The Kevin Sheehan Show - Bruce is Boring

Episode Date: March 11, 2019

Kevin opens the show wondering if it's going to be another boring NFL Free Agency period for the Redskins. Bruce Allen has dared to dive deep into free agency since he's been here. Are we on the verge of another Stephen Paia, Pernell McPhee, and Orlando Scandrick offseason? Kevin talked Antonio Brown too. Clinton Portis came on the show to weigh in on the Skins, Antonio Brown, College Hoops, and the NFL Draft. Ben Standig called in to discuss the Skins and Wizards. Kevin finished up the show with some Maryland basketball and other college hoops talk. <p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You want it. You need it. It's what everyone's talking about. The Kevin Sheehan Show. Now here's Kevin. All right. I am here. Aaron is here. This show's presented by Window Nation. If you're in the market for Windows, call 86690 Nation or go to Window Nation.com and tell them that we told you to call. NFL free agency's legal tampering thing starts today. Stupidest name ever. I know the news is coming out and has been all weekend long about players and teams as we speak. the Antonio Brown thing came to an end over the weekend. The Redskins didn't get him, but they do have a brand new season ticket plan called Redskins Gold. Dedicated entrances, dedicated concession lines, and more. Isn't that awesome? I thought all fans had dedicated entrances and dedicated concession lines with how few people show up.

Yeah, pretty much you had your own road to yourself, if not sectioned to yourself late in the season. Ben Standing from NBC Sports, Washington will join us on the show today. We'll do some college hoops. And how about the caps? Seven in a row now, four-point division lead. Good win over a good team last night, beating Winnipeg 3 to 1, and the caps are in Pittsburgh tomorrow night. The Penns ended the Bruins 19-game point streak last night.

I bet you didn't think I was paying attention to that. There isn't any real Reds, News as we speak. Other than a few reports from over the weekend, Ian Rappaport, who got it all wrong on Antonio Brown to Buffalo, said that the skins will be in on Landon Collins. The Cowboys Chiefs Colts among his suitors, according to Rappaport.

And then there was this, a report from Peter King, that the skins are interested in Levion Bell. It seems like a long shot to me. Forget the fact that we all hope that the running back, is Darius Geis next year and that he is the answer. But there are other teams that will have a lot more money and more need and more desirable, quite frankly, from Bell's perspective that I think would be at the forefront of Bell's list.

The Colts and Texans are much better destinations for Levion Bell. I'd be shocked if the Redskins signed Levion Bell. I can't see it. Make no mistake. He would be a... a major difference maker on this offense, as Antonio Brown would have been. And the Redskins were, according to Ian Rappaport, or Albert Breer, excuse me, were one of the three teams before the Raiders sealed the deal. And we'll get into that in more detail in a little bit. They were

among three teams that were interested, the Eagles being the other one, in addition to the Raiders. What I see right now, though, with the exception of they may have been interested in Antonio Brown, to what extent we don't know. I'm sure that they weren't the highest bidder, and they probably weren't the destination that Brown wanted. I think he wanted the Raiders. Again, we'll get into that more detail in a few minutes. But what I see right now, actually, is a little bit concerning in that this is a typical Bruce Allen offseason developing. It's not what I thought could happen a week or so ago.

I thought that this would be the offseason of Dan Snyder saying, no, we're going to do something this year. I cannot do another off season of Deshawn Goldson and Stephen Paya. That's what I was thinking. But the Redskins haven't even made the cuts we thought they would make to clear cap space by now. Zach Brown, Stacey McGee, Vernon Davis are still around as of now. That could change by the time you're listening to this podcast. podcast today, but one of the reasons you would keep those players, rather than making what

appeared to be relatively obvious roster cuts to clear cap space, is because maybe the Redskins are beginning to realize that the free agents out there that they may or may not want are either too expensive, which is always the problem and has always been the problem with Bruce, or they're not interested in coming here, which you wouldn't likely hear at this point, but perhaps the T leaves read out that these players have better options. Bruce likes to wait. We know that. Under the direction of Bruce Allen,

the Redskins haven't been major players in free agency. They certainly haven't been a day one player, not even a day two or day three player. They are a wait until the red tag bargains are rolled out to be picked through. That's what they've done. You know, we'll see if it's another offseason of Pernel McPhee, Orlando Scandrick, Terrell Pryor, Stacey McGee, Terrell McLean. Maybe we'll get two Terrells this offseason. Maybe it's that kind of year.

I have this sense early this morning. I did have this sense that they haven't even made the cuts. You know, they're not really, I mean, they are being mentioned in Landing Collins and Lavin-Bell, but to what extent? They got mentioned as a team that was interested in Antonio Brown, but what did they really offer? You know, who's this year Stephen Paya? Terence Knighton. Deshawn Goldson. I mean, I think we've got to wait a few days for them, but this is what I'm starting to feel is in play again. I mean, are we going to have the first few days of free agency pass, and then we get a late week or early next week trickle of David Bruton, Greg Toller, and Kendall Reyes? I mean, maybe we'll get a DJ Swaranger later today or tomorrow or later in the week,

a slightly bigger name without a huge market. Bruce does not get into Bexhamer. bidding worse. It's not his style. I wouldn't bet against at this point, even though I felt differently a week ago. I wouldn't bet against an offseason of Andre Roberts, Chris Culliver, and Mike McGlynn. These are the kinds of off seasons we have had under Bruce Allen. Case Keenham may have been the splash, an insurance policy at quarterback, not even a definite starter. He could be the big splash of the off season. I still think another splash at quarterback is coming. You know, Bruce Allen talked about the draft, adding nine to 12 players in the draft.

I think Rosen is still in play. I think a quarterback in the first or second round is still in play. I still think there's a chance that Dan Snyder says, I'm not doing Kendall Reyes and Stephen Paya anymore. Go get me landing Collins. And maybe the Antonio Brown flirtation, if there was one, with Snyder saying, go get Antonio Brown. and Bruce saying, oh, God, we don't want Antonio Brown.

I'm not going to get Antonio Brown and give Antonio Brown put him in that locker room, that solid locker room that we have, and probably came back to Dan and said, ah, you know, we're going to have to tear up his contract, and he doesn't really want to play here, whatever it was. Cooley doesn't think Snyder's involvement is significant. In fact, on Friday, and we had Cooley on for a while, and he had a lot of really good insight, as he always does. He basically said that the fact, because I rolled out the theory that Bruce, that Dan's going to look at Bruce and the whole gang and say, no more, we got to go back to making March a priority.

And Cooley said, I don't think so. He goes, the fact that Bruce is still here means Bruce is still running the show. If Bruce weren't, if Bruce weren't running the show, he wouldn't be here. Cooley's never wavered on the significant difference between the public perception of Dan Snyder's involvement and the actual reality of it. The reality in Cooley's mind being that Bruce Allen is running the football team and has been for a while. You know, these are his decisions. These off-seasons of Stephen Pia in Orlando Scandrick and Paul Richardson are the ideas of Bruce Allen with the help of people like Eric Schaefer and Kyle Smith and the Pro Scout, whose name escapes me right now,

Doug Williams, etc. My plan included, you know, somebody like Landon Collins, Zadarius Smith, Shane Ray, re-signing James and Crowder. We'll see how it goes. Let's remember as we go through today and this week and the weeks that follow, that one of the things that Bruce Allen continues to harp on and the organization does is they think they are what? Close.

You know, last year they thought they were close. And he talked about the players coming off injured reserve as part of his off-season plan. Well, this year's no different. He's viewing this, you know, influx of players off of injured reserve like Brandon Sheriff and Darius Geis and Paul Richardson and Quentin Dunbar. That's sort of part of his free agent class. Now, they're not really free agents, but you get my point. He's so adamant that they're so close. that part of him knows that if he's majorly active in free agency,

it will conflict with the we're close theory and mantra. This is where his arrogance and stubbornness could be at work right now. He thinks he's a genius. He ignores the fact that the team has failed miserably under his watch, thinks none of it is his fault or Dan's fault, none of it is a result of bad philosophy or bad off-season execution. He's going down this path of being fiscally responsible, yes, and disciplined, which is what he's been, but also the path of not adding significant talent to a roster to help you win.

