The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 08/31/2021 - HOUR 2 - AFC-NFC, Newton

Episode Date: August 31, 2021

More on the Patriots releasing Cam NewtonThe differences between the NFC and AFC quarterbacksGuest: Donte Whitner, Eric Mangini Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Cam Newton released by the Patriots, the Mac and Cheese era. Worst nickname in sports, got to be honest, begins now. I think it's interesting that Tua and Mac Jones, week one, here we go. LFG, here we go. I like New England to win that game, but I feel no confidence because I've said this. I don't know how you can read anything. into Mac Jones. His success was basically, because Cam was starting. Right. So Cam was facing at least backups. Mac came in. He's facing third and four string guy. So I don't know what to, I have no idea

how good Mac Jones is. Now, I will say his feet were good, his accuracy was good. And he looked poised. Like he never felt like overwhelmed. So that tells me, you know, Josh McDaniels, they moved off Cam. So that tells you they have to have confidence in Mac. But, you know, if, you know, When they open against Miami and Mack Jones struggles against Brian Flores' defense, I'd be like, yeah, because I saw Jared Goff and Sean McVeigh last year struggle. So if they couldn't generate much offense, I'd be like, yeah, it's not a shock. Well, yeah, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if they lose. Miami is a better team than the Patriots right now. Right now?

Yes. Yeah. And Tua is not a rookie. And Max got no starts. So here we go. But it is interesting. One of the reasons, it's one of the reasons I love doing this show. Fans are crazy.

Nothing makes smart men dumb like beautiful women in sports. They just unravel. And so all five first round quarterbacks, it's fair to say, have shown real promise. So what are the chances? All five are great. There's no chance. In fact, let's just go to the last 10 years. Now, in the last 10 years, the quarterback position has changed from elite 11 camps to personal coaching to 7-on-7 summer camps.

The kids now are much better than they've ever been. And they're ready to play much sooner. So I'm not even going to go back 20 years to help my argument. I'm not going to go back 30 years to help my argument. I'm going to just go back 10. This generation of quarterbacks, last 10 years, they were in elite 11 camps, personal coaching. in 10 years, there's been 32 first-round quarterbacks. 32.

Seven have been stars. And I'm including Cam and Andrew Luck, and those didn't exactly end well. But I'll call them stars. Double that, 13 have been busts and 12 have been solid. A bust being Paxton Lynch, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Brandon. This didn't work. You didn't draft a guy in the first round to have that career. And then there's a bunch of solid average guys, you know, like a Teddy Bridgewater,

James Winston, and Ryan Tannahill. I mean, let's be honest about this. Three or four of my solids could be busts. I mean, Sam Darnold struggles this year to bust. Didn't work. Jordan Love struggles, bust. You know, I mean, I, Kyler Murray, I got to see, give me a little bit more. Jared Goff, if he unravels.

So those are my solid guys. Okay, so that's seven stars in 10 years. Less than one per year. And you think all five are going to hit this year. Excuse me? I beg your jargon? No, it's not going to work. But if I insinuate your quarterback could be a bust.

Oh, I mean, you guys come unglued, unravelled, coward, I can't believe. You know I'm right, right? Like four of these five are not going to be stars. So what I'm going to do right now for the next four or five minutes, I'm going to take each quarterback and just tell you how it could go wrong. Let's start with Mack Jones. Well, okay, Josh Allen's great, and Miami makes the Deshawn Watson trade. And Mac Jones is solid, but he finishes third a lot because both Josh Allen and

Deshawn Watson would have what I consider elite coaches. He finishes third a lot. By the way, Belichick remains problematic. in terms of drafting wide receiver talent, and they just don't have the pop and the juice to beat Buffalo and Miami. And you look up and Mack Jones is winning 60% of his games and not making the playoffs. You don't think that could happen? Okay.

How about Justin Fields? All right. Matt Nagy gets fired after this year, and the front office, which I don't love in Chicago, whiffs on the next coach. And he's got a bad offensive line, a lot of bad drafts. And oh, by the way, Justin Fields develops really bad habits running around to save his life and he becomes a really good athlete who doesn't win many games with bad habits, without the right coach, in a front office I don't trust.

