The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

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The Dan Patrick Show – Best Of

Date: April 2, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts / Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Host(s): Dan Patrick with Todd, Marvin, Seaton, Paulie (the “Danettes”)

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Overview

This episode centers on two main sports stories: the ongoing fascination and potential burnout surrounding NBA sensation Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”) and the strategic quarterback moves and rumors swirling ahead of the NFL Draft, particularly focused on the Las Vegas Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, and Kirk Cousins. Dan and the Danettes offer their trademark blend of insightful commentary and humor, while welcoming ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler for a deeper dive into both NFL and recent Eagles drama.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Wembymania – Talent, Fatigue, and the Future ([00:39]–[14:52])

• Wemby’s Historic Night:

  • Victor Wembanyama’s 41-point, 18-rebound game against the Warriors (with Golden State putting out an overmatched, undersized lineup) prompts the crew to compare the event to an NBA fantasy camp.
  • “It looked like a fantasy camp... Wemby out there and then a bunch of guys with the warriors who had weird numbers, like 61, 77. I go, what is going on here?” – Dan Patrick ([00:39])

• Too Much Wemby?

  • Todd questions if the media is overexposing Wemby: “I wonder if... we’re starting to get Wembied out?” ([01:58])
  • Dan rebuffs: “I am all in on Wemby. I think he’s fascinating. Certainly watch an entire game and I’d still love to have a stat of shots altered.” ([02:15])

• No Real NBA Enforcers Anymore:

  • Discussion on how Wemby’s future challenges won’t resemble classic ‘rough him up’ defense: “We don’t have enforcers in the game the way we once did... but the game is perimeter-based.” – Dan Patrick ([03:16])

• Wemby vs. NBA Stars — Who Would You Build Around?

  • Poll question: If you could have any current NBA player for the next five years, same price, who would you pick? Luka, SGA, Joker, Wemby among the options. Wemby is the clear favorite for most.
    • “There’s only one answer to that. It’s Wimby. He’s 22. I mean SGA is wonderful, Luca, but for five years, I get Wemby. Absolutely.” – Dan Patrick ([06:48])
  • Giannis is omitted as the Danettes believe his prime has passed due to injuries.

• Face of the NBA Debate:

  • “Wendy’s the face of the league right now, right?” – Marvin ([08:11])
  • Dan: “It’s close. I mean, I’m sure the league would like to have SGA maybe as the face since he’s the reigning MVP... But Wemby’s close.” ([08:15])

• Wemby’s Uniqueness and NBA “Unicorns”:

  • The group acknowledges that while every era sees “different” revolutionary talents (e.g., Shaq, MJ, Magic, Bird, Steph), Wemby is the next in that long line.
    • “Basketball’s been around ... reinventing how to play the game. That’s remarkable... Steph did something nobody else had done. Now Wemby’s doing that.” – Dan Patrick ([13:04])
  • “One of the most overused terms is generational talent. But I’m glad Wemby’s an actual generational talent, because we haven’t seen this type of hype around somebody since LeBron.” – Marvin ([14:18])

Notable Quotes:

• “I think eventually... they will rough him up a little bit, or at least they’ll try to. ... If Wemby can go one-on-one with you and beat you off the dribble, he’s going to do that pull-up jumper.” – Dan Patrick ([03:16])
• “There’s not a bunch of 7’3 guys on the way that are athletic who are going to match up with this guy. He’s going to be the tallest, most athletic guy for a long time.” – Paul ([12:26])
• “We get caught up on playoff experience... but in the end, it’s about talent.” – Dan Patrick ([05:17])

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2. NFL Draft: Raiders, Fernando Mendoza & Kirk Cousins ([18:48]–[32:10], [38:04]–[50:21])

A) Breaking News Game – Kirk Cousins to the Raiders? ([18:48]–[29:34])

• The Danettes play a guessing game about “saucy” NFL news: it’s announced that Kirk Cousins has reportedly signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
• Confusion and debate about the strategy:
  • Does signing Cousins make sense if the team is taking Fernando Mendoza #1 overall?
  • Is Cousins (as a “gap QB”) blocking a rookie’s development or protecting him?
  • “If I don’t feel like I have a great offensive line and I got a rookie head coach and I’m going to bring in a rookie quarterback, do I want to trade down and maybe get four first-round draft picks?” – Dan Patrick ([21:40])
• Dan strongly endorses the “sit a year and learn” approach: “I’m fine with Kirk Cousins coming in. ... Really valuable to have a backup quarterback who can play.” ([26:12])

B) Evaluating Mendoza ([25:48]–[29:43])

• Mendoza plays down draft hype and emphasizes being the best player he can for whoever drafts him: “You only need one team to believe in you…” ([25:48])
• Dan evaluates Mendoza’s measured answers and practical approach to his pro day: “He gives you the answers you want to hear... I loved his approach to a pro day. He acted like a pro at a pro day.” ([26:12])
• Comparison to Joe Flacco: “If Mendoza has a Joe Flacco career, I’d sign up for that if I’m a Raider fan. Nothing to be ashamed of.” – Dan Patrick ([29:43])

C) Interview: Jeremy Fowler, ESPN NFL Reporter ([38:04]–[50:21])

• Confirms Raiders tried hard for Joe Flacco, pivoted to Cousins for a short-term veteran.
  • “The Raiders seem to be leaning on that old-school mentality at least a little bit of like, hey, why do we have to rush [Mendoza] out there week one, you know, even if he is ready...” – Jeremy Fowler ([39:06])
• The expectation is still that Mendoza is the #1 pick and the job is his when ready.
  • “I would be absolutely shocked at this point. ... Most other teams in the top 10 of the draft are expecting Mendoza to be off the board at one and the draft starts at two.” – Jeremy Fowler ([40:48])
• Their thinking: give Mendoza a true learning year, while Cousins mentors (and spot-starts if needed).
• The Danettes and Fowler also discuss the strategic logic of such a move and reassure fans that it isn't about creating a controversy, but rather protecting their top investment.

