The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Hard Times; Aldon Smith Risk/Reward; Exec Free Agency Takes; Tua Medicals; Headlines; Mailbag

Episode Date: April 3, 2020

In this episode, Middlekauff discusses the dark reality of the massive job losses and far reaching impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the huge risk/reward with the Cowboys signing former Pro Bowl pass rusher Aldon Smith, and the most revealing GM comments on free agency from Mike Sando's (The Athletic) recent article. He also looks at the top headlines from around the league and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

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Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn 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're 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 iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast what's up guys

this is clivert taylor the fourth and on my podcast the clivert show i'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff like being an internet famous referee we're in the middle of a game this linebacker this linebacker walks up to me he goes a ref my mom wants you to wave at her what Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker.

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Got a decent amount going on in the NFL. Alden Smith signs. I went through a Mike Sando article. He talked to a bunch of executives around the league and just their thoughts on every team in free agency. I pulled some of the more interesting quotes. Some other stuff just in terms of the draft. Obviously, some topics flying around in terms of two-up.

Is Yonik and Dockway going to get traded? What's going to happen with Laramie Tunzel? and then of course the Middilkoff mailbag at John Middilkoff is my Instagram handle. You can slide right into the DMs and ask me anything you want. Be a little honest. It's a little weird, you know, doing a football podcast in the middle of, listen, in my adult life, probably one of the darkest days in American history, right? I mean, we had 10 million people filed for unemployment, and I'm keeping a positive here.

I'm feeling good. Luckily, I happen to be lucky to do a job that I basically work for myself, that I can do it at home. I basically quarantined before quarantine became a thing. But my friends and family are small business people. My brother works in a small business. Luckily, he's a farmer, and you need to keep the food going. But I know a lot of you guys listening are in industries, whether you work for someone and you're losing your job or getting furloughed. whether you run a business that's shut down.

These are, you know, crazy times. And I don't really know what to say. I mean, you can say keep your head up and it's all that stuff, but it's tough. You know, you got to shut down the doors. You're losing your business. You're losing your job. These are, this is wild. I mean, it's really that simple.

It's really, really a wild time. I know for me personally, two incidents that really stand out in my life would be 9-11. To be completely honest, 9-11 did not hit me like it would now. Not even close. I was in high school. I think I was, I think I was in sophomore year of high school. You're just so naive to the way the world works and the impact. Obviously, you understand the impact of people dying in the planes,

but the overall impact to society, I couldn't even begin to grasp it. And then in 2008, when the housing crisis, I had just graduated college. I was a graduate assistant at Fresno State. I had no money. I wasn't a homeowner. I had no money in the stock market. I was worth nothing. So that affected me.

Obviously, 9-11 was probably the most powerful event of my lifetime. Like, you just see people dying. In 2008-9, Fresno State, we started furlowing people, and people were over their head in their house and having to short sale their house. Like, you understand. I could kind of see it was crazy, but again, it didn't impact me. This one impacts me because I see it with my friends.

all my friends now that I went to college with or grew up with are my age. They're working jobs, getting laid off. Their companies are holding on by a thread. People that listen to me that I interact with on social media. I feel it. I get it. Hell, it's impacted me on my other podcast. Advertisers moving around.

It's crazy-ass times. And just know if you're going through tough times, I'm thinking about you. We're all thinking about you. And you just, you know me. I'm a big capitalist economist. economy guy it's I hate this coronavirus we all do and starting to see the impact of what it's doing now to our society is pretty eye-opening it was clear that it was coming this way when everything shut down and I talk about football and there is it's really the only thing that's happened over the last two weeks was free agency and luckily you know I was someone that thought maybe they should push it back because I don't necessarily think free agency or the I know Colin went on a brand about it gives hope. To me, the corona going away gives hope.

To me, saying people can open up their businesses or consumers feeling okay gives hope. I think the draft is a little bit more of a band-aid. And again, I'm not, you know me, I'm not a moral high horse guy. I'm fine with them hosting the draft, even though it is. My big thing is if they're going to make you horse the draft, if you're a general manager, you got to understand and attack the best way possible. to figure out a way to run your draft, even if you've got to do it over Zoom,

if you've got to do it from your kitchen table. But I also, the last couple of days, I understand that I get every general manager, the NFL's not a lazy league. The NFL is not a league that loves time off. It's a league full of grinders. General managers, head coaches, they're working countless hours 24-7, 365.

Coaches and GMs live in the office. Scouts work year-round. These guys love to work. because if you work in football, even as you become jaded to the sport, you do love it. You know, it's not one of those jobs. Like, yeah, I just became an insurance salesman. Ah, you know, I just, I got into real estate. Business been good or whatever.

Usually don't just, yeah, I just got into football. I mean, it's something you kind of have to, even if you are a player to ultimately get into coaching or into, obviously, executive work with scouting. It takes some effort and you usually got to start at the ground floor. So these guys love what they do. And I think all of them, if they could vote, could you move it back a little bit, would vote 32 to nothing.

Now, the owners, the league office, I understand. Because the television networks, know this, the Michael Jordan documentary has gotten moved up. Twitter loved to take credit for the Michael Jordan. Twitter forced ESPN's hand. You know what forced ESPN's hand? They don't have any inventory. They have nothing to show.

