The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Dak Doubts, Rams Red Flags, Taylor Trade Spot w/ Middlekauff

Episode Date: August 4, 2023

First, Colin explains the likelihood of Zach Wilson or Trey Lance finding NFL success at a second stop if they’re eventually dealt. Then, Colin is joined by 3 and Out podcast Host John Middlekauff to discuss if the Cowboys making their offense ‘Dak friendly’ proves they have doubts about their QB, if the Rams are closer to picking Caleb Williams than a return to the playoffs, if Baker Mayfield is better off retiring than starting a second act of his NFL career as a backup, if Trey Lance is the odd man out with the Niners, if signs point to Jordan Love underwhelming as the Packers starter, if move off Love for a QB in the loaded upcoming Draft, if Belichick could pull a surprise trade for disgruntled Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, and John’s biggest Week 1 upset prediction. Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Herd #Volume #3andOutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

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Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Volume. Hi, everybody, and welcome in, my guy John Middlkoff from The Volume.

Former NFL Scout 3 and Out is going to stop by for a good 30 minutes. I'm going to be joining John. John's going to be joining me Sunday nights during the football season. It'll be out Sunday night on YouTube, Monday morning on our podcast. So I can't wait for that. A few minutes before we start, Hall of Fame game tonight, Zach Wilson, not Aaron Rogers, will get a play for the Jets. I kind of feel like first round quarterback picks fall into three categories.

The first is the most ideal. You got yourself a star, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson. And in most cases, you can identify it even if they're not playing. Mahomes. even if they've got some growth needed, Josh Allen Lamar Jackson. So that's ideal. We know who those guys are.

Trevor Lawrence, bad first year. You knew he was a star. The second one is he's not going to be a franchise quarterback for us, but can we salvage the first round pick, show him off? The third is we got to miss. So I think Trey Lance and Zach Wilson are both in category two. I don't think Trey Lance will ever be the starting quarterback answer for the Niners, nor will Zach Wilson ever be the starting quarterback answer for the Jets.

I think Aaron's around for two or three years. I think they're both in the salvage stage and the show-off stage. If I was the Niners, I would play Trey Lance a ton in the preseason. And I would set him up for success. I'd use a couple of starting offensive linemen. Use some of your starters briefly or top backups. Make him look good. get a fourth round pick. I've been watching this league forever. So have you. There's always seven teams, six teams, eight teams at the bottom that by the trade deadline

can use a quarterback, especially a young one. I think Zach Wilson's in the same spot. He'll never be the franchise quarterback. Size, style, lack of self-awareness. He's got what Lance doesn't, a world-class arm. But I think Trey is probably a more mature guy. So if I was the Jets, I would play Zach Wilson every available snap. I think Zach Wilson has the talent in the arm.

It fooled Joe Douglas and many others. Somebody will give him a run. Especially a team at the trade deadline maybe that's off to like a three and three start. And they're looking at it thinking, listen, the GM and the coach may get fired if they don't make the playoffs. you find a team that says, we got to go for it, I think it's very possible you could move Zach Wilson at the trade deadline. He's had moments and games that have been impressive. Trey Lance really necessarily hasn't,

so I think you have to take a flyer on him. But Trey's a good guy, quick learner, big body, moves well, salvage him. So I think for Trey Lance and Zach Wilson, I thought last year's biggest story in the preseason that quarterback was Kenny Pickett. And by the end of the year, I was impressed with Kenny Pickett. I think Tray Lance and Zach Wilson,

I'm interested to watch their pre-season Sean McVeigh changed pre-season for the best or worse depending on how you look at it. Nobody plays their stars. Nobody plays their starters.

But I think Tray Lance and Zach Wilson are really interesting stories. Maybe not traded now, but they're in the salvage stage. Somebody's going to probably by the trade deadline, a three-and-three team

loses a starter. I can see. see somebody rolling the dice. I mean, let's be honest. If you've quarterback with Kyle Shanahan, a lot of people will say, man, you bring all that intellectual offensive capital to our franchise. You could sell that. You could sell that to a coach. All right, let's bring in John Middlough, three and out. Colin, pads are a popping football. It's kind of unofficially here, preseason games, but week one, we're almost a month away from that, uh, that, that, Thursday night dozy of Dan Campbell versus Andy Reid.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to be Dan Campbell. Andy's been the best September coach in football. You know, I thought there was something interesting. So Andy, all offseason, has been saying, we're going to put more on Patrick Mahomes' plate. Okay. We're going to put more on his plate. The chargers get Kellan Moore.

