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🏈 NFL Free Agency Preview & Combine Winners & Losers | Bush League Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast
26 Plays2 months ago
The NFL offseason is in full swing! The Bush League Huddle crew—Fab, Nacc (on a cruise 🍹), and Raj—breaks down the biggest storylines from the NFL Scouting Combine, including QB risers and fallers, top RB & WR performances, and Shadur Sanders' draft stock. Plus, we dive into NFL Free Agency rumors, Tee Higgins’ franchise tag, potential landing spots for Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Kirk Cousins, and which teams are in desperate need of a WR1. Get ready for a jam-packed episode filled with insights, fantasy football takes, and a little bit of banter!
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the Bush League Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast.
00:00:10
Speaker
Hosted by Fab, Knack, and Raj.
00:00:18
Speaker
Big domino of the offseason has come and gone. The NFL scouting combine, the Under Olympics have passed the last four or five days or so. Had the QBs, running backs, wide receivers, all linemen, tight ends, defensive players, all showcasing in Indianapolis. They all showed up and showed out.
NFL Scouting Combine Highlights
00:00:40
Speaker
so we're going to take you through it We're to go through the combine winners and losers. And as we're recording this on a Monday evening, tomorrow, Tuesday is a big day. It's franchise tag deadline day. So we're going go through some of the big news that happened with regards to T. Higgins. But we're also going to preview the upcoming free agency. It's going to be a big week this week and obviously big week next week as the NFL offseason really kicks into gear.
00:01:07
Speaker
If you're on YouTube, you'll obviously notice that it's only and myself. Our buddy, Nak, is in a cruise. Very, very lucky to be in a cruise in Miami. Fab, have you ever been on a cruise?
00:01:20
Speaker
No, and I also don't take any days off. I don't miss podcast recordings, Nak.
00:01:27
Speaker
I mean, you know what? I think it's the second time now. We've got to pick up the slack here. You know, like we're supposed to be three on this, but more often. It's East Coast time. over here yeah Yeah, you know, it's East Coast time. You know what? No, but it's okay.
00:01:41
Speaker
It's okay. We'll pick up the slack.
00:01:45
Speaker
But seriously, are you more of a cruise or all-inclusive guy? I've never been on a cruise and I've always wanted to go. so i'm I'm actually quite jealous of Knack right now. And he has a go-kart track on the cruise and a mini putt and just so many fun activities that probably don't even make you feel like you're on a boat in the middle of the ocean.
00:02:05
Speaker
But yeah, I've i've always wanted to to be on a cruise. Always, always, always. just like it's It's kind of on the bucket list a little bit. Yeah, same. That's how I feel as well. Yeah.
00:02:16
Speaker
So, Nak, don't worry about it. You are in a much better place. Obviously, we will cut ah we'll keep pick up the slack for you in this
Quarterback Evaluations at Combine
00:02:23
Speaker
episode. So, obviously, again, I mentioned Combine just happened. We're going to go through quickly our winners and losers.
00:02:31
Speaker
What changed, what did not change based off some of the happenings in the scouting combine. We'll go through the QBs, running backs, wide receivers very, very quickly as we got a lot to get through in this episode.
00:02:44
Speaker
Fab, who was, who are some of your winners for the combine ah the QB position this past weekend? i think i think without a doubt everyone's going to say jackson dart and i don't disagree with that at all he hit every single throw i was watching the highlights and he was just money on the button every single one of them he looks the part he looks good he's i think he's far and away q be number three in this draft this year uh he's making a push even for qb2 depending on who you speak to because i think shudder sanders uh is actually dropping i don't want to jump into the losers for qbs right away but uh
00:03:19
Speaker
I've been reading and hearing a lot of rumors that he's not even he's not even a first-round pick anymore. NBA Sentel?
00:03:32
Speaker
No, no, like legit. like i was even I was looking at Lance Zerline mock draft right now. Lance Zerline for NFL. Okay, yeah, he's legit. and he's a legit. like he he He called Janan Daniels going number two last year over Drake May and he got a lot of heat for it.
00:03:47
Speaker
and turned out exactly like that. He has Shooter Sanders dropping all the way at the end of the first round. and the Browns are trading back into the first round to to draft him.
00:04:00
Speaker
Okay. Like this is, he was expected to go like number one, number two overall, right? Like very much is between him and Cam Ward. And now he's not even being selected. Even PFF, they had a mock draft released right after the combine.
00:04:12
Speaker
He wasn't even in the first round. and so look yeah Yeah, so i think I think there's a lot on Sanders. i I have a more differing opinion because I feel like I watched him a lot, and I appreciate the fact that he is you know he's he's he's uplifted two programs.
00:04:28
Speaker
He's done it with a lot of bad offensive line play, I would say. um But just to go back to that to Jackson Dart, I fully agree with kind of your assessment on that. I watched it live too and felt that he was hitting every throw.
00:04:44
Speaker
I think for sure fully entrenched as QB3 There's some comparison to, ah like, and I think what's helpful for a lot of folks who maybe are not always as locked into the draft is kind kind of having some comparisons to current players in the league or players who just got drafted. It's all actually a decent amount of comparison to Nix.
00:05:04
Speaker
Even Daniel Jeremiah compared to Jalen Hurts from a build standpoint. And the fact that ah they had to go through multiple schools. They had to kind of overcome adversity.
00:05:15
Speaker
Kind of a similar type of offenses as well.
Player Interviews and Draft Stock Impact
00:05:18
Speaker
But I think Dart is full entrance in QB3. Do you think he's done enough to get to QB2? From your assessment of how you feel about Shadur, that would be a yes.
00:05:29
Speaker
I think so. I think so just because there are a lot of QB needy teams in the first round. To be honest with you, I know Max is not here to talk about this, but I would not be surprised if like if the Steelers, I think they're picking 20th, they take Jackson Dart at that spot. Like I know they have another, a lot of other needs elsewhere, but obviously, you know, best kept secret is that they also need a quarterback. They're deciding between Justin Fields and and Russell Wilson every other day.
00:05:52
Speaker
And they've always been looking for that quarterback to sort of fill in Big Ben's shoes and Jackson Dart. I feel I can do it. And if they really want their guy, they can probably get him a little bit higher up. I think he sneaks into the first round, but i think it's more at the end of the first round. i don't think it's going to be, listen and and like if the Giants, for example, take him at three, you know, like if there's going to be riots. Yeah, that's not happening.
00:06:13
Speaker
That's not happening. What concerns me bit. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes ahead of Sanders just for, for all like even so many reports are coming out that Sanders did really not interview well.
00:06:27
Speaker
Yeah, he was only there to interview. He was only there to speak to coaching staff and speak to owners and GMs and all that stuff. And a lot of them came out and said that he didn't care for the organization. he didn't care too much about what they thought of him and all that stuff. And I don't know, like ah the, the it's it's very lukewarm right now for fruit Shooter Sanders, whereas before was maybe piping hot.
00:06:47
Speaker
So I think for Sanders, since we're we're we're on that topic now, again, for me, it's
00:06:55
Speaker
he He is a black QB that plays like a white QB. Like we have to. No, no. But like I think there's sometimes a misconception of like, hey, this guy is like just going to run around. This guy is going to scramble. Like this guy, he's not an athlete at all.
00:07:09
Speaker
I think I wouldn't be surprised if at his pro day he runs like 4'6", 4'7". he He reminds me a lot of Joe Burrow. And there's been a lot of. So Joe Burrow coming out of LSU. And if you look at his production year over year, over year over year, four year starter, Jackson State two years, Colorado two years, he's improved every single year. and don't think there's been a year where he doesn't throw for at least 3,800 yards. And he's been 35 touchdown player every single year he has been in college.