By the way, I don't like the Bears' offensive line. Maybe he gets banged up. All right, let's go to the third one, Trey Lance. Well, he continues to struggle with accuracy. That's been the question. And he remains a great athlete who runs around, but he struggles with accuracy. Oh, by the way, plays in the division where Russell Wilson. Wilson's better. Matt Stafford and McBayer better.

And let's say Kyler Murray just keeps getting better. So he becomes the fourth best quarterback in a division. That ain't a long shot. You watch Russell Wilson play? That ain't a long shot. How about Zach Wilson? What could go wrong? Two words.

The Jets. Bad owner, bad moves, bad contracts, great division, three great defensive coaches, Belichick, Sean McDermott, Brian Flores. He's talented. He can wing it. He's got a good arm. But he's small, gets beat up behind a so-so offensive line and great defensive coordinators. And you look up and he finishes fourth, three of his first four years.

How about Trevor Lawrence? Jaguars can't surround him with talent. Urban Meyer is okay, but not special as an NFL coach. They get a lot of things right, but they never get the offensive line right. And let's be honest. He's a kid who's not. totally defined by football. He's got kind of an Andrew Luck DNA where he loves football, but it doesn't define him. And after about four years of getting beat up and banged up behind

a terrible offensive line or at least a bad offensive line, he checks out. He's done with it. He don't want to play that much anymore. And Urban retires or leaves and they hire another coach and Jacksonville has a history of whiffing sometimes on coaching hires. And he's got a coach that's worse than Urban and it doesn't work. And by the way, players don't always love in Jacksonville, Jalen Ramsey wanted out, and Pallais' Camel wanted out. It's almost a college town more than a pro town, and some guys don't want to play there. Just come down again. 32 quarterbacks, last five years first round.

Seven are stars. Seven, 13 are busts. And there's a bunch of guys that are solid, you know, could go either way. Now, I tend to think Carson Wentz could move in. into that star thing. I really do. I think that situation with the offensive line in Indy and Jonathan Taylor, Pittman, T.Y. Hilton. I think Carson Wentz could move, make it eight. But not all five of these guys are going to hit. It's just not the way the league works. I've said this before. The hardest job in sports in America is quarterbacking in the NFL. The data

tells you, it's hard. You've got to get the right old line, the right coach, the right GM. It helps if you're in. Let's be honest about it. It really did help Tom Brady. that by and large for most of his career, Miami and Buffalo and the Jets were completely dysfunctional in the front office. You can't kid yourself. Don't kid yourself on Urban Meyer. Urban Meyer dominated the SEC for years. Then Nick Saban moved into it. Okay, like your surrounding cast, your surrounding rivals matter.

And right now, that AFC East, Mac Jones is stepping into a really good division. I mean, Brian Flores can flat coach. Sean McDermott can flat coach. So isn't going to be a Brady situation where it's nonsense for 20 years and bad GMs and bad coaches. Dante Wittner is a former Pro Bowl safety played for over a decade in the NFL and a multiple time. Pro Bowler now does some TV work in the Bay Area. He is joining us live. Boy, I look at all the coaches you've had in your career.

You had some good coaches, by the way. McVeigh and Shanahan and a little crazy Jim Harbaugh here. But you've been, you know, Dante, when you play for over a decade in the NFL, you played with a lot of different players and a lot of different personalities. And let's just start with this. The Patriots released Cam Newton this morning. So another AFC team's going with a kid at quarterback. What's your opening thought kind of on the New England situation? Well, I always thought that if it's a rookie in a 10-year, 11-year event, you know, in their neck-and-neck, then you have to go with the rookie because he has such an upside.

