The Ringer NFL Show - The Franchise Tag Deadline, Le'Veon's Value, and TO's Stand | GM Street (Ep. 272)

Episode Date: July 16, 2018

The Ringer’s Michael Lombardi and Tate Frazier break down the big names who will play under the franchise tag in 2018 after failing to reach long-term deals with their teams, including Le’Veon Bel...l (03:06), DeMarcus Lawrence (09:32), and Lamarcus Joyner (11:38). Then they examine Terrell Owens’s controversial decision to skip the Hall of Fame induction ceremony (16:35) and Patrick Peterson endorsing Sam Bradford as the starting quarterback over Josh Rosen (19:26). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:01:42 It is July 16th. It has been almost, it's a little under a month since the last time I've had Mike Lombardi on the line. And I'm pleasantly surprised that he called in from the Jersey Shore. Mr. Michael Lombardi, Lombardi, how you doing? I'm doing good, Tate Bracer. There's a lot of stuff. You've been in Vegas. You've been in Dallas.
Starting point is 00:01:59 You've been all over the world. I mean, you went to North Carolina, see your mom and dad, spreading the word. I love it. Yeah, been all over the place. went to Chapel Hill, went back home, you know, saw the Dean Dome, saw a good friend of mine, James Michael McAdoe, a former Philadelphia Sixer, heard about his season last year. He says that you got some promising pieces up there in Philadelphia.
Starting point is 00:02:17 I know you'd be happy to hear that. Yeah, went to Dallas this weekend with the Gensal odds crew, saw Vince Young throw a pass to Harry of the DGN3, of course, and Harry made a great play. A nice little button hook, he came back, made the dive. So Vince Young was very pleased with that. Called him Jordan Shipley, two people. 0.0, so that was nice. So it's been a good time. I know you're loving your life on the Jersey
Starting point is 00:02:39 Shore right now. We got a we got a little bit of football to talk about because today we have the franchise deadline that's coming up within the hour, actually. We're recording this at 1235 Pacific time. The deadline is 4 p.m. Eastern Time in Lombardi. About a half hour before it all happens. But the big names that are out there, we got four names that everyone's keeping an eye on as far as guys to watch out for. what they're going to do. The big name, obviously, is Leveon Bell. That's the one that everyone is talking about. Should we just start with that? I mean, Leveon Bell,
Starting point is 00:03:11 Mike Tomlin comes out and he says he has confidence that they're going to get a deal done, that obviously happened last year, same sort of deal. What do you hearing about Leveon? And do you think that we can finally reach that benchmark of $16 to $17 million a year that he's asking for? I just don't think in today's climate, all due respect to Saquan Barkley,
Starting point is 00:03:29 getting all the money that he got guaranteed being the second pick on the draft. I don't sense an appetite from teams to want to pay, backs at the top of the scale. You know, and I think the best thing that can happen to Steelers fans, and I think Levi-on-Bel is a great player. I mean, the fact that he can catch the ball the backfield, the fact that he can impact the passing game, makes him a dynamic issue to deal with defensively.
Starting point is 00:03:51 But the reality here is, is when you start to commit these guaranteed dollars to these running backs, you really eat up your cap. But I just don't think Pittsburgh's in that position to do it. They have too many needs, other places to really focus and worry about. I think they would be making a mistake. I think the best thing for Pittsburgh is to have Leveon Bell miss all of camp and not get hurt. Make sure he doesn't get hurt. Miss Olive Camp.
Starting point is 00:04:14 Come in. Just need to find another back to go with them, which they have a bunch on the roster, which they easily can do. They've got some talent there. And then go from there and then find their way because I think if they lock themselves down, they make a mistake. It's a little bit the theory of renting and buying. I mean, you rent a home or you buy a home. If you're only going to use a summer house in Ocean City for a couple weeks, you might as well just rent. If you're going to be there more than just a couple weeks, you should probably buy it and get the deduction.