D) Other NFL Notes:

• Brief updates and discussion on:
  • Deshaun Watson and the Browns: owner’s comments, challenges, and new coach. ([47:37]–[50:21])
  • Bill Self returning to Kansas ([11:02])
  • Tiger Woods rehab update ([11:02])

Notable Quotes:

• “If Kirk Cousins plays well, I’d say awesome. But I wouldn’t go, oh, we can’t put Mendoza in there. You’ll put him in when he’s ready.” – Dan Patrick ([28:36])
• “If you really want Fernando Mendoza... I have to at least listen to [trade offers]. But I don’t know if I would be totally confident with that.” – Dan Patrick ([24:26])
• “Sometimes you just want to make sure. ... Zach Wilson comes to mind. ... But if Mendoza’s lights out ... then you have the flexibility to do that.” – Jeremy Fowler ([39:55])

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3. The Eagles/Jalen Hurts Blame Game & Leadership ([41:01]–[47:37])

• Fowler discusses his recent ESPN deep-dive exploring the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive dysfunction and the subtleties of Jalen Hurts’ leadership and performance.
  • The article placed some (not all) of the blame on Hurts; Fowler explains the timing coincided with completion of reporting, not intentional.
  • “As we dug in... Jalen’s name came up a lot as certainly not the only culprit... There’s plenty of blame to go around.” – Jeremy Fowler ([41:36])
• Dan defends Hurts’ big-game ability and consistent adjustment to new coordinators.
• Comparison of Hurts to Russell Wilson (Seattle era) — talented but needs support and continuity to thrive.
  • “Some quarterbacks you can win really because of, and that’s a short list. And some you need to win with by supporting them.” – Jeremy Fowler ([45:15])
• Hurts’ introverted, unruffled approach is admired but can sometimes be a challenge in the locker room.

Notable Quotes:

• “When the Eagles didn’t have enough support around Jalen Hurts, that’s where you saw the offense struggling because it was all on him. You know, some quarterbacks can handle that, but it’s a very short list.” – Jeremy Fowler ([45:15])

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4. Fun & Inside Baseball ([32:10]–[35:14])

• Lighthearted sidebar about guests Dan might bring on before his eventual retirement — Jim Rome, Michael Jordan, Colin Cowherd. “Who booked the last guest, Michael Jordan? Paul did.” ([35:28])
• Banter about Kirk Cousins shopping at Kohl’s: “There are at least eight Kohl’s in the greater Las Vegas area, which we know he’s a huge Kohl’s shop.” ([31:44])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:39] Wembanyama’s performance, debate over media coverage
• [02:59] Paul and Dan on Wemby as a must-watch player
• [06:25] NBA “player for five years” poll
• [13:03] Discussion of NBA unicorns and generational talent
• [18:48] Breaking NFL news guessing game (Kirk Cousins to Raiders)
• [25:48] Fernando Mendoza on his approach and pro day
• [38:04] Jeremy Fowler interview begins (NFL insider insights)
• [39:55] Raider strategy with Cousins/Mendoza
• [41:01] Eagles’ blame game and Hurts discussion
• [47:37] Browns QB uncertainty, Deshaun Watson’s future

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “I am all in on Wemby. I think he’s fascinating.” – Dan Patrick ([02:15])
• “If Mendoza has a Joe Flacco career, I’d sign up for that if I’m a Raider fan.” – Dan Patrick ([29:43])
• “There’s only one answer to [the poll]. It’s Wimby.” – Dan Patrick ([06:48])
• “One of the most overused terms is generational talent. But I’m glad Wemby’s an actual generational talent...” – Marvin ([14:18])
• “The Raiders seem to be leaning on that old-school mentality... Why do we have to rush him out there week one?” – Jeremy Fowler ([39:06])
• “Some quarterbacks you can win really because of, and that’s a short list...” – Jeremy Fowler ([45:15])

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Episode Tone & Atmosphere

• Lively, humorous, and insightful as always, with Dan and the Danettes riffing on the week’s sports news.
• Occasional gentle ribbing (“Wembied out?”) and offbeat analogies ensure the analysis never feels stale.
• Practical and thoughtful breakdowns of sports business and strategy, without losing the “everyman” tone.

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This detailed summary should provide a comprehensive sense of the episode for those who haven’t listened, capturing important topics, standout moments, and the show’s vibrant banter and expertise.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Dan Patrick]

foreign.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio.

[Dan Patrick]

Timing is everything. Everything in life, certainly in sports. And I was wondering about this article on ESPN.com about the Eagles blaming Jalen hurts. Why now? The beginning of April? Why now? Timing is everything. The Ravens organization blamed the media for blowing the Max Crosby situation out of proportion because it was a slow news day. Victor Wembanyama and the spurs closing in on OKC. He put up 41 points last night, 18 rebounds. It looked like a fantasy camp. You know, the Golden State warriors where you pay money and you're in a fantasy camp and you get to play against the pros. That's what it looked like last night. You had Wemby out there and then you had a bunch of guys with the warriors who had weird numbers, like 61, 77. I go, what is going on here? And Wemby put up a great performance and now two games behind okc. Is it going to come down to who has the best record? Who's going to win the mvp? Fritz. He accused me of maybe, you know, maybe piling on too much Wemby love, where he said, are we starting to get Wembied out?

[Todd]

I wonder if. In general, you know, he's amazing and he's a unicorn, but it's like 40 points and 17 rebounds and nine blocks in the first six minutes of the game.

[Dan Patrick]

Are you saying you're Wemby down?

[Todd]

I'm on the precipice. I'm not there yet, but I can see that there's some that might say, like, okay, enough to go 19 minutes on WEMBY.

[Dan Patrick]

I am all in on Wemby. I think he's fascinating. Certainly watch an entire game and I'd still love to have a stat of shots altered. He only had three block shots last night, and you know, he wasn't playing against a good Warrior team. But the altering shots is pretty incredible there, and he's putting up these great numbers at the end of the season, closing in on okc. All right. Yes, Marvin.

[Marvin]

So, Fritzi, we're tired of of the most unique player that we've ever seen in our lifetime.

[Todd]

I'm not saying now, but I'm saying it's going in that direction. It started to slowly roll towards like, wow, that's a lot of Wemby.