Inside the building, the feeling is with Lombardi. They weren't giving him enough. on his plate. Kellen Moore is going to put more on his plate. I read a quote today about Dak Prescott where they're trying to make the cowboy offense Dak friendly take more off his plate. And my takeaway on that, John,

you're a scout in this league is timeout. The great ones, the Mannings, the Mahomes, you just keep throwing layers of stuff at him. Dak, they're pulling stuff off the table. I hate the sound of that. So Schottenheimer's a conservative, OC. Mike tends to be a conservative OC, 7-12 and one in his last 20 games play calling. That was one of those, doesn't sound like much.

Didn't love the comment by Dallas. I would say this, Colin. Just because you pay a guy, a premium doesn't mean he's a premium player. And once Dak got that $40 million a year contract didn't change his limitations. I would, though, the last two years, the Cowboys have lost right in the first round and this year in the second round to the 49ers. And I think they started seeing themselves. We're a defensive team because we could hang with their physicality. And last year they did. They went blow for blow. It was like two Mike Tyson's hitting each other. It was the most physical game of the playoffs.

But they lost because Dak did what Kyle Shanahan never allows his quarterback to do for the most part is ruin the game. He threw the picks. So you always had the stat when Zeke before he fell off a cliff was like, run the ball. Don't get too pass happy with deck. That's when he kind of turned. into more of an average quarterback. If you can keep them probably in the high 20s attempts, you got a chance, especially with how good their defense is. And I would say that their defensive coordinator

has turned in right there with Vic Fangio, right, and just their defensive personnel as one of the betters in the league. So they can play a game that most teams can't because most teams don't have very good defenses. So if you don't turn the ball over, I think I'm going to pick the Cowboys to win the division. And not because I think Dak Prescott is better than Jalen. I just think they have, like they kind of know who they are for the first time in a long time with the Cowboys.

They're always kind of fighting one side of the other. And they don't have a clear identity. I think they do have an identity now. And to me, it just comes down to Dak Prescott not turning the ball over. Because if he doesn't turn the ball over against the 49ers, the 49ers lose that game. Well, there's a number. I don't have it in front of me with Dak Prescott. He wins almost 80% of his starts when he doesn't have a turnover, which,

is not abnormal for many quarterbacks. But what happens when he has just one or more? He wins like 30% of his games. It's like LeBron James. LeBron James could have a bad shooting night and still be the most impactful player on the floor because he does so many things well. Dax not talented enough to overcome a turnover.

He's just not. Brady has won Super Bowls with pick sixes. all right mannings both mannings have had high interception years far of huge interception years and they win the division dack the margins are tight it's a little mac jones it's a little kirk cousins turnover brings down the wind total well it's where matt stafford is i think sometimes talked about not in that top five six but in that next crew guys his physical attributes and talent is far superior from kind of that group, right? Yeah. He, because he's going to turn the ball over, but at any moment he can throw four

touchdowns and a half. Yeah, he can stretch the field in one play, throw the ball, you know, 40, 50 plus yards with his eyes close. It's why you remember a couple years ago when the Warriors, I think they won 15 games, Steph got hurt, Clay got hurt, Kevin had just left, and they just fell apart. I know, you're down in L.A., you're close to the Rams, Cooper Cup, already injured. They are very dependent on like three guys. And if those three guys are healthy, they can be competitive because they got a really good coach. I think the Rams have a better chance of competing for Caleb Williams than they do a playoff spot. I think they're going to be really bad because I just think it's inevitable. Their players are a little older now. Stafford with the elbow. How often, you know, we see it all

the time in baseball players. Once the elbow starts getting messed up, it kind of goes. We saw it in Rathusberger, the elbow never the same. So Stafford's been Cooper Cup now injured last year, injured again now. Donald, all-time great player, but he can only do so much. We've seen great defensive players on shitty teams. I mean, JJ Watts's been a great player on bat. You can't. This isn't the NBA. So to me, the Rams, their margin for error is so thin just with the depth of their team.

And we're already seeing the injuries happen. And last year it happened and they were got awful. They just happened to not have their pick. I don't see why they think about the division. We know Seattle's going to be really competitive. Obviously, the 49ers are good. even if Arizona stinks. They play the NFC East.

