The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Dame’s Decision + Russ Broncos Buy-In, Lance Verdict, Rams Reboot w/ John Middlekauff

Episode Date: June 28, 2023

First Colin explains if Dame Lillard leaving Portland for a contender is a selfish move. Colin and 3 and Out podcast Host John Middlekauff discuss if Russell Wilson can get a buy-in from his Broncos teammates, if enough time has passed to call Trey Lance a bust with the Niners, where big name free agents like Dalvin Cook and DeAndre Hopkins could land, how the Rams can bounce back from a dismal season, and which bad teams from last season could make the biggest improvement.  Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Herd #Volume #3andOutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You know, I think the dame drama in Portland's interesting. I think there's this sense from a lot of fans. And I always try to put myself in the position of the player. What would I think if I was the player? What would I think of I was the coach or the GM? And there's this sense by, I think, a lot of fans that you're selfish if you, leave a team like Dame leaving Portland just to go be on a better team. And I think the opposite's true. If you're just going to stay in any franchise that's not remotely viable to win a championship,

then you're basically doing it for the Benjamins. You're just doing it for money. What's the value of that? Like that's just, that's totally about self. But if you go to another team, let's say Dame goes to Milwaukee. That's not selfish. He'd be the second best player in a team. That's giving. It'd be the first time the ball wouldn't go through him. That's not selfish. That's giving. He wouldn't be the face of a franchise. That's not selfish.

That's giving. That's relinquishing. That's passing a baton to somebody else. That's the opposite of selfish. You know, when Bradley Beale for a year stayed in Washington, that was all about comfort, making good money, and being the man. And Bradley Beale finally went to management and said, I want to go win some games. I'm going to go somewhere like Phoenix. Well, when Bradley Beal goes to Phoenix, he's not going to get the most shots.

Booker will. Durant may get second most. He's the third best player on a team. That's the opposite of selfish. He is giving up shots, giving up where he lives, giving up comfort, giving up friends. So I just don't buy into this. And I think it's good for the league long term if most of your stars stay. But one of the things I've always appreciated about LeBron James is his ability to acclimate to new teammates, new coaches, new cultures, and new cities.

It's hard. He didn't win first year at a high school in Cleveland. He didn't win first year in Miami. He didn't win first year back at Cleveland. He didn't win first year in Los Angeles. LeBron James was the best player in the league in all of those and arguably the best player ever. Why? Because moving's hard.

Hell, this studio I'm in, I just sold this house. I will have to move. It's a pain in the ass. And that's just down the block. Can you imagine moving your family into a new city? Well, he's rich. Rich or not, moving's difficult. It's discomfort.

It's new this, new that. So when I look at Dame, do you just want to sit in Portland and collect checks? And be comfortable. And be the man. and get what you want. It's much harder. You say, oh, you go to Miami, greater expectations. You won't get every big shot.

You may not be the most popular player in town. Jimmy Butler is. Bam's got loyalists. The franchise, Riley, Spolstra, you're the new guy in town. If he goes to Milwaukee and Janus, they've already got a ring before you. How much credit will you get for the second ring? So I look at loyalty. as a two-way street.

You know, Portland is a market that geographically pinned up in the Pacific Northwest, not a huge free agent hub. I mean, they've never had an NBA All-Star game because they don't have enough hotel rooms. Now, I think they're putting in a, I believe, a Ritz Carlton, so they'll finally be able to get like an NBA All-Star game. But for years, they've never had one. They're the oldest franchise in the league without ever having hosted an NBA All-Star game. It's a small town and Dave's the biggest star in it.

So I don't think it's disloyal at all. I think you have to give a lot to take the risk of pressure. I mean, going to Miami is going to be an incredibly pressurized situation. Riley's an icon, spolster's coach of the year. Bam, Butler just got to the finals with undrafted guys. Dame goes to Miami and they don't get back to the finals. Who do you think's taking the heat? It's not bam.

