The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s megadeal, Ty Simpson a first rounder, and Kelce's new contract

Episode Date: March 24, 2026

A contract-heavy episode of 3 & Out breaking down some of the biggest financial storylines across the NFL. The show opens with a deep dive into Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s megadeal and what it signals about the evolving wide receiver market. That leads into a discussion on Puka Nacua’s looming payday and how the Rams may approach locking up one of the league’s rising stars. From there, the focus shifts to the draft with a look at Ty Simpson and whether he has a legitimate path to becoming a first-round pick. The evaluation includes team fits, upside, and how he stacks up against the rest of the quarterback class. Next, John discusses Travis Kelce’s new contract in Kansas City, what it means for the Chiefs’ window, and how the organization continues to manage its core around Patrick Mahomes. Finally, John answers your questions in this episode's mailbag segment. Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.  All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was crying. You just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis'clock, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life? That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are? I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to deep cover the family man on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts. or wherever you get your podcasts.

The volume. What is going on, everybody, John Middilkoff, three and out podcasts, coming to you live, well, not really because it's a podcast, recording from our studios here in Scottsdale, Arizona. And we had a lot going on today

because a friend of the show, John Snyder, just extended his former first-round pick, JSN, to a massive, massive contract. the implications and the ripple effects this will have on a guy like Puka Nakua. We have a lot of people saying that Ty Simpson, the Alabama quarterback, is going to go in the first round. We have to dive into that. We have some other stories floating around.

Kelsey, some numbers came out. We have a player at Oklahoma who went to the combine and wants to come back for a year eligibility at Oklahoma. We'll do some mailbag questions. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram fire in those DMs. get your questions answered here on the show. And yeah, that'll be the show. We had a Sunday podcast. We will have, may even do a little golf podcast tomorrow.

We're a couple weeks away from the Masters, do some gambling. I was looking, Kepka's got some interesting odds for the Masters. And we can gamble a little bit on the event this weekend. We got the Sweet 16. We've got a lot going on. I like this time of year. I'm a big fan of late May, early April. That's just always a sweet spot.

for non-football sports fans, unless, you know, it's 110 degrees outside, which is not that hot yet, but it's getting there. So you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins' podcast, make sure you subscribe to Three and Out. We have our own podcast feed. And you can watch all of our video up on Netflix.

Appreciate everyone that checks that out. Let's just dive right into the breaking news, the JSN contract. And I think the key to a well-run team, and this is well established now. Every GM says this. Every new coach and GM when they're hired says this. We want to draft and develop.

That is the goal. It's like the cliche. What do you want your team to look like? Smart, tough, mentally tough, physical, and violence. It's like every coach says the same thing. Of course you want to draft players and then extend them. That is the goal. And John Snyder has a history now with Pete Carroll in their first run

of drafting really well, extending a bunch of homegrown guys, and building a great team. And I got a lot of questions from a lot of Seattle fans of we have all this money, why is he being so conservative? And a wise man told me,

a wise, wise man, Super Bowl winning general manager. And listen, I'm very guilty of this because like most fans and like most people just on television, we just cap space, cap space, the salary cap. And he's like, John,

there is a big difference between salary cap, the salary cap space, and cash spending. He's like, no one ever talks about the cash spending. You know, us, the GMs and the person, we don't own the team. We get this thing called a budget. You know, most of us, right, in the real world, non-sports, if you run a podcast company, if you run a finance company, if you run an HVAC company, you got budgets, right? You either got monthly budgets, quarterly budgets, and it's actual cash. Like, we're going to have salary caps.

If I want to build this office, it's going to cost you $47,000. And you've got to pay for it, right? There's no like, well, the salary cap this year on the ability for you to spend on podcast equipment is $98,000. Now, you don't have to spend it, right? But that is the maximum amount you can spend to compete with the other podcast. It's not how we live, right? But in football and in basketball, ball. They have caps, right? We could argue whether that's fair or not. I think it's so lucrative

now for everyone involved. It's hard to bitch and moan about anything. But the actual money coming out is what you need to look for. And when Kobe Bryant and Kenneth Walker signed with other teams, the Bears and the Chiefs, they got to combine $25 million in signing bonuses. And when you get a signing bonus, whether that's $5 million, $10 million, $30 million, that is money paid within two weeks of you signing the contract. You get that cash immediately. So Jackson Smith and Jigba just got a $35 million signing bonus, meaning $35 million. Now, depending on taxes, luckily the Washington millionaire income tax isn't coming for years, so no state income tax, profitable to be Jackson Smith and Jigba in the next couple weeks. He's going to get 35 million. He's going to get

$35 million. And you have to work within the confines of whatever budget you're given. And listen, Seattle, they have some ownership. They're in flux. They are currently in the process of selling the team. And I also think, like, Jackson Smith is a cornerstone piece. He is an elite player. It was pretty clear early.

But this year, once they got Sam Darnold, what were his stats this year? year. 119 catches, almost 1,800 yards and 10 touchdowns. And honestly, when you watched him at times, he looked like Jerry fucking Rice. He's the type guy that you got to break off. And because of the position he plays, it ain't cheap. A couple years ago, Brandon Iyuk, who's catching 75 balls a year, got $30 million a year. And 75 guaranteed. So the number at wide receiver is astronomical. And when you are as good as this guy, he's 24 years old, he's a homegrown guy so you not only know the player how he fits in the scheme, but the person, which clearly they feel really good about, it costs a premium. And this is about budgeting how much you're

actually going to spend in cash for your team. And it's why you let guys go on the margins, even if they're good players, even if they're the Super Bowl MVP, or one of the better defensive backs in your conference. Well, you go, we got other defensive backs that on our own team that we think are better and are going to cost a lot of money. And this is why I defended them for letting some guys walk that it was like, yeah, because you were going to make a payment like this. Last year, they extended Charles Cross, the left tackle. Google how much that contract was.

Wasn't cheap. But here's the thing. You know, when you hit on guys in the draft, and they have had an incredible run now in the first round of hitting on high-end talent, at certain positions, it's even more expensive. if Jackson Smith and Jigba had been the equivalent of what he is, an elite player at tight end or linebacker, maybe you could have kept some other guys because it would have been cheaper. But because of the position he plays, it's still expensive.

