The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out -  Burrow Dodges Bullet, Ramsey Injury Impact, Friday Mailbag

Episode Date: July 28, 2023

John reacts to Joe Burrow escaping without serious injury after being carted off the practice field, how Jalen Ramsey’s knee injury impacts the Dolphins season. He also  answers listener questions in a Friday Middlekauff Mailbag. Follow John onTwitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee 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. The volume. What is going on, everybody? John Middilcock, Three Now Podcast.

Here is the plan. Go subscribe. Wherever you listen to the podcast, appreciate everyone that has. I did, uh, I went on Collins podcast. So you can hear a lot of takes on Sean Payton, the Rogers situation. Pact 12, which is sad, but is disintegrating right in front of her eyes. So I'll touch you. on today is mainly

going to be a mailbag podcast and I will open up with some thoughts on the injuries Burrow avoided disaster luckily and Jalen Ramsey I would say long term not going to miss the season we think but is going to be gone for a while so injuries are happening

all over the league touch on that and then like I said the mailbag at John Middilcoff is the Instagram I answer a bunch of questions so even though I went on Collins podcast, I want to get a little content up. And I just had questions to answer on the mailbag. So I wanted to get you guys that have not made the show on the show.

So that's what we did. And then I'm also wearing the volume flexfit hat right now. If you go to the volume.com, the volume.com and search the merch, the volume.com search the merch. You can find these flex fits hats. I just ordered a bunch to give out to some buddies. So yeah, go check that out.

Go buy yourself a hat. They look good. They feel good. And hopefully you guys will be rocking them during football season. Any other housekeeping? I think that's it. So let's dive into the podcast. But first, grab your smartphone, download the GameTime app.

Type in the promo code John. That's J-O-H-N for $20 off. Your first pair of tickets. Download the Game Time app. Promocode John, anything you want. You want pre-season games. You want to go to college football games. You want to go to baseball games.

You want to go to a concert? you want to go see Morgan Wallen? You want to go see? I was going to drop a rock band. I don't even, ACDC. Saw them back when I was a kid. I don't even know if they're still torn. But anything you want to see, concert, sport-related, game time, number one ticketing app, the official ticketing app of the show, promo code, John. Things change so fast in the NFL. To me, there is not a sport where things change more quickly. An injury can just immediately derail a season.

an injury that you think screws yourself, all of a sudden you find out you have a fifth rounder on the team who is better than that guy. It doesn't happen that way in baseball. Guys go to the minors forever. You don't even know these guys until they finally get up and most of them never live up to the hype. For every day La Cruz with the Reds,

there are a hundred guys that you can't ever remember because they suck. In basketball, for the most part, star players don't come out of nowhere. Yet in the NFL, I was thinking about this driving today. because Brock Purdy made his return first practice. He didn't practice yesterday. And there were two guys who were battling to be the backup. Brock Purdy was the last pick in the draft. He is entrenched as the 49er starter going into the season.

And the two guys competing to be his backup were both number three overall picks. But not only number three overall picks, the 49ers traded multiple ones to get Trey Lans. The New York Jets traded a hole to move up. just from six to number three to get Sam Darnold. And now, obviously, Sam's been in the league longer than Trey. They're both competing to be a backup to Mr. Irrelevant. If I would have told you last season at this time,

I was living in the Bay Area, that Brock Purdy would be the starter in the middle of the season, I would have bet you $5,000 no chance. I would have bet you that he would have been not even have made the team, that he would have been a practice squad guy. And then his training camp went on. He made the team as a third quarterback, some injuries. A year later,

Paul Shanahan loves him. He's a starting quarterback. I was thinking about it today like, Dak Prescott, if you're a cowboy fan, his rookie season, you were like, oh yeah,

we got this guy in the fourth round from Mississippi State, had a pretty good career under Dan Mullen. Excited to see what we can do with him. Pretty athletic guy. Then by the time, the season rolls around, the dude, your starter.

Tony Romo's back goes out. Kellen Moore, I think, breaks his ankle. And all of a sudden, Dak Prescott's your starter. He's gone on to have a fantastic career, given where he started. But things change in the blink of an eye.

And sometimes, like, Romo, careers just end in camp. You're like, got to have back a shot. And if you watch Romo play golf right now, the back is still fucked. He can barely put a tee in the ground. And then you just have guys who just get injured. And at the time, when they do,

feel like, is this going to derail our season? This was, if you're the Miami Dolphins right now, you make a pretty good trade, right? You trade a third round pick to get Jalen Ramsey. You get them on your squad. You add Vic Fangier. Like, our defense is going to be awesome. Then all of a sudden, you look on the internet,

and Jalen Ramsey has injured his knee. Didn't, Gordon Schaefter, no ACL, not out for the season, but it's going to miss significant time. And you know the thing is, and Jalen's been one of the best, you know, defensive players, definitely the best corners over the last five, six years, is there's a chance, there's a guy you've never heard of right now on your team, who's a fifth round pick,

who's an undrafted free agent, who's a second year practice squad guy, who can just fill in and be fine. Because sometimes that happens in the NFL. Happen with Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, all of a sudden becomes a starting quarterback. I'm not saying it happens all the time. I'm not saying you're just locked to upgrade when you lose a quote-unquote name guy, but it's the NFL. Things change like that.