It's not Spoh. It's not Butler. It's Dame. There is a risk involved. The avalanche comes down the hill. It's going to land on Dame. These guys got to the finals as an eight seed. So the idea of just joining super teams, you do understand that if you take out LeBron James,

the whole mobility thing in the league, doesn't work as well as you think. Kevin Durant joined a team that already won a title. But then he goes to Brooklyn, it implies. Phoenix may implode. It's okay. If you want to just play for the checks, the comfort, the stardom, the fame, stay in your city forever. But I applaud Bradley Beale for what he did, and I would applaud Dame for going on a potential championship team, taking some risk, taking some heat, and letting others watch him, which he deserves in May and June,

still playing. Now time for the volumes John Middlecom. the former NFL scout hosts two podcasts, three and out. That's his volume NFL podcast and go low, his golf podcast, which is gaining steam. So I saw where Mike McGlenshy, the new right tackle, former Niner, good tackle, not great, not Tristan worse, but a good tackle, good right tackle. Not Lane Johnson. But I saw where McGlinchie said, okay, I changed my mind. I didn't like Russ. And now I watched his work ethic.

I'm into Russ. And it is weird when he left. Brady leaves New England, 20 years there. You would have thought he would have offended somebody, an executive, a sales guy, a player, a coach, a trainer. Everybody loved him. Tears flowing. Russ is there a third of the time. Leave Seattle and gets dogged by everybody, former teammates.

Do you think it's just as simple as people? People view him as inauthentic. I think that plays a part. I think they were a defensive lead team. I think the individual instances that happened in the Super Bowl, right, with Marshawn Lynch, everything that hovered around that. You know, I think without that, let's just say they win it. I don't know if it quite gets his, I mean, he got pretty negative.

I do think people think he's kind of a weird guy. And I would say this, quarterbacks, I mean, you got a lot of theories on quarterbacks. You go back to junior high. usually kind of the lead dog, everyone follows them. And then by the time you get to high school, they're getting girls better looking. Maybe they get into college. They get good jobs. If they're not able to play professional football, they just feel like the leader of the crew. And that's not always fair because just because you play quarterback doesn't mean you have leadership traits. And I think Russell really always tried to embrace that. Right. He really wanted it, which I respect. But I don't

think you can fake it if you don't have it all. And it's really hard. Right. Like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, those guys are kind of outliers. Patrick Mahomes, right? They got it all. Steph Curry. I mean, the character, the focus, the talent. Everyone likes them. They want to hang with them.

It's most, you know, Rogers, all-time great player, but, you know, rubs people the wrong way sometimes. And, you know, it's been very hit or miss over his career as a leader. I also think just any time that you play bad and the way that, I mean, it was Pete versus Russ. And I know where you stood. I was with you. I thought I'd probably bet on Russ.

us, how Seattle going to win this trade. And it takes time. But I would say they're definitely in the lead right now. When you factor in the picks, when you factor in the cap relief, when you factor in how much success they had last year. I mean, Gino Smith just in a vacuum had a better season than Russell Wilson. How crazy is that when you really say that out loud? When Russ came out of the draft, that was in your scouting days or around that time when you were a scout in the NFL. Do you remember Russell Wilson's draft profile very well?

I mean, he was beloved. There was, I remember a story from one of our scouts that went through Wisconsin, right? And when they do the measuring, now these players don't even do half the things at a pro day, right? But he was back just 10 years ago, everyone did everything. And when he was getting measured, I think, you know, he was a shade under, it started with 5, 10, something. And then they're like, and they said 5-11 flat and every scout applauded because everyone in the room was rooting for them. And with the Eagles, I mean, it's been well documented over the years.

Daniel Jeremiah loved him. Andy loved him, how he loved him. And I saw a recent article about how we talking about Jalen Hertz and looking back when they got cute with Russell Wilson. And when you like a guy at that position, why try to get an extra pick and get a guy in the third round when you can just take him in the second round and look what happened to the Eagles. Same type deal. Most people, including myself, that Jalen Hertz in the second round. That's insane. You probably could have got the guy in the fourth. Well, I would say they don't regret doing

it. And Russell, I mean, he was really kind of a trendsetter, right? I remember being younger and Doug Flutie. They just weren't short quarterbacks, especially mobile short quarterbacks. So he was, his time, whether he's washed down, I will say this. And I've, I've been to several Seattle Niner Games live. I think he's one of the most remarkable players I've ever seen in his heyday. He had some Steve Young. It was just, it was unreal.

