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EPISODE 24 - PATRIOTS FREE AGENCY! ITS TIME!
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Transcript
Welcome and Introduction
00:00:00
Snooty
Thank
00:00:00
Savage Boston
Hey guys, what's going on? Welcome back to the Savage Boston Podcast. We are here. It is March 11th, 2025 at 8.30 at night, almost on the nose. ah Recording now, um you know, it's kind of day day two of of unofficial free agency, the tampering period.
00:00:18
Savage Boston
um I'm here joined by Snooty and Brett. got the crew here tonight. No guests today. um And we're just going to be breaking down Patriots free agency. um So, I mean, just to get started, yesterday was crazy.
00:00:33
Savage Boston
It was crazy. I was just talking off off recording to to Brett.
00:00:35
Bret
Thank you.
00:00:38
Savage Boston
you know, all of sudden 12 hits, Twitter's down.
00:00:39
Snooty
Thank you.
00:00:41
Savage Boston
I'm losing my mind along with Rappaport, along with Schefter, along with everyone's like, oh, go to Blue Sky, go to Threads. No one has any fucking clue what's going on. ah It was funny for one piece. Frustrating for a second. It would come back for 20 minutes. You get on like ah yeah I set so set aside some time that I wanted to be on there.
00:01:01
Savage Boston
And of course, it's down right at the start at noon. I'm like, oh my God. So that was really,
Key Patriots Free Agency Moves
00:01:06
Savage Boston
really frustrating. But ultimately, I feel like it came back on and really ramped up, especially with the signing of you know of Milton Williams, which hit around 2, 2.15.
00:01:16
Savage Boston
And so, I mean, I guess just to start off, let's just get everyone's thoughts on on on free agency and the initial signing. Snooty, what would be your kind of initial your initial take on how the day went?
00:01:26
Snooty
I mean, they they addressed some, I mean, they have needs everywhere, but they really addressed some needs. I love the the Milton Williams signing.
00:01:33
Bret
Thank you.
00:01:33
Snooty
um He can be, because he's young, he can be, don't care about the money. I'm just going to preface this with, I don't give a shit how much money they spent because it's not my money.
00:01:40
Savage Boston
yeah Not at all
00:01:42
Snooty
And they have way too much money to spend on what they actually are able to spend on.
00:01:46
Savage Boston
all.
00:01:47
Snooty
um So, I mean, I love that signing because he's younger, he's disruptive. They haven't had someone like that in a while. And if Barmore is able to, you know, stay healthy, you know, first and foremost, but come back, like.
00:01:59
Snooty
that's ah That's a 1-2 pairing that's going to do some damage.
00:02:02
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:02:02
Snooty
The Landry signing, it's good.
00:02:02
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:02:05
Snooty
I mean, they need someone like that, but um I fear that he's more Anthony Jennings than he is an actual pass rusher at this point.
00:02:12
Savage Boston
yeah He is.
00:02:13
Snooty
Which...
00:02:14
Savage Boston
He's comparable to him.
00:02:15
Snooty
um which You know, okay, fine. But, you know, you need depth there. you need He's a veteran as well. It's a young fairly young group up front, so it it it helps. They need some culture, guys. and You know, Spillane and um is your Ward, right, the corner, um you know, good.
00:02:33
Snooty
They overspent. They 100% overspent on everybody. Again, i don't give a shit because you had to do that anyway.
00:02:38
Savage Boston
What are you talking Carlton Davis, you mean?
00:02:40
Snooty
Carl Davis, not not Ward, Carlton Davis.
00:02:40
Savage Boston
Carlton Davis.
00:02:42
Snooty
um I mean, they overspent on everybody, but they have to. They have no other choice. um
00:02:47
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:02:48
Snooty
So my general feeling on... I'm also really pissed off at a few things, but I'll save that.
00:02:56
Savage Boston
Yeah. So I guess talk about what you like first. We'll go through that.
00:02:59
Snooty
so i No, no. so i mean i mean, I like that there there's like there's some few depth depth guys in there, like Matt Collins, right?
00:03:00
Savage Boston
Talk about your grievances after.
00:03:06
Snooty
like He's a consummate pro. Everybody likes him but loves him everywhere he goes.
00:03:08
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:03:10
Snooty
he Is he a game-breaker receiver? No. But he's got some familiarity with the system, and he's he's a he's a pro. So, you know,
Shifts in Patriots' Free Agency Strategy
00:03:18
Snooty
you need guys like that. He's an adult in the room. You don't have adults in that wide receiver room at the moment.
00:03:23
Snooty
So, you know, good signing depth pieces, which is – I hope they have, you know, five, six, seven more of those guys. um Just, you know, solid pieces that can come in and fill gaps because they won't be able to fill everything in the draft. But, you know, they they need pieces like that.
00:03:39
Snooty
So –
00:03:40
Savage Boston
Yeah, true. Brett, what's your thoughts?
00:03:43
Bret
Well, I mean, the great news is we're better today than we were when it first started, which is always a great sign. You know, you think back to how we approached last year's free agency. I think there was definitely a change in course where, historically speaking, Belichick would let guys like that walk.
