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- [00:00]
Julie Swearbinks
What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
- [00:05]
Nate Thompson
We're doing a new podcast together.
- [00:07]
Unknown
Here we go.
- [00:08]
Julie Swearbinks
The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
- [00:11]
Nate Thompson
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?
- [00:16]
Julie Swearbinks
Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.
- [00:20]
Nate Thompson
Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
- [00:25]
Julie Swearbinks
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:32]
Mel Reid
This is Mel Reid, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.
- [00:37]
Kira K. Dixon
And Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.
- [00:40]
Mel Reid
And we've got a new podcast, Quiet please.
- [00:42]
Kira K. Dixon
With Mel and Kira. We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower and iheart.
- [00:52]
Mel Reid
Wins Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:59]
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
- [01:03]
Unknown
Tickets are on sale now y'all for our 2025 iHeart Country Festival presented by Capital One, happening Saturday, May 3rd at the Moody center in Austin, Texas. Don't miss your chance to see Brooks and Dunn, Thomas Rhett Rascal Flash, Cole Swindell, Sam Hunt, Megan Maroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith. Tickets are on sale now@ticketmaster.
- [01:32]
This is another edition of Football Today. Some breaking news on Sunday night. We had heard rumblings about it that the Bengals were making a lot of contractual progress with their outstanding wide receiving core. Well, they finished that up. Jamar Chase gets four years. 140. 100. What is it, $161 million?
- [01:52]
Yep. 161.
- [01:54]
Wow. T. Higgins, four for 115. Of course, he was headed into the being a franchise tagged for the second straight year. So Joe Burrow gets his wish. He wanted to keep the entire crew together. That's exactly what is happening. Bobby Skinner, is this the right way for the Bengals to do business?
- [02:11]
100%. There's not even a doubt in my mind. And it looks like they're going to get something done with Trey Hendrickson. And I do want to. There's criticism I have for the Bengals on how all this went down in the long run. But the idea like, oh man, they're going to pay a wide receiver to that much and this guy at this top position, they are a team despite the fact that they have these big hopes every year that doesn't have people that they need to pay upcoming. Right. I think some, we always forget about this. Like, oh, do we pay a wide receiver to this much or that much? Right. We've had this conversation in Giants land because we don't have to pay many guys and. Or you don't want to pay a safety this much. Well, who do you have coming down the pipe? They don't really, they don't really have anybody, you know, that's they've drafted recently that's going to get this big contract. Cam Taylor, Britt probably will get a decent one, but I'd sacrifice him for, you know, any of those guys. Dax Hill has been so, so no, Nobody from the 2023 class looks worthy of a decent payday yet. And the 2024 class, you don't judge it right now. But guess what? The Rams know they have to pay somebody pay people from their draft class. The Bengals don't yet. So they don't have any, you know, big time players coming up. They should have got this done. This is their best chance to win is to have that sustainability on offense. Right. They need to get a better defense, they need to get a better run game, which we'll talk about. They actually have tried to, but creating more issues was not the answer for the Bengals.
- [03:39]
Yeah, I'm with Bobby. I mean I think there are splits with and without T. Higgins run. I think just use the eye test too. Not even stats. I, I think they are a different team without, without T. Higgins. So I mean even this year, you know, just playing 12 games. I mean if he played, if he played even 16, 15 games, he gets over a hundred catches, he gets over a thousand yards safely. Safely. He gets over those numbers, which is just bonkers. I mean, and this is how when you have Joe Burrow and Joe Burrow has played the way that he's played the last two years, once he's been fully healthy and he gets out of the disaster that is the month of September for him, he plays like an MVP quarterback. And the identity of this team and why they're, why they have a shot in any given game is because they have T. Higgins, Demar Chase and Joe Burrow. That's the identity of your team. Keep it. And like Bobby said, I mean down the pipeline, I mean next year they have $140 million in cap space. Not reflecting any of the deals that were just signed, not reflecting a Trey Hendrickson extension or anything like that. But even, even in the midst of. We're waiting for those Cap hits and those future cap hits to hit. Sign these guys. This is the identity of your team. There's nothing that's holding you back from doing this.
- [04:45]
Okay, let me play the other side of this. You could have probably traded Higgins, right? There wasn't a lot of wide receiver movement that made you go, ooh, that's great. They probably could have gotten a draft pick for him, and then they probably could have brought in defensive players that would have helped them on the free agent market. They did not do that. They brought in TJ on the defensive line. Solid rotational piece, I think, in out of Green Bay, but he's not a guy where you're like, people will have to really look up TJ Slayton in order to know who he is. They brought in Owen Burks to replace. To replace Hakeem Davis Gaither at linebacker. I don't know what the future holds for Jermaine Pratt, who said, I think that he'll go. I mean, he led the team, I think, in missed tackles a year ago.
