The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 1

Date: March 4, 2026
Episode Theme: NFL Offseason Dominos — The Chiefs Trade Trent McDuffie to the Rams; The Honeymoon's Over for Luka and the Lakers; Aggressive NFL Team Building; College Sports Realignment.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Herd features an energized Colin Cowherd and co-host Jason McIntyre breaking the blockbuster NFL trade: the Kansas City Chiefs sending elite cornerback Trent McDuffie to the LA Rams. The show dives deep into the implications for both franchises, discusses the Chicago Bears’ “win-now” urgency, and highlights how aggressive, timely moves can define an NFL team’s future. The crew then pivots to NBA talk, questioning whether the Lakers’ “honeymoon” with Luka Doncic is at an end, and discusses how teams need to build around generational superstars. Rounding out the hour: thoughts on NFL quarterback trends, draft speculation, and the merits (or pitfalls) of March Madness expansion.
Guests: None during Hour 1, but Detroit Tigers pitcher and WBC star Tarek Skubal joins for an MLB perspective late in the hour.

Key Segments and Insights

Breaking News: Chiefs Trade Trent McDuffie to the Rams

[02:56 - 06:41, 13:00 - 14:20, 21:19 - 24:59]

• The Details: KC trades two-time All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie to LA Rams for "This year’s 29th pick, a fifth, a sixth, and a third in 2027."
• Rams’ Mindset: “Matt Stafford, only a couple of years left, they're going to give up a first rounder… The Rams said, hey man, we are in a Super Bowl window, we are going to go for it.” — Colin (03:19)
• McDuffie’s Value: “He’s a lot better than the 29th pick because the Rams have two first rounders… I think the Rams are sending the bat signal: we’re going for it.” — Colin (13:41)
• Chiefs’ Perspective: “They got a good haul… But you look at that defense, the youth, the lack of talent—are they even a top 3 or 4 team in the AFC? I don’t think so.” — J. Mac [13:00]
• Roster Fallout: KC now owns two 1st-round picks, a 2nd, a 3rd, plus a handful of late picks: “Brett Veach, their GM, has a good space to solve some of the stuff surrounding Mahomes.” — J. Mac [23:29]
• Super Bowl Outlook: “I think the Rams have to be the Super Bowl favorites at this point, right? … The front four needs no introduction, the secondary is elite, adding McDuffie, offense is set…” — J. Mac [21:19]

Notable Quotes

• “With Matt Stafford getting closer to 40, the Rams are saying: It’s our window, let’s go solve that one big problem.” — Colin (06:25)
• “What do the Chiefs have now? One truly elite player. Chris Jones had a down year, you’ve got to make deals like this once you pay the quarterback.” — Colin (24:25)

Aggression in Team Building: Bears and Max Crosby

[04:01 - 07:43]

• Bears’ Opportunity: Chicago is "the odds-on favorite to sign Raiders edge rusher Max Crosby." — Colin (04:10)
• Why Aggression Matters: “Strike when the iron’s hot! … Yesterday the Bears’ All-Pro center Drew Dalman, who they just paid a fortune, retired at 27... You only get two years left with Caleb Williams on the rookie deal… Go for it.” — Colin (05:03)
• Lesson from Other Teams: “Cincinnati let Trey Hendrickson walk… passive NFL teams regret it. KC needs picks, so they dealt McDuffie.” — Colin (06:22)
• Crosby’s Fit: “Apparently Max Crosby loves Bears coach Ben Johnson. He’s one of the best playcallers…”
  • Crosby: “He does an incredible job… you’ve got to be on your (game) every time you go out there against an offense led by him…” (07:31)

Notable Quotes

• “Max Crosby is a more valuable player than even Trent McDuffie, who’s a great corner” — Jason McIntyre (07:44)
• “The Rams just did it. They needed one element… The Bears are in the same situation.” — Colin (07:46)

Lakers’ Honeymoon Period with Luka Doncic Is Over

[08:30 - 11:39]

• Patterns in NBA Superstars: “When AD came to the Lakers, first year was all flowers and rainbows. Next year? Came in out of shape. Honeymoon was over. Right now, James Harden for the Cavs—they’re 8-1 with him, honeymoon period. Wait till the playoffs…” — Colin (08:45)
• Doncic’s Reality: “But eventually, your game’s your game… Defensively, there are limitations. He also has to have the ball.”
• How To Build Around Superstars: “What (Luka) needs is protection on the other end (defense), not elevation on offense…Superstars are only truly content when you take away the responsibility for the thing they don’t love to do.” — Colin (09:53)
• Classic Roster Moves: “Magic wasn’t a great defender—so Lakers sacrificed Norm Nixon (a more talented player) for Michael Cooper (defensive specialist).Same for Kobe/Shaq.”
• Lakers’ Current Problem: “The Lakers roster—and it’s not Luka or LeBron’s fault—doesn’t protect them. Just puts a magnifying glass on their weaknesses.” — Jason McIntyre (11:39)

Notable Quotes

• “Luka was never happier than after the Mavs grabbed a rim defender, PJ Washington. Boom.” — Colin (10:53)
• “Luka’s going to get much happier when we stop talking about his defensive liabilities.” — J. Mac (11:39)

NFL Trends: Quarterback Size and Kyler Murray’s Future

[19:21 – 20:50]