Nine years here, an embarrassing record, two playoff games, no playoff wins. And if you go back through all of these free agent years, there hasn't been really a major impact player other than two players they got late in Deshawn Jackson and Josh Norman. And you could even argue that the Josh Norman signing, you could easily argue, was not worth it. I think Deshawn Jackson, at $8 million a year for two years with a team option for a third, was, I think, worth it. Now, the Antonio Brown thing, it is interesting the way it played out. I mean, it was a truly unique outcome. No market form is the bottom line. Very limited market form. A third and a fifth round pick,

the Raiders had to give up. The Steelers tried to create the perception that there was this market, but it really never materialized. Remember, midweek last week, this is going to be done by Friday, get your best offers in. You know, his nonsensical ramblings of the last month or so add to the fact he quit on his team in the final week of the season, I think made him an untouchable for most organizations. I think the biggest thing, as much as that was, was the demand that you have to make him the richest wide receiver in the game. I think that was the biggest thing. No doubt that the money was a big thing and the money dictated or put him into a position to dictate where he wanted to go, which is why the Buffalo thing never materialized because he wasn't going

to play in Buffalo. He wasn't going to sign a long-term deal there. So Buffalo would have had him for two more seasons. You know, it's interesting. that we got this outcome for a player of his caliber. He was shipped to the Raiders for a third and a fifth. By the way, in combination, somebody tweeted it out over the weekend that a third and fifth on one of the charts basically equals a late second if you were looking for one pick.

So it's sort of a better way of thinking about it. It's easier to just say that Antonio Brown went for a mid to late second is what I think they wrote. But the Steelers traded arguably the best wide receiver in the league who was under contract for a third and a fifth, or let's put it in terms that make it easier, a mid to late second rounder, and in the process took a $21 million-plus dollar cap hit, accelerated cap hit of in excess of $21 million. Most teams turn good players loose for what? Cap savings. The Steelers did it while taking

a massive cap hit. That's what makes this particular outcome the most unique in NFL history. We have never seen an outcome in the salary cap era of a team letting a player go and suffering the pain of letting that player go for relatively nothing coming back to them. It's amazing. It worked out the way it worked out. Antonio Brown got what he wanted. He got away from Ben Rothusberger. He got away from a coach who he has an issue with to a coach who really likes him a lot in John Gruden and for a lot of guaranteed money. He got the guaranteed extension that he wanted. Now a lot of people, I was listening early this morning, think that this will be a terrible precedence setter for the league. That now you will have players under contract sitting out the final

game of a season, an important game of a season, and basically dictating their way out of town to the team they want for the deal they want. It's not true. You have to, first of all, be a player of his caliber. You know, there aren't many of them. Antonio Brown's been a top five player in the league at any position. So you've got to be in that position first. If they are really great, or if they are elite and they are predisposed to being a total a-hole and a jackass teammate, then yes, they can pull this off. We've seen it before. I mean, we've seen it from rookies, from draft choices.

John Elway years ago. Eli Manning 15 years ago. We'll see it again. But it's not going to be a massive precedent setter. What was the precedent or what was totally unique and will not be a precedent, excuse me, is a team dealing a player and a great player for hardly anything and suffering the cap consequences of doing it. That's how much Pittsburgh couldn't stand this player. This is how much, remember, it's not just Rathlisberger. Tomlin, if you've watched the interview with Antonio Brown

and Jeff Darlington, if you've watched that interview, he explained that final week that Tomlin told him to go home. And he said, go home? You want me to go home? Because, he complained about being sore and not wanting to practice early in the week. And then when they called, when Drew Rosenhaus, his agent, called and said, Hey, Antonio's ready to go on game day, Tomlin said too late. Tomlin wasn't necessarily a fan either. Clearly Kevin Colbert, their general manager, their senior VP of player personnel, wasn't a big fan either.

They are, they're pissed that they've got to eat this cap hit next year. and that they only got a third and fifth for one of the great players in the game. But they're also relieved on some level that they don't have to deal with this guy and he's someone else's problem. Now, you say someone else's problem, and a lot of people would love to have that problem. But when you've lived with it for as many years as the Steelers have, and you haven't gotten over the hump here in recent years, it was time for them to move on. He wasn't coming back. It was going to be pain.

they wouldn't have had to suffer the $21 million cap it. The only criticism I really have of the Steelers is I don't know why they didn't wait. I know that there is a week from now, I believe, a signing a roster bonus that's due. Why not wait until then? Third and fifth? I mean, what was waiting going to cost you? Was it going to turn into a third and a seventh? I mean, at that point, they probably should have hung on for a little while.

while longer. He's a great player. He is so much fun to watch. The numbers that he puts up are unprecedented. He will have a chance, I think, to be a great player in Oakland. He will also be a major pain in the ass at times. But for the Raiders who haven't won anything in a long, long time, and with a coach who loves him and has talked about him in the past, whether he was working a game or coaching last year against him. This is going to be an interesting year for the Raiders. First of all, it's a year in which Derek Carr better perform. He better put up Rathlisberger-like numbers.

You know, and at the same time, it'll be interesting to see what the Steelers do. You know, without a 120-catch, 1,500-yard guy. I'm going to say, they may still have that. Yeah, they may still have that. Well, they had that last year. I mean, he was close to, he was over 100 catches, Smith Schuster was, and he was probably well over 1,000 yards, I'm guessing. They also have James Washington, remember their pick last year from Oklahoma State.

They have some speed as well. And I think the Steelers will continue to put up big yards and big numbers. It's the style of play. They still have James Connor. I think they missed Levy on Bell last year. As good as Connor was, I still think they missed Bell. And they'll miss Brown to a certain extent. Do the Raiders play the Steelers?

No, they don't play them next year. Just had that right in front of me, actually. They do not have the Raiders on the schedule next year. The Raiders next year, if you're looking for a couple of Antonio Brown, John Gruden, National TV specials, they've got the Packers at Lambo. That could be interesting. They play at the Texans,

and they have a home game against the Bears next. year. A couple of games. I just gave you two Packers and the Vikings both on the road, and the Bears at home. They got a couple of games. The Raiders will be featured a little bit next year with Antonio Brown. No doubt about it. They'll be featured to a certain extent. Anyway, I think he's a great player. I didn't want him. If you told me I could have gotten him for a third and a fifth. Yeah, I would have taken him. Absolutely. I would have taken

him for a third and a fifth. The problem was, I'm sure, more than anything else. And Aaron hit the nail on the head is there were only a certain number of teams, three, if you believe Albert Breer, the Raiders, Eagles and Steelers, I'm sorry, the Raiders Eagles and Redskins who were in on Brown, but only one probably legitimately willing to go to the lengths that the Raiders did with his contract. But because there wasn't a significant market, in part because of the money, that's why the Steelers only got a third and a fifth, or the equivalent of a late mid to late second rounder. Interesting. Very interesting the way that played out.

I would have not guessed a third and a fifth. When I saw it, I was shocked. I thought as it went on and we didn't have a deal at the end of the day Friday, I was like, well, maybe it's going to slip back to a second. Not a third and a fifth. But then again, it was a second equivalent to. Anyway, let's bring in Ben Standing here after I tell you about Ferris Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Fairfax.

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to go now, and Clinton joins us here on the podcast. Free agency, the legal tampering period, which, you know, I don't even know what it means, but it starts today, which means you're hearing all the stories about teams and players today that will officially sign Wednesday. I wanted you on today, in part to talk about Antonio Brown and the Redskins, but I wanted to just start overall with getting your reactions to some of the things that have happened here in the last week. What did you make of the Case-Keon-Tradet? Well, I actually thought it was a quiet under-the-radar trade.

It actually worked out. You know, you're paying him $3.5 million $1 million switching late-round peaks. Not too bad, especially being that you were in dire need of a quarterback. Now, this allows you to go out and not have to just take a quarterback, take anything. It allows you to go out and take your time in your selection. So, you know, it's not like, oh, my first round pick needs to be a quarterback, but I have to overspend the free agency.

And that's your case. Kingdom was one of the hottest quarterbacks on the market. and you get into a system that doesn't suit you. And all of a sudden, it's like, oh, well, you're getting, you're overpaying or you're doing anything. I thought that was a good move by the front office. Are you expecting another move at quarterback? Because of the money at $3.5 million, it will not, you know, stop them if they want to drafting somebody or still potentially trading for Josh Rosen.

