The Ringer NFL Show - Trades Possible for Tee Higgins and Brian Burns? Kirk Cousins, Free Agency Favorites, and More! | Extra Point Taken

Episode Date: February 27, 2024

What’s next for Kirk Cousins as free agency looms? Will he remain in Minnesota on a new deal or is he headed to an AFC team that desperately needs a QB? Will the Panthers pay pass rusher Brian Burns upwards of $30 million per year? Plus, what will the Bears do with the no. 1 pick? The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out theringer.com/RG to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Hosts: Ben Solak and Sheil Kapadia Producer: Cliff Augustin Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal and Conor Nevins Social: Eduardo Ocampo Musical Elements: Devon Renaldo **Apologies for the technical difficulties with Sheil's audio** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are a lot of quarterbacks in the NFL draft this year. My name is Ben Solac and I host the Ringer NFL Draft Show with Danny Kelly, Danny Hyfitts, and Craig Horvick. We cover trades, free agency, and the draft, which is, yeah, obviously. We'll tell you about everything, which includes which quarterbacks are good, which quarterbacks are bad and which quarterbacks are just Kirk Cousins. That is the Ringer NFL Draft Show. Search the Ringer NFL Draft Show on Spotify. Welcome to Extra Point Take Chil Kabati here, joined by Ben Solac, who is in Indianapolis for the Combine. Unnamed hotel room.

I see he went with the two queen beds instead of the one king bed choice there. I am in Philadelphia putting my finishing touches on the top 50 free agents you can read on the ringer.com later this week. But listen, all this means we were saying before we came on, it feels like it's been three months since we talked to each other. It's only been a week, but it's the official start of the offseason. Benny Souls, are you feeling refreshed? Yes.

You only get to choose how many beds you have in your room. if you secure the room early enough to be offered the choice. And that implies a level of forethought and planning, which I have never claimed to possess. I get dealt whatever hotel rooms are left. I get built the scraps at the 11th hour. That's my approach. I don't mind.

I mean, you're in a queen bed to yourself, you know? Ain't a problem. Yeah, you're going to be comfortable. No big deal. Not a big deal. All right, before we get started, two quick reminders. One, extra point takings come into you twice a week still in the off season. And I don't know if we told people that or not,

but we're still going to be doing this show on Mondays, and then we're going to do another show on Friday. So we're obviously not going to be making picks and all that stuff, but we will have a nice format for you. So twice a week for the offseason, that's one. And then two, of course, YouTube, Ringer NFL on YouTube. Check it out. I was worried Solac didn't do his, you know, his patented move at first.

When I introduced the pod, his, what do you call that, a dance, a jig? I don't even know what that is. It's incredible social awkwardness is what it is. So I have to move so that way I feel like I'm participating. You didn't do that at first. I got nervous, but then he did actually do it eventually. So you can watch that. Little hotel lag, little Wi-Fi delay is what we got.

Subscribe to it. All right. Here we go. So lack. I don't know what you're going to talk about. You probably don't know much about what I'm going to talk about. I took some low-hanging fruit here early because I want to get some predictions on the record before things start happening.

So I am first with my take. I have narrowed Kirk Cousins landing spots to three teams. I think he will play for one of these three teams in 2024. At the end, I'm going to tell you my official prediction of what I think is going to happen with Kurt Couss. And so if you're listening to this, I didn't you guys talk about Kirk Cousins the last show? We did. That's true. But this is a huge storyline only because above average quarterbacks pretty much never hit free agency.

He cannot be franchise tagged. He's going to be on the market. If he wants to go out there, test the market, he's able to do that. He's 36 years old. He's coming off in Achilles. But he's going to get monster money. So, like, I was looking for my free agency rankings. I like to project in my head.

All right, how much are these guys going to make? Like, I think he's going to get, like, two years, 80 million, maybe fully guaranteed for Kurt Cousins. Are you, how do you feel about that when I just throw that number out there? Are you like, ooh, that's high, that's low? I could see myself doing that if I were a team. Like, just when I spit those numbers out, what comes to mind? Yeah.

I'm fine with that. I feel like I saw a rumor that was like, oh, Kirk's, like, the NFL's not going to give Kirk a fully guaranteed deal this time around. And it's like, okay, well, why not? At this point, he's super old and it's going to be short-term contracts. Like, the likelihood of you structuring a deal where you can, like, actually cut him after year two and save money in year three. Like, that's just like, to me, that world doesn't exist in the quarterback market right

for a player of Kirk Cousins caliber. So I, like, fully guaranteed, not fully guaranteed, functionally guaranteed. Like, I expect him to play out. the length of a deal he gets because I don't think he's going to get like a four or five year deal. It's going to be a good two year or three year deal. Forty million obviously feels rich, but like it's Daniel Jones money. And I know I've said, I've said Daniel Jones contract like 19,000 times since it was signed, but I am not an agent at all. I would be a terrible agent. Even I can tell you, every quarterback agent in the world going to be walking into every single

negotiation. It's like, here's the Daniel Jones deal. Do you see this? We're going to beat this. And so, yeah, like two, two over 80 like seems like it would make sense for Kirk. And okay, you bring them out there. By week six, it's very clear that, like, he doesn't trust the Achilles. It didn't come back to full health. He's not springing in the pocket. He's taking sacks. He can't relocate.

And it's a wash. 280 barely hurts, man. $80 million over two years. Like, the Broncos was about to eat $80 million in one year on Russell Wilson, dude. Like, that doesn't even count the years that they've actually paid him. That, to me, like, that rings right about home, home for Kirk Cousins. Yeah, the other one, you mentioned Daniel Jones. Derek Carr got 37.5 million per year last off season with 60 million guaranteed.

Now, the cap has gone up. Cousins has been a better quarterback than Derek Carr, the overall quarterback market, has gone up. So I think that's the range we're talking about. You're right, though. I mean, there is risk with Kurt Cousins given age and Achilles. So that has to be mentioned. All right, here are my three teams.

Number one is the obvious one, the Minnesota Vikings. Okay. This would be reasonable. They could just look at it and say, we wish we had a younger quarterback. We wish we had a long-term plan right now, but we don't. We have two very good wide receivers. We have good offensive tackles.

We have a good offensive head coach. We have a good defensive coordinator who did more with Les last year. We'll sign him for two for 80. We'll keep him around. And that will buy us some time to figure out a younger option at quarterback. It doesn't preclude us from looking for that younger option. But in the meantime, they keep using that word competitive rebuild. It allows us to continue to do that.

So that's number one, the minimum. Minnesota Vikings. Number two, this was originally your idea, Solak. And when I look at the other teams around the NFL that could potentially be a surprise team for Kurt Cousins, I keep coming back to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean, I'm putting together, you know, my little offseason spreadsheet, all right, you know, for a pending free agents and what kind of shape is this team in. And I'm looking at that Steelers roster. I'm doing it earlier than ever. Solek, I like a lot of the players on this roster. I like the pass catchers. I like the rest. I like the rest. I like the rest. I like the running backs. I think they maybe make a move or two on the offensive line. They brought in Arthur

Smith. The defense finished sixth in DVOA last year. Like that's one of those that I forget a month later. Wow, they were sixth in DVOA. They still got T.J. Y. Your boy, Joey Porter, PJ. Yeah. They had injuries. It's not like they had a, you know, they still got Minka. They still got T.J. So they've got a good defense, I think. And then they've got Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. You cannot go into next season with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Like that is a legit, I'm usually pro Steelers, the pro Steelers guy on this podcast. I will crush them. That is an organizational failure.