Nothing. You know what I watched the other day? the 91 world series Kirby Puckett John Smoltz It was zero zero in the 11th inning It was an unreal game I forget even the pitcher for the twins

Name escapes me Again I was you know date me I was born 84 Jack Morris Who went in the extras I was watching that game I was like actually you know it's kind of entertaining But that's what I'm doing right now Because I watch those arcs

I watched Tiger King I got nothing to watch So I get it. It's going to get enormous ratings. Probably be the highest rated, you know, draft ever. But I do understand both sides of the argument. The more intense this thing goes. Right.

There was an agent, a prominent agent, who lost his parents, who represents Doug Baldwin, a couple other, I think the Griffin brothers that are on the Seahawks, other players throughout the league. Like this is going to impact other people in the NFL. And it's just a crazy time.

And I don't really, I don't know what else to say besides talking about Alden Smith when all this is going on even me who I've been talking sports my entire life. I'm 35 for as long as I could talk I've been talking sports like maybe it's you're just growing up

you're just older I'm at a different place in my life I find it a little difficult I'm going to be completely honest but I know that people like to listen to something else listen I I can only watch so much news in general let alone right now right so you just

The draft, but at the end of the day, the draft ends and we're quarantined for another month. You know, I just, I guess it is what it is. And I'm not trying to think, like, we get asked all the time, football in the fall. I'm recording this on April 2nd. Let's just see what happens in April, early May. Let's just take it month by month, day by day, just follow the rules and see what happens. And luckily, you know, I say this where I was probably wrong, is the NFL allowing teams to do business. has just given us stories.

Like Alden Smith, he signs with the Cowboys. I mean, if they just wouldn't have allowed that, none of this would have happened. And, you know, a lot of people have been asking me, what do you think about Alden Smith joining the Cowboys? My first response is, I haven't seen up to this point how much they guaranteed him. I would imagine zero, because he didn't have any other offers.

He hasn't played in the league since 2005, or excuse me, 15. But I had a front row seat for like three years of Alden Smith. I went to basically every Niner game from 13, 14, and 15. Some of those games, hell, he didn't even play in because he was suspended. I remember going to the game against the Carolina Panthers when he got a DUI. He got a DUI on Friday morning, was arrested, clearly, because they found him asleep in front of the, I think it was either a telephone pole or a tree he passed out in the car, gets arrested, goes to the drunk tank, by the time he gets out by 10 or 11, they bring him to the practice facility.

He's on the practice field by noon, probably still wasted, and he plays on Sunday. It was wild. It was crazy, but it happened. And Alden Smith has just one of the, probably what could have been careers in NFL history. I've walked by him before. In a league full of freaks, when I say this about Cam Newton, he's on the high end of freaks. 6-5-66, arms hang down to the ground, explosive athlete. he's a fluid athlete.

He's a powerful guy. I don't know what he is now. But Jim Tom Sula is the defensive line coach for the Cowboys. At the end of the day, Jerry Jones, he's taking gambles his entire life. So a gamble that has low, like to me, signing Amari Cooper, that's a pretty risky gamble. Because if Amari Cooper is not elite,

that's a big time overpay. Taking no-risk flyers on guys like Alden can be bad for your brand. You know, he gets a DUI, he gets in trouble. That's on you, Jerry. Like, you had enough, of a resume and a history of this player to go, no one to blame but the Cowboys,

if this guy gets in trouble. I don't give a shit what he told you. I've turned around my life. I'm a better human. Every person says that when they're trying to get a job, and they're at rock bottom. Some guys turn their life around, and maybe this guy's had enough rock bottoms,

but I always struggle with guys that have a history of addiction when you're in a situation like this. And I'm all for help. I'm all for multiple chances, if it's not like, you know, violent criminals. And now there were some domestic violence with this stuff that are a little, you know, I don't know how substance they are, substantive they are.

It's not like he, you know, it for sure happened. It was a he said, she said, but that's also there. So there are multiple red flags with this individual, big time. But Jerry Jones would say I have hung my career on taking chances. And really that's what the NFL is. It is not the place where morals are set. It's not a place in society that like, you know what, kids, this is the way to do things.

Certain players are. I got no problem pointing them like, Dak Prescott. Right? Hey, you follow Dak Prescott or you follow Sean Lee. Right, you live your life like that guy. You live your life like Jason Witten. Would you say you live your life like Zeke?

You know, Zick's gotten in a little trouble. You say you live your life like Alden Smith? Hell no. So, but you need as Moose Johnson, who back when I had a radio show six or seven years ago in San Francisco, So he used to come on. And the way he described his team, and he believes this is in general,

you need players of character. A great team has this. Players of character and characters that can play. And you mesh it together. And that's where it's on the players of character. You need certain guys to be really good, right? On his teams, it was Troy Aikman, and then you need a great coach to kind of corral them all.

And Mike McCarthy has a history of coaching just about everybody. I would say the Packers, just thinking off the top of my head, didn't take too many chances. But, you know, it's just, the counter would be, okay, he gets a DUI, the Cowboys cut him. Who really cares?

What does that mean? And I think history would show you, it doesn't really mean that much. Like, they get crushed on social media, and the Dallas Morning News writes a headline, oh, Jerry Jones screws up again. Does that mean less people are going to watch the Cowboy game the next week? Of course not.

So what does, like, does bad press? Now, if it's something like Alden Smith, I don't even know. I don't even want to go into hypotheticals. But you could argue there's probably a line that if he jumps over, it's just a bad look for the NFL. Because this is not a second chance for the player.

