The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 03/22/2021 - HOUR 3 - Free agent grades

Episode Date: March 22, 2021

Colin gives his NFL free agent gradesGuest: Greg Jennings 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.

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I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but the show. celebrated. So let's get to it. 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's podcast network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your

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Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHart Radio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Black Rifle Coffee Company, veteran-owned, serving premium coffee, helping first responders and law enforcement, go to blackriflecoffee.com slash heard. The code, HERD, will get you 20% off your first coffee club order. So free agency in the NFL, a lot of linebackers moved, a lot of O-Linman, D-Lignment, wide receiver group was a little sketch.

until Kenny Gulladay signed. Kenny Galdi is a big play, 18-yard-a-catch guy. Juju is the opposite, where it's not many yards a catch, not as explosive, but you get massive production. And so Juju-Smith was not that attractive on the market. Kenny Gulladay had multiple offers. And Greg Jennings, Fox Sports NFL analyst NFL receiver for 10 years, is joining us now live. Super Bowl champ.

So it's interesting. So Goladay comes in. He's, you know, it's a big swing. It's a lot of money. He's very explosive. But it's New York. Historically, you know, New York can gobble people up. There's been a lot of jet giant free agents.

Golden Tate didn't really work. C.J. Mosley, Lavian Bell, didn't. I don't know. I look at Galdane, and I think to myself, they made that move to tell Daniel Jones, all right, dude, we don't know if you can play. Now we got you. Evan Ingram, Sterling Shepard. Sequin Barclay, Kyle Rudolph, Kenny Galday.

I look at that, Greg, and I think this move was on Daniel Jones. Like, by Thanksgiving, if you can't score points, we got the wrong quarterback. That's what it feels like to me. Well, even more so than that, I mean, Kenny Goladay is a huge target, and he is a great impact receiver who makes a ton of plays on jump balls. And what I mean by that, like those 50-50 balls with a young quarterback. If you can throw it up to a guy and you have a chance and you know confidently, he may come down with that ball. It just builds your confidence up. And then it opens things up for everyone else.

This is it. I agree with you, Colin. Like, he didn't have an opportunity to play with Sequin Barkley last year. Hopefully he gets that opportunity for a full season. But this is a maturing season for Daniel Jones. And it's kind of a gut check. Is he really the guy? And Kenny Gallaudet adds so much value offensively. If he can stay healthy, this team could be very good, but it's all on the shoulder of Daniel Jones. Yeah. I mean, he's been turnover prone, so we'll see for Daniel.

He cleaned it up a little. I talked to Jason Garrett about that. He said, listen, he's got to clean the, we think he's talented. He's just got to clean up the mistakes. Now, Juju Smith-Schuster didn't have much of a market. He's not as explosive. And I wonder if people look at him and think, it's just part of the Pittsburgh. man, every receiver in Pittsburgh works.

I do think almost did the Steelers brand hurt Juju? I think more, it's more than just the Steelers brand. When you look at Juju Smith-Schuster, he had that breakout season alongside of Antonio Brown when he wasn't the primary receiver. Once you moved him to kind of that primary receiver, that number one guy, he never really showed that he could garner that position and that attention. And so that turned him into more of a slot. possession guy. He wasn't a big deep down the field threat. And so it kind of minimized what he

was able to get as far as interest in the market. And then his words, he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. And so I think with that, he lessened and lowered his value for other teams to even show him that extreme interest that you saw with Kenny Galladay. So it's interesting. The Raiders moved off three offensive linemen. They wanted to get cheaper up front. New England spent a fortune. Go back to your NFL career when free agents came to the teams Miami or Green Bay you played for. Did everybody open their arms or their times? You're like, why is he making so much money?

What about us? Like, do they always land well? Or is there some pushback sometimes on free agent acquisitions to a locker room? I think there's always some pushback. for the most part, guys are in it to make money. And guys understand, like, other guys set the market. And if you're at a position where a guy comes in, I know for me, when I made that transition to Minnesota, I was the highest pay receiver on that cord, but they brought in a rookie

Cordell Patterson. And there were other guys. Even Adam Thielen came in that year, guys that were able to learn and able to kind of see how it was done, but then also knew, okay, Greg is setting the market value. you for what we're trying to get to. And so it just motivates you. It motivates you for it being your turn. So when God's coming to the locker room, it's not so much about why is he making that

amount of money. It's like more so, you better earn that. You better earn that check. Well, it's funny, Greg, because I look at free agent money for receivers like this. If I think you're mature, when you go to a team, I'm like, okay, Greg is a grown-up. He'll be great in the room. What I worry about is when a guy is talented and then you give him a sack of cash and he's the star and maybe he wasn't the star at the other place.

