The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Russell Wilson to the Steelers

Episode Date: March 11, 2024

Colin believes Russell Wilson is making the right decision to sign with the Steelers Thoughts on Mac Jones going to the Jaguars and what is most likely in his future  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, 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 athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

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radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is going to be a very, very busy Monday. It already is as NFL free agency begins in earnest Wednesday, but let's be honest. You can talk to teams now, deals getting done now live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be. And however you may be listening or

watching us. A lot of choices out there. We appreciate it. One hour from now, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, there is plenty of both. Well, we thought, I thought the place for Russell Wilson to go is where he didn't have to be a savior. He could just slide into Pittsburgh and that anemic offense and give them a shot. Do you think this morning with it transpiring, they feel like they're a bit more viable? Is that fair? viable to not finish in the basement of the division possibly sure Colin so we start with that some say they hurried the deal mark rogers and russell should have been patient listen if there's a good fit grab it kirk cousin's still out there you don't know what the steelers are going to do but

the steelers were doing offensively didn't work and this is the one we thought made the most sense Russell Wilson, now going to Pittsburgh on a league minimum. If he's not a top 10 quarterback, he's definitely a top three bargain in the NFL, two Super Bowls. Denver didn't work. He was asked to be the savior. They had to give up all the draft capital. They paid him a fortune limiting what they could get. But Russell Wilson isn't a savior here.

He will be an elevated piece at an important position. He will increase efficiency. we've seen him with a strong defensive coach. We've seen him with a run game before. We've seen him with nice weapons. He got to Super Bowls. Mike Tomlin is the CEO of this outfit. Russ is like a new vice president and director of sales.

He'll make it more efficient and more productive. He'll bring in much needed experience, some maturity, get things lined up, the train back on the tracks. I mean, listen, the offensive bar is so low in Pittsburgh. that if he's slightly above average, and I think he will be with these weapons, it'll feel exceptional. I mean, the Steelers only had,

I'm not making this up the last two years. Pittsburgh has had 25 touchdown passes. Russell Wilson had 26 by himself this year in Denver, and it was a rocky start. Kenny Pickett has a career 13 touchdown passes. Russell's disaster year in Denver, he had 16, the worst year of his career. So the Steelers have not been viable offensively for half a decade.

Their best offense, this is the high mark. Their best offense in the last half decade is 23rd. And this team keeps winning, not winning, Super Bowls, but they keep winning. They won 10 games last year with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett. If you're still defending Kenny Pickett, he was healthy at the end of the year. And they're like, no, we'll go with a backup. And they were better with a backup. But that's what Mason Rudolph is, a very reliable, mature backup.

And that's a great job. You make a lot of money doing that. Make seven figures. Be part of the team. Fifty-some quarterbacks play now annually. Nothing wrong with that gig at all. It's a great gig. Don't get beat up as much, and you make a lot of money.

Now, is this Russell Wilson to the Steelers? Does it feel like Stafford to the Rams? No, because we don't have Sean McVey here. offensive genes. Does it feel like a Brady, the goat to the bucks? No, we don't have Bruce Ariens and offensive coach here. We have a defensive coach and a defensive culture. But it's an upgrade and it's not an arguable upgrade. Again, they went with their backup last year and the starter was healthy.

And if you don't think Russ is a top 12 quarterback, that's fine. Maybe he's not. But he is a great bargain. Basically, you get him for free. This is the opposite of Denver. He doesn't have to be the savior. He's not expensive. You didn't have to trade anything to get him.

So this remains, in my opinion, a top five or six roster in the NFL, but the most important position is quarterback, and they aren't very good. They're near bottom of the league. So you're not going to get any of this let Russ Cook campaign. You're not going to get any of this. He's saving the franchise nonsense. Go in, get the train on the tracks, add some mobility. some maturity, some efficiency, some accuracy,

just make Pittsburgh a slightly above average offense, and it will feel like Stafford of the Rams and Brady to the box. I like it. We predicted it. This is the one we thought worked. And Russ and his agent thought so too. Kirk Cousins, you're up next. All right. You know my history with Baker Mayfield is a little bumpy. But in the end, Baker Mayfield signing a three-year, $100 million deal to Tampa feels right. Now, it's a little bit like the Daniel Jones contract that will probably be closer to $50, $60, $65 million.