00:07:38
Speaker
50 starts. Last two years has played for a horrible O-line. Came to a Colorado team that won one game previously, and then they won four games the the first year, Dion and him were there.
00:07:49
Speaker
Then they won nine games the year after. Again, battle line, tough better conference than what he was previously. Uplifts of programs. These things matter, and I'm just surprised how much ah flack he's taking considering he did all this for the program, and he's also he's a really accurate player.
00:08:11
Speaker
He's really accurate. And he doesn't have a – like, yes, travis Travis Hunter has been amazing. i wouldn't say he's lithered in all Americans like the way Will Howard is or you know some other programs have. So – I'm really surprised. i'm really and And even from like what Ian Rappaport was saying during the Combine, it sounded like a lot of... but From his perspective, teams liked his confidence. Teams were saying that you know he's saying the right things, he's doing the right things to be at the Combine. He's positive. he's
00:08:42
Speaker
He's there for his teammates. So you said it best, Fab. It's mixed reports where some people just... like The people who don't like Sanders are going to trash him.
00:08:54
Speaker
And then like there's another camp that either they like Sanders or they're they're just flat out, you know they they know Deion Sanders. And Deion, I feel, is the type of guy, you know if you start talking smack about his son, he's going to put you out there. He's going put you on blast. So that's how I feel about Sanders. i feel like I watched enough of him to to really appreciate his game.
00:09:13
Speaker
But yeah, not throwing, I would have preferred that he threw for sure. Yeah, me too. But then again, you saw what it did to Will Howard and Jalen Millro,
Wide Receiver Performances and Trades
00:09:22
Speaker
right? Like they really tanked their stock a little bit.
00:09:26
Speaker
What did you think of Howard? I mean, he was missing so much. Like and every single throw that Jackson Dart was hitting, Will Howard was missing. and it and it wasn't And he was missing by by a lot. Like he was overthrowing a lot of guys. And and he just looked like – and I get it. Even Trigger Sanders, we're talking a lot about him He came to Will Howard's defense on Twitter. Yeah, i saw that on and Twitter. i Give this guy a chance. He's throwing to wide receivers he's never thrown before.
00:09:52
Speaker
But you see other quarterbacks do it, and they do it well. I get that you know you want to create that chemistry with your wide receivers, and I get that you want to be you know to be able to know where they move without even knowing where they move and all that stuff. I understand that, but these guys are just – they were doing out routes and go routes. like It's just stuff that you need to hit them in stride on that you should be at the very least. don't know. I found that to be a little bit disappointing, but then again,
00:10:20
Speaker
you know I'm sure he's going show up at his pro day two and he's going to do well. He's almost like going to get drafted. And I wouldn't be surprised if his stock tanks a little bit and a guy and and some team picks him and you know and then they they hit the lottery, so to speak. They have a quarterback who can sit in the wings for a while and even and still produce and play well.
00:10:38
Speaker
I hear a lot of comps of Jalen Melro to Jalen Hurts and how he's going to be going like later on in the second round. You're going to get a really good talent out of him despite the fact that he didn't really perform that well in the combine. So yeah.
00:10:49
Speaker
you know it's uh the combine is it's it's good and it's bad right i mean it doesn't give you the entire picture and and i go back to to the giants last year during um hard knocks right you I feel like the interviews are way more important than the physical showings.
00:11:08
Speaker
And you obviously you're not going to see that on TV because it's those are very private moments. But I feel like those speak a lot louder than how they perform throwing to guys they've never seen before or how they perform...
00:11:22
Speaker
you know, running 40 yards that they're never going to to do in their NFL career, right? The whiteboard, like yeah the coach that tells you, hey, like, you use what do you like what do you do when you see cover two? What do you do when you see cover three? What do you do in this and just play in this play situation? I think that the the last few things I'll say is,
00:11:37
Speaker
Milrow was on the deep throws look great. No surprise. That's where he excels. The shorter stuff is is where he he obviously struggled. And I would have liked to have seen more timing. felt like he was he was off on the shorter patterns.
00:11:50
Speaker
Again, the combine, it's it's one metric. It's one viewpoint, one data point to look along with their entire year's tape. It doesn't necessarily, it doesn't at all mean that these guys are going to be busts.
00:12:03
Speaker
But you know it's still an evaluation. It's still important. That's why they that's why they do it, right? It's a measuring stick. It's a measuring stick. Guys like Jack and Dart just really cropped up their stock right now. Exactly. I'll go quickly for the rest of the combine stuff. I thought Cal McCord looked good. Cal McCord we saw when we went to Boston College versus Syracuse. He was super accurate.
00:12:25
Speaker
yeah Yeah, very accurate. Doesn't have the big arm. Think of it more like a ah chad pennington style where he's gonna hit all the throws but it's gonna get there it won't get there super super fast with the the big arm talent uh dylan graber was another loser i felt uh it was really really rough uh really was surprised uh very surprised on that but i i still i still really like his his talent um i think we'll hear more about tyler sch shuck the ah the big arm qb from louisville who think we're starting to hear about him just now but he looked he looked strong as well from a from kind of an arm talent perspective
00:13:01
Speaker
on that front. And yeah, you know we talked about Shadur and in Cam Ward we didn't talk about much as well, but I came away pretty impressed from the interviews I heard about Cam Ward from the kind of Radio Row aspect of ah of the Combine. He sounds really mature. He sounds like he he thinks of the qb position in a cerebral way i don't know if you felt the same fab but i really like what i heard from because people giants are good i think that giant yeah i think the giants are gunning for first overall for a reason and and it's not the picture they're i think they're going all in for camboard and
00:13:33
Speaker
i know I think we're going to get more into this like the more we talk about the combine and and the draft process in later episodes, but like the ranking of Cam Ward vis-a-vis the QBs of last year. I think he was around the JJ McCarthy spot people are putting him at.
00:13:49
Speaker
I think he does a bit more respect than that, honestly. I agree. agree. don't think that... Because the same thing you say about... The same things we could say about Shadr in terms of uplifting multiple programs, Ward did for Washington State.
00:14:03
Speaker
He did for Miami. And like he reminds me a lot of like a Philip Rivers a little bit with like the way he throws the sidearm, these like multiple angles, multiple platforms of the throwing of throwing the football. So I think from a QB perspective, that's kind of like the landscape. And then very quickly, running backs from the combine. there was a lot of talk about Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina, 4.46, 40, 38 inch vert.
00:14:28
Speaker
forty thirty eight inch vert um he was the second uh a lot of people are considering the second running back in the class some are even saying he might jump up to the first helps that north carolina has had a lot of good success at the running back position recently obviously with breeze hall javante williams michael carter um so i think we'll we'll have to pay attention on that and the osu running backs did very well to combine both four four 4-4-8s.
00:14:57
Speaker
Both have good size. Both did near 11-inch broad jump. And at the wider receiver position, Matthew Golden, 4.30, 40 time, 5-11, 190. Texas again, man. Texas is killing it from the wide receiver perspective.
00:15:12
Speaker
Similarly to what people are saying about Hampton usurping Gentry for the first running back, there was a lot of talk about Golden um going above Teteroa, McMillan.
00:15:27
Speaker
Cam Scadabo, he didn't participate. He was injured. i think that was injured a little bit upset about that. yes too food That doesn't help. yeah that He was one of the guys I was looking to looking to follow, unfortunately. didn't work out that way. way Hopefully, he gets healthy.
