THE HERD - Hour 1 - Defending Jalen Hurts, how good is Arch Manning?, the Browns trade away Kenny Pickett, James Palmer

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 1: Defending Jalen Hurts, Evaluating Arch Manning, Browns’ QB Moves & NFL News

Date: August 26, 2025
Guest Hosts: Jason McIntyre & Rachel Nichols
Key Guest: James Palmer (NFL Insider, The Athletic)

---

Episode Overview

This episode—hosted by Jason McIntyre and Rachel Nichols, filling in for Colin Cowherd—dives deep into the ongoing debate about Jalen Hurts’ place in NFL rankings, the hype and question marks surrounding Texas QB Arch Manning, major quarterback moves involving the Cleveland Browns, and a fast-paced roundup of headline NFL news. The hosts are joined by NFL insider James Palmer to break down the latest implications for teams and top prospects around the league.

---

Main Discussion Topics

1. Jalen Hurts Disrespected in NFL Rankings

• Context: Two major offseason NFL player rankings (by ESPN and NFL.com) place Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts much lower than expected, sparking debate.
• Key Points:
  • ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2025 season ranks Hurts at 38 (six spots lower than last year).
  • NFL.com lists Hurts at 19, both times behind Houston’s Derek Stingley.
  • Despite historic achievements (e.g., four straight seasons of 10+ rushing & 15+ passing TDs; never done before in NFL history), Hurts is omitted from “elite” conversation.
• Jason’s Take:
  “Jalen Hurts has the single most unstoppable move in professional football… He’s now been in two Super Bowls, already. I think he’s the best dual-threat quarterback the league has ever seen.”
  (A, 05:15)
• Theory for Disrespect: Hurts’ “boring” personality and lack of viral/flashy plays compared to contemporaries (Mahomes, Lamar, Burrow) is hurting his “list” presence.
  • “Hertz is just boring and dull and that doesn’t register on these lists. It’s so weird how disrespected not only Hertz is, but the Eagles.” (A, 07:40)
• Team Outlook: The Eagles are under-discussed despite returning almost all starters and boasting a young, top-graded roster.
  • “We’re sleeping on the Eagles… as good of shape to build something real spicy in Philly as we've seen since the Kansas City Chiefs.” (A, 09:00)

---

2. Arch Manning: Is He Actually Good?

• Lead-in: The highly-touted Texas QB is set for his big “hard launch” versus Ohio State—a massive college football event.
• Key Points & Quotes:
  • Unproven Hype:
    “Is Arch Manning good? Do we know if he's good?” (A, 10:10)
    • Guest Jeff Schwartz: “I don’t think we know if he’s good yet. And that’s okay.” (E, 10:12)
    • Arch has barely played (under 100 pass attempts in two years), with little evidence from high-level matchups.
    • Many project Manning as a top NFL pick based only on pedigree and glimpses.
    • “We just don’t know. And I… have some mild concerns. Well, what are we waiting for here?” (A, 11:15)
  • Family Approach: The Manning family’s “long game”—eschewing the quick transfer/NIL craze, focusing on gradual development.
  • Arch’s Mindset (quote):
    “This is what I’ve been waiting for. Spent two years not playing, so might as well go have some fun, right? I always have to remind myself, it’s not all about me… we got to play the situations well, not give them short fields and take care of the ball…” (E, 13:25)
  • Predictions & Pressure:
    • Jason predicts a rough debut for Manning: “My guess is it goes sideways, they lose about 34–13 or something…then the pressure’s off Arch and he rebounds.” (A, 14:23)
    • Rachel: Stresses the Manning focus on long-term career and managing pressure: “They see this as a decade and a half longer project. Right. So one game this weekend…is just like a pittance.” (D, 15:37)

---

3. Browns Trade Kenny Pickett: What Does It Mean?

• Trade Details: Browns trade backup QB Kenny Pickett to the Raiders (to back up Geno Smith), opening opportunities for younger QBs.
• Analysis:
  • Pickett had a “nondescript” college career aside from a “one year wonder” season. Has failed to become a stable NFL starter, now on his third team in three years.
  • Move mainly benefits two young Browns QBs: Shedeur Sanders and Dylan Gabriel.
    • “He no longer needs to be the fourth guy on the depth chart… this is good news for Shedeur.” (A, 24:12)
• Mary Kay Cabot (insider quote):
  “They have two really good young quarterbacks that they’re excited about and that they want to develop...They have to find out do they have a potential franchise quarterback on their roster as they head into that '26 draft.” (D, 24:00 / 45:27)
  • Browns could let Gabriel start several games; Shedeur is closer to his shot. Both could still be joined next year by a top rookie if neither seizes the mantle.
• Big Picture: Browns are “taking bites at the apple”—cycling through young prospects until they hopefully land a true franchise QB.

---

4. Rapid-Fire NFL Headlines & Analysis

(News Round-Up w/ Rachel Nichols, 26:09–33:44)

• Buffalo Bills (Super Bowl Aspirations & Allen’s Legacy):
  • Dion Dawkins: “We want to win the Super Bowl. We are going to win the Super Bowl when we are putting our best foot forward every single year. And sometimes we might just need heavier gloves.” (E, 26:31)
  • Jason: “I think they do win the Super Bowl this year…although I keep seeing all this Ravens hype.”
• LA Rams (Stafford’s Health, Division Race):
  • Sean McVay: “I can’t see into the future, but…I feel really good…unless we have an unforeseen setback, that he’s not going to be ready to roll against the Texans.” (A, 28:48)
  • Rachel points out the real left tackle issue could derail Stafford’s comeback potential.
• Aaron Rodgers Returns vs. Jets (Revenge Narrative?):
  • Rodgers: “It’s one game out of 17…at 5 o’clock Eastern on…that Sunday it’s only getting me on to the next game.” (A, 31:33)
  • Hosts don’t buy Rodgers’ low-key attitude; expect “revenge” on both sides and note offensive line issues.