00:03:56
Snooty
Oh
00:03:59
Bret
But last year we signed guys. What's good this year is we got guys and like real talent from outside of the Patriots, and know, Walker. And Essentially, if you look at it, we've got a lot of Vrabel-type guys. And I think that's kind of my overriding theme here, is not only do we just get better, but we've got guys that fit the Vrabel profile.
00:04:20
Bret
you know Mark Daniels had a great tweet. um I think it came out yesterday where he was just talking about this the history of these guys. Harold Landry played with Vrabel and Terrell Williams in Tennessee. Spillane played in Tennessee.
00:04:32
Bret
ah Carlton Davis played with detroit in Detroit with Terrell Williams. You got morgan Morgan Moses played in New York with Todd Downing.
00:04:37
Savage Boston
Thank you.
00:04:42
Bret
So, like, a lot of guys that you look just across the board and you say, these are Vrabel guys.
00:04:43
Snooty
Thank you.
00:04:47
Bret
So that just tells you the kind of culture and the level that he's bringing into this roster, which is substantially needed. I'm jacked about signing a guy like Milton Williams. I understand that.
00:05:01
Bret
some of the critics out there who are basically underselling the pick with, you know, the amount of snaps he played last year. And is this an oversell on a guy that just flashed in the Superbowl?
00:05:12
Bret
But the reality is, is the guy flu fucking flashed in the Superbowl and helped win the Superbowl for a Philly.
00:05:17
Savage Boston
Bye.
00:05:18
Bret
So it tells me that the guy can be a disruptor in the biggest moments. And he's 25 years old, you know, and you, You're always going to overspend on guys on free agency. That's just what happens with free agency, which is why it's better to build rosters through the draft and get established guys so you don't have to go out there and spend.
00:05:37
Bret
But I agree with Snooty. I'm okay with them overspending here because I don't think in any of the situations the contracts like hampered their ability long term.
00:05:48
Bret
I know you tweeted out about like the really the details that are with the Milton Williams contract.
00:05:49
Snooty
Thank you.
00:05:53
Savage Boston
It's a good contract.
00:05:53
Bret
and And it's not as bad as initially reported.
00:05:56
Bret
So like I just look at it. I think it's i think it works.
00:05:56
Savage Boston
It's like a two-year contract.
00:05:59
Savage Boston
It's a two-year contract, literally. Like, they can cut him. if they If they needed to, for some reason, they could cut him after a year two and free up, like, $16 million in cap space or something. Like they, it's, it's a good, it's sort actually a fairly team friendly deal with that. He makes him work for years three and four and he's still getting paid high.
00:06:18
Savage Boston
and i think it's really funny that people are like, well, I don't care who you're listening to that, you know, whoever's talking about it. Some people are like using that. He performed well in the Superbowl as a knock against him. They're like, oh well he really just kind of flashed in the Superbowl. It's like, well first of all, the guy flashed, he was like the, had the second highest pressure rate amongst like D tackles last year.
00:06:38
Savage Boston
The guy flashed every time he plays, and then
Defensive Strategy and Expectations
00:06:41
Savage Boston
he flashed in the biggest game possible and helped shut down you know Patrick Mahomes.
00:06:42
Bret
Thank you.
00:06:47
Savage Boston
And yeah, I get he's playing on a really good D-line. Jalen Carter's incredible. like I get it. And I think this Patriots D-line now, like looking at these looking at these signings,
00:06:57
Savage Boston
You know, Harold Landry, I like the Harold Landry signing. Is he this great? Is he Miles Garrett? No. Like, he's really good against the run. He's like, period.
00:07:08
Savage Boston
Like, he got graded really high. I mean, if we're just going by PFF, like, he's a highly graded player against the run.
00:07:11
Bret
Thank you.
00:07:14
Savage Boston
He doesn't win with pass rushing very much. That's a fact. He just doesn't win very much in pass rushing. He is like Anthony fory Jennings. It's a great comp. But if your're deep if you're down D-linemen in early downs, or like if you got Jennings, you know ah Harold Landry, and Keon White, and like you know Barmore is playing, and then you know Milton Williams, like you're gonna have a really and then you got Spillane now, who's a great against the run.
00:07:40
Savage Boston
Like all sudden you're like, geez, all right, this this could be a pretty darn good team against the run and early downs. And then they go ahead and get Carlton Davis to play cornerback. So I love the signings on defense. Like, do you not feel like they have a pretty legit talent pool on defense right now?
00:07:56
Savage Boston
I would say with one glaring exception, glaring exception is a true edge rusher.
00:08:00
Bret
Thank you.
00:08:01
Savage Boston
um which would be a dream to get like Abdul Carter in the draft. ah Obviously I'm not planning on that happening, but like they don't have, like, I think they need to draft an edge at some point or, you know, because you need a young, really good, strictly pass rushing edge. And like Keon White, Keon White's a dual guy. Like he's a, he's an every down guy. He doesn't have to be, he's not a true edge in my opinion either. Maybe he breaks out this year. Let's see.
00:08:27
Savage Boston
But, but yeah, how do you guys feel about just how the defense kind of stacks up?
