Best of the week on The Herd

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

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

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[Jason McIntyre]

It's Tuesday here on the herd. Jason McIntyre back in for Colin Cowherd, who's on a vacation and boy, is he missing a lot. The Lakers win again. Kevin Durant is horrific. We got the World Baseball Classic title game tonight and oh my gosh, an NFL trade just went down, shaking up the AFC even more. Rachel Nichols, we got a great show today. Oh my, don't you love it when a trade happens like right before the show?

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, this is just a great week on the calendar, right? I mean, the sports calendar. Everything's happening right now.

[Jason McIntyre]

Everything's happening.

[Rachel Nichols]

And even the NFL not in season. Chimes in. Yes, with this deal we got, we

[Jason McIntyre]

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.

[Matt Leinert]

LeBron in particular. You know, it's one of the things

[Albert Breer]

we talked about last week is just continue to be the best transition player in the NBA. And it. It's such a. A dynamic force for our offense.

[Jason McIntyre]

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.

[Rachel Nichols]

I know we fell down on the job there.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is not. I'm not gonna, you know, blame anybody. I got dressed in the dark, waking up to get to the morning meeting. But, Rachel, any early thoughts on the trade? I know we'll hit it again later

[Rachel Nichols]

in the show, but just the diversity it's gonna bring to the Broncos offense. Right. And the fact that he just gives them the explosive play capability they didn't really have. Also, if Bo Nix is really your guy, you want to give him as many weapons as possible. So I think this is a great move for the Broncos. I think it's worth investing what they invested. I thought it was interesting that they tried to make this deal before the trade deadline and that they said in the end the Dolphins price was too high. They wanted a first round pick plus. Well, the Dolphins got a first round pick plus. So I'm not sure what changed over that time. It might have been the third, fourth round swap and all those or whatever, but clearly they saw. I think, I think they saw how far they got in the playoffs this past year, and they were like, okay, we're ready to go for it now.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. So we agree? Broncos good, Dolphins less so. All right, coming up next here on the Herd, Kevin Durant melted down last night, had one basket in the second half. He's getting hammered online, and we haven't even got to the burner accounts and how players are playing on his team since that emerged at the All Star break. That's next here on the Herd.

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[Jason McIntyre]

Join me every weekday morning on my podcast Straight fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the Sportsbook and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight fire with Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Jason McIntyre]

All right, our next guest is a college football superstar. A legend. Folks, you don't realize how big of a deal this is. My wife was out to dinner with some ladies and gentlemen and they go, oh, my gosh, look who's at the next table. It's Matt Leinert. And my wife's like, oh, I know him. We're friends. My husband plays basketball with him. And they. Oh, my goodness. So let's bring on Matt Leinert, the USC football legend. 372 Record with the Trojans. Also a great recruiter for our men's basketball team. We won the championship last night. Leonard dinged up. Gotta get that calf healthy for next season, buddy.

[Matt Leinert]

Well, first of all, thanks for the intro. I want to say this, dude, we are champions. We woke up today, both basketball champions, the Gray Foxes. Two out of three seasons, we won. And we will hang the banner once again in the Bay Club here in the South Bay. I do apologize for not making it last night. I did pop a calf a month ago. I was down and out. But the team that you built, J. Mac, the team you built, the general manager of the year, you built this team so that we had depth. We picked up some key players. Everybody knew their role, and we won another championship. And I'm so frickin pumped, dude. Like, it's. It's one of my greatest accomplishments at this point in my life now is getting a chance to lace him up with you. And your.

[Jason McIntyre]

Your.

[Matt Leinert]

Your producer was just asking me, is J. Mac actually good in basketball? And I said. I said, he will surprise you. He's a pesky little defender, and he will shoot. He will shoot the hell out of the ball. So congratulations to you, buddy. Congratulations to you, man.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, let's get to the real story. And that's obviously.

[Matt Leinert]

Oh, my God.