00:15:42
Speaker
Yeah, so a ton of stuff about the combine. Obviously, we're going to get into draft coverage um and more and more as free agency comes and goes. There was a few trade rumors and actually a big trade that happened this past weekend.
00:15:56
Speaker
Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers was traded to the commanders for the for a fifth round pick. Fab, what are your thoughts on this deal? think it's a good move for the for the commanders. You obviously puts a hole a little bit in the 49ers wide receiver room, but they drafted a lot of players.
00:16:14
Speaker
um Obviously, Ricky Purcell recently. Yeah, see if you going to come with and john jennings I love this for the commanders. I love this for Jaden Dynos, love this for that offense.
00:16:26
Speaker
Megatron actually came out. He was on Kay Adams today. And he he said that now, like Washington, have two wide receiver ones. I wouldn't go that far, but I wouldn't go that far. But I do like this a lot for the commanders. It came at a very, very cheap price. And this is The benefit of having a young, good rookie quarterback on a very good contract is that you can take swims like this.
00:16:54
Speaker
you can You can eat up large amounts of the cap space and you can go for guys that might have been you know pushed aside by their former team and get them on the cheap. Debo, I know we talk about him about a lot about how he was out of shape and all that stuff. He was, and even he admitted to too, I think, on Twitter. He said it was like 20 pounds over weight or something like that.
00:17:15
Speaker
ah But he played the second most amount of snaps he played in his career last year. So I don't think it's – I don't think it's – It's quick because couldn't run. Probably. like It's a conditioning issue, but if you get this guy healthy, he's going to be 20 pounds overweight.
00:17:29
Speaker
Didn't wasn't it like didn you have pneumonia and apparently not like that like kind of filled up his lungs and like that's where the reason why he looks so bloated? 20 pounds worth of filling up lungs? Are
00:17:41
Speaker
you fat shaming him? Absolutely not. He's fat shaming himself. He said so himself. He's 20 pounds overweight. I'm just reading the guy's tweets. Jokes aside, though, I think this is a great – I think real football, this is a great move.
00:17:55
Speaker
Fantasy football, not sure yet. It's to be determined what they do in the draft and what and and what other pieces they might bring in. I mean, Scary Terry is still the guy over there. But I think from ah from a football standpoint, you give a gadget player like Debo in this ah offense, it's going to be very exciting. I think it's a great, great move.
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah. So there was talk about Ayuk
Trade Rumors and Speculations
00:18:16
Speaker
being traded. there were some trade rumors. John Lynch was asked straight up if they're shopping Brandon Ayuk. It sounded like from the sound bites, he was noncommittal. He didn't say a flat out, no, we're not shopping him.
00:18:28
Speaker
Do you feel like this is now a situation where there's likelihood that Ayuk comes back? The cap hit, I believe, is $44 million, or the dead cap hit is $44 million if he gets traded. Obviously, Juwan Jennings played really well. Ricky Purcell is on the come up.
00:18:44
Speaker
What do you think what happens with Ayuk now? If he's noncommittal, I think it's because he's he's getting traded. They're going to have a cap issue coming up with Purdy. Yep. We brought Purdy seeking out a deal with Mike Lee, going to be somewhere between 50 to 55 million, which is yeah on par of what QBs of his caliber are making that is market value right now. You might not like that. That's the reality of it, unfortunately.
00:19:07
Speaker
And they're going to have to decide they're going to pay or why receivers or the quarterbacks. Right. So they got rid of Debo Simon, which I'm sure is going to give them some cap relief. Brandon Ayuk. I mean, there's all that fiasco that happened last season and like juan jennings and ricky persol can fill those shoes admirable admirably so i especially jennings especially jennings he was good last year man he's very good good last and and and there's a bit of a redundancy i mentioned it to you guys but there's a bit of redundancy because juan jennings plays so much x receiver which is where iuk plays so i do think there's a redundancy on that front
00:19:45
Speaker
Oh, exactly. And for those points, I think it's more likely than not that any good that he gets traded for the right price. um I go back to the Steelers. i wouldn't be surprised if he goes there because Tomlin does have a thing for dysfunctional wide receivers.
00:19:58
Speaker
So I would be interesting if he, and you pair him with George Pickens, obviously, for whatever quarterback he's been playing there. the heart wants wants what the heart wants.
00:20:09
Speaker
The heart wants with the what what the heart wants. Even even the Packers. we're going to touch on the DK Metcalf trade a little bit, but um even even the Packers could could really use a guy like Brandon Iyuk. Yeah, let let's talk about that quickly. um Another report that came out where it sounded like the Seahawks and the Packers have a deal in place for DK Metcalf going to Green Bay, but nothing imminent.
00:20:34
Speaker
I think that's a great move for the Packers. It gives them a bona fide number one receiver, which they desperately need and You know trotting out. i don't I just don't think they could go out trotting out Wicks and Dobbs and Watson, who I think is going to be out for quite a bit, you know, as their number one receivers. It's an interesting move.
00:20:55
Speaker
You can't get by with having half of wide receiver every other game. Like, collectively, yeah, they make up a great wide receiver one, but you don't have that individually, and you're not going to get perfect. Like, you know,
00:21:07
Speaker
why it's It's very important to have a very deep wide receiver room, but it's not
00:21:13
Speaker
has it's death by a thousand cuts yeah It has to be less than the sum of its parts. yeah Sometimes they put together a team and they're more than some of their parts. like It's not the same with wide receivers. You need that alpha. None of those three are that is an alpha by any means.
00:21:25
Speaker
They're all very good in their own right, but they're all very good wide receiver twos. In some cases, wide receiver threes. How many passes Dontabian Wicks has. right so They need the alpha. They don't have an alpha. and if Jordan Love also needs an alpha, realistically.
00:21:40
Speaker
It doesn't make sense that their tight end led their team and in touchdowns on like half the amount of catches as the other wide receivers. like There's an issue there. You know what i mean? so DK Metcalf would definitely solve that.
00:21:54
Speaker
Yeah, and Janie Reed's a perfect number two. Yeah, he's very good. And even Dontavion Wicks, like he runs routes very well. He can't catch cold, but he's he's a very good route runner.
00:22:06
Speaker
He's got to figure that out. But, you know, you have collectively, they make a fantastic wide receiver one, but they're not collectively. yeah They're all individual people. and And you can't sustain game wins like that.
00:22:18
Speaker
Agreed. There's there's a ton of rumors that have happened. There's a ton of more rumors that are going to happen in the coming weeks we ah with free agency. Tag deadline again coming up on Tuesday and then free agency.
00:22:29
Speaker
ah The tampering period car starting next Monday, I believe. So it's going to be your fun one. Please stick with us. stick with us Follow us all platforms at the Bush League Huddle.
00:22:41
Speaker
So now we're going to do our free agency preview. So we have graphics. We have graphics. we have graphics' set about We're to look at probably the top five to eight free agents at the QB, running back, wide receiver, and tight end position.
00:22:58
Speaker
So we'll start with the QBs. i would say it's a pretty decent QB class, all considering Some veterans, obviously led by Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, who will get cut very soon.
Veteran Quarterback Moves
00:23:12
Speaker
Russell Wilson, who who only signed a one-year deal. Justin Fields. Kirk Cousins, who also is expected to get cut. And Jameis Wilson as well. So, Fab, Sam Darnold, you think is happening with Sam Darnold?