Yeah. Yes, Cam still has a. has some football left in them, but I think he has to get with a program that utilizes and highlights his skill set. And we've seen them all around the league. We see the Baltimore Ravens. We see the 49ers. We're implementing a quarterback run, but options to throw off of that. Cam will shine. I never felt like he fit into that system in New England. Yeah. So let's move to the 49ers, which you know very well. My concern has been this. Dante, it's very hard for me to decipher how good any of these young quarterbacks are because we have a trend in the NFL that

Sean McBay started a few years ago. Nobody's playing starters. I mean, New England is one of the few teams that played starters. So when I watch Trey Lance, I'm like, yeah, he's tearing up third string safeties, but he's not tearing up Dante Wittner. So what am I supposed to make about Trey Lance? You tell me, what do you see you like? What do you see you don't like? Well, I've been to practice the last three weeks and the kid has all the tools and capabilities. to be one of those top guys. A little bit of Mahomes mixed with a little bit of Lamar Jackson. And we've seen it this past week with the new offense that Shanahan gave a sneak peek into

with implementing that quarterback pistol offense. That's going to give a lot of defensive coordinator's headaches. Because when you're a defense trying to game plan for that and situational football, stopping the run, somebody can get confused. And that's when Kyle Shanahan in this offense, they take advantage of you. So, yeah, he is going to be beautiful in this offense. You know, Dante, I said this last week. There's three things that really ruin a quarterback.

Number one, injuries. Number two, your coach loses trust or faith in you. And number three is they draft your replacement. I can make an argument. Jimmy Garoppolo checks all those boxes. You tell me, just what he's going through. I mean, if he unraveled a little bit, I'd be like, yeah, I get it. Like, this is the nightmare scenario for quarterbacks.

where do you think he's at mentally and how he's preparing and how he views the season as the Niners starting quarterback? Well, I know for a fact that Jimmy has heard it all. You know, he's heard the media. He's heard probably his own family and friends. And people don't think he has what it takes to get it done. And that's what it takes sometimes to light a fire under you. Jimmy has arguably coming off of his best offseason.

You know, he's healthy. And, you know, you have to remember he's a winner in this system. What is he? 22 and seven at a starter in San Francisco. Only seven wins when he doesn't play in a game. He's in a prove-it mode. And I've seen it in his eyes.

You see it in his play. Yes, he sometimes has that pass to where you're like, Jimmy, what were you thinking? But Jimmy's a winner. He was one throw away from winning the Super Bowl. I think that this year, he and Trey Lance are going to mess well, and they're going to win a lot of games. Yeah. You know, you had Jim Harbaugh, who came from college to the NFL. And, you know, Jim, listen, Jim is, he's a lot to work with.

him. Jim has a presence. And here comes Urban Meyer into the NFL. What did Jim do when you were with him that you thought, oh, I like this. This is kind of a college thing I like. And were there things that you thought, boy, that may not work here because Urban and Jim are both big, big personalities. Like they come and they got a point of view, Dante. They got a way they do things. Go back to Harbaugh. What stuff worked and what stuff do you think he'd on a do-over? he'd do differently. Well, he was just a grinder in San Francisco, and I think the team took on those characteristics from Jim Harbaugh. Now, people can say that they don't like them because of the way that he operated with the front of office, but when it came down to his players,

he made sure that you were accountable. And that's why he won. That's why we won three consecutive years in San Francisco is because he was the main guy walking around policing everything. When I chose to go to San Francisco, mainly because of Jim Harbaugh, I committed to go to Cincinnati, and then Harbaugh called me like, wouldn't we're going to have a championship program here. Do you believe me? And I believe, I saw what he did at San Diego State. I saw what he did at Stanford, and I believe that he would do it in San Francisco. So, you know, you can say what you want about the guy, he gets the job done.

And if he could go back and change things, I think he would just treat the front office a little bit better. So you played with a young Kirk Cousins. you played with a young Colin Kaepernick, and we have five first-round quarterbacks. Give me your opinion on when you look at these quarterbacks, what is the one thing, me as a sportscaster, that I could watch these young quarterbacks? Because you played with them, and that I should look for. That maybe it just doesn't jump out to a guy like me, but you look at and you think, oh, that's trouble or that's really good.

I looked at Mack Jones' feet, and I was like, God, he looks steady, looks very calm. Like that jumped out to me, but that may not mean anything. What should I look for from young quarterbacks? You can see about the decision making. It's hard to see what quarterbacks are staring down and where they're looking when they're going with the ball. It takes a lot of confidence and it takes a lot of trust in the pocket of trust in the offensive lines. First of all, if you're playing against a defense that has a sophisticated system and the safety's of coached up, they can manipulate you with the turn of their shoulders or their hands or their eyes.

