The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Ravens CANCEL Maxx Crosby trade with Raiders + NFL Free Agency Mailbag
Episode Date: March 11, 2026On this episode of 3 & Out, we break down the latest twist involving Maxx Crosby after the Ravens reportedly back out of the trade. What happened behind the scenes, what does this mean for the Rai...ders moving forward, and where does Crosby’s situation go from here? We also open up the mailbag to answer listener questions, including why Jordan Love doesn’t get more recognition as a top quarterback in the NFL, how general managers approach free agency after winning a Super Bowl, and the challenges teams face trying to stay competitive after reaching the top. Plus, we get into several other questions and topics from around the league as we continue to break down the biggest storylines shaping the NFL offseason. All that and more on this episode of 3 & Out. Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest. All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The volume.
What is going on, John Middlecough, a three and out podcast.
We had done a big mailbag.
At John Middlecough is the Instagram.
Fire in those DMs.
Get your questions answered here on the show.
Did like an hour-long mailbag and then news broke.
The Baltimore Ravens had said, we're out.
Our picks, we want them back.
and they have backed out of the Max Crosby trade.
So I did like a five, six minute, just instant reaction to the information we have
and just my thoughts on what the Raiders should do moving forward with their star pass rusher,
which I think includes just keeping them.
But we'll do that at the top and then we'll dive into the mailbag.
So best part about the podcast business, we can adapt on the fly.
We can pivot quick.
And that's what we had to do because this was not a story that I think most of you would agree.
we could have envisioned coming that the Ravens are like,
actually take backs, we're good.
I mean, give us our pick back.
And because it's not official,
nothing actually officially happened.
And Max Crosby did not get traded to the Ravens.
Could he get traded somewhere else?
Time will tell.
There's a fluid situation.
And we will be on it throughout the week as things change.
But wow, did not see that coming.
So again, Max Crosby, then mailbag tomorrow.
I'm sure we'll have more information to this.
And we will dive deeper into it.
as well as dad diaries and some other stuff going on in the national football league.
So let's just dive into some of my initial thoughts on this just bizarre, crazy,
out of left field, maybe not out of left field situation involving this trade.
Well, obviously the breaking news on Tuesday night was the Baltimore Ravens
had said takebacks.
We don't want them.
We're out.
and the Raiders released a statement that the Ravens have backed out of the trade with Max Grosby.
So all the Raider fans who had been doing mock drafts, you know, should we take an offensive lineman,
should we take a wide receiver?
Do we just load up on tight ends and is the Oregon guy there?
Do we take that freak show?
What do we do?
You no longer have the 14th pick, but the good news is you still have Max Grosby.
And I'm on this three and out text chain is how I found out about the influence.
right as I finish.
And one thing Jackson put in the group text is that he was watching insiders on NFL
network.
And Garifolo, bald guy, said that it's a medical reason, which, you know, clearly when you
are make a trade, Jito Smith today, got traded to the Jets, he's in New Jersey, getting a
physical.
So for a trade to go through, you've got to pass the physical.
Clearly the Raven saw something that they weren't comfortable with.
and I don't know how Max's
cap number coming back
the $30 million impacts all their signings yesterday
my guess would be that they still have the
cap space
because my initial take after seeing this
I would say
I don't want to say unprecedented
I'm sure people have backed out of trades before
but for the most part
during this Monday and Tuesday when a trade goes through
when a signing goes through
that guy ends up on the other team
like Linderbaum is not going to back out of the deal and sign with someone else.
I can only remember that happening once.
Now, free agents signings are different than trades.
But Emmanuel Sanders years ago, you know,
was going to sign with the chiefs when they had Alex Smith backed out and went to the Broncos.
I think when they had Peyton Manning.
So it's pretty rare.
Like once you, these guys have been finding out their market since the combine is when
unofficially tampering really starts.
So my take would be if you can afford to keep all those guys, you kept yesterday,
assuming Max is not adamant that I have to go somewhere else because you saw that video,
it's like he didn't want to leave the Raiders.
Could you just keep Max Crosby?
Could you just keep Max Crosby with all those guys you signed yesterday
and just try to be a credible team?
And then add Mendoza, you got a high pick in every round and just try to improve your team that way.
And you have like a credible NFL team with a bunch of NFL Vendos.
vets who have played at a pretty good high level on defense to go with Max,
multiple guys in the front seven, right?
So my initial takeaway, again, this is pretty raw and real after the breaking news
within the last 15 minutes.
If I'm the Raiders, I would just keep them because here's the other thing.
All those teams, and I was saying over and over, they're going to get two first round
picks.
Well, now all those GMs that would have traded two first round picks are surely hitting up
DeCosta, like, what did you guys see?
What the hell happened?
And he's probably telling them, like, we didn't feel comfortable.
Now, medical information, depending on who you ask, like, once upon a time,
Nick Saban's doctor said, do not sign Drew Breeze, his shoulder doesn't work.
The Saints said, we'll sign him.
How'd that work out?
Nick Saban went to Alabama, worked out pretty well for him, but he had to leave the NFL.
It didn't have a quarterback.
And Sean Payton became Sean Payton with Drew Breeze.
And Drew Brees is now Hallfamer.
So I think certain doctors, certain can see certain things.
and certain other people can disagree.
It happens all the time during the draft.
Did a medical examination at the combine go,
we think this guy's got a degenerate knee, a degenerate shoulder.
I would not draft him.
I don't think he's going to get a second contract.
And teams take that guy off the board.
And then that same guy is drafted and goes on to have a great career.
Make pro bowls, get a second contract, become a great,
a great consistent player for whoever drafts them.
Right?
So I think these situations are pretty rare.
and especially this situation feels a little unprecedented
given the amount of compensation in which they had traded for the player
pick 14 I mean is a lot and obviously the following year's first round pick
especially given this is like a high level organization in the Ravens
so it's definitely shocking when you read the posts from the Raiders
but it is what it is they backed out and if I'm the Raiders
my take is on Tuesday night at 5.30 in the afternoon or dinner time
I would just keep back to Crosby if that's
that relationship is not fractured enough.
Like, you just want to stay?
You just want to continue to be a Raider?
Because we would like to continue to have you to play along with all these other guys.
And my guess, again, this information is flying, a lot of stuff's going on.
If I'm just going to take a guess sitting here on Tuesday night before a free agency starts
tomorrow and now they backed out of the trade, assuming that this trade doesn't, you know,
somehow get worked out.
I would guess Max Krosby is just on the Raiders in 2006.
So did not see that coming.
The NFL's pretty crazy.
This feels like on the crazy scale pretty high, right?
This is not something that you expected to happen,
given that it felt like the Ravens were all in.
They were already posting pictures of him in a Ravens uniform,
CGI or AI or however you do that.
So you just never know.
And clearly the Ravens were not comfortable with whatever their doctors saw
and said, we're out.
And the Raiders were, what?
We're out.
Those picks aren't yours.
That 14th pick is ours.
So because nothing is official until you pass a physical
and the league year doesn't technically start until Wednesday afternoon,
Max Crosby is still a Raider.
And that's my official take.
If I'm Smytec and I'm Brady and I'm the Raiders,
I just keep Max Crosby.
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at John Middlecoff, at John Middlecoff is the Instagram firing those DMs.
Tomorrow we will kind of obviously recap everything that happened and just do stuff that we didn't hit on.
Still a little fluid.
We've seen some little moves.
