The Ringer NFL Show - Kapadia Court Decides This Season’s Breakout QB With Shawn Syed

Episode Date: September 1, 2025

Shawn Syed from SumerSports stops by the pod to make his case for some of the sneaky-good QBs around the league who are poised to make the leap in 2025, including: Drake Maye Bryce Young Trevor Lawrence Brock Purdy Caleb Williams Michael Penix Jr. J.J. McCarthy C. J. Stroud The honorable Judge Kapadia then makes his ruling on which of Shawn's clients is most likely to emerge as this season's biggest breakout star quarterback based on his testimony. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rg-help.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Sheil KapadiaGuest: Shawn SyedProducer: Chris SuttonSocial: Kiera Givens and Brian WatersProduction Supervision: Conor Nevins and Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Ringer NFL show. Shield Capadia here with my friend Sean Syed of Sumer Sports, and we have a job to do today. We are searching for the quarterback who is going to make the leap this year. Now, how do we define make the leap? Here's the deal. The way we talk about this quarterback at season's end will be fundamentally different than the way we talk about them now.

They could go from bad to good. They could go from good to elite. They could go from unknown to competent. All those things are in play. But again, the key is they will be viewed differently four months from now than they are at this point in time. So to find the guy, we're going to Capadia Court. That's right. I am the judge.

You might want to see what that looks like on the Ringer NFL YouTube page or on your Spotify app. Sean is the lead counsel. He will have 45 seconds to make his argument for eight different candidates. We will choose three finalists based on his argument. arguments, and then we will rule in favor of one winner. Sean, should we go get changed and go get ready for court? Let's do it. This is the Ringer NFL show presented by Fandul, and the NFL is officially backed. So if you're going to be in it, be in it with Fandul. They've got the goods, futures, live betting, SGPs, your way bets, all of it. The apps clean, it's fast. And yeah, when you

win, you get paid instantly, which is nice. Because some Sunday patients doesn't exist. So get your bets in, build something bold, and make every game feel bigger. Download the Fandul app or head to fandul.com slash ringer NFL to get started. The ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit RG-Help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available. And listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states.

We're 18 plus and present in D.C., Kentucky or Wyoming. gambling problem. Call 1-800 gambler or visit RG-Help.com. Call 1-88-7-8-9-77-7-7 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. Paid endorsement. You're in the court. Judge Capadia now presiding in the case of the 2025 NFL make-the-leap quarterback. Counsel, please state your name for the record. Sean Syed, on behalf of the quarterbacks, dressed notably in a full suit for the audio-only crowd. Counsel will have 45 seconds to make each argument, after which I will either move the quarterback

into the group of three finalists or eliminate them. At any time, I can bump one finalist for another if I hear a more convincing argument. Counsel, do you have any questions? No, Your Honor. All right. We have the timer ready, 45 seconds. Please present your first candidate now. May it please the court. Your Honor, when Drake May drops back, anything can happen. Now, that can be stiff-arming a Dolphins' defensive end and throwing it over the defense, or that could be sailing the ball over the receiver's head for an interception against the Texans.

The facts of this case tell us, unequivocally, that Drake May's offensive lines performance last year left something to be desired. May faced the sixth highest pressure rate, and even if he took off a bit early to two, much. Can you blame a guy for having 18 runs over 10 yards? Still, he gave us impressive moments. His offensive infrastructure should improve with new pieces, including fourth overall pick, Will Campbell at left tackle, and Stefan Diggs at wide receiver. And despite this court's... All right. You're right. That's it. That's it. You're out of order. Argument over. Drake May, performing under tough circumstances as a rookie, valid argument. anything can happen

could be a valid argument which could mean he's got a little Carson Wentz to his game or could mean that he's ready to make the leap this was the first candidate presented

player will be considered for further argument all right please present your second candidate now sure it has been a winding road for Bryce Young from the depths of the first half

of last season and his rookie year but in the back half of Last season, Young showed improvement. He was getting rid of the ball quicker under pressure. He could push the ball further down the field in the rhythm of the offense. And head coach Dave Canales was learning more about what would work for his young quarterback. Now, we have a situation where Bryce Young can play point guard in an open offense that takes advantage of Young's mind with the addition of wide receiver, Teteroa McMillan with the eighth

overall pick and a surprisingly solid offensive line, Young can now build on a more solid foundation. Every quarterback does not need to look the same and we can't dismiss quarterbacks. All right, all right. That's it. Bryce Young, argument over

counsel. Okay. Bryce Young, you made a compelling case. Yes, there were some improvement last year for sure. You're looking ahead to this year playing point guard. Dave Canales. Now, you failed to mention we don't like small samples in this court,

and it was a small sample of slight improvement. You didn't mention the name Adam Thielen, who the Panthers just traded. You didn't mention the fact that they were relying on three very young wide receivers who, while they could be good, have not done a thing in the NFL. And, oh, by the way, left tackle.