This is like a fourth. He probably had four or five with the Niners. He had some sketchy things happen with the Raiders or just questionable things. And they kind of stook by them until the league took it out of their control. But, you know, guys like, Alden Smith, even at this point, three or four years, when you have that much talent, talented

people get a longer rope. It's just in life, in the private sector, in big, big business, right? It's just going to happen. Because let's say this, Jim Tom Sulla, defensive line coach somehow gets Alden on the straight and arrow, he's cleaned up his life, he's sober, Alden has eight, nine sacks. He's like the story of the year, and if the Cowboys are good. And that's the way that teams always convince themselves. Well, this is the time he figures it out.

There's an arrogance to front offices, two teams, to coaches. They believe it's always them. Just like I'm sure many of you, these crazy times, like, I'll figure it out, I'll get through it. Hell, I'm telling myself that. I'm sure many of you are telling yourself that. Even when it doesn't pencil, you're like, I don't know how I'm going to last. You just keep telling yourself that. And I think that's what happens with these troubled players, but they have to be talented.

The moment they are just average, they just out of the league, see you, gone, bye, later. And this guy might be average or whatever. There's no giving guarantee Alden's going to make the team. But there's been in the history of the NFL, and I'd even say just sports in general, Alden Smiths keep resurfacing. And there'll be another guy in five years, 10 years, that will have a similar career path and we'll get 70.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise, Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

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 rapidly. 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. all healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conkie, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021. podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA.

Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know, Antonio Brown probably be in the league this year. As crazy as that is, for as crazy I mean, as bad shit crazy as he went over the last calendar year, someone's going to give him another chance. Why? Because for a six-year period, he averaged like 110 catches and nine and a half touchdowns a year. And it was uncoverable.

And he's 31 or 32 years old right now. So yeah, he might be the biggest loon in the last 20 years. Someone's going to give him a chance. Just the reality of the NFL. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1,800 Flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values.

To order today, visit 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. Adoption of teens from foster care is a time. topic not enough people know about and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinnuity host of the new podcast, Navigating Adoption, presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Each episode brings you compelling real-life adoption stories told by the families that live them with commentary from experts. Visit Adoptuskids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children

and Families and the Ad Council. Look through your children's eyes to see the True magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. Okay, let's dive into this Mike Sando, writes for the athletic. Shameless plug, I do too. I highly recommend getting involved, reading their stuff. If you like football, they cover every NFL team, especially once football comes back. I mean, it's excellent stuff. He's a national rider.

I've been following him. I think we follow each other on Twitter. I've met him a couple times. A really good guy. But knows his stuff and is very, very well connected. He's also the guy that does the quarterback tiers. right every year, I think right before the season, maybe doesn't the off-season?

I don't even know what day it is, so it's hard for me to figure out the calendar. But he does that article. I know Colin talks about it on the show. Everyone that talks about football talks about his tier article. In this article, what he does is he goes team by team and anonymously general managers, coaches, and executives give their opinion on that team's free agency.

So what I thought I'd do is I read the whole thing, skimery like a lawyer does in law school just fire through it and I picked just certain things that jumped out to me and I just wanted to hit on them. Let's start with the first thing. I'm not trying to beat a dead horse on this. But the number one theme when the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans on both their write-ups came up

for the Arizona Cardinals, how the hell did they get rid of David Johnson and get Hopkins back? How is it even possible? You had a running back that is trending the wrong way who makes over $10 million. No one was trading for that kind of. contract. What did I say when Todd Gurley, remember Mike Silver report, and again, Mike Silver's my guy, Davis guys, when he wrote, a lot of trade buzz about Todd Gurley. Yeah, the trade buzz was Sean McVeigh and Les Need talking about it. No one touches toxic running back contracts. Nobody. You can trade for a toxic D-line contract. Hopefully you can resurrect the guy, like Olivier Vernon. You can trade for overpriced offensive linemen happens all the time. You can trade for, hell, overpriced wide receiver.

no one touches running backs, especially a running back that's making over $10 million and has some injury concerns. Yet the Arizona Cardinals got Hopkins back. I mean, it was highway robbery. I mean, it was crazy. I was thinking, like, I bet there's one executive that's going to say, the media is overhyped.

All of them said, it's just, it's baffling. And the reality, one thing they mentioned in there is they've been trying to trade this guy for a year and a half. And I think sometimes coaches, you know, It's weird. And maybe we're all like this. You get, when you have an employee, a girlfriend, your kid, they can just, someone gets in your doghouse. I'm a big believer in the faster.

That's different when it's your wife or your kid. But we all get mad at different people. It's no different than a coach. When a player's in a coach's doghouse, it's the equivalent of saying the coach is mad at the player. That's one thing if the player sucks. But I'm saying if it's one of your best players, you can still get in your doghouse, have a bad game, not practice. one of the knocks on Hopkins was like, you know, he just doesn't practice during the week.