00:08:31
Snooty
Yeah, I mean, like, I think there's there's good signings. I think there's solid depth and some some playmakers at every level of the defense. I also think they could use a true centerfield safety center fielder.
00:08:42
Bret
Thanks.
00:08:42
Savage Boston
Yeah, yeah, missing.
00:08:44
Snooty
You know, something like that, like a Makubo.
00:08:45
Savage Boston
they're They're not going to pay that much for that position, though, you know?
00:08:47
Snooty
No, but like I'd like to see him draft someone like Makuba in like the third round, maybe, ah like Texas.
00:08:47
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:08:53
Snooty
um you know Something like what they had with McCourty. I'm not suggesting whoever they you know draft or sign would be McCourty, but something who can fill that role of just you know being the you know the eyes and ears back there and who can kind of you know cover everything and cover everybody else's mistakes back there.
00:09:09
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:09:09
Snooty
um They have solid depth everywhere. And that's kind of honestly what they need. it like I like Juwan Bentley, but Juwan Bentley can't be the linchpin of your defense. When he went down, the run defense just imploded last year.
00:09:21
Snooty
And that's unacceptable. Right. Like it's like at at points last year, we realized that Juwan Bentley was the linchpin of the defense and Vidarian Lowe was the linchpin of the offensive line. Neither of those things are are acceptable.
00:09:33
Bret
Okay.
00:09:33
Snooty
Right. A little bit more acceptable with Bentley, completely unacceptable with Lowe. So like the defense can be good. It's got pieces. It should certainly be better than last year. It has experienced coaching this year, um whereas last year they did not. So there's less questions on from a coaching perspective as well. I think the defense should take a big step forward from where it was last year. i also think it's some pretty horrible injury luck last year with Duggar getting hurt for – most of the season it seemed like with his ankle injury i I you know people have hinted that it was it was much much worse than people realize um obviously peppers his whole situation um and then Bentley and then Barmore who knows what's going to happen like they they lost quite a few people to injuries last year and and hoping that that's cyclical and it comes back around next year so it should be improved
00:10:08
Savage Boston
mean,
00:10:24
Savage Boston
they at least have
Offensive Concerns and Free Agency
00:10:25
Savage Boston
like, I just think they're going to be. dangerous and like formidable in defense.
00:10:29
Bret
Thank you.
00:10:29
Savage Boston
He aggressive. Like you said, like they got guys like even Spillane. I'm like, all right, I don't know a lot about him, but like he's, he's okay in coverage, but he's really good against the run. Really kind of aggressive kid. Like they're going to be pretty good against the run. Hopefully they,
00:10:43
Savage Boston
ah become equally as good against the pass. But again, like they have to affect the quarterback, which is, it's their goal. So, I mean, obviously they're not done. You know, this is like, we had one, I was hoping for more today. Honestly, was just hoping for more on the offensive side of the ball today.
00:10:58
Savage Boston
um Which I mean, don't know if you guys want to go in now about, I guess the things you don't like about free agency so far, but like, I'm just concerned.
00:11:05
Bret
Okay.
00:11:07
Savage Boston
I'm concerned still obviously about the offense, especially the offensive line. You know, we keep hearing rumors that David Andrews is going to be released. or maybe retire. I don't know. i don't know the gist there.
00:11:18
Savage Boston
Do you know what mean? Like, I don't know if it's ah what it is.
00:11:21
Snooty
Yeah.
00:11:21
Savage Boston
i was, ah hopefully I was close to a scoop today that I wanted, that I wanted, that I was going to tweet out, but didn't, didn't materialize ah maybe tomorrow. We'll see.
00:11:33
Savage Boston
um But yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, I think Babs is the only one so far who's really been confidently tweeted out that Andrews is going to be released. Yeah. Good for him. he would be way before everyone, and I don't think he's coming from nowhere.
00:11:45
Bret
Mm-mm.
00:11:46
Savage Boston
So um I guess when we start, like, what what do you feel like, what can they do right now to improve the offense? It's like a realistic plan through free agency.
00:11:57
Bret
Well, the next opening is looks like Kup from a free agency for wide receiver, ah which, again, we've talked about. i don't really like the concept of bringing on a guy like Kup on his current contract, for sure.
00:12:08
Snooty
Bye.
00:12:11
Savage Boston
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:12:12
Bret
So, yeah i mean, that's an option. He would be an improvement. So, I mean, I think it just depends on what the numbers look like. But ah that is that something that can improve. But, yeah, I mean, we – It was hard. This offseason was really hard, especially when it started with the reset of Stanley and Godwin early on, which you know reports are that the Patriots swung big and and really you know offered them more than they got from their other teams.
00:12:38
Bret
I just think it was a comfort level and then for Stanley, like a chance to win a championship, which I have to respect, but it just sucks because I mean, we we went big on those guys. So unfortunately, like those guys went off the market early and, you know, we had a pivot. I thought the addition of Morgan morgan Moses.
00:12:58
Bret
is good just because that's going to be a good stopgap for at least a year or two to really help maybe a Caden Walls help help develop himself. Plus, i you know we all fully anticipate them to make drafts be a priority on the offensive line and wide receiver. So I think...
