The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 2 - State of the NFL

Episode Date: July 18, 2023

Colin shares his top 5 QBs under the most pressure this season Former Cardinals GM Steve Keim joins the show to give his thoughts on the state of RBs in today's NFLSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Live in Los Angeles, hits the hurt. Wherever you may be. And however, you may be listening. Thanks for making an honest part of your day. Steve Kime, former Arizona Cardinal GM, smart guy, fun guy, joining us. Albert Breer, too. J. Mack, I was watching the Netflix docu-series quarterback last night again. I really, really like it.

You're super into that. I think it's just unlike hard knocks, they talk about the one position I care about, and they go deep into the families. So you really get a sense of who the quarterback is, what's he like at home, what's he like at work, what's he like with family. So they really just cut to the chase. They don't waste any time with special teams, coaches. It's just let's talk quarterbacks. And they get the star, the good guy, and the backup.

And so you get three different lines. life experience is. I think it's fantastic. I don't mind opening myself up to some scorn on this show. Do you want me to tell you the show I just started watching with my daughter? I don't mind it. It's embarrassing. You're probably going to laugh. It's called The Summer I Turn Pretty. It's based on a book. It's on Amazon. It's really good. It's like I'm into the teeny bopper like Dawson's Creek type shows. Yeah. And now all the sports fans are going to mock me, which is fine. But if you want to kind of bond with your daughter, I guarantee you she's watching. You should text her in the commercial. My daughter and I watched the Netflix docu series quarterback. That's what we watch.

She watches that with you? We break down game film. We're very serious about this. Goodness gracious. That's hardcore. So my takeaway on that series, especially with Kirk cousins, is not only does Kirk have a sense of who he is, everybody around the Vikings gets who he is. So Dak Prescott had a quote today, I know who I am.

I'm not going to throw interceptions. I don't doubt that he knows who he is, but does everybody. surrounding him know who he is. That's where pressure comes from. When you watch the Netflix series, Kirk Cousins is very comfortable being a dad, dressing like a dad, talking like a dad, and everybody in the Vikings organization knows who he is and accepts who he is. In Dallas, it's not that way.

The media hypes Dax Dack, the owner hypes Dack, the fans hype Dack, and you know who deck is, he's Kirk Cousins. I've shown you these stats before. They are literally identical. Completion percentage, passer rating, passing yards, TD interception ratio, same guy. Exact same quarterback. One has a Jordan brand deal and one has a star on the helmet. The difference is the Vikings know who Kirk Cousins is to the Cowboys. They're the same guy. One's got better marketing. Both were fourth round picks, neither was a top high school prospect, and both are overachievers. That's why I never believe going into a season, it's fair to put pressure on DAC or Kirk Cousins.

And I don't believe there's pressure on Kirk Cousins. There's an understanding of what he is. But DAC has to face the burden of an overhyped fan base and overheated media and Jerry Jones. Dax Kirk Cousins. Good enough to win games. Good enough to win a division. Good enough to win a playoff game. Just not three or four in a row.

And so I was thinking this morning, what is pressure at quarterback in the NFL? Who faces real pressure in the NFL? And I don't think it's fair to keep it on guys like cousins and Dak. And I said that last week in the week before. I think there's five quarterbacks who are going to face unique pressure. Number one is Justin Fields. He's completed 59% of his throws in two years and has the worst record of any starting quarterback in two years, five and 20. Now they got him pieces.

Excuses are over. Big market media. They want wins. He's been given all sorts of help now. Get double use. Andrew Luck won 11, 11 and 5, 11 and 5, 11 and 5 with the worst roster. Get double use. Number two is Tua.

They were 8 in 0 last year when he was standing upright. three concussions, though, last season. Career in peril if he gets another one. It may be unfair health pressure and safety pressure, but he's playing for a contract. When he's healthy, they're good. Can he stay healthy? At this point, none of us know.

Number three is Russell Wilson. Sean Payton's going nowhere. Russell may be going somewhere. He's got to be better. I don't believe he's washed. I think he rebounds. But he's coming off the worst season in his career and appeared reluctant to play the kind of style he needs to to win, which is,

keep moving, bro. You're very instinctual. Lean into it, not away from it. Number four, and he's already minted, but Aaron Rogers, it's New York, it's a new team. He's a Hall of Famer, but there's some pressure here. Hard knocks, high expectations, J-Mack guaranteeing a Super Bowl trip. I mean, he's minted, right? We all know.