---

5. James Palmer Interview (NFL Insider, The Athletic) [37:08–42:44]

• Ohio State vs. Texas Preview—Arch Manning’s Readiness:
  • Palmer (Ohio State alum) shares personal excitement and the anxiety around Manning’s debut:
    • “I think we’re a really good team. I’m excited to see some of the younger guys…It’s a difficult spot to come into for your first start, but...they play these games for a reason.” (E, 38:05)
  • On Manning’s NFL potential:
    • Hype is natural given pedigree, but much is yet unproven: “A lot of the hype is definitely warranted, but I think he’s wired exactly the right way to where this is not going to bother him in any sense.” (E, 39:36)
    • NFL evaluators today often want QBs to stay and mature longer in school, learn from recent rookie struggles.
• Anthony Richardson (Colts QB) Situation:
  • Colin’s recent struggles; many believe he needed more college time.
  • “There’s still people in the league that do believe [in sitting rookie QBs]. That’s because developing quarterbacks, you know, in game is tough, specifically with the small sample size…” (E, 40:19)
  • Colts not likely to trade/release: “Chris Ballard…has to be looking…‘I was a big part of this pick’...the last thing I want to do is make the decision that he leaves and gets developed somewhere else…” (E, 41:10)
• Browns: Aftermath of Pickett Trade:
  • Dylan Gabriel is now “one snap away, week one” from action instead of being a project—could see the field early if Joe Flacco falters or is injured.

---

Memorable Quotes

• Jason McIntyre on lists and personalities:
  “Jalen Hurts…shows up with a business suit on and the briefcase. Meanwhile, you’ve got Joe Burrow walking the runway in Paris wearing wacky outfits…Hertz is just boring and dull and that doesn’t register on these lists.” (07:40)

• Arch Manning’s self-awareness:
  “Spent two years not playing, so might as well go have some fun, right? …It’s the whole team…we got to play the situations well, not give them short fields and take care of the ball.” (13:25)

• Rachel Nichols on the Manning legacy approach:
  “They see this as a decade and a half longer project…they are looking at this as the longest of long games.” (15:27)

• Mary Kay Cabot on Browns’ QB plans:
  “They have to find out do they have a potential franchise quarterback on their roster as they head into that ’26 draft. So they want to develop these guys…they like what they see in Shador…they like what they see in Dylan Gabriel…” (24:00; 45:27)

• James Palmer (NFL Insider) on overhyping QBs:
  “[Manning is] Eli and Peyton and a combination of the two. Oh, but a better athlete than both of them, like his dad…But I do think…he’s wired exactly the right way to where this is not going to bother him in any sense.” (39:36)

---

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Time (MM:SS) | Speaker(s) |
|--------------------------------------------|--------------|-------------| | Jason’s Opening Monologue on Hurts | 02:21–09:00 | Jason McIntyre | | Arch Manning Debate w/ Jeff Schwartz | 10:12–13:51 | Jason, Jeff Schwartz | | Arch Manning Sound Bite | 13:25–13:41 | Arch Manning | | Browns QB Moves, Mary Kay Cabot’s Insight | 24:00–24:34; 45:27 | Jason, Mary Kay Cabot | | NFL News Blitz (Bills, Rams, Jets, etc.) | 26:09–33:44 | Rachel Nichols, Jason | | James Palmer Interview | 37:08–42:44 | Jason, James Palmer |

---

Tone & Style

• Conversational, sharp, occasionally tongue-in-cheek.
• Jason McIntyre is candid and not afraid to critique both players and media narratives.
• Rachel Nichols brings balanced, thoughtful context and pushes deeper on “long-game” perspectives.

---

For New Listeners

This episode is packed with context and smart opinion on evolving stories—why certain NFL stars remain underrated, what it takes (and means) to be a “franchise QB,” and why the league’s constant quarterback churn keeps teams and fans guessing. The focus on Hurts, Manning, and the Browns’ QB carousel provides a snapshot of the NFL’s “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” mindset in both player evaluation and team strategy.

Skip the ads, tune in for the robust breakdowns, guest insights, and trademark lively debate.

Transcript

[A]

This is an I heart podcast.

[B]

Well, we all have juggles and struggles and faults and flaws because to be a pet parent is to be human and we can only do so much. Hill's pet nutrition is a leader in science led nutrition for dogs and cats. And I got a lot of dogs. Hills helps burn fat and benefits include lean muscle, strong bones, a shiny coat for your dog. They use high quality protein sources. Hill's science led nutrition helps you give more love than humanly possible. If you love your dogs like I do, do use hills. You're only human. There's Hills. Science does more on Fox 1. Now you can stream your favorite live sport so you can be there live for the biggest moments. That means NFL Sundays and college football games, NASCAR Major League Baseball postseason and more. With Fox one, you get it all. Live, edgier seat plays, high octane moments, and that feeling like you're right there in the action. Fox one we live for live streaming now. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.

[C]

You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, health care, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overTime. The Visit OregonHomeCareJobs.com to learn more and apply. That's OregonHomeCareJobs.com.

[B]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[A]

Now let's get this party. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Hello and welcome to the Herd. Yes, I'm back. It's me, Jason McIntyre, joined by Rachel Nichols. We survived day one without Colin Cowherd. He is barely jet setting. Barely. What do you think he is right now? Europe?

[D]

He's got so many homes.

[A]

Iceland? Who could tell?

[D]

Who knows where?

[A]