[Jason McIntyre]

Making waves on your podcast. So you got a podcast with Jerry Ferrara, you know, of Entourage fame. It's called Throwbacks. And you talked about Jersey retirements. I'll let you explain, and then I'll fire away the questions. Go ahead.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah. So, well, I think this. This got kind of taken out of context, and let me just give you the context. So I'm on the pod with Jerry, and we're talking about Mike Evans going to the 49ers. Mike Evans wears number 13. Brock Purdy wears number 13. And Jerry was like, as a. As a sports fan, he's like, dude, do you think Mike would ask Brock? Do you think he'll sell the number? All this kind of stuff? And we actually FaceTime Larry Fitzgerald because Larry wore 11 when I was coming into the league, and I wanted to be 11, and I ended up being seven for Arizona. That's how this whole thing sparked. And then I was like, oh, when I think about it, man, USC has approached me in the past if I would ever unretire my jersey for a big recruit. I'm not going to name names or the years. And I, and I said exactly what I said. I said, dude, absolutely not. I like, I'm not going to ever let anyone wear my jersey than my boys. It was cold at the time. Now it's case in cannon. If they ever go play football. Usc, great. I think what, and I clarified this. I sent out to what I think people were thinking is like, Lincoln, in the last four or five years they've come to me and I've said no. So that, that hasn't happened. This is, this is, this is it must have been a slow news cycle yesterday, dude, if this was getting picked up. So just to clarify, Lincoln and the staff haven't asked me in the last four or five years. I did say though, like, 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. But it's, it's been pretty funny. I feel like everybody's on the side of holding strong and keeping your number sacred. But yeah, man, that's kind of what happened. So it's really not a big deal. You know, I got a lot of love for usc. These were funny conversations. They did happen in the past and I kind of laughed. I said, dude, there's no chance I'm going to un. Retire my number.

[Albert Breer]

So.

[Jason McIntyre]

And you're spot on with the current nil era. Some guy can point your number and then he bounces in a year, you know, or he's bench and then he, and then he quits. So. But let me ask, what if a guy comes in, two year starter, awesome. He's ready for the final year and he says, I want to honor Leonard. Wear that for my final year. We're going to win the Natty. I'm going to win the Heisman. I don't know that he'd want to change his number. And it's all circumstantial. But is that a scenario where you'd consider it?

[Matt Leinert]

Listen, if his name is Kayson or Canon Liner. Absolutely.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah,

[Matt Leinert]

yeah. Look, I mean, I'm holding strong. That's my belief. People can disagree or agree with me. That number is one. It was my number growing up in baseball and everything. I played all my kids, like, I don't know. I think Cole's going to try and be 11 this year at SMU. I'm not sure. Obviously at some point you kind of have to earn and you can get to pick as you get older. But it's an important number and it represents what we were able to accomplish at usc, you know, so it's, it's, it's, it's pretty cool to have your number retired at a place like usc. I'm proud of it. I'm proud of those teams, teams that I was a part of and, and winning those titles. But I mean, listen, I'm going to, I'll die on the hill. If it's a liner last name and they want to rock 11, go for it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, no, I think a lot of people are with you. It makes sense. Hey, let me quickly, while we got you, ask you about the, the upcoming draft. Obviously you were a great quarterback in college, translated, went to the pros. You saw a lot of Mendoza on Big noon kickoff. I'm just curious your thoughts on him heading into the league.

[Matt Leinert]

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.

[Jason McIntyre]

Simpson everybody's divided on Mel Kuiper had him first round. Daniel Jeremiah did not. I don't know. Have you seen enough of him? The Alabama quarterback who really struggled the last time we saw him against Indiana.

[Matt Leinert]

Yeah, I mean I think there's a couple games down the stretch there where he struggled. I would just say this. The receivers underperformed this year for them. They had virtually no running game. I mean they couldn't run the football. And you're playing in the sec. There's a lot of pressure. We said it on Big Noon every week like whenever we talked about them. It's like this dude's got so much pressure on him to, to, to single handedly will this team to wins and that's what he was able to do in the SEC when you're playing against great defenses and really good football teams. So, you know, he's not the biggest guy. I remember meeting him out of the, he was there in our, in our neck of the woods back in the day. I love his demeanor, I love his leadership. He's a ball player. He loves football. He's not the biggest guy, but I'll tell you what, like he can make some throws that are like NFL throws and windows that are NFL throws. So he's an interesting one because he's not gonna jump out with all the intangibles and the physical and all that kind of stuff. But you turn on the tape, there's a lot of good stuff there.

