The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 02/16/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: February 16, 2021

In this Best Of edition of The Herd, Colin takes a look at the possible landing spots for J.J. Watt after his exit from the Texans and why there is one team that makes absolutely no sense. Colin also explains why there’s one head coach in the NFL getting a pass for his team underachieving with a great quarterback and he’s not sure why. Plus, Bucky Brooks joins the show to tell Colin if Clemson QB and projected #1 pick Trevor Lawrence will live up to all the hype.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole.

This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments. from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise,

the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching

Herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Hi, here we go on a Tuesday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be. Listening.

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. By the way, all sorts of stories on quarterbacks, and where they're going, the Carson Wins thing could happen very soon. So top of the next hour, we're going to play quarterback Domino's. There's a report about Deshaun Watson this morning that's got a little teeth to it.

There's a Russell Wilson rumor. I don't think has any teeth to it, but we'll play quarterback dominoes in one hour from now. And Joy, Taylor is joining me. Joy, how are you in a Tuesday? I'm great. Happy Fat Tuesday. doesn't have quite the same flair it usually

does but this is my New Orleans trip every year this time of year so we're in L.A. right now but. Yeah, I've been in New Orleans and years. Oh my God. It's my favorite place. I want to start with this. So I see a lot of

stories and most of the time I think there's credibility. I don't think the media just makes stuff up. Sometimes in the political media, I think people have agendas but generally in the sports media and there's no reason to be wrong on something. You know, you wouldn't risk your career on being wrong on something. But I do think people get fed information that's sometimes erroneous or misguided.

And I got nothing against Mary Kay Cabot. She's great. I've talked about her before on the show for Cleveland. But I don't buy this story for a second. JJ Watts seriously considering the Browns as one of his options. I don't buy it for a second. There's a lot of information getting fed out there. And I'll tell you why.

So there's seven, eight teams that have been mentioned. I'll just mention them to you. Green Bay, Kansas City, Cleveland, Buffalo, Colts, Pittsburgh, Tennessee. You know, they're all, you know, have their pluses and minuses. The two obvious places to go would be Green Bay and Kansas City, not just because of Aaron Rogers and Mahomes. But these are organizations that win consistently all the time, double-use, and compete for playoffs.

The second thing to remember with JJ Watt, he's not going to take a huge salary. So he may have a contract structured where he makes a lot of money based on sacks. He may have some nice bonuses. Well, which teams in the NFL lead more than any other teams in the NFL? Kansas City and Green Bay, meaning J.J. Watt in the second half is on a defense that is pass rushing an opponent that's trailing. So this makes sense for J.J. Watt. If I was J.J. Watt's agent, you want to play for the Packers? You want to play for the Chiefs?

because nobody's going to, you know, he's an older player, he's been banged up, he's not going to get a huge salary, he could have huge bonus opportunities based on sacks and production. So you want to play for a team that is often in the lead, and you can pin your ears back and go get sacks and hits and hurries and fumbles and all that stuff. But here's why I don't buy Cleveland. Listen, it's funny about the NFL, but for the last 30 years, what I'm about to say has happened every time. But every year I suggest this, people freak out. For the last 30 years, every year, four teams that made the playoffs don't. And that means four new teams do.

I know I'm going to suggest this. Cleveland's not going to make the playoffs. By the way, pom-pom waivers, I've nailed Cleveland in the last several years. Last year, a lot of doubters and rookie coach, no preseason. I said no. he was going to make the playoffs. I don't know if they can win a game, but they're going to make the playoffs. I was right.

Year before, oh my God, Freddie Kitchens, I said grease fire, won't work. Mess. I was right there, too. In fact, last year, I was seven for seven on AFC playoff teams. I often wear a robe around Fox Sports that just says, AFC King, Uncle Colin. You think of me of the herd. I'm known as AFC King, Uncle Colin.

