← The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL
The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL
How much better—or worse—is each AFC team after the first wave of free agency?
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Robert Mays
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Robert Mays
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- [02:26]
Robert Mays
Welcome to the Athletic Football Show. I'm Robert Mays. Taking a step back and doing really one of our first bigger picture looks at all of the moves that have happened in free Agency. Last year we did an exercise where as a lot of the dust had settled, we looked at every team in the league over the course of two shows, afc, nfc, and asked a pretty simple but important question. Now that the first wave of free agency is over, how much better are these teams really? And that can be a complicated question with a complicated answer for some of these teams, even the ones that have spent a lot of money. And so to help me sort through that Derek class and joined me to talk about every single team today in the afc, the ones that have spent big, the ones that haven't spent that much, and try to figure out how much better are these teams actually, now that we're about a week into free agency and about two weeks into the bigger moves of the off season. So we're talking about every AFC team today with me and Derek. Let's get to that conversation and that question right now. All right. We're about a week into NFL free agency with things kicking off last Monday. And as a lot of the dust has settled, we wanted to try to start zooming out a little bit and just have some initial responses and big picture thoughts about what some of these free agent halls have looked like. Obviously, the necessary caveat here is we're not done. There's still plenty of players available in free agency. There are plenty of holes still to fill. So you're going to have incomplete grades on what these classes look like for almost every single team. But we did this last year. It was a fun exercise and I wanted to run it back again over the next two days. Derek, we're going to look at every single team in the NFL. We're doing AFC today, we're doing NFC tomorrow, and a week into free agency. We want to ask, when you take into account the losses, the gains, just the overall net acquisition of players, how much better are these teams really after the initial flurry of signings, moves, trades that we have seen so far? So that's what we're going to try to answer today for all 16 teams in the AFC.
- [04:37]
Derek Klassy
It's a good exercise. Cause I think you, you kind of do this as free agency is happening, right? Like keeping the tally in your head. But there are some teams you just like kind of lose it by the end of it, or you're like, oh, I forgot they signed this guy, or, oh, I forgot they lost this guy. And then like, there are a couple of team here that like, I'll just spoil it a little bit. The Chiefs, to me, are going to be a weird team. To talk about because it's like, okay, they got some issues, but they have two first round picks now. So it's like how much of this is going to get sold? Like there are a couple teams that the more I looked at them, the more I had, I think a trickier time actually trying to like pull it apart than I thought I was going to.
- [05:08]
Robert Mays
And there will be layers to every answer. I think the Chiefs are a really good example where you're going to have okay, maybe they're not better today than they were at the start of free agency, but they weren't trying to be better today than they were at the start of free agency. And I think there are going to be several teams like that, you know, like the Bears when we get there tomorrow. I've been thinking about it. It's like they're not better today than they were a week ago. But you understand kind of how it happened that they arrived at this point and so there's some nuance to the answer to these questions, even if the answer is they're not better or they're not as they're not significantly better or meaningfully better. So let's just start running through these. Obviously getting into 16 teams and I want to spend a ton of time on each individual one or in the preamble here, the way that I had these stacked up and I don't know how your notes were, I just did it by spending. So truly we're the team that spent the most are at the top and we're just running all the way through it. So let's start with the Las Vegas Raiders. How much better are the Las Vegas Raiders on March 16 than they were when free agency opened on March 9?
- [06:09]
Derek Klassy
I'm doing these by I have mined up by division so if it takes me a minute to scroll down, don't worry about it.
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Robert Mays
We probably should have talked about that in advance, but.
- [06:17]
Derek Klassy
But okay, we're at my not I think they are one of the teams that is clearly better to me. Yes, obviously bringing in Linderbaum, Linderbaum plus the like Kubiak doesn't really count as free agency. But you, you put those two moves together and I think the offensive line in general should be significantly better. And then I think adding Jalen Naylor is like that room needed anybody. So that's a nice little win. And then on defense we'll see where all the Max Crosby stuff goes. But bringing Quiddy pay as like potentially a solid rotational guy or you know, your starter, one of your big starters If Max Crosby is not there and then probably one of the biggest jumps in linebacker quality of any team in the NFL and I don't think they lost a whole ton like this to me is a pretty clear win off season for the Raiders.
- [06:57]
Robert Mays
They didn't lose anybody. I mean, the only real guy they lost at this point was Kenny Pickett, especially if you're retaining Max Crosby. So you look at all the guys they added and I think it's a combination of two things as to why it's easy to look at what the Raiders did and feel pretty good about it. It's the net gain of talent which is undeniable and they spent a money in order to get it. But the guys they spent on every single player they signed is a second contract free agent. So these are all guys that you hope can kind of be either the middle class of your roster and players like Quay Walker, Nicobe Dean, Jaylen Naylor, or in the case of Tyler Linderbaum, this is one of those where you're trying to pay for a difference maker in free agency, the likes of which don't often hit the market. We can argue whether Tyler Linderbaum is one of those players. But the answer, the question you always try to ask when you're thinking about free agents and especially guys are going to get paid at the top of the market, why are they free agents? With Tyler Linderbaum, the answer is easy. It's that the team didn't have the control to keep him in house the same way that you might with a lot of other guys hitting the market. Just because the same levers aren't available to you. When you're talking about a center, the fifth year option wasn't exercised because he was a center. The franchise tag wasn't in play because he was a center. And so you can get a satisfying answer to the question who? Why is he a free agent? When it comes to Tyler Linderbaugh, I don't know if that means you should blow out the market by 50% in order to sign that guy. But we've talked about this a lot with the Raiders, even with Max Crosby coming back and even with the contracts they've handed out. They have $110 million in cap space in 2027 and I think an important consideration here all the time we have the money, so let's spend it. Is not a good answer for why teams spend too much in free agency, but I think opportunity cost and what you are cutting off the pathways you're cutting off when you Sign. These TYP contracts have to be part of the discussion. And with the Raiders, there aren't really any pathways. They're cutting off. And these are all young players you can build with.
- [08:54]
Derek Klassy
They're not cutting anything off. And like, in the case of Linderbaum specifically, like, you're trying to build the offense for the quarterback that you're about to put in there. Like, I'm. We've said that a million times, but that's something I will spend a premium on. In their particular case, they still have
- [09:07]
Robert Mays
a ton of work to do. You know, those three other offensive line spots are questions. Obviously, they drafted those two guys in the third round last year. The previous coaching staff had no interest in playing them for most of the season. Maybe this coaching staff does. They still need another receiving option, in my opinion. Like, I think Naylor is a solid 2, 3, and the hierarchy gets a little bit messed up because Bowers is a part of it. But most of the other guys, they have, whether it's Bash or some of the speed guys, I still think, like, one more true outside presence is necessary, like, in the overall construction of this thing. And then on defense, they have so far to go when it comes to the other contributing pieces, even up front, you know, you go sign Quitty Pay, you bring back Max Crosby, you still need like two or three more guys on the interior that are young players. I mean, there's a long. There's a big gap between where this roster is and where it needs to go. It's why they're picking first overall. And they were an abject disaster last year. But I think the question of how much better are they now compared to last week? It is better and it's better in a way that I actually appreciate. I think there are good and bad ways to spend in free agency, and I don't mind the way that they did it.
- [10:14]
Derek Klassy
I don't either. The Naylor point is a good one. Like, he's one of those where I don't think he stops you from, like, needing a receiver. They were just so. They needed guys so badly and, like, you don't know what you're going to get from a guy like Besh. And like, like, they just. They needed anybody and so them adding him, I liked. I did like it.
- [10:29]
Robert Mays
Their guys are so specific, right? Like, all the other receivers they have, the skill sets are so specific. And I think the selling point about Naylor is he's not specific at all. Like, he can kind of do a little bit of everything at a competent level. And for this group specifically, like wanting a guy that just like he can play the Z, he can play outside, he could play inside. Like I think that type of addition at the price where they got him, it's not cheap. But it's also 10 million for a receiver in the world that we currently live in. We're about to talk about Wando Robinson. Like it's a fine price to pay when you're in the position that the Raiders are in a hundred percent.
- [11:04]
Derek Klassy
Like it's again we the Tutu Atwell is the big one everyone talks about for a series. The Rams paid Tutu Atwell $10 million to like not if they're going to pay him $10 million to be a useful player. Pretty good value.
- [11:14]
Robert Mays
All right, let's talk about the other team in the AFC that spent big time over the last week. I'm curious where you're going to go with this one. Cause I think this is a more complicated discussion. How much better are the Tennessee Titans today than they were a week ago?