It's a lot of money in Tampa. He has matured. He is productive. Playoff wins in both conferences. And more than anything, he bet on himself. He signed that one year deal in Tampa, said, I'm going to bet on myself. Joe Flacco did that once and got very rich. But there is something about Baker Mayfield that I think is a great quality in life.

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to a class of students at USC. And I said, my favorite quality in young people is resilience. And my least favorite quality is fragile. People have their own problems. They don't want to hear about yours. Resilience is a great quality. Dust yourself off. Nobody lives a perfect life.

I'm watching this dynasty on Tom Brady and the Patriots. I watched the MJ documentary. MJ and Brady landmines, potholes, people in the organization working against them. That's called life, and that's what sports is. And Baker Mayfield more than anything else is resilient. He had to transfer in college. Carolina was a mess.

Tampa, GM here, coach there, interim there, Freddie Kitchens there. It was a mess. but yet he dusted himself off he's seen the hole in his game self-awareness and he's worked on it this is a more focus baker fewer commercials it's a more mature baker less starting fires at the podium every wednesday i like this baker i think this baker's good now if this was the afc west and i had andy reed mahomes jim harbaugh and justin herbert maybe this deal makes me a little nervous with Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield.

But part of what makes it attractive is that it's Tampa. And I think Baker sees that. The NFC South has arguably been the weakest division in football for 10 of the last 20 years. And I don't know if that's because

the SEC in college football is so big and powerful in the South. People don't care as much. The media doesn't focus. Isn't as negative. When you get up to like New York, Philly, Giants, Washington. College football is not a big deal.

There is urgency. Guys get fired. The Philadelphia Eagles every 15 minutes will move off a Super Bowl-winning quarterback Nick Foles or a Super Bowl-winning coach, Doug Peterson, the intensity of the Northeast with their baseball and their NFL. You can feel

it. It's palpable. But in the NFC South, Baker-Mayfield and Todd Bowles, you won't win a lot of games there. They've got some stability. They've got some nice weapons. He will be the 17th highest paid quarterback in the league. That's more than reasonable for Baker. I've always said, even when I was critical of him, I thought he was a top 20 quarterback on the planet. And I think 17th, if he hit some bonuses, maybe it's 16th. If Cousin signs a big deal, maybe it's 18th. It feels reasonably Baker friendly and reasonably

buccaneer friendly. But I will tell you this. I know I've been a critic of Baker. I know at times I've been hard on Baker. He bet on himself. He's dusted himself off. He did it in college. He did it in Carolina. He did it in Cleveland. And I like this version of Baker. I think he deserved it. I think he's earned it. And I think as of this morning, I would say Tampa would win the division. Now, if Kirk Cousins goes to Atlanta, that's pretty interesting too. But right now, in this moment, Baker-Mayfield, Todd Bowles, I think are the best team and the best leadership in the division. And I like it. So there you go on a Monday, Jay Mack. Now, Kirk Cousins is the next domino to fall.

Apparently, you're going to have more on this. There's stuff this morning that's moving. You've thought Atlanta or Minnesota's the fit for him? What about if Justin Fields goes to Atlanta? Who is the best team in the division then? Are you a believer in Fields or not? No, no. I think it would be.

If Kirk Cousins goes to Atlanta, Kirk has a history, a 10-year history of winning a lot of games. He's like Dak Prescott. We may not see him as a hoist the trophy guy, but Dak and cousins have won a lot of games. That's fair. By the way, you see the Baker on the screen three years for 100 mil. Some of these guys really dug into the deal, and it sounds like it's closer to two years, $40 million. Well, okay, but. Actual money.

All the deals, I mean, let's base it. If you have a quarterback, these things are getting, Holmes' deals getting reworked every couple of years. But Baker's going to make himself a lot of money. Certainly. And I think the story of Baker Mayfield is high school, college, and pros, he's overcome. He dust himself off. He's got great self-belief. And that's a real easy story for anybody to back.