The guy's got a good life, but Rachel and I hopefully will continue to regale you with fun tales. We got Some great guest today, my man Bruce Feldman coming up top of second hour. He's going to talk Ohio State against Texas in what should be a phenomenal game on Saturday. And then we got Brian Billick, former Ravens head coach. I'm sure he's going to love the Lamar Jackson questions. Can he win a playoff game? That matters. The usual stuff. Listen, we have a great show today, and I'm going to start by talking about a list. And as a guy who ran a website for close to a decade, I know a good list. Give me a mock draft. Right? There's a good list for you. Top sports movies of all time. Everybody loves the list. It gets people going. It gets them fired up. It gets the engagement going. Right? So we had a couple dueling lists this week about the NFL, and wouldn't you know it, my main man, Jalen Hurts, was disrespected on both of them. Okay? The super bowl mvp, who was phenomenal in throttling Kansas City, scored three touchdowns in that game. I know the defense had one. And Mahomes was on his back most of the night. Travis Kelsey was on a milk carton. But Jalen Hurts, let's remember, was outstanding in that game. And on these lists that emerged this week, one of them over at ESPN, their top 100, they claim it is based on expectations for the 2025 season, whatever that is. Maybe they broke out the crystal ball predicting potential greatness. So Patrick Mahomes is at the top of that list. He's coming off the worst season of his career, but sure, Patrick Mahomes won. I don't think anybody has beef, but Jalen Hurts checked in at 38. What? That's, folks, six spots lower than he was last year. So he has a great year. And as the article notes, he had 15 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns or more. Right. For the fourth straight season. Nobody's ever done that in NFL history. Josh Allen is working on two. Okay? That's how good Jalen Hurts has been, folks. The fact that he's 38 on this list, it annoyed me a little bit. And then you go into Eagles message boards. I spent like eight minutes that I cannot have back on Eagles message boards. They're really angry about this, but the disrespect of Herz. I, I think I have an answer as to why, but I'm looking at this list and I. And I see some guys that are on there, okay? You know, Derek Stingley, and we're going to bring him up twice. It's not a knock. He's a really good cornerback. Better than Jalen Hurts at quarterback. I mean, folks, Hurts has been in now two Super Bowls already. He's I think, the best dual threat quarterback the league has ever seen. And if you want to go Lamar Jackson, I'm not going to fight you. Okay, I get it. LaMar's got an MVP. But Jalen hurts has the single most unstoppable move in professional football. And that's short yardage. You know, you can have the Lamar Jackson highlights, but give me the jalen hurts automatic 1 yard carry for the first down every time he needs it. I mean, goal line situations. Just go ask Josh Allen if he could use that, right. It failed miserably against Kansas City. So that's one list where Hertz was disrespected. Then comes the NFL, NFL.com list where they haven't actually announced number one. That's coming on September 1st. But wouldn't you know it, Jalen Hurts checks in at 19 on that list. Best players in the NFL behind Derek Stingley. Derek Stingley better have a good season in Houston. Now, he's ahead of Jaden Daniels on that list, but he's only 18th. So just a reminder, Super Bowl MVP has done historic stuff on the ground and through the air the last four years and he's not even a top 10 player. I look at movies. I love going to the movies. Love watching movies. Love re watching movies. You win an Oscar, it doesn't get any better than that. In movies, tv, you win an Emmy, you're at the top of your game in the NFL where the super bowl is the most watched television event every single year. You could be the MVP of the game, the best player in the game. And it doesn't even crack top 10 in the NFL in the next season. I tried to figure out why that is and I'm drilling down, I'm drilling down. And somebody said something smart in our meeting. Every morning somebody says something smart, but he's boring. And I keep coming back to it. It's like, okay, Jalen Hurts carries a briefcase to games. He does not offer any bulletin board material for folks. You know, Josh Allen had, I think the single two greatest plays in the NFL last year. That touchdown run against the Chiefs to seal the victory in the regular season. And then he had the hook and ladder in the snow. Phenomenal touchdown. Jalen Hurt doesn't have those. He'll have like a 20 yard scramble. That's fun. And he'll have a million brotherly shoves. But that's not sexy. Lamar Jackson dancing, running for his life. That's fascinating. Patrick Mahomes, unbelievable. Throws down the field. Hertz doesn't have that. He's not swagged out. You know, he shows up with it with a business suit on and the briefcase. Meanwhile, you've got Joe Burrow walking the Runway in Paris wearing wacky outfits that. Oh, man, that's going to go viral. Look what Joe Burrow's wearing. And Hertz is just boring and dull and that doesn't register on these lists. It's so weird how disrespected. Not only Hertz's, but but the Eagles. Do you guys remember last year's off season tune can the Chiefs three peat? That was the big storyline. All off. Oh, the Chiefs, they're a juggernaut. They got a three peat. Have you heard anything about the Eagles running it back? I looked. Guys, they're returning 10 of 11 starters on offense. Okay. On that top 100 list for ESPN, they had the most players on the list with Ted Saquon Barkley.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Back healthy. Why aren't we talking about Eagles building a potential dynasty? Go. If you want a fun exercise, Pro football focus lists the age of all the players and their grades. The Eagles have to have the most amount of best young players in the league. They are stacked because they draft really well. They've got a potential dynasty and nobody's talking about the Eagles running it back. I hear a lot of this is finally the year for the Lions or boy, the Rams. Cowherd loves the Rams. Hey, Matt Stafford. They add Devonte Adams. Everybody's all excited because they added a wide receiver. Okay, nice move. I think we're sleeping on the Eagles, who are in as good of shape to build something real spicy in Philly as we've seen since the Kansas City Chiefs. Now let's move on to a quarterback we know a little less about. And that's Arch Manning, obviously. The huge Texas Ohio State game Saturday here on Fox. Going to kick off the season with, I don't know, probably one of the most anticipated games we've seen in college football in a while because it's really the, the, the hard launch of Arch Manning. And I said something on the show yesterday that I didn't even realize at the time. It was mildly controversial. But I got a text from a buddy who graduated from Texas and he's on Tex Chains. Can you believe J. Mac's asking this? And I asked our guest, Jeff Schwartz. I said, you know, is Arch Manning good? Do we know if he's good? Here's what Jeff Schwartz said about that.

[E]

I don't think we know if he's good yet. And that's okay.

[A]

He's thrown 100 passes in college football.

[E]

There are certainly people that evaluate quarterbacks.

[A]

Who think he's very good and they.

[E]

Are the traits there that he has shown at certain times that are high level traits.

[A]

He has made big throws, he's made big runs.

[E]

They put him into games and situations where you think to yourself, maybe I'm surprised he's in this, you know, in that spot.

[A]

He's shown those abilities. Now, of course, it's different when teams.

[E]

Have watched film on you all year, when teams have seen you play four or five, six games, when you're on the road with new offensive linemen. The potential is all there. I think it's too early to say yes or no.

[A]

People already mocking him to be at the top of the draft.

[E]

I know it's not the be all, end all, but there's certainly a lot of talent there. He has to live up to it now when he gets to play on Saturday.

[A]

Yeah. So essentially what Jeff is saying is we don't know if Archman. It's fun to mock him, number one, because you know, Peyton and Eli and the family, the football's first family, if you will. We just don't know. And I, during that interview with, with Schwartz, I said, jeff, I'm looking at the box score from the SEC championship game and then the playoff games against Clemson and Ohio state. Arch through zero passes, none. He carried five times for 13 yards. I know they love Quinn Ewers and Quinn Ewers was a really good college football quarterback. He also was drafted in the seventh round, if you're keeping track. If Arch is so good, you couldn't have put in a passing package for the guy the defense knows. Oh, he is a running quarterback. So maybe throw in a wrinkle and all these highlights. You see again, it's against like utsa, Colorado State. I don't want to say they're hiding arts, but I do have some mild concerns. Well, what are we waiting for here? Now, on some level, I respect that the Texas folks and the Manning family has decided, you know what, we're going to do things differently. Everybody wants to play now. Everybody wants their nil money now. True freshmen, they want to play immediately. If you're not playing me, I'm out, Right? I get this question every year around April May from college kids who are going to be graduating and they send me messages on Instagram. Hey, J, Mac, man, you have the best job ever. I. I'm not lying. I kind of do. How do I get where you are, but faster? How do I get there? Like, soon, like on tv, talking about sports, and I'm like, yeah, it took me 20 years to be an overnight success, so good luck just instantly jumping into talking about sports on tv. And they don't seem to get it. Everybody wants it now. And of course, college freshmen, they want it now. The Manning family, a little bit different. They said, you know what, we're old school. We're not going to rush into anything. This is his third year on campus. Like, he's been there for a while. Remember, Trevor Lawrence came to Clemson. Starting as a true freshman was awesome. I don't know if I'm not taking a shot at the kid. I just don't know. Could he be great? Yeah, he certainly could do. I hope he's interesting. Hell, yeah. College football could use it. Here's Arch Manning yesterday on Texas being everyone's target.