Starting point is 00:04:43 Same thing with Leveon. If you feel like he's going to be on the team for five years, then you should do a contract. If you don't, and that's what running backs tell us they won't be, you should just rent. And we should say this is not just about 2018. This is about him being in 2019 a free agent. And a lot of people think that, you know, if Leveon is franchised for that third straight year, that he's probably going to walk in free agency and try to find another suitor because, you know, he's obviously every single year tried to figure out this.
Starting point is 00:05:09 long-term deal in Pittsburgh keeps putting it off. I mean, do you read anything into Mike Tomlin really putting it out there that he thinks a deal is going to get done? Is that his way to sort of try to put it out there that he really wants Levion to stay in Pittsburgh? You know, I think Mike has to do that. I think part of when a coach doesn't do contracts, he's got it really almost sides sometimes with the players. When the coach is intimately involved in the contracts like in New England or some of Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco where he knows what's going on with the numbers,
Starting point is 00:05:37 then he should take a step back. but Mike doesn't control the numbers in Pittsburgh. The ownership group does. And I think Mike wants to show loyalty to his players. He wants them to have them. No, he has them for a long time because the last thing he wants to do is send a message to Leveon that he just really wants him for one year and that's it. So I think he's got to delicately balance this,
Starting point is 00:05:55 and that's why when he came out today said he expected to get a deal done, I don't think anybody in the league that really understands the workings of the league thought that this was going to get a deal done. This Steelers doesn't make sense to pay all that money to rent a run-embathing- when they always have done, which is the most important thing, which is replace the player, when they know they need to replace the player. So what you're saying is, based on what you're saying, basically, the Steelers aren't going to invest in Levy on Bell long term.
Starting point is 00:06:20 So he's most likely going to find a new team in 2019. If it all plays out like it looks right now as we currently stand here in the middle of July. But with Levyon Bell, I mean, what is his market like? Is there a chance that he goes out to the market next season as a free agent and gets an Adrian Peterson-like deal that he got with the Vikings back in day? Or is that not the market for running backs anymore? Does that not exist? Is there a big contract? I think the Curtis Martin deal is kind of an aberration. I don't think it happens anymore,
Starting point is 00:06:48 even though this player is outstanding. I just don't see people saying, look, we're going to put a bunch of our cap money into a running back. Now, the Giants did it. The Giants is a second round pick to get the second most guaranteed money to any running back at the national football. That tells you the Giants think their team's really good. That tells you the Giants think that he'll make a difference for him, and he might. But I think what Leveon's got You know, you got Zeke coming up in a couple years. Like, you know, there's going to be a couple. You know, I think the contract that startled me where I would never predict the player wouldn't get paid
Starting point is 00:07:18 is the contract that the Browns gave Jarvis Landry. I mean, because when you really break Jarvis Landry down, the guy's an inside slot receiver. And if you want to pay a premium for that, God bless you. Same thing with Levy on. If you want to pay a premium for the running back, God bless you. So you can never say somebody won't pay a premium. However, I just think the teams are smarter with their cap dollars. look, Pittsburgh has to find a way to say to themselves, look, we may like Leveon, we need them on the team,
Starting point is 00:07:44 but maybe we just have to go with James Connor a little bit. Maybe we just have to find some other back that we can utilize in the draft and the second or third round and use like most teams do by committee. And do you think that Leveon is not a guy? Like, you know, we talked about Grancowski before. You can't really quantify him as a tight end. He's something different. He's an offensive weapon. Do you think that Leveon is in that same group where he's not going to go out to the market as a quintessential running back piece he's going to go out as a, you know, an X factor or whatever you want to call him, a secret weapon or whatever, on offense and get paid a certain type of way outside of what the normal running back market is. Because I think that's what he's saying. You know, that's what he's putting out
Starting point is 00:08:22 to the world that he thinks he should be making, you know, what we're talking about, Grancowski, or OBJ for that matter, you know, they're, they're, they rise above necessarily what they are positionally. No doubt they do. And his impact in the passing game is staggering. I mean, he can go out and line up outside the receivers. He can line up on the outside. He can can run routes and he can make plays outside a way outside the numbers, which is hard to do. You know, and you can't just put anybody on him. You've got to put somebody that can cover indicated and pass defense and handle him. And, you know, he can get the ball in space. It's a little bit like Todd Gurley. I mean, Todd Gurley average is 10 yards of catch last year. That was
Starting point is 00:08:55 staggering with what he can do. I mean, Levy on only average 7-7 a catch last year, which was down from his career. You know, but typically he can make an impact in the passing game. And the longer he can do that, you get paid more because you can be effect the downs that really matters. So, you know, look, I would never say never a guy's going to get paid, but I have a hard time believing there's not enough backs. It's supply in demand. You see it back?