Romeo Dobbs, like him as a player, signed with the Patriots.
Jenkins, the former offensive lineman from the Packers who was cut signed with the Browns.
We're still waiting on Trey Hendrickson and obviously some potential trades.
You know, A.J. Brown could Macauchel Jones.
It's actually Mike McCorkel Jones be traded.
So we will do that.
The Dad Diaries, obviously Fugazi Friday later this week.
But today we'll just be a heavy, heavy mailbag.
At John Middlecoff.
At John Middlecoff is the Instagram fire in those DMs.
Get your questions answered here on the show.
I had so many.
I was like, you know what?
We've been grinding.
We did a big free agency pod the last couple days.
I've done multiple podcasts with coward.
So let's just do, let's just empty the clip here on the mailbag.
Firing those DMs, they are always wide open.
And you're welcome.
You're welcome to come on in as many young, middle-aged men do with football questions.
My DMs look a lot like a babe, except I'm a dude.
And all my questions revolve around football, but it's all dudes.
We will start here with Tyson.
Question for the podcast.
When it comes to the Steelers quarterback, why is Will Howard not a viable option to try out as the starter?
I get that the franchise isn't interested in a rebuild, but he did sit a year behind Rogers, and that's not nothing.
I'm a big K-State fan, so I'm big on Will Howard.
I saw flashes of greatness at Kansas State, but when he transferred to Ohio State and got around NFL level coaching and truly excelled, he won the Natty.
And he was good.
I mean, he was, he looked like Peyton Manning in the playoff games.
He was, he was dominant player.
Just wondering if there is a reason why he's not in the discussion to be the quarterback in Pittsburgh.
He's already on the roster, after all.
I think this one's pretty simple.
They have a new coach who's an offensive guy who was not in the league last year.
I think it's fair to say he didn't evaluate him coming out of college,
given that he got fired right at the end of the season,
not being Mike McCarthy.
Two, the way the league works,
whether you're the Pittsburgh Steelers,
and every single year minimum,
you're trying to win nine games,
10 games, or you're the Jets or the Cardinals,
and you stink.
To go into a season with the six-round pick
who's never, pretty sure he never had it.
He even played a snap last year,
like an offensive snap.
If you watched every snap of the Steelers,
obviously he got hurt.
He was on his reserve for a minute.
I don't think he played a snap, did he?
So you're looking at a guy
who not only didn't,
play who's also a later round pick. And fair or not, you fight an uphill battle when you are a
late round pick. And typically you have to earn your way in camp and in OTAs and then work your way up
with the coaching staff. So let's say the front office, Omar and his crew really like this guy,
Will would have to do it in training camp and preseason games and then would need an opportunity
through injuries.
Like when you look at the famous third day quarterbacks,
but specifically like six and seventh rounders,
obviously Tom's the most famous ever,
but let's just use it purdy a couple years ago.
It was a seventh round pick who was multi-year starter
dominated in the big 12th.
Is you need things that are out of your control to go your way.
And that's typically injuries.
But they don't hand the starting spot
when you've never played to a six or seventh round pick.
it just, it's never happened and it never will happen.
So fair or not.
Now, who knows?
Maybe Will Howard becomes a really good player.
I'm with you.
He's pretty intriguing guy based on that run they had at Ohio State.
Now you get a Michael Pittman, you get him D.K. Metcalf.
He's got guys to throw to.
But like, does Mike McCarthy think he's good enough?
Is Mike McCarthy going to risk his opportunity becoming, I mean, this is his last job he's
ever going to have, obviously.
But his hometown team with a six-round pick, year one, like that could go the wrong way.
So we'll see, again, I'm recording this Tuesday afternoon.
Do they make a play?
Do they trade for a Mack Jones, a Tyson Badgett?
Do they, are they interested in the Kyler Murray?
They're a pretty fascinating team, but it just doesn't work that way.
Another Steelers question.
So now, always being relevant and never bottoming out is badass.
You basically said the Steelers were stupid for holding on to a couple months ago,
for holding on to that a couple months ago.
Is this baby brain?
Listen, I talk a lot.
My point simply, and me and Colin brought up the Steelers yesterday trading for Pitman.
I do respect.
I don't agree.
Like, I think this would be a great time to bottom about this year.
But that is not how they operate.
So arguing, it was like I said this forever against Tomlin.
Like, it was time for a Tomlin divorce a couple years ago.
But I was done talking about it.
Why?
Because they were never going to get a divorce from Tomlin.
They were never going to fire him.
Clearly, we're never going to fire him.
Even this year, it's like they were clearly not good enough.
Late in the season, like probably after Thanksgiving before Christmas,
there was a report on a Sunday.
Like, the Steelers may, you know, mutually depart,
but they will not fire Mike Tomlin.
So you get to a point where if you don't control the situation
and you're like me commenting on it,
it's pointless to talk about the same thing over and over and over again.
Rooney, once they gave the press conference,
I think this was either after Tomlin stepped away or maybe the day that they hired McCarthy.
Like rebuilding is not in their vernacular.
Like they don't speak like that there.
And my point is like I can in a league full of the Jets and the Cardinals, the NBA full of tanking teams and some of these teams in baseball,
spending less money than some players and individual players in like the NBA and NFL make.
It's just I can respect something even if I,
I don't totally agree with it.
And they've operated for a way for a long period of time.
If you told me they had a credible,
if you just told me Dak Prescott was the quarterback of the Steelers,
I'd be like they could win the division.
They're a flawed team, but like they're a quarterback away from being pretty solid.
A lot of teams are flawed.
So I just think they got to figure out a way to get a credible quarterback.
And they have too many good players.
And now McCarthy, like they're never going to draft one or two.
even if they started, let's say Will Howard.
They started Will Howard.
And it turns out like a lot of six rounds,
seventh round players,
and this is no shot at him personally,
but like he just sucks.
I still think they would figure out a way to win like five games.
If you win five or six games,
you end up drafting like ninth, not first.
Now, you're in much better position
to move up to get one of the top guys,
but I think that's easier said than done.
I mean, most of the shitty teams,
maybe it changes now with the Giants with Harbaugh,
but they've been drafting high, it feels like it for a decade.
The Cardinals draft high every single year.
The, I mean, the Titans have been bad for a long time.
Up until Liam Cohen, the Jags always drafted high.
So, like, that sucks.
Do you what's like watching a season that just,
now, part of the Steeler thing is, like,
their expectation is to compete against the Ravens,
to compete against the Chiefs,
to compete against, you know, the bills,
and that gap has widened over the last three or four years.
But a big reason for that is, like,
they got Mahomes, they got Lamar, they got Josh.
And you've had nobody,
even last year with the 41-year-old Aaron,
who tried, who did a valiant effort.
Like, I respect the shit out of them last year.
Don't understand why people say Jordan Love was in...
So my overall point is,
we can argue till we're blue in the face,
whether, like, this is stupid,
that is not, that is what they do, right?
You could be like, God, if you go to in and out, you're just cheeseburger.
That's your only option, right?
The Steelers, their only option starting from ownership.
Again, it's not like Omar and even Tomlin might have been open to it, maybe,
but their owner, like, that doesn't tolerate it.
So that just comes with the territory.
Don't understand why people say Jordan Love was inconsistent this past year.
23 touchdowns and six picks in the second highest QBR.
He has two or three below average games,
and the rest he was really good to great.