If he doesn't win a Super Bowl, it's fine. Joe Montana went to Kansas City, got to the playoffs, didn't win a Super Bowl. Nobody holds it against him. And number five, Matt Stafford, 35 years old, could blame the offensive line, did get the Rams of Super Bowl. But I was told they tried to redo his contract in the offseason. He didn't want to do it. Sean McVeigh has shown an ability to fall out of love very quickly with even guys capable of getting you to a Super Bowl.

So I think Justin Fields, Tua, Russell, Wilson, Aaron, and Matt Stafford face real pressure. DAC and cousins to me do not because I think they're viewed if you're fair as really good quarterbacks capable of winning a division, capable of winning a playoff game. But we dump all this pressure on DAC every year. Let's go back and look at the numbers, both fourth round picks, both two and three star prospects out of high school, both overachievers, both have had good coaches, maybe not super, stars. And if you look at Kirk Cousins and Dak Prescott, it's identical. Identical. One just has a Jordan brand deal. So I don't ever believe Dak has heat. It's unfair to him and unfair to

Kirk. We don't heap any of it on Kirk. Why do we got to heap it on back? It's a good B plus quarterback. Great intangibles. Good guy, tough. Everybody loves him. And certainly capable of getting you to the playoffs. I like that take. I'm happy with it. Ten years running the Arizona Cardinals, three playoff appearances, NFC West title. Steve Kine is joining us. First of all, you look healthy, you look happy. How are things for you? Doing great, man. Enjoy the summer and some time off and looking forward to the football season as we're all listening to your quarterback rankings. And I'm sure there's a lot of various of opinions, but it's certainly fun for me to listen to.

So Justin Fields is an interesting one because out of college, I think we all thought, who he's got a whip, he can move. But a lot of people were like, you know, Ohio State, you got the best receivers in the conference, the best left tackle, you know, you go back through a drag route, suddenly it's a touchdown against Purdue. Were you a huge Justin Fields guy out of the draft? You know, when I would say huge, I mean, certainly not in the Mahomes, Kylo Murray in that area, but a guy that I knew had the skill set and a tremendous amount of talent,

the real question would be is can you put it together consistently at this level, which comes down to a lot of different narratives, which is whether you can read and see coverage, whether you have the ability to process and make quick decisions on the move. Obviously, at some point, guys like that, their athleticism and their ability to escape becomes really just second nature. But at the same time, you've got to play within the pocket at times, and it's a huge deal.

Yeah. No, he is a pocket quarterback right now to his defense. They haven't had a ton, but they got Robert Tonion now with Cole Komet, Mooney, DJ Moore, Claypool. And I think they found a left tackle a couple years ago in the draft. They've got pieces. So the Sequin Barclay deal comes up. And I said there's only two running backs in the league that have made more that are currently playing. Christian McCaffrey and Derek Henry.

I feel he's been fairly compensated. He got drafted early. What do you make of the franchise tag? If you ran the Giants, did that seem reasonable? Did their offer seem reasonable? I did not see their offer, but I do know that after having a number of backs that I've dealt with over my time, generally the analytics will tell you that the second contract is not as productive in many regards as the first. You know, you want to try to get the banging out of the way on your first contract.

And the second contract, you know, you want to reward the player, but at the same time you're going to be smart about it. and generally history tells us that paying backs is not the most smart decision in the NFL. Yeah. So Hard Knocks with Aaron Rogers, they pushed back against it. Steve, I've never been a fan. I like the Netflix series where they concentrate on a quarterback every week and they're not intrusive. I don't like Hard Knocks. I think you're hurting people and the NFL doesn't need more publicity, right?

Like they're getting plenty of it. when you talk to GMs or yourself, what has been your feeling, especially if you've got some chaos in the building, Aaron Rogers, new guy, what is your feeling about allowing cameras in the building and your peers and colleagues? What do they think about it? Well, I think from an ownership in an organizational standpoint, you know, in some aspects, it's good for your brand just because anytime you can have the, for example, the Arizona Cardinals talked about, it's big nationally for us. But, you know, when you're a team, like the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Jets that's in the heart of the Big Apple, basically,

you know, to me it takes away a little bit, you know, in terms of the cameras are always around. And, you know, you put in positions where you have to worry about some of the things that are said confidentially behind the scenes or whether that's going to make the big screen or not. So I think it can be, you know, a distraction, but at the same time, it's what the NFL fans want. They went behind the scenes, behind the curtains. And I think it's good for the NFL in some regards. You know, in Arizona, when you were the GM, three of the richest owners in the league were in your division, not yours.