- [11:29]
Derek Klassy
Here's the thing with a team like the Titans and answering this question we have to divorce are they better versus would I have done any of this?
- [11:36]
Robert Mays
Yes.
- [11:37]
Derek Klassy
Because the the answer to are they better? Is objectively yes. Like they whatever I want to say about wand Robinson like he is an upgrade. The DL like the defensive line has a lot of shuffling around but if we assume that JFM is about as good as as Tavandra sweat and will fit into the new system, they've got a couple of other depth pieces now and then. The secondary is miles and miles better than it was last year. Like their, their top three snap getters at corner last year were Daryl Baker, Jalen Armour, Davis and Legerious Sneed.
- [12:07]
Robert Mays
I looked at the exact same thing before we started recording. I have the exact same list of players.
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Derek Klassy
It's literally guys who are like not going to start or like emergency players for other teams.
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Robert Mays
Darrell Baker signed for like 2 million bucks this week. I mean it's exactly the market tells you and the market told you what the league thinks of the starting corners that this Titans had last year.
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Derek Klassy
Alante Taylor is going to make more in a month than Daryl Baker makes all next season. Like that tells you how the Titans tried to address this room.
- [12:35]
Robert Mays
1.4 million with the Dolphins. So essentially a minimum contract for Daryl Baker going to Miami that last week and what is what he signed. I don't disagree with any and I think that we're having two like a lot of different conversations at the same time when it comes to the Titans in free agency. And I agree with everything that you just said. Of course they're better. Like they have more usable NFL players. John Franco Myers is a good player. The guys they signed are starting caliber pieces in the secondary. Where I land with this is they're definitely better. But when I look at the Raiders signings, even guys, the linebacker specifically, I'm curious what you think about this. I see those signings as having more upside and Runway than something like the Cordell flat signing does. Like when I look at the Titans and I look at their multi year financial outlook, they have an astronomical amount of cap space still in 2027 and these are all contracts they'll be able to get out of in 2028. So that opportunity cost question, you're not really running into any dead ends that you feel bad about. But at the same time, some of the deals that they signed, like I think we look at the Quay Walker contract in two years and be like, man, that was a good deal for the Raiders. Like he outplayed that contract based on his potential, his age, the curve, all of that stuff. Do you think we'll be able to say that about either the Alante's Taylor contract or the Torto Flock contracts? I have more by, I'm more skeptical about that. And so while the downside is not as high, I don't think the upside is very high with a lot of the contracts that they sign. And that's kind of what gives me pause about it.
- [14:12]
Derek Klassy
I think that's a good way to frame it. Like I'm not really that worried that those players are going to like bomb out and those contracts are not going to look good. Like I do think that they're starting quality players and given how bad their cornerback room was, I do think it like because of the position, it's a little bit of a different consideration.
- [14:27]
Robert Mays
Right.
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Derek Klassy
Like to me, corner and the secondary specifically, we've talked about this a lot is a weak link system. And so if we can just shore up every single spot, like that goes a long way. Whereas I do think linebacker, you're hunting a little bit more for pop, which like a guy like Quay Walker can give you, a guy like Nakobe Dean can give you. So I would say generally I do think the Nakobe Dean and the Quay Walker signings have a little bit more upside. I think to me, especially in the case of like Nicobi Dean, if he can just stay healthy, he's a very good player. And so there's a lot of upside there. But I think the Corner signings, I'm actually like relatively okay with what Tennessee did, given how bad it was beforehand.
- [15:04]
Robert Mays
Here's where I I don't think bottoming out is what I'm most worried about. I just think with both of these signings particular, I have questions about them as it relates to history of the position, the consistency of the position, and just usage overall.
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Schwab Advertiser
Right.
- [15:18]
Robert Mays
So Alante Sailor signs a $19.3 million AAV contract with $42 million guaranteed. That $42 million in practical guarantees is like top 12 at the position. It's just behind the contract signed by guys like Jaylen Johnson, Tyson Campbell, when he, when he signed that deal, who's now in Cleveland. Those are outside corners. So what is a lot is a lot. Taylor going to play outside for the Titans and if he's not going to play outside, if he's going to be your nickel corner, the money that you gave him is just like in a completely different spot than almost any other player in the league. The only real exception to that is somebody like Byron Murphy. You signed for 18 million a year last year and plays inside outside. And so maybe that is the reference point you're using and how you land on the Elante Taylor contract. But so the usage with him and how, just how you're paying different guys at different positions. A question about and with Flat, even if we're at a weak link system with the corners, corner is such an inconsistent position. The volatility from year to year is so extreme. And paying for a guy who had a spike in production for one single year and paying like real sticker price for him. In a guy like Cordo Flatt, there's a very real chance that he's the type of player that takes a step back next year and you're sitting there looking at it and it's like, that's not a $15 million corner. And so even if Floor is what you're seeking out there, I still feel like that Floor is maybe a little bit more of a false floor than we're pretending it is after handing out this amount of money.
- [16:48]
Derek Klassy
It probably is, especially with that position. But I think because I like the coaching staff, I'm just a little bit less worried about that and like that that doesn't always work that way. Like sometimes good teams sign to good coaching staffs and still have this sort of struggle. But I think I trust them enough that I'll be like, maybe they won't be 100% of what these guys sign for but I think they will continue to be quality players at other positions.
- [17:09]
Robert Mays
I think it's much easier to just say a firm yes like they're better and they're not a lot of qualifications to it. Like you talked about the guys who got the edge, the cornerback snaps for them last year. Jihad Ward led this team in edge snaps last year. And so now you're looking at the roster and you know John Franco Myers probably play inside for them but they traded for Jermaine Johnson. So like the defensive line on the defensive front just has so many more usable bodies in it. Even if you're going to lose to Andre Sweat Durant Johnson absolutely could have a bounce back season. They're going to be in a position to draft an edge player. And so the defensive front, to me that I have really no questions about how they spent their money even if it was a premium for John Flanken Myers, the two positions where it's like yeah you spent a lot of money but are you really that much better or even beyond are you really that much better? Are you really on the path you want to be on at those positions? Maybe that's the best way to frame this question as it relates to Tennessee because even though they're better, are you going to be in a spot in a year where you're happy with the quality of play you're getting Considering the investments and with the both the corners and with Wandell Robinson. I think I just still have questions about that.
- [18:16]
Derek Klassy
I see. I, I think with corner they'll be okay. The, the Wandell Robinson thing. I and this is maybe this is more of a me problem. This has probably been the signing and player that I've harped on the most in terms of like I just don't get it. But I. This is the one where like I, it would take a lot for me for him to get to a point where I feel like they're getting what they want out of that room which I think like they obviously needed a body but because they have a couple of young players that they wanted like now one of those guys is probably going to be boxed out from snaps which to your point is like is that really the timeline they want it to be on which at a certain point you have to just start getting usable players and like not let your young rookies go. Especially when you have a young quarterback you're trying to, to foster and like actually have usable players around him. But I don't know the offense. I have some my questions about because I think the other Part with the offense too. The offensive line scares me a little bit with what they're doing at center and right guard. Like they don't have anybody right now. Like it's, they signed guys who are obvious depth pieces and so maybe they can address that in the draft, but they're probably not going to do that at four. And so that, that leaves them like it's second round picks and it's maybe one of those late, late, you know, old guard signings like a Wyatt Teller or whoever it would be like. So they, they could still fix it. But as I'm looking at it right now, it spooks me a bit little.
- [19:31]
Robert Mays
I mean, you could just run it back with Zeitler if you wanted to. If you wanted to sign him in late August and he was still on the market, I feel like that's something that you could do. But I think theirs is a complicated answer considering the amount of talent that is now there compared to what it looked like last year. It's more complicated than just simply, yes, they're a lot better. This one's also a pretty intriguing conversation. The Indianapolis Colts how much better are the Indianapolis Colts now than they were at the end of last season? My answer is they're not.
- [20:03]
Derek Klassy
How could they be worse? Exactly. I think of the, I think of the 16 AFC teams we did here, I think them there are maybe one or two other teams that I think are in the running, but I think Indianapolis might be to me like the most clearly taking a step back in terms of roster quality compared to a lot of the other teams.