[Dan Patrick]

So you're gonna get negative in advance of everybody.

[Todd]

I just want to get that going.

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[Dan Patrick]

Yes, Paul.

[Paul]

I thought it was quite the opposite last night. I'm just about to hit the sack. I see spurs, warriors about to start. I'm like, okay, I can watch a half. And like you said, it was like watching. He was not working hard last night for his 41 and 18. He had every shot in the book. It was, it was a blast to watch. He's the focal point.

[Dan Patrick]

And here's another thing. You know, a lot of times you'll go to your go to move or a spot on the floor. Wemby doesn't necessarily have a go to move yet, which is kind of frightening. But I do wonder what's going to happen because eventually somebody's going to not hack a Shaq because Wemby is a really good free throw shooter. But they will rough him up a little bit, or at least they'll try to. We don't have enforcers in the game the way we once did. I mean, Draymond Green, Desmond Bain, you know, maybe there's a couple of guys that are enforcers or like to appear to be enforcers, but the game is perimeter based. And if Wemby can go one on one with you and beat you off the dribble, he's going to do that pull up jumper. He's got that. He can shoot a three. He's going to do that. But I think eventually, you know what, you know, these scouting reports will be like, okay, they know what Luke is going to do. They know what Joker will do. They know what SGA is going to do. That's the greatness of these players. They, you know what they're going to do and they're able to do it. And, and that's where Wemby is going to be forced to go in certain areas or use his left hand. Now, that's going to be the evolution of him. He's only 22 years of age. We get caught up on playoff experience. Now, that used to be a big thing back in the 80s and 90s, 2000s, where you go, well, they haven't had any playoff experience. Well, Wemby was on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt. And here's Van Peasey's question.

[Caller or Guest]

History says, well, you kind of need to take your lunch. You need to have been there. The more I watch you, the more I think, I don't think so. I feel like you are all ready to go. What's your sense of that? The value of something that you all just don't have together yet.

Yeah, we don't have experience. Right. Screw it. I mean, that's all we got. We not gonna play any different wages because it is this way. I mean, we're still gonna play 100 and go for to try to win this championship.

Sure.

Screw it.

[Dan Patrick]

Screw it. This is year three of Wemby, not year one. And I think because of that, sometimes you'll see these teams, they don't know any better. The spurs are a really young team for the most part and they've had success against okc. Yes, his playoff basketball differently. Different. Yes, it is. It's a referee differently, it's played differently. More half court physicality and you know, it's a seven game series or a five game series and normally the best team wins. It's not a one and done. It's not March Madness. But Wemby last night put up some pretty impressive numbers. Granted, against a depleted Warrior team, they had the wrong Curry out there. Draymond is not Draymond anymore, but 41 and 18, pretty impressive for him. Yes. Paul.

[Paul]

The starting lineup for the Warriors, Draymond Green At 6, 6 was the tallest guy. Everyone else was 6, 4 or lower. Like you said, it looked like a fantasy camp.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Paul]

Hey guys, we get to play against Wemby.

[Seaton]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

This is going to be great.

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[Dan Patrick]

Paul, what's poll question today? Seaton, first hour.

[Seaton]

Got one here from Paul. If you could have any current NBA player for the next five years, same price. The options here are Luca, sga, Nicola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, others, we can name them perhaps. I noticed there's no Giannis on here. That's an interesting omission.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, I don't want Giannis for five more years.

[Seaton]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Nope, nope.

[Seaton]

It's kind of crazy.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Seaton]

Came and went.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. That's still a story. I mean, it's in Milwaukee. If it was in New York or la, this would be a huge story. But here's what you know, you got Giannis who's like, I want to play and you know, it's like a healthy scratch. I can't imagine that this survives. But yeah, there's only one answer to that. It's Wimby. He's. He's 22. I mean SGA is wonderful, Luca, but for five years I get Wemby. Absolutely. Absolutely. He didn't even got to his prime. You can make a case. Maybe SGA and Luca Joker, they are in their prime.

[Seaton]

SJ is 27. Already about to turn 28.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, that's.

[Seaton]

I would have thought he was younger.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, I agree. Yeah.

[Paul]

Paulie, when I sent. Seeing the poll question, I really hesitated on Giannis, and he's the same age as Jokic. They're the same age, but giannis last year, 30 12, 6 and a half. It feels like a long time ago, though.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, he's been banged up. He said the calf injuries. He just hasn't been able to stay healthy. But, you know, he's any. And he had that window, and then he got to the point wherever you take him for granted, and that's where he is when he puts up these. Same with Joker, you kind of go, oh, okay. Another triple double. Yes.

[Marvin]

Marvin, Wendy's the face of the league right now, right?

[Dan Patrick]

It's close. It's. It's close. I mean, I'm sure the league would like to have SGA maybe as the face since he's the reigning MVP. They just want a title. LeBron is emeritus Curry's emeritus, KD. But Wemby's close.

[Marvin]

But you got to put all your eggs in the Wemby basket, right?

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, I'm. I'm there. That's my Easter egg.

[Marvin]

Right?

[Dan Patrick]

I mean, it's. I got him. I got my basket full of Easter eggs. It's Wemby, right?

[Marvin]

Because I'm not saying that he's the best player right now. Sga. Joker. But you're not running to the TV to see both of those guys play, right? Wemby, you're. Man, I got to see this guy play.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes. There's a fascination, just like with Steph Curry and I don't know many other players. Even Joker, who I love watching play. He's just. His highlights are usually a pass. Sga. You know, there's no highlights there. It's just. It's methodical. It's. He's going to do that. He's going to go to the line, he's going to hit, you know, big jumpers, he can get to the hoop, but other than that, you know, you don't have those. Boy, I got to see that guy. Yeah.

[Seaton]

This. Every player on that list is a really good player. It's a great player. But there's one unicorn on the list.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Yeah.

[Seaton]

How do you not take that guy?

[Dan Patrick]

Well, Todd wouldn't. Todd, is Wemby down? Yes.