If we get to August 1st, July 27th, whatever it is, training camp starting, and that's who they're going into training camp with. I mean, that's a disaster. You cannot do that. So now it comes down to what are their options? Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, like a Jacoby Brissette. And I just look at it with Cousins. It's a very interesting team for me for like the next two years.

Kurt Cousins, Arthur Smith, the supporting cast. So that's number two for me. And then the third one was a little bit difficult to come up with. This is one where I don't think it's a good idea. Like the Steelers, I'm in on that idea. But this is one where I could see the team thinking it's a good idea. And that's the Las Vegas Raiders. So this is more of a could than a should, you know.

Because I was looking at the Raiders. Raiders aren't very good kind of. Cap situation this offseason. Like they can be a weirdly aggressive team if they want to. Now, do I think they should do that? Probably not. I mean, I don't know how this is going to work. This arranged marriage, Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco.

They've got the 13th overall pick. But I could see them being a team saying, hey, we've got Devonti Adams, our defense overperformed last year, bring Kurt Cousins in here, and we can have a nice, you know, solid to maybe slightly above average offense, and we can be competitive this season. So that's the third team I've got my eye on. All right, those are the two, three teams. What do you think?

Vikings, Steelers, Raiders, did I miss one? Do you like any of those? Do you not like any of those? How are you feeling? I'm surprised that the Falcons didn't make it. That would have been one that I would have strongly guessed. If you had made me guess the three you were doing, I would have said, Steelers, Vikings, and Falcons with a lot of confidence.

I'm surprised that the Raiders came out with the Falcons. I agree that the Raiders could do it. I agree that it would be a bad decision, right? You need a bridge quarterback. If you're the Raiders, you don't need to be. build that expensive of a bridge, I think. Just get a regular bridge. That's a beautiful bridge,

Kirk Cousins. I don't think that's necessary. Atlanta, to me, is a team where like, okay, John McVeases, Zach Robinson, like, there's going to be familiarity in the offense, the language going to be exactly the same. They have a young weapon in Drake London, a young weapon in Kyle Pitts, a young weapon in Bejohn Robinson. They invested a lot of money in that offensive line.

Jake Matthews, Chris Lynch from Caleb McGarry. Internally, that offense looks like it should be a quarterback away. There's a chance that uh, Zach Robinson is the OC there, I guess to come to that McBay system, along with head coach Rahim Morris, look at it and go, we don't actually like feel that way. Remember, these aren't their guys that they, that they went and built this round. But Terry Fontenow, who was the general manager who's responsible for a lot of these extensions

and these young players, the guy who built it, he's still there. And I think that he would like to justify his, his picks. And like, you know, statistically, Drake London is underperformed and Calpitz is underperformed. But if you look at the film, like these, these are good players. they should be having like productive seasons. I could see Fonson being like, I want to go get a Kirk and prove that this offense that I put together works. And so Atlanta's the team that stands out to me that I think should be on your list that isn't right now.

It's a good one. I don't have a good sense of what the Falcons think they are. You know, like change the head. Like what are they trying to do this offseason? I mean, because Kirk Cousins to me is a short-term fix. And so I look at it and I tend to lead more towards a team like the Steelers where I said they could be really interested. Now, maybe the falcons think, hey, we could be really interesting with Kirk Cousins,

and maybe they could be. So I think that's a good one that I left off there. All right, my official prediction here, Soak, I think he's going to stay in Minnesota. Oh, yeah? Looking at the Vikings. Ah, spicy. Yeah. I mean, they've got the 11th overall pick.

So it's like, are they going to be aggressive or are they going to try to land a quarterback in the draft? And if not, I just don't know, like, they're going to go out and what, get somebody else to play quarterback who's a lot cheaper? Are they going to look for like a Band-Aid option? Is that where they think they're going to be? That's not really how they've operated. I mean, they haven't done a lot in the last few seasons

that really like prioritizes rebuilding. They got rid of some older players a little bit. But for the most part, there's been like an emphasis there. No, no, no, we want to be competitive. So I think when it comes down to it, they know like Cousins medical situation really well. I don't know that they want big turnover this offseason. And I kind of feel like,

He's going to stick there. They're going to pay him. And then they're going to figure out a younger option down the road. What do you think? What is your on-the-record prediction for where cousins lands? I think it goes to the Steelers. I think that spot makes the most sense. All right.

That would be so fun for content. Right. You said you don't think Pittsburgh can go into like August, into the season at status quo. I'm not sure the Steelers can go into the draft that status quo quarterback, right? You don't want to be on a spot where you're forcing your hand at what are they got, 22, 21? No, because there's 14 playoff teams. Like 19. You don't have been forcing your hand at that pick.

20, can you pick it, whatever? We're like, all right, we got to go get the 20th pick. Yeah, let's go get J.G. McCarthy. Like, we're going to be that team. Like, you don't want to be in that shoehorn. That doesn't mean you have to go get Kirk Cousins, but I expect them to be very active on the free agent quarterback market. Now, if that's Ryan Tannhill,

because you know, it's Arthur Smith's system, and then we go and get a young guy. I'm perfectly fine with that. But I think they're going to be the, they're the team that I expect to be most active. on the veteran quarterback market. And if Kirk actually emphatically hits that market, they are in a spot right.

I think there's a little bit extra heat on Mike Tomlin. I think Omar Collins kind of driving that ship a little bit more personnel-wise. They make sense as a team to say, you know, we need that expensive bridge. We need that quarterback can come in and very clearly emphasize that we are still competitive. This is a high-calibre of AFC North. We can still hang around in this. Obviously, we're going to plan for the future at quarterback. But right now, if we get a guy in here, we'll be fine.

Yeah, they've got a lot of good. players there. You stick them in there? There should be familiarity with the scheme. So I like that. All right. Solac says Steelers. I say Vikings, other teams to keep an eye on Raiders and Solex says Falcons for Kirk Cousins. All right. What do you got? Hit me with your first take. I think this is going to be a nice bounce back year for running back value in the free agent market. I do. I don't think. Interesting. Yeah. And let me make things very clear. When I say that, I say more, hey, like the floor got yanked out on running back contracts. And I think that some of the free fall is going to stop.

I don't think Josh Jacobs is getting $20 million per year. Can't emphasize that enough. But if you go and you look at the market right now, we thought there was a chance. It was going to be very active last season because players like Josh Jacobs were up, Sequin Barkley was up, Tony Pollard was up, and all of these guys got slapped with the tag. Well, Adam Schaefter tweeting over the course of today, Giants will speak with free agent running back say quote Barkley explore a deal with him, but unlikely to tag him at $12.1 million. Josh Jacobs, the Raiders will attempt to re-sign him, but they are not expected to attack him

because his tag will be worth $14.1 million. And he's got a higher escalation on his tag than Barkley does. Tony Pollard, I think it was Clarence Hill of Memory Service, you reported, that Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdell, running back one and running back two for the Dallas Cowboys. Not expected to be tagged. Titans running back Derek Henry, who said goodbye to Titans faithful at the end of the season, not expected to be back with the Titans. are a lot of like big names, Austin Ecclert with the Chargers, that are going to be back on the running back market. You say, okay, but running back's being devalued, so nobody's going to go for

these guys. I'm not sure that's going to be the case. Josh Jacobs is 26 years old and you had a 1,600-year-old season two years ago. This is an objectively talented back who is available on the market. I don't think people also realize, like he can be used in the receiving game. He's got 50 receptions in each the last couple of years. Sequin Barkley, who, okay, Barclay deals with entry. He's 27 years old and he's got legitimate three down value. I don't think that, again, I don't think that you're signing these guys to the Nick Chub deal, right? Nick Chub went 36 million over three years. And he got that back in 2021 when the cap was $182.5 million because we were recovering from COVID. The cap this year is $255 million. There is a lot more money just in circulation.