Right? Paul Allen, Stan Cronkey, maybe the richest, Jed York. And fans all think everybody's playing under the same salary cap, so everybody has the same money. That's not true. Stan Crocking could write checks that the Bidwells couldn't. So you were always as a GM sort of working your way uphill. And that's the reality of a lot of GMs I talk to.

It's like, you know, you guys think it's all even in the media. It's not. So now we have this point where there's some free agents out there that haven't been signed. A couple of nice edge rushers. And there's, you know, there's marginal cap space for these teams. Take me to the light. Like, let's say the Rams right now have a bunch of kids in Aaron Donald on defense. They got a bunch of kids.

You know, a lot of these teams got veterans. Dallas has got some guys who have been around San Francisco. go in the next eight weeks up to the trade deadline. So that would be like 8, 8, 12 weeks from today. How does a GM look at adding pieces? Because all these teams in this league outside of the Niners have holes in their, they got holes in their roster. How did you view it?

Who would you pay for? Who wouldn't you? We just saw DeAndre Hopkins finally land. How did you view it? How do you improve your roster here to the trade deadline? Well, I think two ways of looking at it. Anytime you can add a player that can improve your team that's done it before, Michael D'Andre Hopkins, obviously to me that you certainly want to take a look at that situation.

But at the same time, you know, you have players that have done it before and then maybe come off injuries and different things like that. You know, like a Dwight Freeney. I signed him late in the process, you know, and I was able to add a contract that was more so on sack and centers and those sort of things. Sure. So you have guys that if you dangle that carrot, it can be a huge win for both sides. Yet at the same time, usually when a guy's still out there, there's a reason. And it generally falls into probably injuries or pay because those guys are expecting a big paycheck to get off the couch.

And that's why I always call it a college money. You know, these guys have made so much money in their career, you have to put them in a position to make enough money where it's worth their while. So Kyler Murray came out recently and said, I'm going to be coachable, I'm going to listen. and, you know, for the first time in his career, he's got real doubters. I mean, if they win two football games and Caleb Williams is available, I would say this now. I would take the new kid. You know what I mean? I think I would take Caleb Williams.

Kyler, he transferred in college. He didn't want to hear that. Do you think he's made money? He's a star quarterback. Do you think he can change? Are you concerned going forward for him? Well, you know, I think in terms of quarterback speak, Colin, you know, what he said, you know, you don't love it. Just because of the same point, when he added the word butt in, generally behind a positive, the word but does not end in a positive light.

So I certainly didn't want to hear that. And Northland fans want to hear a guy who's making $46.1 million a year, blame anybody but himself. And I'm not saying that he's a guy that blames people. Yet at the same time, you know, everybody, when you get that that bag of, catch, everybody expects you to take it on your shoulders. And that's what a franchise quarterback does. And this is a big year. I would have actually had Kyler in my top five four guys under pressure because if they do have a tough year, he's coming off an injury. And also, Colin, you've got to understand, he's coming off the injury, he's got to prove himself. And then what happens is what

people forecast, which they have the number one pick, they're in a real predicament, just like you said. Yeah. It is interesting. Steve Kime, joining us. When you go into a season, and we were talking earlier about Saquan Barclay and how airline pilots don't make what they used to. Actors may not. Hollywood was bigger in the 70s and 80s. They're streaming in television, which has hurt my business. Everything is changing.

Do you see anything in the NFL? One of the things that I've noticed, the middle of the football field over the last 10 years because of rule changes feels like it's the offenses. It used to be receivers had no interest going into the middle of the field I was a kid. Now that feels like you can exploit that. That's the offensive part of the field that everybody wants to go over the middle of it. This whole running back situation, do you think it turns back eventually? We see it in baseball with analytics. Basketball now you got to shoot threes. When you were GM, what were the changes you were noticing that were affecting draft

a free agency and changes? Yeah, you know, I think, I think, Colin, I think that the back situation, is a big one. You know, early on in my career, the backs were drafted so high, and there was so much put on their shoulders. Now, I mean, you can have success. As long as you have a really good schematical approach and you run the football with determination and you obviously put an emphasis on it, you can have success with we've seen guys who are very solid third, fourth round picks.