Now, the guy we saw last year, we're about to find out, was it all made acting? Or is Sean, can Sean resurrect him? Or sometimes, I think we've kind of become numb, right? Everyone has a long, 20-year shelf life. Well, some guys just peek out for 12 years. That's a pretty long career.

That used to be the norm, right, Colin? Yeah, and when I watch Russell, the thing that struck me is that he was still very effective running. He just stopped doing it. Now, he would get into late game situations when Nathaniel Hackett was the coach and he would take off once or twice and he was still very effective. I think when he got the big money, I'm going to theorize this. When he got the big money and I'm talking, you know, his contract was Mahomes-ish,

Peyton Manning-ish, right? When he got that big money. I think Russell said to him, himself, okay, this has been reserved for guys that sit in the pocket. I'm not going to, I'm not going to be run around Russ anymore. I want to prove I can do it from the pocket. And I really felt that he wanted to, he wanted to sort of pivot to a older in the pocket can win it to line of scrimmage quarterback. When in truth, he's the same size mostly as Tua, who is acknowledged publicly, there are times I can't see over the offensive linemen.

So I think Russ got stubborn. I talked to somebody who had looked at film of Russ, and they're like sometimes he looked stubborn, is that there's much better angles, you know, slide in the pocket. Russ kind of felt like, this is my take. He kind of wanted to prove, okay, this is a contract that's been for the great pocket passers of all time.

I'm not going to be wild, crazy run around Russ. And then when Peyton got there, you've noticed he's lost weight this offseason. I think Peyton said, Ross, you know, if Drew Brees could have run, he would have run. It's an asset. Lean into it. Well, think about all the great running quarterbacks probably post the 1970s.

I don't consider like John Elway, even though he's mobile or Aaron Rogers, a running quarterback. I think Steve Young beat the drum the hardest. You have to win within the pocket. And he was a better athlete than even those guys, right? But he became a Hall of Fame or an MVP, ultimately with his arm. And I think historically would say that's how you have to transition. because the Mike Vicks, we'll see with Lamar, you just take a pounding. Kyler Murray, it's hard when you are kind of this hybrid running back now.

You could argue maybe the rules, a little safer to run. Guys are less, you know, less likely to go Steve Atwater, John Lynch on your body down the field. I do think you can incorporate it if you do it right better than ever. Like Steve Young could not have done that. He would not have lasted as long as he did if he kept taken off like Russell did most of his career. I just think that sometimes in life, this is happening. to probably most humans, not at the level in which Russell because he's such a public figure, but you get humbled in life, you really got two options, right? You kind of go back to the

drawing board because he's always been chasing greatness and trying to be like a top 15, 20 quarterback of all time and be a Hall of Fame guy, which he probably already is, but I just mean, is he just going to be a laughingstock moving forward? Is he a prideful guy that we saw forever and that butted heads with some of those defensive guys and wanted to be a star? he's definitely one of the most fascinating stories in the league when you factor in his you know the coach edition right um i want to go into tray lance you know the niners well so uh when stuff gets out it's because somebody wants it out and it was recently where the story got out that there was no market for tray lands so i had said on this podcast multiple times i was told last year the niners not that they panicked but really

came to the conclusion that he's completing about 55% of his throws career start and he was, I was told by somebody in the organization, practice to practice, he was all over the map. Colin, they panic because they re-signed Jimmy Garoppel before the season started. So they were on edge. So do you remember the first time when Trey Lance got there? Because he was raw, like Josh Allen.

Do you remember the first time you saw him because you went to practices or you heard things and thought, oh shit, this isn't going to work? Yeah, I think the first time whenever you see a young player, a quarterback who's quote unquote raw from a smaller school that you don't have experience watching, right? It would be one thing if you showed up to a Carolina Panthers practice. You've seen Bryce Young play a lot or C.J. Strat. You can go on YouTube, but it's not the same as over a period of years watching a guy at one of the main programs. So the first year, I didn't really have any hard take one way or the other, but I know the head coach and I know the way they operate. It's about they're not looking for Patrick Mahomes miracles in the offense.