So four teams that made the playoffs last year are not going to make the playoffs. And I'm going to give you two of them. The Saints who are in salary cap hell and won't be as good at quarterback and Cleveland. And that's nothing against Cleveland. But I'll give you two numbers that are hard to argue yourself out of. Put the palm palms down. Cleveland last year had a negative point differential and made the playoffs. Virtually impossible.

virtually impossible. The Washington football team that we all rolled our eyes that made the playoffs had a positive point differential. Cleveland had a negative point differential, meaning they got rolled a lot. And also, Cleveland, eight of Cleveland wins,

eight of their wins, came against Drek, teams that were 32, 78 and one in the NFL, meaning Cleveland beat a lot of bad teams. They beat a lot of bad teams. They beat a lot of of bad teams. And when they faced good teams, they often got whacked and they had a negative point

differential. Cleveland's got no history. JJ Watts going to pick a winner. Cleveland's got no history of back-to-back years and success. They made the playoffs back-to-back years since the 80s. I mean, just think about that. That's over 30-some years ago. Secondly, they've never made a real commitment to Baker-Mayfield right now, so we don't know

what their future is. And third, their schedule is brutal next year. Next year, their roads. schedule is the Packers, the Chiefs, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, the Patriots, Minnesota is going to bounce back. They're not going to be that bad. And the Chargers with Justin Herbert in year, too. So I don't know who the new four teams are going to be in the playoffs, because there are going to be four new teams minimum next year in the playoffs. It's the way it's worked 30 straight years. My guess is the Miami rebuild will keep getting better. They had a very good draft. I suspect

they'll have another one. Miami will creep in. They got close this year. I suspect the San Francisco 49ers will not have nearly as many injuries. I would guess the 49ers get in. And my two teams right now this morning, and I haven't laid it all out yet, but the Saints are not going to be the same team. They're not. Okay, they got cap issues. They've got to let guys go.

They don't have Drew Brees' leadership. And Cleveland. It was a lot of Mirage last year. I was there for it. I thought they'd be a playoff team. They're not going to be a playoff team. And J.J. Watts not going to an in-com. consistent franchise. He can cherry pick. He's a free agent. He can cherry pick anybody who wants to go to.

He needs to go to Green Bay or Kansas City, not only because you got winning organizations and a history of smart front office moves. The second thing is they lead games at halftime, meaning he can pin his ears back, get more sacks, get more hits, get more interceptions, get more fumbles. That's how his contract is largely going to be structured, my guest today. All right, here's a story that's interesting. So we got a lot of this stuff. A lot of this stuff. This Carson Wynch thing, according to multiple sources who I trust, is going to happen here really quick. So he's out of Philadelphia. He's out. They're done. Whatevs? Whether you like Jalen Hertz or not, doesn't matter. He's gone. They've made a decision. So the Colts and the Bears are believed to be

the two destinations that he's going to land. So we all know that the Colts are smart, measured, have often dominated their division. We know the Colts would be a good destination for Carson Wentz. But as I said yesterday, the Colts are not desperate. They don't have a big brother in the division they're chasing. Let me talk about a sleeping giant in the NFL, the Chicago Bears. I'm going to show you something, and it's really astounding. Should Carson Wentz be interested in Chicago?

So none of you think that None of you think that Mitch Trubisky is the future anywhere. If I said Mitch Trubisky is your new quarterback, none of you would cheer that, right? Like it's over in Chicago. The last three years, I'm going to give you, this is in a windy city with one legitimate receiver. They missed Tariq Cohen last year.

Last three years of Mitch Trubisky's numbers in Chicago. These are better than Baker Mayfield. Now, I don't think Trubisky's as good as Baker Mayfield. but these are Jared Goff Baker-Mayfield numbers. Look at Trubisky's numbers in the last three years with Matt Nagy. 25 and 13, 65% completion percentage, and a 90-passer rating. Also, 57 TD's three picks. What does that tell you?

It tells you that Matt Nagy just needs a quarterback. Mitch Trubisky's numbers are not that far off Matt Ryan in the last three years. They're not Matt Ryan. They're not that far off. So everybody understands that Carson Wentz is going to want to land in Indianapolis with the Colts. We all get that. Frank Reich, great offensive line. But I look at Chicago and I think to myself, number one, if you're Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold, anybody, Deshawn Watson, you get a great defense.

