything goes right, you know, that is literally like your best-case scenario Even if everything doesn't go right. I don't really think there's any way in hell that they're gonna reach 500 the vision rivals Probably yeah, probably Anything else you want to touch on with the Browns why actually yeah there there is uh oh My goodness isn't that just a Team is the whole man. I don't know and the thing with doing Gabriel is uh I know they drafted him over Shador That's when the whole thing. I will be should or will it I know they drafted him over Shador, that's when the whole thing, oh, will it be Shador, will it be Gabriel? They drafted Gabriel higher, apparently the front office just likes him better.

But the thing is, he's small. And there's a difference between being a small player versus playing small. That's a guy who plays small. And it doesn't matter what your height is, do you look the part? He just doesn't look the part, he looks small. And it doesn't matter what your height is, do you look the part? He just doesn't look the part, he looks small. You know, you even have reporters in the stands joking,

hey, yeah, I'm taller than him. And Nick Chubb, yeah, losing him sucks, but the thing is for the Browns, let's be real, it's gonna get worse before it gets better. You know, you got the diddler there, Deshaun Watson's still under contract. I mean Is Joe Flacco gonna give you that magic like Chris said no, no I mean you better hope Gabriel or Chidor pins out because then other than that you got

Super Bowl champion Kenny Pickett Yeah, I don't know Well, and also I do want to say one thing well Miles Garrett you chose this Remember how we wanted out and the Browns offered him a stupid amount of money? Well, there you go, Miles. You repurchase so but I hope we don't see that Miles Garrett for 30 for 30 and like 20 years. He's like, Oh, I'm so sad. Everyone a ring. It's like you could have avoided this. Yeah. Just looking at the rest of the team to like looking at your receiver room. You got Jerry Judy who showed some good upside last season. Cedric Tillman. He had some good spots as well. Deontay Johnson. You might as well just leave him on the side of the street and see what the fuck happens because that's just too eat I get it. I do I do I am of that mindset where I think they probably should have drafted a

Receiver but I don't know too late now. I guess I just I Don't know what their thought process was behind the, just behind not drafting one. I don't either. Looking at the Bengals considering that they finished third, the way that they're projecting right now, their trajectory I should say, is they're probably looking at another third place finish

and finishing the same way that they did last year at nine and eight, especially if they keep kicking the can down the road with Trey Hendrickson and he stays true to his word and not plays this next season. It's just unbelievable. They thought that they thought that they could get one over on on Hendrickson, Chase and Higgins and say, Oh, they're going to have a terrible year or not have a great year. And we're going to lowball the shit out of them. Then they have career years and they still lowball the shit out of them. So it's like, what did you expect?

We say it like we say it year in and year out like what the hell do you expect at this point? No, seriously, that's a great point. I just the Bengals have to have one of if not the dumbest GMs in the league. How they just they literally hope that their guys fail so that they don't have to pay them. Like, I don't understand how you can run any kind of serious organization like that. Then of course they never do.

And then the market dictates their actions so their actions dictate in the market. I just, unfortunately, this is gonna be the team they were last year, where they dropped 50 points a game, but their defense is so abysmal that they give up 55. Like every game for the Bengals is going to be a shootout, unless they're playing a team that's just really, really weak. Even still a weak team could probably at least put up 20 on them. Also, the offensive line still isn't great somehow.

They've just kind of let that issue fester, but whatever man. Yeah. They also got rid of their defensive coordinator. Who's their defense coordinator now? It was Luanna Rummo. I don't know the new one off the top of my head. Gonna do a quick search. Yeah. Well, Chris is doing that everyone out of all

this oh I was just gonna say uh well I said for the Bengals it's just gonna get a lot worse before it gets better and that's yeah it gets better so Al Al Golden was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame? Yeah, still weird hiring honestly not yeah, not the thing could have gone a different route, but Yeah, I think Al golden had showcase some good his defense played pretty well in the national championship minus that or Let me let me backtrack real quick His defense did well in the playoffs not so much the championship you know when they needed to yeah anyways

maybe that's a spark they need on defense especially given the facts as you mentioned there was games where they were putting up 40 and the other teams putting up 50 yeah or you just have a a bismally slow start to the season, you get to the bye week, still a little slow, but then you get on a big run a big playoff push to the end. But you end up digging yourself too big a hole to climb yourself out of. And it starts to turn into you relying on other people to help yourself out. That's literally what happens to them every year, I'm afraid.