He's a good underdog. I'll say, though, but at two years, 40 mil, do the Minnesota Vikings then look at Kirk Cousins and say, Kirk, look what Baker got? I'm sorry, we can't pay you 45, but we'll give you 35? Do you want to stay? Or does he get greedy and then go to Atlanta? That's the one that's interesting. Kirk Cousins never feels greedy to me. Really?

I thought, well, he felt like a lot of money. Well, yeah. Forcing the issue in Washington and then in Minnesota, there was a lack of belief in him in the building. But in Minnesota, people like him, teammates like him, the coaches like him, what they'll say is, listen, the less you take, the more weapons we can give you in a better defense. That division now between Jordan Love, Jared Goff, it's, it's, I mean, these are shootouts. So do you want to have a reasonably good defense? defense. Kirk Cousins has made a lot of money. I don't think he's a greedy guy. I think he's

been paid a little high for some of his career, like Dack, who we often compare him to. But I, I, you know, I'm not going to tell a pro athlete not to take what you can get. But I do think in this point, Achilles surgery, his age, you know, $38 million for Kirk Cousins. And it's all play money, but that feels reasonable. There you go. Mack Jones. Wow. Justin Fields, the latest. Jim Harba effect now is working. Colin right, Colin wrong. Again, Russell Wilson lands where we thought he would to the Steelers. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. 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 it. 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, 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. 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong

Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back, Colin Wright, Colin wrong in a Monday. 40 minutes from now, Lakers big win last night. I've been critical to Lakers for years, but they got a pretty good team. So Mack Jones, I thought he would work out.

He had a nice rookie year. He really did. 22 touchdowns, pass-a-rating in the 90s with very few weapons. A rookie in the NFL beat out Cam Newton. I thought it would be a nice career. It didn't work. But 75% of first-round quarterbacks don't work. Trey Lance didn't work immediately.

Mack Jones didn't work eventually. Belichick's coaching probably made it worse. Matt Patricia. certainly didn't help, but in the end, Mac Jones wasn't coachable enough, dynamic enough, mobile enough, and didn't win enough. Either does Justin Fields or Zach Wilson, point fingers all you want. The quarterbacks, and it's rare, about 20, 25 percent hit, become franchise guys and get a second and a third draft. The ones that do hit usually have a unique gift. They run like Lamar. They're as big as Josh

Allen, as elusive as Kyler Murray, as talented as Patrick Mahomes, as big as Justin Herbert. It is rare that they hit, but there's usually something extraordinary, a unicorn physically about them. That is not Mack Jones. He also

very early, I was told a year ago, he did not take well to hard coaching, which is weird because he played under Sabin. I thought he was accurate, efficient would be a grown-up, could run an offense. I always thought he was low floor, a high floor, low ceiling. But in the end, it was a bad fit.

New England did not have weapons. In fact, there's no disputing. His Alabama-wide receivers were significantly better, and this happens occasionally, much better than his NFL-wide receivers, who don't separate. And he didn't take to hard coaching. And in the end, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, Justin Fields.

It just doesn't matter. They become a casualty. Maybe you get a second chance. Sam Darnold did. It didn't work. The athletic pointed this out this morning. Five quarterbacks were drafted in the top 15 in that 2021 draft. Trevor Lawrence had a bad year this year.

Zach's been benched. Trey's been traded. Justin's on the trade block. And Mack Jones traded to the Jags for a six-round pick. The five have combined for three playoff starts. one win and that's Trevor Lawrence scrambling back against the also-fired Brandon Staley defense with the Chargers. That's this class this year,

he's got five quarterbacks people are talking about. And the chances are one becomes a star, one or two foolish for a while, a couple don't work at all, and we see it immediately. Thought Mac Jones was efficient enough, accurate enough, he'd fit right in but instead he's the latest quarterback who didn't live up

to what was at his position very reasonable optimism I never thought he had a ton of hype it was more optimism and there you go he's now a jag and probably a backup for the rest of his career J-Mack with the news

no no no turn on the news this is the herd line news Mac Jones now a jag he was always a jag Just a guy? No, okay.