You got the Lions in division. That's two wins a year right there. So you got a dormant in your division. you got, and Trisky, by the way, Trebisky had played very well against the Vikings also. So you got a dormant in the Lions. You've got an excellent defense. And what's the bar in Chicago?

It's not like Carson Wentz would be replacing a legend. They'd move Nick Foles out of town. They'd move, Nick Foles isn't a cap hit. They'd move him out of town. They'd move Trubisky out of town. Chicago's arguably the great American sport city. It's one of the great cities in America. because this kid grew up in the Dakota's.

He doesn't care about cold weather. It's probably close to home. I think the bears are a little bit of a sleeping giant. And I think the bears should be favored. Trent Dill first said this yesterday. I think the bears should be favored to get Carson Wentz, and they would feel like a playoff team if they got him. I think Chicago has to panic.

They have to knee-jerk react to this. They will probably offer more than they need to get Carson Wentz. They're the little brother in the division. They have to make this type of splash hire for two. reasons. One, they got to be relevant again, and you said it, they got to save their jobs, and draft picks for Orion Pace aren't as important because he knows he's got to win right now or he's out the door. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human beings. potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey, from basketball to college football or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life, hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it.

Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with the Adamani Arriba, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be.

Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How hard can it be? Getting naked at 50 with the new guy. That one's kind of hard, no? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura podcast network available on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows, without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid.

He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers

while he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out. real quick. Get your ass up and down the court and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So

here's another story I don't buy. It's nothing against the person reporting it. I just don't buy it. That Russell Wilson has his eye on the Cowboys, according to Mike Floreo. He was on a Dallas station. He said that. Maybe he was, you know, ingratiating himself to the host. I don't buy this at all. But I will say this.

There's a lot of rumblings with Russell Wilson right now. And Russell Wilson never says anything. I take a week off and he's suddenly Howard Stern. He's controversy at every turn. And Florio says Russell, eye on Dallas. Now, I don't think it's crazy. Dallas is kind of a star. You know, Jerry Jones likes to create stars. I think Russell Wilson feels sometimes he's jammed up in the Pacific Northwest. But it is funny. The power of likability. It is really funny. So it must. Mike Tomlin has not had a losing season in 14 years. That's pretty remarkable.

He gets ripped all the time. Andy Reid dominated the NFC for five years. Dominated it and was good for over 10. They fired him. Belichick dominates the entire league for 20 years. Brady leaves. He's 7 and 9 and there's critics everywhere. Pete Carroll, crickets.

Because he's likable. He's chawing on that gun 100 miles an hour. He's available for interviews. I think Pete's a nice guy, a fun guy. He's got big energy. Got big energy, Pete. But does anybody ever go, and I like him? But he was fired twice in the NFL.

He left USC and NCAA quicksand. They've never recovered. He was 14 and 18 before Russell Wilson got to Seattle. His coveted defense, his last four years have ranked 11th, 16th, 26, and 22nd. He now has incredible power and personnel. In fact, that's why the GM John Snyder almost left to take the Lions' GM job. And their draft picks have been all over the map. That Jamal Adams trade, there's no safety in the NFL worth two first-round picks.

Pete made that happen. The Rashad Penny first-round pick was a mess. It was a draft loaded with running backs. You could have gotten Rashad Penny in the second, third round. He's never played. There's a Doc Rivers quality here. And I like Doc and I like Pete. But Doc Rivers got fired.

Doc Rivers has a presence like. Petey had an early title. He'd been fired a few times, but there's a likeability, there's a presence. But Doc Rivers ultimately paid the price last year because the Clippers underachieved. And you tell me, since they won the Super Bowl,

doesn't it feel kind of like Seattle is making crap up as they go? Kind of? I mean, in 2018, they lead the NFL in rushing. Lead the NFL. 2019. You're like 19th. Just stop running the ball.

Jamal Adams trade, offensive line always feels suboptimal. Even in Los Angeles, if you mentioned Pete, if you criticize him, I mean, people don't like it. There's just Seattle feels like something is off. We rip Tomlin. We ripped Belichick. We ripped Andy Reed. We criticize everybody. Has anybody ever said that franchise up in Seattle feels lopsided?

