The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - NFL free agency

Episode Date: March 12, 2024

Super Bowl champion James Jones joins the show to give his thoughts on the biggest moves in NFL free agencySee 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. 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. On The Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was 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.

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, 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, 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 IHeard 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. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific.

Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, all sorts of stuff going on. He's part of the Raider broadcast team. He's certainly part of ours, the former Super Bowl champ wide receiver for the Packers,

James Jones here at Fox Sports as well. I said yesterday, I like what the Raiders did with Christian Wilkins. So my takeaway is you don't have a Herbert and you don't have a Mahomes. So what you have to do is the best pass rush in the division. By the way, the Giants are doing this. Yes, they are. We don't have DAC. We don't have Jalen Hertz.

So we're going to get Burns with Dexter Lawrence with Kvon Thebadoe. And so I understand the strategy. Like, okay, we're not going to be as good, but your guy's going to be under constant duress. No question about it. And not only that, especially for the Raiders, they've been looking for that big time interior alignment forever. Max Crosby has been coming off the edges forever, causing havoc. And the quarterback just steps up in the pocket, escapes. Now you get Wilkinson in there and you're able to collapse that pocket.

it is going to be a different type defense out there with the Raiders. And then we're hearing that they're trying to get, I believe, Devin White over there at the linebacker spot, who they've been weak at the linebacker spot for a long time. Yeah, they haven't been athletic and linebacker for a while. So get a linebacker that can run and come down hill and tackle, be good. And you're

on that broadcast. So my take is what they're doing. They're bringing Gardner Mingsu in for two years. He's going to hold it. They're going to draft a quarterback. I like this. They're doing what Minnesota's doing with Sam Darnold. We don't want to force the kid to coming and start. No question. We're not going to put you up against Herbert and Mahomes.

So what you're going to do is watch a pro kind of watch it, figure out the film room, and probably year two or Thanksgiving this year. So that's what it feels like they're doing. Absolutely. And the good thing about Minchu is Minchu is proven to win some games. Minchu can play the game of football. So now you get a guy at a really, really good price that you could come in there and be able to still get your offense rolling. I'm not saying they score 35 points a game, but he still can be able to get your offense rolling. And now you're stacking up on the defensive side of the ball, you know, and be in these games.

If we score 24 points in the game, we should win a lot of football games. That's the mindset, you know, as the Raiders. So I love what they're doing. I love the addition to Garner Mint you. I still would go after a guy like Justin Fields. I would because the price is going down for Justin Fields. His $6 million now is what he is. Yeah.

And not only that, even just the trade value for them. Probably early on, people were probably asking for second, third rounders. now it's six, seven, fifth, you know. So if you're able to get him to come in there and then now you even have a quarterback battle in training camp to see who plays the best, but not only that, if one of them starts the season and they're not playing good football, you've got another guy that you could put in there

to possibly come in and win some games too. I was, you know, Justin Fields has, my comp has always been, and people push back on it. But the numbers are actually very similar in terms of from the pocket. Justin Fields is Sam Darnold. Now you can point fingers at coaching and culture, but are you surprised by the lack of market for him? I'm not.

I think Justin Fields has done this to himself. You know, just the way he's played football early on in his career. He's had some really, really bad moments. He had some really, really good moments. I'm extremely high on Justin Fields. I believe Justin Fields can be a really good quarterback in this league. He's had a bunch of different coaches, a bunch of different offense of coordinator.

He has gotten banged up. No doubt. You know, the way he plays football. But as an organization, when you're looking at Justin Fields, it's like, okay, oh, we, if we can get this guy, our team might be go here. But if he's this guy, our team might go here. So nobody's quite sure what he is. And that's really on him because he plays the football game. And you could touch on coaching, you could touch on all that.

But at the end of the day, they turn your tape on. And if they turn your tape on and it's like this, it's like, okay. And that's Donald. What is he worth? And that Sam Darnold as well. That's why he's been bouncing around. Yeah. So we put the graphic up earlier for our radio audience because this is kind of my comp.

One of the reasons I didn't like Zach Wilson, I thought his comp was Johnny Mansell. Fields and Darnold from the pocket in their career. If you look at the numbers right there, it's the same guy. Same guy. Just out of the pocket is what he brings. Yeah, and Sam can move as well. Justin's a little more athletic, but in terms of most guys in this league. Yeah, that's crazy.