00:23:26
Speaker
This is so hard for me to gauge. I i think Minnesota is going to tag him and I think they're going to try to trade him, but if they get, if they don't get any suitors, I think he's going to stay in Minnesota and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts this year and JJ McCarthy backs up. I know there's a lot of conversation and, and everyone is very opinionated about how like you drive JJ McCarthy. He has to start. has to play.
00:23:46
Speaker
Listen, Sam Donald in that ah offense it was a functional offense. He played very well and he's still going to have the same pieces around him and worst case scenario, You bench him six weeks in if he's really not putting up the same numbers like he did in the beginning of the year last year.
00:24:00
Speaker
And then you go ahead and you bring in JJ McCarthy in the wigs. You also.
00:24:15
Speaker
Venturize long term. I potentially traded or potentially ends up being traded right off the bat even without a tag.
00:24:25
Speaker
I think it's going to Cleveland.
00:24:30
Speaker
I don't see that happening. To be honest, don't see any QB going to Cleveland. Maybe that's just me. but i don't see the stansky It's the Stefanski kind of similar offense to...
00:24:41
Speaker
Similar offense to KOC. um That's kind of what I see happening. I don't i don't see him going back to... I think the Vikings would be petrified to tag him and just not find a suitor.
00:24:53
Speaker
And then they're stuck in that situation where, well, they have no choice but to sign Darnold, especially after what happened during the last two those last two games, Lions and against the Rams, where he...
00:25:05
Speaker
Look, he got exposed. Oh, he did. there's There's no two ways about it. He absolutely got exposed. He couldn't he couldn't let go of the football. Kind of those old Sam Darnold habits were creeping. um you know Obviously, the Rams are out of the picture now.
00:25:20
Speaker
And i just I don't see teams that are kind of... not a QB away and and mind you the Browns aren't a QB away either but I actually see them i actually see them kind of investing more into their team to try to see if Miles Garrett can come back because it doesn't sound like they're going to budge on trading him and you think Sam Darrell is that investment
00:25:43
Speaker
I don't, honestly. I don't, but I'm not hearing a ton of buzz about the Browns picking one of the the top two QBs. No, neither am I. you know You're hearing the Titans, you're hearing the Giants, you're hearing the Raiders, you're hearing the Jets, the Browns. Yeah, not the Browns.
00:25:59
Speaker
And considering the fact that their QB room is is marred with massage tables and towels, like you would wonder what they're not picking up We've got to say it. Do they need a kicker? Justin
00:26:14
Speaker
oh Oh, that is good radio. Get out of my head, Roger. Yeah. i I don't know. I haven't been hearing a lot about the Browns to begin with, them but from a QB standpoint either. I know there was a rumor that I found or or heard that if Kirk Cousins does get cut, he will go to the Browns. We spoke about that last week. Yeah, heard about that too.
00:26:39
Speaker
But apart from that, I mean, it's been very tight lipped over there. And if they're not looking to draft a quarterback at this, this coming draft, yeah I guess Sandor will make sense you know like and he's going for what like 45 million he would go for yeah 40 to 45 million for sure I mean where do the Browns have this cap space
00:27:03
Speaker
I don't have the cap numbers in front of me right now, but they're still beholden to the cap for Deshaun Watson and and and and Miles Garrett also under contract. So I don't think they have all that much room, to be honest with you. so Let me just bring up right now real quick. But I feel like that they're a little bit more cap-strapped than they lead to believe. So can they even consider? Yeah, the Browns are in the negative for the cap. Oh, yeah, they're in the negative.
00:27:29
Speaker
Yeah. So i don't I don't see them signing Sam Donald for this price.
00:27:35
Speaker
There's always some cap gymnastics that could happen, but yeah, you're right. That's ah that's where maybe the Kirk Cousins does make sense. Or yeah, maybe they do draft. But I just, I find, and you know we'll move on from Darnold after this. I find the market on him has really thinned out and I'm having a hard time yeah really finding someone who can, who can, who could be a good for hit foot good fit for him.
00:27:56
Speaker
On the other hand, Aaron, Aaron Rogers. Yes. Quick, quick, quick hitting. ah Where do you see him fitting? Obviously, he's not going to go back to the Jets. The Rams is not an option anymore either. No.
00:28:08
Speaker
i think i think it's either the I think it's either the Raiders or it's the Giants, quite frankly. I know there's ah the SEC... in that the Giants found out that they were out on the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes. Apparently, it was straight to Aaron Rodgers, and that type of conversation started off like that.
00:28:25
Speaker
um I'm really not opposed to it as a Giants fan. I mean, this is all continuing. Seriously? Honestly, no, I'm not. I'm really not. I'm really not. Listen, he put up 4,000 yards last year with, like, I think 34 touchdowns and 11 INT.
00:28:42
Speaker
very dysfunctional am i am i going to sit here and say that the giants are less dysfunctional than the jets absolutely not but at the same time i feel like thank you i do my best yeah my greedy greedy is a goat honestly everyone hates on green don't understand why i love so absolutely absolutely not uh but i i think it would be more more good than bad um Also, like he he doesn't have to go anywhere. He's already in New York as it is. he just Nothing changes apart from the color of his jersey, realistically.
00:29:15
Speaker
often He tears the other Achilles. Yeah. Oh, my God. So, wait. are you still draft Are you still drafting a QB if if if were we sign Aaron Rodgers?
00:29:26
Speaker
One million percent, and I'll tell you why. If anything, if we draft a QB number one overall, I want Aaron Rodgers even more, and I'm going to go on the record for saying that. Aaron Rodgers was actually very helpful for Jordan Love's development.
00:29:38
Speaker
And Aaron Rodgers went on record to say that I don't want to treat the backup quarterbacks or development guys the way that the way that Brett Favre treated me. Yeah, that's true. So I don't think he would be...
00:29:51
Speaker
ah As far as a mentor is concerned about how to play the game of football from a quarterback standpoint, you can do far worse than Aaron Rodgers. Far, far worse. And I think he's at a stage in his career where he has to realize that the whole Aaron Rodgers band can't come in anymore.
00:30:07
Speaker
Like you're you're on your last one or two years, two years max. yeah So don't expect the offense to be run exactly how you want it. Don't expect for Alan Lazard and Randall Cobb and frankly, even Devontae Adams to to to be joining you with any team you're coming in. So you've actually kind of convinced me a little bit towards...
00:30:29
Speaker
that not being a bad situation for the Giants, the circus, albeit having with all the circus, I still think the Steelers makes the most sense if they don't. So I don't think you know we'll we'll go through Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They go perfect and ah back to back.
00:30:45
Speaker
I don't think Russell Wilson is going back to the Steelers. I think the Raiders makes a lot of sense personally because of obviously Piccaro. And we talked about it the offense that Chip Kelly runs, which is RPO heavy, which relies on a mobile quarter quarterback, makes a lot of sense for Russell Wilson.
00:31:03
Speaker
um And then Justin Fields, i think i think if they they and think if the Steelers... the way I see is Rodgers makes a lot of sense for for for the Steelers.
00:31:15
Speaker
They get back into somewhat of a contention aspect. And then he gets to a wide receiver in George Pickens where I think he could work with. Yeah. I think that they, they, he elevates that offense more than Russell Wilson or Justin Fields could. Yeah.
00:31:33
Speaker
without Now, does he fit the Steeler way? Is is Mike Tallman as much as it seems like you know during during games, they know they wink at each other. does it Would that be a situation that works?
00:31:44
Speaker
I don't know. But if they feel like Aaron Rodgers is not the case for them, I don't see any of the other QBs really being an option. i don't i don't They're not going to foot the bill on Sam Darnold. They're too cheap.
