JADEVEON CLOWNEY is coming home!

Summary

---

Payne & Pendergast Podcast Summary

Episode: JADEVEON CLOWNEY is coming home!
Date: August 3, 2026
Hosts: Seth Payne & Sean Pendergast
Focus: Analysis and reaction to the Houston Texans re-signing Jadeveon Clowney, plus Texans training camp insights

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast dive into the Texans' headline-making moves at training camp, especially the emotional (and strategic) homecoming of Jadeveon Clowney. The hosts break down Clowney’s value on and off the field, what the signing signals about the Texans’ ambitions, and how the current roster shapes up in the trenches. They also discuss broader training camp impressions and touch on expectations for the offense and defense, peppered with signature banter and sharp football analysis.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jadeveon Clowney Returns to Houston

• Announcement & Context

  • The Texans signed two defensive linemen: Mario Edwards and Jadeveon Clowney (02:26).
  • This has become a trend: “They go out into the world, they sow their oats, and then they come back into the fold.” (Seth, 02:42).

• Clowney’s NFL Odyssey

  • “He's been on quite the journey… over the last 10 years. This is now his fifth team in the last five years.” (Sean & Seth, 03:16-03:17, 03:20)
  • Despite bouncing around, Clowney’s productivity remains high; last year, he led the Cowboys in sacks (04:45).

• Assessment of Clowney’s Skills & Fit

  • Seth watched Clowney’s 2025 film: “He’s still strong as hell, and he’s still a freakishly large human being who at times makes plays that other people can’t...This is the rich getting richer.” (Seth, 03:31-04:33)
  • Clowney’s unique ability to defend both run and pass is highlighted: “He’s still very, very good against the run.” (Seth, 03:40)

• Contract Details & Comparison

  • Signed a one-year, $5.5M deal (up to $8M with incentives).
  • “It is a very, very good deal for the Texans…” (Sean, 04:55)
  • Clowney’s addition upgrades the depth and quality, outshining last year’s third-rotation end Derek Barnett. (Sean, 05:57)

---

2. Clowney’s Reputation, Maturity, and Narrative

• Maturing Veteran

  • Clowney’s own words: “I've grown up and learned the game a lot more since leaving. I feel I can help the younger guys. I've learned how to lead. It was a really easy decision. It wasn't about the money.” (Sean quotes Clowney, 06:53)
  • Hosts note the contrast between Clowney’s personality and that of players like C.J. Gardner-Johnson: “Clowney is a lovable goofball...couldn’t be more night and day.” (Seth, 07:20)

• Rebuttal of Old Labels

  • Addressing the “does he play hard?” myth:
    • “That label…kind of colors some of the commentary about him.” (Seth, 12:52)
    • “He plays his butt off on Sundays…He chased Xavier Worthy 20 yards downfield and tackled him...He plays with a lot of swarm.” (Seth, 10:33-10:55)
  • Clowney was misrepresented: “...When Michelle Tafoya reported that…he stormed out of the building…it turns out, no, he was going out to the parking lot to give his mom some tickets.” (Seth, 13:04)

• Value for the Texans

  • Sean speculates: “If we're being honest, some of that may be the reason why you're able to get him for one year, five and a half million bucks.” (Sean, 13:20)
  • Seth: “I've never been happier about a mislabel than this one.” (Seth, 13:27)

---

3. Texans’ Defensive Fortunes in 2026

• Stacked Depth Chart

  • “It’s a stacked defense, man. The things they did…it was already [great].” (Seth, 14:32)
  • Noted upgrades: Reed Blankenship, Caden McDonald, and now Jadeveon Clowney (14:49).

• Possible Defensive Alignment

  • “It’s third down…you now have to protect your QB on third and long against Will Anderson Jr., Daniel Hunter and Jadeveon Clowney...” (Sean quoting Max Loeb tweet, 13:38)
  • Added possible inside pass-rush packages using Clowney or Anderson (14:16).