All right, anyways, let's start with Kirk Cousins, Colin. He informed the Vikings. He plans to test free agency with the new league year. Begins on Wednesday, Diana Rusini adds that Couss will start negotiations with the Falcons as soon as the tampering window opens today. Cousins plans to keep communications open with Minnesota, giving hope to the Vikings fans about a potential return. So is this the art of negotiation? Hey, Atlanta, yes, I'm interested. What price are you looking at?

Lynn, let me go back to Minnesota. Are you willing to match or top it? Yeah, I don't have a problem with that. I don't, I think they like him in Minnesota. Again, you can do worse than him. Statistically, he is dead even with Dak Prescott, without the star in his helmet. He's testing the market. All employees in any industry should do that. Test the market. What's your value? I do think he has real value. I don't think Justin Fields does, but I think Kirk Cousins has some. I think, I'll say this, I thought Baker Mayfield had some. I think Seattle should have looked at him.

Maybe they did. But I think in the end, you can tell from the deal Baker got that he had some market. I think Kirk Cousins has three or four teams. I mean, Seattle's out there, Atlanta's out there, Minnesota's out there. What are the Titans doing? Stick it with Will Levis, it sounds like? I mean, okay, in the AFC, okay. Yeah, well, I say new coach, we'll try out Levis while we tinker around the roster,

and then we'll reset it quarterback next year. The only weird thing, if Cousins stays in Minnesota, we think feels Atlanta. What if Cousins goes to Atlanta? What does Minnesota do? You can draft a quarterback. You've got really nice. You're looking like the fourth or fifth best quarterback. Or you move up.

There's a Justin Jefferson swap potentially. We've talked about this. They have a great tight end. They have a nice offensive coach. They have an elite left tackle. They have Jordan Addison and Osborne. This is a team that a quarterback could come in, and that defense, that division defensively, it's not the AFC North. So, I mean, that's a division where a quarterback like a Bow Knicks comes in or a J.J. McCarthy comes to Minnesota.

A lot of college starts. If you moved Jordan Addison or Justin Jefferson to get him, you move up. You have one of the best left tackles, one of the best offensive coaches. Jordan Addison to me is a one, maybe a one A. a top tight end, you can find running backs. In a division where you've got to score points, there's not a lot of great defenses. Bears probably have the best potential

for a really good defense, not a great one. So I don't think it's the worst place. I mean, if you start looking at places rookie quarterbacks could go. I think Denver's not a bad spot with Sean Payton, Cortland Sutton, good left tackle, but that division's tough. Yeah.

You go into, and there's real defenses there. Harbaugh's going to upgrade the Chargers defense. We know Antonio Pierce is a defense coach. A Chief's defense looks great next year. I think Minnesota could make a run on a McCarthy or a Boe Nix. Receiver, tight-in, left tackle coach. What about Pennix? That could be that as well. I think Minnesota is a place. All the things are there. Penix has a lot of college starts. J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix. Jaden Daniels. Now, I don't think they're going to move up to two because I don't think Washington's going back. But if you're talking about the third of the fourth best

quarterback, I think Minnesota is one of the better places to go. Yeah. The sad thing is now the once robust market for Justin Fields has shrunk considerably. He might be looking at a backup job. I don't know. Whoa, timeout. I don't think it was ever robust. It was robust. The things changed.

Do you like to say when the information changes you adjust? Yeah, but it was robust in December. It was like in December. The season was still going on in December. People in Chicago were arguing he wouldn't have a market because he was the future of the Bears in December. Yes. All right. Let's move on to the Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bungles. I'm sorry Bungles fans. According to Adam Schaefter, now again, this is not according to Jason McIntyre. This is Adam Schaefter saying T. Higgins has requested a trade after the team franchise tagged him. Shefter and also Ian Rappaport saying this, that basically Higgins wanted to stay, but the Bengals have not talked to him or his agent in a year. Now again, that's what the reporters are saying. We're just hearing one side. This is, you know, this is an organization. Who's their general manager? Like the Cowboys, you have an owner that likes to pretend he's the GM, so I've never thought upstairs it's an elite organization.