And I've been saying this about Sam Darnold. Everyone's like, well, Sam Darnold's not making much. Relative to other positions makes a shitload. Makes like over $30 million a year. Signed a $100 million contract. And when you play a quarterback, usually see every penny. Like, it's not nothing. It's not $60 million.

It's not Dak Prescott, but it's not like some random guard making $10 million a year. And here's the other thing. They are on a run right now that is pretty incredible. Going back to Charles Cross, whatever, five years ago, they've gone to run with, once they made the trade for Denver and they got the fifth overall pick, they drafted Devin Witherspoon, who is going to get a massive contract, and they draft them in pick five. And then later in that first round, they drafted Jackson Smith.

So the year before they got Charles Cross extended left tackle, then they get two more cornerstone players. And then over the course of the next two years, Byron Murphy, last time I checked, pretty damn good player, plays defensive tackle and he can rush the passer. Google how much those guys make, it's not cheap. And then last year, their first couple picks, I mean, Zabel's going to be one of the best guards in the league for a decade.

And Eamon Worry looks like some version of Kyle Hamilton, which you can look up how much Kyle Hamilton makes. It's not nothing. So I think this is part when you run a team and this is the difference now that John is in charge than when Pete was in charge. Because when coaches are in charge, they are just consumed with the here and now.

They can't fathom letting a guy walk. It's like, I don't want to lose Kobe Bryant. Well, we got to pick and choose who we keep. We don't have an unlimited amount, one of salary cap space, but too of cash that we can spend. So we got to be smart with how we utilize it. And obviously they spend a lot of money.

I mean, it's not like Seattle by any means is cheap. But this notion that it's like you can just pay everybody. And that's a very sexy thing for former players to do on television. That's not how these organizations operate. Right? Back to, again, you think Howie Roseman wanted to lose Jalen Phillips? Of course not. He traded for him with the hopes of extending him. And it got to a point of like, well, we can't pay $80 million guaranteed.

That's not going to happen. And I think when you get these massive, massive contracts and most good teams have a quarterback making a lot of money, you've got to be smart with how you invest it. And you've got to have conviction when you invest in these players because you're not just investing in the player on the field. You're investing in the person. And when you invest in the right people who are great players, you can sustain winning. That's typically how it works.

It's why I would bet on Seattle, especially because I think we all agree they have an excellent high-end coach, they're not going anywhere. They have a bunch of young good players, all under contract. Now, they're making more money, meaning they're going to have to continue

to draft well, especially in the later rounds, but they have an elite general manager, a high-end Super Bowl winning coach, and a bunch of high-end young talent. Now, where it gets difficult is over the course of the next couple of years, As you give out these massive contracts, it puts more and more pressure on hitting third,

fourth, fifth, six round players because you need, you know, million dollar labor, right? Not everyone can make 20, 30, 40 million dollars on your team. That's not even possible. And I think Seattle is just in very, very good position. I said this when the story broke, that Paul Allen's kids were going to sell the team. I typically when these teams come for sale, they are, they're great buys because you're buying into the NFL. But they're typically not in great position, right? It's like, I don't know about the coach, don't have much talent, need a major overhaul.

I don't think, I can't remember a situation being much better than this. Talent, coach, GM, all under contract, ready to roll. You're in a tough division. You got McVeigh. you got Shanahan, you got the minor league Arizona Cardinals, but I just think Seattle is so well run. And I also think this shows to all the fans that were like, what are we doing?

Why are we not more aggressive? This is why. Because this shit's expensive. And JSN, now, it's a little, sometimes these contracts in the NFL could be like a little confusing. There's a lot going on. They're not just like, you know, in basketball, it's very black and white, right?

You sign a four-year, $200 million deal. 40 million, 45, 50, 55, or whatever the, you know, it's just, it's very cut and dry on a yearly basis. Even in baseball, there are opt-outs, but like Kyle Tucker, the dude from the Cubs, signs with the Dodgers, four-year, $2,000, $60 million a year, opt-outs after year two and three. Right. This is like guaranteed money, and it's like, well, he actually has two years and $26 million left on his rookie contract.

So that actually is part of this contract. that money was guaranteed because clearly they were going to pick up his fifth year option. So it's not like $120 million in new guaranteed money. It's probably like $100 million in new guaranteed money. But it's a lot. And clearly they love this guy. Obviously the positive momentum of coming off the Super Bowl and him being a just dominant player for him.

And making play after play after play. And listen, like he's not Randy Moss, right? He doesn't look like Terrell Owens. but when you watch him like his shit just translates when you can get open in the NFL and obviously you've got great ball skills and you're fast like that translates because we've seen a lot of guys that aren't as fast

that aren't great route runners that are the contested catch guys sometimes in the prime of their careers they're Antoine Boldner D'Andre Hopkins and sometimes over the first couple years they're Keon Coleman it's like I don't know about this one I don't quite see this one You know, it's why I remember when Devante Adams came out. It was like, you know, he's a little slow.

He's only a 4-5-5 guy. It's like, yeah, well, just watch him get open. And what does he do? He's a great route runner. He has great ball skills. He has a great football IQ and understanding of playing in space. Even Travis Kelsey at this point in time in his career. I know he plays tight end, but he's basically a slot receiver.

Is his feel for routes and getting open? It's like you can't teach that. And that's what separates people in the NFL. Listen, the impact today is like, what about Puka Nakua? Because that's the first thing I thought of. It's like, well, do the Rams? Because I think it's fair. Like, you would just copy and paste this contract a little different

because Puka wasn't a first round pick, meaning that like he only has one year left on his rookie deal, later round pick, so he doesn't have a fifth year option. It's a little more complicated. But I think Mike Girofalo said, don't expect that to happen anytime soon. And listen, there were some weird things that happened off the field, felt like a little immature. It's easy for me to say as some 40-year-old guy like, who the fuck is this streamer?