• Continuity and Health

  • “Texans were very fortunate last year with their injury luck…if one of those guys has to miss a game or two and you’re sliding in Clowney…that’s about as good as it gets...” (Sean, 08:36-09:22)
  • Emphasis on Clowney’s exceptional run defense and scheme fit (Seth, 09:22-10:33).

---

4. Expectations and Pressure on the Offense

• Offense Must Rise to Elite Defense’s Level

  • “This puts even more pressure on the offense now…This is one of those signings that Super Bowl contenders make.” (Sean, 15:52)
  • Even “just above average” QB play from CJ Stroud could make the Texans formidable (Seth, 14:51)

• Training Camp Observations

  • Offense described as “functional,” clean with pre-snap executions, though not dominant: “It’s a functional offense right now. They’re doing all of the little things right.” (Seth, 16:35)
  • Defense is notably more complex than last year, introducing more wrinkles to challenge the offense (Seth, 17:06)
  • “CJ’s been in like a solid B plus so far in training...” (Sean, 18:28)

• Receiver/DB Battle

  • “The battle between Nico Collins and Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter—like, it’s fun to watch... It’s a 50/50 ball type of situation.” (Seth, 18:52)

• CJ Stroud’s Mindset

  • “I think he’s going to be so dialed in on trying to play clean football...” (Seth, 19:38)
  • Hosts recognize how public critique may impact Stroud’s approach in camp (19:55)

---

5. Pads Come On: Evaluating Real Football

• Significance of First Padded Practice

  • “Football is played in pads, so that’s where the evaluation process kicks up. When you put the pads on…you know who won a rep and who didn’t.” (Sean, 01:45)
  • Caution against “shorts all-stars”: “Some guys can kind of be pretenders and frauds…when there’s no pads.” (Seth, 20:15)

• Banter on Physical Traits and Actual Football Skill

  • The “beach muscles” vs. football readiness conversation:
    • “The best reminder of being too impressed by the beach muscles: Darrelle Revis…Deion Sanders…physique contest—they wouldn’t win, but they’re two of the best ever.” (Seth & Sean, 21:43-22:00)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Clowney’s Defensive Impact:

  “He’s still a freakishly large human being who at times makes plays that other people can’t.” (Seth, 03:31)

• On Clowney’s Maturity & Motivation:

  “I've grown up and learned the game a lot more since leaving. I feel I can help the younger guys. I've learned how to lead. It was a really easy decision. It wasn't about the money.” (Jadeveon Clowney quoted by Sean, 06:53)

• On Defensive Depth:

  “It’s a stacked defense, man…You put the Seahawks and the Texans up there at the very top of the NFL. The Seahawks lose a few guys this offseason. The Texans gain Reed Blankenship, Caden McDonald, and now Jadeveon Clowney.” (Seth, 14:32)

• On Mislabeling Clowney:

  “I've never been happier about a mislabel than this one.” (Seth, 13:27)

• On Offense’s Position:

  “The offense…doesn’t need to be great, but it needs to be good.” (Sean, 15:52)

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• Texans sign Jadeveon Clowney, Contract details: 02:26 – 05:45
• Clowney's NFL Journey: 03:00 – 03:20
• Clowney’s current skillset and fit: 03:31 – 04:45
• Discussion of Clowney’s reputation/labels: 06:53 – 13:27
• Defensive alignment and depth: 13:33 – 15:39
• Offensive expectations and training camp performance: 15:52 – 18:52
• First padded practice & evaluation talk: 01:45, 20:11 – 22:00

---

Tone & Banter

Seth and Sean mix sharp football insight with relatable, playful banter. They’re self-deprecating about “hot take artist” tendencies and mock old narratives about Clowney and the supposed “beach muscle” champions of NFL lore. Their dynamic is friendly and informative, blending fan-level excitement with professional analysis.