And because of the amount of people on every roster, you just never know what you got, until guys start playing. I had never heard. I don't really watch a lot of Rutgers football of Isaiah Pacheco. Till last year around training camp, when the guys with the chief started talking about him. And then nationally, you know, Vich's boys with Shrager, it's just a lot of Isaiah Pachako love.

Louis Riddick knows all those guys. Then by the end of the season, dude was running down people's throats. That's what happens. I mean, just a couple years previously, they had drafted one of the best players on one of the best teams in the history of college football in the first round.

You're like, God, Andy with Clyde, they're going to be able to throw screens. He's going to be able to use them. A couple years later, Clyde's kind of irrelevant. And Isaiah Pacheco is just a baller. Just like that. That's how it happens. And injuries suck. I don't miss them at all.

That feeling today of clicking on the internet and watching Joe Burrow hit the ground, practice ended. It's like you could just tell. You didn't even need to be there. It went silent. Rightfully so. Because there are certain players on every team. team, and obviously Burrough would be the number one guy on that team.

If they go down and they can't move for whatever reason, and you don't quite, especially non-contact injury, everyone's heart drops into their stomach. I don't care at all about the Bengals. I got kind of like, oh, shit, that he just rupture his Achilles. And then it was pretty clear. You know, he pulled his calf. The coach said it after.

And by the time you realize he had, I guess, added a sleeve to his leg. But for a split second, you went, one of the best players in the league, and let's face it, one of the most important because he's a quarterback, it would derail a team season, is over before it even starts.

Now, there's a level of like, you can figure out how to replace Trey Lance to Brock Purdy. There's no replacing Josh Allen, Patrick Mooms, Joe Burrow, Herbert, Rogers. I mean, there are certain guys that just,

you're screwed, season over. And then there are other guys, most positions where it's like, feels devastating losing Jalen. And I'm not saying it's a positive losing the guy. It's not ideal. There's no guarantee.

We ever see the guy the rest of the season? None. There's just not. But there's a decent chance that maybe a guy you drafted, maybe a guy you had last year on the practice squad, just becomes a legitimate starting player. And all of a sudden, you got Vic Fangio, one of the best defensive coordinators.

You scheme them up and you figure out how to play and function and be competitive. And it's just that time of the year. Because every day, when you go to the practice field, you just pray to God that you don't lose a guy. but you do lose guys. Every team does kind of constantly throughout camp. And you just got to figure out, hopefully you have a replacement or a guy that can figure it out.

And it's just not your quarterback. Because if it is your quarterback for the most part, the Romo Kellynne Moore to Dak Prescott, the Trey Lance to Jimmy Garaple to Brock Purdy, those are abnormal situations. Right. Joe Burrow goes down. There's probably not a Brock Purdy that's just going to handle and them going to win 11 games.

Jalen Ramsey goes down. It's like, okay, we can, figure this thing out. Potentially. I'm not, maybe, maybe you can't. But, it's just fascinating the way the league works. And I've been in these personnel meetings. You're constantly, guys are getting cut, undrafted free agents, you know, get released from teams as pads come on, guys, teams, new coaches. One thing that will happen over the next couple weeks is personnel departments and the coaching staffs will figure out players that they thought they could depend on that they no longer think that they can depend on.

And then they'll find guys that they didn't know that they could depend on feel pretty good about those players. And it'll change the strengths and weaknesses and the players on your team that you think you need to upgrade. And then there are always teams every year with new coaching staffs, right? Arizona, Indianapolis, Carolina that are just willing to trade players on their roster from previous regimes. Because maybe they're not a scheme fit. Maybe they make too much money. Like maybe you're Arizona and you're trying to bottom out. like you list some offers for Buda Baker,

but he's a headliner. What if it's just a random linebacker or like a third wide receiver? It's like, yeah, you want Rondale more? We might be willing to give a second round pick. You know, there are these discussions happening right now because all of a sudden you realize like, God, our wide receivers aren't that good. We need to upgrade this position.

Or God, we do not have very good guards. Are there any teams that maybe have depth at that position that we can just trade a mid-round pick for and help us out immediately. So those discussions will really amp up when the pads come on. Because it's the evaluations beside like your conditioning level don't really change right now in training camp because you're not in pads. I guess there are a couple teams and pads. But the league will be in pads.