Most guys in this league, what do you do from the pocket? People can say, well, Lamar runs, but Lamar's become very good in the pocket. And Kyler runs. Kyler's very good in the pocket. Justin's not, and he can run too. No doubt. So let's go inside a little on Green Bay. They, man, they, they're not paying anybody.

Yeah. I mean, they got rid of, they already had a low payroll offensively with Musgrave and Watson and Dobbs and Reed. And now they do Josh Jacobs a year deal, kind of three one-year deals. I guess they're clearing space for Jordan Love because Boktiari was expensive. So it sounds like, feels like, too. me, they believe Jordan's worth the big can, the big money, right? You don't believe yet? I have said I'd like to get a few more games.

I've only got like nine games over I went. That's good. I'd like a few more. Can you give me to October 20? But I do think that he made such a leap. And can I say this? What Green Bay does is the opposite of what the Bears do. Green Bay brings you in.

tends to get value out of you. Aaron dropped. They are far from Atlanta. And generally, they do good old lines, offensive coaches. You don't have to play immediately. Yeah. You set them up for success. Aaron Rogers had he played as a rookie.

Could have been a totally different career. Totally different player. Totally. They give up on him. He loses his confidence. No doubt. He gets hurt. It's amazing.

And by the way, Aaron's first year, He was talented, but he was six and ten. Yeah, yeah. He'd have played three years earlier, so that's why I say the bears just don't set guys up for success. They have to play immediately, and they tend to reach on guys. No doubt. So, I mean, I look at Jordan Love and I don't know what he would have been if he would have played three years ago. I agree.

What he is now looks like a guy. I agree, because I even had a conversation with Aaron texting back and forth with Aaron, and I'm like, a lot of these signals that I see Jordan Love checking into, I know to play. You call these signals. So I'm like, him watching you, I'm like, you did a really good job with the young fella really like being a mentor and helping this dude develop. And I think if Jordan Love had to step into the Green Bay Packers and be the starter, he wouldn't have had a chance to see none of that.

No way. Not in the film room, not on the field, none of that practice. Like, Aaron does not play around in practice. Like Aaron is a technician. He is focused. He's serious in practice. So the young fella got to see all that, right? He got to see the good plays, the bad plays, all that.

He's seen the MVP season, and he's seen a very, very bad season by Aaron Roder. So he got a chance to see all that. But with me with my own two eyes watching Jordan Love, and I see guys like Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield getting paid. Your guys looking right in front of you. Your franchise quarterback, the Packers have been truly, truly blessed. Brett Farr to Aaron Rogers, now to Jordan Love. Nobody's ever done this.

The kid can absolutely play. It's funny. I said he's a little bit of Farr, he can be a tad reckless, but I do think he's more efficient like Aaron. So I get a little bit of a tweener, but he clearly looks like the guy. No doubt. And they're doing everything they need to do. do around them. And on the defensive side of the ball and the offensive side of the ball,

you look at the addition of Jack Jacobs. Josh Jacobs is in every downback. One, two, three, four. Really good question. I do not know. I don't know if it was the price range he was asking for it. They didn't want to pay that. I thought Antonio Pierce loved him.

Me too. And I believe Josh Jacobs is probably the best running back in the National Football League right now. Super young, can catch the ball out the backfield, can run downhill. He's the home run punch. or he can get you the tough yards. He's a really good running back. So for the Packers to get him from the Raiders, this is huge for Jordan Love.

And then you go get Xavier McKinney to go in the back end, you lose Savage, you bring him in. Like what they are doing in Green Bay right now, they are trying to set Jordan up, love up to have a lot of success. And I love it. This is going to be a good football team. Kirk Cousins cracks me up.

I said, I know he's vanilla ice cream, but it's still very popular. No doubt. He knows how to monetize that position. And here's the thing, in that division, it's not playing Herbert. No. It's not playing Mahomes. Nope.

In that division, you look at the odds today? I mean, they was in a division. They was in contentious for the division last year. So I told J-Mack, I think he is three wins better than Ritter. Not four, not five, but they were in close games last year and could not make a play in the Red Soar. I think they're a playoff team. I think everybody game goes up with Kirk Cousins. You're going to see a totally different cowpits.

you're going to see a totally different Bijon Robinson, right? You got a phenom out there at receiver in Drake London. Like these dudes' games are going to go to a whole different level with Kirk Cousin. Say whatever you want about Kurt when the playoffs come. In the regular season, Kirk Cousins is a guy and can play the game at a very, very high level. Is that what you thought of him when you? No doubt about it. When I seen the Falcons pick Kirk Cousins up, I instantly thought of CalPits.