---

Summary Takeaways

• The Jadeveon Clowney signing is both an emotional reunion and a calculated roster upgrade.
• Clowney, once maligned for supposed immaturity or lack of effort, returns as a well-traveled, highly productive, and more mature veteran eager to contribute to a Super Bowl run.
• The Texans defense may be the best in the NFL on paper; the offense now faces heightened expectations to match.
• Fans can expect to see a tough, physical, and deep unit on both sides of the ball as training camp progresses—now, with the pads finally on, the real evaluation begins.

---

For Houston fans and football junkies, this episode marks a turning point: hope, expectations, and a real sense that the Texans are gearing up for a legitimate shot at greatness—with Clowney, as always, right in the thick of it.

Transcript

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

Squarespace is not only the best place

[Seth Payne]

to build your website, but to discover new domains too.

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

Something like topfootballcamp.com for your top football camp. Whisperingbloom.com for your silent retreat or whisperingboom.com for your shouting retreat. Maybe velvetcords.com for your music studio or existentialglitter.com for your artist studio.

[Seth Payne]

With a website from Squarespace you can

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

build your brand and your business [e-mail] get your domain before they're gone with offer code make it real for 10% off your domain or website. This episode sponsored by We Feed Raw. Your dog deserves better than ultra processed food every single day. That's why there's We Feed Raw. The highest quality meat, nutrient rich organs, complete and balanced meals formulated by animal nutrition experts. No fillers, no artificial preservatives, just real food. Dogs are biologically built to eat. And when dogs eat better, people usually notice it. Better digestion, healthier skin in coats, more energy, more excitement at mealtime. Meals are delivered right to the door and portioned for each dog's needs. Real food made simple. Visit wefeedraw.com to get started and see today's best offer.

[Sean Pendergast]

I'm Dana Carvey. I'm David Spade. Fly on the Wall's back for another

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

season now on audio and video every Monday and Thursday.

[Sean Pendergast]

So many incredible guests will be joining us.

[Seth Payne]

Follow and listen to Fly on the

[Sean Pendergast]

Wal where you get your podcast.

[Seth Payne]

Too good Be True.

[Sean Pendergast]

Sports Radio 610 presents Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast.

[Seth Payne]

We coming to eighth time. Let's get the work in man. Let go.

[Sean Pendergast]

Great day, Great day.

[Seth Payne]

Oh, give me some juice, baby. Oh yeah, let's do it.

[Sean Pendergast]

Happy. When real football starts, it's a lot of lot of all stars in shorts and that happens a lot. So I know I don't let anybody in shorts fly fool me, right? Football is played in pads, so that's where the evaluation process kicks up. When you put the pads on, you see, you talk about blocking and run game, which plays are successful. You don't have to have any guesswork. When you put the pads on, you know who won a rep and who didn't win a rep. And the pads go on today, baby. The pads go on out here at the Methodist Training Center. Welcome in everybody on a Monday morning. Good to be with you. Sean Pendergast and Seth Payne, Day five of Texans training camp. And that's just the beginning of what's going on today.

[Seth Payne]

There's. Yeah, there's a lot going on for those of you missed it, you're just enjoying winning the Silver Boot and whatnot. The. The Texans signed two defensive linemen, Mario Edwards and Devon Clowney.

[Sean Pendergast]

Two reunions.

[Seth Payne]

Devon Clowney back in the fold. This has become. You know what? It's becoming a thing because they've done this with Sheldon Rankins, the defensive linemen. They go out into the world, they sow their oats, and then they come back into the fold.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah.

[Seth Payne]

There's no place like playing on this Demico Ryan's defense.

[Sean Pendergast]

He's been. Clowney's been on quite the journey. Clown.

[Seth Payne]

He's been on the odyssey.

[Sean Pendergast]

Easy. Yeah.

[Seth Payne]

He had to. He had. He had to put wax in his ears and to come down I45 from Dallas.

[Sean Pendergast]

Sheldon barely got to the county line. Clown. He's been. He's been circumnavigating the globe.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

Over the last 10 years.