But like, I don't pretend to like always understand every single world. Clearly, like, he's hanging out with people. I couldn't point out of a lineup. Doesn't mean that they're not popular and cool in his circles. But you could tell a couple times, like he was a pain in Sean's ass. And I think any time that you want to break a guy off, especially at, like historic numbers, the last thing you want them to be is a problem. And you look at Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase, like, those guys were kind of easy

contracts. Not easy in the sense of like, there's a lot of money, but like, we're pretty comfortable with these humans. And that's the question with Puka, like, how comfortable are the ramps? And I say this all the time. Like, I don't judge coaches or GMs off what they say unless you know them personally and they're like off record. But anything they say publicly because they always beat around the bush.

very careful, we keep negotiations in-house. I judge you on your actions, and it's going to be very telling how they handle this. They're going to offer him a massive contract, and he's going to sign it, right, in a number in this world, in this vicinity, or they're going to play it out. And if they play it out, it shows you like, they're a little uncomfortable right now. It's the Jalen Carter thing. There is no disputing. And listen, I think people would argue, like, when you watch Puka, I told my buddy is a wide

receiver coach in the league. I don't know if I've ever seen a player like him. He's like, I honestly have been doing this for decades. He's very unique, right? He won, one of his skills is like, he literally plays harder than everyone else. And his ability to be like break tackles like he's, you know, Earl Campbell is pretty crazy. And is that sustainable?

And that's where I think the Rams are in kind of this weird spot of, are they going to give him $120 million guaranteed? Because if you're Pookaside and you're representing, him, like you basically just said, this is where the number starts. Like, this is it. And, I mean, anytime you get $120 million in guarantees, you know, Michael Parsons just got, what, $145 million in guarantees? I mean, these are historic in numbers.

It is a great time, a great time to play premium positions in the NFL. Pass rushers, interior, exterior, tackles, wide receivers, corners, I mean, obviously quarterbacks. But the money that's flying, I mean, this is NBA Major League Baseball money flying around. So, you know, before I was like, only the quarterbacks, I don't know. I see a lot of these guys getting paid $30 to $40 million now. I mean, hell, Linderbom, the center just got $27 million a year. So it's just if you're a great player, your team's either going to extend you or are you going to hit the market like Jalen Phillips and have people bidding on your services and all of a sudden you look and you've got $80 million in guarantees.

Like, oh, he's a 20-sat guy. No, he's a single-dig-guy guy. Ben banged up, but we're betting on the come. So props to JSN, props to Seattle, and you've got to be feeling pretty good. It's going to be fascinating to see what happens with Puka. I saw it a day. Florio was like, this makes George Pickens number. Like, I don't know if George has much in common with these human beings with JSN or Puka.

But, like, it does complicate long-term negotiations. I have a hard time blaming Jerry. Like, I'm not offering you $100 million guaranteed, but we'll play out the franchise tag. We'll do that now. Could that get weird? A lot of pressure on Brian Schottenheimer, for sure. But that's, I guess, why Dack makes so much.

Like, you figure out the locker room, bro. Can I tell me my friends at Hard Rock Bet? My wife looks at me the other night, and she goes, why are you rooting so hard for Arkansas? You would have thought that Coach Cowell was my dad, I said. 50 to 1. I got the razorbacks to make a freaking run. Duke, bring it on, baby.

Today, she's like, why are you rooting so hard for the Johnny's? I said, Rick Patino, that's my guy. Let's make a run. Got to take down some one seeds, but that's the thing. Even if your bracket is busted, if you gamble, if you bet on these teams, it makes a tournament so exciting. So Hard Rock bet, they have daily boosts. They have parlay profit boosts every single day.

more ways to shoot your shot and get cash with boosted odds. And if you know these heart stopping zero on the clock moments, now they pay. Hard Rock Bet is giving out $25 bonus throughout the tourney if a team you bet to win or cover hits a buzzer beater. That almost happened. I've got Nebraska, who looked like a team of destiny, was about to go home, but they're going to the Sweet 16. So don't sit on the bench.

Download the Hard Rock Bet app today, and let's get the party started, baby. Payable and bonus bets, not a cash offer. offered by Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida, offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. You must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call 1-8-33 play-wise. In Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call

1-800-9 with it. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler. Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up? up with a name hey Jonas guys.

I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say,

Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

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. 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 Slicelife. 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The story that's been percolating is Ty Simpson. And obviously we're going to talk a lot of draft coming up. People are like, middle cuff, give me your mock. It's like, I don't know if I'm breaking down guards with like the 14th pick. But I will talk quarterbacks.

I will talk Jeremiah Love. I also think the wide receiver. Now, I think the wide receivers in this class talking about like no one views like a Jamar Chase or a Julio Jones, A.J. green, you know, seedy lamb, like guys that are, you're very comfortable. Devante Smith a couple years back, taking in like the top 15. But if you really like a guy and you need a wide receiver, taking a guy in the teens or the 20s, you get them for really cheap for a couple years.

Now, you've got to be right for that to matter, right? He's got to be a starter, an impact player. But if you draft a guy in the first couple rounds, you're getting guy if he becomes a pro bowler that's going to be worth $100 plus million in guaranteed for a relatively cheap contract. This is why I'm always a proponent. One, you build your team

in the trenches, offensive line, defensive line, but you also get discounts, right? If you take one of the pass rushers really high, Reese or Bailey or one of the tackles, the Miami kid, the Utah kid, and they become like a high-end starter for you,

giving them like a $30, $40 million rookie contract, Like, that's a steal. You know, it's kind of the pushback. I'm like, listen, Jeremiah Love is an elite player, right? There would be many. I'm not talking even media people. I'm talking in the NFL.

They'll be like, this is the best player in the draft. But if it becomes like, hey, I think I'd get a pro bowl defensive lineman or a pro bowl running back, well, the running back, you're giving him a $40 million contract. Look at the running back contracts. It's not like they're making $100 million. So you're paying kind of already a premium. Now, he better be elite. And you're passing on a pass rusher who would be a steal.

Like you would be saving money relative to his position. So I think that comes into play. And this speaks to the quarterback. Right. I've been a long-time believer in this quarterback inflation. And it was really the group. It probably started with Russell Wilson, which I think gave credence.

to the fact that like small guys could play. It's like, hey, you don't need to be Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. You can be 510. You can be 511. And as we found out, no, you really can't. Like, I mean, short to me as a quarterback is like 6-2. There are some outliers. Purdy's a little under 6-1.

