Caleb Williams’ MVP ceiling, Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow’s Future | 7.30

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Right Time with Bomani Jones

Episode: Caleb Williams’ MVP Ceiling, Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow’s Future | 7.30
Date: July 30, 2026
Host: Bomani Jones
Guest: Danny Parkins (FS1)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Bomani Jones is joined by Danny Parkins of FS1 for a spirited and nuanced conversation about pressing NFL quarterback storylines heading into the 2026 season. They break down emerging narratives around Caleb Williams and his MVP potential, the never-ending debate of Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, the complicated future of Joe Burrow, as well as which quarterbacks across the league are truly “on the clock.” Throughout, Jones and Parkins weave in broader commentary on NFL fandom, expectations, and the quirks of sports media. The tone is informed, fast-paced, and laced with sharp wit.

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Main Topics & Key Insights

The State of NFL Media and Offseason Dialogue

• NFL as Content Machine: The hosts joke about how national radio often reverts to perennial debates, and how the NBA has made the offseason more tolerable for football talk.
  • “This is the time of year where you stretch it. The NBA has made it so much easier, though. The NBA has filled up our July basically with compelling stuff.” (A, 04:14)
• Baseball’s National Appeal: They agree that baseball’s relevance is largely local, compared to the universal appeal of football in cities like Chicago.

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Caleb Williams’ MVP Ceiling and Chicago’s Hopes

• High Expectations: With Caleb Williams and offensive mastermind Ben Johnson, anticipation in Chicago is unusually high.
  • “Preseason week one, we could have the MVP of the league hype. Literally never in my life.” (B, 09:56)
  • Parkins lays out Williams’ impressive physical tools and mental acumen, emphasizing his rapid improvement between years one and two and the solid offensive coaching staff (12:00-13:00).
• Moments vs. Consistency: Bomani highlights that Williams is a “moments guy”—capable of game-changing plays, but needs to avoid being actively detrimental (i.e., taking sacks).
  • “People are going to hear me say this a lot. I had an epiphany over the summer ... about the significance of being a moments guy.” (A, 13:00)
• Ben Johnson’s Genius: Both agree Johnson is a highly creative, quarterback-friendly playcaller, but Bomani notes after viewing the Lions sans Johnson, some “big brain” credit must go to Dan Campbell. (A, 12:20)
• Caleb’s Expectations vs. Peers: Williams isn’t receiving the national optimism other QBs like Josh Allen do, despite outperforming Allen at a similar career stage.
  • “Year two, Caleb Williams is better than year two, Josh Allen was in Buffalo, and year two, Caleb Williams was better in the postseason than year two, Josh Allen was.” (A, 17:31)

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Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson: Scrutiny, Playoff Narratives, and Career Arcs (21:00–32:30)

• All Eyes on Allen: With his coach fired and the reins handed fully to him, Allen is the center of “Super Bowl or bust” expectations.
  • “We will be looking at you like, hey, it’s kick ass or else time.” (A, 21:57)
• Playoff Critiques: Parkins distinguishes between Allen and Lamar: Allen’s playoff numbers remain steady (“bum slays a little bit”), whereas Lamar’s drop compared to the regular season.
  • “Josh Allen’s playoff numbers, you could say he bum slays a little bit. Sure...But Lamar Jackson, his playoff numbers do not resemble his regular season numbers.” (B, 22:59)
• Fairness of Critique: Bomani argues both are “on the same clock” in terms of expectations, and that criticism of their postseason resumes is more similar than commonly argued.
  • “I feel like he is not… getting the optimistic outlook that can come if you so chose… They’re on the same clock.” (A, 17:31; 25:59)

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The Next Decade: Allen vs. Lamar in Their 30s (26:56–31:14)

• Longevity & Style: Both are “heavily dependent on athleticism” and susceptible to career-altering injuries.
• Who Ages Better? Parkins gives a slight edge to Allen for post-prime productivity, likening him to a durable Roethlisberger type. Bomani highlights Lamar’s under-appreciated pocket skills, noting his college pedigree as a drop-back passer and incremental improvement.
  • “I think Lamar actually operates a little better on timing stuff than Josh Allen does…” (A, 27:05)
  • “I would bet on Josh having, like, a Ben Roethlisberger 30s, just a big dude who guys are going to bounce off of…” (B, 28:55)

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Coaching, Support, and New NFL Hierarchies (31:14–33:41)

• Team Support: Parkins believes Allen has better offensive support; Bomani and Parkins discuss the Ravens’ new coaching regime and high defensive ceiling, as a help to Lamar.
• New Head Coaches: Curiosity about whether new hires (e.g., Jim Leonard in Buffalo; Minter in Baltimore) will ignite or upend these QB narratives.

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On the Clock: Quarterbacks Under Pressure (39:20–59:00)

J.J. McCarthy & the Vikings Dilemma

• McCarthy vs. Kyler Murray: Despite 10 games, McCarthy is already under heavy scrutiny, while Kyler Murray, though less beloved by teammates and fans, offers a much higher talent ceiling and should win any open competition (40:00–43:00).

C.J. Stroud’s Regression with the Texans

• Despite a stellar defense, Stroud’s performance hasn’t matched expectations since his rookie year, and now, with a short-list Super Bowl roster, must prove he's a bona fide “plus” QB or risk being benched or moved on from quickly.
  • “He can’t be the 24th best quarterback in the NFL… If he is a top half quarterback… they absolutely can win the Super Bowl.” (B, 45:49)
  • “Alarm bells would be going off if I was a Houston Texan fan.” (B, 47:01)

Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and the Rookie QB Class

• Nix, despite gaudy numbers and close wins, is not viewed as a franchise answer. Drake Maye enters with high expectations and major improvements in supporting cast, but faces a “Super Bowl runner-up” hangover scenario.

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Joe Burrow and Cincinnati – Window Closing? (52:00–56:22)

• Burrow’s Responsibility: Bomani references a little-noticed Jamar Chase comment about Burrow’s own role in his injury woes, highlighting an underreported layer to the Bengals’ “hard-luck” narrative (52:26).
  • “Jamar Chase…making it very clear that Joe Burrow bore a measure of responsibility for the injuries that he has suffered and that he needs to take care of himself.” (A, 52:26)
• No More Excuses: With the Bengals going “all in” on their current roster and coaching staff tension mounting, Burrow faces mounting pressure to deliver another Super Bowl appearance.
  • “It’s on you now.” (A, 53:37)
• Coaching Stability: Cincinnati’s lack of turnover could become a disadvantage; if this roster doesn’t succeed, Zach Taylor will likely be held accountable first, but Burrow’s long-term patience in Cincinnati is debated.

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Jalen Hurts: Super Bowl Champion on the Clock (57:26–60:14)

• Contract Pressure: Parkins and Bomani agree Hurts is “so on the clock,” especially with his guarantee running out and questions lingering about head coach Nick Sirianni’s offensive vision and reliability amid coordinator turnover.