So I'm like everybody being like Cal Pitts is a bust. His game is about to go to a whole other level with Kurt Cousins. Even just from a chemistry standpoint of how you're supposed to run routes, where I'm trying to place this ball, where I want you to be in these coverages, with all the talent that he has, and then you have Drake London and they can run the ball with Bejohn. These dudes' games is about to go to a whole other level. Justin Jefferson didn't go crazy because he just had a regular quarterback throwing to him.

Kirk Cousins could throw that ball now. Well, Kurt last year, before he got hurt, It was like Pro Bowl Yeah, they was losing games, score 35. So let me ask you, Seguan Barkley, I'm a believer that I'm loyal, but there's limitations. He had to go.

Had to. He had to. Would you be mad if you were a giant teammate? I wouldn't be mad if he left last year. You know, at the end of the day, you are my teammate. But at the end of the day, my agent, Frank Bauer, told me when I first came into the National Football League, He said, son, the person that leaves this game with the most money wins as a player. You know, he said, it's Hall of Fame players out there calling me right now for money that got gold jackets.

They did not win. So if you have an opportunity to go get your money, even as players, we're looking in the locker room like, bro, forget the Giants. Forget the Packers. If they don't want to pay you, go somewhere else and get your money. As a teammate, go get your money. We are playing the game to try to provide for our families. If Super Bowls and Pro Bowls. Yeah.

And Hall of Fame come with that because if you're playing at a Hall of Fame level, you're going to get paid. But if this team didn't want to pay you last year and then they don't want to pay you again this year, y'all mad at me? That makes no sense. I got to go. No, I get it.

And it's interesting. In vague, Draft King Sportsbook, increase their odds for Super Bowl. When's the last time a running back did that? Derek Henry to the Ravens feels right, doesn't it? Man. It kind of feels the Baltimore move. That's scary.

That is scary. If they do what they should do. Because we wanted them to run it in the AFC championship game they did. But if they do what they should do with the addition of Lamar Jackson, and now you have King Henry in the backfield and you still have to. But I'm just talking strictly run game. Like you have to account for Lamar Jackson. King Henry has never been in a system to where one less guy is out of the box

because you got to account for the quarterback. So now you got this dude coming. down hill you got to account for lamar jackson's legs too and we all know he's a tough tackle this is this is going to be scary scary baltimore offense and then obviously off at play action pass zay flowers and those boys going down the football field mark andrews Isaiah likely it's going to be a tough offense the rams are paying more for two guards than quarterbacks made 10 10 12 years ago yeah there's a lot of money in this league yeah no you did well no doubt about it no doubt about it some of these i'm truly blessed you know what i mean some of these contracts i hate it when players get out there and you

know what lose my number or whatever i mean the stuff that tinky barber said about saquan bark like what are we talking about man you know you did you didn't come out last year when this boy was the best player on the team and they put paid daniel jones and this dude got to play on a one-year contract and could possibly get hurt and all that type stuff and not be in this position at the end right now to make some money you wasn't you weren't out there talking about the giants you know and now you want to talk about sayquah i don't like it 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 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, 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 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. Yeah.

Let's see. Tyrod Taylor backing up Aaron Rogers. Is Aaron going to be okay with that? Aaron going to be good with that. And I think it's smart by the Jets. We just came off of a season of where everybody is scratching their head of like, here go another quarterback in the game that we don't know what we're going to get. at least you get a guy to come in and you know he knows how to play the football game.

Tyrod is more than cable. No doubt. Played a lot of football, won a lot of football games. You know what I mean? You could put a plan around him to succeed, you know, just in case something does happen to Aaron. So I don't think this is going to be a problem. I think it's a good move by the organization. Let's set ourselves up with the backup quarterback if something does that.

Somebody told me Aaron's put on like eight to ten pounds. Yeah, he's trying to get shredded, huh? Well, they've got to get left tackle. There we go. I don't blame him. Yeah. Boktiari out there. That's what I said yesterday.

You sign him for one year. No doubt. You draft a left tackle. You know this. Even great left tackles out of college takes about a year. Remember the giants have Andrew Thomas. That first year, he struggled. And he's a great one.

You're on an island out there by yourself now with some big time pass rush. No more big 12 pass rush. You got T.J. Watt and Miles Garrett and these boys coming at you now. Max Crosby. My goodness. Micaheari for a year. Yeah. By the way.