So you have to be disciplined to be, you know, never be afraid to go to your checkdown or believe what you see when it comes to that. So when it comes to the quarterbacks, I think that colleges are ruining a lot of the quarterbacks because they're calling plays from the sideline. Then they expect you to get to the NFL and be able to do it on your hall. It's difficult. So Trey Lans, I think that he has the best opportunity and he inherited the best roster out of all the points.

Yeah, yeah. Well, how do you think Mac Jones is going to do? He's the new starter. How do you think he's going to do? I think he's going to do well. When you watch his film, he's decisive. He's played big-time football at Alabama. He is a multi-time national champion consensus of All-American.

The game is not too big for him. And I think that his ceiling is so high in him and Cam competing, their neck and neck, why not go with the young rookie to get him game reps, game situations, and he's going to be a good book for a long time. Yeah, New England's schedule, 10 of the 17 games, Belichick has a young quarterback he goes up against, and Bill historically crushes young quarterback. So Mac's not going to have to win shootouts. He could win some games just being efficient.

Dante, good seeing you. Congrats on your football and broadcasting success. Thank you so much. Oh, thanks, Colin. Thanks for having me. You bet. Dante Wittner, former pro bowler, Bill's Browns, Washington football team. Yeah, you know, I've heard that before.

The Rams went and got the running back, Sony, Michelle. And one of the things, Les Sneed says, he's been in a lot of big games. Like, he knows, no fumbles. the urgency. And there is something to be said for Mac Jones. Like every game he played in at the end of those years, like those are big games. So that's one of the things with Zach Wilson is.

Like when you play in a conference road games are 17,000 people and then you're in the NFL, it is something. Like it is something that coaches worry about. I think that's a reasonable concern. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straightfire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. 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.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so... Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes, I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years. for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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 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. 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, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away,

such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality. and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Saturday, get your weekend started with another big noon Saturday on Fox. First, start your Saturday Strong with the premier college football pregame show on TV. With big noon kickoff at 10 a.m. Eastern 7 Pacific, then a huge Big Ten matchup awaits as 19th ranked Penn State travels to Madison

and takes on 12th ranks with. Wisconsin. It all begins at 10 a.m. Eastern 7th Pacific on Fox on the Fox Sports. I don't have, and this is not factual, but it's the truth. That's the best Big Ten opening week game in the history of the Big Ten. Now that's not factual. I don't know that to be true, but I, but it's the truth. That there's no way. There's a difference between facts and truth. Like, like let's say you do a movie. The Elton John movie, Rocket Man. Yes. It's the truth. That's his life. But he was so inebriated. He acknowledged. He was like on drugs for about a 12 year period.

So it's not word for word factual because so much of it's based on true events. Yeah. So the rocket man was the truth, but it wasn't factual because he was, Nelson John admitted, I don't remember some years. Yeah. It's also like people singing throughout the entire movie. That's not the fact. Which is what I wish my life was.

It's just people just singing around. What I'm saying is Nebraska, you know, Nebraska stinks. Wisconsin Penn State. Is the greatest Big Ten opener to start a season in the history of the conference? I don't know if I'm factual. It's strong. Strong. You usually get a bunch of nonsense.

This whole first week is a great first week of college football. It's a great lineup. God, I cannot wait to watch this. That game is just, every year that game is Camp Randall or. You're going to put some dollars on it? Gunna. Did? Emptied out the Sep Ira this morning.

Joy with the news. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, so the big news today is Cam Newton being released by the Patriots. And following that this morning, he took to Instagram and posted a message to his fans. He said, I really appreciate all the love and support during this time. But I must say, please don't feel sorry for me.

I'm good. One finger, one pinky, one thumb. What's that mean? That's a song, isn't it? I love you. So that means in sign language, I love you. Okay, is that everybody knows that one thing? Okay, I didn't know that.

