3 & Out - Massive Mailbag

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd – “3 & Out: Massive Mailbag”

Date: March 20, 2026
Host: John Middlekauff
Podcast Feed: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (The Volume/iHeartPodcasts)

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Episode Overview

This Fugazi Friday edition of the Three & Out podcast is a packed, high-energy mailbag where John Middlekauff tackles a barrage of listener questions on the latest moves in NFL free agency, draft strategy, team-building philosophies, and broader issues around the business of football. Middlekauff mixes in personal anecdotes and candid takes on topics ranging from the fading relevance of reality TV to living in Arizona, always maintaining his signature no-nonsense, conversational tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pop Culture Digression: Reality TV & ABC’s Branding Flop

• [03:05 – 07:14]
  • Middlekauff opens on a “Fugazi Friday” note, teeing off on the decline of reality TV shows like "The Bachelor" and a failed crossover with a controversial “Mormon Wives” participant.
  • Quote:
    “What did you think was going to happen? … Don’t make deals out of desperation. … Live television with sports is really the thing keeping everyone humming. And this is a good example of swinging for the fences and striking out.” (John Middlekauff, 06:01)

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2. Mailbag – NFL Free Agency, Draft, and Team Strategies

A. Chiefs’ Offseason & NFL Draft Philosophy

• [07:27 – 08:53]
  • Chiefs likely to prioritize the trenches high in the draft, but WR is a clear option at pick 29.
  • NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) isn't deterring elite prospects, but impacts depth: more mid-round prospects stay in school due to lucrative deals.

B. How NIL Impacts NFL Draft Classes

• [08:53 – 10:01]
  • Not seeing top talent stay, but “the meat” of the draft—third/fourth rounders—are increasingly likely to return to college.
  • Quote:
    “The amount of underclassmen over the course of the last couple years has dropped dramatically.” (Co-host, 09:54)

C. Coaching Hot Seats & Contracts

• [10:26 – 11:46]
  • Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur is on stable ground; only back-to-back really bad seasons (~6 wins) would endanger his job.

D. Eagles’ Free Agency Approach (Becton & O-Line)

• [11:46 – 12:35]
  • Eagles not re-signing Mekhi Becton may be more about price and negotiations than talent.

E. Personal Anecdote: Driving to the Hospital for Childbirth

• [13:07 – 14:02]
  • Middlekauff shares humor and realness about his own recent, scheduled c-section experience:
    “The last nine weeks… feels like seven years. … So it was… just drive there. It was less of a rush.”

F. Quarterback Blockbusters & QB Chemistry

• [15:10 – 16:08]
  • Theoretical Burrow-for-Hurts QB swap dismissed as unlikely; Bengals would “never do that deal.”

G. Fan Etiquette Story (Eurosports in Greece)

• [16:15 – 17:02]
  • Advice: If you run into the opposing coach after a game and they get mad at your gloating, “Just keep laughing… Improve your tactics, bro.”

H. Waddle vs. DJ Moore Debate

• [18:12 – 19:44]
  • DJ Moore lauded as a great trade for Buffalo, questions why Waddle is often considered the more valuable receiver.
  • Quote:
    “I love the DJ Moore trade. … You live in the home, you like the home, no big deal. But… they overpaid.” (Co-host, 19:44)

I. Inside “The Herd” – How the Show Works

• [20:05 – 23:46]
  • No rigid rules for talking with Colin Cowherd—chemistry is built over time.
  • Quote:
    “You just, you talk when he throws it to you. … There's no, you talk now. When you do that role on a show, the news, it's like your turn to talk.” (Co-host, 20:26)
  • Pre-show prep starts early and is “a pretty high-level operation.”

J. Arizona vs. California: Lifestyle and Taxes

• [28:28 – 31:16]
  • “I wish I had moved here sooner… This area is one of my favorite areas in the country. …I don't have to defend it ever.” (John Middlekauff, 29:43–31:04)

K. Bengals’ Quiet Free Agency and AFC Prospects

• [31:21 – 33:42]
  • Bengals’ under-the-radar veteran signings improve their defense, which only needs to be “solid” for Cincinnati to be AFC contenders.
  • Watch for breakout growth from 2025 first-rounder Shamar Stewart.

L. Bills, Josh Allen, and the Franchise Trajectory

• [33:52 – 36:07]
  • Despite playoff heartbreaks, Middlekauff is bullish: “As long as they got Josh… I would not only hold my stock, I would keep buying.”

M. Should NFL Field Goals Be Worth 2 Points?

• [36:09 – 38:07]
  • Open to debate, but tradition and changing “feel” due to rules (kickoff location, field-goal length) complicate arguments for a scoring change.

N. Chargers’ Quiet Free Agency & Organizational Philosophy

• [38:19 – 40:33]
  • Ravens’ front-office mentality (draft, develop, avoid overpaying) informs new Chargers GM Joe Ortiz. Cites Harbaugh’s history for “under-the-radar” rather than splashy signings.

O. Peptides, Fitness & Self-Improvement

• [40:44 – 41:34]
  • Open discussion of Middlekauff's supplement routine:
    “BPC and the CJC—one’s like gut skin health and the other is like the growth hormone slash fat burning… just dissolvables, put in my mouth.”

P. Packers QB Jordan Love: Media Narrative and Ceiling

• [41:34 – 42:45]
  • Love is “a good starting quarterback,” but jury remains out on whether he’s a Super Bowl-level guy.
  • Quote:
    “Is he just like in the DAC Purdy… world? There's nothing wrong with that.” (John Middlekauff, 42:12)

Q. Trade Value of Tyson Bagent & Small School QBs

• [43:19 – 44:48]
  • Interest in Bagent as a possible trade target, especially for the Steelers.
    “…be risky. I mean there’s no guarantee. Comes from Division 2… but Ben Johnson likes him, I like him.”

R. On Will Campbell & Draft ‘Busts’

• [45:05 – 46:55]
  • Too early to label Campbell a bust; technique and health are critical. “You can’t be a bust after your rookie year.”

S. Fan Suffering: Perennial Contending vs. Hopeless Teams

• [46:59 – 49:11]
  • Being a Bills, Ravens, or Niners fan is like being “Brad Pitt at the bar but still going home alone,” but that’s way better than hopeless futility.
    Quote:
    “You would much rather go through this Eagles season and host a playoff game than be the Browns or the Jets.” (Co-host, 48:59)

T. Competitive Advantage: No-State Income-Tax Teams

• [52:04 – 56:52]
  • Despite surface-level logic, having no state income tax hasn’t made teams more successful—players and agents focus on gross contract value, not net.
    “I actually don’t think it has… I think it has none because… why do the Jags always suck?”

U. Podcast Production: Preparation, Not “Just Winging It”

• [56:55 – 58:09]
  • Middlekauff clarifies that the content is well-prepared, even if it sounds spontaneous:
    “When I do a podcast, I have a notebook. I break down topics… but I write out my thoughts and the main topics or the main angles.”

V. Broncos, Seahawks & Free Agency

• [59:28 – 67:38]
  • Broncos fans urged to stay calm—“the Waddle move was a bold play… that’s chips all the way in the middle of the table.”
  • Seahawks GM John Schneider’s conservative approach defended:
    “You want to keep your powder dry. …They didn’t let Witherspoon walk. JSN was up and… they couldn’t get a deal. That’s not what we’re talking about here.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ABC’s Reality TV Flop:
  “It shows you… don’t make deals out of desperation. …Live television with sports is really the thing keeping everyone humming.” (06:01)
• On NIL Impact:
  “The depth of the draft… a lot of underclassmen over the course of the last couple years has dropped dramatically.” (09:54)
• On Arizona Living:
  “I don’t defend it ever. I love this area… I wish I had moved here sooner.” (29:43)
• On Fan Suffering (Brad Pitt at the Bar):
  “You’d 100% rather be loved and left than never loved at all… You would much rather go through this Eagles season and host a playoff game than be the Browns or the Jets.” (48:44–48:59)
• On Player Contracts and Taxes:
  “I actually don’t think it has… I think it has none because… why do the Jags always suck?” (55:03)
• On Podcast Prep:
  “I don’t really think that much about it. I also don’t wing the show. … I approach it much no different than… Colin (Cowherd).” (56:55–58:09)

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Summary Table of Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------| | 03:05–07:14 | Bachelor/Bachelorette, reality TV industry woes | | 07:27–10:01 | Chiefs’ draft needs, NIL impact on NFL draft | | 10:26–11:46 | LaFleur’s job security at Green Bay | | 13:07–14:02 | Childbirth anecdote | | 18:12–19:44 | DJ Moore vs. Waddle trade value | | 20:05–23:46 | Inside “The Herd” production & show dynamic | | 28:28–31:16 | Arizona’s life advantage vs. California | | 31:21–33:42 | Bengals’ “quiet” free agency, AFC prospects | | 33:52–36:07 | Bills, Josh Allen, and long-term hopes | | 36:09–38:07 | Should FGs be reduced to 2 points? | | 52:04–56:52 | No state income tax teams—not a true advantage | | 59:28–67:38 | Broncos, Seahawks, & the art of free agency |

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Tone & Style

Middlekauff’s tone is direct, irreverent, and insightful, effortlessly moving from league-wide strategy and CBA intricacies to personal stories and deadpan humor. His advice for fans—“live where it’s going to make you happiest”—encapsulates the show’s ethos: real talk, no fluff, lots of actionable analysis for diehards.