We need you to play about eight games. Thanksgiving, the kid comes in. He's not ready in September. Yeah, Bakhtiari Healthy, still a really good player in this league. Yeah. We'll see. James Jones, good seeing you, man. Not a problem.

Thanks for having me. Jay Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. One minor correction for James, the great James, John. He said Josh Jacobs might be the best running back in the league. And I just check, Christian McCaffrey is still alive.

Yes, he is. He still has. Yes, he is. How about two? Are you satisfied with second Beth? Christian's pretty good. Christian is really good. Not pretty good.

He's really good. I will take two, but he's close to one. I'm just saying, this is a dude. Josh Jacobs can play. No, he can play. Aaron Jones can play. He led the league in Russian. Chris McCaffrey played?

Yeah. Also, let's not forget, Breeze Hall of the Jets. Leader of the Jets, not the quarterback. Bruce Hall is a good player, too. Unproved. You had to get in the dick there. All right, let's move on to the ball. Buffalo Bills. They've made a lot of moves to create caps base this week. They restructured

Josh Allen's contract, saving the team $16 million for the upcoming season. Allen's cap hit dropped from 47 to $30 million. That's for the crowd. It's like the salary cap doesn't exist. Like you could just restructure Josh Allen's deal and save $17 million. It's kind of cool, right? Yeah, pretty impressive stuff. What do you think the bill's outlook is this season. A lot of chatter. I don't like the guys that, listen, they let team leaders go, safety, centers,

guys that other players, you know, I've said this before. It's like, years ago in New England, let go of Rable and Teddy Bruske. And as you're watching the documentary called The Dynasty, the following year they had all these good young players, they lost so much institutional IQ and knowledge.

Like, they lost a really good center, a really good safety. Guys that know the protocol. You're not teaching them things. They're teaching other players things. So I, you know, I, Buffalo, I mean, the door hasn't closed because Josh Allen's great, but I don't love their offseason. I don't love it. So if you look at the, uh, the Kansas City Chiefs, like let's say they lose Sneed, right? I mean, it sounds like they're going to attack him, but let's say they trade it. They're still in great shape defensively because they kept Chris Jones. They've drafted extremely

well, Carlifters, McDuffie, the linebacker game. Like, they're good. Buffalo, loses like four defensive starters. I don't know that the depth is there, Colin. Kansas City and Veach, I believe, you know, you speak highly. Kansas City drafts at the end of the first round. There's about two to three corners in that space. So if you let Sneed go, McDuffie's already a number one corner. He's a great young corner.

So Green Bay, or Kansas City, sitting there thinking, what if we have to go buy a wide receiver? Because Rashid Rice looks like a low-end one. What do you get for Sneed? You could get a second round pick for him. That's an old-poil talent. So I'm just saying is that Kansas City has shown an ability, because they're paying now three guys a ton.

Mahomes, Kelsey, and Chris Jones. So to pay a fourth guy, a corner when you already have a corner, I could see moving Sneed getting a second and a fifth. So now you get a first round pick, a second round pick, and then an additional second round pick. We'll see where it is if a deal happens. And now you're like, oh, we just will fortify the offensive line. We'll get a receiver and we'll go in the second round.

secondary. I don't know. Kansas City feels to me, and it's early in free agency. Like, they're very clearly number one in the AFC. I don't know that the bills are too, Colin. I think Baltimore's too. You sure? I think Derek, listen, I know it was a weird game plan. I still love Baltimore. I mean, I think they've lost... I'm not bailing on Lamar Jackson. I still love them. I'm not asking you, too, but I think they've lost two guys in the trenches and now Patrick Queen at linebacker lost their defensive coordinator. Well, you've got to make choices. I'd rather move. They already have one good linebacker, Roquan Smith, who's expensive.

I'm not paying for two linebackers. Let Pittsburgh do that. I will say, and it's going to make one guy on our staff happy. I think the Bengals are probably second right now in the AFC after Kansas City. I would say KC and then the Bengals. Well, you've got to figure out the Higgins deal. He's unhappy. Indeed.

That's a big one. But a healthy borough obviously changes things significantly. What's up next? Let's go to, oh, the Falcon's signing Kirk Cousins. Eagles sent landing Zayquan Barkley Those were two big ones And we're looking at Super Bowl 59 odds Which will be on Fox, New Orleans

I can't wait So the Falcons were plus 3,500 And then they get Kirk Cousins And they're now plus 2,800 Eagles were plus 2,000 And they jumped to plus 1,600 I'm not a huge fan of tying up money For 10 months

In Super Bowl futures But do any of those numbers appeal to you at all? I know you don't like the Eagles, right? Well, I think Atlanta's going to potentially host a playoff game. So I think Kirk Cousins is going to give you in that division. I think, you know, I mean, I think Sequin will be good individually. I don't know how good the team will be.