Teams, like, even as teams devalue the running back position, teams don't want to enter the season with like no known commodities at running back. They don't want to enter the season with like three decent rotation options. You want to have a guy in the building who you go, right, if we have a game script or we need to give the ball away 22 times, we feel like this guy is capable of doing that. And with guys like Jacobs and Barclay, they're still young enough.

There's tread on those tires. They've shown they can run at that high level before. They've shown that they can take on that volume. Derek Henry has certainly shown that he can take on that volume. Age-wise, I think that you've concerns there. Tony Pollard hasn't so much shown that he can take on. that volume, but he has been a useful player. And there's need for teams that are contending teams.

The Ravens have been the obvious one, right? There's been reports they're going to pursue a high caliber running back in infargency and appropriately so. The Philadelphia Eagles, D'Andre Swift is likely on an expiring deal behind him. Boston Scott, Kenny Gainwell, they're likely to sign a veteran guy. How about Tony Pollard, who was great under Kellynne Moore, rejoining Kellynne Moore in Philadelphia? Do it for 8 million over two years, or like 8 million per year for two years.

Like, is it a huge deal? No, but I think you're to see running backs. like get signed early in free agency. At relatively nice market rates, there's just so much more money to go around that I don't think teams are going to need to be nearly as stingy. So, like Derek Henry, whatever, I think it's like a one-year thing,

like use him as a battering ram. Tony Pollard, I think it's kind of clear. Like, he's not necessarily like a, you know, 250, 300-touch guy the way Zykeli it was. Whatever. Josh Jacobs, man. And Sequin's got a little bit more injured concern. Like, Jacobs, I would be scrambling to get a,

Josh Jacobs on my team. That is an extremely handy and helpful player to have. And because running back has been so depreciated over the last couple years, because of the particular players who hit free agency, because of the cap hits to COVID, this is a good year to spend a little bit of money. There's a lot more in the bank than there was. And so, again, I don't think running back's going to boom. I just think it's going to stop falling. This feels like the right class for it with the right big cap figure for it, where teams will sign out, whether it's the Raiders and the Giants retaining their guys or with other teams going on getting those guys. I think running backs will see their salary fall.

free fall stop this offseason. I'm curious because there is so much supply out there that I could sit. Like you mentioned the Eagles, I could see a team like the Eagles saying, we'll chill for a little bit, we'll let the market settle and we will take whoever wasn't signed here. But it is almost unprecedented just in terms of the big names, the big name running backs. I mean, Sequin Barclay, Josh Jacobs and Derek Henry, like, I'm so, like, Derek Henry is one of the most fun free agents out there because you just can't picture like, wait, what this guy could play for another team. By the way, he still led the NFL in rushing

attempts last season, which is incredible and he's going to be 30 years old. So yeah, those are all good names. All right. So let me let me ask you this. So right now there are one, two, three, four running backs making $12 million or more per year. Do any of these running backs enter that territory? I think Jacobs can. I would feel comfortable doing that. I don't think anybody else will. Barkley, just injury concerns. I think Henry Echler, Tony Poller, like I think, I just don't think those are like lion's share, top five, top seven guys.

I above the opinion that Jacobs list. People who realize Jacobs is 26 years old, dude. Like this is like, he should have multiple years left of high volume, high production usage. You started to hit 28, 29, you start anticipating the cliff coming. But like, if I can pay Jacobs a three, like I thought I brought up the Chub deal,

but I can pay Jacobs three years, 36 million, on a $255 million, instead of a $182.5 million, cap. It's an enormous difference right there. If I can pay him that, it's a good day in the office for me. And then I feel like I can hand him the ball. I can get a third down back. I don't really need one, but I can have a

rotational guy, can have a young guy behind him. I know he can withstand that amount of volume. I know he can rip off explosive runs. His production was down 2023 versus 22, but watch the film. He played excellent and no one, no defense cared about the Raiders passing game

at all. The objective was to take away Josh Jacobs. I, I, I, um, Jacobs to me like, if, if I'm Nick Casario, I'm running the Texans, all right, and I, I invested in Damian Pierce, one year deal in Devon, Singletary, Pierce didn't hit for me. Singletary, you know, saved my bacon a little bit down the stretch. But I'm looking like, Bobby Sloick very clearly wants to run the ball in early downs as part of the organizational philosophy. I'll go give Josh Jacobs 36 over three.

No problem. And it feel really, really great about building out my young offensive core for CJ Shroud. I'm honest, I thought of that Texans thing. That's a great. Josh Jacobs to the Texans. That's what I would like to see. Josh Jacobs to the Texans. Okay.

Yeah. That would be a fun one. I probably still hang with the nerds more on this one where I'm not paying that kind of money out to a running back on a second, you know, on a second contract unless it's in who I consider to be an elite, elite, elite guy. Jacobs has had some injury issues. He had so many carries two years ago. So I'm with it.

He's only 26. It's wild. He has had some wear it. I would probably be in the. camp of let's just chill let's let the main guys sign their big contracts and then we'll come back and we'll sign someone for maybe four million dollars per year because it is wild there's 12 guys making six million dollars or more and there's more than 12 really good running backs in the NFL you're right you need somebody but I would probably still end up being patient but it's

going to be interesting the contract that these teams spend their money and whether it is on these running backs the contract that interests me the most is Tony ballard because there's It was just so much, like when Pollard was the lightning to Ezekieli, it's thunder. There was just so much like, Pollard should be the lion's share guy. Like, Pollard should get like 20 plus touches. Like, okay, he's great change of pace back, but I don't think folks realize how hard it is to go from 12 touches to 24 touches in terms of what that does to your body and what sort of runs you get asked to accomplish.

Pollard was not good short yards. He was not good goal line. He obviously, he had the foot injury from which he's still recovering. Like, if Pollard, if you watch film on 23 Pollard and you feel like the injury really dramatically limited him, which I think it like did. I'm just not sure how much it did. You could potentially get like a lightning and a bottle back for pennies on the dollar in free agency, but you have to feel that way about the injury. Otherwise, this has to be a guy that is part of a committee for you. But at the same time, most teams want to be committee teams.

And Bollard has shown you an awesome addition to a committee, right? If you have someone who naturally pairs with him, right, between the tackles. And so Pollard's the one to me where like, okay, if I'm, if I'm swearing off big running back contracts as a general manager, which I think is generally good practice. I think there's exceptions. I like Jacobs, but whatever. Then Paul is the guy I'm trying to figure out what exactly went down because he might be the one who sparks at a new location.

All right, since I have it here, here are my guesses for salaries for these top running backs. I think Sequin is going to get the best deal out of these guys. $11 million per year range I have for Sequod Barkley. I think Jacobs comes in under that at around eight. Derek Henry is the hard one because I think he's probably, lovely like a one-year deal with one year, seven, eight million, maybe with incentives. If he tears it up again. And then Tony Pollard, I've got at around $6 million per year.