Pete controls personnel. Pete controls the defense. Pete controls the offensive line. The offense looks prehistoric. Just a little pushback, a little? I'm not asking for dismissals and firings, but it is interesting. There is this Pacific Northwest shield around Pete, and the downside to having all that power,

and outside of Belichick, nobody in the NFL has more power than Pete Carroll. Andy Reid does not have this much power. Brett Veach runs personnel. Sean Payton does not have this much say. Mickey Loomis and Jeff Ireland run personnel. Pete and Belichick run their franchises. By the way, neither has been great on draft day the last four or five years. Just saying.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. So there's a lot of stories today that are out. Carson Wentz is going to be moved here. Philadelphia is trading him. It's official. A lot of top NFL people, Adam Schaefter, has already reported that. That's going to happen very soon. We've already seen the Matt Stafford deal.

Now, these deals aren't official until later in March, but they're agreed upon. So you're going to see something happen this week with Carson Wentz. You may see something with Deshawn Watson. And so I thought this morning we'd play a little bit of quarterback dominoes. I'm just going to roll the dice out and make a few predictions. And I'm going to try to guess where people land. as of this morning and as of the reports I hear. So here we go.

I'm going to say the Panthers acquired Deshawn Watson. Why? Because you can give Houston everything they'd want. A bridge quarterback, a draft pick, three first round picks in Christian McCaffrey star power. If you lose Deshaun, you need some star power. This is an organization that needs first round picks. And remember, Matt Rule has power in the organization.

He's a brand new coach. David Tepper, the owner of that team. he's a roll of a dice guy. He is a highly aggressive Steve Balmer-like owner. They would make a move like this. They'd give up multiple picks, Christian McCaffrey, so I'll go with Panthers acquired to Sean Watson.

Second, I think the Texans then would acquire in the same deal, Teddy Bridgewater. He is a perfect one-year bridge quarterback. You're also going to get the eight pick. I'll talk about that in a second, but Bridgewater was 5 and 0 as a starter. a couple years ago when he subbed. He's not a huge cap hit.

He also has the ability to learn offenses very quickly. So there's been some chaos in Houston. He's a very non-chaotic personality. He's very Alex Smith. He walks in, he learns your playbook in three weeks, and he's respected by other professional athletes. This organization needs a steady hand. Bridgewater is the ultimate steady hand.

The Jets then, I think, draft Zach Wilson. I'm a Sam Darnold guy. I think he needs a reboot somewhere else. Get to that in a second. But Darnold is 11 and 22 and three seasons. He regressed. He's only 23 years old. I think he needs a reboot. But the reality is Joe Douglas did not draft Sam Darnold. GMs generally want their guys. Zach Wilson, according to NFL people I talk to, grades higher than Sam Darnold did out of USC. Jets get Zach Wilson. After that, I think the Colts acquire Sam Darnold. They liked him out of USC. This is becoming a run-first offense, 55-45. Darnold's still 23. They'll have a year to decide on his fifth-year option. He's a big, strong athletic mobile kid. They were limited

with Phillip Rivers. They could not move the pocket. Frank Reich has worked with Carson Wentz. He likes athletes at quarterback. Darnold Goals, reboot, and tries to prove his worth with the Colts. The Bears then acquire Carson Wentz. They're more desperate. Their GM and their head coach are on the hot seat. Wentz is a strong-arm quarterback. That ball will pierce through that wind. It certainly did in Philadelphia. Also, the Bears have declined to pick up the fifth-year option of Trebisky, so they're obviously moving on. They don't see Nick Foles as the future. and they're a little brother to Aaron Rogers. You've got to have a cannon back there.

You're going to go up against Aaron Rogers twice a year. You've got to go for the big smoke. You got to go get Carson Wentz, who's a big talent. From there, I think the Patriots acquire Marcus Mariotta. Not a big cap hit. Played in the AFC. He knows the conference. He's an experienced kid.