So, you know, listen, they have their star quarterback and their star wide receiver. The question becomes, can you pay two wide receivers? It's hard. Yeah, certainly. Agree. However, it's also not hard to pick up a phone and negotiate with one of your best players. I agree. At least open a dialogue.

And now, I think T. Higgins does have a market. I think T's more of a two than a one, but when, Chase got hurt and T was a one. He's shown me. Oh, yeah. He'll get 10 targets and 8 catches. We get it. You're the Joe Burrow here.

But I hope they don't treat me like Chop Liver. Like I'm not somebody important. And they're only talking to Colin Coward and not at least talking to. Imagine they didn't talk to me, not talking to T. Higgins? He's a legitimate star. He's a very good player. Imagine T. Higgins goes to like, I don't know, the Tennessee Titans. He's their number one receiver instantly.

He's better than D.O.R. I think he's a number one receiver on a dozen teams. I don't think he's number one on Cincinnati. But listen, listen, you're paying Burrow, you're paying Jamar Chase. So you've got to make choices. And I think they're paying their edge rusher. So now. And he's very, very good.

So you're paying a lot of the pieces. They don't have great corners. They've moved off some defensive players and safeties. They're getting into a Buffalo Bills situation where, you know, you pay Stefan Diggs, you pay Von Miller, you pay Josh Allen, and you start running out of money. And the Buffalo Bills now are moving on. off very good players. We'll add that story in a little bit. However, I just wonder, is Joe Burrow in that class of Josh Allen and Mahomes? Yes. He was the second best court. He is the one

quarterback that's gone toe to toe against Mahomes in a big game and beating him. Now, I think he one of those, one of those three guys keeps getting injured though. I'm not, listen, Lamar's had some injuries. He's still a dominant number one. He's winning 75% of those games. So if Mahomes is one and Allen's 1A, then I think it's Burrow. Is it one C or is he two or three? I think there's four or five guys in this league that wins 75% of their starts. And I think Lamar, Burrow, Alan Mahomes are your guys. I think Herbert's that talented, but he hasn't had the right coach yet. Final story is Chris Jones and the Chiefs.

Oh, Kansas City. Good news. Five years, $158 million. Jones's new deal includes $101 million guaranteed, which will give him the highest ever, average annual salary for a defensive tackle. Here are the highest paid defensive. players in the league average per year. Bosa, Jones, Aaron Donald, Watt, Bosa, Garrett. Congratulations, Chris Jones, and the Chiefs. When the Rams won their Super Bowl, their big three,

beyond a great coach, Stafford, Aaron Donald Cooper Cup. Their big three is Mahalms, Travis, Kelsey, and Chris Jones. Everybody else, in my opinion, can walk. Now, McDuffie, in a couple years, corner is going to be, I don't think you can pay both corners. This is the the right move to make. I talked to an NFL general manager a while back on this, and he's a very good GM with a Super Bowl ring, and he said, listen, you should be spending most of your money on offense, but you better be paying somebody in that front five. And the Rams got a Super Bowl, and they paid Donald, and the Chiefs are doing it, and they pay Jones. And when the Eagles are getting to Super Bowles, for years, they were playing Fletcher Cox. There's a Bosa in San Francisco. If I have

If I ran an NFL team, I would keep my defense cheap and young as I could because I want to pay a left tackle, two weapons, a quarterback, a center, blah, blah, blah. But Chris Jones, you can say what you want. Once the salary cap was extended by $32 million or whatever it was, I'm paying Chris Jones. I'll go draft a corner, a linebacker, a safety. Seattle moved off both safeties, and I thought it was the right call. I'm paying Chris Jones. How did Jones do in the Super Bowl? I don't remember the year before he was exceptional.

I couldn't say the last time Chris Jones in a big game didn't have an imprint. He makes an impact place. He always does. He's 29, turns 30 this summer. For three years, he's going to be expensive. He's got Aaron Donald this past, I don't know how old Aaron Donald is. Aaron Donald this past year when the Rams had some players around him was outstanding. He was very good, yeah.

Could not be single blocked. How old is Aaron Donald 32? Yeah, Aaron Donald, in the trenches where you age quickly. I thought Aaron Donald this year was a monster. I'd put Chris Jones a notch below Quinn and Williams of the Jets. Just a notch. He's older. And I've got to take a dig at the Chiefs because that's on brand for me now since they all hate me. But congratulations, Christian.