So I don't know that that's ever going to change, especially when you also look at the lifespan of the running back in the NFL. You know, when you get to 28, 29 years old, you're starting to look at an older player. So that is a real concern. I also think that there's been much more emphasis put on the third corner, which is a nickel. Those guys are on the field 70% or more. So you have to look at that as well. There's just a lot, a lot of different things now with corners and inside players in the secondary,

but there's just not enough of them to basically not only combat the rule changes, but as well, the talent that's on the offensive side of the football. Yeah. It does feel like kids usually start changes culturally, and I've noticed it in Southern California. There's hundreds of receivers and quarterbacks. Nobody wants to be a running back. Even in the state of California,

you've got about three great high school running backs a year and 35 wide receivers. You told me this one time. This was a teaching moment. You told me when we met years ago, it's very easy. to find a third solid receiver, it's virtually impossible to find a third great corner. It's really hard.

And there's guys that are going 16, 17 in the first round that are third corners. So that is the real emphasis. And I don't see that changing any time soon, especially with the success of the 7-on-7 game and the way these kids are raised now. I mean, I just think everybody wants to be playmakers. And you really, and I don't think the old adage hasn't changed. If you can't catch you, you're going to defense. That sounds so harsh, but it's so true.

Steve, Steve, Kyn will talk very, very soon. Steve, thank you. Thanks, my friend. Talk you soon. All right, Steve Kahn. Yeah, if you can't catch J. Mack, you go on defense. That's kind of the rule. And also, when you're a youth sports football player,

the best athlete is quarterback, right? Because he can just run around and make place. Not years ago. No. But now it is. And then when you find out they can't throw, they move to a wide receiver. They're the best athlete.

They can go up and get it. Yeah. So we're not going to be at a. deficiency for receivers. But running back, it's interesting what's happening. So we went through this a little bit where we had pocket quarterbacks.

And then Big Ben, Cam come in and you're like, oh, they can throw and they can run around. But what you're finding, even with the big physical quarterbacks, Cam and Big Ben, after about five years of taking hits, they age fast.

Cam aged fast. Ben aged fast. That's why I worry about Josh Allen. He's running over linebackers now. Justin Herbert sometimes he'll put his shoulder down. I was Justin. Andrew Luck ran over people. Big kid. Big Ben ran over people. Cam ran over people. Like the way to do it in last was is Mahomes? Yes. Is Aaron Rogers early? Russell Wilson move around. The ability to escape, but you don't want your quarterback running people over. That looks cool, but you don't want that. Lamar took a couple of shots on the sidelines his first

couple of years. I'm like, I know everybody loves the running part. He's got to figure out how to slide. By the way, Kyler Murray, baseball player, slides. Russell Wilson, baseball player, slides. Like the way, Josh Allen, not a big baseball player, more of a basketball guy, doesn't slide, runs over people. So we go through this dynamic pocket guy to mobile guy. Now it's like, okay, mobile guy's great, but Jalen Hertz now is so good in the pocket, I don't want him run as much. Like, I'll give you three years. Mahomes admitted year three, the light went on. Like everything clicks.

So Jalen hurts now. I love the running. Now he's good enough in the pocket. I don't want to see him run as well. I think we both agree. Lamar's gotten better in the pocket. I want him running less. Running gets you three years for the, it's hard.

It takes guys a lot. Aaron Rogers was lucky. He got to sit on the bench for three years. It is hard to figure even the smartest guys. So it's like running, get you. you three years of playmaking. But by year four, like Jalen Hurts now, I don't want to see,

I want to see significantly less running. You know who else, kind of an underrated runner? Joe Burrow. Like, he's not looking to run, but his escapeability and he can motor, like, that's a huge asset. That's the sweet spot, right? Burrow and Mahomes, and you know who has that? The kid at USC, Caleb Williams.

He can escape anything. I mean, that Utah game, I think I was texting you during that, that Utah game. He was unbelievable in that game. I think you put it perfectly. The sweet spot is mobility and the ability to avoid hits. Mahomes has done that. Yeah. You got to keep the defense honest. I'm going to run. If you're going to give me the, I'm going to get eight, 10 yards, and a heartbeat. I've been on this for two years, even with Josh Allen. I'm watching Big Ben. I'm watching Cam. Like, I don't care how big you are, six, six, two 50.