Starting point is 00:09:17 There's plenty of them. You can go, is it as good as Levon? No. Are they as good as Sacon? Perhaps no. But Sonny Michelle went to the bottom of the first round, and Barclay went in the top of the first round. You know, is there that much of it?
Starting point is 00:09:32 Yeah, we really will. And you talk about supply in demand. Let's talk about another position where every team is looking for a supply of these guys, and we're talking about the quintessential edge rusher, a guy like Ziggy Ansah of Detroit, who's now going to probably take his one year $17 million deal, same with DeMarcus Lawrence and Dallas. And they know that that market will be there for that pass rusher
Starting point is 00:09:52 because every team is looking for that guy on the outside. I mean, look at a guy like Julius Pepper's who's 38 years old and so has value in the NFL just because he has that unique skill set to do that and that freak athleticism to do that. So when you look at Lawrence and Anza, that's not a surprise that both those guys are going to lean in and take those, $17 million deals, correct?
Starting point is 00:10:10 You know, I think Anza could dominate the game. I think Matt Patricia being a new coach there, he's got to figure out actually what does he have in this player and can he utilize him in his scheme? Because remember, they're going to run a 34 defense. Onza really doesn't have a position in the 34 defense. He's going to be an outside rusher when they go to a down front. So he's going to have a role rush in the pastor, and if he wants to run up the field, he won't get paid.
Starting point is 00:10:32 If he'll play the run and play the downs that I think he's got a chance to get paid. But I think this is just another rental. I think the lions are going to look at him and say, hey, what do we have in this player? Is he worth it? Where can we go? Can he stay healthy enough for us to want to pay him a long-term deal? I don't see that happen. I think the whole pace structure that's going on in that that's happening that will happen
Starting point is 00:10:54 in Detroit is to get away from trying to overpay these players. They just got forced into it this year because when you look at this guy, I mean, the guy's got, you know, he's got tremendous sack ability. He had 14 sacks two years ago. We had 13 sacks as a rookie. so you know he can pressure the passer. You know he can play the run. He can play all three downs.
Starting point is 00:11:11 He's a really good player. I just don't see them doing that. Now, Dallas, on the other hand, I don't think Dallas. I think Dallas will pay Lawrence because I think it's critical in Rod Marinelli's defense to have a player like Lawrence, and I think they need to do that. Yeah, absolutely.
Starting point is 00:11:25 And it seems like one of those things where Lawrence and Onza are very aware of the market that they are in and know that by leaning back into these deals, not necessarily hurting them for a larger contract down the road like someone like Levyon Bell who plays at a position where that is the case. Let's talk about one more guy and that is Lamarcus Joyner with the Rams, the safety there.
Starting point is 00:11:43 He's got a one year, $11.3 million tender. And the Rams are trying to figure out what they want to do. I know Kronky is, you know, he says you've got to pay the stars if you're in this city because people want to come watch Stars, Joyner, you know, qualifies as one of those guys. But they have, you know, obviously bigger names out there. They got Aaron Donald that they still have to figure out and get him a long-term deal. You know, he really bet on himself last year and continued to dominate inside for them. Gurley's coming up in a couple years.
Starting point is 00:12:06 Obviously, Jared Goff is still on his rookie deal, but eventually they're going to have to pay him the big bucks. So they have a window right now with Goff, with the cheap salary that he has to make a run. And do you think they're going to take Joyner and try to give him a long-term deal or they're just going to rent him out this year and see what happens? I think Joyner's going to be their JJ Reddick. I think they're going to pay him on a one-year deal
Starting point is 00:12:25 and just let that cap money go over in the next year for Donald, go over and get Gurley. They've got to pay Gurley. I mean, the one player besides Donald that they have to play is girly. Because when you really spend the offseason, and I think the Rams are going to be a fascinating team to study in September, because I think Sean McVeigh did a tremendous job with Goff. He understood what he could do, but Gurley made it go.