And really a couple days, maybe a week into pads, you start getting the feel like, oh, yeah, this guys might be up for it or this guy might not. And then like three weeks in the camp, some guys after a week you thought would be up for it. You're like, yeah, kind of wearing down. right? And then into the season, a guy early, got some energy, plays well in September, all of a sudden the guy's MIA for November. So you're constantly kind of playing that game. But right now, all these teams are thinking about is maximizing getting their team ready day by day for week one. Like that's the goal. Who is ready to roll what random players, second year guys, rookies can help us out heading into week one. Right? You have a pretty good

idea depending on the team, like the Eagles and the Chiefs and the Niners. Like there aren't that many moving parts. But maybe there'd be a guy or two as camp goes on. Then there are the shitty teams or teams that have just been bad that the Texans, right, the Colts, the Cardinals, like everything's on the tape, right, beside a small number of players, right? Start over, baby. Press the reset button. So let's enjoy it. Football's back. Rock and rolling. 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. Okay, let's go. Middle Cough mailbag.

Very, very easy to get involved. Here's what you do. You fire in my direct messages on Instagram. At John Middlkoff, two Fs, just my name. DMs wide open, and I will attempt to get to your DM. I get to a bunch of them, but it's just, it's difficult. I don't have an assistant. It's impossible anyway the way direct me.

I can't sort like you can emails to war zone in those DMs, and I get a lot of them, and I just react as they come. So if I've missed you, I apologize. I attempt to get to everybody. Let's start with Daniel. My question is related to the franchise tag. I understand that the value of the tag is based on the position of a player and the highest salaries in the league at that position.

In a league where the lines between some positions have become blurred, what would be the consequence of having more broadly defined groups? For example, offensive skill group. That would include backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. In this scenario, the Giants would have tagged Barclay, but the value of the tag would have been higher. Don't totally hate that idea. I think that's more than fair.

I also think that forces a team, if you were going to include running backs with tight ends and wide receivers, would force your hand if it was worthy of doing that. No different than, I would say, on defense, right? There's a big difference between franchise tagging Micah Parsons or Nick Bosa and franchise tagging a really good safety,

just because you want them on your squad, right? it would make you think twice. You could argue just offensive player, defensive player. Hell, let's do that. Right. If you made it much more broad, it would make the decisions much more difficult.

And to me, it would reward the better GMs. Because that's what being a GM is. You're just putting the pieces to the puzzle together with your roster. And most teams that are good attempt to avoid the franchise tag at all costs, because that's a good business.

because you never, now, the franchise tag right now for a running back for the Giants, you would rather franchise tag them, no different when Josh Jacobs, on a year to year basis, then to pay him a long-term contract. So teams like the franchise tag with certain positions, a star linebacker, a star safety, a star running back, right? And when I say star, I just mean like a legit, you know, pro bowl level talent. But it's very, very lucrative with quarterbacks, with offensive tackles, with pass rushers.

Where I think given the scenario, and I don't think that's going to happen, it's just one of those. Who knows? Maybe the next collective bargaining agreement. I think the NFLPA, is that a different sport? No, I think it was the NFLPA. They have a new head. If I'm correct, I think, yeah, I'm pretty sure that happens,

but they don't negotiate for a long time. That would be something that you would for sure talk about in one of these scenarios. The other thing is where it is, where it is, kind of you get murky water is Micah Parsons is the guy that's not going to get franchised, right? I would, Jerry shows that if you're good, he pays you and extends you well before that scenario for the most part. I mean, they've, it happened once with the past rusher from Boise,

but they typically avoid it right. Dak, Zeke, Amari, Micah Will, Diggs. I do think that when you are a guy, remember Jimmy Graham years ago argued, he was a wide receiver. And ironically, he was right. Like, he's technically a tight end, but he's a wide receiver. Like, let's be real. Travis Kelsey is much closer to being a tight in, or excuse me, to a wide receiver than a true quote unquote tied in. Like the George Kittles,

the guys that truly block are pretty few and far between. So, and you could argue, wait, I get paid less. You ask me to dominate in the passing game and run block. Like, look how McGlitchie got $50 million because he's a good run blocker. He can't really pass block. So it's a tough situation. They never win that argument, right? Jimmy Graham lost it. If Michael was ever in that situation, because he'd be like,

fuck this. I'm a defensive end pass rusher because they get paid a lot more. Packers fan in the Bay Area. I can envision a worst case scenario where Love throws more picks than touchdowns, but they run the ball well and the defense plays okay and they finish seven and ten. And pick around 10th in the draft. Love isn't the franchise,

and we don't have a high enough pick to get Caleb or Drake May. Where do they go from there? What's the worst position to be in? Like the worst position to be in sports is somewhere in the middle, right? It's one thing when you have a really good team and Tom Brady gets hurt and you're like, don't make the playoffs. You're like, okay, I get it. Like Joe Burrow, who looks to be fine with the calf injury, if he would have, let's say,

you know, had a major injury, you're like, God, what do we do? We're not planning on losing. We don't want to lose. They would have been very aggressive to go get a quarterback, I'm sure, if you would have had a serious injury. But you never want to be in the position where, like the Atlanta Falcons, it's like, you're never going to suck enough to win two or three games, but you're never going to be good enough to win 10 currently.