All those guys are on my free agency top 50 list. So we'll say, I could be completely wrong about all those guys. We'll see what those running back salaries look like. All right, let's take a break. Come back with some more takes. All right, we are back on extra point taken. my second take Benjamin Salak

I think Brian Burns is going to get tagged and traded in the weeks ahead I don't think he's going to play for the Carolina Panthers in 2024

all right so here's some reasoning let's see it's good it's good when I can get you mid-sip there you know to a little knowledge man

that finally you've boarded me with your takes for like the last three months you finally got one that made me never bored Never once.

They got my attention. All right. So here's connecting some dots. Brian Burns is a free agent, 26 years old. Top 10 to 15, probably top 10, past threshold,

maybe top 15 if you look at some of the numbers. But 2012, okay, multiple reports that the Panthers turned down two first round picks from the Los Angeles Rams for Brian Burns. This last trade deadline,

Adam Schefter reported Brian Burns. was again in high demand. I think he said five teams were interested in trading for Brian Burns. The Panthers didn't do it. Yet the Panthers have still not signed Brian Burns to an extension here. What are you waiting for? Panthers, if you want him, I mean, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out what you need to pay him.

I mean, you're going to have to pay Brian Burns in the $30 million per year range, in my opinion. Nick Bosa set the market at $34 million per year. You mentioned it. We got this cap spike this year. So I think Brian Burns is going to come in at least around $30 million per year. Up to this point, it seems like the Panthers maybe have not been interested in paying that high of a price. So what are their options? One of their options is they can use the franchise tag on Brian Burns and then they can trade him.

Okay. So we had that Rams deal. We mentioned rumored a couple of years ago. We had these other ones in play. This could be a really attractive piece for a team in need of edge rush. Again, 26 years old, high, like his upside is. is defensive player of the year. Like I predicted him to win that award in the past.

I don't even think we've seen his best football yet. Pass rushers tend to mature a little bit later than other positions. So I think there's going to be a lot of interest there. And then if you're the Panthers, I could actually see a little bit of reasoning for trading Brian Burns here. You look at their offensive personnel around Bryce Young, and it is Garbonzo Beans, as I would say. We all watched it last.

It was impossible to watch. It sucked to watch. Now on this very show, I picked the Panthers to. to cover like nine point spreads and it was painful to watch. Do you remember that one moment where they were like, oh, thank God, DJ Chark is back? And you're like, dude, are you guys okay? What I actually remember is when I thought maybe they turned a corner against the Packers. And then I just remember it.

I don't want to be mean to Joe Barry. The guy lost his job. But it was more of the Packers defense than the Panthers offense in that game. So that's what I remember. So Panthers, they don't have anything on offense and they don't have their first round pick. So I was looking at the Rams. would the Rams want to get back in business? I mean, they still got less need.

They still got Sean McVeigh. They've got all the same guys that were willing to give up two first round picks for Bride Burns. Now you have to pay him, so it is a little bit different. Maybe you're not giving up two first round picks, but a first round pick, number 19 overall, and then maybe something else, a second round pick, a third round pick. Does that get it done? Maybe it's a 20-25 pick with conditions. But anyway, the Panthers could get a first round pick in this deal.

they would save that money from not having to pay Brian Burns and use it elsewhere on the roster if they want to. Maybe you get some wide receiver help for Bryce Young. You get some other talent on the offensive side of the ball. If you're the Rams, I mean, this is a team. I don't know. August, there's going to be someone at the ringer predicting this team probably goes to the Super Bowl. They're sort of a sleeperish NFC team where if Matthew Stafford stays healthy and their younger players from last year

continue to develop, they're going to be heard from in the NFC. And what I like about this potential deal from a team like the Rams, or it could be another team like, it's not like a win now move. It's not like a win. Like Brian Burns is 26. He's going to help you now. He's going to help you later. He's just a very good young player at a premium position.

So I think you can justify throwing some assets in there and trying to acquire him. So what do you think? If I said Rams give up the 19th overall pick and let's say, let's make it spicy, and the 52nd overall pick. First and the second for Brian Burns. Who says no, Ben Selac? You got to pay of $30 million a year. If I'm the Panthers, I still want to say no,

because I feel like he's better than that. But that's the problem the Panthers have run into the last 18 months, and they also won't extend him, right? And so it's like, okay, if you're just going to keep on keeping on with Brian Merz, you're just keeping him on the backburn or on the warmer, be like, eventually we'll be good at football, and hopefully you'll also still be here and be good. good with money at that time. That's dumb. That is really bad team management. So if you don't

intend on saying franchise cornerstone, here's 30 million a year, like, you know, you are going to be the centerpiece, the tent pole of our identity on the defense side of the ball of our overall team identity until we get some offensive stars in the building. Like, if you're not willing to do that, you got to get, well, the getting is good. And the get was good 12 months ago. And so it's running, you're running out of time on, on hitting Burns. Like you said, when you talk about Burns, you're 26 years old. They're still upside.

Defense of linemen edge rushers in particular tend to be really productive in the late 20s, all of which like very true and accurate. Straighting the 27-year-old is harder. You can't say upside as freely. You can't say, you know, production for the next three years is easily. And Drew's 28, 29. So if you're going to do it, do it now. I would want like one, two and then some, what did Mac initially go for?

Not bears to chargers, but Raiders to bears. I think that was, I think that was two first and maybe a third, something like that. you're looking it up now, but yeah, it was definitely at least two first-round picks. If memory serves, that's where it started with the Kaleel Mac trade. Google needs to do a thing where I type in like Mac trade and then just like comes up and yeah, he's been traded too much. That's the problem. He's been traded multiple times.

It gets confusing when you when you Google it. I mean, to your point, though, as you looked at, good organizations, like they would have had Brian Burns locked up already. Like, you don't let it get to this point. Like you just view him as this is a cornerstone piece at a premium position. who we drafted in his mid-20s. The price is only going to go up as we wait. And guess what happened?

The price went up with Nick Potha, $34 million per year to set the market at edge, and now the cap went up. So, like, it's not cheaper to hold on to Brian Burns right now. All right. How's your Googling, Ben? Do you find it? The Raiders sent Mac into two for two ones, a three, and then, like, there was some late round exchange.

That, like, right, I want two ones, right? And at the time, that was 2018. And so Mac, who is currently 33 years old, was, yeah, he was like a couple years older than Burns was. Yeah, so I want to make, all right, like, give me multiple first. I'll play ball with you. Like, I'll send you something else. But like, let's do multiple first, right? Let's like make that a real thing.

So I'd want to push the price up. But, right, the Brian Burns situation with the Panthers is very challenging to calibrate to because of how they've mismanaged it to this point. Yeah, it's the players who have gone for two first round picks, we're talking about Jamala. Adams, Jalen Ramsey, Coleel Mac, I'm probably forgetting somebody in there, but that's sort of the class of player you're talking about

there. I just, like, if it's taken this long, I'm just like, now maybe they'll just be like, all right, we just want to resign. That's fine. If they just sign him to the top of the market extension, I think that's smart too if you're the Carolina Panthers. These are the types of players you want to hold on to. I mean, what they really shouldn't do,

and what I think would be franchise malpractice is if you just tag him and have him play on the tag for the year. Then it's like, what are you doing? Why are you doing that? You know, you should have, you should either lock them up long term or you should get something for him now. So as I, as I went through my list and you know, you're going through our year, the top 10 free agents, how many of these guys are actually going to reach the market? And it keeps shrinking you like, all right, you know, T. Higgins has already been tagged. Other guys are going to be tagged.