Starting point is 00:12:46 And when people really stop the Rams offense, it's when they stop Gurley. If Gurley gets hurt, if he were to take a step backwards, it would really affect the offense. Gurley drives the machine, not Goff. We talked about this before. Gop was the worst quarterback in the playoffs. Goff has a hard time throwing the ball to his right.
Starting point is 00:13:03 When you really study golf and you break him down and you see what he does, and teams have done it this offseason, trust me, everybody has watched the Los Angeles Rams offensive tape. They run very little, they run very little dropback payoff tremendously at the line of scrimmage. They help them where to throw the football. And if Gurley doesn't keep them in those situations where they're out of a lot of third down, third and long, third and long situations, they wouldn't have been as effective as they were. So I think they just won your tender with Joyner Stadium wondering how Marcus Jordan is going to play.
Starting point is 00:13:41 Trust me, he's a good player, but nobody's sitting there saying, I can't wait to get to the stadium to watch a 5-8 guy play free safety. I don't think that's ever going to happen. So my point to you is I think they got other fish to fry. Yeah, and it seems like that's the case with Joyner. Still coming down to the wire. People are keeping their eye on him to see what happens there. We're going to take a quick break,
Starting point is 00:13:58 and then we're going to come back and do Wardle Street and do just some little stories that are popping around the NFL and we'll wrap this thing up. We'll be right back. This is JJ Reddick here to talk to you about the JJ Reddick podcast, part of the Ringer podcast network. Currently, I play in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers, but you may know me from my previous teams, the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Orlando Magic, or from my college days at Duke University. Being a professional basketball player, I have a great opportunity to talk to a lot of interesting
Starting point is 00:14:26 people, and the podcast is a place where I can share those conversations with you, the listener. On my show, I sit down with athletes, celebrities, and a variety of other special guests. If you haven't already, please subscribe to the JJ Reddick podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. All right, we're back word on the street. GM Street tradition. This is the middle of July, so football talk is dying down a little bit. It's a tough time in sports Lombardi because, you know.
Starting point is 00:14:51 It really is. You know, I mean, it's really the, like I said to you on the last podcast, it's the time to catch up on books. It's the time for coaches. They've got another week off before they go back in the office. And I'll tell you, if you're listening to this podcast and you have a week off, the one book you should read is called Willpower by Ben Hardy. It's about how willpower does it really exist. And it's so true.
Starting point is 00:15:11 You know, you all don't have to eat, and we say, God, dang it. Our willpower just didn't help us. Ben really does a great job of explaining really that it's not willpower. It's our situations. It's about how we put ourselves and how we are routine affects our habits. It's one of the best reads I've ever had. It's the way in terms of helping a coach grow and develop. Sweet Tate Fraser.
Starting point is 00:15:37 And you should read this book, too, because even though you're skinny and you don't have to worry about your diet. You know, willpower in other areas will help. I agree. Willpower always helps. But it doesn't exist. You can't, it really doesn't. Everybody says they need more willpower when reality of it is.
Starting point is 00:15:52 It's really about your ski. It's about your lifestyle. It's about your habits. And it's about what you choose to do in your routine to really create that. And so if you want to change something, you've got to change who you are. It just doesn't say, and I'm just not going to eat that piece of candy. Because trust me, as a fat guy, I can't stop eating a piece of candy. So you're saying the...
Starting point is 00:16:11 And I'm here in Ocean City, and I go up on the boardwalk, and I swear I'm not going to get ice cream. And the next thing you know, I'm in line waiting at Coors Brothers with Dominic and Leo. You know, and I went up there swear and I wasn't going to get ice cream. You deserve that ice cream. But are you saying the phrase where there's a will, there's a way, is a farce? Is that what you're saying right now? Oh, well, that's a will and determination. Okay.