  “They leaked that story to ESPN that had the anecdote about how he doesn’t have any more guaranteed money after this year…that one’s in writing how much he’s on the clock.” (B, 57:36)
  “Never seen a team that good and nobody believes in the coach or the quarterback.” (A, 59:13)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Preseason week one, we could have the MVP of the league hype. Literally never in my life.” — Danny Parkins (09:56)
• “[Caleb Williams] is a moments guy. ... But there's something about the guy that can just give you moments.” — Bomani Jones (13:00)
• “We will be looking at you like, hey, it's kick ass or else time.” — Bomani Jones on Josh Allen (21:57)
• “Josh Allen’s playoff numbers, you could say he bum slays a little bit. Sure. ... But Lamar Jackson, his playoff numbers do not resemble his regular season numbers.” — Danny Parkins (22:59)
• “I think both of them have the potential of a drop. Both are heavily dependent on athleticism.” — Bomani Jones on Allen & Lamar aging (27:04)
• “He's on the hot clock—like, they call it the clock, doesn't feel sufficient.” — Bomani Jones on C.J. Stroud (43:35)
• “Jamar Chase … making it very clear that Joe Burrow bore a measure of responsibility for the injuries that he has suffered and that he needs to take care of himself.” — Bomani Jones (52:26)
• “Never seen a team that good and nobody believes in the coach or the quarterback.” — Bomani Jones on Philadelphia Eagles (59:13)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Caleb Williams in Chicago/Ben Johnson debate: 07:00–14:44
• MVP Ceiling & NFL QB "on the clock": 14:44–18:50
• Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson: 20:54–32:41
• Aging QBs & Support: 26:56–33:41
• Rookie QB pressure (J.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray): 39:24–43:17
• CJ Stroud and Texans: 43:22–47:59
• Bo Nix/Drake Maye analyses: 48:13–52:00
• Joe Burrow and Bengals: 52:00–57:15
• Jalen Hurts & Eagles future: 57:26–60:14

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive, unsparing look at the state of QB leadership and scrutiny in today’s NFL. Bomani Jones and Danny Parkins, with their characteristic candor and humor, dissect how narrative, talent, and organizational structure collide for the league's most prominent signal-callers. Whether you’re a diehard or casual NFL fan, this discussion offers plenty of context and insight for the unfolding season—the kind of banter and analysis that makes “The Right Time” a must-listen for thoughtful sports conversations.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Bo Chilling. Good morning. Yes, unfortunately, fortunately for me, because I love coming on with you, but I, this is too quick of a return visit for me to have more stories from the Westchester police blotter.

[A]

I know.

[B]

So we'll, we'll get, we'll get back

[A]

to that next month waiting, I'm sure we'll probably get back around, probably around September. We'll talk about it. You know what I mean? Like, I'm sure for you that'll be plenty of time for the rough streets to like, really build up the proper tension. It's going to get real hot. So people go be tense, what I'm saying out there. Yeah, right.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Anything is possible. So Danny and I have worked in this industry in various capacities for quite a while. I've done the local radio, you've done the local radio. But something I had to remember about me doing local radio is I did not do local radio in an NFL market. Right. Like, I did local radio in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Riley Durham in, in Chapel Hill. So like the off month football discussion, not really like there. Then you get to doing national stuff and it's like, oh man, worst comes to worst, who's going to win the NFC West? You just throw that shit out there and people are like, hell yeah, let me, let, let me get some of that. Like, have you seen the Odyssey yet?

[B]

I have.

[A]

Okay. Like, I feel like whenever we throw this, that kind of stuff out there, everybody listening to us should turn into a pig. You know what I mean? Like, you just greed, it is greedy right now. Like, you're just so hungry. You just, you just, you just, you just, you're slobbering all over yourself. But this is the time of year where you stretch it. The NBA has made it so much easier, though. Like, the NBA has filled up our July basically with compelling stuff. And then Kyle Shanahan got into the car accident and then they hit it, which then made it something for us to discuss. Otherwise, it had just been tmp, baby. Thoughts and prayers.

[B]

Amen. Yeah, Listen, and for us at Fox, like we did so much World cup and like, then the LeBron saga and the off season and NBA movement, it's like we normally will have done six weeks of make believe NFL stories right now. We didn't even get to an NFL top one. Hundred list story until they had already released like 100 through 70. I'm like, that's awesome. Like, I don't have to, I don't have to be caping for Jeffrey Simmons being snubbed at number 83. Like, we're not, we're not doing those topics right now. It's been great.

[A]

Yeah. Like, this is, however, say all that to say for the people we're gonna be doing some of that NFL stuff.

[B]

Football season, baby.

[A]

Listen.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I live for football season, you know, that's why we get into this sort of thing on the national level. So, I mean, it's, it's NFL365, man. I'm here for it.

[A]

But like, I think about it on a local level, like doing in Chicago, for example, you kind of at least got something always to talk about or a phone line to turn on. It's when you do it for national that I'm like, guys, we, we, we, we. We got to look at ourselves in, in the, in the, like, like, we'll just never talk about baseball, huh?

[B]

Well, yeah, baseball. Baseball's really tough on the national level because unless you're doing like, do you like the pitch clock? Yes. You like automatic Bulls and strikes. Like, is Shohei Otani the greatest of all time? Like, unless you're doing like super broad things, people would rather watch, you know, a 70 win Reds team than a Hun. If you're in Cincinnati than a hundred win, you know, Phillies team or whatever the case may be. Like, it's just so localized. But man, and Chicago is a fun NFL market or fun radio market to do it in. Because like, while we love the Bulls and some people love the Blackhawks and we love the Cubs and some people love the White Sox, everyone loves the Bears.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So now it's a true football town. And so, like, with the Bears being relevant, I was texting with my old producer just the other day and because I saw something that they tweeted out and I was like, dude, why are you not just doing Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Roma Dunes A, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson every single day. That's just, that's the show every single day. Just keep it going.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, but like, I feel like with the Bears, you kind of get you guys like the same art because everybody goes through the same mark right now. Why wouldn't you be optimistic? Like, there's no. You get. You have nothing to gain from the hearing. No, no, no, I'm saying. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm not talking about this year.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'm speaking generally in terms of whipping up this sausage.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There are other, there are other shows where people would say the word pause right there, but for most teams, pick a market. We'll call it the Titans right now.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

There's no reason not to be optimistic right now and then the shit come crashing down and then you go back to being unhappy. But for right now, you talk yourself into what it is. And for the Bears, that's what it's been. But this year, because of Caleb Williams and last year's interesting success, shall we say. I recall there being a lot of really close games. Yeah, that always bodes well. Anyway, Kayla Williams is on a long list. That will be what we talk about largely in this show. It is very interesting, which is with Patrick Mahomes having not been truly excellent the last couple of years, at least on a consistent basis.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Still capable of moments. And now coming off of an ACL tear. It's really about every other quarterback. And it feels like with the exception and I, I mean you could probably find a few more. Like, I think Cam Ward avoids this list. Matthew Stafford avoids this list. Interestingly enough, Sam Darnold voiced this list. But it feels like every quarterback in the NFL is on the clock in some form or fashion. Yeah, every single one of them is on the clock. Other than, I guess Mahomes is not on the clock. At least one would think. But you know, he's still black. Anything but everybody's on the clock. And Caleb Williams, it feels almost unfair. But he showed enough last year that he now enters this year. Not with the ooh, I wonder what he's going to do this year. But he better do it this year.