- [05:30]
How about the future being better? Play for Jermaine Pratt.
- [05:33]
Okay, that's fine. But he's not the only reason that they stunk last year on defense. And we can all say, okay, well, Lou Anarumo is it, and he was the problem. So we'll send him to Indianapolis and we'll bring in Al golden, who they literally is trying to live up to his name as the golden child. I think they're relying on his ability to kind of tie this whole thing together because they have to get better on that side of the football guys, or else this doesn't. This doesn't make sense. They go out and score more than 25 points every game. It seems like they did it 11 times last year. What do you think their record was in games where they scored at least 25 points? Give me a guess.
- [06:10]
Do you have the number? I do.
- [06:13]
Just guess off the top of your head.
- [06:15]
Six and ten, actually. Six and six and eight. How about that?
- [06:19]
Hold on.
- [06:20]
I don't know if this is.
- [06:21]
I said 11 games. They did it. How's that math that they're teaching you? Down?
- [06:26]
I'm surprised that they, they. They only had that many. They won the best. I'll say three, three and eight. How about that?
- [06:33]
I'm going to say six and five. I'm going to say closer to 500 and hope that's the answer.
- [06:37]
Five and six is the right answer. So they won 45% of the games in which they scored at least 25 points. The league average, if you score at least 25, you win more than 80% of the time.
- [06:50]
Wow.
- [06:51]
The Bengals. Come on guys. This isn't.
- [06:54]
Here's the thing is they, they keep. Keep the great thing. Great is what they should do. Yeah, they need, here's like they need to get. They need to start hitting on those defensive draft picks. Right. You know they've, they've had 101 top 100 draft picks over the last three years. Eight of them have been defense, all from the front and DBs, not even any linebackers in there. You need Logan Wilson or Jermaine Pratt to play a play better. But again, I don't think they could have, they could have still done that.
- [07:18]
Right?
- [07:18]
If you want to criticize them on doing that, they still could have went out and got some more defensive pieces. But I would not, I would not mess with what is a top five offense in the NFL to try and plug in a bunch of holes through free agency on defense.
- [07:36]
Yeah, making the 30th defense the 20th defense. You know what I mean?
- [07:40]
But maybe the 20th defense is the difference between watching the playoffs at home and being a pain in the ass to the Buffalo Bills in round one, which is what we all. We were all begging for it as football fans. We were like, oh please, let's see the Bengals make it. And then we were all kind of bummed out when the Broncos made it as the team. Listen, here's. I'm just focused on the top three rounds. I think anytime you get a guy who becomes kind of a four down, good for you. Like that's a diamond in the rough in my opinion. But top three rounds is where you really have to live to keep your team healthy year in and year out. Here's the defensive players they have drafted in the first three rounds over the last several years. Chris Jenkins and McKinley Jackson from last year. Jackson didn't play. He was injured. Jenkins flashed at times year before. Their first rounder was Miles Murphy. D.J. turner's coming off an injury, Jordan Battle. Year before that it was Dax Hill, Cam Taylor, Britt, who at times we thought was going to like jump off the page and be great. And then there were times where he looked horrible. Joseph asai, his most famous play is pushing Patrick Mahomes late. Logan Wilson is the guy you have to go back to in 2020 to feel like they found a guy in the top three rounds as a defensive player that can be a solid every down contributor at this level that now.
- [08:58]
And they've drafted a lot too.
- [09:00]
They have, they've taken their swing. So either Duke Tobin ain't the guy who should be making the picks, or you're really relying. You're relying once again on the draft. They don't even have that many picks. They've got six picks coming up in the draft. So you're trying to fix that side of the football to make them a Super bowl contender. What was the reason they went to the Super Bowl? Super Bowl 56. It's because Anna Rumo's defense played off the charts in the playoffs. I don't see that happening with this team.
- [09:25]
Sure. But what they. What is going to keep sustain them until that defense does get better is the fact that they have this type of offense. Right. Like when you have Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, T. Higgins for. For the next four years, they. They should have a top five offense. Right. So you hope that you get within that time. Like, yeah. Could they have let go of T. Higgins and you know, went all in for this year to add, you know, more in free agency. But I think keeping, you know, bur. Obviously Burrow. But Chase was an obvious one. But at keeping Higgins, part of that keeps you a top five offense through the next four years and allows you to hopefully build that defense. Obviously it's a lot easier said than done, but I, I think that's. That where the Bengals are messed up is not getting these contracts done earlier. You know.