So that's what worries me about free agency is you're often asking a talented guy to be a star. And that's a personality thing, sometimes as much as a talent thing. I would never worry with you. But there are, you know what I mean? I talked to Akim Taleb yesterday about that. We were talking. It's not just athletic ability. when a team spends a lot of money on you to be the top corner,

they want you to, you know, you're a mentor, you're a player, you guard the number one guy. So I don't know, take me back to your career. Like some guys, I don't know if they're built maybe to come to a team, don't know anybody, and suddenly lead the locker room or their unit. That's it right there. It's lead the locker room and lead that unit. When you get paid, you're automatically inserted in.

in that role of leadership because you're making the most money in that position and partly in that locker room. And whether you want to accept that role or not, it's kind of pushed into your lap because of the amount of money you're making and because of the value that the team has now invested in you. So regardless of what Kenny Galladay or some of these receivers are getting paid, they are now expected to not only perform, but now lead. How can you make the other guys better?

And that's what makes it so tricky. That's why guys like Larry Fitzgerald, even though he's not picked up yet or acquired, he's still going to be on so many teams's radar, possibly a team that's going to make a push to win the Lombardi trophy because of all the extras that he had. You know, it's interesting. When the Raiders, Peter King was criticizing John Gruden today and said, listen, man, you can't go four years in a row and not have a winning season in the NFL. I don't care how long your contract is. And, I mean, listen, players can sense weakness. If a coach is in a lame duck season, you know, Matt, Patricia, in Detroit and starts losing,

there's going to be guys, maybe 30% of the locker room, Greg, they just tune out. Like, they're done. But Gruden's got that contract. And the one advantage to it is, he's got power and he ain't going to get fired. And so, but I look at Gruden and I think to myself, his brand now is bigger and better than his resume. He's figured out how to monetize his brand. Where do you sit with John Gruden as a football coach today? You know what? I still like John Gruden. I think he does a lot of great things. I think he has time not only because of the points that you just mentioned as far as his contract and his terms,

but because they've had so much turnover and when you've had so much turnover on both sides of the football, that gives you time, that buys you time to really develop your guys. and create that culture that you're trying to establish long term. And that's what John Gruden has done out there in Las Vegas with the Raiders. He's kind of turned over that entire roster. And so with that, as a fan, you have to be even more patient. But because it is John Gruden, the expectation is to get it done sooner rather than later. Finally, it's not when you bring free agents in,

Like Green Bay has its culture set because they've got, you know, the Green Bay culture is you work hard, you're not going to be pampered, everything's about the long term, we're going to draft your replacement. New England, it's very coach-driven, it's very academic, it's very intense, you're going to work harder. Cultures are set. And then you bring certain players in and they took the money, but they don't necessarily love the culture. and New England now has loaded up on free agents. And I find it hard to believe that every guy is going to go there and be like, you know, I just love this relentless 24-7 football lifestyle. Have you ever seen guys in free agency been on a team like in Green Bay?

And you're like, I don't know if he understands our culture in Green Bay. Yeah, I think it's happened everywhere. When Charles Woodson first got to Green Bay, which was my rookie year, his first year, in Green Bay, he was button heads against everything because he didn't know the culture. He wanted to set a tone. When I was then in Miami, it was in Domen, Sue who got paid all of that money, but he didn't fall in love with the culture. It was more money-driven, contract-driven, and so you have to understand when you go to a situation, yes, the money may be great, but the situation may not be so much ideal.

I did the same thing. When I went to Minnesota, it was not so much just money driven. It was I really wanted to see if I could change things around from a quarterbacking standpoint, a culture standpoint, and it just did not work out. And ultimately, I was looking at this organization like, are we just trying to beat the Green Bay Packers or are we really trying to win Super Bowls? And that weighs heavy on so many individuals. especially when you get the older guys who are really in it trying to win Super Bowls and content for championships.