But I think, you know, I mean, he's going to touch the ball 18 times a game. Kirk Cousins is going to touch it 50, either throwing it or handing it off, 55. So I think Kirk Cousins is the move of the free agent period to me that he, he is worth three wins. A lot of people I've seen, you know, is Derek Henry worth a win? Is Sequin worth a win? Well, maybe, maybe, but for me, Kirk Cousins is worth multiple wins. When you consider really the depths of the previous quarterback to Kirk, again, since

Kirk Cousins arrived in Minnesota, third highest passer rating in the league tied, and third most passing touchdowns. not generally with a great O line. Well, great, oh, if it's great play caller, right? Well, the last couple years, yeah. So two kind of lukewarm slash hot takes. I liked DeAndre Swift a lot last year in Philly. I thought he had pop, he was fast, almost underused.

I don't know that Sequan's that much of an upgrade, given the injury history he's had, the wear and tear. I don't know that he's that much of an upgrade over Swift. Okay. Now, as a player, yes. Six years in New York with the Giants, six years. bad offensive lines the entire time. Bottom six, five offensive lines in the league for six years.

Seven thousand yards and like almost 50 touchdowns. And that includes some injuries. I think he's in and they never had good receivers. And so basically you could crowd the box when you face the Giants. Philadelphia, you got Donovan Smith on one side. Devante Smith on one side. A.J. Brown and the other. and vertical tight ends.

The safeties are out of the box. So I think, I mean, I think what Seekwon did, again, he was the centerpiece of the offense. That is really hard to be productive. What was bigger? Losing Jason Kelsey or gaining Sequin Barkley? I think one's big and one's big. I think they're both.

Oh, really? I think they're both in power. I think that Kelsey loss is massive. I think it's a leader in the locker room. I was talking last night. I went to dinner, sat next to Chip Kelly and his wife. and we talked about that. So when Chip coached the Eagles, I asked him.

I said, did you know immediately Jason Kelsey was good? He said, I knew immediately he was great. He said he was so smart. He goes, you cannot lose Jason Kelsey on an offensive line and be the same. He went on and on. He just kept saying he was teaching, I mean, he was running our offense essentially. So he was one of those, you cannot lose Jason Kelsey. and not have an impact.

And he's probably the best center in a decade. You call all the signals, the tush push, all the signals. And he said Kelsey was just so bright, could read anything quickly. And he just immediately, you're like, that guy's a superstar. Final story of the Phoenix Suns. We haven't really talked about KD Squad. They were down 19 last night against the injury-depleted calves. and they come up with a nice

W on the road. KD. with 37 D-Book returned from a four-game absence. He dropped 27. It feels like we haven't seen the best of the sons. I know you're very excited for the Booker Beal Durant. Well, I'd like him to play together. Yeah, that would be nice.

I'd like him to play together. I kind of feel like the book is out on Kevin Durant. Like, he is what he is. He's not going to win a title. They're not going to meet Boston or Denver. and I don't think they necessarily match up with the Lakers. Definitely not winning a title this year?

No, God, no. No, I thought they would be really good. They're not as good as I thought. But I think my take on Durant, you and I disagree. I do not think. Even if he wins another title in the next four years, I won't think of him differently. I think he's an all-time score, a bit of an emotional wanderer, little thin skin, but an all-time score, an all-time great offensive talent, and that's where he is.

And was the second best player for many years. to LeBron James. That's the thing. I need all-time score. I mean, come on. I need some quant. Is he top 15 all-time? Second best player in the league for at least five to six years to LeBron James.

I think that's, that is on his basketball marquee. Wait, when he was on the Warriors, he wasn't better than LeBron? No. LeBron's always been better. He was winning titles because he had a stacked deck. Yeah, but he was the best player on that team. But he wasn't the best player in the league. He was the best player on that team.

Agreed or disagree. The Sun's currently sixth in the West. Jason Tatum's the best player on his team. Yeah. Doesn't make him the best player, second best player, third best player, fourth best player in the league. Well, if they win back-to-back titles the way KD did and he wins back-to-back finals MVP, I don't know how you not say he's the best player in the league. You think KD at any point was better than LeBron? I do think so, yeah, those two years.

