The Herd with Colin Cowherd — August 22, 2025 (Hour 3)
Host: Danny Parkins (in for Colin Cowherd). Guests: Robert Mays (The Athletic Football Show), Chris 'The Bear' Felica

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Main Theme:
This episode dives into NFL contract disputes—particularly the standoff between Micah Parsons and Jerry Jones—while also taking a comprehensive look at the 2024 quarterback draft class, rookie expectations, and training camp takeaways. Robert Mays delivers national-level insight, and Chris ‘The Bear’ Felica discusses both NFL and college football betting markets.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Caleb Williams: Concerns, Preseason Performance & Ceiling

[02:58-05:42]

• Danny Parkins asks Mays about his earlier skepticism regarding Caleb Williams and whether the recent preseason game against Buffalo boosted his confidence.
• Robert Mays:
  • Impressed by how "on time and mechanically sound" Caleb looked against Buffalo ([04:01]).
  • Cites Ben Johnson's coaching as key: “With Ben Johnson, this could be corrected. I watched what Ben Johnson did with Jared Goff...” ([04:17]).
  • Still believes Williams faces a "big gap" from last year's performance but is optimistic due to improved circumstances in Chicago.
• When asked about Williams’ ceiling:
  • Mays cites a "fluid" quarterback hierarchy: "If you told me at the end of the 2026 season that Caleb Williams was the eighth best quarterback in the league, I would believe that..." ([05:18]).
  • Sees potential for rapid rise if things break right, especially given uncertainty in the current QB ranks.

2. Assessing the 2024 QB Draft Class

[05:51-07:23]

• Felica labels it potentially the NFL's “most successful draft class ever” in terms of teams getting it right with QBs.
• Mays:
  • Calls J.J. McCarthy the "biggest question mark" due to limited playing time but sees "collective optimism" for the class.
  • Highlights:
    • Michael Penix “really excited about what he showed last year.”
    • Drake May’s functional offense in New England is “a borderline miracle.”
    • Points out that even Williams, the least efficient by metrics, should be better with improved context.

3. Trevor Lawrence: "Last Stand" in Jacksonville

[07:23-08:36]

• Felica frames this as Lawrence’s “last stand” with his current environment, noting he’s as old as current rookies Bo Nix and Michael Penix.
• Mays:
  • Agrees—if he can’t succeed now, “they’re not perfect…but what you’re requiring of the quarterback” is more favorable compared to prior seasons.
  • Defines success for 2025 Jags: “That we never see Trevor Lawrence’s name on a bottom-third chyron ever again” ([07:51]).

4. Travis Hunter: NFL’s Ironman Prospect

[08:36-09:57]

• Felica anticipates Hunter setting a record for snaps in his rookie year; describes his two-way play as historic.
• Mays:
  • “Something we’ve never seen before…Even watching the mechanics…having him switch jerseys in the middle of a practice…”
  • Praises Hunter’s stamina: “The way…the amount of gas he has in the tank, we should study him.” ([09:23])
  • Curious how many pure miles (feet) Hunter will cover in a single game.

5. Contract Disputes: Parsons, McLaurin, Hendrickson

[14:43-16:40]

• Felica raises the rarity of true holdouts post-Le’Veon Bell; asks Mays if he expects all three to play Week 1.

• Mays:

  • “I do, just because of precedent…I just tend to think…most of this stuff gets sorted out before the games get started.” ([15:16])
  • Analyzes differences in leverage/conflict among the players.

• On Parsons & Jerry Jones:

  • Mays blasts Jones: “Jerry is P.T. Barnum…his priority right now is spectacle…If I was a fan of this team, it would drive me absolutely bonkers. Just the pure hypocrisy…” ([16:40])

6. Jackson Dart in New York

[17:29-18:50]

• Felica asks when Dart will start with tough competition and coaching hot seats.
• Mays expects Dart “pretty quickly,” noting:
  • Brian Daboll unusually upbeat about him.
  • Offense incorporating more college concepts: “You’ve already seen some of that Ole Miss stuff get folded into what the Giants are.”
  • Calls Dart “energizing”; predicts he’ll start soon.