So you get three playoff teams and Washington's feisty. And they play the AFC North. So you're getting the Steelers, the Ravens. I mean, the Browns, even if they're not a playoff team, have a lot of talent. And then obviously the Bengals. So, I mean, you just got a really, really good. That's a tough schedule. So I came out and said, a very good source.

So did Jason McIntyre that we heard the Rams tried to restructure the match to Stafford contact contract. I was shocked when a member of the executive team for the Rams came out and made a point of a Times, LA Times article saying, this is not true. These reported taking a shot at me. Two days later, Matt Stafford announces, yeah, we tried to restructure my deal in the offseason. The Rams are trying to fool us.

They had discussions. they wanted to restructure the deal. They couldn't and had to move off people. They like Matt, but Bucky Brooks told me yesterday, and I've heard this, if Matt gets banged up, they're drafting a quarterback with the first pick.

They know how good this draft is. They look three years ahead of time, and the feeling is this is the best draft in a four-year window, the best quarterback draft next year. Last year wasn't good. The following year after is not great. So you get about two great quarterback drafts every decade, like four first round guys. Next year is that draft.

And there's a belief, even if Stafford plays pretty well, and they're like a seven, eight win team. They'll be four guys. They'll be able to get a Quinn Ewers, a Michael Pennix, Jr. at like 12 or 13 or 15 in the draft. So I think the Rams, you know, if you go like and look at Kansas City last year, they had a a star offensive coach, a star quarterback, a good enough O-line, one-star weapon, great defensive player, good linebacker and kids everywhere. That's a little Rams-ish, Ernest Jones, Aaron Donald, Cooper Cup, Matt Stafford.

The difference is, Ann McVeigh, is that the Chiefs players are all in their prime, and to your point, the Ram Star players are all coming off injuries. So I do think their margins are thin. And I'm just fascinated to watch Matt Stafford because he took a lot of hits in Detroit. He just rented a gorgeous house on the beach in Los Angeles. And the feeling is last year to an L.A., he wants to have some fun. He knows it's not going to last forever. Can I sometimes it's unfair, right, when a social clip comes out of your show,

I didn't see the whole take. But you've had, you nailed the Baker Mayfield thing from the start. You had to take, he's in part of probably the most irrelevant quarterback competition in the history of the league right now in Tampa. I mean, absolutely, no one cares. And you, I think you came out and said, you know, he should retire. Yeah. Because he's got, he's head right to college football and be a star. I think that's kind of crazy just because he's making $4 million.

Right. He wouldn't make $4 million right away on TV. And he's got a chance if he can do this for a couple more years. But clearly he's headed toward it. And overall, and think about college football, I never saw Kirk Herb Street throw. a pass. I don't remember a clat pass. And Matt Leiner, who I think's really good, obviously had a very, very, you know, underwhelming NFL career right for his college status. I think Baker, but clearly Baker's career is headed nowhere fast. And this Tampa team, I mean, they're definitely

circle in the Caleb wagons. They want a big part of that. It's, I guess there's twofold. Were you being dead serious on that, the retirement? And two, have you ever nailed the take harder than, because I think the Johnny Mansell, a lot of people were out, Baker was a lot of the guy number one overall. Yeah. I was wrong because I thought it really taught me over the last couple years. I thought he could be Drew Breeze. Well, a huge part of Drew Breeze was the character and the intangibles.

And look at all the star quarterbacks. Now, the intangibles are have to be off the charts, even for the average guys, let alone the stars. Well, you know, first of all, NFL scouts liked Sam Darnold too. So I missed on Donald. I think Johnny Mansell, I kneeled, Baker, I kneeled. I didn't like Zach Wilson at all. said he was going to be a boss. No, he didn't. So, but I like Sam Darnold. And I still think if Darnold got competent coaching and started in San Francisco, he could be a playoff quarterback.