- [20:24]
Robert Mays
We, we're going to do this several different times here. That's not a criticism of what they've done so far. It's just kind of how everything has fallen. And I think the answer to this would be very different if Trey Hendrickson was a cult right now. Right. If they had managed to pull that off. And it did sound like they thought they were going to be able to make it happen before he signs in Baltimore. But now you don't really have you all the difference making moves that you've made were guys who were already on the team last year. Like that's where you've spent all your money. Other than that, all you've done is lose Michael Pittman's I year, Franklin Quitty Pay, Braden Smith and Nick Cross. And again, I don't, I don't think that any of those are indefensible. They were getting a little bit older, a linebacker. I think they wanted to get a little bit younger there, but they still need to address the position. Even if they didn't want to pay Zaire Franklin anymore. I get wanting to pay Alec Pierce instead of Michael Pittman just because the trajectory where they're going to be over the next couple years, just the overall arc that Alec Pierce is on, you still probably need another receiving option. Like, you're switching out Michael Pittman's role for like Ashton Doolin right now. Michael Pittman's still a good player. Braden Smith played well last year when he was healthy. I can understand not wanting to invest in him anymore because he's an aging player and he's had a checkered injury history and a lot of other things that have happened over the last couple years. But now you're still betting on Jalen Travis to be a guy who can step in for Braden Smith. And so all the moves, when you kind of remove the. When you have the context in mind, they all make sense. But at the same time, the quality of the roster is not in a better position now than it was two weeks ago.
- [21:59]
Derek Klassy
Exactly. Like, that's a good way to put it. You understand how they arrive to you. And like, it's funny too because, like, I think in a vacuum, them losing a player like Quiddy Pay and signing Arden Key to replace him as like a Band Aid, I think in a vacuum, that's like a great move. Yeah. It's just that, like, that's the only thing that they've been able to do. You know what I mean? Like, and so like almost everything else that's happened in terms of plus and minuses here is like, them losing a lot of key players, especially on we can have whatever considerations we want about the offense. And like, is Daniel Jones going to come back? They're losing Pittman. The defensive roster right now, especially up front. It is like in the running for one of the worst in the NFL. The way that it looks right now, like, it's pretty tough at linebacker, specifically. Safety scares me a little bit. Obviously, with not Nick Cross there and they don't have a first round pick.
- [22:47]
Robert Mays
I want to just play in fantasy land here for a second because I'm curious about your answer to this. Let's just hypothetically say Trey Hendrickson is on the Colts right now. What would your answer to this question be?
- [23:01]
Derek Klassy
Probably neutral. Because. Because there are a couple of teams where, like, I basically put them in neutral where it's like, I don't think you're better, I don't think you're worse. We'll see where the draft goes, I probably would have put the Colts in neutral because I do think that Hendrickson kind of makes up for losing Pittman and Smith. And then obviously there's a couple other considerations there. But if he's the pass rusher that you want, an edge pass rusher that you haven't had in a while and then maybe Lai Tu Latu takes a step for you. I don't know if I like actually love that vision, but you can, that's something you can sell me on. Whereas the roster where it is right now, it's hard to actually sell me on things.
- [23:33]
Robert Mays
I think I would be, I'd be quicker to the argument that they're better than they were for a couple different reasons. I just think that Hendrickson having another needle moving player along your front and your defense in particular is hugely important and it also makes a lot. It slots him into a different role. Like he no longer has to be the best pass rusher on your team. And I actually think that makes me feel better about the front and the defense overall. And I think the one thing to mention and obviously when you look at the rosters and the depth charts, there's no way to do this, but I think this is the argument I would make about Pittman. Even if you're losing a productive player from the equation, the fact that now all this really means is that you're going to getting more Josh down snaps in replacement of what Michael Pittman was for you. I think that is at least considering here when we talk about whether the Colts are better or worse. Michael Pittman is still a good player. But if Josh Downs is going to have a larger role within the offense because Michael Pittman is leaving, I think that there's a chance that you come out somewhere neutral with the receiving core. If that's going to be your answer.
- [24:34]
Derek Klassy
They could. But then I wonder what the offense looks like because I just don't imagine Downs doing a whole lot of what Pittman gives you just because the size difference to me is a lot different.
- [24:44]
Robert Mays
I just think in terms of like when you're in 12 personnel like Josh Downs gets those snaps now, right? Like he just didn't last year. He was somebody that was not on the field unless they had three receivers on the field and that's just not going to happen. And I don't know, the roles are obviously different, but I think a bigger role for Josh Downs when they're, when they're in those sorts of sets. I do think he is deserving of that. Like I think that he was underutilized as a player given their roster construction. Even if I understand how they arrive at that point because Michael Pittman is still a good player.
- [25:11]
Derek Klassy
This, this actually weirdly feels a lot like the conversations we've had about like Jaden Reed with the packers all the time, where it's like, he's such a good player, why can't he get on the field more? And then they're in 12 all the time and they don't want him out there.
- [25:21]
Robert Mays
See, I just think that Josh Downs can do more than Jaden Reed is like a real receiver. I, I think that's, that's, that's my argument is that like, I just think that Jaden Reed is a really nice, like complimentary piece. I just think that Josh Downs is a more well rounded player than Jaden Reed. Just from a route running perspective, he's still a vertical threat. I just think he can give you more. And that's why I feel okay about what this can look like in the wrong. In the long run with Pierce and him just having more amplified roles, I
- [25:51]
Derek Klassy
would be at least down to entertain it. Cause I do like Josh Downs as a player and it was weird seeing him like pushed out of the offense. I mean, not weird like you understand how it happened based on how they were trying to run the offense. But I would like to see him in a bigger role.
- [26:02]
Robert Mays
This one's going to be tough. The Los Angeles Chargers. How much better are the Los Angeles Chargers now than they were a week ago?
- [26:11]
Derek Klassy
There are two teams where I put. I don't know. The Chargers are one of them.
- [26:15]
Robert Mays
I don't know. I'm so glad you went this way. It's. It's actually kind of hard to say.
- [26:21]
Derek Klassy
It is like I, I like the biotish signing totally helps. Right? Like we all watched the playoff game. A center like that is going to go a long way for them. And I think some of the depth pieces they got on the offense are great. Like getting Alec Ingold at fullback, that's an upgrade. Charlie Kohler as your other tight end, that's a nice upgrade. Keaton Mitchell having like a little more pop than a guy like Omarion Hampton who's like bigger. He's going to be your bell cow back. I love all of that stuff. I also like, there's not a whole lot of huge differ makers here. And they lost pieces on the defensive line. So it's like, I don't know where I come out on the balance here.
- [26:55]
Robert Mays
I think because they still need another edge rusher I can say that today they're not as good as they were at the end of last season, but I still think the idea that Biatish can be a real stabilizing factor for you on the offensive line, like, I think that's hugely important based on where they were last year. But I think always a good player and always was good for them. And so the fact that even though you brought Mack back, you still really do need another third edge presence and they can get that in the draft, like, this is definitely like an incomplete. And I'm not sure I'd want to pay $25 million a year for Odafi Oway in the way that Washington did. So I again, I get how they arrived here. I think I'm closer to neutral than you'd think considering some of the losses that they had, because I of what I do think the Biot can give them along the offensive line. I think they're probably a tick worse overall. But that's. That honestly might not be the worst answer when you think about the pure salary they've lost with a couple of these guys. Like the fact that Zion Johnson made $16 million a year and Owen made $25 million a year and they haven't really done a lot of splashy things. And we're hemming and hawing about whether they're better. I think in terms of value and how they're approaching it, that's not the worst place to land.
- [28:11]
Derek Klassy
That's a good way to. That's like an optimistic way to frame it is like they didn't necessarily do a lot. They lost some guys who obviously got big ticket money and were not positive that they're worse. That's a good spot to be in. Like, there's a chance that I love their first round pick and I'm just like, okay, I can see how the Chargers would be a slightly better team. I obviously, I've said this a million times this off season and last off season. I would have wanted to like, pay that money to somebody else that I would have liked on the market. But the guys they lost, like, I wouldn't have paid Zion Johnson that money. I wouldn't have paid Odafe away that money. So it's not like the guys they lost, in my mind were the guys I would have went out and paid, paid, like that amount of money.
- [28:43]
Robert Mays
Let's, let's play this out. Two more steps. Let's say in the first round, the Chargers draft an edge that they can slot in to play with Tuli and Khalil Mack, and hopefully that guy steps in for Mack when he moves on after next year. And bringing Mack back, I think should be part of this discussion, right? Like the fact that they brought back back is. That's definitely part of this. And let's say they draft the guy in the second round and he ends up being their starting left guard this year. So you get both tackles back, you're pl. You're dropping in your second round pick at left guard. You bring in Bish, you have Cole Strange, right guard who comes along with McDaniel. You're talking about all the other kind of ancillary offensive pieces that they've added. And on defense, they didn't really lose anybody else. They bring in Dalvin Thompson kind of to be that bargain depth run stuffing piece that they seem to add every single year. If they add those two guys, those two positions, a guard and a pass rusher in the draft with those first two picks. How do you feel about the state of the Chargers roster at that moment?