So what are we doing? Where are we at? I think the Raiders are going to find themselves in that position, especially if Jimmy is somehow able to stay on the field. It's like, ah, they won six, seven games again. Well, what does it get you? You're nowhere near Caleb, but you're nowhere good enough to go, well, hey, we lost in the first round of the playoffs.

That's an admirable thing to do. Say what you want about Minnesota. I don't necessarily agree, assuming that they're going to get rid of cousins, because I don't know where they go from there. But at least they're competitive, right? At least if they're healthy over the last five, six years since they have had cousins, they should be in the playoff mix. And you know if you're a fan, you're like, you know, if they're a fan, you're like, you know,

if things go pretty well, we'll win in 10 to 12 games. That's a good position to be in. Most teams are not the Chiefs, right? The Patriots are dying just to get back to be a playoff team again. So it's, you just never want to be in no man's land. And I think that would be the worst case scenario for the Packers. If he's going to suck in the scenario that you gave, like if he's going to, let's just say, 18 picks, 15 touchdowns, which would be a disastrous year, you want to go four and seven,

or four and 17, that'd be way too many games. Four and 13. So it's like, hey, we're drafted second. That's where you want to be. You'd want no part of being like 20 touchdowns and 18 picks, and we went seven and 10. And we draft 11th. It's like, oh, I guess you just write it out one more year or him,

but there's the hard position about being a guy, you know, of making transition from a really good quarterback. Because the expectations, It's like, how do you replace Nick Saban? Good luck to the next guy that replaces him, right? Good luck to Jordan Love. It's really, really difficult. And I know Packer fans, I see you guys on the interweb are just retired to Rogers.

And I get it. It would have been, if I put my fan hat on and I was a diehard, it would have got exhausting, right? But I think, you know, you can get spoiled easily of like, this is not normal. I say it all the time. Like, I'm not a Warriors fan. I fuck with Steph Clay and Draymond. When those guys are gone, specifically, Steph, I'm not going to watch random NBA player play for the Warriors win 43 games. I will not care.

News for you. Neither will most people. But you give me great. Like, I'm locked in. Part of the reason the Packer fans, I know their historic brand, but they've had, I mean, two of the best quarterbacks we've ever seen. And just two of the more entertaining players we've ever seen. Like, it's a double whammy. It's not like we got a really good player.

It's like we got the entertainment value. It doesn't get any better since 1993, 94. I mean, it's 2000. We're not that far away from 2024. So more often than not, in these scenarios, it falls off a clip. I saw it when I was a kid. I didn't really live through Montana. I lived through Steve Young.

And then when his career ended with the concussion, it just, I don't want to say it was a seamless transition, but they got Jeff Garcia, who was obviously not young or Montana, but he sure didn't suck. and they kept, he went to pro balls, they were competitive, and it was like commendable. And I think, I speak for every Packer fan, you would die for the Jeff Garcia. We don't need Rogers. We don't need FAR, but can this guy throw 28 touchdowns and 10 picks and have us 9-10 wins?

That would be awesome. And I'm telling you, I live through it. It is awesome. It's cool. It's very respectable as a fan. What's not is that kind of middle tier where it's like, you'd rather, just have the guy suck. First time, long time.

Enjoy your perspective on the National Football League. Former Army football player with Ties of your alma mater played under Rich Ellerson. Got my start under Rich and knew several guys on that staff that are awesome. So I followed you guys very closely when those guys were there. Anywho, my comment is about all the noise surrounding the running back and how they are being unfairly compensated. and anyone at the Naval Academies really have a good appreciation for the running game because you guys run it a lot. Oops, didn't mean to press in. No need to air all this.

As a former, okay, I'm surprised you haven't mentioned the NFL's pay for performance program. We're generally players with high playing percentages and lower salaries relative to the players in their playing time bracket receive essentially a bonus from a distribution pool. I became aware of it a few years back with Villanueva made the list. Former teammate, Army guy played for the Steelers. Also, as a clean head, I credit you with a great term. My dad also rocks the cul-de-sac up top, and I heard you drop that reference years ago. I've passed it along wherever I could. Yeah, you just, you can't, in modern day times, my dad had a cul-de-sac at my age back in the 80s or whatever.