[Seth Payne]

Well, he's down on four. This is now his fifth team in the last five years.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah.

[Seth Payne]

And he's still. He's still a very, very good football player. And, you know, last year led the Cowboys in sacks. I mean, they were a pathetic defense, but he did.

[Sean Pendergast]

He.

[Seth Payne]

I went back and I watched four of his complete games. I put together a highlight reel from his whole season yesterday, and I actually did that yesterday morning because you and I had an inkling that this might happen. Yeah. So I was excited about it. And honestly. Honestly, look, I knew he'd still been playing well, and I'd watched him here and there, but really, just in going back and watching complete games and going back and watching all his sacks and pressures and tackles, he's still. Here's the thing about two things. Size and height and length. Those things don't change like he or, well, I should say strength. He's still strong as hell, and he's still a freakishly large human being who at times makes plays that other people can't, either because he's getting to it pretty quickly or because he's just so long. He takes one step and he makes a tackle for a loss. You know, coming down from a wide alignment, defensive end down to the. To the opposite side guard. He's making these tackles for a loss. He's fun to watch and look as a guy. For him to be your third guy, rotating in with Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson and maybe being in there on first and second down to stuff the run, because he's still very, very good against the run. This is. This is the rich getting richer. Remember how people said that about the Texans signing Kaden McDonald's. Yeah. And that's a draft pick.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah.

[Seth Payne]

You know, people, people around the league saw that the Texans got Kaden McDonald. They were like, oh, great, great guy. That could have been a first rounder. The Texans get him. Of course, this is Javion Clowney, who's a proven football player.

[Sean Pendergast]

Proven commodity. Yeah, proven commodity. Well, and I think. Okay, so there may be people waking up not knowing the details of this, as Seth pointed out. Mario Edwards Jr. Back Jedevion Clowney signs yesterday. Here's the details of the deal. It is a very, very good deal for the Texans. It's one year, five and a half million dollar base with a chance for him to earn up to $8 million. So presumably incentives in there for sacks and TFLs or whatever. He had eight and a half sacks last year for the Cowboys. He led the Cowboys in sacks last year. So at age 33, as Seth pointed out, he's still a very, very productive player. So he signs. They also signed Sione Taki. Taki, the linebacker who played five years in Cleveland, I think he was with New England most recently.

[Seth Payne]

Might be an indicator that Jake Hanson's.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Payne]

Ankle injury is worse than something minor.

[Sean Pendergast]

Is as bad as it looked when he had it the other day.

[Seth Payne]

Or at the very least, you know, even if it's not an awful, awful injury, if he's going to be out for three or four weeks and they've got a spot.

[Sean Pendergast]

The Clowney thing is really interesting to me because one this, you're right, this is like he's going to be in the Derek Barnett role. But the sheer fact of the matter is he's a better player than Derek Barnett is.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

Maybe even significantly so. And that's not to diminish Derek Barnett, but Barnett was the guy who was sort of the third man in that defensive line rotation. Played about 300 to 350 snaps last year. And Clowney said yesterday, like some of the quotes that are interesting from the article in the Chronicle and I think are worth noting here for Texan fans who may have a certain impression of Clowney in their minds. You know, maybe, maybe the fact that Bill o' Brien didn't want him here anymore and traded him for a third round pick still sticks with Texan fans. Maybe there's Texan fans who were following Clowney in Cleveland a couple of years ago when he had issues with the way he was being used in Cleveland. Hey, you're letting Myles Garrett line up all over the formation. Why didn't you let Me line up all over the formation like you do with Miles Garrett.

[Seth Payne]

It felt like he'd earned that.

[Sean Pendergast]

He's a defensive player of the year. That's why.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

But some of the quotes I think were interesting, Seth, in the Chronicle article about this, quotes like this. I've grown up and learned the game a lot more since leaving. I feel I can help the younger guys. I've learned how to lead. It was a really easy decision. It wasn't about the money. These are quotes that are very indicative of somebody who's much more mature than the Clowney that we knew when he left here. Not that he was a cancer.