Well, again, I would think they make a move, but I don't think you go out and find a quarterback that you have to play ASAP. Now you could probably draft a quarterback and develop him for the next year or two. This gives Alex time, this gives case time, and this gives whoever you bring in time to get into the system and understand it. So, again, I think maybe you bring in a young quarterback now that you found a veteran, but I don't think you make another move in free agency and take the quarterback that's available. I actually like Case Keenham game for some reason. I like him in Minnesota.

He did a decent job in Houston when he had his opportunity. So I'm kind of excited about Case Keenum. It's hard to say that coming off the year that he did in Denver, but again, your offensive coordinator get fired, your best receiver get traded. The Denver Broncos offense just not that good. The offensive line play wasn't that good. You didn't have a running game with the Philippines. It developed.

So I think you have an opportunity here to do something with Case. Who do you think? So it sounds to me like you think Case Keenum will be the frontrunner over Colt McCoy to start the opener in 2019, right? Well, what I would like to see is the competition, something that we don't have, stop allowing guys to come in and instantly, giving them the keys to the Ferrari, make guys go out and compete at every position, not just a quarterback position, make guys compete, make guys win it over. You don't have to announce a starter today. You don't have to announce a starter in the preseason. Let guys go out, compete, give them an opportunity to actually.

win the competition instead of just tossing the keys over and saying, hey, this is, here's your franchise, you know, and that's the never position. That's for the running backs, the receivers, the tight end. Everyone needs to start from square one from day one and re-evaluate themselves because obviously whatever we've been doing is not working. What do you want them to do in free agency? I think you need a receiver. That says. I think you need a one receiver. I was watching John Brown and some of his highlights and blowing the top off coverage. You know, I think Funchez is a receiver that with some size,

especially after what he did to us, I think Funcheze is a guy that could play that you get for good value on this market. You know, you look at Go to Take. I always thought Gold and Tate was an awesome receiver for years, you know, especially going back. to Seattle. You look at those guys. A tight end, you need a healthy blocking tight end that could actually contribute as well

and not give up the hints to run a pass when they step on the field. Because when you see Vernon and Jordan Reed run on the field, it's probably not a run play. So you need to get a one-dimensional tight end. They can do everything going on. The defensive side of the ball, you need to rush it. I haven't heard anything about Preston Smith, so I'm still impressed and walks in free agency. You need a rushy.

You need a guy who could put pressure on the quarterback. You're turning the team over to the line. That's the only thing that's really short right now. Your lineback positions, you need someone else to go to Ruga Foster. Obviously, I think Rupert Foster is going to be the man, so you need someone else to play with Simonville and Fawson. Then in the secondary, you got Landon College, you got Earl Thomas. You've got to go out and get one of these impactful safeties that's used to playing at a pro bowl level.

That's available in the market. I think that's where you spend your money and you find someone else to go along with them. There's tons of things on the market. So you go out and get one of these guys or two of these guys. it allows you to go into the draft and fill your other needs. I think speed, overall team, speed, playmaking ability, cornerback, I would look cornerback depending on what you can do in free agency. If you could address the offensive free agency,

you'd throw all the defense in the draft because young corners could step up and make plays for you. A linebacker in the draft would be great. you have a lot of guys who can run. And you need overall to speed, especially on the defensive side of the ball where you need to create havoc. You need to be able to get to the quarterback. And you need someone who can run with the tight ends underneath. So those are issues you have to address.

Yeah, you mentioned Ruben Foster. I think one of the reasons it's possible they haven't to cut Zach Brown yet is they are waiting to hear from the league what Ruben Foster's eligibility and availability is going to be. because if he gets nixed for a long period of time, they may have to, even though I don't think they want to, they may have to keep Zach Brown. I mean, because if not, you've got Sean Dionne Hamilton, who I think everybody admits played very well

and looks like a really good prospect at that position. You can still bring Mason Foster back for another year, but one of those two would have to come back if Ruben Foster isn't available for six games or something like that. Well, I've always been a fan of Zach Brown playing downhill. If you're going to put Jack Brown in covers, you're doing him a disservice. You're doing a disservice. What else you could do, Ryan Anderson played middle lineback in college.

Get him off the edge. Put him back in the middle. I think he's a better player. And that field, some of your board, Sean Dionne Hamilton did come on last year during the season, but I'm not sure he's your guy to say, oh, this is who I'm going with. So I have no problem with Zach Brown if you're going to use Zach Brown the correct way. If that's downhill, not dropping back in coverage and sending his own and all this. Use him as an attack dog.

That makes everyone better. So I'm all for Zach Brown. Who are the quarterbacks you like in the draft of the, you know, Haskins, Locke, Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, et cetera. Who are the, you watch, unlike a lot of the guys that I talk to, you watch college football religiously every Saturday. Who are the quarterbacks you watch this year that you think will take the next step and become a really good pro quarterback?

Well, I think in the way, system, Colin Lerner will be the next Russell Wilson. I think he has that kind of talent, that kind of ability, a great arm as far as accuracy, his movements are pure. He doesn't take kids either. So if you get Kyla Murray in the right system where his time, you know, you look at Russell Wilson and the place that he makes his escapability going down three, three yards before contact is even imminent, he's not taking a hit at all. He runs out of bounds.

So I think Kyla Murray will be that type of player. Haskins, I'm not so long. I just don't think his mobility. it is suited for a team that doesn't have a great offensive line. You know, if his wind up kind of slow, I just see him develop it. Now, he can become a really good player with his accuracy and arm. He could, but right now I don't see it. I'm not a fan of Locke from Missouri either.

I watched him, Lock and prone, the kid from Georgia, their balls float. You know, we go, there's no zip on it. It's like it's coming through. the air and it gets to the receiver somehow. So I'm not a huge fan. Daniel Jones really impressed me over the years and watching Miami play Duke.

Daniel Jones have done a lot of special. They look at the kid from NC State was a thing. Kevin Trump. Finley. Yeah, Finley. He was supposed to be the guy. You know, two years ago, he was supposed to be the guy when

they had that great defense with Chubbed them on it. So I think he got playmaking ability. I'm just not sure. So for me, I would say Daniel Jones, Will Greer, you know, he's a gunsling. He's going to be a feisty, Baker Mayfield 2.0 once he gets on a team,

especially if he goes somewhere and just want to slain the ball around, I think Will Greer is going to be pretty good. And then you look at the kid from Washington State. I'm not sure why no one is talking about here. Brett Rippin. Yeah, no, that's border. State.

Oh, I'm sorry, Washington State. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Yeah, so the kid from Washington State. Greg Riffran, again, his ball doesn't have any of it. You know, but the kid from Washington State, who was in the spread offense and just had the opportunity to slain the ball right, he's going to get the ball out of his hands quick, make a read. I'm not sure if that offense is willing to transition to NFL,

if that allows your reeds and everything else. That offense he was in kind of dictates where the ball go. And, you know, they do it at the line of scrimmary. So that would be the adjustment. But I actually think he could play. Yeah, you're talking about Minshu, the guy that... Yeah, Gardner Minsh. Yeah.

The running backs in the draft, you've always got an opinion about those. It's early. I know we got a lot of time between now and the draft, but are there any that stick out to you that you really like? None of just jump off a jump off paper. I actually like the kid from Miami. I think he could play. He showed you.

I mean, that's just for his running style, for his running ability, downhill, tough through in-between tackles. He's physical. He ran a 4-4-8, I think. Kid, holy field, oh, he hurt himself. With the 40 time But God, he's such a physical runner, don't you think? I think the kid from Miami

Way more physical. Really? I honestly do. He's a bigger kid. He's way more physical. If you're going to watch the film breakdown, he's way more physical. The kid from Washington, the runnerback from Washington. Yeah, Miles.

Yeah, Hoskins, right? Gaskins. Gaskins. Gaskins, Miles Gaskin. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that kid, he's going to playmaker for years. I remember watching up in Big of Washington when they had Ross out there. Right.

And they were going to winters gas going out, you know. And, of course, their offense wasn't as explosive as it was when they had Ross the speed of receiver. But I actually think he could play. I think if he goes into the right system, he's going to be pretty good. The running back market, it's not. You like that? You like the Florida Atlantic? Devin Singletary, have you watched him?