You just, those aren't allowed anymore. you either shave or you or you shave. I don't know. You cannot have a cul-de-sac. It's one thing to be 60 years old cold-de-sac. Colossack's not allowed

if you're to me, I'd say like under 50. You could push it to 45, but you got a three in front of your age. You cannot have a cul-de-sac. To me, the distribution pool, though, so you're a later-round pick

and you're making league minimum and then you play a lot or you have success. Yeah, you get a bonus. Like, that's part of the deal. To me, it goes back to all the guys arguing about this are not underpaid guys in the sense of they all have large contracts. Nick Chubb makes $12 million a year. Christian McCaffrey makes $12 million a year.

Austin Echler with bonuses and everything now makes $8, $9 million a year. He's very, very well compensated. Sequin, $10, $11 million a year and turned down a contract that would have paid him $12, $13 million and guaranteed multiple years. I would totally understand their argument if the average running back number was like $3 million. But my issue with this whole thing is they act like they're on an island. Like no other positions can relate. And then guys like Zach Martin raised their hand or Travis Kelsey raised their hand. Or I don't know, all the safeties raised their hand.

Google like Simmons and the Titans guy and just all the good safeties in the league. They're not making $18 million a year. Last time I checked, they play pretty important roles, right? They make a ton of tackles, guard the pass. Derwin James covers tight ends, covers wide receivers, blitzes, plays the run. I mean, asking those guys to do a lot. Zach Martin, what do you do for a living? Well, I block and all these guys making $15 to $25 million.

It's on me to shove them the other way. Oh, and then when we decide to call pass plays, this guy named Dak Prescott, who makes, I think, $40 million a year. It's my job to pass protect. So when those guys making $25 million a year are running straight into me, I have to make sure they don't hit the guy making $40 million a year. What's Zach Martin's argument? That seems pretty good to me.

Let's see, I help us move the ball forward, which is the whole goal of offensive football. And then when we pass and I go backwards, I protect the most valuable asset on the team. That's my job. And last time I checked, PFF, NFL grades, wherever, I do a pretty good job of it. I'm pretty durable. Like, I'm pretty important player.

A lot of all pros. Not like, you know, kind of fake pro bowls. All pros. They call me the best garden football. But that's what I do. And I make $7 million this year. And those guys are bitching and moaning about making 12 when I just, that's what really irks me is they act like they're better than these other underpaid positions as well.

I just don't get it because it's just not true. Really solid segment on the Raiders on the latest pod. As a fan, I think you put the take together without wrapping it in a bow. You mentioned McDaniels probably isn't out after the year and the lack of backup quarterback planet quarterback and the whole Caleb Williams thing. I think it's fully intentional. They look at Mahomes and Herbert in the division and realize they need one too. is there a more perfect quarterback to bring into tank than Garapola? He's a guy's guy, but there's zero percent chance he stays healthy to win games.

Shucks, we tried, but we really just tried to get Caleb who played the Pac-12 game in front of Mark Davis last year. I think, and you're not the first to say that. My only issue with that is that is not, I promise you, it is not Josh McDaniel's mindset. It's just not. He is not. I don't even know who you play. week one. But let's just say their mindset, let's just use

the first month of the season. His goal, he's going to try to win every game. And let's just say, what if they start three and one? They have enough talent that all of a sudden you look up and they win seven games. You go seven and ten, it's a pretty shitty season. But you go seven and ten, you can wave goodbye to Caleb Williams. But Derek Carr was horrendous last year.

I couldn't have been any worse. And they were blowing leg. And they won six. they go six and seven, you know, six or seven wins. Remember, they drafted what last year? Eight? Was it eight or seven? I think it was eight. So I think a lot of people are thinking that, but we do this every year.

It's just, it's so hard to get the number one pick. I mean, last year, I was guilty of this. I'm like, Seattle's going to blow. The Giants are going to stink. They both made the playoffs. They both made the playoffs. I'm a newish listener and wanted to ask, you something about the mailbag. I was wondering if a fix in the running back contract

situation could be incentivized rookie contract. That way, every rookie could get extra money by hitting percentages of snaps played or touchdown scored. And the running backs could have some extra money before they hit the open market. Think I heard Logan on NerdSesh say this. This gets back to my thing, though. Like, if I'm a fourth round guard and you're a fourth round running back, and by your second year, third year, you're a really good player. We view you like,

God, this guy might become a top five running back. And I'm viewed immediately like I'm a pro bowl level guard. Well, how do I put up stats besides just kicking ass

and taking names every week? Like, what'd you do this week? I just blocked Aaron Donald. What'd you do last week? I just stoned DeForest Buckner. What'd you do? I ran for 78 yards,

scored a touchdown. So did what that guy did gets valued higher? Right? And maybe you're talking about for all positions, but like, what if you're a safety? What if you're Tallanoa, Hufunga, 49ers, USC, six-round pick by a second year, full-time starter, pro bowl.