00:13:14
Bret
Round one and two, that's that's essentially what it's going to be. Offensive line, then wide receiver, or you know maybe wide receiver and yeah offensive line. But I think that's where their position is going to go.
00:13:27
Bret
This reality was, and and we talked about this, most of the free agency action was going to be available on the defensive side of the ball. It was not going to be available on the offensive side of the ball.
00:13:38
Bret
And that was just the reality of the situation.
00:13:38
Savage Boston
it I don't like, i don't like really quick for Snooty jumps in. I don't like the, the some of this, ah this random reporting. Nothing wrong the actual reporting. Like Mark Daniels had just an article to take where he's like, oh, you know, the Patriots, like Will Campbell has some fans in that building and they could shift to him at four.
00:13:51
Snooty
Thank you.
00:13:58
Savage Boston
And it's like, hold on, Mark. And I'm not going to – I don't want to do this like online and like blow him up. But it's like, hold on, Mark. You tweeted like seven days ago or you put out an article that says they're going to take the best player available.
00:14:09
Savage Boston
So all of a sudden now they're go just going to take Will Campbell based on Neke? Because that's not the best player available. like what are Are we drafting for need or are we drafting the best player available? Because we had thought now it's going to be BPA.
00:14:23
Savage Boston
And that's how we want to draft, right? So like that's my confusion. i don't really know where that report's coming from. But if they can't lock down a left tackle in free agency, which they will slash should, you don't just take – the first guy because he's there, like if Travis Hunter is still available, like you, you know what i mean? Like, so that I had a kind of a, and i had a, had a kind of a, not a problem with that, but I don't know where that was coming from.
00:14:46
Snooty
So, I mean, I think it would depend upon where they view him and where what happens in the draft, right? So, like, you presuming Carter and Hunter go, then, you know you have a hodgepodge of guys.
00:14:54
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:14:57
Snooty
You may have five or six guys where you go, yeah, they're all the same, right?
00:15:00
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:15:01
Snooty
And then you go, okay, fine, then we're going to take the tackle because it's – a higher position of need, it's a higher position of value, and it's the same player. We view that as the same level of players as, you know, I'm just ma like Mason Graham and whoever else would be in that, that zone.
00:15:16
Snooty
Right. So sure. Um, My main issue, and this is really infuriating me, is the and it's it's everywhere. It's fucking fans. It's all online. It's on the fucking radio. It's everywhere.
00:15:29
Snooty
Everybody seems to think that, like, oh, they don't have a left tackle of the future, and oh, my God, they don't have a wide receiver one. Where the fuck were we going to get that in free agency?
00:15:38
Savage Boston
Yeah, I don't know.
00:15:39
Snooty
There was, like, one guy who could play left tackle, and there was, like, maybe one receiver in Higgins who was scheduled to hit free agency. Neither of the one Higgins never hit free agency.
00:15:50
Savage Boston
Dude, they tried to blow Godwin out of the water with a contract.
00:15:52
Snooty
ah I know. So like, but like, where the fuck was this going to happen? So everybody's like, Oh my God, it's a failure.
00:15:57
Savage Boston
I it
00:15:59
Snooty
They didn't do this. How the fuck were they going to do that?
00:16:00
Savage Boston
don't know.
00:16:02
Snooty
What do you want them to do? There's no one available.
00:16:04
Savage Boston
and
00:16:05
Snooty
You can't, you can't afford to be the commanders and throw picks at a 31 year old tackle.
00:16:07
Bret
Okay.
00:16:11
Snooty
You can't do that. You have a billion needs. They have less needs than you. Like, you just can't fucking do that. That doesn't mean it's a failure. It just means that people did not have an honest assessment of this team and lacked a complete understanding of where the market was.
00:16:26
Snooty
the All the value, you know, I use value in air quotes because it's free agency, was in was on defense in it this free agency.
00:16:32
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm. right.
00:16:33
Snooty
There was no fucking offensive star power out there, right? It was two guys who re-signed and one guy who got franchise tagged.
00:16:37
Savage Boston
and
00:16:42
Snooty
Like, yeah there was no one to get. That was like DeMont. I mean, don't get me wrong. there'd be There's guys that you can get to improve, but there's no like stud, lock it in, left tackle, wide receiver one.
00:16:53
Snooty
Those guys don't become available. they They very, very rarely become available. If they hit free agency, it's guys like Cam Robinson who have fucking warts, who have issues.
00:17:05
Savage Boston
Got a lot of flaws, yeah.
00:17:06
Snooty
Don't get me wrong, better than low, but like they have fucking flaws. So even if you sign Cam Robinson, even if you signed Ronnie Stanley, you still have a need long term at those positions.
00:17:19
Snooty
It may fix those positions for one year. It's not like, but everybody's losing their goddamn mind.
00:17:23
Bret
Thank you.
00:17:26
Snooty
Oh my God, they don't have a wide receiver one. How will they function? Guys, you can improve without getting the stud of all studs at at wide receiver.