• Short QBs on Notice: Multiple undersized QBs are floundering. “Kyler Murray: unbelievably talented, but he’s going to be released. The NFL is a big man’s game.” — Colin (19:21)
• Top QB Passer Ratings: “I looked at the height of the top 10 passers: 6’4, 6’3, 6’4… Only Purdy (with Shanahan) and Hurts are under 6’2.” — Colin (19:51)
• Wilson’s Influence: Russell Wilson “got a lot of guys drafted that were undersized,” but most others haven’t panned out.
• Assessment of Kyler: “He has elite characteristics athletically, but he’s undersized… It’s a big man’s sport.” — Colin (20:47)

NFL Draft Talk and Team Needs

[25:04 - 27:03]

• Quarterback Prospects: Ty Simpson mentioned as potentially going to Steelers; Jets probably not likely at all despite odds.
• Steelers’ Strategy: “Steelers need a future QB and a No.2 receiver, then go heavy on defense to get cheaper. Could be a very, very good draft for them.” — Colin (25:36)
• On Prospect Rankings: “I think Ty Simpson’s a better prospect by far (than Carson Beck or Drew Allar).” — Jason (26:55)

College Basketball: Should March Madness Expand?

[41:53 - 49:32]

• LeBron Rumors: Brief segment on LeBron potentially returning to Cleveland — “This is becoming Rachel and Ross… He bails, he’s back, there’s a ring, he bails, she dumps him, and now he goes back.” — Colin (42:12)
• Expanding the Tournament: “Reportedly college basketball may try to screw it up and go from 68 teams to 98. Timeout, timeout… Last year the average margin in the first round was 17 points. Do we need double the blowouts?” — Colin (43:38)
• Coach K Agrees: “There are less teams capable than ever before… I don’t think you mess with something that is gold.” — Colin quoting Coach K (44:46)
• J. Mac's Counterpoint: “You keep mentioning baseball, NBA, NFL—they have 30, 32 teams. College hoops has 365. Only 68 get in! I’m okay with a little expansion… I like to help the little guy out.” — J. Mac (48:54)

Notable Quotes

• “The more people you let into a club, it dilutes the club. It’s perfect at 68. There’s no reason to be 98.” — Colin (45:03)

Special Guest: Tarek Skubal, Back-to-Back AL Cy Young Winner

[28:46 - 36:51]

• On Team USA: “Seattle University saw something no one else did… Playing for the USA, it’s going to be special.” — Skubal (29:03, 35:53)
• On MLB Health: “I think our game is in a really good spot… Ratings are up, attendance is up, everything’s there… The game feels incredibly healthy to me.” — Skubal (34:12)
• On Clubhouse Dynamics at WBC: “You’ll have unique relationships… but for the next two weeks, it’s all going to be about USA and the Stars and Stripes.” — Skubal (35:53)

Timestamps at a Glance

• [02:56] – McDuffie trade reaction and Rams’ Super Bowl window
• [04:10] – Bears’ Max Crosby pursuit and why aggression matters
• [06:22] – NFL’s passive teams lose out; examples from the Bengals, Chiefs
• [08:45] – NBA Superstars: When the “honeymoon” ends
• [09:53] – Building around Luka Doncic: offense vs. defense
• [13:00] – Jason McIntyre: Chiefs’ roster analysis
• [21:19] – Rams now Super Bowl favorites?
• [24:25] – Chiefs’ blue-chip players debate
• [25:04] – NFL Draft: QB speculation and Steelers’ plan
• [29:03] – Tarek Skubal on playing for Team USA
• [34:12] – Skubal on MLB’s health as a sport
• [41:53] – LeBron back to Cleveland rumors (“Rachel and Ross” analogy)
• [43:38] – March Madness expansion debate
• [48:54] – J. Mac’s case for inclusivity in March Madness

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Colin on Rams’ mindset: “The Rams are sending the bat signal— we’re going for it.” [13:41]
• Colin on NFL windows: “You gotta strike when the iron’s hot!” [05:04]
• Luka's defensive issue: “Luka was never happier than after the Mavs grabbed a rim defender, PJ Washington. Boom.” — Colin [10:53]
• Colin, vintage analogy: “LeBron in Cleveland is sort of becoming Rachel and Ross on Friends. … There’s a ring involved and he still dumps her again and goes to Los Angeles.” [42:12]
• On March Madness expansion: “The more people you let into a club, it dilutes the club. Like, it’s perfect.” — Colin [45:03]

Summary Takeaway

Colin and J. Mac argue that the Rams' blockbuster move for McDuffie signals a clear “win now” mentality, contrasting sharply with teams that hesitate and miss their window (like the Bengals). The hour spotlights how NFL success demands urgency and boldness. Meanwhile, the NBA discussion centers on how teams must compensate for superstars’ limitations if they want sustained harmony and contention. The episode closes with a spirited debate over expanding the beloved NCAA Tournament, pairing Colin’s respect for tradition with J. Mac’s call for inclusivity. MLBer Tarek Skubal offers his insights on the health of baseball and the pride of representing Team USA.

For listeners seeking a blend of NFL roster strategy, NBA superstar realities, and the state of major American sports, this episode is vintage “Herd”—opinionated, energetic, and full of big-picture thinking.