My question is, honestly, who gives a damn? He's averaged over 100 catches, back-to-back years. You know who doesn't? Fans, the opposing team that he's catching seven balls a game on in the playoff game when he's scoring touchdowns. One thing that doesn't fly in the league is your practice habits once you're an elite player. To me, as a media guy, when I was a scout,

I get it if he's a bad guy But Hopkins never been in trouble Like okay he doesn't have the greatest work habits Anymore during the work week Because he's banged up Or he just nurse his injury I'm sorry like I I can get a if you produce on Sunday

That's the whole point of this whole thing And he's a winning player Because clearly the Texans have been doing a lot of winning And beside like when JJ Watts healthy And Deshawn Watson like he's our best player So you trade him for a running back And a decent second round pick It doesn't make sense

Now I get it. He's not a speed demon. He's not a guy that consistently gets open, but it doesn't matter. He's a tight player. Anquan Bolden couldn't get open for the last 10 years of his career. Crabtree had a bunch of good years in Oakland. And obviously, Hopkins better than both those two guys. Like, okay, you can't run. Whatever. Devante Adams isn't Mr. Fast.

I watched, we did this thing on my other podcast. We did a watchable. I watched the Saints game and the Niners game from Week 14 last year. You know, I think the final score was the, it was the 48-46 game. Probably best-ranking season game of the year. Michael Thomas isn't getting open, really. Like, Richard Sherman's all over him. He just makes contested catches because he's a monster.

That's Hopkins. Monster. Winning player. Okay, he dogs it on Thursday. I'm sorry, I just, I don't care. That deal's insane. Amari Cooper getting $20 million is, I just don't like paying premiums for non-premian players. What makes no sense if I'm Jerry Jones,

the moment you trade a first round pick for them and then that year you know they made the playoffs and Amari kind of, remember, saved their season, you should have signed them after that off-season and quote-unquote overpay. And an overpay then might have been like $48,50 million. Instead, two years later, you end up giving them, I guess it was a year later,

so it should have been last off-season, you could have get them for $50 million. Instead of a year later, you're paying them $20 million a year and you guarantee them $60. I like Amari Cooper. and to show you his talent, like he's more talented coming out of college for as much as we all kind of blow Jerry Judy

and rightfully so. I like Jerry Judy, I like Henry Ruggs, I like C.D. Lamb. I mean, these guys are going to be maybe two of the three of them are going to be pro bowlers. Amari was a better prospect than all of them. Easily. Maybe not easily, but like, no,

like if Amari coming out of Alabama was in this class with all these other guys, Amari would be the top guy. Amari has under a chance. through five years, averaging basically 75 catches, 1,000 yards, and about six and half touchdowns a year. Underachieved. I think that speaks to his talent.

Freak talent. But one of Amari's issues, and I say this all the time, like once, what makes great NFL wide receivers, like there are a lot of talented NFL wide receivers, right? But what makes the true, like, Julio's a freak, but what makes Julio truly great, he's a dog. He ain't scared. He's fearless. He's relentless.

Think about all the top. Michael Thomas, rewatching that Saints game, Michael Thomas is a monster. He's the fastest guy on the field. He's not even wide open half the time. He's just, he's a beast. Devante Adams, monster.

Keenan Allen, monster. The Tampa Bay guy's beast. When I watched Debo Samuel kind of come into his own, he just a physical, he just ain't scared. And I love Doug Baldwin for years in Seattle, fearless. And he was never in a, elite guy, but he was a damn good player. Amari's just, you know, I wouldn't call him soft, but I wouldn't call him, like, from NFL standards, tough. He ain't Michael Irvin. He ain't

Terrell Owens. Like, he's just a little softer, and he's going to be fine. Like, you'll get 75, 80 balls. He's a freak talent, but it's just $60 million. It's like, Jerry, why did you wait so long to sign him? Especially once you give the first round pick for him. I'm a big believer in this, and maybe general managers will say, well, John, Easier said than done. The moment I'm going to trade a first round pick for a guy, I have to have a contract extension done. Like DeForest Buckner, done the moment they got him.

Chicago Bears get Khalil Mack done. You know what I don't like doing? What the Houston Texans are doing with Laramie Tunzel. We'll talk about that later. What the L.A. Rams are doing with Jalen Ramsey. I like trading for you and signing you immediately. DeForest Buckner. Seattle did it a couple times when they traded for, like Jimmy Graham.

extend him. I like doing that. I like getting a guy under contract the moment I... Howie Roseman. Trades for Darius Slate, extends him. Now obviously he didn't trade a first round pick. But when I trade for a guy, I really like, I extend. And then I get him at a cheaper rate than I do at a market rate once his contract ends.

The number skyrockets. The Colts and Rivers. One thing a couple executives said, and I think we have to be wary of this, I love Philip Rivers. He's a badass. I've watched way too many Charger games over the last decade. Now, he's been hit or missed over the years,

but when he's on, he's an awesome player to root for. As a fan, and that's first and foremost what I am when it comes to football. That's why I talk about it. If I wasn't a fan of football, I wouldn't do this. I love football at my core. I love sports. I'm a big sports fan. I think as sports fans, we really

value when guys, we feel like they give a shit as much as we do. They care as much as we do. It's why the biggest legends, right? Brady, Jordan, Kobe, Manning, Tiger. It's like, yeah, those guys care more than I do. If you're like that diehard Patriot fan, even you'd be like, yeah, Brady liked football more than me.

And I love the pets, right? Or you're a Bulls fan. You're like, yeah, Michael liked it more than me. But then there are guys, you're just like, I don't know. River's always a guy. He's giving you everything he has. You can't like football any more than Phillip Rivers like football. But he's 38, 39 years old.

His arm strength has never been great. And he looked really, really old last year. And he's always kind of had an old game. There's a chance he's shot. And I think the point in this article was like, they kind of sold out all for this year. Right. And then they give away their first round pick to get DeForest Buckner.