I understand he needs to stay healthy,
but don't understand how people don't think he's a really good quarterback.
Your thoughts on him moving forward.
This is where it's like the chicken or the egg.
LaFleur gets criticized pretty heavily with his play calling.
You can watch games,
and I bet if you went in the building players and coaches,
they'd all have slightly different opinion.
Let's go, the Bears playoff game.
If I remember correctly, they're just kicking their ass, right?
And Jordan Love looks awesome.
And then all of a sudden they just stall out in the second half.
And you're like, what is going on here?
So I think part of it is there is no disputing.
He's a good player.
They made the right decision in the Rogers pivot,
extending him.
Like, he's a good starting quarterback who you can compete
to be a top one or two seed with.
Right?
Some of their issues last year were out of his control.
Defense got injured when Parsons
hurt his ACL.
Like, they were a team that was going to compete to win the NFC.
And obviously, he's the starting quarterback.
So if you have a team to compete to win the NFC,
you have to have a decent starting quarterback.
I don't think anyone in the NFL would argue he's not a solid player.
Now, great player, I don't know if I'd go that far.
He can have great drives.
To me, he can just be pretty inconsistent in games.
And that's the difference why he's not like,
one day Jordan Love can be like a top five or six quarterback
and kind of why he hovers, you know, farther down.
Now, he is a guy that it's not like he's played that much.
Comes from Utah State, sat for a while.
Now he's in what?
Several years starting.
It's not like he's a seven-year starter.
Look at Dak Prescott.
How much better Dak Prescott is today than he was six or seven years ago.
So you could make the argument.
The best football for Jordan Love is ahead of him.
He has an offensive play calling head coach.
They have a ton of turnover, right?
Dobbs is gone now.
Offensive line changes.
Roshan Gary, I mean,
correct me if I'm wrong.
Hasn't he been like the team captain for a while?
They cut the corner who's injured Nixon.
They've just had some turnover of some core guys that have been on their team.
Now they still have the tight end will come back off ACL injury.
Josh Jacobs still a really good player.
You know, Christian Watson, when he's healthy and right,
I mean, he's a explosive playmaker.
Micah Parsons went healthy as just an elite player.
But they've definitely had some turnover with a,
group of guys that have won a lot of games.
And I had a future, them play the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
And up until Parsons got injured, I felt pretty good about it.
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 with the name Hey Jonas, guys.
I honestly don't remember.
I think it was on a call about what we should call it.
We were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before
Jonas Brothers.
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, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.
So, Dad. Can you talk about Mike Evans move from a Bucks perspective?
As a diehard Bucks fan, all signs point to Mike leaving as an indictment on our ability to compete.
It wasn't about the money. He just didn't think we could win. That hurts.
But retaining bowls and letting Liam walk, I get it.
Well, by all accounts, the 49ers, you know, this is where you got to be careful about this time of year.
It was like, God, the 49ers getting three years, $60 million.
And then it came out like 12 hours later.
They only guaranteed $16 million.
So it's like a one-year $16 million contract.
And I'm a huge Mike Evans guy.
And I see people nitpicking the move.
If I'm the 49ers and I can get Mike Evans for $16 million.
I get I'm an older team.
I do that every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
So I would do that move every day of the week if I'm the 49ers.
Now, for Mike's perspective, by all accounts, the Buccaneers offered more.
Even if they just match that guaranteed money, California's state income tax.
tax over 14%.
Mike Evans and you play the Rams,
technically it's in Australia.
I'm not sure how that gets taxed.
But you pay,
it's impossible to pay any more taxes for an NFL player,
given the way you're set up.
Washington State has high taxes.
I think this year you play the Chargers in SoFi.
So this is like he's used to get paying 0% income tax.
And when you're making $20 million,
you know, you talk 14%.
You're talking, you know, one and a half million dollars.
It's a big chunk of change.
I say this all the time.
People like, well, they're so rich.
It's like, well, fuck.
Any human being factors that in once you get to a certain point in life.
And whether you're making $100 or whether you're making $100 million,
like if that's not a conversation, you're probably not great of business.
So I have respect for Mike that it's like he left a lot of money on the table to go play for Kyle Shanahan.
And right now, if you're going to play, if you're him, you know,
they've had this turnover with the offensive coordinator.
Baker did not play well last year.
Now, he was banged up,
but in fairness, like Mike,
it had 24 touchdowns within the previous couple of years,
so they'd had a lot of success.
I think the Bulls thing,
it does feel like it's coming down the home stretch.
Like, if you're a betting man,
is Todd Bulls going to be the head coach there in 2007?
Probably not.
I personally like the Saints a lot this year.
They signed ETN.
Maybe they trade Kamara.
I think they're kind of a team to watch.
Clearly, the Panthers have invested.
Not that Mike's factoring in like Jalen Phillips and Devin Lloyd and they should be solid.
The Falcons, they have no quarterback, but they have a lot of talent on their team.
Maybe Mike was just like, I'm ready for a change.
I'm ready.
I saw McCaffrey get a second lease on life when he went there.
I go to a place where I can be featured and we're on the same page.
There was that famous clip last year was a Thursday night football where he's screaming at Bulls.
But he clearly, which always isn't the case, especially with older players.
sometimes you've got to take it where you can get it.
Like Jason Light loves Mike Evans.
And they did, it clearly was not a financial decision.
So I think the only thing you would say is he didn't believe in the football direction,
which from an offensive standpoint, I, listen, if all things are equal, which they're not here,
he's taking less.
But if you're as rich as Mike Evans and it's like, I'm going to take a couple million dollar
hit, it's not going to change my life.
So I am willing to make a.
football decision over money decision, who would play for Todd Bowles in that situation over
Kyle Shanahan, especially on an offense.
There is not a person.
If you're going to put money in a different bucket, which he clearly did, you would choose
Kyle Shanahan in that opportunity.
And the $40 is going to need him.
I mean, as of recording this, Joanne Jennings still a free agent.
Pearsall is not proven he can play full season.
I keep hearing, hey, you know, George Kittle, George Kittle tore is a killing.
Do you follow him on Instagram?
He's in a boot.
We all love George Kittle,
but that's a pretty major injury,
major injury for an older player.
So I'm excited.
I think Mike Evans going to be a fan favorite fast,
but the Fortniteers are going to depend on him, big time.
I also think the Liam Cohen thing,
I think that is so easy to say.
No one does that.
Because you could do it with countless.
Dan Quinn should have got fired
after they lost the Super Bowl to keep Kyle Shanahan.
who fires a coach after they won the Super Bowl?
Todd Bull has just been winning the division.
Like, you're going to fire him to keep Liam Cohen.
And for every Liam Cohen that works,
there are a lot of guys that do not work.
Again, I'm not even trying to defend Todd on that one.
I'm just, or the Bucks organization.
I just think that that move never happens, ever.
Question for the bag.
Schneider just came off winning a Super Bowl
and seems to be comatose in free agency.
So far, he has only signed Rashid's Shahid.
This is not unusual for him.
him and I don't even disagree, taking a step back in free agency as not one of the usual big
spenders around the league. But it seems every year fans who follow the team are constantly
frustrated with him sitting back and letting top free agents go to other teams without being
rumored to be involved in signing players. Could you just talk about a strategy and maybe give
an insight into how GMs like Schneider operate? Well, they gave Shaheed a lot of money by all
counts, it was like 50 million, they guaranteed
them $30 million. So that is, that is
not nothing. I think
he would say he's got a massive
contract coming for JSN.