[B]

Yeah, listen, if Caleb backslides this year, it'll be massively disappointing. And based on your intro here, I don't know that we can watch week one Bears Panthers together because I will have watch Bears. I would have so much like they're gonna need to win that game by double digits and if they, if they struggle, I don't know that I could have you off to my left just chirping about last year being a fluke. So I might be there for you with week two on, but week one, I might be a little too stressed in a, in a should win game for the Bears. A Bear season with hype and expectation is a, is a rare place for me.

[A]

I mean, how many times did that happen? Like three?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, post dicka. Yeah. Like honestly, like. Cause. Yeah, 20 off of the NFC championship game. Bears, Packers, 2010. Like, there was pretty big 2011 hype. You know, I had a lot of year one Ben Johnson hype last year, but not really to win anything. Just like, genuine week one excitement to see what it would be. You know, the super bowl team that lost to Peyton kind of was like, way better than expected. They were supposed to be good, but they were way better than expected. So, yeah, like, preseason week one, massive. Like, they like hype. It's. It's less than five. And I will say this. Like, preseason week one, we could have the MVP of the league hype. Literally never in my life. Yeah, literally. And I know, like, it's a million things have to go right for him to actually win mvp, but, like, it's. You could squint and see a world where it happens. I. I know I'm a bit of a homer on this, but I think a few things. Caleb's physical talent is undeniable. Anybody who can watch it and it can see the. The highs and be like, yeah, that guy can do everything on the field. If he can improve from 68 sacks in year one to 24 in year two. Year one with Ben Johnson, right. He was the most sacked quarterback since David Carr. And then he became excellent at it, given how much he throws, how much he scrambles, all of those things. The interception rate has stayed really low. And he clearly, again, has the physical talents, the clutchness. Whatever you want to say about it, if he improved that much from year one to year two, year one with Ben Johnson. If you agree, and I know you and I have disagreed a little bit on the genius of the boy wonder Ben Johnson from your time with the Lions. But, like, I happen to think that as an offensive play caller and like, quarterback friendly coach Ben Johnson is knocking on the. The door that Sean McVeigh and Kyle Shanahan and Andy Reid are on the other side of it. Like, I. I think he is going to be that level of offensive coach. So if I have that level of quarterback talent with that level of offensive coach, I don't see him backsliding. Like, I think he's going to keep improving. I will be floored if he doesn't.

[A]

So let me say this about Big Brain Ben.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

I feel better about Big Brain Ben than I did going in. And the reason is, after watching a year of the Lions without Ben Johnson, I realized how much of the stuff that made me call him Big Brain Ben was actually Dan Campbell.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Interesting.

[A]

Like, a lot of those crazy play Calls and like, why are we doing this at this time? I watched Dan Campbell do that stuff without Ben Johnson and they made me stop and say, okay, maybe, maybe I had put too much on big brain Ben when a lot of this goes to Dano, right? So, okay, like, I, I feel better about him in that, you know, in that way. My thing with Williams at this point is he is a moments guy. People are going to hear me say this a lot. I had a, had an epiphany over the summer watching the World cup about the significance of being a moment's guy, right. Where I have a high value for consistency. But there's something about the guy that can just give you moments. And Caleb Williams can absolutely give you moments. And what you hope for if you're the Bears under those circumstances is that when the moments aren't happening, at least he's not being actively detrimental, taking 68 sacks is being actively detrimental, not taking those sacks and not throwing picks, but be being able to make like the big splash. In a way, what you're asking for, like, what you hope the floor for Caleb Williams is. It's like a Joe Flacco, like when Joe Flacco was very good type, right? Which is to say you could win a Super bowl with Joe Flacco because Joe Flacco could make big plays and could get the ball down the field. And you saw that during that postseason. You saw them also go to conference championships with Joe Flacco where he was not the reason why they lost. Right. Like, this is not. I, I'm saying this as a floor for what you'd hope for, for Caleb Williams. Is that right? If every, if he minimizes the mistakes and just simply shows the ability that he show, the ceiling obviously is much higher. But what you hope for at this point is after last year that, okay, now maybe you're happy with a couple of more interceptions because he's playing at a high enough level to try to do more things, not just because he's forced to by circumstance and situations. And you hope that that raises the ceiling in sum total, which I think is totally possible. Yeah.

[B]

And I guess the only thing I agree with you on, like, listen, Aaron Rodgers is 45 touchdowns, six interception season. Like, that's one of the greatest seasons I've ever seen. Not normal, but I think that's what Caleb is shooting for. He talks about emulating his game after Rogers, you said that is totally possible. Why is it not likely? Like, like I, I just, he clearly going from Matt Eber Floose To Ben Johnson improved so much. Went from 20 touchdowns to 30 total touchdowns. The sack numbers, like I talked about, won a playoff game, got better as the year went on. Loveland is young. Dun is young. Like, it's a young group of skill guys around him. They all are in now their second year with Ben Johnson. Like, why would I not expect the, the curve to keep going? Like the exponential growth? I don't, I don't. I. I'm sure I'm missing something, but, like, why would he not get better given everything that he has going for him with himself and that's around him?

[A]

Oh, it's just that quarterback development, especially in statistical senses is typically nonlinear.

[B]

I feel you like I listen. I think that the Bears are going to regress. Like, people will hear me and say I'm a homer. Like, here's where they will for sure regress. They will not lead the league in takeaways again. They will not lead the league in fourth quarter comebacks again. Four out of five offensive linemen for them last year played over 90% of the snapshot. Like they will be more injured in, in front of Caleb.

[A]

Hold on. But will they be better? Because part of the problem was especially the ones up the middle, right?

[B]

Well, so Dolman had had the surprise retirement at center, which was it. Which is, which is a huge blow because they had went out and got Garrett Bradbury, who's like a replacement level player and not very good. And then they had to use the second round pick on a kid out of Iowa, Logan Jones. We'll see who ends up playing. And they don't know who the left tackle is right now. So that's. That's bad.

[A]

That is, that is definitely.

[B]

They got a lot of names, but none of them are all that inspiring. Left guard is Joe Tooney. He's excellent. One of the best offensive linemen in football. Darnell Wright might now be the best right tackle in football given that Penne Sewell moved from right tackle to left tackle. He was second team all pro last year. He's excellent. And right guard Jonah Jackson is pretty good. So I'd say three of the five spots. Two of the five spots are excellent. One of the five spots is good. And center and left tackle are question marks, which is bad given that those are probably the two most important spots on the offensive line. So it's definitely a question for the Bears this year. But I also. The defense was crazy injured last year. Like, I don't think the defense will be excellent, but I do think they will be a Little bit better. And I. I expect Caleb to make a huge leap to cover up for some of those areas of obvious regression.