Like, they got to be good. And if you're just a one and done team in the playoffs, you go, was it worth it? That's a good question. We're going to find out. There's a chance that Rivers is just by about, I don't know, November 1st, you know, eight, nine games in, where we realize, yeah, it's just, he's shot. We forget sometimes in 2020, like, being old is not easy in pro sports.

It's not normal to be in your 40s and playing pro sports. Hell, it's not normal to do, like, what LeBron's doing at 35, 17 years in, and still look like the best player in the world. It's not normal. Usually, like, I get modern medicine. I mean, Tiger Woods had backfused and knee, and he's still won the Masters last year. Some of these, I get it, in times have changed. So you got to look at age a little differently.

I still am a believer, though, is like, not every 38-year-old is the same. Rathfusberger at 38 and Tom Brady at 38 are not the same. Even Philip Rivers has taken a lot of hits. He is a weathered older guy. Now, I don't think he drinks. Clearly doesn't smoke or anything. But to me, the wear and tear on the body is big.

One thing someone said, I disagree with this, Marcus Marriota, one of the executives said that he thinks he'll start 10 games. I don't think that'll happen. But it's a pretty big red flag that I think a general manager brought up. If you thought Derek Carr was your franchise quarterback, why would you make Marcus Marieto the highest paid backup in the league? Like if you have a young franchise quarterback, a guy under 30, who's under contract, why wouldn't you buy like a Case Keenum or something for like two or three million or three or four million

and use that extra money on other players? it's pretty and I was like I didn't really think about that because I think cars better than Marriota but does Gruden think that? Because why would you have a contingency, such a highly, highly paid contingency plan? You could easily just get a lower level guy. Maybe they don't think Derek is their franchise guy

and knowing people in the organization I think they go back and forth. I don't think with OTAs being gone, there's no way Mario, like Derek's starting week one. That's a lock. There's just no way. from Mario to learn the offense. They won't have any practice until training camp.

To me the question is what happens if they're two and three or three and five in the new stadium, and it's just not good. Vegas is, you talk about a recession, no economy gets hit harder in tough times than Vegas, especially now. I mean, the casinos are shut down first time since like JFK assassination.

There's going to be pressure on them to win and Derek to play well. And if he doesn't, They got a guy that started a lot of games. The Jets. The executives kind of crushed Joe Douglas for like Fant and McGovern, I think is how you say his name. Again, at this point in my scouting career, I'm not locked in. I mean, obviously I've seen a lot of Fant because he played for Seattle.

But McGovern, like, I'm not breaking down every offensive lineman. But they kind of crushed them for these guys being pretty average. The point is this offensive line is not fixed. And their offensive line last year, then the Cardinals probably missing. in some teams, but they're probably the two worst offensive lines in the league. And picking at 11, when I did a mock draft on the athletic, I was like, yeah, you know what? I'm going to give the New York Jets Jerry Judy because they need a star-wide receiver firm to throw to.

The way you're reading this, the executives think their offensive lines still stinks. So you could probably justify taking a tackle. Pretty interesting take on Brady to Tampa. And when Peyton Manning fell off a cliff in 2000, what was the year? 16. What was it? the 15th season, and then it was the 16th Super Bowl. So he's been done now for four or five years.

His arm was done, and he never had a great arm, but he could not throw that year. He could never move. But Brady could never move either. Neither could Phillip Rivers. The difference between Brady and some of those guys and Breeze, he has a big arm. Now, he doesn't have like Aaron Rogers arm,

but he got a pretty damn good arm. He has a different level arm than those guys. If he was a pitcher, is he throwing 98, 99? No, but he's cruising at 94-9. where Manning was like even in his prime probably like 90 but he was so accurate it didn't matter

he's like Greg Maddox pinpoint right you can get away with throwing 90 if you know exactly where it's going to go if you throw 94 95 you get a lot room for error now if you factor in you throw 95 and you can paint it's a wrap and the point these executives

were saying is like Brady's a multiplier like Peyton when he showed up to Denver he'll elevate everyone just from a standard standpoint and a work ethic standpoint. And a lot of people are like, is he shot? Is he shot? His arm is not shot.

So if they can protect them, they definitely have the weapons, they can win with them. Now, can they kind of meld this offense of Bruce Ariens and what Tom wants to do with the wide receivers in the middle of corona? There are going to be challenges. But every executive said,

which I think every human that has common sense... Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise.

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to break down. Orsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the

alliances, and the team everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I watched Tom last year.

Huge shot. Well, what do you mean? Like, he gets sacked because he can't move? Well, he's never been able to move. He's been slow since he came in the league in 2000. But his arm is still good. Now, is he throwing 95 now? Okay, maybe he's throwing 93.

You can still get guys out throwing 93. And when you had Mike Evans, you had O.J. Howard, you had Godwin. You keep Camin-Bright. Maybe you draft him a good running back. Now, if you can protect him, like, you can win with him. Now, the offense, and the one thing they brought up is, like, Bruce Ariens staff, they're not Belichick. They're not in the office sunup till sundown, burning the midnight oil.

Arian tells guys to go home, which I do think in some realm is healthy. Brady's used to, I can text Josh McDaniels at 5.30 in the morning. I can text him at midnight. Peyton was notorious. I remember when I got on the road, I'd run into people that were in Denver and Indy.