Yeah. But he's saying, don't worry about it. It's all good, which is, you know, look, this is the season. We're going to talk about this in a little bit when guys are getting released, and it's not, it's the worst part of this, like, process. And, you know, he has a positive outlook on it, and I think that that's good. They did pay him a $2 million signing bonus, and he has $1.5 million and guaranteed. salary. So if he signs with another team,

the Patriots obligation is reduced. That's according to Ben Volan. Now all the speculation is beginning about where he could possibly end up. Justina Anderson said this morning that the Cowboys will do their due diligence in reviewing Cam's availability. A lot of people are talking about Washington as a possible landing spot for him, reuniting with Ron Romero. I would be shocked if Washington went there. I would also be shocked. One, we, the vaccination situation played a role. and him leaving New England.

Ron Rivera has been extremely vocal about the vaccine. He has brought in experts multiple times to talk to his team about it. He is immune compromised, and he had Cam before. So I would be very surprised if Cam ends up there. Let's take Washington off the list. Yeah, I don't think that is realistic. Well, I have been saying for weeks now that the Cowboys need to get a reliable backup quarterback, and I actually think Cam would be a good fit there,

Jerry Jones has also been very vocal about the vaccine as of late. They're 100% their football staffs 100% vaccinated. They have a 93% team vaccination rate. But and I don't know that this is just me at living. If Cam got vaccinated, I think Dallas would be on a terrible spot. Yes. And look, we're both fully aware of people have opinions about the vaccine at this point. The NFL has made the protocols pristinely clear.

There is no confusion about what your lifestyle is going to be like this year playing if you are not vaccinated. It's going to be very difficult. It's going to be very difficult. If you are exposed, if you have, even in Cam's case, didn't have a negative test. It was just simply a protocol error. Like it is an extreme way to live to not be vaccinated and playing in the NFL this season. That said, Cam was never the future of the Patriots. No, we know that he was a ban.

He was a bridge. He was never the future. So this idea that it's really shocking that they went with Mac, it shouldn't be shocking. The moment that Mack Jones was drafted, the writing was on the wall. This is no different than Jimmy Garapolo and Trey Lance. Any quarterback situation where you have an older veteran and they draft a new quarterback in the first rounds,

they are going to move on to him. Yeah, the one place I'll support Cam. Just remember how much Brady struggled last year. year early in Tampa with great weapons in a division with rebuilding teams. Okay, so Cam's year last year, when you consider he was signed late, no preseason, no TAs, had COVID, he ended up with 12 rushing touchdowns and was two or three plays from being like nine and seven, like, and they had nothing to work with. So where I will support Cam, and this is where I've supported Andy Dalton, Andy's always been

as good as his prevailing talent. Cam as a backup, if vaccinated in Dallas, is not terrible. Good O' line, starback, tremendous. Cam could win games in Dallas if Dak went down. Absolutely. But I'm not bringing him in. If he's not vaccinated, I'm not dealing with that nonsense. No, Cam has more NFL to play. He was, he was the starter there. That was what they were saying they were going to do. I think the COVID situation opened the door for Mac Jones to come in. When you're in a quarterback battle, you don't ever want to put yourself in a situation where you're not available to battle up against someone who you're going neck in neck with. So that changed things.

It's not that Cam can't still play. I think he is a backup at this point. But it's not that he can't still play. He was in a quarterback battle with a young quarterback. They took number 15 overall. If the young quarterback gets the edge, it's going to be his team. The writing was on the wall. moment they took him. Cam was not the future of the Patriots. This outcome was inevitable.

The amount of him getting, the issue with him getting cuts or the reason I believe that they let him go outside of the COVID thing is that because he wasn't a quarterback battle, such a close quarterback battle. Go young. You have to go young and you can't have Cam looming over your young quarterback. Yeah. I know that he's a story. I mean, Cam has a presence. Right. And you don't, you know, I always have the, the argument I always used. I shouldn't be able to. recognize your backup if he walks by me in a mall with a baseball hat on because I want and I've said this but Drew Stanton Arizona perfect I'd be like he looks like an athlete I don't know who he is you can't have a backup like that's why like if Baker Mayfield doesn't start he's a big Tebow Baker Johnny Mansell like like they have a presence they get talked about the media's on him you know Kaepernick to some degree if you start them but they're not backups I don't want stars or former stars being backup so cam starts

Or you move off him. In this situation, you have to. And them taking Mac Jones as high as they did, this was always going to be the outcome. And now here we are. So the Jags traded two-year starter, Gardner Minshu, to the Eagles for a conditional sixth round pick over the weekends. Head coach Urban Myers said the decision to move on from Minshu was anything but easy.