[A]

Now, I will say this fair or not, I feel like he is not. And I don't know if it's just because he was good last year. I'm not sure. But he's not getting like the optimistic outlook that I feel like can come if you so choose. Coming into this year. Year two, Caleb Williams is better than year two, Josh Allen was in Buffalo, and year two, Caleb Williams was better in the postseason than year two, Josh Allen was. But every year we walk into it just with the hope for Josh Allen. We still doing that shit now we going into year nine and it's still. Cross your fingers and hope that. Hope that everything goes right for Josh this year. Right. Can Williams, for whatever the reasons may be, he does not necessarily receive that. And that's why I had him on the clock part. It's not even because I'm skeptical of him. Like, I think he showed me a lot last year in terms of, like, where I think that this can ultimately go for him. I'm not as high on him as I was when he was a sophomore in college, like, where I think the ultimate results can be, but it really be really, really good. I'm just curious to see how that's going to go with a measure of pressure, especially when it's pressure on one of them teams that, like, usually isn't good. You know what I mean? Like, it's. Especially in a giant city, it's a little bit different because people are like, people are on edge about those things.

[B]

Oh, dude. I mean, we've crowned him. Like, if, if Caleb, like drafting Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes is a haunting thing. Okay. Like, that's just that. That scars a generation.

[A]

Why don't you say Deshaun Watson? You could have taken Deshaun Watson.

[B]

Dude, I was. There's some. There's some radio tape of me campaigning for desean Watson.

[A]

I mean, that would have been good and bad at the same time. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, no doubt. The. I don't know if I've told you this story before, but I've told it publicly. But I find it to be hilarious because the joke is at my expense. But, like, literally seven to 10 days before the scandal story broke about Deshaun Watson, I did a segment on, like, it was just a. What would you do? What would you give up, you know, for a Bears franchise quarterback? And I said I would trade My dog for Deshaun Watson. A, the dog was a birthday present for my wife. B, like, Deshaun Watson has like. I think he's got like 19 total touchdowns since like it was just that take age like an avocado. It was horrible.

[A]

Oh man, that's crazy. But now we're gonna see.

[B]

I was like, I would give him up.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like Deshaun Watson, he's 20, 23 and 5, 000 yards with Bill O'. Brien. I was like, he was a captain in college. Like, I was like, no, it.

[A]

It all flipped at what? It all flipped at once.

[B]

He, I mean he was like the model sit. Like the story of like, it was just like him and his mom and they grew up in the Habitat for humanity house, that work done and paid for. And like now deshawn was taking care of his mom and giving back. And I was like, he's. This guy is perfect. How could you possibly pass on him?

[A]

And then, then we found out he's nasty.

[B]

Then we, and then we found out.

[A]

Yeah, we learned how he's learning. He's a little nasty.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Yeah, it goes. I mentioned Josh Allen.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Hey, man, they just fired the coach that you've had for nine years, right? The coach that, I mean keep in mind the coach that went to the playoffs with Tyrod Taylor and the ill fated half of the Peter man in 2017. But it's basically been treated by all that this team has let Josh down. Even though Josh in major postseason moments passed the wild card round, as our buddy Nickel tell people, has not necessarily been great. Right. Yes, There was the 13 second game there. There have been things. But the general consensus around this has always been that the Bills are letting Josh Allen down.

[B]

Basically.

[A]

It's almost as though Josh Allen deserves. With the end result, you know, the, the highest end result that is possible under most circumstances. If you're the quarterback and you've had a coach that's had the level of success that you had and they fired him to keep you and they hired the coach that you wanted. They're treating you like an NBA player. We will be looking at you like, hey, it's kick ass or else time.

[B]

No question. And it is right. Like J. Brew on the show, you know, calls SBOB super bowl or bust. Like Josh Allen. Allen is super bowl or bust. Obviously, I think that like if you were going to say Mahomes isn't the best quarterback in football anymore because he hasn't had an MVP caliber regular season since 2022, hasn't had a consistent stretch since, you know, he was Super Bowl MVP in 2023 and he was unbelievable in those playoffs. Like, I do think that it's totally fair to say that Josh Allen is the best quarterback in football right now if you're not going to grandfather Mahomes into it. And I definitely on the spectrum of Josh Allen, critic to apologist, probably come out on the side of apologist. The turnovers in that playoff game against Denver, he has to wear them. No question. The guy's got 29 touchdowns and six picks in the playoffs, like, generally.

[A]

But when you, when you break them down.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

Heavily, heavily skewed toward the seven seed. Sure. At home.

[B]

Sure. I he three of his five playoff losses, he scored 29 or more points. His defense has given up over 30. Like he just. Josh Allen is not Lamar Jackson in that. When Lamar, like Lamar Jackson's playoff numbers plummet. Josh Allen's playoff numbers, you could say he bum slays a little bit. Sure. Doesn't get the one seed, has to play a wild card round. Playoffs have expanded. First round gets watered down. I'm here for all of that and agree with all of it. He definitely feasts on some famine, no question. But Lamar Jackson, his playoff numbers do not resemble his regular season numbers.

[A]

No.

[B]

Josh Allen's does. Like, like, so I, I, I do, I do, generally speaking, believe that Josh Allen is a good playoff quarterback. And I will be shocked if he doesn't one day win a Lombardi trophy. McDermott getting fired, you know, life's not fair, I guess. But there was clearly a lot that went on in that locker room after that game. The defense has given up a ton in playoff moments and sometimes change just needs to happen. They brought in what, Jim Leonard, the dude from Denver, to be their new defensive coordinator. We'll see. But yeah, it's Josh's show, man. Like, he's on, he's on the clock reputationally. Obviously not in any sort of like financial way or not the quarterback of the Bills way, but he's on the clock reputationally.

[A]

Yeah. All I'm saying is this. We're in a world where Lamar Jackson is on the clock.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's no way to me that those guys are on different schedules. No matter what you say about postseason performance, the, the ultimate criticism of each kind of sort of remains the same. Where is Josh? Is it Josh Allen's fault that they lost those games? Not necessarily. It ain't his fault they won them either. Like, with the level and caliber of quarterback. Yeah.

[B]

They beat teams they were Supposed to be.

[A]

Yeah. At this point you're supposed to be the. Especially if like the other guys, Bo Nicks. But you're supposed to be the reason why they win these. Now Josh early. There was the terrible game in 2019 against Houston where he just completely lost his mind at the end of the game and he is still capable of the occasional freak out, Josh Allen moments. Lamar Jackson has looked overwhelmed in postseasons. But I feel like that has turned up like what you say about Josh Allen. I think that there's been a clear turn with Lamar in that game that they blew in Buffalo. Right. With Mark Andrews dropping the touchdown. Those are. Lamar started, started slow, got that all the way back together. And I do not think that if that's Josh Allen. We talk, we talk about that game purely in the context of how Mark, Jack. Mark Andrews let Lamar Jackson down. Right. In a way that would almost wipe out everything that had happened previously. Yeah, Lamar.

[B]

Lamar played well enough to win that game even if he, Even if he struggled early.

[A]

Yeah. I'm just saying they're on the same clock. At least over here they're on the same line. Now Lamar is on a different clock because of the contract. But to me it is comical the idea that Baltimore or anybody around Baltimore would for a moment raise the possibility of maybe we'll want to get somebody else.

[B]

I agree that, that, that is that. I mean, listen, Lamar is one of the toughest, if not the toughest players in the whole league to game plan against. He's. He's spectacular like Lamar. If you told me I got a given Sunday, I'm getting a quarterback's best. It's hard not to take Lamar Jackson because his best is unbelievably high in the moment. Like I said, questions in the playoffs. This is something that I don't know if you'll agree with or not. Whose 30s will be better.