00:31:54
Speaker
um Russell Wilson didn't work. no jamie swinson wouldn't work kirk cousins would be an would be an absolute disaster with with the offensive line that's just not not as good so i think it's either rogers or fields has to come back at that point yeah to be honest i don't know why fields that they haven't signed fields yet i know this new league year hasn't started and all that stuff but like i don't see why they haven't booked them into a two-year contract with a third year option He was very good when he played.
00:32:24
Speaker
He was a good. like He's not a bad quarterback at all. With the right offensive coordinator, it can they could really make a big difference. But the Steelers in general, though, like they're they're missing a wide receiver. They're going to be missing running backs in the offseason.
00:32:38
Speaker
they're They're a lot more of a mess than they lead on right now. Suffice it to say, they're even more of a mess than the Giants. I can say that now because NAC isn't here. But...
00:32:49
Speaker
30 minutes. and we I mean, we had to get through the stairs because we have Russell Wilson and Fields, and then we're going to talk about the running backs right after it. It's Najee Harris. that's ah That's a free agent. But we have we have the last two free agents or one of these potential free agents, Kirk Cousins and Jameis Winston. You have to think Kirk Cousins is definitely going to get cut.
00:33:05
Speaker
The Browns situation. Yeah, I know. I know there was i know there was a word there was word that the Falcons would be okay with. I just don't see that happening. it just I don't think they want to cut him. I think they want to stick his ass on the bench if he doesn't want to be if he's not going to be happy about it. that that's the That's the feeling that I'm getting is that Penix is going to start. You're going to be the backup. You're going to support him, and that's it. We're not cutting you.
00:33:29
Speaker
like Either you can pout about it or you can sit the entire year. It doesn't matter. that That's the feeling that I'm getting. That's what I've been reading. Whether that's true or not. I don't like it either. I don't like it either for him. i feel like you do right by the guy who hundred didn't cause a stink when you when he was benched. and Cousins is a pro. He's a pro. He's a pro. and it I don't think it's a good situation for Penix where if he has a bad four or five games, are there going to they're going to be fans calling for Kirk Cousins again? Are there going to be players that are calling for Kirk Cousins again?
00:33:58
Speaker
Naturally, you have to think it's going to happen. When this guy who's making that much money on the bench. And then Winston, that's like kind of a wild card. that could That could go any which way.
00:34:11
Speaker
You know what that would be interesting? In our show notes, we have the Colts as being a QB needy team. The Colts are definitely going to go after a a veteran quarterback to push. and And flat out, the the GM, Ballard, has said it.
00:34:27
Speaker
think Steichen has said it as well. They have to push for competition for Andy Richardson so he doesn't get complacent. Winston could be an interesting option. Heck, Rogers could be an interesting option. um But there's definitely going to be a veteran quarterback there that will not be Joe Flacco.
00:34:43
Speaker
And I think one that could realistically give them an opportunity to win. So we'll have to see where that lies with regards to the Colts and the QB situation.
Running Back Free Agency Insights
00:34:52
Speaker
Moving on to the running backs.
00:34:54
Speaker
It's a really loaded running back class. J.K. Dobbins, Aaron Jones, Najee Harris. J.K. Dobbins, league winner. Jakey Dalman's league winner, yes. ah Nick Chubb, Javante Williams. We put Elijah Mitchell in there because...
00:35:10
Speaker
yeah He's a serviceable running back. He deserves to be there. No, but not just that. He had some really good, like like a one, two good year stretch. And even ah the year before or the season where they got Christian McCaffrey, you a lot of people pegged him as ah as a solid RB too. So I think it could be interesting for him. Jalen Warren, RFA. Rico Dowdle, RFA as well. I don't see any of them moving on from their respective teams or getting an offer sheet, especially at the running back position.
00:35:37
Speaker
But still worth worthwhile putting there. fab jk dobbins or aaron jones who in your mind is the best free agent running back in this year's class
00:35:53
Speaker
i think when i have to go jk dobbins i can't believe i'm saying that over aaron jones it's very close though the only reason why i say jk dobbins is because you know you saw what he can do in now in a year when he's healthy right aaron jones is a little bit older like he was thirty last year and I know the older running back resurgence is happening and all that stuff. I get it.
00:36:12
Speaker
And last year, Aaron Jones had a great season. and great If for anything, I would want him to stay in in in Minnesota and come back. I think he worked really well on that offense. um But I think JK Dobbins is the is is the top free agent running back right now i can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth uh but respect the jk though like honestly like respect respect you gotta give the guy coming back from all those damn injuries should have won come back clear of the year but yes a different conversation for another day and he played really well he had some fantastic fantastic games for the chargers
00:36:46
Speaker
obviously they want to go in a different direction that's fine i hope he gets paid i hope he gets a nice amount of guaranteed money i've been hearing the rumor of the stealers could be a destination for jk dobbins because i guess they're going to move on from the g harris and uh which could be interesting for sure it's kind of a i see them similarly similarly to jalen warren i see jk a little bit similar to jalen warren where they do a little bit more of that change of pace back so I don't know how that's going to work, but that could be an interesting fit.
00:37:17
Speaker
What I have been hearing, which perked up my eyebrows a little bit, made me sound like, oh, this is interesting. Najee Harris to the Bears with Ben Johnson. I saw that too.
00:37:29
Speaker
And I was like, okay, whatever, Najee. If you look at the stats of the first three years between David Montgomery and Najee Harris, they're identical. I love that. They're identical. Yeah. And you saw what Ben Johnson did with david montgomery in that ah offense i'm sure he wants to replicate that to some degree so that's going to be a very very interesting name to keep an eye on um i love that fab because because uh you know we've talked about deandre swift a lot in this podcast where we just don't feel he fits the bill to be a number one running back he is more someone who needs to be paired in a tandem and i think naji harris is someone who
00:38:09
Speaker
better off They have to improve the offensive line. He didn't have the best offensive line either in in Pittsburgh, and obviously we know the offensive line was in Chicago. But he's a meat-and-potatoes type of running back, and it's perfectly in Chicago where Swift is going to try to bounce everything on the outside.
00:38:27
Speaker
Najee's going to, hit ah by hook or by crook, to his detriment and to sometimes his benefit as well, he's going to go straight straight down the line. uh power eye and not and not really try to to to be elusive with anything so i think that's a great call i would love that for happen i think it's a for i don't i think it's a foregone conclusion harris is not going to be back with the no uh harris being back with the stealers yeah yeah i think the i think the writing is on the wall there just to give jalen warren a chance also to to be the number one guy yeah and plus why pay a guy when you're going to be drafting his replacement anyways right i mean that the the running by class is so stacked this year
00:39:05
Speaker
Yeah, the thing is, I'm not convinced... get quality players in day two, day three, right? Yeah, but I'm not kind of convinced J.K. Domins and the Chargers are are completely parting ways. They have $61 million dollars of cat in cap space.
00:39:16
Speaker
I think that tandem worked relatively well. Their backup, ah they also had Gus Johnson, who... Sorry, not Gus Johnson, my God. Gus Edwards. Gus Edwards, thank you. Gus Edwards, who I don't think looked very good.
00:39:30
Speaker
And i so i just i felt like that that that tandem worked well. JK looked really solid. I feel like for a running-oriented team with with Harbaugh, he he performed very well. I think the the issue with JK is always, you know can he stay healthy?
00:39:45
Speaker
yeah So how much how much one how much of a deal do you want to give him? Maybe something with incentives with regards to how much he plays. Maybe ah not too much money guaranteed. ah Maybe something more spread out. But ah we'll have to see on that front.