Like, is that guy less deserving than some of these running backs that are on rookie contracts? That's where it gets down this slippery slope of, I just think that they've kind of put, not they, but just this whole argument is putting them on a pedestal. it's like the kid analogy right it's almost acting like you got three kids one kid is dramatically more important and us firstborns know we you know we get we're a little more important

but in the grand scheme of things that's not the way it works I wanted to reach out and see why you and so many others are down on Daniel Jones well I don't know when you thought I was down on Daniel Jones I just you know 15 million I'd like or I mean for 15 touchdowns I had 42 million dollars a little rich for my taste, but listen, I totally understand run the back. I probably just would have franchised him. However, when I watch him play, I see so much potential. He's big, fast, has a good arm, he's fairly accurate, and he's got great intangibles. He's been through so much with bad coaches, a revolving door of teammates, and his own injuries that I don't think we scratched the

surface of his ability. I think last year was the floor of his potential and has a stable, competent organization around him. Who knows how good he'll become, but I could see him, becoming a poor man's Josh Allen. I don't think he's as gifted as Josh, and I don't think he'll be that good, but I do think he could play at a similar 80% product. Okay, I'm going to pump the brakes there. When you do those comparisons, right, to any great player,

I think this guy, I don't think he's going to be Pedro Martinez, but I think he could be a legit pitcher. I don't think he's going to be honest, but shit, I think you set the bar so high, right? I mean, Josh Allen is one of the great physically gifted. he's like a better version of Cam Newton as a pastor, right? You just don't see what he's working with. 6.5, whatever 240, I'm guessing.

Can be that fast with that big of an arm. Still has some inaccuracy issues. That's why I think the cam, he's a better version of Cam Newton. Like, to me, Daniel Jones is probably the more physically gifted version of Alex who proved great intangibles, people love him. But looking back at Alex, up until Washington, his contract was never that crazy.

Part of what defined you as a player in the NFL because it's a cap league is how much you make. That's the business this whole thing's about. Any business acquiring another business, we judge you how much did you pay for the business? And then a couple years later, what's it worth for you? Why did Google make a great move acquiring YouTube? Because they acquired it for a billion dollars. What could YouTube spin off and sell on its own? 50 billion,

$35 billion, I don't know, but a lot more than one. So when I pay my homes $45 million, it's like, okay, you have to produce at an even higher level. And then he does, the guy, he's worth every penny. And that's what the great quarterbacks banning whoever. And it's why we're so critical of kind of that next tier, right? Dak, cousins, like in a vacuum, those guys are good. Those guys are really good relative to the history of the sport

and the majority of their contemporary. But once I start paying you a premium, it's like, I'm sorry, fair or not because you don't change as a player just because you get a bigger direct deposit. Right. You don't get any better at your job just because your boss gives you a raise. I mean, maybe like you produce what you produce. Now, maybe there's pressure on you to produce more and then it's on you to land more sales, land more deals, do whatever is asking of you in said industry. but like Daniel Jones once he gets paid that because I'm with you he's solid. There's a lot to work with and he showed a lot of mental fortitude, everything he went through

to come out on the end last year. But I can't even begin to get to Josh Allen. One and two, like can we just get 25 touchdowns? And you might come back. Well, look at who's receivers. And it's fair. Well, now the talent around him is a little bit better. They add Darren Waller.

They got Sequin back with his mind right. I'd actually have to pull up your roster to know who else. is on offense, but lock up your left tackle. To me, it's on him to produce. Like part of Josh Allen, and he's benefited, they did a really good job. They got him Stefan Diggs, who immediately came in and kicked ass. They drafted some other talented skilled positions, and they keep doing that. They just drafted a tied in in the first round that we all view is going to be pretty good.

But once you get paid a premium, you got to start producing a premium. Or you have to sustain producing the premium, like all the great quarterbacks typically do. Until we see him do that, it was all. always why Alex always got a lot of criticism. Never quite like, God, it always felt like he didn't produce enough to be like a top 10 quarterback. Once I pay you 40 million, I don't care that. Oh, the salary cap. I hear that in the NBA all the time. Well, you can't look at it like this because the salary cap's going up. It's like, I don't give a shit. If you're paying this guy $55 million, where the salary caps is $180 million, $200 million, regardless. The guy fucking better be elite.