It's not so it's about the money, but it's not all about the money. Yeah. Well, you made some good money. You earned it. I mean, look at that suit you got on right now. You're not just getting that thing at T.J. Max. That's a pretty pricey-looking outfit right there, Greg, very well. It looks more than what it really thought.

That's the name of the game. I'll learn that trick or two over time. Greg, good talking to you, buddy. What's up, everyone? It's me three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Marryman. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Mariam. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who's ever done it on the field or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion,

the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman. or the A Heart Radio app, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 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 you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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, you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns, Dustin Ross

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion of the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of, ha, who. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to Pod Meets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Improve your diet and your protein with Butcher Box. High quality protein. Sign up today. Butcherbox.com slash her two pounds of free ground beef in every box for the life of your membership. If you sign up today, Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd life.

news. Well, Jared Goff is getting a fresh start in Detroit after the Rams traded him to the Lions from Matthew Stafford. And in his first press conference with his new team, he was asked if he took LA's decision to move him personally. I think at first, absolutely, I think it builds that chip on your shoulder a little bit. I won't lie about that. There is that little extra motivation in shift that you do feel. And, you know, I again, I am so thankful for all my time there. But yeah, you do feel that. You do feel, you know, a little bit of, okay, like, let's see what we can do now. I don't necessarily always feel like trades are a situation where it's, you know, it's a negative thing, or it means that you're not still a good player, or that you don't still

have a lot to offer. Sometimes a team is just in need of your services, more than the current team. You have a lot of talent at that position, and you're maybe just a little more expendable, or you've asked for a trade. Like, there's so many different scenarios that happen within trades. This is kind of one where I can see you permanently having a chip on your shoulder. I mean, you were literally traded for another quarterback. Like, it was a complete swap. Yeah, and also, listen, the Rams culture is pro player. I mean, McVeigh is there for probably as long as he wants. You have the richest owner. You have a very capable risk-taking front office. Detroit's none of that. It's a cold city. It's a losing.

franchise. They just rolled the dice on another iffy coach. Management's obviously not great and ownership's not great because they can't get the coach right. I mean, it is, this is where I feel bad for a player. Like Matt Stafford's got to be like, can you imagine being in a, I think Detroit's the worst franchise now in the NFL, because Cleveland actually is winning games. Cleveland's got players. Detroit's the worst franchise in the league. You go from Sean McVeigh and Sunshine and that old line. weapons to Detroit. Like that's that's a lot. Thank God in our business, I can't be traded to the eighth best radio company. Well, yeah. I mean, it's not that's not the nature of our business.

Obviously, sports, professional sports are very unique in that sense that you can be traded. It's a transactional business. To a terrible company. Yes. And there's not a whole lot, well, there is a whole lot you can do about it because it's very much also performance-based. So, well, that's not always the case in every position and then every trade, as I was saying earlier. Sometimes you can be a great player and be traded for other circumstances. But, you know, if Goff had been playing better, they wouldn't have traded him. He's a franchise quarterback. I know, but I got to tell you something, I couldn't fake it.

If I was Jared Goff and nothing against Michigan, my wife's from there. Beautiful state, but I could not have faked it. Oh, I mean, he can't get up there and be like I'm disappointed to be in Detroit. No, but I'm not. I always told you I could never act because I can't fake it. If I'm pissed, I'm pissed, I can't fake it. I'm the same way, but I think you have to buy in to the situation. would have stood up there and just said, listen, this place is

Loserville. You are not going to do that. You're not going to do that. I like to think that I can fake my way through things, but everyone who knows me tells me the exact same thing, which means I'm not good at faking anything. You wear your emotions on your sleeve. If you're upset, everyone knows you're upset, and you think that you're hiding it and you're not. So maybe, but I'm not going to go up there and say, I'm welcome to Loserville. I feel bad for

Jared Kauff, who I think is a good kid with limitations. they got frustrated with him. God, to go from the Rams to the Lions. It's not a good deal. That's depressing. He's saying he has a chip on his shoulder now. He does have a brand new head coach, so he has a little bit of time. I mean, yeah, I think that the Lions have not gotten credit for being as dysfunctional as they have been over the past couple decades.

The Lions have a worse owner, GM coach, an O-Line, and now wide receiving corps. There's no glimmer. It's raining on him. This is awful. This is a depressing story to me. I feel bad for Jared God. I'm rooting for Jared God. So am I.