I don't care. Josh Allen, in about two years, you're going to be like, you know, and I understand it. It's like if you were a high school baseball pitcher and you got everybody out with your fastball, would you develop a curve? And then you go to college and you get everybody out with your fastball. You probably don't have a great curve. When you're Josh Allen and can run around and run over people in high school and college and even in the NFL, I could understand the psychology of, I'm going to skip film session today. Like Brady had to, Manning had to.

Many of the guys that are film junkies are guys that had to be great pocket quarterback. Kirk Cousins, if you watch him, he's addicted to it. It has to be. But if I was Josh Allen or Mahomes, I'd be like, I could skip an occasional film session and go out and have dinner because I can make stuff happen. In the NBA, Westbrook never really developed the three. Iverson never really developed the three. You can't win on your athleticism forever.

It doesn't work. Blake Griffin is the one who did pivot to start to shoot threes. And I think he was super valuable in Detroit and extended his career. Yeah. No, I do get the psychology. You view yourself as sort of bulletproof until you're like 27. John Morant is the next guy to watch. We'll see.

He's not a shooter. I mean, I know he's had games. I know, but it's interesting. When I watch John Morant, Derek Rose always had a weird spin. Like, I didn't like the way the shot looked. Same with Westbrook. It looks, Russell's yoked, so it always feels tight. John Morant should be able to shoot.

It's a beautiful jump shot. Like, you know, like when you watch certain guys, like I just didn't like. the way the ball came out of Derek Rose's hands. Westbrook is so physically strong. He looks like a running back that it feels kind of rigid. He's not real fluid. He's just super athletic. John Morant should be able to shoot.

It looks pretty. Deerrin Fox, by the way. All of a sudden, he can shoot. Oh, yeah. He's really emerging. He isn't overly muscular. He's highly fluid. Deeran's a very fluid, flexible athlete.

He's sort of long and sinewy. I always think one of the Westbrook issues is the dude is yoked. How many yoked quarterbacks have you seen in your life? Somebody told me this years ago. It was the Will Levis issue. Like where they take off their shirt and their shredding. Find a quarterback with abs and I'll find you a disappointing quarterback.

Oh, I just find one. Seems a little harsh. I'm sorry, I'm not going to Google quarterbacks with abs. I don't want that on my history. No, by the way, what you want is a fluid athlete that can kind, like Mahomes is perfect. He can just kind of move and escape and sidearm and left-handed. You see these guys that come out. Will Levis is like, jacked.

Ever go to a weight room in high school, college, and the jacked guy? Give him a basketball and tell him to shoot jumpers and see how ridiculous it was. Well, you know, as a guy who, no, I'm not going to go there. I was going to say, I'm jacked and I can shoot, but I'm not jacked. I need to get. Find the guy with traps this big. Give him a basketball. Say shoot a jumper.

It's not natural when you're that school. You want to be fluid. Deer & Fox is fluid looking. He's a fluid athlete. This is the stuff that keeps me up at night. This is all this stuff. 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 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. 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 taun tons 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. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We did James Hardin in the first hour, but there's a little bit more of a breakdown now, Colin. So it's been a little over two weeks since he opted into his $35 million player option with the Sixers. And it's been reported his desires to play elsewhere,

where Shams Sharania of the Athletic is reporting that Hardin's relationship with Darry has been fractured. Shams mentioned that part of Hardin's frustration has been the lack of a long-term deal, despite agreeing to a pay cut last year. Mori went back on his word. It is looking. You know what? Players go back on their word. He's quit.

He got out of shape. He got out of his. By the way, he's many times has it live up to his contract. Oh, you thought he lived up in Houston where he just pouted and got heavy? Then he went down to, I mean, I mean, literally. Listen, no, no, no. I get that. The players don't always get a win.

These are businesses. This is the, yes, but there is a bit of an issue here. You lose Hardin, and I think you lose and beat. You're going to lose him beat. Oh, God. You're overvaluing James Hardin. You do, Kate, you do. you do realize Embed Maxi, Tobias Harris, is a playoff team.

Of course they're a playoff team. They just choked in game six and seven last year, remember? So what were they last year with Hardin's nonsense? Just a playoff team. You have elevated. I don't understand this. Now I'm a James Harding guy. No, no, no.

I'll listen to your Jason Tatum love because he's great. He's a great kid. Both ends committed. This idea, I don't even read James Harding. stories anymore. I didn't like him initially. Then I defended him because he did start to elevate others with assists. But we know what he is now.