Yeah, it could be an issue for Bryce Young this year. So I think there's a chance we look at Bryce Young as a solid starting quarterback by the end of this. season, but in terms of being a true make-the-leap quarterback, Bryce Young, you are dismissed. Out of here, Bryce Young. I don't really know if that's how Judge Stalk. All right. Next argument.

My client, Trevor Lawrence's reputation, has taken a hit recently and in-steps new head coach and former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Cohen to clean it up. Cohen's Buccaneers were the best third-down offense in the entire league. last season, and Cohen helped make things crystal clear on passing plays. Trevor Lawrence will certainly look to improve his decision-making, clean up his footwork, and will benefit from this new structure. Cohen and Lawrence get to work together where they have a future star in Brian Thomas Jr., an exciting weapon in Travis Hunter, and multiple viable running backs.

Lawrence did make a leap in his second season where the Jaguars won the AFC South, and then had... All right, all right, all right. Counsel, all due respect. Did you not practice in front of the mirror? 45 seconds, we went over the ground rules yesterday. You got to be finished at 45 seconds. And I am afraid the hipsters and the QB intellectuals council have gotten to you.

Perhaps they have cornered you in your mansion and said, Trevor Lawrence, he is still the chosen one. Don't give the Liam Cohen one year. I've never seen a guy's reputation make a bigger leap in one year than Liam Cohen. My God, the guy is now Bill Walsh all of a sudden because he got the bucks to what? The first round of the playoffs. Oh, my gosh. The guy can work miracles.

So I am sorry. I do think Trevor Lawrence could be better this year. But you know what? I'm tired of the hype. I'm tired of saying, oh, it's the O.C.'s fault. It's the O.L.L.E. by the way, you didn't mention the O line there, which could be a complete disaster. So Trevor Lawrence, go find your buddy, Bryce Young, in the hall of number one picks who have not done anything yet. Player is dismissed.

All right. Counsel, please make your next argument. Brock Purdy has been judged by the court of public opinion before I stepped into this room today. The word system quarterback is thrown around as an attack on my client. Offensive line injuries last season? wide receiver position cursed like the defense against a dark arts job at Hogwarts, Pardy still led a top 10 offense by the numbers. And sure, Kyle Shanahan deserves credit,

but when Purdy had to create on his own under pressure, still a top 10 offense. Now, Your Honor, to my eyes, Brock Purdy is not the same quarterback I thought he was two years ago. The 49ers now face the easiest schedule in all of football that this court has noted multiple times. Trent Williams, Christian McAford, and George Kittle are ready to go. All right, all right, George Kittle. Last thing we heard was George Kittle.

The court would like to note that the Harry Potter reference could have potentially been taking a shot at the Honorable Judge Kappadia for the glasses that he's wearing, which you can, of course, see on YouTube and your Spotify app. That's neither here nor there. Brock Purdy. Hmm, interesting argument. The court feels that if Brock Purdy plays well again, and if the 49ers play well again, because this has happened before counsel a couple years ago.

And I don't remember anybody at that time making the argument, oh, it's Brock Purdy. Oh, Brock. No, no one even would admit that Brock Purdy's good at football. They were given pretty boy coach, Kyle Shanahan, even in this older age and the gray is showing, all of the credit as the offensive savant. So I think it is a difficult uphill climb for Brock Purdy. Having said that, there is a chance to your point. As I see a different wide receiver going down for the 49ers,

every time we take a break here and I check my phone, there is a chance that Brock Purdy will be different for him this year, that he will get that credit and that he will play well and that he will beat up on that easy schedule. So for now, Brock Purdy will be considered for further argument. So Brock Purdy moves on, will be considered for further argument,

along with Drake May, Bryce Young, and Trevor Lawrence have been dismissed. We still have four more quarterback arguments to get to. We will narrow it down to three, and then we will pick a finalist.