[Todd]

Todd and Joker31. If you're taking him for the next five years, he's got one foot out the door. He can't wait to hang out with his and go to the back to the barn. So is that someone you can really pick for the next five years?

[Dan Patrick]

No, no, he'll continue to put up. It's not like he's going to slow down because he's already slow. It's not like he can't jump anymore because he couldn't jump. He'll be this way. He's going to be the guy who's 50 years of age. When you're playing at the Y and you go, damn, that guy's crushing us. That's going to be Joker. As long as he wants to play, as long as he's enthused, then he'll put up those great numbers.

[Seaton]

The old guy at the Y, no,

[Dan Patrick]

there's always one of those guys. I remember I played at the downtown Athletic Club.

[Seaton]

Baseball passes from under the hoop. Come on, dude, what the heck with this guy?

[Dan Patrick]

And this is back in the early 80s. I just made, just gotten to New York and I'm Downtown Athletic Club where they used to have the Heisman ceremony. And I'll be damned if this guy came out. He might have been the last pick. And he, he was torching everybody. And then somebody said, oh yeah, he played at Yale back in the 60s. So he was like 48 years of age or something. And crushing people. Backdoor passes, you know, pick and roll, pump fake, all of this. I'm going, man, this guy is crushing everybody.

[Seaton]

Fundamentals right now are just off the charts.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, Mark, the guys that look like

[Marvin]

Arne Duncan are going to kill you.

[Dan Patrick]

A couple other pieces of news. Fernando Mendoza had his pro day. More on that coming up. Tiger woods is allowed to go overseas for rehab. Puka Nakua is going into rehab in Malibu. Bill Self does not enter the retirement portal. He is going to come back for one more year at Kansas. What other poll questions are we considering? Their seat? No counter.

[Seaton]

Well, we got that one going up with those four options. We're going to let that roll through our one. We also have another suggestion here from Paul. I'm getting tired of Wembanyama coverage. Or Todd.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, I have been accused of falling in love with, you know, players before. Usually ahead of the curve. But with Wemby just fascinating, fascinating to watch the development of somebody on a night in, night out basis and get that con. He's got confidence, but he's 22 years of age. You know, Cooper Flag, you know what, did he turn 20 or is he still 19? That's very impressive with what he's doing. But I look at his ceiling, and I look at Wemby's ceiling, and they're different. Wemby's got a higher ceiling.

[Paul]

Yes, Paulie, Cooper Flagg turned 19 back in December.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay?

[Paul]

The one thing with Wemby, unlike Steph, where people imitate or they'll catch up or learn to cover them, there's not a bunch of seven, three guys on the way that are athletic who are going to match up with this guy. He's going to be the tallest, most athletic guy for a long time. There's not another guy like him coming.

[Dan Patrick]

Not yet. Not yet. It happens quickly, where all of a sudden there'll be somebody and you go, oh, boy. You know, and that's the beauty of the NBA. Like, every once in a while there's a player and you go, wow, that's different. You know, Shaq was different.

[Seaton]

He.

[Dan Patrick]

He was bigger than Wilt Chamberlain. You know, with Michael, it was different. Bird, it was different. Magic, it was different. I mean, we've been treated to so many. That guy's different. And. And they played differently. Magic played differently than anybody. Mike played different. Larry played different. And now you got Wemby, who plays different. Steph Curry, they played different. And, you know, basketball's been around, you know, for hundreds of years or at least a hundred years, and reinventing how to play the game. That's remarkable. Of all the people who play the game, Steph did something nobody else had done. Now Wemby's doing that. Shaq, to a certain degree, Mike certainly did magic as a 6, 8 point guard. Larry, that was different. You have these guys who come along and you go, that's. I'll go back to Elgin Baylor, that was different. A 6, 4 guy who could lead the league in rebounding and score 60 points in a game. Jerry west was different. Maravich was different. I mean, that's the beauty of basketball. Occasionally will birth somebody playing the way that nobody else has played before.

[Marvin]

Yes, Marvin, one of the most overused terms is generational talent. But I'm glad Wemby's an actual generational talent, because we haven't seen this type of hype around somebody since LeBron.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, you're right. And, you know, LeBron, in fairness to him, I mean, he's unique. The fact that he could probably play one more year, would that be his 24th year? I mean, that's remarkable. 60,000 points yes. Seaton. Yeah.

[Seaton]

And I mean, LeBron more than matched to that.

[Dan Patrick]

Yep. Yeah.

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[Rob Parker]

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[Paul]

it's so saucy that we're playing the guess the NFL news game.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. Wow. Aaron Rodgers is coming back.

[Paul]

Okay. Kirk Cousins has signed a contract for next season.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Paul]

Whom has he signed a contract with?

[Dan Patrick]

Todd?

[Caller or Guest]

The Browns.

[Todd]

And get another quarterback.

[Dan Patrick]

All right, Satan.

[Todd]

This.

[Seaton]

This was described as lightly saucy.

[Paul]

It's a bit confusing as a strategy for this team.

[Seaton]

Okay, how about the Steelers? He signed with the Steelers then.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, Marvin.

[Marvin]

The Vikings.

[Paul]

Good guess.

[Seaton]

No, that's saucy, though. Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

How about the Rams?

[Paul]

According to his agent, Kirk Cousins has signed with the Raiders.

[Caller or Guest]

What?

[Seaton]

Okay, the Las Vegas Raiders.

[Paul]

I checked. They're still in Vegas.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. What? I'm good with it.

[Seaton]

Why?

[Dan Patrick]

Because I don't want Mendoza if he's not ready to start right away. And even if he does start right away, you got Kirk Cousins there. He knows that he's not going to be going to be starting, you know, the future is right there. Fernando Mendoza, he knows that. Kirk Cousins be a great soldier there. I'm okay with that. Yeah, I have a problem with it.

[T-Mobile Advertiser 2]

What?

[Dan Patrick]

Why? Why do you have a problem with that? Why?

[Caller or Guest]

Why?

[Seaton]

Why are you going to take the quarterback number one overall and then have him immediately step into the king of quarterback controversies?

[Dan Patrick]

There's no controversy Here. No, there is no, there's no, none with Kirk D. Cousins.