Burns was the guy I looked at and said, if we get something spicy with one of these guys, the old tag and trade, he's the guy I could see fitting the bill. So that's something to keep an eye on for Carolina. That transitions very nicely into my second take show. Okay. What do you got? I think we're, I think T. Higgins has a good chance to be tagging traded.

Oh, oh, all right. So, so something that stood out to me, Paul Dana of the Athletic, who does their Bengals coverage, who was wonderful. I read a lot of Paul Dana.

He did a four-part series on the T. Hagan's contract situation, and that's why Paul's good what he does. And in the first series, there's a four-beat writer, by the way. I love that kind of thing. You know, you're just like, I got this. I am going to give you every angle of this thing that fans care about more than anything else. So that was a nice job.

I saw that. Yes. Go ahead. So Paul wrote in his first part of the column, which came out now over a week ago, February 20th marks the first day the Bengals can apply the tag. The deadline is March 5th. One league source suggested the Bengals could place the tag early in the window as a statement acknowledging no long-term deal will be reached and opening the door for the door

for the rest of the league to consider or submit tag and trade offers. This sentiment was actually echoed by Jason Fitzgerald over the cap, who at the time at which the T. Higgins' trade was, or excuse me, the T. Higgins tag was initially reported February 23rd. He said tag coming this quick usually means that either have every intention of keeping him, but no intention of doing an extension, or they are hoping to trade him, right? Fundamentally, what you're saying is this. If they thought they could get a long-term deal done, they would not have tagged him this early because they would have had up to March 5th so they would have been spending the next seven, eight, nine days. Really like let's hammer it out. Let's get this extension over the line. If we hit the fifth, we just can't get together on this, then we'll tag you.

Tagging this early is a signal both to him and to the league that, hey, like, we're probably not going to get a long-term deal done with T. Higgins. That's very unlikely. And accordingly now, if you're another general manager, you go, okay, well, if they're not getting a long-term deal with him done this year, then maybe, you know, there's some movement. room. That's suggested by Dainter's source, by Jason's experience. Now, the reason why T is a tag and trade candidate is really interesting to me is because the Bengals know that they have Joe Burrow as the future.

His contract is built such that after the 2024 season, right, the T. Higgins tag season, there's a big jump in his cap hit. And they know they've got Jemar Chase as their long-term wide receiver one. Jammar Chase ain't getting out the building. So if you bring in T, you are committed. You are dedicated to the offensive nucleus

that is T. Higgins, Jemar, Chase, and Joe Burrow. And that's an excellent commitment. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that commitment. However, you know, Jagans has had some injuries. Chase and Burrow are certainly like the two primary pieces of that. T is third in the pecking order. It's not anything against him. He just is.

So if there's an expendable piece there where you say, hey, like let's go for youth instead and let's, you know, picks to pick the defense instead, T would be the piece you'd want to move off of. It's worth remarking, you know, they drafted Andrei Yosevas. Last year, I was it fifth round pick of Yoseva. was. I can't recall the draft of Charlie Jones out of Purdue, right? They have young wide receivers in the

hopper intentionally, right? Because both Tia's up and Tyler the Boyd's also coming up. And so they are semi-prepared, you know, just kind of hedging your bets for worlds in which T-Higgins is not on the team. The T, now T-in-the-League is really interesting. Because when the Eagles traded a first-round pick for A.J. Brown, 18 overall,

there was no doubt that that was like, okay, you just got like a franchise guy. Like, the top-10 receiver for 18 overall. Maybe there was doubt at the time by the people, For me, like off my, of AJ Brown film, what he did with the Titans, primary target for multiple years. I was like certain. I was like, this is, they got a dude for a first round peg. They're going to sign him to a big extension, but they have a rookie contract quarterback.

This makes so much sense. And then when the Cardinals traded a first, like 24 overall for Marquis Brown and the Ravens, I was like, okay, there's no way that works. Like, maybe other people, whatever. For me, I was like, okay, I've watched Markees Brown film. I know what he is. Like, that is too much. That is not. Now, there was also another pick in that one where they got a, it was like, it was like,

Marky's proud and like a third or something. Right, but I'm trying to set. I got you. There's a bar to clear. There's like an AJ Brown bar, which is like, this is definitely going to work. And there's Marky's Brown talent bar where I'm like, I don't get that. T. Higgins is absolutely unequivocally between those two players, which means now you have to, do you know for certain where the exact bar is?

We're like, okay, trading a first round pick and then signing a huge extension to this guy is going to work for your team. It's going to elevate your quarterback position. I like to think about the New England Patriots, right? picking at three overall right now with their best receiver being Pop Douglas. Okay. If you want to take a quarterback at three, you need to know that you have the bedrock that that is necessary to develop that guy.

You look at Jane and Daniels at LSU that, you know, man, need some work. You have to have a strong wide receiver room in place to help bring the guy along. And so if I want to pick Jane and Daniels at three, then right now I want to call the Cincinnati Bengals and say, hey, my second round pick, 34 overall, right? My second and my future second. Like, what can I do to get T in the building? so I know I have a top receiver and then the selection of Jane and Daniels

makes more sense to me. It's more applicable for me. It's more viable for me. I look at like the Texans with the C.J. Stroud or even the Panthers with Bryce Youngly, two quarterbacks that I feel dramatically differently about. But you want to know you have wide receivers secure while those guys are on rookie contracts. You want them to have the weapons necessary to succeed.

For the Panthers, it's to figure out if Bryce Young's actually good. For the Texans, it's saying, hey, we got C.J. Stroud, let's light the world on fire, dude. We're going to throw them all over the yard. you said that, I was like, all right, if they have Nico Collins and T. Higgins, I'm picking them to win the Super Bowl next year. But why wouldn't you? Look at the teams that have been recently successful with the pairs of wide receivers that they have had. You need a duo in this modern

era. You need a duo of quality pass catchers in order to succeed or you need a Patrick Mahomes. You have to have two. And so like if I'm the Texans, like, oh, maybe if Tank Dell comes back, I'm not messing around with the tanked out comes back. Why don't go get Nico Collins? Are I go get T. Higgins? Paying with Nico Collins? Come on, brother. You got the Golden Goose and C.J. Stroud.

Isn't that time to mess around? Trade picks. Pay T. Higgins $25 million a year. Let's cope with gas, brother. So the timing of the T. Higgins tag would indicate to me as a non-Bengals gender manager that I should call the Bengals and see what the Higgins tag and trade interest.

And if it's there, I think that teams picking at 25 or later should absolutely be pushing their, their earliest pick towards the Bengals, putting a little bit of mustard on top, seeing they can get it done. And even if we start get to low 20s, we start talking about those Texans at 23 overall,

I also think that that's interesting and that's worthy. T to me is like a top 15 receiver. I think that he can have a high caliber of impact on your offense. I think you have some health questions. But if you can swallow those, man, like, I would like to see it. So T. Higgins, to me, is that's the tag and trade candidate that I came to this podcast with. Well, it's funny.