7. Training Camp Takeaways & Team Optimism

[18:50-20:12]

• Mays shares biggest surprises from training camp visits:
  • “Collective optimism” about Titans and Panthers, both building healthier cultures and systems despite uncertainty with QBs.
  • “If you asked me that on August 22nd last year? Absolutely no way.”
  • Intrigued to watch both offenses open week one.

8. Rams’ Boom or Bust Potential

[20:12-21:33]

• Felica: Are the Rams setup for volatility given an injured Stafford and line issues?
• Mays:
  • Rams always “get the benefit of the doubt” because of their history threading the needle to success.
  • Floor is higher with backup QB (Garoppolo) and left tackle (Humphries), but ceiling depends on Stafford’s health: “If your 37-year-old quarterback is going to have a back injury…”

9. Shador Sanders: Fluff, Hype, and the Camp Coverage Trap

[21:33-22:42]

• Felica prompts Mays for meta-analysis of media’s Sanders coverage.
• Mays:
  • Chalks up training camp hype to fan demand and lack of context: “The tail wags the dog a lot when it comes to sports media…breathless coverage…is so misguided most of the time.”
  • “We just don’t have a good handle…You can't go back and watch practice tape to understand any of the context…” ([22:08])
  • Predicts “silly things” written about QBs—cites Cleveland’s recent month as an example.

10. Super Bowl Pick

[22:42-23:21]

• Felica asks: Who wins the Super Bowl?
• Mays:
  • “It pains me to say it, but I’m probably going to pick the Ravens.”
  • Praises defensive "tweaks," Lamar’s maturation: "They felt like the best team in the league for stretches last year and just couldn't get over the hump. They're probably top to bottom the team I believe in the most right now." ([22:54])

NOTABLE QUOTES

• On Caleb Williams’ Offense:
  • Robert Mays [04:01]: “It’d be hard not to feel better when you look at how on time and mechanically sound the offense felt… just the pre-snap operation and clearly how in command of that he feels.”
• On Jerry Jones:
  • Robert Mays [16:40]: “Jerry is P.T. Barnum…if I was a Cowboys fan…it would drive me absolutely bonkers. Just the pure hypocrisy that consistently goes on with the messaging and the reality of the people that are in charge of that franchise.”
• On Travis Hunter’s Potential:
  • Robert Mays [09:05]: “We’ve never seen anything like this…I want some numbers on [how much he runs] because I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like it before.”
• On Training Camps:
  • Robert Mays [22:08]: “The breathless coverage of every moment of training camp… is so misguided most of the time. Like, we just don’t have a good handle on what is happening during these practices.”

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• Caleb Williams preseason & outlook: [02:58] – [05:42]
• QB draft class evaluation: [05:51] – [07:23]
• The Trevor Lawrence “last stand”: [07:23] – [08:36]
• Travis Hunter’s NFL potential: [08:36] – [09:57]
• Contract disputes (including Parsons/Jones): [14:43] – [16:40]
• Jackson Dart’s prospects in New York: [17:29] – [18:50]
• Training camp surprises (Titans, Panthers): [18:50] – [20:12]
• The Rams’ volatility: [20:12] – [21:33]
• Shador Sanders and media hype: [21:33] – [22:42]
• Super Bowl pick (Ravens): [22:42] – [23:21]

CONCLUSION

This episode offers a fast-paced, opinionated trip through major NFL storylines, blending detailed player analysis with behind-the-scenes perspectives on coaching, contract standoffs, and media narratives. Robert Mays delivers thoughtful critiques—never shying from calling out team owners, weighing quarterback development, or deconstructing preseason hype—while Chris ‘The Bear’ Felica delivers actionable betting tidbits for both college and pro football fans. Whether you’re tracking the Bears, Giants, Rams, or the mood in Dallas, you’ll leave with fresh context and quotable insights on the state of the NFL going into the 2025 season.