And the reality is, I think after one year with Cam, it makes sense. An athletic quarterback who's a fairly accurate thrower. I believe the offensive line, this is going to be, I think you're going to see a better version of what they were last year on offense. The defense we know is getting better because guys opt back in. But I can see them going and getting Marcus Mariotto. The Falcons then draft Justin Fields.

He's from a high school right outside of Atlanta. They're not going to get rid of Matt Ryan for the next. two years. But Matt's 35. He's past his prime. And Fields is sort of the opposite of Matt Ryan. He's a bigger arm, very athletic. There's still a lot of people in Atlanta

that kind of missed Michael Vick running around making stuff happen. Justin Fields from Atlanta, got a lot of sizzle, probably not ready to start in the NFL. So perfect. You get Matt Ryan for a year or two to run the ship. After that, I think the Texans draft

Trey Lance. Again, he's got a little Deshawn Watson. He can throw the ball fine, but he's a playmaker. He can sit under Teddy Bridgewater, who we mentioned earlier for one year. So you get your quarterback of the future, you get quarterback now Bridgewater, you get Christian McCaffrey, some of that RPO stuff, and you get three or four first round picks. I think this is about as solid and strong a case to be made for Houston moving off Deshawn Watson. And number nine, I think the same. I think the Saints re-signed James Winston. I think he's got a higher floor than Taysam Hill.

I think we saw the ceiling with Taysam Hill last year, throwing the football. Never forget that James led the NFL two years ago with 5,500 passing yards. He's not highly expensive, and they can't afford right now big money at quarterback. And with James, you get him cheap, he can be productive. And also, we always acknowledge every quarterback's better in the second year of a system. just because James didn't play a lot, doesn't mean he didn't learn a lot. So there's my rundown. Now, there's two quarterbacks I want to mention.

Jimmy Garoppolo, I believe, stays in San Francisco. They retain him. We looked it up during the break. He's 24 and 8 as a starting quarterback in the league. 75% winners. Kyle Shanahan's in a division now with Matt Stafford, with Kyler Murray, with Russell Wilson. He's got to have a veteran quarterback. who can win games and spin it. I think Garoppolo can, despite some misgivings about his health.

I think they retain him, and I think the Cowboys retain Dak Prescott. They just won four of 11 games without him. He was off to a very productive. He wasn't winning, but a very productive start with Mike McCarthy before he got injured. And I think he works for Dallas right now. It's all about the number. Can they find it at 32 to 33, not 37 or 38? But these are my quarterback Domino's as of this morning. Again, I'm guessing it all starts with Deshawn to the Panthers. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators,

and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on to Ernie. Score at the chip. I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Bo. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic.

I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what.

He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series

because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get to fly. man, he running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball.

So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Bucky Brooks, we use him here at Fox Sports. He played in the NFL. He is a scout in the NFL, and he dealt with that pro day with Trevor Lawrence, and Bucky Brooks is now joining us live. This is a time of the year.

We can really go deep with Bucky Brooks. So, listen, this has been a kid. I saw him playing. I saw him at a high school workout in San Diego, and I just was blown away by his arm. He's put on about 10 pounds. He's having surgery on his other shoulder. I don't know what that means.

I shouldn't, but I mean, you broke down the workout. What do you see from Trevor Lawrence? Any concerns, trepidation? What do you see? No, I mean, he's a very clean prospect. And the thing about it, Colin, he and Justin Fields have been on the scene for a long time. Those guys have always been number one and number two in whatever order since they were in high school. The thing about Trevor Lawrence is Trevor Lawrence has gotten better each and every year.

He was at Clemson. On the field, he gives you everything that you look for. He's athletic. He has outstanding arm talent. He can make quick decisions. He is pinpoint and precise with the ball. I tend to call them Justin Herbert Plus, meaning everything that you like about Justin Herbert, plus a little more explosiveness and pop.

That is what Trevor Lawrence is. And then when you get off the field, the intangibles, the leadership ability, the way that he led this program in the offseason, not only in terms of the return to play, but doing the social justice movement, Trevor Lawrence is a very mature prospect. He's someone that I can understand why everybody raves about him as a franchise quarterback. Okay.