They have
some young
nucleus on defense, which are
going to get paid premiums.
He paid the offensive lineman
was at Charles Cross last year.
While Sam Darnold
does not make Josh Allen money, he doesn't
make chump chains. If Sam Darnold,
a three-year, $100 million contract,
and whatever, $30 million a year,
if that was a guard or detackle,
he'd be one of the highest paid players in the league.
So it's like, he makes a substantial amount of money
relative to football players.
And I think you look at it's like Kobe, Kobe Bryant.
Our defensive backfield is our deepest position, right?
With With Witherspoon, Eamon Worry,
Wollin, who's a big free agent,
was a fifth round pick.
So part of my strength as John Schneider is,
I keep the cupboards full by letting guys, finding guys like that in the fifth round,
and then letting them walk in free agency and getting comp picks.
So you could argue the Kobe Bryant deal, like they had the money to do that.
But I think he goes, that's a position of depth.
Mike McDonald is my strength, right?
One advantage the Seattle Seahawks have is my head coach is a defensive dominant wizard.
so I could find guys for cheaper
and then when I get the opportunity
to blow it out on a defensive lineman,
I do that.
So I don't really have a big issue.
I don't think he let anyone go.
It's not like he let Earl Thomas walk out the door.
He didn't just let Cam Chancellor
and his prime leave.
I think that's how he looks at it.
I also think here's the other thing.
When you look at a lot of these players,
they got signed, Jalen Phillips,
Tyler Lindenbaum, like some of the high, like you are paying a massive tax to sign that guy.
Devin Lloyd, these guys are getting substantial, substantial raises from other teams.
So if I'm willing to let you walk, and I'm John Snyder and I've been doing this for almost,
I mean, he's been working in the league since the mid-90s, but he's been the boss for almost 20 years.
I do think he has a pretty good feel for I can't let this guy leave and I have,
to keep this guy.
I think he's earned the benefit of the doubt of kind of knowing what he's doing.
I don't think there were too many players for a team that just won the Super Bowl of like,
how'd you not sign that guy?
That would be my take.
Because this is not, you know, in baseball, Shohei Otani or Aaron Judge or Bryce Harper
or one of these guys is a free agent.
Like, it's a plug-in-play sport, right?
If you get the opportunity to sign Shaq or Kevin Durant in basketball,
that's not the way NFL works.
Beside like Reggie White,
historically there aren't that many guys
in their prime that truly hit free agency.
And this year clearly wasn't great.
Question for the pod.
What on earth are the Jets doing a quarterback?
Are they actually going to draft Ty Simpson?
Because that is bust written all over it.
Also, in the event Aaron Rogers retires,
doesn't Kyler just feel like a stealer?
Also, looks Kevin Stefansky found another terrible left-hand
quarterback. I do not understand what type of traits the man looks for in a quarterback.
The Jets, man. I think the Jets and the Cardinals feel like just lost at sea.
Just truly lost at sea. I mean, yesterday I saw some of the reactions of the Cardinals who were
going to stick with Jacoby, who actually wasn't bad, and signed Gardner Minchew.
The Jets just traded for Gino Smith. Now, granted, by all accounts, the Raiders,
are eating the majority of a salary.
The Jets are just paying them three or four million dollars.
Like you said, they'll probably end up drafting Ty Simpson.
If I'm a quarterback, that's the last place in the world I'd ever want to go.
Would be to the Jets.
I mean, that's a place where careers die.
I mean, hell, Gino's career died there.
And then he got resurrected other places.
So I don't know, man.
I think in fairness, if you do not have a quarterback, there aren't really options.
What are the Jets supposed to do?
What are the Cardinals supposed to do?
to do. All the reports said Malik Willis had options to go other places and chose to go to Miami.
I would too. He knows the coach and he knows the GM. So why would I go to a place where I don't know
any people? I just was with these guys when I resurrected my career. They know me as well as anyone
could know me in this situation. So I think when you look at the Jets, it's like what were really
their options? Kyler, trade for Gino. If I'm defending them, they don't really have any. To me,
Ty Simpson, that's got disaster written all over it. It really is. Can you explain the Rooney
Rule and why the Bears don't get a comp pick for Ian Cunningham? I do believe they got fucked
because you don't technically, like the cop picks, the Niners got these for years. So when Robert
Sala or Domeico Ryan's or Mike McDaniel, not a white guy, gets a head coaching job from a
coordinator job, you get two third round picks.
I'm trying to think they had a couple executives too.
Questi, I think was one.
But when your executives become an assistant GM or a pro personnel guy
and become the GM, same thing as a coach.
You get multiple third round picks.
Well, the league argued that Ian Cunningham is by the letter of the law,
a lateral move because Ian is under Ryan Poles in Chicago,
and he's technically under Matt Ryan in Atlanta.
Though Matt Ryan said when he got hired,
I am not going to be running free agency
and I am not running the draft.
Let's face it,
Matt Ryan is a figurehead who is being paid a lot of money
to kind of keep good vibes and, you know,
interact with the coach and the GM and kind of just keep everyone on the same page.
But if you think Matt Ryan is going to like Texas to scout players
or is ranking his big board in free agency,
that is Ian Cunningham.
I do believe it.
I think Ryan Poles mentioned this.
Like, this is wrong.
Like, Ian Cunningham is running their personnel department.
Like, he is the GM,
but they don't get any credit for it.
And I don't think this is like,
I don't think the Falcons attempted to,
you know, it's not the Falcons pick.
The league just creates these picks out of thin air.
But Bears got screwed.
I would agree with Bears fans there.
good day John
do you like the moves the Raiders
have made so far
spending most of their money on defense
and not on offense
with a rookie quarterback coming in
knowing that some say
you build your defense through the draft
and offense in free agency
I think the number one key
where I will defend the Raiders
of buying all these different players
is their team was so shitty
it was so bad
that you just need NFL bodies on your team
like the Raiders are not
trying to win the Super Bowl next year.
Honestly, they're not going to make the playoffs next year.
They just need to get to train back on the tracks and be like a six or seven win team
that when you watch them all season long and you go, that's an NFL team.
Because what they were last year was not.
No different than the Cardinals, no different in the Jets.
Once you get to the point where you are that bad, you need to just figure some things out.
And they had a bunch of cap space.
There was more good defensive players than offensive players, I would say.
So they, you know, from Quitty pay to Quay Walker.
I mean, those guys have been longtime starters on competitive teams.
Obviously, Quay more than Quitty because the Colts never make the playoffs.
But, you know, they paid for Linderbom and Naylor, the wide receiver from Minnesota.
But I have no issue with, like, they're not planning on, like, they don't have delusions that they're going to be some 13 win team next year.
but their team was so shitty.
It had been so bad.
And they've made so many bad moves.
Like they traded for Devante Adams.
So one year they lost a first round pick.
And then Devante is obviously a couple years late,
not on the team anymore.
Like they have,
and Gruden drafted really poorly for a long time.
Like this is not a great roster.
So I have no problem with overspending and paying guys a little too much
just to come being on a team to try to make it decent.
within a couple years,
some of those guys,
contracts will be over
and you can cut them for no dead money.
I don't know why anyone arguing
that the Raiders are doing this idiotic.
If the Chiefs or like a good team did it,
I'd be like, that's pretty risky.
You're bringing a lot of bodies in,
a lot of different personalities.