[E]

I think that's all of us at Texas, and I think we kind of try to shift the narrative. We're going for everyone else. Target's not on our back. We have the red dot on everyone else. And this is what I've been waiting for. Spent two years not playing, so might as well go have some fun, right? I always have to remind myself it's not all about me.

[A]

It's the.

[E]

It's the whole team. And, you know, we got to play the situations well, not give them short fields and take care of the ball. So it's going to be a fun one.

[A]

He's saying all the right things. And again, I'm fascinated by this. I cannot wait to watch. I just. I. Part of me wonders, and the part of me that wonders is the gambling part. Again. I was in Vegas last week. I did lay it. I think Ohio State smashes him this weekend. Now the line's going the wrong way against me, so that's not great. But I think a lot of that is Texas hype and people are excited for Arch. Like someone said yesterday, he is the favorite to win the Heisman. They're the number one team in the country and they're one of the favorites to win the national championship. That is a lot of pressure on a guy who's been on campus for three years and has barely played football. He's throwing on. I just looked this up. A total of 95 passes in two seasons. Oh, man. Little nervous for Arch Manning, but it should be a great game Saturday on Fox. And oh, by the way, if you don't think this is a massive game, take a look at what's outside the studios here at Fox in Los Angeles ahead of Texas, Ohio State. That is a billboard that's probably the size of like five cars. I mean, it's massive. And it's hyping a game that's happening in Ohio Saturday. That's. This is in Los Angeles. So listen, folks, I know Rachel's excited about this game. I certainly am fired up because we've been hearing about Arch Manning for a while. I'm a little nervous for the kid. I think it's my guess is it goes sideways, they lose about 34, 13 or something and then the pressure's off Arch and he rebounds. His next three games are cupcakes. But your early read on Arch, how do you think he'll fare this weekend?

[D]

Well, look, I think what you're saying about them playing the long game as a family is the thing you have to remember. Even week to week, even this Saturday, even the next week, even the next week, they see this. Look at the careers that Peyton had. Look at the career that Eli had. They see this as a decade and a half longer project. Right. So one game this weekend, one more year at Texas. There's been talk of him staying not just this season, but next season at Texas. I mean, that the family has said that. So they are looking at this as the longest of long games. I think if this weekend doesn't go the way that he would like it to go, and I agree with you, I think, you know, no team has gone into Ohio State and won since 2021. If your name is not the Michigan Wolverines, that's it. Nobody else has done it. So I don't see Texas pulling it off this weekend for all of the reasons we've been talking about for the last week or so. But again, to this family, this is not. This is just like a pittance. Right? They are looking at this as a multi decade plus project. And so you, you're seeing this tiny, tiny steps of progression. And that's on purpose.

[A]

Yeah, you got to walk before you can run, I think they say. All right, coming up next, we're going to stay in Ohio because there was a big trade, I find it wasn't big, but we kind of sort of predicted it here yesterday. The Browns make a move that's good news for Shedeur Sanders. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich.

[B]

On Fox Sports Radio.

[A]

You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 6 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app.

[B]

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich?

[E]

We talk about everything.

[A]

Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends.

[E]

For the last 20 years and still.

[A]

Work together, I mean, that says something, right?

[B]

So check us out.

[A]

We, we like to get you involved too.

[B]

Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say.

[A]

I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive.

[B]

Show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm.

[A]

Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the.

[B]

Live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast.

[A]

And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[C]

This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Anabe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Annabe's Pet Friendly stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that seals stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life now through Labor Day. Get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees. Every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[B]

The rivalries Marching bands the upset Saturday just got way more fun. College football is back. Live betting from DraftKings rivalry week odd boosts so much more. DraftKings sportsbook whether you're betting on your go to team or making moves mid game as the momentum shifts. Saturdays are yours to own with DraftKings. Here's something special for first timers. New customers bet five bucks. That is it and you'll get 200 bucks instantly in bonus bets. Just download the DraftKingsportsbook app. The code is heard H E R D code herd for new customers to get 200 instantly in bonus bets. Betting just five bucks in partnership with DraftKings sportsbook. The crown is yours.

[A]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas. 21 plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG co Audio.

[B]

If you're an inventory specialist in a warehouse, Grainger knows you've probably faced a situation like this before. Your forklift, your facility's workhorse, is leaking hydraulic fluid and with a full schedule of shipments on the docket, this has the potential to cause a major delay of game. But you're not worried. You're prepared for this type of situation and you have an ace in the hole. Grainger Grainger offers professional grade products for every industry, from hydraulic oils and hoses. So much more, plus fast, dependable delivery so you can be confident that you'll have the product you need on hand to fix that forklift and get it back in the game. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[A]

You can make a difference in someone's.

[C]

Life, including your own, with a job in home care.

[A]

These jobs offer flexible schedules, health care, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply.