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- [29:43]
Derek Klassy
I, I, they. I think I would still be in a spot where I feel like they still lack star power. Depending, I guess, depending on like, how
- [29:51]
Robert Mays
were you going to find that star power in free agency? Like, what was the star power they could have gotten along in the interior offensive line.
- [29:58]
Derek Klassy
Interior offensive line, I think is, is a little bit of, of a different discussion that I think probably would have been a harder thing to solve. And at least with offensive line, I don't think I would have needed star power given how bad the interior was. I would have taken like, fine, which I think they could have gotten and they, they did in B. But I do think like there were edge guys to be had. Like I, I said it, I would have tried to be the Jalen Phillips team. And I know that that's a lot of money, but they had a lot of money to mail.
- [30:20]
Robert Mays
That's a ton of money.
- [30:22]
Derek Klassy
It's a lot of money, but it's a good, it's a team that is ready to make that kind of push if they wanted to. And they clearly, like, that's just not how they operate.
- [30:31]
Robert Mays
That was never going to happen.
- [30:33]
Derek Klassy
I know it was never going to happen. I'm in their position with that money. That is the kind of player I
- [30:39]
Robert Mays
would have wanted wanted the, the offensive line question. That's the only thing where I'm like, could they have done a tiny bit more and just not had to solve that? And listen, there's a chance they still sign somebody in free agency as we get a little bit deeper into free agency. The Dalvin Tomlinson thing, him being cut and will not, not having to play into the compensatory pick formula like that's exactly what this team would do. But the, the offensive line thing is the, the last thing that's worth mentioning is I think that the transition schematically from what they were under a more Ravens esque kind of Greg Roman system to what they are with Mike McDaniel. It's such a shift that I think that certain body types get taken off the board for you. And I think a lot of the guys they could have signed up front David Edwards, real gap heavy scheme with Buffalo. Isaac Salama was a bigger player. Like, I think that a lot of the guys who you could have just slotted in as that left guard and justified paying the money are just not quite as good of scheme fits for what McDaniel wants to do is what they might have been able to do last year. And so that's like kind of the only other competition complicating factor for why didn't the Chargers spend money on any of these guys. It's the one last thing I would throw out as protect as a, as a potential ex explanation as to why they weren't more aggressive to fix this exact problem.
- [31:52]
Derek Klassy
I think that's possible. But I Wonder how much McDaniel actually cares about that now. Like they drafted Jonah Savannah last year and he was like £325.
- [31:59]
Robert Mays
That's a good point. Yeah, that's a good point.
- [32:00]
Derek Klassy
I think obviously like Jim Harbaugh, I think there's a chance he's probably like, listen, I know you might like the smaller guys, but we don't care. We need some of the bigger guys. They signed Beata. She was like bigger for a center. Like I, I, I, I am almost curious if like he just does not care about that consideration as much as he might have during the peak of what Miami was.
- [32:16]
Robert Mays
There's a chance he's softened on it for sure. That's absolutely worth mentioning. All right, we're gonna take take our first quick break here and then come back with our next AFC team.
- [32:24]
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- [35:16]
Robert Mays
The New England Patriots how much better are the New England Patriots now than they were a week ago?
- [35:23]
Derek Klassy
My exact line in my notes is they are a little bit better in ways that are boring. Like they, they kind of just doubled down on what they are. And like a lot of the things that they fixed were like obviously Romeo Dobbs is like the, the big signing that they made. But even that to me is probably like like you're just guiding like a younger kind of what you were trying to get out of Stefan Diggs. Obviously he'll give you a little bit more on the outside, but like that's what they were going for. But then the other stuff like Reggie Gilliam at fullback, it's not sexy. I think that's an upgrade for the way they want to run the offense. Julian Hill at tight end two kind of the same thing. Elijah Vera Tucker is more the like that could go either way just based on the injury history, but that would obviously solve a lot. He's a guy who can move people in the run game and so and then even on defense, Draymond Jones over Claven Chase on right like it's they they got like a little bit better in all of the ways that like this is exactly how they clearly want to build the team already.
- [36:14]
Robert Mays
I think a lot of it depends on Elijah Vera Tucker's health. I think it's impossible to say right now whether the Patriots are better based on the money that they spent and based on the best version of this roster. If you just look at it on paper, like if you can build in a combination of progress and a bounce back from Will Camp a Jerry Jerry Wilson moving to the position he probably always should have had him at. I get why he played guard last year. Trying to get your best five out there. But I think center was always where he'd end up. And now you bring in Elijah Vera Tucker, you have on one who still you have Morgan Moses. The offensive line overall can be a much better unit as currently constructed than it was last year. But that is contingent on a guy you're paying $14 million a year actually playing football games for you. We talked about it last week. Biggest risk reward signings of the entire free agency period so far.
- [37:05]
Derek Klassy
Far.
- [37:06]
Robert Mays
Elijah Vera Tucker is absolutely in the conversation and so I think that's where I sit with it. I agree with you with everything else that they did, where the skill sets they added, the prices they added them at, I understand why they did it. Not a lot of it is very sexy. Like swapping out Draymond Jones for Kalavon Chase on is the opposite of that, right? Like you're just eating your vegetables here as you're trying to build out the room. But the, the splashy thing they did, they didn't have last year because Dobbs is a splashy thing. But they did the digs thing last year. The splashy thing they did, they didn't have a year ago. It is hard to say how much, how impactful that is when you have a guy with Elijah Vera Tucker's injury
- [37:44]
Derek Klassy
history and he's like a good totem for the rest of what will swing, probably how good New England is next season because like again Elijah Vera Tucker, we have no idea how healthy he's going to be, how quality he's going to play. Jared Wilson moving full time to center, I think we both like the idea of that and agree that he should, that's where he should be. We don't know quite how good of a center he's going to be long term Will Campbell, we don't know how much better he's going to be in. Like he was fine as a rookie left tackle but you drafted him in the top five so you want him to be a star. And then Morgan Moses, God bless him that he's been able to do it this long. But he's getting older and there's a chance that like this is the year, like the, the volatility on what that offensive line could be is kind of all up and down the spectrum.
- [38:27]
Robert Mays
I'm putting you on the spot here, but I'm curious your answer to this. As you look at just the roster that New England has in general, what do you think is the Patriots biggest remaining need, roster wise,
- [38:38]
Derek Klassy
their biggest remaining need? I mean to me it's probably like, listen, Hunter Henry's a fine player but like they don't have a difference maker at tight end. I think that like he, they can get by with where he's at.
- [38:50]
Robert Mays
I don't dare you say that about Julian Hill.
- [38:54]
Derek Klassy
He'll be a difference maker for, you know, 12 snaps a game. Julian Hill, but I don't know, it would probably be that. And because again the offensive line, it's like, like all the spots are filled so it's not like I could say anything like I guess if they wanted to take a young player to try to replace Morgan Moses, like, maybe that would be it. They have like a lot of like at least C minus to C at like every spot. It's just a matter of like, how good do you feel about all of their difference makers?
- [39:21]
Robert Mays
I think the, the tight end point is well taken. I think I'd expand that and just make it a little bit more general and just say one more playmate, like playmaking pass catcher. Like, can you go get a guy with a little bit more pop, a receiver or a tight end? Like, if you look at that, that crew, they. They're potentially trotting out their receiver. It's all, it's passable. But I think that having a little bit more there, it's same way it was last year where it was like, can you get a little bit more from this? That's why, like them as an A.J. brown team, I would at least think about it. I would at least be thinking about it for them as an A.J. brown team. But if it's a tight end, I think that also is. I understand what you're saying there. And then the other thing I would say is, is just juice on the edge at pass rusher, right? I mean, they have the guys that, they have the combination of players. Again, you add a guy like with Jaymon Jones's skill set into the defense, he is going to be somebody who. You're happy he's a part of your rotation, but a little bit more oomph with one of their edge guys. I think that's a skill set worth chasing in this year's draft. By the way, they've got a shitload of picks. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. I mean, four of those are in the sixth round, but they've got an extra four from the Bears. So I mean, they're, they have a lot of draft picks heading into this draft to potentially just keep filling this thing out. So just worth keeping in mind as we kind of project forward for what the rest of the off season might look like for New England. The Baltimore Ravens. How much better are the Baltimore Ravens now than they were a week ago?
- [40:49]
Derek Klassy
This was the other team where I said, I'm really not sure that they are better. I'm not like, positive that they're a lot worse, but I'm just, I don't feel like they are better. That's kind of where I, like, landed.