00:40:00
Speaker
I think Aaron Jones as well. I actually think he's stay I actually think both guys end up staying. I think they're both going to test the market. And I think both guys end up staying more so Aaron Jones than J.K. Dobbins.
00:40:12
Speaker
ah But I really think Aaron Jones probably just test the market and and probably stays in and Minnesota. I haven't been hearing a lot of like having a lot about Aaron Jones going anywhere. Rumored to the Browns, but then you go back to the whole cap situation that the Browns have right now. like They can't really afford anybody.
00:40:31
Speaker
um So, yeah, I see him staying put. I feel like it's he fits well in the offense. I said that before. any Any one of these guys that are on the board right now, you're looking to draft next year from fantasy football perspective?
00:40:47
Speaker
ah Apart from J.K. Dobbins, who is your man crush, which I understand completely.
00:40:53
Speaker
Dude, I got J.K. in the 15th round, man. course he's my man crush. Of course he's my man crush, man. I think Chubb troubleub will be trouble will have to see where he goes.
00:41:07
Speaker
i think i was going to ask you, actually, like Dallas and Denver, those are two teams that Desperately need running backs. Yeah, those are both. my Mind you, Daldo was really good at the end of the year. He's an RFA.
00:41:19
Speaker
i still think they need ne need to add another runner there just from a depth perspective. But Denver really desperately needs somewhere. somewhere someone That's where I think Jente ends up going.
00:41:31
Speaker
Dallas TBD if they end up drafting anyone. But um I think Dobbins, Jones, Harris, those are all going to be kind of, you know, From a high-end RB2 to you know mid to low-end RB2 with regards to to Harris, Chubb is going to have to be a guy who you take a flyer on, similar to how people took a flyer on with J.K. Dobbins this past year.
00:41:53
Speaker
And then um it'll be interesting to see where Elijah Mitchell mitchell goes. Again, i i think I think it was a bit a tough sledding for him the first part of the his career with the Niners, with the injuries, and then with Christian McCaffrey.
00:42:06
Speaker
I'd love to see him and go to a situation similar to Dobbins where you know he has a chance to potentially start and show out show his skills because I do think he's ah he's a really talented running back.
00:42:20
Speaker
I agree with you. i don't think the Niners can afford to lose him. I don't think the Niners can afford to have a very thin running back. backroom I know they have McCaffrey, obviously. i know there's Isaac Garendo. I think the Celtics rookie contract. but yeah mason is an artificial Mason is an RFA as well, actually. not Exactly. Mason RFA. One of those guys have to come back. they have to have three running backs in that room because you can't drop them out for 16 or 17 games a season anymore.
00:42:49
Speaker
we've We've seen that. yeah and you can't you can't You can't bank on that. i Elijah Mitchell, the Niners should be prioritizing and signing Elijah Mitchell um and or Jordan Mason, in my opinion.
00:43:01
Speaker
And I think Rico Daldo should stay in Dallas. Nick Chubb going to Dallas would would make a lot of sense for me because I feel like they complement each other very well. Yeah, be sick but then again, like i feel like GT is supposed to be drafted by Dallas. If that's the case, then you know I don't think Nick Chug becomes an afterthought.
00:43:22
Speaker
The Broncos have Audrick Estime still. Yeah, he looked mediocre. He did. He did. They definitely need more help, though, from a running back perspective. the broncos feels It feels like the Broncos have draft drafted the same type of running back for the past three, four years.
00:43:40
Speaker
Yeah. Just burly guys who don't have much movement. Gervonta, Estime. Gervonta was close to that movement, man. like Tearing both of his ACLs in like the first year, it really didn't help at all.
00:43:50
Speaker
Yeah. um So what we'll see what happens with the running back position. Again, the draft class for the running backs is supposed to be one of the best in recent memory. So that all obviously have to factor in for a lot of these teams who are going to be RB needy, but there are a lot of teams.
00:44:07
Speaker
You know, we didn't mention the Raiders who desperately need to move away from the similar white business and even the Browns as well. So it'll be really interesting to see what happens at the running back position.
00:44:18
Speaker
I forgot who the Raiders had as a running back for a second. Thanks for reminding me. the fa the um the The favorite of Knack and Fab, I will never forget you guys saying that.
00:44:28
Speaker
That guy was going to be like... think Nick from Partial Breakaway said he was going be like a thousand yards. Zemir White? Yeah. He was on the right trajectory, you know?
00:44:42
Speaker
It out that way. Nope. and It's all I got is a fake crystal ball in front of me. I'm doing the best I can. I don't get all my calls right. You sure don't. You sure don't. I sure don't.
00:44:54
Speaker
um Moving on to the wide receivers. So obviously the big news of ah Monday afternoon was that T Higgins was franchise tagged by the Bengals.
Wide Receiver Free Agency and Team Fits
00:45:04
Speaker
$26.2 million. dollars Second year in a row he gets franchise tagged. Poor guy.
00:45:08
Speaker
um i was read I was trying to find it. ah Fox Sports did... seem like they reported it's the non-exclusive tag. so he may So he may still negotiate with other teams.
00:45:19
Speaker
Mind you, the Bengals have the right to match. Hence, while we have Tegan still as the number one free agent wide receiver, a although technically not a free agent, ah still a chance for teams to sign an ah to send ah an offer, such as the Patriots.
00:45:34
Speaker
We all know how much the Patriots need ah number one wide receiver help. That's been kind of the the rumor du jour, the rumor for the past call it two, three months of anyone going with T Higgins. um You know, we could see the the Vegas Raiders as well. We talked about the Steelers as well, but fab, I think this is a fair deal for, for Higgins. I think it puts him around the Jalen Waddle, DJ Moore,
00:46:01
Speaker
chris god sorry not Chris Godd but Devontae Smith range the tag that he got was it yeah yeah yeah and obviously I think he's he's definitely worth a guy who should be getting a long term deal yeah i think i think this is a move that you know it has to the Bengals have to buy themselves time because obviously they're going to give a big back to Jamar Chase For sure. and And I've been hearing rumors apparently that there's going to be a tag and trade as well. I think they're also entertaining some trade deals too for that. I think they just want to get sort of, I guess, this year's contract settled.
00:46:36
Speaker
um Listen, for... I would like it if he stayed with the Bengals. ah that that That trio of an offense is just wonderful to watch. And we spoke about it last week too. Like when Jamar Chase went down, Tee Higgins stepped up.
00:46:52
Speaker
You know, like he balled out. Like he's he is the number one wide receiver on any other team in the NFL, of almost any other team in the NFL. Right? But like you can – He's worth his weight in gold for sure from that offense in that perspective.
00:47:06
Speaker
um The Bengals should do whatever they can to sign him. And I think having a contract similar to Waddle, similar to Devante Smith in that area is fair.
00:47:17
Speaker
I think this sort of fits into that. Hopefully this gets done sooner than later. But if it does get traded, the Patriots are going to have the number one wide receiver to go with Drake May.
00:47:29
Speaker
Something that the Patriots have never had since like Randy Moss. Yeah, like a true wide receiver. You know what, fab I actually agree with you. I actually i really think he's the number one wide receiver in many other teams. In like 20 NFL teams, he's the number one wide receiver.
00:47:44
Speaker
So so in in five games yeah in five games without Jamar Chase, he has 31 catches, 511 yards, and three TDs. So that's an average of six receptions a game and 102 receiving yards per game.
00:48:01
Speaker
yeah And 0.6 touches. Small sample size is not the biggest sample size, but he has the height. He has the kind of catch ability to be a number one guy. So... um I would love for him to be with the Pats.