At this time, we will take a short recess. There is a food cart outside that serves uncrustables that I hear our counsel is just a big, big fan of. We will come back to the court in 30 minutes and hear the four final arguments. All right, order in the court, order in the court.

We are back. Counsel, please present your next argument. Your Honor, it is my duty under Rule 3.3 of the model rules of professional conduct to lead with candor towards this tribunal. And it is time that we all admit a mistake. We were wrong in how we viewed the Chicago Barrier situation last year. Receivers weren't put in the best spots. And Caleb Williams wasn't even told how he should watch film to prepare.

pair for opponents. Williams did have frustrating misses and some running around into pressure, but he also gave us explosive plays against the Colts, accurate throws against the Jaguars, a drive to win the game against the Packers, and now he gets everyone's favorite play caller from the Lions, Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson is going to get Caleb's eyes exactly where they need to be. He's going to have receivers running open, and he's going to maximize this offense behind an offensive line. All right, all right, maximize the offense. Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah. Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams. You know, the court notices a pattern with these number one overall picks who are now being projected to make the leap.

The court does not like excuse making in the form of offensive law, play calling wasn't good enough. This is what the money is for for the number one overall picks. Overcome some of those things. was Caleb Williams doing that last year when he finished 31st in pressure to sack rate when the only quarterback who got sacked more than Caleb Williams was Will Levis?

How about you get rid of the ball? How about you scramble and show a little playmaking? Now are you supposed to coach a guy who's taking sacks one out of every 10 dropback? So I hear your argument, counsel. It is not a horrible argument that perhaps Ben Johnson is an offensive savant, perhaps the O-line moves workout,

perhaps the supporting cast is very good. However, I see a quarterback and Caleb Williams, who will make gradual improvement, but will not make the leap. Player is dismissed. All right, counsel, we have three more quarterbacks to get to. Please make your next argument. We saw a bit of Michael Pennock Jr. last year,

and it is hard not to be excited about it. In just three starts, Pennix pushed the ball down the field, aggressively targeted Drake London, and opened up the Atlanta Falcons offense. In limited time, Pennix threw darts on the outside, attacked willingly over the middle of the field, and did what he could to avoid sacks, and gave us a jaw-dropping throw against the Panthers. Now, with a full year of starts ahead of him, Pennix is in the driver's seat, With offensive coordinator, Zach Robinson's creative play calling and all of the weapons, including Bejohn Robinson in the backfield, there is a chance for a big play to happen on any single play. All right. All right. Chance for a big play. The court would like to confirm that he heard something correctly and accurately because he can't believe such an argument would be made in his court. So let me confirm. Was one of your arguments counsel that Michael Pennix made one throw against.

a Panthers defense that allowed 3,000 yards rushing and roughly 3,000 points last year. Just confirming that that was part of your argument here. Respectfully, Your Honor, that throw was a unique, unique throw that counsel certainly believes deserves. All right. You're out of order. Listen, we have a timer for a reason. We cannot be having these long follow-up explanations.

Michael Pennix Jr. Okay. So I do like that you pointed out. He only took three sacks in three starts last year. talked about a potential quarterback who could make the leap, who was taking a lot more sacks than that. So that is a nice feather in Michael Penix's cap. You know, I'm on the fence here because, as you know,

I can only choose one more finalist to move on to the final round. And I don't know that it's going to happen for Michael Pennix Jr., but I do think there is a chance that Michael Pennix Jr. is a quarterback we are talking about differently at the end of the year than we're talking about now that. It is part of the criteria. So for now, Michael Pennix Jr. will be considered for further argument. Now, I will explain to everybody that we have two more candidates to go.