- [41:02]
Robert Mays
My answer was, I think yes, it was. Are they better? I said, I think yes. I. I think I think they're better. I do and I, I. The Linder bomb thing, obviously when you lose a guy that another team is willing to pay $27 million, that is a loss. There's. There's no way around that Howard Linder bomb is a good player. That being said said they signed John Simpson in free agency so you get better hopefully at one of those guard spots. I still think that there's a way for them to address center and again this is right now compared to projecting forward after they finish out the rest of the roster. But when you think about alternative pathways to finding a guy, like if they just sign Lloyd CushionBerry to an $8 million a year deal a year removed from the Achilles, like could he come in and just give you acceptable play at center if that happens, I think I'd say definitively that they're better because what Hendrickson gives you and you lose a low he Gilman. But they signed Jalen Hawkins to kind of play that role. Like I do think that if they figure out a passable starter at center and they can just solve that in some way, I don't think I would even hesitate. The fact that you still have two interior offensive wine spots that are sort of up in the air, I think that's the only reason I would say they're not better with confidence.
- [42:20]
Derek Klassy
That's. That, that's kind of where I'm at. Like I. They are the one where I want to see how center gets sorted out and honestly Cushionberry at that amount of money, like if he's healthy, he was a good player for multiple teams like when he was healthy. It's just obviously that's not been the case. It was not the case last year.
- [42:35]
Robert Mays
One off those Achilles and like he was rehabbing that until like right up until the start of the season. So there, there's a chance that he's better for somebody than he. And obviously I understand the Titans moving on. They paid him a lot of money. He did not play at that level. But I think new coaching staff, there's just so many different things to consider there. But I, I just feel like if they can get that thing solved and I do have faith that they can get that thing solved. The, the, the fact that Hendrickson even at this stage of his career is just such a. The having one more difference maker along your defensive line even if they had some attrition with some of these other pieces and they lost beyond Linderbaum, Isaiah likely Draymond Jones, Charlie Kohler, Keaton Mitchell, Power Card I think that's been overstated when we talk about how the Crosby thing affected their free agency strategy. I don't know if you pay any of those guys at those prices, but even if you're only bringing in two or three players and you lost all of them, I think if you can solve the center thing in some way, I'd still be willing to say they're better.
- [43:35]
Derek Klassy
So the skill player thing is I think what gave me pause though. Cause I don't even think that like any of those guys are special players necessarily, like Ricard, likely Kohler, Keaton, Mitchell, any of them. But they. That's chipping away at a lot of your depth for guys who were taking like serious snaps for you at the skill position players. And like they still do not have a good wide receiver room. Like it's. I think that there is a chance that this looks. And Mark Andrews is getting a little bit older. He's really the only like serious tight end that they have on the roster. Like I. There's a chance that the skill player room looks really bad. And so that on top of we just don't know how they're going to be able to address center. I'm just, just. I feel a lot more scared about the way that the offense looks right now than I think I did even a couple of weeks ago. The defense, I think totally looks fine. Even if I would have done Max Crosby over Trey Hendrickson, whatever. The defense I can totally get there with. The offense scares me the more I look at it.
- [44:29]
Robert Mays
How much work have you done on Kenya and Sadiq at this point?
- [44:32]
Derek Klassy
I have not gotten to tight ends. Unfortunately. They're my next position group. But I would take somebody. I know that he's like one of the freakiest athletes that has ever been at the NFL combine. Sign me up for that.
- [44:44]
Robert Mays
They signed Durham Smythe in free agency, which is very funny because obviously you have Declan Doyle going over there and so he's just going to be their third tight end. They still have Mark Andrews. I assume they're going to want to live in multiple tight end sets in the same way that the Bears did last year. And so having like. And I know they're very different body types and all that, just save it. But Kenny and Sadiq is like as like the Colson Loveland for like the Ravens offense. And then you still have like enough receiver pieces if they can get a cushionberry and free agency. Like I. Right now I am not definitive in my answer to this question. I am leaving a lot of Room for us to get to the end of the off season and maybe, like, I think the Ravens are going to be pretty good.
- [45:25]
Derek Klassy
See? See? And I'm totally fine with that because if, if we do this show post draft, let's say May 12, we do a show like this of like, how good is every team coming out of the off season? There's a chance that I'm like, hey, man, the Ravens kind of killed it. They got one of these final two, like, you know, those late free agency signings that they always loved. And I like it. They killed the draft in the first two. A chance we get there. I just, as I look at it now, I'm like, I don't know. You need to prove it to me. I want to see it first.
- [45:51]
Robert Mays
Let's get to our next one here. The Houston Texans. How much better are the Houston Texans now than they were a week ago?
- [45:57]
Derek Klassy
I. I put neutral for them. Like, I, I don't really feel like they are. Are better. I, I don't think they're like that much worse, but I, I just don't. I'm not convinced they're better.
- [46:07]
Robert Mays
Okay. I, I don't disagree with that.
- [46:10]
Derek Klassy
That.
- [46:11]
Robert Mays
Let's, let's just say the Titus Howard to Braden to Braden Smith thing is like a, as a. Is a neutral move. It's just like a lateral move at right tackle. That. Does that change your opinion at all?
- [46:27]
Derek Klassy
I mean, so I, I guess by virtue of what I'm about to say, this makes them like 1% better. I definitely don't think the roster is worse. I'm just like, don't really know if they are meaningfully better in, like, any way. And I like a lot of the guys that they signed like, or, you know, Montgomery is a trade. David Montgomery. But I think that that's obviously a good addition. I think even Foster Moreau as like backup tight end. Depth is nice. Reed Blankenship at safety. Cool. We don't have to play a lot of our young guys at safety. I like that. I just, it's not a lot of, like, this is solving anything or like creating a new dynamic for the team sort of deal for me outside of maybe Montgomery.
- [47:04]
Robert Mays
Here's what I would say about that. I don't necessarily disagree because they didn't do anything overly ambitious with the moves that they made.
- [47:12]
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- [47:14]
Robert Mays
Two things can be true at the same time. They cannot be appreciably better now than they were a week ago. And this can still be one of my favorite free agency approaches of any team over the last week. And I think both of those things are true at the same time. Like, I really like what they did. I just really like the overall collection of this.
- [47:33]
Derek Klassy
I would have done all of this. Yeah, that's the thing. I would have done all of this. But then I look at it and I'm like, I don't know how excited I am that this is where we've arrived. But they all make sense.
- [47:43]
Robert Mays
Braden Smith at right tackle for Titus Howard for a much cheaper price. I think there's more risk involved in that. But again, you. It's so much cheaper than it was with Titus Howard. And David Montgomery, I think is absolutely an upgrade over what they had. We talked about Logan Hall, Blankenship just coming in and be able to be a starter for them. If you have something like Evan Brown for three and a half million dollars is like a depth piece for you along the offensive line. As with, as a team that has a decent chunk of draft capital, the extra second and the extra fourth from Washington. And then they had, they don't have a third. They have the giants third. But we talked about this. They have five picks in the top 106 and four picks in the top 70. Knowing that is kind of hanging in the background here, what they did in free agency to just kind of open up any direction they want to go with those picks, I, I do really like it. I don't know if they're that much better now than they were a week ago, but they got younger with some of these moves, they got deeper with some of these moves and they've got a really nice collection of draft draft assets here. So even if the answer is, eh, there, it's kind of neutral. It's still, as I look at it, one of my favorite approaches that any team had in free agency.
- [48:49]
Derek Klassy
And I think I agree with that. Like, again, I look at it and I'm like, I don't know if they are any more amount of wins better, but I do like where they've set themselves up and every single individual signing, I'm like, yep, would have done that for that amount of money. Yep, that solves a nice little problem. Even if it's not sexy. Like, I, I do like their stuff. I just didn't look at them and be like they bought another win this offseason, which maybe they didn't have to. They're obviously a really good team. If the offense like fixes any of their own stuff. Just in terms of the offensive line coming together a little bit.
- [49:18]
Robert Mays
The Buffalo Bills, how much Better are the Buffalo Bills than they were a week ago? I guess two weeks ago with the Bills.