[D]

That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

[A]

Back here on the Herd, we've got James Palmer, NFL Insider. He's with the Athletic as well in the Scoop City podcast. He's coming up at about 20 minutes. So we did see a trade in the NFL yesterday after the show. I mean, hell, we almost predicted it perfectly. Just the wrong player. The Cleveland Browns shipped Kenny Pickett FedEx to the Raiders in Vegas. He will now be the backup to Geno Smith because Aiden o' Connell fractured his wrist. He's out six to eight weeks. Let me just quickly give you the backstory on Kenny Pickett before I break this down. Do you guys remember Kenny Pickett at Pittsburgh? I don't think many of you do. Nondescript career. So for four years he did absolutely nothing. I mean, he was like a starter, but he was middling. He topped out at 13 touchdown passes in a season. So the COVID year was his senior year kind of wrecked it. He was able to come back as I believe a 24 year old super senior, and he went nuclear. He had 42 touchdown passes, 4,000 yards. Was like, who is this guy? And all of a sudden Kenny Pickett rises up draft boards and goes in the first round. He was. Oh, he was throwing to Jordan Addison, who's now in Minnesota. So, you know, that was like his highlight, Kenny Pickett in college. But he was basically a one year wonder and there is some, some data that shows. Be careful with these one year wonders. So Kenny Pickett pretty quickly flames out in Pittsburgh. He's now traded for the third time he goes to the Raiders. You know, I don't. I think Geno Smith is sleeping fine. He's not worried about anything. How this impacts the Browns is interesting. So they signed Pickett a long months ago in hopes that he could maybe be the starter. Or did they sign him thinking, oh, we can flip this guy and get draft picks. They really evened out based on their trade. But the whole Picket thing makes sense for one guy, and that's Shador Sanders. He no longer needs to be the fourth guy on the depth chart. Okay. Although he could get bumped there if Deshaun Watson comes back from the Achilles. And this is good news for Shador, right? Here's Mary Kay Cabot yesterday talking to us about what this situation is in Cleveland.

[D]

Basically, what's happening here is they have two really good young quarterbacks that they're excited about and that they want to develop. As they look into next year's draft, they have two first round picks and they have to find out do they have a potential franchise quarterback on their roster as they head into that 26 draft. So they want to develop these guys, they want to see what they have, and who knows, they could end up with Dylan Gabriel, Shador Sanders, and then another rookie next year. So they like what they see in Shador, they like what they see in Dylan Gabriel, and they want to move forward with both of these guys.

[A]

So they traded, sorry, traded for Kenny Pickett. They didn't Sign him. I mean, they actually gave up an asset for Kenny Pickett and now they're getting one in return. So, like, you know, maybe they're playing some kind of chess and not checkers in the front office. I don't totally know, but I do know this. It's good news for Shador, and I think it fast tracks Dylan Gabriel to start probably half a dozen games for the Browns this year. Folks, let's just remember Joe Flacco is a starter. He's also 40 years old. Two years ago at this time, Joe Flacco was raking leaves and picking his kids up from school. That's what he was doing. He got signed by the Browns in November of 23 as like a Hail Mary. All we need somebody because everybody's hurt. And Flacco goes on this magical run and they get to the playoffs. Well, they returned to earth a little bit last year, went 3 and 14. Flacco ain't long for the Browns starting job. So Dylan Gabriel's gonna get his crack. And you know, Stefanski likes him. Albert Brewer was on here like two months ago saying how the quick release, the processing is exceptional from Dylan Gabriel. Shador. Hey, man, you're gonna need to catch a break, but we all need a break at some point. Remember, Tom Brady famously was a backup to Drew Bledsoe. Drew Bledsoe was not going anywhere. He was a star. Meanwhile, Bledsoe gets knocked out by Mo Lewis of my jets to enter Tom Brady and the rest is history. So maybe Shador catches a break at some point. He's gonna get his shot. Probably late in the season when they're going nowhere. Let's go to Rachel Nichols with the news. No, no, no, no.

[E]

Turn on the news.

[A]

This is the Herd line news.

[D]

Jason, let's talk a little Bills. They're looking to break through this season and finally get past the Chiefs to make their first super bowl appearance in the Josh Allen era. Friend of the show Dion Dawkins made an appearance on the all new three hour edition of First Things first yesterday. Let me say that again. Three hours. Catch it. This afternoon he broke down what they have to do to cross the super bowl threshold.

[E]

We want to win the Super Bowl. We are going to win the Super bowl when we are putting our best foot forward every single year. And sometimes we might just need heavier gloves.

[A]

Who knows? Who knows? I think two bowler bus, whatever you want to say, the Bills need to cross that threshold. We need to cross that threshold.

[E]

And we will.

[D]

We will. All right, so you know, look, Josh Allen was able to marry Hailee Steinfeld.

[A]

Oh, that's right. Yeah.

[D]

So we know he can pull off big things.

[A]

Well done.

[D]

Can he pull off getting to and winning a Super bowl anytime soon?

[A]

Yeah, I, I, I think they do win the super bowl this year. Although I keep seeing all this Ravens hype. We talked a little bit about it yesterday. I, you know, Allen, he doesn't have the supporting cast that Lamar has.

[D]

I don't think, especially defensively, that defensive unit is, have trouble, especially in the secondary.

[A]

And if you're like, hey, Josh Allen can be Superman again. All right, you know, that's, that's a big, a lot of wear and tear on that body. It's gonna be tough, man. We, we saw Dan Marino mentioned it yesterday. Got to one super bowl, never got back. I don't think Philip Rivers ever got to a Super Bowl. Matt Ryan was close in the 28. 3 loss. Like, it's difficult. But yeah, I think Josh Allen, if I had to ask you over, under one and a half super bowl appearances for Josh Allen in his career, I'm.

[D]

Going over because he's not that old.

[A]

Yeah, he is. That's the thing. But he's got to fight through Mahomes and Lamar for the next and burrow, you're assuming.

[D]

And by the way, I'm not trying to trade Josh Allen off the Bills, but life is long. We've seen these guys. He might not always play for the Bills, so we'll see. You know, teams go up and down. We'll find out. I think he's young. He's got a lot of, I mean, he's so good, Jason. And by the way, the Bills and the Ravens, their odds are tied to when they're the first and they play.

[A]

Week one, I believe. Hope I didn't butcher that. They definitely play this season.

[D]

Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. All right, let's talk a little Rams out here in la. Matthew Stafford been dealing with that back issue off all season, but he returned to practice last week and has been a full participant ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Texans. Things continue to tread positively. Sean McVeigh provided an update yesterday. Take a listen.

[A]

I can't see into the future, but I certainly, you know, if you look at what the last week has entailed, feel really good. And there's nothing that would lead me to believe, unless we have an unforeseen setback, that he's not going to be ready to roll against the Texans.

[D]

Well, I'm glad to know that he's debating Whether he can see into the future that might help you out of Vegas next year. What do you think of Matthew Stafford going into this season? Because it's one thing to be ready for week one. His health has to hold up the whole season.

[A]

That's tough. Now I'm looking at the offensive line. It seems like everybody's healthy for them, which is a really good sign.

[D]

No, they've got an issue at left tackle.

[A]

Oh, that's not great.