Yep. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens this year, but I'd also love to play the little game of what's their record gonna be this season? I'll give them nine and eight, 10 and seven. Yeah, ceiling's probably 11. I mean, which feels weird,, ten and seven. Yeah, ceilings probably 11. I mean, which feels weird because look at that offense here. Like, no way it should be more.

But I just don't trust them to do anything because their defense and their offensive line are just terrible. I'll give them second place in the division, but they're not competing for the title. Yeah, getting up until like the last three weeks. I'll give them second place in the division, but they're not competing for the title Yeah, eating up until like the last three weeks Probably yes Yeah, looking at the Steelers They are have basically been in limbo this entire offseason

More so just talking about the whole Aaron Rodgers thing, which we saw a theory a couple of weeks ago, or maybe a week or two ago. And I think it was around draft time, maybe. And it was basically talking about how Aaron Rodgers hasn't made a decision yet because of the NFL schedule release. And he wanted to wait till afterwards so then the Steelers wouldn't get as many prime time games. Which so far has been the case,

the Steelers did not get a ton of prime time games this year. So far has been the case the Steelers did not get a ton of prime time games this year Looking at the schedule right now. They're only prime time games. They have a Game in europe against minnesota Thursday night against cincinnati Sunday night against green bay another sunday night against la And then they have a mond night game against Miami we got Feel like the standard in terms of Monday night games, I guess maybe a little below but

There's there's a scare schedule Aaron what are you gonna do now what was the plan now you're gonna sign or you're not gonna sign that's That's basically it but Say he doesn't sign. Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Skyler Thompson are your quarterbacks. Now, I know there isn't a lot of love about Will Howard, but I think that there is a lot of love in the fact that there's a kid that is definitely a leader and will be able to study a playbook like that. So I think that's probably the one good thing that you can get out of them and maybe develops well. Other than that, this quarterback room, disgusting. I wouldn't count on it personally. I'm going to keep this short. It all hinges on Rogers. And I I like I said there was that report about there's this real

Uneasiness in the Steelers organization that it's more likely than not at this point Unless Rogers decides to stop being a mercurial little bastard and actually choose a team Then there I also I could see him just retiring You might as well just fucking retire yeah, he probably should honestly and as far as I go It's literally getting to the point where I just Where honestly like you can't go into the season with Mason Rudolph is QB one Because you know what's gonna happen right because you know the joke Oh the Pittsburgh Steelers on her Tomlin never losing season

This might be it if your QB one is Mason Rudolph then and That's gonna be that one blemish on Tomlin's record and once his big claim to fame is gone Then you can justify firing him really easily. I Think the only good thing that you have out of the Mason out of Mason Rudolph starting for you or just being in your quarterback room is that he knows the system. That's probably the only real good thing they have about him.

In terms of the Steelers, I think I'm going to hop on your bandwagon in terms of this might be the year that they're going to fall behind and or fall under 500 I'll hit him with the 89 record. How about that? Yeah, yeah, let's go to Baltimore the vision winner of last season losing in the AFC divisional round to the Ravens after beating the Steelers in the wildcard round Lost of the bills on the road in the divisional rounds. Just for talking to a team that is going to make a playoff run, I'm just going to stop

counting on it. That's for sure. Unless, I mean, unless this team shows me anything other than like a great regular season performance. Super Bowl run, I don't know. I just, they haven't done anything in the playoffs to show me that they're going to make a Super Bowl run ever, ever, ever like sure, the year that they got the one seed, but then they blew it at home in the AFC championship game against the Chiefs like that. That was probably the one year, the one year I would have probably

said, yeah, they're probably going to make the Super Bowl. But I mean, credit to them, there is a team that still gets themselves into a top two seed, pretty much every single season or a top three seed, I should say, at the very least every single season. But what else they're doing? They're getting Lamar Jackson and MVP? Yeah. That's basically it. Yeah, basically yet I Mean we can talk our resident Ravens fan one of our hosts will tell you Shit like last year. He said