They're looking, I mean, in a weird, this sounds crazy, but somewhat dinking. and dunking to their guys within 10 yards in line of scrimmage and let them eat. Right? I mean, they got some of the best yak guys from Debo and Kittle and Iyukes really good. Now McCaffrey. So he hasn't been accurate through his first two years.

Now, he's definitely improved his motion a little bit. But yeah, you could argue that's like a guy in Major League Baseball or a golfer. It's one thing to do it in a practice environment. It's another thing when the live bullets come and usually resort back to muscle memory. And that to me is the major question, but because the guy he's battling, he's a simple reality, he's battling to be the backup.

He's no longer the starter, two years. And I just think it speaks to the NFL that the amount of money that's in the league right now, especially with the way they cap the rookie deals. So remember back in the day, like Matt Stafford and Sam Bradford and Domic and Sue, we're getting more money than 99% of the players already in the league. Now, you know, he got $30 million guaranteed, but, and they missed some picks, but whatever, they've been going to the NFC championship. you're not as beholden to hold on for dear life.

You're more likely to be, you know, like Al Davis kind of had a quick trigger finger, which at the time seemed kind of crazy. But now you see it around the league like Zach Wilson, you know, he could be not on the Jets in a year. It wouldn't even feel that weird. Trey Lance, I don't think he's guaranteed to be on the team week one because it could be a situation where other teams need quarterback, Sam Darnelger, two.

They got Brandon Allen who was the backup for Joe Burrell the last couple years. So he knows what it's like to be a backup and he fits in that system. Again, they are not looking. I've been around Andy Reid, likes a little pizzazz, you know, likes an explosion. Kyle wants to run it about 30 times a game, do some, you know, some quick screen, some slant routes. Maybe a shot to Kittle, but it's a design shot. So it's their offense is is somewhat of a throwback in this quote unquote modern, you know, throw it all over the yard game. 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, Cliver 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.

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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. Let's talk about old school, as you noted. So Dalvin Cook is saying he has multiple offers, Jets, Broncos, Patriots, Dolphins. Dolphins apparently using the Ram Swiss Bank from a couple of years ago when they signed everybody. No same income tax. Are you surprised that there really hasn't been much of a market, even for D. Hop, who I still consider on the middle and bottom half of the league, a one, maybe a two on a really good roster.

I mean, I always like Dalvin Cook. Yeah, I like DeAndra Hopkins too. Part of it's just economics. At this point in time on June 27th, no one is going to give a guy a multi-year contract at the money they're asking. Now come a couple weeks into training camp when the pads have been on and these good teams go,

God, our running back stink. Or maybe Coach Reid goes, our wide receivers aren't taking the jump we thought they were taking because it's going to be the good teams are more willing to give you, you know, that fake multi-year deal, but give you a big salary. Right now, there's no incentive. Spirits are high. You talk to these guys at different OTAs. Everyone's happy. You're working, you know, nine to three and four-day work weeks. One training camp gets a little tighter because you're

really evaluating your team. Pads come on. You have a young guy. A lot of these teams, it's human nature, right? You've made these draft picks in the last couple years in the first or second around. Well, maybe the guy wasn't ready to play or maybe he's been behind a guy that left in free agency and now is kind of his time. And ideally, that guy just becomes your starter. Maybe he's not as good as DeAndre Hopkins. But if he can get you, well, we think this guy can get a 60, 70 catches at $900,000. You'd rather do that to kind of big picture build your team. But when that guy can't catch a cold in training camp or maybe gets hurt, I think things change fast. So if both those guys to me have signing first couple weeks of August written all over them after

an injury or after young players not ascending because everyone's got their fingers crossed to the guys they drafted are going to be good and then the actual football happens and they're not as good as you hoped. So one of the things I love about sports, you know, for me to sit down and just watch

regular season NBA or regular season baseball games it's, you know, I'll watch bits and pieces. You can YouTube it. I can watch edited versions of games. NFL's different. College football is different. UFC fights different. There's urgency. But what I really like about sports is the cultural pivots and changes. I think the NBA is getting more international and the size. We're kind of getting a throwback to size. The league got so fast, small and perimeter oriented. Teams like Denver are like Porter, Gordon, Yokic, like big, big now. You see that picture of Wembeama dunking with his feet basically on the ground? Is that Mnupon, style, level length?