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers a treasure trove for NFL fans seeking unfiltered analysis on March’s most burning questions: how NIL is reshaping the draft, why some teams refuse to overpay in free agency, which GMs deserve trust, and how franchise philosophies can make or break a title window. For listeners who want big-picture perspective and locker room candor, Middlekauff delivers.

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Transcript

[Host]

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[John Middlecoft]

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[Co-host]

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[Dr. Teals Advertiser]

The volume.

[John Middlecoft]

What is going on everybody? How are we doing on this Fugazi Friday? I am John Middlecoft. This is the three and out podcast.

[Co-host]

Hopefully everyone is doing well out there

[John Middlecoft]

in the real world. Watching college basketball, hanging out, working, whatever you do, hopefully it's going well. Have a smile on your face, positive attitude, Try to be positive.

[Co-host]

That's why I keep telling myself on a daily basis.

[John Middlecoft]

But going to do a big mailbag today on this Fugazi Friday at John Midkoff at John Middelkoff is the Instagram firing those DMS like an hour long mailbag.

[Co-host]

And you guys know the drill.

[John Middlecoft]

Fire in those dms. Free agency slowing down, lot of draft talk moving forward.

[Co-host]

The owners meetings in a week.

[John Middlecoft]

So we'll have a bunch of stories.

[Co-host]

All the coaches talk there, the owners talk. So there'll be a lot going on out of that event as well, which we applaud because we do not turn down the content here in late late March, early April before the draft.

[John Middlecoft]

But you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to the three and out podcast. If you want to watch the show, it's up on Netflix. Hit the alerts. You'll never miss an episode.

[Co-host]

We obviously do one basically every single day, so keeps you in tune and locked into what we are doing.

[John Middlecoft]

Before I before I dive into any

[Co-host]

mailbag questions on this Fugazi Friday, I just watched Duke almost lose which I was heavily rooting for because I have Kansas and St. John's winning the whole thing. They play each other potentially the next round and then they would play Duke in the sweet 16. So it would have been nice to have Duke out of there. But listen, we saw some vulnerabilities but

[John Middlecoft]

my fugazi Friday is this. It's the Bachelor and Bachelorette.

[Co-host]

According to my wife, that brand that that television show is losing steam. I mean it's been around for decades now. Of course it is. It's hard to stay relevant and stay cool and be must watch in the in television to begin with. Right?

[John Middlecoft]

And they I I'm not proud to

[Co-host]

say this but my wife likes some stupid reality television and then I'll start watching say how stupid it is and then I'll end up watching it and just hate watch it. And I did that with the Mormon Wives, which I, I probably watched, I don't know, 10 to 15 episodes over a course of a couple seasons. And I, I had had enough, but

[John Middlecoft]

I had seen enough to know the main character and that the show, you

[Co-host]

know, was really popular because it was just gutter rat. I mean, just awful reality television. Just disgusting. I mean, you're just watching this and you feel like you just ate three double cheeseburgers from a fast food restaurant. You're like, what am I doing? You know, what did I do to myself? And they made, I would call her the main star of the Mormon Wives, the Bachelorette. And then a video came out of her going berserk on her baby daddy. And then within a couple hours, they canceled.

[John Middlecoft]

It's like, guys, hey, abc, what did you think was going to happen? And it shows you. And this is a conversation.

[Co-host]

We talk about free agency, we talk about doing deals in football.

[John Middlecoft]

Don't make deals out of desperation.

[Co-host]

And it's like they were trying to

[John Middlecoft]

be hip, they were trying to be cool. But most importantly, they saw this hit

[Co-host]

television show and they thought they could

[John Middlecoft]

drive people to let's, let's call it what it is, The Bachelor and Bachelorettes.

[Co-host]

A little bit more of a buttoned up operation than Mormon Wives for anyone, I think you would agree. If you have just watched an episode

[John Middlecoft]

of that show and they had to cancel the show. Like could have seen that one coming

[Co-host]

from a mile away. And you talk about these people, man in, in abc, cbs, that these television shows and these properties, they're dead. I mean, they are in major, major trouble. You see the ratings for the Oscars have taken a precipitous drop.

[John Middlecoft]

I mean, one thing it shows you. Live television with sports is really the

[Co-host]

thing keeping everyone humming. And this is a good example of swinging for the fences and striking out.

[John Middlecoft]

So pretty embarrassing for abc, but again, you get into business with this person,

[Co-host]

how could you be shocked?

[John Middlecoft]

Like, did you watch any of the episodes?

[Co-host]

Did you know what you were doing?

[John Middlecoft]

Not exactly. You know, Jesse Palmer here. Let's dive right in to the mailbag.

[Co-host]

And we will start with, we will start with Emma. Expanding our listener base.

[John Middlecoft]

Do you think the chiefs need to add a wide receiver in free agency? Feels like with Mahomes coming off the injury, try to get him as much support as possible. Second question, how is nil getting changing the draft? Feels like last year everyone says this 26 class would be better and now everyone is already saying the 27th 7 class will be better. Is nil leading to weaker draft classes?

[Co-host]

I, I think the Chiefs, I, I said it when they signed Kenneth Walker and depending on how they draft, I think it's very possible. They take offensive and defensive linemen really, really high with, you know, multiple. I mean they have three picks. What, they have a high second rounder. They have multiple first rounders, one picks, nine. Would not shock me at all if they went defensive lineman, playmaker and offensive lineman. Because I think Andy's no dummy. He knows you win in the trenches. You sign Kenneth Walker, you bring Travis back. I think there is going to be debate should they take the Oregon tight end. I would have a hard time taking the Oregon tight end if, if Bain or one of the big time pass rushers is there, especially offensive lineman too. I mean, it's hard to get premium offensive linemen. They got lucky last year with Simmons. So I, I think you just, I always lean the trenches when all things are equal.

[John Middlecoft]

Especially when I got Patrick Mahomes, you know, and Chris Jones is coming down the home stretch.

[Co-host]

They need Carloft just to step up. I think Bane, I think he's very much in the mix there at nine.

[John Middlecoft]

And then I, I could see them

[Co-host]

taking a wide receiver with pick 29 for sure.

[John Middlecoft]

The nil, where it really impacts the draft is not as much like if

[Co-host]

you're going to be a top 20, top 30 pick, those guys are coming out.

[John Middlecoft]

Like most guys that are viewed as

[Co-host]

an elite prospect do not go back because of nil.

[John Middlecoft]

Maybe it'll happen with quarterbacks every once in a while moving forward. But to me, like, if you're going

[Co-host]

to be a high pick, you come

[John Middlecoft]

out where I think it really impacts the drafts. Like the guy that was a third rounder, that was like a red shirt junior, so he'd been in school for four years.

[Co-host]

It's like I'm just coming out, I'll be picked 68, I'll be picked 74,

[John Middlecoft]

I'll be picking 58. That guy gets a guaranteed seven figure contract from his school. And listen, being a star at Texas, at usc, at Oregon, at Ohio State, at these schools is probably pretty incredible. Never done it, but I would imagine it's pretty fun. So I think that's where it impacts the draft. I think the second day and definitely the third day, the depth of the draft, a lot of, I think I saw a station.

[Co-host]

The amount of underclassmen over the course of the last couple years has dropped dramatically.