And so if I choose one of these final two candidates to move on, then I have to bump somebody. That would be either Michael Pennix Jr. Brock Purdy or Drake May. So a lot of drama in the courtroom here as we get to our last two candidates. counsel, please make your next argument. J.J. McCarthy is one of my most intriguing clients. He is, admittedly, a bit of a mystery. But what is certain is he will have Justin Jefferson running a route for him

and one of the best play callers that this league has in Kevin O'Connell. This is not to mention a load of resources being invested into the offensive line and O'Connell getting another shot. at designing a good run game. McCarthy steps into a team that won 14 games last season and helped Sam Darnold get a massive contract. McCarthy is an unknown, and he may sail a ball or two and face ups and downs,

but he is in a place where he can learn and grow. All right, learn and grow. Yeah, yeah. Participation Trophy Society. I hear all of it. J.J. McCarthy, here's the part. problem with J.J. McCarthy. It's what we talked about with Brock Purdy earlier. You mentioned Sam Darnold, who I believe was one of your clients last year. If J.J. McCarthy plays well.

Is J.J. McCarthy really getting the credit? Or are as everyone telling me about Kevin O'Connell and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and now Adam Thielitt and oh, this is a top five offensive line? I don't know that J.J. McCarthy will be the player receiving the credit. So while I understand your argument, and I do believe he is one of the more intriguing players in the NFL this year. And while I do believe that there is a high variance with that Vikings offense, I do not think that we will be talking about J.J. McCarthy in a significantly different way four months from now than we are now. And so for that reason, the player is dismissed J.J. McCarthy. All right. We are down to our final argument. A reminder, this final argument,

This quarterback could move on, but then I would have to bump one quarterback. Otherwise, we have our final three finalists. Counsel, please make your final argument. We cannot fail C.J. Stroud again. After an amazing rookie season, Stroud was under duress all year long and was not given the tools to succeed. In Steps' offensive coordinator, Nick Cayley, who most recently worked with the Los Angeles Rams.

Just as Matthew Stafford gained more freedom with the Rams, Strout has earned the ability to do the same with the Texans. Gone are the days of Chiefs and Jets defenders running unblocked at C.J. Stroud. Gone are the days of Stroud knowing what needs to be done, but not having the responsibility to be able to do it. Stroud has an elite connection with an elite receiver in Nico Col. All right. Elite receiver. You're lucky, Cald.

Counsel that, you know, 45 seconds and you don't mention the name Nico Collins. If I was your client, I would be incredibly flabbergasted that his name does not come up earlier in your argument, one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. I know you are going to get to it, but you only have 45 seconds here. Okay, I think counsel is making the mistake that we see a lot in our society, in sports, that change equals improvement. You know, he mentioned, no, he's not going to see the free rush. he's not going to see the pressure.

Has anyone looked at the Houston Texans offensive line depth chart? If that is your plan for improving your offensive line, Houston Texans, I got a lot of questions because you took a lot of no names, a lot of castoffs that nobody wanted, and you said, hey, CJ, here's your new interior offensive line. So that makes me a little bit nervous. However, I do tend to agree with you that C.J. Stroud is a good, quarterback who was put under very difficult circumstances last year. In fact, at this time last year, I had him as a top five quarterback in the NFL.

And so I think there is a chance that we get back to that status with C.J. Stroud by the end of the year. And so C.J. Stroud will be considered for further argument, which means I need to bump a player. either Michael Pennix Jr. Brock Bertie or Drake May gets bumped. We are bumping Michael Pennix Jr. Just too much uncertainty. Lost his tackle, Caleb McGarry for the season.

We wish you the best Michael Pennix Jr. But you will not be a finalist for the QB to make the leap. All right, counsel. Are there any additional arguments you would like to make for the following players, C.J. Stroud. Brock Purdy and Drake May. Your Honor, before getting to argument, counsel would certainly like to preserve the right to appeal

this court's decision. But going into an important discussion about Brock Purdy, there is this thought about Kyle Shanahan's quarterbacks and people say things like coloring inside the lines as if that is a bad thing. But Purdy has surprised me. He can escape and run and create

something that Shanahan usually doesn't have to have a plan for. He had the fifth most scrambles in the league last season, ahead of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hertz. And then Brock Purdy can look like an old-timey quarterback, taking the snap, dropping straight back, and getting through the entire play comfortably. Dropback passing is a lost art, and he is one of few quarterbacks that threw 20% of his passes.

All right. I do like the argument for Brock Purdy. There's more creativity to his game. Then perhaps Kyle Shannon's last quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, I do think there's a thing with Purdy that if he were drafted in the first round, how would we talk about Brock Purdy? Much differently than we talk about him now. So I think that was a strong argument. All right, do you have an additional argument for any of the other finalists? Your Honor, I would like to conclude this day talking about CJ Stroud.