[Paul]

Yes, Paul, I got a couple things on this. You bring in Kirk Cousins, that means you're spending money you didn't need to spend. You could let Aiden o' Connell get thrown to the Wolves for seven games and then bring him Mendoza. Secondly, what if Kirk Cousins plays really well? What's the plan?

[Dan Patrick]

Like, Fernando Mendoza is the plan.

[Paul]

Okay.

[Seaton]

And why did you just sign Kirk Cousins?

[Dan Patrick]

How much am I paying Kirk Cousins?

[Paul]

They haven't really said.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm probably not paying him anything.

[Seaton]

Somewhere in the ballpark of 75 a year, apparently. Because that's about what his agent is able to do.

[Paul]

Let's say it was 8 million a year for two years. Each year is 8. That's really light.

[Seaton]

Right?

[Paul]

You could spend that on a guard.

[Dan Patrick]

How many quarterbacks go through the entire year playing every game?

[Paul]

Third point, is there any chance they're not drafting Mendoza with the number one pick? And after, after this signing, there's.

[Dan Patrick]

There's no chance? No. Zero. Okay.

[Paul]

If you, you bring in Kirk Cousins, it now gives you the flexibility to trade down with that pick.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. I've said that for a while, that that's what. If I was running the Raiders, if I don't feel like I have a great offensive line and I got a rookie head coach and I'm going to bring in a rookie quarterback, do I want to trade down and maybe get four first round draft picks? Or I could trade him to the Jet, trade the pick to the jets and get four first round draft picks. Does that make more sense? I don't think Fernando Mendoza is a Andrew Luck, John Elway generational, but I do think he is a great person to represent your franchise. He played big and big games. I like everything I hear. I like everything I see. I don't know if he's Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen or Joe Burrow. I don't think he's in that category. And, you know, not many quarterbacks are. In fairness to him. I just, I got to make sure that I have a good team, not necessarily just a good quarterback. Clint Kubiak is the new head coach. He was a former coordinator with Kirk D. Cousins. They spent three years together. Clint Kubiak would not bring in Kurt Cousins to disrupt what they're trying to do. He would bring Kirk Cousin in and say, you're going to be kind of my quarterback's coach. You're a backup quarterback here because I can't imagine you go, boy, open for competition because that I don't think helps anybody here.

[Todd]

Yes, Todd, whatever happened to those feared nasty silver and black Raiders? You're talking about Kirk Cousins and Mendoza. Couple of choir boys. Those quarterbacks. That is so bizarre for those to be Raiders.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, Paul, you have to agree it's

[Paul]

a, it's a shocking strategy for a team that seems to be on the build and not ready to win. Now I like it, but I like

[Dan Patrick]

it because I know Kirk Cousins personality here. This isn't Michael Penix. This to me is different than that because Atlanta brought in Kirk Cousins and paid him all of that money. Now all of a sudden you go wait a minute, what did you do with that draft pick? Now that to me was a crazy strategy. This is Kirk, you're not going to get paid, you know, anywhere near what you've been paid before. You want to come in, you can be a backup, you know the head coach, you've worked with him. We want you to come in. We want you to help Fernando Mendoza be a better quarterback. A ready quarterback. Yes.

[Seaton]

So if you're the jets right now, I mean I'm on the phone to the Raiders and so what do you want for number one?

[Dan Patrick]

Wait a minute, you got Geno Smith. I know going to lead you to the promised land.

[Seaton]

That's a perfect guy to not have a quarterback controversy with.

[Dan Patrick]

I would. If you really want Fernando Mendoza, if I'm the jets and maybe you got a chance to get it right, I then I would be all in on Fernando Mendoza and if I'm the Raiders, I have to at least listen to this. And if you. As long as I have confidence in my, you know, scouting department and those making the draft picks when I get these first round picks. But I don't know if I would be totally confident with that.

[Paul]

Yes, Paul, you do this 20 hours after Fernando Mendoza's pro day. I wonder if they're thinking the Raiders. Our plan is to have a sit year for Mendoza and this is a great option to have a full planned sit year like Mahomes.

[Dan Patrick]

I don't have a problem with it.

[Paul]

Right. You like that.

[Dan Patrick]

I don't want him to get beat up. You're going to get beat up even when you have a good team. I don't want you to get beat up when you don't have a good team or a good offensive line. That's the only thing that I worry about with Mendoza. If he has a good offensive line. I think he's got the arm strength, the quality, the intangibles. I think he can be a really good quarterback. Here is Fernando Mendoza on being the number one pick. This whole process is essentially for you auditioning to be the top pick. Yes. What's the mentoring, physical approach to all the components?

[Fernando Mendoza]

Yeah, I wouldn't really say that. The mentality of trying to be the topic. I'm just trying to be the best me possible. And in that aspect, whatever team picks me, you only need one team to believe in you, whether you're the first pick, whether the last pick, whatever, and that I'm just trying to be the best quarterback I can be in September rather than right now here in April. So I'm putting all my effort towards, you know, just trying to be the best thing, best quarterback possible for the season.

[Dan Patrick]

He just seems like he was spit out of a computer where. Or AI or something. Where you go, here you. Here you go. He. He gives you the answers that you want to hear. And also his approach to a pro day wasn't a. Let me show you throws that I probably will never have in my career. Hey, let me roll left, throw right for 60 yards. And he even said, how often do you throw the ball? 40 yards. All you're doing is trying to replicate what throws you're going to have in a game. And if you watch an NFL game now, for the most part, how often do you see a pass that's 40 yards down the field? Not very often. And I think that's what Mendoza's approach is. Hey, if it's there, I'm going to take it. And now you have Tom Brady to reinforce that, because Brady, if it was there, you take it. I don't need to do anything crazy. I don't need to try to force anything. If it's there, I'll take it. I'll take advantage of that until you try to stop me with this. So Mendoza is going to have Kurt Cousins and Tom Brady. I like that insulation there. Now you just got to make sure that offensive line is going to stand up. And if it does, this can be a success story. I. I'm fine with Kirk Cousins coming in. Wait, how often do we talk about, man, it really valuable to have a backup quarterback who can play. Used to be a backup quarterback had a visor on and he had a clipboard. He wasn't in a headset. Now you really have to make sure that you're ready when. When somebody gets hurt. Yes.