[John Middlecoft]

So that, that to me is the

[Co-host]

major impact on the draft is the, the, the meat of it, not necessarily the, the Banes The Baileys, I mean, those type players who are always like, if you could be the sadiq, the tight end, any impact guy to me typically is still going to come out. Mailbag, you talked about owners paying coaches to go away.

[John Middlecoft]

LaFleur signed a contract extension. But if next year or two go bad, could you see Green Bay firing them still?

[Co-host]

I have a hard time seeing it go bad. Like, to me, bad is kind of what happened last year. They had some injuries, it kind of got derailed and they went nine, seven and one and lost in the first round. And that's what they've done the last two years. They lose two years ago to the Eagles. Like, I, I just don't think you're getting fired. I, maybe if they had back to back years at like five or six wins, I, I, I just have a hard time. Like, that's never really been them, their M.O. so I, my guess is Matt LaFleur is there for the foreseeable future because I have a hard time seeing it go bad now. If it does.

[John Middlecoft]

Sure.

[Co-host]

I mean, most coaches not named like

[John Middlecoft]

Andy Reid are pretty,

[Co-host]

you know, the business is fickle. Like, they would change on you fast.

[John Middlecoft]

If you told me The packers went 6 and 11 this year, I would

[Co-host]

say, yes, he would be on the hot seat entering 2027. Now, it's a little different because of the ownership. Right. They don't necessarily have one. The team president's kind of in control. So you Packer fans know more about the variables there that are like, deep in the weeds. But I think he's got a pretty strong Runway moving forward.

[John Middlecoft]

Scott from Philly, living in Germany, why are the Eagles not jumping on Becton? He helped us in 24 and missed him all last year. Why not build that online? It's a good question. You know, he's banged up before. He was banged up last year. Sometimes you just get lightning in a bottle. And it works.

[Co-host]

I, I'm not exactly sure.

[John Middlecoft]

Sometimes when guys aren't signed, they might

[Co-host]

be asking for more than, I think a fan or I'm guilty of this.

[John Middlecoft]

Like, I'll just sign that guy for cheap.

[Co-host]

Well, it takes two to tango, right?

[John Middlecoft]

You can't dance by yourself.

[Co-host]

I mean, technically you can, but you need the guy. It's like, hey, we'll offer you an incentive lace deal. Not much guaranteed money, but you could make up to $10 million. What if he thinks like, I, I want $12 million, you know, I don't know.

[John Middlecoft]

I, I think that's an element of

[Co-host]

a lot of these guys. That are on the market still. These veteran bigger name free agents, guys that have had success because of their asking price and the agent, you know, it's not going to get leaked out. Well, it's like, hey, teams are offer. I said this about Juwan Jennings yesterday. It's not like, you know his agent's going to put out like hey, we got some offers on the table but two for $10 million ain't gonna cut it. We want two for $25 million. So I, I think that plays a part constantly in the NFL mailbag.

[John Middlecoft]

Question from a Sacramento native.

[Co-host]

The 916 baby.

[John Middlecoft]

I got a kid on the way due in May. What was your experience like driving to the hospital when she was ready to deliver? Was it a rush and stressful or pretty chill? Well, we had.

[Co-host]

Because he was flipped around. Listen, you, you learn new things like anytime that a guy without kids, you know, we don't quite understand everything that goes along before the baby, when, when we have the baby.

[John Middlecoft]

I mean they are, women are so

[Co-host]

much more equipped with the knowledge and understanding. They, they just have like a blueprint

[John Middlecoft]

and they study it.

[Co-host]

It's like they, they treat it like a football game.

[John Middlecoft]

You know, it's like they are just

[Co-host]

so well prepared before and after. But so the baby, when it's flipped around, it can't get out right feet first. So you have to get a C section.

[John Middlecoft]

Now you can kind of wait to

[Co-host]

see if it flips around. Well, he wasn't flipping and we had to do a schedule C section so we drove to the hospital. I, I'd say I remember it like it was yesterday, but the last nine weeks, I mean, I, I don't. Yesterday, you know, nine weeks ago feels like seven years. You just kind of get in the car because you have a 1:30 appointment and you're told to be there two hours before. So you hop in the car at 11 with a bunch of your stuff, some snacks, some bags of, of cozy clothes and you just drive there. So it's, it's, it's probably less of a rush. I mean you're very, you're just kind of trying to stay calm. But it's probably a different experience when you know, if a water breaks and she's freaking out and you're hauling ass like we just drove pretty normally to the hospital, parked and walked in. I mean, so it was that, that experience of everything I've seen on the movies was not like that. So I can't imagine if you're just having a normal birth and you don't know when it's coming. And then all of a sudden, I think it's coming. I. I didn't have that experience. A Bronco fan.

[John Middlecoft]

Seems like the Eagles are maybe growing tired of Jalen, and clearly him and

[Co-host]

AJ Are not on the same page.

[John Middlecoft]

Seems like maybe Burrow is not happy in Cincinnati. What about a blockbuster trade? Burwin Higgins straight up for Herbs for Hertz. And I said Herps for devonte Smith. My opinion, Philly gets better at quarterback and worse at receiver, and Cincinnati gets better receiver and worse at quarterback.

[Co-host]

Devonte Smith's pretty good. I think there's the Cincinnati Bengals. Mike Brown. Every single Cincinnati fan would hang up that phone. So that deal is not how he would drive those guys to the airport. But the Cincinnati Bengals would never do that deal, ever. So I think if it ever gets weird enough, and I actually think, what if Cincinnati is just good this year? What if they just win the division, which they easily could. The Steelers do as we stand here on March 19, do not have a quarterback.

[John Middlecoft]

The Ravens got a lot of moving parts.

[Co-host]

New coach, new staff. Obviously the Browns are the Browns, but

[John Middlecoft]

I. I think the Bengals, I said, I've been saying this. If their defense comes together, kind of a live dog. If Burrow can just stay on the field. What's up? My brother and I love your show. On a visit to Greece, we went to a Euroleague basketball game between the number one team and the number two team, which the Olympiacos won soundly. Back at our hotel, dressed in Olympiacos gear, we ran into the other team's head coach and assistant in the elevator, and my brother couldn't help but giggle. The assistant tore him a new one,

[Co-host]

saying, you should respect the people.

[John Middlecoft]

How else should we react? How else should we react in that situation? Shouldn't these coaches be accountable for their bad tactics?

[Co-host]

Yeah. I don't even know what to say. You're laughing at him and he freaked out. You could just keep laughing. What's he going to do, beat you up? So I. I mean, listen, these jobs are high stresses. People are on edge. That's pretty funny, though. I just probably would have kept laughing. I mean, what's he going to do? Is he screaming at you in English? I would imagine he is. I don't know. I mean, was it. Was it close to getting physical? Because if it is, then obviously you probably don't want to get a fight with an elevator. Usually basketball coaches, former players, imagine decently sized guy, but at the same time, like, calm down, buddy. Calm down. So I. I don't know. I mean I, I, you have to describe a little more of the situation to know like you know what you do and when you're gig when you're laughing at the guy and if you're like what's he supposed to do? Just take it on the chin. I mean this is what the guy does for a living. So I, I understand the guy being pissed off if you get embarrassed, but I'm with you. Improve your tactics. That's what you should have said. Shouldn't you guys improve your tactics? That would have been a good response like improve your tactics, bro. Why is the consensus that Waddle is better than DJ Moore?

[John Middlecoft]

Moore is more available and more productive. Waddle is faster. Yes. DJ is the fifth most 20 yard receptions and top five versus man. They are the same age basically.

[Co-host]

By the way, DJs 28 is about

[John Middlecoft]

to be the same age as Diggs 27 when they got to Buffalo.

[Co-host]

I, I, I don't know why everyone doesn't love the DJ Moore move to Buffalo. I, I love it. I, I think it's a no brainer. I, I think Waddle's a little bit more of a versatile player. Like you said, quicker. They're, they're looking for a more explosive

[John Middlecoft]

player but DJ makes explosive plays. You know, I just think his time

[Co-host]

in Chicago, I think he's even said

[John Middlecoft]

this, I don't know if he said this on his Bills press conference or a podcast like it ra and it was over.

[Co-host]

But I love the DJ more trade

[John Middlecoft]

and when you factor in the prices, would I rather have DJ Moore for pick 60 or trade for who's also cheaper or trade for Jaylen Waddle and his contract at the price which they had to pay a one and a three.