He's not a May player. If you're not delivered in May and June consistently, I'm out. I'll pay the big money for that stuff. I'll pay Tatum because he mostly does. Janice. Yo, Jamal Murray now. Booker. You got it.

You got it delivered in May. So I love our discussions how we go back and forth. None of this is manufactured. But I don't. don't like how I'm suddenly being painted as a Hardin guy. I'm not a harding guy. But I'm saying the problem in Philly is if you lose Hardin, Embed is going to look around and be like, I'm not doing this without a wingman.

How do you know? Why would he stick around? He just won the MVP, and they got to Game 7 against the Celtics. They lose. They haven't been to the conference finals with Embed. They've tried Ben Simmons. They had Jimmy Butler. They've tried everything.

At some point, Embeddead is going to be like Kevin Durant and LeBron and say, yo, I think I had a good run here. I'm out. Trade me. Okay. Well, then trade him and get stuff. It's not the end of the world. But the idea that Embedd is looking at Hardin way past his prime, who no-showed in the biggest postseason games and going, he's leaving. We're doomed.

By the way, Maxie is ascending as a player. Tobias Harris is as reliable as morning coffee. Embedied your star. By the way, how do you know Ambide didn't like sharing the spotlight? Calhurt is going to commit it to Tobias Harris Jersey tomorrow. I mean, you love this guy

all of a sudden. I've supported him for years. The Clippers paid him like he was going to be a two or a three, and he's more of a three. He's a very good three. But my point is,

how do you know M. Bid wanted to share the spotlight with Hardin? Now it's his team, a young ascending star, a reliable other guy, that's a really good basketball team. I think they're fine without Hardin.

If I could get, let's say I get Norman Powell. Oh, yeah. Goodness. Fire up the parade route. I mean, Norman Powell. Here we go. He actually plays defense. I like him. I like Norman Powell. Why don't you give me Terrence, man, Norman Powell, you get hardened.

I'd do it in a second. Goodness. I don't know if the contracts line up. So I was looking at my phone for the last time Morrie replied to a text. It's been a while, let's just say. There's nothing in Mori's DNA that says he will trade for decent players. People change. You're changing on me right now.

I feel like this is not the same collar that I know. Okay, let's just move on. Norman Powell, Terrence, man, Tobias Harris, Max E.M. B., I'll see you in the Eastern Conference Finals. Oh! Am I wrong, Ryan? Ryan's looking at the numbers.

Does it make sense? I don't know if it works out financially. But between Tobias Harris and Norman Powell. Oh, yeah. They got Tobias Harris. He is the missing link. Denver Nuggets proved to us. You need pieces.

Gordon defensive player fit. Jamal Murray became more of a distributor and a score. The Nuggets and the Bucks have proven if you've got the star, find players that can elevate him or help his greatest gifts. LeBron's always been better, surrounded by shooters.

And B's like, hey, I need young ascending guys who stay healthy because I'm aging and get hurt. Do young guys win titles? I forgot. LeBron said no. When surrounded by, by the way, when surrounded by great older players, yes. Interesting. Okay. All the Nuggets best players under 30.

Let's go to the next story. You talked about running backs earlier. I'm kind of fascinated by this story. Maybe it's just because it's in July. But ESPN recently surveyed league executive scouts, coaches, and players on their top 10 running backs in the NFL. Cleveland's Nick Chub was on top, followed by CMAQ, followed by Josh Jacobs and Seaquin, who are not currently signed. Derek Henry 5, JT, 6, Kamara, 7, Dalvin Cook.

He's not signed. 8. And Tony Pollard, who is allegedly going to get tagged. So, three of them are getting the tag. And Echler is 10. Any major grief with this list? Like, John Jacobs, hey, by the way, remember that Raiders Seahawks game last year? Jacobs won the game for them in overtime.

He was unbelievable. Like, Jacobs... I know they think quarterbacks are the only guy's worth wins, but I'm telling you, you removed Jacobs from the Raiders this year. Let's just say he sits out. They're going to be like four or five wins. They will have no offense. And as we talked about yesterday, there is a right time to be bad because I love Jacobs, too.