And I just, I mean, it was Peyton Manning. I want to know all about him. He could wear people out. We had to give him specific coaches to break down his film. You know, like he got his own quality control guys. he's just maniacal, in a good way, in a way of like, he's got high-freaking standards. And Peyton's point of difference always was, I got out-think you, because I can't out-physical you. I'm not going to throw these Aaron Rogers' 60-yard ropes.

I got to know exactly what you're doing. You know, the football life, I guess it wasn't football life, but the top 100 when Brady was in there, I guess it was Ed Reed and Belichick, and Belichick saying the greatest play you ever saw was Ed Reed, full in Peyton Manning. They're playing chess. And Tom Brady, I would say definitely the second half of his career, he was the ultimate combo. That's why he passed Peyton of being physically more superior

because he had a much better arm and the same level work ethic in mind. Film officianto and just the ultimate grinder. He could text Josh McDaniels at all hours of the night. And I just wonder the mesh. Like, is Tampa ready for what they're getting? Because Tom is a grinder, and we're about to find out. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's,

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at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Okay, let's bang out another, just, I'm going to go rapid fire on just stories that I saw today. I guess maybe over the last couple days. Mike Garifolo of NFL Network, bald guy, beard, one of the rare guys that can pull out, younger guy can pull off a cul-de-sac. Some of us, we've got to shave our heads.

Said the Tua medical check looks outstanding. I think there's a lot of unknown information with Tua. We're going to find out on Draft Day what the NFL. thinks of him. I assume he's going to get drafted somewhere between two and three and four, right, a team's going to trade up to ensure they get him if he's healthy. If he's got some major red flag, not out of the realm possibility he drops. And if he drops, it would just be clearly the hip, which this is going to be a type of scenario or situation that teams aren't going to show their hand right now. So we won't know till the draft what the NFL thinks of Tua.

Jags won a first round pick for Yanuk in Daqwe. I just don't get the Jaguars. One of the better players they've drafted in recent memory. I think he was a third round pick. So he's going into his, I guess he just finished his fourth year, right? He's a franchise right now. I just, I don't get it. I mean, they are just a disaster as a franchise.

Absolute disaster. They draft in the top six, seven picks every freaking year except the one outlier season. They've had all these premium picks. All of them are gone. then they land a guy not in the first round who's sweet and he wants to leave it's just what a what a train wreck franchise laramie tonsill wants to be the highest paid offensive linemen in the league here's my issue the moment you trade two ones and a two this happened to jalen ramsie

and this happened to laramie muntz they obviously got canny stills in the deal as well with laramie Tunzel, but still, that was a little more add-on. You could say, Kenny Stills was probably worth a third or a fourth, where Laramie Tunzel was worth the majority of that freight. 90% of that was for Laramie Tunzel. The moment you trade that much for Laramie Tunzel, or I put Jalen Ramsey in this category too, you have to extend him immediately. You don't wait until after the season to start figuring it out.

If the Rams were going to trade for Jalen Ramsey, they should have had to, a deal set in place. It's not worth giving up that much unless he's signing on the dotted line. You just can't do it. Like Laramie Tunzel, now granted, Laramie Tunzel is under contract a little easier to deal with. I guess Jalen Ramsey is two in his fifth year, but you let these guys get to the final year of their contract, they start getting leverage. The moment you trade all these picks, it's one thing to like trade a second or a third

round pick. You could argue like how he could have just played it out once he trades a third and a fifth them. But when you trade that much first round picks, multiple first round picks, and you don't extend them on the spot, it's bad business. Period, point blank, end of story. Bad NFL business. Because if you're willing to trade multiple ones for a player, you want to make that guy a long-term valuable asset for your team. Well, you want to get them under contract immediately so that deal looks cheaper, the faster and the longer you have them on your team. Calil Mack, right, you get them, you sign him.

Laramie Tunzel, you get him, and then you wait to sign him. And now he's got you kind of bent over the barrel. He's in control. Clowny is asking prices dropping. No shit. Like Clowny, the market was the market. Like, we just, that was the market.

Well, I'm worth this. No, actually, you're not. You literally hit free agency. Countless teams that needed pass rushers, breaking guys off, the Colts who desperately needed pass rush, traded their first round pick and then paid Buckner kind of less money than I would have imagined

57 total guaranteed did sign a shorter deal though four years 21 per can become a free agent when he's like 29 and a half 30 years old so he's probably thinking I'll cash in again like we're seeing the market here Clownie you're not an 18 million dollar player

Buckner is much more consistent a better player than you and he's an interior player like I'd say Clowny probably 15 million feels about fair for him I'd feel comfortable giving them like 4 years, 60 million, 15 a year. He'd be like, well, he'd never sign that. Well, then I won't get clowning.

Because I ain't giving him 5 years 18 a year. Not doing it. Can't do it. Won't do it. I couldn't do it. Derek Henry signs his tender, smart move. You know, we saw with Levi-on-Bell, sat out when he was franchised.

Didn't get any of the cash. We saw it with Melvin Gordon, bitching a moaning, didn't get any of the cash. or missed out on some. Derek Henry, when someone's offering you over $10 million to play running back, even if you're worth more than that, because you're a really good player, and on a one-year deal, you're probably worth $15 million, definitely the Titans.