00:17:37
Snooty
you there's a There's arguments you don't even need a true, legit, all pro wide receiver to win.
00:17:42
Savage Boston
You don't if the quarterback's good enough
00:17:44
Snooty
Correct. I'd rather like, okay, their tight ends are good. I'd rather like to see him pick up a running back. They improve their right tackle spot. I'd like to see him sign a guard to play left guard. And obviously I'd like to see him sign at this point, Cam Robinson at left tackle, right?
00:17:59
Savage Boston
enough.
00:17:59
Snooty
That's
00:17:59
Savage Boston
What about Tyron Smith as a stopgap?
00:18:01
Snooty
sure. Because you know what? You'll have ancient, you'll ancient, ancient pillars.
00:18:03
Savage Boston
He grades a little higher.
00:18:06
Snooty
i don't like taking both jets tackles because they suck.
00:18:08
Savage Boston
Both Jets tackles
00:18:09
Snooty
But like, you know, hey, but you know what? Like, honestly, if you do that, like, look again.
00:18:13
Bret
Thank you.
00:18:15
Snooty
So like Moses is like a stopgap where if Caden Wallace has any chance of developing, maybe it's behind a guy like that who's a true pro pro tough, a tough fucking prick. And he plays and he's good and whatever. Fine. Maybe Wallace becomes a right tackle.
00:18:29
Snooty
Who knows? You don't have a left tackle. You're not going to have a left tackle in this. You draft someone. And even if you draft someone based upon the people who are available outside of taking Campbell or Banks, who everyone's sleeping on in round one, let's say you take Ursary or somebody from Minnesota, right?
00:18:45
Snooty
They're probably going to need a little bit of time to develop. That's why they fell to the second round, right?
00:18:50
Savage Boston
I like Membu more. i'm I'm so high. I know that we have the right tackle now. I just i just think Membu is like – I think he's going to be a better player. I mean, that could be – Will Campbell, like I
00:18:58
Snooty
Sure. But now you got to project.
Draft Strategies and Player Evaluation
00:19:01
Savage Boston
said, could be an all-pro.
00:19:01
Savage Boston
Like Will Freez. He could be like Will Freez. Like, what's Will Freez's measurements? He's like 6'6", 320.
00:19:05
Snooty
I have no idea.
00:19:06
Savage Boston
Does he have tiny arms? He's a guard.
00:19:09
Snooty
I'd rather take, I'd rather move back to like 12 and take banks or 10 and take banks and pick up a two and a three, take banks, make him play left tackle.
00:19:16
Bret
Yeah.
00:19:17
Savage Boston
need more picks. Like that is – yeah, Will Freeze, dude, has 32 and 7-8 arms. He's 6'6 and 3'10.
00:19:24
Snooty
Right.
00:19:24
Savage Boston
and anyway And he's like a great guard.
00:19:27
Snooty
Right.
00:19:27
Savage Boston
Like that's Will Campbell.
00:19:28
Snooty
You need picks. You need picks. It's why everybody's looking at the commanders. It's like you're in a completely different spot because because what you're trying what you're trying to do this year in free agency, they did last year in free agency, and they hit on more draft picks last year.
00:19:33
Savage Boston
Yeah, they're low enough.
00:19:41
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:19:43
Snooty
It's apples and oranges. they're It's just different.
00:19:44
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:19:45
Snooty
I also think they're going miss the playoffs. They just have that feel of the team that loads up after making a sneaky run the year before and then just, like, falls short of expectations.
00:19:56
Snooty
That's just – don't know.
00:19:57
Bret
They're the Texans.
00:19:57
Snooty
and No – Yeah, no science behind it.
00:19:58
Bret
They're the Texans from two years.
00:19:59
Snooty
It's just, yeah, exactly.
00:20:00
Savage Boston
So.
00:20:00
Snooty
No science behind it. It's just, don't know. They just feel like that team.
00:20:03
Savage Boston
like
00:20:04
Bret
Yeah, no, I agree. i feel like, and I've been saying this for a while, I've been saying trade back. ah Because really, for what you just said, you got to get more picks. And it's just, once you get through the top group, which is essentially Carter and Hunter, you you know it just It's pick your you know pick of the card kind of a thing. I just feel like, yeah, like there's you're going to have a sense on one guy versus the next, but I don't think there's a huge difference there.
00:20:33
Bret
But if one team comes in and says, no, I really value to get up in the draft because I want to go ahead and draft Shador whatever, and you're like, okay, great. I'm going to trade it out and get those assets. Yeah.
00:20:45
Bret
And I think there are some options kind of in that middle of the round. It's really just not a top-end heavy draft, but there are options there. I think we you know the more bullets we can put in the chamber, the more likely we're going to be able to hit a target. so To me, I'm 100% in agreement to go back. And I hate to say this, Nudie, I would prefer Banks over Campbell just because of the measurements.
00:21:10
Bret
And it's just crazy to think that because I fucking hate the Longhorns. ah But...
00:21:16
Snooty
Hook them.