[D]

The guy protecting him. Yeah. Oh, so he's got blood clot problems. He had them before. He was able to come back from them, but it took a long time. These were identified at the beginning of the summer. He is going to start to ramp up this week into more regular practicing. But they have to wait and see how Jackson's blood clots sort of react to all this regular practice. I think it'll be huge if they don't start with the guy protecting his blindside. You know, they have to go second string on that. That could be tougher.

[A]

Yeah. I think Stafford's still one of the elite quarterbacks. Quick release, big arm. He's tough. Yeah. As long as the line holds up, I think they're in great shape. And I mean, Devonte and Puka, are they essentially. Jamar Chase.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And T. Higgins.

[D]

No. I mean, he's taken more hits than I think anyone.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

In his current. Current quarterback in his NFL career. So he knows how to take a hit. But those hits, you know, they add up. There's no such thing as a minor back injury. Anyone who's had a back injury will tell you that. You know, it could flare up at any time. It doesn't ever actually go away. You know, as you can get into your late 30s, it's a little harder to get out of bed in the morning.

[A]

No back injuries yet. I'm curious, how do you see that division shaking out? Because Cowherd was pushing Seattle winning it. I'm not feeling that at all. But who do you have? One, two, three.

[D]

I mean, look, I think that the Rams in San Francisco are sort of co leaders there. People are bullish on Seattle in a surprising way. I saw a lot of projections at the beginning of the off season putting them fourth. And I feel like through training camp people have sort of propped them up a little bit, but we'll have to see. I don't know if I'm with Colin on that one.

[A]

That feels like Rams are in good shape. Remember that Eagles playoff game? That was close. Stafford driving?

[D]

Extremely close, you know.

[A]

Yeah, that was I think the toughest test for the Eagles in the playoffs and Hertz was not great in that one. I'll admit he was not great. Stafford was good in the comeback, but a little too late.

[D]

All right, let's talk about another aging quarterback, 41 year old Aaron Rodgers, your favorite, potentially entering his final season. And we'll get a shot at his former team in week one. Despite the opportunity to stick it to the Jets, Rodgers is downplaying the matchup.

[A]

Probably nowhere near where it might be made out. You know, it's a lot has changed over there. You know, coaching staff wise, player wise. Obviously I have friendships over there but it's one game out of 17 and you know, at 5 o' clock eastern on, you know, that Sunday it's only getting me on to the next game. So that's just the way it is.

[D]

The most monotone answer in the history of professional football. I do want to point out, Jason, that at the beginning of the off season, so just a few months ago, Aaron Rodgers blasted the Jets.

[A]

Yes.

[D]

For the way that they let go of him that he said, oh, they made me fly across the country. I expected the four hour meeting. It was in and out. This could have been a phone call. Do you buy it that he doesn't care?

[A]

No, definitely. I think he cares deeply. But I think you're on to something. I think the jets are going to be coming after him. They know he can't. He's a statue. And I do think because Aaron Glenn is the one who was it? Aaron? I'm trying to think of what went down with that meeting with Rogers. They basically did make him fly across the country.

[D]

They made him fly across the country. He said he expected it to be sort of an all day of meetings and I think he was in and out. I mean he didn't say the amount of minutes but he certainly made it sound like it was a 25 minute meeting.

[A]

And I think Glenn was chiefly in that and making the decision and I think yeah, my guess is Aaron Glenn bring they're going to lay the lumber to and I'm looking at the offensive line for Pittsburgh. It's not great. No, no.

[D]

By the way, your jets are an underdog in that game.

[A]

They are I think at home. So last year I bet the Steelers in the opener. I think it was last year against the Niners. Wherever they opened. I was feeling great about the Steelers, Mike Tomlin and they got smashed. I, I, I think if I had to bet this I would go jets in this one, getting two and a half at home. Where do you leave?

[D]

I. I think so. For all the reasons you've said. And also, let's not forget this is a revenge game for Justin Fields. Also.

[A]

Yes. Again, Pittsburgh. Yeah. So talking about motivation, double revenge game. Oh, the NFL is just so crafty.

[D]

They're so good with the schedule, right?

[A]

Yeah. Great stuff. All right, Rachel Nichols with the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd Lie news. The NFL news is coming fast and furious. So Terry McLaurin got a new deal yesterday, then Trey Hendrickson got one. We're waiting for one guy, Micah Parsons. That's next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[C]

This labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Annabe the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just 699, making it the perfect, perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibe's pet friendly stain resistant and interchangeable slip covers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic, high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life. Now through Labor Day, get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[B]

If you're an inventory specialist in a warehouse, Grainger knows you've probably faced a situation like this before. Your forklift, your facility's workhorse is leaking hydraulic fluid and with a full schedule of shipments on the docket, this has the potential to cause a major delay of game. But you're not worried. You're prepared for this type of situation and you have an ace in the hole. Grainger Grainger offers professional grade products for every industry from hydraulic oils and hoses, so much more. Plus fast, dependable delivery so you can be confident that you'll have the product you need on hand to fix that forklift and get it back in the game. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[C]

You can make a difference in someone's.

[A]

Life, including your own, with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, health care.

[D]

Retirement options and free training.

[A]

They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime.

[C]

Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply.

[A]

That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

[B]

American Public University is the number one provider of education to our military and veterans in this country. They offer something truly unique, special rates and grants for the entire family, making education affordable not just for those who serve, but also for their loved ones. If you have a military or veteran family member and are looking for affordable, high quality education, APU is the place for you. Visit Apu Apus Edu Military to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edu Military.

[A]

Back here on the herd, let's welcome in James Palmer, NFL analyst, NFL reporter, NFL insider. He does it all. He has recently joined the Scoop City podcast at the Athletic and oh, by the way, James is an Ohio State guy. I gotta start talking about the big game Saturday on Fox. James, are you nervous, excited, or you think they're gonna just mall? Arch Manning? What do you, what do you got?

[E]

I, I'm excited. I'm terrified. I remember the last time this game happened in the shoe. Guys. I was a student at Ohio State. I separated my shoulder pre game during an incident, tailgating. I don't want to talk about it. But, you know, did it involve, you know, the game Donkey Kong of throwing kegs down the stairs and you got to jump over them? Possibly. But I watched the entire game holding my left arm to my chest and watching us lose at the shoe in something that still is, you know, hasn't stuck with me, has it? No, I think we're, we're a really good team. I'm excited to see some of the younger guys. I'm excited to see what saying can do. Obviously, I mean, it's a difficult spot to come into for your first start, but I mean, they play these games for a reason at the shoe and I'm excited for another one.