- [49:25]
Derek Klassy
Yeah, with. Yeah, with the trade, I said moderately better question mark, because I like, I think the offense is better. Like, I think David Edwards, obviously losing him is going to hurt a little bit. But you add DJ Moore, we could. All the frustrations in Chicago aside, I know that those were, those were like irritating and stuff. Like, he's a clearly better player than anybody that they had in this offense before and a guy that you can feed the offense through, he might not be like an ideal number one, but it is. When Josh Allen is your quarterback, I think that this will be good enough, especially with all the other skill players that they have, obviously. And the offensive line, even if it's 5% worse because you lose Edwards and maybe a little bit worse than that because you lose Kromer, it should still be a pretty good unit and you're not going to be worried about that. Trying to sort out where I'm at with the defense because of the coaching staff changes, I think was a little bit tougher for me to actually get a handle around it.
- [50:15]
Robert Mays
It's almost impossible to do because you're, you're trying to like filter the personnel and even some of the moves through a new defensive staff, which is just really, really difficult. And so from a personnel perspective, I think it's probably pretty even where they were defensively just because they haven't done very much. The only things they did were sign Bradley Chubb. Bose is going to be a free agent and they signed the Alford and Toron Johnson's gone. And so it's kind of like again, two kind of lateral moves on defense. And then I agree with you, they had to pay for it, right? Like, that's the difference. This isn't just you're using the Connor or the David Edwards money to sign DJ Moore. You're doing that while trading away a second round pick and only getting a fifth back. And so they are better. The question is just going to be about whether the premium they paid to get that much better is worth it in the end.
- [51:06]
Derek Klassy
And I, I honestly think it will be. Because if they are, if they are still like a B plus run team instead of one of the best in the NFL the way that they were last year, obviously you have a ton of flexibility there and you can still be the offense that you want, but then if they now have actual ways that they can pivot the passing game instead of running mesh every play that goes a really long way for what they should be able to do in January. Because, like, we all know the game with this team. Like, the only thing that matters is January. This is a team that we know can and will get there. And having a player like DJ Moore, even if not like the, you know, I'm sure like everybody would have wanted A.J. brown or whatever, but like, that is a player that gives you more flexibility and pop in your passing game. I think to me it's probably comes out as a win.
- [51:51]
Robert Mays
They absolutely overpaid to get DJ Moore, but it can still be worth it to have done that.
- [51:58]
Derek Klassy
Yes, that's a great way to put it a hundred percent.
- [52:00]
Robert Mays
And that. That's where I sit with this. It's like it. You definitely overpaid. Like giving away the two in order to do this is an overpay ball taking on that contract. But if it works out, it doesn't matter. Like, and I do think that it could work out. And I'm with you on the line. I. It's. It's hard just to have ingrained faith in this after losing Cromer and just how good they've been at just being one of those teams and the ecosystem they've created up front over the last few years. But I still think that bringing McGovern back, even losing Edwards, that's something where you can absorb the hit and probably be okay on the other side. That. That's kind of how I feel about it.
- [52:37]
Derek Klassy
Exactly. Like it's not going to be their engine as much anymore, but if DJ Moore makes up for that and a little bit more. Warren. Totally. Okay.
- [52:45]
Robert Mays
The Cleveland Browns. How much better are the Cleveland Browns now than they were a week ago?
- [52:50]
Derek Klassy
I mean, they're definitely worse, but like, I just like they're one of the them in my opinion. So I think they're definitely worse the. The off. I think the offensive line. I know that they added like a few names, but I think the offensive line will take some amount of step back. Losing David and Joku isn't the biggest deal because obviously we love Harold Fannin, but he is a talented player and we've seen Todd Bonken use two tight ends a lot. And so I just. There's that element of it. They are a team where they have two first round picks, so it complicates it a little bit. Like this is one where we could look a little bit later in the offseason be like, oh, they solved a couple of those things in the first round, but for the most part, I don't think they Upgraded anywhere except maybe arguably Quincy Williams over Devin Bush, I think is, like, that could work out for the defense, but otherwise it was hard for me to get there with a lot of these.
- [53:37]
Robert Mays
The offensive line is so funny because. Okay, so you're looking at it now, right? So as of this taping, they've essentially slotted out Joel Batonio, Wyatt Teller, Ethan Poach, and Jack Conklin for Zion Johnson, Elton Jenkins, Titus Howard, and potentially Tevin Jenkins. And it's like, I don't know what to make of that. Like, they. They might be better. I don't. I don't know.
- [54:02]
Derek Klassy
That's the thing that, like, the cell is, like, we saw last year, Cleveland's offense wasn't good. And I think the offensive line was made worse, obviously by the quarterback play and other factors. And, like, they could be decent, but the idea would be, like, we saw the offense be bad with that offensive line last year. Even if we sign guys who are of roughly the same quality, maybe you just get like a random chemistry bump that they all just work together and Todd Monkey knows what he's doing and it all works out. I don't know if I believe that, but I'm sure a lot of people in the Cleveland area are trying to get themselves to believe that.
- [54:39]
Robert Mays
If Jenkins plays guard,
- [54:43]
Derek Klassy
I feel better.
- [54:43]
Robert Mays
Yes, I think. I think that my answer is yes, in part because Conko only played eight games again last year. So Titus Howard is not a great player. But if titus Howard plays 16 games for you and he gives you the level of play that he has over the last couple years, I think that I can arrive in a place where I do think the offensive line is better overall than it was last season, even with all the shuffling here. But I think the point about njoku is a good one, right? Like, so you're. You're losing a guy who has been a good player for them for a while, and then maybe they don't, Right? But, like, he. Benjoku, still, you know, played 500 snaps for them last year.
- [55:17]
Derek Klassy
They.
- [55:17]
Robert Mays
They don't have a clear replacement when it comes to, like, that second tight end. So it's a tough one just because the offensive line is such a weird situation, but I think it's probably closer to neutral than anything else. That being said, here, here's my counter to that. When your entire offensive line hits free agency and a week after that process began, you can make an argument that they're at least in the same zip code in terms of where they were before free agency open, that's not the worst place to have landed given how it could have gone this week.
- [55:48]
Derek Klassy
That's a fair point. Because when I it did not occur to me that the entire offensive line was going to be up for their contracts. And so we were until we were doing like some other maybe pre combine work like a month and a half ago. And I was like, okay, this is ridiculous.
- [56:01]
Robert Mays
I've been thinking about it for like a year. Were sitting there in training camp last year and I was kind of like, you guys worry that your entire offensive line is set to be free agents next year? And they're kind of like eh. I was like, all right.
- [56:12]
Derek Klassy
I mean they solved it with the with, you know, they solved it in a way that was like eh, it'll be fine. Like they clearly threw resources at it. I just did not think that they would be able to do that. So yeah, the fact that they've arrived here is is better than I would have imagined. I don't know if that necessarily makes the roster better than it was is
- [56:29]
Robert Mays
where I've arrived All right, let's take our last quick break and then come back and talk about another team where it might be somewhat complicated Answer it's
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- [58:24]
Robert Mays
The New York jets how much better are the New York jets now than they were a week ago?
- [58:30]
Derek Klassy
I I think the jets are better and this is going to be another team where it's like to what end? You're signing a lot of guys who maybe you know it's a lot of one year deals. It's obviously like demario Davis is really old. It's not a lot of those like second contract guys that you were talking obviously like David Animada is a much older player. The the big like second contract swing type of guy that they're taking is obviously Tavandra Sweat who I do think is a really good player. But otherwise it's kind of a lot of just like we are trying to get better today, which is fine given how bad that they were last year. So you have all of that on defense and actually Joseph Osai actually does give you like a second contract swing at a at a quality player. And then with listen Geno Smith is probably not as good as we wanted him to be like or as he was two years ago. He is miles better than what they had at quarterback last year. So it is clearly an upgrade from that perspective.
- [59:19]
Robert Mays
How I was going to approach this was even if Geno is the two polls here, the two end points, one being 2024 Geno Smith and one being 2025 Geno Smith, even if he he's 65, 70% of the way to 2025 like that's the guy he is this year. It's still going to be an upgrade for them at quarterback.
- [59:44]
Derek Klassy
It's like a full tier upgrade still.
- [59:46]
Robert Mays
So that's they're they are better there and even some of the moves that they made where it's like to what end? Like the trading for Minka Fitzpatrick, the David Anamata contract. We've talked about this a lot over the last week or so. I think this is an effort to be a more competent, respectable football team this year. While and for the most part not really borrowing at all from what you're trying to be moving forward. The money, they're absolutely not borrowing from it because a lot of these are one year commitments. The make it thing is a one year commitment. The David anything is a one year commitment. And Ibarra is a one year commitment. Demario Davis, it's a two year deal, but it's a pretty modest two year deal. The only real compromise that you're making by signing up some aging players to slide into these roles for a year is are you cutting off some pathways to opportunity for young players that you can draft. But I don't think that's even really going to happen. Like, they need so many things that they could start every pick that they make this year while accommodating all of the players that they signed and traded for that.