He's a good player. But we've seen guys, you know, Kyler just struggle. You can't see. And, you know, we've seen Russell really struggle as he got older and he couldn't run around anymore because can't see. Now, Ty Simpson, to me, physically, there are some, like, looking at his athletic profile, little shade over 6-1, 210 pounds.

I would say average-ish athlete, didn't run or anything at the Combine, maybe you will at the pro day. I think there are some parallels with Purdy, just physically, right? Arm strength, I think if you like them, timing, rhythm, like that. Pretty was a four-year starter.

So the reps Purdy got in college were dwarf. Ty Simpson started one year to Alabama. And here's the other thing. Purdy went in the seventh round. The last pick of the draft was Mr. Irrelevant. So when you're drafted on the third day as Nuss Myers and Drew Allers and Carson Bexar, a lot of times, and I was going to these 49er camps at the time, Brock Purdy had to win.

Let me repeat, win the third straight. job for the 49ers. Had to win the job, which he did. I forget the quarterback they had. They had four quarterbacks coming into camp. Trey Lance, Jimmy Garapolo, Purdy, and one other guy. But the other guy, they had guaranteed a salary at a couple million dollars. And they either cut him or traded him right before the end of training camp, which kind of was,

you know, a light into like, Brock Purdy's probably going to make the team. And after he did, I remember Trent Williams, like a year ago gave an interview that was like, I went up to Purdy before week one. and I said, I don't think you realize how incredible of accomplishment what you just did was. As the last pick in the draft, when we already had a bunch of quarterbacks on the roster, one guy being the third overall pick, another guy being the guy that had been our starter for years, and another guy that the 49ers had paid, and they chose you for that spot to make the team. But again, he started as a third stringer and needed broken ankles and broken feet to ever get on the field.

So to me, historically, like Kirk Cousins, a lot of these guys, that were drafted a little bit later, they got an easier landing spot into start of their career. When you overdraft in this quarterback inflation, listen, everything is really expensive now, right? I was talking to a buddy today about plane flights. Plain flights, just, you know,

depending on where you live, you could find for whatever number you got pretty accustomed to, especially if you're my age and you've been flying for a couple decades, hey, you know, I can always find a cheap flight for a couple hundred bucks to fly here, to fly there. obviously there are some flights that are always a little bit more expensive, but now, like, the bare minimum flight of what you were used to, like you almost have to double it.

And it's part of the deal. Most things beside televisions, for whatever reason, are way more expensive now than they used to be. But I still don't understand how the profile of a player has changed. Like, he either has the attributes or he doesn't. We have seen a lot of guys historically that were one-year starters blow up in our face. Like, playing and reps in college have proven to be a really big deal.

Just look at all the top guys. Joe Burroughs somewhat of an outlier, right? Didn't play that much. It was a multiple-year starter. But, like, by a second year, he threw 60-plus touchdowns. And they were the greatest team we'd ever seen. But most guys, Patrick Holmes, multiple-year starter, Josh Allen, multiple-year starter,

Lamar Jackson, multiple-year starter. And then you get into the Purdy's, the Dax, the cousins. These guys had a ton of reps. So if you're talking about Jared Goff, three-year starter, if you're talking about the non-super high draft picks and you go to the middle rounds, they played a lot of football. So listen, I'm not disputing that Ty Simpson is some scrub, but to me historically, guys like that went like past pick 75.

And the other thing that allowed that guy to do, one, it brought more teams into play, typically the good teams, so you could go and have a soft landing spot and got to sit, got to learn, got to get more reps in practice, got to play a bunch of preseason reps. When you get drafted in the top 30 or 40 picks, the pressure on you to either start immediately

or like once you get your opportunity, like let's say even the Rams picked them, you better be damn good because if Stafford retires, their goal next year would be to win the NFC West would be to win playoff games. Like the bar is fucking high. And if one of the shitty teams that needs a quarterback, like Arizona, the Jets,

you know, one of those type teams draft you, Godspeed, because I would bet on you to fail. So I think this Ty Simpson talk is just classic quarterback inflation. Now, I'm a little jaded. Maybe I need to go back and watch. Watch them a bunch down the stretch of the season. I know he's a little banged up. I didn't think he was that talented.

I have a hard time with guys with limelmills. traits who just haven't played that much to take high. Like, I've just seen too many Mac Jones, too many Kenny Pickett's, the pressure on those guys to immediately compete within a couple years to be a top 10 quarterback, and then all of a sudden you're like, is this guy even a starter? And then you get in weird spots. So I don't know. I mean, I have a hard time seeing it.

I think good GMs would not draft this guy in the first round. Could be wrong. Maybe a good team ends up taking them. but where I'm sitting based on what I've seen to me historically like he's a day three pick some other stories around the NFL

you know I think sometimes this is back to the JSN thing these contracts they're very they're confusing and we had learned Travis Kelsey signed like a one year 12 million deal

with the chances to win or make 15 million and then all of a sudden it comes out today he got three years like 50 plus million dollars I don't think the guarantees of the contract changed Like they're guaranteeing them one year.

A lot like Mike Evans. It was like Mike Evans got three years, $60 million. It turns out he got one year, $16 million. The reason you give a multi-year contract is because of the signing bonus and the guaranteed money, the money that you pay up front, you can amortize over the course of the life of the deal. And even if the guy retires or you cut them, you can push the money back and manipulate the salary cap. So I think we make a bigger deal over sometimes when these numbers come out. Like the big numbers are the big numbers

Like Jalen Phillips The Panthers are in bed with him for a couple years Like they're going to need him to be good If he's not It would blow up in their face Right remember when the Buffalo Bills Gave Vaughn Miller a bunch of money After he had won

He had been on the Super Bowl team With the L.A. Rams And like he had a sack in every playoff game He looked really good And then it just he got injured for him It was a disaster I mean they were carrying a number for him last year Like he got to be very careful

with that with the signing bonuses and guaranteed money. But I think the Kelsey thing is more like for show than it is in reality the impact of what it's going to do to like their books. One thing that I found kind of interesting, and listen, I'm buddies with Daniel Jeremiah, we'll have to have him on over the next couple weeks, is, you know, NFL network. It's crazy. Maybe I'm the wrong person to ask, but historically, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I've watched a lot of NFL network.