Obviously, most good teams don't have that level of cap space.
But if it was a consistent playoff team,
you'd be like, gosh, that's historically doesn't work.
The Raiders are not,
historically you couldn't be much worse.
They made the playoffs twice at 23 years.
So I got, I completely support it.
And did they overpay for the center?
Sure.
But they wanted them.
You know, someone was going to be willing to give them $24, $25 million.
They have a rookie quarterback coming in.
Now all of a sudden you get a starting center.
You have a good left tackle.
You could draft another offensive lineman with the 14th pick.
Question for the pod.
Just curious, how come the.
rest of the volumes podcast aren't on Netflix.
Did you make a separate deal just for three and out with Netflix?
Well, we have a lot of different partnerships in this venture.
And one of our business partners who I'm in business with,
I guess indirectly, directly through the podcast is IHeart.
So this Netflix deal, I think they ran the Netflix deal that then comes through the volume
that was then asked to me like, was this something you'd be interested in?
but from what I was told at the
Super Bowl party is
you know I Heart has what
6,000 podcasts that was a number that was
turned out to me
there are only 15 of them
through the under the I Heart umbrella
that they sell
ads for us like we're in business with them
that are that did the deal with Netflix
and your boy is one of the 15
no big deal but it wasn't
it wasn't necessarily
and you know we have other
There are other shows like Joe and Jada is a volume podcast that is on Netflix.
They were just at the Phoenix Raceway with Michael Jordan.
I didn't get the invite to that one.
But it was, it was, I think, ran point by I heart on this deal.
So that's, it's kind of complicated, right?
There are a lot of different people involved in these operations, which is cool.
I mean, I heart's been fucking incredible to me.
So I, I'm very happy to be in business with them.
But that's kind of a short,
Cliffnote version of how that worked out.
It's not like the volume sold all the shows.
And some of the shows are more directed toward, you know, the other medium.
You guys can figure that video one.
Howie doesn't sell a cow that still has milk.
No on Jalen Carter.
The reason how he would trade Jalen Carter is not because of his talent.
Right?
He's a heifer.
He's pumping out milk.
left and right. He is an elite talent.
It's, he was a red flag coming out of college for a reason.
I don't think he's the easiest guy to deal with.
And now you've got to pay the Piper.
And that payment for a guy like him is probably $150 million guaranteed.
Think about that.
His number guaranteed would be closer to Jalen Hertz than it would be like
AJ Brown and Devante Smith.
Or Jordan Davis, his college teammate.
he is an extremely expensive next contract.
That's where the conversation starts.
And that's now, could they play it out another year then trade him?
I just think there's a complicated situation for a guy that's talent is,
I mean, you could say he's one of the most talented players in the NFL.
I think that's more than fair to say.
Ravens fan, why do more teams not use the transition tag?
It feels so obvious.
It's cheaper than the regular tag.
and no team is trading two first round picks for a center.
So at worst, the Ravens would have gotten one more year at a Linderbom
and a chance to continue negotiating.
Maybe a team does negotiate with him
and work out a trade with us for less than two first rounders.
In which case, at least we get more for him
than a compensatory third round pick two drafts from now.
The Vikings would have done that same thing with Donald.
Either get two first rounders if another team's
signs them, keep one more year on a cheap tag, or if he gets an offer, gets a reasonable,
then you can match the offer. Someone else did the dirty negotiating for you. I usually love
RGM, but this feels like a serious WTF moment. Well, let me just bring up Lamar Jackson
contract to get the Raven stuff. So if I type in the Ravens currently to their contract situation,
they have
they currently have
negative $10 million in Capspace
and Tyler
Linderbaum
franchise tag
number
if they were to
franchise tag them
that number would have been
basically $26 million
now the transition tag
would have been lower than that
but it still would have been like over 20
this is the thing why they couldn't do that because a couple people have asked me
you can't put a transition or a franchise tag number if you do not have the cap space
so if the let's just pick a number 25 million dollars you have to have 25 million dollars in
space because this is not something you can manipulate you can't fudge the numbers the
number is the number for one year and part of the reason they couldn't do it because they
didn't have the space or they weren't willing to cut and get rid of other guys to create the
space. It was, he was extremely expensive whether they wanted to keep him or whether they
let him walk. I mean, think about this. His cap hit would have been the fifth most on the team.
It would have gone Lamar, Roquan, Matabouquet, Crosby and him, one through five. Lamar this year's
$74 million, which might change in a couple of days.
days, but they would have had to get that done, the Lamar finagling of the contract before
tomorrow, or if you're listening to this today. You're basically putting a puzzle together
and maybe they thought they wouldn't have been able to get Lamar done. So I don't think
the Ravens really liked them, but there were financial constraints that there was nothing
you could do. Like, you don't think how he liked read Blanketship. You don't think Siriani and the staff
and Vic Fangio wanted to keep him,
there comes to a point, again,
money's all relative, whether it's 10 million,
whether it's 25 million, whether it's 40 million.
You don't have the money, you don't have the money.
Not that they, I mean, the owner literally has the money,
but the salary cap limits what you can do.
So I think that plays a huge, huge role
in a lot of franchise decisions.
And now that a lot of these good teams have huge cap numbers
on three or four players,
it's harder for them to franchise tag a player.
after free agency is over, could you talk on the pod about what NFL scouting interviews are like?
I've heard you talk about how to get into the industry, but never about what the interviews themselves are like.
I'd love to know how technical, personality-based each interview is, or if they ask questions to gauge the interviewe's knowledge of that franchise.
Also, who is conducting those lower-level scout interviews?
I assume it's not the GM, but I have no idea.
I'm interning in high finance this summer,
but I've always wanted to be a scout,
and I feel like this would be super cool to learn about.
Well, I've only been into one,
I guess I've been a part of other interviews
when other guys interviewed.
When I interviewed for the Eagles,
I just met with our crew.
So our crew at the time was,
I was picked up by the guy whose position I was taking over.
he brought me to the office
I met with Lewis Riddick
who you now see on ESPN
he gave me a couple players to watch
I actually went to eat lunch
or I guess breakfast
in the cafeteria and there were like
three other people there
multiple people interviewing four of the same position
and then other guys interviewing for other positions
it was like God this is like
this is like doggie dog here
it was kind of intimidating
they gave me a couple players to watch
I watched them
I kind of wrote them up on a piece of paper
I think. I gave it back. And then I think I met with Veach, me and Veach, who was like the SEC
scout at the time, it was kind of like a hybrid role. We kind of talk football, talk life. I think I
ended up meeting with Howie. I don't know. A lot of it, you know, once they say, okay, this guy
knows enough football to come take over this position, then it's just kind of getting a feel for
the guy. So personality is pretty big for sure.
you have to have a base level of football knowledge.
And in that interview, they didn't know me, right?
If you're, if you've been 10 years for the Packers and you're interviewing with the
less need or, you know, Jason Light, like, it's probably less getting super, super nerdy on football.
It's like, yeah, I know, you know football.
You've been the college scouting director for the Packers for 10 years.
It's probably more getting to know you, the guy, maybe some big picture thoughts you've had,
maybe things you've learned throughout your career.
For my position at the lowest level,
it's, I would say this, my recommendation for lowest level people and having been one.
I mean, I've been a low level guy to start my career in my 20s where you just do,
I mean, pick up sandwiches, get gas for people.
