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Best of the week on The Herd - The Herd with Colin Cowherd | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Best of the week on The Herd

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Sat Mar 21 2026

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd: "Best of the Week"

Date: March 21, 2026
Host: Jason McIntyre (in for Colin Cowherd)
Guests: Rachel Nichols, Matt Leinert, Albert Breer

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Herd" showcases a packed week in sports with a particular focus on a major NFL trade between the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, a breakdown of the surging Los Angeles Lakers under coach J.J. Redick, key discussions on NBA MVP candidates, plus deep dives into the NFL draft and some revealing insights about the Baltimore Ravens' latest moves. The episode features analysis, instant reactions to breaking news, and commentary from notable guests including Rachel Nichols, Matt Leinert, and Albert Breer.

Major Segments and Key Insights

1. The Blockbuster NFL Trade: Jalen Waddle to the Broncos

[03:43 – 11:40]

Details of the Trade:
- Denver Broncos acquire WR Jalen Waddle and a fourth-round pick from Miami Dolphins
- Miami receives first, third, and fourth-round picks (highlight: 30th overall pick)
Miami Dolphins’ Strategy:
- Jason McIntyre argues Miami is clearly in tank mode, pointing to their recent moves shipping off Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb for cap space, and now Waddle.
- McIntyre: “Guys, I’m not even exaggerating. The Miami Dolphins roster is horrible. Did I say horrible? Horrific.” [05:01]
- Miami is stockpiling picks, positioning for the 2027 draft—potentially targeting top QBs (Arch Manning referenced as the big prize).
- McIntyre points out the incongruence of signing Malik Willis in a tanking situation and expects a rough season ahead.
Denver Broncos’ Perspective:
- Sean Payton gets a perfect weapon in Waddle, whose speed and versatility will complement Cortland Sutton.
- McIntyre: “They’re doing cartwheels in altitude right now. ... This qualifies as a splash.” [06:57]
- Suggests the AFC is wide open due to uncertainty with the Bills, Ravens, and Chiefs. Predicts the Broncos may become AFC favorites.
Rachel Nichols on the Trade:
- “Just the diversity it’s gonna bring to the Broncos offense... gives them the explosive play capability they didn’t really have. Also, if Bo Nix is your guy, you want to give him as many weapons as possible.” [15:58]
- Nichols notes Denver tried to make this deal pre-deadline but price (a first and more) was too high at the time.

2. Lakers’ Hot Streak and J.J. Redick’s Impact

[11:40 – 15:47]

LeBron’s Evolution:
- LeBron expertly adapts his game: improved defense, selective offense, and playmaking.
- McIntyre praises Redick’s analytics-driven adjustments and innovative approach: “If you listen to any of Reddick’s podcasts, you know a couple things about him. Number one, the sun rises and sets with the numbers. He is very analytically based.” [12:26]
Game Analysis:
- Lakers overcame a slow fourth quarter against Houston, thanks to defensive moves (double-teaming/offensive rebounding decisions).
- McIntyre points out J.J. Redick’s strategic blitzing of Kevin Durant late in the game, causing rare mistakes from Durant (eight-second violation, over-back).
  - “Durant wilted, folks. I’ve never seen a superstar, top 15 player in NBA history have an eight second violation because he was nervous about the double team.” [13:18]
Lakers’ Momentum:
- 9 wins in the last 10 games—signature wins against top teams.
- McIntyre: “JJ Redick’s plans, they're coming together, they’re coalescing. And the Lakers, they look like one of the best teams in the league.” [14:46]

3. Guest Segment: Matt Leinert on Jersey Retirements and NFL Draft

[21:22 – 29:12]

Jersey Retirement Controversy:
- Matt addresses rumors about unretiring his USC jersey for recruits:
  - “USC has approached me in the past if I would ever unretire my jersey for a big recruit... Absolutely not.” [23:09]
- Clarifies this hasn’t happened in the last four or five years and he values the jersey’s legacy.
The NIL Era and Player Loyalty:
- Leinert comments: “I wouldn’t give it up to some kid who’s making two or three million dollars who’s probably going to transfer in a year or two anyway.“ [24:23]
NFL Draft QB Prospects:
- Big on Fernando Mendoza (projected to Raiders) and praises his size, accuracy, and mental game: “He can make all the throws...he understands and can see the game mentally.” [26:19]
- Ty Simpson (Alabama): Great leadership and NFL-level throws, but less optimism due to inconsistency: “He’s a ball player. He loves football. He’s not the biggest guy, but...there’s a lot of good stuff there.” [28:16]