I used to watch back when I was living in the Bay, a lot of NBA TV. I watch a ton of golf channel. I mean a ton of golf channel. But the reality is these networks don't do that well. Now, the NFL network carries some games. NBA TV, I don't even know if NBA TV's still around, used to carry games. Golf channel carries events on Thursday and Friday, and sometimes Saturday and Sunday on the weekends.

So they have some inventory of the sport. but a lot of it is like people talking, BSing, hanging out, right? And for whatever reason, they don't do that well. And part of it is the cord cutting and, you know, habits have changed. But I've always been a consumer, like throughout the course of my life. I was right down there wheelhouse. I was like, if I would have liked tennis, I probably would have watched a tennis channel. Like, I like individual channels on the sport.

Even if some of their stuff stupid, I'm not really getting up watching good morning football. Though I like Schrager and Kyle Brand. but like I think they've tried to do good programming, but it hasn't worked. And they offloaded it, the NFL wanted out of the business, and Disney owns it. And now there's been a lot of talk of like, you know, what's going to happen? The other stories about rap sheets, contract being up. It's like, is ESPN going to want Schaefter and rap sheep, or Schaefter is like, you know,

I don't want to grind my whole life. I'm almost 60 years old. I want to be breaking stories for the next 20 years. I want to spend time with my family. So who knows how it all plays out. But front office sports reported that the, NFL network this year is going to carry the draft like normal. Because I was like, what's going to happen here?

So ESPN will have their draft coverage, McAfee will have draft coverage, and the NFL network will have draft coverage. But I think there's a chance this is the last year, the NFL network like it does now, Ever just has its own draft coverage with Rich Eisen, Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, kind of that crew. Now, they've kind of been cross-pollinating over the course for the last couple years. You know, Clat's been doing some stuff. but I would get ready for this all to be under the one umbrella in

2007. And they can utilize NFL network for preseason games and other stuff. I don't think the channel's going away. But I was always a fan of like going back and forth, going back to when DJ first got the gig with Mayock, to when Gruden used to be on the booth, screaming about Johnny football. I think we are headed toward,

and this is just kind of the way society works, of just like one version. It's just going to be one desk. Now, I think McAfee will always have his thing going because it's just a different vibe. But I don't think that Rich Eisen going up against, I don't even know, Reis Davis, who at Greenberg, maybe Rich Eisen just goes into that seat

and starts hosting on ESPN in 2007 with Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Khyper, some version of that. But I think we should enjoy it while we have it, because we don't have it for much longer. One story I found pretty interesting. I didn't know much about this guy. Owen Heineke, linebacker for Oklahoma.

He went to the combine and worked out. And he is currently suing the NCAA for a year of eligibility. Story's pretty interesting. Started his career in 2021 at Ohio State. But he didn't play football. He played lacrosse. Then he transferred to Oklahoma where he redshirted in 22, played 23, 24, 25, and, you know, goes, I've only played three years of football, that one year of lacrosse.

So he's basically suing for that one year of lacrosse not to count, which doesn't necessarily bother me. I was like, yeah, I'm not going to get caught up in that. I have no problem. Hope he wins. I've always said this, though, you should be able to, if you do have the eligibility, go to the combine, go through the process, and see, like, let that thing play out. after, it's like, hey, you know, we told you were going to be a second round pick, maybe you're going to be a fourth round pick.

Or vice versa. We thought you were going to be a third day pick, but I think you're a lock second rounder now. And I think that can influence the decision on guys, because there used to be that rule of the hard date, either the middle of the end of January, where essentially you had to declare for the draft and there was no turning back. Well, now that the NCAA has little to no juice, I think we need to rethink this. and I think there's been some change over the course the last couple years

but I would just have a pure get as many people to the combine as possible even if guys are like you know I'm probably not going to come out go there and maybe you can hurt improve your stock and all of a sudden you can turn around now college coaches

wouldn't love this because you get a guy like hey we think we're keeping this guy all of a sudden he goes from a fifth round or like hey you're going to go on the second day of the draft like fucking I'm out and even with the NIL so I I would imagine the way everything has been going

that Owen Heineke will be back at Oklahoma and then potentially next year have another good season and be in the NFL in two years. Okay, before we dive to the mailbag, this segment is change of scenery, sponsored by my friends at Toyota. And I saw Michael Pittman, who I actually think two-fold.

I think the way he plays is perfect for Pippen, Pittsburgh was just traded this offseason from the Indianapolis Colts after they gave Pierce the big deal. And two, I've seen a lot of guys like Michael Pittman. I'm not saying he's these guys like to a T, but it does feel that Mike McCarthy has had a lot of wide receivers that played in his style. You know, going back to Jordy Nelson. You know, Devante's different, but just a big physical guy, good route runner, great at the point of, you know, the catch point in terms of making contested catches. I know he's had a down year. And some of my friends in the league think he's slipping a little bit.

I would expect for him to have a bounce back season. I like their duo. You know, Pittman and D.K. Metcalf, pretty good one-two combination. Really, probably two-toes, but, like, that's solid. You know, with the tight ends, if they could somehow figure out the running back, Caleb Johnson, the running back they drafted from Iowa,

who was a disaster last year. I liked him in college, but maybe I was wrong. problem is they don't have a quarterback and Pittman today I saw some quotes saying like hey I'm giving Rogers a space he can still play we still want them

but I have not talked to him and I think sometimes this situation last year I got it like you just left the Jets you were cut for the first time but now you're kind of putting this team unless there's some handshake deal under the table

like what are we waiting for? And I would imagine that you make this trade, you either are pretty confident he's coming back if you're the Steelers, because you don't acquire another wide receiver when you have no quarterback. Even last year I thought it was like, you're going to acquire a D.K. McCaff,

you don't have a quarterback, but I think there was a little bit of an under-the-table deal. I don't know if there is this year, watching Aaron a couple weeks ago go on McAfee, but I think if you get any feeling, that he's not coming back. You got to pull the trigger and trade for one of these backups, whether it's McKee with the Eagles,

who according to reports how he wants a second round pick, whether it's Tyson with the Bears, which according to reports, the Bears would like a second-day pick. They're not giving these backups away. Same thing with Mack Jones. You need a starting quarterback. You can't have these two wide receivers,

this bunch of guys on defense making a lot of money and no quarterback. What's the point in acquiring Michael Pittman if you got no one to throw to him. So I think the change of scenery for Michael Pittman, I like the fit with McCarthy. If you would have told me you would have added Pittman when McCarthy was in Dallas,

he was awesome. He likes these type players. But got to get someone to throw him the ball. So Toyota reminds us that when people are the destination, it's not about where you're headed, but who you're headed there with. Learn more at Toyota.com and find a vehicle that fits.