Yeah, he had, yeah, yeah. Actually, I spoke at Florida Atlanta two years ago, and the coach was so excited about this kid. So I sat in Washington practice. So he would be, yeah, he would definitely be up there. I think he had consecutive 1,200, 300-th-year-season. So that kid, I think he deserves a shot and deserves an opportunity.

And then, of course, you go to Alabama man, this kid, potential top five, top team pick. I don't see that in him. But, again, I'm not crazy over Alabama running back. What did Holyfield run? Do you know what it was? I think he ran in a 4-8. Yeah.

I mean, watching him all year, he punished people. And I thought he had great vision, Clinton. And, you know, he's between the time. tackles guy. I mean, he's not going to go 80 on you, but he's going to get four and five a chunk. It looked like, I don't know. He looked to me like he's going to be a good NFL back regardless of the 40 time.

I don't see. Okay. You know, when the kid makes that jump, you got to think that a mental that comes with, making the jump. You leave school early, and you feel your first, second, third round kick, and you drop, you know, that plays a psych within your head.

I don't see him as a kid to recover from that. But what I do see is Travis Homer. If you really go and turn on Travis Holmes from Miami and you pull out some of those games, you're talking about physical and looking for contact, that's what I don't know if he would be able to sustain. The way he plays at that level reminds me, of Farnett and a young geese

just reckless when it comes to contact and looking for instead of you know protecting yourself, learning how to fall and get down. These guys are looking to bulldoze over so I would actually be excited to see where Travis is home to go. All right, last thing. He ran a 4-4. Oh, he did, yeah. Last thing. What about Antonio Brown? What's your take on how it worked out?

I think the Raiders got away with highway robber. A third and a fifth round pick for Antonio Tungia Brown. I think our organization, we could have gave up a warning. You know, all the first round picks the Raiders had that quickly, I think the Raiders changed the scope of their team because you get a playmaker. You know, he comes with some baggage, but the playmaker ability outweighs the baggage, especially if he's happy. You know, if this guy is happy, you know,

him in a situation to explode and take the confidence away from Carr. Gruden, I think he would respect John Gruden as a coach, you know, especially that he got paid. So now it's about football. And I think the Raiders do a great job of making it back about football instead of it. It is no way we're trying to, he want to get paid. He's a distraction. He has no reason to be a distraction.

You gave him everything he wanted. Now it's time he's going to fill and play. and I think when you look at it's on your brown that's the team that can get him to target that's the coach who can move him around and figure out how to get him the ball now you go at you know I'm not sure

if Martez's Brian against the career again but they were teammates now you go out and you grab a guy early in the draft if you're the Raiders Metcalf or any of these kids you get a big receiver as well and now you have

something special on offense again you know AB dynamic playmaker to get him for a third and a fifth round pick and what is it? Three years, 30, 50 million? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I mean, those are the numbers, you know, I think he said the running back,

I mean, the wire receiver market, but that was a great trade. Pittsburgh kind of got holes in it. I think their hands was tied, because A.B. probably had a couple of destinations. He was one of the,

to go and report to it and the rest. It was just like I'm not going, which I think actually happened to the bills trade. I would love to see what the bills trade had on the table before it didn't work out. Well, I'd love to know what the Redskins offered because apparently the Redskins and the Eagles were the other two teams, according to reports, that were still in on Antonio Brown. But, you know, he had a choice. He could say, I'm not signing a long-term deal if you trade me to. of that team and that team immediately drops out like Buffalo.

Could have been the same with the Redskins. I would doubt that it would have been the same with the Eagles, but a third and a fifth, and you're eating a $21 million salary cap hit. It's unprecedented. It's the most, you know, I said earlier, teams get rid of players that are, get rid of good players, veterans for cap savings, not for cap pain and cap hell,

and they only got a third and fifth. Yeah, it's highway robbery. But he, because of his elite level, he was able to essentially narrow the market, which made it harder for Pittsburgh to get what they wanted for him. They should have waited. They could have waited. They could have even given him that roster bonus of two and a half. I know they didn't want to give it to him of $2 million plus and waited until they got the right kind of deal.

But it's unique. We've never seen it in the NFL, a great player. leave a team, and the team take a massive salary cap hit and barely get anything back for him. It's crazy. Yeah, why not take the $2 million hit? I mean, you're taking a $21,000 a hit in the salary cap. So often I don't understand a lot of the situations by GMs, but hey, they're GM. They get to do what they want to do and what they see fit, and they know what the offers were like.

Now, if it comes out, you had a team or two that was willing to give up the house for A, B, especially after the kid from Oakland go to Dallas for a first round team. And no one seen it. Yeah, everybody thought Dallas got screwed with Cooper and he was the first round peak. A.B.

It was way more proven than Cooper. Although Cooper is a great player, and he deserves everything he got with that opportunity and he took advantage of it. A.B., I just think, is right. date. Like, this was, for them to pull this off for a third and a fifth of our pick. You get a 21 and a half million cap hit.

You know how bad you're trying to get rid of somebody? Like you said, most teams are looking to get under the cap. They're saying, okay, this is going to screw our cap. This is going to mess up our free agency. We're willing to go with what we have for this year, and we'll make a move later down the line. Yeah, I mean, the big thing with Amari Cooper is he still had the rest of his rookie deal and a team option for the fifth, I guess. Yeah, it's amazing. I mean, he's a great player. There's no doubt about it. The Raiders now, according to reports, are also in on

Levyon Bell. I mean, that would completely change their offense. They could use those three first rounders that they have potentially on defensive players, and this could be one of the teams that completely turn it around in one year. I mean, I don't know how they can afford both Bell and Brown, but apparently they can, and that would be an amazing get, because I think Bell's still one of the best. Well, I mean, you look at Bell's situation. I think what was he trying to get $13, $15,000, you go give, you go give Bell, hey, you know what, here's your three-year, $40 million.

That's doable. That's really doable. Three-year, $40 million, your contract guarantee. that's doable and that would be smart because you have all of these picks. Who else are you paying? You got rid of Kalil Mack. You got rid of Kulmaq. The only guy you're paying is Carr, your quarterback.

So for the next three years, here's safety for Carr. That will probably take you through car contract, his guaranteed money. So you have a three-headed monster on the offensive side of the ball. And defense, you know, Kalil-Mat. you can't replace. But with three first round picks in all of the D-Lyman and rush-ins that they have coming out of the issues, I think you can load up on the defensive side of the ball. Plus they have some second-round pick.

So I really think if they really want to be fancy, move out of that early pick. What is the fifth pick in the draft? The fourth pick in the draft. You move back and pick up two more picks. Early picks, oh, man, that would be so. exciting, especially getting ready to move to Vegas. I think you would enter Vegas with the bang, you know, as you do this. So we were curious and wondering what Groot and Mayak had up their sleeve,

but so far, they're winning free agency. They won their winning free agency. Where are they playing, Aaron, next year? Has it been decided? They're playing at the Coliseum. Yeah. Oh, they're playing back at the Coliseum again? Yeah, they're.

Oh, I must have missed that. That one out. Okay. All right. Last thing, you've been following college hoops or not? Yeah, I've been following college hoops. All right, so who do you like when the field will be a week from today? We'll have our brackets in hand. Who do you like to? You know who I actually was getting excited about? And I've caught them playing.

And until this, this wiretap came out, I really liked LSU. Yeah. And it was just something about LSU's makeup. But now North Carolina to win it all, I would say U.N.C. That point guard of U.N.C. had. Everyone's talking about, oh, man, this kid is so good. He's a dumbedness the game whenever he wants. And everyone is talking about Zarian and Barrett and these kids and Duke.

If you look at Kobe White, I'm like, why isn't he leaving for the draft? Why is he leaving school? because the way he plays and he can shoot, he can dribble, he's fast, and get to the bucket whenever he wants to. He just seems to make the right plays and get his teammates involved. So I think North Carolina will win it. I don't see Zion coming back. Even with Zion, I didn't think Duke was as dominant, often in games with him.