- [10:12]
Yeah.
- [10:12]
Now maybe Jamar Chase didn't want to, but would have been nice to get that deal done last year. Given the same deal as Justin Jefferson. You say five mil per year. T. Higgins playing around on that contract for like, that's the one where you can't say this is, this is a joke that they've played around. He's now the 9th highest paid wide receiver. You know, you look at the receivers who are in his tier last year. Nico Collins, Calvin Ridley, Michael Pittman, those guys got like 23 per year last year and he's never hit 1100 yards in his career. So there, there's an extra 10 million per year that they could have, you know, used to add some defensive pieces.
- [10:47]
Yeah. But $10 million, that goes quick. I mean, you could have. For T. Higgins contract, which is $115 million, you could have gotten Josh Sweat for 75 and gotten another good player for, you know, 50. It's a little bit more obviously than what T. Higgins is worth. But that's my. You have been whiffing this much every time you step up to the plate in the draft, go get it in Free agency. Get guys who have been proven at this level and have done it.
- [11:19]
I don't, I would not want to mess with the best. You know what we. I predict to be, you know, a top three offense over the next four years for Joshua.
- [11:30]
Okay.
- [11:30]
I mean there's, there's three guys on the Bengals that last year, I mean Mike Kaseki had 65 catches. So three guys, Kasecki, Higgins and Chase. That over 65 catches and all three of them have a success rate on Pro Football reference of over 60%. I mean that, that's unheard of.
- [11:45]
Where did it get them, Justin?
- [11:47]
It got him a top five offense.
- [11:49]
Yeah, it got them an offense where watch.
- [11:52]
Awesome to watch. Love it. 9 and 8. Great.
- [11:54]
I get it. I get it, Rose. I get it. And you know, hey, it's like you look at all these one score games and it's like they lost to the Ravens 38 to 41. They allowed 41 points. They left 44 points to the freaking Pittsburgh Steelers. 34 points to the, to the Chargers, 35 points. They lost by one point to the, to Ravens in their second matchup. Now what I, what I think they need to do, you know, outside of defense and they have a guard problem too. They have a really, you know, interior offensive line and they're. And they're haven't even gotten to that. So there are issues. But I think Burrow, Higgins and Chase can elevate a lot of people. And even though they got Chase Brown a dynamic runner now neither here nor there, they need everybody to lock in in the month of December because outside, you know, from that October 6th game on onward, which. That October 6th game was the Baltimore Raven game where they lost 38, 41 and over September. But yeah, they need to lock in in September. What did I say?
- [12:49]
October.
- [12:51]
No, they need. No, they have been locked in in December. They need to lock in in the month of September because they went 03. And then every game from that October 6th game, they finished the season 8 and 4. And I feel like that's been an every year problem. And two years ago it was Burrow who got the season and injury just when it looked like they were heating up. Now that everybody is. We can stop subtweeting. We can stop like everybody is paid. Get, get Trey Hendrickson done. Pay your stars. Everybody can lock in during training camp. Everybody can do what they got to do. Nobody can has to worry about their future or fear of injury or franchise tag or nothing, man. Everybody lock in. Everybody get on the same page Winning the month of September. And that'll make the Cincinnati Bengals job a hell of a lot easier throughout the regular season, even if their defense is bottom quarter in the league.
- [13:43]
Okay, well, we'll see. We'll see if it all works out. By the way, don't ever say a final score again. 38 to 41.
- [13:51]
41 to 38.
- [13:52]
Yeah, please.
- [13:53]
Sorry.
- [13:53]
I'm reading it off a pro football reference that it always lists the team first and then the opponent next.
- [13:59]
Don't ever do that again. The Athletic is reporting they had a really, really good column led by Michael Silver, who obviously has very good connections with Aaron Rodgers, that he wants to play for the Vikings and that the Vikings are kind of split, that it's 50, 50 and that if Rogers doesn't play for the Vikings that he is seriously considering retirement. Where do you sit with this? We talked a little bit last week about whether or not the Vikings should because they are built to win right now. Go get a guy who's a four time mvp, Bobby.