[Marvin]

Marvin, what if The Raiders start out 03 with Kirk Cousins as their starter, isn't it going to be pressure to throw Mendoza in there?

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Marvin]

So throw him in there anyway.

[Dan Patrick]

No, no, I want him ready when he's ready. I don't want him to be ready because he's the number one pick in the draft. I think teams have made that mistake before. Is he ready? You'll know he's ready. He'll know he's ready. I don't want to go, hey, fans are coming out to see you. That's not. That shouldn't be the approach. And Tom Brady knows that. He knows that better than anybody. His words to me, if I was drafted in the first round, I wouldn't have lasted in the NFL because he wasn't ready. Mendoza, we assume, is ready, but he's the.

[Marvin]

He's.

[Dan Patrick]

He's the best quarterback in the draft. Well, that doesn't mean that he is ready to start, take over the NFL. There should be an easing in process. That's the. That's the approach I would have. And if Kirk Cousins plays well, I'd say awesome. But I wouldn't go, oh, we can't put Mendoza in there. You'll put him in when he's ready. Yes, Paul.

[Paul]

I also wonder how many options Kirk Cousins had at this point. He's a good starter who's a little old, but not a thousand years old. But he's not. You're not going to hand over your franchise to him at this juncture. But he's not bad enough or average enough to be just a gap guy.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, I thought he was going to go back to Minnesota. I thought that. That, you know, because the J.J. mcCarthy situation. Yes. Yeah.

[Seaton]

You know, he's so. I'm trying to sit with it a little bit more, but, yeah, Mendoza is sort of a more athletic Kirk Cousins.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Seaton]

So you're sort of bringing a guy in to show him the ropes who plays almost exactly the same way you do.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Seaton]

Sort of like efficiency and, you know.

[Dan Patrick]

But I see Mendoza as Joe Flacco, maybe a more athletic Joe Flacco size arm. And, and I've said before, if Mendoza has a Joe Flacco career, I'd sign up for that if I'm a Raider fan. Nothing to be ashamed of with what Joe Flacco did. I just think we're looking at Mendoza maybe unfairly in saying, oh, there's your. There's your guy. He's a generational talent. I don't know if he's that, but I did. I love what I hear from him and I loved, you know, his approach to a pro day. He acted like a pro at a pro day, not a college Kid who's trying to impress you with these throws that he probably won't even have in his career. I don't want Zach Wilson, remember Zach Wilson rolled left, he threw back right 60 yards. Oh, my good. I want to know what you do. Five yards there, seven yards there, 10 yards there. That's what I want to know. Because those are NFL throws you can stand. What was it last year? I had to prove to John Caliper I could throw the ball 50 yards. I don't know where it's going. But that's not the end. That's not the NFL, man, I can throw it 60 yards. Jeff George had the best arm, maybe one of the best arms I ever saw. They'd go, man, he can throw it 60 yards. Kyle Bowler, he was on his knees at the 50 yard line and he could throw the ball 50 yards from his knees. And I go, that doesn't happen in the NFL. Like, he's down, he's. The play is over. But they're like, man, did you see him throw from his knees? Joe Montana did not have a great arm. Steve Young did not have a great arm. They had great aim, they had great touch. That's what the NFL is, man. He can throw the ball right through a building. Why would you do that?

[Seaton]

Yes, I have very good news for Kirk Cousins. There are at least eight Kohl's in the greater Los Angeles Las Vegas area, which we know he's very. He's a huge Kohl's shop.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, that's right.

[Seaton]

Yeah. Yeah, that's good news for him.

[Marvin]

All the Eddie Bauer you can have.

[Seaton]

Yeah, Cole's cash coming in handy.

[Dan Patrick]

He's gonna have the plaid dress shirts that he would wear, breathable in the hot weather.

[Seaton]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

David in Ohio. Hi, David. What's on your mind today? Hey, Dan. With the Kirk Cousins news going to the Las Vegas Raiders, who is also affiliated with Great Clips. Him and Mark Davis can go and get the same bullseye they get their haircut. So I think Kirk has a little better haircut than Mark does. Let's see Jeremy in New York. Hi, Jeremy. What's on your mind today?

[Caller or Guest]

Morning, Dan. Hope you guys are doing really well. 64195. So, Dan, you've had this incredible list of guests and interviews over the years, but one missing name keeps popping up to me, and I don't want to kick up any dust, but would you ever consider having Jim Rome on before you hang it up in a couple years?

[Dan Patrick]

I asked him years ago, and we were at super bowl in Tampa. And he said, oh, you're not allowed to have me on because I was at espn. I go, yeah, I'll have you on. How about I have you on and you'll have me on at the same time on our radio shows? Kind of a simulcast. He didn't want to do it, so I was open to it. But would I have Jim Rome on now? I don't know. Haven't really thought about it. That's two years down the road. Jim might not want to come on. I don't know. I have no relationship with him. Todd. Todd knows him. You worked with Jim Rohn. Did I did, yeah. Yeah, a few years. Okay. Is that what the show was?

[Todd]

Talk to the show on ESPN2 called Talk to in Los Angeles. And then I worked for a week or two on his radio show many years ago.

[Dan Patrick]

A week or two?

[Todd]

Yeah, because we were doing the TV show, but then he took the radio show on the road to New York City for a week. So I produced the radio show for like that week. I don't know if it was super bowl week or something.

[Dan Patrick]

Would he know you if he saw you?

[Todd]

Yes.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. Hey, there was a time, you know, Jim. Jim changed the sports radio industry. I mean, very influential. But I have no idea who. Who's on the guest list here for the next two years. You know what? Put it down, Todd. Write down Jim Rome question. Why not? Yeah. Who else are we having on? Colin Cowherd. We're going to have Colin on.

[Todd]

Let's bring them all out.

[Dan Patrick]

Sure, why not? Yes.