00:48:13
Speaker
I think they need to they definitely need to get Drake May, a legitimate number one wide receiver.
00:48:23
Speaker
Then after Higgins, not that the gap is large, but you have kind of like some injury-prone players in Chris Godwin, Stephon Diggs, Amari Cooper, who had just that really weird year for the Bills. were So weird. so weird yeah wasn't targeted at all you know he he's such a pro he didn't complain he didn't he didn't say anything whatsoever love that yeah but still still a weird year hollywood brown who came off a broken collarbone yeah it looked like he was coming into his own but still then you have deandre hop and then it's like the next year is like older guys right like coming into their mid-30s deandre hopkins keenan allen
00:49:02
Speaker
um There's Devante Adams there. He's at nine because he's not currently a free agent, but there's a lot of rumors that he's either going to get traded. And if the Jets aren't able to find a trade partner, they will cut him, which would bring him right at the top, maybe even above T Higgins.
00:49:21
Speaker
Where do you see the landscape on the wide receiver position for the free agents? fa Because there's a lot of wide receiver needy teams. If you look at you know the Cowboys, we talked about the Packers, Houston, the Chargers desperately need one, the Saints, and even the Bucs as well, depending on what happens with Chris Godwin.
00:49:41
Speaker
Yeah, so going over with that list of of teams that you have mentioned, because I already had a few spots in my head for for where these guys should be going. I think Chris Godwin stays with the Bucs. I think they work out a deal.
00:49:55
Speaker
I want him to stay with Tampa Bay, to be honest with you. Like, he's... He was drafted by them. He's been there the whole time. and He's gone through a lot of injuries and all that stuff. And it, I think he should stick around there too. He's probably going to, obviously going to be on the cheap.
00:50:09
Speaker
Keenan Allen is the one that like I'm most perplexed about, to be honest with you. I've heard that he might go back to the chargers, but, um, He didn't show a lot last year with Caleb Williams on that offense. He had a few games where he popped off, but it was very mid to say the least, right? so I don't know what type of team will be looking for that type of service, to be honest.
00:50:31
Speaker
you know You know, going back to Chicago would actually not be a bad idea. if you think of how he plays and how Amon Ross St. Brown played with Ben Johnson, that would actually be a really good fit.
00:50:43
Speaker
Well, I feel like Ben Johnson is going to attract a lot of these players as well. feel like Keenan Allen, if he might have been on the fence before about sticking around, well, now he might be a little bit more all in because he sees how the organization is changing and what direction they're going in.
00:50:56
Speaker
yeah It's going to make it a lot more interesting for free agents and and and enticing free agents to come back around. And listen, you already had a year of chemistry with Caleb Williams. It's not as if it's nothing, you know, so that could still build and work off of that.
00:51:10
Speaker
um Someone's calling me late at night over here. apologize for that, ladies and gentlemen. Yeah, I got a call from Il Perot. Did you? is that you too? From Amazon?
00:51:22
Speaker
No, no, it's my front door.
00:51:28
Speaker
Um, my God. Um, where was I going? lost my train i thought. Marquise Brown. This I find weird. Um, so Marquise Brown, rumors to the bills, I guess they're going to swap Marquise Brown. I'm taking out Mario Cooper and put on Marquise Brown, which I like a lot for Josh Allen.
00:51:45
Speaker
Um, i'm ah I'm a big Hollywood Brown believer. like i go back to I know it's a very small sample size, I go back to those six or seven games he had last year with Kyler Murray for the Cardinals when De'Audre Hopkins was was injured and he had to beat the guy. and he he he had why receiver one numbers like for those six games. He looked really good.
00:52:11
Speaker
And then he just got, unfortunately, injured last year with Kansas City before the season even started. And he had a few nice games right around the end of season in the playoffs. I see, assuming he's fully healthy, I can see that being a really, really good addition to the Bills offense.
00:52:27
Speaker
You have Kalos Shakur already. You have Keon Coleman who's coming in. Then you have Hollywood Brown. Listen, you have a nice trio of wide receivers over there where, um you know, it gives Josh a lot more A lot more room to maneuver in.
00:52:40
Speaker
Amari Cooper is a bit of a wild card for me. I've been i've been hearing that he also goes to the Bears to replace Keenan Allen. Amari Cooper like had a quiet season last year. I don't like it either. He had a quiet season last year, so I don't know.
00:52:58
Speaker
I don't know where he's going to end up or wherever he ends up i don't think it's going to be from a fantasy impact perspective. That's for sure. I think that seems like an odd fit with Roma doing, say playing a lot of X receiver.
00:53:10
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, that's why I i didn't like when I read. I was like, that doesn't really make sense. hollywood mean Yeah, so so that's Diggs. Diggs does a lot of... So obviously the ACL, let's see if he's on track to even make it to training camp.
00:53:26
Speaker
um But i still I thought he played really well. he He was quiet. He wasn't he wasn't causing a stir. Yeah. Houston should be in the back. hous so Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Houston will need a wide receiver anyways, right? And and you know why not why not just go back there? um but that's that's another wire That's another room where...
00:53:48
Speaker
Like, they're injured every single year. Like, Tang Dell hasn't played a full season in two years. Nico Collins, God love him. The guy only plays about half a season or two-thirds of a season every single year. And he's fantastic. So what are you going to do? And then you complain that C.J. Stroup, you know, like, doesn't have protection. He doesn't want to throw it to, right? Like, at one point last year, that Tang Dell was his number one wide receiver.
00:54:09
Speaker
All of five-foot-eight of him. Like, he needs a little bit more. he didn like I think Houston should be prioritizing signing some free agent wide receivers. I think they should bring Max Stephon Diggs.
00:54:21
Speaker
I know I mentioned Hollywood Brown going to the Bills, and that would make sense. Add him to the Texans roster. That would be interesting too. What about Dallas? We cannot think that Dallas can go back again. As well as Turbin played.
00:54:37
Speaker
Yes. As well as, um I'm forgetting, Jalen something. um um I forgot his name, but that just tells you that. But but they played well towards the end of the year.
00:54:49
Speaker
yep But you you have to add another player for CeeDee Lamb. They traded Amari Cooper, and then they had Michael Gallup for a bit, and now they're just kind of trotting out Stevie Lamb on an island.
00:55:02
Speaker
actually think Hollywood Brown would be a really interesting option. like that. Because he could play he could play outside. He could play a bit in the slot as well. and He's a quiet guy. like i like I don't think Diggs and Lamb, i don't think that's a good idea.
00:55:15
Speaker
um i was thinking Diggs just reunited with his cousin or his brother who plays with him over there. Oh, yeah. ah Trayvon? Trayvon. Trayvon. DeAndre Hopkins, like, we didn't talk about him, but that would not work at all. Like, Hopkins at this stage of his his career, just that's just not going to work ah where he's... he yeah he really He can only play, like, one type of position and he's not really moving across the formation anymore.
00:55:43
Speaker
No. i I thought um Patrick Mahomes was going to be able to open up DeAndre Hopkins. um Wasn't the case. and And I realized it more when, like, Calvin really went off for the Titans last year on a lot games.
00:56:02
Speaker
Like, you don't see the other because you don't have those numbers anymore at this point. Well, yeah, Calvin Ridley had quite a bit of nice games last year. had a nice straight yes he did Yes, he did. I was hating on Calvin Ridley all of last season, so I'm eating my words here.
00:56:16
Speaker
You know what? That's a team that needs more wide receiver help. When Nick Westbrook-Akina has the most fantasy points at the wide receiver position. That's also a part of the quarterback, though.