- [14:39]
I mean we touched about this a little bit Friday. If I were the Vikings gm, I would go get Aaron Rodgers. But we, we didn't. Let's forget like some of the on field, like just the on the field play because I don't think Aaron Rodgers was great last year. You know you talk about, oh, he finished strong his last game the season was, was terrible. Do you mess with what like they have going on in Minnesota, which is a culture of winning but a good culture and let Aaron Rodgers kind of, you know, let him in, let him in the henhouse.
- [15:11]
Okay, but so what is it that we think would happen in Minnesota? I understand what transpired in New York with the jets, but that is an effed up team that has the longest playoff drought going in the NFL. They are desperate, they are desperate on so many levels to want to be loved in New York City, to not feel like they're the second team behind the Giants to want to get back to the playoffs to find a decent quarterback. They have a lot that where they're like Minnesota is not that situation. So what is it that we're worried about exactly with Aaron? That he's going to roll his eyes at receivers like Tom Brady does that.
- [15:51]
I don't know. I just think the jets thing went like historically bad and I get there's a lot of things, things at play there, but it went really, really bad. And it's like, it's just stuff pops up. I don't know, like what, what would you do if you Were Rogers.
- [16:09]
I don't know how he feels. I can't imagine I feel shitty at my age and I don't get chased by 320 pound defensive linemen, so I don't know how he feels. And it is a long season, but I look at that team and say, God dang, man. And that play caller, I would say. And those receivers in particular and the way they've built up the interior of the offensive line through free agency, at least taken good swings. I think, like, I'm in. I am in.
- [16:40]
I think we're so far on the point where if the Vikings wanted to be in on Rogers, wouldn't they be on it? Be in on it?
- [16:49]
Well, I don't know. I don't know if we know whether they are or aren't. I mean, the athletic article said that there are people in the building that are extremely split on this whole thing. But once again we talked about turning the keys over to an unproven kid who's coming off a knee injury and had a ton of question marks coming into the NFL anyway.
- [17:09]
Yeah.
- [17:10]
Don't we all agree that Aaron Rodgers would be a better quarterback for them just in 2025 than JJ McCarthy? Bobby came. Can't we all agree on that?
- [17:20]
Not all. I can because I didn't, I didn't think J.J. mcCarthy was, was worthy of that pick. But if you think JJ McCarthy is worthy of that pick, you should think he's better than what Aaron, like Aaron Rodgers was not good last year. I think he's the best quarterback available in free agency. But like he wasn't a top 10 quarterback or close to a top 10 quarterback last year. Right. Even the, even the, you know, the good games, there's a lot of stuff left on the field. But now he could still spin it. He's still got the mind that he does, but, and hopefully, you know, another year off the injury is better, but it could be, it could be worse. You know, he's 41 years old again. I just, I cannot wrap my head around a team trading up for a quarterback in the first round and then in year two with the easiest landing spot ever being like, yeah, we're passing that up for a 41 year old QB who wasn't good last year. Like again, if Aaron Rodgers was coming on, if this is Aaron Rodgers 2 years ago, be like, hey, you're getting a guy that's, you know, one year removed from an mvp. We're, we're three years removed from Aaron Rodgers playing good football in the NFL. Like Aaron like top 10 quarterback level football.
- [18:21]
So I suppose the question is, can he play at the level that Sam Darnold did last year? Yeah, Minnesota. Okay, so probably better.
- [18:31]
Probably. Again, I, I think that. But if, if, like they should have that, that should be the same evaluation for JJ McCarthy and I think it is for a lot of people in the building. Probably the GMs more so than the head coach. But like, that's, that's why they let Sam Donald walk was because, you know, they thought JJ McCarthy could do better than him.
- [18:55]
Okay, so who thinks that he's going to be a Minnesota Viking? Anybody here?
- [19:02]
No, I don't panic.
- [19:04]
No. And I still think that. I think that Rogers is going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler.
- [19:11]
How many more conversations can the Minnesota Vikings have before offering a contract?
- [19:15]
Yeah, I mean, I'm with you. I don't think it, but I really want to see it. I do. I think, I think it would be fun. And I love Kevin O'Connell. He's my coaching crush. I'm a huge fan of his. I want to see it.
- [19:30]
We just need the Brett Favre prophecy to be fulfilled too, which.
- [19:33]
He should wear number four. I was just about to say he should wear number four too.
- [19:37]
MVP level season with the Vikings after failure with the jets, like again, he would, he would be like, I think in that offense he'd, you know, have 32 touchdowns, five interceptions and get like MVP talk.