[A]

I might as well ask while we're on it. Arch Manning, as a pro prospect, you talk to a lot of front offices, scouts, decision makers. I know it's early. Are we going overboard with this? Hey, Arch Manning, first round, first pick overall in 26 or 27. What?

[E]

Yeah, I mean, I think that's what we do, right? We do go overboard. When you look at the pedigree he's coming from and people say he's he's Eli and Peyton and a combination of the two. Oh, but a better athlete than both of them, like his dad. Of course the hype's going to be there, but I do think, you look at the family, like I mentioned, and all signs would probably point to him staying. Now. We'll see how the season goes. Right. If they win a national championship, he plays out of his mind and the Saints end up with the number one pick. Maybe, you know, there's a greater chance of him coming out than not. But I do think, you know, there's a small sample size, which we've seen. Obviously, some of the hype is definitely warranted, but I think he's wired exactly the right way to where this is not going to bother him in any sense. And I think that's the most important part. You know, a lot of times we hype a lot of these players at the collegiate level with small sample sizes. We're looking at, you know, Anthony Richardson, what's going on in Indy there with such a small sample size. Let's see him play. I think he'll handle it the right way. And if you talk to NFL evaluators, a lot of them now, if they're picking at the top of the draft, it might be different next year, but they're going to say, we want these guys to stay. You know, we want guys to stay. That's something I hear around the league a lot, is, look at the starts Jaden Daniels had. Look at the starts that Bo Nicks had, and look at the early success. Hey, stay. Make some money in college. You can do it now. But if you're picking towards the top of the draft, the sentiment might be a little different with our 20s coming out.

[A]

Yeah. All right, let's go to the NFL. Obviously, a lot of news to cover, but you just mentioned Anthony Richardson. He clearly came out too early. I had heard he was getting advice from potential agents. Hey, man, stay in school. You could be the number one pick the next year. He's like, no, I got to get that money. It's kind of a disaster. Do you think that the Colts would actually trade him? Because I should see someone speculating, hey, he could be the next Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.

[E]

Yeah, I think there's a. There's two things that happen in the NFL pretty regularly. One, we learn over and over again. Development ing quarterbacks at the NFL level right out the gate is very difficult. Right. That's why certain coaches that have been in this league or in this league for a long time, like Gary Kubiak will stand, you know, from the highest mountain and say, you got to sit them and you got to set them for a year. There's still people in the league that do believe that. And that's because developing quarterbacks, you know, in game is tough, specifically with the small sample size that Anthony Richardson had. But I also think the other part that teams are so fearful of is letting a guy go and watching him go have success in another uniform. And obviously the talent is real. He's unbelievably raw. He's still very, very young and still very inexperienced. I think Chris Ballard, who, you know, they're in year nine now, I think in Indianapolis, he has to be looking go and I made that. You know, I was a big part of this pick. I've been a big part of what's going right and wrong here. The last thing I want to do is make the decision that he leaves and gets developed somewhere else, because what is every chance, what does every coach think they can do? Wait till I get my hands on him, right? Like, wait till he comes here and then he can really. And so, from my understanding is I don't think they have any interest in trading or releasing him right now. They'd like to see him sit behind, you know, Daniel Jones and learn and grow some more. I think Shane Steichen was very clear with. There's been strides for sure. Changed his diet, changed his footwork, you know, but the preparation, the understanding of the operation, all those things need to get better. And I think they'd prefer to have that happen in a Colt uniform.

[A]

All right, let's go to the big news. Yesterday. Kenny Pickett gets traded. Clearing. Clearing the Runway for Shadour Sanders to be third on the depth chart. Yeah, I'm sure, James, you're as sick of it as everybody Talking about a 5th round pick who probably won't see the field for, I don't know, three, at least two months with the Browns. But I'm curious, your. Your takeaway with the. With the Picket move and Cleveland, you know, they seem still like a bit of a disaster.

[E]

Yeah. I mean, you ask around the league, they'll say they put themselves in this situation, right? I mean, this is what they did to themselves. Now, I do think Kevin Stefanski can handle it. I do. I think the world of him as a coach and a developer. What the departure of Kenny Pickett does to, in my opinion is Dylan Gabriel is closer to being ready to be one snap away, week one, than maybe we thought of the start of camp that was a big part of keep Picket that enough that something happens four year old quarterback in the first part of the season.

[A]

Oh, looks like some technical difficulties with James. Hopefully we can get it back. But you know he did make a good point that the Browns, you know, this Kenny Pickett move does clear the Runway. Listen, Dylan Gabriel is essentially Bo Nicks minus 4 inches, right? Isn't that what he is? A guy who stayed for a long time in college can thrive in a quick read and react offense and Dylan Gabriel essentially could be the starter by, I don't know, the end of the month. Nobody expects Flacco to stay long, it sounds like including James. So hopefully we can get him back and finish the interview. But I did, I did also like his Anthony answer about Anthony Richardson because I'm gonna be real. I thought Richardson would have been the starter this year, but pretty clearly he did nothing whatsoever to inspire the coltstaff and they pulled the plug quickly. Now I was out of town when I saw I got this. But like Anthony Richardson, I'm a guy who plays a lot of fantasy football. He's a fantasy gold mine. Daniel Jones is not the same. And you know, Anthony Richardson's kind of one of those boomer bust quarterbacks. It's just the quarterback situation around the league. You know, there's about 20 good ones, 20, 10 elite, you know, four, four or five superstars, 10 elite. And then you got like 20 good ones after that. You've got like a poo poo platter of guys who are just going to be cycling around like, no disrespect to Geno Smith, but you're in that bottom 12. You know, Daniel Jones, you're in that bottom 12. Cleveland, New Orleans, my Jets. Like I don't have you. Have you seen the latest Justin Fields clip going around the Internet? Jets fans are pulling all of his misses in preseason and practice. That's where the jets are. So like there's at least 12 teams that are going to be in the quarterback market, whether it's Arch Manning or you do the cycle where it's like, hey, let me take a chance on this guy who flopped his first time around. That is Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, although he did win a playoff game with the Browns. But you, you look down the list of guys in recent years, Kenny Pickett, you know, people forget he's a Super bowl champion after being with the Eagles last year. He's on his third team in three years. He was a first round pick who's now bouncing around and you just look around the league at the quarterback position, and it's just, it's not a great situation. I think Bo Nix has clearly established himself as one of the top 20 guys, and that's only off one season. You have your elite, your Jaden Daniels, you know, C.J. stroud, those types. I still have Trevor Lawrence. I don't know if the masses are in agreement, but real quick, I want to go back to one quote. Mary K. Mary Kay Cabbage yesterday talked about the Shador Versil and Gabriel Battle.