They were behind and they came back to win the game in the end. I think they had two big deficits that they overcame. with Zion. So I like Novobby and Houston. Houston. Houston. Houston is interesting. Yeah, plus they defend. That's a good defensive team, Houston. And they, you know, they were good last year, and Michigan knocked him out on that buzzer beater in the second round. Back to Carolina, though, for a minute, I agree with you. And I said this a couple weeks ago, that North Carolina, when they weren't, you know, when they hadn't yet beaten Duke at Cameron Indoor, their style of play. They in Gonzaga, they just play fast. They take the ball out of the net. They're on the attack

constantly. Kobe White's turned into a star. The guy in Nasir Little, who was supposed to be, you know, the recruit and the top five pick, you know, was really struggling there for most of the season. Now he's starting to get it together. I just like their team. You know, Cam Johnson is playing great. You know, Luke May is, I mean, people don't realize how good he is at 6-8. outstanding. He's tough. Jumping from the top of the key, his rebounding. Rebounding defense.

Yeah. I just love North Carolina. Yeah, I do too. I like Gonzaga, too. I don't. I like when they run into some competition, it's going to be tough. For them, my favorites would be

if LSU uses weight suspension as positives. If the team comes together to play for him, we want our coach, I see some magic with LSU. You got to think you go back two years ago with Ben Simmons and LSU having these hopes not even getting to the tournament. And all of a sudden, after Ben Simmons and the hope that's going,

these players come together and create something magical. When you look at Tennessee, I don't think Tennessee got to score. I don't think... That's the one problem with them. That's a good observation. It's the one thing about Tennessee is every once in a while you're watching them. And they...

I love Grant Williams. I think he's actually going to be a really underrated pro. It might take a couple years, but he's got that... He's got that game. He's got that Adrian Dantley kind of game. I think he'll be in the NBA for a long time. But every once in a while, you're right. They struggle to score a little bit.

LSU still has a chance. If they make a run, in the SEC tournament this coming weekend. They could be a one seat. I know. That's what I said, depending on how they respond. I love, I actually love Houston because they play defense and they shoot their offensive game playing. It's a dunk or shoot a three.

And you have somebody flying through the air. If they shoot a three, there's someone crashing the board. You look at a lot of these teams, when the ball go up, they get back on defense. and they don't have offensive rebounded. But they play, Houston seems to me as if they play smart. Like, I'm going to take this shot

when my man is in position to rebound. And a bunch of guys have the green light. They shoot a lot of corner threes. They're not launching it from the top of the key. They kind of get into their set, their half-court offense instead of just run and gun. They get into their half-court offense,

get the ball in the court. and you can score from the wings, which gives you an opportunity to get a backside rebound and have a guy in the middle of the court that can slow the fast breakdown. So there's something about their offense that I like, but defensively, they can play. Like they challenge. They get up in people face, so I like them. You know, Kelvin Sampson, no matter, Aaron, you know this about him, wherever he's gone and been the head coach, they win.

They go to the tournament. they win. In the 90s and 2000s, he took all those Oklahoma teams, including the Oklahoma team that Maryland was the national championship year for Maryland. That was Oklahoma and Kelvin Sampson in the final four. He got the issue at Indiana where recruiting violations, was out of coaching for a while, and now for Houston, he's going to be a two or a three seed,

second straight year with a team that can absolutely go to the Sweet 16, elite eight, or even further. They're good, really good. The pain for me is just Maryland's got talent, Clinton, but they play too slow. The Big Ten, these games. Did you see the Wisconsin-Ohio State game yesterday?

It was 26 to 16 at halftime. At halftime. No, like, it's hard to give those teams because Maryland will win a game. You don't think it should win, and then they go and lose to somebody that they should have dominated. So, I'm not so.

I think Michigan, I think Michigan, Purdue. and Michigan State all have legitimate chances to get to the final four. All right. I appreciate you waking up for me today. That was nice of you. No problem, man. Anytime. All right.

I'll talk to you soon. Thanks. All right, peace up. Always good to catch up with Clinton, even though I woke him up this morning. Clinton's take on players in particular because he watches more sports than most of the former players that do this. He's a huge college football, college basketball fan, watches the NBA every night, watches pro football, everything.

I always enjoy his takes on players because he's really watched these guys. Real quick moment on Window Nation. Window Nation listens to this podcast. I've had Windonation install windows in my home twice over the last decade, and it worked out for me. I am sure it will work out for you. Right now they've got a very good offer going. Buy two windows, get two windows free, by four, get four free, no limit.

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All right, let's bring in Ben Standig, who of course writes and reports and does a lot of things for NBC Sports Washington. You can follow him on Twitter at Ben Standig. Ben covers just about every team in town, but most notably the two that I follow, he covers, and that's the Redskins and the Wizards. So we'll talk about both. But we'll start with the Redskins.

And I just came off sort of my open to the show, which I a week ago thought this was going to be an offseason where Dan Snyder would not allow Stephen Paya, Kendall Reyes, and David Bruton to be the free agent class, that there was no way he could sell or market that, and there was no way it was going to happen, that they were going to be very active this year. They were going to try to make splashes. Case Keenham is not the splash, by the way. And Cooley talked me off the ledge last week. He said, look, Bruce being back means this is Bruce's show still

and expect another Bruce kind of off-season. What do you think is going on? I'm actually surprised they haven't made cuts yet, but it could be an indication, Ben, that they may need to keep some of these players that we thought were obvious cap cuts. and cap savings cuts. What are you hearing?

Yeah, so it's been interesting in the last few years because, you know, one thing we know in life on top level is you get a reputation, it becomes very hard to shake it. And even though the Redskins have been rather conservative the last few years with their moves, you know, aside from like a job, a single Josh Norman signing, that there is still this assumption that they are the wild and crazy spending team.

That said, going into this off-season after the chaotic way the last season just ended. I went on NBC Sports Washington and wrote, hey, if Threatkins want to change the tune, they need to go back to those crazy spending ways and get the Antonio Browns or O'Otomac or Trader for Kaila or whatever it is to get it going. So to some degree, I was a little time to keep with to some degree. I kind of thought that's where things would be going. And you're right.

It is a little bit weird that they're not really rumored for too much of anything. They haven't made any moves. I mean, yes, I guess they were technically apparently kicking some tires in Antonio Brown. when you see the deal that ultimately unfolded, it doesn't seem that that was even remotely possible for them. So I'm a little confused, but I still believe there's a big move or two for them to be made because for no reason they've got to get some positive attention when we're talking about

season tickets and things like that. So but to your point, though, Kevin, if they don't do anything, we do all probably have to officially stop saying Dan Snyder is meddling because logically, based on his history, he'd be all in on pushing for one of these bigger players. And if it doesn't happen, then you're right. Then he clearly acceded it all to Brous down. And that's his running the show. Yeah, I mean, the Redskins have been reported to have been one of the three teams in on Antonio Brown, according to Albert Breer.

But, you know, they didn't land them with a deal that, you know, in Dan's Day, in Dan and Vinny's day, they wouldn't have let him leave the building. They would have paid 30% over retail. and Brown wouldn't have been able to turn it down. So that has changed. Yeah, I'm with you. I expected that they would start clearing some cap space. And sometimes when you don't see that immediately, when you see it from teams that start doing it, you know,

last week, middle of the week, late week over the weekend, they are clearing space because they have a guy or two that they feel like they have a really good chance of landing in free agency. The Redskins haven't cut anybody. and by the time people hear this podcast, maybe they have. But it could be, you know, and this isn't an exaggeration, it could be that the feelers they have out are basically that they're not going to get a lot of run from some of these bigger guys.

You know, it's not their choice, whether or not landing Collins signs here. So that's why I think perhaps as of right now they're holding on to Stacey McGee, Vernon Davis, and Zach Brown. They may need them. Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, you're right. It's not just, it's easy to say, well, we're going to cut cap space and be aggressive. You got to have a willing partner who wants to join you. I talked to shortly before Eric Weddle signed with the Rams, and not that he's the biggest name, but he's a notable safety, and the race skins clearly need help there. I kept in with somebody who said, yes, the Redskins had checked in on Weddell, but that Weddell had already narrowed his list of five teams, and the Redskins were not on it. So I don't know if that was a money thing.

He didn't get a particularly crazy contract. So maybe that is sort of a sign of a player saying, eh, you know, especially for a vendor. And, you know, thanks, but I want to win. And I don't know where you guys are at right now. So, you know, that is definitely something to be cognizant of, for sure. I mean, if you, did you put together an offseason free agency plan for them? Did you do that on NBC Sports Washington or Twitter? I mean, do you have ideas that are reasonable?