[Seth Payne]

Right.

[Sean Pendergast]

Or that he was a bad guy or anything like that. He was just kind of a. Like an immature goofball.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah, he's a lovable goofball. If you would. If you didn't attach it to some of the performances of the Texans, you'd say in the contrast between him and Bill o' Brien, in hindsight is hilarious. At the time, it was kind of stressful. Yes. No, I think that's the. I think that's the thing that you got to be careful about is sometimes people put any kind of like any kind of either football character, maturity or anything, they put it all into one bucket and act like CJ Gardner Johnson and Jadevian Clowney are the same guy. Couldn't be more night and day when it comes to the. Whatever issues Bill o' Brien had with Jademian Clowney. They weren't like the types of issues CJ Gardner Johnson has had where he's selling out teammates, where he's getting in arguments and battles and pointing fingers and all of that. Other than that one incident in Cleveland, which was also. That was. That was kind of a weirdly reported incident. And who knows exactly what happened there. I like, I think this is. I think this is a slam dunk. Awesome. Potentially. Honestly, and I'm saying this without trying to be a hot take artist or anything, this could end up being one of the smartest and best signings in the NFL this year for the amount of money you're paying and for the impact he could make on a defense that's already really, really, really good. But who's one. One of the few questions that you had about their depth was, all right, who are your backup defensive ends and what kind of an impact?

[Sean Pendergast]

You've been talking about that since the off season started with them. And I think, too, look, I think you got to point out the Texans were very fortunate last year with their injury luck on the Defensive side of the ball. Will Anderson Jr. And Daniel Hunter didn't miss a single game last year. And I know Daniel Hunter is a superhero, but he's in his early 30s now. That was the first season Will Anderson Jr. Had where he had missed any games. He'd had that ankle issue his first two years in the league. The fact of the matter is, it's football, and there's a chance that that type of luck doesn't happen again this year. Boy, if you can, if one of those guys has to miss a game or two and you're sliding Jadevian Clowney in there. Yeah, to play 60 snaps, that's about as good as it gets when you're talking about third defensive ends in a four, three defensive end rotation.

[Seth Payne]

And I think if, you know, because some of the guys who are out there, you might wonder about, like Von Mil probably wasn't the right scheme fit. You know, might be useful as a third down pass rusher. But unless Willard Danil gets injured, that's not necessarily what you're looking for. They need somebody that can rush the passer but also be really stout against the run, and that's where he is. Like Sean, the whole thing about, you know, Clowney getting older, the thing that doesn't hurt him like it might others, Clowney's always been kind of stiffer. You know, one of the reasons he doesn't have a boatload of sacks is he doesn't have great bend at the top of his pass rush.

[Sean Pendergast]

Kind of stiff.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah, yeah. But he's. But it doesn't matter because. So he plays with a higher pad level than most defensive ends. Yeah, that's what he's always done. And the biggest. One of his biggest strengths is he just. He's so ridiculously strong that he kind of just stands there. There's some plays on his highlights that look like he's Hodor, where he almost just. There's almost nobody that can, you know, knock him backwards or side. The other thing, though, the one big misconception about Clowney that goes back to the scouting process that still angers me to this day is that people love to have this story about Clowney, that he doesn't play hard all the time. And I can remember when you knew the Texans were going to draft him. I went back and I watched every snap of his final year in college. And I'm trying to find these moments where he's slacking and he doesn't. He plays his butt off on Sundays. He chases down. He chased Xavier Worthy 20 yards downfield and tackled him. He's like, he is. He plays with a lot of, he plays with a lot of swarm.

[Sean Pendergast]

Is he swarmy? That's what I was going to say.

[Seth Payne]

He's incredibly swarm.

[Sean Pendergast]

That's the question.