Jaylon Brown, $300 million. I'm sorry, terrible contract. Because he's never going to be a top five player. He just isn't. Now, you can give me the arguments. How do you upgrade? And that's the argument with Daniel Jones. Like, how do you upgrade? I get it. But like, you got to bring more to the table once you get paid more. You either have to improve or it's just not a good contract. So there is, I think we all agree. I probably sound like I'm being negative here. There is a lot of pressure on him this year. A lot of pressure. There are going to be a lot of fucking eyeballs just nitpicking the guy, which happened early on in his career. And then it was like, God, Joe, like, who's coaching them. Now it's like, okay, real coach, had some success. Let's see what's going to go on.

Little suggestion. You say the word behemoth, a decent amount, but reach, but each time you slightly mispronounce it. You say bohemath, and it's actually pronounced behemoth. Is this my seventh grade English teacher? Appreciate it. You know, I can take hard coaching. 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 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. A win is a win.

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, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. don't have an IG, so I'm borrowing my wife's. Get that a lot. I have a lot of respect. Even if clearly, whatever you do for living, you don't need any social media. You just don't

have it. Just for out of boredom. What do you do in your spare time if you're just sitting there? What is your go-to app? Because I would say Instagram seven days a week. I would say the stock market kind of ticker is one. I'd say Instagram and that one are the ones I wear out. Other than that, you know, besides texting, I don't have like a go-to app. If you just, I don't have Twitter on my phone

because I don't need the negative vibes. There's a lot of negativity on that app. Threads is one of the biggest overhyped machines ever. I haven't been on that in two weeks. But I don't really, I don't really use that many. Sometimes that little heart app,

just see how many steps I got. See if I hit that 10,000 number, feel kind of good about myself. But if you don't have Instagram, and I have a lot of admiration if this, you're not on your phone that much? Because I'm jealous. Don't have Instagram.

Why is there a cutoff for a franchise tag players can sign an extension? Why wouldn't they be able to do that once the season starts? I've always wondered how anyone can keep an extension except them. Keep up the great work. That's a good question. I don't have the answer to that. I just, I think there are things that are collectively bargained for a reason. right? It's like if I'm going to pay you a fully guaranteed deal, I don't know. I'm trying to think logically why that would make sense because you would always want a guy that's franchise tag. If a guy's franchise tagged, even if you're hesitant to give him a long-term deal, it's still, you're still having meetings about it. If you're willing to give 10, 15, 20, $30 million in one season, you are at least having the conversation behind closed doors.

about extending the guy long term. So that would be an ongoing process. But I wonder if, you know, the owners, part of negotiations is like, you don't get to get everything, right? This is kind of a win for us. Once you get, here's a certain date. If you don't agree to a deal, by then, it's off the table. So I would imagine if I had to take an educated guess,

teams fought for that one. Because we don't even want to talk about it. We're paying you. A lot of these positions make a lot more than running backs. fellow Cal Paul alum, 1999. I have a question for you on the running backs in draft eligibility. As I understand it, you have to play three years of college football.

True. If this is the case, can you see a scenario where a running back plays two years in college and then takes the third off to prepare for the draft? If I had a son that was a stud at the position, this is what I would advise him to do. I get that for some of the top backs, you are walking away from NIL money,

but with the reality is the position being where they are, you should save the amount of hits you take until you get into the league. The younger you are, the better off you are, to get into the NFL ASAP. So if you are a stud and a top pick first round, early second round, and you can pan out, you can be really young when you are due your next contract.

Here would be my pushback on that. In theory, it sounds really good. But a couple things here. First and foremost, you get better at something. I don't care what it is. Being a doctor, being a podcaster, playing running back by doing that thing. And a lot of jobs, you can kind of practice, right? Even in sports, you can train.

Baseball and basketball, I've said this forever. You can get much closer to what you're going to see on the field or on the court in a non-official capacity. in football it's impossible. So taking a year off for the most part, I would say as a whole are going to get worse. Very, very rare in a scenario that I think a guy is going to improve himself. At that position, at that position,

and maybe I'm wrong. But the other thing would be is that a lot of guys, think of some of the recent running backs, right? I'd say Bijon somewhat of an outlier, Elite prospect probably would have been viewed that way after two years ago, but I'd have to ask around if he improved his stock a lot this year, which I think he did. But Gibbs, the guy that went to the Lions, he was a Georgia Tech transfer, right?

Josh Jacobs didn't play that much until I think a senior year. So a lot of guys improve their standing by working their way up the depth chart. Now, Sequin was a guy who dominated before his junior year. So there are examples. But for the most part, a lot of running backs improve their stock over time. Right. And especially if you are, if you're coming out early, which a lot of the top running backs do, sometimes you just, you don't, you're not the full-time starter,

especially if you're at a big time program as a true freshman. So maybe you mix in, you mix out. Now, by the time you're a sophomore, but then it's only one year of tape. I don't think it's crazy. I also think running backs in college, you can make a lot of money. As you see, what's the dude at Michigan? Blake Corm, he is a stud. Remember, got hurt at the end of last year.