4. Deep Dive with Albert Breer: Ravens’ Woes and AFC Landscape

[33:01 – 46:11]

Ravens’ Crumbling Reputation:
- Takes listeners behind the scenes of the Max Crosby non-trade. Details poor communication, missed meetings, and questionable decisions.
- Breer: “The Ravens...have for a long, long time had a reputation for being one of the first class organizations...And a story like this...does some damage to that.” [36:11]
- Front office disconnect, especially with contract issues (Lamar Jackson).
Lamar Jackson’s Contract Drama:
- Ties Jackson’s missed games closely to contract years, hinting at hesitation or caution during disputes:
  - “The years [Lamar’s] missed games due to injury have been the ones where he was in a contract dispute.” [37:49]
  - Suggests the new contract is a major underlying issue for the franchise.
Broncos’ Outlook:
- Breer impressed with Denver’s roster construction despite Russell Wilson fallout:
  - “The fact that they’ve been able to build her up...with the handicap of all the dead money from Russell Wilson...is really remarkable.” [40:00]
  - Jalen Waddle’s contract good value, allows others like Sutton to move into more natural roles.
Sean Payton Delegating Playcalling:
- First time in decades Payton gives up playcalling, allowing Davis Webb (seen as a rising star) to step in:
  - “Sean Payton thinks the world of how Davis Webb sees the game, so it might be another set of eyes on how to use all the talent.” [42:16]
Miami Dolphins’ Tanking (Again):
- Miami focusing on rebuild and draft picks, and signing Malik Willis seen as a move to keep the locker room motivated during the expected tough year:
  - “They had to give the locker room a quarterback that they could at least say, yes, this is going to give us a chance. And I think that’s what Malik Willis is for the Dolphins new regime.” [45:15]

5. NBA MVP Race: Updated Power Rankings by Jason McIntyre

[47:36 – 51:19]

McIntyre’s MVP List (with rationale):
- 5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) – “Has he gotten better than last year? ... They also have the best roster in the league by a mile.” [48:43]
- 4. Nikola Jokic – “Denver’s taking a bit of a step back...they’re sixth in the West.” [48:45]
- 3. Jaylen Brown – “He’s been playing like that this year...really carrying Boston without Tatum all season.” [49:16]
- 2. Victor Wembanyama – “He’s become a must watch for me in the league...the guy’s just extraordinary.” [49:57]
- 1. Luka Doncic – “His stats this month are staggering... averaging 39 points per game on the second leg of back to backs this season.” [50:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Dolphins’ Tanking:
“The Miami Dolphins have a clear vision. We need to clear up our cap, clean it all out...Let’s target the 2027 draft. They are loading up.”
— Jason McIntyre [05:24]
On J.J. Redick’s Lakers:
“He’s only a podcaster, but...watching these Lakers the last couple weeks, J.J. Redick’s plans, they’re coming together, they’re coalescing.”
— Jason McIntyre [14:36]
On the Jalen Waddle Trade:
“Just the diversity it’s gonna bring to the Broncos offense...give[s] them the explosive play capability they didn’t really have.”
— Rachel Nichols [15:58]
On Matt Leinert’s Jersey Decision:
“Absolutely not. There’s no chance I’m going to unretire my number.”
— Matt Leinert [23:09]
On the Ravens’ Facility and Reputation:
“If you’ve been to the Ravens facility...it’s called the Castle...first class operation...a story like this obviously does some damage.”
— Albert Breer [36:11]
On Lamar Jackson and Contract Years:
“The years he’s missed games due to injury have been the ones where he was in a contract dispute.”
— Albert Breer [37:49]
On Luka Doncic’s MVP Case:
“He’s unbelievable...there’s just too many accolades for me to get into here for Luka, but I have Luka number one.”
— Jason McIntyre [50:35]