[A]

I think both of them have the potential of a drop. Both are heavily dependent on athleticism.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Both I think are better at like doing the thing from the pocket than they get credit for. Um, I think Lamar actually operates a little better on timing stuff than Josh Allen does. Like you don't see a lot of Josh Allen. 1, 2, 3, throw. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, throw. Like the big thing with Josh Allen is if you go send somebody, you better bring his big ass down and, and you probably can't. So now you know, what are you going to do? Both of them are susceptible to a. Well, you remember you had that one injury and then nothing was the same

[B]

yeah, so I, both of them's a bit of a copout, like. And I, I understand.

[A]

I don't think that's a cop out at all. I think it, I think it holds for both of them.

[B]

So I, I think that they're, they're both unbelievable running quarterbacks. Right? To your point. They both seriously rely on athleticism. Josh is up there. I was just looking at it the other day like, Lamar is the all time rushing leader for quarterbacks. He has the most rushing first downs of any quarterback since he entered the league. But Josh is one behind him in terms of rushing first downs. Josh is obviously ahead of him for rushing touchdowns because he kind of does the Jalen hurts thing where there's a lot of like 1, 2, 3 yarders inside the 5, that sort of thing. Lamar, last year when he was playing through the injuries, the rushing first downs, the rushing yards, the rushing attempts, they were all career lows, but he still played in 13 games. Like he clearly was not running as much, playing through the nagging, hamstring, whatever. And a lot of it dropped in terms of some of the passing efficiency in his MVP year two years ago. All of those passing stats to your point, he was amazing. Yards per attempt, qbr, passer rating, led the league in all of them. Like Lamar can pass the football. I'm not saying he can, can't. But what I wonder is who's passing is more helped by the threat of their running. Like you have to defend them differently all over the field because of their running. And I think that's Lamar, because Lamar will like take off and beat you for 40 yards. So you got to really worry about Lamar's running at the 30, at the 50, like all over the field. Whereas Josh is such a dangerous red zone running threat that I, I would bet on Josh having like a Ben Roethlisberger 30s, just, just a big dude who guys are going to bounce off of and he'll be strong forever and he could stand there in the pockets. Like I would take Josh's 30s over Lamar's 30s.

[A]

I can see the argument for it. I think that as the 30s go on, the threat of the big, of the big run from Jackson diminishes. Yeah, right. I think he as passer remains very, very good. I think that, I think that people need to take a look at what the college offense was that he ran because I think that people have a tendency to think that he was out there running like a Chip Kelly scheme out there at Louisville. And instead it was the incredibly difficult Bobby Petrino drop back and pass. And it wasn't really a whole lot of scrambling. It was a lot of stay in the pocket and make it happen. And every year, Lamar has been better and better and better at staying in the pocket and getting that done. I don't, I don't have a great gauge on how much of that is a pure function of the fact that, oh, by the way, he might run 40 yards on you. Right. Like, does that put teams in positions where they can't run as much, man. Because you can't have those dudes turn their back on him because suddenly he's going to run behind them. I think that also applies with, like, that applies greatly also with Josh Allen. I do get your big thing, though, is that he's a big giant guy that'll be out there playing in the cold and, you know, it, it, it can keep going. Maybe the real question I think that answers this is do we think anyone, either of them, is going to suffer, like some sort of big giant lower body injury?

[B]

Yeah. And obviously no one wants to predict it. Who the hell know? Who the hell knows? I will say, like, I think that. And again, this is just for right now. Like, Lamar, I think the best, obviously. Derrick Henry, Father Time. We'll see. Like, he's unbelievable.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But the best help that Lamar could have this year is I think their defense can be excellent. I don't see much of a path for Buffalo's defense being. Being excellent. Like, Josh has an awesome offensive line. James Cook is a running back. They added DJ More like, Like, I, I think Josh has much better help on the offensive side of the ball than Lamar does going into this year. Like, they. Zay Flowers, I'm just not a fan of. He's just too small. Too, too small. Too inconsistent. Runs backwards when he catches the ball too much. Like, dude, go forward. What are you doing? They lost. Likely lost. Linderbaum. You know, I just counted on that rookie out of Penn State who everybody loves. But, like, you're still starting a rookie and you used a top 15 pick on him, so he's got to be great immediately. Derrick Henry, 33, I think this year. 32. 33. So, like, I just. They're at this. They are asking Lamar to carry a huge piece of it offensively, where I do think Josh has more help going into the year on the offensive side of the ball. The flip side, of course, is can't stop the run. Can't. Cannot stop that. Cannot stop the run. And I do think that Minter, the new coach, In Baltimore, he overachieved with the Chargers defense, and now he's got way better talent in the on the ra. Like, I, I think the Ravens defense could be top five this year. I just thought that would help Lamar a lot.

[A]

It is entirely possible, and we don't think about this because of reputation, but it isn't. I'm shocked by how excited everybody in New York is about hiring a coach that somebody just fired. Like, I don't feel like this is Andy Reid leaving Philadelphia.

[B]

It is definitely not.

[A]

You know what I mean? Like, I just, I just don't think. I just don't think it's that sort of situation. Um, Lamar Jackson saved John Harbaugh's job in 2018, and I think a question that we're going to see is going to be interesting to see if it gets answered is whether or not much of what we've seen for Lamar has been in spite or for the Ravens has been in spite of the head coach as opposed to being because of the head coach, which is what I think that we have kind of rolled with as a default assumption. But it was time for a new head coach.

[B]

I totally agree. And as someone who owned a lot of Justin Herbert stock, I was always amazed what Minter was able to do with the defensive injuries that they kept having with the Chargers. I think he's a really good coach. So I do think Baltimore has a very high defensive ceiling.

[A]