[Paul]

Paulie, about four years ago, I alerted Michael Jordan's people that you're retiring. Oh, in five years. Five and a half years. And so groundwork was laid. They did say get back to me closer to the end.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Paul]

It's in the email.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. All right. I like that planning. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So we gave Jordan five year heads up.

[Paul]

Yeah, he's busy. Yeah, but five years.

[Seaton]

And not only that, but Paul just preemptively took credit for. She called in. So now Todd just got blocked out. That is Todd, you just. The white whale just already got hooked by somebody else.

[Paul]

You were book blocked.

[Seaton]

Sorry.

[Todd]

Those tries over the years and going

[Dan Patrick]

into retirement and you missed out on booking Jordan, that would be like Larry, you know what, Paulie be Larry Bird walking off with his finger.

[Seaton]

Five years ago. Yes. See, I get that.

[Paul]

Taking full credit.

[Dan Patrick]

Paulie, at the three point shooting contest. Yeah, that's a walk off. Yeah. Who booked the last guest, Michael Jordan? Paul did.

[Todd]

That'd be a good trivial Pursuit question or something.

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Really?

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[Dan Patrick]

Find exclusions and details@t mobile.com let's bring in Jeremy Fowler. He covers the NFL. ESPN Senior NFL National Reporter. Let me start there. Your reaction to Kirk Cousins Landing with the Raiders.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Yeah. Dan, great to be with you. The Raiders wanted a veteran. They tried to get Joe Flacco. I was told they actually got pretty close to signing Flacco at one point, but they didn't want to spend huge, you know, starter related money. If he was going to go to the west coast, he wanted starter money. So he just stayed in Cincinnati instead. At that point, they pivoted to Kirk Cousins. Really, that was the best option. There weren't a lot of other veterans out there just talking with the Raiders. Like they said, hey, we know we have to get a veteran. He's the best option. I kind of almost wondered if Cousins at some point was going to either go to the Rams so you can sit for a year and almost help your value for 20, 27 free agency, or even sit out a little bit and wait, you know, for the situation. But I think with the chance to play, it's pretty clear the Raiders want somebody who can at least spot start some games until Mendoza is completely ready.

[Dan Patrick]

Who do you think starts opening game for the Raiders at quarterback?

[Jeremy Fowler]

Well, I mean, I think Cousins has a good chance here. He's got some history with Clint Kubiak. He knows that style of offense really well. This give Mendoza time. The Raiders seem to be leaning on that old school mentality at least a little bit of like, hey, why do we have to rush him out there week one, you know, even if he is ready or has a good camp, like let's give him a little time to develop. You can always put him in week five, week 10, like there are a lot of options and flexibility there. He doesn't have to be the guy. You see so many stories of players starting week one and they just weren't ready. You know, Zach Wilson comes to mind. I'm not comparing Mendoza to Zach Wilson, but sometimes you just want to make sure. Now if he's. If Mendoza's just lights out and undeniable in OTAs and minicamp and training camp and at that point you say let's go with him, then you have the flexibility to do that. And I don't think they're paying Cousins crazy money here where they can't get out of that deal. And it'd be a sunk cost.

[Dan Patrick]

I guess the timing of this. Mendoza has his pro day and then all of a sudden you announce you're bringing in Kirk Cousins. Do you think the Raiders gave Mendoza a heads up?

[Jeremy Fowler]

Oh, it's a good question. I think Mendoza probably knew that they were looking around because the Raiders weren't keeping that a secret, at least in league circles and free agency circles. You know, like they've been talking to Joe Flacco for a good week, week and a half, you know, but I think he wanted something a little more than what he got with Cleveland last year, which is probably 15 million or so, 20 million a year to start, even if it's only going to be for a certain amount of games. You know, the Raiders weren't quite willing to go that far, so Cousins was the next best option. So I don't know if they directly told them, but it's pretty clear at least right now, what their plan is to at least have that option to start a veteran if you want to go that route.

[Dan Patrick]

But they're not shopping the pick.

[Nutrafol Advertiser]

They're.

[Dan Patrick]

They're taking Mendoza.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Yeah, I would be absolutely shocked at this point. I have not heard anything hard and fast that they're going to shop the pick. Most other teams in the top 10 of the draft are expecting Mendoza to be off the board at one and the draft starts at two.

[Dan Patrick]

Talking to Jeremy Fowler, you can go to espn.com deep dive the ESPN team with a deep dive on the Eagles. And it feels like the conversation around the Eagles in the off season is kind of a slow burn there, like the blame game here. And then all of a sudden, you know, this report spotlights that the blame is. It's squarely on Jalen Hurts. I was curious, the timing of this at the beginning of April that this comes out. Why do you think that happened? Or why do you think you got access to this in April?

[Jeremy Fowler]

You know, we've actually been working on the story for a while. It just happened to run now because it was ready now. There wasn't like a hard and fast plan to say, hey, let's hit them April 1, the day after the owner's meetings. The owner's meetings had nothing to do with the story. I was. You're right. The timing was a big topic yesterday and a discourse about the story. Why now? So really it's just a matter of reporting and vetting something out that you've been working on. When it's ready, it's ready. That was kind of the situation. But we started in season because the Eagles offense was clearly off. A.J. brown, you know, weekly was upset about something on the sideline. Everybody could see it. You know, the passing game was struggling for a second consecutive year. Even though they won the Super bowl in 24. It was one of the worst passing games in the NFL. And so we just sought out to figure out what ails Eagles offense. What really is the issue? What's the story with Jalen Hurts and A.J. brown specifically? And as we dug in with the story and asked more sources, Jalen's name came up a lot as certainly not the only culprit. There's plenty of blame to go around here with Eagles offense. Last year from coaching to offensive line play just wasn't as good. The running holes weren't there for Saquon Barkley. The receivers didn't look as fast like they just didn't look as explosive of an offense. So not all that is on Jalen Hurts. But some of the things highlighted in the piece were accentuated when we brought it up to two people and sources both with the Eagles and in and around the program.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm trying to be fair to Jalen Hurts. I've said it for the last couple of years. I don't think he's a great regular season quarterback. He's not going to put up gaudy numbers. They're not a pass first team, but in big games he's played big.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Yes.