Yeah, there you go. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. I mean, once the NFL came in, I was talking to somebody about this yesterday, is the NFL is it's a revenue machine now. I mean, the one sport in America we bet on is professional football. The one sport overseas in England they bet on is, you know, the English Premier League, it's soccer.

And so the revenues for like the EPL and the NFL, they're just exploding. And the good news, I mean, the NFL used to be pretty unpredictable. Like in college football most of my life, you knew there was about eight programs of the 130. You're Georgia's, your Michigan, your Ohio State, your Clemson, whoever it is, Oklahoma, you kind of know who's going to be good every year. And for years and years and years and years, in the NFL, you know, outside of a Brady Belichick or a Montana or a Peyton Manning, you know, there was a lot of new teams every year in the playoffs.

The downside to this revenue explosion is the very well-run teams. Because the NFL is the architecture of the NFL is everybody's 500. If you're great, you draft at the bottom of a round, right? Like that's, it's not college football, where if you're great, you have a better recruiting. class off your national championship, off your natty. NFL, they're trying to keep everybody in the middle. The downside, and there's a downside of duality to everything, the downside of this cash

explosion due to sports gambling and revenues and TV contracts is the very good teams in the NFL who have to make, every year have to make these tough choices. The chiefs had to get rid of Tyreek Hill. You know, Super Bowl champions have to get rid of a great pass rusher. They don't. Baltimore can keep their dominating defensive end or defensive tackle. The chiefs can keep both Jerry a Sneed, the Great Corner, and Chris Jones. And so, you know, the Rams, the Cooper Cup deal, the Aaron Donald Stafford deal,

who is fine. They got 35, 40 million of caps mates now. So the good, well-run teams who would be very, very good, but there was something, there's some stat about the team that loses the Super Bowl historically isn't very good the following year. but what is true now free agency the average poorly run teams will overspend in free agency and the really good teams will be able to keep their star players which most of my life you had to move off guys but uh all this uh revenue this tv revenue the gambling revenue the good franchises chiefs are like oh i don't know can we keep i mean literally two months ago before the salary cap

explosion there were questions about could they keep sneed and could they keep chris jones They just paid Chris Jones almost $100 million in guaranteed money, and they're keeping sneed. So Kansas City is going nowhere. So it's going to become more predictable. I don't think that's bad for business, because I think if you have the great coaches and great quarterbacks kind of repeating and becoming all little micro-dynasties or many dynasties predictable,

that's fine. There's still room for C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. I think Washington this year will surprise people and be the Houston Texans. They have a new coach, a new staff. cap money. There'll be surprises in the NFL, but I think NFL football will feel a little more the next 10, 20 years, a little more like college football that you kind of know, barring major injuries to a quarterback. You'll kind of have a feeling who's going to be the playoff teams at the top. I think that's coming. Lakers win again. What is Justin Fields market value and have the bears been a really

bad poker player. Now Baker is done. He's off the market. Russell Wilson's off the market. Story today, Kirk Cousins in 48 hours could be off the market. What does that mean for the bears who are hoping to get a first or second round pick?

We'll talk about that. Colin Wright Wrong top of the hour. Come on up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me. Three-time Pro Bowl of LaVore Arrington and I couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up On Game. What is Up On Game, you ask?

Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up On Game. We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arrington, T.J. Hushman Zada and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio.

Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast from. 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 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.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert 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 conversation.

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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot. or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get ready for the Big East tournament on Fox and FS1. We will rise up in the world's most famous arena and take the conference ground.

It all tips off on Wednesday on Fox and FS1. All right, NFL Free Agency is Wednesday. Now, if you don't have an agent, you can't talk to teams. until Wednesday, but everybody else can talk to teams. So stuff's getting done. It's like the worst kept secret in the world. Stuff's all getting done. Russell Wilson, the Steelers, they spent yesterday and the day before talking.