All this stuff you said about the Texan and the shroud in my head, I'm thinking if I'm the Bengals, like, I have a chance to win the Super Bowl this year, a legit chance to win the Super Bowl this year. And yes, we drafted guys last year and I like those players, but T. Higgins for $21.8 million for one year is not a bad deal when I'm trying to win the Super Bowl. If I think it's cool and he's going to sign it and we're not going to have into like, obviously all that stuff matters. So I think that the compensation would have to reach a level that motivates the Bengals to say,

okay, we will go ahead and make that deal. And so, yeah, I think it starts with a first round pick. That's basically just how it's been with wide receivers. I mean, you look at it. Like before the season, DJ Moore and T. Higgins, I would probably have put them in a similar class. No? Agree or no.

Yeah, I probably would put T above DJ Moore. Now, I think I'm eating my words on DJ Moore a little bit. I'm fine with that. DJ Moore got traded like a first round pick. It was my point, basically, in that trade. I mean, that was like throwing another first in. I did think about DJ Moore and T. Higgins catching passes for Caleb Williams. Ooh. Oh, baby.

Yeah. Again, it's you have an elite receiver? Great. Go get a second one. Not elite, but near elite, right? Like, you have a dude. Go get a second dude. That is a Cooper Coupicob and Pook and Travis Kelsey. AJ Brown and Devon, Devonte Smith, Demarch, and T. Higgins, right? Like, if you want to go, Devo, Samuel, Brandon, I, Yuc. If you want to go far, do it with two weapons. So to me, yeah, like, I agree. And that point you made is important. we ended the Panthers talk, Brian Burns being like, if they tag him and just play with him, that's ludicrous.

If the Bengals tag and play with T. Higgins, that totally makes sense. I agree 100%. 100%. Yeah, very different. And they, again, I think they structured Burroughs deal such that if they were in a tag position with T, they would be comfortable with that. It's worth noting they tagged and played AJ Green a few years ago. They tagged and played Jesse Bates a couple years ago.

This again from Dana's article he pointed this out. They've used the tag decently frequently over the last couple of years. They don't mind playing to play on it. Some teams really hate to do that. Bangles don't have an issue with it. And so they play with tea. I won't say it's mismanagement at all. The take is if I were the Texans general manager, I'm Nick Casario, if I'm, if I'm, like I said, uh, uh, uh, it's not Elliot Wolf. Who's the, who's the new GM for the Patriots? No, yeah, Elliot Wolf. Yeah. If I'm Elliot Wolf, I'm calling saying, hey, notice you slapped that

tag on T about two weeks earlier than you needed to, brother. What are we, what, what's the situation? And I'm trying to see if I can move them off. And that's, that's my opinion. Yeah, so for a trade for T. Higgins, again, it would have to reach a level where the Bengals are motivated to do it, saying, all right, is this worth it when we're trying to win the Super Bowl right now? It would have to be something that the obviously, the other team is willing to give up. And then you need the agreement on the contract extension as well, because he's not going somewhere and then playing one year on a franchise tag and can leave. No one's given up, great compensation for him to do that.

So Bengals are an interesting team. You mentioned it this year. I like this chart, I think it was on PFF that has possible cap space and effective cap space. They're top 10 in both those categories. Like they, you know, I feel like when I first started doing free agency rankings, I'd be like, Bengals aren't signing anybody. That's not how they operate. That has absolutely changed, you know, the way they've done business in, you know,

the last, I don't know, three, four, five years, whatever it is. And so if they want to be aggressive, they can. They've got three picks in the top 100. You know, they've got 18 overall. they've got some resources where they can shape this roster, but they've got to make smart ones. And to your point, like I'm just priority number one,

build the biggest, baddest offense possible. Do not let the offense fail, figure everything else out. So how does Deegan factor into that? You just reach a deal with him or not. But I think your read is right. Yeah, he's the only one as of this recording who's gotten tagged. There has to be a reason why that is.

And, you know, yeah, now you take some calls. If teams are looking at what their options are, help and say, hey, this could be an option for you if you want to give us the right amount of draft cap. I think Duke Tobin just really wants to be like a popular guy this week, right? Tag him right before Indy and you're just chilling out of the bars. GM's coming up to you. Duke, what's going to be like that?

And drum up some interest for Duke Tobin. That's true. There you go. Shape the narrative yourself. So we'll see what happens then. Now, if he is on the tag, the players who are still on the tag, they do have until, what, July 15th or whatever, to sign a long-term extension with their own team. So that would apply to anybody who gets tagged here going forward.

All right. Safe one more break. Come back with our final takes and the extra point taken. All right. We're back on extra point taken. All right. I've been teasing my free. If I'm going to put in the work to do top 50 free,

because I'm going to use it for a podcast. So like so, I've got three players who are here from my top 50, who I liked quite a bit when I was watching the film. This is good because initially I asked you for, I was like, send me the top 50. I think I want to go through it and make sure I know.

There's a way don't tell me. Surprise me because that's the best way this podcast works. So I'm glad I did. All right. So the first one is not like, you know, this isn't really an under the radar name, but I just have not like solely focused on his film. And that's Jalen Johnson of the Chicago Bears. Were you a big Jalen Johnson guy coming out of college?

So I was not as big as other people's where when he came out. The Jaylon Johnson film this season. Ooh, Nelly. Oh, my goodness. I think I'm, I can't remember if I gave him second team All-Pro or not. I'm pretty sure I did. I was highly debating it. He was one of the five best corners in the league this year.

He was fantastic. He's 25 years old. Loved his awareness, his instincts and zone. 104 snaps of man coverage. So like he'll have four catches for 35 yards. And it was 104 snapped. Physical lays the wood. Like this is not a finesse corner.

Only concern is... I gave him first team all pro. I was like, I can't agree him second. I put him in Sertan first team. I think he earned it. I mean, now the only concern with Johnson is has missed four. games in four seasons. But if you're the Bears and you're looking at your roster, like I'm having a hard

tie again, this is sort of like my thing with Panthers and Brian Berth. You drafted this guy. Solek just gave him first team all for him. He's a premium position. He's 25 years old. Why is it getting to this point? I mean, again, the good teams, you lock up these players and you don't let it get to this point.

I'm curious what happens there. Now, they still have the franchise tag to play around with. Top of the corner market. We're talking probably around, you know, I think it's 19 million per year right now. That's probably going to go up for somebody like Jalen Johnson. So maybe 20 million per year. But man, if I'm okay with the durability, that's a guy I want to be a core part of my team for the next three or four years. So that was one guy that really popped out.

All right. Next guy. Jonathan Grenard. Oh, boy. This one's mine. This one of mine. I love this guy. Like this is like a plant my flag.

Oh, my guy. Like I can't believe what I'm watching. because sacks are not all created equal. You know, you can look at the numbers, but then you watch the reels, all right, let's look at all their pressures, let's look at all their heads, let's look at all their sacks. Who's unblocked and is just getting schemed up sacks and who is lining up across left tackles and just like bull rushing them or just has an array of pass rush moves where

he's winning one-on-one over and over and over again. And I loved Jonathan Grenard's film. So he's 27 years old. Like I said, Houston Texans coming off a 12 and a half sack, 22 quarterback hit season last year again. Once a player gets to free agency, there's always something. He's missed 19 games in the last four season. So that's obviously a concern.

But man, if I'm in the need for pass rush, I'm passing on some of the top of the market guys. And I think he's going to be pretty close up there. I'm not saying he's going to be cheap. But he would be a player. I would say, you know what? He absolutely could be like a double-digit sack guy for the next three seasons or more if he stays healthy.