00:21:16
Bret
Yeah, you know, i just think it is what it is. And I keep thinking to myself, imagine being Campbell, going your whole life, like gearing up for this and then being like, yeah, dude, my arm length is like an inch shorter than where I need to be. It's just, it sucks. Now I'm blackballed and I'm...
00:21:33
Savage Boston
but Like you're, we're in a sport in the NFL where everything, this ah is like, it's, it's ridiculous. Like everything's measured. Every stats measured every, like you are dissected. Cause we're talking about billions of dollars and the most scrutiny possible.
00:21:47
Savage Boston
So he knew his arm length, dude. This is the thing.
00:21:49
Bret
Thank you.
00:21:49
Savage Boston
Like he knew it. He knew this going in. He's known this for years. He goes, yeah, if I get the NFL, like, I might have to transition. like He's known this, hoped he could hide it with his play, and he's been really great. He's been really great.
00:22:02
Savage Boston
That doesn't mean he's going to translate. like When everyone is a pro, not everyone now is 20 years old learning technique. like When you have like the the Texans double you know two DNs, when you got like these insanely fast edge rushers, They'll get around you.
00:22:17
Savage Boston
They'll get in and bull rush you. Like, there's some incredible freak athletes at DN in the NFL.
00:22:21
Bret
Thank you.
00:22:22
Savage Boston
And it's like there's a reason why it's just hard to play with with less leverage. So I don't know.
00:22:27
Snooty
So,
00:22:27
Savage Boston
And I think there is a good reality, truly at this point, there is a reality that you could get still Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter. You just need someone to take the bait on Shadur.
00:22:39
Savage Boston
And I don't know if they're going to do it. Like, it feels like the Giants. Like so they're gonna someone's going to come away with Aaron Rodgers. Like what Rodgers goes to Pittsburgh, which I think is probably going to happen, then the Giants get who? Russell Wilson?
00:22:53
Savage Boston
Like they still probably got to draft Shadr. Like I don't know. i don't know what and what is going Russ Wilson to save Dayball's job?
00:23:00
Snooty
So I think the best case scenario you could hope for is if the Giants, either the Titans take Cam Ward or the Giants move up to take Cam Ward because like thank given they I think given they signed Miles Garrett, I think the Browns are locked in on taking their quarterback.
00:23:01
Savage Boston
Who's that going?
00:23:16
Bret
Yep. All right.
00:23:18
Snooty
It's also a very Browns thing to do, to do that, to be honest.
00:23:21
Savage Boston
just take Shadar and be like, whatever.
00:23:21
Bret
i
00:23:22
Snooty
Yeah. Well, I'll get that quarterback. i'll take one. Okay, we're the Browns. You know, like that's just what they – it just – feels like something they do. So I think that's the best case scenario.
00:23:33
Snooty
Short of Carter or Hunter being available, because Hunter would, if you if you primarily, especially if you primarily or view him primarily as a um wide receiver, um i feel like him being available could help fix a lot of some of your problems as well.
00:23:48
Savage Boston
maybe be such a good fit.
00:23:50
Snooty
um And then, you know, if they signed another corner, who was like, oh, does that take him out? if Potentially. No, if anything, it helps them more because maybe he could.
00:23:57
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:23:58
Snooty
Everybody's assuming, you know, 80% defense, 20% offense. But maybe it's 80% offense, 20% defense. Maybe it's the other way around where you only put him in in key spots, key passing situations. He's a nickel or the dime guy. And, you you know, because you've got.
00:24:13
Snooty
two corners now, two legit press man corners. Maybe you kind of sprinkle men in certain packages defensively, and he actually focuses because he needs more coaching on offense. um Just from his his experience, he spent more time on defense.
00:24:25
Snooty
um you know
00:24:26
Savage Boston
He's such a good athlete, though. I mean, he just does everything well.
00:24:28
Snooty
Well, that's why he could do it. That's why he could do it. He like kind of didn't really practice on ah offense, and then...
00:24:32
Savage Boston
He's the ultimate like blue chip. He reminds me of Deion Sanders. yeah He's Deion, not Shadr. like He's just got like every every tool. Yeah, he needs coaching, but like he's such a freak. like he He would step in that wide receiver room and people just be like, oh my God.
00:24:48
Savage Boston
ah It would be noticeable.
00:24:49
Snooty
Tell them.
00:24:50
Savage Boston
But then so would Tet. If they draft Tet, which I wouldn't do until the teens, Tet would come in and be like, whoa, this kid, this is a big kid.
00:24:53
Snooty
so
00:24:57
Savage Boston
This kid can catch. He's still out of heat. He hasn't run a 40 yet. Was he run a 4, 5, 8? you know I don't know what Tet runs. so And not like everything depends on the 40, but like you do need to separate. so there's There's questions there. like With wide receiver, though, they've done their best. like They threw a huge bag at Godwin.
00:25:13
Savage Boston
They did everything possible to get Godwin. And like you can't literally force someone to move to New England. You can't force him. He didn't want to come here even for like what was estimated near $30 million dollars a year.
00:25:23
Snooty
Yeah.
00:25:27
Savage Boston
And they gave him 22. So even with taxes, with whatever, it's still not even close. Like the real money for the Patriots was going to be significantly higher. And he still didn't want to move here.