But he does have a slower delivery. And he tends to be a hero ball quarterback. He was at USC. And he's not that athletic. He's not Josh. He's like a poor man's Josh Allen athletically. He's big, strong. He's not that big and strong. I was being serious. My takeaway is there are people that aren't built to be backups. Cam Newton, Baker Mayfield. Tim Tebow. They're too big. Too many commercials. They're too big. You want Colt McCoy. You want Tyrod Taylor. Baker is too big to be a backup. So if he loses to Kyle Trask, he's still got a chip on his shoulder a mile long. Last week, he was quoted saying in front of a camera, I don't need anybody to tell me how to play quarterback. It's who he is. So he's too big of a personality, too much edge to be a backup, right? I always said a backup quarterback should be able to put a baseball. hat on in a mall in dark sunglasses and be unnoticeable. Colt McCoy melt. Tebow can't do that. Cam can't do that and Baker can't do that. Secondly, he's making four million a year, but to be a top analyst at a football network, you'd make about two, two and a half. And the truth is,

you don't want to become a punchline. And if Baker plays for two or three more years and this year starts and goes one and eight and gets hurt, and by the way, he's led the NFL and intercept since he entered the league, two and eight last year. If he went 0 and 6th this year, and that means he went 2 and 14 in his last 16 NFL starts, he becomes a complete utter punchline. Sam Darnold failed, Baker failed. They're not punch lines. Like people still like Sam, and Baker got to a playoff.

So my takeaway is protect your brand. Also, money's not that big for him because he took every available penny with all those insurance commercials. So if I was his agent, I'd be like, dude, if you lose the job to Kyle Trask, they're trying to lose privately in Tampa. You get to one in five. John, they're moving pieces at the trade deadline. They've got players. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, they do.

Arizona may not do that because if Kyler Murray comes back in week six, they don't want to bail on him and get him hurt. Right? They don't want him to get hurt because even if they were moving off him, hard to trade him if he's injury-plegged. if they lose their first four in Tampa, I mean, that front office, they're playing Trask, Baker couldn't beat out Trask, they're moving pieces.

Guys can get hurt. So I'm dead serious. I would say if you can't beat out Kyle, I'd retire, I'd call the networks, take a year off, practice, go to these companies,

say, I want to get good at this and go be a rock star. I'm in agreement on the backup quarterback. You get too famous. I also think that happens sometimes when you're a former really, really high pick in a short period of time, right? Zach Wilson would fall under that.

But Aaron is such a star. He's already irrelevant. No one cares. That's where Trey Lance is kind of interesting, right? Because you got Brock Purdy, who was Mr. Relevant, and even Sam Darnold's making $3 million. Well, Brock Purdy's the starter. And I'm a big believer. And they still got a lot of camp left.

They got some joint practices. Like you said, the preseason games, I would imagine Trey's going to get a lot of juice. and maybe clearly he's improved his mechanics a little bit, but through a bad pick today at practice, you never know. It's a fluid situation. I'm a believer that Sam's going to win the job because Kyle had already had that in his mind coming into the year. It's why they convinced Sam who had other opportunities to come to a place with like 10 quarterbacks. He didn't just randomly come. So is Trey Lance, and it's not his fault. He makes $9 million. That's his draft slot. But there's not going to be a team in the NFL that's going to have a $9 million third string quarterback.

but the 49ers have had all these quarterback injuries that they'll probably just roll with it and he's a high character guy so they're not really worried about that. But it is a bizarre situation. It really is for a team that, let's face it, has kind of one goal in mind and that's, you know, to get to the big dance and win the thing. I mean, they're not, Anthony Richardson's playing,

they don't care if they're just going to try to figure it out, right? You see a lot of these young quarter. That is not what the Niners are in. They're in win now mode and win big. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep. That's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There are a lot of these young coaches, McVeigh and Shanahan among them.

They kind of want you to do what they tell you to do. Like they both love Kirk Cousins. McVey and Shanahan both love Kirk Cousins. Lamar Jackson's a great athlete. Josh Allen's a great athlete. I mean, you take Josh Allen. But the takeaway is a lot of these young coaches, Andy Reed is different. Andy Reid wanted Michael.

Vic. Andy Reed wanted Mahomes. Andy wants playmakers. That's why he's the great coach. But a lot of these young coaches just want somebody. Bill Walsh had this who can simply deliver on my play call. Sean Payton's a lot like that. Russell Wilson's going to be a challenge for Sean Peyton. He's trying to mold Russell. Russell would rather go deep. Breeze didn't throw deep. Breeze was 18 yards and in. So the play design and the play golf by Sean Peyton was essential. Russell will run out of the play call. He'll run out of the play design.

So that's a really interesting situation. Sean Payton, McVeigh, Shanahan. They kind of like you to do what they say. And you know, you know this. Whatever gift God gives you a great singing voice, you're going to use it in the shower, in your car, in a chorus. If God gives you a great arm, Josh Allen, you're going to use it.