00:56:27
Speaker
Yeah, there's a ton of teams that that need help. The only one i feel that I'm pretty confident in saying is the Chargers. i just i don't see a situation where they don't get Devontae Adams. Whether they trade for him or if he gets cut.
00:56:42
Speaker
To me, like i've you know we mentioned that one before. That makes a ton of sense because he's a West Coast guy and they have that need for a bona fide wide receiver next to Ladd McConkie. Darius Slayton for the Chargers would make a A ton of sense.
00:56:58
Speaker
A ton of sense. Quinton Johnson's contract is not working. I'm sorry. he's He can't. Oh, man, that game that I lost where he had like five drop passes. My goodness. like he Darius Slayton, for all accounts, put up exceptional wide receiver numbers playing in, and I'm putting it mildly here, a subpar quarterback, playing from a subpar quarterback room.
00:57:21
Speaker
So Darius Slayton in L.A. I think would do very well. i think he would probably do better than his numbers that he has right now, which is averaging around 800 yards a season, 700 yards a season.
00:57:32
Speaker
He can probably crack the century mark over there. With Ladd McConkie, I think the Giants should keep him personally because I think he's an asset on that team for for variety of reasons. But Darius Leighton to the Chargers makes a ton of sense to me.
00:57:46
Speaker
A ton of sense. Always been an underrated player. Yeah. Always been a really underrated player.
00:57:55
Speaker
And Devontae is going to go wherever Aaron Rodgers goes. No, I don't think so. I really don't think that's going to be the case. No, no, no. Well, I mean, again, if it's the Giants, really think Devontae is going to go to New York?
00:58:08
Speaker
And I think he has a family. has like three kids, man. like I feel like he wants – all I've read is that he wants to stay on the West Coast this time. you can't You can't be tethered to Aaron Rodgers for the rest of your like your career when he's 40 and you're still – you You're maybe just outside your prime, but Devontae still has a good, what, three to four years left?
00:58:28
Speaker
If you're just tethered to Rodgers, Rodgers, let's say he goes to the Giants, struggles the first few weeks. ye We draft Shadr or Cam.
00:58:40
Speaker
It's over. Yeah. No, you're right. Yeah, it's a very good point. You're right. Yep. So that's it for the free agent wider series. a great, great list of
Tight End Market and Draft Class Impact
00:58:50
Speaker
players. i think there's going ton of movement. And then lastly, we'll go quickly with the... Look, you see Zach Ertz there pointing.
00:58:57
Speaker
We see Zach Ertz halfway there. ah Type of Hawaiian. That's how bad the tight end free agency class is. He doesn't even want to show himself.
00:59:08
Speaker
um Fab, you've always been a big proponent. You're a big proponent of Zach Ertz last year. Yeah. Where do you see him going? ah So it's it's confirmed that commanders will not be taking back his services, which I'm upset about because i thought it was a very good safety blank blanket for Daniels. And we saw that last year or too, even from a fantasy football perspective, he was serviceable.
00:59:30
Speaker
um I think that could be, he can provide the similar sort of assistance um to the colts um i think anthony richardson definitely needs a guy that he can mind you he needs a guy that he can be very very you know safe with and even with the broncos too with bo nicks right i mean i feel like they're who's are who's this And didn for the Broncos, I can't think of him right now. It's not Cole Komet anymore. Troutman.
00:59:59
Speaker
Troutman. Yeah. I think Zach Gertzler has little bit left in the tank, and I would like to see him finish off with like a nice rookie quarterback that needs a safety blanket. He's 120 yards in the nfc NFC title game. He was fantastic. Dude, good. He's very good.
01:00:14
Speaker
Yeah. like I don't know why everyone's poo-pooing on the guy. i Maybe he wanted too much money. I don't know. But um ah the Broncos would make sense to me. The Broncos will make a lot more sense probably than the Colts.
01:00:27
Speaker
Chargers desperately need it. Chargers too. Chargers haven't had a tight end since Antonio Gates. Didn't you also get screwed by Will Disley? I did.
01:00:38
Speaker
I did get screwed by Will Disley. I did. Basically, I'm trying to GM the entire Chargers offense that It doesn't have to be again last year next year. They need to get out of the Will Disley business. i think you were He's been trying to be a thing for like four years now in that and in in in that organization from what I've been reading. like it's been and and They finally thought that last year was going to be the year and he had a stretch where he had a lot of games and then I put him in my lineup and he puts up Kusek.
01:01:07
Speaker
And I would add the Rams here too. I don't know where any of these guys are going because the Titan class is very good for the draft. Colson Loveland, Tyler Warren, Mason Taylor, Jason Taylor's son, Joy Taylor's nephew. So it's a really good Titan class. So who knows where any of these regions... Whose nephew is that?
01:01:31
Speaker
twitter Joy Taylor. Taylor. Put some respect on our name. Tyler Warren, I saw him run the gauntlet. That guy was on a, he was on rails. Like he didn't even deviate from that line at all. It was straight. It was like watching Latimer Conklin last year. Yeah, that's, yeah, yeah, man.
01:01:49
Speaker
Yeah, like that that's how you know they're good. it's It's straight line and it's don't lose speed. So, yeah, we'll see. Yeah. Yeah, so we'll see. that The Rams have... Similar to the Chargers, I feel like they just haven't had a good tight end in a... They've tried to make Higby a thing.
01:02:08
Speaker
may ah get ah Gerald Everett, I think they tried to make a thing as well. Or i or am I confusing the fact that he played for the the the Chargers? Anyways, I think a lot of teams could use some tight end help. And then there's Gusicki and Juwan Johnson, yeah who I've always been a big fan of.
01:02:24
Speaker
So we'll have to see how the the tight end landscape shapes up. But going to be a very, very interesting free agency period in the coming weeks. Any last ah any last takes on our free agency coming up next week? Fab?
01:02:43
Speaker
I don't know. um'm um I'm on the roller coaster. um My seatbelts on. i'm Whatever happens happens. Like i'm I'm more excited to be honest with you for for the for the new league year to start and the tampering to start because
Podcast Wrap-up and Future Teasers
01:02:57
Speaker
that that's when that When the dominoes fall for over there, that's when you're really going see stuff happen.
01:03:04
Speaker
um you're pretty locked You're pretty locked into these rumors, man. You're like hearing everything. It's my Twitter feed. My algorithm is just destroying me now. all i got is All I get is rumors. i don't get anything related to what I want to look at. all all it is I go on my Twitter and it's just Giants rumors and it's everything related to NFL. This podcast has crippled my algorithm.
01:03:29
Speaker
So that'll do it for us this week. Big free agency preview, some combine talk as well. Please, please stick with us. We're to have a ton of more content with regards to free agency. you're going to have a big free agency recap next week, probably around midweek after. We'll probably even do two episodes actually for free agency recap because there's just always stuff that trickles in even on the second week.
01:03:50
Speaker
Obviously, NAC will be back next week to join us along that. And then after free agency, we're going to do our positional deep dives for the draft. We'll do QBs, running backs, wide receivers. We might even kind of I think I think it's even worth it to do tight ends separately because the the class is so good and even maybe talk about some offense alignment. So we'll hope to have maybe a few guests who are as locked in um as in college football as we are into the NFL. So ah Please stick stick with us. You can follow us at the Bush League, at Bush League Huddle.
01:04:22
Speaker
No E for X and anywhere else on Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram. On behalf of Fab, i am Raj and we will see you next time.
01:04:34
Speaker
Goodbye.
01:04:37
Speaker
Peace out.