I mean, I have done the dumbest and lowest level task you can think of,
basically right up to like cleaning the toilets to then be.
come and working your way up. Your personality and just your willingness to do anything is really,
really important. It's why Jackson wearing me out when I was at the golf course, why he kind of
stood out. He just had a lot of energy and a lot of passion. And I think most people, if I'm hiring
you to be my offensive coordinator or my financial advisor, like you're going to have to have a
resume and know what you're doing. But if you're taking over a position, like an entry level
position. A lot of it's going to be energy effort.
I mean, I'm watching Jackson at the Combine, just fucking fire around,
interviewing McAfee and getting videos of me talking everything.
It's just a lot of it when you're young and when I was in my early to mid-20s,
it's just like positive attitude, energy effort, like what do you need, throw some like
energy ideas out there.
It's less about can you figure out this entire business.
That's not as important.
Not that you can't develop into that.
But I would say one thing I brought to the table and something that I look for in people is just like energy, effort, passion, you know, when you're young.
And if you're smart enough and if you have a feel for whatever you're doing, like you in finance or us in the podcast business, you're going to be just fine and figure it out.
But it's pretty hard to take entry level people that don't have a lot of juice.
Like I'm not a big person that gravitates to people without juice.
Like you got to have some juice
And then as time grows
You gotta have ideas
You gotta be able to execute
You gotta come through
But like when you're really young
Just getting your foot in the door
Like it's to me it's a lot about
Like that's what I brought to the table
For the Eagles
Was just
This guy's just bringing it
Now I was fucking up a lot
Lose things
I wasn't the most
I would say
Punctual is the wrong
Where I was punctual
I was always on time
But there was
like a, you had to be pretty dialed in with your ability to keep track of a lot of different
things. And at the time, technology wasn't as good as it is now. So like you're keeping things on
paper. It was a lot. I mean, it was intense. But I think what saved me is people like me.
So when I screw up, it's like, why not get fired? I'm going to get screamed at.
Didn't necessarily think of the time. There were a couple times like, I thought that
in Fresno State, like Coach Hill would fire me like multiple.
times. Put a little hair in your chest, though.
A lot of teams should be interested in Kyler Murray. I think him going to the Vikings is a perfect
fit. But shouldn't the following teams reach out to the Texans, the Colts, the Steelers,
the Saints, the Falcons, and the Dolphins? I think they're all reaching out. I mean,
clearly, Kevin Stefansky is too athletic and has too strong an arm. I think Kyler's a
pretty fascinating individual. Whether it's fair or not, I do think perception becomes
reality and back to the call it, almost a call her daddy, call a duty thing.
I do think hangs over his head.
I don't know.
I think he would be the type guy that if you talk to 10 coaches, you would hear like 10
different opinions.
But I don't think a lot of people would stake their job on Kyler Murray.
I mean, he's gotten multiple people fired now.
I mean, he just has.
I've heard you mention the Rams a lot recently.
My guess is he ends up.
on the Vikings, just because that's what everyone says.
You know, he's not going to go back to the Cardinals.
Gino's on the Jets, he's not going to the Jets.
The dolphins don't need him.
Like, where are his options?
That's why I've said all along, like calling Andy Rita.
Like, hey, can I be your backup?
Can I resurrect my career as a backup?
Kind of works.
Ask Sam Donald what it's like resurrecting your career as a backup.
Kind of worked.
Look at Mac Jones.
Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers.
And guess what?
We have some big news.
What's the news, name?
Huge news.
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.
Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there.
But this one's extra special.
So how do 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.
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, 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, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.
Where does your group perform?
We do some retirement homes.
Those people are starving for banter.
Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis,
and I know firsthand because I competed there myself.
I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast,
I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris.
Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay.
Jenchian went.
I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.
She's an outsider to win the French for me.
And she likes Clay.
Listen, Lerner Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world,
right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving, well, good luck.
Consider this your court side seat to the French Open.
Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.
I've heard you mentioned the Rams a lot recently about how making the trade with Atlanta is why they're in position they are in now.
my question is if they just drafted James Pierce,
don't you think they could be Super Bowl champs?
Seeing as they came close in the NFC championship game,
he'd be a headache right now.
A headache!
A headache!
Have you read some of the stories that have come out
about the situation with the WNBA player?
About leading up, the weeks leading up to the incident?
I've never, I've said this forever.
I do not go to my athletes, my fucking
celebrities, my leagues.
If you're looking for life lessons and them to be the moral compass of your life,
you have a massive missing hole somewhere.
Your parents, your grandparents, your significant others,
people have let you down.
So if you hold them accountable to what you would hold your own children accountable for,
you got problems.
I'm sorry.
I've never looked at their job is to make money and win games and we can debate on the
order.
So people get into business with guys like James Pierce all the time.
But when you get in business with James Pierce, it can backfire.
And as it did on the Falcons, backfired hard.
I've never one to say like, yeah, he won't play the league.
I would be stunned if he's in the NFL in 2006.
So that pick is a disaster.
He got 10 sacks out of him, but you miss the playoffs.
And now who knows when he's going to, he might go to jail for years.
Like, not like, you know, spent 30 days in jail.
We've seen guys spend 30 days in jail come out and play.
Hell, Michael Vick spent a couple years,
almost won the MVP when I was in Philadelphia.
This guy could be going away for a while.
So I don't think the Rams have ever thought twice.
Plus, I think there's a pretty good chance.
James Pierce wasn't on their draft board.
Because do you know what good teams do?
They go, this isn't worth it.
And I always say this about,
well, we weren't comfortable taking him in the first
because he was a massive red flag off the field.
But in the fourth round, he was too good to pass up,
which is true that you have to give him less money.
So you're passing up, giving him guaranteed money to now
giving him a couple hundred grand.
You can cut him whatever you want.
But you're still getting that guy on your team.
He's still coming in the building.
He's still interacting with your guys.
Your coaches still have to deal with him.
Jim Washburn, the famous defensive line coach told me one time,
he said, you guys up there, it's so easy for you to say.
coach this guy's a fucking headache
but look at this guy bend the edge
look at this guy bull rush
and then we draft him
and you don't have to deal with him anymore
and he's in my meeting room
every single day for six months
it's my problem
there's some truth to that
and I say coach that's why you guys make
way more money than all the scouts
but
James Pierce
I'll say this
if there was a redraft
of 2025
James Pierce would not be selected
I can say that with conviction.
James Pierce 100% sitting here today would not get drafted.
And it has nothing to do with his talent because he's a baller.
I appreciate your diaper story.
My son no longer needs diapers.
My kid goes through an insane amount.
I mean, we counted one day.
I sort of got it was like 10 and 2 hours.
If you give the gas drops at the right time, those pipes just started flowing.
I got a pretty good dad diary pipe story coming tomorrow.
But my son no longer needs diapers.
I did, however, pay $1,500, almost $1,600 to renew his car insurance this week.
That buys six months of coverage.
If he gets a speeding ticket, quote, very likely, it goes up from there.
Is that better than cleaning up shit?
I'm going to say yes.
Funny, think about parenting.
Is your problems don't go away.
they just change.
Pretty true.
You could make the argument.
I was thinking about this.
I remember when I got in the Tesla.
When I ran it the Tesla,
I think I'm going to pull the trigger
probably the next month or two and get one.
I got Maria a new car.
But it's like I drive.
I get in my car.
Somehow, I've needed a new car for 15 years.
My wife and kid got a new car.