But this is depressing. It's not a great situation. But, you know, he has a clean slate now. And it's just all optimism from here if you're a Lions fan. I mean, you still have a franchise quarterback. Jared Goff was just in a Super Bowl a few years ago. With Sean McVeigh. Well, we'll see.

And Aaron Donald. We'll see what the kneecap biting off game plan. So that works out. Sad. So Lamar Jackson had a little bit of a down season in 2020 after winning league MVP the year before. But according to Des Bryant, who joined the Ravens in the middle of the season, Lamar should not be taking all the blame for the dip in his performance. Des tweeted all this Lamar hate starting to get on my nerves. Just know I got to see firsthand what he has to deal with. Him being able to play quarterback is far from the issue. Lamar's winning 80% of his games. He's fine. He's going to get paid here. The critiques of Lamar Jackson are kind of strange. Yeah. Yeah, they're getting, I mean, listen, he is, if you're the best in the world at something,

I'm good with it. And he is. Well, he's a very unique player. And I think he's probably, I mean, really, if you look at his career, he's dealt with this since the draft because nobody thought he could even play quarterback. It was my criticism. Well, I remember going to Twitter and getting beaten up. I said, can he on third down throw when everybody in the world knows he has to throw? That was always my criticism.

Third and two, he'll be a nightmare to face. Third and 11. I think he's proven that, though. Depends. I mean, I do think he's a better quarterback leading than trailing. I don't think he's a beautiful path. But I think he's gotten better. And I think, to be honest, Baltimore's wide receiving core has been very, they have good tight ends and no receivers.

So it's just a, listen, you win 80 percent. I'm not into the artistry of it. You win 80 percent of your games. It doesn't really matter how you're doing it. I just get into the playoffs. And then at that point, if you're, you know, Harbaugh, Joy, a lot of getting into the playoffs is, I mean, let's look at the Chiefs. Oh, they lost Eric Fisher. Super Bowl's over.

I mean, a lot of this stuff is just, are you healthy when you get into the playoffs? Well, also, he may be a victim of the expectations that were put on him. You know, when you win a league MVP, there's an expectation that the next year you're supposed to win the Super Bowl or that you're supposed to be getting to the Super Bowl every single year. And guess what? It's really hard to get to the Super Bowl. Yeah, and win. It's very difficult. It's very hard to win a Super Bowl. There's all-time great Hall of Famers who have only been once and have never gone back.

Like, it's not an easy thing to do. Finally, the Celtics lost four of their first five games coming out of the All-Star break. They finally got another win Sunday night against Orlando. And after the game, Marcus Smart revealed the team held a meeting after Friday's loss to try and turn things around. He said we really just self-reflected, just asked each other, how do we want to end the season? How do we want to be remembered for this season? Everybody agreed this was a bad feeling. We don't want to look back on the season and be like, damn, we could have done this.

We still have time. It's not a lot. The margin for is closing. But we still have time to fix it. Well, they're a playoff team, so they'll get in. And they have a good coach and some guys. They're not a championship team. the East and 21 and 21.

They're 1 and 8 against the current top three teams, both the East and the West. And that's what they should be, because they have a very low ceiling. They're a good team that are not special. And all this accumulation of draft picks didn't mean squat. Yeah, I mean, they really just feel like they have a conservative approach

to everything. Nothing is over-the-top spectacular. They could have made it work with Kyrie. Maybe, you know, Kyrie played a role in and not working there as well, so it was just not a mutual fit. But regardless, it doesn't seem like big stars. are what it is there, even though they have a lot of talent. They're the Packers of the NBA.

I don't even think they are the Packers. At least the Packers make it to the NFC championship game. Well, didn't the Celtics make it to the Eastern Conference finals last year? We should... Something? I don't know. Is that the standard for Celtics fans? No, it's not the standard, but there's 30-some teams, and they're, you know, they were one of the final four.

I just kind of look at them as highly competent. Like, if I said that, if somebody said, is she talent... Hey, we're thinking of hiring blank, and you'd be like, highly competent. That's a good compliment. That's what I'm saying. That's a Celtics. They're highly competent. But when you're talking about, like, talents and the most competitive.