[Jason McIntyre]

The great Matt Leiner. Check out his throwbacks podcast. Thanks a lot, Matt. Enjoy, enjoy the summer.

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[Jason McIntyre]

All right, let's welcome in Albert Brear. Monday morning quarterback. Go back to Curtin. So I've known Brear for a long time, okay. And every August, you know, training camps happen and everybody has theirs in California. So Breer comes out and I'll get this random text, hey, J. Mac, are you around? You want, you want to go out and start boozing it up? Because the South Bay is a party zone in August, so I get to see a Breer hang out with him. He knows everybody and everything. Albert, listen, I'm sure you didn't know about this Max Crosby podcast. Some of the details he revealed about the Baltimore Ravens. Like, it doesn't seem like they were buttoned up, little out of character. I don't know your thoughts on what Crosby revealed about the trade that was recanted.

[Albert Breer]

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.

[Jason McIntyre]

The fact that Crosby didn't meet with DaCosta initially and Jesse Minter, who, who's barely been a head coach in the NFL, it's like, what, less than two months and his first order of business is to say, eh, the MRI didn't look great, bro. Like, it just feels like that's not very typical Ravens.

[Albert Breer]

You're right. And I, and I think, like, if you've ever been to the Ravens facility, this is what was like, eye opening for me. If you've been to the Ravens facility, they, they call that place the Castle. And it's called the Castle for a reason. It's like high end in just about every way. It's not new by NFL standards anymore. It's been there for over 20 years, but it's constantly updated. They're always ahead of the curve on things like analytics and sports science and player performance and all this different stuff. And so they've always been seen as this first class operation. That's really forward thinking. And then you hear this story from Max Crosby about how he had to fly into D.C. and then he's in traffic for two hours trying to get to Baltimore and then he doesn't meet with the new coach or the general manager until hours into his visit. And I could certainly see where it would get the attention of other people. So, you know, the Ravens, like, have for a long, long time had a reputation for being one of the first class organizations in the entire sport. And a story like this, you know, obviously does some damage to that. And so I think that that's the damage the Ravens take on as a result, sort of the fallout for them coming out of this whole thing.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, I'll finish the Ravens. I. True story. My brother lives in that region. All his friends are Ravens fans. They don't like when I ask questions like this. But this Lamar Jackson contract, we, we know the restructure, you know, deal, but what he wants a new deal and they lose Linderbaum. Do they get Crosby and then they're like, we get Hendrickson on the cheap. How much issue is this Lamar Jackson new contract causing them?

[Albert Breer]

It's definitely, I think, definitely something to consider. And you know, it's interesting. J. Mac, if you look at Lamar's history, the years he's missed games due to injury have been the ones where he was in a contract dispute. And you look at it, 18, 19, 20, great start to his career. 21, he's first eligible for a contract, doesn't get one, Mrs. Games. 22, contract issue lingers, misses games. And then last year they talked about extending him before last year. Last year he winds up missing games. So, you know, I, I do think that there's that part of it and I think it's complicated, this is all complicated by his play style. You know, is, is, is, are the Ravens all in with him? Are the Ravens going to, going to see this through with him? Those sorts of questions can crop up with a, with a player who plays that position the way that Lamar plays it. And so, you know, I think what we've seen in the past is that he's maybe a little bit more conservative with, with, with his injuries when he's in the middle of a contract dispute. So I think that's something that the Ravens have to factor in when they're looking at all of this. And I don't have any indication that they aren't to, going committed to, to resigning him. You know, but this is one of those years. When you, you look at it, he's got two years left in the contract that he did three years ago. And you know, it certainly would look like if, if they aren't able to work something out and do an extension this off season, that it would become a talking point over the course of the year. And again, like that hasn't played out great for the Ravens in the three other seasons where that's been the case.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is why you're great, man. You just connected a bunch of stuff that I haven't seen anywhere else. That at that LA missing gate. That's very interesting. All right, let's move to a little more positive story. Denver Broncos trade for Jaylen Waddle. I don't know that he's like a missing piece, but damn, that, that roster sick. I mean, the receiving room is solid. Sutton, the kid Pat Bryant flashed and now you got Waddle underneath. I mean, Sean Payton and company have done. They, they've moved some miracles here in the last couple years. I almost think they open the season as favorites in the afc. I mean, they just got home field advantage.