Starting point is 00:16:30 There's a little bit of sematical problem. Good. I got it. It's all semantic. All semantic. All semantics. Speaking of semantics, Terrell Owens comes out and says that he will, will not go to his Hall of Fame induction.
Starting point is 00:16:42 This is his way to sort of protest the way it was all handled. And, you know, he was obviously upset with the original prognosis not to let him into the hall the first time around. So T.O. is not going to go. There's been a lot of people that have opinions on this. I think Michael Irvin came out and said he should. He should. And, you know, there's this whole back and forth about whether he should, whether he shouldn't. But at the end of the day, it is TEO's decision. But Tarello is not going to go to his Hall of Fame induction. What does that mean, Lombardi, if anything?
Starting point is 00:17:07 I mean, it really just is, it's a little bit to me. And I think Terrell's right. He should have been in the Hall of Fame earlier. There's no doubt. But there's a time when you get recognized to bury the hatchet. I mean, there's times to have, you know, people in your life that even though they haven't treated you the best that you should forgive and forget, because you're bigger than that, you've just won this award. And you're going to get a gold jacket. And you must go stand with some of the other great players because they're letting you in their hall.
Starting point is 00:17:30 And I think it's really not, it's typical of T.O. and who said he's a jerk, given all the people who said he didn't belong. It's given them credence when it's just an easy thing to do. Now, I know he's talking about the money and the party and all that stuff. Well, look, you don't have to have a party. You only need three or four people around you that I can enjoy it and appreciate it. So, I mean, it's great. He's going back to Chattanooga to go sit there and honor himself.
Starting point is 00:17:58 But for me personally, I think he gives themselves creak. He hurts himself and gives us that by not showing up. And on the flip side of that, I mean, what do you think about the Hall of Fame? They said they're not going to show his, you know, they do like the montage video where they show all the career highlights and people celebrate them. They said they're not going to show T.O. Because he's not going to show up. I mean, that's one of those other things where...
Starting point is 00:18:23 I mean, you just backed him in a corner, right? Yeah, exactly. You know, they basically extended themselves and he slapped them. They're not going to take a slap in the face. I mean, what do you expect them to do? Yeah. You know, they're going to honor a guy who's basically slapping him in the face. I mean, really seriously, why would you do that?
Starting point is 00:18:37 You know, if he doesn't want to be a part of it, then don't be a part of it. Just exclude him. We'll give him the jacket. He's welcome. He's got a lifetime past to get into the Hall of Fame any time he wants. But to me, his work on the field deserves more than what he's given it.
Starting point is 00:18:52 It's affecting himself by not showing up. Absolutely. We should talk about that, you know, that performance in the Super Bowl. I mean, the man basically played on a broken leg and still was dominant. So, I mean,
Starting point is 00:19:04 I think a lot of people forget how much Tio cared. I mean, I think a lot of people remember with, you know, the Tony Romo, he's my quarterback. you know, he really, really cared about the game of football. And it's unfortunate the way that it's being handled. I feel for T.O.
Starting point is 00:19:18 I wish he was able to go. But, you know, people were principled and sometimes, you know, people take stands on things. And that's what's going on here with T.O. Another story that came about Patrick Peterson, the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. He comes out and he says that he would like Sam Bradford to be the starting quarterback instead of the 10th pick, Josh Rosen, for the Arizona Cardinals this year. I mean, is there anything interesting there? I mean, most vets like to have vets be the same.
Starting point is 00:19:40 starting quarterback, obviously. I think there's no doubt. I think, look, if you're Patrick Peterson, you want to win, and, you know, the fact that Ben Ruffisberger took his team to the Super Bowl in his rookie year, nobody remembers that, even though Tommy Maddox was the starting quarterback of the beginning of the year, and that Ben had to come in for an injured player. So I think that, you know, when you say we're playing a rookie, you're basically saying you're not going to the Super Bowl, and I don't think Patrick Peterson, what he's saying, I'd rather have Sam Bradford, because I really think we can go to the Super Bowl. I think our team's better. I think the Cardo's going to be a really interesting team, whether they're
Starting point is 00:20:10 offensive lines been rebuilt. One thing we know for sure, Josh Rosen's going to play because Sam Bradford playing 16 games is just like me not going to the Bullwakey ice cream. It ain't going to happen, right? So you know he's not playing 16 games. You know something's going to happen.