Like if depending on how the first four weeks go get rid of hardball Yeah, no, he's right. I mean the thing with hardball is I Feel like he has coddled too much by the establishment NFL media folk. Because everybody likes to dump on Lamar Jackson and just say he doesn't have that dog in him. He doesn't have that clutch gene, right? To which I say, alright, why is Harbaugh getting a free pass? And they're like, yeah, well, you can't talk about Harbaugh. You have to realize he has a ring. I'm like, okay, cool.

And I said this last time, Harbaugh's ring is the exception, not the rule. I'm sorry, like I don't have to respect the ring. Like, no, he has won. And that was back in the 2012, 2013 NFL season. For reference, I was what? In like fifth grade when that happened? I've now been graduated from college

and he has done a heaping helping of nothing. So, and I keep saying to Steelers when you get rid of Tomlin, well, I need to be even handed. What's Harbaugh ever gonna win you? I mean, sure, Lamar has MVPs, but that seems to be more Lamar thing than anything and one last thing for the love of God Get Lamar some pass catchers. I've been kind of holding my tongue about this

But Lamar has never had a true elite like game-breaking wide receiver one He's all you know, Mark Andrews is a good tight end If not, sometimes unreliable in the postseason Isaiah Isaiah Likley is a good TE too. You got Derrick Henry, but there was Zay Flowers and old DeAndre Hopkins. I mean, the most elite wide receiver they've had a recent memory was like that three-year run with Steve Smith Sr. where he was ancient. Like the Ravens have to open up the pocketbook and get Lamar like a really good wide receiver. Like it's just it's not... I understand you spent a first round around Rashad Bateman. He's been nothing. Zay Flowers at least has promise, but I don't know like maybe if Lamar

actually had someone not a tight end to throw to and outside of Zay Flowers because you know you can erase him. I mean if he if he's not on his game then what? Also the pass rush has been on existing, you know since Harbaugh's a big defensive guy it's like Where the hell's does the pass rush been you know how awful their defense was last year I mean heck even guys like Roquan Smith took a step back, so I don't know I don't see anyone from the FC North competing for a Super Bowl. Although if I had a hedge my bets the Ravens would win Yeah Turn I mean the only I say the biggest thing that they have been able to accomplish is signing or signing Derek Henry to a contract extension, which actually just made obviously it was a

news came out sometime last week and now it was made official today. Penn has been put to paper this morning. So that was a two year, $30 million extension that he got making him a Raven through 2027, which kind of have to do at that point. But good move. Yeah. In terms of the Ravens themselves, 12, 13 wins there when in the division outside of that and the playoffs probably going to get bounced in the

divisional round, they, for all we know, they're probably going to have to go on the road again. Maybe they, maybe they get lucky and get the one seed. Yeah. I think this is a year that they could definitely get the one seed again. Yeah. I mean, true, but we've kind of done this to death. You want to move on?

Yeah. Yeah, let's move on. We're going to take a quick break when we come back. We're going to get to our linebacker rankings. It may not have always. Little, little quick to the gun there, Adam. But CJ and I are going to do our top five linebackers for this upcoming season. This is the Fulmer's podcast. It may not have always showed it in the 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. Welcome back to the Full Marushka Podcast by PowerD8 Dean Radio and Secret Weapon Consulting. God damn. He's Madero, Sam Kostich. Let's get into our top five rankings for the linebackers. CJ, I'll let you take the floor first here. Thank you. You're very generous.