Yeah, this could work in their favor. They, the Raiders first pick next year in the draft will be a quarterback. Will Josh McDaniels be coaching that guy? I don't know, but it will be a quarterback. So not paying Jacobs and getting tied to it or moving him is not, and I think Jacobs is, is tremendous. It's not crazy. So Jacobs,

Devante Adams and Jacobs, both very unhappy right now. Remember, Devante Adams was like, I don't know what's going on here, this quarterback situation. There were some stats last year. Garapolo wasn't throwing bombs down the field of the Niners.

Shanahan was all like short stuff with Garoppolo. Devante Adams does it throw me the ball deep, Aaron Rogers. Like, with no offensive line, Garapolo's arm. I'm just saying, it's Devonte Adams then bears watching. Like, the wheels could come off.

You signing Devante Adams? Are you going after him via trade? Well, I'm not giving up Devante Adams for anything. But I do think you can argue. Steve Kime just told us, second contracts for running backs don't generally work. Not France, just saying we're not going to do a long-term deal. If he sits or you trade him, they're not a very good team.

Why can you do a two plus one? What's wrong with that? That's not long-term? I don't think that's terrible, but is he willing to take a two-puff? a franchise tag of 10. Well, what I'm saying is I think Jacobs wants the bag, which the media's fascinated with saying all the time. He

wants the bag, and the Raiders are like, two plus one feels reasonable to me. Yeah. I guess. I was going to make a... No, I'm not going to do that. All right, let's get to the final story. Alan Robinson, remember that guy? Last summer, he was the talk of the town. Going to the Rams, we thought he'd be

awesome. Hopefully he can get his career back on track. He's 29 years old, and he joins a young offensive court in Pittsburgh. By the way, that Steelers take I had about how they're going places, a lot of people hit me up about this Steelers team. You liked them as well, right? Well, yeah, but I missed on Alan Robinson.

I really liked him. I thought he was going to be excellent for the Rams. He couldn't get open. Well, as a two, not great. Opposite Cooper Cup. What about a three now? He looked like a four last year. He couldn't get open. And I mean, they were desperate for him, and he couldn't get open. Okay, so Robinson talked about the balance he brings

to the Steelers' skill positions. when you kind of look at some of the some of the weapons that we have you know i think that we're in a in a position you know to be a well-rounded offensive group with a lot of young talent that isn't so young anymore and also some bets that's really when you see some offenses you know start to take that next step you know we have we have a lot of guys across the board you know who can who can make plays you know and and especially you know on on third down when you look at race you know zone. We look at creating explosive plays. You know, you have guys to be

able to, you know, bring some of that to the table at each and every situation. Yeah, I thought he was going to be a big hit. I don't know. Now, Kenny Pickett's going to be throwing two Deontay Johnson, who we like a lot. He's good. George Pickens, a kid from George, I believe, who's great, showed a lot

of promise. So, Robinson would be the three. Also, they have a great tight end. Well, they have two now, with Friermouth is the guy who's very good, and then they picked up Darnel, Washington from Georgia in the draft. I think he's more of a block. He is, but he's also 6-7, a red zone threat. I'm just saying they got running back depth, Harris, Adela Worme.

Anthony McFarlane is explosive. I will argue this all day. They have a top five roster in the league. I think their roster's loaded. Except for corner, I like it everywhere. I think their O lines could be an OC problem, not a talent problem. I want to see this kid Broderick Jones. Interesting, I keep naming guys from Georgia.

A lot of Georgia players on the Pittsburgh team roster. How'd that work out for Philly? Kind of good, huh? Yeah, yeah. Steelers team. I don't know if I'm ready to call them my team of destiny yet this year. But they're definitely on the short list. I like them a lot. Their roster is really staff. The problem is the division, man. Ravens, Bengals, Browns?

We were calling the Rams Division the best in football a couple years ago. Remember that? Remember that? I think division stuff. I mean, by the way. Okay, fine. Forget division. Joe Borough, Lamar Jackson, Deshawn Watson, three of the top 15 quarterbacks in the league. Maybe top 12. You're out on Watson, huh? I'm not a big fan. Character issues.

Oh, he's put that behind him. Oh, come on. He hasn't? That wasn't a speeding ticket. That was bad. It was also, like, three years ago. Do we not give guys second chances anymore? Come on.

I don't give 24th chances. I don't know. There's something. Sometimes it's a bridge too far. I'm like out on him. I'm out. By the way, I have the right. I can separate.

Certainly. Art from artists. My whole life I've done that. Bridge two-fold. Okay, if I put on a Michael Jackson song as bumper music here, where you'd be like, Jay, stop, I'm out on that. I don't run the bumper music, by the way.