- [60:46]
Derek Klassy
That's exactly the thing to me. Like they, they have like four picks, like really high up in the draft. They could draft all of those guys and even with the guys that they signed still reasonably play them a good amount. Like, you could pick an edge rusher and he might only end up third in your rotation, but he would still play a ton. Obviously at corn, like, they have a bunch of guys, but I don't think anyone who is stopping you from taking a corner at, you know, in the middle of the first round at like pick 16 and being like, that guy's just going to play for us. If they wanted to get like, Caleb Downs is not going to fall, but like, if there was a safety there who they really liked and really wanted to play him next to Minka, they could if they wanted to. Like, I don't really think they're stopped from really drafting almost any of the positions that they want.
- [61:28]
Robert Mays
Yeah, I think this is just yet another entry in us looking at what the jets did this week and being like, I kind of get it and it's fine. You know, I don't mind how they approached this.
- [61:37]
Derek Klassy
It seems crazy. Like as it was all happening in free agency, right? Like when it was just like, oh, they're signing this guy and this guy and this guy and this guy. But now that the dust is settled and you look at it and you're like, they should be a competent team now that looks all right.
- [61:49]
Robert Mays
Even like the idea of trading out John Simpson, who I think is 30 now for Dylan Parham at the same contract level, it's like, you're second contract guy. Can he be better for you than he was for the Raiders? Like, you understand that as a swing. And so I understand everything that they've done and the approach that they've taken so far. And again, again I just think that there's a little bit of upside with some of those moves, like the Osai and Parham moves. There is upside potentially with those and there's just not a ton of downside when you look at the prices for those players and what their approach was overall. The Kansas City Chiefs how much better are the Kansas City Chiefs now than they were a week ago?
- [62:27]
Derek Klassy
I, I said neutral, maybe worse. Like I, I love the Kenneth Walker signing. I really think that that can potentially change the structure of the offense. Hopefully it gives them a little bit more pop which we've talked about on a lot of our free agency shows. I really did like that move and I even like some of the other signings that they did make, like Kairos Tonga I think makes a lot of sense. Even some of the we can talk about obviously they took a step back at the secondary but some of the things they did to try to make up for it like signing a Kedar Kohu, it's like that's a solid thing. But then I look at where they came out in the aggregate and I'm like, like maybe they'll solve this in the draft, but it still just looks like a worse team to me, especially on defense.
- [63:07]
Robert Mays
I think it is, but I think they consciously chose to do that.
- [63:11]
Derek Klassy
Right?
- [63:12]
Robert Mays
I mean it's so I there are probably a worse team now, but again when you trade away a guy who is worth the haul that they got for Trent McDuffie, you're going to be a worse team without that guy on your roster. Like all that is now is hypothetical additions via draft picks. So they were always going to take a step back back by making that sort of move and again having a little bit attrition with some of these signings. But the hope is that what you got back for it is still in the best interest of putting together a better roster moving forward and I think that that's very possible. You know and again I like a lot of the thing, the smaller things that they did, losing Brian, Brian Cook and replacing him with aloha Gilman for $5 million a year, cheaper stuff like that. You mentioned Kyrus Tonga Cater Coho is a very low risk signing so all of that stuff, I get it and you're in a spot now where you have three top 40 picks and so if you can find a pass rusher, maybe a big body pass catcher, get some secondary depth, even an outside corner, they lose Jalen Watson and Trent McDuffie but no, Williams, somebody drafted in the third round last year, he flashed enough where now he gets a bigger opportunity. You still have Christian Fulton on the roster and so they are a less talented team now than they were a week ago. But I think the stuff that they did, combined with how they're going to try to approach some of this in the draft, it's a plan overall that I think you can still pretty easily get behind.
- [64:35]
Derek Klassy
I do think. I agree with that too. Like, I. They are a worse team, but also they're going to be funny going in the next into next year because like, they were not as bad of a team as the record showed last year. So like it might come out that they're like a perfectly fine team next year, especially with the first round picks. And so I. They are a worse than not. Yeah, exactly. Like there's a. We could be sitting here and being like, oh, the roster is a little bit worse and then, uh, and then we see who they get in the draft and then we consider all this stuff we do our offseason talks of like, oh, but this regression thing. This regression thing. This regression thing. And it's like, oh, they probably come out as like an 11 win team again and they're fine.
- [65:09]
Robert Mays
Yeah.
- [65:10]
Derek Klassy
If.
- [65:10]
Robert Mays
If Mahomes comes back and is like most of the way back to Patrick Mahomes and plays like, let's call it between 12 and 16 games for them next year, they're probably a contender.
- [65:22]
Derek Klassy
Like.
- [65:22]
Robert Mays
Yeah, right now I'm, I'm, I'm curious. I haven't looked this up, but I'm. I'll let. Let's see the answer to this.
- [65:28]
Derek Klassy
Are we going to super bowl odds here?
- [65:29]
Robert Mays
Yes, that's exactly what we're doing right now. How many teams do you think have better super bowl odds than the Kansas City Chiefs?
- [65:37]
Derek Klassy
I'm not even going to think of which teams it would be. I'll say like five.
- [65:41]
Robert Mays
The answer is exactly five. One of those.
- [65:43]
Derek Klassy
Who is it?
- [65:44]
Robert Mays
The Rams, the Seahawks, the Bills, the Ravens and the Chargers.
- [65:51]
Derek Klassy
Really?
- [65:52]
Robert Mays
Yes.
- [65:52]
Derek Klassy
The Chargers, I would not have put.
- [65:54]
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- [65:54]
Derek Klassy
Okay.
- [65:54]
Robert Mays
All right, so the Chargers, It's. It's at 1. I think it's at FanDuel. They have better super bowl odds than the Chiefs do. It's a, It's a. It's all over the place. So there's other places where they're at 17 to 1 and the Chiefs are 15 to 1. The answer still, if you look at, I think this is DraftKings, it's still five. The Eagles happen to have no, that's in this one. The Chiefs are fifth. They're tied with the packers, so it's somewhere between fifth and seventh.
- [66:16]
Derek Klassy
So it's top eight, top quartile of the league. Despite all of this is the fringe
- [66:21]
Robert Mays
contender status is is where we land on this. Despite what the how last season ended and the fact that the roster is not definitively better now than it was at the end of last year. I think that speak to a lot of different things when you're considering what type of team the Chiefs actually are. We don't have to spend a ton of time on this one. The Miami Dolphins. Are the Miami Dolphins better than they were at the end of last year?
- [66:43]
Derek Klassy
I mean, they're worse, but they were trying to be worse. It just is what it is.
- [66:47]
Robert Mays
The Malik Willis thing is the only thing that they've done. And so, and I don't even know if they're that much worse. All they've done is they've lost Bradley Chubb, Cole Strain, Julian Hill, Larry Boreham, Alec Engel. Are the free agents that have signed other places. They traded away Minka, Fitzpatrick, they're worse, but they were always trying to get a little bit worse. And I think the Willis thing is intriguing. It's exciting. We'll see how it goes. Like they're worse, but again, it doesn't really matter.
- [67:10]
Derek Klassy
The only quibble I have in terms of their process that when I was looking at this, it kind of freaked me out and I didn't like it. Their edge room is thin. And I don't mean they don't have players. I mean the bodies are thin. Like all of Those guys are 250 and under. I don't love that. It's like Josh, they signed Josh Uche and David a job of this offseason. They already have Chop Robinson, who is like a quality player, but it's just all these guys who are like super skinny, bendy guys. And I'm like, you need at least one like mess shit up kind of guy.
- [67:39]
Robert Mays
I. I want just to do this right now. Okay? It's 3:36pm on Sunday, March 15th. I. I want the best for you. You cannot be sitting here worried about the state of the Miami Dolphins defensive roster at any point in the next calendar year.
- [67:53]
Derek Klassy
That's what the show was. I don't know.
- [67:55]
Robert Mays
Can't. You can't do that though. You can't be sitting there and be like, man, the Dolphin could really use another blank on defense. Defense. They're gonna need another blank on defense here for A while. Like, I'm not gonna let you get worked up over this, but here, the
- [68:08]
Derek Klassy
only reason I'm worked up over it is I feel like I'm gonna get in a position where I was with, like, watching the Bengals defense last year where I'm like, this is ruining my Tuesday.
- [68:20]
Robert Mays
The only, the only reason that's okay is because the offense might be fun enough for you to have justified disappointment in the defense. But overall, all I, you can't, you can't allow yourself to do that. You just, you just can't let it happen.