She already had a newer car,
but the AC didn't work well enough
in an air conditioning.
I couldn't have him no AC flow in the back.
And I'm still driving this 2011.
Beater Tahoe, which
I'm not a huge car, it doesn't matter to me.
But once you get the technology of something new,
it's hard to get back into the 2011,
no Bluetooth,
you know, just my dashboard's cracking.
But it's old faithful.
I have no issues.
It's paid off.
It's cheap.
I don't drive enough to have the gas really hit me at all.
It doesn't really matter.
I'm going to miss that car when it's gone.
But it's once you make the transition,
to driving a brand new car and getting back into your beater.
You're like, this fucking sucks.
But yeah, I hear you.
Your problems.
You know, life's, it's crazy.
As you get older, I saw Will Compton tweet something out the other day, like his daughter,
was just staring at the ceiling.
And he's like, what are you thinking about, honey?
And she looked at him and she said, turtles.
And he kind of laughed.
He's like, how simple it is, the life they lead.
and the older you get, like, in theory, life should get better, you know, especially if you're married with kids, your career, like your trajectory should be aiming up.
You know, your 40s and 50s. It should be for most people when they do the best financially.
You get to watch your kids grow. But the stresses of life, the things of, you know, giving a young, I would imagine your kids 16 or 17 years old.
Like, looking back, my grandpa had given me a.
in 1994 brown,
like diarrhea
brown.
I mean, it was just an ugly looking car.
But it's, my dad wasn't going to give me a car.
So luckily, my grandpa Woody gave me when I turned 16, like 2001-ish,
2002, his Ford Explorer.
And I was mobbing that thing.
I mean, back in the day, in the 80s and 90s, cars,
I mean, what you got above in most cars,
like, I'm not talking like corvettes,
but just your average truck, SUV,
Ford Taurus or whatever
once you hit like 60, 65
start rattling a little bit
now it's like I see Miles Garrett
he gets all these speeding tickets
well yeah he's worth hundreds of millions of dollars
he's driving the best cars
if you tap on the gas
you go like 80 and you don't even feel it
my wife's New Tahoe you go 80
it's like it's smooth
you know my parents
had an expedition I remember my dad
got a new one like 2000
and back then like like
brand new fully loaded expedition was like 30 grand.
But I remember mobbing that thing a little bit when I was 16.
He'd let me take it every once a while on like a Friday night with my buddies.
What you got above, like you couldn't sniff going 80 without feeling like that whole thing was going
fall apart.
Now, every car, I mean, my brother's a farmer.
You get in his trucks, the newer versions.
You can go 75 and it feels like you're going 30.
So I don't know how any of these kids, but back to my Tesla story, when I ran
that Tesla when we went to visit my family in Reno and you're just flying around zero to 60 like
I'm in an F1 car. I can't imagine having a 16 year old boy and letting them drive a Tesla.
I would 100% of crash that thing 20 years ago. 100%. There was no doubt in my mind when I was
16, 17, 18 years old that me or my friends would have totaled Tesla's. They just would have been
too fast. We went so fast in our shitty cars.
And the other thing is you, as you get older, I remember being a kid.
And you know, you live in a neighborhood.
Oh, you know, there were people obviously with young children in my neighborhood that were always screaming at you to slow down.
Right.
And then they put the things out front that have like kids at play 25 miles an hour and under.
And you're young.
You're thinking like, this fucking loser.
And then the older you get now, I scream at like Amazon drivers like, slow down.
It's so fast.
And I've already told Maria, like there's this one place where we live.
live that it's kind of you can't really see.
And most people in the neighborhood go relatively slow.
But there are definitely some of these delivery drivers that come around the corner like
they're Lewis Hamilton.
So I say, hey, we walk Jack, we got to be on the other side because of this guy's
coming 30 miles an hour and we can't see him.
There's no room for him around this corner.
It'd be a disaster.
I think about sometimes when I'm walking the dog.
I mean, I've screamed to people to slow down five people in the last like three weeks.
So I hear you.
Your problems just change.
Good problems to have.
Expensive.
You know, you value, you know, I don't think your kids really value all that type of stuff.
And then you get out and once one day, all those bills start coming your way.
And you're like, wait, this actually costs money?
Car insurance is outrageous.
I was watching a video on Fernando Mendoza breaking down his pros and cons as a quarterback.
Kind of sounding like a.
an NFL scout, which got me thinking, as a former scout, did you have any knowledge of the
schematic side of the sport to help in scouting, or was that something you left to the coaches?
Knowing how players read coverages, their angles on tackles, hand and foot placement, dropping
depth, did you pay attention to any of that stuff?
Or was it just based on how good of a player they were overall?
P.S., hope Jack is feeling better and wish you and Maria, all the best. I appreciate that.
Well, in my experience, my office and the scouting and recruiting offices at Fresno and in Philly were with the coaches.
So you were spending so much time around those guys that your knowledge of like football nerdy scheme just improves exponentially.
I mean, really, really fast because you're just kind of inundated in that world.
And then when you actually scout, like if you're just watching a guy, Fernando Mendoza,
You don't know the play call.
So any questions you may have on like, what's he seeing or whatever,
you take notes and then you get a hold of the offensive coordinator or the quarterback coach.
And then you talk to them about it.
So when you're saying, hey, he is really good in these situations at reading this coverage.
I thought they were getting that.
I read an article yesterday, Ted Nguyen of the Athletic, who's a Bay Area guy,
who's really good, did a pretty in-depth thing on Fernando Mendoza.
and he got the quarterback coach,
or maybe it was the offensive coordinator on record
and was just kind of breaking down all these situations
of like they went over,
because I think this guy had coached Justin Herbert with the Chargers,
and he was showing Fernando different looks,
and they got the same look against Iowa,
and he remembered it and some of these shots against cover two
and cover three running vertical routes.
And it's just any questions you have,
part of being, you know, scouting these college guys,
is you just then asked their coaches.
And over time, you develop relationships
with the position coaches and the coordinators
that you can just shoot them texts, right?
And I remember one thing,
one of the guys that Eagles taught me,
he said, your first year when you do it,
you're not going to know any of these guys.
So go out of your way to send thank you cards.
Like if you meet a guy, shoot him a card.
Hey, nice meeting you, you know, personalized card
with the team's logo, and those are ways to stand out.
then over time you've been doing it long enough, you just get to know these people.
And they get to know you and they throw ideas off you and you throw ideas off them.
But there are going to be certain times like when you're just watching a defensive end,
you can kind of tell like he's just being asked to go get the quarterback.
But obviously there are sometimes with a corner or a linebacker,
you don't know the assignment.
To say this guy sucks in so-and-so coverage, well, what if that's not even the coverage he's running?
so you have to do digging and know that that's what's going on.
And that's kind of your job because you are going into these schools.
You get to be around these coaches and try to get their information,
unless you're going into North Carolina.
As someone at the Combine told me,
they are not the most welcoming university of all the visits.
Kyler Murray spots, I haven't heard anyone really consider.
Philly.
I'd like to see Philly bring him in and compete with Jalen Hertz.
but I'd see them ultimately give Jalen the nod of how that camp went.
I've heard a couple of people bring this up.
There is no way Kyler could beat out Jalen Hurtson in a training camp.
It just, when you factor in the money, when you factor in how invested they are,
it wouldn't even be a fair fight, even if it was a fair fight,
and I don't think Kyler could beat him out to begin with.