Starting point is 00:20:24 Rosen better be ready. Rosen will be ready. He said they made nine mistakes in front of him, and he seems to be very, he's very self-assured, that's for sure. Let's talk about Ben McAdoo, a star. Were you not happy? I mean, I was up on the board.
Starting point is 00:20:40 I was up on the boardwalk with Dominic, and we went for a bike ride, and I stopped at this place to get a donut naturally because I have no willpower. And I saw this menu, and it just so happened to be the same day that my man came out of the woodwork. I mean, he's come out of the woodwork. He's got, I mean, it's great. I love reading Ben's got an opinion on Baker Mayfield. He's got an opinion on everything. He didn't.
Starting point is 00:21:00 He, and of course, what does he naturally do? He goes and kisses Odell Beckham's ass again. That's, look, he's a man by his own principles. Like I said, some people take a stand. He stands up for OBJ. That's all he can do at this point. But McAdoo... How did he let him down?
Starting point is 00:21:17 He let him down because he didn't run enough de-slant? I mean, did he not call enough slam plays for Hodel? I mean, how did he let him down? I don't understand. His Waffle House menu did not work out in the end, unfortunately. But it was good to see McAdoo pull of McAdol and go out and basically call out every team in the NFC East and say how much he, you know, he doesn't think anything of Washington and, you know, the Eagles.
Starting point is 00:21:37 If at least they finally got one. I mean, it was, it was great to have him back in the sphere of media. And now people are saying he should get a TV gig. So we may get more of Ben McAdoo's Oakley's. That's all we can say now. You know, look, I think everybody's entitled to opinion. I mean, what he said about the Eagles, I mean, look, that's a hard thing to do repeat. We know that, right?
Starting point is 00:21:55 We understand it's hard to repeat. But, you know, the Eagles seem to feel like, you know, they went through it last year, and people said they couldn't do it. I mean, everywhere I go in New Jersey, I see the Eagles mask out, the underdog. I mean, this year they're going to be the hunted, not the hunt. not the hunter, so it'll be how they handle it. But I mean, look, what I find fascinating Tate Brasers, everybody calls the NFC East the dominant division.
Starting point is 00:22:19 Like Parcells is still coaching it. Like Tom Landry's still coaching or Jimmy Johnson. Like, there are like some really bad, other than Philly, like who has a good team in that division? Yeah. And Dallas's defense is just, I mean, it's predicate. Like what McAdoo said is true, Sean Lee, he gets hurt, their whole defense falls apart, right?
Starting point is 00:22:37 Yep. Washington, they can't. They can't stay healthy. Washington has a new quarterback. I mean, you know, Bruce Allen is the general manager of the Redskins. Look up that record and see how they've done since he's been there. You know, it's below 40% win percentage. So why are they any good?
Starting point is 00:22:51 And Alan's been there for, I think, almost seven years now. So, like, somebody has to explain to me how this NFC East perception is so good. I don't get it. Like, the NFC North, yeah, Detroit's good. They're not bad. They're a good team. I mean, Green Bay, good team. team. Aaron Rogers comes back. Minnesota.
Starting point is 00:23:10 A really good team. You know, Chicago's got a lot of... There's four teams you could sit there and say, I mean, what, Dallas? Because they had one good year, you know? And you know, and then the quarterback is good and then Des Bryant, you know, he's supposed to be great. Oh, no, we can't even get a job now. I mean, it's a myth. See, this is what happens
Starting point is 00:23:27 in the NFL. The mythology carries on. Like, everybody thinks the NFC East is this dominant division when we know it's not. I mean, really seriously, it's one of the weakest ones there. But they have the Super Bowl champs, so that's what everyone's What they do, and I mean, give them all the respect in the world. But when you look at it, you know, when you look at it and you say, okay, great, you know, like, where are those teams?