Alright, jumping right into it. This might ruffle some feathers my entire ranking. So you've been warned. Either way, my number five linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, I think you just got an extension, old Nick Bolton. Last season, 106 tackles, three sacks, six passes batted away a forced fumble. I mean, what do you want me to say? He's been an anchor. I mean,

you can talk about Chris Jones all you want, but I've got linebacker core and I'm like, he's not a DB, but even in that defensive backfield, all the linebackers, like everybody not on the line. He's been the leader. He's been the signal caller. He's been the leader, he's been the signal caller, he's been the anchor, you know, took him, or helped take him to a Super Bowl for a third straight season.

Also, he flies around the field, getting 11 tackles for loss, seven QB hits. I mean, hey, like, it's Nick Bolton at this point. I know he's not like a household name, but he should be. Speaking of not a household name, we are moving on to number four, and that is Bobby O'Carrakey of the New York Giants. This guy is painfully underrated.

Sure, last year he only had 93 tackles. Ooh terrifying but picture this two sacks three forced fumbles two fumble recoveries three passes batted away as well and what I like about him is that he's solid in coverage you know linebackers get targeted a lot but he only gave up a 61.2% completion percentage and didn't even give up an entire 300 yards. Only gave up 284. This is a guy who flies around the field and entering his third season with the Giants, I think O'Carrakey is going to keep playing really well, especially as the Giants start to find their own. Also, two sacks as well. He's pretty effective on the blitz as well. That's for me

what I really like about Okariki why he's here. It's the coverage upside. From one Bobby to another we are going to Bobby Wagner at my number three. I keep saying oh i'm waiting for the fall off, but what if he just never does? I mean he's entering what his 14th season in the NFL last season a hundred and thirty-two combined tackles two sacks he had a forced fumble two fumble coverings four passes batted away as well and even in coverage only giving up 215 yards so I think that's like the

least amount of yardage given up by anyone in my top five so the thing is people like him because there's just not a lot of flash but I don't care if you are at the age he is and I believe he's 34 to go to a Pro Bowl to be AP second team or AP all second team. I mean that speaks for himself. I have a feeling you know I keep saying oh I might be waiting for the fall off but nah not anymore. Well it could be 10 years in the future and he's still gonna have his defense or I mean the opposing offense hitting the old Hank Hill. God damn it Bobby, you know, I'm sorry I had to So moving on to my number two probably one of the biggest risers in all the NFL regardless of position

Zack bond of the Philadelphia Eagles bursting onto the scene last season. 151 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5 QB hits, 3.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, and 5 forced fumbles with a fumble recovery and a pick. And no touchdowns given up last season in coverage, but he did allow about 380 yards, 379 give or take. So, so yeah, the only reason he's not number one for Zach Bond, although statistically he probably should be,

is simply that this is his first year of truly elite plays from the first four seasons of his career with the New Orleans Saints and then goes to Philly changes senior he gets a new Pro Bowl first team all-pro fifth place for defensive player of the year this man is just different now he's got a Super Bowl ring to his name as well but my question is to him can you do it again can you do it again Can you do it again? Can you do it again? And now my number one I'm sorry Fred Warner. Who else was it gonna be? Let me think about it, right? 131 tackles Five tackles for loss to QB hits and a sack, but that's not the point. He flew around the field getting two picks

Seven passes broken up and four forced fumbles four didn't even give up 400 yards in coverage as well like you know and getting a lot of tackles like you know a few tackles for loss as well just flying around just dropping into coverage like I said like batting away seven passes that's huge you, the funniest part is Statistically he was a top three linebacker in the NFL last season and he was playing on like like a Sprained MCL or something like that. He literally sprained ankle or sprained ankle He literally played last season through a high ankle sprain and he still put up those numbers. Well, guess what? Now he's 100% and

I have no reason to believe he won't be at number one this season as well. That's my list. Chris, what's yours? My five and four are going to be different compared to yours, much like the safeties. So we'll start out with a splash. We're gonna go newly signed linebacker for the Patriots, Robert Spillane. Now I, yeah, obviously there's a little bias probably. I did say Jabril Peppers is gonna be top five next season. I feel more strongly about Robert Spillane being a top five linebacker than I do about Jabril Peppers being a top five safety. How about that?