Wide Receiver Challenges and Solutions
00:25:40
Savage Boston
So...
00:25:40
Bret
and And even signing him, though, like, you know, first of all, you just look at a guy like Godwin, which is an under 30-year-old wide receiver that rarely ever hits the market. He's hitting the market because of his injury history.
00:25:53
Bret
But, you know, he went back on a ah fairly team-favorable type deal because we were overpaying for a guy like that. it It wouldn't have changed our course, right?
00:26:01
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:26:03
Bret
if we If Hunter was there, we would draft Hunter, even if we had Godwin, because ah BPA, right? I think that's where we got to go with it. my My positioning is, yeah, I think the Miles Garrett signing puts Carter potentially back in the fold because
00:26:12
Savage Boston
yeah
00:26:21
Bret
teams always get fucking stupid when it comes to quarterbacks. They just do. They have to hit. It's like you could build whatever you want to build unless you have the quarterback. It's not going to matter. And you just got to take your shot when you think you got a shot.
00:26:33
Bret
So like I wouldn't be shocked at all if Ward and Sanders are off the board and then like a team gets hungry for Hunter and the next, you know, Carter's at four. Like that would be fucking phenomenal.
00:26:44
Savage Boston
And he would be a friend too.
00:26:44
Bret
um Yeah. So like I'm not ruling out that possibility. if If we look at it, though, and it goes kind of like what you would expect, too, with Carter, Hunter, and Ward off the board, then, yeah, I think we trade back, get some assets, and go.
00:27:05
Bret
But if Hunter or ah Campbell, or Carter, I mean, are up at the top, then you got i just think you can't trade back. You got to draft those got one of those guys.
00:27:17
Savage Boston
Yeah. I mean, it's going to be really interesting. There's a lot at play. i think what we haven't talked about yet ah in regards to the wide receiver position is, like, I think you really have to explore trade.
00:27:29
Savage Boston
We touched on it a tiny bit, but, like, i think Brandon Ayik would be the easiest person to trade for, seemingly. But maybe something about his medicals and his personality, they are just hesitant or they're trying to really, um i don't know, really – gouge Sanford. like Sanford doesn't want him. like They want him gone. They don't like his deal.
00:27:49
Savage Boston
They want him out of there. They can't cut him. You know what I mean? like he's He's been like a pill a little bit with like a lot of complaints. His contract stuff was a huge distract distraction. But if you could get them with like a fourth or something like that, would you not take on that contract?
00:28:00
Bret
Thank you.
00:28:04
Savage Boston
Because I would take Brandon Ayuk. ah So I like that option. like Keep T. Higgins in mind. I still think, can Cincy really sign T. Higgins? Because I don't think – everyone's like, oh, him and Jamar, they have the same agent. They're going to be team friendly.
00:28:20
Savage Boston
That's not true. That's not true. Like those guys are colluding. They're both trying to get the most money out of the Bengals. T knows he can get $35 million dollars probably from the Patriots.
00:28:30
Savage Boston
So if the Bengals are going to give him $28,000, he might get pissed. So I think – I don't know what the Bengals are really going to do, and I would absolutely keep knocking on the door for both Ayuk and Higgins, and maybe you get your real wide receiver one that way.
00:28:47
Savage Boston
And that's kind of how i would how I would approach it right now. Because there's because there's other – we got Matt Collins. Like there are no other free agents now. There are no wide receiver, good wide receiver. They like Josh Palmer. He went to a different team.
00:29:00
Savage Boston
think there's nobody. So I think you have to explore trade in the draft. Obviously, you need to draft a young wide receiver and explore trade for a wide receiver position.
00:29:08
Snooty
I like to see him. It's a very deep tight end class. I'd like to see him try to take somebody there. I mean, I've heard, I've seen the rumors that, like you know, they move back and they're in a certain spot. ty war Tyler Warren, right?
00:29:21
Snooty
He could be, he could be a target, which I'm like, which I'm like, yeah.
00:29:21
Savage Boston
Yeah, he's a big he's a beast, dude. He's really good. People love Loveland, though. Have you seen Loveland?
00:29:29
Snooty
Loveland is, I've seen Warren to me is head and shoulders above Loveland. um
00:29:35
Savage Boston
Talk to Scout good player.
00:29:37
Snooty
I'm just saying that to me, morist Warren can block. Warren's a beast. he a He's not a great blocker, but he's he's a good blocker. Good enough. You're good enough. I mean, fine. Okay, fine. Then if he you know you get another weapon, i don't care.
00:29:51
Snooty
You have to play... have to play the market or like you have to play the cards that you've been dealt. Right. And that's just, it's a shitty left tackle draft overall. And it's a shitty wide receiver draft overall. You know, I mean, it is what it is.
00:30:04
Snooty
Some of it's luck. Like, Hey, look, you didn't trade back last year with the giants. You could have a billion picks and be going after cam ward right now.
Draft Preparations and Final Thoughts
00:30:12
Snooty
you know trying to package up some of those picks to move up to number one with Tennessee to take Cam Ward.