- [19:51]
Nick Mullins left for Jacksonville, so I think number 12 is available.
- [19:55]
Okay.
- [19:57]
Yeah. Okay. So the Falcons keep saying they're going to pay Kirk Cousins that $10 million roster bonus that he's due today. I'd be happy to have him in the building even though he is clearly the backup. Michael, it is Michael Penix's job. Are we buying all of that statement?
- [20:17]
Well, Kirk's not going to be happy. I think the Falcons, if, if this was, you know, Madden and these people didn't have personalities. I, like, I, I would keep Kirk there too, to have him in the building and, and helping with game plan and having a, you know, you know, somebody that Michael Penix can, can talk to and ask questions, especially, you know, because they're both, you know, not quarterbacks who are, you know, mobile. But in reality, I don't, I don't see how Kirk Cousins is happy at all being there. He's not, I mean, he has, he hasn't been happy there since, you know.
- [20:48]
April last year, the month after he signed the contract. I, I think he's staying because unless, unless the fat, unless the Falcons are going to buckle up and just eat the majority of that contract and then allow a team like the Browns, the, the Titans who could still take Cam Ward and have Kirk Cousins as the veteran backup for like a 6 round pick. I don't think Kirk Cousins is going anywhere. I mean the contract is just absurd. 75 million in dead money. And if they were, let's just say if they were to cut him and I guess this would be the same thing for releasing him too. So 74, trading him as well, 75 million in dead money and then they would owe 35 million against the cap for the cap savings. It would put them in the red. 35 million. So I mean there's just, there's no team that is going to want like, okay, you have to take the money and I'll give you a six round pick but that's it. There's going to be no team that's going to want to take anything or you just release them if you don't want them that bad. So that's why I think they're going to keep them.
- [21:53]
Well, they're definitely not releasing him because they wouldn't pay him a $10 million roster bonus to then release him. So that is off the table. Let's play the trade game. And first of all, I want to say why they don't want him in the building. Now we heard that the day that Penix got the job as the starter that Kirk Cousins was like the first guy to call him and be like, hey listen, I am with you. That is part of my job. He's a good veteran. We've heard of bad veterans. He is a good veteran. So I'm not worried about him being a malcontent in the building. Like if you're to line up all the guys in the NFL and say who's the least good guy, who's going to be a problem? Kirk Cousins is in the bottom five most likely. But the Falcons don't want a guy who they're paying $100 million to to be there just in case Michael Pennock struggles the first month because you know what everybody's going to be talking about, well, why aren't you giving Kirk Cousins another shot? He wasn't healthy last year. We've seen what he can do at a high level. Why don't you play him? Like that's the last thing the Falcons need to deal with. So now we get to the business side of this. Nobody in their right mind is going to trade for Kirk Cousins full contract. But Would you be willing to say, Kirk Cousins, 10 million this year of the 27 that he's owed from the Falcons and sure, I'll give a fifth, fifth round pick because why not? You don't think that some needy team that we know that there's the Browns, the Titans, the Giants, this, maybe this.
- [23:22]
Would you, Mr. Cleveland Brown? Would you? Because that's the team that there's the only smoke I've, I've seen with with Kirk Cousins.
- [23:33]
I think I would pay, I think I would pay $10 million and probably a sixth round pick. I wouldn't want to give up the picks, but just to do it. Either that or we'll talk about the Browns quarterback situation.
- [23:49]
Yeah, I was going to say I, I do want to transition. So would you, would you give up a six round pick and pay 10 million to have Kirk Cousins, Kenny Pickett and Shador Sanders?
- [23:58]
Well, you know what, before we get to that, let me, let me do this because it all ties in. Miles Garrett had his reentry press conference, which was a weird thing. I don't know if you guys saw it. The Browns put up like these dinosaurs up on the daisy. You know, they treat it like it was a free agent signing instead of an extension. But I think because of the media tour that Miles went on, well, tour or blowtorch, whatever you want to say at the super bowl that they had him Meet the Press on Friday. Then he sat down with my buddy Andrew Siciliano, who's now the Browns radio play by play guy, and they talked about the quarterback situation. In all seriousness, do you know who.
- [24:34]
The quarterback's going to be?
- [24:36]
I mean, do you have an idea after conversations. I do have an idea.
- [24:41]
Okay. Do you like the idea?
- [24:46]
I like it enough to, to, you know, be here smiling in front of you because I think we have a, a good chance of, of that happening and making the most out of it.
- [24:55]
Can you tell us who it is, Miles?