Important Timestamps

03:43 – McIntyre and Nichols react to breaking Broncos-Dolphins trade
05:01 – McIntyre delivers scathing assessment of Dolphins’ tanking strategy
06:57 – McIntyre breaks down Broncos’ side of the trade
11:40 – Lakers segment; praise for J.J. Redick and LeBron’s all-around play
13:18 – McIntyre highlights Durant's meltdown vs. Lakers
15:58 – Rachel Nichols weighs in on Jalen Waddle trade
21:22 – Matt Leinert joins, discusses jersey retirement and the NCAA/NFL QB pipeline
26:19 – Leinert evaluates Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson as QB prospects
33:01 – Albert Breer on the Ravens/Crosby non-trade and internal dysfunction
37:49 – Breer makes link between Lamar Jackson’s injuries and contract years
40:00 – Broncos’ turnaround praised
47:36 – McIntyre unveils NBA MVP rankings

Tone & Style

The episode flows with Jason McIntyre’s energetic, sharp-edged analysis, playful banter, and rapid pivots between the NFL and NBA. Guests add credibility and insider knowledge—Rachel Nichols delivers measured insight; Matt Leinert brings humor and heritage perspective; Albert Breer offers granular reporting and broad context.

Summary: Who Should Listen?

This recap-rich episode is must-listen material for fans tracking big NFL trades/roster moves, Lakers’ rise under Redick, or the MVP race. Insightful and light on filler, it’s ideal for fans seeking thoughtful opinions, trend analysis, and a blend of sports culture with real-time reactions.

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Transcript

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Jason McIntyre (4:22)

