Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 3 – “The AFC West is a powerhouse, the Broncos and Bo Nix will improve, Mark Schlereth”
Date: August 19, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd dives deep into the evolving power dynamic in the AFC West, focusing particularly on the Denver Broncos’ offseason and outlook under Sean Payton and rookie Bo Nix. He is joined by three-time Super Bowl champion and former Broncos great, Mark Schlereth, for robust analysis. The episode also explores high-profile storylines across the league, including offensive line developments, young QB-coach pairings (especially Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson in Chicago), and top young NFL talent. Later in the hour, Colin and guests discuss team and player rankings, team-building philosophies, and offer both insight and offbeat humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AFC West Heating Up & Broncos’ Offseason Transformation

[03:19–06:23]

• Denver’s Improved Roster: Colin emphasizes the “widespread agreement” that Denver had one of the best training camps and made elite acquisitions including Pro Bowl talents.
• Sean Payton’s Roster Philosophy:
  • Mark Schlereth praises Payton’s decisiveness in moving on from Russell Wilson despite the cap hit:

    “He doesn’t care what you think, Colin. He doesn’t care what I think. He knows what he wants and he was able to create exactly what he wanted.” (Schlereth, 04:31)

  • Payton’s approach: remove popular but ill-fitting players, build depth, and foster belief in “guys that want to contribute, work hard, sacrifice.”
• Team Depth:
  • Broncos’ 2nd/3rd stringers outclassed Arizona’s during a scrimmage, suggesting Denver’s newfound depth.
  • Schlereth:

    “They’ve got a very, very deep football team.” (06:01)

2. Offensive Line Renaissance in the NFL

[06:23–09:14]

• Offensive Coaches Rebuilding O-Lines: Cowherd outlines how coaches like Sean Payton, Dan Campbell, Sean McVay, and Andy Reid have excelled at O-line makeovers.
• Case Study—Josh Simmons (Chiefs OL):
  • Schlereth ranks Josh Simmons as his “favorite player coming out in the draft,” citing advanced hand usage and footwork:

    “That dude dispensed justice… it was like a symphony watching his feet move.” (Schlereth, 07:18–08:40)

  • If healthy, Simmons represents “the steal of the draft.”

3. Quarterback-Coach Fit: Lessons from Past and Present

[09:14–13:02]

• History of QB-Coach Pairing:
  • Elway benefited by switching from Dan Reeves to Mike Shanahan—a matter of “fit” not just coaching ability.
  • Schlereth and Cowherd discuss how not all talented duos are perfect fits, referencing Russell Wilson/Payton and the likely “imperfect” but potentially workable marriage of Ben Johnson (OC) and Caleb Williams in Chicago.
  • Schlereth’s take on Caleb Williams:

    “One of the big things coming out of college when I studied Caleb Williams is I thought there was too much improvisation… Run the play, improvise when only necessary.” (10:20, 11:40)

  • He stresses the “70/30 rule”—structure over improvisation for sustainable NFL success.

4. Commanders’ Outlook & Terry McLaurin

[17:01–18:47]

• Schlereth lauds WR Terry McLaurin’s professionalism and importance:

  “He’s gone through that dry desert storm… you want to see [him] have some success with the team that drafted him.” (17:31)

• Belief that a deal will get done, hoping McLaurin sees postseason rewards for his loyalty and production.

5. Fantasy Football & Lighthearted Banter

[18:47–21:13]

• Colin, Mark, and John Middlekauff trade favorite restaurant stories and lifelong food habits.
• Light banter about movie rewatch tendencies and upcoming Spielberg projects.

6. Young Quarterbacks & Offensive Innovation Around the League

[21:57–29:04]

• Patriots’ Drake Maye:
  • Middlekauff says Maye is gaining Josh McDaniels’ trust, Cowherd highlights his athletic, competitive background and expects Maye/Vrabel to echo the Brady/Belichick efficiency formula.
  • Discussion on past failures to develop talent after Brady, and optimism on new draftees (Kyle Williams, Trayvon Henderson).
• Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen:
  • Colin expects Allen (and Lamar Jackson) will break through eventually despite Mahomes’ dominance, emphasizing comfort with playmakers for veteran QBs.
  • Middlekauff sees the Bills as possible AFC East favorites, “should go 5-1 in the division.”
• Top Young NFL Talent (per The Athletic):
  • Noted players under 25 include Jamar Chase, Jalen Carter, C.J. Stroud, Aidan Hutchinson, Brock Bowers, with both Lions and Texans sporting three each in the top 10.
  • B.J. Robinson, Jared Verse, and Malik Nabers are discussed for breakout potential, but also durability questions.