Well, I didn't know anything while he was a star. Now, it is a creepier thing for me. Yeah, I'm not as... I mean, it's okay. But I didn't know that during the time. Right. There's just, there is something about the word creepy. Like, I've been around people that are argumentative and combative.

Not like me. Difficult. Yes. I'm okay. with it. But there is a word that I just disengaged from. And that word is creepy. Extremely bad and creepy. Yeah, Deshawn's a little creepy for me. And he probably has people that have watched the show, but, you know, that situation he was in was not

like a jaywalking ticket. Or like one really bad decision. It was a pattern of very, very inappropriate behavior. Extremely inappropriate. The problem is that he had like his high school career, college career, like was unblemished. There was nothing that came out of. It was just this weird, like three-year massage thing. I don't want my quarterbacks to be weird. You can be prickly. You can be combative.

You can be competitive. I don't like that word for quarterback. Hey, Ben Rothesberger had it. Like, a lot of guys have had it. I don't know. There are moments. People make mistakes. This was a repeated.

Over, over, multiple years. Let's hope he's past it. Yeah. All right, J-Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. And I am a very forgiving soul, but there are bridges too far, right?

To gain visibility and control over your financials, e-commerce, inventory, and more, take advantage. Special Financing offer, best NetSuite's ever offered in 22 years. NetSuite by Oracle. Go to NetSuite.com slash herd. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the eye, Hard Radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LeVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more

excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada 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 Arington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plectico Burr's on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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 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 taun tons 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. Rock, Purdy, and Sam Darnold will be the two quarterbacks who will play for the Niners. And Trey Lance, nice young kid, talented, been her. hurt, Raw probably gets moved for a draft pick or doesn't play. Kyle Eusechek is a very good player, tight-in, full-back guy for the 49ers, talking with my good buddy John Middilkoff this week about Lance and his future and him as a player. Trey is beloved in our locker room.

Like, everybody loves Trey. Like, the dude really does work his ass off. He's super personable. Like, he is a very well-liked guy. So for whatever reason that he wasn't at the basketball game, it's not because we don't like him. Mitch Trubisky, Andy Dalton, Marcus Marietta, also great guys. One of the things I like about pro sports, win and you're in the club. It's all manners.

Aaron Rogers can be prickly. Farr of threatened retirement. Peyton Manning's intense. Brady yelled at people. They won a lot. Who said he wasn't a nice guy? The Niners roster is too good to be patient. Brock Purdy ate no one healthy.

Darnold, we'll see. But the whole win thing, I love about sports, that society's got a safety net. Sports doesn't. Win and you're in the club. That's all that matters. Oklahoma's got a football coach, Brett Venables. I don't know if it's going to work. I'm always concerned when a coach has a specialty, offense or defense, and that side of the ball struggles.

Oklahoma's defense was awful last year. That's Venable's specialty. Say what you want to about Lincoln Riley. He got the offense right at USC, first practice, first day. So Venables was talking about Dion Sanders, who's walked into the Colorado program and essentially blown it up, gotten rid of kids. And Venable says, that's not our style at Oklahoma. Guys, 12 months of grace.

And I was unlike Dion. I give guys 12 months of grace to figure it out. Here's the three. You know, go to class, you know, live right off the field. And you show up over here, man, you show up with. respect and appreciation for your opportunity. And if you go old for three for 12 months, you need a fresh start. So we help 21 guys, you know, give or take, you know, find a fresh start.

That sounds more graceful and tactful. But when Lincoln Riley got the USC job, I was told he identified along with his staff 30 guys they thought could play. They had to get rid of 45 guys. And they did it mostly quickly. There's a lot of different ways to do it. I've seen CEOs going to companies, not waste any time, hurt some feelings, and move on. Hey, Saban's harsh. Brian Kelly's harsh.

Kirby Smart's harsh. It works in college football. I'm not sure if the way Dion's doing it is the right way, but I know this for Brett Venables. If they don't win 10 games, he's in trouble. Can you give players 12 months? I don't know if you can. Oklahoma has a history. They win a lot.

every year. A lot every year annually. I don't know if DeAndre is the right way. It's not as graceful. Doesn't mean it's wrong. Hour three 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 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 here, 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. Before it 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.

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. This is an IHeart podcast.

Guaranteed human.