I mean, Landon Collins, they'd have to pay them a lot of money, and it's not Bruce's style. Bruce isn't a day one, day two, or day three player. He's more like a week, two, week three player in free agency. But, you know, we know that Landon Collins loves Sean Taylor and would probably play here. Some of the reporting over the weekend says the Redskins will be in on Landing Collins. what's your idea of what should happen here over the next week to month?

So because of my focus on the NFL draft, what I did was, you know, I looked at the positions they obviously need to get some help on that time. I meant quarterback, wide receiver, left guard, inside linebacker safety and pass rusher, just to highlight those, I focused on whether it made much more sense based on the options available to go through the draft or free agency. Of all those positions, the one work to me, I could see them making the big splash was at safety. There are actually a fair amount of decent safety options, especially in day two if the Redskins want to wait. But this is such a star-studded class for agents at safety.

It's a terrible class at wide receiver. It seems unlikely that the Redskins are going to spend crazy big money at Guard and for agency. But, you know, you never know. It's possible. Pass-rrrrratcher, I keep thinking at 15. that's where they make a move because this is a loaded draft for a defensive lineman. And so to me, safety made a lot of sense when we've heard the Landon Collins bugs for some time. But that would be a, if you get Landon Collins, you know, I'm not saying he's, you know,

one of the true stars of the league, but you can sell that especially because his comments previously about the 11 Sean Taylor and all that. So to me, that would be the position where I think if they're going to spend a trade agency, it happens. Whether that occurs is a big question. And that's the thing. If you're another team, I'm sorry, if you're a free agent, you have to look at the Redskin situation and think, all right, they got Case Keenham. That's okay. Is this enough to overtake the Eagles in the division?

Is this enough to really contend with what they have? That's a big question that any of these guys are going to be asking themselves. Yeah. I mentioned that one of the things that we're seeing here for the second consecutive year is that the We're close mantra means that Bruce is relying on a lot of those players coming off injured reserve to be the influx of talent. You know, Sheriff, Geis, Richardson, Dunbar, you know, the same thing that he was talking about last year. So if he goes nuts in free agency, it actually in some way contradicts the We're Close.

mantra. But anyway, so you've been focusing on the draft. They traded for Case Keenham last week. My position, it was that once I saw the money, you realize that this was not your definitive default starter and that more quarterback action is very much in play, whether it's Rosen or through the draft. What do you think? Yeah, 100%. I mean, my take from Jump Street has been they do what they did with Keenham either was going to be signing some sort of middle-tier guy like a Teddy Bridgewater or figuring out who was becoming available in the trade route and obviously Keenon was a guy like that but you know neither Keenum nor McCoy is under contract for next year neither one of those guys is good enough to preclude you from making a bigger deal

if you see some opportunity there I do think and I have never believed that they were going to be in play for a quarterback at 15 once it became sort of clear to me and I say clear, like y'all, things can change all the time, but once it became kind of clear that the top three guys, meaning Kyler, Marie, Dwayne Haskins, and Drew Locke were likely gone before 15, so that would require a trade-up. I just didn't see the Redskins, I can see the Redskins making a trade or in the draft to send multiple picks somewhere for something,

but not to trade, not what it would require to go get those guys, but drafting a quarterback somewhere between round two through seven. I'm not saying this is where you automatically find your stud, especially the outside of round two. I'll pay your stud. You're a guy who potentially could be a franchise quarterback, but I still think that's in play. The rows in those situations, obviously,

is very intriguing to me. I mean, if you like them coming out a year ago, I don't think how you would like him now. Somehow the cost is a second and something that's not a future one, and for the cheap cost that he is, I don't see how you don't jump on that if you're the Redskins. I mean, the only downside, I guess,

for going to make a play like that is, If Jay Gruden is not the coach beyond the season, then you're saddling the next guy with a quarterback, but at some point you have to get in and just get that guy. If you think he'll make that move. All right. I'll put you on the spot right now. We get to training camp. You have Alex Smith on the Pup List or injured reserve for the year. He's not playing next year, maybe never again.

Your three quarterbacks are Case Keenham, Colt McCoy, and who? Something, I don't know. Somebody told me that all the other teams in the league are going to want to, you know, if the cost is sort of what I said, a second or maybe even a late first. So just based on the odds, I'll say it's not him. But if the Redskins, like, let's just say like Will Greer out of West Virginia, I can see them moving a second one and weren't two of their other picks to the top of the second round to get him. So just to throw out a name, I'll go with Will Greer.

Okay. All right, let's switch topics. I was probably one of the only people watching both of the Wizards games. from the weekend, both the Friday night game at Charlotte, which I really only watched after the Maryland game was over, and then the game in Minnesota on Saturday night. I want to just start with the Charlotte game because things turned around a little bit for Beal on Saturday night, even though they didn't win the game. But, you know, they have a chance, you know, at the end of the game, we've seen this for how many years now, where they've got a last possession,

tie game or down one or down two and Walls never really come through and Beals never really come through and man did he get hurried on that last shot attempt did get into the paint but was you know it was content it was really defensed well and the ball didn't even hit the rim the shot Portis got fouled as Kara pointed out on the broadcast

on the attempted offensive rebound but you know Beal he was four for 21 that night I he's not a closer Ben He is a very good NBA score, in my opinion, but he's not a player that is going to get you to a level where you're consistently, you know, contending for something meaningful in the postseason. What is your take about him as a closer? So, you know how like we see some teams in sports? I would think of college basketball for this. There are teams that are like really try hard teams that every game during the regular season. Maybe Virginia is a good example of this. Every game during the regular season, they bring their A game. And most humans in life don't always bring their A game. So when they bring their A game, they wear you down, they're efficient,

they do what they need to do, and they take you down on the regular season. But when you get to the postseason and everybody's intensity raises because of the stakes, that intensity that they had is no longer an advantage. And now it's a matter of sort of skill on skill alone, and they don't look as good. So I would take in a case of Bradley Beale, he kicks, He really tries hard all game long. I mean, the number one thing, number one takeaway for me on the Wizards, again, for the second straight year post-John Wall, without John Wall is the Wizards take on Bradley

Beale's demeanor at all times, and he is a go-getter and all that. But in the final stages of a game, perhaps, he's not the most athletic NBA player there is. And if the other team knows, hey, there's one possession left, that guy's going to get the ball, let's go get him, that there may be some more ways to stop him than than they're during the first 47 minutes when everybody's sort of not always completely focused on defense. I mean, I will note, though, in the very next night, he scored, what, their last 14 points and hit the game time three-pointer on a nice step back there.

So I think the thing I always look at it from a clutch perspective, do you want the ball? And I'm like Chris Weber, definitely did not. Bradley Beale does. I'll take that. I just think it's sometimes Scott Brooks and Beal need to be realistic with where they're putting him on the court and what he can or can't do. But I have no problem with Bradley Beal's shoot because I know he's willing to take it.

And like we saw against Minnesota, he can also make it when it went in a good spot. You know, when we have, like in the moment, I just was pissed. I was like, God damn it, Bill can't effing close a game. But then I think to myself, if I were having that conversation with Brooks, what would he say to me?

And he would look at me and he would say, well who else should I have had take the final shot? And it's like, is Areza going to take the final shot? He's not a creator. Portis on the post, maybe. Jeff Green is a creator, Sataranski? I mean, of course, the answer is, it's got to be in Beal's hands at the end. I understand that. I do. I just, I know what you're saying, too, with them taking on his demeanor. And he is, he's a try-hard player. I will just say this, that they've been, including him, this year in general, just basically, not just a bad defensive team, Ben, but a disinterested defensive team much of the time. And Beal's been a part of that at times.

And maybe it's because he's got so much burden, so much responsibility on the offensive event. He played 45, 46 minutes in the overtime game the other night at Minnesota. But I did want to ask you, when we were talking briefly before we started to record this interview. I've been blown away at Jabari Parker's explosive athletic ability. I didn't, I just wasn't paying attention to Jabari Parker, you know, the injuries and whatever. He's the number two pick in the draft. He's going to cost some money, isn't he? I mean, is there any chance they keep him? And what about Portis, too, as a follow-up to that? So, yeah, I mean, I think I'm with you on the Parker thing.