Starting point is 00:23:46 I mean, you know, Washington plays the 14th easiest schedule this year. Dallas plays the 15th easiest schedule this year. You know, so when you start to look at it, I mean, if they were playing a lot of tough teams, I mean, they would be in the top. They're not. So I just don't see it. I mean, the Giants play the eighth hardest schedule this year. I just play the eight. So for me, I think it's a lot of mythology.
Starting point is 00:24:10 It's always a lot of mythology, especially in the offseason in the middle of July. Everyone's going out there and saying all types of things. One of those guys that did that was Cliff Averill of the Seattle Seahawks. He says that Earl Thomas, we all know he loves the Cowboys, which has created a little bit of stir that Earl Thomas wants to get out of Seattle and go down to Dallas to help that defense. I don't know how much you buy into this. But like I said, it's July and there's all this stuff floating around.
Starting point is 00:24:33 So this is the time that people talk. So is there anything to take into the idea that Earl Thomas wants to go to Dallas? That's something that's floated around before. I mean, look, you know, I mean, obviously Dallas has had a chance to trade for them. They haven't done it. Dallas has got to figure out their cap situation. I mean, I think Dallas would need to get Landry done. I mean, need to get Lawrence done before they would trade for Earl Thomas.
Starting point is 00:24:52 The free safety is an important position of Marinelli's defense, no lie. But I think, look, if a player wants to go somewhere, I mean, all players want to play somewhere else. They always think it's always good. The grass is greener. I mean, it's just really newspaper fodder is really what it is. Yeah, that's what it seems like. But I had some people I was down in Dallas this weekend, like you mentioned before, A lot of people were talking about how much they were,
Starting point is 00:25:13 they want Earl Thomas to come down to Dallas, which I found very interesting, as if it had been put down there. Like, that's going to really make a difference in their defense. They think so. They believe in the Clapper in his defensive ways with Marinelli by the side. I'd say the clapper's got another week off. I hope he reads Willpower.
Starting point is 00:25:28 Let's send it to him. Let's get his address. Let's send him the book. That'd be nice. Maybe some ice cream from the Jersey Shore, too. Yeah, we'll send him to Gridiron Genius, too, Tafrasor. We will send him that if we'll read that one. I just started reading it.
Starting point is 00:25:40 I'll get done and then I'll send my copy to him just so he has it. There you go, sign it. That'd be perfect. That'd be perfect. All right. Anything else before we get out of here, Lombardy? Nope. I'm excited to get started back again.
Starting point is 00:25:50 I think when we start on a regular rotation, at the beginning of August, I'm going to go to some camps here next week. I'm going to sit down, start watching some tape with some people and breaking down teams. So look forward to talking about it all, Tate Frazier. Yeah, I can't wait. I will be in Columbus, Ohio, with Mark Titus this weekend. The number one pick of the 2007 NBA draft, Greg Oden. I'm going to play some golf with Greg Oden.
Starting point is 00:26:10 Mike Lombardi. I know you love that. That's awesome. That's awesome. You know, the six years I've got, I taped, I taped, said tape, Frasers, just so you know, I taped every summer league game. I love it. I love it. I love it. It's really unwatchable. It's unwatchable. It is unwatchable. You can't tell who's a good player based on that.
Starting point is 00:26:29 No, but Kevin Knox. Although I will say this, I will say this, and I haven't verified. I thought Mitchell Robinson was going to be a good player. Yes. And he looks like he could be a good player. You're like Mac Brown with basketball. I'm Mac Brown. I saw him for the five. Yep, that's all that time. And, you know, Kevin Knox looks like he's going to be a good player.
Starting point is 00:26:43 Five stars. The Knicks are back. They're back. They got two five stars. That's all I got to do. Draft the five stars and see what happens. The Mac Brown Way of Life. We love it.
Starting point is 00:26:52 We love it here on GM Street. All right, well, this has been another edition of GM Street. We will be back in a couple of weeks, and then we will get this thing rolling for another fun field and ridiculous season of NFL football. Thanks for listening. Thanks, Dave, Fraser.

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