[Dan Patrick]

He's had a new offensive coordinator every year of his college and pro career, I believe. And now you bring in a 33 year old former quarterback in Sean Manion. I mean, what are we supposed to expect out of him where you keep bringing in a different offensive philosophy here? Yeah.

[Jeremy Fowler]

And to his credit he has had to adapt to a lot of change and now the system was relatively the same throughout. I think Nick Sirianni has tried to keep continuity. You know, you have Shane Steichen who was there originally, who probably did the best job with Jalen Hurts out of all the coaches, to be honest, if we're looking back. But you know, he was part of Nick Sirianni's coaching system, coaching tree, they were together. Then you bring in Brian Johnson who's part of the staff. You know, Kellen Moore was really the only departure when they brought him in two years ago, but he kind of blended some of his ideas with what Nick Sirianni was doing. So Hertz has had some level of continuity, but to be sure, he's had to overcome a lot. That's a lot of change, a lot of different voices in your ear and to his credit, he's had some great moments throughout that, you know, so it's a delicate balance for a story like this because you have original reporting that you feel like, okay, well this is the story. This is what's going on with the Eagles and the offense. But he's had Immense success. He's got a really unique determination and steely resolve that has helped him overcome a lot. And, you know, we highlighted that throughout the story. You know, we try to provide as much context as we could to Jalen Hurts, you know, side of things or his perspective with some of the topics that came up. And so, yeah, it's just a situation where, you know, certainly is a proven good player that you can win with. But there have been, you know, it's. The Eagles are now in a situation where they know something had to change, they had to reset their offense, and it's now a moving train that Jalen Hurts, who's been resistant to some of those changes in the past, now has to get on.

[Dan Patrick]

Can you make the comparison with Russell Wilson in Seattle and Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia?

[Jeremy Fowler]

Well, that's a layered discussion. You know, they are different people, different players. But that comparison is not lost on some people, including some in the Eagles building, that do see some similarities. Really, if you go just to straight football, there are some similarities where, you know, they're. They throw a great deep ball, they're athletic, you know, they're. They're known as, you know, good leaders as far as trying to set a great example, really get getting after it, setting a good work ethic, you know, like being championship oriented, like all those things. But, you know, they. They have some struggles with certain coverages, not really true pocket passers. You know, Russell Wilson struggled with that. You know, where he. You had to win with a good running game and a good system around them. You know, some quarterbacks you can win really because of, and that's a short list. And then some you need to win with by supporting them. And last year when the Eagles didn't have enough support around Jalen Hurts, that's where you saw the offense struggling because it was all on him. You know, some quarterbacks can handle that, but it's a very short list, as you know. You know, the Josh Allens of the world, Mahomes, Joe Burrow, some of those guys. So I think stylistically there are a lot of similarities, probably different personalities. I mean, Russell's more known as kind of. He always says the right thing. He's a walking message board just with inspirational quotes, things like that. Jalen's got a little bit of that as well, but he's more of an introvert. He's known as that. Even talking to people with the story. When you ask about, you know, relating to teammates or poor body language or any of those things, they'll fight back and say, well, that's just who he is. If he wins a Super bowl or he gets a $55 million a year contract, life changing events, he's going to have the same face. He's not going to smile. He just, he is that way. You know, he's on to the next thing, which is admirable in a lot of ways. You know, it shows he's unflappable but also can be tough in a locker room a little bit, you know, and he's had to adjust to try to relate to teammates, which he did later in the year and did a better job of that than he did at the beginning of the year. There are some similarities. I've heard people bring that up. We didn't make the comparison in the story, but I was, wasn't necessarily surprised that I've seen that comparison a lot in the discourse over the last 24 hours.

[Dan Patrick]

Help me understand the Cleveland Brown situation best you can. That the owner now it kind of feels like, hey, you know, we found this quarterback here they were spending $40 million on and why don't we play him? What is Deshaun Watson's chances of starting this year for the Cleveland Browns? Dan?

[Jeremy Fowler]

I think his chances are decent. He has to play over the next three to four months on the practice field. Well, he has to show something. I expect Shadora Sanders to be probably first in line.

[Dan Patrick]

You froze up there.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Jeremy is in off season workouts because he's the last guy to put himself well enough to earn. Yes, I got you back.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay. Okay.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Sorry about that. So I think Shadora Sanders will get the first crack at things when they start reps and OTAs. But DeSean Watson is, it's interesting. He's. He's two things. He's a big swing and a miss, which Jimmy Hasm said on the record. He's also now an option whether you like it or not, because they owe him the money. He's only got the one year left on the $46 million. Despite two Achilles tears, all the problems, all the bad play. He was at one point in his Life a top five to seven quarterback in the NFL. If they can get 70% of that, he's probably their best option, and they know that. So, you know, Jimmy has them saying two different things in two different years. Really called him a big swing and a miss and then now he's calling him an option. I think he can be both. He was a big swing and a miss, there's no doubt about that. You know, four years it has not worked out. But you do have this one sliver of chance. I think he's their best option at quarterback if he can show that he's, you know, that he can be mobile enough and move around on this Achilles.

[Dan Patrick]

And this feels like if the owner wants DeSean Watson to start, he. It feels like that's going to happen.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Well, maybe it can depend on the, the inter office dynamic with those things and you know, that's been debated in Cleveland whether the owner wants certain things or not.

[Dan Patrick]

But we got a new coach coming in though, you know, in Monken.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Yeah, I don't think they trust they know Todd Monken's football acumen. He was in Cleveland once upon a time. He's known as a good offensive coach. He got the best out of Lamar for a couple of years. I think they will defer to him and I think he likes some things that he saw from Shador and he hit. I'll say this Todd Monkins offense is more spread, offense oriented. It can adapt but I think it suits desean Watson's style more than Kevin Stefanski's offense did. That gives Watson a fighting chance here.

[Dan Patrick]

Great stuff. No, you're busy. Thanks as always. We appreciate it.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Jeremy, of course. Thanks, Dan. Appreciate it.

[Dan Patrick]

Jeremy Fowler

[Jeremy Fowler]

and Doug.

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