- [68:36]
Derek Klassy
I'm being ridiculous, but I just. Listen, I had to do it.
- [68:40]
Robert Mays
The Denver Broncos. How much better are the Denver Broncos now than they were a week ago?
- [68:46]
Derek Klassy
I, they did, they didn't do anything. All they've done is lost John Franklin Myers. So like, so I would say they are worse because of that. But, like, that's literally the only difference on the team, really. Andre Greenlaw, who, like, didn't really play for them anyway.
- [68:58]
Robert Mays
Correct. It's a simple answer. Like, they did a lot of their spending last year. They were probably never going to be that aggressive. Bringing back J.K. dobbins, I can completely understand that and what he gave you. Last year they were in the David Montgomery market. They did not want RJ Harvey to kind of have that backfield all to himself. But it's all guys. Their only moves are guys who are already on the roster last year. So by losing John Franco Myers, by virtue of that single thing, they are a little bit worse, but not in a way where I'm like, oh, my God, what did the Bronco is doing?
- [69:28]
Derek Klassy
Yeah, that they will be perfectly fine. Yeah. That's really all I have to say about them. Nothing happened.
- [69:33]
Robert Mays
The Cincinnati Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson lost Joseph Osai, signed Boy and Mafe Brian Cook and then retained Dalton Reisner. How much better are the Cincinnati Bengals now than they were a week ago?
- [69:46]
Derek Klassy
I, I, I don't think that. I'm not 100% sure that they are better, but I do kind of like the way that they approach things in the sense of like, Hendrickson was probably gone no matter what. And then I do think that some signing we talked about, Osai is like a nice swing for the jets, but Mafe is like a tier above that and like a nice signing, I think for a team like Cincinnati. And then I do think some of the other signings on defense. It's like, I do think you're probably betting on something a little bit with John Allen at this stage in his career and the age, some of the injury history.
- [70:15]
Robert Mays
I think about Jonathan Allen, too. Yeah. Jonathan Allen also. Yep.
- [70:19]
Derek Klassy
Brian Cook. I said I don't know if I would have spent that money, amount of money on Brian Cook, but they're in a spot where it's like the Titans and corners, where it's like, you were so bad at safety last year. Year. I'm okay with you overpaying for competence. And they did that. And so I kind of like some of what they did. I don't know if I feel that much like one way or the other with Cincinnati.
- [70:38]
Robert Mays
I think they are better. I think they're a little bit better when you take the collection of additions. And I think the Osai Mafe thing is a good one. So let's just even call that a wash. You bring in Jonathan Allen, you bring in Brian Cook, you lose Trey Hendrickson. Maybe they're a little bit worse when you try to add all of that up.
- [70:56]
Derek Klassy
But the Hendrick thing is just weird because it's like we knew he was gone. You know, I mean, like, exactly makes
- [71:01]
Robert Mays
it like the maps up last year. And so, like, if you're just thinking about the state of the 2025 defense, specifically, you can make an argument that they're better. Where I land with this is, even if it's a little bit close, if the young players on their defense don't take a huge step forward, none of this matters anyway. So it's almost inconsequential. Whatever your answer to this is. And I think it's a couple different things. I'm. That's not a criticism of what they did. I can fully get behind what they did, actually kind of like the stuff that they did, but that you can like the stuff that they did. Admit that they're probably about the same level of quality now as they were at the end of last year and then come to a conclusion where if Shamar Stewart doesn't end up becoming a real player, none of this matters anyway.
- [71:48]
Derek Klassy
That is like, honestly, it's. It's kind of where I was at with the Texans and like, the. My version of like, instead of the young players on defense, it's like the offensive line for Houston and like, maybe around to Ursary taking a step, but, like, it's kind of in the same spot where it's like, I kind of like a lot of what they did. I'm not like, sure how many wins they bought, which is fine.
- [72:07]
Robert Mays
Two more here. Jacksonville Jaguars. How much better are they than they were a week ago.
- [72:12]
Derek Klassy
They are definitely worse.
- [72:14]
Robert Mays
Yes.
- [72:16]
Derek Klassy
Unfortunately like on both sides of the ball they lost imperfect players but clearly playmakers like Travis Hn who I'm going to have to get used to saying that which was I did not realize that is how he said his name. But now we're going to have to get used to that. So Travis Hn, like losing him obviously hurts. They did add Chris Rodriguez who very different back but like a good masher. Just like we need two yards on third and one back. So I do think that that is nice for them to pair with facial Tutin.
- [72:44]
Robert Mays
You just don't believe in facial tut. All this is about I, I, I
- [72:48]
Derek Klassy
love facial Tutin for what he is. I don't know about 25 facial tutin touches a game. That's kind of where I land.
- [72:56]
Robert Mays
They're worse but I think that was always gonna happen.
- [72:59]
Derek Klassy
Exactly.
- [72:59]
Robert Mays
Devin Lloyd at that price was never gonna happen. ETN at that price was never gonna happen. So. But getting Monteric Brown back I think was a win for them. They're worse, but not in a way that I find it even a little bit concerning.
- [73:11]
Derek Klassy
Yeah, exactly. I'm not like super concerned about it. Like there's like a chance I would have liked them to add more at the maybe they spend a like their second round pick on something like that and they can like at least add some competition there. So like they'll, and even some of the cornerback stuff is kind of made up for the fact that like Hunter's going to play there now. Like it's, they'll probably be okay. They're just clearly a slightly worse roster.
- [73:31]
Robert Mays
The Pittsburgh Steelers. How much better are the Pittsburgh Steelers than they were a week ago?
- [73:38]
Derek Klassy
So they're a really complicated one because like trying to take the coaches whatever I think about the coaching stuff out of it and really just thinking about the players on the roster, I do think it is a better roster. Like Jamel Dean is a big upgrade at corner to Brisker I think is a really solid AD that helps keep the flexibility with Ramsey that I think that they want. Michael Pittman as your number two is like far to way better than anything that they had last year. Like a lot of the boost that they made. Even Rico Dowdle coming in as a guy who is like he's kind of just like a hammer for you but like just bringing in a guy like that I do think is nice the way that they wanted to run this offense. Like I, I like a lot of what Pittsburgh did. I again I don't know how many wins? It's actually buying them. And I still don't love the ceiling for this team, but all the moves they made, I was like, that's a clear upgrade for a decent price. That's a clear upgrade for a decent price. Like I, I like what they did.
- [74:31]
Robert Mays
Yeah, I'm, I'm with you. They are absolutely better. My question just about them is going to be two to what end? And it's because we don't know what's going to happen with the quarterback situation. But it's also, and we've talked about this in relation to the Steelers. They're better for 20, 26. They're better. They absolutely are. But when this team is ready to compete, are any of the things they did going to be in service of that goal? That, that's my question. But the answer is are they better now than they were a week ago and is it a better football team for this year than it was at the start of the off season? I think undeniably yes.
- [75:05]
Derek Klassy
Yeah, it's like maybe Brisker, right? Like if he can stay healthy, he's a younger player for you. Like that's the guy.
- [75:10]
Robert Mays
So one year deal for Brisker though, he's going to be a free agent.
- [75:12]
Derek Klassy
That's true. You'd have to just pay him again. Yeah, it's a good point. So maybe not then. Maybe the answer is no.
- [75:18]
Robert Mays
Yeah, I think all the moves that they made, when you think about what they gave up, the fact that they gave Pittman an extension and got his number down the swing for Brisker, even the price for Jamel Dean, all of them removed from like the context of what the long term goals of the Steelers are, are moves that I think you can easily get at positions of need. Like they've made improvements in areas where they needed to make improvements. The question just becomes like, how does this feed into a team trying to build a Super bowl caliber roster? And I don't know the answer to that because I don't think their super bowl caliber roster now and a lot of the moves that they made are in service of them being a better team now and maybe not in 2027.
- [75:59]
Derek Klassy
That's, that's probably what it is. Like, yeah, this probably doesn't make them better long term. If it at least makes them a more compelling version of the 10 win team that gets into the sixth or seventh seed, whatever it is, that's at least, that would be more watchable.
- [76:12]
Robert Mays
And I think they are, I think they are a more compelling version of that 10 win team but it still feels like they're a 10 win team. And what else? And that. That's where we often arrive with the Steelers. All right, that is all we've got for the afc. We will be back tomorrow doing this exact exercise for the nfc. Looking forward to that. For now, that's all we got. Appreciate you guys listening. We'll talk to you very soon.
- [76:50]
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- [77:41]
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- [78:10]
Schwab Advertiser
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