[Co-host]

I would rather have DJ Moore. Now I think it's pretty clear that because they could have had DJ Moore they would rather do the Waddle deal. Who knows, maybe they were in the the D.J. moore deal. I, I haven't read that. Maybe they want you know, a different type skill set because you can put them in the backfield new but technically you could do with DJ Moore too. I, I think DJ Moore's pretty versatile player. You know his comp a couple years ago was like a more buttoned up because he's a better route runner. Debo Samuel. So I, I, I'm with you. I, I, I love the move. I, I, I, listen, I don't, I don't know what everyone else's reaction is,

[John Middlecoft]

but my first reaction is I respect

[Co-host]

the move and I Think it'll help them out? It was a lot to pay. It was a lot to Pay. They paid $1.4 million for a million dollar home, which again, you live in the home, you like the home, no big deal. But I think we have to acknowledge they, they overpaid.

[John Middlecoft]

Who, who else was bidding that. Who, who were they bidding against?

[Co-host]

Mailbag Question.

[John Middlecoft]

When you go on the herd, are there certain rules you have to follow on how to facilitate the conversation? For example, knowing when to give your take and when it's okay to have a back and forth with Colin curious becomes a cr. Comes across as very natural. But I'm sure there are guidelines you're given to operate within, right? No, I don't know.

[Co-host]

You just, you talk when he throws it to you. And I, I've been working with him.

[John Middlecoft]

The other thing is we've been doing a podcast on Sunday night, I don't

[Co-host]

know, for five years now, maybe not that many years, but definitely three or

[John Middlecoft]

four, four plus years. The Sunday night podcast, which is an

[Co-host]

hour plus, just me and him going back and forth. I've been listening to him for, I don't know, 15 plus years.

[John Middlecoft]

So I got, I got a pretty

[Co-host]

good idea of his cadence, but there's no, you talk in, you talk now. You don't talk now, you just talk now. When you do that role on a show, the news, it's like your turn to talk and then you just, you kind of go back and forth. But I got a pretty good idea of his cadence and what he does. But they don't, they don't tell you like talk now, John. You just go. I mean, I, I have a little earpiece in, but no one beside one time I didn't turn on my mic and they came on.

[John Middlecoft]

Turn on your mic.

[Co-host]

Which was my fault, but yeah, I mean, no, you just, it's kind of a feel thing again.

[John Middlecoft]

Like this is not even the first time I did it.

[Co-host]

It was my first rodeo doing that role on his show.

[John Middlecoft]

But it was kind of a unique

[Co-host]

situation given that I've worked with him for a long time on a back and forth situation. The other thing is, when you're doing that job, it's not like every segment I talk. I mean, there are a lot of his rants. I, I don't do anything. So it's, it's, it's pretty clear when I'm coming in. And then you just let the conversation go. But there's not, I don't know what else tell you. It's not really that Scripted at all. His show is, I mean we get there, it's a great, it's a long day that's over at noon. I mean my alarm, last time I did it on a Friday, I was like, you know, I gotta fly back, I'm not gonna get back, I'm not gonna be, I'd be at the airport for a couple hours. My alarm went off at 4 and I got a workout in. So I, I got up at 4, worked out, showered by like 5:15, Uber picks you up, drops you off at 5:55, throw my in the dressing room, go upstairs to the meeting and by, I walked in the room at 6 and he was already sitting there and start kind of going over what they're going to talk about. Different stories, different things. And then he just kind of gets his, I would say direction of every

[John Middlecoft]

topic and the takes and the angles.

[Co-host]

And then he, the mic comes on, he just kind of goes, I mean

[John Middlecoft]

it's, it's, the whole crew's there at

[Co-host]

6:00am and yeah, just, it's, it's grind prep.

[John Middlecoft]

Go over the show till 7:30 to

[Co-host]

8 depending on, I mean I've been there days where it goes to eight,

[John Middlecoft]

been their days where the show's done by 7:20am and, and yeah it is

[Co-host]

like the cool part is, is like it's a pretty high level operation. You have all these people like hey, you want breakfast, you want lunch, you got a car driving you around. It's just, yeah, it's a high level operation. They're running it. FOX.

[John Middlecoft]

Today's show is brought to you by

[Co-host]

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[John Middlecoft]

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[Levar Arrington]

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[John Middlecoft]

Always appreciate your takes on my Chargers, giving them praise and hype when it's due, but also holding them accountable when

[Co-host]

they shit the bed. I'm a big Jim Harbaugh guy.

[John Middlecoft]

I'm also Justin Herbert guy.

[Co-host]

I've always loved that.

[John Middlecoft]

Like the San Diego Chargers, I root

[Co-host]

for most of the west coast teams. Like I I want the Raiders to do well.

[John Middlecoft]

Rams probably a little lukewarm on though.

[Co-host]

I respect the out of McVeigh, but I I don't root for the Rams. Seattle big John Schneider guy, now Cardinals don't root for them, but I don't even it doesn't matter. They stink.

[John Middlecoft]

My question is this. I'm constantly having to defend myself about living in Arizona to my colleagues, strangers, family and friends. Does this happen to you as well in your circles? Do you brush it off how I see it? We have three months of bad weather, but I'm golfing in the pool, camping up north, skiing, mountain biking. Especially for young people. It's way easier to buy a home and live a good life.

[Co-host]

I've Everyone I know is jealous because a lot of my friends are living in California. They are jealous.

[John Middlecoft]

Some of them are stuck.

[Co-host]

I mean, my brother's a farmer. It's not like he can pick up the land and go somewhere else. I do not.

[John Middlecoft]

Not only do I not defend, I

[Co-host]

brag about being here. My only take about Arizona is I

[John Middlecoft]

wish I had moved here sooner.

[Co-host]

I don't mind the heat now. It does get hot. But when I see these people that

[John Middlecoft]

live in freezing cold temperatures for three

[Co-host]

or four months and pay premiums and taxes, it's like, wait, I pay no taxes. I'm in a beautiful area. Area that people vacation to that there's no crime. It's clean as I can golf. I can. I. It's just, it's incredible. I mean this area is one of my favorite areas in the country. It not even close and I listen I, I think I won when I moved here. I, I know that and I've spent Born and raised in the Sacramento area, that's 18 years. Went to college in the Central coast, that's another five years. Lived in Fresno for a couple of years, then lived in the Bay Area for a decade. So I'm 41 years old, 35. Six years of my life were in California. This is dramatically better. I mean I, I couldn't even like when I go do the fox thing. I don't think there's any amount of money you could make me move to Southern California now. Newport beach is badass but, but I'm not paying the tax rate ever. So I, I don't know. I mean defend it how I don't. I, I don't have to defend it ever. I, I love this area but again, to each his own.

[John Middlecoft]

Some people live wherever you want, you

[Co-host]

know, Live wherever you want. That's. That's what I would tell anyone.

[John Middlecoft]

If you can live where you want to live, live where it's going to make you happiest. I am happier than a pig in

[Co-host]

in Scottsdale, Arizona for the mailbag.

[John Middlecoft]

With all the discussion of who got

[Co-host]

better in free agency, I think the

[John Middlecoft]

Bengals are flying under the radar. They didn't make any crazy moves. Brian Cook, Mafe, Jonathan Allen, signings all improvements to a defense just needs to be average. What are your thoughts on their signings and what else do you need to see them do to think they can make some noise in the afc?

[Co-host]

I, I think they can make noise in the afc.

[John Middlecoft]

Cause I'm with you if their defense is just solid and Burrow has a bounce back year. I mean he had some moments last year but toward the end of the

[Co-host]

season it was weird. Maybe he was just kind of checked out. I, I don't see why they couldn't be a double digit win team and be a AFC contender and they definitely win the division for sure now.

[John Middlecoft]

One thing they're going to need to

[Co-host]

do is the dude they drafted last year, Stewart from A and M that was the freak at the combine and had like five career sacks in college.

[John Middlecoft]

They're going to need that guy to improve. You know, they're going to need like there was going to be. I said this yesterday about the 49ers. They drafted Mikel Williams from Georgia, the 11th pick they drafted Shamar Stewart relatively.

[Co-host]

I forget the exact pick. What top 15 ish.

[John Middlecoft]

Like they're going to need that guy Hendrickson.