All right. So wait, hold on. So the Suns are six. They'll face the Timberwolves first. That's a win, right? Should be. Carl Lentie Towns is done. So in the second round, they would face the paper clips or the Pelicans.

Clippers tough matchup, but I think they win. Okay, so now you've got the Sons and the conference finals. No, I think Clippers, that's close. And last year, it depends on health. Remember that Nugget Sun series? I think health because the Clippers have significant advantages defensively, so I'd probably take the Clippers over the Sons in like six. So last year, Nuggets win the first two, Chris Paul gets hurt,

Sons win the next two, I believe, and then the Nuggets, you know, just beat them. The Sons didn't have the tap. They still don't. If the old Booker and Duran are healthy. They never are. How many games total of those guys played? Eight, five, seven. It feels like Brooklyn.

I mean, it's like the Brooklyn team. I know there's talent. They just don't play together. Yeah. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Line.

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 LaVar 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 app, 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'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 iHeart 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 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 Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Pretty frenetic last couple of days with all these moves, NFL free agency. I keep telling you, JMAC, if the NFL goes to 18 games and it is being discussed within league circles,

that means a second buy, which means we will go. The season will end. You'll take a week vacation. you'll come back and you'll have the last 20 games of the NBA regular season and free agency. It will be. I mean, it'll just shrink any of that. Two buys? Well, you have to have two buys.

18 games. Listen, man, you know how worn down we are at the end of the NFL season? I mean, it's a weekly blind. We're not splitting the Adam. I'm not doing it. No, but we have you. Sundays are work days for us. We have to sit.

You're working six days a weekend at college football. You're paying attention Saturday. You're not like with the Big Ten now? Yeah. You're sitting there watching games all day. Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night. Again, we're not digging a ditch. We get it.

But, like, we're gambling on this stuff. We're writing about it, TV, radio. I mean, like, it's a long, it's arduous for what we do. I would say the NFL season, if you start with the first preseason game, and you go to the end of the Super Bowl, if they go to 18 games and a buy, it's 24 weeks. It's almost half the calendar year. And then you basically, you know, everybody takes a break in our staff.

You come back, and it's, and what I like about it is, you get, right into NFL free agency and right into the last 16 to 18 to 20 NBA games. How about this? If NFL owners want this and they're going to push for it, you say, expand the rosters. We need more dudes. I agree. I do not want injuries, crushing, you know, fantasy. You got to have a third quarterback on the roster. We're playing 50 quarterbacks a year, 53, 54. Everybody gets a third quarterback. Yeah, everybody's now getting in 18, every team's getting nine home games. I mean, last year, Minnesota got Josh Dobbs. He played without practicing. That's not ideal.

That's not what you want. I still contend what you should do is you should do in the NFL some deal with the UF, the new Spring League here on Fox, that they can carry an extra quarterback and the NFL pays for it. So you're getting a kid that somewhere getting some reps can play. Why don't you just turn the UFL into like a minor league? That's what I'm saying. Every NFL team has a UFLF. Well, you have college football as your minor league system, but the key to the NFL's quarterback,

Can you do something where you have an extra? Every team has rights to a third quarterback that it's not on your salary cap, but he plays for one of the UFL teams. The college system is not, we know this. It's not like the NFL. It's not a minor league system. It's kind of a different sport, Colin. Less so than ever. I think it used to be that.

But I think the offenses now are very similar. But like the quarterbacks, the transition is so difficult for so many of them. I think, yes, it is because I think it's just hard to play the position. I think it's the hardest thing to do in sports. You used to say when I was a kid hitting a baseball. A lot of guys can hit a baseball. It is just... All right, hold on by the way.

K.D. Booker and Beal, I'm surprised by this. Guess how many games they've played together. 11. So that was my take. Like 24 of 65 with the big three together. 15 and 9. So that's more than I would have thought. That's not enough, though.

Heading into the playoffs. What's more than my take. Brooklyn because Brooklyn was like eight nine so I thought no so they've actually played 24 of 65 games together that is that is double what I thought and about double nine yeah I mean they're good there's no question they're good they're it's a mid-range team it's a lot of mid-range jumpers which in the playoffs that's okay you got to get a bucket got to get a stop that's okay can be tough to stop that offense when all those guys know and they're fun to watch and Jason Allen's going to hit eight threes in the game all right we're done I'm

I'm done. I want to thank Nick Wright stopped by. James Jones stopped by. We'll see you tomorrow. Live in L.A. It's the herd. Another podcast from some SNL, late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was 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. 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, 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, unfilled 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 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.