You know, it's been almost like nothing but negative reports since he entered the league. I mean, unfortunately, he twice towards his ACL, so that obviously caused a setback. But, I mean, he literally came out, like, a year or so ago and said, they don't pay you to play defense and he's not going to bother. So when you hear stuff like that, and then combined, like, the Bulls are benching him and all after signing him to a two-year deal for $20 million per, like, you're like, well, clearly things are not going great for him. And so when the Wizards acquired him, you know, he kind of understood it was for the salary.

matching and all that. But you're right. He's been impressive with the ball in his hands. He can score, get to the rim. I mean, he's shooting 55 percent. I think since he's been as the Wizards, and it's like 65 percent in the last five games. And it's still lousy from three, but he's getting to the rim and attacking. He's been some, he's also been an interesting passer as well. That said, there's definite downside. For example, since the trade, he leaves the NBA and turnover ratio. Yeah, he does not handle the ball well. right right and so you know there's some and and basically he's like top five in the league over the course of the season including with the balls

and you know but in terms of next year look you've got a 20 million dollar team option i've seen people sort of in my industry sort of hint around like oh well we'll see what the wizards do no no no they're not keeping them there's no there's no way you train it out of a porter's salary to figure out a way to get it to create a to be able to bring in some actual players to then keep Jabari Parker, a lesser player for, you know, relatively comparable money. That's not happening. Could he come back? Sure, but he's a free agent and has the chance to sign with any team who might find

his athleticism that you're discussing impressive. So, you know, I mean, Parker is interesting. As far as Portis, that one is really more interesting to me because he's the guy, on the one hand, like he might get $12 million, $14 million a year, and we can debate whether he's worth it. He might just, that this may be where the market is for a 6-9 forward center who can step out and shoot three also get rebounds. The thing is, are you keeping Thomas Bryant?

If you are, and Scott Brooks has been refusing to play Brian and Portis together, well, then, like, what do you have next year? And then, I'm not even counting. What are you doing? Jan Mahemi, you sell those one year left. Is Dwight Howard opting to his contract? So they could have a weird dynamic at center, it feels like for the umpteenth year in a row.

And that's where I think the Porter situation comes into play. If you think those other three guys are back, then maybe you just don't bring, don't resign porters and spend that money on a forward since they literally don't have a three or four on the roster for next year. But I do think porters is interesting enough that you'd have to consider it. But I'd really like to see Brooks try some porters and Bryant down the stretch here. I get it defensively.

That's not great at all. But if you're going to consider bringing them both back, then I don't know how you're not looking at that because it obviously would have to be a consideration for next year. Did Ted really think they were going to make the playoffs? I mean, is that why? they didn't trade ERISA? Is that why they didn't make more moves at the trade deadline

when they could have? Well, Kevin, so you're in an interesting work situation now, right? You have, your boss is you. Unless Aaron Oster has taken over the situation. I'm not sure. I work for Aaron. I got it. I know what you're going to say. The NBC Sports Washington, and Ted owns it, basically.

No, no, no, no. I don't even mean that. I just mean that you make all the decisions yourself. And in the case of the Wizards, you know, that Ernie Grunfeld wanted to make the move on Areza or green or not, Ted came out and said, we are not going to tank that the playoffs are a goal. He said that our goals this year were to, you know, he's changed, he's lowered the goals just a little bit and said, you know, the bar is to make the playoffs.

And, you know, I don't know what it said behind closed doors, but if those are, if the public remarks mirror what he would have said behind closed doors, and if you're at Grunfeld, you got to win some level make the playoffs, or at least attempt to. So I assume he's setting Ernie up to fail so that he can get rid of Ernie finally. Well, it would be insane to predict a change at that spot, considering it's been a thousand years and nothing has happened despite some, obviously, some tough times. And obviously a lot of good stuff in as well. People forget the Wizards missed the playoffs 15 or 16 years before Grunfeld showed up and have made it half the time. He's been here, which is a fantastic number, but that beats what was it going on before.

I guess I would just say that in all the other times where people were saying, oh, here we go, they're going to make a change. I always saw a path that said, no, that's not going to happen. There was always a logical step. You know, somebody got hurt. They were close. This is, you know, there's some rationale. This time, I will say, it's a little harder to see it.

They weren't good when John Wall was playing, so even the injury thing can't be completely used as an excuse. They're in a tough spot looking forward. You only have, like I said, three healthy players. under contract for next year with limited cap space. So that's a really tough spot to be in. So, again, it would be insane to predict a change based on history, but it sort of seemed like, you know,

I could understand that people think that there's more of an opportunity this time than in other times. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it, as always, and talk to you soon. Of course, you can follow Ben on Twitter at Ben Standing and follow all of his work at NBC Sportswide. Washington. Thanks, Ben. Appreciate it. Thank you, and thank you to the Aaron Oster Overlord over there.

He is the overlord. Thanks to Ben. Always good to catch up with him. Real quickly, launch workplaces in Bethesda. If you live in the area around the Massachusetts Avenue corridor, Bethesda right on the D.C. Maryland line, and you're looking for a new affordable office space, check out launchworkplaces.com. Or you can call 240860. 1714. That's 240, 800, 6714. They've got affordable private office solutions so you can get work done. This is really for those of you that are working from home or you're in a small office already and looking to move to move. This beautiful new space provides conference rooms, co-working desks, high speed internet, free parking and 24-7 access. You'll get more work done today by moving your office to launch workplaces in Bethesda. Now they've got locations elsewhere. and you can check out all of those at launchworkplaces.com. But if you call today, you'll receive an exclusive free two-day trial by calling 240-86714 and just mentioning my name.

All right, a couple of things to finish up with. First of all, for you Maryland basketball fans, they avoided Penn State in the Thursday night round of the Big Ten tournament. They'll play the winner of Rutgers in Nebraska. They were very close, very close, very. close to a double-by when Wisconsin blew a 23-point second-half lead at Ohio State yesterday. If Ohio State had won, Maryland would have gotten a double-by. Wisconsin blew the lead. Ohio State actually had the ball with the game tied on the final possession of regulation.

They ended up losing that game in overtime. And now Ohio State really on the outside potentially looking in on the tournament, What's interesting is they will play in the first, it's not the first round. There's a first round and then there is a second round and then you get to the quarterfinals in the Big Ten. So in the second round, Ohio State plays Indiana. That's an elimination game. The winner is still alive. The loser is done.

Indiana's come out of nowhere here to make a late run towards a potential NCAA tournament birth. What's interesting is the winner of that game gets Michigan State, and if it's Indiana, they swept Michigan State during the year. If they got a third win over Michigan State, put them in at that point. Maryland beat Minnesota Friday night with really what was Aaron, I think it was one of the more impressive games they've played all year. They were exceptional defensively, especially in the first half of that game. They really played well defensively. And then offensively, they tried to play more up-tempo. You know, they were able to get out on the fast break.

They rebounded exceptionally well. Cowan played great. Stick Smith was active right from the jump. So was Morsell. Fernando, you know, got a couple of fouls early, but ended up with another double-double. And they blew out Minnesota. Now, the final score was a 69-60 final. Maryland was up 67 to 47 and basically took their foot off together.

gas pedal. Almost for putting Andrew Terrell into the game late there. Yeah, but here was the interesting thing about that game. In addition to, I think it was one of their better performances of the year. I was happy to see it. Minnesota got to within nine, and they got the ball back with I'm sorry, they cut the lead to nine with about 27 seconds left and called time out. And when Maryland came out, they didn't foul. I didn't know at the time why they didn't foul. I thought it was strange. We were 29, 28 seconds left, and they had just cut it to 9, you know, from 20 to 9.

They call a time out, and they chose not to foul. They chose to let the clock run out. Now, interestingly enough, even Bender, who was in the game, and proposed to his girlfriend before the game on senior night, took a three, missed it, and then Minnesota came down with a chance to cover. It would have been the worst beat of the year if you had Marilyn laying 7, 7 and a half, which I did not. not. I didn't play the game. But the reason that they chose to let the clock run out, down nine with 29 seconds left, after cutting it to nine and calling time out, is in these new net rankings, a nine point loss is much better for you than a double-digit loss. Yes. Yes. And the,

whoever it was back in studio on FS1, actually, it may have been on the broadcast, and I forget who did the game Friday night now, so long ago. But they pointed out that Petino had said a few weeks ago, it's crazy these new net rankings, a double-digit loss hurts you much worse than a 10-point loss hurts you much worse than a 9-point loss. So when they cut it to 9, Minnesota should be in the tournament. They should be in. I'd be surprised if they weren't in. But he chose not to foul and play it out and accept the nine-point defeat in that spot. Now, it almost cost him because Bender threw up a three-pointer that went in and out. But anyway, I thought that was interesting from over the weekend.