I mean, I was a little choked up when I saw him in that office and I walk in. And, you know, I didn't know them at all. It didn't start off on the best of terms because, you know, I'm not sure on what you wanted to be here. You know, and I get it. First overall pick, and he's a competitive maniac, that guy. And I get it. And I told him the rest of his life, count me as a big fan,

because he's what you want. He's a warrior, he's a competitor. I love that. No, and I'll tell you something. Gardner Minchu can play. He can. He is a top half dozen backup in the league if he plays. Not top one.

I think Nick Foals are really good backup, but I would take Gardner Minchow over, you know, the Marcus Mario does. I think Gardner is, first of all, he's younger than a lot of these backups. And cheaper. And cheaper. I think Gardner's numbers are, well, not, I don't think, Gardner's numbers are equivalent with some of the higher end starters in the league.

He just hasn't been in a good situation. Like, Jaguars are the worst team of the league. That's why they have Trevor Lawrence to begin with. And look, you take Trevor Lawrence, you know you're not going to win the job. But I think he did a really good job, as Urban said, of competing and, and making that an actual conversation for a little while in camp. So maybe there was some value there to pushing Trevor Lawrence, although we all

knew Trevor Lawrence was going to get this job. But from Urban's perspective, you know, this is the life of an NFL head coach. You have to make these very cutthroat decisions and trades are awful and the guy's moving to another city and he's got to move his family and his whole house

and you're on a plane the next day and you have new teammates and new personnel and a new building. And like, it's a lot to put people through. Like this is the, in hard knocks when they start showing the cuts. I'm like, I don't want to, I don't want to see this. Like, this is people's dreams, like things they've worked for their whole lives. It's crushing.

It is crushing. And it's the pros. And that's the reality of it. But I thought it was nice that Urban said it was an emotional moment for him. So the Buccaneers are reportedly working to restructure wide receiver Mike Evans' contract due to cap space. So to clear some, he is a $16.637 million dollar cap hit this season. and the bucks currently only have a little over 270,000 in cap space, according to the NFLPA salary cap report.

So he has three years left on a five-year $82.5 million extension. So they have restructured it. He's restructured the contract with him several times. So this wouldn't be the first time that he's restructured to deal with the team. But this is actually very smart. Mike Evans is not a player that you're going to move off of anytime soon. So extending his money out, giving you some salary cap room, flexibility and giving him some more time is, you know, this is a situation that makes sense to work out.

How great is that? Brady ends his career and gets Mike Evans. Big. The Buccaneers are so interesting to me this year because this, you always hear about like running it back. Like we won, let's run it back again. And they really are just stamp. Everybody. Let's just try it again. Every coach. Every player. Everyone's bought in. They're so interesting to me this year because guys always talk about it. Like I think if we stayed together, we could have won like two or three. and this is an actual experiment of that. I think it's so interesting. Brady deserved Mike Evans.

After all those... Yes, I mean, Brady, what a lot of hard life he's had in this NFL. Hard scrabble life. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. I was thinking to this. So New England is going to Mac Jones.

It's amazing. So the NFC's got a lot of old quarterbacks. The AFC now is all. kids. It's incredible. The only quarterbacks in the AFC now that Cam's gone and Max in that are 30-year-old. Derek Carr's 30, Tannahill 30, like three-ish, Big Ben 39. Look at the AFC East. Alan Tua, Mac Jones, Zach, 25, 23, 22, 22.