your people. Life moves fast. Work, family, friends, weekend plans, and somewhere in between. You find the moments that really matter. That's why Toyota believes people are the destination. It's not just about where you're headed, it's about who's beside you. From early mornings and late nights, from pack schedules to spontaneous adventures. The Toyota Rav4 is built for real life. Whether you're heading to a game, meeting friends for a watch party, or chasing the next big moment. It gives you the space and comfort to enjoy the ride. No matter what the day brings. When people are the destination, ordinary drives become shared memories. Learn more at Toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers and guess what?

We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a First people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember.

I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast. We could call in and say, hey Jonas.

And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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, N.L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or

wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 SportsSlic on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Okay, let's bang out some mailbag questions. At John Middlecoff. At John Middlecough is the Instagram fire in those DMs. Very easy to get involved in the show. Do you have a way too early AFC playoff prediction? Think about it. Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Texans, Bengals, Ravens, that's nine. Not even counting the Steelers.

And maybe the Colts with a healthy Indiana Jones. What's your way to early seven? Well, I would go, bills, in no order. Bill's Chargers, Denver, Texans, Bengals. I think the Chiefs, we just got to know about Patrick's health.

I think they would be a major, if you tell me he's healthy, I think they'd go right back in with a good draft. So I think the Jags, I mean, they lost some players in free agency. ETN was big for them. This Travis Hunter thing, how's that going to play out? Like, could they trade Brian Thomas during the draft? Like their coaching staff, like their head coach.

So I'm not at, they don't have a first round pick this year because of the trade they made last year. But to me, the Ravens and the Jags, I got some questions. Ravens, obviously, from a personnel standpoint, lost a bunch of players, got a brand new coaching staff. And the Jags is like, okay, now you're kind of the hunted. You know, last year they kind of got to be the hunter, fly under the radar a little bit. I think it's a little bit different when everyone's gunning for you.

So I would say the bills, Chargers, Broncos, like them a lot. Texans really like them. If CJ can just kind of find his stride. I got to know who the Steelers quarterback is. the paths. I don't know. I mean, they're going to be solid because, again, they got good coaches, but the schedule was so easy last year.

Who's he throwing do? I think the AFC's pretty open. Like, if you're Josh Allen and the bills, like, time is now. If you're Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers, time is now. That's why Denver just traded for Jalen Wado, because we can win it now. Still Salty never answered my dumb Aunt Edward's question. I did.

I think I said he'd play tight end. Could a hypothetical billionaire, Niners fan, buy Seattle and tank their franchise, or would the NFL step in? The Allen family would have to sign off so the billionaire would have to be undercover. Why would you spend? You'd have to be so filthy rich to spend $10, $11, $12 billion to ruin the team. the whole fun of the team or to make any big purchase is to be in charge and win. Like, why would you, and the other thing is, this is a gig that you are a very public figure.

So local radio, national radio, podcasts, you know, the athletic bloggers, all sorts of people that talk about football would start shitting on you. You know, ask Jimmy Haslam what it's like in Cleveland. It ain't fun. It's way more fun to be like, we love this guy. Like, what? This is awesome. So I guess in a hypothetical world, sure.

But that's, I don't see that happening. Now that JSN is extended, who do you think ends up with the bigger deal? Him or Puka? Given his bit of a meathead, do you think the Rams have hesitation about handing out? I said this earlier that I just think that there's more risk there than JSN. There's more risk there than obviously Justin Jefferson. It's one of those where you're thinking about it. And any time, there are some guys like you don't even think about it.

Like, what's the cost? Boom. Penae Soule, this is what it costs, right? You know, you just get great players in the, I'm trying to think of like all-time great players in their prime right now. You just, Jamar Chase, Penae Sewell, you know, the Eagles with Devante Smith. There are certain players who's like, okay, this is a cost, pay them. Let's get in front of it.

C.D. Lamb, you know, Jerry always waited, but typically Michael Parsons. So I think that, I don't know. My guess would be they end up just paying them, right? Because I do think it's risky. They're in win now mode. They're trying to win the Super Bowl this year. that if you just make him play out another season on the fourth year of his rookie deal,

does that fuck him up mentally? If you're going to do that, wouldn't you just trade them now? But the problem is they want them. So, I don't know. I don't have a great feel for that one. They're pretty quiet about it, you know? And when there's stories coming out that,

he's going to have to wait a minute. I think it shows you, they're working this, they're workshopping this thing, as they should. I mean, when you're talking these huge numbers, you better feel pretty confident, right? You better feel pretty confident. Clearly, you know, the Cowboys, for example, bizarre operation because of Jerry.

But he's like, listen, I think they'd be the first tell you, Mike is a freak talent. He's a special pass rusher. But him getting 15 sacks for us ain't going to lead us to the Super Bowl and giving them all this money when we're already paying DAC and CD and we're going to eventually have to pay some of these other guys doesn't make that much sense. It actually makes more sense if we can turn them into some first round picks

and hit those picks. So there was some logic behind it, right? Even if you disagree, like the whole point of a draft is to draft of Michael Parsons and then extend them, the problem is Jerry had built up the top heavy team and their defense was so shitty that they had to pivot.