I hear what you're saying.
I would never put it past Howie to kind of throw a curveball,
but I think that would be pretty stunning.
I believe he would be able to beat out Daniel Jones if he stays on the transition tag.
Also, Stuyken got the best out of Hertz in Philly.
Kyler is a more talented Jalen.
Tyler's been really banged up.
That's an underrated part about this conversation.
He's had major injuries, right?
Missed serious amounts of time.
This year, was he injured or was he benched?
But I think we're almost overvaluing Kyler's talent at this point.
When he came out of college, there was no disputing his speed.
his arm pop, meaning arm strength,
but I don't think that's the guy we're dealing with right now.
So I'm not as high on Kyler Murray as some people are.
Maybe I'll be wrong.
I mean, I'm not acting like I know everything here.
At what point does not doing big trades or big free agency moves become the owner's fault?
The lions have been releasing and trading cornerstone pieces and seemingly been
becoming worse this offseason.
After the news of Crosby,
I'm sitting here wondering
if it's Sheila Ford Hamptons,
Hamps, is that our last name?
Sheila Ford's fault for not having
enough cash to restructure big contracts
like golf.
Dot golf, gauph, and Penae Sewell.
Or could it still be our GM
being too scared to pull the trigger?
I need answers.
I don't know, man.
I don't know.
I mean, you guys
It's a Ravens.
So if I wanted to look at the Detroit Lions,
you guys currently have $5 million in cap space.
Jared Goff is taking almost 25% of your salary cap.
Amon Ross St. Brown has a bigger salary cap hit than Jalen Hertz.
So, I mean, those two guys are taking basically 35% of your cap.
And if you factor in, you know, McNeil has kind of been a disaster.
and Penae Sewell, you're talking over 50% of your cap between five guys.
And you kind of get lucky because Aiden's contract is manipulated right now.
Jameson doesn't make that much.
Leporta Gibbs run rookie deals.
But, you know, Gibbs is going to need a contract extension.
If Leporta is healthy, he's going to get a big contract extension.
Like, this is kind of the business you're in, you know.
and it kind of starts with Goff.
Like, Goff makes a lot of money.
Goss is going to make $55 million this year.
$55 million in cash.
Think about that.
That's a lot of money.
How do I look at the cash breakdown?
So this year he's going to make $55 million.
God, Jared Goff.
What's his career breakdown?
Can I do his career earnings?
That's what I want to see.
Career earnings.
Let's play a game with Jared Goff.
I'm going to guess he was drafted 2016,
so we're talking over a decade.
I'm going to guess $260 million after this season.
I was wrong.
He's made $260 million now.
After this season,
he will be over $300 million.
So, I mean, Jared Goff's living like an NBA or Major League Baseball player.
Underrated part, like he, there's only once cap hit in the league bigger than him.
It's Lamar Jackson.
Grats of the baby.
Hope to have my first here soon.
Congrats to you.
Congrats on the sex.
Just a quick question for the bag.
What does this season hold for the Chargers?
I've been a big Herbert fan since he was drafted.
I'm not selling my Herbert stock.
Chargers have a lot of cast base
but merely made any moves.
Could you see them getting AJ Brown?
They only have five picks in this draft,
so I figured,
Ortiz would make it rain in free agency.
Good teams,
like the Raiders had to do that.
Good teams, like competitive teams,
the Chargers, the Chiefs, the Broncos,
like you just,
even the bills,
like you extend your own guys,
maybe you get a guy.
Trade for DJ Moore,
signed Kenneth Walker.
You don't sign like seven guys.
especially day one.
That's not really,
that's not good business.
You want to develop the guys you know,
you're comfortable with those
because if you do sign guys,
they cost a lot of money.
So I don't think, you know, Seattle's like,
why isn't Seattle not signing anybody?
They just won the fucking Super Bowl.
Who are they going to sign?
Jalen Phillips to $100 million?
I just think that
that's not really the way good teams work.
Good teams lose guys.
That's the business.
When you're good, you lose players.
especially guys that aren't top two or three players on your team.
And if you are going to lose one of the top three or four guys in your team,
you trade them, the Chiefs.
I think Chargers are going to be pretty good.
I mean, I think they have a chance to,
if Herbert can never figure out how to play well in the playoffs,
I think they could win the AFC.
I'm the number one Harbaugh guy.
I think Mike McDaniel saw this video of Khalil Mack who just,
Cleo Mac looks like an actor
that you would have seen like the 90s
in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie
who just happens to be able to rush the passer
but I think they're going to be pretty good
if I'm the Niners
I would trade Mack Jones
and sign Cousins on the cheap
sounds too easy what do you think
this is our last question
I think there's a chance of Cousins is a shot
he's 37 years old
the Achilles he could never really move
I mean I
listen he was
he had become a really good player four or five years ago,
but the guy we saw these last couple years
is just, I mean, post-injury is just not the same.
So to me, I'm out on Cousins.
I think Mac Jones, this version that the 49ers have found
is dramatically better player in 2006 than Kirk Cousins.
I mean, dramatically.
And if money's all equal,
there is not a question in my mind,
I would take Mac Jones.
I personally would not trade Mac Jones
if I'm the 49ers for anything less than a second round pick.
And I don't think anyone's giving them a second round pick.
So it's just one of those where I'm just going to keep Mac Jones.
Why?
Because I need a good backup quarterback.
I mean, look at the Bears.
Technically, if they don't trade Tyson, they're going to have three quarterbacks.
You never know when a guy gets injured.
Can you win games?
Like, if you're a team that has playoff expectations,
you don't want your season derailed because you're starting quarterback.
It happened to the 49ers two years ago.
Hurdy got hurt and Kyle Allen had to play, and they immediately lost.
This year, Pertie missed a ton of games.
And I forget Mac Jones's exact record, but he won, I think, four games.
He was exceptional for them, especially given what the expectations were.
So I think Mac Jones value to the 49ers is, I would say, infinitely higher in their building than it is to anyone else.
And typically when you have that for a guy, it's like, yeah, we'd be open to trading him.
well, you can't trade a guy if I value him way more than the entire league.
Because whatever anyone's going to offer me is not going to be high enough.
Listen, we all have delusions probably the wrong word because they saw it.
They felt Mack Jones.
I mean, he carried them at times.
I mean, he was unreal in the Rams game playing with random guys after they had just lost Bosa.
So I just think that a lot of teams like,
I take back Jones for like a fourth round pick.
And the 49ers, like, we're not giving away for a fourth round pick.
And that's why he'll just stay on the 49ers.
It would be my guess.
And I think I saw today, Rucini said like the asking price is astronomical,
which is one of my favorite words.
So I can see that.
No different than this is different.
But how he's asking price, obviously,
AJ Brown's a better player in Mac Jones,
is way higher than clearly the league is willing to give him,
which I don't blame him because how he goes,
I'll just keep AJ Brown.
Right?
He's already on my books.
he's one of the most talented players in the league.
Like, if you're not willing to give me what I need for him,
I'll just keep him.
And I'll just deal with his emotions, somehow, some way.
Because I'm not just going to give him to you for a third round pick,
which I originally thought was going to be the case like two months ago.
And then at the combine, I was like, that is not happening.
They are not just giving this guy away.
They fucking like him internally.
The players like him, the coaches like him.
He just wants the ball.
He just wants the damn ball, which, listen, he's a receiver, hard to blame.
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