Return to Michigan. Why? Got broken off. Probably be a third round pick, fourth round pick. How much you think he's making in Michigan? A couple million bucks, give or take. So I hear you. I don't think, and I know we've seen some examples that COVID year,

Micah Parsons, Sewell, Justin Jefferson I would say they tend to be more outliers than like, yeah, Adrian Peterson could have done it. Maybe Sequin could have done it. But for the most part, I don't think many guys could pull it off.

Hey, John, listener for a few years, non-sports topic, what's your fast food burger rankings? Culver's Butterburger, never been. Big Mac, hot take. Wendy's In-N-Out, little overrated.

I would say in and out, I would go to Wendy's for the chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, five guys is pretty good. You know a place I've always wanted to go to? Is Red Robin? I've never been to a Red Robin. Driven by a million, my entire life. Never been to one.

To me, you're going to Wendy's. You're getting the spicy chicken sandwich. I listen to your podcast while I work my summer job landscaping. I love your takes. Appreciate you. I'm headed to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, in hopes of becoming a lawyer and then a sports agent. I chose Belmont because of the free tuition,

but also because they partnered with the Titans and the Nashville Predators Organization. How do you think I should begin or go about getting into the industry? I'm also excited to see DeAndre Hopkins first season with the Titans and plan on attending games. And use the GameTime app. Promocode John. I like it. Secondly, I'm a huge Saints fan and want your opinion.

With the Saints having the third easiest schedule in the league and being the worst division, could you see them having a season like the Vikings did last year? I think there's a lot of pressure on Derrick Carr. I think there's a lot of pressure on Dennis Allen. I think both guys, last time I saw, they expect Mike Thomas to be fully healthy. They obviously last year had a good defense. I think they had a game against the Raiders, ironically, where the Raiders never moved the ball past the 50.

I think maybe they did the last drive of the season, but they yanked the last drive of that game, they yanked car. I would say there is a tangible pressure on them to win that division. It doesn't have to be pretty, but I would say anything less than the same. Saints winning the South, assuming that Derek stays healthy, is kind of a disaster. They have no business to not. The Bucks are in complete rebuild, reset mode. The Panthers have a rookie quarterback, new coaching staff. I just think the Falcons, who the fucks are quarterback?

It's kind of now. It doesn't have to be a 13 win season, but to me, they should go 10 and 7. If you go 10 and 7 in that division, you're winning it. my recommendation would be twofold. One, even if you're the smartest guy on campus, you're going to be there for three and a half years. I would kind of ease your way in. Just enjoy being a college kid.

Have a good time. I mean, you're 18 years old. Now, and while you're doing that, you know, just kind of work through the athletic department, do what you need to do to get with the Titans. It's an incredible opportunity. It's right there. But you only get this time once in your life, man.

once college ended for me, went to work immediately at the Fresno State and then the Eagles and you just work. You just work nonstop and I'm still working. But you have a small period of time in your life to just have a little fun. And I'm not trying to like detour you from being the next Jeff Bezos of football.

Like you can just, or Mark Zuckerberg or Elon or something. Like you're clearly driven. You have your mindset more dialed in than me. But I would just try to, be somewhat at least of a college kid your freshman year. You get that experience one time in your life. Even if you are fucking Theo Epstein, you can run a team when you're 30.

You know, just enjoy yourself a little bit, man, because you get these times only so often. Never know, meet a lady. Might be your future wife. Maybe not. Maybe just, you know, night hookup. But just have a good time. While you're kind of, you know, every maybe week or month, try to make a little incremental progress your freshman year of getting your foot in the door, doing what you have to do.

Because if you're going to work, if you have to work, you want to work in what you ideally want to do. Like, you don't want to waste your time. If you want to work in football, I would say doing another job in another industry. There's one thing to like, you know, work at a restaurant to get some money. That's understandable. But you don't want to have to work at like Morgan Stanley or do something that you don't want to do, do everything you can to work in what you want to do.

but have a good time, bro. It's college. It's fun. It's the one time in your life, you really just, nothing really matters. I'll promise you this. Don't fail out of school.

Now, if you want to go to law school, is that what you said? Your grades are somewhat important, but no one's ever asked me, ever what my grades were in college. I couldn't even tell you. I think somehow,

by the end, I maybe got over a 3.0. But I was hovering there of mid-low twos for a long time. No one gives a shit. It does. Now, certain industries matter. I'm not anyone listening that's a doctor that's a lawyer getting into certain grad schools for sure. I'm not trying to get you off on the wrong path of screwing up.

But for a lot of us, no one asked Belichick what he got in Econ 101 as sophomore year of college. It just, it does not matter. Adios. Have a good day. Let's enjoy some football. Peace. The volume. 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 I-Heart 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.