[Co-host]

I know he was gone because he was injured last year but when he

[John Middlecoft]

was getting 17 and a half sacks,

[Co-host]

they don't need that. But like can he be a really productive player? Because if he can or just an

[John Middlecoft]

impactful player even if the sacks aren't there, can he get some pressures? Can he be just a solid high

[Co-host]

end rotational guy in year two? Because if he can, that would be a big boost.

[John Middlecoft]

They also because they had a shitty record.

[Co-host]

What's their draft pick this year?

[John Middlecoft]

10. Are they, are they drafting right after the Chiefs? Pretty sure they are because I've seen a bunch of mocks where they have

[Co-host]

like Caleb Downs going the draft draft rounds.

[John Middlecoft]

The Bengals are drafting 10. So like the Chiefs, they could get a sweet player. I mean if the.

[Co-host]

It's not inconceivable that Baines there, that they could take Caleb Downs there, they could take a good offensive lineman there like them.

[John Middlecoft]

The Chiefs are two teams that, that's

[Co-host]

a pretty sweet spot in the draft.

[John Middlecoft]

I think you would rather given how much you have to pay for some of these guys. You know there's a big difference in the contract.

[Co-host]

Especially those two teams have high priced

[John Middlecoft]

guys like the guy they could get at 9 and 10 could be every

[Co-host]

bit as good as the guys that go, you know, in the 2 and 3. Congrats on the becoming a father. Greatest gift in the world.

[John Middlecoft]

First year's gonna be the toughest. That is true. So I'm a diehard Bills fan and I know we still have some prime years of Josh Allen left, but I'm starting to wonder if the 13 second game was broke.

[Co-host]

This franchise like the Falcons lost to the Pats.

[John Middlecoft]

Let's say Josh plays five more years

[Co-host]

and never raises the Lombardi.

[John Middlecoft]

Could you see him with another team?

[Co-host]

I mean that's, he's what, almost 30 years old to be like I wouldn't even worry that like I, to me you have this moment this year and next like you were in this sweet spot last year. This, this run and this run's probably going to be 10 years. Right?

[John Middlecoft]

Right.

[Co-host]

So you had the last three or

[John Middlecoft]

four years going back to the 13 second game.

[Co-host]

You're still in the middle of the run.

[John Middlecoft]

You had a good shot last year

[Co-host]

and there's a reason they were all in tears.

[John Middlecoft]

But like if I, if we treated

[Co-host]

the Bills like a stock and I had a Large holding of my net worth in it. Let's say 50%. Let's say I was all in on the stock. Kind of like I am Uber in real life, I'm all in. And it's just if I'm going to be rich, that thing's going to work. If I'm not, it won't. But I would say this. I would.

[John Middlecoft]

I would not only hold my stock, I would keep buying as long as they got Josh. As long as they got, like, their team's still really talented. So yeah, DJ Moore, they're going to need Bradley Chubb to be pretty good. But Bosa was like, meh.

[Co-host]

And they were still right there in

[John Middlecoft]

the second round on the road.

[Co-host]

So I'm a believer. They've won a lot of playoff games. They really have. I mean, what, the Chiefs beat them four or five years and the other year they lost the Bengals.

[John Middlecoft]

So it'd be one thing if you're losing.

[Co-host]

Like the Jags lost would have been bad, but they won that game. They have a lot of positive reps. You know, we talked about this last podcast about the clutch thing.

[John Middlecoft]

Like, they have won a lot of games. Now, can they win the biggest game when they play?

[Co-host]

The Chiefs when they play? I mean, at Denver, that was a massive game. There's no disputing it. And you got to win that game. You just do. Now it turns out Josh had a broken bone in his foot. But I would not.

[John Middlecoft]

Not only would I not sell Buffalo

[Co-host]

stock, I would buy more.

[John Middlecoft]

Any thoughts on changing the field goal

[Co-host]

from three to two points?

[John Middlecoft]

It doesn't seem right to me that two first downs and you get a

[Co-host]

60 yard field goal and get you

[John Middlecoft]

50% of the points for driving the

[Co-host]

entire field of a touchdown.

[John Middlecoft]

I know it's always been this way, but these days there are more domes, the cables. I'll say this,

[Co-host]

when you are down three points, two points or one point

[John Middlecoft]

the time, used to need a lot

[Co-host]

of time, right, to get in the field goal range because they could kick

[John Middlecoft]

it out of bounds.

[Co-host]

You start at the 20 and a 50 yard field goal 20 years ago was considered a long field goal. So you would have to get a bunch of first downs or a big time explosive play. Well, now I'm starting the ball at the 35. If my guy returns it, maybe I'm at the 40.

[John Middlecoft]

Now with 60 yard field goals, I have to get a first down and

[Co-host]

a half and depending on my kicker,

[John Middlecoft]

I really don't have to go that far. I think there is some conversation of I Enjoy the new kickoff rule. When the kickoff is going on just because there's more stuff going on. But then I don't enjoy it with how I. I would say it's manipulating

[Co-host]

the sport a little bit.

[John Middlecoft]

And we've seen some of these comebacks because of this kickoff rule. With the ability to get a field goal, you're just so much closer to the 50 yard line. I mean if you, if you have a return or he kicks out of bounds, you start at the 40. You are one first down away from midfield. Remember, not that long ago, 30 seconds left, you're like, I'm at the 20. How am I going to get to midfield? I got to start throwing like go routes and deep post routes throw like borderline Hail Mary's now. You don't have to do any of that. So I,

[Co-host]

I don't love changing the number.

[John Middlecoft]

Right. I do think there's something field goals worth three, but I am with you

[Co-host]

that it doesn't quite feel the same.

[John Middlecoft]

Not only with the ease in which you kick it, but the kickoff rule

[Co-host]

to me has changed. I, I'm less caught up with their

[John Middlecoft]

ability to maximize longer field goals and

[Co-host]

more caught up with where they start.

[John Middlecoft]

I thought the Chargers were going to make a splash. They were top five a cap, actually. I believe first to start in free agency and have not made any sort of groundbreaking moves. Any idea why?

[Co-host]

Well, Joe Ortiz, their general manager, comes from the Ravens.

[John Middlecoft]

And historically the Ravens were not.

[Co-host]

I mean, Trey Anderson, they gave a

[John Middlecoft]

lot of money, but they were not.

[Co-host]

They always let guys walk. So I think that mentality of draft develop, build the culture. You have to pay premiums in free agency. So it's like they re signed Khalil Mack, they gave him $18 million, right? Think about Mike Evans was a big free agency signing for the 49ers. He got less. So that I think they view that like that's a real signing, right? That that's a real signing.

[John Middlecoft]

And then you get Slater and Alt back.

[Co-host]

It's like we're getting guys back. So I, I hear you.

[John Middlecoft]

I just want to know who would

[Co-host]

have been a guy.

[John Middlecoft]

Look what it costs to get Jalen Phillips, right?

[Co-host]

Because you're like, oh, add Jalen Phillips. You put him on that defensive line with some of the other pass rushers. I'm just using him as an example. That Tyler Lindenbaum, the center, like, look

[John Middlecoft]

at the prices you have to pay for good players.

[Co-host]

Could they have been aggressive to like get Bradley Chubb?

[John Middlecoft]

They gave him $30 million. He's always banged up. So I, I understand it.

[Co-host]

I I mean I really do.

[John Middlecoft]

I, I think you can nitpick individual players, but I, I, I think you go that we don't love that amount. We don't like doing that deal. We want to keep our powder dry. I I think Jim Harbaugh has a pretty good track record of like you go back to the 49ers. A lot of their free agency moves

[Co-host]

when he was there were like kind of under the radar. Like Dante Whitner, no one wanted him at the time. Carlos Rogers, they didn't have to pay much.

[John Middlecoft]

You know, they got kind of guys that he's never been, I don't remember the biggest free agents.

[Co-host]

Now, he hasn't only coached the NFL for six years, right.

[John Middlecoft]

But like would he have been a big nil?

[Co-host]

I guess he would have been an nil guy. They were spending money but a transfer

[John Middlecoft]

portal guy guy here or there. But it feels like most of the

[Co-host]

guys I could be wrong. I'm just thinking about their roster. Aiden Hutchinson, Mason Graham, Blake Corum, a lot of guys. J.J. mcCarthy, Homegrown Guys. I I don't have an issue with letting guys walk.

[John Middlecoft]

What peptides do you take?