So, Brooke Lopez, Janus, just big. Porzzingus to the Celtics. Phoenix. Phoenix. has length. They're going to keep Aiton and KD. So, you know, the league, cyclical got small and fast with the warriors and people try to copy them. And now it's like, no, we're going the other way. We're getting big international. The other thing I'm noticing in the NFL, and I think Kansas City is on the forefront of this is that it's always been understood in the NFL, John, that if you have a star quarterback, then, you know, don't go for a second round for running backs like Kansas City didn't kind of missed. You can have kind of pedestrian running backs if you have a great quarterback. Brady mostly had pedestrian quarterbacks.

So Kansas City did something last year, and because they won a Super Bowl, I feel like the Rams are trying to copy them. So basically Kansas City, it looks like they gave up a very good corner to the Niners. And what they basically said is, we're going to spend our money on offense because younger players can struggle on offense because offense is choreography. But young players defensively, you just get them to cover and blow shit up. So they went super young. we'll keep Chris Jones.

We'll pay for an elite front four, front five guy. Aaron Donald Rams. We'll let Bobby Wagner go. We'll let Jalen Ramsey go. And the Rams, this draft, just went fast with perimeter edge rushers. Last year it was corners. So the Rams basically saying, we're going to spend money probably on a Stafford, a note boom to left tackle, Cooper Cup.

They may have to spend on Cam Acres, Jefferson. My theory is what the chiefs have said is, if you've got a really good quarterback, top 10 guy, you need an elite defensive linemen. Those are disruptors. Everybody else, even good corners, Kansas City, L.A., let them go. And just get young, cheap, and fast on defense. And maybe I'm overstating it,

but I watched the Rams last two drafts. And they, I mean, they've really just said, we're not paying for anybody outside of Aaron Donald on this defense. I mean, they had thrown a lot of money around so that it was tied. The one pushback I would have is, I hear what you're saying. You're factually correct is they are very, very tied now the way they are built to their quarterback once they kind of pivoted and then gave Stafford the money. And he was, now, was he injured the elbow?

He was horrendous last year. Now, even the year they won the Super Bowl, remember he had that stretch like five or six games where he's throwing pick sixes, not even just picks. He throws interceptions, but he's such an explosive player. My question, I think we've talked about this before,

is McVeigh, who clearly is established, she's a good coach. I mean, really good coach, right? But he has turned on some guys, younger players or veteran players

or guys they've signed really quickly. Little John Grudeney. And the rumors, you worked a lot of guys probably at that old network with former players that had been around Gruden. They're like,

God, one day's this, the next day's this. and McVeigh, they loved Alan Robinson, they gave him all the money, and then a year later he hates him. You know, they love Todd Gurley. Now, that's, you could argue just a young coach, awesome player,

probably shouldn't sign a running back. They regret that one pretty quickly, but he's shown an inclination to just pivot really fast in a negative way on guys. And look at the running back. He turned on him, and now he's a certain running back again, where I would say this,

Kyle is a little bit more of an old soul, and Pete's pretty good at this. they've kind of had a long rope with a lot of guys. It's easy to always love Aaron Donald or even just kind of, you know, back Matt Stafford. To me, it's the young guys are just going to be up and down. And you kind of have to, it's one of Coach Reed's great strengths. He's very, obviously he will move on from a guy, cut him or trade him. But he is patient.

And I understand, Sean's, you know, 38 years old. He's rich. He's ready to roll. But that's one thing to keep an eye on. can he have, if he's in it for the long haul, which I think is also a question. I mean, is this, is he going to be coaching five more years? Or is he going to, is it going to the TV thing every single year? Because let's say this year, they have a bad year, right?

Because they're an injury or two away now. They're so top heavy. If Stafford's elbows messed up and, you know, what Stets of Bennett would be their starter? Let's just hypothetically say they win six or seven games. We saw he does not handle losing well. I think a little like Gruden. They run so hot. They get to the office and, you know, the crack of dawn while every normal human,

and even high achievers are asleep, is that sustainable? I see his wife's pregnant. Like, I mean, is this a guy, if you had to bet over under three and a half years, as Sean McVeigh still the coach of the Rams? I think, I say he'd stay, but I don't think he's a lifer. I go back to my theory. So Cincinnati, Zach Taylor, is off the Sean McVeatree.