Far big interceptions. Nameeth big interceptions. Bradshaw. And so I kind of think McVeigh, I think Stafford mostly does what Sean wants, but he drives Sean crazy with the picks ad-libbing. He wasn't as athletic. I was told very early. They established he wasn't as athletic as they thought. It was evident. Right. But they were okay with that. So their takeaway, he was kind of a physical runner, not nimble and twitchy. But I was told Kyle was okay with that. I don't need too much Twitchy. by the end of the first camp, they were like, man, we got a throwing issue.

So what happens with Trey is not only isn't he athletic enough, but he doesn't give you the distribution excellence. So it doesn't work. Now, Darnold is a little more athletic than Trey can struggle with distribution. Purdy isn't that athletic great at distribution. So you can, and they both love Kirk Cousins, McVan, Shanahan. So you can see the model here. A lot of these young coaches, John, you know this. You scout it.

Some of these coaches want you to run their play. That's what they want. Well, see, Andy is much more, it's weird, offensive linemen. When you think of them tend to be just like conservative tough guys. He's really more of a free spirit, let it flow. And it comes back. He was taught in the early 80s at the BYU program that was well ahead of its time, throwing the ball all the time.

And then his NFL stardom came with Brett Farf, right? The ultimate freelance gunslinger. So a lot of coaches, the Shanahan tree was all raised in. It's a lot of boot and play actions dumping the ball off to a guy five feet in front of you. So I just now eventually it's the NFL. You have to hit a third and 10. But there is a lot of first and 10 of a little flick to Debo or to Christian McCaffrey that if you put it at his feet, it's a disaster because that's an easy 13 yards.

And that's where I think Purdy came in and immediately did that. and it was almost like they became BFFs immediately because that is what he's really looking for. Most quarterbacks in the NFL can throw the ball 50 yards, right? But that's not, the majority of the game is not deep bombs. And that to me is the most fascinating part about all this quarterback. Like what makes Mahomes really special, obviously he's instinctive and the physical attributes.

The guy is very, very accurate when he has to be. And he's very, very football smart. So Andy's always said this about even when Tyree, was on the team is I could tell him to do whatever I need to do and he'd pick it up like that. You know, we talk a lot about in football, all the physical characteristics and then all the schemes. But we don't talk enough about the intelligence because it's like teaching some of these guys they can never get it.

And that limits their potential in the sport because the game is so complex. And as the seat like the preseason now is a joke, right? But once the season comes in, you're putting in a new game plan every single week. It's funny. This is a year, John, where I'm. I think some of the more interesting storylines are not on star quarterbacks. They're on potential busts. Justin Fields,

Jordan Love. I'm totally fascinated with both. Now, I think Fields is so brilliantly athletic, he's going to make it. They've given him. I think Mooney's a really good two. DJ Moral 1,

Claypool Inconsistent 3. Cole commits a nice tight end, Robert Tonion. O-line's not terrible. I think they found a left tackle a couple years ago in the draft. So he is so brilliant. athletic. You know, it's like when you were watching Steve Young when he was young, you were like, okay, he's not great in the pocket yet, but this shit's going to work. He's

just too athletic. Cam was like that. It's going to work to some degree. So Justin's going to work to some degree. But I have a very good source, very good in Green Bay, who says three years, they don't see any juice with Jordan Love. And it's weird. Usually I'm so geeked up to watch the great quarterbacks. I'm fascinated with fields. I'm fascinated with Sam Darnold in San Francisco. I can't wait to watch Jordan Love play. My gut is,

it's like, they always say a man can tell in eight minutes if she's right for him, and it may take her eight hours or whatever it is. Yeah. Three years in the building, I don't have a piece of video on Jordan Love. I mean, you are hearing,

Joe Burrow greatness, week three in camp in Cincinnati. My guess is here, Lefleur will control him, but there's going to be no there there with Jordan Love. It's just going to be a guy. That's my take. I think we saw this when Brady left. Whenever there is a guy that you ultimately chose to get rid of and that guy goes on to have success, I think Roger's going to have a fantastic season.

I don't know if you've watched some of his press conferences. He feels like he's in the best mental space. in a long, long time. I mean, he feels really good. I think he's going to be really good. And that element, even if it's, we were ready to move on and they were right, like, it was time for a divorce. There is, you're still the guy replacing him, right?