So I love Jonathan Granard. It looks like you're on board with me with Jonathan Grenard. Sorry, sir. Do a little app Benjamin Solac, Granard on Twitter. I got the receipts. Okay. I love of John Bernard. High effort, high tackling, high run defense.

And then he has always been like a high TFL guy. And he's been like a good through the like, you know, rushing integrity and through the tackle and cleaning people up and whatever. And you can just, you've seen the pass rush get better and better and better overseas and season. And then one year with Jamico Ryan's. Oh, baby. That life ball comes on real. fast, doesn't it? If I were, like, if I were Houston, I would not want to let Grinard out. Because Granard and Anderson are a perfect pairing. They can, they both can play the run well.

And Anderson, I think, like, if I had to choose two of them running out, I'm probably running at Grenard. But they both can play the run well. And Anderson can win with that speed. He went with that first step outside. Grenard wins in and with length. It went through you and with power. They pair so nicely. I would not want to let Granard out of my building. Yeah. They, they, they, I mean, two edge of Gronard, Stingley, Will Anderson. Like, now you got some core pieces. Jalen Petre? Yeah, so.

Get you a real linebacker or two in there? So we'll see if Grenard hit. I think he's going to, I think he is going to hit the market, but we'll see. Maybe they will lock him up. And then the third guy, I feel like this might be one. Maybe you're not on board with. I don't know. I have no idea what you think of this play.

Xavier McKinney. I liked quite a bit. Saul Blair. All right, you say solid play. So the other guys, he was excited. So he was making Solek noises. McKinney, he says, solid play. 25 years old.

McKinney's good players, rock steady. Yeah, Giant Safety, 25 years old, has the range to play single high. I really liked him matched up against tight ends in man coverage. You could tell he's a smart player. I think he's an ascending player. And the thing I liked about McKinney, I wanted to get someone a little more under the radar because he's not going to get paid at the top of the market. Like some of these, I mean, Antoine Winfield might reset the safety market.

McKinney's going to be, I think, the next tier down. But at his age, what he's able to do, he's a player. If I were in need of safety help, that I would be looking to target. So there you go. Those are three players as I went through it that I really liked quite a bit. Will it work out? Oh, no. It's a lot of free agency stuff, fuss.

But those are three guys. I like quite a bit. One other thing that I would say to that effect is just a lot of time, like there's some positions where like when a big contract comes down at the top of the market, that position in free agency and that player switches teams, you're just always like, all right, like, I don't know if this is going to work. Like, if a wide receiver hits free agency, if a, like, offensive tackle hits free agency, even like an edge rush or sometimes,

the edge is a little bit different. But usually you're kind of like, I don't know, if that guy hits free agency, like it's probably, he's probably not that, that top tier guy. Recently at safety, you've seen Jesse Bates get a big deal. Bengals to Falcons worked excellently. You saw quandary digs, right, went to Detroit to Seattle. Fantastic. Baltimore, Marcus Williams from the Saints.

He's been injured. When he has played, he has been excellent for them, right? Like Justin Reed. Justin Reed. You can go and you, you go and pay McKinney decent money. You can feel like, right,

safety is a position where we can pro scout and translate a guy. That works for us. So I like, like you brought up Antoine Winfield who's probably going to stay in Tampa. I would like, I would love to go get a McKinney in free agency and feel like I can plug and chug this guy. And that's not always true at other positions in free agency.

Yeah, no, it's a good point. And you'll also hear and this will be part of my extra point taken. But NFL people don't like scouting safety. They have a very hard time. They admit it that it is very hard to scout a lot of these college safeties.

And so I think you're right. That's one if you have a need. Obviously, it's not like you don't draft safeties, but if you have a hard time, it's easier maybe in the NFL once you've seen a little bit more of what they're able to do. All right. What are you got?

What's your third take? Okay. The Bears are not trading the first overall pick. Okay? And this is something like, here's why the Bears are not training the first overall pick. Because last year at the Commonwealth, line, Ryan Poles was all like, oh, what am I going to do?

It's so interesting. I remember, shout out to Peter King who retired today. We can talk about that. I remember you got so worked up at that column where Ryan Poles was kind of bragging to Peter King about like what he was looking for, right? We did that on the show. I remember that. What's going to happen?

And Peter again today, who shout out Peter retiring. Peter's the man. He wrote in his retirement column. I think that, you know, the bears are going to trade the first overall pick. And I don't think, like, Peter got God. He made it very clear, like, I'm not sourcing. It's just like my viable where the winds are blowing. But in general, Ryan Poles, I think the thing that he's done best that's the press me the most in Chicago is he has not just played the game of whispers and he's saying, what I do what I do.

He has acknowledged it. Because if you, like, play it and you're like, oh, I don't, you know, like, I'm being straight with you. Like, everybody knows you're not being straight with us. He's been like, hey, like, I am playing the game, right? Like I'm trying to make people believe that I'm doing, I could do a bunch of different things. Like he's very like clear about that. But in the 2023 come by when he was playing the game, it was very obvious that the best move for the team was to keep Justin Fields and trade to the first overall pick. That was very clear.

Like from a team building perspective, the consensus opinion was that makes the most sense. Right now they have the first overall pick. They got it from the Panthers. They finished the season great last season, right? You know, good, good run. Like defense stepped forward. The DJ Moore trade worked well. Justin Fields, you know, injured.

He had a nice stretch to end the season, but like you've had him for three years now. You're starting to get to the end of the rookie deal. He hasn't taken big leaps and bounds. You changed your office as a coaching staff. It is clear what makes the most sense for the bears. And I think that Ryan Poles, who is a smart cookie and knew what made the most sense to the bears in 23, keepfields trade one overall, knows that what makes the most sense for the bears of 24 is trade fields, keep first overall, and presumably draft Caleb

Williams, maybe draft somebody else, we'll get there. But between Caleb and Drake May and whoever else you want, if, Jaden Daniels, J. Jim McCarthy, whatever. But even just with Caleb and May, if you can't find a quarterback you like between those two, you're watching different players and I am. I love on both. And so to me, like, that it is keep it simple stupid. It is Occam's Razor.

It is the most logical explanation, the simplest explanation is the best explanation. Brian Poles are going to spend this week doing his darndest to make people believe that he might trade the first overall pick. Because last year, he did his darndest to make people believe the opposite of what he was going to do. And he generated whatever price he was able to. It was a trade where that DJ Moore trade at the time. like, this seems like a square deal for both sides.

And then coming off of it, clearly a great deal for the Bears. He's going to try to do that again. And so you're going to hear it. People are going to have it. You know, Peter King kind of doesn't have it, but I thought the winds were blown that way. People are going to report it. You know, they're doing this. Oh, if they were to trade the first overall pick, this is how much the Falcons was said.

No. They're keeping the first overall pick and the draft into quarterback. It is February 26th, which means misinformation season starts in two days. But it started early this year. It's already happening. They're keeping first overall in the king of a quarterback. That's what's happening. I don't believe anything else. Yeah, I think this show, I think we put it, I think we were there like mid-November.

Like very early, I remember like, Justin Field is not going to be this team's quarterback next year. And it wasn't because he was, you know, like playing poorly. Like he had some very fun stretches this year. I'm sure we'll talk about in a future show. We'll have to go on the record with where we think he's going to get traded. But yeah, I mean, you get to this point. Like they got to this point for a reason. That trade worked out beautifully for them.