They bailed on some high-priced defensive guys this year. They just said, we're out in our safeties. They spent two, three years ago, a ton of money on guys. They just bailed on him. Yeah. But they got to pay the wide receiver, right? And then the other wide receiver next year in Burrow. I mean, they got other guys to pay.

So what Cincinnati is making the same bet. We're going to have one expensive edge rusher we really like. We're going to move off other high price guys. Kansas City's done it. Rams are doing it. Now, these are all offensive coaches. Now, the Niners, of course, because they're not paying purdy, they can have a Fred Warner. Uniquely built.

Right. But it is interesting that when Kansas City moved off their corner, Yeah, Charverius Ward. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, I'm told that's a position of extreme importance. And they just moved off him. And they went and drafted guys, later around guys, and they were good, not as good as him. And I was like, is that something beyond just an isolated move? I think they had their Belichickie in off season where they pivoted off Tyreek and they had the extra first round pick.

And they kind of knew in the draft who they draft, McDuffie, the corner from who ironically got. injured and the kid Watson, the Washington State USC guy was making plays at the end. McDuffie, he's a good player. He'll be fine and once healthy. But they the other thing, Colin, they drafted really well. There is a cohesion with Veach and Andy that's

kind of just like Belichick with Belichick. Those guys know each other really, really well. And it all starts a little bit like Brady with the guy at the top. I mean, their quarterback is just, I mean, he might just be an all-timer. I mean, he obviously already is, but I just mean, like, I mean,

this guy when the dust settles, who knows? I mean, he could, why, why are they not going to win more? Right? I mean, is he, when it's all sudden done, is he a four or five Super Bowl guy? I know that's difficult. It's easy to say now, but he definitely, he definitely has another one in them. So it's interesting. So Pittsburgh spends a lot of money on defense. Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco did, but don't you think Telesco today regrets J.C. Jackson and maybe Khalil Mack? I mean, they... 100%. They went and spent... The Kille Mack, to me, past rusher, I will lean past rusher. I'm a big.

believer that you can get by on the edges of your defense at corner and safety, coach them up and just dominate the front. Because if you get pressure and you go back to that Niner team and 19, and you look at this Eagle team, now they had good corners too, Derry Slay and stuff. But their front was, you and I could have played corner some games because they've got

three or four double-digit sack guys coming from inside, coming from outside, because it's the one area in football where you can just cause havoc. I mean, if the Chiefs, I think they drafted Carlofskis, the kid last year from Purdue. I'm pretty sure they draft another front guy. If they ever get like a 1B to Chris Jones, it might not matter who's playing the DBs

because they would just overwhelm quarterbacks. And I think that's what Telesco tried with Khalil. I think Khalil probably just falls under a lot of wear and tear on that body, not a speed guy, more of a power guy and just, you know, he probably regrets it, not in theory of trying to get a pass rusher, but that individual player. So I watched McVe-Reed and Zach Taylor move off defensive guys, yet the top defensive spends in the NFL, the teams that spend the most money. Chargers Staley, Steelers Tomlin, Seahawks, Pete Carroll, and Bill's Sean McDermott.

I do believe when the defensive coach leans into the ear of the GM, I think Brandon Staley said, we need to get a corner. Assante Samuel is not it. And I look at Reed. I look at McVeigh. I look at Zach Taylor. And by the way, this year the Eagles let go of some of their defensive guys. And I want to let go with their offensive guys.

I think general managers mostly control the draft, take the Patriots out. But I do think there's an influence. Often the coach and the GM are, you know, Andy Reid and Brett Veach are different. But a lot of times they're both like 48 to 53 years old. They're the kind of guys you could see their wives go out. They go out for dinner. They crack beers on weekends, maybe occasionally golf. A little more normal.

Yeah. But it's hard, less need McVeigh. McVeigh's in his ear. McVeigh's like Ramsey or a better number two receiver. Like I get it. Well, Colin, I just think it's the hierarchy of the guy, the owner, these coaches now make anywhere from 12. Sean McDermott just got a contract extension. That's not $7 million a year.