00:30:17
Snooty
you know like that I mean, that would be fucking horrible.
00:30:17
Savage Boston
You're
00:30:20
Snooty
like you know But instead, you took Drake May last year. You got the third overall pick, and you know you got lucky.
00:30:25
Savage Boston
not lucky. So I'll
00:30:27
Snooty
It happens. So it is it is what it is. We are where we are. and you know ah By the way, Mike Evans ran a 4-5-3-40 at the Combine. at the combine
00:30:37
Savage Boston
put it this way. If Tatt runs a 4.53 at that's pretty good. at six foot five
00:30:43
Snooty
Yeah,
00:30:44
Savage Boston
that's pretty good It's not amazing. If he runs like 4.6, 4.58, 4.6, it's like, okay. You know, like Mike Evans, Mike Evans basically was able to develop into like an all-time receiver, really. I mean, he's had a phenomenal career.
00:31:00
Snooty
yeah he did.
00:31:01
Savage Boston
phenomenal career. And he really worked that he's such a, he's a great route runner, great hands, everything. He's so huge. Like he can do it all. So if, if that's the model for Tet and you think he's going to be Mike Evans, then take Tet.
00:31:11
Snooty
Yep.
00:31:14
Savage Boston
Like I'm not, I'm not the scout. I'm not the evaluator. We're just reading other people's material. You know what i mean? And so it's like,
00:31:20
Snooty
yeah
00:31:21
Savage Boston
If they think Ted could be Mike Evans and fucking take Ted, I'm just saying like, according to most people in this draft, um but Matthew golden could be ahead of Ted, you know, Travis Hunter is probably ahead of Ted as a wide receiver, you know? So it's like, we're not just going I doubt they take Ted at four. Just, just like we talked about with Will Campbell, everyone's like, yeah, Will Campbell played really well, but he's got all these problems and blah, blah, blah. It's like, take the best fucking player.
00:31:49
Savage Boston
That's all saying. Take the best player available. Like, let's let's stop pussyfooting around. You know, if you really – you hopefully don't want to have to draft for need later on because that's not what they want. they They, on record, want to have positions moderately set before the draft so they can take the best player available, and they've said that.
00:32:09
Bret
Yeah, and do that every round.
00:32:09
Snooty
Let's get there.
00:32:10
Savage Boston
So, yeah.
00:32:11
Bret
Every round throughout the draft, because...
00:32:12
Savage Boston
Yeah, they're going take the best guy available.
00:32:15
Bret
Yeah, you you need it. And the reality is, is like you know just like any other draft, there's hyperbole about like this guy is better than this guy and this guy because he flashes, blah, blah, blah. And then sometimes it translates, sometimes it doesn't.
00:32:28
Bret
We just got to fucking hit.
00:32:28
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:32:29
Bret
So yeah, you you look at it and you say, okay, where's the top of the board? What do we think is the best player available at this spot in the draft? And then we go there and we we make that fucking pick.
00:32:41
Bret
And, you know, ah we're not looking at it like we talked about on, you know, the last pod where it was basically reported that they were drafting every round for need.
00:32:51
Bret
And that's just fucking stupid.
00:32:52
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:32:53
Bret
That's what gets you put.
00:32:53
Savage Boston
is
00:32:55
Bret
That's what puts you as like a bad team. And so you look at like I said, you look at this year, day one.
00:32:58
Savage Boston
yeah
00:33:01
Bret
looking out on a, you know, tampering day and the team got better and we addressed a lot of needs.
00:33:05
Snooty
so
00:33:07
Bret
So overwhelmingly I'm happy with what we've done.
00:33:08
Snooty
so
00:33:11
Bret
I'm actually a little surprised with how much. So to me, like I'm really happy about what they did with the free agency.
00:33:18
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:33:18
Bret
Now it's just, I agree. We'll see what pops with trade and see if anyone kind of slips through the cracks and and comes up. and They could be. And, you know, they're still a long way away from the draft. So teams are still shopping. Teams are still trying to evaluate and figure out a game plan here.
00:33:34
Bret
um So, you know, hopefully we can address a few more questions. positional needs going into the draft, but it doesn't matter because then when we get to the draft, it's best player available and get going, get young, get the right mix and just get aggressive.
00:33:45
Snooty
Right.
00:33:49
Savage Boston
Yeah. Well, good stuff. We'll cut it there just so we keep it short and sweet. Keep the people wanting more. I'm sure we'll be back, and I'm sure in the next week we're going to have a lot more information on what's going on and other free agents they get, and hopefully they actually get a ah left tackle, which would be great, considering you literally potentially right now don't have a solid left tackle, left guard, or center.
00:34:11
Savage Boston
So, hey, thumbs up.
00:34:12
Snooty
You have Darian Lowe and one of three guards at left guard.
00:34:18
Savage Boston
City So, is he alive?
00:34:20
Snooty
Cole Strange.
00:34:21
Savage Boston
Cole could be the new center. I don't know what they – but, again, let's see what Mike f Frabel thinks about these guys. All right, take it easy, guys. See you later.
00:34:28
Snooty
Yep.
00:34:29
Savage Boston
Peace.