got mock drafts dropping that I don't like at all. But it's not about the, the mock draft. Er, it's about the players. We'll get to that later in the show. But we got to start with the NFL trade. They're calling this a blockbuster. I don't know that I would go there. The Broncos and Dolphins make a, a seismic trade. You got Jalen Waddle going from Miami to Denver. Waddle and a fourth in exchange. In exchange for a first, third and fourth. There it is on the screen. So the Miami Dolphins will now have the 30th pick in the first round. 30th overall and a third and a fourth. Miami pretty clearly signaling what they're doing. So a long time ago, somebody smart told me, jay, don't Believe people when they say something. Believe people when they do something. Somebody comes out and says, oh, I want to start a business. And they're playing video games around the clock, right? Somebody says, I want to write a screenplay. And they're out boozing it up three nights a week at bars. Okay? Believe their actions for the last month and change. The Miami Dolphins have been said. We're not tanking. No, we're not tanking. That's not a thing we do. We just got rid of Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb so we could clean up our cap. And then the Miami Dolphins went out and said, we're going to go get Malik Willis. See, that's not what tanking teams do. We've got maybe our franchise quarterback. And then now, five minutes later, here come the Dolphins trading one of their three good players. Guys, I'm not even exaggerating. The Miami Dolphins roster is horrible. Did I say horrible? Horrific. It's terrible. It's right down there with the jets. And it's very clear the signal is out. Miami is tanking. I know you don't want to hear it. Taking for the NBA. No, the Miami Dolphins have a clear vision. We need to clear up our cap, clean it all out. Let's get rid of the old players from the old regime and let's target the 2027 draft. They are loading up. I saw they have four third round picks or fourth round picks for next year's draft. Everybody knows next year's draft is the one with quarterbacks. Okay? Arch Manning would be the big prize. Everybody would love him. My jets would love him. They are also in full on tank mode. I mean, Geno Smith, really, seriously. And if you don't want to Arch Manning, fine car at Notre Dame's very good. Or you can just get the guy who comes out of nowhere and becomes the number one pick. Like Joe Burrow, who was absolutely not the number one pick after his first year at lsu, or Cam Ward or Fernando Mendoza. None of those guys a year out were considered the number one pick. Someone always emerges. And it's clear the Miami Dolphins are tanking and looking to the future Malik Willis. I'm sure he has some buyer's remorse on accepting that contract. Obviously, the millions of dollars will be great, but it's going to be a rough season ahead for Miami. Now, the other side of the coin is the Denver Broncos. And you've got to love this trade if you're a Broncos fan. They're doing cartwheels in altitude right now. I mean, Sean Payton Gets a great weapon in Jalen Waddle, who fits in that offense perfectly. I know he hasn't been an all pro. I don't even think he has a Pro bowl on his resume. And his numbers have actually declined a bit the last couple years. He had a great first two seasons in the league, I think 1300 yards in year two. And he fits seamlessly alongside Cortland Sutton, who's the big body, contested guy. Waddle, you see, is great over the middle, got the speed. They got young Pat Bryant who looks like a player. They drafted him last year, third round pick. He showed well. You maybe move off of Marvin Mims, see what you can get for him. I like the tight end in Evan Ingram. Denver, the arrow is clearly pointing up. You've got the quarterback on the rookie deal and the move is fortify the roster. Broncos fans were a little upset that they didn't do more yet in the off season. Kind of resigning their guys. No big splashes. This qualifies as a splash. I do wonder, listen, the Trade just broke 30 minutes ago, so we don't know the details, but is it possible that the Broncos looked at the draft, analyzed guys from the combine said, listen, I don't think we can get anybody plug and play. That's at the Jalen Waddle level. This is a seasoned pro. He comes in, listen, Sean Payton's going to unlock some of his best stuff the same way Mike McDaniel did. I think this is a great trade for the Broncos. And I will add, folks, you look around the afc, there's a lot of uncertainty. I mean, hell, the Bills and Ravens, two contenders with superstar quarterbacks, they just dumped their coaches. What's that reboot going to be like? Patrick Mahomes is coming off a major injury and I know they're saying all the right things. Oh, Mahomes. Yeah, he'll be ready for the opener. Okay, well, you can say that. But again, what are your actions? They just went and traded for Justin Fields, who I probably would guess starts week one. I know the league wouldn't love that. They love Mahomes back in the saddle. But there's uncertainty in Kansas City. They don't have a secondary. I mean, they just lost their top two quarterbacks. So we're looking at Chiefs down, Ravens down, Bills. I mean, the Broncos just beat them in the playoffs in a hell of a game. But then you even look at the Steelers. What's their quarterback situation? Uncertainty that reigns there, too. Jacksonville, are they going to duplicate, you know, double digit wins? Houston has some Major questions at quarterback after C.J. stroud's terrible playoff game. So the AFC is kind of sort of wide open, and the Broncos just watched the New England Patriots go from the cellar to the penthouse with Drake May and adding Stefan Diggs. So I think this is a home run for the Denver Broncos. Just an outstanding move. Sean Payton Co. In Denver have done a phenomenal job pivoting from Russell Wilson's disaster to quickly number one seed in the AFC AFC Championship game. And my guess, I haven't seen an update in the odds. I think Denver probably is your favorite in the AFC heading into next season. So great trade for the Broncos. Miami Dolphins fans, as they like to say on social media, enjoy the projects. It's going to be a rough year for the Miami Dolphins. All right, let's pivot to last night's huge game in the NBA. And yes, I'm talking about the Lakers. I had an option here, folks. Do we start positive with the Lakers, or do I go after my guy, Kevin Durant for not a great game? And some bad troubling signs in Houston. Going to elect to go positive with the Lakers because J.J. redick is really unlocking some incredible stuff with this Lakers team. They're one of the hottest teams in the league. Okay? Nine wins in their last 10 games, six in a row. Nice comeback in the second half against Houston last night. And guess who was doing it all. LeBron James. Hey, LeBron, I need you to pull back a little bit on offense. Pick your spots. What does LeBron do? Pulls back, picks his spots. LeBron any more defense? LeBron was great defensively last night. LeBron, more passing. LeBron's doing it all. J.J. redick has been magnificent. He's not going to win coach of the year because there's too many other great candidates. Joe Missoula's up there. You got Detroit's coach, obviously, okc, San Antonio, so many good head coaches out there. But after the game, redick talked about LeBron's new role with the Lakers. Listen to this.