[Seth Payne]

The question was always when he was here with Bill o' Brien and like he said himself, you know, he's more mature now. I think it was about, okay, how did he operate in practice, in rehab, all those things during the week that, you know, Bill o' Brien wanted more out of him. But as far as, like how he's played on the field, he's always been a guy who plays his butt off. He's got a, he's got a really good motor. Yeah, it bothers me because it's the exact opposite.

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

You know, recommendations can be great. Maybe someone recommended this podcast and here you are. But home projects are different. If a podcast isn't your thing, you lose a few minutes. If you hire your cousin's neighbor to mount your tv, you might end up with a lopsided screen and wall damage. Maybe I know a guy just isn't

[Sean Pendergast]

enough for your home.

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

That's why thumbtack works. It matches you with top rated local pros with photos, reviews and credentials all in one place. For your next home project, try thumbtack. Hire the right pro today.

[Seth Payne]

How we made your mother is the

[Sean Pendergast]

How I met your mother Re Watch

[Seth Payne]

podcast with me, Josh Radner and series co creator Craig Thomas. Follow how we made your mother wherever

[Sean Pendergast]

you get your podcasts.

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

This episode sponsored by We Feed Raw. Now more than ever, people are thinking carefully about what goes into their own bodies. More are starting to ask the same question about their dog's bowl at We Feed Raw meals are made with the highest quality meat, nutrient rich organs and complete and balanced nutrition. Formulated by animal nutrition experts, minimally processed, the highest quality protein, no fillers. And when dogs eat better, pet parents notice it in things like more excitement at mealtime, better energy, softer coats, more healthy years together. Feeding real food used to feel complicated. We feed raw makes it simple. Visit wefeedraw.com to get started and see today's best offer opposite of the label

[Seth Payne]

that stuck with him. And I think that kind of, that label kind of colors some of the commentary about him. Like when Michelle Tafoya reported that in that game when he was made inactive, she reported that he stormed out of the building and it turns out no, he was going out to the parking lot to give his his mom some tickets.

[Sean Pendergast]

2015 Chiefs playoff but when somebody like

[Seth Payne]

Michelle Tafoya thinks, oh yeah, Clowney, he's the guy that, you know, has this or that about him. Like somehow gets interpreted as him storming out the building.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yep. And if we're being honest, Seth, some of that may be the reason why you're able to get him for one year, five and a half million bucks.

[Seth Payne]

I'll hail the label. I'll hail the label. I've never been happier about a mislabel than this one.

[Sean Pendergast]

Keep perpetuating the narrative.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

So you bring me back next year on the same deal. Ye so Jadevi on Clowney. I love this summary of it. This is by somebody named Max Loeb, who I didn't know who he was until yesterday, but I love the tweet. It's third down. You couldn't run the ball on first or second down against this Texans front seven. You now have to protect your QB on third and long against Will Anderson Jr. Daniel Hunter and Jadevion Clowney. And I think it's interesting because we've seen Will do it and we saw Clowney do it when he was here. Maybe there are some packages on third down where they line one of them up inside, line them up over a guard or a center and use their quickness to their advantage. But just to finish the tweet, you now have to protect your QB against Will Anderson, Daniel Hunter and Jadevion Clowney while your wide receivers and tight ends are trying to get open against Derek Stingley, Kamari Lasseter, Reed Blankenship, Kalyn Bullock and Jalen Petrie. I added to that and said yes, and it's ez. Al Shayer is lurking in the middle of the field if anybody dare go through the kill zone.

[Seth Payne]

It's a stacked defense, man. I mean, the things they did, it was already. So you put the Seahawks and the Texans up there at the very top of the NFL. The Seahawks lose a few guys this offseason. The Texans gain reed Blankenship, Caden McDonald and now Jedevion Clowney. I mean, it's really.

[Sean Pendergast]

Everybody else is back, right? Everybody else is back.