The offense that Stroud has as a rookie, it's a different approach to football. They let Stroud play super fast. think less, a little bit of point and shoot, but defenses now are just too good at knowing how to get a free runner at your quarterback. So we will see Stroud have more to do this season, which can create some downs as they smooth it out. But when he finds himself in a must-have-it game,

Stroud is a guy that I want deciphering everything in front of him because he can certainly run away from things, but his processing speed, his ability to see unique openings in the defense. At the end of this season, when we are done, we will look at the quarterbacks. Everyone says quarterbacks one to four is locked in. I would expect C.J. Stroud to be in that number five spot. C.J. Stroud, number five.

I like the argument you made there. I think C.J. Stroud has a chance to be the only normal quarterback in the NFL. I mean, have you seen these guys? They're all nuts. But C.J. Stroud seems like a normal guy who could be my neighbor, who could be my friend. I like that about him. Seems like a down-to-earth guy. Seems like a good teammate.

And the point you made, I recently read an article by Stephen Ruiz on the ringer.com about C.J. Stroud, getting more responsibility at the line of scrimmage. He doesn't need the OC to do everything for him. He can make some of these calls like some of these veteran quarterbacks. All right. It has come time to choose the winner of the Make the Leap quarterback arguments.

Again, C.J. Stroud. one candidate. Brock Purdy, another candidate. Drake May, the final candidate. So with Drake May, it would be a guy going from showing promise to being a guy where Patriots fans who can, let's be honest, be quite insufferable at times, will be honking about this guy at the end of the season

saying, we found our next Tom Brady. He's going to lead us to the promised land. Drake May, this, Jason Tatum, that, that possibility exists with Drake May. Brock Purdy would go from Kyle Shanahan, system quarterback. When the pieces are around him, he can perform to, nope, I'm sorry. Everyone who doubted this guy, take the L. He is actually a very good quarterback that can perform under difficult circumstances, potentially for a Super Bowl contender in the San Francisco 49ers.

And then C.J. Stroud, a quarterback who goes from good rookie year, regressed, how much was that on him, to now, better circumstances and maybe a sleeper team in the AFC with a good defense. If they could figure out the offensive line, sky is the limit for C.J. Stroud. Counsel, I know you represent all of these clients, but I have to ask you if you had to choose one, now I'm going to make the final decision, but if you had to choose the guy, who would be your choice? Your Honor, as long as C.J. Stroud is being allowed in this discussion after having such an amazing rookie year, C.J. Stroud is certainly the client that counsel would put forward the strongest,

with absolute confidence of Brock Purdy and without having made a second argument for Drake May, but standing on the video submitted on the Sumer Sports YouTube page showing his entire rookie year review. So the council will, while regrettably not being able to put everyone's name forward, would put C.J. Stroud's name forward. I would have liked a more brief explanation there, counsel. I didn't put the timer on you. You have the gift of gab, which is good in certain industries like podcasting, but in terms of being a council. And being in this court, you need to work on that a little bit more. As much as I dislike agreeing with you, counsel,

and as much as you grind my gears with some of your many annoying habits, I have arrived to the same conclusion that you have arrived at. And that is that C.J. Stroud is a quarterback who we will be talking differently about four months from now than we are right now. Right now, there's some uncertainty. He has fans. has detractors. People liked what he was as a rookie. They didn't like the bad habits he developed last year. I see it in C.J. Stroud. I see a mental toughness. I see an intellect. I see a skill set. I see a

willingness to make throws all over the field. And for that reason, C.J. Stroud is the player we have ruled in favor of as the make-the-leap quarterback for 2025. We thank everyone for this first edition of the Capadia Court. Of course, you know, our council does have a newsletter that you can read. That is quite good twice a week. Sumersports.com. You can find it there. There will be no hurry up today, for those of you who know what that is, because we are on a holiday weekend. But we appreciate Sean Syed from Sumer Sports. We appreciate everyone for listening. We appreciate Christopher Sutton for producing Kira Givens on social. Additional production supervision by Connor and Evans and Arjuna. Ram Gopal, I will be back at Capadia Court sometime soon. Must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino, or 18 plus and present in D.C., Kentucky, or Wyoming. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler or visit RG-Help.com. Call 1-888-78-7-77 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut,

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