[D]

Basically, what's happening here is they have two really good young quarterbacks that they're excited about and that they want to develop as they look into next year's draft. They have two first round picks and they have to find out do they have a potential franchise quarterback on their roster as they head into that 26 draft. So they want to develop these guys. They want to see what they have. And who knows, they could end up with Dylan Gabriel, Shadore Sanders, and then another rookie next year. So they like what they see in Shador.

[A]

They.

[D]

They like what they see in Dylan Gabriel and they want to move forward with both of these guys.

[A]

Yeah. It's interesting, Rachel. At the draft that just went down, it was clear Cam Ward was going to be a guy.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And then it was like, we don't know who's going to go second. Some of the betting markets were all over the place and Jackson Dart was a surprise. And that's. Does that not speak to the desperation in this league to find a quarterback? I mean, there's so many teams who are like, please let Arch hit. Please let it be good so he can come out.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

And be our guy for the next 10 to 15 years.

[D]

I think part of the thing is you just don't know. I think it speaks to the fact that what a guy does in college, Richardson, you were just talking about, doesn't necessarily spell what he's going to do in the NFL. So you're a little bit, excuse the pun, you know, thrown at a dartboard to sort of figure out, can this solve our problem? I think what you're seeing now more is that teams like the Giants, who have had a quarterback play problem for quite some time now, teams like the Browns, who've had a quarterback problem for 26 years now, that. That those teams are sort of going all in. And the reason why we thought that the Browns might keep four quarterbacks is because they've had such a problem in the quarterback room. And even now with this decision with Pickett, I Saw this trade as basically them saying, we know we're not going to be very good this year. We know we're going to end up with a high draft position. So let's figure out what we have in Dylan Gabriel and Shador Sanders and see IF in the 2026 draft, which is very quarterback rich, whether we need to go again and take another crack at it. You got the kid from Clemson, you got the kid from lsu, you got the kid from South Carolina. There's a bunch of prospects there.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, even looking around the league, I mean, if I said Kyler Murray to you, right. You think he's a franchise quarterback, he got paid.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

What if they win five or six games? Do the Cardinals reboot the coaching staff and do they say, this is not our guy? Can we get rid of Kyler? And the tougher one might be Tua in Miami because the concussions, obviously. Mike McDaniel, I think he's one of the, one of the hottest seats in the league. Like, is Tua the starting quarterback in Miami in 2026? I don't know.

[D]

Can he play a full season?

[A]

That's another good question. And so like, if you have these questions about your quarterback, like, okay, Baker Mayfield, I get it. Michael Penix in Atlanta, like, we think, you know, he showed flashes for three games. Yeah, he's going to get a look this year. He'll probably get a two year leash at least. Right. But you look around the league and it's like quarterback is so tough to identify.

[D]

It's obviously also, you know, it's not just the premier position, it's like such an imbalance. It's not just the most important, it's the most important by this much. So really, as your quarterback goes, your team goes. And I always say when you're talking about firing coaches or switching quarterbacks, it's not should we get rid of this guy? It's who else can we get? And is that person better than the guy we have? Because teams that just are like, eh, throw this quarterback away. Can you get someone better?

[A]

Well that, that's, that was a Brock Purdy question. Do you keep him or get someone better? And I go back, you, you know, you know the NBA well. So Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for years kept Portland relevant. They were in the playoffs every year they win in the first round. Maybe one year they'll make the conference finals. But you're in the playoffs eventually they said, that's not a high enough ceiling for us. Let's move off cj. It went downhill.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Let's move off Dame. Where's Portland? They are totally lost. And that's why, like, the Kyler situation, the tua. I don't know if it's. Let's just stay with tua. We'll be competitive, maybe make the playoffs. If we're super lucky, we win a playoff game. But what's the alternative? Exactly. Remember, they got rid of Dan Marino or Dan Marino left. Yeah. Like they had nobody for like 20 years. It's very difficult. And that's why I think you're right. The Browns just taking bites at the apple. Maybe Dylan Gabriel's our guy.

[D]

It just makes more sense to look at the two young guys than to have Kenny Pickett. Which is to your point. You know what you're going to get. So why not have the two young guys duke it out this season and then you can see if you need to go into that draft again in 2026. A QB?

[A]

Yeah. Even the jets with Justin Fields, it was like, you know, he's. He was okay. He was decent in Chicago. He was okay in Pittsburgh for a handful of games. Can he be the guy in New York? I'm going to guess no. But I guess anything is. Maybe Justin Fields gets the jets to nine wins. Does that get him a contract? Because, you know, he's not the long term answer.

[D]

No, but I mean some of it. So much of it is situational, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Right. What's the team around you like? How good is the defense? What is your strength of schedule that year that, you know, that all factors into whether we think that's the guy or not.

[A]

Garrett Wilson getting nervous. All right, coming up next here on the Herd, there's only really four teams that can win the super bowl this year. We're unveiling super bowl tears. That's next year on the herd.

[B]

On Fox 1. Now you can stream your favorite live sport so you can be there live for the biggest moments. That means NFL Sunday in college football games, nascar, Major League Baseball, postseason and more. With Fox one, you get it all. Live, edgier seat plays, high octane moments, and that feeling like you're right there in the action. Fox 1. We live for live streaming now. American Public University, where service members like you can access high quality, affordable education built for your lifestyle. With online programs that fit around deployments, training and unpredictable schedules, APU makes it possible to earn your degree no matter where duty takes you. Their preferred military rate keeps tuition at just $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's tuition and with 24. 7 mental health support, plus career coaching and other services, APU is committed to your success during and after your service. Learn more at Apu Apus Edu Military that's Apu Apus Edu Military.

[A]

For years, everyone thought Verizon had the best network because they did. But now the best mobile network in the US is T Mobile. T Mobile's network has the most advanced 5G with more towers and their signal range reaches further than ever. So you can text an insta talk and say, you won't believe where I am.

[E]

T Mobile has the best mobile Network in the US based on analysis by.

[A]

Ookla of speed test intelligence data 1H2025CT.

[B]

Mobile.Com network this is Colin Coward from the Herd with Colin Coward, A wingman flies close with unwavering dedication. At Folds of Honor, a wingman stands with families of Americans, fallen or disabled heroes. The burial flag given to their grieving family is folded 13 times. As a wingman, your $13 monthly donation provides scholarships to their spouses and children. 13 folds $13 Become a Wingman Join today at foldsofhonor.org this is an iHeart podcast.