All right, coming up next, we'll talk about what other quarterbacks are on the clock. The right time is brought to you by FanDuel. Baseball fans think you know who's hitting a homer today. Well, FanDuel is giving you a free chance to call your shot. With Daily Dingers. Joining the action is easy. Just make your free pick on who's hitting a home run in their game. And if you're right, you'll get a profit boost to use on your next bet for a chance at extra winnings. You've got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. And don't forget, you can make a free pick every day during the MLB season. It's just another reason why fanduel is the home for home runs. So are you ready to play your game today? Join all the [e-mail] bomani that's fanduel.com bomani to play daily Dingers and make your free pick on who's hitting a homer. Play ball and swing for The Fences on FanDuel, an official partner of MLB 21 States for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino 18 DC Kentucky Wyoming Gambling Problem Call 1-800- Gambler 1-800-Meryet Call 1-888-789-7777 Visit ccpg.org chat Connecticut Visit mdgamblinghelp.org Maryland Visit gamblinghelplinema.org Call 800-327-5050 Massachusetts Call 1-877-8-Hopeny Text HopeNY New York Call 1-877-770-7867 Louisiana look, if you're serious about performance, you want products you can trust. GNC was built for athletes and has been trusted by athletes for 91 years. They review every product against the restricted list of more than 150 no go ingredients and their experts test products for quality, taste and performance. They also offer products that go through strict third party banned substance verification which matters if you're competing at any level. Whether you're looking for energy recovery, better sleep or just trying to be ready on game day, GNC has something for every athlete, every fan and every goal. With more than 2000 locations and 247 shopping on GNC.com it's easy to find what works for you. Discover why millions trust GNC shop athlete tested science backed picks [e-mail] today's show is sponsored by Strawberry Me. Let me ask you something. Are you where you want to be in your career? Are you waking up every day knowing you're capable of more but not sure how to get there? Listen Often on the show I have talked about the importance of finding a professional to do the job right. Success doesn't just happen, and the most successful people in the world don't figure it out alone. They have mentors, coaches and people guiding them every step of the way. That's where Strawberry Me Career Coaching comes in. Career coaching gives you the clarity, strategy and accountability needed to turn your goals into reality. Whether it's landing a new job, advancing in your current role, or transitioning into a field you love. With expert guidance, you'll identify obstacles holding you back, develop a step by step plan and take action with confidence, knowing you have a dedicated coach supporting you every step of the way. Instead of relying on guesswork or waiting for the right time, professional coaching helps you take control of your career trajectory and ensuring you make intentional, strategic moves towards success. Go to Strawberry Me Bomani and get 50% off your first coaching session. That's Strawberry Me Bomani. It's like therapy for your career. Let's face it, nothing feels better than finding grooming products that are actually for you and that's where Baskin Lather can help. Baskin Lather is a black owned and family operated company that researched and formulated their own scalp and hair oil to stimulate growth and retain length. I recommend Beard Growth Magic for fuller thicker facial hair, a blend of vital nutrients to help nourish and increase blood circulation to hair follicles that promotes softening of beard hair and dandruff reduction while working for all hair types. Also make sure you try Men's Healthy Hair and Beard Starter Kit. An all in one set that helps you maintain a healthy, stylish, well groomed beard. Includes shampoo, conditioner, balm, oil and a stimulator formula. Each product is crafted with high quality ingredients for the care you deserve. Explore viral bestsellers and products of healthier hair of all types from Bask and lather. Go to baskandlatherco.com and use code TRT for 20% off. That's 20% off at bask andlather co.com code TRT all right, we are back with Danny parkins. Check out First Things first on FS1. Thinking about like quarterbacks where it feels like they are on the clock. I want to avoid talking about Minnesota because they're not good, but I am kind of fascinated by what's going on up there. Like J.J. mcCarthy on the clock at 24. He, he walked in and they threw his ass immediately on the clock because they don't like him.

[B]

Dude, he's played 10 games.

[A]

I've never seen it. Like only Josh Rosen and Josh Rosen even was a special case because the next coach came in who ran a particular style of offense and they got

[B]

the number one pick.

[A]

Yes. Right.

[B]

That's, that was a huge piece of that. Like, it's like, oh well, we have this limited athlete. We can now draft Kyler Murray.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But yeah, I mean Kevin O', Connell, respected offensive coach. They traded up, albeit one spot, but traded up to take JJ. JJ McCarthy 10 games and they might be on the outs. But I will say like I will be floored if JJ McCarthy starts week one. Absolutely gobsmacked by it. Tyler Murray could have been a Jet. He could have been a Dolphin. Like who knows, maybe he could have been a Steeler if things went differently. Like I, I don't think Kyler Murray now, I, I know that he would believe in himself that he could beat out J.J. mcCarthy and they've got an amazing defense and he gets the throw to Justin Jefferson and playing a dome. Like there's lots of reasons to want to Be a Viking over a Dolphin or a Jet. I get that. But Kyler Murray is more talented than J.J. mcCarthy. He's going to win that job.

[A]

He had a better year last year than J.J. mcCarthy.

[B]

Look, look, of course this one is easy.

[A]

Truth is, best case scenario for the vikings is that J.J. mcCarthy wins the job. You know what I mean? Like that he comes in and wins it. Worst case scenario is that J.J. mcCarthy wins the job. That that either means something has gone spectacularly or something has gone terribly. And I don't know, you and I have never really talked about Kyler Murray, but I. I think people have turned on Kyler Murray because they don't like him. Like, that's the, the. The big issue that he has. I've never seen a quarterback who's like the guys that played with him so willing in public to be like, nah, nah, nah. I don't know about that guy, but I just watched Sam Darnold win a championship. And people are asking if Kyler Murray can be the next Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold had never been as good as Kyler Murray was when Kyler Murray was young. And I'm not convinced that if you put Kyler Murray on those same Seahawks, that they don't win the Super Bowl. Like, this was not because of the positives of Sam Darnold necessarily. I'm just saying all that to say Kyler Murray is still an NFL quarterback. I understand that somebody just paid all this money so that he would not play, but he's going to be the starter for them and they're going to have a chance to win a lot up there, because they won a lot up there last year with flat bummery at quarterback.

[B]

Yeah. And won 14 games the year before. And listen, with a not great Sam Darnold, no matter what anybody tells you. Yeah, right. Especially late. And listen, Sam Darnold, I do think, like you said, he's not on the clock because he won the Super Bowl. I would have said he's not on the clock after that NFC Championship game. He was spectacular in that game against the Rams. So I, like, I gotta. I gotta give it up for him. But Ky. But Kyler, I. I am largely with you. Like, part of it is circumstance. Like, I don't know that I would think that Kyler Murray would be great if he was on the jets, but.

[A]

Nah. But I don't know if Josh Allen would be great on the Jets.

[B]

Right, exactly. But like throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison with Kevin o' Connell calling the plays. And a Brian Flores defense behind you. That, that team has a high floor. Like, I, I don't know. I don't know if they're gonna win the super bowl because I think, I mean, we saw it last year. Like, you could win nine games and finish last in that, in that division. So, like a huge piece of the NFC north is just going to be injury luck and how the ball bounces in the division games like, it's, it's. The division is so good top to bottom. But Kyler Murray represents a much higher ceiling than anything JJ McCarthy has exhibited. Like that one. That's just an easy one to me at this point.

[A]

Yeah. By the way, in that division, framing,

[B]

like, I don't know if I get to throw one out to you.

[A]

Of course you do.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

By the way, Jordan Love, you're not on the clock. Jared Goff, your life is the clock. Go ahead.

[B]

Yeah. All right. C.J.

[A]

stroud on the clock. No question.

[B]

Maybe the most literal.

[A]

Yeah, he's on the hot clock. Like. Like, they call it the clock. Does it feel sufficient?

[B]

Well, cause, like, well. But like, it is fascinating. Like, okay. They're like. Well, they said, like, it wasn't much of a debate to pick up the option, so. Well, no shit. If you didn't pick up the option, it would be like, he's gone. He's off the team. CJ Stroud, his rookie year, I said at the time, I thought people were overrating it a little bit. It was, it was impressive. In for what? It wasn't like, he didn't throw a lot of interceptions. I think he finished that season with like five interceptions or something like that. And it was like 20, 21 touchdowns. I think five or six of them happened in one game. He was. He was like, smart and serviceable and fine and whatever. And since then, the last, like 20 plus games, by and large, he's been bad. And that is. Yes, it has coincided with losing Tunsil and bad offensive line play and he's gotten hit a lot.

[A]

But.