- [24:58]
You know I can't do that.
- [25:00]
Okay, so Miles, they told Miles something. What?
- [25:03]
I, I don't pay attention to any pre draft smoke, right. Unless it's like clear the team that's going first. Right. Like this whole Titans thing, like we're not going to pass on an elite player at 1. And then all the trade smoke out of the combine. Now it looks like they're going like, I just, I just don't pay attention to that. Especially anything that comes from a player's mouth because they don't know. That was the first time I've ever been like, oh, what, like he knows, right? And he's not smoked. Like, why would Miles Garrett be smoke screening with that? Like, what, what, what was that like? I, I, I'm, I'm, I'm baffled. Did he just tell us that Browns are going to take Shador Sanders or Cam Ward at pick two or one? Or did he say, did he not want to say that he didn't know about the quarterback plan and then realized he was in too deep so he said, yeah, it's something I like. Because he wanted to try and not be like, actually they didn't tell me anything. They just gave me $40 million per year.
- [25:59]
Well, whatever it was, he was in lockstep with the organization because that was on the team website. That was put out by the team. That is an interview that was done by the franchise. So whatever it is, they're all in agreement on it. I don't know. Did you, did you find it interesting, panic or not?
- [26:19]
Yeah. In my brain. Cam Ward is a Tennessee Titan until I am proven otherwise. Whether that's the first night of April or, you know, the draft night in April on Thursday or it's a trade via trade. Browns trade up, the Giants trade up. So Cam Ward is a Tennessee Titan, especially based on what they did in frenzy. Did Russell Wilson visit the Browns last week?
- [26:41]
Last Thursday?
- [26:42]
I think that is, I honestly, while the Steelers and the Giants are twiddling their thumbs waiting over egotistical Aaron Rodgers, Cleveland Brown should go and sign Russell Wilson. And I think that is the, I think that is the signing and the guy that makes the most sense if you don't, hey, if the Browns really like Cam Ward, but again, in my head, Cam Ward is a Tennessee Titans, is a Tennessee Titan. But I don't know if you really like Shira Sanders. I don't know if that's, if that's the guy that you want to pair with whoever or as we're, you know, we're waiting to get that the Sean money out, out the building and out the door. I think Russell Wilson is the guy that makes the most sense to bring in and try and bring some sort of stability that the Browns are desperate for without taking a desperate swing at a quarterback that probably won't be very good in shadow Sanders.
- [27:35]
So do you think paying, let's say, let's say Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins financially are about the same? You don't think that Kevin Stefanski would rather say, hey, let's trade a 6th round pick for Kirk Cousins? I know what I have here.
- [27:52]
Oh, no, I would I would much prefer Russ over Kirk.
- [27:57]
And I'm not even Stefanski's like had success with Kirk before.
- [28:01]
That's the point. Yeah, right.
- [28:03]
That's the point.
- [28:04]
I think the only team I can see wanting Kirk over Russ. I guess not the only. But there's a couple other teams that run similar offenses. But.
- [28:12]
And getting back to the Falcons standpoint, they want a draft pick. They've got three picks in the first six rounds. That is it. They've got two seventh rounders. That ain't going to help you. So they need to get better and they need to continue to put pieces on both sides of the football for Michael Penix.
- [28:30]
They have no money. They have no money.
- [28:34]
Then that's why the draft picks are even more valuable.
- [28:37]
Yes.
- [28:38]
So go do that. And if you can save a little bit of, you know, chump change on Kirk Cousins, so be it. I think they're forced to trade him. And what they're begging for is that Aaron Rodgers retires because that means that there's one less veteran out there that signed with a team and so somebody else is going to be desperate.
- [28:57]
I'm almost rooting for the Rogers retirement at this point just to put all these teams in a scurry. Can I, can I say something else on the Falcons? I never want to let it go how much they piss me off with, with this Cousins Pennixing. Right. And then when Pennix comes in this year and everyone being like, oh man, guess they weren't so crazy after all. Yes, they are. They have no draft picks and no money because they signed Kirk Cousins. Right. The argument was never just taking Michael Pennix alone. It was like, why did you do both? Why did you do both? You were picking 8th overall. Do not tell me you weren't confident enough to get Michael Penix as your quarterback. It's just, it drives me nuts that like they've, they've put themselves in this crappy situation.
- [29:38]
I get it. I understand it. I just, it was, it was terribly mismanaged from the standpoint of giving Kirk Cousins 100 million and then picking a quarterback at 8. Nobody has a problem if you want to pick a quarterback at eight. Nobody does. So. But you're right. The way this has been done has not been Terry Fonteno and the organization's finest moment. I get that.