Everything's getting done. Baker Mayfield, done. Russell Wilson, Steelers, done. Kirk Cousins, probably in the next 36 hours, done. So by Wednesday, it's official, but most of the big deals will be done by then. And then Thursday and Friday, you'll have some of the smaller deals. But it is interesting. all this movement, what does it matter for Justin Fields of the Bears?

So with Mack Jones going for a sixth round pick, who was a pro bowler and had a very good rookie season, and he goes now as a backup, it does not bode well for Chicago and Justin Fields value. And this is the thing we said last week. Forget football, just a basic economic truth. If you have a declining asset, get rid of it. If you have an ascending asset, you can be patient. Drive up leverage.

What a shock. The Bears appear to have misjudged the market. So there's three teams left we think that could possibly be interested in Justin Fields, Atlanta, Seattle, and the Raiders. But in all three instances, Kirk Cousins is the better choice, you know, because he wins games and has gone to the playoffs. Why did the Bears believe there was a huge market for Justin Fields? His last game, he was clearly overwhelmingly outplayed by a very quickly improving Jordan Love. He didn't have any more games to show off and play. The season's over. Baker, Russell, Wilson, and Kirk Cousins all have winning histories or more so than Justin Fields and were led

to believe it's an excellent quarterback college market, pretty rich. So what did you think you were going to get from Justin Field? My guess is Atlanta and maybe the Raiders would prefer Kirk Cousins, but Minnesota wants to keep him as well. So this just comes down to misjudging the market by a front office that's done that a lot. is that if you go to his last seven Chicago starts, it's not like there was any inertia here, there was any big momentum. His last seven starts in Chicago,

he had a passer rating in the low 80s, and in seven starts he had five touchdown passes. And it's not like the Packers defense in that last game was rip-roaring, playing great. It's the Packers defense. For the last half decade, they've always not quite been as good as we think their personnel is. So there's not a lot of productivity, not a lot of wins, no momentum.

and the Bears have a declining asset, and they're just holding firm. So I never thought he was a first-round quarterback. I did think there was a time if they moved quickly. You could get a second or a third. I mean, Trey Lance got a fourth. Justin Fields has a lot more tape and more wins. But with Mack Jones only garnering a six-round pick, I don't know what it says. I don't know what it says to the market.

Steve Kime, former NFL GM, joins us top of next hour. I just don't think there's much of a market. So the Lakers won last night. Anthony Davis had an insane night for the Lakers, a franchise I've been critical of a lot. 27 points, 25 rebounds, seven steals, five assists, three blocks, no other player in league history has had a night like that ever in a single game, ever. So the Lakers, and I've been critical, if you go back to that win in Boston, when AD and LeBron didn't play.

And I've been critical of them. This is a good team. They're 12 and 5 if you go back to that Boston win. They have wins over Boston, the number one Eastern Seed. They have wins over Milwaukee, the number two Eastern Seed, over the Knicks in that 17-game stretch, the number four Eastern Seed, and then wins over OKC, Minnesota, and New Orleans,

the one, three, and five seeds in the West. The only team, the Lakers, and they match up with them very well, they just can't beat them, is Denver. But they play them close. The games are four-point games. I've watched them two, three times this year, lead Denver in the second half. Their size, their experience, their IQ, they match up well with Denver. And a huge part of it, we have to admit, is AD.

If you take out Yokic, who is currently on pace to be one, one of the most efficient players offensively in league history and is easily the best passing big of all time. And you take out Janus, who is basically LeBron, but longer and just as athletic. So if you take out two historic precedents, freaks, Janus may be the greatest athlete ever in this league,

size, length, speed, jumping, and then Yokic, who is on his way to becoming one of the most, most efficient offensive players in the league. You know, the next big I like, it's Anthony Davis, who's been healthy for a year and a half. A year and a half ago, I'm like, the guy can't stay healthy. You've got to consider moving him, but we've

got new information. Whatever he's done, to his diet, to his body, whatever the new information is, he's only missed four games this year. So again, I think Yokos is so unique offensively, there's no remedy for him. It's a little like LeBron or

Michael Jordan in his prime or shack in his prime. You just hope he misses his free throws. There's just no answers for Yokic. He's Tim Duncan and his prime did not have a lot of off nights. The great ones, there is no consistent solution for LeBron in his prime, Yokic, MJ, Magic Bird, there's no solution. You just hope they have an off night and they do about once every other series. And then there's Yannis, who's a remarkable player, uh, athlete, size, length, speed, all that stuff. It, he's remarkable. But if you take out those two historic, almost freakishly good players, AD is the best big guy in the league.