You don't want to be the guy replacing Nick Saban. Good luck, right? You want to be the guy that replaces that guy. And I just think Jordan Love, I think we're going to know, and you're always big on this right, pretty quickly, especially with a guy that's been in the league for a while. I think in that first month, the pressure on him, especially if it's, start slow will be beyond immense, right? Because there are so many quarterbacks now, especially if you look at like C.J. Stroud just looks okay and Bryce Young. It happens so fat.

The league has never been easier from a passing standpoint. And then when you factor in, well, this guy knows the offense. He's been sitting learning from a Hall of Famer in the head coach, but sit right next to him. Yeah, I think him, I find him fascinating. To me, Fields, just because anytime that you're starting quarterback for a GM and a coach that did not draft you, like I've seen it firsthand, like they just, they will move on. It's about your guy. It's not like that in other sports.

Like if I just inherit Barry Bonds or LeBron James, who cares? In football, unless you're like Aaron Rogers, everyone can be moved really quickly in football. And I do think it got weird last year. And a lot of it was Bill's fault because of who he made the offensive coordinator. But I think of Mack Jones, and we already talk about him like he's, his best case is like Jimmy Garapolo, Kirk Cousinsish. Well, that means his floor is really low. If he's just average, he could.

get everybody fired. Right. You could just end the Belichick era. Well, and also, if you look at Green Bay's schedule, there's some real daunting defenses later. You've got to face the Steelers in November like that. You don't want to open with the Steelers. The Chargers defense the week after that.

You've got the Giants defense later, Carolina's front. But if you really look early for Jordan Love, opens with the bear's defense. It was awful. Falcon's defense. Awful. Week four, Lions defense, awful.

Week five, Raiders defense last year, outside of Max Crosby, awful. So those defenses may be better, John. You can't go from awful to great in a year. So my takeaway is, in those first five weeks, I'm not even looking at wins. If that kid can't get 300 yards passing a couple times,

whatever the scoreboard is, you're going to know in the building. Right. Like, you've got to make, you can lose to Atlanta, but it better be 30, 28, and they got the ball last. I'm pretty, I don't have the number in front of me, but I think off the top of my head, you know how they signed that because they didn't pick up his fifth year option. They basically did like a two-year, $11 million deal. We see these agents in the NFL when it comes to premium positions are so cutthroat. If you had any positive thought that this guy had a chance to be just a solid.

player, $11 million for two years at quarterback? You would just say, let's play it out. Let's see what happens. But that to me is a very just kind of CYA. This could go really bad. And obviously if you're the Packers, it's an easy one. The other thing is if it goes poorly

in terms of Jordan Love and he's not any good and they're just bad because their quarterback plays really shitty, they're actually pretty well equipped for a young quarterback. I mean, they got a lot of talent, a lot of defensive pieces, a lot of good young offensive pieces. If I was one, if I was Caleb or Drake May, like Green Bay, great place to play football.

It matters. They've had to start quarterbacks. They've got young players. They got a coach that knows how to coach offense. I actually think it's, I'd rather go there than Arizona. No, it's really interesting, John. If you look at, I said this the other day. So, A, next year's college quarterback class, best in a four to five year window.

Secondly, you don't have a bunch of old offensive pieces that could get very, impatient, not want to stick around with a kid. Christian Watson, Dobbs, Dylan the running back. They just drafted two tight ends. They've got some youth on the O line. They're ready for a young quarterback, right? Like, it's a young, energized group. The quarterback's going to listen to the same music, play with the same tech.

This is 26 and under kids. So it's not, you don't got a bunch of old guys that are like, who's this 22-year-old rookie? So also Lafleur, by and large, a young coach who sort of face. favors the run game, he would love to slowly grow a quarterback in. The advantage of sitting him three years, John, is everybody knows by Thanksgiving. My dad used to say, your employment will be based on rooms you don't sit in. By Thanksgiving, Mark Murphy, Brian Guden Coons, they're sitting in a room making all these decisions privately.

Three years of practice video, 10 games to Thanksgiving, everybody knows. So my takeaway is that's the advantage of not playing a quarterback. You get so many reps. All I need to say is about eight games alive bullets. You give me eight games. That's Brian Guden, Coates of Mark Murphy. This is what they do for a living. So I think green.