- [30:01]
And they lost a pick because of tampering too, from it.
- [30:04]
Okay, so let's finish it up with this, this discussion. Is Kirk Cousins in Atlanta Falcon after the draft.
- [30:14]
No.
- [30:17]
Yeah, I'll, I'll say No, I think. I think Atlanta eventually gets desperate. They eat the majority of the money and they just take a day three pick.
- [30:26]
I would agree. I say no. Who is the starting quarterback? Let's finish it all up with this. Who is the starting quarterback in Cleveland after I'm number one on the depth chart after the draft?
- [30:42]
Curly? Kirk. Obviously Kirk. Don't take shit or don't take shit or don't take shit. Don't take shit. I'll say Russ, for chaos.
- [30:55]
I think Cam Ward, who is the starting quarterback for the New York Giants.
- [31:04]
Russell Wilson.
- [31:05]
Well, I just went away from Russ. I'll say sure. Sanders. Bobby Love that.
- [31:11]
Who is the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
- [31:16]
Aaron Rodgers.
- [31:18]
Aaron Rodgers.
- [31:22]
Mason Rudolph. Who is the starting quarterback for The Minnesota Vikings?
- [31:31]
J.J. mcCarthy. I'm very boring in my answers.
- [31:36]
Yeah. I'm also going to go.
- [31:37]
McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers. I want pure chaos. I didn't give you guys a giant starter. I agree. I think Shador Sanders is your. I think he's your guy. I think that's where we end up.
- [31:49]
I think that's their plan. That's their plan. D and E. Look at you, Bobby.
- [31:53]
Are you okay? You look constipated.
- [31:55]
So much fun. I look forward to every DM after a bad game. All right, let's, let's, let's get. Let's get it rolling. You know what, Rookie quarterback, I'm going to take advantage of the moment.
- [32:08]
So what does that mean?
- [32:09]
It means I'm going to break down every single game of film, baby. That's what it means. I'm going to break down every third down. I'm going to break down every D path. It means I'm going to break it down.
- [32:17]
All right, we started this show with wide receivers. We're going to end it with a wide receiver. Cooper cup has a new home. He is staying in the NFC west three years, 45 to Seattle. Is that a huge overpay or do we like what they have done offensively with changing out wide receivers? You know, trading one, releasing Tyler Lockett, trading Geno Smith, bringing in Sam Darnold. Are we okay with what has transpired here?
- [32:44]
It's a weird room, man, where you've got receivers that are, you know, a jsn, a Cooper cup who aren't redundant but, you know, similar in alignment. I won't even say role, just alignment. Both are like so, you know, has so much to do with timing and being on the same page with the quarterback where Sam Darnold has been more of a, you know, what? This is what we're running. I'm going to throw it here. If it's not there, I'll look to extend and make a play. But I also can't blame them if they're going to bring in Sam Darnold and then trade away DK and let lock it go. They had to bring in somebody else in this receiver room that was capable. And so. Yeah. Will we look back at those Cooper cup contract and say this is amazing or whatever. I don't know. Probably not. But they needed to bring somebody into that wide receiver room. I'm more frustrated that the Patriots didn't pay on this. Right. This is the type of money that they should have, you know, spend a little bit of recklessly on is helping your young quarterback and Drake May. Yeah.
- [33:38]
And they still have like over a hundred million dollars or something.
- [33:41]
Waste a little bit. Like again, not everything needs to be the perfect contract. When you have, when you have that type of cap space, you don't need the perfect contract. You need to help out your young quarterback.
- [33:51]
Yeah. Particularly when you're not going to pay him for another two years. So you're right. That would have been great one. As far as Seattle, it feels a little bit panic and I want you to follow up on this is that they're rebuilding Ish on the fly and yes, they signed Sam Darnold to 100 million dollar deal for three years. But if you look at it, the reports are according to over the cap. They can get out after one year and 37 and a half mil where there's no dead money and they're not penalized at all. So they can use this as a one year litmus test to see if this is a guy that has truly grown as an NFL quarterback or he was built in a Lab by Kevin O'Connell so they can do that for one year. They got younger. They got a third round pick. They now have five of the top 92 draft picks because they're the only team that's got five in the top 100. They can fix the interior of that offensive line. I think if you trust John Schneider's ability to draft interior offensive linemen because I think their running game can be way better. They were a bottom five running team and by all metrics, depending on which one you want to use, bottom five offensive line. So I think that they can get better and still be like a nine win team this year and figure out if Sam Darnold's the answer. So I don't hate what they have Done entirely. Do you?