Jason McIntyre (11:53)

Yeah, dynamic is the perfect word. So the offense struggled without Luca to start the fourth. The fourth quarter was ugly last night. Yeah, I think the Lakers went like seven minutes without a field goal. Rockets could not do anything. And this is where Reddick comes in. And I know people were like, ah, this guy's a podcaster. Listen. If you listen to any of Reddick's podcasts, you know a couple things about him. Number one, the sun rises and sets with the numbers. He is very analytically based and he watched Durant light up the Lakers in the first half. The midi isos against Austin Reeds Marcus Smart. Durant was killing him in the half court and they were making the right passes. So what does Reddick do late in the game? He starts blitzing and doubling Kevin Durant as he comes over half court. And folks, I do love Kevin Durant and we'll go after him here in a minute for what's going on in Houston. But Durant wilted, folks. I've never seen a superstar, top 15 player in NBA history have an eight second violation, bringing the ball up the court because he was nervous about the double team. And another one like a few possessions later, he had an over and back because he stepped on the line. Kevin Durant was so uncertain. As you see these highlights, it started to melt down when Austin Reaves in the third quarter got like, was up in his jersey and KD just lowered the shoulder and banged him and got a flagrant. And there he is stepping. I mean, Durant was totally rattled by everything Redick did. It was a masterful performance. And I know J. Mack, why are you glazing the Lakers again? Come on, man. So stop. They're not contenders, folks. Listen, I don't know what you want me to do. You said the Lakers couldn't beat the good teams. Last four games against good teams. They beat the Knicks, they beat the Wolves, they beat the Nuggets, and now they beat the Rockets. Those are all top six teams in their respective conferences. And I mean, listen, the Marcus Smart move. I don't know how many of you guys are watching this game last night. Lakers pull away in the final like 90 seconds. They go up 10. Marcus Smart is diving to steal an inbounds pass. There's something about JJ Redick unlocking the best version of Austin Reaves, of LeBron, Marcus Smart. I mean, hell, last night Deandre Ayton looked so bad in the first quarter. You could see the stars looking at the bench being like, can we get him out of here? Just watch the body language, LeBron. And Luka, when he drops a pass, they're like. And it's understandable because Ayton, you know, calls himself the dominator. You know, he thinks he's worth all the money and then he plays awful. And they pull him out for long stretches, but they Were getting killed on the glass in the fourth quarter. And Redick, I watched the post game. He's. He's like. We were in the huddle and I'm like, I trust Deandre Ayton. Puts him in, gets a couple boards, had six offensive rebounds, couple late buckets. Guys, I know J.J. redick. He's only a podcaster, but my brother and I used to watch this TV show in the 80s. I'm dating myself here a little bit, called the A Team. Most people remember Mr. T, you know, great show. I could hum the theme song for you. Dun, dun, dun, dun. You know, a great, great show. And Hannibal, the leader, usually at the end of the show, they would solve the mystery and win, you know, defeat the bad guys. He would pop a cigar in his mouth and say, I love it when a plan comes together. And I'm just telling you right now, watching these Lakers the last couple weeks, JJ Redick's plans, they're coming together, they're coalescing. And the Lakers, they look like one of the best teams in the league. Fine. They're not the Thunder yet. Fine. They're not the Spurs. You're telling me they're not the third best team in the west because they're beating everybody else that matters. All right, we have a great show today. You can tell I'm fired up. NFL trade, Lakers, another win. We got World Baseball Classic tonight. The guest lineup is off the hook today. Rachel's fired up about this trade. Like, we got a lot of stuff going on and St. Patrick's Day, unfortunately.

Matt Leinert (26:19)

Yeah, I love Fernando. I think it's interesting right this is the time of the year where you start breaking down these guys and really you're looking at Fernando and you're looking at Ty Simpson. Probably the only two first round quarterbacks, at least where we sit today. I think the thing with Fernando, one, when you look at the physical skill set, he's a lot bigger than you probably think. Like he's every bit of 6, 4, 6, 5, 220. He can run, he's got a really good arm, he can make all the throws. I think there's one, one trait in the NFL like you have to be accurate. You have to be insanely accurate. I don't care if you have an absolute cannon or you have an average arm. You have to be able to fit the ball wherever you need it. He can do that also from a mental standpoint, I just think he understands and can see the game mentally, which is another big part. I think if you can understand defenses and you can digest and you can learn an offense system and then learn how to what a defense is going to do to you and all of these things and play at that level, I think that's what stands out to him. You know, he's probably going to go to the Raiders. Obviously they don't have a great roster. I think they definitely improved over free agency. I love Clint Kubiak. A quick story here. You know, I played for Gary Kubiak in Houston and I've always said this like that offense is, is, is the Shanahan offense. It's that kind of tree, the McVeigh, all of those where you can kind of plug and play quarterback. So I'm actually really excited to see Fernando, if he does right go to go to play in that system where they just revive Sam Darnold right up in Seattle, go in that system and try and get the best out of Fernando. It's just such a quarterback friendly offense. And Clint, Clint was, gosh, 20 years old running around at the Texans facility when I was there, you know. So I'm excited for that, for that marriage. I think Fernando is going to be a really good pro.