I mean, he might be making $14, $15 million. That's the going rate. Right. So GMs, they're doing well beside a couple of them. Most of them probably making $2, $3 million. So if you just look at it in any hierarchy, right, who in any, you know, office setting has more juice, the guy making 3x the other guy. And just I think the simple reality of this modern day football, GMs historically in all these sports, right,

I think had more juice before the money. And now when you get a high price coach, if that guy wants something, he's simply going to get it. Now, some guys are easier to deal with and less probably passives, probably the wrong way to put it. but less just kind of Belichick, run you over. I'm going to do my way or the highway, are willing to listen. But ultimately, it's, it's their ass kind of on the firing line because they're on the sideline.

And I just think more often than not what they want. And a lot of times it comes from their assistant coaches, right? Their coordinators are pressing them. But that's kind of how it unravels. And sometimes the GM, and this stuff rarely gets out. I mean, you got to know a guy pretty well because that stuff gets out. Then there becomes a lot of animosity, especially when it doesn't work. I just think the coaches now, they make so much money.

They have so much pull with the guy that's signing the check. And, you know, if they ever need to get anything signed off, they're going to lean with the coach. Yeah, I've heard Sean McVeigh's gotten more and more power since the Super Bowl that. How could he not? You know, I mean, it's just right with how much they're paying him and how much success he's having. He's the golden, he's really the face of their franchise, isn't he? 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 which 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.

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give me a bad team that you think will be better this year. And the one I've thrown at is Carolina. I like Houston a little bit, but I don't know much about Demico Ryans. So Carolina put together a very expensive staff. Bryce Young is arguably outside of Derek Carr and maybe including Derek Carr, the best quarterback in division. Frank Reich, if you go look at his best year with luck, Philip Rivers and Wentz, he made all of them.

They're most efficient. So he's a little bit of a quarterback whisper. He's not going to give a bigger numbers, but Philip Rivers was more efficient. Luck, who could be turnover prone, more efficient, Wentz, turnover prone, 27 TD, seven picks. They let go,

they went and got Adam Thielen to replace DJ more, which is a, you know, there's a gap there. But they do have some money. Wouldn't be shocked if they sniffed around Alvin Cook. And my takeaway, bad division, good staff, Bryce Young's. Nobody has film on Bryce Young as an NFL quarterback. I look at their schedule.

There's a lot of home games they can win. Carolina's my bad team. And for the record, John, good front seven. Some good young corners that were banged up. Like they have defensive pressure on that front seven. Carolina is my team that will surprise people, double their wins. What say you? I don't hate that.

I mean, best coach in the division by far when you look around at the resumes. You know, I'm not going to go with the Raiders. One team that I do think is talented. And when you watch them play last day, they beat the Eagles early on in the season, the Washington football team commanders, whatever the hell of their name is, do have a lot of talent at different positions.

Now, they're going with Sam Howell, who's a fifth round pick, which on the surface sounds pretty crazy anytime you start a fifth round pick that's never really played. But it wasn't that long ago. He was pretty highly touted as a college player. Now, the other curveball is Eric B. Enemy, which, you know, everyone's got a different opinion. We're going to find out because if Sam Howell's good and Washington is a double-digit win team, there's no, I mean, he's going to be a head coach pretty quickly, right?

But they have defensive linemen. They have offensive weaponry. Now, their head coach, Ron, for a guy that's been employed for a long time, he doesn't win that much. But I do think they have a lot of talent on their team. And look at the division. The Giants, I think Brian Daibald, that an incredible job, but their team is not that talented. Right. I mean, it's just not. And the Cowboys at any moment, shit just can get weird, right?

They're better than Washington. I'm not arguing that. But it's just, the Cowboys just can always just blow up because Jerry says something weird, right? Mike McCarthy, conservative, Brian Schottenheimer, Uber conservative, no Zeke, pollered off an injury. And they have stated, we want to run the ball. It's like, guys, turn the page. For sure.

And the Eagles are absolutely. stacked and it feels insane to think that they're not going to be a 15, 16 win team. But last year they kind of got to have a chip on their shoulder and prove. Now everyone's going to anoint them as just the clear favorite. And they are roster wise right there with the 49ers. But I could see them maybe coast in some games that maybe they wouldn't have last year. And instead of winning 15 games, they win 12. Right.