I've never been a big believer in Ambide because he can't stay healthy, and he doesn't win enough. AD is the best defensive big in the league. If not, he's right behind Janus, and he's absolutely an elite offensive player. And last night he had a game that nobody's done in the history of the league. They beat a good team Minnesota, and AD talked about it after. This team is number two in the West.

a good team. They still have Mike, you know, and, you know, nice, play well, like guys who can make plays and they still find a way to win ball games. So, you know, we just want to come out as a team effort, knowing that wherever you understandings and how important this game was, you know, trying to close the gap in the, in the standings. When we're out there having fun, everybody's confidence is high. We know what it takes. Just about, you know, have no consistency of doing it each and every night.

I would argue Denver's the best team in the league. Boston is second, and there's an argument to me made. There's a list of teams that can battle for third. I think Golden State's growing quickly, but because of their size, I don't think the Warriors match up to Denver, and I think the Lakers do. So some of the misgivings I've had about the organization, if AD's healthy, when AD doesn't play this year, he's only missed four games, they're one and three. The Lakers have the worst net rating in the league.

They have the worst net rating minus basically 11 in the league when he doesn't play. So there's his value. Just Yokic and Yonis are historically better. I'm okay with it. J. Mack, Russell, Wilson's a stealer. Kurt Cousins, probably a falcon. I've turned the corner on A.D. in Baker Mayfield. We have new information.

I'm comfortable with both. Well, you go out of town for a weekend. You come back, like just total. I mean, the takes are totally different. and I'm caught off guard here. I will say on the Mac Jones thing. So I thought sick. I thought he was worth a four.

You know, I think he's absolutely. How did Trey Lance fetch a four? My take is to Dallas. Massively overpay. Yeah, because I think I would say Mac Jones felt more like a four to me. It is interesting. As I watch the dynasty, which is a look back at the Patriots, Bill Belichick, all this stuff, is one of the things you really appreciate about Brady.

whether it's at Michigan or whether it's those later years in New England, what it's like Belichick, because Brady got Garoppolo out of the building, and that ticked off Belichick. It was like Belichick was working against him. It felt like. Now, I know this, people are saying that this documentary is sort of pro-craft family anti-Belichick, but Bill's done himself no favors with PR, you know, that's Bill, grumpy, perpetually. But when you look at Brady, and your takeaway is he was a little,

little underrated the crap he's gone through in the last several years. And I think, I thought Mack Jones, I didn't think he was going to, you know, Brady's the goat, but I thought Mac would come in, run the offense, be efficient. But you really appreciate watching the documentary how Brady allowed himself to be coached. It was, it honestly felt like a border skirmish. Belichick and Brady's last couple of years in New England, Brady was going to craft. players are coming out saying it was uncomfortable in meeting rooms. That's what I was told last year mid-season.

Mack Jones just wasn't going to be coached that way. He was not going to deal with it that way. So he goes to Jacksonville, right? He's the backup to Trevor Lawrence. By the way, Trevor Lawrence career record in the NFL. Do you know what it is? You're a big record guy. 500.

No, 20 and 30. 10 games under 500. You love bringing up Justin Fields record. Trevor Lawrence hasn't been great. I don't think he's under any pressure with Mack Gillins there, but why is Jackson's? bringing in Mac Jones? Like, what's that about?

He's from Jacksonville. So? When Trevor Lawrence goes down in that division, if he goes down for two games, if you can win one, you're bringing in a guy who started in a intense NFL environment. He's won games. He made a Pro Bowl. I think he'll be one of the better backups in the league. Oh, come on.

I do with an offensive coach and Ridley and weapons. You don't think so? No. I'm saying a very good... That was abysible last year. And we don't have time, but I don't think he's going to handle being a backup well. I'll just put it that way. Hour two on a Monday next.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving.

for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career

in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.

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