[Co-host]

Just want to know because I don't

[John Middlecoft]

want to take shots. I want something I can swallow.

[Co-host]

I'm a big peptide guy.

[John Middlecoft]

Even though I've looked at myself in the mirror last two weeks and they told me this takes a little time.

[Co-host]

I'm like, I'm like steroids. I'm ready for instant results.

[John Middlecoft]

It takes a little time. Got to eat right. Got to work out. Which working out's not the problem. Eating right, it takes discipline.

[Co-host]

I I'm on I've said this before, the BPC and the cjc, one's like gut skin health and the other is like the the growth hormone slash fat burning, I think. And those are just dissolvables put in my mouth. Take the the gut one in the morning and I I take the the growth the CJC at night packers fan

[John Middlecoft]

here with a genuine question about your Jordan Love takes the narrative. Ben's confusing Last season is total EPA was second in the league behind Drake May and he makes wow throws all the time. He was in the MVP conversation with three quarters of the way to go. It feels like the early narrative is that he's sloppy and throws a ton of picks. Every quarterback has bad games. Even Allen and Rogers did too. So what specifically are you seeing that keeps you skeptical of Love? It's frustrating when the media gets locked into a narrative that isn't applied the same way to other quarterbacks. I think Jordan loves a good starting quarterback. I, I've never acted like Jordan loves some scrub. I think the question is you know

[Co-host]

you come from Rogers, you see all

[John Middlecoft]

the top five guys. Is he just like in the DAC Purdy? Is that like the world he's in and there's nothing wrong with that. Like the packers, they build a good team. You can win a bunch of games with them. I, I'm pro Jordan Love now can you win a Super bowl with him? Can you rattle off a bunch of playoff wins with him? You'll never know until he does it. But like I, I think most people would be skeptical.

[Co-host]

I, I don't know anyone with a brain that says he's not a good player.

[John Middlecoft]

He's a very very solid player. Very solid player especially late first round sat forever.

[Co-host]

I, I don't feel like I'm on him by any means.

[John Middlecoft]

I I just think there are times in games where you're just like what's

[Co-host]

going on And I think people in your guys world get very critical of the coach they've obviously last year you know you lose a tight end to an injury receivers were banged up and kind of having drops Jacobs dealt with some stuff yet offensive line I mean he had a lot of injuries last year so I, I'm not acting like Jordan loves tua.

[John Middlecoft]

Malik Willis was the most sought after

[Co-host]

free agent quarterback this year despite the

[John Middlecoft]

despite the small sample size if you were a team using the Bears would take a third and a fifth rounder for Tyson. He came from a small school but

[Co-host]

his look great when his name was called.

[John Middlecoft]

You have to wonder if the Pittsburgh

[Co-host]

Steelers are thinking about trading for him.

[John Middlecoft]

I saw Rod Woodson Rich Eisen or a podcast or something and Rod's a pretty. He's opinionated. I used to work with him when I did radio.

[Co-host]

Pretty big legend, just bigger than you think. Also got big hands but he's.

[John Middlecoft]

He's pretty understated guy but he's. You can just tell like if this

[Co-host]

guy talks he's take him seriously. His comments were like the Sealers got to get out of this waiting for Rogers business. And you have to wonder if they are going to think long and hard about trading for Tyson. I mean I saw that rumor on the Internet. I actually think it makes some sense.

[John Middlecoft]

A third and a fifth be pretty bold. Did he get a contract?

[Co-host]

I know he got an ex. He got 2 years 5 million but is that an ex? Was that was he a Free agent or like is that for the next two years? Like how long is he under contract for?

[John Middlecoft]

Yeah, so you, if you trade for

[Co-host]

him right now, he's under contract for the next two years. I think you could justify trading a third.

[John Middlecoft]

Be risky.

[Co-host]

I mean there's no guarantee comes from the Division 2. I remember when he started that game for Uber Flu.

[John Middlecoft]

Like what is going on here? But Ben Johnson likes him, I like him.

[Co-host]

I mean and he was impressive in when he played last year in the, in the preseason. He looks good.

[John Middlecoft]

Is it fair to say that Will Campbell is trending toward being a bust? I know it's easy to say now, but I never understood the hype on him going back to the draft. The guy was picked before three round one tackles. Membu, Banks and Simmons, who flashed all pro potential as rookies, which no one in the media seems to really mention. Do the Pats or Grable get the benefit of the doubt on this? Yes, you cannot be a bust when you are starter on a good team.

[Co-host]

As a rookie, like I just, we got a long way to go. He was obviously hurt and got worked in the playoffs. There's no disputing that. But I've seen enough like the Whitworth

[John Middlecoft]

types that say he needs a major

[Co-host]

overhaul on his technique.

[John Middlecoft]

There are ways you can play when

[Co-host]

you are physically greater than everyone else. When you are, you know, Jason Peters, Trent Williams. I'm trying to think of the longtime Cowboy, I don't know, brain fog here from the baby tackle from usc, great player, something Smith. I don't know, I don't know why I'm blanking on this. But if you just are way more talented than everyone else, your technique can be hit or miss, whatever. There are certain players technique with offensive line is such a big deal if you play in high school, obviously college and the pros because of the talent you're going against. But I think he's going to need a tech. He's got to be healthy but for

[John Middlecoft]

his skill set, like he's never going

[Co-host]

to be Anthony Munoz, you know, or Jonathan Ogden. So technically he's going to have to be elite. And I would not just sell like he sucks.

[John Middlecoft]

But I think there's going to be a lot of pressure and a lot

[Co-host]

of eyeballs on him next year for sure. But you, you can't be a bust after your rookie year.

[John Middlecoft]

In your opinion. What's worse? Being a fan of a super talented team loaded with all the right players that consistently underperforms in the postseason or being a fan of A consistently bad team that you know won't be successful. So you're not really disappointed at the end of the year. Being a Ravens fan, and this probably applies to the Bills and the Niners too. Sometimes it feels like Brad Pitt at the bar, but still going home alone. Meanwhile, being a Browns, jets or Raider fan must be like being the ugly guy at the bar who goes home alone. But he's fine with it because he wasn't expecting anything to happen. Well, the one thing, if you're Brad Pitt, even if you go home alone at the bar one night, you're not spending a lot of nights alone. Now, you might not marry her, she might leave you, but you're still getting

[Co-host]

laid all the time.

[John Middlecoft]

The ugly guy is alone and he's on his phone on the websites that

[Co-host]

now make you put in an id.

[John Middlecoft]

So I, I, I think that you would much do you know what it's

[Co-host]

like, and I'm sure you do, because every team's had a down year.

[John Middlecoft]

When you're winning three, four games every

[Co-host]

year, the season is over before Halloween.

[John Middlecoft]

So if you're a Ravens fan or

[Co-host]

a Bills fan, or a Niner fan,

[John Middlecoft]

you play in so many important games. So yeah, it sucks to lose in

[Co-host]

the playoffs or losing the super bowl or losing the AFC Championship game.

[John Middlecoft]

No one would argue that it blows. But you get to watch the AFC Championship game with your team in it. When, when you're the Browns, you get to hang your hat on, well, we're just, we're throwing this out to the league. We would like to be able to trade five years out. That's what, that's what our, that's, that's

[Co-host]

what we're bringing to the table with this organization. Right.

[John Middlecoft]

That is our added value to the league.

[Co-host]

So you'd 100% rather be loved and left than never loved at all? 1,000,000%. You would rather be a good team that gets let down like the Eagles.

[John Middlecoft]

You would much rather go through this Eagle season and host a playoff game

[Co-host]

than be the Browns or the Jets. There's nothing. Well, there is something.

[John Middlecoft]

A bad baseball team, like the worst

[Co-host]

baseball team in the league. It was the worst. There's nothing worse than that because football is only once a week and some of the games are still going to be semi close. Baseball would be the worst by far. At least in basketball they're like, yeah, we're not even trying to win.

[John Middlecoft]

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[John Middlecoft]

Question for the bag do you think that having no state income tax has competitive advantages against other teams? There has been discussion recently about contracts within free agency and just curious what your take is on this. Do you think a salary cap league that tries to make it as even as possible should try to counteract the discrepancy as well? I guess no team recently have really done in those states other than the

[Co-host]

Bucks, so maybe it's not a big deal.

[John Middlecoft]

I was asked this about because that.