Albert Breer (33:43)

Well, first of all, I'm a huge fan of Manhattan Beach. No matter how old I get, I'll, I'll always love going there. So I'm always going to be in your neighborhood at some point during the year. Yeah, I mean, I, I think that there's, there's definitely some moving parts here and the way that this all went down, the time. Interesting. You know, I, I've detailed this a couple different places. I'll detail it for you. You know, the deal goes down on Friday and my first big question was why wasn't he on a plane to go get his physical that night? Well, the reality is he had his party, an anniversary party for his sobriety, which was Saturday Night, the Ravens said, go take care of that. We'll fly you up Friday more or Monday morning. And so they fly him in front Monday morning. Obviously, there's the time difference. So he gets in there early evening on Monday, goes in first thing on Tuesday, you know, and then I think that's where, like, the dispute over how all this happened, where all this happened, how all this came together comes. And, you know, I, I think on one side the Ravens would tell you that there were. There was an issue with the knee that brought into question his longevity. And like, if you only think that he's got a couple more years left, you'd be really hesitant to give up two first round picks. Thing is, at the same time, the market was falling out on Trey Hendrickson, and I think Hendrickson went into free agency hoping for a deal in the range of 35 million. And at that point, the bidding on hendrickson was between 25 and 27. That's a significant drop from maybe where people had expected it to be, or at least where Hendrickson had hoped it would be. And so, you know, then the question becomes, were the Ravens looking at it, looking at the medicals and saying to themselves, would we rather have Max Crosby knowing what his physical state is now, give up the two first round picks, pay him $30 million a year, or go get Trey Hendrickson, give up no picks, and then, you know, pay him 28 million a year? And I think the fact that the timelines for the two things match up that way, I think has led to a lot of people raising eyebrows on, on the whole process and how it all went down across the NFL.

Albert Breer (40:00)

Yeah, I love where they're at, look, and I think that this trade is indicative of that, you know, and the fact that they've been able to build her up and remember, like they've done this with the handicap the last two years of all the dead money from the Russell Wilson contract and then without those first round picks, you know, they gave up for, they, they, they gave up first round picks to get Wilson, they gave up a first round pick to get Sean Payton and they've still been able to rebuild the roster, make it work, which is really remarkable if you think about it. And right now I'd say like you look at them defensively, I don't know. Is there a hole on that defense? I don't think so. I think most people would agree that it's a top five unit in the league. They've got one of the best offensive lines in football. And to me, if you like looked at their roster globally, the one question you would have is, okay, they've got all these complementary pieces on offense, but is there one weapon that carries coverage that dictates what the defense is going to do to you? And they hope that Waddle can be that for them. Because if Waddle can be the number one now all of a sudden you're slotting guys into roles that might be more suitable for him. Sutton becomes like the number two, then you've got Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims, who you can play in different roles. You've got Evan Ingram and you've got R.J. harvey and you've got J.K. dobbins. And so, you know, you look at the totality of it and, like, what enables them to make a move like this is that they have so few things to address on their roster that the draft picks become more disposable, and they're still in that window with a quarterback on a rookie contract. And think about this, too. J. Mac. Right. So the three years that are left on Jalen Waddle's deal, they get those three years for less than $67 million, and the average per year comes out to between 22 and $23 million. That's less than they're paying Cortland Sutton. So, like, you look at, like, the math of it. You look at, like, where they are from a roster standpoint. And, yeah, they had to give up some draft capital to get here, but they're in position to do it because of what they've done in terms of building their team since Sean Payton got there.