[B]

And the Tank Dell injury, Nico Collins injury. Obviously it's been rough, but they are the best defense in football.

[A]

They should be a Super bowl contender with it. With passable quarterback play.

[B]

Absolutely. Like, content. Like, I would say, like, short list super bowl contender. Like, best pass rush duo in the NFL. Arguably best cornerback duo.

[A]

Hold on. Best pass rush duo for now.

[B]

Oh, in case. Aaron Donald.

[A]

Fair. Fair.

[B]

Totally. Go ahead. Go ahead. Totally fair. Best pass rush duo in the NFL for now. Arguably best cornerback duo in the NFL. Great defensive play caller. Head coach in DeMeco Rhymes returned all 11 starters from. From their defense. Like they are. Their defense is nasty. So I don't know. He can't be the 24th best quarterback in the NFL like he. He has to be. If he is a top half quarterback, if he is better than Baker Mayfield, they absolutely can win the Super Bowl. But look at what it's been for the last basically two seasons. Man, I.

[A]

It's crazy, man.

[B]

It is crazy.

[A]

I did think it was.

[B]

I'm sure he's good.

[A]

Yeah. I did think it was fair to say that his first year was overrated, but he was good.

[B]

He.

[A]

He was. The only reason they did not bench him in New England is because you couldn't.

[B]

Yes, he was.

[A]

There was a world where like, you just can't go back from that.

[B]

Right? Like, and so like, listen, I. The reason it was good. It was good, but people were talking about it like it was like in the all time rookie quarterback seasons. And I was like, no, like, give me Cam Newton, give me Justin Herbert, give me Jaden Daniels. Like, we've seen a lot better rookie seasons that his rookie season reminded me like, Dak Prescott. Like, it was like, oh, wow. Like, Dak came in, Dak didn't make mistakes. Dak kept Tony Romo on the bench like that. That was impressive. But like, not. They were winning because of him necessarily. But man, I just like, are we positive he's going to be better than Bryce Young? Like, I don't know how far I need to go with this. That's another guy. His class also on the clock. But like, I just. Alarm bells would be going off if I was a Houston Texan fan.

[A]

Yeah. And trust me, they will be.

[B]

You know, of course, I mean, and I know you know the city in the market way, way better than I do. I just. He's really likable. He's clearly very smart. But like, I don't know that there's a single quarterback people talk about like, Baker Mayfield. Baker's playing for a lot of money. Yeah, but. But Baker's probably gonna get franchise tagged. Like, you know, like Baker.

[A]

Yeah, I'm not sure on that one. Yeah, we'll.

[B]

We'll see. We'll see. But like, Baker's made over $130 million. Baker's. Baker's done enough for long enough for enough places that Baker Mayfield is going to be paid to be a starting quarterback and have probably a couple of options beyond this year if he's not franchised. Man, I don't know about CJ Stroud. I don't know. The, the, the analytics people seem to disagree. They, they seem to think that it is a product of circumstance and that he will be better. But I have some serious questions about that dude.

[A]

Man he looked, it just looked so bad the last time I saw him. Like I got to give him, I have to, I have to give him the room to move away from that because it just looks so awful. By the way, Bo Nicks, he's not on the clock.

[B]

Bonix is not only not on the score.

[A]

Still don't believe it.

[B]

I, I, so I don't either. But Bonix, they had 11 wins in one score games tied the NFL record. Eight of those 11 wins came against non playoff teams. Right. Like you're watching those Broncos games and it's like they're losing to the Giants in the fourth quarter. Like you know what I mean? They played down to the jets and the Giants and the Rams Raiders like they would were so bad. And then he pulled something out in, in the fourth quarter. But I will say in the quarterback class of Jaden Daniels, arguably the best rookie season ever, Drake may been in a Super bowl mvp. Runner up Caleb Williams, spectacular talent with an MVP ceiling who won a playoff game. Bo Nicks has more yards, more touchdowns and more wins than all of them.

[A]

Yeah, I mean yeah, I kind of

[B]

feel the same, I kind of feel the same way.

[A]

Yeah. All numbers that don't go a long way with me. It's a fair point to make but I know this Sean Payton and we were hearing the reports from Colin and if Colin's telling you I think Sean Payton da da da. It's because Sean Payton da da da. Yeah. And it was sounding like he wouldn't. I don't know how far those games, how far that all went. I don't, I don't, I don't have the answer. Drake may also. Ooh, that's going to be an interesting one.

[B]

So Drake may I would be pretty shocked if he was bad.

[A]

I don't know if he's going to be bad but everything is set up for them to not be that good.

[B]

You mean like schedule being tougher and all that?

[A]

Schedule being tougher, you know all the madness of the off season, whatever effect that does or does not have. But also just generally how it tends to go for a team that goes to the super bowl and does not win it. Yeah, that and, and by the way with the quarterback who did not play well in the postseason.

[B]

Yes I, I do think that's at least we we now have our first data points on like if he is a guy who is gonna not be as good in the playoffs or not. But like I, I need to see that like longer into your career before I'm gonna like assign that to you. You know, first trip to the playoffs and all that. They, they to me seem like a pretty obvious better team, worse record. Like obviously worse record. They won 14 games. But like adding Dobbs and A.J. brown another year Drake May I health on the offensive line. I, I'd be surprised if Drake may had a bad season. But you know.

[A]

Yeah, see and that's funny cause I wouldn't, I wouldn't necessarily like give up on him completely under those circumstances, but a bad season is absolutely on the board.

[B]

Yeah, I, I love, I love, listen, I love them coming out. I thought he was really impressive last year with man, he did not have a lot of help. Like it was, it was what it was Diggs and Booty and like it was now, now you get A.J. brown and Romeo Dobbs like that. That is a significant upgrade. It is like I had is a significant upgrade. So he was able to do what he was able to do last year where again he was like the analytic darling. All of the advanced metrics, you know, pointed to him. Stafford had all of the counting stats. It was like an interesting counting stats V. Analytic MVP debate. And Drake May took a lot of votes there and he just got a huge upgraded pass catcher. So I, I, the path to him being bad is stuff like, well, teams that lose in the super bowl or like off season distraction, which is totally like those are real things that absolutely do impact things, but they're not, they're not on the field football reasons like I just. He has way more offensive talent around him this year, so I would expect

[A]

him to be better speaking also on the clock. And as I thought about it, I keep thinking of more guys that aren't necessarily on the clock, but whatever. I am personally very interested in Cincinnati because I think again, another guy that everybody treats as though the franchise is letting him down. But I will never forget this. We've talked about it on this show. I don't know why it hasn't been discussed in more places, but during the Super Bowl, Jamar Chase and I can't remember which, it may have been T. Higgins, I don't think so, but Jamar Chase and another Bangle. I think they were talking to Shannon Sharp during a podcast on Radio Row and it was Chase making it very clear that Joe Burrow bore a measure of Responsibility for the injuries that he has suffered and that he needs to take care of himself. I am shocked that that never turned into a big giant story. I don't even know if anybody ever, like, aggregated it or turn it into any story. I know. I. I mean, I saw it and was like. And we talked about it on this show. So I did my part. Spread word. Goddamn. But I say all that. I mentioned that just because they made the move for Dexter Lawrence to make their defense better, they have given Joe Burrow all the guys on offense that he has ever wanted. And look, they made that super bowl in his second year. That was five years ago. Like, that doesn't really matter anymore. What you got, big dog.