So you have the opportunity. There's seven playoff teams now, right? Because you get that extra. Look at last year. The Lions and the Packers in Seattle were getting in barely over 500. So if you can get to 9, 10 wins, now Washington, I think had 7 or 8 wins, so they wouldn't double their win total. But it wouldn't shock me if the kid is just capable and BNMie is taking pretty good notes.

He's had a front row seat around Andy Reed for a decade, right? So they could be, they got the pieces on the team on both sides of the ball. I think they could be a 10 win team. I don't think it's crazy. Philadelphia, as good as they are, look at their schedule. to a week four to week 10. I heard you talking about that. Niners at Kansas City,

cross country to Seattle, Buffalo, Rams. It is a lot of tough games. A lot of pressure to, you know, Siriani lost both coordinators. He's not the offensive play caller. So there are Brian Johnson, the former Utah quarterback,

who we've been talking about him at different places for years. I mean, he has a long resume, but he's calling the place now, right? It's not when someone leaves the RAM staff or the Niners staff, right? You still know McVeigh's calling the plays or Kyle's calling the plays or Andy can call the place. That's not the case. So that is a dramatic shift of an offensive play call.

Even if their defense improves a little bit because it had its moments where statistically like stats-wise, sacks and turnovers, they were good. But when you watched them, there were definitely some whole. I mean, the cheat, Andy took advantage of it. So maybe they're a little better on defense. But offensively, it's hard to be as good as they were last year. I mean, you turned them on at any moment. they could score 30 points and a half and it wouldn't even feel like it wouldn't be fair.

Yeah, they're facing more elite quarterbacks this year. They're just they're just facing more Mahomes, Alan Stafford. I think they have they may have Herbert on there. Yeah, they do. They have Russell Wilson now with Peyton. So, I mean, the way the league works, if you play eight to 10 pro bowl level quarterbacks, you're not one in 13 games. You're not one in 12 games.

Is there any circumstance that you would pick the Jets to make the playoffs? Yeah. Tua gets hurt. Which happens. Yeah, I think it's that simple. I think Tua put on. Yeah, and I saw some video of two about three weeks ago. He's obviously put on 10 pounds, minimum.

Yeah. So he's practicing with a jiu-jitsu instructor, how to fall, how to be sacked. So, you know, I think the Jets will be fine. I don't think they'll be great. Aaron's never had a battle line. And outside of Elijah Vera Tucker, they got a rookie center. questions at left, Dwayne Brown, they're going to move Beckham to right. They have a mediocre, you know, other guard.

It's a pretty average offensive line in a division. Belichick creates pressure, Bradley Chubb, Miami, and the Bills front. Fangio. Yeah. So it's, I think there's a lot of places I like him, but Aaron's never really been rushed in a pocket in his career. Green Bay did a remarkable job to have top seven offensive lines and never draft. off the lineman in the first round, often not in the second. Well, think about this too.

Aaron's had, because the Packers only hire offensive coaches, he's never had a defensive coach. So that offense, you know, McCarthy gave a play calling at different times during his tenure, but you were directly dealing with the head coach. Now the head coach, what's Aaron's in charge of that offense, right, moving forward. So if Nate Hackett is a little overwhelmed and the pressure in New York, I think it could get weird fast. I do think they have a lot of talent.

And if he does have the chip on his shoulder, I mean, it was not that far removed from playing some of the best football of his career when back-to-back MVP's. Now, Devante Adams, they had a much more stable operation going. Division was shittier in the NFC North. But I do think there's, you know, the bills, are they

just going to rattle off the East every single year? You know, things getting a little weird. The Patriots clearly aren't as talented, but bills, they could have a shitty team and they win eight games, right? Seven, eight games, so they're tough. And the Dolphins, you're right, they're a big wildguard because they have high-end players, their head coach is a good

play caller and Fangio is, I mean, one of the best defensive coordinators in the league. Maybe the best, yeah. John Middletoff, three and out. As always, the former scout for the Eagles joining us. Great seeing you, buddy. Happy fourth, Colin. Same to you. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite.

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