But you noticed that they did play tight defense on that last episode. It wasn't like they just conceded. Right. They played really tight defense on that last. They did. But they probably expected Maryland to dribble the clock out and would have preferred that since they decided not to foul. But they didn't realize that both Terrell and Bender were trying to get that shot up. Exactly.

I watched both of the key games on, actually watch a Georgetown game. What a game against Marquette they had. And they still, I guess, are in this thing, right? I mean, the latest bracketology from Lunardi has Georgetown is the next four out still. So they'd have to have some things happen. He still has Ohio State in and Indiana, the first name on the first four out. Man, Belmont's not going to get into the field after losing to Murray State. There's going to be an interesting debate with them.

Yeah. There's going to be some people in that room who go hard for Belmont. And they should with this bubble. Quite frankly, I'd much rather see Belmont than Temple or the loser. Actually, I like Temple, and I like Fran Dunphy a lot, and I think they're actually a tough team. I don't know, I didn't see enough of Belmont. I did watch some of their championship game against Murray State. But anyway, the Saturday stretch of Georgetown Marquette into Carolina Duke into Michigan-Michigan-State.

was a great college basketball afternoon. I just hate personally that Maryland's not involved. They're playing a Friday night came against Minnesota to close the season. But whatever, I'm not going to get into that right now. North Carolina, and Clinton said it, and I agree with him. And I threw this out a few weeks ago that I really liked North Carolina in the way they were starting to play. It's just what Gary Williams has always taught me about the NCAA tournament.

You have to be able to score if you're going to win six straight games. games and they can score. You know what's interesting about them is they're a veteran team. And there are one seed right now. Yeah, they're a veteran club, North Carolina is. And with all of the elite blue blood programs usually loaded with freshmen, you know, they're sitting there with Luke May who's a senior. They're sitting there with a transfer in Cam Johnson, who is a senior. They're sitting there with Kenny Williams who starts, who is a senior. You know, they've got a lot of upperclassmen here, North Carolina does. And Roy's gotten a done in the tournament.

I like Carolina's chances, and yes, they are, they've risen now to the one line. You know, they could potentially get knocked off the one line, but right now there's a decent chance. Like if Duke were to, the Duke and Carolina playing the semis, because Virginia is the one seed. I was going to say, if Duke and Carolina played in the finals of the ACC tournament, it's not impossible that Virginia, North Carolina, and Duke could be won. Even with that, I would find that really hard, barring a... The only other obvious one is Gonzaga.

Well, yeah, right now, Gonzaga and UVA are pretty much set. By the way, I think the East is set. As far as the East region in D.C., I think it would be Virginia and the number two SEC team are going to be in the East most likely. Well, it's not Virginia if they were to get beat in the ACC tournament by, say, North Carolina or... Well, by Duke, by Duke in the finals, if Duke has beaten Carolina... And they're beating Virginia for a third time. If UVA's in the final, I think that they are the top seat over the Oval. If Zion comes back, which he's supposed to do for the ACC tournament,

and they were to win the ACC tournament beating Caroline in the semis in Virginia for a third time in the ACC finals, I think Duke could still be the one in the east. Virginia is not losing a one seat. No, I think I just have a really, barring, here's the way I do see it playing out. If Virginia lost their first game and Duke or UNC won the ACC, that would be the way. If UVA makes the finals, I think they're the one seed in the east. I mean, I think we get so hung up on the one seeds. I mean, you know, the only difference between the ones and the twos is the uniform color you're going to wear in the Elite Eight game.

But I think you're right that the SEC champion is the fourth one seed, but I'm not sure if Tennessee is the SEC champion that they're locked into a one or LSU that they're locked into one. I think Kentucky might be locked into a one if they win the SEC title. Gonzag is definitely locked into a one regardless of what happens. And then two ACC teams and the fourth number one is probably the SEC champion. You're probably right about that. Still could be another ACC team. I don't see Michigan State running and winning the Big Ten tournament and being a one seat.

I think right now the Big Ten champion, I think the Big Ten is stuck with two-two seeds more likely than not. potentially a two and then a couple of threes in Purdue and Michigan. That's, it doesn't matter. You know, matchups are everything in this tournament. Seating, I think seating is important because you are more likely, if you're between a two and a four, you'd much rather be the two in face a 15 than the four in face a legitimate 13 seed, or a 512, obviously.

But I think once you get into that second round, you're going to be playing a good team. You're going to be playing a really good team, and then it's all about matchups the rest of the way. Clinton mentioned Houston. I do like Houston. I think Kelvin Sampson is such a good coach, and they destroyed Cincinnati over the weekend on the road. That is a good win for them. So they basically swept Cincinnati. They lost that game to UCF, who is a tournament team, and they lost a temple. That was a while ago. And, and Temple, Fran Dunphy to me is one of the best coaches. I was listing a bunch of coaches the other day that I thought were from an X's and O's standpoint,

better than Coach K, and I got a lot of feedback on that from a lot of you. A lot of you completely disagreed, but a lot of you kept listing even more coaches that I had left off the list. And Fran Dunphy was mentioned, and I am a huge Fran Dunfie fan. And yeah, as an X as an O's guy, damn right. The AAC, the American Athletic Conference, I mean, right now they're looking at, you know, no less than 14. you know, in the field. Anyway, Maryland played well on Friday night. They did, and they get the Nebraska Rutgers winner on Thursday afternoon,

and if they win that, they play Wisconsin in the quarterfinals. My wish is they win a couple games, and they get a shot at Michigan State in the semifinals on Saturday. I'd love to see them in that Saturday semifinal. Their first three years in the league, they were in the semifinals, right? Sounds right, yeah. They played Michigan State twice. No, no. The third year they lost to Northwestern in the quarterfinals.

Last year. It was the first two years. Yeah, first two years they were in the semis. They've yet to get to a Big Ten final. There's nobody in the league that they can't beat. But then again, Rutgers or Nebraska could beat them in the Thursday afternoon game. That's the way I see it. I think right now Maryland needs a win to lock up a five seed.

Two wins. It pushes them towards that four line. And three wins, probably, if they were to get to the Big Ten finals, they're definitely a four. Yes. At that point. Last thing I wanted to mention, and you brought this to my attention late in the week, that the Broncos are pushing, I guess, via the competition committee, this fourth and 12 replacement for the onside kick. They actually put in a fourth and 15, but yes.

Oh, they want it to be fourth and 15? Yes. Instead of fourth and 12, which it is in this new football league. Correct. We talked about that two weeks ago, and I'm like, you know what? I like that idea. Fourth and 12, I like fourth and 15. Okay, it's a longer shot. They'll do the, they'll come up with some sort of comparison that equals at least something higher than a 7% chance of recovering an onside kick. I mean, you've got to be at least a 10. It should be a 1 in 10. Personally, I think it should be a 1 in 5 shot that you recover an onside kick. So whatever the fourth and long distance is that equals somewhere between 15 and 20, 20% conversion rate, that's where they should land. Fourth and 13, fourth and 14, whatever it is. But I like that they're thinking that way. I think it's a really solid solution for the onside kick. And again, it wouldn't prevent you from a surprise onside kick at some point in the game.

But the way the new football league works, it's fourth and 12. You're only allowed to use it in the final, I think it's in the final five minutes of the game or if you're down by 17 or more. Yes. I think is the way it works. Yeah, or I think maybe the final two minutes of the half as well. There's something else in there, but yes, it's basically that. I like that idea. All right, thanks to Clinton Portis. Thanks to Ben Standing.

Thanks to Aaron. Tommy will be with me tomorrow. The Redskins right now, as of the finishing up of this recording, they haven't done anything yet today in free agency. Haven't even made any cuts yet, which I do think is interesting. But we'll have more on that tomorrow. Enjoy the day.