[Albert Breer]

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.

[Jason McIntyre]

Now I am spacing. So Peyton was going to give up play calling and give it to the young guy who was. Yes, Davis Webb. Thank you. So is there any. Do we know anything about Davis Webb? And he really hasn't called plays before, right?

[Albert Breer]

He hasn't, but he was really close on a couple of these, you know, these head coach openings. Like, I think he was right there with Clint Kubiak in the race to get the Raider job. So he's going to be a head coach soon. And, you know, part of the whole deal this off season was that teams were sniffing around on him as a play caller. Sean Payton wasn't going to let him go. But I do think this is an acknowledgment of where Davis Webb is and how he sees the game. It's a little surprising to me just in that, you know, for almost, you know, a quarter century now, regardless of what role Sean Payton was in on, on, on. On a coaching staff, whether it was the coordinator with the Giants or the Cowboys or the head coach of the Saints, the Broncos, he's always been the play caller. And so the fact that he's willing to give it up did surprise me a little bit because it's something that he's really, really good at, and he clearly knows how to manage. Some guys have trouble with this. He knows how to manage both being the head coach and the play caller. But I think it's an acknowledgment that Davis Webb had a lot of opportunities that, that he either walked away from or, or couldn't go get because the Broncos weren't going to let him out to go get another coordinator. Job gives him an opportunity to, to grow as a coach. And, and I, I can say this. Sean Payton thinks the world of, of how Davis Webb sees the game, so it might be another set of eyes on how to use all the talent they have on offense now.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, as much as I want to ask you about the jets and Geno Smith, we'll pass on them. For now, let's go to the Dolphins aspect of the trade. I Malik Willis, he has to probably be asking, hey, is the contract that I signed, is that dry? Can we get out of it? I mean, dude, they got nobody now, and we're seeing hn is they're fielding calls about him. This team is tanking. We knew that a month ago, and Malik Willis still went there.

[Albert Breer]

Yeah, I think it's to some degree you're threading the needle here, right? Like, because the reason they hired the two guys they hired, which the GM John Eric Sullivan and the coach, Jeff Halfley, both come from Green Bay, is because ownership really decided we need to be better at drafting and developing our own. Over the last four years, they've had fewer draft picks than any team in the NFL. A couple of those draft classes were complete wastelands of talent. And I think if you looked at it even going into last year. I made this comment last year, right. Going into last year, I think there were two players in the roster that you could look at and say, yeah, those guys will be around three years from now. One was actually Waddle and the other was Chop Robinson. Right. Other than that, it's hard to find guys in that roster that were real young building blocks that you knew were going to be there a few years down the line. So they needed to fix that. And to do that, you got to build up your war chest of picks. And so that was always going to be part of their focus this off season. And they basically made it known to the rest of the league. Ask us on anybody, everyone might be available, make us an offer. It doesn't mean they're putting everyone in the block, but they will listen to any sort of idea.

[Jason McIntyre]

So. But why sign Malik Willis then?

[Albert Breer]

So that's the threading the needle part of this, right? So the threading the needle part of this is if you're Jeff Halfley, you still have to get buy in. You still have to build a foundation and you still have to have something in the locker room for the, the players to wrap their arms around and say, yeah, this guy's going to give us a chance. Because remember, 80, 90% of those players have no idea where they're going to be playing the next year. And those guys don't care about your three year plan or your five year plan. So you have to give those guys something where, where they say, yeah, the head coach, the general manager, they're trying to win right now, they're trying to help me perform individually right now. And so I think 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, for the Dolphins new regime.

[Jason McIntyre]

They better not beat us to Arch Banning. All right. Albert Brear. Yes. I'm already thinking about tanking Albert. Albert Brear, Monday morning quarterback. Great stuff as always, pal. See you soon.

[Albert Breer]

All right, thanks, J. Mac.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right. Albert Breer. Great stuff. That guy's good. He's an oracle.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Jason McIntyre]

Our number two here on the Herd. Weeks just flying by. Unbelievable. Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd. He has checked in, by the way. He stopped ghosting me. I didn't reply on purpose. You know, I'm gonna act cool, like, hey, I can't reply instantly, so I'm waiting a day. Don't tell me. Joined by Rachel Nichols, who knows about texting. You don't instantly text back to everybody.