- [35:12]
No, I don't either. You know, that's what I think this rebuilding and retooling kind of era is for the Seattle Seahawks. It's trying to fix their lines. Both, both D line, which I think their D line and their pass rush is closer than their O line. But Rose, you mentioned it. I mean, the, the only other teams that have five picks inside the top 110 are the Browns, the Jaguars, the Patriots and the Giants. But you mentioned that they're the only. I think they're the only team that have five picks actually inside the top 100 and they have the 92nd pick. But that this is where they're going to really. In a draft where a lot of people are talking about, oh, it's, you know, it's very. You don't really have a lot of the superstars at the top. It's. It's Abdul Carter, it's Hunter and then the two quarterbacks. And then, you know, where else do you go, are those guys really worth those top five top ten picks? So they have the 18th, 18th pick, but I'm really excited for their 50th, their 52nd and their, and their, and their 82nd picks. Like, that's where I think, you know, one. They're really going to need to hit on one or two of those guys in particular. Hopefully one of them is an offensive alignment for them to really set them up in a good direction. But it almost feels like what the Commanders did last year. You know, they brought in a guy like DeMarcus Lawrence. You know, you bring in Cooper cup, it's like, all right, these guys are a little bit older, but you're bringing them in here for a certain reason for veteran leadership and to also give you a little bit of a boost in play while you're retooling. Just the only difference between when teams try to replicate what the Commanders did last year is the Commanders capped it off with Jaden Daniels. Odds are the Seahawks aren't going to be getting that performance out of Sam Darnold. They could still be good, but it won't be like that.
- [36:50]
Yeah, I did. They. They need to add more young offensive pieces to this team, is the reality of it. I mean, I think they guys that they've drafted that they feel good about is probably just JNs and Charles Cross. You know, that's it right there. There's some other younger offensive linemen who can grow and develop. Christian Haynes, when they drafted in the third round last year, the guy I was a fan of but they need young offensive pieces. I think the defense is talented. It maybe lacks a little bit of star power, but it is talented. They need young offensive pieces added to this team for the long haul.
- [37:23]
Yeah, I think they're going to be an in team to watch. I think in two years, if they nail this draft, they could be as long as Sam Darnold is still the guy. Because if not, then they got to figure out where they go at quarterback next year. And that's, that's tough, tough run if you haven't having to do that. But it sounds like financially they can without penalty.
- [37:45]
I have one more thing just in case I wanted to get this out there. For any Seahawks fans listening, I did a a film breakdown on their backup offensive tackle Stone Foresight. The Giants added they should have an upgraded offensive coordinator. I had never been so mad at an offensive coordinator. They just leave these, these shitty tackles on an island all game long. They don't run the ball at all. It was the most reckless offense I've ever seen. No wonder Ryan Grubb went back to college at Alabama. But anyways, I just wanted to get that off my chest. I'm sorry you had to deal with, you know, leaving a second string tackle on an island all game long.
- [38:20]
All right, so for Bobby Skinner and Justin Pennock and producer Connor, I am Chris Rose. We will see you later this week here on Football Today.
- [38:28]
Julie Swearbinks
What's up everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
- [38:33]
Nate Thompson
We're doing a new podcast together.
- [38:35]
Unknown
Here we go.
- [38:36]
Julie Swearbinks
The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
- [38:39]
Nate Thompson
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?
- [38:44]
Julie Swearbinks
Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.
- [38:48]
Nate Thompson
Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
- [38:53]
Julie Swearbinks
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast Podcasts.
- [39:00]
Mel Reid
This is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.
- [39:05]
Kira K. Dixon
And Kira K. Dixon, NBC sports reporter and host.
- [39:08]
Mel Reid
And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please.
- [39:10]
Kira K. Dixon
With Mel and Kira. We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture. Some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their.
- [39:19]
Mel Reid
Superpower and I Heart Wins Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us at iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [39:27]
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports.
- [39:31]
Unknown
Tickets are on sale now. Y'all for our 2025 I Heart Country Festival, presented by Capital one, happening Saturday, May 3rd at the Moody center in Austin, Texas. Don't miss your chance to see Brooks and Dunn, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flats, Cole Swindell, Sam Hutt, Megan Maroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith. Tickets are on Sale now@ticketmaster.com.