I didn't say they were special. Well, I think that's the difference. Not elite, but they're highly competent. Certainly hireable on the market. There's certain jobs where highly competent is a great standard for hiring. Accounting. I love a highly competent accountant. Selthics would be a great.

I don't need a special account. I need a special account. a highly competent account. Who can add? Yes. Joy Taylor with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Hurd Lie News. Boy, this new phone, I got to tell you, folks, this new phone is crazy. I just look at my new phone and it unlocks. I don't have to touch anything. I just look at it and click it opens up. It's a fascinating new world. And it stays charged. The charging thing is important, yes.

I got up at 5.50 this morning. it's almost 1145 and full charge. The other thing was ridiculous. Worn out after about two conversations with Ann. It's in a whole new world for me. No more wasting time and charging my phone all day. Coming up next, I'll give out grades for free agency so far. Most of the top players, the high end of free agency is gone as most teams now.

There's some backups and the draft to look forward to. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a. Pacific. What's up, everyone? It's me, three-time NFL all-pro Sean Marriner. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Marryman. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track.

So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the IHeart Radio app. or wherever you get your podcast. 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 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 what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 Cliverts 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. Welcome to my new podcast, learn the hard way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize

that we don't realize that We are in possession of the thing, and we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Hey everyone, it's Ryder Strong

and Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts.

I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Yeah.

Just because we... Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion at the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha, hoo.

Ha ha, ha, ho. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to Pod Meets Twirled on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Free agency is winding down, as is March. We're going to give some grades today, Joy, for free agency. Some certainly better than other. Some people took big swings. Some people took swings, and they're not doing what you think they're quite doing. So let's go. All right, Professor Colin, what grade are you giving the Cardinals? Arizona, I'd say a C-plus.

They kind of doubled down on what they already are. They already had a really good pass rush. And so they added J.J. Watt. They were already fourth in sacks, and they did lose Kenyon Drake. But they also acquired Rodney Hudson, a very good center. And they got culture-changing athletes to their locker room, A.J. Green, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson. So it's a little bit of a culture change move. It's not a lot of guys that are going to give you 16, 17 games.

But it's something. It's a C-plus. We're reading tough today. What grade are you giving the Bears? F. Terrible. F. that's the fourth quarterback they've whiffed on. Andy Dalton does not fit what they're trying to do. They also lost their best corner, Kyle Fuller, only franchise that's never had a quarterback with 4,000 passing yards

and 30 plus touchdowns in a season. So I just don't think they know how to do quarterback because he doesn't fit their personnel. They need a playmaker, a darnal, a Marcus Marriota, that's what they need. They don't need an Andy Dalton or a Tyrod Taylor. They need somebody who can really move and they didn't get it. So to me, it's a bad, bad.

off season. What grade are you giving the Browns? A to an A minus. Listen, their safety unit last year was trash. It surrendered six touchdowns most in the NFL. Worse-graded safety group by pro football focus. And they went and got John Johnson, who's a really good safety from the Rams, smart dude. They really helped their defense. Listen, their defense was like 21st in scoring defense. They've spent all their money on offense. So they're putting some money on the defensive side. You kind of get what you pay for in the NFL. They've got a really dynamic offense and a bad back end, but they got Troy Hill at Corner and John Johnson, the third, at safety. Suddenly they have a nice safety group.

What grade are you giving the Cowboys? It's incomplete. Listen, Dan Quinn's a massive upgrade at coordinator on the defensive side. Keanu Neal is okay. He was a pro-volder one year. I'm not sure if he's still the same player. Dak Prescott's in. So you're going to upgrade defensively, less chaos at quarterback.

I don't really know. They're a team I have to see what they draft. because I think they should spend seven picks on defense. I really think they should. Maybe 1-0 line, then go all defense. What grade are you giving to the Raiders? I'll be nice and say a C-minus because they did add Kenyon, Drake, and John Brown. Those were nice offensive players, but I don't like giving up Gabe Jackson, Rodney Hudson on the offensive line.