And now they draft whatever quarterback they think is the best. overall. Like, I'm ready to put the rest of it to bed. I'm like, what are we willing to do if they actually trade the number one overall pick? If they trade the first overall pick, I will trade my future first overall picks. As many of them as you are, all the first overall picks I've got. I immediately go to you wearing jeans, but I don't know. We can't do that for like every, you know, all you draped in denim. And I would have to watch, what are you tweeting about Pokemon or stuff? Like, maybe I would have to sit down and watch that. I'm not, that feels like a punishment for me. I'm not even trying to explain that.

I would wager on that November podcast we talked about Fields is not going to be the quarterback for this team next year. I wouldn't even be surprised if I said at that point, we're going to get to the combine and the beer's going to be trying to convince people. Thank you for the wrong.

Because this is when you do it. This is how you do it. This is how you play the games. How you play the chess game. And so I don't buy it. If they move off of one, I would wager that they're moving to two or three. I agree with that.

They could do that. Yeah. They could do that. And that kind of counts, but not really. Field is not the guy. They're drafting a dude. That's what I believe. They are not drafting.

They are not moving back to keep field at their quarterback. Yes. If they want to get the commander's picks and go to two, that's fine. That's good business. If they know what they're doing there. Yeah, but beyond that. I don't think one's open for business. I don't think two is open for business.

I think three, we'll see. That's where it could get. I think two's open for business. But neither is going to be open for business. like trade business. I'm saying the only world and was one and two are open for business. It's with each other. Okay, with each other.

Yeah, there we go. I get confused easily. A lot of open for business there. That was conflated. All right. My extra point taken. I do I need to smack down the NFL establishment a little bit here. Solek as we approach the combine as we approach draft season.

So this week, you know, Solex is going to be hanging out, talking to people, making the rounds. and there's going to be NFL people complaining to him saying, Ben, listen, these quarterbacks of college, I mean, these guys don't take a snap under center. Then another guy's going to come in and say, oh, my man, I'm glad you brought this up. How about the wide receivers? Those limited route trees. Oh, my God. No press coverage.

Listen, yeah, no, there's someone else. All the offensive line, man, I mean, when? This guy taking a true pass set. You can't find it on the field on RPAs? Oh, my God. And then, like you said, yeah, that's all the field. corners? I mean, the guy he doesn't press at all.

So these are the NFL people love nothing more than having these conversations. And every year it drives me freaking nuts. Is there truth to it? Yeah, obviously. There's truth to some of that. There's no doubt about it. We have the data. These aren't things you can argue and say, no, he did take snaps under center.

When he didn't take snaps under center. But every year, I get so annoyed by the NFL types. Here's the deal. It is not there. It's not the job of college coaches. and college programs to make your evaluations easier. I'm sorry, their jobs are to win at whatever level they're at, whether it's the top of college football or middle.

Their job is just to win games, coach the players. That's their job. It's not to get these guys ready for you because most of those players are not going to even get a sniff of like a 90-man roster, let alone be a real contributing player in the NFL. So I am sorry to the NFL types who make these complaints you're actually going to have to teach and develop these players when they get to the NFL. I am so sorry that they don't come to you as finished products.

You're actually going to have to do the jobs that you get paid for. I know it's a serious inconvenience. I'm sorry, but please quit your complaining and stop acting like you've been done a grave disservice. So this bothers me every single year, the NFL types, they actually invented football. They think anyone who coached below them is a buffoon. They think it's a meritocracy and they got to their positions because they're the best of the best when we see every year. No, you're not the best of the best. There's all sorts of stuff at play.

Politics, nepotism, who you were buddies with, 30 years. All these things come into play with where you're coaching. So this is a shout out to the college and high school coach. It's not all of you. Some of you are probably rats and dirtbags. So not you guys, but the ones doing it the right way who are coaching their players, trying to win games. and are not worried about the NFL stuff. And by the way, so here's the other thing that hurts me

now that I'm going here. Then the NFL will then steal stuff from the low, and it goes up from high school to college, the RPO's, the quarter, all this stuff. And then they'll steal that, but then they'll treat these other people like their morons who can't teach players anything. So that's not what's happening here.

So let's take that out of our draft analysis and NFL people. I'm smacking you down a little bit as we approach draft season. All right. What do you think? as somebody who is like a very like a very involved in this world. Not making those claims, but you know what I'm saying. I definitely think you're right.

I certainly do. One thing that is that I will say like, because Kurt Warner had a tweet about this, right? Where Kurt Warner said, oh, like, I don't know how to evaluate these NFL quarterbacks. Like it's, these college quarterbacks, the NFL, it's so tough. And, and like, what translates, whatever. Like that note is generally like a sound note that I think like the NFL

draft consuming public, especially like the public that consumes the NFL. we consume college has to remember. Because like, any time you give any opinion on any player ever, there will just be people that are like, yeah, but like, JJ McCarthy won all of his games

and Jay and Daniels won the Heisman. So why aren't they the top picks? And it's just, it's always worth a reminder. The stuff that works in college translates a lot less reliably to the NFL than we wanted to. It'd be great if it did, it doesn't.

They're playing dramatically different sports because the roster sizes, because of the field and the hash is and because of the rules. Like, the level of competition, the sports are very different. It'd be great if they were the same. They're not. This is a corollary to my, I would never hire a college coach to be an NFL head coach.

Jim Harbaugh, notwithstanding, he's my exception to proves the rule. But like, after the mat rule thing, I was like, I'm done with it. Like, the idea that like guys can jump levels to me, like, that's just, I, I know you don't like the take, whatever. That's my take and I rock with it. So that's the first thing I would say. The second thing I would say is that there is a wonderful lesson to be learned from this for us, you and I, Shield, which is that we have to complain more about how hard our job is. right NFL scouts constantly no jimmers oh it's so tough to evaluate these guys it's so challenging now it's translates you and i got to be doing more just trying to talking around the ring or water

quotes be like man this podcasting is tough it's so hard to be talking to mics and send audio on this is really challenging you got to get some expectations down got to lower some bars that's good that's good ctc mentality right there it's so absurd and it happens you know during a week in which like they're only there you know they want to get away from their families and like crush you know like 12 beers a night, 04 a week, and then complain that college programs aren't doing enough for them to make their jobs easier. Sorry, not all of you.

Not only you. NFL people listening. And you're saying, hey, I don't do that. If you're listening, we love you. If you're not listening, you're part of the problem. That's absolutely right. All right, there is my extra point taken. All right.

Thank you to Benzola. Benz. And what are we got? I mean, you're probably doing, what, 45 pieces of content from the combine? Get a little plug out for what's going on this week. Yeah, no. We'll have draft shows coming from the combine. So if you're really moving in NFL draft mode,

Ringer NFL draft show, me, Danny Hyatt, Danny Hyatt, it's a great time. It's a hoot and a holler. I'll have a combine notebook coming at the end of the week. We'll have some stuff on social videos coming out and whatnot. And yeah, if there's any breaking news at the combine, like last year we had, you know, Jalen Carter, who has had to go to Georgia for his misdemeanor.

We have, you know, two years ago, at the Russell Wilson trade, like whatever breaking news there is, you'll see that written up as well at Merger. And of course, there will be all types of rumors and reports and all that, stuff. So Solek and I will be back on Friday to break that down. I think we'll have Nora and Stephen midweek with the show. So the feed is back three times a week. Extra point taken will be twice on the feed for the offseason. All right. Zolak, have fun in Indianapolis. Choose the right queen bed there behind you. And everybody else, have a good week and we'll talk to you

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