What quarterback in this draft is, do you think, I mean, none of them are undervalued? I mean, we're told, we like all of them. Is there anybody that's a little to you more undervalued than the other ones? Yeah, I think when you look around the mock draft scene, there are a lot of people that have kind of moved Justin Fields down to number three and maybe even number four and some drives. And I think that we're making a grave mistake because I think we're being very nitpicky about his game.

What Justin Fields is is a five-star talent with outstanding combination of physical tools and overall ability. Now, where he needs to improve is process. in terms of being quicker against coverage and those things. But Colin, we have seen him on big stages look like the best guy on the field on multiple occasions. And I think sometimes we spend a lot of time worrying about how he looked versus Northwestern in Indiana. But in a league in which we've seen Josh Allen become a star player, there's no reason why Justin Fields couldn't become a star player in this league in the right system.

Yeah, I don't get. We do this all the time. I remember people used to beat up on Andrew Luck, didn't have a great arm. And it was good enough. That's all I know. It was good enough. So let me ask you about JJ Watt. So if you were a scout for multiple teams, you're a GM today.

Let's forget J.J. Watt. I think I would bring him in and I would structure his contract. Like, for instance, Green Bay. Green Bay is a team that leads in 80% of their games. Meaning if I was talking to the agent of J.J. Watt, I'd say, listen, we're going to be leading. He's going to pin his ears back. let's do a bonus-based contract. He can get a lot of sacks and a lot of production.

He's our missing piece. That makes sense to me. Now, he's older. He's had some injuries. But when I watched him this past year, Bucky, I thought he was a good player. I thought he was a disruptor. Where do you think,

what would you be willing to do with J.J. Watt if you ran a front office today. What is he? Oh, I think he brings a lot of value. I think his leadership ability, I think his pastures ability, certainly is still valuable in today. game. We just saw our Super Bowl where we saw Jason Pierre Paul and the Dominican

Sue have a major impact as 30 plus year old players. So JJ Watts still offers a tremendous amount of value as a pass rusher. To me, I think the natural fit for him, the Green Bay Packers, having spent time in Green Bay, having known that JJ White is from the Wisconsin area, there's a little bit of legacy there. Remember, he is a brand. The Green Bay Packers are a national brand. He'll get a chance to be on Monday Night Football a ton of times. He's He'll play with a quarterback and Aaron Rogers that is guaranteed to put him in situations where he is playing with the lead. So he'll be able to get after the passer. And so when I look at the situation, Green Bay to me is an ideal fit.

I will also say the Buffalo Bills. The Buffalo Bills are a great cultural fit for J.J. Watt. This is a team full of hardworking guys. Sean McDermen is a no-nonsense guy that has developed a culture there. I think J.J. Watt will be a nice fit in that situation. and both of those teams score a bunch of points. Yeah, they do. They play with leads.

So, you know, I was saying this earlier. Mike Tomlin's never had a losing season. He gets criticized. Andy Reid dominated the NFC for five or six years. They ran him out. Belichick had his first losing season in forever, and even guys like me are like, you know, he's a little rigid.

Pete Carroll, who was fired multiple times, has now more power than any coach except probably Belichick. In fact, John Snyder almost left to take the lion's job because Pete had so much power in terms of personnel. But yet, as the defense slips in Seattle and as they have had some very big whiffs in early rounds in Seattle, Pete never really gets, he's a little Teflon. There's a Doc Rivers quality where we like him.

He's got a presence. He's won a title. We like him. You know, there's something about he's just he lights a room up. But when I look at Seattle since the Super Bowl, Bucky, I feel like sometimes they're making crap up. They're taking big trades, weird first round picks. They go from leading the NFL in rushing to 19th.

Pete doesn't get any, nothing sticks to him. Is it time we examine Pete a little more closely? Well, I mean, I think he's under more fire now more than ever because Rosa Wilson has recently come out and kind of voice some of his concerns. The thing about it is it is really hard to take shots at Pete Carroll when you see the amount of success that the Seattle Seahawks have had. They're consistent winners. They're always in the postseason tournament. They're always on the cusp.