You've got to sign franchise tag money. It's all guaranteed. You get every penny. And even if you play the next two years on a franchise tag, which is beneficial for Tennessee, it's beneficial for you too. You could rack up $22 million in two seasons. look at Melvin Gordon. He could barely get like $10 million guaranteed.

Levy on Bell, who has a much longer track record than you, only got 27 total when he hit the open market. The market for running backs, unless Jerry Jones is your general manager slash owner, just isn't that good. Eli Apple, Vegas, you know, kind of think Michael Brockers and the Ravens, and we see another one with Eli Apple, just the contract, I don't really know all the details besides he's just not going there anymore.

Weird times with Corona, man. No, people aren't signing actual comments. I guess, even though some are, like Tom Brady signed the actual contract, I might have to text some people in the league, like, why some guys putting pen to paper and other guys aren't? Is it because the, maybe the physical, scared off the team, there was some unknown? I don't know, but Eli Apples is no longer a raider.

Okay, let's get to the Middilcoff mailbag at John Middilcoff, Instagram handle. DEMs, wide open, slide right in, same as the Twitter handle. how come teams like the Dolphins or the Chargers aren't jumping on James Winston for a one-year deal? If you're going to take a draft chance and draft Tua, not knowing if he's going to be 100%,

you could have a decent starter to play at least for this year and allow Tua to learn and get healthy. Worst case scenario, Tua doesn't pan out, but you have a legit starter for the next few years, and who knows? They make his lightning in a bottle, and James is a totally different player after LASIC. We've seen time and time again

a young player getting thrown into a bad situation they never develop. I agree. I think there's a lot of upside there with Jamesus. I'm Googling his name right now. I think James is younger than a lot of people think. People would probably like, how old Jamesis?

A lot of people would be like, oh, he's 29. James Winston just turned 26. Had a ton of head coaches. The one thing all the guys in Tampa do is they rave about how hard he works. Now, his decision making is not good, but there is some off-the-field questions. Here's, to be fair, he got in trouble by having an interaction with an Uber driver, a female Uber driver.

I'm entertained by watching James. If I was a decision maker, it'd be hard to overcome that. I know, I think, I saw Clyde Christensen, the quarterback coach for Bruce Ariens, was on Pat Mac. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly. what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight

real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you close. to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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.

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What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, A, ref.

I want you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, Brett. My mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Kunky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports.

And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Vee Show, McAfee retweeted it, and he loves them. But I don't know, man. I get he just got married. I get he's married his high school girlfriend. He's had some issues. So there are some maturity issues.

Now, sometimes guys mature a little slower. And maybe he finally figured it out. But I think there are some fair criticisms. Now, just his talent in a bottle, I'm with you. If he could figure it out, if he, big if, but if he could, you'd have a legitimate starter. I know you were asking for questions, so I have one. What are your thoughts on the state of the quarterbacks in the AFC East?

Which quarterback will run the tables this year? Who could fall off? Well, it's kind of a weird group, right? You got Josh Allen, who's the most physically gifted, but he's inaccurate down the field, but they give him step on Dix, who can be a diva, and we'll see it's the most inaccurate quarterback he's ever played with. Then you got Sam Darnold, who I'm a big Sam Darnold guy.

I think he's really, really talented. Hard to totally judge him last year. did get mono. Offensive line stinks. They don't have many skill guys. Adam Gase might just be an idiot. They got issues. The franchise got issues.

And the Dolphins, I just don't know who the quarterback is. Is it Tua? Is it Herbert? Could somehow they land Joe Burrow by trading their entire draft to get to one? I don't know. So there to me is a question. And Jared Stidham, I've never seen him take a snap. So it's hard for me to say anything about Jared Stidham

and anything about Miami's quarterback. I like in theory Sam Dardled more, but I'll be honest, Josh Allen's growing on me a lot. And if you've listened to this podcast when Sean McDermott came on, I just believe in Sean McDermott. I think he's the right coach, that type guy to be around Josh. They clearly believe in him a lot. So I would probably go right now, Josh, Sam, and then just unknowns.

Huge fan. Been listening for over a year. Appreciate that. My question for you is, as a huge Texans fan, looking back now a year after the trade, do you think Laramie Tunzel trade in a vacuum was worth it? Considering the first round pick is in the late 20s, Kenny Stills is a productive player, I think there's an argument to be made the Texans came out on top.

Yeah, to me, if Laramie Tunzel is your starting left tackle for the next six, seven years, and is a pro bowler every year, like easily one of the best players in the league when he plays. Like when you trade for Khalil Mack or Jalen Ramsey, those guys are the best players in the league. even I thought Khalil was down and he was still pretty damn good. Laramie Tunzel needs to be elite.

There can't be, yeah, there's four or five tackles, but no, he's got to be elite. When you trade multiple ones and a two for a guy, he's got to be elite. So they got to get him under contract, and he's got to be elite. I think it's unknown. Just time will tell. If he's just a solid starting left tackle, it's terrible. Not good. He's got to be elite.

He's a good player. He's got to be better. Like they need to take him. He just become one of the best players in the league. When you think Laramie Tunzel, you should go, yeah, it's one of the best non-corterbacks in the league, any position. It's a way you should think about him. When you get traded for that type of hall.

And I think he's a good player. He's better and a good player. But I wouldn't call him a great player. Now, Bill O'Brien, coach him up, Deshawn Watson. Can he become a great player on their watch? Be cool if he did. If I could be you. And you could be me for just one hour.