Derek Carr struggles under pressure. Like, this is a thing for him. Now, did they overpay for Trent Brown a couple of years? ago, absolutely. They paid him a left tackle salary and he's a right tackle. But Derek Carr's not a guy. I want to rebuild an offensive line with and I can't get past that. How about the Chargers? I'd give them a solid grade. I'd give them a B. Listen, the best thing for them is Derwin James and Melvin Ingram return from injury. But Justin Herbert was the Mosec rookie quarterback last year along with Burrow. And they went and got Corey Lindsley, who's in all-pro center,

and Matt Fieler, a good guard. So they're also going to draft another offensive lineman with their first pick. That's almost guaranteed. So listen, the game is get a quarterback, protect the quarterback, draft guys that get their quarterback. So this year, I think, they got their quarterback. They're going to build a fortress around him up front. How about the big spenders, the Patriots?

I would give them a B-plus, not a lot of stars. Listen, their tight ends had the fewest catches and touchdown catches last year. really went and solved Jonu Smith and Hunter Henry. They solved their tight end woes. And I do think Nelson Aguilar is a nice piece. Now they lost Joe Tooney and Marcus Cannon. Tunney's a great player. Chiefs picked him up. But

they tend to draft the offensive line and develop that position pretty well, so I trust them there. In the end, they don't have a ton of stars. Matt Judon's a good linebacker, but they at least have now a competent receiving core. Nelson Aguilar is a weak

one, but he's a one. Edelman's a two. Kendrick Bourne, Nikiel Harry, three and four. It's competent, which compared to the last two years, is a giant leap. What grade do the New York football giants get? I'll give the Giants an A, because I think what they're doing is putting pressure on Daniel Jones by getting Kyle

Rudolph and Kenny Galdi. They're basically saying, all right, kid, we gave you Slayton, we gave you Sterling Shepard, you get Barclay back, so they brought in John Ross, who's just a straight burner. Kenny, big play guy. So they're telling you, listen, by Thanksgiving, we will have made up our mind. This is actually now a really interesting wide receiver tight end group, like top four, five in the NFL. And the other teams that have that are all getting to the playoffs.

So in this division, Daniel Jones leads them to the playoffs or you have the wrong quarterback. He's got 26 starts. So I'm done waiting. The Jets. I don't love the Corey Davis signing. I give them a B. I do think they added to their defense. I will give them credit.

Carl Lawson gets to the quarterback, not sacks, but pressures. They also grabbed Jared Davis, a nice functional linebacker. I like their defensive moves. Lamarcus Joyner at safety. Corey Davis, I think, is an overspend. He's the classic. Oh, he's got all this potential. He just doesn't deliver consistently.

It feels a little bit of a reach, especially because they drafted a wide receiver last year in the second round, and they're also going to draft another receiver this I'd like receivers the position I'd like to see teams develop talent other plays like I get going to pay for a pass rusher or a great corner the planet doesn't have very many like I get it wide receivers are everywhere draft and develop your own mostly the Packers wide receivers draft and develop your own what grade do you give the bucks an a plus they have somehow figured out a way to get everybody back um every notable player it's i think it's joy and i you and i would agree that by and large, they'll be better next year. Yeah. And it's not like they just, everybody has a role. Godwin's a great number two.

Grunkowski's a big play tied end. Shack Barrett's a pass rusher. Levante David is a hyper-athletic linebacker and JPP is a veteran edge rusher. So it's not like they just paid for guys. They paid for like influential playoff altering players. You don't have to learn the culture or the system. Yeah. What grade are you giving the Washington football team?

shrug emoji. I don't understand it. I don't get the Ryan Fitzpatrick thing. I really don't. I love Curtis Samuel, but I don't understand it. Like, of all the things, what I don't want with Washington

is a gunslinger at quarterback who is fun, everybody roots for, he's got a big Lebowski field doing. He's one of the nicest guys in the league. But let's be honest, Ryan Fitzpatrick played on nine teams in 17 years, so he wears out coaches with his mistake.

So again, good dude, but this one I don't get. I still think they're going to make a play either on Darnold or Marcus Marietta. Because those guys play a little like Taylor Eineke, who would be a great backup for those guys. They have the same symmetry. The game would be the exact same. It feels like they don't see their long-term future quarterback out there right now. Yeah.

All right, there you go. Tough grades. Yeah, unless I'm a tough grader. Pack 12 is rolling in the tournament. Big 10 down the tubes. So I was wrong on that. Pack 12 is good. Got Oregon trounced Iowa today.

Between Gonzaga and the Pac-12, college basketball is living large in the Pacific time zone. We'll see you tomorrow. In LA, it's the herd. 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 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 what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliford 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, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games.

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