How about that? Now this is it. There are coverage issues. Yeah for sure. Well, this is a guy that put up 158 total tackles 10 tackles for losses You need a guy that's gonna fill the gap pause He's gonna do that Much like Fred Warner just minus the coverage side he's all over the place and I feel like rabble could coach that out of him too for what it's exactly Exactly this guy that's gonna comment well with a Mike rabble defense and it's gonna catapult him into a

top five worthy linebacker This is two years now where he's put up over 145 total tackles as well. He has did his time in Pittsburgh, didn't get a lot of time and then he got to Vegas in 23 and has been pretty much one of the main staples minus Max Crosby of that defense. Going to number four, Zaire Franklin led the league in total tackles with 173, three and a half sacks, 11 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles. When I think of Zaire Franklin, I think of guys that don't get enough love,

especially for a Colts defense that was not very great either. Which yeah, obviously, Zayer Franklin isn't the most perfect linebacker, but he's a guy that obviously a staple of the Colts defense is going to make that extra jump. I mean, if people aren't talking about him being top five, they're going to be talking about him being top five this next season. Yeah. Going into my top three, very similar to CJ's, but the difference with mine is that I got Zach Bond at three and Bobby Wagner at two. For me, I CJ, I think it sums up with what you just said. He came out of nowhere. He came out of nowhere who say that he's going to produce the

same exact way this next season. I mean, we could say the same damn thing about Bobby Wagner as well. Bob Wagner's MI2. We could say the same damn thing about Bobby Wagner as well. Bobby Wagner's MI2. We could say the same damn thing about him, but it's just hard to deny the facts that we see them still competing and still producing at that level, especially with Bobby Wagner, he's filled the role of the veteran leader of that defense so perfectly, so perfectly, which it's weird to keep saying that this Washington team is young after we just said earlier in this episode that they have average age, they have the oldest team in the league at 28 years old. Then you got Bobby Wagner in his upcoming 14th season in the league at 28 years old. And then you got Bobby Wagner in his upcoming 14th season in the league,

uh, leading the way. Um, but it's not even to disrespect Zach bond. He's still a fantastic linebacker, but I got Bobby Wagner, uh, getting that edge on him and then around at the top, uh, there's not really much else to say about Fred Warner, but he's the top, he's the number one linebacker and he's going to end up getting paid like the number one linebacker once the Niners do end up getting that coming around to that extension right now. The highest linebacker per AAV is uh, Uh roquan smith And you can bet your ass that fred warner's gonna retake that spot

That's my top five I get it. I get the only thing that I would have any kind of mild disagreement on is the thing is Spillane that look bias aside. I can see is more likely to be In the top five his position under Brill Peppers but the desire Franklin thing I get like don't get me wrong I understand it but he always struck me as one of those guys with that who just racks up tackles and not a whole lot else and look up 190 however much like that he had that's good, but you know Tackles necessarily don't make you an elite your position looking at you Kenneth Murray No, I will 100% agree with that but I think that there's other statistics out there for Zaire Franklin to

Showcase that he is capable of being that top five guy or a top five guy. Possibly. Yeah, I get it. I get it. I do. I see the vision. Yeah. Good. Good.

Uh, that's all the schedule content that we have for, uh, today's episode CJ. The last you want to touch on before we sign off. Nope. I'm good. Cool. Good. Great. That'll do it for us tonight. That else you want to touch on before we sign off? No good cool Good great That'll do it for us tonight Thank you for tuning in for another Tuesday episode of the Fulmarovski podcast new episode coming out next Tuesday at 730 Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel

And we also have all our episodes available on Spotify speaker Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, iHeart redo, Google Podcasts, and so much more. Be sure to follow our Instagram, FullMaruski, underscore podcast. Keep up with the pod and the latest coverage on the NFL. Otherwise, CC, Jay Medeiros, I'm Chris Gostich, Adam Wright, our splendid producer. We'll see you next Tuesday. Over and out.