I'm not trying to justify it because I think Mike, I mean, there were times this year, even maybe I underestimated him a little bit. I don't think he's a perfect player by any means, but when you're that elite as a pass rusher, and you're on a team that's winning a lot, which the Packers would have been up until he got injured, your value is extremely high.

Question for the pod. TB12 looked pretty good playing flag football. He's now 48. It has been out of the league for three years. Do you think he'd have another Super Bowl by now if he had never stopped playing. It's a good question. The one movie made where he juked out the dude and threw the dime,

listen, Dan Marino can still throw a dot. I bet Fav can still throw a 95-mile-hour fastball. Tom Brady is going to throw a beautiful ball until he's 70 years old. Definitely in his 60s, no problem. I do think the way Tom plays is he couldn't move. So one thing that started to happen in Tampa is like he didn't really want to get hit. So do I still think that Tom right now, if you could block form on a given game in like, you know, River style,

could throw you three or four touchdowns and win you a football game. Obviously. Could win you a playoff game 100%. Could he do the course of a season though? Because if you don't want to get hit, it's really hard to play when that's your style of sitting in the pocket. especially now, there's less good offensive lines, there's more pass rushers, it's inevitable you're going to get hit.

So I think that's the problem. Do I think he can still throw dots on a post route or the timing on an out route or change shit the line of scrimmage and get you into the right, like he could don't, he's playing, everyone's playing checkers, he's playing chess. I just think that that last year in Tampa

like he wanted no part of getting hit. Even Rogers this year, and again, he had a bro. broken hand. You can just tell, like, do I want to get crushed right now? I'm worth hundreds of millions of dollars. I've already a champion. My legacy's already set. It sucks. All of a sudden, Daniel Hunter's coming around the edge. You're like, what am I doing? This is a question about Kelsey. I saw the sign the three-year, a $54 million deal. Is the Chiefs getting caught up in nostalgia? There's no way he plays three more years. Again, I said this earlier. It's about

the extension of pushing the money down. You're just manipulating the salary. cap. That's all I think modern day football is for the good teams. Manipulating the cap. I mean, that's all it is with contracts. Manipulating as much as humanly possible and pray that it doesn't bite you in the ass.

I was listening to talk about the NCAA and how NIL has changed the game for the big schools to get high-end players. It seems the new, quote, Diamond in the Rough is getting the new sweet coach. Like Indy with Signetti, even in the NFL, like Cohen with the Jacks.

How do coaches find, quote, diamond in the rough? Well, the difference in college than the pros is like Liam Cohen's a good example. In the NFL, if I sign you to whatever, a four or five-year contract for Liam Cohen. So he gets five years, let's say he got six or seven million dollars. It's not like he's making Andy Reid money. He's never been a head coach. A year in, you're like, God, we got a gem, right? We got something special.

In college, Liam Cohen, all these other colleges would have been trying to get his services. Like Kenny Dillingham with ASU. All of a sudden,

Michigan's like, he has to turn them down. He has to turn down, like LSU's calling him. Florida's calling him. In the pros, you don't have to worry about that. Once you got a guy,

you just kind of keep him. As long as you're winning, he's going to stay and you just extend him. In college, like Signetti is a gem and he's a dominant coach, they pay him

$13 million. He's the highest paid coach in the country. So they had to pay him a premium and do a good job building around him. So the difference in college is like coaches can leave. In the pros, you're kind of stuck if it's going well. Like Liam Cohen can't just pimp out his services. Last year when Kevin O'Connell wanted to raise, he had to go through Glazer to be like, teams might trade for him.

It's like, well, the Vikings would have to trade him, which clearly they're not going to do. But why did that story come out? He wanted a big race. In college, Kevin O'Connell, the equivalent, would have been like, Michigan's offering their head job, Florida's offering them a head job, and they would have to give them a race. Happens all the time in college. So there are more variables in college with that.

Obviously, everyone just wants the best coach possible. In the pros, in the NBA, in the NFL, if you get the right coach, you just keep them. in college, if you're not Ohio State or Oregon or something, and even Oregon, it's like, Dan Lannning had to be like, listen, I don't want to leave. And like, Alabama's interested in him. If he had wanted to go, he could have. So that's something that college you don't, or in pros, you don't need to mess with.

And just because you leave doesn't mean the grass is always greener. But like, Matt Campbell at Iowa State. If that was the NFL, like, you know, whoever, the Bears, they don't have to worry about him leaving to Penn State. Ben Johnson is just their coach. Question for the bag. I'm 25 years old. I'm set to have my first child in June.

Congratulations, Casey. A boy. Having Jack at 40, are there any life lessons that you've learned since you were 25 that helped you prepare for fatherhood? Also, we live right next to Tennessee where I went to college and I'm curious is Ty the best quarterback

in the draft behind Mendoza? Is he better than Pavia and Aguilar? I talked to a scouting buddy today actually, I was in the car picking up my mother-in-law that I flew her out this week because my guy Jack is just he sees sleep as the enemy

and you can follow any procedure, any book or podcast on ways to train sleep, but for this nine-week-old, he beats to his own drum, and it has been Navy SEAL training around here. Someone asked me recently, you know, preparing, like, is it crazier than what you thought about? I'll be honest, I didn't really think much about it.

I just, I mean, I always wanted children. I just had to meet the right person and be stable in my life and be in a position where I could do it, but I never thought about what it was actually going to be. to be like. Most of my friends or brothers, you're around their kids, but you're not like every single day when they're infants, right, or young babies. It is just, there is no preparation, really, to be honest with you. And the life lesson stuff about, you know, what you're going to teach them. It stuff, you're not even, you're just trying to get them not to cry, you know, and not to

burr, you know, try to get them to burp so they can lay on their. back and go to sleep. It's, I, I think that stuff is, at least for me, more as you get older, which I would say my core values and morals haven't changed since I was like in high school. I would say the one thing that I am way more than that, I was very selfish. You know, I think all I cared about in my 20s and even through my early 30s were like myself, my own ambitions, what I had to do. I didn't think of other people.

And as you get older, as a good woman comes in your life, you know, you just get more perspective on like things are bigger in yourself. Don't be so caught up in your own world because most people don't give a shit. So I would say that trying to think of others, including my wife, going through this, is something I try to think a lot about. One piece of advice that I actually saw on Instagram, which I trust me, we've, I haven't followed this to a T.

