Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Episode: Hour 3 - Raiders QB Plans & Dr. David Chao Joins
Date: March 6, 2026
Host(s): Jonas Knox & LaVar Arrington (in for Colin Cowherd), Kelvin Washington, Dr. David Chao (guest)

Overview

The final hour of The Herd dives into dramatic offseason NFL moves—key releases, uncertain QB futures, and the complexities of holding or cashing in when a team’s “window” is open. Jonas Knox and LaVar Arrington lead a wide-ranging, candid discussion about the changing faces of NFL rosters, especially with the Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions. The show features insights into quarterback rookie development strategies, reveals from inside the free agency churn, and, later, a deep-dive medical update segment with Dr. David Chao touching on player recoveries and injuries (including Max Crosby and Patrick Mahomes). The tone is conversational but laced with expertise, sports skepticism, and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Cost-Cutting & Roster Churn

[03:32–05:40]

• Teams like the Raiders, Packers, and Lions are aggressively making "cap casualty" moves, releasing prominent players like Geno Smith, Rashan Gary, and Taylor Decker to make room under the salary cap.
• Not all top players reach free agency because teams “retain the best,” but this has created a surprisingly strong market of talent suddenly available. As LaVar notes, "there’s some really talented players out there... that just couldn’t make it work financially with their previous teams."

Notable Quote

• “This is the time of year where you’re just, you’re seeing cost cutting and cost cap casualties left and right around the National Football League.” —Jonas Knox [04:20]

2. Packers’ Rashan Gary Move: A Head-Scratcher

[05:40–07:16]

• LaVar calls the Packers' release of Rashan Gary “peculiar,” especially after adding Micah Parsons for what many thought would be a dominant defensive duo. The partnership only lasted one season.
• Injuries, especially to Parsons, clearly disrupted what was meant to be a “Super Bowl competitive team.”

Notable Quote

• “Why would you only give the Micah Parsons–Rashan Gary experiment one season?... The amount of success they were able to have...was tremendous.” —LaVar Arrington [05:47]

3. Lions Lose Their Core

[07:16–09:20]

• The Lions, once viewed as NFC favorites, have seen foundational pieces leave: Taylor Decker, David Montgomery, Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn.
• Jonas and LaVar discuss how rarely teams get close; referencing Dan Campbell’s comments, Jonas remarks, “Maybe we’ll never get that close again...well, yeah Dan, so why didn’t you play it safe?”

4. Changing Fortunes in Green Bay & The Quarterback Question

[09:20–12:29]

• Packers’ hopes, buoyed by moves and last year’s performance, have faded with injuries and coordinators leaving. Jonas: “It’s a completely different looking Green Bay team.”
• Is Jordan Love the franchise QB? LaVar compares his trajectory to C.J. Stroud: “Did we see their best football in that one season?”
• Jonas speculates trust and clutch under pressure, comparing Jordan Love unfavorably to rookie Caleb Williams: “If I were to ask you—alright, you need a winning drive from one of these quarterbacks—who are you gonna…” “I’m going with Caleb.” [12:09]

5. Patience or Pressure: QB Rookie Development

[13:33–18:15]

• The hosts analyze the Raiders’ plan to let rookie Fernando Mendoza sit behind a veteran, questioning if there's any point in drafting a QB #1 overall if you don’t start him.
• LaVar’s advice: don’t spend a top pick on a QB unless he’s going to play now—unless you have “a first ballot, bona fide Hall of Famer” ahead of him.
• LaVar: “You brought him in as the number one pick. He should be starting day one. I don’t care. Oh you got to earn it. No, you don’t. You earned it by being the number one draft pick.” [17:09]

6. Ravens Rumors: Lamar Jackson, Max Crosby & AJ Brown

[18:15–21:31]

• Drumming up speculation: cryptic social media posts by Lamar, rumors of the Ravens entering a Max Crosby sweepstakes, and talk of potential recruits like AJ Brown (with help from Derrick Henry’s friendship).
• LaVar riffs on the “grey area” of player-to-player recruiting during the legal tampering period.

7. Cultural/Food Humor

[21:13–22:17]

• A relatable sidetrack as Jonas and LaVar swap stories about seasoning (Old Bay vs. Tapatio, cultural eating pressures); serves to humanize and keep the conversation fun, reflecting the show's accessible tone.