[Co-host]

That rule in Seattle that just got Howard Schultz to move to Florida that I actually met Jordan Schultz at the combine and I told him I listened to a podcast with his dad called Acquired on just the how he started Starbucks, the origin of Starbucks, how he built Starbucks. It's one of the best business podcasts I've ever listened to. It was. It was an incredible. I didn't know that much about it beside just I'm a user of the product been spent a lot of money, probably thousands of dollars in my life. Especially now they charge like $7 for a venti cold brew with almond milk. I mean that's pretty crazy. But like I still pay when I. When I need to pick me up is he's just moved.

[John Middlecoft]

I. I think it's a bigger factor.

[Co-host]

Like I'm a good example.

[John Middlecoft]

One of the main.

[Co-host]

I mean I moved to Arizona for several reasons, but taxes and money played a massive factor. Like if this place had had the same tax rate as California, I would not have moved here.

[John Middlecoft]

But my earning potential, right.

[Co-host]

Lasts longer. So you could think over the course

[John Middlecoft]

of decades when you are in a

[Co-host]

situation of like there's a chance if you're getting offered contracts, that's the biggest contract. Like this is the only contract I'm ever going to have.

[John Middlecoft]

28 years old.

[Co-host]

We've seen constantly in the NFL guys get injured, their careers end. It happens all the time. The average shelf life of an NFL player is three years.

[John Middlecoft]

I think we have a pretty long track record of if you offer the most money gross.

[Co-host]

The net isn't as factored big of a factor as I think it plays out like for normal humans and businesses in society right now. Because obviously we have seen a mass migration in New York. We've seen a mass migration in California with these big money now we're seeing in Seattle. I think in. In professional sports it's kind of shown that like the Cowboys would have everyone lined up to go there. Right. I mean the Rams have been dominant. The 49ers have been to multiple Super Bowls and multiple other playoffs. Right. I mean Seattle has no state income tax, but the Giants won multiple Super Bowls with Tom Coughlin. The Patriots have enormous taxes and they've been good, you know, a little blip in the radar for three or four years, but 20 years with Bill and now with Rabel. So I, I actually don't think it has, I think, I think it has none because it's like, why do the Jags always suck? Why do the Titans always suck? Texans are now good.

[John Middlecoft]

It doesn't mean it doesn't work to your advantage to keep guys once you're pretty good.

[Co-host]

But I would say historically in football, it's had little to no impact at all. Because if you look at the top teams, I mean, over the course since McVeigh got there, the Rams have dominated since Kyle got there. By year three, they've been excellent. Philly I'm pretty sure has relatively high taxes. They've been good for almost a decade now with how he taking back control. Like I said, the Patriots, Minnesota's always good. They, they got pretty high taxes, right? Chicago, I think is going to be good moving forward. They, they got astronomical taxes. So I, I, I, I also think the agent and I said this the other day and maybe it changes a little. Deal. De deal.

[John Middlecoft]

But they get paid on the gross.

[Co-host]

So if I sign you to $100 million contract, if I get whatever my percentage is 1.5, I'm paid on that number. Not what you take home. You pay me off what you take home. But I'm pretty sure they get paid on the gross number. Maybe it's the numbers are so big you get into the weeds like the guaranteed number, but it's still the gross number, not the net number. And again, maybe that's changed. The numbers got huged, but I'm not sure. I don't think so because think about this. Like, wouldn't it impact coaches like Kyle and McVeigh probably make combined $30 million. California loves those two guys. They're W2 employees. So I mean, they're paying combined probably $15 million in taxes. You know, I mean, think how many average Joes in California it takes to equal what Kyle and Sean McVeigh pay in taxes. Takes a lot. So wouldn't those guys want to go

[John Middlecoft]

coach cowboys or something?

[Co-host]

I think you could make the argument for coaches as well.

[John Middlecoft]

You excel at your craft.

[Co-host]

God, I like this guy.

[John Middlecoft]

Typically that requires a lot of review, self critique of your work. Regardless of what your craft is. However, you pump out so much content, I can't imagine you have time to listen, watch it all. What's your deal?

[Co-host]

What's your deal, bro?

[John Middlecoft]

You eventually got to pl. Got to a place where you can just wing it and roll day after day. Sidebar. Your Spotify album cover pick needs a serious reboot upgrade. Not throwing any shape, just a fact. You're far too good slash polished to rock. That pick does, you know, favors. It's old pick.

[Co-host]

We actually did like some photos out of the Arizona State football program. I was like, I had gotten sick and I looked so terrible. I'm like, I can't use those photos. So it's, it's in the hopper to change, change the outdated photo. I mean that photo is five, five years old. It's also like, is this that series of a show like this? We're not talking the Iran war here. I mean, I'm talking the chief's number one wide receiver and baby all over the ground. So. I hear you, but I, I haven't, I don't really think that much about it. I also don't wing the show.

[John Middlecoft]

Right.

[Co-host]

Maybe on the mailbag, like I, I'm just reacting. But when I do a podcast, I mean I have a notebook. I break down topics and I, I don't like read, I just talk. But I write out my thoughts and the main topics or the main angles I want to have. And so when I talk, it sounds like I'm just freelancing it, but I've already gone over everything I'm gonna say now sometimes I go off on different tangents that are just, I would say ad libbed, but I wouldn't say my show is an ad lib show by any means. I approach it much no different than, you know, I've, I've been around Colin now at his show for years and seen how, I mean, I go back, I went and kind of shadowed him probably in like 17 or 18. And that really changed the way that I approach podcasts. Also working in radio, I, I've always kind of done that. So I, this isn't just a wing it deal. I mean this is my life. So I mean, I, I, I take this pretty seriously. But I, I appreciate the kind words and yeah, we gotta, maybe we gotta update the photo. That's why I'm on Peptides, to get myself looking a little bit better. And we can pop something up of, of Skinny Jack John. We got a ways to go.

[John Middlecoft]

Though I'm a big Broncos fan, it's now day four of free agency and we are still waiting for them to make a move.

[Co-host]

Oh, this is a little old. You guys got waddle.

[John Middlecoft]

I get that. We are the number one seed and we're an ankle injury away from a Super Bowl. But all that doesn't carry over. We can't just expect to run it back with a team and expect the same results. The Bills got better. The Ravens got better. The Patriots got better. Hell, everyone, the AFC has made at least some sort of addition. We're in the prime of Bo Nick Knicks rookie year. This should be our window.

[Co-host]

Well, I'm trying to think they want to win.

[John Middlecoft]

By the way, we just signed little Jordan Humphrey. While I'm typing this, I think the

[Co-host]

waddle move was a bold play. I mean, that. That's chips all the way in the

[John Middlecoft]

middle of the table.

[Daniel Cormier]

They.

[Co-host]

They resigned J.K. dobbins. They have. They have Sutton. They have. I'm going to pull up the Denver Broncos. Where's Denver? So pick 30 is gone. So you have. Oh, that's the second round.

[John Middlecoft]

So you have pick 30 in the second round. You have two fours, a five and three sevenths.

[Co-host]

So in a perfect world, those two

[John Middlecoft]

fours and a two, you would like to get an in, you know, a

[Co-host]

just hit on one of the three guys.

[John Middlecoft]

So this draft, there's a chance one

[Co-host]

guy in this draft impacts your team next year. Because you can't really. I mean, you got three sevens at the end of the round, your fifths at the end of the round, you

[John Middlecoft]

have a couple good fours.

[Co-host]

These are. Oh, because you swapped with Miami. And this other four is. Well, let me see how you got it must have been a trade, though. You have two good fours.

[John Middlecoft]

So on day three, you have the

[Co-host]

eighth pick and the 11th pick.

[John Middlecoft]

So once we get day three, you

[Co-host]

have two high picks.

[John Middlecoft]

You could probably package those two four

[Co-host]

or one of those fours and move

[John Middlecoft]

up in the second round to get a good player.

[Co-host]

You probably could actually go from like pick 30 to middle of the round, give one of those fours away.

[John Middlecoft]

Listen, every day gets me through the night shift. Diehard Seahawks fan curious what the bleep we're doing. I know the free agent market isn't fantastic, but we have $40 million in cap space, only four picks in the draft. We can't lose three major players and think we can replace them in the draft. John needs to stop being so conservative in free agency. Last year, last year was one of the few years we spent and it worked. We got a Super Bowl. Curious your thoughts. Can I defend my guy here?