7. Team Building: Detroit Lions as a Model

[28:24–29:15]

• Lions Praised for Draft/Development:
  • Colin: “What have we said about the Lion success? Look upstairs, three Lions in the top 10 develop… they have a young safety, Brian Branch, he could be top 15.”
  • Middlekauff: “Jared Goff… for a little bit of an older guy, have a young vibe? Maybe it’s the California in him.”

8. Caleb Williams & Ben Johnson: Learning Curve in Chicago

[32:50–37:29]

• Albert Breer on Bears’ Approach:
  • Bears are “feeding [Caleb Williams] through a fire hose” early on, pushing him to fail fast and learn what he can handle.
  • The staff hopes this “resilient player” emerges and they learn which plays suit him.
  • Colin offers NFL parallels—Tom Brady and Bruce Arians as a “not a perfect fit, but they won a Super Bowl.”
  • Early schedule may favor confidence or cause concerns depending on initial results against Vikings/Detroit. Cowherd emphasizes patience but points to a brutal late-season schedule.

9. Top 10 NFL Teams & Power Shift Debates

[37:29–41:13]

• Chiefs’ Ranking Debate:
  • Colin controversially puts Broncos above Chiefs in his “herd hierarchy,” arguing offensive line and pass rush advantages.
  • Middlekauff pushes back, citing the Chiefs’ five Super Bowls in six years. Both agree fatigue and personnel issues raise questions for Kansas City in 2025.
  • Seahawks, Commanders, Rams, and Lions discussed as upside candidates, while declining teams include Saints, Jets, Giants, and Cleveland.

Noteworthy Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sean Payton and the Broncos:

  “He’s like, ‘That’s not the direction of this franchise… we got rid of popular players that weren’t the right guys.’”
  (Mark Schlereth, 04:31)

• On Josh Simmons, KC’s rookie left tackle:

  “That dude dispensed justice… Watching his film was like a symphony.”
  (Schlereth, 07:18)

• On Caleb Williams’ NFL adjustment:

  “Run the play, improvise only when necessary. 70/30 rule.”
  (Schlereth, 11:40)

• On Terry McLaurin’s value to Washington:

  “He’s one of those guys that you want to see have some success with the team that drafted him.”
  (Schlereth, 17:31)

• On the Lions' draft/development:

  “Three Lions in the top 10 develop, and also they have a young safety, Brian Branch—he could be top 15.”
  (Cowherd, 28:24)

• On the Chiefs’ perennial success:

  “Chiefs, I mean, been five Super Bowls in six years. Colin… But number two, I mean, one of those teams gotta win a big playoff game eventually, right?”
  (Middlekauff, 37:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Broncos’ Offseason Transformation — [03:19–06:23]
• Offensive Line Trends & Prospects (Josh Simmons focus) — [06:23–09:14]
• Quarterback / Coach Fit, Caleb Williams & Ben Johnson — [09:14–13:02]
• Commanders, McLaurin Praise — [17:01–18:47]
• Patriots’ Drake Maye & Developing Offenses — [21:57–25:44]
• Bills, Allen, and AFC East Discussion — [25:44–29:04]
• Top 25 Under 25 (The Athletic List) — [26:29–28:12]
• Detroit’s Young Core — [28:24–29:15]
• Albert Breer’s Take on Caleb Williams — [32:50–33:42]
• NFL Power Rankings Debate — [37:29–41:13]

Tone & Style

Conversation is relaxed, opinionated, and occasionally playful, with Colin’s trademark analogies and Schlereth’s candid, detail-driven football insight. The episode is rich with football “insider” information and smart big-picture thinking about team-building and the evolving league.

Useful For:
Football fans tracking offseason moves, Broncos, Chiefs, and Bears followers, and anyone interested in NFL team-building strategy, young quarterback development, and the power landscape of the AFC/NFC heading into the 2025 season.