Medical Deep-Dive: Dr. David Chao Joins

[27:36–40:39]

8. Injury Recovery and Return-to-Play Timelines

[28:07–29:15]

• Jayson Tatum’s quick return from an Achilles tear is celebrated, but Dr. Chao points out that not all return-to-play cases are the same: “Just because someone’s back, doesn’t mean they’re 100%.” [28:56]
• Dr. Chao details that while Tatum’s recovery is fast, it’s not unprecedented (citing Wesley Matthews, Kobe Bryant, others).

9. Max Crosby’s Trade Value & Health Status

[29:15–31:15]

• Crosby underwent a meniscus repair (not a trim), so his timeline for a clean bill of health (and thus a trade) is longer: “Meniscus repair recoveries are minimum four to six months...I would imagine, technically he does not pass a physical today.” [30:00]

10. Reggie Miller’s 'Early Surgery' Theory, Debunked

[32:28–34:35]

• Dr. Chao challenges the idea that superfast surgery “tricks the body” into a better recovery. “I love Reggie Miller...but I don’t know there’s any medical factual basis for this.” [32:46]
• Advanced recovery also attributed to modern therapies (like blood flow restriction), not just rapid surgery.

11. Caleb Downs’ Combine Red Flag

[35:34–38:00]

• On reports about Downs’ supposed medical red flags: “A third of athletes at the combine are flagged in some way—but that doesn’t mean they’re going to drop in the draft or be undraftable.”
• NFL teams care most about whether a player will make it through their first contract—not necessarily if they’re a “15-year starter.” [37:20]

12. Patrick Mahomes’ Injury: 2026 Outlook

[38:00–40:22]

• Mahomes suffered a multi-ligament knee injury (ACL and LCL), making his Week 1 status doubtful. Dr. Chao says, “I don’t think he’ll be 100% himself Week 1...If there’s any additional risk, they may not have him playing at the start of next season.” [39:22]

Bonus: Memorable Moments & Sidebars

13. Russell Westbrook Press Conference Exchange

[44:35–48:09]

• Westbrook flips the script on the local Sacramento media postgame, challenging their insights, asking if they attend practice or film sessions:
  • Westbrook: “Where do you get your context from? Are you in practice? No. At our film session? No.” [45:29]
• Jonas and LaVar delight in this classic “you never played the game” moment: “I gotta be honest with you, man...when the player drops the ‘you never played the game’ card or something along those lines, I think it’s hilarious because it really is the kill shot.” —Jonas [47:13]

14. College Football & NIL Explosion

[42:21–44:18]

• Discussion around Brian Kelly’s comments and reports LSU’s football roster may cost $40 million+: “Maybe a little bit more. More than 40, I’ll tell you that.” —LaVar Arrington [43:03]
• Hosts riff on how much NIL and open payments have distorted the college football landscape.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Roster Cuts & NFL Market: 03:32–05:40
• Packers Release Rashan Gary: 05:40–07:16
• Lions’ Lost Core & Campbell’s Comments: 07:16–09:20
• Packers’ QB Situation: 09:20–12:29
• Rookie Quarterbacks: Patience or Pressure?: 13:33–18:15
• Ravens Rumors (Lamar, Crosby, AJ Brown): 18:15–21:31
• Dr. Chao Medical Insights Begins: 27:36
• Tatum/Achilles Recovery: 28:07–29:15 & 32:28–34:35
• Max Crosby Trade/Health Update: 29:15–31:15
• Caleb Downs Combine Medical: 35:34–38:00
• Mahomes’ Injury: 38:00–40:22
• Russell Westbrook vs. Media: 44:35–48:09
• LSU Football NIL Budget: 42:21–44:18

Notable Quotes

• “You brought him in as the number one pick. He should be starting day one. I don’t care. Oh, you got to earn it. No, you don’t. You earned it by being the number one draft pick.”—LaVar Arrington [17:09]
• “I love Reggie Miller...but I don’t know that there’s any medical factual basis for this...[the body] recognizes that there is a tear immediately.”—Dr. David Chao [32:46]
• "When the player drops the ‘you never played the game’ card...I think it’s hilarious because it really is the kill shot.”—Jonas Knox [47:13]

Tone & Takeaways

The episode blends sharp NFL analysis, humor, and insider medical context. Jonas and LaVar challenge conventional draft and free agency wisdom, push for transparency in rookie QB development, and have no qualms about pointing out team missteps or the absurdity of mega-million college football rosters. Dr. Chao’s sobering injury assessments bring credible depth, while lighter moments (like the Westbrook smackdown and food banter) ensure an easy, engaging listen.

Ideal for listeners who want NFL offseason context, candid opinions on league pivots, and a peek into the realities behind player injuries and contract maneuvering—all delivered with personality and expertise.