Look at the NFC North, or excuse me, AFC North. Baker's 26, Lamar and Burrow, 24. Ben Ravisberger is the only one older than me in the entire AFC. I mean, it's just, it is really. And by the way, Houston, we count Deshawn Watson 25, but there's a chance that he moves and they'll go and get another quarterback next year. And we both acknowledge with Teddy Bridgewater at 28, he's a bridge. Drew Locke could very well be starting. He's 23, 24 years old.

And not only are they young, most are young and excellent. So the AFC now is, boy, they are in good shape. Yeah, there are several teams there where you know what you're going to have a quarterback for another decade. I remember having a dinner with an NBA executive about three years ago. He goes, NFL is in big trouble. And I said two things why the NFL will always be king and the NBA will not be. Number one, gambling is going to get legalized by the Supreme Court. and it's going to ramp up the popularity of the NFL even more.

Check. And I said the quality of quarterbacks is going through the roof. Like the kids that are coming out now are 6-6 and can run. And both are true. The NFL, you know, the CTE thing, they got through it, wrote a big check, game's safer. But football, we gamble it. And the quality of quarterbacks is insane right now.

I also think that the NFL has done a really good job of stealing from the NBA. Little bits and pieces. And one of the things is really elevating their stars. Market, market, market, market. Yes. So we know all the faces of the NFL. We see them. They're recognizable. They're pumped up. The NFL supports them. They're okay with the brands. They've let the, you know, celebrating be a thing. They've leaned into social media. So it's working. Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre.

Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush

didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way 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 that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Keer games 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, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week

of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality. and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Eric Mangini won three rings. Coaching with the Patriots also the AFC coach of the year in 2006. He's joining us live, Fox Sports NFL analysts.

All right, you know New England well. Listen, I don't know what the market is for Cam. You tell me, what's the market for Cam? Cam Newton who's been released. I'm not sure what the market for Cam is going to be either. And there's a lot of issues here. It's not like he went out and lit it up last year. There were problems last season and the unvaccinated status.

I don't think that helps as people are trying to make their decisions. And then it's the idea of can you and are you willing to be a backup? Are you willing to go in and play that role? I think, Colin, that that was probably as bigger reason he got cut as anything is when they made the decision to go with Mack Jones. They thought that Cam wasn't going to be able to play that role in a supportive way or in a way that traditionally that position is handled. Yeah. What am I supposed to take? You know, Mack Jones didn't start.

Most teams aren't playing starters. But the time Mack comes in, second quarter, he's playing against third and four string guys. What do I take from his performance? What did you see that could translate to the regular season? Well, what you said is the reason that I thought for sure that Cam was going to start. When you play a guy, a couple series and take him out of the game and then put the backup in, and Mac plays as long as he played, everything, when you look at patterns and preaches in game, say that Cam Newton is going to be the starter.

Yeah. And nothing, nothing says. that what's going to happen happens. So I was as surprised as anybody that he wasn't starting, and I was even more surprised about him getting cut, although I would imagine his reaction may have dictated some of that depending how he dealt with Bill when Bill gave him the news. How do you think Max's going to do?

Miami's the opener. Flores has a great defense. I could see him struggling. You tell me. It's hard. It's hard to start as a rookie at any position. It's extremely hard to start as a quarterback. And he had success against the Giants, but he had worked against the Giants

during the course of the week. The defense is very similar to what New England plays, or at least there's a lot of carryover. So you've got all of that understanding going into the game. You're playing against the twos. This is a whole different world. And it's not just a different world in terms of the, the tempo of play.

It's the volume of things that you're going to see. And then the first game this season, as a coaching staff, you have no idea what you're going to get from your opponent. You go into it thinking that you're going to get one thing, and they've been working on things all off-season and through OTAs and camp. There's a volume of stuff that could come out that you haven't even prepared for or practice that now you're going to have to deal with on the sidelines.