And also, remember this, John, this is a really good quarterback class. Many of the bad teams, Carolina Houston, just drafted a quarterback. Right? So you're in a tiny window. We know Tampa's drafted a quarterback. and we know the Raiders are. That's not arguable. Green Bay could be,

Indy just got a quarterback. Green Bay could be one of like four teams that absolutely needs a quarterback. So John, they wouldn't, even if they won five games and had the eighth pick. Harrison is the best receiver since Moss. Somebody's taken him. Right?

There's like six. There's a tackle at Penn State. It's elite. Off the charts. So it's like, it's not like let's just keep moving back harrison i mean how many teams in the league would take randy moss in his prime today so caleb drake may and harrison are your first three the draft starts at four and there's a and i would say that penn state o lineman's probably a lock four top four so yeah if you

finish with the fifth mess record or you're five or six in the draft you don't have to give anything up you're going to get a quarterback yeah for sure the other big story i don't know if you're You saw like J.K. Dobbins, the running back for the Ravens, who's mad, wants a contract. Obviously, this Jonathan Taylor situation. I hadn't thought of this, but I was on Gottlieb's radio show, and he made a good point. It's clearly that phone call that was led by a bunch of guys that had already been paid, got everyone kind of amped up. And a message went out as we're all getting screwed, even though everyone that's talking is making $12 to $15 million. Right.

And some of the other guys, you know, start kind of. Jonathan Taylor went on record, I think late April, said, hey, listen, I'm glad to be here. This will get figured out. I'm not worried. He's always been known, high character guy. Then gets into camp and he's double middle fingers. He's pissed off. J.K. Dobbins, who played eight games, ran for 500 yards, refusing to practice right now.

Sometimes you start listening to people who are above your pay grade with some of their ideas, and it seems down can put you in a bad mental spot. I don't care what industry you're in. And I think if you look back on that phone call, it's going to have some negative rambo. Christian McCaffrey can do whatever he wants. Derek Henry. There are other guys that aren't quite on that level. And I think when you start thinking like other people

that you shouldn't be thinking like that yet can just create some chaos. And this is not the NBA where they're just going to capitulate to your demands. I think these guys are realizing it really. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right

where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Well, the one team that's interesting is the Colts. So there's a number that Warren Sharp puts out that quarterbacks by and large have gobbled up about 15 to 20% of the running back rush yards in the last decade. Well, Anthony Richardson could gobble up 25 to 30%. I mean, people are projecting him is like Justin Fields, but more athletic. So yeah.

So if he gobbles up 30% of Jonathan Taylor's yards, he rushes for 950 yards, seven touchdowns. I mean, Jalen Hertz is getting 10 plus touchdowns. Lamar's getting 1,000 yards. Josh Allen getting 800. And Josh Allen's a great pocket guy now. So let's say Anthony Richardson, only one year starting in college, going to be kind of raw. Shane Steichen likes athletic quarterbacks.

He's going to lean into running for two years. So the cults say to themselves, we don't need an A running back. What we need is a better corner and another receiver or tight end. Do the Colts call the Patriots who have a surplus of DBs and say, we'll give you, Taylor. You don't have a damn playmaker in your roster. you give us Stevenson, who's a B running back, and your two or three corner. So I could see Indy saying, listen, we don't, we're going to. And a pick maybe.

Yeah, yeah. Give us a fifth round pick, your three corner and your B back. We'll give you Taylor. New England has no playmakers. John, Mac Jones is not a playmaker. Devonte Parker's not. Hunter Henry's not. Essentially, New England can only score with 11 play drives.

Right? Like, that's it. Do you do the slot wide receiver? So Jonathan Taylor, they have no cleanup hitter. Shit, they don't have a three hitter. They don't have anybody in the three hole. So to me, if I'm the Colts, I'd call New England and say, give us your number two or three corner a pick and we'll give you our B back.

And it sounds, you know, like, ooh, Belichick wouldn't get worked. Belichick's trying to keep his job in a division where they can't stop Josh Allen. They won't stop Aaron Rogers. and Mike McDaniel and Tua have had Belichick's number. They got to go get a playmaker, and nobody's giving up a star receiver. The only position in the league where you can have a playmaker star and they'll give it to you is running back.