But when you're up at 3 a.m. with the baby, don't speak. Yeah, just, just don't speak to each other. Because typically the conversations, you're tired. It's just, it's not a happy environment. That would be my recommendation. I saw that on an Instagram real one time. It's like piece of advice is for new baby.

3 a.m. Keep quiet. Now, again, I've been guilty of saying things because you're just not even thinking straight. You're pissed off. You're just in the middle of the night. Time you'd never be up. Don't say anything.

But I would say, you know, you're going to have a much different 20s, late 20s than myself. Just think of other people. Think of her. But I didn't, I wouldn't have learned that, you know, up until now. And then the things you're going to teach your child, I think you just teach them as they get older and they can communicate and they can remember, you know.

So I'm not in that face. I'm just trying to get them to, you know, I don't even know. Not shit all over me. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl after spending the GDP of a small nation on free agency last off-season. Do you think the Panthers can make a similar type leap? After signing Jailen Phillips, Devin Lloyd, Rishi Walker, I think it's safe to say two things can be true. They overpaid Jalen Phillips. Like they paid him more money than his profile and resume would say he was worth. But when you make it a free agency, you've got to pay a premium and essentially like a tax to

acquire guys that other teams would want. But I also think they need to be. him. And if he can just be a productive pass rusher for them, it's, this isn't an apples to apple situation. But I remember people like, God, that's, gave him a lot of money, you traded a high pick for Brian Burns. Like, you watch Brian Burns for the Giants. Like, that guy can play for any team. If Jalen Phillips can be that, like, you don't need to be Vaughn Miller in his prime. I don't need to be Miles Garrett. But can you be a guy when people watch TV and watch your team play, be like, I fucking want that guy on my squad? So, yeah, he's making a little bit more. I'd like to pay him, but like that guy's an impact player.

He can really rush the passer. If Jalen Phillips can do that, I've like Lloyd's in Utah. He obviously had kind of a breakout year last year. Their formula's pretty clear. They don't have Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes. He's going to have to be a game manager. McMillan's a good player. They got some good pieces on the offensive line.

They need to have a good defense. And like that formula can win them 10 games. He's going to have some bad games. He's going to get overwhelmed. He's also going to have some good games. He's going to be a very up and down player. To me, the question with them big picture, because I think next year, they could win the division, 100%. But like, how do you handle this situation with this contract? Personally, pick up the fifth year option, and we just play out his entire rookie contract. And we'd figure it out from there. But you cannot do the Tua, Kyler thing. That's how you get in

trouble. Good question. Similar question. they's had a very good this on the Panthers. Between seeing what happened to Kyler and Tua, not talking contract extension with Bryce yet, could they be setting up to be the first team to tell the quarterback, this is the number

we think you're worth, rather than just picking the number up with the quarterback scale, build a great team that could succeed with Bryce or the next reclamation project. My question is this. Do you want to give him a contract?

extension. Like, let's say, hey, Bryce, we think you're worth like three years, $70 million. Do you want to give him three years, $70 million? Or you're like, we just want this guy for really cheap? My question is, do you want to give this guy a contract extension? I could not say right now I feel comfortable doing that. Now, again, not like I've watched every Panther snap. I've probably watched more bad than good. I know he had some moments in the playoff games, but I, I wouldn't even be, it wouldn't even be on my top of mind. Like the Texans right now, it's like, C.J. We want to build around you.

We just need to see more. We know you have it in you. But can you play just a different style of football? Like, Bryce, I don't even know if he hasn't in them. To be like a franchise quarterback. And this, you know, technically this administration, the coach specifically, it's not like he was the guy that drafted him. Okay, we'll end on this.

49er fan here. Would you rather have Dak or Brock? I would say in 26, I'd rather have Brock, because especially for the 49ers, there's a athletic element that DAC no longer has. Now, DAC in just a pure passing offense, is going to be better than Purdy. I mean, part of Purdy's skill set is Kyle's offense.

Dak, when he played for Mike, and now Schottenheimer, there's just like, drop back, sling it. That's not really Purdy's deal. So I think their skill sets Dak used to be much more of a hybrid player He now doesn't move as well But he's a better I would say pure pocket passer

He's just taller he can see Dax developed into a really good player Purdy has a element of his athleticism That's a huge huge addition to the 49ers Because beside Trent Williams They're not exactly You know a bunch of all pros up front So they need him to move around

And he does really well Dack couldn't do that for the Niners. He could when he was younger. You know, if you would have got Dack, or if Dack would have got with a guy like Kyle, you know, or, you know, in the floor, Kevin O'Connell or McVeigh when he was young in that offense, I think he would have been, could have had a lot of success.

He's had a lot of success. But I just wonder if his playoff resume would have looked a little differently. He's obviously had a really good career. I'm much higher on Dack now than I was earlier in his career. I know he had a rough stretch there The playoff games But I definitely think he's good enough To have playoff moments

They just haven't really come in the big spots I know he had the one game against Tampa When they were terrible But I would say I would say it like this If the Cowboys and obviously money and contracts are complicated If Jerry Jones Called Kyle and John

And said Dak for Purdy Or vice versa I think they both just say no I don't think the 49ers would trade Brock Purdy for Dak Prescott, and I don't think the Cowboys would trade Dak Prescott for Brock Purdy. So it's one of those. It's like they're kind of in the same spot. Right?

They're in the same world. They're not in that upper tier. They're better than the majority of guys. And they both have a little bit different of a skill set. But I like both guys. I'm higher on Brockton and guys like Colin and I'm higher on Dak than people that think he's overrated. He makes a lot Right, but it's Jerry for you

Adios, talk to you tomorrow The Volume Hey guys, it's us The Jonas Brothers, I'm Joe I'm Kevin And I'm Nick, and guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas, we invented a podcast

Well, we didn't invent it We just contributed to it We're the first people to do podcasts We get to ask other people questions Because we're sick and tired Of being asked questions Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it But you know, tired and sick

tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed.

You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis keep coming to. He's like, you know, I love it. love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life?

That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are? I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.