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Can Kyler Murray win the MVP this year like Lamar took the leap his rookie year? I would say no. And not because I actually believe. I believe in Kyler Murray more going into a second year than I definitely did Lamar. Now, I don't know if Kyler Murray is going to have Lamar's year, but I think Kyler Murray is a better passer of the football I would bet on over the next decade than Lamar Jackson. Lamar Jackson's success clearly through two years is predicated on running the ball. And I like Lamar Jackson.

He made huge tries passing the ball. The biggest reason, though, he was the MVP, his team was the number one overall seed. Part of being an MVP is you obviously have to have a great year. Usually your team has to kick ass. Look at Maddie Ice a couple years back, Cam Newton a couple years back. It's got to go hand in hand. You got to dominate and your team's got to win.

I just don't see any scenario that Cardinals win more than seven games. Their defense stinks. Their defense is really bad. And I love Hopkins. You know I do if you've listened to this. but is he enough? Who else they really have on offense? Christian Kirk's solid.

Larry is an all-time great, but he's like almost 40. Their offensive line is not good. Running backs in that offense should be pretty easy, but they can't stop anybody. And they're clearly the fourth best team in the division. Even the Rams who have some issues, I still believe in them more than I do, the Cardinals. And even if the Cardinals, you argue,

let's say them and the Rams are a coin flip this year. Well, the Niners in Seattle are better. The division is just so hard. I just don't see any scenario where they're in the playoffs. Cliff Kingsbury could barely win seven games in the Big 12. He's going to win 10 in the NFL? I just... Nice guy.

I mean, I ran into him in the combine. Didn't just head nodded. You know, a little overrated. I used to think everyone hypes him up like the best-looking guy. I mean, he's a good-looking dude. But, you know, I wouldn't call him like Ryan Gosling. The actual Ryan Gosling is a better-looking dude. I just again, I'm not trying to diminish Cliff.

I actually think he's a good offensive coach. The hype on him is just great-looking dude. Yeah, he's solid. I mean, good-looking dude. But I was, I'll be honest with you, a little like, yeah, a little overrated. But no, I'd go no on the MVP. Now, one day, if their team's ever good enough, they'd probably, you know, if you can win 11, 12 games and put up stupid numbers, then yeah.

Do you think the Saints made the right choice with keeping Breeze for the most two years? years instead of seeing if Teddy would look like full season with Kamara Healthy and more Michael Thomas more than Michael Thomas at wide receiver yeah I just don't think they have a choice you know Breeze is better than Teddy I think Teddy's a little overrated when you look back at Breeze's season he missed six games and was 27 and four he was pretty damn good I think he got kind of shit on for the playoff game but he had a pretty good season even for his standards if he had been healthy he probably would have been like 35 and 6. Think about that.

Like he's just a much better player than Teddy. Now when you factor in the money. Now Drew's only making 25 this year and Teddy's making 20. So the money, once Teddy's getting paid, his market's going up. I see what you're saying. It's just a complicated situation. I mean, Drew is still really good. Peyton loves them.

This is their year. I thought last year was their year. But to me, they got to win at Super Bowl this year. Like they are football. ball happens, but this is their year to take advantage of it. You got, you add Emmanuel Sanders, Michael Thomas in the peak of his power, still got Jared Cook, you got Kamara, you got Latavius Mert, your offense is stacked. You got the little returner Harris that runs like 90 miles an hour.

You got good defensive players, you've had the same coaching staff forever now. Like, no excuses. You can't lose the Kirk Cousins at home in the first round. You can't lose the Rams at home. I get the ref screwed him. They should have kicked a crap out of them in that game. I'll never forget watching on my couch thinking Jared Goff does not belong in this game. And they kind of just let them hang around.

The Saints have had a lot of bad losses in the playoffs, given they've been more talented than a lot of their opponents. Think how many times the Saints, like at least when you look back, like some of Peyton Manning's tough losses, like he lost to Belichick a bunch of times in Indy. And then even you'd say his toughest loss in Denver would be that first year when they lost to Baltimore in Denver. Well, Baltimore won the Super Bowl.

And another year, I'm trying to think who they lost to. They lost the Super Bowl to Seattle. Yeah, Seattle was an all-time great team. Like, those actually losses kind of wear better. Like, the Saints this year lost to the freaking Minnesota Vikings at home when they were almost a 10-point favor. I think it was like eight and a half points. They lost.

How does that happen? Two years ago, you're at home against the Rams. It shouldn't even be a tight game in the second half. You're better. the ramps scored three points in the Super Bowl. I have to look at the score of that game, but you should drop 35 on them. So I think the Saints, you could argue,

they've underachieved a little bit. I thought their team, the last handful of years, has been stacked, even for, yeah, I mean, they've been missing a second receiver, but you had Jared Cook's their running game. Kamara operates like a wide receiver. I think he's had, what's this going to be, his third year in the league?

He's had 81 catches, I'm pretty sure, in both years. So he's, if you're getting your second receiver's, catching 81 balls, even if he's a running back. It's pretty good shape. So the Saints, time is now, man. The time is now. Appreciate everyone listening. Even during these crazy times,

keep your head up. Wall, keep our head up, and we'll just try to get through it together. And I'm glad I could talk to football for about 45 minutes for you. And have a safe weekend, and I'll talk to you guys next week. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's with 1 800 Flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate covered berries,

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