[Seth Payne]

Every starter is back except for the one position that didn't have a starter last year, your revolving door safety opposite Kalen Bullock. Now you've got an actual starter there. You've added a different body type to the defensive line with Kaden McDonald. Now you've brought Barrio wet, you brought Edwards back. And then you've also added Jadevion Clowney into the fold. Yeah, man, it really is like for anybody that said all offseason long, man, all they need is above average play by CJ Stroud or just in that Patriots game, obviously just average QB play winsy that game. But it really, it makes it that much more of a dynamic that man, the offense can be a functioning offense. If they can be a threatening offense, especially then it's a, it's a really, really hard team to beat.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yep. So, so then shifting gears, we're four practices in and I think I agree with you. That was my thought this morning. Seth, just in thinking through this Clowney thing driving down here, this puts even more pressure on the offense now.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

In my mind with the Texans, like okay, Clowney, this is a guy who's, you know, Clowney is coming here. This is one of those signings that, that super bowl contenders make. You know, Clowney said that he had other places for more money he could have gone to. I wholeheartedly believe him. He was a productive player in Dallas last year and he was their leading sack guy last year. Yeah, he was. He got the attention on a bad defense and still at eight and a half sacks last year at age 32. So, so I think this actually amps up the pressure on the offense even more this year. You're making additions like this on, on the defensive side of the ball. Says exactly what you're saying. The offense just and doesn't need to be great, but it needs to be good. And so four practices in. Just shifting gears for a second. What have you seen from the offense?

[Seth Payne]

Okay, so from the offense. I know a lot of people were depressed and concerned about the fact that the first couple of periods didn't go well for the offense on Saturday. And you know, I've been praising some of the progress, just how the offense is made from all the pre snap stuff from net, from being sharp with all of their pre snap motions and a lot of these tight end shifts they're using. CJ's been, you know, CJ's been completing passes and it hasn't been an aerial highlight show or anything, but they're going against the best defense in the league. It's just a, it's a, it's a functional offense right now. They're doing all of the little things. Right. But they haven't had pads on the first couple of periods on Saturday. I think the one thing that's, that's really important to remember is that the defense, this defense was kind of vanilla last year. Remember, they didn't disguise a whole bunch or have a bunch of wrinkles in it. There's going to be wrinkles this year. And I mean, there was one of CJ's nicer throws to Jared Wayne on Saturday. Will Anderson was out in coverage, you know, so just like, just for, for that alone. And I'll say, you know, I'll describe that play because it's out there on the Internet and fans took shots of it and everything. The, like, the defense is going to be a little bit more complex. It doesn't have to be crazy. It doesn't have to be like a Brian Flores type of defense or anything. But because they have all these veteran guys that are comfortable with the system, they can do a little bit more of that. I thought, honestly, the, the bad plays the offense had on Saturday, if I try to use that test where I walk out and I don't know anything about this team at all and I just watch it play, I would say, well, yeah, the defense had some nice plays in that period, but then the offense came back and they did some good things. And, you know, TJ had some clutch throws on hypothetical third downs. It was, it was a back and forth, more so than I think if you only watch the first period or the first couple periods of Saturday's practice.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah, I didn't think, you know, again, like you said, it's a practice. It's not in pads, you know, and whatnot. But I thought when CJ had time to throw on Saturday, I thought he looked pretty good. I think, you know, my grade for cj, if we can grade, you know, three outdoor practices in an indoor walkthrough type practice, none of them in pads. Like, CJ's been in like a solid B plus so far in training. Yeah, he's been good.