[B]

Yeah, listen, he said, I. I love him.

[A]

I think he's great.

[B]

He is great.

[A]

It's on you now. It. It.

[B]

Well, so. So it's a fascinating one. He also said after the Dexter Lawrence trade that this is now the best roster that he's ever had. Like, yeah. And that's a guy that went to a Super Bowl. And, you know, they've, like, to your point, they paid T. Higgins and Jamar Chase. Everyone knew they were going to pay Burrow and Chase, but they paid all three. So, like, that kind of bucked some of the stereotype of them being cheap. Where the stereotype of them being cheap is just the fact of them being cheap is they have never paid a coach to go away. Yeah. Since the current ownership has taken over, they have never paid a head coach.

[A]

And by the way, the current ownership is the only ownership they've ever had.

[B]

Yeah, right. There you go. But didn't Mike Brown take over and, like.

[A]

Yeah. From his dad, I guess I knew that all. Fair enough.

[B]

Yeah. But, like, since. Because I think that the paying a coach to go away thing does go back to Mike Brown. I think there was a coach in, like, the 70s or whatever. But regardless, not the point. They don't pay coaches to go away. So, like, if this doesn't work, Zach Taylor clearly gets, like, accountability before Joe Burrow does. But the thing that we definitely talked plenty about as US national talking heads and I definitely think is relevant is tick, tick, tick on Joe Burrow getting fed up with Cincinnati. Like, he can say the right things and they can pay his friends and he'll probably ride it out for another head coach and for Jamar Chase. And T. Higgins is prime, but quarterback's prime is longer than wide receivers prime. Like, I will be gobsmacked if Joe Burrow is a career Bengal.

[A]

So it is an interesting question because Carson Palmer famously put a for sale sign in his yard and quit them.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And got away with it. Amazing. And the only reason he could get away with it is because they were the Cincinnati Bengals.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

I don't think that people look at the Bengals now the way that they did. I guess that's now almost 20 years ago, but the way that they did at that time. Burrow can get fed up with them. But I do think the question is fair to ask, like, what part are you. What part are you fed up with exactly? Cause they seem to have done all the things.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, again, other than, like, I, I, I do think that most teams would have fired Zach Taylor by now.

[A]

Yeah. You know what? That's. That becomes an interesting story again, because I would have fired Zach Taylor before they ever got to the Super Bowl. And then he. And then he got to the Super Bowl. What? I, I don't think you're wrong about it. That, that somebody else probably would have let him go, but I feel like he's put up that just good enough to keep things going.

[B]

Yeah, Right. But that's.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Okay. Not at 8, 9. At 8, 6, and 11. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're normally fired by that.

[B]

You're normally fire. I mean, you're, You're. I mean, like, the easy example is, like, he's obviously fired in Philadelphia, you know? Like, you know, so, yeah, so I think. I think that that one is, like, a pretty easy dot to connect with. Like, they, if he, if he had. If he didn't have an extra year on his deal, he would have been fired before this year. So that's a thing that I think you can point to. But no, they, they have now spent money. And I don't think Dexter Lawrence fixes everything for them defensively, obviously, but they, they have massive amounts of pressure on them. Burrow has massive amounts of pressure on him. And even if you, like, reputationally took a bit of a ding, though, for, like, turning on Cincinnati one to five years in the future, to your point, he's so awesome that half the damn league would be lining up to. To acquire Joe Burrow.

[A]

By the way, we got, like, more guys that we could have gotten to on the clock. I will get one more, and I'm gonna try to, you know, you got out, so hopefully this don't go on too long. But I, I can.

[B]

I. Let me text. I only text, and I'll get. I'll get myself an extra couple minutes.

[A]

Yeah. Super bowl champion Jalen hurts. Oh, he's so on the clock.

[B]

Dude, they leaked that story to ESPN that had the anecdote about how he doesn't have any more guaranteed money after this year. Like, next. Like, that one's in writing. How he's, how much he's on the clock.

[A]

My goodness.

[B]

Yeah, it's. It is a. That, that one is obvious. Like, he's, he's beloved in Philly until he isn't. A.J. brown leaves. If the problems remain, then A.J. brown wasn't the problem. The, the money factor. And they are wildly talented. Like, it's a, it is still one of the best two through 53 rosters in the NFL, even without A.J. brown. Like, their defense is absolutely ridiculous. Their offensive line was injured last year. But, like, if a casual NFL fan knows four names on your offensive line, your offensive line's awesome. Like, and their offensive line has it. And they still have Saquon and they still have devonte. Like, yeah, man, that team is. We talked about Houston super bowl ready without the quarterback. It's tougher to say with Philly given that we've talked about it before. Like, we talked about this before. I can't. He's. I, I have. I'm pretty confident. I know what Jalen Hurts is, except for he's been amazing in two Super Bowls.

[A]

He's outplayed Patrick Mahomes in two Super Bowls. I see two with my old eyes.

[B]

Yeah. So, like, I, I always. We've done this conversation now probably three times in a couple of years. And I always get to that point where it's like, well, I gotta give him that. But yeah, man, it's. He's definitely on the clock.

[A]

They're going to be and everything. Of course they got a coach that nobody trusts. Never seen a team that good. And nobody believes in the coach or the quarterback.

[B]

They have another new play caller and offensive coordinator.

[A]

They do.

[B]

Jalen Hurts has had a new offensive coordinator every year that he has played big time football. It's the craziest stat. I have my guy Troy update the graphic every year for me on first things first. Every year in college, every year in the pros, he has the same number of play callers as he does years playing college or NFL football.

[A]

If you win with him, you'll get promoted.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Or he'll get you fired.

[B]

Yes. No. Yes. It is, it is the best way to synthesize it. But like, if. So if, if Sean Manion doesn't do a good job, doesn't do like the Shane Steichen, like, level job with it, it's like, well, at some point does Nick Sirianni get fired? You're the offensive coach who doesn't call the plays, and you keep hiring coordinators. Who doesn't get the most out of your quarterback, who you gave $250 million to?

[A]

Yeah. And the shame of this show, we didn't get to talk about the one guy that's not another guy that's actually not on the clock. Justin Herbert.

[B]

Yeah, we ran out of time, bo. Yeah, Mike McDaniel's going to save him.

[A]

That's the thing. We actually got a whole year. It is possible that we're out here talking about this, the year fighter, that Justin Herbert put it all together.

[B]

Oh, if he's gonna meet, he's gonna meet Caleb in the Super Bowl.

[A]

Danny Parkins, check him out. First things first. 5:00 clock Eastern FS1 my brother. I appreciate you.

[B]

Appreciate you both. Thanks, man.

[A]

All right, man. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks so much for joining us here on the right time. We do this few days a week during the summer. Mike McQuai telling everything behind the scenes. Thank you, sir. Hit the voicemail line. 323596. 7767. Remember, follow the right time. Subscribe like, rate us, review us, give us five stars. You only give us four stars. I'm inclined to believe you are a hater. We'll talk to you guys in a couple of days. Take it easy.