I think the thing about Pete Carroll and what he's wrestling with now is how do I play the style of football that I want to play with a franchise quarterback? The difference was early in Russell Wilson's tenure. It was easy for Pete to use Russell Wilson as a game. game manager running game defense they won a lot of games when to two super bowls one one probably should have won two but since they've handed the keys of the kingdom to russell wilson the team wins but they don't win at like the optimal level they haven't been back to the nfc championship game they haven't been back to the super bowl so peter's at a crossroads in terms of how do i want to play and i think his postseason like his post game comments after the loss to the rams in the

playoffs i think they were telling He talked about we have to get these teams out of cover too. As much as he wants to let Russ Cook, it is detrimental to the team because the big plays aren't there. And it also exposes the defense to more snaps. I think they have to figure out the way the play. Bringing over the new offensive coordinator from the Rams is a way because they want to be a run-oriented team. But they want to have some of the sex appeal that satisfies Russell Wilson. That may be able to happen with this new offense that they're putting.

in. Okay, from a scout's perspective, LeBron came out the other day and said, listen, in 2011, we had a lockout. I started working myself into football shape. I absolutely know I could have made the Seahawks. They asked me for a tryout. Tight end is a very unique position. Moeally Cox, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates. It is not, it's not quarterback. It's not technical, like a, like a center or a tackle. It's not cornerback where it's a specific skill of matching up. Big dudes that can run can be taught to play tight end. And I do look at LeBron and I think to myself, he would have made the NFL, right?

Like he would have been a nice player in the NFL. He'd be more than a nice player. I mean, Colin, you named off those names, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates. I mean, let's throw Tony Gonzalez in there. I got another one, Julian Thomas. All those guys went to Pro Bowls and they were just. I would say average basketball players. And LeBron James, you're talking about a top five basketball player

who was an all-state wide receiver in high school. He would have been 26 years of age at that time where he would have entered the league. He absolutely not only would have made a team, I would have bet on the fact that he would have been a star player. You don't see guys that that size, that stature, that can come over the middle, that has some experience. Would it have happened right away? Probably not.

But in time, there's no way I would have been against LeBron James not being able to be a dominant player on the gridiron based on what he did in high school, based on his physical dimensions, and what we know about his work ethic and his winning pedigree. You like this time of the year, right? This is for you, this is fertile ground for you and all this movement and stuff. Were you a fan when you were in the front office? You know, you work all year, all this scouting, and then your team goes out. and gives up draft picks. And you're probably sitting there thinking, what I scout all year for?

How do you view? You know, you get Carson Wentz and you've got to give up first round picks or to Sean Watson. As a scout, would that drive you nuts? No, I probably come from a different standpoint because I'm players over picks. I'm about a proven commodity

over what could be behind door number one, number two, and number three. So if I have an opportunity to get a blue chip player in his prime, I am more than willing to pull the trigger on that. We have seen what Jalen Ramsey was able to give the L.A. Rams when he came over. Great player in his prime. He played at that level.

We've seen others be able to come over and do those things. So for me, yeah, I skew towards, give me what I know to be true, someone that I've seen, do it, and an apples-to-apples comparison in the pros as opposed to apples and oranges. Candice college player project. will he play in the right system? I like proven players. So yeah, I'm a little more on the player-friendly standpoint as opposed to the draft picks.

There's a method to the math, but yeah, I won't good player. By the way, we know Carson Wentz is going to fetch some picks. What would you do with a Sam Darnold who regressed last year? What is his value, in your opinion, as a former scout on the market today? You know, it's funny because I hear people talk about first round pick, but to me, I think he is somewhere in the second round. I think he brings back a second round pick. I just don't know how you can justify with his numbers and performance and production a first round pick.

Because with that first round pick, what you're saying is I'm getting a true start or someone that's going to compete. I'm going to hit on it 75% of the time. I just don't know. I think Sam Darno can be a good player. But based on what he's done during the league, it's hard for me to say, absolutely, I'm going to give up a first round pick. Second rounder, I'll make the deal. Former NFL defensive back and scout. Now Fox Sports NFL analyst, our friend Bucky Brooks.

Good to seeing you, partner. Nice having you on again. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel,

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