[Co-host]

I think you have to be very careful.

[John Middlecoft]

Think about this. When you guys had, I mean, the

[Co-host]

best team, I know you just won the super bowl, but the lob team was better. Best team in franchise history, back to back Super Bowls. He extended all those guys and within a couple years it was like, God, we kind of, kind of regret some of this, right?

[John Middlecoft]

And I don't think we'll choose the

[Co-host]

two main guys, the running back and Kobe Bryant. And KOBE Bryant got $14 million a year.

[John Middlecoft]

So you're going to get $14 million a year, which is more power to him.

[Co-host]

I mean he's, he's a good player,

[John Middlecoft]

but he's going to pay $14 million

[Co-host]

a year when he's got Witherspoon coming up.

[John Middlecoft]

JSN coming up. You want to keep your powder dry. I just think he wasn't going to pay Kenneth Walker. He, Kenneth Walker was not going to come back. And I think that's the right move. I do. Like, I also think like the Chiefs makes a lot of sense, but the Chiefs coming off a six win team, little more desperate than a team that just won the Super Bowl. I think if the Chiefs were in the same spot and the roles were reversed, they would have let Kenneth Walker walk as well. So I got to be honest, I

[Co-host]

don't really have a big bone to pick.

[John Middlecoft]

It's not like, you know, even worry was up and they let him walk. Witherspoon was up and they let him walk. JSN was up and they, they couldn't get a deal.

[Co-host]

That's not what we're talking about here. I, I, I, I, I don't know. I, I don't, I think running backs, you got to feel pretty confident you can find them. And the Kobe Bryant thing is like

[John Middlecoft]

part of also is having Mike McDonald who is a defensive backfield secondary mastermind and you have a bunch of other good players in the secondary and this draft is loaded with good safeties. So I don't know.

[Co-host]

I, I just, I gotta be honest, I don't have a big issue with, I don't most of these free agents,

[John Middlecoft]

like, what was, how are you supposed to do? Even the Ravens, like you were gonna pay your center $27 million. Makes more sense for the Raiders to way overpay.

[Co-host]

They got this rookie quarterback coming in.

[John Middlecoft]

So I, I think sometimes in free agency it's like

[Co-host]

the Chargers love Cleo Mack.

[John Middlecoft]

So were there a lot of teams

[Co-host]

going to Give Cleo Mac 18 million? Probably not, right?

[John Middlecoft]

I, I bet his market would have been low teens, but it's worth the

[Co-host]

Chargers like, hey, we just want to keep you here.

[John Middlecoft]

We know the tax is a little

[Co-host]

higher, so we'll pay a little More. We just love you around and you're a good player, but we.

[John Middlecoft]

And I think you do that with a guy. They also gave him a one year contract and Kenneth Walker essentially got the Saquon Barkley deal of a couple years ago.

[Co-host]

Like he's gotta. If Kenneth Walker is going to work

[John Middlecoft]

for the Chiefs, like they're going to

[Co-host]

need that guy that was there the last couple months.

[John Middlecoft]

There's going to be a lot of

[Co-host]

pressure on Kenneth Walker to be good now. I think he will be good because he's got a great coach and. But was Seattle supposed to give him that contract? I don't think he could.

[John Middlecoft]

And I think they really like Kobe Bryant, but there was in one of those positions with the unit. They kind of had a number and

[Co-host]

it's like this is way more than us.

[John Middlecoft]

Who's a team that has historically done

[Co-host]

a really good job of that? The Ravens. It's like this guy's gonna make way more than we were willing to pay.

[John Middlecoft]

Cause you pick and that's part of building a good team.

[Co-host]

Five or six core guys, right?

[John Middlecoft]

Their left tackle, their quarterback, jsn, a couple of secondary guys. Like, those are the guys all of

[Co-host]

our chips are in the middle of the table on.

[John Middlecoft]

And I also think like, does John Schneider not deserve the benefit of the doubt? Like, there's a short list of GMs.

[Co-host]

Like, he deserves benefit of doubt, period, point blank.

[John Middlecoft]

Like Eagle fans don't love every move that happens, but it's like, you know, it's how he deserves it. I think if you're Seattle, like this isn't baseball. Like you do have to think about the cap.

[Co-host]

You do have to think about like over the.

[John Middlecoft]

John Schneider isn't just thinking about 26. He's thinking about the next three or four years. How do we sustain a winner? Like that's.

[Co-host]

They want to win double digit games

[John Middlecoft]

and they have Mike McDonald all the time. The 49ers kind of like got too aggressive and it blew up in their

[Co-host]

face a couple times. Like, ah, we regret that one. We regret that contract. Rams have done that before Gurley and

[John Middlecoft]

he was an excellent player.

[Co-host]

He's better than I. You right.

[John Middlecoft]

But the knee injury and it was

[Co-host]

like, God, they want it out.

[John Middlecoft]

So I, I think team good GMs

[Co-host]

are very sensitive to like, is it worth overpaying this player?

[John Middlecoft]

Sometimes you do.

[Co-host]

Like, they'll probably have to quote, unquote, overpay. They're going to give Witherspoon a ton

[John Middlecoft]

of money if Ian War keeps playing like this.

[Co-host]

For the next couple years, he's going to get a ton of money.

[John Middlecoft]

JSN is going to get $120 million guaranteed.

[Co-host]

But it's like, do you feel comfortable

[John Middlecoft]

paying premiums for these guys? And the answer would be yes. Do you feel comfortable paying a premium for your third best db? And the answer is no. That's part of it. If Kobe Bryant was your best db,

[Co-host]

I, I could see being critical.

[John Middlecoft]

He's not even top 2 DB on their own team. And Kenneth Walker, like, they, like, they drafted him 41, but most of his career had been a little underwhelming, and the Chiefs really valued him. And it's like, we're not willing to go to that number. So I sound like I'm defending my

[Co-host]

guy here, which is ironic. I'm a Niner guy, and I, I, I'm a big John Schneider guy. So I, I, I agree with what he did, Honestly. I mean, I, I would support it from, from the seat I'm sitting in, I don't think anything's crazy at all.

[John Middlecoft]

I haven't seen a lot of guys

[Co-host]

that left and got contracts. Other places that felt like that team should have kept the guy. Jason Light was like, we tried to keep him. We offered him more money.

[John Middlecoft]

He still left. Sometimes that happens. The other thing is you, you never know about, like, contracts that were offered to players, because I hear this from

[Co-host]

GMs of the combine.

[John Middlecoft]

It's like, we offered this guy a

[Co-host]

contract in the middle of the season. He turned it down. And now the. Granted that number was lower than the number he ended up getting in free agency, but I also think that, like, that was the number we were comfortable. You get 30, 40% more, and it never really leaks out, you know, that there was a contract offer because they just said no.

[John Middlecoft]

That sneaky happens a lot, right?

[Co-host]

It's like, hey, we made this guy an offer, and he made. We hear about some decisions that are like, this guy turned down this much money, and then it backfires. It also works out in the other direction a lot. Like, hey, we offered this guy $17 million a year. He's like, nope, I'm playing this thing out, has a great season, and gets $25 million a year and $30 million more guaranteed. I think that happens a lot. That never comes out. So because, because an agent doesn't want to put out in the training camp or early in the season that he's turned down whatever amount of money because people be like, God, are you crazy?

[John Middlecoft]

You should take that. But it's kind of a risk.

[Co-host]

And some guys are willing to take the risk. And sometimes it's. It's very, you know, fruitful for the player and the agent. Adios. Have a great weekend. Talk to everyone later. The volume. It's here. AT T Mobile. Get the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. With Galaxy AI on us.

[Levar Arrington]

Okay?

[Co-host]

We don't need the trumpets.

[Levar Arrington]

We know it's awesome. Couldn't help yourself, could you?

[Co-host]

Well, get ready for this. AT T Mobile, you get a five year price guarantee. A kazoo.

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[Daniel Cormier]

This is Daniel Cormier from the Daniel Cormier Show. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move or you miss the moment. That's why you need a network that's just as powerful as you are. With Total Wireless, you get unlimited 5G data keeping you in the action from the walkouts to the knockouts. Now that's a total power move. Make your total power move today. Visit totalwireless.com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wireless Store. Additional terms apply. See totalwireless.com for details.

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[Host]

This is an Iheart podcast. Guaranteed human.