[Seth Payne]

He's been fine, you know, and the other thing, man, the battle between Nico Collins and Derek Stingley and Kamari Lester, like, it's, it's fun to watch. There have been a couple of deep balls to Nico where, man, Nico is fighting with Derek Singley and Kamari Lasseter. And I like, it's a, it's a 50, 50 ball type of situation. And that's where I'm trying to, I'm thinking from CJ's perspective, all right, you got to try to practice the way you would play. And if I'm looking at any receiver in a 50, 50 ball matchup with Derek Stingley, probably not going to throw the ball that way. But there's a part of me that's like, ah, come on, cj, just let it rip a little bit. But then I think about CJ again and Think about, like, oh, yeah, he spent the whole off season with the entire Western Hemisphere talking smack about how awful he is. Four picks. Yeah. So if C.J. were coming up on all pro season or something, you might see C.J. just out there, just be like, yeah, let's see what happens. I think he's going to be so dialed in on trying to play clean

[Sean Pendergast]

football that we're not 2,000 people with cell phones out here, too. This is going to wind up on the Internet and everybody's going to think I'm trash.

[Seth Payne]

Cj, what's the worst that could happen? Oh, that's right. It's going to get aggregated and it's going to send out and it's going to be. It's going to be all over. First take. Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

You excited for pads today, man?

[Seth Payne]

I am, I am. I really.

[Sean Pendergast]

Of the pads.

[Seth Payne]

I am, yeah. But it's also, as d' Ameco said, you know, some guys can kind of be pretenders and frauds. He didn't use the word frauds. But there's guys who are frauds when there's no pads.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah.

[Seth Payne]

And especially in.

[Sean Pendergast]

Say it, but I meant it.

[Seth Payne]

Well, I don't have to worry about it on this defensive line because these guys are all proven. But with some defensive linemen, especially when there's no pads on and they just violate the practice tempo and they're jumping the snap count because they know, you know, they know the quarterback and all that, that some of those guys really shine when there's no pads on. And then all of a sudden they disappear. I like when d' Amico said that he, you know, tries not to get fooled by guys when they're in no pads. The first year in 2002 of this franchise's existence, there was this linebacker who they gotten out of the Canadian League, and the guy was one of the most impressively built dudes you've ever seen. Incredible athlete. And he. He was the best linebacker I've ever seen in any OTAs ever. He was better than Ray. Ray Lewis was a bum compared to this K. And the coaches. The coaches remember the linebacker coach and these guys, they loved him. This was the guy. He was rocketing up the depth chart, and you get to the first week of training camp and you're kind of like, what is that? Is he still on the team? Is that what happened to that guy anyway?

[Sean Pendergast]

Yep, yep, yep.

[Seth Payne]

So d' Amigo wouldn't make that mistake of rocketing the guy up the depth chart.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yep, yep. In wrestling, what they say is when a guy walks to the ring and he just looks like a million bucks.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah.

[Sean Pendergast]

And they say, and then the bell rang.

[Seth Payne]

Yeah. Got those beach muscles.

[Sean Pendergast]

Yeah. Can't throw a punch. Can't do a move.

[Seth Payne]

That's why. Yeah. The beach muscles. The best. The best reminder of being too impressed by the beach muscles. When you think about guys like Darrell Rivas. Yeah. And Deion Sanders, like, those are two guys. You'd look at them if you had to judge. If you did a physique contest, you'd be like, well, clearly those. Those guys aren't very good defensive backs. Right.

[Sean Pendergast]

Right. No, they're two of the best ever. All right, Payne and Pendergast with you. Day 5 of training camp on a Monday. Big weekend this weekend. All right, coming up next, let's circle over to the Astros. They swept the Rangers this weekend, and now we've got a big 11 hours coming up here. What do the Astros do? What did they have lined up to do before it got nixed over the weekend? Reportedly. We'll. We'll lay out all the details from the. From the Silver Boot over the weekend.

[Squarespace/We Feed Raw Advertiser]

You've built a great podcast. That content, solid. The audience is growing, but the money still not where it should be. That's where the Odyssey Creator Lab comes in. We host your podcast for free, so you can keep doing. Doing your thing while our experienced sales team does their thing finding advertisers and bringing in revenue. No fees, no stress, just real monetization. Apply now at creators.odyssey.com and let us show you the money.