I would go get Jonathan Taylor tomorrow if I was New England. The one thing they have, and they always have under Belichick, they always have an extra corner. They always have an extra safety. Bill's the best DB coach in league history. This gets back to the owner. situation too of just they create a little chaos when they talk and a lot of these owners now know that nothing good comes out of it and Jerry and Ursay, especially Ursa, he's pretty mouthy,

you know, and it's, but you got to come. You can't let your, you know, your rookie coach and your rookie raw quarterback, you don't want them in chaos, right? You got to figure out this situation. You got to figure out fast. So week one surprise. So here's my week one upset. The Jaguars, Jaguars are heavy favorites, and they have struggled through the years against the Colts. And they're coming in like a big, big four-point favorite, five-point. Okay. So they go indoors. They have no idea what they're getting from Anthony Richardson.

They have no idea what they're getting with Shane Steichen. But we know Stuyken did this immediately with Justin Fields. He was ready to play. So you've got a Colts team. that won't be great, but bad teams don't know they're bad until about week five. You've got a new coach,

new system that works quickly with young quarterbacks, and Anthony Richardson is so hyper-mobile. It's going to look like Lamar in his first 12 NFL games. You're not going to know what to do. I think the Colts, now I think the Jags are going to end up

with 12 to 13 wins. I think they're going to get caught flat-footed in week one. You know there's going to be a holy blank moment in week one. It's happened. every year of my life. Give me a week one that you look at and think,

oh, brother, Dallas Giants, Eagles, Patriots, what do you see? Really quick on the Jags. I talk to a buddy that's on that staff, and he said Calvin Ridley, holy moly, looks fantastic. Their offense has a chance. Their defense is just okay. Their offense could be lights out. I mean, we're talking top five or six in the league.

So I think big picture, I'm a big Jags believer. The 49ers have started slow, just under Kyle Shanning. They've usually had to get wrong on the second half of seasons in basically every season, but the year that they went to the Super Bowl. But the last couple, they have not started fast. Last year they didn't, they lost week one on the road to Chicago. Yes. They had the number one overall draft pick.

This year they played Pittsburgh. And Pittsburgh easily finished the last stretch of the season playing as well as anyone. They obviously missed the playoffs, but it was because they started with Mitch Trubisky by the end. Their rookie quarterback was leading game-winning drives. Now they have a lot of confidence. T.J. Watt is healthy. I think they kind of have a true identity. To me, Kenny Pickett and Mack Jones are kind of in the same world.

Kenny Pickett is a little bit better athlete. But the Steelers are much more equipped to handle a guy like him than Bill, because they got playmakers. They just, they know what the guy is. They have consistency with their coordinators. I think that's a weird spot for 49ers, week one, you know, who are favored on the road with Brock Purdy coming back from this arm injury. He's ahead of schedule.

He's able to throw pretty much full go in practice right. now. But I can see the Niners, you know, winning 13 games and losing that game. And I think a lot of people are going to, you get the Steelers, a home underdog, week one. I mean, that place is going to be going nuts. You know, Brock Pretty week. We can't give him the Steve Young, Joe Montana, just treatment just yet on the road, week one against good teams. The other thing is, what's Tomlin's track record? He's a great. Excellent underdog. Oh, my God. It's the best underdog coach in the league. He's a terrible favorite. coach. And I think a lot of it is like Pete Carroll. He's the great motivator. It's hard to motivate

when you're a 13 point favorite over the Bengals eight years ago. He is a home dot. Remember a couple years ago, they go into Buffalo and kick the you know what out of the bills. We all thought the bills were going to win 15 games and they went in their block to punt. Josh Allen couldn't move the ball. Watch, watch Pittsburgh play their arse off in that game. Well, it's so easy for him, you know, from Cam Hayward to T. J. Watt to Mika. You know, we've played everyone. from Payton to Tom Brady or Rogers for a decade here. And Brock Purdy is just going to get treated like them. You know, because that's that type number.

Now, listen, it's a Kyle Shanahan number, not a Brock Purdy number. But I just think the Niners, just when you look at their history, slow starts, and that's just a tough opponent. Like, this is not playing some four-win team week one. So I got that one circle that just take the points right now. I love that bet. John Midlachoff, three-and-out, golf pod, Go Low.

Want to thank all the listeners for Amazon on AMP. John, I can't wait. Have a great weekend. I'm going to hit the golf course this weekend. Well, Colin, it's been about 140 degrees here in Arizona. So I made golf for the first time yesterday and needed about seven Gatorades and eight gallons of water. But I just recuperated about 24 hours later. So great to see you.

See you. 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not. not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.