[Rachel Nichols]

Well, you never double text, right?

[Matt Leinert]

Really?

[Jason McIntyre]

Is that a rule?

[Rachel Nichols]

If you're, if you're, if like you, you are in a relationship with someone, which is apparently you and Colin, you don't want to be like, hey, how's it going? And then if they don't answer you, be like, hey, how's it going again? Or be, you know, or whatever. So my friends who are in dating situations always say, you know, don't double text. If the guy doesn't answer you, he doesn't answer you. Don't then go back because that looks very desperate. So don't double text.

[Jason McIntyre]

Jason, we should start a podcast about dating etiquette. Even though we're both married, I was gonna say, I mean, I don't know. I know some single people.

[Rachel Nichols]

I know. I know nothing about the day's current dating market.

[Jason McIntyre]

I hear dating in LA is very difficult.

[Rachel Nichols]

I mean, I think dating in general these days is difficult.

[Jason McIntyre]

What do I know, by the way? What do you know either? Neither of us know anything. Nothing about dating. But I do know a little bit about NBA MVP awards, folks. He's on such a heater. I figure we got to recalibrate the MVP now. I don't have a vote. Rachel does. So I'm going to go five to one. NBA MVP candidates. Now, I know there's a straw poll out there that says SGA is a lockdown. Balderdash. Things change. Results adjust. Matters. Let's go. Let's start with number five. Number five, sga. I know everybody thinks he's number one. No, he's not. How is he number one? Has he gotten better than last year? Like, he's a big favorite. Minus 1,000, but, you know, that's. I love an underdog better. Listen. Yes, they have the best record in the NBA. Yes, SGA's immensely talented and great. He's hit a couple game winners, but. But they also have, like, the best roster in the league by a mile. And wait until the very end because I'm going to show you some stats that are going to blow your mind comparing SGA to other guys on this list. All right, let's go. SGA 5. Who's next?

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Number four, Nikola Jokic.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, Denver's taking a bit of a step back, obviously. No, Aaron Gordon for a long stretch has hurt Nikola Jokic 4. It's not a slight. He's been amazing. But Denver's also sixth in the West. If he were amazing, wouldn't they be third? Maybe they will end up third and he'll rise up the charts. But I. SGA 5, and again, I have Jokic 4. And things are changing. Things are evolving. In the last two weeks, a lot has changed. The odds, by the way, have shifted significantly. And that's why I have Jokic 4.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Number 3.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm going Jaylen Brown, guys. Yeah, you like that? Jaylen Brown has been playing like that this year. I think we have some sound from him on the Celtics coming up later in the show. That's just extraordinary. I like Jaylen Brown a lot. I like a little flex that. He was working out at my gym leading up to the draft and I watched a lengthy line, shall we say, of NBA GMs roll in. I'm like, for Jaylen Brown, I didn't think he was this guy. He's him. I mean, Jaylen Brown is really carrying Boston without Tatum all season. They're the biggest surprise in the East. I mean, we knew Detroit would be improved. Nobody thought Boston would be top two without Jason Tatum. Congrats to Jaylen Brown.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Number two.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm going with Victor Wembanyama. Victor. Big Vic. The man, the myth, the legend. As Tehran Armstead just told us, as Rachel's told us, he's going to own this league for a decade. I think everybody would agree. The guy's just extraordinary. I love watching him. He's become a must watch for me in the league for the longest time. Steph Curry was that man. And then it was kind of. Well, Lebron was right there and, and Luka's up there. You know, some of the guys like Jokic for me is not. Oh, my gosh. Jokic is playing. I gotta turn on the tv. SGA is certainly not Victor Weyama. Hell yeah. Check it in. At number two on the MVP list.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Number one.

[Jason McIntyre]

Let's hear it for Luka. Luka, legend. His stats this month are staggering. He is absolutely off the charts. He had 40 on Wednesday and less than 24 hours later, he had 60 guys. I mean, he's averaging 39 points per game on the second leg of back to backs this season. 39. But I, I was told he's an old 27 and he doesn't dunk anymore. The guy had nine threes last night. He's unbelievable. There's just too many accolades for me to get into here for luca, but I have Luca number one. He is my MVP vote as of right now. The. The fictitious vote that I don't have. But that's my list. I know you probably don't like it.

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