And I'd be concerned about the sex. What was it, four sacks against the John? science the other night. That to me is, it was everybody's biggest concern with him coming out. It's something that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and some of those immobile guys got over, but they didn't get over it early. They took a lot of hits early. So that could be a serious issue. Yeah, all these young quarterbacks have looked pretty good at times in preseason. But if you go look at the numbers in the last decade, there have been 32 first round quarterbacks. Seven are stars, 13 are busts, and then there's a lot of guys in the middle that could go either

way. So we know this is not going to be a five-for-fiver. One of the guys I really, really like, I think the Justin Field situation worries me. They're all lines of mess. Matt and Aggie might not last more than a year. He could have a second coach by next year. What if they whiff on that? Alan Robinson is their go-to receiver. He gets an injury. It's a pretty lean perimeter skill group. Justin Fields, I like him, but I don't think he's Trevor Lawrence, whereas that he'll just kind of work.

I think Trevor's kind of different. Justin and Trey Lance to me feel like they'll work if they get breaks. Talk us through Justin Fields, Chicago. I think it's going to be kind of rocky, even though I like him a lot. Well, here's what worries me about Justin Fields. that hit that he took with the linebacker walking up on the edge and just coming off the edge and him not even realizing what was happening. It was a five-man rush. The protection was going opposite the linebacker. The linebacker clearly comes to his right and he doesn't reset the protection

or at least have the awareness that this guy is going to come clean and then he gets blown up. So there's that lack of awareness from a protection standpoint which can get you hurt and hit a lot and then you talked about the issues that they have on the offensive line. So even though he's got mobility and he can get out of problems, unless you're seeing where those problems are coming or have a general awareness where they're coming from, you could take a lot of big shots here and especially early. And he's at least going to have the benefit of sitting for a little while until they make the move and with Dalton so that that should help in terms of the 49ers Trey's going to play right away. He's going to play meaningful snaps right away. I think that's a,

I think that's a great plan and a great approach because it allows him to build confidence, allows his teammates to build confidence. He gets real refs. He contributes in a meaningful way. He takes some pressure off the preparation that people are doing for Garoppolo. And look, Jimmy's played 16. games one season, his whole career. So he's probably going to get in that way. And then if Jimmy stalls a little bit early, he's going to get in. There's a pretty small runway there for Jimmy, too. Yeah. No, I mean, the San Francisco way is you're just, it's almost like it's a new person at work. And the Jimmy Garoppolo way is, hey, you don't have to do all the big assignments in the first year. We're going to, you know, we'll give you the stuff that works for you and you can just work on

that. Whereas, just, in Fields after week one, it could be, all right, kid, go to the big meetings, make the big decisions. So you know this better than anybody. It's where you land in this league is everything. I do think Mack Jones is going to win games, but I can't take anything from the preseason. Nobody's playing any starters. Eric Mangini, Fox Sports, we got to run. Good to seeing you.

All right. Take care, Kyle. DoorDash is here. Get more from your neighborhood. $10 discount right now off groceries and pet food. Download the DoorDash app. Stay cool out there. Terms and conditions apply.

night I went out for a business dinner. Do you know what I ordered, Joy? Your favorite dinner? Steak and oysters. Whenever the company's pan, you got to go uptown. Yeah, you do. I always ordered the really expensive glass of wine. Yeah. Medium rare and oysters. You know what? It makes the business dinner feel like it's like a Wall Street dinner or something. Yeah, like you make big decisions. Yeah, like chicken parm, it's like, yeah, we made some small decisions. Yeah, chicken farm is your move. But I feel you, though. Like, you go out to a business dinner. You can't get chicken farm. It's like we're going to we got a business with a 13 year old. I mean, I got

No, it's just like that's your sleepy dinner. That's like your melatonin. Out. That is, that is You got to be alert. Like, you can't, you don't get sleepy on oysters. Oh, you got a lot of stuff. You have a lot of stuff. Oasters. Steak. I'm feeling very masculine. What do you go for sides? What do you do for sides? Nothing. No sides? Cocktails my side. Now you do steak and oysters. There's no sides.

There's only one side. You got to get like a good mashed broccoli or some asparagus or something. Don't waste it. Vegetables have no room in my life once I go oysters. Tired of waiting around for hot water. Navian tankless water heaters. Go to tankless maidsimble.com. Tankless made symbol.com.

15 year limited warranty. They only heat the water when you need it so it never runs out. Hour three. 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, S&L'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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at a podcast. That was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to and learning. the hard way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is

about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability

that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart Podcasts. Guaranteed human.